Detailed explanation of strawberry juice processing technology: How to choose a different factory route?

Apple juice is categorized into three main types based on final product requirements.

Cloudy apple juice retains fruit fiber and insoluble solids for a turbid appearance, maximizing nutrients and flavor. Its specifications include turbidity below 5.0%, soluble solids around 10° Brix, and insoluble solids controlled under 2.0%.

Clear apple juice removes all suspended solids for a transparent, stable product ideal for storage and blending. Specifications require light transmittance not less than 95%, turbidity not exceeding 3.0 NTU, and soluble solids around 11.5° Brix.

Concentrated apple juice undergoes vacuum concentration to remove water, achieving 70 to 71° Brix soluble solids. It is compact, lightweight, and serves as a base material for the beverage industry, requiring color value no less than 45%.

Cloudy juice production focuses on retaining fiber while preventing oxidation.

The complete process flow includes:

1. washing
2. sorting
3. crushing
4. pressing
5. coarse filtration
6. pasteurization
7. separation
8. and filling.

In the washing stage, a bubble washer combined with high-pressure spray removes surface contaminants using tumbling action and circulating water. The crushing stage uses a blade-type crusher to reduce apples to 2 to 4 millimeters, with Vitamin C added to prevent enzymatic browning. A belt or screw press gently extracts juice while minimizing pomace inclusion. The juice then passes through an 80-mesh vibrating screen to remove large particles while retaining fine fibers for characteristic mouthfeel.

Pasteurization uses a tubular or plate heat exchanger for high-temperature short-time processing at 100 to 115°C for 10 to 20 seconds, followed by rapid cooling to below 25°C. A disc separator operating at 3000 to 4000 RPM adjusts turbidity to standard range. Optionally, a high-pressure homogenizer operating at 65°C and 20 MPa can be added before pasteurization to prevent solid-liquid separation.

Clear juice production removes pectin, starch, and suspended solids while preserving flavor compounds.

The complete process flow includes:

1. washing
2. crushing
3. pressing
4. coarse filtration
5. enzymatic treatment
6. clarification
7. ultrafiltration
8. pasteurization
9. and filling.

Pretreatment uses the same washing, crushing, and pressing equipment as cloudy juice. Enzymatic treatment is the critical first step, using a tank with stirring and temperature control. Pectinase is added at 45 to 55°C with a pH of 3.5 to 5.5 for 3 to 4 hours to break down pectin and reduce viscosity.

Clarification uses a tank combined with a diatomaceous earth filter. Combined clarifying agents such as gelatin, silica sol, and bentonite may be used for flocculation and settling. Ultrafiltration is the core technology, using membrane separation to remove macromolecules and microorganisms while retaining flavor, achieving light transmittance over 97%.

A UHT sterilizer eliminates thermophilic bacteria, and the product can be filled directly or used as feedstock for concentrate production.

Concentrate production removes water while maximizing flavor and color retention for long-term storage.

The complete process flow builds on clear juice pretreatment by adding:

1. aroma recovery
2. vacuum concentration
3. optional decolorization
4. UHT sterilization
5. and aseptic filling.

Before concentration, an aroma recovery unit captures volatile aromatic compounds during evaporation. Optimal results are achieved by controlling water evaporation to 15% with a 1:150 aroma concentration ratio.

Concentration uses a vacuum evaporator, typically multi-effect falling film type. Low-temperature evaporation under vacuum increases soluble solids from 10 to 12° Brix up to 70 to 71° Brix while protecting heat-sensitive flavors. For premium products, a resin adsorption column can be added for fixed-bed decolorization, increasing color value to over 65%.

UHT sterilization ensures no thermophilic bacteria for export compliance. An aseptic bag-in-box filler, typically for 220-liter bags, enables ambient storage for over one year.

Cloudy, clear, and concentrated apple juices have distinct core objectives, leading to significant differences in equipment and technology.

When selecting equipment for an apple juice production line, choices should be based on the target product and desired production capacity.

For single-product lines, select core process equipment based on the target product. A cloudy juice line requires careful selection of disc separators and homogenizers. A clear juice line must include enzymatic treatment tanks and an ultrafiltration system. A concentrate line centers on a vacuum concentrator and an aroma recovery unit.

For multi-product lines requiring flexibility, design a base configuration with Reserved interfaces for future module additions. The base configuration typically includes washing, crushing, pressing, pasteurization, and filling equipment. Expandable modules can include an enzymatic treatment tank, ultrafiltration system, vacuum concentrator, and resin decolorization column. This setup enables flexible switching between clear, cloudy, and concentrate production.

Regarding energy efficiency, priority should be given to concentration equipment with integrated heat recovery systems. Such systems can reduce energy consumption by over 35%, significantly lowering long-term operating costs.