Cold Link Africa June 2021 | Page 11

INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
NEWS

Box carton designs cause

disruption in airflows By Benjamin Brits

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Packaging is a major part of the food supply chain both for local markets and international exports where the initial packing and cooling process is essential in managing quality and shelf life .

Incorrect design principles applied to cartons create a long list of challenges that ultimately ends up as the problem of the producer – getting less for their goods because of quality issues , if not total rejection .
The first , and major challenge arises for produce-coolers whose role is to reach a particular temperature within a specific amount of time in order to meet those quality expectations . This cannot be achieved when carton designs do not make provision for correct airflows , nor mixed suppliers with differing and incompatible configurations .
The topic of packaging design and airflow is by no means a new one – it has in fact been somewhat of a touchy subject for decades - usually resulting in a stalemate . “ Every couple of years , however , the topic finds its way into some university student ’ s research or becomes the topic of a professor ’ s team to solve somewhere in the world . The irony being that all of the discovered results are no different to the research and design principles that were established many decades ago as a bestsolution ,” says Jan Lievens , post-harvest specialist and contributor to the widely recognised box carton design in the 90s .
South Africa unfortunately resonates what can only be described as a cultural
drive to get goods and services cheaper and cheaper , including packaging where produce cartons of course are not excluded . This ‘ drive ’ is of particular concern for individuals who see the supply of produce from a holistic view as an industry , both to the local and international markets . Produce , generally , is worth more and more money these days , however , is trying to be swung into these markets in cheaper packaging – lowering the perception of standards but also the perception of South African quality . Carton design does not only need to address structural capacity , but the essential cooling required – and with that airflow – to meet quality expectations of various perishable goods .
“ The correct cooling required for produce has been a persisting challenge in terms of packaging for some time . This year particularly , we have identified many issues in back pressures . This has now been linked to our prior concerns over some box carton designs that we believe are flawed from the air-flow perspective . Our subsequent engagements with manufacturers pointed out that their design criteria did not include consideration of cooling - and hence that required airflow . Airflow in cooling is a significant factor because executed incorrectly , this is going to cause a lot of problems in the industry , long-term . The correct airflow enables the cooling process to bring down the produce temperature evenly and efficiently to a specific point as quickly as possible once taken out of the field . If the process is delayed , quality issues will arise ,” says Johan Kriegler , Chairman of the HexKoel pre-cooling , storage and dispatch facility .
Box carton design has been researched extensively , especially in the table grape industry in South Africa , considering the massive volumes harvested for local and international consumption . Past year ’ s packing has topped 65 million cartons . Historically that industry was regulated through a one-channel marketing system , so it was quite simple to control as there was one ‘ box ’ that was produced that everyone was happy with , and used .
With the de-regulation in the sector taking place at that stage , there was no more guidance or ‘ rules ’, thus leaving open-ended choices where rands and cents now become much more of a significant factor in the cost equation . With a free and fragmented market , production efficiency becomes a priority as suppliers to the market come under pressure to compete for their slice of the pie where clients continually seek the best prices . This results in a very limited scope of research and development at the detriment of products and produce . Unfortunately , with no overarching regulations or body , producers are left to source from wherever they want to .
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Produce quality and shelf life are drastically reduced when initial cooling is not executed successfully .
Currently there are many different box carton
up in the box caused by portions of the
designs available , and like pallets as another
produce being cold while other portions
example , many were below a reasonably
remain warm . This has obvious quality
quality specification . Hexkoel as one of the
implications down the line .
biggest facilities in the country – passing
“ For me it is important for the South
around 18 million cartons in a season of
Africa fruit industry as a whole , that our
table grapes – and thus having extensive
produce be delivered to their destinations
experience to refer back to , suggests that
in the best possible packaging product .
box cartons should again become more
This has in fact been a concern over the last
standardised , similar to the way pallet
10-15 years since there is not a regulated
production for the sector was handled to
environment anymore . Although everyone
address quality and safety issues . In the
can do as they please , not everyone
past , there were less than a handful of box
has the knowledge , skills or exposure to
carton suppliers , where today there are in
understand the technical details that are
excess of 20 manufacturers serving over 40
involved in cooling for example . Farmers
exporters alone .
grow grapes and there is an expectation on
Spoilage would only become evident
other professionals to look after the product
around two weeks after the packing and
and get it to the market in a condition of
cooling process . Produce is usually cooled
quality , but the major challenge in the
over a 24-hour period ( at most a couple of
equation today is that the farmer is still
days ) whereafter it is trucked or shipped
responsible for the product until it reaches
out to the various destinations – that also
the distributor to the consumer . The value
include ports in other countries where
of their produce is essentially in the hands
produce that does not meet requirements
of others ,” adds Kriegler .
is rejected on the spot . Observations from
With the lack of regulation and
Hexkoel indicate that because of some of
guidance , coupled to a free-market system
the carton designs , the air does not slow
there is no reason for any farmers to follow
down and flow through the gaps in the
“ rules ” or “ guidelines ” of packing their
boxes as it is supposed to . Uneven cooling
produce for distribution , and therefore
Various box carton designs .
results most often in condensation build
no real consideration of cartons other
COLD LINK AFRICA • June 2021
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