Store Garlic

Store Garlic

Germination, Storage and Transportation of Garlic

Abstract

This article discusses the mechanism of garlic germination growth under
different temperature settings, and ways to store and transport garlic for long
distance shipment. It also discusses the cause and phenomenon of garlic
temperature burnt problem, and ways to inspect it and avoid it.

Keywords: garlic, garlic storage, Chinese garlic

About Author:  Mr. Gao Lifeng is expert for many years in shipping garlic ,
and manager of major Chinese garlic exporter Yafod International Limited ( http://www.prettygarlic.com ).

Garlic Germination and Storage

Garlic has got an internal germination. Garlic with long internal germination
has no commercial value. The harvest time of Henan and Shandong garlic of China
is in June. At the time of harvest, garlic germination is only 10% of the total
garlic clove section length. This situation can be kept for 3 months without
significant change. So from June to end August it is safe to put garlic outside
cold storage in north China as in summer the outside temperature is high, above
25 C. After August we keep our garlic in our cold storage warehouse to ensure no
germination growth. However, after end August we can still ship outside cold
storage garlic from south China for about 1-2 months because in south China
temperature is higher than in north. But if we are shipping to you from Qingdao
which is in north China, we have to use the cold storage or reefer garlic after
end August so that its germination will not move.

Using reefer HQRF containers should be able to guarantee you safely against
humidity damage and sprouting, because normally reefer containers set the
temperature at -3 C or 27 F (for more details see Appendix 1
below). This is the safe temperature to keep the garlic from internal
germination growing. If you need we can also put an independent Ryan temperature
recorder inside the container to keep a record of the temperature chart during
the transit. Each Ryan recorder costs $30.

Garlic is safe from internal germination growing or sprouting at a
temperature range either above 25 C or below 0 C. If between 0 C and 25 C then
its germination will easily grow. So if your country's local temperature is
above 25 C it should be safe after you unload the container for at least one
month to 45 days before the germination grows out of the garlic. In other words,
you have a 30-45 day shelf life as long as your local temperature is above 25 C.
Otherwise the shelf life is rather shorter. Normally shipping companies like
Maersk sets the humidity control at 65%. Ventilation can be set at closed at the
middle or late stage of the season because the skin of the garlic is already
dry. But once you unload the garlic out from reefer containers you must stack
them under good ventilation. Stack them rather loosely instead of tightly. If
possible get an electric fan to blow wind on them.
Sometimes garlic may get
temperature burn. People call it burnt garlic or waxed garlic (see some
pictures below). This is because the garlic may have got too much sunshine or
too low temperature in the cold storage.

If HQRF container is always plugged in with electricity at the set
temperature and humidity, it will not go bad in transit to your destination.  In
summer, for destination ports in Asian countries, we can safely ship the garlic
in one door open 20' FCL dry container to save the ocean freight.

We have many years of experience to ship good quality garlic to you, and help
you to store better in your country, avoiding any bad germination or burnt
garlic to happen.

Some problems about burnt garlic

A: burnt garlic in summer

Garlic which may be changed burnt garlic in summer are very little in
quantity. The main reason of burnt garlic happen in summer is the weather in
summer causing temperature very high, when new garlic just get in,  if in noon,
if fresh garlic in sunlight, (when temperature up 36 degree) the fresh garlic
are very easy changed burnt garlic. If it changed burnt garlic, we can find
their skin is green. Another reason is when we purchase so many quantity garlic
and put them together, if no hole for ventilation, part of middle of garlic are
very easy changed burnt garlic, or when we cover the plastic film on the garlic
in sunlight, top of garlic easy change burnt garlic, because in this time, north
china weather temperature is very high, so we must be avoid garlic changed burnt
garlic in sunlight.

B：Burnt garlic in cold storage

1.       One reason is the garlic have already changed into burnt garlic
before we put them into cold storage.

2.       We always start put garlic into cold storage from end of June to
20th  August, because Garlic out side temperature is very high, when we put more
quantity into cold storage one time, in order to speed reefer it, the owner of
cold storage always give more reefer and set very low temperature, part of
garlic near the fan opening are easy change burnt Garlic. Another factor is some
new cold storage owner have poor experience for control temperature. They always
set very low temperature ,when garlic always in so low temperature, many of them
changed burnt garlic.

3.       The owner cold storage in order to keep the humidity in cold
storage, they always pour water on floor, after the bottom garlic touch the
water, it easy changed burnt garlic.

C：we can see color is different of burnt garlic

Garlic have changed burnt before we put it into cold storage its color is
dark.

Garlic have changed burnt after we put it into cold storage its color is
light.

The ways to distinguish burnt garlic

It is very difficult to find out burnt garlic from garlic outlook, because it
only 1 clove or some cloves of a bulb of garlic change burnt garlic. So, burnt
garlic is most difficult index of inspect garlic, it very dangerous index for
garlic quality.

The ways are:

1.       We must check the garlic material before producing. When we go into
the cold storage, if we can smell a very strong odor, we are sure this garlic
must be have burnt garlic in it, so we mainly check garlic located near the fan
opening and the bottom of cold storage.

2.       If we find the garlic changed soft, or one or more cloves changed
soft in one bulb, it maybe burnt garlic, we must take care of it carefully.

3.       We can keep the garlic in hand, and keep the stem to our nose, and
hold it. If we can smell strong odor, we are sure it is burnt garlic. This way
is the best way to check the burnt garlic.

Note: we must be do more looking, do more holding, do more smell, so that we
can find it and

Stop it.

Inspection of reefer garlic

Reefer garlic always start shipment from middle of Sept to end of MAY next
year, it Almost lasts 8 months, but reefer garlic very easy to have many quality
problems. So inspect of Reefer garlic is very important, most difficult, the
most important index is burnt garlic and Germinated garlic.

A：Burnt garlic distinguish have introduce before.

B：Reason of germination garlic

1.       1.       If reefer garlic put them on out side of cold storage for
long time, its germination start sprout.

2.       2.       The owner of cold storage can not control the temperature
in good condition. Consequently, the garlic will sprouting in cold storage.

3.       3.       If we put garlic into cold storage too late, just like
after 20th August, because the time in north china weather temperature change
low, so garlic will sprouting.

Before we produce the reefer garlic, we must be check the material carefully
in cold storage.

We must be attention to following points after the good quality material take
out from cold Storage.

1.       1.       from OCT to DEC. in this time north china weather
temperature still very high, when reefer garlic take out from cold storage,
there are many water attached on skin of garlic, so the garlic easy get
cracking. So we can not put them out side for long time. We must be selecting
and transit it immediately, especially pre-packed garlic will take very long
time for produce, so we must put them into cold storage again after finish part
of them.

In this time, because garlic just put into cold storage, it not easy
sprouting.

2.       2.       From JAN to MARCH, in this time, north china weather
temperature is very low, reefer Garlic can stay 5-8 days can not sprouting after
the take our from cold storage, but we must be take care of garlic will
frostbite with low temperature.

3.       3.       From April to end of May. This time is most dangerous for
produce reefer garlic, because Garlic have store so long time, most of problem
will occur, so reefer garlic only can stay 24 hours outside the cold storage. It
is better finish produce and transit in one day, if we produce small packs
garlic, we must be put them into cold storage again, but we bust be careful, all
the carton can not put them together, the temperature must be set lower than
garlic in bags, if we have put all carton together, the garlic in middle and
bottom easy sprouting, it always give us an illusion, we always think we have
put them into cold storage again, it will not sprouting, so we must be check it
carefully before loading container ( very important!!!!!), this time garlic had
better transit by reefer container directly from cold storage.

For more details about garlic and garlic storage information, please visit http://www.prettygarlic.com

To contact the author Lifeng Gao of this article, please e-mail to info@prettygarlic.com

Appendix 1:

      ------ MAERSK  P.R.C. - GARLIC ACCEPTANCE ------


Summary of
recommended carriage parameters of fresh garlic export
from P.R.C. start of
year 2001 season.


AAA) Commodity stated on B/L must be CHINESE GARLIC
- and nothing
      else.

BBB) No switch of B/L must take place - only
acceptance directly
      from place of reciept to final place of
delivery.

CCC) Reefers can be released immidiately for
stuffing.


ACCEPTANCE PROCEDURE
--------------------

FRESH
CROP:

Recommended settings:
Temperature  : +34/+36 deg
fah.
Ventilation  : 20 cbm/hr
Humidity     : 65 percent

Shipping of
fresh crop garlic can start immidiately without clausing
of B/L.

If
shippers request other settings for Fresh Crop garlic, then
approval has to
be obtained from regional reefer management
(ASIREFOPS, NAMREFOPS, SAMREFOPS,
CENREFOPS).

SEED CROP:

Recommended settings:
Temperature  : +68
deg fah.
Ventilation  : 25 cbm/hr
Humidity     : 65
percent

Shipping of seed crop garlic can start immidiately without
clausing
of B/L.

If shippers request other settings for Seed Crop
garlic, then
approval has to be obtained from regional reefer
management
(ASIREFOPS, NAMREFOPS, SAMREFOPS, CENREFOPS).

MAIN
CROP:

Recommended settings:
                           July        
August        September
                        -----------   -----------   
-----------
Temperature   :        +32 deg fah   +30 deg fah    +27 deg
fah
Ventilation   :         20 cbm/hr     Closed        
Closed
Humidity      :         65 percent    65 percent     65
percent

Main Crop shipments can commence JULY 2ND, with settings as
mentioned
above.

Main Crop shipments ex coldstore with set point
temperature of +27
deg fah should commence from week 40.

Main Crop
shipments ex coldstore should cut off by end week 9 year
2002, then
acceptance procedure will be reviewed, and acceptance will
be granted on case
by case basis, subject to physical inspection and
possible clausing of
B/L.

If shippers request other settings for Main Crop garlic,
then
approval has to be obtained from regional reefer
management
(ASIREFOPS, NAMREFOPS, SAMREFOPS, CENREFOPS).

SPANISH WHITE
CROP:

This year 100 mt of Spanish white imported garlic seed was
planted.
This crop is expected to be harvested about week 24 to week 27
being
about 6 weeks later than local crop.
Intention is for this crop to
go to Japanese market - transit time
3 days from TST.

Recommended
settings:
                           July         August       
September
                        -----------   -----------   
-----------
Temperature   :        +36 deg fah   +32 deg fah    +27 deg
fah
Ventilation   :         30 cbm/hr     20 cbm/hr     
Closed
Humidity      :         65 percent    65 percent     65
percent

If shippers request other settings for Spanish White Garlic,
then
approval has to be obtained from regional reefer
management
(ASIREFOPS, CENREFOPS).

DRY CONTAINERS WITH DOOR OFF /
STARVENT CONTAINERS
(MSKU):
----------------------------------------------------------
Must
follow same dates as mentioned above, but only to be used for
Inter Asia
shipments, with maximum 21 days from stuffing to
unstuffing.

Questions
re garlic shipments in DRY containers only should be
directed to
CENTRM,OPS.