3 Preparation Plant Preparation plant for dehydration is very similar to that used by th canner and freezer, because up to the last stage of conser material is prepared in similar manner, other than to provide for the introduction of certain additives which are not common to either canned or frozen products This chapter defines very briefly the type of preparation plant used in a multi-product operation, the lay-out of which will have to be arranged to suit the production flow of several types of vegetable(or alternatively fruit without too much disturbance to the original positioning of the machines, when changing from one product to another The description of the various machines is accompanied by photographs and the brief outline of their function will be amplified in later chapters, which explain more concisely the processing details for a wide range of fruit, vegetables and liquid products It is stressed that some of the preparation plant described will only be required in a medium to large scale operation, because in a low budget project, full automation would be neither viable nor necessary, as such a plant may be able to be used with the simplest product cleaning facilities, peeler, cutter and some simple conveying equipment. Some old established factories in Eastern Europe, specialising in onion dehydration, have operated for years with a minimum of preparation machinery, being convinced that hand peeling of onions, for example, produces a much better product than a3 Preparation Plant Preparation plant for dehydration is very similar to that used by the canner and freezer, because up to the last stage of conservation the raw material is prepared in similar manner, other than to provide for the introduction of certain additives which are not common to either canned or frozen products. This chapter defines very briefly the type of preparation plant used in a multi-product operation, the lay-out of which will have to be arranged to suit the production flow of several types of vegetable (or alternatively fruit) without too much disturbance to the original positioning of the machines, when changing from one product to another. The description of the various machines is accompanied by photographs and the brief outline of their function will be amplified in later chapters, which explain more concisely the processing details for a wide range of fruit, vegetables and liquid products. It is stressed that some of the preparation plant described will only be required in a medium to large scale operation, because in a low budget project, full automation would be neither viable nor necessary, as such a plant may be able to be used with the simplest product cleaning facilities, a peeler, cutter and some simple conveying equipment. Some old established factories in Eastern Europe, specialising in onion dehydration, have operated for years with a minimum of preparation machinery, being convinced that hand peeling of onions, for example, produces a much better product than a 39