Innovations in technology could see pomegranates become as popular as oranges, according to Ofer Juran, manager of Israeli machinery manufacturing company, Juran Metal Works Technologies.
Showcasing a new pomegranate aril extracting machine at Fruit Logistica, Juran said one of the main reasons people did not eat more pomegranates was the amount of preparation involved. However, with the help of the Israeli government, his company has created a machine that removes the arils from the fruit with little effort.
Nominated for Fruit Logistica’s new Innovation Award, the EAP machine extracts the arils using high power air jets. Most traditional pomegranate producers require some amount of manual labour to remove the arils, which takes longer and is potentially less hygienic.
The machine can produce 200kg of arils an hour which once packaged have a 10-day shelf life.
Research shows pomegranates could have three times the antioxidants of red wine and are packed with vitamin C. Recent media coverage has propelled the consumption of pomegranate juice in the UK, but sales of the fruit in prepared form could follow suit, Juran said.
While the juice may offer positive health benefits, the Arils have a higher nutritional content as eating the seeds also contributes to well-being. Juran said it is only a matter of time before consumers wake up to the benefits: “I think in the past few years, the pomegranate has come up like the orange did 40 years ago. Back then no one used to eat them regularly or squeeze them in the morning. That’s my vision for the pomegranate.”
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