Provided herein are natural sweetener combinations for use in the manufacture of ingestible products, typically foods and beverages, wherein the natural sweetener combinations comprise or consist of two or more of a stevia extract, a sugar alcohol and monk fruit extract. Also provided are ingestible products, typically foods and beverages, containing said natural sweetener combinations.

Provided herein are natural sweetener combinations for use in the manufacture of ingestible products, typically foods and beverages, wherein the natural sweetener combinations comprise or consist of two or more of a stevia extract, a sugar alcohol and monk fruit extract. Also provided are ingestible products, typically foods and beverages, containing said natural sweetener combinations.

The present invention provides: a novel beverage having foam retentivity; and a method for improving foam retentivity. The present invention provides a beverage containing rebaudioside D and a compound represented by formula (1)(in the formula, R.sub.1 represents Xyl(1-2)Glc1-, and R.sub.2 represents Glc(1-2)[Glc(1-3)]Glc1-, Glc represents glucose, and Xyl represents xylose), wherein the sum of the content of rebaudioside D and the compound represented by formula (1) is 30-600 ppm, and the content of the compound represented by formula (1) in terms of mass is 0.5-95% of the aforementioned sum.

##STR00001##

The present invention provides: a novel beverage having foam retentivity; and a method for improving foam retentivity. The present invention provides a beverage containing rebaudioside D and a compound represented by formula (1)(in the formula, R.sub.1 represents Xyl(1-2)Glc1-, and R.sub.2 represents Glc(1-2)[Glc(1-3)]Glc1-, Glc represents glucose, and Xyl represents xylose), wherein the sum of the content of rebaudioside D and the compound represented by formula (1) is 30-600 ppm, and the content of the compound represented by formula (1) in terms of mass is 0.5-95% of the aforementioned sum.

##STR00001##

A method for forming encapsulated sweetener granules (ESGs) may include heating a first mixture to form a molten mixture, the first mixture includes one or more polyols and one or more hydrocolloids; cooling the molten mixture to a first temperature to form a cooled molten mixture; adding one or more high-intensity sweeteners to the cooled molten mixture to form a second mixture; cooling the second mixture to a second temperature to form one or more sheets, the second temperature being different from the first temperature; and fragmenting the one or more sheets to form a plurality of encapsulated sweetener granules. The first temperature may be between about 120° C. and about 200° C. The second temperature may be below a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of the one or more polyols and the one or more hydrocolloids. For example, the second temperature may be between about 65° C. and about 200° C.

A method for forming encapsulated sweetener granules (ESGs) may include heating a first mixture to form a molten mixture, the first mixture includes one or more polyols and one or more hydrocolloids; cooling the molten mixture to a first temperature to form a cooled molten mixture; adding one or more high-intensity sweeteners to the cooled molten mixture to form a second mixture; cooling the second mixture to a second temperature to form one or more sheets, the second temperature being different from the first temperature; and fragmenting the one or more sheets to form a plurality of encapsulated sweetener granules. The first temperature may be between about 120° C. and about 200° C. The second temperature may be below a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of the one or more polyols and the one or more hydrocolloids. For example, the second temperature may be between about 65° C. and about 200° C.

Steviol glycosides compositions are prepared from Stevia rebaudiana extracts. The compositions are able to provide a superior taste profile and can be used as sweeteners, sweetness enhancers, flavors, and flavor enhancers in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Steviol glycoside compositions having improved sweetness and flavor profiles are described.

The present disclosure relates a polypeptide having UGT activity, which polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence which, when aligned with a polypeptide having UGT activity comprising the sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 2, comprises at least one substitution of an amino acid corresponding to any of amino acids at positions 35, 189, 280, 284, 285, 334 or 373, said positions being defined with reference to SEQ ID NO: 2 and wherein the polypeptide has one or more modified properties as compared with a reference polypeptide having UGT activity. A polypeptide according to the disclosure may be used in a recombinant cell for the production of steviol or a steviol glycoside.

There are proposed substance mixtures comprising (a) 20 to 80% by weight of monocyclic terpenes and (b) 80 to 20% by weight of active substances selected from the group consisting of rebaudiosides or plant extracts comprising them, steviosides or plant extracts comprising them, naringin dihydrochalcone, mogrosides or plant extracts comprising them, rubusosides or plant extracts comprising them.