PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2018

BOTTLING / FILLING PET planet Insider Vol. 19 No. 04/18 www.petpla.net 32 Mastering liquid food manufacturing Something to eat or drink? The worldwide beverage market is forecast to grow to USD 1.9 trillion by 2021, which is great news for manufacturers. What’s slightly trickier is what consumers are actually asking for: a variety of high quality hybrid products which are also produced sustainably. So the question is: How can we help manufacturers to create a wide range of beverages as effi- ciently as possible? Following the process of bottling liquid food as described here, GEA believes that aseptic dual-fill technology will play a decisive role here. Demand is growing for bever- ages that include solids, such as fruits, fibres, nuts and cereals. Acting as stand-in meals, “liquid food” has become increasingly popular as a result of people’s busy lifestyles and unwillingness to compromise on nutri- tion or mealtimes just because “time is of the essence.” However, traditional single-line pasteurisation systems are unable to process products with a solid content of more than 5–10%. The challenge then for manufactur- ers is to treat the products in way that ensures product safety and shelf life requirements, while maintaining taste and texture. Likewise, processors need to have the flexibility to optimise the volume of solids in the products to meet increasing customer demands for a greater variety of ingredients. Getting it right from the start – prep and pasteurisation Manufacturers must accommodate the different requirements of liquids and solids throughout the entire manufacturing process because each product requires a different level of heat treatment to achieve bio-stability. In order to prevent damage to these products and to achieve the best possible product quality – as well as minimising energy consumption – it is necessary to precisely balance the levels of heat used throughout the process. Solid ingredients are gener- ally delivered as compote in a carrier fluid or in pieces. If delivered dry, they must first be mixed with a carrier liquid before further processing can take place, such as pasteurisation or aseptic filling. Liquids on the other hand, are often prepared in advance, having already undergone deaeration, and may have already had ascorbic or citric acids added to them or even undergone homogenisation. Next, each component must undergo pasteurisation. For a long shelf life, microorganisms – including dormant spores – must be killed or inactivated. And while the application of heat destroys harmful bacteria and spores in foods, it can also adversely affect both the taste and texture of products. Using unnecessary heat is also expensive and wasteful which is major concern as companies strive to reduce their consumption and emis- sions. For fruit juices, pasteurisation at a minimum temperature of 85° Cel-