Special procedures used in growing and harvesting ensure that table grapes reach consumers in the most appealing condition.
Packing Techniques Prepare Berries
Skilled workers remove grapes from the vine, selecting clusters for quality and maturity before trimming undersized and damaged berries from the bunch. The bunches are then inspected and packed into shipping containers, either in the field or at a packing house. At both packing locations, supervision ensures quality and consistency.
Fresh grapes can be packed plain or wrapped in tissue paper, plastic bags or clamshells and then placed in boxes. Grape boxes are made of various materials including corrugated cardboard, wood, foam and plastic.
Cold Storage Preserves Fresh Fruit
Shortly after grapes are picked and packed they are rapidly cooled to remove the field heat and prepare them for cold storage, which helps maintain an optimum level of freshness and minimize water loss. Grapes are then stored in temperature- and humidity-controlled cold rooms or containers within a range of 30º–32º Fahrenheit and 90–95 percent relative humidity.
Cold Transport Ensures Fresh Delivery to Table
The majority of fresh California grapes are moved across the United States in refrigerated trucks, either on the highways or by the railroads in trailers placed on flat cars. Grapes exported to international markets are either shipped in refrigerated containers or transported by air.
Sophisticated instrumentation in the trucks and containers ensures a constant temperature during the trip.