CAPE FIVEBANHOEK PLASTIC CRATE TRIAL' FEBRUARY 07'

1
CAPE FIVE-BANHOEK PLASTIC CRATE TRIAL. FEBRUARY
07.

• M C DODD
• COLD CHAIN SPECIALIST
• PPECB

2
BACKGROUND

• Accurate management of plum pulp temperatures
  throughout the cold/logistics chain is essential
  to ensure quality and to maintain competitiveness
  in the market.
• Packaging has a profound effect on the air flow
  and thus ability of the chilled air to remove the
  fruits heat of respiration.
• The currently used cardboard packaging has
  limitations in its ability to provide strength
  and allow for optimum air flow.
• The plum industry would like to have a relative
  humidity of above 90.0 in the containers.
• The ability of the cardboard carton to withstand
  high relative humiditys is a cost factor. This
  is not an issue with the plastic cartons.

3
OBJECTIVE

• To test the affect of the Litepac plastic carton
  on plum pulp temperatures in the pre-cooling and
  shipping phases of the export logistics chain.

4
METHODOLOGY

• Packed Southern Belle plums into 1080 plastic
  Litepac cartons (330 x 400) at Banhoek
  Pack-house.
• Loaded the cartons onto 6 pallets.
• Pre-cooled from /- 12C to a set point of 0C.
• Then shipped in a container modified to
  horizontal air flow with a Stopak kit.
• Data loggers placed according to the following
  plan.
• Litepac cartons placed in the rear of the
  container alongside each other to ensure
  measurement of pulp temperatures without the
  interference of standard cartons.
• Balance of container loaded with the same fruit
  in standard cartons.

5
FIGURE 1. CAPE FIVE BANHOEK PLASTIC CRATE HAF
MARCH 2007.POSITION OF TEMPTALES NUMBER
CODE. CONTAINER NO PONU 483554 DATE March 07
DAT Rh 2
RAT Rh 1
6
9
12
10
17
8
7
16
11
RAT 1 A
DAT 2A
6
SOUTHERN BELLE IN PLASTIC CARTONS
7
Cape Five-Banhoek plastic carton trial March 07.
Pulp temperatures of plums in plastic cartons
packed at door end of container.
1.5C
0.9C
8
Cape Five-Banhoek plastic carton trial March 07.
Pulp temperatures of plums in standard cartons
packed from front to mid of container.
2.5C
1.2C
9
Cape Five-Banhoek plastic carton trial March 07.
Pulp temperatures of plums in plastic cartons
(left) standard cartons (right).
10
PULP TEMPERATURES OF ALL PROBES. 1-9 STANDARD
CARTONS. 10-18 PLASTIC CRATES.
STANDARD CARTONS, MEAN 1.4 C. PLASTIC CRATES,
MEAN 1.0 C.
11
PULP TEMPS OF SOUTHERN BELLE IN PLASTIC CRATES
(LEFT) AND STANDARD CARTONS (RIGHT) ON ARRIVAL IN
EUROPE. PALLETS STORED SIDE BY SIDE IN THE
CONTAINER.
12
COMPARISON OF PULP TEMPERATURES IN PALLETS
CLOSEST TO EACH OTHER IN THE CONTAINER.PROBES
7,8 9 STANDARD CARTONS. PROBES 11,12 13
LITEPAC CARTONS.
9 1.2C 8 1.3C 7 2.4C RANGE 1.2C
11 1.6C 12 1.6C 10 1.4C RANGE 0.2C
13
Cape Five-Banhoek plastic carton trial March 07.
Relative humidity at the front and rear of
container.
14
RESULTS

• The Banhoek Pack-house Manager, Vidius Ferreira,
  reported that the fruit in the Litepac cartons
  cooled from /- 12C to 1C (set point 0C) in an
  average of 4-5 hours compared to the average of
  12-14 hrs.
• This is a 66 reduction in cooling time which
  will reduce energy costs. The time saving will
  allow for greater utilisation of the pre-cooling
  and cold store facilities.

15
RESULTS 2

• The receivers did not report any negative effects
  on the fruit in the plastic crates.
• The range of pulp temperatures within the pallets
  was also much lower with the plastic cartons at
  and average of 0.2C compared to 1.2C in the
  standard cartons.
• The latter will also aid in the uniformity of the
  maturity and quality of the plums.

16
FUTURE

• The plastic cartons clearly allow for more
  efficient use of the refrigerated air resulting
  in better temperature management.
• The issue of the receivers accepting the plastic
  cartons will require urgent discussion with the
  relevant people.
• Conduct further tests of a back to back nature
  with full containers. This will allow for an
  accurate assessment of pulp temperatures,
  relative humidity and their affect on quality.