Patent Grant
7316826
This application is a national stage of PCT/EP03/05542 filed May 27, 2003 and based upon DE 102 24 083.3 filed May 31, 2002 under the International Convention.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with aromatic compositions capable of imparting to foodstuffs an aroma of coffee and coffee containing drinks, in particular that of fresh ground and fresh brewed coffee drinks, and of which the stability is in the framework of the customary commercial minimum stability timeframe. The invention is further concerned with foodstuffs and in particular instant or dry products, which are aromatically enhanced with this type of composition. The invention is further concerned with aromatic compositions which are capable of imparting room space and/or objects with an aroma of fresh ground or fresh brewed coffee.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is always a need for new aromatic compositions, in order to impart to foodstuffs desired aromas or to intensify, improve or modify the existing aroma of foodstuffs. The requirements placed on the these aromatic compositions are, besides an authentic aroma profile corresponding to that which is expected, in particular also a shelf life and stability of the aromatic characteristics in a foodstuff product for the minimum conventional shelf life timeframe which is expected in commerce for the foodstuff. This type of aromatic composition in the realm of fresh brewed or fresh ground coffee can be of the roasted, sweet, coco-like, caramel-like or black roasted type. There is a great need for a stable aroma of fresh ground and fresh brewed coffee, such as regular coffee, cappuccino or espresso, but this has until now proven itself difficult to achieve.
WO 00/69274 describes the conventional employment of coffee aroma and coffee extract in drink applications. The separate storage of aroma and concentrate improves the stability of the total system. It is however known that coffee aromas in particular in liquid applications have only a limited stability.
In KR-A 8802027 a process is described for the production of an aromatic fraction of coffee extract and its use for instant drinks. Therein freeze-dried coffee extract and the spray-dried aromatic fraction are employed in combination for improving the aroma characteristics of instant drinks with coffee aroma.
For the production of aromatic mixtures which evoke the sensorial impression of fresh brewed coffee it is necessary to use various aromatic substances from varying chemical substance classes. Single aromatic components are not suited for imparting to a foodstuff an authentic and complete coffee aroma. Within mixtures, individual aromatic substances take part preferentially in chemical reactions. These reactions result in a reduced storage stability and reduced stability of the coffee aroma compositions. This applies both to the formulation with a liquid carrier as well as in the formulation as a dry aromatic.
In the publication of Mayer, Czerny and Grosch (Eur. Food Res Technol. 2000, 211, 272-276) it was described that approximately 25 aromatic effective individual components have been identified within the typical aroma of roast coffee beans. The authors described that by mixing together at least 24 of these components the aroma of coffee can be simulated. The liquid aromatic produced in this manner is characterized by low stability, in particular also when based on the conventional carrier systems. Already after a short time the typical coffee notes are lost. During the course of storage of this replicate false notes evolve, which can be characterized as foul, chemical and burned.
There is thus a need for a simple aromatic composition, which is capable of imparting to foodstuffs, over the commercial minimum required storage stability requirement, an aroma of coffee and coffee containing drinks, in particular of fresh ground and fresh brewed coffee drinks. Preferably the aroma composition should contain fewer than 24 aroma compounds and be stable for longer than 6 months, more preferably longer than 12 months, and particular preferably longer than 18 months.
Similarly, there is a need for foodstuffs which are aromatized or fragrance enhanced with a mixture of aroma components, such that the resulting product exhibits a taste or an aroma of fresh ground and fresh brewed coffee, coffee macchiato, cappuccino or espresso.
The predominant feature of the present invention is a multi-component aromatic composition for imparting a coffee aroma, including the following aromatic substances of Group I:
Further, the present invention provides an appropriate process for imparting to foodstuffs or other substances an aroma of fresh ground and fresh brewed coffee, wherein the aromatic substances necessary for the aroma impression of fresh brewed or fresh ground coffee are produced in physically separate formulations and are combined or recombined for employment in food stuffs or perfumed products. A multi-component aroma formulation is preferably employed in the inventive process according to the invention.
Preferred embodiments of the invention can be seen from the dependent claims and the following description.
The invention is based upon the determination that the compounds of Group 1 through 4 (see also the following Tables 1 through 4) produce in aroma compositions the aroma profile of fresh ground and fresh brewed coffee.
Group 1: Subcomponent “Compounds with a Free Thiol-Group”
It has now been discovered that for the authentic reproduction of the aroma profile of fresh ground and fresh roasted coffee the compounds 1a through 1e listed in Group 1 are indispensable.
Group 2: Subcomponent “Sulfur Containing Aldehyde, Phenol, Thiazoline and Thiazole”
It was discovered that for the authentic reproduction of the aroma profile of fresh ground and fresh roasted coffee the compounds 2a through 2b listed in Group 2 are indispensable.
Group 3: Base-Notes: Aldehyde, Ketone, Pyrazine, Phenole, Furanone
It was discovered that for the authentic reproduction of the aroma profile of fresh ground and fresh roasted coffee the compounds 3a through 3h listed in Group 3 are indispensable.
Group 4: Subcomponent Rounding out Notes: Aldehyde, Norisoprenoid, Ketone
It has now been discovered that for the authentic reproduction of the aroma profile of fresh ground and fresh roasted coffee the compounds 4a through 4d listed in Group 4 are indispensable.
Groups 2 through 4 can, beyond this, contain other aromatic substances such as for example dimethyltrisulfide and/or 4,2-furfurylthiopentanone and/or prenylthioacetate and/or vanillin and/or acetylmethylcarbinol and/or 3,4-hexanedione and/or methylcyclohexenolon and/or methylcyclopentenolon and/or 2-methoxy-3-methylpyrazine and/or tetrahydrochinoxaline.
In composition tests, various proportional relationships of the compounds in Groups 1 through 4 were found to exhibit roasted coffee typical aromatic impressions. The character of fresh brewed coffee was achieved in particular by the mixture relationships indicated in Tables 5 through 8.
In a preferred embodiment the aroma substances of Group 1 are divided into two subgroups 1.1 and 1.2, wherein the subgroups 1.1 and 1.2 were respectively separately formulated, that is, respectively separately applied to carrier material. Subgroup 1.1 is comprised the following compounds: 2,3-methylfuranthiol (1a), furfurylthiol (1b), 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (prenylthiol) (1d), 3,3-methylthiobutylformate (1e). Subgroup 1.2 included methane thiol (1c).
The quantitative relationship of subgroups 1.1 and 1.2 lie preferably in the range of 1:5 through 1:50, more preferably in the range of 1:10 and 1:30.
Particularly preferred were aroma compositions with the composition indicated in Tables 9 through 12.
A further preferred aroma mixture comprised the aroma substances indicated in Tables 13 through 16.
A further preferred aroma mixture included the aroma substances indicated in Tables 17 through 20.
In surprising manner it was determined that the separate formulation of Group 1 and Groups 2, 3 and 4 according to the scheme in Table 21 lead to a significantly improved stability and shelf life of the coffee aroma in dry application form.
In a particularly preferred embodiment the inventive process is characterized thereby, that the aroma substances of Groups 1 through 4 are combined as separate ingredients A through D to the following combinations I through IV.
For the recombination of the separate formulated aroma components A, B, C and D the quantity relationships indicated in Table 22 were found to be particularly preferred for the aroma profile of fresh ground and fresh brewed coffee.
It was determined that an aroma composition of this type can impart the aroma of fresh brewed or fresh ground coffee to foodstuffs, for example drinks, instant drinks, sweets, baked goods and fatty fillings aw well as milk products. The term “aroma” is to be so understood herein as comprising “taste” and/or “flavor”, that is, the sensorial appreciation. Likewise the term “aromatizing” is to be so understood herein as including “to impart with flavor”, such as conferring a taste.
It is surprisingly discovered that the stability of the total aroma mixture, comprised of the combinations I, II, III, IV of components A, B, C, D comprised of Groups 1 through 4, in foodstuff applications is substantially improved by the segregated formulation. The physical separation of the aroma substances of Group 1 from the remaining aroma substances of Groups 2 through 4 is essential for stability. The physical separation of the components A, B, C, D can occur for example in the following formulation systems:
The production of the components A, B, C, D in encapsulated form can occur as described for example in EP-A 870537, WO-A 00/36931 or EP-A 1099385.
The invention is further concerned with aromatized foodstuffs, which are produced with an aroma system which is based upon the technology of separately formulating.
Preferred is the separation upon solid carrier systems. Appropriately suitable carrier systems for the separate formulation of the components or building blocks A, B, C, D are for example:
The components A, B, C, D can be formulated upon the same or different carrier systems. Preferably the same carrier system is employed for all components.
Suitable carrier systems for scenting the room space are polymer carriers on an organic or inorganic basis.
Preferred carrier systems for room space scenting on organic basis are polypropylene carriers (for example those produced by the company Membrana, Accurel MP 1000, microporous polypropylene-powder).
Basic Recipe for Instant Drink of the Type Cappuccino
In this example the aroma impression of fresh roasted and fresh brewed coffee was produced by pouring hot water onto the instant drink mixture, causing simultaneous release of the aroma substances of the individual subcomponents. The aroma is produced in the manner that the components A, B, C, D comprised of substances of Groups 1 through 4 indicated in Table 21 are formulated separately with a carrier system suitable for foodstuffs or for fragrancing purposes. For the use in the instant drink field the combinations indicated in Tables 21 and 22 can now be mixed.
The employment of the described coffee-aroma mixture, consisting of the mixture of separately formulated components A, B, C and D, is of interest not only in application for foodstuffs but also for perfuming. In tests with the described aroma it was surprisingly discovered, that objects, enclosed spaces and building areas could be aromatized with a pleasant fragrance of fresh roasted and fresh brewed coffee.
A further improved embodiment comprises the separation of methane thiol (1c; subgroup 1.2) from the other thiols of subgroup 1.1.
Methane thiol is applied to carriers or encapsulated as a 1 weight % solution with 20-25 weight % loading in a spray granulation.
The methane thiol-containing granulate was combined with the other separate formulated (here encapsulated) thiols of subgroup 1.1 as well as the separate formulated substances of Groups 2.4 into a mixture evoking to a wonderful degree the aroma of fresh roasted coffee.
The advantage of-the separate encapsulation of methane thiol and the other thiols lies in the greater variability of the combinations to be created therefrom. Methane thiol has, in comparison to the other thiol compounds, a significantly greater dosing latitude.
The inventive coffee aroma mixtures were incorporated generally in doses or amounts of 10 g-100 g/100 kg of foodstuff.
The aroma components A, B, C and D were respectively applied to a suitable inert carrier material with adsorbent characteristics.
The degree of loading of the liquid ingredient onto the carrier material can be selected to be generally from 1 weight % to 10 weight %.
As the carrier material, there can be employed for example a product produced by the company Membrana, Accurel MP 1000 (microporous polypropylene-powder).
The thus formulated components are recombined in proportions analogous to Tables 21 and 22.
It was discovered that the storage stability of the aromatic formulated according to the above described scheme was significantly higher than the storage stability of a correspondingly mixed liquid aromatic.
The mixture of aroma components A, B, C and D formulated according to the above scheme was tested in the following applications:
1.) Simple Exposure:
Basic Recipe of Ice Coffee Instant Drink
8 g of this mixture was intensively stirred in 100 ml cold milk (3.5% fat).
Due to the low temperature at composition, ice coffee drinks may fail to deliver a typical taste of fresh brewed coffee. In this example the aroma impression of fresh roasted and fresh brewed coffee was produced upon stirring the aroma containing instant formulation with the milk. The character of the drink with the inventive aroma exhibited a more typical taste in the direction of fresh roasted and fresh brewed coffee than the formulation without the flavor.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102 24 083 | May 2002 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP03/05542 | 5/27/2002 | WO | 00 | 1/16/2004 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO03/101216 | 12/11/2003 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3962321 | Parliament et al. | Jun 1976 | A |
| 4001454 | Jindra et al. | Jan 1977 | A |
| 4092334 | Mookherjee et al. | May 1978 | A |
| 5580593 | Liu et al. | Dec 1996 | A |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| WO 95 11595 | May 1995 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20040202767 A1 | Oct 2004 | US |
