TRANSPORTATION 
The movement of apples from the growing and storage areas to the con- 
sumer is an important part of the marketing of this commodity. Loss of quality 
during this period must be minimized or prevented by providing the proper en- 
vironment and by careful handling at every step along the way. Since ripening, 
softening, and decay development is retarded by low temperatures it is necessary 
to maintain such temperatures during transit, especially for fruit that has been 
in storage a considerable time (5). —/ Since low temperatures maintain firm- 
ness, this also minimizes the susceptibility of the fruit to bruising (19). 
However, constant attention to careful handling during loading and unloading is 
essential to prevent bruising. 
Freshly harvested early-season fruit that moves directly to the market 
for immediate consumption may be shipped under more moderate temperature condi- 
tions. However, fruit shipped at harvest that is destined for storage should 
be cooled rapidly and shipped under refrigeration to hold ripening to a minimum 
according to Redit and Hamer (12). They further state: "Apples of any variety 
harvested near the end of the season are more mature than those harvested ear- 
lier, so further ripening in transit before consumption may not be necessary. 
It is especially important, therefore, that this late fruit be shipped at low 
temperatures.'' All apples shipped out of cold storage should be maintained at 
or near the storage temperature to maintain their quality, especially those 
shipped late in the season after long storage. Fruit shipped during the cold 
winter months should be protected from possible freezing damage by an adequate 
heater service. Overheating must be prevented by the use of thermostatically 
controlled heaters and proper air circulation in the vehicle. 
In order to select the proper protective service at shipping point and 
to evaluate its performance upon arrival at destination, fruit temperatures 
should be checked accurately. Suitable thermometers and their proper use are 
described by Guilfoy and Johnson (7). 
When apples have been stored in film-lined containers, Gerhardt (4) 
recommends that the sealed film be perforated or slit open at the shipping point 
to avoid possible injury to the fruit when exposed to room temperatures during 
wholesale and retail handling. 
Methods of Transportation 
Trucks 
In areas where apples are produced and stored close to the market and 
where transit time is 24 hours or less, trucks are used almost exclusively. 
This applies particularly to the eastern and midwestern areas. Merchant (10) 
reports that as early as 1943 there was a steady trend to trucking Maine apples 
to market and today it is practically 100 percent. This same trend is indicated 
in a study of truck movement of apples in the Appalachian Belt by Snitzler (17). 
For short distances requiring only an overnight trip, refrigeration is 
not usually required. However, in northern areas, heaters should be used in 
extremely cold weather to prevent freezing damage. Movements requiring several 
days such as transcontinental hauls from the Pacific Northwest to midwestern 
Ly. Underscored numbers in parentheses refer to Literature Cited, p. 126. 
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