What Is Cold Chain Shipping?

The last thing customers want is to open their frozen chicken or veggies to find they've spoiled somewhere along the supply chain. Not only does this look bad for the manufacturer, but it also puts consumers at serious risk of illness. Perishable goods that spoil during transportation also result in lost income, as they must be disposed of instead of sold. 

Not all goods transport well at room temperature. Perishable foods, biological materials and certain pharmaceuticals require stringent temperature control to ensure they remain safe and intact during transportation. Because of the importance of avoiding contamination, decay and damage to commercial products, strict cold chain compliance becomes necessary to meet industry standards and regulations. 

When a manufacturer has to ship a batch of frozen or refrigerated products, they need reliable transportation. That's where cold chain shipping comes into play. This process allows the goods' integrity to remain intact while they're moved. Many businesses outsource cold chain shipping to logistics providers, such as Atlas International.

Understanding Cold Chain Shipping

Cold chain shipping involves transporting temperature-sensitive goods in a controlled environment from their origin to destination. It's critical to the food and health care industries, as it ensures the safety of goods when they're consumed. 

Particularly in health care, food manufacturing and chemical industries, ingredients and materials can be especially sensitive to high temperatures. They may breed dangerous bacteria or mold or become otherwise unusable. Keeping temperatures regulated helps prevent spoilage or damaged goods.

The potency of medications can be impacted if they aren't stored at the correct temperature. Insulin is a major example of this, requiring storage between 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit. When stored outside this range, it can spoil and lose effectiveness, leading to difficulty in correct dosing. Vaccines also typically require a certain temperature to maintain their effectiveness. 

Companies manufacturing goods that require temperature control must rely on cold chain logistics. This process ensures goods are handled correctly at every stage of transportation.

The Cold Chain Shipping Process

The logistics behind processing and shipping perishable products require strict temperature control to maintain quality and safety. The primary steps in the process include:

• Manufacturing and storage: The product is harvested or manufactured and requires immediate cold storage. If a manufacturer doesn't have the equipment necessary for cold storage, it must be outsourced to a partner capable of keeping the goods cold with the proper equipment. 
• Packaging: Temperature-controlled products require specialized packaging to ensure they remain cold. Even if the products are transported in a refrigerated truck, adding additional cooling can help safeguard against contamination. Temperature-controlled goods commonly use cooling solutions, such as dry ice, gel, phase change material and expanded polystyrene or Styrofoam packaging. 
• Monitoring during transportation: The goods' journey along the supply chain must be carefully monitored for temperature, humidity and environmental parameters. This helps guarantee the goods have been stored correctly. Cold chain monitoring often uses advanced technology, utilizing the Internet of Things and other sensor software.
• Delivery: Finally, the goods must be delivered to their final destination, whether with a customer, retailer or warehouse for longer-term storage. 

To keep goods cold at every stage, cold chain shippers rely on several key elements, including:

• Cold storage facilities: Cold storage facilities utilize advanced refrigeration systems to keep temperatures within a certain range for sensitive goods, such as food and medicine. 
• Refrigerated vehicles: Refrigerated vehicles, sometimes called reefers, are insulated and refrigerated in the back, similarly to how a household refrigerator works. They can range in size from relatively small 12- to 14-foot trucks to full-sized 20-foot trucks, depending on the delivery size. These vehicles are also typically equipped with temperature control and sensors to maintain correct parameters.
• Insulated packaging: Insulated packaging is most frequently made with polystyrene foam. This material has small air bubbles that block heat from flowing through it, which contributes to colder inside temperatures. Other insulated packaging may use natural fibers or reflective materials, such as Mylar. In some cases, dry ice or other temperature-controlling materials may be added to help maintain temperatures.

Many key logistics technologies ensure careful temperature monitoring throughout the cold storage distribution process for overall safety and regulation compliance. These may include:

• Temperature monitoring devices: The temperature of these goods must be maintained and monitored at all times. Temperature monitoring devices can be used in real time to confirm a shipment's temperature. They may also alert employees if temperatures fluctuate so action can quickly be taken to prevent spoilage.
• Data loggers: Used in tandem with temperature monitoring devices, data loggers help confirm the quality and safety of products. They continuously monitor the environment around the cold products, recording temperature, humidity and other important details. That information can then be traced to ensure compliance with regulations regarding the cold storage products. 
• RFID-tracking pallets: Some cold storage logistics providers routinely use RFID-tracking pallets, which allow for easy asset tracking and inventory management at every stage of the supply chain. They may be tracked automatically — continuously putting out location data — or manually.

Cold Chain Compliance and Regulations

Cold chains are crucial to the supply chain and to avoid spoilage of meats, produce, medicine and other temperature-sensitive goods. Because these products are meant to be consumed, such as medication and food, regulations have been developed to protect and help improve the overall quality of the goods.

These regulations can make finding solutions to the cold chain process more restrictive. Global and regional regulations may vary, leading to additional challenges for companies navigating cross-border sales and transportation. Adhering to these regulations should be treated as a top priority to avoid contamination and potential regulatory penalties.

Organizations like the World Health Organization oversee international regulations. The WHO has several specifications for equipment and standards that streamline business practices and maintain the goods' integrity. However, other organizations may have separate recommendations.

For example, Good Distribution Practices describes the minimum standards a distributor must meet to protect medicine throughout the supply chain. Initially coined by the European Medicines Agency, GDP is internationally accepted for pharmaceutical production, storage and transportation. While not technically a global requirement, GDP is considered a minimum industry standard. This may include practices such as first expiry/first out, which means all stock should be distributed according to its expiration date. The sooner something is set to expire, the sooner it should be distributed.

Other regulations ensure temperatures remain at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in refrigerators and 0 degrees Fahrenheit for freezers. Certain permitting or food-grade certification may be necessary for warehouses along the cold supply chain, depending on the products distributed. 

If goods are shipped across borders, even more regulations come into play, with certain foods requiring extra permitting to import. For example, importing trout and whole salmon to New Zealand or Australia requires valid permitting. Bush meat generally isn't allowed to be sent to the US. The European Union restricts other foods, such as certain fish or nuts.    

These policies, certifications and protocols work together with significant oversight from logistics providers. Because navigating these processes can be challenging, it's highly advised for businesses to partner with a skilled logistics provider that's well-versed in the regulations, permitting requirements and equipment necessary to keep goods at the correct temperature regardless of stage in the supply chain.

Challenges in Cold Chain Shipping

Cold chain shipping is a complex endeavor, regulated heavily and requiring a degree of expertise. Even if you choose a top-rated cold chain shipment provider, they must monitor various aspects, such as:

• Temperature deviations: During handling, many opportunities arise for temperatures to fluctuate out of range. A refrigerator door could be left open too long. A temperature-controlled truck could malfunction. A pallet of frozen goods could be left out too long. This can be especially harmful for products affected by short periods outside their temperature range. Products can rise to dangerous temperatures and fall back down to the correct one undetected. Using temperature monitoring devices can help avoid this.
• Maintaining infrastructure: While many third-party logistics providers have branched into cold chain infrastructure, it requires significant upkeep. Many 3PLs now maintain freezers, coolers and other technologies that allow for temperature control, which increases operation costs.
• Delayed shipments: Delays can happen for various reasons, from unpredictable weather to a bad accident en route. No matter the reason, this can be dangerous if goods are packed in coolers that only retain the required temperature for a set period. 
• Packaging failures: Some packaging is designed to help keep goods within a set temperature. For example, imagine a small baker shipping cheesecakes across the country. They likely use a cooler with dry ice to send those goods. If something goes wrong with the packaging, the cake can become compromised if it doesn't retain its temperature.
• Extreme weather conditions: Extreme weather conditions can bring transportation to a gridlock. Hurricanes and blizzards can result in roads being closed off. They can also make it dangerous to load or unload cargo. If perishable goods sit too long, they may spoil waiting for routes to clear. 
• Customs delays: Customs delays can add days or weeks to the total travel time. When goods require cold chain shipping, those delays can result in subpar products. Working with a cold chain shipper who's well-versed in navigating international shipments can minimize border holdups.
• Equipment malfunctions: The equipment to maintain cold temperatures is complex and can malfunction from time to time. A refrigerant line might break, rendering a truck incapable of regulating its temperature. Extended power outages without a backup energy supply could lead to widespread spoilage. Reputable cold chain shippers typically maintain their equipment to high standards to reduce the risk of malfunctions occurring and often have access to backup power supplies if necessary.
• Human error: It only takes one person to make a mistake that can render an entire cold shipment worthless due to spoilage. Partnering with a professional cold chain shipper helps ensure handling policies minimize the risk of accidents. 
• Regulatory compliance: The Food and Drug Administration has strict regulations about how goods requiring cold storage can travel through the supply chain. To ensure compliance with those regulations, cold chain shippers must provide detailed documentation proving everything remained at the proper temperature. Noncompliance can lead to product recalls and fines, making it critical to follow regulations. Experienced cold chain shipping providers have routines and contingency plans to ensure compliance.

Fortunately, most cold chain shippers specialize in the service and understand the tricks of the trade to overcome hurdles along the way. They typically have policies in place that help preserve the products in the event of emergencies or unforeseen challenges.

Consider Atlas International as Your Cold Chain Logistics Provider

Keeping perishable goods temperature controlled involves far more than good business practices. It signals to potential customers you care about your relationship with them and do everything possible to ensure their goods are protected. Whether your business primarily handles medications or you manufacture delicious foods for distribution worldwide, you need dependable cold storage logistics to help you make it happen.

Partnering with a 3PL provider helps you achieve this without significantly investing in infrastructure. Companies benefit from the economy of scale when they outsource to 3PLs, paying only for needed services and the space in warehouses and trucks used. Because 3PL providers handle goods for multiple businesses at once, they can invest their resources into top-of-the-line equipment and technology that helps streamline, manage and regulate the cold storage process.

Atlas International is a cold chain shipping provider that's ready to take your business to the next level. We've developed a massive network of warehouses across North America and the entire world, and our extensive list of transportation partners means we can get your goods from point A to point B safely.

Whether you need total supply chain management or help with a single step in your cold chain shipping process, talk with one of our expert consultants so we can work out a plan. We can scale with you, optimize your entire supply chain and help you stand out as a dependable source of the goods you provide. Contact us today to get your free quote!