JP6449267B2 - Beverage preparation capsules for delivery of functional ingredients - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a beverage preparation capsule for delivery of beverages containing functional ingredients such as flavonoids, vitamins, antioxidants or minerals added to beverages. The invention particularly relates to a capsule as described above for use in a single serve beverage dispenser.

  Numerous beverage production systems are known that produce a cup of beverage by inserting a capsule containing a particular beverage production component, such as ground coffee beans, into a beverage production station of a beverage production device. The device then injects water into the capsule, where the beverage-generating component dissolves or leaches into the water and a beverage is formed. The beverage flows out of the capsule through a suitable outlet, which may simply be an opening or perforation in the capsule or may comprise an outlet tube that penetrates the outlet region of the capsule. The capsule may incorporate a filter to prevent solid components, such as coffee grounds, from passing through the capsule. This general type of beverage production system is, for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3 (all Nestlé), Patent Document 4 (Keurig), Patent Document 5 (Kenco), Patent Document 6 (Sara Lee), Patent Document 7 and Patent Document 8 (Mars).

  The capsules described above are adapted for the preparation of flavored beverages, such as nutty or flavored coffee, by the addition of flavoring agents to the beverage-generating ingredients.

  It is also known to add functional ingredients to single serve beverage preparation packages. For example, Patent Document 9 describes a barley tea bag containing green tea fortified with catechin.

International Publication No. 94/01344 European Patent Application No. 051468 European Patent Application No. 0468079 US Pat. No. 5,840,189 European Patent Application No. 0272922 European Patent Application No. 0821906 European Patent Application No. 0179641 International Publication No. 02/19875 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-266841

  The inventors have found that adding a functional ingredient to a beverage preparation ingredient in a beverage preparation capsule has certain disadvantages. In particular, incomplete extraction of the functional ingredient from the mixture leads to a change in the amount of functional ingredient applied to the beverage and a waste of the relatively expensive functional ingredient. It is believed that this incomplete extraction may be due to the adsorption or reaction of the functional ingredient by the beverage ingredient and / or the filter material inside the capsule.

  In a first aspect, the present invention provides a beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation component and a functional ingredient, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface of the capsule is coated with a water-dispersible coating containing the functional ingredient. Is done.

  By providing the functional ingredient in the water-dispersible coating on the inner surface of the capsule, the functional ingredient can be dispersed in the beverage only when water is injected into the capsule during use. The functional ingredient is substantially or completely separated from the beverage before use. Furthermore, it is easy to apply a controlled dose of the functional ingredient as a coating inside the capsule during the manufacture of the capsule. Preferably at least 50%, more preferably at least 90%, most preferably all of the functional ingredients added are present in the coating.

  The present invention provides a convenient, efficient and cost effective means for adding functional ingredients to beverages. Compared to other systems where a relatively large amount of functional ingredient may need to be mixed with a beverage preparation ingredient to achieve the desired functional effect or sufficient bioavailability, the present invention provides the desired functional effect and / or Or it can contain only a minimal amount of functional ingredients while still achieving bioavailability. Functional ingredients can be expensive and can give the beverage product an undesirable taste and / or appearance. By maximizing the functional effects and / or bioavailability of a given amount of functional ingredients, the present invention requires only a relatively small amount of functional ingredients, thus minimizing any undesirable taste and / or appearance. The cost can be reduced.

  Preferably, the capsule further comprises a filter element that divides the interior space of the capsule into an upstream region and a downstream region containing a beverage preparation component, and the coating containing the functional ingredient is disposed on the inner surface of the downstream region. The In use, the functional ingredient is dispersed in the beverage after the liquid has passed through the filter. This eliminates the problem of adsorption of the functional component to the beverage preparation residue (eg, coffee grounds) or the adsorption of the functional component to the filter.

  Preferably, the capsule may be closed with a peelable seal so that both the beverage preparation ingredient and the coating containing the functional ingredient are placed within the capsule and protected from the environment outside the capsule. Preferably, the capsule comprises a filter element that divides the interior space of the capsule into an upstream region containing a beverage preparation ingredient and a downstream region containing a functional ingredient, wherein the coating containing the functional ingredient is a capsule Is applied to at least a portion of the inner surface of the downstream region of the capsule, but is upstream from the peelably sealed region of the capsule.

  Beverage preparation capsules may be based on any of the capsules currently used to prepare beverages by injecting water into the capsules. Suitably, the capsule is a single serve capsule containing sufficient beverage preparation ingredients for the preparation of a serving serving, ie from about 25 to about 500 ml, preferably from about 100 ml to about 250 ml of beverage. For example, the capsule may contain from about 2 g to about 25 g ground coffee beans, or from about 1 g to 9 g tea leaves.

  The capsule is preferably substantially impermeable to oxygen and moisture prior to use in order to preserve the freshness of the beverage ingredients. Typically, each capsule comprises a body formed from a plastic sheet (eg, a thermoformed or injection molded sheet) and / or from a flexible film material. The sheet or flexible film material is typically a laminate comprising two or more of the following layers: a thermoplastic sealant layer for joining the sheet to other parts of the package; a metal film such as an aluminum film A substantially gas impermeable barrier layer that may be; an adhesive layer to improve adhesion between other layers of the laminate; for example, a structural layer to provide puncture resistance; and / or a printed substrate layer. These structural layers may be made of polyolefin, polyester, nylon or other polymers, as is well known in the art.

  In one group of embodiments, the capsule may be a pouch having a body that is substantially or completely formed from a flexible film material. For example, the pouch may comprise two similar or identical sheets of flexible film material that are joined together in a face-to-face relationship to form a film pouch. In another group of embodiments, the capsules are joined over a rim to form a capsule body with a first relatively rigid sheet formed, for example, in a cup or bowl shape by thermoforming. And a sheet. For example, the first sheet may be a relatively hard thermoplastic sheet thermoformed into a cup or bowl shape with a flanged rim, and the second sheet is a flat surface joined over the flanged rim. A sheet, which may be a flexible film material. Suitable capsule embodiments are described, for example, in the references listed above.

  The capsule further comprises a filter element, for example a layer of filter sheet material, to prevent leakage of beverage preparation ingredients during use. The filter sheet may be disposed inside the capsule and divides the interior of the capsule body into an upstream region containing the beverage preparation ingredients and an upstream region through which the beverage leaks from the capsule. The downstream region may include various features such as a beverage tubular flow path or eductor, a beverage conditioning chamber, or a jet forming orifice, as is known in the art. Typically, the filter element is similar to the filter element currently provided in existing beverage capsule formats.

  In some embodiments, the capsule comprises a water inlet such as an inlet nozzle. In other embodiments, there is no inlet nozzle and water is injected by piercing the capsule using the beverage tube injector tube. The capsule may also have a beverage outlet. Alternatively, the outlet may be formed during use by piercing the capsule with an outlet tube or by opening a capsule-like heat peelable seal. In any event, the capsule has an inlet region into which water is injected during use, an outlet region through which the beverage leaks from the capsule during use, and a liquid flow path within the capsule through the beverage preparation ingredients.

The coating containing the functional ingredient is adhered to the inner surface of the capsule at a location such that it is exposed to the beverage produced within the capsule during use in order to dissolve the coating in the beverage. Preferably, the coating is placed downstream of any filter element within the capsule, thereby minimizing exposure of the functional ingredient to the beverage ingredient and / or filter. Preferably, the area of the coating is from about 0.5 cm ² to about 20 cm ² , such as from about 1 cm ² to about 10 cm ² . The basis weight of the coating is preferably from about 1 g / m ² to about 2 kg / m ² , for example from about 50 g / m ² to about 500 g / m ² . The total weight of the coating is suitably from about 1 mg to about 1 g, such as from about 10 mg to about 500 mg, typically from about 50 mg to about 300 mg.

  The functional component may be selected from the group consisting of, for example, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, stimulants, flavoring agents, sweeteners, colorants, and compounds that block bitterness.

  The total amount of each functional component in the coating depends on the component. Preferably, the total amount is from about 1% to about 100%, such as from about 5% to about 50%, typically from about 10% to about 30% of the recommended adult daily intake of functional ingredients. %. Suitable ranges for specific functional ingredients are defined below.

  Most preferably, the functional ingredient comprises or consists essentially of one or more flavonoids. Flavonoids and their polymers constitute a class of food ingredients that alter metabolic processes and have a positive health impact. Thus, flavonoids have attracted considerable interest as food constituents or food additives.

  Flavonoids are a subclass of polyphenols. These are generally composed of two aromatic rings, each containing at least one hydroxyl group. These two rings are connected by a three-carbon “bridge” that forms part of a six-membered heterocycle. Flavonoids are further classified into subclasses based on the connection of the aromatic ring to the heterocycle and the oxidation state and functional group of the heterocycle. Within each subclass, individual compounds are characterized by specific hydroxylation and conjugation patterns.

  Typically, flavonoids in foods have the following general structure that exhibits three rings (A, B and C) and a numbering scheme.

The substituents of R _{3 to} R ₆ may represent various groups such as hydrogen or a hydroxyl group, an oxo group, and a C _{1 to} C ₆ linear or branched alkyl group. For most food flavonoids, R _{4 ′} and R ₆ represent a hydrogen atom and R ₅ represents a hydroxy group. The C ring may be unsaturated and may contain additional functional groups. The bond between the B ring and the C ring may be at the 2 or 3 position.

  For the purposes of the present invention, flavonoid compounds are flavonols (eg quercetin, rutin, morin, hesperidin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, myricitin), flavones (eg acacetin, apigenin, luteolin), isoflavones (eg genistein, glycitein, biocanin A). , Formononetin, daidzein), flavanols (eg catechins, gallocatechins, epicatechins, their polymers, procyanidins), flavanones (eg taxifolin, eriodictyol, hesperitin, naringenin), dihydroflavonols, anthocyanins and / or anthocyanidins (eg One or more of cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, pelargonidin, petunidin, peonidin). It will be understood that polyphenols are also encompassed within the term “flavonoid” in the context of the present invention. Further examples of flavonoids include daidzein, ginkgetin, tangerine, kaempferol, myricetin, fisetin, isorhamnetin, naringenin, eriodictyol, thearvidin, tamarixetine, malvidin, peonidin, petunidin, and / or delphinidin.

  As used herein, the term “catechins” refers to the genus names of catechin, gallocatechin, catechin gallate, gallocatechin gallate, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, and mixtures thereof. Used as.

  Flavonoid additives for use in the present invention may be pure flavonoid starting materials or various flavonoid-containing materials such as plant parts, plant extracts and the like. For example, a green tea extract containing high levels of catechins (eg, Naturex (France), standardized to 95% polyphenols, 75% catechins, less than 0.5% caffeine, more than 40% epigallocatechin gallate. Green tea extract)); grape seed or peel extract (eg exGrape grape seed polyphenol powder OPC 40 # 848F / 848G supplied by Breko (Germany) containing 40% oligomeric proanthocyanidins; 80% polyphenols Grape polyphenol powder P80, white, # 834F) supplied by Breko (Germany) may be used. Also suitable are adducts of flavonoids containing saccharides, as described in EP 1856898.

  Particularly preferred flavonoids for use in the present invention include cocoa polyphenols. Ingestion of cocoa polyphenols (CP) in cocoa products provides significant health benefits. Cocoa polyphenols have been shown to have beneficial effects on processes believed to be associated with the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Cocoa polyphenols suppress LDL oxidation, increase nitric oxide / nitric oxide synthase (NO / NOS) activity, and suppress cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities. These effects are reported in WO 97/36497. Cocoa polyphenols can also be used to treat or prevent conditions known as the effects of administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (eg, aspirin).

  The term “cocoa polyphenol” refers to a polyphenolic compound that includes proanthocyanidins, more particularly cacao beans, cacao nibs, and procyanidins present in most cacao components prepared from cacao beans or cacao nibs. The term “procyanidin” refers to naturally occurring or synthetically derived oligomers of catechins and / or epicatechins. Any reference to “cocoa polyphenols” refers to flavan-3-ol monomeric catechins and epicatechins. Please understand that. Monomers include (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin and their respective epimers (eg (+)-epicatechin and (−)-catechin) and derivatives thereof. The monomer has the formula “A” and the oligomer has the formula “An”, where the integer n is from 2 to 18 and higher. “A” is the formula:

Have
In the formula, R represents 3-([α])-OH, 3-([β])-OH, 3-([α])-O-saccharide, 3-([β])-O-saccharide, 3 -([[Alpha]])-OC (O) -R1; or 3-([[beta]])-OC (O) -R1; the bond between adjacent monomers is 4 and 6 or 4 and 8 The bond to the monomer at position 4 has α or β stereochemistry; X, Y and Z are for at least one terminal monomer, the bond of the adjacent monomer to it is at the position 4; Optionally selected from the group consisting of monomer unit A, hydrogen, and a saccharide moiety, provided that Y = Z = hydrogen; the saccharide moiety is optionally mono- or di-substituted with a phenol moiety The saccharide moiety; R1 is at least one hydroxy group An optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl moiety, and salts, derivatives, and oxidation products thereof. Advantageously, the saccharide moiety is derived from the group consisting of glucose, xylose, rhamnose, and arabinose. Any or all of the saccharide moiety and R, X, Y and Z may be optionally substituted with a phenol moiety at any position by an ester linkage. The phenol moiety is selected from the group consisting of caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, and sinapinic acid.

  Underfermented or unfermented raw cocoa material contains a significant amount of cocoa polyphenols compared to the fermented cocoa material. Fermentation and drying lead to complex changes in the formation of components necessary for the development of cocoa beans, especially the characteristic flavor and color of cocoa. However, fermentation also greatly reduces the concentration of polyphenol compounds in fermented cocoa beans relative to the concentration of polyphenol compounds in under-fermented or unfermented cocoa beans. Conventional cocoa bean treatments including steps such as roasting or defatting cocoa beans also reduce the concentration of cocoa polyphenols in the cocoa powder. Furthermore, these processes reduce the concentration of relatively high oligomer polyphenols (ie oligomers 5-12) more rapidly than relatively low oligomers (ie oligomers 2-4).

  Cocoa extract can also be prepared by extracting with a solvent a partially defatted or fully defatted cocoa solid prepared from under-fermented or unfermented cocoa beans or cocoa nibs. See US Pat. No. 6,015,913 and US Pat. No. 6,312,753.

  Suitably the flavonoids (including cocoa flavonoids) are present in the finished beverage in an amount of at least 0.06%, preferably at least 0.07%, for example at least 0.08% by weight of the beverage. . However, the amount of flavonoids must not be too high, otherwise the taste and / or appearance of the beverage can be impaired. Thus, the finished beverage contains flavonoids in an amount of at least less than 1%, preferably less than 0.5%, most preferably less than 0.2% by weight of the beverage. The amount of flavonoids can be determined by HPLC using the method described in US Patent Publication No. 2008020069. For a typical single serve capsule, this is because the capsule is about 20 mg to about 1 g, more preferably about 50 mg to about 500 mg, most preferably about 100 mg to about 300 mg of added flavonoids (ie essential in the beverage preparation ingredients). (Excluding existing flavonoids). Preferably, the added flavonoids are substantially completely included in the coating.

  The functional ingredient may also additionally or alternatively include one or more antioxidants other than flavonoids. The antioxidant can also be used as an oxygen scavenger for maintaining the freshness of the beverage preparation components inside the pack before use. Suitably, the coating comprises from about 1 mg to about 100 mg, such as from about 5 mg to about 20 mg of such other antioxidants in the coating.

  The functional ingredient may additionally or alternatively be, for example, ginseng belonging to the family Genus Panax, and / or ginsenoside (also called panaxoside), preferably dammaran ((5S, 8R, 9R, 10S, 13R, 14R). , 17R) -4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-17-[(2R) -6-methylheptan-2-yl] -2,3,5,6,7,9,11,12,13 , 15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta [a] phenanthrene); or protopanaxadiol ((3S, 5R, 8R, 9R, 10R, 12R, 13R, 14R, 17S) -17-[(2S) -2-hydroxy-6-methylhept-5-en-2-yl] -4,4,8,10,14-pentamethyl-2,3,5,6,7, , 11,12,13,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta [a] phenanthrene-3,12-diol); or another dammaran-type tetracyclic terpene, .

  The functional ingredient may additionally or alternatively include a weight management agent. Suitable agents include biotin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, niacin, magnesium, Yerba mate extract, guarana extract, hydroxycitric acid, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the coating contains from about 1 mg to about 100 mg, such as from about 5 mg to about 20 mg of such ingredients.

  Functional ingredients may additionally or alternatively include vitamins and / or minerals. Preferred vitamins are, for example, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and derivatives and / or provitamins thereof. Preferred vitamins include vitamin B such as biotin, folic acid, niacin, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamine hydrochloride and the like. Suitably, the coating contains from about 1 mg to about 100 mg, such as from about 5 mg to about 20 mg of vitamins and / or provitamins. Preferred minerals include, but are not limited to, bromine, calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphoric acid, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, sulfur, and zinc. Suitably, the coating contains from about 1 mg to about 100 mg, such as from about 5 mg to about 20 mg, of an ingredient as described above.

  Additionally or alternatively, the functional component may be, for example, arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, serine, tyrosine, creatine And other amino acids. Suitably, the coating contains from about 1 mg to about 100 mg, such as from about 5 mg to about 20 mg, of an ingredient as described above.

Additionally or alternatively, the functional ingredient includes a sweetener. Suitable sweeteners include, but are not limited to:
A. Water-soluble sweeteners such as monelin, stevioside, and glycyrrhizin;
B. Soluble saccharin salts, ie sodium or calcium saccharin salts, cyclamate salts, sodium, ammonium or calcium salts of 3,4-dihydro-6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide, 3 , 4-dihydro-6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide potassium salt (acesulfame K), soluble artificial sweeteners such as the free acid form of saccharin;
C. L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester (aspartame) and materials described in US Pat. No. 3,492,131, L-α-aspartyl-N- (2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3- Thietanyl) -D-alanine amide hydrate, methyl ester of L-aspartyl-L-phenylglycerin and L-aspartyl-L-2,5, dihydrophenyl-glycine, L-aspartyl-2,5-dihydro-L-phenylalanine Dipeptide sweeteners such as L-aspartic acid-derived sweeteners, such as L-aspartyl-L- (1-cyclohexylene) -alanine;
D. Naturally occurring water-soluble sweeteners, such as chlorinated derivatives of normal sugar (sucrose), known for example in sucralose product descriptions; Protein-based sweeteners such as thaumatocous danellii (thaumatins I and II).

  In general, an effective amount of supplemental sweetener is utilized to provide the level of sweetness desired for a particular beverage, and this amount will vary with the sweetener selected. The coating suitably contains a total of about 1 mg to about 1 g of sweetener, for example a total of about 5 mg to about 500 mg of sweetener, typically a total of about 10 mg to 300 mg of sweetener.

  Additionally or alternatively, the functional ingredients may be natural and natural, such as synthetic flavor oils and flavoring flavors and / or oils such as plants, leaves, flowers, fruits, oleoresin, and extracts, and combinations thereof. Includes artificial seasoning. Typical seasonings, whether used individually or as a mixture, include artificial vanilla, cinnamon derivatives, mint oil, clove oil, nutmeg oil, sage oil, and Kentou, chocolate, coffee, cacao And citrus oils including lemon, orange, grape, lime and grapefruit; and fruit essences including but not limited to apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, pineapples, apricots. These seasonings can be used individually or as a mixture.

  The amount of seasoning used in the coating can usually be a matter of taste, which depends on factors such as flavor type, individual flavor, and desired strength. Thus, the amount may be varied to obtain the desired result for the final product. Such variations are within the ability of one skilled in the art without undue experimentation. The coating suitably contains a total of about 1 mg to about 1 g, such as about 5 mg to about 500 mg, typically about 10 mg to about 300 mg of seasonings (other than sweeteners).

  Suitably, the coating comprises functional ingredients dispersed in a film-forming matrix. The functional component may be dispersed as a solution (eg, a solid solution) in the matrix, or may be a dispersion in a film-forming matrix of solid particles of the functional component, or a film of microcapsules containing the functional component It may be a dispersion in the forming matrix.

  The film-forming matrix provides adhesion to the inner wall of the capsule, dilutes the functional ingredient to more easily produce an accurate dosage and protects the functional ingredient before use of the capsule. The matrix must be water dispersible and preferably soluble. The matrix should be formed from a food acceptable (GRAS) material.

  The film-forming matrix preferably includes at least one edible film-forming polymer and may further include water, preservatives, plasticizers, emulsifiers, and buffers.

Edible film-forming polymer used in the coating: alginate; pullulan; hydrocolloids; beta-glucan; maltodextrin; hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, such as hydroxyethyl cellulose Celluloses; polyvinylpyrrolidone; polyvinyl alcohol; polyethylene glycol; hydroxypropylethylcellulose; cellulose acetate phthalate; hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate; locust bean gum, carrageenan gum, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, acacia gum, gum arabic, karaya, gati, tamarind gum Etc. However, rubber, polyacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate copolymer, carboxyvinyl polymer, amylose, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated high amylose starch, dextrin, pectin, chitin, chitosan, levan, erucinan, collagen, gelatin, zein, gluten, soy protein Any suitable film-forming polymer may be included, including but not limited to: isolate; whey protein isolate; casein; and mixtures thereof. Most preferably, the film-forming polymer comprises or consists essentially of rubber.

  Edible film forming polymers used in the film are poly (glycolic acid) (PGA), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), polydioxanone, polyoxalate, poly (α-ester), polyanhydride, polyacetate, poly Of caprolactone, poly (orthoester), polyamino acid, polyaminocarbonate, polyurethane, polycarbonate, polyamide, poly (alkyl cyanoacrylate), L- and D-lactic acid stereopolymers, bis (p-carboxyphenoxy) propanoic acid and sebacic acid Copolymers, sebacic acid copolymers, caprolactone copolymers, poly (lactic acid) / poly (glycolic acid) / polyethylene glycol copolymers, polyurethane and poly (lactic acid) copolymers, α-amino acid copolymers, α-amino acids and Water dispersibility, including but not limited to copolymers of proacids, copolymers of α-benzylglutamate and polyethylene glycol, copolymers of succinic acid and poly (glycol), polyphosphazenes, polyhydroxy-alkanoates, and any combination thereof Synthetic polymers, copolymers, block polymers may also be included.

  Preferably, the edible film forming polymer is in an amount ranging from about 10 to about 99%, from about 30 to about 80%, or from about 45 to about 70%, or from about 50 to about 65% by weight of the coating. Exists. Suitably, the coating contains less than about 20% water, such as less than about 15% water, typically from about 1% to about 10% water. Preferably, the coating contains from about 1% to about 90%, more preferably from about 2% to about 50%, such as from about 5% to about 25%, by weight of functional component. The above percentages are by weight based on the weight of the coating.

  The coating may contain a preservative. Preservatives may be added in amounts of about 0.001 to about 5%, or about 0.01 to about 1% by weight of the coating. In one embodiment, the preservative comprises sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate.

  The coating may also include a plasticizer. Plasticizers include sorbitol, glycerin, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, corn syrup, and polyhydric alcohols such as monoacetin, diacetin, triacetin, maltitol, and mannitol. The plasticizer may be added in a wide range of amounts from, but not limited to, about 1 to about 20%, or about 5 to about 15% by weight of the coating.

  The beverage preparation capsules according to the invention can be made by a simple modification of existing methods whereby a coating containing functional ingredients is applied at least to the area of the inner surface of the capsule at any stage prior to sealing the capsule . Preferably, the coating is applied as a solution or dispersion in a suitable solvent such as water and then dried. The solution or dispersion may be applied by brushing, spraying or printing (eg transfer, intaglio printing). In other embodiments, the coating may be melted without the addition of solvent and then applied as described above. In yet another embodiment, the coating is formed by adhering a solid film of coating material to the inner surface with a suitable adhesive that is acceptable for use in food or by thermal bonding or ultrasonic bonding. Good.

  In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing a beverage, the method comprising passing an aqueous liquid through a beverage preparation capsule according to the present invention. The aqueous liquid is preferably water at a temperature of, for example, 85 ° C to 99 ° C. The method is carried out in a beverage preparation device known to be used with existing capsule formats, for example as described in the above patent document, without modification of the device. Depending on the system, the water may preferably be injected at a pressure of 0.5 to 1.5 bar gauge for filtered coffee and at a higher pressure such as 5 to 20 bar gauge for espresso coffee. .

  Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

External view of FLAVIA® type capsule modified in accordance with the present invention 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the capsule of FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view at AA of the capsule of FIG. 1 in use to prepare a beverage. Partially cut away front view of a second beverage preparation capsule according to the invention Partially cut away side view of a third beverage preparation capsule according to the invention FIG. 5 shows the capsule of FIG. 5 in use to prepare a beverage

  With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated embodiments are described in British Patent Application Publication No. 2121762, British Patent Application Publication No. 2122881, European Patent Application Publication No. 0179641 and European Patent Application Publication No. 0247841. 2 is a modification of the currently marketed embodiment of beverage preparation capsules originally described in the specification and in WO 99/05044.

  The capsule 1 according to this embodiment of the present invention is a single serve capsule that is generally similar to the sachet described in EP-A-0179641. This comprises two flexible laminate sheets 2, 3 that form a pouch body. Each laminated sheet includes an internal thermoplastic sealing film. The front sheet 2 and the rear sheet 3 are joined together in a face-to-face relationship along the edge seams 4, 5, the top seam 6 and the bottom seam 7. At least the central region of the bottom seam 7 is joined using a peelable adhesive that can be peeled off by the action of heat and / or the pressure of the liquid inside the capsule and / or with the aid of external heating from the beverage preparation device. Is done. The nozzle 8 is inserted in an airtight manner in the upper seam 6 of the capsule. The nozzle 8 has a central cylindrical hole 9 sealed at the top by a membrane 10. With the flange 11 on the nozzle, the capsule can be gripped by a clamp.

  Referring to FIG. 2, within the capsule 1 is a folded web 12 of filters. The upper edge portion 13 of the filter sheet is joined to the inner walls of the front sheet 2 and the rear sheet 3 to divide the inside of the capsule into an upstream region and a downstream region. A web 12 of filter material supports a beverage preparation component 14 such as ground coffee or tea leaves in the upstream region. Preferably, the capsule contains about 15 g of ground coffee. The sheet of web material 12 is folded to form a W-shaped cross section. The capsule provides oxygen and moisture impervious containment for the ingredient until the ingredient is used.

  The water-dispersible coatings 16 and 17 containing the functional component are applied to the inner surface area of the front sheet 2 and the rear sheet 3 in the downstream area below the filter 12. In this particular embodiment, coatings 16, 17 comprise approximately 100 mg of cocoa polyphenol extract dispersed in an edible gum base.

  In use, the capsule 1 comprises a clamp for gripping the nozzle under the flange 11 and a hollow injector tube together with a mechanism for drilling the freshness barrier 10 by inserting the hollow injector tube into the nozzle hole 9. Introduced in the "FLAVIA" distributor. The dispenser further comprises a hot water source and a pump for injecting hot water through the injector tube into the capsule at a pressure of about 0.5 bar gauge. When warm water is introduced through the injector tube and the nozzle hole, the beverage preparation component 14 accommodated in the capsule 1 is mixed with the warm water, and the beverage is extracted. The vertex of the filter sheet 12 folded in a W shape is reversed by the pressure of the liquid, thereby providing a downwardly convex filter bed as shown in FIG. Further details and advantages of the reversal filter web can be found in EP-A-0179641. The bottom seam 7 of the capsule 1 is opened by the influence of heat and the pressure of the liquid inside the capsule (and optionally external heating), the beverage passes through the filter web 12 and the open bottom of the capsule and is located directly under the capsule. Collected in a container located at the container station. As the hot beverage flows through the downstream portion of the capsule, the coatings 16, 17 dissolve and release the functional ingredients into the beverage.

  The capsules and methods provide the advantage of providing superior quality beverages and also avoiding cross-contamination of the beverage preparation device with a plurality of successive beverages, since the beverage does not contact any part of the device after preparation. Prior to use of the capsule, the functional ingredient is protected from degradation in the coating and is then completely released into the beverage by dissolution of the coating, providing the beverage with the expected functional dose.

  Referring to FIG. 4, a capsule 20 according to this embodiment of the invention is a modification of the capsule described above. This comprises two flexible laminate sheets. Each laminated sheet includes an internal thermoplastic sealing film. The front and rear sheets are joined together along the edge seam 21, top seam 22 and bottom seam 23. The joining of the top edge and the side edges is preferably by thermal bonding or ultrasonic bonding to form a permanent weld between the sheets. At least the central region of the bottom seam 23 is joined using a peelable adhesive that can be peeled off by the action of heat and / or the pressure of the liquid inside the capsule and / or with the help of heat applied from the outside of the capsule. Is done. The nozzle 24 is inserted into the upper seam 22 of the capsule. The nozzle 24 has a central cylindrical hole sealed at the top by a membrane 25.

A further permanently joined transverse seam 26 between the front and rear sheets extends across the capsule in the middle of the top and bottom transverse seals, and the capsule is in the upstream beverage ingredient chamber. 27 and downstream beverage collection / regulation chamber 28.
The intermediate seam 26 does not extend completely across the capsule. Unjoined gaps remain in the intermediate seam, thereby providing an outlet channel from the beverage preparation chamber 27. This gap is filled by a filtering element 29 formed by rolling and flattening a sheet of filter sheet material. The filtering element 29 is joined to the front sheet and the rear sheet within the gap. The filtration element protrudes into the beverage preparation chamber 27, thereby increasing the area available for filtration and preventing filter clogging during use.

  When the capsule ingredient chamber 27 is almost full, there is about 15 g of ground roast coffee. The capsule provides oxygen and moisture impervious containment for the coffee until the capsule is used.

  A water dispersible coating 30 containing functional ingredients is applied to the area of the inner surface of the front and rear sheets downstream of the filter plug in the beverage collection / conditioning chamber 28. In certain embodiments, the coating comprises approximately 100 mg of cocoa polyphenol extract dispersed in an edible gum base.

  These capsules are particularly intended for preparing espresso coffee by extracting the coffee in the capsule 20 under pressure, for example by injecting water at a pressure of 5-20 bar gauge. During use, at least the component compartment of the capsule is usually substantially completely closed by the inner surface of the clamp cavity and is in contact with the inner surface of the clamp cavity. This cavity supports the beverage extraction capsule enclosed in the cavity, thereby enabling high hydrostatic pressure to be generated inside the capsule without rupturing the capsule. The clamp is further adapted to apply a gripping force to the outlet of the beverage compartment and the filter plug, thereby achieving an optimal combination of beverage leakage rate from the capsule and back pressure to ensure beverage quality and extraction. Optimize speed. The beverage passing through the outlet chamber dissolves the coating and releases the functional ingredients into the beverage.

  With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a beverage extraction capsule 40 according to this embodiment is described in, for example, the second described in US Pat. No. 5,840,189, US Pat. No. 5,325,765, and WO 2005/026018. Of the conventional type. The capsule is in the form of having a thermoformed plastic cup portion 42 with a flange 44 projecting circumferentially around the edge of the cup 42. A circular cover sheet 43 of thermoplastic or flexible film is sealed against the flange 44 over the top of the cup 42, thereby providing hermetic accommodation.

  A free-standing cup-shaped wettable filter element 45 is placed in the capsule. The upper rim of the filter element is permanently sealed between the flange 44 and the cover sheet 43. The filter element subdivides the capsule into an upstream chamber and a downstream chamber. The upstream chamber is for storing a beverage producing component 46, such as ground coffee, and the downstream empty chamber is for accessing the beverage after the beverage is produced from the filter by combining the liquid with the component. Is for.

  Water dispersible coatings 47, 48 containing functional ingredients are applied to the inner surface of the downstream region of the thermoformed cup 42. In this particular embodiment, the coating comprises approximately 100 mg of cocoa polyphenol extract dispersed in an edible gum base.

  In use, the capsule 40 is held in a clamp in a suitable beverage preparation device. This clamp comprises an injector tube or other drilling means for drilling the cover sheet 43. To prepare coffee in the capsule, hot water is injected into the capsule. The clamp further comprises a second injector tube or other piercing means for piercing the base of the cup 42 from which coffee flows into a suitable container. In certain embodiments, both liquid injection and coffee spill are performed through an outlet tube drilled through each injector tube and cover 43. In either case, the beverage after passing through the filter contacts the coatings 47, 48 which dissolve in the beverage and release functional ingredients into the beverage.

  The above embodiments have been described by way of example only. Numerous other embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to a skilled reader.

1, 20 Capsule 2, 3 Sheet 4, 5, 21 Edge seam 6, 22 Upper seam 7, 23 Bottom seam 8, 24 Nozzle 9 Central cylindrical hole 10 Membrane, freshness barrier 11, 44 Flange 12 Folded filter material Web, filter material, web material, filter, filter sheet, filter web 13 upper edge 14 beverage preparation ingredients 16, 17, 30, 47, 48 coating 25 membrane 26 further seam, intermediate seam 27 beverage ingredient chamber 28 beverage collection / Adjustment chamber 29 Filtration element 40 Beverage extraction capsule 42 Plastic cup part, cup 43 Cover sheet 45 Cup-shaped wettable filter element 46 Beverage producing component

Claims (12)

A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation component and a functional component,
The capsule is substantially impermeable to oxygen and moisture prior to use, and at least a portion of the inner surface of the capsule is coated with a water-dispersible coating containing the functional ingredient;
Further comprising a filter element that divides the internal space of the capsule into an upstream region containing the beverage preparation ingredient and a downstream region, wherein the coating is disposed on an inner surface of the downstream region;
The weight of the coating is 1 mg to 1 g, or the amount of the functional ingredient in the coating is 0.5 mg to 500 mg.
Beverage preparation capsule.   The beverage preparation capsule of claim 1, wherein the capsule comprises a front sheet and a rear sheet of flexible film joined together in a face-to-face relationship. A water inlet nozzle at the upper edge of the capsule;
The front and rear sheets are joined together at the bottom edge of the capsule by a seal that can be peeled off by heat and pressure during the preparation of the beverage in the capsule, thereby penetrating the bottom edge. 3. A beverage preparation capsule according to claim 2, which provides an outlet for the beverage. The capsule comprises a base portion;
The base portion has a bottom wall and side walls, an edge extending around the top of the side wall, and a flexible film lid joined across the edge to seal the capsule. The beverage preparation capsule according to 1. The base portion is generally frustoconical,
The capsule further has an upper edge circumferentially joined to the upper portion of the base portion for dividing the internal volume of the capsule into an upstream region containing the beverage preparation ingredient and a downstream region. 5. A beverage preparation capsule according to claim 4 , comprising a cup-shaped filter element.   The functional component is selected from the group consisting of flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavoring agents, sweeteners, and mixtures thereof. Beverage preparation capsules.   7. A beverage preparation capsule according to claim 6, wherein the functional ingredient comprises or consists essentially of one or more flavonoids.   8. A beverage preparation capsule according to claim 7, wherein the flavonoid comprises or consists essentially of a cocoa polyphenol extract.   The beverage preparation capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the water-dispersible coating comprises a film-forming polymer in which the functional component is dispersed.   10. A beverage preparation capsule according to claim 9, wherein the film-forming polymer comprises or consists essentially of an alginate, gum, starch derivative or cellulose derivative.   The film-forming polymer is alginate, pullulan, hydrocolloid, β-glucan, maltodextrin, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene Glycol, hydroxypropylethylcellulose, cellulose acetate phthalate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate, locust bean gum, carrageenan gum, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, acacia gum, gum arabic, karaya, gati, tamarind gum, amylose, high amylose starch, hydroxypro Contains high-amylose starch, dextrin, pectin, chitin, chitosan, levan, erucinane, collagen, gelatin, zein, gluten, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate, casein, or mixtures thereof, or these 10. A beverage preparation capsule according to claim 9 consisting essentially of Area of the coating is from about 0.5 cm ² ~ about 20 cm ^2, the beverage preparation capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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