Firm invests to aid its UK cherry arm

In its bid to process more than 500 tonnes of cherries in the UK over the next two years, a family-run fruit-growing firm has invested in new equipment.

G.H Dean and Co., based in Kent, supplies fresh fruit to supermarkets across the UK, including a wide variety of mixed cherries.

However, with a limited shelf life and careful handling essential to preventing damage, maintaining quality and guaranteeing freshness from field to fork is a key priority for the specialist grower.

After considering a number of different refrigeration techniques, chief executive Dr Oliver Doubleday decided to use hydrocooling; a process that accelerates cooling of the fruit, thereby helping to maintain quality and increase the shelf life of fresh produce.

Doubleday said:“Although the UK cherry-growing season starts later than other European countries, the British climate means that we are able to produce fruit much later into the year.

“As a result, we are able to meet the demand for fresh fruit in the UK for longer than our counterparts. We can supply cherries from mid-June into August. However, to ensure a long shelf life and high quality produce, cherries require immediate cooling after harvesting.'

He added: “While they appear very robust, the fruit is actually quite sensitive. They are prone to desiccation, with pedicels in particular drying out very quickly. Hydrocooling is widely acknowledged internationally as being the best way of chilling cherries.

“The process involves spraying the warm produce with cold water. The rapid heat transfer to water ensures rapid cooling and reduces desiccation. The washing of the fruit with potable quality water is an additional advantage of this process.

“To work alongside our cold store temperature control system from STS Refrigeration, we looked towards Tong Peal to provide a bespoke Hydrocooler customised to our exact cooling needs.

“We invested in a Cherry Hydrocooler, designed with a throughput capacity of over 5 tons of fruit per hour. Its 4.7m chilling area allows for a continuous flow of three pallets at a time through the cooling area.'

Cherries are fed into the system, before being transferred through a cool water-drenching area, which delivers a fine rain of water over the fruit to lower its temperature. It is fully insulated, which ensures optimum cooling before packaging.

To maximise chilling, the Hydrocooler is integrated with the cold store, which means that the firm can keep the water used to spray the cherries very cold and reduce cooling time dramatically.

By immediately lowering the temperature of the fruit, the quality of the fruit can be retained, and shelf life added to the product.