Steviol glycoside compositions

Abstract

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

Claims

1. A steviol glycoside food additive composition comprising less than 95% major steviol glycosides and further comprising minor steviol glycosides, wherein the sum of the major steviol glycosides and the minor steviol glycosides is not less than 95% by concentration; wherein a) the major steviol glycosides consist of Reb A, Stevioside, Reb C, Reb F, Reb D, Rubusoside, Dulcoside A, Reb B and Steviolbioside, and the minor steviol glycosides consist of Reb M, Reb N, Reb O, Reb E, Stevioside A and Reb C2; or b) the major steviol glycosides consist of Reb D, Reb M, Reb A, Reb B, Reb C, Reb E, Reb F, Stevioside, Steviolbioside, Rubusoside, and Dulcoside A; and wherein the minor steviol glycosides consist of Reb O, Reb N, Reb J, Reb H and Reb K; and wherein the major steviol glycosides consist of 9 to 11 of the steviol glycosides and each minor steviol glycoside being present in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5% of the steviol glycoside food additive composition.

2. The steviol glycoside food additive composition of claim 1, comprising less than 75% major steviol glycosides.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows the generic structure of steviol glycosides;

(2) FIG. 2 shows trained sensory panel evaluation of 50% sugar reduced cola-flavored carbonated soft drink beverages; and

(3) FIG. 3 shows trained sensory panel evaluation of 50% sugar reduced sugar lemon-lime flavored carbonated soft drink beverages.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) The total steviol glycoside content of a steviol glycoside composition typically determines the efficacy and quality of the sweetness and flavor profile of the composition. Extracting steviol glycosides from stevia plants is a well-defined process, but refining the plant extracts down to certain TSG levels with selected steviol glycosides can be time consuming and costly.

(5) It was unexpectedly discovered that certain “upstream” intermediate compositions obtained during the extract concentration process have surprisingly desirable properties. In some instances, these intermediate compositions perform comparably to the more concentrated final products, even though the TSG content with major molecules is lower in these intermediate compositions than in the final products. Using these less purified stevia leaf extract provides a resourceful way to efficiently provide steviol glycoside ingredients having desired organoleptic properties.

(6) In one embodiment, a lower TSG composition with major Steviol glycosides was obtained from the stevia leaf extract in a process designed to obtain a high level of rebaudioside A and stevioside. Though the TSG of a PCRA50 sample with 9 steviol glycosides (as approved by JECFA) was less than 95%; additional analytical evaluation shows that several minor steviol glycosides (not approved by JECFA yet) are present in the complex mixture of the exact as shown in Table 2. Table 2 also lists a downstream, purified stevia extract product PCSG9 that has higher than 95% purity with 9 steviol glycosides.

(7) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Steviol Glycoside Composition Steviol Glycoside Test Composition Control Structure (PCRA50) (PCSG9) Major Approved Glycosides Reb A SvG4 57.88 58.90 Stevioside SvG3 25.77 29.86 Reb C SvR1G3 7.03 3.73 Reb F SvX1G3 1.41 0.76 Reb D SvG5 0.58 0.65 Rubusoside SvG2 0.44 0.13 Dulcoside A SvR1G2 0.40 0.13 Reb B SvG3 0.53 1.57 Steviolbioside SvG2 0.03 1.41 Total Steviol 94.07 97.14 Glycosides (TSG-9) Minor Glycosides Reb M SvG6 0.24 Reb N SvR1G5 0.21 Reb O SvR1G6 0.15 Reb E SvG4 0.13 Stevioside A SvG3 1.25 Reb C2 SvR1G3 0.34 Total Steviol 96.39 Glycosides (TSG-9 + Minor Glycosides)

Example 1: 50% Sugar Reduced Carbonated Soft Drinks

(8) A 50% sugar reduced cola-flavored carbonated soft drink beverage were prepared with 200 ppm of PCRA50. Another Cola sample with 200 ppm of PCSG9 was prepared as a control sample (Table 2). A trained sensory panel evaluated the beverage samples, and the results are shown in FIG. 2.

(9) A similar evaluation was done using a 50% reduced sugar lemon-lime flavored carbonated soft drink beverage containing 250 ppm of PCRA50 composition in Table 2. A comparative control beverage was prepared using 250 ppm of PCSG9. A trained sensory panel evaluated the beverage samples, and the results are shown in FIG. 3. Notably, in the lemon-lime beverage, the samples with minor glycosides outperformed the PCSG9 samples in bitter aftertaste, bitterness, and acidity.

(10) As can be seen from the data, even though the steviol glycoside composition had a reduced TSG content with 9 approved steviol glycosides, it performed comparably to, and in some cases better than, a higher TSG-containing composition across many taste and flavor attributes. This result is particularly surprising given the relatively low concentration of the minor steviol glycoside components.

(11) In another embodiment, a stevia leaf extract (PCA9) containing less than 95% TSG content with 11 recognized steviol glycosides (COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2016/1814) was compared with a more purified sample (PCRebDM) containing mainly Rebaudiosides D and M. PCA9 can be used as a source of purified Reb D and/or Reb M products. An exemplary steviol glycoside compositions according to this embodiment is described in Table 3. PCA9 contains several minor steviol glycosides in measurable quantities as outlined in Table 3.

(12) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Steviol Glycoside Composition Steviol Glycoside Control Test Composition Composition Structure (PCA9-29A) (PCRebDM) Steviol Glycosides (Major Steviol Glycosides) Reb D SvG5 67.5 69.1 Reb M SvG6 17.3 26 Reb A SvG4 2.94 0.55 Reb B SvG3 0.1 0.31 Reb C SvR1G3 0.03 0.1 Reb E SvG4 0.96 — Reb F SvX1G3 0.4 — Stevioside SvG3 0.16 0.2 Steviolbioside SvG2 — — Rubusoside SvG2 — — Dulcoside A SvR1G2 — — Total Steviol 89.39 96.26 Glycosides (TSG-11) Minor Steviol Glycosides Reb O SvR1G6 1.82 — Reb N SvR1G5 3.32 — Reb J SvR1G4 1.859 Reb H SvR1G4 0.18 Reb K SvR1G4 0.17 Total Steviol Glycosides 96.74 (TSG-11 + Minor Glycosides

Example 2: Acidified Water with Sugar and Steviol Glycoside Compositions

(13) To test the contribution of minor glycosides to the taste and flavor profile of acidified water, three acidified samples were prepared with 300 ppm of citric acid and sweetened with 5% sugar, 200 ppm of PCA9, or PCRebDM. The samples were served in 2 oz cup and tasted by 15 trained panel members to identify and quantify different sensory attributes on a predefined relative scale of measurements. The panel members were instructed to take a sip to rate the mouth feel and taste/flavor of the samples and 15 seconds after ingestion they rated the sweetness linger and the aftertaste.

(14) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 3 Acidified water 5 brix target - PCA9 vs PCRebDM Samples Summary of Mean-Scores, P-Values, and Significance 5% 200 ppm of 200 ppm of P- Attribute Sugar PCA9 PCRebDM Value Sig Sweetness 4.91 4.86 4.98 0.0997 b ab a Bitterness 0.75 0.98 1.23 0.0083 *** b b a Astringency 0.84 1.02 1.77 0.0035 *** c b a Acidity 0.99 1.41 1.99 0.0012 *** b b a Off-Note 0.52 0.61 1.13 0.0081 *** (Metallic/ Licorice) c b a Sweet Aftertaste 0.56 0.99 1.38 0.0046 *** Bitter Aftertaste 0.33 0.37 0.53 0.5487 NS a b b Overall Liking 4.96 4.53 4.46 0.1964 * * = 80% confidence interval, ** = 90% Confidence interval, *** = 95% Confidence interval

(15) The sensory panel found that PCA9 and PCRebDM were parity in sweetness with 5% sugar solution. However, The highly purified sample PCRebDM had significantly higher astringency, acid, off-notes, and sweet aftertaste compared to PCA9. The PCA9 sample was closer to sugar solution in several taste attributes as shown in Table 3. In conclusion, the PcRebDM is significantly different from PCA9 and sugar at a 95% Confidence level across key attributes. This result is unexpected due to the relatively low concentration of the minor steviol glycosides in the composition.

(16) As can be seen from the data, even though the steviol glycoside compositions of the invention have a reduced TSG content with major molecules approved as sweeteners, they performed comparably to, and in some cases better than, a higher TSG-containing composition across many taste and flavor attributes. In the embodiments described, the TSG content of the steviol glycoside ingredient can be from about 3% to about 7% less than the high TSG control ingredient, while providing similar or comparable sensory results. In other embodiments, the lower TSG content can be less than about 99% TSG, or between about 0.5% to about 75%, or 1% to about 50%, less than a high TSG ingredient, while providing similar or comparable sensory results for the finished product.

(17) In conclusion, the minor steviol glycosides as listed in Table 1 can contribute significant improvement in taste of steviol glycoside compositions with lower TSG made of 9 to 11 approved steviol glycosides as major sweetener compounds. Specifically, several minor compounds (Reb J, K, H, N, O, Stevioside A, Reb C2 and their isomers), with individual concentration ranging between 0.1% and 5% can contribute significantly to an improved taste and flavor profile in food and beverage applications. Given the low concentration of these minor steviol glycosides in the composition, their significant favorable impact on the taste and flavor profile was unexpected.

(18) It is to be understood that the foregoing descriptions and specific embodiments shown herein are merely illustrative of the best mode of the invention and the principles thereof, and that modifications and additions may be easily made by those skilled in the art without departing for the spirit and scope of the invention, which is therefore understood to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.