Packaging is part of the food-service process. This page sets out how Firefork approaches food contact, temperature, materials, documentation, storage and environmental claims — and where responsibility sits between product information, Firefork and the food business using the product.
Manufacturer and supplier information defines what a product is intended for and any limits on its use.
B / Firefork
We ask about your application, share available information and confirm products against the requirement you describe.
C / Your operation
You decide how products are used with your food, within the limits set by the product information.
01 / 08
Intended use
Every packaging product is designed for a purpose. A container intended for cold salads may not be intended for hot, oily food; a bag intended for dry bakery items may not be suited to wet food.
What this means
The intended use is set by the product’s manufacturer or supplier and described in its product information.
What Firefork does
We ask about the food and service so the intended use of a product can be considered against your application before it is confirmed.
What you should do
Use products for the purpose they are intended for, and tell us if your application changes.
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Food contact
Packaging that touches food is a food-contact material. Whether a product is intended for food contact — and for which kinds of food — is a property of that specific product.
What this means
Food-contact products should be used according to applicable supplier/manufacturer information.
What Firefork does
Where a product is intended for food contact, we can share the supplier information available for it. We do not assume food-contact suitability across a whole category.
What you should do
Check that the products you use with food are intended for that use, and keep to any conditions in the product information.
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Temperature / application
Hot fill, hot holding, chilled display, freezing, microwave reheating and oven use are all different applications. A product suitable for one is not automatically suitable for another.
What this means
Any temperature or application limits come from the individual product specification. Firefork does not make general microwave-, oven- or freezer-safe claims.
What Firefork does
We ask how food is held, served and reheated so the application can be checked against the specification of the products being considered.
What you should do
Do not use packaging outside the temperatures or applications stated for it, and do not assume the same limits apply across similar-looking products.
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Material
Packaging may combine board, paper, plastics, foil, coatings, liners and windows. The combination affects how a product performs with food and how it can be handled after use.
What this means
Material information should be read from the specific product’s description and documentation, not inferred from appearance — kraft-coloured board, for example, can carry a coating.
What Firefork does
We set out the material of products on a confirmed list as described in the product information.
What you should do
Consider material alongside your food, process and any claims you make to your own customers.
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Supplier documentation
Specifications, declarations and other product documentation are produced by manufacturers and suppliers, and vary by product.
What this means
The documentation available differs between products. Where documentation exists, it is the reference point for suitability questions.
What Firefork does
On request, we can share the supplier information available for products on your supply list, and tell you where it is not available.
What you should do
Request documentation where your own food-safety procedures require it, and keep it with your records.
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Storage / handling
How packaging is stored before use matters. Damp, heat, direct sunlight, contamination and crushing can all affect packaging before it reaches food.
What this means
Storage and handling guidance, where provided, forms part of the product information.
What Firefork does
We supply products in their packed form and can pass on any storage guidance provided for them.
What you should do
Store packaging clean, dry and away from contamination, rotate stock, and follow any storage guidance for the product.
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Customer responsibility
Food businesses are responsible for how packaging is used within their own operation — the food that goes in it, how it is prepared, held, served and labelled.
What this means
Suitability is a shared question: product information sets the limits; your operation decides how products are used within them.
What Firefork does
We help by asking the right questions, sharing available information and confirming products against the requirement you describe.
What you should do
Make the final suitability decision for your application, in line with your food-safety procedures and the product information.
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Environmental claims
Terms like recyclable and compostable are claims about what can happen to a product after use. They depend on more than the product alone.
What this means
Recyclability and compostability depend on the specific product, material, disposal conditions and local waste infrastructure.
What Firefork does
We only describe a product as recyclable or compostable where its documentation supports that description, and we state the conditions that apply.
What you should do
Check any claims you make to your customers against the product documentation and your local waste and collection arrangements.
Checklist
Six questions for every product.
The right container for one dish can be the wrong one for another. Firefork asks about the food and how it is served so product suitability can be considered against the specification — not assumed.
“Suitability depends on the individual product specification and intended use.”
Product suitability checklistPer product
01
Intended use
What the product is designed for, as described by its manufacturer or supplier.
02
Food contact
Whether, and how, the product is intended to come into contact with food.
03
Material
What the product is made from, including any coatings, liners or windows.
04
Temperature / application
Hot, cold, wet, greasy or dry use — and any limits set by the product data.
05
Supplier information
Specifications and documentation available for the specific product.
06
Customer responsibility
Using the product as intended for your food, process and service model.
Supply enquiry
Have a suitability question?
Tell us the product type, the food and how it’s served or held. We’ll share what information is available and help you confirm the right option.
