In The Spotlight
Syensqo launches AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus to raise the bar in biological formulations. (Image source: Syensqo)
Science company, Syensco is launching AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus, a technology disruptor for microbial-based formulations, that offers unmatched shelf life to accelerate the adoption of more sustainable agriculture methods
In the dynamic landscape of the agriculture industry, the demand for more environmentally friendly farming solutions is higher than ever, and biological formulations are considered one of the most promising tools. However, issues such as limited shelf life and inconsistent efficiency can often hinder the implementation of these natural-based actives. In order to address these challenges, Syensqo is applying its longstanding expertise to designing innovative formulation solutions.
AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus is a ready-to-use all-in-one solution, which includes a carrier, codispersant and rheology agent for the formulation of microorganisms, including beneficial fungi. AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus is the latest addition to the AgRHEA range which includes solutions such as AgRHEA OD-EASY and AgRHEA SticGuard and demonstrates the strong commitment of Syensqo in supporting the agricultural sector on its path towards increased sustainability.
Syensqo's latest innovations will be showcased at the Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) which will be taking place from 21-23 October in Basel, Switzerland.
The focus is on special achievements for the development of local, national and international agriculture. (Image source: DLG)
Chosen from 107 candidates from 34 countries, the DLG (German Agricultural Society) and Women in Ag Magazine recently announced the winners of this year's 'Women in Ag Award'
The award honors candidates in four categories namely, 'Agriculture', 'Agribusiness', 'Education' and 'Technology and Research' each with first, second and third place. Focussed on recognising the work of women in the agricultural sector, the award ceremony will be held on 13 November at EuroTier 2024.
The award winners were selected from 107 candidates from 34 countries by an international jury of representatives from agricultural practice, science, organisations and the media. The focus is on special achievements for the development of local, national and international agriculture.
The award winners by category include:
Category: Agribusiness
- 1st Place: Doreen Jean Nsasiirwe - An experienced agriculture professional dedicated to improving health and conserving the environment by offering natural, nutritious, and sustainable health products.
- 2nd Place: Susan Waithira Kuria - Seasoned entrepreneur who is also the co-founder and managing director of Essential Drugs Ltd, who has a great passion for advancing the livestock sector through innovation and modern technology.
- 3rd Place: Neamat ElTazi - Co-founder and COO of PoultrySync, Egypt, along with her co-founders developed a technical solution for the poultry industry that enhances flock performance and efficiency, resulting in notable improvements in operations and profitability.
Category: Agriculture
- 1st Place: Jana Gäbert - A farmer and scientist in leadership roles who promotes unconventional conventional agriculture, bridging science and practice to address climate change while focusing on biodiversity, sustainability, and innovation.
- 2nd Place: Caroline Jaspart - Owner of a farm in Belgium who was appointed president of the Union des Agricultrices Wallonnes. She represent the voice of women farmers in various places and carries out projects on the status of women and well-being in the workplace. Her quest is to show that the female farmer is an entrepreneur just like any other.
- 3rd Place: Judith Bakirya - Managing director of Busaino Herbs and Fruits (BusHFruit), Busoga, an AgroEcology farm who works with small garden owners who are the neighbours, and are both in-growers of nuts, beans, soya and vegetables in the fruit farm and out-growers of avocado and jackfruit.
Category: Education
- 1st Place: Rosinah Mbenya - A professional environmentalist who serves as the country coordinator for PELUM Kenya. She has accumulated expertise in development projects, particularly in agroecology, climate change, market development, advocacy, capacity building, and networking.
- 2nd Place: Christine Jodloman - A dedicated agriculture advocate from a family of farmers in the Philippines who has co-created and reached more than 40,000 farmers in the Philippines and in ASEAN region.
- 3rd Place: Helen Louton - A leading academic in animal welfare with a particular focus on poultry husbandry and management who is also a professor of Animal Health and Welfare at the University of Rostock, Germany. She has positively contributed to the training of individuals in agriculture, scientific research and agricultural practice in addition to setting new standards in poultry welfare.
Category: Technology and Research
- 1st Place: Annika Behler - An agricultural scientist at the Institute of Agricultural and Urban Ecological Projects (IASP), Germany, who aims to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact in farming.
- 1st Place: Katharina Berse - A project manager for strategic agricultural research at Evonik Creavis, Germany with she and her team developing a solution to stabilise Gram-negative bacteria in liquid formulations, promoting more sustainable agriculture. In addition to her work, Katharina Berse also runs a farm with her husband, focusing on both crops and livestock.
- 2nd Place: Lisbeth Henricksen - As a visionary thinker and the director of Innovation at SEGES Innovation, she is responsible for developing and innovating new knowledge, tools, and products for farmers across all primary production sectors, including dairy, pigs, arable farming, climate and sustainability, economics, and management.
- 3rd Place: LaKisha Odom - She works at the intersection of sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in agriculture, focusing on innovative solutions for sustainable food production and economic viability for producers. At the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), she leads DEI efforts and research programmes that support regenerative farming, healthier food access, and diverse farmer adoption of sustainable practices.
The implementation of advanced technology allowed the company to optimise their fruit selection, grading and packaging processes, ensuring that each product meets the highest international standards. (Image source: TOMRA Foods)
An emerging company, TransIberian Foods (TIF) has chosen the flexibility, efficiency and quality offered by TOMRA Food and installed the KATO 260 precision grading system powered by LUCAi Artificial Intelligence technology, and two CURO filling stations
The company has chosen TOMRA Food’s advanced blueberry grading and filling solutionsfor its blueberry packing line. With the TOMRA KATO 260 advanced, industry-leading precision grading system with LUCAi Artificial Intelligence technology and two TOMRA CURO filling stations, it achieves the extreme flexibility needed to meet the varied and demanding requirements of its international customers.
TransIberian Foods has 20,000 sq m of refrigerated space with 14 docks and is currently expanding its operations with the development of a new project focused on the refrigeration, ripening, and packaging of avocados and other tropical fruits, both locally produced and imported.
Manager of TransIberian Foods, Jesús Cruz explained that due to the diversity in the origin of the blueberries, they were looking for a packaging line that was extremely flexible, capable of handling all the commercial formats required by European supermarkets for our clients. "This meant having the ability to quickly adapt to different sizes and types of packaging, from small trays for individual portions to larger containers for wholesale. TOMRA has enabled us to offer a wide range of options to our clients, companies that distribute to European supermarkets, adapting to their needs and market demands,” added Cruz.
TOMRA Food expressed that they were pleased with the Translberian Foods project, highlighting that Translberian Foods were looking for advanced technology solutions to address this challenge. The implementation of advanced technology allowed the company to optimise their fruit selection, grading and packaging processes, ensuring that each product meets the highest international standards. This precision and efficiency is not only essential for maintaining the integrity, but also the quality of the final product, from reception to delivery.
The packaging process at TransIberian Foods begins with the fruit being fed into the KATO 260 sorter, optimising its performance. The fruit is gently loaded into the KATO 260, ensuring a continuous supply and uniform distribution in the sorter. Next, the KATO 260 exclusive rolling conveyor system inspects the fruit’s surface from all angles. Cameras capture multiple images of each piece of fruit, and the machine's software can identify defects as small as 0.2 mm at high speed for precise grading.
A valuable optional enhancement for the KATO 260 is the LUCAi software and hardware package, which uses AI to achieve unparalleled accuracy in fruit sorting and grading. After each piece of fruit moves along the sorting line, it is photographed by multiple cameras. LUCAi identifies and indicates how each blueberry should be graded. Capable of processing up to 2,400 images per second, LUCAi can also view the fruit in wavelengths not visible to the human eye, detecting subtle defects such as dehydration, bruising, and early anthracnose.
At the end of the line, the fruit is processed by a packing system featuring two CURO16 units, each with 16 filling stations. These units boost productivity by reducing human handling errors and fruit loss. They weigh with precision, and can simultaneously pack for different markets. This system is the fastest weight-based filling solution on the market, capable of handling up to 200 packs of 125 g of fruit per minute. Moreover, TOMRA Food’s equipment also offers exceptional packing flexibility.
"With TOMRA Food’s solution, we can quickly adapt to market demands and efficiently manage demand spikes during peak seasons," concluded Cruz. "We are extremely satisfied with the advanced sorting technology, as it enables us to handle fruit from various sources effectively and ensures we deliver high-quality products.”
SOLASTA Bio aims to play a leading role in the transition toward sustainable crop protection. (Image source: SOLASTA Bio)
In an attempt to accelerate the development of its unique peptide-based, nature-inspired bioinsecticides, leading agri-biotech company, SOLASTA BIO has completed an oversubscribed US$14mn Series A funding round, attracting major investors including Forbion, FMC Ventures and Corteva Catalyst
The investment round was led by Forbion through its BioEconomy fund strategy with co-lead investment from agricultural strategics FMC Ventures (FMC Corporation) and Corteva Catalyst (Corteva, Inc). SOLASTA Bio has developed the world's first technology platform for creating insect control agents that are nature-inspired rather than selected from a synthetic chemistry library.
Besides meeting the efficacy standards of current chemicals on the market, these environmentally friendly agents address a growing global need for effective crop protection by selectively targeting insect pests while protecting beneficial pollinators such as bees. SOLASTA Bio’s platform can be mobilised for any pest of interest, across both crop and non-crop applications such as stored grain.
With the investment round secured, SOLASTA Bio will continue to advance its technology platform and pipeline of insect control agents, targeting a US$27bn annual market opportunity. In parallel, the business will continue to build out its US operations, having already established a base in North Carolina, expand its real-world field trials across key geographies, scale-up its biomanufacturing capabilities and further develop strategic opportunities including applications beyond crop use.
With the urgent need to protect pollinators and wildlife, while boosting agricultural productivity, SOLASTA Bio aims to play a leading role in the transition toward sustainable crop protection. The company is targeting market entry as early as 2027 – at least half the time traditionally taken by synthetic pest control products - demonstrating a significant advantage of the platform technology.
“SOLASTA Bio has come a long way since we set out on this journey three years ago. Having established operations in the UK and US, we’ve now got an international team with outstanding competencies in technology and agribusiness and, importantly, we have developed our unique technology platform to address grower pain points," said FRSE, CEO and co-founder of SOLASTA Bio, Shireen Davies PhD. "The results of our field trials have been hugely encouraging, demonstrating high efficacy of biopeptides against target insect pests, as effective or better than standard insecticides. With Series A now secured, it’s time for SOLASTA Bio to kick on to the next level and successfully hit our targets for commercialisation.”
A PAIAVO project beneficiary tending to his plot. (Image source: AfDB)
Launched in 2014 with US$69.2mn in funding from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)'s concessional window, the African Development Fund project has supported 14 localities across Benin’s Ouémé, Zou, and Atlantique districts
The project aims to promote rice and maize cultivation and market gardening by enhancing hydro-agricultural facilities to secure production and building storage and marketing infrastructure to ensure better integration of value chains.
The results were found to be impressive, with rice growers experiencing a remarkable increase in their average annual revenue. By the end of the project in December 2023, additional food crop production (rice, maize) had increased from 70,100 tonnes to 90,300 tonnes in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 growing seasons.
The project’s success demonstrates the transformative power of the Bank’s targeted agricultural investment in rural African communities, improving livelihoods and food security while promoting sustainable economic growth.
“We have increased our productivity thanks to the project, allowing us to enroll our children in school and even to university level," said Enock Koumagnon, a farmer in Sèmè-Podji. "As a simple farmer, I never imagined this would be possible.”
In addition to being a boundless showcase of innovations, EIMA is a system designed to support the business of companies, and match supply and demand on a global level. (Image source: EIMA)
The Bologna event aims to support operators in their business activities and to offer a global panorama of supply and demand for new technologies
EIMA is a formidable agricultural technologies exhibition, where all the new products and prototypes and the most technologically advanced solutions to meet the production needs of every agricultural model are promoted. These are the credentials of the international exhibition organised by FederUnacoma during the conference held at the headquarters of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) in Rome.
The 2024 event – which will be held at the Bologna Exhibition Centre from 6-10 November – will feature participation by 1,700 industries, who will exhibit latest-generation machinery and cutting-edge technological solutions. In addition to being a boundless showcase of innovations, EIMA is a system designed to support the business of companies, and match supply and demand on a global level. Economic operators, agricultural entrepreneurs and agro-mechanical technicians are able to find computer support in five languages, interpretation services and contractual assistance at EIMA.
The themes that will be addressed over the five days of the event in topic-specific meetings are also international in scope, including those relating to the global crisis of water resources, the cultivation of marginal territories and extreme areas of the planet, and the creation of the free trade area on the African continent, for which an important Forum has been dedicated.
Overall, EIMA 2024 will host no fewer than 150 conventions, conferences and workshops, to offer updates on technologies and policies for agriculture and agro-mechanics, divided by product sector and organised partly within the five thematic EIMA Salons: 'Components', 'Energy', 'Green', 'Hydrotech' and 'Digital'.
“Among the thematic areas, EIMA Campus will have particular importance this year dedicated to universities, research and training, which includes a programme of initiatives coordinated by the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering (AIIA) with the presence of 11 universities,” said the director of FederUnacoma, Simona Rapastella. “Within this context, a space dedicated to the AFI Academy is planned the advanced training school established by FederUnacoma, which will begin its activity in January 2025 and also offer courses in trade fair management.”
Monitoring estrus intensity in cattle helps optimise reproduction and can be done efficiently with visual estrus detection aids. (Image source: ESTROTECT)
Although all estrus cycles are not the same for individual females within a herd, it is one of the most important indicators of whether a cow or heifer will be successfully bred
Animal reproduction professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada, Ronaldo Cerri, PhD is carrying out research work to improve cattle fertility by identifying which cows and heifers are the best candidates to breed using tactics like artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET), with estrus intensity as the deciding factor.
Cattle have typical baseline activity when they aren’t in estrus. When they start to enter estrus, their activity rises as the intensity of the estrus increases. Pinpointing when estrus is about to peak is crucial to a successful pregnancy.
After analysing extensive data from estrus detection sensors, Cerri and other researchers have pinpointed patterns based on what’s occurring during estrus. Cows exhibiting low estrus intensity tend to have lower concentrations of progesterone during the growth of the ovulatory follicle and fail to ovulate more often than those with high estrus intensity. Similarly, ET recipients that show high estrus intensity have more consistent pregnancy results.
“The patterns are very consistent in many of the studies we do,” said Cerri. “Cows with lower estrus intensity always display less physical activity, but they also have lower pregnancy rates. On the flip side, cows with high estrus intensity display more activity and have higher pregnancy rates.”
Evaluating estrus intensity
Using heat detection tools to evaluate estrus intensity can help to pick and choose which cows are the best candidates to breed at a particular time. While implementing a mass breeding protocol, offers the option to use estrus intensity to direct choices on what type of genetics to use.
With breeding indicator patches, estrus can be monitored by looking for patches that have 50% or more of the surface ink rubbed off as being in high estrus intensity and are ready to breed. Females with less than 50% of the surface ink rubbed off are in low estrus intensity and could be bred with lower-cost genetics or bred later when they have reached high estrus intensity.
With millions of units sold around the world, the ESTROTECT Breeding Indicator is the industry standard for optimising cattle breeding efficiency and economics which has been tested in a multitude of university studies by researchers.
The focus is on special achievements for the development of local, national and international agriculture. (Image source: DLG)
Chosen from 107 candidates from 34 countries, the DLG (German Agricultural Society) and Women in Ag Magazine recently announced the winners of this year's 'Women in Ag Award'
The award honors candidates in four categories namely, 'Agriculture', 'Agribusiness', 'Education' and 'Technology and Research' each with first, second and third place. Focussed on recognising the work of women in the agricultural sector, the award ceremony will be held on 13 November at EuroTier 2024.
The award winners were selected from 107 candidates from 34 countries by an international jury of representatives from agricultural practice, science, organisations and the media. The focus is on special achievements for the development of local, national and international agriculture.
The award winners by category include:
Category: Agribusiness
- 1st Place: Doreen Jean Nsasiirwe - An experienced agriculture professional dedicated to improving health and conserving the environment by offering natural, nutritious, and sustainable health products.
- 2nd Place: Susan Waithira Kuria - Seasoned entrepreneur who is also the co-founder and managing director of Essential Drugs Ltd, who has a great passion for advancing the livestock sector through innovation and modern technology.
- 3rd Place: Neamat ElTazi - Co-founder and COO of PoultrySync, Egypt, along with her co-founders developed a technical solution for the poultry industry that enhances flock performance and efficiency, resulting in notable improvements in operations and profitability.
Category: Agriculture
- 1st Place: Jana Gäbert - A farmer and scientist in leadership roles who promotes unconventional conventional agriculture, bridging science and practice to address climate change while focusing on biodiversity, sustainability, and innovation.
- 2nd Place: Caroline Jaspart - Owner of a farm in Belgium who was appointed president of the Union des Agricultrices Wallonnes. She represent the voice of women farmers in various places and carries out projects on the status of women and well-being in the workplace. Her quest is to show that the female farmer is an entrepreneur just like any other.
- 3rd Place: Judith Bakirya - Managing director of Busaino Herbs and Fruits (BusHFruit), Busoga, an AgroEcology farm who works with small garden owners who are the neighbours, and are both in-growers of nuts, beans, soya and vegetables in the fruit farm and out-growers of avocado and jackfruit.
Category: Education
- 1st Place: Rosinah Mbenya - A professional environmentalist who serves as the country coordinator for PELUM Kenya. She has accumulated expertise in development projects, particularly in agroecology, climate change, market development, advocacy, capacity building, and networking.
- 2nd Place: Christine Jodloman - A dedicated agriculture advocate from a family of farmers in the Philippines who has co-created and reached more than 40,000 farmers in the Philippines and in ASEAN region.
- 3rd Place: Helen Louton - A leading academic in animal welfare with a particular focus on poultry husbandry and management who is also a professor of Animal Health and Welfare at the University of Rostock, Germany. She has positively contributed to the training of individuals in agriculture, scientific research and agricultural practice in addition to setting new standards in poultry welfare.
Category: Technology and Research
- 1st Place: Annika Behler - An agricultural scientist at the Institute of Agricultural and Urban Ecological Projects (IASP), Germany, who aims to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact in farming.
- 1st Place: Katharina Berse - A project manager for strategic agricultural research at Evonik Creavis, Germany with she and her team developing a solution to stabilise Gram-negative bacteria in liquid formulations, promoting more sustainable agriculture. In addition to her work, Katharina Berse also runs a farm with her husband, focusing on both crops and livestock.
- 2nd Place: Lisbeth Henricksen - As a visionary thinker and the director of Innovation at SEGES Innovation, she is responsible for developing and innovating new knowledge, tools, and products for farmers across all primary production sectors, including dairy, pigs, arable farming, climate and sustainability, economics, and management.
- 3rd Place: LaKisha Odom - She works at the intersection of sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in agriculture, focusing on innovative solutions for sustainable food production and economic viability for producers. At the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), she leads DEI efforts and research programmes that support regenerative farming, healthier food access, and diverse farmer adoption of sustainable practices.
In addition to being a boundless showcase of innovations, EIMA is a system designed to support the business of companies, and match supply and demand on a global level. (Image source: EIMA)
VIV Africa 2024 has solidified its position as a premier event in Africa’s and VIV Worldwide’s agri-food calendar. (Image source: VIV Africa)
Monitoring estrus intensity in cattle helps optimise reproduction and can be done efficiently with visual estrus detection aids. (Image source: ESTROTECT)
Although all estrus cycles are not the same for individual females within a herd, it is one of the most important indicators of whether a cow or heifer will be successfully bred
Animal reproduction professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada, Ronaldo Cerri, PhD is carrying out research work to improve cattle fertility by identifying which cows and heifers are the best candidates to breed using tactics like artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET), with estrus intensity as the deciding factor.
Cattle have typical baseline activity when they aren’t in estrus. When they start to enter estrus, their activity rises as the intensity of the estrus increases. Pinpointing when estrus is about to peak is crucial to a successful pregnancy.
After analysing extensive data from estrus detection sensors, Cerri and other researchers have pinpointed patterns based on what’s occurring during estrus. Cows exhibiting low estrus intensity tend to have lower concentrations of progesterone during the growth of the ovulatory follicle and fail to ovulate more often than those with high estrus intensity. Similarly, ET recipients that show high estrus intensity have more consistent pregnancy results.
“The patterns are very consistent in many of the studies we do,” said Cerri. “Cows with lower estrus intensity always display less physical activity, but they also have lower pregnancy rates. On the flip side, cows with high estrus intensity display more activity and have higher pregnancy rates.”
Evaluating estrus intensity
Using heat detection tools to evaluate estrus intensity can help to pick and choose which cows are the best candidates to breed at a particular time. While implementing a mass breeding protocol, offers the option to use estrus intensity to direct choices on what type of genetics to use.
With breeding indicator patches, estrus can be monitored by looking for patches that have 50% or more of the surface ink rubbed off as being in high estrus intensity and are ready to breed. Females with less than 50% of the surface ink rubbed off are in low estrus intensity and could be bred with lower-cost genetics or bred later when they have reached high estrus intensity.
With millions of units sold around the world, the ESTROTECT Breeding Indicator is the industry standard for optimising cattle breeding efficiency and economics which has been tested in a multitude of university studies by researchers.
The project aims to make Somalia self-sufficient in broiler production and contribute to the development of the livestock sector. (Image source: TİKA)
The new FeedMixer App makes feed mixing easier by calculating whether the feed mixtures farmers use contain the right balance of key nutrients, by age, type of chickens, and available ingredients. (Image source: World Poultry Foundation)
Syensqo launches AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus to raise the bar in biological formulations. (Image source: Syensqo)
Science company, Syensco is launching AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus, a technology disruptor for microbial-based formulations, that offers unmatched shelf life to accelerate the adoption of more sustainable agriculture methods
In the dynamic landscape of the agriculture industry, the demand for more environmentally friendly farming solutions is higher than ever, and biological formulations are considered one of the most promising tools. However, issues such as limited shelf life and inconsistent efficiency can often hinder the implementation of these natural-based actives. In order to address these challenges, Syensqo is applying its longstanding expertise to designing innovative formulation solutions.
AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus is a ready-to-use all-in-one solution, which includes a carrier, codispersant and rheology agent for the formulation of microorganisms, including beneficial fungi. AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus is the latest addition to the AgRHEA range which includes solutions such as AgRHEA OD-EASY and AgRHEA SticGuard and demonstrates the strong commitment of Syensqo in supporting the agricultural sector on its path towards increased sustainability.
Syensqo's latest innovations will be showcased at the Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) which will be taking place from 21-23 October in Basel, Switzerland.
A PAIAVO project beneficiary tending to his plot. (Image source: AfDB)
South Africa represents around 50% all of southern hemisphere raisin production. (Image source: Raisins SA)
The implementation of advanced technology allowed the company to optimise their fruit selection, grading and packaging processes, ensuring that each product meets the highest international standards. (Image source: TOMRA Foods)
An emerging company, TransIberian Foods (TIF) has chosen the flexibility, efficiency and quality offered by TOMRA Food and installed the KATO 260 precision grading system powered by LUCAi Artificial Intelligence technology, and two CURO filling stations
The company has chosen TOMRA Food’s advanced blueberry grading and filling solutionsfor its blueberry packing line. With the TOMRA KATO 260 advanced, industry-leading precision grading system with LUCAi Artificial Intelligence technology and two TOMRA CURO filling stations, it achieves the extreme flexibility needed to meet the varied and demanding requirements of its international customers.
TransIberian Foods has 20,000 sq m of refrigerated space with 14 docks and is currently expanding its operations with the development of a new project focused on the refrigeration, ripening, and packaging of avocados and other tropical fruits, both locally produced and imported.
Manager of TransIberian Foods, Jesús Cruz explained that due to the diversity in the origin of the blueberries, they were looking for a packaging line that was extremely flexible, capable of handling all the commercial formats required by European supermarkets for our clients. "This meant having the ability to quickly adapt to different sizes and types of packaging, from small trays for individual portions to larger containers for wholesale. TOMRA has enabled us to offer a wide range of options to our clients, companies that distribute to European supermarkets, adapting to their needs and market demands,” added Cruz.
TOMRA Food expressed that they were pleased with the Translberian Foods project, highlighting that Translberian Foods were looking for advanced technology solutions to address this challenge. The implementation of advanced technology allowed the company to optimise their fruit selection, grading and packaging processes, ensuring that each product meets the highest international standards. This precision and efficiency is not only essential for maintaining the integrity, but also the quality of the final product, from reception to delivery.
The packaging process at TransIberian Foods begins with the fruit being fed into the KATO 260 sorter, optimising its performance. The fruit is gently loaded into the KATO 260, ensuring a continuous supply and uniform distribution in the sorter. Next, the KATO 260 exclusive rolling conveyor system inspects the fruit’s surface from all angles. Cameras capture multiple images of each piece of fruit, and the machine's software can identify defects as small as 0.2 mm at high speed for precise grading.
A valuable optional enhancement for the KATO 260 is the LUCAi software and hardware package, which uses AI to achieve unparalleled accuracy in fruit sorting and grading. After each piece of fruit moves along the sorting line, it is photographed by multiple cameras. LUCAi identifies and indicates how each blueberry should be graded. Capable of processing up to 2,400 images per second, LUCAi can also view the fruit in wavelengths not visible to the human eye, detecting subtle defects such as dehydration, bruising, and early anthracnose.
At the end of the line, the fruit is processed by a packing system featuring two CURO16 units, each with 16 filling stations. These units boost productivity by reducing human handling errors and fruit loss. They weigh with precision, and can simultaneously pack for different markets. This system is the fastest weight-based filling solution on the market, capable of handling up to 200 packs of 125 g of fruit per minute. Moreover, TOMRA Food’s equipment also offers exceptional packing flexibility.
"With TOMRA Food’s solution, we can quickly adapt to market demands and efficiently manage demand spikes during peak seasons," concluded Cruz. "We are extremely satisfied with the advanced sorting technology, as it enables us to handle fruit from various sources effectively and ensures we deliver high-quality products.”
SOLASTA Bio aims to play a leading role in the transition toward sustainable crop protection. (Image source: SOLASTA Bio)
Fons Kuijpers, a seasoned Dinnissen process expert with over 15 years of experience. (Image source: Dinnissen Process Technology)
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