U.S. patent application number 10/529030 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-05 for stabilizer-free stabilized coffee aroma.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nestec S.A.. Invention is credited to Pu-Sheng Cheng, Wenjie Hu, Christian Milo, Rachid Rahmani, Ying Zheng.
Application Number | 20060003069 10/529030 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32039080 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060003069 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zheng; Ying ; et
al. |
January 5, 2006 |
Stabilizer-free stabilized coffee aroma
Abstract
A process for stabilizing a coffee aroma-providing component
such as coffee aroma against loss or degradation of its flavor or
sensory characteristics by associating the coffee aroma-providing
component with a stabilizing agent in an amount effective to reduce
or prevent the loss or degradation of the flavor or sensory
characteristics of the component and form a stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component followed by removing the stabilizing
agent from the stabilized coffee aroma prior to packaging for
storage or prior to adding the stabilized coffee aroma to a food or
beverage product. The resulting stabilized coffee aroma-providing
component is essentially free of the stabilizing agent and may be
incorporated into a food or beverage product with the initial
flavor or sensory characteristics of the stabilized component being
retained for a time period of at least two months during storage of
the food or beverage product.
Inventors: |
Zheng; Ying; (Dublin,
OH) ; Milo; Christian; (Bussigny, CH) ; Cheng;
Pu-Sheng; (Dublin, OH) ; Rahmani; Rachid;
(Marysville, OH) ; Hu; Wenjie; (Cambridge,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BELL, BOYD & LLOYD LLC
P. O. BOX 1135
CHICAGO
IL
60690-1135
US
|
Assignee: |
Nestec S.A.
Avenue Nestle' 55
Vevey
CH
CH-1800
|
Family ID: |
32039080 |
Appl. No.: |
10/529030 |
Filed: |
September 26, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
September 26, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP03/10733 |
371 Date: |
March 24, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/534 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23F 5/40 20130101; A23G
9/52 20130101; A23L 2/56 20130101; A23G 3/346 20130101; A23G
2200/00 20130101; A23L 27/28 20160801; A23F 5/243 20130101; A23G
3/346 20130101; A23F 5/505 20130101; A23L 27/115 20160801; B65D
81/24 20130101; A23G 2200/14 20130101; A23F 5/46 20130101; A23L
27/00 20160801; A23G 3/346 20130101; A23F 5/48 20130101; A23G
2200/00 20130101; A23F 5/486 20130101; A23G 2200/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/534 |
International
Class: |
A23L 1/22 20060101
A23L001/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 27, 2002 |
WO |
PCT/EP02/11061 |
Claims
1. A process for stabilizing a coffee aroma-providing component
against loss or degradation of desirable flavor or sensory
characteristics of its aroma during storage comprising contacting
the aroma-providing component is with a stabilizing agent in a
manner such that the stabilizing agent is provided in an amount
effective to chemically interact with undesirable compounds
associated with the aroma-providing component to form a stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component which: (a) retains a significant
portion of one or more of the desirable flavor or sensory
characteristics of the coffee aroma in the coffee aroma-providing
component during storage, or (b) reduces off flavor generation
during storage of the coffee aroma-providing component, and wherein
the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component is essentially free
of the stabilizing agent when a food or beverage product containing
a coffee aroma from the coffee aroma-providing agent is prepared
for consumption.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing agent is removed
from the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component prior to the
addition of the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component to a
food or beverage product.
3. The process of claim 2, wherein the stabilizing agent is removed
from the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component by a process
selected from the group consisting of distillation, fractionation,
precipitation, sublimation, ion-exchange, liquid-liquid extraction
(organic or aqueous), aqueous liquid-oil extraction, oil-aqueous
liquid extraction, chromatographic separation, and stripping.
4. The process of claim 3, comprising packing a column with the
stabilizing agent and passing the coffee aroma-providing agent
through the column to stabilize the coffee aroma-providing
component.
5. The process of claim 3, comprising contacting the coffee
aroma-providing agent with the stabilizing agent to form a mixture,
passing the mixture through a stripping column and collecting the
stabilized coffee aroma-providing component in a form where it is
free of the stabilizing agent.
6. The process of claim 3, comprising contacting the
aroma-providing agent with the stabilizing agent to form a mixture,
passing the mixture through a liquid-liquid extraction column using
or an oil solvent as an extraction medium, and collecting the
stabilized aroma-providing component in a form where it is free of
the stabilizing agent.
7. The process of claim 1, comprising preparing the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component by incorporating the stabilizing
agent into a material which is added to the coffee aroma-providing
component during storage but which material is separable or
removable from the coffee aroma-providing component before
preparation for consumption of a food or beverage product
therefrom.
8. The process of claim 1, comprising forming the stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component by contacting the coffee aroma-providing
component with a material that contains the stabilizing agent
followed by separating the stabilized coffee aroma-providing
component from the material.
9. The process of claim 8, wherein the material that contains the
stabilizing agent is associated with a container for packaging or
storing the coffee aroma-providing component prior to use of the
component for preparing a food or beverage product.
10. The process of claim 1, wherein the coffee aroma-providing
component is treated with a stabilizing agent that interacts with
compounds associated with the coffee aroma-providing component to
improve or preserve the coffee aroma compounds that can improve the
desirable flavor and sensory characteristics of the coffee aroma
component and to reduce the amount of compounds that are associated
with the undesirable characteristics.
11. The process of claim 1, comprising forming the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component by incorporating the stabilizing
agent into a material which is added to the coffee aroma-providing
component during storage and separating the stabilized component
from the material when a product for consumption is prepared.
12. The process of claim 1, comprising forming the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component by contacting a material that is
processed to form the coffee aroma-providing component with the
stabilizing agent, and separating the stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component from the material.
13. The process of claim 12, wherein the stabilizing agent is added
to coffee beans prior to or during roasting, quenching, cooling, or
extracting of the beans to generate or isolate an improved coffee
aroma.
14. The process of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing agent is a
compound that contains at least one atom having at least one lone
pair of electrons and is present in an amount sufficient to react
with some of the undesirable reactive compounds associated with the
coffee aroma-providing component to reduce some of the undesirable
compounds, or to generate or preserve one or more coffee aroma
compounds that contribute to the desirable flavor or sensory
characteristics of the coffee aroma or that mask off flavors in the
coffee aroma-providing component.
15. The process of claim 14, wherein the undesirable reactive
compounds contain carbonyl groups and the stabilizing agent
complexes such compounds to form adducts that are separable from
the coffee aroma, resulting in a reduced level of carbonyls in the
stabilized coffee aroma-providing component, or the undesirable
compounds generate or comprise free radicals and the stabilizing
agent is present in an amount sufficient to reduce generation of or
scavenge such free radicals so that the coffee aroma component is
stabilized and preserved.
16. The process of claim 14, wherein the stabilizing agent cleaves
compounds containing disulfide bonds to generate or regenerate
thiols that contribute to the desirable flavor and sensory
characteristics of the coffee aroma-providing component.
17. The process of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing agent is a
compound that contains at least one atom selected from the group
consisting of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon with at least one
lone pair of electrons and is used in an amount of between about 1
and 50,000 ppm.
18. The process of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing agent is a
sulfite or a substance that contains or generates a component
selected from the group consisting of a sulfite, a thiol, an amine,
an amino acid, or peptide and is used in an amount of between about
1 and 50,000 ppm.
19. The process of claim 18, wherein the stabilizing agent
comprises an agent selected from the group, consisting of a
sulfite, cysteine and glutathione and their salts and materials
containing such, or an enzyme present in an amount sufficient to
react with carbonyls associated with the coffee aroma-providing
component.
20. The process of claim 18, wherein the stabilizing agent
comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of a sulfite,
cysteine and glutathione and their salts and materials containing
such and they are present in an amount sufficient to exhibit
sufficient reducing power to scavenge free radicals and to preserve
sulfur aroma compounds in the coffee aroma-providing component from
oxidative degradation.
21. The process of claim 1, comprising associating the stabilizing
agent with another additive that acts as a carrier for the
stabilizing agent, wherein the carrier is selected from the group
consisting of a solvent, an oil, an emulsion, a flavoring agent, a
carbohydrate, a protein, and an antioxidant.
22. The process of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing agent is
present in an amount sufficient to react with at least some of the
carbonyl groups present in compounds associated with the coffee
aroma to generate or regenerate thiols or to reduce or inhibit
degradation of thiols in the coffee aroma, thus retaining the
desirable flavor or sensory characteristics of the coffee aroma
during at least two months of storage of the coffee aroma.
23. The process of claim 1, wherein the stabilized aroma-providing
component is a liquid and is dried to a powder and is stored until
a later time when it is reconstituted for consumption by the
addition of a liquid.
24. The process of claim 1, comprising combining the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component with a food-forming or
beverage-forming ingredient and a liquid to form a liquid food or
beverage product, and drying the liquid product by spray-drying or
freeze-drying to obtain a solid material that retains the initial
flavor or sensory characteristic of the coffee aroma for a time
period of at least two months during storage of the solid
material.
25. A packaged food or beverage product comprising a package that
contains therein a stabilized coffee aroma-providing component
having preserved or improved desirable flavor or sensory
characteristics and being present in an amount sufficient to
provide or impart its flavor or sensory characteristics to the
product, the coffee aroma-providing component is stabilized with a
stabilizing agent that is immobilized in, upon or within the
package or upon or within a carrier placed upon or within or
forming part of the container such that the stabilizing agent is
separable or removable from the coffee aroma-providing component
before preparation for consumption of the food or beverage product,
the food or beverage product is essentially free of the stabilizing
agent and the loss or degradation of the desirable flavor or
sensory characteristics of the stabilized coffee aroma-providing
component are reduced or prevented such that the coffee
aroma-providing component retains its desirable flavor or sensory
characteristics during an extended periods of storage at room
temperatures.
26. The product of claim 25, wherein the stabilizing agent is
immobilized onto ion-exchange resins and the resins are placed
within, attached to or formed as part of the container for the
aroma-providing component.
27. The product of claim 25, wherein the stabilizer is immobilized
onto or within an insoluble matrix which is contacted with the
coffee aroma-providing component and subsequently separated from
the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component.
28. The product of claim 25, wherein the stabilizing agent is
confined in a pouch made of a semi-permeable material that contains
the stabilizing agent, and the pouch is placed within, attached to
or forms part of the container.
29. The product of claim 28, wherein the stabilizing agent is
solution that is retained in the pouch and the semi-permeable pouch
is made of a material that allows carbonyls to permeate
therethrough so that they are able to bind with the stabilizing
agent and become at least partly confined within the pouch rather
than in the coffee aroma-providing component.
30. The product of claim 26, wherein the coffee aroma providing
component has a feature selected from the group consisting of: (a)
a ratio of acetaldehyde to methanethiol that is 200 or less during
storage over several months at room temperature; (b) an
acetaldehyde concentration of 30 to 90 ppm after stabilization of a
coffee aroma providing component that intially contains 150 ppm
acetaldehyde or more; and (c) an acetaldehyde concentration of 20
to 60 ppm after stabilization of a coffee aroma providing component
that intially contains 80 to 100 ppm acetaldehyde.
31. The product of claim 25, wherein a food or beverage product or
a food-forming or beverage-forming ingredient is provided in the
package along with the coffee aroma-providing agent.
32. The product of claim 25, wherein the stabilizing agent is
present in an amount sufficient to adduct carbonyls in the coffee
aroma, remove or reduce carbonyls from the coffee aroma, or reduce
the degradation of thiols in the coffee aroma.
33. The product of claim 25, wherein the coffee aroma has an
initial concentration of acetaldehyde of between about 40 to 2000
ppm but a concentration of acetaldehyde after stabilization of
about 1 to 100 ppm wherein the acetaldehyde concentration is
reduced by at least 50% during stabilization.
34. Stabilised coffee aroma-providing components having enhanced
and/or preserved flavour or sensory characteristics comprising a
characteristic chosen from the group consisting of: a ratio of
acetaldehyde to methanethiol that is less than 200; at least 30% of
the initial amount of acetaldehyde components are removed; and at
least 50% of the initial methanethiol amount is preserved during
the period of storage.
35. The stabilized coffee aroma-providing components according to
claim 34, wherein the ratio is maintained, during storage over
several months at room temperature.
36. The stabilized coffee aroma-providing components according to
claim 34, wherein the components are provided in a form selected
from the group consisting of a gaseous, liquid, and solid form.
37. The stabilized coffee aroma-providing components according to
claim 34, wherein the components are provided in a liquid form and
further spray-dried or freeze-dried.
38. The stabilized coffee aroma-providing components according to
claim 34, wherein the component is incorporated in a solvent,
provided as an emulsion, encapsulated in edible materials, frozen
as a frost, or dried to powder from.
39. A beverage product comprising a stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component having enhanced and/or preserved flavour
or sensory characteristics comprising a characteristic chosen from
the group consisting of: a ratio of acetaldehyde to methanethiol
that is less than 200; at least 30% of the initial amount of
acetaldehyde components are removed; and at least 50% of the
initial methanethiol amount is preserved during the period of
storage.
40. A coffee beverage comprising the stabilized coffee
aroma-providing components having enhanced and/or preserved flavour
or sensory characteristics comprising a feature chosen from the
group consisting of ratio of acetaldehyde to methanethiol that is
less than 200 and at least 30% of the initial amount of
acetaldehyde components are moved and at least 50% of the initial
methanethiol amount is preserved during the period of storage.
41. The process of claim 3, comprising contacting the
aroma-providing agent with the stabilizing agent to form a mixture,
the mixture is passed through a liquid-liquid extraction column
using coffee oil as an extraction medium, and collecting the
stabilized aroma-providing component in a form where it is free of
the stabilizing agent.
42. The process of claim 1, comprising preparing the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component by incorporating the stabilizing
agent into a material which is added to the coffee aroma-providing
component during storage, the coffee aroma-providing component
being separable from the material before preparation for
consumption of a food or beverage product therefrom.
43. The product of claim 27, wherein the coffee aroma-providing
component is separable from the stabilizing agent before
preparation for consumption of the food or beverage product.
44. The process of claim 1, wherein the stabilized aroma-providing
component is a liquid that includes a coffee aroma carrier and is
dried to a powder and is stored until a later time when it is
reconstituted for consumption by the addition of a liquid.
45. The stabilized coffee aroma-providing components according to
claim 34, wherein the initial methanethiol amount is preserved,
during storage over several months at room temperature.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a process for stabilizing a coffee
aroma-providing component of a beverage or foodstuff so that loss
or degradation of the flavoring, taste, or other desirable sensory
characteristics of the component is inhibited or minimized but
without the presence of stabilizers in the component after
stabilization. The invention also relates to the stabilizer-free,
stabilized coffee aroma-providing component that is obtained by
this process.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Flavoring components are utilized in a wide variety of food
and beverage products to impart, provide, modify, or improve the
flavor or taste to the product. Such components are generally known
to be very unstable. Thus, its desirable flavor characteristics can
be lost or degraded easily during or after processing or storage
over time.
[0003] As coffee aroma degrades, it generates unpleasant and
non-coffee-like notes that are undesirable. This degradation
substantially reduces the perceived quality of the product. For
this reason, special attention must be paid to the preparation and
storage of flavoring components such as coffee aroma so that either
desirable aroma components are preserved or enhanced or undesirable
components are reduced or eliminated.
[0004] The prior art recognizes that various flavor protective
agents can be added to food or beverage products in order to
preserve, maintain, or improve the flavor characteristics of such
products. For example, it is well known in the art that sulfites
can be added to beverages such as beer or wine to preserve the
flavor of such beverages. Generally, sulfites act as antioxidants
to prevent deterioration of the flavor. For example, sulfites can
react with oxygen to prevent deterioration of the flavor of the
product due to oxidation of the flavoring component. Also, Japanese
patent application Ser. No. 08/196,212 discloses the addition of
sulfite, catalase, cysteine, or glutathione to a coffee beverage
when water is added to reconstitute the beverage to give an
improved coffee aroma characteristic.
[0005] Instead of adding the sulfites directly to food products,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,041,209 and 4,536,409 disclose that sulfites may
be incorporated into the packaging to prevent absorption of oxygen
into the packaged food. Again, oxidation of the flavor component in
the whole food matrix is prevented so that the desired flavor of
the food is retained for a longer period of time.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,889 discloses that methyl mercaptan can
be added to an aqueous extract of soluble coffee solids prior to
drying the extract to a stable moisture content for improving the
flavor of this extract when it is later reconstituted as a coffee
beverage.
[0007] In most illustrations of the prior art, the compound that is
added remains in the product to be consumed. For this reason, the
use of sulfites or other additives that remain in the food or
beverage after such treatments is not a desirable solution to this
problem. Thus, there still remains a need for stabilization of
volatile flavoring components of plant derived products, such as
coffee, in order to preserve their ability to impart the desired
flavor, taste and other sensory characteristics to foods to which
they are added. The present invention now satisfies this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention relates to a process for stabilizing a coffee
aroma-providing component against loss or degradation of desirable
flavor or sensory characteristics of its aroma during storage. The
process comprises contacting the coffee aroma-providing component
with a stabilizing agent in a manner such that the stabilizing
agent is provided in an amount effective to chemically interact
with undesirable compounds associated with the coffee
aroma-providing component to form a stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component. The stabilized component (a) retains a
significant portion of one or more of the desirable flavor or
sensory characteristics of the coffee aroma in the coffee
aroma-providing component during storage, or (b) reduces off flavor
generation during storage of the coffee aroma-providing component.
The process can be conducted so that the stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component is essentially free of the stabilizing
agent when a food or beverage product containing coffee aroma from
the coffee aroma-providing agent is prepared for consumption.
[0009] In one embodiment, the stabilizing agent is removed from the
stabilized coffee aroma-providing component prior to adding the
stabilized coffee aroma-providing component to a food or beverage
product. The stabilizing agent can be removed from the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component by distillation, fractionation,
precipitation, sublimation, ion-exchange, liquid-liquid extraction
(organic or aqueous), aqueous liquid-oil extraction, oil-aqueous
liquid extraction, chromatographic separation, or stripping, such
as steam stripping.
[0010] The coffee aroma-providing component can be stabilized in
different ways. One way is by incorporating the stabilizing agent
into a material that is added to the coffee aroma-providing
component during storage. Thereafter, the material is separable or
removable from the coffee aroma-providing component, or the coffee
aroma-providing component is separable from the material, before
preparation for consumption of a food or beverage product
therefrom.
[0011] The stabilized coffee aroma-providing component can be
formed by contacting the coffee aroma-providing component with a
material that contains the stabilizing agent followed by separating
the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component from the material.
The material that contains the stabilizing agent may be associated
with a container for packaging or storing the coffee
aroma-providing component prior to use of the component for
preparing a food or beverage product.
[0012] The coffee aroma-providing component may be treated with a
stabilizing agent that interacts with compounds associated with the
coffee aroma-providing component to improve or preserve aroma
compounds that can improve the desirable flavor and sensory
characteristics of the coffee aroma component and to reduce the
amount of compounds that are associated with the undesirable
characteristics.
[0013] The stabilized coffee aroma-providing component can also be
formed by incorporating the stabilizing agent into a material which
is added to the coffee aroma-providing component during storage and
which further comprises separating the stabilized component from
the material when a product for consumption is prepared.
[0014] The stabilized coffee aroma-providing component can also be
formed by contacting a material that is processed to form the
coffee aroma-providing component with the stabilizing agent,
followed by separating the stabilized coffee aroma-providing
component from the material. The stabilizing agent can be added to
coffee beans prior to or during roasting of the beans to generate
an improved coffee aroma.
[0015] The stabilizing agent is preferably a compound that contains
at least one atom having at least one lone pair of electrons and is
present in an amount sufficient to react with undesirable reactive
compounds associated with the coffee aroma-providing component to
reduce some of the undesirable compounds, or to generate or
preserve one or more aroma compounds that contribute to the
desirable flavor or sensory characteristics of the coffee aroma or
that mask off flavors in the coffee aroma-providing component. The
undesirable reactive compounds generally contain carbonyl groups so
that the stabilizing agent complexes such compounds to form adducts
that are separable from the coffee aroma, resulting in a reduced
level of carbonyls in the stabilized coffee aroma-providing
component.
[0016] The stabilizing agent also cleaves aroma compounds
containing disulfide bonds to generate thiols, which are desirable
in the final food or beverage products. Also, the undesirable
compounds generate or comprise free radicals and the stabilizing
agent is present in an amount sufficient to reduce generation of or
scavenge such free radicals so that the aroma component is
stabilized and preserved.
[0017] More preferably, the stabilizing agent is a compound that
contains at least one atom having at least one lone pair of
electrons. The compound advantageously contains at least one atom
of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or carbon, such as a sulfite or a
substance that contains or generates a sulfite, a thiol, an amine
or an amino acid. The stabilizing agent may be a sulfite, cysteine
or glutathione or one of their salts, or an immobilized enzyme
present in an amount sufficient to react with undesirable compounds
associated with the coffee aroma-providing component that reduce
its shelf life.
[0018] The amount of added stabilizer that is removed during
downstream processing or the addition of immobilized agent that is
separable from the aroma component is generally in an equivalent to
the addition of the agent in an amount between about 1 and 50,000
ppm.
[0019] The stabilizing agent may be associated with another
additive that acts as a carrier for the stabilizing agent, wherein
the carrier is a solvent, an oil, an emulsion, a flavoring agent, a
carbohydrate, a protein, or an antioxidant.
[0020] The stabilizing agent can be added to coffee beans prior to
or during roasting, quenching, cooling, or extracting of the beans
to generate or isolate an improved coffee aroma. In this
embodiment, the stabilizing agent is generally present in an amount
sufficient to react with some or all of the carbonyl compounds
associated with the coffee aroma to reduce or inhibit pyrrole loss
from the coffee aroma, or to reduce or inhibit degradation of
thiols in the coffee aroma, thus retaining the desirable flavor or
sensory characteristics of the coffee aroma during at least two
months of storage of the coffee aroma.
[0021] The stabilized coffee aroma-providing component may be a
liquid that optionally includes an aroma carrier, or the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component may be dried to a powder and
stored until a later time when it is reconstituted for consumption
by the addition of a liquid. If desired, the stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component may be combined with a food-forming or
beverage-forming ingredient and a liquid to form a liquid food or
beverage product. The liquid product may be further treated by
drying. For example, spray-drying or freeze-drying can be applied
to obtain a solid material that retains the initial flavor or
sensory characteristic of the aroma for a time period of at least
two months during storage of the solid material.
[0022] The invention also relates to a packaged food or beverage
product in the form of a package that contains therein a stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component. The stabilized component has
preserved or improved desirable flavor or sensory characteristics
and is present in an amount sufficient to provide or impart its
flavor or sensory characteristics to the product. Preferably, the
coffee aroma-providing component is stabilized with a stabilizing
agent that is immobilized in, upon or within the package or upon or
within a carrier placed upon or within or forming part of the
container such that the stabilizing agent is separable or removable
from the coffee aroma-providing component, or the coffee
aroma-providing component is separable from the stabilizing agent
before preparation for consumption of the food or beverage product.
The resulting food or beverage product is essentially free of the
stabilizing agent and the loss or degradation of the desirable
flavor or sensory characteristics of the stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component are reduced or prevented such that it
retains its desirable flavor or sensory characteristics during
storage of the product for at least two months at ambient or room
temperatures. Preferably, the resulting stabilized coffee
aroma-providing component has either a ratio of acetaldehyde to
methanethiol of less than 200, or at least 30% of the initial
amount of acetaldehyde compounds removed, or at least 50% of the
initial methanethiol amount preserved during that period of
storage. As an example, when the aroma-providing component is a
coffee aroma that has an initial concentration of acetaldehyde of
between about 150 to 2000 ppm, it generally will have a
concentration of acetaldehyde after stabilization of about 1 to 100
ppm.
[0023] The stabilizing agent may be immobilized onto an
ion-exchange resin with the resin being placed within, attached to
or formed as part of the container for the aroma-providing
component. The stabilizer may also be immobilized onto or within an
insoluble resin that is contacted with the aroma-providing
component and subsequently separated from the stabilized
aroma-providing component.
[0024] In another embodiment, the stabilizing agent may be confined
in a pouch made of a semi-permeable material that contains the
stabilizing agent, with the pouch being placed within, attached to,
or forming part of the container. The stabilizing agent may be
provided as a solution that is retained in a semi-permeable pouch
that is made of a material that allows carbonyls to permeate
therethrough so that they are able to bind with the stabilizing
agent and become confined within the pouch rather than in the
aroma-providing component.
[0025] The food or beverage product or a food-forming or
beverage-forming ingredient may be provided in the package along
with the aroma-providing agent. A preferred aroma-providing
component is coffee aroma and the stabilizing agent is present in
an amount sufficient to bind carbonyls in the coffee aroma, remove
or reduce carbonyls from the coffee aroma, reduce pyrrole loss from
the coffee aroma, or reduce the degradation of thiols in the coffee
aroma to thus reduce off flavors in such components.
[0026] The invention also relates to certain stabilized coffee
aroma-providing components having enhanced and/or preserved
desirable flavor or sensory characteristics, such as (a) a ratio of
acetaldehyde to methanethiol that is 200 or less during storage
over several months at room temperature; (b) an acetaldehyde
concentration of 30 to 90 ppm after stabilization of a coffee aroma
providing component that initially contains 150 ppm acetaldehyde or
more; or (c) an acetaldehyde concentration of 20 to 60 ppm after
stabilization of a coffee aroma providing component that intially
contains 80 to 100 ppm acetaldehyde. The invention also relates to
a packaged food or beverage product in the form of a package that
contains therein the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component in
an amount sufficient to provide or impart its flavor or sensory
characteristics to the product.
[0027] Additional features and advantages of the present invention
are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed
Description of the Preferred Embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] As used herein, the term "coffee aroma-providing component"
means a substance, material, or compound that is capable of
generating or providing coffee aroma when processed or when
prepared as a food or beverage product. This would of course
include substances such as coffee beans that are processed in
various ways to provide coffee aroma.
[0029] As used herein the term "significant portion" is defined as
an amount of a desirable aroma, flavor or other organoleptic
characteristic that can be sensed or perceived by one who consumes
a food or beverage product to which an aroma has been added or
incorporated.
[0030] As used herein, "coffee aroma" is defined to be the volatile
flavor and aroma compounds that are present in coffee products such
as roast coffee or coffee extracts. Thus, the invention preferably
provides a method to stabilize coffee aroma by contact of the
coffee aroma-providing material with a substance that stabilizes or
enhances the aroma. As used herein, the term "desirable flavor or
sensory characteristics" refers to the flavor, aroma, or other
organoleptic properties of a food or beverage product that is
reminiscent of a freshly prepared product for consumption.
[0031] As used herein, the term "undesirable compounds" refers to
the volatile compounds of an aroma-providing component that promote
degradation of the other volatile compounds that can contribute to
desirable flavor and sensory characteristics.
[0032] The association of a stabilizing agent with a coffee
aroma-providing component results in a stabilized aroma-providing
component that has a number of advantages. First of all,
undesirable compounds that are normally present in the coffee
aroma-providing component are scavenged by the stabilizing agent.
Also, compounds that can detract from the desirable flavor or
sensory characteristics react or form adducts or complexes with the
stabilizing agent. Generally, these detrimental components are
compounds containing carbonyl groups such as aldehydes or
diketones. The stabilizing agent reacts with these carbonyls to
form adducts so that a lesser amount of such carbonyls is available
to react with the other aroma-providing components to decrease the
overall flavor characteristics.
[0033] The stabilizing agent can be reacted with the carbonyls
until the proportion of adducted aldehydes is reduced from 30 to
100% of its initial concentration and preferably at least about
50%. This can be measured in the final stabilized component by (a)
a ratio of acetaldehyde to methanethiol that is 200 or less during
storage over several months at room temperature; (b) an
acetaldehyde concentration of 30 to 90 ppm after stabilization of a
coffee aroma providing component that intially contains 150 ppm
acetaldehyde or more; or (c) an acetaldehyde concentration of 20 to
60 ppm after stabilization of a coffee aroma providing component
that intially contains 80 to 100 ppm acetaldehyde. Also, the
stabilizing agent can be reacted with the carbonyls until over 50%
of initial methanethiol concentrations are maintained in the
stabilized product.
[0034] The preferred stabilizing agents also act as oxygen/free
radical scavengers to prevent deterioration of the flavor
characteristics of the coffee aroma due to oxidation from oxygen,
free radicals or other oxidizing compounds. The preferred agents
can also cleave disulfide bonds to promote levels of thiols that
are then preserved by the endogenous antioxidant activity. All
together, they ensure the quality of the resulting products to be
not only more roasty/sulfury and less
woody/green/groundsy/processey but also more stable over time.
[0035] The principles of the invention are now illustrated for the
preferred embodiments where coffee aroma is disclosed as the most
preferred aroma-providing component. Coffee aroma is used as a
flavoring agent for various foods or beverages and particularly in
soluble coffee, coffee concentrate and ready to drink coffee
beverages to enhance the flavor, taste, and other sensory
characteristics of these beverages.
[0036] There are a number of known methods for obtaining coffee
aroma, and any can be utilized in this invention. Typical methods
include, but are not limited to, standard instant coffee processing
in which stripping, gas flushing, or other methods are used to
generate and recover the aroma, the collection of gases from the
grinding, heating, cooking, or other processing steps, or the
extraction of the aroma from any of the processing liquids.
Extraction techniques include, but are not limited to,
liquid/liquid extraction, CO.sub.2 extraction, oil extraction,
stripping, distillation, fractionation, flashing, or gas flushing
of the processing liquid to obtain the aroma.
[0037] As noted above, there are a number of different stabilizing
agents that can be used in this invention. These agents generally
include any compounds that include one or more atoms that have at
least one set of unpaired electrons. Typical atoms that have this
property are sulfur or nitrogen although others can be used if
desired. The properties of those atoms are commonly defined and
known. Preferred stabilizing agents include sulfur dioxide
(SO.sub.2), sulfites, and compounds that generate or contain
thiols, amines, or amino acids. Specifically preferred compounds
include any FDA generally regarded as safe (GRAS) sulfiting agent,
such as SO.sub.2, sodium and potassium sulfites, sodium and
potassium metabisulfites, or sodium or potassium bisulfites. Under
some conditions, sulfur powder can be used as a suitable
stabilizing agent. Sulfur containing amino acids, such as cysteine
and homocysteine, whether used alone or in peptides or proteins,
are also advantageous, as is glutathione. Materials that contain or
generate sulfites, such as yeasts or yeast extracts, or those that
generate thiols can also be used.
[0038] Nucleophiles such as sulfite and cysteine react with
carbonyls, namely reactive aldehydes and .alpha.-diketones. In
addition, sulfites and cysteine are known antioxidants and
free-radical scavengers and are effective for use as stabilizing
agents herein. They also cleave disulfides to generate free thiols.
Such liberated thiols can impart desirable roasty coffee notes to
the aroma or can be used to mask coffee negative notes such as
woody, processey or groundsy notes. Due to these endogenous
antioxidant activities, the degradation of thiols and pyrroles are
reduced or inhibited.
[0039] Generally, the stabilizing agent, depending upon its type is
indirectly associated with the flavoring component in such a way
that the flavoring component is residual free but its effect is in
equivalent to a directly added amount of about 1 ppm to 50,000 ppm
in the flavoring component. A most preferred agent is sodium
sulfite and it is used in an amount equivalent to about 500 ppm to
8,000 ppm. The aroma concentration and its constituents are
determined by conventional analytical methods. Generally, a static
headspace volatile profile was analyzed using an HP gas
chromatograph equipped with FID and PID detectors and quantified by
external standards of compounds of interest.
[0040] The resulting effect from the use of the stabilizing agent
has been found to extend the shelf life of coffee aroma so as to
allow the aroma, after storage for extended periods of time, to
retain a flavor which is reminiscent of freshly brewed coffee in
various coffee beverages that are reconstituted after storage of
the aroma. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that
several mechanisms are occurring to achieve the stability and
increased storage life of the fresh flavor, with one or a
combination of these mechanisms occurring simultaneously to achieve
the improvements: [0041] the stabilizing agent reacts with carbonyl
groups contained in compounds such as aldehydes or diketones to
form adducts which do not react with the other coffee aroma
compounds to decrease the overall flavor characteristics; [0042]
the stabilizing agent cleaves or reduces disulfide bonds to form
thiols and thus preserve the levels of desirable thiols over time;
or [0043] the stabilizing agent acts as an oxygen scavenger to
prevent deterioration of the flavor characteristics of the coffee
aroma due to oxidation; or [0044] the stabilizing agent acts as an
anti-oxidant to prevent free radicals and other oxidizing compounds
from deteriorating the flavor characteristics of the aroma due to
oxidation; or [0045] these endogenous antioxidant activity
preserves thiol and pyrrole degradation over time; or [0046] the
stabilizing agent reduces or controls undesirable browning
reactions.
[0047] In addition, the presence of aldehydes, such as
acetaldehyde, causes the desirable flavors to degrade. The
stabilizing agent reacts with the aldehyde to form aldehyde
derivatives that do not negatively impact the stability of the
coffee aroma-providing component. In addition to sulfites and
cysteine, C-nucleophiles such as 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and
various thiazolium salts are potentially useful stabilizing agents.
For example, thiamin (Vitamin B1) could be immobilized on a resin
and then used to react with aldehydes to form aldehyde derivatives
that do not deleteriously affect the coffee-aroma providing
component.
[0048] In conventional non-treated or non-stabilized coffee aroma,
the amounts of methanethiol typically diminish to non-detectable
levels over the course of two to six months when the components are
stored at room temperature. In contrast, the treated or stabilized
aroma-providing components of the invention are characterized by a
significantly reduced degradation profile compared to the
conventional components. The methanethiol levels typically remain
at more than 50% of the initial levels and the acetaldehyde to
methanethiol ratio is 200 or less after storage at room temperature
over a period of at least 2 months.
[0049] To illustrate the effect of a stabilizing agent on coffee
aroma, 6% sulfite solution was passed through an ion exchange
column to load the sulfite onto the ion exchange resin. The
sulfite-loaded resin was then placed in a bag that is permeable to
coffee aroma solution. The amount of resin relative to the aroma
solution was at the ratio of 1:200, 1:175, and 1:150. The
resin-providing package was directly packaged with the aroma
solution and sealed into cans for storage at room temperature for 2
months. The results show that the amount of acetaldehyde, a
substance which is known to adversely affect the flavor or
stability properties of coffee aromas, was selectively removed from
the aroma by at least 30% while the amount of thiol compounds was
enhanced by at least 10%. After ambient storage for 2 months,
acetaldehyde was reduced from the aroma by at least 30% and
methanethiol was preserved by at least 50% so that the acetaldehyde
to methanethiol ratio remained below 200. As thiols provide a
desirable roasty note to the aroma, the presence of a greater
amount of these compounds imparted a more roasty note to the aroma.
Finally, undesirable flavors were also reduced, possibly due to the
lower amounts of aldehydes and higher amount of thiols.
[0050] The following tables illustrate these changes. Of course,
the skilled artisan will recognize that the acetaldehyde and
methanethiol contents may be very small and that an accurate ratio
cannot be calculated. In those situations, the stabilization can be
conducted to remove or reduce acetaldehyde concentration.
Preferably, at least 50% of the amount of acetaldehyde is removed.
A final acetaldehyde concentration of 30 to 90 ppm is typically
achieved after stabilization of a coffee aroma providing component
that intially contains 150 ppm acetaldehyde or more, while an
acetaldehyde concentration of 20 to 60 ppm is typically achieved
after stabilization of a coffee aroma providing component that
intially contains 80 to 100 ppm acetaldehyde. TABLE-US-00001 TABLE
I Percentage of static headspace aroma concentration in coffee
aroma distillates stored for 2 months at room temperature as
compared to the fresh untreated distillate Months Ctrl 1:200 in can
1:175 in can 1:150 in can Methane- 0 100 138 117 105 thiol 2 10 155
121 108 Acetalde- 0 100 61 47 35 hyde 2 110 52 56 39
[0051] TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Ratio of static headspace
concentration of acetaldehyde and methanethiol in coffee aroma
distillates stored for 2 months at room temperature Control 1:200
1:175 1:150 Months Ratio: acetaldehyde/methanethiol 0 87 38 35 29 2
918 29 40 31
[0052] Thus, the aroma obtained from the stabilization of an
aroma-providing component is characterized as having the following
contents of volatile compounds:
[0053] Thiols: at least as much as or more than original amount
after initial treatment and at least 2 months of room temperature
storage, and significantly greater than the control, untreated
aroma providing component.
[0054] Acetaldehyde: decreased by at least 30% to 50% and as much
as 60% from the original amount and at all relevant measurement
time periods. For example, an initial concentration of acetaldehyde
of between about 40 to 2000 ppm can be reduced during stabilization
to a final concentration of acetaldehyde after stabilization of
about 1 to 100 ppm. Generally, the acetaldehyde concentration is
reduced by at least 50% during stabilization.
[0055] These compounds are generally present in coffee aroma so
that they can be used as markers to determine the effectiveness of
the stabilization process or of the particular type of stabilizing
agent that is used.
[0056] The stabilizing agent may be associated with substances or
materials that are or that generate the aroma-providing component
by any one of a variety of methods. The following methods are
described in connection with the generation of coffee aroma from
coffee beans.
[0057] For example, coffee beans can be treated with the
stabilizing agent at just about any point in the processing of the
beans.
[0058] After harvesting of the coffee beans, the stabilizing agent
can be applied to the green coffee beans by soaking the beans in a
solution of the agent, or by spraying the beans with a solution of
the agent. These two methods are relatively simple and effective
for distributing the agent relatively uniformly throughout the
beans. It is also possible to add the agent as a solid, such as a
powder, to the beans by mixing the two together. This is a more
energy intensive process so that it is not preferred to a simple
soaking. One of ordinary skill in the art can determine optimum
amounts and concentrations of the agent to use by routine testing.
The beans are then roasted to obtain the aroma that is essentially
free of additive.
[0059] It is alternatively possible to add the agent to the beans
during the roasting process. This can be done by adding the agent
as a powder or solution into the roasting ovens. Also, the roasting
can be conducted in a gaseous atmosphere of the stabilizing agent.
Instead of adding the agent to the beans during the roasting
process, it is possible to direct the aroma gas that is generated
to contact the agent. This can be done by passing the aroma gas
through a filter or other carrier in which the agent is
incorporated. It is also possible to bubble the aroma gas through a
solution of the agent. The aroma can be passed through a fixed or
fluidized bed of the agent. As a skilled chemical engineer would
realize, the equipment in which this contact occurs is designed to
provide a sufficient amount of the agent or a sufficient contact
time to produce the enhanced aroma. Finally, the agent can be
simply added to the final aroma that is collected.
[0060] In these methods, it is generally necessary to utilize a
greater amount of stabilizing agent because a portion of the agent
is burned off during the roasting step.
[0061] Another point where the agent can be contacted with the
beans is used as a quenching solution after roasting is completed.
This is a particularly effective way to accomplish cooling of the
roasted beans as well as utilizing the heat of the roasted beans to
accelerate the reaction of the agent with the undesirable compounds
in the roasted beans. This also requires no new equipment as the
quenching solution is simply modified to carry the agent to the
roasted beans. The quenching solution can be sprayed onto the beans
or the beans can be dropped into the solution of the agent.
[0062] Next, the roasted and cooled beans are subjected to a
grinding step, and this step generates coffee aroma. Here, the
agent can be added to the beans during the grinding step if not
already added with the quenching step or after it. Again, the agent
can be added in solid or liquid form, or the grinding can be
carried out in an atmosphere of the agent in gaseous form.
Alternatively, it is possible to direct the aroma gas that is
generated during the grinding step to contact the agent. This can
be done by passing the aroma through a filter or other carrier in
which the agent is incorporated. It is also possible to bubble the
aroma gas through a solution of the agent. As noted above in the
discussion of the aroma created by roasting the beans, the grinding
aroma can be passed through a fixed or fluidized bed of the
agent.
[0063] The roast and ground coffee is typically processed for
obtaining the aroma component that is additive free. For example,
the particles are typically extracted with water to form a
solution, volatiles are stripped from the solution with steam, and
the stripped volatiles are collected and concentrated. In these
processes, the aroma stabilizer agent can also be added to the
extraction water. The agent can be added at one or more of these
steps for optimum results.
[0064] When sulfites are used, an appropriate dosage range would be
that which provides an equivalent to the direct addition of about 1
ppm to 50,000 ppm of sulfite per unit weight of aroma or aroma
distillate. Preferably, the ratio of sodium sulfite to aroma
volatile compounds is preferably from about 8:1 to 16:1. Depending
upon the specific stabilizing agent used, these amounts can vary
but the optimum amounts can be readily determined by one of
ordinary skill in the art through routine testing.
[0065] As noted above, the stabilizing agent can be associated with
or added to coffee or the coffee aroma-providing component as a
powder, liquid, or as a gas, depending upon the form or the
aroma-providing component. The stabilizing agent may be simply
added to any of these materials, streams, or additives or the
materials, streams, or additives can be treated by passing them
over the stabilizing agent in immobilized form as disclosed herein.
Depending upon the specific point in the process where it is added,
the stabilizing agent can be prepared in a form that allows it to
be separated or removed from the processed material. For example,
the stabilizing agent can be a gas that contacts a coffee
aroma-providing component in solid form during treatment but which
is removed from the processed material. Where liquid or gaseous
coffee aroma-providing components are treated in other processing
steps, the stabilizing agent can be provided in a solid form and
then immobilized in a resin or a pouch made of a plastic film or
other material that is permeable to the gaseous or liquid component
but which prevents egress of the solid stabilizing agent into the
liquid or gas.
[0066] The treatment of the coffee aroma-providing component with
the stabilizing agent is conducted for a time sufficient to form
reaction products of the stabilizing agent and undesirable
volatiles in the coffee aroma-providing component. For coffee
aroma, as noted above, such undesirable volatiles include aldehydes
and diketones, and the stabilizing agent reacts with such volatiles
to form adducts or other reaction products that block these
volatiles and prevent or at least reduce the reactivity of as well
as the opportunity for those volatiles to react with other, useful
volatiles that provide or impart the desirable flavor, taste and
other sensory characteristics to the food or beverage products to
which the aroma-providing component is added. One of ordinary skill
in the art can readily determine by routine testing the appropriate
time periods for treatment of the coffee aroma-providing agent to
provide the desired level of stabilization.
[0067] As the reaction products formed by the stabilizing agent and
the undesirable volatile compounds in the coffee aroma-providing
component are different in properties from the remaining desirable
volatile components of the coffee aroma-providing component, these
reaction products can be easily removed. Any one of a number of
methods, such as distillation, fractionation, precipitation,
sublimation, ion-exchange, liquid-liquid extraction (organic or
aqueous), aqueous liquid-oil extraction, oil-aqueous liquid
extraction, or even chromatographic separation, are suitable for
separating and removing these reaction products from the coffee
aroma-providing component. For example, for treatment of coffee
aroma with sulfites, the resultant sulfite-carbonyl adduct is not
volatile and can be easily separated by a simple distillation from
the remaining coffee aroma volatiles.
[0068] Also, other processes can be used to separate the desirable
volatiles of the coffee aroma-providing component from the
undesirable reaction products. For sulfite stabilized coffee aroma,
a simple heating step, such as steam stripping at low or high
temperatures, can be used to separate the desirable volatiles from
the sulfite-carbonyl adducts. Higher temperature steam stripping
results in essentially no residual amounts of stabilizing agent or
adducts, but it can decompose some of the adducts to liberate
undesirable volatiles. Lower temperature steam stripping is
desirable since less of the adducts decompose. The skilled artisan
can select heating processes and heating temperatures to achieve
the desired characteristics and content of volatiles of the final
coffee aroma-providing component.
[0069] Another desirable application of different forms of the
components can be utilized when the coffee aroma-providing
component is a liquid or gas and the stabilizing agent is a solid.
The stabilizing agent can be incorporated onto a support, such as a
membrane or filter, and the aroma-providing component can be
directed to pass adjacent to, around, or even through the membrane
or filter. Typical materials for such membranes and filters include
permeable plastics into or upon which the stabilizing agent is
incorporated, coated or otherwise associated. It is also possible
to configure solid stabilizing agents in the form of porous
materials through or around which the gaseous or liquid
aroma-providing component will pass to achieve the desired
adducting or scavenging results.
[0070] The stabilizing agent can be immobilized onto an insoluble
material that can be contacted with the coffee aroma-providing
component to remove undesirable aroma compounds and stabilize the
component, and then removed prior to the packaging of the aroma
component for storage.
[0071] The process can also be conducted so that the stabilizing
agent is immobilized inside or within the container that is used to
retain the coffee aroma component in such a way that allows
interaction between the stabilizer and the coffee aroma component.
The stabilized coffee aroma-providing component may be prepared by
incorporating the stabilizing agent into a material which is added
to the coffee aroma-providing component during storage but which
material is separable or removable from the coffee aroma-providing
component, or the aroma-providing component is separable from the
material, before preparation for consumption of a food or beverage
product therefrom.
[0072] The stabilizing agent can be immobilized onto a matrix or
confined within a compartment made from semi-permeable films. Such
immobilized/confined agents can be stored in contact with the
aroma-providing component as a part of the package or within the
aroma-providing component and are separable prior to beverage
preparation.
[0073] The stabilizing agent may be in the form of a solid that is
immobilized upon or into a matrix or confined within a compartment
made of a semi-permeable membrane or film with the matrix or the
pouch being placed within, attached to or forming part of the
container. Other forms of the stabilizing agent, such as a liquid
or gas, can be immobilized by being packaged in the container with
the coffee aroma-providing component. Also, a food or beverage
product or a food-forming or beverage-forming ingredient can be
provided in the package along with the aroma-providing agent so
that the final product can be prepared by simply opening the
container, optionally with the addition of a liquid such as milk or
water.
[0074] Yet another arrangement is the positioning or immobilization
of one component and the passage of the other therearound,
thereover or therethrough. In one version of this embodiment, the
stabilizing agent such as sulfite or cysteine is immobilized and
provided as a sheet, film, block, insert, powder, mass or other
structure for contact with the aroma-providing component as they
move past, around and through each other. For example, stabilizing
agent can be added to the coffee aroma-providing component for a
time sufficient to achieve the desired adducting or scavenging and
then can be separated from the stabilized aroma-providing
component.
[0075] Alternatively, and in most cases preferably, the stabilizing
agent can be incorporated into the package or container which is to
be used to separately store the coffee aroma-providing component,
thus achieving the desired adducting or scavenging during storage
by simply placing the coffee aroma-providing component into the
package or container. The stabilizing agent can be simply placed in
the compartment in the form of a small permeable pouch, such as a
"tea bag" or other permeable enclosure, or it can be incorporated
in a separate compartment which can be permeated by the
aroma-providing component but which compartment retains the
stabilizer therein so that it cannot exit the container or package
when the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component is added to
the food or beverage product.
[0076] In a specific arrangement, the stabilizing agent is added to
the coffee aroma-providing component in a form that is not soluble
in that component, and a screen membrane or filter is used to
retain the stabilizing agent in the package when the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component is removed.
[0077] In another arrangement, the stabilizing agent can be
incorporated into one or more interior surfaces of the container or
package for contact with the coffee aroma-providing component
during storage therein. This is advantageous because the stabilized
coffee aroma-providing component can be removed from the package or
container without having to separate or isolate the stabilizing
agent from it prior to use in preparing the food or beverage
product for consumption.
[0078] Alternatively, instead of immobilizing the stabilizing agent
in a carrier or in the container, it is possible to instead
construct the container so that the coffee aroma-providing
component is separated from the stabilizing agent, and the
undesirable compounds associated with the aroma-providing component
diffuse into or otherwise come in contact with the stabilizing
agent for removal from the coffee aroma-providing component. While
this is a less preferred arrangement, it is entirely within the
level of the skilled artisan as another possibility of use for the
present invention.
[0079] The resultant stabilized coffee aroma-providing component is
essentially free of the stabilizing agent. "Essentially free" means
that the stabilized coffee aroma-providing component contains less
than 10 ppm of stabilizing agent that was originally added to the
aroma-providing agent during the stabilizing treatment. In addition
when a food or beverage product containing an aroma from the
aroma-providing agent is prepared for consumption, it also will be
essentially free of the stabilizing agent.
[0080] Of course, the skilled artisan will readily understand that
food or beverage products are prepared in this condition prior to
consumption as it is possible for the stabilizing agent, whether
immobilized on a support or not, to remain in contact with the
aroma-providing component or the food or beverage product until
just prior to consumption. In preferred embodiments, the
stabilizing agent is not allowed to directly contact the food or
beverage product, as it is first separated or recovered from the
aroma-providing component before forming the food or beverage
component. As shown below in the examples, coffee aroma in the form
of a liquid distillate can be packaged with sulfite solution
confined within a plastic pouch so that the aroma is stabilized
during storage, but the sulfite can not egress out from the pouch
and the distillate can be separated from the pouch or sachet prior
to formation of the beverage for consumption.
[0081] In conventional non-treated or non-stabilized coffee aroma,
the amounts of methanethiol diminishes to non-detectable levels
over the course of about 2 to 6 months when the components are
stored at room temperature.
[0082] In contrast, the treated or stabilized aroma-providing
components, that are stored with the stabilizer immobilized onto
resins and at room temperature for 2 months, are characterized by a
significantly reduced degradation profile compared to the
conventional components. The methanethiol level remains at at least
50% as compared to the one stored at ambient. After removal of the
stabilizing agent and reaction products and being subject to room
temperature storage, the stabilizing agent-free stabilized
aroma-providing components are characterized by a reduced
degradation profile compared to the conventional components but one
that is not as reduced as when the stabilizing agent is not removed
but remains in direct contact with the aroma-providing
component.
[0083] Also, when conventional high temperature steam stripping is
used to remove the desirable volatiles of coffee aroma from the
adducts, some dissociation of the adducts is observed. In
comparison, when conventional low temperature vacuum steam
stripping is used to remove the desirable volatiles of the coffee
aroma from the adducts that are generated due to the treatment of
the coffee aroma with sodium sulfite, for example, much less
dissociation of the adducts is observed.
[0084] It has been found that the enhanced aroma-providing
component or the stabilizing agent and aroma-providing component
combination can be stored at room temperature for extended periods
of time without much reduced loss of the desirable aroma at the
time when the product is made for consumption. For certain aromas,
the desirable aroma notes can be retained in the aroma-providing
component during storage since the undesirable odor or flavor notes
are adducted or reduced by the agent. The maintenance of the
desirable notes for a period of at least two to six months and even
longer is easily achieved for coffee aroma with similar benefits
obtainable for other aromas.
[0085] For maintaining these stabilized or superior aroma
characteristics for even longer times, storage at temperatures
below ambient can be used. Temperatures as low as 10.degree. C., or
even 0.degree. C. or lower can be used for this purpose. Generally,
storage stability for more than one year at room temperature is
sufficient for many aroma-providing components so that lower
temperature storage is not necessary. The person of ordinary skill
in the art can determine by routine testing the optimum storage
temperature for retaining the effective aroma characteristics for
the desired time periods depending upon the specific
aroma-providing component, stabilizing agent, and desired aroma
properties after storage.
[0086] The time of treatment of the aroma-providing component and
the stabilizing agent is also a consideration. Also, the relative
amounts of stabilizing agent and aroma-providing component play a
factor in this. Of course, the more stabilizing agent and the
longer treatment times that are used, the more carbonyl groups form
adducts and the more oxygen or free radicals are scavenged.
Depending upon the intended results, it may not be necessary to
remove all of the oxygen and free radicals, nor to adduct all of
the carbonyls. Again, one of ordinary skill in the art can best
select the relative amounts of the components, the treatment times
and the storage temperatures so that the treated aroma-providing
component can provide the optimum flavor characteristics to the
intended product at the eventual time of use.
[0087] The form of the stabilized coffee aroma-providing product
represents another feature of the invention. While any form can be
used, components in a gaseous form present additional handling
considerations. While this may present less of a problem in a
commercial setting, such as a cafe or restaurant where coffee is
purchased for relatively immediate consumption, it may not be as
desirable for home use as the dispensation of a gas into a liquid
is not trivial. Thus, solid or liquid forms of the stabilized
aroma-providing component are typically used.
[0088] The provision of the stabilized coffee aroma-providing
component as a powder can be achieved in a number of ways. When the
treated aroma-providing component is a liquid, it can readily be
converted into a solid by conventional drying techniques such as
spray drying or freeze drying. In this regard, it is highly
desirable to conduct the spray drying or freeze drying operation on
a solution of stabilized coffee aroma-providing component as soon
as possible after treatment by the stabilizing agent so that as
much of the aroma in the coffee aroma-providing component can be
retained. If desired, the particle size of the spray-dried or
freeze-dried powder can be varied by grinding or pulverization,
with the size that is most desirable being one that readily
dissolves (i.e., within one minute and preferably within 15-30
seconds) after being added to the fluid used to form the consumable
product.
[0089] The stabilized coffee aroma component may also be
incorporated in a matrix of oil, water, or other solvents, provided
as an emulsion, encapsulated in other edible materials by
techniques that are generally known in the art, may be frozen as a
frost or dried to powder form prior to storage.
EXAMPLES
[0090] The following examples are presented to illustrate the most
preferred embodiments of the invention.
Example 1
[0091] A roast and ground ("R&G") coffee is extracted with
water. The resulting liquid stream that includes soluble coffee is
passed through a steam stripping column where the volatile
flavor/aroma components are distilled out, condensed and collected.
The non-volatile components can be utilized as is or, if desired,
can be further processed such as by evaporation to higher solids
contents for shelf stable uses.
[0092] For every 1000 g of R&G coffee sent to the extraction
process, 800 g of aroma distillate are collected and rectified to
150 g aroma distillate (aroma A). The aroma distillate was further
diluted to 750 g using deoxygenated reverse osmosis water (aroma
B). The resulting aroma B solution is stored in a sealed container
that prevents the aroma from permeating out and that prevents
oxygen from entering.
[0093] Concentrated coffee solids are prepared and stored
separately from the distillate with addition of NaOH. Both are
stored at room temperature for a period of 6 months. In order to
prepare a beverage for consumption, the coffee solids are then
mixed with the distillate and hot water is added to the mixture.
Upon consumption, the resulting beverage is found to have
noticeable off flavors.
Example 2
[0094] 6% sulfite solution was passed through an ion exchange
column to load the ion exchange resins (Dowex 22) with sulfite. The
sulfite loaded resin was placed in a tea bag type package at the
ratio of 1:200 of resin relative to amount of aroma solution and
the resulted package was further placed within aroma B solution.
The final aroma-providing component was stored at room temperature
condition for 6 months and kept the acetaldehyde to methanethiol
ratio typically between 15 and 75. The coffee solids were mixed
with NaOH and canned and stored also for 6 months at room
temperature. The coffee solids were then mixed with the distillate
and hot water was added to the mixture to form a beverage.
[0095] Upon consumption, the resulting beverage is found to have a
flavor that is fresher than Example 1 and with a significantly
reduced level of undesirable flavors.
Example 3
[0096] The sulfite-loaded resin was packed into a column. Aroma B
solution was passed through this column and collected into a
hermetically sealed container. This aroma providing component with
about 95% acetaldehyde reduced was further stored at 37.degree. C.
for 8 to 12 weeks. After storage, the aroma component maintained
the acetaldehyde to methanethiol ratio typically between 5 and 30.
Upon consumption, the resulting beverage is found to have a flavor
that is perceived to be fresher than sample from Example 1.
Example 4
[0097] Aroma A solution was added with 2500 ppm SO.sub.2 equivalent
of sodium sulfite and stored overnight. The sulfite added
distillate was passed through a stripping column under vacuum and
the aroma component was collected free of sulfite with about 60% of
acetaldehyde removed from the product stream. The collected aroma
was further diluted down five times using deoxygenated reverse
osmosis water. The final aroma-providing component was stored at
room temperature for six months. The resulting beverage is found to
have a flavor that is perceived to be fresher than the sample from
Example 1.
Example 5
[0098] Sodium sulfite is dissolved in water to form 1.2% aqueous
solution. A low-density polypropylene film is formed into a pouch
and the sulfite solution is placed and sealed within the pouch. The
pouch is placed in the container containing aroma B solution and
the container is then sealed. The amount of sulfite solution is
about 5% of the aroma solution. The hydrophobic nature of the
polypropylene prevents permeation of the sodium sulfite
therethrough, but the coffee aroma diffuses through the
polypropylene pouch walls to contact the sodium sulfite solution
during storage at room temperature for a period of 6 months. Due to
the nucleophilic effect of sulfite in the pouch, the carbonyls
permeated into the pouch became partly bound with sulfite solution
inside the pouch. As a result, at least 30% of acetaldehyde, for
example, was confined within the pouch in the sulfite solution and
thus removed from the aroma component solution.
[0099] Coffee solids are stored at room temperature separately from
the distillate but for the same time period. The coffee solids are
then mixed with the distillate and hot water is added to the
mixture to form a beverage. Upon consumption, the resulting
beverage is found to have a flavor that is fresher than Example
1.
Example 6
[0100] Aroma A solution was added with 2500 ppm SO2 equivalent of
sodium sulfite and then passed through a liquid-liquid extraction
column using coffee oil or another oil such as a medium chain fatty
acid oil as extraction medium. The resulting oil contains aroma
component without the presence of sulfite. This aroma-loaded oil
was encapsulated or directly used to flavor coffee soluble powder
or stored at room temperature for 6 months prior to re-constitution
back to coffee beverage. The resulted beverage is found to have a
fresher flavor than the one without the stabilization process.
Example 7
[0101] The stabilizing agent-free coffee aroma can be encapsulated
to form capsules that are stable and easy to handle so that they
can be added to the coffee solids at any time prior to or after
formation of a beverage but prior to consumption.
Example 8
[0102] Various food products, including powdered coffee mixes,
ready to drink beverages, ice-cream, and candy, can be formulated
with the stabilized coffee aroma.
Example 9
[0103] For every 1000 g of R&G coffee, 150 g of aroma
distillate was collected and then diluted to 1200 g using
deoxygenated reverse osmosis water (aroma C, with acetaldehyde
typically less than 100 ppm). A 6% sulfite solution was passed
through an ion exchange column to load the ion exchange resins
(Dowex 22) with sulfite. The aroma C solution was passed through
this column and collected.
[0104] Alternatively, the sulfite loaded resin was mixed with aroma
C solution at the ratio of 1:30-50 of resin relative to amount of
aroma C solution for one day and then removed from the distillate.
The treated distillate with at least 60% acetaldehyde reduced was
packaged into a hermetically sealed container and stored at room
temperature condition for 2 months. After storage, the distillate
kept the acetaldehyde to methanethiol ratio typically between 15
and 75 and/or acetaldehyde to N-m-pyrrole ratio typically less than
30.
[0105] The coffee solids were mixed with NaOH and canned and stored
also for 2 months at room temperature. The coffee solids were then
mixed with the distillate and hot water was added to the mixture to
form a beverage. Upon consumption, the resulting beverage is found
to have a flavor that is fresher than Example 1 and with a
significantly reduced level of undesirable flavors.
[0106] While the preceding examples were specifically directed to
the treatment and stabilization of coffee aroma, it will be
immediately realized by one of ordinary skill in the art that aroma
distillates from other sources as well as other aroma-providing
components that contain thiols, aldehydes and pyrroles may be
treated in essentially the same manner in order to be stabilized as
disclosed herein. Also, the stabilized aroma-providing components
can be added to any one of a wide variety of food or beverage
products whether such products are consumed at room temperature,
are cooled or frozen or after heating. Typical products include
coffee powders, ready to drink beverage mixes, candy, cake frosting
or ice cream along with many others that are limited only by the
imagination and creativity of the product formulator.
[0107] The term "about," as used herein, should generally be
understood to refer to both numbers in a range of numerals.
Moreover, all numerical ranges herein should be understood to
include each whole integer within the range.
[0108] It is to be understood that the invention is not to be
limited to the exact configuration as illustrated and described
herein. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable
by one of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure set forth
herein, or by routine experimentation therefrom, are deemed to be
within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claims.
[0109] It should be understood that various changes and
modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described
herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes
and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended
advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and
modifications be covered by the appended claims.
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