CLEAR FILTERED NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT BEVERAGE AND FILTRATION METHOD
The present invention provides a dietary supplement, and method for making the same, comprising a glucosamine-based beverage that has the physical appearance of water, or that otherwise appears substantially transparent in its final form. The method for making the glucosamine-based beverage includes passing an aqueous glucosamine-containing solution through a multiple-step filtration process at a predetermined pH level. The first filtration step is performed with a porous volumetric fiber matrix, which is a Nominal rated filter with a cut off in the range of 0.5-1.2 microns, and preferably 0.5 microns, and at a cross-filter pressure less than or equal to 10 psi. The second filtration step is performed with a membrane filter, which is an Absolute rated filter with a cut off in the range 0.3-0.6 microns, and preferably 0.45 microns, and at a cross-filter pressure less than or equal to 10 psi.
1 . A beverage comprising a substantially clear, water-based solution having a predetermined amount of glucosamine.
2 . A beverage according to claim 1 wherein the glucosamine is glucosamine hydrochloride.
3 . A beverage according to claim 1 wherein the glucosamine is glucosamine sulfate.
4 . A beverage according to claim 1 wherein the beverage is substantially colorless.
5 . A beverage according to claim 4 wherein the glucosamine is filtered using a multiple-step filtration process;
whereby the multiple-step filtration process is performed in the temperature range 2-30° C. and at a pH in the range 1.5-3.5;
wherein a first filter step of said two step process includes filtration through a first filter having pore size in the range 0.5-1.2 microns, with a cross-filter pressure less than or equal to 10 psi, and
wherein the second filter step of said multiple-step process includes filtration through a second filter having pore size in the range 0.3-0.6 microns, with a cross-filter pressure less than or equal to 10 psi.
6 . A beverage according to claim 5 , wherein the first filter is a volumetric fiber matrix filter and the second filter is a membrane filter.
7 . A beverage according to claim 6 , wherein the first filter comprises an extruded polypropelene fiber matrix and the second filter comprises a pleated polysulfane membrane.
8 . A beverage according to claim 5 wherein the glucosamine is glucosamine hydrochloride.
9 . A beverage according to claim 6 wherein the glucosamine is fermentation derived glucosamine hydrochloride.
10 . A beverage according to claim 5 wherein the glucosamine is glucosamine sulfate.
11 . A beverage according to claim 5 wherein the cut off of the first filter is 0.5 microns, Nominal, and the cut off of the second filter is 0.45 microns, Absolute.
12 . A method for preparing a substantially clear glucosamine beverage, comprising the steps of:
filtering a water-based glucosamine solution at a temperature in the range 2-30° C. and at a pH in the range 1.5-3.5, in a multiple-step filter process,
wherein a first filter step is through a first filter having a cut off in the range 0.2-1.2 microns, with a cross-filter pressure less than or equal to 10 psi, resulting in a first glucosamine filtrate; and
wherein a second filter step is filtering the first glucosamine filtrate through a second filter having a cut off in the range 0.3-0.6 microns, with a cross-filter pressure less than or equal to 10 psi, resulting in second glucosamine filtrate.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first filter is a volumetric fiber matrix filter and the second filter is a membrane filter.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the first filter comprises an extruded polypropelene fiber matrix and the second filter comprises a pleated polysulfane membrane.
15 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the second glucosamine filtrate is colorless.
16 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the glucosamine is glucosamine hydrochloride.
17 . The method according to claim 16 wherein the glucosamine is fermentation-derived glucosamine hydrochloride.
18 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the glucosamine is glucosamine sulfate.
19 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the pore size of the first filter is 0.5 Nominal microns and the pore size of the second filter is 0.45 microns.
20 . The method according to claim 12 comprising the further step of forming the beverage by mixing the second glucosamine filtrate with additional liquid at ambient temperature in the range 2-30° C. and at a pH of in the range 2.5-4.0.