Pall Solution Delivers Consumer-safe, Shelf Stable

Application Bulletin
Cold Brew Coffee
Overview the product be kept unrefrigerated in distribution or
by consumers.4
Cold brew coffee is one of the beverage industry’s
fastest growing consumer trends. In 2017, U.S The Challenge
sales of cold brew coffee jumped to $38.1 million,
a 370 % increase from $8.1 million in sales in With increasing demand, broadening distribution
2015.1 Consumers like the subtler, less acidic and news of recent industry recalls, a cold brew
alternative to traditional hot brewed coffee. producer in the Midwest needed to implement a
new production process. The target was to reduce
Cold brew as its name implies, is produced using contamination risk while maintaining the flavor
cool water resulting in a lower extraction of oils and characteristics without the requirement for
therefore a sweeter taste. At lower temperatures, refrigeration, following FDA guidance for low acid
extraction takes longer, up to 12 to 24 hours, and beverages as mentioned above. Additionally, with
requires more than double the volume of coffee limited space at a facility already producing craft
grinds. However, the cold brew concentrate base beer, the new equipment needed to be flexible,
facilitates blending of on-trend specialty beverages compact and easy to install.
often with higher caffeine levels.
While hot brew coffee has a low-risk for microbial The Solution
contamination given the near boiling temperature To meet requirements for product quality and
and shorter production time, cold brew is more economics, Pall Food & Beverage worked with the
susceptible to bacteria growth including deadly customer to develop an optimal solution. A three
Clostridium botulinum. Botulinum spores, found stage filtration train was implemented including
on most fresh food surfaces, according to the particle removal, clarification and microbial
National Center for Home Food Preservation 2 are stabilization prior to bottling. This combination
normally harmless, growing only in the absence of provided a reproducible and consistent barrier for
air. Sealed and canned cold brew, however, can be contaminant removal at ambient temperature.
host for spore growth which is further amplified by
Particle Removal
the drink’s low acidity.
After brewing and extraction, Pall’s 1 micron
In recent years, regulatory agencies like the Food
polypropylene bag filters were employed as a
and Drug Administration (FDA) are now setting
particle removal step to eliminate remaining coffee
stricter standards for low acid food (with typical pH
grinds (see figure 1). With the broad size and
greater than 4.6 and a water activity greater than
0.853) as a preventative measure. For example, Figure 1: Pall’s Bag Filters
all commercial processors of low-acid and acid-
ified foods located in the United States and all
processors in other countries who export low-acid
canned food or acidified food products into the
United States must register their processing plants
with the FDA.3
Additionally, guidance from the FDA is now
recommending that firms subject to the pathogen
reduction provisions of the juice HACCP regulation
incorporate validated control measures for all
C. botulinum spores into their HACCP plans.
These control should ensure that C. botulinum
growth and toxin production will not occur should
concentration of grinds, the high dirt holding both upstream and downstream support for
capacity of bag filters offered a cost effective the filter media. The media is individually sealed
option to lower the suspended solids and improve and separated in between polypropylene plates
the efficiency of the downstream processing steps. resulting in optimal flow through the available
The filters additionally met the requirement for surface area and a mechanically robust module
simple operation. The bags slide into a stainless (see figures 2-3). Flow is possible in either the
steel filter housing and supporting basket for quick forward or reverse direction. In applications with
and easy installation and are positioned upright particle removal like coffee filtration, backflushing
with solids accumulating inside the filters to during cleaning and rinsing improves regeneration
facilitate disposal. for increased service life. Additionally, with the
separators acting as a cage, the media is not
Clarification exposed which facilitates module handling and
For the second step of the filter train, Pall’s filter change-outs.
SUPRAdisc™ II modules offered a modern The enclosed design of the SUPRAdisc II
approach for clarification and haze removal. Similar technology provides many benefits. For small
to traditional lenticular filters, SUPRAdisc II modules batch and specialty cold brewers, the closed
are constructed from filter sheets with a unique assembly eliminates drip losses resulting in more
matrix of components that provide an excellent recovered product (see figure 4). Also, when the
combination of depth filtration and adsorption. batch is a complete, the customer can use
Contaminants are trapped on the surface and nitrogen gas to push out most of the coffee
within the thickness of the cellulose sheet media, remaining in the system to further increase yield.
while haze forming oils adhere to filter aid
One last benefit to this customer challenged with
impregnated within the sheet. To facilitate
limited floor space was the flexibility to use their
operation and handling, the media is assembled
SUPRAdisc II assembly for beer filtration as well.
into a modular format that fits into an enclosed
With modules available in many different available
housing for sanitary operation.
grades, the housings can be fitted with modules
The unique design of SUPRAdisc II modules suitable for beer. If not exhausted, used modules
differentiates them from classical lenticular can be stored in preservative solution when not
modules. A double separator design provides in use.

Figure 2: Unique Inside Outside Technology

Figure 3: Pall SUPRAdisc II Module Figure Figure 4: Pall SUPRAdisc II Housing

Microbial Stabilization Figure 5: Fluorodyne II Final Membrane Cartridge Filter

As the third and final filtration stage, the customer

installed Pall’s Fluorodyne® II, 0.2 µm sterilizing
grade membrane filter directly upstream of the
filler (see figure 5). These filters are constructed
from two layers of 0.2 µm polyvinilydene fluoride
(PVDF) membrane and designed to fit into sanitary
housings to ensure effective microbial removal and
assembly integrity.
Fluorodyne II filters are validated for sterility via
bacterial challenge tests, demonstrating sterile
effluent when challenged with at least 107 CFU
Brevundimonas diminuta per cm2 of effective
filtration area.5 For a copy of the technical report
from the validation studies, please contact a
Pall representative. Additionally, for validation
of a specific low acid food process like cold
brew coffee for removal of C. botulinum spores,
manufacturers should contact a representative of
the FDA.

The Benefits
By implementing a 3-stage filtration train from particle removal to sterilizing grade membrane
filters, this cold brew coffee producer found an economical and easy-to-use solution to reduce
risk of contamination and recall. The solution enabled production of high quality, shelf stable
product that maintained flavor characteristics with the following benefits:
• Increased flexibility with easy to install process capable for use with both coffee and craft beer
• Reduced risk of contamination with reproducible, consistent removal barrier
• Distribution and storage without the need and added cost for refrigeration
• Compact equipment that fit limited floor space availability
 References
1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/659724/cold-brew-coffee-sales-us/
2.How to keep up with the cold brew trend, https://www.cspdailynews.com/category-news/foodservice/
articles/how-keep-cold-brew-trend
3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/09/22/death-wish-coffee-recalls-its-
nitro-cold-brew-over-risk-of-deadly-botulin-toxin/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.87275dafd45a
4. Guidance for Commercial Processors of Acidified & Low-Acid Canned Foods, FDA, website: https://
www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/AcidifiedLACF/
default.htm
5. CFR Code of Federal Regulations CFR, TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SUBCHAPTER B--FOOD FOR
HUMAN CONSUMPTION, part 114 acidified foods, website: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/
cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=114&showFR=1

About Pall Corporation

Pall Corporation is a global filtration, separation and purification leader providing solutions to meet the
critical fluid management needs of customers across the broad spectrum of life sciences and industry.
We work with our customers to advance health, safety and environmentally responsible technologies.
Pall Food and Beverage provides products and services to ensure product quality and maintain process
reliability in beverage and food production. Our solutions also assist in consumer protection, waste
minimization and reduction of operating costs.

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
+1 866 905 7255 toll free US legislation and/or regional regulatory requirements for water and food contact use.

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 2019, Pall Corporation. Pall, , Fluorodyne, and SUPRAdisc 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.

FBABCOLDCOFFEN February 2019