DE10027056A1 - Potato washing process and assembly minimises impact damage to the potato cell surface structure, extending storage life - Google Patents

Abstract

In a process and assembly to wash peeled raw potatoes, the potatoes are introduced into a basket (4) which is placed in a bath containing a sodium bisulphate washing fluid. During the washing process the washing fluid is subjected to vigorous flow motion powered by a suitable drive (18), driving the fluid through the basket apertures.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for washing Root vegetables, especially potatoes, preferably after peeling of the root vegetables.

When peeling potatoes, the cells of the potatoes are damaged, and the substance in the cells causes and causes discoloration of the potatoes also that the potatoes have a shorter shelf life. For To eliminate these disadvantages, the potatoes are used after peeling Example washed in a washing liquid with sodium bisulfite to the Remove substances from the surface of the potatoes that come from the at Peeling damaged cells have leaked out. Previously known methods and Devices for such washing have a limited efficiency and do not cause the potatoes to have the necessary storage properties accept.

The invention has for its object such a method and device for washing root vegetables, especially potatoes, that the root vegetables take on better storage capabilities.

To solve this problem, the root vegetables are placed in a bath with a Washer liquid introduced, and is the method according to the invention characterized in that the washing liquid during the wash is subjected to a vigorous flow movement. Preferably that is Root vegetables are placed in apertured containers, the Containers in the washing liquid and the washing liquid through outside half of the container arranged drive elements of their flow motion is set.  

The vigorous flow movement causes that from the damaged cells leaked substances are effectively eliminated and at the same time that Root vegetables do not come into contact with mechanical parts that cause could damage other cells and those in the cells contained substances leak from them.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention the root vegetables become a first container during the washing process, after parts of the washing process, it is fed to subsequent containers and finally taken from a last container. Preferably too provided that the washing liquid is fed to the last container and flows over the container to the first container from which the washing liquid is removed so that the root vegetables and the washing liquid in move in opposite directions.

The invention also relates to a device for washing root vegetables, wherein the device contains a container for the washing liquid, in which the root vegetables is introduced. The device is characterized by a drive element element for generating the powerful flow of the washing liquid. It is it is appropriate that the container has an opening provided with an intermediate has bottom and is at a distance above the bottom of the container that the root vegetables are carried through the mezzanine and the drive element lies under the false floor. The drive is suitable element formed by a rotating blade, the rotational movement the washing liquid through the intermediate floor into the part of the container and leads out of this, into which the root vegetable is introduced.

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention the device has several containers arranged one behind the other and a device, through which the root vegetables in succession during the washing process a first to a last container is conveyed.  

It is advantageous that the intermediate floors of the container in the container is moved up to the lower part of rooms that pass through each other Partitions are separated, the spaces being the number of containers correspond and the partitions for the transport of the root vegetables different containers in a position above the next container can be and the intermediate floors in the containers are lowered, so that the root vegetables sequentially from the first to the last container is promoted.

It is also favorable that the device according to the invention after the counter current principle works, that is, the washing liquid in the device in opposite direction to the movement of the root vegetables from that flows first to the last container. There is a supply connection for the Washer fluid connected to the last container, and to the first An outlet for the washing liquid is provided in the container. With non-return valve Ren provided openings are between the containers, so that the washing liquid flows over the containers from the rag to the first container can.

The method and the device according to the invention enable an effect full washing of peeled potatoes and cause the potatoes have particularly good storage properties after peeling.  

The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings ben, which shows a device according to the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device according to the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 show the device from opposite ends;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the device;

Fig. 5 is a cross section through the device along the line AA in Fig. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross section through the device along line BB in FIG. 4.

The device according to the invention is used for washing peeled with knives Potatoes and its job is to damage substances in the peeling remove the cells of the potatoes. Such substances cause Discoloration and a deterioration in the shelf life of the peeled Potatoes.

The device contains a feed station 2 , four containers 4 for the washing liquid and for washing the potatoes, and an output station 6 . From the output station 6 , the potatoes are fed to a plant for weighing and packaging the potatoes.

Each of the containers 4 for the washing liquid and the potatoes contains a lower part 8 with a semicircular cross section and an upper part 10 for receiving the potatoes. In each container there is an intermediate floor 12 which can be moved in the vertical direction and is provided with openings, the intermediate floors being shown in the upper position in all the figures.

The intermediate floors 12 can be moved from the upper position shown in the drawing into a lower position directly above the lower parts 8 of the container. The vertical movement of the intermediate floors 12 takes place by means of a rod 14 which is driven by a motor via a toothed wheel 16 .

In the lower part 8 of each container 4 there is a blade 18 , each of which is attached to a shaft 20 . Each of the shafts 20 is connected to an arm 22 . The arms 22 are in turn connected to a carrier 24 which is moved back and forth via an arm 28 connected to a rotary wheel 26 . When the wheel 26 rotates and the carrier 24 is moved back and forth by the arm 28 , the shafts 20 are rotated. The blades 18 are then moved back and forth between the substantially horizontal positions in the lower parts 8 of the containers 4 , the rotary movement preferably extending over 150 °. The rotary movements of the blade 18 cause the washing liquid in the containers 4 on one side of the containers to be transported up through the openings in the bottoms 12 and on the other side through these openings from the upper parts 10 of the containers to the lower ones Share 8 of the container and vice versa. This causes a vigorous flow of the washing liquid through the upper parts 10 of the containers 4 , which in turn causes the potatoes contained therein to be washed efficiently.

During the washing process, the potatoes are transported in batches from the left container 4 in FIG. 5 to the containers positioned to the right thereof. The transport takes place through walls 30 which are connected to a drive system working by a piston 32 . In the position of Fig. 5, in which the shelves are in their upper positions 12, the walls 30 are displaced corresponding to the width of the container 4 to the right. This shift causes the potatoes contained in the feed station 2 to be transported to a position above the left container 4 , while the potatoes which were lifted from the container 4 by the upward movement of the intermediate floors 12 move to a position above the next container 4 are shifted to the right, etc., while the potatoes which have been raised by the container 4 arranged on the right side are transported to a position above a dewatering container 34 . The potatoes raised by the drainage container 34 are fed to the dispensing station 6 through intermediate walls 30 arranged on the right in FIG. 5. The intermediate floors 12 are then lowered into the position above the container parts 8 , whereupon the walls 30 return to their original left position and the washing of the potatoes in the containers 4 is continued by the drive of the blades 18 .

The washing liquid, which consists of water with an addition of sodium bisulfite in an amount of, for example, 0.5-1%, is supplied to the right-hand container 4 in FIG. 5 and then flows through the openings 36 which block with backflow in the walls are provided between the upper parts 10 of the container 4 , to the left to the next container 4th The washing liquid then flows through an overflow outlet from the left container 4 in Fig. 5. This countercurrent principle causes the potatoes to be treated with a washing liquid during the successive movements from the left container 4 in Fig. 5 to the next container is becoming increasingly clean.

Normally 500 liters of water are required to wash 1,000 kg of potatoes, which takes about an hour with the device described. The amount of potatoes in a container 4 is normally 10-15 kg.

The flow of washing liquid caused by the blades 18 causes an extremely effective removal of the substances which were exposed during the peeling by the damage to the cells in the potatoes. The effective removal of these substances means that the peeled potatoes can be stored for a much longer time than was previously possible.

The invention can be within the scope of the following claims be modified.  

List of reference numbers

2nd

Feeding station

4th

container

6

Dispensing station

8th

part

10th

part

12th

Mezzanine

14

pole

16

gear

18th

shovel

20th

wave

22

poor

24th

carrier

26

Rotary knob

28

poor

30th

walls

32

piston

34

Drainage tank

36

openings

Claims (11)

1. A method for washing root vegetables, preferably after peeling the root vegetables, in which the root vegetables are introduced into a bath with a washing liquid, characterized in that the washing liquid is subjected to a vigorous flow movement during the washing process. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the root vegetables are placed in containers ( 4 ) which are provided with openings ( 36 ) and are arranged in the washing liquid. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the flow movement of the washing liquid is effected by drive elements ( 18 ) arranged outside the container ( 4 ). 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized, that the root vegetables a first during the washing process Containers, containers that follow after part of the washing process fed and finally removed from the last container. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized, that the washing liquid is in the last container and over the container the first container is supplied, from which the washing liquid is removed becomes.   6. Apparatus for washing root vegetables, preferably after peeling the root vegetables, according to the method claimed in claim 1, with a container ( 4 ) for the washing liquid, into which the root vegetables are introduced, characterized by a drive element ( 18 ) for generating the vigorous flow of the washing liquid. 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the container ( 4 ) is provided with an intermediate base ( 12 ) carrying the root vegetables, that the intermediate base ( 12 ) is provided with openings and is arranged at a distance above the bottom of the container and that the drive element ( 18 ) is below the intermediate floor ( 12 ). 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the drive element is formed by a rotatable blade ( 18 ) which, by means of its rotary movement, conveys the washing liquid through the intermediate floor ( 12 ) into the part of the container ( 4 ) and out of it, into which the root vegetable is introduced. 9. Device according to one of claims 6-8, characterized in that it contains a plurality of successive containers ( 4 ) and a unit ( 30 , 32 ) for the successive transport of the root vegetables from a first to a last container during the washing process. 10. Device according to one of claims 7-9, characterized in that the intermediate floors ( 12 ) of the container upwards of the container ( 4 ) can be moved into a position at the lower part of rooms which are separated from one another by intermediate walls ( 30 ) and correspond to the number of containers, that the partitions ( 30 ) for introducing the root vegetables into the containers can be displaced into a position above the next container ( 4 ), and that the intermediate bases ( 12 ) can be lowered into the containers ( 4 ), thereby the root vegetables are successively transported from the first to the last container. 11. The device according to any one of claims 9-10, characterized by a connection connected to the last container for supplying the washing liquid, wherein openings provided with non-return valves ( 36 ) lie between the containers and the flow of the washing liquid through the container ter ( 4 ) of enable the last to the first container and an overflow outlet for the washing liquid is provided on the first container.