(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,500,478 B2 Barahona (45) Date of Patent: Dec
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USOO6500478B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,500,478 B2 Barahona (45) Date of Patent: Dec. 31, 2002 (54) CORN COFFEE OTHER PUBLICATIONS (76) Inventor: Nancy Barahona, 90-11 149' St., Apt. United States Statutory Invention Registration No. H673, 61, Jamaica, NY (US) 11435 published Sep. 5, 1989. “Coffee Alternatives”, Abundant Earth, 1999–2000, http:// (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this www.abundantearth.com/store/notcoffee 1.html (Dec. 13, patent is extended or adjusted under 35 1999). U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. “Coffee Substitute”, Spice Discounters, http://www.napa net.net/-spice/coffsub.html (Dec. 13, 1999). “Trying to drink less coffee?”, 1001 herbs For A Healthy (21) Appl. No.: 09/826,140 Life, 1998, http://www.1001 herbs.com/herbal-beverage (22) Filed: Apr. 4, 2001 (Dec. 13, 1999). “A good coffee substitute?", Nutritionist. SPECIFIC (65) Prior Publication Data FOODS, 1996–1999, http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/ US 2001/0026830 A1 Oct. 4, 2001 nutritionist/specificfoods/qa/0,3488, 12954,00.htm 1 (Dec. 13, 1999). Related U.S. Application Data “Two Coffee Substitutes From Plants Around Us', Foods, (60) Provisional application No. 60/194.667, filed on Apr. 4, Recipes, Cooking Tips, www makestuff.com (Dec. 6, 1999). 2000. “Does It Contain Any Caffeine'?”, Yerbamate' and the Xan (51) Int. Cl." ............................. A23F 5/44; A23F5/00; thine Alkaloids, http://www.healthfree.com/herbgarden/yer A23L 2/38 baxan.htm (Dec. 13, 1999). “Two Coffee Substitutes From Plants Around Us?", http:// www.icemall.com/reports/household/24.html (Dec. 13, (52) U.S. Cl. ........................ 426/596; 426/590; 426/598 1999). (58) Field of Search ................................. 426/590,594, * cited by examiner 426/598, 596 Primary Examiner Anthony J. Weier (56) References Cited (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (57) ABSTRACT 3,846,397 A * 11/1974 Ernster 4,072,765 A 2/1978 Scarseila et al. The present invention is directed to a non-caffeine contain 4,187,324 A 2/1980 Shirbroun ing brewable coffee containing (a) white corn, (b) allspice 4,188,409 A 2/1980 Kay pepper or cloves or mixture thereof and (c) cinnamon or 5,153,019 A * 10/1992 Hammond vanilla or mixture thereof. 5,387.425 A * 2/1995 Hsu et al. 6,020,016 A * 2/2000 Castleberry 6,171,635 B1 1/2001 Zhao 25 Claims, No Drawings US 6,500.478 B2 1 2 CORN COFFEE due to their Somewhat inferior taste, aroma, and flavor. Many consumers thus avoid drinking non-caffeinated coffee CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED or coffee Substitutes for this reason and have continued to APPLICATION drink regular caffeinated coffee. The present application is claiming the benefit of U.S. 5 Nevertheless, a large number of consumers are desirous of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/194,667, filed on Apr. 4, obtaining a product containing Significantly lower amounts 2OOO. of caffeine than in pure coffee products, provided the prod uct could yield a brewed beverage closely resembling FIELD OF THE INVENTION brewed coffee in taste, flavor and aroma. Unfortunately, to date, no Such product has been Satisfactory. The present invention relates to a coffee-Substitute and more particularly, to a coffee-Substitute produced from white The present inventor has found Such a product. It has the CO. taste, aroma and appearance of caffeinated coffee, but it is not coffee. In fact, it does not contain any caffeine, and thus BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 15 avoids the health problems associated with caffeinated cof Hot coffee beverages are widely consumed throughout the fee. World and are generally prepared from roasted coffee. Many SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION consumers enjoy the taste and/or aroma of roasted coffee. In addition, many consumers believe that the consumption of The present invention is directed to a coffee-like product, coffee reduces StreSS during the workday. the composition of which contains white corn, a first com The U.S. consumes about 70% of the world's coffee crop ponent Selected from the group consisting of whole allspice or about 3 cups a day for each American. Coffee beverages pepper and whole cloves or combination thereof, and a contain about 100 mg caffeine per cup (per 8 ounces). Second component Selected from the group consisting of Unfortunately, caffeine has many adverse side effects. cinnamon and Vanilla or combination thereof, said first and 25 Second components and corn being roasted together and Caffeine Stimulates the nervous System. Excessive amounts ground, Said white corn being present as the major of caffeine can make people tense, irritable, and unable to component, and the first and Second components being Sleep. It also increases diuresis and dilates the vascular present together in amounts Sufficient to mask the corn flavor System. In Some cases, it elevates the heart rate to unsafe levels. Caffeine can also irritate the alimental canal. It is and to impart a coffee-like aroma thereto. common for people diagnosed with Sensitive Stomachs, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE colons and the like to be required, as part of their medical PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS treatment, to refrain from ingesting caffeine. Moreover, caffeine can penetrate the placenta and is possibly linked to The present invention is directed to a coffee-Substitute birth defects. comprised of white corn, allspice pepper or cloves or As a result of the health problems associated with the 35 combination thereof and cinnamon or Vanilla or combination ingestion of excessive caffeine, Such as those enumerated thereof. hereinabove, in 1980, the Food and Drug Administration has The major component of the coffee-like composition of removed caffeine from its Generally Recognized AS SAFE the present invention is white corn, which is usually the (GRAS) list to an interim list. In view of the health concerns whole ground or Stone-ground corn. Of all of the corn related to the ingestion of excessive amounts of caffeine, to 40 products, the present inventor has found that white corn is avoid excessive consumption of caffeine, many consumers the most preferable. The white corn product used in the began drinking decaffeinated coffee or beverages prepared present composition is commercially available. The white from coffee Substitutes. corn should be a relatively dry solid. It should be removed from the stalk, which is effected by conventional methods. Coffee substitutes have been prepared from various starch 45 materials. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,324 to The whole kernel is used, which may be obtained commer Shirbroun, green Soybeans are used to make coffee Substi cially or from white corn on the cob and the kernel removed tutes. More Specifically, green Soybeans are defatted, pref by conventional means. In addition, in lieu of the grain and erably by crushing, prior to grinding and roasting. In one whole kernel corn, a ground product may be utilized or a combination of any of the aforementioned forms. In fact, the embodiment, the green Soybeans are presoaked prior to 50 crushing and defatting. Thereafter, the crushed, defatted present inventor has found that the white corn commercially soybeans are dried at 250 F. to 350 F. to a moisture content available could be used as is to make the present coffee-like of from 11 to 13 wt %. The dried soybeans are then ground product by the present process, i.e., no further treatments are and roasted. Shirbroun prefers slow roasting, preferably at required. 350 F. to 325 F. for up to 45 minutes, until the product has The present inventor has found that a product prepared the appearance of ground coffee. 55 from the white corn itself, without any additional While consumers describe the brewed product prepared in ingredients, is totally unsatisfactory. It had a very Strong accordance with the method of Shirbroun as having the bitter taste. It did not possess the flavor, aroma or taste of appearance and taste of coffee, they also noted Some Soy coffee. aroma. To many coffee drinkers aroma is essential to the 60 To mask the bitter taste and to impart the coffee flavor enjoyment of coffee. Accordingly, the coffee thus prepared thereto, the present inventor added additional components is not entirely Satisfactory to all coffee drinkers. thereto. Moreover, consumers who enjoy the taste imparted by The first component added thereto is whole allspice beverages prepared from caffeinated coffee found the taste pepper, or whole cloves or a combination thereof. of decaffeinated coffee or other coffee Substitutes unsatis 65 Allspice pepper is the dried, unripe berries of a Shiny factory. A great majority of consumers are unable to accept leafed evergreen tree indigenous to the western hemisphere. those products as a Substitute for caffeinated regular coffee The berries are reddish brown, round and Smooth and about US 6,500.478 B2 3 4 1 cm in diameter. The flavor thereof has been described as The weight ratio of the white corn to the first component a combination of Spices, viz., cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. preferably ranges from about 16:1 to about 75:1 and more It is commercially available and is Sold as a relatively dry preferably from about 18:1 to about 28:1 and most prefer solid. The commercial product can be used “as is without ably at about 23.5:1. In addition, the weight ratio of the further treatment. white corn to the Second component preferably ranges from Cloves are the dried unopened flower buds of an ever about 8:1 to about 60:1 and more preferably about 10:1 to green tree of the myrtle family. Cloves are 1-1.25 um long about 25:1 and most preferably at about 16:1.