FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lacquer coated beverage container containing readyto-drink protein composition comprising native micellar casein, hydrolyzed whey
proteins and one or more optional excipients. The inside of said container is coated or
lacquered to prevent any interaction between metal and the protein beverage. It further
provides an increased shelf-life to the beverage composition without a negative influence
on product integrity or taste.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A variety of coatings are applied on both the interior and/or exterior surfaces of the
packaging containers to form a protective coating. Coatings are typically applied to the
interior of metal food and beverage containers to prevent the contents from contacting
the metal surface of the container. Contact with certain foods can cause the metal
container to corrode that result in contamination, deterioration in the appearance and
taste of the food or beverage product. It is particularly important that containers which
are used for foods and beverages contain no contaminants which not only can affect the
preservation of the foods or beverage but also can affect the taste of the stored material.
Taste quality is particularly important in the storage of beverages, wherein very small
amounts of extraneous material can have a detrimental effect on taste.
The current processes used by beverage can/container manufacturers to construct and
apply a lacquer do not address the issue of products shelf life stability and product
integrity. Other problems faced with those beverage cans or other beverage containers
include flavor profile degradation, loss of freshness, internal product collapse leading to
changes in the taste, aroma and color of the products; and can-coating failures leading
to pin holing and spoilage.
Therefore, there is a need for development of a robust packaging system for beverage
products such as milk based products so as to ensure product integrity, longevity and to
meet consumer demands for sustainable packaging and integrity under various global
storage and transport conditions.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a coated container containing a protein beverage,
wherein the composition can be stored at ambient temperature of 25°C; and no special
storage conditions are required. The said container prevents the degradation of beverage
composition by coating the interiors with a lacquer, plastic or resin or mixtures thereof,
preferably a lacquer. The inner coating of container seals and prevents any chemical
reaction between metal and packed beverage composition, thus preserving the flavor
and other organoleptic properties of composition.
In first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a package container containing
a ready-to-drink protein beverage composition comprising native micellar casein,
hydrolyzed whey proteins and one or more optional excipients, wherein the interior
surface of said container is coated.
In second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a package container
containing a ready-to-drink protein beverage composition comprising native micellar
casein, hydrolyzed whey proteins and one or more optional excipients, wherein the
interior of said container is coated and container has less than 5% of headspace of the
total volume of the container.
In one embodiment, the container has a volume capacity of about 180 ml to 360 ml.
In one embodiment, the interior of said container is coated with a lacquer or lacquer
based composition so as to avoid interaction between the beverage composition and the
container surface.
In one embodiment, the composition is filled in the container to a surface level so as
allowing a headspace above said surface level sufficient to generally minimize spillage of
the composition while handling the container without the closure and still the
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composition is stable to avoid the interaction between the air entrapped in the head
space and the composition.
In another embodiment, the container is selected from bottle or metal cans.
In another embodiment, the metal cans are formed of materialsselected from aluminum,
steel, tin or alloys thereof.
In another embodiment, the can contains single use unit dose.
In another embodiment, the can provides about 8 to 20 g of protein per 150 ml of the
composition.
In another embodiment, the can is provided with EOE (easy open ends) seamed to the
can body.
In another embodiment, there is no interaction between the protein beverage and metal
surface of container.
In another embodiment, the can includes double neck on top side and single neck on
bottom side that is attached to cylindrical can body by EOE seam.
In another embodiment, the internal lacquer coating is consistently distributed
throughout the inner walls of the container.
In a preferred embodiment, the lacquer meets the requirements of food safety
regulations; in particular the lacquer is food grade.
In another embodiment, the lacquer is light-colored and imparts a smooth surface finish
or polish to the container.
In another embodiment, the lacquer maintains its integrity without cracking during can
processing.
In another embodiment, the lacquer withstands deformation during the manufacture of
the containers and during transportation.
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In another embodiment, the coating layer of the container withstands elevated
temperature conditions associated with retort or other sterilization processes.
In second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of packaging a stable readyto-drink protein beverage composition in lacquer coated aluminum cans comprising the
steps of:
a) preparing a protein beverage composition comprising native micellar casein and
partially hydrolyzed whey proteins,
b) filling the composition of step (a) into lacquer coated aluminum cans and
c) sealing the filled cans under aseptic conditions.
In an embodiment, the micellar casein and hydrolyzed whey proteins are present in the
weight ratio of about 75:25 to about 85:15
In another embodiment, protein beverage is cooled to a low temperature before filling
into cans.
In another embodiment, the beverage is pasteurized by batch pasteurization prior to
sealing of the cans.
In another embodiment, the beverage is pasteurized subsequent to sealing of the cans.
In another embodiment, the outer face of the cans may be lacquered to prevent any
possible corrosion of the metal surface.
In another embodiment, the composition is stable in sealed cans on storage at room
temperature for more than 12 months.
In third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a hermetically
sealed beverage container comprising: sterilizing the protein beverage composition,
sterilizing a container body, placing said sterilized protein composition into said sterilized
container body, whereby said container has a long shelf life at room temperature.
In another embodiment, the top of the canned container is hermetically sealed after the
addition of beverage.
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In a further embodiment, the sealed cans are subject to retort sterilization at
temperatures of about 110 to 140°C for about 15 to 30 minutes.
In another embodiment, the beverage remains stable and does not show gelation or
coagulation of proteins at high temperatures during sterilization.
In another embodiment, to increase the stability of the composition the container is
flushed with nitrogen before filing the composition into the container or even after filing
the composition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The term “beverage” as used herein refers to any water-based liquid which can be
ingested as a drink, e.g. by sipping, pouring or tube-feeding.
The term “ready to-drink beverage” refers to beverage that can be consumed
immediately after the container is opened and requires no other preparation before
being consumed.
The term “native micellar casein also known as micellar casein”, refers to casein in the
form of micelles.
Micellar casein may be provided by milk protein sources, such as Milk Protein
Concentrate (MPC), which is a powder product usually prepared by ultra-filtration with
an average protein content of about 80%, Milk Protein Isolate (MPI), a powder product
usually prepared by precipitation with an average protein content of more than 75%, and
skimmed concentrated milk.
The whey protein can be sourced from whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate,
whey protein extract, whey protein micelles, intact or native whey protein or partially
hydrolysed whey protein or combinations thereof.
The protein beverage composition is provided in a ready-to-use liquid form that does not
require reconstitution or mixing prior to use. The composition according to the invention
can be tube fed or administered orally.
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The term “stable” as used herein refers to stability of more than 6 months under normal
storage conditions, i.e. at an ambient temperature of between 18 and 25°C, and at a
standard atmospheric pressure.
The term “can” includes a rigid retortable container, e.g., a metal container such as a
metal or metal alloy can.
The term "easy open end" refers to a can end (typically an end of a beverage container)
that includes (i) a frangible opening portion and (ii) a riveted portion for attaching a pull
tab thereto for purposes of opening the frangible opening portion to access the product
housed within a can or container.
The composition is packaged in low-volume metal cans of the kind which are frequently
used in the art, the material of the can is chosen such that there is no interaction between
the protein composition and metal surface.
The lacquers coated on the inner side walls of the can/container are those conventionally
used in the industry including acrylic lacquers, oleoresinous lacquers, vinyl lacquers, vinyl
organosols, epoxy amines, epoxy phenolics and epoxy based lacquer. Lacquers may be
applied by any method known to a person skilled in the art that includes electrophoresis,
dipping, spraying or brushing the container with the coating composition.
The beverage composition may include one or more optional excipients (such as
sweeteners, flavors, coloring agents and the like) that provide the composition desired
taste for consumption by the subject.
The term "aseptic processing" as used herein includes fundamental requirements (1) all
product contact equipment and final packaging components to be sterilized using
validated cycles, (2) the processes to be carried out in environmentally controlled
facilities under approved class area.
Aseptic processing involves the processing and packaging of a commercially sterile
product into sterilized containers followed by hermetic sealing with a sterilized closure
in a manner that prevents viable microbiological recontamination of the sterile product.
It provides the benefits of longer shelf life, wider packaging sizes, wider container
materials and improved nutritional and sensory properties.
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The protein beverage composition is prepared under controlled conditions of
temperature, humidity and microbial load.
The processing time between the production and filling (hold time) is kept to minimum
possible to decrease the chances of microbial contamination.
The sealed cans of the present invention are retort sterilized at any suitable temperatures
ranging from about 110 to 140° C for 15-20 minutes. The hermetically sealed canned
packaging can withstand thermal stress and allows the composition ease to store, handle
and transport. The canned protein beverage is further packed in a bunch of six in
corrugated boxes.
While the present invention has been described in connection with certain exemplary or
specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the
disclosed embodiments. It is intended to cover various modifications, alternatives,
modifications, and equivalent arrangements as will be apparent to person skilled in the
art. Any such changes, modifications, alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and the
like may be made without a departure from the scope of the invention.
Example 1
S. No. Ingredients Qty/ Can Qty./ Batch (kg)
1. Dairy Protein (80%) 13.00 g 54.16
2. Sucralose 50 mg 0.167
3. Coffee flavour 3 ml 10 L
4. Purified Water qs to 150 ml qs to 500 L
Procedure:
1. Purified Water was taken in a Batch Pasteurizer at about 50-55°C.
2. Dairy Protein powder was dissolved in heated water to make a uniform solution.
3. The remaining excipients (Sucralose and coffee flavor) were added to the solution of
step (2) in the Pasteurizer.
4. The final volume was made and the whole mixture was blended for 30 minutes by
re-circulation.
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5. The solution was cooled to around 4°C and filtered using appropriate mesh into a
double jacketed storage tank.
6. The solution was kept in storage tank for 4-8 hours for its hydration.
7. The solution from step 6 was filled into 150 ml aluminum cans and sealed.
8. The sealed cans were retorted for 120°C for 20 minutes by sterilization process.
The composition of Example 2 was prepared according to composition given in Example
1 and packaged in 180 ml container with 173 ml of the composition. The container is
coated internally with double layer epoxy-phenyl coating having a golden colour and
having a thickness of first layer as 6-8gsm and second layer as 9-12 gsm.

CLAIMS
1. A package container containing a ready-to-drink protein beverage composition
comprising native micellar casein, hydrolyzed whey proteins and one or more
excipients, wherein the interior surface of said container is coated.
2. The package according to claim 1 wherein the container has a head space of less
than 5% of the total volume of the container.
3. The package according to claim 1 wherein the container has a volume capacity
of about 180 to 360 ml.
4. The package according to claim 1 wherein the composition is stable when to an
ambient temperature of between 18 and 25°C for more than 12 months under
normal storage conditions.
5. The package according to claim 1 wherein the container is selected from bottle
or metal cans.
6. The package according to claim 5 wherein the metal cans are formed of materials
selected from aluminum, steel, tin or alloys.
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7. The package according to claim 1 wherein the container is for single use unit
dose.
8. The package according to claim 1 wherein the composition provides about 8 to
20 g of protein per 150 ml of the composition.
9. The package according to claim 1 wherein the package is prepared by a method
comprising the steps of: sterilizing the protein beverage composition, sterilizing
a container body, placing said sterilized protein composition into said sterilized
container body.
10. The package according to claim 1 wherein the container is coated on the inner
side walls using selected from the group consisting of acrylic lacquers,
oleoresinous lacquers, vinyl lacquers, vinyl organosols, epoxy amines, epoxy
phenolics and epoxy based lacquer.
11. The package according to claim 10 wherein the container is coated on the inner
side walls using epoxy phenolics based lacquer