Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Beverage or beverage concentrate
Patent
1997-08-06
1999-09-28
Weier, Anthony J.
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Beverage or beverage concentrate
426466, 426594, 426595, 426425, 426489, 99483, A23B 403, A23F 500, A23L 128, A23C 302
Patent
active
059584971
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to water-soluble chicory powder products and to processes and apparatus for producing such products.
The conventional processing of chicory comprises process steps of roasting, extraction and drying. The disadvantages of this processing are, on one hand, unevenness of the colour of the roast material and risk of burning chicory pieces and on the other hand, the hygroscopicity of the extract powders, and thus, water-soluble chicory powders currently on the market are not satisfactory with respect to sensory properties and because of excessive hygroscopicity.
In the conventional processing, the roasting is a process which is difficult to direct. The thermal decomposition of the carbohydrate, the pyrolysis of chicory inulin, proceeds exothermically. In the roaster, smaller chicory pieces are roasted more rapidly, and are therefore darker than the larger pieces, or are sometimes burnt. Larger chicory pieces are darker in the core than on the exterior. This uneven roasting has a disadvantageous effect on the flavour of the chicory extract. In addition, during the roasting and the extraction, the chicory inulin is cleaved to form fructose and glucose. The inulin cleavage must be kept within certain limits, so that the extract obtained is not excessively hygroscopic. Further, in order to be able to dry roast chicory extracts at all, in the spray-drying, the outlet air moisture, and thus the capacity of the towers, must be decreased. During the course of a relatively long operating time, encrustations occur in the tower which lead also to losses of material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object underlying the invention is to find a water-soluble chicory powder which has good sensory properties and decreased hygroscopicity.
The invention relates to a water-soluble caramelized chicory extract powder which contains between 40 and 65% of inulin, between 4 and 10% of reducing sugars, less than 5% of fructose and glucose, and which has a depth of colour between 1.0 and 2.5.
The present invention further provides processes for producing the chicory extract powder of the invention wherein kiln-dried chicory is extracted with water to obtain an extract or chicory root is pressed to obtain an extract, the extract is dried to form a powder, and the powder is caramelized in an extruder between 180.degree. C. and 250.degree. C. at residence times of up to 5 minutes to a depth of colour between 1.0 and 2.5, and then the product obtained from the extruder is cooled and ground. The throughput of chicory powder through the extruder is a function of its size.
The present invention also provides a product for preparation of a beverage wherein the chicory powder described above is combined with instant roasted round coffee and/or instant roasted ground coffee substitute wherein the content of the instant coffee or coffee substitute is from 5% to 95%, and it is also possible to extract chicory to combine a mixture of the green extract powder with instant roasted coffee and/or instant roasted coffee substitute and caramelize the mixture in the extruder, wherein the content of instant roasted coffee or instant roasted coffee substitute in the mixture is between 5 and 95%.
The present invention further provides apparatus for carrying out the process comprising an extractor (diffuser) for extraction to obtain an extract or a mill, steam coil and press for extraction to obtain an extract, and comprising a separator to obtain liquid extract from undissolved solids, a tube system with means for heating the liquid extract, means for drying the extract to obtain a powder, extruder means for caramelization, a cooling belt, and means for grinding cararmelized product, and wherein the extractor, separator, tube system and drying means are connected by piping, or tubing, and the extruder means may be a double-screw extruder and may be fed by a screw feeder.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As reserve carbohydrate, chicory contains inulin, which is made up of the monosaccharides f
REFERENCES:
patent: 4154864 (1979-05-01), Risler et al.
Bulii et al., Jun. 1991.
Database Abstract. AN 77(09):H1567 FSTA for French Patent Application 2,302,043. Inventor: Lefebvre. 1976.
Grimm Rudi
Loehmar Karl
Nestec S.A.
Weier Anthony J.
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