Cold brew coffee consumption has surged in recent years. With the rise in consumption and expansion of distribution, product quality and safety are becoming increasingly important. Packaged cold brew coffee extract may become a home for molds and dangerous bacteria as a low-acid food with a usual pH value greater than 4.6 and water activity greater than 0.852. (such as Clostridium botulinum). Although Clostridium botulinum spores are usually harmless, when the vegetative botulinum bacterium develops neurotoxins, they can be deadly. Immunocompromised people are at a much higher risk.
Alfa Chemistry develops solutions for the cold brew coffee processing process in order to retain Botox quality and reduce risk pollution. Upstream processing often comprises particle filtering to remove coffee grounds and haze, while downstream processing uses techniques like pasteurization and membrane filtration to eliminate pathogens.
Clarification
Filtration technologies including as bag filters and flat plates have traditionally been used to remove bulk coffee grinds, coarse grinds, and fine grinds. Alfa Chemistry has created a small-scale and large-scale production clarification solution to suit the requirements of coffee extracts and address the inadequacies of existing methods.
The filter is identical to a standard lenticular filter. The module is made up of filter sheets that can combine deep filtration and adsorption flawlessly. The filter module, on the other hand, has a one-of-a-kind design that supports the filter medium both upstream and downstream.
Our solution can also help you save money on the following items:
- It reduces filtration time and enhances production while conserving labor when compared to existing approaches.
- It decreases product loss when compared to traditional plate and frame technology.
- The closed solution from Alfa Chemistry eliminates any residual coffee from the filter assembly.
Shelf Life Stability
Cold brew coffee's quality will deteriorate over time, just like any other consumer product. Temperature, light, air, and humidity will all have an impact on product quality. It can also modify the flavor under specific conditions of oxidation. As a result, the product's odor, flavor, or function may outlast its indicated shelf life. While alternative approaches have some drawbacks, Alfa Chemistry terminal sterilization grade membranes create a physical barrier for microbial removal:
- Because of the heat, pasteurization alters or reduces the flavor.
- The addition of acidity may alter the flavor.
- Some approaches also raise the overall cost of production.
Alfa Chemistry's polyvinylidene fluoride II filters are widely used in the beverage sector as a safe and reliable alternative to pasteurization for removing spoilage germs in a variety of applications while maintaining sensory characteristics, flavor, taste, and quality. The filter is made up of two layers of 0.2 m membrane media and is intended to be fitted in a sanitary enclosure to ensure that bacteria are effectively removed.
Pathogen Detection
Culture testing is the most widely used procedure in the industry. To achieve optimal microbial development, the sample is placed in a concentrated broth that is kept in a temperature-controlled environment. There are various flaws in this strategy. Only a small number of bacteria can be detected using the culture approach. It's possible that this will result in false negative test results. Furthermore, the time it takes to confirm the presence or absence of various microorganisms varies substantially, lengthening the time it takes to declare the product safe.
Alfa Chemistry's GeneDisc plate for food pathogen testing can deliver results for components and finished product quality in just a few hours, compared to standard culture methods. The product uses PCR technology to detect pathogenic Escherichia coli O157, STEC, Salmonella, Listeria, and other food pathogens fast.
Alfa Chemistry is always evolving and adapting to market changes and can deliver cost-effective filtration solutions to satisfy the industry's ever-increasing standards. Please contact us to learn more and speak with one of our specialists.