BEVERAGE

Abstract

A citrus-flavoured beverage comprising a beverage base, citrus flavour and a citrus flavour-enhancing proportion of a mega-fatty complex. The addition of mega-fatty complex gives a juicier, more natural flavour to the beverage.

Claims

1. A citrus-flavoured beverage comprising a beverage base, citrus flavour and a citrus flavour-enhancing proportion of a mega-fatty complex.

2. The citrus-flavoured beverage according to claim 1, in which the mega-fatty complex is present at a weight proportion of the citrus flavour of 0.005-0.02%.

3. The citrus-flavoured beverage according to claim 2, in which the citrus flavour+mega-fatty complex are present in the beverage at a weight proportion of 0.01-0.2% of the total beverage.

4. A method of preparing a citrus-flavoured beverage, comprising the addition to a beverage base of a citrus flavour and a citrus flavour-enhancing proportion of a mega-fatty complex.

5. The method according to claim 4, in which the mega-fatty complex is added at a weight proportion of the citrus flavour of 0.005-0.02%.

6. The method according to claim 5, in which citrus flavour+mega-fatty complex are added to the beverage base at a weight proportion of 0.01-0.2% of the total beverage.

7. The method according to claim 5, in which citrus flavour+mega-fatty complex are added to the beverage base at a weight proportion of 0.015-0.15% of the total beverage.

8. The method according to claim 4, in which the mega-fatty complex is added at a weight proportion of the citrus flavour of from 0.007-0.015%.

9. The method according to claim 8, in which citrus flavour+mega-fatty complex are added to the beverage base at a weight proportion of 0.015-0.15% of the total beverage.

10. The citrus-flavoured beverage according to claim 2, in which the citrus flavour+mega-fatty complex are present in the beverage at a weight proportion of from 0.015-0.15% of the total beverage.

11. The citrus-flavoured beverage according to claim 1, in which the mega-fatty complex is present at a weight proportion of the citrus flavour of from 0.007-0.015%.

12. The citrus-flavoured beverage according to claim 11, in which the citrus flavour+mega-fatty complex are present in the beverage at a weight proportion of from 0.015-0.15% of the total beverage.

Description

EXAMPLE

[0015] A mega-fatty complex was prepared from ARA-SCO (ARASCO™ ex DSM) by the process described in Example 1 of US 2007-0009642.

[0016] 95 g of a 60 (wt) % ethanol/water mixture with a temperature of −5° C. was added with stirring, and the ethanol/water phase retrieved and filtered using diatomaceous earth (Hyflo Supercell™ ex Tokyo Diatomaceous Earth Industries Co., Ltd.

[0017] A beverage base formula was prepared as follows:

TABLE-US-00001 Fructose  43.0 g Anhydrous citric acid   1.0 g Sodium citrate  0.35 g Purified water 955.65 g

[0018] To samples of this beverage base were added the following at a weight concentration of 0.1%: [0019] (i) Orange oil [0020] (ii) Orange oil containing 0.002 (wt) % mega-fatty complex [0021] (iii) Orange oil containing 0.02% mega-fatty complex [0022] (iv) Orange oil containing 0.1% mega-fatty complex

[0023] The beverages were submitted to a panel of experienced testers. The testers found as follows: [0024] (ii) indistinguishable from control [0025] (iii) juicy, fruity, natural [0026] (iv) oily, fatty

[0027] Sample (i) represents a typical, commercially-available orange-flavoured beverage. The appropriate proportion of mega-fatty complex adds considerably to the perceived juiciness and naturalness of the beverage.