Important Points to Remember
- Only source cartons and other packaging material from reliable suppliers/manufacturers. Ensure that you receive what you have specified and ordered.
- Cartons must have adequate horizontal and vertical ventilation capabilities.
- Cartons must have sufficient compression strength to withstand pressure on bottom layers of hi-cube loads in high humidity (90%) conditions.
- Do not exceed the total pallet height of 2.4 m for containerised consignments (keep below the ‘Red Load Line’).
- Wooden pallet bases of good quality and sound palletisation methods are essential for cargo to withstand the numerous handlings in the logistics chain.
- Wooden pallets are not to be treated with SOPP fungicide as this chemical can lead to contamination of fruit and exceeding allowed residue levels for the EU. Pallet treatment MRL could contaminate container contents due to ventilation. It is the packer’s responsibility to ensure that the MRL levels are acceptable.
- Correct width of slats and spaces between slats are vital to ensure that carton ends rest on slats and not in gaps.
- Pallet corner blocks must be clearly marked with the ISPM15 mark to indicate that it has been treated correctly.
- Use temperature management tools (thermocouples & temperature recorders) to manage the all-important cold chain.
- Please note that the rules/laws regarding the use of plastics are changing rapidly and have serious implications for the industry. Stay informed about the latest developments. This also applies to certain supermarkets’ specifications.
- Although care is taken to keep the guidelines updated, users must avail themselves of the latest changes in standards. Hortgro is not accountable for consequences stemming from the use of these guidelines.
Index
- Cartons
1.1 General
1.2 Ventilation
1.3 Target Market
1.4 Marking Requirements
1.5 Carton Specification
1.6 Pallet Heights
1.7 Weights of Packs
1.8 Sizing - Internal Packaging
2.1 Punnets
2.2 Trays
2.3 Shrivel Sheets
2.4 Plastic Bags
2.5 Riffled Paper
2.6 Sponge/Jiffy Pads/Bubble Pack
2.7 Purple Paper Inter-Leaves - Palletisation
3.1 Wooden Pallet Base
3.2 Pallet Purchasing and Storage Strategy
3.3 Pallet Sheets (“Deck Boards”)
3.4 PVC Side Pieces
3.5 Securing Strips/Sheets
3.6 Buckles
3.7 Corner Pieces
3.8 Top Frames
3.9 Pallet Caps
3.10 Wooden Top Frames - Thermocouples
- Temperature Recorders
- Paltrack Registration
- Closing
Annexures:
- 1: Illustration of Ventilation
- 2: Food Safety
- 3: White Block Pallet Specification
- 4: Pallet Purchase Strategy
1. Cartons
1.1 General
Cartons are specifically designed and manufactured for:
- Unitisation
- Protection
- Conditioning
- Promotion
When ordering cartons, ensure they comply with specifications and that the fruit is handled and presented in the best possible manner.
Cartons are mainly constructed from kraft corrugated paper board, consisting of liner sheets, corrugated sheet (fluting), and adhesive. The combination and properties of these components determine the strength of the carton.
Reusable plastic crates (such as Chep) can be used instead of cartons, but costs and receiver demands will be deciding factors. Check for cleanliness as they are a potential source of contamination.
1.2 Ventilation
Sufficient ventilation of cartons is crucial to ensure that fruit is effectively pre-cooled and that the cold chain is maintained throughout the handling process.
- Airflow consists of both a horizontal and a vertical component. Sufficient horizontal airflow is required for pre-cooling in forced air cooling tunnels where air direction is horizontal. In integral reefer containers and specialized reefer vessels, the air flow is vertical and therefore cartons should provide for vertical airflow.
- Air holes at the bottom of the carton are important for vertical cooling. The amount and spacing of these air holes are a function of paper combination, type of inside packaging, and type of wooden pallet used. It is recommended that at least 5% of the surface area on each surface be open for air flow.
- The edge vent cartons P21 and P22 are now recommended. This carton type will shorten the pre-cooling times, which will benefit fruit quality in certain incidences, as well as reducing energy costs and time needed during the peak usage periods.
- Inner packing material in most cases unfortunately blocks off ventilation holes. The physical vertical air flow is then prevented to a great extent. This applies especially when plastic bags are used (e.g., for Golden Delicious). Keep this in mind when deciding on final pre-cooling practices or temperature regime within containers.
1.3 Target Market
The carton type and carton design are functions of the specific target markets. For example, the UK market is less exporter trademark orientated because supermarkets want to promote their own trademarks. The UK market is therefore more focused on generic black and green cartons, depending on which supermarkets are used (e.g., Tesco requires green, compared to black cartons required by Sainsbury, M&S, and ASDA).
1.4 Marking Requirements
Marking on cartons is an extremely important aspect that is taken for granted with the design of cartons. The BUSINESS PANEL of any carton (including printed carton labels) should comply with the requirements as established by the EU or to any other regulations that are specified by a target market. Present your design to DAFF/PPECB and exporter before you order any cartons from a manufacturer. The following is normally required:
- Class I or II
- Fruit Type
- Carton Depth (Recommended)
- Country of Origin: “Produce of South Africa”
- Complete Address of Exporter or Producer
- Name of Variety
- Number of fruits
- Content of Carton: “14 x thrift bags”
- PUC or PHC Code: Registered Producer – or Pack House Code with DAFF
- Food Safety Accreditation Number: Global Gap, Nature’s Choice registration number etc.
- Pack Code: The pack code is a 4-digit code that indicates the pack date. Two additional digits can be used for orchard numbers if required. Please refer to your PPECB inspector for guidelines.
Note: If you include all the detail on the label, the carton then just becomes the carrier and does not need any of the legal information requirements. It is recommended that the international recycle logo and code be included in carton stereo design.
1.5 Carton Specification
- Cartons should only be sourced from reputable/accredited manufacturers. The purchaser should insist that a 1 in 1000 sample of each lot be held by the manufacturer until the end of the season in case of claims.
- Paper combination for a specific carton design is crucial in determining carton strength. It is advised that when ordering cartons, the manufacturer gives an undertaking that the cartons meet minimum standards.
- Problems are experienced annually with cartons of which certain layers, especially the bottom layers, cave in after pallets are placed in cooling facilities or after arrival overseas. Producers/packers should ensure that they receive the specific product that they ordered and for which they paid.
- It is of extreme importance to receive test samples of each batch of cartons and to keep it in a storeroom for testing/verification purposes by SABS, should problems be encountered with carton strengths. This is the only way to finalise a claim successfully, since the principle of authentication should be practiced at all times. Authentication is not just applicable on fruit but also on packaging material.
Specifications:
- Telescopic cartons are designed for the fruit to carry SOME of the weight of the cartons stacked on top. It is critical to ensure that the correct trays are used to avoid the carton outer staying proud of the inner carton. Not only will the fruit bear excessive weight but horizontal ventilation holes may be partially or fully blocked.
- Where “Open Display” cartons are used, it should be noted that in practice machine-erected cartons seem to be more sturdy than hand-folded cartons, provided the correct glue is used and close supervision is applied in the assembly process.
- The use of below-standard packaging material must be strongly discouraged by all parties involved, due to the negative impact it has on fruit quality and also the harmful influence on the overseas image of SA fruit. Manufacturers are sometimes unjustly blamed for cartons that cave in due to weak palletizing actions. Weak palletizing is unfortunately prominent in the pome fruit industry.
- PAPER COMBINATION should not be observed in isolation and is a function of carton type and carton design. Please note carefully the fluting (BE or BC) of paper. These determine the strength of the carton and are also a stipulating price factor.
- As a guide, use the following BCT crush strength for determining the minimum carton strength. Take the gross pack type multiplied by the number of layers per stack and then multiply that with a safety factor of 5.6. This calculation would give you a minimum BCT strength.Example:
MK4 = 18.75 x 7 x 5.6 = 735 Nm² or 73.5 kg
[Further sections continue as per the cleaned-up structure above, following the same Markdown formatting and clarity.]
Annexure 4: Pallet Purchase Strategy
Solid wooden pallets, made and tested to export standards, are a prerequisite to ensure products are handled, delivered, and stored in sound marketable condition. Poor selection of supplier and deviations from prescribed standards can lead to product damage and financial losses.
Guidelines for acquiring, testing, and storing pallets:
- Plan your seasonal pallet requirements well in advance to avoid running out of stock during critical periods or being forced to use substandard products.
- Select a reliable supplier with a good track record of quality and service.
- Remember price is not the only criterion.
- Ensure your supplier has the correct specification and is equipped to adhere to these specifications. Get a written undertaking from the supplier that the specifications will be adhered to.
- On receipt of a consignment of pallets, perform a quality test, preferably while the load has not been fully offloaded:
- Discretion test: Is the general appearance of the pallets of such a standard that it can be confidently used for export products?
- Checklist: Ensure that the delivery checklist is complete and that the indications given hold true.
- Full quality test: Draw samples according to the Quality Control Test as set out in Annexure A and follow the guidelines as proposed.
- Do not accept pallets that do not comply with the specifications given.
- Store pallets in a safe and suitable area that is not exposed to extreme weather and dust conditions and where insect infestation can be controlled. A well-ventilated undercover area is recommended.
- When stockpiling pallets, keep in mind:
- In dry areas (Namibia/Orange River), pallets may dry out and become brittle, making them prone to damage. Do not stock too long in advance.
- Storing in unprotected conditions for extended periods can result in discoloration and mould.
- Discoloration may lead to illegible manufacturer stamps and could result in pallet loads being rejected after packing.
- FIFO (First-In, First-Out) usage should be adhered to.
- Pallets left over at the end of the season should be sold off, used for other products, or stored undercover where deterioration will be limited.
- Ensure that the correct pallet is used for the product to be palletised.