Commercial lettuce packaging in the field

Abstract

Lettuce can be commercially packaged in the field using a wrap that has a body with an opening, and an elastomeric portion around the opening. The elastomeric portion of the wrap is stretched wide enough to place the head into the wrap. The head is placed into the body of the wrap, and the stretched elastomeric portion is released. The relaxed elastomeric portion holds the wrap around the head.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A commercial lettuce packaging system, comprising:
 a wrap, wherein the wrap comprises a body with an opening and an elastomeric portion, wherein the elastomeric portion is near the opening of the wrap; and   a belt worn by a cutter, wherein a portion of the wrap is attached to the belt, and the wrap hangs from the belt worn by the cutter,   wherein the elastomeric portion of the wrap is configured to extend wide enough to allow placement of a harvested lettuce head through the opening into the body of the wrap, and   wherein the wrap is configured to hold the harvested lettuce head while remaining attached to the belt worn by the cutter.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the body is dimensioned to completely cover the lettuce head. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the body comprises a material selected from the group consisting of low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, butadiene, polystyrene, polyester, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the body has one or more perforations. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein each perforation has a diameter greater than or equal to about 0.002 inch and less than or equal to about 0.5 inch. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the elastomeric portion comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyisoprene, polybutadiene, and rubber. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the opening, when the elastomeric portion is relaxed, has a diameter greater than or equal to about ⅛ inch and less than or equal to about 4 inches. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the opening, when the elastomeric portion is extended, has a maximum diameter of about 15.5 inches. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the harvested lettuce head is a harvested iceberg lettuce head. 
     
     
         40 . A wrapped lettuce head, comprising a wrap holding a harvested lettuce head,
 wherein the wrap has a body with an opening and an elastomeric portion, wherein the elastomeric portion is attached near the opening of the wrap, and   wherein the wrapped lettuce head is obtained by:   a) cutting a lettuce head at its stem to harvest the lettuce head from a field;   b) extending the elastomeric portion of the wrap wide enough to allow placement of the harvested lettuce head through the opening into the body of the wrap, wherein the wrap has a portion that is attached to a belt worn by a cutter, and wherein the wrap hangs as a stack of wraps from the belt worn by the cutter;   c) placing the harvested lettuce head through the opening of the wrap into the body of the wrap, while the elastomeric portion is extended;   d) releasing the extended elastomeric portion of the wrap, wherein the wrapped lettuce head remains attached to the belt worn by the cutter; and   e) detaching the wrapped lettuce head from the belt worn by the cutter,   wherein steps a)-e) are performed in the field in which the lettuce head was harvested.   
     
     
         41 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 40 , wherein the body of the wrap is dimensioned to completely cover the harvested lettuce head. 
     
     
         42 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 40 , wherein the body of the wrap comprises a material selected from the group consisting of low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, butadiene, polystyrene, polyester, and any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 40 , wherein the body of the wrap has one or more perforations. 
     
     
         44 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 43 , wherein each perforation has a diameter greater than or equal to about 0.002 inch and less than or equal to about 0.5 inch. 
     
     
         45 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 40 , wherein the elastomeric portion of the wrap comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyisoprene, polybutadiene, and rubber. 
     
     
         46 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 40 , wherein the opening, when the elastomeric portion is relaxed, has a diameter greater than or equal to about ⅛ inch and less than or equal to about 4 inches. 
     
     
         47 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 40 , wherein the opening, when the elastomeric portion is extended, has a maximum diameter of about 15.5 inches. 
     
     
         48 . The wrapped lettuce head of  claim 40 , wherein the harvested lettuce head is a harvested iceberg lettuce head.