Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bottled liquid coffee beverage, in particular to a bottled liquid coffee beverage comprising an ingredient release closure containing roasted ground coffee. A further aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing a bottled beverage.

Background of the Invention

Despite progress in flavour preservation technologies, ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee products are perceived by some consumers as lacking in the taste and aroma of freshly brewed roasted ground coffee. Chemical degradation reactions of coffee aroma occurring in liquid coffee generally lead to a decrease in coffee character within less than 30 min. In addition, consumers are looking for products which are free from ingredients which are artificial, perceived to be artificial or are unfamiliar. Many consumers would prefer to buy products which are free from preservatives, and this further increases the challenge to the industry in providing liquid coffee beverages that have the taste and aroma of freshly brewed roasted ground coffee.

Products have been marketed which incorporate finely ground roast coffee into soluble coffee powder to enhance the taste and aroma of the coffee on reconstitution with water. However, dispersing finely ground roast coffee into packaged liquid coffee beverages such as RTD coffee beverages is not successful as the aroma of the ground roast coffee degrades rapidly when the particles are in an aqueous liquid. Stability in the liquid format can only be achieved by the use of preservatives that are unpopular with consumers.

Hence, there is a clear need in the industry to find solutions to providing the taste of freshly brewed coffee in a liquid coffee beverage such as a RTD coffee beverage, especially a RTD coffee beverage that has a shelf-life of many weeks and which is free from preservatives poorly perceived by consumers.

Any reference to prior art documents in this specification is not to be considered an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field. As used in this specification, the words "comprises",

"comprising", and similar words, are not to be interpreted in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. In other words, they are intended to mean "including, but not limited to".

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to improve the state of the art and to provide a solution to overcome at least some of the inconveniences described above or at least to provide a useful alternative.

The object of the present invention is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the idea of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention provides in a first aspect a bottled beverage comprising; a) a container comprising an opening for receiving a closure, the container containing a liquid coffee beverage; b) an ingredient release closure comprising a sealed compartment containing roasted ground coffee, a release mechanism for dispensing the roasted ground coffee into said container, and attaching means for attaching to said opening of said container; c) said attaching means of said ingredient release closure attached to said opening of said container to form a bottled beverage.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bottled beverage comprising the steps; a) at least partially filling a container with a liquid coffee beverage; b) providing an ingredient release closure comprising a sealed compartment containing roasted ground coffee; and c) sealing the container with the ingredient release closure.

It has been surprisingly found by the inventors that by incorporating roasted and ground coffee into the liquid coffee beverage just prior to consumption, the full flavour of roast and ground coffee can be provided in the liquid coffee beverage, with a fresh coffee burst and improved coffee taste experience even at low dosage levels.

Detailed Description of the invention

Consequently the present invention relates in part to a bottled beverage comprising; a) a container comprising an opening for receiving a closure, the container containing a liquid coffee beverage; b) an ingredient release closure comprising a sealed compartment containing roasted ground coffee, a release mechanism for dispensing the roasted ground coffee into said container, and attaching means for attaching to said opening of said container; c) said attaching means of said ingredient release closure attached to said opening of said container to form a bottled beverage. The liquid coffee beverage may be a ready-to-drink beverage. By a ready-to-drink beverage is meant a beverage in liquid form ready to be consumed without further addition of liquid. The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention comprises coffee, for example a soluble extract of coffee. The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may comprise any other suitable ingredients known in the art for producing a beverage, such as sweeteners, for example sugars such as invert sugar, sucrose, fructose, glucose, or any mixture thereof and natural sweeteners such as stevia; natural aromas and flavours, for example comprised within plant material such as cocoa; stabilizers; natural colours, or combination of thereof. The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may contain milk or milk components. In the current specification the term "milk" refers to dairy milk, for example as traditionally processed in a dairy from cows, goats or sheep, unless a different use of the term milk is explicitly stated (e.g. plant milk). The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may contain cows' milk or components of cows' milk. The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may be dairy free, that is so say, it may be free from dairy milk or dairy milk components. The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may contain plant milks selected from the group consisting of soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk and combinations of these.

The liquid coffee beverage may be subjected to a heat treatment to increase the shelf life or the product, UHT (Ultra High Temperature) treatment, HTST (High Temperature Short Time) treatment, pasteurization, batch pasteurization, or hot fill. The liquid coffee beverage may be a refrigerated product.

An ingredient release closure is for example a closure or stopper which is capable of releasing ingredients such as a powder, paste or liquid into the container or receptacle to which it is fitted. Typically the ingredients are released into the container and mixed with the contents of the container just before use or consumption. Ingredient release closures are known in the art, for example as described in US20070023381 and US20140117020.

The sealed compartment according to the invention may be sealed by cover that is configured to be ruptured when the release mechanism is activated and so allow an effective amount of the roasted ground coffee to fall into the container. The release mechanism for dispensing the roasted ground coffee into said container according to the invention may be activated by twisting the closure. In an embodiment, the release mechanism for dispensing the roasted ground coffee into the container is activated by applying force on the ingredient release closure in the direction of the container. The release mechanism may be activated simultaneously with opening the container, but preferably the release mechanism can be activated independently, thus allowing the consumer to shake the container to mix the released roasted ground coffee with the liquid beverage before opening the container. The roasted ground coffee may be coffee from any variety of the coffee plant, e.g. from Coffea Arabica and/or Coffea canephora. Roasted coffee may be produced by roasting green coffee beans in any suitable way to produce aroma notes associated with roast coffee. Suitable roasting methods are well known in the art. Roasted ground coffee may be produced from roast coffee beans in any suitable way, e.g. by crushing, milling (for example in a bead mill or cryogenic mill), grinding, or the like; or it may be produced by breaking green coffee beans into smaller pieces and roasting the resulting green coffee bean particles to produce roasted ground coffee.

In an embodiment, the bottled beverage is shelf-stable without refrigeration, For example the bottled beverage may be aseptically processed. For example, thermally sterilized liquid coffee beverage may be packaged into a previously sterilized container and fitted with a previously sterilized ingredient release closure under sterile conditions to produce a shelf-stable product that does not need refrigeration. For example the bottled beverage may have a shelf-life of at least 6 months at 20 °C. The roasted ground coffee is preferably finely ground which increases its speed of incorporation by mixing or shaking, avoids the roasted ground coffee leading to a gritty mouthfeel and maximizes its surface area and hence its aroma release. In an embodiment the roasted ground coffee has a D90 particle size distribution less than 120 pm. For example the roasted ground coffee may have a D90 less than 50 pm, for further example less than 30 pm. The roasted ground coffee may have a D90 between 5 and 50 pm, for example between 10 and 30 pm. The D90 value is a common method of describing a particle size distribution. The D90 is the diameter where 90 % of the volume of the particles in the sample have a diameter below that value. In the context of the present invention the D90 by mass is equivalent to the D90 by volume. The D90 value may be measured for example by a laser light scattering particle size analyser.

In an embodiment, the roasted ground coffee is a powder. In a further embodiment the roasted ground coffee is a dispersion in oil, for example a free-flowing dispersion in oil or a paste. The roasted ground coffee may be dispersed in coffee oil. The roasted ground coffee may be dispersed in a vegetable oil, for example a vegetable oil having a solid fat content of less than 1% at 4 °C. The solid fat content may be measured by pulsed NMR, for example according to the IUPAC Method 2.150 (a), method without special thermal pre-treatment [International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Standard Methods for the Analysis of Oils, Fats and Derivatives, 7 ^th Revised and Enlarged Edition (1987)]. The roasted ground coffee may be dispersed in an olein fraction of a vegetable oil. The roasted ground coffee may be dispersed in a vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of high oleic oils (e.g. high oleic sunflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, high oleic soybean oil, high oleic rapeseed oil such as high oleic canola oil, high oleic algal oil), olive oil, nut oils (e.g. macademia nut oil, hazelnut oil, walnut oil, almond oil), avocado oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, grape-seed oil, cotton-seed oil, corn oil and combinations of these. The roasted ground coffee may be a dispersion in oil with the addition of an emulsifier to aid the dispersion of the roasted ground coffee into the liquid coffee beverage.

In an embodiment, the sealed compartment contains roasted ground coffee under an inert atmosphere. For example the sealed compartment may have been subject to a gas flush before sealing, using an inert gas such as nitrogen to reduce the level of oxygen and water vapour and so inhibit reactions that might alter the aroma of the roasted ground coffee for example leading to staling.

The roasted ground coffee according to the invention may be combined with other edible materials, for example to improve flowability and dispersability of the roasted ground coffee. The roasted ground coffee according to the invention may be combined with other edible materials which provide additional flavours or nutritional benefits. The combination with other edible materials may be via a simple mixture, for example a powder dry-mix; coating, for example fluidized bed coating; forming an agglomerated mixed powder, co-spray-drying or co-freeze-drying. The roasted ground coffee according to the invention may be combined with materials selected from the group consisting of sucrose, lactose, glucose, fructose, maltodextrin, skimmed milk powder and combinations of these. The roasted ground coffee according to the invention may be combined with vitamins and/or minerals, for example vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or zinc. The roasted ground coffee according to the invention may be combined with plant material naturally rich in antioxidants. The plant material naturally rich in antioxidants may be selected from the group consisting of cocoa (at any degree of fermentation and roasting including unfermented and unroasted cocoa), green coffee, green tea, ginseng, chicory, bamboo, bay, clove, cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, cumin, parsley, basil, curry powder, mustard seed, ginger, pepper, chili powder, paprika, chamomile, garlic, coriander, onion, cardamom, rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, peppermint, oregano, herbs of the genus Satureja, basil, dill weed, extracts of these and combinations of these. Other sources of plant material naturally rich in antioxidants include dried fruits, dried vegetables, nuts, flowers, grains and cereals. For example the plant material naturally rich in antioxidants may be selected from the group consisting of mint, basil, bay, coriander, tea (for example green tea), green coffee, cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, sage and combinations of these. The roasted ground coffee according to the invention may be combined with green coffee solids and/or a green coffee extract.

In an embodiment the roasted ground coffee is combined with soluble coffee solids. For example, roasted coffee may be ground together with pure soluble coffee powder in a jet mill. Combining the roasted ground coffee with soluble coffee solids improves the dispersion of the roasted ground coffee in the liquid coffee beverage.

The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may be a ready-to-drink coffee beverage intended to be consumed cold, for example at between 4 and 25 °C. The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may be a black coffee. In an embodiment the liquid coffee beverage comprises a milk component, for example a milk component selected from the group consisting of milk powder (for example skimmed milk powder or full cream milk powder), lactose, casein, whey protein, sweet whey, milk fat and combinations of these. The liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may comprise non-fat milk solids at a level between 0.5 and 10 wt.% of the liquid coffee beverage.

In an embodiment the liquid coffee beverage comprises between 0.1 and 10 wt.% of dissolved coffee solids, for example between 0.2 and 5 wt.% of dissolved coffee solids, for further example between 0.5 and 2 wt.% of dissolved coffee solids. The liquid coffee beverage may comprise (for example consist of) cold brew coffee. The cold brew coffee may have been extracted at a temperature below 60°C, for example at a temperature below 30°C, for example at a temperature below 20°C. Cold brew coffee has a different chemical profile from coffee produced by conventional brewing methods and generally has a lower acidity. When stored before consumption it may develop a stale coffee smell. Surprisingly, by incorporating roasted and ground coffee into the liquid cold brew coffee beverage just prior to consumption the stale coffee smell is no longer noticeable. In an embodiment the quantity of roasted ground coffee is between 0.5 and 20 wt.% of the dissolved coffee solids comprised within the liquid coffee beverage. The quantity of roasted ground coffee according to the invention may be between 10 and 2000 mg per 100 ml of liquid coffee beverage, for example between 25 and 500 mg per 100 ml of liquid coffee beverage, for further example between 50 and 100 mg per 100 ml of liquid coffee beverage. Such quantities provide a good fresh coffee taste.

In an embodiment the liquid coffee beverage is capable of being aerated upon shaking. It is advantageous that shaking the bottled beverage of the invention will both form an aerated beverage and will also disperse the roasted ground coffee after it has been dispensed into the container. To aid the aeration of the liquid coffee beverage by shaking, the container containing a liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may be filled so as to have between 10 and 35 % headspace. An example of a liquid coffee beverage capable of being aerated upon shaking comprises from 1.5 - 4 weight-% of dairy proteins

0 to 4 weight-% of milk fat;

- 0 to 5.5 weight-% of added sugar;

- 0.5 to 1.5 weight-% liquid coffee having a total solids content between 10 and 13 % (for example liquid cold brew coffee);

- 0.01 to 0.120 weight-% of high acyl gellan gum;

- 0.5 to 5 weight-% starch;

- optionally a buffering agent in the range of 0.01 to - 0.20 weight-%; and the remainder to 100 weight-% of water. An aspect of the invention provides a method of manufacturing a bottled beverage comprising the steps; a) at least partially filling a container with a liquid coffee beverage; b) providing an ingredient release closure comprising a sealed compartment containing roasted ground coffee; and c) sealing the container with the ingredient release closure.

In an embodiment of the invention the container is aseptically packed and sealed, for example the container may be aseptically filled with liquid coffee beverage and aseptically sealed by the ingredient release closure, for example wherein the ingredient release closure has been sterilized. For example, the liquid coffee beverage according to the invention may be sterilized at UHT conditions of 136-150 °C for 3-30 seconds; optionally homogenized at a total pressure ranging from 135-300 bars and temperature ranging from 65-80 °C; then cooled to 25°C or below before being filled into an aseptic container in step (a) of the method of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that they can freely combine all features of the present invention disclosed herein. In particular, features described for the product of the present invention may be combined with the method of the present invention and vice versa. Further, features described for different embodiments of the present invention may be combined. Where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to in this specification.

Further advantages and features of the present invention are apparent from the non- limiting examples.

Examples

Example 1:

200 ml of Nescafe Cold Brew Ready-to-Drink (RTD) (an unsweetened, commercial product from Mexico) was poured into an empty autoclave bottles. 100 mg of micronised (D90 < 120 microns) roasted coffee (MRC; 100% Arabica blend) was pre- weighed into a small container with lid. A pair of two RTD coffee samples (Reference: 200 ml of Nescafe Cold Brew RTD vs. Prototype: 200 ml of Nescafe Cold Brew RTD + MRC added manually from small container just prior to the tasting) were presented to a 6-membered trained panel as follows:

• panelists were asked to open bottle and sniff Reference vs. Prototype RTD.

Latter was prepared by dosing MRC into the bottle just prior to sniffing test, followed by closing of the lid and vigorous shaking for about 20 seconds.

• Both RTD coffee samples were then poured into small cups for additional smelling and tasting

Panelists were asked to describe the difference in sensory profile of samples usingtheir own language. Results are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Sensory profiles of Nescafe Cold Brew RTD coffees: reference vs. prototype with added micronized roasted coffee (lOOmg) just prior to consumption

Panelists clearly highlighted the benefits of MRC added prior to consumption, i.e. an initial roasty burst, followed by a more intense fresh coffee smell and taste as well as an improved body & texture. Example 2:

200 ml of Nescafe RTD White (coffee, milk, sugar, commercial product from Thailand) was poured into an empty autoclave bottles. 200 mg of micronised (D90 < 120 microns) roasted coffee (MRC; 100% Arabica blend) was pre-weighed into a small container with lid. A pair of two RTD coffee samples (Reference: 200 ml of Nescafe White RTD vs. Prototype: 200 ml of Nescafe White RTD + MRC added manually from small container just prior to the tasting) were presented to a 6-membered trained panel as follows:

• panelists were asked to open bottle and sniff Reference vs. Prototype RTD.

Latter was prepared by dosing MRC into the bottle just prior to sniffing test, followed by closing of the lid and vigorous shaking for about 20 seconds. · Both RTD coffee samples were then poured into small cups for additional smelling and tasting

Panelists were asked to describe the difference in sensory profile of samples using their own language. Results are summarized in Table 2. Table 2. Sensory profiles of Nescafe White RTD coffees: reference vs. prototype with added micronized roasted coffee (200mg) just prior to consumption

Panelists clearly highlighted the benefits of MRC added prior to consumption, i.e. a stronger, distinctive roasty and coffee smell as well as a fresh roasted coffee flavour like in a freshly made coffee, which was absent in the reference RTD.