Pallets. We can’t get away from using them – but the debate continues regarding plastic or wood, and often even the auditors don’t agree. So what is the low down on pallets?
BRC Food version 7
Wood should not be used in open product areas (except where this is a process requirement e.g maturation of cheese) Where the use of wood cannot be avoided, the condition of wood shall continually be monitored to ensure it is in good condition and free from damage or splinters which could contaminate product.
IFS Food
In all areas, e.g. handling of raw materials, processing, packing and storage, where hazard analysis and assessment of associated risks have identified the potential for product contamination, the use of wood shall be excluded. Where the use of wood cannot be avoided, the risk shall be controlled and the wood shall be in good order and clean.
SQF
Wooden pallets and other wooden utensils used in feed handling/contact zones shall be dedicated for that purpose, clean, maintained in good order. Their condition is subject to regular inspection.
ISO 22002-1
Based on hazard assessment, measures shall be put in place to prevent, control or detect potential contamination.
NOTE 2: Sources of potential contamination include wooden pallets and tools, rubber seals, and personal protective clothing and equipment.
Codex Basic Hygiene texts
“Utensils, pallets, carts, forklifts and mobile racks should be dedicated for use in either the raw area or the finished product area to minimize cross-contamination. Where this is not practical, they should be cleaned and disinfected before entry into the finished product area.
FSA standard
No permeable materials in higher risk areas. No damaged pallets. No pallets without slip-sheets, No wooden pallets in production areas. No cardboard in wet areas.
So it seems there is some agreement, it is about the potential risk and managing this.
Well it seems it depends who you ask; a wood pallet supplier or a plastic pallet supplier. But the risks can include:
Chemical hazards
In June of 1999, Coca-Cola withdrew millions of cans and bottles of Coke from the European market as a result of suspected product contamination with a fungicide used to treat pallets. When the consumer healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson, had to recall some lots of its Tylenol Arthritis Pain Caplets in November and December of 2010, it also pointed the finger at an unlikely culprit: its wooden shipping pallets. The recall came after consumers complained of a musty, moldy odor that was causing nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
Biological hazards
A number of studies conducted highlighted the possibility for the pathogen transfer from wooden pallets. An article in Reliableplant.com cites a study where 43 percent of wood pallets tested at an independent scientific laboratory came back positive for E. coli, Listeria and/or Salmonella. One wood pallet tested positive for all three food-poisoning bacteria. (The article and tests in this case conducted by a plastic pallet supplier). A further study of the testing of 70 wood pallets and 70 plastic pallets that have been loaded with perishable products and shipped to an end user was shipped overnight to an independent microbiology lab for testing. The results came back with 10 percent of the wood pallets positive for E. coli and 1.4 percent positive on the plastic pallets.(CBS News, "Hidden Danger of Pallets" (May 2010)
Physical hazards
The condition of the pallets can contribute to physical contamination of your product. Rusty nails can penetrate outer packaging. Splinters can land up in your product. Using wooden pallets in a freezer increases the splinter rate tremendously.
Environmental hazards
Due to the International Plant Protection Convention (abbreviated IPPC), most pallets shipped across national borders must be made of materials that are incapable of being a carrier of invasive species of insects and plant diseases. The standards for these pallets are specified in International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15). Pallets made of raw, untreated wood are not compliant with ISPM 15. To be compliant the pallets (or other wood packaging material) must meet debarked standards and must be treated by either of the following means under the supervision of an approved agency:
Pallets made of non-wood materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic, or engineered wood products, such as plywood, oriented strand board, or corrugated fiberboard do not need IPPC approval, and are considered to be exempt from ISPM 15 regulations.
(http://www.ispm15.com/Methyl_bromide_Decision_2008_753_EC.pdf)
According to an article in foodsafetymagazine.com by a plastic pallet supplier, there are a number of advantages.
Is this the full picture? More recent scientific findings, however, suggest the opposite interpretation. Bacteria are able to grow on plastic surfaces and subsequently be transferred to other surfaces. The evidence shows that bacteria are less likely to grow on wood surfaces and that they are less easily transferred from wood. The apparent conclusion is that if a hazard exists, the hazard is from plastic pallets. (And this research is from a wood pallet supplier.)
So the bottom line is, it is not the pallet type itself that poses a hazard but rather the way the pallet is handled that is the cause for concern. In a comprehensive study done in the Nordic fishing industry, the researchers concluded the following practices are necessary for wooden pallets.
http://www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/88847-food-safety-ode-to-the-pallet
http://www.aibonline.org/aibonline_/www.aibonline.org/newsletter/magazine/sep_oct2011/8pallet.pdf
http://www.foodsafetymagazine.com/signature-series/plastic-pallets-a-safe-play-for-food/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/food-safety-plastic-wood-pallet-wars/story?id=9790623
http://www.naturespackaging.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/PalletsMicrobialFoodSafety.pdf
https://www.thebalance.com/are-wood-pallets-safe-for-transporting-food-2877781
http://www.medinetara.lt/files/media_images/Report-8_kEiaY.pdf