August 7, 2013

The Four Most Important Factors in Safe Food Transport

The transport of food implies much more than one might realize at first glance. It encompasses everything from meats, fruits, and vegetables of all types to various food ingredients. It can also come in several forms, including powders and tankers full of liquid. Food transportation safety is of paramount importance regardless the type of food, however, and there are four important factors that affect it: distance, temperature control, cross-contamination, and training.

Distance from source

Safe food transport can require multiple steps over very long distances, and may involve diverse modes of travel along the way from the point of origin to the point of consumption. While some modes are relatively short-term, such as by plane or truck, others can take much longer. Trains often travel cross-country, and food may be inside a shipping container or freighter’s cargo hold for weeks or even months. Minimizing the distance the food will travel can go a long way to ensuring safe food transport, but that is not always possible.

Temperature Control

The issue with long distances can be mitigated by proper regulation of temperature. While some food and food ingredients may be transported at ambient temperatures, that is usually not the case, especially in hotter environments like deserts. More often to ensure safe transport of food it must be frozen, or at least refrigerated, to prevent the growth and spread of microorganisms such as staphylococcus, E. coli, and salmonella. Temperature controlled transportation is one of the services Kan-Haul is proud to provide!

Cross-Contamination

Issues with those same microorganisms can be exacerbated by other factors than temperature. Imagine raw meat being stored next to fresh produce in your kitchen or the supermarket and the danger that might pose, and then imagine those same food products traveling next to each other across the country. Cross-contamination can also occur even when a single food product is transported, however, and not even just from foodstuffs. There have been incidents of food transportation safety where food had been compromised by chemicals that had been transported just prior to food, including even supposedly helpful chemicals such as fungicides. Find out more about our transport safety procedures.

Training

Training is the most important factor affecting food transportation safety, as it plays a significant role in each of the other factors. Those transporting food should be familiar with and able to comply with FDA, USDA and DOT regulations that help prevent cross-contamination, such as the Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act, which prevents materials labeled as poisonous from being transported in the same vehicle as food. Training is also important in terms of both distance and temperature, especially in cases where, say, freezing temperatures are necessary over miles and months.

Safe food transport is an issue that can easily affect thousands of people, but considering these four factors can fortunately improve that safety greatly. Kan-Haul offers Kosher Certified transportation, indicating our compliance with the highest safety standards. Contact us to find out how we can put our experience to work for you.

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