To overcome the challenges within the nut industry, Bühler has launched its new portfolio of SORTEX optical sorters to increase yields, combat aflatoxin, and offer ease-of-use to nut processors around the globe.
The nut industry faces complex challenges. According to Bühler, the expectation for quality has never been higher; consumers and retailers have zero tolerance for the presence of mycotoxins, a poisonous chemical released from certain strains of fungi that can contaminate nuts, and foreign materials such as sticks, stones, and shells can also create unsafe food. Alongside this, consumers have an expectation for nuts that are uniform in size and shape, with no insect bites or other cosmetic damage.
The challenges are not only related to safety and quality. For years, the market has seen the cost of raw materials go up, forcing processors to spend more on the production process, and on top of this, with environmental initiatives around the globe, governments are cracking down on the land and water usage of nut plants.
Bühler’s new optical sorting portfolio has been designed to counter the challenges of the nut industry, setting the standards for quality while reducing waste and increasing yields to offer the advanced sustainability and quality that processors require.
SORTEX H SpectraVision
With 75 years of experience as the pioneer of optical sorting, Bühler has created the SORTEX H SpectraVision, reportedly the highest-performing optical sorter on the market. A color sorter, and a specialist in blanched and natural kernels, the SORTEX H brings up to 50% higher reject concentration, meaning processors can provide a higher quality product to the market while simultaneously reducing waste. The H machine also brings high capacity with full-color cameras and LEDs with triple the amount of light of other sorters.
Beyond the specs, the H machine offers high performance with simple operation. MerlinAI, the SORTEX H’s new engine, self-adjusts and can automatically assign modes to bring a high level of self-functionality and ease of use to minimize the risk of human error.
Recommended nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia, pistachios, peanuts.
SORTEX LumoVision
The SORTEX LumoVision is Bühler’s answer to mycotoxin contamination. LumoVision offers sorting technology that will minimize toxic contamination in nuts and improve yield, by identifying and removing cancer-causing, aflatoxin-infected product. After discovering a breakthrough indicator of contamination on the spectral scale, Bühler created the SORTEX LumoVision, an optical sorter that can reduce the aflatoxin level by up to 90% (as indicated by industrial trials). This reduction brings peace of mind and enables more product to reach regulation levels, saving companies from the costs of large-scale material write-offs and the reputational damage of market recalls.
Recommended nuts: peanuts, walnuts, pecans.
SORTEX J SpectraVision
The SORTEX J SpectraVision is designed to bring high-level color sorting at an affordable price bracket. Sorting 5 tons per hour per module, and utilizing the revolutionary MerlinAI engine, the SORTEX J is built for performance and ease of use. The SORTEX J machine also features the latest sensor technology, connectivity capabilities, and software so customers can reap the benefits of digitalization. Easy enough for a child to operate, the SORTEX J SpectraVision strips away the need for extensive training and brings peak performance fast.
Recommended nuts: almonds, cashews, macadamia, pistachios, peanuts.
SORTEX N
SORTEX N is a specialist pre-cleaner for both natural and in-shell nuts. Combining Bühler’s time-proven shell-detection cameras, BioCam and OptiCam with a brand-new sorting platform, the SORTEX N brings efficient shell and critical defect removal at up to 20 tons per hour. Available in three size options, SORTEX N specifically targets shell and other critical foreign material, enabling subsequent optical sorters to focus on more subtle and hard-to-detect non-critical defects, resulting in the cleanest, safest nuts.
Recommended nuts: all natural and in-shell varieties.
SORTEX Monitoring System
SORTEX Monitoring System (SMS), Bühler’s cloud-based data capture software, provides processors with essential metrics and data for peak performance from anywhere in the world and on any device. SMS alerts processors to any faults in the process line, enabling a quick response and saving money from lost production time and errors.
