COFFEE FRUIT COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF PRODUCTION

Abstract

Compositions comprising a natural, non-ingestible processed coffee fruit material, optionally flavored with natural ingredients, and in a form that may be placed in the mouth of a user are provided. Such compositions enable the delivery of caffeine, antioxidants, coffee flavor, and/or other flavors from the coffee fruit to the user in a convenient, enjoyable, and discrete manner. The compositions provide the benefits of a coffee-based beverage in situations where it would be impractical or inappropriate for the user to consume a liquid beverage. They also provide an alternative to unhealthy non-ingestible products, such as smokeless tobacco products. Also provided are methods of manufacturing the disclosed compositions and packaged consumer products containing the compositions.

Claims

1. A composition comprising: a non-ingestible processed coffee fruit material; wherein the composition is configured for placement a user's mouth.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the processed coffee fruit material is a de-beaned coffee fruit.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the de-beaned coffee fruit comprises skin, pulp, or mucilage.

4. The composition of claim 2, wherein the de-beaned coffee fruit is at least partially dried.

5. The composition of claim 2, wherein the de-beaned coffee fruit is shredded or chopped.

6-7. (canceled)

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is configured for placement in a buccal cavity, on a palate, or in a lingual space.

9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the composition is configured for placement in a buccal cavity.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is configured to be chewable.

11. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is configured as a film.

12. The composition of claim 11, wherein the film is a slow disintegrating film.

13. The composition of claim 11, wherein the film is a chewable film.

14. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is configured as a tab.

15. The composition of claim 14, wherein the tab is a slow disintegrating tab.

16. The composition of claim 14, wherein the tab is a chewable tab.

17. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a flavoring agent.

18. The composition of claim 17, wherein the flavoring agent comprises licorice, clove, menthol, aniseed, cinnamon, wintergreen, cherry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, apple, peach, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, nutmeg, geranium, honey, rose, vanilla, lemon, orange, lime, cassia, caraway, jasmine, sage, fennel, ginger, anise, coriander, mint oil, or mint leaves.

19. (canceled)

20. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a sweetener.

21. The composition of claim 20, wherein the sweetener comprises sucrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, erythritol, isomalt, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, saccharine, sucralose, neohesperidine, or dihydrichalcone.

22. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition does not dissolve in the mouth in less than 10 minutes.

23-43. (canceled)

44. A packaged coffee fruit product comprising the composition of claim 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The instant disclosure provides compositions, methods of manufacturing, and packaged products relating to a non-ingestible processed coffee fruit material, wherein the composition is configured for placement a user's mouth. The disclosed compositions can be used, for example, as a healthier alternative to smokeless tobacco products. In addition, the compositions can be used as an alternative to the consumption of coffee-based beverages where it would be inconvenient or inappropriate for the consumption of such a beverage.

[0024] Specifically, the use of a coffee fruit-based material has many positive benefits over tobacco use. It is not addictive, does not have health risks, unlike nicotine which is a depressant or relaxant, caffeine is a stimulant and most importantly the coffee fruit has 30-40 times the antioxidant benefit of super fruits like Acai and Pomegranate per gram (measured with ORAC [Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity] and bioavailable standards). Also, on removal from the mouth, the byproduct is a non-toxic biodegradable expended coffee fruit which is significantly less unsightly and revolting than smokeless tobacco products after their use.

Compositions

[0025] The instant disclosure therefore provides in one aspect compositions comprising a non-ingestible processed coffee fruit material. The compositions are preferably configured for placement in a user's mouth and can therefore serve as a benign or even beneficial substitute for any of the smokeless tobacco products described above. By non-ingestible is meant that the compositions are not intended for consumption or other systemic usage. For example, the compositions are not meant to be swallowed or ingested in any other way, except for the minimal ingestion which may occur as the composition is held in the mouth during usage.

[0026] The coffee fruit material of the instant compositions is obtained from a coffee plant, typically of the genus Coffea. Coffee plants may, for example be chosen from the species Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora, and the like. Preferably the coffee fruit is allowed to ripen prior to harvest.

[0027] The coffee fruit material of the instant compositions is a processed coffee fruit material. The processing typically involves at least the traditional wet or dry processing steps used to separate the coffee beans from the coffee fruit. In other words, the processed coffee fruit material of the instant compositions can be prepared from the material normally considered a waste product of the typical coffee production process. Preferably the processed coffee fruit material is therefore a de-beaned coffee fruit. In specific embodiments, the de-beaned coffee fruit comprises skin, pulp, or mucilage.

[0028] In some embodiments, the de-beaned coffee fruit is at least partially dried following its separation from the coffee beans. This step is of particular utility in the case of coffee fruit obtained from a wet-processed material, where the drying step can significantly improve the stability of the processed coffee fruit material and thus enable longer-term storage. For example, a drying or partial drying of the coffee fruit material can prevent spoilage of the material that would otherwise occur due the presence of mold, fungi, bacteria, and the like, which is present particularly in damp material. A drying or partial drying of the coffee fruit material also minimizes oxidative degradation of the processed coffee fruit following its separation from the coffee beans. This step therefore maximizes the levels of antioxidants and other beneficial agents in the de-beaned fruit. Furthermore, drying or partial drying of the processed coffee fruit material helps to retain the natural flavors of the processed coffee fruit material during storage. The coffee fruit material is therefore optionally dried or partially dried as part of the processing. It should be understood that any type of processed coffee fruit material can be dried or partially dried, whether the material is obtained from a traditional wet, dry, or semi-dry de-beaning process. The material may, for example, be sun dried, convection dried, freeze dried, microwave dried, drum dried, shelf dried, or the like.

[0029] In some embodiments, the coffee fruit material is shredded, chopped, sliced, or otherwise cut, either as part of the traditional processing to remove the bean from the fruit or as a specific additional step during the manufacture of the instant compositions. In preferred embodiments, the additional shredding, chopping, slicing, or cutting of the coffee fruit material enables the comfortable placement of the material in a user's mouth. In addition, this further processing may facilitate the extraction of beneficial agents, such as caffeine, antioxidants, polyphenols, and the like, in the user's mouth, for example by chewing.

[0030] As just mentioned, in some embodiments, the compositions of the instant disclosure are configured to deliver caffeine, an antioxidant, or another active agent to a user's mouth. For example, the compositions of the instant disclosure can be configured for placement in a buccal cavity, on a palate, or in a lingual or sub-lingual space. As is well known in the pharmaceutical arts, oral administration of pharmaceutical agents can be a highly effective method for the delivery an active agent to an individual in need of treatment. For example, slow release formulations, such as sub-lingual tablets, can be placed under a user's tongue to enable absorption of the active agent directly into the bloodstream through the oral mucosa. Such formulations may reduce the time needed for the drug to enter the bloodstream and may increase the bioavailability of the drug. Delivery of active agents through the oral mucosa also limits exposure of the agent to the gastric system and may therefore be preferable for delivery of agents not stable to such environments. In some embodiments, the compositions of the instant disclosure are configured to deliver pleasing flavors to the user's mouth. The flavors may arise either from the inherent flavor of the coffee fruit material itself or from flavoring agents added to the compositions in addition to the coffee fruit material.

[0031] The caffeine, antioxidant, or other beneficial agent, including flavoring agents, of the instant compositions may be added to the composition as a separate component from the coffee fruit material. Preferably, however, the caffeine, antioxidant, or other active agent is naturally present in the coffee fruit material itself. As mentioned above, coffee fruit is known to have high levels of such agents and can therefore serve as a delivery vehicle for ingestion of those agents, even in the absence of ingestion of the coffee fruit material itself.

[0032] Without intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that the processing of the coffee fruit material, for example by the wet or dry processing steps used to separate coffee beans from the fruit, and optionally by further shredding or chopping of the coffee fruit material, increases the bioavailability of caffeine, antioxidants, and other beneficial agents in the coffee fruit, including flavoring agents.

[0033] In some embodiments, the compositions of the instant disclosure are configured to be chewable. The manufacture of chewing gum and other such non-ingestible chewable substances, as well as excipients and additives suitable for use in such products, are well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art. See, for example, PCT International Publication No. WO03/084338, including references cited therein. Accordingly, the instant compositions may include components traditionally used to formulate chewing gum compositions, including without limitation gum base, sweeteners, glycerine, softeners or plasticizers, flavoring agents, colors, and/or coatings. Gum bases may be of any conventional nature known in the art such as, e.g., a gum base of natural or synthetic origin available from a commercial source. Natural gum bases include e.g. chicle, jelutong gum, lechi de caspi gum, soh gum, siak gum, katiau gum, sorwa gum, balata gum, pendare gum, malaya gum and peach gum, natural rubbers and natural resins such as dammar and mastix. Synthetic gum bases include synthetic rubbers, paraffin, petroleum waxes, and various polymers.

[0034] Natural sweeteners usefully added to the instant compositions include, for example, sucrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, erythritol, isomalt, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and lactitol. Artificial sweeteners include, for example, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, saccharine, sucralose, neohesperidine, and dihydrichalcone. Glycerine may be optionally added to the compositions to maintain moistness.

[0035] As mentioned above, the instant compositions optionally comprise one or more flavoring agents. Preferably the flavoring agent comprises licorice, clove, menthol, aniseed, cinnamon, wintergreen, cherry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, apple, peach, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, nutmeg, geranium, honey, rose, vanilla, lemon, orange, lime, cassia, caraway, jasmine, sage, fennel, ginger, anise, coriander, mint oil, or mint leaves. More preferably the flavoring agent comprises mint leaves, in particular chopped, shredded, or minced mint leaves.

[0036] The compositions of the instant disclosure can additionally and optionally comprise one or more botanical agents. Exemplary botanical agents suitable for inclusion in the instant compositions are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0068544 A1. In some cases, these botanical agents provide beneficial properties in addition to their flavor. For example, the botanical agents may display antioxidant characteristics or provide other advantageous features.

[0037] The compositions of the instant disclosure can still further comprise an optional preservative, including a natural or artificial preservative. Such preservatives are included in the compositions in order to minimize degradation of the product, for example by bacteria or other microorganisms, or by oxidation.

[0038] Preferable preservatives for use in the instant compositions have been approved by governmental authorities for use as a food additive in the relevant jurisdiction. Exemplary preservatives usefully included within the instant compositions include sorbates, benzoates, sulphites, phenols, formates, nitrates, acetates, lactates, and propionates. Exemplary anti-oxidants and acidity regulators usefully included within the instant compositions include ascorbates, tocopherol, gallates and erythorbates, lactates, citrates and tartrates, phosphates, malates and adipates, and succinates and fumarates.

[0039] Other exemplary preservatives include chloride salts, such as calcium chloride; sulfite salts, such as sodium metabisulphate, potassium metabisulphite, sodium bisulphite, sodium disulphite, and calcium bisulphite; metal ion sequestrants, such as metal acid polyphosphate; organic anti-oxidants, such as -tocopherol and its variants; low molecular weight organic acids, such as citric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, lactic and ascorbic acid; metal and ammonium salts of the organic acids, such as Ca, Mg, Zn, Sn, Sr, Li, Ba, Al, Cu, Mn, Na, K, and Fe salts; film forming agents, such as waxes, gums, polysaccharides (including hydroxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and microcrystalline cellulose), alginates, carrageenans, lipids, pectins, modified starches, locust bean gum, xanthum gum, gellan gum, guar gum, and tragacanths. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise more than one preservative. In some embodiments, the preservative is a soluble preservative, for example an aqueous preservative, and in other embodiments, the preservative is a volatile preservative, for example a gaseous or vapor preservative agent.

[0040] In some embodiments, the compositions of the instant disclosure are configured as a film or a tab, including a slow disintegrating film or a slow disintegrating tab. The formulation of oral films and tabs is well understood in the pharmaceutical arts. Such films and tabs can contain, for example, film-forming agents such as porcine gelatin, pullulan, carrageenan, pectin, locust bean gum, or xanthan gum. The films can alternatively, or in addition, contain film-forming polymers, such as, for example, carbomer, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate phthalate, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate, methylcellulose, polymethacrylates, polyvinyl alcohol, povidone, shellac, a fatty substance e.g. hard fat, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide, a wax, a zein, a sugar or derivative of a sugar, e.g. glucose, maltodextrin, polydextrose, sucrose, lactose, alginic acid, carrageenan, sugar alcohols or derivatives of sugar alcohols, e.g. mannitol, maltitol, isomalt, xylitol, sorbitol, and so forth. The films and tabs can be configured, for example, as chewable films or chewable tabs. Exemplary films and tabs suitable for use in tobacco-containing compositions are described, for example, in PCT International Publication No. WO 2005/046363 A2. Similar formulations can be adapted for use in the coffee fruit-containing compositions of the instant disclosure, as would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Methods of Manufacturing

[0041] In another aspect, the instant disclosure provides methods of manufacturing the above-described compositions and others. In particular, the disclosure provides methods of manufacturing a composition comprising a non-ingestible processed coffee fruit material, comprising the steps of: [0042] providing a coffee fruit material; and [0043] processing the coffee fruit material;
wherein the processed coffee fruit material is non-ingestible and is configured for placement in a user's mouth.

[0044] In specific embodiments, the coffee fruit material is a de-beaned coffee fruit. In more specific embodiments, the de-beaned coffee fruit comprises skin, pulp, or mucilage. In other more specific embodiments, the de-beaned coffee fruit is at least partially dried. In still other more specific embodiments, the de-beaned coffee fruit is shredded or chopped.

[0045] The coffee fruit material of the instant methods is preferably spray moistened, most preferably with water or another suitable liquid, either prior to processing or during processing, in order to provide the best texture of the resulting composition.

[0046] The instant methods of manufacturing may optionally comprise the further step of combining the coffee fruit material with a flavoring agent. The flavoring agent may be combined with the coffee fruit material either before, after, or during the processing step. For example, the coffee fruit material and the flavoring agent may be separately shredded or chopped, and the separately prepared components subsequently combined. Alternatively, unprocessed coffee fruit material and flavoring agent may be combined prior to processing, for example by shredding or chopping of the combined materials.

[0047] It should be understood that the above steps result in a processed coffee fruit material that is non-ingestible. In other words, the resultant processed material is not intended to be swallowed or otherwise ingested by the user upon placement in the user's mouth. Instead, the processed material is held in the user's mouth for a period of time that allows soluble agents in the material, for example caffeine, antioxidants, and/or intrinsic or extrinsic flavoring or other agents to be released into the user's mouth. Use of the compositions produced by these methods is thus analogous to the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the compositions can thereby serve as a healthy alternative to such products. The coffee fruit material should accordingly not be processed so finely that the user is likely to swallow or otherwise ingest the processed material. At the same time, however, the processed material needs to be small enough for placement in the user's mouth. Those of ordinary skill in the art of food processing will understand the extent of shredding, chopping, or other processing suitable to achieve the desired properties in a user's mouth.

Packaged Coffee Fruit Products

[0048] In yet another aspect, the instant disclosure provides packaged coffee fruit products according to the above description. In these embodiments, the above compositions are preferably packed into a suitable container and sealed for long-term storage. The containers are optionally refrigerated to maintain freshness of the contents.

[0049] It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts that other suitable modifications and adaptations to the compositions, methods, and products described herein may be made without departing from the scope of the invention or any embodiment thereof.

[0050] All patents, patent publications, and other published references mentioned herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties as if each had been individually and specifically incorporated by reference herein.

[0051] While specific examples have been provided, the above description is illustrative and not restrictive. Any one or more of the features of the previously described embodiments can be combined in any manner with one or more features of any other embodiments in the present invention. Furthermore, many variations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the specification. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined by reference to the appended claims, along with their full scope of equivalents.