Gaseous nitrogen in the beverage industry
Nitrogen is an inert gas, colorless, tasteless and odorless, these characteristics make nitrogen ideal to be utilized in the beverage industry.
During the bottling process of water and other drinks, nitrogen is used to preserve organoleptic properties of still mineral waters and beverages, juices and other drinks.
Why is nitrogen used in the beverage industry
Insufflation of nitrogen into drinks, reduces or removes oxygen granting protection against organoleptic degradation.
Reducing or removing the air quantity into the packaging of these products, ensures an optimal conservation, mantaining flavours and scents of the beverage.
Applications
Inertization and tank blanketing
Inertization and tank blanketing with nitrogen are two well established processes, indispensable for beverages protection. These techniques consist in substituting the air into the storage tanks , preserving the aroma of the products and prolonging their shelf-life.
Stripping
The stripping process removes gasses and volatile substances dissolved into beverages and drinks (for example oxygen). Through special porous pipes it’s possible to blow gaseous nitrogen into the liquid , in order to make it gurgle and purify it.
Nitrogen and beer
Nitrogen is also used for brewing. Some practical examples are the stripping process of the concentrated liquid coming from the fermentation of the beer and the inertization of the beer kegs in order to avoid oxydation. Apart from secondary production processes, nitrogen is used for the brewing process itself. Generally, CO2 is used to give beer its sparkling texture, however many breweries use a mix of 70% nitrogen and 30% CO2. The use of nitrogen gives beer a smoother taste and a long lasting beer foam.
Our nitrogen generators are suitable for the production of:
- Beverages
- Mineral water
- Wine
- Olive oil
- Fruit and vegetables juices
- Milk and fruits drinks
- Energy drinks
