Final answer:
Nontoxic chemicals can be included in the same shipments as food products as long as they are unused commercial products that pass safety regulations. There is an emphasis on ensuring these products do not lead to the contamination of food due to rigorous government controls to prevent chemical pollution from affecting food quality and safety. Historical contamination instances highlight the importance of these regulations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nontoxic chemicals can be safely included in shipments with food products and placed on the same pallet as long as they are unused commercial chemical products specifically designed for such use, implying they adhere to safety regulations that ensure they do not pose a threat to the food. To mitigate risks of chemical pollution, they must meet certain criteria and be handled following government regulations.
There's a growing concern over chemicals in the food supply chain led to regulatory standards to control their use. For example, packaging materials like blister packaging and cling films, while initially intended for non-food items, have been modified to be food-safe through the addition of non-toxic substances, ensuring they don’t contaminate the food. Similarly, the US FDA maintains strict safety standards for food color additives, whether they require certification or are exempted.
Nonetheless, historical and modern examples underline the risks of incidental contamination from industrial chemicals. Chemicals like DDT, PCBs, and newer substances have entered commerce, dispersing into environments where they've never existed before, and creating potential hazards to health and safety which need to be controlled to ensure food products remain safe for consumption.