Spanish Wine and Olive Oil Transportation: Core Rules for Food-Grade Materials and Light-Proof, Temperature-Controlled Packaging

I. Regulatory and Quality Certification Framework

A. Core Regulatory Standards

EU Food Contact Materials Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004

Spanish Royal Decree RD 847/2011 (Hygienic Requirements for Food Packaging)

Protected Designation of Origin (DOP/PDO): Special requirements for Rioja, Priorat, Jaén, etc.

Organic Certification Standards (Applicable to organic product transport packaging)

B. Mandatory Certification Marks

Food-grade Mark (Glass and Fork Symbols)

Recycling Mark (Resin Identification Code 1-7)

Spanish Designation of Origin Mark (“Producto de España”)

DOP/PDO Region Logo (Requires certification for use)

II. Food-Grade Packaging Material Specifications

A. Direct Contact Material Requirements

1. Wine Contact Materials

Material Type | Technical Requirements | Applicable Scenarios

Glass Bottle | Low iron content (<0.02%), light-proof color scheme (amber/green) All Wines

Cork Stoppers: Compliant with UNE 56920 standard, moisture content 6-8% (for wines requiring aging)

Polymer Stoppers: Compliant with FDA 21 CFR 177 standard, oxygen permeability 0.001-0.01 cc/day (for immediate consumption)

Capsules: Tin/polyethylene composite, lead-free soldering, bottle neck seal

Label Adhesive: Water-based, non-migrating formula, pH neutral, bottle adhesive

2. Olive Oil Contact Materials

Material Type | Technical Requirements | Applicable Scenarios

Dark Glass Bottles | UV filtration >95%, light transmittance <3% | Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Food-Grade Tin Cans | Epoxy phenolic inner coating, BPA-free | Large Capacity Packaging

PET Containers | Multi-layer co-extrusion (PET/EVOH/PET), oxygen permeability <0.5 cc/day | Economy Packaging

Stainless Steel Containers | 316L grade, electrolytically polished, copper-free | Bulk Transportation

Screw Cap Inner Gasket | Food-grade silicone, compliant with EU 10/2011, bottle neck seal

B. Indirect Contact Material Requirements

Cushioning Materials:

Food-grade PE foam (compliant with FDA CFR 177.1520)

Molded pulp (100% recycled paper, free of fluorescent whitening agents)

Air column cushioning bags (virgin PE material, no recycled materials)

Outer Packaging Cartons:

Acid-free corrugated cardboard (pH 7.0-8.5)

Water-based ink printing (heavy metal content compliant with EN 71-3)

No azo dyes used

III. Light Protection System

A. Spectral Control Requirements

1. Harmful Spectral Range:

UV: 290-400 nm (causes photochemical reactions)

Visible light: 400-500 nm (blue light, destroys phenolic compounds)

Infrared: >700 nm (generates thermal effects)

2. Packaging Optical Performance Standards:
   Product Type | Transmittance Requirement | Protective Measures

Extra Virgin Olive Oil | <1% (290-700nm) | Amber glass + opaque outer box

Aged Wine <3% (290-500nm) Dark green glass + light-proof sleeve
Young wines <5% (290-400nm) Standard green glass + carton
Bulk transport 0% (full spectrum) Stainless steel can + light-proof coating
B. Multi-layer light-proof structure
Outer protective layer (100% light-proof):

├── Double-layer corrugated cardboard (grammage ≥400g/m²)

├── UV-blocking coating (titanium dioxide or zinc oxide)

└── Aluminum foil composite layer (9-12μm aluminum layer)

Intermediate buffer layer:

├── Black PE foam (optical density ≥4.0)

└── Opaque partition (carbon black filled PP)

Inner packaging layer:

└── Light-proof container (compliant with EN 14048 standard)
IV. Temperature-controlled transport system

A. Temperature parameter standards

1. Wine temperature requirements:

Wine type Transport temperature Allowable fluctuation Key Control Points

Young Red Wine: 12-16°C ±2°C, prevent >25°C
Aged Red Wine: 14-18°C ±1°C, prevent >20°C
White/Rosé Wine: 10-12°C ±1°C, prevent >15°C
Sparkling Wine: 8-10°C ±1°C, prevent >12°C
Fortified Wine: 15-20°C ±3°C, prevent >25°C

2. Olive Oil Temperature Requirements:
   Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 14-18°C (Optimal 16°C)

Filtered Olive Oil: 15-20°C

Unfiltered Olive Oil: 12-15°C

Permissible Short-Term Fluctuations: ±3°C (Not exceeding 24 hours)

Absolutely Prohibited: <5°C (solidification) or >25°C (accelerated oxidation)

B. Temperature-Controlled Packaging Technology

1. Passive Temperature Control System: Phase Change Material (PCM):

Phase Change Temperature: 12°C, 16°C, 18°C

Duration: 72-120 hours

Encapsulation: Food-grade HDPE panel

Vacuum Insulation Panel (VIP):

Thermal Conductivity: <0.005 W/m·K

Thickness: 25-40mm

Service Life: ≥5 years

2. Active Temperature Control System: Self-Cooling Container: Thermoelectric refrigeration, accuracy ±0.5°C

Remote Monitoring: 4G real-time data transmission, recording every 15 minutes

Dual Compressor System: Redundant design

V. Special Packaging Configurations

A. Professional Packaging Solutions for Wine

1. Standard Box Configuration (6 bottles/12 bottles):

Honeycomb cardboard lining (partitioned isolation)

Neck fixing slot

Bottom anti-slip coating

Tilting indicator (>30° trigger)

2. Large-capacity transportation (palletized):

Panel layer structure:

Layer 1: Anti-slip pad

Layer 2: Corrugated cardboard load-bearing layer (load capacity ≥ 500kg)

Layer 3: Insulation pad (5mm PE foam)

Layer 4: Product layer (12 boxes per layer)

Layer 5: Top insulated cover

Total height: ≤ 1.8m (including pallet)

B. Olive Oil Professional Packaging Solution

1. Bottled Oil Transportation:
   Leak-proof inner bag (food-grade PE, thickness ≥ 80μm)

Absorbent pad (super-absorbent polymer, capacity ≥ 500ml)

Bottle separator (anti-collision)

2. Bulk Oil Transportation (IBC System):
   Stainless steel IBC container (316L grade)

Nitrogen covering system (oxygen content < 1%)

Sanitary quick-connect interface (compliant with EHEDG standards)

VI. Quality Control and Monitoring

A. Pre-transport Testing
Packaging Integrity Testing:

Leakage Test (Pressure 0.5 bar, 30 minutes)

Drop Test (Height 80 cm, 6 sides)

Stacking Test (1.5 times maximum stacking height, 48 hours)

Material Compatibility Testing:

Migration Test (40°C, 10 days, Simulants: Ethanol/Olive Oil)

Sensory Testing (Performed by professional tasters)

Chemical Analysis (Detection of migrating substances)

B. In-Transport Monitoring
Data Logger Requirements:

Temperature Recording Interval: ≤15 minutes

Accuracy: ±0.5°C

Storage Capacity: ≥90 days of data

Tamper-proof Design

Critical Alarm Thresholds:

Temperature Exceedance: Continuous exceedance for 30 minutes

Severe Vibration: >3g acceleration

Tilting Angle: >45 degrees for 1 minute

VII. Labeling and Documentation System

A. Mandatory Transport Labels
Temperature Control Label:

“MANTENER ENTRE” 12-16°C

Time-Temperature Integrator (TTI)

Maximum Temperature Record Label

Operating Label:

“FRÁGIL – VINO/ACEITE”

“NO APILAR MÁS DE 3”

“EVITAR LUZ DIRECTA”

Quality Label:

Batch Number and Production Date

DOP/PDO Certification Number

Organic Certification Code (if applicable)

B. Accompanying Documents

Technical Documents:

Packaging Conformity Declaration

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

Migration Test Report

Logistics Documents:

Temperature Monitoring Protocol

Loading and Unloading Operation Guidelines

Emergency Contact List

VIII. Cost Optimization Strategy

A. Packaging Solution Comparison
Protection Level | Additional Cost per Bottle | Applicable Distance | Shelf Life Guarantee

Basic Level | €0.30-0.50 | Domestic | 6 Months

Standard Level | €0.80-1.20 | Europe | 12 Months

Advanced Level | €1.50-2.50 | Intercontinental 18 Months
Top Tier €3.00-5.00+ Global 24 Months+

B. Bulk Shipping Optimization
Mixed Loading Strategy: Transporting wines and olive oils with similar temperature requirements in the same vehicle.

Return Loading: Utilizing empty return trucks to transport packaging materials.

Regional Distribution: Establishing bottling centers in major consumer markets.

IX. Spanish Unique Practices

A. Combining Traditional Wisdom with Modern Technology

Underground Cellar Transportation Concept: Simulating the constant environment of underground wine cellars (temperature, humidity, light protection).

Seasonal Transportation Adjustments: Adjusting packaging according to the summer climate of Andalusia and the winter climate of La Rioja.

Regional-Specific Solutions:

Jerez: Enhanced high-insulation packaging for wines.

Priorata: Nitrogen-protected packaging for premium wines.

Jahn: Absolutely light-proof packaging for extra virgin olive oil.

B. Sustainability Practices

Recyclable Packaging: Cardboard recycling rate ≥85%.

Lightweight Design: Glass bottle weight reduced by 15-20%.

Renewable Energy: Solar-assisted power supply for cold chain transportation.

X. Emergency Handling

A. Temperature Deviation Handling

Slight Exceedance (<24 hours, <3°C):

Isolate affected batches

Accelerate sales turnover

Notify end customers

Severe Exceedance (>24 hours or >5°C):

Immediate professional assessment

Potential quality testing

Initiate insurance claims

B. Packaging Damage Handling

Immediate Isolation: Prevent contamination of other products

Professional Cleaning: Treat with food-grade cleaning agents

Repackaging: Use spare packaging materials

Record Filing: For insurance and quality traceability

XI. Summary of Key Success Factors

Material Compliance: All contact materials must be EU food-grade certified

Optical Protection: 290-500nm spectral blocking is crucial for preservation

Precise Temperature Control: Fluctuation range must conform to product characteristics

Continuous Monitoring: Continuous data recording from bottling to the point of consumption

Professional Operation: Trained and qualified loading, unloading, and transport personnel

Cultural Respect: Understanding and respecting the cultural values ​​of Spanish wines and olive oils

This guide integrates the major Spanish wine and olive oil producing region associations (including DO La Rioja, DO Priotat, DO…) The shipping standards of Jaén, as well as best practices from leading manufacturers such as Torres, Freixenet, and Carbonell, should be followed. In practice, adjustments should be made based on the specific product and shipping route.