Visitors choose winners of the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2019

The Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2019 will be presented at Fruit Logistica from 6 to 8 February in Berlin. One of the nominees is a groundwood bowl for strawberries. With almost 80,000 visitors from 130 countries, the organisers are expecting a very international trade fair.

14 January 2019

Softrip ripening technology from Frigotec for bananas (Image: Fruit Logistica)

Frigotec's „Softripe ripening technology“ dynamically regulates the use of the ripening gas ethylene for bananas. (Image: Fruit Logistica)

The organisers of Fruit Logistica 2019 are expecting more than 77,000 trade visitors. The trade fair for the international fruit and vegetable industry will once again open its doors in Berlin from 6 to 8 February 2019. All trade fair visitors will be able to help decide the winners of the 14th „Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2019“.

The Fruit Logistica is the most international industry gathering for the fruit and vegetable sector, emphasises the Berlin Trade Fair proudly. Last year, the trade fair welcomed almost 80,000 visitors from 130 countries. There was also a clear international orientation among the exhibitors. Of the 3,200 exhibiting companies, 2,960 came from one of a total of 83 non-German countries. The organisers are expecting similarly strong figures for this year.

Messe Berlin considers one of the highlights of the trade fair to be the election of the „Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2019“. On the first two days of the fair, all visitors will have the opportunity to view the ten competition entries selected by an expert jury from over 70 submissions and vote for the winner. The presentation of the nominees will take place in the transition area between exhibition halls 20 and 21. The awards will also be presented there on 8 February 2019 from 14:30.

CKF groundwood tray from Canada for strawberries (Image: Fruit Logistica/Micheal Chan) — Only the sealing film of the strawberry bowl from CKF is made of plastic. The rest is compostable and recyclable. (Image: Fruit Logistica/Micheal Chan)

Groundwood bowl nominated for strawberries

From the Packaging and logistics industry three of the ten nominated entries. CKF from Canada presents a sealable, compostable and recyclable Groundwood bowl for 350 to 400 grams Strawberries. The packaging offers full product protection and, together with the sealing film, consists of only a small proportion of plastic.

Protective gas system „PerfoTecO2Control“ for packaging fruit and vegetables (Image: Fruit Logistica) — How much oxygen and how much CO2 should be in the modified atmosphere packaging for fruit and vegetables? The „PerfoTecO2Control“ system ensures precise dosing. (Image: Fruit Logistica)

Two of the nominations deal with gases that are released during the Transport and at the Packaging are used. In the Netherlands, the CO2 protective gas system „PerfoTecO2Control“ developed. The product from PerfoTec is suitable for machines that pack fruit and vegetables with inert gas. Intelligent gas flow software ensures that the gas mixture passes through a special tube into the packaging exactly as required. Three sensors monitor the composition of the mixture.

Banana ripening process is recreated

Frigotec from Germany is applying with the „Softripe maturing technology“ for the Fruit-Logistica Innovation Award. This solution simulates a quasi-natural ripening process for bananas. The ripening gas ethylene is introduced in a dynamically controlled manner in special ripening chambers. At the same time, the air temperature and the oxygen and carbon content are regulated.

In addition, special Plant and fruit development The potential prize winners include a hybrid onion resistant to downy mildew, a particularly durable red kiwi and a non-dripping pear with a constant size. Other competition entries include: a lamb's lettuce harvester, an avocado corer, a seed drill and a fertiliser in gel form for use in organic farming among the entries for the „Fruit Logistica Innovation Award 2019“.