BEVERAGE COMPOSITION

Abstract

A solid beverage composition has disintegration properties such that the composition is readily soluble or dispersible in hot water or hot milk to produce a beverage. This is achieved by compressing a powdered extract of an edible material and controlling the compression force, in conjunction with the use of an edible oil as the sole binder. In addition, the particle sizes of the powdered extract can be controlled to optimize the flow properties of the powder in order to aid the compression process.

Claims

1. A solid beverage tablet composition which is readily soluble or dispersible in hot water or milk to produce a beverage, the solid beverage tablet composition comprising a compression powdered extract of an edible material, wherein the sole binder in the composition is an edible oil.

2. A beverage tablet composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the beverage is a herbal tea.

3. A beverage tablet composition as claimed in claim 2 wherein the herbal tea comprises cinnamon, fennel, ginger, lemon, mint, turmeric, or tulsi, or mixtures thereof.

4. A beverage tablet composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the edible oil is an edible herbal oil.

5. A beverage tablet composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the edible oil is ginger oil, cinnamon oil, coconut oil, lemon oil, turmeric, vitamin D oil or omega 3 oil.

6. A beverage tablet composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein the edible oil used as a binder in the composition is derived from the same plant as the beverage ingredient.

7. A beverage tablet composition as claimed claim 1 which further comprises non-extracted powdered edible material.

8. A process for the preparation of a solid beverage tablet composition as claimed in claim 1, which process comprises extracting an edible material into a food grade solvent, removing insoluble residues, drying the solution to produce a powdered extract of the edible material, and compressing the powdered extract in the presence of an edible oil, under conditions to produce a solid tablet composition that is readily soluble or dispersible in hot water or milk to produce a beverage.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8 wherein the compression force is from 1 to 3 kN.

10. A process as claimed in claim 8 wherein the food grade solvent is water.

11. A process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the solution is dried by freeze drying or spray drying.

12. A process as claimed in claim 8 wherein the flowability of the powdered extract is controlled by adjusting the particle sizes of the powdered extract.

Description

[0048] Embodiments of the invention is further illustrated by the following specific Examples.

Example 1

Preparation of Extract Powders

(a) Ginger Extract Powder

[0049] 30 kg of ginger is macerated in water, which was purified using reverse osmosis. The extract is then filtered, spray dried, milled and sieved through a 40-mesh size to obtain 1 kg of resulting powder of particle size of approximately 420 microns.

[0050] Other extracts are prepared by the same method:

[0051] 1(b) cinnamon extract powder

[0052] 1(c) turmeric extract powder

[0053] 1(d) tulsi extract powder

Example 2

Preparation of Essential Oils

(a) Cinnamon Essential Oil

[0054] 10 kg of mashed cinnamon sticks are introduced into a distillation chamber. Steam is injected through an inlet and allowed to pass through the mashed cinnamon containing the desired oils. The steam releases the aromatic molecules into a vapour. The vaporised compounds are collected using a condenser. Essential oils are siphoned off from the condenser using a separator. A yield of 3-5% of essential oil is expected from this process.

[0055] Other essential oils are prepared by the same method:

[0056] 2(b) Turmeric oil

[0057] 2(c) Lemon oil (extracted from lemon peels)

Example 3

Preparation of Oleoresins

(a) Cinnamon Oleoresin

[0058] Pressurized liquid carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) is pumped into a chamber filled with 1 kg of cinnamon powder. The essential oil content then dissolves into the liquid CO.sub.2. After removing any insoluble material, the CO.sub.2 is brought back to natural pressure and evaporates into its gaseous state, leaving an oil and resin mix. A yield of 5-7% of oleoresin is expected from this process.

Example 4

Cinnamon and Cinnamon Oil Tablets

[0059] 95 g of water-soluble cinnamon extract powder [Example 1(b)] is tumbled together with 5 g of cinnamon extract oil [Example 2(a)], until the mixture is uniform. The resultant powder is loaded on to the hopper of a direct compression tableting machine and compressed at a force of approximately 3 kN.

Example 5

Cinnamon and Cinnamon Oleoresin Tablets

[0060] 94 g of water-soluble cinnamon extract powder [Example 1(b)] is tumbled together with 6 g of cinnamon oleoresin [Example 3(a)] until the mixture is uniform. The resultant powder is loaded on to the hopper in a direct compression tableting machine and compressed at a force of approximately 3 kN.

Example 6

Ginger and Turmeric Tablets

[0061] 50 g of water-soluble ginger extract powder [Example 1(a)] together with 50 g of water-soluble turmeric extract powder [Example 1(c)] are tumbled in a mixer. In this case the ginger extract contains a minimum of 2% gingerols which acts as the binder. The resultant powder is loaded on to the hopper in a direct compression tableting machine and compressed at a force of approximately 2 kN.

Example 7

Tulsi and Ginger Tablets

[0062] 25 g of water soluble tulsi extract powder [Example 1(d)] is tumbled with 75 g of water-soluble ginger extract powder [Example 1(a)]. In this case the ginger extract contains a minimum of 2% gingerols which acts as the binder. The resultant powder is loaded on to the hopper in a direct compression tableting machine and compressed at a force of approximately 3 kN.

Example 8

Ginger and Lemon Tablets

[0063] 95 g of water-soluble ginger extract powder [Example 1(a)] is tumbled along with 5 g of lemon oil [Example 2(c)], until the mixture is uniform.

[0064] The resultant powder is loaded on to the hopper in a direct compression tableting machine and compressed at a force approximately 3 kN.