Exciting new stoning machine @ Capedry
We are excited to announce the arrival of our new stoning machine imported from Italy, which is improving the quality of our Yellow Cling Peaches. This machine replaces eight of our older model stoning machines and runs at a capacity of 280 fruit per minute.
The great news is that while we have not cut down on the labour complement at the plant, our production has increased by 100%! This improved method of removing the pips (the cutting out instead of turning pips out), increased the quality of our fruit as there is considerably less bruising and as a result a much smaller loss of fruit. The entire process is known as the Cape Peeled Peaches Dried Fruit plant.
Semi-automatic bin tipper
A bin tipper feeds fresh peaches into a water bath for a pre-wash.
New imported stoning machine
After a pre-wash, the peaches are size graded and fed into the stoning machine where the fruit is cut in half and de-stoned at a rate of 280 peaches per minute.
Pip shaker
In this process, the pips are removed by the shaker and conveyed to a bin outside of the plant.
Pip removing conveyor
The pips are transported by a conveyor to a bin outside the plant and is used on our farm roads for dust prevention.
Peach peeling unit
The peach halves are transported by the conveyor into a unit filled with hot water (84°C). The fruit moves through the unit for a period of 90 seconds while the peaches are chemically peeled. The peaches are then washed again in a fruit washing unit with clean water and rotating brushes.
Quality control and inspection tables
After being washed, each peach half is inspected by hand for any defects and pip fragments. The next step is to dump the fruit into a meta-bath (3% sulphur solution) that preserves the fruit for a short period. The fruit is then conveyed to the tray filling shakers.
Cup up tray filling shakers
In this process the peach halves are deposited in trays for the drying process that follows and a final inspection of the fruit is carried out. The trays are stacked and transported to the sulphur rooms. After an 8 hour period the trays with fruit are transported to the drying area where the sun drying process starts.