Sunkist Growers Inc.

Dennis H Miller

Jerry R Mutka

A solid essential oil flavor composition having a high essential oil content and a process for preparing the product are disclosed, the process involving preparation of a heated or cooked aqueous mixture of a sugar and starch hydrolyzate together with an emulsifier. A selected essential oil or other oil-soluble flavor is combined and blended with a mixture in a closed vessel under controlled pressure conditions to form a homogeneous melt, the melt being extruded into a relatively cool solvent, dried and combined with a selected anticaking agent to produce the stable, relatively non-hygroscopic particulate flavor composition of the invention. The selected quantity of essential oil flavor blended into the homogeneous melt being sufficient to yield about 12 to 35% by weight of essential oil in the encapsulated solid particulate composition. During the process, encapsulation efficiency is maintained preferably at or above about 60%, more preferably above about 70% and most preferably above about 75 to 80%. Also, the cook temperature for the process is preferably maintained at or below a maximum of about 126.degree. C.

Solid essential oil flavor composition

A solid essential oil flavor composition having a high essential oil content and a process for preparing the product are disclosed, the process involving preparation of a heated or cooked aqueous mixture of a sugar and starch hydrolysate together with an emulsifier. A selected essential oil or other oil-soluble flavor is combined and blended with a mixture in a closed vessel under controlled pressure conditions to form a homogeneous melt, the melt being extruded into a relatively cool solvent, dried and combined with a selected anticaking agent to produce the stable, relatively non-hygroscopic particulate flavor composition of the invention. The selected quantity of essential oil flavor blended into the homogeneous melt being sufficient to yield about 12 to 35% by weight of essential oil in the encapsulated solid particulate composition. During the process, encapsulation efficiency is maintained preferably at or above about 60%, more preferably above about 70% and most preferably above about 75 to 80%. Also, the cook temperature for the process is preferably maintained at or below a maximum of about 126.degree. C.

Preparation of solid essential oil flavor composition

A process is disclosed for making a relatively stable non-hygroscopic solid juice composition as well as a product of the process. The process comprises the steps of clarifying and concentrating a selected aqueous juice to a minimum concentration of about 85.degree. BRIX, separately mixing together a sugar and a starch hydrolysate having a maximum dextrose equivalent of about 20, heating the mixture to about its boiling point and blending the mixture and the aqueous juice in relative amounts to form a homogeneous melt. The melt is then extruded into a relatively cool liquid solvent, such as isopropanol, to convert the melt into an extruded solid. The extruded solids are then ground into particles, separated from excess solvent, combined with a selected anti-caking agent and dried to form the aqueous juice composition into a relatively stable particulate solid of superior amorphous quality. Preferably, the starch hydrolysate is selected to have a dextrose equivalent of about 10 with the clarified juice having a concentration in the range of approximately 85.degree.-95.degree. BRIX. The sugar is preferably lactose selected for its ability to reduce the boiling point of the mixture, thereby achieving superior organoleptic characteristics in the solid juice concentrate, and for its ability to reduce hygroscopicity of the solid juice composition.

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Safety Harbor, FL, United States of America

Dennis H Miller