US: Guidelines for safety returnable plastic containers for food

26 March 2015

The Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) has issued comprehensive and science-based protocols to help ensure the continued safe use of reusable plastic containers (RPCs) for fresh and perishable products in the supply chain. The guidelines encompass the washing, handling, storing, packing, displaying, and collecting of RPCs. They also include rigorous and defined Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP), and hourly, daily, monthly, and quarterly microbiological testing.
Although the RPA is not an enforcing body, the association believes the guidelines will be widely adopted because they were developed with broad industry support and input (News Item RPA, 10 March 2015).
Click here for the news item.
Click here for the RPA Best Practices Guide (721 kB).

If you have any questions about this subject, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411. This item is also included in our monthly overview, the NVC Members-only Update.