THE BULK BIN METHOD OF HANDLING FRUIT.: I. COOLING AND BRUISING OF McINTOSH APPLES

Experiments were conducted to compare the rate of cooling and amount of bruising and stem puncturing of apples handled in 25-bushel bulk bins, and in conventional bushel boxes.Fruit in bins with no facilities for ventilation cooled more slowly than in bushel boxes; fruit in bins with a 1-inch opening on all sides of the bin, at floor level, cooled almost as quickly as in bushel boxes.McIntosh apples in good condition, dumped from the containers soon after being picked, suffered less bruising when handled in bins than when handled in boxes. There was no difference in the amount of stem puncturing caused by the two methods. When the apples were stored for 7 days without refrigeration before being dumped from the containers, there was no difference between the methods in the occurrence of bruising but there were more stem punctures in the bin-handled fruit. When the apples were held in cold storage for 36 days before being dumped, there was no difference between the methods, in either bruising or stem puncturing.