Various ingredients and compositions are prepared from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant. The compositions can be used as bulking agents, and sweeteners in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Various ingredients and compositions are prepared from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant. The compositions can be used as bulking agents, and sweeteners in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

A method for making highly soluble Stevia sweetener compositions is described. The resulting sweetener compositions readily provide high concentration solutions, and also possess superior taste qualities. The compositions can be used as sweeteners, sweetness enhancers, and flavor enhancers in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

A method for making highly soluble Stevia sweetener compositions is described. The resulting sweetener compositions readily provide high concentration solutions, and also possess superior taste qualities. The compositions can be used as sweeteners, sweetness enhancers, and flavor enhancers in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

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.

An enhanced sweetener made from granules of a carrier, such as sucrose, embedded with molecules of a high potency sweetener, such as stevia extract. The process for making the enhanced sweetener involves dissolving the high potency sweetener in warmed water and mixing the resulting solution with the heated carrier. The resulting slurry is then dried, optionally under reduced pressure. The apparatus for producing the enhanced sweetener includes one or more heated agitators connected to a heated, airtight blender, which can be evacuated with a vacuum pump. The result is an enhanced sweetener with a homogenous distribution of high potency ingredients that retains the functionalities of sugar necessary for food preparation, improves the spreading of the sweetness throughout the food, and reduces aftertastes. Other high potency ingredients and carriers may also be used in the process.

The invention relates to a sweetener composition, in particular having a reduced physiological calorific value (energy content), preferably for sweetening food, wherein the sweetener composition contains a combination of at least one sweetener and at least one water-soluble, bulk substance, and to the use of said sweetener composition.

The disclosure provides a composition including a filler, a lipid having a melting point of about 29° C. or above, water, and a flavoring agent or an active ingredient or both a flavoring agent and an active ingredient, which is optionally substantially free of isomalt and substantially free of tobacco material, excluding any nicotine component present, based on the total weight of the composition. The disclosure also provides compositions including a filler, a lipid having a melting point of about 29° C. or above, water in an amount of at least about 15% by weight, based on total weight of the composition, and a flavoring agent or an active ingredient or both a flavoring agent and an active ingredient.

Some embodiments comprise dietary supplements for treating or preventing traveler's diarrhea comprising: (a) about 1000 mg green tea extract comprising at least 90% (w/w) catechins; (b) about 4 g partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG); (c) about 100 mg L-theanine; and (d) about 5 g non-sugar sweetener, wherein the sweetener does not contain a polyol. Some embodiments comprise dietary supplement for treating or preventing traveler's diarrhea comprising: (a) from about 250 mg to about 1,500 mg green tea extract comprising at least 90% (w/w) catechins; (b) from about 1 g to about 8 g partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG); and (c) from about 15 mg to about 250 mg L-theanine. Some embodiments comprise methods for treating or preventing traveler's diarrhea, the method comprising: administering to a subject in need therefore a dietary supplement comprising (a) from about 250 mg to about 1,500 mg green tea extract comprising at least 90% (w/w) catechins; (b) from about 1 g to about 8 g partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG); and (c) from about 15 mg to about 250 mg L-theanine.

A sweetening composition comprising sucralose and a purified extract of stevia.