Guides and FAQ
Buyer resources
Practical guidance to prepare a project brief, compare configurations and understand what affects a fruit and vegetable processing line.
Prepare a project brief
A clear brief is the fastest way to an accurate configuration and budget. The more precisely you describe the incoming product and the finished condition you sell, the fewer assumptions we have to make.
- Crop, variety, size range and incoming condition
- Finished product: washed, cut, dried or frozen, and its specification
- Target output per hour or per year and operating schedule
- Water supply and quality, drainage, power and available footprint
- Downstream packing, drying or freezing interface
- Destination, documentation and certification requirements
What affects line cost
| Item | How it affects cost |
|---|---|
| Capacity and duty | Higher throughput and harder cleaning duties need larger or additional stages |
| Automation level | Manual inspection and packing cost less than automated sorting and packing |
| Material and finish | Stainless grade and surface finish change with hygiene requirements |
| Thermal and freezing | Blanching, drying and IQF stages add utility and machine cost |
| Site conditions | Water, drainage, power and layout constraints shape the configuration |
| Delivery and support | Export packing, installation and training are part of the scope |
Buyer FAQ
How long does a quotation take?
What is the typical lead time?
Can I see a reference before ordering?
Do you provide documentation?
From brief to quotation
You send the brief
Crop, output, finished condition, utilities and site plan.
We return a process flow
A stage-by-stage route with a capacity balance and equipment list.
You confirm the basis
Product, output and acceptance criteria are fixed before pricing.
You receive the quotation
Configuration, budget range, lead time and delivery scope.
A complete brief is the single biggest lever on quotation accuracy: it removes assumptions about the crop, the finished condition and the site, so the returned process flow and budget range are directly comparable.
Buyer resource FAQ
What if I do not know the exact output yet?
Do you sign NDAs before reviewing a project?
Technology and standards library
Hygienic design in one paragraph
Food equipment is judged on cleanability. The EHEDG and 3-A guidelines describe how to eliminate dead zones, crevices and horizontal ledges so water drains and every surface can be cleaned and inspected. The European benchmark EN 1672-2 sets the cleanability requirements for food processing machinery, and a surface finish of Ra ≤ 0.8 µm is the widely accepted baseline for food-contact stainless steel.
Food-contact materials and documentation
- Food-contact parts in SS304 with SS316 available for high-chloride or acid duty
- Declarations available for FDA 21 CFR and EU 1935/2004 / 10/2011 compliance
- CE marking and destination-specific certificates on request
- Operation and maintenance manuals in the project language
Water and energy benchmarks
| Stage | Typical reference | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh-cut washing | 2–11 m³ water per tonne of product | Filtration and recirculation lower fresh-water demand |
| Heat-pump drying | COP ≈2.3–3.6 at 40–65 °C | Closed-loop drying with heat recovery |
| Mesh-belt drying | 40–150 °C per zone, 0.2–6 h retention | Zoned temperature protects color and texture |
| Freeze drying | Condenser −50 to −80 °C | Sublimation keeps structure and rehydration |
| IQF freezing | Evaporation −35 to −45 °C, core −18 °C | Free-flowing individual pieces |
How to compare vendors honestly
- Ask for the process flow and capacity balance, not just a machine list.
- Request the standards basis: surface finish, hygienic design and food-contact declarations.
- Compare energy and water use per tonne of finished product, not nameplate power.
- Check that the quotation names acceptance criteria you can test at commissioning.