Guidelines for Shipping Perishable Homemade Food
For college students and even older, adult children who live far from their parents, savoring that favorite dish that only mom can make just right usually involves traveling. But it doesn't have to. Perishable, homemade foods can easily be shipped. However, getting that favorite dish from mom's kitchen to a child's front step takes some special considerations. Does this Spark an idea?
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Safety First
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Homemade foods generally do not contain preservatives, so they can go bad quickly. While most baked goods don't need to be refrigerated while in transit, they should arrive at their destination and be consumed no more than a week after being made, according to Angela Fraser, an associate professor of food safety at Clemson University. Other foods, such as mom's famous pot pie, will require refrigeration. Highly perishable foods, including those that have a meat component, should be shipped at temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
Packing
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If refrigeration is not necessary, pack the food after it's had a chance to cool down to prevent condensation on the inside of the package, which can promote old growth, recommends Fraser. If refrigeration is needed, frozen gel packs or dry ice will do the trick. It's also a good idea to freeze foods before packing them. Additionally, it's a good idea to place foods in sealable bags inside your shipping box to further prevent spoilage. Pack your box with plenty of filler to ensure that contents do not shift and spill in transit. If using dry ice, make sure that the food is not in direct contact with the dry ice.
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Packaging
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Packages can be exposed to very high temperatures during transit, so you want to choose a package that will also double as insulation for your perishables. Disposable foam coolers are a good choice. Once you've packed everything inside, use duct tape to seal the cooler lid shut. You may also want to wrap a long strip of tape around the entire cooler for added safety. Then place the entire thing inside a cardboard box. Write "perishable" or "keep refrigerated" in large letters using a marker on the outside of your box.
Delivery
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Always send perishable foods via overnight delivery to ensure they are still cold when they get to their destination. Shipping companies like FedEx often offer temperature-controlled shipping for an added fee. If you're concerned that the dry ice or gel packs won't do the job, consider this option. Using a shipper is generally easier than using the U.S. Postal Service. According to the USPS, "Perishable matter may be sent at the mailer's own risk when it is packaged as required and when it can be delivered within appropriate and reasonable time limits to prevent deterioration." See Resources for USPS guidelines for mailing perishables.
Receipt
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Tell the person you're shipping the perishables to when to expect the package. Otherwise, the package could be left by a front door by a deliveryman. If it happens to be summer, the sun's heat could spoil the food before someone gets home to bring the package indoors. The person receiving the foods should refrigerate the shipped foods immediately and inspect for mold prior to eating.
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References
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