Microemulsions of oil in water and alcohol

Claim 2

An edible concentrated microemulsion of edible essential oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion comprising about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 3

A microemulsion as in claim 1 comprising one or more surfactants having a composite HLB value of about 10 to 18.

Claim 4

A microemulsion as in claim 2 in which said surfactants have a composite HLB value of about 13 to 16.

Claim 5

A mircoemulsion as in claim 2 wherein the aqueous phase of such emulsion has a pH of about 3 to 9.

Claim 6

A microemulsion as in claim 4 which has a pH of about 5 to 7.

Claim 7

A microemulsion as in claim 1 which is stable at 70°-75° F., for ≧one year.

Claim 8

A microemulsion as in claim 1 in which said oil comprises citrus fruit oil.

Claim 9

A microemulsion as in claim 7 in which said oil comprises orange oil.

Claim 10

A microemulsion as in claim 7 in which said oil comprises lemon oil.

Claim 11

A microemulsion as in claim 7 in which said oil comprises grapefruit oil.

Claim 12

A microemulsion as in claim 7 in which said oil comprises cola flavoring essential oil.

Claim 13

A ring-less beverage flavored with citrus fruit oil and comprising as said oil imparting component thereof, at least one preformed microemulsion of said oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion comprising about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 14

A ring-less beverage flavored with citrus fruit oil and comprising as said oil imparting component thereof, at least one preformed microemulsion of said oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion comprising about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 15

A comestible product as in claim 12 which is a carbonated beverage.

Claim 16

A comestible product as in claim 12 which is a spritzer type beverage.

Claim 17

A comestible product as in claim 12 in which said oil comprises orange oil.

Claim 18

A comestible product as in claim 12 in which said oil comprises lemon oil.

Claim 19

A comestible product as in claim 12 in which said oil comprises grapefruit oil.

Claim 20

A comestible product as in claim 12 which is a diet beverage.

Claim 21

A comestible product as in claim 18 which is a low calorie beverage.

Claim 22

A comestible product as in claim 18 which is a reduced calorie beverage.

Claim 23

A comestible product as in claim 18 which is a sugar free beverage.

Claim 24

An edible concentrated microemulsion of edible essential oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glyerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion consisting essentially of about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 25

An edible concentrated microemulsion of edible essential oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glyerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion consisting essentially of about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 26

A microemulsion as in claim 22 comprising one or more surfactants having a composite HLB value of about 10 to 18.

Claim 27

A microemulsion as in claim 23 in which said surfactants have a composite HLB value of about 13 to 16.

Claim 28

A microemulsion as in claim 23 wherein the aqueous phase of such emulsion has a pH of about 3 to 9.

Claim 29

A microemulsion as in claim 25 which has a pH of about 5 to 7.

Claim 30

A microemulsion as in claim 22 which is stable at 70°-75° F., for ≧one year.

Claim 31

A microemulsion as in claim 22 in which said oil comprises citrus fruit oil.

Claim 32

A microemulsion as in claim 28 in which said oil comprises orange oil.

Claim 33

A microemulsion as in claim 28 in which said oil comprises lemon oil.

Claim 34

A microemulsion as in claim 28 in which said oil comprises grapefruit oil.

Claim 35

A microemulsion as in claim 22 in which said oil comprises cola flavoring essential oil.

Claim 36

A ring-less beverage flavored with citrus fruit oil and consisting of, as said oil imparting component thereof, at least one preformed microemulsion of said oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion consisting essentially of about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 37

A ring-less beverage flavored with citrus fruit oil and consisting of, as said oil imparting component thereof, at least one preformed microemulsion of said oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion consisting essentially of about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 38

A beverage as in claim 33 which is a carbonated beverage.

Claim 39

A beverage as in claim 34 which is a spritzer type beverage.

Claim 40

A beverage as in claim 33 in which said oil comprises orange oil.

Claim 41

A beverage as in claim 33 in which said oil comprises lemon oil.

Claim 42

A beverage as in claim 33 in which said oil comprises grapefruit oil.

Claim 43

A beverage as in claim 33 which is a diet beverage.

Claim 44

A beverage as in claim 39 which is a low calorie beverage.

Claim 45

A ring-less cola flavored beverage wherein the cola flavor is, as the flavor oil imparting component thereof, at least one preformed microemulsions of said oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion consisting essentially of about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 46

A ring-less cola flavored beverage wherein the cola flavor is, as the flavor oil imparting component thereof, at least one preformed microemulsions of said oil in a matrix of water and alcohol selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerine, sugar, sugar alcohol and mixtures thereof, said microemulsion consisting essentially of about 1 to 25 weight % of said essential oil, about 1 to 30 weight % of at least one surfactant, and about 25 to 80 weight % of said alcohol, with the balance being water, up to 100 weight %, with the provisos that said alcohol and said water are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.5 to 30, said oil and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.0, said alcohol and said surfactant are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 6 to 20, and said surfactant and said oil are present in a weight ratio to each other of about 0.2 to 5.

Claim 47

A beverage as in claim 41 which is a diet beverage.

Claim 48

A beverage as in claim 42 which is a low calorie beverage.