Red-Orange Coated Particles for Instant Beverages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coated particles used in instant beverage powders are not effectively visible as discrete, colored entities without altering the color of the reconstituted beverage, and they often compromise storage stability and solubility.
Innovation Solution
Development of solid red-orange particles with a core and a β-carotene coating layer, where the β-carotene formulation has a specific A1/1 value of up to 200, ensuring visibility, solubility, and non-interference with the beverage's color, using a combination of food-grade ingredients and suitable production processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If coloured coated particles are used in instant beverage powder, then the particles are visible as discrete coloured entities, but the colour of the reconstituted beverage is altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating particles with a specific local composition: a core made of water-soluble material and a coating layer containing β-carotene with controlled A1/1 value (≤200). This localized structure allows the particle to appear colored in the dry powder while dissolving without altering the beverage color, as the coating contains limited amounts of pigment that dissolve completely without interfering with the beverage's intended color.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the A1/1 value of the β-carotene formulation in the coating layer to be up to 200. This specific parameter control ensures that the coating provides sufficient color intensity for visibility in the dry formulation while limiting the color strength to prevent alteration of the reconstituted beverage color. The water-solubility parameter is also controlled to ensure complete dissolution.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If β-carotene coating layer is applied to carrier material, then particle visibility and color are improved, but storage stability and shelf life may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the A1/1 value parameter of the β-carotene formulation to be up to 200, which optimizes the balance between color intensity for visibility and storage stability. This parameter control prevents excessive oxidation and degradation of the β-carotene during storage while maintaining sufficient color intensity for particle visibility in the dry formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite particle structure with a core made of water-soluble material (such as sugar or starch) and a coating layer containing β-carotene. This composite structure provides both the visual appeal of colored particles and the storage stability of the water-soluble core, while the controlled β-carotene formulation ensures compatibility and prevents degradation during storage.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If coloured particles are added to instant powder formulation, then discrete coloured particles are visible, but solubility of the instant powder may be negatively influenced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating particles with a core made of water-soluble material and a coating layer containing β-carotene. The water-soluble core ensures that the particle dissolves completely in the beverage, maintaining high solubility, while the β-carotene coating provides the necessary color intensity for visibility as a discrete particle in the dry formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the A1/1 value of the β-carotene formulation to be up to 200 and ensures the coating layer contains 0.1-30 wt% β-carotene. These parameter controls ensure that the coating provides sufficient color for visibility while maintaining complete water-solubility, preventing any negative influence on the overall solubility of the instant powder formulation.
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 particles are clearly visible in dry formulations, maintain solubility and storage stability, and do not alter the color of the reconstituted beverage, ensuring the intended flavor and color are preserved, as demonstrated by their use in instant beverage powders.
Implementation Method 1
With a spectrophotometer measure the absorbance in a 1 cm cell at 492 - 496 nm (measure the maximum) against distilled water as a blank.
Data Source
AI summary
The present patent application relates to novel red-orange coated particles, which are mainly used in (dry) formulations for instant beverages. The advantage of these coated particles is that they are red to orange as such (also in the formulations for instant beverages, wherein they can be identified by the naked eye as individual discrete coloured particles), but upon dissolution of the instant beverage powder these particles will dissolve as well and will not interfere with or change the intended color of the ready-to drink instant beverages made from the instant beverage dry powders.