Fiber beverage and method of manufacture

A process for preparing individual, packaged serving of a dietary fiber supplement in aqueous beverage concentration containing from about 0.45 to about 0.55 weight percent of 400 grade methylcellulose, and in a sufficient individual serving volume of aqueous mixture to provide from about 1 gram to about 2 grams of said 400 grade methylcellulose fiber per ten ounce serving, which comprises,

• mixing the 400 grade methylcellulose into a high density liquid diluent in proportion of from about 1 to 4 parts by volume of the high density liquid diluent selected from the group consisting of high fructose corn syrup, olive oil, vegetable oil and glycerine by volume to one part by weight of said 400 grade methylcellulose,
• while agitating this mixture as by stirring in a vessel at a rate of from about 300 to 400 RPM while maintaining the temperature of the mixture at a cold liquid to room temperature for a time sufficient to form an essentially uniform mixture,
• then, while continuing to maintain essentially the same agitation rate of stirring, adding other desired additives selected from the group consisting of flavoring, acidulant, preservatives antioxidant, and any flavor or color stabilizer while stirring the mixture at 300 to 400 RPM for a time sufficient to ensure uniform mixing after addition of each additive,
• adding water in amount sufficient to form the beverage concentration in the resulting liquid mixture,
• packaging the above beverage mixture into individual serving package containers,
• pasteurizing the beverage filled individual containers to sterilize the beverage contents in the packaged containers, and
• then cooling the resulting sterilized beverage packaged containers to a temperature at least as low as 50.degree. C. by refrigeration for about 8 hours, or by putting the packaged beverage containers in a freezer atmosphere for about two to four hours, to provide a product having long-term shelf stability properties.