JP4408142B2 - Antioxidant method for aseptically filled beverages - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for preventing oxidation of aseptically filled beverages filled at room temperature.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventional PET bottle filled beverages are mostly carbonated beverages and hot pack beverages. For this reason, when filling carbonated beverages, the head space is filled with carbon dioxide gas. In addition, when filling a hot pack beverage, since the container is filled with the contents of 70 to 80 ° C., the head space is replaced with water vapor, and when the product is cooled, the water vapor is liquefied. Little formed. Therefore, conventional PET bottled beverages have no head space, or even if there is no oxygen in the head space, it is necessary to consider that the beverage is oxidized by oxygen in the head space. There was no.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, aseptic filling beverages in PET bottles that have spread in the market in recent years, filling is performed at room temperature, so a head space is formed at the top of the container. Further, since this head space is a head space filled with a non-carbonated beverage, oxygen is present in this portion. For this reason, aseptically filled beverages are always exposed to headspace oxygen, and oxidation of the contents is inevitable.
[0004]
Until now, a deoxygenation method in which a deoxidant is attached to a cap is known. However, in this method, moisture is required to exert a deoxygenation function, and the moisture has been obtained by saturated steam from a beverage. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time until the deoxygenation function is effective.
[0005]
Therefore, in the present invention, in view of the above problems, as an antioxidant method for beverages containing aseptically filled PET bottles, an aseptically filled beverage that is capped after spraying hydrogen peroxide on a cap that is attached or kneaded with an oxygen scavenger on the inner surface of the cap. An antioxidant method is provided.
[0006]
[0007]
[0008]
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the first aspect of the present invention, hydrogen peroxide is sprayed on an oxygen scavenger adhering to the inner surface of a cap of a container filled with an aseptic filled beverage and exhibiting the effect of deoxygenation by absorbing moisture. Moisture is applied to exert a deoxygenation effect, and the deoxidizer is moistened and exerts a deoxygenation effect by engaging the cap with the vessel to deoxidize the head space formed in the vessel. Is going. Therefore, not only the effect of the oxygen scavenger can be exhibited immediately, but also the sterilization effect can be exhibited at the same time.
[0010]
[0011]
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated invention.
[0013]
FIG. 1 shows an engagement portion between a PET bottle, which is a container 2 filled with aseptically filled beverage d, and a cap 1, and the inner surface of the cap 1 is schematically shown.
[0014]
A head space HS that is not filled with the beverage d is formed in the filling port 21 of the container 2. The beverage d filled in the container 1 is oxidized under the influence of oxygen contained in the head space HS. In order to prevent this problem, the oxygen scavenger 3 is attached to the top of the inner surface of the cap 1 in the present embodiment.
[0015]
As the mode of the oxygen scavenger 3, a sheet-shaped oxygen scavenger 3 may be attached as shown in FIG. 1 or may be provided as a granular oxygen scavenger 3. The oxygen scavenger 3 may be iron, aluminum or other metal powder, or an inorganic salt such as ferrous salt with a metal halide attached thereto.
[0016]
The oxygen scavenger 3 described above exhibits the effect of oxygen scavenging by absorbing moisture. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the mist-like sterilizing agent 4 is sprayed from above the oxygen scavenger 3 to impart moisture to the oxygen scavenger 3, thereby exerting the effect of oxygen scavenging. In the case where the oxygen scavenger is simply provided, the filled beverage evaporates so that the oxygen scavenger 3 contains water to exert the effect of oxygen scavenging. For this reason, it takes a certain amount of time to exert its effect. On the other hand, according to this embodiment, the effect of deoxygenating oxygen in the head space HS immediately after the container 2 is filled with the beverage d and the cap 1 is tightened can be obtained.
[0017]
Further, in this embodiment, since the sterilizing agent 4 gives moisture to the oxygen scavenger 3, it is possible to obtain both effects of the oxygen scavenging effect and the cap 1 sterilizing effect. As the sterilizing agent 4, hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) having a strong oxidizing power may be used.
[0018]
Next, with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG.
[0019]
In FIG. 2, the outline of the manufacturing process is shown about one Example of the cap 1 used for deoxygenation. The cap 1 is a screw-type cap, and a screw groove provided on an inner surface of the cap 1 and a screw thread provided in a filling port 21 of the PET bottle are screwed together to close the filling port.
[0020]
First, using a pressing machine 6 or the like, a circular sheet-shaped oxygen scavenger 3 having substantially the same area as the inner surface top portion 11 of the cap 1 is attached to the inner surface top portion 11 of the cap 1. The oxygen scavenger 3 may be provided as a powder, and the powder may be applied to the inner surface of the cap 1 or kneaded in advance when the cap is formed.
[0021]
The cap 1 provided with the oxygen scavenger 3 is transported into the chamber CH forming the aseptic chamber and sterilized as a whole by the mist-like sterilizing agent 4 sprayed from the sterilizing agent spraying nozzle N4. At this time, dampness can be given to the oxygen scavenger 3, and the effect of oxygen scavenging of the oxygen scavenger 3 can be achieved from an early stage. As described above, hydrogen peroxide (H ₂ O ₂ ) having a strong oxidizing power may be used as the sterilizing agent 4.
[0022]
Next, aseptic hot air 5 is sprayed from the spray nozzle N5 onto the sterilized cap 1, and the cap 1 is dried. The sterilizing agent 4 absorbed in the oxygen scavenger 3 may be dried to such an extent that some moisture remains.
[0023]
Here, each supply apparatus of the sterilizing agent 4 and the aseptic hot air 5 will be described.
[0024]
FIG. 3 shows a mist generating device 7 for the sterilizing agent 4. The mist generating device 7 includes a two-fluid spray 71 and a vaporizing tube 72. The two-fluid spray 71 is supplied with compressed air from the air supply pipe 71a and the sterilizing agent 4 from the liquid supply pipe 71b. The supplied compressed air and the sterilizing agent 4 are mixed inside the two-fluid spray 71 and sprayed onto the vaporizing tube 72.
[0025]
The sterilizing agent 4 sprayed on the vaporizing pipe 72 is instantaneously heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the boiling point by the heating device 73 provided on the vaporizing pipe wall surface and vaporized. The vaporized sterilizing agent 4 is directly introduced from the outlet 72a through a pipe or the like to the sterilizing agent injection nozzle N4 (see FIG. 2) and sprayed into the chamber CH (see FIG. 2). The sprayed sterilizing agent 4 is cooled by the outside air and becomes a fine mist-like mist.
[0026]
The configuration of the mist generating device 7 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 3, and may be formed with another configuration. Further, the sterilizing agent 4 may be ejected in the form of a fine mist instead of the mist.
[0027]
Next, the aseptic hot air supply device 8 will be described with reference to FIG. This aseptic hot air supply device 8 includes an air blower as an air supply source 81, a filter box 83 connected via a duct 82, and a heating device 85 attached to the duct 82.
[0028]
The air set at a predetermined pressure by the air blower 81 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heating device 85 and introduced into the filter box 83 via the duct 82. The air introduced into the filter box 83 is filtered by the air filter 84 provided in the filter box 83 and becomes sterile. Then, it passes through the duct 86 and is ejected from the hot air ejection nozzle N5 into the chamber CH (see FIG. 2).
[0029]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an outline of the process from filling the beverage d into the container 2 and tightening the cap 1 to obtain a finished product. The PET bottle, which is the container 2 for the aseptically filled beverage d, is sterilized in advance in the chamber CH. The sterilized PET bottle is filled with beverage d at room temperature, and finally the screw-type cap 1 is tightened to obtain a finished product. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, a head space HS containing oxygen is formed in the vicinity of the filling port 21 of the PET bottle. In the present invention, the aseptic filled beverage can be prevented from being oxidized by the oxygen contained in the head space HS by the deoxidizer 3 provided on the cap. Moreover, the effect of the mist of the sterilizing agent 4 is beneficial in that an effect can be obtained immediately after filling.
[0030]
【Example】
The following oxygen absorption test was conducted using a cap in which granular oxygen scavenger organisms were dispersed in a liner material.
[0031]
As the first sample, 10 μg of hydrogen peroxide was sprayed on the cap and sterilized, and then dried by applying 100 ° C. hot air for 5 seconds. The second sample was not sterilized. used.
[0032]
Using a liquid that changes color when oxidized as a reagent, this reagent was filled into a 500 ml PET bottle, the cap was fastened to each PET bottle, the transition of the oxygen concentration in the headspace was measured, and the appearance change of the reagent was observed .
[0033]
As a result, the change in oxygen concentration was 5% in the first sample, compared with 5% in the second sample after 3 hours from the start of the test. Further, the appearance of the reagent was slightly discolored when the second sample was used, whereas the reagent discoloration could not be observed when the first sample was used.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention, as described above, since the oxygen scavenger is provided in the cap of the container for filling the aseptic filled beverage, the beverage is filled with oxygen contained in the head space formed near the filling port after filling the beverage. Can be prevented from being oxidized. Moreover, since the oxygen scavenger is moistened by hydrogen peroxide mist, the effect of deoxygenation immediately after filling the beverage without waiting for the filled beverage to evaporate and become moistened by this evaporated water Can be played. Furthermore, since it is hydrogen peroxide that moisturizes the oxygen scavenger, as described above, it can have a sterilizing effect as well as an effect of oxygen scavenging.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a filling port portion of a container engaged with a cap having a deoxygenating action according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a manufacturing process of a cap used in the oxidation prevention method of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a sterilizing agent mist generating apparatus for sterilizing a cap.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hot air generator.
FIG. 5 is a view showing a step of engaging a cap having a deoxygenating action with a container.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Cap 2 Container 3 Oxygen Absorber 4 Sterilizer 5 Hot Air 7 Mist Generator 8 Hot Air Generator HS Headspace d Aseptic Filled Beverage

Claims (1)

Deoxygenation by spraying hydrogen peroxide on the deoxidizer attached to the inner surface of the cap of a container filled with aseptically filled beverages and demonstrating the effect of deoxygenation by absorbing moisture. And the deoxidation of the head space formed in the container is performed by engaging the cap with the deoxygenating agent moist and exerting a deoxygenating action on the container. Antioxidation method for filled beverages.

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