WO2014144788A1

WO2014144788A1 - Process for ripening bananas inside of a shipping container

Info

Publication number: WO2014144788A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/029343
Authority: WO
Inventors: Axel MOEHRKE
Original assignee: Dole Food Company, Inc.
Priority date: 2013-03-15
Filing date: 2014-03-14
Publication date: 2014-09-18

Abstract

To ripen bananas during shipping, unripened bananas are first placed in ethylene- permeable containers within a shipping box. The boxes of bananas are arranged onto shipping pallets which are then placed into a shipping container for shipping. The arrangement of the bananas within the reefer container is such that there is adequate airflow around the fruits to ensure stable temperature throughout the shipping and ripening process. While enclosed in the reefer container, during shipping, the bananas are exposed to ethylene gas at a slow rate over a number of days, to ensure slow, even ripening. The bananas may be fully or partially ripe upon removal from the shipping container and are then shipped directly to retail outlets or distribution centers, without the need for additional ripening in traditional ripening rooms.

Description

PROCESS FOR RIPENING BANANAS INSIDE OF A SHIPPING CONTAINER

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.

61/801,515, filed March 15, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the ripening and packaging of bananas, and more specifically to ripening bananas while in transit from point of harvest to destination port.

2. Description of Related Art

[0003] Industrial farming of bananas generally occurs in tropical regions. Optimal banana production generally requires hot, wet conditions, as well as rich soil. Bananas mature about three months from the time of flowering. Green bananas typically contain about 20% starch and about 1% sugar. Bananas can begin the ripening process as soon as they are harvested. Ripe bananas take on a yellow color, and typically contain 66% sucrose, 14% fructose, and 20% glucose.

[0004] In industrial banana processing, bananas are harvested green. Industrial banana ripening usually involves exposing bananas to ethylene gas in an enclosed room at locations near destination markets. In most cases, bananas are placed in "ripening rooms" to initiate the ripening process prior to final shipment to the retail market. Ripening rooms expose bananas to ethylene gas at a temperature that typically ranges between 58 and 64° F to facilitate uniform ripening. Ripening rooms have been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.

5,658,607, 5,041,298, 4,845,958, 4,824,685, and 4,764,389, each of which incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0005] Conventional methods of banana ripening, however, require either the banana shippers or the banana consumers (retail outlets or distribution centers) to invest in ripening rooms. This increases the time between harvest and sale and can create an expensive process if a consumer entity does not have the resources to fund a traditional ripening room. Therefore, there is a need for a method to begin to ripen bananas during shipping, to shorten the time between harvest and sale and eliminate the need for traditional ripening facilities. Additionally, a method of starting the ripening process prior to arrival at the destination port would be able to increase the capacity of traditional ripening rooms by providing an alternative to traditional ripening when the rooms are full, or otherwise unavailable.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0006] In one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure refers to a method of ripening bananas to color stage 2.5-4 during shipping by providing a unique packing and air flow structure, coupled with gradual exposure to ethylene, within an airtight reefer shipping container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0007] FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary process for packaging bananas in reefer containers and ripening bananas in transit while controlling the temperature of the fruit using exposure to ethylene over time.

[0008] FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary configuration of pallets and box organization on pallets. The box organization on pallets depicts a configuration of 8 tiers of boxes as if viewed from the side, showing the labeling of tiers 1-7 and 8, as well as spacer positioning at tiers 1 and 8. The pin wheel formation of pallets is depicted as if viewed from above the pallets looking down on top of them, showing the positioning of the spacers at each of the 4 corners as well as the chimney space in the middle of the configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] The following description is presented to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the various embodiments. Descriptions of specific devices, techniques, and applications are provided only as examples. Various modifications to the examples described herein will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the various embodiments. Thus, the various embodiments are not intended to be limited to the examples described herein and shown, but are to be accorded the scope consistent with the claims. [0010] The detailed description herein describes a process for ripening bananas during shipping. The term "banana" as used herein does not serve to limit the invention and includes regular, baby, red, manzano, and exotic bananas. In other embodiments, this method may be applied to the ripening of other climacteric fruits such as tomatoes, avocados, figs, and apples.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment, with reference to FIG.1, an exemplary process 100 of ripening bananas while in transit from harvest to point of sale is depicted. In step 102, one or more bananas are provided at an unripe stage. The term "banana" as used herein refers to any number of bananas. The bananas may or may not be attached to each other. The term "unripe" as used herein refers to a banana at any color stage prior to stage 3. During the shipping and ripening process, it is important to control fruit pulp temperature to ensure even ripening and to maintain the integrity of the fruit. Temperature control is accomplished in a number of ways, depicted by dashed box 104. Briefly by packing fruit within an airtight container, ensuring adequate airflow around the fruit, and by providing a ripening agent slowly, over a long period of time, as to prevent spikes in temperature or atmospheric change associated with ripening.

Packaging of bananas

[0012] In step 106, the bananas are packaged into ethylene-permeable bags in any way known in the art. The bag can be constructed of any material known in the art that is permeable to ethylene. In one exemplary embodiment, the bag is formed from a plastic material. The plastic material can be made of any single resin or combination of a plurality of resins. Exemplary resins include, but are not limited to, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, butadiene, polystyrene, polyester, or any combination of these material. In another exemplary embodiment, the container can be made of polymers, or have added materials that modify the permeability of the container to oxygen and carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, the bags may have a varying number of perforations.

[0013] The packaged bananas are then enclosed in boxes for shipping such that air flow around the bananas and through the boxes is not restricted. The boxes may contain any weight and/or number of bananas. The boxes may be made of any material known in the art that is sturdy enough to protect the fruit while shipping. Additionally, the boxes may have ventilation holes in any configuration or shape. In one embodiment, these holes are oval on short and long panels. In another embodiment, these holes are score line vents on the long panels and oval vent holes on the short panels. In a further embodiment, the box has score line vents on the long panel and round vent holes on the short panels. In yet another embodiment, score line vents may be present on the short panel. In another embodiment, there are open slits on the top of the short panels.

[0014] In the boxes containing a plurality of containers of bananas, dividers are placed between the containers of bananas within each box. The dividers may be made of any sturdy material that will not collapse during shipping. In a preferred embodiment the dividers are made of plastic, cardboard, or polyethylene hard foam. The dividers are placed within the box such that they allow air circulation between the bags of bananas and provide an air channel from box to box up through a stack of packed banana boxes.

[0015] Each box of bananas may have one single pad at the bottom, side to side, or if a divider is used it may instead have two pads one on each side of the divider. In an exemplary embodiment, these pads weave around the banana crowns and tip as to protect the fruits from bruising. The pads may be made of any material such as, but not limited to, Kraft paper or plastic that will protect the fruit from tip or crown bruising. If two pads are used, these generally will be narrower in dimension than a single pad leaving a gap under the dividers, such that air flow is not blocked through the divider channel from box to box. If a divider and two pads are used, the gap under the divider is open, but if one single pad across the box is used, the section of the pad that is under the divider must have perforations to allow adequate air flow.

Loading of boxes into a shipping container

[0016] In step 108, the packed boxes are loaded onto pallets for shipping. Preferably, the boxes are loaded such that there is a positive pressure within each pallet. This positive pressure allows a more effective removal of heat and better retention time of the ethylene gas during the ripening cycle. Any number of tiers of boxes may be loaded onto the pallet, provided there are at least two tiers. In the preferred embodiment, boxes will be oriented such that the dividers of each column of boxes align to provide a continuous air channel from the bottommost tier to the second tier from the top. In one embodiment, 8 tiers of boxes are loaded onto a pallet. In another embodiment, 9 tiers of boxes are loaded onto a pallet. [0017] Once loaded, the pallets are placed into an airtight shipping container, such as an intermodal shipping container, including a CA-ready reefer container. The method of packing the reefer container helps to regulate temperature during the ripening cycle. In the preferred embodiment, groups of four pallets are arranged in a pinwheel fashion with spacers at all 4 corners on the bottommost and topmost tiers to ensure adequate spacing between the groups of pallets and the walls of the container. In another embodiment, spacers are placed at any tier to prevent leaning and ensure adequate spacing between pallets.

Exposing the fruit with to a ripening gas

[0018] In step 110, the ripening process requires that the unripened fruit be exposed to a ripening agent during shipping. In a preferred embodiment, the agent is ethylene gas. The ethylene gas would be introduced into the container atmosphere over a period of time. In some embodiments, the ethylene gas would be introduced at varying rates over time.

Exposure over time may occur continuously or intermittently.

[0019] As used herein, "ripening cycle" refers to the period of time between first exposure to ethylene gas and termination of the controlled ripening process. As an example, in a preferred embodiment, exposure to ethylene gas would first occur approximately 2-4 days prior to arrival at a destination port, where, upon arrival, fruit ripened to color stage 2.5- 4 is desired. The ripening cycle would therefore encompass the period of time between exposure to ethylene, and removal from the shipping reefer container for further processing or shipping to distribution centers or retail outlets.

[0020] At step 112, after ripening, the ripened bananas are ready for further transport to distribution centers or retail outlets. The method described herein eliminates the need for traditional ripening facilities.

Example 1: A method for ripening bananas during shipping

Packing of Fruit in the Boxes

[0021] Fruit is packed in 2 separate polybags or polytubes each carrying about 20 lb with clusters oriented in the same way as usual, i.e. crowns and tips facing the long panels of the box.

[0022] A divider is placed in between the two bags. This divider can be made of plastic, cardboard, polyethylene hard foam, or any other sturdy material that will not collapse when pushed by the fruit during packing. The divider can be opened at the bottom, and have several perforations on sides and at the top, and/or alternatively have cuts at each side running vertically lake channels. Perforations and channels allow cooling air to enter up the bottom of the box and freely flow upward from box to box from tier 1 to tier 7 (of a total of 8 tiers) of a pallet of boxes, as depicted in FIG. 2. As the air moves easily through and up each box from tier to tier it removes heat more effectively than simply flowing around the entire box.

[0023] Boxes on the top tier of each pallet, tier 8, are packed using only 1 bag and no dividers to create a blockage to the cooling air flowing upward from box to box through the dividers between tiers 1-7. That way a positive pressure is created inside each pallet that allows better retention time around the bags of fruit and more effective removal of heat.

[0024] Two separate Kraft paper pads, one on each side of the divider, are used to protect the rows of fruit from crown and tip bruise. Pads are dimensioned so as to not block the bottom gap of each box right under the divider and allow a vertical connection between boxes through the dividers, on each column of each pallet.

Pallet Stowage Inside the container

[0025] Pallets are stowed by pin- wheeling them in groups of 4 creating a chimney in the center of the pinwheel, that extends from floor to ceiling (FIG. 2). This chimney is blocked with a square piece of heavy foam between tiers 7-8 in the pallets.

[0026] Every pallet has 'spacers' attached to all 4 corner posts at tier levels 1 and 8 so that when loaded tightly into the container pallets remain slightly separated from each other and from walls (FIG. 2). With this arrangement pallet rows on each side of the intermodal reefer container come flush within 2 inches from the doors.

[0027] These two modifications allow cooling air to more effectively flow around each pallet in an upward movement providing better removal of heat, which by convection moves laterally from the fruit to the spaces in between pallets and between pallets and walls.

Ripening with Exposure to Ethylene over Time

[0028] The dampers or venting plates of the reefer container are adjusted during the ripening cycle anywhere between 2-5%. The drains on the T floor of the container and kazoos running down from the drains are blocked and sealed during the entire ripening cycle. These adjustments to fresh air exchange limits fresh air intake and allows establishment of a slightly lower 0₂ and slightly higher C0₂ atmosphere inside the container. This preferred atmospheric balance of 0₂ and C0₂ reduces banana metabolic activity and prevents sharp increases of pulp temperatures at the end of the cycle.

[0029] During shipping, ethylene gas is gradually introduced into the reefer container over a period of time. The rate of exposure may be varied over time. In a first 1-2 hour period, ethylene gas is introduced into the atmosphere of the reefer container at an initial rate. After period of exposure at the initial rate, introduction of ethylene gas continues, but a subsequent rate that is lower than the initial rate. Introduction at the subsequent rate (or other rate lower than the initial rate) may be maintained for a period of 3 to 6 days.

[0030] Target ethylene concentrations inside the container during the first 24 hours are 600-800 ppm, which will decrease gradually to about 50 ppm on day 5 of the cycle.

[0031] Typical ripening cycles for container ripening last 4-6 days and the fruit will outturn between color stages 2.5-4. The fruit can then be delivered to distribution centers or directly to supermarkets, stores, or other selling points, without the need for traditional ripening facilities.

[0032] Alternatively, shipping conditions may be adjusted so that fruit will outturn at an earlier color stage (e.g. , stage 2), allowing for further ripening at traditional ripening facilities.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method of ripening bananas during shipping, the method comprising packaging unripened bananas in a shipping container and exposing the bananas to an exogenous ripening gas during shipping.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising controlling the temperature of the bananas during shipping by controlling the rate at which the bananas are exposed to a ripening gas.

3. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the temperature of the banana pulp is within the temperature range of 55-65F for at least 90% of the duration of shipping time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bananas are exposed to the ripening gas

continuously for a period of no less than 72 hours.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ripening gas is ethylene gas.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the ethylene gas is introduced at two or more

different rates during shipping.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ethylene gas is introduced at an initial rate higher than a subsequent rate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the initial rate is maintained for a period of at least 1 day.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the initial rate is maintained for a period of at least 3 days.

10. The method of any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the concentration of the ripening gas within the container is between 25 and 800 ppm for the duration of the ripening cycle.

11. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further

comprising controlling the temperature of the bananas during shipping by packing the bananas in a shipping container.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the bananas are packed in ethylene-permeable bags.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the ethylene-permeable bags are selected from the group consisting of polybags or polytubes.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein each banana shipping box contains at least one bag of bananas.

15. The method of any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein each banana shipping box

contains no more than 43 pounds of bananas.

16. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein all of the bananas within a box residing in the top tier of boxes on each pallet are encompassed by one ethylene- permeable bag.

17. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein a box residing in a tier other than the top tier of boxes on each pallet contains two separate ethylene-permeable bags of bananas.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a divider is placed between the two separate

containers within the box.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the divider is comprised of a sturdy material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the sturdy material is selected from the group

consisting of plastic, cardboard, or polyethylene hard foam.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the divider is open at the bottom.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the divider has perforations on its sides and at the top.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the divider has vertical channels cut into each side.

24. The method of any one of claims 18 to 23, wherein one or more paper pads are

positioned on either side of the divider such that the pads protect the bananas from crown and tip bruise.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the pads are smaller than the dimensions of the divider.

26. The method of any one of claims 16 to 25 wherein there are no more than 54 boxes per pallet.

27. The method of any one of claims 16 to 26, wherein the boxes in the top tier on the pallets do not have dividers.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the pallets are arranged in groups of 4 in a pinwheel formation.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the pinwheel formation results in a chimney in the center of the pinwheel.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the chimney extends from the floor to the ceiling of the container.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the chimney is blocked between the top tier and the second tier from the top.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein a piece of heavy foam is used to block the chimney.

33. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein air vents of the container are adjusted to 2-5% opening for 3, 4, 5, and/or 6 days during the ripening cycle.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the vent openings limit the fresh air intake into the container and so the level of oxygen within the container decreases and the level of carbon dioxide increases within the container than without.

35. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shipping container is an intermodal shipping container.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the intermodal shipping container is a reefer

container.

37. The method of any one of claims 1 to 36, the method further comprising: a. packaging unripened bananas in boxes in two different bags, in 3-4 rows of fruit, where crowns and tips face either the short or long panels of the box, so their length runs parallel or perpendicular to the width of the box, and b. placing a plurality of boxes of unripened bananas onto pallets such that the boxes lie flush against each other and can be placed flush against another pallet of boxes,

c. arranging pallets of boxes within a reefer container,

d. exposing unripened bananas within the reefer container to a ripening agent, and

e. maintaining a temperature of 56-58F during the ripening cycle

38. A method of ripening bananas in industrial banana processing, during shipping, the method comprising:

a. harvesting one or more groups of bananas, each group having a plurality of bananas attached at a common crown,

b. placing the harvested groups of bananas in ethylene-permeable bags selected from the group consisting of polybags or polytubes,

c. packing the ethylene-permeable bags of bananas into boxes,

d. placing a plurality of boxes of unripened bananas onto pallets such that the boxes lie flush against each other and can be placed flush against another pallet of boxes,

e. arranging groups of 4 pallets of boxes in a pinwheel formation within a reefer container such that there is a chimney in the middle of each grouping of pallets and there are gaps between the edges of the pallets, the walls of the container, and other pallets,

f. sealing the reefer container to prevent uncontrolled air flow,

g. controlling air influx/efflux during the ripening cycle,

h. exposing bananas within the reefer container to ethylene gas in a time-released fashion for 3-6 days, and

i. maintaining a temperature of 56-58F during the ripening cycle.

39. A method of releasing ethylene gas within a reefer container in an automated, time- released fashion, the method comprising:

a. providing ethylene gas within aerosol containers, and

b. arranging a plurality of the aerosol containers such that they are accessible to mechanized levers, and

c. contacting the aerosol containers with hydraulic levers such that the levers release ethylene gas at specified times and/or rates, and

d. programming the hydraulic levers to release the ethylene gas from the aerosol containers at specified times and/or rates.