FRUIT LOGISTICA honours trend-setting developments

Known as the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award, it acknowledges outstanding new products and services that were introduced to the fruit and vegetable market between 1 January 2004 and 31 October 2005 and which have given a significant impetus to the fresh produce sector. The FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award 2006 is given jointly by Messe Berlin GmbH and FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZIN, D�sseldorf.

A panel of experts has chosen the ten best from the many entries that were received. These nominations will then be presented in a special show in the passageway between Halls 1.1 and 2.1 to the more than 30,000 trade visitors at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2006, who will use a ballot paper to choose their Innovation of the Year during the fair. The winner will be announced at 10 a.m. on 4 February 2006 at an awards ceremony to be held at the conclusion of the Hall Forum �New products and new ideas � innovation as an effective way of generating more turnover�. The following entries have been shortlisted for the Innovation Award (in alphabetical order):

Action Pearl Growers: Pick-your-own tomato plants

�Pick-a-Tom� from the Dutch company Action Pearl Growers is a tomato plant for sale in the fresh produce departments of retail outlets and in garden centres. Each plant is approximately 35 � 40 centimetres high and produces about 40 cherry tomatoes of the Licopersicum variety. The pot is 14 cm wide and a booklet with growing tips is provided in four languages, using the Pick-a-Tom slogan �The tastiest tomatoes are the ones you pick yourself.� The plants are supplied with the first truss of tomatoes already ripe, and consumers can then pick further fruits as they ripen. The plants should be placed on a window sill or balcony, or they can also be planted in the garden. The Pick-a-Tom is a good way to educate children about the benefits of a healthy diet and a special website has been set up at �www.pluktomaatje.nl�. The plants are cultivated in De Lier in the Netherlands. Sales started in April 2005 and this year marketing is expected from weeks 17 to 39. (www.pluktomaatje.nl, www.actionpearlgrowers.nl), Hall 3.2, Stand D-05.

Amcor Flexibles: fresh produce packaging designed for microwaves

�Amcor SelfVent�� from Amcor Flexibles in the UK is a range of different packaging systems for microwave cooking. The SelfVent system means that there is no need to manually pierce the foil before cooking, thus eliminating the risk of injury to consumers, preventing leakage and ensuring that the product is cooked under optimal conditions. The stand-up pouch is made of two different laminate structures suitable for custom printing. It can be placed upright on the retail shelf or in a refrigerator. The self-venting system acts like a pressure cooker and preserves the flavour of the product. The SelfVent pack can be easily torn open without the need for scissors or a knife. It is simple to fill and can be used for any type of fresh produce suitable for microwave cooking, such as prepared vegetables, new potatoes, asparagus tips and fine beans. It can also be used for value-added products such as vegetables in butter or an oil dressing. The SelfVent pouches were first marketed in the UK in June 2005. (www.amcor.com), Hall 2.1, Stand A-13.

Chiquita Banana Company B.V.: bananas with an environmental seal of approval

Chiquita bananas are now produced and marketed by Cologne-based Chiquita Banana Company B.V. entirely in accordance with the certified standards of the Rainforest Alliance and the company is among those competing for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award 2006. The Alliance was established in New York in 1987 as an independent environmental organisation which is actively campaigning for better working conditions and environmentally friendly production methods in Central and South America. Chiquita has been cooperating with the Rainforest Alliance since 1992 and has adapted and changed working procedures and operating methods in all its plantations to satisfy the 200 different specifications and requirements in the Rainforest Alliance certification programme. By 2000 all Chiquita plantations had received Rainforest Alliance certification. The specifications had then to be maintained during a four year qualifying period before the company could be awarded the official seal of certification - the Green Frog. Independent observers continue to regularly monitor the plantations. Chiquita bananas with the Rainforest Alliance seal have been available since November 2005. (www.chiquita.com), Hall 6.1, Stand A-07.

Dole Fresh Fruit Europe oHG: analysis tool for strategic product management

The Area Management System applied by Dole Fresh Fruit Europe oHG in Germany is a tool for analysing strategic product management and it has been developed with the aim of optimising the efficiency and profitability of supermarket fresh produce departments. It was developed after a detailed analysis of existing consumer and retail trade customer requirements and expectations at point of sale, including a detailed mapping study using many different statistical tools to calculate the best possible consumer-oriented placement of products within the department. The next stage was the planning and development of more efficient and effective product presentation and placement concepts for entire fresh produce departments of between 800 m2 and 6,000 m2 in size. The concepts and plans were then tested in a pilot phase with an analysis of quantitative factors such as sales volumes and turnover, as well as the qualitative analysis of customer and staff response and levels of satisfaction. The Dole Area Management System has been available for commercial implementation since October 2004. (www.dole.de), Hall 1.2, Stand C-05.

Eosta B.V.: tracing and rating system

�Nature & More� is a tracing and rating system from the Dutch company Eosta B.V. for certified organically grown �fair-trade� fresh fruit and vegetables. Nature & More products carry a special label or sticker bearing a product code. Consumers can enter this code on the website �www.natureandmore.com� to obtain detailed information about the producer and the rating system. All quality aspects are objectively rated on the basis of a comprehensive checklist drawn up by the Nature & More foundation�s independent auditors. The audit schedule covers product quality, including nutrient analysis, sensory evaluation, fertilizer and pesticide residues, post-harvest treatments and freedom from genetic modification. The tracing system was developed by Eosta and introduced on the market in 2004. In October 2004 ownership was transferred to the independent Nature & More Foundation and since then it has since been applied more than 75 million time to fruit and vegetables. (www.natureandmore.com, www.eosta.com), Hall 3.2, Stand C-05.

Juran Metal Works Ltd.: a seed extractor for pomegranates that does not damage the fruit

The EAP machine from Juran Metal Works Ltd. in Israel is a patented solution for removing pomegranate seeds without damaging the fruit. The pomegranates are cut in a star-shape, without affecting the internal quality of the fruit. Firstly the individual seeds are separated from the peel using pressurized air and they are then freed from the outer skin by means of a jet of water. The manufacturer claims that only three to five per cent of the episperm is damaged, compared with 20 per cent by other commonly used industrial methods. The EAP machine, which can process 16 pomegranates per minute, is 4.7 metres in length, 3.8 metres wide and 2.5 metres in height. It has a power rating of six kilowatts, operates at a pressure of seven bar and uses 80 cubic metres of compressed air per minute. The machine has been developed in association with the Volcani Center and the Institute of Agricultural Engineering in Bet Dagan, Israel. It was launched on the market in August 2004. (www.juran.co.il), Hall 3.1, Stand C-02.

Koppert Cress B.V.: ultra-healthy vegetables

BroccoCress is derived from selected broccoli seedlings and contains on average thirty times more sulforaphane glucosinulate (SGS) than fully grown broccoli. SGS is an indirect antioxidant which, among other important characteristics, neutralizes free radicals. In 1992 the American cancer research specialist Dr. Paul Talalay discovered that broccoli contains high levels of SGS and, together with his team at Johns Hopkins Medical University in Baltimore, selected five varieties for further development. BroccoCress is grown and packed in a 12 x 5 centimetre tray and sold in weights of 30 g and 50 g. The total package height is 9 cm. The product has been available in Japan and the USA for some time but was first introduced to Europe in 2005. Koppert Cress B.V. is the only company to have been licensed by Brassica Protection Products L.L.C., Baltimore to produce BroccoCress in Europe. (www.brocco.nl, www.koppertcress.nl), Hall 3.2, Stand A-07.

Rijk Zwaan Welver GmbH: lettuce with more, uniform leaves

�Salanova� from Rijk Zwaan Welver GmbH in Germany consists of a number of new varieties of lettuce with leaves that are much more uniform than those of other varieties. Each head contains up to four times more leaves than conventional varieties, making Salanova ideal for sandwiches, pre-cut salads and other food service applications. The core can be removed with a single cut, the resulting leaves do not require any further slicing or cutting and there is very little wastage. Because only a very small part of the leaf or stem is cut there is less oxidation and substantially less discolouration. This gives a substantially extended shelf life. A number of varieties of this innovative lettuce are available: red and green incised-leaf lettuces, red and green multi-leaf butterhead lettuces, and red multi-leaf oak leaf lettuces. The Salanova range was launched in March 2004. (www.rijkzwaan.de, www.salanova.com), Hall 3.2, Stand C-18.

Ripesense Ltd.: the label that indicates the ripeness of the produce

With �ripeSense� the New Zealand company Ripesense Ltd. has introduced a simple and reliable visual indicator of ripeness. The company claims that this is the first colourimetric ripeness indicator sensor label for pears. The label does not react to time or temperature but to the aroma released by the pears as they ripen. Aroma compounds released by the pears cause the sensor label to change colour from red (unripe) through orange (firm), and finally to yellow (juicy) to indicate the level of ripeness. The sensor label is used on pre-packed pears and allows consumers to choose fruit at its preferred stage of ripeness. The indicator is currently available as a 25 mm square label with rounded corners and is attached to the inside of a two-piece clamshell pack containing either two or four fruits. As a rule it is used with other labels containing a reference to the system with a simple explanation of it for the benefit of consumers. The ripeSense label was first used commercially in New Zealand in May 2004 and is now in use in North America and Australia as well. It is currently being test-marketed in the United Kingdom and is due to be launched in France this year. (www.ripesense.com), Hall 4.2, Stand E-02.

Transimpex Warenhandelsgesellschaft mbH: a carrot with increased beta-carotene content

BetaSweet carrots from the German company Transimpex Warenhandels-gesellschaft mbH are a cross between existing natural carrot varieties without any genetic modification. They have been developed by Prof. Leonard Pike of Texas A&M University and contain 40 per cent more beta carotene than other carrot varieties, giving a distinguishing purplish outer colouring. They also contain high levels of anthocyan which is not available in any other carrot variety. BetaSweet carrots are generally sweeter than other types of carrot and are also available from organic production. The carrots are available in bundles of approximately 750 g as well as loose in one-way and returnable pool crates in weights from 1.5 to 20 kilograms. Promotional information leaflets are provided with each crate. BetaSweet carrots were first marketed in commercial quantities in Germany in 2004. In 2005 sales were extended to markets including Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Scandinavia (www.betasweet.de, www.transimpex.de), Hall 5.2, Stand B-02.