Computer model to solve storage issues

A computer model has been developed to improve the long-term storage of fleshy fruit under controlled atmospheres, according to researchers at the Catholic University of Leuven, in Belgium.

The new model can reportedly predict internal gas concentrations in fruit and vegetables, which may control the spoiling of some foods.

Lead researcher Bart Nicolaï said that while the model was designed for pears, it could be applied generally. Application to other fleshy fruit and plant organs would be relatively straightforward, when tissue properties and geometry had been measured.

The researchers wrote in the journal PLoS Computational Biology: “The model developed is, to our knowledge, the most comprehensive model to date to simulate gas exchange in plant tissues.

“It can be used to evaluate the effect of environmental stresses on fruit via in silico experiments, and may lead to commercial applications involving long-term storage of fruit under controlled atmospheres.”

The technology may prove beneficial to food producers and manufacturers.

The report explains that fleshy fruit is stored under low oxygen levels and increased carbon dioxide (CO2), to extend its storage life for up to nine months. If the oxygen concentration in the storage atmosphere is too low, disorders such as internal browning may occur, leading to economic losses. This browning is known to be related to the mechanisms of gas exchange, respiration and fermentation in fruit. Until now, further conclusions were difficult to make because of a lack of reliable methods to measure the gas concentrations in the fruit.

The mathematical model predicts the internal gas concentrations, including permeation, diffusion and respiration, and fermentation kinetics.

Pears were selected as a case study, and the model was used to perform in silico experiments, via computer simulation, to evaluate the effect of fruit size or ambient gas concentration on internal oxygen and CO2 levels.

The model incorporates the shape of the fruit, and was solved using fluid dynamics software.

DUTCH TO ADOPT GS1

Dutch fruit and vegetable growers are set to adopt the International GS1 standard for electronic data exchange this year.

This is the same system already in use in the retail trade and, in the event of supply chain calamities, it means intervention can be made more quickly.

The Dutch Produce Association (DPA), which represents 98 per cent of Dutch fruit and vegetable production, announced on Monday that, as of October 1, pallet labels and packing notes will be printed according to the GS1 standard. On July 1, they intend to start with the system for pallet labels.

The DPA is one of the partners in Frug I Com, a platform that has been working on standardising data exchange in the fruit and vegetable supply chain since 2003. Chairman Tom den Hertog calls this growers’ initiative “a great advance”. He said: “It challenges traders, processors and importers to make hard and fast agreements about taking the next step.”

A pallet label generated according to the GS1 standard contains five text fields and three bar codes. Together, they provide all imaginable information about the product. Uniform labelling will enable each link in the chain to access full information about shipments at any required moment.

The introduction of GS1 means growers will also have to comply with the requirements of the General Food Law.

RPA OPENS GATEWAY

The rural Payments Agency (RPA) now accepts electronic submission of single payment forms via the Government Gateway.

The Farmplan Single Payment Scheme (SPS) Planner software, which helps users identify Land Use Codes and calculates eligible area and area claimed for protein, energy, nuts and the Hill Farm Allowance (HFA), now enables users to submit their forms online and obtain an immediate submission receipt. This means that, for forms submitted before the deadline, the user can be confident the RPA has received them on time, significantly reducing claimants’ workloads.

Chief operating officer for the RPA Hugh Taylor said: “Farmplan is one of only two suppliers working with the RPA to enhance existing software to enable customers to submit their SP5 SPS application electronically for the 2008 scheme year.

“In order to ensure the smooth running of the process, a limited number of online submission licences are being made available for this first year.”

The SPS Planner software has been used by many farm businesses, including Lilburn Estates and Whitbread Farms, for many years. One of its key benefits is that it can help improve the accuracy of returns and minimise errors.

NEW SITE FOR TIMCON

The new website from the Timber Packaging and Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) has been well received and is proving an invaluable resource for the industry, writes the firm.

Developed for both timber packaging manufacturers and packaging purchasers, the clean design and simple navigation make it easy for visitors to find their way around the site and access a whole host of information, much of which is downloadable.

There are six main sections to the site, which covers a comprehensive and wide-ranging selection of information. The environmental benefits of using wood packaging are discussed in detail, supported by three printable carbon fact sheets and a video which is viewable online.

The principles behind ISPM15 are explained, along with full details on the latest worldwide developments involving the standard, how to become compliant, a Q&A section and a whole lot more on the topic. Information is also available in the reference form of an ISPM15 Passport and a Global Export Guide.

Other guides available on the site include publications specifically for buyers of timber packaging, which cover issues such as the benefits of wood packaging, a glossary of terms, a product guide and finding a supplier, as well as an ‘ask the expert’ section.

A full breakdown of British standards, ISO standards and CEN standards is included as well.

CAPESPAN REAPS BENEFITS OF ANGLIA’S LINKFRESH MOBILITY SOLUTION

This month, Anglia Business Solutions takes us through the deployment of its award-winning LINKFresh mobile application at Sheerness-based importer Capespan UK Ltd.

Capespan UK Ltd, part of the Capespan Group, is a company with a £105 million turnover. The company delivers globally sourced fruit, salads and vegetables to top UK retailers, processors, wholesalers and caterers throughout the year.

The business is a leader in the global marketing of fruit, and a provider of supply chain service solutions. Its principal location is in the port of Sheerness, on a dedicated quay with cutting-edge coldstorage and pre-packing facilities.

The business need

Capespan recognised the business benefits that could be gained from adopting an integrated IT strategy. It had already deployed solutions for business management and reporting. The skilled in-house IT team had also developed a quality control (QC) application, which was used to record all QC test data. However, this relied heavily on paper-based and manual data input procedures, which were both time-consuming and error prone. Capespan needed to extend access to these business-critical systems to remote workers, who were working in holds of ships or in vast coldstorage facilities. The company concluded that it needed real-time mobile data capture applications to help them to manage stock movements more effectively.

As Kevin Cracknell, UK MIS manager for Capespan, explained: “Due to the nature of our business, QC testing is performed on produce at every stage of its journey through our facility. We needed a method of rapidly recording and evaluating all of our test data so that we could provide live information on stock quality to key departments. Our current paper-based methods with manual data entry were inefficient.

“We evaluated a number of technologies as part of our selection process. This included the expansion of our existing back-office solution. However, it was clear that the Microsoft .NET Framework-based applications from Anglia had a significant technical advantage. The concepts were already proven and deployed with a number of similar fresh produce organisations, and its potential could be clearly seen,” he added.

Modules from Anglia’s award-winning LINKFresh mobile applications were deployed on Windows Mobile-based ruggedised hand-held scanning devices. The selected LINKFresh modules included were mobile QC, quality check intake, stock take, pallet tracking, RAG testing and the positive release modules.

The LINKFresh solution was configured to reflect Capespan’s existing proven QC operating practices. To verify the information recorded on the mobile devices, the workflow was seamlessly linked to a sub-set of Capespan’s existing QC master SQL database.

The applications were originally developed as part of Anglia’s Microsoft Dynamics NAV-based LINKFresh ERP solution for the fresh produce industry. However, the mobile technology proved flexible enough to operate with other business management solutions. By using Anglia’s unique DataMaker tool set, the software development team rapidly created .NET data tables on mobile devices to synchronise with corresponding back-office tables.

The user experience

To commence a QC test procedure, users can easily log themselves on using a unique barcode. This enables any user to pick up and use any hand-held device at any location.

Using Anglia’s Drizzle Technology, the mobile device periodically synchronises with the back-end database as and when a data connection is available. The store and forward configuration enables the QC operation to continue, even when a data connection with the back-end database is lost, e.g. when working in coldstorage or holds of ships. After every 10 synchronisations, the clock on the mobile devices is re-set to ensure that the time recorded for when each test is performed is accurate. On logging on, the user is presented with a main menu containing five module options; inspections, stock adjustment, dump, packhouse or damage.

• Inspections module - the pallet barcode is scanned. The user is then asked to confirm the data held on the back-office solution for that pallet. This includes checks on vessel name, PO number, product and variety, country of origin, pack size, quantity and grower.

The workflow application then directs the user to the main test criteria for that pallet. The user enters numeric values for various QC parameters such as number of bags, decay, bruising, cold damage or freezing damage. The sequence and number of tests, and the acceptable parameters for the test result, are all pre-configured dependent on the product or customer.

The user can also access a screen where they can capture (type) additional comments regarding the pallet i.e. “pallet is damaged”. Typing in heavy gloves can be difficult. To assist, the application is pre-loaded with a number of frequently used “quick terms”, which can be selected, e.g. incorrect, missing, label, pallet, etc. Optional reason codes can be added to the test summary, and photographs can be attached to the record for explanation if required. The test data is saved, and the inspection test is complete.

• Stock adjustment module - Stock adjustments are carried out remotely via the hand-held devices. Once the pallet barcode is scanned, the user enters values for the number of containers, the reason for the adjustment and who requested it.

• Dumping module - dumping a product can also be recorded. The barcode on the pallet is scanned and the percentage dumped captured, together with the reason. A photograph can also be taken.

• Damage reporting module - After scanning the barcode to identify the consignment, the user can enter values to indicate: pallet damage, carton damage, quantity, colour code or damage code. Free-form comments and a photograph can also be attached.

The benefits

The LINKFresh mobility solution provides Capespan with a vital tool in reducing stock movements and improving inventory management. Storage space at the “pick-face” is optimised, as only stock that has passed the QC procedure is released for picking. It has resulted in a significant reduction in the time taken and paperwork involved to complete the QC testing process. This has greatly improved productivity in the QA department.

From an administrative viewpoint, the system has already proven to have tremendous advantages over older paperwork systems.

Cracknell said: “The ability to provide a live data on product quality to staff in our sales, production and despatch departments has greatly assisted the decision-making process for stock allocation or re-allocation. We can instantly assess the quality levels available from our entire inventory to enable us to react to changing customer requirements.

“The flexibility of the technology deployed means that the solution can be rapidly re-configured, either by Anglia or Capespan. In that respect, we are now masters of our own destiny. The electronic collection and up-to-the-minute QC data now provides a wealth of management information, which assists in highlighting product or operational issues before they impact.

“The LINKFresh mobility solution from Anglia is a flexible solution that meets all of our initial project requirements. To date, it has exceeded our expectations. The solution provides a significant productivity advantage in a highly competitive marketplace. The system has already paid for itself.”