Powdered Dairy Additive and Mixture Designed for Use in a Vending Machine and Vended Consumable Beverage Made Therewith

Abstract

A soluble, dairy additive designed specifically for use in a vending machine that produces consumable beverages includes or consists of agglomerated dry milk powder formulated specifically for use in the vending machine. The agglomerated dry milk powder consists of dairy ingredients only (e.g., dried milk) and has a scorched particle mass not greater than fifteen milligrams and a particle bulk density in the range of 0.25 g/cc to 0.34 g/cc. The powder may be combined with coffee and/or other ingredients, either prior to being placed in the vending machine or upon demand within the vending machine, to vend a consumable beverage from the vending machine. Accordingly, the agglomerated dry milk powder may be pre-mixed with one or more independent flavoring ingredients, such as coffee, sugar, or cocoa powder, to provide a mixture formulated specifically for use in the vending machine.

1 . A soluble, dairy additive designed specifically for use in a vending machine that produces consumable beverages, the dairy additive comprising:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (NDM) powder formulated specifically for use in said vending machine, the agglomerated NDM powder consisting of dried milk only and having a scorched particle mass not greater than fifteen milligrams and a particle bulk density in the range of 0.25 g/cc to 0.34 g/cc.   
   
   
       2 . The dairy additive of  claim 1 , wherein the consumable beverage is a hot coffee beverage and wherein the agglomerated NDM powder is instantly dissolvable upon being combined with the hot coffee beverage. 
   
   
       3 . The dairy additive of  claim 1 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%. 
   
   
       4 . A consumable beverage vended from a vending machine, the consumable beverage comprising:
 hot water;   coffee; and   milk reconstituted from an agglomerated non fat dry milk (NDM) powder formulated specifically for use in said vending machine, the agglomerated NDM powder consisting of dried milk only and having a scorched particle mass not greater than fifteen milligrams and a particle bulk density in the range of 0.25 g/cc to 0.34 g/cc.   
   
   
       5 . The consumable beverage of  claim 4 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder is adapted for combination with the hot water and the coffee, and is further instantly dissolvable upon being combined with the hot water. 
   
   
       6 . The consumable beverage of  claim 4 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%. 
   
   
       7 . A mixture designed specifically for use in a vending machine that produces consumable beverages, the mixture comprising:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (NDM) powder formulated specifically for use in said vending machine, the agglomerated NDM powder consisting of dried milk only and having a scorched particle mass not greater than fifteen milligrams and a particle bulk density in the range of 0.25 g/cc to 0.34 g/cc; and   at least one flavoring ingredient that adds flavor when combined with the agglomerated NDM powder.   
   
   
       8 . The mixture of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one flavoring ingredient is at least one of sugar, coffee, and cocoa powder. 
   
   
       9 . The mixture of  claim 7 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%. 
   
   
       10 . The mixture of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the consumable beverages is a cappuccino beverage. 
   
   
       11 . A dairy additive designed specifically for use in a vending machine that produces consumable beverages, the dairy additive consisting of:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (NDM) powder formulated specifically for use in said vending machine, the agglomerated NDM powder consisting of dairy ingredients only and having a scorched particle mass not greater than fifteen milligrams and a particle bulk density in the range of 0.25 g/cc to 0.34 g/cc.   
   
   
       12 . The dairy additive of  claim 11 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%. 
   
   
       13 . A mixture designed specifically for use in a vending machine that produces consumable beverages, the mixture consisting of:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (NDM) powder formulated specifically for use in said vending machine, the agglomerated NDM powder consisting of dairy ingredients only and having a scorched particle mass not greater than fifteen milligrams and a particle bulk density in the range of 0.25 g/cc to 0.34 g/cc; and   at least one flavoring ingredient that is independent of the agglomerated NDM powder and adds flavor when combined with the agglomerated NDM powder.   
   
   
       14 . The mixture of  claim 13 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%. 
   
   
       15 . The mixture of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one flavoring ingredient is at least one of sugar, coffee, and cocoa powder. 
   
   
       16 . The mixture of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the consumable beverages is a cappuccino beverage.