Packaged produce, including whole lettuce or leaf lettuce, is a very hot commodity in any grocery store. Not only is it ideal for protecting delicate lettuce leaves from damage, but it also an ideal option to extend the shelf life of the produce.
Bagging lettuce, as well as other types of similar leafy greens, can be completed with the use of a vertical bagger. This type of a lettuce packaging machine can be fully automated, allowing for precise measurement of heads of lettuce, lettuce blends or leaf lettuce.
Bagging Size
With these vertical system lettuce packaging machine models it will be essential to consider all the types of bagging your processing requires. In general, these machines can accommodate a range of bag sizes up to the maximum film width for the model.
Most of the top lines of vertical bagging systems will be able to accommodate film widths of up to 32 inches and smaller film up to 15.5 inches in width. This will provide bags that are the standard size for the lettuce leaves and blends to the wider bags of just under 20 inches for larger sizes.
Production Speed
Every lettuce packaging machine will be designed to run at maximum and minimum line speed. Typically, this speed can go as low as 25 bags per minute to some equipment that can produce 180 bags per minute. As a general statement, produce tends to be bagged at a slower rate as these lines often include inspection by workers on the line to remove any damaged produced prior to the bagging operation.
The best vertical bagging systems will also provide the option to include gas flushing and product settler functions. With these options, it is possible to expand your bagging options without having to invest in additional equipment once you have the vertical bagger in place.