RESEARCH ON DEVELOPING A MULTIFUNCTIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR HARVESTING MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS FOR USE ON SMALL AREAS

Cultivation technologies of medicinal and aromatic plants characterize harvesting operations as being difficult, because they have a significant effect on the plant material quality. Therefore, regardless the harvesting method used (either manual or mechanical), the intervention on the useful part of the plant have to be kept to minimum. Mechanized harvesting is usually an important prior factor for achieving profitable productions, and this aspect is also valid for medicinal and aromatic plants. In order to improve and adapt the cultivation technologies to the current Romanian requirements, and analyzing previous practical experiences, INMA Bucharest has achieved a multifunctional equipment for harvesting annual and perennial medicinal and aromatic plants, with applicability on small land surfaces. The paper presents the experimental model of an innovative equipment and the expected advantages, compared to the previously made harvesting equipment

Technologies used for food preservation using microwaves

Food preservation is the process of treating food, with the aim of preserving its qualities for as long as possible. Extending the freshness period for processed foods has been and is a continuing challenge for producers in the food industry. New technologies and conservation methodologies are continuously researched, which will have as little effect as possible on the nutritional value of the products. Microwave food processing is constantly evolving, rapid heating and high energy efficiency are the major advantages of using this technology. The paper presents a study regarding the preservation of food products using microwaves, its acting mechanism and other applications of microwaves for food processing, as well as some installations and equipment that use this technology

Aspects regarding the use of ultrasounds in the food industry

Ultrasound is a rapidly developping research field that is more and more used in the food domain, both for analysis and processing of food products. This technology has been successfully applied within food industry for various processes like freezing, filtration, drying, separation, emulsion, sterilization and extraction. The paper presents aspects regarding the mechanism and use of ultrasound in food processing, as well as some technical equipment that use ultrasound within a combined technology, for the decontamination of the external surfaces of some horticultural products