Cleanliness evaluation device, cleanliness evaluation method, and program

Abstract

The objective is to provide a cleanliness evaluation device, a cleanliness evaluation method, and a program for evaluating the cleanliness of a storage facility that stores goods under high humidity and low temperature conditions. [Solution] A cleanliness evaluation device for a storage facility that stores articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage facility at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point; and an evaluation unit that evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility based on the information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleanliness evaluation device, a cleanliness evaluation method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, refrigerators and freezers have been used to store foods such as meat, fish, and vegetables that require temperature management in a fresh state. Generally, since the enzyme activity of foods has a positive correlation with the food temperature, the lower the storage temperature, the easier it is to maintain the freshness. In addition, the growth rate of mold, bacteria, etc. can be kept very slow around 0°C.

[0003] However, when the storage temperature is set around 0°C, for example, in meat and seafood, 70% to 80% of them, and in fruits and vegetables, 80% to 90% or more are occupied by water, so these foods freeze. When water turns into ice, its volume expands, and first the extracellular fluid of the food freezes to form large ice crystals, which destroys the cell membrane from the outside. Furthermore, when the once-frozen food is thawed, the intracellular fluid and interstitial fluid that have come out of the damaged cells flow out, and together with the water, the taste components and nutrients are also lost, and the texture of the food itself deteriorates. Also, when storing food, if the relative humidity is not higher than the water content of the food, water vapor escapes from the food to the surrounding air and the food dries out.

[0004] However, on the other hand, if the temperature in the storage is increased so that ice does not form inside the temperature-controlled object such as food, the activity of the enzymes that decompose the food increases, and long-term freshness retention cannot be achieved.

[0005] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses an evaporator for a storage that includes a crushed ice heat exchanger in which a cold air temperature and humidity changing unit is disposed between a first blower and a second blower and adjacent to the first blower and the second blower. Since this cold air temperature and humidity changing unit has ice supplied from a crushed ice unit, the basic cold air contacts this ice and becomes cold air containing water vapor around 0°C.

[0006] Furthermore, as the ice melts and the melted water vaporizes, water vapor fills the storage room, creating a high-humidity environment with an internal temperature of around 0°C and a relative humidity of around 100%. Therefore, by managing the food products stored in the storage room at approximately 0°C and a relative humidity of around 100%, their quality can be maintained. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-162967 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] As described above, storage facilities that can maintain items at around 0°C and 100% relative humidity have the advantage of being able to preserve the freshness of stored food for extended periods without degrading its quality, and also suppressing the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. However, when storing items at around 0°C and 100% relative humidity for extended periods, it is necessary to maintain cleanliness within the storage facility to prevent mold and bacteria from growing due to any external disturbances.

[0009] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a cleanliness evaluation device, a cleanliness evaluation method, and a program for evaluating the cleanliness of a storage facility that stores articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In other words, the present invention is as follows. [1] A cleanliness evaluation device for a storage facility that stores articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions, An acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage chamber at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point, An evaluation unit that evaluates the cleanliness of the storage cabinet based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or information regarding the types of bacteria, Cleanliness evaluation device. [2] The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility at the second time point based on whether the acquired information regarding the number of bacteria at the second time point exceeds a predetermined threshold. The cleanliness evaluation device described in [1]. [3] The evaluation unit evaluates the future cleanliness of the storage facility based on the information regarding the number of bacteria at the first time point and the rate of change in the number of bacteria per unit time based on the information regarding the number of bacteria at the second time point. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in [1] or [2]. [4] The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility at the second time point or in the future, based on information regarding the items to be stored and information regarding the types of bacteria at the second time point obtained. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to [3]. [5] The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility at the second time point or in the future based on the information regarding the types of bacteria at the first time point and the changes based on the information regarding the types of bacteria at the second time point. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to [4]. [6] The aforementioned article includes vegetables, meat, or fish, The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage room based on whether the information on the types of bacteria obtained from any location at the second time point includes bacteria derived from vegetables, meat, or fish that are not included in the item. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to [5]. [7] The aforementioned article includes vegetables, meat, or fish, The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage room based on whether the information on the types of bacteria obtained from any location at the second time point detects two or more types of bacteria from among bacteria originating from vegetables, bacteria originating from meat, or bacteria originating from fish. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to [6]. [8] The system further includes a sensitivity adjustment unit that sets a threshold for the number of bacteria or a threshold for the rate of change of the number of bacteria, and / or the interval between the first time point and the second time point, in accordance with the monitoring sensitivity specified by the user. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to [7]. [9] The information relating to the number of bacteria and / or the type of bacteria includes information obtained from the air conditioner of the storage facility and / or information obtained from the articles. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to [8].

[10] The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the type of bacteria obtained from different locations in the storage facility. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to [9].

[11] The acquisition unit further acquires information regarding the internal environment of the storage facility, The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage chamber based on the information regarding the internal environment of the chamber, the information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the information regarding the types of bacteria. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to

[10] .

[12] The system further includes a control unit that controls the internal environment of the storage cabinet according to an evaluation of the cleanliness of the storage cabinet. A cleanliness evaluation device as described in any one of items [1] to

[11] .

[13] The system further includes an output unit that instructs cleaning of the storage cabinet according to an evaluation of the cleanliness of the storage cabinet. The cleanliness evaluation device according to any one of [1] to

[12] .

[14] The instruction for cleaning the storage vault includes a cleaning location, a cleaning timing, or a cleaning method. The cleanliness evaluation device according to

[13] .

[15] Further comprising an estimation unit that estimates factors for changes in the number or types of bacteria in the storage vault. The cleanliness evaluation device according to any one of [1] to

[14] .

[16] A cleanliness evaluation device in a storage vault for storing articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions, obtaining information on the number of bacteria and / or information on the types of bacteria in the storage vault at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point; evaluating the cleanliness of the storage vault based on the information on the number of bacteria and / or the information on the types of bacteria. A cleanliness evaluation method.

[17] In a cleanliness evaluation device in a storage vault for storing articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions, obtaining information on the number of bacteria and / or information on the types of bacteria in the storage vault at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point; causing to execute a step of evaluating the cleanliness of the storage vault based on the information on the number of bacteria and / or the information on the types of bacteria. A program. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, there can be provided a cleanliness evaluation device, a cleanliness evaluation method, and a program for evaluating cleanliness in a storage vault for storing articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1A] It is a diagram showing one aspect of the cleanliness evaluation system of the present embodiment. [Figure 1B] This is a schematic perspective view showing one aspect of the storage cabinet of this embodiment. [Figure 2A] This is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the cleanliness evaluation device of this embodiment. [Figure 2B] This figure shows one aspect of the data stored inside the warehouse. [Figure 2C] This is a conceptual diagram showing an example of data used to measure the number of bacteria. [Figure 2D] This is a conceptual diagram showing an example of data from measuring the types of bacteria in a specific location. [Figure 2E] This is a conceptual diagram showing an example of data from measuring specific types of bacteria in different locations. [Figure 2F] This is a conceptual diagram illustrating one aspect of sensitivity adjustment processing. [Figure 3A] This flowchart shows an example of the processing performed by the cleanliness evaluation device of this embodiment. [Figure 3B] This flowchart shows an example of the processing performed by the cleanliness evaluation device of this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "these embodiments") will be described in detail below, with reference to the drawings as necessary. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible without departing from its essence. In the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, positional relationships such as up, down, left, and right will be based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings. Moreover, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are not limited to those shown.

[0014] 1. Cleanliness evaluation system Figure 1A is a schematic diagram showing the cleanliness evaluation system of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1A, one example of the cleanliness evaluation system of this embodiment may include a storage facility 100 for storing articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions, a cleanliness evaluation device 200 in the storage facility 100, and a terminal 300 used by the user of the storage facility 100. The user of the storage facility 100 is the person who stores articles in the storage facility 100, and may be the producer of the articles or other distributors.

[0015] The cleanliness evaluation device 200 is a device that evaluates the cleanliness of a storage facility 100 that stores goods under high humidity and low temperature conditions, based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or information regarding the types of bacteria. In the example in Figure 1A, the cleanliness evaluation device 200 is shown as a server connected to the storage facility 100 via a network N. This allows the cleanliness evaluation device 200 to evaluate the cleanliness of multiple storage facilities 100 located in various locations in parallel. In the following description, the cleanliness evaluation device 200 will be described as a server, but the cleanliness evaluation device 200 of this embodiment is not limited to this. Specifically, the cleanliness evaluation device 200 may be installed for each storage facility 100, and the cleanliness of each storage facility 100 may be evaluated.

[0016] The cleanliness evaluation device 200 may receive various data from the storage facility 100, including information on the number and / or types of bacteria, as well as information on the internal environment and inventory, and evaluate the cleanliness of the storage facility 100 based on these. The cleanliness evaluation device 200 may also transmit information on cleanliness to the terminal 300 in response to a request from the terminal 300, or it may transmit an alert to the terminal 300 in response to the cleanliness evaluation.

[0017] Figure 1B is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of a storage facility. As shown in Figure 1B, the storage facility 100 may include a storage room 110 for accommodating articles 160 and their packaging 170 to be stored under high humidity and low temperature conditions, a cooling evaporator 120 for maintaining high humidity and low temperature conditions inside the storage room 110, and a control device 130 for controlling the cooling evaporator 120, etc. In Figure 1B, a storage room 110 with a door 140 and large enough for a person to enter is shown, but the size of the storage room 110 is not limited to this, and it may not be designed for human entry.

[0018] The cooling evaporator 120 is an example of an air conditioner, and there are no particular limitations on the cooling evaporator 120 as long as it is capable of maintaining high humidity and low temperature conditions inside the storage room 110. For example, the cooling evaporator 120 may have a water tank and a fan that blows air onto the water surface of the water tank to send humid air into the storage room, or it may have a fan that blows air onto ice to send humid air into the storage room.

[0019] In this embodiment, the relative humidity under high humidity and low temperature conditions is preferably 80%RH or higher, 85%RH or higher, 90%RH or higher, and 95%RH or higher. The upper limit of the relative humidity is not particularly limited, but it is 100%RH or lower. Furthermore, the temperature under high humidity and low temperature conditions in this embodiment is preferably -1°C or higher, -0.5°C or higher, and -0.3°C or higher. The upper limit of the temperature is preferably 1°C or lower, 0.5°C or lower, and 0.3°C or lower.

[0020] In addition to instructing the cooling evaporator 120 to control the temperature and humidity inside the storage room 110, the control device 130 may also record current and past temperature and humidity trends obtained from the sensor 150, manage information regarding the entry and exit of items 160 stored in the storage room 110, and display and control information regarding cleanliness received from the cleanliness evaluation device 200. Furthermore, the control device 130 may transmit information regarding the temperature and humidity inside the storage room 110, as well as other information obtained from various sensors installed in the storage room 110, such as the number and type of bacteria, to the cleanliness evaluation device 200.

[0021] In this embodiment, bacteria may include not only fungi and molds but also all kinds of microorganisms such as viruses.

[0022] The cooling evaporator 120 may have an ultraviolet irradiation device that irradiates ultraviolet light onto the water or ice used to create a high-humidity, low-temperature environment. By irradiating with ultraviolet light, the number of bacteria contained in the cooling evaporator 120 is reduced, and the spread of bacteria by the cooling evaporator 120 can be suppressed.

[0023] Figure 1B shows an example where a control device 130 is provided on the door 140 to facilitate the user's ability to check temperature and humidity along with inventory management. However, the system is not limited to this, and the control device 130 may be located in a separate location from the storage room 110, as long as it is connected to the storage room 110 via the network N. Furthermore, if a cleanliness evaluation device 200 is installed in each storage room 100, the cleanliness evaluation device 200 may be integrated with the control device 130.

[0024] Furthermore, the terminal 300 is not particularly limited as long as it is a terminal used by a user who stores items in the storage facility 100 or by the administrator of the storage facility 100, for example, it may be a smartphone, tablet, desktop, laptop, or other computer.

[0025] The hardware and functional configurations of the cleanliness evaluation device 200 will be described below with reference to Figures 2A to 2F. The cleanliness evaluation device 200 is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a desktop, laptop, or other computer. Furthermore, the cleanliness evaluation device 200 is a general-purpose computer and may consist of a single computer or multiple computers on a network N.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2A, the hardware and functional configuration of the cleanliness evaluation device 200 will be described. The cleanliness evaluation device 200 includes, for example, a processor 210, a communication interface 220, an input / output interface 230, a memory 240, storage 250, and one or more communication buses 260 for interconnecting these components.

[0027] The processor 210 is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be one or more central processing units (C PU, MPU, GPU, microprocessor, processor core, multiprocessor, This includes ASICs, FPGAs, etc., and logic circuits (hardware) formed on integrated circuits, etc. The circuitry is used to store the code included in the program stored in storage 250, or This may involve a process, function, or method implemented by an instruction.

[0028] Specifically, the processor 210 includes an acquisition unit 211 and an evaluation unit 21, as shown in Figure 2A. 2. Functions as a sensitivity adjustment unit 213, a control unit 214, an output unit 215, and an estimation unit 216. It may be configured to do so.

[0029] The communication interface 220 transmits and receives various types of data with other devices via the network N. This communication may be performed via wired or wireless connection, and any communication protocol may be used as long as communication between the devices is possible. For example, the communication interface 220 may be implemented as hardware such as a network adapter, various types of communication software, or a combination thereof.

[0030] Network N is not particularly limited, but may include, for example, an ad-hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), part of the internet, part of a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a mobile phone network, ISDNs, wireless LANs, LTE, CDMA, Bluetooth, satellite communications, etc., and may be a combination of these. Network N may include one or more networks.

[0031] The input / output interface 230 may include an input device for inputting various operations to the cleanliness evaluation device 200, and an output device for outputting processing results processed by the cleanliness evaluation device 200. For example, the input / output interface 230 may include an information input device such as a keyboard, mouse, and touch panel, and an information output device such as a display. The cleanliness evaluation device 200 may accept predetermined inputs and perform predetermined outputs by connecting an external input / output interface 230. In the example shown in Figure 1B, for example, the sensor 150 and control device 130 of the storage unit 100 may function as external information input devices for the cleanliness evaluation device 200.

[0032] The sensor 150 is not particularly limited, but examples include a temperature and humidity sensor, an oxygen concentration sensor, a carbon dioxide concentration sensor, and an ethylene gas sensor. These sensors allow the conditions inside the storage unit to be recorded in the storage unit data 251.

[0033] The items included are generally not limited to those that can be stored at low temperatures, such as food ingredients and fresh flowers. Food ingredients include raw ingredients such as meat, fish, and vegetables, as well as ingredients that have been pre-processed for cooking, and cooked dishes.

[0034] Memory 240 temporarily stores programs loaded from storage 250, A workspace is provided for the processor 210. The memory 240 is used by the processor 210. Various data generated while the program is running are also temporarily stored here. Memory 2 40 is, for example, DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or other random access solid-state memory. This can be high-speed random access memory such as a storage device, and these can be combined That's good too.

[0035] The storage 250 stores programs, various functional units, models for various estimation processes, and various data. The storage 250 may be, for example, one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state storage devices, or a combination thereof. Another example of the storage 250 is one or more storage devices installed remotely from the processor 210.

[0036] Figure 2B shows an example of the internal data 251. The internal data 251 records information measured by various sensors, information acquired by the acquisition unit 211, and information evaluated by the evaluation unit 212. The acquisition unit 211 and the evaluation unit 212 may also acquire information necessary for various processes from the internal data 251.

[0037] The "Storage ID" is an identifier used to uniquely identify storage facilities when multiple storage facilities exist in different regions. "Storage Environment Information" records information about high-humidity and low-temperature environments such as temperature and humidity, as well as other information about the storage environment such as oxygen concentration. Storage environment information may also be time-series data. "Information about bacteria" records information acquired by the acquisition unit 211, such as the number of bacteria, the types of bacteria, and the proportion of each type of bacteria. Furthermore, "Information about cleanliness" records information evaluated by the evaluation unit 212 based on the information about bacteria. Finally, "Inventory Information" records information about inventory status, such as information on the arrival and departure of items to and from storage facility 100.

[0038] 1.1. Acquisition part The acquisition unit 211 acquires information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage room 100 at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point.

[0039] There are no particular restrictions on the method of counting the number of bacteria, as long as it is a known method. Examples include the plate counting method (culture method), which involves culturing bacteria on a culture medium and counting the colonies; the direct microscopy counting method, which involves directly observing and counting bacterial cells under a microscope; the flow cell analysis method using flow cytometry; the turbidity measurement method, which indirectly evaluates the number of bacteria by measuring changes in light transmittance and absorptance; and the light scattering measurement method, which indirectly evaluates the number of bacteria in a unit volume of water by detecting the number of particles the same size as bacteria.

[0040] The number of bacteria may be counted by a person using the various methods described above, or by various devices. Specifically, the number of colonies may be counted based on culture medium images using image processing technology, or the number of bacterial cells may be counted based on microscope images. Furthermore, in flow cell analysis, flow cytometry may output information regarding the number of bacteria; in turbidity measurement, a turbidimeter may output information regarding the number of bacteria; and in light scattering measurement, a particle size analyzer using light scattering may output information regarding the number of bacteria. Although turbidity and light scattering measurements are not the number of bacteria themselves, they are indirect values ​​that represent the number of bacteria, and are therefore included in the information regarding the number of bacteria.

[0041] The storage unit 100 may be equipped with various devices for measuring the number of these bacteria, and the number of bacteria may be counted continuously or intermittently. Alternatively, a sample may be taken from the storage unit 100, and the number of bacteria may be counted continuously or intermittently using a device installed outside the storage unit 100. The acquisition unit 211 of the cleanliness evaluation device 200 may directly or indirectly acquire information regarding the number of bacteria obtained in this manner.

[0042] There are no particular restrictions on the method of identifying bacterial species, as long as it is a known method, but examples include immunological methods, mass spectrometry, PCR, and DNA sequencing. Among these, it is also possible to use next-generation sequencers to classify microorganisms based on the similarity of specific gene sequences, such as the 16S rRNA gene sequence, by OTU analysis, and then identify the genus and species name by comparing the DNA sequence of each OTU with a bacterial DNA sequence database. Publicly known DNA sequence databases can be used, such as the National Institute of Genetics' bacterial database (MicrobeDB.jp).

[0043] Furthermore, in this analysis, information regarding the number of bacterial species contained in the sample may be obtained from the OTU count, or the relative abundance of each bacterial species contained in the sample may be obtained from the number of reads belonging to the same OTU.

[0044] Furthermore, in addition to pathogenic and harmful bacteria, there are also harmless and beneficial bacteria. When calculating the number of bacteria as described above, it is possible to count only harmful bacteria and not harmless or beneficial bacteria. Specifically, a blacklist listing harmful bacteria or a whitelist listing harmless and beneficial bacteria may be prepared, and the acquisition unit 211 may obtain information on the number of bacteria by counting only the bacteria that fall under the blacklist or the bacteria that do not fall under the whitelist.

[0045] The samples taken from the storage room 100 are not particularly limited, but examples include water samples taken from the water tank of the cooling evaporator 120, or samples taken from any location such as the exhaust port, intake port, article 160, or article packaging 170. Among these, the number and types of bacteria detected in samples taken from the cooling evaporator 120, exhaust port, intake port, and other structural materials in the storage room 110 may be used to evaluate the overall cleanliness of the air and walls within the storage room 110. Furthermore, the number and types of bacteria detected in samples taken from articles or article packaging can be considered as originating from those articles and may be used to evaluate cleanliness as a factor that affects the overall cleanliness of the storage room 110.

[0046] The information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria preferably includes information obtained from the cooling evaporator 120, which is an air conditioner in the storage room 100, and / or information obtained from the articles.

[0047] 1.2. Evaluation Department The evaluation unit 212 evaluates the cleanliness of the storage area based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or information regarding the types of bacteria.

[0048] Figure 2C shows an example of data obtained by intermittently measuring the number of bacteria. Figure 2C is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the measurement time and the vertical axis represents the value of the number of bacteria at each measurement time. Figure 2C illustrates a state in which the number of bacteria changes at each measurement time, and this change gradually increases. In Figure 2C, the dashed line L represents a straight line whose slope is the rate of change of hue per unit time based on the number of the first and second types of bacteria. The number of the first type of bacteria is the number of bacteria at the first time point, and the number of the second type of bacteria is the number of bacteria at the second time point.

[0049] In Figure 2C, the "rate of change threshold" indicates the acceptable range of change in the number of bacteria. For example, in Figure 2C, the change in the number of bacteria between time point T1 and time point T2 is within the rate of change threshold, as indicated by the shading, while the change in hue between time point 1 and time point 2 is outside the rate of change threshold. As shown in the change in hue between time point 1 and time point 2 in Figure 2C, if the rate of change exceeds the rate of change threshold, the condition inside the storage area may deteriorate rapidly thereafter. In other words, the rate of change in the number of bacteria can be used as a predictor of future changes in the culture medium.

[0050] Therefore, the evaluation unit 212 can evaluate the future cleanliness of the storage unit 100 based on whether the rate of change in the number of bacteria per unit time, based on information regarding the number of bacteria at a first time point and information regarding the number of bacteria at a second time point, exceeds a predetermined rate of change threshold. The rate of change threshold may be predetermined by the user.

[0051] Furthermore, even if the change is within the rate of change threshold, the accumulation of these changes can cause the pH to become abnormally large or small. The "absolute value threshold" indicates the acceptable range of bacterial counts in such cases. Therefore, the evaluation unit 212 can evaluate the cleanliness of the storage unit 100 at a second point in time based on whether the acquired information regarding the number of bacteria at a second point in time exceeds a predetermined absolute value threshold. The absolute value threshold may be predetermined by the user.

[0052] In this regard, as mentioned above, in addition to pathogenic and harmful bacteria, there are also harmless and beneficial bacteria. For example, if only harmless or beneficial bacteria are present, even if the rate of change threshold or absolute value threshold is exceeded, it may not be necessary to deny cleanliness. Therefore, as mentioned above, cleanliness may be evaluated more appropriately by assessing whether the rate of change of the number of bacteria exceeds the rate of change threshold, or whether the number of bacteria exceeds the absolute value threshold, based on information regarding the number of bacteria that count only those belonging to the blacklist or those that do not belong to the whitelist.

[0053] Furthermore, changes can occur not only in the number of bacteria but also in the types of bacteria. For example, suppose that the items stored in storage room 100 include vegetables, meat, or fish. In this case, bacteria originating from vegetables, meat, or fish may be introduced into storage room 100. If two or more types of items, such as vegetables, meat, and fish, are introduced into a single storage room, cross-contamination may occur due to the bacteria each item possesses. For example, soil bacteria from vegetables may adhere to meat, or bacteria present in meat may adhere to vegetables. When such cross-contamination occurs, food that was originally safe becomes contaminated, increasing the hygiene risk.

[0054] Such cross-contamination risks can be perceived, for example, as changes in the types of bacteria in the same location within storage 100. Figure 2D shows an example of data where the proportion of different types of bacteria changes in a specific location. If the specific location is item 160 (vegetables) or the packaging of the item 170, the relative increase in bacteria B originating from meat compared to bacteria A originating from vegetables suggests the occurrence of cross-contamination. If the specific location is the water tank of the cooling evaporator 120, the risk of cross-contamination spreading within storage 100 along with the cold air can be suspected.

[0055] Thus, the evaluation unit 212 may evaluate the risk of cross-contamination of the storage facility at a second time point or in the future, as one of the cleanliness characteristics, based on the information regarding the types of bacteria at a first time point and the changes based on the information regarding the types of bacteria at a second time point.

[0056] Furthermore, the evaluation unit 212 may evaluate the cleanliness of the storage room at a second time point based on information about the stored items and information about the types of bacteria at a second time point obtained. For example, if the stored items are vegetables and the types of bacteria at the second time point are soil bacteria, it can be evaluated that bacteria originally originating from vegetables have been detected, and therefore, cross-contamination has not occurred. On the other hand, if the stored items are vegetables and the types of bacteria at the second time point are meat bacteria, it can be evaluated that bacteria not originally attached to vegetables have been detected, and therefore, cross-contamination has occurred. Alternatively, if the stored items are vegetables and meat, and the types of bacteria detected from the vegetables are soil bacteria, although cross-contamination may occur in the sense that vegetables and meat coexist, the vegetables and meat are managed separately within the storage room 100, and cleanliness can be evaluated.

[0057] Similarly, when the items include vegetables, meat, or fish, the evaluation unit 212 may evaluate the cleanliness of the storage area based on whether the information regarding the types of bacteria includes bacteria derived from vegetables, meat, or fish that are not included as items. Furthermore, even among vegetables, root vegetables and leafy vegetables may have different types of bacteria. Therefore, when storing two or more items, the evaluation unit 212 may evaluate the cleanliness of the storage area based on whether the information regarding the types of fungi includes bacteria derived from those two or more items that are not included as items in the storage area 100 at the second time point.

[0058] Furthermore, when the items include vegetables, meat, or fish, the evaluation unit 212 may evaluate the cleanliness of the storage unit 100 based on whether the information obtained from any location contains two or more types of bacteria from vegetables, meat, or fish.

[0059] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 211 may acquire information on the types of bacteria in each location within the storage unit 100, and the evaluation unit 212 may evaluate the cleanliness of the storage unit 100 based on the information on the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria acquired from different locations within the storage unit 100. Figure 2E shows the proportion of bacteria A present in each location. Figure 2E shows that there are many bacteria A originating from vegetables on the surface of the items (vegetables), and almost no bacteria A originating from vegetables in the water tank of the cooling evaporator 120. In this state, the presence of bacteria A originating from vegetables on the surface of vegetables is not abnormal, and the absence of bacteria A originating from vegetables in the water tank of the cooling evaporator 120 is also not abnormal, so the storage unit 100 can be evaluated as clean. On the other hand, if bacteria A originating from vegetables is detected in the water tank of the cooling evaporator 120, there is a concern about the risk of bacteria A spreading with the cold air, so the cleanliness can be evaluated as being compromised.

[0060] In addition, the acquisition unit 211 may further acquire information regarding the internal environment of the storage unit 100, and the evaluation unit 212 may evaluate the cleanliness of the storage unit based on the information regarding the internal environment, the number of bacteria, and / or the types of bacteria. For example, temperature and humidity information may be acquired as internal environment information, and the cleanliness of the storage unit at a second point in time or in the future may be evaluated from information regarding the growth of bacteria under those conditions.

[0061] 1.3. Sensitivity Adjustment Section The sensitivity adjustment unit 213 can set a threshold for the number of bacteria or the rate of change of the number of bacteria, and / or the interval between the first and second time points, for evaluating cleanliness, according to the monitoring sensitivity specified by the user. This allows the sensitivity to be adjusted based on the rate of change. For example, by making the rate of change threshold smaller, even small changes in the rate of change can be detected in advance, while at the same time, noise can be detected more easily.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2F, if the change in the number of bacteria is a curve, then compared to determining the rate of change at time T1 and T3, shortening the interval for measuring hue and determining the rate of change at time T1, T2, and T3 makes it possible to capture steeper rates of change. Therefore, monitoring sensitivity can also be improved by shortening the measurement interval between the first and second bacterial counts.

[0063] 1.4. Control Unit The control unit 214 controls the operating state of the storage unit 100 according to the evaluation of the cleanliness of the storage unit. Examples of controlling the operating state include controlling the operation of the cooling evaporator 120, which is an air conditioner, and the associated control of the temperature and humidity inside the storage unit.

[0064] Furthermore, control of the operating state may include inventory management controls such as limiting the number of items that enter the warehouse, limiting the types of items that enter the warehouse, and suggesting the shipment of items. For example, by limiting the number of items that enter the warehouse or limiting the types of items that enter the warehouse when an absolute value threshold or a rate of change threshold is exceeded, the number and types of items stored in the warehouse 100 can be reduced, thereby preventing an increase in the number of bacteria or an increase in the types of bacteria. Alternatively, by suggesting the shipment of items and promoting shipment when an absolute value threshold or a rate of change threshold is exceeded, the number and types of items stored in the warehouse 100 can be reduced, thereby preventing an increase in the number of bacteria or an increase in the types of bacteria.

[0065] Furthermore, if a cleanliness evaluation device 200 is installed in each storage unit 100, the control unit 214 may be replaced by the control device 130. Also, if the cleanliness evaluation device 200 is a server, the control unit 214 may output information to the control device 130 for controlling the operating status.

[0066] 1.5. Output Section The output unit 215 may output the evaluation results of the cleanliness of the storage unit 100, and may notify the user of an alert according to the cleanliness evaluation results. Specifically, when the evaluation unit 212 determines that the rate of change has exceeded the rate of change threshold, the output unit 215 may output information regarding the future cleanliness of the storage unit 100. Also, when the evaluation unit 212 determines that the number of bacteria at the second time point has exceeded the absolute value threshold, it may output information regarding the current (second time point) cleanliness of the storage unit 100.

[0067] Furthermore, the output unit 215 may output, in addition to the cleanliness evaluation results, the cause estimated by the estimation unit 216 (described later) and the method for resolving that cause, or it may output information on the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria acquired by the acquisition unit 211 at each point in time.

[0068] Furthermore, the output unit 215 may notify the system of information instructing the cleaning of the storage unit 100, depending on the results of the cleanliness evaluation of the storage unit. The instructions for cleaning the storage unit may include the location, timing, or method of cleaning.

[0069] The output method of the output unit 215 is not particularly limited, and the cleanliness evaluation device 200 may output images or sounds via a display device or speaker to inform the user of changes in the number of bacteria. Alternatively, the output unit 215 may output images or sounds via a display device or speaker of another device, such as the control device 130 of the storage unit 100, or it may output control instructions to the control device 130 to improve the state based on the change in state.

[0070] 1.6. Estimation part The estimation unit 216 estimates the factors causing changes in the number or types of bacteria in the storage facility 100. The "change in the number or types of bacteria" estimated here may include changes in the number or types of bacteria at a second point in time and future changes in the number or types of bacteria. In estimating the factors causing the change, the internal environment information and inventory information recorded in the internal data 251 may be referred to, and factors may be estimated based on changes in the internal environment information and inventory information before the change in the number or types of bacteria. For example, if there are changes in temperature or humidity, or the arrival of goods, before the change in the number or types of bacteria, these may be estimated as factors causing the change.

[0071] The estimation unit 216 may estimate the cause of the change in the number of bacteria based on the first and second time points and the time interval between those changes.

[0072] 1.7. Operation Processing Next, we will explain the operation of the cleanliness evaluation device 200.

[0073] Figure 3A shows a flowchart for evaluating cleanliness based on information regarding the number of bacteria.

[0074] In steps S11 and S12, the acquisition unit 211 acquires information regarding the number of bacteria at a first time point and information regarding the number of bacteria at a second time point, and records the acquired information in the storage data 251. The acquisition and recording of information regarding the number of bacteria at the first time point and information regarding the number of bacteria at the second time point may be performed intermittently or continuously.

[0075] In step S13, the evaluation unit 212 determines whether the number of bacteria at the second time point exceeds the absolute threshold and evaluates the cleanliness of the storage unit 100 at the second time point. If the absolute threshold is exceeded, in step S15, the output unit 215 outputs the cleanliness of the storage unit 100 at the second time point.

[0076] Furthermore, in step S13, if the number of bacteria at the second time point does not exceed the absolute threshold, in step S14, the evaluation unit 212 determines whether the rate of change exceeds the rate of change threshold and evaluates the future cleanliness. If the rate of change threshold is exceeded, in step S15, the output unit 215 outputs the future cleanliness of the storage unit 100.

[0077] Furthermore, in step S15, the output unit 215 may output an alert to the user along with the cleanliness evaluation results, or it may output the factors causing the change in the number of bacteria estimated by the estimation unit 216, as well as cleaning methods and improvement methods.

[0078] On the other hand, if the absolute value threshold and the rate of change threshold are not exceeded in steps S13 and S14, the process may return to step S12 and obtain new information regarding the number of bacteria at the second time point.

[0079] Figure 3B shows a flowchart for evaluating cleanliness based on information about the types of bacteria.

[0080] In steps S21 and S22, the acquisition unit 211 acquires information regarding the types of bacteria at a first time point and information regarding the types of bacteria at a second time point, and records the acquired information in the storage data 251. The acquisition and recording of information regarding the types of bacteria at a first time point and information regarding the types of bacteria at a second time point may be performed intermittently or continuously.

[0081] In step S13, the evaluation unit 212 determines whether the type of bacteria at the second time point meets the requirements for suspected cross-contamination, such as when the bacteria do not originate from the stored items, or when two or more types of bacteria originating from different items are detected from the same location, and evaluates the cleanliness of the storage unit 100 at the second time point. If the requirements for suspected cross-contamination are met, in step S15, the output unit 215 outputs the cleanliness of the storage unit 100 at the second time point.

[0082] Furthermore, in step S13, if the number of bacteria at the second time point does not meet the requirements for suspected cross-contamination, in step S14, the evaluation unit 212 determines whether the requirements for a precursor to cross-contamination are met based on the information regarding the types of bacteria at the first time point and the changes in the information regarding the types of bacteria at the second time point, and evaluates the future cleanliness. If the requirements for a precursor to cross-contamination are met, in step S15, the output unit 215 outputs the future cleanliness of the storage unit 100.

[0083] Furthermore, in step S15, the output unit 215 may output an alert to the user along with the cleanliness evaluation results, or it may output the factors causing the change in the number of bacteria estimated by the estimation unit 216, as well as cleaning methods and improvement methods.

[0084] On the other hand, if the requirements for suspected cross-contamination and the requirements for early signs of cross-contamination are not met in steps S13 and S14, the process may return to step S12 and obtain new information regarding the types of bacteria at the second time point.

[0085] Note that while Figures 3A and 3B illustrate two flowcharts, one for the number and one for the types of bacteria, cleanliness may also be evaluated by considering both the number and types of bacteria.

[0086] 2. Cleanliness Evaluation Method The cleanliness evaluation method of this embodiment involves a cleanliness evaluation device in a storage facility that stores articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions, which performs the steps of: acquiring information on the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage facility at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point; and evaluating the cleanliness of the storage facility based on the information on the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria.

[0087] The specific details of the method in this embodiment are described in the operation processing above, so a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0088] 3. Program The program of this embodiment causes a cleanliness evaluation device for a storage facility that stores articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions to perform the following steps: acquire information on the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage facility at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point; and evaluate the cleanliness of the storage facility based on the information on the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria.

[0089] The program may be recorded on a readable recording medium. The specific details of the processing performed by the program in this embodiment are described in the operation processing section above, so a detailed explanation is omitted here. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 100...Storage cabinet, 110...Storage room, 120...Cooling evaporator, 130...Control device, 140...Door, 150...Sensor, 160...Item, 170...Packaging, 200...Cleanliness evaluation device, 210...Processor, 211...Acquisition unit, 212...Evaluation unit, 213...Sensitivity adjustment unit, 214...Control unit, 215...Output unit, 216...Estimation unit, 220...Communication interface, 230...Input / output interface, 240...Memory, 250...Storage, 251...In-cabinet data, 260...Communication bus, 300...Terminal

Claims

1. A cleanliness evaluation device for a storage facility that stores articles under high humidity and low temperature conditions, An acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage chamber at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point, An evaluation unit that evaluates the cleanliness of the storage cabinet based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or information regarding the types of bacteria, Cleanliness evaluation device.

2. The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility at the second time point based on whether the acquired information regarding the number of bacteria at the second time point exceeds a predetermined threshold. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The evaluation unit evaluates the future cleanliness of the storage facility based on the information regarding the number of bacteria at the first time point and the rate of change in the number of bacteria per unit time based on the information regarding the number of bacteria at the second time point. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility at the second time point or in the future based on information regarding the items to be stored and information regarding the types of bacteria at the second time point obtained. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility at the second time point or in the future based on the information regarding the types of bacteria at the first time point and the changes based on the information regarding the types of bacteria at the second time point. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned article includes vegetables, meat, or fish, The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage room based on whether the information on the types of bacteria obtained from any location at the second time point includes bacteria derived from vegetables, meat, or fish that are not included in the item. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned article includes vegetables, meat, or fish, The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage room based on whether the information on the types of bacteria obtained from any location at the second time point detects two or more types of bacteria from among bacteria originating from vegetables, bacteria originating from meat, or bacteria originating from fish. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The system further includes a sensitivity adjustment unit that sets a threshold for the number of bacteria or a threshold for the rate of change of the number of bacteria, and / or the interval between the first time point and the second time point, in accordance with the monitoring sensitivity specified by the user. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The information relating to the number of bacteria and / or the type of bacteria includes information obtained from the air conditioner of the storage facility and / or information obtained from the articles. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

10. The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage facility based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria obtained from different locations within the storage facility. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

11. The acquisition unit further acquires information regarding the internal environment of the storage facility, The evaluation unit evaluates the cleanliness of the storage cabinet based on the information regarding the internal environment of the cabinet, the information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the information regarding the types of bacteria. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

12. The system further includes a control unit that controls the internal environment of the storage cabinet according to an evaluation of the cleanliness of the storage cabinet. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

13. The system further includes an output unit that instructs cleaning of the storage cabinet according to an evaluation of the cleanliness of the storage cabinet. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

14. The instructions for cleaning the aforementioned storage facility include the cleaning location, cleaning timing, or cleaning method. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 13.

15. The system further includes an estimation unit for estimating factors that cause changes in the number or types of bacteria in the aforementioned storage facility. The cleanliness evaluation apparatus according to claim 1.

16. A cleanliness evaluation device for storage facilities that store goods under high humidity and low temperature conditions, A step of obtaining information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage facility at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point; The steps include: evaluating the cleanliness of the storage facility based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or information regarding the types of bacteria; Cleanliness evaluation method.

17. A cleanliness evaluation device for storage facilities that store goods under high humidity and low temperature conditions, A step of obtaining information regarding the number of bacteria and / or the types of bacteria in the storage facility at a first time point and a second time point after a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point; The steps include: performing the step of evaluating the cleanliness of the storage facility based on information regarding the number of bacteria and / or information regarding the types of bacteria; program.

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