This invention relates to a novel beverage and in particular to a beverage which is characterised by a light gel texture and is also carbonated.

Carbonated beverages are extremely well known. They are generally non-alcoholic but more recently alcoholic carbonated beverages such as alcoholic lemonade have become popular. Of course it has also long been known to add carbonated "mixers" to spirits.

It is also known to add gums and other agents to beverages to alter their "mouth feel", or their freezing characteristics (see for example US Patent No. 3,826,829), or to mask the flavour of an artificial sweetener (see for example EP-A-0 239 938) . The beverages disclosed in US Patent No. 3,826,829 and EP-A-0 239 938, whilst carbonated, are said to have essentially unchanged viscosity, see for example page 7 of EP-A-0 239 938.

The present invention, however, provides a carbonated beverage containing a gelling agent effective to create a light gel texture in the beverage.

The term "light" when used in relation to a gel indicates that the gel is not completely set but will break along shear lines and flow when subjected to gentle stress, for example during pouring or drinking. Obviously a gel which is completely set can neither be poured nor drunk.

The gelling agent is preferably carrageenan and can be used in amounts of 0.1-2.0% w/v, preferably 0.2-0.5% and most preferably about 0.3%. Alternative gelling

agents include: alginate, pectin and agar which would be used in the same concentrations as carrageenan; gelatin which would be used in somewhat higher concentrations, for example 0.5-4.0%; and gellan gum which could be usd in somewhat lower concentrations, for example 0.05-2.0%.

The gelling agent prior to gelling will generally need to be suspended in the beverage by a suspending agent such as xanthan gum, carrageenan, alginate, pectin, agar or gellan gum. It will be noted that a number of these are the same as the gelling agents referred to above - those skilled in the art will be able to select appropriate grades of the materials for the gelling and suspending functions and appropriate concentrations of the materials when intended to perform the suspending function.

The beverage can be a soft drink such as a cola or lemonade, or a mineral, a fruit juice, an alcoholic fruit juice, an alcoholic carbonate, a "ready to drink" drink such as a ready prepared gin and tonic, a spirit mixer, a beer, a cider, a wine, a made wine, a fortified wine, a spirit or any combination of these. A particularly preferred form of beverage according to the invention is an alcoholic orange or tangerine flavoured cordial as describd in more detail hereinafter.

The gelling agent and, when used, the suspending agent are conveniently added to the beverage base as a powder mixture, for example a powder also containing sugar which will both act as a bulking agent for the gelling and suspending agents and contribute to the sweetness of the final beverage. Other ingredients of the final beverage may also be included in the powder. Additional sugar can be added to the beverage base where the sugar in such a powder formulation is not sufficient to produce the desired sweetness.

Carbonation of beverages is well known. The level of carbonation in the beverages of the invention will normally be within the range of 1-5 vol/vol, preferably 2-3 vol/vol, for example about 2.5 vol/vol.

All ingredients in the beverage will of course be of suitable food grade.

A particularly useful means of adding the powder to the beverage when the beverage is alcoholic is to disperse the powder in ethanol/water, for example 40% ethanol in water, and dilute this concentrate to the desired final alcoholic strength with water optionally containing other ingredients intended to form part of the final beverage.

The beverage according to the invention can advantageously be prepared by a process forming a further feature of the invention and comprising the steps of:

(i) preparing an alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage base;

(ii) adding to said beverage base a quantity of gelling agent effective to create a light gel texture in the beverage after gelling and optionally a quantity of a suspending agent effective to suspend the gelling agent in the beverage prior to gelling;

(iii) carbonating and bottling the resulting mixture; and

(iv) pasteurising the bottled mixture to effect gelling of the gelling agent.

For example a concentrate such as an ethanol/water concentrate described above may be diluted to the desired alcoholic strength (e.g. 4.9% abv) , chilled and carbonated to a typical level (e.g. 2.5 vol/vol) . The resulting carbonated mixture can be bottled on a standard bottling line at normal line speeds and the sealed bottles pass to a pasteuriser of the type well known in beer bottling lines. Too long a delay before pasteurisation may result in settling of the gelling agent (which has of course not yet gelled) and a delay of two hours is thought to be the maximum acceptable. Pasteurisation may be effected at conventional temperatures and residence times, for example 20 minutes at 62°C - conditions will be chosen so as to solubilise the gelling agent.

The abovementioned process has the advantage that it uses conventional bottling and pasteurising plant at normal line speed hence minimising investment in special plant.

Whilst the invention uses conventional gelling agents it uses them in a novel manner - for example the normal means of thickening a beverage with carrageenan is to add it to a hot liquid, bottle this hot liquid and then cool it so that it thickens. Hot filling is not possible with a carbonated beverage since the carbon dioxide is rapidly evolved as temperature increases.

The invention is illustrated by the following example:

1) Specification

1.1 Premixed powder 1.84% w/v comprising

Gelcarin (DX 4353) 0.32% w/v

Xanthan gum 0.07% w/v

Sucrose (100 Brix) 1.0% w/v

Citric acid 0.30% w/v

Sodium citrate 0.15% w/v

1.2 Tangerine essence 0.06% w/v

1.3 Tangerine colour (E110) 0.007% w/v

1.4 Ethanol 4.9% v/v

1.5 Sucrose (100 Brix) 8.6% w/v

2) Premixed powder

The powder is prepared by simple admixture of the ingredients listed under 1.1 above. Gelcarin (DX 4353) is a carrageenan gelling agent available from FMC Corporation (UK) Ltd.

3) Alcoholic concentrate, dilution to final strength

The premixed powder is dispensed in a 40% ethanol/water mix. The additional sucrose is dissolved in hot water, cooled and added. The colour and flavour are added and the mix is diluted with further water to approximately 19.6% and then again (optionally after transport between sites) to 4.9% abv.

4) Carbonation and gel formation

If the gelling agent has settled then gentle mixing is required to re-suspend it. The 4.9% abv solution is chilled, carbonated to 2.5 vol/vol, botled in 330 ml bottles on a standard beer filling line at normal line speed and the bottles

transported through a pasteuriser (temperature 62°C, residence time 20 minutes) .

Product characteristics

As the product is carbonated some of the carbon dioxide comes out of solution forming bubbles when the bottle is opened and the pressure released. The drink has a light gel texture and a "fizzing effect" in the mouth.