Stevia extracts with selected major steviol glycosides (Reb A, stevioside, Reb D, Reb C) and minor steviol glycosides and glycosylated diterpene derivative plant molecules, derived from Stevia rebaudiana plant are found to improve the perception of flavor and taste perception, which includes the sweet, savory and salty perception in a wide range of food and beverage applications.

A process for isolating a taste-modifier component useful for food, beverage, nutraceutical, or pharmaceutical applications is disclosed. A pulverized fruit- or vegetable-based feedstock is combined with a natural, edible solvent to produce a heterogeneous mixture. A liquid phase isolated from this mixture is contacted with an acidic ion-exchange resin to sequester a basic taste-modifier component. The resin is then treated with a dilute aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide to elute the taste-modifier component. The taste-modifier component, which is further activated by mild heating, is combined with vitamins, flavors, and other food additives and is incorporated into aqueous, oil-based, or powder-based taste-modifier compositions that have improved efficacy compared with previously known taste-modifiers.

The present invention describes a process for modifying sweetness, liquorice, astringency, powdery/chalk, fulness, thickness and/or digestibility and/or protease inhibitory activity of a protein comprising food.

The invention proposes a solution to the problem of develop a chocolate confection that has ingredients with clinical effects, the full chocolate flavor, and minimizes or eliminates glucose increase upon consumption of a small or modest amount of the confection. The proposed solution is to use a combination of unsweetened baking chocolate, glycerin, and Readisorb® liposomally formulated glutathione available from Your Energy Systems, LLC, Palo Alto, Calif. One solution is to mix unsweetened powdered baking chocolate into Readisorb® liposomally formulated glutathione which is formulated in glycerin. The addition of stevia and a bitter blocker is also contemplated.

The present invention relates to high intensity sweetener glycosides which have been modified using a glycosyltransferase so as to reduce off-flavours. The invention also relates to uses of the modified high intensity sweetener glycosides and methods of production thereof.

The present disclosure provides novel sweetener compositions comprising a compound having a structure according to Formula I: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are described herein. Also provided are methods of modulating sweetness profile of a product by adding a compound of Formula I to the product, such as a beverage product or a food product. For example, the compound described herein can be added to increase the overall sweetness of a nutritive sweetener sweetened beverages; decrease the sweetness time-of-onset for high potency sweeteners such as rebaudioside A; decreasing bitter, metallic and licorice off-notes of high potency sweeteners; and improve the sweet quality of sweetened products.

The present invention relates to the production of eriodictyol via bioconversion.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to sweetener and/or umami compositions, methods of making same, products comprising same, and methods of improving mouthfeel in a product, e.g., a savory or umami food or beverage. In various aspects, the disclosed compositions comprise a sweetening agent and/or an umami agent and a taste modulator component. In various aspects, the disclosed sweetener compositions comprise a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component. In further aspects, the disclosed savory compositions comprise an umami agent and a taste modulator component. In further aspects, the disclosed taste modulator composition can further comprise an additional CaSR modulator. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A method of improving taste and/or off-taste of a food, beverage, confection, or concentrate composition includes a step of providing a food, beverage, confection, or concentrate composition that includes two or more of: a sour additive; a bitter additive; and a sweetener. The method also includes a step of adding 1,3-propanediol to the food, beverage, confection, or concentrate composition to form a tasteful composition, whereby said tasteful composition has improved taste and/or off-taste as compared to a food, beverage, confection, or concentrate composition that does not include 1,3-propanediol.

A novel yeast extract having from 25 to 55 wt % 5-ribonucleotides, including 5 to 20 wt % adenosine 5-monophosphate (5-AMP) and 5 to 20 wt % guanosine 5-monophosphate (5-GMP) in a 5-AMP/5-GMP ratio ranging from 0.85 to 1.25, the weight percentages being expressed in relation to the dry weight of the yeast extract. Also a process of using such an extract for the masking of bitter and sour tastes and of undesirable sweetener, protein and metallic notes in a product.