Food & Beverage Packaging Testing
Why Food & Beverage Packaging Matters
Food and beverage packaging faces a combination of environmental and mechanical demands that few other product categories encounter simultaneously. Corrugated outer shipping cases absorb moisture in cold storage and refrigerated transport, reducing compressive strength and stacking performance. Temperature swings between cold chain distribution and ambient warehouse storage stress packaging materials and seals. Physical handling through distribution exposes packaging to drop impacts, vibration, and sustained compression under palletized loads.
Packaging Testing & Validation Services
Distribution Package Testing
ASTM D4169 and ISTA distribution simulation for food and beverage packaging, covering drop, vibration, and compression through retail distribution channels.
Environmental Package Testing
Shelf life conditioning, humidity exposure, and Cobb water absorption testing for food and beverage packaging materials, confirming performance through cold storage and distribution environments.
Dangerous Goods Package Testing
Title 49 CFR certification for food and beverage products classified as dangerous goods for ground transport.
A collapsed pallet is an expensive way to find out
What We Test for Food & Beverage Companies
Cold chain packaging for temperature-sensitive products
Temperature-sensitive food and beverage products require insulated shipper validation confirming that payload temperature is maintained through the intended distribution environment.
Applicable Standards and Methods
Distribution performance for retail-bound products
Food and beverage packaging must survive freight and LTL distribution and arrive shelf-ready at retail. ASTM D4169 and ISTA testing validates packaging through the drop, vibration, and compression hazards of ground distribution.
Applicable Standards and Methods
Corrugated shipping case structural performance
Retailers specify box compression requirements for outer shipping cases. Corrugated case strength degrades in humid and cold environments, so structural testing under realistic conditions is essential.
Applicable Standards and Methods
Cobb water absorption for moisture-sensitive packaging
Corrugated and paper packaging used in cold storage, refrigerated distribution, or humid retail environments must maintain moisture resistance. Cobb water absorption testing confirms moisture uptake performance under contact conditions.
Applicable Standards and Methods
Shelf life conditioning and accelerated aging
Food and beverage packaging materials must maintain performance through the product's shelf life under the temperature and humidity conditions of storage and distribution. Conditioning confirms material properties under relevant environmental conditions.
Applicable Standards and Methods
Dangerous goods packaging for classified products
Certain food and beverage products, including products with flammable components, compressed gas, or other classified materials, require DOT-certified packaging under Title 49 CFR before ground transport.
Applicable Standards and Methods
Accreditations That Apply
Our accreditations determine which standards we test to, which regulatory submissions our results support, and which retailer programs our clients can qualify for.
Our Accreditations
ANAB ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation
DOT Third Party Lab Competent Authority Approval
Frequently Asked Questions
Corrugated packaging loses compressive strength when it absorbs moisture. In cold storage and refrigerated distribution environments, condensation and ambient humidity expose outer shipping cases to sustained moisture contact that can reduce box compression performance by a significant margin. A corrugated case that meets its specified box compression value at ambient conditions may fail to maintain stacking performance in the cold chain. TAPPI Cobb water absorption testing measures how much moisture the corrugated surface absorbs under defined contact conditions, providing documented evidence of moisture resistance for packaging used in cold and humid environments.
Food and beverage products that may require dangerous goods packaging certification include alcoholic beverages above certain alcohol content thresholds shipped in certain configurations, aerosol products containing flammable propellants, products with compressed gas components, and certain food-related chemicals and cleaning products. Classification depends on the hazard class and concentration of the regulated component, the container size, and the mode of transport. TEN-E holds DOT Competent Authority approval and can confirm whether your product’s packaging requires certification under Title 49 CFR and which performance standards apply.
Pre-test conditioning under ASTM D4332 and ISO 2233 establishes consistent temperature and humidity conditions for packaging and packaging materials before performance testing, ensuring that test results reflect how packaging performs under documented starting conditions. For packaging materials used in long-shelf-life or ambient-stored food and beverage products, accelerated aging can project material performance over the product’s intended shelf life. TEN-E performs both conditioning and aging in the same accredited lab environment as subsequent distribution performance testing.
Ready to get your packaging tested?
A 15-minute intake call with one of our engineers is the fastest way to know what you need and what it costs. No sales pitch.