Shipping perishables: what matters
Chilled and frozen food arrives in good condition only if the cold chain never breaks. That means pre-cooling the product before loading, setting the reefer (refrigerated container) to the right temperature, humidity and fresh-air settings for the commodity, and keeping a temperature record from origin to destination. This guide covers typical temperature bands, packing and hygiene, the documents shippers and forwarders each provide, and the most common reasons reefer cargo is rejected.
Perishable food categories
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Citrus, apples, grapes, berries, greens, onions, potatoes
Chilled foods
Fresh dairy, butter, cheese, meat, poultry, seafood
Frozen foods
Frozen meat and poultry, seafood, vegetables, bakery items, ice cream
Chilled and ready-to-eat products
Fresh juices, probiotic drinks, cut fruit, salads, ready meals
Premium temperature-sensitive foods
Organic foods, specialty cheese, premium seafood, chocolate (sensitive to both temperature and humidity)
Shipping refrigerated and perishable cargo?
Get a quoteThree ways perishable cargo goes wrong
Shipping perishables means guarding against three things: a break in the cold chain, the wrong storage pairing or ventilation, and poor hygiene. Each needs its own controls, and shelf life has to be planned around all three.
A temperature deviation causes spoilage, bacterial growth, texture change and rejection. Refrigeration has to start before the cargo goes into the container, not during transit. Typical settings: +2°C to +4°C for fresh meat, poultry and seafood; +4°C to +8°C for dairy, fresh juices and ready-to-eat chilled foods; -18°C and below for frozen foods; +12°C to +14°C for certain fruits such as bananas and tropical produce.
- Pre-cool the product before loading; never put warm cargo in a reefer
- Set container temperature, airflow and humidity mode for the specific commodity
- Put data loggers in the cargo to record temperature for the whole shipment
- Confirm the carrier has refrigerant and power available along the route
Fresh produce keeps respiring after harvest, so the wrong storage pairing or ventilation can speed up ripening or spoilage. For example, apples give off ethylene and lettuce is sensitive to it, so never ship them together.
- Keep ethylene-producing and ethylene-sensitive foods apart
- Choose the fresh-air exchange setting for each commodity
- Use cartons with the correct vent holes so air can circulate
- For berries and greens, precise humidity and airflow control matters most
Contamination puts consumers at risk and can fail regulatory checks. Preventing cross-contamination matters as much as temperature control.
- Use food-grade packaging materials
- Palletize properly, with liners and separators
- Avoid odor-absorbing cartons for seafood
- Make sure reefer units and warehouses are sanitized
Documents: who provides what
Paperwork splits in two: the shipper supplies the product and food-safety documents, and the forwarder handles the transport documents.
Shipper documents: product and food safety
| Document | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Phytosanitary certificate (fruits and vegetables) | Required for plant-origin cargo |
| Health certificate (meat, dairy, seafood) | Confirms the product meets food-safety standards |
| Temperature and shelf-life declaration | Tells the forwarder how to program the reefer |
| Packaging and labeling compliance | Shows batch number, expiry date and origin |
| Export inspection certificate (where required) | Mandatory for certain food categories |
Forwarder documents: transport
| Document | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Reefer settings confirmation sheet | Records the refrigeration settings the container is run at |
| Bill of lading / air waybill | The transport contract |
| Commercial invoice and packing list | Shows the product category and HS codes |
| Certificate of origin (if requested) | Customs and trade compliance |
Shipping refrigerated and perishable cargo?
Get a quoteImport rules by destination
Customs and food-safety agencies at destination focus on safety, shelf life and traceability.
- USDA rules for plant- and animal-origin goods
- FDA Prior Notice for food imports
- TRACES system for food imports
- Strict shelf-life and microbiological safety standards
- Halal certificate for meat and poultry
- Temperature logs are often checked
Ocean or air: modes and transit times
Planned, regular supply moves in reefer containers by ocean. Air is for high-value cargo or anything with a short shelf life.
| Corridor | Mode | Typical Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Asia ⇄ Middle East | Ocean / Air | 8–15 days / 1–2 days |
| Latin America ⇄ North America | Ocean / Air | 7–20 days / 1–2 days |
| Europe ⇄ Middle East | Ocean / Air | 10–20 days / 1–2 days |
| Oceania ⇄ Asia / US | Ocean / Air | 10–30 days / 1–3 days |
Shipping refrigerated and perishable cargo?
Get a quoteHS codes for common perishables (examples)
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 0808 | Apples and pears |
| 0709 | Fresh vegetables |
| 0207 | Poultry meat |
| 0303 | Frozen fish |
| 0406 | Cheese |
| 2106 | Prepared food (includes some chilled foods) |
These codes are indicative starting points, not a classification. Find the exact 10-digit line for your product in the HTS Code Finder. Getting the classification right is the importer of record’s legal responsibility.
Examples only: your exact US tariff code depends on the product. Reference: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/nomenclature.aspx Estimate US import duties for these codes with our free tariff simulator.
Perishable shipping FAQs
Yes, always. A reefer container is built to hold cargo at temperature, not to cool down warm cargo.
Place data loggers inside the cargo. Carriers also log the reefer temperature during the voyage, which gives you a second record.
Only if their temperature, humidity and ethylene needs are compatible.
When the cargo is ultra-fresh, premium seafood, berries, or an urgent shipment with a short shelf life.
The usual causes are temperature deviations, poor packing, missing phytosanitary documents and incorrect ventilation settings.
Shipping terms in this guide:Phytosanitary CertificateBill of Lading (BOL)Air Waybill (AWB)Commercial InvoicePacking ListHarmonized System Code (HS Code)
U.S. import duty on Refrigerated & Perishable Commodities by country of origin
Total duty on the highest-value tariff lines in this category, by country of origin, calculated with our tariff engine and U.S. Census import values. Each page breaks down the duty components, how the rate has changed by entry date, and the landed-cost math.
- Meat of bovine animals from Brazil
- Peeled farmed shrimps and prawns from India
- Farmed Atlantic Salmon from Chile
- Bananas and plantains from Guatemala
- Shelled cashew nuts from Vietnam
- Atlantic salmon from Chile
- Peeled farmed shrimps and prawns from Indonesia
- Light amber honey from India
- Fresh garlic from China
Rates are our tariff engine's total for a commercial entry today. Open a page for the duty lines behind a rate and how it changed by entry date, browse all import duty pages, or price your own shipment.
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