Final answer:
The statement is true; distillation during rum production removes flavor components without adding new ones, as the process concentrates alcohol and separates impurities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that distillation may remove flavor components but cannot add them is true. During the distillation process of rum production, the purpose is to separate alcohol from the fermented wash based on the differing boiling points of the components within the wash. While distillation is effective at concentrating the alcohol, it does not introduce new flavors to the rum; rather, it can remove or reduce flavors that were present in the wash by separating out impurities and non-volatile components.
Because flavors in the fermented wash come from the raw materials and the fermentation process itself, the distillation mainly focuses on purification and concentration. Down stream processing (DSP) is a separate stage in fermentation technology where the products are recovered and separated through methods such as sedimentation, filtration, and centrifugation. This is essential for ensuring that the final product meets the desired quality and standards.