PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Packaging fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the more important steps in the long and complicated journey from grower to consumer. Crates, hampers, Trays, cartons and palletized containers are convenient containers for handling, transporting, and marketing fresh produce. More than 1,500 different types of packages are used for produce in the World  and the number continues to increase as the industry introduces new packaging materials and concepts. Although the industry generally agrees that container standardization is one way 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 service buyers, and processing operations.
Packing and packaging materials contribute a significant cost to the produce industry; therefore it is important that packers, shippers, buyers, and consumers have a clear understanding of the wide range of packaging options available. 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 produce containers standard to the industry.

The Function of Packaging or Why package Produce?
A significant percentage of produce buyer and consumer complaints may be traced to container failure because of poor design or inappropriate selection and use. A properly designed produce container should contain, protect, and identify the produce, satisfying everyone from grower to consumer.

Packaging is an important consideration in vegetable and fruit market. The use of properly designed containers for transporting and marketing of vegetables can significantly reduce their losses and maintain their freshness succulence and quality for longer period. Packaging also provides protection from mechanical damage and undesirable physiological changes and pathological deterioration during storage, transportation and marketing.

Many vegetables are transported in wooden crates and carton trays. Packaging material such as paper boadrs, and boxes lived with polythene and other materials can effectively prolong the shelf life of vegetables. 

Corruguated Fibre Board are made from the craft paper which can easily be manufactured from Bamboo, grasses and various types of agricultural residues as well as by recycling the used Card Boards or Papers. 

Advantages of Corregulated Fibre Board Boxes:

1. They are light in weight.
2. They cause much less damage to fruits.
3. They are easy to handle and print.
4. They improve the product image.
5. They reduce the fright cost.

Packaging is the vital component of post harvest management of fruits and vegetables. It helps in minimizing deterioration during handling and marketing of fruits and vegetables. Adequate packaging protects the fruits and vegetables from Physiological, pathological, and physical deterioration and retains their attractiveness. In India, packaging of fruits and vegetables is not done properly and hence, it acts as major cause of post harvest losses.

The wide range of package is used for fruits and vegetables. These include gunny bags, bamboo basket, wooden crates, corrugated fibreboard boxes, metal trunks, etc. Different sizes and shape of these package are used.

Presently corrugated fibre board ( CFB) boxes are used for export of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

In big package, the cushioning material such as paddy straw, hay, paper shavings, tissue, etc are used to avoid bruising of fruits and vegetables during transportation and marketing.

KKM-1 Tray Forming Machines

Trays are one of the most efficient and sustainable packaging options available today. Trays consume a minimum amount of material, and that material likely contains recycled content. The “reduce and reuse” materials capability of trays dovetails exceedingly well with the tenets of sustainable packaging and makes trays a sought after packaging solution. Trays also enhance product visibility and are essential to the success of club and warehouse stores’ retail display strategies. The Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry reports that sustainability and cost reduction initiatives are fueling this shift from full corrugated cartons to tray packs that are often combined with stretch wrap. The new generation of tray forming machines supports this market trend by consistently forming top quality trays at high rates.