Fruit & Vegetable Processing
Blanching and Cooling Line
Frozen vegetable, dehydrated vegetable and canning plants that need controlled heat treatment before the next step.
Sized to product input (kg/h) at your residence time and piece thickness
01 · Fruit & Vegetable Processing — Equipment
Fruit and Vegetable Sorter
Grades fresh produce by size, weight or appearance so each grade goes to the right pack or process. Roller, weight-grading and optical designs available.
- Rating
- Sized to produce input (kg/h or pieces per minute), depending on grading method
- Versions
- Roller size grader · Weight grader · Optical sorter
- Best for
- Packing houses and processors that sell or process produce in defined size or quality grades
- Grades by size, weight or appearance depending on what your buyers pay for
- Number of outlets set to your grade plan
- Gentle transfer points can be specified for easily bruised fruit
- Can feed packing tables, cutting lines or bulk bins
Short answer: A fruit and vegetable sorter splits incoming produce into grades by size, weight or appearance so each grade can be packed, sold or processed separately. Which type fits depends on what your buyers pay for: size alone, an exact weight band, or freedom from visible defects.
How it works
Produce is spread into a single layer by an infeed conveyor or vibrating table, so pieces can be measured one at a time. In a roller grader, the gap between rollers widens along the machine; smaller pieces drop through first and larger pieces travel further before falling into their chute. A weight grader places each piece in a cup or carrier that passes over a load cell, and the cup tips at the outlet matching the weight band. An optical sorter uses cameras, and sometimes extra light sources, to measure size and colour and look for blemishes, then uses air jets or mechanical fingers to divert each piece.
Grades leave on separate belts or into bins, and the rejects go to a waste or reprocessing outlet.
Which configuration fits
| Form | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Roller size grader | Potatoes, onions, citrus, tomatoes, apples | Elongated or flat produce grades less accurately |
| Weight grader | Mangoes, apples, kiwifruit, premium packs | Lower throughput per lane than roller types |
| Optical sorter | Export fruit, defect removal, colour grading | Needs product-specific setup and trained operators |
What we need from you to quote
- Produce types, typical size range and photos of a normal and a poor batch
- Number of grades and the limits for each (mm, grams, colour or defect rules)
- Throughput measured on produce input, and hours per day
- How much bruising is tolerated and the acceptable false-reject rate
- Where each grade goes next: packing tables, crates, cutting line or bulk bins
- Power supply and layout space, including room for operators
Where it sits in a line
Sorting normally follows a fruit and vegetable washer and, for fresh packing, an air knife dewatering machine. In processing plants it sends uniform pieces to a vegetable cutting machine, fruit pitting machine or fruit and vegetable pulping line, where even sizing improves yield. Graded fresh produce can go on to a multihead weigher or packing station.
Common configurations
- Option A
Roller size grader
for round or near-round produce where size alone decides the grade, at moderate cost.
- Option B
Weight grader
for higher-value fruit sold by weight band, or produce whose shape makes size grading unreliable.
- Option C
Optical sorter
when colour, blemishes or defects must be detected as well as size, usually for export or premium packs.
What we confirm before quoting
Our engineers check these points with you, so the quotation fits your site rather than a catalogue default.
- 01Number of grades and the size or weight limits of each
- 02Fruit shape and how it sits on rollers or cups
- 03How much handling damage is acceptable
- 04Acceptable false-reject rate for optical sorting
- 05How graded produce leaves the machine: bins, belts or packing tables
Frequently asked questions
Should I grade by size or by weight?
Size grading is simpler and suits round produce such as potatoes, onions or citrus. Weight grading is more accurate for irregular shapes and for fruit sold in weight bands. Your buyer specification usually decides it.
What does an optical sorter add?
Cameras detect colour, surface defects or rot as well as size, so defective pieces can be rejected automatically. It costs more and needs setting up for each product, so it pays back mainly where defect sorting would otherwise take many workers.
Can the sorter be used for more than one fruit?
Yes, within limits. Roller gaps and cup sizes are adjustable or changeable, and optical settings can be stored per product. Very different shapes, such as cherries and melons, normally need different machines.
Get a quote for the Fruit and Vegetable Sorter
Tell us your raw material, finished product and target output. Our engineers reply with a matched configuration and quotation.
What to send with your inquiry
- 1Raw material and its condition
- 2Finished product and packaging
- 3Target output — raw input or finished product
- 4Site photos, power supply, utilities
Email sales@hnfoda.com
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