The firm said the Helius sorting machine has enhanced the process by over 50%, improving yields and helping maximize profitability, which led to the purchase of a second peanut sorter.
Ruparel Foods is based in Mahuva, a town in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat state, which produces 75% of India’s peanut crop. India is the second largest producer of peanuts behind China.
It employs 60 full-time staff at its peanut factory and in 2014 increased production capacity to 50 metric tons per day.
The Ruparel family started producing peanut butter and pastes in 2007 and is now one of India’s leading manufacturers and exporters supplying retailers in the US, Canada, Europe and South Africa.
Vishal Ruparel, managing director at Ruparel Foods, said it processes 6,000 tons of peanuts annually.
“With Tomra’s Helius sorting machines we are able to remove all aflatoxin-contaminated peanuts.
“Since we buy directly from shellers, we do not have to worry about foreign materials. However, by implementing Tomra’s Helius sorting machine, we are also able to reduce the rejection of good products.”
The Ruparel family uses machines which they import from North America and Europe.
The facility is equipped with a laboratory for testing aflatoxin and the company does colour identification using spectrophotometer colour matching of the peanut butter and paste.
Ruparel said it has found Tomra’s peanut sorting machines to be cost effective.
“They are not cheap, but the Helius is an outstanding sorting machine and that’s what is most important. If you buy a sorter, the price is not the determining factor, it’s the quality of the machine that is decisive. If you invest in the wrong machine, the cost price will be unacceptable.”