Abstract: A process for producing an agglomerated instant coffee product having a roasted and ground appearance comprising:a. milling spray-dried instant coffee to produce a milled powder of an average particle size of 25 to 75 microns;b. adjusting the cohesiveness of the powder so that it will flow and will bind together with slight compaction;c. forming a regular shaped, loosely bound, structurally intact cluster from the cohesive adjusted powder, said cluster have a size of 800 to 2100 microns;d. fusing the outer surface of the cluster to a depth of from 5 to 30 microns; ande. drying and screening the fused clusters to produce an agglomerated instant coffee having a density of from 0.20 to 0.28 gms/cc, a hardness value of less than 8, a color of 17 to 24 Lumetron units and an average agglomerate size of from 800 to 1,300 microns.

Abstract: A process for producing an agglomerated instant coffee product having a roasted and ground appearance comprising;a. milling spray-dried instant coffee to produce a milled powder of an average particle size of 30 to 75 microns;b. adding oil to the powder so that it will bind together with slight compaction;c. forming a regular shaped, loosely bound, structurally intact clusters from the powder with oil added, said cluster have a size of 800 to 2100 microns;d. fusing the outer surface of the cluster to a depth of from 5 to 30 microns; ande. drying and screening the fused clusters to produce an agglomerated instant coffee having a density of from 0.20 to 0.28 gms/cc, a hardness value of less than 8, a color of 17 to 24 Lumetron units and an average agglomerate size of from 800 to 1,300 microns.When this process is employed, an agglomerate instant coffee is produced at commercially acceptable rates which has a dark color, a fused surface and a size giving the appearance of roasted and ground coffee.

Abstract: A process for producing an agglomerated instant coffee product having a roasted and ground appearance comprising;a. milling spray-dried instant coffee to produce a milled powder of an average particle size of 30 to 75 microns;b. adding colloidal particles to the powder so that it will bind together with slight compaction;c. forming a regular shaped, loosely bound, structurally intact cluster from the powder with colloidal particles added, said cluster have a size of 800 to 2100 microns;d. fusing the outer surface of the cluster to a depth of from 5 to 30 microns; ande. drying and screening the fused clusters to produce an agglomerated instant coffee having a density of from 0.20 to 0.28 gms/cc, a hardness value of less than 8, a color of 17 to 24 Lumetron units and an average agglomerate size of from 800 to 1,300 microns.

Abstract: According to the present invention, equilibrium between the applied gas and an aqueous liquid is achieved at conditions suitable for the preparation of a chemical complex of gas hydrate, and the pressure is then rapidly reduced to effect a concurrent temperature reduction and the formation of nuclei of water ice distributed throughout the aqueous liquid. Reaction conditions are then reestablished to initiate and complete the formation of gas hydrate which is then frozen within a matrix of the aqueous liquid. The resulting product is characterized by a high gas content, prolonged storage stability suitable for commercial distribution in its frozen state, and a vigorous, uniform effervescence when placed in water.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved process for preparing carbonated ice directly from finely divided water ice or snow. According to the process, water ice is contacted with carbon dioxide gas at a temperature within the range of from about -20.degree. C. to about 0.degree. C. at a pressure of about 0.3 times the carbon dioxide vapor pressure at the respective temperatures, the pressure being at least sufficient to cause formation of carbon dioxide hydrate, but insufficient to liquefy the carbon dioxide, at the temperature of contact; and maintaining contact for a period of time effective to form carbon dioxide hydrate in the ice. At the preferred temperatures of from -14.degree. to -2.degree. C., the reaction rate increases dramatically.

Abstract: Water ice is contacted with a conditionally-stable-hydrate-forming gas to form a hydrate complex of the gas, and is then enrobed in a frozen aqueous liquid to increase structural and storage stability. According to a preferred embodiment, carbon dioxide hydrate is formed by contacting solid water ice with gaseous carbon dioxide; the hydrate is wetted with a carbon-dioxide-saturated aqueous liquid; and the resulting wetted hydrate is frozen.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gasified ice product characterized by a granular, crystalline, porous structure, a brittle texture, good stability in its frozen state, and the ability to rapidly and quietly release its gas content to aqueous solution upon melting therein. The process calls for contacting an aqueous liquid with finely-dispersed bubbles of a conditionally-stable-hydrate-forming gas, such as carbon dioxide, under conditions of temperature and pressure and for a time effective to form a suspension of gas hydrate crystals in the liquid, and then freezing the suspension. The finely-dispersed bubbles of gas are preferably admitted through a porous metal sparger positioned at the bottom of a pressurized reaction vessel. The resulting product preferably has a bulk density of less than 0.60 grams per cubic centimeter and contains from about 30 to about 70 milliliters of gas per gram of product. According to one preferred form of the invention, the product is granulated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gasified ice product characterized by a high gas content, prolonged storage stability suitable for commercial distribution in its frozen state, and a vigorous, uniform release of gas when placed in aqueous liquid. The disclosed process maintains a high contact pressure between the gas and aqueous liquid and cools after hydrate formation under conditions of temperature and pressure which are controlled to prevent decomposition of hydrate or liquefaction of gas.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved process for preparing gasified ice products; particularly, a process is provided which more efficiently produces gasified ice products having improved mechanical strength and high gas contents without spontaneous popping.According to the present invention, transfer of a suspension of gas hydrate from a batch reactor is improved while at the same time the final product quality and the rate of freezing the suspension are improved. It has been found that gently agitating the suspension, while still under contact pressure, enables complete transfer of an essentially gas bubble free suspension to the freezing vessel.