Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series – Organic compounds – Carbohydrates or derivatives
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-31
2004-06-15
Barts, Samuel (Department: 1623)
Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series
Organic compounds
Carbohydrates or derivatives
C536S123100, C536S004100, C424S464000, C424S465000, C424S466000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06750331
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an oligosaccharide-supplying composition, more specifically to an oligosaccharide-supplying composition with a high oligosaccharide content, which has improved textureand high stability and is in the form of foaming chewable tablets.
2. Background Art
Oligosaccharides are known to have low digestability, usually reaching the large intestine in an undigested state and are utilized by enterobacteria. It is also known that oligosaccharides balance the intestinal environment and are especially effective in increasing
Lactobacillus bifidus
levels. The minimum required intake of oligosaccharides to achieve these effects is usually about 0.7 to 10 g per day, although it may slightly vary depending on the type of oligosaccharide.
Most oligosaccharides are amorphous and are mixtures of a plurality of carbohydrates. Therefore, the moisture absorption of oligosaccharides is about several times higher than that of sugar. Thus it is also known that compositions with higher oligosaccharide content have poor texture and lower stability.
Commercially available oligosaccharides are generally in the form of powders of syrups. Oligosaccharides are rarely taken in these commercially available forms and usually made into suitable preparations such as powders, tablets (chewables), etc. Such preparations of oligosaccharides, however, have the drawback of sticking to teeth during ingestion. Another disadvantage is that such preparations of oligosaccharides form a solid lump comparatively rapidly because of their high hygroscopicity. In view of texture and stability, most preparations containing oligosaccharides have been formed into beverages free of the above problems.
Thus, known oligosaccharide-containing preparations are usually unsuitable for ingestion or administration in an amount sufficient to produce their intrinsic effect of balancing the intestinal environment. Further improvement is still needed with respect to the form of preparation, texture, stability and ease of ingestion and administration.
DISCLOSURE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved oligosaccharide-supplying preparation that can replace conventional oligosaccharide-containing preparations, is highly advantageous in use, has a uniform dispersion of components in preparation, excellent texture and high stability and can be easily taken.
The inventors carried out intensive research to achieve the above object and found the following: foaming chewable tablets of the preparation easily disintegrate and is highly soluble in the mouth during ingestion or administration, so that sticking to teeth during chewing of the preparation can be prevented, thus providing an improved oligosaccharide-supplying preparation free of reduced texture and allowing one to enjoy its taste by licking or chewing it without needing water. The present invention was accomplished based on this finding.
The present invention provides an oligosaccharide-supplying composition comprising 10 to 80% by weight of oligosaccharide, 0.3 to 10% by weight of a foaming component and 0.9 to 30% by weight of a neutralizing component, and being in the form of foaming chewable tablets.
The present invention provides the above oligosaccharide-supplying composition further comprising 0.1 to 5 wt. % of potassium carbonate as stabilizer; the above composition further comprising 5 to 20 wt. % of water-insoluble dietary fiber; the above composition wherein the oligosaccharide is lactosucrose; the above composition having an oligosaccharide content of 30 to 75 wt. %; the above composition wherein the oligosaccharide is at least one member selected from the group consisting of lactosucrose, palatinose oligosaccharide, isomaltooligosaccharide, xylooligosaccharide, fructooligosaccharide, lactulose, galactooligosaccharide, gentiooligosaccharide, chitin oligosaccharide, soybean oligosaccharide, panose, cellooligosaccharide, pectin oligosaccharide, inulooligosaccharide, levanoligosaccharide, mannooligosaccharide, chitooligosaccharide and coupling sugar; the above composition wherein the oligosaccharide is at least one member selected from the group consisting of lactosucrose, palatinose oligosaccharide, isomaltooligosaccharide, xylooligosaccharide, fructooligosaccharide, lactulose, galactooligosaccharide and soybean oligosaccharide; the above composition wherein the oligosaccharide is lactosucrose; the above composition wherein the foaming component is at least one member selected from the group consisting of sodium hydrogencarbonate, sodium carbonate and calcium carbonate; the above composition wherein the neutralizing component is at least one member selected from the group consisting of citric acid, L-tartaric acid, L-ascorbic acid and DL-malic acid; the above composition wherein the neutralizing component is at least one member selected from the group consisting of L-ascorbic acid and anhydrous citric acid; the above composition wherein the water-insoluble dietary fiber is at least one member selected from the group consisting of crystalline cellulose, wheat bran, oat bran, cone fiber, soy fiber and beet fiber; and the above composition wherein the water-insoluble dietary fiber is crystalline cellulose.
Foaming chewable tablets of the composition of the present invention disintegrate and dissolve at a moderate rate in the mouth to thereby prevent binding due to the hygroscopic property intrinsic to oligosaccharides, i.e., sticking to teeth in the mouth, thus allowing one to enjoy its taste by licking or chewing it without water and concurrently realizing sufficient supply and absorption of oligosaccharides in the body through the ingestion.
The composition of the invention further containing the specified amount of potassium carbonate as a stabilizer can prevent an unnecessary reaction between the neutralizer and the foaming agent (caused by the presence of water) before ingestion of the composition and can ensure a sufficient foaming reaction during ingestion. That is, potassium carbonate acts as a desiccant.
The composition of the invention further containing the specified amount of water-insoluble dietary fiber has the advantage that even a considerable increase of oligosaccharide content does not adversely affect its texture and stability in a significant manner.
The composition of the invention additionally containing a sucrose fatty acid ester, powder sugar, fruit juice powder and flavoring material achieves further improved shape retention of tablets and better taste.
It is essential to use oligosaccharide in the present invention. Preferably used are oligosaccharides that increase bifidobacteria levels. Usable oligosaccharides, however, are not limited thereto and all oligosaccharides can be used that are hygroscopic and have the problem that preparations containing them stick to teeth, etc. The term “oligosaccharides that increase bifidobacteria levels” herein used is defined as those that are essential and important nutrient (sugar source) for intestinal growth of
Lactobacillus bifidus
and consist of 2 to 10 monosaccharides which are substantially undigested with human digestive enzymes and not absorbed by human or utilized by enterobacteria other than
Lactobacillus bifidus
(i.e., which are selectively utilized by
Lactobacillus bifidus
). A variety of known oligosaccharides may be used in the present invention. Specific examples include lactosucrose, palatinose oligosaccharide, isomaltooligosaccharide, xylooligosaccharide, fructooligosaccharide, lactulose, galactooligosaccharide, gentiooligosaccharide, chitin oligosaccharide, soybean oligosaccharide, panose, cellooligosaccharide, pectin oligosaccharide, inulooligosaccharide, levanoligosaccharide, mannooligosaccharide, chitooligosaccharide, coupling sugar and the like. Preferable among them are lactosucrose, palatinose oligosaccharide, isomaltooligosaccharide, xylooligosaccharide, fructooligosaccharide, lactulose, galactooligosaccharide and soybean oligosaccharide. Especially preferred is lactosucrose. These oligosaccharide
Kishimoto Takuya
Matsumoto Toshiaki
Okamoto Toshihiko
Takaichi Akihisa
Barts Samuel
Henry Michael C.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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