Fresh fruit packing
Fruit sorting & waxing line
Elevate, wash, air-dry, wax, dry and grade citrus, apple and whole fruit into market-ready packed grades.
- 3,000–5,000 kg/hCapacity
- Citrus & appleMaterials
- GradedFinished product
Process flow
Elevating
Lift fruit gently into the line.
Washing
Remove field dirt and surface residues.
Air drying
Dry the surface before waxing.
Waxing
Apply a food-grade wax coat where required.
Drying
Set the wax and dry the surface.
Grading
Separate by size or weight for packing.
| Materials | Orange, mandarin, lemon, apple and similar whole fruit |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 3,000–5,000 kg/h |
| Finished product | Washed, waxed and graded whole fruit |
What to prepare
- Fruit type, skin sensitivity and size range
- Grade boundaries and number of outlets
- Wax requirement and food-grade specification
- Packing and carton-filling interface
The fresh-fruit line elevates, washes, air-dries, waxes, dries and grades whole fruit so each outlet delivers a clean, uniform grade ready for carton packing.
Engineering and process considerations
- Gentle elevation and transfer keep bruise-sensitive fruit intact through every handoff.
- Wax type and coat weight are set by fruit skin and target market requirements.
- The drying stage sets the wax before grading so fruit does not smear or stick.
- Grading outlets are matched to the market grade boundaries you pack to.
Standard configuration
| Reference capacity | 3,000–5,000 kg/h |
|---|---|
| Power supply | 380 V / 50 Hz, three phase (60 Hz / 440 V available) |
| Food-contact material | Stainless steel SS304 (SS316 available for high-chloride duty) |
| Control | PLC with touch screen and overload protection |
| Warranty | 12 months on main components |
Compliance and hygienic design
| Food-contact material | SS304 standard; SS316 optional for high-chloride or acid duty |
|---|---|
| Surface finish | Ra ≤ 0.8 µm hygienic finish available on food-contact surfaces |
| Hygienic design | EHEDG / 3-A design principles; cleanability per EN 1672-2 |
| Food-contact compliance | FDA 21 CFR and EU 1935/2004 / 10/2011 declarations available |
| Certification | CE marking and destination-specific certificates on request |
| Food safety support | Design supports HACCP, ISO 22000, FSMA and BRC programs |
Process reference
The ranges below are industry reference values used for initial sizing; final settings are fixed by product trial and the acceptance criteria in the quotation.
| Waxing | Food-grade wax, typically 3–5 t/h |
|---|---|
| Drying | Brush or air drying after wax application |
| Grading | Size or weight, with optional vision color and defect sorting |
| Product | Washed, waxed and graded whole fruit |
Line FAQ
Fruit sorting and waxing FAQ
Is the wax food-grade?
How is bruising controlled?
Can it grade by both size and weight?
How the line is balanced
Define the product basis
Crop, incoming condition and the finished condition you sell fix every downstream stage.
Balance each handoff
Each stage is sized so its output matches the next machine's feed, with no hidden bottleneck.
Fix utilities and layout
Water, drainage, power, heat and operator access are drawn together before the layout is frozen.
Verify on representative material
A product trial confirms washing, cutting, drying or freezing results before shipment.
Acceptance criteria
- Surface drying before waxing
- Wax coat weight and evenness
- Grade accuracy at each outlet
- Bruise and damage rate through transfer
Selection inputs
- Product and incoming condition
- Target output and operating schedule
- Utilities, water and available footprint
- Finished condition and downstream handoff
Fruit lines reach full payback when grade boundaries match your customers' pack specifications, which cuts rework and downgrade losses.