An extended range of tailored soft-fruit packaging designed to protect and ventilate produce was unveiled this week by Infia UK.

The KappaPlus collection of punnets and trays will be released in time for the 2007-08 soft fruit season and will include several new designs.

The range features a transpiration hole embedded in the edge of the packaging to increase airflow and ventilation, and has a securely fitted lid with a rib design to increase pack strength and improve protection during transit.

Ian Seamark, sales director at Infia UK, said: “Packaging has to strike a delicate balance between protecting the fruit from external contamination, whilst allowing the product to breathe. By incorporating a ventilation system into the packaging, you can keep the fruit fresher for longer and limit the amount that ends up as waste. The ventilation system can also be successfully tailor-made for the needs of the fruit, with one example being our new side-ventilated punnet, which is ideal for grapes.”

He emphasised the importance of the quality of packaging for consumer preference. “UK customers demand quality produce that is well presented. It is essential that packaging meets the very specific needs of the fresh produce industry by providing additional protection during transit, preventing bruising to the contents during handling and presenting the produce to the customer in a way which reflects the quality of the product on offer,” he said.

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