Dry Ice Keeps Your Care Package To Friends And Family Fresh

This year, perhaps more than any most of us can remember, we’re going to need a personal touch for the holidays – and one of the best ways to send that touch is by sharing food we’ve made for our loved ones.

If we can’t be with our favorite people, we can still share our favorite meal – thanks to dry ice.

How To Send A Perishable Gift This Season

Dry ice is the perfect way to send perishable foods by mail this holiday season – but shipping with it does require some special care if you want your food to arrive safe and fresh. Here are some dry ice packing basics:

• Buy quality dry ice – Always choose a reputable dry ice supplier (Irish Carbonic has all the dry ice you need, available for pickup at one of our convenient locations).
• Choose sturdy packing materials – Heavy weight corrugated cardboard, plastic, or wooden boxes will protect your shipment, and it will prevent the dry ice bags from rupturing (we have great packing materials, too).
• Use Styrofoam – Add a Styrofoam layer to your shipping box – an inexpensive cooler, for example, can be placed inside.
• Be safe – Always follow dry ice safe handling precautions!
• Layer your packing – Wrap food in plastic or paper bags prior to packing. Pack the food and dry ice together tightly, using newspaper to minimize gaps and provide insulation. Packs of dry ice should be on the bottom, followed by food items. Alternate between dry ice and food items, filling in gaps with bubble wrap and newspaper until the box is full. If you’re using a Styrofoam cooler, do not seal it completely as this can prevent the package from releasing pressure.
• Double-check your shipping address – This is always important, but particularly when you’re shipping perishable items.
• Choose the right labels – Dry ice is considered hazardous material, so it needs to be marked properly prior to shipment. Ask for the following labels at your post office or from your courier:
• A label that says “Dry Ice” or “Carbon Dioxide Solid.”
• A label that reads UN 1845 (indicates hazardous materials).
• A label that indicates the net worth of dry ice in your container (keep track of how much dry ice you use!)
• A Class 9 label – This indicates that the package contains dry ice – they’re free at most post offices and from your courier. Put the Class 9 label on the same side of the package that contains the UN 1845 label.
• Complete the right paperwork – Ask your post office or shipping professional for the proper paperwork, which could include a shipper’s declaration (a slip that includes basic information about yourself and the recipient). 

• Other considerations – Dry ice lasts a maximum of about three days; overnight shipping is usually best, especially when shipping items like meat. However, if meat is vacuum packed, two-day shipping may be enough. Do not choose options that take more than two days to ship. And be prepared for extra regulatory costs – Call your local post office or courier for details.

Irish Carbonic sells quantities of dry ice in Rochester and Buffalo, NY ranging from individual portions of dry ice rice pellets to 10,000-pound commercial blocks available for pickup or convenient delivery to your location. Contact us to learn more.