Month: May 2013

Matrix Packaging Machinery, powered by Pro Mach, will showcase at United Fresh, May 14-16 at the San Diego Convention Center, the Triton, a vertical form-fill-seal machine optimized for the fresh produce packaging industry. The Triton automated bagging machine, which comes in two models, can help fresh produce packers of all sizes and individual needs lower labor costs, decrease waste, and improve overall efficiency and throughput. …

The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA) held its annual membership meeting on May 7, 2013 in Nogales, Arizona.  …

CCOF announced that its industry-leading tool, MyCCOF, has been expanded with new services for CCOF-certified entities and organic industry buyers. The updated MyCCOF includes the first online access to digitized Organic System Plans (OSPs) and certification records as well as the new MyCCOF: Supplier Management, which allows buyers to monitor certification statuses and access certificates in real time. The organization’s move to paperless systems is delivering new tools to CCOF-certified members, saving time for buyers and providing better services through new efficiencies. …

Following what seemed like a late spring and colder-than-normal temperatures, Mother Nature did a 180o turn in early May and provided sunshine and temperatures up to 80 degrees F. The result was that Michigan apples began blooming at about the normal date, if not two or three days sooner. …

Decay by Botrytis and Rhizopus are by far the greatest cause of postharvest losses. Decay can be controlled by prompt cooling, but in addition, since berries tolerate elevated CO2 concentrations of as high as 15%, a concentration at which a substantial fungistatic effect can be achieved, modified and controlled atmosphere are suitable and commonly used means for controlling decay. …