Spray-dried compositions capable of retaining volatile compounds and methods of producing the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to spray-dried compositions capable of retaining volatile compounds and methods relating to the same. The present invention also relates to the powders produced by such methods.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spray-dried flavor composition comprising a spray-dried flavor that contains volatile compounds wherein the volatile compounds are present in an amount that is at least 20% of the volatile compounds originally contained in the flavor. 
     
     
         2 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile compounds are acetaldehydes, dimethyl sulfides, ethyl acetates, ethyl propionates, methyl butyrates, or ethyl butyrates. 
     
     
         3 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 1 , wherein the volatile compounds have a boiling point of less than 200° C., less than 100° C., or less than 60° C. 
     
     
         4 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a carrier material. 
     
     
         5 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 1 , wherein the water activity of the composition is in the range of 0.1 to 0.6 or in the range of 0.2 to 0.4. 
     
     
         5 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition provides a high intensity flavor. 
     
     
         6 . The spray dried flavor composition of  claim 5 , wherein the high intensity flavor is incorporated into gums, confections, oral care products, beverages, snacks, dairy products, soups, sauces, condiments, detergents, fabric softeners and other fabric care products, antiperspirants, deodorants, talc, kitty litter, hair care and styling products, personal care products, air fresheners, cereals, baked goods or cleaners. 
     
     
         7 . The spray dried flavor composition of  claim 5 , wherein the high intensity flavor is incorporated into a chewing gum or beverage. 
     
     
         8 . A spray-dried flavor composition produced by spray drying a flavor that contains volatile compounds in a spray dryer having an inlet temperature of less than 100° C. and an air inlet dew point −10° C. to 5° C., wherein the volatile compounds are present in the spray-dried flavor composition in an amount that is at least 20% of the volatile compounds originally contained in the flavor. 
     
     
         9 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein the spray-dried flavor composition is further dried in a fluid bed chamber attached at the spray dryer outlet, wherein the temperature of the air of the fluid-bed unit is at or below the outlet temperature of the spray dryer. 
     
     
         10 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein the volatile compounds are acetaldehydes, dimethyl sulfides, ethyl acetates, ethyl propionates, methyl butyrates, or ethyl butyrates. 
     
     
         11 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein the volatile compounds have a boiling point of less than 200° C., less than 100° C., or less than 60° C. 
     
     
         12 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein the flavor further comprises a carrier material. 
     
     
         13 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8  or  12 , wherein the flavor further comprises a solvent. 
     
     
         14 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 13 , wherein the solvent is a volatile solvent. 
     
     
         15 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 13 , wherein the flavor and carrier material comprise 40% and 70% as dry solid material of the total composition. 
     
     
         16 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 13 , wherein said flavor is prepared as an emulsion and the volatile compounds are present in the emulsion in an amount that is at least 80% of the volatile compounds originally contained in the flavor. 
     
     
         17 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein air of the spray dryer is partially or wholly nitrogen or carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         18 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein the air inlet temperature is in the range of 40° C. to 99° C. 
     
     
         19 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein the water activity of the composition is in the range of 0.1 to 0.6. 
     
     
         20 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 8 , wherein said composition provides a high intensity flavor. 
     
     
         21 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 20 , wherein the high intensity flavor is incorporated into gums, confections, oral care products, beverages, snacks, dairy products, soups, sauces, condiments, detergents, fabric softeners and other fabric care products, antiperspirants, deodorants, talc, kitty litter, hair care and styling products, personal care products, air fresheners, cereals, baked goods or cleaners. 
     
     
         22 . The spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 20 , wherein the high intensity flavor is incorporated into a chewing gum or beverage. 
     
     
         23 . A stable spray-dried flavor composition produced by spray drying a flavor that that contains volatile compounds in a spray dryer having an inlet temperature of less than 100° C. and an air inlet dew point −10° C. to 5° C., wherein the volatile compounds are present in the spray-dried flavor composition in an amount that is at least 20% of the volatile compounds originally contained in the flavor. 
     
     
         24 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein the stable spray-dried flavor composition is further dried in a fluid bed chamber attached at the spray dryer outlet, wherein the temperature of the air of the fluid-bed unit is at or below the outlet temperature of the spray dryer. 
     
     
         25 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein the volatile compounds are acetaldehydes, dimethyl sulfides, ethyl acetates, ethyl propionates, methyl butyrates, or ethyl butyrates. 
     
     
         26 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein the volatile compounds have a boiling point of less than 200° C., less than 100° C., or less than 60° C. 
     
     
         27 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein the flavor further comprises a carrier material. 
     
     
         28 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23  or  27 , wherein the flavor further comprises a solvent. 
     
     
         29 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 28 , wherein the solvent is a volatile solvent. 
     
     
         30 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 28 , wherein the flavor and carrier material comprise 40% and 70% as dry solid material of the total composition. 
     
     
         31 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 28 , wherein said flavor is prepared as an emulsion and the volatile compounds are present in the emulsion in an amount that is at least 80% of the volatile compounds originally contained in the flavor. 
     
     
         32 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein air of the spray dryer is partially or wholly nitrogen or carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         33 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein the air inlet temperature is in the range of 40° C. to 99° C. 
     
     
         34 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein the water activity of the composition is in the range of 0.1 to 0.6. 
     
     
         35 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 23 , wherein said composition provides a high intensity flavor. 
     
     
         36 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 35 , wherein the high intensity flavor is incorporated into gums, confections, oral care products, beverages, snacks, dairy products, soups, sauces, condiments, detergents, fabric softeners and other fabric care products, antiperspirants, deodorants, talc, kitty litter, hair care and styling products, personal care products, air fresheners, cereals, baked goods or cleaners. 
     
     
         37 . The stable spray-dried flavor composition of  claim 35 , wherein the high intensity flavor is incorporated into a chewing gum or beverage. 
     
     
         38 . A method for producing a spray-dried composition capable of retaining volatile compounds comprising spray drying a flavor containing volatile compounds in a spray dryer having an inlet temperature of less than 100° C. and an air inlet dew point −10° C. to 5° C. to obtain a spray-dried flavor composition, wherein the volatile compounds are present in the spray-dried flavor composition in an amount that is at least 20% of the volatile compounds originally contained in the flavor. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising drying the spray-dried flavor composition in a fluid-bed chamber attached at the spray dryer outlet, wherein the temperature of the air of the fluid-bed unit is at or below the outlet temperature of the spray dryer. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the volatile compounds are acetaldehydes, dimethyl sulfides, ethyl acetates, ethyl propionates, methyl butyrates, or ethyl butyrates. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the volatile compounds have a boiling point of less than 200° C., less than 100° C., or less than 60° C. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the flavor further comprises a carrier material. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38  or  42 , wherein the flavor further comprises a solvent. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the solvent is a volatile solvent. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the flavor and optional carrier material comprise 40% and 70% as dry solid material of the total composition. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising preparing the flavor as an emulsion, wherein the volatile compounds are present in the emulsion in an amount that is at least 80% of the volatile compounds originally contained in the flavor. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the air inlet temperature is in the range of 40° C. to 99° C. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the water activity of the spray-dried flavor composition is in the range of 0.1 to 0.6.