Industries

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Tomato Washing

div After harvesting, tomatoes contain molds. These molds are a risk for the tomatoes and need to be removed during processing. The tomatoes arrive at the production plant and are dumped onto a conveyor. The tomatoes are coarsely rinsed with municipal water sprays to remove dirt, stems and leaves. The tomatoes fall into sorting table (flume) containing water and then unacceptable product is removed from the sorting conveyor and are collected in one tank. Then they are pumped to a chopping system and then further processed to tomato paste, etc.

Info

GO2TM 4,000 ppm solution is used to destroy molds on the tomatoes and the flume tank.

Previous Treatment

  • With previous chlorine-type disinfectants (e.g. sodium hypochlorite) there is great difficulty in maintaining any free chlorine due to the concentration of organic material. This means that molds are not controlled and surfaces are fouled. GO2TM eliminates periodic stoppage of the production process due to chlorine smell in the sorting area.

Process Description

  • Tomatoes are dumped from the truck onto a conveyor
  • Coarse rinse with municipal water sprays to remove dirt, stems and leaves etc.
  • Tomatoes fall into flume tank (20m3). The flume water is pumped to the sorting conveyor and back into a closed circuit with the tomatoes. Operators remove unacceptable product
  • Make-up condensate water is continually added (5m3/hr) from the tomato paste process
  • GO2TM solution is dosed into the flume water to maintain concentration of 0.2 to 0.4 ppm. (in this stage a pH of 4.0 is acceptable)
  • Add GO2TM to the make???up condensate water from the tomato paste process with a minimum residual of 0.1-0.2ppm
  • These minimal residuals should be adjusted based on the presence of mold in the production process. mold is a serious problem when it rains during harvest and affects the total production process negatively
  • Permanently monitor and control against molds and keep surfaces clean (by cleaning and then wet treating with GO2TM with a minimum residual of 5ppm (ensure contact time)
  • To ensure the residual of GO2TM in the flume and condensate water the use of a redox sensor is strongly advised in combination with dosing equipment (dosage pump, contact water meter, two PEHD black storage tanks and an injection point). Contact time is key during the process

Required equipment

  • GO2TM solution dosing directly into flume. By-pass water is the condensate flow
  • Control to 650mV by Redox controller and proportional control with industrial Redox probe
  • This system is only used in wet weather and occasionally during dry weather. mold is a bad problem when there is a lot of rain during harvest

Advantages/Benefits

  • The use of GO2TM in the process water will contribute to an increased production quality by better optimized micro biological control
  • No influence of pH Level of the water on the GO2TM water treatment power
  • No more use of chlorine in the treatment process; no chlorine smell for operators
  • No chlorinated organic by-products
  • Effective destruction of molds on tomatoes and the flume equipment
  • GO2TM delivers superior broad spectrum micro???biological control
  • GO2TM causes improvement of the micro biological surface contamination level
  • Low concentration of GO2TM solution is very effective in destruction of molds on tomatoes. (molds affect the total production process negatively and should be avoided).
  • Low concentration of GO2TM solution is very effective in destruction of molds in the flume water. If untreated, the molds attach to surfaces of tanks and flumes and look like meat. Eventually, they foul screens and smell.
  • GO2TM solution is effective at pH 4-10
  • No smell for operators
  • Control on the process
  • No chlorinated organic by-products

Notes

  • Two parallel Redox measuring systems are advised.
  • Operators preferably wear suitable gloves when in contact with the flume water. (In many countries mandatory according to HACCP regulations)



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