Systems and methods are provided for separating seed from wet material. The method includes aerating raw, wet material comprising seed to provide an aerated material and aspirating the aerated material. The aspirating separates seed from liftings of the aerated material, and the separated seed can then be recovered.

A ripening controldevice includes a holding unit, a desorption unit, and a supply unit. The holding unit holds a ripening component that is generated from an object and ripens the object. The desorption unit desorbs the ripening component held in the holding unit from the holding unit. The supply unit supplies the ripening component desorbed by the desorption unit into the target spaces (S).

Starch-based edible coating compositions for preserving food products are disclosed. The starch-based coatings comprise both a polymerized starch, comprising intertwined amylopectin chains and/or amylose chains, and native (unmodified) and/or modified starch granules dispersed in a liquid carrier. When the starch granules are heated to a temperature to induce swelling, the swollen starch granules become embedded in the intertwined amylopectin and/or amylose chains, improving physical properties of the coating needed to extend shelf-life of food products. Also disclosed are coatings made from the coating compositions, methods of making the coatings, and methods of applying the coatings to food products.

Disclosed herein is a plasma coating system, including a plasma treatment device configured to generate a plasma discharge to treat a product; a coating station that treats the product with a liquid coating; and a transport surface that transports a product from the plasma treatment device to the coating station.

An application system for forming protective coatings over perishable items, including: a bed including a plurality of rollers, wherein each of the rollers is configured to rotate at a predetermined rotational rate, thereby causing the perishable items on the bed to rotate; one or more sprayers over a first portion of the bed; one or more blowers over a second portion of the bed; a mixing system configured to prepare a mixture including a coating agent in a solvent; and a liquid delivery system connected inline between the mixing system and the one or more sprayers.

The machine for integral processing of fruits with a hard or soft shell disclosed herein comprises a feed hopper and at least a first receptacle having a first end for connection to said hopper and a second opposite end. The receptacle is positioned horizontally according to the longitudinal direction of the machine and comprises in its interior a central shaft positioned in accordance to the longitudinal direction of the machine and connected at one end to a rotating element.

The machine for integral processing of fruits with a hard or soft shell disclosed herein comprises a feed hopper and at least a first receptacle having a first end for connection to said hopper and a second opposite end. The receptacle is positioned horizontally according to the longitudinal direction of the machine and comprises in its interior a central shaft positioned in accordance to the longitudinal direction of the machine and connected at one end to a rotating element.

Starch-based edible coating compositions for preserving food products are disclosed. The starch-based coatings comprise both a polymerized starch, comprising intertwined amylopectin chains and/or amylose chains, and native (unmodified) and/or modified starch granules dispersed in a liquid carrier. When the starch granules are heated to a temperature to induce swelling, the swollen starch granules become embedded in the intertwined amylopectin and/or amylose chains, improving physical properties of the coating needed to extend shelf-life of food products. Also disclosed are coatings made from the coating compositions, methods of making the coatings, and methods of applying the coatings to food products.

The present disclosure relates to apparatus for carrying articles such as fruit for sorting, and in particular though not exclusively to apparatus for singulating the articles. There is provided a singulation apparatus for an article carrying system, the apparatus comprising a flume adapted to receive a plurality of articles at a first end; a fluid inlet associated with the first end and arranged in use to direct a fluid flow to carry the received articles along the flume to a second end; wherein a parameter of the fluid flow is controlled in order to singulate the received articles along the flume. A method for singulation is also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to apparatus for carrying articles such as fruit for sorting, and in particular though not exclusively to apparatus for singulating the articles. There is provided a singulation apparatus for an article carrying system, the apparatus comprising a flume adapted to receive a plurality of articles at a first end; a fluid inlet associated with the first end and arranged in use to direct a fluid flow to carry the received articles along the flume to a second end; wherein a parameter of the fluid flow is controlled in order to singulate the received articles along the flume. A method for singulation is also disclosed.