Stable aroma, flavor and aroma and flavor products from aroma- and flavor-bearing substrates
First Claim
1. A process for separating an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction from an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate, said process comprising:
- pulsing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding of said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; and
prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20°
to -200°
C.
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Abstract
Aroma- and flavor-bearing substrates are separated into an aroma concentrate and a flavor concentrate by pulsing or applying in a continuous fashion wet steam to a zone containing the substrate. The substrate-containing zone is held under vacuum pressure and the flavor concentrate is collected in a first trap, while an aroma concentrate is collected in a second trap. In one preferred embodiment, the most volatile flavor and aroma bodies are collected and subsequently dissolved in a solution of solids (e.g., those obtained from further extraction of the substrate) and the solution is then frozen and freeze-dried to yield a highly stable dry aroma and flavor bearing product. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate comprises either coffee or tea.
48 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A process for separating an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction from an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate, said process comprising:
- pulsing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding of said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; and
prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20°
to -200°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- pulsing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding of said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; and
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12. A process for producing a stable concentrated flavorful aromatic dry product from a flavor- and aroma-bearing substrate comprising:
- pulsing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate;
prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20°
C to -200°
C;
combining said aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction with a solution of solids selected from the group consisting of proteins and carbohydrates;
freezing the resulting mixture; and
freeze drying. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- pulsing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate;
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22. A process for separating an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction from an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate, said process comprising:
- slowly and continuously passing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding of said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; and
prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20°
to -200°
C. - View Dependent Claims (23)
- slowly and continuously passing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding of said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate; and
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24. A process for producing a stable concentrated flavorful aromatic dry product from a flavor- and aroma-bearing substrate comprising:
- slowly and continuously passing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate;
prior to the reaching of said moving interface to the end of said zone and the emergence of a liquid flavor concentrate fraction from said zone, collecting an aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction by condensing aroma and flavor bodies removed from said substrate at a temperature of from about -20°
to -200°
C;
combining said aroma- and flavor-containing frost fraction with a solution of solids selected from the group consisting of proteins and carbohydrates;
freezing the resulting mixture; and
freeze drying.
- slowly and continuously passing wet steam into a zone containing an aroma- and flavor-bearing substrate in a manner which avoids flooding said zone and while said zone is held at an absolute pressure of from about 0.1 mm to 200 mm of mercury, thereby to provide a continually moving interface between dry and wetted particles of said substrate;
Specification