Fruit should always be sold as part of an agreed customer programme, if optimum returns are to be realised. Programmes will allow controlled marketing. This will in turn allow packers to pack and distribute fruit in the optimum condition, with sufficient …
Packaging materials should be appropriate for the customer, destination, and mode of transport. Best practice for multiple outlets will utilise plastic RDTs (retail display trays) as the outer packaging unit. RDTs also come in cardboard as the second …
Assuming that grading has been carried out as described in the section on ‘ post storage grading of fruits ‘, fruit will arrive at the final packing point for selection and packing into the RDT either as loose or pre-packed product. Before fruit is …
When stacking boxes on pallets always try to optimise the flow of air between the boxes. In practice plastic crates, or any other RDT (cardboard) packed for a multiple customer will not allow any deviation from the basic 3 x 2 per layer and will need to …
Optimising pallet loading will benefit quality and cost efficiency. Where part-loaded pallets travel long distances, transit damage will occur. On occasions this can result in fruit arriving below the customer specification and will result in rejection. …
Securing individual pallets will depend on the type of box used. Whichever type of box is used, careful alignment is paramount. Boxes overlapping the pallet, however slight this may be, or not tight to one another, will result in damage to the product …
Labels should be printed and used in the packhouse in a tightly controlled manner. Before use, all new labels should be approved. This will involve the printer operator receiving a specification from the commercial manager. A specimen label should be …
As part of label information, full traceability must be maintained. Each label must have the supplier identity, either by name or by accepted code or both. In addition the grower identity should be shown as a code on the label. ‘Display until’ information …
The benefits of maintaining a cool chain are described in the ‘ Maintaining quality during marketing ’ section of the guide. The maximum benefit will be gained where a cool chain is maintained up to and including the retail display. This benefit is …
There are 4 distinct areas of QC within the grading and packing operation, namely raw material assessment, on-line QC inspection, final QC inspection and shelf life assessment. Raw material assessment This is dealt with in the ‘ Post storage grading ’ …
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