Systems and methods for printing and drying fragrances and flavors

Abstract

Systems and methods for printing and drying fragrances and flavors are provided. The systems and methods include a fragrance or flavor source, a printing assembly adapted to print a fragrance or flavor, a movable product conveyor that directly receives the printed fragrance or flavor, and a drying component. As the movable product conveyor passes through the drying member or near the drying member, the printed fragrance or flavor is dried, thereby providing a free-flowing fragrance or flavor product.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application No. 201980029411.4, with an application date of April 26, 2019 and an invention name of “System and method for printing and drying spices and flavors”. Background Art

[0002] This patent application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 665,206, filed on May 1, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.

[0003] High strength flavors and fragrances (which can range from low viscosity materials to high viscosity materials) are often dried to facilitate their use (supply chain considerations, dosage, storage and stability, etc.). Traditionally, drying is accomplished by one of two methods. The first is vacuum tray drying and the second is conventional spray drying. Both have advantages and limitations.

[0004] The greatest benefit of vacuum tray drying is that it can be carried out without a carrier, thereby preparing spices with high loads. See US 8,137,504, US 7,988,819, US 8,137,724, US 4,588,598 and US 4,282,263. Among numerous restrictions, vacuum tray drying generally requires conditions such as long time (e.g., 24 hours) and high temperature (e.g., >290°C), both of which are unfavorable for the quality and reliability of spices. In addition, vacuum tray drying systems generally require larger floor space and quite long cycle time. In addition, loading and unloading trays and handling products may involve a large amount of manual labor.

[0005] The biggest benefit of spray drying is that it is more cost-effective than vacuum tray drying. The process can be carried out in a continuous manner and reduces the amount of manual labor. An obvious limitation of spray drying is that the flavor or fragrance loading can be limited in view of the risk of dust explosion associated with spray drying. For the encapsulation of volatile fragrances, the maximum safety limit of spray drying is 25%. For less volatile materials (such as essential oils), this loading limit may be higher.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need in the art for alternative methods of producing dry formulations of high intensity flavors and fragrances. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention provides systems and methods for printing and drying spices and flavors. According to the method of the present invention, spices or flavors are printed on a movable product conveyor, which directly receives the printed spices or flavors; and spices or flavors are dried on the movable product conveyor to produce dry products. Similarly, the system of the present invention includes a spice or flavor source; a printing component suitable for printing spices or flavors; a drying component; and a movable product conveyor, which directly receives the printed spices or flavors and is adjacent to the drying component. In some embodiments, the spice or flavor source is a spice or flavor mixed with a carrier and a solvent. In other embodiments, the spice or flavor is encapsulated in a core-shell microcapsule (e.g., a silica microcapsule or a polyacrylate microcapsule) optionally mixed with a carrier and a solvent. In another embodiment, the spice is a food or reaction spice. In certain embodiments, the viscosity of the spice or flavor is greater than 500 cP or greater than 1000 cP. With regard to the printing assembly, the printing assembly may include a print head or nozzle array and is optionally suitable for printing a fragrance or flavor into a dot pattern (e.g., arranged to facilitate drying, post-processing, and product quality) and / or printing a fragrance or flavor having a viscosity of at least 500 cP or at least 1000 cP. In some embodiments, the movable product conveyor is a non-stick belt. In other embodiments, the temperature of the air supplied to the drying component is less than 100°C. Optional features of the system include: a dehumidifier configured to supply dry air to the drying component; a supplemental energy source (e.g., a radiant heat source) for facilitating the drying of the printed fragrance or flavor; and / or a product unloading component for removing the dry product from the movable product conveyor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 A system 10 for printing and drying flavors and fragrances is shown.

[0010] Figure 2 The system 10 of the present invention is shown having optional components including: a mixer 22 for maintaining a feed suspension homogenous while processing, a feed pump 70, an air heater 80 for heating the inlet air 42, an air dehumidifier 90 configured to supply dry inlet air to a drying component, a supplemental energy source 100 for facilitating drying of the printed flavor or fragrance 24, and a product unloading component 110 for removing the dry product 60 from the movable product conveyor 50.

[0011] Figure 3 A plurality of flavor or fragrance dots are shown printed in a pattern or array. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Now developed for printing and drying spices and flavors in discrete predetermined shapes and systems and methods. Printing individual shapes allows surface integrity to be maintained, thereby maintaining stability and controlled release of spices or flavors. In addition, due to the ability to handle high viscosity emulsions or suspensions, printing can have wider formulation flexibility. In particular, printing particles greater than 425 microns of precise size can avoid dust explosion hazards, thereby allowing the increase of spices and flavor loading. In addition, since the present system is not hindered by the viscosity restrictions usually associated with atomization, the feed solids can be increased to more than 65%. Therefore, the system allows the inclusion of natural carriers or fruit and vegetable purees or concentrates. In addition, the system of the present invention can be operated under mild drying conditions to provide a high level of volatile compound retention.

[0014] Reference Figure 1 , the system 10 of the present invention includes a flavor or fragrance source 20; a printing assembly 30 suitable for printing a flavor or fragrance; a drying component 40 having an air inlet 42 and an outlet 44; and a movable product conveyor 50 that directly receives the printed flavor or fragrance 24. As the movable product conveyor 50 passes through the drying component 40 or near the drying component 40, the printed flavor or fragrance 24 is dried by the drying air 46 supplied by the air inlet 42, and a free-flowing flavor or fragrance product 60 is produced.

[0015] The flavor or fragrance source can be a vessel, container or tank containing a feed comprising at least one solute, in particular at least one flavor and / or fragrance. As used herein, the term "feed" means a solution consisting of at least one solute dissolved in a solvent; a suspension consisting of at least one solute in a solvent, wherein at least a portion of the solute is suspended in the solvent or is not dissolved in the solvent; a slurry consisting of at least one insoluble substance in a solvent; or an emulsion consisting of two immiscible liquids, one of which is dispersed in the other in the form of small droplets.

[0016] In one embodiment, the feed includes at least one spice and / or flavor and at least one solvent. In another embodiment, the feed is composed of at least one spice or flavor and at least one solvent, or is essentially composed of it. In some embodiments, the feed is a solution of spices and / or flavors dissolved (completely or partially) in a solvent. In other embodiments, the feed is a suspension or slurry of spices and / or flavor particles in a solvent. In other embodiments, the feed is an emulsion of at least one spice and / or flavor and a solvent.

[0017] As used herein, the term "solvent" means a compound that can be used to dissolve a solute (particularly at least one flavor or fragrance). In one embodiment, the solvent is volatile and has an ambient pressure boiling point of less than 150 ° C. In another embodiment, the solvent has an ambient pressure boiling point of less than 100 ° C. Suitable solvents include: water; alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol and butanol; ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone; esters such as ethyl acetate and propyl acetate; and a variety of other solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, dichloromethane, toluene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. It is also possible to use a less volatile solvent such as dimethylacetamide or dimethyl sulfoxide, which is usually combined with a volatile solvent. A mixture of organic solvents (such as 50% methanol 50% acetone) can also be used, just as a mixture of an organic solvent and water can be used. Ideally, the solvent is water. However, in some embodiments, the solvent contains less than 50% by weight of water. In another embodiment, the solvent contains less than 25% by weight of water. In yet another embodiment, the solvent contains less than 10% by weight of water. In yet another embodiment, the solvent contains less than 5% by weight of water. In another embodiment, the solvent contains substantially no water. Solvent selection can be based on the solutes to be dissolved and / or other considerations such as flammability or off-gas volatile organic compounds released during drying.

[0018] In another embodiment, the feed is at least one spice and / or flavor mixed with at least one carrier and at least one solvent. In another embodiment, the feed is composed of at least one spice or flavor, at least one solvent and at least one carrier, or is essentially composed of it. In some embodiments, the feed is a solution of spices and / or flavors and carriers (completely or partially) dissolved in a solvent. In another embodiment, the feed is an emulsion of at least one spice and / or flavor, a carrier and a solvent. In other embodiments, the feed is a suspension or slurry of spice or flavor particles, which are suspended in a solution of a carrier dissolved in a solvent. It will be recognized that in such a feed suspension, a portion of spices or flavors and carriers can be dissolved at the temperature of the feed suspension until their solubility limit. In some embodiments, the feed is composed of colloidal materials, dissolved materials and mixtures thereof. In other embodiments, the feed does not include a suspension, meaning that the feed does not contain crystals or solid materials with a diameter greater than 1000 nm. In this embodiment, the feed includes dissolved materials, colloidal materials and mixtures thereof. In another embodiment, the feed is composed of dissolved materials.

[0019] As used herein, the term "carrier" refers to a material that protects flavors or fragrances from UV, moisture, oxidation, and / or loss; improves processing productivity, T g, density, porosity and / or flavor or fragrance strength; and / or provide controlled release of flavors or fragrances as designed for specific end-use applications. The carrier can be a monomeric, oligomeric or polymeric material such as a sugar, a sugar derivative, a modified starch, a protein, a cellulose, a salt, a dextrin, a gum, a sugar alcohol, a polyol, a peptide, an acid, a carbohydrate, a colloid or a hydrocolloid. Specific examples of suitable materials include: sugars such as sucrose, glucose, lactose, levulose, trehalose, fructose, maltose, ribose, dextrose, isomalt, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, lactitol, maltitol, arabinose, pentoses, xylose, galactose; hydrogenated starch hydrolysates; inulin; hydrogenated corn syrup; oligosaccharides such as oligofructose; maltodextrin or dextrin (soluble fiber); polysaccharides such as dextran, pullulan, fructan, mannan, chitin, polydextrose, fleximer (opened ring form of dextran); hydrocolloids, such as agar, gum arabic, modified gum arabic, sodium alginate, potassium alginate, ammonium alginate, calcium alginate or carrageenan; gums; polydextrose; underivatized and derivatized celluloses, such as methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate, cellulose acetate phthalate and cellulose acetate trimellitate; underivatized and modified starches, such as modified starches sold under the trade names CAPSUL® (octenyl succinate starch dextrin; National Starch, USA) or HICAP®, acetate starch and carboxymethyl starch; proteins, such as gelatin, pea protein, soy and whey protein isolates and hydrolysates and sodium caseinate; and derivatives and mixtures thereof. Also include synthetic carriers, such as polyacrylate and polymethacrylate, vinyl excipients, polyethylene, polyoxyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, polycarbonate and derivatives thereof and substituted forms. Among other factors, the authenticity of the local flavor or fragrance, taste or smell desired and the intensity to be reached can be selected carrier. In certain embodiments, the carrier is at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% of the dry product. In other embodiments, the carrier is less than 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30% or 25% (for example, less than 20%, 15%, 10%, 5% or 1%) of the dry product. In other embodiments, the dry product does not include a carrier.

[0020] The flavors or fragrances used in the present invention may take the form of: single stock or blends of oils optionally mixed with carriers and / or solvents; encapsulated flavors or fragrances, i.e. core-shell microcapsules; food products, such as fruit or vegetable purees; reaction flavors, or combinations thereof.

[0021] Single raw materials or blends of oils include extracts, naturally occurring plant and animal oils and exudates, complex mixtures including various chemical components such as aldehydes or alcohols and highly polar esters, ketones or lactones. Examples of spices that may be included are acetaldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl acetate, ethyl propionate, methyl butyrate and ethyl butyrate. Spices containing volatile aldehydes or esters include, for example, cinnamyl acetate, cinnamaldehyde, citral, acetaldehyde diethyl acetal, dihydrocarvyl acetate, eugenol formate and p-methylanisole. Additional examples of volatile compounds that may be present in fragrance oils include: acetaldehyde (apple); benzaldehyde (cherry, almond); cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon); citral, i.e., alpha citral (lemon, lime); neral, i.e., beta citral (lemon, lime); decanal (orange, lemon); ethyl vanillin (vanilla, cream); heliotropin, i.e., piperonal (vanilla, cream); vanillin (vanilla, cream); alpha-amyl cinnamaldehyde (fragrant fruity); butyraldehyde (butter, cheese); valeraldehyde (butter, cheese); vanilla calendulal (modifier, many types); decanal (citrus fruits); aldehyde C-8 (citrus fruits); aldehyde C-9 (citrus fruits); aldehyde C-12 (citrus fruits); 2-ethylbutyraldehyde (berries); hexenal, i.e., trans-2 (berries); tolualdehyde (cherries, almonds); veratraldehyde (vanilla); 2,6-dimethyl-5-heptenal, i.e., melonal (melon); 2-6-dimethyloctanal (green fruits); and 2-dodecenal (citrus, oranges); cherries; or grapes, and mixtures thereof. Spices also include spice oleoresins derived from allspice, basil, chili, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, dill, garlic, marjoram, nutmeg, paprika, black pepper, rosemary, and turmeric; essential oils, anise oil, caraway oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, cumin oil, garlic oil, ginger oil, mint oil, onion oil, pepper oil, rosemary oil, spearmint oil, citrus oils, orange oil, lemon oil, bitter orange oil, tangerine oil, oil); onion flavors, garlic, leek, chives and onions; plant extracts, arnica flower extract, chamomile flower extract, hops extract, calendula extract; plant spice extracts, blackberry, chicory root, cocoa, coffee, cola tree, licorice root, rose hip, sarsaparilla root, Sassafras bark; tamarind and vanilla extracts, protein hydrolysates, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, meat protein hydrolysates, milk protein hydrolysates, and natural and artificial complex flavors, including those disclosed in S. Heath, Source Book of Flavors, Avi Publishing Co., Westport Conn., 1981, pages 149-277.

[0022] Examples of essential oils include, but are not limited to, animal essences such as musk oil, civet, castoreum, ambergris; plant essences such as nutmeg extract, cardamom extract, ginger extract, cinnamon extract, patchouli oil, geranium oil, orange oil, citrus oil, orange blossom extract, cedarwood, vetiver, lavandin, ylang-ylang extract, tuberose extract, sandalwood oil, bergamot oil, rosemary oil, spearmint oil, peppermint oil, lemon oil, lavender oil, citronella oil, chamomile oil, clove oil, sage oil, neroli oil, labdanum oil, eucalyptus oil, verbena oil, mimosa extract, narcissus extract, carrot seed extract, jasmine extract, frankincense extract, rose extract, and mixtures thereof.Other examples of suitable essential oils include, but are not limited to, chemicals such as acetophenone, adoxal, aldehyde C-12, aldehyde C-14, aldehyde C-18, allyl octanoate, ambroxan, amyl acetate, dimethyl indane derivatives, α-amyl cinnamaldehyde, anethole, anisaldehyde, benzaldehyde, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol and ester derivatives, benzyl propionate, benzyl salicylate, borneol, butyl acetate, camphor, carbitol, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, cinnamyl alcohol, cis-3-hexanol and ester derivatives, cis-3-hexenyl methyl carbonate, citral, citronellol and ester derivatives, cuminaldehyde, cyperaldehyde, cyclopentane esters, galbanate), damascones, decalactone, decanol, estragole, dihydromyrcenol, dimethylbenzyl alcohol, 6,8-dimethyl-2-nonanol, dimethylbenzyl methyl butyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl isobutyrate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl caproate, ethyl valerate, ethyl vanillin, eugenol, cyclopentadecalactone, fenchone, fruity esters such as ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, galaxolide, geraniol and ester derivatives, helional, 2-heptanone, hexenol, α-hexylcinnamaldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, indole, isoamyl acetate, isoeugenyl acetate, ionone, isoeugenol, isoamyl isovalerate, ambergris (iso E super), limonene, linalool, lily aldehyde, linalyl acetate, lyral, majantol, mayol, melonal, menthol, p-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl cedrylone, methyl dihydrojasmonate, methyl eugenol, methyl ionone, methyl-β-naphthyl ketone, methyl phenyl methyl acetate, mugetanol, γ-nonalactone, octanal, phenylethyl acetate, phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetate, phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, phenylethyl alcohol, pinene, sandalore, santalol, stemone, thymol, terpenes, triplal, triethyl citrate, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanol, Gamma-undecanoic acid lactone, undecenal, vanillin, veloutone, verdox and mixtures thereof. Further suitable essential oils can be found in US 4,145,184, US 4,209,417, US 4,515,705 and US 4,152,272.

[0023] Core-shell microcapsules refer to spherical microparticles (i.e., 50 nm to 2 mm in diameter) having a core surrounded by a material that is completely different from the core material. According to the present invention, the core of the microcapsule comprises a spice or flavor optionally mixed with a carrier and / or a solvent. In one embodiment, the core is a single spice or flavor or a blend of spices and / or flavors. In another embodiment, the core is a food. In another embodiment, the core is a reaction spice. In yet another embodiment, the core-shell microcapsules containing encapsulated spices or flavors are mixed with a carrier and / or a solvent.

[0024] The selection of appropriate shell materials may depend on the desired physical and / or chemical properties of the resulting microcapsules. When selecting a wall polymer, product requirements, i.e., stability, reduced volatility, release characteristics, environmental conditions, etc., should be considered. The polymer should be able to form a film that bonds to the core material. It should be chemically compatible with the core material, non-reactive, and provide the desired wall properties, such as strength, flexibility, impermeability, optical properties, and stability.

[0025] Typically, hydrophilic polymers, hydrophobic polymers, amphiphilic polymers or combinations thereof are used for microencapsulation methods. Suitable wall materials include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose acetate phthalate, polyacrylates, polyureas, polyurethanes, polyamides, polyolefins, starch or modified starch, proteins (e.g., gelatin), silicon dioxide (e.g., sol-gel), fatty acids, lipids, waxes, cellulose or modified cellulose (e.g., ethyl cellulose), gums (e.g., gum arabic), rubber, melamine-formaldehyde, polystyrene and polyesters or combinations of these materials. Wall thickness can vary greatly depending on the surface area of ​​the core material to be coated and other physical properties of the system. Microcapsules can be prepared by any suitable method, including spray drying, extrusion, fluidized bed, coagulation, etc. The preparation of microcapsules is known in the art and is described in, for example, Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 5th Edition, and in US 2,800,457, US 3,870,542, US 3,516,941, US 3,415,758, US 3,041,288, US 5,112,688, US 6,329,057, US 6,261,483, US 2007 / 0138674, and WO 2017 / 058875. In a particular embodiment, the core-shell microcapsules are silica microcapsules. In another embodiment, the core-shell microcapsules are polyacrylate microcapsules.

[0026] Foods include solids of fruits, vegetables, nectar, products derived from nectar or juice (such as syrup), or any combination thereof. Fruit and vegetable solids can be obtained from fruit / vegetable purees and / or juices. Products of plant origin may further include natural colors and / or natural flavors. As used herein, the term "natural" means derived from fruits or vegetables. As conventional in the art, nectar refers to a sugar-rich liquid produced by a plant in a gland called a nectary (found in a flower). Syrup refers to a viscous liquid consisting primarily of sugar and water. Syrup can be made by refining natural sweet juices (such as cane juice or maple sap). Suitable fruits, vegetables, nectars, and foods that are sources of nectar or juice include, but are not limited to, apples, apricots, bananas, blueberries, broccoli, green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, cantaloupe, cauliflower, cherries, celery, cranberries, cucumbers, grapes, eggplant, grapefruit, iceberg lettuce, and zucchini. the present invention includes but is not limited to: oranges, peas, peaches, peppers, pears, potatoes, pineapples, radishes, plums, spinach, raspberries, zucchini, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons, acai, black currant, kiwi, lemon, lime, mango, pomegranate, prickly pear, asparagus, beets, butternut squash, chard, kale, sweet potatoes, agave syrup, maple syrup, and combinations thereof. Considering that many of these foods may contain 70 to 96% (w / w) water and 4 to 30% (w / w) solids, certain embodiments provide foods that do not include exogenous solvents or carriers.However, in other embodiments, the food to be printed and dried includes an exogenous solvent, an exogenous carrier, or an exogenous solvent and a carrier.

[0027] Reaction flavors are those flavors generated by heating a mixture of starting materials (such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats) for a sufficiently long period of time to obtain the desired characteristics. Reaction flavors are formed by chemical reactions, such as Maillard reactions, Schiff base reactions, Strecker reactions and caramelization reactions and / or other beneficial flavor reactions. Materials that can be used to develop reaction flavors include, but are not limited to, lipids or fats, reducing sugars, free amino acids, alternative protein sources (such as hydrolyzed vegetable proteins (HVP) or yeast autolysates) and a small amount of water to initiate the reaction. Suitable amino acids are natural or non-natural, standard or derived. Examples include glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, serine, cysteine, selenocysteine, threonine, methionine, proline, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, histidine, lysine, arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, glutamine, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), L-dihydroxy-phenylalanine (L-DOPA) and eflornithine. Reducing sugars are those having an aldehyde group or being able to form an aldehyde group in solution by isomerization. The aldehyde group enables sugars to act as reducing agents in the Maillard reaction, which is important for the browning of many foods. Aldose in the form of cyclic hemiacetals can be opened to expose aldehydes, and some ketoses can be tautomerized to become aldoses. Examples of reducing sugars include glucose, fructose, xylose, glyceraldehyde, galactose, lactose, arabinose, maltose, glucose polymers such as starch, hydrolyzed starch and starch-derivatives such as glucose syrup, maltodextrin and dextrin. Methods for producing reaction flavors are known in the art and are disclosed, for example, in US 2017 / 0027205.

[0028] In certain embodiments, the spices or flavor feed to be printed contains 1% to 50% by weight, or more preferably 10% to 40%, or most preferably 20% to 40% spices or flavors. When including a carrier, the solids of the spices or flavor feed can be in the range of 10% to 80%, or more preferably 20% to 65%, or most preferably 30% to 50%. In certain embodiments, the feed solids content of the spices or flavor feed is at least 50%, 60%, 70% or 80%. The amount of spices and / or carriers can be adjusted by using more or less solvents, depending on the solubility of the carrier material and various factors related to the effective operation of the system.

[0029] Alternatively, or in addition to flavors and fragrances, the feed may include other active materials. These materials include ingredients such as taste masking agents, taste sensitizers, acidulants, sweeteners, vitamins, dyes, colorants, pigments, surfactants, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, anesthetics, analgesics, antifungals, antibiotics, antivirals, antiparasitics, enzymes and coenzymes, antihistamines, and chemotherapeutic agents.

[0030] Taste masking agents are substances used to mask one or more unpleasant taste sensations, in particular bitter, astringent and / or metallic taste sensations or aftertastes, which substances may be ingredients of the products according to the invention. Examples include lactitol (lactisol) (2-O-(4-methoxyphenyl) lactic acid]; see US 5,045,336), 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid potassium salt (see US 5,643,941), ginger extract (see GB 2,380,936), neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, specific flavonoids (2-phenylchrome-2-ene-4-one; see US 5,580,545), certain nucleotides such as cytidine-5'-monophosphate (CMP; see US 2002 / 0177576), certain sodium salts such as sodium chloride, sodium citrate, sodium acetate and sodium lactate, lipoproteins of β-lactoglobulin and phosphatidic acid, neodiosmine (5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-methoxy-3-hydroxyphenyl)-7-O-neohesperidosyl-chrome-2-en-4-one; see 4,154,862), preferably hydroxyflavanones such as 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxychroman-4-one (naringenin), 2 -(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxychroman-4-one (eriodictyol), 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5-hydroxy-7-methoxychroman-4-one (eriodictyol-7-methyl ether), 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7-hydroxy-5-methoxychroman-4-one (eriodictyol-5-methyl ether) and 2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxychroman-4-one (homoeriodictyol), their (2S)- or (2R)-enantiomers or mixtures thereof and their reaction with Na as counter cation + , K + NH 4+ , Ca 2+ Mg 2+ or Al 3+ Monovalent or polyvalent phenolates of or gamma-aminobutyric acid (4-aminobutyric acid, as neutral form ("inner salt") or carboxylate or ammonium form). See WO 2005 / 096841.

[0031] Taste sensates include hot tastes, salivating substances, substances causing a warm or tingling sensation and cooling active ingredients. Examples of hot tastes and / or substances causing salivating substances and / or substances causing a warm and / or tingling sensation on the skin or on the mucous membranes and which can be components of the dry product include: capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, gingerol, paradol, shogaol, piperine, carboxylic acid-N-vanillylamide, in particular nonanoic acid-N-vanillylamide, pellitorin or spilanthol, 2-nonanoic acid amides, in particular 2-nonanoic acid-N-isobutylamide, 2-nonanoic acid-N-4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzamide, alkyl ethers of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, in particular 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl-n-butyl ether, alkyl ethers of 4-acyloxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, In particular, 4-acetoxy-3-methoxybenzyl-n-butyl ether and 4-acetoxy-3-methoxybenzyl-n-hexyl ether, alkyl ethers of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, alkyl ethers of 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol, alkyl ethers of 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, alkyl ethers of 3,4-methylenedioxybenzyl alcohol, (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid amide, in particular (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid-N-octylamide, vanillylmandelic acid alkylamide, ferulic acid-phenylacetamide, nicotinaldehyde, methyl nicotinate, propyl nicotinate, 2-butoxyethyl nicotinate, benzyl nicotinate, 1-acetoxybenzene, polygodial and isodrimeninol, more preferably according to WO cis- and / or trans-serratocarpon according to WO 2004 / 000787 or WO 2004 / 043906, olefincarboxylic acid-N-alkylamides according to WO 2005 / 044778, mandelic acid alkylamides according to WO 03 / 106404 or alkoxyalkanoic acid amides according to WO 2006 / 003210. Examples of preferred hot tasting natural extracts and / or natural extracts which cause a sensation of warmth and / or tingling on the skin or on the mucous membranes and which can be an ingredient of the product according to the invention include: extracts of paprika, extracts of pepper (e.g. capsicum extracts), extracts of chili pepper, extracts of ginger root, extracts of Aframomum melgueta, extracts of Spilanthes-acmella, extracts of Kaempferia galangal or extracts of Alpinia galanga.

[0032] Suitable cooling active ingredients include the following: 1-menthol, d-menthol, racemic menthol, menthone glycerol acetal, menthyl lactate, menthyl lactate (preferably 1-menthyl lactate, especially 1-menthyl lactate), substituted menthyl-3-carboxamides (e.g. menthyl-3-carboxylic acid-N-acetamide), 2-isopropyl-N-2,3-trimethyl-butyramide, substituted cyclohexanecarboxamides, 3-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, 2-hydroxyethyl menthyl carbonate, carbonate 2-Hydroxypropylmenthyl, N-acetylglycine menthyl, isopulegol, menthyl hydroxycarboxylates (e.g. menthyl 3-hydroxybutyrate), monomenthyl succinate, 2-mercaptocyclodecanone, menthyl 2-pyrrolidine-5-onecarboxylate, 2,3-dihydroxy-p-menthane, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanone glycerol ketal, 3-menthyl 3,6-dioxaalkanoate and 3-menthyl 3,6-trioxaalkanoate, 3-menthyl methoxyacetate and icilin. Particularly preferred cooling active ingredients include: 1-menthol, racemic menthol, menthone glycerol acetal, menthyl lactate (preferably 1-menthyl lactate, in particular 1-menthyl 1-lactate), 3-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, 2-hydroxyethylmenthyl carbonate, and 2-hydroxypropylmenthyl carbonate.

[0033] Acidulants are additives that increase acidity or impart sour taste. Any edible food-grade organic or inorganic acid can be used as an acidulant, such as, but not limited to, citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, adipic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, phosphoric acid, lactic acid, sodium acid pyrophosphate, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.

[0034] Sweeteners are substances used to sweeten food or beverages. Examples of sweeteners include, for example, sucrose, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, Stevia rebaudiana extract, rebaudioside A (Reb A), stevioside, rebaudioside D (Reb D), xylose, arabinose or rhamnose and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, inositol) and combinations thereof. Artificial sweeteners include, for example, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, acesulfame potassium, saccharin and combinations thereof.

[0035] Vitamins include any vitamin, its derivatives and salts thereof. Examples include: vitamin A and its analogs and derivatives (e.g., retinol, retinal, retinyl palmitate, retinoic acid, tretinoin and isotretinoic acid, collectively referred to as retinoids), vitamin E (tocopherol and its derivatives), vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid and its esters and other derivatives), vitamin B3 (niacinamide and its derivatives), alpha hydroxy acids (such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, etc.), and beta hydroxy acids (such as salicylic acid, etc.).

[0036] The product according to the invention may contain, for example, the following dyes, colorants or pigments: lactoflavin (riboflavin), β-carotene, riboflavin-5'-phosphate, α-carotene, γ-carotene, cantaxanthin, erythrosine, curcumin, quinoline yellow, yellow orange S, tartrazine, bixin, norbixin (annatto, orlean), capsanthin, capsanthin, lycopene, β-apo-8'-carotenal, β-apo-8'-carotenic acid ethyl ester, xanthophylls (xanthophylls, lutein, cryptoxanthin, rubaxanthin, violaxanthin, rodoxanthin), fast carmine (carminic acid, cochineal carmine), azorubin, cochineal red A (Ponceau 4 R), betaine, betanin, anthocyanin, amaranth, patent blue V, indigo I (indigo-carmine), chlorophyll, copper compounds of chlorophyll, acid brilliant green BS (lissamine green), brilliant black BN, vegetable carbon, titanium dioxide, iron oxides and hydroxides, calcium carbonate, aluminum, silver, gold, pigment ruby ​​BK (lithol ruby ​​BK), methyl violet B, Victoria blue R, Victoria blue B, acilan brilliant blue FFR (brilliant wool blue FFR), naphthol green B, acilan fast green 10 G (basic fast green 10 G), ceres yellow GRN, Sudan blue II, ultramarine, phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, fast acid violet R. Additional naturally obtained extracts (e.g. red pepper extract, black carrot extract, red cabbage extract) can be used for coloring purposes.

[0037] Examples of suitable emulsifiers or surfactants include, but are not limited to, lecithin, sucrose esters, polysorbates (e.g., polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate), proteins, gums (e.g., gum arabic or gum tragacanth), soap bark extracts (e.g., quillaja extract), saponins, and the like.

[0038] Examples of antioxidants include β-carotene, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) or its esters, vitamin A or its esters, vitamin E or its esters, lutein or its esters, lycopene, selenium, flavonoids, vitamin-like antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and glutathione, and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase.

[0039] Anti-inflammatory agents include, for example, methyl salicylate, aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Additional anti-inflammatory agents include corticosteroids such as, but not limited to, flurandrenolide, clobetasol propionate, halobetasol propionate, fluticasone propionate, betamethasone dipropionate, betamethasone benzoate, betamethasone valerate, desoximethasone, dexamethasone, diflorasone diacetate, mometasone furoate, halcinonide, fluocinonide, fluocinolone acetonide, desonide, triamcinolone acetonide, acetonide, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, fluoromethalone, methylprednisolone, and predinicarbate.

[0040] Anesthetics include benzocaine, butamben, butamben picrate, cocaine, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, and pramoxine hydrochloride.

[0041] Suitable analgesics include, but are not limited to, ibuprofen, diclofenac, capsaicin, and lidocaine.

[0042] Non-limiting examples of antifungal agents include micanazole, clotrimazole, butoconazole, fenticonazole, tioconazole, terconazole, sulconazole, fluconazole, haloprogin, ketonazole, ketoconazole, oxinazole, econazole, itraconazole, torbinafine, nystatin, and griseofulvin.

[0043] Non-limiting examples of antibiotics include erythromycin, clindamycin, synthomycin, tetracycline, metronidazole, and the like.

[0044] Antiviral agents include, but are not limited to, famcyclovir, valacyclovir, and acyclovir.

[0045] Examples of enzymes and coenzymes include coenzyme Q10, papain, lipase, protease, superoxide dismutase, plasmin, deoxyribonuclease, trypsin, collagenase, and sutilain.

[0046] Antihistamines include, but are not limited to, chlorpheniramine, brompheniramine, dexchlorpheniramine, tripolidine, clemastine, diphenhydramine, prometazine, piperazine, piperidine, astemizole, loratadine, and terfonadine.

[0047] Non-limiting examples of chemotherapeutic agents include 5-fluorouracil, masoprocol, mechlorethamine, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, chlorambucil, streptozocin, methotrexate, bleomycin, dactinomycin, daunorubicin, coxorubicin, and tamoxifen.

[0048] In some embodiments, the amount of additional active material is from 0.1% to 50% (eg, 0.2 to 40%, 0.3 to 30%, 0.4 to 20%, and 0.5 to 10%) by weight of the flavor or fragrance product.

[0049] Depending on the form of the flavor or fragrance to be printed and dried, the viscosity of the feed can be in the range of 100 cP (centipoise) or mPa-s (millipascal-second) to 10,000 cP or mPa-s. In some embodiments, the viscosity of the feed is greater than 100 cP, greater than 200 cP, greater than 300 cP, greater than 400 cP, greater than 500 cP, greater than 600 cP, greater than 700 cP, greater than 800 cP, greater than 900 cP or greater than 1000 cP. In other embodiments, the viscosity of the feed is less than 10,000 cP, 9000 cP, less than 8000 cP, less than 7000 cP, less than 6000 cP or less than 5000 cP.

[0050] To maintain a uniform feed solution, slurry, suspension or emulsion, the flavor or fragrance source may be a mixing chamber ( Figure 2) form. Delivery of feed from flavor or fragrance source 20 to printing assembly 30 may be facilitated via pump 70 (e.g., a high viscosity melt pump, a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pump, or a gear pump or other delivery device). Figure 2 ). The printing assembly 30 is then used to print the flavor or fragrance feed 24 onto the movable product conveyor 50.

[0051] The printing component of the system of the present invention prints, drips or deposits spices or flavors directly on a movable product conveyor in discrete predetermined shapes. In this respect, the printing component is different from a spray dryer nozzle that atomizes the feed. The feed can be printed into letters, numbers or geometric shapes, including but not limited to squares, circles or dots, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, etc. In addition, the feed can be printed on a movable product conveyor in a predetermined pattern (particularly a dot pattern). Ideally, the pattern is selected to facilitate drying, post-processing and product quality. In some embodiments, the printed shape is a three-dimensional dot, such as a mini tablet or mini tablet, for example 0.04 mm 3 Up to 10 mm 3 In another embodiment, the plurality of dots are printed in a pattern or array such that the dots are evenly distributed and spaced for optimal drying, post-processing and product quality, for example, the center distance between dots is 1 to 10 mm (see Figure 3 ). Alternatively, the spacing of the points can be a factor of their diameter, e.g., a center-to-center distance of "1D" means that the edges of the points just touch each other, while "2D" means that the center-to-center distance of the points is twice the diameter. By way of example, Figure 3 The 2D spacing is shown.

[0052] Ideally, the printing assembly is suitable for printing flavor or fragrance feeds having a viscosity in the range of 100 cP to 10,000 cP. In some embodiments, the printing assembly is suitable for printing flavor or fragrance feeds having a viscosity of at least 200 cP, 300 cP, 400 cP, 500 cP, 600 cP, 700 cP, 800 cP, 900 cP, 1000 cP, 2000 cP, 3000 cP, 4000 cP, 5000 cP, 6000 cP, 7000 cP, 8000 cP, 9000 cP, or 10000 cP.

[0053] The printing assembly of the system of the present invention can be a non-contact printing assembly, such as an inkjet type print head or nozzle array, which drops or deposits the material on a surface; or a contact printing assembly, such as a flat screen, a rotary screen, a reverse gravure printing or a flexography printing assembly. In a particular embodiment, the printing assembly is a non-contact printing assembly.

[0054] In general, there are two common types of jetting modes for non-contact printing components: continuous mode (CM) and drop-on-demand (DOD). In continuous mode jetting, a continuous fluid jet is ejected from an orifice; Rayleigh instability causes the jet to break into individual droplets after a certain flight distance. In on-demand mode, individual droplets are ejected from an orifice, usually due to a pulsed energy source.

[0055] Various types of jet heads have been developed for various types of materials and deposition requirements. The operating principle can be electromechanical pumping of fluids, or heat-driven pumping. In some embodiments, a thermal actuator is used to eject material through the nozzle. Depending on the embodiment, the print head can be made as a 'roof-shooter' or a 'side shooter', depending on the position of the heating element relative to the nozzle orifice. Bubble jet technology uses a method where a water-based ink is heated until the water evaporates, and the vapor pressure is used to eject the droplets.

[0056] In other embodiments, a piezoelectric actuator is used to eject material through a nozzle. These piezoelectric actuators can be used for printing in either a continuous mode or an on-demand mode. There are a variety of designs for piezoelectric nozzles, which can be classified based on the piezoelectric ceramic deformation mode employed and the location of the actuator: squeeze, bend, push, and shear. In a standard bend mode design, the piezoelectric element expands and exerts pressure on a diaphragm that directly cooperates with the feed reservoir to facilitate fluid ejection. The push mode configuration is similar, except that the polarization of the piezoelectric is perpendicular to the ejection path rather than parallel. In both cases, the generated electric field is parallel to the polarization of the piezoelectric material. In contrast, the shear mode configuration produces piezoelectric deformation in the presence of an electric field perpendicular to the polarization of the piezoelectric ceramic element. An squeeze mode ejector contains a cylindrical channel surrounded by a piezoelectric ceramic tube; when the piezoelectric element is driven, it "squeezes" the channel.

[0057] Various aspects of printing have been described (Lee (2003) Microdrop Generation, CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL), including printing polymers (Gao & Sonin (1994) Proc. Royal Soc. London (A) 444:533-54), metals (Liu & Orme (2001) J. Mat. Proc. Technol. 115:271-83), and ceramics (Seerden et al. (2001) J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 84:2514-20).

[0058] MicroFab Technologies (Plano, TX) is a well-known supplier of jetting instruments, which supplies piezoelectrically actuated jets. In addition, other companies such as FUJIFILM Dimatix (Santa Clara, CA) and Xaar (EastDorset, Vt) also produce printhead arrays with up to 1000 nozzles. In solid-state free-form manufacturing, printheads for printing viscous polymers have been developed. For example, Sanders Inc. (Merrimack, NH) provides two types of jetting nozzles, one for wax-based part materials and the other for supporting structures to print high-resolution three-dimensional wax objects. Similarly, the printheads produced by 3D Systems (Rock Hill, Sc) can be used for printing wax materials with a resolution within the range of 300 to 600 dpi. In addition, Objet Geometries (Rehovot, Israel) has produced printheads with hundreds of nozzles capable of printing polymer materials. In some embodiments, acoustic focusing at ultrasonic drive frequencies is used to eject high-viscosity fluids. In one embodiment, the printing assembly is a printhead. In another embodiment, the printing assembly is a nozzle array.

[0059] In addition to the standard CS and DOD methods, other technologies have also been studied. For example, liquid spark jet (a relative of thermal jetting) relies on electric spark discharge rather than resistors to form bubbles in a reservoir. Electrohydrodynamic inkjets use a strong electric field to pull a curved liquid surface from a pressure-controlled capillary and pull out droplets under very specific conditions; these droplets are significantly smaller than the tube from which they flow. Electrorheological fluid jets use inks whose properties change under high electric fields; only when the electric field is turned off does the fluid flow. In a curved and stretched ultrasonic droplet ejector, on-demand inkjet and continuous droplet formation can be achieved, in which a plate containing a nozzle orifice acts as an actuator, vibrates at a resonant frequency and forms droplets by generating capillary waves on the liquid surface and increasing pressure in the liquid. Focused acoustic beam jetting uses a lens to focus an ultrasonic beam on the free surface of a fluid, using the acoustic pressure transient generated by a focused burst to eject fluid droplets (Elrod et al. (1989) J. Appl. Physics 65: 3441-7). A variation of this involves focusing ultrasound waves on the surface of a liquid, thereby forming surface waves that eventually break up into a mist of small droplets (Fukumoto et al. (2000) J. Imag. Sci. Technol. 44:398-405). Ultrasonic droplet generation systems for printing fluids with viscosities up to 3000 cP have been described (Kiyama et al. (2011) IEEE 88-93).

[0060] Also known in the art is a jetting system combining mechanical and pneumatic mechanisms for applying greater force to viscous jetting materials. For example, EFD PICODOT jetting valve (Nordson EFD, UK) provides high jetting frequency, and can handle fluids with viscosity in the range of 50 cP to 500,000 cP. Nozzles can be obtained with an aperture of 50 μm, 100 μm, 150 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm and 400 μm to adapt to a wide range of point sizes. LV type valves are suitable for viscosity in the range of up to 1000 cP from low viscosity, and MV type valves are suitable for viscosity in the range of up to 500,000 cP from 1000 cP, both of which are sprayed using 50 μm nozzles. Yang et al. (2013) Solid Freeform Fabric. Proc. 505-513 pages have been studied and described for the parameters of fluids of different viscosities.

[0061] In some embodiments, the flavor or fragrance is provided with a droplet diameter of 100 microns to 5 mm or more preferably 425 microns to 1 mm. As conventional in the art, droplets less than 425 microns (i.e., particles passing through a 40 mesh sieve) are considered dust. Smaller droplets can be obtained with smaller nozzle diameters and higher pressures, while larger nozzle diameters and lower pressures are used to obtain larger droplet sizes.

[0062] For convenience, the spices or flavor sources are usually kept at a temperature close to the environment; however, this is not a limitation of the disclosed system or method. Typically, the temperature of the spices or flavor sources can be in the range of 0 ° C to 80 ° C or even higher temperatures. Temperatures below 0 ° C can also be used, especially when there are stability issues with the feed. Similarly, the rest of the system, particularly the printing assembly and the optional pump, can be used at any suitable temperature that does not change the smell of the flavor or the taste of the spices. In certain embodiments, the system is at room temperature (e.g., 20-25 ° C) or about room temperature. However, when the spices or flavors have a high viscosity, the spices or flavors can be optionally heated to, for example, 32 to 80 ° C without changing the taste or smell of the spices or flavors, respectively.

[0063] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the flavor or fragrance feed is printed directly on a movable product conveyor 50 that passes through or is adjacent to the drying unit 40. Ideally, the movable product conveyor 50 provides a non-stick surface onto which the flavor or fragrance feed is printed and dried as the printed feed 24 is conveyed through the drying unit 40. A surface is considered "non-stick" when the adhering material can be easily removed without significant force or is completely prevented from adhering. The movable product conveyor can be a relatively thin flexible sheet or belt supported by a suitable support system 52, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the movable product conveyor can be configured as a substantially rigid tray or bed. When the movable product conveyor is a belt or plate, the support system 52 may include conventional circulating conveyor belt components, such as a motor, a drive roller and a drive linkage to transfer power from the motor to the drive roller. A speed controller, such as an AC variable speed control device, etc., may also be included to control the output speed of the motor. In some embodiments, the movable product conveyor moves continuously through the drying component or moves continuously near it. In other embodiments, the movable product conveyor moves through the drying component or passes near it in a discontinuous manner, that is, the conveyor stops a predetermined time period to extend the exposure of the printed feed to the dry air provided by the drying component.

[0064] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the flavor or fragrance feed printed on the movable product conveyor 50 passes through the drying component 40 or near it and is exposed to the dry air 46 supplied via the air inlet 42. In this regard, the air of the drying component is in contact with the flavor or fragrance feed fluid printed on the movable product conveyor. The dry air 46 circulates through the drying component 40, flows over and around the printed feed 24 to evaporate moisture, and leaves the drying component 40 via the air outlet 44. In some embodiments, the flow of the dry air is substantially parallel to the movable product conveyor 50. In other embodiments, the flow of the dry air is in a straight line or downward rotation direction toward the movable product conveyor 50. In certain embodiments, the flow of the dry air is the same as the direction of the product flow. In other embodiments, the flow of the dry air is opposite to the direction of the product flow.

[0065] The air supplied to the drying part can be air from the surrounding environment, a gas other than air, or a combination thereof. Inert gases such as nitrogen and carbonate gases can be used. For substances that are easily oxidized, inert gases may be preferred.

[0066] Ideally, the temperature of the inlet air supplied to the drying component is in the range of 30°C to 160°C, preferably 30°C to 110°C, more preferably 40°C to 100°C, and most preferably 40°C to 90°C. In certain embodiments, the temperature of the inlet air is below 100°C. When the inlet air is above ambient room temperature, the system may further include an air heater 80 to heat the inlet air ( Figure 2 ). The air heater may be configured to operate using electricity or gas. Thus, in some embodiments, the system may also include a gas radiant heater or an electric heater. The term "gas radiant heater" means a device that generates substantially radiant heat by burning gas. The term "electric radiant heater" means a device that generates substantially radiant heat by drawing electric current. Various forms of such heaters are known in the art.

[0067] The relative humidity (RH) of the inlet air supplied to the drying component may be below 35% RH, preferably below 15% RH, more preferably below 7% RH, and most preferably below 1% RH. When the inlet air RH is higher than the ambient level, the system may further include an air dehumidifier 90 ( Figure 2 ). Thus, the system can have both dehumidification and drying functions. A drying component capable of blowing out a large volume of dry air with a dew point below 5°C is preferred. For a drying component that does not have a dehumidification function, the drying component can be modified to include a dry dehumidifier, such as a honeycomb type rotary dehumidifier (e.g., Nichias Corporation or Sweden PROFLUTE Corporation).

[0068] To facilitate drying of the printed flavor or fragrance, the system can be modified to include a supplemental energy source. Ideally, the supplemental energy source provides drying radiant heat, i.e., heat energy transferred from one body to another by a process generally known as radiation, as distinct from heat transfer from one body to another by processes generally known as conduction and convection.

[0069] Dry radiant heat sources are known in the art and can reach high temperatures and can generate large amounts of radiant heat energy. Such heaters can reach temperatures of at least 100°C, and can reach temperatures significantly above 100°C. The high temperatures that these heaters can reach can be beneficial in generating large amounts of heat energy. In addition, the temperature of the heater and the amount of radiant heat energy generated thereby can be changed relatively quickly and can be easily adjusted by its proportional modulation. In addition, compared to other heat sources, such heaters generally tend to be relatively light in weight and are generally shock and vibration resistant.

[0070] Examples of suitable dry radiant heat sources include, but are not limited to, infrared and other optical devices, electric radiant heaters, and radiant gas heaters. Since electric radiant heaters such as quartz heaters and ceramic heaters draw electricity to operate, such heaters can be operated by portable generators or by permanent power grids. Similarly, radiant gas heaters can be operated by portable gas supplies (such as liquefied natural gas tanks) or by gas distribution systems (such as underground pipeline systems). In addition, generally known heaters (such as those discussed above) provide long, reliable working life and can be easily repaired. Additional energy sources include, but are not limited to, microwaves or radio frequency waves.

[0071] like Figure 2 As shown, the supplemental energy source 100 can be configured to direct radiant heat 102 to the lower side of the movable product conveyor 50, i.e., the side opposite to the side printed with the fragrance or flavor feed 24. However, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention (not shown), the supplemental energy source directs radiant heat to the side of the movable product conveyor printed with the fragrance or flavor feed. In another alternative embodiment (not shown), a reflector or the like can be used to direct radiant heat from the supplemental energy source to the printed feed. Movable product conveyors suitable for including one or more supplemental energy sources are known in the art and are described in, for example, US 6,539,645, US 7,441,344, US 8,984,763, US 9,068,777, US 9,243,843, US 9,073,711 and US 9,550,629.

[0072] In order to allow energy to be transferred from a supplementary energy source, the movable product conveyor can be made of a material that is substantially transparent to radiant heat and can also withstand temperatures up to 150°C. In some embodiments, the movable product conveyor is made of a material comprising plastic. The term "plastic" means any of various non-metallic compounds produced by polymerization synthesis of organic compounds, which can be molded into various forms and hardened, or form a flexible plate or film. In certain embodiments, the movable product conveyor is made of acrylic acid and polyester. When used to manufacture the movable product conveyor, such materials are known to have the desired thermal radiation transmission properties for the present invention. In addition, plastic resins can be formed into uniform flexible plates or seamless endless belts, which can provide additional benefits. In other embodiments, the movable product conveyor is made of stainless steel or other suitable materials coated with a non-stick coating such as TEFLON (polytetrafluoroethylene coating).

[0073] The speed or movement rate of the movable product conveyor and the temperature and rate of the airflow can affect the process of drying the printed spices or flavors. For example, a relatively slow speed of the movable product conveyor (e.g., ~0.05 m / sec) can increase the heat absorbed by the printed spices or flavors, because the slower speed will cause the printed spices or flavors to be exposed to heat for a longer period of time. On the contrary, a relatively fast speed of the movable product conveyor (e.g., ~0.9 m / sec) can reduce the heat absorbed by the movable product conveyor, because the faster speed will cause the movable product conveyor to be exposed to heat for a shorter exposure time. Therefore, the system may include one or more sensors and controllers for adjusting the temperature of the heat source 80, 100; adjusting the speed of the movable product conveyor 50; and / or adjusting the rate at which the dry air 46 flows above the printed feed 24. In some embodiments, the movable product conveyor speed is in the range of 0.05 m / sec to 1.0 m / sec.

[0074] The dried product 60 exiting the drying section 40 may be passively dropped from the movable product conveyor 50 and collected, or actively removed from the movable product conveyor 50 by the product unloading section 110 ( Figure 2 ), the product unloading member can be optionally made of or coated with a non-stick material. Examples of product unloading members include scrapers or scrapers or other suitable mechanisms.

[0075] Preferably, the dried product leaving the system is a free-flowing product having a water content of less than 15%. In certain embodiments, the water content of the dried product is 4% to 10% or more preferably 4% to 8%. In this regard, "dry", "dry" and "substantially dry" encompass those compositions having a water activity of 0.1 to 0.6, or more preferably 0.2 to 0.5 and most preferably 0.2 to 0.4, wherein the dryness level can be achieved with or without secondary drying.

[0076] The dry product is "free-flowing" in the sense that the surface of the dry particles does not contain substantially any flavor or fragrance. In this regard, the dry particles do not aggregate or clump. In certain embodiments, the dry particles have less than 0.1%, 0.05%, 0.01%, 0.005%, 0.001%, or 0.0005% free flavor or essential oil on the surface.

[0077] In certain embodiments, the dried product is a small particle product or particle, i.e., a dry point, which can be easily incorporated into food and other consumer products. Such particles can have any desired size, and preferably have a substantially uniform size distribution, i.e., relative to the average diameter of the particles, the size variation of the particles is less than ± 10%, ± 9%, ± 8%, ± 7%, ± 6%, ± 5%, ± 4%, ± 3%, ± 2% or ± 1%. In one embodiment, the average diameter of the particles is in the range of 50 μm to 2000 μm. In another embodiment, the diameter of the particles is in the range of 500 μm to 1000 μm. In another embodiment, the average diameter of the particles is greater than 1000 μm.

[0078] The dried product thus prepared can be used as a spice or flavor in food, as a dietary supplement, a medicine, a cosmetic, a flavor, a coloring material or a thickening material. For example, the dried spice product of the present invention can be used to flavor soups and soup mixes, casseroles, canned and frozen human food, animal or pet food, seasonings, gravies, stews, simulated meat products, meat sauces and dips, baked products, substitutes for beef, chicken, pork, fish and seafood extracts, etc. In addition, the dried flavor product of the present invention can be used in personal care products, including but not limited to deodorants and antiperspirants, shampoos, hair conditioners, hair dyes, hair fresheners, shower gels, soap products, etc. In particular embodiments, the dry fragrance products of the present invention can be used in aerosol antiperspirants, stick antiperspirants, roll-on antiperspirants, emulsion spray antiperspirants, transparent emulsion stick antiperspirants, soft solid antiperspirants, emulsion roll-on antiperspirants, transparent emulsion stick antiperspirants, opaque emulsion stick antiperspirants, transparent gel antiperspirants, transparent stick deodorants or spray deodorants. In addition, the dry fragrance products can be incorporated into fabric care products (such as rinse conditioners and liquid and powder detergents); home care products (such as all-purpose cleaners and fabric fresheners); personal hygiene products (such as hand sanitizers); cosmetics; and oral care products (such as tooth powders), all of which are known in the art.

[0079] The present invention also provides a method for printing and drying spices or flavors. The method comprises the following steps: providing a spice or flavor source, printing the spice or flavor directly onto the surface of a movable product conveyor, and conveying the printed spice or flavor on the movable product conveyor through a drying component or near a drying component to prepare a dry spice or flavor product. As described herein, the spice or flavor feed may contain a solvent and / or a carrier, and may have various forms, including a single raw material or blend of oil optionally mixed with a carrier and / or a solvent; encapsulated spices or flavors, i.e., core-shell microcapsules; food, such as puree or vegetable puree; reaction spices, or a combination thereof. In addition, the spice or flavor may be printed on the surface of the movable product conveyor in a predetermined shape in a line or array and dried under dry air, the temperature of the dry air being in the range of 30°C to 160°C, preferably 30°C to 110°C, more preferably 40°C to 100°C, and most preferably 40°C to 90°C.

[0080] The method may also include the step of measuring product characteristics together with adjusting the amount of heat directed to the printed flavor or fragrance. The measured characteristics may include the temperature of the product, the moisture content of the product, and the chemical composition of the product. The characteristics may be detected and measured intermittently at given time intervals, or the characteristics may be measured continuously within given time intervals. Based on these measurements, the method may also include adjusting the temperature of one or more heat sources of the system, adjusting the speed of a movable product conveyor, and / or adjusting the humidity and / or rate of drying air flowing over the printed feed.

[0081] The following examples are provided as specific embodiments of the present invention.

[0082] Example 1: Printed Tomato Emulsion

[0083] Prepare natural spices-carrier matrix emulsion formulation (table 1).Use extremely low shear to dissolve potato protein in water (with~100 rpm) on IKA Werke mixer.Use low shear rate to not entrain excessive air in system to produce foam.Once protein is dissolved in water, just slowly add inulin from blue agave (Blue Agave) and chicory (Chicory) successively, shear rate is gradually increased to~250 rpm, and continue to mix until observing the solution without any agglomerate.Via Marlow-Watson 504S peristaltic pump with the speed of 12 ml / min, the solution of tomato fresh natural spices (in sunflower oil) and rosemary oil is pumped into the container equipped with potato protein / inulin solution, and the solution is stirred for about 10 minutes under the shear rate of~500 rpm, until oil is fully mixed in water phase to form coarse emulsion.Then the beaker equipped with contents is put into the container of ice, so that the temperature is reduced to 15 ℃ (stirring simultaneously). The overhead high shear mixer (IKA T25 Ultra-Turrax®) was set to 6,500 rpm and the solution was sheared for 2 minutes to form the final emulsion. The resulting emulsion had a viscosity of 3050 cP at 15°C and a solids content of 60 wt%. The emulsion was removed from the mixer and allowed to equilibrate to room temperature.

[0084] Table 1

[0085]

[0086] To simulate the printing of the fragrance emulsion, a variable volume micropipette was used to deposit the emulsion onto a piece of wax paper fixed on a metal tray. The diameter of the deposited emulsion droplets varied between 2 mm and 4 mm, resulting in droplet sizes ranging from 2.1 mg to 16.8 mg by mass. Once the droplets had been deposited on the wax paper, as Figure 3 As shown, a metal tray containing the droplets is placed in a desiccator to allow water to evaporate from the droplets. Heated air is supplied to the pilot dryer chamber via the inlet and leaves via the outlet. A control panel attached to the dehumidifier and electric heating element is used to control the flow rate and temperature of the inlet air. The deposited emulsion beads are dried at 40°C for approximately three hours with an inlet air flow rate of 60 cubic feet per minute. The dried product is scraped off the wax paper and the volume of the resulting droplets is determined to be approximately 2-7 mm 3 Notably, this formulation could not be successfully dried using a spray dryer due to material sticking to the walls of the dryer, which resulted in poor product yields. In contrast, the systems and methods of the present invention successfully provided a dry product from this problematic feed formulation.

[0087] Example 2: Printed Fragrance Particles

[0088] Table 2 compares an exemplary formulation spray dried by conventional methods with a formulation printed using the system and method of the present invention. Although the amount of fragrance oil in both formulations is the same, the ratio of starch to maltodextrin in the spray drying feed and the feed to be printed is 2:8 and 3:7, respectively.

[0089] Table 2

[0090]

[0091] Table 3 shows the characteristics and process conditions of these formulations and dried products. It is worth noting that, although the spray-dried formulation is limited to 45% solids, the printed formulation allows the solid content to be increased to 65%. In addition, since the risk of explosion is reduced by printing the fragrance feed, the fragrance load of the printed formulation can be increased to 40% compared with the 25% fragrance load of the spray-dried formulation. In addition, since printing requires less water to evaporate, the printing process uses less energy for each kg of processed fragrance oil.

[0092] Table 3

[0093]

[0094] Example 3: Printed Fragrance Particles (Natural Matrix)

[0095] A natural carrier orange flavor emulsion formulation was prepared (Table 4). In a 1,000 ml glass beaker, gum arabic (Nexira) and maltose (Nagase America Corp.) were dissolved in room temperature water (20-25°C) using an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer at moderate speed (~800 rpm).

[0096] Table 4

[0097]

[0098] The solution was allowed to stand overnight for further hydration and degassing. The next day, the solution was placed under an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer and mixed at a moderate speed (~800 rpm). Slowly add perfume oil to form a coarse emulsion. The emulsion was then cooled to 15 ° C with an ice bath while keeping stirring. The cooled emulsion was then circulated through a pipeline shear mixer (IKA type UTL 25 Inline ULTRA-TURRAX®), and was sent back to the beaker using a Watson-Marlow 504S peristaltic pump. After confirming that the circulation flow rate was 180 g / min, the high shear mixer was opened, and it was set to 9,000 rpm to emulsify perfume oil. Within 17 minutes of shearing time, the emulsion in the beaker was continuously stirred and maintained in an ice bath. After high shear mixing, the beaker was taken out from the ice bath, and any emulsion remaining in the pipe was discharged back into the beaker. The particle size analysis of the orange perfume emulsion confirmed that the average oil droplet size was in the range of 2.0-2.5 microns. The viscosity of the emulsion at 22°C was 1,350 cP (Brookfield DV-III, spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0099] The orange flavor emulsion provided in Table 4 was then transferred to a laboratory printing system. The printing system is a purpose-built robotic dispensing system with XYZ motion control. The fluid dispensing head uses a pneumatically driven jet valve (Nordson Liquidyn P-Dot CT), and the XYZ robot is programmed to dispense an array of individual fluid droplets onto a coated steel baking pan (Chicago Metallic, half-size loaf pan 18" x 13").

[0100] About 25 ml of the orange flavor emulsion provided in Table 4 was added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir was sealed and pressurized to 15 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve was configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cap, the pneumatic actuator was set to 33 psi, and the force spiral was set to 1-3 / 8 turns. The robot dispensing system was then started to print 48 x 87 arrays of orange flavor emulsion droplets with a diameter of about 1.0 mm on a baking tray. After printing, the baking tray was dried overnight under environmental laboratory conditions (22 ° C). The dried granular product was removed from the tray by a plastic putty knife. A total of 14 baking trays (14 x4176 points) were printed and dried to collect about 11.5 grams of dried product for characterization. The average weight of each dry point derived from the data of each tray was 0.20 mg.

[0101] A similar orange flavor emulsion was produced, allowing comparison with conventional spray-dried flavors. It should be noted that the formulation provided in Table 4 could not be spray-dried as is due to the high emulsion viscosity and high maltose content. The maltose content was reduced to prevent glazing in the spray dryer. Therefore, the gum arabic level was increased and a higher amount of water was used so that the emulsion viscosity was low enough for good atomization in the spray dryer. In addition, the amount of flavor oil used for printing the dried form was twice that of the spray-dried formulation. Due to the risk of dust explosion, the amount of flammable oil components in the spray-dried powder must be limited. Table 5 provides the resulting formulation for spray drying.

[0102] Table 5

[0103]

[0104] In a 5-liter stainless steel beaker, gum arabic (Nexira) and maltose (Nagase America Corp.) were dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) under moderate stirring (~250 rpm). The solution was then cooled to 21°C by placing the beaker in an ice bath. Then, orange flavor oil was slowly added to the beaker to form a coarse emulsion. An overhead high shear mixer (Arde-Barinco, model CJ-4E) was turned on and set to 40% power to emulsify the flavor oil. The emulsion was kept cooled with an ice bath over a 10-minute shearing period. After the high shear step, samples of the orange flavor emulsion were analyzed to confirm that the average oil droplet size was within the range of 2.0-2.5 microns. The viscosity of the emulsion at 22°C was 220 cP (Brookfield DV-III, spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0105] The orange flavor emulsion provided in Table 5 is then transferred to a spray dryer feed container for drying. Anhydro MicraSpray MS400 pilot spray dryer is used to dry the orange flavor emulsion. The dryer is equipped with a compressed air-driven nozzle atomizer (set to 4 bar), and the dried powder is recovered via a cyclone separator. The inlet air temperature is set to 190°C, and the emulsion feed rate is controlled to obtain an outlet air temperature of 90°C. For this operation, the feed rate is 270g / min, and the total drying time is 11 minutes. There is considerable product accumulation in the drying chamber, thereby obtaining a yield (42%db) and only recovering 510 g of dried powder.

[0106] The panel evaluated the printed dried granules relative to the spray dried powder. The evaluation was performed in a tasting solution of 9% sugar, 0.1% citric acid and 0.015% of the active ingredient of the flavor. Therefore, the dosage of the printed dried granules was 0.038%, while the dosage of the spray dried powder was 0.075%. Overall, the two samples were similar. The overall flavor intensity of the printed dried sample was slightly higher, but the freshness was lower and the jam flavor was stronger, while the fragrance of the spray dried sample was higher and the freshness was higher. Table 6 provides the results of the flavor retention analysis of the printed dried and spray dried samples.

[0107] Table 6

[0108]

[0109] This example demonstrates the feasibility of producing dry granular spices using the printing and drying methods of the present invention. In addition, the printed dried products provide increased spice loads and reduced process water relative to conventional spray-dried products. The specific materials selected for this example represent a shift toward natural materials for spices that are problematic in conventional spray drying. In contrast, the method for printing dry spice particles is better able to handle these formulations.

[0110] Example 4: Printed Fragrance Particles (Modified Starch Matrix)

[0111] An orange flavor emulsion formulation using a modified starch carrier matrix was prepared (Table 7). In a 600 ml glass beaker, a modified starch sold under the trademark CAPSUL® (Ingredion) was dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) using an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer at moderate speed (~800 rpm).

[0112] Table 7

[0113]

[0114] The beaker was then placed in an ice bath to cool the solution while keeping stirring. When the solution temperature dropped to less than 25°C, the fragrance oil was slowly added to form a coarse emulsion. The emulsion was continued to be cooled to 15°C and then an overhead high shear mixer (IKA T25 ULTRA-TURRAX®) was used to further emulsify the fragrance oil. The IKA T-25 was set to 6,500 rpm and the solution was sheared for 2 minutes. After high shear mixing, the beaker was removed from the ice bath and allowed to warm to room temperature. The particle size analysis of the orange fragrance emulsion confirmed that the average oil droplet size was in the range of 2.0-2.5 microns. The viscosity of the emulsion at 22°C was 2,250 cP (Brookfield DV-III @ spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0115] The orange flavor emulsion provided in Table 7 is then transferred to the same laboratory printing system as described in Example 3. About 25 ml of the orange flavor emulsion provided in Table 7 is added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir is sealed and pressurized to 25 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve is configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cover, the pneumatic actuator is set to 35 psi, and the force spiral is set to 1-1 / 4 turn. The robot dispensing system is then started to print 48 x 87 arrays of orange flavor emulsion droplets with a diameter of about 0.8 mm on a coated steel baking tray (Chicago Metallic). After printing, the baking tray is dried overnight under environmental laboratory conditions (22 ° C). The dried granular product is removed from the tray by a plastic putty knife. A total of 12 baking trays (14 x 4176 points) are printed and dried to collect about 7.6 grams of dried product for characterization. The data from each tray derives that the average weight of each dry point is 0.13 mg.

[0116] A similar orange flavor emulsion was produced, allowing comparison with conventional spray-dried flavors. Considering that the formulation in Table 7 could not be spray-dried as is due to the high emulsion viscosity, a higher amount of water was required to make the emulsion viscosity low enough for good atomization in the spray dryer. In addition, the amount of flavor oil used for printing the dry form was twice that of the spray-dried formulation. Due to the risk of dust explosion, the amount of flammable oil components in the spray-dried powder must be limited. Table 8 provides the resulting formulation for spray drying.

[0117] Table 8

[0118]

[0119] In a 5-liter stainless steel beaker, a modified starch sold under the trademark CAPSUL® (Ingredion) was dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) under moderate stirring (~250 rpm). The solution was then cooled to 21°C by placing the beaker in an ice bath. Orange flavor oil was then slowly added to the beaker to form a coarse emulsion. An overhead high shear mixer (Arde-Barinco, Model CJ-4E) was turned on and set to 40% power to emulsify the flavor oil. The emulsion was kept cool with an ice bath during the shearing time of 10 minutes. After the high shear step, a sample of the orange flavor emulsion was analyzed to confirm that the average oil droplet size was within the range of 2.0-2.5 microns. The viscosity of the emulsion at 22°C was 206 cP (Brookfield DV-III @ spindle #4 @ 60rpm).

[0120] The orange flavor emulsion provided in Table 8 was then transferred to the spray dryer feed container for drying. The same pilot spray dryer used in Example 3 was used to dry the orange flavor emulsion. The inlet air temperature was set to 190°C, and the emulsion feed rate was controlled to obtain an outlet air temperature of 90°C. For this run, the feed rate was 200 g / min and the total drying time was 15 minutes. There was almost no product retention in the dryer, and 1,180 g of dry powder was recovered for a yield of 87% (db).

[0121] The panel evaluated the printed dried granules relative to the spray dried powder. The evaluation was performed in a tasting solution of 9% sugar, 0.1% citric acid and 0.015% flavor active ingredient. Therefore, the dosage of the printed dried granules was 0.03%, while the dosage of the spray dried powder was 0.075%. Overall, the two samples were similar. Although the printed dried sample had a stronger orange juice flavor, the spray dried sample had a stronger orange peel flavor. A volatile flavor retention analysis (Table 9) was performed and it was demonstrated that the printed dried sample had better overall retention of flavors, especially those with high boiling points.

[0122] Table 9

[0123]

[0124] In this example, the modified starch formulation was well suited for spray drying as indicated by the high process yield. However, printed dry flavor particles using the same carrier system had a much higher flavor loading and reduced process water.

[0125] Example 5: Printed fragrance microcapsules

[0126] The slurry of fragrance microcapsules and other matrix materials was prepared according to the recipe provided in Table 10.

[0127] Table 10

[0128]

[0129] The mint flavor microcapsules were added to a 1000 ml glass beaker. These flavor microcapsules were prepared using a gelatin / silicon dioxide complex coacervation method (see WO 2017 / 161364 A1). The flavor loading of the flavor microcapsules was 15%, the moisture content was 77.8%, and the average capsule size was 12.6 microns. Under moderate stirring (~600 rpm), modified starch sold under the trademark CAPSUL® (Ingredion), maltodextrin M150 (Grain Processing Corp.), and maltose (Nagase America Corp.) were slowly added to the flavor microcapsules in the beaker, and mixing continued until all materials appeared to be completely dissolved. The viscosity of the slurry at 22°C was 160 cP (Brookfield DV-III @ spindle #4 @ 60rpm).

[0130] The mint flavor microcapsule slurry provided in Table 10 is then transferred to the same laboratory printing system as described in Example 3. About 25 ml of the flavor microcapsule slurry is added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir is sealed and pressurized to 15 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve is configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cover, the pneumatic actuator is set to 33 psi, and the force spiral is set to 1-5 / 8 turns. The robot dispensing system is then started to print a 48 x 87 array of flavor microcapsule slurry droplets with a diameter of about 2 mm onto a coated steel baking tray (Chicago Metallic). After printing, the baking tray is dried for 150 minutes under environmental laboratory conditions (22 ° C). The total weight of 4,176 particles is 2.34 grams, so the weight of each particle is 0.56 mg. The dried granular product is removed from the tray by a plastic putty knife. The printing and drying procedure is repeated 10 times to collect about 20 grams of dried product for characterization.

[0131] For comparison, spray-dried formulations were prepared as provided in Table 11.

[0132] Table 11

[0133]

[0134] The same mint flavor capsule used above is added in 10 liters of stainless steel spray dryer feed tank.Under moderate stirring (~100 rpm), slowly add remaining three kinds of component powders, and continue to mix until all materials seem to be fully dissolved.The same Anhydro MicraSpray MS400 pilot spray dryer used in Example 3 is used for dry spices microcapsule slurry.However, in this case, use rotary atomizer and operate at 20,000 rpm.Inlet air temperature is set to 190 ℃, and control emulsion feed rate to obtain 90 ℃ outlet air temperature.For this operation, feed rate is 136 g / min, and total drying time is 22 minutes.There is a small amount of powder coating on the spray dryer wall, shows that the product holdup in the dryer is moderate, and has recovered the dried powder of 955 g.

[0135] The panel evaluated the printed dried granules versus the spray dried powder in a gum matrix. The results in Table 12 indicate that the printed dried sample had slightly better mint flavor intensity both in the early chew and throughout the chew duration.

[0136] Table 12

[0137]

[0138] During chewing time, the intensity level was measured from 0 to 9, with 9 being the strongest.

[0139] Additionally, a volatile flavor retention analysis was performed (Table 13) and demonstrated that the printed dried sample had slightly better overall retention of mint flavor compounds.

[0140] Table 13

[0141]

[0142] In this example, the two methods were favorably compared to each other. Both methods were able to process low viscosity feed formulations with fragrance microcapsules and produce a dry product with 20% fragrance loading.

[0143] Example 6: Printed flavor particles

[0144] Fragrance emulsion formulations using a modified starch carrier matrix were prepared (Table 14).

[0145] Table 14

[0146]

[0147] In a 1000 ml glass beaker, the modified starch sold under the trademark CAPSUL® (Ingredion) was dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) using an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer at a moderate speed (~600rpm). The beaker was placed in an ice bath and cooled to room temperature while stirring. Then, essential oils were slowly added to form a coarse emulsion. An overhead high shear mixer (IKA T25 ULTRA-TURRAX®) was used to further emulsify the essential oils. The IKA T-25 was set to 9,500 rpm, and the solution was sheared for 2 minutes. The particle size analysis of the flavor emulsion confirmed that the average oil droplet size was within the range of 2.0-2.5 microns. The viscosity of the emulsion at 22°C was 1,100 cP (Brookfield DV-III, spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0148] The flavor emulsion provided in Table 14 is then transferred to the same laboratory printing system as described in Example 3. The Popstar flavor emulsion provided in Table 14 of about 25 ml is added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir is sealed and pressurized to 15 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve is configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cover, the pneumatic actuator is set to 30 psi, and the force spiral is set to 1-3 / 8 turns. The robot dispensing system is then started to print 48 x 87 arrays of Popstar flavor emulsion droplets with a diameter of about 1 mm on a coated steel baking tray (Chicago Metallic). After printing, the baking tray is dried overnight under environmental laboratory conditions (22 ° C). The dried granular product is removed from the tray by a plastic putty knife. A total of six baking trays (6 x 4176 points) are printed and dried to collect about 4 grams of dried product for characterization.

[0149] Similar flavor emulsions were produced, allowing comparison with conventional spray-dried flavors. Considering that the formulations provided in Table 14 could not be spray-dried as is due to the high emulsion viscosity, a slightly higher amount of water was required to make the emulsion viscosity low enough for good atomization in the spray dryer. However, unlike the flavor emulsion examples, the amount of essential oil used for the printed dried form and the spray dried form was the same, because the less volatile essential oils do not pose the same dust explosion hazard. Table 15 provides the resulting formulations for spray drying.

[0150] Table 15

[0151]

[0152] In a 2-liter stainless steel beaker, a modified starch sold under the trademark CAPSUL® (Ingredion) was dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) under moderate stirring (~600 rpm). The beaker was then placed in an ice bath and cooled to room temperature while stirring. The essential oils were then slowly added to form a coarse emulsion and mixed for 10 minutes. Subsequently, an overhead high shear mixer (IKA T25 ULTRA-TURRAX®) was used to further emulsify the essential oils. The IKA T-25 was set to 9,500rpm and the solution was sheared for 2 minutes. The particle size analysis of the flavor emulsion confirmed that the average oil droplet size was in the range of 2-3 microns.

[0153] The Popstar flavor emulsion provided in Table 15 is then transferred to a spray dryer feed container for drying. In this embodiment, a Niro Mobile Minor spray dryer is used to dry the flavor emulsion. The dryer is equipped with a compressed air-driven rotary atomizer (operated at 25,000 rpm), and the dried powder is recovered via a cyclone separator. The inlet air temperature is set to 190 ° C, and the emulsion feed rate is controlled to obtain an outlet air temperature of 90 ° C. For this run, the feed rate is 50 g / min, and the total drying time is 19 minutes. There is almost no product retention in the dryer, and 420 grams of dried powder (85% yield) have been recovered.

[0154] However, for flavor applications, this example is very similar to Example 3. In this case, the finished dry product is identical, both having a 50% flavor loading. Although printing the dried flavor particles does not require as much process water, the modified starch formulation is well suited for both methods.

[0155] Example 7: Printed flavor microcapsules (starch matrix)

[0156] A suspension of flavor microcapsules in a solution of modified starch and water was prepared (Table 16).

[0157] Table 16

[0158]

[0159] In a 1,000 ml glass beaker, the modified starch sold with the trademark HICAP® 100 (Ingredion) was dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) using an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer at a moderate speed (~800rpm). The Eden flavor microcapsules used for this experiment are based on polyurea core-shell capsule chemistry, wherein interfacial polymerization occurs between the isocyanate in the dispersed phase and the amine in the continuous phase. The flavor loading of these polyurea microcapsules is 31%, the moisture content is 55%, and the average capsule size is 10.9 microns. By placing the beaker in an ice bath and keeping stirring at the same time, the modified starch solution is cooled to room temperature. Then, Eden polyurea flavor microcapsules are added and mixed for 10 minutes. The apparent viscosity of the suspension at 22°C is 1,650 cP (Brookfield DV-III, spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0160] The Eden flavor microcapsule suspension provided in Table 16 is then transferred to the same laboratory printing system as described in Example 3. About 25 ml of the Eden flavor microcapsule suspension is added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir is sealed and pressurized to 15 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve is configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cover, the pneumatic actuator is set to 33 psi, and the force spiral is set to 1-3 / 8 turns. The robot dispensing system is then started to print a 48 x 87 array of Eden flavor microcapsule suspension droplets with a diameter of about 1.0 mm onto a coated steel baking tray (ChicagoMetallic). After printing, the baking tray is dried overnight under environmental laboratory conditions (22 ° C). The dried granular product is removed from the tray by a plastic putty knife. The total weight of 4,176 particles is 0.71 grams, so the weight of each particle is 0.17 mg. This printing and drying procedure was repeated 10 times to collect slightly more than 7 grams of dry product for characterization.

[0161] A similar suspension of Eden flavor microcapsules was produced to allow comparison with the spray dried samples. Considering that the formulation in Table 16 could not be spray dried as is due to the high suspension viscosity, a higher amount of water was required to make the suspension viscosity low enough for good atomization in the spray dryer. Table 17 provides the resulting formulation for spray drying.

[0162] Table 17

[0163]

[0164] The same Eden fragrance polyurea microcapsule sample used in Table 16 was used in this experiment. In a 2-liter stainless steel beaker, a modified starch sold under the trademark HICAP® 100 (Ingredion) was dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) using an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer at a moderate speed (~600 rpm). The modified starch solution was cooled to room temperature by placing the beaker in an ice bath and stirring at the same time. Then, the Eden polyurea fragrance microcapsules were added and mixed for 10 minutes. Particle size analysis of the feed slurry showed an average size of ~12 microns, which confirmed that the fragrance microcapsules remained intact.

[0165] The Eden flavor microcapsule suspension provided in Table 17 was then transferred to the spray dryer feed container for drying. The same Niro Mobile Minor spray dryer used in Example 6 was used in this experiment. The dryer inlet air temperature was set to 190°C, and the emulsion feed rate was controlled to obtain an outlet air temperature of 90°C. For this run, the feed rate was 50 g / min and the total drying time was 10 minutes. There was almost no product retention in the dryer, and 170 grams of dry powder (72% yield) were recovered.

[0166] However, for flavor applications, this example is very similar to Example 5. In this case, the finished dry product is identical, with both having a 21% flavor loading. Although printing the dried flavor particles does not require as much process water, the modified starch formulation is well suited for both methods.

[0167] Example 8: Printed Fragrance Microcapsules (Salt Matrix)

[0168] A mixture of flavor microcapsules, sodium sulfate and water was prepared according to the recipe in Table 18.

[0169] Table 18

[0170]

[0171] In a 400 ml glass beaker, sodium sulfate (Na 2 SO 4 CAS# 7757-82-6) was added to the Eden flavor microcapsule slurry. The same Eden flavor polyurea microcapsule samples used in Example 7 were also used in this experiment. These polyurea microcapsules had a flavor loading of 31%, a moisture content of 55%, and an average capsule size of 10.9 microns. The viscosity of the microcapsule / salt mixture at 22°C was 3,500 cP (Brookfield DV-III, spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0172] The Eden flavor microcapsule / salt mixture provided in Table 18 is then transferred to the same laboratory printing system as described in Example 3. About 25 ml of the flavor microcapsule / salt mixture is added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir is sealed and pressurized to 5 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve is configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cover, the pneumatic actuator is set to 30 psi, and the force spiral is set to 1-1 / 2 turns. Then the robot dispensing system is started to print 48 x 87 arrays of Eden flavor microcapsules / salt droplets with a diameter of about 1.5 mm on a coated steel baking tray (ChicagoMetallic). After printing, the baking tray is dried overnight under environmental laboratory conditions (22 ° C). The dried granular product is removed from the tray by a plastic putty knife. The total weight of 4,176 particles is 0.46 grams, so the weight of each particle is 0.11 mg. The printing and drying procedure is repeated 4 times to collect about 1.5 grams of dried product for characterization.

[0173] A similar Eden flavor microcapsule / salt mixture was produced to allow comparison with the spray dried samples. Considering that the formulation in Table 18 could not be spray dried as is due to high viscosity, the formulation in Table 19 included additional water to reduce the viscosity for good atomization in the spray dryer.

[0174] Table 19

[0175]

[0176] The same Eden fragrance polyurea microcapsule samples used in Table 18 were used in this experiment. In a 2-liter stainless steel beaker, sodium sulfate (Na 2 SO 4 CAS#7757-82-6) and tap water were added to the Eden flavor microcapsule slurry. Particle size analysis of the feed slurry showed an average size of ~12 microns, which confirmed that the flavor microcapsules remained intact.

[0177] The Eden flavor microcapsules / salt mixture shown in Table 19 was then transferred to the spray dryer feed container for drying. The same Niro Mobile Minor spray dryer used in Example 6 was used in this experiment. The dryer inlet air temperature was set to 190°C, and the emulsion feed rate was controlled to obtain an outlet air temperature of 90°C. For this run, the feed rate was 50 g / min and the total drying time was 14 minutes. There was almost no product retention in the dryer, and 175 grams of dry powder were recovered (90% yield).

[0178] In this example, both the print drying and spray drying methods are very effective for flavor microcapsules with salt formulations. However, the print drying method requires significantly less process water. The finished dried products are identical, both with 21% flavor loading.

[0179] Example 9: Printed Natural Chicken Flavor

[0180] Meat reaction flavors can be difficult to dry, especially those with high fat levels. In this example, chicken reaction flavors were dried with the natural carrier matrix provided in Table 20.

[0181] Table 20

[0182]

[0183] Boiled chicken reaction spice (liquid) is prepared in a pressure reactor by conventional batch thermal process. The moisture content of the reaction spice is 34.3% and the fat content is 9.8%. In order to prepare the feed solution for printing, hot water (50-55 ° C) is added in a 600 ml glass beaker. Three kinds of carrier powders (chicory root inulin, fine flaky salt and potato protein sold with the trademark SOLANIC® 300) are slowly added using an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer at a moderate speed (~800rpm) until completely dissolved. A laboratory hot plate is used to maintain the solution temperature at 50 ° C. While mixing, chicken spice is added to the carrier solution. Then, an overhead high shear mixer (IKA T25 ULTRA-TURRAX®) is used to emulsify the solution for 2 minutes at 9,500 rpm. After shearing, the solution is kept warm and stirred until ready to print. The viscosity of this solution at 22°C is 8,517 cP (Brookfield DV-III @ spindle #6 @ 60 rpm).

[0184] The chicken spice mixture provided in Table 20 is then transferred to the same laboratory printing system as described in Example 3. About 25 ml of the mixture is added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir is sealed and pressurized to 20 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve is configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cover, the pneumatic actuator is set to 38 psi, and the force spiral is set to 1-1 / 2 turns. The robot dispensing system is then started to print a 48 x 87 array of spice mixtures with a diameter of about 1.1 mm on a coated steel baking tray (Chicago Metallic). Four trays are printed in this way. The baking tray is dried overnight under environmental laboratory conditions (22°C). The dried granular product is removed from the tray by a plastic putty knife. The average weight of each particle in the 4,176 x 4 particles printed is 0.22 mg. A total of 3.6 grams of dried products are collected for characterization.

[0185] The same chicken flavor was attempted to be spray dried. However, the feed solution had to be diluted with water to reduce viscosity for good atomization in the spray dryer and to reduce fat levels. Table 21 provides the resulting formulation.

[0186] Table 21

[0187]

[0188] In a 20-liter stainless steel jacketed reactor (Pope Scientific), the three carrier powders were dissolved in hot water (50-55°C) under moderate stirring (~250 rpm). The solution was kept warm by circulating the hot water through the reactor jacket. While mixing, the chicken flavor was added to the carrier solution. The emulsion was then circulated through a Silverson Verso inline high shear mixer with the aid of a rotary cam pump (Unibloc-PD). The high shear mixer was turned on and set to 2,500rpm to emulsify the chicken flavor. After 7.5 minutes of shear time, the circulation pump was turned off and the reactor bottom valve was closed. The solution in the reactor was kept warm and stirred until ready to dry. The viscosity of the solution at 58°C was 210 cP (BrookfieldDV-III @ spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0189] The chicken reaction spices provided in Table 21 are then transferred to the spray dryer feed container for drying. The same pilot spray dryer used in Example 3 is used to dry the chicken spices. The inlet air temperature is set to 190°C, and the emulsion feed rate is controlled to obtain an outlet air temperature of 90°C. For this run, the feed rate is 167 g / min, and the total drying time is 15 minutes. Unfortunately, this natural chicken spice formula cannot be dried well in the spray dryer. There is considerable product accumulation in the drying chamber, so a poor yield (26% db) causes only the recovery of 230g of dried powder.

[0190] This example shows how the print drying method handles a high viscosity feed that is not suitable for spray drying. This particular chicken reaction flavor was also very sticky during the drying process, which made spray drying problematic. The amount of process water required for spray drying was more than three times that used for the print drying method. Although the dried product composition for both methods was the same, the poor yield of spray drying made the print drying method a better choice for these types of dried reaction flavors.

[0191] Example 10: Printed Pro-Fragrance Using Infrared Reactive Drying

[0192] In this example, a blend of precursor fragrance chemicals (Table 22) was dissolved in water, printed onto a baking sheet, and then heat treated to promote fragrance reaction.

[0193] Table 22

[0194]

[0195] The powdered ingredients listed in Table 22 are added to a 400 ml glass beaker. The water of about half is then added, and all powders are manually mixed using a spatula. The remaining water is then added, and all slurries are mixed for 15 minutes at a low speed (~300 rpm) using an IKA Eurostar overhead mixer. The viscosity of the mixture at 22°C is 3,000 cP (Brookfield DV-III, spindle #4 @ 60 rpm).

[0196] The chicken reaction spice mixture provided in Table 22 is then transferred to the same laboratory printing system as described in Example 3. About 25 ml of the mixture is added to the printer feed reservoir. The reservoir is sealed and pressurized to 10 psi with compressed air. The Nordson jet valve is configured to have a 0.40 mm nozzle cover, the pneumatic actuator is set to 47 psi, and the force spiral is set to 1-3 / 8 turns. The robot dispensing system is then started to print a 48 x 87 array of spice mixtures with a diameter of about 1.1 mm on a coated steel baking tray (Chicago Metallic). Four trays are printed in this way.

[0197] Two baking trays were placed in a conventional oven (Metro C5 3 Series Heated Holding Cabinet) and allowed to dry for 60 minutes at 50° C. Each of these trays had 4,176 points, each with an average weight of 1.34 grams or 0.32 mg after drying.

[0198] The other two trays were dried for 45 minutes using an infrared heating lamp (Fostoria, Model FFH-512A, 550 watts). During this time, the surface temperature of the dots on the trays increased to a maximum of 125°C (center of the dot array) and a minimum of 110°C (at the edge of the dot array). Each of these trays had 4,176 dots, each with an average weight of 1.0 gram or 0.24 mg after drying.

[0199] The panel evaluated the printed oven dried samples versus the printed IR dried samples. The evaluation was conducted in a tasting solution of 0.3% salt and 0.07% dry flavor. The flavor intensity of the printed IR dried samples was much higher than the printed oven dried samples. Table 23 gives the average ratings of the panelists.

[0200] Table 23

[0201]

[0202] The intensity level is measured on a scale of 0 to 5, with 5 being the strongest.

[0203] This example not only demonstrates the feasibility of dry printed formulations, but also demonstrates the feasibility of inducing an in situ fragrance reaction using infrared heating. Conventional dry reaction fragrances typically require a post-drying grinding step, which is problematic due to the hygroscopicity of the product. The print dry / reaction method avoids the need for product grinding because the product is formed as discrete particles during the printing step. According to the present invention, overall material handling is greatly simplified by printing the fragrance.

Claims

1. A method for printing and drying spices or flavors, the method comprising: (a) providing a flavor or fragrance feed to a non-contact printing assembly which prints the flavor or fragrance feed in individual droplets onto a movable product conveyor which directly receives the printed flavor or fragrance feed; and (b) drying the printed flavor or fragrance feed on the movable product conveyor to produce a dry product; wherein the flavor or fragrance feed comprises at least one flavor or fragrance, at least one solvent and at least one carrier, the droplets have a diameter greater than 425 microns, the viscosity of the flavor or fragrance feed is greater than 2000 cP, and the flavor or fragrance feed printed onto the movable product conveyor has a solids content of at least 50%, and Wherein the printed flavor or fragrance feed is dried at a temperature in the range of 30°C to 160°C.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one solvent is water.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the flavor or fragrance feed is printed into an array.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the movable product conveyor comprises a non-stick belt.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one carrier comprises a modified starch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the flavor or fragrance feed is an emulsion.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the printed flavor or fragrance feed is dried using a radiant heat source.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: (c) unloading the dry product from the movable product conveyor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the flavor or fragrance feed is printed in a dot pattern.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one flavorant is a reaction flavorant.

11. A dried, printed flavor or fragrance feed prepared by the process of claim 1.

12. The dry, printed flavor or fragrance feed of claim 11, wherein the flavor or fragrance feed printed onto the movable product conveyor has a solids content of at least 60% and the dry, printed flavor or fragrance feed has a substantially uniform size distribution.

13. A system for printing and drying flavors or fragrances, the system comprising: (a) providing a flavor or fragrance source for providing flavor or fragrance feed; (b) a non-contact printing assembly suitable for printing said flavor or fragrance feed in individual droplets, said droplets having a diameter greater than 425 microns, and said flavor or fragrance feed having a viscosity greater than 2000 cP; (c) a drying component having a drying temperature in the range of 30°C to 160°C; and (d) a movable product conveyor that directly receives a printed flavor or fragrance feed and moves through or adjacent to the drying component, wherein the flavor or fragrance feed printed onto the movable product conveyor has a solids content of at least 50% and the flavor or fragrance feed comprises at least one flavor or fragrance, at least one solvent and at least one carrier.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one solvent is water.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one carrier comprises a modified starch.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the movable product conveyor comprises a non-stick belt.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the flavor or fragrance feed is an emulsion.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the drying component comprises a radiant heat source.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising: (e) A product unloading component for removing dry product from the movable product conveyor.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the non-contact printing assembly is adapted to print the flavor or fragrance feed in a dot pattern.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one flavorant is a reaction flavorant.

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