Fruits & Vegetable Processing Plant & Machinery Solutions

Produce is tipped into a hopper, washed and rinsed clear of soil and field trash, then graded and colour sorted so damaged and unripe pieces are taken out.

Skin is removed where the product needs it, seeds and stems are taken out, and the produce is sliced or diced to a size that will dry evenly.

Cut pieces are blanched to stop enzyme activity and hold colour, and may be dipped or sulphited before drying, depending on the fruit or vegetable.

Moisture is driven off in a tunnel, tray or freeze dryer until the pieces are stable at ambient storage. Freeze drying is used where the piece shape and colour have to be kept.

Dried pieces are milled and then sieved and classified so the flake or powder is held to one particle range.

Where the output is pulp or puree rather than powder, the washed produce is crushed, refined and held in tank instead of dried.

Flake, powder or pulp is filled into pouches or bulk packs, gas flushed where oxygen would spoil it, checked and cased.