Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD OF FRUIT JUICE RECONSTITUTION A~JD CANNING
BacXground of the Invention
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Field of the Invention
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The invention relates to methods of reconsti-
tuting and packaging or canning of fruit juices. In
particular, it relates to reconstitution and canning of
fruit juices where concentrated aromatic flavour essen-
ces are added to enhance flavour.
Description of the Prior Art
Much of the perception of "taste" in humans in
fact is provided by the sense of smell rather than the
sense of taste. For this reason, it is well known that
an important element of fruit juice reconstitution is
the recapturing of the highly vola-til~ flavour and
aroma-bearing essences or "aroma" of the fresh juice.
These are the chemical constituants of khe juice which
evaporate at low temperatures, which is why they stimu-
X0 Late the human sense of smel]., and is also why they arerapidly lost in the process oE concentrating the juice.
In the standard method of juice concentration, the juice
is heated to evaporate much o~ t.he water in order that
the juice may be frozen and shipped at a lower volume.
In the process of evaporation, most oE the volatile fla-
vour and aroma-bearing essences, referred to hereafter
as "aroma", are also evaporated. In the current proces-
ses, these are recaptured and concentrated for re-
addition to the juice at the time of recons-titution.
According to the current method of reconstitu-
ting and canning fruit juice, the frozen concentrated
juice, which generally is contained in 45 yallon
barrels, is allowed to thaw and the liquid concentrate
is then pumped into a mixing tank and mixed with water
at room temperature to the desired degree of concentra-
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tion for fruit juice. According to ~he present method,an amount of the concentra~ed aroma is also added to the
mixing tank a-t this point in the process. The product,
now at normal s-trength, is then pumped through pasteuri~
zing plates which he~t -the juice to approximately 200F
(95C) both to pasteurize the juice and for the purpose
of removing air in the canning procedure. The hot pas-
teurized juice is then pumped to the filling station
where a stream of empty cans, at the rate of up to 800
per minute are filled to the appropriate level and sub-
sequently lidded and sealed. Because the aroma-
containing product is exposed to the air, both before
pasteurization at room temperature, and after pasteuri-
zation at increased temperature, a great deal o the
aroma evaporates and is lost to the atmosphere. This is
typically about 70% according to the current rnethod.
Because the aroma is relatively expensive, the result is
that less than the optimum amount of aroma remains in
the canned product and the product does not provide a
full, natural flavour.
Summary of the Invention
According to the method oE the present inven-
tion, a small amount of the aroma iB injected into the
empty container prior to the filling and sealing oE the
container. In its preferred form, t.he invention is
directed to a method of reconsti.tuting and canning con-
centrated fruit juice wherein a small amount of aroma is
injected into the cool empty can just prior to the fill-
ing and sealing of the can. In a preferred form, thisis accomplished by utilizing an electronic sensor and
high speed electronic applicator placed just prior to
the filling station in the canning line.
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Brief Description of the Drawin~s
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of
the invention:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing from
above a Eruit juice canning line adapted to carry out
the meîhod oE the invention, and
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing in
greater detail the sensor and applicator shown in Figure
l and connected equipment.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment
Referring to Figure l, a typical frui-t juice
canning line comprises an empty can conveying line l, a
filling station 2, a lidding station 3, a carrousel 4,
and a second conveyer 5. The empty cans are washed
prior to entering on conveyer l. By the time the cans
reach conveyer 1, they are cold. The cans are conveyed
around carrousel 4 and into filling station 2. The hot
pasteurized juice is purnped to the filling station via
conduit 6~ Each can is filled with the hot pasteurized
juice at filling station 2 and is then conveyed along
conveyer 5 to liddirlg station 3 where each can is lidded
and sealed. Due to the hea-t of the juice, a vacuum is
formed in -the can when the procluct cools which serves to
preæerve thf-~ juice.
In the present invention, an aroma applicator
is included in the canning line at loca-tion 7. An elec-
tronic sensor 8 detects the approach of empty can 9 and
sends a signal to electronic applicator 10 to inject a
small amount of aroma into the bottom of can 9 as it
passes. In a typical canning line, the cans will be
travelling at a rate of between 500 and 800 cans per
minute. Accordingly, a high-speed valve is required on
~; the applicator device. A suitable device for use as the
electronic applicator is the ELECTROMATIC XV* solenoid
* trade mark
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operated applicator head manufactured by Sprayma-tion
Inc. Such a device is designed for applications requi-
ring small repetitive amounts to be applied at high
rates of speed. A predetermined amount of the liquid is
dispensed when a solenoid coil in the device is energi-
zed by an electrical signal, moving a needle assembly
away from a valve seat for a brief period and allowing
the liquid to flow out of the valve under pressure.
Such a device is designed to operate at rates of up to
2000 cycles per minute. In the preferred form of the
present invention, the valve is activated by the signal
from an electronic proximity sensor which detects the
approach of the empty metal can. A suitable sensor is
the proximity sensor manufactured by Ruskin Controls
Ltd. Such sensors radiate a magnetic Eield so that when
a metal object enters the field, currents induced in the
object damp the field-producing oscillator and the out-
put of the sensor is switched. An electronic controller
amplifies and modifies the signal from the sensor so
that the applicator is timed to shoot the quantity of
aroma into the passing empty can.
Having a smal~ amount of aroma in the bottom
of the cold can, the can iY then conveyed around car-
rousel 4 into position for filling at station 2. The
can is filled with the hot pasteurized juice in the
usual manner and is conveyed along conveyer belt 5 to
lidding station 3 at which point the can is lidded and
sealed. Because the aroma remains at a cool temperature
until the juice is added at the filling station, and the
intervening period is short, little e~aporation of the
aroma occurs. After the can has been filled, a certain
amount of time is required for the aroma to be distribu-
ted through the juice to reach the surface area. The
only time for this procedure to occur and for the aroma
to then evaporate is during the time of conveyance from
the filling station to the lidding station. It has been
found that little of the aroma is lost during this
period.
Looking in more detail at the sensor and
applicator system in Figure 2, the electronic sensor 8
has an elec-trical connection 11 to a remote amplifier
and controller 12 which arnplifies and adjusts the output
signal of the sensor. In the embodiment of the inven-
tion tested, Ruskin Controls Ltd. 2000-2112 12.5 mm.
sensor was utilized with the 2000-2 SPST output triac, a
2000-CA remote amplifier and a 2000-02A one shot module.
The signal from the controller is outputed by electrical
connection 14 to the applicator or spray gun. The
ELECTROMATIC XV having a .050'1 orifice was found to be
suitable for high-speed injection of -the aroma.
The aroma is stored in pressurized tank 15.
The aroma used for orange or grapefruit juice is refer-
red to commercially as orange or grapefruit water phase
aromad For apple juice, a product referred to as apple
esters is utilized. m e aroma is pre~surized using a
source 16 of C02 under pressure, which is reyulated by
valve and pressure gauge 18 and is fil-tered by filter
19, all connected to -the tank by gas line 20, which may
be 3/8-inc~l diameter plastic tubing. The liquid aroma
is forced under pressure from the tank through line 21,
which may be l/2-inch plastic tubing, to the spray gun.
As additional filter 22 is used to prevent impurities
from clogging the valve.
Upon receipt of the signal from controller 12,
the spray gun va]ve is briefly opened and a quantity of
approximately 1.5 cubic centimetres of aroma is injected
into the can which is subsequently filled and lidded.
As a result of the increased content of aroma
in the product, when the can is finally opened by the
end user, the greater amount of aroma evaporates from
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the product to stimulate -the user's sense of smell and
result in an increased perception of taste.
As will be apparent to persons skilled in the
art, various modifications and adaptations of the struc-
ture above described to carry out the method of the in-
vention are possible without cleparture from the spirit
of the invention, the scope oE which is defined in the
appended claims. In particular, the preferred embodi-
ment has been described in -the context of the canniny of
lQ fruit juices. However, the invention is applicable to
any form of packaging of fruit ~UiC2S, whether glass,
plastic or compressed ibre material.
