Washing
Field-harvested vegetables can contain soil,
foreign materials, etc. Thorough washing removes
soil and foreign materials, reduces the
load of spoilage bacteria, and aids in sanitation.
Cold water is used as it prevents leaching
and protects the texture of vegetables. As
bacterial population will increase in the wash
water, its level is monitored.
Size Grading
Sorting is necessary to enable uniform product
size. Different types of sorters such as revolving
or vibrating type, or automatic sorters
that sort the product based on their size or
color can be used.
Peeling/Cutting
There are different types of peelers used
for peeling fruits and vegetables. Mechanical
peelers include steam peelers and abrasive
peelers. Lye (caustic soda solution) peelers
are used for peeling certain vegetables.