Reusable device for cooling beverages and liquid foods: A novel approach to replace ice in glass

Abstract

AbstractVogue of drinking beverages and liquid foods (BLFs) with ice is embedded and ever increasing in our hasty busy life. Direct use of unsafe ice and/or food ice containing pathogens in BLFs is threat to human health. In the current study, as an alternate to ice, a reusable cooling device was developed to cool some widely consumed BLFs. The device engineered with phase change materials (PCM), namely, portable water (PW), distilled water (DW), and PW + DW and the effect of solutes (salt and sugar @2%, 4%, and 6%) in PW and DW was demonstrated for its ability to store total cool energy before evaluating its cooling performance in BLFs. The PCMs, namely, DW and DW + 2% salt taken 195 and 240 min, respectively to reach target −19°C storing highest cool energy than other PCMs evaluated. Cooling of BLFs by the device containing different PCMs was significantly different with cooling time and PCM type while highest cooling performance was exhibited by DW followed by DW + 2% salt. It was found that 6.6–17.0°C and 17.7–23.3°C drop in temperature (ΔT) range within 5 and 30 min of cooling process, respectively using the device with DW inside. The ΔT (maximum temperature drop) was in the order for potable water > beer > soft drink > whisky > butter milk/flavored milk > orange juice > apple juice > lassi during cooling using the device. The developed PCM‐based device could be used as an alternate to ice for cooling 200 mL of beer, whisky, soft drink, orange juice, apple juice, butter milk, flavored milk, and lassi in drinking glass.Practical applicationsThe reusable device is engineered with phase change material (PCM) inside safely. It would replace ice for cooling by reducing 23°C in a drinking glass of beverages and liquid foods (BLFs) because of its simple in design, compact and safe. It can be sterilized and washed easily and quickly because of its hygienically engineered mirror finish surface. It can be used for years in hotels, retails and catering premises, road side shops, local open markets, eateries retail shops, pubs and bars because of its durable material of construction. It can easily be recharged in refrigerators and even using ice. The data and research findings on sensible cooling, phase change, and cooling capacity of PCM generated with the device would be very useful for Food Process Engineering field for applications, namely, heat transfer, refrigeration, air conditioning, and cold chain management and for translating research work in the field.