For a long time, wood pallets have been the standard when it comes to transportation and storage of all manner of products, including those in the food and beverage industry. However, it’s becoming apparent that wood pallets are not the safest option when it comes to preventing foreign material contamination.
Why are wood pallets such a problem with respect to foreign material control, and what can you, as someone responsible for shipping food and beverage products safely, do about it?
Potential Issues With Wood Pallets
Wood is like a sponge, it can retain and spread what it comes in contact with, specifically debris, moisture and bacteria – foreign material is a big problem. Unlike plastic pallets, which can be manufactured in several ways, wood pallets need to be assembled, meaning nails and screws are required to put them together.
Nails, screws, debris and bacteria are not just a problem for food and beverage transportation. These small, hard metal items could come loose and damage virtually any product in transit. That said, a damaged item can simply be discarded, while any debris hidden in or with the product can be hazardous.
Preventing Foreign Material Contamination by Going Wood-Free
The solution to foreign material contamination is to consider your options with plastic pallets. It is important to note the consistency of plastic pallets for this reason – there are no secondary parts or components that require assembly – so no nails or parts that can create voids or breaks on and in the product.
Find Food-Friendly Plastic Pallets at Polymer Solutions International
Polymer Solutions International produces high-quality one-piece plastic pallets of varying sizes to suit your food and beverage transportation needs. In addition to minimizing the likelihood of foreign material in food, our plastic pallets are easy to clean and can even be coated to give them anti-microbial properties for additional contamination protection for your food and beverage products.
Our plastic pallet products are NSF-certified, lightweight and reasonably priced. Furthermore, they’re cost-effective and eco-friendly, as you can use them over and over again and recycle them once they’re no longer useful to you.
If you’re ready to protect your products and your customers by going wood-free, PSI can help. We’ll be happy to meet your plastic pallet needs or provide more information about the benefits of plastic pallets over wood. Call us at 610-325-7500 or contact us online now.
Our hygienic plastic pallets are the perfect solution to optimize your supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about our COVID-19 response.
