Drying of Apple Slices

1.Customer background

Shanxi food processing enterprises plan to produce high-quality apple chips, but there are the following pain points for traditional drying equipment:

① High energy consumption – traditional hot air drying consumes a lot of electricity and has high production costs;

② Uneven color – temperature fluctuations cause partial yellowing or darkening of apple slices;

③ Nutrient loss – prolonged drying at high temperatures can damage the structure of vitamins and fibers;

④ Capacity limitation – existing equipment has low drying efficiency and cannot meet order requirements.

The customer wishes to customize an energy-saving and efficient drying equipment with precise temperature control and uniform color of the finished product. At the same time, it is required to be compatible with the existing production line and meet food grade safety standards.

2.Customized solution for Jinlu Machinery

Equipment solution: Multi layer belt heat pump dryer (made of food grade 304 stainless steel material)

Core process: ① During the pre-treatment stage, the apple slices are sliced to a thickness of 3-5mm, and after color protection (soaking in citric acid), they are evenly spread on a plate to ensure breathability.② Segmented drying process: Phase 1 (40-50 ℃, 1 hour): Low temperature slow drying to remove surface moisture and prevent crust formation; Phase 2 (55-65 ℃, 2 hours): Medium temperature setting to promote uniform evaporation of internal moisture; The third stage (70-75 ℃, 1 hour): High temperature fragrance enhancement, improved crispness, sterilization and preservation. ③ Intelligent control: PID temperature control with an accuracy of ± 1 ℃, automatic humidity adjustment to avoid excessive drying; The heat pump waste heat recovery system reduces energy consumption by 35% and shortens drying time to 4 hours per batch. ④ Adaptation optimization modular structure, occupying only 8 square meters, supporting linkage with sorting and packaging lines, with a daily production capacity of 1.2 tons.

3.Customer reviews

Jinlu Machinery’s customized dryer has completely solved our pain points! The dried apple slices have a golden color and crispy texture, and the customer repurchase rate has increased by 30%. The energy consumption has been reduced by nearly 40% compared to old equipment, and the cost has been recovered within six months. What’s even more rare is that their technical team followed up throughout the process, adjusted the drying curve according to the variety of apples, and truly achieved ‘one factory, one solution’. “- Mr. Liu, Customer Production Director.