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Fresh produce is one of the most demanding freight categories — time-sensitive, temperature-critical, and heavily regulated. A single temperature excursion can destroy an entire load worth tens of thousands of dollars.
| Commodity | Transit Temp | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lettuce & leafy greens | 34–36°F | Ethylene sensitive |
| Tomatoes (ripe) | 50–55°F | Cold damage below 50°F |
| Strawberries | 32–34°F | Extremely sensitive |
| Bananas (green) | 56–58°F | Do not mix with ethylene producers |
| Citrus | 38–48°F | Varies by variety |
| Avocados (ripe) | 40–45°F | Chilling injury below 40°F |
| Potatoes | 45–50°F | No freezing |
The reefer unit maintains temperature — it does NOT cool warm product down quickly. If you load warm produce into a cold trailer, the reefer unit will run at full capacity for hours trying to compensate, often failing to reach set temp before delivery.
Rule: Product must be pre-cooled to within 2°F of transit temp before loading. Confirm with your carrier that the trailer is pre-cooled to set temp 2+ hours before loading begins.
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Sanitary Transportation Rule requires shippers of human food to ensure:
Your freight broker should be able to confirm carrier FSMA compliance before dispatch.
Every reefer unit logs temperature continuously. At delivery, request the temperature recorder download — this is your proof that the cold chain was maintained throughout transit. Without this, damage claims based on temperature excursion are nearly impossible to win.
California produce season (March–September) and Florida citrus season (October–March) create significant capacity crunches for reefer equipment. Book 72+ hours ahead during peak season. Last-minute reefer loads in peak season carry 20–40% premiums and may simply be unavailable.
IZY Logistics is a licensed freight broker (MC #1615290) serving shippers across the United States. Get a competitive quote in under 30 seconds.
Get a Free Quote →Produce shipping typically requires specific equipment, handling, or compliance steps that standard dry van freight doesn't need.
Yes. IZY Logistics brokers produce freight nationwide and can match the shipment with a carrier experienced in this freight type.
Request a quote with your shipment details — origin, destination, weight, and any special handling requirements — and IZY Logistics will match it to the right equipment and carrier.
Confirm the carrier has the right equipment and experience for produce freight specifically, along with proper insurance coverage for the commodity.
Get a competitive quote in under 30 seconds. No signup required.