In the modern food processing industry, canned fruits are popular in the market because of their convenient storage and stable taste. An efficient canned fruit production line is the key to ensure product quality and yield. This article will introduce the complete production process of canned fruit from cleaning to labelling.
1. Fruit Cleaning and Sorting
The first step of canned fruit production line is to wash the fresh fruits. Usually use the brush washing machine or bubble washing machine. Brush cleaning machine using rotating brushes to remove surface dirt, suitable for solid skin fruits, such as apples, pears, etc.; while the bubble washing machine is suitable for softer fruits, such as yellow peaches, the use of air bubbles tumbling way to wash the impurities clean, with the circulating water system, greatly improving the cleaning efficiency.
2. Peeling and Cutting Processing
According to the type of fruit and canning specifications, need to be equipped with different peeling machine and cutting equipment. For example, steam peeling machine is suitable for peach or apricot fruits, through high temperature to soften the skin quickly and then air-cooled to remove. The cutting machine can slice, dice or cut the fruits according to the demand of the products, with precise operation and high efficiency.
3. Blanching and Sterilisation
Before entering the filling process, the fruits need to pass through the rinsing or pre-sterilisation equipment, such as spiral rinsing machine or retort sterilisation machine. This step helps to maintain the colour and flavour of the fruit, remove the enzyme activity and kill the surface bacteria, providing a good basis for subsequent processing.
4. Filling and Sealing
Filling machine is one of the core equipment of canned fruit production line. According to the specifications of cans and the state of fruit flesh, rotary filling machine or weighing filling machine is commonly used to ensure that each can is filled consistently. The vacuum capping machine that follows is responsible for sealing the metal lids firmly to ensure the sealing.
5. High Temperature Sterilisation
After sealing, the cans are put into a steriliser for high temperature treatment (e.g. 121°C/15 minutes) to kill potential micro-organisms, Lonkia offers continuous sterilisers with automatic temperature control for a wide range of products. After sterilisation, the product should be cooled down by cooling machine to prevent secondary contamination.
6. Labelling and Packaging
Labelling equipment usually adopts automatic labelling machine, which supports a variety of label forms (hot melt adhesive, self-adhesive, etc.). After labelling, the products can enter the cartoning machine for uniform packaging, which is convenient for transport and sales.
Overall, the efficient production of canned fruits cannot be separated from the precise collaboration of each specialised equipment. From cleaning to labelling, each step has a direct impact on product quality and market competitiveness, Lonkia, as a professional food machinery manufacturer, provides a complete set of canned fruit production line solutions, welcome to contact us for customised services to help your production line to improve quality and efficiency.