Lanxess to Showcase Cold Sterilisation Technology for Soft Drinks

Lanxess AG said that its material protection products (MPP) business unit will showcase its effective cold sterilisation technology for soft drinks and to present its Velcorin technology as an oenological method for stabilising wine.

“Velcorin can be used in many beverage categories, from carbonated soft drinks, iced tea and juice-based drinks, to sport and energy drinks, mixed beer drinks, cider and wine,” said Ingo Broda, head of the beverage technology business line in MPP.

According to the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA), experts at the British Euromonitor International market research institute predicted that the volume of global trade in the soft drink segment will grow by 18 percent by 2020. An increase as high as 29 percent is even expected in Asia, the largest regional market. Global sales by volume for 2020 are estimated at 790 billion litres.

Wine consumption rising worldwide – Velcorin growing with it

Global volume trade in wine increased by five percent to just under 28 billion litres between 2009 and 2014. According to Euromonitor, global sales of wine will rise by another nine percent by 2019, with growth primarily being observed in regions currently displaying low per capita consumption. For example, sales will rise by 21 percent by 2019 above all in the Asian region, which already is the second-largest. More available income and changed consumer behaviour are spurring the popularity of wine there.

“We want to grow with the market in this beverage category, too, particularly in the trend segments of sweet and non-alcoholic wines and wine mixed drinks. With our premium products and global services, we have the ideal prerequisites for reaching this goal,” said Broda.

“With Velcorin we not only offer an effective solution for the cold sterilisation of beverages, but also an all-around service inclusive of our dosing equipment. The package includes system maintenance as well,” added Broda.

Safe filling

Microorganisms, such as yeasts, moulds and bacteria, are present throughout the beverage filling process – in the air, on the production equipment, in the closures and even in the beverages themselves. Microorganisms not only impair the sensory properties of beverages, they can also pose a health risk for consumers. Even at low concentrations, Velcorin is highly effective against typical harmful microorganisms and protects a product from spoiling.

As one of the top technologies for beverage stabilisation, cold sterilisation with Velcorin is already successfully established worldwide. The product is added immediately prior to the beverage filling step. The Lanxess product penetrates the cells of microorganisms, deactivating their key enzymes. Following its addition to a beverage, Velcorin quickly breaks down into minimum amounts of methanol and carbon dioxide, natural components found in many drinks, such as fruit and vegetable juices and wine. The stabilising agent influences neither the taste, bouquet or colour of a beverage.

Precision addition to a beverage is ensured by the Velcorin DT Touch dosing systems. These premium quality dosing machines, manufactured in Germany, fulfil the high purity requirements of the beverage industry. The state-of-the-art dosing units can be easily integrated into new or existing beverage production lines and only require a small initial outlay, said the company.

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