Plastic Pallets for Cold Storage: Technical Requirements, Standards and How to Choose Correctly

Cold storage pallets must be made from virgin HDPE - recycled PP becomes brittle below 0 degrees C and will crack and break in frozen and deep-freeze warehouses. Virgin HDPE handles -50 degrees C to +90 degrees C, covers every cold storage type, and satisfies HACCP, ISO 22000 and BRC documentation requirements. This guide covers material requirements by temperature range, how food safety standards affect pallet choice, pallet types and sizes for Vietnamese cold storage, and 4 costly mistakes to avoid.

Why cold storage requires virgin HDPE - not recycled PP

The answer lies in the molecular structure and mechanical properties of each plastic at low temperatures. PP (Polypropylene) has a brittle point around 0 degrees C to -10 degrees C - when temperature drops below this threshold, PP loses its flexibility and becomes brittle like glass. A light impact from a forklift tine or falling goods at -15 degrees C to -25 degrees C can snap a PP pallet leg immediately. In cold stores holding frozen seafood weighing hundreds of kilograms per pallet, this is a serious load-collapse risk.

Virgin HDPE has a brittle point around -50 degrees C to -100 degrees C depending on grade - fully flexible and impact-resistant across the entire temperature range of commercial cold storage. For more on material properties, see virgin HDPE resin and its applications in pallet manufacturing.

Pallet requirements by cold storage type

Not all cold storage is the same. Different operating temperatures mean different material, design and hygiene requirements. The table below summarises practical requirements from export warehouses in the Hanoi - Hai Phong - Bac Ninh corridor that ICD currently supplies.

How HACCP, ISO 22000 and BRC affect pallet selection

If your cold store holds or is pursuing HACCP, ISO 22000 or BRC certification, pallets are not only a technical matter - they are a compliance issue. Auditors inspect pallets in the warehouse directly and may require full replacement if standards are not met.

• Under HACCP and Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, materials in indirect contact with food (including pallets) must be food-grade virgin plastic, with a smooth surface that does not retain water and does not leach chemicals into food. Recycled PP and recycled HDPE fail this requirement because the origin of the resin cannot be controlled.
• ISO 22000:2018 requires pallets to be documented in the Prerequisite Programme (PRP): manufacturing material, cleaning schedule and withdrawal conditions when damaged. When purchasing pallets for an ISO 22000 warehouse, you need a supplier who can provide virgin resin origin certificates - not just a product catalogue.
• BRC Global Standard adds colour requirements. Under the foreign-body control principle of colour contrast, pallets in food-contact zones must be light-coloured (typically blue or green) so that dark plastic fragments are visible if they fall into food. Black pallets - even virgin HDPE - are not permitted in the food zone of a BRC-certified warehouse.

ICD Vietnam provides a full technical file with every cold storage pallet: virgin resin origin certificate, technical datasheet and CO/CQ as required by GDP/GMP pharmaceutical audits.

Plastic pallet types suited to cold storage and when to use each

There is no single cold storage pallet type that suits every application. The right choice depends on storage type, forklift equipment, racking system and specific hygiene requirements.

Open-deck mesh pallet with 4-way entry (most common)

This is the most widely used type in commercial cold storage. The open mesh deck allows cold air to circulate through the pallet, helping to freeze goods evenly and reducing blast-freeze time. Water from defrosting goods drains to the floor easily, rather than pooling on the pallet surface and causing slipping or ice build-up. 4-way forklift entry allows flexible operation in tight cold store spaces.

Suitable for: frozen seafood warehouses, processed food stores, cool-room fruit and vegetables. Not suitable for: small loose items that can fall through the mesh - use a liner board or place goods in plastic bins on the pallet.

Solid-deck pallet for deep-freeze storage

A flat, closed deck with no open sections - the most evenly loaded and mechanically stiff option at extreme low temperatures. Typically used in deep-freeze stores at -30 to -50 degrees C where the highest mechanical strength is required. Drawback: heavier and less ventilated than a mesh deck; water does not drain so cleaning frequency is higher.

Cold storage racking pallet for selective racking

Cold stores fitted with selective or drive-in racking typically require pallets with high rack load capacity - usually 600 to 1,000 kg - because heavy frozen goods are stacked on racking 3 to 5 tiers high. ICD’s cold storage racking pallet in the 1200x1000x145 mm blue model is the most popular for this application, rated 800 kg rack load and compatible with hand pallet trucks and electric forklifts from all 4 directions.

Common plastic pallet sizes for cold storage in Vietnam

Cold stores in Vietnam, particularly export seafood warehouses, commonly use standard sizes to optimise reefer containers and imported racking systems. The two most common sizes:

4 common mistakes when selecting pallets for cold storage

Each of the mistakes below carries a real cost - from replacing all pallets to failing a food safety audit.

• Mistake 1 - Buying recycled PP because it is 30-40% cheaper: This is the most common and most costly error. Recycled PP starts to become brittle and break after 3 to 6 months in a frozen warehouse. The cost of replacing 200 to 500 pallets plus the risk of load collapse in the warehouse is typically 5 to 10 times the initial saving. Solution: always ask the supplier for the exact resin type and request a virgin HDPE certificate before signing the contract.
• Mistake 2 - Using black pallets in the food zone of a BRC/FSSC 22000 warehouse: Black pallets make it impossible to spot plastic fragments that fall into light-coloured food. The result is a failed audit or having to replace all pallets in the food zone immediately before an assessment. Always confirm the colour requirement of your certification scheme before ordering.
• Mistake 3 - Choosing insufficient rack load capacity: Frozen goods are much heavier than dry goods - one pallet of frozen seafood can weigh 800 to 1,000 kg. Using a pallet with a 500 kg rack limit on a 3-tier rack is nearly double the rated load. After a few months the pallet sags, rack beams shift - the cost of repairing racking and replacing pallets runs to tens of millions of VND.
• Mistake 4 - Not requesting technical documentation when buying for a GDP pharmaceutical cold room: Pharmaceutical cold rooms under Circular 36/2018/TT-BYT require all equipment in the store to have supplier documentation in the QMS file. Purchasing pallets from a supplier without a virgin resin origin certificate and technical datasheet will make it impossible to complete the GDP file.

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