In food processing factories, potatoes, as a common raw material, are processed into a variety of products such as French fries, potato chips, mashed potatoes, etc. through a series of standardized and automated processing processes. Different products have different processing requirements for potatoes, so the potato processing steps are also different.
General pre-processing steps for potato processing:
No matter what the final product is, potatoes usually need to go through the following general pre-processing steps before entering the specific process flow:
Cleaning: Use a drum-type cleaning machine to remove mud and impurities on the surface of the potatoes.
Peeling: Quickly peel the skin by steam peeling or mechanical peeling. Steam peeling is more efficient and causes less loss of potatoes.
After the above general treatment, the potatoes will be sent to different processing lines for specific processing steps.
Processing steps of french fries/potato chips:
1. Cutting
French fries: Use special strip cutting equipment to cut potatoes into uniform strips (such as 7mm×7mm, 10mm×10mm).
Potato chips: Use a slicer to cut potatoes into thin slices of 1~2 mm thickness.
2. Blanching
Blanch the fries/chips (heat in hot water for 30-60 seconds) to remove starch, prevent oxidation and discoloration, and improve texture.
3. Frying
Fry the fries or chips in a continuous fryer at 160-180°C with precise time control (about 3 minutes for fries and 2 minutes for chips) to achieve the desired color and taste.
4. Seasoning
The fried potato chips or french fries enter the seasoning machine and are evenly sprayed with seasoning powder or liquid according to the recipe.
Mashed potato processing steps:
Mashed potatoes are usually used in ready-to-eat products or as a raw material for other foods, such as quick-frozen foods, baby food, etc.
1. Cutting and steaming
Cut the peeled potatoes into pieces (3~5 cm) and cook them with high-temperature steam or hot water to ensure that the potatoes are completely softened.
2. Crushing and mixing
The potatoes are crushed into a puree by a potato masher. Other ingredients can be added according to product requirements at this stage and mixed homogenously.
3. Degassing and sterilization
In order to extend the shelf life, degassing can be carried out under vacuum, and pasteurization or UHT sterilization can be carried out at the same time to prevent microbial growth.
4. Filling and packaging
The processed mashed potatoes are filled into cups, bags or vacuum packaging containers, sealed and labeled. Quick-frozen mashed potatoes need to enter the freezing tunnel for quick freezing.
Vacuum-packed diced potatoes processing steps:
1. Dicing
Cut the peeled potatoes into standardized small cubes such as 1cm×1cm or 2cm×2cm.
2. Blanching (optional)
To avoid oxidative discoloration and kill some microorganisms, diced potatoes are usually heated in hot water or steam for 3~5 minutes.
3. Cooling
Cool quickly with cold water or ice water to maintain the taste and shape.
4. Vacuum packaging
Use a vacuum packaging machine to put the diced potatoes into a multi-layer composite packaging bag and seal them in a vacuum state to inhibit oxidation and microbial reproduction.
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