Because carrots and carrot juice are very perishable, processing has to meet particularly stringent demands. Conventional pressing techniques are not always capable of meeting the requirements of modern quality-oriented processes, i.e. the need to convert the raw product into semi-finished products or finished product in a short time whilst maintaining maximum product quality and with minimum use of process and cleaning waters. Decanters on the other hand have demonstrated that they are very efficient for making carrot juice.

Whereas conventional pressing technology requires a somewhat coarse degree of crushing in order to permit phase separation through the drainage channels in the pomace cake, the decanter is able to process extremely fine particles. This means that a decanter achieves a much more intensive extraction of valuable contents, such as beta-carotene. The carotenoids of the carrot are to be found in chromoplasts. Depending on the ripeness of the carrot, the carotenoids (surrounded by membranes) are present in the form of crystalline structures.

Because of the more intensive extraction of carotenoids, decanter juices feature a much stronger colour pigmentation than comparable press juices. The pomace itself is less intense in terms of colour pigmentation.

Carrot juices are characterised by a high level of total carotene content. Depending on the particular type, the concentration ranges between 3 and 16 mg carotene per 100 g fresh weight. Beta-carotene represents most of these overall carotenoids (namely between 60 and 90% of the total carotene). Beta-carotene is nutritionally significant in the form of provitamin A and natural antioxidant, which interrupts the radical chain mechanism and thus prevents the formation of new free “radicals”.

A further technical advantage of using a decanter is that the quantity of purée in the juice can be adjusted directly. Commercial juices are sold with a purée content of between 2 and 15% (by volume). If conventional pressing technology is used, vegetable purée must be produced in a separate process, subjected to enzyme treatment and then added to the low-trub juice.