show that the shelf life of such fruit when ripened is several days 
longer than when packed in the conventional manner. 
Appr oximately 300,000 boxes of fall and winter pears were commer- 
cially packed in sealed film box liners during the 1953 season. Esti- 
mates for 1954 indicated that from 750,000 to 1 million boxes of pears 
in California, Oregon, and Washington would be packed in sealed poly- 
ethylene film. Sufficient film in the form of a gussetted bag liner, to 
fit the standard wooden box and to provide closure with a twist seal, 
was generally used commercially (fig. 10). Most operators partially 
exhausted the air from the packed box of pears before applying the 
twist seal. This was done to protect the film from puncture during 
the lidding operation; it also removed the “slack” in the pack. 
A limited sur vey indicates that trade acceptance has been favorable. 
Several terminal market handlers of such fruit have commented on its 
fresh appearance and the uniformity of excellent color development 
on ripening. A receiver of several carlot shipments of film-sealed 
Anjou pears in April commented, “It would be wonderful if all winter 
pears were packed this way throughout the season, because these look 
as if they had been picked only yesterday and the ripening and holding 
ability of these pears is as good or better than it is in January.” 
Shippers generally are proceeding with trial carlots of film-sealed 
packages of pears and are closely following trade reaction; most of 
them appear encouraged with their experience to date. 
The degree of shriveling and the enhancement of dessert quality in 
Golden Delicious apples asa result of packing in sealed film box liners 
were not always reflected in such measurements as firmness (by pres- 
sure test) , soluble pectin values, and respiratory activity. Visual ex- 
amination, taste evaluation, and loss in original weight during storage, 
were the best ways of judging condition, appearance, and dessert qual- 
ity of the fruit as related to packaging methods. 
‘Visible shriveling of the fruit was evident when it lost approxi- 
mately 3 to 5 percent of its original weight during storage. Such a 
condition existed in all Golden Delicious apples i in cartons and wooden 
boxes without film liners. In polyethylene, however, weight losses in 
the fruit were reduced to about 40 percent of those in cell cartons 
without film protection. Paraffined fiberboard liners were ineffective 
in the prevention of fruit shrivel. 
The appearance and dessert quality of the fruit, especially after 
prolonged cold storage, were greatly enhanced by packag ging in certain 
sealed films. This fruit had a fresh look, a firm feel to hand pressure, 
and a delicate, aromatic flavor characteristic of the Golden Delicious 
apple when sampled early in storage. A somewhat longer shelf life 
was also noted as a residual effect of packing this variety of apples in 
sealed film. 
Certain precautions are necessary when Golden Delicious apples 
are packed in film liners. Every effort should be made to use washed 
fruit free from surface abrasion and possible orchard infection, as 
moisture conditions within the sealed package are conducive to the 
development of decay. Precautions should be taken to assure a pertect 
seal as even a small perforation or tear in the film will preclude the 
establishment of the desired accumulation of carbon dioxide. Film 
closure may be made by twist-seal, by hot iron, and in the cell carton, 
by a careful overlap fold of the film on the chipboard top pad of the 
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