11 replies to this topic

[HybridPractice]

Hi All,

I'd like to find out if anyone has been facing problems with plastic pallets breaking due to temperature differences in cold storages and how long they're lasting.

I've been in touch with a couple of Dairy companies and they're facing a problem when it comes to GMP & HACCP compliance where they moved from wood to plastic with investments in millions of dollars, later to find that the change never lasted as long as the manufacturers has suggested.

Has anyone else come across similar issues?

Jack

[Penard]

Right Jack...I do not have any solutions, but I know this kind of issue - even in meat industry. Either you have expensive 'long lasting' plastic pallets or cheap plastic pallet, however you can't be sure of your material.

Can you tell us more about use of your pallet - just to move some wrapped raw materials or sthg like that from one place to another one, or do you have any contact between pallets and food product?

Regards,

Emmanuel.

[HybridPractice]

What was the lasting duration of the

Expensive and Long Lasting pallets
and the Cheap and not so long lasting pallets.

do you have any stats on that?

to answer the second part,

No food contact for now, but I do know of the meat industry suffering problems with listeria and other bugs.

The pallets are to store Milk, Ice Cream & Yogurt and another application is for sea food.

Jack

Edited by HybridPractice, 19 March 2008 - 11:25 AM.

[Simon]

I have no direct experience to offer Jack, but whilst researching I found a number of companies who offer plastic pallets for use by the food industry. See this brochure for the best. They sound very good if they perform as claimed, although they are probably very expensive. I didn't ralise pallet technology had got so...technological.

Regards,
Simon

[GMO]

I have experience of using plastic on chilled and not found an issue (they were blue plastic 'chep' and much better than the blue wood 'chep'). Personally I'm of the opinion that the only time I have had an issue with wooden pallets is in a poorly controlled freezer with racking, from personal preference as well, I prefer meat on plastic as there's nothing more minging than leakage of blood soaking into wood. I don't think wood causes an issue elsewhere, even in open food lower risk areas (prior to washing etc) as long as the wooden pallets are on the floor, not on racking and there is some kind of liner between the pallet and the ingredient. I wouldn't use it in a high care / high risk area because you can't clean them and floors tend to be more wet.

I used to work for a major multinational that was trying to argue wooden pallets should be banned in all its food factories. We argued out of it because it was ridiculous to send out double or triple wrapped ambient, dry product on plastic. The cost / benefit just isn't there.

[Penard]

Hi,

I don't think wooden pallets used for storage of finished products (or raw materials) can be considered as an issue - if products are wrapped of course.
So to me milk, ice cream... stored on wooden pallet doesn't represent a problem - agree with GMO.

If your products come into production areas in order to be used, let's have a risk assessment. More and more factories have separated areas for storage of rax materials, use of raw materials and production process. So I think with a lot of care using wooden pallett is ok.

GMO, when you talk about chep pallett without issues, how does it last - more or less than one year, prices compared with other palletts...?

[GMO]

It's difficult to know about their age / price as we were supplied them with ingredients and returned them after a day or so. If any arrived damaged, they'd be rejected. Chep are a company that rent out pallets, their website is:

http://www.chep.com/splash.aspx

[Charles.C]

Dear Penard,

I don't think wooden pallets used for storage of finished products (or raw materials) can be considered as an issue - if products are wrapped of course.

Brave words indeed !. I can see the auditors sharpening their (wooden) pencils.

I suggest it all depends on yr specific lay-out / process / experience.
If you walk around the packing area at the end of a shift for any product and find small splinters of broken wooden racking on the floor ? (Personally, I suspect this is not such a rare observation.)
Well, it’s only a physical, limited spread, hazard, statistically probably below the HACCP radar. But it can hardly be ignored in the last stage of one’s process, can it. ?? (and as for earlier stages, “they” do say that prevention is better than cure).
And the root cause / preferred cost/benefit alternative(s) is ?? Better wood perhaps ?

Hmmmm.

Rgds / Charles.C

[Lana Juwa]

I think you can try using HDPE plastic pallet. This plastic pallet is designed for high temperatures because it is designed with Pure HDPE plastic material.

[Catherine Ji91]

Hi, Jack. Nice question. 

 

I think your problem maybe caused by the palstic pallet material. 

 

Same plastic pallet has different material. In general, it has the blend material ( recycled material ( with different ratio) and 100% virgin material. Usually for the cold storage, I recommend use the 100% virgin material. because it stable performance and will not influence by temperture. And important it is hygienic. Also if the temperature is so low, I suggest when you order the pallet, please tell the sales your using temperature and let them add some antifreeze agent when producing. 

 

Point 2 is that is using for rack system in could storage, suggesting use the pallet with matal bars reinforced inside of pallet. It is more saft for racking system and this solution is economic. 

 

Point 3 is that for plastic pallet, there is PP and HDPE material. PP is more stiff, but the tenacity is weak than HDPE in cold room. HDPE is a better choice.

 

If you want to more discuss, you can send email xxxxxx

 

Regards,

Catherine

[Charles.C]

12-year old thread

[Edwin Frank]

I have no  experience about plastic pallets breaking in cold storage facilities
but in cold storage or frozen food warehouse management should be highly trained for secure any risk .