Unroasted Coffee Solids for Enhanced Foam Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee extracts do not effectively form a stable and voluminous foam when dissolved, which is desirable for beverages like espresso, as they lack sufficient foaming properties.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating unroasted coffee solids with a foaming porosity of at least 20% into dried soluble powders, and a method of producing these powders by injecting gas into a liquid coffee extract and drying it, creates a porous structure that enhances foam formation and stability upon reconstitution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional roasted coffee solids are used in dried soluble powders, then the beverage preparation is simple, but the foaming properties and crema formation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of coffee solid processing by using unroasted coffee solids instead of conventionally roasted coffee solids. This parameter change fundamentally improves foaming properties and crema formation while maintaining production feasibility through modified drying and gas injection processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a porous structure in the dried soluble powder by injecting gas (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide) into the liquid coffee extract before drying. This porous structure with controlled pore size distribution (0.1-100 micrometers) provides nucleation sites for foam formation, significantly improving foaming properties and crema stability
2Volume of moving object
If gas is injected into liquid coffee extract and it is dried to form porous structure, then foam volume and stability are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by injecting gas into the liquid coffee extract before the drying step. This pre-gasification creates bubbles that are trapped in the porous matrix during drying, ensuring foam formation occurs automatically upon reconstitution without requiring additional foaming steps or equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic principles by injecting compressed gas (such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide) into the liquid coffee extract under controlled pressure. The gas injection system creates uniform bubble distribution throughout the extract, which becomes trapped in the porous structure during drying, providing consistent foaming performance
3Duration of action of stationary object
If gas is injected into liquid coffee extract and it is dried to form porous structure, then foam stability is improved, but the production time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition by injecting gas into the liquid extract and then drying it to form a porous solid structure. Upon reconstitution, the trapped gas phase is released to form stable foam. This phase transition approach creates inherent foam stability without requiring continuous energy input or stabilizing additives
Solution Approach 2:
The porous structure created during drying provides a stable matrix that traps gas bubbles uniformly distributed throughout the powder. When reconstituted, this porous matrix controls the gradual release of trapped gas, providing sustained foam formation and extended foam stability without additional energy requirements
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 use of unroasted coffee solids in dried soluble powders significantly increases the volume and stability of the foam formed when dissolved, improving the crema formation in coffee beverages.
Implementation Method 1
introducing gas bubbles into the liquid to create a foam
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to improvements of foaming properties achieved by using unroasted coffee solids. Specifically the invention relates to dried soluble powders with improved foaming properties upon dissolution. The products have a foaming particle porosity of at least 20%.