To control the efficiency of the pasteurization process, as well as to adjust and monitor the thermal effect, use the pasteurization monitor - thermograph PU 1000 from STIL Instruments.

 

Beer pasteurization

Increasing the shelf life of beverages is important because a long period can elapse between production and final consumption by the consumer. Bottles and cans with the final product are stored on shelves for weeks or months, undergo long transportation and spend quite a lot of time in the refrigerator or cabinets after purchase. To keep the bottled product fresh and safe to consume, pasteurization is an absolute must.

Definition of pasteurization

Pasteurization is the process of destroying viable forms of microorganisms in a liquid medium by briefly heating the drink to a certain temperature (less than 100 °C) for a certain amount of time. The process serves to prevent spoilage of the final product in terms of microbiology: if “living” organisms remain in the drink, they begin to “eat” the product itself, thereby changing its quality.

At the same time, pasteurization is not a boiling process. The duration and temperature of heating depend both on which product is pasteurized and on the type of microorganisms to be removed. For example, in beer, this is the leftover yeast: it ceases to be active at temperatures above 60 °C. In some drinks, in addition to yeast, lactic acid bacteria are present, which are also involved in the fermentation process: they are more resistant to heat, therefore, the pasteurization temperature should be higher.

PU pasteurization units

In order to calculate the appropriate pasteurization mode depending on the beverage, specialists use the so-called Pasteurization Units (PU). They contain information to what temperature at what pressure and for how long it is necessary to heat a particular drink. For example, for beer, 1 PU is equal to one conditional minute when the beer is kept at a temperature of 60 °C.

During pasteurization, there is a relationship between the temperature and the processing time: the higher the temperature, the less time it is necessary to thermostat the product to normalize the biological stability.

The advantages of the beverage pasteurization process are:

• preservation of the drink
• no influence on the taste and properties of the products of production
• prevention of early spoilage

If a manufacturer wants his goods to be stored longer on store shelves in order to achieve large sales volumes, then he needs to use and analyze pasteurization in production. To improve the quality of the manufactured product, it is necessary to control the regulation of the temperature process.

For example, along with useful vitamins and substances, harmful microorganisms are also present in the produced beer. The use of pasteurization in food production will effectively relieve the consumer of health threats. It is possible to get rid of unwanted living organisms, deactivate the vital activity of the remaining yeast and preserve the beneficial properties of beer using pasteurization units and related equipment.

Gentle pasteurization of beer

Gentle pasteurization assumes that the drink is heated for a minimum of time and not higher than the required temperature: thus, it retains the maximum of useful properties, without any threat to health in the form of various microorganisms.

Gentle pasteurization types

• Flash pasteurization (in-line). The product is heated, passing through the tubes through the heat exchanger, and then kept at the reached temperature for the required time. After that, the flow is sent to another heat exchanger, where it is quickly cooled to a temperature for further filling into a sterile bottle or can.
• Tunnel pasteurization. Great for drinks packed in cans, when the product is already in the container during heating. On a conveyor belt, cans are sent to a large machine where they are poured with hot water. Water flows down the surface of the can, heating the drink.

Quality control of beer pasteurization

To monitor the efficiency of the pasteurization process, as well as adjust and track the thermal effect, use the pasteurization monitor PU 1000 from STIL Instruments. The device is analogous to modern devices from other companies, but it costs cheaper.

The equipment records the readings using two temperature sensors; when connected to the software, it issues pasteurization schedules; Convenient for manual carrying and installation of bottles and cans while measuring. Pasteurization monitor PU 1000 is applicable for temperature control both in pasteurization installations and in production rooms or cooling chambers.

For purchase and more information on the operation of this equipment, please refer to the contact information indicated on the website.