Thanks to less time in people’s lives and major lifestyle upheavals like the global pandemic keeping many people at home, meal kits have risen to prominence in America and other parts of the world. It’s no wonder why; a complete collection of quality, raw ingredients is carefully measured and sent to a person’s home to enjoy fresh ingredients while following a recipe to create their own meals in their own kitchen.
It’s a great alternative for people who want quality meals without going to a restaurant or have the urge to cook something a little more complex without searching high and low for stores selling the required ingredients.
However, shipping is a major concern for those considering getting into the meal kits business and may require extra precautions like double bubble foil insulation. Here are some of the additional logistics challenges that face meal kit shipping.
Fluid Containment
Some ingredients will be moist or even liquid, so it’s important to consider preventing leaks during shipping. Nothing will lose a customer more quickly than receiving a soggy meal kit because fluid handling hasn’t been properly addressed and leakages occur.
Atmosphere
Depending on the ingredients, sometimes prolonged exposure to oxygen can negatively affect the quality of certain ingredients. Modified atmosphere packaging, which can replace oxygen with nitrogen, may be essential for some ingredients, such as certain types of meats or raw seafood ingredients. This prevents their freshness from being impacted during shipping time.
Cross Contamination
Another issue that must be taken seriously is the possibility of different ingredients coming into contact with each other and inadvertently creating health risks. Cross-contamination can occur with improper food handling, such as failing to wash hands, switching gloves while packing ingredients, or failing to separate and pack ingredients. Raw meat or seafood, for example, makes contact with vegetables, resulting in cross-contamination, which can breed bacteria that may endanger customers upon consumption.
Physical Protection For Meal Kits
Another important aspect of shipping is ensuring proper protection. Too much shaking, combined with loose, insecure packing, can result in impact damage to ingredients. This can lead to bruised or visibly damaged ingredients, affecting appeal and food safety.
Temperature
Finally, maintaining a specific temperature is often critical to keep ingredients fresh. Double bubble foil insulation can be vital here. This type of cold-chain packaging ensures that even without an active environmental system to maintain optimal temperatures, the meal kit retains the original, ideal shipping temperature.
If you’d like to know more about double bubble foil insulation for meal kits or other cold chain packaging, contact Protek Cargo with your questions and get a quote.
