Potassium fortification in beverages and methods thereof

1. A potassium-fortifying composition consisting essentially of:

a blend of a first potassium component and a second potassium component;

the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate; and

the second potassium component selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate, potassium citrate and any combinations thereof, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of an acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium-fortifying composition, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 95:5 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 95:5 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of 50:50 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition is a particulate.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein said composition is a liquid.

7. The potassium-fortifying composition of claim 1 , wherein said first potassium component consists essentially of monopotassium phosphate, and said second potassium component consists essentially of potassium citrate.

8. The potassium-fortifying composition of claim 1 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium-fortifying composition.

9. An acidic beverage made using the composition of claim 1 .

10. The acidic beverage of claim 9 wherein said acidic beverage is a juice.

11. The acidic beverage of claim 10 wherein said juice is selected from the group consisting of orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit, tangerine, mandarin orange, tangelo, pomelo, pomegranate, guava, apple, grape, cherry, banana, pineapple juices and mixtures thereof.

12. A potassium-fortified acidic beverage comprising a first potassium component and a second potassium component, the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate and potassium citrate and any combinations thereof, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium components, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 95:5 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

13. The composition of claim 12 wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 95:5 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

14. The composition of claim 12 wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

15. The composition of claim 12 wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of 50:50 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

16. The potassium-fortified acidic beverage of claim 12 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium components.

17. A potassium-fortified acidic juice beverage comprising a first potassium component and a second potassium component, the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component comprising dipotassium phosphate, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic juice beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium components, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 95:5 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

18. The potassium-fortified acidic juice beverage of claim 17 wherein the pH of the acidic juice beverage is lowered by the potassium components.

19. A potassium-fortified beverage comprising:

a juice and a potassium fortifying composition,

wherein the pH of the potassium-fortified beverage is 4.3 or less, and

wherein the potassium fortifying composition consists essentially of monopotassium phosphate and dipotassium phosphate, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium fortifying composition, and wherein the monopotassium phosphate and the dipotassium phosphate are present in the potassium fortifying composition in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by monopotassium phosphate relative to elemental potassium provided by dipotassium phosphate.

20. The potassium-fortified beverage of claim 19 , wherein the juice is orange juice.

21. The potassium-fortified beverage of claim 19 , wherein the beverage further comprises one or any combination of a fruit puree, filtered water and added B vitamins.

22. The potassium-fortified beverage of claim 19 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium fortifying composition.

23. A potassium-fortifying composition consisting essentially of:

a blend of a first potassium component and a second potassium component;

the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate; and

the second potassium component selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate, potassium citrate and any combinations thereof, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium fortifying composition, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

24. The potassium-fortifying composition of claim 23 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium fortifying composition.

25. A potassium-fortified acidic beverage comprising a first potassium component and a second potassium component, the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate and potassium citrate and any combinations thereof, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium components, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

26. The potassium-fortified acidic beverage of claim 25 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium components.

27. A potassium-fortified acidic juice beverage comprising a first potassium component and a second potassium component, the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component comprising dipotassium phosphate, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium components, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

28. The potassium-fortified acidic juice beverage of claim 27 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium components.

29. A potassium-fortified acidic orange juice beverage comprising a first potassium component and a second potassium component, the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component comprising dipotassium phosphate, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic orange juice beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium components, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

30. The potassium-fortified acidic orange juice beverage of claim 29 wherein the pH of the acidic orange juice beverage is lowered by the potassium components.

31. A method for fortifying an acidic beverage comprising the steps of:

predetermining an amount of a first potassium component and an amount of a second potassium component to be blended together;

blending the predetermined amounts of the first potassium component and the second potassium component, wherein the first potassium component comprises monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component is selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate and potassium citrate and any combinations thereof; and

adding said blended potassium components to an acidic beverage;

wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that upon adding said blended potassium components to the acidic beverage, the pH of the beverage remains about the same or is lowered, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 95:5 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein upon adding said blended potassium components the pH of the beverage is lowered.

33. A method for fortifying an acidic beverage comprising the steps of adding to an acidic beverage a first potassium component and adding to the acidic beverage a second potassium component, the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate and potassium citrate and any combinations thereof, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that upon adding each potassium component to the acidic beverage, the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 95:5 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein upon adding each potassium component to the acidic beverage the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered.

35. A method for fortifying an acidic beverage comprising the steps of:

predetermining an amount of a first potassium component and an amount of a second potassium component to be blended together;

blending the predetermined amounts of the first potassium component and the second potassium component, wherein the first potassium component comprises monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component is selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate and potassium citrate and any combinations thereof; and

adding said blended potassium components to an acidic beverage;

wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium components, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium components.

37. A method for fortifying an acidic beverage comprising the steps of adding to an acidic beverage a first potassium component and adding to the acidic beverage a second potassium component, the first potassium component comprising monopotassium phosphate, and the second potassium component selected from the group consisting of dipotassium phosphate and potassium citrate and any combinations thereof, wherein each potassium component is present in a relative amount such that the pH of the acidic beverage remains about the same or is lowered by the potassium components, and wherein said first component and second component are in a ratio of about 50:50 to about 75:25 by weight of elemental potassium provided by said first component relative to weight of elemental potassium provided by said second component.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the pH of the acidic beverage is lowered by the potassium components.