In the process of creating soft drinks, filtration is essential for the water used in bottling and the sugar syrup. The quality and purification of the sugar utilized in syrup production largely decide the necessary filtration and treatment procedures. Unfiltered syrup may contain up to 0.8% by weight of contaminants. Additionally, considering the color of the final beverage, decolorization may be necessary in addition to filtration.
The significance of efficient filtration systems in the soft drink and juice industry cannot be overstated
In crafting beverages like apple juice, juice filtration is the key step to maintaining the highest standards of quality. Throughout the bottling process, meticulous filtration procedures are applied to the water used and the sugar syrup. The quality and origin of the sugar used in syrup production decide the extent of filtration and treatment.
Unfiltered syrup may contain up to 0.8% by weight of contaminants, underscoring the necessity of employing a juice filter to achieve the desired clarity and flavor profile in the end product.
Moreover, depending on the color of the final beverage, decolorization may be necessary for addition to filtration to meet the quality of filtered juice.
Raw materials in any production process may carry inorganic particles and microorganisms that pose threats to the production process and the quality of the final product. Despite cleaning and operating procedures, contaminants like bacteria, yeasts, and molds can re-enter the facility after the cleaning process is complete.
While the low pH and high carbonation of traditional soft drinks typically inhibit and eliminate most bacteria, non-carbonated or lower pH soft drinks, such as sports drinks or flavored water, lack the same protection against spoilage organisms.
Hence, the installation of soft drink and juice filtration systems becomes imperative to effectively eliminate bacteria and other contaminants, ensuring the hygiene and quality of the final product.
Steps in Crafting Juice and Soft Drinks
Each step in juice filtration is meticulously designed to achieve a distinctive taste and superior quality. Water, sourced from taps or springs, undergoes thorough treatment to remove impurities, algae, and bacteria.
Through meticulous juice filtration processes, it’s essential to ensure that beverages, including apple juice filtration, meet the highest standards of quality and safety. Then, carbon dioxide revitalises the drink, while liquid cooling not only aids gas absorption but also maintains optimal characteristics.
Diverse flavor options are created by preparing syrups using concentrated sugar solutions and various flavoring agents. In order to uphold the standards of quality and safety, juice producers should dilute the syrup, infuse carbon dioxide, and bottle the beverages after thorough filtration.
Step
Description
Water Treatment
Purify water from tap or spring sources by removing impurities, algae, and bacteria.
CO2 Addition
Introduce carbon dioxide for mixing and carbonation after water treatment and filtration.
Liquid Cooling
Cool the liquid under carbon dioxide pressure, facilitating gas absorption and temperature reduction.
Syrup Preparation
Prepare flavored syrups by concentrating sugar solutions or adding various flavoring agents.
Product Finishing
Dilute syrup with water, add carbon dioxide, and bottle after filtration for quality and safety.
Bottle Cleaning
Clean returned bottles with an alkaline solution before filling with beverages for hygiene.
Juice & Soft Drink Filtration Solutions
Following our discussion on the juice and soft drink filtration process, let’s explore several effective filtration solutions tailored to this industry.
● Clarification Pre-Filtration Solutions
In the initial clarification step, the choice of filtration solutions depends on the beverage composition, particularly the solids and microbiological content. We recommend utilizing Ultrapure series glass fiber and PP pleated filter cartridges with pore sizes ranging from 1 to 10 μm. The glass fiber media offers advantages such as low pressure drop, high solids capacity, and efficient particle removal. This not only enhances the overall filtration process but also prevents premature clogging of downstream membrane filters caused by biological particle loading.
● Gas Filtration Solutions
When carbonated gas is introduced during the production of soft drinks,it is crucial to filter the gas to eliminate potential microbial contaminants. For this stage, we recommend to use hydrophobic PTFE and PES membrane pleated cartridges. These cartridges prevent particles and bacteria from the process gas effectively, which ensures that they are not injected into the product during the filling process. Process gas filters and tank vent filters typically use filter cartridges with a filtration accuracy of 0.22 μm.
● Microbial Removal Sterilization Solutions
During this phase, it’s advisable to use two filters with different or identical fineness. The first filter, with a pore size of 0.45 or 0.65 µm, acts as a safeguard for the final filter. The second filter, a pleated PES membrane cartridge with a pore size of 0.22 µm, plays a crucial role ensuring the sterilization of the bottling process in eliminating microorganisms. This meticulous approach guarantees the highest standards of quality and safety in soft drink production.
What Sanitek can do in this procedure?
By ensuring the functionality and durability of your equipment, Sanitek’s tailored filtration solutions contribute to long-term cost savings on maintenance and operational expenses.
Sanitek’s market-leading filtration systems specialize in the removal of oil and particles from water streams, addressing environmental regulations or injection well standards. Our innovative offerings encompass oil adsorptive guard filters, high-efficiency coalescers, as well as disposable and washable solid cartridge solutions.
For this specific application, Sanitek designs and manufactures filter cartridges and filter housings. Our Oltek pleated filter cartridge and Oltek string wound filter cartridge stand out as ideal solutions for maintaining the required purity levels in this condition.
