Apple juice is one of the favorite drinks of consumers around the world. In large-scale beverage processing companies, its production process is highly industrialized and automated. So how do big companies make apple juice?
Large companies usually put into use fully automatic apple juice production lines, from apple washing, crushing, juicing, filtering, sterilization, filling to packaging, the whole process is completed automatically by machines. Why use automatic production lines?
- Hygiene and safety: Automated equipment avoids manual contact and reduces the risk of microbial contamination.
- High efficiency: The production line can usually process several tons of apples per hour to meet large-scale market demand.
- Strong product consistency: The intelligent control system ensures that the taste, concentration and color of each batch of apple juice remain consistent.
- Labor saving: Automated production lines reduce dependence on labor and reduce labor costs.
The main production process of apple juice
1. Raw material selection and cleaning
First, the fresh apples shipped from the place of origin will be conveyed to the automatic cleaning equipment. Through the cleaning technology, the mud and impurities on the surface are completely removed to ensure the hygiene standards of subsequent processing.
2. Core removal and crushing
The washed apples enter the crusher for crushing. Some production lines will use core removal devices to separate the core from the pulp to reduce astringency and improve the purity of the juice.
3. Juicing and coarse filtration
The crushed pulp is sent to the pressing system (such as a screw juicer or a belt juicer) to separate the juice from the pomace. The first squeezed juice generally contains pulp debris, which requires preliminary filtration to remove large particles of impurities.
4. Enzymatic hydrolysis and clarification
In order to improve the clarity and juice yield of the juice, some companies will add pectinase to enzymatically hydrolyze the apple juice, and then let it stand or centrifuge to make the juice clearer.
5. Sterilization
The clarified juice will enter the sterilization system to kill bacteria and yeast in the apple juice and extend its shelf life.
6. Aseptic filling and packaging
The sterilized juice will immediately enter the filling machine and be filled into the bottle, and then the final packaging will be completed through sealing, labeling, and boxing.
Large companies attach great importance to food safety and quality control, and usually configure online monitoring systems to conduct real-time testing of key indicators such as temperature, pH value, sugar content, and turbidity.