Performance evaluation of Meliadubia/Polypropylene composite crates for tomatoes packaging under simulated vibration

Abstract

This research work proposes the substitution of plastic crates used for packaging fruits/vegetables with composite crates, aiming to minimize environmental issues. Vibration is a crucial factor contributing to package and product damage. In this study, tomato fruits were chosen to analyze the impact of vibration on product quality. The research primarily focuses on evaluating the performance of two newly developed wood plastic composite packaging crates namely 20 %Meliadubia/80 %Polypropylene (20 %MPPC) and 30 %Meliadubia/70 %Polypropylene (30 %MPPC) under simulated vibration in the laboratory as per ISO 13355 standard. The mechanical damage on packed tomatoes was quantified and the results were compared with those of Polypropylene crates (PPC) and commercial crates such as Reusable Plastic Crates (RPC) and Wooden Crates (WC). The results of this study revealed there were no damages on 20 %MPPC and 30 %MPPC crates, and the best protective performances for tomatoes were exhibited in 20 %MPPC, 30 %MPPC, and PPC. These packaging crates were found to reduce vibration transmissibility in the top crate by 50 % to 70 %, consequently minimizing further mechanical damage to tomatoes. Therefore, the composite crates were identified as a more suitable replacement for commercial packaging crates used for packaging fruits/vegetables, addressing environmental concerns related to packaging material and reducing the wastage of fruits/vegetables in transit.