Deaeration is the removal of dissolved oxygen from juice or puree before pasteurisation and filling, carried out under vacuum or by inert-gas sparging, to limit oxidation, colour degradation and vitamin loss during storage.
In trade practice
Processors pass juice through a vacuum deaerator immediately before the pasteuriser, reducing dissolved oxygen to low levels before heat treatment begins. This step is particularly important for vitamin C retention in sensitive juices such as strawberry or blackcurrant. Buyers assessing shelf-life claims should ask suppliers whether deaeration is part of the production line, as its absence can shorten product stability. Residual oxygen levels are monitored inline and recorded as part of the production batch record.
In a specification
Where deaeration is contractually required, the specification may state a maximum residual dissolved oxygen level at the point of filling, linked to the agreed shelf-life claim.