Flotation-cum-sedimentation system for skin and seed separation from tomato pomace

• Published in: Journal of food engineering Vol. 71; no. 4; pp. 341 - 344
• Main Authors: Kaur, Devinder, Sogi, D.S., Garg, S.K., Bawa, A.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; endodermis; food coloring; Food engineering; Food industries; food processing; food processing wastes; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; plant fats; plant proteins; Pollution and sludges; Pomace; Seeds; separation; Separation system; Skin; Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum; Tomato; tomato pomace; Waste; waste utilization; Separation system; Skin; Seeds; Tomato; Waste; Pomace; Flotation; Vegetables; Separation; Sedimentation; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lycopersicon esculentum; Spermatophyta; Solanaceae; Wastes
• ISSN: 0260-8774; 1873-5770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2004.10.038

Skin and seeds were separated from the pomace in a newly designed and fabricated flotation-cum-sedimentation system consisting of one mixing tank, three settling tanks, a water-collecting tank and a recirculation pump. The dispersion time at various feed rates revealed that with the increase in pomace level from 5% to 20% the dispersion time also increased from 1.6 to 31.31 s. The system was operated at various feed (6–12 kg/min) rates and quality of the separated skin and seeds was evaluated. The separation efficiency increased from 58% to 71% for skin and 42% to 65% for seeds respectively as the feed rate varied from 12 to 8 kg/min. Results revealed that the system could be operated with a feed rate of 500 kg/h.