SurePure Provides Solution to Contain Alicyclobacillus Found in Fruit Juices and Fruit Concentrates

NEW YORK, June 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SurePure, Inc. (OTCBB: SURP), a global leader in liquid photopurification, today announced that its patented Turbulator technology has been demonstrated to be effective in containing alicyclobacillus in fruit juice and fruit concentrates. The alicyclobacillus bacteria is a genus of Gram positive, rod-shaped and sporeforming bacteria found to grow in acidic conditions with the spores able to survive typical pasteurization procedures. 

Typical attempts to contain alicyclobacillus include expensive filtration of the juices and good manufacturing practices to contain the incidence of spoilage caused by these bacteria.  Recent academic studies by inter alia Witthuhn, Groenewald, and others have shown that juices can be treated using the SurePure technology, which uses ultraviolet (UV-C) light with a wavelength of 254 nm and has a germicidal effect against micro-organisms. 

Specifically, the SurePure treatment method was shown to reliably achieve in excess of a 5 log10 reduction (99.99%) per 0.5 kJ L-1 of UV-C dosage in juice, water and concentrates inoculated with A. acidoterrestris. 

These bacteria can be a serious commercial problem because some of its strains are capable of producing a distinctive and powerful chemical taint in fruit-based drinks that are difficult to control once present in the processing environment. As they produce no gas the contamination is difficult to detect but financially damaging, resulting in consumer complaints and product withdrawals. In 1984, large-scale spoilage of ambient-stable aseptically packed apple juice brick-type packs by heat resistant bacteria was reported in Germany. This was the first recorded incident of spoilage by bacteria now known as Alicyclobacillus. Since then, similar spoilage has been widely reported all over the world. 

Says Steve Miller, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SurePure, "Our SurePure technology serves as a viable alternative to ineffective thermal treatments of fruit juices and fruit concentrates for the inactivation of Alicyclobacillus spores or in the treatment of contaminated processing wash water. The thrust of SurePure's marketing program is to promote greater acknowledgment of this fact and to generate adoption of SurePure's technology by some of the world's foremost juice producers." 

About SurePure

SurePure is a global leader in liquid photopurification, the green alternative to pasteurization and chemicals. Using its patented 'Turbulator' technology, SurePure systems use UV-C light to purify microbiologically sensitive liquids such as wine, fruit juice and milk. Although designed to deliver food-grade solutions, it can also be harnessed to improve processing liquids such as water, brines and sugar syrup solutions, even animal blood plasma. SurePure's technology offers greater microbiological efficacy than conventional UV systems and is effective for both clear and turbid liquids, a world first. SurePure offers a greener alternative to comparable heat or chemical-based processes and significant process and energy savings. It also provides opportunities for the development of innovative and differentiated products with desired consumer benefits, guaranteed food safety and sound commercial benefits. Go to www.surepureinc.com  for more information.

SOURCE SurePure, Inc.