Equipment and machines for pulp processing
These include fruit washing machine, De-stemming machine, fruit mill air crusher, transfer pump to homogenizer, air compressor, sugar syrup transfer pump and pulp packing machine.
Processing grape pulp
Step 1: consists of receiving, weighing and per-selecting fruits and thus avoiding entrant of unsuitable fruits hence improving final product quality.
Step 2: De-stemming. This consists of removal and separation of grape berries from the stem.
Step 3: Washing. This consists of cleaning fruits with water to eliminate impurities. Fruits are immersed into sodium hypochlorite solution for 15minute for period between 20-100ppm to reduce microbial load to permissible levels.
Step 4: Thermal extraction. Grapes are mixed in water and heated to reach 67 to 75 degrees Celsius for 2 minutes. This softens the grape skin but also the process deactivates enzymes and kill surface microorganisms.
Step 5: Pulping . Its done by helper of a pulper containing sieves with different apertures to separate peels, seeds and fiber from the pulp. Its performed consistently and rapidly because the cooling/freezing time directly influences the food pulp quality.
Step 6: Heat treatment. involves filtered pulp heat in open kettle pasteurization system. This has three stages and they include; heating, temperature maintenance with continuous steering and cooling. Pulp is heated for 10 minutes till it reaches 90 degrees Celsius. This helps in reducing mold and yeast counts.
Step 7: Filling and Packing. Pulp is filled into different types of packs for example Carbo cans, glass bottles for longer shelf life. Its stored at room temperature for several months.