According to the microbiology and toxicology experts
from the University of California-Davis and Haley & Aldrich, single-use corrugated packaging minimizes risk of
contamination, supporting food safety.
They performed periodic testing to a protocol
designed by food safety which was sponsored by the United States corrugated industry. Their findings
confirm corrugated cardboard packaging
used to transport fresh produce are safe and clean.
“Ninety-nine percent of the samples evaluated
were well below the sanitation levels of 1000 colony forming units (CFU) per
swab for the organisms tested,” said Maryann Sanders, Product Stewardship
Leader and microbiologist. The 1000 CFU per swab threshold used in the study
was defined by Dr. Keith Warriner, a Food Science Professor at the University
of Guelph.
The study examined corrugated containers from various manufacturers, at three separate
end-user locations, for the presence of two pathogenic indicator
organisms: Enterobacteriaceae and thermotolerant coliforms.
“Corrugated
containers are used once before they are recovered for recycling, which
eliminates the potential for lingering contamination that can result from
multi-use shipping containers.
After use, 90 percent of corrugated containers are returned to the paper mill for recycling,
where high temperatures effectively kill any bacteria that may have been
transferred from the product,” Dennis Colley explained, executive director of
the Corrugated Packaging Alliance in
the United States.
