Post harvest Management of Horticultural Crops (2+1)

Cushioning materials

The cushioning material used for packaging fruits/vegetables are dry grass, paddy straw, leaves, saw dust, paper shreds, thermocol, foam nets(apple, pear, citrus), bud net(rose) etc. For the cushioning material to be useful

• It should have resilient/flexible property
• It should dissipate the heat of respiration of the produce
• It should be free from infection
• Should be physiologically inactive
The cushioning materials commonly used are

 
airbags	bubble films	rubberized fibre cushioning	Plastic foam cushioning materials	polystyrene
polyurethane	foam in place	polyethylene foam	loose fill packing	tissue paper
buffered tissue	acid free tissue	moulded pulp tray	honey comb portion	cell pack
Air cellular cushioning - sealed air bubble wrap, bags, jumbo bubble wrap, transit bubbles, and bubble wrap sheets




Fig. Individual protection for fruits using foam net