Fresh foods like fruits and vegetables are among the more delicate kinds of freight a business can ship, but it is also the most at risk of arriving at their destination, with some or most of the cargo being unsuitable for sale. This is because fruits and vegetables are especially vulnerable to the shipping process due to a combination of being both physically fragile and temperature sensitive. The food is visibly damaged if the cargo bumps into things too hard. If the temperature rises too high, the process of rotting accelerates. Fortunately, there are cost-effective solutions to avoid this, such as using a thermal blanket for food transportation.
How It Works
A thermal blanket for food transportation consists of multiple layers of materials, depending on the need. The exterior is often a highly reflective material, such as metalized film, while the middle layer is usually air trapped in polyethylene bubbles. Depending on the need, there may be more than one layer for additional protection and a final insulating layer on the interior, usually made of polyethylene.
This does two things as a thermal blanket for food transportation. The first and most important is that it preserves the initial storage temperature of the food. As long as proper packaging and wrapping techniques have been properly used, the temperature can be maintained for hours, or even days, depending on the shipping conditions. For example, in tests simulating cargo left on the tarmac awaiting a delayed plane for over three hours on a hot summer day, the temperature of the cargo within changed by only a few degrees. Techniques like using metalized film can reflect over 80% of the heat that would have been transmitted through exposure to the sun.
The other important factor is that the insulating layers can also provide physical protection. For example, a double layer of polyethylene bubbles can keep fruits and vegetables from suffering significant impact as pallets are jostled, moved, and thrown together.
A Cost-Effective Solution
Using a thermal blanket for food transportation means keeping food warm in the winter or cool in the summer while not relying on more expensive solutions, like a refrigerated trailer or shipping container. Reefer units, while effective, are both more costly and less environmentally friendly and can be wasteful in situations such as LTL shipping when you’re not transporting a large amount.
If you’d like to ensure your business shipping goes smoothly and enjoy more efficient temperature-controlled shipping, we can help. Contact Protek Cargo with your questions and get a quote.
