How it’s made… a bag of salad!?
A salad life path: from the harvest to the GDO
A bag of salad typically goes through several stages of production before it reaches the store shelves. Here’s an overview of how a bag of salad is made and which are the machinery used during the process.
First of all, a distinction must be made between adult leaves and baby leaves.
Adult leaves are lettuce, iceberg lettuce, radicchio or escarole while baby leaves refer to arugula, valerian or spinach. This distinction leads to differences into the process. Let’s see!
Harvesting
The first step is the harvesting of various types of leafy greens, fruits and vegetables, which are typically grown on farms specifically for salad production.
Cutting and Selection
The harvesting is loaded and, if it is adult leaves, it is being chopped and cut into bite-sized pieces. This can involve various cutting methods depending on the type of greens and the desired texture of the final salad. The machine involved during this phase is the cutter, such as Naddeo’s SLICER UCM30 (image below). Whether it’s baby leaves, the product is collected in the box from the field and it is fed directly into the tank, without any cutting.
After the cutting process, the salad is transferred to the first of the two optical sorters which inspects the product and eliminates all residues, its exceeding parts and non-compliant leaves.
Washing and Sanitizing
Once loaded and cutted, the fruits and vegetables go through a thorough washing process to remove dirt, debris, and potential contaminants. This is a critical step to ensure food safety.
During this step, the salad, previously selected and inspected, is directly discharged into a Tank. With Naddeo Technology, complete cleaning of the raw material is ensured through the double washing.
Indeed, the product is discharged into a Pre-wash Tank, like Naddeo’s PRE-WASHING TANK MOD.1800HC, (image below), which makes a first rough cleaning of ground residues, then continues to the first Wash Tank and then to the second tank.
Dewatering
After washing, the product will be dried to eliminate the excess water. You can use Naddeo’s AUTOMATIC SPIN DRYER 1180mm or the Tunnel.
Mixing
Different types of greens and vegetables are mixed together in precise ratios to create a balanced and visually appealing blend of flavors, colors, and textures. Some pre-packaged salads might also include other ingredients like herbs, nuts, seeds, or even cheese.
Packaging
The mixed salad is then packaged in sealed plastic bags designed to keep the contents fresh. These bags might have tiny holes to allow for a bit of airflow while maintaining a controlled atmosphere inside the bag.
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)
Some bagged salads are packaged using modified atmosphere packaging. This involves adjusting the levels of gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen within the bag to extend the shelf life of the salad. This technique helps slow down the spoilage process and maintain freshness.
Labeling and Quality Control
Labels are applied to the bags with information about the type of salad, nutritional content, expiration date, and more. Quality control measures are also taken at this stage to ensure that the salads meet certain standards in terms of freshness, appearance, and safety.
Distribution
The packaged salads are then distributed to grocery stores, supermarkets, and other retail locations. They are typically kept refrigerated throughout the distribution process to maintain their freshness.
Consumer Purchase and Consumption
Once on the store shelves, consumers can purchase the bag of salad. It’s important for consumers to check the expiration date and condition of the bag before purchase. After purchase, the bag should be kept refrigerated until it’s consumed.
It’s worth noting that the process can vary slightly depending on the manufacturer and the specific type of salad being produced. Food safety, hygiene, and quality control are crucial at every stage of production to ensure that the end product is safe and enjoyable to eat.
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