INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
Cooling times discussed at
The Grape Company
By John Ackermann
Combatting the unexpected occurrence of codling moth in the Hex River table grape production area in 2015 was a point of discussion at a gathering of producers hosted by The Grape Company at the Du Toits Kloof Lodge last year .
From the presentation on the way forward in vineyard management and the use of chemicals presented to the gathering of 40 plus , the elimination of the pest is certainly within reach — similar to the success in the citrus industry . Until a maggot was found in South African grapes , purchased at Asda in the UK , codling moth was not considered a problem in the Hex River production area .
The harvesting period of table grapes in the Western Cape is of particular value to the European market because of the window period that occurs out of step with that of Chile , a strong competitor to South Africa . The marketing advantage and the area ’ s reputation for consistency are to be safeguarded at all costs and were evident from the discussions .
The presentations of new varieties of grapes to meet the changing eating preferences of consumers in different markets were met with keen interest from the producers .
Reliable refrigeration systems to cool freshly harvested table grapes ahead of long journeys to far off markets have been key to the sustained growth of the South African export market for the past seven decades . Cooling times set the rate at which palletised grapes can be dispatched from pack houses , and impacts on shelf life and quality at the point of sale . For a shelf life that will endure long shipping times and to allow for marketing , it is vital that all products be at a temperature of at least 1 ° C before the pallets are stacked into refrigerated marine containers , which then leave for the port of Cape Town .
Cooling times of pallets for South African table grapes varies from 28 to 14 hours after being packed , depending on the pack house and the design of the refrigeration system .
Hexkoel survey Kevin Schlemmer and Danie van Zyl of CoolCheck have been involved in the design and commissioning of refrigeration systems and cooling tunnels in the grape industry for many years . In 2015 , CoolCheck was commissioned to survey the cooling process of table grapes at Hexkoel in De Doorns . The survey identified practices that if changed , would reduce cooling times . With the permission of Hexkoel , Schlemmer and Van Zyl presented an overview of their report to the meeting of The Grape Company .
Schlemmer pointed to fundamentals that are sometimes overlooked , like quality and state of product . The quality of product stems from the vineyard , while even the most effective refrigeration and cold chain can merely maintain the quality as harvested . He further illustrated , with reference to a psychometric chart , the
Visitors from the UK , from left : Mark Elliott and Matt Surgeon ( Griffin & Brand ) with Kevin Schlemmer .
COLD LINK AFRICA • January | February 2017 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 17