Three feed conditions, three entry points
The handling route follows the received material. Frozen blocks cannot be treated as free-flowing fresh fruit, while finished pulp does not benefit from another washing section. Separate the incoming-fruit rate from the prepared-product rate when matching machinery.
| Feed supplied | Where processing begins | Connection to establish |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh berries | Reception, inspection, gentle washing and elevation | Debris removal, berry retention, drainage and uniform delivery |
| Frozen berries | Controlled preparation of the frozen feed before extraction | Temperature, clumps, thaw liquid and suitability for metered feeding |
| Existing juice or puree | Receiving, buffer and the required downstream module | Product condition, batch or continuous supply and hygienic transfer |
Extraction determines the load on separation
For puree, the two-stage pulper passes accepted pulp through successive screens and discharges retained seed, skin and coarse matter. For a juice route, a belt press may instead express liquid from a suitably prepared feed. Both routes need stable feeding and independent collection of product and reject.
Further separation is chosen after extraction. A decanter handles settleable solids; a disc separator can perform a finer clarification duty on an appropriate feed. The selected amount of retained pulp is part of the product. Removing more material is not automatically an improvement, and oil-rich cream is not a compulsory waste stream.
Condition the stream that reaches the thermal section
Process tanks provide buffering, mixing or a defined conditioning duty. Optional enzyme treatment belongs here when the juice specification requires a change in pectin-related viscosity before separation. It needs a controlled sequence; it is not a general instruction to hold every puree warm.
Deaeration can be included where air removal is required. Concentration is a separate branch for a more concentrated ingredient, with its own water-removal and utility duty. The pump and pipework after concentration are sized for the concentrated product, not the thin liquid that entered the line.
Heat, packaging and cleaning complete the line
The thermal system supplies the selected heating, holding and cooling sequence. For aseptic bulk filling, the treated product remains inside a controlled transfer boundary to a compatible bag and fitment. Product flow, package changes and downstream handling must fit the same operating rhythm.
Cleaning connections are drawn alongside the production flow. Open reception belts and removable screens require access, while closed tanks and product circuits need an effective supply-and-return cleaning route. Production drains, reject exits and maintenance access are physical parts of the layout, not details to add after the machines arrive.