초록 ▼

A method and system for packaging hot beverages in flexible aseptic pouches includes filling the pouches with a hot beverage concentrate, immediately thereafter filling the pouches with chilled sterile water in order to lower the temperature of the resulting mixture of concentrate and water in the p

A method and system for packaging hot beverages in flexible aseptic pouches includes filling the pouches with a hot beverage concentrate, immediately thereafter filling the pouches with chilled sterile water in order to lower the temperature of the resulting mixture of concentrate and water in the pouches, sealing the pouches, and transporting the pouches directly to a bundler or multi-pac assembling device. The method and system does not require the use of a separate cooling station for the hot pouches between the filler and bundler due to the introduction of chilled sterile water into the pouches at the outset, as part of a two-stage filling process. Containers of other types than flexible packages may also be filled by the method and system.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for sterile packaging of beverages comprising the steps of:a) supplying a predetermined quantity of a beverage concentrate at a first predetermined temperature to a container, said first predetermined temperature being high enough to pasteurize the beverage concentrate and soften materia

1. A method for sterile packaging of beverages comprising the steps of:a) supplying a predetermined quantity of a beverage concentrate at a first predetermined temperature to a container, said first predetermined temperature being high enough to pasteurize the beverage concentrate and soften materials forming the container; b) immediately thereafter filling the container with a sterile diluent at a second predetermined temperature which is much lower than said first predetermined temperature to thereby cool a mixture of the concentrate and diluent to a third predetermined temperature, said third predetermined temperature being below temperatures which would soften the materials; and c) sealing the container to form a sterile package of beverage.