Packaging Fresh-Cut Agricultural Produce

Dr Alastair Hicks Adjunct Professor of Agroindustry

Mae Fah Luang University Thailand

ProPak Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh

1-3 March 2012

Flow chart for fruits,vegetables, root crops Harvesting and Cooling

Receiving and Storage

Washing and Sorting

Peeling, trimming, de-seeding

Cutting to specific sizes

Sorting for defects

Washing and cooling

Drying

Packaging & labelling Storage and Distribution

Harvesting of fresh produce   Selecting raw material

with sound quality   avoid produce damage and

contamination   workers use gloves, hair

net, sanitary measures   Mechanical harvesters

used in large operations

Remove field heat from fresh produce

  Ice and water injection   Chilled water baths   Forced air cooling   Vacuum coolers   Packing with an ice-water

mixture   Vacuum cooling tunnel   use a first-in, first out

(FIFO) system

Receive and store fresh produce  The receival point for fresh fruit and

vegetables into a fresh-cut processing plant is a key quality check point.

 Large processing operations have a list of quality parameters and measurements.

 Usually they have an enclosed refrigerated dock facility for receiving product.

  Inventory of stocks begins at the receiving stage after deciding whether to process.

Quality Checklist for raw produce received at the pack house

Harvest Area (Number/Field#):

Date/Time:

Harvest Crew: Supervisor:

Vehicle Registration: Bin Label:

Commodity Parameter Result Specifications Corrective Actions

Initials

Size

Brix

Colour

Acidity

Defects

Temperature

Process flow in a fresh-cut processing plant

  Washing and sorting of fresh produce cut surfaces removes damaged tissues

  These require the use of potable good quality water

  Water flume for washing and transporting fruit in a large packing plant

  This ensures produce safety and quality

Pre-cutting whole fresh produce to extend the shelf-life

  Physical & Chemical pre-cut treatments   Physical - mainly air pressure, Modified Atmosphere

(MA), heat and low temperature treatments.   Chemical – use of chemical sanitizers, chlorine,

peroxyacetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, acidify sodium chloride or ozone

  Firming agents like calcium dip and Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) plant growth regulator

Peeling, trimming, de-seeding fresh produce

  Workers in complete food safety attire,sort & cut fruit

  staff use knives to trim and peel fresh produce

  plants use abrasive peelers, trimmers

  high pressure air and lye and steam for peeling.

Fresh-cut produce cutting, slicing

  Product bin dumpers

  Product cutting and slicing machine

Washing, cooling of fresh produce   Continuous washing of pre-

cut lettuce with sprays   Recycle through a filter to

reduce water consumption   Check temp (0 – 5C) ,

contact time, pH (4.5 – 5.5) chlorine level (50-100ppm)

  Oxido-Reduction potential (650-750 ppm).

Fresh-cut produce washing, drying

  Continuous fresh-cut product washing flume

  Pre-cut vegetables are dried with centrifugal force of spin dryers

Post- cutting treatments of fresh-cut produce

  Post- cutting treatments of fresh-cut produce extend shelf-life

  Chemical post-cutting treatments applied

  Physical post-cutting treatments applied

Physical post-cutting treatments   Modified atmosphere and low temperature storage

reduces respiration rate and deterioration of fresh-cut produce.

  Modified Atmosphere (MA) is passive or active   Active MA - flushing package with a gas or mixture of gases different from normal air   Passive MA- created in package by respiration of

fresh-cut produce and package permeability

Chemical post-cutting treatments

  Inhibit enzymatic browning discoloration caused by enzyme polyphenoloxidase (PPO)

  Acidification - solutions of acetic, ascorbic, citric, tartaric, fumaric or phosphoric acid

  Reducing agents - Such as ascorbic acid, or erythorbate isomer of ascorbic acid

  Application of edible coating: using coating such as sodium caseinate-stearic acid

  Firming agents- Firmness of fresh-cut fruit products ismaintained by treatment with calcium compounds.

Other post-cutting treatments   Low heat treatment to

activate pectinesterase prior to a CaCl2 dip

  Drying treatment: water

removed from fresh-cut produce before packaging

Fresh-cut filling, sealing, checking   Auto scale with form-

fill-seal packaging unit to pack produce in plastic bags

  Metal detectors prevent metal objects being in final product

Packaging to assure quality and safety of fresh-cut produce

  When fruit and vegetables are cut, spoilage is faster than with intact or packed product.

  Packaging protects physical damage, also chemical and microbiological contamination.

  Packaged fresh-cut produce is a key factor to deliver finished product intact to the end user.

  Refrigeration maintains package shelf life by keeping product temperature at correct level.

Packaging/labelling treatment   Film, rigid plastic used for fresh-cut fruit, vegetables   Packs are filled by hand in a small operation   Shrink wrap machine removes air, seals bag   Plastic pouches in cardboard storage, delivery boxes   Automatic operations, bags formed, filled, and sealed   Metal detector checks bags passing through the detector

to test for metal contaminants.   Finished product has a “Use By” date for optimum product shelf life. Codes are printed on the package.

Types of fresh food packaging film   Types of packaging for fresh-cut fruits and vegetables

include:  Flexible film, Plastic bags  Shrink wrap packaging  Rigid plastic containers

  Oriented polypropylene (OPP) for MAP   Perforated, thin, low density polyethylene (LDPE)   Monolayer polyvinylchloride (PVC)   Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)

Rigid plastic packaging   Rigid plastic packaging

used for fresh-cut fruit & vegetable retailing

  Finished product has a “Use By” date for optimum shelf life.

  Codes are printed on the package.

Rigid plastic packaging cont’d

Flexible plastic packaging   Used for fresh-cut salad

vegetables   Ready to eat, washed

mixed fresh product   Films with permeability,

right area; headspace volume, known product respiration

  Labels printed on the plastic film, weight, price, use instructions

Fresh food packaging trends   Packaging recyclability, biodegradability: large

buyers are concerned about environment.   Packaging variety: more than 1,500 different sizes,

styles of produce packages.   Packaging sales appeal: Quality graphics boost sales

appeal. Multi-colour printing, distinct lettering, logos are common.

  Packaging shelf life: Fresh produce packaging is engineered to extend shelf life, reduce waste.

Properties of MAP packaging: Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP):

  MAP reduces respiration rate , slows senescence   MAP lowers O2, high CO2 levels reduces ethylene &

extends fresh-cut products shelf life.   MAP delays ripening, surface browning, retard enzyme

activity & microbial growth   Passive MAP- a hermetically sealed container   Active MAP- Flush air from package with filler gas   Some limited success cases with MAP, undesirable

sensory changes - colour, flavour, odour, growth of pathogenic organisms

Storage and distribution

 Customer demand for convenient, fresh, tasty food led to fresh-cut produce industry

 “Cold Chain” is key to delivering fresh wholesome fruit/vegetable products

 Fresh-cut plants, cold storage facilities, transport companies, wholesaler, retailer & supermarket all help the fresh product.

 Storage times are kept to a minimum.

Quality assurance system  Quality assurance is good timely information on

all the quality attributes of a product  Physical, chemical, sensory evaluation of raw

materials, processed products   Ingredients and packaging supplies, processing

parameters, finished products   Microbiological analysis and control of raw

materials and finished products

Quality assurance system cont’d   Control of storage and handling conditions   Sanitation and waste products control   Assurance final products within legal limits and

marketing standards.   Quality, food safety used as a marketing tool   Quality standards used - EUREPGAP, Good

Agriculture Practices (GAPs) , International Food Standard (IFS), British Retail Consortium (BRC), Good Manufacturing & Hygienic Practices (GMP, GHP) and others.

Thank you !