From Italy to Poland, brilliant scientific minds have been working on solutions to packaging issues and bringing nutrition-packed produce to market. That’s evident in the list of nominees for the 2020 Fruit Logistica Innovation Awards to be announced in Berlin at the February 5-7 show.

Here are three which may interest Canadian growers.

• Tenderstem Royale is a cross between Chinese green cabbage and broccoli. Bred by Sakata Vegetables Europe SAS, the vegetable has an unmistakable purple stalk. It’s edible from stem to tip. The company’s website touts the fact that this vegetable is high in folates. It’s also shown in many recipes for Veganuary.

• Tomato Yoom has been bred by Syngenta Seeds BV in the Netherlands. The new purple-skinned cocktail tomato was developed through a natural selection breeding program. These tomatoes are packed with flavour and have a sweet-sour balance, which gives a unique, lasting umami/savoury taste sensation for consumers.

• The Sofruminipak Ecoview basket was developed in Poland. It’s a simple, quick-close packaging for fruits, available with a separate or integrated lid. The renewable raw materials combined with good ventilation characteristics ensure optimized cooling and 100% biodegradability.

For the entire list and details, go here: https://www.fruitlogistica.com/Events/InnovationAwardFLIA/

Source:  Fruit Logistica website