High pressure processing methods for ready-to-drink beverages with solids

A ready-to-drink solids-containing (RTDSC) beverage product production method

• wherein said RTDSC beverage product comprises a solid component and a liquid component wherein the solid component comprises at least crystal boba;
• said production method comprising
• a) filling a container, in any order, with said solid component and said liquid component to result in a first unsealed filled container;
• b) sealing said container with said solid component and said liquid component contained within said container to result in an initial first sealed container;
• c) subjecting said initial first sealed container to a High-Pressure-Processing (HPP) operation to result in a second sealed container;
• wherein said HPP operation is subjecting said initial first sealed container to a pressure of 200 MPa-700 MPa, at a temperature of 1° C.-25° C., for a period of 1 minute-5 minutes;
• said container being selected from containers compatible with an HPP operation in which said initial first sealed container:
• (i) is capable of remaining sealed during said HPP operation,
• (ii) is capable of transmitting compressive force during said HPP operation to the liquid component and the solid component contained therein;
• and
• (iii) is capable of recovering its shape upon release of the pressure applied during the HPP operation;
• which method results in said RTDSC beverage product;
• wherein said solid component comprises
• I) (a) said crystal boba,
• (b) optionally with or without tea leaves, and/or
• (c) optionally with or without fruit pieces or slices;
• wherein said crystal boba are of a size in the range of from at least 6 mm to 15 mm;
• said fruit pieces and slices have at least one dimension in the range of at least 6 mm to 25 mm and are selected from the group consisting of peach, nectarine, grapefruit, orange, lemon, citron, lime, kiwi, lychee, mango, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, sugar cane, longan, dates, jujube, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, pear, Asian pear and mixtures thereof.