Banana pulp processing is a common method of deep processing of bananas, and is widely used in the production of beverages, ice cream, fruit purees and other foods. The following will introduce the banana pulp processing flow in detail, focusing on the three main steps of washing, peeling and pulping.
1. Washing
After bananas are picked, they need to be cleaned first. Impurities such as dirt, dust or pesticide residues may be attached to the surface of the banana peel, so cleaning is the first step to ensure product safety and hygiene. In banana processing plants, cleaning is usually done by automated equipment. Common cleaning equipment includes brush cleaning machines, bubble cleaning machines, etc.
2. Peeling
Peeling is another key step in banana processing. The peeling process is usually completed by a combination of manual and mechanical methods.
Manual peeling: Suitable for small-scale or high-end processing production lines, workers use special tools to remove banana peels to ensure accurate peeling and integrity of the pulp.
3. Pulping
Pulping is the core link in banana pulp production and also the technical difficulty of the entire processing process. The performance of the pulping machine directly affects the quality of the final product, including the fineness, taste, flavor and color of the pulp.
① The function of the pulping machine
The function of the pulping machine is to crush and refine the peeled banana pulp to form a uniform pulp. In this process, the fructose, fruit acid and vitamins in the banana are released to the greatest extent, ensuring the taste and nutritional content of the pulp.
② Working principle of pulping machine
Banana is fed into the pulping machine through a conveyor belt. There are multiple blades or grinding devices inside the beater. These devices rotate at high speed and break the banana pulp through physical friction and shearing. As the banana pulp is beaten into a fine liquid, the external screen separates the pulp from the coarse pulp fibers to obtain a fine banana pulp.
4. Subsequent processing and packaging
After the banana pulp is processed, some subsequent processing is required, including removing impurities, adjusting acidity and sweetness, etc. Sometimes, in order to extend the shelf life of banana pulp, pasteurization or ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization (UHT) treatment is also carried out.