MICROFILTRATION OF APPLE JUICE USING INORGANIC MEMBRANES - PROCESS OPTIMIZATION AND JUICE STABILITY

Crossflow membrane microfiltration of low-pectine raw apple juice was studied using inorganic membranes (TECH SEP Carbosep(R), Lyon, France) having a nominal pore size of 0.2 mu m. Permeate nux was measured at different operation conditions (trans-membrane pressure between 100 an d 500 kPa, feed velocities between 1 and 6 m/s, and temperatures of 29 3, 298 and 323 K). Some concentration experiments were made in order t o study the rejection of pectins and polyphenols at different VCR (vol ume concentration ratio) values. Final stabilization tests were carrie d out to analyze the long-term clarified juice behaviour.