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From the kitchen of dried fruit processing: machine technology, process approaches and the developments shaping the industry.

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2026

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LATEST ARTICLE14 October 2026

Box closing table: how to set up the station between filling and taping

What a box closing table does, why the step before the taping machine deserves its own station, and what to settle about size, material and layout before requesting an offer.

Box Closing TableBox TapingPacking LineStainless Steel

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01ARCHIVE

All articles

Technical write-ups on the machinery side, process articles and the developments moving the dried fruit market, all in one place.

  1. 02

    13 October 2026

    How does a vacuum fumigation chamber work, and which products need one?

    A vacuum fumigation chamber holds loaded product while fumigation clears insects and similar pests from inside it. How the cycle runs, what the door and fumigant release options change, and where it fits in a dried fruit plant.

    Vacuum Fumigation ChamberFumigationDried FruitPre-Storage Treatment

  2. 03

    13 October 2026

    Manual box filling hopper: how to organize product flow when boxes are filled by hand

    How a lever-operated hopper fits between the end of a processing line and the box closing station, what to define before ordering, and where manual filling stops being the right choice.

    Manual Box Filling HopperBox FillingPacking LineStainless Steel

  3. 04

    12 October 2026

    How is weight tolerance tracked on a semi-automatic box filling scale?

    Weight tolerance on a box filling scale is not held by one setting. Coarse and fine filling, load cell, tare, sampling and records show how to track it across a shift.

    Semi-Automatic Box Filling ScaleWeighing and FillingWeight ToleranceDried Fruit Line

  4. 05

    11 October 2026

    Multi-purpose liquid tank: which solutions does it hold on a dried fruit line?

    A multi-purpose liquid tank stores liquids such as oil, water and acid beside a processing line. What it can hold, how 304 and 316 stainless steel are chosen and what to prepare before requesting a quote.

    Multi-Purpose Liquid TankTanksStainless SteelDried Fruit Line

  5. 06

    10 October 2026

    Salt dissolving tank: why does a brine line ask for 316 grade?

    Brine is a chloride-rich environment, and the stainless steel grade of a salt dissolving tank decides how it ages. What AISI 304 and 316 mean here, and what to tell your supplier before quoting.

    Salt Dissolving TankAISI 316BrineDried Fig Washing

  6. 07

    9 October 2026

    Agitated dosing hopper: how does it keep the feed steady at the head of a line?

    How an agitated dosing hopper breaks lumped product poured from a crate tipping machine, doses it onto the conveyor belt and keeps the first machines of a dried fruit line from starving or choking.

    Agitated Dosing HopperDosingLump BreakingRaisin Processing Line

  7. 08

    8 October 2026

    Z-type modular conveyor: how is product lifted on a line with a level difference?

    When two stations on a food line sit at different heights, how does the product get from one to the other? The logic of the Z form, what to collect before specifying it, and how the modular belt affects cleaning.

    Z-Type ConveyorModular BeltLevel DifferenceFood Line

  8. 09

    7 October 2026

    How do you set up a manual inspection station on an illuminated sorting conveyor?

    Where a manual picking station belongs in a dried fruit line, how lighting and belt speed affect what the operator can see, and how hygiene and shift routines are planned around an illuminated sorting conveyor.

    Illuminated Sorting ConveyorManual SortingForeign ObjectsDried Fruit Line

  9. 10

    6 October 2026

    Dried Fruit Dust Filter: Where Fine Dust Is Removed on a Line

    How a suction-fan dust filter separates fine dust from product, how it differs from screening and debris removal machines, and what to specify before an export plant orders one.

    Dust FilterDust ControlDebris SeparationDried Fruit Line

  10. 11

    5 October 2026

    How a Date Pitting Machine Removes Pits Without Breaking the Fruit

    What decides fruit integrity in a date pitting machine: the internal blade system, speed control, product condition and the position of pitting in the line.

    DatesPittingDate Line

  11. 12

    4 October 2026

    How a Stone and Sand Separation Cascade Removes Heavy Foreign Matter With Water

    How stones, sand and gravel are separated from dried fruit by water flow in a washing line: the cascade principle, the waste water trough, cleaning access and selection questions.

    Stone and Sand Separation CascadeDried Fruit WashingForeign MatterRaisin Processing

  12. 13

    3 October 2026

    How Clumped Dried Fruit Is Opened Up on a Processing Line

    How caked raisins and dates are separated into single fruit before washing: the vertical breaker system of a clumped product separating machine and its place in the line.

    Clumped Product Separating MachineRaisin ProcessingDate ProcessingBlock Breaking

  13. 14

    2 October 2026

    Why screening and air separation share one machine

    Stones and soil drop through a screen; leaves and stems are lifted by air. Here is how a screening shaker with an aspiration unit combines both separations and when each is needed.

    AspirationScreeningForeign Matter

  14. 15

    1 October 2026

    What a dried fruit pre-cleaning machine removes before the line, and what it cannot

    Pre-cleaning is the first filter on a dried fruit line. Here is how a debris removal screen separates coarse debris, where a size-based separation stops, and what decides the choice of screen.

    Pre-CleaningDebris RemovalScreening

  15. 16

    1 October 2026

    Industrial conveyor systems: stainless steel conveyors, food elevators and conveyor automation

    Stainless and modular conveyors, the modular Z elevator, food elevators, screw conveyors, feeding conveyors, belt types and conveyor automation: which system suits which product and plant layout, and what to check when choosing one.

    ConveyorsElevatorsStainless SteelAutomation

  16. 17

    1 October 2026

    Sorting systems for dried fruit: X-ray, laser sorters, optical sorting and metal detectors

    Where X-ray machines, laser sorters, optical sorters and metal detectors sit on a dried fruit line, which defects and foreign materials each one catches, and how sorting is set up for raisins, apricots, figs and dates before packing.

    Dried FruitSortingX-RayFood Safety

  17. 18

    1 October 2026

    Raisin varieties, where they are grown and how raisin processing lines work

    Sultana, Thompson Seedless, Golden, Muscat and Zante Currant: how the main raisin varieties differ, where raisins are grown in Türkiye and around the world, and which machines take the fruit from the vineyard to the pack.

    RaisinsSultanaProcessing LineDried Fruit

  18. 19

    29 September 2026

    Vibration Shaker Machine: why feeding decides line capacity

    A line does not run at the speed of its slowest station so much as at the regularity of its feed. A vibration shaker machine moves product forward in a single layer, which sets up the work of every station after it.

    FeedingConveying

  19. 20

    29 September 2026

    What Machines Are in a Raisin Processing Line, and in What Order Do They Run?

    A stage-by-stage look at a raisin processing line: box tipping and dosing, cluster breaking, aspiration and washing, stem removal, illuminated sorting, and box filling, plus why the order can't be shuffled.

    Raisin ProcessingProcessing LineSorting and Washing

  20. 21

    28 September 2026

    Wet Product Transfer Pump: How Product Moves Without Crushing

    A wet product transfer pump carries water and soft fruit pieces together between process stations without crushing them. Here is how the impeller clearance, speed, and pipe layout make that possible.

    Wet Product Transfer PumpFood ProcessingDried Fruit

  21. 22

    28 September 2026

    How a Double-Deck Vibrating Screen Grades Dried Fruit by Size

    Mixed sizes cause problems downstream in cutting and packing. Here is how a double-deck vibrating screen separates dried fruit into size grades, how mesh selection works, and what maintenance it needs.

    Vibrating ScreenSizingSievingDried Fruit Processing

  22. 23

    27 September 2026

    Wet-Process Block Opening Conveyor: How It Works

    How a wet-process block opening conveyor separates pressed block raisins and dates before they reach the washing line, without damaging individual pieces.

    Block Opening ConveyorRaisin ProcessingDate ProcessingFood Processing Line

  23. 24

    26 September 2026

    Washing and Drying Sequence in a Sun-Dried Tomato Processing Line

    How pre-sorting, washing and drying stages are sequenced on a sun-dried tomato processing line, and why the handoff between wash draining and tunnel drying determines final product quality.

    Sun-Dried TomatoProcessing LineDrying

  24. 25

    25 September 2026

    Raisin Destemming: Why Stem Residue Needs a Separate Machine

    On a raisin processing line, why does destemming run as its own machine instead of folding into the sizing screen? The answer sits in what leftover stem fragments do to export-grade quality.

    raisin processingdestemming machinefood processing equipment

  25. 26

    24 September 2026

    Date Processing Line: From Block Opening to Washing

    Dates arrive at the plant compressed into dense blocks. Here is the order a processing line follows to separate, pit, cut and wash them without damaging the fruit.

    date processing linepit removaldate washing

  26. 27

    24 September 2026

    Food-grade stainless brush and wet dried fruit washing machine

    Dried apricots, figs, dates, tomatoes and prunes all have different surface characteristics. We explain how a brush and wet washing machine is configured per product, why stainless construction matters and what to check before choosing a machine.

    Dried FruitWashingBrush WashingHygienic Design

  27. 28

    24 September 2026

    Food-grade stainless brush washing machines: industrial washing solutions for dried fruit

    In dried fruit, quality is not decided by the raw material alone; washing, surface water removal, sizing and sorting shape the final product. We explain how a brush washing machine works, what hygienic design means in practice and how the right machine is chosen.

    Brush WashingDried FruitHygienic DesignProcessing Line

  28. 29

    23 September 2026

    Dried Fruit Impurity Removal Machine: where it belongs on the line

    A line that separates foreign material late has already run it through every station. What fixes the position of an impurity removal screen is not the machine itself but the machines that come after it.

    Impurity RemovalScreening

  29. 30

    22 September 2026

    What stages make up a dried fruit processing line?

    A dried fruit processing line is not a row of separate machines. This article walks through pre-cleaning, washing, surface water removal, sizing, quality control and packing, and what decides the design of each stage.

    Dried FruitProcessing LineHygienic Design

  30. 31

    22 September 2026

    How long should ventilation and waiting take after fumigation?

    A completed fumigation does not mean the container can be opened safely. This article covers ventilation after phosphine and methyl bromide treatments, gas measurement, and the opening sequence for machinery containers.

    FumigationOccupational SafetyExport

  31. 32

    22 September 2026

    Dried Fruit Screening Machine: choosing mesh opening and deck count

    A screening machine performs according to its screens, not its motor. Mesh opening, deck count and outlet width are chosen for the product group, and those three decisions set the separation quality of the line.

    ScreeningSizing

  32. 33

    22 September 2026

    How is a prune dicing and julienne cutting line built?

    High moisture, a soft texture and natural sugar make prunes a sticky product, and that shapes both cut quality and capacity. This article follows product conditioning, balanced feeding, flouring, cutting and screening as one process.

    PrunesDicingJulienne

  33. 34

    21 September 2026

    Date Chopping Machine: why cutting changes once the pit is out

    The same machine, the same blade set and the same settings do not always give the same cut. Once the pit is removed the geometry, moisture and stickiness of the date change; this article follows the whole chain that decides cut quality.

    DatesChoppingDicing

  34. 35

    20 September 2026

    Dried Apricot Chopping Machine: keeping cut size consistent on sticky fruit

    The blade set defines the nominal cut geometry, but dried apricot is a natural product. Moisture, flesh thickness, feeding, blade sharpness and screening decide the cut size together.

    Dried ApricotChoppingDicing

  35. 36

    18 September 2026

    Moisture gain in dried fruit: why rehydration matters and how lines do it

    Over-dried apricots crack and lose weight before they reach a buyer. This is how a controlled rehydration step brings moisture back without creating a new safety problem.

    Dried ApricotRehydrationMoisture GainFood Processing

  36. 37

    8 September 2026

    How dried apricots travel from the orchard to an export ready pack

    Dried apricot processing runs as two separate flows: sulphured apricots and naturally sun dried ones. The early stages are shared and the process splits at sulphuring. Here is every step from harvest to palletising, and what the factory actually does.

    Dried apricotProcessDryingPackaging

  37. 38

    7 September 2026

    Dried fruit washing systems: from soaking to dewatering

    How a dried fruit washing line moves product from initial soaking through brush washing, stone separation and dewatering before it reaches packaging, and why the order of these steps matters.

    Washing LineRaisin ProcessingFood Processing Equipment

  38. 39

    6 September 2026

    Stainless steel conveyors on dried fruit lines: feeding, sorting, Z-type

    Where feeding conveyors, light sorting conveyors and Z-type modular conveyors sit on a raisin processing line, what each one is built to do, and how they are cleaned.

    ConveyorsRaisin ProcessingStainless Steel

  39. 40

    4 September 2026

    Dried fruit dicing machine: how cube cutting works

    How a dicing machine cuts dried apricots and figs to a consistent size before weighing and packing, and where it sits on the line.

    Dried ApricotCutting

  40. 41

    29 August 2026

    Stainless steel screw conveyors in food processing: where they fit

    When a screw conveyor is the right choice over a belt conveyor, where it typically sits on a food line, and stainless surface selection.

    Screw ConveyorStainless SteelFood Processing

  41. 42

    28 August 2026

    Stainless steel shaker machines: screening, sizing and dewatering duties

    How debris removal, sizing and dewatering shaker machines differ, where each sits on a dried fruit line, and stainless surface selection.

    Shaker MachineStainless SteelFood Processing

  42. 43

    26 August 2026

    How processing capacity is defined and measured

    Processing line capacity is set by the slowest station, not the fastest machine. We walk through what drives capacity, how the bottleneck is found, and how line design protects it over time.

    Processing LineCapacity Planning

  43. 44

    25 August 2026

    Dried Apricot Processing Line: Washing to Filling Stages

    A dried apricot processing line moves fruit through four distinct jobs: washing, sizing, cutting and filling. Here is what each stage actually has to solve, and why the order rarely changes.

    dried apricotprocessing linewashingsizingcuttingfilling

  44. 45

    24 August 2026

    Metal Detection and Sieving in Dried Fruit Processing

    Sieving and metal detection catch different things and neither replaces the other. Here is how the two stages are sequenced in a dried fruit line and why stainless steel contaminants are the hardest case for any detector.

    metal detectionsievingdried fruit processingfood safety

  45. 46

    23 August 2026

    AISI 304 or AISI 316: When the Difference Matters on Food Contact Surfaces

    Product-contact surfaces on a dried fruit line are specified in AISI 304; AISI 316 is applied where salt, brine, or chloride exposure demands it. Here is how the two grades are actually assigned, zone by zone.

    AISI 304AISI 316stainless steelfood contact surfaceshygienic equipment design

  46. 47

    22 August 2026

    CE Conformity and Food Contact Materials: What EU Buyers Ask

    A technical look at the CE conformity and food contact material questions EU buyers raise before ordering a processing line or machine, and how documentation is verified.

    CE conformityfood contact materialsAISI 304AISI 316export machinery

  47. 48

    21 August 2026

    Fig processing: how sizing and sorting stages work

    After washing, dried figs still need to be graded by diameter and checked for quality before they reach packing. We explain how the sizing sieve and the light sorting conveyor each do their job, and why the line keeps these two stages apart.

    Dried FigsSizing and Sorting

  48. 49

    21 August 2026

    Turnkey dried fruit plant: project steps from layout to commissioning

    A turnkey dried fruit plant project runs through five phases: needs assessment, layout planning, equipment selection, installation, and commissioning, where line parameters are fixed with the actual product. Here is what each phase covers and what buyers should expect.

    Turnkey PlantProject Planning

  49. 50

    20 August 2026

    Raisin washing line: stage sequence and water management

    A raisin washing machine works as a short sequence, not one unit: pre-soak, brush washing, then water removal. We look at why the order matters and how soaking time, brush pressure and water shedding are set together.

    RaisinsWashing Line

  50. 51

    17 August 2026

    What machines make up a dried fruit processing line?

    From crate tipping to filling: the order of a dried fruit line and why each stage sits where it does, with notes on food contact surfaces and capacity.

    Processing LineRaisins

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