Not everyone knows that apple peel has beneficial effects because it contains ursolic acid, which helps keep body weight under control. Therefore, the peel is precisely what gives apples that something extra! If, to this, we add the increasing habit of eating ready food, then we can explain the success of bagged apple wedges used as snacks.
Apples wedges
FreshPlaza talked about it with Virginia Cascella, expert in the fresh-cut sector and sales manager at PND, an Italian company specializing in the manufacture of fruit processing machines.
PND staff photo. Left to right: Gianluca Giordano – Sales Area Manager; Virginia Cascella – Export Manager; Marlena Miarczyńska – Polish Market Manager; Vincenzo Di Prisco – General Manager; Melania Di Prisco – Administration Manager; Valerio De Caro – Senior Sales Manager.
"Thanks to the boom in demand deriving from the 'fruit at school' project, the request for machinery capable of processing produce for the fresh-cut industry has increased. Over the past few years, the consumption of ready-to-eat fruit has increased thanks to 80g bags of apple wedges with the peel. The peel contains beneficial properties that increase the level of good fat which burns more calories, thus reducing the risk of obesity especially in children."
Apples being processed
"What is more, apple wedges have always been an ingredient in fresh fruit salad trays together with melons, pineapples and kiwifruits. The main destination for bagged apple wedges are school, public and company canteens, the big retail chain and the H&R sector (fast food restaurants part of leading chains in Italy and all over the world)."
Model CB8
"The new automatic apple wedging machine mod. CB8 is an automatic coring and wedging system developed specifically for apples. The system is made up of a tank to collect the fruit, an automatic orientator and a punching system that takes the apples to the cutting station. A buffer pushes the fruit on the die for wedging and coring."
CB8 machine video - Automatic wedging and coring system
Apples can be cut into as many as 20 wedges. The process is fully automatic: operators only intervene when the fruits are loaded into the tank. Wedges can be treated to prevent browning.
Apples being processed
"This line boasts many advantages, such as high-quality cuts, high production capacity, no operator needed. Just like all other PND machines, it has a user-friendly interface with simple maintenance and sanification processes. The system includes product outlet and waste belts. The yield is 75% and it is ideal for international fast food suppliers or for companies preparing 80g apple wedge bags."
For further information
PND - Fruit Processing Machinery
Via Brancaccio, 11
84018 Scafati (SA) - Italy
Tel.: +39 081 8509368
Email: info@pndsrl.it
Website: www.pndsrl.it