On a low-volume shipment, cheese, detergent and packaging material can end up in the same vehicle. Turkey's Food Hygiene Regulation deals with this in Article 13 and sets the standard for separation in its third paragraph: where necessary, when food travels at the same time as non-food materials or as different foods, the products are adequately separated from one another.
The same article backs separation up with other rules. Receptacles used for food carry nothing else (paragraph 2). Unpacked liquid, granular and powdered food travels in receptacles reserved for food and marked For Foodstuffs Only (paragraph 4). Between different loads the vehicle is cleaned effectively and disinfected where necessary (paragraph 5). Food is placed and protected so as to minimise the risk of contamination (paragraph 6).
The separation rule is the first place to look when planning low-volume chilled shipments.
What adequately separated means. The text does not prescribe how separation is done; it requires it to be adequate. In practice adequacy is defended on three grounds: a physical barrier, intact packaging and loading order. A closed, marked container provides all three, while a sheet thrown over the load provides none.
| Method of separation | How well it holds up in an inspection |
|---|---|
| Closed, marked container | Strong |
| Separate compartment or curtain | Depends on the case |
| Loading order, food first and chemicals behind | Weak on its own |
| Cover sheet or stretch film | Weak |
The seventh paragraph asks for two separate things: holding the temperature where necessary and allowing it to be monitored. A container that keeps the load cold but offers no way to read the inside does not meet the second. Article 14 adds that food-contact equipment is made of cleanable material and, where needed, fitted with a suitable control device.
