Patent ID: 6329006
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: A23L,B65B

Abstract:
A one-site fruit processing and fruit juice packaging facility comprising:a single extended building enclosure comprising in seriatim:a fruit receiving station for receiving fruit shipments;a fruit crushing station for finely crushing fruit received from said fruit shipment receiving station to produce a fruit mash;a juice extraction station for extracting juice from the fruit mash by preheating, enzyme treating and depectizing juices from the fruit mash;a juice pasteurizing station for pasteurizing and aroma essence stripping of juice received from said juice extraction station;a juice filtration station for microfiltration of juice received from said juice pasteurizing station;an evaporator station for removing excess water from juice received from said juice filtration station;a bulk packaging station for placing a first portion of concentrated unblended juice received from said evaporator station into bulk shipment containers ready for shipment and for placing a second portion of the concentrated unblended juice into storage containers;a juice blending station for combining concentrated unblended juice from said storage containers with one or more separate fruit juice concentrates and additives to produce a desired blended juice;a plurality of independent blended juice processors including an aseptic processor for insuring that a portion of blended juice received from said juice blending station is sterilized and maintained at a preselected cold-ambient fill temperature and a thermal processor acting independently of and simultaneously with said aseptic processor for insuring that another portion blended juice received from said juice blending station is sterilized and maintained at a preselected elevated temperature;a plurality of independent aseptic blended juice packaging stations each acting independently and simultaneously of one another and receiving aseptic blended juice from one of said processors for packaging or containerizing the corresponding aseptic blended juice into predetermined self-stable containers ready for shipment;said evaporation station, said bulk packaging station, said juice blending station, said blended juice processors, and said blended juice packaging stations being within an aseptic environment.