While the future of packaging may, at a glance, look similar to the plastics used before, the technology employed keeps food fresh for a longer period of time. The fresh produce industry is shifting to more packaging, but the future will be about packaging that's smarter.
“We start our process by investigating and learning about the product itself,” said Gal Wollach of R.O.P. Ltd., an Israeli exporter and manufacturer of packaging. “We learn the respiration characteristics, the humidity preferences and everything else about the product. Then we look at cold chain and post-harvest processes and treatments, and then we check different polymers blends and perforation patterns to make a bag that lets in the right amount of oxygen while letting out the right amount of humidity and carbon dioxide.” R.O.P. has developed bags for broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cucumbers and bananas, and with the latter, Wollach claimed bananas can remain fresh up to 4 days longer when compared to an uncovered banana and conventionally bagged bananas. Furthermore, the bananas can be ripened through the bag, saving repacking materials, labor and time. He added that ROP can tailor bags to customer specifications, including printing, and they are delivered ready to use.
“With better packaging, the grower gains, the retailer gains and we all gain by having better products and less waste,” said Wollach. “So we're helping the world and making a little money at the same time.”
