What is Food-grade Storage?
Food-grade storage refers to any storage that is safe to be used for food storage, and preparation. Food-grade storage’s primary aim is to prevent transfer of any chemical deemed dangerous for human consumption.
Significance of Food-grade Storage in E-commerce Shipping and Delivery
Food-grade storage ensures the safety of edible items for both the long and short term. The significant benefits of using food-grade storage in e-commerce have been listed below.
- Maintains quality of the food product: The food quality is maintained as these storage units are devoid of harmful chemicals. Since these units block the transference of chemicals, contamination from air-borne chemicals is muted, thus protecting the food quality.
- Helps to avoid spoilage: Food spoilage is a significant issue in warehousing, storage, and delivery. Food-grade storage prevents food spoilage that avoids contamination.
Prerequisites of Food-grade Storage
Companies need to fulfill certain prerequisites in order to deem a container as food-grade storage. These include
- Material: A food-grade storage should be made from materials such as Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polypropylene (PP), High-density polyethylene (HDPE), or Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
- Manufacturing agents: Release agents such as petroleum oil-based, silicone-based, natural-oil-based, semi-synthetic, or synthetic-based should be used for manufacturing.
Use Case With Food-grade Storage
A common example of food-grade storage is polyethylene terephthalate or PET. This plastic material is used in the dairy industry to pack and store milk. Since PET repels microorganisms, is not prone to corrosion, and protects milk from light-induced oxidation, it is accepted as safe food-grade storage.