Towards integrated performance evaluation of future packaging for fresh produce in the cold chain

Optimising ventilated packaging for fresh horticultural produce will play a key role in making future food cold chains more energy-smart and resource-efficient in a cost-effective way. Package performance analysis currently lacks an integrated approach for simultaneous and quantitative evaluation of product cooling rate, box ventilation, product quality and shelf life, box mechanical strength and energy consumption of the ventilation system. This article provides an overview of recent research on these package functionalities and summarises the performance parameters used to quantify them. Novel developments in experimental and computational tools are highlighted and various trade-offs encountered in package design are illustrated with case studies. Future perspectives point towards a more holistic evaluation of packaging throughout the entire cold chain.

[1]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  Forced-convective cooling of citrus fruit: package design , 2013 .

[2]  Margarita Ruiz-Altisent,et al.  Review: Sensors for product characterization and quality of specialty crops-A review , 2010 .

[3]  Michael Lütjen,et al.  Quality driven distribution of intelligent containers in cold chain logistics networks , 2013, Prod. Eng..

[4]  R. Sman.  Solving the vent hole design problem for seed potato packagings, with the Lattice Boltzmann scheme , 1999 .

[5]  Gaël Epely-Chauvin,et al.  Refractive-index and density matching in concentrated particle suspensions: a review , 2011 .

[6]  P. Barreiro,et al.  The Phase Space as a New Representation of the Dynamical Behaviour of Temperature and Enthalpy in a Reefer monitored with a Multidistributed Sensors Network , 2014, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[7]  Jean-Pierre Emond,et al.  Quality of Strawberries Shipped by Truck from California to Florida as Influenced by Postharvest Temperature Management Practices , 2011 .

[8]  Umezuruike Linus Opara,et al.  Resistance to airflow and cooling patterns through multi-scale packaging of table grapes , 2012 .

[9]  Andrew R. East,et al.  Energy-efficient post-harvest storage and handling. , 2010 .

[10]  Bart Nicolai,et al.  Managing quality variance in the postharvest food chain , 2007 .

[11]  Jalal Dehghannya,et al.  Mathematical modeling of airflow and heat transfer during forced convection cooling of produce considering various package vent areas , 2011 .

[12]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  CFD Modelling of the 3D Spatial and Temporal Distribution of 1-methylcyclopropene in a Fruit Storage Container , 2012, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[13]  G Burgess,et al.  Compression of Single-Wall Corrugated Shipping Containers Using Fixed and Floating Test Platens , 1992 .

[14]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Container opening design for horticultural produce cooling efficiency , 2004 .

[15]  Bundit Jarimopas,et al.  Measurement and analysis of truck transport vibration levels and damage to packaged tangerines during transit , 2005 .

[16]  R. P. Singh,et al.  Modeling the forced-air cooling process of fresh strawberry packages, Part II: Experimental validation of the flow model , 2009 .

[17]  Bart Nicolai,et al.  Instrumented sphere prediction of tomato stem-puncture injury , 2004 .

[18]  Zhiguo Li,et al.  Quantitative evaluation of mechanical damage to fresh fruits , 2014 .

[19]  Brijesh Tiwari,et al.  Computational Fluid Dynamics in the Design and Analysis of Thermal Processes: A Review of Recent Advances , 2013, Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

[20]  Jochen Mellmann,et al.  Studying airflow and heat transfer characteristics of a horticultural produce packaging system using a 3-D CFD model. Part I: Model development and validation , 2013 .

[21]  Jan Carmeliet,et al.  Multiscale modeling in food engineering , 2013 .

[22]  Denis Flick,et al.  Analysis of use of insulating pallet covers for shipping heat-sensitive foodstuffs in ambient conditions , 2002 .

[23]  C. Vigneault And B. Goyette.  Effect of tapered wall container on forced-air circulation system , 2003 .

[24]  Onrawee Laguerre,et al.  Experimental investigation and modelling in the food cold chain: Thermal and quality evolution , 2013 .

[25]  Umezuruike Linus Opara,et al.  Effects of Packaging Liners on Cooling Rate and Quality Attributes of Table Grape (cv. Regal Seedless) , 2012 .

[26]  S Janssen,et al.  Two underestimated threats in food transportation: mould and acceleration , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[27]  Wei Zhang,et al.  Comparison Studies on Dynamic Packaging Properties of Corrugated Paperboard Pads , 2010 .

[28]  S. Hellweg,et al.  Emerging approaches, challenges and opportunities in life cycle assessment , 2014, Science.

[29]  Onrawee Laguerre,et al.  Combined deterministic and stochastic approaches for modelling the evolution of food products along the cold chain. Part II: A case study , 2012 .

[30]  Christopher B. Watkins,et al.  Storage Technology for Apples and Pears , 2002 .

[31]  Qian Zou,et al.  A CFD modeling system for airflow and heat transfer in ventilated packaging for fresh foods: I. Initial analysis and development of mathematical models , 2006 .

[32]  Martine Baelmans,et al.  CFD model of the airflow, heat and mass transfer in cool stores , 2005 .

[33]  H. Rediers,et al.  Evaluation of the cold chain of fresh-cut endive from farmer to plate , 2009 .

[34]  Jong Min Park,et al.  Finite element analysis of vent/hand hole designs for corrugated fibreboard boxes , 2007 .

[35]  Paul J.R. Cronje,et al.  Effects of citrus wax coating and brush type on imazalil residue loading, green mould control and fruit quality retention of sweet oranges , 2013 .

[36]  Ismail Uysal,et al.  Improvement in fresh fruit and vegetable logistics quality: berry logistics field studies , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[37]  Simon Kuhn,et al.  Particle image velocimetry in a foam-like porous structure using refractive index matching: a method to characterize the hydrodynamic performance of porous structures , 2012 .

[38]  Ismail Uysal,et al.  Reducing food losses by intelligent food logistics , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[39]  Ron B. H. Wills,et al.  Reduction of energy usage during storage and transport of bananas by management of exogenous ethylene levels , 2014 .

[40]  Denis Flick,et al.  Airflow patterns in a slot-ventilated enclosure partially loaded with empty slotted boxes , 2007 .

[41]  Umezuruike Linus Opara,et al.  From hand holes to vent holes: what’s next in innovative horticultural packaging? , 2011 .

[42]  Jay Singh,et al.  The Effect of Ventilation and Hand Holes on Loss of Compression Strength in Corrugated Boxes , 2008 .

[43]  Bart Nicolai,et al.  Combined discrete element and CFD modelling of airflow through random stacking of horticultural products in vented boxes , 2008 .

[44]  Guy J. Hallman,et al.  Development of Phytosanitary Cold Treatments for Oranges Infested with Bactrocera invadens and Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae) by Comparison With Existing Cold Treatment Schedules for Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) , 2013, Journal of economic entomology.

[45]  E. V. Podleckis.  Systems Approaches as Phytosanitary Measures: Techniques and Case Studies , 2007 .

[46]  Alain Kondjoyan,et al.  A review on surface heat and mass transfer coefficients during air chilling and storage of food products , 2006 .

[47]  R.G.M. van der Sman.  Prediction of airflow through a vented box by the Darcy–Forchheimer equation , 2002 .

[48]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  CFD modelling of flow and scalar exchange of spherical food products: Turbulence and boundary-layer modelling , 2013 .

[49]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Maximum slat width for cooling efficiency of horticultural produce in wooden crates , 2006 .

[50]  Qian Zou,et al.  International Journal of Food Engineering Sensitivity Analysis of a CFD Modelling System for Airflow and Heat Transfer of Fresh Food Packaging : Inlet Air Flow Velocity and Inside-Package Configurations , 2011 .

[51]  Anthony S. Wexler,et al.  Particle image velocimetry measurements in complex geometries , 2000 .

[52]  C. Vigneault,et al.  DESIGN OF PLASTIC CONTAINER OPENING TO OPTIMIZE FORCED–AIR PRECOOLING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES , 2002 .

[53]  T. Jinkarn,et al.  Effect of Carrying Slots on the Compressive Strength of Corrugated Board Panels , 2006 .

[54]  Márcia M. C. Ferreira,et al.  Multivariate accelerated shelf‐life testing: a novel approach for determining the shelf‐life of foods , 2006 .

[55]  Margarita Ruiz,et al.  Study of Impact and Compression Damage on Asian Pears , 1987 .

[56]  C. James,et al.  Modelling of food transportation systems - a review , 2006 .

[57]  S. Pfister,et al.  Life Cycle Inventory and Carbon and Water FoodPrint of Fruits and Vegetables: Application to a Swiss Retailer , 2012, Environmental Science and Technology.

[58]  U. Sonesson,et al.  Global food losses and food waste: extent, causes and prevention , 2011 .

[59]  Denis Flick,et al.  Airflow characteristics within a slot-ventilated enclosure , 2005 .

[60]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Produce-simulator property evaluation for indirect airflow distribution measurement through horticultural crop package , 2005 .

[61]  Walter Lang,et al.  Remote quality monitoring in the banana chain , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[62]  Denis Flick,et al.  Heat transfer modelling in a ventilated cavity loaded with food product: Application to a refrigerated vehicle , 2012 .

[63]  L. Ragni,et al.  Damage to pears caused by simulated transport , 2005 .

[64]  Andrew R. East,et al.  Accelerated libraries to inform batch sale scheduling and reduce postharvest losses of seasonal fresh produce , 2011 .

[65]  Stefanie Hellweg,et al.  Closing data gaps for LCA of food products: estimating the energy demand of food processing. , 2014, Environmental science & technology.

[66]  Marco Evangelos Biancolini,et al.  Numerical and experimental investigation of the strength of corrugated board packages , 2003 .

[67]  Dongmei Wang,et al.  Impact behavior and energy absorption of paper honeycomb sandwich panels , 2009 .

[68]  R. P. Singh,et al.  A nonintrusive flow measurement technique to validate the simulated laminar fluid flow in a packed container with vented walls. , 2008 .

[69]  Xiao Dong Chen,et al.  Effect of Moisture Content on the Physical Properties of Fibered Flaxseed , 2007 .

[70]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Cooling performance of horticultural produce in containers with peripheral openings , 2005 .

[71]  Denis Flick,et al.  Air velocity characteristics within vented pallets loaded in a refrigerated vehicle with and without air ducts , 2009 .

[72]  Refrigerating.  1986 ASHRAE handbook : refrigeration systems and applications , 1986 .

[73]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  Porous medium modeling and parameter sensitivity analysis of 1-MCP distribution in boxes with apple fruit , 2013 .

[74]  Antonio Mulet,et al.  LCA of integrated orange production in the Comunidad Valenciana (Spain) , 2005 .

[75]  Jean-Pierre Emond,et al.  Effects of antenna position on readability of RFID tags in a refrigerated sea container of frozen bread at 433 and 915 MHz , 2011 .

[76]  D. Flick,et al.  Numerical and experimental study of airflow in a typical refrigerated truck configuration loaded with pallets , 2002 .

[77]  Denis Flick,et al.  Modelling turbulent flow and heat transfer using macro-porous media approach used to predict cooling kinetics of stack of food products , 2007 .

[78]  Claudio Zilio,et al.  Moving toward sustainability in refrigeration applications for refrigerated warehouses , 2014 .

[80]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Design of Packaging Vents for Cooling Fresh Horticultural Produce , 2012, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[81]  Umezuruike Linus Opara,et al.  Investigating the Effects of Table Grape Package Components and Stacking on Airflow, Heat and Mass Transfer Using 3-D CFD Modelling , 2012, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[82]  Leif A. Carlsson,et al.  Modeling of global and local buckling of corrugated board panels loaded in edge-to-edge compression , 2014 .

[83]  Jochen Mellmann,et al.  Studying airflow and heat transfer characteristics of a horticultural produce packaging system using a 3-D CFD model. Part II: Effect of package design , 2013 .

[84]  James F. Thompson,et al.  Energy use of commercial forced-air coolers for fruit. , 2010 .

[85]  Stephen Clune,et al.  The influence of packaging attributes on consumer behaviour in food-packaging life cycle assessment studies - a neglected topic , 2014 .

[86]  E. Masanet,et al.  Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Fruit and Vegetable Processing Industry. An ENERGY STAR Guide for Energy and Plant Managers , 2008 .

[87]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  Effect of box materials on the distribution of 1-MCP gas during cold storage: A CFD study , 2013 .

[88]  Denis Flick,et al.  Two-dimensional simulation of turbulent flow and transfer through stacked spheres , 2003 .

[89]  Thomas Pötsch,et al.  Communication techniques and challenges for wireless food quality monitoring , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[90]  Qian Zou,et al.  A CFD modeling system for airflow and heat transfer in ventilated packaging for fresh foods:: II. Computational solution, software development, and model testing , 2006 .

[91]  S. Pfister,et al.  Environmental impacts of water use in global crop production: hotspots and trade-offs with land use. , 2011, Environmental science & technology.

[92]  Tom R Rumsey,et al.  Commercial Cooling of Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers , 2008 .

[93]  A. Jabbar,et al.  Modelling batch variability in softening of Hayward kiwifruit from at-harvest maturity measures , 2014 .

[94]  Durk-Jouke van der Zee,et al.  Simulation modelling for food supply chain redesign; integrated decision making on product quality, sustainability and logistics , 2009 .

[95]  Jalal Dehghannya,et al.  Transport phenomena modelling during produce cooling for optimal package design: Thermal sensitivity analysis , 2012 .

[96]  Jean Moureh,et al.  A review of numerical models of airflow in refrigerated food applications , 2006 .

[97]  Bruno Notarnicola,et al.  Life cycle assessment application in the fruit sector: State of the art and recommendations for environmental declarations of fruit products , 2014 .

[98]  R. P. Singh,et al.  Improved airflow method and packaging system for forced-air cooling of strawberries , 2011 .

[99]  G. Robertson.  Food Packaging: Principles and Practice , 1992 .

[100]  Denis Flick,et al.  Airflow pattern and temperature distribution in a typical refrigerated truck configuration loaded with pallets , 2004 .

[101]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  Convective heat and mass exchange at surfaces of horticultural products: a microscale CFD modelling approach , 2012 .

[102]  Anil Kumar,et al.  Heat transfer during forced air precooling of perishable food products , 2008 .

[103]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  Feasibility of ambient loading of citrus fruit into refrigerated containers for cooling during marine transport , 2015 .

[104]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  Forced-convective cooling of citrus fruit: Cooling conditions and energy consumption in relation to package design , 2014 .

[105]  Celia Kueh,et al.  The effect of in-plane boundary conditions on the post-buckling behaviour of rectangular corrugated paperboard panels , 2012 .

[106]  Bo-Siou Wei,et al.  Refined nonlinear finite element models for corrugated fiberboards , 2009 .

[107]  Mulugeta Admasu Delele,et al.  Heat transfer and external quality attributes of ?Regal Seedless? table grapes inside multi layered packaging during postharvest cooling and storage , 2013 .

[108]  D. Obenland,et al.  Postharvest Treatment of Fresh Fruit from California with Methyl Bromide for Control of Light Brown Apple Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) , 2013, Journal of economic entomology.

[109]  Andrew R. East,et al.  MODELLING THE INCIDENCE OF DECAY DEVELOPMENT IN 'B74' MANGOES AS A FUNCTION OF SUPPLY CHAIN TEMPERATURE , 2008 .

[110]  Denis Flick,et al.  Experimental study of heat transfer and air flow in a refrigerated display cabinet , 2012 .

[111]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  Application of MRI for tissue characterisation of ‘Braeburn’ apple , 2013 .

[112]  Samir Allaoui,et al.  Effects of the environmental conditions on the mechanical behaviour of the corrugated cardboard , 2009 .

[113]  Umezuruike Linus Opara,et al.  Editorial: High incidence of postharvest food losses is worsening global food and nutrition security , 2010 .

[114]  S Janssen,et al.  Ethylene detection in fruit supply chains , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[115]  L. Zacarías,et al.  Postharvest physiological disorders in citrus fruit , 2006 .

[116]  A. East,et al.  Combining a hybrid genetic algorithm and a heat transfer model to optimise an insulated box for use in the transport of perishables. , 2008, Vaccine.

[117]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  A Geometrical Model Generator for Quasi-Axisymmetric Biological Products , 2013, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[118]  P. Verboven,et al.  Optimization of the humidification of cold stores by pressurized water atomizers based on a multiscale CFD model , 2009 .

[119]  Susan Selke,et al.  Cartons, Crates and Corrugated Board: Handbook of Paper and Wood Packaging Technology , 2004 .

[120]  Hongtao Wang,et al.  Dynamic shock cushioning characteristics and vibration transmissibility of X-PLY corrugated paperboard , 2011 .

[121]  Walter Lang,et al.  Sea transport of bananas in containers – Parameter identification for a temperature model , 2013 .

[122]  Da-Wen Sun,et al.  Recent developments in numerical modelling of heating and cooling processes in the food industry—a review , 2003 .

[123]  L. U. Opara,et al.  Factors Affecting Weight Loss of Apples , 2010 .

[124]  R. P. Singh,et al.  Modeling the forced-air cooling process of fresh strawberry packages, Part I: Numerical model , 2009 .

[125]  Jean-Pierre Emond,et al.  Mapping of RFID tag readability in relation to the food content in a refrigerated sea container at 915 MHz. , 2010 .

[126]  Eva Balsa-Canto,et al.  Quality and Safety Models and Optimization as Part of Computer-Integrated Manufacturing , 2008 .

[127]  Martine Wevers,et al.  Comparison of X-ray CT and MRI of watercore disorder of different apple cultivars , 2014 .

[128]  M. Boekel,et al.  Kinetic Modeling of Food Quality: A Critical Review , 2008 .

[129]  Silvia Estrada-Flores,et al.  Thermal performance indicators for refrigerated road vehicles , 2006 .

[130]  Mustafa Tutar,et al.  Computational modeling of airflow patterns and heat transfer prediction through stacked layers' products in a vented box during cooling , 2009 .

[131]  R. P. Singh,et al.  Design guidelines for the forced-air cooling process of strawberries , 2009 .

[132]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Effect of Container Openings and Airflow Rate on Energy Required for Forced-Air Cooling of Horticultural Produce , 2005 .

[133]  Ismail Uysal,et al.  Shelf life modelling for first-expired-first-out warehouse management , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[134]  Judith Evans,et al.  The FRISBEE tool, a software for optimising the trade-off between food quality, energy use, and global warming impact of cold chains , 2015 .

[135]  Jalal Dehghannya,et al.  Simultaneous Aerodynamic and Thermal Analysis during Cooling of Stacked Spheres inside Ventilated Packages , 2008 .

[136]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Pressure drop during forced-air ventilation of various horticultural produce in containers with different opening configurations , 2004 .

[137]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  CFD-Based Analysis of 1-MCP Distribution in Commercial Cool Store Rooms: Porous Medium Model Application , 2014, Food and Bioprocess Technology.

[138]  Lirong Zheng,et al.  Radio frequency identification enabled wireless sensing for intelligent food logistics , 2014, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[139]  S. O. Tromp,et al.  Simulation modelling for food supply chain redesign , 2010 .

[140]  Denis Flick,et al.  Airflow patterns in an enclosure loaded with slotted pallets , 2006 .

[141]  G. Doyon,et al.  T raceability and quality assurance systems in food supply chains , 2006 .

[142]  K Koutsoumanis,et al.  Development and assessment of an intelligent shelf life decision system for quality optimization of the food chill chain. , 2001, Journal of food protection.

[143]  Da-Wen Sun,et al.  Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) ¿ an effective and efficient design and analysis tool for the food industry: A review , 2006 .

[144]  Henk Van As,et al.  MRI of plants and foods. , 2013 .

[145]  Thijs Defraeye,et al.  The use of CFD to characterize and design post-harvest storage facilities: Past, present and future , 2013 .

[146]  Tadhg Brosnan,et al.  Precooling techniques and applications for horticultural products — a review , 2001 .

[147]  Krishnaswamy Nandakumar,et al.  Recent developments in experimental (PIV) and numerical (DNS) investigation of solid-liquid fluidized beds , 2013 .

[148]  G. S. Vijaya Raghavan,et al.  Simulation of a forced-air-twin-chamber for measuring heat treatment uniformity in harvested tomatoes , 2009 .

[149]  Pankaj B. Pathare,et al.  Structural design of corrugated boxes for horticultural produce: A review , 2014 .

[150]  Refrigerating.  ASHRAE handbook of fundamentals , 1967 .

[151]  Jalal Dehghannya,et al.  Mathematical Modeling Procedures for Airflow, Heat and Mass Transfer During Forced Convection Cooling of Produce: A Review , 2010 .

[152]  Kata Galić,et al.  The benefits of processing and packaging , 2011 .

[153]  Opara Lu,et al.  A review on the role of packaging in securing food system: Adding value to food products and reducing losses and waste , 2013 .

[154]  E. K. Buratynski,et al.  Methods for realistic drop-testing , 2000 .

[155]  Denis Flick,et al.  Modelling transport phenomena in refrigerated food bulks, packages and stacks: basics and advances , 2006 .

[156]  Andrew R. East,et al.  Airflow measurement techniques for the improvement of forced-air cooling, refrigeration and drying operations , 2014 .

[157]  Alessandro Torricelli,et al.  Nondestructive measurement of fruit and vegetable quality. , 2014, Annual review of food science and technology.

[158]  L. Zacarías,et al.  Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase as related to ethylene in the development of chilling symptoms during cold storage of citrus fruits. , 2001, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[159]  Benjamin Frank,et al.  Corrugated Box Compression—A Literature Survey , 2014 .

[160]  L.M.M. Tijskens,et al.  Concepts for modelling the quality of perishable products , 1996 .

[161]  Andrew R. East,et al.  Potential for energy cost savings by utilising alternative temperature control strategies for controlled atmosphere stored apples , 2013 .

[162]  Clément Vigneault,et al.  Indirect airflow distribution measurement method for horticultural crop package design , 2007 .

[163]  D. J. Painter,et al.  PH—Postharvest Technology: A Descriptor for Damage Susceptibility of a Population of Produce , 2001 .

[164]  Eva Balsa-Canto,et al.  Improving food processing using modern optimization methods , 2003 .

[165]  Nicola Sacco,et al.  Optimisation of fresh-food supply chains in uncertain environments, Part I: Background and methodology , 2008 .

[166]  A. C Cleland,et al.  A generalised mathematical modelling methodology for design of horticultural food packages exposed to refrigerated conditions: part 1, formulation , 2002 .

[167]  Pere Fullana-i-Palmer,et al.  An extended life cycle analysis of packaging systems for fruit and vegetable transport in Europe , 2013, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.

[168]  Nicola Sacco,et al.  Optimisation of fresh-food supply chains in uncertain environments, Part II: A case study , 2008 .

[169]  Jasbir S. Arora,et al.  Survey of multi-objective optimization methods for engineering , 2004 .