THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPORT PACKAGE FOR ‘
MANGOES FROM PAKISTAN I

Thesis forlthe. Degree of M. S.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
' ' SYED NASIR HASS-
"1975 '

4:55
r ' lii7.'.-v.)i:!5.

3‘01 1’15 2:: 2005

ABSTRACT

Pakistan, although being the second largest grower of
mangoes in the world has not developed extensive markets in

foreign countries to the degree of countries like the Philli-

’pines, which has become the largest mango exporter even though

it ranks only fourth in the world for production of the fruit.

The main objective of the project is to explore pack-
aging methods or techniques which would protect the perishable
fruit from environmental hazards.

Environmental hazards consist of such things as atmos-
pheric conditions like heat and cold which can cause microbial
growth in the fruit. Other hazards to be concerned with which
the fruit might be subjected to are physical hazards like
shock during transportation and also storage and sales hazards.

Another important factor to consider for perishable
fruit is the shelf life and how it can be extended for better
marketability.

The Indians have done a great deal of work concerning
the extension of the shelf life. For example, they have dis-
covered that mangoes can be preserved longer when wrapped
with tissue paper treated with biphenyl and placed individu-
ally in a partitioned, ventilated corrugated box and stored

at a temperature of 45-50° F and relative humidity of 85-90%.

Syed Nasir Has san

Mangoes can also be coated with an aqueous wax which has been
mixed with disinfectants. This treatment controls the microb-
ial growth to such an extent that the shelf life is increased
up to 60 days.

Further modifications can be made on this method as well
be explained in Chapter IV.

Present methods being used are adequate in that they
provide protection, however, in the future there is a need
to investigate new methods like the stick pack in order to
promote and expand the mango trade.

The stick pack is a method in which 4 or 5 fruits are
placed end to end and wrapped with a shrink film which creates
an artifical wax coating that controls not only microbial
growth but also reduces bruising since it prevents the fruit
from knocking against each other. The shelf life can be further
increased if the package is stored at a temperature of 45-50° F

and relative himidity of 85-90%.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPORT

PACKAGE FOR MANGOES FROM PAKISTAN

by

Syed Nasir Has san

A THESIS

submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of

the requirements of the degree of

Masters

School of Packaging

1975

To my parents

Mr. and Mrs. Mohsin Shah

ii

ACKNOWLE DGMENT

I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Wayne
Clifford my major professor for his assistance in the pre-
paration of my thesis.

My special thanks for Dr. Syed Abdullah Hassan and
Syed Tahir Hassan both Alumni of Michigan State University,
without whose encouragement and aid I would have been unable
to complete my Masters.

I am extremely grateful to Laurie Smith who gave me
necessary moral support for the culmination of my studies.

Last and most important I would like to give my thanks
to my parents Mr. and Mrs. Mohsin Shah and Buwaji for their

ever present guidance and blessings.

iii

CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHAPTER I. PRODUCT LOGISTICS . . . . .

CHAPTER II. EXPORT HAZARDS . . . . . . .
CHAPTER III. REVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . .

CHAPTER IV. CONCEPTUAL PACKAGING METHODS

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

iv

45

47

Table

1.

LIST OF TABLES

Annual Production of Mango Growing Countries
of the World and Export Markets . . . . . .
Physical Characteristics of Some Varieties
of Mango .

Typical Drop Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Disinfectants with Suggested Concentration
of Fungicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Condition of Variety and Concentration of Wax
Emulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Optimum Cold Storage Condition and Approximate
Storage Life of Different Varieties of
Mango . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page

17

32

33

38

INTRODUCTION

This work was undertaken with great enthusiasm to
promote the export of fresh produce including vegetables and
fruit in general and mangoes in particular through providing
a better package for safe transportation.

The emphasis has been placed on the fact that exporting
countries, being under-deve10ped should try to utilize their
manpower and resources, such as exportable crOps, more effect-
ively.

In this way those countries would be able to reduce
not only the employment problem of unskilled labor, but save
money also by not importing huge machinery from developed and
mechanized countries.

Pakistan, being a potential and prOSpective exporter of
mangoes would benefit the most, where packaging industry is
still in the initial stage, which may be one of the limiting
factors in the export of many products including fruits and
vegetables.

As time passes and export to other countries flourishes,
mechanized and automatic methods can be introduced to export
more and more produce in less time. This would create incen-
tive to the farmers to produce greater yields to help in
building up the economy of the country.

Thus the impact of this type of export will be multifold

in a way to strengthen the national economy of Pakistan.

CHAPTER I
PRODUCT LOGISTICS

Pakistan is the second largest producer of mangoes
after India, in the world. According to the statistics pub-
lished in 1973 by the Central Food Technological Research
Institute, Mysore, India, Pakistan produces one million tons
of mangoes annually.(1) According to the information gath-
ered by Food and Agriculture Division circulation for
Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Government of Pakistan,
the production is up by 2.5% since 1973.

In spite of being the second largest producer of mangoes
in the world; Pakistan has not exported this fruit to any

country.(2)

The entire crop is consumed locally, part of
which perishes due to poor packaging while in transition or
storage.

There has not yet been any work done to study appropri-
ate packaging which would facilitate safe handling, shipment,
and stdrage not only to foreign countries, but within Pakistan
as well. As a result, part of the crop rots and prices go
up.

Part of the reason for unsatisfactory packaging is that

local shipment is handled by non-professionals who are inade-

quately qualified to understand the necessity of suitable

packages and who are hampered by their lack of technological
know-how. Furthermore, it is easy to avoid meeting the grad-
ing standards for packages set by the Food and Agriculture
department, government of Pakistan, due to a lack of quali-
fied supervisory personnel.

Packaging centers are rather autocratically controlled
by individuals, each of whom has his own method of packing
the mangoes in a very deficient way. Some use wooden crates,
others use bamboo baskets, according to their convienence,
with cushioning composed of paddy straws in common use.

Wooden crates are mostly in the size of 18" x 11" x 18"
and hold a weight of about 30 to 32 lbs/crate, which can be
easily broken in shipment due to the cheap quality of the
wood used. A bamboo basket is a low cost package that varies
in size, however a sound mango merchant would avoid making
use of bamboo baskets due to certain shortcomings in ship-
ment, like lower stacking strength.

As far as the closure is concerned, wooden crates are
nailed shut around the top by spacing boards two inches
apart across the top. Bamboo baskets are covered with nets
made of jute. This creates the need to deve10p suitable
methods of packaging to protect fruit from perishing, being
damaged and consequently wasting money.

Recently on December 2, 1974 a Pak-German seminar on
the promotion of non-traditional export was held in Lahore
Pakistan to discuss the possibility of fruit and vegetable

export.

The President of Pakistan's Chamber of Commerce and
Industry stated that nearly 50% of the fruits and vegetables
harvested in Pakistan went to waste because of the lack of
proper packaging, storage and transportation.(3) I would
also like to refer to another aspect of this seminar where
it was mentioned that there should be a great scope for the
export of Pakistani fruits (mangoes being one of them) with-
out sacrificing the country's need. .

Poor transportation is another drawback to limit the
export of such perishable crops. Pakistan is immediately
starting a vending service in which Pakistani vessels would
be equipped with cold storage to transport fresh fruit from
port to port in the Middle East and the Gulf area. There are
plans to extend this latter to European coasts, Singapore
and Japan. This is a direct outcome of the recent seminar
held in Lahore Pakistan by the Export Promotion Bureau.(4)

The mango is said to be the king among' tropical fruits
and some of the varieties grown in the sub-continent are
greatly relished for their succulence, exotic flavor and
delicious taste in most countries of the world. The world's
estimated annual production of mangoes is 9 million tons, of
which Pakistan and India are the major growers.(5)

Following is the chart of countrys which grow mangoes
and their exporting markets for fresh mangoes.

Trade of fresh mangoes is about 300 tons in European
Economic Community whereas for EFTA (European Free Trade

Association), the total is estimated at about 400-500 tons.

For other countries of Western Europe, except Spain which is
producing mangoes itself, the annual imported tonnage is not
more than 50 tons.(6) As shown in Table l, the Phillipines
and Thailand are the largest exporters of fresh mangoes

while India takes the next place.

TABLE 1

ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF MANGO GROWING COUNTRIES
OF THE WORLD AND EXPORT MARKETS

 

 

 

Country Annual Produc- Export A Import
tion in Tons . Destinations
I
India 7,000,000 1,488 ; Middle East,
' Europe
Pakistan 1,000,000 none _ none
Africa 154,000,fl’L~LL_—wnonemil;w~ngne '?
Philipines 131,500 3,243 2 Hong Kong
U.A.R. 88,000 none none
Thailand F. 2,243 . Singapour,
’ Malaya
South Africa '
Brazil
Mexico - 625,500
Cuba
U.S.A.
Carribean area
Ceylon L_ I
OJ

 

 

 

The export of fresh mangoes constitutes a very small
fraction of production, thus Pakistan being the second larg-
est grower stands bright chances to establish her market in
foreign countries provided she attains high standards of
quality and outlook needed for a competitive and sophistica-
ted export market. A suitable package would be one of the
important considerations besides transportation to keep the

quality, shape and freshness of the fruit.

The Mango is a native of the subcontinent and is one
of the most pOpular fruits. The major growing areas are
located in the central region of Pakistan where the climate
is perfect for mango cultivation.

Multan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Hyperabad,
Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur and their vicinities constitute
the mango growing belt of the country. Approximately 125,000
acres are under cultivation of mangoes with about 1,000,000
tons produced annually.(7) A better quality has been achieved
by grafting different varieties producing better flavor and
more succulant properties than the ungrafted mango. In my
plan, grafted mangoes will be the prime export fruit due to
their high acceptability by the consumers. Pakistan grows
more than thirty varieties of mangoes. Some of the more
popular ones are Dusahri, Langra, Summera Behisht, Choaisa,
and Malta. As a matter of fact India exports some of these
varieties of fresh mangoes to the Middle East and Gulf area.(8)

These grafted varieties are all sweet by nature and
nonfibrous; they vary in size and color as indicated in
Table 2.‘9’

It takes about 8-10 years for a mango plant to mature
and bear fruit. The flowering season extends from December
to March which are the cooler months in Pakistan. The fruit
takes 12-16 weeks for full development after setting and its

weight continues to increase until harvest. The growth is

slower between the 9th and 14th week which corresponds to

the period of development of the stone. Starch continues to

accumulate during growth and development.

TABLE 2

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME VARIETIES OF MANGO

 

 

 

Mango Variety Dusahri A Chowsa Langra

Surface color éyellow greenish yellow greenish yellow
Size ;5 1/2 in. 4 in. 6 in. and over
Sp. gravity 1.02 ' 1.02 1.03

Weight in gm. 250 i 275 300

Pulp 67% E 65% 65%

Peel 15% E 15% 17%

Stone 18% j 20% 18%

 

 

 

Respiration shows a peak during growth climactric.(10)
The fruit is harvested from April to July. The harvest time
is determined by the color, size, shape, and hardness of the
fruit. In southern areas the crOp is harvested in mid April.
Several parameters have been suggested for testing the matur-
ity of the fruit but none of these appear to be useful for
commercial purposes. However, the total soluble solids, acid:
sugar ratio, starch content, flesh color, together with non-
destructive characteristics such as shape, weight and skin
color appear to be useful indicators for harvest.(11)

Harvesting is done by manual labor plucking individual
fruit with the help of bamboo poles with a net attached at
the end and are lowered to the ground in a basket with the
help of rOpe to avoid damage. Mechanical harvest is not poss-
ible in view of the large spreading habit of the tree.

After harvesting, mangoes are brought to the nearest

packing centers in trucks to grade them before packing.

Grading and standardization are common features in ad-
vanced countries. Although the Department of Food and Agri-
culture encourages the growers and traders for the systematic
grading, the merchants do the grading on their own in an un-
organized and unskilled manner.

Grading is based on the shape, size, weight and surface
color which indicates nothing but the maturity of the mango.
Later, the mangoes are packed either in wooden boxes or bamboo
baskets depending upon the fruit merchant. The size, shape
and closure method has already been mentioned.

However in countries like India which is the 3rd larg-
est exporter of fresh mangoes, grading includes weight, skin
color and specific gravity.(12) Specific gravity has a great
deal of influence regarding the shelf life of mangoes. Fruits
having specific gravity of more than 1.02 ripen faster and
have a reduced storage life but are suitable for consumption
in fresh state. On the other hand, fruits with specific
gravity of 1.0 to 1.02 require a longer period for ripening,
have a longer storage life and thus are safe to transport for
longer distances. If the specific gravity is lower than 1.0
it will take even longer to ripen but it will also cause
infection of the fruit, thus resulting in poor quality of
mango.(13)

The grading standard is one of the most important

principles of modern trade, both on a national level an in-

ternational level, since it leads to considerable improvment

in quality, enhancement of productivity, reduction of costs
and in Optimum utilization of available resources. Thus
grading standards are absolutely essential for any agricul-
ture program.

An article published by J. S. Pruthi emphasized the
advantages relating to standardization in respect to produc-
tion, handling, and grading of fruit only.(14)

Grading in a way eliminates the necessity of inspect-
ing the contents of every package, therefore effecting
considerable economy in labor, time and money at all stages
of marketing.

What is more important is that the fruit escapes the
possible damage which otherwise can be caused by unnecessary
handling during inspection of individual packages.. Thus
grading minimizes wastage and helps to select the fruits
that keep longer and better.

Standardization also provides a means for intellegent
comparison of prices according to quality of grade, thus
simplifying long distance national and international trading.

Standardization also speeds up handling and distribution
of which is particularly advantagous for perishable products
like mango fruit.

These above advantages for grading fruit promote greater
confidence in the mind of consumers, which in turn goes a
long way in further boosting the trade on both national and
international levels.

Standards for mango packages are set by the Marketing

10

division of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Government
of Pakistan. These rules are flexible as stated in draft.
They specify that the mangoes should be packed in a clean
crate or carton as may be agreed between buyer and seller, and
the package should be strong enough to stand strain during
storage and transit. All crates or cartons in a consignment
should be of the same type and approximately of same weight
within usual commercial limits.

The mangoes in a package should be of the same variety
and grade, in other words, should have uniform maturity
levels.

Finally each package should be marked with a stamp of
approval which indicates weight of package, variety of the
fruit, grading level and consignment number indicating the
name of the packing center.

As it was said earlier, rules and regulations have been
set by the Government of Pakistan but they are not in practice.

The importance of packaging becomes quite evident when
part of fresh produce is lost or wasted due to its perishable
nature, mishandling, imprOper packaging and also when grading
is overlooked or neglected. The major purpose of modern
packaging is that produce should reach the consumer in as
much of a fresh state as possible by maximizing its shelf life
and storage time and to make it more safe against damages
which are usually incurred during transportation, handling
by either equipment or manual labor.

A significant amount of work has been done by Indian

11

experts to maximize the shelf life of fresh fruit by using
different suitable standards of packaging. In this text I
would like to review the work that has been done relating to
fresh mango packaging for export purposes.

A reasonable number of aspects have been explored for
such purposes as wrapping of individual fruit in tissue paper
treated with biphenyl which is useful in minimizing decay
and damage during transit and storage of mangoes.(15)

Tissue paper or kraft paper lining between layers is
another suggestion, it has been further modified by wrapping
the fruit in polyethylene and packing into a ventilated
corrugated container or ventilated wooden crate.(16)

The above methods have been used by Indians to export
mangoes abroad. A review of literature also indicates that
the storage life of fruit can be increased up to 60 days.

Wax coating is the method used for such a purpose.

An apprOpriate means of transportation for the shipment
of these packages is another important aspect. Pakistan has
recently made an agreement with Germany to buy vessels which
are equipped with cold storage; air cargo facilities are al-
ready available.

Thus, after reviewing the literature and performing the
tests if necessary, I would draw a guide line to divise an
improved packaging method for mangoes for successful export,
which would include the selection of material, package

requirements, provision of handling facilities and means of

transportation.

CHAP TE R I I
EXPORT HAZARDS

The study of export hazards helps a great deal for sel-
ection of proper material and design of package. The pur-
pose of suitable design and selection of prOper material is
always to reduce the damages done to the products to a maximum
extent. However it is humanly impossible to eliminate all the
hazards completely. Therefore a provision is always made for
possible damages incurred during distribution and handling.

The goal of packaging is to insure the arrival of goods
in an undamaged condition. In order to fulfill the protection
of goods it will be necessary to study those hazards which are
found to happen under any kind of transportation system and
thus resulting in considerable loss.

These hazards are varying in nature but can be generally
classified as follows;

A) Environmental hazards

B) Sales hazards

C) Physical hazards

D) Miscellaneous hazards

A) Environmental hazards are said to be some of the most
serious hazards of the distribution process.(17) These hazards

are largely influenced by atmospheric conditions and thus are

12

13

quite difficult to control. The specific hazards which can
be refered to mango package in this aSpect are heat and cold.
Under the influence of heat, mangoes may spoil due to blist-
tering, and under cold temperature the fruit does not ripen
satisfactorily. The recent investigation on an intensive
scale indicates that fruit stored at a temperature below 25°C
does not ripen satisfactorily even though the critical temper-
ature for deve10pment of chilling injury is below 10°C.(18)

The individual with the responsibility of packaging for
export must possess an awareness of the possible situations
which a shipment will encounter while being transported to a
particular destination, as well as climatic conditions pre-
vailing in that particular area.

Climatic conditions are important considerations
since they do have impact in causing damages to fresh fruits.
An example of a package for a synthetic product like Kool-Aid
would clearly explain the job played by different climates
for its preservation. Kool-Aid had to change its waxed 1am-
inated glue sealed package to a foil lamination when shipped

to Latin American countries.(19)

This can be further explained
for a trOpical fruit like mango coming from Pakistan to U.K.
will have to go through two zones of temperature which has a
definite impact on the preservation of the fruit.

The solution to these hazards for perishable fruit which
is subject to spoilage as the result of exposure to heat or
cold is that the fruit package must be kept in insulated or

refrigerated storage areas and carriers in which the tempera-

ture and humidity can be controlled. The package itself must

14

be designed so that air flow or heat transfer is facilitated
and to provide temporary safeguards when optimum conditions
do not prevail.(20) A ventilated wooden or corrugated board
box would serve this purpose. These are already in common
use in develOped countries such as the United States.

B) A thorough study needs to be made to extend new
markets in foreign countries because of their concepts, be-
liefs and standards which may be quite contradictory to one
prevailing in Pakistan.

The basic ingredient necessary to sales expansion in
foreign markets was well defined by John Castle, "If we want
"(21)

to sell in this market we must do it their way.

In order to perform important functions of packaging
and merchandizing it will be necessary to have a thorough
study of the many aspects that compose a sociological struc-
ture within a particular geographical area. Such aspects
are language, religion, weight measures, custom restrictions
and package requirements within a particular country.

Most countries if not all have set up rules and reg-
ulations regarding importing goods, especially food products.
These rules essentially require an indication of content,
weight, size of package, destination and packaging date.

Language plays an important part in this since the
shipment is mostly handled during distribution by common
laborers especially countries in the Middle East where a
laborer, if able to read at all would be able to read his

own native language only. Religion is an exceptionally

15

delicate area which needs to be handled very carefully. It
may not be as critical in European countries but Islamic
countries are quite rigid. For example, the existence of
crucifics on packages should be banned for packages destined
for Islamic countries.

Weight measures vary from country to country, some
countries use the old English system of pounds while others
follow the metric system. Often the pound must be replaced
by the kilo, or quart by the liter because quantities to
which the exporter is accustomed are not those to which the
importer is accustomed.

Weight in Pakistan is measured in seers which would
need to be converted to pounds or kilos depending on the
country to which the package is destined.

Export and import formalities regarding revenue and
rules and regulations in different countries are perhaps
the most important factors to be studied. If the package
does not fulfil their requirements, the shipment would not
be delivered to the foreign customer thus an exporter would
loose his contract and bring a bad name to his country.
Hence a thorough study of rules and regulations is an essen-
tial factor for package development whether the product is
fruit, food or something else. Of course in the case of
fruit export, and obsticle that would delay the delivery
might cause spoilage to the fruit. Under such circumstance
this can be expected to meet strong sales resistance abroad

from the retailer and consumer.

16

C) Physical hazards in general are of two natures;
one is due to the transportation systems and the other being
the dynamic and static stress which are caused by these
systems.

One important factor in the development of packaging
overlooked so far in Pakistan is the physical limitations of
a package. The physical limitation of a package is the abil-
ity to survive the fatigues during the transportation, storage
and distribution process. The fatigues that a package exper-
iences during shipment are vibration (scuffing to fracturing)
impact (crushing to breading) puncture (leaking to denting)
compression (crushing to deflection), and miscellaneous con-
ditions of tension, shear, torsion, and tear.(22)

As once stated, a complete environmental survey is
necessary for the development of package.(23) Environmental
study refers to the source or type of transportation that
would be used, how the package is handled by the manual
labor, what equipment is available for handling and what are
the storage conditions. All that essentially refers to what
is technically called the drop height for a package, frequency
of transportation, handling capabilities of labor and equip-
ment. .

The dr0p height is the height at which a laborer could
possibly drop the package, this is measured so as to protect
the package against the most severe drop. It varies from
size to size. In the case of a fruit package which should

generally weigh not more than 50 lbs. and is handled by an

17

individual the drop height is 36" as shown on the table.

TABLE 3

TYPICAL DROP HEIGHTS

 

 

I
Weight Range ; DrOp Height
Gross Wt. in Lbs. Type of Handling i in Inches
0-20 1 man throwing L 42"
21-50 1 man carrying , 36"
51-500 2 Men carrying j 24"

 

 

While at sea or in the air, packages are subjected to
both static and dynamic compression.

Static stress is experienced when packages are stacked
one on another. The stacking resistance is a function of
stacking duration as it affects material fatigue and the
influence of handling and environment on the strength of mater-
ials.(25)

Shifting of cargo as a result of weather conditions
causes dynamic stresses on goods in a direction other than
that of compression caused by stacking.(26)

In other words, if the package is developed in such a
way that it can withstand the compression for total period of
stacking during shipment, a package would succeed against
breakage hazards.(27)

Vibration during transportation is another factor to
consider for physical hazards. Each item which exists has

a frequency called natural frequency at which the item will

vibrate freely. Also each carrier has a frequency or range

Iii II\ .I .l

18

of frequencies known as the forcing frequency which act upon
the objects (package in this case) being carried. When the
forcing frequency of a carrier becomes equal to the natural
frequency resonance occurs which magnifies the input greatly
with a resultant degree of destruction of the package and
its contents. In the case of a fruit package, fruit being
the content may not be affected but it may Spoil due to its
being in a damaged package.

Thus a prOper selection of material, relevant cushion-
ing and suitable design (convenient to handle during distri-
bution process) of package will overcome this problem.

D) Pilferage has been a problem ever since trade was

started and is responsible for 20% of total losses.(28A It
varies from country to country and further depends on the

package container.

CHAPTER III
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A review of literature reveals that every packaging
method develOped for mangoes is based on an important factor;
respiration of fruit.(29) The stage of maturity at harvest,
grading, and post harvest treatment play an important role
in keeping the respiration rate of fruit at a minimum and
subsequently the safe arrival of fruit packages in the market
as is explained further.

The literature reviewed for this purpose is mostly by
Indian experts and some by the United Fresh Fruit and Veg-
etable Association reports.

India has been involved in this study for several years
but there is no set standard method of mango packaging.(3o)
There are several export centers and all of them may not use
the same method. However, there are only a few packaging
methods which have been implemented.

Prior to further discussion I would like to elaborate
on the above mentioned factor; the role<mfrespiration of
fruit and why it is important in fruit packaging.

The rate of respiration is determined by measuring the

amount of carbon dioxide released. As long as the fruit is

on the tree it recoups its losses due to respiration from

19

20

the parent tree, but as soon as it is harvested the fruit
has to utilize its own reserve for vital physiological pro-
cesses. Thus any condition which increases the rate of res-
piration will cause decay to the fruit as it will therefore
reduce the fruits ability to resist microbial attack and so
reduce or minimize the storage life of the fruit. At the
same time anerobic respiration starts in complete absence

of oxygen and the fruit ferments and is spoiled. Minimum
oxygen is required for aerobic respiration.

Therefore it is necessary to minimize the rate of res-
piration after the fruit is harvested so that its freshness
and quality are retained for as long a time as is possible
to facilitate transportation, storage and marketing.

Following are the factors which affect the respiration
rate during handling, packaging, storage, and transportation.(3l)

Variety: Early maturing varieties of mangoes have a
higher rate of respiration as compared to late maturing ones.
Some varieties because of their initial low rate of respira-
tion behave better during storage and transit than do some
others. Thus one of the important considerations for devel-
oping export packaging is to choose varieties of mangoes
which have a low respiration rate by nature.

Temperature: Temperature has a great influence on the
rate of respiration. If the fruit is subjected to high temp-
eratures (42°C and above) even for a short period of time,
such as an hour, the respiration increases thus resulting in

reduction of storage life and heavy spoilage during transit.

21

It is therefore necessary to avoid storing mangoes in large
heaps or exposing them to the sun. The critical temperature
in cold storage is 10°C.(32)

Age of fruit: The age of the fruit is determined by
the time that has elapsed after harvest and can be divided
into pre-storage, storage, and post-storage.

The rate of respiration is at a minimum during pre-
storage since the fruit is just picked and has enough reserve
and then it starts to fall during storage and post-storage.
Therefore the best stage for fruits to be transported espec-
ially for export is when they are just harvested and are still
green and hard. The Department of Agriculture and Marketing
of India does not allow the export of any mangoes which are
ripe or stored earlier than its pronounced maturity.

Ventilation: Proper ventilation neutralizes the heat
and humidity generated during respiration. It provides the
cooling effect which further reduces the respiration rate.
The use of ventilated containers has shown best results during
transition by sea.

Influence of micro-organisms: The spores of micro-
organisms, when numerous, contaminate the fruit. The enzymes
liberated by these spores weaken the skin which results in
easier penetration of spores to the inside of the fruit.

Once these microbes enter the fruit they multiply rapidly
and increases the spore load inside the package or storage
place, causing decay of other healthy fruits.

The spore load also increases the respiration rate and

22

enhances metobolic changes. This can be controlled by making
use of preservatives. For example, fruit coated with aqueous
wax emulsion gives a sharp decrease in respiration, thus pro-
tecting fruit against microbial attack.

Influence of injury during transportation: Shock
during transportation and handling causes injury to the fruit
which again results in an increase of the respiration rate,
thus the damaged cells are prone to microbial attack.

Injury is caused either by imprOper method of picking,
rough handling or inadequate packaging and transportation.
Thus rough handling of fruit should be avoided, also adequate
packaging provision should be made to protect against shock
during handling of packages and during transportation..

The above mentioned factors clearly indicate that control
of respiration activity is a basic consideration for success-
ful packaging. To overcome this need, general grading stand-
ards of fruit have been set by India's Department of Agricul-
ture and Marketing.(23) These standards are based on physical
characteristics such as size or weight, quality which repre-
sents the maturity stage at which a fruit is capable of
ripening in the ordinary course of transportation and market-
ing. Technically the term quality means that fruit has enough
reserve to keep a minimum rate of respiration during storage,
handling, and transportation. Thus to fulfill the basic
need "control of rate of respiration of fruit", it is important
to determine the stage of maturity at which the fruit should

be harvested.

TIAAIAIITIIAAAI‘IAAAAIIIIAl’I‘fEIAAAll [[AAAIAJA‘AA‘
I‘I[.{‘|

23

It requires considerable experience to judge the stage
of maturity, however to assess the correct maturity of mango
fruit the following four stages have been defined.(34)

l. "A" stage- the shoulders are in line with the stem
end and the color of the fruit is olive green.

2. "B" stage— the shoulders outgrow the stem end and
the color is olive green.

3. "C" stage- the shoulders outgrow the stem end and
the color becomes light green.

4. "D" stage- flesh becomes soft and blush developes.

During studies on storage of mangoes it has been found
that fruit harvested at any stage of maturity A, B, C, or D
ripened normally but "B" and "C" stages gave the best taste
and odor. These methods of determination of maturity may
not hold true in all countries in the world, that is why it
is advisable to rely on physical or chemical tests in judging
the maturity rather than on visual observation. The starch
content and specific gravity of hard fruit have been found
to be associated with the stage of maturity; direct measure-
ment of the percentage of starch in the flesh is found to be
a comparitively accurate method for determining maturity in
hard green fruit.

Fruits with specific gravity of 1.01 to 1.02 are con-
sidered to give satisfactory results in respect to uniform
ripening and quality. These tests have not yet been standard-
ized but based on these factors, physical and visual observa-

(35)
tions can be standardized.

A'A‘
[fl

24

The advantage in this system of determination is that
even an inexperienced person can judge the correct maturity.

After harvesting, the fruit is sorted out by several
grading procedures because mangoes picked from one tree may
not be alike in terms of maturity. Therefore it is necessary
to reject the ones which are over-mature or under-mature to
assure better quality in foreign markets.

Post harvest treatment is another essential factor to
assure proper ripening during transition. Post harvest
treatment consists of fruit being laid in single layers on
mats with paddy straw in a cool place so that fruit should
not be exposed to critical temperatures. Soon after, the
fruit should be brought to export centers for packaging.
Packaging methods vary as to whether preservatives are needed

or not, depending upon the destination of the fruit.

Packaging Methods

 

After harvesting and grading,mangoes are ready to be
packed. Different methods have been used for packaging, I
would discuss three of them which have been used from time
to time in India and other exporting countries.

Method I: Mangoes are individually wrapped in squares
of tissue paper with an area of 25 sq. cm. treated with
biphenyl at 30-40 mg. per wrapper. The tissue paper is
treated by various methods.(36) In one method, biphenyl
crystals are rolled with the help of hot rollers on tissue
paper of known area to ensure the correct amount of chemical

goes on each wrapper.

I III II I .l A 0'“ I A .A l II‘ (I II: All I [I All I [ [El (I‘ [I [I I I I
ll III. . ll [ II A tall] fl. ’ A Incl [III I .
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25

In another method, which is comparitively easy, an al-
cohol solution of biphenyl of known strength is sprayed on
a known area of tissue paper so that an area of 25 sq. cm.
receives about 30-40 mg. of chemical. These wrappers are then
packed in a heat sealed cellophane bag and later kept in a
cool dry place.

After being wrapped individually in these tissue papers,
the mangoes are packed in baskets or wooden crates. Two types
of containers are used; baskets which contain 25 kg. of mangoes
and wooden boxes which contain 20 kg. The mangoes are packed
in four to five layers and the cushioning may be either waste
paper cuttings or any other material which should be clean
and appealing to the eye and also give enough protection to
the fruit against shock. Ventilation is provided in both
wooden and bamboo containers.

The packages are then shipped by air at a temperature of
40-50°F. Mangoes would usually stay fresh for about 6 days
after they reach foreign markets. This method is not only
used in India but other countries like the West Indies and
Israel. The United States, although it does not export mangoes,
uses this method for local shipment.(37)

India, Israel and the West Indies have used this method
to export mangoes to England and France. It has been found to
be successful in maintaining quality and storage life of fruit
especially when wooden crates were used.

For every packaging method it is essential to protect

fruit against microbial attack or influence, shock and handling

ll [I‘ll llI!Al[IlAl[‘.{l. ‘ylAllll‘llI.(IllIl.l|-IIIIEIII AIIAAIAAII ill"
I . II ‘.II

26

damage and also to make sure containers are capable of greater
stacking strength during storage and transportation.

Wrapping of individual fruit not only increases eye
appeal but also checks transmission of disease from one fruit
to another. This wrapper, when impregnated with biphenyl
checks spoilage during storage and transit and it is effec-
tive for a long time. Essentially the wrapper controls the
respiration rate of fruit which protects the fruit against $1

microbial attack.

 

The containers used are ventilated which keeps mangoes .;
at the proper temperature by air circulation, thus mangoes do hr
not overheat because of their respiration, since heat increases
the respiration rate of mangoes and causes damage due to de-
cay. Wooden boxes of dimensions 18x18x11 and 1/2" thickness
of wood proved to be strong against shock and compression
during storage. However when baskets are used instead, this
method does not seem to lend a great deal of security to the
fruit due to the following reasons. Bamboo baskets can not
withstand compression for long distances. Results showed that
shipments were damaged when bamboo baskets were used.

Results also showed that loss due to damage and pil-
ferage was 3.9% for wooden baxes and 16.1% for bamboo baskets.(38)
This means that loss for basket packaging is four times great-
'er than for wooden boxes. Also on an average, wooden boxes
earned Rs. 2.0 to Rs. 6.0 more than those packed in baskets.
One Indian Rupee is equivalent to $.14.

Wooden boxes can be stacked 4 to 5 high whereas baskets

II. A I V A II. a ‘ I I I‘ 1" all: I. I! ‘ .4 ~ I . A I . . I I A

27

can be stacked only 2 high and even then stacking stability
is not assured. Also baskets are more susceptible to damage
due to a lower compression strength.

Another drawback of using baskets is that they do not
have adequate space to indicate destination, weight and other
necessary information due to their irregular shape.

India and other exporting countries realize the draw-
backs of using baskets for mango packaging and thus do not
make use of them for export as is described in the next pack-
aging method.

Method II: As the mango trade flourished in countries
like England and France, new trends in packaging methods
were also explored.

A new method which used corrugated containers with or
without vent holes was explored. This method can be put to
use in two different ways, one using pre-packaging and the
other wrapping.(39)

In using pre-packaging, a polyethylene bag of thickness
0.002 inches is filled with a dozen mangoes soon after harvest.
The bag is then heat sealed. The polyethylene bag (a consumer
unit pack) is provided with ventilation through holes which
constitute 0.4% of the total area of the bag.

These bags are then placed in a container in one or two
layers. Paper cuttings or paddy straw may be used as cush-
ioning and Kraft paper for lining between layers.

The type of corrugated container was not mentioned,

however it is believed to be lug boxes. The dimensions are

I .ll . TA...“IIEI.‘II|‘ (AI ..llll[l|lllllu'| lf‘l‘i
1' En El .AAT‘AAllllAlA I ll [II [A [I

28

17% x 118 x 5% inches. Two such boxes can be combined on t0p
of each other and later tied with string.(40)

This method is only used for countries where mangoes
are not sold by weight but by the piece, for example the
U.S.A. or European countries. One advantage is that the dealer
in foreign countries doesn't have to rearrange the packaging
for local markets but merely has'to take the bags out and
place them on the shelf, also the consumer can see the fruit
before purchasing it. Essentially pre-packaging is done for
effective presentation at retail shops. The use of polyethyl-
ene does not change the fundamental perishable character of
the fruit but gives some protection and makes handling and
marketing easier.

If this method is carefully examined, the packaging of
fruit has a great deal of influence with respect to marketing
but less towards the protection of fruit during transit and
storage.

However, a polyethylene bag with the provision of vent-
ilation holes does have an advantage as it delays the ripening
of fruit and minimizes the moisture loss during storageaand
marketing. But this method may not be as successful as in-
dividual wrapping of fruit in which transmission of disease
can be checked. In other words, if one fruit spoils during
transit and storage the other fruit in the sack is equally
susceptible to damage since there is no checking medium in
between. It has been clearly described earlier that microbes

upon entering the fruit multiply rapidly and increase the

29

spore load inside the package causing decay of other healthy
fruits. Therefore it is necessary to wrap individual fruit
either with tissue paper or polyethylene to avoid Spoilage
to other healthy fruit.

When wrapping is used the fruit is harvested at "B"
maturity stage. Then the mangoes are individually wrapped in
tissue paper treated with biphenyl as mentioned in Method I.
Later these wrapped mangoes are placed in a corrugated con-
tainer.

The container used has cut strips of cardboard arranged
in a criss cross patern, in other words, technically the box
has partitions in such a way that each fruit can be placed
in a single cell. Usually a box containing one layer of fruit
will weigh up to 25 kg. Waste paper cuttings or paddy straw
are used for cushioning. In some cases two layers of mangoes
have been used with sufficient cushioning.

This method is also used by U.S.A. in Florida. (41) As
indicated earlier boxes with one layer of mangoes can be
joined together one on top of the other and tying it with
string making it one package. These boxes have the dimensions
of 178 x 118 x 4% inches. These packages are presently being
used to be shipped by air in a controlled cold storage at a
temperature of 45° F to European countries from India. Man-
goes stay fresh for almost a week after their arrival in the
market.

Between the two methods described so far the second

seems to offer the most protection against microbial attack,

. s I.‘ I 'II‘ III I E El ‘IAT I‘ l.‘ E I I- l . I

[I A l (’1‘

3O

injury to the fruit, and handling.
Tissue paper treated with biphenyl retards the ripening
process. Research work has been done in Florida to discover

the best material for wrapping.(42)

It has been reported
that all wrappers retard the ripening process, however plas-
tic wrappers seem to perform better because they minimize the
moisture loss rate in transit and also delay ripening. Thus
polyethylene when used for wrapping individual fruit gives
better results than tissue paper but it costs more.

This method also has the advantage of checking trans-
mission of disease from one fruit to another. Furthermore
the partitions in the box not only control the spread of
disease but also keep the fruit firm and prevent the fruit
from knocking against other fruit to cause injury., Injury
causes an increase in the respiration rate of the fruit thus
resulting in damage to the fruit due to microbial growth
which puts a black Spot on the fruit.

From a marketing point of view, fruit can be unwrapped
and placed on the shelf where they can stay fresh until sold.

Corrugated containers are easy to handle and can be
stacked without putting too much of a load on the fruit; the
only drawback is the cost of corrugated containers may be too
high in Pakistan.

Method III: Nature has provided a waxy coating to the
fruit when mature (means green and unripe). This wax coating
is protection against inclement weather. As soon as the fruit
ripens this coating disappears and makes the fruit vulnerable

to spoilage. Thus if an artificial coating is applied soon

31

after harvest the fruit can stay fresh up to 50 days.

The Central Food Technological Institute in Mysore
performed an experiment on several kinds of fruit, the mango
being one of them, and suggested a new method to export fruit
by ship.(43)

Mangoes are wax coated by dipping them in a liquid wax
emulsion and later they are dried. The wax emulsion alone
does not control microbial spoilage and therefore disinfect-
ants are added.

The wax emulsion can be made of any one of several
waxes such as micro-crystalline paraffin, camauba, sisal,

sugarcane and emulsifiable polyethylene.(44)

The melting
point of these waxes is 70-85° C but the best results‘have
been achieved with waxes having a melting point of 75-80° C.
In order to reduce incidence of infection or to minimize
spoilage in bruised fruit, fungicides which are allowed by
food laws are at times added to the wax emulsion before
coating. For this purpose a 1% sodium orthophenyle phenate
(SOPP) or a 0.2% Flit 406 (50% n. trichloro methyl thio
tetraphthalmide)can be added. It checks microbial spoilage
not only in mangoes but in many other commodities. However,
if the fruit carries incipient infection, fungicide added
to the wax emulsion may only delay the deve10pment of such
infection but fail to control decay caused by seed infection
during ripening. The addition of growth regulators like

malic hydrazidean:the rate of 1000-1500 p.p.m. further re-

duces the ripening rate, resulting in an increase of storage

32

life.

The following is a table of disinfectants with suggested

concentrations of fungicides.(45)

TABLE 4

DISINFECTANTS WITH SUGGESTED
CONCENTRATION OF FUNGICIDE

 

 

 

No. Name of Disinfectant 1 Suggested
Concentration
f
1 Sodium O. phenylate, SOP 0.25-2%
2 Flit 406 (Captan 83) i 0.20-l%
3 Sodium hypochlorite, liquid bleach ; 0.10-1%
4 Benlate 50 E 0.10-0.2%
5 Thibendazole Tecto 60 I 0.20-0.5%
6 Brassicol-75 0.50-1.0%

 

 

q

A conveyer is used after.dipping which rotates the
mangoes and they are dried by a stationary heat blower which
is approximately 45-35 cm. away from the fruit to avoid ex-
cessive heat. The rotation of the mangoes prevents the de-
posit of all the wax on one end. The mangoes should be
completely dried before packing for transit or storage.
Careful handling is required for such packages during the
distribution process. Wooden crates or containers with
dimensions 17% x 118 x 118 inches have been recommended for
packaging such mangoes.

The mangoes are placed in three or four layers with
adequate cushioning and paper lining between the layers.
Extra cushioning may be required for this type of mango so

that the wax coating does not break and cause spoilage.

33

Prior to filling, the wooden crates must be fumigated
and disinfected with hot water, steam or fungicide.(45)

These fruit containers can be stored at 70-90° F or at
their optimum low temperature of 45-70° F. Continuous temp-
eratures above 90° F cause spoilage of fruit. Thus for best
results the suggested storage temperature is 45-70° F. At this
temperature, the storage life of mangoes can be increased up
to 100% depending on the variety.

The following table represents certain varieties which
have a storage life of 21 days, however there are some var-

ieties which can stay fresh much longer than 21 days.(47)

TABLE 5

CONDITION OF VARIETY AND CON-
CENTRATION OF WAX EMULSION

 

Concentration of

 

 

Variety Condition of Variety Wax emulsion
E
Alphense Green, unripe, 24-72 hrs old I 6%
free from incipient infection
Badami Green, unripe, 24-48 hrs old 2 6%
free from incipient infection a
I
Bombai- Green, unripe, mature 6%
calcutta
Himsagar Green, unripe, mature 6%

 

 

 

The varieties Chowsa, Dushri, and Dippasand can stay
fresh up to 50 days at a temperature of 40-50° F and a rela-
tive humidity of 85-90%.(48)

Certain precautions must be taken in order for the wax

III [A 'l

34

to adhere to the fruit. Concentrated raw emulsion containing
12% solids can be diluted with cold soft water to make an
emulsion containing 4-6% solids which is suitable for mangoes.
The use of soft water is necessary because the salt present in
hard water will break up the emulsion, making the mangoes
susceptible to microbial growth. It is therefore necessary

to check the hardness of the water. This can be easily done
by taking a small quantity of concentrated emulsion and adding
it to a small sample of water. If the emulsion breaks up and
precipitation occurs within five minutes, the sample of water
is not suitable of dilution. The hardness of the water can

be remedied either by boiling or by ion exchange for permanent
purity of water.

This last method helps to reduce shipment costs since
the mangoes are usually transported by sea instead of by air,
and besides the lower transportation cost, a greater number
of packages can be sent at the same time, resulting in an

even greater cost savings.

CHAPTER IV
CONCEPTUAL PACKAGING METHODS

Packaging methods which are commonly practiced in ex-
porting countries for mango export in particular have proved
successful for the safe transport of the produce.

A package for such purposes can be developed by making
a few modifications on the existing one in India for those
countries which are potential exporters of mangoes like Pak-
istan. Modifications should be made keeping in View the
assurance of more safety of the fruit during storage, trans-
portation and handling of the package.

Mangoes after being wrapped with biphenyl tissue paper
can be placed in a double wall corrugated container with
specific dimensions l8x18x6 inches with partitions 3 inches
apart and compression strength of 200 pounds.

This container would hold one layer of mangoes, one
mango per partition with a total of 36 mangoes per layer.

Where there is not an adequate supply of corrugated
paper-board due to unavoidable circumstances, wooden crates
with the same dimensions and the same number of partitions
can be easily substituted. Fortunately Pakistan is self
sufficient in paper-board manufacturing.

An individual from the Sind Province of Pakistan has

35

36

recently taken the initiative to export mangoes to Japan using

corrugated containers.(49)

This means that the future pro-
spects for mango export look bright if prOper exporting
facilities are provided, including good packaging.

The concept of the package given in this report can be
justified by the following explanations;

Dimensions; The size of mangoes vary according to the
variety, from 3 to 6 inches in length and 2 to 3 inches in
diameter. But most of the exporting mangoes are 48 to 5%
inches long except Anwar-Detol, grown in Punjab, Pakistan.

Assuming the length of the fruit to be 5% inches with
a diameter of 2 3/4 inches, a box filled with 36 mangoes
would weigh about 32 lbs. Each mango which is wrapped with
tissue paper treated with biphenyl is placed in a partition
upright so that a greater number of them can be filled in the
package and also because the bottom of the fruit is stronger
and better able to withstand shock.

The partition plays an important role in the package.
If the fruit was filled disorderly and the mangoes were loose
in the package, the fruit would be susceptible to injury due
to knocking against each other causing bruising. As mentioned
earlier, injury increases the respiration rate and thus causes
quick spoilage. The partitions are % inch larger than the
diameter of the fruit which keeps the fruit firm and does not
allow the fruit to knock against one another. Furthermore,
the size of the partition can be decreased or increased

according to the diameter of the individual size of the mango

37

being packed.

Cushioning; Paddy straws, paper cuttings or wooden
shavings can be used to prOVide protection against shock.
Cushioning material should be placed on the bottom and a
little around the sides of the package. Before closing the
package, a square board 18x18 inches should be placed on the
top. This would provide extra protection during the stack-
ing of the packages.

Wrapping: Tissue wrapper treated with biphenyl has
been recommended for the following reasons. Tissue paper
helps keep the respiration rate lower so that it controls
the ripening process of the fruit. Biphenyl controls the
spoilage of fruit by controling microbial growth; together
they check the transmission of disease from one fruit to
another.

Results have indicated in a test study by the Fruit
and Vegetable Association in Florida that polyethylene bags
used for individual mangoes prove more efficient in keeping

t.(50) However it is

down the respiration rate of the frui
necessary to keep the package as economical as possible, and
this method would be more expensive in a country like Pakistan.

Other methods like the dipping of mangoes in hot water
momentarily have been used before but recent studies in
Florida proved that in fact this causes heat injury to the
fruit resulting in spoilage.(51)

Container; The container is tuck end style, made from

double wall corrugated board, B and C flute which has high

E III!) A [V
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II .I Ill" I‘ll-Ell I
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III: III Iii-IIIAI‘ A
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38

stacking strength. The container is provided with four holes
on each side to facilitate air circulation and keep the mangoes
cool.

These packages can be shipped by air with or without
cold storage facilities depending upon the destination. How-
ever, if the packages are kept in cold storage at temperatures
of 42-50° F, the shelf life of mangoes will be increased as

indicated by the data below.(52)

TABLE 6

OPTIMUM COLD STORAGE CONDITION AND APPROXIMATE
STORAGE LIFE OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF MANGO

 

Storage life without Storage life with
Variety ‘Temp. F cold storage (days) cold storage (weeks)

#

 

 

T

 

Alphanse i 47-50 3 7 '4-6
Chowsa : 42-50 E 8 ? 5
Dusahri i 42-50 i 5 s 4
Safada A 42-45 E 7 7
Neelum A 42-45 5 5
Dilpasand 42-45 5 4
Langra 42-45 5 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, the temperature recommended for cold storage
by a study conducted in Florida by the Fruit and Vegetable
. . . . . . . (53)
Assoc1ation is above 45° F to prevent chilling injury.

A wax emulsion coating can be used to increase the shelf

life of fruit up to 60 days. This method is only useful when

a large amount of fruit is exported to those countries which

I I1. I

39

can be reached within 20-40 days by ship, such as the Middle
East countries and Japan. The same container could be used
for this method as for the previous method, however indivi-
dual wrapping would not be necessary.

Although the implementation of the above methods would
fulfill the present needs to export mangoes, there is a need
to explore new packaging methods that would give not only
better protection but also create a greater market for the
fruit by being more attractive.

The School of Packaging is actively engaged in devel-
oping a conceptual packaging method for fresh fruits like
apples. A team of investigators led by Dr. Kalman Peleg
investigated a method of packaging called a "stick pack" for
apples which is a major fruit crOp in Michigan.

The stick pack method consists of a row of fruit like
apples 4 or 5 in number packaged end to end by a shrink film
over wrap. Two rows of fruits can be placed side by side
forming a "double stick" which is essentially a tray pack
without a tray.

It is important to point out that this method can only
be used for larger fruit with the exception of fruits like
the watermelon.

This method can be applied to mangoes as well. However
it is not feasible to implement such a method in Pakistan at
the present time due to the high initial investment to set up
such a packaging plant. There is also a very large labor pool

in Pakistan which must be utilized in order to build the

II] II)
I

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Ill. 1

I A IIIII

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III '1

40

economy. However an investigation of such a method would be
helpful in the near future when the mango trade expands to
countries like Japan, U.K. and the United States. With this
in mind, it would be essential to introduce an improved pack-
age like the stick pack to replace the major existing pack-
aging methods.

The stick pack is purely a mechanical process, the
machine most commonly used is Veegal Model IV, manufactured
by the Italian firm AUTOMAC 41058 Vignola (Modena-Italia),
via Caselline 171 Italy.(54) The above mentioned machine
is widely used in Europe to shrink wrap produce.

A modified shrink machine has been manufactured in the
United States to automatically shrink wrap rectangular pack-
ages with maximum dimensions of 12x12x4 inches at a rate of
up to 90 packs per minute. This machine costs between
$18,500 and $22,500 depending on the type of accessories and
attachments. Veegal IV costs about $20,500 and makes 70
single or double stick packs per minute.

Since the stick pack is not suitable for the smaller
fruit, it is necessary to choose varieties of mangoes which
are not very small as are 'Anwar Detol', however most other
varieties of mangoes are capable of being stick packaged.
The study was conducted at Michigan State University School
of Packaging. The subject of the experiment centered around
apples only. The apples were graded into four sizes that
were stick packaged but the fifth size was rejected, being

too small. Thus four Veegal machines are required for each

['1 AAA IAA.AJElllllll.l—.l‘ljl

41

packing plant. Similarly four such machines would be required
for each mango packing plant.

Apples have been packed end to end in a vertical dir-
ection but in the case of mangoes it would be advisable to
pack horizontally for two reasons. The first reason is that
when mangoes are packaged horizontally a greater number of
mangoes can be wrapped and utilize less space in the package
thus resulting in a more economical package. The second rea-
son is that when mangoes are packaged horizontally they can be
placed in the container which would mean each mango would be
supported on its bottom which being stronger gives the fruit
extra protection against shock.

Due to the size and shape of the fruit, a double stick
pack may not prove as effective. The reason for this is that
a shrink wrap essentially tightens around the fruit, and when
applied on a double layer, each fruit would be pressing
against other fruit more than in a single stick pack which
would cause injury due to constant pressure resultingixlspoil-
age such as black spots.

A ventilated corrugated container with dimensions
lele6 inches can be used to carry such packs. A double wall
corrugated container with high stacking strength has been used
often for export shipment due to its greater compression
strength, stackability and easy handling. The container is
tuck end style with four holes on each side to provide ventil-
ation facilities. Each container has also the provision to be

carried individually if needed.

42

As mentioned earlier, each stick pack is placed in a
box with the mangoes standing vertically. A rectangular cor-
rugated board with an area of leS% sq. in. should be placed
between the two stick packs to keep the packs firm and to
avoid the knocking of stick packs against one another. Suffic-
ient cushioning should be provided on the bottom, this can be
either paddy straws or paper cuttings, at the same time, over-
cushioning should be avoided.

The shelf life of mangoes can be maintained up to 30 days
or more by keeping them at a temperature of 45-50° F and rel-
ative humidity 85-90%. These provisions can be made while
packages are in storage or transit. The mangoes will have to
be shipped by air cargo equipped with controlled temperature
storage.

Results have indicated that the storage of mangoes in
cold storage at temperatures of 45-50° F and relative humidity
of 85-90% helps in reducing spoilage and extends the shelf
life at consumer centers.(55)

Better results are obtained if the mangoes are waxed or
any other method which controls the respiration and microbial
growth is used. The stick pack seems to be a perfect sub-
stitute since it wraps around the fruit tight enough to pro-
tect the skin of the fruit from microbial penetration.

This kind of packaging method needs sufficient capital
to start, whether it is brought into use at the present time
or in the future. However, should the mango trade flourish

in the next few years, this is an efficient, convenient and

43

systematic method. The system can be further mechanized by
using a machine which could sort the fruit into different
sizes. The sorted fruit would then be shrink wrapped to make
a stick pack and placed in a container.

Time is the biggest factor for perishable fruit and by
using the stick pack, the fruit can be delivered within a
short time to foreign markets, providing more protection, and
consequently attain greater consumer acceptance.

The stick pack has the following advantages provided
Pakistan is able to start exporting a significant percentage
of the worlds total mango production so that the initial
capital outlay is of no concern.

The stick pack packaging system can be completely mech-
anized and can be economical provided the volume is large
enough to justify the initial investment in machinary and
when manual labor is scarce and very costly.

From a marketing point of View, the stick pack should
gain wide consumer acceptance due to the uniformity of the
package. It has already been successfully introduced in
Europe for fresh produce, and a study conducted at Michigan
State University shows consumer interest in this type of
package in the United States.(56)

One of the advantages is that the consumer can view the
fruit from all sides to be sure of her purchase. The package
is such that it gives a complete picture of the fruit yet
still protects from the abuses during purchasing.

Thus the stick pack is a high convenience retail package

44

with potentially high sales appeal in countries like the
United States and EurOpe.

From the packaging point of view, the stick pack is
beneficial. It prevents the fruit from knocking against each
other which causes black spots on the fruit. In Michigan
this method has been under study for apples because it reduces
bruising.

Also the film used for shrink wrap decreases the res-
piration rate of the fruit thus increasing the shelf life.
The shelf life can be further increased by storing at a temp-
erature between 45-50° F and relative humidity of 85-90%.

As far as the fragility of the package is concerned,
tests were run in the M.S.U. School of Packaging laboratory

(57) These tests showed that the

on the apple stick packs.
stick pack apparently provided better shock protection as
compared to other leading packages such as the tray pack and
polyethylene bags.

Based on the above mentioned tests for apples, it can
be assumed that such a pack will also provide better pro-
tection against shock for mangoes than the other packages
being used at the present time. Thus overall, the introduc-

tion of such a package can bring greater demand for mango

fruit in foreign markets.

I l l I II! I ‘II. [I fl I
I [I (ll III] [1' II

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of the packaging method used by
exporting countries, particularly India, would help in
establishing markets in foreign countries for Pakistani
varieties. However, some modifications are recommended for
the package design for exporting mangoes from Pakistan that
would assure further protection of the fruit.

Mangoes wrapped in tissue paper treated with biphenyl
should be placed individually in a ventilated double wall
corrugated container of 200 pounds compression
strength. The container is to be tuck end style with par-
titions with the capacity of 36 mangoes in a single layer,
weighing approximately 32 lbs.

To insure greater stacking strength, a square would
be placed on top of each package. Such packages would be
shipped by air at a temperature of 45-50° F and relative
humidity of 85-90%. Tissue paper treated with biphenyl
would check not only microbial growth but also reduce the
respiration rate of the fruit; further more, when stored at
above mentioned temperature and relative humidity the shelf
life of the fruit would be significantly extended until it
is purchased by consumers. Other methods like wax coating

can also be implemented which would increase the shelf life

45

46‘

of the fruit up to 60 days, but this method is only useful
I on a large scale.

The above mentioned methods require more man power than
automation therefore it would meet the present needs in that
it would help provide jobs for the labor pool.

However, as the export flourishes the need would arise
to explore more efficient and convenient methods that would
help to further extend the shelf life of the fruit, such as
the stick pack package.

A stick pack plant would require a greater initial
investment but at the same time there would be greater

returns.

l lull I III II EIT'EIII all";

(1)

(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)
(10)

(ll)

(12)

(l3)

(14)

REFERENCES

Bhatnagar, H. C. and Subramanyam, "Some aspects of per-
servations, processing and export of mango and its
product" Indian Food Packer 27 (4) 33-52, 1973

 

Ibid

Dawn (Pakistani daily newspaper) December 3, 1974

Ibid

Survey of India's export potential of fresh and processed
fruits and vegetables, Indian Institute of Foreign

Trade, Ministry of Commerce; Govt. of India 1968

Cadillat, R. M, as quoted in Indian Food Packer, op. cit.

 

Circular issued on Mango Fruit by Department of Agricul-
ture and Marketing, Govt. of Pakistan, 1972

Survey of India's export potential of fresh and processed
fruits and vegetables

Annual Reports, 1952-1970. CFTRI, Mysore India

Lakshminarayan, S. Subhadra, N. V. and Subramanyam, H. F.
Horticulture Science 45(2) 133 1970

 

Subramanyam, H., Narayana Monthi, N. V., Lakashminarayam,
S., and Shanta Krishnamoorlby, International Sym-
posium on Mango and Mango Culture, New Dehli, 1969

Pruthi, J. 8., "Significance of Standardization in Produc-
tion, Handling, and Grading of Fruit for Export"
paper presented at a seminar on production of fruit
for export, organized by Ministry of Food and Agri-
culture, Bombay, December 30, 1968 - January 1, 1969

Circular issued on Mango Fruit by Department of Food and
Agriculture; Govt. of Pakistan, 1972

Pruthi, J. 3., "Director Agriculture and Marketing Lab-
oratories Standardization and Grading for Fruits",
Indian Food Packer, 1969

 

47

(15)

(16)

(17)

(18)

(19)

(20)

(21)

(22)

(23)
(24)

(25)

(26)

(27)

(28)

(29)

(30)

(31)

(32)

48

The Mango - A Handbook, 1967, Indian Council of Agricul-
tural Research

 

Hobson, L., "Processing Tropical and Subtropical Fruit",
T.P.I. Conference, 1969

Friedman, Walter, and Kipness, Jerome, Industrial Pack-
aging, page 39 New York, 1960

Annual Reports, 1968-1970, Central Food Technology
Research Institute, Mysore, India

McGregor, Warren, "Coordinating your packaging abroad"
Pack-Engineering, February 9, 1969, page 73

Friedman and Kipness, Industrial Packaging page 40,
New York, 1960

 

Castle, John, President of European Packaging Federation,
"Points to remember for export", Modern Packaging,
June 1961, page 75

 

Friedman and Kipness,Industrial Packaging, page 42, New
York, 1960

 

Dr. James W. Goff Class notes PKG 423, Spring, 1974
"Packaging with Ethafoam" Dow Chemical, Brochure

Friedman and Kipness, Industrial Packaging, page 42 New
York, 1960

 

Nethercote, C. H., "The principles and Problems of Export
Packaging", Ottawa Queens Printer and Controller of
Stationary, 1961

Exporters Encyglopedia, 1964 Edition, page 1658

 

Export Packing, page 6 (quoted in thesis by Richard R.
Kimbol, 1965)

 

The Mango - A Handbook, 1967 ICAR, Grading, Storage and
Marketing (role of respiration) page 103

 

Lal Behari Singh, The Mango - A Handbook, 1961 Packing
for Export, page 354

 

The Mango - A Handbook, 1967 ICAR Role of Respiration,
page 103

 

Indian Food Packer, op. cit., Some Aspects of Preserva-
tion of Mangoes

 

(33)
(34)

(35)
(36)
(37)

(38)

(39)

(40)
(41)

(42)

(43)

(44)

(45)

(46)

(47)

(48)
(49)

(50)
(51)

49

The Mango - A Handbook, 1967 ICAR, Grading, page 108

 

The Mango - A handbook, ICAR, Determination of the stage
of maturity, page 101

 

Ibid

The Mango - A Handbook, ICAR, Wrapping of fruit, page 110

 

Fruit and Vegetable Facts and Pointers, United Fruit and
Vegetable Association Report, March 1973

Lal Behari Singh, The Mango — A Handbook, 1961 Packaging
for inland trade, page 353

 

The Mango - A Handbook, ICAR, Pre-packaging and wrapping,
page 109

 

Ibid

Fruit and Vegetable Facts and Pointers, United Fresh
Fruit and Vegetable Association Report, March 1973

Ibid

V. B. Dalal and N. Singh, Wax Emulsion for Fresh Fruits
to Extend Their Storage Life, Indian Food Packer,
September 1971

 

The Mango - A Handbook, ICAR, Extension of Storage Life,
page 118

 

Experiment by Dow Chemical, Midland Michigan, and by
Esso Standard Oil Company, Bombay, India

V. B. Dalal and N. Singh, Wax Emulsion for Fresh Fruits
to Extend Their Storage Life, Indian Food Packer,
September 1971

Ibid

The Mango - A Handbook, ICAR, Storage of mangoes, page 115

 

Personal communication with Haji Kheja (Pakistan) an
exporter of mangoes to Japan

The Mango - A Handbook, ICAR, Wrapping and Prepackaging

 

Tatten, Dr. T. T., Jr. research leader, U.S. Agriculture
Research Service, Orlando Florida, Report on Mango,
March 1973

(52)

(53)

(54)

(55)

(56)

(57)

50

The Mango - A Handbook, ICAR, Storageaof Mango, page 115
Table III

 

Ripening and Storage of Florida Mangoes, Marketing Re-
search Report, Agriculture Research Service, USDA
November, 1965

Peleg, Dr. Kalman, Development of an Improved Retail
Package for Michigan Apples, Report No. 1, page 3

The Mango - A Handbook, ICAR, Storage of Mangoes

 

Peleg, Dr. Kalman, Zehner, Mary, Consumer Preference for
Stick Pack, Report No. 1, Project MICL03069

Peleg, Dr. Kalman, Fragility Tests on Apple Stick Pack,
Report No. 1, Project MICL03069

 

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