Effect of packaging methods on vibration bruising of pear fruits by simulated transport tests

Vibration is one of the key factors causing the bruising of fruits during distribution. The type and quality of cushioning materials could significantly affect the physical quality of fruits. According to the equivalent accelerated test method, effects of cushioning material and packaging type on mechanical bruising to packaged pear fruits were evaluated by means of simulated transport vibration of highway. In general, simple packaging, more vibration time and higher stack layer will lead to larger bruising of packaged pear fruits. Cushioning packages of corrugated board or clapboard could reduce from 15 to 25 percent bruising of pear fruits. Furthermore, combining foam-net packages could get about 35-45 percent of bruising reductions of pear fruits. Bruising on the top layer of stack was the biggest, while that of the middle was the smallest. In the same packaging corrugated box, pear fruits on the top had the biggest bruising, the intermediate two layers were the next, while the bottom was the smallest.