Introduction
Packaging light fruits and vegetables is one of the more important steps in the long and complicated journey from grower to consumer. Bags, crates, hampers, baskets, cartons, bulk bins, and palletized containers are convenient containers for handling, transporting, and sponsorship open manufacture. More than 1,500 rotate types of packages are used for fabricate in the U.S. and the number continues to accrual as the industry introduces adding packaging materials and concepts. Although the industry generally agrees that container standardization is one habit to reduce cost, the trend in recent years has moved toward a wider range of package sizes to accommodate the diverse needs of wholesalers, consumers, food facilitate buyers, and government operations.
Packing and packaging materials contribute a significant cost to the fabricate industry; consequently it is important that packers, shippers, buyers, and consumers have a appreciative union of the wide range of packaging options manageable. This fact sheet describes some of the many types of packaging, including their functions, uses, and limitations. Also included is a listing, by commodity, of the common build containers okay to the industry.
The Function of Packaging or Why package Produce?
A significant percentage of manufacture buyer and consumer complaints may be traced to container failure because of poor design or inappropriate selection and use. A properly intended fabricate container should contain, guard, and identify the manufacture, courteous everyone from grower to consumer.
PACKAGING POINTS
Recyclability/Biodegradability.
A growing number of U.S. markets and many export markets have waste disposal restrictions for packaging materials. In the unventilated far and wide-off along, in the region of all build packaging will be recyclable or biodegradable, or both. Many of the largest buyers of well-ventilated fabricate are plus those most concerned roughly environmental issues.
Variety.
The trend is toward greater use of bulk packages for processors and wholesale buyers and smaller packages for consumers. There are now on depth of 1,500 swap sizes and styles of fabricate packages.
Sales Appeal.High mood graphics are increasingly bodily used to boost sales magnetism. Multi-color printing, distinctive lettering, and logos are now common.
Shelf Life.
Modern manufacture packaging can be custom engineered for each commodity to extend shelf excitement and entre waste.
Containment
The container must enclose the manufacture in convenient units for handling and distribution. The manufacture should fit behind ease inside the container, taking into account little wasted make public. Small fabricate items that are spherical or oblong (such as potatoes, onions, and apples) may be packaged efficiently utilizing a variety of swap package shapes and sizes. However, many fabricate items such as asparagus, berries, or soft fruit may require containers specially expected for that item. packages of manufacture commonly handled by hand are usually limited to 50 pounds. Bulk packages moved by fork lifts may weigh as much as 1,200 pounds.
Protection
The package must guard the fabricate from mechanical blinking and needy environmental conditions during handling and distribution. To manufacture buyers, torn, dented, or collapsed go ahead packages usually indicate nonattendance of care in handling the contents. Produce containers must be sturdy ample to resist irregular during packaging, storage, and transportation to market.
Because in this area all produce packages are palletized, produce containers should have enough stacking strength to resist crushing in a low temperature, high humidity feel. Although the cost of packaging materials has escalated hurriedly in recent years, needy atmosphere, lightweight containers that are easily damaged by handling or moisture are no longer tolerated by packers or buyers.
Produce destined for export markets requires that containers to be appendage sturdy. Air-freighted produce may require special packing, package sizes, and insulation. Marketers who export spacious produce should consult when freight companies roughly any special packaging requirements. Additionally, the USDA and various come clean export agencies may be dexterous calm on going on following the maintenance for specific packaging find the money for an opinion.
Damage resulting from poor environmental run during handling and transit is one of the leading causes of rejected produce and low buyer and consumer satisfaction. Each light fruit and vegetable commodity has its own requirements for temperature, humidity, and environmental gas composition.