A method of making a beverage includes adding one or more other ingredients to hydrolyzed protein to form the beverage, which is clear, shelf-stable, and high protein and has a neutral pH and an energy content of at least about 100 kcal per 240 ml of the beverage. Optionally the hydrolyzed protein is obtained by subjecting protein to a protease. In some embodiments, the high protein is at least about 15 g or at least about 20 g of protein/100 kcal, and in some embodiments the energy content is at least about 150 kcal/240 ml or at least about 200 kcal/240 ml. Other aspects are directed to the resultant beverage, a method of producing a high protein beverage containing hydrolyzed protein, a method of increasing transparency in a high protein beverage containing hydrolyzed protein, and a method of providing nutrition to an individual.

Disclosed herein are beverage dispensing apparatuses for selectable gas-infused beverage dispensing. The apparatus may have a faucet assembly, a beverage storage unit, a gas storage unit, a liquid/gas infusion unit, and an infusion valve. The faucet assembly may have a housing, a nozzle, a supply valve, and a dispensing valve, configured to control a flow of beverage through the faucet assembly. The beverage dispensing apparatus may use the infusion valve to selectively infuse a selected level of gas within a dispensed beverage.

Disclosed herein are beverage dispensing apparatuses for selectable gas-infused beverage dispensing. The apparatus may have a faucet assembly, a beverage storage unit, a gas storage unit, a liquid/gas infusion unit, and an infusion valve. The faucet assembly may have a housing, a nozzle, a supply valve, and a dispensing valve, configured to control a flow of beverage through the faucet assembly. The beverage dispensing apparatus may use the infusion valve to selectively infuse a selected level of gas within a dispensed beverage.

A method of making a beverage includes adding one or more other ingredients to hydrolyzed protein to form the beverage, which is clear, shelf-stable, and high protein and has a neutral pH and an energy content of at least about 100 kcal per 240 ml of the beverage. Optionally the hydrolyzed protein is obtained by subjecting protein to a protease. In some embodiments, the high protein is at least about 15 g or at least about 20 g of protein/100 kcal, and in some embodiments the energy content is at least about 150 kcal/240 ml or at least about 200 kcal/240 ml. Other aspects are directed to the resultant beverage, a method of producing a high protein beverage containing hydrolyzed protein, a method of increasing transparency in a high protein beverage containing hydrolyzed protein, and a method of providing nutrition to an individual.

A method of making a beverage includes adding one or more other ingredients to hydrolyzed protein to form the beverage, which is clear, shelf-stable, and high protein and has a neutral pH and an energy content of at least about 100 kcal per 240 ml of the beverage. Optionally the hydrolyzed protein is obtained by subjecting protein to a protease. In some embodiments, the high protein is at least about 15 g or at least about 20 g of protein/100 kcal, and in some embodiments the energy content is at least about 150 kcal/240 ml or at least about 200 kcal/240 ml. Other aspects are directed to the resultant beverage, a method of producing a high protein beverage containing hydrolyzed protein, a method of increasing transparency in a high protein beverage containing hydrolyzed protein, and a method of providing nutrition to an individual.

An herbal infusion and decarboxylation device is an apparatus that enables higher control over an infusion process to make a high-quality infused product. The apparatus includes an infusion chamber and an infusion mechanism. The infusion chamber enables the monitoring and measuring of the infusion materials by including a chamber body, a chamber handle, and a lid assembly. The chamber body retains the infusion materials. The lid assembly includes several attachments to facilitate the infusion of the infusion materials. The chamber handle facilitates the safe handling of the chamber body. The infusion mechanism includes a motor, a blade assembly, a heating plate, and a temperature sensor. The motor drives the blade assembly to enable the infusion process. The heating plate enables the controlled heating of the infusion materials in the chamber body. The temperature sensor helps monitor the temperature of the infusion materials to adjust the operation of the heating plate.

A novel sucrose fatty acid ester, and use thereof. Specifically, in the sucrose fatty acid ester at least a portion of the hydroxyl groups of sucrose are substituted with aliphatic hydrocarbon groups. An average degree of substitution of the hydroxyl groups is 2.23 to 2.47. Food such as a beverage and a soft candy containing the sucrose fatty acid ester are described.

A novel sucrose fatty acid ester, and use thereof. Specifically, in the sucrose fatty acid ester at least a portion of the hydroxyl groups of sucrose are substituted with aliphatic hydrocarbon groups. An average degree of substitution of the hydroxyl groups is 2.23 to 2.47. Food such as a beverage and a soft candy containing the sucrose fatty acid ester are described.

As the withering process of tea leaves takes a long time to reach a desired moisture level, estimating when it is time to move to the next step to reach the target tea leaf moisture is difficult and inefficient. Method and system disclosed herein provide an approach for withering schedule prediction of tea leaves. The system, by performing a spectral data analysis on an image of a plurality of tea leaves, estimates the moisture percentage in the plurality of tea leaves, for a selected time stamp. Based on the predicted moisture level, a current temperature value, a current relative humidity value, and a current time stamp, the system generates a withering schedule for the plurality of tea leaves. The generated withering schedule is fine-tuned based on a course correction of an impact of deviation in one or more ambient parameters on the prediction of the withering schedule.

As the withering process of tea leaves takes a long time to reach a desired moisture level, estimating when it is time to move to the next step to reach the target tea leaf moisture is difficult and inefficient. Method and system disclosed herein provide an approach for withering schedule prediction of tea leaves. The system, by performing a spectral data analysis on an image of a plurality of tea leaves, estimates the moisture percentage in the plurality of tea leaves, for a selected time stamp. Based on the predicted moisture level, a current temperature value, a current relative humidity value, and a current time stamp, the system generates a withering schedule for the plurality of tea leaves. The generated withering schedule is fine-tuned based on a course correction of an impact of deviation in one or more ambient parameters on the prediction of the withering schedule.