Peel material pH level adjustment process and apparatus

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for treating produce by-products, and particularly tomato peel material after removal of the peels from tomatoes, for the purpose of adjusting the pH level thereof to enable subsequent use of the tomato peel material in food products or to enable easier disposal of the tomato peel material. A tomato peel material pH level adjustment system () including a plurality of peel material receiving tanks (), pumps (), acid injection devices (), mixing devices () and mixing conduits () extending to a system output such as storage holding tank or process equipment (). A plurality of pH sensors () sense the pH level of the tomato peel material and acid mixture in the receiving tanks () and in the mixing conduits () and a controller (PC) responsive to pH level sensing signals causes acid injection into the peel material () while in the receiving tanks () and/or while in the mixing conduits (). Base material optionally also can be added to the mixing conduits () to correct pH level overshoots. Rather than adding acid or a base, the tomato peel material () can be diverted back from the mixing conduits () to the receiving tanks (). The system () preferably includes a plurality of replicated batch processing units or modules, which are supplied continuously from a tomato peel material supply source () and drawn down to the holding tank ().