Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Packaged or wrapped product – Having consumer oriented diverse utility
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-07
2003-12-30
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Packaged or wrapped product
Having consumer oriented diverse utility
C426S131000, C426S569000, C426S580000, C426S590000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06669973
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a beverage assembly comprising a container containing a ready-to-drink, long-life beverage that is under pressure.
BACKGROUND ART
GB patent 2 299 978 relates to a ready-to-drink beverage that is under pressure and packaged in a container. The beverage is milk-based and contains nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide. There are, however, drawbacks associated with this packaging system. At the time of use, i.e., at the moment the consumer opens the container, the amount of foam obtained is minimal. The beverage is only pasteurized and thus must be kept in a refrigeration unit when it is placed on sale. Also no head space has been provided to prevent the foam that forms when the container is opened from overflowing from the container. Thus, the beverage is designed to only be drunk cold.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,996,823 and 5,009,901 relates to a wrapping for a beverage and a process for wrapping a beverage in which the beverage is packaged in two separate chambers. The main chamber contains the beverage and the secondary chamber, which is smaller in volume, and contains a gas. The secondary container has an orifice that is pierced when the container is opened so that the gas escapes through the orifice and creates a foam at the surface of the beverage. The drawback of this system is that it is a complicated system and is expensive to manufacture.
There is a need to provide consumers with a ready-to-drink beverage that develops a thick, long-lasting foam when the container in which it is packaged is opened, that can be stored at room temperature for at least one year, that does not overflow when the consumer opens the container, and can be consumed either hot or cold. The present invention now satisfies this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a beverage product that includes a closed container and a milk-based beverage therein. The milk-based beverage is a ready to drink, long-life beverage that contains between about 0.5 and 5 g/l of a dissolved gas. The beverage fills the container to a fill level of at least about 85% of the total volume of the container and the container has a head space of at least about 9 of the total volume of the container. The head space is pressurized to between about 1.5 and 4 bar, such that upon opening the container and pouring of the beverage into a glass a foam is provided on the beverage.
The container may be a metallic wrapping or a glass or plastic bottle. The container may be an aluminum can or a polyester or polyterphthalate bottle
The dissolved gas may be nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide. The container volume may be about 85 to 91% of the beverage and 9 to 15% of the head space.
The beverage may contain at least 50% of a milk and may optionally contain a sweetener, a stabilizer, a thickener, or mixtures thereof. For a beverage that contains at least 50% milk the beverage may be pasteurized and may includes one or more of a sugar, an artificial sweetener, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, a fruit flavor, or a cola. The beverage may also include one or more of acidified milk or fermented milk and may include one or more of a phosphate, citrate, hydrocolloid, or mixtures thereof.
The present invention also relates to a process for manufacturing the beverage product. The process includes the steps of preparing a milk based beverage, pasteurizing the beverage, dissolving about 0.5 to 5 g/l of a gas into the beverage, filling the container with the beverage to a fill level of at least about 85% by volume while providing a head space of at least 9% by volume of the container, and pressurizing the head space to between about 1.5 and 4 bar. The gas may be nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide and may be injected into the beverage. The head space may be pressurized by injecting a liquid gas into the beverage. The liquid gas may be liquid nitrogen and may be injected in an amount between about 0.1 and 3 g per 40 ml of head space. The process may further include the step of sterilizing the product.
The invention also relates to a method of providing a foamed beverage that includes the steps of formulating the above-described beverage product, opening the container, and pouring the beverage into a glass to obtain a foamed product. Another method of providing a foamed beverage includes the steps of preparing a beverage product according to the above-described method, opening the container, and pouring the beverage into a glass to obtain a foamed product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention relates to a product comprising a container and, placed inside the container, a long-life beverage that is under pressure. The beverage is preferably a milk-based beverage containing between about 0.5 and 5 g/l of an inert gas such as nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide. The container has a head space of from about 9 to 15% of the total volume of the container and is saturated with an inert gas such as nitrogen so as to have a relative pressure of between about 1.5 and 4 bar. When the container is opened and the beverage is poured in a glass, a foam is produced on top of the beverage.
By “long-life beverage” is meant a beverage that can be stored at room temperature for at least one year. By ready-to-drink beverage is meant a beverage that can be consumed immediately after the container is opened and requires no other preparation before being consumed. Ready-to-drink beverages, however, include beverages that are intended to be consumed while hot or cold and may require cooling or heated before or after the container is opened.
It has surprisingly been found that by saturating the head space with an inert gas such as nitrogen it is possible to maintain a pressure in the container so that the nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide remains in the solution instead of escaping into the head space. A large amount of foam is obtained only when the amount of gas dissolved in the beverage, e.g., nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide, and the amount of gas in the head space, e.g., nitrogen, are as specified herein. At the time of pouring, the ready-to-drink product has a foam volume which is between about 1 and 5 cm thick. If the amount of dissolved gas falls below about 0.5 g/l then the amount of foam to be provided is generally insufficient. If the amount of dissolved gas exceeds about 5 g/l then the pressure is too high to permit sterilization without deforming the container.
The type of container is not critical. It is possible to use for example, a metallic wrapping or a glass or plastic bottle. In the case of a metallic wrapping, the container is preferably an aluminium can with an easy-open system. Such containers are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In the case of a bottle, a plastic bottle is preferable, such as, for example, a polyester or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle.
By “milk-based beverage” is meant a beverage containing more than about 50 percent and preferably at least about 75 percent, and more preferably about 80 to 95 percent of a milk. The milk may be one or more of diluted milk, normal milk, whole milk, fully skimmed or partially skimmed milk, or concentrated milk. Acidified or fermented milk can also be used. Advantageously, one or more flavorings such as coffee (powder or extract), cocoa, chocolate, cola, fruit flavors, or the like are included. The milk-based beverage can contain lactic fat or other exogenous fat, such as palm oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, or a mixture thereof.
In the present description, the expression “diluted milk” means a milk containing more than about 0.5% of non-fat solids, preferably between about 0.5 and 8.5% of non-fat solids. The expression “normal milk” means a standard commercial milk, for example one with a nonfat solids content of between about 8.5 and 9%. The expression “concentrated milk” means a milk with a nonfat solids content of more than about 14%, preferably a nonfat solids content of between about 14 and 20%. The expression skimmed milk means a milk with practically no fat (i.e., less than 1.5 percent fat). The expressio
Bhat Nina
Nestec S.A.
Winston & Strawn LLP
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