Copy URL to Clipboard
From the classic Red Delicious to the tart Granny Smith, apples are a staple of the American diet. Moving these fruits from the orchard to the grocery store requires specialized equipment to maintain their flavor and freshness.
In this article, we’ll show you how to ship apples in the U.S., including best practices for packaging, maintaining the correct temperature, and more.
Key Takeaways
Before apples make their way to market, they must first go through a harvesting and packaging process. This process should ensure a healthy, delicious harvest that’s prepared for a long journey to its final destination.
Picking and packing methods vary from one farm or facility to another. However, there are some basic steps most processes share.
Bruised or decaying fruit can accelerate ripening in those surrounding it, shortening their shelf lives. Dispose of these specimens before proceeding.
Sort your harvest according to size and variety (if applicable). Uniform sizing makes the packaging process easier, stabilizes the apples while in transit, and promotes even refrigeration.
In our experience with apple packing, preventing excess movement in transit is the best way to avoiding cuts and bruises. Use a combination of cardboard or wooden crates with molded trays, bubble wrap, and padded divider sheets to minimize shifting.
Once you’re satisfied with your packaging, stack the boxes on pallets and wrap them with ventilated material to further restrict movement and prevent condensation. Ventilation is needed to avoid trapping moisture, which can lead to early spoilage.
Inspect the palletized cargo for any weak areas and adjust as necessary.
Gradually chill them down to the correct apple storage temperature (32 to 39° F depending on the variety of the apple) prior to cold storage or shipment.
Once it’s time to load them up for shipping, you’ll need the right equipment to maintain that cold storage temperature. Not just any trailer will do if you want your shipment to reach its destination in acceptable condition.
Like most produce, apples need to be shipped in a refrigerated (reefer) trailer or van to preserve freshness while in transit. These trucks create a controlled atmosphere, maintaining specific temperatures and humidity levels.
Using the right packaging for apples and a temperature-controlled trailer will minimize product loss in transit. To determine what those conditions are, we’ll need to explore some more detailed information about different cultivars, or types, of apples.
For shipping purposes, apples can be loosely grouped into two varieties: chilling insensitive and chilling sensitive. Chill sensitivity is mostly determined by the cultivar of the apple. Chilling insensitive apples tend to grow in areas with long winters, while chill sensitive varieties thrive in areas with fewer cold months per year.
According to a study by Robert K. Orange and A. Harrison Wright published in the National Library of Medicine in 2023, some examples of chilling insensitive apples include:
On the other hand, the following apples are susceptible to chilling damage.
Generally speaking, firmer varieties of apples can withstand lower shipping temperatures than their less firm cousins.
The following table details recommended shipping conditions for both types of apple.
| Type of Apple | Shipping Temperature (°C) | Shipping Temperature (°F) | Recommended Relative Humidity |
| Chilling Insensitive | 0-1° | 32-33° | 90-95% |
| Chilling Sensitive | 3-4° | 37-39° | 90-95% |
Source: umaine.edu
It’s worth noting that while chilling sensitive apples share ideal shipping conditions with certain potatoes, the two should never be shipped as a mixed load. Apples can absorb flavors from potatoes, onions, and garlic if transported together. The world just isn’t ready for that combination of tastes.
Additionally, ethylene production is a concern for mixed loads. Apples naturally produce ethylene during the ripening process. This gas can damage certain kinds of produce. These include cruciform vegetables, such as:
Prolonged exposure to ethylene causes yellowing and brittleness in the leaves of these vegetables.
Without the right shipping temperature and humidity, apples can develop a number of issues affecting their flavor and salability. In particular, chilling sensitive apples can develop bruising and an unpleasant, mushy texture if shipped at the same temperature as chilling insensitive varieties.
Other damages and conditions that can result from improper packing, temperature control, and humidity levels include:
These conditions can turn a profitable shipment of apples into a rejected load if not avoided. The best way to prevent them is to trust your shipment to a carrier with ample experience in the field of cold chain logistics. That’s where we come in.
Like any produce, transporting requires careful packaging, regulating temperatures, and controlling humidity to keep your harvest fresh and delicious.
USA Refrigerated Freight specializes in shipping temperature-sensitive goods and commodities. Our team has access to the trailers, trucks, and other equipment necessary to deliver your shipment of apples across long distances without damage or spoilage.
In addition to produce, you can count on us to transport products such as:
Call the cold chain experts at (866) 849-2713 or contact us online today. We’re ready to help you haul your harvest from one end of the country to the other and all points in between.
USA Refrigerated Freight
315 NE 14th Street #4122
Ocala, FL 34470
What will be the ideal temperature for reefer or refrigerated truck for shipping apples ?