innovation

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Exciting innovation to be featured at Fruit Logistica

Find out more about six of the ten finalists for the 2016 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award.

Here we profile six of the ten finalists for the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) for 2016.

HZPC revives ‘forgotten’ potatoes with its Perupas

“Colourful, tasty and different: a painting on your plate!” That’s how Dutch seed potato breeding and marketing specialist HZPC describes one of its newest concepts – ‘WOW! Colourful Perupas!’ A collection of varieties of unique colours, shapes and/or tastes, these potatoes have their origins in ancient varieties from Peru – mainly found in the Andes mountains – and are intended for professional chefs and home cooks seeking variation, inspiration and taste. Perupas comes in various types:  Magenta Love, Double Fun, Violet Queen, Blue Star, Violetta, Anya.

 

A new, striking striped pepper: Enjoya

This red/yellow striped sweet pepper was first discovered by Dutch grower Wilfred van den Berg in 2013 in his greenhouse in Est. Together with Enza Zaden and 4Evergreen, the optimal way to cultivate it has since been found and it is now on the market under the name Enjoya. Available from speciality greengrocers in the Netherlands last year, Enjoya was supplied to the catering and hospitality trade, where its unique appearance, delicious aromatic flavour and pleasant crispy bite – as well as its high level of vitamin C – make it highly valued.

 

Pearl Herbs the perfect – and piquant – garnish

Pearl Herbs are an innovative new line of tiny fresh herbs “with perfect appearance” and intense flavour currently available in six varieties: radish, pea shoots, sunflower, thyme and red mustard. Ideal for garnishing dishes, this product comes from Israel’s 2BFresh, a subsidiary of Teshuva Agricultural Projects Ltd (TAP), famous for its culinary fresh herbs and lettuces grown in soilless culture. At Fruit Logistica 2016, Olesh-based 2BFresh is presenting 3 product lines: the new Pearl Herbs, hydroponic fresh herbs that are ready to eat, and micro leaves – think of them as “gourmet vegetable confetti” – that are also ready for use and ideal for use in restaurants, catering and at home.

 

QualyCheck app aids quality control

Smartphones and tablets convert into valuable tools for the quality control of fresh fruit and vegetables thanks to this inventive app from Germany company HortKinetix. QualyCheck not only allows users to generate and send a quality control report from their device, it leads them step-by-step through the quality inspection process – just like booking a flight – and generates a report, accompanied by photos, which is then digitally sent to pre-determined contacts, keeping them informed in real-time about produce quality. This low-cost solution also helps users optimise their quality control processes and stay up-to-date with relevant regulations.

 

Genuine Coconut for authentic virgin coconut water

Genuine Coconut makes the most of the fact that nature has already designed the ideal container for coconut water – the coconut. It simply makes the healthy liquid inside easier to enjoy by providing a patented opening and a drinking straw. But Spanish company World’s Coconut Trading is fussy about the coconuts selected for this new product, choosing only fresh ones of the fragrant, naturally sweet Nam Hom variety grown organically in Thailand. Genuine Coconut is already on sale in El Corte Inglés supermarkets and various speciality stores around Spain.

 

Home-harvested cherry tomatoes from Northern Greens

Ideal for the kitchen windowsill or anywhere else in the home, the Kitchen Minis Tomato is a special plant that can yield up to 150 tomatoes over about 6 months. Who wouldn’t enjoy watching their cherry tomatoes grow at their fingertips and harvesting them fresh from the vine? From Denmark’s Northern Greens, a year-round fruit and vegetable supplier, there are plans for this product to soon be available around Europe, tapping growing demand for home-grown produce. Standing about 35cm high, it takes up little space while making an attractive and unique home decoration.

Fruit Logistica Innovation Award

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Meet the finalists for the 2016 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award

From a field of 60 applications, ten products have been singled out as contenders for the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) for 2016.

From a field of 60 applications, ten products have been singled out as contenders for the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) for 2016.

Hailing from Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, South Africa, France, Israel and Germany, their innovations will be showcased at Fruit Logistica – being held February 3-5 – in a special exhibition area between Halls 20 and 21 of Berlin ExpoCenter City. Visitors to the show will be able to cast their vote there for the Innovation of the Year. It’s also where the winner will be announced on February 5 at 2.30pm.

A panel of experts representing every segment of the industry selected the following ten candidates:

“Automato” – Stoffels, Belgium: A dispenser for the point of sale: different cherry tomato varieties are dispensed from three boxes directly into paper bags

“Enjoya” – Terra Natura International, Netherlands: Unique: a yellow and red striped sweet pepper.

“Genuine Coconut” – World’s Coconut Trading, Spain: Easy enjoyment: an organic coconut with a patented opening and a drinking straw.

“Harvest Automation” – Hortiplan, Netherlands: A machine for the fully automated harvesting of salad varieties.

“Kitchen Minis® Tomato” – Northern Greens, Denmark: A cherry tomato plant for the windowsill, yielding up to 150 tomatoes.

“Outspan Sam” – Capespan, South Africa: An initiative for children, including videos showing the journey citrus fruit takes on its way to the dinner table.

“Parmentine’s Cup” – Parmentine, France: A container with 250g of baby potatoes to be cooked in the microwave. Available in two varieties: with basil and tomato or fresh cheese and chive sauces.

“Pearl Herbs” – 2BFresh, Israel: Ideal for garnishing dishes: tiny fresh herbs in ten varieties

“QualyCheck” – HortKinetix, Germany: An app that can generate and send a quality control report from a smartphone.

“WOW! Colourful Perupas®” – HZPC Holland, Netherlands: Different new potato varieties based on ancient varieties found in the Andes. They differ from each other in taste, texture and colour.

 

“The FLIA is regarded as the most important award in the industry,” said Fruit Logistica’s global brand manager Wilfried Wollbold. “It attracts considerable media attention and honours new products and services that will have a positive impact on the international fresh produce sector.”

source: Fruit Logistica 

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Innovation to be unveiled at Fruit Logistica

Fruit Logistica's Spotlight articles cover new and improved products, machinery and processes, systems and techniques, technologies, services, promotions and exhibitor campaigns to be presented at the fair.

An edible coating that extends the shelf life of melons (Decco), a pocket scanner providing the Brix value of a fruit sample (Sunforest), and a polytunnel with automated and permanent ventilation (Voen) are among the global debuts lined up for Fruit Logistica 2016, being held February 3-5 in Berlin.

Also slated to appear make their worldwide premieres are a new line of Pausa Pranzo salads with dressings, self-propelled harvesters for leafy vegetables (Ortomec), and two new attractive and tasty tomato varieties – Goutine (Hazera Seeds) and Belmonte F1 (Southern Seed).

These are among the innovations covered on the Fruit Logistica website in its Spotlight articles. The series provides an overview of new and improved products, machinery and processes, systems and techniques, technologies, services, promotions and exhibitor campaigns to be presented at the fair. The next deadline for submissions is November 30.

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Japan plans fully robotic lettuce farm by 2017

Capable of supplying 30,000 heads of lettuce a day, Japanes company Spread says its 4,800m2 ‘large-scale vegetable factory’ will be “fully automated from seeding to harvest.”

Kyoto-based firm Spread plans to open what has been dubbed the world’s first fully robotic farm.

Capable of supplying 30,000 heads of lettuce a day, the company says its 4,800m2 ‘large-scale vegetable factory’ will be “fully automated from seeding to harvest.” This complete automation of the cultivation process will slash labour costs in half, it said in a press release.

Focused on global expansion, Spread hopes to extend its production to 500,000 heads of lettuce per day in five years “and will continue to expand our vegetable factory business domestically and internationally.”

Founded in 2006, in Kameoka in Kyoto, Spread already operates what it calls the world’s largest vegetable factory using artificial lighting, which grows four types of lettuce for a total 21,000 heads per day. It provides year-round supply to about 2,000 stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area and the Kansai region via the brand “Vegetus”.

Spread produces several types of lettuce under the brand name “Vegetus” (its brand for vegetables cultivated in its vegetable factories) and says it sells them to department stores, major grocery stores, hotels, restaurant, and amusement parks around Japan.

Construction of the vertical farm – at a full investment of up to about 2 million yen (€14.6m) – is due to start in Kizugawa, Kyoto, next spring with the first shipments in summer 2017. From the estimated production capacity of 10 million heads of lettuce a year, Spread estimates annual sales of about 1 million yen.

Environmentally friendly features of the ‘next-generation’ factory are to include recycling of 98% of the water used for cultivation and a system of environmental control making the factory extremely energy efficient.

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Patent sought for award-winning watermelon pouch

According to the andnowuknow website, the ‘ready-ripe watermelon pouch’ won the 2015 Innovation Award for Best New Packaging at United Fresh Produce Association trade show and has since been endorsed by America’s National Watermelon Association (NWA) for its ¼ sliced watermelon program.

A resealable, anti-fog watermelon pouch which comes with a handle for easy carrying is the subject of a United States patent application by Wisconsin-based grocery wholesaler The Fresh Group, Ltd.

The application says the zip-lock bag has a gusseted floor to accommodate a large watermelon slice. A transparent window allows consumers to see the watermelon inside the pouch, which also features an upwardly concave interior volume – to orient and stabilise a watermelon for best presentation and least damage – and sturdy sidewalls to support the pouch on a flat surface.

The packaging was developed to keep larger sliced produce, such as watermelon, viable, at a high quality level and freshness for consumption, and easy for the consumer to carry home, the document says.

In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) earlier this year, Maglio product manager Joseph Delgadillo said an 11-day shelf life had been consistently achieved with watermelon in such a pouch. He said that in a trial in the US, the bags proved popular with consumers, who liked the added convenience, and retailers, who particularly appreciated the extended shelf-life. Delgadillo said the bag was attracting interest from other countries and markets and was a concept that would apply to other kinds of fresh produce, the ABC said.

The patent application has also been published by the World International Property Organization.

According to the andnowuknow website, the ‘ready-ripe watermelon pouch’ won the 2015 Innovation Award for Best New Packaging at United Fresh Produce Association trade show and has since been endorsed by America’s National Watermelon Association (NWA) for its ¼ sliced watermelon program.

 

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Some of the drawings included in the patent application.

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Israel’s Aurora Seedless Papaya wins Fruit Logistica 2015 Innovation Award

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Trade visitors at last week’s Fruit Logistica fair in Berlin chose the “Aurora Seedless Papaya” as winner of the Fruit Logistica 2015 Innovation Award (FLIA). It was selected out of a field of 10 finalists, all of which were on display at the event.

 

From Aviv Flowers Packing House Ltd. in Israel, “Aurora Seedless Papaya” has a delicate fragrance and firm, full-flavoured pulp. The product of natural selection and crossing, its target markets include the EU,, Switzerland and Canada.

 

  

The second place FLIA winner was the “Lemoncherry” tomato.



Developed by BelOrta, a growers’ cooperative based in Belgium, this yellow, sweet-tasting cherry vine tomato features a distinctive, lemony aroma.

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Third place honours went to the “DIY Fresh Packs” produced by Bakker Barendrecht (part of the UNIVEG Group) in the Netherlands.

 

These products are designed for consumers who want to use fresh ingredients to prepare a full meal, soup or side dish for four people.

 

Fruit Logistica’s showcase of fresh product ideas

Fruit Logistica global brand manager Gérald Lamusse described the ten finalists for the award as “outstanding new fruit and vegetable industry products and services that are driving new trends in the international marketplace.”

The other finalists were :

  • “Eye-Catcher” – A product display system for crates at the POS, from Cabka Group GmbH, Germany;

  • “FC 15 Fruit Chunker” – A cutting machine for pineapple and melons, from Atlas Pacific Engineering, Inc., USA;

  • “Holzdekor-RPC” – Reusable plastic crates with a natural wood look from Polymer Logistics, Germany;

  • “Low Carbon rPETeCo” – Packaging material consisting of 90% recycled plastic bottles, from Holfeld Plastics Ltd, Ireland;

  • “Portable Nondestructive Fruit Quality Meter” – A portable quality-control measuring device, from Sunforest Co. Ltd., South Korea;

  • “Regal’in™ Apple” – A new apple variety, from Regal’in Europe, France;

  • “UP-8000” – A peeling machine for carrots, cucumbers, white radishes and other long vegetables, from Hepro GmbH, Germany.

Lamusse said the award is “the industry’s most coveted distinction” and attracts huge international media attention.

 

See more photos at the Fruit Logistica site.

 
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Patent applications reveal ways to improve tomato production

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Various inventions promising improved tomato production are covered in patent applications recently published by the US Patent and Trademark Office. In this small sample we look at a vine tomato that stays firm longer, tomatoes with higher sugar content, and greenhouse lighting helping insects find – and thus pollinate – flowers more easily.

Vine tomato with longer shelf life

California’s Arcadia Biosciences seeks a patent for “tomatoes that soften more slowly post-harvest due to non-transgenic alterations in an expansin gene.” In its patent application it explains new tomato varieties are needed that have the desirable qualities of vine-ripened fruit (in taste, texture and colour) but reduced spoilage. However it also notes some consumers don’t like genetically modified foods.

It says it has a solution with its (non–GMO) method, which is the product of a human-induced mutation in a tomato gene – LeExp1 – linked to fruit softening.

Tomatoes with higher sugar content

Tomatoes with improved fruit quality, such as increased levels of starch, soluble solids, and/or sugars are described in an application from the governing board (Regents) of the University of California. It says the ripe fruit has sugar levels (fructose and glucose) at least 10% higher, usually at least 30% higher, than control plants.

The method for which the patent is being sought involves producing plants that deliver green fruit with increased chloroplast development. This is achieved via a rise in what is known as GLK (Golden2-like) activity in the green fruit and results in an increase in the products of photosynthesis and carbon fixation, such as starch and eventually soluble sugars, in ripe fruit.

Putting flowers in their best light

And from Finland comes an application for an invention using special lighting in greenhouses to enhance insect pollination of plants, such as the tomato.

Valoya, a Helsinki-based provider of energy efficient LED lights, says the best effect is achieved when the emission peaks of the lighting have a high reflectivity from flowers and/or high sensitivity in the insect vision. “The insects can see the flowers better, and therefore find them more easily, which increases the efficiency of pollination by the insects.”

It says the method reduces insect mortality and increases pollination efficiency and photosynthetic growth, thereby improving the productivity of the plant cultivation.