A new integrated membrane process for producing clarified apple juice and apple juice aroma concentrate

An integrated membrane process for producing apple juice and apple juice ar oma concentrates is proposed. The process involves the following operations : an integrated membrane reactor to clarify the raw juice; reverse osmosis (RO) to preconcentrate the juice up to 25 degrees Brix: pervaporation (PV) to recover and concentrate aroma compounds, and a final evaporation step to concentrate apple juice up to 72 degrees Brix. These operations were teste d in laboratory and pilot plant units. Promising results were obtained with the membrane operations involved. In order to have an economic process ass essment, the pilot plant units were assembled into an integrated unit and o perated with raw apple juice. The products were more clear and brilliant th an apple juice produced by conventional methods. The integrated membrane pr ocess also seemed to be more advantageous on the basis of economics than th e conventional one. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.