Core Process Flow of Garlic Processing Production Line

The garlic processing production line is an automated system integrating multiple stages including garlic pre-treatment, deep processing, and packaging. It can be configured with different segments based on final product requirements (such as garlic granules, minced garlic, garlic powder, garlic slices, etc.), and is widely used in food processing enterprises. Below is a detailed introduction:

I. Core Process Flow

The core processing flow varies by final product type, though foundational stages remain consistent. A typical sequence is as follows:

Raw Material Receiving and Screening: Incoming garlic undergoes preliminary sorting to remove rotten, damaged, or deformed bulbs while eliminating contaminants like soil and stones, ensuring raw material quality. Some lines incorporate drum screeners or color sorters for automated impurity separation.

Separation and Peeling

Separation: Using a garlic separator (also known as a clove separator), whole garlic heads are mechanically crushed or kneaded to separate individual cloves, minimizing damage.

Peeling: This critical stage employs two primary methods:

Dry Peeling: Utilizes high-pressure airflow from pneumatic peelers to strip the skin without generating wastewater, ideal for products requiring high cleanliness standards.

Wet Peeling: Combines drum peelers with high-pressure spraying to remove skins through friction, offering higher efficiency and suitability for large-scale production.

Washing and Drying: Peeled cloves undergo high-pressure spray washing to remove residual skin and mucilage, followed by surface moisture removal via vibrating drainers or air-drying lines to prevent bacterial growth in subsequent processing.

Deep Processing Stage (by Final Product Type)

Garlic Granules / Diced Garlic: Cut into various particle sizes using a slicer (specialized garlic granule/dice module), then graded and sorted;

Garlic Paste / Puree: Ground into a paste using a colloid mill or pulping machine, with texture adjustable per requirement;

Garlic Slices / Garlic Powder: Sliced thinly using a slicer, then dried in a mesh belt dryer to meet moisture content standards. Finally, ground into powder using a grinder with a screening machine to control particle fineness;

Garlic Oil / Allicin: Requires an extraction process. Active compounds are extracted from garlic using distillation, pressing, or solvent extraction techniques.

Sterilization and Packaging

Sterilization: Ready-to-eat products (e.g., bottled minced garlic) undergo low-temperature pasteurization using pasteurizers or rapid sterilization via microwave equipment to ensure food safety.

Packaging: Depending on the finished product form, fully automatic weighing and packaging machines (for garlic powder and granules) or sauce filling machines (for minced garlic) are employed. Vacuum packaging, nitrogen-flushed packaging, and other methods are used to extend shelf life.