Maritime Service
The produce industry is getting prepped for the release of the final phase of the Food and Drug Administration’s Preventive Controls for Human Food ruling. Going forward, you’ll be seeing an increase of innovative applications being used throughout the food distribution chain; all aimed at reducing the loss of product during storage or in-transit.
Spoilage is one major obstacle produce growers, packers, distributors, and retailers are continuously faced with. The challenge, especially during longer trips, is to limit shrinkage caused by decay. New technologies that extend shelf life and minimize monetary loss are factors the produce industry will be including as preventive measures to compensate for larger demand and an increase in imports and exports.
DeltaTrak’s solution is guaranteed to combat these issues. DeltaTrak’s PrimePro EAP™ (Ethylene Adsorption Packaging), a polyethylene film containing a proprietary additive, alleviates the need to use the more expensive, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) strategies which manipulate the atmosphere surrounding the product. PrimePro works by removing ethylene gas (which is a prime trigger for inducing ripening) to help slow down the rate at which produce ripens.
Studies at UC Davis were conducted to compare pallet cover systems during transit, and to see the effects of ethylene on the postharvest conditions of strawberries and the various responses of this fruit within different environments and of the ripening process.
The study captured data on weight loss, fruit decay incidence and severity, fruit quality, and sensory panel data. Four post-harvest technologies were tested in parallel: Tectrol (CO2/N2 gas injection), CO2 West (CO2 releasing pads), Peakfresh (ethylene absorbing pallet cover) and PrimePro EAP™.
The result of this study concluded that PrimePro EAP™ extends the shelf life strawberries. There are other documented case studies available which also demonstrate that PrimePro will extend the shelf life of many other types of produce. The direct result of improved shelf life are products that maintain crispness, freshness, flavors, and aroma, thus resulting in waste reduction and increased profit.
Key Benefits
PrimePro EAP™ pallet covers are:
- Supported by scientific studies and third-party trials.
- Approved for food contact in the USA, CA, and EU.
- Safe for organic produce.
- Quick to apply.
- Don’t require an airtight seal around the bottom of pallet.
This solution:
- Does not need to be immediately removed at DC.
- Continues to protect, even if pallet cover is ripped or torn.
- Reduces water loss to help produce maintain saleable weight.
- Contains anti-fog additive to reduce condensation, which eliminates decay-inducing moisture.
- Is trusted technology, and stays active until the last piece of produce is removed from the pallet.
- Provides ethylene protection over the entire value chain.
- Costs less than $10 per pallet.
