As time passes, more businesses are going online to expand their reach and provide their customers with the same, if not better, product quality that they get from stores. This has led to an increase in shipping products within and between the states. Knowing how to transport frozen foods is an essential part of your business if you are into food products.
Dry ice shipping can be a task many times. However, United Parcel Service (UPS), one of the largest shipping couriers worldwide, provides adequate assistance for your business in modified solutions and detailed information on dry ice shipping and can help you know what method of transportation is safest for your product the kind of packaging to use.
As a business, you sure do not want to have your products damaged halfway before they get to the consumer, so you need to know everything about selling food by transit. We have carefully written down a quick but detailed list of the basic things you need to know about trouble-free dry ice shipment.
What is Dry Ice?
Dry ice is a solid carbon dioxide that is a highly refrigerating agent useful for many practices, ranging from preserving medical supplies and food packages at a cooling temperature to creating fogs for display in concerts, movies, and Halloween parties. Dry ice can be an effective tool to keep your product in perfect shape during shipment. It is significant to note that when shipping and packing, you have to ensure proper ventilation to enable the gaseous components emitted from the dry ice to leave.
When Is It Suitable To Use Dry Ice?
Dry ice has a shallow temperature of minus 78.5 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it is best suitable for products that must be kept at an extremely freezing temperature, such as perishable goods like food or delicate medical samples. The use of dry ice must be discerned, or else it can damage products that do not necessarily need the freezing. You have to be sure that the dry ice will not harm your package. Even when dry ice is needed for the product, you might need to mix it with other coolants like frozen gel packs, especially when it will be in transit for more than a day. This is because dry ice possesses a powerful cooling ability.
When shipping medical supplies, you must know the level of sensitivity of the sample because some are very sensitive to cold and dry ice may not be the best for that transit. You can communicate with UPS to help you discern the appropriate option for your shipment. You must understand the peculiarities of dry ice shipment, the laws, and the protection surrounding it.
Shipping With UPS Dry Ice
UPS provides you with sufficient information to know all you need to know about dry ice shipping and make the right decision regarding the most timely shipment for your products. For example, there are different options for temperature for medical shipments. You can buy technical packaging and get advice from professionals on which option is best for your product, considering the time and method of transit.
It is often advisable to factor in extra time for transit while making preparations for shipment to prevent a situation where the box would have to be opened up by the UPS proactive Response Service before getting to its destination to add on more ice because of customs hesitance.
In all this, dry ice shipment with UPS remains a perfect and safe way to keep your product intact when used the right way. United Parcel Service offers a unique courier service for rapidly shipping your food and medical supplies. It is your best option for shipments.
The following are vital codes to consider when dry ice shipping with UPS.
• International Air Transport Association orders are involved.
• There are weight restrictions on the amount of product you can transport. By regulation, products shipped by dry ice by air more significant than 5.5 pounds in weight are not allowed.
• A protected thick foam container is usually recommended to keep food reasonably cold.
• For the inner packaging, use a thin plastic liner and tightly wrap the food in a plastic bag.
• You can use dry ice or gel packs to cool your food. However, frozen water is not acceptable. Do not use more than 200kg of dry ice in a single package. •
It is essential not to exceed thirty hours for the shipment. This ensures that your customers receive your product while it is still very fresh.
What Does it Cost to use the UPS Dry Ice Shipping?
There is no ongoing cost for shipping by dry ice. The total cost of shipping is heavily determined by the contents, weight, services, dimensions, distance, and the duration of the product you want to ship. Consider that you need to purchase dry ice or packaging gel, or even both of them.
To get the probable cost for shipping using UPS, it is well advised to study the materials needed by UPS to ship it without a challenge and their additional cost.
However, the regular total shipping cost by dry ice should be somewhere around $50 to $150. UPS generally obtains the shipping cost of any package by placing its actual weight and dimensional weight side-by-side. The larger of the two weights determine the actual shipping cost the customer will pay.
Conclusion
Dry ice can be transported by UPS ground or by UPS Air, and UPS will help you choose the line best suited for your package and your choice of means of transportation. Distance should also be put into consideration when making a choice of which to use. Delivering international shipments requires the shipper to possess a UPS international particular Commodities (ISC) contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the most preferred means of shipping frozen food through the night from one state to the other?
You can consider the use of courier services like United Parcel Service (UPS), Federal Express (FedEx), and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). They deliver satisfactory services. Except for USPS, they also deliver outstanding international services.
2. Can frozen food be shipped through United Parcel Service Ground?
However, you may have to use express courier services for shipping to prevent it from getting damaged.
3. What should I stay away from when shipping dry ice?
Do not use airtight or glass containers because the sublimation process can create excessive tension internally and may cause the container to crack up or even explode.
4. How long does dry ice last for shipping?
The duration of transit is one of the things to consider when shipping with dry ice. One to two blocks of dry ice can stay up to eighteen to thirty-six hours inside a tiny blue board or styrofoam shipping box. When you use more giant blocks and a significant amount of dry ice, the dry ice can stay for up to two to three days.
