| Filling principle | Hot-fill, up to 85 C |
| Capacity | 6,000-36,000 BPH at 0.2-2 L |
| Package | Heat-resistant PET geometry, or glass |
| Line | Hot-fill monobloc with tunnel pasteuriser |
| Products | Juice, tea, nectar, functional drinks |
| Key control | Fill temperature, hold time, cap seal |
Hot filling does two jobs at once: it pasteurises the product on the way to the filler, and the residual heat sanitises the bottle and cap. That is why a hot-fill line can run an acidic juice without a separate bottle steriliser. The price is a heat-resistant bottle and a longer cooling tunnel.
Temperature inconsistencies in hotfill juice lines can affect product quality and shelf stability.
Fill temperature and hold time together set the pasteurisation result. Below the target, shelf life is at risk; above it, the product cooks and the bottle deforms. The number belongs to the product and the bottle, not to the machine, and it should be written into the acceptance protocol with a tolerance.
Common causes of temperature variation include inadequate heating or cooling mechanisms, faulty temperature control systems, or improper insulation of the piping.
| Route | Temperature | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Hot fill | Up to 85 C | Heat-resistant bottle and a cooling tunnel |
| Cold fill with preservative | Ambient | Formulation constraint, not a machine constraint |
| Cold fill with in-line pasteuriser | Product-side only | Separate pasteuriser and a closed filling zone |
| Hot fill in glass | Up to 85 C | Glass mass, slower line, higher transport cost |
The Hotfill Type Filling Machine for Juice is the matching unit when this becomes a line project.
Compare them on the product, not on the machine. Hot fill suits acidic juice and tea in heat-resistant PET. Cold fill needs a preservative system or a separate sanitising step, but it protects heat-sensitive flavours and vitamins and uses a lighter bottle. The decision is a product decision with a packaging cost attached.
Where this becomes a line rather than a single machine, the Juice By Volumetric Filler is the starting point.
Glass brings mass, breakage and a slower line. It also brings a closure decision: crown, lug or screw. A glass hot-fill line usually runs at a lower rate than the same filler on PET, and the difference is handling and inspection, not the valve.
However, issues such as foaming, temperature variation, and bottle cracks can disrupt the production flow and compromise product quality.
The same question is worked through from another angle in How Hotfill Juice Lines Comply with Food Regulations.
Up to 85 C, set per product and per bottle. The exact set point and tolerance belong in the product specification, because acidity, pulp content and bottle wall thickness all move it.
No. Standard PET softens and deforms at fill temperature. The bottle needs a heat-resistant geometry, and the mould and preform are part of the project, not an afterthought.
It replaces the bottle steriliser for acidic products, because the fill temperature and hold time do the microbial work. It does not replace correct product formulation or a validated hold tube.
A controlled ramp rather than a cold plunge, so the bottle does not deform under vacuum. The tunnel zones are set per bottle geometry and validated with a temperature probe in the product.
Country: Turkey
Product: Glass and PET Bottled Juice
Capacity: 20000BPH(330ml) Glass Bottle; 4000BPH(3L) PET Bottle
Solution:Juice Production Line
Country:Kazakhstan
Product: PET Bottled Sparkling Water, Canned Soft Drink, Canned Tea
Capacity: 25000CPH (250ml)
Solution:Three Lines,7000BPH(1.5L), 15000CPH(330ml),15000CPH(450ml)