Carbon dioxide-containing aerated non-concentrated reduced pulp semi-solid product and method of making same

Abstract

This invention discloses a carbon dioxide-filled, non-concentrated NFC (Not From Concentrate) fruit pulp semi-solid product and its preparation method, belonging to the field of food processing technology. The product uses NFC fruit juice as a base, adds fruit pulp particles, and is infused with carbon dioxide. This invention provides three industrial-scale preparation routes: Route 1 employs a synergistic technology system of vacuum degassing, low-temperature carbonation, and backpressure pasteurization, suitable for traditional canning companies; Route 2 uses ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization, avoiding the impact of heat treatment on the fruit pulp's texture throughout the process, suitable for modern beverage companies; Route 3 uses a two-stage filling method where the base material and carbonated base liquid are prepared separately, preventing mechanical damage to the fruit pulp during carbonation, suitable for carbonated beverage companies. The product of this invention combines the rich flavor of NFC fruit juice, the chewy elasticity of real fruit pulp, and the pungent sensation brought by CO₂, resulting in a triple taste experience. Upon opening the can, the gas release promotes the volatilization of natural fruit aromas, and the product has a shelf life of 6 to 12 months at room temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food processing technology, specifically referring to a carbon dioxide-filled non-concentrated NFC fruit pulp semi-solid product and its preparation method. It includes a semi-solid product using non-concentrated NFC fruit juice as a base, adding real fruit pulp particles, and filling with carbon dioxide, along with various industrial preparation methods. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, there are three main categories of beverage products on the market:

[0003] The first category is carbonated beverages, such as Coca-Cola and Sprite. Their advantage lies in their high carbon dioxide content, usually more than twice the volume, making them refreshing, thirst-quenching, and delicious. However, their disadvantage is that they do not contain real fruit pulp, lack the authenticity of the original fruit, have a monotonous taste, and cannot meet consumers' demand for natural and healthy drinks.

[0004] The second category is non-carbonated fruit juice, including NFC (Not From Concentrate) juice and pulp juice. Its advantages are that it has a rich taste and palatability, and retains the natural flavor and nutrition of the fruit; however, its disadvantages are that it tastes greasy, lacks a refreshing feeling, has poor thirst-quenching performance, and lacks a stimulating experience when drunk alone.

[0005] The third category is traditional canned fruit, which uses sugar water soaking and high-temperature sterilization. Its advantage is that it contains real fruit pulp particles and can be stored at room temperature; however, its disadvantage is that the sugar water soaking results in a monotonous and cloying taste, and the high-temperature sterilization process lacks a refreshing taste, failing to meet consumers' demand for a refreshing taste.

[0006] Existing technologies have attempted to produce fruit juice-based carbonated beverages. This technology processes citrus fruits into granules or chunks of pulp, adds white sugar, citric acid, thickeners, etc., to create a base, and then uses a two-stage filling process, first filling with carbonated water and then with the base. However, this technology has the following shortcomings: First, it uses concentrated or blended fruit juice as the base, rather than NFC (Not From Concentrate) juice, resulting in insufficient preservation of natural flavor and a fundamental difference in flavor, nutrition, and production cost compared to NFC juice; Second, excessive heat processing, requiring the pulp to be softened and enzyme-inactivated by boiling water for 10-15 minutes and then boiled for 10-15 minutes, leads to a soft and mushy texture and significant loss of heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamins; Third, the technical challenge of long-term preservation of fruit-containing systems at room temperature has not been systematically addressed; Fourth, during the two-stage filling process, significant CO2 loss occurs during the mixing of carbonated water and the base, making it difficult to maintain a stable taste.

[0007] Therefore, the stable combination of NFC (Not From Concentrate) juice, real fruit pulp particles, and carbon dioxide, and the achievement of long-term preservation at room temperature, is a long-standing technical challenge in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the above situation and to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a carbon dioxide-filled non-concentrated reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product and its preparation method, so as to overcome the technical problems of the prior art that the fruit pulp has a greasy taste, lacks a refreshing feeling, and is difficult to preserve at room temperature.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows: This invention proposes a carbon dioxide-filled non-concentrated NFC fruit pulp semi-solid product, which is composed of the following raw materials: non-concentrated NFC fruit juice as base material, accounting for 60% to 95% of the total mass; fruit pulp particles with a particle size of 2 to 10 mm, accounting for 5% to 30% of the total mass; carbon dioxide, dissolved in the base material, with an aeration volume of 1.5 to 3.0 times the volume, based on the volume at 20°C and 1 atmosphere; and food-grade acceptable excipients.

[0010] Furthermore, the fruit pulp particles are selected from one or more of the following: citrus gizzard, diced yellow peach, coconut jelly, diced aloe vera, diced mango, and diced pineapple.

[0011] Furthermore, the pH value of the NFC juice is below 4.6.

[0012] Furthermore, the product contains both suspended fruit pulp particles and dissolved carbon dioxide, and the release of carbon dioxide upon opening the can causes the natural fruit aroma to evaporate.

[0013] This invention also proposes a method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product, which is applicable to different production conditions and product positioning.

[0014] (a) Back pressure pasteurization, including the following steps:

[0015] (1) After mixing NFC juice with fruit pulp particles, vacuum degassing is performed to control the residual oxygen content of the liquid after degassing to be less than 1.5 mg / L;

[0016] (2) Cool the degassed liquid to 0 to 4°C, and introduce carbon dioxide at a pressure of 0.4 to 0.6 MPa for carbonation, with an aeration volume of 1.5 to 2.5 times the volume;

[0017] (3) Fill the packaging container using the isobaric filling method, control the head void ratio to 8% to 10%, and seal it;

[0018] (4) Pasteurize the sealed product at 85 to 90°C for 20 to 35 minutes, and apply a back pressure of 0.5 to 0.8 atmospheres during the sterilization and cooling process;

[0019] (5) Cool to below 40°C to obtain the finished product.

[0020] (ii) Aseptic cold irrigation method, including the following steps:

[0021] (1) After mixing the NFC juice with the auxiliary materials, perform ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization at 125 to 140°C for 3 to 10 seconds, and then cool to 15 to 25°C.

[0022] (2) Pasteurize the pulp particles at 85 to 90°C for 5 to 15 minutes, or use irradiation sterilization;

[0023] (3) The sterilized juice and pulp particles are aseptically mixed in a Class 100 sterile environment;

[0024] (4) Cool the mixture to 0 to 4°C, and introduce carbon dioxide at a pressure of 0.4 to 0.6 MPa for carbonation, with an aeration volume of 2.0 to 3.0 times the volume;

[0025] (5) Under aseptic conditions, the product is filled and sealed under isobaric conditions. This method does not involve high-temperature sterilization, thus preserving the texture of the fruit pulp and CO2 solubility to the maximum extent.

[0026] (iii) Two-stage filling method, which includes the following steps:

[0027] (1) Preparation of base material: Mix fruit pulp particles with some NFC juice and auxiliary materials to make a fruit pulp base material. The base material is not carbonated.

[0028] (2) Preparation of carbonated liquid: Cool the remaining NFC juice to 0 to 4°C, and introduce carbon dioxide at a pressure of 0.4 to 0.6 MPa, with an aeration volume of 2.5 to 3.5 times the volume;

[0029] (3) Use a two-stage filling method, first fill the container with carbonated liquid and then fill with the base material, or fill with the base material and then fill with carbonated liquid;

[0030] (4) Sealing, with a top void ratio of 5% to 10%;

[0031] (5) Pasteurization, sterilization temperature 85 to 90°C, time 20 to 30 minutes, or use CO2 to inhibit bacteria without sterilization.

[0032] The beneficial effects achieved by this invention are as follows:

[0033] I. Raw Material Innovation: For the first time, NFC (Not From Concentrate) fruit juice is used as the base, which is different from the concentrated or blended fruit juice used in existing fruit-flavored carbonated beverages. The natural flavor is purer, and heat-sensitive nutrients such as vitamins and phenols are more completely preserved.

[0034] 2. Rich and layered taste: It has the rich flavor of NFC juice, the chewy elasticity of real fruit pulp, and the refreshing taste of CO2. When the can is opened, the gas is released and the natural fruit aroma is released, forming a unique experience of three flavor fusion.

[0035] III. Multi-route coverage: It provides three industrial preparation routes, which are suitable for canned food companies, beverage companies and carbonated beverage companies respectively. The implementation method can be selected according to the existing equipment conditions, forming a comprehensive protection for the core formula.

[0036] IV. Feasibility of room temperature storage: Through the design of different sterilization and storage systems (acidic environment of back pressure pasteurization and CO2 synergy, aseptic cold filling throughout the cold chain, CO2 antibacterial), the technical problem of room temperature storage of fruit pulp carbonated products has been solved for the first time, and the shelf life can reach 6 to 12 months. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 For comparison of CO2 retention;

[0038] Figure 2 Comparison of sensory ratings;

[0039] Figure 3 For shelf life comparison;

[0040] Figure 4 Comparison of chewing sensation scores.

[0041] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] Example 1

[0044] Preparation of NFC (Not From Concentrate) Canned Orange Pulp by Back Pressure Pasteurization

[0045] (1) Fresh navel oranges were washed, peeled, and juiced to obtain NFC orange juice. The soluble solids content was determined to be 11.5°Brix and the pH value was 3.8. The NFC orange juice was filtered through a 120-mesh filter and then used for later use.

[0046] (2) Preparation of pulp particles: The orange segments are manually peeled into sand particles of about 8mm, soaked in 0.5% calcium chloride solution for 30 minutes for hardening treatment, and then drained.

[0047] (3) Mix NFC orange juice and pulp granules at a mass ratio of 85:15. Add 0.1% food-grade xanthan gum and 0.05% gellan gum as stabilizers. Add citric acid to adjust the acidity so that the final product pH is 3.9. Add 8% white sugar as a sweetener. Start the vacuum degassing equipment and degas for 8 minutes at an absolute pressure of 50 mbar. The residual oxygen content of the degassing liquid is measured to be 0.8 mg / L.

[0048] (4) Cool the degassed liquid to 2°C through a plate heat exchanger, introduce food-grade carbon dioxide, and carbonize it for 30 minutes at a pressure of 0.5 MPa, so that the gas volume reaches 2.0 times the volume.

[0049] (5) Fill the carbonated liquid into tinplate cans using an isobaric filling machine, controlling the head void ratio to 9%, and seal immediately. Place the sealed cans in a backpressure sterilizer, apply a back pressure of 0.6 atmospheres, and sterilize at 88°C for 28 minutes. After sterilization, cool under back pressure to 38°C and remove from the sterilizer.

[0050] Finished product testing results: The product has a uniform texture, well-suspended pulp particles, abundant bubbles upon opening, and a noticeable fresh taste. CO2 residue is 1.2 times its volume, and the characteristic aroma of orange juice is strong. After 12 months of storage at room temperature, all product indicators remain within the standard range.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] Back pressure pasteurization method, yellow peach varieties

[0053] (1) Take NFC yellow peach juice, soluble solids 13.2°Brix, pH 3.6.

[0054] (2) Mix NFC yellow peach juice with 10mm yellow peach pieces at a mass ratio of 80:20, add 0.2% citric acid and 0.02% isoascorbic acid as antioxidants, and the residual oxygen content of the degassing liquid is 1.1mg / L.

[0055] (3) Cool to 3°C and carbonate at 0.45 MPa with an aeration volume of 1.8 times the volume.

[0056] (4) The head void ratio is 8.5%. It is pasteurized at 87°C for 32 minutes under back pressure with a back pressure of 0.7 atmospheres and then cooled to 40°C.

[0057] The finished product has a CO2 residue of 1.0 times its volume, and the diced yellow peaches have a crisp, tender, and elastic texture.

[0058] Example 3

[0059] Aseptic cold filling method for preparing coconut jelly NFC carbonated beverages

[0060] (1) Take NFC pineapple juice as the base material, with soluble solids of 10.8°Brix and pH of 4.0. Mix NFC pineapple juice with 0.12% food-grade carrageenan and 0.15% sodium citrate, and then sterilize it in an ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization device at 135°C for 5 seconds, and then cool it to 20°C for later use.

[0061] (2) Cut the coconut jelly into small pieces of 6 to 8 mm, pasteurize them in hot water at 85°C for 10 minutes, drain them and cool them to room temperature quickly.

[0062] (3) In a Class 100 clean room, sterilized NFC pineapple juice and coconut jelly granules were aseptically mixed at a mass ratio of 82:18. The mixture was cooled to 2°C and carbonized with CO2 for 40 minutes at a pressure of 0.55 MPa, with an aeration volume of 2.5 times the volume.

[0063] (4) Fill the pre-sterilized PET bottles with a head void ratio of 9% using an aseptic isobaric filling machine, and then screw on the caps to seal the bottles to obtain the finished product.

[0064] Finished product test results: The coconut jelly particles are intact and have obvious chewy elasticity; after opening the can, the release of CO2 brings out the aroma of pineapple, resulting in a refreshing taste; the product does not require high-temperature sterilization, and the vitamin C retention rate is about 15% higher than that of Example 1; the refrigerated shelf life is 9 months, and the room temperature storage is 6 months.

[0065] Example 4

[0066] Aseptic cold irrigation method, mango and aloe vera compound varieties

[0067] (1) Mix NFC mango pulp and NFC aloe vera juice at a mass ratio of 6:4 to obtain a composite base material with soluble solids of 14.5°Brix and pH value of 3.85.

[0068] (2) UHT sterilization conditions: 128°C for 6 seconds, then cooled to 18°C.

[0069] (3) Aloe vera cubes 8mm were sterilized by irradiation at a dose of 25kGy. They were mixed with the base material at a mass ratio of 85:15 under sterile conditions, cooled to 3°C, carbonated at 0.5MPa, and filled with 2.8 times the volume of gas under sterile conditions.

[0070] The finished aloe vera cubes are crystal clear, and the aroma of mango is harmoniously distributed with CO2.

[0071] Example 5

[0072] Preparation of Citrus Granule Carbonated Cans by Two-Stage Filling Method

[0073] (1) Preparation of base material: NFC mandarin orange juice and citrus pomace granules are mixed at a mass ratio of 65:35. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose 0.15%, citric acid 0.3%, and white sugar 6% are added and stirred evenly to obtain a base material containing fruit pulp. The base material is not carbonated.

[0074] (2) Preparation of carbonated liquid: The remaining NFC mandarin orange juice was cooled to 3°C and carbonized with CO2 for 35 minutes under a pressure of 0.55 MPa. The gas volume was 3.0 times the volume to obtain carbonated liquid.

[0075] (3) Filling: A two-stage filling equipment is used. First, carbonated liquid is poured into the tin can, then fruit pulp base is poured in. The top void ratio is 7%, and the can is immediately screwed on and sealed.

[0076] (4) Sterilization: Pasteurize at 85°C for 25 minutes and cool to room temperature.

[0077] Finished product testing results: The citrus juice granules are intact and suspended, with a strong and stable burnt taste; because the juice granules are processed separately from the carbonated base liquid, they are not mechanically damaged by carbonation, resulting in the best taste; upon opening, CO2 is released and volatilizes synergistically with the citrus aroma. The CO2 residue is up to 2.5 times the volume, and the taste is closest to freshly made carbonated beverages. Shelf life is 12 months at room temperature.

[0078] Example 6: Two-stage filling method for pineapple-mango composite varieties

[0079] (1) Mix NFC pineapple juice with diced pineapple and diced mango to make a base, and carbonate NFC mango juice separately.

[0080] (2) The aeration volume of the carbonate-based liquid is 3.2 times the volume, and the ceiling void ratio is 6%.

[0081] (3) Pasteurize at 80°C for 30 minutes.

[0082] The finished product has a complex tropical fruit aroma and a CO2 residue of 2.8 times its volume.

[0083] Comparative Example 1

[0084] Traditional boiling water sterilization method for preparing carbonated canned goods containing fruit pulp

[0085] After mixing NFC apple juice and diced apples, first soften and inactivate the enzymes in the diced apples in boiling water for 12 minutes, then boil all the materials for 12 minutes. After cooling to 40°C, carbonate the mixture with an aeration volume of 1.5 times its volume. After filling, sterilize at 100°C for 30 minutes.

[0086] Results: The diced apples were mushy and lost their chewy texture; over 60% of the vitamin C was lost; the characteristic fresh-squeezed aroma of NFC was almost completely gone; the CO2 residue was only 0.4 times its volume; and the taste was sweet and cloying with no harshness. Compared to Example 1, the product quality was significantly deteriorated.

[0087] Comparative Example 2

[0088] Single carbonation without sterilization treatment

[0089] Mix NFC grape juice with grape pulp, carbonate and aerate to 2.0 times the volume, and fill and seal directly without any sterilization treatment.

[0090] Results: The product swelled and exceeded microbial limits after 5 days of storage at room temperature. Compared with Example 3, its room temperature storage performance was extremely poor, confirming the necessity of the sterilization system of this invention.

[0091] Comparative Example 3 uses concentrated reconstituted fruit juice as a base.

[0092] Take concentrated orange juice, rehydrate it to the same NFC concentration, mix it with orange pulp granules, carbonate it, and pasteurize it under the same conditions as in Example 1.

[0093] Results: The rehydrated concentrate-based juice was significantly inferior to the NFC juice in terms of flavor delicacy and freshness, and lacked body. Aroma sensory score (out of 10): NFC base 8.5 points, concentrate-based 5.8 points, a significant difference.

[0094] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0095] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive, and the accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. In conclusion, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product, characterized in that... The product is composed of the following ingredients: non-concentrated NFC (Not From Concentrate) fruit juice as a base, comprising 60% to 95% of the total mass; fruit pulp particles, comprising 5% to 30% of the total mass, with a particle size of 2 to 10 mm, existing in a suspended form in the product; carbon dioxide inflated at a volume of 1.5 to 3.0 times the volume at 20°C and 1 atmosphere; and food-grade excipients. The product can be stored at room temperature for 6 to 12 months.

2. The carbon dioxide-filled, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fruit pulp particles are selected from one or more of the following: citrus gizzard, yellow peach chunks, coconut jelly, aloe vera chunks, mango chunks, and pineapple chunks.

3. The carbon dioxide-filled, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pH value of the NFC juice is below 4.

6.

4. The method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 1, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: (1) The non-concentrated NFC juice was mixed with fruit pulp particles and then vacuum degassed; (2) Cool the degassed liquid to 0 to 4°C and introduce carbon dioxide at a pressure of 0.4 to 0.6 MPa for carbonation; (3) Fill the packaging container using the isobaric filling method, control the head void ratio to 8% to 10%, and seal it; (4) Pasteurize the sealed product at 85 to 90°C for 20 to 35 minutes, and apply a back pressure of 0.5 to 0.8 atmospheres during the sterilization and cooling process; (5) Cool to obtain the finished product.

5. The method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step (1), the residual oxygen content of the feed liquid after degassing is controlled to be less than 1.5 mg / L.

6. The method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 1, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: (1) After mixing the non-concentrated NFC juice with the excipients, perform ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization at 125 to 140°C for 3 to 10 seconds. (2) Pasteurize the fruit pulp particles; (3) The sterilized juice and pulp particles are aseptically mixed in a sterile environment; (4) Cool the mixture to 0 to 4°C and introduce carbon dioxide at a pressure of 0.4 to 0.6 MPa for carbonation; (5) Under aseptic conditions, perform isobaric filling and sealing to obtain the finished product.

7. The method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 6, characterized in that: In step (2), the pasteurization conditions for the fruit pulp particles are 85 to 90°C for 5 to 15 minutes.

8. The method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 1, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: (1) Preparation of base material: Mix fruit pulp particles with some non-concentrated NFC juice and auxiliary materials to make a fruit pulp base material; (2) Preparation of carbonated liquid: Cool the remaining non-concentrated NFC juice to 0 to 4°C and introduce carbon dioxide at a pressure of 0.4 to 0.6 MPa; (3) Use a two-stage filling method, first fill the container with carbonated liquid and then fill with the base material, or fill with the base material and then fill with carbonated liquid; (4) Seal the opening, with a top void ratio of 5% to 10%. (5) Pasteurize to obtain the finished product.

9. The method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 8, characterized in that: In step (2), the carbon dioxide aeration rate of the carbonate-based liquid is 2.5 to 3.5 times its volume.

10. The method for preparing a carbon dioxide-containing, non-concentrated, reduced fruit pulp semi-solid product according to claim 8, characterized in that: In step (4), the sterilization temperature is 80-90℃ and the time is 20 to 30 minutes.

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