To keep pace with consumers desiring healthier, less-processed juices and smoothies, high-pressure processing (HPP) provides a non-thermal juice/beverage preservation technology that is environmentally friendly while helping products maintain freshness, food safety and an extended shelf life, according to Hiperbaric USA. The company’s new Hiperbaric In-Bulk 525 features a fully automated system where the liquid goes directly to the extended shelf life filling line through the tanks and pipes of the machine, with no intermediate handling. This automation facilitates traceability and reduces manual handling and production by 60-80 percent, because a single operator can run the equipment, the company says. In addition to decreased manual labor costs, the HPP In-Bulk allows manufacturers to use any packaging material, including glass, carton, bag-in-box and PET, and is the only HPP machine without limitations on packaging type, it says. The equipment is based on a patent-pending concept in which beverages are processed in bulk before bottling, allowing the use of any kind of packaging no matter the shape, size or material. In addition to packaging flexibility, the In-Bulk 525 delivers a large production capacity of as many as 4,000 liters an hour, with a low processing cost and minimum energy consumption. The machine also achieves a 90 percent fill ratio, compared with the 55-60 percent fill rate of in-pack units. Because the company offers turnkey solutions for in-pack and in-bulk HPP machines, beverage manufacturers can automate pre- and post-operations, standardize processes, and increase efficiency by reducing manual labor costs and costs for each cycle.

Hiperbaric USA | 2250 NW 84th Ave., Unit 101, Miami, Fla. 33122; 305/639-9770; hiperbaric.com.