EXPORT SPOILAGE LOSSES CUT

USDA's Agricultural Research Service, the Department of the Army, and the Defense Supply Agency (DSA) recently completed a joint program of research leading to substantially reduced spoilage losses in overseas shipments of iceberg lettuce. The research was undertaken to compare the cost-effectiveness of supplying the armed forces commissaries at overseas bases with U.S.-grown, iceberg lettuce by air and by surface transportation in refrigerated van containers. When similar studies were conducted 3 years ago, losses to some DOD overseas shipments were as high as 25 to 30 percent. The joint ARS-DSA project has shown that, with proper care in selecting, packaging, loading, and refrigerating, iceberg lettuce can be safely shipped to a number of overseas commissaries with as little as 1 to 2 percent spoilage losses by air, and 6 to 7 percent losses by surface.

• Corporate Authors:

  United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association

  777 14th Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20005
• Authors:
  • NICHOLAS, C J
• Publication Date: 1974-3

Media Info

• Pagination: 7 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Exports; Farm produce; Perishables; Refrigerated cargo; Stowage; Temperature control (Structures)
• Old TRIS Terms: Agricultural exports; Cargo stowage; Cargo temperature control
• Subject Areas: Construction; Freight Transportation; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00057107
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Yearbook
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1974 12:00AM