Egusi Fruit Coring Machine

Abstract

Based on relevant physical properties of the egusi fruit, a coring machine was designed to remove the seed-bearing core of the mesocarp and endocarp. The purpose of coring is to expose the seed-bearing core to microorganisms to achieve complete decomposition of the mesocarp and endocarp within a short period of time. The coring machine consists of reciprocating ring coring cutter which can be operated manually or by an electric motor. It produces a cylindrically shaped seed bearing mesocarp and endocarp core of the fruit. The prototype machine can core about 458 fruits/h when operated manually at 8–10 rev/min and about 2390 fruits/h when motorized at 50 rev/min, as against a hand peeling rate of 29 fruits/h. Decomposition of the mesocarp and endocarp of the seed-bearing core of the fruit took 2 d as against 7 d for the traditional method of processing.