Low Water Coffee Tea Concentrates pH Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available coffee and tea concentrates suffer from chemical instability, flavor degradation, and short shelf life due to high water content, requiring expensive processing or preservatives to maintain stability.
Innovation Solution
Low water liquid beverage concentrates with a water content of 5-40% and coffee/tea solids of 20-80% are developed, which can be diluted with water or other aqueous liquids to create stable coffee or tea beverages, maintaining pH stability and reducing flavor degradation reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If high water content concentrates are used, then the product is easier to handle and dilute, but chemical stability deteriorates and shelf life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by reducing the water content from typical high levels (70-90%) to low levels (10-40%), and by adjusting the pH to ranges of 3.0-6.0 using acidulants. This parameter change fundamentally alters the chemical environment to reduce degradation reactions while maintaining operational ease through proper formulation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite concentrate formulation combining coffee/tea solids, low water content, acidulants, and optional preservatives in specific ratios. This composite approach allows the system to achieve both stability and ease of handling by balancing multiple components rather than relying on water alone
2Reliability
If thermal processing is applied to improve microbiological stability, then shelf life increases, but flavor quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the need for intense thermal processing by changing the water content parameter to low levels (10-40%) and adjusting pH to 3.0-6.0, which creates an environment where microbiological stability is achieved with minimal thermal intervention, thereby preserving flavor quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acidulants as intermediary substances that lower pH to create a chemically stable environment. This intermediary approach provides microbiological stability through chemical means rather than relying solely on thermal processing, thus avoiding flavor degradation
3Reliability
If freezing is used to prevent instability, then chemical stability improves, but energy consumption increases and convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the water content parameter to low levels (10-40%) and pH to 3.0-6.0, creating a formulation that achieves chemical stability at room temperature without requiring freezing. This parameter change eliminates the need for frozen storage infrastructure and associated energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The low water concentrate formulation is self-stabilizing through its inherent chemical composition (low water content, appropriate pH with acidulants). The product maintains stability on its own without requiring external freezing conditions, making it self-sufficient and eliminating energy-dependent storage requirements
4Reliability
If preservatives and chemical treatments are added to improve stability, then shelf life increases, but product complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent primarily achieves shelf life extension through parameter changes (low water content 10-40%, pH 3.0-6.0) rather than relying on multiple preservatives. This approach simplifies the formulation and processing while maintaining stability, reducing both complexity and cost compared to heavily preservative-dependent systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The low water content significantly reduces flavor degradation and increases shelf life by minimizing acid dissociation and chemical reactions, allowing for stable flavor and pH over extended storage periods without the need for additional preservatives or complex processing.
Implementation Method 1
the occurrence of flavor degradation reactions and transformations (often caused by dissociated acids, including acids naturally present in coffee or tea solids) was significantly reduced
Data Source
AI summary
Low water liquid beverage concentrates and methods for making the concentrates are provided herein. The concentrates include a high coffee and/or tea solids content and total solids content. The amounts of water, total solids, and coffee and/or tea solids are effective to provide a low water beverage concentrate having a pH between about 3.0 to about 6.0. In some approaches, the pH of the low water beverage concentrate changes fewer than about 0.5 pH units after at least three months storage at 70° F. in a closed container. The low water beverage concentrates provide a desired flavor profile with little or no flavor degradation after storage at 70° F. in a closed container for at least about three months. Methods for making the low water beverage concentrates are also provided.