INSTANT BEVERAGE TABLET FOR PRODUCING A LAYERED BEVERAGE

Abstract

An instant beverage tablet in the form of multilayer tablet for producing a layered beverage having one or more cream layer(s), coffee and/or cocoa layer(s) and optionally a foam upon reconstitution in a liquid comprising a dark component having sugar, coffee and/or cocoa particles for producing a dark layer; a white component having creamer and sugar for producing white layer; wherein the dark component has a density in the range of 0.5 to 0.7 g/cm.sup.3 and wherein the white component has a density in the range of 0.74 to 0.9 g/cm.sup.3 and wherein the dark component is compressed with a compaction pressure of at least 250 kPa and wherein the white component is compressed with a compaction pressure of at least 1250 kPa.

Claims

1. An instant beverage tablet in the form of a multilayer tablet for producing a layered beverage having at least one layer selected from the group consisting of a cream layer, coffee layer and cocoa layer comprising: a dark component having sugar, coffee and/or cocoa particles for producing a dark layer; a white component having creamer and sugar for producing white layer; wherein the dark component is compressed with a compaction pressure of at least 250 kPa and wherein the white component is compressed with a compaction pressure of at least 1250 kPa; and wherein the dark component has a density in the range of 0.5 to 0.7 g/cm.sup.3 and wherein the white component has a density in the range of 0.74 to 0.9 g/cm.sup.3.

2. The tablet of claim 1, wherein the tablet has a compressed dark layer portion and wherein the total moisture content of the dark component is below 6%.

3. The tablet of claim 2, wherein the total moisture content of the dark component ranges between 1 to 4% by weight.

4. The tablet of claim 1 wherein the tablet is in the form of a multilayer tablet having a compressed white layer portion wherein the total moisture content of the white component is below 5%.

5. The tablet of claim 4, wherein the total moisture content of the white component ranges between 2.5 to 4% by weight.

6. The tablet of claim 1 wherein the dissolution time (t90) of the dark component is less than 10 seconds.

7. The tablet of claim 6 wherein the dissolution time (t90) of the dark component is between 3 to 6 seconds.

8. The tablet of claim 1 wherein the dissolution time (t90) of the white component is less than 30 seconds.

9. The tablet of claim 8 wherein the dissolution time (t90) of the white component is between 13 to 20 seconds.

10. The tablet of claim 1 wherein the ratio of sugar:coffee for the dark component ranges between 1:1 to 3:1.

11. The tablet of claim 1 wherein the ratio of sugar:creamer for the white component ranges between 1:1 to 1:3.

12. The tablet of claim 1 wherein the creamer is selected from the group consisting of dairy creamer, non-dairy creamer, field-dairy creamer, fresh milk, milk powder, whole milk and skimmed milk.

13. The tablet of claim 1 wherein the sugar is selected from the group consisting of low-caloric sweeteners, maltose, maltodextrin, sucrose, lactose, fructose, glucose and galactose.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is an example of few embodiments of the invention. The figure illustrates few tablet designs comprising a dark component and a white component.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows examples of layered beverage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tablet is in the form of a multilayer tablet having a compressed coffee layer portion and wherein the total moisture content of the dark component is below 6%, for instance between 1 to 4% by weight.

[0018] In another embodiment of the present invention, the tablet is in the form of a multilayer tablet having a compressed creamer layer portion wherein the total moisture content of the white component is below 5%, for instance between 2.5 to 4% by weight.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the dissolution time of the dark component is below 10 seconds, for instance between 3 to 9 seconds or 3 to 6 seconds and the dissolution time of the white component is below 30 seconds, for instance between 13 to 20 seconds.

[0020] The term “instant beverage” refers to a mix when reconstituted in liquid produces instantly a layered coffee beverage having one or more cream layer(s), coffee layer(s) and optionally a foam upon stirring.

[0021] The liquid could be cold (for instance between 5-15° C.) or hot (for instance between 80-85° C.). Stirring may be done by hand using a teaspoon.

[0022] The term “dark component” refers to a composition comprising cocoa and/or coffee particles, preferably soluble coffee, micronized coffee or cocoa powders (soluble and/or micronized forms) and sugar.

[0023] The term “white component” refers to a composition comprising creamers and sugar. The creamer can be dairy creamer, non-dairy creamer, field-dairy creamer, fresh milk, milk powder, whole milk and/or skimmed milk.

[0024] The term “sugar” in this context of referring to dark and white components refers to low-calorie sweeteners, maltose, maltodextrin, sucrose, lactose, fructose, glucose and/or galactose.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of sugar:coffee for the dark component ranges between 1:1 to 3:1.

[0026] In another embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of sugar:creamer for the white component ranges between 1:1 to 1:3.

[0027] The term “density” refers to the mass of a given tablet divided by its volume. The volume of the tablet is defined by the outer dimensions, i.e a cube of 20×20×30 mm. This density definition, which includes pores within the tablet structure, is also referred to as envelope density.

[0028] The term “multi-layer tablet” refers to layers of arranging dark and white layers for e.g. like a sandwich. The layers can also be in the form a core-shell structure, colored patches, colored geometrical shapes (for instance cuboid, cylindrical, egg-shaped and/or ellipsoid), colored objects (for instance coffee beans, coffee cup). Few examples are shown in FIG. 1.

[0029] The term “compressed” refers to applying a compression force on the dark or the white component for increasing the density and in order to build a stable structure of adhering particles e.g. using roller compactor or tablet press.

[0030] The term “dissolution” refers to the reconstitution of the soluble tablet in a liquid. The term t90 refers to the time taken for 90% weight of the tablet to be dissolved in a liquid. This time t90 can measured accurately by means of electrical conductivity, i.e using the device Metrohm module 856. A water bath is kept at constant temperature. The conductivity probe is introduced into the liquid and kept, until a steady state electrical conductivity is measured. Adding a tablet into the liquid starts the measurement. Stirring can be applied with the help of a magnetic stirrer. Ions released upon dissolution of the tablet increase the electrical conductivity of the medium. By dissolving the tablet completely, a plateau of the electrical conductivity is reached. The time t90 is defined as the point of time, when 90% of the total conductivity transition from the initial to the final steady state value is reached. For more details consult the Metrohm user manual: http://partners.metrohm.com/GetDocument?action=get_dms_document&docid=1432097

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tablet comprises a dark and a white component wherein the ratio of sugar:coffee for the dark component is about 2.5:1 and the ratio of sugar:creamer for the white component is about 5:6. The density of the dark component is between 0.5-0.7 g/cm.sup.3 and the density of the white component is between 0.74-0.9 g/cm.sup.3. FIG. 2 shows a perfect layered beverage obtained using trial no. 3 or 4 of creamer component (see table 2) and trail no. 3 of coffee component (see table 1). The ranges disclosed for dark and white components also include each of the values depicted in the tables 1 and 2 in combination in separate embodiment wherein each combination as shown leads to a layered beverage.

[0032] In another embodiment of the present invention, the tablet comprises a dark and a white component wherein the ratio of sugar:coffee for the dark component is about 2.5:1 and the ratio of sugar:creamer for the white component is about 1:1. FIG. 2 shows a perfect layered beverage obtained using trial no. 11 of creamer component (see table 2) and trail no. 11 of coffee component (see table 1).

Examples

[0033] Ingredients of the white component are mixed in a lab beaker, adding first sugar than water then creamer. The composition is filled in a mold or dosed into the feeder of a tableting machine. The powder is compressed by a piston, just as much to form a stable tablet. In parallel, the ingredients of the black composition are mixed. The preparation is filled on top of the white tablet layer and compressed onto it in a second tableting step. Optionally the produced tablet is sprayed by water to smoothen the tablet or sintered in an oven or dried to achieve the final surface texture, stability and moisture content.

[0034] Two compositions were prepared to make an instant multilayer beverage tablet. The first composition is dark layer component having sugar and coffee. Below table 1 shows different compositions having different ratios of sugar and coffee. These compositions were compacted at defined force and pressure as depicted in the table below. Layer formation was tested on the multilayer composition comprising the dark and white layers.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Dark layer component sugar/ coffee Moisture Compaction coffee layers Trial ratio content pressure layer t90 formed no. grams % kPa g/cm3 s Dissolution yes/no comment 1 .sup. 4:1 4 340 0.675 13 instant no 2 .sup. 3:1 4 284 0.567 5.1 instant no 3 2.5:1 4 284 0.523 3.5 instant yes 4 .sup. 2:1 4 511 0.532 4.2 floating yes 5 .sup. 1:1 4 567 0.436 28.7 floating no 6 2.5:1 3 326 0.523 4.9 floating yes 7 2.5:1 3.5 270 0.523 6.2 floating yes 8 2.5:1 5 113 0.523 3.2 instant no 9 2.5:1 4 582 0.621 7.9 floating yes 10 2.5:1 4 496 0.584 5.5 instant yes 11 2.5:1 4 369 0.552 3.8 instant yes 12 2.5:1 2.5-1 199 0.496 2.9 instant no fragile 13 2.5:1 4 156 0.473 3.1 instant no fragile 14 2.5:1 2.5-1 128 0.451 3.1 instant no fragile

[0035] The conclusion from above test was that the tablet density for the dark layer must be >0.5 g/cm3 and must be <0.7 g/cm3. The tablet must float in water (85° C.) and the dissolution time for 90% of the tablet (T90) to be dissolved must be <6 s.

[0036] The second composition of the multilayer beverage tablet is white layer component having sugar and creamer. Below table 2 shows different compositions having different ratios of sugar and creamer. These compositions were compacted at defined force and pressure as depicted in the table below. Layer formation was tested on the multilayer composition comprising the dark and white layers.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Cream layer components sugar/ creamer Moisture Compaction creamer layers Trial ratio content pressure layer t90 formed no. grams % kPa g/cm3 s Dissolution yes/no comment 1 1:3 3 1345 0.648 14.1 floating no 2 2:3 3 1495 0.709 17 floating no 3 5:6 3 1495 0.743 15.7 sinking yes 4 1:1 3 1420 0.757 17.1 sinking yes 5 4:3 3 1196 0.779 15.4 sinking no 6 5:6 3 2093 0.743 14.2 sinking yes 7 5:6 4 1271 0.743 15.1 sinking yes 8 5:6 4 972 0.743 18.2 floating no 9 5:6 3 5979 0.867 28.7 sinking yes 10 5:6 3 4036 0.821 21.4 sinking yes 11 5:6 3 3064 0.780 17.9 sinking yes 12 5:6 3 1495 0.709 15.1 floating no 13 5:6 3 972 0.678 11.7 floating no fragile 14 5:6 3 598 0.650 10 floating no fragile

[0037] The conclusion from above test was that the tablet density for the dark layer must be >0.74 g/cm3 and must be <0.82 g/cm3. The tablet must sink in water (85° C.) and the dissolution time for 90% of the tablet (T90) to be dissolved must be <20 s. The moisture content must be <4%.