Production of Carob Powder and Carob Flour

The flesh of the Cypriot carob—renowned for its exceptional quality—serves as the finest raw material for producing carob powder and carob flour.

Our facility operates two production lines. Fully integrated and seamlessly interconnected, these two units form a complete and efficient processing system.

All machinery involved in the production of carob powder and carob flour is made of high-quality, stainless-steel, state-of-the-art equipment.

Throughout the production process, our staff wear the appropriate protective gear, strictly adhering to all hygiene and safety regulations. Moisture is measured consistently at every stage, ensuring stable product quality and optimal processing conditions.

Our company is certified with ISO 22000, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001, reaffirming our commitment to food safety, occupational health and safety, and sustainable environmental management.

1st Production Process

Step 1: Introduction of Carobs into the Hopper

The carobs are first introduced into a large-capacity overhead hopper, which serves as the initial feeding stage of the production process.

Step 2: Cleaning of the Carobs

The carobs then pass through a series of sorting sieves with different-sized openings. At this stage, branches, leaves, stones, and any other foreign materials are removed, ensuring that only clean and properly prepared carobs proceed to the next processing steps.

Step 3: Destoning

The destoning process follows, during which the carobs pass through the destoner. This machine effectively removes stones, ensuring that the raw material is completely clean before moving on to the next stage.

Step 4: Grinding and Separation into Five Sizes

After destoning, the clean carobs are directed to the mill, where grinding and material separation take place. Our system produces five different size categories—each serving specific needs of the production process:

• Kernels (seeds)

• Very fine flesh: 0–3 mm

• Fine flesh: 3–5 mm

• Medium flesh: 5–8 mm

• Coarse flesh (over): 8–12 mm

This precise separation ensures uniformity in the final product and represents a critical stage in producing high-quality carob powder and carob flour.

Step 5: Separation with Rotating Calibrator

At this stage, the material enters the rotating calibrator, which accurately separates the five different sizes: kernels, very fine flesh, fine flesh, medium flesh, and coarse flesh. Each category is directed to a separate outlet, ensuring a clean and properly classified product for the subsequent stages of the production process.

Step 6: Preparation of the Carob Flesh for Powder Production

The flesh obtained from the separation process and intended for carob powder production is stacked and stored in a shaded area, protected from direct sunlight, in order to preserve its quality characteristics. The storage conditions remain controlled, with relative humidity kept below 65% and temperature below 25°C.

2nd Production Process

Step 1: Drying the Carob Flesh in the Drum Dryer

The carob flesh is introduced into the drum-type dryer, where the drying–roasting process takes place. Feeding is carried out according to type and size, ensuring uniform and consistent roasting throughout the material.

During the process, continuous temperature measurements are performed using specialized handheld instruments, ensuring that the product temperature never exceeds 140°C — a threshold that, if surpassed, could lead to quality degradation and excessive caramelization of the product.

Step 2: Cooling, Transfer, and Grinding

The product is then cooled and transferred to a dedicated temporary storage silo. From there, it is directed to two industrial mills that produce carob powder and carob flour of excellent quality and texture.

Step 3: Granulometric Screening with Plansifter

After grinding is completed, the material is directed to three screening sieves (plansifter), where granulometric separation takes place.

The 60-mesh sieve produces the carob powder, while the 40-mesh and 50-mesh sieves produce the carob flour.

This process ensures precise classification and consistent quality in the final product.

Step 4: Storage and Packaging

After granulometric separation, the product is transferred to dedicated silos, where it is bagged in food-grade paper bags, in accordance with Food Safety standards. This ensures that the final product remains completely safe and suitable for human consumption.

Step 5: Metal Detector Inspection

The sewn paper bags pass through a metal detector. This inspection is a critical stage in ensuring food safety, confirming that the final product is entirely free from metallic foreign bodies and fully suitable for human consumption.

Step 6: Palletization on Food-Grade Pallets

After the metal detector inspection, the packaged bags are stacked on certified food-grade pallets. The use of approved Food Grade pallets ensures that the product remains protected and fully compliant with food safety and hygiene standards throughout storage and transport.