Air Transport of California Strawberries: Pallet Covers to Maintain Modified Atmospheres and Reduce Market Losses

John M. Harvey, C. M. Harris and Frank M. Porter

No 313237, Marketing Research Reports from United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Transportation and Marketing Program

Abstract: Report Summary: Various types of pallet covers were tested as a means of maintaining high carbon dioxide (C02) atmospheres during air transport of California strawberries. The use of dry ice with covers that provided an effective gas barrier resulted in atmospheres with 20 percent or higher concentrations of C02 . Both curtain-coated fiberboard and heat-shrunk polyethylene covers were effective. Berry temperatures in the top layers of pallets averaged about 38° F. at shipping point and 50° at destination; respective temperatures in the middle layers averaged 39° and 42°. Ambient temperatures averaging 64° at the origin airport and 58° on the plane contributed to the rise in fruit temperature. Relative humidity on the plane was generally about 11 to 12 percent. Time from shipping point to wholesale delivery averaged about 13 hours for nonstop flights in which actual flying time was about 5 hours. Shelf life of berries was increased by high C02 atmospheres, which reduce decay during marketing. Overall cutting and bruising injury of berries averaged about 4 percent.

Keywords: Crop Production/Industries; Marketing; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18
Date: 1971-07
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uamsmr:313237

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.313237

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