Juice Beverage Filling Production Process

Beverage Production Line Filling Methods

1. Cold Filling: In the cold filling method of the beverage production line, the product is cooled to room temperature after being ultra-high-temperature sterilized. It is filled in aseptic conditions created by humans into bottles or cartons that have been sterilized with hydrogen peroxide. The bottle caps are also sterilized with hydrogen peroxide and tightly sealed. Cold filling has a smaller impact on product taste and nutritional quality, and it uses less PET material. However, the equipment investment is approximately twice as much as that of hot filling.
2. Hot Filling: In the hot filling method of the beverage production line, the product is sterilized at high temperatures and then filled into bottles at around 90 degrees Celsius. After capping, the bottles and caps are finally sterilized using the temperature of the product itself. This keeps the product at a high temperature for a longer time, affecting the taste and nutritional quality of the juice beverage production process.

Juice Beverage Production Line Process

1. Dilution: Thawed concentrated juice is diluted with purified water according to the recipe requirements.
2. Filtration: Suspended particles and impurities in the juice are removed to ensure clarity and transparency of the diluted juice.
3. Homogenization: The diluted juice undergoes homogenization to achieve uniformity and stability. Homogenization pressure requirement: 20-25MPa.
4. Sugar Dissolution and Filtration: This process takes place in the sugar dissolution tank. The mixer is activated, a suitable amount of water is added, and the specified amount of granulated sugar is added according to the recipe. Sugar dissolution can be done through either hot melting or cold dissolution, depending on the production process requirements. Sugar liquid filtration generally uses diatomaceous earth filtration. Dissolving and filtering other additives are similar to granulated sugar.
5. Mixing: The previously diluted juice, dissolved and filtered sugar liquid, and dissolved and filtered additives are pumped into a mixing tank for uniform blending and volume adjustment. Flavorings and/or colorants are added according to the recipe and mixed thoroughly.
6. Filtration: The blended liquid is filtered once more through a filtering bucket connected to the pipeline to remove any remaining suspended particles and impurities, ensuring a transparent, uniform, and sediment-free product.
7. Sterilization: The filtered liquid is subjected to sterilization using a UHT sterilization machine. Sterilization conditions: 130-135°C, 4-6 seconds. During sterilization, the steam pressure supplied to the sterilization machine should not be less than 0.8MPa.
8. Bottle Cleaning: Bottles are thoroughly cleaned using a bottle washer to remove dust and dirt. To ensure effective cleaning, purified water pressure of no less than 0.4MPa is required. Bottle cleaning is often combined with filling and capping in a “three-in-one” filling machine.
9. Filling and Capping: Filling can be done through aseptic cold filling or aseptic hot filling methods. For juice beverage production, aseptic hot filling is often employed for quality assurance. Requirements include a filling temperature not lower than 90°C and an internal bottle temperature not lower than 85°C after filling. Bottles must be capped immediately after filling. Proper torque adjustments are made during capping to ensure a tight seal. This process is performed in a “three-in-one” hot filling machine.
10. Bottle Inversion: Products filled through the hot filling process are immediately inverted using an inversion machine. This allows the residual heat of the liquid to sterilize the bottles and caps, ensuring product quality.
11. Inspection: Products pass through an inspection machine to check for dirt, impurities, and proper sealing of the bottles, ensuring that qualified products proceed to the next step.
12. Cooling: Products are passed through a cooling tunnel to rapidly reduce their temperature to (38±2)°C. This step minimizes heat-related damage. Hot filling equipment investment is relatively lower.

HZM Machinery offers professional juice beverage production line equipment.