Akij Food brings in German technology to produce juice

A growing demand for natural products has become a key driver behind the rise of high-tech systems in juice producing and packaging in Bangladesh.
Akij Food and Beverage Ltd, a concern of Akij Group, is using an aseptic juice packaging and filling system to meet this growing demand for preservative- and germ-free juice.
The company is the first in Bangladesh and the second in Asia to bring this technology from Germany, said Punya Bardhan Barua, executive director of Akij Food and Beverage.
In aseptic processing, a germ-free product is packaged in sterile containers in a way that maintains high quality.
“When we produce something, air gets into it. And air contains various microorganisms.” This makes the product risky for consumption, he added.
“We are producing the Frutika brand mango juice using the aseptic technology and its quality does not deteriorate due to the germ-free process,” he said.
It is produced through a vacuum filling system in which the entry of even less than one percent air will stop the entire production process and all the juice bottles in the production line will be drained out, said Abdul Maleque Khan, manager of the juice and mango project of Akij Food and Beverage.
“Frutika juice does not contain any preservative and artificial colour, which helps maintain the pure fruit taste in the juice," he claimed.
Ahammad Ali Hasan, the company's brand manager, said the juice industry is grabbing a significant portion of the market for carbonated drinks by producing a raft of products that are mild and digestible.
“Our factory is open to all and we want to show our consumers how we ensure the best quality.”
The company also gives high priority to how it collects mango and pulp. Pulping is done at the Chapainawabganj factory where mangoes are collected from the best mango gardens of the Rajshahi region, Hasan said.
“We wash the bottles separately to eliminate germs.”

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