The present invention is directed to a dry mix thickening system for beverage products prepared with milk, to beverage products, and to methods of making such beverage products. The dry mix thickening system comprises a buffer, a hydrocolloid, and a chelating agent comprising tetrasodium pyrophosphate. When combined with milk using low shear, the dry mix provides a thickened beverage product without heating and without forming insoluble aggregates.
Commercial powdered beverages prepared with milk are very thin. When hydrocolloids are added to milk without providing shear and/or heat, they bind with calcium ions in the milk and form insoluble aggregates (e.g., “fish eyes”) or an insoluble layer. As a result, there is no intended thickening. This failure to thicken is especially true in sugar-free and low sugar products, which do not have sufficient granular particles to act as a spacing agent and do not disperse the hydrocolloid well. Currently, there is no way to build viscosity in milk (especially cold milk) without using shear or heat. Ready-to-drink products may use high shear to disperse and activate hydrocolloids used as thickening agents. In addition, ready-to-drink products may use pectin, which requires a heating step.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,549 discloses that polyphosphates such as tetrasodium polyphosphate (TSPP) and sodium acid polyphosphate are used to reduce the amount of protein aggregation which results from heat treating a ready-to-eat pudding formulation at temperatures in excess of 265° F. The system forms a complete matrix and also uses starch.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,759,073 discloses compositions, which are useful as stabilizer and thickener systems. The compositions comprise a pectin compound, an alginate compound, and a cellulose compound such as carboxymethylcellulose. Ferric pyrophosphate may be added as an enhancer material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,056 discloses beverage compositions comprising (a) a first component, which is arabinogalactan, and (b) a second component comprising one or more minerals selected from the group consisting of zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, selenium, iodine, and fluorine. Iron may be in the form of ferric pyrophosphate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,955 and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0122847 disclose beverage compositions comprising (a) a calcium source comprising a form selected from calcium carbonate, solubilized species thereof, and mixtures thereof; and (b) at least about 20 milligrams of a magnesium source per reference serving of the composition. The beverage may contain iron in the form of ferric pyrophosphate.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0026872 A1 discloses essentially dry compositions that are suitable for use as foods and/or beverages. Preferably, the essentially dry compositions are beverage compositions, wherein the compositions are diluted with a liquid prior to consumption. The composition may contain iron in the form of ferric pyrophosphate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,732 discloses a composition containing a mineral absorption accelerator. The composition contains minerals and products of poly-γ-glutamic acid as a mineral absorption accelerator and may be used in foods in a variety of forms, including a beverage, gel, solid or powder form. The mineral may be iron in the form of ferric pyrophosphate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,654 discloses alginate and/or pectate gels produced by forming an aqueous mixture of a water soluble or water dispensible alginate and/or pectate, a calcium ion sequestrant and a sparingly soluble calcium ion source at low temperature and heating the mixture to cause gelation thereof. The sequestrant is preferably sodium or potassium pyrophosphate but at least part of the sequestrant may be replaced by meat having calcium ion sequestring activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,756 discloses fruit-flavored, powdered gelatin dessert mixes formulated to obtain a relatively high pH of at least 4.15, and a relatively low gelatin load weight while still retaining a desirable sour taste.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,958 discloses egg-free compositions for flan-type puddings. The egg-free compositions comprise milk, sweetener, rice flour, carrageenan, tetrapotassium pyrophosphate, pectin, locust bean gum and at least one material selected from the group consisting of cheese whey protein isolate and xanthane gum. A cook step is required in preparation of the pudding.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,484 discloses combining a starch, hydrated with between 0.7 and 2.0 parts of water and which has been brought to the verge of gelatinization, with a hydrocolloid gum, which also may have been pre-hydrated, to form a mixture. The mixing process includes intimately mixing the hydrocolloid gum with the starch as the latter is gelatinizing; heating the uniform blend under pressure but under low enough shear to preclude starch degradation; and extruding it through a die so that it expands and creates a product with a large surface area to facilitate drying. TSPP is listed among other salts as a way to raise the pH of a starch/gum solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,320 discloses a method and composition for making a water dessert gel having a controlled melting temperature consisting of kappa carrageenan, a sodium salt of a sequestering agent, and ionizable potassium in amounts sufficient to sequester all polyvalent cations present.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,209 discloses a method for the production of a pectin preparation. A fruit pectin having a metal binding power of 30 to 140 g of metal salt is dissolved with a phosphate to produce a solution having a pH between 4.4 to 4.8. A soluble metal salt is added to the solution. Pectin is precipitated from the solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,567 discloses a beverage prepared by reconstituting with milk or a milk substitute a dry mix composition containing a pregelatinized starch, an edible acid and a hydrocolloid gum. The hydrocolloid gum is preferably a mixture of guar gum and xanthan gum. The use of a modified and/or pregelatinized starch permits “rapid rehydration and quick setting thus preventing coagulation and curdling of the milk proteins” by the acid. The product would be at pH of 3-5.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,049 discloses an improved gelling agent composition comprising in combination an alkali metal pyrophosphate, an alkaline earth metal orthophosphate, an alkali metal carbonate, and a thickening agent, the combination being useful in preparing cold set milk puddings. Preferably, the improved gelling agent combination comprises tetrasodium pyrophosphate or sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate, sodium carbonate, and pregelatinized starch. The improved gelling agent is added to milk, or water containing redissolved nonfat dry milk, or redissolved casein to form a pudding.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,456 discloses a dry mix pudding composition comprising waxy maize corn and tapioca pregelatinized starches and alkali pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate and a potassium salt as setting salts. The product is beaten vigorously with a whisk for preparation.
There remains a need for dry mix composition that can be combined with milk using low shear to form a thickened beverage product, without heating and without forming insoluble aggregates.