De-oiling of citrus juice

Single-strength orange juice: extended bulk and retail storage
Although in growing demand by consumers in many markets, single-strength juice presents processors and marketers with problems of quality and shelf life caused by the oil content.

FT Technologies Spinning Cone Column (SCC) can improve shelf life and sensory quality by reducing the oil concentration in freshly extracted juice to a desired level of less than 200 ppm. There are also significant side-benefits that include: juice which is de-oiled in the SCC will necessarily be de-aerated at the same time, and, under appropriate SCC operating conditions, the juice is pasteurised, and the pectinase in the juice de-activated.

Because the residence time of the juice in the SCC is so short (25 seconds) the juice suffers no detectable thermal damage.

Citrus reticulata (mandarin, tangerine, clementine)
Citrus reticulata production is increasing around the world. Numerous opportunities to maximise value from these fruit varieties have been created by the application of SCC technology.

For cost reasons, some processors blend citrus reticulata juice with orange, although the amount blended is subject to regulatory limits. The high oil content of citrus reticulata juices often necessitates that these juices be blended in proportions far lower than the legally permissible amount (10% in Europe). The SCC can readily be used to reduce the oil content in citrus reticulata juices, enabling blending in amounts up to the legal maximum. The oil and aqueous aroma separated from the juice are marketable separately.

Click here to find out more about the Spinning Cone Column.