Dry Ice For Food Shipping

Ensure Food Safety, Reduce Shipping Weight & Carbon Footprint, Save Money.

The temperature of dry ice measures (-109 °F / -78.5 °C) and its cooling power is thrice that of water-formed ice. Microbial activity is inhibited below 40 °F (4 °C).

Dry Ice is a food approved cooling medium that ensures critical control points (CCPs) are met, during the production, storage and transportation of chilled and frozen products.

Dry ice ensures the safe and efficient transportation of fresh and frozen goods, both domestically and internationally, throughout the year. By maintaining consistent low temperatures, dry ice reduces the risk of spoilage and product degradation. Additionally, its lightweight nature and lower carbon emissions make it an environmentally friendly choice for the food industry.

Contact us today to learn more about how dry ice production machines can transform your business.

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Dry Ice Cooling For Shipping Between Facilities/Processes

Dry ice is crucial for maintaining stable temperatures during the export of food products, such as protein, from processing plants to other facilities.

 

By utilizing dry ice cooling, food processors and exporters can significantly increase the volume of food per box, pallet, and transport, while simultaneously reducing both carbon emissions and transportation costs.

 

Dry Ice cooling for food shipping

  • Manual Dosing of Dry Ice for Fresh & Frozen Food Shipping

  • Automated Dosing of Dry Ice Slices

  • Cost Savings Thanks to Lower Weight Shipping by Using Dry Ice

Benefits For Shipping Between Facilities

 

  • Product quality and safety
  • Customer demand (high)
  • Reduced transportation costs
  • Reduced carbon footprint
  • Eliminating bio pollution
  • +More

Use Cases in Food Shipping

 

  • Fish (Whole, Gutted, Filleted)
  • Other Seafood
  • Meat (Beef, Poultry, Pork, etc.)
  • Desserts & Smoothies
  • Pet Food
  • +More

 

 

Learn more about dry ice cooling

Best dry ice production equipment for food shipping between facilities/processes:

 

  • The Dry Ice Production Hub

    This self-contained system is perfect for food processing facilities with limited space. It eliminates the need for a separate housing unit for a Cold Jet Pelletizer.

    Dry Ice Production Hub
  • The DS1000E

    This dry ice slice production system is ideal for fully automated facilities. It can directly dose slices onto a conveyor, streamlining the packaging process for shipping or export.

    DS1000E
  • Integrated Dosing Systems

    This dry ice pelletizer, equipped with a sophisticated dosing system, can accurately dispense the desired amount of pellets or nuggets onto an automated conveyor for direct packaging.

    Integrated Dry Ice Dosing Systems

Dry Ice Cooling For Food Home Delivery

Dry ice guarantees that food deliveries from businesses and logistics companies arrive fresh or frozen, even if they’re delayed outside the customer’s door.

 

Onsite dry ice production allows food home delivery services and third party logistics (3PL) companies to take control of their cold chain by providing just-in-time dry ice production solutions that eliminate the impact of supplier shortages.

 

Dry Ice cooling for food home delivery

  • Ship Frozen Meat With Dry Ice

  • Dry Ice Packs For Shipping Food

  • Smoothies & Desserts Home Delivery

Benefits for Food Home Delivery

 

  • Prevent “thaws” and “leakers”
  • Ensures your clients’ food maintains critical temperatures all the way to their end customer
  • Reduce shipping weight & increase margins
  • Minimize food spoilage
  • Rapid chilling & freezing
  • Environmentally sustainable

Use Cases for Food Home Delivery

 

  • Meat (Beef, Poultry, Pork)
  • Seafood
  • Smoothies & Desserts
  • Pet Food
  • Meal Kits
  • Groceries
  • +More

 

 

Learn more about dry ice cooling

Best dry ice production equipment for food home delivery:

 

  • Automated Dosing & Bagging

    Simplify your dry ice production process and reduce manual labor with this integrated system. It combines a Cold Jet pelletizer with a dosing and bagging system, automating the packaging of pellets or nuggets.

    Dry Ice Dosing & Bagging
  • Automated Production & Bagging of Dry Ice Slices

    Produce and package a wide range of dry ice slice sizes in branded packaging with a fully automated flow packer. This system prioritizes both operator and customer safety.

    R Series
  • The PR350H

    Start your dry ice production journey with a Cold Jet Pelletizer. Choose from models capable of producing 80 to 750 kilograms per hour.

    PR350H

Dry Ice as a Cost-Effective Alternative to Water Ice, Gel Packs and Phase-Changing Materials (PCMs)

 

Cold Jet has partnered with German-based SmartCAE, a team of logistics experts, to conduct a comprehensive Thermal Lane Risk Assessment. This study compares the effectiveness of dry ice, gel packs, and phase-changing materials as passive cooling agents.

 

The assessment covers various shipping scenarios, including frozen and fresh food, 72-hour and 24-hour lanes in the US, and 48-hour and 24-hour lanes in the UK. Both EPS and sustainable cardboard boxes were considered as dry ice shipping containers. The findings are as follows:

 

Frozen Food Delivery

When using EPS boxes, frozen shipments on this route require twice the weight of PCM bottles compared to dry ice slices to maintain consistent temperatures year-round. When switching to a more sustainable cardboard box option, the weight of PCM bottles needed increases by 85-87% compared to using dry ice slices.

Cooling Method EPS Box (USA 72 hrs) Cardboard Box (USA 72 hrs) EPS Box (UK 48 hrs) Cardboard Box (UK 48 hrs)
Dry Ice 7.5 kg 9 kg 5 kg 6.5 kg
Phase-Changing Material (PCM) 15 kg 17 kg 10 kg 12 kg

 

Shipment of Refrigerated Food

When using either EPS or cardboard boxes, refrigerated shipments may require two to three times the weight of gel packs and PCM bottles compared to those using dry ice slices.

Cooling Method EPS Box (USA 24 hrs) Cardboard Box (USA 24 hrs) EPS Box (UK 24 hrs) Cardboard Box (UK 24 hrs)
Dry Ice 1.5 kg 1.5 kg 1.5 kg 1.5 kg
Gel Pack 3 kg 3 kg 2 kg 3 kg
Phase-Changing Material (PCM) 5 kg 5 kg 3 kg 4 kg

When food safety is on the line, shippers and 3PLs trust in Cold Jet.

  • Butcher Box Logo
  • Rastelli's Logo
  • Green Rabbit Logo
  • Smart Warehousing Logo
  • Hy-Vee Grocers
  • Harry & David Logo
  • Companies ship food on dry ice primarily because its extremely low temperature of around -78.5 degrees Celsius (-109.3 degrees Fahrenheit) ensures critical temperature stability for perishable goods. This is especially vital during home delivery scenarios where unexpected delays, like customers not answering the door, could leave packages exposed to the sun for hours; dry ice provides a robust buffer against spoilage.

    Furthermore, using dry ice allows for lighter packaging compared to alternatives like gel packs, phase-changing materials, or water ice, which translates to significant advantages. For instance, salmon exporters can now include more product in each shipment by using less weight for cooling, directly increasing profitability. Beyond its effectiveness, dry ice is also a sustainable solution as it’s produced from recycled CO2.

    Finally, it’s a clean and cost-effective method, eliminating concerns about spillage since it sublimates directly into a gas, leaving no water or messy residue behind.

  • Frozen Foods: This is the most obvious category and includes items like ice cream, frozen meats (beef, poultry, pork), seafood, frozen meals, and desserts. Dry ice ensures these products stay at their optimal frozen temperature, preventing thawing and spoilage.

    Seafood: Fresh and frozen seafood, such as fish fillets, shrimp, crab, and lobster, benefit greatly from the consistent and very cold temperatures provided by dry ice, maintaining their quality and preventing bacterial growth.

    Meat and Poultry: Whether raw or processed, keeping meat and poultry at a consistently cold temperature is crucial for food safety. Dry ice is ideal for shipping steaks, roasts, sausages, and whole chickens or turkeys.

    Dairy Products: While some dairy products can be shipped with gel packs for shorter durations, items that need to remain frozen, like some cheeses or specialty dairy desserts, are well-suited for dry ice.

    Prepared Meals and Baked Goods: Certain perishable prepared meals and delicate baked goods that are frozen before shipping to maintain their structure and freshness can be effectively shipped with dry ice. Examples include frozen cakes, pies, and some pastries.

    Specialty and Gourmet Foods: High-value perishable items like caviar, foie gras, and certain artisanal cheeses often require the temperature control that dry ice provides to ensure they arrive in perfect condition.

    Perishable Samples: In some cases, food samples for testing or quality control that need to remain frozen are also shipped using dry ice.

  • To initiate on-site dry ice production, you will generally require access to a local source of liquid CO₂ and an on-site storage tank. A stable base, provided by a reinforced concrete foundation, is needed for the equipment, which is connected to the CO₂ reservoir via insulated piping. The Cold Jet dry ice production system should be located in a protected area with sufficient space.

    Operation of this system necessitates a three-phase electrical power supply and a compressed air line. Safety is paramount, requiring adequate artificial ventilation within the production facility and a CO₂ PPM monitor. Lastly, insulated containers are necessary for the effective storage of dry ice, minimizing its natural sublimation.

  • Selecting the optimal dry ice pelletizer for your operations hinges on both your required production volume and available floor space. Cold Jet offers a range of machines capable of producing from 176 lbs (80 kg) of dry ice per hour up to 1653 lbs (750 kg) per hour. For facilities with limited space, Cold Jet provides pre-configured dry ice production hubs designed for easy plug-and-play integration. Furthermore, automated dry ice production solutions are available to streamline your specific operational needs.

  • When it comes to in-house dry ice generation, Cold Jet equipment has the lowest carbon footprint and uses the least energy per pound or kilo. Our machines are incredibly responsive with hardly any downtime, which means you get the lowest cost for every pound or kilo of dry ice you produce.


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