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Ensure you can send the item. Be informed about homemade canned or jarred foods. Tell the recipient first. Consider how to send the parcel.

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Check with your carrier first about fragile, potentially hazardous, and international shipments. The destination country you’re shipping to may have restrictions you should know about so that your package is accepted. Check the Individual Country Listings of the International Mail Manual for rules regarding the country you’re sending to.  Things that can decompose easily or can’t be reasonably expected to arrive at their destination without spoiling can’t be mailed internationally. For example, fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and other items.  Dry ice cannot be sent via international mail.  You may be able to use a carrier who offers temperature controlled freight services, depending on what your sending. Consult with carriers about your individual situation. If you are sending homemade canned or jarred foods, you should check with the National Center for Home Food Preservation for information on which foods are considered unsafe for canning and are not recommended as gifts. Home-processed cheese and meat shouldn’t be mailed, as the moisture and acidity are unknown and can cause harmful bacteria.   Examples of foods that are considered unsafe for canned gifts include herbs or vegetables in oil, breads or cakes, homemade chocolate or fudge sauce, and pumpkin butter.  Use only jars and lids that are recommended for canning, and only recipes tested for processing by reliable sources. If possible, notify the recipient first and schedule a delivery date that works for both of you. If the item is food that should arrive cold, tell them to ensure that it is still refrigerator cold when they open the package. Notify the recipient that they should refrigerate or freeze the food immediately. Your carrier is responsible to deliver the perishable items on time, but the customer is responsible for someone being available to receive the package. If the item is food that should arrive cold, tell the recipient not to eat or even taste it if the following condition isn’t met: the food should be delivered partially or fully frozen, or at least refrigerator cold. If unsure, the recipient can use a food thermometer to check: it should not be above 40°F (4.4°C). The FDA recommends that you ship perishable items using overnight delivery. Avoid sending at the end of the week. Your perishable items will probably sit in a shipping facility over the weekend. Send items as early in the week as possible. Consider where the recipient is and whether they can receive food and refrigerate it on acceptance. Will their residence or place of work be better for this? If you’re sending items to an office, make sure that it will arrive on a weekday. Also ensure that the office has refrigerator space for keeping the items cold.