Metal Conveyor Belts Used in Fruit Washing Industry

With surging market demand for fresh fruits in summer, fruit washing production lines rely heavily on food-grade stainless steel metal conveyor belts. All belts adopt polished burr-free surfaces to avoid fruit peel scratches, featuring excellent water permeability for draining and easy high-pressure washing. SUS304 stainless steel is the mainstream material; SUS316/316L is selected for harsh working conditions with organic acid, citric acid and ozone disinfection environments. Below are mainstream metal mesh belts for fruit cleaning workflows:

1. Herringbone Mesh Belts – Primary Choice for Soft Berries

Structure

Formed by bent stainless steel wires into continuous herringbone patterns, connected with cross rods and driven by side chains. Mesh apertures range from 2mm to 5mm, wire diameter options: 1.0mm–1.8mm.

Application Scenarios

• Small soft berries: strawberry, blueberry, cherry, grape, mulberry, red bayberry bubble cleaning, rinsing and draining sections

• Fresh-cut fruits, fig and kiwi fruit spray washing processes

Core Advantages

1. Ultra-smooth flat surface to minimize peel damage on thin-skinned fruits

2. Fine mesh prevents tiny berries from falling through gaps

3. High hollow ratio allows full penetration of bubble water and spray water for fast surface dewatering

4. Simple structure without dead corners for fruit residue buildup, easy to clean with high-pressure water guns

2. Balanced Spiral Mesh Belts – General-Purpose Conveyor for Medium & Hard Fruits

Structure

Woven with alternating left and right spiral steel wires, reinforced by horizontal cross rods and driven by double-side chains. Mesh holes: 5mm–12mm, customizable stainless steel side baffles to stop fruits rolling off.

Application Scenarios

• Bubble soaking cleaning for apples, pears, oranges, peaches and mangoes

• Conveying, secondary high-pressure spraying and ozone disinfection tank transmission in full assembly lines

• Mass continuous 24-hour fruit processing production lines

Core Advantages

1. High tensile strength, anti-deformation and anti-offset, ideal for long-distance conveyor lines

2. Installable horizontal scrapers and height-adjustable side guards for inclined lifting discharge

3. SUS304 resists normal clean water and weak acid; SUS316 performs stably under long-term citric detergent immersion

3. Straight Rod Mesh Belts (Eye Link Mesh Belts) – Specialized for Draining, Air-Drying & Sterilization

Structure

Composed of vertical straight steel wires and horizontal round cross rods with ultra-permeable flat surfaces, available in fine and standard hole specifications.

Application Scenarios

• Dewatering tunnels, strong air-drying channels, hot air drying and UV sterilization sections post fruit washing

• Water control conveying for thick-peel fruits like pomelos and mandarins

Core Advantages

1. Maximum permeability to eliminate standing water and prevent fruit rot caused by water soaking

2. Low air resistance to boost air-drying efficiency

3. Minimal structure with fruit debris washed away instantly, meeting strict food sanitation inspection standards

4. Great Wall Mesh Belts (Horseshoe Link Belts) – Heavy-Duty for Large Melons & Inclined Lifting

Structure

Assembled by stamped stainless steel horseshoe pieces and penetrating cross rods, ultra-high load capacity with integrated anti-slip baffles, mesh apertures:15mm–30mm.

Application Scenarios

• Cleaning and brush peeling machines for watermelons, cantaloupes, pumpkins and other large thick-rind fruits

• High-angle lifting and discharging sections at the end of cleaning tanks

• Preserved fruit soaking and pickling assembly lines

Core Advantages

1. Outstanding load-bearing capacity without deformation under heavy large fruits

2. Integrated side barriers to avoid fruit sliding down inclined conveyors

3. Wear-resistant against heavy friction, perfectly matched with brush roller cleaning equipment

5. Rod Conveyor Belts (Spindle Belts) – Heavy-Load Coarse Washing & High-Impact Workstations

Structure

Equipped with double-side roller chains and evenly distributed solid stainless steel spindles, no woven steel wires with wide clearance gaps.

Application Scenarios

• Heavy-duty feeding and pre-coarse washing sections in large-scale fruit processing plants

• Rough washing tanks with strong surfing flow and high-pressure water impact

• Coarse cleaning for thorn-skinned fruits such as pineapples and durians (equipped with buffer rubber strips)

Core Advantages

1. Shock-resistant and compression-resistant, avoiding wire breakage under heavy fruit weight

2. Wide gaps allow sediment and rotten pulp to drop directly without accumulation

3. Low maintenance cost: only single damaged spindles need replacement instead of whole belts

Stainless Steel Material Selection Guide for Fruit Washing Lines

1. SUS304 Stainless Steel (90% standard configuration for cleaning lines)Suitable for normal clean water circulation, neutral fruit detergents and room-temperature bubble tanks. Cost-effective, rust-proof and fully compliant with food contact safety regulations.

2. SUS316 / SUS316L Stainless Steel (Special Corrosive Working Conditions)Applied to fruits with high organic acid content (red bayberry, hawthorn, plum) and production lines with long-term citric acid, oxalic acid soaking or continuous ozone disinfection. Superior anti-pitting and anti-corrosion performance to extend belt service life.

3. 201 Stainless Steel is Prohibited: It rusts quickly when exposed to fruit acid, leaching heavy metals and violating food processing hygiene codes.

Complete Mesh Belt Matching Scheme for Summer Fruit Washing Lines

1. Feeding & Coarse Washing Tank: Great Wall horseshoe belts / spindle rod belts (high load, sediment discharge)

2. Bubble Soaking Cleaning: Balanced spiral belts (apples, citrus) / herringbone fine mesh belts (strawberries, grapes)

3. High-Pressure Spray Rinsing: Fine herringbone mesh belts (prevent small berries leakage)

4. Disinfection & Ozone Tanks: SUS316 balanced spiral mesh belts

5. Dewatering & Air-Drying Section: Straight rod mesh belts (rapid surface water removal)

6. Inclined Lifting Discharge: Great Wall mesh belts (built-in baffles against fruit rolling)