Perishable items such as fish, eggs, milk, and raw produce are a staple in local and cross-border trade. One of the most sensitive shipment types are perishable food items as many of these items require special packaging and handling measures or need to keep within specific temperature ranges.
You need to learn how to correctly and profitably handle these perishable items because of their strong presence in global trade.
Challenges of Shipping Perishable Food for B2B Sellers:
A perishable shipment is vulnerable to deterioration beyond certain specific temperatures or environmental conditions according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Minor exposure to normal conditions for durable goods can lead to waste in case of such cargo. Shippers may face a complex task in shipping these items with the growing consumer demand for better traceability, transparency, and freshness of food products. Some of the common difficulties that are faced by businesses in shipping non-durable items include:
Maintaining Temperature:
To prevent spoilage, frozen foods like meat must be kept at consistent temperatures. However, risks such as improper handling, power failures, and broken cold chains can jeopardize temperature control during shipment.
Shipping Delays:
Delays in shipping, whether due to customs procedures, port holdups, or miscommunication, can severely impact perishable cargo. Supply chain disruptions are a common cause of these delays.
Cross-Contamination Risks:
Cross-contamination is a significant risk in food shipments, primarily due to health concerns. Strict packaging and handling procedures are essential to minimize the risk of contamination and disease transmission.
Regulatory Requirements:
Perishable products are subject to stringent international regulations, which are frequently updated. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to rejection or destruction of food products.
High Shipping Costs:
Shipping perishable goods is costly and resource-intensive. While it’s possible to pass some of these costs to consumers, unexpected challenges may arise post-sale, forcing sellers to absorb additional expenses.
How to Ship Perishable Food?
Although, properly shipping perishable food is convenient and profitable, but also critical for sustainable and responsible business. Good shipping practices can help save wastage of food through transportation. Steps to follow while shipping perishable food include:
Preparing for shipping:
The first step in preparing for shipping is assessing the types of food products you plan to ship and their specific care requirements. Items like bread or pastries don’t need refrigeration, while dairy, fresh produce, and frozen goods like meat and seafood must be kept cool.
For non-refrigerated items, it’s important to consider the ideal shipping conditions and temperature, planning accordingly. Refrigerated or frozen foods must be cooled to the correct temperature before shipping, and this temperature should be maintained for up to 30 hours prior to shipping.
Additionally, some items may need protection against damage, such as water from thawing. To prevent this, use waterproof or airtight wrapping, along with padding or foam inserts for extra protection.
Choosing coolants:
Several solutions including dry ice, insulated boxes, and ice packs are employed by Shippers to maintain the right temperature of refrigerated and frozen foods during shipping.
Insulated box:
An interior foam padding is there in insulated containers that help preserves cool temperatures. The food can likely last at desired temperatures for longer period of time when the foam padding is thicker. Generally, three-quarter-inch thick foam packs are enough to keep things chilled overnight. One and half-inch thick packs works well for longer destinations of one to five days.
Dry ice:
Dry ice can be used for maintaining freezing temperatures. It is highly efficient as it is much colder than regular ice and chills at -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it is considered a hazardous material since it is frozen carbon dioxide. Dry ice must also be handled carefully because direct contact with the compound can be dangerous.
Ice packs:
Although cold packs are not as cold as dry ice, they are an alternative to ice packs. Cold packs are of various types, such as gel packs, foam brick, and solid plastic. Some of them are reusable while others can be used only once. Gel packs can be used when food products required to ship with an ideal temperature between -32 and -60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Packaging perishables:
For non-refrigerated foods like apples, use breathable packaging and place them inside a corrugated cardboard box. Fill any empty spaces with padding materials such as tissue paper or bubble wrap to prevent movement.
Refrigerated and frozen foods should first be sealed in waterproof or airtight bags. Place these bags in an insulated container, then surround them with dry ice or cold packs. For packages using dry ice, ensure the ice weight does not exceed 5.5 pounds, as exceeding this limit may classify the package as hazardous material.
Avoid placing dry ice in airtight boxes, as the gases from the ice need to escape. Also, make sure the dry ice does not come into direct contact with the food products. Finally, place the insulated container inside a corrugated cardboard box for added protection.
Appropriate labeling:
All perishable shipment package must be correctly sealed and labeled. The 'H' tape sealing method is recommended by International carriers and logistics firms, such as FedEx. You can tape the bottom, top, seams, and flaps of the box by using a minimum of three strips of pressure-sensitive tape with this method.
The shipping box need to be marked with the word 'perishable' in bold font. Your preferred box orientation can also be indicated with arrows and 'This End Up' markings. Make sure to also apply 'Fragile' markings to the box if the package includes fragile objects such as glass or delicate food items.
Precise labeling is required for international shipping regulations if you are shipping with dry ice. The words 'Dry Ice' or 'Carbon Dioxide Solid' and 'UN 1845' must be written on the box. The net weight of dry ice must be mentioned in kilograms and the name and address of the shipper and recipient should also be displayed.
Choice of carrier:
The final step is placing the packaged shipment with your chosen carrier. Make arrangements in advance with your carrier to ensure a seamless and speedy delivery, as timely shipping is crucial to preserving the freshness of your goods. Choose a shipping option, such as overnight or next-day delivery, and ensure the carrier can provide a refrigerated shipping unit (reefer) if needed.
Collaborate with your carrier to understand their specific dry ice limits and any packaging or handling requirements, as some carriers may have stricter rules than international standards or require special preparations by the shipper.
Stay in close communication with the recipient to inform them about what to expect from the package, how to handle dry ice safely, and the necessary post-shipping storage requirements.
Tips for Shipping Perishables:
Precise planning and flawless execution is required for successfully shipping perishable items. The below mentioned tips can be added to the steps explained above for a process that minimizes loss and enhances profitability.
Check shipping regulations:
Compliance with certain additional rules are required in many countries apart form the rules imposed by international bodies like the IATA. Which perishable items can enter or leave the country, packaging requirements, or allied regulations are dictated in these rules. For instance, meat imports are not allowed in Australia. Similarly, the country will reject the import of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dairy products. You will save you time and money by knowing these rules ahead of time and planning accordingly.
Plan for the traveling conditions:
Your fulfillment schedule will need to be precise if you are going to accomplish flawless delivery within the required time as certain food items cannot be on the road for more than a limited period. Shipping lead times, port congestion, cold chain integrity, and other factors that might affect delivery need to be anticipated. You can plan better and design a workflow with this foreknowledge that help you to gets the products to your clients on time and in excellent condition.
Keep the goods breathable:
Although, your cold chain holds steady, and the goods get delivered on schedule, but things still go wrong as certain food items, such as some vegetables and fruits, not only need to keep chilled but also need to breathe. Netting or breathable plastic wrapping can be used to help preserve freshness and ensure the products arrive virtually in the same condition you sent them.
Employ multi-origin shipping:
Cutting down on the time it takes the goods to travel can be beneficial as time is such a significant factor in shipping perishables. You can deliver food products from closest warehouses to the destination of client with multi-origin shipping. Therefore, less money need to be spend on dry ice and gel packs needed to maintain the extreme temperatures of frozen food. You can also increase the chances of a delivery that arrives fresh and on time.
Don't ignore buyer-side:
Communicate constantly and clearly with the buyers to excavate opportunities where they can contribute to a successful shipment while tackling perishables shipping. For example, you can communicate with buyers to receive the goods at the halfway point or in-store pickup can be offered at a discount with which you can save the expense and stress of shipping.
Procure insurance:
You should always ensure that your goods are properly insured during shipping, depending on the applicable Incoterms as things can sometimes go wrong the ways we expect. Factors like the costs of loss, mishandling, negligence that may impair successful delivery can be covered by insurance.
Invest in technology:
A bird's eye view and detailed involvement can be provided by technology in the perishables shipping process. The temperature can be remotely monitored while in transit, correct handling procedures can be verified, and potential shipping challenges can be anticipated using technology. The best shipping routes and rates and the best ways to improve your value chain can be identified by leveraging new software.
