IQF & Cold Chain

Fourteen stages, a parameter and a control at each.

Temperatures and times are the ranges in our HACCP plan; the shields mark metal detection (CCP-01) and the three OPRPs: blanching, IQF freezing and cold storage.

Process flow

The processing line — 14 stages

1Receipt & inspectionPeeled carrot and potato (peeled at our packhouse, before the IQF line), peas in the pod, corn on the cob or cauliflower heads are received with the packing material; quality inspection accepts the lot or sends it back; accepted lots move to pallets and raw-material storageQuality inspection per lot; lot IDAccept or send back; raw-material storage by lot

Peeled carrot and potato (peeled at our packhouse, before the IQF line), peas in the pod, corn on the cob or cauliflower heads are received with the packing material; quality inspection accepts the lot or sends it back; accepted lots move to pallets and raw-material storage

Parameter shown: Quality inspection per lot; lot ID

Control / record: Accept or send back; raw-material storage by lot

MEDIA-PROC-01Receipt: crates of peeled carrot (or peas in the pod, corn on the cob) with the lot tag visible, QA inspecting3:2 · 1600×1067

2Cutting / depoddingFed by elevator to the cutter: dicer set to 6.4 mm or 9.25 mm, slicer for coins; peas are depodded (two recovery drums reclaim grains, the rest goes to cattle feed), corn kernels are cut from the cob, cauliflower is cut by hand into 20–50 mm floretsCut size and tolerance; blade change intervalBlade integrity check (glass & brittle-plastics / sharps register)

Fed by elevator to the cutter: dicer set to 6.4 mm or 9.25 mm, slicer for coins; peas are depodded (two recovery drums reclaim grains, the rest goes to cattle feed), corn kernels are cut from the cob, cauliflower is cut by hand into 20–50 mm florets

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

3Air cleaningAir cleaning removes light foreign matter from the cut product (not used for peas; cauliflower goes from cutting straight to the bubble washer)Visual check at the outfeedForeign-matter removal

Air cleaning removes light foreign matter from the cut product (not used for peas; cauliflower goes from cutting straight to the bubble washer)

Parameter shown: Visual check at the outfeed

Control / record: Foreign-matter removal

MEDIA-PROC-03Air-cleaning unit with cut product; light foreign matter leaving3:2 · 1600×1067

4Inspection beltTrained inspectors remove defects and foreign material on a slow belt fitted with a magnet rod. Inspection belts; no optical sorter.Inspector count per shift; belt speedForeign-matter and defect removal record; magnet check

Trained inspectors remove defects and foreign material on a slow belt fitted with a magnet rod. Inspection belts; no optical sorter.

Parameter shown: Inspector count per shift; belt speed

Control / record: Foreign-matter and defect removal record; magnet check

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

5ScreeningVibrating screen mesh removes fines and undersize; an elevator with a second magnet rod feeds the balancing tankScreen mesh conditionSolid-waste removal; magnet check

Vibrating screen mesh removes fines and undersize; an elevator with a second magnet rod feeds the balancing tank

Parameter shown: Screen mesh condition

Control / record: Solid-waste removal; magnet check

MEDIA-PROC-04Vibrating screen mesh with product; fines leaving, the elevator with its magnet rod beyond3:2 · 1600×1067

6WashingSurface washing, then a bubble washer with chlorine dosing; the wash water is discharged to the effluent treatment plantChlorine 150 ppm in the bubble washerWash-water chlorine record

Surface washing, then a bubble washer with chlorine dosing; the wash water is discharged to the effluent treatment plant

Parameter shown: Chlorine 150 ppm in the bubble washer

Control / record: Wash-water chlorine record

MEDIA-PROC-02Bubble washer with product moving in chlorinated water3:2 · 1600×1067

7Steam blanching Continuous steam blancher; enzyme inactivationTemperature and dwell: 85–95 °C for 2–5 minOPRP-01 in the HACCP plan: blanch temperature and time; peroxidase test negative per batch

Continuous steam blancher; enzyme inactivation

Parameter shown: Temperature and dwell: 85–95 °C for 2–5 min

Control / record: OPRP-01 in the HACCP plan: blanch temperature and time; peroxidase test negative per batch

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

8Cooling & de-wateringChilled-water cooling straight after the blancher, then a vibratory shaker removes surface water so the product does not clump in the tunnelChilled water 5–10 °C with 50 ppm chlorineCooling-water temperature and chlorine record

Chilled-water cooling straight after the blancher, then a vibratory shaker removes surface water so the product does not clump in the tunnel

Parameter shown: Chilled water 5–10 °C with 50 ppm chlorine

Control / record: Cooling-water temperature and chlorine record

MEDIA-PROC-08Chilled-water cooler outfeed onto the vibratory de-watering shaker3:2 · 1600×1067

9QA inspection beltVisual and QA inspection belt after cooling, with a magnet rodDefects against the product specificationQA inspection record; magnet check

Visual and QA inspection belt after cooling, with a magnet rod

Parameter shown: Defects against the product specification

Control / record: QA inspection record; magnet check

MEDIA-PROC-09QA inspection belt after cooling, with the magnet rod3:2 · 1600×1067

10Fluidised-bed IQF freezing Even feeding into the continuous fluidised-bed tunnel; product suspended on cold air; 3 MT/hr; a magnet on the outlet hopper; product is passed through the tunnel again if the temperature variesTunnel −20 to −35 °C for 3–15 minOPRP-02 in the HACCP plan: tunnel temperature and residence time

Even feeding into the continuous fluidised-bed tunnel; product suspended on cold air; 3 MT/hr; a magnet on the outlet hopper; product is passed through the tunnel again if the temperature varies

Parameter shown: Tunnel −20 to −35 °C for 3–15 min

Control / record: OPRP-02 in the HACCP plan: tunnel temperature and residence time

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

11Metal detection Packaging inspection belt with a magnet rod, then the metal separator before packing; rejects are diverted. Metal detection; no X-ray.Sensitivity: Fe 1.0 mm, non-Fe 1.2 mm, stainless 1.8 mmCCP-01 in the HACCP plan: test-piece checks; rejected product segregated

Packaging inspection belt with a magnet rod, then the metal separator before packing; rejects are diverted. Metal detection; no X-ray.

Parameter shown: Sensitivity: Fe 1.0 mm, non-Fe 1.2 mm, stainless 1.8 mm

Control / record: CCP-01 in the HACCP plan: test-piece checks; rejected product segregated

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

12PackingWeighing and bulk packing into the ordered format; labelling and stitching; lot and date codingNet-weight control; coding fieldsWeight-check record; label verification

Weighing and bulk packing into the ordered format; labelling and stitching; lot and date coding

Parameter shown: Net-weight control; coding fields

Control / record: Weight-check record; label verification

MEDIA-PROC-12Packing: weighing, bulk packing, labelling and stitching; lot and date coding3:2 · 1600×1067

13Frozen storage ISPM-15 pallets, stretch-wrapped, corner boards; 3,600 MT frozen storage at −18 °C or below; FIFO by lot; racking [COPY TBC]Cold store at −18 °C or belowOPRP-03 in the HACCP plan: cold-store temperature record

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

Parameter shown: Cold store at −18 °C or below

Control / record: OPRP-03 in the HACCP plan: cold-store temperature record

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 at −18 °C at dispatch; 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 at −18 °C at dispatch; 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; HACCP plan with one CCP (metal detection) and OPRPs at blanching, IQF freezing and cold storage; 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

Receipt & inspection
Cutting / depodding
Air cleaning
Inspection belt
Screening
Washing
Steam blanching
Cooling & de-watering
QA inspection belt
Fluidised-bed IQF freezing
Metal detection
Packing
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