Plant Tissue Shipping: Fresh Leaves
Royale International’s bio-logistics services utilise validated packaging equipment and are handled by our Dedicated Account Managers. Moreover, our teams leverage Royale’s global infrastructure to ensure updated insight into local landscapes. The shipment below highlights these qualities and how Royale handled plant tissue shipping for fresh leaves.
How does plant tissue shipping benefit researchers?
A laboratory based in the United States needed to ship four samples of Aristolochia westlandii leaves from Kadoorie Farm in Hong Kong to California. These leaves are from the Aristolochia genus and its usage is common for therapeutics and even medicinal purposes. The laboratory aims to further research the leaves to measure its effectiveness and regulate negative side effects.
What are the challenges of shipping fresh leaves samples?
The client laboratory needed the samples shipped at dry ice temperatures, below -80˚C. Common challenges when shipping plant tissues are the risk of drying out, loss of carbohydrates leading to cell degradation, hormonal changes in the plant and humidity.
Thus, the first challenge is being able to prevent degradation of the plant from Hong Kong to the United States, a notoriously long flight. The possible risk of a disease on the plant can even grow in cold storage. Secondly, fresh leaves are classified as biological material. A customs fine incurs without proper declaration.
How does Royale handle plant tissue shipping?
Royale International pre-conditioning facilities offer validated equipment, including premium dry shippers that can handle cryogenic temperatures via liquid nitrogen. Additionally, Royale offers dry ice and re-icing services for temperature-controlled needs.
- The fresh leaves were flash frozen in liquid nitrogen upon pick-up to halt cell degradation.
- With Royale’s packaging solutions, the shipment was transported from Kadoorie Farm with dry ice in a thermal box with PCMs and coolants.
- Our Dedicated Account Managers contacted our medical courier to fill up documents not only by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), but also any of the partner government agencies that may require it.
- Upon landing, the courier was able to declare and provide the pre-filled documents to clear the shipment with ease.
- The laboratory received the fresh leaves samples shortly after.
Royale International’s single source logistics services are quality-driven and reliable. Our Life Sciences Experts equip 30+ years of experience. We offer solutions that mitigate temperature-controlled supply chain risks and boost viability success of biologics & pharma shipments.
Learn about our other packaging solutions? Read through our previous article.
Want to speak to our Life Sciences experts about a bio-logistics solution? Send an email to lifesciences@royaleinternational.com