PROCESS FOR ITS PRODUCTION

SPECIFICATION

TO All whom it may concern:

Be it known, that I, Thomas Shepard, a citizen ofthe United States residing at 59 Boniface Drive, P.O. Box 1101, Pine Bush, New York, 12566, and that I, Anthony DiBaggio, a citizen of the United States residing at 8701 Shore Road, Brooklyn, New York, 1 1209, have invented certain new and useful improvements in VITAMIN C ENRICHED COFFEE, COCOA, AND TEA, AND PROCESS FOR ITS PRODUCTION of which the following is a specification:

Background ofthe Invention

The benefits of vitamin C have become well documented and advertised over the last few decades. As the dietary habits of many human beings have become increasingly compromised with fast- food and junk food, vitamin C supplements and vitamin C enriched foods have, accordingly, become increasingly relied on to provide essential nutrients. Vitamin C, however, is not efficiently stored by the human body and therefore must be consumed regularly. For example, a person who consumes 700% of the RDA of vitamin C at a Sunday afternoon lunch cannot rely on that meal to provide him with the proper levels of vitamin C for the rest ofthe week.

Example of vitamin C enriched foods can be commonly found in the form of beverages, such as, orange juice and milk. Orange juice and milk are two ofthe ideal types of foods to be enriched with vitamin C because they are usually consumed on a daily basis thereby making the

storing problem mute. Although orange juice and milk are popular foods, they are predominantly consumed by those who find the time to sit down and enjoy a balanced meal with solid foods. In contrast, those people who are always on the run typically are the ones who grab a cup of tea, coffee, or soda as they run out the door, drive in their cars, or hop onto trains. These on the go people tend to miss meals, and try to compensate by substituting nutritionally poor convenience store and newspaper stand foods for nutritionally balanced meals. Unfortunately, vitamin C is not inherently found in any significant quantity in coffee beans, cocoa beans, or tea leaves. A need therefore exists for coffee, tea, soda which are enriched with vitamin C, and a method producing same.

The food industry has recognized the need for beverages which have been enriched with vitamin C. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,208,434 to Iocobucci et al, it is known in the prior art to add a vitamin C ester to a beverage. Further, U.S. Patent No. 3,718,482 to Hinkley discloses a process of adding isoascorbic acid phosphates to foods and beverages. Although the above mentioned patents disclose adding vitamin C to beverages, they fail to specifically address incoφorating vitamin C into coffee beans, cocoa beans, and tea leaves.

In U.S. Patent No. 2,058,220 to Basel, a process is disclosed for maintaining vitamin C in a composition by adding an ester of 2-keto-laevo-gulonic-acid-methyl-ester to foods and drying the product. U.S. Patent No. 5,141,758 to Monte discloses a method of extending the shelf life of vitamin C by adding ascorbyl palmitate to the drink. Although the patents to Basel, and Monte, surround the maintenance of vitamin C in beverages, they do not provide insight into specifically the method in which vitamin C is incoφorated into coffee beans, cocoa beans, and tea leaves.

Incoφorating other substances other than vitamin C onto, rather than into, coffee, tea and cocoa are known however. In U.S. Patent No. 101,027 to Lastreto, a process is disclosed of making coffee with cocoa, and with additives such as sarsaparilla and quina. It is disclosed in the Lastreto patent, and known in the prior art to coat the exterior of ground or whole coffee or cocoa beans with a composition containing flavorings, no method or process is disclosed by which coffee beans, cocoa beans, or tea leaves absorb vitamin C into the bean or leaf.

Exterior application of a composition having vitamin C activity onto, rather than into, coffee beans, cocoa beans and tea leaves can result in various problems. One such problem involves the uneven application of vitamin C on the supporting bean or leaf resulting in improper dosages or levels ofthe vitamin in the resulting beverage. Another problem associated with topical coatings is sensory detection by the consumer. Topical coatings may discolor the bean or leaf making the bean or leaf unattractive or unnatural looking to the potential purchaser. Further, topical coatings may be result in flavoring variations due to improper coating levels. Finally, once topically coated, the bean or leaf may lose some of the coating over time due to friction between

neighboring beans or leaves, or through contact with packaging materials. A need therefore exist for a method of instilling vitamin C into a coffee bean, cocoa bean, and tea leaf.

The present invention overcomes the above-described problems and disadvantages by providing vitamin C enriched coffee, tea, and soda, and a method of making same.

Another practical advantage ofthe present invention is that method of making coffee, and soda incoφorates the instilling of vitamin C directly into the bean or leaf.

Summary ofthe Invention

Briefly stated, the present invention comprises vitamin C enriched coffee beans, cocoa beans, and tea leaves, and methods of making same. The present invention further comprises the vitamin C enriched coffee, cocoa, and tea, and the methods of making same.

In a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, a method of making a vitamin C enriched beverage using ripe beans is described. The ripe beans are roasted beans to produce roasted beans. The roasted beans are allowed to cool to a temperature less than 220 F forming partially cooled beans. A mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity is then added with a carrier substance forming a first composition. The first composition is then applied to the partially cooled beans forming vitamin C enriched beans. The vitamin C enriched beans are then ground forming a vitamin C enriched ground composite. The vitamin C enriched ground composite is the added to boiling water producing a vitamin C enriched beverage.

In one embodiment ofthe present invention the beans are coffee beans. In another embodiment of the present invention, the beans are cocoa beans. In a yet another embodiment of the present invention an additional step of filtering the vitamin C enriched beverage is employed. An additional step of dehydrating the vitamin C enriched beverage to form an instant vitamin C enriched beverage power is also disclosed.

In another preferred method according to the present invention, the carrier substance is propylene glycol. Water can be added to the mineral ascorbate prior to adding the propylene glycol to enhance application to the beans. In still yet another embodiment ofthe present invention, the carrier substance is a hydrogenated oil. One such hydrogenated oil is soy bean oil.

A method of making vitamin C enriched tea using ripe tea leaves is also disclosed and includes the steps of adding a mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity with a carrier substance forming a first composition; applying the first composition to the tea leaves forming vitamin C enriched tea leaves; and adding the vitamin C enriched tea leaves to boiling water forming vitamin C enriched tea.

Full details ofthe present invention are set forth in the following description ofthe invention.

Brief Description ofthe Drawings

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments ofthe invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the puφose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings preferred embodiments ofthe present invention. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and steps shown. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of a method of making vitamin C enriched coffee in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a flow diagram of a method of making vitamin C enriched cocoa in accordance with a second embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig 3 is a flow diagram of a method of making vitamin C enriched tea in accordance with a third embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of a method of making vitamin C enriched coffee in accordance with fourth preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of a method of making vitamin C enriched cocoa in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a flow diagram of a method of making vitamin C enriched tea in accordance with a sixth embodiment ofthe present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in Fig. 1 a method of making vitamin C enriched coffee.

With continued reference to Fig. 1 ripe coffee beans are roasted by exposing the beans to temperatures up to and exceeding 400 F to produce roasted coffee beans 10. The roasted coffee beans 10 are then allowed to cool to a temperature of approximately 212 F to form partially cooled coffee beans 12. A mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity is added to water to produce a first composition 14. The mineral portion ofthe mineral ascorbate is preferably calcium, but potassium and sodium can also be used. Mineral ascorbate are described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 4,822,816 to Markham, incoφorated herein by reference.

With continued reference to Fig. 1 , propylene glycol is the added to the first composition 14 creating a second composition 16. The second composition 16 is then applied to the partially cooled beans 12 for a certain duration of time forming treated beans 18. The treated beans 18 are then permitted to cool to room temperature ( 70 F ) forming vitamin C enriched coffee beans 20. The beans are then ground, and used via known practices to make vitamin C enriched coffee.

The method of application can be varied, for example, in a preferred method the second composition 16 is sprayed onto the partially cooled beans 12. Other methods of application may also be used, such as, submersion, or mixing. . The period of time that the second composition is applied to the partially cooled beans 12 is directly related to method of application used so that only the desired level of absoφtion ofthe second composition 16 into the partially cooled beans 12 is achieved.

Water is added to the calcium ascorbate to facilitate the absoφtion ofthe calcium ascorbate into the coffee bean cells. In order to illustrate the benefits of hydrating the calcium ascorbate, the following examples are provided. Note that the examples are not intended as limitations on the scope thereof.

EXAMPLE 1

Part I

As calcium ascorbate is not soluble in propylene glycol, a homogeneous dispersion of calcium ascorbate and propylene glycol was made and subsequently sprayed onto roasted coffee beans contained in a dish. The coffee beans having first been roasted at a temperature in excess of 400 F, were partially cooled to 212 F at the time ofthe spraying. After spraying the entire dispersion onto the beans, a residue was visually observed on the beans, however, much ofthe propylene glycol collected in the dish. The treated beans were allowed to cool to room temperature ( 70 F ). The beans were ground and brewed via a conventional manner to produce coffee. Analysis of a six ounce cup the coffee revealed that 0.1 mg/ml of calcium ascorbate, or .14 mg of ascorbic acid and 2 mg of calcium ( based on analysis ofthe calcium ascorbate as 80% ascorbic acid and 9.5% calcium by weight ).

Part II

Since the calcium ascorbate is soluble in water, 5.0 grams of calcium ascobate were placed in 50 ml of water forming a first solution. The first solution was then filtered to remove any excess solids. The first solution was then added to 50 ml of propylene glycol, producing a homogeneous second solution of calcium ascorbate. The entire 50:50 second solution was then sprayed onto the

same quantity of roasted coffee beans, contained in the same dish used in Part I, using the same spraying procedure as used in Part I. Once again, the roasted coffee beans were partially cooled to 212 F at the time ofthe spraying. The treated beans were allowed to cool to room temperature ( 70 F ). The beans were then ground and brewed via the same conventional manner as used in Part I to produce coffee. An analysis of the brewed coffee revealed 0.86 mg/ml (155mg/6oz. cup ) of calcium ascorbate in the coffee. Accordingly, this translated into 124 mg of ascorbate acid and 15 mg of calcium per 6 oz. cup of coffee, or an eight fold increase ( 761 % ) over the coffee brewed in Part i .

CONCLUSION

The substantial increase of calcium ascorbate in the coffee brewed in under the procedure described in Part II is attributed to the addition of water to the calcium ascorbate prior to the calcium ascorbate is mixed with the propylene glycol. The addition of water to the calcium ascorbate hydrates the calcium ascorbate, resulting in the smaller ascorbate molecules and calcium ion ( Ca+ ), which easily pass through the coffee bean cell. The coffee bean cell is approximately 30 A ( Angstroms ) in diameter, permeability through the cell wall, i.e., the size ofthe cell openings, is a few hundred Angstroms. It has been demonstrated and is known that molecules of similar weight and size ¹ to that ofthe calcium ascorbate molecule ( the molecular weight of calcium ascorbate is 196 ) are diffusible through the cell wall. Calcium ascobate is therefore diffusible through the coffee bean cell wall.

Further, it has been found that the diffusion ofthe calcium ascorbate through the coffee bean cell wall is enhanced when the coffee bean is exposed to the calcium ascorbate after roasting ofthe coffee bean during the first cooling ofthe bean. That is, the bean is exposed to the calcium ascorbate after the bean has been cooled from a roasting temperature of in excess of 400 F to a temperature of approximately 212 F.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a method of making vitamin C enriched cocoa in accordance with a second embodiment ofthe present invention will be described. Note that the process ofthe making vitamin C enriched coffee beans is very similar to that ofthe process described above with respect to Fig. 1 and the process of making vitamin C enriched coffee beans. Ripe cocoa beans are roasted by exposing the beans to temperature up to and exceeding 400 F to produce roasted cocoa beans 110. The roasted cocoa beans 1 10 are then allowed to cool to a temperature of approximately 212 F to form partially cooled cocoa beans 1 12. A mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity is added to water to produce a first composition 1 14. The mineral portion ofthe mineral ascorbate is preferably calcium, but potassium and sodium can also be used.

With continued reference to Fig. 2, propylene glycol is then added to the first composition 1 14 creating a second composition 1 16. The second composition 1 16 is then applied to the

partially cooled beans 112 for a certain duration of time forming treated beans 1 18. The treated beans 118 are then permitted to cool to room temperature ( 70 F ) forming vitamin C enriched cocoa beans 20. The beans are then ground, and used via known practices to make vitamin C enriched cocoa.

With reference to Fig. 3, a method of making vitamin C enriched tea in accordance with a third embodiment ofthe present invention will be described. The process of making vitamin C enriched tea leaves is similar to that ofthe processes described in Fig. 1 and 2 with respect to coffee and cocoa, except that the teal leaves are not roasted or otherwise heated above room temperature prior to application ofthe calcium ascorbate solution.

Ripe tea leaves 210 are stored at room temperature, 70 F. A mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity is added to water to produce a first composition 212. The mineral portion of the mineral ascorbate is preferably calcium, but once again, potassium and sodium can also be used. Propylene glycol is then added to the first composition 212 creating a second composition 214. The second composition 214 is then applied to the tea leaves 210 for a certain duration of time forming vitamin C enriched tea leaves 216. The leaves can then be used by known methods to make vitamin C enriched tea.

Although propylene glycol is an effective carrier for mineral ascorbate, edible oils such as hydrogenated oils can also be used as carriers in place or in addition to the propylene glycol. With continued reference to Fig. 4, a method of making vitamin C enriched coffee in accordance with a fourth embodiment ofthe present invention will be described.

Ripe coffee beans are roasted by exposing the beans to temperatures up to and exceeding 400 F to produce roasted coffee beans 410. The roasted coffee beans 410 are then allowed to cool to a temperature of approximately 212 F to form partially cooled coffee beans 412. A mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity is added to a hydrogenated oil, for example soy bean oil, to produce a first composition 414. The mineral portion ofthe mineral escorbate is preferably calcium, but potassium and sodium can also be used. With continued reference to Fig. 4, the first composition 414 is then applied to the partially cooled beans 412 for a certain duration of time forming treated beans 416. The treated beans 416 are then permitted to cool to room temperature (70 F) forming vitamin C enriched coffee beans 418. Once again, the beans can be ground and used in accordance with known practices to make vitamin C enriched coffee.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a method of making vitamin C enriched cocoa in accordance with a fifth embodiment ofthe present invention will be described. Note that the process of making vitamin C enriched cocoa is very similar to that ofthe process described above with respect to Fig. 4 and the process of making vitamin C enriched coffee. Ripe cocoa beans are roasted by exposing

the beans to temperatures up to and exceeding 400 F to produce roasted cocoa beans 510. The roasted cocoa beans 510 are then allowed to cool to a temperature of approximately 212 F to form partially cooled cocoa beans 512. A mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity is added to a hydrogenated oil, for example soy bean oil, to produce a first composition 514. The mineral portion ofthe mineral asorbate is preferably calcium, but potassium and sodium can also be used. With continued reference to Fig. 4, the first composition 514 is then applied to the partially cooled beans 512 for a certain duration of time forming treated beans 516. The treated beans 516 are then permitted to cool to room temperature (70 F) forming vitamin C enriched cocoa beans 518. Once again, the beans can be ground and used in accordance with known practices to make vitamin C enriched cocoa.

With reference to Fig. 6, a method of making vitamin C enriched tea in accordance with a sixth embodiment ofthe present invention will be described. The process of making vitamin C enriched tea is similar to that ofthe processes described in Fig. 4 and 5 with respect to coffee and cocoa, except that the tea leaves are not roasted or otherwise heated above room temperature prior to application ofthe calcium ascorbate solution.

Ripe tea leaves 610 are stored at room temperature, 70 F. A mineral ascorbate composition having vitamin C activity is added to a hydrogenated oil, for example soy bean oil, to produce a first composition 612. The mineral portion ofthe mineral ascorbate is preferably calcium, but potassium and sodium can also be used. With continued reference to Fig. 6, the first composition 612 is then applied to the leaves 610 for certain duration of time forming vitamin C enriched tea leaves 614. The leaves can then be used by known methods to make vitamin C enriched tea.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that the present invention comprises a method of making vitamin C enriched beverages. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited beverages enriched with vitamin C, but is intended to cover other vitamins and or minerals, as well as other modifications within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined in the appended claims.