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A method of peeling agricultural products having skins, including the steps of: immersing the agricultural products to be peeled in a treating solution in a first area of a peeling apparatus, and forming a mixture at a first pressure; transporting the mixture in a second area, the second area having

A method of peeling agricultural products having skins, including the steps of: immersing the agricultural products to be peeled in a treating solution in a first area of a peeling apparatus, and forming a mixture at a first pressure; transporting the mixture in a second area, the second area having a first end at the first pressure and a second end at a second pressure; transporting the mixture in a third area, the third area being at an essentially constant second pressure; transporting the mixture in a fourth area, the fourth area having a first end at the second pressure and having a second end at a third pressure that is essentially equal to the first pressure and transporting the mixture to a separator at essentially the third pressure. An apparatus for peeling agricultural products having skins in accordance with the method is also provided.

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We claim: 1. A. method of peeling agricultural products having skins, the steps comprising: immersing the agricultural products to be peeled in a treating solution in a first area of a peeling apparatus, the immersed products and treating solution forming a mixture in the first area at a first pres

We claim: 1. A. method of peeling agricultural products having skins, the steps comprising: immersing the agricultural products to be peeled in a treating solution in a first area of a peeling apparatus, the immersed products and treating solution forming a mixture in the first area at a first pressure; transporting the mixture in a second area of the peeling apparatus, the second area having a first end at the first pressure and a second end at a second pressure; transporting the mixture in a third area of the peeling apparatus, the third area being at an essentially constant second pressure; transporting the mixture in a fourth area of the peeling apparatus, the fourth area having a first end at the second pressure and having a second end at a third pressure that is essentially equal to the first pressure; transporting the mixture from the fourth area to a separator, the separator being essentially at the third pressure; and further including the step of providing a liquid barometric liquid seal in one end of the second area and in one end of the fourth area by flooding a feed vessel in the first area and portions of the second and fourth areas with treating solution up to a predetermined height in the feed vessel and predetermined levels and in the second and fourth areas. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pressure is essentially atmospheric pressure. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pressure is less than the first pressure. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second, third, and fourth areas are interconnected and form a part of a closed system to recirculate the treating solution and to facilitate transporting the mixture through the apparatus. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the change of pressure between the first area and second area and between the third area and the fourth area is produced by a difference in elevation of at least portions of those areas. 7. The method claim 1, wherein the first area is at a first elevation. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second area begins at a first elevation and ends at a second elevation. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the third area is essentially at a second elevation. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth area begins at a second elevation and ends at a third elevation. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second elevation is higher than the first elevation. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second elevation is lower than the first elevation. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the third elevation is essentially the same as the first elevation. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the mixture rises in the second area to the second elevation and the rise is caused by at least one of the following: a) a pump and b) a vacuum. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the treating solution is heated. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the heated treating solution includes an active ingredient of one or more of the following: a) sodium hydroxide and b) potassium hydroxide. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the treating solution comprises an active ingredient including at least one of the following: a) a caustic soda and b) an enzyme. 18. A method of peeling agricultural products having skins, the steps comprising: immersing the agricultural products to be peeled in a treating solution in a first area of a peeling apparatus, the immersed products and treating solution forming a mixture in the first area at a first pressure; transporting the mixture in a second area of the peeling apparatus, the second area having a first end at the first pressure and a second end at a second pressure; transporting the mixture in a third area of the peeling apparatus, the third area being at an essentially constant second pressure; transporting the mixture in a fourth, area of the peeling apparatus, the fourth area having a first end at the second pressure and having a second end at a third pressure that is essentially equal to the first pressure; transporting the mixture from the fourth area to a separator, the separator being essentially at the third pressure; and further including the step of creating at least a partial vacuum in the second, third and fourth areas such that air in the second and fourth areas is fully exhausted and air in the third area is at least partially exhausted through a vacuum system, and the treating solution is drawn from the second and fourth areas, thereby filling the second and fourth areas and at least partially filling the third area with treating solution up to a desired level. 19. A method of peeling agricultural product is having skins, the steps comprising: immersing the agricultural products to be peeled in a treating solution in a first area of a peeling apparatus, the immersed products and treating solution forming a mixture in the first area at a first pressure; transporting the mixture in a second area of the peeling apparatus, the second area having a first end at the first pressure and a second end at a second pressure; transporting the mixture in a third area of the peeling apparatus, the third area being at an essentially constant second pressure; transporting the mixture in a fourth area of the peeling apparatus, the fourth area having a first end at the second pressure and having a second end at a third pressure that is essentially equal to the first pressure; transporting the mixture from the fourth area to a separator, the separator being essentially at the third pressure; and further including the step of forming a siphon by having the following: a) a barometric liquid seal in a first end of the second area and in a second end of the fourth area, b) a difference in height between a liquid level at height in a feed vessel in the first area and a liquid level L in an outlet end of the fourth area, and c) at least a partial vacuum in the second, third, and fourth areas. 20. A method of priming a peeling apparatus for peeling agricultural products having skins, the steps comprising: providing a peeling apparatus having a plurality of pipes and valves, a feed vessel, a pump, a separator, a tank, a liquid, a container, a heating device and a peeling conduit; filling the tank of the apparatus with the liquid; opening at least one of the plurality of valves to connect the feed vessel with the pump and the separator; closing at least one of the plurality of valves to prevent the liquid from draining out of the peeling apparatus; starting the pump and circulating the liquid via the heating device, at least one of the plurality of pipes, the feed vessel, the peeling conduit and the separator; and providing a liquid barometric seal at opposite ends of the peeling conduit by flooding the feed vessel with the liquid up to at least a first height, having the liquid flow into a first section of the peeling conduit up to a level essentially equal to the first height in the feed vessel, having overflow of the liquid from the feed vessel flow into the container having a weir, the weir having a height in the container that is equal to or lower than a level of the liquid at an outlet end of the peeling conduct, having the liquid form a reservoir in the container with a portion of the liquid flowing over the weir into the tank, and having another portion of the liquid flowing out of the container into an end of a third section of the peeling conduit up to a level that is equal to or below the height of the weir. 21. A method of operating a peeling apparatus for peeling agricultural products having skins, the steps comprising: providing a peeling apparatus having a plurality of valves, pipes, a feed vessel, a pump, a vacuum system, a separator, a tank, a controlled treating solution, a container, a heating device and a peeling conduit; opening at least one of the plurality of valves to connect the feed vessel with the pump and the separator; closing at least one of the plurality of valves to prevent the treating solution from draining out of the peeling apparatus; filling the tank of the apparatus with the treating solution; starting the pump and circulating the treating solution via the heating device and at least one of the plurality of pipes, the feed vessel, the peeling conduit and the separator; providing a liquid barometric seal at opposite ends of the peeling conduit; starting the vacuum system, the vacuum system being sealably connected with at least one section of the peeling conduit; adjusting a vacuum control of the vacuum system to attain essentially full exhaustion of air from a first and a third section of the peeling conduit and at least a partial exhaustion of air from a second section of the peeling conduit, the air being exhausted from the peeling conduit through the vacuum system resulting in at least a partial vacuum sufficient to lift the treating solution into the second section and to maintain the treating solution at a desired fill level in the second section of the peeling conduit, the treating solution having been drawn from the first and third sections at opposite ends, respectively, of the peeling conduit, thereby filling the first and third sections and at least partially filling the second section of the peeling conduit with treating solution up to the desired fill level; adjusting the pump to provide a desired treating solution flow rate, the flow rate being enabled by the at least partial vacuum created in the peeling conduit and a siphon established by a difference in height between a liquid level in the feed vessel and an outlet end of the peeling conduit; operating the heating device to heat the treating solution as the treating solution moves thorough the heating device, the now heated treating solution flowing through the apparatus; delivering agricultural products to be peeled to the feed vessel; immersing the agricultural products to be peeled in the heated treating solution thereby forming a mixture in the feed vessel, the feed vessel having an output opening at a first elevation and being at a first pressure, and the agricultural products being at least partially infused with the heated treating solution, thereby initiating at least a partial peeling of the immersed agricultural products; transporting the mixture over a first predetermined period of time in a first section of the peeling conduit, the first section having a first end being essentially at the first pressure and essentially at the first elevation, and a second end being at a second pressure and at a second elevation; further transporting the mixture over a second predetermined period of time in a second section of the peeling conduit, the second section having first and second ends essentially at the second elevation and essentially at the second pressure; further transporting the mixture over a third predetermined period of time in a third section of the peeling conduit, the third section having a first end at essentially the second elevation and essentially at the second pressure, and a second end at a third elevation and at a third pressure, the mixture being brought to a level in an outlet end of the third section that is essentially at the third elevation, the mixture including at least partially peeled products and heated treating solution; and further transporting the mixture to a separator wherein the at least partially peeled products and the heated treating solution are separated.