Fruit processing may be started on 4000 BC. At that time the Egyptians already master viticulture and the art of wine making.
Oranges, apples, grapes and bananas are the most popular fruits. The consumption of fruits and processed products has enjoyed an unprecedented growth during the past decade.
Most juices are derived from fleshy fruits and these may be conveniently subdivided for processing into three categories.
• Fruits which are pulped and their juices removed by pressing e.g., apple, berry fruits
• Fruits requiring the use of specialized extraction equipment, e.g., citrus fruits, pineapples
• Fruits requiring heat treatment before processing, e.g., tomatoes, stone fruits
In most large fruit processing operations the plant is usually dedicated to one type of fruit. By far the largest volume of processed apples and oranges, the two most important fruits commodities, is in the form of juices.
The aim of the juice extraction process is to obtain as much juice out of the fruit as possible while preventing rag, oil. and other component of the fruit entering the juice.
Citrus fruits are unusual because the outer skin or flavedo is rich in essential oils and other tissues such as the albedo or carpellary membranes contain substances that give rise to bitter flavors.
The processing of citrus typically involves separation of these various components as an important principle and for certain products such as comminuted bases, the various components are recombined in different proportions.
The stone fruits are characterized by a fleshy mesocarp (pulp) surrounding a wood like endocarp or stone, referred to a in agriculture and processing circles as the pit.
The flesh of stone fruits is separated from the stones or pits, not only to facilitate ease of handling, but also because the stones are further processed to obtain both fixed oils and glycosides.
Fixed oils, such as those from peach, have application in the cosmetics industry and glycosides may be used as a source of other natural flavoring ingredients such as benzaldehyde.
There are however many other products obtained from fruit, including canned, dried and frozen fruit, pulps, purees and marmalades.
The food processing industry uses fruits as ingredients in juice blends, snacks, baby foods and many other processed food items.
Advances in fruit processing technologies mostly occur in response to consumer demands or improvement in the efficiency of technology.
Processing of fruit
