(TRENTON) – The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will highlight Jersey Fresh peaches on National Eat A Peach Day on Thursday, August 22, with special visits to the shore towns of Wildwood, Atlantic City and Seaside Heights where NJDA marketing staff will be on hand to distribute free Jersey Fresh peaches to beachgoers as August is National Peach Month.
“Not only is August national peach month, but Thursday the 22nd is National Eat a Peach Day and we make it easy for shore residents and visitors to take advantage of this promotional distribution,” NJDA Secretary Ed Wengryn said. “If you can’t hit one of our Jersey Shore tasting sites, sweet and juicy ‘Jersey Fresh’ peaches are available now at your favorite retailers and farm markets or better yet visit one of our pick-your-own farms found at www.FindJerseyFresh.com.”
The peaches will be available beginning at 11:30 a.m. until supplies last, at the end of East Schellenger Avenue at the boardwalk near Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, at the end of New York Avenue in Atlantic City, and near the end of Grant Avenue in Seaside Heights.
The peach season for New Jersey lasts into September. Go to www.FindJerseyFresh.com to see where Jersey Fresh peaches are available locally and to find recipes that include delicious Jersey Fresh peaches.
ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS — Louis Dreyfus Co. is creating a new business unit dedicated to global pulses commercialization. Saurabh Bhartia, who joins LCD as head of trading for pulses, will lead the new global unit.
“Pulses have gained prominence as a primary source of plant-based proteins and are also an ally for sustainable agriculture, as crops with properties that improve soil health and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions,” said Michael Gelchie, chief executive officer of Rotterdam-based LDC. “The decision to establish this new business unit is therefore fully aligned with our strategy to meet evolving nutritional and sustainability expectations from customers, reflected in both global production and demand growth. Pulses also present geographic and operational synergies with LDC’s existing business activities and, as such, have the potential to contribute significantly to earnings, leveraging our already strong research, trading and risk management capabilities.”
The Pulses business unit initially will focus on yellow peas, chickpeas, red lentils, fava beans and pigeon peas to capitalize on LDC’s established domestic trading presence in key origination and destination markets, including the key producing regions of Australia and Canada and a trading presence in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, said Rubens Marques, head of South and Southeast Asia.
Ever since Tetra unexpectedly got people excited about the idea of tiny dishwashers in 2018, the category has had mixed success.
Some, like the Bob, have shipped but, unfortunately, haven’t made it stateside. Others, like the Shabosh, seem to be stuck in development hell, with backers wondering when they will ship. As for the dishwasher that kicked off our obsession with small-footprint countertop dishwashers, it never made it out the door and sold its assets last year.
However, those in the US looking for a tiny dishwasher have had an option: The Capsule dishwasher, which shipped to backers in December 2022 and is now available in the US. Soon, tiny dishwasher users will have another option as Loch Electronics, the Scottish company behind the Capsule, is launching a Kickstarter campaign for its second-generation countertop dishwasher, the Capsule Solo.
According to an announcement sent to The Spoon, the Capsule Solo was “designed in response to customer demand for a more affordable option.” Solo pricing will start at $299 at launch, which is $100 less than the first-generation Capsule dishwasher. This pricing includes a bottom rack with a cutlery basket, a clean water tank, and inlet and outlet hoses.
The Solo looks quite similar in size and form factor to the original Capsule, including the signature tall-standing design (reminiscent of a gaming PC casing) that allows for cleaning a frying pan or other taller dishes. According to the just-launched Kickstarter page, the company plans to ship the Solo to backers starting in December of this year.
And just like the original, users can either plumb the Capsule into their kitchen or simply place the device near the sink, where it will drain when the wash cycle is finished. The Solo is also extremely portable, with a handle to carry it from room to room or out to your RV.
While the company isn’t disclosing any shipment figures for the original Capsule, they did tell us that the original Capsule campaign was the most successful Scottish crowdfunding campaign of all time. It raised £566,605, which is $721 thousand. According to the company, across all platforms, the Capsule raised $1.2 million.
Given the lower price and previous track record for success, it wouldn’t be surprising if the company’s newest tiny dishwasher exceeds the funding totals of the original.
In the dynamic realm of the food and beverage industry, the pursuit of operational excellence is relentless. Companies endeavor to meet and surpass consumer expectations for quality, safety and sustainability amidst ever-evolving market trends and regulatory standards. At the forefront of this pursuit is the integration of cutting-edge technologies, with machine vision technology including area scan cameras, emerging as a transformative force in driving productivity, enhancing quality control and revolutionizing packaging inspection processes.
A wide range of machine vision technology—from image sensors and cameras to 3D laser profilers to AI-image processing software—significantly enhances productivity in the food and beverage sector. This article will focus on area scan cameras, which capture the two-dimensional area of an object at once in color or monochrome making them a great fit for a variety of industry applications.
Area scan cameras play a pivotal role in this arena by offering high-resolution imaging capabilities that facilitate meticulous inspection of products throughout the production cycle.
Food and beverage imaging applications such as high-speed food sorting, portion cutting, quality monitoring and packaging inspection are constantly looking to improve image capture speeds to reduce production cycle time. Some cameras feature enhanced image acquisition speeds for rapid image acquisition and transfer. In addition, advanced Multiple Region of Interest (ROI) functionality expands imaging capture capabilities even further. Understand what’s “under the hood” of the area scan cameras you are evaluating. Ensure that all the advanced capabilities you need—from in-camera pre-processing to a framework like Teledyne DALSA’s trigger-to-image-reliability (T2IR)—are available to enhance productivity.
The Role of Area Scan Cameras in Quality Control
Quality control stands as a linchpin of success in the food and beverage industry, where consumer safety and satisfaction reign supreme. Area scan cameras play a pivotal role in this arena by offering high-resolution imaging capabilities that facilitate meticulous inspection of products throughout the production cycle.
For instance, within food processing facilities, area scan cameras serve as vigilant sentinels, detecting contaminants such as foreign objects or microbial growth that pose health risks to consumers. Armed with real-time imaging prowess, these cameras empower manufacturers to enact proactive measures, ensuring compliance with stringent food safety regulations.
In addition, area scan cameras bolster quality assessment efforts by enabling the identification of defects such as bruising, discoloration, or irregularities in shape and size. This granular level of inspection allows for the swift removal of subpar products from the production line, thereby minimizing waste and optimizing resource utilization.
Enhancing Packaging Inspection with Area Scan Cameras
Packaging assumes a dual role in the food and beverage industry, serving as both a protective barrier and a marketing vehicle. Thus, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of packaging materials is imperative to safeguarding product freshness and brand reputation. Area scan cameras provide a comprehensive solution for packaging inspection, enabling manufacturers to detect defects and discrepancies with unparalleled precision.
In the realm of food packaging, area scan cameras facilitate the identification of imperfections such as seal integrity breaches, misalignments or labeling errors that could compromise product quality or lead to regulatory non-compliance. By capturing high-definition images of packaging materials, these cameras empower automated inspection algorithms to flag anomalies in real time, mitigating the risk of recalls and consumer dissatisfaction.
Furthermore, area scan cameras play a pivotal role in verifying the accuracy of packaging content, including barcodes, expiration dates and nutritional information. By ensuring compliance with labeling regulations and product specifications, manufacturers uphold transparency and trust with consumers while streamlining inventory management and traceability processes.
Shown are some examples of food and beverage inspection applications.
Area Scan Camera Applications in Food and Beverage Packaging Inspection
1. Seal Integrity Inspection:
Area scan cameras are instrumental in detecting leaks or imperfections in packaging seals, ensuring product freshness and preventing contamination.
By capturing detailed images of seal profiles, these cameras enable automated algorithms to identify irregularities and trigger corrective actions, such as resealing or removal from the production line.
2. Labeling Verification:
Area scan cameras facilitate the verification of label accuracy, including barcode readability, alignment and content consistency.
Through image analysis techniques, these cameras ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and enable seamless integration with inventory management systems for accurate tracking and traceability.
3. Packaging Material Inspection:
Area scan cameras are deployed to inspect packaging materials for defects such as tears, wrinkles or foreign particles.
By capturing high-resolution images of packaging surfaces, these cameras empower manufacturers to preemptively identify issues and uphold product aesthetics and shelf appeal.
4. Detecting Dents and Damage in Aluminum Cans:
Area scan cameras offer a robust solution for detecting dents and damage in aluminum cans, ensuring product integrity and consumer safety.
By employing advanced imaging algorithms, these cameras enable manufacturers to identify even subtle imperfections in can surfaces, thereby mitigating the risk of product contamination or leakage.
In conclusion, area scan cameras represent a paradigm shift in the food and beverage industry, offering unparalleled capabilities for enhancing productivity, quality control and packaging inspection processes. By leveraging advanced imaging technologies, manufacturers can mitigate risks, optimize operational efficiency and deliver superior products that meet the evolving demands of consumers and regulatory authorities alike.
As the industry continues to embrace digital transformation and automation, the adoption of area scan cameras is poised to accelerate, driving innovation and competitiveness across the entire value chain. By investing in these cutting-edge solutions, companies can position themselves as leaders in the era of smart manufacturing, setting new standards for excellence and sustainability in the global food and beverage market.
About Area Scan Cameras
Area scan cameras capture high-resolution, two-dimensional images in a single frame, making them vital for high-speed food sorting, quality monitoring, packaging inspection and more.
These cameras offer advanced user control and various imaging options, including color, monochrome, Near-Infrared (NIR), and Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR), to meet diverse needs. Unlike line scan cameras, which build images line by line, or 3D profilers, which create depth maps, area scan cameras capture entire scenes at once. This makes them cost-effective and easier to set up and integrate into existing systems, ensuring efficiency and compliance.
Examples from Teledyne include the Forge, Genie Nano, and Blackfly S. These area scan GigE cameras can enhance efficiency, refine quality control, and deliver exceptional products to meet the dynamic needs of equipment builders and system integrators within the food and beverage industry.
The Middle Thorofare Bridge that connects the cities of Cape May to Wildwood Crest and Diamond Beach in the US state of New Jersey is expected to be closed for several weeks due to the failure of a motor used to open the drawbridge, which is bad news for motorists. […]
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Offshore wheat firmed less than one percent. ASX December eastern Australia wheat eased 2pc. All other markets settled unchanged to lower.
International
According to Russia’s Ag Minister Russia maintains its 2024 forecast of 132Mt, including wheat at 86Mt. The grain export forecast remains 60Mt.
Black Sea market analyst SovEcon increased its Russia wheat crop forecast to 83.3Mt from 82.9Mt reflecting yields close to record levels in Siberia and the Urals. Wet weather in those areas may complicating harvest and lowering quality. Unharvested crops should be near average yield. Its corn crop estimate was cut to 11.9Mt from 13.4Mt, the lowest level since 2018, due to adverse weather with southern regions such as Krasnodar seeing close to record low yields. The barley forecast was cut to 18.2Mt from 19.3Mt due to lower area and yields.
China’s soybean imports from the US jumped threefold in July from a year earlier but Brazilian supplies still took the bulk of the market share. China imported 475,392t from the US, compared with 142,129t a year earlier. Imports from Brazil eased slightly to to 9.12Mt. For January-July, China’s imports from Brazil totalled 43.55Mt, a 12pc increase from the same period last year. Total arrivals from the US are at 12.63Mt, down 25pc year on year.
Michael Cordonnier left his US corn forecast unchanged at 183.5 bushels/acre with production of 15.17 billion bushels. Dr Cordonnier noted weather continues to be beneficial for grain filling though the next few weeks are likely to see soil moisture decline. He left his bean yield estimate at 53.5 bushels/acre with production of 4.61 billion bushels. He has a neutral bias for both crops.
Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. are facing a potential nationwide shutdown on Thursday if they cannot reach an agreement with their unionised workers, affecting over 9,000 employees. The impending strike threatens to disrupt the movement of essential goods like wheat, chemicals, and fertilisers, with industries bracing for billions in losses.
Tunisia’s state grains office is looking to purchase 75kt of soft wheat, for Sept-Oct shipment.
Japan’s MAFF is seeking 81,442t milling wheat from the United States and Canada in a regular tender that will close late on Thursday.
Australia
Yesterday’s bids in the west were largely unchanged with new crop canola bid around A$755/t FIS in most PZs, wheat $358 and barley $315.
In the east new crop bids were down a couple of dollars, with canola bid around $685, wheat $328 and barley $313.
Victorian old crop barley is being bid around +$10 over new crop highlighting low supply and a feeding demand still present, with new crop wheat being bid +$10 over old crop pricing full carry.
African swine fever virus (ASF) has been detected for the first time in a domestic pig in Rhineland-Palatinate. The Friedrich Löffler Institute (FLI) has confirmed the positive result in a pig from a small farm in Gerolsheim (district of Bad Dürkheim).
An exclusion zone III (ten kilometers) has been delineated around the pig farm, where strict restrictions apply to the trade of pigs and pig products and slaughter. There are 13 domestic pigs on a total of seven farms in the area.
The new outbreak is again located a few kilometers from the French border, about 65 km as the crow flies.
The first case of ASF in wild boar in Rhineland-Palatinate was detected on July 9 in Gimbsheim in the district of Alzey-Worms. So far, only wild boars had been affected in Rhineland-Palatinate, with a total of 34 cases in the districts of Alzey-Worms and Mainz-Bingen.
August 15, 2024/ Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility/ Germany. https://mkuem.rlp.de/
FeedKind Pet, an air-based protein for pet food claimed to be nutritious and super sustainable, will soon be available to pet food manufacturers across Europe to cater to consumers looking for high-quality, health-supporting, eco-friendly pet food products.
The multinational biotechnology company Calysta, its developer and producer, announces it has shipped the first large batch of FeedKind Pet to its warehouse in Poland.
“For the first time, Europe’s pet food sector has the option to choose a fermented protein”
The shipments originated from Chongqing, China, produced by Calysseo, a joint venture between Calysta and Adisseo, which is one of the world leaders in animal nutrition with a turnover of €1.72 billion in 2023 and more than 4,200 customers. According to Calysta, Calysseo’s facilities include two of the world’s largest fermenters, each having a 10,000-ton capacity, to ferment the protein at full commercial scale.
Herman Sloot, Vice President of Commercial Development at Calysta, said: “For the first time, Europe’s pet food sector has the option to choose a fermented protein that is nutritious and kind to the environment. Starting today, FeedKind Pet will be available globally at commercial scale.”
This milestone follows Calysta’s partnership with the German pet food manufacturer Dr. Clauder’s to launch the world’s first dog treats made with FeedKind Pet in the old continent. The treats debuted at the Interzoo trade show in May.
A vegan protein source, FeedKind Pet, is non-GMO, grain-free, gluten-free, and soy-free. It is said to be a nutrient-dense and highly digestible ingredient, offering a complete amino acid profile, while featuring postbiotic properties that help maintain a healthy gut. It can be incorporated into all kinds of cat and dog food products, from dry kibble to tinned food and treats. The novel protein has been approved for use in the EU, UK, Canada, and other countries after extensive safety and toxicity testing.
“Pet parents want ingredients that will benefit their pet’s health in the long run”
Besides FeedKind Pet for pets, the biotech has introduced FeedKind for fish and livestock, which recently received MARA approval in China as aquaculture feed; and Positive Protein for foods, described as highly nutritious, rich in branched-chain amino acids, with the best possible digestibility rating (this protein is not yet available).
Sloot adds, “In the last decade, the number of pet-owning households has increased by approximately 20 million, with few indications it will slow any time soon. There is a growing appetite for high-quality, animal-free protein in pet diets, and pet parents want ingredients that will benefit their pet’s health in the long run. FeedKind Pet uniquely meets that demand.”
Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, USA, Calysta has two fermentation facilities, one in England and the other, as mentioned before, in China. The biotech raised $30 million from Cargill and other investors in 2016 and $40 million in 2017, led by Mitsui & Co with participation from Temasek, for its sustainable proteins.
Over the years, the company has developed a fermentation platform powered by renewable energy that uses a microbe strain that converts carbon and energy into nutritious, non-GMO protein, hence the name air-based protein. Its fermentation method is said to use minimal water and no agricultural land since it does not use sugars, contributing to environmental conservation, protecting biodiversity, and improving global food security.
Alan Shaw, CEO and co-founder of Calysta, shares: “Calysta and its partners have now established a robust international supply chain with global reach. FeedKind protein is the culmination of 10 years of hard work and brings disruptive innovation to both the aquaculture and pet food industries at a scale that matters.
“FeedKind is the best kind of innovation – a partnership between nature and human ingenuity.”
TORONTO — Oliver & Bonacini (O&B) has announced the re-opening of Biff’s Bistro, a French restaurant located at the corner of Yonge and Front in Toronto’s downtown core.
Occupying part of the former O&B Café Grill Yonge & Front space in Berczy Square opposite Meridian Hall, the transformation is part of GWL Realty Advisors’ strategy to modernize Berczy Square and re-imagine the property as a premiere dining destination.
Biff’s menu, developed by O&B district executive chef John Horne (La Plume, Maison Selby, Auberge du Pommier) with chef de cuisine Trenton Pajuluoma, spotlights French staples, balancing delicate seafood with heartier braised entrees and shareables.
“When Peter Oliver and Michael Bonacini first opened Biff’s 24 years ago, they had a clear vision for a bustling French bistro combining 1930s Paris with fresh London cool,” says Horne. “We’ve carefully preserved those charming details to evoke old memories while adding modern updates to bring Biff’s into its next era.”
Menu standouts include Soupe à L’oignon ($18) with three types of cheeses and baguette; phyllo-wrapped Truffle Baked Brie ($24) with tomato fondue, pickled onion and crostini; Canard ($46) with scallion spätzle, rapini and cherry jus; and Trout Amandine ($39) with almonds, herbs, lemon and spinach. Cote de Boeuf ($99) is the star of the steak frites program that spotlights several premium cuts, served alongside green beans, hand-cut frites and Béarnaise or red-wine jus. The dessert menu offers classic Crème Brûlee ($13) with strawberries and a sable cookie.
Signature cocktails such as the Mon Chéri ($16) with Tío Pepeextra dry fino, lime juice, Monin mojito syrup and ginger beer are served alongside new-age classics such as the White Negroni ($16) with affino, Lillet blanc, Tanqueray gin and angostura orange bitters. A summer rosé menu encourages guests to drink pink during the warmer months. The concise wine list offers house red and white by the glass and half-litre, complemented by a diverse selection of Old and New World bottles, as well as a focus on French producers.
The interior, designed by Solid Design Creative, blends original Biff’s pieces with new materials and sophisticated accents. Upon arrival, a floor-to-ceiling wine display showcases Biff’s Red bottles from over the years, a collaboration with long-time partners Cave Spring. Dark leather-tufted banquettes, deep maroon tones and a zinc bar top centrepiece add romance and refinement. Preserved artwork, retro posters and vintage French ads adorn the walls, while florals, greenery and touches of pink add a newfound femininity to the space.
Biff’s Bistro will be open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with lunch coming this September.
Supply chain leaders are leveraging old and new tactics to navigate the uncertainty of 2024.
The importance of contingency planning was a major takeaway at Industry Dive’s virtual Supply Chain Outlook event on July 24. With peak season already underway, shippers are still facing logistics risks, prompting the need to diversify and implement planning efforts immediately, as the market could suddenly shift.
Artificial intelligence, meanwhile, continues to be a critical tool across the supply chain — but it’s not always easy to reap and sustain the benefits. AI is also shaping up to be foundational to the evolving manufacturing industry, where real-time decisions need to be made to keep the flow of goods moving.
In addition, the 2024 U.S. presidential race is also clouding forecasts as experts contemplate its impact on supply chains and the wider economy.
Several industry experts shared their insights and methods for navigating this uncertainty at the free, virtual event. Read on for our key takeaways, or register here to watch the replay on demand.
