Food Processing

Robotics Plus launches Prospr: multi-use autonomous vehicle for sustainable orchard and vineyard production

Autonomous modular vehicle platform for agriculture automates a variety of tree crop tasks, including intelligent spraying – to improve efficiency and alleviate labor challenges New Zealand-based agritech company Robotics Plus has launched Prospr, an autonomous, multi-use, hybrid vehicle designed to carry out a variety of orchard and vineyard crop tasks more efficiently and sustainably while reducing reliance on labor. Prospr is now commercially available from Robotics Plus, a specialist in the design and build of innovative agricultural robotics. Prospr accommodates multiple swappable tools being developed, including newly released tower sprayers for grapes, apples, or tree crops. The right tool for the job is attached to the vehicle depending on the day’s work, and multiple Prosprs can collaborate in a fleet to get the job done. The autonomous vehicle uses a combination of perception systems to sense the environment, enabling data-driven insights. Robotics Plus will showcase Prospr for the first time at FIRA 2023 this week, a California-based event dedicated to autonomous agriculture and agricultural robotics solutions. Steve Saunders, Co-founder and Chief Executive at Robotics Plus says the agriculture industry faces unprecedented challenges as this generation works to produce more food sustainably while reducing emissions and supplying at a lower cost. “Prospr is a robust autonomous vehicle, with all-day running, that adapts to the jobs growers need to do while reducing emissions, inputs and reliance on increasingly hard-to-find machine operators. We’ve focussed on utilisation and flexibility with a unique modular architecture, allowing different tools for various crop types and applications year-round to maximise return on investment. “It’s great to be back at FIRA to launch Prospr, with the first vehicles rolling out to customers this month. It’s a fantastic milestone for the passionate and dedicated Robotics Plus team.” Dr. Alistair Scarfe, Co-founder and Chief Engineering Officer at Robotics Plus, says, “We’ve […]

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The global food system: we are what we eat

This glimpse of the future was crafted by Paul de Gannes To capture nature more accurately, 19th-century French painter Claude Monet often painted on extremely large canvases, many metres in length. If you look at his work up close, the brushstrokes are blurred and hazy, but step back from the canvas and the water lilies come to life, capturing the imagination. When it comes to our global food system, it’s time to think like Monet! Rather than focusing on individual elements, we must stand back to truly appreciate a broader, more inclusive perspective. This takes us beyond the standard snapshot delivered by the appetising and mouth-watering close-ups of food on Instagram, to a deeper understanding of how our food system plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy planet. According to an EAT-Lancet Commission report co-authored by Professor Walter Willet from Harvard Medical School, food is the single strongest lever to optimise human health and environmental sustainability on earth, and will be a defining issue of the 21st century. However, it seems that many don’t yet see it that way. Consumer adoption of circular economy practices hinges on convenience, availability and understanding of sustainable options offered by companies. This is in line with behavioural science studies that look into how easy, or difficult it is to teach an old dog new tricks. How will manufacturers measure up? How can manufacturers adopt wide-scale, sustainable practices that deliver benefits today – not merely cost savings – to the food supply chain, which will lead to further investment and truly deliver long-lasting value in this area? Approaching food production as a holistic challenge is also an opportunity. The production system in its entirety needs to be taken into account when trying to determine whether a product is environmentally acceptable or not. This includes […]

Report finds fast food chains are embracing plant-based food

A report published by the food awareness organisation ProVeg International finds that the five leading fast food chains – McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, and KFC – are delivering an increasing number of plant-based food options to their customers. The report ranks the Big Five in terms of how plant-friendly they are and Burger King comes out on top with the highest percentage of main dishes being plant-based. Main meals, sides, desserts and menu presentation were taken into consideration at fast food chains across nine countries – Belgium, Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain, the UK, and the US. Subway came in a very close second in the ranking after Burger King, followed by McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and KFC. “It is incredible to see how fast food – which has always revolved around animal meat consumption – has become more plant-friendly and, in doing so, more climate-friendly,” Josh Bisig, Senior Project Manager at ProVeg, said. “We analysed 43 online menus across all nine countries and twenty-two of them (51%) offered at least one plant-based option. This is encouraging but there is still plenty of room for improvement,” he added. Normalising plant-based options The latest moves by the Big Five to incorporate plant-based into their menus include the launch by McDonald’s Germany of a vegan McFlurry dessert in 2022, while, in the same year, Pizza Hut UK introduced Violife vegan cheese into all of its UK locations, both for dine-in and delivery. “Fast food chains are ubiquitous and play an important role in normalising climate-friendly food for millions of people around the world who might not otherwise consider the negative impacts of food choices. And these chains are increasingly doing this by making plant-based options more available, tasty and affordable,” Bisig said. “While trend-setting with mainstream consumers, […]

Meating the needs of the red meat processing sector

Red meat industry overview: Australia and New Zealand Australia’s red meat and livestock turnover accounted for $67.7 billion in the 2020/1 financial year. Currently, more than 800 tonnes of beef is exported each year as the demand for quality meat continues to surge. According to Australia’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Australia’s cattle herd is forecast to grow to 28.8 million heads this year (up by 4.5%). Looking to New Zealand, around three quarters of pastoral land and just under a third of New Zealand’s total land area is used for sheep and beef farming. According to the New Zealand Herald, the country exported red meat products worth $885 million for the month of February alone. The meat industry continues to generate high export revenue and remains the country’s foremost manufacturing sector, providing 25000-plus jobs. And while local manufacturers work hard to keep up with the pace of exports, the Department of Agriculture has cited a short-term stumbling block which will see lower prices outweighing increases in export volumes. However, the momentum continues for many invested, long-standing farmers operating in the meat processing sector. A prime example of a proudly Australian agribusiness thriving in the red meat sector is Fletcher International Exports. “In 2021, SMC Corporation ANZ released a case study in proud partnership with Fletcher,” explains Derek Haakman, Area Sales Manager for SMC New Zealand. “The company has two facilities in Australia that processes a total of 90 000 sheep per week.” He adds that the magnitude of this sector should not be underestimated or overlooked. “The red meat supply chain encompasses the likes of animal harvesting, livestock sales, meat processing, packaging, wholesaling, transportation and more.” “Companies in the red meat sector are up against a host of challenges daily, these include high running costs, rigorous health and safety standards, […]

Novel plant proteins for NZ

(L-R): Lisa Asher (Harvest B), Andrew Holloway (Dunninghams), Fabian Quevit (Dunninghams), Scott Reynolds (Dunninghams) and Kristi Riordan (Harvest B) High-quality whole piece, plant-based protein will soon be available to New Zealanders with the new distribution agreement between innovative Australian food manufacturer Harvest B and New Zealand supplier Dunninghams. The agreement marks the first distribution arrangement for Harvest B and the first export market for its novel, high-quality plant-based proteins. Unlike other plant-based meat offerings, Harvest B has developed a range of products that deliver the look and taste of whole meat pieces, while removing the need for binders, additives and a cold supply chain. “Partnering with such a highly respected organisation like Dunninghams to serve New Zealand made absolute sense for Harvest B,” said Kristi Riordan, CEO of Harvest B. “Dunninghams brings a deep understanding of the New Zealand market and consumers, and like us they share a commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.” Growing demand for Plant-Based Meats According to Euromonitor 1, 42% of global customers say that they are restricting certain animal-based products, with more people replacing entire meals with plant-based proteins or seeking higher-protein content from plant based sources. Scott Reynolds, CEO of Dunninghams, said demand has been growing in the New Zealand market, “We are thrilled to partner with Harvest B to bring their innovative and sustainable products to New Zealand. Harvest B’s plant-proteins are ideally suited to this market, where consumers have, until now, had limited choice when seeking healthier and more sustainable food options to reduce their animal protein consumption.” Better Experience for Restaurants & Food Manufacturers “The Harvest B solution brings together multiple plant protein types, allowing us to provide better nutrition and a better eating experience. Through a simple on-site brine process, restaurants and food manufacturers can replicate traditional menu items their […]

Fortude helps Beak and Johnston nail recipe for success with Infor M3

Beak and Johnston, an Australian family-owned fresh food manufacturer that produces innovative, value-added meal solutions, has partnered with Fortude, a global digital technology solutions company, to transform the manufacturing operations at its Greenacre plant. While Beak and Johnston is no stranger to Infor M3 having previously adopted it at their Arndell Park Facility, the manufacturer chose to partner with Fortude for the Greenacre plant roll-out because of the firm’s deep domain expertise and strong implementation track record in the food and beverage industry. “Our investment in Infor M3 is a strategic move towards becoming the top convenient meals provider of choice for all Australians. Fortude’s food and beverage industry implementation experience coupled with its extensive suite of extensions and integrations has enabled us to boost the performance of Infor’s core solution. With Fortude’s support, we have been able to streamline our operations and minimise food waste through effective master demand forecasting and inventory management. We also have been able to establish complete traceability which enables us to ensure compliance and food safety in our operations. We are delighted to have a partner like Fortude that understands our industry and growth ambitions very well,” said Ben Taboada, Group IT Manager, Beak and Johnston. Fortude’s implementation has helped the Australian food manufacturer boost its inventory visibility, overcome integration issues, simplify the stock valuation process, and eliminate supply chain inefficiencies. Fortude also introduced the Infor Manufacturing Execution System (MES) to support Beak and Johnston’s core manufacturing activities through complete traceability and accurate shelf-life management capabilities for its fresh food products. “The growing consumer demands for convenient and healthy meal solutions points to a booming frozen food industry. However, limited product shelf-life and dynamics of the fresh food industry, pose serious challenges for fresh food manufacturers,” explains Cameron Greening, Senior Vice President (Sales) ANZ, […]

McCain heats up on climate targets

The McCain Foods Timaru plant is doubling down on its climate targets by reducing its demand for heating fuel and eliminating its CO2 emissions generated by of the burning of coal. In alignment with McCain’s objective of avoiding coal consumption by 2025, the Timaru plant is converting its boiler to operate from coal to domestically sourced woodchips, which will help McCain reduce its carbon emissions by approximately 30,000 tonnes per year. Successful trials began in May 2021 in line with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) requirements to prove the concept. Final commissioning will be completed by June 2022. McCain Foods Engineering Project Manager Lenard Smythe said this joint initiative was a positive step forward and an opportunity for McCain to continue innovating to reduce its carbon footprint. “It’s important for companies to take initiative and lead the way when it comes to climate action. It’s in our best interest to save our environment and continually improve our practices to reduce our impact in terms of emissions. “The Boiler Conversion project is only one of many initiatives McCain is working on to achieve our sustainability targets,” Mr Smythe said. In recognition of the project achievement in meeting the News Zealand Government’s sustainability objectives, McCain has been awarded GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry) funding on a co-investment basis. “Our positive relationship with the New Zealand Government on climate has positioned us well to keep leading in the space,” Mr Smythe said. The New Zealand Government will ban new coal boilers by 2022 and has proposed to phase out existing coal boilers by 2037. McCain Timaru is also focused on recovering waste heat from the fryer for use elsewhere in the facility, which will further reduce total energy consumption by more than 37,000 GJ/year and reducing the fuel. This recovery […]

Fonterra provides 2022/23 opening forecast Farmgate milk price and update on business performance

Fonterra has announced its 2022/23 opening forecast Farmgate Milk Price and provided an update on its third-quarter performance. The opening forecast Farmgate Milk Price for the 2022/23 season is set at $8.25 – $9.75 per kgMS, with a midpoint of $9.00 per kgMS. CEO Miles Hurrell says the strong opening forecast reflects continued demand for dairy coupled with constrained global supply. “The long-term outlook for dairy remains positive, despite recent geopolitical and COVID-19 related events impacting global demand in the short-term. “On the supply side, growth from key milk producing regions is expected to remain constrained as high feed, fertiliser and energy costs continue to impact production volumes. “These demand and supply dynamics are expected to support dairy prices in the medium to long-term. “However, we are operating in an increasingly volatile global environment and are managing a wider range of risks than usual. “This includes the potential for further impacts from COVID-19, financial markets and foreign exchange volatility, global inflationary pressures, a tightening labour market, increasing interest rates, geopolitical events, as well as the possible impact on demand from higher dairy prices. “This is why our 2022/23 forecast range is so wide at this point in the season.” For the 2021/22 season, Fonterra has maintained its 2021/22 forecast Farmgate Milk Price of $9.10 – $9.50 per kgMS. “At a midpoint of $9.30 per kgMS, this would be the highest forecast milk price in the Co-op’s history and would see us contribute almost $14 billion into the New Zealand economy through milk price payments.” Business performance For the nine months ending 30 April 2022, Fonterra’s sales volumes were down as a result of lower milk collections and the timing of sales due to short-term impacts on demand including the lockdowns in China, the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and the Russia-Ukraine […]

Plastic-metal hybrid for higher loads in the food sector

Constant relubrication of metallic bearing points in the food industry costs time, money and increases the risk of contamination. Maintenance-free igus igubal spherical bearings from Treotham are an economical and safe alternative. Now, the motion plastics specialist is introducing a new model for higher loads. It is equipped with a stainless-steel housing, a self-lubricating polymer inner ring and a stainless-steel spherical ball. This allows for higher-load applications to be converted to future-proof tribo-technology. Rod ends are an indispensable part of machine and plant engineering for the food industry. They are used everywhere from filling plants to meat-processing machines and packaging systems, where they transmit dynamic forces to pivoting, tilting and rotating movements. In the process, the heads must be relubricated to guarantee low-friction movement between the slide ring and the spherical ball. A job that is not only time-consuming, but also increases the risk of contamination as dirt and dust easily form sticky coatings and solid lumps. “To ease the burden on food-processing plants while improving hygiene in their moving applications, we have expanded our range of igubal rod end bearings”, explains igus Product Manager Thomas Preißner. “The new plastic-metal hybrid consists of a steel housing and spherical ball, and an inner ring made of the high-performance plastic iglidur A160, which meets the requirements of both the FDA and EU 10/2011.” Hygienic dry operation thanks to microscopic solid lubricants As with all iglidur plastics, there is a solid lubricant in iglidur A160, which is released in microscopic amounts over time. It ensures a low-friction dry operation between the inner ring and the stainless-steel spherical ball. The absence of lubrication also significantly speeds up cleaning the rod ends. Without grease, dirt and dust have little chance of settling. To further increase food safety, the high-performance plastic iglidur A160 is designed in blue. This is a […]

Pumping particles is no problem

By Matt Hale, International Sales & Marketing Director, HRS Heat Exchangers Pumps are an integral part of many food processing facilities, but care must be taken to select the correct pump for both the product being moved and the process requirements. Physical damage to the product, as well as the influence of factors such as pressure and shear stress must all be taken into account. When you wish to pump large solid items, such as fruit and vegetables, these challenges become even greater. There are many types of pump on the market, including rotary lobe, rotary piston, reciprocating positive displacement, progressing cavity, peristaltic hose and air-operated double diaphragm designs. However, not all of them are capable of maintaining product quality at a reasonable cost while keeping the required pressure in the system (in particular, progressive cavity pumps can break the product, while double diaphragm pumps result in a low pressure drop). Furthermore, traditional pumps can be expensive to maintain while lobe pumps have low flow rates. To overcome these difficulties, HRS developed the BP Series of hygienic reciprocating, positive-displacement pumps, which are suitable for a wide range of difficult to handle food products, including whole peppers, strawberries and baby carrots, as well as sauces, dips, fruit purées, and many others. Positive displacement pumps have an expanding cavity on the suction side of the pump and a decreasing cavity on the discharge side. Liquid flows into the pump as the cavity on the suction side expands and is forced out of the discharge side as the cavity collapses. The HRS BP Series Piston Pump is operated either hydraulically or pneumatically (depending on available air supply pressure), and incorporates a separator fitted between the piston and the hydraulic chamber to ensure that there is no contact between the product chamber and the […]

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