Discussed is a method of manufacturing a coffee bean block that includes milling a green coffee bean to remove an outer surface of the green coffee bean to obtain a milled green coffee bean; roasting the milled green coffee bean to obtain a roasted milled coffee bean; placing the roasted milled coffee bean into a forming mold; compressing the roasted milled coffee bean in the forming mold using a pushing rod having a protrusion of a predetermined pattern so that the roasted milled coffee bean is crushed into fragments by the forming mold and the pushing rod; and continue compressing the fragments of the roasted milled coffee bean until the fragments are formed into a compressed coffee block.

A ground roast coffee tablet which is capable of being brewed in a conventional automatic drip coffee maker, and which exhibits sufficient strength to withstand all aspects of manufacture, handling, packaging, transport without breakage but also readily disintegrates when contacted with hot water during brewing, is made by subjecting conventional ground, roasted coffee to a multi-step compaction process in which at least two compression steps are carried out in the same compaction die.

A molding tool for use in pressing operations for pressing powder material, in particular coffee powder, includes a concave, in particular dome-shaped, pressing surface. On the pressing surface there is an extensive non-stick texture for preventing powder material, in particular coffee powder, from adhering. The non-stick texture includes a multiplicity of local recess structures, wherein the recess structures each have a depth of 0.04 mm to 0.2 mm, in particular a depth of 0.08 mm to 0.14 mm. The non-stick texture prevents powder material from adhering during and after a pressing operation, even in the case of powder materials containing oil, e.g. coffee powder. It also prevents such adhering for different types of coffee and in pressing operations in which high pressures arise.

A method for the production of coffee tablets comprises the steps of: i) providing a uniformly moistened mass of roasted and ground coffee, having a moisture content by weight of between 3 and 11%; ii) feeding the moistened mass to a dosing device; iii) placing a dose of moistened coffee into a cavity of a moulding equipment, the cavity having a bottom surface (35a), a head surface (32a) and a peripheral surface, said the bottom surface (35a), said head surface (32a) and at least a portion (22a) of said peripheral surface being configured to delimit a compression space (CS) of the moistened coffee dose; iv) compressing the dose of moistened coffee (DGC) into the cavity (22) to form a coffee tablet (1); v) removing the coffee tablet (1) from the cavity (22). Step iv) comprises compressing the dose of moistened coffee (DGC) while said portion of the peripheral surface (22a) is heated at a different temperature, preferably lower, than a temperature at which at least one of the bottom surface (35a) and the head surface (32a) is heated.

A tablet for extraction of a beverage, formed by cohesion of a dosed amount of a precursor substance in granular or powder form has a reference surface with one or more graphic recognition markings adapted to provide protection from abrasion of the precursor substance, and optionally a higher degree of cohesion, in a region where the one or more graphic recognition markings are formed compared to a region of the reference surface devoid of the graphic recognition markings. A method for producing a tablet for extraction of a beverage, the tablet being formed of a dosed amount of a precursor substance in granular or powder form, involves forming a tablet with self-supporting structure, and making graphic recognition markings on a reference surface of the tablet, adapted to provide protection from abrasion of the precursor substance in a region of the reference surface where the graphic recognition markings are formed.

A compacted coffee tablet (1), in particular a tablet of compacted roast and ground coffee beans, presenting an advantageous configuration in terms of compaction process, maintenance of shape and efficiency of coffee extraction, in particular of espresso type coffee. A beverage preparation systems including the compacted coffee tablet (1).

A structured coffee composition and to various items made using such coffee composition are provided. The structured coffee composition is suitable for use in one or more of automatic drip coffee makers, single serving coffee makers, percolating coffee makers, moka pot coffee makers, French press coffee makers, vacuum coffee makers, expresso coffee makers, thermal coffee makers, or any combination of two or more thereof.

A compacted coffee tablet, in particular a tablet of compacted roast and ground coffee beans, presenting an advantageous configuration in terms of compaction process, maintenance of shape and efficiency of coffee extraction, in particular of espresso type coffee. A beverage preparation systems including the compacted coffee tablet, and production processes thereof.

A structured coffee composition and to various items made using such coffee composition are provided. The structured coffee composition is suitable for use in one or more of automatic drip coffee makers, single serving coffee makers, percolating coffee makers, moka pot coffee makers, French press coffee makers, vacuum coffee makers, expresso coffee makers, thermal coffee makers, or any combination of two or more thereof.

Aspects disclosed herein relate to beverage tablets for use in forming a beverage. The beverage tablets may have first and second portions having different concentrations of at least one beverage ingredient. In some embodiments, a beverage tablet may be formed to have an inner portion surrounded by an outer portion. In some embodiments, a beverage tablet may be formed to have a layered arrangement.