Aid for Cooperation for Innovation. Operation 16.01.01 of the RDP of Catalonia 2014-2020.
The main objective of the project is the testing of UHPH technology as a non-thermal physical technology for the stabilisation of plant-based beverages such as wine, juices and concentrates to reduce the use of preservatives and improve their organoleptic characteristics.
However, current UHPH systems have not yet been tested at all possible stages where this technology could be applied to solve different requirements of the wine and juice industries and therefore testing in real environments is necessary.
The specific objectives of the overall project are:
1. To validate the UHPH technology to the vegetable-based beverage industry (juices, concentrates and wine) and to study the shelf life of pasteurised and sterile products storable at refrigerated and ambient temperatures, respectively.
2. To evaluate and quantify the improvement in the nutritional and functional characteristics of the beverages obtained.
3. To evaluate the improvement in the sensory profile of the products with respect to current preservation techniques.
4. Eliminate or reduce the use of preservatives of chemical origin in the production of beverages of vegetable origin, specifically juices, concentrates and wines.
5. Creation of new products such as young wines available all year round, increasing the market for them.
6. Improving the energy efficiency of the plant-based beverage food industry.
7. Raising awareness of standardisation and regulatory agencies and wine consumers about the benefits of UHPH as an alternative method to obtain products with less preservatives.
8. Generate synergies between different relevant actors in the plant-based beverage sector through a collaborative project where results will be shared, improving the competitiveness of all companies and making the impact of this project sector-wide.
