Coffee liquid with high fragrance retention

Abstract

The invention provides coffee liquid with high fragrance retention, and belongs to the technical field of food processing. Through microcapsule inclusion, cold extraction process improvement and coconut milk synergy, obvious breakthroughs are made in aroma retention and taste innovation, and the coffee is particularly suitable for the ready-to-drink coffee market; the optimal appreciation period of coffee is greatly prolonged, so that the coffee is still in the optimal appreciation period when a consumer gets the coffee in a take-out or pre-ordering mode, and the coffee bottle is expected to become a high-competitiveness product in the field of coffee liquid.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of food processing, and in particular relates to a coffee liquid with a high aroma retention. Background Art

[0002] As we all know, the main source of coffee aroma is the small molecular weight aldehyde compounds produced by the thermal oxidation degradation of fat after roasting the coffee beans. These compounds contribute to the formation of volatile heterocyclic compounds.

[0003] Coffee extract is a product obtained by extracting or extracting coffee beans from coffee beans. Currently, there are two types of coffee extracts: cold extraction and hot extraction. Cold extraction uses low-temperature and slow extraction to avoid the destruction of coffee flavor substances by high temperature. It mainly extracts small molecules (such as fruitiness and sweetness) and inhibits the dissolution of acidic and bitter substances. Hot extraction uses high temperature to accelerate caramelization reactions and oil release, extracting more large molecules (such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine), and the sour and bitter flavor is more prominent. Hot extraction is suitable for people who are sensitive to caffeine because the amount of caffeine dissolved is low under short-term high-temperature extraction. In terms of flavor, cold extraction is better.

[0004] In order to increase the diversity of coffee drinks, there are currently pre-made raw coconut lattes, fruity cold brews, jasmine lattes and other products with added flavors.

[0005] Regardless of the type of coffee liquid, after brewing, such as hot coffee like pour-over coffee, the volatile aromatic substances in the coffee liquid will quickly dissipate due to oxidation and temperature drop. Ideally, more than 80% of the aroma can be retained if consumed within 15 minutes; after more than 30 minutes, the sourness and bitterness will gradually dominate, and the aroma will be significantly weakened. After hot coffee cools, the oils and aromatic substances will condense, causing the aroma to weaken; cold brew or iced coffee slows oxidation due to low temperature, so the aroma can last longer, but generally disappears after 1 hour. Overall, the optimal flavor window for coffee products is only 15-30 minutes.

[0006] However, when consumers actually drink coffee, they may not be able to finish it within the optimal flavor window; especially coffee drinks made in takeout or pre-order mode, often miss the optimal flavor window before they are delivered to consumers; therefore, how to prolong the aroma of coffee and increase consumers' pleasure is a worthy research direction. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a formula for a coffee-flavored beverage with a longer-lasting aroma, in order to address the problem that the optimal flavor window of current coffee products is relatively short.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma, which comprises the following components in parts by mass:

[0009]

[0010] The coffee oil is the oil extracted from coffee beans;

[0011] The coffee oil is included with beta-cyclodextrin, diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride and diglyceride, and succinic acid monoglyceride to obtain coffee oil microcapsules.

[0012] Preferably, the coffee extract is a cold extract of coffee beans.

[0013] Preferably, the cold extraction temperature is 10-20°C.

[0014] Preferably, the oil content in the coconut milk is ≥25wt%.

[0015] Preferably, the method for preparing the coffee oil microcapsules comprises the steps of:

[0016] S1: coffee oil is mixed with β-cyclodextrin and diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides, and then ultrasonically treated to obtain a preliminary mixed solution;

[0017] S2: adding succinic acid monoglyceride emulsion to the preliminary mixed solution, stirring and mixing, and then drying; obtaining coffee oil microcapsules.

[0018] Preferably, in step S1, the temperature of the ultrasonic treatment is 40-50° C. and the time is ≥30 min.

[0019] Preferably, in step S2, the stirring temperature is 70-80° C. and the stirring time is ≥20 min.

[0020] Preferably, the drying in step S2 is hot air drying or freeze drying.

[0021] Preferably, the concentration of the coffee extract is ≥15.0°Brix.

[0022] Preferably, the coffee beans are subjected to cellulolysis and / or ultrasonic treatment before extraction, and then extracted to obtain the coffee extract.

[0023] The present invention prolongs the best appreciating period of coffee without adding food flavor, mainly relying on the following aspects:

[0024] Coffee Extract Selection: This invention utilizes low-temperature extraction to preserve the coffee's flavor. Furthermore, prior to extraction, the coffee beans undergo enzymatic cellulolysis and / or ultrasonic treatment to disrupt the cell walls and increase extraction efficiency. Limiting the coffee extract concentration also ensures sufficient aroma.

[0025] Additional coffee oil: The coffee oil described in the present invention refers to the edible coffee oil and components dissolved in the oil, such as pyrazines, furans, ketones, aldehydes and esters, extracted from roasted coffee beans through supercritical carbon dioxide, cold soaking, hot soaking, etc. The amount of volatile components is the fundamental factor in the length of aroma retention.

[0026] Microencapsulation of coffee oil: How to reduce the volatilization rate of volatile components is another key factor in the longevity of aroma. The present invention utilizes physical encapsulation to form a sustained-release structure. The key point of the present invention is how to prepare a reasonable encapsulation structure. Due to the type and content restrictions of food additives, the present invention initially intended to use a single β-cyclodextrin for encapsulation, but even if the added amount reached the upper limit, the desired effect could not be achieved. Therefore, the present invention selected a variety of different ingredients for encapsulation experiments. Ultimately, the coffee oil was encapsulated through the synergistic effect of β-cyclodextrin, diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides, and succinic acid monoglyceride to form a stable double-layer microcapsule structure. This combination can both delay oil oxidation and prolong the aroma's persistence through a sustained-release mechanism. In addition, ultrasonic treatment promotes the homogenization of the wall and core materials, which can improve encapsulation efficiency.

[0027] The different temperatures during the two encapsulation steps promote cross-linking of the wall material. The melting point of glycerol monosuccinate (GMS) is 58-65°C. When the temperature rises to 70°C, GMS completely melts into a liquid state, allowing its amphiphilic molecules to fully expand and form a uniform emulsion. Liquid GMS readily combines with the β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (which already contains coffee oil), prompting the formation of a double-layer membrane on the β-cyclodextrin surface. Ultimately, sufficient encapsulation is achieved within the required content. Furthermore, the β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex is stable at temperatures ≤80°C, limiting its upper temperature limit to 80°C.

[0028] Coconut milk synergistically enhances flavor and improves taste: After adding a thickener, the taste inevitably differs from pure coffee (more viscous); therefore, other ingredients must be added to mask the unpleasant taste caused by the thickener. After comprehensive consideration, the present invention chose coconut milk as an additive. The fat content in the coconut milk is limited to ensure that the coconut milk has a sufficient natural creaminess, and its fatty acids create a flavor synergistic effect with the coffee oil. Furthermore, the thickener and other ingredients in the prepared microcapsules also act as emulsifiers, stabilizing the coconut milk and coffee mixture.

[0029] The beneficial technical effects of the present invention are at least as follows:

[0030] Through microencapsulation, improved cold brewing technology and the synergy of coconut milk, the present invention has made significant breakthroughs in aroma retention and taste innovation, making it particularly suitable for the ready-to-drink coffee market. It also greatly extends the optimal appreciation period of coffee, ensuring that the coffee is still within the optimal appreciation period when consumers receive it in takeout or pre-order modes. This is expected to become a highly competitive product in the coffee liquid field. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following is a clear and complete description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] In the description of the present invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the specified features. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0033] In the description of the present invention, the term "for example" is used to mean "used as an example, illustration or illustration". Any embodiment of the present invention described as "for example" is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is given to enable any person skilled in the art to implement and use the present invention. In the following description, details are listed for the purpose of explanation. It should be understood that a person of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that the present invention can be implemented without using these specific details. In other examples, well-known structures and processes are not elaborated in detail to avoid obscuring the description of the present invention with unnecessary details. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0034] Unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods used in the specific embodiments are all conventional methods, and the materials, reagents, etc. used are all commercially available unless otherwise specified.

[0035] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, “%” represents mass percentage; the raw materials, reagents, etc. used are all conventional commercially available products.

[0036] The "roasted coffee beans" referred to in the present invention are coffee beans obtained by subjecting green coffee beans to a heat treatment called roasting.

[0037] In the present invention, the origin of coffee beans is not particularly limited. Examples include Brazil, Colombia, Tanzania, Yunnan, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Guatemala. Examples of coffee bean species include Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Coffee beans may be used singly or as a mixture of multiple types.

[0038] In the present invention, the water used is preferably pure water (RO water).

[0039] In the present invention, the baking method and conditions are not particularly limited.

[0040] The coconut milk is PALEO QUEEN brand classic coconut milk, with a fat content of 30%.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] A method for preparing coffee liquid comprises the following steps:

[0043] S1: coffee oil is mixed with β-cyclodextrin and diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides, and then ultrasonically treated to obtain a preliminary mixed solution;

[0044] The mass ratio of coffee oil, β-cyclodextrin, and diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides is 1:0.2:1.0;

[0045] The temperature of ultrasonic treatment was 40°C and the time was 30 min.

[0046] S2; adding succinic acid monoglyceride emulsion to the preliminary mixture, stirring and mixing, and then hot air drying; obtaining coffee oil microcapsules;

[0047] The mass fraction of succinic acid monoglyceride is 0.5; the stirring temperature is 70° C., and the stirring time is 30 min.

[0048] S3; evenly mixing the coffee extract, coffee oil microcapsules and coconut milk to obtain a coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma;

[0049] The mass parts of coffee extract are 100, and the mass parts of coconut milk are 2;

[0050] The coffee extract is prepared by cold extraction of coffee beans after ultrasonic treatment at a temperature of 18±2°C for 8 hours; the coffee beans are then cooled to sub-zero and freeze concentrated to a concentration of 15.0°Brix.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0053] The mass ratio of coffee extract, coffee oil, β-cyclodextrin, diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride and diglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride and coconut milk is 100:2.0:0.5:2.0:1.0:8.

[0054] Example 3

[0055] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0056] In step S1, the temperature of ultrasonic treatment is 50°C;

[0057] In step S2, the stirring temperature is 80°C; and the drying is freeze-drying.

[0058] In step S3, the coffee beans are hydrolyzed with cellulose for 60 minutes before extraction.

[0059] Example 4

[0060] A preparation method of coffee liquid is different from that of Example 1 in that no coconut milk is added.

[0061] Example 5

[0062] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0063] In step S3, the concentration of the coffee extract is 10.0° Brix.

[0064] Example 6

[0065] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0066] In step S1, diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides are not added, and only β-cyclodextrin is added; the mass fraction of β-cyclodextrin is 1.2.

[0067] Example 7

[0068] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0069] In step S1, diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides are not added, and only β-cyclodextrin is added; the mass part of β-cyclodextrin is 3.

[0070] Example 8

[0071] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0072] In step S1, β-cyclodextrin is not added, and only diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides are added; the mass part of diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides is 3.

[0073] Example 9

[0074] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0075] In step S2, no succinic acid monoglyceride emulsion is added, and hot air drying is performed directly.

[0076] Example 10

[0077] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0078] In step S1, β-cyclodextrin was not added and an equal amount of xanthan gum was used instead.

[0079] Example 11

[0080] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0081] In step S1, β-cyclodextrin was not added and an equal amount of taro gum was used instead.

[0082] Example 12

[0083] A preparation method of coffee liquid, which differs from Example 1 in that:

[0084] In step S2, the stirring temperature is 60°C.

[0085] Example 13

[0086] A method for preparing coffee liquid comprises the following steps:

[0087] The coffee extract and coconut milk are evenly mixed to obtain coffee liquid.

[0088] The mass parts of coffee extract are 100, and the mass parts of coconut milk are 2;

[0089] The coffee extract is prepared by cold extraction of coffee beans after ultrasonic treatment at a temperature of 18±2°C for 8 hours; the coffee beans are then cooled to sub-zero and freeze concentrated to a concentration of 15.0°Brix.

[0090] Example 14

[0091] A method for preparing coffee liquid comprises the following steps:

[0092] Mix the following components uniformly:

[0093]

[0094] The coffee extract is prepared by cold extraction of coffee beans after ultrasonic treatment at a temperature of 18±2°C for 8 hours; the coffee beans are then cooled to sub-zero and freeze concentrated to a concentration of 15.0°Brix.

[0095] Example 15

[0096] A method for preparing coffee liquid comprises the following steps:

[0097] The coffee beans were ultrasonically treated and then cold-extracted at 18±2°C for 8 h. The beans were then cooled to sub-zero and freeze-concentrated to a concentration of 15.0°Brix.

[0098] The coffee liquid prepared in the above example was tested for aroma and flavor:

[0099] Experimental steps:

[0100] 10 ml of the coffee liquid prepared in each of the above examples was taken; 80 ml of 5°C water was added and stirred clockwise for 5 seconds; then the mixture was placed in a cylindrical open cup with a 1 m interval between each example; and the cup was covered with a 15 cm high cylindrical tube with openings at the top and bottom.

[0101] The participants were asked to sniff the coffee above the cylindrical barrel of each embodiment at 1 minute, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and 45 minutes of brewing, and the aroma was scored, with 0 indicating no aroma; 1 indicating a faint coffee aroma; 2 indicating a strong coffee aroma; and 3 indicating a rich coffee aroma.

[0102] The total number of testers is 15;

[0103] To ensure the accuracy of the time, 15 people were sent to conduct the test simultaneously each time, and the test was repeated 5 times; it was ensured that different testers sniffed the same embodiment each time;

[0104] At the same time, the unified test benchmark is the standard line of 3 points for the fragrance intensity of Example 15 at 1 minute. The fragrance intensity higher than or equal to this is 3 points, and the specific score is the average score after repeating 5 times.

[0105] The test results are shown in Table 1.

[0106] Table 1

[0107]

[0108]

[0109] The “coffee beans” in Table 1 refer to the coffee beans of the same species, origin, and batch used in the above examples, which are only roasted and ground.

[0110] As shown in Table 1, when only β-cyclodextrin is used without diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides (Examples 6 and 7), a 3% addition level is required to achieve the desired effect. However, this addition level exceeds the current regulatory limit (maximum 1%). Therefore, a combination of multiple microcapsule wall materials is necessary to achieve the desired effect.

[0111] As shown in Example 4, the higher oil content and higher viscosity in coconut milk will slow down the diffusion and evaporation of volatile components by increasing the intermolecular resistance.

[0112] It can be seen from Examples 8, 10 and 11 that when xanthan gum and tsara gum are used, the effect is not as good as that of β-cyclodextrin. Example 9 proves that succinic acid monoglyceride can be made into a double-layer microcapsule structure, so that the aroma is released more slowly.

[0113] In Example 12, the stirring temperature was too low, and the monoglyceride succinate (GMS) was not fully expanded (not fully liquefied); a dense single-layer film could not be formed, resulting in a decrease in the sealing performance of the embedded structure.

[0114] Example 14 used the same ratio of ingredients as Example 1, but simply mixed them. The present invention believes that the aroma score of 1.9 at 15 minutes was due to the additional coffee oil, and the embedding agent component did not play a corresponding role.

[0115] The above detailed description is a specific description of one feasible embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent implementation or modification that does not depart from the present invention should be included in the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma, characterized in that: The following components are included in parts by mass: The coffee oil is the oil extracted from coffee beans; The coffee oil is included with beta-cyclodextrin, diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride and diglyceride, and succinic acid monoglyceride to obtain coffee oil microcapsules.

2. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 1, characterized in that The coffee extract is a cold extract of coffee beans.

3. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 2, characterized in that The cold extraction temperature is 10-20°C.

4. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 1, characterized in that The oil content in the coconut milk is ≥25 wt%.

5. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 1, characterized in that The preparation method of the coffee oil microcapsules comprises the steps of: S1: coffee oil is mixed with β-cyclodextrin and diacetyl tartaric acid mono- and diglycerides, and then ultrasonically treated to obtain a preliminary mixed solution; S2: adding succinic acid monoglyceride emulsion to the preliminary mixed solution, stirring and mixing, and then drying; obtaining coffee oil microcapsules.

6. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 5, characterized in that In step S1, the temperature of the ultrasonic treatment is 40-50° C. and the time is ≥30 min.

7. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 5, characterized in that In step S2, the stirring temperature is 70-80° C. and the stirring time is ≥20 min.

8. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 5, characterized in that The drying in step S2 is hot air drying or freeze drying.

9. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 1, characterized in that The concentration of the coffee extract is ≥15.0°Brix.

10. The coffee liquid with a long-lasting aroma according to claim 1, characterized in that The coffee is subjected to cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis and / or ultrasonic treatment before extraction.

Images