Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Beverage or beverage concentrate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2001-08-21
Sayala, Chhaya D. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Beverage or beverage concentrate
C426S594000, C426S595000, C426S596000, C426S597000, C426S598000, C426S425000, C426S433000, C426S435000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06277428
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of beverages, and more particularly to the preparation of beverages as well as to the manufacture of the ingredients of such beverages. In a particular aspect, the invention provides a way for individuals to be able to enjoy the ritual of grinding “beans” for cold or hot brewing of beverages other than coffee.
Coffee is a beverage that is enjoyed throughout the world. For convenience, many coffee manufacturers sell their coffee in a ground state. In this way, coffee may be conveniently brewed by simply measuring out an appropriate amount of the ground coffee and placing it into a coffee maker.
Another popular way to market coffee is to sell whole coffee beans and allow the end user to grind the beans before brewing. Indeed, for many years, people have enjoyed the ritual of selecting coffee beans from wholesale or retail outlets based upon the taste characteristics and other known properties, e.g., decaffeination, and thereafter grinding the beans prior to brewing. Most recently, the popularity of fresh-brewed coffee in a variety of flavors and forms has reached a high degree as evidenced by the widespread popularity of coffee houses and the like.
Similarly, the same period has seen a wide increase in the popularity of a variety of health food drinks and of the consumption of dietary supplements in all forms. For example, herbal teas are increasing in popularity. Typically, herbal teas are packaged in a tea bag which is steeped in a hot or cold liquid to produce the beverage. As such, the rituals enjoyed by those drinking beverages other than coffee have been unable to enjoy the rituals of selecting beans, grinding the selected beans, and thereafter brewing.
Hence, it would be desirable to provide a way to allow individuals to enjoy the ritual of grinding “beans” for hot or cold brewing of beverages other than coffee. For example, it would be desirable to provide ingredients for producing a beverage other than coffee which is in the form of a “bean”, with the “bean” being in a form that is suitable for grinding in traditional coffee grinders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a variety of food products as well as methods for their manufacture and their use in creating various beverages. In a preferable aspect, the food products of the invention comprise various ingredients that are manufactured into discrete bean-shaped pellets having a physical structure, e.g., hardness and friability, which is similar to that of coffee beans so that they may be ground in traditional coffee grinders. Thereafter, the ground beans may be cold-brewed or hot-brewed according to any of the methods known for making coffee or teas. In this way, individuals are able to enjoy the ritual of grinding “beans” for cold or hot brewing beverages other than coffee.
In one exemplary embodiment, the invention provides a pelletized food product which comprises a beverage base which includes. individual pieces of edible plant materials which, once steeped or brewed, form a beverage. A binding material binds the beverage base into a pelletized body until subjected to a grinding process. Further, the pelletized body has a size in the range from about 0.2 cm to about 8 cm. In this manner, pelletized bodies are provided which in essence may be ground similar to coffee beans prior to forming a beverage.
Preferably, early pelletized body has a hardness in the range from about 0.1 kP to about 50 kP, and more preferably from about 0.5 kP to about 34 kP as measured on a Vankel VK200 Hardness Tester. In this way, each pelletized body has a hardness that is similar to the hardness of a coffee bean to allow for grinding. Preferably, the pelletized body is formed so that it will become granularized when ground in a grinder.
A variety of edible plant materials may be used to construct the pelletized body, including tea leaves, plant leaves, roots, flowers, hops, spices, and the like. Exemplary binding materials which may be used to bind the edible plant materials into a pelletized body include starches, sugars, modified starches, maltodextrins, carrageenan, gums, cellulose, waxes, and the like.
Preferably, the pelletized body has a generally bean-like shape, such as in the shape of a coffee bean. Optionally, a supplement may be included in the pelletized body. For example, exemplary supplements which may be employed include dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts, medicaments, and the like. In one alternative, a core element may be included in the pelletized body which releases at least one ingredient when the pelletized body is ground into granules. For example, the ingredient may comprise a scented material which emits an aroma when the pelletized body is ground into granules. In another example, the ingredient may comprise a flavored material. Other ingredients which may be included within the core include colors, and functional ingredients, such as standardized extracts, herbal extracts, other nutritional components, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and the like.
The invention further provides an exemplary method for making a beverage. According to the method, a plurality of pelletized bodies are provided, with each body comprising a beverage base of edible plant materials that are bound together by a binding material. The pelletized bodies are then placed into a package and marketed in packaged form. When ready for consumption, at least some of the pelletized bodies are removed from the package and are ground into granules. The granules are then steeped or brewed in a liquid to form a beverage. Conveniently, the pelletized bodies may be marketed in bulk form or in individual packages. In some cases, the pelletized bodies may marketed in a pre-ground state.
Preferably, the pelletized bodies have a generally bean-like shape and have a hardness that is similar to a coffee bean so that the pelletized bodies may be ground in conventional coffee grinders. For example, the pelletized bodies may have a hardness in the range from about 0.1 kP to about 50 kP, and more preferably from about 0.5 kP to about 34 kP.
After grinding, the granules may be steeped or brewed in a hot or cold liquid to form the beverage. For example, the granules may be brewed through a conventional coffee making machine. Optionally, the pelletized body may include a supplement. In another alternative, an aroma may be released from the pelletized body during the grinding step. In a further option, a flavored material or a color may be released from a core element disposed in the pelletized body during the grinding step.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3459558 (1969-08-01), Farmer et al.
patent: 4031238 (1977-06-01), Reid et al.
patent: 4459315 (1984-07-01), Salo
patent: 5227188 (1993-07-01), Leppla
Franklin Kerin B.
Graham Scott T.
Friedman, Esq. Allen N.
McCarter & English LLP
Sayala Chhaya D.
The Hain Celestial Group
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