shipping buttercream

[Zannyrunner]

Hi,  I'm looking for advice on whether or not it is safe to ship american buttercream.  I have recently started making diy cookie kits and have had a lot of interest from people to ship them.  I use frosting as opposed to royal icing.  The recipe I use is part butter/shortening, 10x and salt water, no milk.  It's supposed to be safe at room temp for days, so does that mean it should be safe for 2 day shipping.  I just don't want to get anyone sick.  Should I instead just switch to all shortening, to be safe?  Thanks!

[liuzhou]

Ship from where to where?

[Zannyrunner]

Just now, liuzhou said:

Ship from where to where?

Hi!  In the US, from NH to surrounding states (NY, MA, OH) they are all within a 1-2 day window for shipping.

[pastrygirl]

It's probably high enough sugar content to be fine.  Unless you're shipping to the tropics, it shouldn't get much above room temp in transit.

[JeanneCake]

All of our distributors (who ship to MA from NY, MD and across the country) have warned us that the carriers are "experiencing higher than usual volume" and to count on shipping delays.  I'm not sure about the USPS.  Better to plan for 3-5 days shipping just in case.  Have you sent out test packages to see how things arrive?

 

I think American buttercream made with all shortening is safer than a shortening/butter mix.  Some of those UPS trucks are jammed to the gills with stuff so even if it's freezing out, your packages should be somewhat insulated   against wild temp swings!

[Zannyrunner]

Thanks I really appreciate everyone's advice!  I think I'm going to switch to an all shortening to be safe, or recommend royal icing.  Yes!  I shipped out some royal icing kits to family  and everything arrived in one piece, with lots of bubble wrap included.  I just ordered some "literature mailers" to use for shipping the kits in.  They seem pretty sturdy and I think they will replace the need for a pastry box inside a shipping box.