Sugar-stained cherry production method
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In the production of sugar-coated cherries, the fruit is subjected to heat treatment, which can lead to discoloration, causing the final product to lose its natural color. To maintain the visual appeal, a dyeing process is typically applied. Nowadays, cold dyeing has replaced traditional thermal dyeing methods, offering better color retention and quality.
The process involves several key steps:
1. **Material Selection**: Choose ripe cherries suitable for canning, such as Nagweng or Binku. Remove any damaged or diseased fruits, along with stems, to ensure high-quality raw material.
2. **Classification**: Sort the cherries based on size into three categories: 3–4.5g, 4.6–6g, and over 6.1g. This helps in maintaining consistency during processing.
3. **Cleaning and Hardening**: Wash the cherries thoroughly to remove dirt and leaves. Then, soak them in a 1.5% alum solution for 24 hours to improve firmness and reduce softening during cooking.
4. **Pre-cooking and Cooling**: Place the cherries in nylon mesh bags and pre-cook them in boiling water. The time and temperature vary depending on the fruit’s ripeness—typically 90 seconds at 100°C for eight-ripe cherries, and 90 seconds at 95°C for nine-ripe ones. After cooking, cool them quickly under running water. The water-to-fruit ratio should be at least 20:1.
5. **Dyeing**: Prepare a dyeing solution with 50kg of water, 32.5g of carmine, 17.5g of amaranth, and 10g of citric acid. Adjust the pH to around 4.2 and soak the pre-cooked cherries for 24 hours at about 25°C. The dye-to-fruit ratio is 10:7.
6. **Rinsing and Fixing**: Rinse the dyed cherries with clean water to remove excess color, then soak them in 0.3% citric acid for 24 hours to fix the color. The fixing liquid-to-fruit ratio is 4:1, and the water temperature should be between 20–25°C. Finally, rinse the cherries twice with clean water before filling.
7. **Canning, Sugar Filling, and Sealing**: Place the cherries into cans according to size and net weight. Add syrup, ensuring a 6–8mm headspace. Seal the cans and apply a vacuum of 53.3–60 kPa before sealing.
8. **Sterilization**: Sterilize the sealed cans in boiling water (100°C) for 5–15 seconds. Cool them down to around 37°C using clean water.
9. **Insulation Inspection**: Store the sterilized cans at 37°C for 5 days to check for any defects or spoilage.
10. **Final Packaging**: Before packaging, wipe the cans with a dry cloth, label them, apply a preservative, and affix the trademark.
**Quality Requirements**: The final product should have uniform size, no shrinkage, minimal mechanical damage, neat shape, and consistent color. The fruit flesh should make up at least 60% of the net weight. The syrup concentration must be between 14% and 18%, with a clear appearance. Small amounts of pulp flakes are acceptable as long as they do not cause cloudiness. The product should have a distinct canned cherry flavor.