The question our laboratory hears most often before an ISTA 7D test is: what do we need to prepare. This procedure covers temperature-controlled packaging, the type used for goods that must stay cold or stay warm for the whole journey. So the information needed is not only carton strength, but also thermal hold time and the timings the goods must survive. The short answer is the five groups below.
1. Information about the package and the thermal system
- Outside dimensions and total weight of the finished package.
- Insulation materials: EPS foam, foil liner, vacuum panels, or a combination of layers.
- Cooling or heating source: dry ice, gel packs, water packs, or powered devices.
- Number and position of the refrigerant packs inside the package.
- Whether a temperature logger travels inside, and where it is placed.
- Whether the product needs specific fixing, for example bottles standing upright.
2. Information about the journey and duration
- Total time from closing the package to opening it at destination.
- The legs: warehouse, airport, truck, final delivery, and waiting time at each leg.
- Highest and lowest ambient temperature the package will meet.
- Whether there is a stage where the package sits on a tarmac or outdoors.
- Whether thermal protection must continue after delivery, for example while the goods wait in the receiver’s fridge.
3. Information about samples
- Number of packages to test, counted across packing configurations.
- Whether the sample matches the configuration in use, including refrigerant pack count and layout.
- Whether spare consumables are available to rebuild the package between runs.
- Whether samples and temperature data must be retained after the test.
4. Pass and fail criteria
- The allowed product temperature range and the permitted time outside that range.
- Acceptable package damage after the journey.
- Whether there are requirements on package tightness, or on preventing condensation leaks.
- How to inspect after the test: read the temperature data, check appearance, or inspect the product inside.
5. Reporting and timing
- A report with a temperature against time chart, not only a table of numbers.
- Photos of the package before and after the test, and of the refrigerant layout.
- Whether the package drawing and insulation material certificates must be supplied.
- The date the result is needed, including lead time for special consumables.
6. Why journey time and refrigerant amount must be stated correctly
For temperature-controlled goods, pass or fail comes down to one comparison: the heat load the package can absorb against the heat load the real journey delivers. Stating a journey shorter than reality, or stating fewer refrigerant packs than reality, both produce a clean result that means nothing. A cheaper refrigerant is also often substituted after the test, so the tested configuration no longer matches the one being sold. Our practice is to settle three numbers before accepting samples: total journey time, highest ambient temperature, and the real product weight inside. Those three numbers drive most of the cost and the duration of the test.
Three articles worth reading before sending samples: conditioning for 12 or 72 hours, what the ISTA standard is and how to choose a procedure, and cost and lead time of ISTA packaging tests.
You can send the five groups above through the form below, with photos of the package and the refrigerant layout. The laboratory will reply with the test list and the number of samples needed.
This article reflects our testing laboratory’s experience in collecting information. It does not quote the content of the ISTA standard and does not replace reading the original standard before implementation.
