New gentle packager for fruit and veg

“It can ​package fresh fruits and vegetables in various pack sizes and forms​,” a spokesperson told FoodProductionDaily.com.

The company has upgraded its Pack 201 FV with a carrier chain which is said to ensure gentle product feeding and minimises additional heat through friction during product transport so preventing product damage and reducing waste.

Also, shelf life can be further extended by gas flushing of packages before filling and sealing to maintain produce freshness and reduce contamination risks.

Transport belts assure gentle product handling and carry difficult-to-handle products through the folding box into the film tube, said the company. Photoelectric sensors integrated in the tube tunnel ensure a sufficient gap between different products while the sealing jaw is designed to avoid damage to the product or the machine. “This results in reduced product spoilage and cleaning efforts, and minimizes production stoppages for increased efficiency​,” according to the company.

Cost-effective packaging​

As fruit and vegetables move through the fin seal section, small support rollers on the deck plates reduce tensile load on the film. This is said to avoid film rupture during the handling of heavy products and allows manufacturers to save material costs by using thinner, more cost-effective packaging material.

Setting changes allow for packaging different-sized products through the stepless adjustable folding box infeed.

The Pack 201 FV is constructed of stainless steel in order to avoid the threat of erosion from fruit and vegetables with acidic properties.

The unit can operate alone or with additional equipment such as Delta Robots for secondary packaging, and various infeed modules such as automatic infeed belts or pushers.

Perishable products​

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“The Pack 201 FV is designed to withstand the special conditions and production environment associated with perishable products​,” said Marc de Vries, the company’s product manager at Bosch Packaging Technology. “The robust machine design accommodates short change-over times in a market where product types vary according to the season in types and sizes​.”

The new wrapper, built by Bosch Packaging Technology BV in Schiedam, Netherlands, is available in Europe, Middle East and Africa.