Resources employed and innovation requirements in cactus pear packing lines

In the last few decades the cultivation of Cactus pear represents an important element in the economy of subtropical regions with scarce water resources. The increasing market competition from other countries has forced Sicilian producers to modernize the packing houses where the fruit is processed. The study carried out has shown that the technology employed in the newest packing lines is of high level and that a low level of human, material and energy resources are necessary; moreover, packing and despining need further innovations. Trials conducted with an instrumented sphere IS100 permit to individualize critical points of packing lines and to identify materials on which the fruit impacts during the processing.