Foodborne illness is an escalating problem, with deadly outbreaks making news on a regular basis. Often, the infections are traced back to contaminated protein products or fresh produce. Much effort is going toward identifying the sources of contamination and preventing bacteria from multiplying along the way to store shelves. This important public health issue commands attention and diligence from all parties in the food supply chain, including food packagers and shippers, as well as producers and retailers.

The containers used to ship food products are just one link in the chain that should be evaluated for cleanliness to prevent the spread of disease. Packaging in single-use, recyclable corrugated containers is a cleaner, safer way to go. Here’s why. A new study shows the corrugated packaging manufacturing process is sufficient to destroy common food pathogens, effectively meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) requirements for chemical sanitizers.