IES20000534A2 - A method for manufacturing beverages - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for producing bottled beverages comprises preparing a beverage syrup, diluting the syrup with water, monitoring the flow of the diluted syrup mixture in-line and dosing a liquid sterilant into the diluted mixture in proportion to the flow of the diluted mixture in the line. The mixture containing sterilant is filled into a bottle (20)in-line and a cap (25) is applied to the filled bottle (20). The fill height in the bottle (20) is checked and a label is applied to the bottle (20). The bottles (20) are then inverted to remove sterilant from the headspace in the bottle (20).

Description

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing beverages and in particular to a method for manufacturing drinks in bottles with sports caps through which the beverage is consumed without removing the cap. Sports caps comprise an outer dust cap, a push/pull tip and a closure shell. Such multicomponent sports caps increase the microbiological risk. The microbiological risks tire also greatly increased in ftuit-juice based beverages as the fruit-juice provides a source of carbohydrate for microorganisms, particularly yeast and mould, to grow and multiply.

There are added processing difficulties in producing such beverage products on an economic commercial scale while dealing with these microbiological issues.

There is therefore a need for a method for producing beverage products which will address these problems.

R 5iO r i jo & o, V n VJ Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a method for producing bottled beverages comprising the steps of:preparing a beverage syrup; diluting the syrup with water; monitoring the flow of the diluted syrup mixture in-line; IE000534 -2dosing a liquid sterilant into the diluted mixture in proportion to the flow of the diluted mixture in the line; filling the mixture containing sterilant into a bottle in-line; applying a cap to the filled bottle; in-line checking the fill height in the bottle; applying a label to the bottle; and inverting the bottles to remove sterilant from the headspace in the bottle.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the cap is a sports cap through which the beverage is consumed without removing the cap and the method includes the step of sterilising the cap prior to application to the bottle.

Ideally the cap is sterilised by irradiating the cap with a beam of UV light prior to application of the cap to the bottle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the bottles are loaded into a case and the hotties are inverted by inverting the case. Preferably the bottles are turned into an upright configuration after inversion and prior to stacking of cases containing the bottles.

In another embodiment the method includes the step of washing at least the neck of the filled hottie after application of the cap. Preferably the neck of the filled hottie is washed by directing a spray of water against the bottle in-line as the bottle is delivered along a conveyor.

IE000534 -3In a further embodiment of the invention the method includes the steps of drying a code-receiving area of the bottle, detecting the presence of a bottle at a code applying station, and in response to the detection of a bottle at the station, applying a code to the bottle. Ideally the code receiving area of the bottle is dried by directing a stream of air to the code-receiving area.

In a preferred embodiment the sterilant is dimethyl dicarbonate which is preferably added to the diluted mixture in an amount to achieve a concentration of from 100 to 250 ppm.

In one embodiment of the invention the syrup is prepared by the sequential steps of adding a preservative to a water base, adding citric and/or malic acid to the base, adding a sweetener to the base followed by the addition of fruit juice to the base. The sweetener may be a natural sucrose and/or dextrose.

Alternatively the sweetener is a phenylanalyine based artificial sweetener. In this case preferably the method includes the step prior to addition of the artificial sweetener of adding a hydrocolloid thickening agent to the base.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating steps in the method of the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram of preliminary steps in the method of the invention; IE000534 -4Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a cap application step used in the method of the invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cap irradiating step used in the method of the invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a bottle washing step used in the method of the invention; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a code application station used in the method of the invention.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof there is illustrated various steps in the method for producing bottled beverages according to the invention. A syrup is first made up in a make-up tank 1 to which various ingredients are introduced including fruit juice 2. Water is first added to the make-up tank. A preservative such as potassium sorbate is then added to the water followed by a suitable food grade acid system comprising citric and/or malic acid. A sweetener is then added to the base followed by the fruit juice 2 and any other ingredients such as added vitamins and/or minerals. In the case of a full fat beverage the sweetener is a natural sucrose and/or dextrose in a granular form. In the case of artificial sweeteners a hydrocolloid thickener is added to the mixture prior to addition of the sweetener which is typically phenylanaline based.

The syrup thus prepared in the make-up tank 1 is then transferred by a pump 3 to a syrup buffer thank 4. Water is held in a water buffer tank 5 and syrup and IE000534 -5water are delivered proportionately to a mixer 6 and the diluted syrup mixture is delivered into a beverage holding tank 7.

The beverage mixture from the beverage holding tank is delivered, on demand, along an infeed line 8 to a flowmeter 9. The flowmeter 9 provides a control signal along a control line 10 to a dosing system 11 which delivers a dose of a liquid sterilant along a dosing line 12 into the diluted mixture flowing in a delivery line 13. The sterilant is dosed into the diluted mixture in proportion to the flow through the flowmeter 9 to achieve a concentration between lOOppm and 250ppm. The liquid sterilant is dimethyl dicarbonate which is available under the trademark Velcorin from Bayer.

Empty bottles 20 which typically have a capacity of 333ml are first washed in an in-line bottle washer 21 prior to delivery to a bottle filler 22 in which the sterilant dosed beverage is filled into the bottles. The filled bottles are then delivered along a conveyor to a capper 23 at which caps 25 are applied to the filled bottles. On capping, a jet of nitrogen 24 is introduced into the head space of the bottle.

Referring in particular to Fig. 4 the caps 25 are in this case sports caps which are delivered from a supply hopper along a cap delivery line 27 to the capper 23. As the caps 25 are advanced on demand along the delivery line 27 they are irradiated to sterilise a cap prior to application to a bottle 20. In this case irradication is by a bank of UV tubes 28 which are mounted adjacent to the delivery line 27 to direct UV light to the caps 25.

After capping, and referring in particular to Fig. 5 filled capped bottles 30 are delivered away from the capper 23 along a conveyor 31. As the hotties 30 advance along the conveyor 23 the necks of the bottles are rinsed by a water rinser 32 comprising overhead nozzles 33 from which a stream 34 of water is IE000534 -6directed against the necks of the hotties 30. The spray nozzles 33 are adjustable in position to accommodate different sized and/or shaped bottles 30.

The filled washed bottles 30 are then checked in line at 36 for fill height and any bottles with a fill height below a preset value are rejected. A label is applied to the hotties 30 at a labelling station 37.

Referring in particular to Fig. 6, at a preparation station 38 a stream of hot air is directed from a blower 39 against a code-receiving area at the neck of bottles 30. A code 40 is then applied to the code-receiving area by an inkjet code head 41 at a coding station 42 in response to the detection of a bottle at the station 42. The coded bottles are then loaded into a case at a case loading station 43.

The bottles are inverted to ensure that no steriliant is retained in the headspace in the hotties. The inversion is conveniently performed by inverting the case at an inverting station 44 and then subsequently righting case at 45 prior to stacking 46 and stack wrapping 47.

The invention provides a highly efficient and microbiologically secure system for manufacturing bottles beverages, especially those filled with a sports cap.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in detail.

IE000534

Claims (5)

Claims

1. A method for producing bottled beverages comprising the steps of:preparing a beverage syrup; diluting the syrup with water; monitoring the flow of the diluted syrup mixture in-line; dosing a liquid sterilant into the diluted mixture in proportion to the flow of the diluted mixture in the line; filling the mixture containing sterilant into a bottle in-line; applying a cap to the filled bottle; in-line checking the fill height in the bottle; applying a label to the bottle; and inverting the bottles to remove sterilant from the headspace in the bottle.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cap is a sports cap through which the beverage is consumed without removing the cap and the method includes the step of sterilsing the cap prior to application to the bottle, preferably the cap is sterilised by irradiating the cap with a beam of UV light prior to application of the cap to the bottle, preferably the bottles are loaded into a case and the bottles are inverted by inverting the case, IE000534 -8preferably the bottles are turned into an upright configuration after inversion and prior to stacking of cases containing the bottles, preferably the method includes the step of washing at least the neck of the filled bottle after application of the cap, preferably the neck of the filled bottle is washed by directing a spray of water against the bottle in-line as the bottle is delivered along a conveyor, preferably the method includes the steps of drying a code-receiving area of the bottle, detecting the presence of a bottle at a code applying station, and in response to the detection of a hottie at the station, applying a code to the hottie, preferably the code receiving area of the bottle is dried by directing a stream of air to the code-receiving area.

3. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sterilant is dimethyl dicarbonate, preferably the dimethyl dicarbonate is added to the diluted mixture in an amount to achieve a concentration of from 100 to 250 ppm.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the syrup is prepared by the sequential steps of adding a preservative to a water base, adding citric and/or malic acid to the base, adding a sweetener to the base followed by the addition of fruit juice to the base, preferably the sweetener is a natural sucrose and/or dextrose, the sweetener may also be a phenylanalyine based artificial sweetener, in this case preferably the method includes the step prior to addition of the artificial sweetener, of adding a hydrocolloid thickening agent to the base.

5. Bottled beverages whenever produced by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.