Fruit Logistica 2020

•••6••• Innovationen Frische Avocados Neue Technologie getestet Eine neue Technologie soll künftig der Lebensmit- telverschwendung entgegenwirken. In den Handel kommen jetzt testweise die ersten Avocados, die auf natürliche Weise länger frisch sind. Ein US-Unterneh- men hat dank innovativer Technologie einen nachhal- tigen Weg gefunden, die Haltbarkeit von mehr als 30 frischen Obst- und Gemüsesorten zu verlängern: Das neue Produkt ist unsichtbar, es wird aus pflanzlichen Materialien hergestellt, die in den Schalen, Samen und im Fruchtfleisch verschiedener Obst- und Gemü- sesorten enthalten sind. So wird der Oberfläche fri- scher Produkte eine zusätzliche Schicht hinzugefügt, um den Wasserverlust und das Eindringen von Sauer- stoff zu verlangsamen – zwei Hauptfaktoren, die den üblichen Verderb verursachen. Die Hülle ist geruchs- und geschmacksneutral. Innovative solutions for sustainability Companies are developing solutions to prepare for growing world population Continued from page 1 The United Nations estimates that 9.8 billion people will need to be fed in 2050. But water, arable land and fossil energy are scarce. New ways in food production are necessary to conserve resources and not further burden the clima- te. Many start-ups are working on ideas for this. Better storage solutions In developing countries, for ex- ample, according to the FAO, over 40 per cent of food spoils due to insufficient storage. The Nigerian company ColdHubs of- fers new cold rooms that are op- erated via solar technology and are accessible. They enable small farmers to store their fruit and vegetables. According to Cold- Hubs, post-harvest losses can be reduced by 80 per cent. As a re- sult, the farmers earn more and can take better care of them- selves and their families. The Egyptian company SunCity also uses solar energy: It offers so- lar-powered pumps with which farmers can irrigate their fields without having to resort to envi- ronmentally harmful and expen- sive diesel. Many start-ups use robotics to simplify fruit and vegetable pro- duction: In the United States, for example, over seven million tons of apples were harvested in 2016 – by hand. The harvesting robot from the Israeli company FFRo- botics can harvest 10,000 fruits per hour with its specially de- signed six gripper arms and gen- tly place them on a conveyor belt. This is made possible by software that is based on artificial intel- ligence. The greenhouses of the Canadian start-up Motorleaf also rely on AI. Data on lighting and irrigation, temperature and hu- midity are continuously recorded and evaluated. This increases the accuracy of harvest forecasts and reduces the risk of pests destroy- ing plants. To combat pests, the Dutch start- up PATS Indoor Drone Solutions offers a flying innovation: mini- drones independently identify pests in the greenhouse and elimi- nate them. The advantage: less crop protection products, less work and healthier fruits. The PATS Indoor Drone Solutions system is still in the construction and testing phase. The pilot trial will be carried out in cut gerbera and will later be extended to other cut flowers and potted plants. The currently used mini drones are only 5 x 5 centi- metres in size. They are located individually or in groups on a base station that is equipped with four stereo vision cameras and allows a 360-degree view of the station. The necessary density of the sta- tions depends on the type of cul- ture and the pest to be controlled. The project developers expect that around eight to ten stations will be needed per hectare. At- tempts to control moths and other butterflies are currently being car- ried out. Later, other flying insects such as Tuta absoluta, Lyprauta species (damaging to Phalaeno- psis), Sciara species or whiteflies should also be targeted. When a flying pest is detected by the cam- eras, the drone goes on a collision course and the propellers destroy it. The drone then automatically re- turns to the base station. Energy-saving humidifiers The Spanish company BioAzul has presented their Ultrasonic HUmidi- fiers on the Fruit Attraction 2019. The system allows an approriate control over relative air humidity with low energy consumption. Hu- midifiers produce tiny droplets of water measuring between one and three microns through very high- frequency vibrations (1.7 MHz), generating a mist which provides the desired humidity conditions in the area where they are applied. A good ventilation system in the area one wishes to humidify will in turn ensure there is uniform relative hu- midity for fresh or frozen products. The energy consumption of Bio- azul’s humidifiers is very low (up to 30 per cent less than conventional systems) and they require very lit- tle maintenance. The use of ultra- sonic humidifiers makes it possible to save on labour costs. Their use in refrigeration chambers ensures that it is not necessary to wrap products to prevent the loss of wa- ter, and their application in shops allows fresh produce to be kept in displays for 24 hours (without stor- ing it in a chamber), thus leading to lower losses in merchandise due to falls and/or handling, along with a reduction in associated working hours. The humidifiers are supplied in modular units. Humidifiers to reduce food waste Photo: Fruit Attraction Messeneuheit Knecht GmbH · Ziegeleistraße 1 · 72555 Metzingen · Germany Tel. +49 (0)7123/965-0 · Fax 965-150 · www.knechtgmbh.com · info@knechtgmbh.com Wir bauen seit Generationen für Generationen! Tisch-Systeme · Bewässerungs-Systeme Giesswagensysteme FRUITLOGISTICA Halle 8.1 – Stand A23 5= .QHFKW $= *HZDŴFKVKDXVEDX [ Y LQGG