Case studies of PrimePro® film efficacy

©2011 Chantler Packaging Inc.

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Table of contents

Sweet peppers 4 Cherries 6 Celery 8 Strawberry pallet covers 9 Bananas 10 Apples 11 Strawberry flowwrap 12

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Sweet peppers Tested produce: Clovis red pepper, California green, yellow and red peppers Tested materials: PrimePro® sheets Company: Francisco Oliva, 1 June 2009 Testing method: Samples of each type of the product were covered with PrimePro® sheets. A control sample was left uncovered. To prevent drying, samples were covered with a corrugated pallet capsheet, simulating actual storage practices. All samples were stored in the cooler at a temperature of 5-9 ° C. Results: Clovis red pepper: In general the product matured more slowly when packed in PrimePro® film. It was evident that ethylene was removed from the box. Weight loss: 2%. California green and red peppers: In the second week of the study, peppers in the control box were notably less firm, while peppers covered with PrimePro® were just as fresh as at the start of experiment. Peppers covered in PrimePro® maintained their “just-picked” characteristics until at least the third week of the test. Green pepper weight loss was 2% while red pepper weight loss was 5%. California yellow peppers: California yellow peppers are very sensitive, so the results were more noticeable as compared to the other peppers. In the second week of the study decay of product was noted, though samples covered with PrimePro® looked better. Weight loss: 3%. Weight loss of California red pepper Weight loss of California yellow pepper

Without PrimePro film With PrimePro Without PrimePro film With PrimePro

Day Weight Weight loss,

% Weight Weight loss,

% Day Weight Weight loss,

% Weight Weight loss,

%

1 3 380 0.00% 3 430 0.00% 1 6 310 6 160

5 3 333 1.38% 3 413 0.49% 5 6 249 0.97% 6 127 0.54%

10 3 273 3.17% 3 385 1.31% 10 6 172 2.19% 6 087 1.19%

15 3 220 4.73% 3 360 2.04% 15 6 105 3.25% 6 045 1.87%

20 3 176 6.04% 3 338 2.68% 20 6 044 4.22% 6 009 2.45%

25 3 126 7.52% 3 314 3.39% 25 5 988 5.11% 5 977 2.97%

30 3 065 9.32% 3 285 4.23% 30 5 920 6.18% 5 945 3.49%

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Weight loss of Clovis red pepper

without PrimePro film with PrimePro

Day Weight (g) Weight loss,

% Weight (g) Weight loss,

%

1 11 970 11 860

5 11 803 1.39% 11 762 0.83%

10 11 650 2.67% 11 657 1.71%

15 11 525 3.72% 11 565 2.49%

20 11 403 4.74% 11 477 3.23%

25 11 273 5.77% 11 390 3.96%

30 11 140 6.93% 11 290 4.81%

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Cherries Tested produce: Sweetheart cherries. Tested materials: San Jorge FF604, San Jorge Crystal®, Sunvac®, Xtend®, PrimePro® modified atmosphere bags. Company: Rio Blanco, 31 March 2010 Testing method: Fruit was packed in cartons lined with 5 different types of modified atmosphere films and sealed with heat (or tied in the case of Xtend® and folded closed in the case of PrimePro®). All fruit was sent to the cooler for subsequent refrigerated storage at a temperature of 0° C, with 90% RH. Gas levels were measured after pre-cooling was ended. The samples were assessed at 20, 24, 40 and 44 days of storage. Results:

T1 (SJFF604) T2 (SJ Crystal) T3 (Sunvac) T4 (Xtend) T5 (PrimePro)

20 days 0 0 0 0

20 + 4 days 0 0 0.3 0.3

40 days 0.5 0.3 0.7 1 1.3

40 + 4 days 11 8 12 17 6

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1012141618

Decay level of cherries packed in different types of modified atmoshere bags

The decay levels in the assessments of 20 and 20 +4 days were generally low. In assessing the 40 days period initially low levels followed, only the results of treatments T4 (Xtend) and T5 (PrimePro®) were slightly higher with 1.0 and 1.3% respectively. Rot levels increased significantly by leaving the fruits at room temperature for 4 days after 40 days of refrigerated storage. Treatments T4 (Xtend), T3 (Sunvac) and T1 (SJ FF604) showed the highest levels of rot at 17.0, 12.0 and 11.0% respectively. The other treatments showed levels below 8.0%. After 40 days in cold storage the fruit was evaluated again. The highest severe pitting levels were found on fruit packed in SJCrystal (6%), SJFF604 (5%), and Sunvac (3%). Both PrimePro® and Xtend had rates below 2%. After evaluation on the 40th day, the highest levels were in bags T2 (SJCrystal), T1 (SJFF604) and T3 (Sunvac) with 6.0, 5.0 and 3.0% of severe pitting respectively. T5 treatment (PrimePro®) and T4 (Xtend) had rates below 2%. A similar pattern ensued after leaving the samples at room temperature for 4 days.

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T1 (SJFF604) T2 (SJ Crystal) T3 (Sunvac) T4 (Xtend) T5 (PrimePro)

20 days 4 2 1 0.7

20 + 4 days 5.3 1.3 0.7 0.7

40 days 5 6 3 1.3 1.7

40 + 4 days 6 3 5 0 1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

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Severe pitting level of cherries in different types of modified atmosphere bags

T1 (SJFF604) T2 (SJ Crystal) T3 (Sunvac) T4 (Xtend) T5 (PrimePro)

20 days 2 1 0.7 1.7

20 + 4 days 1.3 2.3 1 0.3

40 days 4.5 2.3 4.7 4 2

40 + 4 days 7 8.6 11 6 2

0

2

4

6

8

10

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Bruising level of cherries in different types of modified atmosphere bags

Considering levels of bruising, severe pitting and decay PrimePro® film ranked number one and left behind SJ FF604, SJ Crystal®, Sunvac®, and Xtend® films.

Cherries packed in PrimePro® film

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Celery

Tested produce: Celery Tested materials: PrimePro®, regular plastic Company: Surinver. Testing method: 60 bunches of celery were harvested and divided into a PrimePro® group and a control group. Each group consisted of 5 boxes with each box containing 6 bunches of celery. Both the PrimePro® and the control samples were stored for 3 days in a cooler at approximately 3 ° C, and then moved to a cooler for 15 days storage at 14 ° C. Results: We observed a considerable difference between the two sample groups. Celery covered with PrimePro® plastic maintained its appearance, and showed less water loss in comparison with ones wrapped in regular polyethylene. Oxidization of the celery ribs was much lower in the PrimePro® samples as compared to the control samples.

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Strawberry pallet covers Tested materials: Tectrol®, CO2 West®, Peakfresh®, and PrimePro® pallet covers Testing method: ‘Albion’ fruit were harvested from the Dole farm near Watsonville, CA, and placed into clamshells. They were packed into fiberboard flats, and stacked on pallets according to commercial practice. Fruit were forced-air cooled at 32°F for 1.5 hours to an average pulp temperature of 33°F. Different cover systems (Tectrol®, CO2 West, Peakfresh®, PrimePro®) were then placed over pallets. Pads that released CO2 were placed inside the CO2 West cover. The Tectrol® cover was sealed to the pallet base and CO2 was injected inside. The systems other than Tectrol remained open at the base. Non-covered pallets acted as controls. Two or three pallets were used per system. Pallets were transported by refrigerated truck to the Kroger Co. Distribution Center near Atlanta, GA in 4 days. Date of the test: 15th of February, 2010. Company: Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida.

Results:

1) In general, weight loss tended to be higher in fruit from uncovered pallets than in covered pallet fruit. The difference in weight loss was 0.18% between the minimum (Tectrol) and maximum (No bag).

2) The uncovered pallets had the highest percentage (66.7%) of clamshells with a quality score of less than or equal to 5, indicating the worst overall quality. Among the other treatments, CO2-West treatment had the lowest percentage (36.1%) of clamshells with quality scores of 5 or less, but the differences were not considered significant due to variability. Overall clamshell quality data indicated no significant difference among other types of pallet systems.

3) Decay incidence showed that there was no significant difference for strawberry between different types of bags: the range between min and max decay level was 6.7%.

Data presented have shown that: • Fruit from the covered pallets were firmer immediately after shipment than those from non-covered pallets, and this trend was largely maintained during shelf life. • There was no discernable difference in the eating quality of fruit sampled from the different pallet systems as judged by a 100-person consumer taste panel. Adapted from: “Comparison of Strawberry Pallet Preservations Systems During Transportation,” Elizabeth Mitcham, Jeffrey Brecht, Malkeet Padda, Francine Pupin, Pavlos Tsouvaltzis, Angelos Deltsidis. Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis and Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida. February 2010. No endorsement implied or given.

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Bananas

Tested produce: Bananas (Cavendish and “Platano de Canarias” or Canarian banana) Tested materials: PrimePro® and regular plastic bags Company: Bonnysa, 14 June 2010. Testing method: To perform the study, the daily evolution of 28 samples was analyzed: • Canarian banana: 7 bunches packed in normal film and 7 in PrimePro® film • Cavendish banana: 7 bunches packed in normal film and 7 in PrimePro® film. Temperature and humidity levels were adjusted to simulate conditions at a retail store. The average temperature was 22.5 ° C. Once the samples were packaged, the conditions, color, weight, temperature and relative humidity were measured at intervals of 24 hours during 6 days study. Results: 1) COLOR: For both the Canarian and Cavendish bananas, color development was slower in the samples packaged with the PrimePro® film. Both types of banana packed in PrimePro® were approximately 0.5 - 1.0 "greener" on the banana colour scale than control samples of the same age. 2) WEIGHT: There was considerable difference in weight loss between bananas packed in normal film and ones in PrimePro® film. For the Canarian bananas, the weight loss 6 days after packaging with normal film was 38g, while the weight loss of fruit packed in PrimePro was 20g, which is 47% less. In the case of Cavendish bananas the difference was 26%.

5 days in storage 6 days in storage

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Apples Tested produce: Golden delicious apples Tested materials: PrimePro® and high density polyethylene carton liners Company: Crane & Crane, January 2009. Testing method: Two boxes of apples were packed in PrimePro® carton liners on October 27, 2008. Two additional boxes were packed in high density polyethylene (HDPE) carton liners on November 17, 2008 as a control. The test measurements were taken on 7 January 2009 after almost 2 month of storage. Apples packed with PrimePro® were stored 3 weeks longer than the apples packed in HDPE liners. Results: Pressure tests using a penetrometer showed apples stored in PrimePro® were 26% more firm than apples stored in HDPE liners, even though the apples stored in the HDPE liners had been harvested two weeks later than those packed in PrimePro®.

Liner type: PrimePro® HDPE

Pack date: 27 October 2008 17 November 2008

O2 concentration: 9.4% 19.7%

CO2 concentration: 5.6% 1.1%

Average pressure (penetrometer):

13.1 9.7

HDPE liner PrimePro® liner

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Strawberries

Tested produce: Strawberries Tested materials: PrimePro® bags (simulating a flowwrap scenario) Company: Iseppi Frutta, Dornach, April 18th 2007. Testing method: one set of strawberries was packed in a standard punnet and one was packed in a

punnet that was overwrapped with a PrimePro® bag. Both boxes were stored in a room at 6 C temperature for 2 weeks (14 days). Measurements were taken every day during the period. Results: At the nine day mark, berries packed in PrimePro® had lost approximately 1% of their original weight. The control punnets had lost more than 5% of their original weight. But there was a considerable difference in rotten level: in 14 days 100% of strawberries in regular plastic became rotten comparing with only 67% of strawberries packed with PrimePro® bag.

Regular film PrimePro® film

Day Weight loss, gm Weight loss, % Weight loss, gm Weight loss, %

1 452 0% 458 0%

2 448 -1% 458 0%

3 444 -2% 458 0%

4 440 -3% 454 -1%

5 N/A N/A

6 438 -3% 452 -1%

7 438 -3% 452 -1%

8 432 -4% 452 -1%

9 430 -5% 452 -1%

10 422 -7% 450 -2%

11 402 -11% 442 -3%

12 N/A N/A

13 396 -12% 428 -7%

14 396 -12% 416 -9%

Number of rotten fruits Rotten fruit, %

Day Regular film PrimePro® film Regular film PrimePro® film

1 0 0 0 0

2 0 0 0 0

3 0 0 0 0

4 0 0 0 0

5 N/A 0 N/A 0

6 1 0 4% 0

7 2 0 7% 0

8 3 0 11% 0

9 4 0 15% 0

10 7 1 26% 4%

11 23 8 85% 33%

12 27 12 100% 50%

13 27 15 100% 63%

14 27 16 100% 67%

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Strawberries after 10 days of storage

Packed in PrimePro® Packed without PrimePro®