Good practice in the design, management and operation of a fresh produce packing-house

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION

Market oriented production trends across Asia and the Pacific region, spurred by growth in the food service, supermarket and export sectors, rising living standards and growing consumer awareness necessitate a shift toward improved handling practices in fresh produce supply chains.
Within the post-harvest system, the packing-house serves as a control point where quality management can be applied to assure a reliable supply of produce of good quality. Packinghouses also serve as sites for the effective implementation of strategies designed to eliminate or minimize microbial, chemical and physical contamination.
Well designed packing house facilities that conform to the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and which are equipped with an appropriate level and scale of post-harvest technology are, therefore, a critical and important component of the infrastructural base to support value adding and quality and safety management in fresh produce supply chains.
This publication documents good practice in the design, management and operation of fresh produce packing-houses. The guide is intended to serve as a technical resource for extension specialists, planners, farmer organizations, clusters and cooperatives on upgrading their post-harvest operations. It is hoped that the guide will serve as a useful resource to these key players and other stakeholders in the region’s fruit and vegetable supply chains