Packinghouse Operations – refer to the series of steps which includes all those practices done after harvest to prepare the commodity for the market or for long term storage.

COMMON PACKINGHOUSE OPERATIONS

TRIMMING – Removing unwanted, discolored and severely malformed parts or parts that favor deterioration or cause increased likelihood of injury.

DELATEXING – allowing latex to flow or removing latex exuded by the crop during harvesting.

CURING – holding a harvested commodity for a specified period under defined condition of temperature and RH.

SORTING – the process of classifying produce into groups designated by the person classifying them according to whatever criteria he may be desire.

SIZING – specifically refers to the classification of produce into different sizes.

GRADING – grouping of commodities according to a set of criteria of quality and size recognized or accepted by the industry.

CLEANING – removing soil and other foreign materials from product surfaces.

PACKING – the act of putting the commodities in package.

RIPENING – is a series of biochemical and physical processes that cause an immature fruit to develop all the desirable aesthetic and edibility characteristics of its species.

QUALITY CONTROL – sorting and inspection must be done at critical points in the packinghouse to maintain quality.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A PACKINGHOUSE

PACKINGHOUSE – a designated area for undertaking operations related to market preparation.

• • May be simple shed or an elaborate structure furnished with packinghouse equipment.

A packinghouse must:

• • Adequately protect the commodity from sun and rain.
  • Have proper flooring to minimize contamination of the commodity with the soil as well as provide for proper sanitation.
  • Have enough water supply and adequate drainage
  • Be provided with adequate lighting and ventilation

FIELD PACKING – All operations related to market preparations done in the field on relatively clean produce.