Berlin, 11 January 2008 – Following a preliminary selection, the jury has picked the ten nominations for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) 2008. These include a new potato variety with a high iodine content, a RFID smart label to monitor the cold chain, and a beef tomato that loses no juice when sliced. Italy and the Netherlands each have three entries in the competition. Entries have also been submitted by Germany, France, Japan and the USA. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding new products and services that have served as a driving force in the fresh produce industry and were launched on the market after 1 November 2006.
The FLIA is being presented for the third time at the leading trade fair for the international fresh produce sector, taking place from 7 to 9 February at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. On the first two days of the event, 45,000 trade visitors from more than 120 countries will have an opportunity to vote on the latest industry innovations. All competition entries will be presented in the area between Halls 20 and 21. The winner will be announced on 9 February 2008 at a special award ceremony in the "Innovation for the Fresh Produce Business" forum. The FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award 2008 is sponsored by Messe Berlin GmbH and FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE, Dusseldorf.
The following entries have been nominated for the Innovation Award (in alphabetic order):
Deux®: Dual marketing and packaging concept for strawberries
Deux® is a new marketing and packaging concept for strawberries. Two different types of strawberries are sold together in a special carton box with two drawers. Both varieties are characterised by their high-quality appearance and taste. However, there are significant differences between the two strawberries. While the Ciflorette variety is very sweet and appeals primarily to children, Gariguette is highly aromatic and recognised as the traditional French strawberry and more suitable for adults. This type of presentation allows consumers to sample 180 grams each of two different varieties. The environmentally friendly carton is biodegradable. An extremely convenient product, Deux® strawberries in can be enjoyed on the go or as a snack. Deux® is marketed through food retailers and specialised dealers. Market launch: April, 2007. Company: Rougeline-Odelis, France, Hall 22, Stand E-11, website: www.rougeline.com.
Eris: Guaranteed fresh thanks to new air filter technology
Eris is an anti-microbial air filter that is effective against airborne pathogens. The filter also removes ethylene gas, which accelerates the fruit ripening process. Eris extends the shelf life of fruits and other fresh products, enhances food safety, prevents the formation of odours, and creates a clean environment in refrigerated containers during storage and transport. The filter is covered with a layer of non-woven polyester that is coated with an anti-microbial agent. This collects all particles before or after permeation. The filter itself is made of non-woven fibres, coated with oxidation agents and absorbing particles. In order to maximise the effect, these agents are directly bonded to the fibres without adhesives. Eris is finely woven to allow for dust-free use. The outer layer of the cover can be safely secured with four Velcro strips. The entire maintenance-free filter is 182 cm long, 32 cm wide, and 2.5 cm thick and, thanks to its special design, provides uninterrupted air circulation. Market launch: November, 2006. Company: Miatech Inc., USA, Hall 5.2, Stand D-10, website: www.miatech-advantage.com.
Fresh Tapas: Innovative variety in snack vending machines
"Fresh Tapas" are a complete range of healthy fruit and vegetable products aimed at target groups in the take-away market. Fruit and vegetable salads and a wide variety of vegetable snacks are sold under the "Fresh Tapas" brand name. Sold by food retailers and available in modern vending machines, Fresh Tapas come in three product groups: pure fruit, fresh salads and vegetable snacks. Pure fruit varieties include salads and individual fruits. The salads range from strawberry and apple mix, to fruit mix, melon mix and tropical mix. Individual fruits are pineapple, apple, red grapes, kiwi, orange and watermelon. Three salad mixtures and eight sliced vegetable snacks are included in the product range, which is sold in resealable cups. A sales innovation is the use of Fresh Tapas vending machines that can be installed in petrol stations, schools, railway stations, canteens and other non-traditional points of sale for fruit and vegetables. Market launch: November, 2006. Company: The Greenery International, the Netherlands, Hall 3.2, Stand A-06, website: www.thegreenery.com.
Frujis: Healthy crunchy fruit for children and adults
Frujis are crunchy fruit crisps made exclusively from South Tyrolean organic apples or organically grown pineapples from Sri Lanka and completely free of additives. A gentle, rapid drying process preserves the flavour, aroma and crunchy consistency of the fruit. This also locks in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. The patented resealable can protects the aroma and keeps the product crunchy. For transport purposes, 12 single-variety cans can be shipped in a box that doubles as a counter display, or 50 mixed cans can be shipped in a box that serves as a floor display with a crowner. A single can container with 28 grams of apples is equivalent to two fresh apples; a can with 36 grams of pineapple equals one dwarf pineapple. The products are aimed at a target group of health-conscious children and adults who prefer organic, nutritious snack foods. Frujis are an ideal way of encouraging children to eat fruit products. Market launch: February, 2007. Company: Naemo GmbH, Italy, Hall 2.2, Stand D-05, website: www.naemo.com.
Intense™: A modern convenience tomato that retains its juice
Intense™ is a beef tomato with a firm, extremely dense consistency. This tomato retains its juice when sliced – making it ideal for salads, and absolutely perfect for the fresh-cut sector. The fact that the tomato retains its juice enhances its fresh, appetising appearance. Consumers and the fresh-cut industry get more tomato, in other words, more flesh and less juice. This cuts costs and increases productivity. The amount of lost juice after ten days corresponds to what a normal tomato loses in one day. This also means more enjoyment for consumers who no longer have to fear that they will get splattered with juice when they eat quickly. Intense™ is a modern convenience tomato with an oval shape, dark red colour, weights between 90 and 100 grams and sizes from 57 to 67 mm. Market launch: March, 2007. Company: Nunhems Netherlands BV, the Netherlands, Hall 8.2, Stand A-08, website: www.intensetomatoes.com.
Iodi: Potatoes as a source of iodine
Created for the fresh produce market, Iodi potatoes have an especially high iodine content. This places the product in the 'functional food' category that has been booming for the past few years. Two hundred grams of this variety of potato meet 30 percent of the daily dietary requirement. Iodine deficiency is a widespread condition in Western industrialised countries and is an essential component in the production of thyroid hormones. In turn, the thyroid gland is responsible for controlling metabolism, physical growth and many other vital processes. The potato plants absorb iodine through their leaves during the growth phase of the tubers. Consumers can purchase Iodi in 1.5-kilo bags. The potatoes are supplied to food retailers in cartons containing 12 bags. Market launch: July, 2007. Company: Pizzoli S.p.A., Italy, Hall 4.2, Stand B-05, website: www.pizzoli.it.
MTsens: Cold chain monitors with RFID smart labels
The "MTsens" smart label is a cost-effective solution for monitoring perishable products. This credit-card format RFID label can be placed on cases, pallets or round surfaces to record the duration and intensity of temperatures products are exposed to in the logistics chain. An extremely accurate time measuring device, the MTsens automatically applies a time/date stamp to all collected data prior to saving and outputs the information in the form of a report. Temperature variation of the monitored product is stored on an internal, non-volatile memory chip and can be retrieved at any time during the lifecycle of the device, even when the battery runs out of power. Any reading device compatible with the RFID ISO 15693 (13.56 MHz) standard can be used to access the stored data. During transport, MTsens measures the time, records temperature data according to user-defined intervals and retains data in a log. Consumers can retrieve data recorded by an MTsens with a standard reading device. MTsens issues a report on the temperature variation for the monitored product. Designed as a disposable device, the MTsens can be discarded at the end of its lifecycle. Market launch: September-October, 2007. Company: Montalbano Technology S.p.A., Italy, Hall 4.2, Stand A-10, website: www.montalbanotechnology.com.
Perfotec laser system: high precision modified atmosphere packaging
Perfotec is a micro-perforation laser system for packaging foils that allows for precision fine-tuning of the protected packaging atmosphere. This system offers an extremely high degree of precision compared to conventional techniques with pre-perforated films or needle perforation. The technically advanced laser system extends the shelf life of packaged fruit and vegetable products by three to seven days and thus reduces losses across the entire supply chain. Consumers receive products with significantly improved quality. Measurements (L x W x H): 800 x 635 x 300 millimetres. Market launch: May, 2007. Company: Sealpac GmbH, Germany, Hall 5.2, Stand B-15, website: www.sealpac.de.
Tomatoberry: A new tomato variety with a strawberry look
Tomatoberry is a new tomato variety with a unique shape reminiscent of a strawberry. It has an extremely smooth skin, very sweet taste and a fine aroma. With a Brix value ranging from eight to ten, it has a high sugar and amino acid content and is rich in lycopene, an important antioxidant. With an average weight of 20 grams, Tomatoberries are slightly larger than typical cherry tomatoes. Seeds for Tomatoberries are available for commercial growers and hobby gardeners. Tomatoberries can be grown outdoors or in greenhouses and are sold by food retailers. The name Tomatoberry was coined by a little girl who didn't like tomatoes and confused the new fruit with strawberries. Although she immediately realised her mistake, she ate the tomato anyway and became a big fan of the new variety. It quickly became clear that she had stumbled upon the perfect name for the new variety: Tomatoberry. Market launch: 30 November 2006. Company: Tokita Seed Co., Ltd., Japan, Hall 10.2, Stand A-05, website: www.tokitaseed.co.jp.
Urgurke: Classic taste with organic farming methods
The Urgurke is an old, long-forgotten variety of cucumber. Dark-green, medium size, with a rough skin, it is refreshingly crisp, moist and juicy. This variety was revived and developed by Eosta, Enza Zaden Beheer and the University of Wageningen to achieve its classic appearance and authentic taste. These cucumbers are produced exclusively with organic farming methods. They are grown in the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Spain and Greece, making them available year-round. The Urgurke is currently supplied to retailers in boxes of 12 and will soon be available in customer-specific units. The Urgurke will then be sold individually to consumers at the POS in packaging that resembles a French baguette bag. These bags are made of environment-friendly PLA and are 100% biodegradable. Each Urgurke weighs between 300 and 400 grams. In 2008, the Urgurke will be sold by food retailers and whole food shops. The main focus is on markets in Germany, the UK and Scandinavia. Initial tests will also be conducted in the USA. Market launch: June, 2007. Company: Eosta BV / Enza Zaden Beheer BV, the Netherlands, Hall 3.2, Stand C-10, website: www.eosta.com.
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