Fresh Cut Magazine

Convenience drives fresh-cut produce packaged with carbs and proteins

The fresh-cut industry may have started with plain lettuce washed and bagged, but it’s grown into a multi-billion dollar industry that is increasingly changing product mixes to appeal to a wider audience. Many salads now include a meat or pasta item, and fresh-cut fruit and vegetable snacks often include a side dip or another product. “I think the old business models have become commoditized, so they’re very high volume and low profit, so people are looking for new ways to generate revenues,” said Jim Gorny, executive director of the Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center at the University of California, Davis. Items such as bagged salads are produced in such quantity at sold at a relatively low price that they’re no longer as profitable as they once were, but new products that incorporate proteins and carbohydrates are attracting new customers and increasing profits. “People are looking for…  » Read more

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Fresh whole product makes good fresh-cut, too

When fresh-cut processors develop a new product, a lot of research goes in to finding a fruit or vegetable that will handle the cutting process and deliver a favorable eating experience for the customer. But Dulcinea Farms was fortunate – its PureHeart Seedless Watermelon and Extra Sweet Tuscan Style Cantaloupe were as good cut as they were whole fresh produce. Ladera Ranch, Calif.-based Dulcinea introduced its new fresh-cut line at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in Houston in October. The reception from customers was excellent, said Keith Kato, general manager of Dulcinea Farms. “We’re excited about being able to bring a fresh-cut product to the market,” he said. “I think we got everything out of the show that we wanted.” The new fresh-cut products will be sold at retail stores nationwide after the initial rollout, with the items displayed next to the whole product to create…  » Read more

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Facing an Energy Crisis

As I write this column, the cost for a barrel of crude oil is expected to top $100, surpassing the $95 inflation-adjusted cost in 1980. In 1999, oil futures hit a low price of $11, but have steadily increased since then – in fact, there has been a three-fold increase in the last four years. Americans will mostly feel this price increase at the gas pumps and when their heating bills arrive this winter. With fuel currently hovering around $3 per gallon, another increase will have many seeing red – literally and figuratively. But the effects of high oil prices will be great on fresh-cut processors and the produce industry as a whole. The chemicals that protect and nourish the crops are created with petrochemical inputs, as are the tanks and hoses that hold and spray the chemicals. Trucks that ship produce from the West Coast to…  » Read more

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Fresh Focus: Microbiological Testing

Last month, I discussed product testing and some of its issues. This month, I want to cover more ideas regarding microbiological testing, but from the standpoint of sampling, choosing a lab, the kinds of tests to ask for and what to do with the results. Sampling Sampling could be a critical aspect of microbiological testing, and one shouldn’t cut corners when it comes to taking a sample. If you are contemplating testing, consider who will take the sample. Is your lab close enough to someone who can take the sample and not charge too much for that service? If not, then someone on staff needs to be trained about proper techniques to use in taking an uncontaminated sample. Ask lab representatives to meet with you to discuss sampling on location. Not only can they help in designing a viable sampling plan, they can learn about the environment…  » Read more

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