Packhouse practices for peppers
Packhouse practices cover the activities from the moment the products arrive in the packhouse to the moment of transport to the intended market. Sorting, grading, packing and cooling are among the main activities. It is very important that the packhouse has sufficient capacity to cool the products like peppers, as good temperature management is a requirement to maintain a good quality of horticultural produce. Furthermore, proper cleaning and sanitizing of building and equipment is part of good packhouse practices
Well regulated and controlled processes
Did you know that the price on the market between Class I and Class II may differ substantially? The classification is determined in large part on correct and consisted grading on size and color (maturity), as well as cleaning the fruits that often appear stained with dirt. Extra effort on these aspects usually is very worth it regarding economic returns.
Did you know that the shelf-life of peppers can be influenced by fast cooling and harvesting in an early maturity stage? This way, truck- and reefer transport of up to 2 weeks can be made possible.
However, peppers should not be stored below their critical temperature, as chilling injury may then occur which would result in risks of pitting, discoloration, water-soaked tissues, and increased susceptibility to decay such as Botrytis.
Activities at the packhouse before packing
-
Peppers are inspected at arrival. Photo by WUR Receipt and unloading
Peppers are often transported from farm to packhouse in large pallet-size plastic bins, but can also come in plastic field crates. A first quality control can take place simultaneously with unloading. A quality supervisor registers this data of the product. It should be done rapidly as the peppers must be cooled down within a few hours after harvest to keep their quality. -
Just harvested greenhouse peppers often do not need to be washed. Photo by Ruud Morijn Photographer/Shutterstock.com Cleaning and washing
Field peppers are often cleaned with water jet and soft brushes while greenhouse peppers often do not need to be washed. The chilling sensitivity of the peppers can be reduced by using hot water or a very short hot tumbling. The subsequent surface drying can be done on a belt consisting of rolls where air turbines remove excess water. -
Boxes ready for labelling and palettizing. However, this example shows stem exceeding the edge of the boxes which will causing mechanical damage when stacking the boxes. Photo by WUR Sizing
The purpose of sizing is to ensure uniformity within the same package. The bell peppers are sorted by the size of the diameter in mm of the fruit and the number of lobes. The elongated peppers are sorted by the length of the fruit. To ensure uniformity in size, the range in size between peppers in the same package should not exceed the specifications of the buyer. -
Damaged products should be discarded. Photo by WUR Grading and classification
The process of grading and classification should result in uniformity in origin, variety, size and quality. Make sure to sort out peppers with signs of decay and damages. Always handle the fruit carefully during this grading process. Peppers are classified into classes such as: Class Extra, Class I and Class II. Examples of minimum requirements for all classes are that fruits must be intact and sound.
Activities at packhouse from packing onwards
-
Peppers are packed in sturdy boxes. Photo by WUR Packing
The packaging needs to provide physical protection to the fruit. Therefore, a strong protective packaging is used. Peppers can be packed loose or, for example, in sets of 2 or 3 in a plastic packaging in cardboard transport boxes. The stem of peppers packed in sets of 2 or 3 are often cut to avoid damages. The boxes must be packed based on weight and classification. Packaging requirements vary between customers and market segments. -
Boxes ready for labelling and palettizing. Photo by WUR Labelling and palletizing
Filled packages must be stacked on a pallet and labelled with information including packer, shipper, size/class, country of origin and batch number. Further the name of the fruit (pepper) + variety, and net weight must be on each box label. Also, it must be mentioned if the box contains “hot” or “sweet” peppers. Completed pallets must be strapped well in such a way that the packaging cannot shift or fall. As soon as pallets are completed, they need to be moved to the cold storage. -
Temperature measurement of peppers. Photo by WUR Pre-cooling before storage or shipment
Pre-cooling is often done at packhouse using forced-air cooling or room cooling. A fast temperature reduction is necessary to remove field heat from the pepper to extend the storage life by slowing down pathogen growth and sugars breakdown. During this pre-cooling process, the pepper temperature should be regularly checked in the coldest and warmest place of the pile. -
Pallets of vegetables in storage room. Photo by Baloncici/Shutterstock.com Storage
The optimal storage temperature for peppers depends on cultivar, maturity stage and storage time. At very low temperatures, peppers are subject to symptoms of chilling injury. Peppers should not be stored below 7 °C. However exceptions may apply according to the variety and growing conditions. High relative humidity can further help to prevent shriveling. Transport boxes have therefore little ventilation wholes. Under optimal conditions, peppers may be stored for 2 to 3 weeks. -
Employee cleaning infrastructure. Photo by franz12/Shutterstock.com Cleaning and maintenance
Proper cleaning and sanitizing of building and equipment is part of good packhouse practice. Besides maintenance as prescribed by the supplier, a good cleaning and sanitizing of equipment such as the grading line is necessary prior to use. Sorting belts must be clean and have smooth surfaces. All surfaces that could lead to bruising or puncturing of fruit should be well covered for example with impact absorbing foam.