Coffee extraction process and coffee product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12342834-B2
Application number	US-201917417367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 28, 2018
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

The present invention provides an instant coffee composition for forming a coffee beverage, wherein the composition comprises at least 6 wt % of an insoluble coffee sediment fraction, the insoluble coffee sediment fraction comprising, when analysed after acid hydrolysis. 1 wt % or less arabinose.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the manufacture of a coffee-extract product, the method comprising:
(a) providing fresh roast and ground coffee having a mean particle size of from 100 to 600 microns;
(b) mixing the fresh roast and ground coffee with fresh water to form a first slurry containing 15 to 30 wt % coffee solids,
(c) passing the first slurry through an aroma-separation step to recover a coffee aroma fraction and to form a dearomatised slurry;
(d) passing the dearomatised slurry to a first filtration device at a temperature of from 90 to 150° C. to form a first coffee extract and a first filter cake;
(e) adding water to the first filter cake to form a reconstituted slurry having at least 12 wt % coffee solids;
(f) thermally treating the reconstituted slurry at a temperature of from 150 to 205° C.;
(g) then passing the thermally-treated reconstituted slurry to a second filtration device to form a second coffee extract and a second filter cake;
(h) combining the first and second coffee extracts to form a third coffee extract;
(i) concentrating the third coffee extract to form a fourth coffee extract having 35 to 70 wt % coffee solids;
(j) adding the coffee aroma fraction to the fourth coffee extract to form a liquid, coffee-extract product, wherein the coffee-extract product, without an additional step of adding to the coffee-extract product any roast and ground coffee or coffee oil, comprises at least 6 wt % of an insoluble coffee sediment fraction and at least 0.8 wt % coffee oils by dry weight.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the roast and ground coffee has a mean particle size of from 250 to 400 microns.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coffee-extract product is a soluble powder, the method further comprising:
(k) drying the liquid coffee-extract product to form a soluble powder.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid, coffee-extract product has 40 to 50 wt % coffee solids.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the water in step (b) and/or step (e) is at a temperature of from 80 to 100° C.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reconstituted slurry formed in step (e) has 12 to 30 wt % solids.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second filter cake is subjected to a further high temperature extraction process to obtain a further coffee extract to be combined in step (h) with the first and second coffee extracts to form the third coffee extract.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (f) is conducted in a plug-flow reactor.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (i) is conducted in an evaporator unit.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step (c) is conducted under vacuum.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises packaging the coffee-extract product.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is a continuous process.

13. A coffee-extract product obtainable by the method of any of claim 1 .

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reconstituted slurry formed in step (e) has a lower amount of coffee solids than the first slurry formed in step (b).

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the first slurry formed in step (b) contains 20-30 wt % coffee solids, and the reconstituted slurry formed in step (e) contains 12-20 wt % coffee solids.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the insoluble coffee sediment fraction of the product comprises, when analyzed after acid hydrolysis, 1 wt % or less arabinose.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the product, when analysed by wet laser diffraction at a 1.5 wt % concentration has a D50 of less than 10 microns.

Assignees

• Douwe Egberts Bv

Inventors

• Henson Sian
• Ashworth Paul
• Fox Simon
• Kenny Francisco Javier Silanes
• Edge Charles
• Espino Ordóñez Eva

Classifications

• A23F5/28

  Drying or concentrating coffee extract {(A23F5/246 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A23F5/265 Primary

  the solid substances being transported through the apparatus during the extraction cycle · CPC title

• A23F5/243

  Liquid, semi-liquid or non-dried semi-solid coffee extract preparations; Coffee gels; Liquid coffee in solid capsules (A23F5/246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A23F5/08

  Methods of grinding coffee (coffee mills A47J42/00) · CPC title

• A23F5/04

  Methods of roasting coffee (machines therefor A23N12/00) · CPC title