A Detailed Guide to the Production and Processing Methods of Candied Carambola

Sour-type carambola is not suitable for fresh eating and is a low-priced raw material. After being candied in sugar, it has a unique sweet-and-sour carambola flavor. With proper handling, it is still an excellent sugar-preserved product.

(1) Process flow

Raw material selection -> cleaning -> cutting -> color protection and hardening -> rinsing -> sugar processing -> drying -> packaging.

(2) Key operating points

1) Raw material handling

Carambola at about 80% maturity. After washing, cut lengthwise along the individual ribs into long rib-shaped thick slices, or cut crosswise into 1.5 cm thick slices, then immediately put them into a 3% alum solution, add a trace amount of turmeric powder to make a suitable yellow soaking liquid, so that the carambola slices take on a bright light yellow color. Soak for 4-6 h, remove, drain off the water, and prepare for spiced sugar processing.

2) Spiced sugar processing

For every 100 kg of carambola slices, use 3.2 kg of a mixed powder made from equal amounts of clove, dried tangerine peel, and licorice ground together, and 80 kg of sucrose.

First add water to the granulated sugar to make a 50% concentration sugar liquid, add 1.6 kg of the mixed spice powder, and put it together with the carambola slices into a sugar boiling pot, heat and bring slowly to a boil. When it boils to 106°C, stop heating, remove while hot, and drain off excess sugar liquid on the surface. Spread on a platform to cool. Mix in the remaining 1.6 kg of spice powder, and 0.05% sodium benzoate based on the weight of the carambola slices may be added. Mix evenly so that each slice is coated with powder. Then spread on drying trays and send to a dryer for drying.

3) Drying

Dry at 65°C until the surface is dry, then let cool and prepare for packaging. The moisture content must not exceed 22%.

4) Packaging

Use PE bags for quantitative sealed packaging of 50-200 g.

(3) Quality standards: light yellow, complete block shape; has the sweet-and-sour flavor of carambola and the mixed aroma of spices, with a distinctive flavor; the mouthfeel is crisp, tender, and soft.