| 摘要 |
A method and apparatus for producing a liquid from fruit, and especially for producing a palatable water-based liquid, suitable for use as a beverage, which contains flavour elements of the fruit from which it is produced, and a liquid of the type produced by such method and/or apparatus. The method comprises extracting juice from vegetable matter and then extracting liquid from said juice by low temperature evaporation in partial vacuum of a substantial part of the water content of said juice and then condensation of the resultant steam or water vapour, so as to evaporate flavour elements of said vegetable matter and to condense at least some of said flavour elements. The liquid obtained comprises water which has been extracted from said vegetable matter and non-water material which has been extracted from said vegetable matter, the proportion of said non-water material being in the range 0.01 % (w/v) to 2.0 % (w/v), providing a palatable beverage. As an example, the liquid may be extracted from oranges and contain one or more of limonelle, citronellol, citral, L-carvone, D-limonene, and geraniol, nerol and linalool and their aldehydes. The apparatus comprises heating means for heating said vegetable matter; pressure reducing means for reducing the pressure in the vicinity of said vegetable matter to below atmospheric pressure in order to reduce the temperature required to evaporate a vapour from said vegetable matter; and condensing means for condensing said vapour to form said liquid. The apparatus may be a multiple stage multiple effect evaporator.
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