Beverage Compositions
The present invention describes beverage compositions comprising lactic acid-producing bacteria.
1 - 16 . (canceled)
17 . A beverage composition comprising isolated Bacillus coagulans bacterium and one or more non-bacterial ingredients selected from the group consisting of coffee beans or fragments thereof, coffee powder, chocolate powder, and cocoa powder.
18 . The beverage composition of claim 17 , wherein said beverage composition is coffee, hot chocolate, or hot cocoa.
19 . The beverage composition of claim 18 , wherein said beverage composition is instant coffee or brewable coffee.
20 . The beverage composition of claim 19 , wherein said beverage composition is decaffeinated coffee.
21 . The beverage composition of claim 17 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is in the form of a spore.
22 . The beverage composition of claim 21 , wherein said Bacillus coagulans spores activate upon contacting hot liquid.
23 . The beverage composition of claim 22 , wherein said hot liquid is water.
24 . The beverage composition of claim 17 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is Bacillus coagulans hammer strain Accession No. ATCC 31284.
25 . The beverage composition of claim 17 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is selected from the group consisting of GBI-30 strain (ATCC Designation Number PTA-6086), GBI-20 strain (ATCC Designation Number PTA-6085), and GBI-40 strain (ATCC Designation Number PTA-6087).
26 . The beverage composition of claim 17 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is in the form of a vegetative cell.
27 . The beverage composition of claim 17 , wherein said isolated Bacillus coagulans is in the form of a mixture of vegetative cells and spores.