New totes for fruit and vegetable processors
Fruit and vegetable processors move concentrates, purées, brines and oils that are often thick or acidic, so they need food-contact totes with a valve and gasket that suit the product, and a bottle that keeps light out where the product fades.
What goes in the totes
Juice and fruit concentrates, vegetable and fruit purées, brines for pickling and canning, vinegar, cooking oils, and flavour extracts. Seasonal plants also stock totes of cleaning and sanitizing chemicals for the pack season.
The tote and the rule
A food-contact bottle under 21 CFR 177.1520 with food-contact gaskets. Thick purées drain slowly through a 2 in butterfly valve; a 3 in ball valve helps (2 in or 3 in). Acidic brines and vinegar suit EPDM gaskets. A black or UV-blocking bottle slows colour and flavour loss in products that stand in light.
Where the industry is
Fruit and vegetable preserving employed 173,844 people in 2025: California 27,518, Wisconsin 11,014, Washington 10,988, Ohio 10,327 and Texas 9,194 (BLS QCEW 2025). Leading counties included Los Angeles (3,695), Stanislaus (3,669) and Fresno (3,355) in California and Franklin County, Washington (2,520). In Idaho the industry is 7.6 times the national share of jobs.
Aseptic products
Many purées and concentrates move in aseptic bags inside a rigid outer container: the bag is sterile and the container just carries it. That is a different product from a tote with a food-contact bottle, and we don't supply aseptic bag systems. For products that aren't aseptically packed, a new food-contact tote is the clean container, and stainless suits anything held hot.
Totes we would quote
Illustrative image, generated. Not a photograph of our stock or deliveries. Food-grade new IBC totes
For concentrates, brines and oils. Ask for a 3 in ball valve on thick products.
- Bottle resin
- 21 CFR 177.1520
- Prior contents
- None
- Gaskets
- EPDM or Viton
- Sizes
- 275, 330 gal
Illustrative image, generated. Not a photograph of our stock or deliveries. New 275 gallon IBC tote
Easier to lift full when the product is dense, as many concentrates are.
- Capacity
- 275 gal / 1,040 L
- Footprint
- 48 x 40 in
- Height
- about 46 in
- UN code
- 31HA1/Y
Illustrative image, generated. Not a photograph of our stock or deliveries. New 330 gallon IBC tote
For thinner products such as vinegar and brine where volume per position counts.
- Capacity
- 330 gal / 1,250 L
- Footprint
- 48 x 40 in
- Height
- 53 to 54 in
- Tare
- about 155 lb
Illustrative image, generated. Not a photograph of our stock or deliveries. Stainless steel IBC totes
For hot-filled products and anything cleaned between batches.
- Steel
- 304, 10 gauge
- Finish
- 2B
- UN code
- 31A
- Sizes
- 350, 550, 793 gal
Questions from fruit and vegetable buyers
- Can totes go in a cold room?
- Yes. The HDPE bottle stays tough at chiller temperatures. Thick products such as purees and syrups drain slowly when cold, so allow time or warm them before emptying, and keep the valve clear of ice.
- Do purées need a special gasket?
- Usually EPDM suits water-based fruit and vegetable products. Oily dressings or products with essential oils may call for Viton; check with the gasket maker’s chart.
- Why does purée drain so slowly?
- It is viscous and a 2 in butterfly valve’s disc sits in the flow. A 3 in ball valve gives a full, larger bore.
- Do concentrates need a UV-blocking bottle?
- If they stand in light and their colour or flavour fades, a black or UV-blocking bottle or an opaque cover helps.
- Can we order totes for the season?
- Give the season’s dates and the quantity, and the quote is worked out for delivery before the pack starts.
Also read: 2 in or 3 in outlet, Butterfly or ball valve, Food grade or not, Food processing. All industries.
Quote totes for fruit and vegetable
Give the product and how thick it is, whether it stands in light, the valve size you want, how many for the season and the delivery ZIP.