Protein beverage and method of making the same
First Claim
1. A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:
- about 2% by weight to about 15% by weight protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose;
about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume; and
at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of an anti-foaming agent, a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent;
wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 3.4, and has a caloric density of less than 0.5 kilocalories per milliliter,wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of active microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes; and
wherein said essentially free from active microbe condition is created by the inactivation of microbes by carbonation, aseptic packaging, ozonation, radiation, ultra violet light, membrane permeation, pulsed electric field, or a combination thereof.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved protein beverage/drink composition, is disclosed and provides a relatively high protein content, ranging from about 0.01% by weight to about 15% by weight, while optionally employing a carbonation concentration between about 0.1 volumes of carbonation (per volume of liquid drink solution or liquid drink suspension) to about 6 volumes of carbonation which is used to provide taste and mouth feel for the drink and which is also used to inactivate pathogenic microbes. Preferably the protein is a protein, such preferably as whey protein, or others. The protein beverage may contain an additive which provides energy generation enhancement. High pressure processing may also be used to inactivate microbes. The high pressure processing may be carried out prior to or after carbonation, and prior to or after packaging.
64 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:
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about 2% by weight to about 15% by weight protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose; about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume; and at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of an anti-foaming agent, a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent; wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 3.4, and has a caloric density of less than 0.5 kilocalories per milliliter, wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of active microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes; and wherein said essentially free from active microbe condition is created by the inactivation of microbes by carbonation, aseptic packaging, ozonation, radiation, ultra violet light, membrane permeation, pulsed electric field, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:
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admixing in water a protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 2% to about 15%, an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 5.5, an alcohol to achieve a percent by weight of alcohol in the admixture of about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume, and at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent, thereby obtaining an admixture, whereby said protein beverage has a caloric density of less than 0.5 kilocalorie per milliliter; and packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage, wherein substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of active microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes wherein said essentially free from active microbe condition is created by the inactivation of microbes by carbonating, aseptic packaging, exposing to ozone, exposing to radiation, exposing to ultra violet light, subjecting to membrane permeation, exposing to a pulsed electric field, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:
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about 2% by weight to about 15% by weight protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose; about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume; and at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of an anti-foaming agent, a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent; wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 3.4, and has a caloric density of less than 0.9 kilocalories per milliliter, wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of pathogenic microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:
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admixing in water a protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 2% to about 15%, an alcohol to achieve a percent by weight of alcohol in the admixture of about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume, an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 5.5, and at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent, thereby obtaining an admixture, whereby said protein beverage has a caloric density of less than 0.9 kilocalorie per milliliter; and packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage, wherein substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of active microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:
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about 0.01% by weight to about 15% by weight protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose; about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume; and at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of an anti-foaming agent, a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent; wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 3.4 and has a caloric density of less than 0.5 kilocalories per milliliter, wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of active microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of tie protein beverage to inactivate microbes; and wherein said essentially free from active microbe condition is created by the inactivation of microbes by carbonation, aseptic packaging, ozonation, radiation, ultra violet light, membrane permeation, pulsed electric field, or a combination thereof.
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49. A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:
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admixing in water a protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 0.01% to about 15% and an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 5.5, an alcohol to achieve a percent by weight of alcohol in the admixture of about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume, and at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent, thereby obtaining an admixture, whereby said protein beverage has a caloric density of less than 0.5 kilocalorie per milliliter; and packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage, wherein substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of active microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes wherein said essentially free from active microbe condition is created by the inactivation of microbes by carbonating, aseptic packaging, exposing to ozone, exposing to radiation, exposing to ultra violet light, subjecting to membrane permeation, exposing to a pulsed electric field, or a combination thereof.
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50. A protein beverage composition suitable for human consumption, comprising:
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about 0.01% by weight to about 15% by weight protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose; about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume; at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of an anti-foaming agent, a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent; wherein said protein beverage composition exhibits a pH ranging from about 2.0 to about 3.4, and has a caloric density of less than 0.9 kilocalories per milliliter, and wherein both, at the time of packaging of the protein beverage and during subsequent storage without refrigeration for a time period of at least one year after packaging, substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of pathogenic microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes.
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51. A method of preparing a protein beverage, comprising:
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admixing in water a protein, wherein said protein is whey protein isolate that is essentially free of caseinate, fat, and lactose, to achieve a percent by weight of protein in the admixture of about 0.01% to about 15%, an alcohol to achieve a percent by weight of alcohol in the admixture of about 4% alcohol by volume to about 15% alcohol by volume, an amount of a pH adjusting agent to provide a pH of between about 2 and about 5.5, and an additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of a nutrient, calcium or a calcium derivative, an herbal supplement, a concentrated plant extract, a flavoring agent, a sweetener, and a coloring agent, thereby obtaining an admixture, whereby said protein beverage has a caloric density of less than 0.9 kilocalorie per milliliter; and packaging said protein beverage in a container which may be stored without refrigeration for more than one year before use by a consumer of the protein beverage, wherein substantial solubility of the protein is maintained in the beverage composition, and said protein beverage is essentially free of active microbes known to be harmful to human health without thermal processing of the protein beverage to inactivate microbes.
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Specification