Infusion mixture substantially free of fine particulate and a method for making an infusion mixture

Abstract

Infusion mixture having a beverage precursor and an agglomeration of fine particulate is described. The beverage precursor with the agglomeration of fine particulate can be used to fill an infusion bag, and as a precursor for products like coffee, soup, tea and hot chocolate. Fine particulate typically has an approximate diameter of less than about 275 microns and originates during the processing of beverage precursor. In this invention, an agglomeration of fine particulate is made, and the agglomeration of fine particulate, which is at a size similar to that of the beverage precursor, is suitable to be combined with beverage precursor it originated from.

1 . An infusion mixture comprising: 
 (a) beverage precursor; and    (b) an agglomeration of fine particulate    wherein the agglomeration of fine particulate comprises fine particulate originating from the beverage precursor or an independent beverage precursor.    
   
   
       2 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 1  wherein the agglomeration of fine particulate comprises fine particulate originating from the beverage precursor.  
   
   
       3 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor is tea leaf, precursor for making hot chocolate, ground coffee bean or a precursor to make soup.  
   
   
       4 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor is tea leaf having an approximate diameter of at least about 275 microns and the agglomeration of fine particle has an approximate diameter of at least about 275 microns.  
   
   
       5 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 4  wherein tea particulate having an approximate diameter of less than about 275 microns makes up the agglomeration of fine particulate.  
   
   
       6 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 1  wherein the infusion mixture is packaged in an infusion bag.  
   
   
       7 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 6  wherein the infusion bag is a tetrahedral bag.  
   
   
       8 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 1  wherein the agglomeration of fine particulate comprises less than about 10% by weight binder.  
   
   
       9 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 1  wherein the agglomeration of fine particulate makes up from about 1 to about 10% by weight of the infusion mixture.  
   
   
       10 . The infusion mixture according to  claim 1  wherein the beverage precursor comprises herbal tea.  
   
   
       11 . A beverage made from the infusion mixture according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       12 . The beverage according to  claim 11  wherein the beverage is herbal tea, black tea, green tea or oolong tea.  
   
   
       13 . A method for making an infusion mixture comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing raw beverage precursor to produce beverage precursor having an approximate diameter of at least about 275 microns;    (b) isolating fine particulate;    (c) agglomerating the fine particulate to produce an agglomeration of fine particulate;    (d) mixing the beverage precursor and agglomeration of fine particulate to produce an infusion mixture; and    (e) recovering the infusion mixture.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the agglomeration of fine particulate makes up from about 1 to about 10% by weight of the infusion mixture.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the method further comprises the step of adding binder when agglomerating the fine particulate.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the beverage precursor is tea leaf and the agglomeration of fine particulate is made from fine tea particulate.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the infusion mixture is packaged in an infusion bag.