Purpose: This study reports on shipping methods, packaging, coolant materials, and product temperatures of perishable meat, fish, and seafood products ordered online.
Methods: Samples of 679 raw meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish products were purchased online from 160 US purveyors between January and October 2013, and shipped using common carriers.
Results: Including nine replacements, 169 shipments were received and 684 food items were tested. Of these, 375 were meat, 47 poultry (chicken, duck, turkey), 231 seafood (finfish and shellfish) and 30 “other” products. Orders were shipped via FedEx (59.2%), UPS (39.6%); or USPS (<1%). Shipping was ‘overnight’ (32.4%), ‘2-day’ (29.4%), and ‘standard/ground’ (27.1%). Mean transit time was 32.4 hours (SD=14.8 hours). Only 4.1% had external damage, although 3.6% had leakage on the inside. Only 36.7% had food safety information on the outside of the box; 7.7% had no labels indicating their perishable contents. Only 25% had any food safety information inside the package. The majority of shipments (92.9%) included a polystyrene foam box; 76.9% also used an exterior cardboard box. The majority (50.6%) contained gel packs, 42.4% had dry ice, 4.1% included both; 2.4% contained conventional ice, and 4.1% of the packages contained no refrigerant. Upon opening the packages, the surface temperatures on the top of the products ranged from –23.5°F to 72°F (M = 36.8°F, SD = 13.3°F). The temperatures on the bottom ranged from –22.7°F to 75°F (M = 36.8°F, SD = 12.9°F). Nearly half (46.6%) had a surface temperature above 40°F.
Significance: Many of the perishable meat, poultry, and seafood products arrived outside of the temperature safety zone. This, combined with a lack of food safety information accompanying the packages, places consumers at increased risk for foodborne illness.