APPLES 403 



Table >'o. o — Moisture, Drj Matter, Ash, Mtrogeu, Etc., iu Whole Fruits 



r>FERME>TED APPLE JUICE 



An inexpensive method of preserving 

 apple juice so that the product will be 

 free from objectionable sediment and a 

 pronounced "cooked" taste, and can be 

 kept in closed containers without the use 

 of chemical preservatives, has apparently 

 never been devised. Experimental work 

 was undertaken with a view to develop- 

 ing such a method, and it is believed that 

 a satisfactory procedure has been evolved. 

 The main problems were: (1) The clari- 

 fication of the juice: (2) the sterilization 

 of the juice; (3) the carbonation of the 

 juice; and (4) the question as to the best 

 container for the sterilized product. 



The Clarification of the Juice 



Fresh apple juice contains notable 

 quantities of solid matter, which will set- 

 tle out on prolonged standing, forming 

 a bulky deposit. In the case of raw juice 

 this consists of dirt particles, starch 

 grains, fragments ot the cell walls of the 

 apples, and. finally, albuminous matter, 

 yellow-brown in color and very bulky. 

 The albuminous matter composes by far 

 the greater part of the sediment. The 

 character of this sediment when heated to 

 140° to 158° F. (60° to 70° C.) remains 

 about the same, except that the starch 

 grains are no longer apparent, the starch 

 being wholly or partly gelatinized. 



This sediment is very objectionable, 

 since its presence seriously detracts from 

 the appearance of the finished juice after 

 sterilizing by heat. In the finished juice 

 the albuminous matter forms slimy par- 

 ticles, yellow to dark brown in color, 

 which very readily mix with the juice 

 when agitated, and are slow to settle. 

 The product looks as though the most un- 



cleanly methods had been used in its prep- 

 aration, whereas the reverse has been 

 the case. The removal of the materials 

 which form the sediment is, therefore, 

 one of the most important steps in the 

 preparation of a marketable product. 

 The methods at present used for this pur- 

 pose are two: (1) Filtration, and (2) 

 sedimentation of the sterilized juice in 

 large casks. 



Filtration is expensive and slow, and, 

 while a product of great brilliancy is ob- 

 tained, the cost of the plant and the 

 operation of the process will undoubtedly 

 prevent its extended use. Paper pulp 

 is ordinarily employed for the filter ma- 

 terial, and the albuminous matter in the 

 juice quickly forms a dense layer over 

 the surface. The ensuing filtration is 

 very slow, and a large filtering surface 

 is required for practical use. 



Sedimentation by gravity of juice heat- 

 ed to 140° to 158° (60° to 70° C), and 

 then allowed to cool in closed casks, is 

 very slow. Unhealed juice can not, of 

 course, be used, owing to the fact that 

 fermentation soon sets in. A period of 

 five to seven days is required to produce 

 a juice relatively free from sediment. At 

 this time as much as possible of the super- 

 natant juice is withdrawn from the sedi- 

 ment. The objections to this method lie in 

 (1) the difficulty of keeping the juice ster- 

 ile during the sedimentation period; (2) 

 the large amount of cooperage required 

 for any considerable output of juice, 

 and (3) the fact that, owing to the bulk 

 of the sediment, considerable quantities 

 of juice can not be drawn off. The juice 

 left with the sediment is then only suit- 

 able for vinegar stock. In addition only 



