Optimal juicing with GEA vaculiq 100 for higher yields and optimal quality

With the new, advanced vaculiq 100 vacuum spiral filter skid, GEA is setting high standards in industrial juicing for small to medium-sized beverage and food producers.

The patented entry-level system with a flow rate of up to 1,000 liters per hour is available as a mobile and compact skid offering users a high degree of operational flexibility. The new GEA vaculiq provides numerous advantages with regards to its drive unit, grinding technology, ease of cleaning and control system, all of which enable increased yields of up to 80% with exceptional product quality. The vaculiq process also proved advantageous for processes other than juicing different types of fruits and vegetables. A range of field tests illustrate the future potential of vaculiq both for the targeted extraction of secondary plant metabolites and in the area of protein recovery for the production of meat substitutes.

“In redesigning the original system, we focused on multiple levels and were able to raise its yield considerably,” explains Rüdiger Flocke, Application Sales Manager of the GEA Separation & Flow Technologies Division. For this purpose, the system was enhanced by the addition of the high-performance GEA multiCrush milling system, which efficiently crushes the raw product and feeds the mash to the extraction unit in the shortest possible time.

The components and energy-efficient motors in the multiCrush are mounted on sliding rails, enabling them to be separated in a matter of seconds. “This makes the cleaning process much easier and faster. It takes around 30 minutes to remove mash residues from the entire system and clean it with water, which means the system can be redeployed very quickly,” explains Rüdiger Flocke.

The mash is conveyed by a progressive cavity pump from the mill to the vacuum cylinder, where it is juiced under vacuum in a perforated sieve tube. A powerful peristaltic pump, designed to generate the vacuum quickly and efficiently, is used to provide vacuum as the driving force of juice extraction.

Finally, a rotating spiral in the perforated sieve transports the solids to the discharge opening. “When designing the system, we placed a great deal of emphasis on performance to ensure the highest product quality. For example, the spiral drives and frequency-driven motors in the mill enable optimum juicing. What’s more, installing the frequency inverters for all motors in a single centralized and splash-proof control cabinet ensures the necessary level of process and occupational safety,” says Rüdiger Flocke.

Premium quality – gentle extraction
Above all, the new GEA vaculiq system produces compelling results with regard to the consistently high quality of the end product. “The juice is very similar to the raw product, both in terms of color and aroma,” explains Rüdiger Flocke. This is achieved by using nitrogen in the mill area to prevent the entry of oxygen and the associated oxidation. “In addition, the raw product is processed very quickly. It takes less than one minute to crush and transfer the mash to the vacuum spiral filter, which ensures that the enzymes contained in the fruit do not have time to adversely affect the juice.

Scientific research from the German Institute of Food Technology also shows that much higher quantities of vitamins and phenols are transferred from the fruit to the juice compared with other juicing technologies such as presses,” explains Rüdiger Flocke. In this way, both the primary and the valuable secondary plant substances can be gently extracted and preserved in the juice.

“We see potential for using GEA vaculiq in the new food sector as well, as the system shows promising results in the targeted recovery of proteins from plants. In initial trials conducted at our test center using soybeans and peas, we observed a significant concentration,” explains Rüdiger Flocke giving an outlook on future fields of applications.

Higher yields even with challenging starting products
A notable advantage of GEA vaculiq is its higher yield compared to presses with comparable flow rates. It offers high yields of up to 80 percent and can be used for nearly all fruit and vegetable varieties with minimal modifications. “The vacuum spiral filter even makes it possible to process tender storage apples without the use of enzymes – also with impressively high yields,” explains Rüdiger Flocke. “Vaculiq also shows its advantages in successfully juicing ripe pears, where the mash tends to take on a very pasty consistency, making it difficult to impossible for other systems to process. Here, a yield improvement of 10% or more is attainable.”

The GEA vaculiq 100 system is equipped with the intuitive GEA IO controls, making the system easier to operate overall. GEA IO also enables operators to program and control individual recipes, which significantly accelerates the entire production process. GEA offers a training video for operating the new system as well as various video materials facilitating digital and contact-free support. The system can also be commissioned remotely via GEA Remote Service. These possibilities reduce the workload for operators, giving them greater flexibility in terms of time and location.

Within a “Try & Buy Initiative” the skid can be leased and tested for a few months and purchased later on at the customer’s discretion. Fees incurred during the trial period are credited against the purchase price. This allows customers to test the new system thoroughly with a limited financial commitment upfront.

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