Functional water

• US 20040241299A1
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care Usa Division Of Conopco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unilever Bestfoods North America (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Zhang, Shi Qiu
• Granted Patent: US 7,141,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/435
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 3/163 Liquid or semi-liquid tea extract preparations, e.g. gels, liquid extracts in solid capsules
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/68 by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water medicinal water A61K
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/001 Upstream control, i.e. monitoring for predictive control
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/07 Alkalinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/10 Solids, e.g. total solids [TS], total suspended solids [TSS] or volatile solids [VS]

Abstract

Tea-based beverages prepared from functional water are described. The functional water comprises less than 200 ppm total dissolved solids and, when used to make a tea-based beverage, results in a beverage having superior flavor and appearance characteristics, even when up to 6% by weight of tea solids are present within the beverage.

Claims

1. Functional water comprising:

(a) less than about 200 ppm total dissolved solids and more total dissolved solids than reverse osmosis water; and

(b) less than about 50 ppm bicarbonate

wherein the functional water has a pH from about 7.0 to about 8.5 and is suitable for making a tea-based beverage comprising from about 0.05 to about 6.0% by weight tea solids and having a Hunter Haze Value from about 15 to about 50.

2. The functional water according to claim 1 wherein the water comprises from about 0 to about 95 ppm ions which are divalent and from about 50 to about 200 ppm ions which are monovalent.

3. The functional water according to claim 1 wherein from about 0.001 to about 10 ppm bicarbonate is present.

4. The functional water according to claim 1 wherein the functional water has a pH from about 7.0 to about 7.7.

5. The functional water according to claim 1 wherein the functional water results from the addition of dry solids being added to precursor tap water, spring water or reverse osmosis water or a filter that filters tap water.

6. A method for making a tea-based beverage comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a tea-based beverage precursor; and

(b) combining the tea-based beverage precursor with functional water comprising

(i) less than about 200 ppm of total dissolved solids and more total dissolved solids than reverse osmosis water; and

(ii) less than about 50 ppm bicarbonate

wherein the functional water has a pH from about 7.0 to less than about 8.5.

7. The method for making a tea-based beverage according to claim 6 wherein the tea-based beverage comprises from about 0.05 to about 6.0% by weight tea solids.

8. The method for making a tea-based beverage according to claim 6 wherein the functional water comprises from about 0 to 95 ppm ions which are divalent and from about 50 to about 200 ppm ions which are monovalent.

9. The method for making a tea-based beverage according to claim 6 wherein no more than about 10% by weight of the total amount of functional water employed is heated prior to making the tea-based beverage.

10. The method for making a tea-based beverage according to claim 6 wherein the tea-based beverage precursor is tea leaf, tea powder or a tea concentrate.

11. The method for making a tea-based beverage according to claim 10 wherein the tea concentrate is shelf stable tea concentrate comprising carbohydrate.

12. The method for making a tea-based beverage according to claim 6 wherein the tea-based beverage is made in a ready-to-drink dispensing apparatus.

13. A tea-based beverage comprising:

(a) tea solids; and

(b)functional water comprising less than about200 ppm of total dissolved solids and more total dissolved solids than reverse osmosis water and less than about 50 ppm bicarbonate

wherein the functional water has a pH from about 7.0 to less than about 8.5.

14. The tea-based beverage according to claim 13 wherein the tea-based beverage is ready-to-drink.

15. The tea-based beverage according to claim 13 wherein the beverage comprises from about 0.001 to about 10 ppm bicarbonate, from about 50 to about 200 ppm ions which are monovalent and from about 0 to about 95 ppm ions which are divalent.

16. The tea-based beverage according to claim 13 wherein the tea-based beverage has a Hunter Haze Value from about 15 to about 50.

17. The tea-based beverage according to claim 13 wherein the tea-based beverage has, independently, a darkness value (L) and a redness value (a) from about 25 to about 35.

18. The tea-based beverage according to claim 13 wherein the tea solids make up from about 0.05 to about 6.0% by weight of the tea-based beverage.

19. The tea-based beverage according to claim 13 wherein the tea solids make up from about 0.1 to about 3.0% by weight of the tea-based beverage.

20. The tea-based beverage according to claim 13 wherein the tea solids are provided from a tea concentrate comprising carbohydrate.