Transportation and Distribution of Iced Products

Iced products, primarily produce items such as broccoli, celery, green onions, etc. continue to present challenges to transporters and distributors.  These products are normally packed in waxed corrugated cartons and top iced to keep them cool during transport and storage.  It is paramount that the ice be made from potable water, so that no bacterial or chemical contamination results from the ice itself.  Transport and storage temperatures are typically controlled at approximately 1° - 3° C (33° -36° F). Unfortunately this allows the ice to melt and the water to run down through the product as well as on any cases underneath, and on to the pallet on which products are packed, then finally onto the floor of the conveyance or cooler in which they are carried or stored. Therein lies the problem. 

What contaminants are being picked up by the water as it runs over the wooden pallet?  The answer to this can be quite alarming as the pallet may have already been used during prior shipments of everything from fresh meat and poultry to chemicals to any of a host of non-food products. (Some companies are currently experimenting with synthetic pallets that can be washed and sanitized between loads, but at present this is a very costly alternative.)  Most shippers and processors have a pallet inspection program that identifies any apparent gross contamination or defects. However, since the predominant hazards are microbial, these contaminants are not apparent to a traditional “sensory evaluation” and the use of “slip sheets” does little to prevent the water from reaching the pallet.

As the melt water gets on to the floor of a trailer, it has the ability to cross contaminate other products. When the vehicle accelerates or goes uphill the water can run to the back of the trailer (especially if it has a corrugated floor) and as it slows or goes downhill it can run to the front of the trailer.  When the vehicle hits a bump the water can be splashed upwards onto other pallets or goods inside, and on to the walls and doors of the trailer, carrying the contamination with it.  This is one reason why carriers should have an effective and documented cleaning and sanitizing program for their trailers; to prevent the cross contamination of subsequent loads.

In a storage or distribution facility iced products should never be placed above any other food product. If storage space is only available vertically, then other effective controls must be implemented. Drip guards to protect the products underneath, augmented sanitation procedures, or increased and documented monitoring are some examples.  These will prevent cross contamination of the lower products from the melt water.  In facilities where laboratory tests were performed on the melt water, results have shown significant bacterial loads and the water deemed “not suitable for human consumption”. This is a critical hazard because most of the items that are iced are consumed raw, without the benefit of a cook step to sterilize them.  There is also a possibility facility workers may become contaminated, and pass on contamination to other food products or to other people, including their families.  

Don’t let the serious consequences of cross contamination catch you. Practice due diligence with the appropriate storage protocols, regular product inspections, credible employee hygiene policies, and documentation that verifies the effectiveness of your control measures.