What We Need to Know When We Ship Perishable Goods

Perishable goods are items that spoil in a short interval of time. Usually, food, such as meats, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are perishable foods.

Shipping this product is not easy. Mainly the goods are first stored in the refrigerator for cooling minimum at about 4C or below. Many bacteria are present in the food that can cause foodborne illness. These bacteria grow fast at the temperature range of 5° to 57°C. And multiply within 15 minutes.

Cooling the food below this temperature helps to kill the bacteria. The food quality of frozen items destroys after some time due to enzyme activity.

Which ships are used to ship perishable goods?

The ship used for the shipping of perishable goods is the Reefer ship. A refrigerator is placed in the cargo and it is used for the transportation of perishable goods.

Shipping frozen cheese, vegetables, fruits, and other food items are easy. In 2010, the price of a ship was $10 million and a ship that is gearless is $74 million.

What is the cost of shipping perishable goods?

For shipping the perishable goods, you need to spend some money. You cannot know the exact amount of shipping until you start the process.

Generally, the range of frozen food shipping is from $30 to $150. But its cost varies also from size to size or weight to weight. A double padded bra is also shipped.

Pack the food in a vacuum-sealed bag and save it from the outside environment interaction. About 12 to 24 hours 1-pound bag of dry ice will be last.

Can you send frozen food through UPS?

Yes, you can send the frozen foods through shipping. But for that purpose, you need to pack the food in a proper pack. Packs must not be a leak. Use 30 hours of time shipping for safety purposes and let the receiver know the receiving estimated. No delay!

When you start any business, you have to face many challenges. The same procedure with the frozen food business. When you are going to start the business of frozen food shipping is the biggest challenge. If you have all the facilities but you can’t ship them, then your services profit is less.

Can you send perishable food through the mail?

You can send the perishable items through the mail before declining. These are maybe plants, live animals, and food. But always send the items at the mailer’s risk.

Pack the items in a proper way and ship them as soon as possible. Try to schedule the shipping time of the product for about 30 hours. It is okay for the shipping of any goods.

Some of the makeup products are also shipped through the mail. primer makeup is one of the most basic makeup products used.

Tips to consider in the shipping of perishable food

If you know the basic things to ship food properly, you can easily develop a strategy. The goods are not safe for use if they are not sent with the proper precautionary steps.

To ship the perishable food items, you need to follow the guidelines that are mentioned below:

• Make sure to freeze the food item and keep it in a coolant.

• Maintain the temperature according to the product.

• Use a container that is air-tight, and insulated. Insulation means the inner food item does not interact with the environment.

• Box must be outer corrugated.

• Use a plastic bag of about 2ml thickness and must be watertight. It is used generally for peanuts. And the other item like paper towels and cellulose wadding.

• Fill all the empty spaces in the container to avoid movement. Because if there is too much movement in the container the good may decline.

• Use tape or the extra padding to fill the hollow spaces.

Coolants types

For shipping perishable goods, coolant plays a very important role. Choose the coolant wisely according to your product demands. Some types of coolants that you can use are these:

Gel Packs: They help to keep the temperature between 1 ºC to 10 ºC. So you can use it for the goods that remain safe in this temperature range.

Dry Ice: This coolant helps the product to stay frozen. It has some specifications and requirements. You need to take them into consideration also.

Wet Ice: Wet ice has also been used as a coolant in the shipping of perishable goods.

How to pack cold or frozen foods?

Packing the perishable good is also a tough task. As you see above the requirements of packing. Now we will discuss how to fulfil these all requirements to ship your food/item safely.

i). Prepare the Coolant: It is the first step, before shipping you need to prepare the coolant. Keep the gel or the water in the refrigerator to freeze.

ii). Cool the perishable good: Place the food/ item in the refrigerator for cooling. And also cool the container if it is easy for you.

iii). The lining of the container: On the internal side of the container, place the thin plastic liner. And then place the material into the container. It will save the material to capture any condensation.

This step is mandatory for the items that can melt and the liquid. You can also use any water-absorbent material for lining purposes.

iv). Arrangement of product: Arrange products in a proper way. If you have any liquid materials then keep them in a double bag or use a watertight plastic bag. Then place the coolant all over it.

Fill all the empty spaces and seal them tightly and close them with the help of a rubber band. Close the container.

v). Corrugated box: Place the insulated container into the corrugated box. Place the label on the top. And it is ready to ship.

For fast delivery, you need to give an address to both the recipient and the shipper. Mark your box perishable to save yourself from any loss. Packaging is a must to ensure that the product reaches to destination safely.

If proper packaging is not done, the food may interact with many biochemicals from the environment and destroy the food.

Challenges of shipping for perishable goods

When you are shipping frozen items you’ll face many challenges. Some of them are listed below. eCommerce owners keep all these in consideration to save themselves from any loss.

• Tackling temperature is one of the biggest challenges to face. Changes in temperature will destroy the food. It happens only when the packaging of food is not done properly.

• Humidity levels also affect the shipped food. It is equal to the heat threat.

• If the food is not packed in an insulated box and no proper refrigeration is done then there is a chance of Spoilage here.

Shipping Frozen Food with USPS, UPS & FedEx

UPS, USPS, and FedEx are famous shipping carriers. To ship your product through these services you need to follow these guidelines.

UPS

To ship the products from UPS, you need to take the following points into consideration.

•   Done shipment within 30 hours.

•   Must add the liner in the box to save the food.

•    The container must be thick and have foam to keep the goods cold.

•   Use frozen water or dry ice as a coolant.

•   Follow the IATA regulation, if you are shipping with dry ice.

USPS

For shipping through the USPS follow the guidelines. It is one of the prominent shipping services.

•   Use the dry ice as a coolant. Because no refrigeration services are offered by the USPS.

•   Must check container does not leak or cause any odours. If you are shipping internationally then do not use the USPS.

•    A polystyrene box is used for the packaging.

•   The name of the food must be mentioned on the package and also the net weight must be mentioned on it.

FedEx

It is one of the great options to do shipping. Especially for frozen food, FedEx is used. Guidelines to follow are:

• Use the FedEx Temp-Assure to control the temperature of the items.

• It also offers options for cold shipping.

• FedEx services require at least 24 hours for the perishable packages. It is considered especially in the US shipments. It is faster than the delivery commitment proposed.

• At least use a 4cm thick wall container for shipping.

• Label your package properly. Ensure the markings, classification, identification, and labelling on the package.

In conclusion, to maintain the quality of food, you need to ship it in a proper way. Use a proper method and follow all the above-mentioned tips to deliver the food/item in its original form. It is a very sensitive process; you need to maintain the temperature.

Also, do the packaging and use the best coolant. Good shipping of the products also determines the inventory level, sale price, and marketing strategies of the product. Perishable goods also impact your financial results.