Clarifying The Water

Clarifying the water
• 1 The quality of water is crucial to the success of a soft drink. Impurities, such as
suspended particles, organic matter, and bacteria, may degrade taste and color.
They are generally removed through the traditional process of a series of
coagulation, filtration, and chlorination. Coagulation involves mixing a gelatinous
precipitate, or floc (ferric sulphate or aluminum sulphate), into the water. The floc
absorbs suspended particles, making them larger and more easily trapped by
filters. During the clarification process, alkalinity must be adjusted with an
addition of lime to reach the desired pH level.
Filtering, sterilizing, and dechlorinating the water
• 2 The clarified water is poured through a sand filter to remove fine particles of
floc. The water passes through a layer of sand and courser beds of gravel to
capture the particles.
• 3 Sterilization is necessary to destroy bacteria and organic compounds that might
spoil the water's taste or color. The water is pumped into a storage tank and is
dosed with a small amount of free chlorine. The chlorinated water remains in the
storage
tank for about two hours until the reaction is complete.
• 4 Next, an activated carbon filter dechlorinates the water and removes residual
organic matter, much like the sand filter. A vacuum pump de-aerates the water
before it passes into a dosing station.
Mixing the ingredients

• 5 The dissolved sugar and flavor concentrates are pumped into the dosing station
in a predetermined sequence according to their compatibility. The ingredients are
conveyed into batch tanks where they are carefully mixed; too much agitation can
cause unwanted aeration. The syrup may be sterilized while in the tanks, using
ultraviolet radiation or flash pasteurization, which involves quickly heating and
cooling the mixture. Fruit based syrups generally must be pasteurized.
• 6 The water and syrup are carefully combined by sophisticated machines, called
proportioners, which regulate the flow rates and ratios of the liquids. The vessels
are pressurized with carbon dioxide to prevent aeration of the mixture.
Carbonating the beverage
• 7 Carbonation is generally added to the finished product, though it may be mixed

into the water at an earlier stage. The temperature of the liquid must be carefully
controlled since carbon dioxide solubility increases as the liquid temperature
decreases. Many carbonators are equipped with their own cooling systems. The
amount of carbon dioxide pressure used depends on the type of soft drink. For
instance, fruit drinks require far less carbonation than mixer drinks, such as
tonics, which are meant to be diluted with other liquids. The beverage is slightly
over-pressured with carbon dioxide to facilitate the movement into storage tanks
and ultimately to the filler machine.
Filling and packaging
• 8 The finished product is transferred into bottles or cans at extremely high flow
rates. The containers are immediately sealed with pressure-resistant closures,
either tinplate or steel crowns with corrugated edges, twist offs, or pull tabs.
• 9 Because soft drinks are generally cooled during the manufacturing process, they
must be brought to room temperature before labeling to prevent condensation
from ruining the labels. This is usually achieved by spraying the containers with
warm water and drying them. Labels are then affixed to bottles to provide
information about the brand, ingredients, shelf life, and safe use of the product.
Most labels are made of paper though some are made of a plastic film. Cans are
generally pre-printed with product information before the filling stage.
• 10 Finally, containers are packed into cartons or trays which are then shipped in
larger pallets or crates to distributors.
Quality Control
Soft drink manufacturers adhere to strict water quality standards for allowable dissolved
solids, alkalinity, chlorides, sulfates, iron, and aluminum. Not only is it in the interest of
public health, but clean water also facilitates the production process and maintains
consistency in flavor, color, and body. Microbiological and other testing occur regularly.
The National Soft Drink Association and other agencies set standards for regulating the
quality of sugar and other ingredients. If soft drinks are produced with low-quality sugar,
particles in the beverage will spoil it, creating floc. To prevent such spoilage, sugar must
be carefully handled in dry, sanitized environments.
It is crucial for soft drink manufacturers to inspect raw materials before they are mixed
with other ingredients, because preservatives may not kill all bacteria. All tanks, pumps,
and containers are thoroughly sterilized and continuously monitored. Cans, made of
aluminum alloy or tin-coated low-carbon steel, are lacquered internally to seal the metal
and prevent corrosion from contact with the beverage. Soft drink manufacturers also
recommend specific storage conditions to retailers to insure that the beverages do not
spoil. The shelf life of soft drinks is generally at least one year.
Recycling
The $27 billion dollar soft drink industry generated about 110 billion containers each
year in the early 1990s. About half of soft drink containers were aluminum cans and the
other half, about 35 billion, were PET plastic bottles. Nearly 60% of all soft drink
containers were recycled, the highest rate for any packaging in the United States.
Environmental concerns continued to lead to improvements and innovations in packaging
technology, including the development of refillable and reusable containers.
The Future
In the 1990s there were more than 450 types of soft drinks on the market and new flavors
and sweeteners are developed all the time to meet market demands. In the future,
advanced technology will lead to greater efficiency of soft drink production at all stages.
New methods of water clarification, sterilization, and pasteurization will improve
production and minimize the need for preservatives in soft drinks. Concerns with
consumer health, safety, and the environment will continue to have a positive impact on
trends in the soft drink industry
Read more: How soft drink is made - production process, making, history, used, product,
industry, machine, Raw Materials, The Manufacturing Process of soft drink, Quality
Control, Recycling http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Soft-Drink.html#ixzz13f4o1jr4

Clarifying The Water

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Clarifying The Water

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Clarifying the water

Filtering, sterilizing, and dechlorinating the water

tank for about two hours until the reaction is complete.

Mixing the ingredients

Carbonating the beverage

• 7 Carbonation is generally added to the finished product, though it may be mixed

Filling and packaging

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