Grape juice concentrate (must) is a valuable ingredient for the food and beverage industry. The reasons? There are many reasons. This fruit juice is versatile and provides a wealth of benefits. It is used to enrich the nutritional profile of various edible products, sweeten desserts and beverages, improve textures or provide a rich, natural color, allowing consumers to be offered more attractive and healthier foods. In addition, in its concentrated form, it is a raw material with great advantages for transportation and storage.
However, it is the quality of the grape must that is the critical factor that determines its value. Preserving this excellence is essential. But we are not only talking about its initial quality, it is also essential to maintain its integrity and all its beneficial characteristics throughout the storage and shipping stages. In this post we explore key aspects of storage, packaging and transport of grape juice concentrate, indispensable to preserve its high quality and ensure that it reaches the customer’s hands with its qualities intact.
- Quality of red and white grape juice
- Must storage
- Grape juice transport: bulk must
- JULIÁN SOLER: quality must all year round
Quality of red and white grape juice
High-value concentrated grape juice is achieved through meticulous care at every stage of its production process, from vineyard management and the selection of grapes at their optimum ripening point to the choice of appropriate transport. For example, during its production, the concentration process must be carried out under controlled conditions and with advanced technologies, in order to obtain a dense juice, with excellent fruity aroma, sweet flavor and high nutritional value. In addition, control of temperature, acidity, sugar levels, etc., must be ensured.
These organoleptic (color, aroma and flavor) and nutritional (vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) properties of concentrated grape juice must also remain intact during storage and bulk transport. To achieve this, it is important:
- Guarantee the cold chain.
- Prevent contamination.
- To protect the must from oxidation.
- Minimize the loss of color of the grape concentrate.
Must storage
In the process of making concentrated grape juice, two storage phases are carried out. First, the must must flower must be stored. Recall that the must is obtained by pressing the grapes and applying certain concentration methods. Basically, the fresh fruit is subjected to a gentle crushing, in which the first juice, called must flower, is obtained. This first juice is stored in AISI 316 stainless steel tanks, a food grade material with high resistance to corrosion, hygienic and does not react to acid or alkaline substances. At Julian Soler, we can reach a must flower storage of more than 20 million liters.
To continue with the production of concentrated grape juice, the free-run juice is evaporated under vacuum and filtered using polypropylene membranes. This results in a grape juice concentrate of 65° to 68° Brix, which must be preserved under optimum conditions.
- Storage of concentrated grape juice. This storage must ensure that the must maintains its quality and color intensity until it is packaged for shipment.
- One of the popular alternatives is the use of airtight stainless steel tanks, with a cooling system that lowers the temperature of the must to prevent oxidation.
- Cold or freezing chambers can also be used to preserve the must in drums. These chambers maintain the optimum levels of temperature, humidity and air circulation required to ensure the availability of a high quality grape concentrate at the time the customer needs it.
Freezing of grape concentrate
It is an effective method to preserve the integrity and quality of the must in the long term. Frozen storage should be carried out at a temperature of -18°C or below to avoid loss of quality attributes.
Cooling of grape juice concentrate
Refrigeration can be used for short-term storage. In this case, it is ideal to keep the must at a temperature of +4°C, to slow down any microbial activity, but without freezing the product.
At JULIÁN SOLER we have a state-of-the-art system for must storage. Our facilities are equipped with cold storage and freezing chambers, designed to maintain the organoleptic and physical-chemical properties of the concentrated grape juice unaltered throughout the year. Specifically, the must is packaged in aseptic drums and then carefully stored in our climate-controlled chambers until it is shipped. In addition, we monitor and maintain rigorous control of temperature, humidity and other values to exceed the quality standards expected by our customers.
Grape juice transport: bulk must
The packaging and transport of bulk concentrated grape juice are critical processes that require specialized technology to maintain product quality. Packaging can be done in aseptic metal drums, drums with aseptic bags, IBC systems or other aseptic packaging that provides an effective barrier against oxygen, light, bacteria, particulates, etc. For example, palletized IBC bags are flexible containers made of polyethylene or polypropylene (food grade material), which are mounted on pallets. They have a capacity of approximately 1,000 liters. Like drums, they can be used for both storage and transport of must. With either type of packaging, filling systems operating under sterile conditions are used.
Shipment can be by land, sea or air. Bulk transport is carried out inside insulated tanks, always under controlled temperature. Very high temperatures can cause oxidation of the must and alter its color. Each packaging and transport method has its own technical advantages and must be selected according to the quantity of product to be shipped, the transport distance, the must conservation requirements and the specifications requested by the customer. The following are the main methods and systems used for the shipment of concentrated must to any part of the world:
Flexitanks
Also known as flexible containers or flexibags, they are polyethylene bags that are installed inside a reefer container and can carry up to 26,000 liters. They represent a safe and efficient system for the maritime transport of must. They are single-use (recyclable material), hygienic and highly resistant. There are also the flexitanks trucks, which are bags specially designed for transporting liquids by road, by trucks, both for long and short distances.
Refrigerated trucks
These vehicles allow the concentrated grape juice to be transported by road and kept refrigerated or frozen throughout the entire journey. They are equipped with a refrigeration system that maintains a constant and controlled temperature inside the box, allowing regulation between 12° C and -20 C. In the shipping phase, the refrigerated truck is pre-cooled before loading, so that it reaches the exact temperature for shipment. The truck is then loaded with palletized drums or small Goodpack containers.
Goodpack
This packaging system consists of the use of reusable containers that stand out for their special features. For example, their side walls are foldable, to facilitate their storage when not in use, and they integrate RFID tags, which allow the tracking and precise location of the goods. They can be used in the storage or transport of bulk must, either in refrigerated trucks or in reefer containers. Either way, they optimize the use of space.
JULIÁN SOLER: quality must all year round
Our commitment to excellence is reflected in every step we take in the process of production, storage and transportation of our grape juice concentrate. We have high-capacity refrigeration and freezing systems, which allow us to efficiently store more than 6,000 tons of concentrated grape juice in refrigerated state and up to 12,000 drums in frozen state, keeping the organoleptic and nutritional properties of our product intact. In this way, we are able to supply authentic must with high color intensity all year round..
We are leaders in the export of concentrated grape juices, white and red. We pack and ship by air, land or sea, according to the characteristics of the must and the client’s needs. We use aseptic packaging systems, in drums, IBC containers, flexitanks, etc.
We guarantee the high quality of our grape concentrates at all times, through control and analysis processes in our own laboratory. In addition, we have a R&D&I department for the development and promotion of food innovation.
Through our know-how we reach 5 continents and more than 60 countries. We are your Global Grape Solution Supplier. Ask for information, without obligation.
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