Page 53 - 0619

Bacterial resistant and without the need for extra cleaning from store personnel, he says these systems more than double shelf life.
MAINTENANCE COSTS
“It may surprise you to learn that about 81% of the cost of ownership of perishable control equipment is made up of mainte- nance,” says Kuts. “Besides advancements in the system, we are continuously working on improving our service programs.”
Emily Stavrou, vice president of Corrigan in Gurnee, IL, says her company’s prices have trended downward over the years, even though the technology has advanced.
“The most expensive misting system is one that is not working,” says Stavrou. “We took a call today for a replacement system that was 20 years old. I’d say 20 years running is a terrific ROI.”
She says improvements in nozzle design have been the biggest advancement in misting technology, with Corrigan offering a low-flow fogging nozzle that provides a gentle mist.
“It has the lowest flow rate in the industry; the controls coupled with the fogging nozzles allow for full coverage,” she says. “This is important because the moisture, which is crucial for perishable protection, settles on the produce and doesn’t overflow out of the case or get blown away by the air curtain.”
Stavrou points to Deirdre Holcroft’s May 2015 white paper, Water Relations in Harvested Fresh Produce, as an example of how misting can reduce water loss in vege- tables.
“The study points out leafy vegetables begin to wilt after just a 3% to 5% water loss, and for blueberries, just a 3% weight loss could mean a loss of $150 per pallet,” she says.
Stavrou adds studies also have shown chlorophyll levels are higher in misted produce, translating to better marketability, while Vitamin C levels are greater, too.
Vered Kleinberger, marketing director at Prodew Misting in Marietta, GA, says misting systems are “fairly fool-proof,” with the only requirement being basic mainte- nance such as changing filters on water filtra- tion systems.
She says her company’s traditional misting systems — VersaFresh and Oasis — are very affordable with a return on investment in about six months, a time period that is similar for Prodew’s newer system FogMist, which costs more but saves on water and mainte- nance costs.
“The most expensive misting system is one that is not working.
We took a call today for a replacement system that was 20 years
old. I’d say 20 years running is a terrific ROI.” — Emily Stavrou, Corrigan
“This system combines compressed air and water to form a super-fine water droplet that doesn’t get the product, cases, floor or customer wet,” says Kleinberger, describing the tech as a game-changer. “The fog-like mist requires less water than traditional misting, and it creates a theatrical effect in the cases.”
Although mushrooms are extremely sensi- tive to moisture and cannot tolerate tradi- tional misting, Kleinberger says FogMist is able to bridge the gap to include the more fragile commodity.
“In a study of mushrooms, we found without humidification, the shelf life of a number of mushroom varieties is about 24 hours, while with our FogMist, the humid- ification mushroom shelf life is increased to three to four days,” she says. “This is exciting news and previously unheard of in the produce industry.”
The company is also looking to roll out new technology in the near future that mimics ultrasonic systems used in Europe and the Far East.
“Prodew’s ultrasonic system works through patented technology whereby ultra- sonic droplets are created without the use of stagnant water in reservoirs, thus eliminating the safety concerns associated with other ultrasonic systems,” says Kleinberger.
MISTING VS. NEBULIZATION
For Anna Pacitto, who works in business development at Areco North America in Kearny, NJ, an important distinction needs to be made between misting and nebulization.
“When presenting to a retailer, one thing I ask them initially is equate it to nebulization to your own body,” she says. “When you’re thirsty, you don’t throw water on yourself, so why would we think that’s the right solution for the fresh foods that we have in our cases?”
She says fresh food needs to hydrate by absorbing moisture naturally, with fine fogging nebulization representing a “para- digm shift” for the sector.
“Our system is very different in that Areco nebulization takes a drop of water, and through our patented technology, we have ceramics that beat 1.7 million times per second; that is what creates this very fine vapor,” says Pacitto. “It’s a combination of the optimal temperature and humidity that allows the product to naturally absorb water.”
The technology originated in France, and Pacitto says it is used in about 5,500 locations globally, however entry to the North Amer- ican market only took place three years ago with a presence now in just more than 100 retailers.
“Some of the misting companies have tried to duplicate our technology,” she says.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT OGG
PRODUCE BUSINESS / JUNE 2019 / 53