• Material Feeding Stage
Material Feeding Stage: The Foundation of Frozen Leafy Vegetable Production The material feeding stage is the critical first step in the frozen leafy vegetable production process. It involves the efficient and consistent delivery of fresh, high-quality leafy vegetables to the processing line. This stage significantly impacts the overall quality and efficiency of the final product. Key considerations in the material feeding stage: • Freshness and Quality: Ensuring that the leafy vegetables are delivered to the processing line in a fresh and undamaged state is paramount. This requires proper harvesting, storage, and transportation practices. • Uniformity: Consistent feeding of leafy vegetables with uniform size, shape, and moisture content is essential for efficient processing and consistent product quality. • Cleaning and Sorting: Removing any foreign material, such as dirt, insects, or damaged leaves, is crucial to prevent contamination and ensure the safety of the final product. • Feeding Equipment: The choice of feeding equipment depends on the specific type of leafy vegetables being processed and the desired throughput. Options include conveyor belts, hoppers, or automated feeding systems. • Feeding Rate: Controlling the feeding rate is important to maintain a steady flow of vegetables to the subsequent processing stages, preventing bottlenecks and ensuring optimal machine performance.

• Preparation Stage
Preparation Stage: Key Components for Leafy Vegetable Processing The preparation stage in frozen leafy vegetable production is essential for ensuring the quality and safety of the final product. Here are the key components and their functions: 1. Sand Remover: • Removes sand and other gritty particles from the leafy vegetables. • Typically uses a combination of water jets and agitation to separate impurities. 2. Washing Machines: • Thoroughly clean the leafy vegetables to remove dirt, debris, and pesticide residue. • May involve multiple stages with different water temperatures and agitation levels. 3. Manual Inspection Station: • Identifies and removes damaged, discolored, or defective leaves. • Ensures product quality and prevents the inclusion of substandard material. These components work together to prepare the leafy vegetables for further processing, such as blanching and freezing. A well-equipped and efficient preparation stage is crucial for producing high-quality frozen leafy vegetables.

• Blanching Stage
Blanching Stage: Preserving the Goodness of Leafy Vegetables: The blanching stage is a critical step in frozen leafy vegetable production, designed to inactivate enzymes, set the color, and prepare the vegetables for freezing. It helps to maintain the texture, flavor, and nutritional value of the product. Key components and processes in the blanching stage: • Dewatering and Rinsing: Leafy vegetables are rinsed with fresh water to remove any residual dirt or impurities before blanching. • Heating: o Spraying Hot Water: The vegetables are exposed to a high-temperature spray of hot water to quickly heat them. o Direct Steam Injection: Steam is directly injected into the blanching chamber to rapidly raise the temperature of the vegetables. • Cooling: o Cold Water: Immediately after blanching, the vegetables are cooled in cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent overcooking. Blanching Process Specifications: • Type: Direct steam heating with water cooling. • Capacity: Based on the volume of leafy vegetables being processed. • Products: Molokhia and Spinach. • Blanching Time: Adjustable from 5 to 25 minutes. • Zones: Separated by air knife curtains for isolation. • CIP: Cleaning-in-place system included for efficient cleaning. • Conveyors: Plastic modular, heavy-duty, food-grade conveyors. • Product Cooled: Up to 10±20°C using cold water and a falling heat exchanger. • Heating Temperature: Adjustable up to 96°C. • Steam Leakage: No steam leakage from the heating zone to other zones. Mincing Process: • Equipment: Specialized equipment for cutting and grinding leafy vegetables into small pieces. • Capacity: 3000 kg/hour, including yield percentage. • Cutting Sizes: 2 mm, 5 mm, 7.5 mm, 20 mm. • Process: Fully automatic, from receiving blanched leaves to cutting, grinding, and feeding to a buffer tank. Minced Leaf Filling Machine: • Type: Fully automatic form-fill-seal machine. • Capacity: 3000 kg/hour. • Filling Weight: 400 grams and 1000 grams. • Bag Type: Transparent PE bags. • Weight Variation: Controlled within a specified tolerance. By effectively managing the blanching and mincing stages, frozen leafy vegetable producers can ensure the quality, safety, and shelf life of their products.

• Spiral IQF
Spiral Freezer Stage: Preserving Leafy Vegetables at Peak Quality The spiral freezer, or spiral IQF (Individually Quick Frozen), is a crucial component in the frozen leafy vegetable production process. It is specifically designed to freeze the blanched leafy vegetables, packaged in plastic bags, while maintaining their natural appearance, color, and quality. Key features and benefits of a spiral freezer: • Natural Appearance and Color: The spiral freezer ensures that the frozen leafy vegetables retain their original color and appearance, providing a visually appealing product. • Hygiene and Safety: The freezer is designed with maximum hygiene in mind, incorporating features such as stainless steel construction and sequential defrosting systems to prevent contamination. • Efficiency and Reliability: The spiral freezer offers high efficiency and reliability, ensuring consistent and top-quality frozen products throughout the entire process. • Energy Efficiency: The freezer is designed to reduce energy consumption without compromising freezing speed or temperature homogeneity. • Product Safety: The absence of belt lubrication eliminates the risk of product contamination. • Reduced Downtime: The freezer is designed to minimize downtime, ensuring efficient production. • High-Speed Defrosting: An optional high-speed steam-defrosting system can significantly reduce the time lost between freezing cycles. Spiral Freezer Specifications: • Type: Spiral Freezer with horizontal air flow • Sequential Defrosting System: Ensures efficient and hygienic defrosting • Capacity: 3 tons/hour • Refrigerant: Ammonia (NH3) • Defrosting: Hot gas defrosting • Evaporation Temperature: NH3 at -40°C • Evaporators: Stainless still frame, stainless steel pipes • Input Temperature: Product will be from +1°C up to +20°C • Output Temperature: Equalized -18°C • Retention Time: 10 to 20 minutes The spiral freezer plays a vital role in preserving the quality and freshness of frozen leafy vegetables. By efficiently freezing the products while maintaining their natural characteristics, the spiral freezer ensures that consumers receive a high-quality and safe product.

• Packaging
Packaging Stage: Protecting and Presenting Leafy Vegetables The packaging stage is the final step in the frozen leafy vegetable production process, where the finished products are packaged for distribution and sale. Proper packaging is essential to protect the product, maintain its quality, and provide clear information to consumers. Packaging Options for Leafy Vegetables: • Minced Molokhia: o Pureed Molokhia: Minced less than 3 mm, 400 gm. weight PE transparent package in PE printed package. • Minced Spinach: o Minced: Less than 3 mm size, 400 gm. weight PE transparent package in PE printed package. o Pureed: Cut less than 20 mm size, 400 gm. weight PE transparent package. Packaging Methods: • Flow Wrapping: This method is commonly used for retail products. Flow wrapping involves wrapping the product in a continuous film, creating a tight and protective seal. Key Considerations for Packaging: • Material: The packaging material should be suitable for frozen products and protect against freezer burn, moisture loss, and contamination. • Size and Shape: The package size and shape should be appropriate for the product and the intended market. • Labeling: Clear and accurate labeling is essential to provide consumers with essential information such as product name, weight, ingredients, and nutritional content. • Branding: The packaging should reflect the brand identity and appeal to the target market. By selecting the appropriate packaging method and materials, producers can ensure that their frozen leafy vegetables are presented in a visually appealing and protective manner, meeting the needs of both consumers and retailers.