In the plantain processing industry, blanching machines are a crucial pre-treatment piece of equipment. While many are familiar with the basic functions of blanching, such as color preservation, sterilization, and odor removal, they also play a crucial, special role in plantain processing: making plantain easier to peel. This is particularly true when processing green plantain.
Why are plantain so difficult to peel?
The peel of plantain is tightly bound to the flesh, and the high pectin and fiber content makes the skin tough, making it difficult to peel easily by hand and even more difficult to peel automatically using standard machines. Unlike ripe bananas, green plantain don’t naturally soften, so in food processing plants, they often rely on manual peeling. However, manual peeling has significant drawbacks:
- Low efficiency: Requires a large number of workers to individually handle each plantain, which is time-consuming.
- High cost: Increased labor costs directly increase production expenses.
- Poor consistency: Manual peeling speed and effectiveness are affected by worker experience, making it difficult to ensure uniform peeling.
Therefore, in large-scale processing, solving the difficulty of peeling plantain has become a key issue in improving production efficiency.
Plantain blanching machine uses:
Blanching plantain significantly improves peeling. Blanching is beneficial in the following ways:
1. Softening the junction between the peel and the flesh
During the blanching process, the heat relaxes the intercellular spaces between the peel and the flesh, partially breaking down the pectin and weakening the binding force, making the peel easier to peel.
2. Improved peeling efficiency
After blanching, plantain are cooled, making the peel easier to separate from the flesh. This significantly reduces the effort and time required for manual peeling, significantly improving efficiency.
3. Reduces flesh damage
Forcibly peeling the fruit without blanching can easily damage the flesh, affecting the quality of subsequent products. Blanching, however, makes it easier to separate the peel, effectively preserving the integrity of the flesh.
Plantain also need to be cooled quickly after blanching to prevent overheating and softening the flesh, even causing it to become mush-like. This cooling process not only stabilizes the plantain’s texture but also maintains its excellent taste and processing properties. Peeling the plantain at this stage will make them much easier than before, significantly reducing labor and time costs.