Disclosed and claimed here is a method of making substantially solid-free and clear tomato water, comprising the steps of mincing whole tomatoes into pulp and liquid, thereafter removing at least some of the pulp from the resulting pulp/liquid material, thereafter freezing the filtered pulp liquid material into a solid material, thereafter maintaining the frozen solid material in its frozen state for at least 24 hours at a temperature at or below 20 F., thereafter thawing the frozen material, thereafter allowing the thawed material to rest until the material separates into a clear tomato water top layer and a particulate bottom layer, and thereafter drawing off the clear tomato water.

Disclosed and claimed here is a method of making substantially solid-free and clear tomato water, comprising the steps of mincing whole tomatoes into pulp and liquid, thereafter removing at least some of the pulp from the resulting pulp/liquid material, thereafter freezing the filtered pulp liquid material into a solid material, thereafter maintaining the frozen solid material in its frozen state for at least 24 hours at a temperature at or below 20 F., thereafter thawing the frozen material, thereafter allowing the thawed material to rest until the material separates into a clear tomato water top layer and a particulate bottom layer, and thereafter drawing off the clear tomato water.

The invention provides a method for treating root- or tuber juice, comprising a) a pretreatment of the root- or tuber juice to remove root- or tuber lipids to a level below 28 g/kg dry weight; b) cooling the root- or tuber juice to a temperature of ?0.3? C. to ?16? C. to form ice crystals; and c) separating the ice crystals from the root- or tuber juice to obtain, as a first root- or tuber juice product, a concentrated root- or tuber juice. In addition, the invention provides methods to obtain protein depleted root- or tuber juice products, as well as products comprising root- or tuber free amino acids, and uses thereof.

The invention provides a method for treating root- or tuber juice, comprising a) a pretreatment of the root- or tuber juice to remove root- or tuber lipids to a level below 28 g/kg dry weight; b) cooling the root- or tuber juice to a temperature of ?0.3? C. to ?16? C. to form ice crystals; and c) separating the ice crystals from the root- or tuber juice to obtain, as a first root- or tuber juice product, a concentrated root- or tuber juice. In addition, the invention provides methods to obtain protein depleted root- or tuber juice products, as well as products comprising root- or tuber free amino acids, and uses thereof.

Systems and methods for customizing beverage profiles, such as customizing beverage pods via input received via web-based portals or interfaces, are described. For example, the systems and methods may provide users with interactive interfaces that facilitate the reception of user input regarding the customization of a beverage, such as the customization of a nutritional or flavor profile of a beverage, such as a smoothie.

The apparatuses described herein provide a portable, pod-based beverage maker, such as an apparatus that makes smoothies and other similar beverages from pod-based ingredient mixtures. The apparatus provides an easy and simple way to combine ingredients in pods with water, ice, and other mixing liquids.

Systems and methods for customizing beverage profiles and associated consumption programs, such as customizing smoothie pods to be used in making smoothies and other beverages, are described. For example, the systems and methods may receive or obtain information associated with a user's previous, current, and/or future activities (e.g., workouts or training sessions), a user's sleep activities, a user's current mental acuity or sharpness, a user's health or fitness, and so on, and determine or create a beverage profile for the user based on the information for the user. Further, the systems and methods may communicate and/or facilitate interactions with various online health or wellness programs.

Systems and methods for dispensing beverages, such as beverages based on pods of various mixtures (e.g., smoothies based on smoothie pods) are described. The systems and methods described herein provide a refrigerator integrated with a pod-based beverage dispenser, such as a smoothie dispenser, that makes beverages using the contents of a pod or cartridge, as well as water and/or ice from the refrigerator.

Systems and methods for dispensing beverages, such as beverages based on pods of various mixtures (e.g., smoothies based on smoothie pods) are described. The systems and methods described herein provide a refrigerator integrated with a pod-based beverage dispenser, such as a smoothie dispenser, that makes beverages using the contents of a pod or cartridge, as well as water and/or ice from the refrigerator.

An efficient container apparatus equipped with at least one removable separator is described. The at least one separator is disposed within a cavity of the container, and is configured to separate frozen contents housed within the container in order to prevent the sticking of the food contents together into a singular mass during freezing and/or refreezing. The at least one separator is preferably a cross-sectional separator, configured to temporarily divide the cavity of the container. The use of the present invention is designed for the preparation, and consumption thereof, a smoothie or similar frozen mixed product. After blending of the frozen food contents, the contents may be returned to the container to facilitate consumption of the smoothie from the container via a straw or spoon.