On the journey from harvesting to the consumer's table, fruit and vegetables often cover long stretches. Many companies are involved in the production and logistics chain - from the producer and processor, through the packaging procedure and transport, and finally to the wholesaler and retailer. The delicate food products can be several days on the road - and they are often handled not very gently. The products are usually packed in film pouches, nets or trays, but they are often sold loose. In the case of film primary packaging, it is mostly MAP or EMAP packs that are used. Plastic or wooden crates are used for reusable transport packaging. Box packaging is a disposable transport solution.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are living products. These products need oxygen to live. This is because their metabolism remains active even after harvesting. The two most important processes in this are respiration and transpiration.
In the case of respiration or breathing, the plants absorb oxygen and give off carbon dioxide, water and heat. In the case of transpiration, which also takes place during the growth process as well as after harvesting, they only absorb oxygen. The consequences are ripening, fermentation, discoloration and then finally spoilage due to decay of the cellular structure, as well as the growth of mould and other undesirable microorganisms.
The food industry today faces essentially four great challenges:
This is because around 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted or lost every year. In terms of fresh fruit and vegetables, the wastage is as high as between 40 and 55 percent of cultivation. Viewed over the whole added value chain, there is food waste from the point of harvesting and production, right through to the processing and storage of food, as well as during transport, and this also occurs in the retail chain and at the consumer.