Processs for making a multiphase jellified beverage composition

Abstract

A process produces a water, juice, and/or milk-based ready-to-drink jellified product including at least two separate homogeneous gel masses, and adjacent separate gel masses have different gel strengths. The process includes the steps of, in order: separately preparing at least two liquefied gel compositions, each containing an aqueous and/or juicy and/or dairy base mixed with carrageenan and galactomannan; separately preheating each of the compositions; separately mixing each of the liquefied gel compositions; separately cooling down each of the liquefied gel compositions, while keeping a constant agitation of the mass of each of the liquefied gel compositions; and sequentially dosing each of the liquefied gel compositions into a container.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A process comprising the steps of, in order:
 separately preparing at least two liquefied gel compositions, each comprising a base comprising at least one of water, juice or dairy, each of the liquefied gel compositions comprising the base mixed with carrageenan and galactomannan;   separately preheating each of the liquefied gel compositions to a temperature of at least 60° C. for at least 10 seconds;   separately mixing each of the liquefied gel compositions at a temperature of at least 65° C. between 30 seconds and 5 minutes;   separately cooling down each of the liquefied gel compositions at a temperature between 40° C. and 50° C.;   separately cooling down each of the liquefied gel compositions at a temperature of between 30° C. and 38° C. with a constant agitation of each of the liquefied gel compositions; and   sequentially dosing each of the liquefied gel compositions into a container to form a jellified product comprising at least two separate homogeneous gel masses configured for the weakest gel mass to at least partially break into particles upon shaking,   wherein the carrageenan and the galactomannan are the only gelling agents in the jellified product; and the gel strengths of adjacent gel masses in the product, at room temperature, when the product is fully jellified, differ by at least 10%.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the concentration of carrageenan is not greater than 0.30% by weight of the jellified product; and   the concentration of galactomannan is between 0.01% and 0.1% by weight of the jellified product.   
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the gel strength of each of the gel masses at room temperature, when the product is fully jellified, is between 10 and 400 g. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of separately mixing each of the liquefied gel compositions at a temperature of at least 65° C. is conducted for about 2 minutes. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the gel strength of each of the gel masses at room temperature, when the product is fully jellified, is between 30 and 320 g. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the gel strengths of adjacent gel masses in the product, at room temperature, when the product is fully jellified, differ by at least 25%. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the gel strengths of adjacent gel masses in the product, at room temperature, when the product is fully jellified, differ by at least 50%.