Do’s and Don’ts: Cold Chain Packaging Edition

As cold chain shipping becomes more regulated, groceries and medications are getting where they need to be without spoiling. But what do these regulations mean for you and your business? Thermal Shipping Solutions has put together this convenient guide for shipping frozen foods and temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals safely and without breaking the bank.

How Do I Ship Frozen Foods?

DO: Wrap your frozen food in watertight material

This is especially important if your item might leak if damaged during shipping. TSS DuraShield Box Liners are leak-resistant and ideal for shipping groceries during the cold months.

DO: Choose an appropriate size package

To make an ideal package for temperature sensitive shipments you want to eliminate as much empty space as possible in your boxes, to improve thermal performance. Depending on your temperature requirements and payload sizes it may be more cost effective to use several box sizes and several insulation thicknesses so you can create ideal packages for each scenario.

DO: Include gel packs or dry ice

Gel packs are essential when shipping cold or frozen products. Gel pack refrigerants are long-lasting and reusable polymer ice packs that enable temperature-sensitive products to be transported safely.

For most frozen goods, dry ice is the best choice—though it should be used with caution. Cold packs are best for maintaining the temperature of chilled goods at or above 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). For example, pharmaceutical or healthcare products generally need to stay within 2-8 degrees C. TSS has a variety of sizes and options for gel packs, and that can be customized to fit specific business needs.

Ice Pack

Durable, reusable, long-lasting polymer ice packs that provide temperature sensitive protection for the safe transport of food, pharmaceuticals, and medical products.

3oz | 4oz | 6oz | 8oz | 12oz 16oz | 24oz | 32oz | 48oz

Ice Brick

Semi-rigid foam brick refrigerants that hold their shape during freezing, thawing, and transit to maintain packaging configurations throughout a long distribution cycle. These are ideal for pharmaceutical packages or applications where longevity in transit and/or tight pack-out tolerances are essential.

7oz | 15oz | 18oz | 23oz | 24oz | 31oz | 56oz | 64oz

Ice Pack No Sweat

Designed with a multi-layered exterior that minimizes surface condensation and the ability to absorb the condensation created during transit to ensure that moisture sensitive products arrive in the condition intended. No sweat gel packs are ideal for paper label products, gift boxes, and wine packaging applications, so moisture-sensitive products arrive in the desired condition.

8oz | 12oz 16oz | 24oz | 32oz | 48oz

DO: Seal the box and include correct labeling

Once your frozen products are properly packed with enough insulation and coolant, you can seal your box. If you are using dry ice make sure there is a “hazardous material” sticker on your package. You can ship your frozen food knowing it will arrive safely!

DON’T: Cut corners

Unlike non-perishables, frozen foods can easily spoil or become damaged if not properly packed. Don’t skimp on gel packs, insulation, watertight shipping material or dry ice to save money, it will cost you in the long run. If you don’t know where to start with shipping frozen foods, TSS has cold chain products for all your shipping needs.

How Do I Ship Pharmaceuticals?

Shipping pharmaceutical products incorrectly could lead to health risks and financial losses due to the cost of damaged products. To keep your products safe and your customers healthy, we recommend the following:

DO: Place a buffer between the refrigerant and the product

Placing a refrigerant in direct contact with temperature controlled products can create temperature variances throughout the product, possibly leading to failure. Always keep a buffer between the gel packs and the item such as a TSS Renewliner.

DO: Use insulated shipping containers to ensure proper packing of goods

Pharmaceutical staying within a specific temperature range is essential to avoid damage. TSS offers all sizes of packing materials, such as the Renewliner, to ensure your pharmaceuticals will remain unspoiled no matter the size. Use a TSS non-toxic, reusable gel coolant pack when shipping refrigerated items.

DON’T: Transport shipments with pharmaceuticals, chemical, or biological specimens with meeting DEA and FDA regulations

Transporting unstable products without meeting federal regulations can be hazardous to your customers and your business. Make sure to familiarize yourself with correct product protection practices, temperature profiles of routes and shipping methods, effects on handling, and potential tampering, inspection and radiation exposure.

Cold chain shipping can be complicated but TSS makes it easy. For all your cold shipping needs, TSS has what you need. For more information on cold shipping and products visit our website.