Arrange your frozen perishables securely inside the insulated container. Place your item inside the container. If you're shipping an item that can melt or thaw, double-bag the item using watertight plastic bags before placing it inside the container.
Your local post office or delivery service location will have all the appropriate packaging supplies you need. After wrapping your cake, put it in a cake box and place it in an appropriately sized Styrofoam mailer or bubble-wrap lined mailing box.
For dry ice, plan on using 5 to 10 lbs. for each 24-hour period, depending upon the quality of the insulated shipping container. This will keep everything frozen in a container up to 15 quarts in size. - For larger containers and greater shipping times, multiply dry ice quantities by this rate.
Plan on using 5 to 10 pounds of dry ice for every 24-hour period depending upon the thickness of the insulated shipping container. This will keep everything frozen in a container u to 15 quarts. For larger containers and greater shipping times multiply dry ice quantities by this rate.
While ice packs still take up space and have thermal mass to slow temperature change even after they thaw, dry ice in time completely disappears. Once it is gone the payload is on its own. Most companies underestimate the amount of refrigerant required in a shipment. Most ice packs perform little better than ice.
For most industries and products, you can expect to pay between $30 and $150 for shipping frozen food packages. Your final frozen food shipping cost depends on how much you're sending, its destination, package weight, and the shipping service you selected.
Use dry ice for frozen items. Use an insulated foam container with a minimum of 1-1/2"-thick walls. Line the inside of the container with a watertight plastic liner if your item can melt or thaw.
Unfrosted cakes, coffee cakes, Bundt cakes, and pound cakes are the best candidates for shipping. These cakes freeze and defrost well, so shipping them frozen is a great way to preserve product freshness. Frosted cakes are harder to ship than other baked goods, but it is possible with the right tools and techniques.
Federal Regulations state that anyone wishing to ship dry ice must first have IATA / DOT training. If you are going to package Dry Ice for shipment or sign any type of shipping documentation (such as a FedEx Airbill) for a Dry Ice shipment, you must complete Shipping of Dangerous Goods Training.
Dry ice is typically used for shipping frozen foods since its cold temperature lasts longer than ice packs, but it's considered a hazardous material and has strict shipping regulations.
Wrap the cake in plastic wrap to create an airtight seal.
Begin wrapping the frozen cake in plastic wrap, going around all the edges a couple of times. Wrap the plastic wrap in all different directions to ensure it's completely covered. This creates a tight seal so no air can get in, keeping it as fresh as possible.
Before sending it off for shipping, you should place the baked goods in the freezer for 12 to 24 hours. This ensures the item will stay moist and fresh upon delivery. It's also crucial to note that dense baked goods tend to hold their shape better during shipping versus lighter baked goods like sponge cakes.
USPS® does not offer refrigeration services. You may ship frozen articles using packaging supplies like Dry Ice at your own risk and according to Publication 52 section on Dry Ice. The frozen product must be packaged so as not to leak or cause odors.
Cover the food with wax paper or seal in plastic wrap, place the pan in a plastic bag and pack in a cushioned food box. Pack cakes snugly into tins. For candies, be sure they are in individual bonbon cups or papers, layered and separated with wax paper. Make sure there is no headroom in the food box.
Using cold packs, chilled boxes and other specialized containers provides the temperatures and security you need in order to meet cold shipping regulations and keep products in top condition.
Line the cooler with a 2 mm thick plastic liner. Inside, place the dry ice blocks underneath and on top of the sealed food container. Again, DO NOT create an airtight seal on any of the containers or packagings. On the exterior of the cardboard box, note that this package “contains dry ice” or “frozen Carbon Dioxide.”
How many ice packs do I need for my shipment? ½ the weight of your product for overnight shipping IE: 5 pounds of product would require 2.5 lbs of ice packs. 2 x the weight of your product for 2 day shipping. IE: 5 pounds of product would require 10 lbs of ice packs.
Dry Ice (Carbon Dioxide Solid)
Dry ice is permitted to be sent in domestic mail when it is used as a refrigerant to cool the contents of a mailable hazardous or nonhazardous material, provided that all applicable requirements in 349 are met.
If you are handling frozen products, you can use either dry ice or cold packs. While dry ice can maintain frozen temperatures for longer, cold packs are an effective dry ice alternative for frozen shipments. If you're looking to ship perishable goods above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, cold packs are the superior option.
Dry ice can be a very serious hazard in a small space that isn't well-ventilated. As dry ice melts, it turns into carbon dioxide gas. In a small space, this gas can build up. If enough carbon dioxide gas is present, a person can become unconscious, and in some cases, die.