SORTEX blog | Bühler Group

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El Niño Food Safety Risks: How Optical Sorting Helps

El Niño, the warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, poses challenges to food processors around the globe. While it is a recurring feature of the Earth's climate system, its effects are anything but predictable.

Depending on where you are in the world, El Niño can mean extreme drought, devastating floods, prolonged heat, or unseasonal storms. Forecasters and climate scientists warn that a so-called "Super El Niño", the most intense classification, may be forming. The last Super El Niño caused mass agricultural losses and triggered severe drought across parts of Africa and wildfires across Southeast Asia. For food processors, this is not a distant policy conversation. It is an immediate operational reality.

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2026

2025

Energy savings

Breathe New Life into Your Optical Sorter: How refurbishing your ejectors cuts energy costs and boosts yield

In today's evolving global market, food processors face the complex balancing act of sustainability and growth. Sometimes, when one goes up, the other goes down. With tightening environmental regulations, heightened consumer demand for eco-friendly products, and the rising cost of resources, finding ways to optimize quality and efficiency become paramount.

Thought Leadership

Don't get caught out by a bad harvest - here's how to stay one step ahead

Bad harvests can bring higher levels of toxic contamination that can damage quality and profits, read on to learn how to overcome this challenge.

Food Safety

3 results of getting Food Safety WRONG – and how to avoid them.

For food processors, there is a constant battle against food hazards. A single mistake can have devastating consequences, not only for brand reputation, but also for profit, and the health of consumers. As climate change brings new challenges, and the global population continues to grow, it has never been more important to get food safety right. Because here’s what can happen if it goes wrong.

Customer story

Andean Valley

Bolivia-based Andean Valley Corporation attributes its successful entry into the Chinese market to its investment in Bühler’s optical sorting technology.

Future challenges

The Top 3 Future Challenges in Food Processing

The world of food processing never sits still. Markets and regulations are constantly changing, which require flexibility and adaptation from processors. To stay ahead and profitable, it's crucial that processors prepare for emerging challenges.

Thought Leadership

How Hybrid Rice is transforming the rice market, and why processors need to keep up

This paper will explore the benefits and challenges of hybrid rice, and how this growing trend combined with optical sorting technology can be beneficial for the environment, consumers, and processors alike.

Thought Leadership

Seeding the Future: How to Maximize Germination and Increase Yield

Seeds are the bedrock from which all agriculture is born. Yet, this vital sector faces challenges, from climate change to geopolitical shifts and changing market demands. Despite these hurdles, the seed industry has shown remarkable resilience. In this article, we will explore the challenges and the opportunities of the seed industry, and report on a new study which shows an improvement in germination rate, helping processors to optimize their seed quality and profits.

Food Safety

How AI Optical Sorting can unlock higher allergen detection and a safer future.

The escalating prevalence of food allergens requires urgent and advanced solutions to protect consumer health. This whitepaper explores the role of emerging optical sorting technologies in reducing allergen risk, with a specific focus on the application of AI-powered deep learning for the precise separation of oats (non-gluten) from barley, wheat and rye (gluten containing grains).

Innovation

AI in optical sorting: Why should processors take notice?

In recent year, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a buzzword in almost every industry. In this article, we delve into the topic of AI in optical sorting with Stuart Bashford, Head of R&D at Bühler SORTEX. From increased food safety to higher profit margins, Stuart explains how AI in sorting is more than just a buzzword, and why food processors should pay attention.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Optical Sorting ROI

It is no secret that businesses need profit. To expand, to pay staff, and to continue providing valuable services. In this way, an ROI (return of investment) is the driving force behind business decision-making. In this article, we delve into how a Bühler optical sorter easily covers its upfront cost, bringing massive value back, in yield, in quality, and in profit.