belt. Wherea lot of knife work has to be done it is advisable to have a narrow hardwood bench running along the length of the trimming belt-on both sides-to prevent damage by knives to the belt fabric After trimming, the heads are conveyed on to a coring machine, preferably one with two heads, thence to the quartering machine which cuts the head into 4 segments These pass through a rod washer, and then through a double flood washer, in which the aerated water will disperse any grit or soil trapped between the leaves utting follows, and cabbage is now mostly diced rather than shredded in view of its use in soups or other composite vegetable meals. The size of the dice will depend on market specifications Blanching is preferably carried out in flowing steam, either in a Thermoscrew-type or a Draper or belt conveyor blancher Sulphiting is carried out in a sulphiting dip tank, or on a reciprocating screen over which sparge pipes spray on the sulphite solution. The latter is made up in an adjacent steam pan fitted with an electric stirrer. Sulphite solution is made up from sodium sulphite(anhydrous)to achieve a level of 2000ppm in the dry product. The addition ofsodium carbonate, bringing the alkalinity of the liquor up to pH8.5-9, enhances the colour of the product but this is optional if the cabbage has a bright natural green colour The dice pass over a dewaterer before passing to the dryer. A lot of surface water adheres to cabbage, and a thorough dewatering will make the drying operation much easier. Some plants centrifuge cabbage after blanching and before drying but this tends to revert to a batch process and breaks the flow to the dryer (4)Drying Conveyor dryer scaled to desired output Temperatures(inPuts)through zones: 80/75/65C Conditioning:50°52℃C Moisture down to 5% maximum, as cabbage is hygroscopic Cabbage is easily damaged by high drying temperatures and the above levels should not be exceeded, particularly in the middle and end heat zones. The phenomenon of browning in cabbage arises from improper blanching, sulphiting or drying. Browning arising from processing faults must not be confused with scorching by high temperature in the dryer, although the appearance is similar; the stalk fraction being more affected than the leaf. It is thought that the condition is caused by the heat decomposition of certain soluble constituents in the raw cabbage There is a big shrinkage loss in drying cabbage, and it is necessary to have a dryer of ample drying capacity at relatively low temperatures
belt. Where a lot of knife work has to be done, it is advisable to have a narrow hardwood bench running along the length of the trimming belt - on both sides - to prevent damage by knives to the belt fabric. After trimming, the heads are conveyed on to a coring machine, preferably one with two heads, thence to the quartering machine which cuts the head into 4 segments. These pass through a rod washer, and then through a double flood washer, in which the aerated water will disperse any grit or soil trapped between the leaves. Cutting follows, and cabbage is now mostly diced rather than shredded in view of its use in soups or other composite vegetable meals. The size of the dice will depend on market specifications. Blanching is preferably carried out in flowing steam, either in a Thermoscrew-type or a Draper or belt conveyor blancher. Sulphiting is carried out in a sulphiting dip tank, or on a reciprocating screen over which sparge pipes spray on the sulphite solution. The latter is made up in an adjacent steam pan fitted with an electric stirrer. Sulphite solution is made up from sodium sulphite (anhydrous) to achieve a level of 2000ppm in the dry product. The addition of sodium carbonate, bringing the alkalinity of the liquor up to pH 8.5 - 9, enhances the colour of the product but this is optional if the cabbage has a bright natural green colour. The dice pass over a dewaterer before passing to the dryer. A lot of surface water adheres to cabbage, and a thorough dewatering will make the drying operation much easier. Some plants centrifuge cabbage after blanching and before drying but this tends to revert to a batch process and breaks the flow into the dryer. (4) Drying Conveyor dryer scaled to desired output. Temperatures (inputs) through zones: 80"/75 "/65 "C Conditioning: 50" - 52°C Moisture down to 5% maximum, as cabbage is hygroscopic. Cabbage is easily damaged by high drying temperatures and the above levels should not be exceeded, particularly in the middle and end heat zones. The phenomenon of 'browning' in cabbage arises from improper blanching, sulphiting or drying. Browning arising from processing faults must not be confused with scorching by high temperature in the dryer, although the appearance is similar; the stalk fraction being more affected than the leaf. It is thought that the condition is caused by the heat decomposition of certain soluble constituents in the raw cabbage. There is a big shrinkage loss in drying cabbage, and it is necessary to have a dryer of ample drying capacity at relatively low temperatures, 131
otherwise the dry output will fall below an economical level The dried cabbagemay be aspiratedat the time of screening toremove any excessivestalk content This breaks up the particles which may have a tendency to mat together. Packaging should preferably be in air-tight drums, with 500 guage polyethylene liners. Nitrogen flushing is also recommended. Drums give better protection than poly-lined sacks, assomeproduct abrasion takes place in transit with the latter Ratio: Overall 17: 1 Drying 10.5: I Tray loading cabbage prior to cabinet drying Cultivation Guide Lines for Cabbage (l)-Sowing Direct drilling: 1.7kg per Ha. Transplanted: 550g per Ha inal spacing: Early: Mid-Season: 37cm in rows by 30cm centres Late(Savoy) -60cm in rows by 60 cm centres (2)Fertilizers: On irrigated land use N100. P40: K60 plus 2. 5tonnes per Ha organic ()Herbicides Propachoor(Pre-emergence)or Dynid (pEsticides Dimethoate. Hostathion: Fundal: Galicron: Prosuel: Princidid -Diazinon (5)disease Control
otherwise the dry output will fall below an economical level. The dried cabbage may be aspirated at the time of screening to remove any excessive stalk content. This breaks up the particles which may have a tendency to mat together. Packaging should preferably be in air-tight drums, with 500 guage polyethylene liners. Nitrogen flushing is also recommended. Drums give better protection than poly-lined sacks, as some product abrasion takes place in transit with the latter. Ratio: Overall 17:1 Drying 10.5:l Tray loading cabbage priorto cabinet drying Cultivation Guide Lines for Cabbage (1)-Sowing Direct drilling: 1.7kg per Ha. Transplanted: 550g per Ha. Final spacing: Early: Mid-Season: 37cm in rows by 30cm centres Late: (Savoy):-60 cm in rows by 60 cm centres (2)Fertilizers: On irrigated land use N100:P40:K60 plus 2.5tonnes per Ha organic (3)Herbicides: -Propachoor (Pre-emergence)or Dynid. (4)Pesticides: -Dimethoate: Hostathion: Fundal: Galicron: Prosuel: Princidid:-Diazinon. (5)disease Control: I32
Calomel Dust and Garden Lime on transplanted roots if Club root is endemic Benlate against Leaf Spot (6)Maturity: -Cut before'crackingoccurs Ifrain follows cracking, heads willrot Harvest is 12-15 weeks after drilling, or 14-17 weeks with transplanted crops. About one third of the above time is in the nursery bed. Plant population: -Mid-season: -87, 000 per Ha -Savoy: -27,000 per Ha CARROTS (1)Flow-Sheet Feed to Line Dry Cleaning Destoner-Washer Flash Steam Peel Skin elimination Inspection Trim Cutting Inspection Blanching Sulphating or Starch Dip Dewatering Drying Conditioning Inspection
Calomel Dust and Garden Lime on transplanted roots if Club Root is endemic. Benlate against Leaf Spot. (6)Maturity: -Cut before ‘cracking’ occurs. If rain follows cracking, heads will rot. Harvest is 12-15 weeks after drilling, or 14-17 weeks with transplanted crops. About one third of the above time is in the nursery bed. Plant population:-Mid-~eason:-87,000 per Ha -Savoy:-27,000 per Ha CARROTS (1) Flow-Sheet Feed to Line I Dry Cleaning I Des toner-Washer I Flash Steam Peel I Skin Elimination I Inspection Trim I Cutting I Inspection I Blanching I Sulphiting or Starch Dip Dewatering Drying L I Conditioning I Screening I Inspection I33
Packing (2)Varieties Colour and high total solids are the most important factors in selecting carrots for dehydration Up to the 1970s Chantenay was perhaps the most favoured variety in Europe because of its stump rooted shape, which made for economy in dicing. It was practically coreless and ha reasonably bright when dehydrated. It did not prove very hardy in the winterin Europe rarely survived without frost damage beyond December when processors reverted to the more hardy Norfolk Giant and Danvers Chantenay also failed to reach full colour if not allowed to mature properly The author experienced a severe problem in Cyprus in the early 70s, when et winter had potatoes(even the early spring potatoes produced tubers 13-14cm long and 7-8cm in diameter)but the crop of Chantenay carrots being grown contract for a multi-national processor in the UK failed completely develop an acceptable red colour, due to the non development of the carotene in the early stages of growth, following a very cool wet spring Today, the selection of carrots for dehydration has become a specialist exercise for the seed breederand several useful cultivars now being produced come from Dutch seed breeders, and the following have been favourably regarded by European dehydrators: thesuffix RZ indicates the seed breeders Rijk Zwaan of Holland Karotan rz Bordeaux rz Kartal Tosto rz Furon rz These are related by a succession of cross breeding to a german variety. Kieler Rote, which the author introduced into the uK in the late 1960s for field trials but which, although they meet the parameters of a bright scarlet colour and very high solids, failed in context of its long tapering shape which made it uneconomic for dicing. The above new varieties, now bred to the Kieler Rote colour characteristics, should provide an excellent choice for the dehydrator. In the USa the Ventura type carrot is used successfully Ventura is, however, a region and not a specific cultivar but several varieties which meet thecolourand solids requirements are available from Californian seedsmen (3) Product
I Packing (2) Varieties Colour and high total solids are the most important factors in selecting carrots for dehydration. Up to the 1970's Chantenay was perhaps the most favoured variety in Europe because of its stump rooted shape, which made for economy in dicing. It was practically coreless and had an orange-red colour, which was reasonably bright when dehydrated. It did not prove very hardy in the winter in Europe and rarely survived without frost damage beyond December, when processors reverted to the more hardy Norfolk Giant and Danvers. Chantenay also failed to reach full colour if not allowed to mature properly. The author experienced a severe problem in Cyprus in the early 70'5, when a particularly wet winter had encouraged good growth in carrots and potatoes (even the early spring potatoes produced tubers 13-14cm long and 7-8cm in diameter) but the crop of Chantenay carrots being grown on contract for a multi-national processor in the UK failed completely to develop an acceptable red colour, due to the non development of the carotene in the early stages of growth, following a very cool wet spring. Today, the selection of carrots for dehydration has become a specialist exercise for the seed breeder and several useful cultivars now being produced come from Dutch seed breeders, and the following have been favourably regarded by European dehydrators: the suffix RZ indicates the seed breeders - Rijk Zwaan of Holland. Karotan RZ Bordeaux RZ Kartal Tosto RZ Furon RZ These are related by a succession of cross breeding to a German variety, Kieler Rote, which the author introduced into the UK in the late 1960's for field trials but which, although they meet the parameters of a bright scarlet colour and very high solids, failed in context of its long tapering shape, which made it uneconomic for dicing. The above new varieties, now bred to the Kieler Rote colour characteristics, should provide an excellent choice for the dehydrator. In the USA the Ventura type carrot is used successfully. Ventura is, however, a region and not a specific cultivar but several varieties which meet the colour and solids requirements are available from Californian seedsmen. (3) Product Handling The removal of the tops and crowns of the carrots should be carried out on the farm or at a preprocessing washing and 'topping' station, to avoid I34
bringing tops and extraneous material into the factory processing areas. Once 'crowned, however, the carrots must be processed without delay, otherwise they will become rubbery and their quality will deteriorate Removal of the crowns will create a 10-11 percent weight loss, according to the size of the root, and this will be reflected in the factory price, as will the labour cost of the out-workers will be fed from tote boxes into a bulk feeder unless a fluming system is used, in which case they will pass through a prewasher the flume discharge pit, be separated from the fluming water, and then elevated into the bulk feederin the factory Ifthe carrots have been prewashed then the dry cleaning reel is not required, and they will pass on to the destoner. If the carrots are delivered dry into the bulk feeder, they will pass through the dry cleaning reel and then to the destoner-washer Peeling is preferably by ' steam peeler at 17atm pressure and the skin is then removed in a skin eliminator. If lye peeling is used, this must be followed by passage through a brush washer Peeled roots are then inspected on a'merry-go-round conveyor for trimming where necessary, then elevated to a G Dicer, set for 9.5mm dice, half dice or flakes 9.5by 9.5 by 2mm. For instant reconstitution soups, the cut may have to be reduced to 6 by 6 by 2mm It is normal to blanch in a hot water blancher with the additives(so and buffering agents, such as sugar and salt)being metered into the blancher at a prescribed rate to sustain an SO, level of 1200ppm in the end product The use of SO, in carrots has now been superseded in American factories by using a steam blanch in a Draper-type belt blancher followed by a dip in 2 percent food grade corn starch. This retards colour and quality loss, and is regarded as better than sulphiting only but their specification usually permits a maximum of 500ppm of sO, in the dry product, or less than half the European level Dehydrated carrot was originally packed in nitrogen-flushed hermetically sealed tins against Armed Services indents, as it is recognised that the colour deteriorates rapidly after 3 months storage in poly-lined containers-the dice turning pink and giving off an odour reminiscent of violets. The starch dip method has partially overcome the oxidation problem but it is necessary to hold the product in cool storage(under 5C) if it is required tobe stored for 6-9 months. The end moisture also affects durability, and should not be more than 5 percent. (4)Drying Conveyor dryer scaled to a throughput of 2 tonnes per hour upwards Through-flow or stove dryers for 500kg per hour upward peratures (inlets)through zones: 104/93/88C
bringing tops and extraneous material into the factory processing areas. Once 'crowned', however, the carrots must be processed without delay, otherwise they will become rubbery and their quality will deteriorate. Removal of the crowns will create a 10 - 11 percent weight loss, according to the size of the root, and this will be reflected in the factory price, as will the labour cost of the out-workers. The carrots will be fed from tote boxes into a bulk feeder, unless a fluming system is used, in which case they will pass through a prewasher in the flume discharge pit, be separated from the fluming water, and then elevated into the bulk feeder in the factory. If thecarrots havebeen prewashed, then the dry cleaning reel is not required, and they will pass on to the destoner. If the carrots are delivered dry into the bulk feeder, they will pass through the dry cleaning reel and then to the destoner-washer. Peeling is preferably by 'flash' steam peeler at 17atm pressure and the skin is then removed in a skin eliminator. If lye peeling is used, this must be followed by passage through a brush washer. Peeled roots are then inspected on a 'merry-go-round' conveyor for trimming where necessary, then elevated to a G Dicer, set for 9.5mm dice, half dice or flakes 9.5 by 9.5 by 2mm. For instant reconstitution soups, the cut may have to be reduced to 6 by 6 by 2mm. It is normal to blanch in a hot water blancher, with the additives (SO, and buffering agents, such as sugar and salt) being metered into the blancher at a prescribed rate to sustain an SO, level of 1200ppm in the end product. The use of SO, in carrots has now been superseded in American factories by using a steam blanch in a Draper-type belt blancher followed by a dip in 2 percent food grade corn starch. This retards colour and quality loss, and is regarded as better than sulphiting only but their specification usually permits a maximum of 500ppm of SO, in the dry product, or less than half the European level. Dehydrated carrot was originally packed in nitrogen-flushed hermetically sealed tins against Armed Services indents, as it is recognised that the colour deteriorates rapidly after 3 months storage in poly-lined containers - the dice turning pink and giving off an odour reminiscent of violets. The starch dip method has partially overcome theoxidation problem but it is necessary to hold the product in cool storage (under 5°C) if it is required to be stored for 6-9 months. The end moisture also affects durability, and should not be more than 5 percent. (4) Drying Conveyor dryer scaled to a throughput of 2 tonnes per hour upwards. Through-flow or stove dryers for 500kg per hour upwards. Temperatures (inlets) through zones: 104 "/ 93"/ 88°C. I35