초록 ▼

Soluble coffee products having a chunkier physical appearance more like that of granular roast and ground coffee products, lower apparent (bulk) densities compared to prior agglomerated spray dried instant coffee products and better solubility than prior freeze dried instant coffee products when add

Soluble coffee products having a chunkier physical appearance more like that of granular roast and ground coffee products, lower apparent (bulk) densities compared to prior agglomerated spray dried instant coffee products and better solubility than prior freeze dried instant coffee products when added directly to hot water. These soluble coffee products are made by forming a relatively thin glassy coffee strip or sheet from a thermoplastic melt of soluble coffee solids, water, coffee aroma and flavor volatiles and optionally solubility enhancing components and then gradually applying vacuum conditions to this glassy strip or sheet over several cycles while heated to a pliable and deformable state such that the strip/sheet expands in a controlled manner from about 2 to about 10 times its initial thickness to provide a porous open-celled coffee matrix where the pores have a median pore size typically in the range of from about 3 to about 25 microns. This porous coffee matrix is then dried and granulated to provide a soluble coffee product that can be easily measured out by consumers to provide differing brew strengths and can be used across a range of consumer preparation practices.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A process for preparing soluble coffee particles, which comprises the steps of:a. forming a thermoplastic melt from a mixture comprising from about 85 to about 97% soluble coffee solids, from about 3 to about 15% water, and coffee aroma and flavor volatiles;b. forming the

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A process for preparing soluble coffee particles, which comprises the steps of:a. forming a thermoplastic melt from a mixture comprising from about 85 to about 97% soluble coffee solids, from about 3 to about 15% water, and coffee aroma and flavor volatiles;b. forming the thermoplastic melt into a solidified elongated coffee structure having a thickness of from about 1/16 to about 1/2 inches and encapsulating the coffee aroma and flavor volatiles within the solidified coffee structure;c. expanding in a controlled manner the solidified coffee structure while in a pliable and deformable state such that the structure expands from about 2 to about 10 times its initial thickness to provide a porous open-celled coffee matrix wherein the pores have a median pore size of from about 1 to about 30 microns;d. drying the porous coffee matrix to a moisture content of about 7% or less; ande. granulating the dried matrix to a particle size of from about 6 mesh (3360 microns) to about 40 mesh (420 microns).