Maintaining food safety is imperative during shipping, but what good are moisture absorbers for containers in that field?
As you probably know, food safety laws exist for a reason. The risks of spoilage and contamination can be very high when transporting edible goods. This can lead to costly losses and health hazards. And there is also the risk of failed evaluations and lawsuits.
By now, you've probably guessed which type of damage we're talking about. During shipping, food can be at severe risk of exposure to moisture-related damages. To prevent them, it is important for shipment services to have a steady supply of desiccants at hand. Without that, the potential risks we underlined above can swiftly become reality.
How Commercial Desiccants Keep Food Safe
Water-induced damage to food can present itself in a number of ways. Luckily, moisture absorbers can deal with each and every one of them. Here's a rundown of potential scenarios and how desiccants help.
They Keep Mould and Bacteria Away
Mould and parasites are some of the major causes of large-scale food spoilage, and it all boils down to climate. The warmer and more damp conditions are, the greater risk of organic contamination you'll be facing.
Desiccants can draw out large amounts of moisture from the surrounding air, making life more difficult for fungal and bacterial spores. This keeps them inactive and allows food to remain fresh and unspoiled for longer.
They Keep Off Pests
Not all intruders to food containers are invisible to the naked eye. Insects, mice, and other vermin are attracted to food, especially if the conditions are fairly moist. And where they go, other animals like cats, snakes, and spiders will follow.
This is a ticking time bomb of health violations. You need to prevent your food supply from becoming an active zoological crime scene. And that's where moisture absorbers for containers come in handy.
By keeping the environment dry and inert, they make conditions in the containers less inviting for critters.
They Balance The Surrounding Temperature
If the inside of your container becomes too moist, it can make the temperature fluctuate more than usual. This is not ideal, as too high or low temperatures can increase the speed at which food starts to spoil. This is especially serious with organic products like dairy, meat, or produce.
Container desiccants regulate the aerial moisture level, which in turn brings temperature levels within a suitable range. This helps maintain the shelf life of food, and it remains unchanged during their travel.
They Can Protect Valuable Machinery
Some food has to be kept at critically low temperatures to maintain its quality during shipping. Seafood and frozen products are key examples of this. To meet these needs, commercial freezers and cold-storage units are ideal for keeping food in the right conditions.
However, if things get too humid around these containers, a number of things can happen. On one hand, the moisture levels can cause the electrical mechanisms to go haywire. This causes expensive damage, and there's nothing keeping the food from going bad.
Then there is the issue of temperature we discussed earlier. Warm conditions can impact the performance of cold-storage units, compromising their function. Both these issues can lead to costly damages. To mitigate this, desiccants help keep these units in working order. This keeps them intact and functional while the food remains unscathed.
Conclusion
Clearly, water-induced food spoilage comes in more than one form. So, it's amazing what commercial desiccant packages can achieve for a single industry. For food businesses, this is important due to the need for ideal conditions. Without that, the repercussions can be severe and expensive.
With moisture absorbers for their containers, all kinds of food remain safe from a number of damaging conditions. This keeps everyone healthy, while companies don't lose their capital due to any major misfortune.
