Orange Juice Ultrafiltration and Selective Pasteurization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing orange juice fail to maintain the natural flavor and quality of freshly squeezed juice while extending its shelf life, as they typically involve direct pasteurization that compromises flavor and aroma components.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a single membrane filtration step using a ceramic ultrafilter with a pore size of 19-21 nm, where raw orange juice is ultrafiltered to produce a permeate and retentate, and only the retentate is pasteurized, minimizing heat treatment and preserving flavor components in the permeate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If direct pasteurization of raw orange juice is used, then shelf life is extended, but flavor and aroma components are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The orange juice is divided into two fractions through ultrafiltration: permeate containing flavor and aroma components, and retentate containing enzymes and microorganisms. This segmentation allows selective treatment of each fraction - the permeate remains untreated to preserve flavor, while the retentate is pasteurized to extend shelf life.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful enzymes and microorganisms are extracted from the orange juice by separating them into the retentate fraction through ultrafiltration. This extraction allows the harmful components to be removed from the final product while the beneficial flavor components remain in the permeate.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple membrane filtration steps are used, then purification is improved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single ultrafiltration membrane performs multiple functions simultaneously: it separates enzymes, microorganisms, and flavor components in one step. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple sequential filtration steps while achieving the required purification level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines enzyme removal, microorganism removal, and flavor component separation into a single ultrafiltration step. By merging these functions into one process, the overall complexity is reduced while maintaining effective purification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in orange juice with improved flavor and quality, retaining over 95% of vitamin C, essential oils, and lactic bacteria CFU, while achieving a shelf life similar to not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice, with less than 1% enzyme pectin esterase content and a significant reduction in detrimental microorganisms.
Implementation Method 1
The cooled raw orange juice is ultrafiltrated by a ceramic type ultrafilter having a membrane with a pore size of 19-21 nm and a channel size of 3.5-4.5 mm to produce a permeate and a retentate
Implementation Method 2
Production, starting from freshly squeezed orange juice (often referred to as raw orange juice), of an orange juice product that has a natural flavor while at the same time maximizing the shelf life
Implementation Method 3
The retentate is pasteurized and then mixed with the permeate to produce orange juice having an enzyme pectin esterase (PEU) content that is less than 1 % of the PEU content of the raw orange juice
Data Source
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AI summary
Production of orange juice (108) is described. Raw orange juice (102) is ultrafiltrated in an ultrafilter (107), thereby obtaining a retentate (106) and a permeate (104). Only the retentate (106) is pasteurized in a pasteurizer (113). The pasteurized retentate (106) and the permeate (104) is mixed in a mixing unit (109). A minimization of enzymes and microorganisms is thereby obtained in the orange juice (108).