Recent developments have pushed the prices of potatoes to new heights. According to Belgapom report of December 17th, 2021, the prices of Fontane potatoes have increased to 130 Euro/ton. For the next 6 months, average contract prices keep rising and are expected to reach 170 Euro/ton by June 2022. Controlling and optimizing the dry matter content of French fries is the key to keep costs under control.
The Financial gain of using the moisture-sense
Inline moisture / dry matter measurements using the Moisture-Sense offer significant financial gains. When considering a 30 ton/h production line, a 1% change in dry matter corresponds to 1.9 ton/h less potatoes needed for the same output of French fries. Taking the 130 Euro/ton, the annual savings using the inline Moisture-Sense for a 30-ton line (running 24/7, 300 days/year) are 1.78 million Euro. Smaller production lines benefit from the Moisture-Sense as well. A 5-ton line has an annual saving of 200 000 Euro when optimizing the dry matter with 1%.
Conclusion
Inline dry matter measurements using the Moisture-Sense is a game changer in the production of French fries. Continuous data of the dry matter data allows to optimize the French fries production line saving up to 1.78 million Euro for a 30-ton line. The advantage also applies to smaller production lines with savings up to 200 000 Euro for a 5-ton line.