Application Bulletin

Simple, Safe, Single-pass Filtration for the Flavor

Industry with Pall ‘SUPRA’ Technology
Overview the resulting compounds may be impacted by any
A wide array of flavors and flavor blends are used of the four compounds listed below:
in food and beverage production. These consist 1. Suspended particulates
of thousands of different flavor-contributing natural 2. Colloidal haze
and synthetic compounds, including essential 3. Microorganisms
oils, aroma chemicals, flavor extracts, distillates, 4. Varying amounts of impurities
oleoresins, reaction flavors, and others. These are
sensitive and highly fragile chemical compounds Suspended Particulates
which must be protected from oxidation and other Coarse to fine particulates originate primarily from
damaging effects of processing. the
Must following five items listed below:

Flavors also include additives such as flavor 1. Plant raw materials andCooling
flavor additives
enhancers, sweeteners, spices, fruit preparations, 2. Processing aids such as filter aids
preservatives, binders and solvents to achieve the 3. Activated carbon or ion exchange resins
desirable properties and flavor profiles for end-use. 4. Particles formed due to processing techniques
Figure 1 illustrates a simple concept of flavor blend(Enzymes) such as chill precipitation
production. 5. Impurities from processing equipment
The nature of the flavoring compounds depends on
Colloidal Haze
their source and how they are produced. Whether
extracted by multiple methods from natural Colloidal haze is caused by the presence of waxes,
materials, or created through chemical reactions, oil/water traces, lipids, polysaccharides, and fatty
Clarifying filtration

Solvent Building block Building block Building block Flavor Preservative Sweetener
(Propylene glycol) (Aroma chemical) (Citrus flavor compound (Essential oil) enhancer (Sucralose)
or pre-blend)

F I L T R A T I O N

Flavor Blend (Mixture)

Dry Flavor

Filtration Various Encapsulation

Technologies Liquid Flavor
Fining

Figure 1: Conceptual diagram of flavor blend production. A flavor blend can consist of over 100 chemical compounds, including flavor
building blocks which contribute flavor and flavor additives. The flavor blend and/or the individual components may require filtration.
acid esters. The solubilities of which, are impacted process was time-consuming, labor-intensive and
by the types of carrier solvents used and by the costly. Due to the high degree of manual handling
processing temperature. Colloids can be involved, personnel exposure to filter aids and
challenging to remove. solvents was problematic.

Microorganisms The hold-up volume of the sparkler filters resulted

in high product losses, especially on small
As a result of dealing with natural raw materials, batches, making small-batch filtration economically
the flavor compounds might be contaminated with unsustainable. Remaining unfiltered product was
microorganisms (e.g. yeast, molds and bacteria, processed through cone filters, which utilized
including thermoacidophilic bacteria (TAB) spores). paper as the filtering medium, a rudimentary
These contaminants, if not eliminated, give rise solution for achieving visual clarity. The cone
to final product turbidity of both particulate and filtration step also exposed the product to the
colloidal origin, separation of oil and water phases, environment and personnel, causing unnecessary
precipitation after packaging and microbiological oxidation and potential safety issues due to the
instability. presence of solvents in some of the fluids.
By implementing a new filtration solution, the
How to Address Removal of These
manufacturer wanted to reduce the batch rework
Compounds?
needed to satisfy quality requirements and reduce
Clarifying and polishing filtration is key to achieving the process downtime, labor and cost associated
the desired visual clarity and microbiological quality with the frequent need to disassemble and
of flavor ingredients, flavor additives and final flavor clean the existing filters; all while maintaining or
blends. The most sustainable filtration solutions in improving filtrate quality.
flavor manufacturing are ones which:
The Solution
• Respect the flexibility required to process very
diverse products in small to large batch sizes Pall ‘SUPRA’ filtration technologies were selected
as efficient and innovative solutions to address the
• Satisfy the production goals of minimum product
diverse requirements of the many flavor products
losses, process safety, efficiency, cost-effective-
at this facility. Pall’s SUPRApak™ products
ness and minimum downtime
(Figure 2) were the primary choice for most of the
The Challenge applications, overcoming all the disadvantages of
the conventional sparkler filtration method. In a
A manufacturer of natural flavors was using few cases, filter aids were still required due to the
sparkler filtration and some paper filtration to nature of the impurities in the flavors. However, in
process upwards of 25 different proprietary flavor these specific cases, the filter aids were used in
blends from purchased ingredients and flavor combination with Pall’s SUPRAdisc™ I lenticular
washes from citrus oils. To clarify the flavors, three modules (Figure 3) that have increased space in
sparkler filters on mobile carts were in use, using a between cells to enable cake formation.
combination of filter sheets and different filter aids,
including diatomaceous earth and magnesium
carbonate (MgCO3). Filtration was slow and quality
was inconsistent. Many batches often needed
to be processed in multiple passes through the
sparkler filters.
Batch sizes ranged from 100 to 30,000 liters (26
to 8000 US gallons), all processed through the
same equipment. Product change-overs meant
the sparkler filters had to be disassembled,
cleaned and reassembled each time, otherwise the
result would be flavor carryover among different
products. Smaller batches meant that the sparkler
filters were torn down and cleaned more frequently.
Premature plugging of the filters also necessitated
filter change-out.
In more extensive batch process runs, lasting
several hours, the filters were cleaned at minimum
every 3-4 hours due to rigorous corporate
Figure 2: Each SUPRApak module is a dense package of filter
sanitization requirements. Filter disassembly, sheet material, providing exceptional throughput and excellent
cleaning and reassembly took ½ -1 hour. This filtrate quality.
SUPRAdisc I module with
cell space for cake filtration

Figure 3: SUPRAdisc I lenticular modules are uniquely designed for cake filtration with filter aids.

The most obvious and immediate improvement Traditional filtration products such as paper, bag,
that the customer witnessed was the ability to and depth filter cartridges primarily achieve surface
achieve extremely quick, one step, single-pass filtration and some depth filtration depending
filtration for the majority of the products, replacing on filter media thickness. However, adsorptive
the sparkler filters and eliminating the need for filtration, is vital for removing colloids, and is only
most filter aids. Results such as these changed the possible within a filter sheet matrix. Classic filter
standard: sheet media consists of a mixture of cellulose
• QA and customer approval of filtrate quality fibers, diatomaceous earth, perlites and resin
increased by 30%. binders, which enables efficient adsorption of
contaminants.
• Process time reduced by 87% on average.
SUPRApak filters are filter sheets configured in a
• Productivity increased by 700%. unique high-area pack design, which offers the
benefits of sheet filtration without the disadvan-
SUPRApak Optimizes the Benefits of
tages of classical flat sheet filtration. Due to the
Sheet Filtration unique flow path of the filtered fluids through the
Filter sheets are uniquely suited to removing not SUPRApak filter pack, called ‘edge flow’1, there
only particles but also the colloidal hazes present is greater contact time of the fluids with the filter
in flavor ingredients and blends. They are also media, resulting in excellent adsorption effects.
capable of achieving sound microbial bioburden The result of this flow configuration is not only
reduction, although critical microbial removal is exceptional filtrate quality but much higher flow
only satisfied by final membrane filters. capacity and throughput than alternatives,
including flat sheets and lenticular modules.
High Adsorptive Effects
SUPRApak modules are available in 12 different
Three filtration mechanisms occur in filter sheets: grades, providing coarse to very tight filtration.
surface, depth and adsorptive filtration (Figure 4). SUPRApak SW7700 grade was selected to

Surface Filtration Depth Filtration Adsorption

Figure 4: The combined mechanisms of surface, depth and adsorptive filtration achieved by filter sheets successfully removes particles
and colloids. SUPRApak technology capitalizes on these benefits but avoids the disadvantages of classical sheet filtration.
replace paper filtration, and SUPRApak SW5500
grade to replace sparkler filters utilizing flat
filter sheets with diatomaceous earth dosing.
In most cases, filter aids were eliminated, a key
sustainability improvement. The elimination of
filter aids means less personnel exposure, less
downtime for cleaning, less waste, and less need
for downstream polishing filtration.

Flexible, Modular and Simple Installations

SUPRApak modules and installations are available
in different diameters and stack heights. This
flexibility and modularity of design is ideally suited
to handle a wide range of batch sizes, by matching
batch sizes to module sizes and limiting waste of
unused filter capacity. Figure 5 illustrates module
choices, and Figure 6 shows the modular concept.

Figure 5: SUPRApak modules are available in three sizes of varying diameters

allowing flexibility in batch processing: SUPRApak S (183 mm/7.2 in);
SUPRApak M (285 mm/11.2 in); and SUPRApak L (415 mm /16.3 in)

Figure 7: Self-contained ‘SUPRA’ rigs simplify

installment and assist ease of use.

Figure 6: Modularity of housing design allows flexibility in production.The

housings feature split dome design, which enables the use of the same
housing for different module stack heights.

The unit is simple to assemble and disassemble. Safe, Closed System Enabling High Product
The entire process takes about 3 minutes. Figure Yield
7 highlights a self-contained mobile SUPRApak The SUPRApak system is a fully enclosed
rig complete with feed pump, controls, piping installation (Figure 8), with low product hold-up
and basic monitoring devices (pressure gauges, volume. At the end of filtration, the housing can
flowmeter) to simplify filtration set-up at the be pressurized with gas to empty the content and
positions where they are needed. therefore limit product losses. This is an important
feature, especially for high-value flavors.
Products may be sensitive to oxidation, corrosive
for the skin (e.g., some citrus oils), and many are
solubilized in flammable solvents; therefore vapor
release to the environment must be prevented.
The enclosed housings enable product, personnel
and environmental protection. For solvent-based
fluids, housings are available in an explosion-proof
version.

Other ‘SUPRA’ Uses in Flavor Applications

To separate traces of water from essential oils,
typically originating from the raw plant materials
or the extraction process (e.g., steam distillation),
SUPRApak PZ modules, consisting of 100%
cellulose media are used. The cellulose fibers
absorb the water while the oil passes through.
Separating waxes from citrus oils is another
application that can be served by a SUPRApak
solution, depending on the amount of waxes
present2.
To separate traces of citrus oils from citrus flavor
washes, Pall offers a lenticular solution with
SUPRAdisc I that is uniquely designed for precoat
and cake filtration with filter aids (Figure 3).

Figure 8: Cutaway view of SUPRApak housing and modules

shows enclosed design.

The Benefits
The flavor manufacturer highlighted in this article realized game-changing improvements to their
filtration process, which translated to substantial cost savings of over $1 million in three months at one
manufacturing site. In all respects, SUPRApak technology presented a superior alternative to sparkler
filters.
The manufacturer gained the following benefits:
• E
xcellent filtrate quality, meeting quality requirements with single-pass filtration. QA and customer
approval of filtrate quality increased by 30%
• Reduced process time, by 87% on average, resulting in a 700% productivity increase
• R
educed labor and process downtime, due to low frequency and ease of SUPRApak module
change-out and cleaning
• F
lexibility to handle diverse, proprietary product types and a range of batch sizes, due to a variety of
SUPRApak filtration grades and types, module sizes, and modularity of SUPRApak equipment design
• High product yield, due to the ability to empty SUPRApak housings by inert gas pressurization
• Improved product, personnel and/or environmental protection due to enclosed system
• S
ustainability improvement, reduced waste and less personnel exposure to filter aids, due to almost
complete elimination of their use
Pall SUPRA Technologies Satisfy
These Targets in the Flavor Industry
3 Exceptional product quality
3 Single-pass filtration
3 Increased process efficiency
3 High product yield
3 Reduced process downtime
3 Improved sustainability
3 Flexible, modular installation
3 Simple operation
3 Enclosed system for process safety
3 Cost-effective solution

References
1
lease request Pall brochure FBSUPRAPAKEN, “SUPRApak Depth Filter Modules – Depth Filtration
P
Goes Edge Flow”
2
lease request Pall Application Bulletin FBABSUPRAFLVREN, “Increase Filtration Capacity and
P
Reduce Process Time in Citrus Oil De-waxing Applications”

About Pall Corporation

Pall Corporation works to protect what matters everyday by providing filtration, separation, and
purification solutions to businesses across the globe. Pall serves the food and beverage industries
with advanced membrane filtration technology and systems, enabling companies to produce
shelf-stable, consumer-safe products at the lowest operating cost.
There are only a few companies in the world that can effectively do what we do, and none of them
match our combination of product breadth and performance across traditional filters and system
solutions with our depth of application knowledge.
To learn more about Pall Food & Beverage visit www.pall.com/foodandbev.

Pall Food and Beverage Visit us on the Web at www.pall.com/foodandbev

Pall Corporation has offices and plants throughout the world. For Pall representatives
25 Harbor Park Drive in your area, please go to www.pall.com/contact
Port Washington NY 11050
+1 516 484 3600 telephone Please contact Pall Corporation to verify that the product conforms to your national
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Because of technological developments related to the products, systems, and/or

[email protected] services described herein, the data and procedures are subject to change without
notice. Please consult your Pall representative or visit www.pall.com to verify that
this information remains valid.
© Copyright 2020, Pall Corporation. Pall, , SUPRAdisc, and SUPRApak are trademarks of
Pall Corporation. ® Indicates a trademark registered in the USA. Filtration. Separation. Solution.SM
and BETTER LIVES. BETTER PLANET are service marks of Pall Corporation.

FBABFLAVORSEN September 2020