Top Honors In Food Safety
June 8, 2012 
Check out a slide show of the sights from this year’s United Fresh 2012 trade show by clicking.
Four new products were nominated this year in the category of “Best New Food Safety Solution” at the United Fresh 2012 trade show last month in Dallas, TX. United Fresh has a long tradition of presenting the latest innovations in the fresh produce industry. Attendees chose this year’s winner, DeltaTRAK FlashCheck Bacterial Enzyme Detection Kits, from among the four. Here’s a look at these four important innovations.
DeltaTRAK FlashCheck Bacterial Enzyme Detection Kits
DeltaTRAK’s FlashCheck Real-Time Bacterial Enzyme Detection Kits are used to provide an accurate, quick, and inexpensive way to screen for dangerous levels of bacterial contamination on site. Having a low-cost screening tool allows users to test more often, thereby greatly increasing the success rate of catching bacterial contamination before it finds its way to the consumer. This gives produce growers and processors an effective way to easily screen for contamination and ultimately protect the consumer.
The company’s FlashCheck Real-Time Bacterial Enzyme Detection surface assay is ideal for examining food preparation surfaces such as harvesting and processing equipment, slicing blades, conveyor belts, and food preparation areas. Two levels of testing are available for equipment surfaces. The surface assay for Total Organisms kit screens for all types of bacteria including bacteria hidden within biofilm. The surface assay for Gram-Negative Bacteria tests for the family of enterobacteriaceae, which includes E. coli, Salmonella, and other harmful bacteria.
The FlashCheck Real-Time Food Assay is a screening test for the detection of Gram-Negative bacteria directly from a food product. A positive test result does not distinguish between different types of Gram Negative bacteria, but does indicate the potential presence of pathogenic organisms which may be in sufficient quantities to cause spoilage or illness. These include enterococcus, fecal coliform, Salmonella, and E. coli. Further testing is necessary in order to identify specific bacteria. All of DeltaTRAK’s kits can be used in the field to detect microorganisms within 20 minutes.
For more information, go to www.deltatrak.com.
Intelleflex Freshness Management Solution
The Intelleflex Freshness Management Solution provides growers, packers, shippers, and retailers with actionable data to reduce shrink and improve the quality, safety, and delivered freshness of produce throughout the cold chain.
The Intelleflex CMR-6100 Cellular Reader and Intelleflex ZEST Data Services, coupled with Intelleflex temperature monitoring tags placed in individual pallets of produce, enables freshness management, a new proactive approach for managing the cold supply chain.
This new solution delivers the ability to collect and capture temperature information of produce at locations throughout the cold chain, even when access to a fixed network or power infrastructure is unavailable. As a result, at locations such as harvest fields, packinghouses, pre-coolers, loading docks, warehouses, shipping depots, distribution centers, and retailers, it is now possible to know and access the product’s complete temperature history by using the ubiquitous cellular network to upload temperature data captured from temperature tags by the CMR-6100 cellular reader at locations throughout the cold chain and share that information via ZEST Data Services integrated into warehouse management and supply chain applications.
The temperature data information, made available via a web browser interface for analysis by growers, cold chain distribution managers, and retailers, can then be easily monitored in near-real time for temperature and potential issues that could lead to food safety problems and shrink. When temperature issues are identified, individual pallets can then be removed from the supply chain and tested for safety.
In addition, the electronically captured, stored, and managed information can speed response to recalls by providing an electronic record for track-and-trace, enabling the ability to more quickly identify the source of a recall and withdrawal of at-risk product from the food distribution system.
For more information, go to www.intelleflex.com.
PTI Lite From RedLine Solutions
Leading retailers and food service companies are starting to ask for PTI compliance now. RedLine Solutions’ PTI Lite was created specifically for family farms and other small-to-medium-sized companies throughout the supply chain. PTI compliance affects everyone: companies must be able to trace the product back to the lot from when it is packed until it is received by a retail store or food service operator.
While anyone could create their own system or PTI compliance, family farms focus on growing great produce, not configuring databases or barcode printing systems. Especially once you get into the details such as understanding barcode specifications; researching and selecting the required hardware and software; figuring out how to make the pieces work together; and writing computer programs such as the voice pick code.
PTI Lite includes everything needed for PTI compliance except a Windows computer. This includes a barcode printer, labels for cases and hybrid pallet tags, and software to print and manage your PTI labels. Professional packages include a wireless barcode scanner so you can quickly enter case traceability information without typing, and build your hybrid pallet tags on the fly. The pieces are integrated so they work together smoothly. RedLine provides PTI-compliant label templates for case and hybrid pallet tags. The software maintains the required electronic traceability records including source lots, GTINs, and pack lot IDs.
RedLine Solutions is an industry leader in PTI Solutions. They’ve been delivering solutions for fresh produce long before PTI. Their traceability suite, including RedLine Field, RedLine Packing, and RedLine Cooler, is used by some of the most respected names in the business. They’ve helped automate more than 100 facilities across North America and have experience delivering practical solutions.
For more information, go to www.redlineforproduce.com/main-solutions/ptilite.html.
HydroDose High Volume Dosing System From BioSafe Systems
BioSafe Systems introduced the new HydroDose High Volume Dosing System. The HydroDose provides a compact vertical rotomolded 15-gallon plastic tank mounted on heavy-duty wheels and a built-in handle that utilizes a Dosatron proportioner and patent pending double flow system to provide higher dilution dosing of chemicals such as BioSafe Systems’ SaniDate 12.0 Micro Biocide or other chemical, fertilizers, or micronutrient products that require high dilution rates.
The advantage of the HydroDose is that it works solely on water pressure to operate the dilution systems, thereby eliminating any electrical requirements. The HydroDose may insert into any part of a grower’s operation to provide temporary or permanent dosing solutions while at the same time providing accurate dosing solutions for a wide variety of applications.
BioSafe Systems, LLC is a manufacturer of sustainable and environmentally responsible disease control solutions, many of which meet the requirements of the National Organic Program. The company develops products for the agriculture, animal health, postharvest/food safety, commercial horticulture, golf, home and garden, and aquatics industries. BioSafe Systems will continue growing with the release of new products and solutions to meet growers’ disease control needs.
For more information, go to www.biosafesystems.com.