Refrigerated Transport Best Practices

22 March 2021
 Categories: , Blog

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One of your concerns when undertaking refrigerated transport is whether your products will arrive fresh. More often than not, oversights are to blame for product spoilage during transport. Below is a guide detailing some refrigerated transport best practices that you should consider. 

Work With An Experienced Refrigerated Transport Company

Choosing a transportation partner should be a well-thought process. Seek reviews and conduct thorough research to identify refrigerated transport companies specialising in the transportation of your products. The company's staff should be trained and experienced in the transport of perishables. You also need to examine the company's terms. For instance, do they give guarantees? What is the minimum load they can transport? Does the company offer last-mile services? It ensures the products are transported to your customer's doorstep as opposed to the company's warehouse. 

Choose A Refrigerated Truck 

Below are some considerations to make when choosing a refrigerated truck: 

  • What are the temperature ranges of the refrigeration unit? Knowing this helps you determine whether the truck is ideal for transporting your products.
  • What is the condition of the truck's body? Insulation helps prevent temperature losses during transport. A punctured or rusted body will expose your items to contaminants during transport.
  • Is the body designed for multi-temperature zones? This feature allows you to transport products that require varying temperatures. For instance, say you intend to transport frozen meats and fresh vegetables in one truck. Going with one with multi-temperature zones will be quite beneficial if this is the case.
  • Is the truck's body design ideal for your preferred packaging method? For example, if you want to pack your products in crates, bags, pallets or bags, make sure that the truck will accommodate your needs.
  • How will products be secured while in the truck? Look out for tie rings, ratchet straps, E or F-tracks. 

Product Preparation And Handling

Poor product preparation and handling could cause spoilage during transport. For example, you should clean farm produce to remove dirt and pests. Spoilt produce should be removed since it could contaminate other products. Your packaging method should also prevent damage during transport. Disinfect the refrigerated truck to get rid of contaminants. Additionally, the people handling your products must observe high hygiene standards. 

Transportation Procedures

The refrigerated truck should be driven with caution. A bumpy ride, sudden braking or acceleration could damage products at the back. The transport staff should keep an eye on the refrigeration unit to ensure it is fully functional. Besides, they should avoid behaviours such as switching off the unit to take advantage of cold weather. Proper documentation is the heart of refrigerated transport. Record the condition of the products before loading and after offloading. It helps assign blame if some products spoil. 

Refrigerated transport best practices include working with an experienced company, choosing an appropriate truck, proper product preparation and observing the recommended transportation procedures. Contact a refrigerated transport service for more information.