Service
Frozen and chilled product transport
Deep frozen down to −30 °C and chilled across the full fresh range, under full HACCP control and with the temperature recording European food law requires.
Transport temperatures by product family
These are the usual working ranges. The final set point is always fixed by the consignor under their own food safety system.
| Product | Transport temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Quick-frozen (ice cream, fish, ready meals) | −18 °C or below | European quick-frozen foodstuffs rules |
| Industrial frozen | −22 °C to −18 °C | Safety margin against door openings |
| Fresh meat | 0 °C to +2 °C | Poultry up to +4 °C |
| Fresh fish | 0 °C to +2 °C | On ice, close to melting point |
| Dairy | +2 °C to +4 °C | |
| Chilled ready meals | 0 °C to +4 °C | |
| Fruit and vegetables | +2 °C to +12 °C | Highly variable: bananas suffer below +12 °C |
What the law requires for frozen
Transport of quick-frozen foodstuffs in the European Union is regulated, and the obligation falls directly on the vehicle. The reference text is Regulation (EC) No 37/2005 on the monitoring of temperatures in the means of transport of quick-frozen foodstuffs.
- The means of transport must carry an air temperature recording device.
- Records must be kept for at least one year, or longer depending on the product.
- Temperature must be held at −18 °C or below, with brief upward fluctuations of no more than 3 °C permitted during transport.
- On top of that sit the general food hygiene rules of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and the HACCP system.
HACCP control on the transport leg
Transport is a critical control point inside the consignor’s HACCP system. Day to day that comes down to four things:
- Pre-cooling
- The box reaches the bay at set point. Loading frozen product into a warm box raises the surface temperature and it does not recover.
- Cleanliness and fitness of the box
- A clean trailer with no odour or residue from the previous load, verified before every loading.
- Time on the bay
- Open doors are the main route for heat ingress. Every opening is logged with its duration.
- Records and traceability
- A continuous trip graph, available for customer or official audit.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature must quick-frozen food be carried at?
At −18 °C or below. European rules allow brief upward fluctuations of up to 3 °C during transport and local distribution, but the reference value is −18 °C. In practice we run a set point between −22 °C and −20 °C to keep a margin against door openings at the bay.
Can frozen and chilled travel on the same vehicle?
Yes, with multi-temperature equipment: a movable bulkhead splits the box into two compartments with independent set points, typically −20 °C and +2 °C. It needs planning at booking, because it determines the trailer allocated and how the load is split between compartments.
What if product arrives out of temperature?
The consignee must record a reservation on the CMR consignment note at the moment of delivery. The trip temperature record then allows exactly what happened, when and for how long to be reconstructed, which is what determines whether the product is still fit and where liability sits.
Need to move temperature-controlled freight?
Tell us origin, destination, set point and volume. A dedicated account manager comes back with a firm quote within one working day. If it is urgent, call.