Patent ID: 6994878

Claim:
A continuous method for reducing one or more of microorganisms or enzymes in a liquid beer or wine product, said method comprising the steps of: a) forming a pressurized mixture by i) combining a pressurized flow of said liquid beer or wine product with a flow of pressurized liquefied carbon dioxide to create a pressurized mixture in a flow state, said carbon dioxide at a pressure sufficient to maintain it in a dense phase and at a temperature which does not freeze said liquid beer or wine product; or ii) forming a mixture of said liquid beer or wine product with liquid or gaseous carbon dioxide, wherein said carbon dioxide if in the liquid state is at a pressure sufficient to maintain it in a liquid state and at a temperature which does not freeze said liquid beer or wine product, and then pressurizing said mixture; b) flowing said pressurized mixture through a reaction zone for a sufficient time to reduce at least one of said microorganisms and said enzymes in said liquid mixture; c) feeding said pressurized mixture from said reaction zone through one or more expansion stages wherein the pressure of said mixture flow is decreased to vaporize the carbon dioxide in said mixture; and d) applying heat in at least one of said expansion stages to said mixture if necessary, to the extent necessary, to prevent cooling of said carbon dioxide from causing freezing of said liquid product.