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There is a lot to see and learn at the Organic and Natural Products Expo Africa. (Image source: Organic and Natural Products Expo Africa 2024)

Event News

Africa's leading industry event, the Organic and Natural Products Expo 2024 is all set to open its doors from 12-14 September at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa

Designed as a hybrid event that caters to trade buyers while allowing retail sales directly to consumers, the expo is the continent's only dedicated event for the organic and natural products industry and serves as the ultimate platform for traders and exhibitors to showcase their offerings to a diverse and influential audience. 

Besides featuring a mix of local and international manufacturers, producers, suppliers, importers, exporters and distributors, the expo also brings together suppliers, buyers and eco-enthusiasts to celebrate greener, healthier, and more sustainable living. Moreover, it also showcases numerous product categories including health, body & beauty, lifestyle, home, food & beverages, and baby & kids. 

The expo has attracted significant interest from across the African continent and aims to open doors to new business opportunities from countries including Botswana, Namibia, Madagascar and Malawi. The event also offers a memorable, informative and exciting experience, including exclusive networking opportunities, live demonstrations, product tastings, interactive sessions, engaging potential clients and showcasing products in real-time. Additionally, attendees will gain valuable industry insights, staying ahead of market trends and learning about the latest innovations in sustainability and wellness.

“This is looking to be our biggest event yet and we are delighted to bring the expo for its fourth consecutive year to Johannesburg,” said Organic and Natural Product Expo Africa’s head of sponsorships and partnerships, Warren Hickinbotham

For more information and to register for the event, visit: https://www.organicandnaturalportal.com/expo/

Marel’s WingMaster is a flexible module, providing a precise anatomic wing cut with perfect skin coverage for mid-wing as well as drumette. (Image source: Marel))

Poultry

Chicken wings—spiced, marinated, or just as they come—are an ideal fast food meal component, perfect for on-the-go eating or as a TV snack

To cut such QSR wings efficiently and consistently accurately, Marel offers a wide range of precision tools. 

Anatomic or not

The small size of the wing segments makes the accuracy of the cuts more difficult. Usually, wing cuts are anatomical, not splitting any bone. Such wing processing demands precise, high-yield cuts exactly between the two joints. Non-anatomic cuts, as preferred by certain QSR chains, have other interests to serve.

Weighing and quality grading

QSR wing products must be of a given size and without blemish. Carcass weight, wing quality and customer order usually determine which wing products are made from which carcass. For most fast-food applications, the cut between drumette and mid-wing joints must be done accurately and anatomically. Marel’s ACM wing cutting modules ensure repeatable accurate cutting at high speed. Marel’s WingMaster is a flexible module, providing a precise anatomic wing cut with perfect skin coverage for mid-wing as well as drumette. The result is an excellent wing presentation with higher yield.

Breast meat attached

Most QSR restaurant chains, however, like their wings harvested with a rosette of breast meat (aka silver dollar). When cutting up carcasses for the famous QSR 9-piece chicken buckets, all pieces must have similar weights, taking the same amount of time to fry. Logically, none of the 9-piece cuts is anatomic, resulting in unique wing, breast, thigh and drumstick cuts. Marel can provide the perfect wing cutting module to achieve this silver dollar cut, as part of the QSR-approved ACM Convenience Food line.

Wings further processed

Most QSR wings are marinated. From the ACM cut-up system, wings can be fed automatically to ValueDrum for marinating to produce high-quality Hot Wings or Buffalo Wings. For homestyle wings, the flouring, battering and breading processes can also be done with Marel solutions, such as the RevoCrumb or RevoBreader.

Boneless wings

A relatively new item on the fast-food menu is the boneless wing, a popular product in the Americas that isn’t a wing at all. They are portioned pieces of whole-muscle breast meat cut into the shape of chicken wing, as opposed to chicken nuggets made from ground meats. Thus, their processing is entirely different, taking place in the deboned breast meat department with the help of an I-Cut 122 portion cutter.

To achieve economic sustainability, specific technical challenges should be addressed. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Crops

While sustainable food production through aquaponic systems is promising, achieving economic sustainability requires the addressing of specific technical challenges, writes Saurabh Maral

Sustainable food production through aquaponic systems is promising. Consegic Business Intelligence analyses that the aquaponics market size is growing with a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period (2023-2031), and is projected to be valued at US$2,151.97mn by 2031. The following are the major areas that should be carefully examined for the proper functioning of the systems and to ensure that they are profitable:

Balancing nutrient supply and demand

One of the biggest issues in aquaponics is to make the waste of fish nutrient producers in the same way as plants need it. Fish produce waste as ammonia, which is converted to nitrites and nitrates by bacteria. Besides, plants rely on these compounds to grow, though the unbalance can lead to poor nutrient use or else toxic conditions for fish. A multi-stage biofiltration system will be a successful part of the process of the plant requirements with the desired quality of biofertiliser. Both the bacteria conversion part and the phytoplankton assimilation part from plants should be framed within the biofiltration and recycling of the waste in the closed aquatic ecosystem.

Maintaining water quality

Quality of water is very critical for the well-being of both fish and plants. However, critical parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature should be constantly monitored to prevent any growth issues or mortality in the system. Water monitoring systems that are automated with sensors can provide data in real time and make adjustments as necessary. On the other hand, incorporating machine learning algorithms allows predictive maintenance to take place, thus, reducing the risk of system failure. Additionally, water testing on a regular basis, along with filter maintenance, also plays a huge role in maintaining smooth operation. 

Energy efficiency

Aquaponic systems can require a lot of power because of water pumping, aeration, and temperature control. Eroding the profit margin through high energy bills makes energy efficiency a crucial element of sustainability. Energy-conservation equipment such as variable-speed pumps, which are quiet and can be run at different speeds, and high-efficiency aerators can significantly save energy. Besides this, companies can also contribute to absorbing energy costs by employing solar panels and optimising the system design so that water traveling distance would be minimised to lower energy consumption.

Fish and plant species selection

For the aquaponic system to be successful, it is important the appropriate fish and plants are chosen as not all of them are suitable for such kind of systems. The fish that are going to be introduced into the system need to be sturdy because sometimes water conditions can be less than ideal. Also, the plants should get their nutrients from the fish waste. Tilapia, catfish, and trout are the species of fish that are widely used for their robustness, while leafy greens and herbs like lettuces and basil are plants that are particularly recommended. Small-scale trials on different species arrangements will give the combination of plants and fish that will result in the best performance of the system.

Scaling the system economically

The project of upgrading a layer that grows in the system of aquaponics to a commercial level conduces to the augmentation of the complexity in front of high upfront costs, increased production of labour, and more complex system dynamics. The goal of achieving economies of scale without a decrease in the sustainability of the system is of utmost importance. The modular system design helps scale down the size of the farm gradually while at the same time reducing the risks and the initial investment. Automation of the main processes in the life cycle such as feeding, water circulation, and environmental control will minimise labeling work. Data-based tools for analysing the performance of the systems guarantee scalability and constant yield development.

Conclusion

To attain a profitable aquaponic model, it is imperative to deal with main difficulties like nutrient balance, water quality, energy efficiency, species selection, and system scalability. By employing innovative biofiltration systems, automation technologies, power-efficient building components, and data-centric decision support systems, managers will be able to get the most out of the system at the same time as reducing operating expenditures. By means of such approaches, aquaponics promises to be a sustainable food production method that is environmentally friendly and economically sound for the long term.

The beaters are equipped with spirals and bolted Hardox steel teeth to guarantee a long service life and an optimal crumbling quality. (Image source: JOSKIN)

Machinery & Equipment

The Siroko, an entry-level muck spreader from JOSKIN, offers capacities from 5 to 13 cu m, and is part of a range of six models, four of which have vertical beaters and two have horizontal beaters with a spreading table

It is characterised by its lightness, sturdiness and easy maintenance, as well as by its narrow galvanised body and wide wheels, which offer a great manoeuvrability and enhanced stability on hilly terrain. Designed in high tensile steel, the Siroko is sturdy and dynamical without extra reinforcements, which reduces its empty weight. It has a standard drawbar suspension with cross spring leaves, providing driving comfort even at high speeds and over rough terrain.

The two oversized beaters guarantee efficient crumbling and easy product passage, with a moving floor made of shipping chains and closed profile slats, fitted on a bolted galvanised floor. The spreading width varies from 7 to12 m, depending on the product, thanks to the rotation of the beaters at a speed of 423 rpm and their large 900 mm diameter, ensuring an efficient spreading system.

The beaters are equipped with spirals and bolted Hardox steel teeth to guarantee a long service life and an optimal crumbling quality. In addition, two retractable blades at the base of the beaters act like a 'splitting' hammer to ensure high-quality spreading.

In short, the Siroko stands out for its sturdy design, ease of use and manure spreading efficiency, providing farmers with a reliable, cost-effective equipment for their spreading needs.

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