Fresh Cut Magazine

A Fresh Cut Fresh Start

I’m excited to welcome you to a new chapter in the life of Fresh Cut. Great American Publishing, located in Sparta, Mich., has purchased Fresh Cut from Columbia Publishing, and we’re eager to continue on this journey that Mike Stoker and Brent Clement started 13 years ago. Our team is pumped to continue bringing Fresh Cut’s readers the news, the names and the information they need to be successful in their ventures. Great American Publishing, though somewhat new to the fresh-cut industry, is no stranger to producing quality publications for different aspects of the agriculture industry. Great American Publishing also publishes The Fruit Growers News, The Vegetable Growers News and Spudman magazine. Fresh Cut presents an opportunity for us to continue learning about all aspects of the produce food chain – from grower to processor. I, Kimberly Warren, will serve as editor for Fresh Cut.…  » Read more

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Fresh-cut Helps Grower Broaden Marketing Options

When Clyde Bybee began farming in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills in 1976, many wondered if he and the entrepreneurs involved in Sunheaven Farms would survive more than a couple years. Millions of dollars in financing were lined up to install a complex pivot irrigation system involving a pumping station on the Columbia River and more than 10 miles of feeder pipe and booster stations just to bring water to the edge of the first farm. It was another 14 miles to the most distant pivot. Bybee and five other family heads – Brent Schulties, Brent Hartley, Loren Munn, Duane Munn and Robert Munn – were all Nyssa, Ore., transplants. Their vision was to bring water to what had been a dryland wheat area. Even though the land would soon be producing bumper crops of potatoes, onions, sweet corn and other crops, it was a bold and…  » Read more

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Food Safety/Sanitation: Personal Hygiene

We clean and sanitize our plant, we have a HACCP plan, SSOPs, etc, so why the big deal on hand washing? Why implement a professional hand washing and personal hygiene program? Because it is rated one of the top three reasons why we have foodborne illness. When we clean and sanitize our plant, we are directing our efforts to the equipment and the plant facility. But what about the people who work in the plant? The break room, the rest rooms, outdoor smoking – these can bring things inside that you do not want in your plant. It’s my belief that anyone working in a plant should be considered a food handler, whether the product is cooked, further processed, RTE, etc. It has been determined that more than 90 percent of foodborne illness is from plant personnel who are ill. I want to point out…  » Read more

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Consumer Demand Strong for Microwavable Butternut Squash

Pre-cut vegetables in a microwavable bag have proven a popular hit for Onofrio’s Fresh-Cut in New Haven, Conn. Jim and Ed Onofrio, along with Ralph Parillo, partners in the six-year-old company, are particularly excited with the demand for their diced butternut squash. Two years ago, they were marketing around 200,000 pounds a year; in 2005 they did well more than 1 million pounds. “The demand for this product has been phenomenal,” said Parillo, who heads company sales. “After December, it’s generally difficult to sell butternut squash to anyone, but, here, we continue to enjoy very good sales. We’re still selling tons of them.” Why the demand? The squash are hand-cut – adding additional shelf life – and are packed in a clear film bag, formed automatically with a vertical form, fill and seal packaging system. The clear bag reveals full visibility of the quality of the contents.…  » Read more

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Pest Control: Processing Out Pesticides

This is the second article in a four-part series about pest control in processing facilities. In the past, striking the balance between effective pest control and environmental stewardship was viewed as something akin to telling cats and dogs to play nice together. But in recent years, advances in research and technology have allowed Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) to develop more environmentally friendly Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs for prevention and treatment without sacrificing effectiveness. These treatments help food handling and processing facilities keep pests out while drastically reducing the need for spray-based pesticides. By implementing more comprehensive IPM programs to prevent pests, food processors can minimize the likelihood of chemical contamination and improve audit scores, creating a halo effect in the eyes of customers up and down the supply chain. “Greener” pest management programs also reinforce a commitment to employee safety by helping to protect staff from chemical…  » Read more

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Showcase: Weighing and Bagging Equipment

JASA Packaging JASA Packaging Systems (ww.jasa.nl) is a proven leader in the design and manufacture of Vertical Form Fill Seal machinery for processed and non-processed items. Machinery sales and service are handled by Ag-Pak Inc., Gasport, New York. Bag types such as Pillow Pack, Block Bottom and Quattro Packs can be produced with JASA machines. All machinery is manufactured in stainless steel, such as the new JASA 250 Compact recently developed and highly demanded by those packing houses with height constraints. Learn more about JASA and NEWTEC Computerized Weighers at http://www.agpak.com. Formost Packaging Built to operate at speeds up to 60 packages per minute, the horizontal GT Bagger from Formost Packaging Machines, Inc. Woodinville, WA is ideal for bagging a variety of fresh produce products. The innovative bag opening system of the GT Bagger provides greater tolerance to irregularities while assuring gentle product handling and tightly bagged products. Features…  » Read more

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