ABSTRACT
Poor handling and inadequate packaging are to blame for some of the fresh food post-harvest losses in less developed nations. Other objectives, including as market penetration and competitiveness, are also served by more advanced marketing systems packages. Primary containers such as plastic liners are often used to fill other items including milk, dried eggs, and fruit concentrates, which are then packaged in protective cartons or drums. Primary container requirements are considerably reduced by the use of a secondary container such as a carton or drum. Copolymers, a relatively new class of plastics, demonstrate the versatility of combining the building blocks that go into plastics. To protect fruits and vegetables against moisture, oxygen, and solute movement, edible coatings are thin layers of edible material applied to the product surface in addition to or in place of the natural protective waxy coats.
