Businesses that operate within the food industry supply chain are governed by strict standards. Hygiene throughout development, storage, and transport is essential, making food totes a primary concern. The container that holds the goods must be food-safe, yet designed for ease of cleaning and sanitization, streamlined organization, and temperature control. Cardboard boxes and wood pallets just don’t make the “food” grade here.
Maintaining hygiene and compliance with food handling procedures requires a focus on the prevention of cross-contamination while adhering to all food safety regulations. When you’re storing and transporting goods, this can seem like a challenge, but don’t worry, because there’s a food tote for that.
What Defines a Food-Safe Tote?
Containers that store and transport food and food-grade products must meet specific criteria for optimal safety. Not only is this step required to be in regulation with the FDA and other federal and industry standards, but it also ensures your business is protected from lawsuits caused by contaminated goods.
So, what does a food-safe tote look like? Optimally, it’s made from food-grade, chemical- and additive-free materials, such as stainless steel or high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Non-toxic food-grade plastics can also be used if they’re approved as safe for food contact.
How safe a tote is starts at the very basic foundation of its design. Some containers go through a controlled manufacturing process to ensure no contamination during the molding process. Surfaces are smooth to streamline cleaning and sanitization. This manufacturing step determines the tote’s final label: food-safe or food-grade.
Food-Safe or Food-Grade?
Totes are marked as food-safe and food-grade, but though they may sound similar, there’s a significant difference between the two categories. In essence, food-grade levels gauge how well a material is suitable for contact with food without contaminating it. Food-safe goes beyond this and judges the handling, storing, and longevity of a material when in connection with food. This short list helps you understand and compare the two categories:
- Food-Grade: Made of materials that are all safe to be in contact with food, this tote can be used to carry or hold food. Think: utensils, plastic containers, and even some wood-based products. However, long-term use for storage and transport could lead to contamination or product degradation.
- Food-Safe: Made from materials that are designed from the get-go to prevent food contamination. Beyond food-grade, food-safe totes focus on the lifespan of every material involved to keep the product — and those who consume it — uncontaminated. Think: food-grade containers stored at proper temperatures and cleaned and maintained regularly.
Does your business need a food-grade or food-safe tote? The answer depends on whether you’re looking for short-term handling or the long-term lifecycle of the container.
Is Maintaining Your Food Totes Necessary?
Yes. To be in compliance with food safety regulations, your business’s maintenance protocols must show that you’re using and cleaning the food totes properly. For instance, totes that are designed to be kept away from extreme temperatures shouldn’t be placed in freezers or used to store cold goods and hot liquids.
The food-safe label is only as good as your cleaning and sanitizing procedures. Even stainless steel can harbor bacteria if it is left untended. To ensure your container remains food-safe, wipe the surfaces regularly and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning. Never use food-grade containers to store chemicals and other non-food items, as this could degrade the integrity of the tote and lead to contamination.
Investing in Food Totes Can Protect the Product and Your Reputation
Food-safe and food-grade totes have applications that impact production, storage, and transport industries. Your business’s reputation relies on safely moving goods to the next level of the supply chain, and investing in the right totes protects everything in your care.
At Container Exchanger, our food totes are designed to help you reach your safety goals and keep your brand reputation, just like the food you supply: unspoiled.
