An end effector adapted to be carried by a robot positioning apparatus for packing items of produce, the end effector adapted in use for holding an open topped elongate container (tube) in an inverted orientation, wherein the tube has a closed bottom end and an open top end; the end effector comprising: at least one actuatable movable element located on the end effector so as to be adjacent the open end of a tube held by the end effector; wherein the actuatable movable element is configured to be operable between: an extended position which at least partially extends over the open end of a tube held by the end effector to at least partially obstruct the open end of the tube; and a retracted position so that the open end of the container is substantially unobstructed to allow items of produce to be received in the tube.

A produce tray assembly includes a plurality of produce trays and a box. Each produce tray includes a plurality of bases, a plurality of inner and outer sidewalls, a lip, and a handle. The sidewalls extending from the bases. The sidewalls define cavities sized and configured to receive produce. The lip extends from the outer sidewalls. The lip includes a planar surface. The box is configured to hold a first amount of produce trays in response to the of produce trays being oriented in a horizontal position where the planar surface extends horizontally. The box is configured to hold a second amount of produce trays in response to the produce trays being oriented in a vertical position where the planar surface extends vertically. The second amount of the produce trays is greater than the first amount of produce trays.

An automated apparatus and method for configuring and producing packaging for orders of variable configurations of perishable items includes an automatic case erector-sealer; a packing liner dispenser; a cold pack dispenser; a control system; a point of sale ecommerce platform; and a data processor to capture order configuration, order destination, and available order points of origin. The control system captures and uses the order configuration, destination, and delivery date, to generate a time in transit (TNT), total volume, cold volume, and ambient volume, of items in the order. The total volume and cold volume are used to generate a product cube category (PCC). The TNT and the PCC are used to generate a packaging configuration for the order. The system uses the packaging configuration to generate and send operational directives to one or more of the automatic case erector-sealer, the packing liner dispenser, and the cold pack dispenser.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for treating and sealing perishable products in bulk bins and large bulk open top packaging are included. A modified atmosphere of industrial gas (i.e., nitrogen) and product specific treatments are injected within the contents of the liner bag or bin enclosure at the conclusion of the cooling cycle, in conjunction with or just after as the liner bag or open top bin enclosure is sealed. The methods and apparatuses provide alternative processes that can be applied manually or automated to seal of the bin liner bag or bin enclosure and then independently or in conjunction with cooling provide for the controlled and contained injection of modified atmosphere industrial gas treatments (i.e., nitrogen), sanitizer, and/or other functional substances to protect, preserve, or enhance the quality of the perishable product.

The present invention provides devices, systems and methods for reliably inserting packing trays into packing crates. Thus, the present invention solves the problems of conventional packaging lines by providing a positioning device for depositing packing trays into packing crates. Particularly, the present invention can be incorporated into existing fruit and vegetable packing lines.

This invention is, in general, related to the technological field of packaging of vegetable products, such as whole fresh fruits and vegetables that tend to have certain surface microbial load. Specifically, this invention relates to a new cardboard packaging which is characterised by having an antimicrobial active coating based on a polymeric compound in combination with essential oils forming inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins. Vapours of essential oils are emitted from the cardboard as sufficiently high relative humidities are reached in the vicinity of this coating which is next to the packed product, and these vapours have an antimicrobial action against fungi, yeasts and bacteria, which both spoil product quality and are pathogenic for consumers. This new packaging significantly achieves increasing food safety and the shelf life of foods packed therein.

Present invention relates to a packaging box for fruit, berries and vegetables, and a method for packing fruit, berries and vegetables, where the packaging box may be made of environmental friendly materials, such as cardboard. The packaging box comprising at least four walls (2,3,11,12) comprising at least a front wall (3) two opposing side walls (11,12) and a back wall (12), a bottom (13), and a lid (4), wherein a first side (41) of the lid (4) is connected to the upper end of one of the back wall (2) and front wall (3), and a second side of the lid, opposite the first side (41), being adapted for connecting to the outside of a side wall.

A filling machine for filling containers with fruit or vegetables products includes a transportation system for step-by-step conveying the containers to be filled along a horizontal predetermined direction; a primary plain belt conveyor system for products fed parallel to the horizontal direction and adapted to generate a main bulk filling of the containers; a secondary belt conveyor system for single products fed parallel to the horizontal direction and adapted to cooperate simultaneously with the primary belt conveyor system so as to complete the entire final filling of the containers; a motion system applied to both the principal and the secondary belt conveyor systems for a reciprocating motion of the primary and secondary belt conveyor systems in a direction parallel to the horizontal direction; and at least one weighing station for constant weighing the containers during filling.

The invention relates to a device for grouping into batches at least semi-buoyant objects belonging to the group of fruit and vegetables, comprising a plurality of accumulation channels (11), a hydraulic supply device for each accumulation channel (11), a device for supplying objects to an upstream portion of each accumulation channel, a collecting channel downstream of each accumulation channel (11), a device (14) for holding/releasing the objects in each accumulation channel Each accumulation channel (11) comprises at least one bypass passage (30) for the hydraulic stream extending from at least one inlet of the bypass passage (30) located upstream of the holding/releasing device (14) to at least one outlet of the bypass passage (30) issuing downstream of the holding/releasing device (14). A bypass valve (32) allows adjustment of said part of the diverted flow.

Described herein are sealable, breathable bags for packaging, storing, and transporting fresh fruit in boxes. The bags protects the fruit from outside contaminants while maintaining a modified atmosphere environment around the fruit to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Furthermore, the bags are constructed in such a way that they have a flattened closed configuration and an fully opened configuration that allows them to efficiently fit into a generally cuboid, open-topped packaging box to be filled with fresh fruit and then seal around the fruit in the box, such as by sliding a slider across an upper closure of the bag.