How to Ship Blueberries
- Step 1 Pack approximately a quart of berries in each plastic zip-close bag. ...
- Step 2 Cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside the cooler. ...
- Step 3 Put on the oven mitts. ...
- Step 4 Cover the cooler with two layers of brown mailing paper. ...
- Step 5 Ship the package overnight express. ...
Do freshly picked blueberries need to be refrigerated?
Fresh, Ready-to-eat Blueberries It's important to refrigerate fresh berries after a grocery delivery, trip to the store or visit to the u-pick farm. You can keep them in the original plastic clamshell or in a covered bowl or container.
Are blueberries washed before packing?
Rinse them gently in cool water then allow to dry in a colander or on paper towel. Pack them into sealed containers until you're ready to use them. Blueberries: Don't wash before freezing (it can make their skins tough). Instead, pack your blueberries into freezable containers.
How do you keep freshly washed blueberries fresh?
It's simple really: just give them a quick bath in a vinegar and water solution the moment you get them home, dry them, and place them in a clean container lined with paper towels. The vinegar helps to kill any mold that could cause them to spoil, and this method can make them last as long as 10 days in our house!
How long do blueberries stay fresh after being picked?
If refrigerated, fresh-picked blueberries will keep 10 to 14 days. Freeze berries in freezer containers without washing to keep the skins from toughening.
What happens if you don't Rinse blueberries?
Eating unwashed produce may cause you to ingest harmful bacteria, which may be present in the soil, or pesticides applied to produce in the fields. What's more, you might even end up eating bugs that were harvested along with the produce.
How long do blueberries last after washing?
5. Store properly. Store berries at room temperature if you plan to eat them soon, or place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Do grocery store blueberries need to be washed?
2. Blueberries. Unless you plan to eat them immediately, there's no need to jump the gun on washing blueberries. These small summer fruits last longest when stored in the back of the refrigerator, and washed just before eating.
Should fresh blueberries float or sink?
A common practice when harvesting blueberries is to pour the ripe and unripe mixture of blueberries into a tank of water to not only wash them, but also cause ripe berries to sink and green or unripened berries to float on the surface to be skimmed off and separated.
Do you wash fresh picked blueberries?
You do need to wash blueberries just before eating them. Washing berries removes unwanted residue and debris that may not be good to consume. Blueberries need to be washed by the time you eat them. Sometimes it's better to not wash blueberries before storing them.
Are blueberries still good after 2 weeks?
Properly stored, blueberries will usually keep for about 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge.
What is the best way to store fresh berries?
Berries will stay fresh for about 5 days when stored at temperatures between 36° and 40°F. Returning them to their original packaging after sorting is fine, but they'll stay fresh longer if moved to a shallow container where they can be spread into a single layer instead of stacked; loosely cover with a clean towel.
Should store bought blueberries be washed?
Yes, you're supposed to wash blueberries, no matter where they came from.
Are blueberries supposed to be washed?
Most berries should not be washed until they are being used. Excess water can cause premature spoilage for delicate, antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries and raspberries, even gooseberries.
Do grocery store blueberries need to be washed?
2. Blueberries. Unless you plan to eat them immediately, there's no need to jump the gun on washing blueberries. These small summer fruits last longest when stored in the back of the refrigerator, and washed just before eating.
Do you need to wash off blueberries?
Cleaning blueberries before you eat them is an important way to remove mold and bacteria as well as pesticides. The easiest way to wash them off is by rinsing them under a gentle stream of cold water, although you can use vinegar for extra cleaning power.
How to pack blueberries in a ziploc bag?
In a Ziploc bag, pack approximately a quart of fresh blueberries. Place each bag into a disposable plastic storage container to provide extra protection to the fragile berries during transport. Place the storage containers side by side at the bottom of a plastic foam cooler.
How to keep berries from getting burnt in freezer?
Measure the inside of the cooler and take a piece of cardboard that fits inside. Lay the cardboard on top of the plastic containers. The cardboard will protect the berries from getting direct contact from dry ice and avoid freezer burn. Take 2 lbs. of dry ice and place on top of the cardboard.
When are blueberries in season?
Blueberries are yummy fruits with flavors ranging from mildly sweet to tart and tangy. They are mainly native to North America and are in season from May to August. Blueberries spoil quickly after harvest, so they should be frozen or consumed quickly. Here is a practical guideline on how to ship fresh blueberries that can help ensure ...
How Do You Ship Fresh Berries?
When you have berries to ship around the U.S., the best way to move them is by the truckload. Not only is it easy, but it’s also fast and relatively cheap compared to other methods of shipping. Additionally, many transportation companies and freight shipping services offer refrigerated or temperature-controlled freight trucks, so you can ensure that your shipment of berries never gets too warm. However, in order to ship your berries by the truckload, you’re going to need to palletize them first.
How to keep berries fresh?
You will need to package them in sturdy corrugated fiberboard boxes and keep the temperature at 0 degrees Celsius at all times to ensure your berries stay fresh and intact.
Where are Berries Grown?
The U.S. is a top producer of berries in the world, and different varieties are grown in all 50 States. Up until recently, berries could only be enjoyed for a few months out of the year. The only way to get berries throughout the year was to have them frozen. Though frozen berries are still a favorite sweet treat in American households, now berries can be enjoyed fresh at any time of the year!
How many pounds of blueberries were produced in 2016?
With over 690 million pounds of wild and cultivated blueberries produced in 2016, the United States outproduced its nearest competitor, Canada, by more than double. No other country comes anywhere close to competing with blueberry production in the U.S.
Why do frozen berries defrost in a truck?
The most important factor with shipping frozen berries is the temperature. If the temperature inside the truck raises above freezing temperature, then the berries will defrost and leak juice. That also greatly increases the odds of the berries spoiling during the trip. If the temperature is allowed to get warm for even a few hours before being corrected, the berries could melt and refreeze into a solid chunk, making them less useful and enjoyable to the end consumer.
What is the best container for shipping berries?
The container of choice for experienced produce shippers is corrugated fiberboard, regardless of whether the berries are being shipped to manufacturers or retailers. It offers superior protection from impacts and has an unmatched weight to strength ratio. It is also cheaper than almost every other kind of packing material. These factors make it the best choice for packaging berries.
Why do you need to package berries?
Berries are a notoriously small and delicate kind of fruit, so naturally, you are going to need to package them extremely carefully to ensure they don’t get smashed in transit. The strength of the package should always be the top priority since boxes and pallets are often stacked on top of one another. If the packaging fails, you could end up with a mess of juice and smashed berries.
How to keep berries from freezing in a cooler?
Cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside the cooler. It should be large enough to cover the top of both containers. The cardboard will protect the berries from freezer burn.
How to pack a quart of berries?
Pack approximately a quart of berries in each plastic zip-close bag. Pack each bag of berries into a disposable plastic storage container to protect the fragile berries during transport. Place the storage containers side by side in the bottom of a plastic foam cooler.
What to do if a cooler is too big for berries?
If the cooler is too large for just the berries and the ice, pack the rest of the cooler with plastic foam packing material to keep the contents cold.
Where do blueberries grow?
Blueberries require very specific growing conditions – acidic soil and warm days with cool nights. Blueberries grow best in Northern and Midwestern United States. Blueberries spoil quickly when off the vine, so they should be frozen or consumed quickly.
How to write dry ice on a package?
Cover the cooler with two layers of brown mailing paper. Address the package. Write the words: "Refrigerated Food," and "Contains Dry Ice" on the outside of the package.
Harvesting and handling
Blueberries have a blue to blue-black epidermis or skin that is covered by a waxy bloom, giving the fruit a light blue appearance. The flesh is creamy-white to green in color and juicy.
Cooling and storage
Rapidly pre-cooling fresh blueberries to near 0°C and maintaining that temperature suppresses decay development and preserves the market quality.
Cautions
Oxygen below 2% can cause off-flavours. Carbon dioxide above 20% can cause skin browning and off-flavours.
Storage disorders
Alternaria fruit rot, Anthracnose fruit rot, Colletotrichum sp., Grey mould rot, Mummy berry, Herbicide injuries, Phomopsis vaccinii, Red ringspot.
Why are blueberries so hard to transport?
Blueberries are highly pressure sensitive and must therefore be handled with care during transport and storage. Mechanical injury causes the juice, which causes severe staining, to leak and leads to rapid spoilage of the cargo.
How are blueberries packaged?
Blueberries are mainly packaged in quantities of 1 – 3 kg in chip baskets and trays of wood, paperboard or plastic. To prevent the fruit from drying out, 200 – 250 g punnets are wrapped in polyethylene film.
What is the purpose of care of cargo during a voyage?
Care of the cargo during the voyage must be aimed at controlling respiration processes (release of CO 2 , water vapor, ethylene and heat ) in such a way that the cargo is at the desired stage of ripeness on reaching its destination. Inadequate ventilation may result in fermentation and rotting of the cargo as a result of increased CO 2 levels and inadequate supply of atmospheric oxygen (see Ventilation).
What family are blueberries in?
Blueberries, also known as bilberries, belong to the heather family (Ericaceae).
Why do you need to secure packages?
Because of its considerable impact- and pressure-sensitivity, packages of this cargo must be secured in such a way that they are prevented from damaging each other. Spaces between packages or pallets must be filled, to prevent slippage or tipping. By selecting the correct packaging size or cargo unit ( area module or area module multiple ), holds can be tightly loaded (without spaces).
Why is fruit handled with care?
Because of its impact- and pressure-sensitivity, the fruit has to be handled with appropriate care. The required refrigeration temperature must always be maintained, even during cargo handling. In damp weather (rain, snow), the cargo must be protected from moisture, as there is otherwise a risk of premature spoilage.
Do you need a phytosanitary certificate for shipping?
The quarantine regulations of the country of destination must be complied with and a phytosanitary certificate may have to be enclosed with the shipping documents. Information may be obtained from the phytosanitary authorities of the countries concerned.
