Carbonation

There are two different applications for carbonation of beverages:

• carbonated soft drinks with carbon dioxide content of 5-8 g/l.
• still drinks with only a slight carbonation, up to 1 g/l, to enhance flavour profile and mouth feel.

For carbonated soft drinks the carbonation level is a key quality parameter. Producers demand accurate CO2 injection and high consistency in the packaged product.

The trend towards natural ingredients and higher juice contents in soft drinks make the products more susceptible to microbial contamination. This requires stringent plant hygiene and that the whole process can be effectively cleaned-in-place.

Dosing of low amounts of CO2 in still drinks, to create an exciting taste experience, is part of the aseptic treatment. The sterile gas is injected into the pasteurised beverage before packaging in aseptic cartons or other containers, all under aseptic conditions.

The Tetra Pak in-line carbonation system comprises hygienic mixers, which create micro bubbles ensuring total dissolution of the gas into the product. It does not use porous discs nor sinter candles for gas dispersion.