Mineral fortified water

Abstract

A water composition that is fortified with at least one mineral and has a pH between about 2.5 and 9.5. The water composition has a redox potential that satisfies the following equation: 0≧ RP− ( A−B *pH) wherein RP is the redox potential in millivolts of the mineral-containing water composition, pH is the pH of the mineral-containing water composition, A is 400 and B is 20. The mineral is preferably selected from calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, magnesium, and mixtures of these. Moreover, the mineral-fortified water composition is preferably substantially free of flavor or sweetener compounds. Even more preferably, the water composition has no metallic taste or after-taste, a Hunter calorimetric “b” reading of less than 5.0, and an NTU turbidity value of less than 5.0. The mineral-fortified water composition may optionally contain other nutrients and vitamins, for example, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacin, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, vitamin B 12, folic acid, selenium, and pantathonic acid.

1 . A mineral fortified water composition that is fortified with at least one mineral and has a pH between about 4.0 and 9.5, the water composition has a redox potential that satisfies the following equation:  
       0 ≧RP −( A−B *pH)  
     wherein RP is the measured redox potential in millivolts of the mineral-containing water composition, pH is the pH of the mineral-containing water composition, A is 400 and B is 20, wherein said mineral fortified water is suitable for ingestion and is substantially free of a flavor or sweetener compound.  
   
   
       2 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 1  wherein said mineral is selected from the group consisting of calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 1  wherein A is 380 and B is 18.  
   
   
       4 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition further comprises less than 3 ppm oxygen.  
   
   
       5 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 4  wherein said composition comprises less than 2 ppm oxygen.  
   
   
       6 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 1  wherein said water composition comprises: 
 no metallic taste or after-taste,    a Hunter colorimetric “b” reading of less than 5.0, and    an NTU turbidity value of less than 5.0.    
   
   
       7 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 6  wherein said mineral is a water-dispersible compound having a dispersed particle size of less than about 100 nanometers.  
   
   
       8 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 6  wherein said NTU turbidity value is less than 2.0.  
   
   
       9 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 6  wherein said mineral is selected from the group consisting of calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 6  wherein said composition further comprises an oxygen scavenging agent.  
   
   
       11 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 1  wherein said composition further comprises less than about 3 ppm dissolved oxygen gas, and being substantially free of a redox potential increasing agent selected from an oxoanion salt, a halide gas and an organic material.  
   
   
       12 . The mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the minerals is an iron compound selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble iron compound, a water-dispersible particulate iron compound, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       13 . A packaged water, comprising: 
 a. the mineral-fortified water composition of  claim 1;  and    b. an oxygen-barrier package.    
   
   
       14 . The packaged water of  claim 13  wherein said mineral fortified water composition has no metallic taste or after-taste; a Hunter calorimetric “b” reading of less than 5.0; and an NTU turbidity value of less than 5.0.  
   
   
       15 . The packaged water of  claim 13  wherein said mineral is a water-dispersible compound having a dispersed particle size of less than about 100 nanometers.  
   
   
       16 . The packaged water of  claim 13  wherein said mineral compound is selected from the group consisting of calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The packaged water of  claim 13  wherein said water further comprises: 
 less than 4 ppm dissolved oxygen gas, and    less than 3 ppm of a redox potential increasing agent selected from an oxoanion salt, a halide gas, and an organic material, and wherein the water composition is substantially free of a flavor or sweetener compound, and wherein the water composition has no metallic taste or after-taste.    
   
   
       18 . A process for making a clear, colorless, mineral-fortified water composition, comprising: 
 1) providing a deionized and/or distilled water source,    2) deoxygenating the water, to reduce free oxygen level in the water to less than 3 ppm, and    3) adding a mineral compound to the deoxygenated water at a concentration of at least about 5 ppm, wherein the mineral compound is selected from a water soluble mineral compound, a water-dispersible particulate mineral compound, and mixtures thereof,    whereby the water composition has a Hunter calorimetric “b” reading of less than 5.0, an NTU turbidity value of less than 5.0 and is substantially free of a flavor or sweetener compound.    
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 18  wherein said mineral compound is selected from the group consisting of calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 18  wherein at least one of the minerals is an iron compound selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble iron compound, a water-dispersible particulate iron compound, and mixtures thereof.