Industry Spotlight: Tamper Evident Labels

Security Labels in the Food and Beverage Industry Most restaurant operators and consumers alike are familiar with tamper-evident labels and seals. Everyday items such as over-the-counter drugs, food items, packaging materials, cleaning solutions and laundry products now often employ this method of security. Many manufacturers and providers of perishable products are now required to use these labels on their products. With the surge in popularity of third-party delivery, tamper-evident labels have taken on a more prominent role in the restaurant industry. What is a tamper-evident label? Security label half-opened to display 'VOID' message The most accurate definition of a tamper-evident label is a secure seal that has one or more indicators or barriers to entry which, if breached or missing, can reasonably be expected to provide visible evidence to consumers or employees that tampering has occurred. Government regulation states that the tamper indicator must be "distinctive by design." This means the tamper-evident feature is designed from material not readily available to the public and it is therefore not easily duplicated. JW Products provides security labels that are made from a polyester film with a acrylic resin adhesive - allowing easy application and a distinct signal of tampering when removed. A 'VOID' message is left behind Are tamper-proof and tamper-evident seals the same? No, they are not—and this causes a lot of confusion. A tamper-proof security seal refers to a seal that can provide increased security to sealed goods, requiring significant effort or tools to gain entry. This can be in the form of metal barrier seals. which often require a form of a strong cutting tool to penetrate the seals metal casing. For example, our Cable Seals and is one of the most secure and effective methods of sealing shipping containers due to its easy application and heavy-duty material of the steel cable. A tamper-evident label, on the other hand, simply provides a visible signal that a product has been tampered with if the seal is broken in any way. Whilst these seals are highly valuable to a secure traceability procedure, they do not provide a high level of security on preventing entry to the contents of packages, trucks or containers. Their primary benefit is the easy identification of a breach and the ability to trace and investigate the full scope of the product within the supply chain. Where can people expect to see more tamper-evident labels and seals in the future? Consumers are most likely to see  tamper-evident labels and seals become more prevalent on food delivery products. These food items are delivered from restaurants and other food service outlets and. Recent news about delivery people helping themselves to the food they are in the process of delivering has helped fuel this, but the principal reason is that restaurants and food service outlets want to make sure the food they prepare for their customers is delivered intact and safe. Since the Coronavirus outbreak has forced restaurants across the country to close their eat-in seating areas, restaurants like Pizza Hut has been relying on delivery orders and no-contact pickup to keep business going, making its to-go packaging even more important. Starting next week, the pizza restaurant chain will be putting tamper-proof safety seals on all of its large and medium-sized pizza boxes. The safety seal must be broken by a customer in order to get to the food. What is the key benefit of using tamper-evident labels for delivery? My main provision by secure barriers is the safety and peace of mind it offers to the end user. Especially when it comes to food delivered to a home or office, consumers want to make sure their food is cooked to a certain standard and that it is safe to eat. Above all, they want to know that the food has not been tampered with in any way from the time it left the food service kitchen to the time it arrives at their door. What can be printed on Security Labels? Security label printed with a logo, website URL and sequential numbering Again, this can vary depending on the exact requirements of the customer. However, we have the capability to print tamper-evident labels with information such as a company logos, a website address, safe handling instructions, date and time headings for food prep time, marketing and nutritional information and other customised information. Any other food security products for transport and delivery? Food Delivery Carrier with T2 Security Seal Yes! We have a range of other security products, specifically designed for food delivery and restaurant services. Working in conjunction with experienced manufacturers, we are able to supply a robust and secure hold-all, in a back-pack or carrier form. Once closed, the hold-all is sealed using one of our T2 Tamper Evident Security Seals. If the seal is broken when the carrier reaches its destination the recipient can see that the security has been compromised. You can find more information on these products by visiting our our product pages for our Food Delivery Backpack and Food Delivery Carrier.