The single most bona fide reason you need an FDA pallet

Here’s a hint that you might need an FDA pallet: you handle unpackaged food or other consumables.

If you read my last post, you learned that in some food applications you don't always need a blue FDA pallet. But, even when an FDA pallet is not required, the FDA still wants pallets to be:

• easy to clean
• non-toxic
• in good repair

Easy enough to comply for the packaged stuff. But, the rules change if you intend to use your plastic pallets for full product contact.

Requirements for placing unpackaged foods like raw bacon in direct contact with plastic pallets is governed by the FDA.

 
​​Let’s say you work in the processing area of a food producer and want to put a slab of curing bacon right on the pallet. You, my friend, need a plastic pallet that is made of material FDA certified for full product contact.

Isn’t plastic just plastic?

No. In fact, the FDA has set standards (Title 21 Section 177.1520) for:

• how certified plastic resins are produced
• how certified plastic resins are tested
• listing what substances will or will not react to that plastic resin

The manufacturer of any plastic article intended for full product contact needs documentation certifying that the resin used to produce that article complies with federal regulations.

Which pallet is right for you?

When deciding what type of plastic pallet is best for your application, first consider how it is going to be used. Next, communicate your product and contact specifics to a pallet professional knowledgeable in FDA requirements. Here's a simple test: is your unpackaged food item coming in direct contact with the pallet? If you answered, "yes" it means you'll need a pallet made of materials compliant with federal regulations. 

Need help figuring out which full-contact FDA certified material pallet is right for your application? Get in touch with me or post your questions below. I am glad to help. 

And, if you are in any link of the food or drug supply chain, watch for my next blog on the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act and what the FSMA will mean to you. 

Post by: Hartson Poland, Business Development - Plastic
Use of Pork Belly licensed under the GNU Free Documentation license.