Posts Tagged “feature”
By CarrierTransicold
Building on the pioneering legacy of the refrigerated container shipping industry’s first controlled-atmosphere system 25 years ago, Carrier Transicold has developed the next-generation EverFRESH® system, which makes premium performance more affordable than ever for fleets and container leasing companies. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies.
Using active controlled-atmosphere technology, the EverFRESH system optimizes the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide within a refrigerated container, slowing respiration and the natural ripening of the commodity inside. Thus, it helps to preserve the quality of perishables beyond what refrigeration alone can do. As an active system, it generates high-purity nitrogen to more quickly and responsively displace oxygen, rather than relying on respiration alone to gradually reduce oxygen levels.
“The active nature of the EverFRESH system can handle a broader range of perishable commodities than modified controlled-atmosphere systems, making it a more versatile choice for many customers,” said Jim Taeckens, senior product manager, Global Container Refrigeration, Carrier Transicold.
“Another key benefit of the EverFRESH system’s active technology is that it maintains a positive air pressure within the container, making it far less sensitive to box leakage than other types of systems,” Taeckens explained.
Key components are a sensor package, nitrogen membrane separator, air compressor and air filters. In use, the compressor pulls fresh air into the system, which then removes water vapor from the compressed air stream before it enters the membrane separator. The hollow-fiber media of the separator extracts oxygen and captures carbon dioxide, discharging concentrated nitrogen into the container. If supplemental oxygen is needed, the membrane can be bypassed. The EverFRESH system can independently maintain oxygen at user-selected levels between 3 – 17% and carbon dioxide at between 2 – 19%.
Optional ethylene absorbers can be added for perishables where elevated levels of the hormone are a concern.
All EverFRESH systems have pre-trip inspection routines that test the membrane and compressor to make sure they are functioning normally prior to use.
The new EverFRESH system will be available in early 2020 for Carrier Transicold PrimeLINE® refrigeration systems equipped with the Micro-Link® 5 controller option.
“Carrier Transicold was the first to introduce the container shipping industry to the advantages of controlled-atmosphere shipping with our EverFRESH system,” Taeckens said. “While the original design had a very strong following, the costs associated with its components and associated controls limited its adoption. Today, our technology has improved to the point that we are pleased to be able to offer an active system that is significantly more affordable. It is also much less complex and easier to service than competitive systems.”
With the new EverFRESH system, Carrier Transicold now offers customers a choice of two controlled atmosphere options, the other being XtendFRESH™, a modified system that uses a scrubber to remove carbon dioxide and ethylene from atmospheres within a container.
About Carrier Transicold
Carrier Transicold helps improve transport and shipping of temperature-controlled cargoes with a complete line of equipment and services for refrigerated transport and cold chain visibility. For more than 45 years, Carrier Transicold has been an industry leader, providing customers around the world with advanced, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable container refrigeration systems and generator sets, direct-drive and diesel truck units, and trailer refrigeration systems. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies.
Although North Carolina sweet potato shipments made up a smaller percent of national loadings this past season, it still accounted for 70 percent of the total volume of U.S. sweet potato shipments, which was down slightly from 73 percent in 2017 and the same in 2016.
USDA shipment statistics show that fresh shipments of sweet potatoes from North Carolina totaled 662.5 million pounds in 2018, down 10 percent from 736.8 million pounds in 2017 and down 4.4 percent compared with 692.4 million pounds in 2016.
As a percent of annual shipments, the USDA said top shipment months of North Carolina sweet potatoes in 2018 were:
- March: 12.6 percent;
- November: 9.6 percent:
- April: 9.6 percent; and
- January: 9.4 percent.
Some of the leading North Carolina sweet potato shippers are: Ham Produce, Snow Hill; Nash Produce, Nashville; Jackson Farming, Autryville; and Vick Family Farms Partnership, Wilson.
Florida tropical fruit shipments are expected to remain good this fall, despite extreme weather of combined heat, humidity and storms earlier in the year.
Brooks Tropicals Inc. of Homestead FL reports its passion fruit and other items are looking great. The company will be have peak loadings of avocados during the fall and early winter.
J& C Tropicals of Miami notes between January and May both Florida and Central America experienced a major drought, and the summer brought heavy rains and high temperatures. This adversely affected dragon fruit and yucca. The company also ships malanga blanca, star fruit and calabaza.
A big thank you to those who are serving and have served our nation to defend our freedom and way of life! And to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, I salute you.
I recently visited the National Cemetery in Ft. Gibson, OK paying respects to those who have served our country, including my cousin Martin L. Johnson and his wife Irene Johnson. Irene passed away earlier this year and was such a wonderful person, who served in the Marines where she met my cousin.
As for Martin L. he served combat duty in 3 wars — World War II, Korea and Vietnam. They met in Honolulu and 2 weeks later were married. The marriage lasted 64 years until his passing in 2015 and they were as devoted to each other as any couple I have ever known.
My God Bless our veterans and this great nation on this Veteran’s Day.
Heavy rains followed by freezing cold weather created the perfect storm during the growing and harvest season in the Red River Valley. As a result, fresh potato shipments from North Dakota and Minnesota could be slashed by more than 50 percent.
With the close of October , the Red River Valley potato harvest was basically shot down.
The Northern Plain Potato Growers Association in East Grand Forks, MN reports there were several days of freezing temperatures, probably ruining in potatoes left in the fields.. Industry observers are estimating shipments may down down by 45 to 55 percent. Additionally shipments could be over sometime in February, weeks ahead of a more normal season.
Shippers are expected to take care of their long-standing customers first, Some packing sheds are operating at partial capacity and running only a few days a week.
The Red River Valley accounted for about 25 percent of the U.S. red potato shipments last season.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention affirms that children who eat healthy foods at school learn better lifelong eating habits and are more prepared to learn. Since most children spend close to six hours a day and consume as much as half of their daily calories at school, parents want to make sure they’re packing the right stuff to keep them in optimal learning mode.
A healthy lunch + healthy snacks = healthy learning. So whether the little one is heading off to school for the first time or one is going off to college, they will need a nutritious lunch, as well as some healthy snacks to fuel their day and stimulate neural activity.
Start with a nutritious lunch. Crispy Fruit Freeze-dried snacks are the perfect complement to any healthy lunch. Parents who will be packing their kids’ lunches should check out the sixth annual Power Your Lunchbox campaign from Produce for Kids. This campaign has been growing exponentially since its inception with more parents making the promise to pack a healthier lunch for their kids
“We are proud to be one of the founding sponsors of this wonderful campaign that promotes packing healthier school lunches, which aligns perfectly with our mission of using food as a force for good,” said Angela Liu, Crispy Green founder and chief executive officer.
Packing along real fruit that snacks like a chip to school or any other extra-curricular activity will make it easy for the kids to stay away from other, less healthy snacks.
By T&G Global
The Envy™ apple is poised to ship sweetness, orchard fresh crispness and delightful satisfying crunch, 365 days a year.
Envy™, the New Zealand-born varietal with year-round production in Washington, Chile, Europe and New Zealand, is set to increase its 2019/2020 domestic conventional volume by nearly 40 percent versus last year, with organics growing by more than 50 percent.
With considerable year-on-year production spikes forecast through 2025, ultimately harvesting 150 percent more fruit than this coming season, Envy™ is elevating to a mainstream premium status.
About T&G Global: New Zealand-based T&G Global works with growers around the world to produce, sell and deliver the highest-quality fruit. T&G is a leader in the premium apple segment with its Envy™ and Jazz™ branded varieties.
About Envy™: Envy™ is a trademarked brand that refers to the Scilate apple variety. It was developed in New Zealand by Plant and Food Research and was patented in 2009 – the same year T&G, which owns the Envy™ trademark, began distributing in the U.S. via its marketing partner Oppy.
The Little Potato Co. commissioned a survey that has found 55 percent of Americans rank potatoes as their favorite comfort food. ‘
Spuds outranked pizza (21 percent), macaroni and cheese (15 percent) and pasta (9 percent), according to a news release.
Another finding from the survey was one in four millennials would give up cheeseburgers if forced to choose between them and potatoes.
Favorite ways to eat potatoes include mashed (30 percent), as French fries (23 percent) and baked (22 percent), per the release. Among younger generations, the preference is French fries (32 ;percent), while older generations listed mashed potatoes as their favorite (35 percent).
The survey, which polled more than 1,000 people, found that nearly half of Americans eat potatoes a few times a week, with dinner as the most popular occasion (67 percent). The popularity of potatoes expands every holiday season, when more people (75 ;percent) eat potatoes than any other time of year.
Good volume citrus shipments are expected this season from California and Texas, but the big news could be this may be the year of a turn around for Florida, which has been clobbered in recent years by citrus greening and hurricanes.
Florida citrus shipments may be up a little this year, and that may be a big deal.
The first recently released forecast by the USDA shows a moderate increase in Florida citrus shipments during the 2019-20 season.
The USDA’s first estimate for 2019-20 Florida orange loadings is 74 million boxes, up 3.4 percent from last season. The agency projected Florida grapefruit volume at 4.6 million boxes for the 2019-20 season, up 2 percent from the previous crop. Florida’s combined tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 1.05 million boxes, 6 percent higher than a year ago.
“This incremental increase is good news for the industry as we continue to recover from Hurricane Irma and the devastating effects of citrus greening,” Michael Sparks, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, said in a news release. “We believe that this number — if it holds throughout the year — will strike a nice balance of getting the processors the oranges they need while firming up prices to the Florida citrus grower.”
Sparks said growers are slowing building output after declines caused by citrus greening disease pressures.
“We are not out of the woods but we are making gains,” Sparks said in the release.
The USDA issues its first estimate in October of each year and revises it monthly during the harvest until the end of the season in July.
“This reflects what we’ve been hearing from growers,” Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, said in a release. “Florida Citrus is here to stay.”
That sentiment was echoed by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.
“Today’s forecast reflects the resilience of Florida’s citrus growers, dedication to the citrus industry, and commitment to innovation in the face of challenges,” Fried said in the release. “Citrus is Florida’s signature crop, and we’re committed to supporting our citrus producers with new research, technology, and techniques to fight the spread of citrus greening.”
California, Texas Shipments
In California, navel orange shipments are predicted to be at 47 million boxes, down 6 percent from last season’s final estimate.
The California valencia orange forecast is 9 million boxes, unchanged from last season. Texas orange Volume is forecast at 2.70 million boxes, up 8 percent from a year ago.
Meanwhile, the combined tangerine and mandarin forecast for California is 23 million boxes, down 12 percent from last season.
Grapefruit loadings in California is forecast at 4.2 million boxes, up a whopping 32 percent compared to last season.
Texas grapefruit shipments are projected at 5.7 million boxes, down 7 percent from last year.
Lemon volume in 2019-20 is forecast at 20 million boxes in California, 12 percent less than last season. Arizona lemon output is pegged at 1.4 million boxes, 4 percent higher than last season.
Wisconsin cranberry shipments are the largest in the world, and peak loadings are now occurring as Thanksgiving (November 28th) will be here soon.
DuBay Cranberry Company of Junction City, WI points out the Badger State has been the nation’s leading cranberry producer for the past 26 years. The company works with about 250 farmers throughout 20 counties in the state.
Last season the Wisconsin cranberry production totaled over 5.5 million barrels, equaling about 20,600 acres. Farmers believe this year will be about the same.
Other states producing cranberries are Massachusetts, Washington and New Jersey.