FOOD PROCESSING
28
J
BT, the technology solutions provider to the
global food and beverage industry, has
announced the commercial introduction of
the FTNON CoreTakr. An innovative robotic
system, the CoreTakr uses advanced 3D
camera technology to accurately and speedily
remove unwanted cores from lettuce heads
used in the fresh-cut and ready-to-eat segments.
The Series 3 Coretakr units are the first to be
made widely commercially available following
extensive production testing with customers in
the Netherlands and the UK.
Capable of handling 1500 heads of lettuce
per hour, the CoreTakr, which decores automati-
cally with no employee interaction necessary
other than a single operator, typically increases
yield by between 3-9%, while at the same time
significantly improving factory safety and forming
an extra barrier against diseased produce.
“The machine works by using 3D cameras
and advanced robotic technology,” said Wilco
Fauth, Global Product Line Director for JBT
FTNON. “Iceberg lettuces drop automatically
into the system with no people involved. A 3D
camera will take a look at the lettuce and de-
termine where the core is and it's size. The
lettuce then moves into the decorer which is ex-
tremely accurate in removing the core.”
Once inside the machine, the system uses
two sharp clinical knives to make sure only the
undesired part of the lettuce is removed.
FOOD BUSINESS GULF & MIDDLE EAST
JBT'S CUTTING-EDGE
CORETAKR
TECHNOLOGY
MAKES FULL
COMMERCIAL DEBUT
Hygiene is another key element of the
CoreTakr, with the machinery designed for
daily cleaning in accordance with stringent
food safety standards (CE 2004/1935).
A further advantage, according to Fauth, is
the CoreTakr's capacity to identify and remove
diseased products. “The moment the CoreTakr
encounters a lettuce that is contaminated, this is
removed to prevent it going through the
system,” he said. “This enormously improves
food safety across the whole factory and allows
customers to build up a full picture across the
whole year, enabling them to provide feedback
to the grower or seed company.”
JULY-SEPTEMBER 2019