bringing tops and extraneous material into the factory processing areas. Once 'crowned, however, the carrots must be processed without delay, otherwise they will become rubbery and their quality will deteriorate Removal of the crowns will create a 10-11 percent weight loss, according to the size of the root, and this will be reflected in the factory price, as will the labour cost of the out-workers will be fed from tote boxes into a bulk feeder unless a fluming system is used, in which case they will pass through a prewasher the flume discharge pit, be separated from the fluming water, and then elevated into the bulk feederin the factory Ifthe carrots have been prewashed then the dry cleaning reel is not required, and they will pass on to the destoner. If the carrots are delivered dry into the bulk feeder, they will pass through the dry cleaning reel and then to the destoner-washer Peeling is preferably by ' steam peeler at 17atm pressure and the skin is then removed in a skin eliminator. If lye peeling is used, this must be followed by passage through a brush washer Peeled roots are then inspected on a'merry-go-round conveyor for trimming where necessary, then elevated to a G Dicer, set for 9.5mm dice, half dice or flakes 9.5by 9.5 by 2mm. For instant reconstitution soups, the cut may have to be reduced to 6 by 6 by 2mm It is normal to blanch in a hot water blancher with the additives(so and buffering agents, such as sugar and salt)being metered into the blancher at a prescribed rate to sustain an SO, level of 1200ppm in the end product The use of SO, in carrots has now been superseded in American factories by using a steam blanch in a Draper-type belt blancher followed by a dip in 2 percent food grade corn starch. This retards colour and quality loss, and is regarded as better than sulphiting only but their specification usually permits a maximum of 500ppm of sO, in the dry product, or less than half the European level Dehydrated carrot was originally packed in nitrogen-flushed hermetically sealed tins against Armed Services indents, as it is recognised that the colour deteriorates rapidly after 3 months storage in poly-lined containers-the dice turning pink and giving off an odour reminiscent of violets. The starch dip method has partially overcome the oxidation problem but it is necessary to hold the product in cool storage(under 5C) if it is required tobe stored for 6-9 months. The end moisture also affects durability, and should not be more than 5 percent. (4)Drying Conveyor dryer scaled to a throughput of 2 tonnes per hour upwards Through-flow or stove dryers for 500kg per hour upward peratures (inlets)through zones: 104/93/88C.bringing tops and extraneous material into the factory processing areas. Once 'crowned', however, the carrots must be processed without delay, otherwise they will become rubbery and their quality will deteriorate. Removal of the crowns will create a 10 - 11 percent weight loss, according to the size of the root, and this will be reflected in the factory price, as will the labour cost of the out-workers. The carrots will be fed from tote boxes into a bulk feeder, unless a fluming system is used, in which case they will pass through a prewasher in the flume discharge pit, be separated from the fluming water, and then elevated into the bulk feeder in the factory. If thecarrots havebeen prewashed, then the dry cleaning reel is not required, and they will pass on to the destoner. If the carrots are delivered dry into the bulk feeder, they will pass through the dry cleaning reel and then to the destoner-washer. Peeling is preferably by 'flash' steam peeler at 17atm pressure and the skin is then removed in a skin eliminator. If lye peeling is used, this must be followed by passage through a brush washer. Peeled roots are then inspected on a 'merry-go-round' conveyor for trimming where necessary, then elevated to a G Dicer, set for 9.5mm dice, half dice or flakes 9.5 by 9.5 by 2mm. For instant reconstitution soups, the cut may have to be reduced to 6 by 6 by 2mm. It is normal to blanch in a hot water blancher, with the additives (SO, and buffering agents, such as sugar and salt) being metered into the blancher at a prescribed rate to sustain an SO, level of 1200ppm in the end product. The use of SO, in carrots has now been superseded in American factories by using a steam blanch in a Draper-type belt blancher followed by a dip in 2 percent food grade corn starch. This retards colour and quality loss, and is regarded as better than sulphiting only but their specification usually permits a maximum of 500ppm of SO, in the dry product, or less than half the European level. Dehydrated carrot was originally packed in nitrogen-flushed hermetically sealed tins against Armed Services indents, as it is recognised that the colour deteriorates rapidly after 3 months storage in poly-lined containers - the dice turning pink and giving off an odour reminiscent of violets. The starch dip method has partially overcome theoxidation problem but it is necessary to hold the product in cool storage (under 5°C) if it is required to be stored for 6-9 months. The end moisture also affects durability, and should not be more than 5 percent. (4) Drying Conveyor dryer scaled to a throughput of 2 tonnes per hour upwards. Through-flow or stove dryers for 500kg per hour upwards. Temperatures (inlets) through zones: 104 "/ 93"/ 88°C. I35