throughput is obviously restricted, as each particle has to be scann individually Some types of optical colour sorters operate by feeding material through an optical box fitted with sixteen photo-electric cells, for each of 10 chutes which scan the surface colour of the product against automatically adjusted backgrounds. Pieces which are 'in-balance as to colour, pass through an accepted'delivery chute at the bottom of the machine, and those which are foreign to the background are blown out of trajectory, by a fine jet of electronically signalled compressed air, through a ' spout at the back of Modern machines may operate from a common feed, and have a throughput capability of 1200kg per hr with some types of vegetable dice cut to 3/8in. by 3/8in. by 3/8in (10mm cubes) These machines are progressively replacing manual inspection of dehydrated vegetables as they are infinitely cheaper to operate. Some final visual inspection is always advisable, however, after the product leaves the colour sorter but this is mainly a policing'operation, and only makes minimal demands on staff. The use of electronic sorters, however, demand the employment of highly skilled personnel to service them Air Separation Some products lend themselves to quality grading and selection by aspiration, and very efficient machines are now available for this purpose. It sometimes happens that the fraction of material to be abstracted from a product has a different specific gravity from the acceptable fraction. A finely balanced air separator will deal with this abstraction very adequately, and will save hours of manual selection Two examples of this are the coarse core pieces present in cabbage, and the green fraction of leeks. Both of these fractions can be eliminated by aspiration and air separation PACKAGING Both materials and units of packaging must satisfy a specific set of (1)They must be compatible, costwise, with the value of the product they are designed to carry They must give protection against the ingress of moisture, light, air and infestation by vermin and insects (3)They must be sufficiently strong and stable to protect the product from damage by abrasion, and a considerable degree of handling in store and in transit: (4)Materials must be approved for contact with a food productthroughput is obviously restricted, as each particle has to be scanned individually. Some types of optical colour sorters operate by feeding material through an optical box fitted with sixteen photo-electric cells, for each of 10 chutes, which scan the surface colour of the product against automatically adjusted backgrounds. Pieces which are ‘in-balance’ as to colour, pass through an ’accepted’ delivery chute at the bottom of the machine, and those which are ‘foreign’ to the background are blown out of trajectory, by a fine jet of electronically signalled compressed air, through a ‘reject’ spout at the back of the machine. Modern machines may operate from a common feed, and have a throughput capability of 1200kg per hr with some types of vegetable dice cut to 3/8in. by 3/8in. by 3/8in (10mm cubes). . These machines are progressively replacing manual inspection of dehydrated vegetables as they are infinitely cheaper to operate. Some final visual inspection is always advisable, however, after the product leaves the colour sorter but this is mainly a ’policing’ operation, and only makes minimal demands on staff. The use of electronic sorters, however, demand the employment of highly skilled personnel to service them. Air Separation Some products lend themselves to quality grading and selection by aspiration, and very efficient machines are now available for this purpose. It sometimes happens that the fraction of material to be abstracted from a product has a different specific gravity from the acceptable fraction. A finely balanced air separator will deal with this abstraction very adequately, and will save hours of manual selection. Two examples of this are the coarse core pieces present in cabbage, and the green fraction of leeks. Both of these fractions can be eliminated by aspiration and air separation. PACKAGING Both materials and units of packaging must satisfy a specific set of requirements: (1) They must be compatible, costwise, with the value of the product they are designed to carry; (2) They must give protection against the ingress of moisture, light, air and infestation by vermin and insects; (3) They must be sufficiently strong and stable to protect the product from damage by abrasion, and a considerable degree of handling in store and in transit; (4) Materials must be approved for contact with a food product; 22%