The two main goals of vegetable processing, food safety and product quality, are sacrosanct – but the goalposts keep moving.

Every incoming truck load of green beans might vary in quality. Due to slightly different weather, soil or growing conditions, there might be more or fewer discolorations, or a sudden influx of weeds or even insects. And because beans can be sold in varying quality grades and differing forms, product specifications also need changing. This complicates the day-to-day business of processing, but there can be no excuses: no matter how much or how often circumstances change on the processing line, product imperfections must be detected and ejected. 

Because so much is changing so quickly, nut processors face more challenges today than ever before. Some will have to modernize their working practices and technologies in order to survive. Others, by making best use of technologies, will turn the challenges into opportunities and thrive.

Businesses that stand still get left behind. This is especially true today in nut processing. Sticking for too long with the same old working practices and machines is standing still. Not getting left behind requires awareness of latest processing technologies and market trends. But which trends are here to stay, and how can processors profit from them, either now or in the near-future?

TOMRA Food has developed "Virtual demonstration centers”, enabling you to follow demonstrations in times of limited contact.

With endless information streaming into our lives and new actions being taken around the COVID-19 virus every day, it has many of us, including myself, asking the question: What now? How do I keep my business operating? How do I protect the health and safety of my employees? How long is this going to last? Can I get a refund on my U2 concert tickets? While we don’t have answers to all the questions, I find it helpful to recap what we know for sure, especially as it relates to the nut processing industry.

“There is no doubt that we face challenging times over the next months, due to the
Covid-19 pandemic, but rest assured that TOMRA Food is taking all possible steps to
support your business.”

So much depends on vegetable processors. Not least, product quality to protect retailers’ brand reputations and food safety to safeguard consumers’ health. But processing vegetables is rife with threats invisible to the human eye. Potentially harmful and sub-standard produce has to be identified and rejected from the processing line, yet defect-detection can be extraordinarily difficult.

New Johannesburg premises spotlight the technologies needed to improve food productivity

We must change how we handle our resources. A rapidly growing population, increased demand for produce and the threat of climate change bring with them risks to the food supply chain, and new approaches must be looked at to enable a sustainable future.

This guest article is a expert opinion piece from Axel Breuer from the Clipper Magazine.  

What does the future hold for the nut industry? Things have been mostly great for a long time. In recent interviews with the Clipper Magazine Richard Waycott, President and CEO of the Almond Board of California and Phil Zadro, mastermind of the Australian and South African macadamia industry confirmed that nut demand is continuously growing faster than supply. Hazelnuts and peanut consumption might see another boost due to the breakthroughs in allergy treatment.