Fruit or Vegetable Pods

Abstract

The invention is drawn to methods and apparatus for protecting fruits and vegetables, particularly soft-skinned fruits and vegetables, from bruising, crushing and other damage during transport. Preferably, the apparatus of the present invention are designed for transport and protection of individual or small numbers of fruits and vegetables. Methods include methods for protecting fruit and vegetable from damage during transport.

Description

[0001]This patent application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to provisional patent application serial No. 61 / 001,618, filed Nov. 1, 2007, which application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]This invention is related to the food and food-related consumer industries.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]Many fruits and vegetables, including but not limited to soft skinned fruits and vegetables such as apples, peaches, grapes, tomatoes, apricots, melons, bananas, mangos, plums, berries, avocados, cherries, pears, nectarines, and oranges are susceptible to bruising or crushing. Bruising occurs when the skin or flesh of a fruit or vegetable is bruised, crushed or broken, thus causing physical injury to the plant cells involved. On a biochemical level, the membranes and / or cell walls of the injured part are broken and this permits normally sequestered intracellular enzymes and molecules to mix. In particular, phenolic molecu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]Accordingly, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus involving a container for transporting one or more item of fruit or vegetables while reducing the probability that the fruit or vegetable will become bruised during transport. Preferably, the container is sized to fit in a picnic basket, lunch box, or paper sack. In certain embodiments the cont...

Problems solved by technology

Many fruits and vegetables, including but not limited to soft skinned fruits and vegetables such as apples, peaches, grapes, tomatoes, apricots, melons, bananas, mangos, plums, berries, avocados, cherries, pears, nectarines, and oranges are susceptible to bruising or crushing.

Bruising occurs when the skin or flesh of a fruit or vegetable is bruised, crushed or broken, thus causing physical injury to the plant cells involved.

In particular, phenolic molecules in the fruit can become oxidized, leading to the dark discoloration most often characteristic of bruising.

Bruising can also result in the leakage of cellular water into plant tissue, resulting in localized areas of water-soaking and softnes...

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