Packing Process
A strict control of sanitation standards is required to preserve product quality throughout the packing process. All the procedures are in compliance with the applicable laws established by the Local County Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA, SENSA, USDA-APHIS, ETC).
Reception
In the entry of fruit to the packing plant they are identified by batch and variety in which then proceeds to heavy where the verification unit conducts sampling to verify that the lots are free from fly larvae of the fruit or below allowable percentage infestation.
Selection and Washing
The lots we pick our fruit from go through a selective process in which in which through visual inspection we remove defective units. Mangos that show defects caused by fruit diseases, such as, fruit rot, black spots and mold, are discarded to comply with our quality standards, leaving only the best fruit for further processing.
The next step is to immerse the remaining product in a 65% hypochlorite solution to remove any disease-causing microorganisms. This process complies with USDA and FDA standards.
In the following step, mangos are waxed and rinsed off using cylindrical brushes that spray a mixture of water and biodegradable detergent. This detergent is environmentally friendly and free of phosphates. The fruit is then put in plastic cases for supplementary plant-sanitation treatment.
Hydro Thermal Treatment
After being washed, mangos are put into plastic boxes and identified with the lot number assigned to them upon arrival. All boxes are stored in metal containers that hold up to 180 of 24.kg boxes each. Once a container is full, size records are checked to determine the proper exposure to the Hydro-Thermal treatment.
Hot water, averaging 46.1 C/ 115.5 F, is added to the tub. The amount of time a container remains in the tub varies depending on the product’s size and shape. To determine a suitable time frame, each tub is monitored with a computer system via sensors. The monitoring is based on the OC, UV, or TEF verifications, which assess the level of compliance with Mexican Official Standards (NOM) of each treatment performed for certification purposes.
Sorting, Packing and Palletizing
The packaging plant carries out strict quality control to ensure the proper handling of our products so that our clients can be sure of their high quality.
During the process mangos are sorted by sizes. Ataulfo mangos are classified by sizes 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22. For Red Varieties are sorted by sizes 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14. After being sorted, the mangos are packed in cardboard boxes weighing 4kg/ 9lb.
Finally, these boxes are palletized according to size and stored for later distribution.
Pre-cooling, Storage and Containerizing
Pallets are stored in cooling chambers to pre-cool the fruit and maintain a temperature of 13 C/ 55 F. This delays ripening, thus gaining shelf-life.
After obtaining the desired temperature, pallets are loaded to air-conditioned transport units that have undergone a strict cleaning process and who’s temperature matches that of the pre cooled fruit. Once the trucks are loaded, the containers are sealed with a certification mark.
Facilities and Processes
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