Origin Fruit Group Grape Packing Protocol

PRODUCT & PREPARATION

Bunch preparation

CRUSHED BERRIES Crushed berries around the punnet rim are a frequent issue with the use of heat seal pun nets. This adds unnecessary cost because of corrective action to remove the crushed berries. These crushed berries must be removed before heat sealing, as the punnet will not seal with them on. The berries also devel op bleaching or moulds. These have to be removed to avoid rejections. There is a cost for a person to pick these berries off. Crushed berries are the result of berries going out of the punnet, lying on the rim,

then being crushed from the box above or between punnets. This may happen if the bunch is a little proud of the punnet top, or if they bounce up during palletisation. Care must be taken when palletising to keep product in the punnet. In order to reduce crushed berries please pay particular attention to fitting the bunch es in the punnets. The specification allows for 3 bunches and a make up piece. So if the bunches are bold and sitting too high, please cut them to fit in better.

BUNCH MATURITY Maturity of the bunch is critical.

YES

NO

The bunch MUST be “finished”, not soft and translucent. The MESOCARP should be fully developed and opaque, indicating high sugar content. The mesocarp must not be watery and translucent. Ideally bunches should have a small section of wood at the top of the stem, indicating maturity, through lig nification.

YES

NO

YES

NO

BERRY MATURITY THS The grape should be fully mature, with average brix preferable greater than 17% (or higher if specification requires). Primary indicators of fully mature grapes are: • Lignification at the top of the main stem, the stem must be green and firm, not flaccid. • The berry texture must be crisp. Any softness or transparency / glassy green must be avoided. Sugars must be fully developed, indicated by a fully developed opaque mesocarp.

WHITE AND CRISP

GLASSY GREEN AND SOFT

YES

NO

Developed sugars in the mesocarp

Little development of sugars

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Origin Fruit Group | Grape Packing Guide