Dry chocolate flavored beverage mix

Abstract

Disclosed is a dry chocolate-flavored beverage mix and a process for making it. The dry beverage mix comprises from about 3% to about 13% by weight of cocoa powder, from about 40% to about 60% by weight of particulate sugar, from about 3% to about 5% by weight of caramel powder, from about to about 20% by weight of malt extract, from about 0.25% to about 1.0% by weight of flavor enhancing salt, from about 10% to about 32% by weight of a powdered non-dairy creamer wherein the non-dairy creamer contains from about 40% to about 60% vegetable fat by weight of the non-dairy creamer, from about 0.02% to about 3.0% by weight of a thickening agent, from 0 to about 1.0% by weight of added lecithin, an effective amount of an antioxidant, less than about 6% by weight of moisture, from 0 to about 20% by weight of an added protein source, and nutritionally supplemental amounts of vitamins and minerals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dry chocolate-flavored beverage mix comprising: (a) from about 3% to about 13% by weight of cocoa powder;   (b) from about 40% to about 60% by weight of particulate sugar;   (c) from about 3% to about 5% by weight of caramel powder;   (d) from about 10% to about 20% by weight of malt extract;   (e) from about 0.25% to about 1.0% by weight of flavor enhancing salt;   (f) from about 10% to about 32% by weight of a powdered non-dairy creamer, wherein the non-dairy creamer contains from about 40% to about 60% vegetable fat by weight of the non-dairy creamer;   (g) from about 0.02% to about 3.0% by weight of a thickening agent;   (h) from 0 to about 1.0% by weight of added lecithin;   (i) an effective amount of an antioxidant;   (j) less than about 6% by weight of moisture;   (k) from 0 to about 20% by weight of an added protein source selected from the group consisting of soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, pea protein, corn protein, rice protein, lactalbumin, casein, whey solids, dehydrated milk powders, non-fat milk powders and whey protein concentrates; and   (l) nutritionally supplemental amounts of nutrients selected from the group consisting of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, iron, iodine, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, phosphorous and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       2. The dry beverage mix of claim 1 wherein said beverage mix comprises: (a) from about 4% to about 10% by weight of cocoa powder;   (b) from about 50% to about 60% by weight of particulate sugar;   (c) from about 3.5% to about 4.5% by weight of caramel powder; and   (d) from about 12% to about 18% by weight of malt extract.   
     
     
       3. The dry beverage mix of claim 2 wherein the powdered non-dairy creamer comprises between about 45% and 55% vegetable fat by weight of the non-dairy creamer. 
     
     
       4. The dry beverage mix of claim 3 wherein the vegetable fat is coconut oil. 
     
     
       5. The dry beverage mix of claim 2 wherein the flavor enhancing salt is sodium chloride, the particulate sugar is sucrose and the thickening agent is carboxymethylcellulose. 
     
     
       6. The dry beverage mix of claim 2 wherein said dry beverage mix comprises from about 1% to about 20% by weight of sweet dairy whey solids as the added protein source. 
     
     
       7. The dry beverage mix of claim 6 wherein said dry beverage product comprises from about 5% to about 15% by weight of sweet dairy whey solids. 
     
     
       8. A process for making a dry chocolate-flavored beverage mix, which process comprises admixing: (a) from about 3% to about 13% by weight of cocoa powder;   (b) from about 40% to about 60% by weight of particulate sugar;   (c) from about 3% to about 5% by weight of caramel powder;   (d) from about 10% to about 20% by weight of malt extract;   (e) from about 0.25% to about 1.0% by weight of flavor enhancing salt;   (f) from about 10% to about 32% by weight of a powdered non-dairy creamer, wherein the non-dairy creamer contains from about 40% to about 60% vegetable fat by weight of the non-dairy creamer;   (g) from about 0.02% to about 3.0% by weight of a thickening agent;   (h) from 0 to about 1.0% by weight of added lecithin;   (i) an effective amount of an antioxidant;   (j) less than about 6% by weight of moisture;   (k) from 0 to about 20% by weight of an added protein source selected from the group consisting of soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, pea protein, corn protein, rice protein, lactalbumin, casein, whey solids, dehydrated milk powders, non-fat milk powders and whey protein concentrates; and   (l) nutritionally supplemental amounts of nutrients selected from the group consisting of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, iron, iodine, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, phosphorous and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       9. The process of claim 8 wherein said process comprises admixing: (a) from about 4% to about 10% by weight of cocoa powder;   (b) from about 50% to about 60% by weight of particulate sugar;   (c) from about 3.5% to about 4.5% by weight of caramel powder; and   (d) from about 12% to about 18% by weight of malt extract.   
     
     
       10. The process of claim 9 wherein the powdered non-dairy creamer comprises between about 45% and 55% vegetable fat by weight of the non-dairy creamer. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 10 wherein the vegetable fat is coconut oil. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 9 wherein the flavor enhancing salt is sodium chloride, the particulate sugar is sucrose and the thickening agent is carboxymethylcellulose. 
     
     
       13. The process of claim 9 wherein said process comprises admixing from about 1% to about 20% by weight of an added protein source wherein the added protein source is sweet dairy whey solids. 
     
     
       14. The process of claim 13 wherein said process comprises admixing from about 5% to about 15% by weight of sweet dairy whey solids. 
     
     
       15. The process of claim 8 wherein the cocoa powder and particulate sugar are dry mixed together and then admixed into the dry beverage mix.