Mineral fortification systems

Abstract

A mineral-fortification system that has a bottle cap, a pouch and a pouch opener. A powder is contained within the pouch, and the powder contains at least one mineral and a redox modulating compound. When the cap is secured onto the opening of a bottle containing a liquid and when the pouch opener is activated, the powder is released from the pouch and mixes with the liquid to form a mineral fortified liquid composition that is fortified with at least one mineral and has a pH between about 2.5 and 9.5.

1 . A mineral-fortification system comprising: 
 a) a means for storing a liquid;    b) a means for capping the means for storing a liquid, the means for capping comprising a means for containing a powder and a means for opening the means for containing a powder;    c) a powder stored within the means for containing a powder, the powder comprising at least one mineral and a redox modulating compound; and    wherein when the means for storing a liquid contains a liquid and the means for capping is secured to the means for storing a liquid and the means for opening is activated, the powder is released from the means for containing a powder and mixes with the liquid to form a mineral fortified liquid composition that is fortified with the at least one mineral and has a pH between about 2.5 and 9.5, and the mineral fortified liquid 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 fortified liquid composition, pH is the pH of the mineral fortified liquid composition, A is 400 and B is 20.    
   
   
       2 . The mineral-fortification system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mineral is selected from the group consisting of calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, magnesium, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The mineral-fortification system of  claim 1 , wherein A is 380 and B is 18.  
   
   
       4 . The mineral-fortification system of  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid contained within the means for storing a liquid, and wherein the liquid comprises less than 3 ppm oxygen and wherein the liquid comprises at least about 90% by weight, water.  
   
   
       5 . The mineral-fortification system of  claim 1  wherein the mineral fortified liquid composition is substantially free of a flavor or sweetener compound, and wherein the liquid composition has: 
 not significantly different from water in 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.