Gac fruit and mini-mango from Thailand

Gac fruit and mini-mango from Thailand

Gac fruit, little known in Europe but widely popular in Southeast Asia, is being exhibited at FRUIT LOGISTICA by Soonthorn Sritawee at his Blue River company stand, and has attracted a lot of interest among trade fair visitors. The prickly fruit, which is red when ripe, contains ten times more carotene than a carrot and seventy times more of the antioxidant lycopin as a tomato. While the market opportunities for this product are still being tested in Europe, mini-mangos, which are eaten like a plum, are already being supplied to Europe. According Sritawee, the lychee-like longon fruit, which can be used in sweet-and-sour dishes as well as for compote, may be less suitable for the European market due to their very sweet flavour. (Hall 5.2, Stand B-02. Contact: Soonthorn Sritawee, tel.: +66 81 8800143, e-mail: soonthornsri@yahoo.com)

Hall Forum on Sustainability: Scrutinising every link in the chain

Hall Forum on Sustainability: Scrutinising every link in the chain

Everyone is talking about sustainability. But what does this mean for players at different levels of the fresh produce industry? The Hall Forum "Sustainability – value for the long term", moderated by Kaasten Reh (Fruchthandel Magazine, Dusseldorf) and attended by a large audience, sought to answer these questions. Introductory presentations were held by Theo de Groot, Managing Director, M.P.S. Sustainable Quality; Ben Horsbrugh, Quality Assurance, The Univeg Deutschland Group, and Dr. Ludger Breloh from the Rewe Group. Sustainability, said de Groot, could be defined quite simply as a balance between human beings, the planet and profit. He called for this endeavour to be presented transparently to everyone involved. Horsbrugh concentrated mainly on the development of a corporate strategy to address sustainability. He said that it was important to analyse the situation precisely, to formulate realistic objectives and key tasks, and to create a solid database for all of this. For example, aspects including healthy nutrition, social responsibility, energy efficiency, water and wastewater management all had to be thoroughly examined. Breloh showed how a commercial enterprise could take up the challenge of sustainability using his own company and its "Pro Planet" project as an example. He said that the main factor is a precise analysis of the key problems.

Japan: Sungreen adds to colourful tomato cocktail

Japan: Sungreen adds to colourful tomato cocktail

Three years ago the Japanese company Tokita Seed took third place in the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award competition with its heart-shaped Tomatoberry. The company is now presenting Sungreen, a new, green version of the tasty cherry tomato that will be on the market by the end of the year. By combining the seven different-coloured varieties ranging from lemon-yellow to chocolate-brown, Tokita Seed has created an innovative, tasty and attractive tomato cocktail. (Hall 1.2, Stand C-09. Contact: Ike Tokita, tel. +81 48 6867235, e-mail: ike@tokitaseed.co.jp)

Koppert Biologicals presents the latest in biological crop protection

Koppert Biologicals presents the latest in biological crop protection

How can plant pests be combatted effectively and without damage to the plant? With beneficial organisms. The spider mite doesn't stand a chance against the Amblyseius swirskii mite. The latest member of the Koppert Biological Systems family is the 'Delphibug' Delphastus catalinae, says communications officer Yvette de Schepper at FRUIT LOGISTICA. This predatory beetle feasts on whitefly eggs and larvae typically found on gerberas, roses, cucumbers and aubergines. The soil-dwelling predatory mite Macrocheles robustulus is a real glutton. Along with thrips pupae, items on this mite's menu include fungus gnats, bean seed flies, pot-worms and young caterpillars. (Hall 1.2, E-06. Contact: Yvette de Schepper, tel. +31(0)10/5140444, e-mail: ydschepper@koppert.nl)

Fruit Logistica Innovation of the Year Innovation of the year: Australian citrus caviar

Innovation of the year: Australian citrus caviar

The winner of the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) 2011 was chosen by the international industry experts. This year's award was presented for the citrus fruit Limeburst Fingerlimes (Finger Limeing Good, Australia). The finger lime is unique in that its juice is contained in vesicles similar to caviar. They burst when chewed and release a tangy lime flavour. The "citrus caviar" is also very attractive visually and is used as a decorative ingredient in food preparation. Chefs have been quick to recognise the fruit's potential. Finger limes are a wonderful complement to complex and simple dishes alike. They are available in four varieties: Limeburst Green, Limeburst Burgundy, Limeburst Pink und Limeburst Black. The colour of the citrus caviar is variety-dependant and may be bright green, deep red, pink or opaque. Introduced to the market in spring 2010, the fruit weighs 25-30 g. Following the awards ceremony Limeburst Australia Director James Boyd said, "It has taken 15 years to develop the product to this level of sophistication. The Innovation Award will help our business to gain further ground in the market".

This year's runners-up included herbs and vegetables from the Jamie Oliver "Grow Your Own" range (Gasa Group, Denmark) and the Almond Mushroom (Prime Champ, Netherlands), a variety with a distinctive nutty flavour.

Fruit Logistica briefs - Feb. 11

Boema: Potatoes not just peeled, but also surface-treated

Italian machine-manufacturer Boema supplies technical solutions for every step of the production chain, from initial fruit and vegetable processing, to the production of jellies and jams. The company's presence at FRESHCONEX focused on the latest generation of potato peelers. These machines offer not only standard programs for washing, peeling and cutting potatoes, but also an innovative ozone treatment procedure. According to the company, potatoes treated with ozone have a much longer shelf life. (Hall 7.2A, Stand B-09, Contact: Marco Cortese, tel. +39-173678711, e-mail: boema@boema.com)

Cellpack: Intelligent packaging solutions

With production sites in France, Switzerland and Germany, Cellpack Packaging specialises in packaging concepts designed to meet the highest standards in terms of food safety, freshness and presentation. FRESHCONEX is where the innovative company is showcasing intelligent solutions for all phases of fresh fruit and vegetable processing. Sales Manager Christèle Demeunynck is excited about the company's success at the trade fair: "We were able to meet with our customers from America and Africa here. This saves us a huge amount on travel." (Hall 7.2B, Stand B-02. Contact: Christèle Demeunynck, tel. +33-3-89255100, e-mail: christele.demeunynck@cfs.fr)

Highest quality food for hospitals, schools and retirement homes

Focusing on commercial caterers, restaurants and the food processing industry, Belgium-based food specialist Deliva supplies a wide variety of products ranging from high-quality ingredients, to complete menus. "We supply commercial kitchens that prepare food for retirement homes, hospitals and schools. So we need to meet the highest quality standards", said Managing Director Herman Schepers at FRESHCONEX. The company prepares food at two sites covering a total area of more than 8000 square metres in the town of Genk. New product ideas in the pipeline include a line of top-quality baby food produced from purely organic raw materials. (Hall 7.2C, Stand B-05. Contact: Herman Schepers, tel. +32-89629300, e-mail: herman.schepers@deliva.be)



HiFi: Premium films for premium trays

"What good are premium-quality PET trays for fresh fruit and salads if the film cover rips or becomes foggy?" asks Koos Ruijgrok, Sales Manager for the Dutch company HiFi Industrial Film. As a specialised manufacturer of polyester films, HiFi guarantees that all its products are easy to peel off with an integrated seal and anti-condensation concept. Exhibiting at FRESHCONEX for the first time, the company managed to establish an unexpectedly large number of international business contacts. (Hall 7.2A, Stand A-03. Contact: Koos Ruijgrok, tel. +31-229-272282, e-mail: hifi.nl@tiscali.nl)

Hoogesteger bottles pure fruit

Juice that's just like home-squeezed. The Netherlands-based Hoogesteger company has been producing fresh-squeezed pressed juices from the best seasonal fruit since 1988. Without pasteurisation, preservatives, concentrate, artificial flavour enhancers, aromas or colouring. All fruit is peeled beforehand and carefully inspected prior to squeezing. The juice is then bottled according to strict hygiene and quality standards. Product shelf life is eight days if kept at below 7° Celsius. This is quality you can taste and, according to Hoogesteger, has made the company the premium segment market leader in the Benelux countries. "Our growth potential on this market has reached its limit. That's why we're at FRESHCONEX to explore new markets for our juices and smoothies," says Sales Manager Albert de Vries commenting on Hoogesteger's debut appearance at the trade fair. (Hall 7.2C, Stand B-07. Contact: Albert de Vries, tel. +31-20-4073000, E-Mail: albert.devries@hoogesteger.nl)

The fastest way to peel a pineapple

The staff working at the FRESHCONEX exhibition stand sponsored by Canadian company ISA Automation impressively demonstrated how quickly and efficiently a pineapple can be peeled and cut into appetising pieces with a manually-operated machine. The two pineapple peelers on display are designed for food retailers who want to include fresh-cut pineapple in their fruit and vegetable sections. (Hall 7.2C, Stand B-10. Contact: Stephen Albanese, tel. +1-9057380775, e-mail: salbanese@isaautomation.com)