Soft fruits are highly perishable
Fruits and vegetables can be classified as climacteric fruits, which can be harvested green as they continue their ripening process once they are separated from the tree, or as non-climacteric, meaning that are harvested when they are almost ready for consumption because if they are harvested green, they don’t ripen, but just get soft.
All soft fruits except for cranberries are non-climacteric fruits. As they are harvested practically at maturity, they must be transported in the shortest time possible to reach the consumer in the best organoleptic condition.
Temperature and relative humidity when transporting soft fruit
To delay soft fruit deterioration, it is best to keep them at a very low temperature as soon as possible without freezing them.
Freezing the water content would cause it to expand and affect the tissue cells. When the tissue thaws out, it does not reabsorb the water because the cells are damaged and so the texture changes.
Relative humidity conditions are also important, since low relative humidity implies product dehydration —withering, weight loss, etc.— and high relative humidity implies the development of microorganisms and rot.
In the following table we can see the ideal temperature and relative humidity conditions to maximize the days of consumption after harvest.
|
TYPE |
T (ºC) |
H.R (%) |
Days of consumption |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Blueberries |
-0.5 a 0 |
90-95 |
14 |
|
Cranberries |
2 a 4 | 90-95 |
60-120 |
|
Cherries |
-1 a 0.5 |
90-95 |
14-21 |
|
Plums |
-0.5 a 0 |
90-95 |
14-35 |
|
Raspberries |
-0.5 a 0 |
90-95 |
2-3 |
|
Strawberries |
0 a 0.5 |
90-95 |
5-7 |
|
Currants |
-0,5 a 0 |
90-95 |
7-28 |
|
Sour cherries |
0 |
90-95 |
3-7 |
|
Mulberries |
-0.5 a 0 |
90-95 |
2-3 |
|
Grapes |
-0.5 a 0 |
90-95 |
14-56 |
Source: Cantwell, 1999; Sargent et al., 2000; McGregor, 1987.
Isothermal solutions for transporting soft fruit
In both sea and air transport, external factors such as temperature and humidity can fluctuate greatly, influencing the quality of the fruit. A good example is when the pallet is placed on a runway with a warm ambient temperature before being loaded into the cold hold of the aircraft.
In cases like these, Embacover, our thermal insulator for palletised products, helps to maintain the temperature of and prevent heat transfer when outside of the hold.
In journeys of more than 24 hours, we recommend including cold packs inside the pallet cover. The cold packs always remain dry, thus helping to maintain low temperatures without changing relative humidity conditions.
Embacover for palletised cargo offers similar advantages to insulated box liners:
- Thermal protection: optimal temperature control for your shipments.
- Protection against humidity: isolates cargo from container rainfall and reduces the relative humidity of the cargo.
- Odour and dirt isolation: single-use cover which prevents the spread of odours and avoids the need to wash containers afterwards.
- Easy to put on.
- Cost -saving
If you would like more information about soft fruit packaging for the transport, please contact our experts for advice on the best solution.
