Shipping unpackaged baked goods
We have a new customer that is requesting us to ship our fully baked sliced loaves of bread on baker racks without any packaging (no individual wraps or bulk cases). This product will be turned into crotons by the customer so product quality attributes like moisture loss due to the exposure of the product will not be of concern.
As the manufacturing site producing and shipping the loaves without any packaging, how can I ensure product safety (FM/Pests/etc) during storage/shipping procedures?
...Why do they want the bread completely unpackaged? Seems like they'd be quite interested in protecting the bread they're purchasing from the FM hazards you mentioned. I would say that there just isn't a way to protect that bread that doesn't involve a huge amount of extra checks/assurances that will be way more work for your teams than simply putting the bread in bags.
Are there large bags that can be placed over the entirety of the baking racks, like some sort of bulk packaging? Given that these loaves have to be carted from inside your facility into a shipping truck, the exposure to the outside and less-than-ideal environments (inside the truck) is inevitable. I'd think they have to be protected by some kind of barrier (packaging).
How about a large box with a plastic bag liner that you can just toss a bunch of loaves in? I get why they don't want them individually packaged, but agree they've got to go into something...
Years ago I saw a kraft type paper overwrap that went right over the top and was pulled down outside the entire rack stack - it had no return vents (like those that you find on bags of coffee) to keep moisture from building up - this was a similar situation to what you have with your customer - you have to put them into something.
The other way is to have the customer sign a declaration waiver and that way your responsibility ends at the shipping dock - I've seen this too - but still you'll need labeling for tracking purposes.
The company I was at in Wisconsin just attached the tracking label and the signed waiver to the rack and out the door it went.
I cant see how you could transport it to them without packaging. I have worked in places that have used plastic bags that are big enough to go over and cover the whole rack, but this was during storage in our chills(not bread) and the bottom of the rack would be open so not good for transport unless you could seal them
Suggest the customer that labeling packaging as a must. Proper labeling can help in identifying the product, ensuring its safety, and preventing any potential risks