ISHS Acta Horticulturae 247: Research and Development Conference on Vegetables, the Market and the Producer
DEVELOPMENT OF CONTINENTAL CUCUMBER PACKAGING |
| Authors: | B.W. Philp, B.L. Tugwell |
| Abstract:
Continental cucumbers have thinner skins than conventional short green cucumber varieties, allowing rapid dehydration and fruit wilting during transit, marketing and retailing. Growers have been packing fruit in plastic bags to overcome this problem, and placing the plastic bags in cage pallets for interstate transport. This system provides minimal damage protection to the cucumbers, and was not compatible with palletised supermarket merchandising systems. A better system of packaging was needed. Overseas investigations revealed individual fruit wrapping and packing into cartons offered the best packaging system, wrapping machinery being readily available. PVC and perforated polyethylene was evaluated for performance on continental cucumbers and for use through automatic wrapping machinery. 19 micron PVC and perforated polyethylene gave a similar improvement in shelf life from 2–3 days to 14 days at 10°C when applied through automatic shrink wrapping machinery. Both materials performed satisfactorily on Vito and Aucaan automatic wrapping machines. Best cartons had 383 x 330 x 105 mm internal dimensions and of self locking tray construction. Approximately 70% of cucumbers could be packed in this size carton, but 450 x 310 x 115 mm cartons were required for larger fruit. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
