Freudenberg Helps the Growing Beverage Industry Keep its Flavor

“Flavors are almost never the same and the taste of a particular beverage is the identity for a company,” said Patrick Scheib, Freudenberg’s Director of Sales, Process Industry, in North America. “Our goal is to protect this brand value by providing extremely durable seals that have been meticulously tested for ingredient compatibility and flavor transfer, that can withstand aggressive cleaning solutions and cycles and that perform successfully in any beverage manufacturing environment.”

Freudenberg offers a trio of globally-certified sealing materials – including its 70FKM727 low-temperature Fluorocarbon (FKM) material, its Fluoroprene® XP family of highly fluorinated premium materials and its 70 EPDM 291 material – that boast unique characteristics like improved temperature flexibility over conventional FKM materials, resistance to low- and high-ratio syrups, an ability to bond to metal or plastic and very good stability in acids, bases, polar solvents and Clean In Place / Sterilization In Place (CIP/SIP) media.

Highest hygienic requirements from the beginning to the end

“Industrial drink processors and producers go to great lengths to ensure the purity of their beverages, whether they are fruit juices, varieties of mineral water, milk, beer or wine,” Scheib said. “Extremely stringent hygienic requirements apply to filling systems and all their components, all the way from tube lines and connectors to seals to make sure that no dirt penetrates the filling operation and no fluids leak from the system.“

Moreover, the challenge doesn’t end in the production plant. At the point of sale, dispenser lines face similar issues. With many bars offering rotating taps with different offerings each season, or even each week, the materials used in the dispense system need to be tough to prevent flavor transfer from one beverage to the next. The materials also need to stand up to a myriad of ingredients, including fruit solids, and a wide range of temperatures without affecting performance or altering the taste of the drink.

“To protect against flavor transfer, it is important to understand a variety of complex factors, including the material science of different elastomer types, the selection and development of the rubber compound, and the various test methods used to measure fluid and temperature compatibility with this compound,” said David Clark, Central Laboratory Operations Manager, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies. “When you account for these criteria in your testing, you develop a robust material that will perform well in whatever you decide to expose it to.”

Freudenberg’s extensive laboratory testing, which includes Compressive-Stress-Relaxation (CSR), flavor transfer/retention, state of cure, and analytical testing, set the company apart from competitors and help guarantee that its seals and components achieve their intended function the first time and every time, Clark added.