Method of improving microbiological stability in a still water-based beverage and microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based beverages

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of improving microbiological stability in a still water-based beverage with respect to undesirable growth of microbiological spoilage such as yeast and/or mould growth during their preparation and/or storage.

Claims

1. A method of improving microbiological stability in a still water-based acidic beverage comprising carbonating the beverage wherein the carbon dioxide concentration in the resulting still water-based beverage is from 500 mg/L to 1000 mg/L, the still water-based acidic beverage has a pH from 2 to 4.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide concentration in the resulting still water-based acidic beverage is from 750 mg/L to 1000 mg/L.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of carbonating comprises the steps of: using a dosing unit to transfer the liquid carbon dioxide from a tank to a dosing valve; and opening the dosing valve to transfer the carbon dioxide in solid form into a bottle.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of adding at least one preservative.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the total concentration of the preservative in the still water-based acidic beverage is below 1000 mg/L.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the total concentration of the preservative in the still water-based acidic beverage is below 400 mg/L.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the preservative is selected from the group consisting of sulphur dioxide, sorbic acid and its salts, benzoic acid and its salts, cinnamic acid and its salt, vanillin, dimethyl dicarbonate, and mixtures thereof.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising packaging the beverage into a container selected from the group consisting of glass bottles, plastic bottles, cartons, cans and kegs.

9. A microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage comprising: 60% to 99% of water; 0% to 25% of fruit juices; 0 to 2 g/L of plant extracts; 1000 mg/L of carbon dioxide; 0.5 g/L to 4 g/L of at least one acid; 100 mg/L to 400 mg/L of at least one preservative; and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of flavouring agents, food coloring agents, natural or artificial sweeteners, salts, vitamins and emulsifiers, the microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage has a pH from 2 to 4.

10. The microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage according to claim 9, wherein the preservative is selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid and its salts, benzoic acid and its salts, cinnamic acid and its salts, vanillin, dimethyl dicarbonate, and mixtures thereof.

11. The microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage according to claim 9, wherein the beverage is in plastic bottles.

12. A microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage comprising: 60% to 99% of water; 0% to 25% of fruit juices; 0 to 2 g/L of plant extracts; 1000 mg/L of carbon dioxide; 0.5 g/L to 4 g/L of at least one acid; 350 mg/L of at least one preservative; and at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of flavouring agents, food coloring agents, natural or artificial sweeteners, salts, vitamins and emulsifiers, the microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage has a pH from 2 to 4.

13. The microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage according to claim 12, wherein the preservative is selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid and its salts, benzoic acid and its salts, cinnamic acid and its salts, vanillin, dimethyl dicarbonate, and mixtures thereof.

14. The microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based acidic beverage according to claim 12, wherein the beverage is in plastic bottles.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(1) The improving method according to the invention includes the killing, prevention and/or inhibition of the growth and/or the presence of yeasts and/or moulds in still water-based beverage.

(2) Still beverage, as used herein, means a beverage where the carbon dioxide concentration remains below approximately 1000 mg/L. Indeed, it has been shown by the inventors that below this concentration sensory threshold, the consumer feels like it is a non-carbonated beverage.

(3) Still water-based beverages according to the invention can be, for example, acidic beverages and thus have a pH from about 1 to about 5. In particular, these acidic beverages have a pH equal to or below about 4. In each case, suitable acids may be added to reach the required pH. Such acids can be selected, for example, in the group comprising phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, and lactic acid, and mixtures of these acids.

(4) Microbiologically shelf-stable beverages, as used herein, refer to beverages wherein uncontrolled mould and/or yeast growth is not observed within at least 1 month after their preparation, and preferably, 3 months or else 12 months.

(5) Water-based beverages, as used herein, refer to beverage compositions having greater than 50% of water and, for instance, comprising from approximately 60% to 99% of water.

(6) In particular, such beverages do not comprise beverages containing alcohols, milk or coffee.

(7) Still water-based beverages according to the invention may especially comprise: 60% to 99% of water, 0% to 25% of fruit or vegetable juices, 0 to 2 g/L of plant extracts such as, for example, tea, ginger, gingko or ginseng extracts, rooibos, hibiscus, guarana, fruit extracts. 500 mg/L to 1000 mg/L of carbon dioxide, 0.5 g/L to 4 g/L of at least one acid such as, for example, citric acid, 0 to 1 g/L of at least one preservative, and at least one conventional ingredient selected from the group comprising flavouring agents, food coloring agents, natural or artificial sweeteners, salts, vitamins or emulsifiers.

(8) The preservative according to the invention may be, for example, selected from the group comprising sorbic acid and its salts, benzoic acid and its salts, cinnamic acid and its salts, vanillin, dimethyl dicarbonate (i.e. DMDC), or a mixture thereof.

(9) Conventional ingredients according to the invention are, for example: flavouring agents, food colouring, natural sweeteners such as, for example, sugar, maple syrup, molasses, barley malt and rice syrups, honey and agave nectar, artificial sweeteners such as, for example, aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame potassium, salts, vitamins, and emulsifiers.

(10) The concentrations of the preservatives used, according to the invention, may vary over the following ranges, depending upon the nature of the beverage to be preserved, such as, for example: about 0 to 500 mg/L of sorbic acid or its salts, about 0 to 500 mg/L of benzoic acid or its salts, about 0 to 500 mg/L of cinnamic acid or its salts, about 0 to 250 mg/L of DMDC.

(11) These preservatives can be used alone or as a mixture. When a mixture of preservatives is used, the total preservative concentration in the beverage obtained by the method of improving microbiological stability according the invention may remain below 1000 mg/L or, preferably, below 400 mg/L or else below 350 mg/L.

(12) In addition, a microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based beverage according to the invention may, for example, comprise a total preservative concentration of approximately 100 mg/L to 400 mg/L and, in particular, about 400 mg/L or 350 mg/L. Preferably the total preservatives concentration in said microbiologically shelf-stable still water-based beverage is approximately 250 mg/L or about 150 mg/L or about 100 mg/L.

(13) At a preservative concentration below the threshold of 1000 mg/L, the off-flavour is avoided or at least attenuated. Moreover, the consumer's desire to consume a beverage having a reduced concentration of preservatives is satisfied.

(14) The improving method according to the invention comprises a step of carbonating which means that a specific amount of carbon dioxide is added to the beverage so as to obtain the required carbon dioxide concentration in the resulting still water-based beverage.

(15) The resulting still water-based beverage is thus the still water-based beverage obtained after carbonating step.

(16) This carbonating step can be performed with a carbonator beverage filling machine where the carbon dioxide is dosed and dissolved in gaseous form into the beverage. Alternatively, a dosing unit as described in the patent application FR 2 799 137 can be used. Said dosing unit is used to transfer the liquid carbon dioxide from a tank to a dosing valve. When this valve is opened, the liquid carbon dioxide is converted into solid form and falls into the beverage's container. Using the latter device makes it easier to reach the required low carbon dioxide concentration in the resulting still water-based beverage.

(17) Other methods known to the skilled person may also be used.

(18) The carbonating step may take place before or after the filing phase wherein the still water-based beverage is filled into the container.

(19) As used in this specification, the words comprises, comprising, and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean including, but not limited to.

(20) Any reference to prior art documents in this specification is not to be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

(21) The invention is further described with reference to the following examples. It will be appreciated that the invention as claimed is not intended to be limited in any way by these examples.

EXAMPLE 1

(22) The following composition of a still water-based beverage is prepared in a PET bottle of 500 mL: 996 g/L of water, 350 mg/L of hibiscus extracts, 90 mg/L of acesulfame potassium 150 mg/L of aspartame, 2 g/L of citric monoacid, 20 mg/L of caramel color, 450 mg/L of flavour agent, 500 mg/L of carbon dioxide, 300 mg/L of vanillin, and 200 mg/L of potassium cinnamate.

(23) Ingredients are mixed in a batch production, filled in PET bottles and pasteurized.

(24) The carbonating step is performed in batch production, using pilot scale carbonator equipment, so that the carbon dioxide concentration in the resulting still water-based beverage is 500 mg/L.

(25) The step of carbonating is carried out, using the same equipment, either before or after the filling step of the beverage.

(26) After pasteurization, bottles are inoculated separately with two mixtures of microorganisms, respectively moulds and yeasts, for performing a challenge test.

(27) The mould and yeast strains used are as follows:

(28) TABLE-US-00001 MOULDS YEASTS Penicillium corylophilum Candida tropicalis Aspergillus niger Filobasidiella neoformans Fusarium oxysporum Pichia anomala Aureobasidium pullulans Rhodotorula mucilaginosa Exophiala dermatitidis Saccharomyces cerevisiae

(29) The five mould and five yeast strains were diluted and mixed together to achieve the desired concentration in colony forming units (CFU) per bottle. For both tested compositions, the determination of germ count of, respectively, yeasts and moulds was determined by membrane filtration.

(30) When the number of yeast or mould colonies is decreasing with time or equal to 0, it is considered that the yeast or mould growth is under control.

(31) The results of these challenge tests are shown in Table 1:

(32) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1

(33) The grey cells in the table indicate that uncontrolled growth of microorganisms was observed.

(34) The results show that the method according to the invention prevents, in the composition of example 1: uncontrolled yeast growth during at least 12 months uncontrolled mould growth during 6 months.

EXAMPLE 2 (COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE)

(35) A still water-based beverage is prepared in a bottle of 500 mL in an analogous way as for the composition of example 1, except that it does not contained carbon dioxide. No carbonating step was, then, performed.

(36) The composition of example 2 was then tested in the presence of the same two mixtures of microorganisms as those used in example 1 and in the same conditions.

(37) The results of the corresponding challenge test are shown in Table 2:

(38) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 2

(39) The grey cells in the table above also indicate that uncontrolled growth of microorganisms was observed.

(40) The results show that the microbiological stability of the composition of example 2 is decreased compared with the one observed for example 1.

(41) Indeed, in the composition of example 2: yeast growth was under control during at least 12 months, and mould growth was under control during only 2 months.

EXAMPLE 3

(42) A still water-based beverage is prepared in a bottle of 500 mL in an analogous way as for the composition of example 1 and comprises the following components: 948 g/L of water, 8.27 g/L of apple juice (5%), 40 g/L of sugar, 1.9 g/L of citric monoacid, 350 mg/L of flavour agent, 500 mg/L of carbon dioxide, 200 mg/L of vanillin, 200 mg/L of potassium cinnamate, and 150 mg/L of potassium sorbate.

(43) The composition of example 3 was then tested in the presence of the same two mixtures of microorganisms as those used in example 1 and in the same conditions.

(44) The results of the corresponding challenge test are shown in Table 3:

(45) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 3 RESULTS (months) Composition Microorganism 0 1 3 6 9 12 Example 3 Yeasts 593 CFU/bottle 318 0 0 0 0 0 Moulds 440 CFU/bottle 223 23 1 0 0 0

(46) The grey cells in the table above also indicate that uncontrolled growth of microorganisms was observed.

(47) The results show that the method according to the invention prevents, in the composition of example 3: uncontrolled yeast growth during at least 12 months, and uncontrolled mould growth during at least 12 months.

EXAMPLE 4 (COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE)

(48) A still water-based beverage is prepared in a bottle of 500 mL in an analogous way as for the composition of example 3, except that it contains 150 mg/L of vanillin instead of 200 mg/L and that it does not contain carbon dioxide. No carbonating step was, then, performed.

(49) The composition of example 4 was then tested in the presence of the same two mixtures of microorganisms as those used in example 1 and in the same conditions.

(50) The results of the corresponding challenge test are shown in Table 4:

(51) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 4

(52) The grey cells in the table above also indicate that uncontrolled growth of microorganisms was observed.

(53) The results show that the microbiological stability of the composition of example 4 is decreased compared with the one observed for example 3.

(54) Indeed, in the composition of example 4: yeast growth was under control during at least 12 months, and mould growth was under control during only 6 months.

EXAMPLE 5

(55) A still water-based beverage is prepared in a bottle of 500 mL in an analogous way as for the composition of example 1 and comprises the following components: 1000 g/L of water, 8.27 g/L of apple juice (5%), 40 g/L of sugar, 1.9 g/L of citric monoacid, 350 mg/L of flavour agent, 750 mg/L of carbon dioxide, 350 mg/L of potassium sorbate.

(56) The composition of example 5 was then tested in the presence of the same two mixtures of microorganisms as those used in example 1 and in the same conditions.

(57) The results of the corresponding challenge test are shown in Table 5:

(58) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 5

(59) The grey cells in the table above also indicate that uncontrolled growth of microorganisms was observed.

(60) The results show that the method according to the invention prevents, in the composition of example 5: uncontrolled yeast growth during at least 12 months, and uncontrolled mould growth during 3 months.

EXAMPLE 6 (COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE)

(61) A still water-based beverage is prepared in a bottle of 500 mL in an analogous way as for the composition of example 1, except that it does not contain carbon dioxide. No carbonating step was, then, performed.

(62) The composition of example 6 was then tested in the presence of the same two mixtures of microorganisms as those used in example 1 and in the same conditions.

(63) The results of the corresponding challenge test are shown in Table 6:

(64) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 6 (N/A stands for not available)

(65) The grey cells in the table above also indicate that uncontrolled growth of microorganisms was observed.

(66) The results show that the microbiological stability of the composition of example 6 is decreased compared with the one observed for example 5.

(67) Indeed, in the composition of example 6 yeast growth was under control during at least 12 months, but no mould growth control was observed.

(68) The challenge tests of example 1 to 6 show that the method according to the invention provides an improved microbiological stability. Uncontrolled mould and yeast growth was observed after at least 3 months when the method according to the invention was implemented.

(69) Although the invention has been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification.