Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Noncarbohydrate sweetener or composition containing same
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-10
2004-08-31
Corbin, Arthur L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Noncarbohydrate sweetener or composition containing same
C426S590000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06783789
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to low-calorie beverage compositions comprising sucralose, acesulfame-K, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate. This invention also relates to methods of improving the taste attributes of low-calorie beverages by incorporating sucralose, acesulfame-K, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate therein.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, when sugar is replaced with artificial sweeteners in the formulation of low-calorie beverages, sweetness character and other taste attributes are significantly altered. Compared to sugar-sweetened beverages, low-calorie beverages are typically described as “thin in mouthfeel”, lacking “up-front sweetness” and exhibiting a “metallic, bitter, and lingering sweet aftertaste”. These attributes are often used to describe the “diet” taste profile of low-calorie beverages. Currently, no single artificial sweetener delivers the sensory properties of sugar.
It is known that low-calorie beverages containing blends of artificial sweeteners have less “diet” taste than those formulated with a single sweetener. While blending helps to improve the taste profile of artificial sweeteners, this alone is not sufficient to bridge the taste gap between low-calorie and full-calorie beverages.
German Patent DE 33 31 517 broadly relates to acesulfame-containing preparations with improved taste. While combination with other sweeteners is contemplated therein, the patent is directed to the use of acesulfame-K as the primary sweetener; there is no disclosure related to sucralose. The patent discloses the use of soluble salts of inorganic acids, including calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate, in combination with acesulfame-K compositions in order to make the “taste better” and to obtain products “superior in taste”. The patent also discloses the use of a mixture of salts of inorganic acids. The German patent enumerates a long list of possible additives for acesulfame-K compositions, giving no guidance with respect to what additives will work best or what effects can be achieved. The only calcium and potassium salts exemplified by the German patent are tricalcium phosphate and potassium polyphosphate, and those salts are not exemplified in combination with one another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to low-calorie compositions comprising sucralose and acesulfame-K sweeteners and calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate metal salts.
This invention is also directed to a method of improving the taste attributes of a low-calorie beverage by incorporating into the beverage a blend of sweeteners comprising sucralose and acesulfame-K and a blend of metal salts comprising calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
According to the present invention, a selected blend of metal salts modifies the overall sweetness, aftertaste duration, mouthfeel and sucrose-like quality of low-calorie beverages sweetened with a blend of sucralose and acesulfame-K. This taste modification brings the profile closer to the taste of a sugar-sweetened beverage and makes the blend of sucralose and acesulfame-K a potentially effective sweetener system for low-calorie beverages.
Three salts that individually improved the sweetness profile of a blend of sucralose and acesulfame-K were identified and subsequently blended for maximum synergy to optimize their effects. The mixture of salts having maximal positive impact on sweetness quality consists of calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate.
Without being bound to theory, divalent cations such as calcium are believed to influence sweetness receptors located on the tongue surface and subsequently the subcellular ion channels. Other salts such as potassium salts may bind onto the bitter receptors, thus promoting cleaner sweetness response.
Thus, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to low-calorie beverage compositions comprising sucralose and acesulfame-K sweeteners and calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate metal salts. As used herein, the term “low-calorie beverage composition” refers to cola, orange, lemon, lime, root beer and other flavored beverage compositions in which sugar has been partially or completely replaced with one or more artificial sweeteners.
Sucralose (1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside) is a known artificial sweetener. Sucralose suitable for use in the present invention may be obtained in any conventional manner.
Typically sucralose is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.01% to about 0.03% by weight, based on finished beverage weight (about 100 to 300 ppm).
Acesulfame-K (6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazine-4[3H]-one 2,2-dioxide potassium salt) is a known artificial sweetener, approximately 200 times as sweet as sucrose. Acesulfame-K suitable for use in the present invention may be obtained in any conventional manner.
Typically acesulfame-K is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.004% to about 0.008% by weight, based on finished beverage weight (about 40 to 80 ppm).
The metal salts calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate are well known in the art and may be obtained in any conventional manner for use in the present invention.
Typically calcium phosphate is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.004% to about 0.03% by weight, based on finished beverage weight (about 40 to 300 ppm), while calcium sulfate is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.0002% to about 0.004% by weight (about 2 to 40 ppm), based on finished beverage weight. Generally potassium sulfate is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.0002% to about 0.004% by weight (about 2 to 40 ppm), based on finished beverage weight.
The mixture of salts having maximal positive impact on sweetness quality consists of calcium phosphate (80%), calcium sulfate (10%) and potassium sulfate (10%). Such a blend provides improvement of overall sweetness, while reducing sweetness linger and increasing mouthfeel and sucrose quality.
When a blend of metal salts according to the present invention is used at 180+/−10 ppm in low-calorie beverage compositions containing blends of sucralose and acesulfame-K, the taste profile of the formulation is maximally positively impacted. Significantly higher use levels of the selected salts yield an undesirable salty taste, while significantly lower levels provide no significant taste modification benefit.
All of the above concentration ranges are based upon finished beverage weight. A finished beverage, according to the present invention, may comprise any conventional beverage ingredient, in addition to the sucralose, acesulfame-K and metal salt blend. Such beverage ingredients include, without limitation, flavors, acids, colors, water, buffers, and preservatives. Amounts of such ingredients will vary depending upon the type of beverage.
The present invention is also directed to a method of improving the taste attributes of a low-calorie beverage by incorporating into the beverage sucralose and acesulfame-K sweeteners and calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate metal salts. In particular, overall sweetness intensity is improved, aftertaste duration is decreased, mouthfeel is increased and sucrose quality is increased.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3934047 (1976-01-01), Schade
patent: 4927646 (1990-05-01), Jenner et al.
patent: 5114723 (1992-05-01), Stray-Gunderson
patent: 33 31 517 (1984-08-01), None
Amenedo Patricia
Curtiss Helen Graham
Mutilangi William
Corbin Arthur L.
Pepsico Inc.
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