New packaging preserves natural bloom in blueberries
StePac, based in Israel, has developed a packaging technology based on polyamide for blueberries, which it says guarantees a lasting freshness in bulk shipments to distant destinations.
He said that this solves the common challenge faced by producers and exporters in countries like Chile and Peru that make long distance shipments to distant markets such as China.
StePac said Chinese importers placed a lot of importance on the bloom aspect, the natural white wax powder on the surface of the fruit that innately protects the fruit and reduces evaporation. The second most important thing to them is the flavor and the third thing is the firmness of the fruit, he said.
The packaging is designed not only to regulate the composition of the gas in the free space, but also the relative humidity, which reduces the risk of accumulation of condensation.
According to Gary Ward, Ph.D., StePac's Technical Development Director, blueberries are often packaged in polyethylene modified atmosphere packaging that minimizes weight loss due to its very low water vapor transmission rate ( WVTR).
"This is important, but the advantage of reducing weight loss is outweighed by the disadvantage that condensation will inevitably form and become trapped in the packaging," he said.
"This free moisture is an enemy of natural bloom and is very likely to wash off the surface of blueberries, which makes it less attractive to the eye and, in fact, increases the risk of deterioration.
“The preservation of natural bloom is a much more important parameter than slightly less weight loss. “It is the external indicator of freshness and translates into higher prices for blueberries in the Chinese market.”
Previous article
The digital transformation to stimulate ChileARTÍCULOS RELACIONADOS
