Sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and a preparation method thereof, the sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition comprises a sour and flavor group, a mineral group and a carrier and sweet group, and the sour and flavor group comprises microencapsulated citric acid, other sour agents and flavor substances. The mineral substance group comprises calcium gluconate, sodium chloride, potassium citrate, magnesium sulfate, zinc gluconate and sodium citrate; the carrier and sweetness group comprises erythritol, psicose and sucralose, the problems are systematically solved through scientific replacement of core raw materials, embedding protection of key components and integrated innovation of a preparation process, and a high-quality product which is high in stability, pure in taste, rapid to dissolve and free of bad color change is obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of functional solid beverages and their manufacturing technology, specifically to sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage compositions and their preparation methods. Background Technology

[0002] Electrolyte-based solid beverages, as a convenient and efficient form of nutritional supplement, are experiencing continuous market demand growth. However, traditional electrolyte beverage formulations and production processes have revealed several technological bottlenecks when addressing new consumer demands for healthier (sugar-free), more stable, and better-tasting products. Stability issues: Common organic acids in formulations (such as citric acid) come into direct contact with minerals and sweeteners, making them prone to moisture absorption and clumping. They may also undergo slow reactions during storage, affecting product solubility, color, and flavor. Sensory and safety conflicts: To achieve "sugar-free" products while maintaining a good taste, high-intensity sweeteners (such as sucralose) are often combined with organic calcium acids (such as L-calcium lactate). However, some calcium salts (which may incorporate proteins during production) may induce non-enzymatic browning reactions (Maillard reactions) when in prolonged contact with sweeteners in a dry solid state, or when heated during subsequent granulation and drying processes. This can result in trace black spots, darkening of color, or unpleasant odors, severely impacting product appearance and commercial value. Process efficiency and nutrient retention: Traditional dry mixing processes struggle to achieve uniform dispersion of components, especially trace minerals. Conversely, prolonged high-temperature drying after wet granulation may damage heat-sensitive components (such as certain vitamins or encapsulated structures). Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and its preparation method, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art by producing an electrolyte solid beverage product that avoids Maillard reaction, is not prone to clumping, has high stability, and has excellent taste, making it suitable for people with diabetes and those controlling their weight, as well as the efficient and homogenized production process of the product.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition, comprising a sourness and flavor group, a mineral group, a carrier and a sweetness group, wherein the sourness and flavor group comprises microencapsulated citric acid, other acidulants, and flavor substances; the mineral group comprises calcium gluconate, sodium chloride, potassium citrate, magnesium sulfate, zinc gluconate, and sodium citrate; and the carrier and sweetness group comprises erythritol, allulose, and sucralose.

[0005] Preferably, the acidity and flavor group uses microencapsulation technology to protect citric acid.

[0006] Preferably, the sour and flavor group microcapsules use a high-melting-point hydrogenated vegetable oil and rosin glycerol ester in a 1:1 ratio as the wall material, and the amount of citric acid added accounts for 20%-25% of the total weight of the microencapsulated citric acid capsules.

[0007] Sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and its preparation method: including the following steps: S1: Prepare three sets of raw materials and pre-treat them respectively: The sour and flavor group microcapsules adopt an encapsulation system and process: heat and melt the wall material, add citric acid powder and an appropriate amount of emulsifier, homogenize at high speed to form a stable W / O emulsion, and then spray it into a low temperature cooling tower through a pressure spray device to make the wall material instantly solidify into solid microcapsule particles. The sour and flavor group is mixed evenly under low speed stirring beforehand. The mineral group needs to be fully mixed using a high-efficiency three-dimensional motion mixer to ensure that the trace minerals are evenly distributed. S2: Step-by-step isolation mixing: First, the carrier and sweet flavor group are put into the three-dimensional motion mixer as the base material; during the mixing process, the mineral group is slowly and evenly sprinkled into the flowing carrier and sweet flavor group material through a specially designed feeding port. Utilizing the large volume and fluidity of the carrier and sweet flavor group material, the trace mineral components are thoroughly diluted and dispersed to avoid excessively high local concentrations; after the mineral group is evenly mixed, the acidity and flavor group are finally added and mixed for a short time. S3: Low-temperature airflow agglomeration granulation: The above-mixed powder is fed into a fluidized bed granulator. Process parameters: The inlet air temperature is strictly controlled within a low-temperature range of 40-50℃. The binder solution is sprayed into the fluidized powder in the form of atomization, so that the fine powders are bonded together to form porous and uniform particles. S4: After granulation, the residual moisture of the granules is dried to the standard requirements in a fluidized bed using clean hot air at 30-40℃. Finally, the granules are screened by vibration and packaged to ensure that there is no residue after reconstitution.

[0008] Preferably, the encapsulation system and the process heating and melting temperature are 80°C, the emulsifier is a compound of Span-65 and Tween-80, the HLB value of the system is adjusted to 4.0, the pressure of the pressure spraying equipment is 1.5MPa, the nozzle orifice diameter is 0.8mm, and the temperature of the low temperature cooling tower is ≤25°C.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This invention completely solves the industry problems of moisture absorption and clumping, black spots and adverse chemical reactions during product storage by replacing L-calcium lactate with calcium gluconate and combining it with microencapsulated citric acid technology, thus significantly extending the shelf life; 2. This invention provides a pleasant sweetness close to sucrose through an innovative sweetener compounding system, without any unpleasant aftertaste; the microencapsulated acidulant achieves a gentle release of acidity; the product's reconstituted solution is clear, without sediment or scum; 3. This invention integrates stepwise isolation mixing with low-temperature airflow agglomeration granulation process, thereby producing granules with excellent solubility, flowability and uniformity at low temperatures, maximizing the retention of the efficacy of all active ingredients, and achieving high production efficiency, making it suitable for large-scale production. 4. Sugar-free and low in calories, it also replenishes multiple electrolytes and has additional health benefits due to the addition of allulose and erythritol, which aligns with modern consumer trends. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 Comparison chart of regular sugar-free electrolyte powder and product from Example 1 for accelerated stability testing over 3 months; Figure 2 Comparison of ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder and the product of Example 1 after dissolution for 3 months to accelerate stability testing; Figure 3 A comparison chart of the regular sugar-free electrolyte powder and the product from Example 2 after 3 months of accelerated stability testing; Figure 4 Comparison of ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder and the product of Example 2 after dissolution for 3 months to accelerate stability testing; Figure 5 A comparison chart of the regular sugar-free electrolyte powder and the product from Example 3 after 3 months of accelerated stability testing; Figure 6 Comparison chart of ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder and the product of Example 3 after dissolution for 3 months to accelerate stability testing; Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the manufacturing process for this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0011] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0012] Please see Figure 1This invention provides a technical solution: a sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and its preparation method. The sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition includes a sourness and flavor group, a mineral group, a carrier and a sweetness group. The sourness and flavor group contains microencapsulated citric acid, other acidulants, and flavor substances. The mineral group contains calcium gluconate, sodium chloride, potassium citrate, magnesium sulfate, zinc gluconate, and sodium citrate. L-calcium lactate, as a high-quality organic calcium source, has the potential to undergo a Maillard reaction with sweeteners such as sucralose under certain conditions. This reaction usually requires reducing sugars (or substances with reducing properties) and amino compounds to occur under heating conditions, even in the production of solid beverages. Even during gentle drying, prolonged contact can lead to slow browning, resulting in visible black spots or discoloration. Using calcium gluconate as the sole or primary calcium source, replacing L-lactate, addresses this issue. Calcium gluconate molecules are stable, and although its metabolites contain glucose, they are chemically stable in their solid powder state, making them less likely to act as reducing agents in the initial stages of the Maillard reaction. This fundamentally cuts off the reaction pathway and avoids the risk of black spots when combined with sucralose. Using calcium gluconate offers the following advantages: High stability: Excellent compatibility with sweetener systems, ensuring stable appearance during long-term product storage; Solubility and bioavailability: As an organic acid calcium, it has good water solubility and is easily absorbed. Dependent on stomach acid, it causes minimal gastrointestinal irritation, making it suitable for a wider range of people. Its taste is neutral: the calcium flavor is weak and easily masked by flavor systems, without affecting the final beverage taste. The carrier and sweetener group includes erythritol, allulose (as the main filler and sweetener carrier), and sucralose. Single sweeteners often struggle to achieve the optimal balance between sweetness, mouthfeel, volume, and cost, and may result in an unpleasant aftertaste or cooling sensation. This innovative combination of erythritol and allulose constructs a multi-layered sweetness and functional synergy sugar-free sweetener system. This sweetener system offers the following advantages: Synergistic taste: Erythritol provides pure sweetness and a cooling sensation, while allulose's sweetness profile is closer to sucrose, providing a more balanced and refreshing experience. It effectively compensates for the insufficient sweetness of erythritol and improves the overall fullness and persistence of sweetness, reducing the amount of high-intensity sweeteners used; complementary physical properties: both are solid powders, providing good volume and texture for solid beverages; allulose has certain moisturizing and Maillard reaction participation capabilities (which can be used for flavor development when needed), but has no risk of adverse reactions with calcium gluconate; added health benefits: erythritol hardly participates in metabolism, while allulose has been proven by studies to have potential health benefits such as inhibiting postprandial blood glucose rise, which aligns with the product's health positioning; supply chain assurance: the production of both erythritol and allulose can be carried out using advanced membrane separation and purification technology, ensuring high purity and large-scale supply.

[0013] The acidity and flavor group utilizes microencapsulation technology to protect citric acid. Citric acid, as a primary acidulant and acid-base buffer, is highly hygroscopic. Its direct presence in the formulation as a crystal would exacerbate moisture absorption and clumping, and it also has potential reactions with metal ions (such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc), affecting dissolution rate and solution clarity. Encapsulation offers the following advantages: Physical isolation: It physically isolates the hygroscopic and reactive citric acid from other components in the formulation (especially minerals), addressing clumping and adverse chemical reactions at their source; Controlled release: Microcapsules dissolve slowly in cold water, primarily releasing the acidity through rupture via stirring and friction in aqueous solutions, achieving a "smooth entry and refreshing aftertaste" acidity experience, avoiding the sharp acidity caused by instant dissolution; Improved flowability: Encapsulated citric acid forms spherical solid particles, exhibiting better flowability than raw material crystals, facilitating subsequent uniform mixing.

[0014] The acidity and flavor group microcapsules use a 1:1 blend of high-melting-point hydrogenated vegetable oil (such as hydrogenated palm kernel oil) and rosin glycerol esters as the wall material, with citric acid added accounting for 20%-25% of the total weight of the microencapsulated citric acid capsules. Sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and its preparation method, characterized by comprising the following steps: S1: Prepare three sets of raw materials and pre-treat them separately: The microcapsules of the acidity and flavor groups adopt the encapsulation system and process: heat and melt the wall material, add citric acid powder and an appropriate amount of emulsifier, homogenize at high speed to form a stable W / O emulsion, and then spray it into a low temperature cooling tower through a pressure spray device to make the wall material instantly solidify into solid microcapsule particles. The acidity and flavor groups are mixed evenly under low speed stirring beforehand. The mineral group needs to be fully mixed using a high-efficiency three-dimensional motion mixer to ensure that the trace minerals are evenly distributed. S2: Step-by-step isolation mixing: First, the carrier and sweetness group are put into the three-dimensional motion mixer as the base material; during the mixing process, the mineral group is slowly and evenly sprinkled into the flowing carrier and sweetness group material through a specially designed feeding port. Utilizing the large volume and fluidity of the carrier and sweetness group material, the trace mineral components are thoroughly diluted and dispersed to avoid excessively high local concentrations. This step is crucial and ensures that even incompatible components (mineral substances) are physically isolated in a dry state; after the mineral group is evenly mixed, the acidity and flavor group are added last and mixed for a short time. Since the citric acid has been encapsulated, there is no risk of reaction in this step; S3: Low-Temperature Airflow Agglomeration Granulation: The mixed powder is fed into a fluidized bed granulator. Process parameters: The inlet air temperature is strictly controlled within a low-temperature range of 40-50℃. The binder solution is sprayed into the fluidized powder in an atomized form, causing the fine powder to adhere to each other and form porous, uniform particles. This step has the following advantages: Low-Temperature Protection: The entire process is conducted at low temperatures, effectively protecting the integrity of the microcapsule wall material, the stability of the sweetener, and completely eliminating the thermal stress required for the Maillard reaction. Improved Performance: The resulting particles have good flowability, fast dissolution speed (due to the porous structure), consistent sensory density, and effectively prevent the components from re-separating due to vibration during transportation and storage. S4: After granulation, the residual moisture of the granules is dried to the standard requirements in a fluidized bed using clean hot air at 30-40℃. Finally, the granules are screened by vibration and packaged to ensure that there is no residue after reconstitution.

[0015] The encapsulation system and process heating and melting temperature are 80℃. The emulsifier is a mixture of Span-65 and Tween-80. The HLB value of the system is adjusted to 4.0. The pressure of the pressure spray equipment is 1.5MPa, the nozzle orifice diameter is 0.8mm, and the temperature of the low-temperature cooling tower is ≤25℃.

[0016] Working principle: When using this invention: Specific Example 1 Formula (based on 1000g of sugar-free electrolyte powder, enough to make 50 liters of electrolyte beverage): Components Raw material name Weight (g) Function Description Minerals and electrolytes Calcium gluconate 15.0 Provides calcium ions, stable formula Sodium chloride (table salt) 12.0 Provide sodium ions Potassium citrate 9.0 Provides potassium ions Sodium citrate 15.45 Provide sodium ions Zinc gluconate 0.3 Provide zinc ions Sweetness system Erythritol 750.0 The main sweetener and filler provide volume and a cooling sensation. Allulose 150.0 Synergistic sweeteners improve sweetness Sucralose 0.25 High-intensity sweeteners Acidity and Flavor System Microencapsulated citric acid (containing 25% core material) 40.0 This is equivalent to adding 10.0g of pure citric acid. It provides a sour taste and stabilizes the encapsulation. malic acid 5.0 Enhance the sour taste and add layers of acidity. Natural fruit flavoring (orange flavor) 3.0 Provide flavor Preparation process: 1. Prepare microencapsulated citric acid according to the aforementioned method; 2. Group the sourness and flavor, minerality, and carrier and sweetness groups; 3. Perform the “step-by-step isolation mixing” process: first mix the carrier and sweet group, then add the mineral group and mix evenly, and finally add the acidity and flavor group and mix briefly; 4. The mixed powder is subjected to "low-temperature airflow agglomeration granulation" with an inlet air temperature of 45°C and an 8% PVP pure aqueous solution as the binder; 5. Low-temperature drying, sieving (taking 20-60 mesh particles), and sealing in aluminum foil bags; 6. Place the ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder sample and the sample from Example 1 into an accelerated stability test chamber. Experimental conditions: temperature 37±2℃, humidity 75±5%RH; experimental time: 3 months (representing a shelf life of 24 months). Observe the appearance of the samples. Comparison figures are shown below. Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the left side is the sample from Example 1, and the right side is the sample from ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder.

[0017] Specific Example 2 Formula (based on 1000g of sugar-free electrolyte powder, enough to make 50L of electrolyte beverage): Components Raw material name Weight (g) Function Description Minerals and electrolytes Calcium gluconate 15.0 Provides calcium ions, stable formula Sodium chloride (table salt) 12.0 Provide sodium ions Potassium citrate 9.0 Provides potassium ions Sodium citrate 15.45 Provide sodium ions Zinc gluconate 0.3 Provide zinc ions Sweetness system Erythritol 600.0 The main sweetener and filler provide volume and a cooling sensation. Allulose 305.0 Synergistic sweeteners improve sweetness Sucralose 0.25 High-intensity sweeteners Acidity and Flavor System Microencapsulated citric acid (containing 25% core material) 35.0 This is equivalent to adding 8.75g of pure citric acid. It provides a sour taste and stabilizes the encapsulation. malic acid 5.0 Enhance the sour taste and add layers of acidity. Natural fruit flavoring (strawberry flavor) 3.0 Provide flavor Preparation process: 1. Prepare microencapsulated citric acid according to the aforementioned method; 2. Group the sourness and flavor, minerality, and carrier and sweetness groups; 3. Perform the “step-by-step isolation mixing” process: first mix the carrier and sweet group, then add the mineral group and mix evenly, and finally add the acidity and flavor group and mix briefly; 4. The mixed powder is subjected to "low-temperature airflow agglomeration granulation" with an inlet air temperature of 45°C and an 8% PVP pure aqueous solution as the binder; 5. Low-temperature drying, sieving (taking 20-60 mesh particles), and sealing in aluminum foil bags; 6. Place the ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder sample and the sample from Example 2 into an accelerated stability test chamber. Experimental conditions: temperature 37±2℃, humidity 75±5%RH; experimental time: 3 months (representing a shelf life of 24 months). Observe the appearance of the samples. Comparison figures are shown below. Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the left side is the sample from Example 2, and the right side is the sample from ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder.

[0018] Specific Example 3 Formula (based on 1000g of sugar-free electrolyte powder, enough to make 50L of electrolyte beverage): Components Raw material name Weight (g) Function Description Minerals and electrolytes Calcium gluconate 15.0 Provides calcium ions, stable formula Sodium chloride (table salt) 12.0 Provide sodium ions Potassium citrate 9.0 Provides potassium ions Sodium citrate 15.45 Provide sodium ions Zinc gluconate 0.3 Provide zinc ions Sweetness system Erythritol 450 The main sweetener and filler provide volume and a cooling sensation. Allulose 449.05 Synergistic sweeteners improve sweetness Sucralose 0.20 High-intensity sweeteners Acidity and Flavor System Microencapsulated citric acid (containing 25% core material) 40.0 This is equivalent to adding 10.0g of pure citric acid. It provides a sour taste and stabilizes the encapsulation. malic acid 6.0 Enhance the sour taste and add layers of acidity. Natural fruit flavoring (lemon flavor) 3.0 Provide flavor 1. Prepare microencapsulated citric acid according to the aforementioned method; 2. Group the sourness and flavor, minerality, and carrier and sweetness groups; 3. Perform a step-by-step isolation mixing process: first mix group C, then mix the carrier and sweet group, then add the mineral group and mix evenly, and finally add the acidity and flavor group and mix briefly; 4. The mixed powder is subjected to "low-temperature airflow agglomeration granulation" with an inlet air temperature of 45°C and an 8% PVP pure aqueous solution as the binder; 5. Low-temperature drying, sieving (taking 20-60 mesh particles), and sealing in aluminum foil bags; 6. Place the ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder sample and the sample from Example 3 into an accelerated stability test chamber. Experimental conditions: temperature 37±2℃, humidity 75±5%RH; experimental time: 3 months (representing a shelf life of 24 months). Observe the appearance of the samples. Comparison figures are shown below. Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the left side is the sample from Example 3, and the right side is the sample from ordinary sugar-free electrolyte powder.

[0019] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0020] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition, comprising a sourness and flavor group, a mineral group, a carrier and a sweetness group, characterized in that: The acidity and flavor group includes microencapsulated citric acid, other acidulants, and flavor substances; the mineral group includes calcium gluconate, sodium chloride, potassium citrate, magnesium sulfate, zinc gluconate, and sodium citrate; and the carrier and sweetness group includes erythritol, allulose, and sucralose.

2. The sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acidity and flavor group uses microencapsulation technology to protect citric acid.

3. The sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sour and flavor group microcapsules use a 1:1 blend of high-melting-point hydrogenated vegetable oil and rosin glycerol ester as the wall material, and the amount of citric acid added accounts for 20%-25% of the total weight of the microencapsulated citric acid capsules.

4. The sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and its preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1: Prepare three sets of raw materials and pre-treat them respectively: The sour and flavor group microcapsules adopt an encapsulation system and process: heat and melt the wall material, add citric acid powder and an appropriate amount of emulsifier, homogenize at high speed to form a stable W / O emulsion, and then spray it into a low temperature cooling tower through a pressure spray device to make the wall material instantly solidify into solid microcapsule particles. The sour and flavor group is mixed evenly under low speed stirring beforehand. The mineral group needs to be fully mixed using a high-efficiency three-dimensional motion mixer to ensure that the trace minerals are evenly distributed. S2: Step-by-step isolation mixing: First, the carrier and sweet flavor group are put into the three-dimensional motion mixer as the base material; during the mixing process, the mineral group is slowly and evenly sprinkled into the flowing carrier and sweet flavor group material through a specially designed feeding port. Utilizing the large volume and fluidity of the carrier and sweet flavor group material, the trace mineral components are thoroughly diluted and dispersed to avoid excessively high local concentrations; after the mineral group is evenly mixed, the acidity and flavor group are finally added and mixed for a short time. S3: Low-temperature airflow agglomeration granulation: The above-mixed powder is fed into a fluidized bed granulator. Process parameters: The inlet air temperature is strictly controlled within a low-temperature range of 40-50℃. The binder solution is sprayed into the fluidized powder in the form of atomization, so that the fine powders are bonded together to form porous and uniform particles. S4: After granulation, the residual moisture of the granules is dried to the standard requirements in a fluidized bed using clean hot air at 30-40℃. Finally, the granules are screened by vibration and packaged to ensure that there is no residue after reconstitution.

5. The sugar-free electrolyte solid beverage composition and its preparation method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The encapsulation system and process heating and melting temperature are 80℃, the emulsifier is a compound of Span-65 and Tween-80, the HLB value of the system is adjusted to 4.0, the pressure of the pressure spraying equipment is 1.5MPa, the nozzle orifice diameter is 0.8mm, and the temperature of the low temperature cooling tower is ≤25℃.

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