Detailed Explanation of Candied Almond Canning Processing Technology
(1) Overview
Almonds are mainly produced in Hebei Province. They are rich in nutrients and have effects such as moistening the lungs, promoting digestion, and relieving stagnant qi.
(2) Process Flow
Material selection -> cleaning -> soaking -> pre-boiling -> peeling -> debittering -> rinsing -> re-selection -> preparing rock sugar liquid -> exhausting -> sealing -> inspection -> sterilization -> cooling
(3) Key Operation Points
1. Soaking: Remove the washed almonds and place them in a container. Add 1.5 times their weight in clean water and soak for 6-8 hours, until the almonds are fully swollen and rehydrated.
2. Pre-boiling and peeling: Remove the soaked almonds, place them in boiling water and pre-boil for 12-15 minutes, then remove and cool; press and rub off the skins with a specially made corrugated wooden board, or use a rubbing and washing machine to rub off the skins while flushing with water.
3. Debittering: Remove the peeled almonds and place them in debittering liquid (with the almonds fully submerged) for 40-60 hours, until the almonds have no bitterness or only slight bitterness; rinse them clean in a container of flowing clean water.
Formula for the debittering liquid: refined salt 8.0-10.0 kg, sodium metabisulfite 0.1-0.15 kg, citric acid 0.1-0.2 kg, clean water 89.7-91.8 kg.
4. Re-boiling: Remove the rinsed almonds and place them in re-boiling water, heat to boiling for 8-10 minutes. Add (by weight) 0.1% citric acid and 0.03% vitamin C to the re-boiling water. The ratio of almonds to re-boiling water is 1:2.
5. Sorting: Remove substandard almonds. Up to 15% half-split almonds may be present.
6. Preparing rock sugar liquid: The sugar water concentration is 15% (by refractometer). Add 0.1%-0.15% citric acid and 0.03-0.05% vitamin C to the sugar liquid, heat to boiling, filter, and set aside.
7. Filling into cans: The temperature of the poured sugar water should be above 80 degrees C.
8. Exhausting and sealing: Seal under a vacuum degree of 0.047-0.053 MPa.
9. Sterilization and cooling: After sealing, sterilization should be carried out within 30 minutes. The sterilization temperature is 100 degrees C, and the time is 5-60 seconds.