SYSTEM FOR FILTERING AND REGULATING THE ELECTROLYTIC COMPOSITION OF WATER FOR AN ESPRESSO COFFEE MACHINE AND ASSOCIATED ESPRESSO COFFEE MACHINE

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a machine for preparing and dispensing espresso coffee comprising a system to regulate the electrolytic composition of the water to be used for the preparation of espresso coffee, the system comprising a water demineralization device, and a device for the addition of at least one organic and/or inorganic salt to the demineralized water.

Claims

1. A coffee machine for preparing and dispensing espresso coffee comprising: a water supply (IN); a dispensing group configured to cooperate with a portafilter equipped with a filter basket with a puck of coffee powder, the machine being configured to supply pressurized water to said coffee powder puck for dispensing an espresso coffee, and a system to regulate the electrolytic composition of the water to be used for the preparation of espresso coffee, the system comprising a water demineralization device, and a device for the addition of at least one organic and/or inorganic salt to the demineralized water.

2. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein said device for the addition of at least one organic and/or inorganic salt is a device providing one or more aqueous saline solutions prepared from demineralized water, or providing said at least one organic and/or inorganic salt in solid form to the demineralized water, or a combination thereof.

3. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a device (for water filtration.

4. The coffee machine according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a partializer.

5. A method for the controlled extraction of at least one organic molecule present in ground coffee, during the preparation of an espresso coffee in a machine for the preparation and dispensing of an espresso coffee, the method comprising the steps of: a) demineralizing the water; b) adding at least one organic and/or inorganic salt to said demineralized water; and c) using the water thus obtained for the preparation of espresso coffee.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said at least one organic and/or inorganic salt is added in step b) in the form of one or more aqueous saline solutions prepared from demineralized water, or in solid form, or a combination thereof.

7. The method according to claim 5 further comprising a water filtration step (30).

8. The method according to claim 5 wherein the addition in step (b) is carried out by homogeneously mixing.

9. The method according to claim 5 wherein the addition in step (b) is carried out proportionally to the water flow rate required by the coffee machine.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the demineralization of step (a) is total or partial.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one salt added in step (b) is an inorganic salt.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the inorganic salt is chosen from the group comprising sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium salts.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the inorganic salt is chosen from the group comprising potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium sulphate, potassium nitrate, calcium sulphate and magnesium sulphate.

14. A system for regulating the electrolytic composition of water for an espresso machine, comprising a device for demineralizing water, and a device for adding at least one organic and/or inorganic salt to the demineralized water.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said device for the addition of at least one organic and/or inorganic salt is a device providing one or more aqueous saline solutions prepared from demineralized water, or providing said at least one organic and/or inorganic salt in solid form to the demineralized water, or a combination thereof.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a device for filtering water.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] The present invention will become completely clear from the following detailed description, given by way of non-limiting example, to be read with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

[0049] FIG. 1 is an exemplary representation of an espresso coffee machine comprising the system according to the present invention;

[0050] FIG. 2 is a simplified representation of a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] FIG. 3 is a simplified representation of a system according to a second embodiment of the present invention:

[0052] FIGS. 4a-b are graphs representing the amount of trigonelline (white columns) and caffeine (black columns) extracted (mg/g, ordinate axis) at 90° C. (panel a) and at 27° C. (panel b);

[0053] FIGS. 5a-b are graphs showing the variation of the octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow, ordinate) as a function of the temperature (abscissa) for caffeine (panel a) and for trigonelline (panel b);

[0054] FIGS. 6a-b are graphs representing the amount of caffeine (in mg/g, ordinate axis) extracted using fully demineralized ultrapure water (MilliQ), or 2-4 mM (panel a) or 50 mM (panel b) aqueous solutions;

[0055] FIGS. 7a-b are graphs representing the amount of carbohydrates, measured as pectin (in mg/g, ordinate axis), extracted using fully demineralized ultrapure water (MilliQ), or 2-4 mM (panel a) or 50 mM (panel b) aqueous solutions; and

[0056] FIGS. 8a-d are graphs showing values (%, ordinate axis) of the substances conferring a certain flavour extracted using aqueous solutions containing sodium (panel a), potassium (panel b), magnesium (panel c), and calcium (panel d) ions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] According to the present invention, a method for treating the water used in an espresso coffee machine is provided. The method, aimed at controlling the chemical composition, and in particular the electrolytic composition, of the water to be used for the preparation of espresso coffee, provides a step of demineralization, total or partial, and optionally filtration of the water, and then a step in which one or more organic and/or inorganic salts are added to the water.

[0058] According to the present invention, there is provided a method for the controlled extraction of at least one organic molecule present in ground coffee, during the preparation of espresso coffee in a machine for the preparation and dispensing of espresso coffee, said method comprising the steps of: [0059] a) at least partially demineralizing and optionally filtering the water; [0060] b) by homogeneously mixing adding to said demineralized water at least one organic and/or inorganic salt, proportionally to the water flow required by the machine; and [0061] c) using the water thus obtained for the preparation of the espresso coffee.

[0062] Preferably, according to the present invention, the step a) of demineralization, and optionally filtration, can be carried out with techniques known in the art, for example by reverse osmosis, distillation, etc., or by distillation with Millipore® device. In this way, the water obtained from step a) of the method according to the present invention can be water with various degrees of purity, for example distilled water of type I, II or III. Preferably, the water obtained is completely demineralized ultrapure water of type 1 (MilliQ®).

[0063] Subsequently, depending on the organoleptic properties to be imparted to the espresso coffee, one or more organic and/or inorganic salts are added to the water at the desired concentration. According to embodiments, the salts are added in the form of one or more aqueous saline solutions prepared from demineralized water and containing one or more organic and/or inorganic salt with the appropriate concentration. In addition, or in alternative, the salts are added in solid form to the demineralized water.

[0064] The Applicant has found that specific organic and inorganic salts are capable of favouring, or on the contrary disadvantage, the extraction of the different organic molecules contained in the ground coffee.

[0065] The following Table 1 shows the ability of eight salts typically present in oligomineral waters to extract the most important organic components of the coffee.

[0066] The salts are reported, with respect to each substance to be extracted, in order of extractive ability, from the worst to the best extractor, i.e. in increasing order of quantity of substance extracted from the ground coffee. The red column indicates the amount of substance extracted using completely demineralized ultrapure water (MilliQ®).

TABLE-US-00001 Substance Bad extractors Good extractors Carbohydrates KNO.sub.3 < NaCl < < K.sub.2SO.sub.4 < MgSO.sub.4 < MgCl.sub.2 < CaSO.sub.4 < CaCl.sub.2 < KCl Caffeine CaCl.sub.2 < < MgCl.sub.2 < MgSO.sub.4 < CaSO.sub.4 < KCl < KNO.sub.3 < K.sub.3SO.sub.4 < NaCl Trigonelline CaCl.sub.2 < KCl < CaSO.sub.2 < < MgSO.sub.4 < K.sub.2SO.sub.4 < KNO.sub.3 < NaCl < MgCl.sub.2 Caffeic Acid NaCl = CaSO.sub.4 = MgSO.sub.4 < < K.sub.2SO.sub.4 < MgCl.sub.2 < KNO.sub.3 < KCl < CaCl.sub.2 Ferulic Acid NaCl = CaSO.sub.4 = MgSO.sub.4 = MgCl.sub.2 < < CaCl.sub.2 < K.sub.2SO.sub.4 < KNO.sub.3 < KCl MalicAcid NaCl < MgCl.sub.2 < KCl < < MgSO.sub.4 < CaCl.sub.2 < CaSO.sub.4 < KNO.sub.2 < K.sub.2SO.sub.4 Citric Acid KNO.sub.3 < NaCl < MgSO.sub.4 < MgCl.sub.2 < CaSO.sub.4 < KCl < K.sub.3SO.sub.4 < CaCl.sub.2 < Nicotinic Acid NaCl = CaSO.sub.4 = MgSO.sub.4 = MgCl.sub.2 = KNO.sub.3 = K.sub.2SO.sub.4 = < CaCl.sub.2 < KCl Melanoidin CaSO.sub.4 < KNO.sub.3 < CaCl.sub.2 < K.sub.2SO.sub.4 < MgSO.sub.4 < KCl < MgCl.sub.2 < NaCl <

[0067] From the data reported in Table 1 it is possible to identify, for each of the tested substances, the electrolytes which act as better or worse extractor (Table 2). It can also be noted that in many cases individual ions (e.g. chloride ion, calcium ion, etc.) are responsible for the major variations, and not the specific salt used.

TABLE-US-00002 Substance Better extractor Worse extractor Pectin (carbohydrates) Potassium Potassium nitrate Caffeine Sodium Magnesium Trigonelline Magnesium Calcium Caffeic acid Potassium Potassium sulphate Ferulic acid Potassium Sodium and magnesium Malic acid Potassium nitrate Potassium sulphate Citric acid Calcium Potassium nitrate Nicotinic acid Potassium Sodium and magnesium Pectin (carbohydrates) Potassium Potassium nitrate

[0068] By accurately choosing the type and amount of salts dissolved in the water used for the preparation of espresso coffee, it is possible to control the chemical composition of the beverage obtained, and therefore its organoleptic characteristics. Each of the above substances, in fact, is characterized by a particular taste (Table 3) and its concentration in the coffee obtained contributes to give a particular taste.

[0069] The controlled extraction according to the present invention therefore allows, starting from the same mixture of powdered coffee, to obtain espresso coffee with specific organoleptic characteristics (for example acidity, sweetness, bitterness, etc.). More details on this will be offered in the examples.

TABLE-US-00003 Substance Taste Pectin (carbohydrates) Sweetness Caffeine Bitterness Trigonelline Bitterness Caffeic acid Bitterness Ferulic acid Phenolic Malic acid Acidity/fruity Citric acid Citrusy acidity Nicotinic acid Floral Melanoidin Toasting / caramelizing

[0070] According to the method of the present invention, therefore, a system is provided for regulating the electrolytic composition of the water so that the water supplied to the coffee machine allows to obtain an espresso coffee with specific organoleptic characteristics. This also enables the performance of the coffee machines to be standardized, in terms of the quality of the coffee obtained and of the efficiency and durability of the machine, regardless of the place where the machine is installed, i.e. the quality of the water available from the public water network.

[0071] According to the present invention, there is also provided a system for regulating the electrolytic composition of the water for an espresso coffee machine, characterized in that it comprises a water demineralization and optionally filtration device, and a device for adding at least one organic and/or inorganic salt to the demineralized water.

[0072] Finally, according to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a machine for preparing and dispensing espresso coffee comprising: [0073] a water supply; [0074] a dispensing group configured to cooperate with a portafilter (filter holder) equipped with a filter basket with a coffee powder puck; the machine being configured to supply pressurized water to said coffee powder puck for dispensing an espresso coffee, and [0075] a system for regulating the electrolytic composition of the water to be used for the preparation of the espresso coffee, the system comprising a water demineralization and optionally filtration device, and a device for adding at least one organic and/or inorganic salt to the demineralized water.

[0076] FIG. 1 shows, by way of example only, an espresso coffee machine, overall identified by the reference number 10. The machine 10 comprises a substantially closed machine body 11 housing the main components of the machine, some of which will be described below. The machine 10 preferably comprises, at the top, a surface 12 on which the cups may be placed. An electrical resistance (not shown) or other heating system may also be provided to heat the cups on surface 12.

[0077] The machine 10 comprises at least one dispensing unit 13 for dispensing espresso coffee. Preferably, the machine 10 comprises several dispensing groups 13, for example three such as the exemplary machine of FIG. 1. They could also be two, four or more. Underneath the dispensing units 13 there is preferably a drip tray 14, preferably partially closed at the top by a grille 15. Typically, the coffee cups are placed on the grille 15 during the dispensing of the espresso coffee.

[0078] A portafilter for supporting a filter basket for a coffee powder puck can be removably connected to each dispensing group 13.

[0079] The machine 10 may comprise one or more displays 16 and pushbuttons, for example for switching the machine on/off and/or for starting/ending the dispensing operation.

[0080] Preferably, the machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 also comprises, for each dispensing group 13, a lever 18 (or pushbutton not shown in the figure) for starting/ending the dispensing of the espresso coffee and/or for modifying the dispensing pressure during the dispensing of the espresso coffee.

[0081] According to the present invention, the machine 10 also comprises the system 50 configured at least to demineralize at least partially, and optionally to filter, the water entering the machine, and subsequently to add at least one organic and/or inorganic salt to the water to be used for the preparation of the espresso coffee.

[0082] According to an embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 2), the system 50 comprises a water demineralization and optionally filtration device 30 and a device for the addition of at least one organic and/or inorganic salt 37 to the demineralized water. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, said device 37 for adding at least one organic and/or inorganic salt is a device able to provide one or more aqueous saline solutions prepared from demineralized water and containing the desired salts at appropriate concentrations. According to another preferred embodiment, said device 37 is a device able to add to the demineralized water the desired salts in solid form. According to a further embodiment, said device 37 is a device able to provide to the demineralized water the desired salts both in solid form and in the form of one or more aqueous saline solutions prepared from demineralized water.

[0083] With reference to FIG. 3, downstream of the water demineralization and optionally filtering device, a partializer 35 is preferably provided. In this way, a portion of water is fed to the machine which has passed through the addition device 37 and a portion which has not been remineralized. The partializer can for example be a proportional valve 35.

[0084] Preferably, the system 50 comprises one or more flowrate measuring devices. For example, a first flowmeter 31 may be provided upstream of the adding device 37 and a second flowmeter 34 upstream of the partializer.

EXPERIMENTAL SECTION

[0085] The Applicant has carried out a series of tests under real conditions of use of the machine. Each 50 ml sample of espresso coffee was obtained using 14 g of ground coffee, which was extracted at 92° C. and a pressure of 8 bar. Each espresso was filtered, diluted with Milli-Q water in a 1:100 ratio, and analysed to determine the concentration of the organic molecules typically present in the ground coffee. Such organic molecules of interest are: carbohydrates (expressed as pectin), caffeine, trigonelline, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, malic acid, citric acid, nicotinic acid, melanoidin.

[0086] For the determination of the concentration of each analyte five independent analyses were carried out for each of the extraction solutions used.

[0087] The Applicant has found that there is a direct relationship between the electrolytic composition of the water used for the extraction and the concentration of analytes of interest in the espresso coffee.

[0088] The Applicant has also found that this relationship can be exploited to obtain a coffee extract with controlled chemical composition, and therefore with controlled organoleptic characteristics.

Example 1

[0089] The first experimental measurements were related to the evaluation of a correlation between the type of salts present in the water used for the preparation of espresso coffee and the concentration in the obtained coffee of some organic molecules typically present in the espresso coffee.

[0090] By way of non-limiting example, the results relating to experiments for extracting caffeine and trigonelline contained in the espresso coffee prepared at different temperatures and using water having different ion composition are reported hereinafter.

[0091] FIG. 4a shows the data relating to the amount of trigonelline (white columns) and caffeine (black columns) extracted (in mg) per gram of ground coffee used, carrying out the extraction at 90° C. with water with variable electrolytic composition, i.e. with completely demineralized ultrapure water (MilliQ), or water containing a concentration of 0.5 M calcium chloride (CaCl.sub.2) or sodium chloride (NaCl).

[0092] FIG. 4b shows the results for the same experiment carried out at 27° C.

[0093] From the analysis of the two figures it is evident that the extractive ability of the water varies both with the variation of its electrolytic composition and with the variation of the temperature, and that this effect is different for the two molecules analysed.

[0094] This is due to a variation in the relative affinity of such molecules for the two matrices (ground coffee and water), and this variation is specific for each molecule analysed.

[0095] It has in fact been possible to experimentally determine the temperature dependence of the parameter indicating the relative affinity of a substance for an organic and a polar phase, i.e. the octanol water partition coefficient (Kow), both for caffeine (panel a) and for trigonelline (panel b; FIG. 5). The results show that the Kow changes with the temperature and with a different trend for the two substances.

Example 2

[0096] Thus, subsequently the variation of the extractive ability of the water has been studied with respect to the molecules typically contained in the ground coffee, as a function of the type of salt contained in the water used and its concentration.

[0097] By way of non-limiting example, the results relating to caffeine and carbohydrate, expressed as pectin, extraction experiments carried out at a temperature of 90-93° C., are reported hereinafter

[0098] The analytical methods used are reported in the following Table 4.

TABLE-US-00004 Analysis type Column Mobile phase Flow rate instrument Caffeine Liquid chromatography with DAD detector C 18 Methanol 24% water 75.696 % formic acid 0.304% 1 ml/min LTQ Thermo Fisher Scientific Carbohydrates chromatography with IR detector Waters Sugar pack 1 Water at 90 0.5 ml/min HPLC Waters 2410

[0099] FIGS. 6a-b show the amount of caffeine (in mg), per gram of ground coffee used, extracted using completely demineralized ultrapure water (MilliQ), or 2-4 mm (FIG. 6a) or 50 mm (FIG. 6b) aqueous solutions of potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium sulphate, potassium nitrate, calcium sulphate or magnesium sulphate.

[0100] FIGS. 7a-b show the results of similar experiments relating to carbohydrates.

[0101] The above results therefore demonstrate that there is a direct correlation between the electrolytic composition of the water used for the preparation of espresso coffee and the chemical composition of the coffee obtained, which, as is known, is directly responsible for the organoleptic characteristics of the beverage.

[0102] The experiments carried out have therefore led to the conclusion that by controlling the electrolytic composition of the water used for the preparation of espresso coffee it is possible to control the organoleptic characteristics of the beverage obtained.

Example 3

[0103] Four different types of espresso were prepared starting from the same ground coffee powder, but using water treated according to the method of the present invention and containing 2-4 mM concentrations of sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium ions.

[0104] On the basis of the extractive abilities of each of these ions, it is possible to predict the organoleptic characteristics of the espresso coffee obtained with each saline solution. Graphs A-C of FIG. 8 show the values, expressed as a percentage score, in which the maximum of the scale corresponds to the maximum extracted amount, of the substances which impart a given flavour.

[0105] Observing the graphs it is therefore possible to anticipate that the espresso coffee obtained starting from water containing 2 mM sodium ions (graph A) will be characterized mainly by bitter taste and toasted/caramelized aroma; the one obtained starting from water containing 2 mM potassium (graph B) will be mainly characterized by sweet taste and acidity; an espresso obtained from water containing 2.5 mM of magnesium ions (graph C) will be characterized by a strong aroma and a good balance of sweetness and bitterness; and the one obtained from water containing 4 mM calcium ions (graph D) will be characterized by a sweet taste and a marked acidity.

[0106] The espresso prepared with the saline solutions having a concentration of from 0.002 M to 0.004 M were subjected to a panel of 9 tasters: the panel judgments are reported in the following Table 5. The agreement between the experimental data and the judgment of the tasters is very high, almost total if one considers bitterness and acidity together. Distinguishing the two flavours on the palate can in fact be difficult.

TABLE-US-00005 NaCl KCl MgCl.sub.2 CaCl.sub.2 Acidity 44.4% 44.4% 11.2% 0% Sweetness 0% 11.2% 11.2% 77.8% Bitterness 33.3% 44.4% 11.1% 11.1% Aroma 44.4% 0% 22.2% 33.3%