DK2238036T4 - PROCESS FOR LONG STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ROSES OR chrysanthemums, Packing, CONTAINER WITH packaging devices AND USE OF A Packing - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method for long-term storage or transport of roses or chrysanthemums, a nutrient is fed to the roses or chrysanthemums. Also, an anti-fungal agent is applied to the roses or chrysanthemums. After the roses or chrysanthemums have been placed in a package, the package is placed in a cooled environment, such as a container, at a temperature between 0 and 3 degrees Celsius.

Description

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for long-term storage or transport of roses or chrysanthemums. The invention further relates to a rose or chrysanthemum packaging assembly. The invention also relates to a container comprising a plurality of rose or chrysanthemum packaging assemblies. The invention still further relates to a use of a rose or chrysanthemum packaging assembly.

[0002] In the storage of roses or chrysanthemums, or in the storage of roses or chrysanthemums during transport thereof (briefly: in the transport of roses or chrysanthemums), a need exists to keep the roses or chrysanthemums in an excellent condition, thereby retaining a quality, appearance and vase life which is hardly, if at all, influenced by the storage or transport.

[0003] Known methods for storage of flowers, such as during transport thereof, differentiate between short-term storage, such as during air transport, and long-term storage, such as during sea transport. Here, a time period may be indicated as short-term when it takes at most a few, such as three, days, whereas a time period may be indicated as long-term when it takes at least one week, or more, such as two weeks or three weeks, up to about six weeks.

[0004] In short-term storage and transport of flowers, conventionally a simple box is used to keep the flowers in a lying condition (i.e. the stems of the flowers generally extend horizontally). Before the transport, a nutrient has been administered to the flowers, and there is no nutrient medium, such as a substrate or gel substrate, in the box. No particular measures are taken to control the temperature of the box Usually, these flowers are transported as air freight, which keeps the transport time short. However, the costs are relatively high, and the available transport volume is limited.

[0005] NL-C-1021711 discloses a packaging method for ornamental cultivated plants, in particular cut flowers, enabling a longterm storage and transport. For this purpose, the plants are placed in a substantially upright position in a pack, a nutrient medium is placed in the pack, a leaf-yellowing inhibitor is administered to the plants, and the pack is placed in a cooled environment. Usually, these flowers are transported as sea freight in temperature controlled containers, making the transport time long, but providing a large transport volume, and keeping the costs at a reasonable level.

[0006] Although the known method is suitable to retain an acceptable quality, appearance and vase life of tulips and irises during long-term storage and transport, such as sea transport, it has appeared to be unsuitable for long-term storage and transport of roses or chrysanthemums. The roses or chrysanthemums appear to dry out, and fungus (in particular, Botrytus) develops on the roses or chrysanthemums. Both effects are highly undesirable, and in fact prevent roses or chrysanthemums to be stored and transported for long periods since they become unmarketable after the storage and transport. Drying out of the roses or chrysanthemums appeared to be caused by the application of the nutrient medium, where the stems of the roses or chrysanthemums become clogged, preventing the nutrient in the nutrient medium to be transported through the stem and reach the flower (bloom), as a result of which the upper part of the rose or chrysanthemum withers, and is susceptible to fungus.

[0007] It is desirable to transport large volumes of roses or chrysanthemums across large distances without loss of quality, appearance and vase life, and at reasonable costs.

[0008] According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for long-term storage or transport of roses or chrysanthemums according to claim 1.

[0009] Performing the above method provides roses or chrysanthemums which even after weeks of storage or transport have a good quality, appearance and vase life. In practice, it has been found possible to store or transport roses or chrysanthemums during 5 weeks, and thereafter to enjoy a vase life of the roses or chrysanthemums with a good appearance well over one week.

[0010] Contrary to the common prejudice that the measure of feeding a nutrient to the roses or chrysanthemums prior to storage or transport, without providing a nutrient medium for the roses or chrysanthemums in the package during the storage or transport, can only be applied in short-term storage or transport, and would be unsuitable for long-term storage or transport, since it was expected that the roses or chrysanthemums would dry out in that case, the present inventor has discovered that, with the above features of the invention, indeed the roses or chrysanthemums do not dry out and stay in excellent condition for long periods of time.

[0011] The nutrient is used to protect the roses or chrysanthemums against physiological disorders after being harvested and/or to optimize the water uptake and/or to improve vase life and/or to maintain the quality of the leaves and flowers. Examples of nutrients are Chrysal® CVB or CVBN, Chrysal® Clear RVB, and Chrysal® Clear Professional T/Bag.

[0012] A further advantage of not using a nutrient medium in the package is that the corresponding costs and the logistics of providing such nutrient medium in the package may be omitted. Another advantage is that the roses or chrysanthemums may be stored and transported either in a lying position (with the stems extending essentially horizontally), or in an upright position (with the stems extending essentially vertically), or any other position or combination of positions.

[0013] In the method according to the invention, a particular sequence of feeding the nutrient to the roses or chrysanthemums, and applying an anti-fungal agent to the roses or chrysanthemums is not essential, before placing the roses or chrysanthemums in the package. As an example, in the feeding of the nutrient by means of a liquid, also the anti-fungal agent may be contained in said liquid. The anti-fungal agent may also e.g. be applied by immersing at least a part of each rose or chrysanthemum in an antifungal agent, and/or by spraying an anti-fungal agent on at least part of each rose or chrysanthemum and/or by smoking tablets releasing an anti-fungal smoke which is brought into contact with at least part of each rose or chrysanthemum. Examples of antifungal agents are Switch®, Fungaflor®, Collis®, Frupica®, Meltatox®, Nimrod®, Teldor®, Tocsin®, Baycor®, Eupareen®, Rovral®, Ronilan®, Signum® TMTD, and Sumislex®. The anti-fungal agent may further be placed in the package, e.g. contained in a bag or sticker. For an optimum protection of the roses or chrysanthemums against fungus, the roses or chrysanthemums are placed essentially dry (i.e. essentially without liquid on their exterior surface) in the package.

[0014] Optionally, insecticides may be applied to the roses or chrysanthemums.

[0015] In an embodiment, the package comprises a first package and a second package enclosing the first package. The first or the second package may comprise a bag made of a suitable flexible material, such as a plastic or paper bag, or may comprise a box, such as a plastic or paper or cardboard box The box may be provided with a strengthening and/or watertight insert, e.g. a plastic tray at the bottom thereof, to prevent loss of shape of the box by liquid possibly originating from the roses or chrysanthemums or originating from the environment weakening the box material. If the box or the part thereof containing the insert is used in the sale of the roses or chrysanthemums as a display means, the tray may be filled with a liquid to feed the roses or chrysanthemums. In combination, the first package may be made from a flexible material, and the second package may be made from an inflexible material providing resistance to impact, and providing sufficient strength to allow stacking of packages. Alternatively, the first package may be made from an inflexible material, and the second package may be made from a flexible material. Any of the package, the first package and the second package may be reusable.

[0016] According to the invention, the package is oxygen-transmitting. In particular, the first package may be oxygen-transmitting. This means, on the one hand, that the roses or chrysanthemums, when placed in the package, are protected against harmful substances, while, on the other hand, the necessary oxygen can pass into the package or first package to reach the roses or chrysanthemums.

[0017] The person skilled in the art will understand that the package or first package must be capable of allowing through an amount of oxygen that the roses or chrysanthemums do not suffer any shortage of oxygen during the entire duration of packaging. To this end, the package or first package can be made of various materials. The package or first package may have OTR (Oxygen Transmission) values of 9,800 - 11,000 ml/m2/day at 23 degrees Celsius; 5,400 - 6,000 ml/m2/day at 12.5 degrees Celsius; 975 - 1,100 ml/m2/day at 2.5 degrees Celsius; 15 - 135 ml/rr^/day at 0 degrees Celsius; and approximately 0 at -2 degrees Celsius. The person skilled in the art will quickly be able to select, for example, a suitable (possibly multi-ply, possibly sealable) plastic film for this purpose.

[0018] According to the invention, the package is ethylene-regulating. In particular, the first package may be ethylene-regulating. By means of the ethylene-regulating package or first package, the ethylene content in the package or first package is kept low, which keeps the roses or chrysanthemums fresh for long time periods. It has also been found that such package or first package aids in preventing the roses or chrysanthemums from drying out, which improves their keeping quality. It has proved advantageous for the package or first package to have an ethylene absorption value in the region of 0.7 -14 ml/m2/day.

[0019] An example of a suitable ethylene-regulating package or first package is an LDPE film with a kaolin additive. An ethyleneabsorbing agent may be applied on or in the material of the ethylene-regulating package.

[0020] The package or first package can, of course, be both oxygen-transmitting and ethylene-regulating at the same time.

[0021] In an embodiment, an ethylene-absorbing agent is placed in the package, e.g. contained in a bag (which is ethylene-transmitting) or a sticker. In particular, the ethylene-absorbing agent may be placed in the first package. As in the case of the ethylene-regulating package or first package, the ethylene-absorbing agent ensures that the ethylene content inside the package or first package is lowered below a natural level. If the roses or chrysanthemums are placed in an ethylene-regulating package or first package, the ethylene-absorbing agent also ensures absorption of ethylene coming from outside the package or first package.

[0022] An ethylene-absorbing agent can be provided in various forms, for example in the form of granules.

[0023] In an embodiment, the package is placed in a container, in particular a sea container, constituting the cooled environment. A container allows for a relatively low cost, large volume transport across large distances, while the roses or chrysanthemums can be properly conditioned and packed in accordance with the invention to allow them to be stored and transported during a long time period.

[0024] In an embodiment, the roses or chrysanthemums are placed in a substantially upright position in the package. This prevents damage to flowers, flower buds and leaves, and further allows an optimum handling of the roses or chrysanthemums both during packing and unpacking thereof.

[0025] In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a rose or chrysanthemum packaging assembly according to claim 8.

[0026] In a still further embodiment, the present invention provides a container, in particular, but not exclusively, a sea container, comprising a plurality of rose or chrysanthemum packaging assemblies, and an air conditioning device configured to maintain the temperature of the packages. The air conditioning device may be provided internally or externally of the container, and cools the interior of the container to the desired temperature range.

[0027] In still another embodiment, the present invention provides a use of the rose or chrysanthemum packaging assembly for long-term storage or transport of roses or chrysanthemums.

[0028] The above and further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates, in perspective view, a packing of roses or chrysanthemums in a package; and

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a side view, partially in cross-section, of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] In the different drawings, like reference symbols indicate like parts, or parts with a similar function.

[0030] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a package comprising a first package 10 embodied as a bag, and a second package embodied as a box, comprising a lower box part 11 and an upper box part 12. The first package 10 may be made essentially from a flexible plastic material. The first package 10 may have oxygen-transmitting and ethylene-regulating c.q. ethylene-absorbing properties. The second package, comprising the lower box part 11 and the upper box part 12 may be made from cardboard. In an embodiment, the cardboard is moisture-resistant to aid the cardboard to retain its shape in moist conditions.

[0031] The lower box part 11 has an essentially rectangular shape, the top side thereof being open, a front side thereof being partly open, and lateral sides thereof having triangular cut-outs matching an upper edge of the front side. The upper box part 12 has an essentially rectangular shape, the bottom side thereof being open. The interior dimensions of the upper box part are slightly larger than exterior dimensions of the lower box part 11, so that the upper box part 12 may fit over the lower box part 11.

[0032] The lower box part 11 comprises an optional tray-like insert 13 of a rigid material, such as a plastic material, to retain the shape of the lower box part 11, and to prevent any liquid emanating from the first package 10 to reach the lower box part 11 and undesiredly soften the material of the lower box part 11. The insert 13 may also be used as a liquid container when the lower box part 11 is used as a display means at a point of sale, to aid in keeping the roses or chrysanthemums fresh.

[0033] A plurality of roses or chrysanthemums 14, which have been fed with a nutrient, and to which an anti-fungal agent has been applied, has been placed in the first package 10, after which the first package 10 has been closed with a clip 15, or a rubber band or string or the like. In the first package 10, bouquets of roses or chrysanthemums may have been formed by suitably assembling pluralities of flowers with a rubber band or in a wrapper, for example. A pad 16 comprising an ethylene absorbing agent in an ethylene-transmitting enclosure may have been inserted into the first package 10. Such agent may also be contained in a bag, a sticker, and the like. The first package 10 as such may alternatively or additionally contain an ethylene absorbing agent.

[0034] The first package 10 containing the roses or chrysanthemums 14 is placed in the (insert 13 of the) lower box part 11, as indicated by arrow 17. Next, the upper box part 12, being open at its lower side (not shown) is placed over the lower box part 11, thus forming the second package, as indicated by arrow 18. The first package 10 and the second package in combination form the package of the roses or chrysanthemums 14, and where the first package 10, the second package, and the roses or chrysanthemums 14 (and possible pads 16, bags, stickers, and the like) in combination form a rose or chrysanthemum packaging assembly. The upper box part 12 may contain holes 19 to allow oxygen to reach the first package 10, where oxygen is transmitted into the first package 10 by virtue of its oxygen-transmitting properties to reach the roses or chrysanthemums 14.

[0035] The roses or chrysanthemums are placed upright in the package, so that a mechanical load on the roses or chrysanthemums is kept at a minimum.

[0036] The second package may also be designed as a simple box, i.e. as depicted at reference numeral 12, but being closed at its lower side. In that case, the first package 10 is placed in the second package designed as a box, and the lower box part 11 is omitted.

[0037] Further, the first package and the second package may be connected to each other (such as by gluing part of a first package manufactured as a bag made from a flexible material at the inside of a second package manufactured from a rigid material). The first package and the second package may also be integrated, i.e. form a unit (such as by covering the inside of a second package manufactured from a rigid, perforated material by a lining having the desired properties as explained above.

[0038] The package may further be formed as a Procona® package as known in the art, i.e. a bucket made from a plastic material, having a box, such as a cardboard box, placed on top, where the box is open at its upper and lower side, and having a cover made from a plastic material placed on top of the box. In this case, the first package may be formed from a flexible material, to be placed into the assembly of the bucket, the box and the cover forming the second package.

[0039] Fig. 2 shows a container 20, comprising a plurality of stacked rose or chrysanthemum packaging assemblies 21 as explained in relation to Fig. 1, and an air conditioning device 22 provided at the outside of the container 20. Alternatively or additionally, an air conditioning device can be provided at the inside of the container 20. The air conditioning device 22 is adapted to condition the temperature of the air inside the container such that the temperature of the rose or chrysanthemum packaging assemblies is maintained between 0 and 3 degrees Celsius, in particular between 0 and 1 degree Celsius. The container may be suitable for sea transport and/or land transport.

[0040] While the invention has been described and illustrated in its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not limited to the details disclosed herein.

[0041] The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language).

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description • Νί1021711C [0005]

Claims (10)

A method for the long-term storage or transport of roses or chrysanthemums (14), comprising: - giving the roses or chrysanthemums a fertilizer; - placing the roses or chrysanthemums (14) in a package; where the roses or chrysanthemums receive the fertilizer before the roses or chrysanthemums are placed in the package, - to place the package of roses or chrysanthemums in a cool environment of between 0 and 3 degrees Celsius, and - to give the roses or chrysanthemums a fungicide before the roses or the essentially dry chrysanthemums are placed in the package where the package is oxygen-transmitting and ethylene-regulating. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooled environment is at a temperature of between 0 and 1 degrees Celsius. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the packet comprises a first packet (10) and a second packet (11,12) enclosing the first packet (10). A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an ethylene absorbent is placed in the package. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the package is placed in a container (20) constituting the cooled environment. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the roses or chrysanthemums (14) are placed in a substantially upright position in the package. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the roses or chrysanthemums (14) remain in the package for at least one week. A flower packaging device (21) for long-term storage or transport of roses or chrysanthemums, comprising: - a package containing at least one rose or chrysanthemum (14) which has received a fertilizer before the rose or chrysanthemum is placed in the package, wherein: - the package has a temperature of between 0 and 3 degrees centigrade, and - the rose or chrysanthemum has been given fungicide before it is placed substantially dry in the package, where the package is oxygen-transmitting and ethylene-regulating. Container (20), comprising a plurality of rose or chrysanthemum packaging devices (21) according to claim 8, and an air conditioning device (22) configured to maintain the temperature of the packages. Use of the rose or chrysanthemum packaging device (21) according to claim 8 for long-term storage or transport of roses or chrysanthemums (14).