Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Beverage or beverage concentrate
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-13
2004-11-09
Weier, Anthony (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Beverage or beverage concentrate
C426S564000, C426S477000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06814997
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a soluble coffee beverage powder, which, upon the addition of water, forms a coffee beverage having a foamed upper surface. In particular the invention relates to a soluble coffee beverage which when reconstituted has a “crema”.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Soluble coffee beverage products are well known products, which upon the addition of water (usually hot) provide a coffee beverage. It is also well known to mix the soluble coffee powder with soluble creamer or whitener powders to produce whitened coffee beverages. These classical soluble beverage products are coffee beverages without any foam on the upper surface.
Soluble coffee beverage products of the instant “cappuccino” type are also known and are commercially available. Usually these products are dry mixes of a soluble coffee powder and a soluble whitener powder. The soluble whitener powder contains pockets of gas, which, upon dissolution of the powder, produce foam. Therefore, upon the addition of water (usually hot), a whitened coffee beverage, which has a milk based foam on its upper surface, is formed; the beverage resembling, to a greater or less extent, traditional Italian cappuccino.
In coffee bars and restaurants, it is usual to serve freshly brewed black coffee that is prepared on the basis of roast and ground. The freshly brewed black coffee is characterized by a light brown foamy layer that covers the upper surface of the beverage. The coffee is usually prepared in an espresso-type machine in which one may, e.g., brew a short strong espresso or a larger cup of black coffee.
The light brown foamy layer on the espresso is not milk based, as is the case for cappuccino beverages, but it originates from the carbon dioxide and air captured in the coffee ground and that are released when the coffee is brewed. The foamy layer on an espresso is often referred to as a “crema”. The crema on a freshly brewed espresso is characterized as a light brown foamy layer, which covers substantially all the surface of the beverage, and remains on it during consumption.
The espresso-type beverage is generally found attractive to consumers. However, espresso-type beverages have a particular bitter taste, which to some consumers is considered to be too strong. A common problem when aiming to reduce bitterness of coffee beverage is that the coffee aroma will be diluted as well. Further, if, e.g., sugar is used to mask bitterness in a coffee beverage, once sufficient sugar has been added to the beverage, sugar becomes dominant in the cup profile. Milk, especially whole milk, may be used for balance of aggressive note of the coffee beverage and mask the potential process notes. However, milk as such is found not to be sufficient for masking the bitterness of the coffee beverage.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new soluble coffee beverage, which is an alternative to the above-discussed soluble beverage powder, and to one that is reminiscent of a freshly brewed espresso-type beverage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention now provides a soluble coffee beverage which closely assimilates the texture characteristics of an Italian espresso, namely a beverage with a fine crema, but which has a reduced bitterness compared with freshly brewed espresso despite retaining a strong aroma. The crema substantially covers the entire surface of the beverage in a thin layer and is sufficient stable to remain on the surface of the beverage until the last sip of the beverage.
The present invention also provides a soluble coffee beverage that comprises a soluble coffee creamer that can be reconstituted without flocculation problems. Moreover, this soluble coffee beverage powder has a substantially homogeneous color.
In particular, the present invention provides a soluble coffee beverage that includes a soluble gas containing matrix comprising from between 10% and 35% soluble coffee solids by weight of the total dry matter of the matrix, from about 10% to about 35% pre-flocculated creamer by weight, and from about 12% to about 30% oligosaccharrides effective to dilute protein in the creamer by weight. Upon the addition of water, this powder forms a coffee beverage having a foamed upper surface. In this foamed upper layer, substantially all of the foam is made up of bubbles having diameters in the range of 0.05 to 0.5 mm.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a process for providing a soluble coffee beverage powder, which, upon the addition of water, is forming a coffee beverage having a foamed upper surface. This process comprises providing between 10% and 35% soluble coffee solids by weight of the total dry matter of the matrix, from about 10% to about 35% pre-flocculated creamer by weight, and from about 12% to about 30% oligosaccharrides effective to dilute protein in the creamer by weight, mixing the ingredients to a wet mix with a liquid, incorporating gas into the mixture, and drying the wet mix to a soluble beverage powder comprising a gas-containing matrix, which soluble beverage powder upon reconstituting provides a foamed upper surface based upon all of the ingredients. As noted above, in this foamed upper layer, substantially all of the foam is made up of bubbles having a diameter in the range of 0.05 to 0.5 mm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
It has surprisingly been found that the soluble coffee beverage of the invention may be obtained by providing a wet mix containing between 10 and 35% of coffee solids and 10 to 35% coffee creamer, and 12 to 30% oligosaccharrides. The viscosity of the wet mix is lowered compared to that of milk or cream wet mix without coffee. This enables that, when the wet mix is subsequently subjected to gassing in an amount effective to foam the product, a fine gas bubble is capable of being generated. The size of these bubbles is substantially smaller than bubbles that are, e.g., generated in conventional foaming coffee creamers based on milk or cream solids. If the gassed wet mix subsequently is subjected to a homogenization step, a further reduction of the bubble gas size in the wet mix may be obtained. These small size gas bubbles are retained in the product once it has been dried. When the soluble beverage powder is reconstituted it has a foam upper surface of fine bubbles with the characteristics of an espresso crema.
It has further been found that aqueous based aroma is particular desirable for use in the present invention. When aqueous based aroma is used in a wet mix, it uses milk fat or other fat in the coffee creamer as a carrier. Further, it has been found that the aqueous aroma masks the cooked taste of the coffee and contributes with a fresh brewed taste to the beverage. In this context it should be appreciated that aqueous based aroma is normally the part of the aroma that is considered a waste product. This makes it even more surprising that the aqueous based aroma has the advantages described herein.
It has also been found that the cup profile of such a formulation lacks of bitterness and other notes typically of fresh brewed coffee. This may occasionally occur with some soluble beverage powders, but often special soluble beverage notes are present such as notes associated with “dry”, “caramel” and “bready” notes. These notes may be reduced by adding milk or coffee whitener to the soluble beverage, but they cannot be eliminated totally in this way. It has surprisingly been found that by using aqueous aroma according to the present invention, these kinds of notes may be eliminated totally.
Surprisingly, the aqueous aroma also masks the cooked notes of the milk powder or creamer component usually in soluble milk coffee beverages. Furthermore, the aqueous aroma boosts the coffee aroma intensity without introducing any aggressive notes or off flavors.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ingredients are wet mixed together prior to drying. This gives an attractive substantially homogeneous color to the coffee beverage powder.
Advantageously coffee aroma is incorporated in the wet mix as well. P
Bachtler Ludwig
Maier Hanspeter
Nestec S.A.
Weier Anthony
Winston & Strawn LLP
LandOfFree
Soluble powder for espresso type beverage does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Soluble powder for espresso type beverage, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Soluble powder for espresso type beverage will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3348374