features
Interview —Joel Chase, Bühler
No day off for Bühler uzwil—Swiss family-owned technology group Bühler has introduced the Sortex FA1 to its fruit and vegetable processing portfolio while expanding its dedicated F&V team, as product manager Joel Chase tells eurofruit. by Carl Collen
W
hat has been happen-
Bühler has also expanded its ded-
ing at Bühler in recent
icated fruit and vegetable team, both
times?
in the UK and overseas. Stephen
ABOVE—Sortex technology in action
Jacobs has moved from the UK to the
not only reduces the risk of biological contaminants and
Joel Chase: Safety and quality are
US, and has been replaced in the UK
product cross contamination, but thanks to its ability to
paramount in the food industry, so it’s
by myself as product manager for the
run the Sortex PolarVision and BioVision technologies it
no surprise that there has been a pro-
global F&V sector.
also offers superior foreign material detection.
What are your key products?
How is Bühler finding the market?
differing technologies – and quality
JC: Bühler has an extensive portfo-
JC: There has been an overwhelmingly positive response
standards – now available, it is vital
lio of premium sorting equipment
to the new Sortex F range, and it is regarded as one of
that manufacturers and processors
that can be tailored to the needs of
the most technologically advanced sorting machines in
diligently research all the options
a diverse range of products and com-
the food industry. One of our customers, Mike DeRuo-
that meet their sorting needs before
modities.
si from DeRuosi nuts, called Sortex BioVision “The per-
liferation of technologies launched in recent years to address these issues. However, with such a plethora of
committing to any major capital investment.
240
The evolution of the Sortex
fect sorting technology”, explaining that it takes care of
F range began in 2016, when we
all the different challenges his company faces in process-
In terms of frozen fruit and vege-
launched the first Sortex FA2 opti-
ing walnuts, including the ability to move larger volumes
table processors, Bühler is extending
cal sorter with PolarVision for fruit
in a shorter period.
the industry’s most hygienic sort-
and vegetable processors, and less
ing portfolio with the addition of
than 12 month later the Sortex FB2
the Sortex FA1. This follows the suc-
was developed to serve nut and dried
cessful launch of the high capacity
fruit processors.
What are your plans for 2018? JC: Increasing regulation and the ever-greater importance
Sortex FA2 in 2016. The lower capac-
The Sortex F rage of optical sorters
of food safety in the food industry will continue as the
ity, 600mm-chute, Sortex FA1 model
achieved new standards in hygien-
major trends moving into 2018. Food safety, in the form of
is also equipped with Bühler’s Polar-
ic processing. Its stainless steel, open
managing allergens and aflatoxins, as well as greater for-
Vision advanced foreign material
frame with sloped surfaces, hygienic
eign material detection and hygienic processing, will con-
detection technology and has been
conduits and food-safe grade fixings,
tinue to be a priority.
designed with a smaller footprint,
make it easier to clean and thus helps
Also, this year Bühler celebrates its 70th anniversary in
to be used for final foreign material
prevent the buildup of pathogenic
the optical sorting business. While the company can trace
removal and quality checking. It will
bacteria that can incubate foodborne
its roots back to over 150 years in food processing, its sort-
handle processing capacities of up to
diseases such as E-coli, Listeria, Noro-
ing expertise began in 1947 in London, where the world’s
7 tonnes per hour.
virus and Salmonella. Additionally, it
first optical sorter, the Sortex G1, was developed. _ E
january 2018 - eurofruit magazine
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06/12/2017 09:30