NCCO International 
Laundry pods, hot peppers, the cinnamon challenge and bottle caps— society has had some pretty terrible “challenges” in recent years. One of the newest internet based challenges brings terrible to another level. Early last month, in July of 2019, a viral video shows a young woman removing a container of ice cream from the freezer at Walmart. She opens the container, licks the top of the ice cream, and puts the container back into the freezer. In Texas, where the video was shot, tampering with a consumer product is considered a second-degree felony and has the potential of carrying a 2-20 year prison sentence.
Tampering can refer to many different forms of sabotage, but in this case, refers to the intentional modification of products in a way that makes them harmful for consumers. Food tampering can happen during any point of the food production process.
Consumers and retailers can take action to prevent and identify food tampering in a number of different ways. You can’t always recognize tampered food. However, the following practices may reduce the risk of serving contaminated food:
- Purchase only from reputable vendors.
- Be familiar with the foods you purchase, prepare and serve.
- Examine foods before use. Do not use foods with foreign objects or an unusual odor, texture, or appearance.
Aside from customer safety, there are other benefits to using NCCO’s SecureIt™ labels. Using SecureIt™ labels also ensures brand integrity. They show customers that you take food safety seriously and that you’ve taken steps to prevent food tampering. SecureIt™ labels feature a strong adhesive and special cut to help prevent tampering.