Potato Hot Box

12 hour assessment of potato bruising

Use the Martin Lishman Potato Hot Box range for quality control monitoring on-farm, during processing and at supermarket intake points. The Hot Box reduces bruise development time from several days to just 12 hours. Faster monitoring for bruising and disease avoids costly rejections and assists in the drive for the highest quality product.

Key Features

Automatic control of temperature and humidity levels with timer to allow infinite variation of testing regimes at up to 97% RH, 40°C and 999 hours
Ultrasonic atomizing humidifier keeps humidity levels at an accuracy of 1-3%, helping to create the optimum warm, damp conditions for bruise or disease development
Wire tray baskets accept 25 tubers in a single layer to suit sampling protocols, spaced to allow air circulation for rapid bruise development

3 Versions available

125 tuber capacity

250 tuber capacity

750 tuber capacity

Normal power supply 230v. 120v versions available for all 3 models.

How does the Potato Hot Box work?

Faster bruise development– the biochemical reaction which causes a colour change when potatoes are bruised can take several days to appear in cool dry conditions. The Hot Box speeds up the reaction by creating the optimum warm, damp conditions for bruise development to occur more quickly. Optimum bruise development is at 30°C and 97% RH for 12 hours.
Testing protocol– samples should be peel tested for bruises as soon as they are removed from the Hot Box. Testing should ideally take place on a tray full of tubers taken regularly from the harvester or grader line. If readings are high, samples should be taken at more locations to try to pinpoint the causes. This can be carried out in combination with our TuberLog electronic potato

Play Video about A potato after being used in the Martin Lishman Hot Box reveals level of bruising

Why use the Hot Box as part of quality control procedures?

Highlight crops most at risk – the Hot Box can help to avoid bruising by highlighting the crops most at risk from harvesting and grading damage. Early detection means reducing storage losses and costly processing rejections. The value of the crop can be maintained, extra transport costs avoided and consumer confidence sustained.

Early warning of disease – potatoes can be monitored before storage to ensure damaged tubers with the potential to spread rot and disease are not included. Optimum settings of temperature, humidity and testing time that will accelerate the incubation of diseases, can be created and their presence assessed.

Supermarket shelf life – supermarkets wishing to achieve longer shelf life for produce can use the Hot Box to re-create the conditions in the fresh produce areas of the shop. Discovering the delay between arrival and deterioration can determine the optimum shelf life or the best conditions to extend shelf life for produce.

Can the HotBox be used for other produce?

The hotbox can not only be used with potatoes, but avocados, apples, tomatoes, peaches and other fruit and vegetables.

Full Details and Specifications

Hotbox range

Hotbox Size	Product Code	Tuber capacity	Trays	Dimensions (cm)	Weight
Hotbox 125	POT/HB/125	125	5	89w x 70d x 72h	45kg
Hotbox 250	POT/HB/250	250	10	89w x 70d x 120h	76kg
Hotbox 750	POT/HB/750	750	30	153w x 70d x 176h	160kg

Further details

Strong, insulated uPVC casing
Sealed door and wipe-clean surfaces
Plastic covered wire tray baskets to suit c.25 standard ware tubers spaced to allow free air flow around each one
Water tray with free-standing atomizing humidifier
Automatic air circulating fan, air heater, thermostat and timer
Controller with key pad for humidity, temperature and time settings

Shipping

Our Hot Boxes are packed for export sales in a wooden crate. Packed sizes and weights are as follows:

POT/HB/125: 102cm wide x 76cm deep x 95cm high; 75Kg

POT/HB/250: 105cm wide x 82cm deep x 158cm high; 95Kg

POT/HB/750: 152cm wide x 75cm deep x 190cm high; 290Kg

Technical Specifications

Timer	Start delay timer	Operating humidity range	Water tray capacity	Operating temperature range	Power
0 to 999 hours	0 to 99 hours	0 - 97% RH	9 litres	0 - 64°C (°F setting available)	230V

Option: Plug to suit power supply in country of use

Keep on top of your bruising now!

More information:

Potato Hot Box

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