阅读说明：本技术 降低汁液中糖含量的组合物和方法 (Compositions and methods for reducing sugar content in juice ) 是由 特奥多罗·里维拉 丽莎·汉德里克 凯尔·麦克莱恩 杰森·卡苏加·帕尔科 加里·D·卡尔德 于 2019-09-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：公开了汁液饮料。该汁液饮料包含汁液基料、第一较低热量液体和第二较低热量液体。汁液饮料的每份的热量比单独的汁液基料少,但是保留了与汁液基料的感官属性特性类似的感官属性特性。(Juice beverages are disclosed. The juice beverage comprises a juice base, a first, lower-calorie liquid, and a second, lower-calorie liquid. The juice beverage has less calories per serving than the juice base alone, but retains sensory attribute characteristics similar to those of the juice base.)

1. A juice beverage comprising:

about 40 wt% to about 85 wt% of a juice base having a brix value of about 7.5 ° Bx to about 25 ° Bx, wherein the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice;

about 5 wt% to about 35 wt% of a first liquid, wherein the first liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 2 ° Bx to about 7 ° Bx; and

about 3 wt% to about 30 wt% of a second liquid, wherein the second liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 1 ° Bx to about 6 ° Bx;

wherein the fruit juice is different from each of the first liquid and the second liquid, the second liquid is different from the first liquid, and the second liquid has a brix value that is lower than the brix value of the first liquid.

2. The juice beverage according to claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the first liquid to the second liquid is about 10:1 to about 1: 1.

3. The juice beverage according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one fruit juice is selected from the group consisting of apricot, apple, orange, melon, grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine, tangelo, kumquat, mango, pear, peach, pineapple, cranberry, banana, papaya, passion fruit, grape, strawberry, raspberry, currant, blueberry, blackberry, brazil berry, lychee, kiwi, pomegranate, aronia, and green juice.

4. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one fruit juice is orange juice.

5. Juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the juice base is green juice.

6. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first liquid is a juice selected from the group consisting of coconut, watermelon, sugar beet, ginger, potato, sweet potato, white gourd, turnip, carrot, turnip cabbage, bamboo, birch, maple, cactus, aloe, sugar cane and barley.

7. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first liquid is coconut water.

8. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second liquid is a juice selected from the group consisting of turnip, lettuce, green cabbage, Swiss beet, sesamon, watercress, tomato, celery, onion, cucumber, parsley, caraway, basil, mint, fennel, dill, wheatgrass, asparagus, artichoke and olive.

9. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second liquid is lettuce juice.

10. Juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first liquid has a salty taste, which is reduced by the presence of the second liquid.

11. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the second liquid has a vegetable flavor that is reduced by the presence of the first liquid.

12. The juice beverage of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the control compliance of the juice beverage is at least 85% when comparing the attributes of the juice beverage to the attributes of the juice base using quantitative descriptive analysis.

13. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the juice beverage is about 100% juice.

14. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the juice beverage further comprises citrus oil.

15. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the juice beverage consists of natural ingredients.

16. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the first liquid is coconut water and the second liquid is lettuce juice.

17. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the juice base has a first sugar concentration and the juice beverage has a second sugar concentration, wherein the second sugar concentration is about 20% to about 40% lower than the first sugar concentration.

18. The juice beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the juice beverage further comprises stevia.

19. A method of preparing a juice beverage, the method comprising:

providing a juice base having a brix value of from about 7.5 ° Bx to about 25 ° Bx, wherein the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice;

providing a first liquid, wherein the first liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 2 ° Bx to about 7 ° Bx;

providing a second liquid, wherein the second liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 1 ° Bx to about 6 ° Bx; and

combining the juice base with the first liquid and the second liquid to produce the juice beverage, wherein the juice beverage comprises from about 40 wt% to about 85 wt% of the juice base, from about 5 wt% to about 35 wt% of the first liquid, and from about 3 wt% to about 30 wt% of the second liquid;

wherein the Brix value of the second liquid is lower than the Brix value of the first liquid.

20. A juice beverage comprising:

a juice base having a first brix value, wherein the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice;

a first liquid, wherein the first liquid is juice and has a second brix value;

a second liquid, wherein the second liquid is juice and has a third brix value;

wherein the third brix value is lower than the second brix value;

wherein the juice beverage comprises a fourth brix value; and is

Wherein the fourth brix value is 20% to 40% lower than the first brix value.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to juice products and more particularly to juice beverages that include one or more low sugar juices.

Background

A 100% juice is often desirable for consumers seeking to consume natural ingredients (e.g., fruits and vegetables). These types of juices can include fruit juices, vegetable juices, concentrates, syrups (pures), nectars (nectars) and other ingredients obtained from fruits and vegetables.

Some consumers are increasingly concerned about limiting the caloric intake from the juice. Typically, juice that is consumed as a beverage contains from 10 grams of sugar to 40 grams of sugar per 250mL serving. Although sugar is not normally added to 100% juice, sugar is naturally present in fruits and vegetables.

In some cases, low-calorie foods may lack flavor compared to their full-calorie counterparts. For example, some low calorie foods may not be perceived by the consumer as sweet enough. Manufacturers have attempted to solve this problem by adding sugar substitutes and flavoring agents to make low calorie foods taste more like their full calorie congeners. For example, low-calorie orange juice products are produced by diluting orange juice with drinking water and adding sweeteners, colors and flavors. However, some consumers can still detect the difference between such products and their full-calorie counterparts. In addition, certain artificial ingredients, including sweeteners, are generally not acceptable to some consumers.

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure relates to juice beverages having a reduced calorie content. In a first embodiment, a novel aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a juice beverage comprising from about 40 wt% to about 85 wt% of a juice base having a brix value of from about 7.5 ° Bx to about 25 ° Bx. In addition, the juice base has at least one fruit juice. The juice beverage comprises about 5 wt% to about 35 wt% of a first liquid that is juice and has a brix value of about 2 ° Bx to about 7 ° Bx. The juice beverage also includes from about 3 wt% to about 30 wt% of a second liquid that is a juice and has a brix value of from about 1 ° Bx to about 6 ° Bx, the brix value of the second liquid being lower than the brix value of the first liquid.

In a second embodiment, a novel aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method of preparing a juice beverage. A juice base is provided comprising at least one fruit juice and having a brix value of from about 7.5 ° Bx to about 25 ° Bx. A first liquid is also provided, the first liquid being juice and having a brix value of about 2 ° Bx to about 7 ° Bx. A second liquid is also provided, the second liquid being juice and having a brix value of about 1 ° Bx to about 6 ° Bx. In addition, the second liquid has a brix value that is lower than the brix value of the first liquid. Thereafter, combining the juice base with the first liquid and the second liquid to produce a juice beverage having from about 40 wt% to about 85 wt% of the juice base, from about 5 wt% to about 35 wt% of the first liquid, and from about 3 wt% to about 30 wt% of the second liquid.

In a third embodiment, a novel aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a juice beverage comprising a juice base, a first liquid, and a second liquid. The juice base comprises at least one fruit juice having a first brix value. The first liquid is a juice having a second brix value, and the second liquid is a juice having a third brix value that is lower than the second brix value. Further, the juice beverage has a fourth brix value that is 20% to 40% lower than the first brix value.

These and other objects, together with advantages and features of the present disclosure, will become apparent by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the features of the various embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and can exist in various combinations and permutations.

Drawings

The detailed description makes reference, in particular, to the following figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a graph of principal component analysis depicting sensory attributes determined for formulas having varying amounts of orange, coconut and lettuce (lette) juice.

Detailed Description

While the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the concepts of the disclosure to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The present disclosure generally relates to juice beverages, such as 100% juice beverages, having a reduced calorie content. In particular, the sensory properties of the juice beverages of the present disclosure can be similar, substantially the same, or the same as the sensory properties of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage, while containing less calories per serving than the juice base alone. Organoleptic properties include, but are not limited to, those properties related to aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, texture, or aftertaste. More specific examples of sensory properties may include, but are not limited to, citrus, orange, fresh/raw orange, total vegetable, celery, cucumber, sweet, salty, bitter, astringent, viscosity, and mouth-drying.

The juice beverages described herein include a mixture of juices. As used herein, the term "juice" is defined as a liquid extracted from a fruit, vegetable or plant. Examples of juices include, but are not limited to, fruit juices, vegetable juices, plant waters and plant fluids (plant sap). Examples of juices also include juices that are reconstituted (FC) juice, non-reconstituted (NFC) juice, puree, nectar, or combinations thereof. The juice beverages described herein include a juice base and one or more liquids comprising juice having a lower caloric content per serving than the juice base. The juice beverages described herein have desirable sensory attributes (e.g., similar to those of a juice base) while having less calories per part and less sugar per part than a juice base. In some embodiments, the one or more lower calorie liquids may have one or more undesirable sensory attributes when evaluated separately. However, the combination of the juice base and the one or more lower calorie juices synergistically forms a juice blend having desirable sensory properties that eliminate or diminish the undesirable attributes of the one or more lower calorie juices.

As discussed further herein, a juice beverage may comprise juice from two or more natural sources. Natural sources include, but are not limited to, fruits, vegetables, and other plants. In some embodiments, the juice beverage is made entirely of ingredients of natural origin. For example, in some embodiments, the juice beverage is 100%, about 100%, greater than about 99.9%, greater than about 99% juice by weight.

The combination of juices making up the juice beverage is selected such that the sensory properties of the juice beverage, as determined by a trained sensory panel, are similar, substantially the same, or the same as the sensory properties of the juice base. For example, in some embodiments, the juice beverage is based on apricot juice, apple juice, orange juice, melon juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, lime juice, tangerine juice, tangelo juice, kumquat juice, mango juice, pear juice, peach juice, pineapple juice, papaya juice, passion fruit juice, grape juice, strawberry juice, raspberry juice, gooseberry juice, blueberry juice, blackberry juice, cranberry juice, lychee juice, kiwi juice, pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, banana juice, green juice, or a combination of the foregoing, and the like. As used herein, "green juice" refers to juice having a natural green color, and may include one or more juices selected from the group consisting of sweet potato, grape, apple, banana, mango, pineapple, orange, carrot, lime, kale, and spinach. It will be understood that the "green sap" must include at least one ingredient that is naturally green in color, but may also include other ingredients that are not green in color, such as lemons.

In some embodiments, the juice beverage is based on orange juice, apple juice, pear juice, grape juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, strawberry juice, mango juice, pomegranate juice, grapefruit juice, green juice, or a combination of the foregoing. In preferred embodiments, the juice beverage is based on orange, apple or green juice.

The juice beverages of the present disclosure may include fruit juice, vegetable juice, concentrate, syrup, nectar, or other ingredients obtained from fruits, vegetables, or other plants. In some embodiments, the juice beverage is made entirely of ingredients of natural origin. Alternatively, the juice beverage may include one or more non-natural ingredients. Alternatively, the juice beverage may be made entirely of organic ingredients. The juice beverage may optionally be made entirely of non-GMO ingredients.

Examples of fruit juices, vegetable juices, and vegetation waters that may be used in connection with the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, those derived from apricot, apple, orange, melon, grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine, coconut, tangelo, kumquat, mango, pear, peach, pineapple, cranberry, banana, papaya, passion fruit, grape, strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, blueberry, blackberry, acai, lychee, kiwi, pomegranate, wild cherry, watermelon, lettuce, kale, spinach, green cabbage, swiss beet, sesamon, tomato, celery, onion, watercress, cucumber, carrot, parsley, caraway, basil, mint, fennel, dill, beet, ginger, wheatgrass, asparagus, potato, sweet potato, turnip cabbage, algae, seaweed (marine-derived grass), leaf, rind, bark, tree, grain, grass, bamboo, birch, maple, artichoke, grape, and tomato, Fruit juice, vegetable juice and vegetation water of olive, cactus, aloe, sugarcane, barley and combinations thereof.

In another aspect of any of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a juice beverage includes a juice base made of one or more juices. In some embodiments, the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice.

For example, the juice base may include a juice selected from the group consisting of orange juice, apple juice, pear juice, grape juice, strawberry juice, banana juice, green juice, and combinations thereof. For example, the juice base may be orange juice. For example, the juice base may be a mixture of orange juice and strawberry juice. For example, the juice base may be green juice. For example, the green juice may include sweet potato, grape, apple, banana, mango, pineapple, orange, carrot, lime, kale and spinach. For example, the juice base may be apple juice.

The juice base has a sugar concentration greater than the sugar concentration of the resulting juice beverage. The amount of sugar in the juice beverage, juice base, or lower calorie liquid of the present disclosure can be measured in grams of sugar per mL. For example, the juice base may have a sugar content of about 10 grams to about 40 grams, about 15 grams to about 40 grams, about 20 grams to about 40 grams, about 25 grams to about 40 grams, about 30 grams to about 40 grams, about 10 grams to about 35 grams, about 15 grams to about 35 grams, about 20 grams to about 35 grams, about 25 grams to about 35 grams, about 30 grams to about 35 grams, or about 25 grams of sugar per 250 mL.

Alternatively, the sugar concentration in the juice beverage, juice base, or lower calorie liquid may be expressed in brix. As used herein, the ninth edition of the "brix" value is based on the refractive index obtained at a temperature of 20 ℃ according to the american coordinated duty list (HTSUS). Additionally, the brix value of a particular juice refers to the brix level of the juice in a single strength form (i.e., not from the concentrate or reconstituted from the concentrate). For example, FC orange juice has brix values comparable to NFC orange juice even though it is diluted from a juice concentrate form. The standard designation for orange juice made from concentrate in the united states is at least 11.8 ° Bx.

The brix level of the juice base may be from about 7.5 to about 25 ° Bx. The invention is most effective when the brix level of the juice base is between 10 and 25 Bx. Effective reduction of brix levels in juice bases having brix above 10 Bx is very challenging because such juice bases are widely perceived as sweet beverages. Thus, the technical challenge of reducing brix levels without negatively impacting sensory attributes associated with the juice base is considerable and becomes increasingly difficult as the brix of the juice base becomes greater and greater. In a most preferred embodiment, the juice base has a brix level of about 11 to about 15 Bx. In another embodiment, the brix level of the juice base is greater than 10 ° Bx and the brix level of the juice beverage is less than 10 ° Bx.

The juice base may be present in the juice beverage in an amount of about 40% to about 85% by weight of the juice beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the juice base may be present in the juice beverage in an amount of about 50% to about 80% by weight of the juice beverage.

The juice base is mixed with one or more liquids, each liquid having a lower calorie content per serving than the juice base. The lower calorie liquid may be juice (e.g., fruit juice, vegetable juice, and/or plant water). The one or more lower calorie liquids may be derived from plant material. In addition, the one or more lower calorie liquids supplement the juice base and/or other lower calorie liquids to impart desirable organoleptic properties. In particular, the lower-calorie liquids may be selected such that the juice beverage has sensory characteristics similar to the juice base alone, with no or limited undesirable attributes that may be associated with one or more of the lower-calorie liquids, respectively.

The lower calorie liquids of the present disclosure may include juices, plant water, plant juices or plant body fluids selected from the group consisting of: coconut, watermelon, beet, ginger, potato, turnip cabbage, bamboo, birch, maple, cactus, aloe, sugarcane, barley, lettuce, green cabbage, swiss beet, sesames, watercress, white gourd, tomato, celery, onion, cucumber, parsley, caraway, basil, mint, fennel, dill, wheatgrass, asparagus, artichoke, olive, and the like.

The lower calorie liquids used in connection with the present disclosure have a lower sugar concentration than the sugar concentration of the juice base. The concentration of sugar in any lower calorie liquid of the present disclosure can be measured in grams of sugar per mL of liquid. For example, the lower caloric liquid can have a sugar content of about 1 gram to about 20 grams, about 1 gram to about 15 grams, about 1 gram to about 12 grams, about 1 gram to about 10 grams, about 1 gram to about 8 grams, about 1 gram to about 5 grams, about 1 gram to about 3 grams, about 1 gram to about 2 grams, about 3 grams to about 20 grams, about 3 grams to about 15 grams, about 3 grams to about 12 grams, about 3 grams to about 10 grams, about 3 grams to about 8 grams, about 3 grams to about 5 grams, about 5 grams to about 20 grams, about 5 grams to about 15 grams, about 5 grams to about 12 grams, about 5 grams to about 10 grams, about 5 grams to about 8 grams, about 8 grams to about 20 grams, about 8 grams to about 15 grams, or about 8 grams to about 12 grams, or about 8 grams to about 10 grams of sugar per 250mL of liquid.

Alternatively, the sugar concentration may be expressed in brix. The brix level of the lower calorie liquid may be from about 1 to about 7 ° Bx. In preferred embodiments, the brix level of the lower calorie liquid may be from about 2 to about 6 ° Bx.

In some embodiments, the juice base is mixed with at least two of the lower calorie liquids described herein. The first and second lower calorie liquids may complement each other such that undesirable attributes that may be associated with one or both of the first and second lower calorie liquids are mitigated. In particular, undesirable attributes may become less noticeable when the juice beverage is evaluated by a trained sensory panel. In this manner, the first, lower calorie liquid and the second, lower calorie liquid can impart desirable organoleptic properties to the juice beverage.

The first lower calorie liquid may comprise a juice selected from the group consisting of coconut, watermelon, beet, ginger, potato, turnip cabbage, bamboo, birch, maple, cactus, aloe, sugar cane, barley, and the like. For example, in some embodiments, the first, lower calorie liquid is coconut water.

Coconut water is a transparent to opaque liquid that is present inside coconut. The liquid may be extracted from the coconut by drilling holes or otherwise opening into the interior of the coconut. Coconut water can be formed from a concentrate or slurry. In some embodiments, the coconut water may include other portions of coconut, such as coconut meat, coconut milk, or coconut oil. The coconuts used to prepare the coconut water may be harvested from tall, hybrid or dwarf coconut trees around the world.

In some embodiments, the sugar content of the first lower calorie liquid may be from about 3 grams to about 20 grams, from about 3 grams to about 15 grams, from about 3 grams to about 12 grams, from about 3 grams to about 10 grams, from about 3 grams to about 8 grams, from about 3 grams to about 5 grams, from about 5 grams to about 20 grams, from about 5 grams to about 15 grams, from about 5 grams to about 12 grams, from about 5 grams to about 10 grams, from about 5 grams to about 8 grams, from about 8 grams to about 20 grams, from about 8 grams to about 15 grams, from about 8 grams to about 12 grams, or from about 8 grams to about 10 grams per 250mL of liquid.

Alternatively, the sugar content of the first lower calorie liquid may be expressed in brix. The brix level of the first, lower calorie liquid can be from about 2 to about 7 ° Bx. In a preferred embodiment, the brix level of the first, low calorie liquid is from about 2 to about 6 ° Bx.

In some embodiments, the first, lower calorie liquid has salty, odd, or sweet flavor attributes. Combining a first, lower calorie liquid with a second, lower calorie liquid and/or juice base can attenuate these flavor attributes.

The second lower calorie liquid may comprise juice, plant water, plant juice or plant body fluid selected from the group consisting of turnip, lettuce, green cabbage, swiss beet, arugula, watercress, tomato, celery, onion, cucumber, parsley, caraway, basil, mint, fennel, dill, wheat grass, asparagus, artichoke, olive and the like. For example, in some embodiments, the second, lower calorie liquid is lettuce juice.

Lettuce juice comprises liquid extracted from lettuce using a juicing method. For example, lettuce juice may be extracted from lettuce using a grinding, centrifugation and/or milling process. For example, the lettuce juice may be formed from a concentrate or a slurry.

In some embodiments, the sugar content of the second lower calorie liquid may be from about 1 gram to about 10 grams, from about 1 gram to about 8 grams, from about 1 gram to about 5 grams, from about 1 gram to about 3 grams, from about 1 gram to about 2 grams, from about 3 grams to about 10 grams, from about 3 grams to about 8 grams, from about 3 grams to about 5 grams, from about 5 grams to about 10 grams, or from about 5 grams to about 8 grams per 250mL of liquid.

Alternatively, the sugar content of the second lower calorie liquid may be expressed in brix. The brix level of the second, lower calorie liquid can be from about 1 to about 6 ° Bx. In a preferred embodiment, the second, lower calorie liquid has a brix level of from about 2 to about 5 ° Bx. In a most preferred embodiment, the second, lower calorie liquid has a brix level of from about 2 to about 4 ° Bx.

In some embodiments, the second, lower calorie liquid has vegetable flavor attributes. Combining a second, lower calorie liquid with the first, lower calorie liquid and/or the juice base can attenuate these flavor attributes.

In some embodiments, the second lower caloric liquid has a lower sugar concentration than the first lower caloric liquid. In particular, the brix value of the second lower-calorie liquid may be about 5% to about 90% lower than the brix value of the first lower-calorie liquid. In preferred embodiments, the brix value of the second lower-calorie liquid is from about 10% to about 75% lower than the brix value of the first lower-calorie liquid.

The first, lower calorie liquid in the juice beverage can be present in an amount of about 5% to about 35% by weight of the juice beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the first, lower calorie liquid is present in an amount of from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage.

The second, lower calorie liquid in the juice beverage can be present in an amount from about 3% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the amount of the second, lower calorie liquid is from about 3% to about 25% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is orange juice, the first, lower-calorie liquid is about 15% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower-calorie liquid is about 2% to about 10% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is apple juice, the first, lower-calorie liquid is about 15% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower-calorie liquid is about 2% to about 10% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is green juice, the first, lower-calorie liquid is about 5% to about 15% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower-calorie liquid is about 15% to about 25% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is fruit juice, the first, lower calorie liquid is coconut water and is about 15% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower calorie liquid is lettuce juice and is about 2% to about 10% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is citrus juice, the first, lower-calorie liquid is coconut water and is about 15% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower-calorie liquid is lettuce water and is about 2% to about 10% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is orange juice, the first, lower calorie liquid is coconut water and is about 15% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower calorie liquid is lettuce juice and is about 2% to about 10% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is apple juice, the first, lower-calorie liquid is coconut water and is about 15% to about 30% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower-calorie liquid is lettuce juice and is about 2% to about 10% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the juice base is green juice, the first, lower-calorie liquid is coconut water and is about 5% to about 15% by weight of the juice beverage, and the second, lower-calorie liquid is lettuce juice and is about 15% to about 25% by weight of the juice beverage.

In some embodiments, the weight ratio of the first lower caloric liquid to the second lower caloric liquid can be from about 10:1 to about 1: 1.

In some embodiments, the juice beverage is free or substantially free of additives. For example, the juice beverage may be free or substantially free of supplemental flavors, sweeteners, masking agents and/or sugars.

In alternative embodiments, the juice beverage may comprise one or more additives. As used herein, "additive" refers to an ingredient that is not fruit juice, vegetable juice, or plant water. Exemplary additives include, but are not limited to, supplemental flavors, sweeteners, masking agents, and sugars.

In some embodiments, the juice beverage comprises one or more other plant ingredients. Exemplary other plant components may be selected from the group consisting of grains, herbs and botanicals.

In some embodiments, the juice beverage comprises one or more non-plant ingredients, such as nutrients, bioactive substances, or functional ingredients. Exemplary non-plant ingredients may be selected from the group consisting of fatty acids (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids), probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals. For example, the juice beverage may include added vitamins and/or minerals, such as vitamin D and calcium.

In some embodiments, the juice beverage includes one or more flavor enhancers, such as modified Flavors (FMP). The flavor enhancer may be a natural or non-natural ingredient. It is contemplated that the flavor enhancer may be a sweetener. Exemplary sweeteners may be selected from the group consisting of: sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, stevioside, acesulfame potassium, erythritol, glycerol, cyclamate, lactitol, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, Lo Han Guo, Edwardsie, isomalt, neotame, and the like, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the stevioside comprises rebaudioside a. Additionally, the flavor enhancer may be oil from the fruit or pericarp. In some embodiments, the flavor enhancer comprises oil from orange peels.

In some embodiments, the juice beverage comprises from about 0.001 wt% to about 0.2 wt% of the flavor enhancer. For example, the juice beverage optionally comprises about 0.01 wt% to about 0.1 wt% or about 0.08 wt% of FMP. Further, the juice beverage optionally comprises about 0.001 wt% to about 0.01 wt% or about 0.006 wt% citrus oil.

In some embodiments, the juice beverage comprises a fleshy part (pulp). In some embodiments, the juice beverage does not comprise a fleshy portion.

The juice beverage may also comprise one or more dairy products. The dairy product may be milk or a derivative thereof. Alternatively, the juice beverage may comprise one or more milk substitutes, such as soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, cashew milk, hemp milk, flax milk, or combinations thereof.

Some fruit juices, but more commonly vegetable juices, naturally have a high pH above 4.5. Depending on the pasteurization process, shipping, and storage of the juice beverage, it may be desirable to acidify the juice component at high pH or the juice beverage itself. Acidification can be achieved by, for example, adding acid (e.g., citric acid) or by adding high acid juice to lower the pH level. In some embodiments, the pH level of the juice beverage or juice component is reduced to less than about 4.5. In a preferred embodiment, the juice beverage has a pH of less than 4.5.

The juice beverages of the present disclosure can be formed by combining a juice base with one or more lower calorie liquids. In some embodiments, a juice beverage may be formed from one or more concentrated reduced (FC) juices. In an alternative embodiment, the juice beverage may be formed entirely of non-concentrated reduced (NFC) juice. In other embodiments, the juice beverage may be formed from a combination of FC and NFC juices.

Juicing may be performed by various methods known in the art, including but not limited to, grating juicing, centrifugal juicing, and grating methods. The crushing press, also called cold press, may comprise the following steps: cutting fruits or vegetables; filling the contents into a porous filter bag; applying pressure to the bag; and collecting the resulting juice dispensed from the bag. Centrifugal juicing may include the following steps: fruit or vegetable pieces are loaded into a porous basket having one or more rotating blades, in which the contents are subjected to high speed, the juice passing through the basket and the fleshy portion remaining in the basket. Grated juice may utilize a twin auger system that crushes and grinds the fruit or vegetable contents as they pass between augers, and then extracts the resulting juice.

The resulting juice beverage of the present invention has a lower sugar concentration than the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. The sugar concentration in the juice beverage, when measured in grams of sugar per mL, can be about 10% to about 75% lower than the grams of sugar per mL of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the grams of sugar per mL of the juice beverage may be from about 20% to about 50% lower than the grams of sugar per mL of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. In another preferred embodiment, when the juice beverage includes a sweetener or flavor enhancer, the grams of sugar per mL of the juice beverage may be from about 30% to about 75% less than the grams of sugar per mL of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage.

Similarly, the brix level of the juice beverage is lower than the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. The brix level of the juice beverage may be about 10% to about 75% less than the brix level of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the brix level of the juice beverage may be about 20% to about 50% less than the brix level of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. In another preferred embodiment, when the juice beverage includes a sweetener or flavor enhancer, the brix level of the juice beverage may be from about 30% to about 75% less than the brix level of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage.

In addition, the resulting juice beverage has a lower calorie content per serving than the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. The amount of calories per mL of the juice beverage, when measured in calories per mL, can be about 10% to about 75% less than the amount of calories per mL of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. In a preferred embodiment, the amount of calories per mL of the juice beverage may be from about 20% to about 40% less than the amount of calories per mL of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage. In another preferred embodiment, the amount of calories per mL of the juice beverage may be from about 30% to about 75% less than the amount of calories per mL of the juice base used to prepare the juice beverage, preferably when the juice beverage includes a sweetener or flavor enhancer.

The various attributes of the juice beverage and its corresponding juice base may match or substantially match. Quantitative descriptive analysis may be usedThe similarity of the attributes is determined. The attributes may be evaluated by a trained sensory panel consisting of trained experts that compare the attributes of the juice base to the attributes of the juice beverage.

Attributes evaluated by a trained sensory panel may include aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, texture, and aftertaste. Additionally, the attributes may include various appearance attributes including color, brightness, viscosity, opacity, and amount of flesh portion. The attributes may include various aroma attributes including fresh orange aroma, artificial orange aroma, citrus aroma, and bitter aroma. Attributes may include various flavor attributes including flavor intensity, fruit juice flavor, fresh orange flavor, artificial orange flavor, pineapple flavor, coconut flavor, banana flavor, body, citrus flavor, total vegetable flavor, celery flavor, cucumber flavor, sweet flavor, salty flavor, sour flavor, pungent flavor (tanginess), bitter flavor, chemical flavor, stale flavor (staleness), and astringent flavor. Attributes may include various mouthfeel attributes, including staleness, bite (bite), and dry mouth.

In some embodiments, use is made ofThe result of the comparison of these measured attributes is a control agreement

The degree is greater than about 80%, greater than about 85%, greater than about 90%, or greater than about 95%.

Examples

Table 1 summarizes three exemplary blends, each of which contains a juice base that is blended with lettuce juice and coconut water to produce a final blend (juice beverage) having sensory characteristics similar to the juice base. Examples 1 to 4 are further described in the following paragraphs.

TABLE 1

Flavors include 0.08 wt% FMP flavor and 0.006 wt% orange flavor (citrus oil/essence)

In example 1 of Table 1, the desired concentrations of lettuce juice, coconut water and orange juice were determined. In particular, descriptive analysis was used to obtain quantitative sensory attribute intensity of the tested juice blends. Experimental design was performed using 12 low brix liquids derived from various plant materials including lettuce, cucumber, celery and coconut. After formulation development was complete, samples were made and tested for sensory attributes in a pilot plant to generate composite control compliance (FTC) calculations. Attributes tested included aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, texture, and aftertaste. More specifically, attributes include citrus, orange, fresh/raw orange, total vegetable, celery, cucumber, sweet, salty, bitter, astringent, viscosity, and mouth-drying.

The composite FTC compares the sensory characteristics of the juice beverage with those of the juice base, quantified as a percentage match (from 0% to 100%). The control was a juice base alone, while 100% represented the best sensory match of the juice beverage to the juice base control. Brix and sugar reduction values were based on the sugar content of the particular fruits and vegetables used in the experiment.

As shown in Table 2 below, options 1 through 8 reflect a comparison of orange juice blending with lettuce juice, celery juice, cucumber juice, and/or coconut water. Good results were shown with 70% orange juice base, coconut water and lettuce juice respectively, with FTC values of 90.1% and 88.2% respectively.

TABLE 2

More specifically, the combination of coconut water and lettuce juice with orange juice gave good results. Unexpectedly, the combination of coconut water and lettuce juice with 70% orange juice as shown in option 4 of the table produced better FTC values than the blend of 70% orange juice with either coconut water alone or lettuce juice alone.

In particular, it was found that each of the lower calorie liquids, when combined with the juice base, produced flavor attributes that were significantly different from the attributes of the juice base itself. However, the combination of the two lower calorie liquids has a synergistic effect in reducing the various attributes of the lower calorie liquids that are different from the full calorie juice base. For example, coconut water alone is often associated with salty attributes, while lettuce water alone is often associated with vegetable attributes. Some consumers may consider the salty or vegetable attributes in juice beverage products to be undesirable. Unexpectedly, when coconut water and lettuce juice are used in combination, the perceived intensity of salty taste and vegetable attributes decreases, resulting in an increase in FTC.

The second set of experiments was done only for coconut water and lettuce juice with orange juice base. Figure 1 is a principal component analysis plot depicting the sensory attributes of these experiments. Table 3 below is a summary of the formulations plotted in figure 1. All percentages are by weight of the entire formulation.

TABLE 3

In fig. 1, samples and attributes located close to each other on the graph are positively correlated. For example, the orange juice control 101 is more positively correlated with sample 102 made from 85% orange juice and equal amounts of lettuce juice and coconut water than either blend 104 with 85% orange juice and lettuce juice only or blend 103 with 85% orange juice and coconut water only. The study also found that the orange juice blend 105, which has a higher ratio of coconut water to lettuce, directionally more closely resembles 100% orange juice than the orange juice blend 106, which has more lettuce juice than coconut water.

Other sensory methods were used to verify the results of the above experiments. For example, one of the methods used includes quantitative descriptive analysis by a trained sensory panelThe panel was trained to quantify the attributes of the following categories: appearance (AP), Flavor (FL), Aroma (AR) and Aftertaste (AF).

Table 4 shows a comparison of a 100% orange juice control with 70% orange juice blended with 30% lettuce juice, 70% orange juice blended with 30% coconut water, 70% orange juice blended with 15% coconut water and 15% lettuce juice, and 70% orange juice blended with 24% coconut water and 6% lettuce juice. Similar attributes can be identified using Tukey test with a significance level of 10%. In Table 4 below, similar attributes are indicated by tick marks, while dissimilar attributes are indicated by an "X". The results show that the juice beverages with higher amounts of coconut water and lettuce water had the most number of attributes similar to the control. Specifically, for 70% orange juice and 30% coconut water, 9 attributes were similar to the control. For 70% orange juice with 15% coconut water and 15% lettuce juice, 15 attributes were similar to the control. For 70% orange juice with 24% coconut water and 6% lettuce juice, 17 attributes were similar to the control. For 70% orange juice and 30% lettuce juice, 13 attributes were similar to the control.

TABLE 4

To further mimic the orange juice base control, other formulations were also created to focus on the FTC of the enhanced blend. This enhancement is intended to fill in the reduced taste attributes, such as citrus taste and sweetness intensity, resulting from blending the lower calorie liquid with the juice base. As shown in example 4 of table 1, 0.08 wt% of a sweetening enhancer (a natural flavor modifying flavoring agent from International Flavors & Fragrances inc.) and 0.006 wt% of an orange flavoring agent (citrus oil/flavor) was added to a blend having 69.914 wt% orange juice, 24 wt% coconut water, and 6 wt% lettuce juice. The flavor enhancer increased the FTC of the blend from 91.3% to 96.5% compared to the similar blend of example 1 without the addition of the flavor enhancer. In an alternative embodiment, for blends produced with 30% or greater sugar/brix reduction, enhancement is performed by adding stevia at a rate of about 70ppm or greater (depending on the sugar/brix reduction level).

Other exemplary formulations demonstrate that the preferred ratio of coconut water to lettuce juice can vary depending on the characteristics of the juice base. For example, the ratio of coconut water to lettuce juice can be varied to mimic the sensory characteristics of the juice base while achieving a reduction in the brix value of the juice blend.

Referring again to table 1, in example 2, when the concentration of the lettuce juice is higher than that of the coconut water, it was found that the green juice mixture containing the juices from sweet potato, grape, apple, banana, mango, pineapple, orange, carrot, lime, kale and spinach had improved taste. For example, in one embodiment, 70% green juice is blended with 20.6% lettuce juice and 9.4% coconut water. The resulting green juice blend had a composite control compliance of about 82.7% and a 23% reduction in brix was calculated. Attributes tested included total juice flavor, pineapple flavor, banana flavor, total vegetable flavor, celery flavor, coconut flavor, sweet, sour, bitter, astringent and dry-to-the-mouth. In particular, the green juice base ingredient had a brix value of 12.2 ° Bx and the final juice blend with added coconut water and lettuce juice had a brix value of 9.5 ° Bx. Unexpectedly, the acceptable combination of lower calorie liquids varies depending on the type of juice base. For example, a green juice base provides an acceptable blend when combined with a higher amount of lettuce juice than coconut water. In contrast, orange juice base provides an acceptable blend when combined with higher amounts of coconut water than lettuce juice.

In example 3 of table 1, it was found that the apple juice based formula had improved taste when the coconut water concentration was higher than the lettuce juice. For example, in one embodiment, 70% apple juice base is blended with 22% coconut water and 8% lettuce juice. The resulting apple juice blend produced a composite control compliance of about 93% and the calculated sugar reduction was about 21%. Attributes tested included total apple, total aroma, total sweetness, sweet aroma, honey, vegetables, lettuce, bitter and astringent, and aftertaste. For example, the brix value of the apple juice base ingredient was 11.5 ° Bx and the brix value of the final juice blend with added coconut water and lettuce juice was 9.1 ° Bx.

While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only exemplary embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.

While this disclosure has provided many examples and methods, it should be understood that additional embodiments may be created by combining one or more elements from the various embodiments described herein, in the sense that the elements are compatible. As an example, in some embodiments, a composition described herein may further comprise one or more elements of another composition described herein or a selected combination of elements from any combination of compositions described herein.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to several elements, those skilled in the art will recognize upon reading the present specification that other embodiments are effectively disclosed herein when elements may be omitted, substituted, added, combined, or rearranged to form new embodiments. In addition, although the open-ended terms "including" and "comprising" are generally used herein, additional embodiments may be formed by substituting the term "consisting essentially of … …" or "consisting of … …".

In addition, when one, more than one, a range, or multiple ranges of a particular variable are given for one or more embodiments, another embodiment can be created by forming new ranges, the endpoints of which are selected from any of the explicitly listed values or any single value between the disclosed ranges.

There are a number of advantages of the present disclosure that result from the various features of the compositions and methods described herein. It should be noted that alternative embodiments of the compositions and methods of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of the compositions and methods that incorporate one or more of the features of the present invention and fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Further disclosure

The following illustrative embodiments are provided to further support the disclosed invention:

in a first embodiment, a novel aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a juice beverage comprising: about 40 wt% to about 85 wt% of a juice base having a brix value of about 7.5 ° Bx to about 25 ° Bx, wherein the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice; about 5 wt% to about 35 wt% of a first liquid, wherein the first liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 2 ° Bx to about 7 ° Bx; and about 3 wt% to about 30 wt% of a second liquid, wherein the second liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 1 ° Bx to about 6 ° Bx; wherein the brix value of the second liquid is lower than the brix value of the first liquid.

In another aspect of the first embodiment, a juice beverage comprises: about 40 wt% to about 85 wt% of a juice base having a brix value of about 7.5 ° Bx to about 25 ° Bx, wherein the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice; about 5 wt% to about 35 wt% of a first liquid, wherein the first liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 2 ° Bx to about 7 ° Bx; and about 3 wt% to about 30 wt% of a second liquid, wherein the second liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 1 ° Bx to about 6 ° Bx; wherein the brix value of the second liquid is lower than the brix value of the first liquid; and wherein the juice beverage further comprises one or more restrictions selected from the following list:

wherein the weight ratio of the first liquid to the second liquid is from about 10:1 to about 1: 1;

wherein the at least one fruit juice is selected from the group consisting of apricot, apple, orange, melon, grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine, tangelo, kumquat, mango, pear, peach, pineapple, cranberry, banana, papaya, passion fruit, grape, strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry, blueberry, blackberry, brazil berry, lychee, kiwi, pomegranate, cherokee rose, and green juice;

wherein at least one fruit juice is orange juice;

wherein the juice base is green juice;

wherein the first liquid is a juice selected from the group consisting of coconut, watermelon, beet, ginger, potato, sweet potato, white gourd, turnip, carrot, turnip cabbage, bamboo, birch, maple, cactus, aloe, sugar cane, and barley;

wherein the first liquid is coconut water;

wherein the second liquid is a juice selected from the group consisting of turnip, lettuce, green cabbage, swiss beet, arugula, watercress, tomato, celery, onion, cucumber, parsley, caraway, basil, mint, fennel, dill, wheat grass, asparagus, artichoke, and olive;

wherein the second liquid is lettuce juice;

wherein the first liquid has a salty taste which is diminished by the presence of the second liquid.

Wherein the second liquid has a vegetable flavour which is reduced by the presence of the first liquid;

wherein the control compliance of the juice beverage is at least 85% when the attributes of the juice beverage are compared to the attributes of the juice base using quantitative descriptive analysis;

wherein the juice beverage is about 100% juice;

wherein the juice beverage further comprises citrus oil;

wherein the juice beverage comprises natural ingredients;

wherein the first liquid is coconut water and the second liquid is lettuce water.

Wherein the juice base has a first sugar concentration and the juice beverage has a second sugar concentration, wherein the second sugar concentration is about 20% to about 40% less than the first sugar concentration; and

wherein the juice beverage further comprises stevia.

In a second embodiment, a novel aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method of preparing a juice beverage, the method comprising the steps of: providing a juice base having a brix value of about 7.5 ° Bx to about 25 ° Bx, wherein the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice; providing a first liquid, wherein the first liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 2 ° Bx to about 7 ° Bx; providing a second liquid, wherein the second liquid is juice and has a brix value of about 1 ° Bx to about 6 ° Bx; and combining a juice base with the first liquid and the second liquid to produce a juice beverage, wherein the juice beverage comprises about 40 wt% to about 85 wt% of the juice base, about 5 wt% to about 35 wt% of the first liquid, and about 3 wt% to about 30 wt% of the second liquid; wherein the brix value of the second liquid is lower than the brix value of the first liquid.

In a third embodiment, a novel aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a juice beverage comprising: a juice base having a first brix value, wherein the juice base comprises at least one fruit juice; a first liquid, wherein the first liquid is juice and has a second brix value; a second liquid, wherein the second liquid is a juice and has a third brix value; wherein the third brix value is lower than the second brix value; wherein the juice beverage comprises a fourth brix value; and wherein the fourth brix value is 20% to 40% lower than the first brix value.