Tomatoes for processing in the 90's: Postharvest handling.

Processing tomato industry has a high potential in Spain. Variety testing and mechanization studies and applications have been performed during the last 15 years. Many factors affect the quality and product losses during post-harvest handling which may be classified as: main or external factors: those related to the systems, procedures and devices; and fruit factors: those related to fruit properties. A research project is being carried on in the area of Vegas del Guadiana (Badajoz, Spain) to study these factors and to estimate costs, and to develop improved post-harvest handling practices.

Characterization of a 90° Transfer Point in a Fruit Packing Line.

Characteristics of the impacts suffered by the fruit on a transfer point of an experimental fruit packing line were analysed. The transfer is made up by two transporting belts at different heights forming an angle of 90°. These transfer points are very common in fruit packing lines, in which fruits receive two impacts: the first onto the belt base and the second into the lateral plate. Different tests were earned out to study the effect of transfer height, velocity, belt structure and padding on tire acceleration values recorded by an instrumental sphere (IS 100). Results showed that transfer height and belt structure affect mainly impact values on the belt base, and padding affects mainly impact values registered in lateral impact. The effect of belt velocity in both impacts is less important when compared to the rest of the variables. Additionally, two powered transfer decelerators were tested at the same point with the aim of decreasing impacts suffered by the fruit. Comparing impacts registered using these decelerators to those analysed in the first part of the study without decelerators a high reduction of the impact values was observed.

A principios de los años 90 ciudad europea era un insulto. Entrevista a Hans Stimmann

Hans Stimmann (Lübeck, 1941) será recordado en la historia del urbanismo como el creador de la estructura y buena parte de la imagen del llamado ?Nuevo Berlín?, es decir, del Berlín central reconstruido posterior a la caída del Muro, en lo que constituye la intervención urbana más importante en Europa desde la Segunda Postguerra Mundial. Además, Stimmann se ha convertido en un símbolo para todos aquéllos teóricos y arquitectos que buscan corregir el paradójico urbanismo anti-urbano que nos ha legado el siglo XX, pero que no disponían hasta hace poco de un paradigma consistente. Guiado por el análisis de la estructura de la ciudad europea desarrollado por Aldo Rossi en su celebrado libro-manifiesto de 1966, que fue también la primera denuncia seria del ?funcionalismo vulgar?, Stimmann parece haber llevado a la práctica aquella ?arquitectura de la ciudad? que la segunda mitad del siglo XX sólo había visto aparecer de manera tímida y ocasional.