ABSTRACT
Field preparation for lettuce involves three employees cutting, preparing, and packing the lettuce. Field-prepared boxes are transported to pack houses for palletizing, pre-cooling and occasionally cold storage before delivery to distant markets. Dumping onto packinghouse feeding lines is the first step in preparing for fresh market. There are two ways to dump: dry and wet. Quality and shelf life are directly related to a crop’s maturity at harvest. In order to avoid bruising and losses during shipping, fruits must be harvested a little early when they are exported to foreign markets. Sprouting and root production in potatoes, garlic, onions, and other crops hasten degradation. They also have an impact on the products’ viability on the market. For the most part, packaging is used to ensure that the product is contained in a container together with packing materials to prevent movement and to cushion the product (plastic or moldable pulp trays, inserts, cushioning pads, etc.) and to protect it from damage.
