Rapid Dry Matter (RDM) - Fast, accurate pulp dry matter measurement for fruit quality assessment

Opportunity For

We are seeking technology partners to develop RDM into a commercial product. Ideal partners include fruit sorting equipment manufacturers, handheld measurement device specialists, and laboratory equipment suppliers.

Target markets span major fruit-producing regions globally, with particular opportunities in New Zealand, Australia, USA, Europe, and South America where the technology is patent-protected.

Industry Challenge

Dry matter measurement is essential for quality assessment in key horticultural crops including kiwifruit, avocados, apples, stonefruit, and mangoes. Current methods face significant limitations:

Laboratory methods require 24 hours of oven drying, creating unacceptable delays for high-throughput operations
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) systems provide only estimates and suffer from accuracy issues due to variations in fruit type, skin thickness, and temperature, requiring frequent recalibration

Current opportunity

Our Innovation

Actual Measurement, Not Estimation: Unlike NIR systems that rely on predictive models, RDM provides direct measurement of actual pulp dry matter content.
Speed and Throughput: Tests 20-30 samples in 30 minutes, dramatically reducing the 24-hour delay of traditional methods.
Portability: Standalone design eliminates the need for expensive integration and allows use across multiple locations.
Proven Performance: Successfully validated with kiwifruit and avocados, with adaptability for other crops including apples, pears, stonefruit, potatoes, and root vegetables.

Key Applications

Laboratory Replacement: Direct replacement for dehydrators in high-volume testing laboratories, improving reliability and throughput
NIR Calibration: Serves as a calibration tool for inline NIR systems, ensuring measurement accuracy and preventing model drift
Packhouse Quality Control: Provides rapid feedback to grading systems, enabling real-time quality assurance

Market Opportunity

Dry matter measurement is critical across horticultural crops where it determines grower payments, eating quality, storability, and processing characteristics. Target crops include kiwifruit, avocados, apples, pears, stonefruit, mangoes, potatoes, and other vegetables grown on large commercial scales globally.

Competitive Advantage

Measures true dry matter rather than estimates, providing a reference standard
30-minute testing cycle vs. 24-hour laboratory methods
No expensive integration required, flexible deployment
Patent protection in key markets including Australia, New Zealand, Europe, USA, Mexico, and Chile

Opportunity background

Rapid Dry Matter (RDM) is a portable system that provides actual measurements of pulp dry matter in fresh produce, enabling fast and accurate fruit quality assessment. The technology offers real-time decision-making capability for packhouses, orchards, and laboratories, addressing a critical need in industries where dry matter content directly impacts grower payments and crop quality.

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