MXPA00000512A - Instant particulate dry mix composition for producing a cappuccino beverage having a marbled foam - Google Patents

Abstract

An instant particulate dry mix composition produces a cappuccino beverage having surface foam with a marbled appearance upon reconstitution in water. The dry mix composition is made by freeze drying the coffee extract to produce granules having an outer surface layer which is rapidly soluble and a larger inner core layer which is slowly soluble.

Description

DRY MIXED COMPOSITION IN INSTANT PARTICLES TO PRODUCE A CAPUCCINO DRINK WITH SEAMLESS ASPECT OF A MARBLE AND A FACTURING METHOD OF THE SAME Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dry particulate mixed composition which, upon adding water, produces a capuccmo beverage having an upper surface of marble-like foam, as well as a method for producing the dry mixed composition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A genuine capuccmo is obtained from the machine by the addition of frothy milk to coffee only thus forming a white foam on the coffee surface. The foam turns brown when the sugar in the drink is stirred. The degree of darkness of the brown of the foam depends on the way the drink is shaken and can vary from a veined marble aspect to a completely brown one. In contrast to the appearance of an authentic capuccmo, hoods prepared from instant powders such as those typically found on the market today do not form a white foam. Instead, a foam uniformly colored brown is formed immediately after reconstitution not only due to agitation but also as a result of fine coffee powder dissolving in the liquid between the bubbles of the foam. In contrast to most instant capuchin powders, the British Patent U.K. No. GB 2,301,015 discloses an instant capuceous powder in which the foam remains substantially white. Maintaining the white color of the foam is achieved by delaying the solubility of the coffee powder for approximately 5 to 10 seconds after the addition of water. In order to create this delayed solubility, the coffee particles are coated with a coating that reduces their solubility in water, such as coatings based on carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The substantially white foam resulting from the reconstitution of the soluble coffee beverage of the G.B patent. No. 2,301,015 is not necessarily desirable since a study conducted among consumers has shown in relation to instant capuccmo powders, that consumers significantly prefer a powder that when reconstituted with water forms a beverage having a non-colored foam. uniform, that is to say a marble appearance instead of a uniform brown color or uniform white color. It is an object of the present invention to provide a dry instant particulate beverage composition to produce a capuccmo beverage having a marble-like surface foam that simulates the marble appearance of the actual capuccmo, and provide a method of preparation of the composition. The term "as marble" as used herein to describe the foam of the surface produced on the capuccmo beverages prepared from the present dry mixed compositions means that the foam includes veins, curls or brown spots on the surface of a foam bottom that it goes from yellowish brown to white.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above and other objects that will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art are achieved with the present invention that provides a instant dry particulate mixed coffee beverage composition to produce a capuccino beverage having a foam in the surface of appearance of a marble, the composition comprising a froth cream former in freeze-dried particles and coffee pellets having a rapidly soluble outer surface layer and a larger core inner layer which dissolves slowly, and which provides a for preparing the instant dry particulate mixed coffee beverage composition comprising the dry mixing of the frothed particulate cream former and the lyophilized coffee granules. Preferably, the lyophilized coffee granules are prepared by extracting the air and subsequently freezing a coffee extract containing at least 55% coffee solids. The shredded frozen granules are then dried using a relatively slow drying procedure which maintains water in the granules for a longer period of time than in conventional lyophilization methods to obtain granules with a density of 0.3 to 0.45 g / cc. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a coffee bean manufactured using conventional freeze-drying techniques; Figure 2 is a view of the surface of the granule shown in Figure 1 at higher magnification; Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a cross section of a lyophilized coffee granule prepared following the method of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the outer surface layer and inner core layer of the granule shown in Figure 3 at higher magnification; and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the outer surface layer of the granule shown in Figure 4 at the greatest increase.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The lyophilized granular soluble coffee component of the dry mixed composition includes granules having a density of at least 0.3 g / cc and preferably from 0.3 to 0.45 g / cc. The lyophilized granules are prepared by freezing drying a concentrate of coffee extract containing at least 55% coffee solids. The lyophilization can be carried out using a suitable equipment for conventional coffee freeze drying but under conditions which differ from the conditions used in the conventional preparation of freeze-dried coffee, and which results in a dense product having an outer surface layer characterized by voids elongated which extend generally perpendicular to the surface of the granule and a larger inner core layer characterized by a vitreous structure with a few large voids. This structure, which creates a "localized dissolution" of the coffee granules, is considered responsible for the non-uniform color effect such as a marble that is characteristic of the surface foam of the capuccmo beverages prepared from the present mixed compositions. dry. Specifically, when hot water is added to the present dry mixed capuccmo formulation, the outer surface layer dissolves rapidly, i.e., in seconds, resulting in the formation of veins, curls, etc., brown in the foam , that creates an aspect like of a marble. The inner core layer dissolves slowly in the liquid, instead of in the foam, requiring the complete dissolution process at least 20 seconds.

According to the method of the invention, a freeze-dried coffee powder is obtained by first extracting the air from an aqueous extract of coffee, then freezing the coffee extract from which the air has been extracted to produce lumps of frozen coffee extract. The frozen coffee extract is then milled to form granules and the granules are lyophilized to produce lyophilized coffee granules with a density of at least 0.3 g / cc. The aqueous extract of coffee used in the method of the invention preferably contains at least 55% and up to 70% coffee, and preferably 60 to 70%. These percentages, and all the percentages given here are percentages on the dry basis of the corresponding component, unless otherwise stated. The extract can be obtained by any convenient form such as by conventional extraction of roasted and ground coffee and reconstituting the coffee powder, such as a coffee that has been dried for example by spraying or lyophilized, in hot water (40-100 ° C) , or by adding coffee powder to a coffee extract with a lower concentration, such as an extract from a coffee extraction battery used to make instant coffee and having a concentration of 42-48%. The coffee component can be derived from any type of coffee beans such as Robustas and Arabicas. The coffee may be decaffeinated or contain caffeine and may be obtained by simple extraction or by a plurality of separate extractions of roasted and ground coffee or combinations of the foregoing. The coffee extract is first passed through a deaerator to release it from the occluded air. This can be done, for example, by pumping the extract through a Versator (manufactured by Cornell) at a pressure of about 6 bar. After extraction of air, the temperature of the extract, which is typically between about 20-80 ° C, is reduced to -5 ° C, by passing it through a surface heat exchanger of fragments or the like. The extract whose air has been removed is then frozen in lumps, preferably at a temperature of about -40 to -50 ° C. The freezing is preferably effected by depositing the coffee extract whose air has been removed on a freezing conveyor belt and subsequently injecting air into the conveyor belt from above and from the bottom or by freezing with brine from the bottom. The preferred freezing rates vary between 0.5 and 5 ° C / mmuto at 0.5 mbar pressure. The frozen extract is comminuted into granules and then sieved to a particle size varying between about 0.5 and 3 mm in diameter, preferably 1-2 mm in diameter. Conventional grinders, such as a Fitzmill grinder, are suitable. The frozen granules are placed in trays in a lyophilizer where they are dried with freezing. The lyophilization can be carried out in conventional equipment for coffee freeze-drying, such as an Atlas or Leyhold dryer. The drying conditions to reach the high density granules of the present invention require a generally lower drying temperature and a longer drying time than for conventional coffee freeze drying. The pressure is suitably 0.1 to 0.8 millibars and more preferably about 0.5 millibars. These pressures, and other pressures cited here, are absolute pressures unless otherwise stated. The drying time also depends on the solids concentration of the initial extract, generally requiring more time to dry the frozen granules prepared according to the present invention from extracts with a lower content of coffee solids. In a typical procedure, the drying of the frozen granules prepared from an extract with 60% coffee solids can be carried out between 50-90 ° C, preferably at 60 ° C for 7 to 8 hours at 0.1 a 0.8 millibars. The resulting coffee powder comprises granules each having a density of 0.3 to 0.45 g / cc and having an outer surface layer with elongated recesses that run perpendicular to the surface of the granule and an inner core layer with a vitreous structure. In contrast to this, freeze-dried coffee pellets prepared according to conventional freeze drying methods will typically have a density of about 0.18 to 0.3 g / cc and will not have the characteristic two-layer structure of the product of the present invention. These conventional lyophilized coffees when combined with a white product for coffee and then reconstituted with water, create a foam uniformly colored in brown. As can be seen from the comparison of Figures 1 and 2 with Figures 3, 4 and 5, the structure of the granules of the invention is completely different from the conventional lyophilized product. The structure of the conventional lyophilized product is elucidated by electron scanning micrographs ("SEM") as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Specifically, Figure 1 shows a whole coffee granule prepared according to conventional freeze-drying methods while Figure 2 shows the surface of the same granules at higher magnification. The granule contains hollows due to gas bubbles of a size that varies between 20 and 150 microns and that are due to ice crystals of a size that varies between 5 and 50 microns, being both types of holes consistent throughout the granule. These gaps provide a reticle for water absorption that enhance the dissolution of coffee in water. The granule structure of the invention is shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Specifically, Figure 3 shows an enlarged cross-section of a lyophilized coffee granule prepared following the method of the invention and Figure 4 shows a view of the granule. at a greater increase. The large hole in the center, of a size of 1 mm x 0.55 mm versus 3 mm x 2 mm for the complete granule, is the result of the accumulation of the water vapor phase in the center during the drying process. slow that holds water in the granule for a longer period of time. Conventional drying conditions for drying the frozen coffee extracts to which 0.1 to 0.8 milibary gas has been injected are generally at 105 ° to 120 ° C for up to 3 hours, then at 90 ° C for 3 hours. 4.5 hours and finally 60 ° C for 4.5 to 5.5 hours. The high initial temperature forces the water out of the granule quickly. If the drying of the frozen coffee granules of the invention is carried out under these conditions, the frozen coffee granules can swell, giving rise to a very friable product with a relatively low density, generally of less than about 0.3 g. / cc and typical of the conventional lyophilized coffee. The lyophilized granules of the present invention show two clear characteristics. As best shown in Figure 5, the outer surface layer of a thickness of 100-200 microns has elongated pores of 2-10 microns in diameter and 5-50 microns in length that extend perpendicularly to the surface of the granule. These pores are much smaller and thinner than those of conventional lyophilized coffee. The inner core layer is the vitreous matrix of coffee, which has pores of less than 0.1 micron and which has a few large voids. These two different layers decrease and localize the solubility of the product with respect to conventional lyophilized coffee. The outer surface layer dissolves rapidly in a matter of a few seconds, while the inner core layer dissolves relatively slowly, that is, the complete dissolution typically takes at least 20 seconds. After the preparation of the freeze-dried coffee granules, these are combined with a creamy foam forming product by dry mixing. Other techniques such as agglomerate can also be used. These creamy foam forming products may be based on dairy products or non-dairy products, or both, and the term "cream former" is used here in a broad sense of white product which is added to the coffee and not in the coffee. Strict sense of being a dairy product not even based on dairy product. The creamy foam formers include protein, lipid and filler as essential components. In addition, creamy foam formers include a built-in gas or a carbonation system, or both, to generate a gas when the cream-forming product is dispersed in the hot beverage liquid. Creamy foam formers to which a suitable gas has been injected are described in U.S. Patent No. 4,438. 147, U.S. Patent No. 4,736,527 and U.S. Patent No. 4,798,040, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Suitable creamy foam formers containing a carbonation system are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5, 721,003 and 5,780,092, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference and in published German Patent Application No. 4,407,361 To published on September 7, 1995. The mixed dry particulate composition may include other components such as a sweetener , which can be a natural or artificial sweetener, one or more flavoring components, fillers and agents to give body. Suitable natural sweeteners include corn syrup solids or other sugar sweeteners such as sucrose, fructose, lactose and maltose. Suitable fillers or bulking agents include carbohydrates such as maltodextrins, polydextrins, lactose and the like. The resulting dry instant particulate composition, when reconstituted with water, forms a capuccmo drink with foam on the surface that looks like a marble that simulates the appearance of a marble like the foam of a real capucceme. This marble aspect can be defined as a foam that is at least 50% with veins, curls or brown spots in a foam matrix of yellowish brown to white.

The instantaneous dry particulate composite composition obtained according to the present invention typically includes 10 to % freeze-dried coffee prepared according to the method of the present invention, 10 to 70% creamy foam former, a natural sugar sweetener in an amount of about 100 to 500% based on the weight of the coffee or 1 to 3% of an artificial sweetener based on the weight of the coffee, the instantaneous dry particulate mixed beverage composition may further include an agent for body or charge in an amount of 100 to 300% on the weight of the coffee and one or more flavorings in an amount from 1 to 3% based on the weight of the coffee. A typical capucem beverage prepared using the dry instant particulate beverage composition of the invention is prepared by adding 12 grams of the composition to 150 milliliters of water at about 85 ° C. The drink is then stirred for approximately 1 minute. The resulting beverage has a surface foam that looks like a marble. The table below shows a comparison of the foam layer of reconstituted capuccino beverages prepared using the method of the invention with three commercial instant cappuccino drinks. The samples were prepared by dissolving the instant capuccino powders in hot water in individual cups and stirring. Photographs of the foam layers were taken using a Olympus Camedia C-1400L digital camera placed on a tripod at a distance of 9-10 centimeters above each sample cup. A 4-magnification close-up lens was used. The resulting photographs were then evaluated using a histogram to determine the marble appearance percentage of the foam layer.

Samples 1 and 2, which are capuccino drinks prepared according to the invention, produced beverages with brown foam curls at 86 and 79 percent, respectively, of the upper layers of foam. In contrast to this, samples 3 and 4, which were beverages prepared using instant capuccino powders commonly found on the market, had an upper surface with substantially white and substantially uniform colored foam. Sample 5, prepared using another commercial instant capuccino powder, gave a beverage in which almost 100% of the foam layer was uniformly brown. The invention is further illustrated with the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1 A coffee extract of a concentration of 60% is obtained by adding hot water (40 ° C) to spray dried coffee powder. The extract is then passed through an air extraction apparatus to deprive it of the occluded air and is frozen in clods at a temperature of -40 to -50 ° C by pouring the extract from which the air has been extracted on a conveyor belt. of freezing. The freezing is carried out by air blowing on the belt from the top and bottom at approximately freezing speeds. 2, 5 ° C / minute. The frozen granules are milled to obtain frozen granules of particle size of approximately 2 mm and placed in trays that are transferred to a lyophilizer for drying. The granules are then dried in an Atlas pilot-scale freeze dryer for 7-8 hours at 60 ° C and at an absolute pressure of about 0.1 to 0.8 millibas. The resulting lyophilized coffee granules have a density of about 0.38 and are characterized by a two-layer structure as described above.

EXAMPLE 2 An instant dry mixed beverage beverage composition is prepared with the high density freeze dried coffee product of Example 1 according to the following formulation: * The creamy foam forming product consists of 68% skimmed milk, 30% coconut oil, silicon dioxide flow agent and sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate to stabilize the protein structure during dissolution.

The composition is prepared by weighing each of the dry ingredients into particles in a mixer and mixing for 10 minutes in a Loedigge Blender mixer.

Example 3 To twelve grams of the dry mixed composition of Example 2 in a beaker was added 150 ml of water at 85 ° C. The mixture is stirred gently with a spoon for 1 minute. The resulting beverage has a foam on its surface and the top is marble-like and non-uniform in color with mixed colors comprising veins, dots and brown curls in a yellowish to white matrix.

Example 4 Example 3 is repeated except that the mixed product is formulated from the following ingredients. k The same as that of Example 2.

The resulting beverage has a foam generally with the same marble appearance as the foam of the beverage of Example 3. Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art they will realize that variations and modifications can be made without deviating from the spirit and framework of the invention as set forth in the claims

Claims (20)

Claims

1. A dry instant particulate composition for coffee beverage to produce a capuccino beverage having a foam on the marble-like surface, which composition comprises: a creamy foam former, and lyophilized coffee granules having a layer of the external surface that is rapidly soluble and an inner core layer that is slowly soluble.

2. An instantaneous dry mix composition for coffee beverage according to claim 1 wherein the outer surface layer comprises elongated recesses that extend generally perpendicular to the surface of the coffee bean.

3. An instantaneous dry mix composition for coffee beverage according to claim 1 wherein said inner core layer comprises a vitreous structure.

4. An instant dry mixed composition for coffee beverage according to claim 1 further comprising a sweetener and a flavoring.

5. An instant dry mixed composition for coffee beverage according to claim 1 wherein the lyophilized coffee granules have a density of at least 0.3 g / cc.

6. An instant dry mixed composition for coffee beverage according to claim 5 wherein the lyophilized coffee granules have a density of 0.3 to 0.45 g / cc.

7. An instant dry mixed composition for coffee beverage according to claim 1 comprising from 10 to 40% by weight of said creamy foam former and 90-60% by weight of said coffee granules.

8. An instant dry mixed composition for coffee beverage according to claim 7 further comprising a sugar sweetener in an amount of 100 to 300% by weight based on the weight of said coffee granules.

9. An instant dry mixed composition for coffee beverage according to claim 7 further comprising an artificial sweetener in an amount of 1 to 3% by weight based on the weight of said coffee granules.

10. A method for preparing a dry instant particulate composition for coffee beverage comprising dry blending a creamy foam former and freeze dried coffee pellets having an outer layer that is rapidly soluble and a larger core that is slowly soluble.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said lyophilized coffee granules are prepared by: providing an aqueous extract of coffee containing at least one 55% coffee solids by weight: extracting the air from the coffee extract; freezing of the coffee extract from which the air has been extracted; crushing the frozen coffee extract to frozen coffee granules; and drying the granules to produce lyophilized coffee granules having an outer surface layer that is rapidly soluble and an inner core layer that is slowly soluble.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said aqueous coffee extract has a coffee concentration of 55 to 70% by weight.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein said freezing is carried out at a temperature of -40 to -50 ° C at a speed of 0.5 to 5 ° C / minute.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein said lyophilized coffee granules have a particle size of 0.5 to 5 mm.

15. A method according to claim 11 wherein said drying is carried out at a temperature of 50 ° -90 ° C.

16. A method according to claim 11 wherein said drying is carried out at about 60 ° C for 7-8 hours.

17. A method according to claim 11 wherein said coffee granules have a density of at least 0.3 g / cc.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said coffee granules have a density of 0.3 g / cc to 0.45 g / cc.

19. A method according to claim 11 further comprising dry blending a particulate sweetener with said creamer of creamy foam and coffee granules.

20. A method according to claim 11 wherein said outer surface layer comprises elongated recesses extending generally perpendicular to the surface of the coffee bean and said inner core layer comprises a vitreous structure.