RU2785921C2 - Instant drink mixture - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food industry.

SUBSTANCE: method for preparation of instant drink mass includes preparation of powder-like ingredients of an instant drink, preparation of a preheated mold having a making out cavity, preheated to a surface temperature exceeding a glass transition temperature of one ore more ingredients of the instant drink (Tg), loading, and compaction of drink ingredients to the making out cavity, where compaction is provided with a preheated locking element, which is preheated to a surface temperature exceeding Tg, wherein one or more ingredients of the instant drink are retained inside the making out cavity for 15-120 s. Instant drink mass and a device for its preparation, a method for the preparation of a drink, using mass, and a drink preparation system are also described.

EFFECT: invention allows for obtainment of solid mass in the form of a tablet with a proper dissolution speed, providing a unified drink, for which a dosing device is not required, and which is easy to store, transport, and use.

26 cl, 10 dwg, 4 tbl, 15 ex

Description

This description relates to mixtures (masses) of instant drinks and methods for their preparation. In particular, the description relates to mixtures (masses) of instant drinks for the production of drinks such as instant coffee or hot chocolate.

The market for consumers who want to prepare drinks at home that reproduce the drinks available in cafes and restaurants is largely developed. Although a number of methods for preparing these beverages require the use of beverage preparation devices, such as systems using cartridges or granules, it is more convenient for consumers to use instant or soluble beverage ingredients, such as freeze-dried coffee granules.

Although ingredients such as instant coffee granules have a number of advantages, such as fine adjustment of the strength of the beverage, they also allow for considerable variation in the quality of the finished beverage. To solve this problem, the development of ingredients for instant drinks in the form of a tablet has been proposed. As a result, each beverage produced is identical and of the high quality intended by the manufacturer of the beverage ingredients.

However, the development of ingredients in tablet form has not yet been optimized. In particular, there are usually problems associated with the dissolution of the ingredients; the presence of a cloudy undissolved residue at the bottom of the beverage is unappealing to consumers. Tablets are usually formulated using a powdered ingredient as this avoids drying problems and provides ease of molding. In order to form a tablet, for example from coffee, it is usually necessary either to provide a significant compaction of the tablet, or to apply a binder to hold the instant coffee powder in one tablet. However, a strong seal may prevent the tablet from dissolving, and the presence of a binder may cause similar problems or affect the taste of the finished beverage.

Tablets formulated with low compaction and/or without the use of a suitable binder may be at additional risk of tablet damage or spillage. This is especially true for tablets with sharp edges. The probability of cracking, leading to the loss of the original shape, is increased for them. If a consumer opens a bottle of tablets and finds that they are chipped or broken, his impression of their quality is greatly reduced.

WO2013001052 attempts to solve these problems by wetting the outer surface to form a thick protective shell.

US3293041 describes a method for making easily dissolving self-supporting tablets. These tablets are small granules of instant coffee or tea weighing 1 g. They are obtained by pressing in the hot zone of the granulator. Granule formation is fast (2-3 seconds) using high temperatures (118 to 150°C) and low pressures (13 kPa to 28 kPa) and the finished product dissolves completely within 2-6 seconds. As a result of this manufacturing method, the pellets have a low density and an outer protective crust. One embodiment of this method is based on the use of rotary molding, which inevitably results in short-term intense application of heat and pressure to form the pellet. The main embodiment of this method of this document, which uses a cylindrical cavity, is also based on short processing times, whereby a sufficiently high productivity can be achieved.

In addition, there is a prejudice among consumers who believe that the quality of instant coffee products, especially spray-dried coffee, is lower than the quality of coffee prepared in cafes or prepared in beverage preparation devices. Thus, for all these reasons, the use of tablets as a form of delivery of beverage ingredients is unpopular with consumers.

Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new form of beverage ingredients and a method for their preparation and/or attempt to solve at least some of the problems associated with the prior art, or at least develop a commercially viable alternative thereof.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for preparing an instant drink blend, comprising:

- preparing one or more instant drink ingredients in powdered form,

- preparation of a preheated mold having a forming cavity,

loading one or more instant drink ingredients into the mold cavity, and

compacting one or more instant drink ingredients in the mold cavity to form an instant drink mixture,

and

(i) the method further includes applying high frequency (HF) radiation to heat the instant beverage ingredients in the mold cavity; and/or

(ii) one or more instant drink ingredients are retained within the mold cavity for at least 15 seconds; and/or

(ii) one or more instant drink ingredients in powdered form are preheated prior to loading into the mold cavity.

The present invention is described below. The following sections describe various aspects of the invention in more detail. Each described aspect can be combined with any other aspect or aspects, unless explicitly stated otherwise. In particular, any element indicated as being preferred or advantageous may be combined with any other element or elements indicated as being preferred or advantageous.

The authors of the present invention have found a new approach to obtain mixtures of instant drinks using discrete masses of ingredients suitable for forming drinks. By the term "instant drink mixture" is meant a discrete mass formed from ingredients which are themselves completely soluble in the beverage medium and which serve to impart to said medium the taste and texture of the desired beverage. It is to be understood that the term "instant drink mix" is intended to include, for example, tablets, lozenges, and pellets having a specifically defined shape and size. This term should not include, for example, free-flowing powders of beverage ingredients such as freeze-dried coffee powders or milk powders. Obviously, the instant drink mixture is in a substantially dry, not yet dissolved, form suitable for dissolution. Preferably, the mixtures are presented in sealed air and moisture-tight containers.

It should also be understood that the soluble beverage mixture may contain a small amount of insoluble material. For example, finely ground roasted coffee may be included to provide a unique mouthfeel and taste to the finished beverage. Preferably, to avoid sedimentation or other problems, the mixture contains less than 30% wt., more preferably less than 20% wt., more preferably less than 10% wt. insoluble materials. In some embodiments, such as hot chocolate beverages, it may be preferable that the insoluble material is substantially absent to provide a soft mouthfeel.

While this description has been made primarily in relation to coffee beverages, it should be understood that the method and its advantages apply equally to other suitable beverage ingredients discussed herein.

The aim of the inventors of the present invention was to develop a high quality beverage product, in particular a coffee product, having all the conveniences of using instant products while avoiding the various drawbacks and prejudices against such products. Specifically, the aim of the inventors was to develop a beverage ingredient that provides a uniform finished beverage that does not require a dosing device and is easy to store, transport and use.

Tablets are already known to solve some of these problems, but no tablet has yet been obtained that is acceptable enough to consumers to appeal to consumers who typically prefer freshly brewed roasted ground coffee beverages.

It is believed that some degree of ceremony is involved in the preparation of the finished drink from roasted ground coffee and the preparation associated with it. The consumer of such drinks associates his actions during its preparation with the beneficial properties of the finished drink. Instant coffee drinks, on the other hand, are prepared instantly when hot water is added. The present inventors have now discovered that the instantaneous nature of instant coffee species may contribute to prejudice against such products. Accordingly, the inventors, of course wishing to avoid the formation of residues and deposits within the finished beverage, realized that some control of the dissolution time is desirable.

Accordingly, it is considered ideal if the preparation of the beverage after adding the hot aqueous medium to the ingredients takes at least 10 seconds and not more than 100 seconds, preferably not more than 60 seconds. Preferably, the preparation of the beverage takes 20 to 40 seconds for complete dissolution to occur with gentle agitation of the medium combined with the ingredients.

The inventors of the present invention analyzed prior art tablets and found that tablets formed using conventional heating methods have a significantly different internal structure compared to the mixtures of the present disclosure. In particular, highly compacted tablets have a uniform but brittle and unfused internal structure. They usually have a very slow dissolution rate. Tablets based on added binders tend to be overweight and any remaining binder may affect the taste of the finished beverage.

The authors of the present invention have found that the methods of the present description provide a sufficiently strong mixture with proper cohesiveness. This makes the mixture strong enough for manufacture (transportation on a conveyor belt), transportation and storage, while still providing a proper dissolution rate.

The method of the present description includes a number of stages. In the first step, one or more instant drink ingredients are prepared in powder form. By powder form is meant a form comprising finely divided dry material in the form of particles and granules, such as spray-dried particles, freeze-dried particles and their agglomerates. Typically, the particulate material has a particle size of less than 3 mm, more preferably 2.5 mm to 10 microns, more preferably 1 mm to 300 microns, and more preferably about 500 to about 700 microns. Such particles are well known in the art. Examples of suitable materials are discussed in more detail below. Surprisingly, it has been found that by the method described herein, the dissolution properties of the mixtures reflect those of the starting material, since the structure of the starting powder does not change significantly. The use of the powder form of the ingredients contributes to the simple and reproducible filling of the shaping cavity.

A device capable of carrying out the present method is also of great importance. The device contains a mold having a forming cavity. This mold is heated in such a way that the contact surface of the mold cavity, which, during use, comes into contact with the ingredients of the instant drink, is at an elevated temperature. One or more soluble beverage ingredients are loaded into the mold cavity such that they come into contact with a heated contact surface at an elevated temperature. The inventors of the present invention have found that this results in a firmer soluble beverage mixture than a mixture obtained without heating the mold. Thus, the use of a heated form makes it possible to obtain a mixture that is more resistant to degradation during transport and handling after processing.

The mold may be provided with a lining to aid in the recovery of instant drink mixtures after molding. Preferably, each of the mold components, the lid, and any mold lining is formed from a dielectric material. An advantage of the dielectric material is that it can be easily preheated and/or heated by RF radiation. This means that the mold cavity surfaces can be heated by a single RF heating source, which simplifies the fabrication process. Suitable dielectric materials include polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or a polymer such as silicone containing carbon black particles.

Instant drink ingredients are loaded into a heated mold. Thereafter, a lid or closure is typically installed which can be used to apply a seal to the ingredients. Preferably, the lid or closure is heated to the same temperature as the mold cavity.

The densification step serves to compress one or more instant drink ingredients in the mold cavity to form an instant drink mixture. The densification step helps to fuse the ingredients together.

The inventors have found that it is possible to obtain an improved product having the desired dissolution properties discussed above, due to the presence of a cohesive internal structure throughout the mixture, which makes it possible to obtain a strong yet easily dissolving product. The inventors have found that this can be achieved by providing a uniform heating that passes through the entire volume of the mixture, which can be achieved through one of several approaches.

RF heating

First, the method may further include using RF radiation to heat the instant beverage ingredients in the mold cavity. The use of RF heating penetrates the entire volume of the instant drink powder mixture and provides a particularly homogeneous internal structure. This heating technique is fast and suitable for all beverage ingredients; it can raise the temperature of the entire beverage mixture.

In this aspect, immediately after loading the instant beverage ingredients into the mold cavity, a high frequency (HF) is applied to heat the instant beverage ingredients in the mold cavity. It was found that the use of RF heating provides uniform heating of the entire volume of ingredients. This helps the ingredients fuse without causing lumps, while still providing a light, homogeneous texture that dissolves easily. Immediately after heating the soluble beverage ingredients in the mold cavity, they are compacted within the mold cavity to form a soluble beverage mixture. The seal helps to fuse the heated ingredients together.

RF heating methods are well known. RF heating, also known as dielectric heating, is a method in which a dielectric material is heated by a high frequency alternating electric field, either radio waves or microwave radiation. At high frequencies, this heating is caused by molecular dipole rotation within the dielectric. RF heating as described herein encompasses microwave heating (up to about 2.5 GHz) and can typically occur at a frequency of 10 to 100 MHz, more preferably 10 to 45 MHz, and most preferably 25 to 30 MHz. The most preferred frequencies are 13.56; 27.12 and 40.68 MHz.

Preferably, the method further includes the step of densifying one or more instant drink ingredients in the design cavity prior to the step of applying RF radiation to heat the one or more instant drink ingredients in the design cavity. Thus, the ingredients are loaded into the mold on the heated contact surface of the mold, subjected to densification, RF heating, and then densification again. The initial stage of compaction serves to evenly distribute the material loaded into the mold cavity.

Preferably, each of the various mold components, the lid, and any mold lining is formed from a dielectric material. The advantage of a dielectric material is that it can be easily heated by RF radiation. This means that the mold cavity surfaces can be heated by a single RF heating source, which simplifies the fabrication process. At the same time, the use of dielectric materials allows preheating and maintains the mold walls at a temperature higher than the temperature reached in the center of the mold. Suitable dielectric materials include polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or a polymer such as silicone containing carbon black particles.

Preferably, in the step of applying RF heating to heat one or more instant drink ingredients, one or more instant drink ingredients are heated at a temperature close to their glass transition temperature (Tg). The ingredients should not be heated above their melting point as this would result in a very high density insoluble product. Preferably, one or more instant drink ingredients are heated to a temperature below the glass transition temperature (Tg) by a value in the range of 10°C, more preferably in the range of 5°C. This provides sufficient temperature to fuse the particles together without excessive heating of the ingredients, which would cause them to decompose or spoil the taste of the finished drink.

Tg is the reversible transition temperature in amorphous materials (or in amorphous regions within semi-crystalline materials) from a rigid and relatively brittle state to a molten or highly elastic state. This temperature is different from the melting temperature of the material and serves to make the material sticky. Tg is highly dependent on moisture content and is well known in the art. By heating the powders to a temperature close to Tg, it is possible to achieve their bonding together. It should be noted that certain materials do not have Tg, such as sugar, which is crystalline. Preferably, the instant drink ingredients described herein are heated to a temperature corresponding to at least the Tg of the main ingredient in the mixture, or ingredients having similar Tg values can be selected before the mixture is prepared. Under the main ingredient means the ingredient present in the mixture in the largest amount by weight. As a general rule of thumb, there is a tendency for Tg values to be approximately 2/3 of the material's melting point.

Preferably, in the step of applying RF radiation to heat one or more instant drink ingredients, RF heating is applied at a frequency of 27.12 MHz and/or for a period of 10 seconds to 1 minute, preferably for a period of 20 to 30 seconds. The use of RF heating can significantly reduce the heating time compared to traditional electric heating systems.

Preferably, the optional step of compacting one or more instant drink ingredients prior to the HF application step to heat the one or more instant drink ingredients allows the volume of the instant drink ingredients to be reduced to 60-90%, preferably to 70-90% of their volume after preheating. Thus, the volume of the final beverage blend should be at least 60% and a maximum of 90% of the initial volume of non-compacted instant beverage ingredients loaded into the mold cavity. It has been found that this degree of compaction results in a more uniform shape of the finished product.

Preferably, the step of compacting one or more instant drink ingredients after the step of applying HF to heat one or more instant drink ingredients allows the volume of the instant drink ingredients to be reduced to 20-80% of their volume after preheating. Thus, the volume of the final beverage blend should be at least 20% and a maximum of 80% of the initial volume of non-compacted instant beverage ingredients loaded into the mold cavity. This degree of compaction has been found to provide a uniform product with a suitable dissolution time. Preferably the compaction is between 35% and 55%.

Hot working time

Second, one or more of the instant beverage ingredients may be held within the heated mold cavity for at least 15 seconds. This relatively long processing time for such mass production allows the heat of form to penetrate the mixture structure and results in a cohesive finished product.

Preferably, one or more instant beverage ingredients are retained within the mold cavity for at least 15 seconds. More preferably, the instant drink ingredients are kept inside the mold for 15 to 120 seconds, more preferably 30 to 100 seconds, and more preferably 40 to 80 seconds. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this period of time allows the heat from the preheated mold to permeate the entire volume of the mixture and results in a more uniform internal structure. It is believed that a shorter period of time, in particular for mixtures of larger volume, does not allow to obtain a finished product with suitable strength, since it essentially retains the pore structure and dissolution properties of the original powder. At the same time, if the time period is too long, such as more than 120 seconds, the powder may completely agglomerate to form a solid or glassy mass.

Preheating ingredients

Third, one or more instant beverage ingredients in powdered form may be preheated prior to being loaded into the mold cavity. This achieves a uniform internal structure throughout the resulting beverage mixture. In addition, under compaction conditions, the temperature is thereby sufficient to cause the powder to bind into a strong and cohesive mixture.

Preferably, one or more instant beverage ingredients in powdered form are preheated prior to being loaded into the mold cavity. Preferably, the preheating is carried out to a temperature of at least 30°C, more preferably from 30°C to 80°C, more preferably from 40°C to 60°C. Preferably, the powdered instant drink ingredients are preferably preheated to a temperature of at most 10°C, preferably at most 5°C, below the glass transition temperature (Tg) of one or more instant drink ingredients. Preferably, the preheating is carried out so that its temperature is below the Tg of at least the main ingredient and preferably below the Tg of all ingredients (with the obvious exception of ingredients that do not have Tg, such as sugar).

On FIG. 5 shows a graph of the pressure (MPa) required for the compaction step versus the relative gravity of the coffee being compacted. This graph is for coffee powder at 25°C and 60°C. The figure shows that the load profile for this powder at ambient temperature (25°C) is significantly different from the load profile at T = 60°C. The maximum stress is reduced by almost 80% when the powder is heated compared to compacting it at room temperature. With a corresponding increase in temperature, the Young's modulus of elasticity of coffee (Table 1) decreases markedly from 5212 to 2769 MPa. In the case of a creamer, a similar decrease from 3989 to 2840 MPa is observed with increasing temperature. Young's modulus of elasticity is a measure of the stiffness of materials and depends not only on the bulk structure, but also on the structure of the particles. Thus, the present inventors use heat not only to increase the stickiness of the surface of the beverage mixture particles, but also to reduce axial stress, thereby increasing the likelihood of successfully applying a lower compaction pressure to unite the particles of the soluble beverage mixture in the mass.

Table 1

Material Temperature
[°C] Young's modulus E
[MPa] Coffee 25 5212 Coffee 60 2769 Creamer 25 3989 Creamer 60 2840

The method described herein serves to reduce the maximum stress so that low compaction pressures can be applied to form the beverage blend. The description also reveals that heating the powder is also important in order to avoid the steep rise in stress required for the final hardening step, as seen in FIG. 6. In FIG. Figure 5 shows that at 25°C a higher punch pressure is needed to achieve the same punch movement than at 60°C. The present inventors believe that the ratio of maximum punch pressures for coffee powder at ambient temperature to heated coffee powder can be up to 5:1.

The inventors have found that the use of a preheated powder surprisingly significantly reduces the pressure required to compact the ingredients and form the beverage blend. In addition, a more uniform and stronger structure can be formed without compromising the porosity of the starting material or the rate of dissolution.

Each of the three approaches described above can be used alone or in any combination to ensure optimal structure in the finished product.

In contrast to the US3293041 method which is based on small volume pellets, the present method allows the effect of heat to penetrate the entire volume of the mixture. These methods provide a strong cohesive product that dissolves quickly and easily. In contrast, if the process of US3293041 were to be scaled up to process larger granules, the temperature/pressure would have to be increased significantly to ensure sufficient granule strength for a short processing time, resulting in poor product solubility. In addition, too long processing time at high temperatures could lead to scorching of the outer surface or to an unpleasant aftertaste.

Preferably, the instant drink mixture has a weight of 2 to 20 g. Preferably, the drink mixture has a suitable volume to prepare a drink from a single serving of the mixture. Thus, preferably, the mass of the mixture is 1.7 to 2.3 g for coffee and 12 to 17 g for hot chocolate. For a creamer coffee blend, the weight is typically 12 to 13 g including sugar, with a creamer to coffee ratio of 30 to 70. A hot chocolate blend typically includes chocolate, sugar and creamer or powdered milk, of which at least 50% weight. makes sugar. These values are typical values for the desired solids content needed to provide full flavor in these types of beverages.

Preferably, the mold and/or closure is heated to a surface temperature above the Tg of one or more instant drink ingredients (at least the main ingredient). The heat causes softening of the ingredients of the instant drink, which is required to obtain a cohesive internal structure of the mixture. Preferably the mold and/or closure is heated to a temperature of 60 to 120°C, more preferably 80 to 115°C, more preferably 100 to 110°C. This temperature range has been found to be suitable for most beverage ingredients, in particular instant coffee, as it allows a cohesive mixture to be obtained without spoiling the ingredients or causing any off-flavour. It is believed that the application of too much heat may cause scorching or off-flavour due to the possible occurrence of the Maillard reaction.

Preferably, the mixture is cooled to room temperature or lower and then demoulded. This helps prevent damage to the product after the manufacturing process. In general, it has been found that the mixture should be cooled to at least below its glass transition temperature (Tg) before demolding.

The inventors have found that the required degree of compaction varies depending on the density of the starting material, especially in cases where RF heating is not used. Preferably, in cases where one or more instant drink ingredients have a bulk density of 0.3 to 0.5 g/cm ³ , the compaction step reduces the volume of the instant drink ingredients by 30-60% of the original volume, preferably by 40-50%. Thus, a volume of 10 ml is reduced to a value of 7 to 4 ml. Preferably, in cases where one or more of the instant drink ingredients have a bulk density greater than 0.5 g/cm3 to ¹ g/cm3 ^, the compaction step reduces the volume of the instant drink ingredients by 10-50% of the original volume, preferably by 25-35 %.

The inventors of the present invention have carefully studied the effect of heat and pressure on the properties of the powdered beverage ingredients as they are converted from a free-flowing powder into a beverage blend. For powdered ingredients of an instant drink with a bulk density of 0.2 to 0.5 g/cm3, a volume reduction ^of 30–60% is achievable without compromising the quality of the finished product. This results in an instant drink blend with a desired final density of at least 0.3 g/cm ³ (for a volume reduction of up to 30%) and a maximum density of 1.25 g/cm ³ (for a volume reduction of 60%). However, a 60% volume reduction is not applicable to ingredients with a density of about 0.5 g/cm ³ . Preferably, the maximum volume reduction that can be applied to ingredients with a density of about 0.5 g/cm ³ is 50%, which results in an instant drink blend with a density of 1.0 g/cm ³ . As a result, the density range of the finished product is 0.3-1.0 g/cm ³ , where the initial density of the powdered instant drink ingredients is 0.2-0.5 g/cm ³ .

For powdered instant drink ingredients with a bulk density of 0.5 to 1.0 g/cm ³ volume reductions of 10% up to 50% can be applied. The density of the finished instant drink mixture is in this case a minimum of 0.71 g/cm ³ and a maximum of 2 g/cm ³ . However, ingredients with a density close to 1.0 g/cm ³ cannot be compacted to 50% of their original volume, so the maximum volume reduction that can be applied to ingredients with a density of about 1.0 g/cm ³ is 40%. . Such compaction will result in a density of the instant drink mixture of 1.67 g/cm ³ . As a result, the density range of the finished product is 0.71-1.7 g/cm ³ , where the initial density of the powdered instant drink ingredients is 0.5-1.0 g/cm ³ .

Preferably, after loading one or more instant beverage ingredients into the mold cavity, the method further comprises the step of sealing the mold cavity with a lid having an additional contact surface. Preferably, the lid has the dual purpose of providing uniform heat around the entire contents of the mold while still being able to provide the necessary sealing within the mold. Preferably, the additional contact surface of the lid is formed from a dielectric material and/or the lid contains a dielectric material and is provided with a lining or coating to form the contact surface. This allows the lid to be heated by RF heating, although other heating techniques are also suitable.

Preferably, the one or more instant drink ingredients comprise instant coffee, a creamer, milk solids, sugar, flavors, colors, cocoa or chocolate, or a mixture of two or more of these. Preferably the mixture is formed from a single beverage ingredient or from a mixture of ingredients.

For example, one or more instant drink ingredients may consist of instant coffee and preferably have a total weight of 0.5 to 5 g, more preferably 1 to 3 g, even more preferably about 1.8 g. The instant coffee may be coffee, spray-dried or freeze-dried coffee. Instant coffee may contain pores with trapped gas within the pores to form a crema on the finished beverage.

In an alternative embodiment, the instant drink mixture may contain insoluble drink ingredients or "inclusions" such as jelly, marshmallow or the like. The advantage of these ingredients is that they provide a physical mouthfeel and a pleasant texture to the finished beverage.

Preferably, one or more instant beverage ingredients are loaded into the mold cavity along with finely ground coffee bean particles, preferably having a D90 of less than 300 microns. Combinations of instant coffee and finely ground coffee and ground coffee are well known in the beverage market, such as the trademark Millicano™. Alternatively, instant coffee can simply be premixed with finely ground coffee and coffee powder. It has been found that the addition of finely ground coffee and ground coffee in these ways causes both an unexpected increase in the solubility of the beverage mixture and an increase in the strength of the mixture. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that apparently insoluble particles provide the structure of the mixture as well as the point of friability for penetration of the aqueous medium into the mixture. Preferably the instant coffee contains particles of finely ground coffee beans, and the ground coffee beans preferably have a D90 of less than 300 microns and a D50 of 5 to 60 microns.

Preferably, one or more instant drink ingredients comprise two or more ingredients, and the instant drink ingredients form separate layers or separate parts within the mixture. This gives the finished product a pleasing appearance, and can also allow temporary dissolution profiling of various ingredients (for example, the outer milk foam may form first, and then the inner coffee layer dissolves, resulting in a white foam on the drink). Preferably, the ingredients do not blend together but form visually distinct layers, providing the consumer with an impression of the beverage ingredients.

In this case, the mixture is formed from separate layers, and it is possible to sequentially load into the mold and compact each layer. In this case, it is preferred that the ingredient with the highest Tg be loaded first and allow the mold temperature to be lowered to minimize the time during which the temperature of the earlier layers is close to their Tg. Thanks to this stepwise heating approach, the layers are both individually and mutually unified and cohesive.

In another embodiment, the ingredients may first be agglomerated together before forming the instant drink mixture. Alternatively, the ingredients can be combined and then spray or freeze dried.

Preferably, the instant drink mixture contains two or more types of instant coffee, creamer, chocolate, and each ingredient is included in at least one separate discrete layer or separate discrete part of the mixture.

The beverage ingredients are supplied in powder form, preferably containing particles having a D99 of 800 microns or less and/or a D50 of 300 microns or less. Techniques for measuring these parameters are well known in the art. Preferably, the Malvern dry powder laser diffraction technique is used.

In one embodiment, one or more instant drink ingredients contain instant coffee, and additionally, 0.01 to 0.1 g of coffee oil is added to the form with one or more instant drink ingredients. Coffee oils, such as Coloma oil, are commonly added to instant coffees to provide a strong coffee aroma. By incorporating the oil into the form with the ingredients, the aroma can be retained in the mixtures and released during the preparation of the beverage.

Preferably, one or more instant drink ingredients comprise an instant drink foaming ingredient containing pressurized entrained gas. Suitable methods for obtaining such an ingredient are described in EP 1627568, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Preferred embodiments include foamable instant coffee, foamable instant creamers, and foamable milk powders. This allows foam to form on the surface of the finished beverage. Alternatively, if enough gas can be captured by the drink itself, it can partially froth.

In one embodiment, the instant beverage ingredients in the mold cavity are not subjected to RF heating.

Preferably, one or more instant drink ingredients do not contain a binder. Thus, to obtain instant mixtures, it is not necessary to include glue or other ingredient that is not required in the finished drink. This is because the method of the present invention is suitable for forming mixtures without a binder.

Preferably, one or more instant drink ingredients have a moisture content of 0.1 to 6% by weight, preferably 2 to 5% by weight. This level of moisture content allows mixtures derived from them to easily fuse in the mold cavity, and is also low enough to allow long-term storage of the finished product. The product should be storage stable at 20°C for a period of at least 6 months, preferably at least 12 months.

Preferably, the instant drink mixture is prepared and then sealed in a substantially air- and moisture-tight package for sale. In this way, any degradation of the product prior to use can be prevented.

Preferably, the mold cavity seal provides a substantially flat surface of the soluble beverage mixture, or a surface having a peripheral portion on which the mixture can be stably supported and a central depression defining a cavity within the mixture. It is desirable that the instant drink mixture be able to be stably maintained on the surface. This makes it possible, for example, to transport the instant drink mixture on a conveyor belt without the risk of it rolling out. Thus, it is preferred that the instant drink mixture be provided with a substantially flat surface formed by the lid. Alternatively, the instant drink mixture is provided with a surface formed by a lid having a peripheral part on which the mixture can be stably supported and a central indentation defining a cavity within the mixture. For example, the surface formed by the lid may form a rim in the mixture and a concave cavity where the mixture, when placed on a flat surface, can be supported on the rim. Of course, it should be understood that the bearing surface may be provided by the mold cavity and not by the lid itself. However, it has been found that the use of molding elements inside the mold cavity can cause difficulties in removing the mixture from the mold.

Preferably, the instant drink mixture is transported after it has been prepared on said surface formed by the lid. In one embodiment, the lid includes a stamp or cavity where the mixture can be marked during the sealing process. This is useful for branding or flavor identification.

According to a second aspect, an instant drink blend is provided that can be prepared by the method described herein.

According to a third aspect, there is provided an instant drink mixture comprising one or more instant drink ingredients and having a weight of 2 to 20 g, wherein the instant drink mixture has a density of 0.25 g/cm ³ to 1.7 g/cm ³ and a surface hardness, characterized by a breaking force of at least 8 N. The instant drink mixture preferably has a density of 0.5 g/cm ³ to 1.3 g/cm ³ and a surface hardness characterized by a breaking force of preferably 8 N to 100 N, preferably 20 N up to 100 N.

Preferably, the mixture dissolves completely within 10 to 120 seconds, more preferably 25 to 90 seconds, after immersion in 250 ml of water at 80-95°C with gentle agitation.

Preferably the mixture has a porosity of 5 to 60%, more preferably 10 to 50%. It can be measured using techniques well known in the art, such as helium pycnometry or x-ray tomography. Preferably the mixture is uniform so that the porosity value across the entire cross section of the mixture does not change by more than +/-20%, more preferably by less than +/-10%. With the RF heating step applied, the product has a more uniform porosity of less than +/-5%. In contrast, without RF heating, the porosity is +/-5% or more. The breaking force achievable with HF can also be less than 25 N, while without HF it is typically 25-100 N depending on the seal used.

Preferably, the mixture additionally contains from 7.5 to 15% wt. finely ground roasted coffee.

You can get a mixture of soluble drink having any suitable shape and surface texture. Preferably the surface is substantially even. In various examples, the instant drink mixture is formed into a hemisphere, an elongated hemisphere, and/or an elongated hemisphere. These rounded shapes are reminiscent of those of high quality chocolate, giving the impression of a quality finished product. Alternatively, the mixture may be suitable to form a range of beverages and is in the form of a chocolate bar where the pieces used to form the beverage can be broken off.

According to a fourth aspect, a method for preparing a beverage is provided, comprising contacting the soluble beverage mixture described herein with an aqueous medium. Although typically the aqueous medium is water, it may alternatively contain milk or be composed of milk. The aqueous medium may be at any temperature suitable for the beverage, but is preferably between 75°C and 95°C.

According to a fifth aspect, a beverage preparation system for preparing a coffee beverage is provided, the system comprising means for supplying an aqueous beverage medium to the soluble beverage mixture described herein for dispensing beverage from the system.

The invention will now be described with respect to the following non-limiting figures, in which:

On FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the equipment used in the method described herein.

On FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a beverage blend prepared according to the method described herein.

On FIG. 3 is an illustration of a suitable device design for mass production of the beverage blend described herein.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged photograph of a beverage blend having two layers of instant coffee with a layer of powdered milk in between.

On FIG. 5 shows a graph of coffee compaction profile at 25 and 60°C.

On FIG. 6 shows punch pressures for coffee powders at 25 and 60°C.

On FIG. 7 is a representative graph of volume of beverage ingredient in the mold versus time showing the application of RF heating.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the method described herein. This flowchart shows the following process steps:

In step A, a spray-dried coffee powder is prepared. In step B, a finely ground roasted coffee powder is prepared. In step C, milk powder is prepared.

In step D, spray dried coffee powder and finely ground roasted coffee powder are mixed together in a high shear mixer.

In stage E, a layer of coffee mixture and a layer of powdered milk are sequentially loaded into the preheated molding cavity (for example, to a temperature of 90 to 120 °C). These powders are optionally preheated.

In step F, the ingredients are optionally compacted, so as to reduce the volume of the powder to 60% of the original volume, with a pressing tool that slides within the mold cavity.

In step G, the ingredients are optionally heated by HF heating in an HF oven until the Tg of the ingredients is reached (approximately 60-80°C). RF heating can occur at 400 W, at 27.12 MHz, for 10 seconds to 1 minute.

In step H, the ingredients are compacted to 60% of their original volume and held in the mold for preferably one minute.

In step I, the formed mixtures are demoulded and in step J, the mixtures are packaged for shipping and sale.

On FIG. 9A shows a scanning electron microscope image of coffee powder (spray dried coffee) suitable for use in forming an instant drink blend. On FIG. 9B shows a scanning electron microscope image of the instant drink blend formed from coffee powder as shown in FIG. 9A. It is clearly seen that the method does not lead to the destruction of the structure of the powder, which confirms the fact that the solubility properties of the mixture are similar to the solubility properties of the powder of the ingredient.

On FIG. 10 shows an X-ray tomography image of a soluble beverage blend formed according to the method described herein without gas injection into the powder.

As shown in FIG. 1, instant drink mix 1 can be prepared as described below. Mold 5 is provided with a PVDF lining 10 that covers the outer surface of the mold cavity 15.

The cladding 10 is preheated with an RF emitter (not shown) to a temperature of about 100°C. Alternatively, preheating can be done with a conventional heating device. Instant coffee 20 is loaded into mold cavity 15 and compacted with plunger 25. Plunger 25 is formed from PVDF, heated and used to form closed mold lid 5.

Mixture 1 is kept compacted for 60 seconds. The mixture 1 can then be easily separated from the flexible lining 10.

Alternatively, instant drink mix 1 can be prepared as described below. Mold 5 is provided with a PVDF lining 10 that covers the outer surface of the mold cavity 15.

The cladding 10 is preheated with an RF emitter (not shown) to a temperature of about 100°C. Alternatively, preheating can be done with a conventional heating device. Instant coffee 20 is loaded into mold cavity 15 and sealed with plunger 25. Plunger 25 is formed from PVDF and is used to form closed mold lid 5.

The contents of mold 5 are then heated with an RF emitter. Once the coffee 20 is uniformly heated above its Tg, the heated coffee 20 is further compacted using plunger 25. The coffee is allowed to cool to form instant drink blend 1. Mixture 1 can be easily separated from flexible lining 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to blend 1 with a base 30 that is flat or depressed to provide a stable base formed by the peripheral rim 35.

Now the present invention is described with reference to the following non-limiting examples.

Examples with HF heating of beverage ingredients

Example 1 (comparative)

100 g of spray-dried foaming coffee powder was placed in a cylindrical polypropylene mold with an inner diameter of 40 mm and an inner height of 80 mm. The mold was then placed inside the HF oven. RF radiation was then applied at a power of 200 W for 225 seconds. The temperature of the coffee rose from the initial temperature of 20°C to 75°C. A fiber-optic thermal probe was used to measure the temperature.

The mold was sequentially removed from the HF oven and the mixture was additionally compacted using a pneumatic pressing tool, as described above, until the heated layer of coffee was compacted to 70% of its original volume. The mold was then allowed to cool and the molded spray-dried coffee powder bar was removed.

This bar had the characteristics of a uniform agglomeration profile throughout the thickness of the bars with no overheating or underheating spots. The surface of the bar was eroded and crumbly.

Example 2 (comparative)

1.5 kg of spray-dried coffee powder was placed in a cylindrical polypropylene mold with an inner diameter of 300 mm and an inner height of 100 mm. The mold was then placed inside the RF system set to 13.56 MHz. RF radiation was then applied at a power of 3 kW for 205 seconds. The coffee temperature rose from 20°C to a final temperature of 80°C after a 205 second period.

Then the mold was sequentially removed from the HF oven and the mixture was additionally compacted using a pneumatic pressing tool, as described above, until the heated layer of coffee was compacted to 70% of its original volume. The mold was then allowed to cool and the molded spray-dried coffee powder bar was removed. This bar had the characteristics of a uniform agglomeration profile throughout the thickness of the bars with no overheating or underheating spots. The surface of the bar was eroded and crumbly.

Example 3

3.1 g of instant coffee powder with 15% ground roasted coffee (R&G) (dispersion D100 < 60 μm), having a density of 40 g/100 ml, color 11 La and a moisture content (MW) of 3.5%, was loaded into a preheated form of PVDF and lightly tapped on it to promote the contact of the particles with each other. The mold was then heated to approximately 100-115°C. The heat conducted from the mold onto the coffee powder created a "shell" on the surface of the sample. The temperature of the coffee in contact with the mold reached approximately 90°C.

Then, the mold containing coffee was placed in an RF oven between two electrodes and radiation was applied at a power of 450 W for 20 seconds. The fiber optic temperature probe was placed in the mold at the center of the particulate coffee sample. Within 30 seconds, a gradual rise in coffee temperature from 45°C to 65°C was observed, due to which the temperature of the particles inside the “shell” rose above its Tg. A slight compaction of about 2 N was applied to the product, which was still in the softened glassy state, to further help fuse the particles together. After two stages of compaction, the lump volume decreased by 28%. Then the fused sample was kept in the mold for cooling for 30–50 seconds and removed. The fused sample was dissolved in hot water/milk at >85°C within 30 seconds.

Example 4

3.1 g of instant coffee powder having a density of 23 g/100 ml and a DM of 3% was loaded into a heated PVDF mold and tapped lightly to promote particle contact with each other. The mold was heated to approximately 110°C. The heat conducted from the mold onto the coffee powder created a "shell". The mold containing coffee was then placed in an RF oven between two electrodes and radiation was applied at a power of 450 W for 18 seconds. Within 18–20 seconds, a gradual rise in temperature from 45°C to 70°C was observed. Seal was not applied. The temperature in the middle of the fused sample was about 70 °C. The fused sample was then held in the mold for 30 seconds and removed. The fused sample dissolved in hot water/milk at > 85°C within 30 seconds, but was more easily damaged in transit than some other examples.

Example 5

A wet mixture of 1.9 g of instant coffee powder and 15% finely ground roasted coffee and ground coffee (R&G) was loaded into a heated mold cavity, lightly tapped and compacted to promote particle contact with each other. The mold was preheated to approximately 90-120°C. The mold containing coffee was then placed in an RF oven (27.12 MHz) between two electrodes and radiation was applied at a power of 400 W for 20 seconds. A pressure of 0.1 MPa was applied to the flat surface of the mold for 60 seconds. Although the product was still in a softened, highly elastic state, this step molds the particles to the desired three-dimensional (3D) shape. After the compaction step, a 35–55% reduction in the volume of the lump could be achieved. The fused sample was dissolved in hot water/milk at >85°C within 30 seconds.

Example 6

1.9 g of pure instant coffee powder was loaded into the preheated mold cavity, lightly tapped and compacted to promote particle contact with each other. The mold was then heated to approximately 90-120°C. The coffee mold was then placed in an RF oven between two electrodes and radiation was applied at a power of 400 W for 30 seconds. A pressure of 0.1 MPa was applied to the flat surface of the mold for 60 seconds. Although the product was still in a softened, highly elastic state, this step molds the particles to the desired three-dimensional (3D) shape. After the compaction step, a 35–55% reduction in the volume of the lump could be achieved. The fused sample was dissolved in hot water/milk at >85°C within 30 seconds.

Example 7

3.1 g of 2 in 1 coffee blend (spray dried coffee powder with non-dairy creamer) was loaded into a heated mold at 80-90°C. The powders tapped and compacted slightly. RF radiation at 500 W was applied for 15 seconds to heat the product. A light compaction (0.2 MPa) was applied and the 3D specimen was demoulded after cooling for 30 seconds. These lumps dissolved in hot water/milk at >85°C within 90 seconds.

Example 8

3.1 g of the 3 in 1 coffee blend (spray dried coffee powder, sugar and non-dairy creamer) was loaded into a heated mold at 60-78°C, a slight seal was applied, and the blended mold was placed between two electrodes. RF radiation was applied at a power of 300 W and the mold with the product was heated for 56 minutes. The product was cooled in the mold for 30 seconds and then removed. The lump dissolved in hot water/milk at >85°C within 90 seconds.

Example 9

A wet mixture of 3.1 g instant coffee powder and 15% finely ground R&G coffee (D100 < 60 µm) having a density of 40 g/100 ml, color 11 La and a moisture content (MW) of 3.5% was loaded into a heated mold cavity . The form was filled to 1/3 of the volume of the form. A layer of spray-dried milk powder, known under the trade name Regilait, was applied to this layer of coffee powder until 2/3 of the mold volume was filled. Then another layer of the first coffee powder was applied to this layer of milk powder and lightly tapped to promote contact of the particles with each other. The heat conducted from the mold onto the coffee and milk powder created a "shell" on the surface of the sample. Then, a mold containing coffee and milk powder was placed in an RF oven between two electrodes, and radiation was applied at a power of 450 W for 20 seconds. A small compaction of 0.1 MPa was applied to the product, which was still in the softened highly elastic state, to obtain a 3D shape of the sample. The fused sample was dissolved in hot water/milk at >85°C within 30 seconds.

Example 10

To determine the structure of the coffee mixture obtained in example 4, the porosity was measured using X-ray tomography. In particular, porosity was measured at the center and near the outer edge of the mixture (based on the cross section). The measurement showed that in the center the porosity is 58.5%, and near the outer edge - 58.1%. These data show that the mixture has a light, homogeneous structure that dissolves easily due to the fact that the porosity values inside and outside are more or less the same and both values are high.

The experiment was repeated with gas injection into the source material. The measurement showed that in the center the porosity is 74.1%, and near the outer edge - 73.4%. These data show that the mixture has a light, homogeneous structure that dissolves easily due to the fact that the porosity values inside and outside are more or less the same and both values are higher.

Example 11

In this example, the benefits of using coffee containing both entrained gas and finely ground roasted coffee as a starting material are studied.

The use of a spray-dried powder (with a spherical structure) prepared with gas injection showed better solubility compared to lumps obtained with spray-dried powders without gas injection. Gas-injected powders contributed more pore volume to the lump (both internal particle volume and free volume between particles) compared to the equivalent obtained without gas injection, in which free volumes predominated.

In addition, the addition of micro-milled coffee as described herein has been found to provide additional structural integrity to spray-dried spherical particles compared to non-micro-milled particles.

The following prototypes have been analyzed:

Spray dried coffee + Average dissolution time (in seconds) 10% micro grinding* without gas injection (P2) 33 ± 0.7 seconds 10% micro grinding* with gas injection (P1) 28 ± 0.4 seconds

*finely ground roasted coffee with a particle size of less than 60 microns.

When compacting powders to form lumps, prototype P1 retains a greater degree of spherical structure due to its increased structural integrity and therefore has a larger free pore volume between the particles, which facilitates the penetration of water. The lumps obtained using P2 showed a more deformed spherical structure and therefore had a reduced free volume and hence reduced water permeability and increased dissolution time. P1 and P2 are shown in Fig. 3A and 3B, respectively.

In this regard, it is particularly preferred that at least one of the ingredients in the instant drink mixture is instant coffee containing both of the trapped gas in its pores and the finely ground roasted coffee.

As shown in the examples, there are a number of advantages associated with the techniques used herein, in particular:

Particle fusion using dielectric heating technology provides shorter heating times to achieve the Tg of powders. Compared to conventional heating, dielectric heating has its own advantages because particles can be more likely to be heated by volume rather than by conduction, convection, or radiation. In conventional methods, heat penetrates from the outside of the mould, then to the surface of the coffee powder samples and into the center of the samples, thus causing the surface of the sample to burn to ensure that it reaches its desired glass transition temperature at the center of the sample. In contrast, bulk heating heats the water molecules inside the sample, causing the sample to heat up evenly. Therefore, thermal damage to the product can be minimized while retaining volatile flavors within the product.

Loading the powder into an RF-permeable solid form that can be heated in dielectric fields, such as PVDF, avoids the need for blisters required to contain the product. Once the product has been molded, it can be removed from the mold and holds its shape independently.

Shaping powders by dielectric heating within a heated mold creates a "shell" or protective layer on the surface, thus increasing the hardness and friability of the resulting sample when demoulded. The protective layer also provides protection for the hygroscopic particles inside, therefore reducing the chance of particles "caking" inside the protective layer.

Due to the protective layer, the fused sample shows proper solubility (3.1 g of molded particles dissolved within 60 seconds) when in contact with water or milk at 70-100°C, because the particles inside the shell still retain their spherical structure, thus ensuring the possibility of water penetration through the shell. Since the particles inside the shell retain their porosity, the wettability of the sample is improved.

In particular, when using milk powders, the possibility of Maillard reactions occurring during processing can be limited due to the low temperature and short exposure time.

Examples without RF heating of beverage ingredients

Form. The mold material can be constructed from any material and any shape. The materials include, without limitation, polymers and metals that have high heat capacities, high hardness to hold their shape under compressive forces, and must withstand the temperatures used without significant expansion and change in their shape. The capacity of the mixing cavity can be 0.5-20 g of powder to prepare one serving of instant drink.

Mold heating. Any method of heating can be used to preheat the mold, allowing the temperature of either the entire mold to be raised or only the area of the surface in contact with the product to be raised. This method includes, without limitation, conventional furnace, dielectric heating, infrared (IR), and contact heating through heated plungers.

Submitted material. The feed material may include soluble as well as insoluble ingredients. The feed material may be a mixture of beverage ingredients or various spray-dried ingredients into a single powder. The amount used can be calculated for one or multiple packages of mixtures of 0.5-20 g. Powders are characterized by particle size X99 200-1000 µm, density 200-1000 g/l, moisture content up to 7% and GTVV from 10 to 65% .

Powder heating. The powder should be heated without significant loss of moisture. This heating includes, without limitation, dielectric heating, either conventional closed system heating or a conditioned fluid bed dryer.

Dissolution test. The instant drink mixture was placed in a cup, 200 ml of water heated at 85°C was added. The mixture was continuously stirred with a teaspoon until complete dissolution was observed. The time from bringing the water into contact with the mixture until complete dissolution was measured with a stopwatch.

Hardness test. Hounsfield equipment H25KS-0231 with a load range of 250 N was used for hardness testing. The instant drink mixture was placed under the platen. The plate is lowered at a speed of 2 mm/min.

Computed X-ray microtomography and analysis of 3D images. X-ray tomography scans were performed using a 1172 Skyscan computed microtomograph (CMT) (Bruker) with a 50 kV, 200 µA X-ray beam. Coffee clods were placed on a brass stage (SP-1104, 65 mm diameter base) and the height was adjusted to provide the optimum field of view for each clump. To capture an image with a pixel size of 6.5 μm, the camera was set to a resolution of 4000 x 2096 pixels and placed in a close position. The exposure time used was 1767 ms. Scanning was performed within 180°, the rotation step was 0.3°; the interframe average was 4 and the random deviation was 5.

Example 12. Coffee

The PVDF mold was heated with RF radiation at a power of 400 W until its base temperature reached 110 °C and its cover temperature reached 120 °C. At this point, the application of RF radiation was stopped. Each of the six mold cavities was loaded with 2 g of spray-dried (RS) coffee (100% Robusta) with a moisture content of 7.5%. The coffee was compacted to 67% of its original volume within 60 seconds followed by a demoulding step. The total residence time of the powder in the mold was approximately 70 seconds.

Dissolution with water at 85°C took about 54 seconds, and the lump had a breaking force (hardness) of about 50 N.

Example 13. Coffee

The PVDF mold was heated with RF radiation at 400 W to reach a base temperature of 100°C and a lid temperature of 120°C. Spray-dried coffee (100% Arabica) with 7.5% DM was heated in a closed silicone mold with HF radiation at 200 W for 200 s to approximately 55°C. At this point, the application of RF radiation was stopped. Each of the six mold cavities was loaded with 2 g of preheated coffee. The coffee was compacted to 50% of its original volume for 120 seconds followed by a demoulding step. The total time the powder was in the mold was approximately 130 seconds.

Dissolution with water at 85°C took about 27 seconds and the lump had a breaking force (hardness) of about 81 N.

Example 14. Chocolate

The PVDF mold was heated with RF radiation at a power of 400 W until reaching 110 °C. At this point, the application of RF radiation was stopped. 15 g of hot chocolate powder was loaded into a heated single cavity. A load of 420 kPa was applied to the chocolate powder for 60 seconds, followed by a demoulding step. The total residence time of the powder in the mold was approximately 70 seconds.

Dissolution with water at 85°C took about 40 seconds, and the lump had a breaking force (hardness) of about 525 N.

Example 15. Chocolate

The PVDF mold was heated by RF radiation at a power of 400 W until a temperature of 60 °C was reached. The hot chocolate powder was heat treated in a closed polypropylene (PP) cup with 200 W of RF radiation to approximately 60°C. At this point, the application of RF radiation was stopped. 15 g of pretreated chocolate powder was loaded into a heated one-place mold cavity. A load of 420 kPa was applied to the chocolate powder for 60 seconds, followed by a demoulding step. The total residence time of the powder in the mold was approximately 70 seconds.

Dissolution with water at 85 °C took about 40 seconds, and the lump had a breaking force (hardness) of about 290 N.

Comparative test compared to tablet document WO2013001052

RF heating Without HF heating WO2013001052 Density of soluble powder ingredient (g/cm ³ ) 0.2–0.5 (0.5–1.0) 0.2–0.5 (0.5–1.0) no data (n/a) Volume reduction (%) 20%~80%/
10%~50% 30%~60%/10%~50% no data (n/a) Density of instant drink mixtures (g/cm ³ ) 0.25–2.5 (0.71–1.67) 0.29–1.0 (0.71–1.67) 0.4–0.8 Finished product porosity (%) 30–60 (no rind) 5–60 (no rind) Core: ~56
External: ~ 0 (assumption due to the humidification stage) Protective peel No No Yes Mixture structure Homogeneous unstable Always more than two layers (outer layer is not porous/less porous than the core) Uniformity
(change in porosity over the entire thickness of the mixture layer) +/- 2 +/- 20 +/- 25 Dissolution time (s) < 100 < 100 10–80 Breaking force (N) > 10 > 10 < 10

Uniformity is a measure of the change in the porosity of the mixture obtained from measurements in the volume of the beverage mixture along the cross-sectional line. Porosity can be determined using any conventional method such as evaluation of microscopic images taken through a cross section.

Additional tests were performed as summarized in the following table. The sample numbers do not match the earlier examples above.

Process Units Quality Satisfactory ranges Dissolution time seconds Good at low value Below 100 Breaking force H Good at high value Above 10 General quality good/no It is good if the dissolution time and breaking force are in the preferred range Porosity 20~60 Process Units Quality Method of invention Submissions coffee with insoluble additive Process HF + low compaction Ranges (seal - intermediate bar) 0 sample number one 2 3 4 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 21 fifty 60 74 Breaking force H Good at high value 27.1 29.1 60.8 88.6 General quality good/no good good good good Porosity Good at high value 48.1 44.2~47.9 37.5 21.9~38.7 Process Units Method of invention Submissions coffee with insoluble additive Process HF + low compaction Ranges (seal - intermediate bar) 0 sample number five 6 7 eight Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 52 76 90~108 185 Breaking force H Good at high value 8.6 11.2 fifteen 41.8 General quality good/no No good good No Porosity Good at high value 54.4 47.8 49.8 fifty Process Units Prior art method (high compaction) Submissions coffee without insoluble additive Process High seal Value ranges (seal) KN 1.5 2 3 4 sample number nine 10 eleven 12 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 115 180 230 330 Breaking force H Good at high value 183 367 450 818 General quality good/no No No No No Porosity Good at high value 23.6 22.2 19.3 14.2 Units Prior art method (high compaction) Submissions coffee without insoluble additive Process High seal Value ranges (seal) KN 1.5 2 3 4 sample number 13 fourteen fifteen 16 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 243 338 373 440 Breaking force H Good at high value 271 336 446 1159 General quality good/no No No No No Porosity Good at high value 20.4 18.9 - 4.4 Units Prior art method (a)/WO2013001052 Submissions coffee without insoluble additive Process Hydration + High Seal Value ranges (seal) KN 1.5 sample number 17 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 40 Breaking force H Good at high value 7 General quality good/no No Porosity Good at high value 30.5

Process Units Quality Satisfactory ranges Dissolution time seconds Good at low value Below 100 Breaking force H Good at high value Above 10 General quality good/no It is good if the dissolution time and breaking force are in the preferred range Porosity 20~60 Process Units Quality Method of invention Submissions coffee with insoluble additive Process HF + low compaction Ranges (seal - intermediate bar) 0 sample number one 2 3 4 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 21 fifty 60 74 Breaking force H Good at high value 27.1 29.1 60.8 88.6 General quality good/no good good good good Porosity Good at high value 48.1 44.2~47.9 37.5 21.9~38.7 Process Units Method of invention Submissions coffee with insoluble additive Process HF + low compaction Ranges (seal - intermediate bar) 0 sample number five 6 7 eight Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 52 76 90~108 185 Breaking force H Good at high value 8.6 11.2 fifteen 41.8 General quality Good/No No good good No Porosity Good at high value 54.4 47.8 49.8 fifty Process Units Prior art method (high compaction) Submissions coffee without insoluble additive Process High seal Value ranges (seal) KN 1.5 2 3 4 sample number nine 10 eleven 12 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 115 180 230 330 Breaking force H Good at high value 183 367 450 818 General quality Good/No No No No No Porosity Good at high value 23.6 22.2 19.3 14.2 Units Prior art method (high compaction) Submissions coffee without insoluble additive Process High seal Value ranges (seal) KN 1.5 2 3 4 sample number 13 fourteen fifteen 16 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 243 338 373 440 Breaking force H Good at high value 271 336 446 1159 General quality Good/No No No No No Porosity Good at high value 20.4 18.9 - 4.4 Units Prior art method (a)/WO2013001052 Submissions coffee without insoluble additive Process Hydration + High Seal Value ranges (seal) KN 1.5 sample number 17 Dissolution time seconds Good at low value 40 Breaking force H Good at high value 7 General quality Good/No No Porosity Good at high value 30.5

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail herein, those skilled in the art should understand that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or the appended claims.

Claims (34)

1. A method for obtaining a mass of an instant drink, including: preparing one or more instant drink ingredients in powdered form, preparing a preheated mold having a mold cavity preheated to a surface temperature above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of one or more instant drink ingredients, loading one or more instant beverage ingredients into the mold cavity, and sealing one or more soluble beverage ingredients in the mold cavity to form a mass of soluble beverage, where the seal is provided by a preheated seal for the mold cavity, wherein the seal is preheated to a surface temperature exceeding the Tg of one or more instant beverage ingredients, wherein one or more instant drink ingredients are retained within the mold cavity for 15 to 120 seconds. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises applying high frequency (HF) radiation to heat the instant beverage ingredients in the mold cavity. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more instant beverage ingredients are preheated to a temperature of at least 30°C prior to being loaded into the mold cavity. 4. The method according to claim 1, in which the mass of the instant drink has a weight of 2 to 20 g. 5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the mold is preheated to a temperature in the range of 60 to 120°C. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the closure element is preheated to a temperature in the range of 60 to 120°C. 7. The method according to p. 1, in which one or more ingredients of the instant drink have a bulk density of from 0.2 to 0.5 g/cm ³ and the stage of compaction reduces the volume of the instant drink ingredients by 30-60% of the original volume; or wherein one or more instant drink ingredients have a bulk density greater than 0.5 to 1 g/cm ³ , and the compaction step reduces the volume of the instant drink ingredients by 10-50% of the original volume. 8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of compacting one or more instant drink ingredients, after the step of applying RF radiation to heat one or more instant drink ingredients, reduces the volume of the instant drink ingredients to 20-80% of their volume after preheating. 9. The method of claim 3, wherein one or more instant drink ingredients are retained within the mold cavity for 30 to 100 seconds. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more instant drink ingredients in powdered form are preheated to a temperature of at most 10°C, preferably at most 5°C, below the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the one or more instant drink ingredients. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more instant drink ingredients comprise instant coffee, creamer, milk powder, sugar, flavors, colors, foaming agent, cocoa or chocolate, or a mixture of two or more of these. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more instant drink ingredients comprise two or more ingredients, and wherein the instant drink ingredients form separate layers or separate portions within the mass. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more instant drink ingredients do not contain a binder. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold cavity has a contact surface for contact with one or more instant drink ingredients, and wherein the mold cavity contact surface is formed from a dielectric material and/or the mold contains a dielectric material and is provided with a lining or coating with the formation of a contact surface. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the dielectric material comprises polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or a polymer containing carbon black particles. 16. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of densifying one or more instant drink ingredients in the design cavity is performed after or in conjunction with application of RF radiation to heat the instant drink ingredients in the design cavity. 17. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising the step of densifying one or more instant beverage ingredients in the design cavity prior to applying RF radiation to heat the one or more instant drink ingredients in the design cavity. 18. The method according to paragraphs. 2, 16, 17, wherein during the step of applying RF radiation to heat one or more instant drink ingredients, RF heating is applied at a frequency of 27.12 MHz and/or for a period of 10 seconds to 1 minute, preferably for a period of 20 to 30 seconds. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step or steps of densifying one or more soluble beverage ingredients comprises applying a pressure of 0.1 to 10 MPa to the soluble beverage ingredients. 20. The method of claim 1 wherein the instant beverage ingredients are not subjected to RF heating in the mold cavity. 21. The method according to p. 1, in which one or more ingredients of the instant drink have a moisture content of from 0.1 to 6% wt., preferably from 2 to 5 wt%. 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold cavity closure provides the instant beverage body with a substantially flat surface, or a surface having a peripheral portion on which the body can be stably supported and a central depression defining a cavity within the body. 23. Mass of instant drink obtained by the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-22, containing one or more ingredients of an instant drink and having a weight of 2 to 20 g, and the mass of an instant drink has a density of from 0.25 to 1.7 g/cm ³ and a surface hardness characterized by a breaking force of at least 8 N . 24. The method of obtaining a drink, including bringing into contact a mass of instant drink according to claim 23 or obtained by the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-22 with an aqueous medium. 25. The system for the preparation of a drink, designed for the preparation of a coffee drink, containing means for supplying an aqueous medium of the drink to the mass of the instant drink according to claim 23 or obtained by the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-22 to dispense beverage from the system. 26. A device for making a mass of instant drink according to claim. 23 or obtained by the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-22 containing: a preheatable mold comprising a removable flexible inner cavity lining and a removable lid, the lid being sized and configured to be used in sealing material held within the inner cavity lining, and the mold and/or cavity lining comprising a dielectric material, and wherein the cap contains a dielectric material, and means for applying RF radiation to heat the mold and/or lining of the cavity and the lid and using them to heat the material held within the lining of the inner cavity.

Images