As cannabis and functional beverages move deeper into the health and wellness market, consumer preference for clean-label products is increasingly influencing how beverages are made.

Many shelf-stable beverages rely on preservatives to inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold after packaging. Common ingredients include potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, which are widely used in soft drinks, juices, and other ready-to-drink products. These preservatives are approved by regulators and effective at extending shelf life, but they also add ingredients that some brands prefer to avoid as consumers lean toward shorter, more recognizable ingredient lists.

Consumer demand for clean-label products has grown across the food and beverage industry, with shoppers often associating fewer additives with higher quality and more transparent formulations. While food preservatives are generally recognized as safe when used within regulatory limits, alternative preservation methods that rely on processing rather than additives are gaining interest across functional beverage categories.

Tunnel pasteurization uses a controlled thermal process to achieve microbial stability after packaging by heating, holding, and cooling the sealed beverage to inactivate spoilage microorganisms. This approach provides shelf stability without chemical preservatives and supports clean-label positioning across retail channels.

Tunnel Pasteurization Explained

To better understand the process, we spoke with Kyle Jeppesen of Jenrey, a family-owned manufacturer of tunnel pasteurization equipment designed for craft beverage producers and other small- to mid-sized manufacturers.

Unlike chemical preservatives, tunnel pasteurization achieves shelf stability through a controlled heat process after the beverage has been sealed in its final package. Cans or bottles travel through an enclosed tunnel on a conveyor where recirculated water gradually heats the product to pasteurization temperatures, holds it long enough to eliminate spoilage microorganisms, and then cools it back down to a safe handling temperature.

Because the beverage is pasteurized after filling and sealing, there is virtually no opportunity for contamination during subsequent handling. According to Jeppesen, this makes tunnel pasteurization the industry’s “be-all, end-all” kill step, providing long-term shelf stability while preserving product quality.

Jeppesen contrasted this with flash pasteurization, which heats the beverage before packaging. While widely used in applications such as dairy processing and draft beer production, flash pasteurization requires additional handling after treatment, creating opportunities for contamination. Tunnel pasteurization eliminates that risk by treating the finished, sealed package.

For cannabis beverages, functional drinks, and other products containing fruit, botanicals, or other ingredients that can increase microbial risk, tunnel pasteurization helps ensure stability from production through distribution and retail.

Reduced Energy Costs

While tunnel pasteurization is often associated with large-scale beverage manufacturing, systems have evolved to meet the needs of smaller craft producers. According to Jeppesen, equipment is now available in multiple configurations that allow manufacturers to balance footprint, throughput, and operating costs.

One key differentiator is heat recovery. Regenerative tunnel pasteurizers capture and reuse heat and cooling energy across different process stages, reducing utility consumption by as much as 50% for heating while significantly lowering cooling requirements. Although these systems require a larger footprint and higher upfront investment, they become increasingly efficient during high-volume production, reducing energy and operating costs over time.

For smaller producers, non-regenerative and hybrid systems offer a lower barrier to entry. Designed specifically for canned beverages, these systems require less floor space and carry a lower initial investment. Hybrid systems add partial heat recovery, reducing utility consumption by roughly 40%.

In addition, aluminum cans are better suited to the process compared with glass bottles. Because cans tolerate faster temperature changes, they require fewer heating and cooling stages, resulting in smaller equipment, lower energy consumption, and reduced operating costs.

Protecting the Beverage Before It Is Sealed

While pasteurization protects the beverage from microbial spoilage, oxygen control is another important step in maintaining product integrity and shelf stability.

According to Jeppesen, manufacturers typically inject inert gas immediately before sealing the can to displace oxygen from the headspace, helping prevent oxidation and preserve flavor and aroma while limiting conditions favorable to aerobic microorganisms. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is used in carbonated beverages, including many cannabis-infused sparkling waters and sodas, while still beverages commonly use a small dose of nitrogen.

“The goal is to keep oxygen out,” Jeppesen said. “Either way, there’s an inert gas added before the can is seamed.”

Investing in Clean-Label Production Systems

For beverage brands considering in-house production, tunnel pasteurization, Jeppesen estimates that a craft-scale production line operating at roughly 50 cans per minute—including a filler, depalletizer, tunnel pasteurizer, and case packer—typically requires an investment of around $500,000. Higher-capacity systems reaching 300 cans per minute can range from $1 million to $1.5 million for a complete line.

Many of Jenrey’s customers are established breweries expanding into cannabis beverages, functional drinks, and other non-alcoholic categories. Rather than building entirely new facilities, they are adapting existing infrastructure to diversify production through contract manufacturing or new product lines.

Jeppesen said manufacturers consider footprint, utility use, throughput, and operating costs when selecting equipment.

The Shift Toward Diversified Beverage Production

As beer consumption declines, many breweries are looking to diversify into cannabis beverages, functional drinks, and other non-alcoholic products. Jeppesen said these facilities often already have much of the required production infrastructure in place, making tunnel pasteurization a logical addition as they expand into shelf-stable beverage categories.

While regulatory uncertainty has slowed some investment decisions, he continues to see growing interest from manufacturers preparing for the next phase of beverage production.