Processing technology of cowpea products

How are cowpea products processed? Today I will tell you about the processing technology of cowpea products:

Cowpea sun-drying processing

Sun-dried cowpeas are mainly processed by households, and there is little standardized, large-scale and factory-based production. Compared with the eastern part, the main cowpea producing areas in western my country are much cheaper in terms of labor and land costs, and the weather is relatively dry. The moisture content of fresh cowpeas is low, easy to process and the drying rate is high, which has great advantages in production. Sun-dried cowpeas are mainly sold in farmers' markets, and supermarket sales and exports are rare. Since dehydrated cowpeas are much better than sun-dried cowpeas in color, quality and rehydration, with the rapid development of my country's economy and the continuous improvement of people's living standards, this type of sun-dried cowpeas is gradually being replaced by dehydrated cowpeas. The sun-dried production of cowpeas is subject to the weather, and it is difficult to form a product with stable quality, which further restricts the development of this product. The production technology of sun-dried cowpeas is relatively simple, and its process flow is: harvesting fresh pods → cleaning → blanching → drying → packaging and storage. The key to sun-dried cowpea processing is to master the blanching technology. If the blanching is not enough, the dried cowpea will easily turn white and have poor rehydration; if the blanching time is too long, the product will become rotten and the quality will be seriously affected.

Pickled cowpea processing

Cowpeas are tender and crispy, with low water content, and are suitable for pickling. Pickled cowpeas are common in my country, but they mostly enter the market in bulk, and there are not many branded small-packaged pickled cowpeas. Pay attention to the safety of nitrites during the pickling process. A large amount of nitrite will be produced during the initial period of pickling of cowpeas, and there will be a peak duration. The duration of the peak is related to the temperature during pickling. At lower temperatures, the peak occurs later, but the peak value is high and the content is also high. The nitrite content is mainly concentrated during the peak duration. As long as this period is avoided, it is safer to eat. The process flow of pickled cowpea small-package series products is: raw material harvesting → pretreatment (impurity removal, cleaning, etc.) → pickling → soaking and bleaching → cutting → seasoning → vacuum packaging → sterilization → cooling → packaging and storage. Among them, the pickling, seasoning and sterilization processes are the key to the entire processing process and the core link to ensure the quality of pickled cowpeas. In order to maintain the crispness of pickled cowpeas, hardening substances such as calcium chloride are generally added during the pickling process.

Cowpea Vegetable Processing

Cowpea clean vegetables refer to products that are kept fresh after a series of treatments such as grading, sorting, cleaning, cutting, preservation and packaging of fresh cowpea pods. Consumers do not need to do further processing after purchase and can cook directly. Many foreign countries stipulate that vegetables that have not been processed by clean vegetables cannot be put on the market. Clean vegetable processing started late in my country, but has developed rapidly in recent years through the government's high attention and support and the efforts of enterprises. In terms of clean vegetable processing, some developed countries have formed a complete set of standardized processing technology and advanced machinery and equipment. However, my country's clean vegetable production is still in an unbalanced market development stage, and the quality of most products needs to be improved. The process flow of cowpea clean vegetable processing is: raw materials → grading → cleaning → sorting → cutting → dehydration → sterilization → packaging → refrigeration. Among them, sterilization, packaging and refrigeration are the key to the entire processing process and the core link to ensure the quality of clean cowpea vegetables. The refrigeration temperature of fresh cowpea pods should be 5℃-7℃.

Cowpea quick freezing processing

The quick-frozen cowpeas produced in my country are mainly exported to Japan, and their market share in the domestic market is extremely low. However, with the continuous change of people's consumption and value concepts, quick-frozen cowpeas also have great market potential in China. The process flow of quick-frozen cowpeas is: pretreatment (removal of impurities, sorting, cleaning, etc.) → blanching → cooling → quick freezing → packaging → frozen storage. In freezing machinery, fluidized bed freezing devices are widely used. The main production equipment includes feed conveyors, fruit and vegetable float washing machines, blanching devices, water coolers, inspection belts, drains and uniform feed elevators, freezers and packaging machines. Freezers are key equipment for quick freezing processing, and generally use forced air circulation, such as tunnel-type continuous quick freezers, spiral-type continuous quick freezers, and fluidized bed quick freezers. The fluidized bed quick freezer is the mainstream equipment under the current individual quick freezing (IQF) process conditions. After the drained cowpeas are placed on plates or baskets, they need to be frozen quickly, and we should strive to make them pass the ice crystal formation stage (-0.5℃-35℃) in the shortest time, so as to ensure the quality of quick-frozen cowpeas. Packaging conditions are very important for the storage of quick-frozen cowpeas. Good packaging can prevent the evaporation of cowpea water and form a dry state, prevent the product from oxidizing and discoloring due to contact with air during storage, and facilitate transportation and sales. The packaging specifications can be determined according to the supply object. The retail volume is 0.5kg/bag or 1kg/bag, and the volume for hotels and guesthouses can be 5kg/bag-10kg/bag. If it cannot be exported in time after packaging, it needs to be stored in a cold storage at -18℃, and the refrigeration period can reach more than 8 months.

Cowpea juice processing

Cowpea juice is juice extracted from fresh cowpeas after selection and washing. It is similar to fresh cowpeas in nutrition and flavor. Cowpeas can regulate the middle qi, nourish the kidneys, and strengthen the spleen and stomach. They have certain medicinal and health values ​​and are suitable for the production of cowpea juice health drinks. The production process of cowpea juice is: fresh pods → washing → crushing → heating → cooling → beating → juicing → concentration → degassing → sterilization → storage.

Cowpea Ultrafine Powder Processing

The processing method of processing fruits and vegetables into solid fruit and vegetable powder is gaining more and more attention. Fruit and vegetable powder is fresh fruits and vegetables that are crushed into powder after being dried with hot air or freeze-dried in vacuum. Its moisture content is less than 6%, which not only maximizes the use of raw materials, but also makes this product easy to store and transport. Fruit and vegetable powder can also be applied to various fields of food processing to improve the nutritional content of products, improve the color and flavor of products, and enrich the variety of products. It can be mainly used in pasta, puffed food, meat products, solid beverages, dairy products, infant food, condiments, fruit products, baked products and instant noodles. According to the characteristics and nutritional components of cowpea, cowpea is very suitable for processing into cowpea powder after drying, and the market prospect is broad.

Cowpea chips processing

In recent years, fruit and vegetable chips have quietly emerged around us. They are made by vacuum low-temperature frying and dehydration technology. Because they maintain the color, aroma, taste and crispy taste of the original fruits and vegetables, and have the characteristics of low fat, low calories, high fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals, no artificial synthetic additives, easy to carry, and long shelf life, they are very popular among consumers, especially suitable for patients with heart disease and diabetes. At the same time, they are also the best snacks for home, travel and children with picky eating. Cowpea is suitable for the production of fruit and vegetable chips, and its market prospects should be very promising.