Cold Chain Packaging Overview

Evaluation of Cold Chain Packages

Packaging for products that need to be kept in a temperature-controlled environment is referred to as thermal and cold chain packaging. It’s common for packages to become stressed out during distribution and shipping. Environmental factors are a frequent source of stress. Changes in humidity or temperature can harm a product or its packaging (such as cardboard).

Products that might need this type of thermal packaging include foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical package testing is essential for medical products that have to maintain a specific temperature. Pharma packaging needs to be capable of maintaining the product’s desired temperature during its shelf life. Certain medications have a very limited shelf life, so it’s critical that their packaging remains reliable throughout distribution.

A crucial step in making sure that shipments arrive at their destination prepared for consumption or usage by the user is cold chain testing. Testing heat and cold chain packaging is something Infinita Lab has done a lot of.

With more than 15 climatic chambers and large walk-in climatic chambers, Infinita Lab package testing can conduct numerous tests simultaneously and provide quick findings. Altitude and environmental testing are both options that we can use for various distribution-related goals.

Types of Cold Chain Tests

Environmental Testing

Using temperature chambers, environmental testing aims to determine how changes in temperature and humidity affect a package and its contents. A package may be exposed to many environments during the distribution process. For a long time, a product might be carried in a shipping container without temperature regulation. Testing in the environment is meant to be reflective of the supply chain. Testing will reveal whether the container can tolerate variations in humidity and temperature while still protecting the contents within.

Testing at High Altitude: 

Testing at high altitudes helps determine how low air pressure and high altitude will affect a package. Packages are occasionally transported at significant elevations. Transportation via high mountain passes on foot and feeder aircraft are two examples of non-pressurized freight techniques. This may result in the package bursting or sustaining severe damage.

Transit Testing:

Transit testing includes a wide range of shipping and transportation-related tests. Several strains can be applied to packages at various points throughout the distribution chain. Drops, jolts, shocks, and vibrations are a few of the pressures that might harm the package.

Particularly for hot and cold chain packaging, it is crucial that the container can keep its shape throughout transportation. The thermal package test lab at Infinita Lab can help reduce the high costs of product damage and replacement.

Routine Cold Chain Tests

The most popular testing criteria for thermal and cold chain packaging are shown below. Please get in touch with us if you need a specific test that is not listed here.

• IEC Standards: IEC 60601-1-11, IEC 60068-2-14 
• ASTM Standards ASTM D4332 ASTM D6653 ASTM F2825 ISTA Standard ISTA 7D
• IEC 60068-2-64 
• IEC and EN standards can also be used interchangeably; for instance, IEC and EN 60601 are the same standard.