Modern fruit growing in Europe is an advanced discipline, and the guarantee of apple quality is also checked during uncompromising control at the sorting stage. At this stage, the precision of the machine combines with human experience to ensure that only fruit in excellent condition makes it into the packaging.
Gentle Start: Water Unloading
In European sorting facilities, attention to quality is a priority, and every shock is a risk. That’s why the fruit is not dumped: unloading takes place on water. The apples gently float to the surface, which minimises any bruising and impacts that could compromise their durability and quality. This is the first, crucial step in preventing losses.
Technology Focused on the Interior
Next, technology comes into play. Intelligent cameras assess the size and colour of each fruit in a fraction of a second with a precision that the human eye cannot achieve. However, their true revolutionary power lies in the internal inspection systems¹:
- Non-invasive testing: Special sensors scan the apple, checking its pulp for damage, ripeness, and potential internal defects without damaging the skin.
- Objective data: The system relies on hard, objective data, which guarantees that only fruit in perfect condition makes it into the packaging.
Guarantee and Responsibility
European sorting facilities strive to create harmony between the cool precision of the machine and the irreplaceable intuition of the human eye. All these processes are subject to rigorous, international external audits, such as BRC, IFS, or GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody. These are global certificates that give partners full confidence that our promises are backed by repeatable and strict standards².
In the European philosophy of food production, there is no room for waste. Every fruit that is perfectly healthy but, for example, has an irregular shape, begins its second, equally delicious career. It becomes the base for natural juices and crispy chips. This is our responsibility to the ecosystem³.
So when you reach for an apple from Europe next time, you will know: this is proof that respect for the product and innovation can create something truly exceptional!
Sources:
2 Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council – : https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/PL/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32002R0178
3 European Commission website on reducing Food Waste – https://food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/food-waste_en
