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What steps are involved in canning fruit products?
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fruit processing
Limes being prepared for processing into juice, Tecoman, Mexico.
The canning of fruit products is a systematic process designed to preserve food by destroying spoilage organisms and inactivating enzymes that cause deterioration. The process generally follows these key stages:12
- Preparation and Cleaning: Raw fruit is cleaned using water sprays or immersion tanks to remove debris. It is then prepared through processes such as peeling, coring, slicing, or pureeing.13
- Blanching: Some fruits undergo blanching—immersion in hot water or steam—to soften tissues, inactivate enzymes, and provide a final cleansing.14
- Filling: Fruit is placed into containers automatically, often accompanied by a liquid like syrup to displace air.13
- Exhausting: To create a partial vacuum, air is removed from the container using steam or mechanical vacuum-sealing machines.13
- Sealing: The container is hermetically sealed to prevent the entry of microorganisms.13
- Sterilization: The sealed containers are heated (often in steam or hot water) to temperatures sufficient to destroy bacteria, molds, and yeasts.12
- Cooling, Labeling, and Warehousing: After sterilization, the products are cooled, labeled, and stored for distribution.13