Elaichi (Cardamom) Processing Plant & Machinery Solutions

Dried cardamom capsules arriving from the curing house are lifted into the line and screened to remove dust, stalk pieces, stones and tramp metal. Cleaning at intake protects the grading, dehusking and coating machines further down the line.

Cleaned capsules are graded by size and sorted by colour, since the bold green capsules are held back for whole-spice sale and the smaller or discoloured lots are routed to the mouth freshener line. Light and immature capsules are pulled out here as well, and keeping the seed size uniform matters for even coating later.

The capsule is cracked open and the inner seeds are separated from the light outer husk, which is drawn off by air. Husk fragments and fines released here are captured by the extraction system so the working area stays clean.

Sugar syrup is prepared in a heated vessel and applied to the tumbling cardamom seeds in a coating pan, building up the coated layer in successive passes. Silver leaf, colour or menthol is worked in at this stage for the mishri-elaichi and silver-coated varieties.

Coated seeds are dried to set the sugar shell and bring the moisture down, then cooled before they are handled again. Cardamom loses its aroma if it is overheated, so drying is kept gentle and the room is held dry.

Coated elaichi is blended with the other mukhwas ingredients and given a final screening to take out broken coating, fines and any loose husk. Dust drawn off at the blender and sifter is collected rather than released into the hall.

The finished product is weighed out and filled into sachets, pouches or jars, then checked for weight and for metal contamination before dispatch. Sachet and pouch formats are used for retail counters, while jars serve bulk and catering supply.