#82 FMC Citrus Juice Extractor
1947
Early examples of machines that automated extraction of juices from fruit
Squeezing an orange for juice is part of the concept of this machine, only on a much larger scale. The extractor revolutionized the juice industry. The twenty-four head rotary action simultaneously extracts juice from the interior of the fruit and citrus oil from the peel surface. The first unit was operated experimentally on grapefruit at the Sunkist Exchange plant in Tempe, Arizona, during late May of 1946. Tests on citrus fruits continued in California, Texas, and Florida. By 1950 the process was improved by including a system for producing high-quality prefinished juice directly from the extractor. FMC extractors are located worldwide in all major citrus areas.
Landmark Location
FMC Corporation, Citrus Machinery Divison
Fairway Avenue
Lakeland, FL 33801
Visiting Info
Not available
Ceremony Notes
March, 1983