Inside the RPC wash process and how it ensures food safety

As a pooler, we own and lease millions of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) to move perishables through the supply chain. Just like your favorite five-star restaurant, we obsess over cleanliness so you don’t have to. Our RPC wash process requires that they go through an exhaustive sanitation process until they’re declared food safe – free from biological, chemical and physical hazards.

Meticulous against microbes. And everything else.

Tosca’s Food Safety Management team uses five hundred and sixty-four process documents — yeah, you read that correctly – to outline each step, from initial receiving of the RPCs to shipment.  We’re the first in the industry to achieve ISO 22000 certification, one of the world’s most stringent food safety management standards.

The RPC wash process

So, what exactly is included in the process?  An in-depth explanation would fill a book, much less a blog. But here are the basic steps:

1. RPCs come into the facility and are unloaded, put together and inspected for damage. During the inspection process, large stickers, card stock and large debris are removed. Containers are then moved to be pre-washed.
2. The RPCs are pre-washed to remove any remaining debris or dirt.
3. Once in the wash section of the process, both temperature and chemical concentrations are closely monitored.
4. After the wash, the RPCs move through a series of rinse steps.
5. Before exiting the washer, a leave-on sanitizer is applied.
6. The ATP level is measured every 3 hours of run time. If the ATP level is above the verification limit, additional tests are performed and product is removed from the process and rewashed.
7. The RPCs are dried using centrifuge technology.
8. Inspectors ensure debris has been removed during the wash process and containers are clean.
9. The RPCs are then folded back down, stacked and palletized.
10. The RPCs are scanned, the identifying pallet label is applied, then stretch wrapped and placed in storage to await delivery to the next customer.

Our exhaustive washing process – while very involved – is absolutely vital to ensure that each and every RPC arrives to you completely food-safe.  That’s why each of our facilities is ISO 22000:2005 and ISO TS 22002-4 certified, and equipped to meet the food safety needs of you – our customers.  That’s what we call five-star service.

Interested in learning more about how Tosca RPCs help you achieve your food safety goals? Download our food safety fact sheet.