Italian based Fra.Va. Company has deployed microwave and long life packaging technologies for the preservation and packaging of grapes.
The microwave technology is provided by Bari province based Food & Innovative Technologies (FIT).
On the other hand, packaging technology has been provided by Spain based Ulma.
Located in Puglia, Fra.Va. deals in the production and commercialization of cherries and table grapes.
The FIT system is claimed to offer preservation of grapes without using sulphites (SO2).
The use of sulphites can not only change the taste of the grapes but also does not give fool-proof preservation.
Another problem with sulphites preservation of grapes is that high doses of it can result in an allergic reaction to sensitive consumers, who are intolerant to them.
Using the ULMA packaging machinery, which it installed in 2015, Fra.Va. is said to pack both 30x40 and 30x50 formats easily along with the flow pack baskets of 500 and 1000g.
Fra.Va. general manager Vito Valenzano, said: “This packaging and the entire FIT process, already approved by our customers enables us to naturally maintain the grapes over time and without any alteration to taste and appearance, and is proving to be very functional for the product's management during transport, handling in distribution, as well as on the shelves."
"This system, in fact, guarantees the preservation of the product throughout the supply chain, even after long breaks in the cold chain (over 24 hours), thus helping to dramatically reduce waste in retail, in consumers’ homes, as well as in our stores.”
In April, Ulma developed a reduced scrap skin pack branded TFS 407 R in collaboration with Sealed Air. TFS 407 R is claimed to minimize film waste, help in cost saving, improve operational efficiency among other benefits.
