“You get an instant result”, “it’s quick and easy”, “it has taken a lot of uncertainty…out of the equation”, are just a few of the positive comments Andrew Branton of W.D. Branton & Willow Tree Potatoes made about the equipment he uses from the Martin Lishman Potato Quality Range.

An important component of the comprehensively equipped quality control room at their potato store in Deeping St Nicholas, Lincolnshire is the 250 tuber capacity Hot Box. This is a vital tool in any potato production company, as the ability to achieve earlier detection of bruising, damage and disease means fewer storage losses and less production waste. This is clearly the case for Andrew who comments that “It has taken a lot of uncertainty and less definable criteria out of the equation. We’re more confident in what we’re selling”. The Hot Box shows bruising in just 12 hours by creating optimum conditions for bruise development, giving peace of mind that the crop is in the best condition it can be.

As with many other potato growers and processors, Andrew is achieving an optimum level of damage feedback by using the Hot Box in conjunction with the TuberLog Electronic Potato. As the TuberLog passes through potato handling machinery, areas of impact are detected and immediately transmitted by Bluetooth to the operator, showing where damage-causing areas are. Andrew uses the combined feedback of the Hot Box and TuberLog to change aspects of his process and has ultimately reduced his damage losses. “When we think we have a problem and need to investigate, it highlights if you’ve had something that has altered. It shows you where the roughest areas are in the process,” stated Andrew.