Processing of condiments Part 27:

Pickled beetroot is skinned, sliced and cooked beetroot packed and preserved in vinegar, a little salt, with or without sweetener and spices. The product is sealed in glass jars and pasteurised to ensure a long, stable shelf life. Baby beets may be pickled whole.

Process description

Harvesting

Commercially grown beets are harvested by means of a mechanical beet harvester that cuts the soil below the root tip, thus loosening the soil for easy lifting. The leaves and excess soil are removed in the field to reduce waste loads on the processing site. Care must be taken to leave a short stalk behind to minimise leaching of the pigment. The beetroot is taken directly to the processing site or kept at temperatures of 1 °C and a relative humidity of 90%. Fresh beetroot yields a superior product since storage leads to reduction of sugar levels and textural changes.

Dry-cleaning (optional)

Root crops such as beetroot are covered with soil that needs to be removed. The harvested beets can be dry-cleaned by tumbling them in a slightly inclined rotary screen or slotted drum to loosen and separate dry dirt. Dry-cleaning is an optional process, but reduces the load of the washer. It is only effective if the adhering soil and dirt is dry.

Washing

The beetroot is first soaked whole by being conveyed on a carrier belt submerged in a water tank. Soaking aids