Pallets for food and beverage manufacturing
Food companies run two pallet systems: hygienic plastic or aluminum inside wet and open-product areas, and 48 × 40 in wood or pooled pallets for cased goods. The FDA Sanitary Transportation rule requires suitable, cleanable, sanitary pallets but does not mandate a material.
In food and beverage, the pallet is part of the food safety system. Inside the plant it touches ingredients, washdown water and cleanroom floors. Outside, it carries finished cases to retailers with their own rules. Most companies end up running two pallet types: one for the plant and one for distribution.
Which pallets does the food industry use?
| Area | Typical pallet | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Raw ingredients, open product, wet or washdown areas | Hygienic plastic pallet (closed deck, no cavities), sometimes aluminum or stainless | Washable, no splinters or nails, no absorbed moisture |
| Freezers and coolers | Plastic, or dry wood block pallets | Wood absorbs moisture and can ice; plastic ratings vary with temperature |
| Ingredient bulk (bags, drums, totes) | 48 × 48 or 48 × 40 wood, plastic drum pallets | Bulk bag and drum footprints |
| Finished cased goods to retail | 48 × 40 GMA or pooled block pallets | Retailer and DC requirements |
| Export | ISPM 15 HT wood, or plastic export pallets | Phytosanitary rules |
| Europe | 1200 × 800 EPAL and 1200 × 1000 | Local standards and exchange |
What do the regulations require?
The FDA's Sanitary Transportation rule lists pallets as transportation equipment. They must be of a design and material suitable and adequately cleanable for the food, kept in sanitary condition, and stored so pests and contamination cannot build up. It does not require plastic, new pallets or any certification. Food completely enclosed in containers is exempt unless it needs temperature control.
The real specifics usually come from:
- the plant's own food safety plan (preventive controls, allergen and pest programs),
- GFSI audit schemes (SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and others), which auditors apply to pallet condition and storage,
- customers' supplier requirements and retailers' vendor guides.
See food-grade pallets for how these translate into pallet choices.
Plastic or wood?
| Factor | Plastic (hygienic or standard) | Wood |
|---|---|---|
| Cleanability | Washable, can be sanitized | Porous, cannot be sanitized reliably |
| Contamination risks | Few; check for cracks | Splinters, nails, mold, pests if stored badly |
| Cost | About $40 to $200 depending on type (2026 US estimates) | About $10 to $25 for new 48 × 40 (2026 US estimate) |
| Fire code | Needs UL 2335 or FM 4996 listing to be treated as wood | Baseline |
| Best fit | Closed loops, in-plant, wet areas | One-way shipping, retail distribution |
Compare them in detail in plastic vs wood.
Typical loads and weights
Food loads range widely. Dry cased goods are often 1,000 to 2,500 lb per pallet; canned goods, liquids and sugar or flour in bags can reach 2,500 to 3,000 lb or more (estimates; use your own case weights and Ti-Hi). Bagged ingredients and drums create concentrated loads that bridge poorly, so the pallet's rating must suit the load type, not just the weight. See pallet load capacity.
Common pitfalls
- Mold. Green (undried) wood pallets stored in warm, humid trailers or shrink-wrapped can grow mold quickly. Specify moisture content and storage. See pallet mold.
- Pallets from unknown sources. Recycled pallets may have carried chemicals. Many food specs require new pallets, or recycled pallets from a controlled source.
- Fumigated wood. When ISPM 15 treatment is needed, HT avoids questions about fumigant residues.
- Nails and splinters. A protruding nail can puncture packaging or end up in product. Specify helically threaded nails and inspection.
- Plastic pallets without a fire listing stored in racks, which can change the building's sprinkler requirements.
- Freezer ratings. Plastic becomes brittle and its ratings change at low temperature; ask for ratings at your storage temperature.
Spec checklist for a quote
- Use area: in-plant (open product, washdown, freezer) or distribution
- Material: plastic (hygienic closed deck, food-contact letter), aluminum, or wood
- Footprint and height; four-way entry
- For wood: species, new only or controlled recycled, kiln dried to a stated maximum moisture content, fastener type
- Load: maximum weight, load type (cases, bags, drums, totes), racking and stacking conditions
- Temperature range (ambient, cooler, freezer)
- Fire listing (UL 2335 or FM 4996) for plastic in sprinklered storage
- ISPM 15 treatment (HT) for export lanes
- Color or branding for a closed loop
- Quantity and whether pallets return (closed loop) or ship one way
The hygienic plastic 1200 × 800 template and the GMA 48 × 40 template cover the two main use cases.
Frequently asked questions
Are wood pallets allowed in food plants?
Yes. No US federal rule bans wood pallets for food. Many plants keep wood out of open-product and wet areas as part of their own food safety plan, and use plastic or metal there instead.
What does FDA-approved pallet mean?
FDA does not approve pallets. For plastic pallets the phrase usually means the resin complies with FDA food-contact regulations. Ask the supplier for a letter of compliance that names the regulation and the resin.
Should food pallets be heat treated?
Heat treatment is required only for international shipments under ISPM 15. For food, specify HT rather than methyl bromide when treatment is needed, and specify kiln-dried or low-moisture lumber to limit mold.
How do I stop mold on wood pallets?
Buy pallets dried below about 19% moisture content, store them indoors and off the ground, and avoid shrink-wrapping green pallets in warm, humid conditions. See the pallet mold guide.
Sources and references
Related
- GuidesFood-grade pallets: what the term means and how to specify oneThere is no FDA certification for a food-grade pallet. The term means a clean, dry, uncontaminated pallet: new or top-grade wood, kiln-dried and heat-treated (never methyl bromide), or virgin food-contact plastic. FSMA requires transport equipment that will not make food unsafe.
- StandardsFSMA Sanitary Transportation rule: what it means for palletsThe FDA Sanitary Transportation rule (21 CFR Part 1, Subpart O, published 2016) lists pallets as transportation equipment. Food pallets must be suitable, cleanable, sanitary and stored to prevent contamination. It does not ban wood or require plastic, a set material or "FDA-approved" pallets.
- TypesHygienic plastic pallet: closed decks for food and pharmaA hygienic plastic pallet has a closed, smooth top deck and a closed bottom, with no hollow cavities where dirt, water or bacteria can collect. It is made from virgin HDPE or PP, designed to be washed, and used in food processing, meat, dairy, bakery and pharmaceutical plants.
- GuidesPallet mold: causes, prevention and what to do with moldy palletsPallet mold grows when wood stays above about 20% moisture in warm, still air: green pallets in containers, wrapped loads or covered yards. The fix is dry wood: specify kiln-dried pallets (19% or less), store them dry and ventilated, and check moisture before loading. HT alone does not prevent mold.
- ComparisonsPlastic vs wood pallets: cost, strength and when to use eachChoose wood when you need the lowest price, a custom size, easy repair or one-way shipping. Choose plastic when pallets run in a closed loop for many trips, when hygiene and washability matter, when you need consistent dimensions for automation, or to avoid ISPM 15 treatment on exports.
- IndustriesPallets for grocery and consumer goodsGrocery runs on the 48 × 40 in pallet: GMA-style stringer pallets or pooled block pallets (CHEP, PECO, iGPS plastic). Retailers set the rules in vendor guides: footprint, entry, condition, height, weight and labels, and some accept pooled pallets only. Check each retailer's current guide.
- IndustriesPallets for beverages: water, soft drinks, beer and spiritsA pallet of bottled water commonly weighs 2,100 to 2,500 lb, and canned drinks and beer 1,500 to 2,200 lb. Most North American beverage loads ship on 48 × 40 in pooled or GMA-style pallets, plus 48 × 20 in half pallets for store delivery. Stiff decks, tier sheets and good wrap prevent crushed loads.
- IndustriesPallets for dairy: milk, cheese, butter and dairy ingredientsDairy uses 40 × 40 in pallets, the size traditionally linked to dairy in North America, and 48 × 40 in pallets for retail DCs. Plants are cold, wet and washed down, so plastic is common inside and wood must arrive dry. Much fluid milk moves in stacked crates on dollies or pallets.
More in Industries
- IndustriesPallets for pharmaceutical and healthcare productsPharmaceutical plants keep wood out of cleanrooms and GMP areas and use hygienic plastic (closed deck, washable) or aluminum there. Finished goods ship on 48 × 40 in or 1200 × 800 mm wood or plastic pallets to meet distribution, cold-chain and customer rules. The quality system, not a law, sets the material.
- IndustriesPallets for the chemical and plastics industryChemical loads (drums, pails, IBCs and 25 kg bags) need heavier, tighter-decked pallets than grocery. Europe uses the CP1 to CP9 block pallets; North America uses 48 × 48 in drum pallets, 42 × 42 and 44 × 44 in sizes and heavy 48 × 40s. Deck gaps and load type matter as much as weight.
- IndustriesPallets for the automotive industryAutomotive supply chains run on returnable plastic pallets, bulk containers and steel racks that cycle between suppliers and plants. OEM packaging guidelines set the footprints; 48 × 45 in is a common automotive size in North America. One-way wood pallets and ISPM 15 crates cover service parts and export.
- IndustriesPallets for fresh produceFresh produce ships mainly on 48 × 40 in pallets in North America, many of them pooled block pallets. Pallets must survive wet cooling, cold storage and long reefer hauls and let cold air flow through the load. Imported produce, including from Mexico, needs ISPM 15 treated and marked wood pallets.
- IndustriesPallets for building materials: bags, block, brick, pavers and roofingBuilding materials put the heaviest loads on ordinary pallets: bagged concrete, block, pavers and shingles often exceed 3,000 lb. The industry uses heavy-duty wood pallets, winged pallets for bags and product-specific bases for brick and drywall, stored outdoors and often returned for a deposit.
- IndustriesPallets for paper, corrugated and packaging productsPaper and packaging need flat, dry pallets with high deck coverage, because sheets and blanks take the shape of the deck and absorb moisture. Box and print plants often buy custom sizes per product. Rolls ship on end or in cradles for clamp trucks, and some light loads ship on slip sheets.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 767 words.