Warmer Than Normal Conditions Expected this Summer – Ensure Proper Temperature Control for Your Freight

 

Weathermen are predicting what could be record breaking temperatures this summer not only for the
Northeast, but across the country, thanks to the quickly developing La Niña climate pattern in the coming months.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts that heat waves will be more common, especially along the I-95 corridor, contributing to what could be an extremely warm summer season, perhaps breaking 2021 and 1936 records​ (FOX Weather)​​ (Almanac.com)​.

High temperature conditions pose a large concern for shippers whose products must maintain specific temperature ranges or else face spoilage and contamination risks (which in turn can lead to widespread outbreaks), hazardous concerns (such as explosions and injuries), as well as damage and malfunctioning of their products. 

Did you know?  Large shares of pharmaceutical and medicinal shipments are classified as chilled products, which means they must be stored in a temperature range between 2 and 8°C (35.6°F and 46.4°F).  Exposure to exceeding temperatures can result in a loss of potency which, in return, can affect the health of consumers ingesting these medications.

Did you know?  41°F is the maximum temperature refrigerated foods must be transported in to prevent bacterial growth.  Fluctuation in temperature can tamper with the product, causing bacteria to spread, leading to recalls and consumer health concerns.  In fact, according to the CDC, 48 million Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses a year, hospitalizing nearly 128,000 and causing nearly 3,000 fatalities.

Did you know?  It is important to keep wine between 55 and 65 degrees F with a humidity of 70 percent.   Temperature-controlled shipping is critical because it prevents the corks from drying out, which can lead to rapid oxidation, ruining the wine.  If the wine spoils, the shipment could be rejected, leading to serious financial consequences. 

Lazenne gives a closer look at how summer weather conditions affect wine:

26°C/80°F: Your wine is getting hot. The heat causes it to expand upwards. Sometimes causing liquid to seep around the cork, and/or pushing that cork out of the bottle and breaking the seal. That compromised cork also results in oxidation.

30° C/86°F: After 18 hours at this temperature, your wine loses its brightness, the color changes to a brown hue, the sulfur dioxide drops, and chemical damage becomes permanent, according to Jancis Robinson.

39°C/100°F: Damage happens after just six hours.

Did you know?  The optimal temperature for shipping beer is between 37 and 46 degrees F.  If the temperature is too warm, the beer could end up spoiling, leading to a low-quality product.  On the other hand, it is important to keep the beer from freezing as well.  Water expands so if the beer freezes, it could expand to the point of bursting the cans or bottles.  This too could also lead to a rejected shipment.

Don’t Sweat It, We Get It

Transfers can be a large problem when transporting temperature-sensitive freight.  The more products are transferred from facility to facility, the greater the risk of contamination, especially when dealing with those products which must maintain a specific temperature range.  Imagine frozen food sitting on a dock waiting to be loaded during the hot summer months as well as how many times the products were handled before reaching their final destination.  The number of transfers also makes it harder to track and pinpoint the source of contamination.

Road Scholar Transport helps cut back on the handling of your products by offering 24-hour expedited service, dock-to-dock with NO transfers.

Malfunctioning equipment also comes into play when transporting frozen or refrigerated shipments.  Improper maintenance of vehicles can lead to tainted products, especially those operating reefers.  Malfunctioning reefer units can cause spoilage or contamination risks, along with hazardous concerns (such as chemical explosions) for those products that cannot be exposed to high temperature conditions.

Road Scholar does NOT use blankets to sustain temperature.  Our temperature-protect trailers can be set to temperatures as high as 89°F (and reversely, as low as -22°F) and are equipped to handle even the tightest temperature ranges, having imbedded technology that tracks the temperature within and alerts our team in the event that the temperature goes out of range so we can rectify the situation prior to the product losing its integrity.  We even provide our customers with the tools to track their shipment live throughout the entire transportation process and can provide a complete record of the temperature within the trailer at any given time, even months after delivery, as well as each time the trailer door was opened/closed.

As your local trucking company, Road Scholar Transport takes full responsibility for your LTL and Truckload shipping needs, using precise measures to securely monitor every load we ship, providing consistent temperature, security seal handling, and protection of your valuable cargo for the duration of the transport.  It’s no wonder we have a VERY LOW damage claim record of 0.0003%!

Check out Road Scholar Transport’s temperature-controlled shipping page for more information.

Don’t forget, we have dry vans for all of your shipping needs as well!

 (SOURCE:  FOX Weather)