APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ASEPTICALLY RECONSTITUTING BEVERAGES

摘要

The invention provides a method and apparatus for reconstituting beverag es wherein superheated reconstituting liquid and beverage concentrate are delivered into a mixing chamber having an adjustable volume, The mixing chamber is the volume (42) between two coaxially arranged tapered elements (43, 44) which are disposed one inside of the other. Final beverage product emanates from an aperture (48) in the t ip of the ou- ter tapered element. At least one tapered element can be displaced in the longitudinal direction so that the volume of the mixing chamber decreases and approaches zero as the tapered elements are moved closer together. Thus, when the system is shu t down the volume of the mixing chamber is allowed to approach zero so that very little product is susceptible to degradation in the mixing chamber due to prolonged exposure t o high temperatures during a shutdown. The reduced volume mixing chamber may be flushed with reconstituting liquid. In addition, the temperature of the mixing chamb er can be controlled during a shutdown by adjusting the temperature of water contained within the walls of the tapered elements.