DAIRY POWDER

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the method comprising: forming a dairy composition by: (i) adding a sugar composition to a dairy liquid; or (ii) blending a sugar solution with a dairy liquid, and spray-drying the dairy composition to form a spray-dried dairy powder comprising amorphous sugar, wherein the sugar composition or the sugar solution provides from 10 to 40 wt. % sugar by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder and wherein the sugar is selected from sucrose, lactose and a mixture thereof.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the method comprising: forming a dairy composition by: (i) adding a sugar composition to a dairy liquid; or (ii) blending a sugar solution with a dairy liquid, and spray-drying the dairy composition to form a spray-dried dairy powder comprising amorphous sugar, wherein the sugar composition or the sugar solution provides from 10 to 40 wt. % sugar by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder and wherein the sugar is selected from sucrose, lactose and a mixture thereof.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the dairy liquid comprises whole milk or a whole-milk concentrate.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the sugar composition is amorphous sugar.

4. A spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the powder comprising from 10 to 40 wt. % amorphous sucrose.

5. A spray-dried dairy powder according to claim 4, wherein the powder comprises amorphous lactose, and wherein the total amorphous sugar is from 30 to 80 wt. % by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder.

6. A spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the powder comprising from 30 to 80 wt. % amorphous sugar by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder, wherein the amorphous sugar comprises up to 40 wt. % amorphous sucrose by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder, and wherein, when the powder comprises less than 50 wt. % amorphous sugar, the amorphous sugar comprises at least 10 wt. % amorphous sucrose by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder.

7. A spray-dried dairy powder according to claim 6, wherein the powder comprises 100% amorphous sugar by weight of sugar in the spray-dried dairy powder.

8. A spray-dried dairy powder according to claim 7, comprising from 20 to 30 wt. % amorphous sucrose by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder.

9. A spray-dried dairy powder according to claim 7, wherein the amorphous sugar comprises amorphous lactose, and preferably consists of amorphous lactose.

10. A spray-dried dairy powder according to claim 9, wherein the dairy powder is at least partially agglomerated.

11. A spray-dried powder according to claim 10, wherein the agglomerate has a particle size X50 of from 100 to 200 microns.

12. A spray-dried dairy powder according to claim 11, wherein the powder comprises less than 35 v. % of particles having a diameter of 90 microns or less, preferably less than 32.5 v. % and most preferably less than 30 v. %.

13. A capsule for a beverage preparation machine containing the spray-dried dairy powder of claim 4 wherein the capsule is a cartridge formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, and wherein the cartridge comprises an inlet for the introduction of an aqueous medium into the cartridge, an outlet for discharge of a beverage produced from the dairy powder, and a beverage flow path defined between the inlet and the outlet.

14. A method for the manufacture of a beverage capsule for the preparation of a sweetened dairy beverage, the method comprising: forming a spray-dried dairy powder using the method of claim 1, and filling the spray-dried dairy powder into a capsule and sealing the capsule.

15. A method for dispensing a beverage from a beverage preparation machine, the method comprising: introducing the capsule of claim 13 into a beverage preparation machine; and passing an aqueous medium through the capsule to dispense a beverage.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder comprises from 10 to 40 wt. % amorphous sucrose.

17. Use of the spray-dried dairy powder according to claim 4 in a beverage capsule for use in a beverage preparation machine, to reduce a dry residue remaining in the capsule after passing an aqueous medium through the capsule to prepare the beverage.

18. A method for preparing a spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the method comprising: providing a pasteurised dairy liquid, mixing sugar with water at a temperature of from 40 to 80 C., preferably from 50 to 60 C., to form a sugar solution; blending the sugar solution at a temperature of below 60 C. with the dairy liquid, and spray-drying the dairy composition to form a spray-dried dairy powder comprising amorphous sugar, wherein the sugar solution provides from 10 to 40 wt. % sucrose by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder, preferably 20 to 30 wt. %.

Description

FIGURES

[0105] The present disclosure will be described in relation to the following non-limiting figures, in which:

[0106] FIG. 1 shows an example of a beverage preparation machine.

[0107] FIG. 2 shows a filter paper pod for a beverage preparation machine.

[0108] FIG. 3 shows a cartridge for a beverage preparation machine.

[0109] FIG. 4 is a graph comparing the dry residue achieved in Example 1.

[0110] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the steps in accordance with the method of preparing a dairy powder of the present disclosure.

[0111] FIG. 5 shows Step A of providing amorphous sugar, crystalline sugar or an aqueous sugar solution, Step B of providing an aqueous dairy suspension, Step C of mixing the aqueous dairy suspension with the sugar to form a blend, Step D of drying the blend to form a powder containing amorphous sugar, and optional Step E of packaging the powder.

[0112] The present disclosure will now be described in relation to the following non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLE 1

[0113] The impact of additional amorphous sugar can be seen in FIG. 4. Example shown is an average of 25 brews of a T-disc brewed in a Tassimo Brewer, using powder produced on the same spray drier under the same conditions. The products were comparable in disc weight and were compared with the same target drink weight.

[0114] Product A had 25 wt % sucrose (dry basis) combined into the slurry prior to spray drying, creating a product with 25 wt % amorphous sucrose, and 26 wt % fat (dry basis) with fines recycled by the spray nozzles at the top of the main chamber. Product B had 27.5 wt % sucrose combined into the slurry prior to spray drying creating a product with 27.5 wt % amorphous sucrose and 26% fat (Dry basis) with fines recycled into the external fluidised bed. Product C is a standard whole milk powder (26% fat, dry basis) with 27.5 wt % additional crystalline sucrose dry blended after spray drying.

[0115] Comparing Product B and C, which contain equal sucrose, the product with amorphous sucrose in accordance with the method described herein delivers a much lower in disc residue therefore displaying improved solubility within the system (mean of 18.95% vs. 85.46%). Product B also displays a lower fines percentage (vol % of particles below 90 microns) with a mean of 28.6% compared to 48.3%.

[0116] Comparing Product A and B, which contain similar levels of sucrose, the product with fines recycled at the top of the drier, by the spray nozzles (product A), delivers a much lower in disc residue therefore displaying improved solubility within the system (mean of 2.73% vs. 18.95%). Product A also displays a lower fines percentage (vol % of particles below 90 microns) with a mean of 19.4% compared to 28.6%.

EXAMPLE 2

[0117] Each of the following samples were introduced in capsules for beverage preparation.

[0118] 1) Control (0% Sugar) [0119] Rehydrated whole milk powder (WMP) to 30% total solids (TS) (batch 700 Kg): 218 Kg of whole milk powder in 482 Kg of water at room temperature. Spray-dried at 30% Total Solids:

[0120] 2) 10% Amorphous sucrose at 30% Total Solids: [0121] Rehydrated WMP to 30% TS (batch 600 Kg): 187.5 Kg of whole milk powder in 412.5 Kg of water [0122] Rehydrated sucrose to 30% TS: 60 Kg of sucrose in 140 Kg of water at 40 C. [0123] Added 67 Kg solution of sucrose at 30% TS to 600 Kg of the rehydrated WMP 30% TS to have 10% Sucrose TS. Spray-dried.

[0124] 3) 25% Amorphous sucrose at 30% Total Solids: [0125] Added 70 Kg solution of sucrose at 30% TS to 300 Kg of rehydrated WMP 30% TS (already containing 10% TS of sucrose) to give 25% sucrose TS. Spray-dried.

[0126] 4) Control (0% Sugar) [0127] Rehydrated WMP to 40% TS (batch 600 Kg): 249.6 Kg of whole milk powder in 350.5 Kg of water. Spray-dried.

[0128] 5) 10% Amorphous sucrose at 40% Total Solids: [0129] Rehydrated sucrose to 40% TS: 80 Kg of sucrose in 120 Kg of water at 40 C. [0130] Added 28 Kg of the sucrose solution at 40% TS to 250 Kg of rehydrated WMP at 40% TS to give 10% sucrose TS. Spray-dried.

[0131] 6) 25% Amorphous lactose at 40% Total Solids: [0132] Rehydrate lactose at 40% TS (batch 200 Kg): 80 Kg of lactose powder in 120 Kg of water at 50 C. at the beginning and rise up to 70 C. to dissolve the crystals [0133] Add 67 Kg solution of lactose at 40% TS to 200 Kg of the rehydrated WMP 40% TS to have a concentration of lactose at 25% TS. Spray-dried.

[0134] 7) 25% Amorphous sucrose at 40% Total Solids: [0135] Added 67 Kg of a solution of sucrose at 40% TS to 200 Kg of rehydrated WMP at 40% TS to give 25% sucrose TS. Spray-dried.

[0136] 8) 10% Crystalline sucrose with WMP at 40% Total Solids: [0137] Added 1.1 Kg of crystalline sucrose to 10 kg spray-dried whole milk powder (from 40% total solids) to form a dry-blended powder containing 10% sucrose TS.

TABLE-US-00001 Sample # Total Solids Sugar Residue (wt %) 1 30% 0% Sugar 80 2 30% 10% amorphous sucrose 55 3 30% 25% amorphous sucrose 16 4 40% 0% Sugar 52 5 40% 10% amorphous sucrose 20 7 40% 25% amorphous sucrose 6 4 40% 0% Sugar 52 8 40% 10% crystalline sucrose 48 5 40% 10% amorphous sucrose 20 4 40% 0% Sugar 52 7 40% 25% amorphous sucrose 6 6 40% 25% amorphous lactose 8

[0138] As demonstrated by these Examples: [0139] Increasing amorphous sugar levels reduces residues. [0140] Sugar in crystalline form is ineffective (compared to sugar in amorphous form) in reducing residues. [0141] Amorphous sucrose and amorphous lactose are both effective in reducing residues.

[0142] Residues (%) was calculated by (weight of dried matter left in capsule after beverage preparation/weight of powder in capsule before beverage preparation)100%.

EXAMPLE 3

[0143] Each of the following samples were introduced in capsules for beverage preparation.

[0144] 1) Control (0% Sugar), Whole Milk Powder, 40% Total Solids: [0145] Rehydrate WMP at 40% TS (batch 600 Kg): 249.6 Kg of whole milk powder in 350.5 Kg of water, Spray-drying.

[0146] 2) 25% Sugar (15% lactose+10% sucrose), starting from Whole Milk Powder; [0147] Adding 10.8 Kg lactose+7.2 Kg of sucrose to 72 Kg of water at 70 C. [0148] Adding 54 Kg of WMP to obtain 50% TS, Spray-drying.

[0149] 3) 25% Sugar (15% TS lactose+10% TS sucrose), starting from Liquid Milk; [0150] Receive and standardize whole milk liquid around 500 Kg at about 13% TS [0151] Pasteurization and evaporation of liquid milk up to 50% TS, (116.5 Kg at 49.6% TS), adding 38.2 Kg of solution of sugar (11.5 kg lactose+7.6 kg sucrose+19.1 kg water at 70 C) at 50% TS, homogenization and spray-drying.

TABLE-US-00002 Sample # Sugar Residue (wt %) 1 Control: 0% Sugar 53 2 25% amorphous Sugar 5 (15% lactose, 10% sucrose), from WMP 3 25% amorphous Sugar 6 (15% lactose, 10% sucrose), from liquid milk

[0152] As demonstrated by these Examples: [0153] Amorphous sugar, including a mixture of sucrose and lactose) is effective in reducing residues. [0154] The starting dairy liquid can be prepared from powder or liquid milk.

[0155] All percentages herein are by weight unless otherwise stated.

[0156] The foregoing detailed description has been provided by way of explanation and illustration, and is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Many variations in the presently preferred embodiments illustrated herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, and remain within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.