Industrial size reduction equipment plays a crucial role in the food industry. It offers the precision required to slice, dice, cut, granulate, and shred various food products. This equipment ensures consistent shaping and sizing of ingredients, enhancing uniformity and improving the efficiency of subsequent processing stages. Industry-leading equipment enables vegetable processors to produce popular cuts found in supermarkets and enjoyed in restaurant and fast-food meals.

Revolutionize Food Processing with Precision Size Reduction

Ready-to-Eat Vegetables and Fruit

Pre-cut vegetables and fruits have witnessed a significant surge in popularity due to their convenience. They simplify home cooking and meal prep, making it easier for consumers to maintain a healthy diet. A wide range of pre-cut options is available, and consumers are willing to pay a premium for the convenience they offer. Popular cuts are used in various vegetable products, such as salad mixes, coleslaw, stir-fry blends, soup mixes, oven-ready vegetable combinations, and vegetable noodles. Similarly, the demand for convenience extends to fruits, with options like fruit salad mixes, pre-cut melons, sliced pineapple, bananas, papaya, and apples becoming increasingly sought after. 1: The convenience of pre-cut vegetables and fruits cannot be overstated. They save time and effort for consumers, especially those with busy lifestyles. Home cooks can quickly assemble a delicious meal using these pre-cut ingredients, without the hassle of spending time on chopping and dicing. This has led to a growing demand for pre-cut produce in the market. 2: The variety of pre-cut options available is also impressive. From different types of salad mixes to various fruit combinations, consumers have a wide range of choices to suit their preferences. Whether it's a simple salad or a complex stir-fry, pre-cut vegetables and fruits make it easier to create a variety of dishes.

Innovative Cutting Solutions

Both fresh and frozen vegetable processors are capitalizing on this growing market with innovative cuts that integrate easily into meal kits. For example, zucchinis and squash can be sliced into long, noodle-like strips, while beets and carrots can be shaped into playful bowties instead of conventional straight cuts. The best size reduction equipment delivers clean, precise cuts that minimize moisture release and extend the shelf life of products. 1: These innovative cutting solutions not only enhance the visual appeal of the products but also improve their functionality. The unique cuts make the products more versatile and suitable for different types of recipes. Consumers are attracted to these visually appealing and functional products, which drives the demand in the market. 2: Additionally, this equipment helps processors increase their yields by repurposing previously discarded vegetable waste. By converting waste into valuable products such as juice or potato hash browns, processors can reduce waste and increase their profitability.

Understanding Produce Characteristics

Choosing the right equipment for vegetable and fruit processing depends on understanding the characteristics of the produce. Some ingredients, like those with higher density or structural fragility, are best processed using belt-fed systems where cutting is synchronised with belt speed. This is ideal for slicing leafy vegetables. Others, which are less delicate, may be more suited to gravity feeding. 1: Key factors to consider include density, structural fragility, temperature, and flowability. These factors play a crucial role in determining the most suitable equipment for efficient and precise processing. By understanding these characteristics, processors can select the equipment that maximizes efficiency and maintains product quality. 2: For example, leafy vegetables require a different type of equipment compared to denser vegetables. Belt-fed systems are more suitable for leafy vegetables as they ensure consistent slicing and minimize waste. On the other hand, denser vegetables may require different cutting techniques and equipment to achieve the desired results.

Urschel - a global leader in size reduction

Image: Veeva SystemsUrschel is widely recognized as a pioneer in food cutting technology, with their equipment used globally by food processors. In [insert region], Heat and Control exclusively represents Urschel, drawing on over 70 years of expertise in helping customers choose the right equipment.If you’re interested in size reduction solutions for your fresh produce — we can arrange a free test cut of your product to identify the best Urschel machine for your production line.Let’s review two of their most innovative solutions for fresh produce.

Slicers

Belt-Fed, Wheel Slicer: A belt-fed, wheel slicer delivers produce onto two high-speed feed belts that form a ‘V’-shaped trough. These belts are synchronised with a rotating slicing wheel to ensure consistent advancement of the product. Knives under tension, serving as spokes, support the wheel’s rim and are slightly twisted to create a uniform pitch from hub to rim.The TranSlicer by Urschel exemplifies this type of machine, which is well-suited for slicing leafy vegetables such as romaine, iceberg, kale, radicchio, cabbage, spinach, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, honeydew, cantaloupe, and leek. Knife pitch helps pull the product through the wheel, ensuring precise slice thickness without crushing.Slices are released into a sloped discharge chute to reduce speed before exiting the machine.This slicer handles firm and leafy products up to certain diameters, ideal for elongated items that benefit from proper orientation, minimizing waste. For example, slicing carrots into 4.8 mm flat slices can achieve capacities of 4,500 to 5,500 kg per hour, while cucumbers at the same thickness can reach 3,600 to 4,500 kg per hour.Comminution Mincer/Slicer: In this type of slicer, produce is guided to a high-speed, rotating impeller within the cutting head. The impeller’s centrifugal force propels the produce outward past the cutting edges of a stationary reduction head.These machines are used for dry, paste, and liquid size reduction applications, including purees for fruit juices and fruits and vegetables for baby food or soups. The Comitrol by Urschel is a great example of equipment suited for such applications.For more information get in touch via info@heatandcontrol.com or www.heatandcontrol.com