Special attention – allergens and organic products in warehouses

Separated allergens 

Food allergies can pose serious dangers, which is why these days, allergenic foods such as peanuts, nuts, fish and seafood, dairy and eggs are often routinely separated during production, and if this is not possible, the dangers are indicated on the packaging. If manufacturers and producers pay special attention to ensuring that their products do not come into contact with allergenic substances, this requirement must also be met during transportation and storage.  

A so-called allergy map is therefore being created at Dacher locations, which shows the sections of the warehouse where allergenic foods are stored. are stored and are completely separated from the other departments. Stricter regulations apply to these products, even within a given warehouse department: for example, there cannot be any other product on, below or above the hazelnut shelf, to prevent even a speck of dust from transferring to the other food. Allergenic products can also only arrive at the warehouse packaged, and in many cases even double-packaged. With maximum attention and strict quality assurance, DACHSER customers can be sure that allergen-free foods remain safe on their way to the end consumer. 

Bio-awareness 

The storage of organic food is regulated by EU regulations in order to ensure that – similarly to allergens – they are not mixed with conventional, i.e. non-organic products. The regulations specify in detail how these goods can be protected from losing their organic certification. For example, for cleaning and disinfecting their storage facilities, only substances that are approved for organic farming can be used, not ordinary chemicals. Official supervision is particularly strict in the case of organic goods: the storage company must present a special certificate that the location is suitable for this, and the conditions are regularly checked by the food safety authority and certification bodies. If irregularities are detected, it may mean the loss of not only the warehouse but also the loss of the bio-certification of the given product, which is why it is particularly important that such products are handled by a service provider with decades of experience and high quality, such as Dachser. 

Product life cycle: the 1/3 – 2/3 rule 

We have already discussed the topic of expiration dates in previous parts of our knowledge series. Closely related to this is the tracking of the life cycle of products, which is essential for all foods. This is usually done according to a basic logistics and quality assurance principle, which – although not a requirement – is widely used in the industry, including at Dachser: the 1/3 – 2/3 principle. This means that manufacturers and their logistics partners strive to ensure that the given product spend a maximum of one-third of its shelf life on the road and in warehouses, and two-thirds on retailers’ shelves and with the customer. For example, a product with a 30-day shelf life has 10 days to get from the manufacturer to the store via the carrier, warehouse and wholesaler, and 20 days to be purchased and used. This principle helps everyone: waste, i.e. the proportion of expired, unsold products, is reduced, logistics and warehousing tasks become more plannable, and fresher, safer food is available on store shelves.  

Food logistics is a sensitive system, the operation of which requires precision and attention. We are used to the fact that in our modern life almost all products are always available, and ensuring this is a responsible job – on the part of manufacturers and traders as well as logistics specialists.