IQF & Cold Chain

Fourteen stages, a parameter and a control point at each.

Temperatures shown are the published values; setpoints marked "typical" are ranges, not Sunshine's validated values.

Process flow

The processing line — 14 stages

1Raw-material intakeProcessing-grade Nantes carrots arrive from the cold store or field by plot lot; weighed; visual and residue-record checkIntake temperature (from 0–2 °C storage); lot IDSupplier/plot approval; residue record per lot

Processing-grade Nantes carrots arrive from the cold store or field by plot lot; weighed; visual and residue-record check

Parameter shown: Intake temperature (from 0–2 °C storage); lot ID

Control / record: Supplier/plot approval; residue record per lot

MEDIA-PROC-01Intake dock: crates or bins of processing-grade carrots with the lot tag visible3:2 · 1600×1067

2Pre-wash & destoningFlume wash with stone trap; soil removalWater change frequency; chlorine/ozone dose if used [COPY TBC]Wash-water monitoring log

Flume wash with stone trap; soil removal

Parameter shown: Water change frequency; chlorine/ozone dose if used [COPY TBC]

Control / record: Wash-water monitoring log

MEDIA-PROC-02Stainless flume with carrots moving in water3:2 · 1600×1067

3Washing, polishing & inspectionRotary washer / polisher; manual and mechanical inspectionThroughput [COPY TBC — IQF pre-wash capacity]Foreign-matter removal

Rotary washer / polisher; manual and mechanical inspection

Parameter shown: Throughput [COPY TBC — IQF pre-wash capacity]

Control / record: Foreign-matter removal

MEDIA-PROC-03Polisher drum outfeed with clean carrots3:2 · 1600×1067

4Peeling & trimmingPeel [COPY TBC — method]; top-and-tail; the foliage and trim stream leaves for feedPeel loss % (internal)—

Peel [COPY TBC — method]; top-and-tail; the foliage and trim stream leaves for feed

Parameter shown: Peel loss % (internal)

Control / record: —

MEDIA-PROC-04Peeler outfeed; the trim stream leaving in bins3:2 · 1600×1067

5Inspection beltTrained inspectors remove green shoulder, blemished roots and foreign material on a slow belt before cutting. Inspection belts; no optical sorter.Inspector count per shift; belt speedForeign-matter and defect removal record

Trained inspectors remove green shoulder, blemished roots and foreign material on a slow belt before cutting. Inspection belts; no optical sorter.

Parameter shown: Inspector count per shift; belt speed

Control / record: Foreign-matter and defect removal record

MEDIA-PROC-05Inspectors in full PPE (hairnets, coats, gloves) removing defects on the slow inspection belt3:2 · 1600×1067

6Dicing / slicingDicer set to 6.4 mm or 9.25 mm; slicer for coinsCut size and tolerance; blade change intervalBlade integrity check (glass & brittle-plastics / sharps register)

Dicer set to 6.4 mm or 9.25 mm; slicer for coins

Parameter shown: Cut size and tolerance; blade change interval

Control / record: Blade integrity check (glass & brittle-plastics / sharps register)

MEDIA-PROC-06Dicer head with cut product beside a 1 mm scale card3:2 · 1600×1067

7Steam blanching Continuous steam blancher; enzyme inactivationTemperature and dwell (typical 90–98 °C, 2–4 min for dice)Control point per the HACCP plan: peroxidase test negative per batch

Continuous steam blancher; enzyme inactivation

Parameter shown: Temperature and dwell (typical 90–98 °C, 2–4 min for dice)

Control / record: Control point per the HACCP plan: peroxidase test negative per batch

MEDIA-PROC-07Steam blancher control panel with the temperature and dwell-time read-out legible3:2 · 1600×1067

8CoolingChilled-water or air cooling immediately after blanchExit temperature (typical ≤ 10 °C)Cooling-water hygiene

Chilled-water or air cooling immediately after blanch

Parameter shown: Exit temperature (typical ≤ 10 °C)

Control / record: Cooling-water hygiene

MEDIA-PROC-08Cooler outfeed with product3:2 · 1600×1067

9De-wateringVibratory dewatering before the tunnel; surface moisture control prevents clumpingSurface-moisture check—

Vibratory dewatering before the tunnel; surface moisture control prevents clumping

Parameter shown: Surface-moisture check

Control / record: —

MEDIA-PROC-09Vibratory dewatering screen with product moving on it3:2 · 1600×1067

10Fluidised-bed IQF freezing Continuous fluidised-bed tunnel; product suspended on cold air; crust freezing then core freezing; 3 MT/hrAir temperature −30 to −40 °C; product core ≤ −18 °C at exitControl point per the HACCP plan: core temperature at tunnel exit

Continuous fluidised-bed tunnel; product suspended on cold air; crust freezing then core freezing; 3 MT/hr

Parameter shown: Air temperature −30 to −40 °C; product core ≤ −18 °C at exit

Control / record: Control point per the HACCP plan: core temperature at tunnel exit

MEDIA-HOME-02Frozen carrot dice cascading off the fluidised-bed IQF discharge belt — frost visible, pieces separate16:9 · 2400×1350

11Post-freeze inspection & metal detection Frozen inspection belt; metal detection (Fe / non-Fe / SS test pieces) before packing. Metal detection; no X-ray.Detection limits (typical Fe 1.5 mm, NFe 2.0 mm, SS 2.5 mm)Control point per the HACCP plan: hourly test-piece checks

Frozen inspection belt; metal detection (Fe / non-Fe / SS test pieces) before packing. Metal detection; no X-ray.

Parameter shown: Detection limits (typical Fe 1.5 mm, NFe 2.0 mm, SS 2.5 mm)

Control / record: Control point per the HACCP plan: hourly test-piece checks

MEDIA-PROC-11Metal detector head with the Fe / non-Fe / SS test pieces and the hourly test log3:2 · 1600×1067

12PackingBulk 10 kg / 25 kg poly-lined cartons; foodservice 4 × 2.5 kg; retail pillow packs [COPY TBC — retail bagger]; check-weigher; lot and date codingNet-weight control; coding fieldsWeight-check record; label verification

Bulk 10 kg / 25 kg poly-lined cartons; foodservice 4 × 2.5 kg; retail pillow packs [COPY TBC — retail bagger]; check-weigher; lot and date coding

Parameter shown: Net-weight control; coding fields

Control / record: Weight-check record; label verification

MEDIA-PROC-12Packing line: blue LDPE liner in carton, check-weigher display, date/lot coder3:2 · 1600×1067

13Palletising & frozen storageISPM-15 pallets, stretch-wrapped, corner boards; 3,600 MT frozen storage at −18 °C; FIFO by lot; racking [COPY TBC]Store temperature log; door-open managementContinuous temperature monitoring with alarm [COPY TBC]

ISPM-15 pallets, stretch-wrapped, corner boards; 3,600 MT frozen storage at −18 °C; FIFO by lot; racking [COPY TBC]

Parameter shown: Store temperature log; door-open management

Control / record: Continuous temperature monitoring with alarm [COPY TBC]

MEDIA-PROC-13Frozen store high-bay racking with labelled pallets and the −18 °C display in frame3:2 · 1600×1067

14Reefer dispatchContainer pre-trip inspection; stuffed at the plant dock; product core ≤ −18 °C at stuffing; dataloggers placed; sealed and photographed; hauled to ICD Dadri on a genset-equipped chassis and railed to Mundra or Nhava Sheva; own reefer fleet for domestic supplySetpoint −18 to −21 °C per buyer; vents closed; humidity control offLoading checklist; datalogger IDs on the packing list

Container pre-trip inspection; stuffed at the plant dock; product core ≤ −18 °C at stuffing; dataloggers placed; sealed and photographed; hauled to ICD Dadri on a genset-equipped chassis and railed to Mundra or Nhava Sheva; own reefer fleet for domestic supply

Parameter shown: Setpoint −18 to −21 °C per buyer; vents closed; humidity control off

Control / record: Loading checklist; datalogger IDs on the packing list

MEDIA-PROC-1440' reefer container at the plant dock: doors open, pallets loaded within the load line, a datalogger being placed3:2 · 1600×1067

Laboratory

Laboratory & testing

In-house laboratory scope: micro, peroxidase, Brix, moisture [COPY TBC — in-house scope]. External NABL-accredited laboratories for residues and heavy metals [COPY TBC]. COA per lot; retained samples for shelf life [COPY TBC].

MEDIA-QA-01Peroxidase test in the laboratory: positive and negative tubes side by side3:2

MEDIA-QA-02QA team at the laboratory bench, working3:2

Food safety

Food safety system

FSSC 22000 (ISO 22000 + ISO/TS 22002-1 prerequisite programmes + FSSC additional requirements); HACCP team; control points at blanch, freeze and metal detection as designated in the HACCP plan; allergen status: no allergens on site [COPY TBC]; food-defence and food-fraud assessments (both required by FSSC 22000 v6).

Quality & Certifications

Capacities

Capacities in numbers

3 MT/hrIQF line

9,000+ MTIQF vegetables a year

3,600 MTfrozen storage at −18 °C

20,000 MTraw-material cold storage owned, 0–2 °C, > 95 % RH (+ 15,000 MT leased)

45,000 MTcarrots a year, grown and procured

10 MT/hrwashing / polishing line

5 MT/hrexport packhouse

517contract farmers

1,250acres

~5,000-acre cluster (~100,000 MT)

MEDIA-PROC-18 VIDEO 3–4 min, chaptersPlant-tour video, 3–4 minutes, one chapter per process stage (14), from intake to reefer dispatch16:9 · 1920×1080

Plant tour

Watch the plant tour

Raw-material intake
Pre-wash & destoning
Washing, polishing & inspection
Peeling & trimming
Inspection belt
Dicing / slicing
Steam blanching
Cooling
De-watering
Fluidised-bed IQF freezing
Post-freeze inspection & metal detection
Packing
Palletising & frozen storage
Reefer dispatch

Book a plant audit

DOC-09Process flow PDF (14 stages with parameters and control points)PDF

Download the process flow (PDF) — DOC-09, to be produced

Reefer dispatch and cold-chain integrity