Imagine the damage to your brand when a restaurant gets a shipment of spoiled oysters or a grocery store receives a freezer full of melted ice cream. These are nightmare scenarios that every food supplier wants to avoid.
There are several ways to extend the shelf life of frozen food products. Some of these techniques include:
Refrigerant Solutions
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Most frozen foods have a shelf life that can be extended by storing them correctly. It is essential to ensure that these foods are appropriately chilled before shipping and have adequate protection to avoid spoilage during transit. Using proper packaging is one way to ensure that foods retain their freshness. Still, several refrigerant solutions can extend the shelf life of frozen food products during transport.
Refrigeration solutions such as cold packs and foam bricks can be cost-effective to extend the shelf life of your frozen food product shipments. These options are available in various sizes and can be easily inserted into your containers. Alternatively, you can use dry ice. However, it is essential to remember that dry ice doesn’t last as long as cold packs and can damage your food items, so you should use this option sparingly.
Another effective solution for extending the shelf life of your frozen food products is to quickly-freeze them immediately after production. This will prevent the growth of microorganisms and maintain their quality. It’s also a good idea to choose high-barrier packaging, which protects against oxygen, moisture, and light. Packaging your container appropriately is also a good idea, as this can lead to freezer burn.
Cold Packs
Keeping your frozen products cold during the shipping process is critical, especially if you’re dealing with long delays in shipment due to weather or other supply chain issues. This can strain refrigeration and storage systems, increasing the chances of your product spoiling before it arrives.
Luckily, there are several types of coolants that you can use to extend the shelf life of your food products while in transit. Many are easy to use, and some can be used multiple times. Gel packs are the most common and have a flexible design that makes it easier to fit them into tight spaces in food containers and pan carriers. Pliable ice packs are also helpful as they stay relaxed even when frozen, making them easy to place on the side and top of insulated food boxes and containers.
These solutions are less expensive than dry ice and can be reused. However, they can also thaw more quickly than dry ice, which may not be the best option for long journeys over multiple days. Sticking with dry ice and other more permanent cooling solutions for longer trips is better.
Foam Bricks
Unlike gel packs that can change shape during freezing and thawing, foam bricks retain their original form. This helps prevent voids and creases in the packaging that can lead to damage during transit. Foam brick refrigerants also help maintain a consistent temperature during transit, extending the shelf life of frozen food products in the box.
Geofoam is an environmentally friendly alternative to styrofoam, and it contains no hydrochlorofluorocarbons or formaldehyde. It’s also a highly effective thermal insulator, reducing energy usage and lowering utility bills by keeping interior spaces cold longer. It’s a good choice for commercial construction, landscaping, and other projects with a desired resilient fill.
Styrofoam bricks provide a robust and durable base for various floral designs. Florists use them to keep fresh, silk, and dried flowers in place while providing structure for the arrangement. The lightweight foam can be cut to fit vases or other containers. It also hydrates flower stems and gives your bouquets a more finished appearance. The blocks are reusable and can be cut on-site to customize them for your project’s needs.
Dry Ice
Dry ice is carbon dioxide in its solid state. When exposed to air, it quickly sublimates or converts from a solid to a gas at room temperature. It has many applications in the commercial world, including cold storage for perishable foods, ice cream, and vaccines, expendable refrigeration, and blood and tissue sample preservation. It is even used in theater productions to create a smoky effect without an open flame.
While ice packs are ideal for perishable food products that can be shipped at room temperature, dry ice is preferred when your shipments need to reach frigid temperatures. It is also better for pharmaceuticals that must be transported at very low temperatures to maintain their potency and biological samples that require ultra-low conditions.
When your ecommerce shipping products go from the Burris Logistics direct-to-consumer fulfillment center to the customer’s doorstep, you want them to arrive in optimal condition. To ensure that happens, an excellent frozen food or perishables fulfillment partner will use a combination of refrigerants like ice and dry ice to extend your products’ shelf life during transit.
Whether your ecommerce business is new or a seasoned veteran, educating your team on safely handling, transporting, and using compressed gas in their work environment is always a good idea. To help with this, the Compressed Gas Association offers free safety posters to download and print in full bleed for professional printing or self-print to display in your workplace.
