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.
