Monthly Archives: April 2019

HRS packaged solutions for pasteurisation and sterilisation

Pasteurisation and sterilisation are now well established as a key step in the production of many different food and drink products.

Both pasteurisation and sterilisation involve the use of heat, usually in a way which does not affect the fundamental characteristics of the product (in other words, it doesn’t cook it). However, while sterilisation seeks to completely eliminate any micro-organisms which may be present in the product, pasteurisation reduces the microbial load by a significant factor, which in normal circumstances reduces them to a level at which they do not pose a hazard.

In order to meet the diverse range of requirements for these processes, HRS Heat Exchangers has created its Thermblock packaged pasteuriser/steriliser for food products for aseptic filling. All Thermblock systems allow for full adjustment and can be used as HTST (High Temperature, Short Time) units, to minimise potential side-effects, such as organoleptic changes or nutritional losses.

There are three models of HRS Thermblock:

HRS Thermblock DTA Series
Suitable for applications such as: diced tomatoes, onions, and fruits; as well as products with large particles, such as soups and sauces, baby food, jams and marmalades.

This features a double tube pasteuriser and steriliser for food products containing pieces or particulates, such as fruit and vegetable dices. The steriliser comprises double tube corrugated heat exchangers from the HRS DTA Series and also includes a positive displacement HRS BP Series piston pump which is specifically designed for products containing large pieces.

HRS Thermblock AS Series
Suitable for products with high viscosity, including: tomato pulp and paste, ketchup and pizza sauce, fruit puree and concentrate, jams and marmalades etc.

The Thermblock AS is composed of concentric tube heat exchangers, or annular space heat exchangers from the HRS AS Series, with product flowing in the central annular space, while the heating or cooling media passes through both the internal and external jacket. The steriliser can also include a high pressure piston volumetric pump suitable for high viscosity products. For lower pressure applications, or products with particulates, the HRS BP Series of piston pumps is recommended.

HRS Thermblock M Series
Designed for food with low or medium viscosities, such as: juices and beverages, fruit and vegetable purees and concentrates, milk and dairy products, and smooth soups & sauces.

The steriliser is composed of multitube corrugated tube heat exchangers from the HRS MI Series and HRS MR Series. It can include direct or indirect energy recovery, meaning up to 90% of the energy can be reused, greatly reducing overall energy consumption and improving the return on investment. The post HRS packaged solutions for pasteurisation and sterilisation appeared first on HRS Heat Exchangers.

EU imported 3% more produce from third countries

According to the latest EU statistics, imports of fruit and vegetables by the block from third countries increased by three per cent during the first half of 2018.  During the period €7,745 million of fruit and €1,576 million of vegetables were imported, with fruit showing a 6.5 per cent rise, while vegetables actually fell 9 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. The largest sources of fruit were South Africa (920,464 tonnes), Costa Rica (816,291 tonnes), Chile (738,648 tonnes) and Morocco (618,753 tonnes), and the main products bananas, pineapples and grapes. The most imported vegetable crops were tomatoes, and ‘pod vegetables’ such as green beans, with the largest source by a significant margin being Morocco, followed by Turkey and Egypt. Photo Credit: pxhere The post EU imported 3% more produce from third countries appeared first on Hort News on 21 Feb 2019.

Aldi sells first UK strawberries

Aldi’s Bridgend store has become the first retailer in the UK to sell home-grown strawberries this season, priced at £2.79 for a 227 gram punnet. The crop was grown in a glasshouse at Springfield Nursery near Cowbridge in Wales, and the first hand-picked crop was delivered on Friday 15 February, a year earlier than last year. In a statement the retailer said, “thanks to advancements in glasshouse technology meaning customers can enjoy British strawberries earlier than ever before and for longer.” “At Aldi, we know our customers look forward to the arrival of British strawberries as it signals the start of summer,” added Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Corporate Buying. “We’re delighted to have brought this date forward to mark the start of spring. Aldi is 100 per cent committed to supporting British suppliers and it’s great to be the first grocer to offer hand-picked, British-grown strawberries this year.” Photo Credit: Pexels The post Aldi sells first UK strawberries appeared first on Hort News on 21 Feb 2019.

New global cherry initiative announced

The formation of a new organisation to promote the consumption of cherries globally has been agreed by some of the leading producers at Fruit Logistica. The countries, which include Argentina, Chile, Greece, Hungary, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the United States, met during the event in Berlin and agreed that the new organisation would facilitate consumption and share information. The first meeting of the group will take place at the Global Cherry Summit in April, but it has already identified a need to commission research into cherry’s nutritional properties with a view to incorporating approved health claims in future marketing campaigns.  Over the last ten years cherry volumes have doubled while values have increased three-fold, and the sector is now worth an estimated $2.5 billion a year. Photo Credit: pixino The post New global cherry initiative announced appeared first on Hort News on 21 feb 2019.

UK working to keep UK seed potato exports

Representatives of Scotland’s seed potato industry have used the recent Fruit Logistica event in Berlin to make sure that key markets such as Egypt, Morocco and Israel understand that seed quality and production standards will be maintained after Brexit. Sandy McGowan of Cygnet PB told The Courier, “We’re an island nation, producing most of our seed potatoes for export in the north of Scotland. This means our disease pressure is lower, our bacteria issues are less and we have expert knowledge and logistics for our Scottish and English growers to call on.” His sentiments were echoed by Rob Burns of AHDB, who said, “Countries such as Egypt, Morocco and Israel are some of the largest importers of British seed potatoes. As a result, AHDB, along with Scottish Government and industry, have to ensure the high health and quality of GB seed is appreciated by government and plant health officials in those markets, so that we continue to be their favoured supplier. “That’s why we’re to host delegations from countries like Egypt, so they can see the crop in the field, meet our exporters, visit Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, and get an in-depth understanding of our industry’s commitment to quality.” Photo Credit: Fruit Logistica The post UK working to keep UK seed potato exports appeared first on Hort News on 21 Feb 2019.

Guidance on plant inspections in event of no-deal Brexit

Defra has updated its guidance (first published in December) on how plant inspections will operate at the Place of First Arrival in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The updated Manual for the approval and operation of Plant Health Inspection Facilities at Place of First Arrival (PoFA) – EU Exit no-deal scenario, published by the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA), provides information on how facilities can become approved as PoFAs by the APHA and/or Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (PHSI) and how approved facilities must operate, including receiving and storing plant material from non-EU countries in order to prevent the introduction of plant pests and diseases into England and Wales. Facilities that comply with all the standards and terms and conditions set out in the manual will have a full approval valid for three years. The document can be found on the Defra website at http://tinyurl.com/y3f2x9r9. Photo Caption: New guidance sets out receiving instructions to prevent the spread of notifiable pests and diseases such as the Citrus Longhorned beetle Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons The post Guidance on plant inspections in event of no-deal Brexit appeared first on Hort News on 21 February 2019.