Blueberry juice processing

Step of blueberry juice production:
*Washing and sorting the berries. Cleaning the blueberry fruits from contamination of dirt, mud, sand, straw, glass, etc. Blueberries are thoroughly cleaned with bubbles and water spray, and the rotten and moldy parts to be removed.

Berries can be frozen after harvesting to reduce the effects of pectin and gelling, as well as to extend utilization beyond the narrow harvest season

*Pulping in the environment at the temperature of 15° C
To improve juice recovery, berries can be treated with elevated temperatures. Heating or blanching the berries before pressing is a common step used in juicing fruits.

Before refining blueberry juice, it needs to be crushed to improve the juice yield of raw materials. A high-speed refiner is used to separate the juice. According to different process requirements, the equipment design and equipment selection of the juice extraction and separation system is carried out.

*Adding pectinase for enzymolysis
Pectinase enzymes increase juice yield by breaking down the pectin in the cell walls and in the middle lamellae between the cells. The pectin in the juice will make the juice turbid. In addition, it protects other substances and prevents clarification of blueberry juice.

Enzymes derived from bacteria, such as Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus aculeatus, can be used to improve extraction from plant tissues and liquefaction, increase juice yield, clarification, and filtration.

*Process of pasteurization
In pasteurization process juice is heated to temperatures of approx. 80-90°C. This process prevents the juice from fermenting. This is because the heating process kills the naturally contained microorganisms in the juice.

*Cooling
*Uniformly mixing; and filling

*Packaging
Commercially produced blueberry juice is packed in PET bottles which are then sealed and pasteurized to avoid spoilage and to increase shelf life.
Blueberry juice processing