Corrugated Fibre Board Boxes Research Articles

Response of postharvest treatments on shelf life, biochemical and microbial quality of banana variety Red Banana.

The popular Red Banana variety faces transportation challenges and has a limited postharvest shelf life due to its ripe fruits being less resistant and being a climacteric fruit. This study aims to prolong the shelf life of Red Banana fruits through different postharvest treatments. Fruit bunches of Red Banana were harvested at the mature green stage, separated into hands, precooled, subjected to 12 treatments and stored in corrugated fibre board boxes till the end of shelf life under ambient conditions. Fruits coated with 10% bee wax + 0.5% clove oil (T4), fruits subjected to coating with 10% bee wax and packaging with potassium permanganate (T9) and fruits dipped in hot water at 50 °C for 10 min. and packaging with potassium permanganate (T11) registered highest shelf life of 18.67 days. The highest TSS of 26.33°Brix was noticed in fruits stored with potassium permanganate (T8) after 12.67 days of storage and lowest titratable acidity of 0.19% and the highest sugar-acid ratio of 79.76 was noticed in control (T12) after 11.33 days of storage. Moreover, the highest vitamin C content (7.74 mg 100 g?¹), total sugar content (18.47%), reducing sugar content (15.49%), total carotenoid content (24.13 µg 100 g-1) was noticed in treatment T7 (hot water dipping at 50 °C for 10 min.) after 17.67 days, T10 (coating with 40% aloe vera extract and packaged with potassium permanganate) after 13.33 days, T4 (coating with 10% bee wax + 0.5% clove oil) after 18.67 days and T9 (coating with 10% bee wax + potassium permanganate) after 18.67 days of storage respectively. Furthermore, the lowest fungal and bacterial count was observed in treatments T2 (dipping in 30ppm sodium hypochlorite solution), T7 (hot water dipping at 50 °C for 10 min.), T9 (coating with 10% bee wax + potassium permanganate) and T10 (coating with 40% aloe vera extract + potassium permanganate) .

Comprehensive investigation of corrugated fiberboard boxes with edge vents for ambient loading of chinese cabbage: Part I - Computational fluid dynamics simulation and experimental validation

The ambient (warm) loading of perishable products is widely practiced during their storage and transport. The vent hole design in a corrugated fiberboard box is crucial for providing effective airflow to maintain the freshness of products during ambient loading. In this study, four different corrugated fiberboard boxes with vent hole areas of 0, 2, 3, and 4 % were prepared. The cooling behavior of the Chinese cabbage in the corrugated fiberboard boxes with different air vent holes was verified using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation model. The results indicated that the cooling rate of the Chinese cabbage in the top and bottom layers of the seven-layer box stacks decreased substantially faster than those in the middle layers of the boxes, regardless of the air vent hole areas. The experimental analysis indicated significant differences in the cooling rates of the Chinese cabbages among the seven-layer box stacks with 0, 2, 3, and 4 % air vent holes; however, the CFD simulation exhibited no significant differences in the cooling rates of the Chinese cabbages among those stacks. The compression strength of the corrugated fiberboard box designed with a 4 % air vent hole area exhibited the lowest value, which was nearly 20 % lower than that of the box with 0 % air vent hole area. Moreover, highly humid conditions were observed in the headspace of boxes, which was a critical factor causing a further decrease in its mechanical property in addition to the inevitable reduction caused by the vent hole design. Thus, the study findings can form the scientific basis for improving the edge-vent corrugated fiberboard box design used for transporting Chinese cabbage by ambient loading.

Effect of Postharvest Treatments on Physiological, Chemical, Microbial and Sensory Qualities of Fruits of Papaya Variety Surya

Background: Papaya is a climacteric fruit which is highly perishable due to rapid ripening and softening and susceptibility to biotic or abiotic stresses, resulting in large losses during storage. Traditionally, people resort to the application of synthetic chemical fungicides on to the crop plant and to the fruits during storage, to control the anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on fruits. But their repeated use has caused resistance in microorganisms and toxicity for humans. Hence, nowadays there has been increasing interest in using natural alternatives instead of chemical treatment. Methods: Fruits of papaya variety Surya collected at fully mature green stage were subjected to different postharvest management practices namely precooling, surface sanitization, treatment with chitosan and were packaged in corrugated fibre board boxes and stored till the end of shelf life under ambient condition. Untreated fruits (control) were also used in the study. Result: Fruits coated with chitosan (1%) registered an improved shelf life of 6.33 days as against 4.33 days in control in ambient storage and it further improved the sensory score for all the organoleptic parameters, after six days of storage. 1% chitosan coating also reported significantly lowest physiological loss in weight (3.51 %), ion leakage (60.47%), total soluble solids (12.13 °Brix), total carotenoids (2.34 mg 100g-1), total sugar (7.26%) and reducing sugar (6.34%) and least disease index (16.67%), bacterial count (22.33 cfu/ml × 106) and fungal count (7.33 cfu/ml × 103) after three days of storage when compared with control.

Effect of potassium permanganate on postharvest quality attributes of bitter gourd fruit

Bitter gourd is a widely consumed cucurbitaceous vegetable rich in several nutrients and phytochemicals. The fruit is also used in traditional medicine systems to cure a variety of ailments. However, bitter gourd fruit has a very short postharvest life of 3-4 days at ambient conditions, due to which it suffers significant loss after harvest. In the present study, with the aim to extend storage life, bitter gourd fruits were packed in corrugated fiberboard boxes along with sachets of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) granules @ 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g per kilogram of fruit; while control fruits were packed without KMnO4 sachets. The results revealed that during 8 days of storage at room temperature, fruits packed with 3.0 g/kg KMnO4 sachets had minimum deterioration in fruit quality compared to control, and also weight loss and decay loss was observed lowest. KMnO4 treated fruit @ 3.0 g/kg retained the highest chlorophyll content and lowest accumulation of carotenoid pigments in the fruit skin. These fruits also had maximum soluble solids, ascorbic acid, total phenolics content, antioxidant capacity and minimum accumulation of malondialdehyde up to 8 days of storage than other treatments.

Comprehensive investigation of corrugated fiberboard boxes with edge vents for ambient loading of Chinese cabbage: Part Ⅱ – Quality changes in cellulose paper- and LLDPE film-wrapped Chinese cabbage stored in ventilated corrugated fiberboard boxes

Consumption of fresh produce has increased in recent years, as have the post-harvest losses during produce distribution. This has generated a need for optimum post-harvest treatment to increase the longevity of the produce. In this study, the temperature and relative humidity for the storage test were set as the refrigerated container conditions (ambient loading) and the quality change in Chinese cabbage wrapped with a cellulose paper sheet or linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) film in ventilated corrugated fiberboard boxes was evaluated. Weight loss, trimming loss, total soluble solid, pH, firmness, and color were measured every 10 d from 0 to 30 d. The weight loss values of Chinese cabbage wrapped with cellulose paper and LLDPE film at 30 d were approximately 3.7–4.4% and less than 1%, respectively. The trimming loss and firmness of Chinese cabbage wrapped with an LLDPE film were significantly better than those wrapped with a cellulose paper sheet at 30 d. However, the outer leaf surface measured by color meter was more damaged in Chinese cabbage wrapped with the LLDPE film than in those wrapped with the cellulose paper sheet because the wrapping of the former was tighter than that of the latter. In addition, the reduction in the mechanical properties of the boxes with 0%, 2%, and 3% of vent hole area against the horizontal cross section containing Chinese cabbage was measured at 0 and 30 d by performing not only mechanical property tests, such as edge crush test, bursting strength test, and box compression strength test, but also data logging of relative humidity in the headspace of each box. The relative humidity in the headspace of each box was constant at 75 ± 5% after the first increase during 0–24 h. Further, we evaluated the results of the box compression strength test at 30 d, comparing them with the required box compression strengths calculated by the equations provided in the criteria of the Fibre Box Association and American Society for Testing and Materials D4619. Thus, our findings can explain the changes in the quality of Chinese cabbage and the mechanical properties of corrugated fiberboard boxes prepared using two different internal package treatments.

Evaluation of precooling methods for shelf-life enhancement of pear (Pyrus spp.) fruits under ambient storage

Patharnakh pear fruits were freshly harvested at the physiological maturity during second week of July and subjected to different precooling treatments, viz. Hydrocooling (HC), Forced Air Cooling (FAC) and Evaporative Cooling (EC). The effect of these methods on fruit shelf-life and quality attributes under ambient conditions was investigated during the year 2021–22 at Punjab Horticultural Post harvest Technology Centre, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab. In all treatments, temperature of fruit pulp was regularly checked with digital pulp thermometer until a constant temperature was accomplished. Thereafter, the fruits were packed in corrugated fibre board boxes of 2 kg capacity and stored at ambient conditions (28–32°C and 70–80% relative humidity). The stored samples were assessed, periodically, at 5 days interval till 20 days for physiological and biochemical parameters. The results of the study revealed that FAC maintained lower physiological weight loss, spoilage and retained higher fruit firmness, sensory quality score, juice TSS, total sugars, acidity, vitamin C and total phenolic content during storage compared to the control. This method is an effective approach for maintaining the post-harvest shelf-life of perishable pear fruits for about 15 days in comparison to 10 days in the untreated control fruits.

Damage assessment of complete, filled fiberboard boxes in regulative vertical impact tests by dropping

Due to the high damping mechanical properties of fiberboard materials, corrugated fiberboard boxes are widely used as transport packagings of dangerous goods. Since there is risk of vertical impact within the distribution system, drop tests are performed as design type tests to assess a package’s ability to withstand damage. In this context, however, little is known regarding the transient mechanical response of a filled fiberboard box. The reason is that the nature of the packaging material presents challenges in identifying the deformation mechanisms experimentally. The aim of this work is to provide a framework for predicting the damage resistance of complete, filled corrugated fiberboard boxes which are ready for transportation. Therein, drop test finite-element simulations are used and validated by experimental results. These numerical calculation models are a valuable tool for virtual product development and contribute to the optimization of the design cycle.

Salmonella transfer potential between tomatoes and cartons used for distribution

Corrugated fiberboard boxes (cartons) can be reused during fresh market tomato packing and repacking. The fate of Salmonella on the new, used, and dirty tomato packaging cartons, and Salmonella transfer between tomatoes and new, used, and dirty packaging cartons was assessed. Mature green tomatoes or blank cartons were spot inoculated with cocktail of rifampicin-resistant Salmonella strains before touching cartons/tomatoes at 0, 1, or 24 h postinoculation. Tomatoes were placed on new, used, and dirty carton squares (5 by 5 cm) for 0, 1, and 7 days of contact at 12°C and 25°C with a relative humidity value of 85%. Transfer coefficients (TCs) were calculated for all conditions. Salmonella populations decreased following inoculation by 2–3 log units during 24 h drying regardless of storage temperature; the presence of debris enhanced survival at 12°C. In general, the highest transfer rates occurred with wet inoculum. The highest Salmonella transfer was calculated for wet inoculated tomatoes with 7 days of contact time at 25°C (TC = 14.7). Increasing contact time decreased TCs for new cartons, but increased TCs for used and dirty cartons. Regardless of carton condition or storage temperature, a greater population of Salmonella was transferred from tomatoes to cartons than from cartons to tomatoes. Salmonella transfer between tomatoes and cartons is highly dependent on moisture, with increased levels of moisture increasing transfer, highlighting the importance of harvesting and packing dry tomatoes.

Palladium encapsulated nanofibres for scavenging ethylene from sapota fruits.

Scavenging ethylene is a useful intervention during the transportation and storage of tropical climacteric fruits like sapota. Sapota (Manilkara achras Mill.) is a delicious tropical fruit with a very high respiration rate and poor shelf life. To prolong its post-harvest shelf life, the use of palladium chloride in electrospun nanomats was evaluated at a concentration varying from 1 to 4% levels. Encapsulation of 1-2% PdCl2 in nanomats increased the ethylene scavenging capacity (ESC) by 47-68%. Although, upon encapsulation, both PdCl2 and potassium permanganate showed significantly the same ethylene scavenging activity, the efficacy of PdCl2 was found better in presence of sapota fruits. The PdCl2 nanomats were brighter (L* > 73) in colour compared to the potassium permanganate mat. The placement of nanomats (2 cm2 × 9 cm2) in corrugated fibre board boxes in which the sapota was packed showed higher quality indices (firmness, TSS, ascorbic acid, and phenolics) along with lower PLW and respiration rate during the 8 days of storage period. Compared to control (8.35%), physiological loss in weight of 4.47% was recorded in fruits stored with ethylene scavenging nanomats. PdCl2 encapsulated PVA nanomats can emerge as a promising option for the retention of quality in fruits during storage and transit.

Effect of evaporative cooling on peel browning and quality of litchi (Litchi chinensis)

The present study was carried out during 2016-18 at Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana to examine the effect of evaporative cooling (EC) on peel browning and postharvest quality of litchi fruit during cold storage. The litchi fruits cv. Dehradun were harvested at the physiological maturity and subjected to EC treatments for 2 h, 4 h and 6 h. The fruits without EC were kept as a control. Thereafter, fruits were packed in corrugated fiberboard boxes and stored in a walk-in-cold room maintained at 2-3°C temperature and 90-95% relative humidity. The fruit samples were analyzed at weekly interval till four weeks for various physiological attributes, biochemical traits and enzymatic activities. The application of evaporative cooling for 6 h maintained lower physiological weight loss (6.38%), retained higher firmness (106.1g force),TSS (16.96°B), acidity (0.26%), anthocyanins (0.19 ΔA/g FW) and total phenols (218.43 mg/100g) during storage. The browning index of fruits was observed to be 3 (1/4-1/2 surface area brown up to 14 days of storage) with 4 and 6 h exposure to EC. The fruits subjected to EC for 6 h also maintained the lower activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity as compared to control. The study exhibited the expediency of EC treatment (6 h) to maintain the acceptable peel colour and prolong the storage life of fruits for 14 days as compared to 7 days in case of control.

Development of an analysis and testing concept for the evaluation of impact targets in the mechanical safety testing of dangerous goods packagings

AbstractThe mechanical and geometrical properties of impact targets greatly influence the outcome of a drop test. The International Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) as well as ISO 2248 describe the characteristics of impact targets for drop tests of dangerous goods packagings. According to these regulations, the impact target's surface needs to be unyielding, under testing conditions non‐deformable, flat and integral with a mass at least 50 times that of the heaviest packaging to be tested. The problem is that many production facilities, especially manufacturers of corrugated fibreboard boxes, do not have their own testing device with the required 50 times mass ratio of the impact target for a regulation compliant drop test during series production. Furthermore, at UN level, it is considered necessary to revise these requirements. In the present paper, the impact target requirements are examined in detail and compared with those in other technical areas (e.g., impact target for container for the transport of radioactive materials). A research method is being developed to investigate the dependency between the mass ratio of the packaging and the target as well as the damage resistance of a drop tested package in relation to specific design characteristics. The results are of high relevance for industry purposes and intended to ensure a uniform level of safety assessment for the mechanical testing of dangerous goods packagings.

Influence of different box preparations on creep performance of corrugated fibreboard boxes subject to constant and cycling relative humidity environments

AbstractTo understand the effect of load and relative humidity (RH) on box creep in cool storage conditions, standard tests are performed. However, these test conditions are oversimplified compared with actual shipping conditions. Our aim is to develop test conditions that more closely mimic those encountered during refrigerated conditions to investigate their influence on creep performance and box lifetime. We compared three box preparations: (i) empty boxes used as a control, (ii) filled boxes, and (iii) boxes with only two side panels exposed to the atmosphere. A controlled environment test facility was used to subject sets of 24 boxes to 30% of their ultimate failure load under different cyclic and constant relative humidity conditions. Results indicate that filled boxes had substantially reduced performance in terms of secondary creep rate and lifetime. The fill in the box contributed to out‐of‐plane displacement of the side panels which manifested earlier than in the control, resulting in a higher creep rate. Boxes with only two exposed panels had lower moisture uptake and performed substantially better than the control. These findings demonstrate how creep performance and box lifetime depend on the box conditions including fill and the area of the box that is exposed for moisture transfer. Alternative box preparations which mimic supply chain conditions are worthy of investigation in creep analysis as they will help predict more accurately box performance in the cold supply chain.

Influence of Aloe vera and salicylic acid on storage life of grapes cv. Flame Seedless

Salicylic acid (1, 2, and 3 mM) in combination with aloe vera as postharvest dipping treatments were applied to grapes cv. ‘Flame Seedless’ to investigate their effects on the storage life and fruit quality parameters. The fruits were packed in low-density polyethene packaging with grape guards and placed further in corrugated fibre board boxes and stored at 0–2 oC with 90–95% RH. The investigation was carried out at 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 days of storage for quality related parameters. Salicylic acid @ 2 mM combined with 50% aloe vera significantly reduced the physiological loss in weight, berry decay, berry shattering, membrane electrolyte leakage and improved the organoleptic quality. The treatments slowed down the degradation of anthocyanin levels in the berries. The extent of browning on rachis of the clusters treated with salicylic acid was slowed down with the progression of the storage period, in comparison with the control. The treatment of salicylic acid + aloe vera @ 2 mM imposed on grape bunches exhibited better consumer acceptability and enhanced fruit quality attributes in storage, enabling them to store up to 60 days under given conditions.

Standardization of hot water treatment techniques for management of post-harvest anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) on mango

The investigations were undertaken for three consecutive years (June, 2015-July, 2017) to study the standardization of hot water treatment techniques for control of post-harvest anthracnose of mango cv. Kesar at ICAR-AICRP on fruits centre, Agriculture Experimental Station, NAU, Paria, Gujarat, India. For this purpose, fruits were harvested at the proper stage of maturity and kept corrugated fiber board boxes (CFB) at room temperature after giving the different hot water treatments at 52, 50, 48, and 46°C for 10, 30, 60 and 65 minutes, respectively. The results proved that fruits treated with 52°C for 10 minutes was found most effective for the management of post-harvest anthracnose disease incidence (15.56% over 50.00% in control) and severity (9.33% over 45.11% in control) followed by hot water treatment at 50°C for 30 minutes after 15 days of treatment. This standardization can be helpful for integrated disease management (IDM) programme and enhance the quality and quantity of mango export from India.

Postharvest application of salicylic acid enhances storage life and fruit quality of grapes

Grapes are extremely perishable and cannot be stored at ambient temperature for longer duration which is the chief cause for huge economic losses to the orchardists. Keeping this in view, different concentrations of salicylic acid (1 mM, 2 mM and 3 mM) as postharvest treatments were applied to grapes cv. ‘Flame Seedless’ to examine their effect on the storage life and fruit quality. The fruits were packed in low-density polyethene packaging with dual release grape guards and placed in corrugated fiber board boxes for up to 75 days at 0–2oC and 90–95% RH. The results indicated that salicylic acid @ 2 mM significantly reduced postharvest lost in weight, decay incidence, rachis browning, berry shattering, organoleptic quality and membrane electrolyte leakage. The highest acidity, total phenolics and anthocyanin were found in fruits subjected to 3 mM salicylic acid application. The salicylic acid treated fruits demonstrated better consumer acceptability and fruit quality in storage and treatment seemed to be promising for maintenance of high quality in grapes cv. Flame seedless up to 60 days of storage.

Experimental Research on Grape Cluster Vibration Signals during Transportation and Placing for Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling

Berry dropping or shattering is an important factor during the harvest and post-harvest handling of fresh eating grapes until they reach the supermarkets. There are a lot of methods to measure post-harvest placing damage and the detachment force for single fruits. However, until now, there has been no objective method to observe and analyze the berry dropping mechanism of cluster fruits during robotic post-harvest handling. Therefore, in this paper, the effect of a cluster’s vibration on berry drop during vertical transportation and the impact of different packaging materials on fresh grape clusters during robotic placing were analyzed. For this purpose, a lead screw lathe, along with an attached actuator, three grape cluster samples (0.48, 0.50, 0.53 kg), three packaging materials (rigid plastic box, corrugated fiberboard box, expandable polystyrene box), four transportation speeds (0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 m/s), and four acceleration excitations (6, 8, 10, 12 m/s2) that were given in a mechanical system (actuator) were studied. In order to analyze the berry drop mechanism of grape clusters before and after the impact with packaging material, a force sensor and high-speed video camera were used. It was concluded from the vertical transportation test that with the increase in speed and acceleration excitations, the change in hanging force increased positively (R2 = 0.92). Additionally, the force after the striking of the grape cluster with packaging materials decreased negatively (R2 = 0.97), and the corresponding index of berry deflection increased. It was also observed from the high-speed camera images that rigid plastic boxes caused the maximum deflection of the grape berries, with the highest change in force of 8.6 N after the impact. Experimental results showed a negative correlation between the hanging force signals and the force after impact of the cluster, with a goodness of fit of R2 = 0.95 at different speeds. Overall, the proposed findings can be used as a reference study for improving robotic post-harvest handling, providing a useful visual and technical understanding of the berry fall susceptibility of cluster fruits, and can be used to develop a post-harvest robotic placing tool for avoiding berry drop damage on both industrial and farm levels.

농산물 포장용 골판지상자의 수송 중 진동에 의한 압축강도 변화

Agricultural corrugated fiberboard packaging boxes frequently experience damage due to loading and unloading, vibration during transport, and shock by dynamic distribution condition change. This study was carried out to estimate effect of vibration during distribution process on compression strength of corrugated fiberboard boxes for agricultural products. In order to identify the degradation caused by vibration, after box packaging the agricultural products( tangerine or cucumber), the natural frequencies of the packaging boxes were measured by varying the relative humidity(50, 70 and 90%) at 25oC temperature. Various types of corrugated fiberboard boxes were packed with tangerines and cucumbers, and the PSD plot vibration tests were conducted by utilizing the actual vibration recording results of the Gyeongbu Expressway section between Seoul and Gimcheon. As a result of the experiment, the decrease in compression strength of the box was relatively low in DW-AB, and the decrease in compression strength of the SW-A 0201(RSC) type box was the highest at 20.49%. In particular, both SW-A and DW-AB showed low compression strength degradation rates for open folder type boxes. The moisture content varies depending on the type of the box or agricultural products, and the enclosed 0201(RSC) type box was generally higher than the open folder or bliss type box, which is believed to be the reason for the decrease in compression strength of RSC type box due to humidity. By the agricultural product, the percentage of decrease in compression strength of box packed with cucumbers was especially high.

Electrospun Essential oil encapsulated nanofibers for the management of anthracnose disease in Sapota

Control of anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides by use of essential oils encapsulated in nanofibres made of polyvinyl alcohol has been attempted in this study. Essential oils from plants of subtropical origin, thyme oil and betel leaf oil were incorporated in electrospun mats at different levels. The Scanning Electron Microscope analysis revealed size of the nanofibers between 180 and 302 nm. Effective Dose (ED50) values for the pure oils and their blends (1:3; 1:1; 3:1) ranged from 77 to 148 ppm. The blended essential oils demonstrated additive effect for inhibition of the pathogen with Abbott index >0.5. Oil loading capacity, determined using Gas Chromatography Electron Capture Detector ranged from 40.15–75.88% and was found proportional to feed content. No major effect of incorporation of thyme oil and betel oil on polymeric structure was observed in Fourier-transform infrared spectra. A Band near 876cm−1 and 1250 cm−1 signified the presence of both thyme and betel oil respectively. The composite nanofibers with blended oils at three levels showed inhibition zone from 6.6 mm to 11.6 mm on 3rdday of incubation, which increased further upto 24 mm on the 6th day. Sapota fruits inoculated with Colletotrichum gloeosporioidesrecorded disease severity of 83.33 %, 8.39 % and 6.72 % when packed in corrugated fiber board boxes with composite nanofibers as compared to control fruits (100 %) on the 6th day of incubation at 28 °C. Burning symptoms on skin were observed on fruits kept in contact with same level of essential oil infused sterile cotton balls highlighting the importance of encapsulated oils for disease control.

Drying and packaging methods impact the bacoside profile and microbiological quality of Brahmi herb (Bacopa monnieri L.) during storage

Retention of quality in herbal drugs during drying and storage is of great concern and the information is lacking in an important memory enhancing medicinal herb Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri L.). This is the first ever report on effect of drying methods, packaging materials as well as storage duration on the bacoside A profile and microbiological quality. Freshly harvested herbage was dried with five different methods of drying viz., shade, sun, solar tunnel, cabinet, low cost polyhouse, followed by packing dried herbage for five months duration in different containers viz., polythene lined jute bags, woven polypropylene sacks, corrugated fiber board boxes, and 125 μm thick high density polyethylene containers. Drying of fresh herbage at 50 °C for 12 h in cabinet drier retained the highest bacoside A components compared with all other methods. Solar tunnel drying was the second best method, while conventional shade dried samples recorded lowest bacoside A level. Bacoside A profile in cabinet samples immediately after drying was 4.8 mg/g bacoside A3, 6.0 mg/g bacopaside II, 5.0 mg/g jujubogenin isomer of bacopasaponin C and 4.6 mg/g bacopasaponin C. Ambient temperature storage (23 ± 2 °C) for five months resulted in loss of bacoside A from the herbage; but packaging in high density polyethylene significantly reduced the loss compared with other packages irrespective of the drying methods. Cabinet dried samples stored in high density polyethylene packages for five months possessed 3.0 mg/g bacoside A3, 4.1 mg/g bacopaside II, 2.5 mg/g bacopasaponin C and 3.2 mg/g jujubogenin isomer of bacopasaponin C. The microbiological quality was also satisfactory during storage in high density polyethylene container. Thus, the work identified a protocol for hygienic way of drying and packaging of Brahmi to retain the bacosides during storage.

Design, development and performance evaluation of transportation container for sapota fruit

A transportation container was developed to minimize transportation losses of sapota fruit. The container was made of corrugated polypropylene (PP) sheet. The container is completely foldable, reusable and enclosed condition for protecting produce from adverse climate. The adjustable cells were made to enhance the safety of fruits. Separation sheets were provided in a container to support the fruits. Perforation was provided for proper respiration of the fruits. Velcro feature was provided to erect and fold the container. Freshly harvested and uniformly matured and graded sapota fruits were transported in seven types of containers or bags with 10kg capacity stacked in six layers viz.; gunny bag, gunny bag lined with bubble sheet, perforated PP bag, foldable plastic container, egg tray in corrugated fiberboard box (CFB) carton, plastic crate and CFB carton. The fruits were transported from Junagadh to Jamnagar and returned from Jamnagar to Junagadh by road approximately 350km in goods rickshaw. Effect of different containers on quality parameters of sapota fruits viz., hardness (30.09kg/cm2), firmness (12.63 kgf) and rupture force (100.2 kgf) were found maximum and weight loss (1.01%), deformation (10.9mm) and total soluble solids (16.40°Brix) were found minimum in the fruits transported in foldable plastic container. Bruising, cracking and impact damage were not observed on the fruits transported in foldable plastic container. Maximum marketable fruits (98.37%) were observed in foldable plastic container. Transportation losses of sapota fruits in foldable plastic container were minimized 8.65% and 2.85% as compared to gunny bag and plastic crate, respectively.