Processamento de sucos e extratos de vegetais
Growing demand for vegetable juices and purées in an increasing number of markets reflects the booming worldwide interest in natural, healthy foods. Alfa Laval expertise extends from extraction to concentration via clarification or pulp control, providing purées and/or clear or cloudy concentrated juices. Carrots, beets and pumpkins are typical of the crops processed into such juices and purées.
Alfa Laval supplies key equipment for processing cloudy juice into clear juice via clarification, concentration, sterilization and aseptic filling. Similar capabilities are available for the deaeration, sterilization and aseptic filling processes essential for making purée products derived from all kinds of root vegetables.
Among the Alfa Laval systems frequently used are ViscoLine tubular heat exchangers for heating the carrot mash, high-hygiene Foodec decanter centrifuges that extract the juice from mash as both first-stage and second-stage extraction, and AlfaVap rising film plate evaporators for rapidly condensing the product at low temperatures.
Other Alfa Laval equipment widely used in purée processing includes advanced membrane filtration and electric sterilization for the HTST process treatment, which is suitable for use with fouling, heat-sensitive and low-acid purées prior to filling and packaging.
Carrots
Wide variety
The carrot is the second most popular vegetable in the world after the potato, with hundreds of varieties grown to meet particular soil and climate conditions – and different market requirements.
For use in worldwide consumer markets, carrots are normally processed into single-strength or concentrated cloudy juice, or into single-strength purée.
Gentle handling
Carrot juice is a delicate product that requires careful attention to keep both the flavour and colour fresh and attractive. Alfa Laval technologies are ideal for processing juices that are relatively viscous and with a high fibre content.
Acidified carrot juice has to be pasteurized, while neutral carrot juice undergoes UHT treatment.
Alfa Laval provides both specialist equipment and complete processing lines that you can use to boost both the quality and profitability of carrot juice products.
The decanter advantage
Foodec decanter centrifuges are able to produce a juice that features intense colour with a high yield. An additional advantage is that they make it easy to regulate the pulp content of the juice during production, and also ensure the highest possible yields and carotenoid content.
Alfa Laval decanter centrifuges are available with sophisticated control systems. They can also be equipped with inert gas systems to ensure that the colour and taste of the carrot juice is not affected during processing.
High-efficiency equipment
Among the Alfa Laval systems frequently used are ViscoLine tubular heat exchangers for heating the carrot mash, high-hygiene Foodec decanter centrifuges that extract the juice from mash as both first-stage and second-stage extraction, and AlfaVap rising film plate evaporators for rapidly condensing the product at low temperatures.
Other widely used equipment includes advanced membrane filtration technology, and SteriTherm VLA aseptic heat treatment for use prior to filling and packaging.
Leaf vegetables
Multifunctional benefits
Leaf vegetables is the category of vegetables in which the leaves are the main part used for human consumption. There are approximately one thousand known species of plants whose leaves are generally considered edible. In general terms, there are notable similarities between the many types in terms of both nutritional properties and preparation methods.
Correspondingly, much the same equipment is used for processing different leaf vegetables into juice and purée products. These are then often used as ingredients in other products, such as vegetable juices.
Gentle handling
In order to maintain the nutritional value of juice and purée products made from leafy vegetables such as cauliflower, celery and spinach, processing must be extremely gentle and under stringent control as well as subject to strict hygiene standards.
High-efficiency equipment
Among the Alfa Laval systems frequently used are Foodec decanter centrifuges, which enable you to maintain full control of the levels of suspended solids in the juice before evaporation.
Alfa Laval ViscoLine tubular heat exchangers are also widely used because these substantially increase the efficiency and controllability of heat transfer. This means heating and cooling can be done as gently as possible, to the benefit of your product quality.
Root vegetables
Gritty business
Because root vegetables are normally grown in soil, the initial stages of processing usually focus on quickly and effectively removing soil, grit and other contaminants.
In this sense – among others – the equipment used for processing root vegetables into juice and purée is broadly similar to that used for processing apples into juice.
Versatility counts
For use in worldwide consumer markets, a broad spectrum of root vegetables can be processed into:
- single-strength cloudy juice
- concentrated cloudy juice
- single-strength purée.
Reed beets can be processed into clear juice using advanced membrane filtration technology, a specialist field in which Alfa Laval excels.
From cloudy to clear
Alfa Laval also supplies key equipment for processing cloudy juice into clear juice via clarification, concentration, sterilization and aseptic filling.
Similar capabilities are available for the deaeration, sterilization and aseptic filling processes essential for making purée products derived from all kinds of root vegetables.
Viscous, high in fibre
Numerous Alfa Laval technologies are ideal for processing juices and purées that are relatively viscous and have a high fibre content.
Alfa Laval provides both specialist equipment and complete processing lines that you can use to boost both the quality and profitability of juice products made from root vegetables.