Dive Brief:
- A full 64% of the reusable plastic containers (RPCs) used to ship fruits and vegetables are contaminated, Canadian researchers say.
- RPCs, which are typically rented and reused by multiple grower/distributors over the course of their lifetime, also often appear “damaged and dirty to the naked eye.
- ”Unsanitary RPCs are a “recipe for disaster” that could distribute pathogens, said Keith Warriner, a researcher from the University of Guelph in Ontario.
Dive Insight:
Oh gross! That’s all we can say—and we’re quite sure ours will be a common reaction if this research makes its way into the mainstream media. But as gross as RPCs may be, it's worth noting that they are also said to bring considerable advantages to food transport—particularly in terms of energy use and waste reduction. (Besides, you wanna see gross? Check out a soggy, cardboard box that’s been used to ship produce from the other side of the globe.) Our hope is that the giants of the RPC industry will take this research to heart and add some additional safeguards to the cleaning process.
Update: Jerry Welcome, president of the Reusable Packaging Association, responded to the study with the following statement:
"On behalf of the Reusable Packaging Association and its RPC member companies, I encourage everyone to read this study in its totality. The author, Dr. Keith Warriner states, "From the results it can be concluded that there was no evidence of a food safety issue." However, he recommends that "the decontamination method of RPC’s be reviewed to prevent carriage and transfer of human pathogens.” The RPA and its members agree that ongoing review and improvement of food safety practices are important for all members of the food supply chain.
The RPC industry already has rigorous cleaning and testing protocols. The tests conducted daily by RPC suppliers exceed accepted standards, and have proven to be highly effective. We know of no evidence from either U.S. or Canadian food safety regulators to support any documented food safety issue with the use of RPC’s in the food supply chain. The reusable industry has an enviable food safety record and we will maintain our commitment to providing a safe and reliable means for shipping produce from farm to retailer."
