Dry, Peel & Blanche Safely & Efficiently

With the increased awareness of the benefits offered by fruit, there is an increased demand for dried or canned fruits that are processed without chemicals. Fruits are often canned or dried for later use or to mix into other products. Traditional methods are time consuming and have negative environmental impacts. They involve either blanching and then drying; or, the use of lye to peel the skins off the fruit before the actual preservation process. Blanching the fruit requires using significant amount of water that also needs to be treated. Using lye to peel skins requires additional water to wash the fruit leading to water and wastewater issues.

CDT’s infrared drying system dramatically reduces the process time and eliminates the need for water in the process. In conjunction with multiple research projects, CDT’s technology was proven to be more effective in blanching, peeling and drying process of commonly dried fruits.

What Are the Benefits of Catalytic IR for Fruit?

Dries and blanches in one step which leads to significant cost, time and space saving

Blanches without need for water, reducing usage and wastewater treatment cost
Rated by multiple rating agencies for safe operation in multiple locations
The process is chemical-free which reduces environmental impact and leads to a safer production process
Infrared technology heats the product directly leading to lower energy use
The uniform heating process targets the moisture without overheating the products
Stainless steel construction and no moving parts means almost no maintenance required.

Custom Engineering and Commercial Models

Commercial 854,000 BTU dryer for cranberries ready for shipment

Infrared pear peeling system during final testing before shipment

Our team of catalytic infrared heating experts and engineers can design and build a configured commercial or portable heater with options such as conveyor belts, blowers, humidifiers, and automation controllers. Would you like to run a test pilot on your site? We work closely with you to customize a system for your product type, process and volume.