Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Foam or foamable type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-23
2002-10-22
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Foam or foamable type
C426S330300, C426S590000, C426S597000, C426S599000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06468576
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the formation of a shelf-stable liquid concentrate for producing slush beverages and the process of making the same. The present invention also relates to frozen flavored slushes including the liquid concentrates, with improved texture and mouthfeel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The market for frozen beverages as refreshing drinks for dispensing is rapidly growing. The United States is the market leader with respect to this type of product. These consumable products are typically composed of ice crystals distributed throughout a sweetened and flavored aqueous matrix and typically have both a refreshing and cooling effect with a nice appearance.
Commercial equipment has been developed to produce and dispense slush products for consumption at a place of sale. The equipment includes a cooling device and a device for constant agitation, in order to prevent ice agglomeration and in order to avoid complete freezing. Most existing products used in these machines are powder based, although some products now are liquid concentrates, and some auto-feed dispensing equipment is in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,785 discloses a dry mix for preparing a slush beverage. The mix contains at least 2 percent of a water-soluble, low viscosity hydrocolloid ingredient and preferably contains insoluble particles, for example, calcium silicate, to function as an ice crystal nucleating agent. The dry mix, upon combination with the appropriate amount of water or milk, produces a liquid, which can be frozen into a fine slush consistency within three hours in an average household freezer.
Applicants have determined that some disadvantages of using powder products include: difficulties in dissolution in water as compared to liquid concentrate, the possibility in having a heterogeneous product, and the requirement for manual refill. Further, formation of large size ice crystals, which can have an undesirable impact on the consumer perception of such powdered slushes can be due to the use of powdered precursors.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,829 describes a ready-to-drink liquid that can be transformed into a slush beverage by freezing. This liquid includes in the formulation freezing point depressants, such as ethyl alcohol and/or polyols, for example, glycerol, which can be incompatible with products designed for children and/or may impart undesirable flavor to the beverage. These low-molecular weight alcohols also tend to prolong the time needed to obtain a slush.
Applicants have also determined that disadvantages of a ready-to-drink liquid include the need to transport large volumes of the product and involve the use of expensive heat treatment processing, as well as packaging materials, to ensure an aseptic product. It is believed that these expensive processing and packaging techniques are required due to a high water activity.
Thus, there is a need for good shelf-stable, coffee-based liquid concentrates, which can maintain a manageable viscosity for pumping by an industrial auto-feed system, in order to produce frozen beverages for easy dispensing as a refreshing drinks with pleasant mouthfeel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid concentrate including a source of milk protein, present in an amount from about 0.5 wt % to 15 wt %; a sedimentation stabilizer present in an amount sufficient to help prevent and/or inhibit sediment formation or growth without causing gelation in the concentrate; a gelation stabilizer present in an amount sufficient to help prevent and/or inhibit gelation or a significant viscosity increase in the concentrate; a freezing point depressant present in an amount sufficient to reduce the freezing point of the concentrate below 0° C., preferably not less than 1° C., more preferably not less than about 3° C., most preferably to about −10° C. to −3° C.; a sweetener comprising corn syrup and present in an amount sufficient to impart a desirable taste or texture to the concentrate; an emulsifier present in an amount sufficient to help prevent and/or inhibit sediment formation or growth, gelation, or a significant viscosity increase in the concentrate; a flavoring component in an amount sufficient to impart a desirable flavor to the concentrate; and water, in an amount sufficient to form a liquid concentrate.
In a preferred embodiment, the sedimentation stabilizer may be present in an amount from about 0.01 wt % to 0.05 wt %, the gelation stabilizer may be present in an amount from about 0.1 wt % to 5 wt %, the freezing point depressant may be present in an amount from about 0.1 wt % to 23 wt %, the sweetener is corn syrup and may be present in an amount from about 40 wt % to 60 wt %, the emulsifier may be present in an amount from about 0.1 wt % to 5 wt %, and the flavoring component may be present in an amount from about 2 wt % to 16 wt %. Advantageously, the liquid concentrate can possess one or more of shelf-stability for at least six months; a water activity of about 0.85 or less; a pH of about 6.3 or less; a solids content from about 60 wt % to 80 wt %; and a viscosity at room temperature from about 150 cPs to 2000 cPs.
In one embodiment, the sedimentation stabilizer includes kappa-carrageenans, kappa(II)-carrageenans, lambda-carrageenans, iota-carrageenans, carboxylmethylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, other cellulosics, or combinations thereof. Preferably, the sedimentation stabilizer includes kappa-carrageenans, kappa(II)-carrageenans, or a combination thereof, which is present in an amount from about 0.01 wt % to 0.03 wt %.
In another embodiment, the gelation stabilizer can include gum arabic, food-grade phosphates, food-grade polyphosphates, or combinations thereof. Preferably the gelation stabilizer includes disodium phosphate, which is present in an amount from about 0.1 wt % to 3 wt %.
In one embodiment, the emulsifier includes monoglycerides, diglycerides, lecithin, or combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the emulsifier includes a mixture of mono- and di- glycerides, preferably in a ratio from about 1:0.05 to 1:0.5.
In another embodiment, the freezing point depressant includes carbohydrates, sucrose, fructose, maltodextrin, oils, or combinations thereof, and can be present preferably in an amount of no more than about 23 wt %.
Preferably, the liquid concentrate contains one or more flavoring compounds having the flavor of chocolate, coffee, mocha, french vanilla, peanut butter, chai, or combinations thereof.
Optionally, the liquid concentrate also contains at least one nucleating agent, preferably selected from calcium carbonate, calcium silicate, titanium dioxide, and mixtures thereof, more preferably calcium carbonate. It is preferable that the at least one nucleating agent be present in an amount sufficient to decrease ice crystal size by at least about 10% by volume, preferably at least about 15% by volume, more preferably at least about 20% by volume. Alternately, the at least one nucleating agent may be present in an amount from about 0.1 wt % to 5 wt %.
Optionally, the liquid concentrate also contains at least one anti-microbial preservative, preferably a sorbate, more preferably potassium sorbate. It is preferable that the at least one anti-microbial preservative be present in an amount sufficient to prevent and/or significantly inhibit microbial stability or growth. Alternately, the at least one anti-microbial agent may be present in an amount from about 0.2 wt % to 0.5 wt %.
The present invention is further directed to a process for preparing a liquid concentrate, which may be similar in composition to any of the liquid concentrates described above. The process includes blending together powder components including a gelation stabilizer and a sedimentation stabilizer to form a first mixture; combining water and the first mixture; mixing in a source of milk protein, an emulsifier, a flavoring component, and a freezing point depressant; adding a sweetener comprising corn syrup to form a second mixture; heating the second mixture; agitating the second mixture for
Livings Simon J.
Sher Alexander A.
Thompson Leann M.
Wedral Elaine R.
Bhat Nina
Nestec S.A.
Winston & Strawn
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