Nonalcoholic Anxiety Reducing Beverage

This project’s aim was to create an enjoyable, nonalcoholic (≤0.5% ABV) social beverage that produces a calming effect for the consumer. The drink uses only natural ingredients, has no aftertaste and contains supplements backed by research. The team chose Ashwagandha, L-Theanine and Lion’s Mane after thorough evaluation for calming and mood effects, safety, natural occurrence and taste profile. An at-home procedure extracted the supplements by dehydrating, pulverizing, soaking and boiling. The team tested the extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography to determine the efficiency of the extraction process and ensure a safe, effective and high-quality tincture.

Once the tincture was optimized, the team designed an industrial-sized, scaled-up processing plant based on experimental findings and Aspen simulations. The design was structured around parallel extraction lines. Each line’s product can be combined, carbonated and packaged for sale. The team optimized the design so that the active compounds could be effectively extracted while keeping the drink nonalcoholic. This portion of the project had additional profitability, scalability, and limited water and energy consumption criteria. The team also aimed to adhere to OSHA guidelines and produce a product that would be approved by the FDA.