Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02872990 2014-11-27
SWEETENER COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING STE VIOL GLYCOSIDES AND NON-
STE VIOL SECONDARY SWEETENERS
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to natural sweetener compositions
comprising plant
glycosides.
Background of the Invention
In the food and beverage industry, there is a general preference for the
consumption of sweet
foods, and manufacturers and consumers commonly add sugar in the form of
sucrose (table
sugar), fructose or glucose to beverages, food, etc. to increase the sweet
quality of the beverage
or food item. Although most consumers enjoy the taste of sugar, sucrose,
fructose and glucose
are high calorie sweeteners. Many alternatives to these high calorie
sweeteners are artificial
sweeteners or sugar substitutes, which can be added as an ingredient in
various food items.
Common artificial sweeteners include saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose.
Unfortunately, these
artificial sweeteners have been associated with negative side effects.
Therefore, alternative,
natural non-caloric or low-caloric or reduced caloric sweeteners have been
receiving increasing
demand as alternatives to the artificial sweeteners and the high calorie
sweeteners comprising
sucrose, fructose and glucose. Like some of the artificial sweeteners, these
alternatives provide a
greater sweetening effect than comparable amounts of caloric sweeteners; thus,
smaller amounts
of these alternatives are required to achieve a sweetness comparable to that
of sugar. These
alternative, natural sweeteners, however, can be expensive to produce and/or
possess taste
characteristics different than sugar (such as sucrose), including, in some
instances, undesirable
taste characteristics such as sweetness linger, delayed sweetness onset,
negative mouth feels and
different taste profiles, such as off-tastes, including bitter, metallic,
cooling, astringent, licorice-
like tastes.
Steviol Glycosides are responsible for the sweet taste of the leaves of the
stevia plant (Stevia
rebaudiana Berton . These compounds range in sweetness from 40 to 300 times
sweeter than
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CA 02872990 2014-11-27
sucrose. They are heat-stable, pH-stable, and do not ferment'. They also do
not induce a
glycemic response when ingested, making them attractive as natural sweeteners
to diabetics and
others on carbohydrate-controlled diets.
The chemical structures of the diterpene glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana
Bertoni are presented in
Figure. 1. The physical and sensory properties are well studied generally only
for Stevioside
(STV) and Rebaudioside A. The sweetness potency of Stevioside is around 210
times higher
than sucrose, Rebaudioside A in between 200 and 400 times, and Rebaudioside C
and Dulcoside
A around 30 times. Rebaudioside A is considered to have most favorable sensory
attributes of
the four major Steviol Glycosides ( see Table 1):
TABLE
Optical
rotation
[a]z5o
(1120, Solubility Relative Quality of
Name Formula ' C. Weight 1%, w/v) in water. % sweetness taste
Steviol C20H3t,03 212-213 318.45 ND ND ND Very bitter
Steviolmonoside C26114001 ND 480.58 ND ND ND ND
Stevioside C3sH600, 196-198 804.813 -39.3 0.13 210
Bitter
Rebaudioside A C4,117 023 242-244 967.01 -20.8 0.80 200-
400 Less Bitter
Rebaudioside B C3sHoc,018 193-195 804.88 -45.4 0.10 150
Bitter
Rebaudiaside C C441470022 215-217 951.01 -29.9 0.21 30
Bitter
Rebaudioside D C01180028 248-249 1129.15 -29.5 1.00 220
Like sucrose
(ethanol)
Rebaudioside E C441(70 23 20 5-20 7 967.01 -34.2 1.70 170
Like sucrose
Rebaudioside F C4311022 ND 936.99 -25.5 ND
(methanol)
Dulcoside A C3,11600,7 193-195 788.87 -50.2 0.58 30
Very bitter
Steviolbioside C3,1130013 188-192 642.73 -34.5 0.03 90 Unpleasant
Rubusoside C32H300,3 ND 642.73 642.73 ND 110 Very bitter
Stevia rebaudiana, after extraction and refinement is extensively used in the
fields of foods,
beverages, alcoholic liquor preparation, medicines, cosmetics, etc. In recent
years, Stevia
rebaudiana glycosides as extracts of Stevia rebaudiana have been used even
more popularly as
natural sweeteners and attractive alternatives to artificial sweeteners. They
have become an
Brandle, Jim (2004-08-19). "FAQ - Stevia, Nature's Natural Low Calorie
Sweetener". Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada. Retrieved 2006-11-08.
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CA 02872990 2014-11-27
=
excellent sweetening option since their caloric value is extremely low and
they do not cause
adverse effects to dental patients and diabetic patients. The potential market
is huge.
A number of drug experiments show that the Steviol Glycosides are safe to eat
and have no toxic
and side effects and no carcinogenicity. In addition, is it recognized that
regular consumption of
Steviol Glycosides can prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart
disease and other
illnesses. Because of their incomparable superiority, Steviol Glycosides have
become the
substitute for the first generation source of sugar (sucrose) and the second-
generation source of
sweetener (artificial sweetener), and they have quickly gained a reputation as
the third generation
sweetener with both natural and healthy properties.
Stevia rebaudiana glycosides (note that the term is used interchangeably
herein with Steviol
Glycosides) mainly comprise the following nine components: Stevioside STV,
rebaudioside A
(RA), rubusoside, dulcoside A ( DA), rebaudioside C (RC), rebaudioside F (RF),
rebaudioside D
(RD), steviolbioside ( STB ) , and rebaudioside B (RB). RA is the commonly
used Steviol
Glycoside, which is the sweetest ingredient of the sweet Steviol Glycosides,
(about 300 times
sweeter than sucrose), however the extracted high-purity RA also has poor
taste and a relatively
heavy flavor of licorice, lingering bitterness and a sweet aftertaste, which
affects the promotion,
acceptance and use of Steviol Glycosides in foods and beverages.
The diterpene known as steviol is the aglycone of stevia's sweet glycosides,
which are
constructed by replacing steviol's carboxyl hydrogen atom with glucose to form
an ester, and
replacing the hydroxyl hydrogen with combinations of glucose and rhamnose to
form an ether.
The two primary compounds, stevioside and RA, use only glucose: Stevioside has
two linked
glucose molecules at the hydroxyl site, whereas RA has three, with the middle
glucose of the
triplet connected to the central steviol structure.
In terms of weight fraction, the four major Steviol Glycosides found in the
stevia plant tissue are:
= 5-10% stevioside (STV ) (250-300X of sugar)
= 2-12% RA¨ most sweet (350 150X of sugar) and least bitter
= 1-2% RC
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= 1/2-1% dulcoside A. ( DA )
Rebaudioside B, D, E and steviolbioside (STB) are known to be present in
minute quantities.
The tastes of these components are different from one another and can meet the
demands of
different consumer populations, for example, the consumers in the United
States of America and
Canada are fond of RA, whereas the consumers in Japan and Korea are fond of
STV.
Currently, the marketed Stevia rebaudiana glycoside products are mainly RA and
STV, and there
are still no products mainly containing RC, therefore, the methods for
extracting Stevia
rebaudiana glycoside also mainly focus on the purification and refinement of
RA and STV, to the
exclusion of other glycosides.
There are some very compelling reasons to customize the types and relative
amounts of
particular Steviol Glycosides in a sweetener composition by maximizing
extraction of one over
the other or by simply mixing selected, previously extracted and purified
Steviol Glycosides in
selected, relative ranges.
Commercial preparations of Steviol Glycosides such as Stevia Extract and RA
possess certain
drawbacks substantially limiting their usage in mainstream products. One of
these disadvantages
is "so-called" limited maximal response value. This is the maximal sweetness
in sugar
equivalents achievable by using a high intensity sweetener regardless how high
the concentration
of the sweetener is. For Steviol Glycosides this value is approx. 6-8%. This
means when used
"as-is" Steviol Glycosides cannot deliver sweetness feeling which is higher
than that of 6-8%
sucrose solution. Considering that majority of soft drinks contain 10-13%
sucrose the usage of
Steviol Glycosides for full sugar substitution is not possible.
It has to be noted that high intensity sweeteners' taste profile is highly
dependent on the
concentration and usually the higher the concentration the higher the
sensation of undesirable
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taste components such as bitterness, licorice, lingering aftertaste. This
phenomenon limits the
usage of Steviol Glycosides further to 4-5% sucrose equivalents in order to
achieve pleasant taste
of a food or beverage sweetened with stevia sweeteners. While in itself not a
sweetener, RC has
been trialed with nutritive sweeteners and shown to enable a 20 to 25 percent
reduction in
calories. In other words, RC delivers flavour and sweetness enhancing
properties and amplifies
the sweetening capability of other glycosides.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate some of the
above disadvantages.
Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sweetener composition,
comprising Steviol
Glycosides, which is customized (as to exact components and their relative
amounts) to achieve
maximal sweetening capacity and minimal negative effects, including aftertaste
and lingering
bitterness.
It is an object of the invention to make this sweetener composition by
maximizing extraction
from source of desired Steviol Glycosides or by simply mixing selected,
previously extracted and
purified Steviol Glycosides in the desired, optimized and selected, relative
concentration ranges
as described and claimed herein.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a sweetener composition
comprising Steviol
Glycoside Reb A, Steviol Glycoside Reb C, Steviol Glycoside Reb D, and at
least one other
secondary non-Steviol sweetener, in which Reb A has a mass percentage content
of from about
0.01 to about 30.0%, Reb C has a mass percentage content of from about 0.001
to about 10.0%,
and Reb D has a mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 10.0%,
and wherein
secondary non-Steviol sweetener has a mass percentage content of from about
50.0 to about
99.99%.
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The present invention further provides a sweetener composition comprising
Steviol Glycoside
Reb A, Steviol Glycoside Reb C, Steviol Glycoside Reb D, and erythritol, in
which Reb A has a
mass percentage content of from about 0.01 to about 30.0%, Reb C has a mass
percentage
content of from about 0.001 to about 10.0%, and Reb D has a mass percentage
content of from
about 0.001 to about 10.0%, and wherein erythritol has a mass percentage
content of from about
50.0 to about 99.99% and wherein an optimal quality percentage of Reb A is
from about 35.0 to
about 99.0%, an optimal quality percentage content of Reb C is from about 50.0
to about 99.0%
and an optimal quality percentage content of Reb D is from about 50.0 to about
99.0%.
The present invention further provides a sweetener composition comprising
Steviol Glycoside
Reb A, Steviol Glycoside Reb C, Steviol Glycoside Reb D, and sucrose, in which
Reb A has a
mass percentage content of from about 0.01 to about 30.0%, Reb C has a mass
percentage
content of from about 0.001 to about 10.0%, and Reb D has a mass percentage
content of from
about 0.001 to about 10.0%, and wherein sucrose has a mass percentage content
of from about
50.0 to about 99.99% and wherein an optimal quality percentage of Reb A is
from about 40.0 to
about 99.0%, an optimal quality percentage content of Reb C is from about 60.0
to about 99.0%
and an optimal quality percentage content of Reb D is from about 60.0 to about
99.0%.
These are zero-calorie sweetener products which can be formulated into zero-
calorie or low-
calorie products with round and full taste, similar to sucrose, and without
negative aftertastes, the
flavor of licorice and lingering bitterness. As such, these compositions can
be widely used in a
variety of foods and drinks.
The advantages of the these compositions are significant.
Brief Description of the Figures
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example
only, with
reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates the chemical structure of RC and RA;
Figure 2 illustrates the chemical structure of RD; and
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Figure 3 illustrates the chemical structure of erythritol;
Detailed Description of the Invention
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided
below along
with accompanying figures that illustrate the principles of the invention. The
invention is
described in connection with such embodiments, but the invention is not
limited to any
embodiment. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the
invention
encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Numerous
specific details
are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough
understanding of the
invention. These details are provided for the purpose of example and the
invention may be
practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific
details. For the purpose of
clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to
the invention has not
been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured.
Terms
The term "invention" and the like mean "the one or more inventions disclosed
in this
application", unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms "an aspect", "an embodiment", "embodiment", "embodiments", "the
embodiment",
"the embodiments", "one or more embodiments", "some embodiments", "certain
embodiments",
"one embodiment", "another embodiment" and the like mean "one or more (but not
all)
embodiments of the disclosed invention(s)", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
The term "variation" of an invention means an embodiment of the invention,
unless expressly
specified otherwise.
A reference to "another embodiment" or "another aspect" in describing an
embodiment does not
imply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with another
embodiment (e.g., an
embodiment described before the referenced embodiment), unless expressly
specified otherwise.
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The terms "including", "comprising" and variations thereof mean "including but
not limited to",
unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms "a", "an" and "the" mean "one or more", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
The term "plurality" means "two or more", unless expressly specified
otherwise.
The term "herein" means "in the present application, including anything which
may be
incorporated by reference", unless expressly specified otherwise.
The term "whereby" is used herein only to precede a clause or other set of
words that express
only the intended result, objective or consequence of something that is
previously and explicitly
recited. Thus, when the term "whereby" is used in a claim, the clause or other
words that the term
"whereby" modifies do not establish specific further limitations of the claim
or otherwise
restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.
The term "e.g." and like terms mean "for example", and thus does not limit the
term or phrase it
explains. For example, in a sentence "the computer sends data (e.g.,
instructions, a data structure)
over the Internet", the term "e.g." explains that "instructions" are an
example of "data" that the
computer may send over the Internet, and also explains that "a data structure"
is an example of
"data" that the computer may send over the Internet. However, both
"instructions" and "a data
structure" are merely examples of "data", and other things besides
"instructions" and "a data
structure" can be "data".
The term "respective" and like terms mean "taken individually". Thus if two or
more things have
"respective" characteristics, then each such thing has its own characteristic,
and these
characteristics can be different from each other but need not be. For example,
the phrase "each of
two machines has a respective function" means that the first such machine has
a function and the
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second such machine has a function as well. The function of the first machine
may or may not be
the same as the function of the second machine.
The term "i.e." and like terms mean "that is", and thus limits the term or
phrase it explains. For
example, in the sentence "the computer sends data (i.e., instructions) over
the Internet", the term
"i.e." explains that "instructions" are the "data" that the computer sends
over the Internet.
For clarity, it is to be noted that "Steviol Glycosides" have been referred to
as stevia, stevioside,
and stevia glycoside in the scientific literature. Generally, the term,
Steviol Glycosides has been
adopted for the family of steviol derivatives with sweetness properties that
are derived from the
stevia plant. More recently, the term, stevia, is used more narrowly to
describe the plant or crude
extracts of the plant, while stevioside is the common name for one of the
specific glycosides that
is extracted from stevia leaves. Stevioside is distinct from steviolbioside.
The term "process" may be used interchangeably with "method", as referring to
the steps of
purification described and claimed herein. The term Rebaudioside C may be used
interchangeably with RC (or Reb C). This applies to all of the various Steviol
Glycosides
wherein full names or abbreviations may be used interchangeably..
As used herein, the term "about" in connection with a measured quantity,
refers to the normal
variations in that measured quantity, as expected by a skilled artisan making
the measurement
and exercising a level of care commensurate with the objective of measurement.
Ranges in the
present application refer to from about to about Y. If such language is
missing, that is the
intended language and interpretation.
As used herein, the term dalton (Da or D) refers to an alternate name for the
unified atomic mass
unit (u or amu).
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Any given numerical range shall include whole and fractions of numbers within
the range. For
example, the range "1 to 10" shall be interpreted to specifically include
whole numbers between
1 and 10 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, . . . 9) and non-whole numbers (e.g. 1.1, 1.2, . .
. 1.9).
Where two or more terms or phrases are synonymous (e.g., because of an
explicit statement that
the terms or phrases are synonymous), instances of one such term/phrase does
not mean
instances of another such term/phrase must have a different meaning. For
example, where a
statement renders the meaning of "including" to be synonymous with "including
but not limited
to", the mere usage of the phrase "including but not limited to" does not mean
that the term
"including" means something other than "including but not limited to".
Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of the present
application) nor the
Abstract (set forth at the end of the present application) is to be taken as
limiting in any way as
the scope of the disclosed invention(s). An Abstract has been included in this
application merely
because an Abstract of not more than 150 words is required under 37 C.F.R.
Section 1.72(b).
The title of the present application and headings of sections provided in the
present application
are for convenience only, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure
in any way.
Numerous embodiments are described in the present application, and are
presented for
illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not, and are not
intended to be,
limiting in any sense. The presently disclosed invention(s) are widely
applicable to numerous
embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill
in the art will
recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced with various
modifications and
alterations, such as structural and logical modifications. Although particular
features of the
disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one or more
particular embodiments
and/or drawings, it should be understood that such features are not limited to
usage in the one or
more particular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they are
described, unless
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expressly specified otherwise.
No embodiment of method steps or product elements described in the present
application
constitutes the invention claimed herein, or is essential to the invention
claimed herein, or is
coextensive with the invention claimed herein, except where it is either
expressly stated to be so
in this specification or expressly recited in a claim.
Sweetener Composition
Within the scope of the invention, natural sweetener compositions are provided
which:
1) have a taste profile comparable to sugar, with no negative after-taste;
2) is not prohibitively expensive to produce; and
3) can be easily added, for example, to beverages and food products to satisfy
consumer demand
for a sweet taste without the calories.
There is provided herein a process to select particular Steviol Glycosides in
order to customize
these sweetening goals.
The genus Stevia consists of about 240 species of plants native to South
America, Central
America, and Mexico, with several species found as far north as Arizona, New
Mexico, and
Texas. They were first researched by Spanish botanist and physician Petrus
Jacobus Stevus
(Pedro Jaime Esteve), from whose surname originates the Latinized word stevia.
Steviol glycosides have highly effective sweet taste properties. In fact,
these compounds range
in sweetness up to 380 times sweeter than sucrose. They are safe, non-toxic
heat-stable, pH-
stable, and do not ferment making them very commercially workable in the
manufacture of foods
and beverages. Furthermore, they do not induce a glycemic response when
ingested (they have
zero calories, zero carbohydrates and a zero glycemic index), making them
extremely attractive
as natural sweeteners to diabetics, those on carbohydrate-controlled diets and
to anyone seeking
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healthy alternatives. The glycemic index, or GI, measures how fast a food will
raise blood
glucose level. Choosing foods that produce zero fluctuations in blood glucose
is an important
component for long-term health and reducing risk of heart disease and
diabetes. As such, use of
the natural sweetener compositions of the present invention has enormous
advantages over cane,
beet and other sugars.
During the extraction process, as increasing levels of purity of glycosides
are produced, the costs
associated with achieving such increasing levels of purity also increases.
Those skilled in the art
will understand that purifying steviol glycoside extracts to higher levels of
purity, especially
purity levels greater than 95%, can be very costly, which can be limiting on
the use of these
steviol glycosides in sweetener compositions. This is the problem addressed
herein with respect
to RC. It is possible to employ sweetening-type steviol glycosides, such as
Reb A, at lower
purities (and lower production costs), if pure and concentrated RC, prepared
in accordance with
the present invention is combined therewith as a sweetening "amplifier".
Typically, steviol glycosides are obtained by extracting leaves of Stevia
rebaudiana Bertoni with
hot water or alcohols (ethanol or methanol); the obtained extract is a dark
particulate solution
containing all the active principles plus leaf pigments, soluble
polysaccharides, and other
impurities. Some processes remove the "grease" from the leaves with solvents
such as
chloroform or hexane before extraction occurs. There are dozens of extraction
patents for the
isolation of steviol glycosides, such processes often being categorized the
extraction patents into
those based on solvent, solvent plus a decolorizing agent, adsorption and
column
chromatography, ion exchange resin, and selective precipitation of individual
glycosides.
Methods using ultrafiltration, metallic ions, supercritical fluid extraction
with CO2 and extract
clarification with zeolite are found within the body of more recent patents.
At the 68th Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives ("JECFA") meeting in
2007, steviol
glycosides were defined as the products obtained from the leaves of Stevia
rebaudiana Bertoni.
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As cited by JECFA, the typical manufacture starts with extracting leaves with
hot water and the
aqueous extract is passed through an adsorption resin to trap and concentrate
the component
steviol glycosides. The resin is washed with methanol to release the
glycosides and the product
is recrystallized with methanol. Ion-exchange resins may be used in the
purification process. The
final product is commonly spray-dried. Table 2 (at the conclusion of the
disclosure) provides a
product monograph of steviol glycosides, including chemical names, structures,
methods of
assay and sample chromatogram showing elution times of nine major glycosides
Components of the Sweetener Composition
The composition of the invention comprise: Rebaudioside A (RA), Rebaudioside C
(RC),
Rebaudioside D (RD), in select, preferred relative mass ranges and at least
one secondary non-
Steviol sweetening component.
Selecting blending ratios of each component is important. RA is a common
Steviol Glycoside,
but as noted above, while the sweetest, it suffers from a lingering bitterness
and has limited
response value. RC is actually not a sweetening agent per se but acts as an
amplifier for the
remaining components.
RD has been investigated for many years and in some products it has been found
to have lesser
sweetening properties than RA and in other products, such a soft drinks, it
has been found to
have a higher sweetening potential, perhaps even higher than RA. As such,
overall sweetening
properties are inconsistent.
What has been found herein is that the combination, in selected ratios
achieves the full
sweetening potential while minimizing all deleterious taste and organoleptic
effects.
Preferably, the secondary sweetening component is selected from the group
consisting of
sucrose, erythritol, fructose, glucose, maltose, lactose, corn syrup
(preferably high fructose),
xylitol, sorbitol, or other sugar alcohols, inulin, miraculin, monetin,
thaumatin and combinations
thereof, and also non-natural sweeteners such as aspartame, neotame,
saccharin, sucralose and
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combinations thereof, although such non-natural sweeteners are less preferred.
Such a natural
sweetener composition can easily be added to food products and beverages, or
can be used as a
table top sweetener. The natural sweetener enhancer compositions may be used
alone or in
combination with other secondary sweeteners, as described herein, and/or with
one or more
organic and amino acids, flavours and/or coloring agents.
Most preferably the secondary non-Steviol sweetening component is either
erythritol or sucrose
or a combination thereof.
Erythritol ((2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetraol) is a sugar alcohol (or polyol)
that has been approved
for use as a food additive in the United States and throughout much of the
world. As compared to
other sugar alcohols, erythritol appears quite different. To begin with, it
contains much fewer
calories:
= Table sugar: 4 calories per gram
= Xylitol: 2.4 calories per gram
= Erythritol: 0.24 calories per gram
With only 6% of the calories of sugar, it still has 70% of the sweetness. Due
to its unique
chemical structure, human bodies do not break it down and it travels largely
unchanged through
the digestive system, without causing any of the harmful metabolic effects of
excess sugar or the
digestive issues associated with other sugar alcohols. Despite long-term
feeding of high amounts
of erythritol, no negative effects have been discovered.2
Preferred Ranges
The present invention provides a sweetener composition comprising Steviol
Glycoside Reb A,
Steviol Glycoside Reb C, Steviol Glycoside Reb D, and at least one other
secondary non-Steviol
sweetener, in which Reb A has a mass percentage content of from about 0.01 to
about 30.0%,
Reb C has a mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 10.0%, and
Reb D has a mass
percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 10.0%, and wherein secondary
non-Steviol
sweetener has a mass percentage content of from about 50.0 to about 99.99%.
2
Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 1996 Oct;24(2 Pt 2):5264-79
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Preferably, an optimal quality percentage of Reb A is from about 35.0 to about
99.0%, an
optimal quality percentage content of Reb C is from about 50.0 to about 99.0%
and an optimal
quality percentage content of Reb D is from about 50.0 to about 99.0%.
More preferably, in one embodiment of the composition, the formulated relative
ratio is as
follows: the optimal mass percentage content of Reb A is from about 0.01 to
about 20.0%, the
optimal mass percentage content of Reb C is from about 0.001 to about 7.0%,
the optimal mass
percentage content of Reb D if from about 0.001 to about 8.0% and the optimal
mass percentage
content of secondary non-Steviol sweetener is from about 65.0 to about 99.99%.
Preferably, an optimal quality percentage of Reb A is from about 60.0 to about
99.0%; an
optimal quality percentage of Reb C is from about 75.0 to about 99.0% and an
optimal quality
percentage of Reb D is from about 75.0 to about 99.0%.
Another preferred formulated ratio: Reb A has the mass percentage content of
from about 0.01 to
about 10.0%, Reb C has the mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to
about 5.0%, Reb D
has the mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 5.0% and the
secondary non-
Steviol sweetener (preferably erythritol) has the mass percentage content of
from about 80.0 to
about 99.99%; and wherein the optimal quality percentage of Reb A is 60.0-
99.0%; the optimal
quality percentage of Reb C is 80.0-99.0% and the optimal quality percentage
of Reb D is
75.0-99.0%.
Within these above mass percentages and optimal qualities, it is preferred
that the secondary
non-Steviol sweetener is erythritol.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a sweetener composition
comprising Steviol
Glycoside Reb A, Steviol Glycoside Reb C, Steviol Glycoside Reb D, and wherein
secondary
non-Steviol sweetener is sucrose, in which Reb A has a mass percentage content
of from about
0.01 to about 30.0%, Reb C has a mass percentage content of from about 0.001
to about 10.0%,
and Reb D has a mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 10.0%,
and wherein
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sucrose has a mass percentage content of from about 50.0 to about 99.99% and
wherein an
optimal quality percentage of Reb A is from about 40.0 to about 99.0%, an
optimal quality
percentage content of Reb C is from about 60.0 to about 99.0% and an optimal
quality
percentage content of Reb D is from about 60.0 to about 99.0%.
Another preferred ratio: Reb A has the mass percentage content of from about
0.01 to about
20.0%, Reb C has the mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about
9.0%, Reb D has the
mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 6.0% and sucrose has the
mass percentage
content of from about 65.0 to about 99.99%; wherein an optimal quality
percentage of Reb A is
from about 40.0 to 99.0%; an optimal quality percentage of Reb C is from about
60.0 to about
99.0% and an optimal quality percentage of Reb D is from about 60.0 to about
99.0%.
Another preferred ratio: Reb A has the mass percentage content of from about
0.01 to about
5.0%, Reb C has the mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 1.0%,
Reb D has the
mass percentage content of from about 0.001 to about 1.0% and sucrose has the
mass percentage
content of from about 93.0 to about 99.99%; wherein the an optimal quality
percentage of Reb
A is from about 60.0 to about 99.0%; an optimal quality percentage of Reb C is
from about 80.0
to about 99.0% and an optimal quality percentage of Reb D is from about 75.0
to about 99.0%.
Compared with the existing technologies, this invention formulated with the
sweetest
ingredients, i.e. RA, and the sweetness enhancer without sweetness, i.e. RC,
and other sweet raw
materials to increase the product's sweetness, in addition, RD is a kind of
Steviol Glycoside with
taste different from Reb A, Reb C and other Steviol Glycosides, which tastes
round and full,
similar to sucrose, and has no sweet aftertaste, flavor of licorice and
lingering bitterness,
extremely suitable for formulating with Reb A and Reb C to effectively make up
the deficiency
of Steviol Glycosides in taste and to meet the needs of sweetness.
Uses of the Sweetener Compositions
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In one aspect, the sweetener compositions of the present invention may be used
in the
preparation of various food products, beverages, medicinal formulations,
chemical industrial
products, among others. Exemplary applications/uses for the sweetener
compositions include,
but are not limited to: (a) food products, including canned food, preserved
fruits, pre-prepared
foods, soups, (b) beverages, including coffee, cocoa, juice, carbonated
drinks, sour milk
beverages, yogurt beverages, meal replacement beverages, and alcoholic drinks,
such as brandy,
whisky, vodka and wine; (c) grain-based goods--for example, bread and pastas,
cookies, pastries,
whether these goods are cooked, baked or otherwise processed; (d) fat-based
products--such as
margarines, spreads (dairy and non-dairy), peanut butter, peanut spreads, and
mayonnaise; (d)
Confectioneries--such as chocolate, candies, toffee, chewing gum, desserts,
non-dairy toppings
(for example Cool Whip ), sorbets, dairy and non-dairy shakes, icings and
other fillings, (e)
drug and medicinal formulations, particularly in coatings and flavourings; (f)
cosmetics and
health applications, such as for sweetening toothpaste; and (g) seasonings for
various food
products, such as soy sauce, soy sauce powder, soy paste, soy paste powder,
catsup, marinade,
steak sauce, dressings, mayonnaise, vinegar, powdered vinegar, frozen-
desserts, meat products,
fish-meat products, potato salad, bottled and canned foods, fruit and
vegetables.
The natural sweetener compositions of the present invention may be formulated
into premixes
and sachets. Such premixes may then be added to a wide variety of foods,
beverages and
nutraceuticals. The purified natural sweetener compositions may, in one
preferred form, be table
top sweeteners.
Formulating the mixture of Reb A, Reb C and Reb D with erythritol or sucrose
respectively
offers a zero-calorie or low-calorie sweet product that can be widely used in
a variety of foods
and drinks, for example: baked goods, jams, pickles, carbonated drinks and
fruit drinks, etc., and
it may also determine use of zero-calorie or low-calorie sweetener according
to the
characteristics of the target product.
The following examples illustrate preferred embodiments of the present
invention.
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EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 1: Zero-calorie sweetener formulating ratio: Reb A (0.01-10.0) %, Reb
C
(0.001-5.0)%, Reb D (0.001-5.0)%, erythritol (80.0-99.99)%; wherein the mass
percentage
content of Reb A is 60.0-99.0%, the mass percentage content of Reb C is 80.0-
99.0%, and the
mass percentage content of Reb D is 75.0-99.0%.
Embodiment 1
Steviol RA85 RC85 RD90 Erythritol Formulating Effect
Glycosides
(%) 5.0 0.02 0.5 94.48 Equivalent to 10 times that
of
sucrose, almost no calories, sweet
and mellow taste close to sucrose
Performance parameters:
(kj/g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
High-fructose corn syrup 1.0 16.67
Zero-calorie sweetener 10.0 1.57
Embodiment 2
Steviol RA97 RC85 RD95 Erythritol
Formulating Effect
Glycoside
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(%) 0.5 0.05 0.05 99.4 Equivalent to 2 times that
of
sucrose, almost no calories, sweet
and mellow taste close to sucrose.
Performance parameters:
(kj/g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
High-fructose corn syrup 1.0 16.67
Zero-calorie sweetener 2.0 1.66
Embodiment 3
Steviol RA90 RC85 RD90 Erythritol Formulating Effect
Glycoside
(%) 0.5 0.05 0.05 99.4 Equivalent to 1.5 times that
of
sucrose, almost no calories, sweet
and mellow taste close to sucrose.
Performance parameters:
(kj/g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
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Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
High-fructose corn syrup 1.0 16.67
Zero-calorie sweetener 1.5 1.66
Embodiment 4
Steviol RA95 RC80 RD90 Erythritol
Formulating Effect
Glycoside
(%) 0.5 0.05 0.05 99.4 Equivalent to 2 times that of
sucrose, almost no calories, sweet
and mellow taste close to sucrose.
Performance parameters:
(kj /g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
High-fructose corn syrup 1.0 16.67
Zero-calorie sweetener 2.0 1.66
EXAMPLE 2. Low-calorie sweetener formulating ratio: Reb A (0.01-5.0) %, Reb C
(0.001-1.0)%, Reb D (0.001-1.0)%, sucrose (93.0-99.99)%, wherein the mass
percentage
content of Reb A is 60.0,-99.0%; the mass percentage content of Reb C is 80.0-
99.0%; the mass
percentage content of Reb D is 75.0-99.0%.
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Embodiment 1
Steviol RA97 RC85 RD95 Sucrose Formulating
Effect
Glycoside
0.5 0.01 0.052 99.438 Equivalent to 2.5 times that
of sucrose, 60% reduction in
calories at the same
sweetness, sweet and mellow
taste close to sucrose.
Performance parameters:
(kj/g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
1.0 16.67
High-fructose corn syrup
16.58, 60% reduction in
Low-calorie sweetener 2.5 calories at the same
sweetness
Embodiment 2
Steviol RA95 RC80 RD95 Sucrose Formulating
Effect
Glycoside
0.35 0.01 0.1 99.54 Equivalent to 2 times that of
sucrose, 50% reduction in
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calories at the same
sweetness, sweet and mellow
taste close to sucrose.
Performance parameters:
(kj/g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
High-fructose corn syrup 1.0 16.67
16.59, 50% reduction in
Low-calorie sweetener 2.0 calories at the same
sweetness
Embodiment 3
Steviol RA90 RC80 RD90 Sucrose Formulating Effect
Glycoside
1.0 0.02 0.25 98.73
Equivalent to 4 times that of
sucrose, on 25% calories of
sucrose. at the same
sweetness, taste relatively
close to sucrose.
Performance parameters:
(kj/g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
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Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
High-fructose corn syrup 1.0 16.67
16.46, 25% reduction in
Low-calorie sweetener 4.0 calories at the same
sweetness
Steviol RA85 RC85 RD90 Sucrose Formulating Effect
Glycoside
5.0 0.02 0.5 94.48 Equivalent to 10 times that
of
sucrose, only 10% calories of
white sugar, sweet and
mellow taste close to sucrose.
Performance parameters:
(kj/g)
Sweetness factor
Energy value (kj/g)
Sucrose 1.0 16.67
Crystalline Fructose 1.5 15.5
Glucose 0.67 17.1
Maltose 0.4 13.84
High-fructose corn syrup 1.0 16.67
16.46, only 10% calories of
Low-calorie sweetener 10.0
sucrose at the same sweetness
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The above-described embodiments are only the preferred ones of this invention,
and are not
intended to limit this invention, any modification, equivalent replacement or
improvement, etc.
of which within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included
in the protection of
this invention.
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