BANANA PACKAGING

M.M.PALITHA MAHINDA MUNASINGHEFarm Mechanical Instructor

palithamahinda@yahoo.com

05/10/2008 1mmpmm

Harvesting• Green and begin ripening

• Fruits are really roundish in shape

• As soon as stem is cut from the plant

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Harvesting

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• Banana heads are harvested at 12 to 14 weeks of age

• Heads are cut into large, medium and small hands

• The hands are washed in chlorinated water tanks

Stage 1 – Hard and GreenThis is how bananas are when freshly picked

Stage 2 – Green with trace of yellow The maturing process has begun, however there is still some time before they are ready to eat

Stage 3 – More yellow than greenThe ripening has begun in earnest and the fruit is now increasing its natural sugar content, the flesh is changing from the chalky hardness of under ripe fruit

05/10/2008 4mmpmm

Stage 4 - Yellow with Green hintThat familiar creamy texture is developing now, and as the natural sugar content rises the fruit is getting ready for eating

Stage 5 – All yellow with green tip on crown.Ready to eat! The fruit is sweet, creamy and on the firmer side. Even though it is yummy it still does not have its complete full sweet flavour

Stage 6 – All yellowAt the peak of freshness now, and delicious to eat. The fruit is also starting to soften as it ages heading towards its top sugar content

Stage 7 - Yellow with brown “sugar spots”The sugar content is now at its peak, the flesh is perfect and has softened for easy mashing and blending

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Wash Divided Clusters And Remove Abnormal

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Get A Good Clean Bath Before Being Dried

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• Washed Bunch are further broken into clusters• Clusters are packed in 40 Lb Carton Boxes with liners • Units of 3 Lb Packages in 40 Lb Standard

• Carton Boxes (Fruit wt. 32 Lbs.)• Packed fruit leaves in trucks for seaport, loaded on ship either in containers (US) or pallets (UK)• Holding and Shipment temperatures are 58 F

05/10/2008 8mmpmm

Get A Good Clean Bath Before Being Dried

Cluster of Bananas wrapped in Plastic

• Small hands pack consisting of 7, 8, or 9 hands in a 13 kilo box • Popular in countries with small consumer families such as Korea and China

05/10/2008 9mmpmm

Four, five, or six big banana hands in a 13 kilo box Ideal for importers whose customers are in the wholesale market Popular in countries with big families such as the Middle East

Regular Hands Pack (3, 4, 5 or 6 Hands in a Box)

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• Ideal for very small families who consume small quantities• Popular among tourist in Sri Lanka

Bananas cut into small clusters

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• Cluster pack is ideal for small families who prefer to consume small amounts of bananas only• Ideal for customers who are so particular of cosmetic appearance of the product• Popular in countries such as Japan

Wrapped In Protective Plastic

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A bunch of All Good bananas freshly washed and driedApply wax for protection

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Wrapped In Protective Wax

05/10/2008 14mmpmm

Without Wrapped

After 3 or 4 days When Fresh

Banana Package

05/10/2008 15mmpmm

After 17 Days

After 10 Days

• Demand for packaged fresh banana offerings is increasing

• The major driving forces behind consumer packages are Reduction in customer-induced fruit abuse Reduced Shrink at supermarket level Convenience

• However, currently used packaging does not extend marketable life of banana

Packaging

05/10/2008 16mmpmm

• In addition, fruit wt/unit shipment space is significantly reduced by packaging• This translates to higher costs per unit wt:– Transportation

Ripening Distribution Handling

• Hence, value-added through quality improvement and shelf life extension is being viewed as a way to extract higher proportion of the customer’s price by banana supplying companies

Packaging

05/10/2008 17mmpmm

• Washed Hands are further broken into clustersClusters are packed in 40 Lb Carton Boxes with Liners

Units of 3 Lb Packages in 40 Lb Standard Carton Boxes (Fruit wt. 32 Lbs.)

• Packed fruit leaves in trucks for seaport, loaded on ship either in containers (US) or pallets (UK)

• Holding and Shipment temperatures are 58 F

Handling

05/10/2008 18mmpmm

• Fruit arrives in the distant markets in green state US: 5-9 Days

UK: 10-14 Days

• Shipped to supermarkets at CS 3.5• Current yellow life is 2 to 3 days

Handling and Distribution

05/10/2008 19mmpmm

Banana Package - Commercial Test AM PM

05/10/2008 20mmpmm

Tuck In For Their Trip Tuck In For Their Trip

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Fruit Ripened at

Distribution Chain of Independent Distributors Supermarkets or Banana Companies

Be Attention