Tomra Food-owned Compac has introduced a new Field Research Unit (FRU) that can be deployed directly into the field to study the industry's most challenging fresh produce issues.
The new laboratory, which is equipped with a range of analytical sensor technologies from across Tomra, was launched at the tenth Citrus Research International Symposium in Drakensburg, South Africa, earlier this month.
The FRU has an advantage in that it can be deployed in-market close to the source of fresh produce, and at any stage of the supply chain from the field through to point-of-sale.
Data collected can be analysed to improve produce sorting and decision making across the supply chain, as well as driving new tech research and product development.
According to Compac, the FRU is equipped with benchtop spectrometers , hyperspectral imaging equipment, texture analysers, the new Compac Inspectra 2 internal inspection system for fresh produce, and the TomraQVision which is optimised for protein, moisture and fat analysis.
'Compac’s new project is a welcome initiative for the citrus industry and we look forward to being able to work with the unit in advancing this important technology within the citrus industry,” said Dr Sean Moore, IPM portfolio manager with Citrus Research International.
