I oftentimes ship a sauce only sold in my area to family at different elevations. The problem is that the bottle it’s sold in isn’t very secure and many times it’ll break in transit and leak everywhere.
What should I look for when shopping for bottles/containers to use for shipping?
Technically yes, but if this is a sauce that doesn’t need refrigeration (including after opening) anyway, just not as big of an issue.
Another comment had a great point that less product = more air = more sensitive to different air pressures. Ideally, the product is in a plastic bottle already and OP can squeeze a little out if needed, put the cap back on tightly with the bottle slightly squeezed, pack it safely, and send it off. If the lack of outside pressure is an issue, it’ll give the bottle a way to grow a little.
Source: I live in Denver and always have something (de-) pressurize when I go to/from sea level
I was thinking this as well, sure the sauce was shipped sterile but there are tons of places that leavev opened hot sauce out on tables for god only knows how long and they very rarely spoil.
OP never said hot sauce. Most sauces spoil at room temperature unless they have lots of vinegar.
The same goes for other sauces too like generic bbq sauces or ketchups left out all day at a hot dog stand.
Those are also vinegar based sauces.
Don’t try it with a creamy tomato sauce.