JP7656591B2 - Compressed fruit powders and beverage powders - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of fruit powders and methods for producing fruit powders. For example, the present invention relates to fruit powders for use in preparing beverage powders. In particular, the present invention relates to fruit powders that exhibit good storage stability and good reconstitution properties.

[Background Art]
[0002] Beverage powders are powder compositions suitable for dispersion in an aqueous liquid to form a beverage. Beverage powders may contain fruit powders as an ingredient. Fruit powders suffer from the problem that they are highly hygroscopic, i.e., they tend to pick up moisture from the surrounding atmosphere and form lumps. This phenomenon is known as caking. When exposed to the surrounding atmosphere, fruit powders will solidify within a few hours and become almost impossible to disperse in liquid.

[0003] There are several options to prevent caking of fruit powders. One option is to mix a carrier, drying aid, or anti-caking agent with the fruit powder. For example, maltodextrin or glucose syrup may be used as a carrier or drying aid. Silica is a common anti-caking agent. As a result, the resulting fruit powder is no longer 100% fruit powder. Also, maltodextrin or glucose syrup may be considered as added sugar. It is a continuing goal in the food and beverage industry to reduce the sugar content of food products in the first place, especially by avoiding added sugars. Also, there is a growing trend among consumers to choose products that are considered natural or "clean label". Adding an anti-caking agent, carrier, or drying aid goes against this trend.

[0004] Another option is to pack the beverage powder into moisture-resistant containers immediately after production. Such containers usually comprise a plastic or metal layer as a moisture barrier. Containers can also be made of multi-layer materials, but multi-layer materials are difficult to recycle. For this reason, there is a desire to dispense with multi-layer materials. In bulk containers containing several servings of beverage powder, the barrier can only be effective if the container remains sealed. Solidification starts as soon as the container is opened. This option is probably more effective in single-serve containers. However, single-serve containers are usually made of multi-layer materials. Papers, such as coated paper, are recyclable packaging materials. However, when considering hygroscopic materials such as fruit powders, the barrier properties of papers, such as coated paper, can be insufficient.

[0005] In fact, due to the low glass transition temperature of completely dried fruit powders, caking of such powders occurs even at room temperature in moisture-tight containers. Therefore, filling 100% fruit beverage powders into moisture-resistant containers immediately after production does not prevent caking.

[0006] Another problem with fruit powders is related to their reconstitution characteristics. Generally, reconstitution of 100% fruit powders under low to moderate shear rates, such as when a consumer stirs with a spoon, often leads to incomplete reconstitution, including the formation of lumps.

[0007]Therefore, there is a need to improve the properties of beverage powders, particularly beverage powders containing fruit powders, to prevent caking and improve reconstitution properties.

[0008] WO 2013/167452 to NESTECS. A. discloses a composition for preparing a food or beverage product. The composition comprises a foaming component that releases gas when dissolved in an aqueous liquid. The composition also comprises roasted and ground coffee particles in a coffee extract matrix. The dissolution of the coffee is delayed until a foam is formed by the foaming component. The delayed dissolution can be achieved by compressing the coffee component of the composition. Compression of the coffee component is therefore performed to delay or hinder its dissolution. The publication does not discuss the production of fruit powders suitable for the preparation of beverage powders.

[0009] WO 2012/09668 to INTERCONTINENTAL GREAT BRANDS discloses a powdered composition suitable for preparing beverages such as a 3-in-1 coffee mix (coffee, sweetener, and creamer). The powdered composition is obtained by co-grinding at least one powdered ingredient that is difficult to disperse (e.g., skimmed milk solids, insoluble cocoa solids, insoluble coffee solids) together with a dispersion enhancer (e.g., lipid, milk fat, sugar, salt). The publication does not discuss the production of fruit powders suitable for preparing beverage powders.

[0010] WO 2012/38913 to Fonterra discloses a method for treating milk powder by compressing and coating with a surfactant such as lecithin. The purpose of the treatment is to modify at least one characteristic of the powder, such as bulk density, flowability, dustiness, dispersibility, hydration, hydration viscosity, hydration rate, dissolution rate, solubility, settling, suspension stability, and caking. Lecithin is generally added to improve the wetting properties of fat-containing powders. According to the publication, it was necessary to use lecithin to improve the solubility of compressed milk powder.

[0011] US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/246315 A1 to Barnekow et al. relates to pressurized agglomerates suitable for consumption and with delayed aroma release. The compositions described therein contain primarily maltodextrin carriers with fruit aromas (spray-dried fruit aromas on the carrier) or maltodextrin carriers with spray-dried mixtures of maltodextrin and fruit purees or concentrates. The spray-dried mixture discloses a mixture of fruit aromas spray-dried on the carrier. None of the compositions described does not contain maltodextrin.

[0012] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/00801 A1 to Barnekow et al. relates to flavoring pressurized agglomerates suitable for consumption, particularly food products. An example discloses a spray-dried product with a raspberry flavor on a carrier comprising maltodextrin, dextrose, and gum arabic.

[0013] U.S. Patent No. 4,737,370 to Huster et al. relates to dried pureed starchy flakes. The dried pureed starchy flakes may be used, for example, to reconstitute potato puree.

[0014] PERORA GMBH's U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0110514 A1 relates to a kit comprising a formulation that induces satiety.

[0015] Perez-Gandarillas et al. studied the effect of roll compaction and milling conditions on granule and tablet properties (Eur. J. Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2016, vol. 106, pp. 38-49). These granules and tablets contained microcrystalline cellulose and mannitol.

[0016] It is therefore desirable to provide a fruit powder suitable for use in beverage powder compositions and having good industrial and use properties. Industrial properties include flowability and solidification associated with storing the fruit powder as an ingredient and transporting, applying and mixing it in industrial processes. Use properties include solidification and dispersibility associated with shelf stability of the final product and associated with reconstitution as a beverage.

[0017] Any reference in this specification to a prior art document should not be construed as an admission that such prior art is well known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Summary of the Invention
[0018] The present invention aims to improve on the current technology and in particular to provide a fruit powder and a method for producing a fruit powder that overcomes the problems of the prior art and addresses the needs noted above, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

[0019] In particular, the present invention aims to provide a 100% fruit powder that can be used industrially to produce beverage powders (free-flowing, non-caking, shelf-stable) that do not solidify during the shelf-stable period and do not form lumps when reconstituted with water.

[0020] The inventors have surprisingly found that the object of the invention can be achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims develop the idea of the invention further.

[0021] Accordingly, an embodiment of the present invention proposes a fruit powder comprising compressed fruit powder particles having a diameter, as measured by sieving, of less than 2.0 mm, preferably less than 1.6 mm, and less than 30% by weight of the fruit powder particles having a diameter, as measured by sieving, of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm, and the fruit powder having a bulk density greater than 550 g/L and less than 800 g/L.

[0022] Preferably, the fruit powder has one or several of the following characteristics: less than 10% by weight of the particles of the compressed fruit powder have a diameter of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm;
The water activity Aw of the fruit powder is less than 0.20;
The glass transition temperature of the fruit powder is comprised between 12°C and 30°C.
The sugar content of the fruit powder is comprised between 30% and 80% by weight (dry weight);
The fibre content of the fruit powder is comprised between 5% and 35% by weight (dry weight).

[0023] In one embodiment, the (compressed fruit) powder can be obtained by compressing fruit powder with a linear compaction force of 4 kN/cm to 12 kN/cm and obtaining by sieving particles of the compressed fruit powder having a diameter of 300 μm to 2 mm, preferably 350 μm to 1.6 mm.

[0024] Another embodiment of the invention proposes a beverage powder composition comprising 10% to 100% by weight of fruit powder as defined above and, optionally, up to 90% by weight of plant-derived ingredients selected from milk powder analogues derived from nuts or soybeans, flakes or powders derived from cereals suitable for the preparation of beverages or porridges, and mixtures thereof.

[0025] A further embodiment of the present invention proposes a method for producing a fruit powder as defined above, comprising:
(1) feeding fruit powder into a powder press at a rate of 15 to 25 kg/hour;
(2) compressing the fruit powder in a powder compression device to obtain a compressed fruit powder mass;
(3) pulverizing the compressed fruit powder mass to a particle size of less than 2.0 mm to obtain compressed fruit powder particles;
(4) sieving the compressed fruit powder particles to obtain compressed fruit powder particles having a diameter of 300 μm to 2 mm, preferably 350 μm to 1.6 mm.

[0026] Preferably, the powder compaction device is a roller compactor. In one embodiment, a linear compression force of 4 kN/cm to 12 kN/cm is applied to compact the fruit powder.

[0027] In one embodiment, particles smaller than 300 μm, preferably smaller than 350 μm, and optionally larger than 2 mm are collected after sieving and the collected particles are re-fed to the powder compression device together with the fruit powder.

[0028] In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a kit for preparing one or more beverages, the kit comprising:
one or more containers of a first beverage component selected from milk-derived powder, fermented milk-derived powder, milk analog powder of plant origin, flakes or powder of cereal origin suitable for preparing a beverage or a porridge;
and one or more containers of a second beverage component, the second beverage component (i) comprising or consisting of fruit powder as defined above, or (ii) being a beverage powder composition as defined above.

[0029] In one embodiment, the container is selected from a sachet, a pouch, a can, or a capsule. The container may be a single-serve container or a multi-serve container.

[0030] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0031]
Figure 1 shows the visual aspects of strawberry powder exposed for 1 hour at a temperature of T=22°C and a relative humidity of RH=45%. A: original powder (not compressed); B: compressed powder. Figure 2 shows the visual appearance of strawberry powder in a sealed glass jar after 1 hour in an oven at 50°C. A: original powder (not compressed), B: compressed powder. Figure 2 shows the visual appearance of fruit powder mixtures after 3 months storage in aluminum packs at 30°C and 70% RH. A: original powder (not compressed); B: compressed powder. Figure 1 shows the fruit powder mixture in reconstituted state: A: initial powder (not compressed); B: compressed granules. Reconstitution time of the beverage in seconds is shown versus stirring speed for uncompressed (grey circles) or compressed (black squares) powders. Figure 1 shows the visual appearance of powders after wetting: A: uncompressed powder; B: compressed powder with 10% by weight fines; C: compressed powder with 30% by weight fines; D: compressed powder without fines. The water sorption kinetics of the three products, uncompressed (open symbols) or compressed (filled symbols), is shown versus time: squares: product 1, whole milk powder mixed with 10 wt. % sucrose; circles: product 2, strawberry powder; triangles: product 3, blueberry powder. FIG. 1 shows the surface microstructure of uncompressed strawberry powder. Scale bar: 300 μm. Figure 1 shows the surface microstructure of compressed strawberry powder. Scale bar: 300 μm. Figure 1 shows the surface microstructure of uncompressed strawberry powder.Scale bar: 50 μm. Figure 1 shows the surface microstructure of compressed strawberry powder.Scale bar: 50 μm. Figure 1 shows the surface microstructure of uncompressed milk powder.Scale bar: 1 mm. Figure 1 shows the surface microstructure of compressed milk powder with 10% by weight sucrose.Scale bar: 1 mm. Figure 2 shows the surface microstructure of uncompressed milk powder.Scale bar: 50 μm. Figure 2 shows the surface microstructure of compressed milk powder with 10% by weight sucrose.Scale bar: 50 μm. Figure 1 shows the results of viscosity measurements of solutions of fruit powders (red mixtures) for both compressed (solid line) and uncompressed (dotted line) powders, see Example 7 for details. Figure 1 shows the results of viscosity measurements of solutions of fruit powders (purple mixtures) for both compressed (solid line) and uncompressed (dotted line) powders, see Example 7 for details. Figure 1 shows the results of viscosity measurements of solutions of fruit powders (yellow mixtures) for both compressed (solid line) and uncompressed (dotted line) powders, see Example 7 for details. Figure 1 shows the results of viscosity measurements of dairy-derived powders, both compressed (solid line) and uncompressed (dotted line) powders, see Example 7 for details.

[Mode for carrying out the invention]
[0041] As used herein, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like, should be interpreted in an inclusive sense, i.e., "including, but not limited to", and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. As used herein, the words "consist of", "consisting of", and the like, should be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense, and they exclude any unrecited elements or method steps. As used herein, the words "consist essentially of", "consisting essentially of", and the like, should be interpreted to mean that additional elements or method steps may be present so long as they do not materially affect the essential characteristics of the invention.

[0042] As used herein, the singular articles "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0043] Unless otherwise stated, all percentages herein refer to weight percentages, where applicable. Weight percentages may also be written as % by weight.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs and should be given the same meaning.

[0045] One aspect of the invention is a fruit powder comprising compressed fruit powder particles. The compressed fruit powder particles are prepared by compressing uncompressed fruit powder to a desired particle size and bulk density. As used herein, "compressed fruit powder" and "compressed fruit powder particles" have the same meaning.

[0046] The inventors found that compression of the fruit powder delayed the onset of caking. Thus, it was possible to produce shelf-stable fruit powders that did not exhibit caking for more than 6 months in packs at ambient temperature (storage stability testing, paragraph 1.3 below).

[0047] Furthermore, the inventors have found that compression of the fruit powder does not result in the formation of lumps even at low shear rates, improving the final reconstitution of the beverage. In particular, the dispersion of the powder in the beverage, including the wetting and settling of the fruit powder particles in the beverage, is improved thanks to compression (Evaluation of Powder Reconstitution, Section 2 below).

[0048] In particular, the inventors have found that compressed fruit powders behave differently than other compressed beverage powders, such as compressed milk powder.

[0049] The term "fruit" is used in its edible sense with respect to the word, i.e., to refer to sweet, edible, fleshy, seeded plant structures such as apples, oranges, grapes, and strawberries. Fruits include fruits derived from cultivars of plants that produce seedless fruits, such as seedless grapes or bananas. In this specification, the term "fruit" is not used in the botanical sense. For example, strawberries are considered fruits in the context of the present invention, whereas beans, nuts, pulses, and cereals are not considered fruits in the context of the present invention. Fruits are typically used in dessert and sweet preparations, either raw or cooked.

[0050] The fruit may be selected from, but is not limited to, apple, apricot, banana, bilberry, blackberry, black currant, blueberry, boysenberry, cherry, cloudberry, cocoa pulp, cranberry, damson, date, drago fruit, durian, elderberry, gooseberry, grape, grapefruit, guava, kiwi fruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, lychee, mandarin, mango, mangosteen, melon, mulberry, nectarine, orange, papaya, peach, pear, persimmon, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, pomelo, raspberry, red currant, star fruit, strawberry, tangerine, tangelo, watermelon, white currant, goji berry, yuzu, and mixtures thereof. The fruit may have a sugar content of more than 4% by weight when freshly picked and ripe.

[0051] Non-compressed fruit powders are prepared by grinding or crushing dried fruit preparations or dried fruits. The fruit preparations may be fruit purees, fruit juices, or mixtures of fruit purees and fruit juices. Several types of fruit may be mixed to prepare the fruit preparations. Drying the fruit preparations may involve one or more steps. As fruits usually contain a large amount of moisture in the fresh state, it may be useful to heat the fruit preparation, for example under vacuum, to remove some of the moisture and obtain a concentrated fruit preparation.

[0052] In some cases, it may be desirable to heat the fruit preparation, for example to develop aromas or flavors. The fruit preparation may then be further dried by freeze-drying. Alternatively, the fruit preparation may be directly dried by freeze-drying. Freeze-drying avoids heating the fruit preparation, as heating may affect the organoleptic properties of the fruit.

[0053] Whether heating is useful or not depends on the effect it has on the flavor profile of the fruit preparation. Standard freeze-drying equipment may be used to this effect. The freeze-dried preparation is then ground or milled to obtain a non-compacted fruit powder. It is also possible to spray-dry the fruit preparation to obtain a non-compacted fruit powder.

[0054] Dried fruit may also be prepared by individual quick freezing (IQF). IQF is particularly well suited for small fruits or fruit pieces such as berries. After freezing, the IQF fruit is freeze-dried to remove the water and then ground into a powder to obtain a non-compacted fruit powder.

[0055] The non-compressed fruit powder may be prepared with one type of fruit. It can also be prepared by mixing several fruit powders to obtain a fruit powder mixture. Whether the fruit powder contains one or more types of fruit, it is preferably prepared with the whole flesh or soft pulp of the fruit. In fact, the inventors have found that fruit powder made from fruit juice is more prone to solidification than fruit powder made from whole fruit. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the fruit powder is prepared with the whole flesh or soft pulp of the fruit.

[0056] If the seeds are small enough, such as kiwi fruit or strawberry, they may remain in the fruit preparation. Seeds are considered "small" if their particle size is smaller than the desired particle size of the compressed fruit powder. However, if the seeds are too large or may produce undesirable flavors after grinding, they are preferably filtered or sieved out of the fruit preparation before drying and grinding. Undesirable flavors may be inherent to the seed material. Undesirable flavors may also be produced by oxidation of the ground seed material. Kernels such as mango, apricot, or peach kernels are usually removed before the fruit preparation is dried. In either case, seeds that may impart undesirable flavor attributes are preferably removed from the fruit preparation or dried fruit before grinding. Under these conditions, the compressed fruit powder is preferably a compressed whole fruit powder.

[0057] In one embodiment, it may also be considered to incorporate seed ingredients such as small or ground seeds or kernels to provide texture and mouthfeel to the reconstituted beverage. The seed ingredients may be mixed into the fruit preparation prior to drying. Alternatively, the seed ingredients are mixed with the fruit powder before or after compression. Examples of small seeds include, but are not limited to, cranberry, date, kiwi fruit, poppy, sesame, or strawberry seeds. As explained above, seeds are considered "small" if the particle size of the seed is smaller than the desired particle size of the compressed fruit powder particles. Examples of ground seeds or kernels include, but are not limited to, ground cocoa beans, ground coffee beans, or ground nuts. Examples of nuts include, but are not limited to, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecan nuts, and pistachios. In this embodiment, the fruit powder includes a seed ingredient. Preferably, the particle size of the seed ingredient is smaller than the desired particle size of the compressed fruit powder particles.

[0058] As explained below, the inventors have found that the presence of fiber in combination with a compressed fruit powder of a desired particle size can aid in the reconstitution properties of the fruit powder. This is a further reason why in a preferred embodiment, the fruit powder is prepared from whole fruit, such as fruit puree, rather than juice. In fact, fruit juice contains less fiber than whole fruit. When fruit juice is part of the fruit preparation, the compressed fruit powder should contain less than 80% sugar by weight. The term "sugar" as used herein refers to mono- and disaccharides naturally occurring in fruit, primarily glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Preferably, the fruit powder before and after compression has a sugar content of 30% to 60% by weight. Preferably, the compressed fruit powder does not contain added sugars.

[0059] Thus, in one embodiment, up to 20% by weight of vegetable fiber may be considered to be mixed with the uncompressed fruit powder or fruit preparation prior to drying. Preferably, the vegetable fiber is a fruit fiber such as citrus fiber or apple fiber. Alternatively, the vegetable fiber is a cereal fiber such as oat fiber or wheat fiber, or even carrot fiber. In one embodiment, the fruit powder comprises 5-20% by weight of added vegetable fiber, for example 8-15% by weight of added vegetable fiber, preferably citrus, apple, or carrot fiber. Thus, the fruit powder before and after compression comprises up to 35% by weight of fiber, optionally including additional vegetable fiber.

[0060] Thus, the fruit powder contains no ingredients other than plant material, i.e., whole fruit as the main or only ingredient, optionally seed ingredients, and also optionally plant fiber. The fruit powder does not contain added sucrose, glucose syrup, maltodextrin, or other sweeteners or bulking agents. Similarly, the fruit powder does not contain flowing agents such as silica. In other words, the fruit powder is 100% plant-derived and does not contain added sugars. Thus, the non-compressed fruit powder comprises at least 95% by weight of fruit ingredients as the main ingredient, preferably at least 96% by weight, or at least 97% by weight, or at least 98% by weight, or at least 99% by weight, etc. The non-compressed fruit powder consists essentially of fruit ingredients. Most preferably, the non-compressed fruit powder consists of fruit ingredients only. As a result, the compressed fruit powder comprises at least 95% by weight of fruit ingredients, preferably at least 96%, or at least 97%, or at least 98%, or at least 99% by weight of fruit ingredients as a major component. The compressed fruit powder consists essentially of fruit ingredients. Most preferably, the compressed fruit powder consists of fruit ingredients.

[0061] Thus, in one embodiment, the fruit powder consists of compressed fruit powder particles, the compressed fruit powder particles having a diameter, as measured by sieving, of less than 2.0 mm, preferably less than 1.6 mm, less than 30% by weight of the fruit powder particles having a diameter, as measured by sieving, of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm, and the fruit powder has a bulk density of more than 550 g/L and less than 800 g/L. Optionally, the fruit powder also comprises added vegetable fiber and/or added seed ingredients, as described above. The fruit powder may then consist only of compressed fruit powder particles with added vegetable fiber and/or added seed ingredients.

[0062] The uncompressed fruit powder has a particle size distribution in the range of D10 of 80-110 μm, D50 of 200-300 μm, and D90 of 700-900 μm.

[0063] As explained above, the inventors have found that fruit powders made from fruit juice tend to solidify more easily than fruit powders made from whole fruit. Without wishing to be bound by theory, a possible explanation is that whole fruit contains more fiber than fruit juice. This may affect the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the fruit powder. The more fiber in the powder, the higher the glass transition temperature. If the glass transition temperature of the fruit powder is low, for example near ambient temperature, the glass transition may occur in the package, which causes solidification even in the absence of moisture. Adding fiber to the fruit powder may increase the glass transition temperature of the system above ambient temperature. Ambient temperature is in the range of 18°C to 25°C.

[0064] The glass transition temperature of the fruit powder is comprised between 12°C and 30°C. The glass transition temperature of the fruit powder can be measured as described in paragraph 3.4 below. The glass transition temperature is measured on the fruit powder before mixing with the seed ingredient or plant fiber.

[0065] The inventors have found that the preferred particle size of the compressed fruit powder particles is when the compressed fruit powder particles have a diameter less than 2.0 mm and more than 300 μm. This range provides a good balance between avoiding caking during shelf-life or industrial processing, handling during industrial processing, and ensuring good beverage reconstitution behavior. "Reconstitution" refers to the preparation of a beverage by mixing the beverage powder composition into a liquid such as cold or warm water or milk. The "reconstitution behavior" of a beverage powder composition can be characterized, for example, by the wetting and settling properties of the powder forming agglomerates in the liquid, or the amount of powder remaining on the surface of the liquid before stirring.

[0066] If the compacted particles are smaller than 300 μm, they are more prone to caking. If the compacted particles are larger than about 2.0 mm, the reconstitution behavior of the compacted particles may be insufficient, i.e., the dispersion may be incomplete, leading to settling and dephasing. Furthermore, said size range provides good flowability of the fruit powder, making it easier to handle during industrial processing, such as during transportation or application. This size range also reduces dustiness, which is a known industrial hazard. Dustiness is related to the amount of fines in the powder.

[0067] In one embodiment, the particles of the compressed fruit powder have a diameter, as measured by sieving, of less than 2.0 mm, preferably less than 1.8 mm, and even more preferably less than 1.6 mm. The particle size distribution of the compressed fruit powder may be measured as described in paragraph 3.1 below.

[0068] However, it can be very difficult to eliminate all fines during the manufacture of compressed fruit powder. In addition, handling, shipping, or packaging of the compressed fruit powder can generate fines that are related to the fragility of the compressed fruit powder. The fragility of the compressed fruit powder is measured as described in paragraph 3.2 below.

[0069] However, the compressed fruit powder should not contain too large a fine fraction, i.e. the particles have a diameter of less than 300 μm, or even less than 350 μm. Indeed, the inventors have observed that a higher proportion of fines seems to cause sticking and caking between the powder particles. Thus, in the fruit powder according to the invention, less than 30% by weight of the fruit powder particles have a diameter of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm. Preferably, less than 20% by weight, more preferably less than 10% by weight of the fruit powder particles have a diameter of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm. Preferably, less than 30% by weight, more preferably less than 20% by weight, even more preferably less than 10% by weight of the fruit powder particles have a diameter of less than 350 μm. Herein, the particle size of the fruit powder is determined by sieving.

[0070] The inventors have also found that the bulk density of the fruit powder may also be relevant. If the bulk density is too low, it may have a negative effect on wetting, since a minimum density is required to ensure that the fruit powder settles upon reconstitution. A higher bulk density is interesting because it improves the flow of the powder in industrial handling. A higher bulk density also allows less packaging material to be used for a given powder mass. However, if the bulk density is too high, wetting of the powder may be retarded. Thus, the inventors have found an optimal bulk density for the compressed fruit powder. In one embodiment, the compressed fruit powder has a bulk density greater than 550 g/L and less than 800 g/L, preferably between 650 and 800 g/L. The bulk density of the compressed fruit powder is measured as described in paragraph 3.3 below.

[0071] Another aspect of the present invention is a beverage powder composition. Fruit powders, particularly the compressed fruit powders described above, may be used as ingredients for preparing such beverage powder compositions.

[0072] Preferably, such beverage powder compositions contain 10% to 100% by weight (dry weight) of compressed fruit powder. The beverage powder composition may be prepared by dry mixing the compressed fruit powder, or some type of compressed fruit powder, with another plant-derived ingredient.

[0073] Preferably, the other plant-derived ingredients of the beverage powder composition make up to 90% by weight (dry weight) of the beverage powder composition. By way of example, the plant-derived ingredients include nut-derived milk analog powders, soy-derived milk analog powders, cereal-derived flakes or powders, and mixtures thereof. Nut-derived milk analog powders can be prepared with coconut, walnut, almond, peanut, hazelnut, macadamia, and pecan, etc. Soy-derived milk analog powders can be prepared with soybean, pea, and lupin, etc. Cereal-derived flakes or powders are suitable for preparing porridges or beverages. These can be prepared with true cereals such as wheat, corn, oat, rye, barley, millet, rice, and also with pseudo-cereals such as buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth. Preferably, the beverage powder composition comprises at least 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% by weight of compressed fruit powder.

[0074] Another aspect of the invention is a kit for preparing one or more beverages using the beverage powder composition as described above. The beverages may be prepared by combining a first beverage component and a second beverage component.

[0075] Preferably, the first beverage component is a "white" component, which is a beverage component with a relatively neutral flavor. By way of example, the first beverage component is selected from milk-derived powders, fermented milk-derived powders, milk analog powders of plant origin, flakes or powders of cereal origin suitable for preparing beverages or porridges.

[0076] A second beverage component is mixed with the first beverage component. The second beverage component is a flavor or color component. The second beverage component may include a fruit powder as described above, or may consist solely of a fruit powder. The second beverage component may also be a beverage powder composition as described above.

[0077] In summary, the kit allows the consumer to select from among a variety of "white" beverage components and from among a variety of flavor or color components. Each of the first and second beverage components is contained in a plurality of containers. The containers may be, by way of example, sachets, pouches, cans, or capsules. The containers may be single-serve or multi-serve containers. Preferably, the containers are made of a recyclable material, such as coated paper.

[0078] Preferably, the first beverage component is designed to provide a minimum set of nutrients, such as minimum amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, while the second beverage component is designed to provide a primary flavor and/or color profile. Vitamins and/or minerals may be added to the first beverage component or the second beverage component. Preferably, the first and second beverage components are manufactured such that any first beverage component may be combined with any second beverage component to achieve a minimum nutritional profile of the reconstituted beverage.

[0079] Accordingly, the present invention relates to a kit for preparing one or more beverages, the kit comprising:
one or more containers of a first beverage component selected from milk-derived powder, fermented milk-derived powder, milk analog powder of plant origin, flakes or powder of cereal origin suitable for preparing a beverage or a porridge;
and one or more containers of a second beverage component, wherein the second beverage component comprises or consists of a fruit powder as described above, or is a beverage powder composition as described above.

[0080] Preferably, the kit contains single-serving containers, as this makes it more convenient for the consumer to use. The consumer can select a container containing a first "white" beverage component and a container containing a second flavored or colored beverage component, and empty them into a glass of water (for example) in any order, or add water later and mix to obtain a beverage corresponding to the desired combination of beverage components.

[0081] Interestingly, the inventors found that the reconstitution time of the compressed fruit powder, due to compression, is independent of the shear rate applied to mix the compressed fruit powder in water (Figure 5).

[0082] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing the above-mentioned fruit powder. The method includes the steps of: (1) feeding fruit powder to a powder press at a rate of 15-25 kg/h; (2) compressing the fruit powder in the powder press to obtain a compressed fruit powder mass; (3) crushing the compressed fruit powder mass to a particle size of less than 2.0 mm to obtain compressed fruit powder particles; and (4) sieving the compressed fruit powder particles to obtain compressed fruit powder particles having a diameter of 300 μm to 2 mm, preferably 350 μm to 1.6 mm.

[0083] Preferably, the powder compacting device is a roller compactor. By way of example, roller compactors WP 120 or WP 200 from ALEXANDERWERK (Remsheid, Germany) may be used in this method. Such roller compactors are described, by way of example, in US Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0243748. The inventors have found that among the compaction parameters, the linear compaction force appears to be the most important. Thus, preferably, a linear compaction force of 4 kN/cm to 12 kN/cm is applied to compact the fruit powder. The linear compaction force is the force per cm of product applied between the two rolls in the roller compactor.

[0084] Other relevant parameters include the roller gap and the feed speed or rate. Preferably, the roller gap is between 1.5 and 4 mm.

[0085] In one embodiment, particles smaller than 300 μm, preferably smaller than 350 μm, and optionally larger than 2 mm are collected after sieving and re-fed to the powder compaction device together with the fruit powder. This avoids raw material waste. The inventors have found that the introduction of compacted or pre-compacted fruit powder into the raw material or non-compacted fruit powder does not adversely affect the reconstitution behavior and storage stability of the resulting product.

[0086] The method may be carried out under a controlled atmosphere, particularly in the case of oxidation- or moisture-sensitive materials. In particular, the method may be carried out under low relative humidity or in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen.

[0087] Those skilled in the art will understand that all features of the invention disclosed herein may be freely combined. Furthermore, features described for different embodiments of the invention may be combined together where appropriate. Where known equivalents exist for particular features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to herein. Further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the figures and non-limiting examples.

[Example]
Method 1: Evaluation of powder stability
[0088] The compaction behavior of the compacted granules was compared to that of non-compacted dry mixes having similar compositions according to various methods described below.

1.1 Humidity test
[0089] 15 g of fruit powder was manually spread on a white paper sheet and left exposed to atmospheric conditions for 2 hours (T=18-22°C, RH=40-50%). Pictures were taken after every hour to evaluate caking. At the end of the experiment, the powder was mechanically transferred by hand to evaluate its flow behavior.

1.2 Oven test (thermal shock)
[0090] 10 g of fruit powder was placed in a glass bottle (d=0.02 m, V=20 mL). The bottle was sealed and placed in a laboratory oven at 40° C. and 50° C. for 1 h. At the end of the experiment, the bottle was manually shaken to visually observe the presence of caking and to evaluate the flow behavior of the powder. The bottle was then inverted and photographed.

1.3 Storage stability test
[0091] 20 g of fruit powder was placed in airtight aluminum bags and placed in two climate chambers under controlled atmospheric temperature and relative humidity (RH 20°C-50% and RH 30°C-70%). Powder caking was visually assessed and photographed every month. The total duration of the experiment was 6 months and each measurement was performed in duplicate.

2. Evaluation of powder reconstitution
[0092] According to the method described below, the reconstitution behavior of compressed fruit powders compressed with the reconstitution behavior of non-compressed dry mixes with similar composition.

2.1 Visual evaluation of reconstruction
[0093] 12.5 g of fruit powder was poured into 100 mL of ambient water or boiling water (T=20° C. and 55° C., respectively) in a beaker (d=70 mm; V=500 mL) equipped with a magnetic stirrer at the bottom. The liquid was stirred for 2 minutes and then poured into a sieve (mesh size=0.355 mm). The presence of poorly reconstituted powder clumps was visually observed and photographed with a camera.

2.2 Evaluation of reconstitution by electrical conductivity
[0094] Demineralized water is used at ambient temperature i.e. 20°C. 145 mL of water is poured into the dissolution vessel. The conductivity probe Metrohm (conductivity cell Pt100) is placed horizontally 15 mm from the bottom of the dissolution vessel. An overhead stirrer is placed directly above the conductivity probe and set for the desired stirring speed of 300-1000 rpm. The conductivity probe is connected to a computer interface to record the conductivity and temperature during the assay. Start recording the conductivity and temperature. After 10 seconds: 13 g of fruit powder is poured manually from the top of the vessel (8 cm from the water) into the dissolution vessel.

[0095] The onset of dissolution time is detected by the intersection of a line passing through the 5% and 10% points of the conductivity signal with the line obtained by the initial conductivity signal. The dissolution time is defined as the time to reach 90% of the maximum conductivity signal. Three replicates were performed for each powder.

2.3 Wetting evaluation
[0096] Demineralized water is used at ambient temperature, i.e. 20°C. 200 mL of water is poured into a glass beaker (d=70 mm; V=250 mL) and placed under the powder dispenser. The powder dispenser comprises a column open at both ends. The bottom end is equipped with a sliding metal plate. 10 g of fruit powder is loaded into the closed powder dispenser on the metal plate. The plate is quickly slid from the bottom of the dispenser, causing the powder to fall to the top of the water. At the same time, a stopwatch is started. The stopwatch is stopped when all the powder is wetted but not sunk to the bottom of the beaker.

[0097] Wetting time is defined as the time required to wet all the powder before it sinks. Three replicates were performed for each powder.

3. Fruit powder characteristics 3.1 Particle size distribution
[0098] The particle size distribution was measured by a particle analyzer Camsizer XT (Retsch Technology GmbH, Germany) equipped with an X-fall module for the dispersion of particles by gravity. During the measurements, the powders are exposed to the laboratory conditions as little as possible, in each case for less than 2 minutes. The digital image analysis technique relies on computer processing of a large number of sample images taken simultaneously by two different cameras at a frame rate of 277 images/s. The characteristic particle sizes D10, D50 and D90 are calculated from normalized curves corresponding to the sizes of the 10%, 50% and 90% of the particles, respectively.

3.2 Brittleness
[0099] Friability refers to the tendency of a particle to break under mechanical stress. Friability is measured as the mass percentage of the particulates produced in the friability test.

[0100] The compressed and sieved fruit powder (100 g) is placed on a vibrating sieve (Retsch sieving tower) with a mesh size of 0.2 mm. The sieve is then vibrated with an amplitude of 1 mm for 1 minute. The fine powder is collected under the vibrating sieve in a collection vessel. The first fraction of the fine powder (F1) is weighed as is the residual powder (RP1) on the 0.2 mm sieve. The collection vessel is then emptied and washed. The residual powder is then vibrated with an amplitude of 3 mm for 2 minutes. The second fraction of the fine powder (F2) is collected and weighed. After the second vibration treatment, the residual powder (RP2) is also weighed. The friability is the ratio of the weight of the second fraction of the fine powder F2 divided by the weight of the first residual powder RP1. The friability is expressed in weight percent (wt%).

Brittleness = RP1×100/F2
where RP1 is the weight of the residual powder and F2 is the weight of the first fraction of fines.

3.3 Bulk density and tap density
[0101] The bulk density of a material is the ratio of mass to volume (including interparticle void volume) of an untapped mod powder sample. Bulk density is obtained by placing a known volume of powder in a graduated cylinder and weighing the mass of this volume. Density is calculated as mass/volume.

[0102] Tapped density is obtained by mechanically tapping the graduated cylinder containing the sample until little further volume change is observed. Tapping can be performed using various methods. Tapped density is calculated as the mass divided by the final volume of the powder. For the determination of tapped density, a JEL Vibration Density Meter STAV 2003 is used, applying 300±2 vibrations. The interparticle interactions that affect the bulking properties of the powder are also interactions that impede powder flow. Thus, by comparing the bulk and tapped densities, it is possible to obtain information about the relative importance of these interactions in a given powder, and such a comparison can be used to index the ability of the powder to flow.

3.4 Glass transition temperature
[0103] The glass transition temperatures Tg were measured using a differential scanning calorimeter from TA Instruments (Q2000 DSC, TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, USA). The scan rate was 5°C/min. The system was then cooled at 20°C/min. A simple scan procedure was performed from -40°C to 80°C to measure the different glass transition temperatures of different compounds. Empirically, the measurement uncertainty is typically ±3°C.

[0104] All experiments were performed in a sealed pan to avoid evaporation of water during measurements. Tg was determined from the onset of the change in heat flow observed with the second heat lamp.

3.5 Moisture uptake-sorption isotherm dynamics
[0105] The SPSx method allows for the continuous recording of moisture uptake or release of food samples. A ProUmid SPSx automated sorption system is used. Samples are maintained under controlled temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) conditions. The SPSx is equipped with highly accurate RH and T sensors calibrated at 23°C and 50°C over a wide range of RH (10%-80%). The SPSx is used to record the sorption kinetics by applying a relative humidity step at constant temperature. The data is then fitted to a diffusion model to establish the water diffusion coefficient of the product. The Weibull model was used.

[0106] In this assay, the temperature was set at 25°C and regulated in a closed SPS to avoid temperature fluctuations. The relative humidity was also controlled and regulated in a closed SPS. Samples were preconditioned at 10% RH for 12 hours to ensure equilibration before imposing a RH step at 15%.

3.6 Microscopy
[0107] The surfaces of compressed and uncompressed powders were observed by microscopy to understand the effect of compression on the fruit powder structure and the enhanced rehydration and water uptake observed for compressed fruit powders.

[0108] The SEM micrographs in Figs. 8-15 were acquired by a Quanta F200 scanning electron microscope (FEI, Germany) operating in high voltage mode at 4 kV using a secondary electron detector. Before observation, the samples were deposited on an aluminum piece with conductive double-sided tape, and the excess was removed by tapping, so that the powder was well spread on the piece. To reveal their surface and internal structure, the samples were fractured using a razor blade and then coated with a 10 nm gold layer using a Leica SCD500 ion sputtering machine.

Example 1 - Strawberry Powder
[0109] Compacted strawberry powder was prepared by roller compactor WP120 (Alexanderwerk, Remscheid, DE) using non-compacted strawberry powder supplied by Paradise Fruit (Germany). Non-compacted strawberry powder was fed between compaction rollers at a rate of [kg/h]. Compaction roller gap was 3 mm and compaction roller speed was 5 rpm. Linear compaction forces ranging from 5 to 12 kN/cm were applied to the fruit powder between compaction rollers to obtain a compacted fruit powder mass. Downstream of the compaction rollers, the compacted fruit powder mass was extruded through internal grinding sieves with mesh sizes of 0.8 to 3.15 mm. The compacted strawberry powder was collected on a sieve with a mesh size of 300 μm to remove fines.

[0110] In a separate study, the fines were collected and added to uncompressed strawberry powder to determine the effect on the compressed powder properties. No significant effect on reconstitution or other properties of the compressed powder was observed.

[0111] The resulting granules were tested for physical properties such as particle size distribution, friability, bulk density, and tapped density. Reconstitution of the compacted granules in water under medium to low shear was also performed.

[0112] Depending on the type of fruit powder used, the compression strength, and the size of the grinding sieve, the size distribution of the granules ranged from D10 of 90 μm to 450 μm, D50 of 550 μm to 1300 μm, and D90 of 700 μm to 1850 μm. Thus, the densities ranged from free-flowing bulk density of 580 g/L to 730 g/L, and tapped density of 610 g/L to 770 g/L.

[0113] The initial powder, i.e., the pre-compressed powder, and the compressed powder were subjected to the humidity test and oven test described above in paragraphs 1.1 and 1.2, respectively. The results are shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0114] Figure 1 shows the visual aspects of strawberry powder exposed for 1 hour at a temperature of T = 22°C and a relative humidity of RH = 45%. A: initial powder (not compressed); B: compressed powder. On the left side, a mass of solidified powder is visible, whereas no solidification is observed in the compressed granules.

[0115] Figure 2 shows the visual appearance of strawberry powder in a sealed glass jar after 1 hour in a 50°C oven. A: initial powder (not compressed), B: compressed powder. The uncompressed powder was solidified and did not flow when the jar was rotated, whereas the compressed granules were still flowable and all powders flowed easily to the bottom of the jar when rotated.

[0116] Similar results can be obtained with the fruit powder mixture described in Example 2, or with fruit powders made with other fruit powders such as blueberry, pear, apple, banana, carrot, or mango powder, or with apple flakes.

Strawberry powder, blueberry powder (Paradise Fruit, Germany)
Pear 300, Apple 100, Banana 300, Carrot 100 (Naturex, France)
Mango powder, apple flakes (Diana, France)
Example 2 - Fruit powder mixture
[0117] A fruit powder mixture was prepared under the same conditions as in Example 1. The fruit mixture contained 48% by weight apple powder (Apple 100, Naturex, France), 32% by weight pear powder (Pear 300, Naturex, France) and 20% by weight banana powder (Banana 300, Naturex, France), with fines less than 300 μm being recycled.

[0118] The initial powder, i.e., the pre-compressed powder, and the compressed powder were subjected to the storage stability test described above in paragraph 1.3.

[0119] Figure 3 shows the visual appearance of the fruit powder blends after 3 months of storage in sealed aluminum sachets under controlled atmosphere at 30°C and 70% RH. A: Primary powder (not compressed); B: Compressed powder. Hard, caked lumps can be observed in the uncompressed powder, whereas the compressed granules are still free flowing.

Example 3 - Reconstitution of compressed fruit powder
[0120] The fruit powder of Example 2 was used in the study for visual evaluation of reconstitution described above in paragraph 2.1.

[0121] Figure 4 shows the reconstituted fruit powder mixture. A: initial powder (not compressed); B: compressed granules. The powders were reconstituted in water at T=20°C and stirred for 2 minutes. It was observed that the uncompressed powders produced large clumps when dispersed in water. These clumps were dry inside, presumably because water could not penetrate the viscous outer layer, and would not disappear even with longer stirring times. In contrast, the compressed granules dispersed slower, resulting in a slower appearance of the viscous layer, and the powders could be fully reconstituted in 2 minutes at ambient temperature under low to moderate shear rates.

[0122] The effect of compression on beverage reconstitution at various stirring speeds was analyzed using the conductivity assay described above in paragraph 2.2.

[0123] Figure 5 shows the stirring speed versus reconstitution time of the beverage in seconds for uncompressed (grey circles) or compressed (black squares) powders. Surprisingly, the reconstitution time appears to be independent of the stirring speed for the compressed powders. In contrast, the reconstitution time is highly dependent on the stirring speed for the uncompressed powders.

[0124] This observation is interesting because it shows that compressed fruit powders can be used to reconstitute beverages under a variety of conditions, e.g., with a manual or powered whisk, and that the stirring speed does not affect the time required for reconstitution.

Example 4 - Wetting behaviour of fruit powders
[0125] The wetting behavior of the fruit powders was analyzed in the wetting test described above in paragraph 2.3. Three types of fruit powders were evaluated: compressed fruit powder of Example 2, compressed fruit powder with the same composition as that of Example 2 but with 10% or 30% fines below 300 μm, and non-compressed fruit powder used as starting material to produce the compressed fruit powder of Example 2.

[0126] Figure 6 shows the visual appearance of the powders after wetting. A: uncompressed powder; B: compressed powder with 10% fines by weight; C: compressed powder with 30% fines by weight. D: compressed powder with no fines.

[0127] The assay shows that after 15 minutes, the uncompressed fruit powder was not completely wetted and remained on the surface of the water without settling. The floating product is shown in the circle in Figure 6A. The compressed fruit powder without fines (Figure 6D) sank to the bottom of the beaker within about 20 seconds without any lumps, meaning that all the powder was wetted. The compressed fruit powder with fines was also wetted within about 20 seconds, but lumps remained at the bottom of the beaker or floating below the surface of the water. The lumps are shown in Figures 6B and 6C as circles. This means that some of the fruit powder within the lumps was not completely wetted.

Example 5 - Water Uptake
[0128] Moisture uptake of two different fruit blend powders (circle and triangle symbols) either compressed (closed symbols) or uncompressed (open symbols) and a completely amorphous dairy-derived powder (square symbols) with kinetics of the isothermal sorption curve assay as described above in paragraph 3.5. The dairy-derived powder is a spray-dried whole milk powder dry-mixed with 10 wt% crystalline sucrose.

[0129] The inventors have observed that compressed powders take up moisture much more rapidly than non-compressed powders at a relative humidity of 15% RH and a temperature of 25°C. In the case of fruit powders, the difference in moisture uptake kinetics between compressed and non-compressed powders is much more pronounced than in the case of amorphous dairy-derived powders, where the difference in moisture uptake is very small.

[0130] Without wishing to be bound by theory, the inventors believe that this result is likely related to the fact that compression of the fruit powder creates a very rough surface, especially for the fruit powder variants, as can be seen when comparing Figures 9-11.

[0131] Figures 9-11 show the surface microstructure of compressed (Figures 9 and 11) and uncompressed (Figures 8 and 10) strawberry powder of Example 1. These can be compared with Figures 12-15 which show the surface microstructure of compressed (Figures 13 and 15) and uncompressed (Figures 12 and 14) sweetened milk powder. The photographs were taken as described above in paragraph 3.6.

[0132] Compression of fruit powders may cause breakage of the fruit powder material in very small particulate micro-domains with only partial sintering of those micro-domains under heat, possibly due to the high fiber content of the fruit material. This can be seen in Figures 8-11. In the case of milk powder, the degree of sintering is higher and much more pronounced, resulting in a smoother surface than the compressed fruit powders (Figures 12-15). This could be considered as a single block plasticization. This may explain the much smaller difference in water uptake between compressed and uncompressed variants observed in milk powders.

Example 6 - Pouch
[0133] Figure 3 shows the visual appearance of the fruit powder mixture after 3 months of storage in a sealed aluminum pouch under controlled atmosphere at 30°C and 70% RH. Significant caking occurred in the case of the initial fruit powder of Example 2, despite the fact that the aluminum pouch was moisture proof, indicating that the caking is driven by the temperature inside the pouch. These caking particles are a direct obstacle to emptying the pouch and reconstituting the beverage in water.

[0134] No caking was observed with the compressed fruit powder. The compressed fruit powder remains perfectly flowable even after 3 months in an aluminum pouch placed at the same conditions as the uncompressed powder (30°C, 70% RH). This ensures proper emptying of the pouch and ease of beverage reconstitution. In addition, as mentioned above, the compressed powder has better wetting behavior, which also improves beverage reconstitution.

Example 7 - Viscosity of preparations made from compressed and non-compressed powders Fruit powder

Sample preparation and analysis: Compressed and non-compressed powders were reconstituted in a beaker equipped with a magnetic stirrer at 25° C. for 5 min at 300 rpm. 12.5 g of fruit powder was used in 100 mL of water and 9 g of milk powder was used in 95 mL of water. Complete reconstitution of the powders was ensured by measuring the conductivity signal of the reconstituted solution and by visual observation. Rheological measurements were then performed using these suspensions.

The viscosity of the fully reconstituted fruit powders was measured using a rotational rheometer MCR502 (Anton Paar). Flow curves were measured using vane geometry (ST22, serial number 32311) immediately after reconstitution at 25°C. Comparison of flow curves was made between solutions with compressed and uncompressed powders. Each measurement was repeated three times to ensure reproducibility of the results.

Results The viscosities of recipes prepared with either compressed or non-compressed powders for the various fruit powders are compared in Figure 16 (red mixture), Figure 17 (purple mixture) and Figure 18 (yellow mixture). The results with compressed powders are shown in the figures as solid lines, while those with non-compressed powders are shown as dotted lines. From Figures 16, 17 and 18 it can be seen that the viscosity of smoothies produced from compressed fruit powders is significantly lower compared to those produced from non-compressed powders, regardless of the fruit powder. There is a significant change in the solution viscosity. This also indicates that for similar TS compressed powders, less effort or energy input is required for reconstitution compared to non-compressed powders. This behavior was compared to a dairy-derived powder (sugar 38%, milk fat 11.5%, skimmed milk powder 33.5%, cocoa powder 16.3%, lecithin 0.7% and flavors 0.1%, all in weight percentages). The compressed and non-compressed cocoa milk powders were reconstituted in the same way as the fruit powders and rheological measurements were performed to obtain flow curves. The results are shown in Figure 19. From the figure it can be seen that there is no effect of compression on the viscosity of this dairy-derived powder.

[0135] Although the invention has been described by way of example, it should be understood that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims (17)

A fruit powder comprising compressed fruit powder particles, the compressed fruit powder particles having a diameter of less than 2.0 mm, preferably less than 1.6 mm, as measured by sieving, less than 30% by weight of the fruit powder particles having a diameter of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm, as measured by sieving, the fruit powder having a bulk density of greater than 550 g/L and less than 800 g/L,
1. The fruit powder comprising as a major component at least 95% by weight of fruit components, preferably at least 96%, or at least 97%, or at least 98%, or at least 99% by weight of fruit components, preferably wherein said fruit powder consists essentially of fruit components, most preferably wherein said fruit powder consists solely of fruit components, optionally wherein said fruit powder contains seed components and/or plant fibres . The fruit powder of claim 1, wherein less than 10% by weight of the particles of the compressed fruit powder have a diameter of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm. The fruit powder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water activity Aw is less than 0.20. The fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the glass transition temperature of the fruit powder is comprised between 12°C and 30°C. The fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sugar content of the fruit powder is comprised between 30% and 80% by weight of the dry weight. The fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fiber content of the fruit powder is comprised between 5% and 35% by weight of the dry weight. The fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which can be obtained by compressing the fruit powder with a linear compression force of 4 kN/cm to 12 kN/cm and securing by sieving particles of the compressed fruit powder having a diameter of 300 μm to 2 mm, preferably 350 μm to 1.6 mm. A fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which consists solely of compressed fruit powder particles, the compressed fruit powder particles having a diameter, as measured by sieving, of less than 2.0 mm, preferably less than 1.6 mm, less than 30% by weight of the fruit powder particles having a diameter, as measured by sieving, of less than 300 μm, preferably less than 350 μm, and the fruit powder having a bulk density greater than 550 g/L and less than 800 g/L. 9. The fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , which contains no added sucrose, glucose syrup, maltodextrin or other sweeteners, no bulking agents and no flow agents. 10% to 100% by weight of the fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ;
Optionally, up to 90% by weight of plant-derived ingredients selected from milk powder analogues derived from nuts or beans, flakes or powders derived from cereals suitable for the preparation of beverages or porridges, and mixtures thereof. A method for producing a fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , comprising the steps of:
(1) feeding fruit powder into a powder press at a rate of 15 to 25 kg/hour;
(2) compressing the fruit powder in a powder compression device to obtain a compressed fruit powder mass;
(3) crushing the compressed fruit powder mass to a particle size of less than 2.0 mm to obtain compressed fruit powder particles;
(4) sieving the compressed fruit powder particles to obtain compressed fruit powder particles having a diameter of 300 μm to 2 mm, preferably 350 μm to 1.6 mm;
A method comprising: The method of claim 11 , wherein the powder compaction device is a roller compactor. 13. The method according to claim 11 or 12 , wherein a linear compression force of 4 kN/cm to 12 kN/cm is applied to compress the fruit powder. 13. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 12, wherein particles smaller than 300 μm, preferably smaller than 350 μm and optionally larger than 2 mm are recovered after sieving and said recovered particles are re-fed to the powder compression device together with the fruit powder. 1. A kit for preparing one or more beverages, comprising:
one or more containers of a first beverage component selected from milk-derived powder, fermented milk-derived powder, milk analog powder of plant origin, flakes or powder of cereal origin suitable for preparing a beverage or a porridge;
One or more containers of a second beverage component, said second beverage component comprising:
A beverage powder composition according to claim 10 , which comprises or consists of a fruit powder according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ,
and one or more containers of a second beverage component. 16. The kit of claim 15 , wherein the container is selected from a sachet, a pouch, a can, or a capsule. 17. The kit of claim 15 or 16 , wherein the container is a single-dose container or a multi-dose container.

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