TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to packaging of respiring produce, in particular vegetables, fruits and/or herbs, more in particular vegetables, fruits and/or herbs that are minimally processed. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for making perforations in a packaging material and a method of producing micro-perforated bags.

BACKGROUND

In an agricultural produce logistics chain, the produce such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, mushrooms and/or flowers, is grown and harvested at a grower, possibly preceded by sowing, multiplication and/or nursing in a separate culturing and/or nursing facility. The harvested products are then transported to a packing facility or: "packer", usually in boxes, crates or similar containers. The packer collects harvested produce, sometimes from several growers and growing sites, and reassembles the collected produce into wholesale portions

according to specific criteria for long-range transport to wholesale clients, e.g. including grading in terms of size, ripeness, age, quality, etc. The wholesale clients may then divide the wholesale portions into retail portions and

distribute these retail portions to retailers for sale to consumers, which may comprise sub-division of the retail

portions into consumer portions prior to sale and/or prior to offering for sale.

The primary packer therefore is confronted with a supply stream of grower' s products from different origin and with different quality, from which wholesale orders according to diverse, well-defined parameters have to be assembled. The parameters comprise wholesale client specifications such as portion size, quality requirements and possible consumer

demands, and they comprise transport demands for the long-range transport between the packer and the wholesale clients, possibly also extending to transport between the wholesale client and the retailer. The transport demands may relate to the duration and/or the means of the transportation, e.g. road and/or railroad transport, sea transport, inland waterways transport, air transport, and combinations thereof. Long-range transport comprises at least one of transport in a conditioned container, such as a controlled atmosphere shipping container or a reefer shipping container, e.g. of standard 40-foot size, air

transport, sea transport and transport over a period longer than 3 days. The transport demands may further relate to customs requirements, including pest control and/or quarantine. The packer therefore is sometimes also referred to as "order decoupling station" between a production supply chain and a transport and sales supply chain.

To maintain quality of fresh respiring produce, the produce can be packed using so-called controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP) technology, in which the produce is packed in a micro-perforated film allowing restricted exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases between the interior of the package and the ambient atmosphere. This causes one or more of: reducing respiration, slowing down ripening processes, reducing spread of pathogens, preventing softening, preventing changes in colour, smell and/or taste of the produce. Another option is using modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology which relies on modifying an atmosphere inside the package different from the ambient atmosphere, e.g. by addition of one or more gases and/or by addition of one or more scavengers or other modifiers into the package before closing the package. In some cases, CAP and MAP may be combined.

It is known that different species of produce have different respiration rates and CAP packages should have

associated transmission characteristics.

Since different supply and/or demand requirements need packaging material with different transmission rates, and further in view of increasing quality demands, packaging film- and bag suppliers have specialised in development and manufacture of more different packaging materials, e.g. improving bag making machines and perforation machines. Although working very successfully, such machine tends to be bulky and take up valuable real estate.

In view of the afore-mentioned diversity in supply and/or demand properties, and in view of the common quality fluctuations in packaging materials and long delivery times, often lasting longer than a harvesting campaign, packers should maintain large and diverse stocks of packaging material. This has proven to be not feasible and packers have to rely on best fit packaging material suitable for most produce, e.g.

maintaining stocks for a standard size bags and/or standard transmission rate.

As a consequence, in practice there is significant drive for improving CAP packaging.

Various aspects of micro-perforating packaging films for CAP and/or MAP are already known, e.g. from WO 02/12068, EP 2 300 323, WO 2011/151245, WO 2011/151305 and WO 2014/129904. Although these techniques are now tried and trusted, further improvements in one or more of reliability, efficiency and cost effectiveness of packaging of wholesale portions of respiring produce are still desired.

SUMMARY

In view of the preceding, herewith an improved

apparatus and method of the aforementioned kind are provided, as set out below.

In an aspect, the apparatus is for making perforations in a tubular packaging material, in particular a tubular polymer film. The apparatus comprises a micro-perforator, a bag sealer, a cutter, and a conveyor for transporting a web of tubular packaging material along a path through the apparatus, e.g. from a supply reel to a take-up reel, passing the micro-perforator, the bag sealer and the cutter for forming the packaging material into micro-perforated wholesale packaging bags.

Thus, different from several processing steps being performed on different apparatus, the presently provided apparatus itself produces from a packaging material web micro- perforated wholesale bags. This improves quality control since the web and the apparatus need be adjusted only once instead of anew for each different apparatus. Further, the risk of mistakes between successive manufacturing steps is minimized. As a result, presently available packaging material may have a tolerance no better than 50% or occasionally even 100% of the rated and/or intended transmission for oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene and/or water. Prototypes of apparatus according to the present principles have already achieved less than 10% variation from their rated and/or intended transmissions. The present apparatus also facilitates relating bag sizes and the micro- perforations (number and/or sizes) to each other on a single web of material. This obviates maintaining stocks of micro- perforated material or of non-perforated bags, which may result in sub-optimal produce packaging and/or reduction of packaging material waste when smaller portions are to be packaged than the bag size in stock. Moreover, it has been found that the optimum number and/or size of micro-perforations for any package is closely related to the head space of the package, i.e. the part of the package inner volume that is unoccupied by the produce in the package. Thus, use of a comparably too large bag for the amount of produce which could reduce or prevent reaching a desired CAP-package atmosphere as intended with the micro- perforations may be prevented.

Further, each known bag-forming apparatus and film perforator apparatus operating on a web requires a labyrinth for tensioning the respective web. In the present apparatus a labyrinth may be obviated or a single labyrinth of limited length, e.g. down to a single tensioner roll or "dancer", suffices. This reduces production space.

In an aspect, the apparatus is for making perforations in a packaging material, in particular a tubular packaging material, more in particular a polymer film. The apparatus comprises a micro-perforator and optionally one or more of a cutter, a bag sealer and a printer. The apparatus further comprises a conveyor for transporting a web of the packaging material along a path through the apparatus, e.g. from a supply reel to a take-up reel, passing the micro-perforator and one or more of the cutter, the bag sealer and the printer.

The conveyor comprises one or more servo motors and/or stepper motors for the transporting of the web and/or the conveyor is provided with at least one distance detector, e.g. based on an encoder wheel, detecting displacement of the web at or near at least one of the supply reel, the micro-perforator, the take-up reel, the cutter, the bag sealer, and the printer, if present.

The apparatus may be configured for forming the

packaging material into micro-perforated packages, in particular in microperforated packaging bags, more in particular in

microperforated wholesale packaging bags.

A servo motor, stepper motor and/or a distance detector enables accurate detection of and/or control over displacement of the web. This may also obviate a labyrinth or other systems in the apparatus to control displacement of the web by tension regulation. Thus, the apparatus may have a comparably small size. Further, accurate feedback control may be facilitated improving consistency, predictability and therewith quality of the formed material.

These aspects, and associated method steps likewise, may be employed independently or in combination in one

apparatus. In combination the apparatus and methods prove excessively beneficial as detailed below. E.g. the servo motor, stepper motor and/or a distance detector may also obviate a single "dancer" and/or improve control over (movement of) a tubular foil, since stress and/or deformation of the web, e.g. due to thickness of the web and/or (tendency of) movement of the different layers relative to each other may be regulated and/or prevented.

In this text, micro-perforations are perforations with an open surface area below 1 square millimetre, typically with a diameter of about 100 to 1000 micrometre and/or an open surface area of about 0,01 to 0,8 square millimetre, e.g. in a range of 100 to 500 micrometre diameter and/or 0,01 to 0,2 square millimetre open surface area, like 200-350 micrometre diameter and/or 0,03-0,1 square millimetre open surface area.

A wholesale container is a container with sufficient volume to contain a plurality of regular consumer portions, for instance a container with sufficient volume to contain typically more than 1 kg of the produce, e.g. 2,5 kg, 5 kg or more of a produce as berries, or a container with a volume V > 1,5 litre, typically V > 2,5 litre or V > 5 litre. Suitable sizes may depend on the produce, e.g. ca . 100 oranges or more, ca. 25 bell peppers or more, 6 water melons or more, ca. 5 kilogrammes of spinach leaves or more, 100 or more stems of cut flowers. The containers can be crates, boxes, bottles or any other suitable types of palletizable containers. Particularly useful are rectangular stackable boxes without protruding parts, such as cardboard boxes or plastic crates.

A good vapour exchange for most produce is obtained if the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) is at least about 5 gms/24hr/m2 at 38° C and 90% relative humidity (RH) , e.g., at least about 50 gms/24hr/m2 at 38° C and 90% RH, e.g., at least about 200 gms/24hr/m2 at 38° C and 90%, e.g., about 50 - about 300 gms/24hr/m2 at 38° C and 90% relative humidity (RH) ,

measured in accordance with ASTM standard F1249-06.

The WVTR is mainly determined by the type of film material used. Good results are for example obtained with films comprising biodegradable polymers, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) , poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) , polyhydroxyvalerate (PHV) ,

polyhydroxyhexanoate (PHH) , cellulose acetate, nitro-cellulose, polylactic acid, polybutylene succinate (PBS) , polycaprolactone (PCL) , polyanhydrides etc. The film may for example comprise a partly or fully laminated structures, or a single layer

substrate, for instance multi-layer paper laminate, polymeric laminate, single layer polymeric films etc. A layer of

metallization may also be provided. The film can for example be made by extrusion processes such as blowing, casting or

calendaring processes. Extrusion and/or blowing are preferred for manufacturing a tubular material. Examples of particularly suitable films are disclosed in WO 2016/071922. The film may for example have an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) between 1000 - 4000 CC/24hr/m2 at 23° C, measured in accordance with ASTM standard F2622.

The conveyor may be configured for transporting the web of tubular packaging material packaging material in flattened form through the apparatus, such that opposite wall portions of the packaging material lie close to each other, in particular against each other, the apparatus being configured for

simultaneously making micro-perforations through the packaging material and thus through plural such wall portions of the packaging material in the flattened form. The flattened form may be provided by a simple pressing down of the tubular material and/or by providing one or more gussets along the material.

In order to provide and/or maintain a flattened form, in particular such that opposite wall portions of the packaging material lie close to each other, in particular against each other at least at an operative position of the perforator where the micro-perforation is (to be) made in the film, the apparatus may comprise a press in the conveyor path and/or a support in the conveyor path having a curved surface over which the

material is (to be) pulled taut.

It has been found that simultaneously making plural perforations through plural wall portions of a folded or

flattened packaging material may be done with sufficient

accuracy for CAP and that adjacent layers of thermoplastic polymer films may not melt together or otherwise affect each other negatively during the micro-perforation process. Thus, micro-perforated bags may be made from tubular material instead of from micro-perforated sheets that thereafter are

longitudinally connected, e.g. welded, to form a bag.

When the tubular material is fabricated directly in a tubular shape (e.g. by extrusion, blowing, casting, etc.) it lacks a longitudinal closure like a seam, a weld or other closure, which obviates the material associated with such closure. Moreover, a constant material thickness and material strength around the package may be provided. Thus, cost benefits and structural benefits are achievable compared to forming a bag into a tubular shape from sheet material as a secondary production step. Moreover, the width of a tubular web to be handled by the apparatus for a package with a given size will generally be less than half the width of a single sheet film to be formed into a bag afterward. Note further that most single sheet films for packaging material have actually been formed from tubular foils that have been cut open and turned into two single sheet films of narrower width. Micro-perforating a tubular film therefore may save a significant number of

processing steps and associated resources. The apparatus may be provided with a supply of tubular web material, the tubular web material preferably being a polymer material, e.g. a polymeric film and/or a polymer laminate. Preferably, the supply is provided on a reel.

The cutter may be configured to fully cut the web, providing separate bags, and/or to partly cut the web, e.g.

providing a tear line. In the latter case, a series of bags may be provided as an essentially continuous web, to be separated into individual bags at another time and/or location. In such case, the apparatus may comprise a pick-up reel for the series of bags for later separation. In an embodiment wherein bags are separated, the apparatus may comprise a container-lining device and/or a container packing device to provide boxes, crates, tubs or similar shape-maintaining self-supporting containers with a micro-perforated bag as a liner. Also or alternatively, the apparatus may wrap such container in a micro-perforated bag. The cutter may provide straight separation lines and/or nonlinear separation lines, e.g. for providing bags with tabs and/or handles .

The apparatus may comprise a packager comprising a feeder for wholesale containers, e.g. boxes or crates,

preferably filled containers, and the packer may be configured to provide the container with a micro-perforated bag thus forming a Controlled Atmosphere Packaging ("CAP") wholesale package. The micro-perforator may be a laser perforator. This is hygienic and provides a large degree of freedom for setting and maintaining specifications for the micro-perforations made.

The apparatus may comprise a printer for printing symbols on the packaging material along the path. The symbols may comprise eye marks for triggering subsequent process steps. The symbols may comprise indications related to a bag size and/or to indications related to parameters of the micro- perforations and/or to product specifications. Such indication may be related to at least one of a parameter of one or more micro-perforations made in the web by the micro-perforator, to a parameter of the packaging material, e.g. a transmission rate, and/or a bag size, and to a parameter of the produce to be packaged in the material .

The apparatus may comprise an optical detector, in particular a camera, being configured to inspect one or more micro-perforations. This enables quality control and feedback on the production process, e.g. checking correct focusing of the laser .

An optical detector in-line with the perforator is beneficial in that it enables quality control of the micro- perforations, possibly including quality control and/or

detection of particular properties of the layer furthest from the detector and behind another layer. It is noted that optical detectors may have a very sharply defined depth of focus and may therefore be used for detection of a single layer; in

embodiments, multiple optical detectors with different focus position and/or depth of focus may be employed. An optical detector may be provided on same the side and/or on an opposite side of the material as the micro-perforator.

The apparatus may comprise a detector, for determining at least one of a sealing site, a cutting site and a micro- perforation site, e.g. an optical detector configured to detect a site indication and/or an eye mark. Such detector facilitates the production process and may enable determination of a correct bag size, correct placement of micro-perforations etc. The apparatus may comprise a controller connected with the micro-perforator, the bag sealer and the cutter and

possibly, when the present, one or more of the printer, the detector, the container-lining device and the container packing device. The controller may be configured to control operation of the apparatus in dependence of data from, when present, one or more of the micro-perforator, the bag sealer, the cutter, the printer, the detector and a material supply detector. A material supply detector may comprise an optical detector, a weighing device, an encoder coupled with a roller, etc.

Also or alternatively, the system may comprise a distance detector, e.g. an encoder wheel driven by the conveyor and/or by the packaging material. Also or alternatively, a commercial eye mark-triggered cutter may be utilized.

The apparatus may comprise both a printer and an optical detector in succession for printing and then detecting eye marks. Triggering process steps by eye marks is a developed technology and devices may be readily available. Printing eye marks in relation to preceding process steps for subsequent detection for other process steps within one apparatus

facilitates use of trusted technology in combination with free adjustment of other process steps.

The apparatus may comprise, or at least be connected to, at least one of a gas composition detector, a thermometer, a hygrometer, a weight detector. Thus, properties of the produce to be packaged may be determined and packages may be provided accordingly, e.g. having more or less micro-perforations.

In accordance with the preceding, in an aspect a method of producing micro-perforated bags is provided which comprises conveying a web of tubular packaging material along a path through an apparatus for making perforations in a tubular packaging material, in particular a tubular polymer film, wherein the method comprises, each along the track, micro- perforating portions of the tubular film, sealing portions of the tubular film, and severing the film along separation lines associated with the sealed portions to divide the tubular film into a plurality of micro-perforated bags. The method steps may be done in any desired suitable sequence, however, it may be preferred that sealing is performed prior to micro-perforating since this may (further) fixate separate layers of the packaging material to each other and improve quality of the micro- perforations. In particular, the bag production step may be carried out on an apparatus according to this disclosure.

The method may comprise printing symbols on the packaging material along the path, e.g. such as eye marks, package specifications and/or closing indications.

In accordance with the preceding, in an aspect a method of packaging respiring produce is provided which comprises the steps of: providing a wholesale container with the micro- perforated packaging bag;

providing a batch of produce to be packaged and packaging the batch in the wholesale container with the micro- perforated packaging bag.

In an aspect is provided a method of packaging respiring produce, such as vegetables, fruits, herbs and/or flowers, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting a batch of the produce;

assembling the collected produce into a number of wholesale portions having a produce portion size;

packaging each of the wholesale portions in a respective bag of micro-perforated packaging material thus forming respective Controlled Atmosphere Packaging ("CAP") wholesale packages;

long-distance transporting the CAP wholesale packages; wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

determining a respiration rate of the produce, which optionally comprises determining a respiration rate of at least part of the batch of the produce, in particular measuring a respiration rate and possibly calculating a respiration rate based on measurement data, determining a package volume for each of the wholesale packages,

determining a package amount of packaging material for each of the wholesale packages, providing an amount of tubular packaging material having a specific transmission rate for one or more vapours and/or gases,

determining a package transmission rate for each of the wholesale packages in dependence of one or more of the produce portion size, the respiration rate, the package volume, the package amount and the transmission rate,

wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

providing a tubular packaging material, micro- perforating portions of the packaging material and sealing portions of the packaging material to define micro-perforated bags for packaging each of the wholesale portions in a

respective bag to form the respective wholesale packages, and separating the respective micro-perforated bags.

Determining a respiration rate of the produce and/or at least part of the batch of the produce may comprise measuring a respiration rate and it may comprise calculating a respiration rate based on measurement data, wherein transport variables and/or storage variables may be taken into account, e.g.

temperatures, environmental gas composition etc. e.g. accounting for an environmental atmosphere having a low pressure and/or a low concentration of oxygen such as may be encountered in air transport compared to sea transport. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-described aspects will hereafter be more explained with further details and benefits with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment of the invention by way of example .

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of an apparatus for making perforations in a packaging material;

Fig. 2 shows a number of bags;

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of an apparatus;

Fig. 4 indicates steps of a method provided herewith.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS It is noted that the drawings are schematic, not necessarily to scale and that details that are not required for understanding the present invention may have been omitted. The terms "upward", "downward", "below", "above", and the like relate to the embodiments as oriented in the drawings, unless otherwise specified. Further, elements that are at least

substantially identical or that perform an at least

substantially identical function are denoted by the same

numeral .

Fig. 1 shows a preferred apparatus 1 for making perforations in a packaging material, in particular a web 2 of a tubular polymer film, comprising a supply reel 3, a take-up reel 4, and guides 5, 6 together defining a conveyor for transporting the web 2 along a path through the apparatus 1. The supply reel 3 and take-up reel 4 are controllably driven by respective servo motors (see arrows) . Suitable polymer films are generally known and include films made of polyethylene, polypropylene,

polyester, polyamide, and cellophane, in monolayers and

laminates. The packaging material is provided as a tubular material in the conveying direction of the conveyor; in the shown apparatus the packaging material is flattened and

effectively transported as a double-layered web 2. The apparatus may comprise as part of the path a web tensioner, e.g. one or more rollers and/or stationary guides (not shown) .

The apparatus 1 further comprises a laser 7, here having a focal point adjustable in both size and position relative to the position of the web 2, and an optional in-line detector, in this example an optical detector such as a

(digital) camera 8, for measuring one or more parameters of the perforations made with the laser. More than one laser and/or one detector may be provided. An optional light source 9 is

positioned opposite the digital camera 8, i.e. on the other side of the film, to improve the signal to noise ratio of the

information obtained with the camera. The apparatus further comprises a printer 10, a bag sealer 11 and a bag cutter 12, here being integrated in one device. In this example, the laser 1 , the camera 8, the printer 10, the bag sealer 11 and the bag cutter 12 are each connected to a controller 13. The motors of the conveyor are also connected to the controller 13 (not shown) . The laser 7 comprises an optional lens and the focal point of the laser 7 can adjusted by moving at least part of laser 7 and/or the lens up or down (as indicated by the double arrow) . Similarly, at least part of the camera 8 and/or a lens of the camera 8 may be adjustable (not shown) .

The shown apparatus comprises an optional support S in the conveyor path, having a support surface over which at least a portion of the web 2 is guided, being supported by the surface of the support S at or near the position of the laser 7 and/or the camera 8, preferably in both positions as shown here. Thus, definition of the position of the web 2 with respect to the position of the laser focus and/or the camera focus is improved. and opposite layer portions of the tubular film may be held together. Preferably, the web 2 is taut over the support S, for which (part of) the support S and/or one or more guides 5, 6 may be adjustable, e.g. in height and/or parallel to the web 2, e.g. for particular webs and/or positions of (the holes in) the web 2, and/or for regulating a compression force for holding

opposite layer portions of the tubular film together.

The closer the opposite wall portions lie to each other, the better it appears to be possible to make a micro- perforation in both wall portions together. A layer of air between the layers of the web 2 at the operative position of the laser beam (where the micro-perforation is (to be) made may cause scattering of the laser beam and/or cause (further) separation of the layers due to molten material of the top layer, thus affecting the focus on the lower layer; pressing together the web layers prevents such air layer and improves the quality of the micro-perforations.

The supporting surface 13 of the support 12 may have a predetermined curvature. The (supporting surface 13 of the) support 12 preferably comprises a smooth, hard and/or low friction surface, e.g. comprising polished metal, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and/or polytetrafluorethene (PTFE, Teflon®) and may have rounded edges. This may prevent harming the film. The support S may comprise a slot in or through the support surface, which is arranged along at least part of the intended path of a perforation and overlaps the position of the laser beam, and which preferably has dimensions wider than that of the diameter of the perforations to be made. This prevents deforming and/or closing perforations by smearing still-molten material from the edges of freshly-made perforations improving quality and repeatability. It also assists providing and

maintaining the support surface and/or the web 2 clean.

Further, an optional produce detector D is connected to the controller 13. It is noted that the controller 13 may also be provided with a memory and/or be connected with a storage device for storing and/or retrieving produce data, package data and associated apparatus settings. The memory may be a remote memory and the connection may be via the Internet.

In use, the web 2 is conveyed along the path through the apparatus from the supply reel 3, to the take-up reel 4.

Along the track, portions of the web 2 are optionally printed with markings by the printer 10, portions of the web 2 are micro-perforating by the laser 7 and inspected, e.g. for quality control with the camera 8, sealed portions are defined in the web 2 by the sealer 11 and the web is partly cut by the cutter 12 providing tear lines for separating individual micro- perforated bags from the web 2.

Prototypes have already proven consistency between large numbers of micro-perforation to within 10% variation of open surface area between all openings (top layer and bottom layer) and to within 10% deviation from one or more desired transmission rates of the film and better than 15% has proven readily achievable.

Fig. 2 shows a portion of the web 2 in which three micro-perforated bags 14A, 14B, 14C are defined by seals 15 and tear lines 16, each bag 14A, 14B, 14C has a series of micro- perforations 17A, 17B, 17C. The seals 15 provide a bottom of each bag. The tear lines 16 facilitate separation of the

respective bag from a remainder of the web; thus separated bags may be opened from the side of the tear line. Tear lines 16 may be made adjacent each seal 15 in the web for providing a

sequence of bags having equal orientation on the web (see Fig. 2) . Additional tear lines may be provided (not shown) . Each bag 14 is further provided with optional markings 18 identifying a filling height and/or ac losing position and markings 19A-19C of the bag size, of characteristics of the micro-perforations 17A, 17B, 17C of the respective bag 14A, 14B, 14C and possibly an eye mark (not shown) which may be detected by the perforator 7, the sealer 11 and/or the cutter 12 for respectively micro- perforating, sealing and/or cutting the respective bag (-to-be) . In Fig. 2 all bags 14A-14C differ from each other, but several or all bags from one web 2 of packaging material may be

identical. Instead of a take-up reel 4 the bag cutter 12 may fully separate individual bags .

Since for each type and amount of produce the number and/or size of the micro-perforations should be in accordance with the produce volume to be packed and the package volume, together determining a remaining head space in the package, the filling height and/or a closing position may be marked (see markings 18) to assist in and/or ensure that the bags are appropriately filled and closed and correct head space is defined for establishing an optimum CAP package atmosphere.

By intermittent displacement of the web 2, e.g.

facilitated by controlling the servo motors, devices such as the laser 7, the printer 10, the bag sealer 11, the bag cutter 12, that are to interact with and/or operate on the web 2 may be and/or may operate stationary. This simplifies construction and operation of the apparatus over provision and/or control of moving device parts.

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of an apparatus 100.

Instead of a take-up reel 4, the apparatus 100 comprises a packager 20 comprising a feeder 21 for wholesale containers 22, here boxes. The packager 20 is configured to provide the

containers 22 with a micro-perforated bag 14 as a liner to the container 22, to be filled with produce and closed to form a

Controlled Atmosphere Packaging ("CAP") wholesale package. The bag 14 is separated from the web 2 and inserted into the container 22 by action of a cutter 23 and inserter 24 which may be known per se. In another embodiment, not shown, a packager configured to pack the container in a micro-perforated bag, instead of or in addition to packing the micro-perforated bag in the container, may be provided.

Fig. 4 indicates a typical embodiment of a method 100 for packaging wholesale portions of respiring produce, such as vegetables, fruits, herbs and/or flowers. In the method, in step 102 a batch of the produce is collected. In step 104, the collected batch of produce is divided, graded, (re-) distributed and/or otherwise assembled into a number of wholesale portions having a produce portion size. In step 106, each of the

wholesale portions is packaged in a respective micro-perforated bag forming respective Controlled Atmosphere Packaging (CAP) wholesale packages produced in a step 108. In step 110 the CAP wholesale packages are thereafter transported to wholesale clients .

The micro-perforated bags are produced as described above, generally indicated as a step 108 in Fig. 4, wherein the number and/or size of the micro-perforations is controlled to desired CAP-parameters . In order to determine the correct CAP- parameters, several method steps (not indicated in Fig. 4) may be followed, which may be done in any suitable sequence and/or at least partly in parallel as indicated above; determining a respiration rate of the produce, which optionally comprises determining a respiration rate of at least part of the batch of the produce; determining a package volume for each of the wholesale packages; determining a package amount of packaging material for each of the wholesale packages; providing an amount of tubular packaging material having a material transmission rate for one or more vapours and/or gases, which may comprise providing an amount of tubular packaging material and

determining from the provided material a material transmission rate for one or more vapours and/or gases. In dependence of one or more of the produce portion size, the respiration rate, the package volume, the package amount and the material transmission rate, a package transmission rate for each of the wholesale packages is determined and associated numbers and/or sizes of micro-perforations to be provided in the packaging material are determined, which may include determining positions of the micro-perforations in the packaging material. Then, one or more bags are produced with the determined bag sizes and micro- perforations from the packaging material, separated and filled with the appropriate (amount of) produce (which may be

identified on the bag by the markings 19) ; note that the bag size may be larger than required for the final package to allow for an amount of material for closing the bag, e.g. refer to (the positions of) the closure markings 18 discussed above.

Closing the bag may be done by hand with a closing device (e.g. tie, clip, tape, elastic band etc.) and/or by folding and/or knotting. Also or alternatively, the bag may be (further) closed by other techniques, e.g. by welding using a hand-held welding device or an automated device which may be comprised in the apparatus .

The bag may be closed immediately after filling or produce may be filled in the bag and the bag being closed after a further treatment step and/or conditioning step, e.g. cooling.

Including the method of producing micro-perforated bags into the method of packaging the produce enables rapidly

responding to (properties of) the provided produce and any client demands with little stock maintenance. Further, bag size may be determined as desired from the web so that material use associated with oversized bags is reduced. Use of an integrated apparatus rather than separate apparatuses facilitates

optimisation and control of packaging process parameters and reducing waste.

The invention is not restricted to the above described embodiments which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims. For instance filling of the formed micro- perforated bags may be automated.

Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise .