Foods and beverages: apparatus – Combined
Patent
1989-08-17
1992-03-24
Hornsby, Harvey C.
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Combined
34 69, 99484, 99517, 99536, 426518, A23L 1212, F26B 1900
Patent
active
050977555
ABSTRACT:
A method and apparatus are disclosed for processing produce and particularly fresh vegetables for salads. The vegetables are stored in an area near the beginning of the process line, and the storage area is partitioned by vinyl strips to create a temperature gradient for different vegetables. The vegetables are first cleaned on mesh conveyors under high pressure nozzles that spray chlorinated water at the desired storage temperature of the vegetables. A trimming table includes a lower conveyor for moving the vegetables for hand processing. An upper, cleated conveyor carries the vegetables to a slicer. Another cleated conveyor lifts the sliced vegetables vertically into a hopper where they are mixed with cooling water that then flows through a significant horizontal length of pipe. The vegetables move to shaker tables that provide the bulk of the dewatering and then vibrate the vegetables into a single layer for air drying. The air drying is provided by air knives and a vacuum that draws water through the cotton belt on which the vegetables travel. Additional drying is provided by a fluidizing bed with a perforated belt of different sized holes, and then the vegetables move to a vibratory table for packing.
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Haugland Scott J.
Hornsby Harvey C.
Redi-Cut Foods, Inc.
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