Alginate crosslink coating of an edible alcohol
AssigneeClabber Girl Corporation
InventorsPatrick J. Jobe, Gary L. Morris, Anthony J. Sberna
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An encapsulated alcohol bead, and methods for producing and using the same, comprising a droplet of alcohol coated by a water-insoluble, alginate-based gel. The alginate-based coating comprises a plurality of pores having a diameter sufficient to allow the alcohol contained within each encapsulated alcohol bead to leach therethrough when the encapsulated alcohol bead is placed within a solution. Various dry mix products may include the encapsulated alcohol beads, such that the resultant products produced therefrom do not require a user to independently add alcohol thereto, and contain a sufficient amount of alcohol and/or alcohol flavor.
Claims30
An encapsulated alcohol bead comprising:
- a droplet of an alcohol containing beverage;
- and
- an encapsulating coating surrounding the droplet, said coating comprising a water-insoluble, alginate-based gel having a plurality of pores and being capable of retaining the encapsulated droplet when dry, but allowing an alcohol molecule to traverse through said pores in the presence of a hypotonic solution;
- wherein when the encapsulated alcohol bead is added to a hypotonic solution, the alcohol leaches through the plurality of pores in the coating and into the surrounding solution.
A method of producing an encapsulated alcohol bead comprising the steps of:
- preparing a first solution comprising an alginate dissolved in a first volume of a first alcohol containing beverage;
- preparing a second solution comprising a multivalent salt dissolved in a second volume of a second alcohol containing beverage;
- and
- causing liquid drops of the first solution to come into contact with the second solution to form encapsulated beads comprising an alginate-based coating on the outer surface thereof and a third volume of the first alcohol containing beverage encapsulated within the coating.
An edible composition comprising a dry, free flowing mixture having at least two dry mix ingredients and a plurality of encapsulated alcohol beads, each of said encapsulated alcohol beads comprising:
- a droplet of an alcohol containing beverage, and
- an encapsulating coating surrounding the droplet, said coating comprising a water-insoluble, alginate-based gel having a plurality of pores and being capable of retaining the encapsulated droplet when dry but allowing an alcohol molecule to traverse through said pores in the presence of a hypotonic solution,
- wherein when the encapsulated alcohol bead is added to a hypotonic solution, the alcohol leaches through the plurality of pores in the alginate-based gel coating and into the surrounding solution.
A method of making a dry culinary mix comprising the steps of:
- providing an edible composition comprising about 30% to about 70% flour by weight, about 10% to about:
- 70% sugar by weight, and from about 4% to about 26% emulsified shortening by weight;
- and
- dry blending the edible composition with a plurality of dry encapsulated alcohol beads, thereby providing a free-flowing ingredient composition, wherein each encapsulated alcohol bead comprises:
- a droplet of an alcohol containing beverage;
- and
- an encapsulating coating surrounding the droplet, said coating comprising a water-insoluble, alginate-based gel having a plurality of pores and being capable of retaining the encapsulated droplet when dry but allowing an alcohol molecule to traverse through said pores in the presence of a hypotonic solution;
- wherein when the encapsulated alcohol bead is added to a hypotonic solution, the alcohol leaches through the plurality of pores in the alginate-based gel coating and into the surrounding solution.
A method of making a product containing alcohol comprising the steps of:
- providing an edible composition having a moisture content of less than about 12%, the edible composition comprising flour, sugar, and flavoring;
- providing a plurality of encapsulated alcohol beads, each of the encapsulated alcohol beads comprising:
- a droplet of an alcohol containing beverage, and
- an encapsulating coating surrounding, the droplet, said coating comprising a water-insoluble, alginate-based gel having a plurality of pores and being capable of retaining the encapsulated droplet when dry, but allowing an alcohol molecule to traverse through said pores in the presence of a hypotonic solution,
- wherein when the encapsulated alcohol bead is added to a hypotonic solution, the alcohol leaches through the plurality of pores in the alginate-based gel coating and into the surrounding solution;
- dry blending the edible composition with the plurality of encapsulated alcohol beads, thereby providing a free-flowing ingredient composition;
- hydrating the free-flowing ingredient composition by the addition of sufficient moisture containing liquids to yield a moisture content of from about 35% to about 45% to form a dough;
- and
- heating the dough to form the finished food product.
A method of making a gelatin product containing alcohol comprising the steps of:
- providing an edible composition having a moisture content of less than about 12%, the edible composition comprising gelatin, sugar, and flavoring;
- providing a plurality of encapsulated alcohol beads, each of the encapsulated alcohol beads comprising an alcohol contained within a porous alginate-coated bead,
- dry blending the edible composition with the plurality of encapsulated alcohol beads thereby providing a free-flowing ingredient composition;
- hydrating the free-flowing ingredient composition by the addition of sufficient moisture containing liquids to dissolve a portion of the free-flowing ingredient composition therein;
- and
- heating the hydrated mixture to form the finished alcoholic gelatin product.
A prepackaged alcoholic product comprising a dry mixture of encapsulated alcohol beads comprising an alcohol contained within a porous alginate-coated bead, wherein when the encapsulated alcohol beads are added to a beverage, the alcohol leaches into the beverage, thereby increasing the alcohol content thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.