UV Sterilization of Fermented Beverages Without Flash Pasteurization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for reducing microbial contamination in fermented beverages, such as flash pasteurization, are resource-intensive and costly, necessitating the development of more efficient techniques.
Innovation Solution
The use of ultraviolet (UV) light to inactivate microbial contaminants in fermented beverages at various stages of production, including treatment of water, wort, and final products, without the need for boiling or flash pasteurization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flash pasteurization is used to reduce microbial contamination, then microbial inactivation is effective, but resource consumption and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal pasteurization system with a UV light-based system. Instead of heating the beverage to high temperatures and then rapidly cooling it, the invention uses ultraviolet light irradiation to inactivate microorganisms, thereby eliminating the need for complex heating and cooling equipment and reducing operational complexity while maintaining effective microbial inactivation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter used for microbial inactivation from temperature (thermal energy) to UV light intensity and exposure time. This parameter change allows for a simpler process that achieves the same reliability goal without requiring the complex temperature control systems needed for flash pasteurization
2Reliability
If flash pasteurization is used to reduce microbial contamination, then microbial inactivation is effective, but operational time and resource costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By substituting UV irradiation for thermal processing, the patent eliminates the time required for heating and rapid cooling cycles. UV light acts immediately to inactivate microorganisms, significantly reducing the total processing time while maintaining effective microbial inactivation
3Loss of energy
If UV light is used to inactivate microbial contaminants, then resource consumption is reduced, but effectiveness against certain microbes may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces hydrogen peroxide as an intermediary substance that enhances the effectiveness of UV light. The hydrogen peroxide acts as a photosensitizer, generating hydroxyl radicals when exposed to UV light, which significantly improve microbial inactivation effectiveness while maintaining the low resource consumption advantage of UV treatment
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
UV light effectively reduces or eliminates microbial contaminants by up to 99.9999% while minimizing the formation of undesirable flavors and odors, offering a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional pasteurization methods.
Implementation Method 1
The use of ultraviolet (UV) light to inactivate microbial contaminants in fermented beverages
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems in a process for disinfecting or sterilizing a fermented beverage and/or a composition utilized in a fermentation process to produce a fermented beverage, using ultraviolet light. Such methods and systems can be coupled with processes for neutralizing unwanted acidic congeners and separating the resulting salts of the acidic congeners to produce a refined fermented beverage, including but not limited to a neutral malt base, gluten-free base, gluten-reduced base, grain-neutral spirit, wine base, and a sugar-brew base. Drinkable fermented beverages, including but not limited to flavored malt beverages and hard seltzer beverages, can also be disinfected or sterilized with ultraviolet light using any of the systems or methods described herein.