1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a consumable candy drinking straw and a method of using the candy drinking straw to flavor and augment the flavor of a beverage.
2. Background of the Invention:
Candy is typically a single function and single use product. A consumer generally buys a candy product for the sole purpose of consuming the candy. There are various forms of candy, including hard candy, typically manufactured primarily from sugar and flavoring, chocolate, fruit juices, etc. Hard candy having a chocolate or flavored center is known. Regardless of its type, the candy typically is consumed when the candy is placed in the mouth of a consumer.
Fruit flavored beverages, sometimes called “smoothies,” have recently become popular. A typical smoothie has finely ground ice particles combined with flavoring. Finely ground fruit may be included as part of the flavoring in a smoothie. Due to its thick consistency, the smoothie typically is consumed with a straw or sometimes a straw that also functions as a spoon. The spoon or straw usually is made from plastic and allows the consumer to suck the smoothie from the cup or receptacle holding it.
Because the straw is formed of plastic, it imparts no flavor to the smoothie and merely allows the smoothie to be withdrawn from the receptacle. Because the straw is made from plastic it must be disposed of after the smoothie has been consumed. The plastic straw is usually of a very thin wall thickness and can cut the skin of the consumer.
There is a need for a candy product that can be used for purposes other than simple consumption. There is also a need for creative and fun candy products that have some utility other than their flavor.
The present invention provides a drinking straw including an elongated hollow dissolvable candy shell made from twisted, glassified sugar and having a tubular configuration through which liquid is transportable by applying a suction to an end of the candy shell. Because the candy shell is placed in the mouth of the user, the candy slowly dissolves thereby providing a flavor sensation in the mouth of the user that can alter and/or augment the flavor of a smoothie or other beverage. The smoothie typically will be consumed before the candy straw is completely dissolved, thus allowing the consumer to also consume the straw afterward.
The candy shell may have a hollow cylindrical interior diameter of about 5 millimeters and a wall thickness of about 3.5 millimeters, thus having an outer diameter of about 12 millimeters.
Alternatively, the candy shell may have a hollow diameter of between 4 and 6 millimeters, a thickness of between 3 and 4 millimeters, and an outer diameter of between 10 and 14 millimeters.
The candy shell may include a plurality of twisted candy stripes diagonally twined with respect to a lengthwise axis of the candy shell. The twisted candy stripes include at least a first candy stripe spirally wound around the lengthwise axis of the candy tubular shell, and a second candy stripe spirally wound to complement the first candy stripe and to form the candy shell together therewith. The first and second candy stripes may have at least one cross sectional interface that extends from an inner surface of the candy shell to an outer surface of the candy shell. Alternatively and preferably the stripes do not actually go all the way through to the inner core as the stripes are put on the outside of the brick and then scrolled and pulled into rope.
The candy tubular shell includes a first end insertable into a beverage, and a is second end through which a suction is applied to move the beverage along an inner surface of the candy shell without breaking the shell. The candy shell preferably is a rigid, caramelized sugar, flavored composition that slowly dissolves in the mouth of the user and imparts the flavor to the consumer due to dissolution by the saliva in the mouth of the consumer.
The candy shell may be made from a mixture of sucrose, glucose syrup, maltose, water, citric acid, dextrin, at least one artificial flavor, and at least one artificial color. The sucrose, glucose syrup, and maltose constitute at least 95% by weight of the mixture. The candy shell may include a non-inverted sugar component and an inverted sugar component, the non-inverted sugar component being greater than the inverted sugar component. The inverted sugar component assists in preventing crystallization of the candy mass during manufacture of the candy straw. The candy shell may include citric acid providing a tartness to flavor the candy shell and also further causing the candy mass to contain inverted sugars to inhibit crystallization.
The present invention also provides a drinking straw made of a rigid tubular candy shell having a plurality of different twisted portions extending diagonally and intertwined to form the shell with respect to a lengthwise axis thereof.
The twisted portions include a first spiral portion and a second spiral portion having a shape that is complementary to the first spiral portion. The first and second spiral portions form a cylindrical candy shell together.
The candy shell has a predetermined thickness and each of the twisted portions may have the same predetermined thickness. Neighboring twisted portions may have at least one cross-sectional interface that extends from an inner surface of the candy shell to an outer surface of the candy shell. Alternatively and preferably the stripes do not actually go all the way through to the inner core as the stripes are put on the outside of the brick and then scrolled and pulled into rope.
The present invention also provides a method of using a candy drinking straw to consume a beverage. The method includes providing the candy drinking straw having a first end and a second end, providing a receptacle containing the beverage, inserting the first end of the candy drinking straw into the beverage in the receptacle, inserting the second end of the candy drinking straw into a mouth of a consumer, and applying a suction to the second end of candy drinking straw such that the beverage contained in the receptacle is transported from the first end of the candy drinking straw to the second of the candy drinking straw into the consumer's mouth.
The saliva in the mouth of the consumer may dissolve a portion of the second end of the candy drinking straw such that a flavor from the candy drinking straw is combined with a flavor from the beverage in the mouth of the consumer.
The method may include selecting a flavor of the candy drinking straw so as to complement the flavor of the beverage based on the consumer's taste preference. The beverage provided may include chunks of consumable material, such as ice, cookie, candy, etc., contained therein. The chunks of consumable material contained in the beverage are transported from the first end of the candy drinking straw to the second end of the candy drinking straw into the consumer's mouth. Due to the relatively large size of the irregularly shaped chunks, the drinking straw has a relatively larger inner diameter to allow the chunks to be drawn therethrough without clogging the straw and causing it to be unusable.
The present invention also provides a method of providing consumable candy drinking straws at a beverage sale establishment. The method includes providing a plurality of beverages at the beverage sale establishment. The beverages include at least a first beverage and a second beverage different from the first beverage. Hard candy straws of a plurality of flavors are also provided at the beverage sale establishment. The plurality of different flavors include at least a first flavor and a second flavor different from the first flavor. A suggested pairing between the plurality of different beverages and the hard candy straws of different flavors is provided. The first beverage is paired with the hard candy straw of the first flavor and the second beverage is paired with the hard candy straw of the second flavor. The suggested pairings are then offered to consumers.
A method of manufacturing a consumable candy straw is also provided. The method includes the step of producing a plurality of warm masses of candy having different colors or different flavors. The sugar masses are then twisted about the mold to form intertwined twisted portions of glassified sugar having different colors or different flavors into a hollow cylindrical tube. At least one section of the hollow cylindrical tube is then cut from the mold to form the consumable candy drinking straw.
The candy drinking straw 1 enhances the flavor of whatever beverage is being enjoyed by a consumer. The candy drinking straw 1 maintains a stable solid state and is only relatively slowly dissolved from within by the beverage being transported therein. Additionally, a consumer's saliva dissolves a portion of the candy drinking straw 1, which adds flavor to the beverage being consumed. Once the consumer finishes the beverage, the candy drinking straw 1 may be consumed or may be re-used with another beverage.
The flavor of the candy drinking straw 1 may be selected to complement the beverage being consumed. For example, a cherry candy straw may be provided with a cola soft drink to provide a cherry/cola flavoring, a caramel candy straw may be provided with a vanilla milk shake or coffee drink, or a strawberry candy straw may be provided with a vanilla milk shake. Of course, other combinations are also possible. Thus, a beverage sale establishment, such as a coffee shop, an ice cream shop, a smoothie store, or a bar, which sells different beverages, may also sell a variety of different flavors of the candy drinking straw 1 so that consumers may select which flavored straw will complement and augment the flavor of their beverage. The added flavor of the candy drinking straw 1 may replace the need for additional ingredients in a beverage. For example, a candy drinking straw 1 of a particular flavor may be used in a coffee drink instead of an additional shot of flavored syrup. The above-mentioned beverage sale establishment may even provide a suggested pairing of beverages with candy drinking straws 1 of different flavors on a menu or drink list, much like some restaurants provide food and wine pairings. In this case, a candy drinking straw 1 of a first flavor may be paired or matched with a first beverage while a candy drinking straw 1 of a second different flavor may be paired or matched with a second beverage different from the first beverage.
Referring to
The main and twisted candy portions 2 and 3 may have different textures or slightly different thicknesses to provide the candy drinking straw 1 with yet another aesthetically appealing feature as best shown in
Referring to
While only one twisted portion 2 is illustrated in
As best shown in
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the outer diameter (OD) of the candy drinking straw 1 may be between 10 to 14 millimeters (mm), the inner diameter (ID) may be between 4 to 6 mm, and the thickness (x) of the candy straw 1 may be between 3 to 4 mm. More particularly, the candy shell 1 may be made such that the outer diameter (OD) is about 12 mm, the thickness (x) of the candy shell 1 is about 3.5 mm, and the inner diameter (ID) of the candy shell 1 is about 5 mm.
By comparison, most conventional plastic drinking straws have an inner diameter of about 7.5 mm. Other dimensions may also be used with embodiments of the present invention as long as the thickness (x) of the candy drinking straw 1 is large enough to withstand suction applied by the consumer in order to transport thick/heavy beverages without breakage. Additionally, the inner diameter (ID) of the candy straw 1 may be is large enough such that a thick milk shake, cookie crumbs, pieces of fruit, etc. may be transported therethrough by the suction applied by the consumer.
It can also be seen from the cross-section of the candy drinking straw 1 shown in
As best shown in
Alternatively, as shown in the cross-section shown in
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As best shown in
It should be understood that the elements of the candy drinking straw 1 shown in
It is believed by the inventor that prior to the present invention; there was no other method of forming a hard candy cylinder suitable as a straw for use with a beverage, particularly a thick beverage like a smoothie. It is also believed by the inventor that conventional methods were unable to produce a hard candy straw of caramelized/glassified sugar that is capable of being used to consume a variety of beverages. Consequently, it is believed that there were no other candy drinking straws made from caramelized/glassified sugar available to consumers.
For example, conventional extrusion processes were not suitable to produce a hard candy drinking straw usable to consume a variety of beverages; because molten candy cannot be extruded to form a hard candy straw with a tubular portion. Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that conventional extrusion processes would also be incapable of forming the twisted candy portions 2 and 3 of the candy drinking straw 1 shown in
Step 101 transforms the liquid candy into a semi-solid mass of candy when it cools after cooking because the inverted sugar and other components are mixed with water that is driven off by cooking the mix at about 300° F. In the semi-solid state, the mass of candy can be processed, molded, shaped, etc. into the candy drinking straw 1 in steps 102-104. The candy produced in step 101 is made from a mixture of sugar, glucose syrup, maltose, distilled water, citric acid, dextrin, artificial flavors, and artificial colors. The sugar preferably is sucrose, which is made of one molecule of glucose connected to one molecule of fructose. The maltose preferably is fructose derived from a plant other than sugar cane, for example, corn. The glucose and maltose are both inverted sugars that do not crystallize. The amount of sucrose (non-inverted sugar) is slightly greater than the amount of glucose and maltose (inverted sugars) to make hard candy. Additionally, the total concentration of sugars, including sucrose, glucose syrup, and maltose, should be about 95% percent by weight or greater of the total mixture for it to solidify when the mixture is cooled. Water is used to dissolve the sugars in step 101. Most of the water is boiled off during the preparation of the sugar solution to achieve the proper consistency and so that the sugar can form a solid when it cools.
The candy drinking straw 1 is made of caramelized sugar. Caramelization, also know as “glassification,” occurs when a sugar is dissolved in water at a high concentration, and is then heated to a very high temperature to boil off much of the water. When the solution cools it turns into a relatively solid mass, which is a type of “glass.” The molecules that make up sugar form a solid very quickly before they have time to arrange themselves in a crystal lattice. Thus, the candy drinking straw 1 made from inverted sugars to preclude crystallization. The citric acid makes the sugar slightly tart for creating a stronger more prominent flavor and for further enhancing the amount of inverted sugar. Thus, even if the candy drinking straw 1 is used with a beverage having a strong taste with a tendency to overpower the taste of regular candy, the citric acid adds a strong tart flavor that strengthens the flavor of the candy drinking straw 1 to ensure that the beverage flavor does not completely mask the flavor of the candy drinking straw 1. As a result, the flavors of the beverage and the candy drinking straw 1 may be tasted in desirable proportions. It will be appreciated that the tartness of the candy drinking straw 1 may be varied based on the flavor of the candy drinking straw 1 to be produced.
Step 101 produces a plurality of warm masses of candy which are pulled together in step 102. The plurality of warm masses of candy each have a different color and/or a different flavor and are ultimately formed into the main candy portion 2 and the twisted candy portion(s) 3 of the drinking straw 1 shown in
Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/875,526 filed Dec. 19, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and to which priority is claimed.