Patent ID: 7833561

Claim:
A process for improving a coffee concentrate, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a liquid coffee concentrate comprising a liquid prepared from a roast and ground coffee, wherein the liquid coffee concentrate has a furfuryl acetate to 4-ethyl guaiacol ratio ranging from about 238% to about 369% of the furfuryl acetate to 4-ethyl guaiacol ratio of a fresh brewed coffee prepared from the same roast and ground coffee used to prepare the liquid coffee concentrate; and (b) subjecting the liquid coffee concentrate to heat treating for an equivalent time of from about 15 seconds to about 35 seconds at an equivalent temperature of from about 115° C. to about 149° C. to improve the liquid coffee concentrate by reducing the furfuryl acetate to 4-ethyl guaiacol ratio of the liquid coffee concentrate, wherein the improved liquid coffee concentrate has a furfuryl acetate to 4-ethyl guaiacol ratio of from about 50% to about 210% of the furfuryl acetate to 4-ethyl guaiacol ratio of a fresh brewed coffee prepared from the same roast and ground coffee used to prepare the liquid coffee concentrate of step (a).