From vegetables to meat products to pre-packed meals, frozen food items offer a welcome convenience to people worldwide. According to Statista, the global frozen foods market is expected to increase by over 40% from 2018 to 2026, amounting to a projected US$366.3 billion in market value. This increasing international demand for frozen food items opens up more opportunities for global trade and export.
If you’re in the frozen food business, you might be searching for opportunities to expand not only within Pakistan, but also into new international markets. Shipping frozen food items across international borders demands precision, care, and an intimate understanding of its unique challenges.
Before you seize these opportunities, you will need to navigate the logistical complexities of perishable shipping while ensuring food safety. Non-compliance to trade standards can result in damaged goods or even compromise consumer well-being.
From how to pack frozen food to its transportation, this article will guide you through the food safety requirements and customs regulations that you will need to follow. We’ll also provide practical insights to help your products arrive in perfect condition, exploring how DHL Express’ international logistics services can help you tackle common shipping challenges for a smoother export journey.
The cornerstones of shipping frozen food safely
Temperature control
Temperature is key to safety in frozen food logistics. According to standards endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), frozen foods must be maintained at or below -18°C (0°F) throughout the shipping journey to preserve their quality and safety. Even minor temperature fluctuations can compromise the integrity of these products, leading to spoilage, loss of nutritional value, and potential health risks.
Reliable refrigeration systems are paramount for maintaining stable temperatures, irrespective of external conditions. To comply with international standards for temperature-sensitive shipping, you should invest in high-quality temperature-controlled packaging solutions, transportation, and storage facilities.
Precise timing
The cold chain refers to the temperature-controlled supply chain in which perishable goods, including frozen foods, are stored, transported, and distributed. The more time frozen food shipments spend in transit, the higher the risk of temperature fluctuations, which can jeopardize the cold chain.
Therefore, the timely movement of frozen food shipments is critical to maintaining their integrity throughout the journey. Ensuring efficient coordination and streamlined logistics to minimize transit times are crucial tactics to ship refrigerated items. Doing so can significantly reduce the risks of food spoilage.
Appropriate handling
Appropriate handling is critical for safe frozen food transportation. The goods should be stored in sturdy, insulated packaging designed to withstand the rigors of transportation. To avoid cross-contamination, frozen foods should be stored separately from non-frozen foods at the recommended temperature range of -18°C.
Additionally, handlers must be made aware of the items’ specific requirements. The packages should bear labels such as ‘Keep Frozen’ or ‘Perishable’, indicating their temperature-sensitive nature. This is so that handlers know to keep them in a frozen state. Regular temperature checks are also essential to address any unintended deviations.
Temperature-controlled packaging solutions for perishable shipping
To ensure safe temperatures and proper handling of frozen food shipments, invest in temperature-controlled packaging solutions and protection against external elements. Here is how you can keep food cool and maintain product integrity through packaging solutions:
- Insulated boxes and liners: These specialized containers act as thermal barriers, significantly reducing heat transfer and preserving the internal temperature of the package.
- Bubble wrap: The material creates air pockets that provide additional insulation, further safeguarding frozen goods from temperature fluctuations and thawing.
- Gel packs or dry ice: These cooling agents can be strategically placed within packages containing frozen food to ensure the contents remain well below freezing temperatures throughout the journey.
Since any air leaks can let warm air in and compromise a package’s internal temperature, it’s critical to ensure that it is tightly sealed before shipping.
As mentioned above, the packages must be properly labeled to indicate the temperature-sensitive nature of the goods. Do note that if you’re shipping frozen meat, dairy, and processed food products into Muslim countries such as Pakistan, the labels might also require a halal certification mark. Businesses can also consider including specific handling instructions to communicate how the packages should be treated.
Shipping frozen food items internationally
On top of complying with international trade standards when shipping frozen food, it’s essential to adhere to the destination country’s customs regulations.
In cases such as the shipment of plant products, an import permit may be required from the destination country’s authorities. Depending on the specific product’s origin, a phytosanitary or health certificate might also be needed to certify that it meets the necessary health and safety standards. These certificates typically include information on the product’s origin, processing methods, and compliance with relevant regulations.
The following documents are typically required for customs clearance and should be prepared before shipping:
- Commercial invoice: This document details the transaction between buyer and seller, including descriptions of the frozen food products, quantities, prices, and terms of sale. The commercial invoice is crucial for determining customs duties and taxes.
- Packing list: This list provides a detailed inventory of the contents of each shipment, including the number of packages, their dimensions, and weight.
- Bill of lading: This piece of paperwork serves as a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier, outlining the terms of transportation. It's also used to acknowledge receipt of the goods.
- Certificate of origin: This certificate verifies the country where the frozen food products were manufactured or produced. It's often required to determine applicable tariffs and preferential trade agreements.
It’s advisable to consult with a customs broker to ensure all necessary paperwork is in order.
Common challenges in frozen food logistics
Extreme weather conditions
Even with meticulous planning, unexpected setbacks such as extreme weather conditions can still affect the shipping process. Both scorching and freezing weather can pose a significant threat to frozen food shipments. High temperatures can accelerate thawing, while extreme cold can damage packaging and compromise the integrity of the cold chain.
To protect your shipments against extreme weather conditions, use insulated packaging when packing frozen food and temperature-controlled vehicles to transport them.
Shipping delays
Customs clearance issues, logistical bottlenecks, and unforeseen supply chain disruptions can delay the shipping process. Regardless of the cause, such delays can jeopardize food safety.
To prevent or minimize delays, you can take proactive measures such as establishing a reliable maintenance schedule for refrigeration units and keeping spare parts on hand to address any potential equipment malfunctions. Furthermore, ensure that you have prepared the necessary paperwork accurately to avoid delays in customs clearance.
Having real-time tracking and communication tools to activate contingency plans can also help mitigate damage to frozen foods in the event of delays.
Ship refrigerated items from Pakistan with DHL Express
Shipping temperature-sensitive items internationally involves a lot of planning and coordination, but with the right partners and resources, it can be a smooth and rewarding endeavor. A reliable logistics partner such as DHL Express Pakistan can enable you to benefit from its robust tracking capabilities, cold chain logistics solutions, and swift international shipping services.
Moreover, if you’re looking to ship more sustainably, you can opt for DHL Express’ GoGreen solutions to utilize sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) instead of traditional fuel for aircraft. This option can help you to reduce the carbon emissions associated with your frozen food shipments by up to 30%.
Open a business account with DHL Express and kickstart your frozen food shipping journey today.
