Chinese consumers have been paying more attention to food safety since the outbreak of Covid-19. They also have higher standards for the product quality of fruit and vegetables. Recently, the company stand of Ningbo Lueon Technologies at ProPack attracted many visitors, who all came to see the washing and disinfecting equipment.
According to Valencia, a spokesperson for Lueon: "We have noticed increasing attention for our washing and disinfecting equipment from visitors during this exhibition. Many companies are no longer satisfied just to wash of the dust from the surface of fruit and vegetables. They are looking for ways to wash their fresh produce more thoroughly. Ultimately, they want to reduce the bacteria on their food as well as pesticide residue."
Valencia continued to discuss various pieces of equipment: "The usual washing process for leafy vegetables should be around 2-3 minutes, but most washing equipment comes nowhere near that length of time. That is why the extension of washing tunnels is key to the improvement of hygiene and food safety in the fruit and vegetable industries. Our washing tunnels effectively extend the period during which fruit and vegetables are washed and disinfected. The long and narrow washing tunnels lengthen the soaking time of vegetables. We also install filters to remove stones, soil, and grit."
It is also worth mentioning that Lueon has integrated an automatic disinfectant dispenser into the washing tunnel. The equipment monitors the PH-value of the water in the washing tunnel and automatically adds the required amount of disinfectant and citric acid when necessary. "The vegetables are then rinsed again with fresh water to remove traces of disinfectant. This integrated system further helps to reduce the volume of micro-organisms in fruit and vegetables. This in turn helps maintain product quality and food safety," said Valencia.
At the convention, Lueon discussed with old clients and new ones the future of the Chinese fresh-cut produce industry. "The processing facilities for fruit and vegetables are currently kept quite cold and moist, which does not improve the working conditions for employees who have to spend long amounts of time in these spaces. The labor cost is already rising day by day. In other words, automated systems that do not require constant manual supervision are an advantage in this industry, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic.
"Some of the companies that heavily rely on manual labor have had to halt operations. There is a growing need for unmanned, automated systems in this industry. And this demand is only going to grow stronger," said Valencia.
"Food safety is essential for people's health. We can only guarantee food safety if we strictly control product quality right from the beginning in processing facilities. Only then are consumers able to eat healthy food without worries. Efficient washing equipment does not just improve production efficiency, but also improves the product quality and food safety of products in the fruit and vegetable markets."
Ningbo Lueon Technologies was established in 2003. Lueon is one of the leading suppliers of equipment for the Chinese fresh-cut fruit and vegetable industries. The Lueon team has worked hard for many years to develop, design, and manufacture specialized equipment and solutions for the fresh-cut salad industry, including equipment for peeling, slicing, washing, drying, and sealing. Lueon currently looks towards the international market to help even more clients produce top-quality fresh vegetables."
For more information:
Lueon Technologies Co., Ltd.
Tel.: +86 (0) 574 65606120
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://www.lueon.com/