The pineapple has gained significant recognition in the contemporary era as the fruit of the festive season. It is a highly sought-after item on consumer tables globally, particularly during Christmas when demand rises considerably.
From left to right: Vincenzo Di Prisco (CEO), Virginia Cascella (Export Manager) and Melania Di Prisco (Administration Manager)
"It is said that the captains of English ships, returning from the Americas, used to hang a pineapple fruit on their doorstep to warn everyone of their return," says Virginia Cascella, PND's export manager. "At the time, the pineapple was a fruit consumed by a select few. Today, however, it is widely eaten across the globe, in a variety of ways, both fresh and processed. PND has dedicated an entire processing line to the production of fresh-cut pineapple."
Pineapple peeling phase
"The pineapple line," she continues, "consists of a washing tank, a PL2D peeler and an SS8 cutter for diced and finger shapes. We are currently in the process of delivering two of these lines to the Arab market. We are very happy with the new door we are opening to this particular area of the world, which we have not yet explored very much, even though we have been operating worldwide for several years."
Pineapple tidbits
Peels up to 12-14 fruits per minute
The PREP-WASH tank is used to wash the fruit: the water flow pushes the fruit onto a modular belt with flights, allowing it to be processed in water. Its speed can be regulated thanks to an inverter installed on the control panel. The PL2D semi-automatic stainless steel peeler, on the other hand, is manually loaded, intuitive and user-friendly, with an output of 12-14 fruits per minute. Each fruit is easily peeled at an adjustable speed, even if it is irregular and uncalibrated, with maximum yield and minimum waste, without compromising its nutritional and organoleptic integrity. The machine is equipped with an electrical panel with two inverters to adjust both the speed of rotation of the fruit and that of the blade.
Video PND
"We offer tailor-made solutions to meet every need," explains Cascella, "and it is even possible to perform an extra step, namely cutting. The peeler has therefore been combined with the SS8 slicer, which guarantees an output of 35-40 fruits per minute. This is a semi-automatic machine that produces high quality slices of different shapes and sizes, simply by changing the dies and pads. Our machines are tried and tested and highly appreciated. We have sold 180 pineapple peelers and over 200 cutters worldwide. The line is easy to set up, maintain and sanitise and has an extremely compact footprint compared to others on the market."
Pineapple Fingers
The company's main objective is to internationalise its product. This is achieved by participating in the most important trade fairs in the sector, which cover all five continents. The next exhibition where PND will be exhibiting its best-selling machines is Fruit Logistica, to be held in Berlin from 5 to 7 February 2025.
For more information:
Virginia Cascella
PND - Fruit Processing Machinery 
Via Brancaccio, 11
84018 Scafati (SA) - Italy
Tel.: +39 0818509368
[email protected]
www.pndsrl.it