Storage and Transportation

Storage and transportation covers how food and ingredients are held in warehouses, pantries and vehicles so they stay protected from contamination, allergen cross-contact, temperature abuse and damage until they are used.

  • Food safety
  • Food safety programs

This term covers the time food spends sitting still or on the move, from dry storage, coolers and freezers to delivery vans and trucks. Under FDA's CGMP rule, storage and transportation must protect food against allergen cross-contact; biological, chemical and physical contamination; and deterioration of the food and its container. FDA's Sanitary Transportation rule, published in April 2016, adds specific duties for shippers, loaders, carriers and receivers moving food by motor or rail vehicle in the U.S. Those duties cover suitable, cleanable vehicles, adequate temperature control, carrier training and records.

A well-made product can still be spoiled or contaminated after it leaves the oven. Food that needs temperature control can become unsafe if a cooler or truck fails, and raw foods or non-food items in the same load can contaminate ready-to-eat food. The transportation rule says food whose temperature control may have materially failed must not be sold unless a qualified person determines it was not made unsafe. Vehicles must also be stored so they do not harbor pests.

Key facts

Sanitary Transportation rule published
April 6, 2016
Revenue exemption
Under $500,000 average annual revenue
Vehicles covered
Motor and rail vehicles in the U.S.
Fridge / freezer targets
40°F or below / 0°F or below

In a bakery or commercial kitchen

  • Keep refrigerated ingredients at 40°F (4°C) or below and frozen ones at 0°F (-18°C) or below
  • Store cleaning chemicals and other non-food items away from food during storage and transport
  • Before loading, confirm vehicles are clean, show no sign of pests, and are pre-cooled when carrying chilled goods
  • On receipt, check chilled deliveries for temperature abuse using product, setpoint and ambient temperature readings
  • Keep raw foods and non-food items from contaminating ready-to-eat goods in the same load

For home and cottage bakers

  • Store flour, sugar and spices in airtight containers in a cool, dry place
  • Rotate the pantry so older, unopened items get used first
  • Keep the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below and the freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or below
  • Buy only packages that are sealed and undamaged, and skip cans that are dented, leaking or bulging

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 17, 2026.

  1. 21 CFR 117.93 Warehousing and distribution, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (Code of Federal Regulations)
  2. FSMA Final Rule on Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  3. 21 CFR 1.908 What requirements apply to transportation operations?, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (Code of Federal Regulations)
  4. 21 CFR 1.906 What requirements apply to vehicles and transportation equipment?, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (Code of Federal Regulations)
  5. Food Safety at Food Pantries: Guidelines for Safe Handling, Storage and Donation of Foods (FCS-3509), Oklahoma State University Extension