System and method for preparing cold food or beverages from a pack

Abstract

The invention refers to a pack (10) for the preparation of a cooled food or beverage product, the pack comprising at least one container (30) having an inner volume where an ingredient able to be made frozen or partially frozen is stored and a fitment assembly (20) affixed to the at least one container and communicating with its inner volume, the fitment assembly (20) being configured so as to provide a fluid jet circulating in the inner volume of the pack, the fluid being provided at a higher temperature than the temperature of the ingredient when it has been made frozen or partially frozen so that the majority of the ingredient melts into the cooled food or beverage product dispensed.

1 . Pack for the preparation of a cooled food or beverage product, the pack comprising: at least one container having an inner volume where an ingredient able to be made frozen or partially frozen is stored and a fitment assembly affixed to the at least one container and communicating with its inner volume, the fitment assembly being configured so as to provide a fluid jet circulating in the inner volume of the pack, the fluid being provided at a higher temperature than the temperature of the ingredient when it has been made frozen or partially frozen so that the majority of the ingredient melts into the cooled food or beverage product dispensed. 
     
     
         2 . Pack according to  claim 1  comprising at least an internal sealing arranged in at least one of the containers in such a way that an ingredient chamber is configured in the inner volume of at least one container where the frozen or partially frozen ingredient is stored distanced from the fitment assembly-. 
     
     
         3 . Pack according to  claim 2  wherein the internal sealing is breakable by the fluid jet. 
     
     
         4 . Pack according to  claim 1  wherein the content of at least one of the containers is a frozen or partially frozen mixture of product and fluid. 
     
     
         5 . Pack according to  claim 4  comprising at least two containers, wherein the content of at least one of the containers is a product at temperature below 0° C. 
     
     
         6 . Pack according to  claim 1  wherein the fitment assembly is configured in such a way that fluid can be supplied into a single container or into a plurality of containers sequentially, as a function of the product to be dispensed. 
     
     
         7 . Pack according to  claim 1  wherein the fitment assembly is configured to provide a certain total volume of fluid at a certain fluid flow into the container or plurality of containers of the pack. 
     
     
         8 . Pack according to  claim 1  wherein the fitment assembly is configured as a single insert further allowing the dispensing of the food or beverage product prepared. 
     
     
         9 . Pack according to  claim 1  comprising at least one sheet of flexible water impermeable material joined to configure the inner volume of the pack, the material being selected from the group consisting of plastic laminates, metallised foil or alufoil and fiber base material. 
     
     
         10 . Pack according to  claim 1  wherein the fitment assembly comprises a centering and immobilizing hole configured for cooperating with a dedicated part in a food or beverage preparation device where the food or beverage product is prepared. 
     
     
         11 . Pack according to  claim 1  wherein the fitment assembly is configured to be reversibly pierced by a food or beverage preparation device so that fluid can be reversibly injected into the pack. 
     
     
         12 . Pack according to  claim 1  configured into an essentially plane shape being essentially vertically oriented during preparation of the cooled food or beverage product. 
     
     
         13 . System for preparing cooled food or beverages from a pack that comprises at least one container having an inner volume where an ingredient able to be made frozen or partially frozen is stored and a fitment assembly affixed to the at least one container and communicating with its inner volume, the fitment assembly being configured so as to provide a fluid jet circulating in the inner volume of the pack, the fluid being provided at a higher temperature than the temperature of the ingredient when it has been made frozen or partially frozen so that the majority of the ingredient melts into the cooled food or beverage product dispensed in a preparation device, the device comprising an injecting member for providing fluid through the fitment assembly into the inner volume of the container at a certain velocity. 
     
     
         14 . Method for the preparation of a cooled food or beverage product in a system, the method comprising the steps of:
 placing a pack comprising at least one container having an inner volume where an ingredient able to be made frozen or partially frozen is stored and a fitment assembly affixed to the at least one container and communicating with its inner volume, the fitment assembly being configured so as to provide a fluid jet circulating in the inner volume of the pack, the fluid being provided at a higher temperature than the temperature of the ingredient when it has been made frozen or partially frozen so that the majority of the ingredient melts into the cooled food or beverage product dispensed essentially vertically oriented in a device the fitment assembly being arranged on the lower part of the pack; and   providing fluid into the inner volume of the pack through the fitment assembly at a certain velocity and temperature allowing melting of the frozen or partially frozen content in the pack.   
     
     
         15 . Method for the preparation of a cooled food or beverage product in a system according to  claim 14 , the pack comprising an internal sealing configuring an ingredient chamber in the inner volume of the container where the ingredient able to be made frozen or partially frozen is stored distanced from the fitment assembly, the method comprising the step of providing fluid into the inner volume of the pack through the fitment assembly at a certain pressure calculated such that it allows breaking the internal sealing.