Patent ID: 7559275

Claim:
A system to process a leafy vegetable after being harvested, wherein the leafy vegetable has a core end and a leafy end, the system comprising: a first cutting implement located in a trim area to trim a portion of the core end; a second cutting implement located in the trim area to trim a portion of the leafy end, wherein the first and second cutting implements are spaced a set distance apart, and wherein the set distance defines an amount of the leafy vegetable remaining after the portions of the core and leafy ends are trimmed; a first set of one or more nozzles located in the trim area to spray a rinsing liquid on cut sites on the leafy vegetable to rinse natural juices exuding from the cut sites as the portions of the core and leafy ends of the leafy vegetable are being trimmed by the first and second cutting implements; a first conveyor to transport the leafy vegetable to the trim area, wherein the first conveyor extends through the trim area and between the first and second cutting implements, the first conveyor having cleats; and a second conveyor disposed adjacent and parallel to the first conveyor, wherein the second conveyer extends into the trim area and adjacent the first cutting implement, the second conveyor having cleats, wherein the leafy vegetable is loaded onto both the first and second conveyors and is held between two cleats of each of the first and second conveyors with the core end held on the second conveyor to reduce twisting of the leafy vegetable while the portion of the core end is trimmed by the first cutting implement, and wherein the second conveyer clears the trimmed portion of the core end from the first cutting implement.