In many African countries, the cassava Garri processing industry, with Garri being an important part of the daily diet, has long faced problems such as low production efficiency, poor hygiene conditions, and unstable product quality. Recently, Zhucheng Cookimech Co., Ltd. in Shandong Province (hereinafter referred to as "Cookimech") has successfully put into production a full - set of Garri processing equipment tailored for a cassava processing enterprise in an African country. This not only triples the local daily output of Garri but also significantly improves product quality through standardized production processes, injecting modern vitality into the traditional cassava processing industry.
Garri is a dry - powder - like food made from cassava tuberous roots through multiple processes such as peeling, washing, grinding, fermentation, pressing, and baking. It has a wide consumer base in West Africa, Central Africa, etc. However, traditional processing methods mostly rely on manual operations. Peeling is done by hand, grinding is done with stone mills, the fermentation time is judged entirely by experience, and baking is done using simple earth stoves. This not only results in low efficiency but also poses food safety risks such as impurity contamination and excessive microorganisms. The African cassava processing enterprise previously using traditional processes could only process 5 tons of cassava per day on average. Due to high sand content and uneven color, its products could only be sold in a small local area and had difficulty entering large supermarkets and the export market.
After receiving the customer's request, Cookimech formed a special team to conduct on - site inspections in the local area. Combining the characteristics of cassava varieties, local energy supply conditions, and the customer's production capacity goals, it tailor - designed a fully - automatic cassava Garri processing production line. This production line covers the entire process from raw material pretreatment to finished product packaging, achieving the core goals of "reducing labor, increasing efficiency, improving quality, and reducing consumption".
In the pretreatment process, the intelligent peeling machine equipped in the equipment uses infrared recognition technology to accurately identify the size and shape of cassava tuberous roots. Through the cooperation of flexible rubber rollers and high - pressure water flow, the peeling rate can reach over 98%, which is 15 times more efficient than manual peeling. At the same time, it avoids raw material waste caused by manual peeling. The cleaning section adopts a "bubble cleaning + spray" dual - purification process to remove surface sediment and impurities. The cleaning water can be recycled after being filtered in the sedimentation tank, reducing water resource consumption by 60%.
Grinding and fermentation are the key processes that determine the flavor of Garri. The double - helix grinder developed by Cookimech, through a special tooth - shaped design, grinds cassava tuberous roots into a uniform and fine starch slurry with a particle size of over 80 mesh, laying a good foundation for subsequent fermentation. The constant - temperature fermentation tank equipped in the fermentation section can precisely control the temperature (30 - 35℃) and time (24 - 48 hours), and ensure uniform fermentation through an automatic stirring system, solving the problems of large weather - related impacts and easy pollution in traditional open - air fermentation. Tests show that the Garri produced by this process has a more harmonious signature slightly acidic flavor, and its microbial content meets international food hygiene standards.
In the pressing and dewatering process, the production line introduces a hydraulic press, replacing traditional manual trampling or simple lever pressing. The equipment precisely controls the pressing pressure and time through a programmable logic controller (PLC), reducing the water content of the cassava starch slurry from 80% to less than 40%. The pressing efficiency is increased by 4 times, and the slag discharge is uniform, saving energy for the subsequent baking process.
In the baking stage, the drum - type baking machine combines electric heating with hot - air circulation. The temperature can be precisely adjusted in the range of 60 - 120℃. By optimizing the drum rotation speed and the internal flight structure, the Garri is heated evenly, presenting a uniform golden color and solving the problems of "charring" and "undercooking" in traditional earth - stove baking. The dust generated during the baking process is collected and discharged centrally through a collection device, improving the production environment.
The energy supply of the entire production line fully considers the local actual situation and can be compatible with electricity, diesel, and biomass fuels. Customers can switch flexibly according to energy prices, reducing operating costs by 30%. The equipment operation interface supports multi - language switching such as English and French, and is equipped with a simple touch - screen. Workers can operate it proficiently after 3 days of training.
According to customer feedback, after the production line was put into production, the daily processing capacity of cassava reached 15 tons. The sand content of the product was reduced to less than 0.1%, and the moisture content was stably maintained at 12%±1%, meeting the cassava product standards set by the African Union (AU). With its excellent quality, the enterprise's Garri has successfully entered local large - scale chain supermarkets and received export orders from surrounding countries, with a 25% increase in the product premium space.
"Cookimech's equipment has not only changed our production methods but also shown us the development potential of the cassava industry," said the person in charge of the enterprise. "In the past, we relied on the weather for a living. Now, we rely on technology, which is a crucial step in the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries."
Cosen Zhang, the general manager of Cookimech, said: "As an important global food crop, the modernization of the cassava processing industry is of great significance for ensuring food security and promoting local economic development. Cookimech always adheres to the equipment research and development concept of 'adjusting measures to local conditions' and provides customized solutions according to the raw material characteristics and production conditions of different regions. In the future, we will continue to delve into the field of agricultural product processing equipment and contribute to the upgrading of traditional agricultural processing industries in more developing countries."
The success of this cooperation not only demonstrates Cookimech's technical strength in the field of agricultural product processing equipment but also verifies the feasibility of its "technical adaptability" concept in overseas markets. With the growing global demand for the processing of coarse grains such as cassava, Cookimech's cassava Garri processing equipment is expected to be applied in more countries, promoting the development of traditional processing industries towards standardization, large - scale production, and branding.
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