GB2482108A

GB2482108A - Beverage having milk and fruit constituents

Info

Publication number: GB2482108A
Application number: GB201009660A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sarah Teresa Dooley
Original assignee: Milk & Fruit Co Ltd
Current assignee: Milk & Fruit Co Ltd
Priority date: 2010-06-09
Filing date: 2010-06-09
Publication date: 2012-01-25
Also published as: GB201009660D0

Abstract

A method of preparing a beverage comprises preparing a stabilising component by mixing a pectin stabiliser with a sugar; preparing a milk component by mixing milk with the stabilising component under conditions for adequate hydration of pectin in the milk component; and adding at least one fruit constituent to the milk component. The beverage mix is subject to high-shear mixing before being heated to between 73ÂºC and 85ÂºC and being hot-packaged into foil laminate pouches. The beverage preferably comprises 50% whole milk, 35% fruit juice/puree and 0.75% pectin and has a pH in the range of 3.7 and 4.0. This method of production ensures that coagulation of milk proteins is avoided and the beverage is stable against separation over its shelf life.

Description

Title: Beverage having milk and fruit constituents, and production method therefor

Description of Invention

This invention relates to a beverage whose principal constituents are milk and fruit, and to a production method therefor.

There has, for some time, been interest in the dairy and fruit juice industries to provide a stable and good-tasting beverage which combines these two constituents. The problems to be overcome are achieving an acceptable flavour, and stability over an acceptable length of time. The particular stability problem is the coagulation of milk proteins in the case of a product having a lower pH, and even if such coagulation is avoided in manufacture there can be a problem of stability against separation over the shelf life of products. Such problems are particularly severe when a product contains a high proportion, e.g. around 50%, of milk and a correspondingly high, e.g. around 30 to 40%, of a fruit component or components, and accordingly many products have had much lower proportions of what, desirably, would be the main ingredients.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to address these problems and desiderata.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a method of preparing a beverage comprising milk and fruit constituents, the method comprising: preparing a stabilising component by mixing a pectin stabiliser with a sugar; preparing a milk component by mixing milk with the stabilising component under conditions for adequate hydration of pectin in the milk component; and adding at least one fruit constituent to the milk component, under conditions suitable to impart adequate stability to the beverage over a storage life.

The preparation of the stabilising component may comprise mixing the pectin in powder form with a sugar, such as fructose, also in powder form, the mixing process being continued for sufficient time to ensure thorough blending of the ingredients, and subsequent easy mixing with and dissolving in milk to form the milk component.

Such mixing to prepare the stabilising component may be carried out by using a mixing device such as a ribbon blender, the operation thereof being carried out for sufficient time, e.g. 15 minutes to achieve the aforesaid.

Preparation of the milk component may comprise heating the milk constituent to an elevated temperature, e.g. about 75°C, and subjecting it with the stabilising component to mixing processes including agitation, e.g. by a paddle mixer, and high shear mixing, to effect homogenisation of the milk component.

The fruit constituent may be added to the milk component in the form of juice and/or puree, of one or more fruits. When added, the mixture may be subjected to agitation, e.g. paddle, mixing and high shear mixing.

Any further ingredients required in the beverage may be added to the milk component of the beverage before, with, or after the addition of the fruit constituents to the milk component. By way of example such further additions may include an appropriate quantity of at least one fruit acid, so that the product has the required pH, a flavouring or flavourings, and if required one or more dietary supplements, e.g. omega 3 fish oil. Preferably after all ingredients of the beverage are added to the milk component, the product is subject to high-shear mixing to ensure homogenisation and stability, and suitable liquid droplet sizes.

Subsequent to such mixing, the temperature of the prepared beverage may be set, e.g. by passage through a heat exchanger, at a suitable value, e.g. in the range of about 73°C to 85°C, for packaging.

The beverage may be introduced into suitable packages, which may be sized for individual portions, e.g. 200 ml, or larger, at such a temperature. It may be packed in foil laminate pouches, e.g. Doy pouches, suitably sealed and preferably flushed with an inert gas prior to being sealed.

Prior to the addition of the fruit constituent(s) a further amount of a sugar, e.g. fructose, may be introduced to the milk component in the course of preparation thereof, which addition may be followed by high-shear mixing.

For quality-control purposes, a number of physical and chemical tests may be conducted on the beverage and components thereof in the course of production. At an intermediate or final stage of preparation of the milk component, a consistency check may be conducted by removing a small amount of the material under preparation, such material being spread thinly over a smooth surface and assessed for lumps. If the pectin stabiliser is not fully hydrated, it remains as small clear gel-like lumps, detectable visually or by mouth sampling. The material for such assessment under preparation may be removed from the material being returned from the high-shear mixer to the bulk volume of the milk component After the completed preparation of the milk component of the beverage, a hydration check may be carried out to ensure that addition of fruit and acid does not result in irreversible coagulation of the milk protein. Such test may be conducted by addition of a known quantity of the fruit/acid constituent of the beverage to an appropriate quantity of the milk component, mixing these e.g. by shaking, then checking for milk protein coagulation. Such coagulation occurs relatively rapidly, e.g. in five minutes or less, and is detectable as small white lumps which are visible and are "gritty" to the mouth. Clearly such coagulation is not acceptable.

In addition to these tests in the course of production, measurements of the pH of the product, the sugar fraction (e.g. °Brix), density, and temperature may be conducted.

Typical values obtained in such measurements are described hereafter.

The invention, according to a second aspect, also resides in a beverage produced by the method according to the first aspect of the invention.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically the principal steps in a production method for the stabilising component utilised in the invention, Figure 2 illustrates the principal steps in the production of the milk component Figure 3 illustrates the principal production steps in the method of production of the beverage in accordance with the invention.

The present example is described in relation to the production of a trial batch of some 450 litres of the beverage, of apple, blackcurrant and plum flavour.

The quantities of ingredients used at different stages of production of such a batch of the beverage are shown in the following table, together with the percentages of the composition of the product represented by such quantities.

Ingredient I Batchsize (kg) _______________________________ _______ Finished Product Stabilisincj Component Fructose#1 3.750 17.63 Pectin 0.750 3.53 Total 4.500 21.16 Milk Component Intermediate A Whole Milk#1 25.000 117.56 Whole Milk#2 25.000 117.56 Water 10.000 47.03 Fructose#2 1.250 5.88 Total 65.750 288.03 Finished Beveraqe Apple Juice 21.708 102.08 Blackcurrant juice 8.000 37.62 Plum Puree 4.000 18.81 Citric Acid 0.046 0.22 Malic Acid 0.046 0.22 Blackcurrant Flavouring (UR-1 97-299-1) 0.040 0.19 Apple Flavouring (SN 834041) 0.050 0.24 Plum Flavouring (OD-015-571-5) 0.060 0.28 Omega-3 ft300 1.41 Total 100.00 470.25 Figure 1 illustrates the mixing, as above mentioned, of the pectin stabiliser and a sugar (fructose), to prepare the stabilising component. A ribbon blender is used to mix the required proportions of pectin and fructose in the form of dry powders, such mixing being carried out for, e.g. 15 minutes, until thorough mixing is achieved.

Figure 2 illustrates the production of the milk component. The required amount of water is poured into a tank of suitable capacity and provided with a heating facility, and heated to a temperature of about but no greater than 75°C, with paddle agitation being carried out during such heating to ensure a uniform temperature throughout the quantity of water. Half of the total quantity of milk to be used is then introduced into the tank, and the mixture heated to a temperature of about but no greater than 75°C, again with continuous agitation, to ensure thorough mixing and uniform temperature throughout the quantity. The required amount of the stabilising component is then added, mixed until dissolved and then circulated from the tank through a high-shear mixer and returned, until no pectin lumps can be detected. A consistency test may be conducted, by spreading/smearing a small quantity of the mixture across a smooth surface, and inspecting visually and by mouth sampling for lumps or graininess. Subsequently, the remainder of the milk content may be added, together with the remaining fructose content, the mixture being thoroughly mixed by mixing paddles and by high-shear mixing. At this stage an off-line pectin hydration check may be conducted, by testing for coagulation of milk proteins, as referred to above.

Referring now to figure 3 of the drawings, this illustrates the final process steps by which a beverage in accordance with the invention is produced. Starting with the milk component, the pH thereof is checked with a target value of approximately 6.35. The temperature of the milk component at this point is approximately 75°C. The fruit constituent of the beverage is then added, in this case apple juice, blackcurrant juice, and plum puree, all of which are mixed with paddles in the mixing tank. The pH is checked, with an anticipated value of approximately 4.03 and temperature about 36°C. The citric and malic acids are added and mixed, after which the pH may be about 3.91, the mixing at this point being effected by paddles in the mixing container and by passage of the mixture through a high-shear mixer. The required flavours, and Omega 3 supplement may then be added with high-shear and paddle mixing, whereafter the mixture has target values for °Brix = 15, pH = 3.8, and density 1.05 g/ml. The mixture is then passed through a heat exchanger, e.g. a spiral heat exchanger, with a target temperature of not less than 72°C, e.g. 73°C to 85°C, to a holding tank prior to packaging for storage and distribution.

The beverage thus produced may be hot filled into Doy pouches, and flushed with nitrogen prior to sealing. However, it will be appreciated that other forms of packaging container may be utilised. Such packages need to be refrigerated for distribution and storage prior to consumption. The usual operations associated with packaging and preparing for distribution may be carried out; for example coding the packages with date information, washing and drying the packages, and so forth, are shown as final stages in figure 3, by

way of example.

It will be appreciated that variations in the method above described may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. One possibility for such modification of the process is in relation to the process steps shown in figure 2 of the drawings, relating to the preparation of the milk component of the beverage prior to the introduction of the other ingredients.

In this modification of the process, instead of adding the stabiliser component in powder form to a heated mixture of the water content and half of the milk content of the beverage, the stabiliser component is added to the water content of the beverage and mixed by hand while cold to give a thick slurry.

Then any remaining proportion of water content, and half of the milk are mixed with the slurry in a mixing tank, and heated to about 75°C with paddle agitation and high-shear mixing for about 10 minutes. The remainder of the milk and fructose is then added, and again paddle mixing and high-shear mixing take place for about 10 minutes, until the mixed components are assimilated thoroughly into one another. A consistency test and hydration check may be conducted as above described.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for S attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features! be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

Claims 1. A method of preparing a beverage comprising milk and fruit constituents, the method comprising: preparing a stabilising component by mixing a pectin stabiliser with a sugar; preparing a milk component by mixing milk with the stabilising component under conditions for adequate hydration of pectin in the milk component; and adding at least one fruit constituent to the milk component, under conditions suitable to impart adequate stability to the beverage over a storage life.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the preparation of the stabilising component comprises mixing the pectin in powder form with the sugar also in powder form.
3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the mixing is carried out using a ribbon blender.
4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein preparation of the milk component includes mixing milk with the stabilising component at a temperature of about 75°C.
5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the mixing includes paddle mixing and high-shear mixing.
6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the fruit constituent comprises at least one of juice and puree, of at least one fruit.
7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the fruit constituent and milk component are subject to mixing including high-shear mixing.
8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one further ingredient is added to the milk component before, during, or after the addition of the fruit constituent to the milk component.
9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the further ingredient comprises one or more of at least one fruit acid, at least one flavouring, at least one dietary supplement.
10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the at least one dietary supplement includes Omega 3 fish oil.
11. A process according to any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the beverage is subject to highshear mixing subsequent to addition of the further ingredient(s).
12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the temperature of the prepared beverage is set to a suitable value for hot packaging.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the temperature is in the range of about 73°C to about 85°C.
14. A method according to claim 11 or claim 12 comprising packing the beverage into foil laminate pouches.
15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims comprising conducting, at one or more points of the process, assessments on the properties of the beverage and/or components thereof, said assessments including at least one of: a consistency assessment; a pectin hydration assessment; pH; sugar fraction; density; and tern peratu re.
16. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
17. A beverage produced by a method according to any one of the preceding claims.
18. A beverage according to claim 17 wherein the milk content is about 50% by weight of the beverage.
19. A beverage according to claim 18 wherein the milk is whole milk.
20. A beverage according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein the fruit content is approximately 35% by weight of the beverage.
21. The beverage according to any one of claims 18 to 20 wherein the pectin content is about 0.5% to 1% by weight of the beverage.
22. A beverage according to claim 21 wherein the pectin content is about 0.75% by weight of the beverage.
23. A beverage according to any one of claims 17 to 22 wherein the pH of the beverage is in the range 3.7 to 4.0.
24. A beverage according to claim 23 wherein the pH of the beverage is about 3.8.
25. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.