Garnish Section Green Onions｜Marukome Quality

Garnish Section, Green Onions

Manual sorting and washing. This step is repeated several times to prevent contamination.

When the fresh green onions are delivered to the production line, the roots are removed, and the stalks are arranged on the production line. About ten inspectors check for contamination during this preparation stage.

Mud, grass, small rocks, etc. are washed off using a high-pressure washer, after which the green onions are repeatedly washed with a running water washer and a shower washer. Inspectors bundle the green onions and visually check for foreign matter and green onions of poor color or shape on the production line between each washer.

The cleaned green onions are cut into 5mm lengths, sterilized in chlorinated water, and then washed in a shower. The processed green onions are sent to the next process in a clean state.

Highlights. Workers visually check the condition of the green onions while checking for difference in color or shape, and then sort the green onions. High-pressure Washing. Mud, insects, small rocks, fibers, etc. are washed off the green onions with high-pressure water. Shower washing.The green onions are washed with a shower on a vinyl-covered production line.Visual Sorting.The color and shape of the green onions are carefully inspected while checking for contaminants.Sterilization (two times). The cut green onions pass through a pool of chlorinated water and are sterilized.

Freeze dry technology is controlled with cutting-edge technology to preserve the flavor of the ingredients.

After repeated sorting and washing, the green onions are stacked on an exclusive tray, and sent to the pre-freezing process before being placed in the freeze dryer.

Pre-freezing the green onions improves the water absorption rate after freeze-drying, and improves the finished taste, aroma, color, etc.

The pre-frozen green onions are then placed in the freeze dryer. After vacuum state is achieved, pressure is reduced to sublimate water content and create a high-quality product.

Technology is used to control the balance of freezing, drying, heating, etc. to preserve the flavor of the food.

Highlights. Workers pay attention to constantly maintain a clean condition by carefully cleaning the trays, rails, etc. The green onions are spread out on the trays which are then stacked in several tens of layers and moved to the pre-freezing room. The trays move along rails that crisscross the ceiling, and move from the pre-freezing room to the freeze dryer.
The trays and rails are cleaned every day. These are made of rust-resistant stainless steel. To prevent dirt and contamination and to maintain a clean condition, the workers carefully wash areas that cannot be easily reached by the cleaning equipment by hand.

The inspectors carefully check the green onions so that even fine foreign matter is not overlooked. Each inspection is performed three times.

First, the freeze-dried green onions are visually sorted. The inspectors place a handful of green onions on the inspection table and check them.

They look for small bugs attached to the pieces of green onion, or small clear and transparent pieces of vinyl or textile material. The workers patiently carry out this mind-boggling job.

For leafy vegetables that insects especially tend to like, the inspectors pay special attention carefully inspecting and then sorting them.

The inspectors check for contaminants as well as the color and shape of the green onions. Foreign matter and defective pieces are placed on a different tray. This step is repeated three times.

The green onions are sifted with a sieve to remove small items, and then pass through a magnetic sensor and another visual sorting session.Green onions which successfully undergo the strict inspection pass through a metal detector and are then packaged.

Highlights. Multiple checks are performed with visual sorting, magnetic sorting, and a metal detector.Three visual sorting sessions! Veteran inspectors check the color and shape of each green onion, and carefully look for contaminants. The visual sorting session is repeated three times, and each time the inspector's name is recorded. Sifting, Magnetic Sorting, and Visual Sorting. Bits of green onion that are too small are removed with a vibrating sieve. Next, iron sand and other foreign matter are removed by a magnetic sorter. Finally, the green onions are visually sorted. Metal Detector. The green onions are checked for metallic foreign matter, such as iron or steel, before packaging.

From pesticide residue measurements to inspection of food additives, products must pass our standards, which are half the national standard values.

At our Analysis Center equipped with cutting-edge inspection devices, we perform extensive inspections to ensure the safety of our foods.

For example, for pesticide residue, 627 items are inspected, for antibiotics 166 items, and for food additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, and oxidation inhibitors, 65 items. Inspections are also performed for microorganisms, heavy metals, etc., bringing the total number of inspections to 928 items. (as of April 2016)

A sample inspection is taken just before the green onions are harvested. Only those passing the inspection are harvested and sent to the freeze-drying factory. The freeze-dried green onions are inspected again, and only those passing this inspection are shipped.

Highlights. Highly skilled technical staff use state-of-the-art inspection equipment to perform strict inspections. Expert staff members use about 200 cutting-edge inspection devices to perform a total of 978 inspection items. (as of April 2016) Our acceptance standard values are half of the Standard values of Japan. Only safe products that have passed our strict standards are shipped.

Pretreatment Room. Samples are extracted and sent to the inspection equipment.Pesticide Residue Pretreatment Room. Antibiotic Pretreatment Room, Heavy Metal Pretreatment Room, Instrumental Analysis Room. Each extracted component is precisely measured and recorded as data. Gas Analysis, Fluid Analysis, Heavy Metal Analysis.

Confirmation of the freeze-dried green onion manufacturing process

We confirm the safety of our products for the customer. Quality Assurance Department Quality Assurance Dept. Osamu Kinoshita

We also inspect the factory.

We do not compromise in our quality control, and ensure that we provide safe and trustworthy quality to our customers.

The vegetables and marine products used as ingredients are inevitably delivered with small contaminants, insects, and microorganisms. Hence, it's important for us to repeat extensive inspections even though it may seem a bit excessive.

I regularly visit the factory and make sure the work is carried out in the proper environment. I listen to the observations from the factory floor, and personally check the conditions with my own eyes.