Soluble Coffee with Incorporation of Powdered Coffee and Methods for the Production Thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for obtaining soluble coffee with enhanced aroma, fragrance, and flavor compared to conventional soluble coffee, corresponding to the incorporation of pulverized coffee by continuous feeding during the drying operation of a coffee extract. Additionally, the invention also relates to the product obtained by said process, corresponding to instant coffee with pulverized coffee, preferably formulated with the incorporation of additives, powdered and/or also agglomerated.

Claims

1. A method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee, comprising the steps of: providing coffee extract; providing pulverized coffee; subjecting the coffee extract to a drying process; incorporating the pulverized coffee into the coffee extract during the drying process; recovering a soluble coffee product that incorporates the pulverized coffee.

2. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 1, wherein the drying process is carried out by means of spraying.

3. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 2, wherein the incorporation is carried out at the outlet of the spouts or spray nozzles of the dryer.

4. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 1, wherein a portion of pulverized coffee is mixed with the coffee extract before drying and the remaining portion of pulverized coffee is incorporated during the drying process.

5. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 1, wherein the incorporation of pulverized coffee is carried out by means of microdosing.

6. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 1, wherein additives are added to the coffee extract before the drying process.

7. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 1, wherein the soluble coffee product is further agglomerated.

8. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 7, wherein a portion of pulverized coffee is added during the agglomeration process.

9. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 7, wherein the agglomerated product is combined with additives.

10. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 7, wherein agglomeration is carried out by steam spraying the soluble coffee particles.

11. The method for preparing soluble coffee incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 6, wherein addition of additives is carried out by spraying.

12. A soluble coffee product incorporating pulverized coffee, manufactured by the method of claim 1.

13. A soluble coffee product incorporating pulverized coffee containing additives, manufactured by the method of claim 6.

14. (canceled)

15. The agglomerated soluble coffee product incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 8.

16. (canceled)

17. The agglomerated soluble coffee product incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 13, wherein the additives are selected from the group comprising coffee oils, solid, aqueous, and/or oily natural and/or artificial flavors, liquid or solid natural coffee aromas, antioxidants, minerals, fibers, omegas, vitamins, and spices.

18. The agglomerated soluble coffee product incorporating pulverized coffee according to claim 12, wherein the coffee is selected from the group of robusta and arabica green coffee varieties, as well as hybrids and/or mixtures thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1: shows a process diagram that illustrates a method of obtaining soluble coffee (P1), in which additives are added to the coffee extract and roasted ground coffee is incorporated directly during the air-dry process of the extract.

[0018] FIG. 2: shows a process diagram that illustrates a method of obtaining soluble coffee (P2), in which additives are added to the coffee extract to the coffee extract, with the incorporation of a portion of pulverized roasted coffee directly into the extract, prior to drying, and another portion of pulverized roasted coffee during the drying process.

[0019] FIG. 3: shows a process diagram that illustrates a method of obtaining soluble coffee P1, as in FIG. 1, which is subsequently agglomerated in order to obtain product P3, and where additives previously combined with the coffee extract are included.

[0020] FIG. 4: shows a process diagram illustrating a method of obtaining soluble coffee (P2), as in FIG. 2, which is agglomerated in order to obtain product P4, which is sprayed with other additives and then packed to obtain product P5.

[0021] FIG. 5: shows a process diagram illustrating a method of obtaining soluble coffee (P2), as in FIG. 2, with the incorporation of additives into the coffee extract, incorporating pulverized roasted coffee directly into the drying process and also previously into the coffee extract, where also an additional portion of pulverized roasted coffee is added during the agglomeration of product P2, in order to obtain product P6, which is sprayed with other additives and subsequently packed to obtain product P7.

[0022] FIG. 6: shows a dosing system for pulverized ground coffee.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The process of the invention for the incorporation of pulverized coffee by means of microdosing during the drying operation of a coffee extract comprises feeding or dosing, in a controlled manner, a specific amount of pulverized coffee into a liquid stream of coffee extract, air, recirculation fine material, and pulverized coffee. Said feeding is carried out by means of a microdosing system, which controls the quantity of kilograms delivered to the transport air stream, according to the production rate (kg/h) of the dryer and the percentage of roasted ground coffee desired in the final product.

[0024] The microdosing operation is carried out from a pulverized coffee tank or container, which may include an environment modified with a gas and/or mixture of inert gases (to protect the pulverized roasted coffee from oxidation), which also comprises a weighing system and another system that delivers coffee to a dryer feeding stream.

[0025] The system that feeds pulverized roasted coffee to the dryer is responsible for transporting coffee from the tank or container to the air stream at a uniform flow rate (kg/h). In this sense, it produces several types of coffee holding different percentages of incorporation of pulverized roasted coffee (weight %), given that by varying the flow rate of the delivery system, pulverized roasted coffee will be added in greater or lesser proportion.

[0026] The pulverized roasted coffee is transported by the air stream to the spray point, wherein upon contact with the air stream, the droplets of the liquid stream of the coffee extract that come out of the spouts or spray nozzles of the dryer, and the stream of fine material coming from the recirculation of the cyclone system, adhere to each other to form a combined particle of soluble coffee and pulverized roasted coffee, which continues its journey through the drying chamber until it reaches the finished product output.

[0027] Finally, the agglomeration process of soluble coffee is the processing of combined particles of soluble coffee and pulverized coffee, obtained in the drying process in a uniform powder form, on which surface tension is created by means of humidification, contributing to the adhesion of several fine particles to larger ones, thus generating an amorphous product that is subsequently heated and cooled in a fluidized bed to produce its final finish.

[0028] In accordance with the foregoing, it is clear that a person of ordinary skill in the art can use the present invention to its fullest extent, using the foregoing description. Therefore, the following examples should be interpreted as merely illustrative.

EXAMPLE 1

[0029] This process uses a storage tank (500 to 10,000 l) of coffee extract, made from arabica or robusta variety coffee, hybrids and/or mixtures of these varieties, with a concentration ranging between 25 and 50% kg of soluble solids, stored during (0-24 hours), which is spray dried.

[0030] It also uses pulverized coffee, with a particle size between (50 and 300 m), stored in a tank with a modified environment to avoid coffee deterioration due to oxidation. The pulverized coffee is mixed with liquid coffee right at the outlet of the dryer's spray nozzles or spouts, where the system is neither solid nor liquid, but instead a mixture of three phases, which upon action by hot air entering through the upper part of the dryer, at an air temperature between (200 and 250 C.), is integrated into a single particle.

[0031] The coffee obtained (P1) has a humidity between 0 and 5%, more specifically between 0 and 3.0%; the density of the obtained product is between 100 and 600 g/I, more specifically between 150 and 450 g/l, the color of the obtained product is between 10 and 50 luminosity (L*), more specifically between 15 and 35 L*; and the % of pulverized roasted coffee ranges between 4 and 20%, more specifically between 6 and 12%.

EXAMPLE 2

[0032] The product of Example 1 is agglomerated by means of steam spraying the particles of soluble coffee in order to group them, seeking to obtain product P3. Prior to packaging in flexible glass, cans, and PET containers, solid, aqueous, and/or oily natural and/or artificial flavors, liquid or solid natural coffee aromas, and functional ingredients such as antioxidants, minerals, fibers, omegas, vitamins, and spices are added to bring out its features by means of direct application in the coffee extract or by spraying.

EXAMPLE 3

[0033] The product of the Example 1 is agglomerated as described in Example 2, but the pulverized coffee is added at the moment when steam spraing is used for the agglomeration process, thus generating a mixture of pulverized coffee, steam, and soluble coffee particles. Subsequently, the product is packaged in flexible glass, cans, and PET containers, and solid, aqueous, and/or oily natural and/or artificial flavors, liquid or solid natural coffee aromas and functional ingredients such as antioxidants, minerals, fibers, omegas, vitamins, and spices are added to bring out its features. The final product is packed under a modified environment (with a lower oxygen percentage in the package ranging between 0 and 15% for the final product preservation).

EXAMPLE 4

[0034] This process uses a storage tank (500 to 10,000 l) filled with coffee extract made from arabica or robusta variety coffee, hybrids and/or mixtures of these varieties, with a concentration ranging between (10 and 60% kg) of soluble solids, stored during (0-48 hours), which is then spray dried.

[0035] It also uses pulverized coffee, with a particle size between (45 and 350 m), stored in a tank having a modified environment in order to avoid coffee deterioration due to oxidation. The pulverized coffee is mixed with liquid coffee right at the outlet of the dryer's spray nozzles or spouts, where the system is neither solid nor liquid, but instead a mixture of three phases, which upon action by hot air entering through the upper part of the dryer, at an air temperature between (190 and 240 C.), is integrated into a single particle.

[0036] The coffee obtained (P1) has a humidity between 0 and 5%, more specifically between 0 and 3.0%; the density of the obtained product is between 100 and 600 g/l, more specifically between 150 and 450 g/l, the color of the obtained product is between 10 and 50 (L*), more specifically between 15 and 35 L*; and the % of pulverized roasted coffee ranges between 5 and 50%, more specifically between 6 and 12%.

EXAMPLE 5

[0037] This process uses a storage tank (500 to 10,000 l) filled with coffee extract made from arabica or robusta variety coffee, hybrids and/or mixtures of these varieties, with a concentration ranging between (25 and 50% kg) of soluble solids, stored during (0-24 hours), which is then spray dried.

[0038] It also uses pulverized coffee, with a particle size between (50 and 300 m), stored in a tank having a modified environment in order to avoid coffee deterioration due to oxidation. The pulverized coffee is mixed with liquid coffee right at the outlet of the dryer's spray nozzles or spouts, where the system is neither solid nor liquid, but instead a mixture of three phases, which upon action by hot air entering through the upper part of the dryer, at an air temperature between (200 and 250 C.), is integrated into a single particle.

[0039] The coffee obtained (P1) has a humidity between 2 and 3%, more specifically between 0 and 3.0%; the density of the obtained product is between 300 and 400 g/l, more specifically between 150 and 450 g/l, the color of the obtained product is between 20 and 27 (L*), more specifically between 15 and 35 L*; and the % of pulverized roasted coffee ranges between 4 and 12%, more specifically between 6 and 12%.

EXAMPLE 6

[0040] Aromas, oils, and/or other additives are added to the product of Example 1 to bring out its features by means of direct application in the coffee extract or spraying. The final product shows final conditions of humidity between 4 and 5%, color between 30 and 40 L, density between 150 and 300 g/l and a percentage of pulverized roasted coffee in a range between 15 and 20%.