Soil that remains present within the spud crop load from the harvesting process should be removed before grading or washing. If soil and stones remain within the crop as it enters the handling process, they cannot only cause significant damage to the crop as it passes through the process, but stones in particular can also damage costly equipment.

In the same respect, it is imperative for any machinery that can separate potatoes from the soil, stones, and debris, to be designed to handle the cultivars gently, to ensure product quality. By using advanced and automated equipment these processes can be carried out much faster and more effectively than before, ensuring the process is efficient and productive, whilst maintaining the integrity, and ultimately the value of the tuber crop.

As one of the first in a step-by-step process, crop cleaning is normally soil removal, using a cleaner separator. Soil that remains present within the crop load from the harvesting process is removed before grading or washing.

“In light soil conditions, potato processors may choose a coil cleaner which allows loose soil, small stones, and clod to pass through the coil shafts whilst crop and larger lumps of soil and stone pass over,” Edward Tong, Managing Director, Tong Engineering, told Potato Business Digital.

After the bulk of loose soil is removed from the crop, destoning equipment is popularly specified to ensure stones are removed from the crop before the washing process. Using a flume-style destoner where the crop enters the water and stones sink to the bottom of the tank where they are removed, minimizes damage to the crop caused by stones as well as minimizing damage to equipment that can be commonplace if stones pass through the vegetable processing line.

Pre-cleaning is also an important process because when growers or store owners pre-clean their produce, it will be ready for packaging or the next processing steps like cutting, peeling, etc.

Tong experts agree that when clients pre-clean their spuds, most dirt will be washed away so that the washing machine is then more capable of better cleaning the produce. This results in a perfectly washed potato, which will look better on the shelves.

Pre-soak tanks are often integrated before crop washing systems as the presence of water at the point of reception ensures excess debris, soil, and sand separate from the crop within the hopper. This gives the crop a light soaking action, which can be enhanced when the crop is left to ‘soak’ in the tank for longer dwelling times.

You can read the rest of this article in your complimentary e-copy of Issue 2 of Potato Business Digital 2022 magazine, which you can access by clicking here.