Peeling and trimming of potatoes using lye and knife peelers: Performance and costs

✍ Scribed by Wendy R. Fox; T. J. Dent; C. P. Hampson

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1971
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 934 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-5142
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2740220605

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A lye peeler and a knife peeler were used to peel potatoes of five quality/size grades in several series of experiments. The weight removed during peeling and trimming, and the trimming rate were measured for different peeling times. Less wastage was incurred with the lye peeler than with the knife peeler especially with large size tubers. The processes were coasted and lye peeling was found to be more economical with large potatoes, while lye and knife methods had similar costs with small potatoes. It was more economical to peel potatoes of sub‐ware quality (i.e. grading rejects) than those of ware quality, because the extra cost of trimming and the extra wastage were more than balanced by the lower cost of the raw material.