When Mailing Perishable Food Gifts

• Make sure the food is frozen solid or refrigerator cold.
• Use an insulated cooler or a heavy corrugated box packed with a frozen gel-pack, or purchase dry ice for keeping food cold.
• If using dry ice, don’t touch it with bare hands or let it come in contact with the food.
• Wrap the box in two layers of brown paper.
• Mark the box "Keep Refrigerated." Affix an accurate mailing label to prevent any delivery problems. If dry ice was used, also write on the package "Contains Dry Ice."
• Tell the recipients when the gift was mailed or a delivery date, if known, so they can be home to receive it. Do not have perishables delivered to an office; sufficient refrigerator space is not likely available.
• The food should be mailed by the fastest shipping method possible -- preferably by express overnight delivery.
• Where possible, send food through the mail that is not perishable, such as hard salami, country ham, hard cheese and snack foods.

When You Receive Perishable Food Gifts

• Immediately open packages labeled "Keep Refrigerated."
• Make sure the food is still frozen or cold-to-the-touch with visible ice crystals. If so, refrigerate or freeze the food right away.
• If the food is not refrigerator cold, don’t eat it. Call the company and most likely they will replace the food items for you. But remember, it’s the shipper’s responsibility to deliver perishable foods on time, but it’s the consumer’s responsibility to handle it safely as soon as it arrives.

For additional food safety information about meat, poultry, or eggs, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1 (800) 535-4555; Washington, DC area, (202) 720-3333; TTY: 1 (800) 256-7072. It is staffed by home economists, registered dietitians, and food technologists weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time, year round. An extensive selection of food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day using a touch-tone phone