Farmers hail new device that can measure each individual brassica by size to ensure only the best
Could the ‘sproutatron’ let your kids eat their Brussels this Christmas? Farmers applaud new device that can custom measure each individual brassica to ensure only the best and matching sprouts are packaged
- R&K Drysdale has invested in a high-tech sorting machine, the ‘sproutatron’
- Drysdale uses the machine to accurately size the sprouts
- 18- to 24-year-olds claiming to ‘like’ sprouts has risen to 44 percent this year
- 25 percent of the annual consumption of Brussels sprouts is at Christmas
Farmers think they’ve finally found a way to get young people to like Brussels sprouts – by making sure they’re all the same size so they can cook evenly.
To help them pick matching sprouts, the bosses of R&K Drysdale, one of the UK’s largest brassica growers, have invested in a high-tech sorting machine nicknamed the ‘sproutatron’.
Working with Tesco to supply around 70 per cent of its sprouts, Drysdale uses the machine – which looks like the kind of gadget that could be in a Wallace & Gromit film – to precisely size the sprouts at the touch of a button. knob.
They have a more consistent size in packets, making the cooking process more even.
R&K Drysdale, one of the UK’s largest brassica growers, has invested in a high-tech sorting machine nicknamed the ‘sproutatron’
A survey by Tesco found that the number of 18 to 24 year olds who claim to ‘like sprouts’ has risen from 26 per cent in 2021 to 44 per cent this year
It spells an end to the lottery of some people getting small and overcooked soggy sprouts while others get through tougher big crunches.
New milder and sweeter varieties have also been introduced, especially Cobelius.
A Tesco survey found that the number of 18-24 year olds who claim to like Brussels sprouts has risen from 26 per cent in 2021 to 44 per cent this year.
The ‘sproutatron’ works by taking eight pictures of each sprout as it moves along the conveyor belt, and rates it against a predetermined size.
And it can take pictures at 25 sprouts per second. The computer-controlled sorter then identifies all sprouts of the same size.
These are sent to the same job for processing. This means that when the sprouts are bagged, they are all a uniform size.
Sam Miller, buyer of Tesco products, said: ‘The latest technology allows our customers to buy some of the best tasting and freshest sprouts.
‘These machines speed up the sorting process, drastically reducing the time it takes to get the sprouts from the field to our shelves.’
Gavin Milne, Managing Director of Drysdale – based in Cockburnspath, Scotland – said: ‘We work closely with seed houses on variety development and flavour, with the aim of eliminating varieties that are more bitter than others.’
About 25 percent of the annual consumption of Brussels sprouts is at Christmas. Tesco expects to sell about 1.5 million kilos of Brussels sprouts in the two weeks before the big day.
Named after they became popular in the Belgian capital in the 16th century, they are native to Iran and Afghanistan
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