Calcium fortified juice-based nutritional supplement and process of making

A thin ready-to-drink nutritional beverage comprising:

• a) water;
• b) from about 20 to about 50% by weight of a single strength depectinized fruit juice selected from the group consisting of citrus juices, non-citrus juices and mixtures thereof;
• c) from about 0.1 to about 3.0% by weight of a source of calcium selected from the group consisting of natural milk mineral, calcium lactate gluconate and mixtures thereof;
• d) at least one element selected from the group consisting of pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B.sub.12, folic acid, vitaminm B.sub.6, niacin, vitamin B.sub.2, vitamin B.sub.1 and a source of bioavailable iron;
• e) from about 0.5 to about 2.0% by weight of a whey protein isolate;
• f) from about 0.8 to about 1.0% by weight of at least one edible acid;
• and additionally
• g) from about 0.05to about 0.5% by weight ascorbic acid;
• h) a total carbohydrate content of at least about 30 grams, and up to about 260 grams per liter, and;
• i) said beverage is clear and has a viscosty of less than about 15 centipoise.

A process for producing a thin ready-to-drink nutritional beverage containing:

• a) water;
• b) from about 20 to about 50% by weight of a single strength depectinized fruit juice selected from the citrus juices, non-citrus juices or mixtures thereof;
• c) from about 0.1 to about 3.0% by weight of a supplemental source of calcium selected from natural milk mineral, calcium lactate gluconate or mixtures thereof;
• d) at least one element selected from the group consisting of pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B.sub.12, folic acid, vitamin B.sub.6, niacin, vitamin B.sub.2, vitamin B.sub.1 and a source of bioavailable iron;
• e) from about 0.5 to about 2.0% by weight of a whey protein isolate;
• f) from about 0.3 to about 1.0% by weight of at least one edible acid and additionally;
• g) from 0.05 to about 0.5% by weight ascorbic acid, and
• h) a total carbohydrate content of at least about 30 grams up to about 260 grams per liter comprising the steps of:
• a) placing said water in a blend tank and maintaining at a temperature of less than 22.degree. C. through steps a) through h);
• b) adding said source of calcium to said blend tank and mixing until said source of calcium is dissolved;
• c) adding said whey protein isolate to the solution of step b) and mixing until said whey protein isolate is dissolved;
• d) adding said carbohydrate to the solution of step c) and mixing until said carbohydrate is dissolved;
• e) adding said depectinized fruit juice to the solution of step d);
• f) adding said edible acid to the solution of step e) until a pH of less than 4.0 is achieved;
• g) optionally adding at least one water soluble vitamin and at least one flavor to the solution of step f) and mixing and additionally;
• h) adding ascorbic acid to the solution of step g) and mixing;
• i) heating the solution of step h) to achieve sterility;
• and
• j) optionally packaging the solution of step i) into an appropriate package.