This chapter presents various strategies for damage reduction to food products during transportation and handling. Packaging plays a key role in protecting the product from contamination by external sources and reducing damage during its transportation and handling in the supply chain from the producer and manufacturer to the consumer. Packaging is defined as all products made of any materials of any nature to be used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery, and presentation of goods, from raw materials to processed goods, and from the producer to the user or the consumer. Containment attributes to the containment of the product for handling, transportation, and use. Protection, relates to protecting the contents from deterioration due to physical and climatic changes during normal transportation and storage. This could mean protecting the product from shock (drops) and vibration (transportation) by using cushioning. It could also mean using a high-barrier film to prevent oxygen and moisture from entering a package and causing spoilage to a food product. The protection function also relates to protecting the outside environment from contamination by the contents, especially if they are hazardous materials. Food is transported from producers to packing houses or processing plants and from processors to retail markets. Throughout the shipping stage, food products need to be carefully loaded and protected to prevent damage from a wide assortment of potential hazards. Loads need to be positioned accordingly to efficiently fit inside the transportation containers and to remain stable.
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