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 organic acid;
• and
• b) removing at least some anions of the at least one organic acid from the starting liquid, wherein said anions are removed 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;
• 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, thereby obtaining a partly AX-REED treated liquid;
• and
• c) removing at some cations from the starting liquid or from partly AX-REED treated liquid, thereby obtaining a REED liquid, wherein said cations are removed through an 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 chamber 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 second 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;
• wherein steps d) and e) are performed simultaneously,
• wherein step d) is performed within the AX-REED equipment,
• wherein the AX-REED membrane stack and the CX-REED membrane stack are connected to a tank, and the AX-REED receives starting liquid from the tank and said starting liquid is returned to the tank after being treated in the AX-REED stack, and the CX-REED membrane stack receives starting liquid or partly AX-REED treated liquid from the tank and said liquid is returned to the tank after being treated in the CX-REED stack,
• 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.