초록 ▼

Low-ethanol wines and other alcoholic beverages are produced by treating ordinary alcoholic beverages with novel membrane extraction methods. Semipermeable membrances and extraction fluids comprising either of a non-toxic, water-immiscible organic solvent or an aqueous solution of a low-molecular-we

Low-ethanol wines and other alcoholic beverages are produced by treating ordinary alcoholic beverages with novel membrane extraction methods. Semipermeable membrances and extraction fluids comprising either of a non-toxic, water-immiscible organic solvent or an aqueous solution of a low-molecular-weight but membrane-impermeable solute are used under mild conditions to selectively extract ethanol from alcoholic beverages, while leaving substantially intact the complement of other organic constituents that contribute to the color, aroma, and taste of the beverage. The methods disclosed may be adapted to continuous processing of alcohol-containing beverages, in which an ethanol-rich product is continuously recovered from the organic or aqueous extraction fluid and the latter is continuously regenerated and subsequently recycled to the membrane extraction unit.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for producing from a first alcoholic beverage a second beverage of reduced alcohol content comprising: a membrane which is alcohol-permeable, means for feeding said first beverage across a first side of said membrane, means for feeding an extraction fluid across a second side of said me

An apparatus for producing from a first alcoholic beverage a second beverage of reduced alcohol content comprising: a membrane which is alcohol-permeable, means for feeding said first beverage across a first side of said membrane, means for feeding an extraction fluid across a second side of said membrane, said extraction fluid being alcohol-absorbing but substantially not water-absorbing, means for varying the ratio of beverage flow rate to membrane area to control the degree of alcohol removal from the beverage whose alcohol content is to be reduced, said membrane preventing contamination of the alcoholic beverage on said first side of the membrane by the extraction fluid, whereby alcohol diffuses from the first beverage through the membrane into the extraction fluid to produce said second beverage on the first side of the membrane and an alcohol-enriched extraction fluid on said second side of the membrane.