Cryopulverizing and post-treatment of flavoring materials

Claim 1

A process for comminuting a flavoring material selected from the group consisting of spices, coffee and cocoa to a powder finer than 70 mesh which is readily dispersible in aqueous solution comprising the steps of: 1. feeding the flavoring material to be comminuted into a grinding zone, 2. introducing a cryogenic refrigerant into said grinding zone in sufficient quantity to maintain said flavoring material at a cryogenic temperature, 3. pulverizing said flavoring material in said grinding zone to form a powder finer than 70 mesh, 4. separating said powder from the vaporized cryogenic refrigerant and collecting same, and 5. agitating said powder at a temperature above -100°F but below the deteriaration temperature of the flavoring material until a sufficient quantity of the oil content of the flavoring material is released from the powder to coat its surface where said agitation is for a time sufficient to produce a powder capable of forming an aqueous dispersion substantially free of agglomerated particles of said flavoring material.