Core points of dehydrated onion products production

1、 Compliance with current standards: GH/T 1345-2021 must be implemented, and old standards must be abolished

Current effective standard: Starting from January 1, 2022, GH/T 1345-2021 "Dehydrated Onion" is the only effective national standard, and the original SB/T 10026-1992 has been abolished.

Key indicator requirements: Moisture content: Hot air dried products ≤ 8.0%, freeze-dried products ≤ 6.0%;

Specification classification: Flake: longitudinal and transverse diameter ≥ 3mm, no debris, specification compliance rate ≥ 95%; Granular: Common mesh sizes are 8-16 mesh, 16-26 mesh, 26-40 mesh, and 40-80 mesh; Powdery: fineness ≥ 80 mesh, export grade standard for fineness above 100 mesh, acid insoluble ash content ≤ 1.5%; Sensory requirements: Natural color (white onion milky white, yellow onion light yellow, red onion light pink), no mold, odor, impurities;

Microbial control: Salmonella n=5, c=0, Escherichia coli ≤ 30 MPN/100g, total bacterial count ≤ 10 ⁵ CFU/g;

Pesticide residue control: According to the GB 2763 system, banned pesticides must not be detected, and the limit for thiamethoxam in the Japanese market is 0.01 ppm;

Packaging materials: must comply with GB 4806.7 migration limits for food contact materials, and the use of ordinary plastic bags containing plasticizers is prohibited.

2、 Export market access: strict control of residues and labeling requirements in the three major target countries

|Target Market | Core Compliance Requirements | Key Limitations|

|Japan | Application of the 'positive list system' | Thiamethoxam residue limit ≤ 0.01 ppm; A third-party testing report is required. The export of fresh onions has been reported for exceeding the standard of thiamethoxam|

|EU | Compliant with (EC) No 396/2005 | Pesticide residues such as putrescide and benzamide must comply with the latest revised list, and some substances such as putrescide are "not detectable" in onions|

|US FDA | Corporate Registration+cGMP+Label Compliance | - Companies must register in the FURLS system (foreign companies require US agents) - Compliance with 21 CFR Part 117 cGMP - Labels must include the English product name, net content, ingredient list, allergen statement (onions are a common allergen) - Ingredients must be on the GRAS list, unapproved flavor enhancers or preservatives are prohibited|

3、 Quality Control in Production Process: Four Key Risk Points and Prevention Measures

Browning and flavor loss: Low temperature hot air drying at 60-65 ℃ is used to avoid high temperature damage to the flavor compounds of thiosulfinates; Add ascorbic acid (0.05-0.1%) to inhibit enzymatic browning and maintain product color; The freeze-drying process can better preserve volatile components, but the cost is higher.

Microbial contamination prevention and control: Establish HACCP system, add metal detection and color sorting machine sorting in the raw material pretreatment stage; Perform batch microbiological sampling after drying, with a focus on monitoring Salmonella and mold; The production environment must meet GMP Class C cleanliness standards, and personnel must wear sterile clothing.

Moisture and particle size control: Use the GB/T 5009.3 method to detect moisture and avoid insufficient drying (mold growth) or excessive drying (flavor evaporation); Powdered products require the use of ultrafine crushers to ensure a 100 mesh screening rate of ≥ 98%.

Batch consistency management: Establish an internal flavor comparison database and conduct sensory and physicochemical comparisons with third-party organizations (such as Puni Testing) on a monthly basis.

4、 Storage and transportation regulations: Packaging is the lifeline of quality assurance

Storage conditions: Temperature: ≤ 25 ℃, relative humidity: ≤ 60%, avoid light and ventilation, strictly prohibited from mixing with strong odor substances such as garlic and chili;

Packaging requirements:

Adopting aluminum-plastic composite film or aluminum foil composite bag, with high barrier properties (oxygen permeability ≤ 0.5 cm ³/m ² · 24h · atm); Nitrogen filling packaging (nitrogen purity ≥ 99%) must be implemented to replace oxygen inside the packaging and extend the shelf life to 12-36 months; Food grade silicone desiccant should be included in the packaging to prevent moisture absorption and clumping.

Transportation requirements: Use temperature controlled transport vehicles to avoid high temperature exposure or freezing; Handle with care during loading and unloading to prevent moisture absorption and contamination caused by packaging damage; It is recommended to use container constant temperature and humidity monitoring for exported products to ensure that the entire process meets storage conditions.

5、 Application and User Practical Reference

Food industry applications:

Soup, sauce, convenience food, baby food, barbecue marinade, Western style baking (such as onion bread, cheesecake);

Replace fresh onions, avoid tearing during cutting, improve flavor stability and production efficiency.

User usage scenarios:

Sprinkle into stewed meat soup to enhance freshness, rehydrate and use for cold dishes;

Mix with black pepper and garlic powder to make a "universal spice powder" for grilling and marinating meat.