Equipment for post-storage grading of fruits

  • Selection of equipment equal to the task should be part of any assessment before committing apples to a packing line.
  • The scale of operation will influence the equipment decision.
  • Large packing operations depend on large volume throughput for cost-efficient operation.
  • Small/medium sites will generally grade and pack as part of one operation.
  • Large operations will generally carry out the grading and packing in two parts.
  • Raw material should be off-loaded by water flotation into water flumes, passing onto the grading line where fruit size, colour and defects are sorted either with human selection or by high specification camera.
  • Fruit is then returned to designated water flumes before, collection and return to bins.
  • Bins are then returned to cold store, before returning to the packing line. 
  • The intended customer outlet i.e. multiple, wholesaler or processor may also influence the decision on grading.
  • Lower value outlets may not justify the use of expensive high technology operations.