Innovative new technology from JBT Corporation’s Stork Food & Dairy Systems business that can safely add perceptible chunks of fruit, vegetables or grains to healthy drinks has been added to an experimental pilot plant from SIG Combibloc.
The new Sterideal ST5T-Spec UHT heat exchanger unit will form part of the carton packaging machine manufacturer’s CombiLab filling machine plant, which helps to bring ideas to fruition. The unit is ideal for processing DrinksPlus products containing perceptible extras such as pieces of fruit and vegetables or cereal grains, before the beverages are then aseptically filled in carton packs from SIG Combibloc.
In the CombiLab, product developments such as new DrinksPlus concepts, and developments relating to filling technology, are tested under practical conditions.
SIG Combibloc head of aseptic technology Rudolf Flörke said: “The Sterideal ST5T-Spec in our CombiLab is a higher-performance model than our previous UHT system, and allows for the flexible requirements with regard to the heat treatment of a wide range of products.
“In addition, it has a much higher degree of automation. Customers who use our services in the CombiLab will also benefit from these advantages, when they work with us to develop and manufacture innovative product concepts under real conditions, and test the process technology”.
Dr Sven Fischer, global technology director for SIG Combibloc, added: “Especially in the field of beverages containing perceptible product particulates – known as ‘inclusions’ – we should expect quite a few things in the future.
“Beverages that you don’t just drink, but can also in a sense chew, have now found their way from Asia into various parts of the world, and are seeing very positive development. All kinds of new combinations are possible, and with our technology they’re feasible as well.”
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