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 vending machines that produce beverages includes or consists of agglomerated dry milk powder. 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 a vending machine or upon demand within a 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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A soluble, dairy additive designed specifically for use in vending machines that produce consumable beverages, the dairy additive comprising:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (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 beverages include a hot coffee beverage and wherein the agglomerated NDM powder is dissolvable upon being combined with hot water used in making 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 mixture designed specifically for use in vending machines that produce consumable beverages, the mixture comprising:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (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 ingredient that adds flavor,   wherein the agglomerated NDM powder and the at least one ingredient that adds flavor are mixed together prior to use of the mixture in a vending machine.   
     
     
         5 . The mixture of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one ingredient that adds flavor is at least one of sugar, coffee, and cocoa powder. 
     
     
         6 . The mixture of  claim 4 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%. 
     
     
         7 . The mixture of  claim 4 , wherein the consumable beverages include a cappuccino beverage. 
     
     
         8 . The mixture of  claim 4 , wherein the consumable beverages include a hot coffee beverage and wherein the agglomerated NDM powder and the at least one ingredient that adds flavor are dissolvable upon being combined with hot water used in making the hot coffee beverage. 
     
     
         9 . The mixture of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 dried coffee,   wherein the dried coffee, the agglomerated NDM powder, and the at least one ingredient that adds flavor are mixed together prior to use of the mixture in a vending machine.   
     
     
         10 . A dairy additive designed specifically for use in vending machines that produce consumable beverages, the dairy additive consisting of:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (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.   
     
     
         11 . The dairy additive of  claim 10 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%. 
     
     
         12 . The dairy additive of  claim 10 , wherein the consumable beverages include a hot coffee beverage and wherein the agglomerated NDM powder is dissolvable upon being combined with hot water used in making the hot coffee beverage. 
     
     
         13 . A mixture designed specifically for use in vending machines that produce consumable beverages, the mixture consisting of:
 agglomerated non fat dry milk (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 ingredient that is independent of the agglomerated NDM powder and adds flavor,   wherein the agglomerated NDM powder and the at least one ingredient that adds flavor are mixed together prior to use of the mixture in a vending machine.   
     
     
         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 ingredient that adds flavor is at least one of sugar, coffee, and cocoa powder. 
     
     
         16 . The mixture of  claim 13 , wherein the consumable beverages include a cappuccino beverage. 
     
     
         17 . The mixture of  claim 13 , wherein the consumable beverages include a hot coffee beverage and wherein the agglomerated NDM powder and the at least one ingredient that adds flavor are dissolvable upon being combined with hot water used in making the hot coffee beverage. 
     
     
         18 . 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.   
     
     
         19 . The consumable beverage of  claim 18 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder is adapted for combination with the hot water and the coffee, and is further dissolvable upon being combined with the hot water. 
     
     
         20 . The consumable beverage of  claim 18 , wherein the agglomerated NDM powder has a moisture content in the range of about 2.8% to 3.5%.