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IMPORTANT MESSAGE
Safety Concerns Regarding Shipping of Gourmet Products
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the continuing terrorist
threats have affected everyone in our country. Of particular concern to
gourmet food companies, like ours, is the threat of anthrax spores in mail
delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. It is vitally important that we let
our customers know the following:
1) that we understand their concern and/or anxiety,
2) that we are working to make sure every customer is protected as much
as possible, and
3) that we are happy to provide information regarding all packaging and
shipping precautions taken to insure the quality and security of the products
we send via mail order.
NEARLY EVERY PACKAGE FROM BYRD COOKIE COMPANY IS SHIPPED VIA UNITED
PARCEL SERVICE. Packages are only sent via the U.S. Postal Service
when they are being sent outside the continental United States or when
no physical address is available and the customer is only able to provide
a post office box. United Parcel Service has not been associated with
any form of contamination and HAS ANNOUNCED NO PLANS FOR IRRADIATION OF
SHIPMENTS.
Packaging of our products:
All gourmet bakery products in the Byrd Cookie Company line are sealed
before they leave our bakery in either airtight mylar bags or plastic
trays that are totally sealed with clear, plastic film. This process creates
a barrier, protecting the contents of the trays from air and foreign particles
of any kind whatsoever.
The Byrd Cookie Company line: When a customer orders a tin of cookies
from this line, these cookies are packed in sealed trays which are then
placed inside collectible tins. The tins are shrink-wrapped to create
still another airtight seal. These tins are then placed inside corrugated
boxes, which are secured with tamper-proof tape. A box of cookies from
this line is packaged in an airtight mylar bag inside a small, cardboard
box. The box is then packed inside a corrugated carton, which is sealed
with tamper-proof tape.
The Seckinger-Lee line: When a customer orders a ten ounce package of
any one of these products, the cookies and cocktail snacks are first packaged
in airtight mylar bags. The mylar bags are then placed inside a metal
tin, which is sealed with an impermeable shrink band at the juncture of
the tin lid and the base. A box of cookies from this line is packaged
in an airtight mylar bag inside a small, cardboard box. These cookies
and cocktail snacks are then packed in a corrugated carton that is sealed
with tamper-proof tape.
Irradiation:
The U.S. Postal Service has announced plans to install irradiation systems
in major postal centers on the East Coast, beginning in Washington, D.C.
Irradiation is a process by which a machine called a linear accelerator
shoots a beam of electrons to disrupt bacterias DNA chain, either killing
organisms or rendering them harmless. Any type of mail is subject to this
process. At certain levels, irradiation can oxidize fats in foods, changing
the taste and color of meats, and possibly even altering the flavor of
cookies. Some evidence suggests that metals such as tin and mylar provide
protection from the irradiation and prevent the oxidizing of fats, which
leads to changes in flavor. However, at this time, we cannot guarantee
that our mylar and tin packaging will eliminate the effects of irradiation
on the gourmet bakery products when they are sent through the postal service.
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