Food Protection Trends - November/December 2022 - 567

lifecycle of a meal-kit (Fig. 1), the perishable goods must be
assembled and packaged and then go through dispatch and
transportation to the consumer, all while maintaining safe
storage temperatures.
Mail-order distance selling of perishable foods in the
United Kingdom is bound by Commission Regulation
(EC) 853/2004 (10) on the hygiene of foodstuffs and the
Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 legislation. These provide
guidance related to temperature control requirements.
Before dispatch, regulations in the Food Industry Guide to
Good Hygiene Practice require certain foods to be held at
temperatures that will prevent the growth of harmful bacteria
or the formation of toxins (14). The regulations stipulate
that it is an offense to allow foods to be kept at temperatures
that would cause a health risk (above 8°C). During dispatch,
a maximum single 2-h period is allowed during which
goods may go outside temperature control requirements to
accommodate the practicalities of handling goods during
preparation, storage, and transportation. However, the
acceptable limits depend on a combination of time and
temperature factors (14).
In the United Kingdom, the mail-order guidance for
foodstuffs, with regards to packaging, states that during
transportation, the food must be transported in a way that
reduces the risk of contamination. Primary requirements
would be to use well-insulated outer packaging that
can sufficiently prevent the damage of the contents or
temperature seal, effectively avoiding contamination of
the food or the loss of temperature control (14). The Food
Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice further stipulates
that the food should be safe to eat within the allotted shelf
life. Another key necessity is the refrigerant used, which
depends on numerous factors relating to the outer packaging,
the initial temperature at the time of packing, and time and
temperature factors during transit (14). Refrigerant options
referred to in the Food Industry Guide to Good Hygiene
Practice include ice in plastic pads, gel pads, and plastic packs
containing a readymade eutectic mixture, with consideration
being given to ensuring the suitability for use with food.
Temperature control requirements require certain foods,
such as dairy products, prepared RTE foods, or smoked and
cured RTE meat or fish, to be held at temperatures that will
prevent the growth of harmful bacteria or the production of
toxins (14).
The package labeling normally indicates this requirement
with use-by dates and keep-refrigerated guidance (14).
Temperature variations in a U.S. study were attributed to
the type of coolant used and the proximity of the coolant
to the product, including dry ice, gel packs, and wet ice.
Gel packs were found to be the most popular coolant yet
were considered inferior for keeping perishables below 40°F
(4.4°C) in comparison to dry ice (25). A study of surface
temperature found that nearly half of products arrived
with a surface temperature above recommendations. The
packages were found to have lacked appropriate coolants,
padding, and labeling. The research concluded that because
some food items arrived in the danger zone, the products
should be considered unsafe to consume. Research conveyed
that those vendors should ensure that sufficient packing
standards regarding the coolant, padding, and shipping
container are attained (25). Although guidance exists for
recommendations for packaging, because of the lack of
research on meal-kits in the United Kingdom, it cannot be
determined what type of insulated packaging or refrigerant
options are commonly used by meal-kit providers to
maintain cold storage of perishables.
Mail-order food does not need to be chilled during
delivery transit to the consumer. However, during
transportation, it must not exceed temperatures that could
cause a health risk (14). Raw food intended for further
processing, such as fresh meat, fish, and shellfish, does
not come under the temperature and hygiene of foodstuff
regulations and is considered outside the scope of mail-order
food guidance (14). Nevertheless, during transportation,
legislation associated with temperatures related to raw
meat and poultry specifies that the temperature should be
no higher than 7°C along a chilling curve that ensures a
continuous decrease of temperature for red meat and no
higher than 4°C for poultry (10).
Concerns raised by Hallman et al. (25) included that
perishables are treated no differently than any other
package handled by courier services. One courier service
indicated that closed, parked carrier vehicles during
the summer months can reach temperatures of 140°F
(60°C), highlighting the issue of packages having to
maintain adequate cold temperatures because of external
environments. Food safety recommendations included
policy advice regarding adding sensors to packages to alert
customers when contents exceed safe temperatures and
providing accurate food safety information with shipments.
Further industry recommendations included displaying
food safety information more prominently on websites that
include proper food safety handling practices, ensuring that
the information provided is accurate, and anticipating worstcase
scenario conditions for the packaging, e.g., temperature
abuse. Because consumers do not perceive this as a risk, they
are not looking for or expecting it (25). Mickanuck (35)
also concluded that current temperature control methods
used during delivery are inadequate and the provision of
food safety information is insufficient, supporting previous
research. Hallman et al. (25) acknowledged the growing
nature of the food delivery business and that shipping
perishable items directly to consumers can be done correctly
and safely.
One meal-kit provider acknowledged the issue of potential
temperature abuse of the products, with the company
performing International Test Laboratory models of various
scenarios and packaging concepts to ensure the boxes arrive
November/December Food Protection Trends 567
Food Protection Trends - November/December 2022

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