Technology Details

Area of Technology:Agro & Food Processing

Title of the Innovation: Production of RTS Fruit Juice & Beverages

Brief About Innovation

Introduction

A variety off soft drinks are being presently produced in the country such as sweetened carbonated (aerated) soft drinks, still beverages containing fruit juice/pulp and soda water falling under the category of RTS (ready-to-serve) beverages. Among these the share of fruit juice based beverages are very small compared to synthetic carbonated drinks/soda waters. However, the trend is slowly changing for the obvious advantages of nutritious beverages over the synthetic aerated waters. The present volume of the soft drinks business is of the order of Rs. 800 crores per annum. Manufacture of RTS fruit beverages based on fruit juices/pulps are only considered here, as they are nutritious.

The plant can be operated in full capacity in summer months. Products like mango, pineapple, grapes, mixed fruit based RTS beverages have to be produced regularly. The idle capacity if any can be utilized for making tomato products, jams, etc. in lean period, so that the viability of the unit can be better achieved. During the season the fruits are to be processed and the pulp/juice are to be preserved for the regular use. This can be done either in OTS cans (3.1 kgs or 5.20 kgs) or chemically preserved with sulphur dioxide or sodium benzoate (storage in wooden barrels or HDPE containers).  

Technology

The raw material needed for fruit juice/pulp based RTS beverages are: Fruit pulp/juice, sugar, citric acid, preservatives and permitted colours, flavours and other additives. Almost all varieties of the pulpy fruits can be used for the extraction of their pulp or juice. Atleast 3 or 4 varieties of the different fruits are available in almost all parts of the country.The following fruits are well suited for RTS beverages.
 
1. Mango 2. Guava 3. Oranges 4. Pineapple 5. Grapes 6. Papaya 7. Acid limes 8. Litchi 9. Passion fruit 10. Apples 11. Banana 12. Pomegranate