New Solar Fruit Drying Technology a Boon for Sustainability
- Aug 19, 2016
- 1 min read
A Chilean-Swiss invention shows promise for the dried fruit industry, with possible patent expansions in the pipeline in Australia and South Africa.
Founded in 2011 by Cristián Valdés and Sébastien Jacot-Descombes, the aim of CK2’s Natural Solar Drying system was to achieve the same effect as more advanced technologies but at a lower cost to the producer’s hip pocket and the environment.
The process involves putting a 55m x 4m (180ft x 13ft) conveyor belt underneath a 1.2m (3.9ft) high greenhouse, and utilizing a series of fans.
“The solar tunnels are designed for plums, but this year we did a pilot plant where we tried cherries, blueberries, peaches and rapes,” Valdés told www.freshfruitportal.com, adding the system allowed for improving scale in increments.
Catherine Flessen
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