To yield the highest value in the marketplace, perishables must arrive within its established graded specification, appear attractive and suitable for consumption for their intend use. In some cases, the tolerance of temperature variation can be a life or death decision, such as in pharmaceuticals. Consequently, the characteristics of perishables and factors affecting their shelf lives – some of which are relatively short – require careful attention to cold chain management during transport. As a measure of perishability, correctly managing the ideal product temperature is a vital component of maintaining the shelf life of the products.