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Patent Searching and Data


Title:
PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A DRINK
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2008/116566
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A process for the production of a drink (10) is provided comprising a first phase (2) of producing granita from a milk-based substance (11) suitable for obtaining a fluid granita (12) and a second phase (3) comprising an operation for whisking (3a) the fluid granita (12) and an operation for adding (3c) an aromatised substance (14) to the fluid granita (12); the invention furthermore comprises an apparatus for performing said process (1) and a drink (10) produced by means of said process (1).

Inventors:
MAROLDA PASQUALINO (IT)
Application Number:
PCT/EP2008/002057
Publication Date:
October 02, 2008
Filing Date:
March 14, 2008
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
MAROLDA GERARDO (IT)
PRESTI EMANUELE (IT)
MAROLDA PASQUALINO (IT)
International Classes:
A23G9/04; A23G9/32; A23G9/40; A23L2/54; A23L2/56
Domestic Patent References:
WO1998053701A11998-12-03
WO2006007921A12006-01-26
WO1996034537A11996-11-07
Foreign References:
CA2273801A12000-08-01
US4988529A1991-01-29
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
LUNATI, Vittoriano (Via Carlo Pisacane 36, Milano, IT)
Download PDF:
Claims:

C LA I MS

1) Process for the production of a drink (10) characterised in that it comprises a first phase (2) of producing granita from a milk-based substance (11) suitable for obtaining a fluid granita (12) and a second phase (3) comprising an opera- tion for whisking (3a) the fluid granita (12) and an operation for adding (3c) an aromatised substance (14) to the fluid granita (12).

2) Process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said whisking operation (3a) and addition operation (3c) are performed on two separate portions of fluid granita (12), and wherein the process (1) comprises a third phase (4) of mixing said portions of fluid granita produced by said whisking (3a) and addition (3c) operations.

3) Process as claimed in claim 3, wherein said third phase (4) consists of a joint granita production from said portions of fluid granita produced by said whisking (3a) and addition (3c) operations. 4) Process as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein said whisking operation

(3a) is performed on a portion of between 10% and 30% of the weight of said fluid granita (12).

5) Process as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said second phase (3) comprises a preparation operation (3b) comprising the mixing of an aroma (15) and a sweet substance (16) including at least sugar, eggs and flour.

6) Process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said aroma (15) consists of a cocoa cream.

7) Process as claimed in claims 5 or 6, wherein said sweet substance (16) consists of a cake or similar.

8) Process as claimed in one or more of the claims 5-7, wherein the preparation (3b) and addition (3c) operations are performed simultaneously in one single container.

9) Process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the respective percentages of said fluid granita (12), of said sweet substance (16) and of said aromas (15) are as follows: fluid granita (12): 60% - 70%, sweet substance (16): 20% - 30%, aromas (15): 5% - 15%.

10) Drink produced by means of the process (1) as claimed in one or more of the claims 1-9. 11) Apparatus for the production of a drink characterised in that it comprises at least: a granita machine (21), a whisking unit (22), a blender (23) and a container provided with mixing means (24) and means for conveying (26) the substances into said elements.

12) Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said container provided with mixing means (24) consists of a further granita machine.

13) Apparatus as claimed in one or more of the claims 11-12, having a mainly vertical development and wherein said whisking unit (22) and blender (23) are positioned above said container provided with mixing means (24) and said granita machine (21) is positioned above said whisking unit (22) and blender (23).

Description:

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A DRINK

DECSRIPTION

The present invention concerns a process and an apparatus for the production of a cold drink. Various food products defined as drinks are currently known, such as milk shakes, smoothies and granitas.

These are different types of drinks each with their own characteristics and flavours. In particular, the Sicilian granita consists of finely crushed ice placed in a con- tainer together with a liquid containing a particular natural or synthetic aroma. Sicilian fruit granitas are therefore made of ice and fresh fruit juice, Sicilian almond granitas are made of almond milk and ice, and so on. Said granitas are furthermore preferably made in specific granita machines. Granita machines consist of a refrigerated container which is kept at a tempera- ture just below zero degrees Celsius and houses slow-rotating blades. The liquid for making the granita is placed inside the granita machine. Ice crystals form continuously in the liquid placed inside the granita machine but they do not increase in size as they are crushed by the blades. The liquid poured from the granita machine therefore incorporates fine ice crys- tals.

Milk shakes and similar are also known.

Said drinks are made from a mixture of milk and natural or artificial aromas, by means of a blender.

The known technique described above has some important drawbacks in terms of how they are perceived during consumption.

Granitas have a very watery flavour and aroma. Milk shakes are not cold and their consistency is too liquid. Furthermore for the production of milk shakes or granitas, artificial aromas are usually used (for example essences, syrups, extracts or freeze-dried or powdered substances, etc.), whereas it is preferable to use natural substances or food products rather than extracts.

In this situation the technical aim of the present invention is to conceive a process and an apparatus for the production of a drink able to substantially remedy the drawbacks referred to. In the context of said technical aim, an important object of the invention is to obtain a process and an apparatus for the production of a full-flavoured cold drink.

The technical aim and the objects specified are achieved by a process and an apparatus for the production of a drink which is characterised in that it com- prises the technical solutions of independent claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the invention. In particular:

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram relative to the process for preparation of the drink according to the invention; and Fig. 2 schematises the components of an apparatus for production of the drink according to the invention.

With reference to the Figures, the process according to the invention is indicated overall by the number 1. It is suitable for producing a drink 10, in particular a cold drink. The process consists basically of three phases: a first phase 2 of producing

granita from a milk-based substance 11, a second phase 3 comprising a whisking operation 3a, a preparation operation 3b and an operation for adding 3c an aromatised substance 14, and lastly a third phase 4 of mixing. The term granita production defines the processes, known per se, via which a granita, a sorbet or similar dinks are obtained from a liquid, i.e. a drink consisting of a plurality of particles of liquid solidified by cooling. In particular granita can be produced by means of a granita machine 21. As described, the granita machines 21 consist of a refrigerated container which is kept at a temperature just below zero degrees Celsius and houses slow- rotating blades.

The liquid for making the substance including particles of ice is placed inside the granita machine 21.

Ice crystals form continuously in the liquid placed inside the granita machine but they do not increase in size as they are crushed by the blades. The liquid poured from the granita machine therefore incorporates fine ice crystals.

Alternatively it is possible to produce granita from a block of frozen liquid which is then crushed into fine crystals. Other alternatives are possible and known. The milk-based substance 11 preferably consists substantially of milk, more preferably full-cream cow's milk.

Said first granita production phase 2 is appropriately performed in a granita machine 21 in which the substance 11 is appropriately cooled to a temperature below 0 0 C, and more appropriately between 0 0 C and -4°C, and continuously mixed, so as to obtain a fluid granita 12.

The term fluid granita 12 here indicates a very fluid substance including particles of ice and having a granular creamy consistency. Said substance preferably has a fluidity greater than the known Sicilian granitas and also the traditional sorbets. Said second phase 3 comprises firstly an operation for whisking 3a the fluid granita 12 obtained.

The whisking operation 3a incorporates micro air bubbles into the whisked substance, and therefore into the fluid granita 12. Said whisking operation 3a can be obtained by means of whisking units 22, known per se, and comprising blades or whisks, and motors, appropriately of electric type, for the activation of said blades or whisks.

The processes for whisking fluid substances are traditionally applied for example to cream, to obtain whipped cream. The whisking operation 3a is appropriately applied only to one portion of the fluid granita 12, and not to the whole of it. More in particular it is applied to a portion of fluid granita 12 between 10% and 30% of the total mass of the fluid granita 12 produced.

After whisking 3a, the fluid granita 12 becomes a whipped fluid granita 13, i.e. a creamy fluid substance, which is both soft and granular. Said whisking operation 3a can be performed in a cooled or non-cooled environment. In the latter case the whipped fluid granita 13, at the end of the whisking operation 3a, has a temperature close to zero degrees Celsius. The second phase 3 furthermore comprises a preparation operation 3b and an operation for adding 3c an aromatised substance 14. In particular the operation for adding 3c the aromatised substance 14 com-

prises mixing of the fluid granita 12 with the same aromatised substance 14 described below.

The operation for adding 3c the aromatised substance 14 is performed preferably on the fluid granita 12 which has not undergone the whisking operation 3a, rather than on the whipped fluid granita 13.

In particular the aromatised substance 14 is added (operation 3c) to the remaining portion of the fluid granita 12, which has not undergone the whisking operation 3a. Alternatively the addition operation 3c can be applied to the whipped fluid granita 13.

The aromatised substance 14 is produced by means of the preparation operation 3b.

In particular the addition operation 3c is performed with an aromatised substance 14 present in weight percentages of between 25% and 45%, and a fluid granita 12 present in weight percentages of between 55% and 75%.

Also the addition operation 3c can be performed in a cooled or non-cooled environment.

The preparation operation 3b comprises the mixing of an aroma 15 and a sweet substance 16. Said aroma 15 can consist of different types of natural or artificial substances. For example the aroma 15 can consist of fresh fruit (for example: strawberries, bananas, etc.) or dried fruit (for example: pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, etc). In particular it can consist of a cocoa cream, for example the well-known choco- late spread produced by the Italian company "Ferrero SpA" under the brand

"Nutella".

The sweet substance 16, on the other hand, consists of a solid substance including at least sugar, eggs and flour. The latter can consist of any type of flour (for example: maize flour, rice flour, kamut flour, etc.). The sweet substance 16 can consist of a solid substance, for example a cake or similar. The use of a solid substance consisting of a known "Plum Cake" is particularly advantageous.

If the sweet substance 16 is a solid substance, the preparation operation 3b consists of blending and mixing the same sweet substance 16 and the aromas 15.

In particular the blending can be performed by means of a known blender 23, known per se and consisting of a container including rotating blades. The preparation operation 3b is preferably performed with an aroma 15 present in weight percentages of between 60% and 80% and a sweet substance 16 pre- sent in weight percentages of between 20% and 40%.

The preparation operation 3b and addition operation 3c can advantageously be performed simultaneously in one single container, for example in the blender 23, if the sweet substance 16 consists of a solid substance. In said case the respective percentages of the fluid granita 12, the sweet sub- stance 16 and the aromas 15 are appropriately within the following limits: fluid granita 12: 60% - 70%, sweet substance 16: 20% - 30%, aromas 15: 5% - 15%. Alternatively the preparation operation 3b can be performed externally to the process 1 for production of the drink 10, so that the process 1 is carried out with an aromatised substance 14 which is pre-packed or in any case ready for use.

After the addition operation 3c the fluid granita 12 becomes a delicious aroma- tised drink 17.

It consists of a very thick well-blended cream having a temperature close to or just below zero degrees Celsius. The process 1 according to the invention comprises, lastly, a third phase 4 for mixing the whipped fluid granita 13, produced by the whisking operation 3a, together with the aromatised drink 17.

In particular the whipped fluid granita 13 is included in a weight quantity of between 3% and 40% of the total mass of the substances that undergo the third phase, while the remaining portion, between 60% and 97%, consists of aromatised fluid granita 17.

The third phase 4 is appropriately performed in a container provided with mixing means 24. It appropriately consists of a second granita machine 24. In said case the third phase 4 consists of a joint process for the production of granita from the whipped fluid granita 13 and the aromatised drink 17.

The aromatised drink 17 and the whipped fluid granita 13 are placed in the container 24 preferably in the above order. At the end of the last phase 4 the drink 10 is obtained. The invention comprises a new apparatus 20 for implementation of the process 1 described and for production of the drink 10.

The apparatus 20 comprises in particular the granita machine 21 , the whisking units 22, the blender 23 and the container provided with mixing means 24. Said elements have already been described. In particular each of said elements can be cooled or, alternatively, the whole set can be placed in a cooled envi- ronment.

The apparatus 20 furthermore comprises means for conveying 26 the substances inside the apparatus 20, insertion means 25 for introducing the substances into the apparatus 1 and extraction means 27 for removing the drink 10 from the apparatus 1. The apparatus 1 furthermore has a structure that develops mainly vertically, so that the substances can be transferred into the various elements by gravity. In particular the insertion means 25 for introducing the substances are provided on the top of the apparatus 20. They appropriately comprise: a first duct 25a, provided with an upper opening, suitable for introducing the milk-based substance 11 into the granita machine 21 , a second duct 25b for introducing the aroma 15 into the blender 23 and a third duct 25c for introducing the sweet substance 16 into the blender 23. More specifically, the third duct 25c provides conveying means 26 consisting of a first channel 26a. The granita machine 21 , supplied by the first duct 25a, is also positioned in the upper portion of the apparatus 1.

Below the granita machine 21 are the whisking unit 22 and the blender 23, respectively communicating with said granita machine 21 by means of a second and third channel 26b and 26c, part of the conveying means 26. Below said whisking unit 22 and blender 23 is the container provided with mixing means 24. The latter communicates with said whisking unit 22 and blender 23 respectively by means of a fourth and fifth channel 26d and 26e, also part of the conveying means 26. Appropriately, the channels 26a-26e, part of the conveying means 26, are pro- vided with appropriate valves 26f suitable for regulating opening and closing of

said ducts and the quantity of substances transferred.

Lastly the extraction means 27 are positioned below the container 24 and appropriately consist of a channel comprising a valve that can be activated manually. They are suitable for pouring the drink 10 into a container or cup for the user.

Operation of the apparatus described above follows the process 1 described. In particular the operator of the apparatus 20 will simply place the milk-based substance in the first duct 25a, then the aroma 15 in the second duct 25b and the sweet substance 16 in the third duct 25c. The substances are obviously introduced in the quantity ratios previously described.

Subsequently, via the conveying means 26, the operator can give the command for transfer the fluid granita 12 into the blender 23 or into the whisking unit 22, transfer of the sweet substance 16 from the third duct 25c to the blender 23, transfer of the whipped fluid granita 13 from the whisking unit 22 to the container 24 and lastly transfer of the aromatised drink 17 from the blender 23 to the container 24.

Furthermore the operator can give the command for extraction of the drink 10 from the container 24 via the extraction means 27. The means described can be produced in different types, and the apparatus 20 can be completely automated or manual. The invention provides important advantages.

The drink 10 takes on a slightly creamy consistency and an intense flavour given by the aroma 15 without ever losing the refreshing effect due to the low temperature, close to zero degrees Celsius.

The drink 10 is therefore a full-flavoured cold drink.

Furthermore the drink 10 can be made with an aroma 15 consisting of natural food products and similar and not artificial extracts.