Cold storage is key to SA food production

August 2022 Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring

South Africa’s food production and export industries are experiencing encouraging growth from the increase in demand for high-value and diversified produce such as blueberries, macadamia nuts and citrus. The export demand in the blueberry industry alone is expected to grow by at least 44 000 tonnes by 2024.

A critical enabling factor to support this growth is a combination of investing in the latest refrigeration technology, and improving the capacity and reliability of cold storage infrastructure. This is according to Dawie Kriel, head of business development at EP Refrigeration – a division of Energy Partners and part of the PSG group of companies.

Kriel points out that the increase in exotic fruit exports will require businesses to think differently about how they invest in refrigeration technology. On the export of citrus, he explains that several factors have made for a growing export industry. “The trend in product development – like new variants that are easier to peel and seedless (making them more popular) – is continuing, and of course the higher demand for products containing Vitamin C, which is being driven by the ongoing health awareness resulting from the pandemic. Keeping in mind that South Africa is currently the world’s second largest exporter of citrus, and we are still expanding new plantings, we expect citrus to be a bigger driver of cold storage development.”

With these developments in mind and the added regulatory cold sterilisation requirements, Kriel notes that the refrigeration industry is likely to see an increase in activity and complexity as the country’s food production industry shifts and evolves over the coming years. He adds that the country’s infrastructure problems will only make for more severe challenges for refrigeration-reliant companies. “The combination of ongoing loadshedding, bottlenecks at our ports and the decaying road infrastructure, requires cold storage and transport infrastructure to hold products for longer periods of time before shipping can take place. More sustainable cold storage and insulation, as well as proper servicing of refrigeration equipment, is going to become paramount.”

In closing, he says that while opportunities for the food production industry will certainly grow exponentially, businesses will need to make the right moves to ensure they are ready. “Thinking out of the box to make use of innovative products like Cooling as a Service (CaaS) and partnering with an experienced and reliable service provider in the refrigeration industry for design, building and servicing should be every company’s first call,” he concludes.

Further reading:

Analysers for use in high ambient temperature environments
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
The 993X series of analysers from Ametek Process Industries are now IECEx Zone 2 certified for use in locations with up to 60°C ambient temperature. Built with IP66-rated enclosures and using an integrated cooling system, they can be installed outdoors or in minimally temperature-controlled enclosures, reducing complexity while lowering capital and operating costs.

Read more...

---

The art of precision measurement
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
To achieve precise, reliable measurement results when scanning component parts, use is frequently made of reference points. In optical measuring processes, these permit the referencing of three-dimensional objects during the digitisation.

Read more...

---

Vibration test system supports international space industry
TANDM Technologies Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Dragonfly Aerospace has launched EOS SAT-1, one of seven satellites in the world’s first agricultural-focused constellation. With optimisation of resources being a key component for Dragonfly, it called on TANDM to assist in creating and heavily expanding its environmental testing capabilities by providing a vibration test system that allowed it to perform in-house vibration and shock testing.

Read more...

---

Sensor technology for brewing
Endress+Hauser South Africa Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Brewing is a delicate balance, blending tradition with innovation. Now, modern sensor technology is stepping in to perfect the art of fermentation.

Read more...

---

Loesche gets dirty
Loesche South Africa Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
The world’s attention is on environmental sustainability, and the pressure on countries and companies to demonstrate their commitment to preserving the environment and preventing climate change is at an all-time high. As we confront a multitude of environmental and social challenges, managing waste and maximising landfill diversion can play a key role.

Read more...

---

Water systems with energy savings and sustainability
Labotec Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
ELGA Veolia has relaunched its award-winning PURELAB flex range, with features to reduce the system’s environmental footprint and incorporate some of the latest innovations in water purification technologies. The ecological improvements integrated into the flex range have been made to reduce water and power consumption.

Read more...

---

Keeping an eye on invisible radiation
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
At its peak in 1994, the energy generation capacity of the UK’s nuclear power stations was 12,7 GW across 16 plants. In 2024, the capacity has fallen to around 5 GW, and the number of stations is down to nine. However, this is far from the end of the story as spent nuclear fuel remains radioactive for centuries, and requires rigorous safety processes to safeguard against leaks.

Read more...

---

Technology for water sustainability
Endress+Hauser South Africa Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
The sustainability of surface water is critical for South Africa’s economic development, social well-being and environmental health. Endress+Hauser has a full range of liquid analysis sensors and transmitters to measure important parameters and has an excellent global track record in water and wastewater process plants and various surface and industrial water monitoring sites.

Read more...

---

Reducing water consumption in the cement industry
Loesche South Africa Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Water is a finite and irreplaceable resource, fundamental to life on earth. LOESCHE’s vision is to enable its customers to produce high-quality cement, without any water consumption.

Read more...

---

Ensuring occupational health and safety in mining
Analytical Instrumentation & Environmental Monitoring
Probe Integrated Mining Technologies (Probe IMT) has partnered with M3SH Technology to offer state-of-the-art environmental monitoring solutions that address these dual requirements.

Read more...

---