Cold-chain lift is rarely “not enough adhesive”. More often: an ambient adhesive went into a cabinet, condensate sat on the pack, or apply temperature and service temperature were not the same. Split cause and spec.
Typical causes
- Adhesive glass-transition is too high; it hardens and loses tack
- A water film means the adhesive bonds to water, not to the pack
- Facestock embrittles; an edge flags and the whole label peels
- Applied at ambient, then shrink stress in the cabinet pulls the edge
Apply temperature vs service temperature
Apply temperature is the pack and room at the moment of apply. Service temperature is what the label must survive in distribution and display. They often differ: ambient apply then −18 °C storage is not the same as apply in a cold room. Tell the converter both numbers.
Chilled, frozen, deep-frozen
| Duty | Typical range | Spec notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chilled | 0–4 °C | Condensate resistance and good wet tack on trays and film |
| Frozen | About −18 °C | Freezer-grade facestock + freezer-grade adhesive; prove apply |
| Deep-frozen | Below −18 °C | Assess facestock brittleness and apply in the freezer |
A trial beats a data sheet
Use the real pack (thermoformed tray, pouch, tray): apply at ambient then into the cabinet; apply on a cold surface; wipe condensate then apply. Watch edges for 24–72 hours. Lock facestock and adhesive only after that, so the first inbound lot is not the first failure.
