Taste is not to be disputed, so the saying goes. Some like their steak well done, others like it rare, and some don’t eat meat at all. Is taste merely a matter of personal preference? No, it’s also cultural. This became clear to Lassonde during the years when the Company operated plants in China and Tunisia. The Chinese like their juice very sweet, while Tunisians like it opaque and thick, with the consistency of a milkshake. For their part, North Americans prefer quite the opposite: clear juice that’s not too sweet. And that’s especially true when it comes to apple juice.

In the late 1970s, Lassonde’s Research and Development team launched a pilot project to create a prototype for continuous clarification of apple juice. The results were conclusive. The finished product was very clear, free of the particles that render it opaque and affect preservation, and the need for filtration agents was reduced by 75 per cent. The process also resulted in 50 per cent less loss of juice. In addition, there was a nearly 100 per cent reduction in the wastewater pollution load stemming from the dry filtration of particles. Above all, this revolutionary process took at most 45 minutes instead of the usual six hours!

The Clarifruit process was patented, giving Lassonde unique expertise in the production of apple juice. It was sold by turns to producers in other parts of the world where apples are abundant, such as British Columbia, France and Tunisia.

Next column: The pleasure of lingering at the table…