Stable-flavor thick coconut milk beverage and preparation process thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a thick coconut milk beverage with stable flavor and a preparation process thereof, and belongs to the technical field of coconut milk beverages, the formula of the beverage comprises 12%-18% of coconut milk, 3%-6% of coconut water, 4%-7% of white granulated sugar, 0.2%-1.0% of a composite emulsion stabilizer, 0.01%-0.05% of a natural flavor protective agent, 0.01%-0.03% of an acidity regulator and the balance of RO water. The core of the preparation process is as follows: selectively performing controllable enzymolysis on coconut milk to generate autogenous emulsifying peptide; and then a nanoscale emulsification system is constructed through a secondary homogenization process including ultrahigh-pressure microjet homogenization. Through the synergistic effect of a biological enzyme technology and a physical field technology, on the premise that the dosage of an exogenous emulsifier is reduced, the technical problems that thick coconut milk is easy to layer and the flavor is easy to degrade are fundamentally solved, and a product which is small in fat globule particle size, silky and smooth in taste, excellent in stability and pure in flavor is obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of coconut milk beverages, and in particular to a flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage and its preparation process. Background Technology

[0002] Coconut milk beverages are widely popular due to their unique flavor and rich nutrition. However, because coconut milk is a complex oil-water emulsion system, it is prone to problems such as fat floating, protein precipitation, and flavor deterioration during storage, which seriously affect product quality and commercial value.

[0003] In the prior art, such as the Chinese patent document with publication number CN104824746B, a coconut juice beverage is disclosed, which improves taste and stability by optimizing the ratio of coconut milk to coconut water and combining it with secondary homogenization. However, this technology focuses on making refreshing beverages with a low coconut milk content of only 5%-10%, failing to solve the more severe stability challenges brought about by high coconut milk content, i.e., "thick coconut milk", and its flavor profile is relatively simple.

[0004] Furthermore, another Chinese patent document, CN117918427A, discloses a method for preparing ultra-concentrated thick coconut milk. This method achieves high concentration and stability through a complex process including ultraviolet irradiation, drastic pH adjustment, and multi-stage membrane concentration. This process is cumbersome, energy-intensive, and the harsh processing conditions, such as strong alkali or acid treatments, may adversely affect the natural flavor compounds of coconut milk, leading to flavor distortion or the production of undesirable byproducts.

[0005] Furthermore, in existing technologies, the stability of thick coconut milk mainly relies on the addition of various exogenous emulsifiers and stabilizers. This not only leads to a complex ingredient list, which does not conform to the consumer trend of "clean labels," but may also introduce foreign flavors. At the same time, traditional homogenization technology has bottlenecks when processing high-fat, high-protein coconut milk systems, making it difficult to improve particle uniformity and stability to a higher level.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need in the field for a new thick coconut milk beverage solution that can build intrinsic stability by stimulating the inherent potential of the raw materials themselves, such as by generating endogenous components with emulsifying activity through bio-enzyme technology, such as self-generated emulsifying peptides, thereby reducing dependence on exogenous additives and preserving and stabilizing its natural flavor to the greatest extent through a gentler and simpler process. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a thick coconut milk beverage with stable flavor, rich taste, and simplified preparation process, and a method for preparing it, in order to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0008] A flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage, based on its total weight, comprises the following components by weight percentage: Coconut milk: 12%–18%; Coconut water: 3%–6%; White sugar: 4% ~ 7%; Compound emulsifying stabilizer: 0.2%–1.0%; Natural flavor preservative: 0.01%–0.05%; Acidity regulator: 0.01%~0.03%; The remainder is RO water.

[0009] The composite emulsifying stabilizer includes sucrose fatty acid ester, sodium caseinate, and microcrystalline cellulose.

[0010] The natural flavor preservatives include rosemary extract and vitamin E.

[0011] The acidity regulators include sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate.

[0012] The preparation process of the above-mentioned flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage includes the following steps: 1. Pretreatment and primary emulsification: Preheat coconut milk to 65-75℃; dry mix compound emulsifying stabilizer with some white sugar, add to RO water at 60-70℃, stir at high speed to dissolve, and obtain stabilizer aqueous solution; then add preheated coconut milk and coconut water to stabilizer aqueous solution, stir at high speed to form primary emulsion.

[0013] 2. First homogenization: The initial emulsion is homogenized for the first time at 65-70°C and the homogenization pressure is 180-220 Bar.

[0014] 3. Preparation: Add the remaining white sugar, natural flavor protectant and acidity regulator to the emulsion after the first homogenization, stir and mix evenly, and adjust the pH of the system to 6.8-7.2.

[0015] 4. Second homogenization: The prepared materials are homogenized a second time at 70-75℃, with a homogenization pressure of 280-320 Bar.

[0016] 5. Sterilization and filling: The homogenized liquid is sterilized by UHT at 137-141°C for 15-20 seconds; then cooled to 25-30°C and aseptically filled to obtain the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage.

[0017] Furthermore, in order to achieve a higher degree of stability and flavor purity, the present invention, based on the aforementioned technical solution, further introduces the following technical means: a. Controlled enzymatic hydrolysis technology: In the initial stage of preparation, the coconut milk undergoes limited enzymatic hydrolysis. This step uses specific proteases under mild conditions to modify the proteins in the coconut milk, partially hydrolyzing them into peptides with stronger emulsifying activity. These self-generated emulsifying peptides can more effectively anchor at the fat globule interface, forming a robust interfacial film, fundamentally improving system stability, and potentially producing pleasant flavor precursors.

[0018] b. Ultra-high pressure microjets homogenization technology: In the critical stage of the homogenization process, ultra-high pressure microjets are used to replace or enhance traditional high pressure homogenization. This technology can generate extremely high shear forces, cavitation forces, and impact forces, breaking down fat globules and protein aggregates to the submicron or nanometer level, thereby significantly improving the homogeneity and physical stability of the system and achieving an unprecedented silky smooth texture.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. Unique and stable flavor: Through the scientific blending of coconut milk and coconut water, a multi-layered taste is formed that combines richness and refreshing flavor; in particular, the added natural flavor protectants, such as rosemary extract and vitamin E, can effectively inhibit fat oxidation, ensuring that the product has a pure flavor and no rancid or other off-flavors during its shelf life.

[0020] 2. High physical stability: The carefully selected compound emulsifying stabilizers, such as sucrose fatty acid esters, sodium caseinate and microcrystalline cellulose, work synergistically with the optimized secondary high-pressure homogenization process to construct an extremely stable emulsion system. Experimental verification shows that the product does not exhibit fat floating or protein precipitation during accelerated storage at 37℃ for 30 days and storage at room temperature for 6 months.

[0021] 3. Simplified and gentle process: This invention eliminates the complex ultraviolet treatment, drastic pH adjustment and multi-stage membrane concentration steps in the prior art, and adopts gentler processing conditions to retain the natural nutrients and flavor substances of coconut milk to the greatest extent, while reducing production energy consumption and equipment costs, making it more suitable for large-scale industrial production.

[0022] 4. Self-generated emulsifying peptides were generated: Through controlled enzymatic hydrolysis technology, the natural proteins in coconut milk were converted into self-generated emulsifying peptides with excellent surface activity. These peptides synergistically interact with the added compound emulsifying stabilizers to form a denser and more robust interfacial film, which is the fundamental reason for maintaining ultra-high stability with low amounts of exogenous additives. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the preparation process of the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0025] Please see Figure 1 The present invention will be further described in detail through several embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments: Example 1, its formula by weight is as follows: Coconut milk: 15%; Coconut water: 5%; White sugar: 6%; Compound emulsifying stabilizer: 0.6%, including 0.3% sucrose fatty acid ester, 0.2% sodium caseinate, and 0.1% microcrystalline cellulose; Natural flavor preservative: 0.03%, including 0.02% rosemary extract and 0.01% vitamin E; Acidity regulator: 0.025%, of which sodium citrate 0.015% and sodium bicarbonate 0.01%; RO water: Balance.

[0026] Preparation process: 1. Preheat the coconut milk to 70℃ and set aside.

[0027] 2. Dry mix the compound emulsifying stabilizer with 2% white sugar, add it to an appropriate amount of RO water at 65℃, and stir at 3000rpm for 5 minutes to fully dissolve it.

[0028] 3. Add preheated coconut milk and coconut water to the solution from step 2, and continue stirring at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes to form a primary emulsion.

[0029] 4. Homogenize the primary emulsion for the first time at 68°C and 200 Bar pressure.

[0030] 5. Add the remaining white sugar, natural flavor protectant and acidity regulator to the homogenized emulsion, stir slowly until completely dissolved, and measure the pH value to be 7.0.

[0031] 6. The prepared liquid solution is homogenized a second time at 72°C and 300 Bar pressure.

[0032] 7. Perform UHT sterilization at 139°C for 18 seconds.

[0033] 8. Cool to 28°C and perform aseptic filling.

[0034] Example 2, the formula by weight is as follows: Coconut milk: 12%; Coconut water: 6%; White sugar: 5%; Compound emulsifying stabilizer: 0.8%, including 0.4% sucrose fatty acid ester, 0.3% sodium caseinate, and 0.1% microcrystalline cellulose; Natural flavor preservative: 0.04%, including 0.03% rosemary extract and 0.01% vitamin E; Acidity regulator: 0.02%, of which sodium citrate 0.012% and sodium bicarbonate 0.008%; RO water: Balance.

[0035] Preparation process: Same as in Example 1.

[0036] Example 3, its formula by weight is as follows: Coconut milk: 18%; Coconut water: 3%; White sugar: 7%; Compound emulsifying stabilizer: 0.5%, including 0.25% sucrose fatty acid ester, 0.15% sodium caseinate, and 0.1% microcrystalline cellulose; Natural flavor preservative: 0.02%, including 0.015% rosemary extract and 0.005% vitamin E; Acidity regulator: 0.03%, of which sodium citrate 0.018% and sodium bicarbonate 0.012%; RO water: Balance.

[0037] Preparation process: Same as in Example 1.

[0038] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the preparation process of this flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage includes an additional step a0) of coconut milk enzymatic hydrolysis before step a): The required weight of coconut milk is heated to 50-55°C, the pH is adjusted to 6.5-7.0, 0.01%-0.05% of neutral protease by weight of the coconut milk is added, and the mixture is slowly stirred for 20-40 minutes. Subsequently, the coconut milk is heated to 85-90°C and held for 5 minutes to inactivate the enzyme, yielding enzymatically hydrolyzed coconut milk. This enzymatically hydrolyzed coconut milk is used in all subsequent steps.

[0039] Example 4 (Enzymatic hydrolysis + conventional two-stage homogenization) Formula: Same as Example 1.

[0040] Preparation process: 1. Perform enzymatic hydrolysis on the coconut milk according to the newly added step a0) above. The enzymatic hydrolysis process conditions are: 55℃, pH 6.8, 0.03% neutral protease, reaction for 30 minutes, thereby generating self-generated emulsified peptides.

[0041] 2. The subsequent steps are exactly the same as in Example 1, that is, the first homogenization is carried out at 200 Bar, and the second homogenization is carried out at 300 Bar.

[0042] Example 5 (Enzymatic hydrolysis + microfluidic enhanced homogenization) Formulation: Same as Example 1, but the amount of compound emulsifying stabilizer is reduced from 0.6% to 0.3%, of which sucrose fatty acid ester is 0.15%, sodium caseinate is 0.1%, and microcrystalline cellulose is 0.05%.

[0043] Preparation process: 1. Perform enzymatic hydrolysis on coconut milk according to the newly added step a0), under the following conditions: 55℃, pH 6.8, add 0.03% neutral protease, and react for 30 minutes; thereby generating self-generated emulsified peptides.

[0044] 2. Perform the original process steps a) to c) to complete the blending.

[0045] 3. Second homogenization: The prepared liquid is processed once through an ultra-high pressure micro-jet homogenizer at a pressure of 400 Bar, with the temperature controlled at 70-75℃.

[0046] 4. Subsequent UHT sterilization and filling are the same as in Example 1.

[0047] Example 6 (Enzyme-free hydrolysis + microfluidic homogenization) Formula: Same as Example 1.

[0048] Preparation process: 1. No enzymatic hydrolysis is performed; the coconut milk is only preheated.

[0049] 2. Perform the original process steps a) to c) to complete the blending.

[0050] 3. Second homogenization: Same as in Example 5, using ultra-high pressure microjets at 400 Bar.

[0051] 4. Subsequent UHT sterilization and filling are the same as in Example 1. Comparative Example 1 (excluding coconut water) Formula: Replace the coconut water in Example 1 with an equal amount of RO water, while keeping the other components and processes unchanged.

[0052] Comparative Example 2 (Simplified Emulsification System) Formulation: Replace the composite emulsifying stabilizer in Example 1 with an equal amount of a single emulsifier, such as 0.6% sucrose fatty acid ester, while keeping the other components and processes unchanged.

[0053] Comparative Example 3 (Single Homogenization) Formulation and process: The formulation is the same as in Example 1, but the first homogenization is omitted in the preparation process. Only the second homogenization is performed after mixing to reach 300 Bar.

[0054] Comparative Example 4 (enzymatic hydrolysis only, single low-pressure homogenization) Formula: Same as Example 1.

[0055] Preparation process: 1. Perform enzymatic hydrolysis under the same conditions as in Example 4.

[0056] 2. After primary emulsification and blending, perform only one conventional homogenization at 150 Bar.

[0057] 3. Subsequent UHT sterilization and filling Product performance testing: The products prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were placed in a 37°C constant temperature chamber for accelerated stability testing. The changes in their state were observed over 30 days, and sensory evaluation was performed. The results are recorded in the table below:

[0058] Test Result Analysis: The products in Examples 1-3 all demonstrated excellent physical and flavor stability in accelerated testing, with high overall scores.

[0059] Comparative Example 1 confirmed that the absence of coconut water leads to a monotonous taste and a significant decrease in refreshingness.

[0060] Comparative Example 2 illustrates that the simplified emulsification system cannot effectively maintain long-term stability, leading to fat buoyancy and oxidative rancidity.

[0061] Comparative Example 3 demonstrates the necessity of two homogenization processes for constructing a stable system. A single homogenization is insufficient to completely disperse the emulsion particles, leading to precipitation.

[0062] Furthermore, tests were continued on Examples 4-6 and Comparative Example 4, and compared with Example 1 (the original optimal scheme) and Comparative Example 2 (the simplified emulsification system scheme). The test conditions were the same as before:

[0063] Test Result Analysis: Example 4 vs Example 1: With the same amount of emulsifier, the introduction of enzymatic hydrolysis technology resulted in a smaller fat globule size, a more uniform and stable system, and improved taste, proving the effectiveness of enzymatic hydrolysis.

[0064] Example 5: This example fully utilizes the synergistic effect of self-generated emulsifying peptides and microfluidic homogenization. By halving the amount of exogenous emulsifier, the smallest fat globule size and optimal stability and taste are achieved through the synergistic effect of enzymatic hydrolysis and microfluidization. This fully demonstrates the technical advantages of the present invention: while achieving significant improvement in efficacy, it simplifies and cleans the formulation.

[0065] Example 6: It was demonstrated that microfluidic technology alone can significantly improve particle size and mouthfeel, but it failed to reduce dependence on emulsifiers.

[0066] Comparative Example 4: This demonstrates that even with enzymatic hydrolysis, the final effect is limited without sufficient homogenization energy for effective dispersion and recombination, illustrating the necessity of the process combination.

[0067] In summary, this invention has successfully produced a thick coconut milk beverage with stable flavor and outstanding taste through specific raw material compounding and optimized secondary homogenization process.

[0068] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0069] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage, characterized in that, Based on its total weight, it includes the following components by weight percentage: Coconut milk: 12%–18%; Coconut water: 3%–6%; White sugar: 4% ~ 7%; Compound emulsifying stabilizer: 0.2%–1.0%; Natural flavor preservative: 0.01%–0.05%; Acidity regulator: 0.01%~0.03%; The remainder is RO water; The composite emulsifying stabilizer includes sucrose fatty acid ester, sodium caseinate, and microcrystalline cellulose.

2. The flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The natural flavor preservatives include rosemary extract and vitamin E.

3. The flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acidity regulator includes sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate, and the pH of the beverage is 6.8-7.

2.

4. A process for preparing a flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage as described in any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: a) Pretreatment and primary emulsification: Preheat the coconut milk; dry mix the compound emulsifying stabilizer with some white sugar, then add it to RO water at 60-70℃ and stir to dissolve, obtaining an aqueous stabilizer solution; then add the preheated coconut milk and coconut water to the stabilizer solution and stir to form a primary emulsion. b) First homogenization: The primary emulsion is homogenized at 65-70°C for the first time, and the homogenization pressure is 180-220 Bar. c) Preparation: Add the remaining white sugar, natural flavor protectant and acidity regulator to the emulsion after the first homogenization, stir and mix evenly, and adjust the pH of the system to 6.8-7.2; d) Second homogenization: The prepared materials are homogenized a second time at 70-75℃; e) Sterilization and filling: The homogenized liquid is sterilized by UHT, cooled after sterilization, and then aseptically filled.

5. The preparation process of the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 4, characterized in that: Before step a), the method further includes step a0) coconut milk enzymatic hydrolysis: coconut milk is enzymatically hydrolyzed at 50-55℃ and pH 6.5-7.0 for 20-40 minutes using neutral protease or papain to hydrolyze the coconut milk protein and generate self-generating emulsified peptides. The enzyme is then inactivated to obtain enzymatically hydrolyzed coconut milk. The enzymatically hydrolyzed coconut milk is used in step a).

6. The preparation process of the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 5, characterized in that: The amount of the neutral protease or the papain added is 0.01%-0.05% of the weight of the coconut milk.

7. The preparation process of the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second homogenization process described in step d) employs ultra-high pressure microjet homogenization technology, with a homogenization pressure of 280-600 Bar.

8. The preparation process of the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pressure range of the ultra-high pressure microjets homogenization is 350-600 Bar.

9. The preparation process of the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second homogenization process described in step d) employs ultra-high pressure microjet homogenization technology, with a homogenization pressure of 280-600 Bar.

10. The preparation process of the flavor-stable thick coconut milk beverage according to claim 4, characterized in that: The UHT sterilization conditions described in step e) are 137-141°C for 15-20 seconds.

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