What Equipment Do You Need to Blanch Tomatoes?
Blanching is a very common processing step in the tomato processing process. Depending on the different processing processes, the role of blanching is also different.
What is the purpose of blanching a tomato?
1. Peeling
The skin of tomatoes contains tough fibers and natural wax, which often affect the taste and appearance during processing. Blanching can quickly soften the skin and make it easier to peel. This method is often used to make products such as ketchup, canned tomatoes and tomato sauce. After blanching in hot water, a thin air layer is formed between the skin and the flesh of tomatoes, making it easier and more complete to peel without damaging the flesh.
2. Maintain color and nutrients
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin C, but these nutrients are easily oxidized when exposed to oxygen and light, resulting in dull color and reduced flavor. The blanching process destroys enzyme activity through short-term heating, thereby slowing down the oxidation process and preserving the bright red color and nutrients of tomatoes.
3. Extend shelf life
The blanching process can kill some microorganisms and reduce the activity of enzymes, delaying the deterioration process. This is especially important for canned and frozen tomato products. After blanching, the tomatoes can be quickly frozen or further processed after cooling, effectively extending the shelf life of the product.
What equipment do you need to blanch tomatoes?
In industrial production, professional tomato blanching equipment is required. This equipment can ensure uniform and rapid heating of large quantities of tomatoes, improve processing efficiency, and maintain product quality. The commonly used blanching equipment is a hot water blanching machine.
The machine is a kind of equipment that processes tomatoes with hot water. The equipment is usually equipped with a conveyor belt inside. The tomatoes enter the hot water tank through the conveyor belt and are quickly blanched in hot water at 60℃ to 90℃ for 1 to 3 minutes. The advantages of hot water blanching machine are simple structure and easy operation, which is suitable for small and medium-sized production enterprises.