IT202100010277A1 - METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DRINKS FROM A FRUIT AND/OR VEGETABLE EXTRACT AND FRUIT AND/OR VEGETABLE-BASED DRINK - Google Patents

Description

Description of the industrial invention entitled "Method for the production of drinks from a fruit and/or vegetable extract and fruit and/or vegetable-based drink"

The present invention relates to a method for producing beverages from a fruit and/or vegetable extract. The invention also relates to a drink based on fruit and/or vegetables.

Beverages obtained starting from fruit or vegetable extracts are known from the state of the art, such as for example fruit puree, natural or whole fruit juice, fruit nectar, fruit juice and pulp, vegetable juice or concentrated fruit juice or vegetables.

So in itself? known, the extracts indicated above differ from each other by the content of fruit and/or water and/or additives added to the extract.

Usually, juices are defined as ?without added sugar? due to the fact that they contain only the sugars or carbohydrates naturally present in the fruit or vegetables used for the production of the extract.

The starting material for obtaining the aforementioned beverages? consisting of various types of fruit and vegetables, such as peaches, apricots, oranges, wild berries, grapes, apples, grapefruit, pineapples, kiwis, pomegranates, pears , carrot and tomato.

The extracts are obtained by grinding, squeezing or shredding the fruit or vegetable. The intermediate product obtained through these processing steps can subsequently undergo a phase of separation of the pulp from the liquid.

Furthermore, the extracts can be subjected to further filtration phases in order to maintain their sterility intact. and the properties? organoleptic.

A drawback of the drinks described above ? represented by the fact that their content of sugars and carbohydrates, in particular of simple carbohydrates, is particularly high, ranging in particular between 50 g/l and 160g/l depending on the starting fruit or vegetable.

From this drawback it follows that the caloric content of the beverages known in the sector, in particular of the beverages obtained from fruit extracts, is ? particularly high.

Therefore, the beverages described above are not very suitable for specific diet regimens which include a reduced intake of sugars and carbohydrates. To at least partially obviate the above-mentioned drawback, beverages obtained starting from fruit or vegetable extracts have been developed in which the initial extract is ? diluted with water to reduce the concentration of sugars and carbohydrates.

These beverages, while partially solving the drawback indicated above, have the further drawback of having a reduced concentration of fruit or vegetables and a diluted taste with respect to the taste of the starting fruit or vegetables.

Another drawback of such drinks ? represented by the fact that the addition of water to the extract prevents the use of the designation ?juice? for the drink.

Furthermore, ? noteworthy to underline that in the technical sector of alcoholic beverages, in particular in the production sector of wine and beer, it is It is known to reduce the alcohol content of beverages by at least one dealcoholation step.

This phase can be achieved by various procedures such as distillation, reverse osmosis, treatment by hydrophobic membranes, treatment by semi-permeable membranes, spinning cone column distillation or supercritical CO2 extraction.

However, these procedures are not intended to reduce the initial sugar and carbohydrate content of the drinks.

The main purpose of the present invention ? that of providing a method for the production of beverages from a fruit and/or vegetable extract which allows to solve the drawbacks indicated above.

A particular task of the present invention ? that of providing a method for the production of beverages from a fruit and/or vegetable extract which allows to reduce the sugar and carbohydrate content originally present in a fruit and/or vegetable extract.

Another task of the present invention ? that of providing a method of the type described above which allows the sugar and carbohydrate content of a fruit and/or vegetable extract to be reduced without diluting the extract.

Another task of the present invention ? that of making available a method of the type described above which allows limiting the alteration of the properties? organoleptic properties, nutritional characteristics and vitamin content originating from fruit and/or vegetable extracts.

Another task of the present invention ? that of making available a method of the type described above which allows to use working tools known and commonly used in the sector.

Another task of the present invention ? that of making available a fruit and/or vegetable-based drink with a reduced calorie content.

The aim and main aims described above are achieved with a method for the production of beverages from a fruit and/or vegetable extract according to claim 1 and with a fruit and/or vegetable based beverage according to claim 9.

In particular, the fruit and/or vegetable-based drink produced with the method object of the present invention ? a soft drink obtained from a liquid or semi-liquid extract of fruit and/or vegetables. In the present description with the expression ?soft drink? means a drink without alcohol or having an alcohol content equal to or less than 0.5% vol.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the method comprises the following steps: i) preparation of a quantity? predetermined extract obtained from fruit and/or vegetables;

ii) alcoholic fermentation of the sugars and carbohydrates present in the extract to obtain an intermediate product containing at least one alcohol;

iii) dealcoholation of the intermediate product to remove the at least one alcohol and obtain a beverage.

The extract has a sugar and carbohydrate content with a first concentration value and the beverage has a sugar and carbohydrate content with a second concentration value, the latter being lower than the first concentration value.

In particular, the second concentration value of the sugar and carbohydrate content ? preferably equal to or less than 10g/l with respect to the total volume of the beverage obtained with the method object of the present invention.

Therefore, the fruit and/or vegetable-based drink object of the present invention ? a soft drink with an alcohol content of 0.5% vol or less. and having a sugar and carbohydrate content with a concentration equal to or lower than 10g/l.

Preferably, the first concentration value of the sugar and carbohydrate content of the extract is between 15g/l and 130 g/l with respect to the total volume of the extract, depending on the type of fruit and/or vegetable used to obtain the extract, as further explained below.

The carbohydrates contained in the fruit and/or vegetable extract are mainly simple carbohydrates. In the context of the present description with the expression ?simple carbohydrates? preferably the group of carbohydrates which includes glucose, fructose and sucrose is meant.

However, the extract can also comprise simple carbohydrates different from those indicated above and suitable for undergoing the alcoholic fermentation step, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Conveniently, the extract can? consist of fruit puree, fruit nectar, fruit juice and pulp, fruit juice, vegetable juice or concentrated fruit and/or vegetable juice.

So in itself? known in the sector, the extracts indicated above differ from each other due to the different content of fruit and/or water and/or added additives such as sugar, sweeteners and possibly antioxidants or acidifiers.

For example, fruit nectar, in accordance with current regulations, can present a fruit content between 25% and 50% with respect to the total weight of the extract and a quantity of sugar preferably comprised between 8% and 10% with respect to the total weight of the extract. Regardless of the nature of the extract and therefore of the initial concentration of sugars and carbohydrates contained in the extract, the method object of the present invention allows the concentration of sugars and carbohydrates contained in the drink to be reduced to the value indicated above.

The fruit for obtaining the extract? preferably chosen from the group that includes apple, grape, peach, apricot, orange, mandarin, lemon, kiwi, pomegranate, grapefruit, wild berries, pineapple and pear . The vegetables for obtaining the extract ? preferably chosen from within the group including carrots and tomatoes.

Naturally, the types of fruit and vegetables indicated above are only exemplary and non-limiting examples of the present invention and the extract can can also be made using different types of fruit and vegetables without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Preferably, the fruit used to obtain the extract of the present invention does not include wine grapes; consequently the intermediate product obtained following phase ii) of alcoholic fermentation cannot? be wine.

In the context of this description with the expression ?wine grapes? grape having a concentration of sugars and carbohydrates equal to at least 130 g/l or higher and therefore suitable for producing wine.

Therefore, the grape used to obtain the extract used in the method of the present invention is preferably table grapes or grapes which have an initial value of concentration of sugars and carbohydrates lower than that previously indicated for wine grapes.

From the above it can be seen that the intermediate product obtained by the method of the present invention is not a product commonly known and marketed as an alcoholic beverage.

This expedient derives from the fact that the object of the method of the present invention is not that of removing the alcohol from a drink commonly known as alcoholic but that of providing a soft drink based on fruit and/or vegetables that is free or substantially free of sugars and carbohydrates. Furthermore, the extract used in the method object of the present invention cannot derive from cereals, such as barley, wheat, corn, rice, oats, spelled or rye.

Advantageously, the starting extract can? also be formed from a mixture of fruit and vegetables of the type indicated above.

The extract can be obtained starting from fruit and/or vegetables by techniques known in the sector, such as for example squeezing, pressing, crushing, grinding or shredding, using devices and tools known in the sector.

Advantageously, the method pu? also comprising a step of treating the extract with enzymes selected from the group comprising at least hydrolases, glycosidases, pectases and pectinases (pectolytic enzymes).

This phase? preferably carried out upstream of phase ii) of alcoholic fermentation by adding a quantity predetermined amount of enzymes to the extract.

The function of the treatment phase of the extract with enzymes ? that of hydrolysing the polymeric chains of complex carbohydrates possibly present in the extract into monosaccharides or disaccharides, or simple carbohydrates, such as for example glucose, sucrose and fructose.

These simple carbohydrates are fermentable, i.e. they are suitable for undergoing phase ii) of alcoholic fermentation indicated above.

Furthermore, the method can include a first phase of clarification or clarification of the extract carried out upstream of phase ii) of alcoholic fermentation.

This phase of clarification or clarification pu? be achieved by techniques known in the sector, i.e. by spontaneous sedimentation, by the use of sedimentation agents, by centrifugation or by filtration.

The fruit and/or vegetable extract can also undergo a pH adjustment step prior to step ii) of alcoholic fermentation.

So in itself? known, phase ii) of alcoholic fermentation ? made by adding yeasts to the extract, preferably of the genus Saccharomyces or Schizosaccharomyces.

The concentration of yeasts in the extract? preferably maintained in a range between 5g/hl and 20g/hl depending on the volume of extract to be treated and the starting material for making the extract.

Alcoholic fermentation can also be at least partially spontaneous by exploiting the yeasts naturally contained in the fruit.

Advantageously, phase ii) of alcoholic fermentation can be achieved by keeping the extract in a tank at a temperature between 10?C and 25?C.

At the end of step ii) of alcoholic fermentation, an intermediate liquid product is obtained containing at least one alcohol, mainly ethanol. Phase iii) of dealcoholation can? be realized through one or more? among the distillation procedures, reverse osmosis, treatment by hydrophobic membranes, treatment by semi-permeable membranes, supercritical extraction by CO2 or spinning cone column distillation.

These procedures are carried out on the liquid intermediate product containing the alcohol in solution and are known in the field, therefore they will not be further described in the following of the present description.

Phase iii) of dealcoholation can? can also be accomplished by a combination of the above procedures.

It is noted that the procedures used in step iii) of dealcoholation do not include acetic fermentation by means of Acetobacter or bacteria of a similar type; this acetic fermentation pu? however be carried out independently on the beverage following step iii) of dealcoholation as described below.

The alcohol removed from the liquid intermediate product can? be recovered and reused, in accordance with the regulations in force in the sector. Therefore, downstream of phase iii) of dealcoholation pu? a phase of alcohol recovery should be foreseen.

Upstream of phase iii) of dealcoholation, the method can? also comprising a step of cooling the liquid intermediate product and a second step of settling or clarifying the liquid intermediate product.

Even the second phase of clarification and clarification can? be carried out by means of the known procedures indicated above for the first stage of clarification and clarification.

As anticipated, the method pu? comprising an acetic fermentation step for the beverage obtained following step iii) of dealcoholation to further remove the at least one alcohol from the beverage. Preferably, the acetic fermentation phase ? made through the use of acetic bacteria, such as Acetobacter, Gluconobacter suboxidans, B. orleanense and B. pasteurianum which oxidize ethanol to acetic acid in the presence of oxygen.

Phase iii) of dealcoholation, possibly in combination with the acetic fermentation phase, allows the alcoholic strength of the final beverage to be maintained at a value equal to or lower than 0.5% vol. and preferably close to 0% vol.

At the end of the method pu? a phase of addition of additives to the beverage, such as for example gum arabic and ascorbic acid, must also be foreseen, in order to stabilize the properties? organoleptic characteristics of the drink.

The beverage obtained with the method object of the present invention can present an opaque color compared to the starting extract; the acidity of the drink? more distinguishable by the user due to the absence of sugars or simple carbohydrates in the drink.

From the above? it is now clear how the method for producing beverages of the present invention allows to advantageously achieve the set objects.

In particular, the combined use of the alcoholic fermentation and dealcoholation phases allows the sugars and carbohydrates contained in the initial fruit and/or vegetable extract to be almost completely removed.

Therefore the beverage obtainable by means of the method object of the present invention, while maintaining unchanged some properties? organoleptic characteristics of the fruit and/or vegetable extract, it has a reduced caloric content compared to beverages known in the sector and obtained from fruit and/or vegetable extracts.

? it should be noted that the intermediate product obtained during the production of the soft drink and containing at least one alcohol is not known and commonly marketed as an alcoholic beverage, such as wine for example.

Furthermore, the method object of the present invention uses devices and instruments known in the sector and therefore can be implemented by combining these known devices in a different way.

Of course, the above description of the embodiments applying the innovative principles of the present invention ? given as an example of these innovative principles and must not therefore? be taken as a limitation of the scope of the patent claimed herein.

For example, the extract can? be obtained from other types of fruit or vegetables than those indicated; moreover, the step of obtaining the extract and step iii) of dealcoholation can also be carried out by means of techniques different from those indicated.

Claims (11)

Claims 1. Method for the production of beverages from a fruit and/or vegetable extract, which method includes the following steps: i) preparation of a quantity? predetermined amount of extract obtained from fruit and/or vegetables, said extract having a sugar and carbohydrate content with a first concentration value; ii) alcoholic fermentation of the sugars and carbohydrates present in said extract to obtain an intermediate product containing at least one alcohol; iii) dealcoholating said intermediate product to remove the at least one alcohol and obtain a beverage having a sugar and carbohydrate content with a second concentration value, said second concentration value being lower than said first concentration value; in which said drink ? non-alcoholic and has an alcohol content equal to or less than 0.5% vol. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said second sugar and carbohydrate concentration value ? equal to or less than 10g/l with respect to the total volume of the drink. 3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said extract is fruit puree or fruit juice or fruit nectar or fruit juice and pulp or fruit juice, vegetable juice or concentrated fruit and/or vegetable juice. 4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said dealcoholation step iii) ? made by one or more among the distillation procedures, reverse osmosis, treatment by hydrophobic membranes, treatment by semi-permeable membranes, supercritical extraction by CO2 or spinning cone column distillation. 5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a treatment step of the extract with enzymes selected from the group comprising at least the hydrolases, glycosidases, pectases and pectinases, said treatment step with enzymes being carried out in upstream of said phase ii) of alcoholic fermentation. 6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an acetic fermentation step downstream of said dealcoholation step iii) for the further removal of said at least one alcohol from said intermediate product. 7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fruit for obtaining the extract is ? choice within the group including apple, grape, peach, apricot, orange, mandarin, lemon, kiwi, pomegranate, pear, wild berries, pineapple, grapefruit. 8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fruit for obtaining the extract does not include wine grapes and/or in that the first concentration value of the sugar and carbohydrate content in said extract ? between 15g/l and 130g/l. 9. Soft drink made from fruit and/or vegetables with an alcohol content of 0.5% vol or less. characterized in that said beverage has a sugar and carbohydrate content with a concentration equal to or less than 10g/l. 10. Beverage according to claim 9, characterized in that the fruit is choice within the group including grapes, peaches, apricots, oranges, mandarins, lemons, kiwis, pomegranates, pears, wild berries, pineapples and grapefruit. 11. Beverage according to any one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the fruit does not include wine grapes.