Preparation technology of dried ficus tikoua fruits

Abstract

The invention discloses a preparation technology of dried ficus tikoua fruits, and belongs to the technical field of leisure food processing. The method takes ficus tikoua fruits as raw materials, and sequentially comprises the steps of raw material screening and cleaning, pedicel removal, grading, color protection treatment, slicing, drying treatment, cooling and softening treatment, selection and grading, bagging and warehouse-out and the like. Through a specific technology, the problems that ficus tikoua fruits are thin in peel, juicy, high in seasonality, prone to rot and deterioration and the like are solved, and the storage property and the commodity value of the ficus tikoua fruits are remarkably improved. The prepared dried ficus tikoua fruits are amber or reddish brown, soft and tough in pulp, unique in faint scent of ficus tikoua fruits, sour, sweet and palatable in taste and unique in flavor, the nutritional value and traditional flavor of ficus tikoua fruits are reserved, the method better meets the requirements of populations after 80 and 90 for healthy and old leisure food, and the good market prospect and popularization value are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of snack food processing technology, specifically to a method for preparing dried fruit with a nostalgic flavor and health benefits using ground fruit as raw material through a specific process, which is particularly suitable for the snack food market. Background Technology

[0002] Ground pine, also known as ground pomegranate, ground loquat, and ground melon vine, is a creeping woody vine belonging to the genus Ficus of the Moraceae family. Its ripe fruit is reddish-brown, has a unique aroma, and is rich in sugars, organic acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive components such as flavonoids and polysaccharides, giving it high nutritional and health value. In rural life during the 1980s and 90s, ground pine was a delicious childhood memory for many; its naturally sweet taste and the joy of picking it in the wild became a shared recollection for a generation.

[0003] However, the thin-skinned, juicy, and highly seasonal fruit is extremely perishable, making it difficult to preserve for long periods and transport over long distances, resulting in low commercialization and inefficient resource utilization. With the accelerating pace of modern life and increased health awareness, the demand for snack foods that combine health benefits with nostalgic appeal is growing among consumers born in the 1980s and 1990s. Therefore, developing a dried fruit product that preserves the traditional flavor of the dried fruit, extends its shelf life, and facilitates distribution is not only technologically significant but also possesses both emotional and market value.

[0004] Currently, fruit drying technology is widely used for major fruits such as grapes, apples, and figs, but research on specialty varieties like groundnuts remains lacking. Existing processing methods mostly rely on sulfur fumigation for color preservation, posing a risk of sulfur dioxide residue, which does not align with modern health-conscious consumption trends.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a green, safe, and efficient process for preparing dried ground fruit, to meet the market demand for healthy and nostalgic snack foods, and to enhance the economic added value of ground fruit resources. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the existing defects and provide a preparation process for dried ground fruit, which solves the problem of the ground fruit being easy to perish and difficult to store, while preserving its natural flavor and nutritional components, and creating a nostalgic flavored snack food that meets the emotional memories and health needs of the post-80s and post-90s generations.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a process for preparing dried fruit, comprising the following steps: S1. Fruit selection: Select fresh ground fruit that is free from rot, pests and diseases, and mechanical damage, and has a medium size and thick flesh.

[0008] S2. Washing: Use running water or an air purifier to wash away the dirt and impurities on the surface of the fruit.

[0009] S3. Remove stem: Remove the stem from the fruit manually or mechanically.

[0010] S4. Grading: The fruits are graded and sorted according to size and maturity.

[0011] S5. Color protection: After picking out the fruits that have reached 80% maturity, immediately immerse them in the color protection solution, ensuring the fruits are completely submerged, and keep them at 40-45℃ for 10-15 minutes for color protection treatment; the color protection solution is a compound aqueous solution of 0.5%-1.0% edible citric acid, 0.2%-0.5% L-cysteine ​​hydrochloride and 0.1%-0.3% calcium chloride.

[0012] S6. Slicing: Cut the fruit in half lengthwise; S7. Drying treatment: Place the sliced ​​ground fruit evenly into the drying equipment with the cut side facing up, and dry at 50-60℃ for 4-5 hours; raise the temperature to 65-70℃ and dry for another 4-5 hours, then lower the temperature to 50-60℃ and dry for 3-4 hours. In this step, the temperature should be low first, then high and then low again to prevent the surface of the ground fruit from forming a crust.

[0013] S8. Cooling and softening treatment: Place the fruit treated in S7 into a sealed container or space and let it stand for 1-3 days to soften, allowing moisture to diffuse from the inside to the surface to achieve internal and external moisture balance. Take it out when the moisture content is 18-24%.

[0014] S9. Sorting and grading: Remove defective and damaged products, and grade them according to size, color and quality.

[0015] S10. Packaging and shipping: Vacuum-pack or nitrogen-filled packaging is used to pack the fruits in S9 to prevent moisture absorption and oxidation. Then, they are packed into cartons and stored in a cool, dry, and ventilated environment.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. The dried ground fruit produced according to the above process is amber or reddish-brown in color, with soft and chewy flesh, a unique aroma of ground fruit, a sweet and sour taste, and a natural and nostalgic flavor. It is suitable for direct consumption as a snack or for use in baking and as a snack.

[0017] 2. Green and safe: The product uses a composite color-protecting agent of citric acid, L-cysteine ​​and Ca²⁺ to replace traditional sulfur fumigation, which completely eliminates SO2 residue and makes the product safer.

[0018] 3. Deep processing extends the shelf life of ground fruit, enhances its commercial value and economic worth, and reduces resource waste; dried ground fruit retains the traditional flavor and taste of ground fruit, awakens the childhood memories of the post-80s and post-90s generations, and has emotional consumption attributes; at the same time, the product meets the needs of modern consumers for natural, healthy and nostalgic snacks, and has great potential for promotion. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Example

[0020] S1. Fruit selection: Select fresh ground fruit that is free from rot, pests and diseases, and mechanical damage, and has a medium size and thick flesh.

[0021] S2. Washing: Use running water or an air purifier to wash away the dirt and impurities on the surface of the fruit.

[0022] S3. Remove stem: Remove the stem from the fruit manually or mechanically.

[0023] S4. Grading: The fruits are graded and sorted according to size and maturity.

[0024] S5. Color protection: After picking out the fruits that have reached 80% maturity, immediately immerse them in the color protection solution, ensuring the fruits are completely submerged, and keep them at 40℃ for 15 minutes for color protection treatment; the color protection solution is a compound aqueous solution of 0.5% edible citric acid, 0.5% L-cysteine ​​hydrochloride and 0.1% calcium chloride.

[0025] S6. Slicing: Cut the fruit in half lengthwise; S7. Drying treatment: Place the sliced ​​ground fruit evenly into the drying equipment with the cut side facing up, dry at 50℃ for 5 hours; raise the temperature to 70℃ and dry for another 4 hours, then lower the temperature to 50℃ and dry for another 3 hours. In this step, the temperature should be low first, then high and then low again to prevent the surface of the ground fruit from forming a crust.

[0026] S8. Cooling and softening treatment: Place the fruit treated in S7 into a sealed container or space and let it stand for 1 day to soften, allowing moisture to diffuse from the inside to the surface to achieve internal and external moisture balance. Take it out when the moisture content is 18%.

[0027] S9. Sorting and grading: Remove defective and damaged products, and grade them according to size, color and quality.

[0028] S10. Packaging and shipping: Vacuum-pack or nitrogen-filled packaging is used to pack the fruits in S9 to prevent moisture absorption and oxidation. Then, they are packed into cartons and stored in a cool, dry, and ventilated environment. Example

[0029] S1. Fruit selection: Select fresh ground fruit that is free from rot, pests and diseases, and mechanical damage, and has a medium size and thick flesh.

[0030] S2. Washing: Use running water or an air purifier to wash away the dirt and impurities on the surface of the fruit.

[0031] S3. Remove stem: Remove the stem from the fruit manually or mechanically.

[0032] S4. Grading: The fruits are graded and sorted according to size and maturity.

[0033] S5. Color protection: After picking out the fruits that have reached 80% maturity, immediately immerse them in the color protection solution, ensuring the fruits are completely submerged, and keep them at 45℃ for 10 minutes for color protection treatment; the color protection solution is a compound aqueous solution of 1.0% edible citric acid, 0.2% L-cysteine ​​hydrochloride and 0.3% calcium chloride.

[0034] S6. Slicing: Cut the fruit in half lengthwise; S7. Drying treatment: Place the sliced ​​ground fruit evenly into the drying equipment with the cut side facing up, dry at 60℃ for 5 hours; raise the temperature to 65℃ and dry for another 5 hours, then lower the temperature to 60℃ and dry for 3 hours. In this step, the temperature should be low first, then high and then lowered again to prevent the surface of the ground fruit from forming a crust.

[0035] S8. Cooling and softening treatment: Place the fruit treated in S7 into a sealed container or space and let it stand for 1-3 days to soften, allowing moisture to diffuse from the inside to the surface to achieve internal and external moisture balance. Take it out when the moisture content is 24%.

[0036] S9. Sorting and grading: Remove defective and damaged products, and grade them according to size, color and quality.

[0037] S10. Packaging and shipping: Vacuum-pack or nitrogen-filled packaging is used to pack the fruits in S9 to prevent moisture absorption and oxidation. Then, they are packed into cartons and stored in a cool, dry, and ventilated environment. Example

[0038] S1. Fruit selection: Select fresh ground fruit that is free from rot, pests and diseases, and mechanical damage, and has a medium size and thick flesh.

[0039] S2. Washing: Use running water or an air purifier to wash away the dirt and impurities on the surface of the fruit.

[0040] S3. Remove stem: Remove the stem from the fruit manually or mechanically.

[0041] S4. Grading: The fruits are graded and sorted according to size and maturity.

[0042] S5. Color protection: After picking out the fruits that have reached 80% maturity, immediately immerse them in the color protection solution, ensuring the fruits are completely submerged, and keep them at 43℃ for 13 minutes for color protection treatment; the color protection solution is a compound aqueous solution of 0.8% edible citric acid, 0.4% L-cysteine ​​hydrochloride and 0.2% calcium chloride.

[0043] S6. Slicing: Cut the fruit in half lengthwise; S7. Drying treatment: Place the sliced ​​ground fruit evenly into the drying equipment with the cut side facing up, dry at 55℃ for 5 hours; raise the temperature to 70℃ and dry for another 4 hours, then lower the temperature to 55℃ and dry for another 4 hours. In this step, the temperature should be low first, then high and then low again to prevent the surface of the ground fruit from forming a crust.

[0044] S8. Cooling and softening treatment: Place the fruit treated in S7 into a sealed container or space and let it stand for 2 days to soften, allowing moisture to diffuse from the inside to the surface to achieve internal and external moisture balance. Take it out when the moisture content is 22%.

[0045] S9. Sorting and grading: Remove defective and damaged products, and grade them according to size, color and quality.

[0046] S10. Packaging and shipping: Vacuum-pack or nitrogen-filled packaging is used to pack the fruits in S9 to prevent moisture absorption and oxidation. Then, they are packed into cartons and stored in a cool, dry, and ventilated environment.

[0047] The dried fruit obtained by this invention is amber or reddish-brown in color, with soft and chewy flesh, a unique aroma, a sweet and sour taste, and a unique flavor.

[0048] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the present invention specification, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A process for preparing dried fruit, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Selecting Fruits: Select fresh ground fruit; S2. Cleaning: Remove surface dirt and impurities; S3. Remove stem: Remove the fruit stalk; S4. Grading: Grading and screening according to size and maturity; S5. Color protection treatment: The fruit is completely immersed in the color protection solution for color protection treatment; S6. Slicing: Cut the fruit in half lengthwise. S7. Drying treatment: Dry the fruit of the ground fruit in sections under controlled temperature; S8. Cooling and softening treatment: Seal the dried fruit and let it stand for 1-3 days to allow the moisture content to balance. S9. Sorting and grading: Remove defective products and grade them according to size, color and quality; S10. Packaging and Outbound: Store after being packaged in moisture-proof and oxidation-proof packaging.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, select fresh ground fruit that is free from rot, pests and diseases, and mechanical damage, and has a medium fruit size and thick flesh, with a maturity of 80% or more.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, the plant is cleaned using flowing water or an air purifier, and in step S3, the stem is removed manually or mechanically.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S5, the fruit of the ground fruit is completely immersed in the color-protecting solution and kept at 40-45℃ for 10-15 minutes for color protection treatment; the color-protecting solution is a compound aqueous solution of 0.5%-1.0% edible citric acid, 0.2%-0.5% L-cysteine ​​hydrochloride and 0.1%-0.3% calcium chloride.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S7, the drying temperature range is 50-70℃, and a temperature control strategy of first low, then high, and then low is adopted, with a total time of 18-24 hours.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Step S7 specifically includes: evenly placing the sliced ​​ground fruit into the drying equipment with the cut side facing up, drying at 50-60℃ for 4-5 hours; raising the temperature to 65-70℃ and drying for 4-5 hours, then lowering the temperature to 50-60℃ and drying for 3-4 hours.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S8, the final moisture content after softening is controlled at 18-24%.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S10, the packaging is carried out using vacuum or nitrogen filling.

9. A type of dried fruit, characterized in that, Prepared by any one of claims 1 to 8, it is amber or reddish-brown in color, with soft and chewy flesh, a unique aroma of ground fruit, a sweet and sour taste, and a unique flavor.