Beverage preparation capsules for delivery of functional ingredients

Abstract

A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient and a functional ingredient, wherein at least a portion of an inside surface of said capsule is coated with a water-dispersible coating containing said functional ingredient. Suitably, the functional ingredient comprises a flavonoid, such as a cocoa polyphenol extract. Suitably, the coating comprises the functional ingredients and a film-forming polymer. The coating is preferably located downstream of the beverage preparation ingredient inside the capsule.

1 . A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient and a functional ingredient, wherein the capsule is substantially impermeable to oxygen and moisture before use, and wherein at least a portion of an inside surface of said capsule is coated with a water-dispersible coating containing said functional ingredient. 
     
     
         2 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 , further comprising a filter element that divides an interior volume of said capsule into an upstream region containing said beverage preparation ingredient and a downstream region, and said coating is located on an internal surface of said downstream region. 
     
     
         3 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein said capsule comprises front and back sheets of flexible film material bonded together in face-to-face relation. 
     
     
         4 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 3 , further comprising a water inlet nozzle in a top edge of said capsule, and wherein said front and back sheets are bonded together in a bottom edge of said capsule by means of a seal that is releasable by heat and pressure during preparation of a beverage inside the capsule to provide an outlet through said bottom edge for said beverage. 
     
     
         5 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein said capsule comprises a base portion having a bottom and side walls and a lip extending around the top of said side walls, and a flexible film lid bonded across said lip to seal said capsule. 
     
     
         6 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 5 , wherein said base portion is substantially frustoconical, and said capsule further comprises a cup-shaped filter element having a top edge circumferentially bonded to an upper part of the base portion to divide an interior volume of the capsule into an upstream region containing the beverage preparation ingredient and a downstream region. 
     
     
         7 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein said functional ingredient is selected from flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, flavouring agents, sweeteners, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 7 , wherein the functional ingredient comprises one or more flavonoids. 
     
     
         9 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 8 , wherein the one or more flavonoids comprises a cocoa polyphenol extract. 
     
     
         10 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the water dispersible coating comprises a film forming polymer in which said functional ingredient is dispersed. 
     
     
         11 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 10 , wherein said film forming polymer is selected from an alginate, a gum, a starch derivative or a cellulose derivative and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 10 , wherein said film forming polymer is selected from pullulan, hydrocolloids, ss-glucan, maltodextrin, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, hydroxypropyl ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate phthalate, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose phthalate, locust bean gum, carrageenan gum, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, acacia gum, arabic gum, karaya, ghatti, tamarind gum, amylose, high amylose starch, hydroxypropylated high amylose starch, dextrin, pectin, chitin, chitosan, levan, elsinan, collagen, gelatin, zein, gluten, soy protein isolate, whey protein isolate, casein, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the area of said coating is from about 0.5 cm 2  to about 20 cm 2 . 
     
     
         14 . A beverage preparation capsule according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight of said coating is from about 1 mg to about 1 g, or the amount of said functional ingredients in said coating is from about 0.5 mg to about 500 mg.