Production

Aflatoxins in food and milk can seriously harm humans, animals, and corporate reputations. But Nestlé Group in China and the longest-serving peanut-shelling plant in the USA are both showing how laser sorting machines can eliminate the risk.  Food contamination by aflatoxins, which can cause cancer, is worrying scientists and regulators. New concerns about these naturally-occurring poisons, voiced earlier this...

Orlando (Florida), Uzwil (Switzerland), September 24, 2018 – At Microsoft Ignite, Bühler today officially launches MoisturePro™, a cloud-based digital service that drives significant improvements in yield and reduces energy costs and the environmental footprint of thermal processing in the food and feed industry. Harnessing the power of cloud connectivity, it can deliver a return on investment of USD $300,000,...

August 21, 2018 – Key Technology, Inc., a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, and Heat and Control Pty Ltd. announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to support customers in Australia, New Zealand and India. Under the terms of the agreement, Key has appointed Heat and Control as their exclusive agent to sell and...

When is the end of PPO-Pasteurization coming? About 10 years ago the salmonella outbreak in Canada was traced back to raw almonds. Over the following years, a few more outbreaks were caused by these nuts grown in California. Infected produce came from different growers and no measures taken after finding the source of the poisoning managed to solve the problem...

Thirty years ago, Turkey produced 80% of world’s hazelnuts but it has hit its production limit and, as global demand for hazelnuts continues to rise, the country’s dominance is falling. Environmental problems, a difficult political environment and talk about unfair labor inspire large groups to look for other suppliers. Hazelnuts are the world’s second most valuable tree-nut crop after...

Scott Gregson-Allcott, CEO, Macadamia Farm Management (MFM), Bundaberg, North Queensland, is undoubtedly one of the industry’s most innovative operators. Prior to MFM Scott managed a large vegetable seedling nursery in Bowen, North Queensland, before  establishing a large macadamia nursery ‘MACQ’ in Bundaberg which supplied grafted macadamia trees to major stakeholders within the industry. He migrated to Australia from...

Growing almonds in California is a creative, high-tech industry with an impressive scientific approach. But the limits of increasing yields and revenue with kernels might be in sight. No, problem for the Almond Board of California: Let’s make money with hulls and shells. The Almond Board invested in some research about products from hulls and shells. An almond producer produces...

The Coravel is a high-end sorting machine manufactured by Helms Technologie, Ahrensburg. Developed 23 years ago by Dr. Dirk Helms, an engineer from Ahrensburg near Hamburg, Germany, the machine is still standard equipment in many companies today. Axel Breuer talked to Ulrike Helms, the daughter of the company founder, who has been running the business for three years. Helms...

BHAGALPUR: Aimed at augmenting banana yield in the region, the Bihar Agricultural University (BAU) has embarked on the 'plant tissue culture method' for commercial banana production, with help of the Tissue Culture Laboratory at BAU . Apart from better yield, the tissue culture method is also useful in warding fruit diseases that not only reduce production, but also cause wilting...

Wawona Packing Company continues to deepen its position as a tree fruit industry leader using an approach that includes land acquisition, research and development and proprietary process control. In the area of research and development, Wawona has opened a 4,000-square foot, in-house lab dedicated to researching new varietals, sustainable farm practices and conducting field-to-fork shelf life studies. “Having a lab on...