WO2022040720A1

WO2022040720A1 - Caffeinated botanical infusion beverage and method of making same

Info

Publication number: WO2022040720A1
Application number: PCT/AU2020/050901
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Kitchen; Wayne HAGE
Original assignee: Red Kangaroo Beverages Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2020-08-28
Filing date: 2020-08-28
Publication date: 2022-03-03
Also published as: AU2020465484A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of producing caffeinated botanical infusion beverage, the method comprising the steps of: extracting caffeine-containing botanicals, wherein the botanicals comprise: i.) guarana seed, ii.) yerba mate, iii.) green tea, and iv.) schisandra berries. The caffeine-containing botanical extract is cooled and then Korean red ginseng extract is combined with the cooled botanical extract to produce the caffeinated botanical infusion beverage of the invention. The beverage contains substantially no added caffeine, which is substantially completely derived from the caffeine-containing botanicals. The caffeinated botanical infusion beverage has a pleasant taste with little or no bitterness or astringency.

Description

CAFFEINATED BOTANICAL INFUSION BEVERAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a method of producing caffeinated botanical infusion beverages, and in particular to energy drink compositions and methods of making same. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a caffeinated botanical infusion beverage where the caffeine is entirely sourced from the botanicals, and the beverage has a pleasant taste and beneficial therapeutic effects. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following discussion of the prior art is provided to place the invention in an appropriate technical context and enable the advantages of it to be more fully understood. It should be appreciated, however, that any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should not be considered as an express or implied admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

With the ever-increasing pace of life in modern times, the general population is exposed to increasing mental and physical stress. A large number of products have been introduced that contain various ingredients aimed at helping counter one or more aspects of such stress. There are a very large number of ingredients available. Various combinations of such ingredients exhibit varying levels of efficacy based upon the relative concentrations as well as the interaction between the ingredients and the body's response to such combinations. Therefore, developing new combinations of ingredients is largely a matter of physical experimentation. The embodiments of the present disclosure provide new formulations of ingredients for human consumption to assist the mental and/or physical processes of the consumer, especially wellbeing, cognition and recovery.

Prior art beverages are formulated by providing vitamins and minerals that are simply mixed together in predetermined amounts, and then by diluting the composition such that the vitamins and minerals are in predetermined concentrations in the final beverage. Sometimes, various extracts are also included such that their concentrations in the final beverage are in predetermined amounts. However, due to the astringency and/or bitterness of these extracts, it is often necessary to reduce the amounts of these extracts, particularly to levels below a therapeutic amount thereby substantially losing the therapeutic benefits, in order to maintain the palatability of the beverage.

Sometimes, these therapeutic extracts are derived from botanical sources. However, there may be substantial issues associated with solubilising the various therapeutic compounds from such extracts, particularly if attempting to produce a beverage that includes therapeutic levels of such compounds. Additionally, it may be challenging to extract and solubilise sufficient amounts of such compounds from botanicals into a beverage. Moreover, it may be difficult to maintain the solubility of these compounds throughout the production process, including when subjecting the dissolved compounds to low temperature, carbonation, and extended storage. This is, in part, due to the typically poor aqueous solubility of many of these compounds. As such, significant effort is required to develop a method that addresses these process issues. Furthermore, many beverages include added caffeine, wherein the added caffeine may be derived synthetically or extracted from a natural source that is separate to any caffeine extracted from any botanicals used in these beverages. There has been an increasing general trend towards products which are more natural, with fewer synthetic ingredients as well as ingredients with minimal processing, even if an ingredient is naturally-derived. This is, in part, due to the increasing concerns about the highly processed nature and artificiality of many foods, particularly in the Western diet. There is research as well as increasing public awareness and perception that such highly-processed products or that products which comprise many artificial ingredients may be detrimental to health for a variety of reasons. However, synthetic ingredients remain valuable to manufacturers due to a number of reasons, including cost, convenience, as well as ingredient consistency, which is integral to the reliability of the manufacturing process. As such, there are substantial challenges in consistently producing a product that avoids one or more of the synthetic or highly-processed ingredients which are common to beverages in the prior art. There is also significant skill and effort required to develop a manufacturing process which is sufficiently robust to enable the use of natural ingredients over synthetic or highly- processed ingredients.

With regard to the use of synthetic or naturally-derived caffeine, it can be difficult to derive sufficient amounts of caffeine from botanicals without beginning to extract a number of undesired compounds, particularly for reasons of palatability. As such, manufacturers will often resort to the use of synthetic or naturally-derived caffeine to partially or completely provide the necessary amount of caffeine, particularly in energy drinks where both palatability and high caffeine content are important parameters. The extraction of caffeine from such botanicals also needs to be balanced with the extraction of therapeutic compounds from these botanicals. Manufacturers may also prefer to use added synthetic or naturally-derived caffeine, despite the extra cost involved, in light of the challenges associated with obtaining caffeine by infusing botanical sources. As such, there are substantial challenges in formulating a beverage-making process that extracts and maintains the therapeutic value of the botanicals selected, wherein the caffeine is derived substantially or wholly from said botanicals and wherein the beverage has a palatable or pleasant taste due to the carefully balanced selection of botanicals used.

An object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide to a botanical infusion beverage that is pleasant to taste and lacks the bitter and astringent notes that are typically associated with botanical infusion compositions.

It is a further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a botanical infusion beverage that is caffeinated, and whereby the caffeine is naturally derived from the botanicals that are extracted to produce the beverage, and such that no synthetic or naturally-derived caffeine is added to the beverage composition, whilst retaining the beverage’s pleasant taste.

It is an object of another preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a botanical infusion beverage having botanical extracts that are present not in trace amounts, but in therapeutically- effective amounts.

It is an object of a further preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a botanical infusion beverage that has zero sugar content. It is yet a further object of a further preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a botanical infusion beverage that is formulated such that it can be consumed every day.

It is yet a further object of a further preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide relatively insoluble botanicals and their bioactive components in a beverage in a soluble manner, whilst maintaining consistency and reliability of those bioactive botanical components.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides novel compositions for beverages that offer refreshment to the consumer combined with health benefits. In one exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a beverage composition includes selected herbs, vitamins and optionally minerals that are believed to impart the drinker a boost in energy and an overall enhanced feeling of well-being. The beverage of the invention is formulated from a specific selection of botanicals that are extracted to provide a refreshing and pleasant taste, and beneficial effects to the consumer. These botanicals are difficult to utilise in a beverage formulation as, not only are they generally unpleasant in taste, they are often inherently bitter and/or have an astringent taste, which is why they are usually sold in a capsule form to bypass the taste buds and olfactory senses.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing a caffeinated botanical infusion beverage, the method comprising the steps of: extracting caffeine-containing botanicals with hot-water, wherein said caffeine-containing botanicals comprise: i.) guarana seed, ii.) yerba mate, iii.) green tea, and iv.) schisandra berries, cooling the resulting botanical extract, and combining a Korean red ginseng extract with the cooled botanical extract to produce said caffeinated botanical infusion beverage, wherein the beverage contains substantially no added caffeine.

Preferably the extraction step is conducted at between about 75 to about 85 °C. In one preferred embodiment, the extraction step is conducted at between about 73 to about 78 °C, preferably 75 °C. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted at between about 77 to about 82 °C, preferably 79 °C. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted at between about 81 to about 85 °C, preferably 83°C. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted at between about 83 to about 85 °C, preferably 84 °C. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted at 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81 , 82, 83, 84, or 85 °C. Preferably the extraction step is conducted for between about 30 to about 90 minutes. In one preferred embodiment, the extraction step is conducted for between about 30 to about 40 minutes, preferably 35 minutes. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted for between about 40 to about 50 minutes, preferably 45 minutes. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted for between about 50 to about 60 minutes, preferably 55 minutes. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted for between about 60 to about 70 minutes, preferably 65 minutes. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted for between about 70 to about 80 minutes, preferably 75 minutes. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted for between about 80 to about 90 minutes, preferably 85 minutes. In another embodiment, the extraction step is conducted at 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 or 90 minutes.

Suitably one of more of the botanicals contain extractable caffeine.

Preferably the cooling step is conducted such that the cooled beverage is between about 20 to about 30 °C. In one preferred embodiment, the cooling step is conducted such that the cooled beverage is between about 18 to about 23 °C, preferably 20 °C. In another embodiment, the cooling step is conducted such that the cooled beverage is between about 22 to about 27 °C, preferably 24 °C. In another embodiment, the cooling step is conducted such that the cooled beverage is between about 26 to about 30 °C, preferably 28 °C. In another embodiment, the cooling step is conducted such that the cooled beverage is between about 28 to about 32 °C, preferably 30 °C. In another embodiment, the cooling step is conducted such that the cooled beverage is 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30°C.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a caffeinated botanical infusion beverage produced according to the method of the first aspect.

A method of producing a pleasant-tasting beverage has now been surprisingly discovered that includes extracting, solubilising and maintaining therapeutic levels of a selection of botanicals in carefully balanced predetermined amounts, and wherein the caffeine is substantially or completely derived from the botanicals, thereby also avoiding the need to purchase and add (and store) additional caffeine. Described below are the major components of the beverage of the invention. In particular, in a first step, the key ingredients comprising: guarana seed, yerba mate, green tea, and schisandra berries are extracted with hot water and the resulting extract cooled to approximately room temperature. In a second step, a Korean red ginseng extract is then combined with the cooled botanical extract to produce the caffeinated botanical infusion beverage of the invention. One or more of the key ingredients extracted in the first step contains caffeine, and wherein the resulting beverage contains substantially no added synthetic or added naturally-derived caffeine.

Guarana seed

Guarana is a concentrated source of caffeine, and consumption is believed to offer health benefits including stimulating the heart and central nervous system, enhancing alertness, and alleviating fatigue. It also has strong diuretic activity and reduces constriction of the bronchial airways, aiding the consumer to breathe more freely.

In one preferred embodiment, the guarana extract is present at concentrations of between 60 to 145 mg/100mL of the beverage of the invention. For example, at 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 1 10, 1 15, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, or 145 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 60 to 65, 65 to 70, 70 to 75, 75 to 80, 80 to 85, 85 to 90, 90 to 95, 95 to 100, 100 to 105, 105 to 1 10, 1 10 to 1 15, 1 15 to 120, 120 to 125, 125 to 130, 130 to 135, 135 to 140, or 140 to 145 mg/1 OOmL. Korean red ginseng

Ginseng is commonly used as an adaptogen, i.e. , it normalises physical functioning depending on what the individual needs (for example, it will lower high blood pressure, but raise low blood pressure). It is also used to reduce the effects of stress, improve performance, boost energy levels, enhance memory, and stimulate the immune system. Ginseng helps maintain body functions, and has been shown to increase energy, stamina, and help the body resist viral infections and environmental toxins.

The Panax (ginseng) genus belongs to the Araliaceae (ivy) family. Panax species are characterised by the presence of ginsenosides and gintonin. Panax is one of approximately 60 plant genera.

White and red ginseng refer to the way the ginseng root is processed. White ginseng is peeled and sun-dried. In contrast, red ginseng is not peeled and cured using steam, followed by drying. The resulting ginseng product has a reddish-brown colour. Korean red ginseng is derived from the same species of plant as Chinese ginseng or "white ginseng", which is a type of Panax ginseng. Refinements to the processing techniques by individual manufacturers serve to not only maximise the desirable components but limit undesirable elements, e.g., taste. These processes differentiate the Korean red ginseng from other Panax ginsengs, by not only eradicating harmful elements from the ginseng but also increasing the “useful” saponin content. These processes also extend the life and storage capacity of ginseng. Only the roots of the plant are used, rather than other parts. Even the ratio of the main root to the attached finer roots is controlled (75:25).

Ginsenosides or panaxosides are a class of natural product steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins. Compounds in this family are found almost exclusively in the plant genus Panax (ginseng). As a class, ginsenosides exhibit a large variety of subtle and difficult-to-characterise biological effects when studied in isolation. Ginsenosides can be isolated from various parts of the plant, though typically from the roots, and can be purified by column chromatography. The chemical profiles of Panax species are distinct; although Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng), has been most widely studied due to its use in traditional Chinese medicine, there are ginsenosides unique to American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Japanese ginseng (Panax japonicus). Ginsenoside content also varies significantly due to environmental effects.

During processing, chemical changes occur that modify the ginsenosides of the ginseng extract. The fresh unprocessed ginseng does not contain these compounds. Korean red ginseng extract also contains a significantly higher saponin level compared to all other ginseng products. In red ginseng production processing, ginsenosides must be denatured to the several converted ginsenosides. Reportedly, the conversions from each ginsenoside were estimated as follows: [Rg1 — >Rh1 — >Rh4, Rk3], [Re^Rg2^F4, Rg6], [Rf^Rg9, 20Z-Rg9, Rg10], and [Rb1 , Rc, Rb2, Rd^Rg3^Rg5, Rk1 , Rz1], These results explain that the contents of the converted ginsenosides such as Rg2, Rh1 , and Rg3 progressively increase, and the contents of the natural ginsenosides such as Rg1 , Re, Rb1 , Rc, and Rd progressively decrease in the heat-processed red ginseng production (see Characterization of Korean Red Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer): History, preparation method, and chemical composition, Sang Myung Lee, et al, 39(4) (J Ginseng Res. 2015). A typical ginseng extraction is undertaken with multi-stage extractions, but for the particular Korean red ginseng used in the beverage of the invention, the extraction is limited to the first stage or pass. Only the first 10% of the extraction contains 18 to 20 mg/g saponin concentration. The total extraction for other Korean red ginseng products is generally 8 to 10 mg/g because the concentration reduces throughout the remainder of process. Korean red ginseng is Panax ginseng that is steamed and then dried, which appears to change some of the bioactive compounds. A particular compound of interest found in relatively high abundance in red ginseng extracts, and having a high activity, is ginsenoside Rg2, a derivative of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol. In general, biotransformation of ginsenosides occurs in Panax ginseng when it becomes “red” from steaming and fermentation mimics colonic metabolism. Not too many unique products are formed, although some are, and many are metabolised to their bioactive forms, which may enhance the effects of Panax ginseng, or at least make them more reliable from one person to another.

Some unique products to Korean red ginseng that are not related to the ginsenosides include two Amadori rearrangement products common to the fermentation and steaming process. Fructose binding to the amino acid L-arginine or maltose binding to the same amino acid, may be bioactive.

Gintonin is a glycolipoprotein fraction isolated from ginseng. The non-saponin ingredient was designated as gintonin, where “gin” was derived from ginseng, “ton” from the tonic effects of ginseng, and “in” from protein. The main component of gintonin is a complex of lysophosphatidic acids (LPA) and ginseng proteins such as ginseng major latex-like proteinl 51 (GLP151 ) and ginseng ribonuclease- like storage protein.

Triterpenoid saponins are triterpenes which belong to the group of saponin compounds. Triterpene glycosides are the most common saponins in nature. Triterpenes are a type of terpene containing 30 carbon atoms. Triterpenes are assembled from a five-carbon isoprene unit through the cytosolic mevalonate pathway to make a thirty-carbon compound. Some triterpenes are steroidal in nature. Cholesterol, phytosterols and phytoecdysteroids are triterpenes. The triterpenes are subdivided into some 20 groups, depending on their structures. Some triterpenoid compounds are found as saponin glycosides which refers to the attachment of various sugar molecules to the triterpene unit. These sugars can be cleaved off in the gut by bacteria, sometimes allowing the aglycone (triterpene) to be absorbed into the bloodstream or to insert into cell membranes.

Saponin glycosides reduce surface tension of water with foaming and will break down lipids. Usually triterpene saponins are designated as such by the suffix ending -side, such as ginsenoside or astragaloside, named for the plant genera they were first discovered in. Some, such as the ginsenosides and eleutherosides are designated Rx where the suffix x = a, a1 , b2, is indicative of the relative position of the saponin spots from top to bottom of a thin layer chromatogram.

In particular, the Korean red ginseng component of the beverage of the invention is preferably selected so that the extract contains a high level of ginsenosides. Preferably, the minimum age of the Korean red ginseng roots used is 6 years and the processes used to manufacture the extract results in a high yield of ginsenosides. Even more preferably, the Korean red ginseng extract produces an extract of Rg1 , Rb1 , and Rg3 in a concentration of >17 mg/g from the first extraction only of the roots. Comparatively, the ginseng extracts used in the prior art do not provide the taste or other beneficial properties associated with the Korean red ginseng used in the beverage of the invention. For example, “Monster Zero”, as shown in Figure 1 , uses Panax ginseng that does not appear to be Korean red ginseng. In one embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains Korean red ginseng extract at concentrations of between about 10 to about 100 mg/100mL. For example, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 or 100 mg/100mL. For example, between about 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 25, 25 to 30, 30 to 35, 35 to 40, 40 to 45, 45 to 50, 50 to 55, 55 to 60, 60 to 65, 65 to 70, 70 to 75, 75 to 80, 80 to 85, 85 to 90, 90 to 95 or 95 to 100 mg/100mL. The standard dose of a typical ginseng (including through a beverage form) is around 200 mg/day, but most people can safely take up to 2700 mg through supplementation. Formulating the beverage of the invention to have around 100 mg/1 OOmL means that a consumer who is consuming two 250 mL cans/day will receive 500 mg/day.

In a preferred embodiment, the taste and flavour of the Korean red ginseng extract is vastly superior/highly palatable as a result of only using only a first extraction from the Korean red ginseng root.

Other ginsengs used in the prior art are not only less effective and less bioactive, but also much less palatable that the Korean red ginseng used in the present invention. This aspect means that the amount of ginseng used is self-limiting for taste and, specifically, bitterness. The ability to add more Korean red ginseng and provide a greater physiological benefit is very much dependant not only on the ginseng used, its ginsenoside content but also the how well is combines into the formulation in terms of taste. There are limitations on how much each component in the formulation can be varied without significantly altering the taste, and limitations on the degree to which the overall taste can mask, cover or overcome any undesired taste characteristics.

Unlike all other Korean red ginseng extracts evaluated, the preferred Korean red ginseng extract used in the preferred embodiment comprises a flavour that is quite palatable, whereas other ginsengs, including other Korean red ginsengs, are very bitter, which impacts on the product flavour. However, it has generally been found that the Korean red ginseng extract bitterness is linked to the ginsenoside content, meaning the higher the ginsenoside, the higher the bitterness. However, this may be a function of the number of extractions which have taken place, i.e., the higher the number of repeated extractions, the more ginsenosides extracted in addition to a higher number of bitter extractable compounds, which substantially affects the palatability. In the present invention, it was surprisingly found that a single extraction provided a pleasant-tasting extract that retained a high level of ginsenosides, that worked synergistically with the other botanical extracts to provide a highly palatable taste profile. Moreover, the free sugar (fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose) in the Korean red ginseng concentrate affects the bitterness. If the ginseng is harvested in around the summer period, it generally has more starch than free sugar (especially sucrose), resulting in more bitterness; if harvested in and around the winter period, then the opposite would occur; therefore less starch than free sugar (especially sucrose), and hence less bitterness. Preferably, the harvest season is selected to optimise the taste of the Korean red ginseng. Yerba Mate

Yerba mate is plant native to South America, where the leaves of the plant have been used in a traditional beverage known as “mate”. Yerba mate is rich in antioxidants and nutrients, particularly xanthines, caffeoyl derivatives, saponins, and polyphenols. Yerba mate also naturally contains caffeine. Yerba mate is used to boost energy in athletic performance and increase cognitive focus. It may also be used for weight loss, to lower blood sugar, boost immunity, amongst other uses.

In one embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains yerba mate extract at concentrations of between about 100 to about 350 mg/100mL. For example, 100, 1 10, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, or 350 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 100 to 105, 105 to 1 10, 1 10 to 1 15, 1 15 to 120, 120 to 125, 125 to 130, 130 to 135, 135 to 140, 140 to 145, 145 to 150, 150 to 155, 155 to 160, 160 to 165, 165 to 170, 170 to 175, 175 to 180, 180 to 185, 185 to 190, 190 to 195, 195 to 200, 200 to 205, 205 to 210, 210 to 215, 215 to 220, 220 to 225, 225 to 230, 230 to 235, 235 to 240, 240 to 245, 245 to 250, 250 to 255, 255 to 260, 260 to 265, 265 to 270, 270 to 275, 275 to 280, 280 to 285, 285 to 290, 290 to 295, 295 to 300, 300 to 305, 305 to 310, 310 to 315, 315 to 320, 320 to 325, 325 to 330, 330 to 335, 335 to 340, 340 to 345, or 345 to 350 mg/1 OOmL.

Schisandra

Schisandra is a plant native to parts of China and Russia. The berries are described as comprising five different tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, pungent, and sour, and are thereby also known as “five-flavour fruit” in Chinese. The berries of schisandra are used in traditional Chinese medicine as an adaptogen for increasing resistance to disease and stress as well as increasing mental performance. It may also provide benefits in Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease, and hepatitis.

In one embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains schisandra extract at concentrations of between about 40 to about 95 mg/1 OOmL. For example, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, or 95 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 40 to 45, 45 to 50, 50 to 55, 55 to 60, 60 to 65, 65 to 70, 70 to 75, 75 to 80, 80 to 85, 85 to 90, or 90 to 95 mg/1 OOmL.

Green Tea

Green tea is a produced from dried leaves and buds of Camellia sinensis. It is used to improve mental alertness and may be beneficial in lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, amongst other uses. Green tea naturally contains caffeine as well as an array of polyphenols and other compounds.

In one embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains green tea extract at concentrations of between about 20 to about 60 mg/1 OOmL. For example, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 20 to 25, 25 to 30, 30 to 35, 35 to 40, 40 to 45, 45 to 50, 50 to 55, or 55 to 60 mg/1 OOmL

Caffeine

Caffeine is known to be useful as a cardiac stimulant and also as a mild diuretic that increases urine production. Of course, caffeine is well known as a mental stimulant, due to its affinity for binding to the adenosine receptors in nerve cells. Preferably, the caffeinated botanical infusion beverage contains naturally-derived caffeine at a concentration of no more than 32 mg/100mL to comply with the relevant Australian regulations. Preferably, the caffeinated botanical infusion beverage contains naturally-derived caffeine at a concentration of no less than 14.5 mg/100mL to comply with the relevant Australian regulations. It will be appreciated that in the present disclosure, the Applicant is referring to a caffeinated botanical infusion beverage, however, this may be alternatively considered in the marketplace as a formulated sport food. Similar regulations apply in other jurisdictions, and it is extremely important to comply with these regulations under penalty of fines issued by the relevant government bodies regulating foods and drugs, e.g., Food Standards Australia New Zealand or the Food and Drug Administration (USA). Preferably, the caffeine in the botanical infusion beverage is inherently derived from the botanicals, such that the beverage contains no added synthetic or added naturally-derived caffeine. For example, the caffeine in the composition may be provided entirely by the guarana in the composition, but may be provided entirely by the combination of initial botanical ingredients that contain extractable caffeine.

In one embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains caffeine at concentrations of between about 16 to about 32 mg/1 OOmL. For example, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, or 32 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 16 to 18, 18 to 20, 20 to 22, 22 to 24, 24 to 26, 26 to 28, 28 to 30, or 30 to 32 mg/1 OOmL. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains added caffeine at no more than 1 % of the quantity derived from the initial botanical ingredients used in the beverage preparation.

Damiana leaf

In a further exemplary embodiment, the composition of the invention may include damiana extract. Damiana is a plant that has been traditionally used as an aphrodisiac and physical tonic. Damiana naturally contains caffeine, quercetin, apigenin, amongst other compounds. Damiana has also been used as an anxiolytic, may offer some protection against stomach ulcers (alcohol-induced), may help with headaches, may help boost and maintain mental stamina, and may help boost and maintain physical stamina.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains damiana extract at concentrations of between about 0 to about 80 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, or 80 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 25, 25 to 30, 30 to 35, 35 to 40, 40 to 45, 45 to 50, 50 to 55, 55 to 60, 60 to 65, 65 to 70, 70 to 75, or 75 to 80 mg/100 mL.

In one embodiment, damiana extract is added to the beverage of the invention after the initial infusion process. In an alternative embodiment, damiana extract is added to the initial botanical preparation that is extracted.

Saponins

Saponins are a group of glycosides found in a variety of plant species, including Korean red ginseng (in the form of ginsenosides) and yerba mate, as used in the present invention. A number of saponins feature in a variety of traditional medicines and saponins have also been the focus of pharmacological research due their interesting biological properties. A characteristic feature of saponins is their amphipathic nature, due to the combination of a hydrophilic polyphenolic moiety and a hydrophobic triterpene moiety. As such, saponins may exhibit soap-like properties in solutions, including foaming. This can lead to challenges in handling, processing and manufacturing solutions which contain relatively high levels of saponins.

One issue uncovered during production related to foaming, which is exacerbated when carbonating the beverage. It was found that the beverage of the invention tends to produce far more foam than typical carbonated beverages. This is likely due to the effect of the saponins on surface tension. The propensity to foam renders the product unstable on typical carbonated beverage filling machines. For example, the rapid decrease in pressure as a can is removed from each filling valve on the filling bowl is enough to cause the product to spontaneously foam. This rapid reduction in pressure is akin to opening a can of product. The foam can “flood” out of the can and causes loss of product before the can end seaming operation, and results in underfilled cans that will be rejected further down the production line.

It is desirable to flush the air out of headspace in the can before the can end is seamed on. This can be done between the filler and seamer (by very gentle decarbonation) or at the seamer with “under cover gassing”. A typical limit for headspace air is less than 2 mL per can.

Because the beverage of the invention is preferably a carbonated product, the pressure in the headspace of the can is proportional to temperature. Air is not soluble in the carbonated product so the total pressure in the headspace is a combination of the carbon dioxide and the air. Should the design limits of the can (for pressure) be exceeded at high ambient temperatures (>35 °C), this may cause the can to fail. Air, particularly oxygen, can also impact on the shelf life of the product.

Because of the inherent issues with the preferred embodiment of the invention, processing requires substantial optimisation.

Preferably, any step that causes decarbonation in the product needs to be avoided as particulates in the product will act as nuclei to cause spontaneous decarbonation.

Other botanicals

The beverage of the invention may further comprise extracts from other botanicals, such as, Davidson plum, Yohimbine, Centella asiatica, ashwagandha, epimedium, Scutellaria baicalensis, Silybum, Salix alba and Rhodiola rosea.

Davidson plum

Davidson plum refers to a number of Australian native tree species which bear edible sour fruit. The fruit are a form of Australian bushfood.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains Davidson plum extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 5000 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, 2000, 2200, 2400, 2600, 2800, 3000, 3200, 3400, 3600, 3800, 4000, 4200, 4400, 4600, 4800 or 5000 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 200, 200 to 400, 400 to 600, 600 to 800, 800 to 1000, 1000 to 1200, 1200 to 1400, 1400 to 1600, 1600 to 1800, 1800 to 2000, 2000 to 2200, 2200 to 2400, 2400 to 2600, 2600 to 2800, 2800 to 3000, 3000 to 3200, 3200 to 3400, 3400 to 3600, 3600 to 3800, 3800 to 4000, 4000 to 4200, 4200 to 4400, 4400 to 4600, 4600 to 4800 or 4800 to 5000 mg/100 mL. Yohimbine

Yohimbine is an alkaloid derived from the bark of the African tree Pausinystalia johimbe. It may be used as a fat-burning compound, primarily used to lose fat during short term fasting. Yohimbine may also be used as an aphrodisiac and can aid erectile dysfunction. It can also act as a general stimulant. Yohimbine works by increasing adrenaline levels in the body, as well as inhibiting a regulatory process in fat cells, which normally suppresses fat burning.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains Yohimbine extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 30 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 or 30 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 6, 6 to 8, 8 to 10, 10 to 12, 12 to 14, 14 to 16, 16 to 18, 18 to 20, 20 to 22, 22 to 24, 24 to 26, 26 to 28 or 28 to 30 mg/100 mL.

Centella asiatica

Centella asiatica is used as a food and medicinal herb, particularly in India. Centella asiatica may be used as a cognitive enhancer, may help boost learning and may benefit cardiovascular health. It may also be used as an anti-anxiety agent, benefit chronic venous insufficiency, improve microcirculation, increase alertness, improve attention, increase a sense of calmness, improve a sense of contentment, improve reaction time and help reduce a sense of stress. Centella asiatica also contains quercetin, may have anti-oxidant effects and its anti-oxidant effects are may be highly synergistic with vitamin E. Centella asiatica also appears to have pain killing properties, may protect against stomach ulcers and may assist the healing of scars, and stretch marks on skin.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains Centella asiatica extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 500 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320, 340, 360, 380, 400, 420, 440, 460, 480 or 500 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 20, 20 to 40, 40 to 60, 60 to 80, 80 to 100, 100 to 120, 120 to 140, 140 to 160, 160 to 180, 180 to 200, 200 to 220, 220 to 240, 240 to 260, 260 to 280, 280 to 300, 300 to 320, 320 to 340, 340 to 360, 360 to 380, 380 to 400, 400 to 420, 420 to 440, 440 to 460, 460 to 480, 480 to 500 mg/100 mL.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is used as a medicinal herb, particularly in India. It may provide neuroprotection, enhance virility and provide an anti-anxiety effect. Preliminary evidence suggests potent anxiolytic effects in the context of chronic stress, with lesser potency in standard forms of anxiety not related to stress. Ashwagandha can improve physical performance, may help reduce LDL, may help improve the formation of memories, may help reduce immunosuppression and may help fight stress and fatigue. Ashwagandha appears to significantly reduce the symptoms of stress and its comorbidities (fatigue, temporary cognitive impairment, etc.) as well as biomarkers such as cortisol. Ashwagandha can improve anaerobic running capacity, may help improve aerobic exercise, may help reduce blood glucose level, may help reduce blood pressure, may help reduce depression, may help reduce perceptions of fatigue, may help increase HDL-C, may help lower heart rate, may help improve motivation, may improve power output, may help improve social functioning, may improve subjective well-being and may help increase VC max. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains ashwagandha extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 200 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 1 10, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190 or 200 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 10, 10 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, 100 to 1 10, 110 to 120, 120 to 130, 130 to 140, 140 to 150, 150 to 160, 160 to 170, 170 to 180, 180 to 190 or 190 to 200 mg/100 mL.

Epimedium

Epimedium, also known as horny goat weed, is used as a dietary supplement. Epimedium contains icariin which, like Viagra, is a potent PDE5 inhibitor. Epimedium contains quercetin, may improve sexual function, appears to be a potent pro-erectile agent, may have antioxidant benefits, may help as an antidepressant, may be neuroprotective, may act as an aphrodisiac in both sexes, may improve libido, may improve cognition, may increase testosterone in males and oestrogen in females, may help protect against aging, may help involuntary ejaculation and might help reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women.

For women, epimedium may increase sex drive/female libido, improve orgasms, provide greater strength and stamina for both sporting activities and day-to-day life, improve bone health; reducing the possible onset of osteoporosis and provide healthy mental balance, in terms of relief from stress and/or depression.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains epimedium extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 500 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320, 340, 360, 380, 400, 420, 440, 460, 480 or 500 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 20, 20 to 40, 40 to 60, 60 to 80, 80 to 100, 100 to 120, 120 to 140, 140 to 160, 160 to 180, 180 to 200, 200 to 220, 220 to 240, 240 to 260, 260 to 280, 280 to 300, 300 to 320, 320 to 340, 340 to 360, 360 to 380, 380 to 400, 400 to 420, 420 to 440, 440 to 460, 460 to 480, 480 to 500 mg/100 mL.

Scutellaria baicalensis

Scutellaria baicalensis, also known as Chinese skullcap is traditionally used in Chinese medicine. Scutellaria baicalensis may modulate inflammation, act as an anxiolytic, act as an antidepressant, may provide neuroprotecton, may help cognition, may have anti-amnesiac effects, may have attention-promoting properties due to its inhibition of the dopamine transporter, a mechanism similar to methylphenidate (ritalin), may help lower lipids, may have anti-diabetic properties and may help with fat burning.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains Scutellaria baicalensis extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 200 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 1 10, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190 or 200 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 10, 10 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, 100 to 1 10, 1 10 to 120, 120 to 130, 130 to 140, 140 to 150, 150 to 160, 160 to 170, 170 to 180, 180 to 190 or 190 to 200 mg/100 mL. Silybum

Silybum, or milk thistle, has been used as a traditional medicine. It contains silymarin, may act as an antioxidant, has liver-protective and regenerative properties, may help diminish hangovers, may help with depression, contains quercetin, apigenin and vitamin E, may have anti-obesity effects and may increase the rate of protein synthesis in liver cells and encourage subsequent repair after injury to the cells.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains silybum extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 20 g/100 mL. For example, 0, 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 g/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 1 , 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 5, 5 to 6, 6 to 7, 7 to 8, 8 to 9, 9 to 10, 10 to 1 1 , 1 1 to 12, 12 to 13, 13 to 14, 14 to 15, 15 to 16, 16 to 17, 17 to 18, 18 to 19 or 19 to 20 g/100 mL.

Salix alba

Salix alba, also known as willow bark, has been used as a traditional medicine. Salix alba is known to contain salicin, a precursor to salicylic acid, i.e., aspirin. Salix alba may be used for pain, including headache, muscle pain, menstrual cramps, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, and a disease of the spine called ankylosing spondylitis.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains Salix alba extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 50 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 or 50 mg/100 mL. For example, between about O to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 6, 6 to 8, 8 to 10, 10 to 12, 12 to 14, 14 to 16, 16 to 18, 18 to 20, 20 to 22, 22 to 24, 24 to 26, 26 to 28, 28 to 30, 30 to 32, 32 to 34, 34 to 36, 36 to 38, 38 to 40, 40 to 42, 42 to 44, 44 to 46, 46 to 48 or 48 to 50 mg/100 mL.

Rhodiola rosea

Rhodiola rosea is a plant that grows in Arctic areas and has been used as a traditional medicine as it may be useful in treating anxiety, depression and altitude sickness. Rhodiola rosea may also decrease fatigue, enhance physical performance, improve cognition and improve subjective well-being. Rhodiola rosea has been used for centuries to cope with the cold Siberian climate and stressful life. It has has a long history of use as a medicinal plant in Iceland, Sweden, France, Russia, and Greece. Rhodiola rosea may supports the heart during emotional and physical stress, supports C-reactive protein and creatinine kinase, provide positive effects on the central nervous system. Moreover, the antioxidant effects of Rhodiola rosea may help protect the nervous system from the effects of free radicals. Rhodiola rosea may also be neuroprotective, may help promote longevity, may have a psychostimulatory effect, may have mechanisms to reduce carbohydrate absorption and may be able to attenuate the rate of bone loss via antioxidative effects. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains Rhodiola rosea extract at a concentration of between about 0 to about 400 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, or 400 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0 to 25, 25 to 50, 50 to 75, 75 to 100, 100 to 125, 125 to 150, 150 to 175, 175 to 200, 200 to 225, 225 to 250, 250 to 275, 275 to 300, 300 to 325, 325 to 350, 350 to 375, or 375 to 400 mg/100 mL. Taurine

Taurine is an amino acid that functions in electrically active tissues such as the brain and heart help stabilize cell membranes. It also has functions in the gallbladder, eyes, and blood vessels and is believed to possess antioxidant and detoxifying activity. Taurine aids the movement of potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium in and out of cells and thus helps generate nerve impulses. Taurine is also an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and it functions as a mild sedative in the brain.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains taurine at a concentration of between about 0 to about 400 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, or 400 mg/100 mL. For example, between 0 to 25, 25 to 50, 50 to 75, 75 to 100, 100 to 125, 125 to 150, 150 to 175, 175 to 200, 200 to 225, 225 to 250, 250 to 275, 275 to 300, 300 to 325, 325 to 350, 350 to 375, or 375 to 400 mg/100 mL.

Sweeteners/sugar

The very bitter and astringent taste of many of the botanicals used in the beverage of the inventive is the reason that they are usually sold as supplements in capsule or tablet form. This is particularly the case when the concentrations of the active components in the botanical extracts are used in relatively high concentrations, such as those used in the present invention, rather than just “token” quantities for marketing purposes, as is typical of many beverages currently on the market as shown in Figure 1 .

Surprisingly, in the beverage of the invention, these bitter and astringent notes do not compromise the overall flavour of the product. In fact, the flavour system successfully integrates all of the component flavours, rendering the product virtually free of excessive bitterness and astringency. It is believed that a unique combination of flavours from the main ingredients has been discovered that has an overall pleasant taste, whereby any flavours that are unpleasant are masked or are overwhelmed by those that have a pleasant flavour, and the pleasant flavours work synergistically to deliver an overall positive taste experience. Additionally, sweeteners have been added which further reinforce the pleasant flavours, as described below.

In one embodiment, the composition may contain sweeteners. Preferred sweeteners for use in the present invention are sugars and sugar alcohols such as sucrose, fructose, glucose, galactose, dextrose, maltose, lactose, high fructose corn syrup solids, invert sugar, sugar alcohols, including sorbitol, as well as mixtures of these sugars and sugar alcohols. In order to deliver lower levels of solids per dosage, it may be preferred to use a higher intensity sweetener with the sugar or sugar alcohol. These higher intensity sweeteners include saccharin, cyclamates, acesulfame K, L-aspartyl-L- phenylalanine lower alkyl ester sweeteners (e.g., aspartame); L-aspartyl-D-alanine amides; L-aspartyl- D-serine amides; L-aspartyl-L-1 -hydroxyrnethylalkaneamide sweeteners; L-aspartyl-1 - hydroxyethyalkaneamide sweeteners; and L-aspartyl-D-phenylglycine ester and amide sweeteners. Further sweeteners contemplated for use with the compositions disclosed herein include sweeteners derived from stevia, sweeteners derived from momordica grosvenorii, and sweeteners derived from mogrosides. A particularly preferred sweetener system is a combination of sucralose with acesulfame K and corn syrup solids. In one particularly preferred embodiment, it was found that sugar can be used to sweeten the beverage of the invention. In another embodiment, which is sugar-free, stevia/stevioside and xylose/xylitol may be used in combination with acesulphame K and sucralose, which was found to be complementary to the overall blend. The different sweetness profiles of these ingredients work together to simulate sugar, and to balance against any unpleasant flavours resulting from the botanicals. Consequently, the sugar-free sweetening system used manages to be relatively clean-tasting and almost free of the characteristic aftertastes associated with intense sweeteners. In this embodiment, it was found that a very high purity grade of stevioside (99.5% minimum) worked best within the overall sweetening system.

What was found in the development process was that there appeared to be some symbiosis between xylitol and the stevioside used, similar to that noticed with the sugar and stevioside tasting solutions that were also prepared as part of the development program. The overall sweetness level and impact were enhanced with the combination, so that the mix was sweeter than the equivalent individual xylitol and stevioside concentrations. This was beneficial to the overall taste because the stevioside did exhibit some characteristic lingering effects on the palate. The lower dose, as a result of the symbiotic effect, provided an opportunity to lower its concentration and provide a cleaner taste.

Because the sweetness on-set and lingering profile of xylitol/stevioside was found to be different to that of sugar, various intense sweeteners were trialled with the xylitol/stevioside system to mimic the sweetness effects and profile of sugar itself. By using a blend of acesulphame K and sucralose, the sweetness profile obtained was closer to that of sugar alone. The additional sweetness provided by the low-level use of the intense sweeteners acesulphame K and sucralose meant that the level of stevioside could be reduced, whilst keeping the levels of the individual intense sweeteners low enough to minimise their own off-tastes. This also serves to reduce the overall cost of the sweetener system. When replacing sugar with intense sweeteners there can be a reduction in mouthfeel, and so a small amount of thickener is generally added to compensate. Xanthan gum, because of its acid resistance and useful rheological properties, was added to the present composition to provide this mouthfeel.

In some preferred embodiments, the beverage of the invention comprises no added sugar, and instead is substantially sweetened by using one or more sweeteners selected from the group consisting of: synthetic sweeteners (e.g., acesulphame K, sucralose, aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin), or natural sweeteners (e.g., stevia, monk fruit), or polyols or sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, isomalt, erythritol). In one preferred embodiment, the sweeteners include acesulphame K and sucralose. In other embodiments, the sweeteners include Almendra Steviose® and xylitol.

In other preferred embodiments, the beverage of the invention comprises no added sugar, and instead, the sweeteners are substantially naturally-derived, substantially without the use of artificial or synthetic sweetening agents.

Micronutrients

In a further exemplary embodiment, the composition may comprise one or more of the following: zinc, magnesium, calcium, vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, B vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyrodixine, and cyanocobalamin. The B-complex vitamins are also water-soluble vitamins that aid the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose to provide energy for the body, the breakdown of fats and proteins to aid the normal functioning of the nervous system, and muscle tone in the stomach and intestinal tract. Particular forms of B vitamins in the composition may include D-Calcium pantothenate, niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and thiamine mononitrate.

Preferred vitamins are: vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).

B1 (thiamine) is necessary for carbohydrate and energy metabolism, normal neurological, cardiac and psychological function. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains B1 at a concentration of between about 0.05 mg/1 OOmL to about 0.5 mg/100L, more preferably at about 0.23 mg/100 mL. For example, 0.05, 0.1 , 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45 or 0.5 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0.05 to 0.1 , 0.1 to 0.15, 0.15 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.25, 0.25 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.35, 0.35 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.45 or 0.45 to 0.5 mg/100 mL.

B2 (riboflavin) contributes to normal energy release from food, normal iron transport, metabolism and protection of cells to oxidative stress. B2 is important for normal functioning and health of the nervous system, vision, skin and mucous membranes. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains B2 at a concentration of between about 0.05 mg/1 OOmL to about 0.5 mg/1 OOmL, more preferably at about 0.24 mg/100 mL. For example, 0.05, 0.1 , 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45 or 0.5 mg/100 mL. For example, between about 0.05 to 0.1 , 0.1 to 0.15, 0.15 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.25, 0.25 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.35, 0.35 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.45 or 0.45 to 0.5 mg/100 mL.

B3 (niacin) is required for normal neurological function and energy release from food. B3 is necessary for normal structure and function of skin and mucous membranes, and contributes to a reduction in tiredness and fatigue. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains B3, preferably as niacinamide, to give B3 dosage at a concentration of between about 1 mg/1 OOmL to about 5 mg/1 OOmL, more preferably at about 3 mg/100 mL. For example, 1 , 1 .4, 1 .8, 2.2, 2.6, 3, 3.4, 3.8, 4.2, 4.6 or 5 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 1 to 1 .4, 1 .4 to 1 .8, 1 .8 to 2.2, 2.2 to 2.6, 2.6 to 3, 3 to 3.4, 3.4 to 3.8, 3.8 to 4.2, 4.2 to 4.6 or 4.6 to 5 mg/100 mL.

B5 (pantothenic acid) participates in release of energy (particularly fats). B5 contributes to normal mental performance, boosts immunity and aids the utilisation of other vitamins (e.g., steroid hormones, vitamin D and some neurotransmitters), and contributes to a reduction in tiredness and fatigue. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains B5 at a concentration of between about 0.3 mg/1 OOmL to about 3 mg/1 OOmL, more preferably at about 1 mg/100 mL. For example, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1 .2, 1 .5, 1 .8, 2.1 , 2.4, 2.7 or 3 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 0.3 to 0.6, 0.6 to 0.9, 0.9 to 1 .2, 1 .2 to 1 .5, 1 .5 to 1 .8, 1 .8 to 2.1 , 2.1 to 2.4, 2.4 to 2.7 or 2.7 to 3 mg/100 mL.

B6 (pyridoxine) is required for energy metabolism (protein in particular) and normal glycogen and iron transport metabolism, and contributes to normal cysteine synthesis and the regulation of hormonal activity. B6 aids with the function of a healthy immune system and psychological functions. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains B6 at a concentration of between about 0.1 mg/1 OOmL to about 2 mg/1 OOmL, more preferably from between about 0.33 to about 0.7 mg/100 mL. For example, 0.1 , 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1 , 1 .1 , 1 .2, 1 .3, 1 .4, 1 .5, 1 .6, 1 .7, 1 .8, 1 .9 or 2 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.3, 0.3 to 0.4, 0.4 to 0.5, 0.5 to 0.6, 0.6 to 0.7, 0.7 to 0.8, 0.8 to 0.9, 0.9 to 1 , 1 to 1 .1 , 1 .1 to 1 .2, 1 .2 to 1 .3, 1 .3 to 1 .4, 1 .4 to 1 .5, 1 .5 to 1 .6, 1 .6 to 1 .7, 1 .7 to 1 .8, 1 .8 to 1 .9 or 1 .9 to 2 mg/100 mL.

B12 (cyanocobalamin) is essential for normal cell division, and is necessary for normal neurological structure and function, energy metabolism, and the immune system. B12 contributes to the formation of red blood cells and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains B12 at a concentration of between about 0.5 pig/1 OOmL to about 4 |ig/100mL, more preferably at about 2 pg/100 mL. For example, 0.5, 1 , 1 .5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 or 4 pg/100mL. For example, between about 0.5 to 1 , 1 to 1 .5, 1 .5 to 2, 2 to 2.5, 2.5 to 3, 3 to 3.5 or 3.5 to 4 pg/100 mL.

Palatability

As the skilled person would know, in formulating beverages, producing a palatable or pleasant taste is critical to the success of the formulation. This is particularly true of the beverages which are formulated to be marketed as energy drinks. Traditionally, the market for such drinks has skewed towards youth and young adults. Despite there being a trend towards more natural, less artificial or highly-processed products generally, a palatable or pleasant taste nevertheless is a strongly desirable feature of such drinks. Many energy drinks on the market include very little or tokenistic amounts of botanicals, particularly therapeutic botanicals, and are substantially flavoured with artificial or highly processed ingredients, as shown in Figure 1 .

Generally, it is highly desirable for beverages of this type to avoid overly astringent or bitter notes, and to provide a flavour profile that comprises a relatively sweet taste, supplemented with flavours, particularly natural and/or recognisable flavours. As mentioned above, it is a significant challenge to formulate a beverage composition with therapeutic amounts of botanicals without compromising the overall effect on taste.

Glucuronolactone

Glucuronolactone is a naturally-occurring substance and can be found in animal connective tissue as well as plant gums. Glucuronolactone can inhibit the enzyme B-glucuronidase (which metabolises glucuronides). Glucuronolactone is believed to help prevent glycogen depletion by preventing other substances from depleting glycogen supplies in the muscles. Glucuronides combine with toxic substances by converting them to water-soluble glucuronide-conjugates, which are excreted in the urine. As such, higher glucuronide levels in blood may help remove toxins from the body,

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains glucuronolactone at a concentration of between about 0 to about 240 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 1 10, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230 or 240 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 0 to 10, 10 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, 100 to 1 10, 1 10 to 120, 120 to 130, 130 to 140, 140 to 150, 150 to 160, 160 to 170, 170 to 180, 180 to 190, 190 to 200, 200 to 210, 210 to 220, 220 to 230, or 230 to 240 mg/1 OOmL.

Inositol

Inositol is a sugar alcohol which is present in brain tissue as well as other animal tissues. Inositol may reduce anxiety and may help prevent Alzheimer's disease due its prevention of the aggregation of A042 fibrils. Inositol may also promote female fertility, reduce blood glucose, reduce blood pressure, lower triglycerides and cholesterol, aid in weight loss and improve acne.

In one preferred embodiment, the beverage of the invention contains inositol at a concentration of between about 0 to about 20 mg/100 mL. For example, 0, 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 mg/1 OOmL. For example, between about 0 to 1 , 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 5, 5 to 6, 6 to 7, 7 to 8, 8 to 9, 9 to 10, 10 to 1 1 , 1 1 to 12, 12 to 13, 13 to 14, 14 to 15, 15 to 16, 16 to 17, 17 to 18, 18 to 19, or 19 to 20 mg/1 OOmL.

Supplements and compositions contemplated herein synergistically enhance an individual's overall cognitive ability by improving or enhancing short term working memory, long-term memory, mental attention, mental alertness, mental concentration or focus, learning, memory consolidation and processing speed, reaction time, mental clarity, mental energy, and general reasoning. Without wishing to be bound to any particular theory, it is further contemplated that the supplements disclosed herein increase cognitive ability and/or are associated with an improvement in moods such as depression, anxiety, confusion, hostility, and anger, thereby further expanding the capacity for an individual to improve their cognitive ability.

Effervescent

In a further exemplary embodiment, the beverage of the invention may contain an effervescent. As is understood, an effervescent is an agent comprising one or more compounds which, acting together or individually, evolve a gas on contact with water. The gas evolved is generally oxygen or, most commonly, carbon dioxide. Preferred effervescent agents comprise an acid component and a base component that react in the presence of water to generate carbon dioxide gas. The acid component can comprise one or more acids and the base component can comprise one or more bases. Preferably, the base component comprises an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal carbonate or bicarbonate and the acid component comprises an aliphatic carboxylic acid. Non-limiting examples of suitable bases for use in a base component include carbonate salts (e.g., calcium carbonate), bicarbonate salts (e.g., sodium bicarbonate), sesquicarbonate salts, and mixtures thereof. Sodium bicarbonate is a preferred base. Non-limiting examples of suitable acids for use in an acid component include citric acid, lactic acid, glutaric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, oxaloacetate, acid anhydrides of such acids, acid salts of such acids, and mixtures thereof. Citric acid is a preferred acid.

Alternatively, the beverage of the invention can be infused with pressurised carbon dioxide.

Additionally, it was also found that when the beverage of the invention was carbonated, an especially pleasant taste was produced.

Salt

In a further exemplary embodiment, the beverage of the invention may include a salt. Nonlimiting examples of salts may include preservatives such as sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate, and antacids such as potassium bicarbonate and sodium bicarbonate. Sodium benzoate is a preferred salt. Stabilisers/thickeners

In a further exemplary embodiment, the beverage of the invention may include a stabiliser and/or a thickener, to aid prevention of ingredient separation and/or to increase the viscosity of the beverage solution. Xanthan gum is a preferred stabiliser and/or thickener.

Flavourants

The flavourants that may be included in the composition are not relevant to the inventive concepts disclosed herein, and those skilled in the art are familiar with the wide range of flavourants available. Therefore, any suitable flavourant or combination of flavourants, natural and/or artificial, are within the contemplated scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, the flavourants may comprise synthetic, synthetic natural substances, or natural substances in the form of a liquid, powder, emulsion or seasoning, preferably grapefruit juice concentrate or cherry juice concentrate, orange juice concentrate, orange flavour, pineapple flavour, apple flavour, lemon flavour, pineapple-strawberry seasoning and forest fruit flavour, preferably raspberry-blackberry flavour.

Preferably, natural flavours are used in the beverage of the invention. Preferred flavours are those that were “true to fruit”, pleasant, “high impact” and volatile in character, but exhibited a sustained release on the palate. Choice of these flavours assisted in masking and even complementing the olfactory and gustatory characteristics of the botanicals. Preferred flavours are: peach, green apple, kiwifruit, watermelon, blackcurrant, passionfruit, blood orange, pink grapefruit, raspberry, cranberry, acai, guava, mixed berry and pomegranate, or any combination of the foregoing.

Food colourants

In another exemplary embodiment, the composition may further include food colourants to modify the visual appearance of the beverage of the invention. Additionally, the beverage may contain colourants, such as brilliant green and/or quinoline yellow or Allura Red, or brilliant blue, or ammonia caramel.

Turbidity

In the beverage of the invention, the turbidity, measured as NTU, was measured by the clarity of solutions with a UV Visible Spectrophotometer. Turbidity is generally used in the production of carbonated soft drinks for water analysis using an instrument called a Nephelometer. The units of turbidity from a calibrated nephelometer are called Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU).

For the beverage of the invention, turbidity was measured on the infusion filtrate after the extraction has been completed. This check ensures that the filtration step has been completed correctly. Preferably the beverage is filtered to remove particles larger than 1 to 4 microns. Preferably the turbidity is <35 NTU, which gives an acceptable clarity of the filtrate and the efficacy of the filtration step. Removal of particles in the filtrate avoids sedimentation in the product and their spontaneous nucleation effects on dissolved carbon dioxide both during production and on opening of the beverage container by a consumer.

As discussed above, the beverage of the invention may further include additional optional ingredients in solid or liquid form, such as but not limited to preservatives, natural or artificial flavours, non-nutritive sweeteners, buffers, salts, nutrients, surfactants, emulsifiers, stimulants, antioxidants, preservatives, crystallisation inhibitors, natural or artificial colours, viscosifiers, antioxidants, caffeine, electrolytes (including salts), nutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals), stabilisers, gums, and the like. Preservatives, such as EDTA, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sodium hexametaphosphate, nisin, natamycin, polylysine, and the like can be included, if desired. For example, benzoate and/or sorbate salts may also be included, if desired. Generally, benzoate and/or sorbate salts could be included in amounts of up to about 0.1 percent each.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a table comparing the nutritional and compositional content of a preferred embodiment of the invention with other known energy drinks in the Australian market. Note that values are per 100 mL. For “Coke Energy” the “f” indicates that the guarana is mentioned on front of can, but not in Nutrition Information Panel. The ingredient is listed as 0.006% which equals 0.6 mg/100 mL. For “Monster Zero”, the indicates that a lower quality Panax ginseng was used, whereas the Korean red ginseng used in the beverage of the invention is a premium product and contains a high activity ginsenoside Rg2, a derivative of 20(S)-protopanaxatriol, and an unusually high level of ginsenosides (Rg 1 , Rb1 , and Rg3 - total 17 mg/g). The Korean red ginseng used in the beverage of the invention is different in bioactivity to other ginsengs as well as being more effective than the particular Panax ginseng used in Monster Zero.

Figure 2 is a flow chart showing an exemplary process to provide the beverage of the invention, comprising the following steps:

A. Treated water is heated

B. Guarana, Yerba mate, Green tea, Schisandra is added to a batching tank along with the water.

C. Mixture is heated and agitated.

D. Mixture is cooled and filtered.

E. Filtrate is collected in batching tank for syrup compounding.

F. Korean red ginseng extract is added.

G. Sodium benzoate is added.

H. Sweetener mix is added.

I. Vitamins and/or other micronutrients are added.

J. Natural colours and natural flavours are added.

K. Water is added to the final syrup to a predetermined volume.

L. The beverage is carbonated.

M. The beverage is proportioned into cans.

DEFINITIONS

In describing and claiming the present invention, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.

As used herein, the phrase “consisting of’ excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim. When the phrase “consists of’ (or variations thereof) appears in a clause of the body of a claim, rather than immediately following the preamble, it limits only the element set forth in that clause; other elements are not excluded from the claim as a whole. As used herein, the phrase “consisting essentially of’ limits the scope of a claim to the specified elements or method steps, plus those that do not materially affect the basis and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed subject matter.

With respect to the terms “comprising”, “consisting of’, and “consisting essentially of’, where one of these three terms is used herein, the presently disclosed and claimed subject matter may include the use of either of the other two terms. Thus, in some embodiments not otherwise explicitly recited, any instance of “comprising” may be replaced by “consisting of’ or, alternatively, by “consisting essentially of’.

Other than in the operating examples, or where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients or reaction conditions used herein are to be understood as modified in all instances by the term “about”. The examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In what follows, or where otherwise indicated, “%” will mean “weight %”, “ratio” will mean “weight ratio” and “parts” will mean “weight parts”.

The recitation of a numerical range using endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1 , 1 .5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.).

The terms “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of the invention that may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the invention.

It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Although example embodiments of the disclosed technology are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosed technology be limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed technology is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

In describing example embodiments, terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term contemplates its broadest meaning as understood by those skilled in the art and includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. It is also to be understood that the mention of one or more steps of a process or method does not preclude the presence of additional steps or intervening steps between those steps expressly identified. Steps of a process or method may be performed in a different order than those described herein without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Similarly, it is also to be understood that the mention of one or more components in a process or system does not preclude the presence of additional components or intervening components between those components expressly identified.

As used herein, the term “sugar” refers to one or more sweet-tasting, soluble monosaccharides or disaccharides. In particular, the term is intended to refer to one or more of sucrose, fructose, glucose, galactose, dextrose, maltose, lactose, high fructose corn syrup solids, invert sugar. More particularly, the term is intended to refer to sucrose.

As used herein, the term “taste” refers to an overall sensory profile that is experienced by a consumer of the beverage of the invention. In particular, the “taste” refers to any of the following: gustatory taste, olfactory sensation, or preferably a combination thereof. Characteristics of the beverage that may also affect taste, and as such, are intended to be encompassed within the “taste” of the beverage include one or more of: beverage colour, beverage sedimentation, clarity and mouthfeel.

As used herein, the term "supplement" refers to one or more compositions comprising the vitamins, alkaloids, herbs, minerals, fatty acids, lipids and phospholipids, amino acids, and other compounds as contemplated herein that individually or collectively improve cognitive ability and/or mood.

As used herein, the phrase "a subject in need thereof refers to a subject, as described infra, that would benefit from an improvement in cognitive ability and/or mood.

The terms "subject," "individual," and "patient" may be used interchangeably and refer to a mammal, preferably a human. In various embodiments, the subject can be a human (e.g., adult male, adult female, adolescent male, adolescent female, male child, female child) under the care of a physician or other health worker in a hospital, psychiatric care facility, as an outpatient, or other clinical context. In certain embodiments, the subject may not be under the care or prescription of a physician or other health worker.

An "effective amount" refers to an amount effective of a supplement or composition or component thereof, at dosages and for periods of time necessary, to achieve the desired result, e.g., an improvement in cognitive ability or mood.

A "therapeutically effective amount" of a supplement contemplated herein, may vary according to factors such as the disease state, age, sex, and weight of the individual, and the ability of the supplement to elicit a desired response in the individual. A therapeutically effective amount is also one in which any toxic or detrimental effects of a supplement are outweighed by the therapeutically beneficial effects. The term "therapeutically effective amount" refers to an amount of a supplement or composition that is effective to improve at least one aspect of cognitive ability in a mammal (e.g., an individual). In one embodiment, a therapeutically effective amount is an amount sufficient to improve short term working memory, long-term memory, mental attention, mental alertness, mental concentration or focus, learning, memory consolidation and processing speed, reaction time, mental clarity, mental energy, or general reasoning in an individual.

As used herein, “treated water” means water that has been processed in some way to permit its use. The treatment that is used is dictated by the source of the water. Treatment may include being able to render the water potable through disinfection (chlorination, ozonation, UV) and/or involve chemical and physical changes to remove suspended solids, taste and odours and/or dissolved salts.

"Treatment," "treating," or "treat" as used herein, includes improving any desirable effect on the cognitive abilities that can be effected by a supplement as contemplated herein, and may include even minimal changes or improvements in one or more cognitive abilities of an individual. Treatments also refer to delaying the onset of, retarding or reversing the progress of, reducing the severity of, or alleviating or preventing cognitive decline. "Treatment," "treating," or "treat" does not necessarily indicate complete eradication or cure of a non-degenerative neurological condition, or associated symptoms thereof. In one embodiment, treatment comprises improvement of at least one symptom of a non-degenerative neurological condition being treated. The improvement may be partial or complete. The subject receiving this treatment is any subject in need thereof. Improvement in cognitive ability may be measured using any method accepted in the art.

As used herein, the terms "improving," "promoting," "enhancing," "stimulating," or "increasing" generally refer to the ability of a supplement contemplated herein to produce or cause a greater physiological response (i.e., measurable downstream effect), as compared to the response caused by either vehicle or a control molecule/composition or a previous response of the individual receiving the supplement. Such measurable physiological response include, without limitation, an improvement in cognitive ability or mood, e.g., short term working memory, long-term memory, mental attention, mental alertness, mental concentration or focus, learning, memory consolidation and processing speed, reaction time, mental clarity, mental energy, or general reasoning. The measurable physiological response is compared to normal, untreated, or control-treated individuals or a previous response of the individual receiving the supplement. For example, the physiological response may be increased by at least 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 125%, 150%, 17 5%, 200%, or greater. An "improved," "increased," "promoted" or "enhanced" response is typically a "statistically significant" response, and may include an increase that is 1 .1 , 1 .2, 1 .5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20,30 or more times (e.g., 500, 1000 times) (including all integers and decimal points in between and above 1 , e.g., 1 .5, 1 .6, 1 .7. 1 .8, etc.) the response produced by vehicle (the absence of an agent) or a control composition or the response of the individual measured at an earlier time.

As used herein, the terms "retaining" or "maintaining," or "retain" or "maintain", generally refer to the ability of a supplement contemplated herein to produce or cause a physiological response (i.e., measurable downstream effect) that prevents the loss of cognitive ability. For example, supplements contemplated herein allow the subject to retain at least at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95% or about 100% of the cognitive ability present in the subject prior to the subject being administered a supplement contemplated herein.

As used herein, the terms "decrease" or "lower," or "lessen," or "reduce," or "abate" refers generally to the ability of a supplement contemplated herein to produce or cause a lesser physiological response (i.e., downstream effects), as compared to the response caused by either vehicle or a control molecule/composition, e.g., decreased neuronal cell death, or a previous response of the individual receiving the supplement. In one embodiment, the decrease can be a decrease in gene expression or a decrease in cell signalling that normally is associated with a reduction of cell viability. A "decrease" or "reduced" response is typically a "statistically significant" response, and may include an decrease that is 1 .1 , 1 .2, 1 .5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30 or more times (e.g., 500, 1000 times) (including all integers and decimal points in between and above 1 , e.g., 1 .5, 1 .6, 1 .7. 1 .8, etc.) the response produced by vehicle (the absence of an agent) or a control composition or a previous response of the ind ividual receiving the supplement.

As used herein, the term "beverage concentrate" means a liquid composition that can be diluted with an aqueous, potable liquid to provide a beverage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The skilled addressee will understand that the invention comprises the embodiments and features disclosed herein as well as all combinations and/or permutations of the disclosed embodiments and features.

Exemplary embodiments

Table 1 lists suitable ranges of concentrations for each ingredient in a beverage composition in accordance with the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand how to select an actual weight per volume amount for each ingredient chosen to be included in any particular embodiment of the compositions described herein.

According to another exemplary embodiment (referred to herein as “Daily”), the beverage of the invention comprises the following ingredients and their amounts per 100 mL.

According to another exemplary embodiment (referred to herein as “Health”), the beverage of the invention comprises the following ingredients and their amounts per 100 mL.

According to another exemplary embodiment (referred to herein as “Focus”), the beverage of the invention comprises the following ingredients and their amounts per 100 mL.

According to another exemplary embodiment (referred to herein as “Fit”), the beverage of the invention comprises the following ingredients and their amounts per 100 mL.

According to another exemplary embodiment (referred to herein as “Play”), the beverage of the invention comprises the following ingredients and their amounts per 100 mL.

According to another exemplary embodiment (referred to herein as “Lite+”), the beverage of the invention comprises the following ingredients and their amounts per 100 mL.

Comparison with prior art formulations

Figure 1 shows the nutritional and compositional contents of an exemplary embodiment of the invention known as “Daily”. As shown in Figure 1 , the concentrations of taurine, caffeine, B3, B5 and B6 in “Daily” are comparable to a number of the prior art formulations. However, the concentration of B2 in “Daily” is higher than all but one prior art formulation. Indeed, most prior art formulations do not comprise any B2 at all. Referring to row 9, the concentration of B12 in “Daily” is comparable to a number of the prior art formulations, however a number of prior art formulations do not include any B12 at all.

As shown in Figure 1 , row 10, the concentration of yerba mate extract in “Daily” is substantially higher (about 15-fold) than the single prior art beverage (“V Energy Sugar Free”) containing any yerba mate extract. Interestingly, despite the fact that yerba mate has highly desirable properties as described earlier, it has been very rarely used or is used in token quantities in the prior art.

As shown in Figure 1 , row 1 1 , the concentration of guarana extract in “Daily” is substantially higher (about 15-fold) than most prior art beverages, which do not contain any or very little guarana extract. The only exception is one example (“V Energy Sugar Free”), which nevertheless includes less guarana extract. Interestingly, despite the fact that guarana has highly desirable properties as described earlier, it is either not used or is used in token quantities in most of the prior art.

As shown in Figure 1 , row 12, the concentration of Korean red ginseng extract in “Daily” is substantially higher (about 15-fold) than most prior art beverages, which do not contain any Korean red ginseng extract. The only exception is one example (“Monster Zero”), which nevertheless includes less Korean red ginseng extract. Moreover, the Korean red ginseng used in the beverage of the invention is a premium product and the most reproducible of the ginsengs and contains an unusually high level of ginsenosides (Rg 1 , Rb1 , & Rg3 - total 17 mg/g). It is more effective than the Panax ginseng used in Monster Zero by at least a factor of 7 and effectively a magnitude more. Interestingly, despite the fact that Korean red ginseng has highly desirable properties as described earlier, it is rarely used in the prior art.

As shown in Figure 1 , row 13, none of the prior art beverages contain any schisandra extract in comparison to “Daily”, despite the fact that schisandra has highly desirable properties as described earlier.

As shown in Figure 1 , row 14, most prior art beverages contain no green tea extract in comparison to “Daily”, despite the highly desirable properties of green tea as described earlier. The only exception is one example (“Rockstar Zero Sugar”).

As shown in Figure 1 , row 15, the concentration of glucuronolactone in “Fit” is substantially higher (about 10-fold and 100-fold) than the two prior art beverages which contain any glucuronolactone (“Monster Zero” and “V Energy Sugar Free”).

As shown in Figure 1 , row 16, the concentration of inositol in “Focus” is higher than the two prior art beverages which contain any inositol (“Monster Zero” and “V Energy Sugar Free”).

It is the fine balance achieved between the yerba mate extract, guarana extract, Korean red ginseng extract, schisandra extract and green tea extract that has been found in at least this embodiment to provide a surprisingly pleasant taste, while maintaining substantially higher levels of these therapeutic botanicals. Most of these botanicals do feature at all in the prior art beverages, or feature only in tokenistic amounts, by which it is understood that the botanical extracts are present, but not in therapeutically beneficial amounts.

These beverages do not include added sugar, however it will be appreciated that sugar can be used instead of, or in addition to sweeteners.

Ratios of botanicals

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 60:100 to about 145:10 ratio of guarana seed extract:Korean red ginseng extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 60:350 to about 145:100 ratio of guarana seed extract:yerba mate extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 60:60 to about 145:20 ratio of guarana seed extract:green tea extract gave a pleasant taste.

In yet further preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 60:95 to about 145:40 ratio of guarana seed extract:schisandra extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 10:350 to about 100:100 ratio of Korean red ginseng extract:yerba mate extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 10:60 to about 100:20 ratio of Korean red ginseng extract:green tea mate extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 10:95 to about 100:40 ratio of Korean red ginseng extract:schisandra extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 100:60 to about 350:20 ratio of yerba mate extract:green tea extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 100:95 to about 350:40 ratio of yerba mate extract:schisandra extract gave a pleasant taste.

In preferred embodiments, it was surprisingly found in the beverage of the invention that an about 20:95 to about 60:40 ratio of green tea extract:schisandra extract gave a pleasant taste.

METHODS

Method of beverage production

In one exemplary embodiment, and with reference to Figure 2, the production process of the invention comprises the steps of:

(1 ) Providing filtered ultrapure water and heating from about 80 °C to about 85 °C, preferably to about 80 °C. The water is added to an infusion tank with an agitating means. In one preferable example, 600 L of water is used.

(2) Providing Guarana seed extract, yerba mate extract, green tea extract and schisandra berries extract, and adding to the heated water to produce a mixture which is agitated, preferably at about 80 °C, preferably for about 45 minutes. In one preferable example, 7.2 kg of Guarana seed extract is used, 9 kg of yerba mate extract is used, 1 .2 kg of green tea extract is used and 0.48 kg of schisandra berries extract is used.

(3) Cooling the mixture to about 25 °C, preferably for about 45 minutes. In one preferred example, the mixture is cooled using chilled water. Preferably a filter aid is added to the mixture. The mixture is then filtered, preferably using in-line filtration.

(4) Collecting the filtrate in a batching tank. In one preferred example, the filtrate is collected in a Pallecon prior to transferring to a batching tank. In another preferred example, the filtrate is collected in a 500 L tank prior to transferring to a batching tank. In yet another preferred example, the filtrate is directly collected in a batching tank.

(5) Adding a food grade active silicon emulsion to the filtrate as a processing aid.

(6) Adding Korean red ginseng extract, preferably as a liquid ingredient, to the filtrate.

(7) (a) One or more preservatives, preferably sodium benzoate, are added to the batching tank

(b) One of more sweeteners, preferably selected from the group consisting of xylitol, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, stevia, are added to the batching tank.

(c) One or more vitamins selected from the group consisting of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyrodixine, and cyanocobalamin, choline and folic acid, including the reduced forms of folic acid such as (but not only) folinic acid, calcium folinate, and methyltetrahydrafolate, are added to the batching tank.

(d) Citric acid is added to the batching tank.

In a preferred example, (a) is prepared as a premix solution in treated water, and the premix is added to the batching tank.

In another preferred example, the components of (b) and (c) are prepared as a premix solution in treated water, and the premix solution is added to the batching tank.

In yet another preferred example, (d) is prepared as a premix solution in treated water, and the premix is added to the batching tank.

(8) In some examples, colour, preferably natural colour, is added to the batching tank.

(9) In some examples, flavour, preferably natural flavour, is added to the batching tank.

(10) The resultant mixture is mixed, preferably for about 1 hour, to generate a final syrup. Throughout the blending process it is preferable that air is not incorporated into the mix as ingredients are blended together. Any air that is entrapped will be held in suspension by the viscosity that is developed by the xanthan gum. This entrapped air is found to be conducive to instability in the product during filling. In one embodiment, chilled water is added to the final syrup to produce a solution.

(1 1 ) In another preferred embodiment, the syrup is proportioned with carbonated water to produce a beverage. This is termed the throw ratio. Preferably, the throw ratio is between about 2:1 to about 3:1 of syrup :carbonated water. Preferably, an antifoaming agent is added to the beverage.

(12) The beverage is filled into cans. In one preferred example, this is conducted preferably at about 2 to about 4 °C. Preferably, the cans are 250 mL cans. Preferably, the net contents of the cans are about 250 mL or greater than 250 mL. In another embodiment, the beverage of the invention may be formulated as a dry powder, a mixture, a syrup, granules, tablets, or in sachets forms, which are then dispersed into water. Methods of adapting the ratios of ingredients used in the beverage of the invention into a such alternative forms would be known to a person skilled in the art.

In yet another embodiment, there is provided a kit comprising:

(a) in a first compartment, a dry powder, a mixture, syrup, granules, tablets, or a sachet comprising a beverage precursor or beverage concentrate according to the second aspect; and

(b) water in a second compartment, wherein the kit is constructed in a manner as to ensure simultaneous or sequential use of the precursor and the water or the concentrate and the water. Preferably, the precursor and the water or the concentrate and the water are mixed prior to consumption. Methods of adapting the ratios of ingredients used in the beverage of the invention into a such a precursor or concentrate, and the resultant kit would be known to a person skilled in the art.

The compositions of the present invention may in addition be formulated to a pharmaceutical preparation. Where appropriate this pharmaceutical additionally comprises a pharmaceutically compatible carrier. Suitable carriers and the formulation of such pharmaceuticals are known to a person skilled in the art.

Formulating the beverage of the invention was a complex undertaking for a number of reasons, but especially because the overall flavour profile had to be balanced to achieve a pleasant taste whilst at the same time achieving the desired level of caffeine solely from the botanicals. Prior art beverages would simply undertake an extraction and “top up” the concentration of caffeine to the desired amount by adding synthetic or naturally derived caffeine, for example, to achieve a total of 32 mg/100mL maximum in the final beverage. The beverage of the invention required subtle adjustments in the ratios of the ingredients to achieve a pleasant taste and to also, surprisingly, provide a predetermined concentration of caffeine.

Without wishing to be bound any theory, the applicant believes that synthetic caffeine is absorbed more quickly by the body. The faster onset of an energy boost from readily absorbed synthetic caffeine, necessarily followed by a more dramatic “crash”, may be undesirable to the consumer. As such, there are significant advantages to providing a naturally-derived source of caffeine. The present invention substantially avoids the use of synthetic caffeine, providing the caffeine through the infusion of therapeutic botanical extracts used in the beverage of the invention. This process also avoids the use of added naturally-derived caffeine, which would present an additional cost. Moreover, this process provides consumers with a minimally processed and botanical source of caffeine that substantially avoids the use of added synthetic and added naturally-derived caffeine, as even naturally-derived caffeine from other botanical sources would necessarily involve additional processing and purification steps, the steps of which may be subject to the use of harsh treatment or chemicals, which would be considered less desirable to the consumer. However, providing a caffeinated beverage wherein the caffeine is substantially derived from the botanicals which are used in the beverage presents a significant challenge, as there is a high risk of under- or over-extraction, which would result in insufficient caffeine and/or therapeutic compounds being extracted (under-extraction) or too many bitter and/or astringent compounds being extracted (over-extraction).

Because a number of the botanicals used are rather obnoxious-tasting in their raw state, they are generally taken in pill or capsule form (e.g., Korean red ginseng, guarana). Others are consumed as a tea in a dilute form (e.g., green tea, yerba mate).

In beverages, some bitterness can be complementary, and even favourable to the overall flavour profile (e.g., Coca-Cola wherein caffeine is present at about 9.6 to 12.8 mg/100mL; tonic water wherein quinine hydrochloride is present at about 60 to 65 mg/100mL). Although generally, an overly bitter taste profile presents substantial issues for the palatability of most beverages, particularly for the beverage type in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, i.e., as an energy drink. However, bitterness is not only a result of caffeine in the botanicals used, as many other compounds cause bitterness.

The following botanicals may be described in the following manner with respect to their bitterness.

Green tea: <1% caffeine but intensely bitter. The extract used in the beverage of the invention is around 30 times more concentrated.

Panax ginseng: contains no caffeine but is intensely bitter generally. The Korean red ginseng used in the beverage of the invention is also moderately bitter.

Guarana: contains 20 to 24% w/w caffeine and is moderately bitter. The guarana extract used in the beverage of the present invention is about 4 times concentrated.

Yerba mate: contains 1 to 2% w/w caffeine and has some mild bitterness. The yerba mate extract used in the beverage of the invention is about five times more concentrated.

Schisandra: contains no caffeine and may have a relatively pleasant distinctive Chinese spice flavour.

In addition to controlling for the production parameters and taking into account the requisite level of caffeine extraction as described above, qualitative taste testing was repeatedly conducted by a panel of testers on varying iterations of a combination of botanicals. It was found that the unique combination of botanicals as claimed herein, and when used in the concentrations claimed, provided a pleasant tasting caffeinated beverage.

Through repeated experiments and investigation, it was surprisingly found that an infusion process was developed which enabled requisite levels of caffeine to be extracted from botanicals and wherein the concentration of botanicals extracts used not only provided therapeutic value, but also provided a taste that was surprisingly pleasant that minimised the inherent bitterness and/or astringent properties of the botanicals used.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms in particular features of any one of the various described examples may be provided in any combination in any of the other described examples.

Claims

1 . A method of producing caffeinated botanical infusion beverage, the method comprising the steps of: extracting caffeine-containing botanicals with hot-water at 75 to 85 °C for between 30 to 90 minutes, wherein said botanicals comprise: i.) guarana seed, ii.) yerba mate, iii.) green tea, and iv.) schisandra berries, cooling the caffeine-containing botanical extract to between 20 and 30 °C, and combining a Korean red ginseng extract with the cooled botanical extract to produce said caffeinated botanical infusion beverage, wherein the beverage contains substantially no added caffeine.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the caffeine in the botanical infusion beverage is derived inherently from the botanicals.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the beverage contains no added caffeine.

4. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the beverage contains added synthetic or added naturally-derived caffeine at no more than 1 % of the quantity inherently derived from the botanicals.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the caffeinated botanical infusion beverage contains naturally-derived caffeine at a concentration of no more than 32 mg/100mL.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said guarana is present at concentrations of between 60 to 145 mg/100mL.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said yerba mate is present at concentrations of between 100 to 350 mg/1 OOmL.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said green tea is present at concentrations of between 20 to 60 mg/1 OOmL.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said schisandra is present at concentrations of between 40 to 95 mg/1 OOmL.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said Korean red ginseng comprises ginsenosides Rg1 , Rb1 , and Rg3.

1 1 . The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the Korean red ginseng is present at concentrations of between 10 to 100 mg/1 OOmL

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising the step of carbonating the beverage.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising damiana leaf which is present at concentrations of between 0 to 80 mg/1 OOmL.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising glucuronolactone which is present at concentrations of between 0 to 240 mg/1 OOmL.

33 The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising inositol which is present at concentrations of between 0 to 20 mg/1 OOmL. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising taurine which is present at concentrations of between 0 to 400 mg/1 OOmL. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising other ingredients selected from the group consisting of: salt, stabiliser (e.g., xantham gum), thickener (e.g., xantham gum), antifoam, flavourant(s), colourant(s), acidity regulator(s), preservative (e.g., sodium benzoate), etc. The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising sugar and/or one or more sweeteners.

The method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sweeteners are selected from the group consisting of: synthetic sweeteners (e.g., acesulfame K, sucralose, aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin), or natural sweeteners (e.g., stevia, monk fruit), or polyols or sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, isomalt, erythritol).

The method according to claim 19 wherein the sweeteners comprise acesulfame K and sucralose.

The method according to claim 18 or claim 19 wherein the sweeteners comprise stevia and xylitol.

The method according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising any one or more of the group selected from: vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).

The method according to claim 22 wherein said B3 is present at concentrations of between 1 to 5 mg/1 OOmL.

The method according to claim 22 or claim 23 wherein said B5 is present at concentrations of between 0.3 to 3 mg/1 OOmL.

The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24 wherein said B6 is present at concentrations of between 0.1 to 2 mg/1 OOmL.

The method according to any one of claims 22 to 25 wherein said B2 is present at concentrations of between 0.05 to 0.5 mg/1 OOmL. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 26 wherein said B1 is present at concentrations of between 0.05 to 0.5 mg/1 OOmL. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 27 wherein said B12 is present at concentrations of between 0.5 pig/1 OOmL to 4 pig/1 OOmL.

A caffeinated botanical infusion beverage produced according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 28.