Perishable meat, poultry, and fish require cool temperatures during transport, to prevent the rapid growth of bacteria, which could result in someone getting sick if they consumed purchases that weren't refrigerated. If you sell holiday gift baskets and trays that contain an assortment of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and fruits, it is important to come up with a viable shipment method, which will guarantee that products arrive fresh and ready for consumption.

Get The Items Ready For Delivery

Vacuum sealing each product will keep juices in and will aid in retaining the flavor of each cooked product. Invest in shipping cartons that are designed for meat packaging purposes. This type of packaging will contain a reflective insulated liner that is wrapped around the interior of each carton.

Dry ice is usually necessary for the preservation of fresh products, but the ice can cause injuries if it is handled directly, so care should be taken when packing products and when taking into consideration how your clients will be informed about the proper way to open a package or dispose of the dry ice.

Freeze packs can also be utilized while products are being transported, but the packs won't last as long as dry ice and should only be used for shorter transportation stints or if you are using a refrigerated truck to transport the products to their end destinations.

Use Some Mock Shipments

If you haven't used temperature-controlled transport services before, you may be curious as to how your products will arrive at a customer's home or business and what type of shape the foods will be in, once they reach the endpoint. Prepare some mock shipments, which will aid in determining if your packaging efforts are successful and to ensure that products arrive cool and ready to be transported to a freezer or a refrigerator that is inside of a client's home.

Many people choose to order 'ready to serve' meals because they can be heated up quickly or stored for several days, prior to consumption. It is important to experience what your patrons will experience and this can be conducted with each shipment that you complete. Pack up several different meal types, using the meat packaging materials, dry ice, and freezer packs.

Ship the cartons to your home, using the temperature-controlled transport service that you prefer. Upon receiving the items, take notice if any of the packaging has shifted while the items were in transit and observe the printed details or labeling that was added to a carton, to aid a client in using safety handling steps that will assist with disposing of dry ice. Make modifications to the shipping standards that your employees abide by if you aren't pleased with the condition of the products received. 

For more information on temperature controlled transport, feel free to read out to transit companies.