Since the waste that occurs in the industry of this fruit is remarkable from the time it is collected from the tree until it is sold, some researchers from the Cranfield University (England) they worried about it. Now, they have managed to develop a very useful innovation through a system that detect ripe avocados. Also, it does no margin for error and even with another advantage of do not harm not at all to product. All this represents an important advance for English producers, since this food occupies a prominent role in United Kingdom. Of course, we care a lot about this type of inventions because they could also reach Spanish soil, where the avocado in the regions of Malaga, Granada or the Canary Islands, among other. Come to know more about this novelty!
Solution to high avocado waste
Currently, this is a problem suffered by the avocado during its processing in the factory (after its collection from the field). According to the experts who have invented the technology to detect ripe avocados, waste reaches up to 30% for damages caused by qualifying. To this high percentage it would be necessary to add another 5% of the fruits that end up in the garbage already in the retail trade. Faced with such a high total number of food that is not consumed, the newly developed system is great news. Especially because if in Britain this crop represents a very relevant market, here in Spain its value is even higher. It goes without saying that lovers of this 'green gold' have increased their consumption by 150% en Europe.
Despite not yet reaching United States, where you still eat much more, the demand continues its unstoppable trend And, in this sense, having tools that improve their production is very positive. While it is a food quite perishable, not wasting it at the beginning of the industrial process is more necessary. Hence, English researchers got down to business to find an effective alternative. They have already found it in cranfield.
How to detect ripe avocados? VLD
It is very curious that this novelty is an adaptation to the food industry of something already existing for another sector but far from food. Because the VLD technology (laser Doppler vibrometer) is usually used already in car factories in order to determine if a piece is uniform or not. This tool works with the said laser that is projected on a surface or object to measure the refracted light and allows to quantify the mechanical oscillations or fluctuations internal. Also, take advantage of vibes that are given in the avocado by means of an automated impact device.
The result is to be able to conclude whether or not the fruit is in that perfect frequency linked to some optimal consumption conditions and, therefore, its distribution in the market. Does not inflict harm any to the product - unlike what can happen in your current screening system - nor does it shuffle error range in your diagnosis. The researchers finished the tests on the food with a 100% satisfaction and they even think that it might adapt to other fruits. Of course, for now it would be time to test this system to detect ripe avocados in the 'green gold', something that would greatly reduce your waste.
Its inventors believe that it would provide a gran ventaja both suppliers and retailers that fact of knowing the degree of maturity. How would this technology be implemented with the laser doppler vibrometer? Well, in a very simple way, in the automated classification system that incorporates a conveyor belt for the fruits. After the VLPs evaluate the state of each one, another process would separate one and the other.
A small inconvenience that is difficult to solve
It is evident that this method of spot ripe avocados is very interesting and tests carried out in a real company have proven that high potential but there is a small handicap. That which is related precisely to its maturity, since the businesses want to receive the product without being fully ripe. They prefer that the genre is gradually intoned at the point of sale, but while customers are already buying it. Here is the risk of touch and touch each avocado to check its consumption status and that repeated gesture in the hands of so many consumers, ends damaging to food. This is very difficult to avoid and even determines that, in the end, the waste be a reality.
That inconvenience that also happens with many other fruits should also be studied carefully in order to find any remedy. Therefore, we leave it to the experts to continue their enormous work from the shadows and hope that the recent invention will spot ripe avocados serve the industry.
