Aweta's Innovative technology for aromatic organic mangoes

The company BioTropic from Duisburg, Germany, has recently installed a highly technical and electronically sensitive machine, manufactured by AWETA in the Netherlands: "It is quite remarkable what technology can do today," says Erdal Kizilyol, Head of Packaging at BioTropic in Duisburg, who was on-site at the Aweta facilities in Nootdorp. "Each mango is checked individually regarding pressure and visual aspects, with sound and light. High-performance sensors and a sophisticated software sort the fruit according to ripening-grade, colour, size and internal quality. Inner as well as outer damage is immediately recognised and rejected."

Aweta and BioTropic: two top-level companies joined in a mutually beneficial cooperation" says Norman van der Gaag, Aweta Sales Manager, "The Aweta Megastar machine is designed to handle mangos in the best possible way. This version is equipped with the latest technology of external quality-sorting with Twin Vision, internal quality-detection by means of Inscan and the firmness sensor AFS to determine the ripeness of the mango. By combining all these parameters, our clients can deliver guaranteed quality products to their customers. In the end it is all about meeting the expectation of end consumers who buy in the supermarket: selection by means of external appearance and acceptance by means of taste!"

This September, Aweta's brand new customized mango-sorting machine is being delivered and assembled by dedicated staff in BioTropic's warehouse. As soon as that's done, the test phase begins – and everything will be fine-tuned until the machine runs smoothly. "We expect to deliver our first ripened organic mangoes in November" adds Erdal Kizilyol of BioTropic. "The sorting system goes hand in hand with the mango ripening chambers: these are special rooms where ripening is controlled by natural means: humidity and temperature, nothing else!"

But why should mangoes be ripened? Mangoes taste best ripe and picked straight from the tree, when the aroma and the sugar content are optimally developed. However, mangoes are harvested before their full maturity because ripe mangos would spoil during the container-shipment to Europe. Sending those unripe mangos to the point of sale means that the customer has to ripen the mangoes at home, sometimes with disappointing results. For this reason, BioTropic decided to take care of the ripening after arrival at the warehouse, by controlling the humidity and temperature in the ripening chambers. This way, the fruit can be ripened so that it arrives at the point-of-sale in perfect state. Erdal Kizilyol adds "Thanks to Aweta's sorting machine and our ripening method, the aroma and sugar content develop the best way possible, and customers can be sure to buy a ripe "ready-to-eat" mango in the store. Using our new mango sorting and ripening concept, we greatly improve the quality of our mangoes. From now on we can be sure that the consumers will enjoy perfectly ripened fruit, as ripening is not left to chance anymore."

Mangoes grow in tropical and sub-tropical climates. BioTropic imports organic mangos from Burkina Faso, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Spain , Ecuador, and Peru. Due to the wide range of varieties (Amelie, Ataulfo, Keitt, Kent, Osteen and Tommy Atkins) from different countries and different harvesting periods, mangoes are available for BioTropic all year round."

Contacts:
Aweta The Netherlands
Burgermeester Winkellaan 3
2631HG Nootdorp - The Netherlands
Ph.: +31 88 668 8000
Web: www.aweta.nl