Packaging

Operation
Reported by:
Ghie B. Adamero & Arnold Jerome B. Pernia
BSA IV-4
Introduction
• The term package is originates in mid-16th Century Anglo-
Latin word “paccagium” which means “the action or mode
of packing goods”.
• The packaging operation comprises all the activities which
are involved in combining a product with its packaging on
what is known as the packaging line.
• Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or
protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use.
Cont..
• Packaging fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the
essential steps in the long and complicated journey from
grower to consumer.
• Packaging materials contribute a significant cost to the
production industry.
• Bags, crates, hampers, baskets, cartons, bulk bins and
palletized containers are convenient materials for
handling, transporting and marketing the fresh produced.
Packaging Materials
A. Produce Collection
• Collection of agricultural produce are can be done through
hand or manual harvesting and mechanical harvesting.

Hand Harvesting Mechanical Harvesting

Hand Harvesting Examples :
• Harvesting strawberry with a picking cart.
• Collecting tomatoes using a pruning shear and crates.
• Rubber tree latex harvesting by using tapping method.
• Harvesting mangoes using a picking pole and fruit basket or
container.
• Pinching the top leaves of basil using a hand or pruning shear.
• Harvesting eggplant by cutting a short piece of stem above the cap
attached to the top of the fruit using a pruning shear or sharp knife.
• Cutting away the pineapple fruit from the stalk and plant below using
a sharp knife.
Mechanical Harvesting Examples:
• Inertia type limb shaker used in harvesting almonds.
• Used of canopy shaking machine in harvesting orange and
other citrus fruits.
• Rice reaper and thresher harvester machine to cutdown the
rice panicles at harvest.
• Top lifters or shear lifters to harvest carrots and potatoes.
• Used of harvesting rig attached to a tractor that selects out
the head of lettuce that are of quality to harvest.
Points to be considered during harvesting fruits and
vegetables
• Produce should be collected with care to avoid injury and damage.
• Market demands in terms of size and stage of maturity should be
considered.
• Containers and harvesting tools should be clean and free from
rough edges.
• Stackable and nestable plastic crates should be used as field
containers during harvest. Plastic crates are durable, reusable, and
can easily be cleaned.
• The harvesters should be properly trained on harvesting methods
and proper stages of maturity.
Points to be considered during harvesting fruits and
vegetables
• Produce that has fallen or touched the ground should not
be harvested.
• Shade should be provided over the harvested produced to
prevent heat and sun damage and reduce the rate of
nutrient degradation.
• Suitable time for harvesting horticultural produce is the
early morning.
• The harvesting tools and equipment should be disinfected
with chlorine water.
B. Trimming
Trimming is done in crops like cabbage and lettuce etc. To remove
unwanted, discolored, rotten and damaged parts. Trimming enhances
visual quality, reduces deterioration of produce, facilitates handling
packaging and transport.
C. Cleaning
• Cleaning is the phase or phases of the post-harvest system during which the
impurities mixed with the produce are eliminated. This operation, which may
be accompanied by a sorting of the products according to quality. It is
indispensable before storage, marketing or further processing of the products.
• The produce is cleaned/washed to remove adhering dirt, dust, insects, mold
and spray residues and to improve appearance.
• Onion, garlic, okra and mushrooms are not washed after harvest.
• Chemically mild detergent (soap solution), glacial acetic acid or NaCl (1%) can
be used for surface decontamination. Chlorinated water (100 pp chlorine) is
also effective in surface decontamination. Fruits and vegetables are to be
rinsed again with clean wastes and excess water allowed to dry before
packing.
 Cleaning

Salt Water Solution Water Solution Soak w/ Baking Soda

D. Curing
• Curing is a process of holding produce in specific climate
conditions for a short duration before moving to very different
storage conditions. The warmer temperatures during this time
allow outer skins of certain types of vegetables to dry and
harden prior to storage, thus preventing premature rot.
• In
root and tuber crops, it act as a process of strengthening and
wound periderm (skin) for a specified period under well-defined
conditions of temperature and relative humidity which enhances
shelf life of these crops by forming corky layer which protects
against water loss and infections by decaying organisms.
 Curing
• In bulb crops (onion &garlic).Curing is a drying process for toughening of outer skin
and tightening of necks.
• Potato curing is most effective at about 200 c and 80% relative humidity.
E. Sorting and Grading
• Sorting is done by hand to remove the fruits and vegetables which are
unsuitable to market or storage due to damage by mechanical injuries,
insects, diseases, immature, over-mature, misshapen etc. This is
usually carried out manually and done before washing.
• Grading is the process of sorting produce into different categories, for
example size, shape, color, freedom from pest and disease damage.
Its purpose is to ensure that produce that goes on to market meets
defined regulatory and retailer criteria.
• Sorting and Grading of harvested vegetable produce is done to avoid
any spread of infection to normal and healthy vegetable/fruit produce.
E. Sorting and Grading
F. Waxing
• Waxing is done mainly to minimize water loss and reduce
shriveling and wilting to enhance therefore storage life.
• Wax seals off the stem near the petiole and the pores on the
surface of fruits which are the main routes of transpiration.
Waxing on the surface of fruit or vegetable product which
are the main routes of transpiration.
• Italso improves appearance of produce. Paraffin wax,
Carnuba wax and various resins are common types of wax
used for preparation of wax emulsion.
F. Waxing
• Waxes are generally applied by foaming, spraying and brushing of
which foaming is the best, since it leaves a very thin coating.
• Some of the common coating materials are semperfresh, prolong and
waxol. Vegetables like tomato, brinjal, sweet pepper, cucumber,
muskmelon, carrot are often waxed
G. Packaging
• Packaging is a fundamental and necessary for management of highly
perishable products.
• The main role of packaging is to assemble the produce into convenient units for
handling and safeguard the produce during distribution, storage and marketing.
• Packaging materials are selected according to plant characteristics. It improves
storage life of produce and provides greater attraction to the produce.
• An efficient package practices protects product from any physical, physiological
and pathological deterioration throughout storage, transport and marketing
packaging material should provide cushioning to fresh produce as several types
like bamboos baskets, sacks (mode of plastic or jute),wooden crates,
corrugated fiber board (CFB) cartons are used. Vegetables mostly bamboo
baskets, gunny bags, plastic crates are used for packaging purposes.
Packaging Materials
H. Pre-cooling
Pre-cooling is the process of removing field heat from the
harvested commodity, particularly when harvested during hot weather.
Pre-cooling helps in decreasing rate of transpiration and respiration
delayed ripening and easing the load on the cooling system of transport
or storage chambers. There are several methods of pre-cooling process as
a) Room cooling
b) Hydro-cooling
c) Contact icing
d) Vacuum cooling
H. Pre-cooling
Reference
• https://www.slideshare.net/KarlLouisseObispo/lecture-4-packaging-operations-o
n-fruits-and-vegetables
• https://www.etymonline.com/word/package
• https://www.iggesund.com/services/knowledge/reference-manual/printing-and-c
onverting-performance/the-packaging-operation/
• https://www.theproducenerd.com/2019/09/harvesting-methods-fruits-vegetable
s/
• https://knowhow.distrelec.com/transportation/the-role-of-transport-in-agricultur
e/
• https://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2017/vol6issue6/PartC/6-6-318-184.pdf
• https://www.fao.org/3/t0522e/T0522E0b.htm
• https://www.flashfood.com/blog/4-ways-to-properly-clean-your-produce