Pickled vegetable pretreatment system and preparation method

Abstract

The application relates to a pickling cabbage pretreatment system and a preparation method. The pretreatment system comprises a root cutting machine, the root cutting machine comprises a rack, a first conveying mechanism, a second conveying mechanism, a transverse cutting mechanism and a longitudinal cutting mechanism are arranged on the rack, the first conveying mechanism is used for receiving vegetables; the second conveying mechanism is used for receiving the vegetables taken from the first conveying mechanism and sequentially conveying the vegetables to below the transverse cutting mechanism and the longitudinal cutting mechanism; the transverse cutting mechanism is arranged above the second conveying mechanism and is used for cutting off the roots of the vegetables; the longitudinal cutting mechanism is arranged above the second conveying mechanism and is located downstream of the transverse cutting mechanism, and the longitudinal cutting mechanism is used for cutting the vegetable stems along the longitudinal direction after the roots are cut off. The processing system can completely cut off the roots of the mustard including root hairs, old skin and dirt hiding parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to sauerkraut preparation technology, specifically to a sauerkraut pretreatment system and preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Sauerkraut, a traditional fermented vegetable product, uses mustard greens as its raw material. Mustard greens have special structural characteristics: the leaves are tightly layered, and the green heads are particularly prone to being covered with mud, sand, microorganisms and insect eggs during the growth process. These are difficult to reach by manual or conventional washing, making them the main source of contamination by miscellaneous bacteria and quality changes during the fermentation process.

[0003] Currently, the pre-processing stage in the sauerkraut production industry still heavily relies on manual labor. Workers typically use knives to manually remove the tops and tough parts of the roots and trim the leaf axils. This method is not only labor-intensive and inefficient, but also lacks consistency, easily resulting in problems such as removing the top too shallowly, leaving impurities, or removing it too deeply, causing excessive raw material loss. Furthermore, manual trimming cannot guarantee the thorough removal of hidden dirt, leading to a high rate of foreign matter residue before the raw materials are placed in the fermentation jars, thus affecting the stability of the subsequent fermentation process and the food safety of the final product. Existing cleaning equipment is mostly general-purpose, lacking specialized decapsulation devices tailored to the structural characteristics of mustard greens, resulting in a generally high rate of foreign matter in the raw materials before cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the above-mentioned defects, this application provides a sauerkraut pretreatment system that can thoroughly remove the roots of mustard greens, including root hairs, old skin and dirt-laden parts, thereby significantly improving the cleanliness of sauerkraut raw materials and reducing the amount of water used for subsequent washing.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this application to solve its technical problem is:

[0006] A sauerkraut pre-processing system includes a root-cutting machine. The root-cutting machine includes a frame on which a first conveying mechanism, a second conveying mechanism, a transverse cutting mechanism, and a longitudinal cutting mechanism are mounted. The first conveying mechanism is used to receive vegetables. The second conveying mechanism is used to receive vegetables taken from the first conveying mechanism and to sequentially convey the vegetables to the area below the transverse cutting mechanism and the longitudinal cutting mechanism. The transverse cutting mechanism is located above the second conveying mechanism and is used to cut off the roots of the vegetables. The longitudinal cutting mechanism is located above the second conveying mechanism and downstream of the transverse cutting mechanism, and is used to cut the vegetable pieces after the roots have been removed longitudinally.

[0007] Optionally, the first conveying mechanism includes a first conveyor belt and a first conveyor motor, the first conveyor motor being used to drive the first conveyor belt to transmit. The second conveying mechanism includes a second conveyor belt and a second conveyor motor, the second conveyor motor being used to drive the second conveyor belt to transmit. A plurality of spaced-apart partitions are fixedly provided on the second conveyor belt.

[0008] Optionally, the transverse cutting mechanism includes a rotary motor, a belt, and a first cutter. The rotary motor is fixedly mounted on the frame, and the first cutter is rotatably mounted on the frame. The rotary motor is connected to the first cutter via the belt and drives the first cutter to rotate to cut off the root of the vegetable.

[0009] Optionally, the longitudinal cutting mechanism includes a drive cylinder and a second cutter. The drive cylinder is fixedly mounted on the frame, and the second cutter is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the drive cylinder. The drive cylinder can drive the second cutter to move up and down. A support plate is fixedly mounted on the frame, and the drive cylinder is fixedly mounted on the support plate. A guide post is fixedly connected to the second cutter, and the guide post is movably inserted through the support plate.

[0010] Optionally, a blocking mechanism is fixedly installed on the frame, the blocking mechanism being located above the first conveying mechanism. The blocking mechanism includes a mounting frame and a baffle. The mounting frame is fixedly installed on the frame, and the baffle is height-adjustably connected to the mounting frame via locking bolts.

[0011] Optionally, a clamping mechanism is fixedly installed on the frame, the clamping mechanism being located above the second conveying mechanism. The clamping mechanism includes a fixed plate, a pressure plate, and an adjusting mechanism. The fixed plate is fixedly installed on the frame, and the pressure plate is height-adjustably connected to the fixed plate through the adjusting mechanism.

[0012] Optionally, the sauerkraut pretreatment system further includes a cabbage blank conveying unit and a cabbage root conveying unit. An outlet plate is fixedly provided on the frame. The outlet plate guides the cabbage roots cut off by the transverse cutting mechanism into the cabbage root conveying unit. The cabbage root conveying unit conveys the cabbage roots to the cabbage root collection unit. The cabbage blank conveying unit is used to receive the cabbage blanks conveyed by the second conveying mechanism and convey the cabbage blanks to the washing tank.

[0013] A method for preparing sauerkraut, using the aforementioned sauerkraut pretreatment system, includes the following steps:

[0014] Raw material pretreatment: The vegetables are transported to the root cutting machine, which cuts off the roots of the vegetables to obtain vegetable blanks. The cut-off roots are transported to the collection unit through the vegetable root conveying unit, and the vegetable blanks are transported to the washing tank through the vegetable blank conveying unit for washing.

[0015] Natural fermentation: The cleaned vegetable pieces are transported to a fermentation tank, pickled in brine and sealed for natural fermentation;

[0016] Targeted fermentation: After the naturally fermented vegetable pieces are cut and washed, they are placed into a fermentation jar, and a compound probiotic preparation is added to continue fermentation to obtain sauerkraut.

[0017] Post-processing and packaging: The pickled cabbage is removed, washed, cut, and then vacuum-packed in bags to obtain the finished product.

[0018] Optionally, the raw material pretreatment process includes the following steps:

[0019] Vegetable placement: The vegetables on the first conveyor are placed on the second conveyor in a specific direction, and the second conveyor transports the vegetables to the root cutting area;

[0020] Root cutting: The transverse cutting mechanism cuts off the roots of the vegetables to obtain vegetable blanks. The cut-off roots are introduced into the vegetable root conveying unit through the guide plate, and the vegetable root conveying unit conveys the vegetable roots to the collection unit.

[0021] Cutting: The second conveying mechanism transports the vegetable blanks to the cutting area, the longitudinal cutting mechanism cuts the vegetable blanks longitudinally, the second conveying mechanism continues to operate, and transports the vegetable blanks to the vegetable blank conveying unit, the vegetable blank conveying unit transports the vegetable blanks to the washing tank for washing.

[0022] Optionally, during natural fermentation, the brine concentration is 10% to 20%, and the fermentation time is at least three months.

[0023] During the directional fermentation process, the fermentation time is 7-15 days. The compound probiotic preparation includes at least two of Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The fermentation temperature is 10-30℃, and the total live bacteria count in the compound probiotic preparation is not less than 1×10⁻⁶. 8 CFU / g;

[0024] In the post-processing and packaging process, after the sauerkraut is cut, auxiliary materials are added and stirred evenly. After pasteurization, it is vacuum packaged. The auxiliary materials include at least one of spices, edible salt and white sugar.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: The root-cutting machine in this application is specifically designed according to the characteristics of mustard greens. By setting up independent first and second conveying mechanisms and adopting the operation mode of picking up and placing from the first conveying mechanism to the second conveying mechanism, the mustard greens can be manually or automatically oriented during the material transfer process to ensure that the root of each mustard green is facing the same direction and in an accurate position. Therefore, the transverse cutting mechanism can completely remove the root of the mustard greens, including the root hairs, old skin and dirt-hidden parts. After the root-removing treatment, the foreign matter rate such as mud and sand and debris in the mustard greens before entering the washing process is reduced by 40-60% compared with the traditional manual treatment method. This significantly improves the cleanliness of the sauerkraut raw materials, reduces the amount of water used for subsequent washing, and reduces the washing burden. At the same time, it ensures food safety from the source and reduces the risk of contamination. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the root cutting machine in this application;

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a side view of the root cutting machine in this application;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a front view of the root cutting machine in this application;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a top view of the root cutting machine in this application;

[0032] In the diagram: 100-Root cutting machine, 110-Frame, 111-Exit plate, 112-Cast, 120-First conveyor mechanism, 121-First conveyor belt, 122-First conveyor motor, 130-Second conveyor mechanism, 131-Second conveyor belt, 132-Second conveyor motor, 133-Partition plate, 140-Transverse cutting mechanism, 141-Rotary motor, 142-Belt, 143-First cutter, 150-Vertical cutting mechanism, 151-Drive cylinder, 152-Second cutter, 153-Bearing plate, 154-Guide post, 160-Blocking mechanism, 161-Mounting bracket, 162-Baffle, 163-Locking bolt, 164-Strip groove, 170-Pressure mechanism, 171-Fixing plate, 172-Pressure plate, 173-Screw, 174-Nut, 175-Spring. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described in this application are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such uses of the terms can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0035] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0036] like Figure 1-6As shown, a sauerkraut pre-processing system includes a root-cutting machine 100. The root-cutting machine 100 includes a frame 110, on which a first conveying mechanism 120, a second conveying mechanism 130, a transverse cutting mechanism 140, and a longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 are mounted. The first conveying mechanism 120 is used to receive vegetables; optionally, the vegetables are mustard greens. The second conveying mechanism 130 is used to receive vegetables taken from the first conveying mechanism 120 and to sequentially convey the vegetables to the area below the transverse cutting mechanism 140 and the longitudinal cutting mechanism 150. The transverse cutting mechanism 140 is located above the second conveying mechanism 130 and is used to cut off the roots of the vegetables. The longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 is located above the second conveying mechanism 130 and downstream of the transverse cutting mechanism 140, that is, the transverse cutting mechanism 140 and the longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 are sequentially arranged along the conveying direction of the second conveying mechanism 130. The longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 is used to cut the vegetable pieces after the roots have been cut off longitudinally.

[0037] In this application, the first conveying mechanism 120 is used to store the unloaded vegetables, i.e., mustard greens. After the operator takes the vegetables from the first conveying mechanism 120, he places the vegetables on the second conveying mechanism 130, so that the roots of the vegetables face outward and are located below the transverse cutting mechanism 140, so that the transverse cutting mechanism 140 can cut them. When the second conveying mechanism 130 conveys the vegetables to the area below the transverse cutting mechanism 140, the transverse cutting mechanism 140 moves down and cuts off the roots of the vegetables to obtain vegetable blanks. The second conveying mechanism 130 continues to convey the vegetable blanks to the area below the longitudinal cutting mechanism 150. The longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 moves down and cuts the vegetable blanks along the longitudinal direction, i.e., the length direction.

[0038] The root-cutting machine 100 in this application is specifically designed based on the characteristics of mustard greens. By setting up independent first conveying mechanism 120 and second conveying mechanism 130, and adopting the operation mode of picking up and placing from the first conveying mechanism 120 to the second conveying mechanism 130, the mustard greens can be manually or automatically oriented during the material transfer process to ensure that the roots of each mustard green are facing the same direction and in the correct position. Therefore, the transverse cutting mechanism 140 can thoroughly remove the roots of the mustard greens, including root hairs, old skin and dirt-hidden parts. After the root-removal treatment, the foreign matter rate such as mud and sand and debris in the mustard greens before entering the washing process is reduced by 40-60% compared with the traditional manual treatment method, thereby significantly improving the cleanliness of the pickled vegetable raw materials, reducing the amount of water used for subsequent washing, reducing the washing burden, and ensuring food safety from the source and reducing the risk of contamination.

[0039] like Figure 1-2As shown, the first conveying mechanism 120 includes a first conveyor belt 121 and a first conveyor motor 122. The first conveyor motor 122 drives the first conveyor belt 121 for transmission. The second conveying mechanism 130 includes a second conveyor belt 131 and a second conveyor motor 132. The second conveyor motor 132 drives the second conveyor belt 131 for transmission. Multiple spaced-apart partitions 133 are fixedly arranged on the second conveyor belt 131. In one possible embodiment, the frame 110 is provided with two sets of second conveying mechanisms 130. The first conveying mechanism 120 is located between the two sets of second conveying mechanisms 130. A transverse cutting mechanism 140 is located on one side of the second conveyor belt 131, and a longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 is located directly above the second conveyor belt 131. The first conveyor belt 121 serves as a storage area for vegetables. Operators take vegetables from the first conveyor belt 131 and place them in a preset direction between two adjacent partitions 133 on the second conveyor belt 131. The partitions 133 prevent the vegetables from changing position during transmission. Optionally, casters 112, i.e. swivel casters, are installed at the bottom of the frame 110 to facilitate the movement of the root cutting machine 100.

[0040] The root cutting machine 100 has a three-channel structure. The first conveyor belt 121 is the middle channel, which is a buffer storage area for mustard greens. The two channels on the left and right are the second conveyor belts 131, which are the work areas for arranging vegetables and cutting roots. Each channel has 4 workstations, and a total of 8 people can work together. The conveyor belts are controlled by stepper motors. The modular and movable design improves production flexibility, making production both safe and efficient.

[0041] like Figure 2 As shown, the transverse cutting mechanism 140 includes a rotary motor 141, a belt 142, and a first cutter 143. The rotary motor 141 is fixedly mounted on the frame 110, and the first cutter 143 is rotatably mounted on the frame 110. The rotary motor 141 is connected to the first cutter 143 via the belt 142 and drives the first cutter 143 to rotate to cut off the roots of the vegetables. Optionally, the first cutter 143 has a disc-shaped structure. When the vegetables are conveyed to the first cutter 143, the rotating first cutter 143 cuts off the roots of the vegetables. By driving the first cutter 143 to rotate via the belt 142 and the rotary motor 141, the roots of mustard greens can be continuously and smoothly rotated and cut, adapting to the irregular shape of the roots and achieving neat and thorough root removal. At the same time, the belt drive has the advantages of buffer protection and convenient maintenance, effectively improving the root cutting quality and equipment reliability.

[0042] like Figure 2As shown, the longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 includes a drive cylinder 151 and a second cutter 152. The drive cylinder 151 is fixedly mounted on the frame 110, and the second cutter 152 is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the drive cylinder 151. The drive cylinder 151 can drive the second cutter 152 to move up and down. A support plate 153 is fixedly mounted on the frame 110, and the drive cylinder 151 is fixedly mounted on the support plate 153. A guide post 154 is fixedly connected to the second cutter 152, and the guide post 154 is movably inserted through the support plate 153. Optionally, the second cutter 152 has a square sheet-like structure. The second cutter 152 is driven up and down by the drive cylinder 151, and guided by the cooperation of the guide post 154 and the support plate 153. This enables the rapid, accurate and stable longitudinal cutting of the vegetable blank, ensuring neat cuts and accurate positioning. At the same time, the structure is simple and easy to maintain. Working in conjunction with the transverse cutting mechanism 140, it significantly improves the production efficiency and cutting quality of sauerkraut pretreatment.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, a blocking mechanism 160 is fixedly installed on the frame 110. The blocking mechanism 160 is located above the first conveying mechanism 120. The blocking mechanism 160 includes a mounting frame 161 and a baffle 162. The mounting frame 161 is fixedly installed on the frame 110, and the baffle 162 is height-adjustably connected to the mounting frame 161 by a locking bolt 163. The baffle 162 has a strip groove 164 along its height direction. The mounting frame 161 has a threaded hole. The locking bolt 163 passes through the strip groove 164 and is locked in the threaded hole to fix the baffle 162 to the mounting frame 161. By locking the locking bolt 163 to different positions on the strip groove 164 of the baffle 162, the distance between the baffle 162 and the first conveyor belt 121 can be adjusted. Thus, when vegetables are caught between the baffle 162 and the first conveyor belt 121, the position of the baffle 162 can be adjusted to facilitate the removal of the vegetables. By setting an adjustable blocking mechanism 160 above the end of the first conveying mechanism 120, vegetables can be effectively blocked to prevent them from falling and reduce material waste; at the same time, it provides operators with a stable picking position, which is convenient for manual picking and directional operation.

[0044] like Figure 1-3As shown, a pressing mechanism 170 is fixedly installed on the frame 110. The pressing mechanism 170 is located above the second conveying mechanism 130. The pressing mechanism 170 includes a fixed plate 171, a pressure plate 172, and an adjusting mechanism. The fixed plate 171 is fixedly installed on the frame 110, and the pressure plate 172 is height-adjustably connected to the fixed plate 171 through the adjusting mechanism. By setting a height-adjustable pressing mechanism above the second conveying mechanism 130, the vegetables can be pressed down from above when cutting the roots, effectively preventing the vegetables from shifting, rolling, or lifting, ensuring accurate cutting position and neat cuts. At the same time, the height of the pressure plate 172 can be flexibly adjusted according to the size of the mustard greens, making it highly adaptable, simple in structure, and easy to adjust.

[0045] The adjusting mechanism includes a screw 173, a nut 174, and a spring 175. The first end of the screw 173 is fixedly connected to the pressure plate 172, and the second end of the screw 173 extends out of the fixing plate 171. The nut 174 is installed on the fixing plate 171, and the screw 173 is screwed to the nut 174. The spring 175 is sleeved on the screw 173, and the first end of the spring 175 abuts against the fixing plate 171, and the second end of the spring 175 abuts against the pressure plate 172.

[0046] By employing an adjustment mechanism combining screw 173, nut 174, and spring 175, elastic clamping and adaptive adjustment of the pressure plate 172 are achieved: spring 175 can automatically adjust the clamping force according to the size of the vegetables, achieving flexible clamping and avoiding damage to the vegetables; screw 173 and nut 174 can be matched to achieve overall height adjustment to adapt to different batches of materials; at the same time, the structure is compact and the cost is low, effectively improving the material stability and equipment adaptability during the cutting process.

[0047] Optionally, the sauerkraut pre-processing system also includes a cabbage blank conveying unit and a cabbage root conveying unit, such as... Figure 1 As shown, a guide plate 111 is fixedly installed on the frame 110. The guide plate 111 guides the vegetable roots cut by the transverse cutting mechanism 120 into the vegetable root conveying unit. The vegetable root conveying unit conveys the vegetable roots to the vegetable root collection unit. The vegetable blank conveying unit receives the vegetable blanks conveyed by the second conveying mechanism 130 and conveys them to the washing tank. By setting up the guide plate 111, the vegetable root conveying unit, and the vegetable blank conveying unit, automatic separation and diversion of vegetable roots and vegetable blanks are achieved: the vegetable roots are guided by the guide plate 111 to the vegetable root conveying unit and collected centrally to avoid scattering and contamination; the vegetable blanks are directly sent to the washing tank by the vegetable blank conveying unit, forming a complete production line from root cutting, longitudinal cutting to washing. This design reduces manual intervention, improves production efficiency and cleanliness, and reduces labor intensity.

[0048] Optionally, the output plate 111 is inclinedly arranged on one side of the frame 110, the vegetable root conveying unit is located on one side of the output plate 111 for receiving vegetable roots, and the vegetable blank conveying unit is located at the end of the second conveying mechanism 130 for receiving vegetable blanks. Both the vegetable root conveying unit and the vegetable blank conveying unit are conventional conveyor belt assemblies. Optionally, both the vegetable root conveying unit and the vegetable blank conveying unit include an inclined conveyor belt.

[0049] A method for preparing sauerkraut, using the aforementioned sauerkraut pretreatment system, includes the following steps:

[0050] Raw material pretreatment: The vegetables are transported to the root cutter 100, which cuts off the roots of the vegetables to obtain vegetable blanks. The cut-off roots are transported to the collection unit through the vegetable root conveying unit, and the vegetable blanks are transported to the washing tank through the vegetable blank conveying unit for washing.

[0051] Natural fermentation: The cleaned vegetable pieces are transported to a fermentation tank, pickled in brine and sealed for natural fermentation; during the natural fermentation process, the lactic acid bacteria are naturally enriched, acidity is established and nitrite is naturally degraded.

[0052] Targeted fermentation: After the naturally fermented vegetable pieces are cut and washed, they are placed into a fermentation jar, and a compound probiotic preparation is added to continue fermentation to obtain sauerkraut.

[0053] Post-processing and packaging: The pickled mustard greens are removed, washed, cut, and then vacuum-packed to obtain the finished product. This method uses a pickled mustard greens pre-processing system to completely remove the roots, reducing the foreign matter rate by 40%~60%, reducing washing water usage, and ensuring food safety from the source; extremely low nitrite content: thanks to three months of full natural fermentation and the synergistic effect of probiotic preparations, the nitrite content in the finished pickled mustard greens is 0~1.1mg / kg, far below the national standard GB The 20mg / kg limit stipulated in 2762 ensures extremely high food safety. Significantly enhanced flavor compounds: GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) analysis shows that sauerkraut fermented with a compound probiotic preparation has a richer variety of volatile flavor compounds such as ethyl acetate, phenylethanol, and 2,3-butanediol. The total variety of flavor compounds is more than 40% higher than that of traditional naturally fermented sauerkraut, resulting in a richer, more layered sour aroma and significantly improved taste. Significantly reduced sodium content: This process uses a low-salt formula, combined with rapid acid production by probiotics to inhibit unwanted bacteria, eliminating the need for high-salt preservatives. The sodium content of the finished sauerkraut is 30%~50% lower than that of traditional high-salt processes, aligning with the trend of low-sodium healthy food development. Stable and controllable quality: This method forms a complete technology chain of "deep cleaning → natural fermentation → targeted fortification," achieving standardized production of high-quality, low-salt, low-sodium, high-flavor, and high-safety sauerkraut.

[0054] The raw material pretreatment process includes the following steps:

[0055] Vegetable placement: The vegetables on the first conveyor 120 are placed on the second conveyor 130 in a specific direction, and the second conveyor 130 transports the vegetables to the root cutting area;

[0056] Root cutting: The transverse cutting mechanism 140 cuts off the roots of the vegetables to obtain vegetable blanks. The cut-off roots are introduced into the vegetable root conveying unit through the guide plate 111. The vegetable root conveying unit conveys the vegetable roots to the collection unit.

[0057] Cutting: The second conveying mechanism 130 conveys the vegetable blank to the cutting area, the longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 cuts the vegetable blank longitudinally, the second conveying mechanism 130 continues to operate, conveying the vegetable blank to the vegetable blank conveying unit, and the vegetable blank conveying unit conveys the vegetable blank to the washing pool for washing.

[0058] During natural fermentation, the brine concentration is 10% to 20%, and the fermentation time is at least three months.

[0059] During the directional fermentation process, the fermentation time is 7-15 days. The compound probiotic preparation includes at least two of Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The fermentation temperature is 10-30℃, and the total live bacteria count in the compound probiotic preparation is not less than 1×10⁻⁶. 8 CFU / g;

[0060] In the post-processing and packaging, after cutting, auxiliary materials are added to the sauerkraut and stirred evenly. Then, it is pasteurized and vacuum-packed. The auxiliary materials include at least one of spices, edible salt, and white sugar. The compound probiotic preparation is *Lactobacillus paracasei* and *Lactobacillus plantarum*; or, the compound probiotic preparation is *Lactobacillus rhamnosus* and *Lactobacillus plantarum*. Spices include star anise powder, Sichuan pepper powder, garlic, etc.

[0061] I. Preparation of Examples and Comparative Examples

[0062] 1. Example 1: A method for preparing sauerkraut, comprising the following steps:

[0063] Step 1: Arranging the vegetables: The operator places the mustard greens on the first conveyor 120 onto the second conveyor 130 in a specific direction, and the second conveyor 130 transports the mustard greens to the root cutting area;

[0064] Step 2: Root cutting: The first cutter 143 of the transverse cutting mechanism 140 cuts off the root of the vegetable to obtain a vegetable blank. The cut-off root is introduced into the vegetable root conveying unit through the guide plate 111. The vegetable root conveying unit conveys the vegetable root to the collection unit.

[0065] Step 3: Cutting: The second conveying mechanism 130 continues to convey the vegetable blank to the cutting area. The second cutter 152 of the longitudinal cutting mechanism 150 moves down to cut the vegetable blank longitudinally. The second conveying mechanism 130 continues to run and conveys the vegetable blank to the vegetable blank conveying unit. The vegetable blank conveying unit conveys the vegetable blank to the washing tank for washing.

[0066] Step 4: Natural fermentation: The cleaned vegetable pieces are transported to a fermentation tank, pickled in brine and sealed for natural fermentation; the brine concentration is 15% and the fermentation time is three months.

[0067] Step 5: Targeted Fermentation: After naturally fermenting, the cabbage pieces are cut, washed, and placed into a fermentation jar. A compound probiotic preparation is added, and fermentation continues to produce sauerkraut. The compound probiotic preparation is a mixture of Lactobacillus paracasei and Lactobacillus plantarum. The fermentation temperature is 20-30℃, and the total number of live bacteria added to the compound probiotic preparation is not less than 1×10⁻⁶. 8 CFU / g, fermentation time 15 days;

[0068] Step 6: Remove the sauerkraut, wash and cut it, then pack it into bags and vacuum pack it to obtain the finished product.

[0069] 2. Preparation of Comparative Example 1: The difference between Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 is that Comparative Example 1 omits the localized fermentation process, that is, Comparative Example 1 only uses the traditional natural fermentation process.

[0070] II. GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) Analysis

[0071] GC-MS analysis was performed on the sauerkraut samples prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. The results showed that both contained a variety of substances that positively contribute to the flavor, but the aroma composition of Example 1 was richer. Specifically, both contained alcohols (ethanol, phenethyl alcohol, linalool, 4-terpenol, α-terpineol, 2,3-butanediol, etc.), esters (ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, phenylethyl acetate, etc.), terpenes (D-limonene, γ-terpinene, eucalyptol, etc.), aldehydes (benzaldehyde, nonanal), sulfur-containing compounds (allyl isothiocyanate), and phenolic ethers (anetin). These substances together endowed the sauerkraut with an alcoholic aroma, fruity aroma, spicy aroma, and sour aroma base.

[0072] Example 1 also contains its unique components, including terpenes (α-pinene, β-myrcene, α-phellandrene, 3-carene, trans-α-ocimene, β-ocimene, terpinene, coumarin, δ-juniperene, γ-juniperene, etc.), esters (terpineyl acetate, linalyl acetate, ethyl benzoate, etc.), sulfur-containing compounds (methanethiol, dimethyl trisulfide, diallyl disulfide, etc.), ketones (1-octen-3-one), and phenols (4-ethylphenol, artemisinin), among others. The number of flavor compounds in Example 1 increased from 126 in traditional pickled vegetables to 213, an increase of over 40%.

[0073] Example 1 of this application contains 87 other flavor components, such as terpenes, esters and sulfur-containing compounds, which are not present in Comparative Example 1. This makes the probiotic fermented sauerkraut more diverse in flavor profile while maintaining a distinctive sour and fragrant base. The total variety of sauerkraut obtained in this application is more than 40% higher than that of traditional naturally fermented sauerkraut. It has a rich sour and fragrant flavor, distinct layers, and significantly improved taste.

[0074] It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sauerkraut pre-processing system, characterized in that: The device includes a root cutter (100), which includes a frame (110). The frame (110) is equipped with a first conveying mechanism (120), a second conveying mechanism (130), a transverse cutting mechanism (140), and a longitudinal cutting mechanism (150). The first conveying mechanism (120) is used to receive vegetables. The second conveying mechanism (130) is used to receive vegetables taken from the first conveying mechanism (120) and to convey the vegetables sequentially to the area below the transverse cutting mechanism (140) and the longitudinal cutting mechanism (150). The transverse cutting mechanism (140) is located above the second conveying mechanism (130) and is used to cut off the roots of the vegetables. The longitudinal cutting mechanism (150) is located above the second conveying mechanism (130) and downstream of the transverse cutting mechanism (140). The longitudinal cutting mechanism (150) is used to cut the vegetable pieces after the roots have been cut off longitudinally.

2. The sauerkraut pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first conveying mechanism (120) includes a first conveyor belt (121) and a first conveyor motor (122). The first conveyor motor (122) is used to drive the first conveyor belt (121) to transmit. The second conveying mechanism (130) includes a second conveyor belt (131) and a second conveyor motor (132). The second conveyor motor (132) is used to drive the second conveyor belt (131) to transmit. A plurality of spaced partitions (133) are fixedly provided on the second conveyor belt (131).

3. The sauerkraut pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transverse cutting mechanism (140) includes a rotary motor (141), a belt (142), and a first cutter (143). The rotary motor (141) is fixedly mounted on the frame (110), and the first cutter (143) is rotatably mounted on the frame (110). The rotary motor (141) is connected to the first cutter (143) through the belt (142) and drives the first cutter (143) to rotate to cut off the roots of the vegetables.

4. The sauerkraut pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The longitudinal cutting mechanism (150) includes a drive cylinder (151) and a second cutter (152). The drive cylinder (151) is fixedly mounted on the frame (110), and the second cutter (152) is fixedly connected to the piston rod of the drive cylinder (151). The drive cylinder (151) can drive the second cutter (152) to move up and down. A support plate (153) is fixedly mounted on the frame (110), and the drive cylinder (151) is fixedly mounted on the support plate (153). A guide post (154) is fixedly connected to the second cutter (152), and the guide post (154) is movably inserted through the support plate (153).

5. The sauerkraut pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A blocking mechanism (160) is fixedly installed on the frame (110). The blocking mechanism (160) is located above the first conveying mechanism (120). The blocking mechanism (160) includes a mounting frame (161) and a baffle (162). The mounting frame (161) is fixedly installed on the frame (110), and the baffle (162) is height-adjustably connected to the mounting frame (161) by a locking bolt (163).

6. The sauerkraut pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A clamping mechanism (170) is fixedly installed on the frame (110). The clamping mechanism (170) is located above the second conveying mechanism (130). The clamping mechanism (170) includes a fixed plate (171), a pressure plate (172), and an adjusting mechanism. The fixed plate (171) is fixedly installed on the frame (110), and the pressure plate (172) is height-adjustably connected to the fixed plate (171) through the adjusting mechanism.

7. The sauerkraut pretreatment system according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a vegetable blank conveying unit and a vegetable root conveying unit. A guide plate (111) is fixedly provided on the frame (110). The guide plate (111) guides the vegetable root cut off by the transverse cutting mechanism (120) into the vegetable root conveying unit. The vegetable root conveying unit conveys the vegetable root to the vegetable root collection unit. The vegetable blank conveying unit is used to receive the vegetable blank conveyed by the second conveying mechanism (130) and convey the vegetable blank to the washing pool.

8. A method for preparing pickled cabbage, characterized in that: The sauerkraut pretreatment system according to claim 7 includes the following steps: Raw material pretreatment: The vegetables are transported to the root cutter (100), and the roots of the vegetables are cut off by the root cutter (100) to obtain vegetable blanks. The cut-off roots are transported to the collection unit through the vegetable root conveying unit, and the vegetable blanks are transported to the washing tank for washing through the vegetable blank conveying unit. Natural fermentation: The cleaned vegetable pieces are transported to a fermentation tank, pickled in brine and sealed for natural fermentation; Targeted fermentation: After the naturally fermented vegetable pieces are cut and washed, they are placed into a fermentation jar, and a compound probiotic preparation is added to continue fermentation to obtain sauerkraut. Post-processing and packaging: The pickled cabbage is removed, washed, cut, and then vacuum-packed in bags to obtain the finished product.

9. The method for preparing sauerkraut according to claim 8, characterized in that: The raw material pretreatment process includes the following steps: Vegetable placement: The vegetables on the first conveying mechanism (120) are placed on the second conveying mechanism (130) in a specific direction, and the second conveying mechanism (130) transports the vegetables to the root cutting area; Root cutting: The transverse cutting mechanism (140) cuts off the roots of the vegetables to obtain vegetable blanks. The cut-off roots are introduced into the vegetable root conveying unit through the guide plate (111), and the vegetable root conveying unit conveys the vegetable roots to the collection unit. Cutting: The second conveying mechanism (130) conveys the vegetable blank to the cutting area, and the longitudinal cutting mechanism (150) cuts the vegetable blank longitudinally. The second conveying mechanism (130) continues to operate and conveys the vegetable blank to the vegetable blank conveying unit. The vegetable blank conveying unit conveys the vegetable blank to the washing pool for washing.

10. The method for preparing sauerkraut according to claim 8, characterized in that: During natural fermentation, the brine concentration is 10% to 20%, and the fermentation time is at least three months. During the directional fermentation process, the fermentation time is 7-15 days. The compound probiotic preparation includes at least two of Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus plantarum. The fermentation temperature is 10-30℃, and the total live bacteria count in the compound probiotic preparation is not less than 1×10⁻⁶. 8 CFU / g; In the post-processing and packaging process, after the sauerkraut is cut, auxiliary materials are added and stirred evenly. After pasteurization, it is vacuum packaged. The auxiliary materials include at least one of spices, edible salt and white sugar.

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