Method for producing beverages by acid removal

A method of preparing a beverage, wherein the method comprises

• a) providing a starting liquid comprising at least one micro-nutrient and at least one sugar;
• c) incubating said liquid with
• i) an enzyme or a mixture of enzymes capable of catalyzing conversion of glucose to form an organic acid, wherein the enzyme or the mixture of enzymes comprises a glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4) and/or
• ii) one or more glucose fermenting microorganisms capable of fermenting glucose to an organic acid
• thereby forming organic acid in the starting liquid;
• d) removing at least 30% of the anions generated in step c) from said liquid through an Anion Exchange Reverse Electro-Enhanced Dialysis (AX-REED) membrane stack, said membrane stack comprising
• i) at least one cell consisting of:
• a. two anion exchange membranes defining a chamber for the starting liquid;
• and
• b. two further chambers for a dialysis liquid, wherein said two further chambers are positioned adjacent to the chamber for the starting liquid on opposing sides and wherein said two further chambers may be connected to each other
• ii) a set of end membranes,
• iii) means for applying an electric field over the membrane stack by means of at least two electrodes, and
• iv) means for reversing the direction of the electric field within said membrane stack;
• and wherein the removal comprises:
• I. inserting the starting liquid into the chamber for the starting liquid;
• and
• II. inserting a dialysis liquid in the two further chambers for the dialysis liquid;
• and
• III. applying an electric field over the membrane stack;
• IV. incubating said starting liquid in said chamber, whereby the direction of electric field is reversed at intervals;
• and
• e) removing at least some cations from the starting liquid or from partly AX-REED treated liquid, thereby obtaining a REED liquid,
• wherein the cations are removed through a Cation Exchange Reverse Electro-Enhanced Dialysis (CX-REED) membrane stack, said membrane stack comprising:
• i) at least one cell consisting of:
• a. two cation exchange membranes defining a chamber for the starting liquid or the partly AX-REED treated liquid;
• and
• b. two further chambers for a second dialysis liquid, wherein said two further chambers are positioned adjacent to the chamber for the starting liquid or the partly AX-REED treated liquid on opposing sides and wherein said two further chambers may be connected to each other,
• ii) a set of end membranes,
• iii) means for applying an electric field over the membrane stack by means of at least two electrodes, and
• iv) means for reversing the direction of the electric field within said membrane stack;
• and wherein the cation removal comprises
• I. inserting the starting liquid or the partly AX-REED treated liquid into the chamber for the starting liquid or the partly AX-REED treated liquid;
• II. inserting a second dialysis liquid in the two further chambers for the dialysis liquid;
• III. applying an electric field over the membrane stack;
• and
• IV. incubating said starting liquid or said partly AX-REED treated liquid in said chamber, whereby the direction of electric field is reversed at intervals;
• and
• wherein steps d) and e) are performed simultaneously,
• wherein step d) is performed within the AX-REED equipment,
• wherein the AX-REED membrane stack is connected to the CX-REED membrane stack in parallel,
• wherein at least 65% of the at least one micro-nutrient is retained in the REED liquid, and
• wherein the REED liquid is the beverage or may be further processed to obtain the beverage.

A method of preparing a beverage with a reduced sugar content, wherein the method comprises

• a) providing a starting liquid comprising at least one naturally present micro-nutrient and at least one naturally present sugar, wherein the starting liquid is an extract, concentrate or juice of a plant or part of a plant, and wherein said starting liquid comprises no added sugar;
• b) if said naturally present sugar is not glucose, converting at least some of said sugar to glucose;
• c) incubating said starting liquid with
• (i) an enzyme or a mixture of enzymes capable of catalyzing conversion of glucose to form an organic acid, wherein the enzyme or the mixture of enzymes comprises a glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4) and/or
• (ii) one or more glucose fermenting microorganisms capable of fermenting glucose to an organic acid,
• wherein the level of glucose is reduced by at least 30%, thereby forming organic acid in the starting liquid;
• and
• d) removing at least 30% of anions generated in step c) from said liquid through an Anion Exchange Reverse Electro-Enhanced Dialysis (AX-REED) membrane stack while retaining at least 65% of said at least one micro-nutrient in said liquid, thereby obtaining an AX-REED liquid, said membrane stack comprising:
• i) at least one cell consisting of:
• a. two anion exchange membranes defining a chamber for the starting liquid;
• and
• b. two further chambers for a dialysis liquid, wherein said two further chambers are positioned adjacent to the chamber for the starting liquid on opposing sides and wherein said two further chambers may be connected to each other,
• ii) a set of end membranes,
• iii) means for applying an electric field over the membrane stack by means of at least two electrodes, and
• iv) means for reversing the direction of the electric field within said membrane stack,
• and wherein the removal comprises:
• I. inserting the starting liquid into the chamber for the starting liquid;
• II. inserting a dialysis liquid in the two further chambers for the dialysis liquid;
• III. applying an electric field over the membrane stack;
• and
• IV. incubating said starting liquid in said chamber, whereby the direction of electric field is reversed at intervals,
• wherein steps c) and d) are performed simultaneously, wherein step d) is performed within the AX-REED equipment, and
• wherein said AX-REED liquid is the beverage or may be further processed to obtain the beverage.