Containers And Methods For Dispensing Multiple Doses Of A Concentrated Liquid, And Shelf Stable Concentrated Liquids

US 20120114819A1
Filed: 12/30/2011
Published: 05/10/2012
Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1-126. -126. (canceled)

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Abstract

Containers and methods are provided for dispensing a liquid concentrate utilizing one or more desirable properties including a generally consistent discharge across a range of squeeze forces, a generally consistent discharge with the same force without significant dependence on the amount of liquid concentrate in the container, a substantially dripless or leak proof outlet opening, a jet that minimizes splashing when the liquid concentrate impacts a target liquid, and a jet that maximizes mixing between the liquid concentrate and the target liquid to produce a generally homogenous mixture without the use of extraneous utensils or shaking. Also provided are liquid beverage concentrates that can be cold filled during packaging while maintaining shelf stability for at least about three months at ambient temperatures. Concentrates are provided having low pH, with or without alcohol, and with buffers to allow for increased acid content at a selected pH.

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155 Claims

1-126. -126. (canceled)

127. A flavored beverage concentrate having a pH of about 1.4 to about 3.0, the flavored beverage concentrate comprising:
- about 30 to about 80 percent water;
  
  about 5.0 to about 30.0 percent acid;
  
  up to about 10.0 percent buffer;
  
  about 1.0 to about 30.0 percent flavoring; and
  
  water activity reducing component in an amount effective to reduce the water activity of the concentrate to about 0.55 to about 0.95,the acid and buffer included in a ratio of about 1;
  
  1 to about 60;
  
  1, the ratio of the acid and buffer effective to provide the concentrate with at least about 5 times more acid than an otherwise identical non-buffered concentrate having the same pH, and the concentrate having a concentration such that when diluted at a ratio of about 1;
  
  75 to about 1;
  
  160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.01 to 0.8 percent acid by weight of the beverage.
- View Dependent Claims (128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144)
- - 128. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the acid and buffer are included in a ratio of about 1:
    - 1 to about 40;
      
      1.
  - 129. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the acid and buffer are included in a ratio of about 7:
    - 1 to about 15;
      
      1.
  - 130. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the concentrate has a pH of about 1.6 to about 2.7.
  - 131. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the concentrate has a concentration such that when diluted at a ratio of about 1:
    - 75 to about 1;
      
      160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.1 to 0.3 percent acid by weight of the beverage.
  - 132. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the acid and buffer are provided in a ratio effective to provide the concentrate with at least about 5 to about 40 times more acid than an otherwise identical non-buffered concentrate having the same pH.
  - 133. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the acid and buffer are provided in a ratio effective to provide the concentrate with at least about 10 to about 20 times more acid than an otherwise identical non-buffered concentrate having the same pH.
  - 134. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the flavoring is selected from the group consisting of liquid flavorings, powdered flavorings, and combinations thereof.
  - 135. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 134, wherein the liquid flavoring comprises a flavor emulsion.
  - 136. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 135, wherein the flavor emulsion comprises about 1 to about 10 percent flavor key.
  - 137. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein water activity reducing component is included in an amount effective to reduce the water activity of the concentrate to about 0.6 to about 0.8.
  - 138. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the water activity reducing component is selected from the group consisting of salt, alcohol, polyol, carbohydrate, and combinations thereof.
  - 139. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the acid comprises at least 50 percent of an acid that is naturally present in greater quantities than any other acid in a fruit from which a flavor key of the flavoring was derived or formulated to mimic.
  - 140. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the acid comprises at least about 50 malic acid.
  - 141. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 140, wherein the acid comprises about 80 to about 95 percent malic acid.
  - 142. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the concentrate comprises acid, buffer, and flavor key of the flavoring in a ratio of about 1:
    - 1;
      
      0.002 to about 60;
      
      1;
      
      0.5.
  - 143. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 127, wherein the concentrate further comprises about 5 to about 35 percent alcohol.
  - 144. The flavored beverage concentrate of claim 143, wherein the alcohol includes at least one of the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

145. A method of preparing a flavored beverage concentrate having a pH of about 1.4 to about 3.0, the method comprising mixing:
- about 30 to about 80 percent water;
  
  about 5.0 to about 30.0 percent acid;
  
  up to about 10.0 percent buffer;
  
  about 1.0 to about 30.0 percent flavoring; and
  
  water activity reducing component in an amount effective to reduce the water activity of the concentrate to about 0.55 to about 0.95,the acid and buffer included in a ratio of about 1;
  
  1 to about 60;
  
  1, the ratio of the acid and buffer effective to provide the concentrate with at least about 5 times more acid than an otherwise identical non-buffered concentrate having the same pH, and the concentrate having a concentration such that when diluted at a ratio of about 1;
  
  75 to about 1;
  
  160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.01 to 0.8 percent acid by weight of the beverage.
- View Dependent Claims (146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155)
- - 146. The method of claim 145, wherein the concentrate has a pH of about 1.6 to about 2.7.
  - 147. The method of claim 145, wherein the flavoring is selected from the group consisting of liquid flavorings, powdered flavorings, and combinations thereof.
  - 148. The method of claim 145, wherein the concentrate further comprises a water activity reducing component in an amount effective to reduce the water activity of the concentrate to about 0.6 to about 0.8.
  - 149. The method of claim 145, wherein the acid comprises at least 50 percent of an acid that is naturally present in greater quantities than any other acid in a fruit from which a flavor key of the flavoring was derived or formulated to mimic.
  - 150. The method of claim 145, wherein the acid comprises at least about 50 percent malic acid.
  - 151. The method of claim 145, wherein the concentrate comprises acid, buffer, and flavor key of the flavoring in a ratio of about 1:
    - 1;
      
      0.002 to about 60;
      
      1;
      
      0.5.
  - 152. The method of claim 145, wherein the concentrate includes about 5 to about 35 percent alcohol.
  - 153. The method of claim 145, wherein the acid and buffer are included in a ratio of about 1:
    - 1 to about 40;
      
      1.
  - 154. The method of claim 145, wherein the acid and buffer are included in a ratio of about 7:
    - 1 to about 15;
      
      1.
  - 155. The method of claim 145, wherein the concentrate has a concentration such that when diluted at a ratio of about 1:
    - 75 to about 1;
      
      160 to provide a beverage, the concentrate delivers about 0.1 to 0.3 percent acid by weight of the beverage.

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Current Assignee
Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
Original Assignee
Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC (The Kraft Heinz Company)
Inventors
Ragnarsson, Karl, MacDonald, Jane Lee, Brown, Dana Marie

Granted Patent

US 8,293,299 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

426/330.4
CPC Class Codes

A23L 2/385   Concentrates of non-alcohol...

A23L 2/52   Adding ingredients adding p...

A23L 2/56   Flavouring or bittering age...

A23L 2/68   Acidifying substances

A23V 2002/00   Food compositions, function...

B33Y 80/00   Products made by additive m...

B65D 81/32   for packaging two or more d...

C12G 3/06   with flavouring ingredients

Containers And Methods For Dispensing Multiple Doses Of A Concentrated Liquid, And Shelf Stable Concentrated Liquids

First Claim

2 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

48 Citations

155 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links

Containers And Methods For Dispensing Multiple Doses Of A Concentrated Liquid, And Shelf Stable Concentrated Liquids

First Claim

2 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

48 Citations

155 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links