Noncarbonated beverage products having superior microbial stability and process for preparing same

A process for preparing noncarbonated beverage products having superior microbial stability, which process comprises admixing:

• (a) from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm of a prcscrvative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, alkali metal salts thereof and mixtures thereof;
• (b) from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of fruit juice;
• (c) from about 300 ppm to about 3000 ppm of a sodium polyphosphate having the formula:
• ##STR5## where n averages from about 17 to about 60;
• and (d) from about 80% to about 99% by weight added water having from 61 ppm to about 220 ppm of hardness;
• wherein the resulting noncarbonated beverage products have a pH of from about 2.5 to about 4.5 and wherein the noncarbonated beverage products, after an initial contamination level of 10 cfu/ml of spoilage microorganisms, exhibit less than a 100 fold increase in the level of microorganisms when stored at 73.degree. F. for at least 28 days.

Noncarbonated beverage products with improved microbial stability, comprising:

• (a) from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm of a preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, alkali metal salts thereof and mixtures thereof;
• (b) from about 0.02% to about 0.25% by weight of tea solids;
• (c) from about 300 ppm to about 3000 ppm of a sodium polyphosphate having the formula:
• ##STR6## where n averages from about 17 to about 60;
• and (d) from about 80% to about 99% by weight added water having from 61 ppm to about 220 ppm of hardness;
• wherein the resulting noncarbonated beverage products have a pH of from about 2.5 to about 4.5 and wherein the noncarbonated beverage products, after an initial contamination level of 10 cfu/ml of spoilage microorganisms, exhibit less than a 100 fold increase in the level of microorganisms when stored at 73.degree. F. for at least 28 days.

Noncarbonated beverage products having superior microbial stability, comprising:

• (a) from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm of a preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, alkali metal salts thereof and mixtures thereof;
• (b) from about 300 ppm to about 3000 ppm of a sodium polyphosphate having the formula ##STR7## where n averages from about 17 to about 60;
• and (c) from about 0.1 to about 40% fruit juice;
• (d) added water having from 61 ppm to about 220 ppm of hardness;
• wherein the resulting noncarbonated beverage products have a pH of from about 2.5 to about 4.5 and wherein the noncarbonated beverage products, after an initial contamination level of 10 cfu/ml of spoilage microorganisms, exhibit less than a 100 fold increase in the level of microorganisms when stored at 73.degree. F. for at least 28 days.