GB2087426A - Process for the Manufacture of a Naturally Carbonated Sweet Beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

The beverage is obtained by subjecting an aqueous sugar solution to alcoholic type fermentation so that the carbon dioxide required for the formation of the gas bubbles is formed in the liquid "in situ". The fermentation is interrupted, such as by cooling, before the appearance of a significant quantity of alcohol and further fermentation may be prevented by pasteurisation. The unfermented sugar remains in the solution, conferring the desired sweet taste. Fruit juices and other flavourings are incorporated, preferably by addition to the fermented liquid after filtration of the latter.

Description

SPECIFICATION Process for the Manufacture of a Naturally Carbonated Sweet Beverage This invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of a sweet carbonated beverage of the "soda" type, flavoured with various fruit juices and flavours, in which sugar and water are subjected to fermentation to obtain natural carbonation.

Numerous processes for the manufacture of carbonated beverages of the soda type have already been known for a long time. The known beverages are all obtained by adding external carbon dioxide to a sweet aqueous solution. This gasification necessitates numerous intricate operations. Moreover, beverages are obtained which, and this is an important commercial matter, are not entirely natural.

Finally, as far as taste is concerned, artificial gasification gives results which are not very satisfactory for the consumer.

These shortcomings are mitigated by the present invention in a process which enables an entirely natural sweet carbonated beverage of the soda type to be obtained. The present invention is characterised by the fact that the carbon dioxide required for the formation of the gas bubbles, is formed "in situ" in the sweet aqueous solution, as a result of alcoholic type fermentation of the sugar by the action of yeast, said fermentation being interrupted before the appearance of a significant quantity of alochol. The sugar which is not converted by the fermentation remains in solution, conferring on the beverage the desired sweet taste.

In the process according to the invention, mixing of the sugar, yeast and an acidifier is carried out at a first stage. Fermentation promoters, essentially fermentation exciters, are added. Optionally, part of the juices and flavours which are to characterise the desired beverage, can also be incorporated into the solution at this stage.

Fermentation is then allowed to take place at an optimum temperature of from 300to 350for relatively limited period, between 10 and 20 hours, so as to bring about formation of carbon dioxide, sufficient for gasifying the liquid, without reaching a significant proof strength. The final alcoholic content will normally not exceed 1 0 and as a general rule, will lie between 0.5 and 0.90 alcohol. The final content of alcohol should be compatible with the description "non-alcohoiic beverage", defined by legislation currently in force.

Fermentation is then stopped by abrupt cooling to a temperature of below 100, for example from 50 to 60C. This temperature will be maintained until the end of the process. At this stage, the yeast present in the solution at a concentration of about 109 cells per litre; this concentration is reduced to about 104 by plate filtration and isobarometric drawing off of the beverage is carried out.

Treatment is then carried out to avoid renewal of fermentation when the beverage is returned to ambient temperature, for example pasteurisation or flash pasteurisation of a type that is known per se. The effect of this treatment is to destroy completely the yeast that has remained after the filtration operation.

Various additions, such as, and essentially, flavouring and fruit juice additives, enabling beverages with the most varied flavours to be obtained, are made to this general process.

There is no limitation in this regard and the following flavours may be obtained, for example: blackcurrant, cherry, lemon, strawberry, raspberry, passion fruit, guava, orange, apple etc.

Advantageously, fermentation is stopped when about 15% of the initial sugar has been transformed into alcohol. By the process according to the invention, very original carbonated beverages are obtained, which show the advantage of having been obtained by introducing exclusively natural substances.

Moreover, the gas bubbles, obtained according to this process, are smaller than those present in soda waters manufactured according to conventional processes, and confer on the beverate better digestability.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of block diagram shown in the accompanying drawing relating to the description below of an example of manufacture according to the process. The quantities indicated are those necessary for obtaining a litre of beverage.

Example First of all, a fermenting solution A is prepared by dissolving 5 g of sugar and 0.250 g of yeast in 0.1 50 litre of water of drinking water quality, for example spring water Then this solution is placed into an oven at 300 for 2 to 3 hours, so as to reactivate the yeast At the same time, a second solution B is prepared, containing fermentation exciters, for example ammonium phosphate and thiamine (nitrogenous products). For this purpose, a solution of 95 g of sugar and cream of tartar in 0.850 litre of drinking water is heated to 90950C, so as to free it from any "parasiticl - yeast that may be present. The solution is cooled to 300C and 0.2 g of ammonium phosphate and 0.4 mg of thiamine are added. The whole is mixed and stirred to complete solution.It is also possible to carry out a first addition of fruit juices and flavoring at this stage.

The next step is to mix solutions A and B, which are submitted to fermentation at a temperature of from 300 to 35 OC. When the desired concentration of carbon dioxide has been reached, for example a concentration of from 3.5 to 4.5 g/litre, the mixture is cooled to 5--6 OC.

The average fermentation time is of the order of 15 hours.

The temperature of from 5 to 60C is maintained until the end of the working process.

The fermented solution is then filtered under a carbon dioxide pressure equal to the pressure existing in the solution (2 kg/cm2). A slight pressure of carbon dibxide, for example 0.5 kg per cm2, will be applied to the tank receiving the filtration liquor, so as to avoid emulsifications.

This working process typifies conventional operations involving filtration and it need not be described in greater detail. Filtration will preferably take place on plates. A solid residue is thus recovered, which is either discarded or, if it is desired, recycled, as it contains a high concentration of yeast To the liquor extracted by filtration, the various fruit juices and flavours are then added under carbon dioxide pressure and with stirring, either in whole or to supplement what has already been introduced into solution B.

In practice, it is certainly more advantageous to introduce the whole of the flavouring substances after filtration, which leaves a much greater freedom of choice regarding the nature of the final product because, in fact, the same filtered juice can serve, in this case, as a basis for the manufacture of beverages of different flavours.

Moreover, any risk of possible degradation of the juice introduced into B by the fermentation phase is thus avoided.

After the flavoured product has been aliowed to rest for about 2 hour, it is drawn off in a conventional manner by counter-pressure of carbon dioxide.

Finally, in order to kill any remaining yeast, the final product is submitted to pasteurisation for 20 min at a temperature of 65 OC, conventional for low pasteurisation.

Claims (8)

Claims

1. A process for the manufacture of a naturally carbonated sweet beverage in which the carbon dioxide required for the formation of the gas bubbles is formed "in situ" in an aqueous sugar solution by alcoholic type fermentation of sugar by the action of yeast, the fermentation being interrupted before appearance of a significant quantity of alcohol, and the unfermented sugar remains in solution, conferring on the beverage the desired sweet taste.

2. A process according to Claim 1, in which fermentation is stopped when about 15% by weight of the initial sugar has been converted intq alcohol.

3. A process according to Claim 1 or 2, in which any renewal of fermentation is prevented by pasteurisation.

4. A process according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, in which fermentation is stopped by cooling the fermented liquid to a temperture around 5"C.

5. A process according to Claim 4, in which the fermented liquid is submitted, after cooling, to plate filtration to reduce the concentration of yeast from 109 to 104 cells per litre of solution.

6. A process according to Claim 5, in which the whole or part of a desired amount of fruit juice and/or flavouring ingredients are introduced into the liquor obtained after filtration, part of the amount having been optionally introduced into the sugar solution at the start of the operation.

7. A process according to Claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing or the Example.

8. A carbonated sweet low alcohol content beverage flavoured with fruit juice and/or other flavourings in which the carbonation has taken place "in situ" by alcoholic type fermentation of sugar which has been interrupted before the appearance of a significant quantity of alcohol.