The advances in top sealing and how these innovations have benefitted the soft fruit industry was the key focus of a presentation given by market leader Proseal as part of the online Fruit Focus event last week.

Proseal’s Head of Sales and Control Systems Tony Burgess provided an overview of the technology and highlighted some of the most recent developments, explaining how these have helped to improve efficiencies and optimise production, while at the same time enhancing product quality and presentation and delivering important sustainability benefits.

Soft fruit accounts for 22 percent of all UK consumer fruit purchases, according to market researcher Kantar World Panel; and berries, naturally high in Vitamin C, have proved to be increasingly popular during the current coronavirus pandemic, with consumers particularly drawn to healthy foods that help strengthen their immune systems.

As volumes continue to climb, fruit producers are seeking packing solutions that offer the speed and flexibility to meet changing demands without compromising on hygiene and protection.

The Proseal webinar showed some of the latest technologies that help to achieve this, such as the efficient management and spacing of trays as they enter the tray sealer (ProPosition™) and the market leading gas flush technologies available to prolong product freshness and extend shelf-life.

With sustainability being a major factor in the selection of appropriate pack formats, Tony Burgess also explained the important contribution top sealing has already made to the reduction of plastic usage, as well as its ability to handle the new generation of board and compostable trays now being introduced.

Established in 1998, and joining the JBT family in 2019, Proseal has become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of tray sealing machinery and tooling. In the soft fruit sector, the company pioneered the move from clam-shell punnets to top sealed trays. Proseal offers a wide range of semi-automatic and automatic machines, offering speeds from 30 up to 240 packs per minute, along with ancillary equipment such as conveyors and feed systems, enabling the company to devise a bespoke solution to meet every customer’s specific requirements.