Shipping frozen food requires proper refrigeration and insulation to ensure your products arrive fresh.
Proper packaging protects fresh food like fish or cheese from extreme temperatures and humidity. It ensures temperatures are cool inside the packaging to avoid spoilage while in transit, saving time and money.
Here's how to correctly pack frozen food for shipping.
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Properly Wrap Food in Airtight Packaging
Airtight packaging like aluminum foil, vacuum bags, and glass helps maintain freshness. Proper wrapping ensures food arrives at the right temperature and avoids spoilage.
Depending on the quantity of frozen food, choose a packaging material like a cardboard box that will hold your food outside after wrapping. Wrap the food into multiple plastic bags before placing them in an airtight container and a cardboard box. Ensure the plastic bags are airtight and squeeze out any air before sealing. The plastics should also be watertight to avoid leakage that will make the outer cardboard box soggy.
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Choose an Insulated Box of the Proper Size
Choose the right insulated box size when shipping frozen food. Make sure the box can hold your food and the right amount of ice. It should not be too small or too big.
A bigger box has a lot of empty space, making your fresh products thaw quickly in the container. The extra space also causes a lack of structure and support that can cause damage and increase shipping costs.
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Place Freezing Items in the Shipping Box
Arrange your fresh products in the shipping box the same way you arrange them inside a cooler. Leave enough space for adding dry ice and finger room for end users to easily reach and remove the food. Ensure the products are on a flat surface and arrange them in a compact style.
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Include Dry Ice Packs in the Package
Wear special gloves when adding dry ice packs to your package to avoid injuries. Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide that directly moves from a solid to a gas state. That's why it's good at bringing temperatures down and keeping products cold.
Businesses use dry ice to ship food products. Depending on the size of frozen food you want to send, ensure you get the right ice packs. The right amount of ice will depend on the season and climate of the package destination. A hot climate might mean more dry ice, and a cold climate might require less dry ice.
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Ensure Correct Labeling and Classification on the Box
Correct labeling and classification are essential when shipping your products for various reasons:
- It helps in keeping track of packages.
- It helps end users know the expiration dates of frozen food.
- It allows you to assign priority to packages.
Marking your package as a high priority will ensure a delivery person delivers them first, reducing the chances of spillage.
It's also important to know and follow the correct classification when labeling your package for shipment; ensure you label the shipping box as perishable according to requirements. If you have used dry ice, indicate and include the net weight, name, and address of the sender and recipient.
Ship Your Fresh Foods
Proper packaging ensures you meet your goal of delivering fresh food in good condition. When your products reach the end user safely, it saves you time and money. Choose the right wrapping, container size, and shipping box that will help ship your frozen items safely.
Correct labeling and classification also make the delivery process smooth and reduce the chances of mistakes—it also helps you comply with shipping requirements. If you need help shipping your frozen food, experts at Parcel Plus can assist you. Contact us or find your nearest Parcel Plus location today.