Remote Monitoring of Winery and Creamery Environments with a Wireless Sensor System

The dynamic and seasonal environments of fermented food facilities are largely uncharacterized and can produce rich microbial communities. These environmental changes could affect product composition, the performance of the building and the health and safety of its occupants. This work demonstrates the characterization of fermented food facilities by continuous monitoring of the environment with a wireless sensor system. The system measures multiple air parameters throughout a building and displays the sensor data graphically in real-time on any web browser-enabled device. Design emphasis was placed on ease of installation, minimal maintenance and convenient access to the data. The system is installed at five facilities, three wineries and two creameries, and enables the managers at these locations to make informed decisions based on measurements of past and current environmental conditions. Data from both types of facilities show the environmental changes as a result of the fermentation process and building operation. In particular, the release of carbon dioxide from the wine and cheese production and the building's ability to remove the carbon dioxide are analyzed