Composition Comprising Glucosylated Steviol Glycosides

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a composition comprising a mixture of steviol glycosides comprising at least one glucosylated steviol glycoside, and a natural masking agent, said natural masking agent being obtainable from carob and/or a citrus fruit; a flavor modifier, flavor enhancer or sweetness enhancer comprising said composition; the use of said composition and a method of making the composition.

Claims

1. A composition comprising: a) a mixture of steviol glycosides comprising at least one glucosylated steviol glycoside, and b) a natural masking agent, said natural masking agent being obtainable from carob and/or a citrus fruit by a process comprising the steps of: i) obtaining an aqueous extract from carob and/or an aqueous extract from a citrus fruit; ii) fractionating the product of step i) to obtain a first fraction comprising polysaccharides, polyols, proteins, free amino acids, fibers, fats and polyphenols; a second fraction of ionized molecules comprising minerals and organic acids; and a third fraction comprising monosaccharides and disaccharides; and iii) mixing the first fraction and the second fraction.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein component a) comprises 10 to 20% by weight of stevioside, 5 to 15% by weight of Rebaudioside A and at least 50% by weight of glucosylated steviol glycosides, based on the total weight of component a).

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the natural masking agent comprises 4.5 to 6.9% by weight of protein, 6.2 to 9.6% by weight of free amino acids, 32 to 37% by weight of fiber, 37 to 45% by weight of minerals, 2.4 to 3.1% by weight of organic acids and 1.9 to 2.3% by weight of polyphenols.

4. The composition of claims 1, wherein the glucosylated steviol glycoside contains at least 50% by weight of mono- and diglucosylated steviol glycosides based on the total weight of the glucosylated steviol glycosides.

5. The composition of claims 1, wherein the glucosylated steviol glycoside comprises at least one glucose unit at position C-19 of the steviol glycoside.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the citrus fruit is orange, tangerine, grapefruit, clementine, lemon or lime or mixtures thereof.

7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the citrus fruit is orange.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the ratio of component a) to natural component b) is from 10:1 to 1:1.

9. Flavor modifier, flavor enhancer or sweetness enhancer comprising the composition of claim 1.

10. Foodstuff, comprising the flavor modifier, flavor enhancer or sweetness enhancer of claim 9.

11. A method to modify, enhance, or sweeten a foodstuff comprising adding the composition of claims 1 to said foodstuff.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the concentration of the composition in the foodstuff is below sweetness detection level.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the foodstuff is a beverage, confectionery, a bakery product, a dairy product, ice cream or chocolate.

14. Method of preparing the composition of claim 1 comprising the steps of: i) intermolecular transglucosylating at least one steviol glycoside to obtain a mixture of steviol glycosides comprising at least one glucosylated steviol glycoside; ii) obtaining an aqueous extract from carob and/or an aqueous extract from a citrus fruit; iii) fractionating the product of step ii) to obtain a first fraction comprising polysaccharides, polyols, proteins, free amino acids, fibers, fats and polyphenols; a second fraction of ionized molecules comprising minerals and organic acids; and a third fraction comprising monosaccharides and disaccharides; iv) mixing the first fraction and the second fraction; and v) mixing the glucosylated steviol glycoside of step i) and the mixture of step iv).

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the glucosylated steviol glycoside obtained in step i) contains at least 50% by weight of mono- and diglucosylated steviol glycosides based on the total weight of the glucosylated steviol glycosides.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

Taste Comparison in Orange Lemonade

[0093] Commercial glucosyl stevia extract was provided by Sunwin Stevia international. According to the specification, the extract contains >95% by weight of steviol glycosides, based on the total weight of the extract, of which >65% by weight are glucosylated. Analytical investigation showed that more than 50% by weight of the glucosylated fraction contains less than 3 additional glucose units resulting from the glucosylation process. 50.9 g of this glucosylated stevia product was dry mixed with 6 g of a masking agent which was produced as follows:

[0094] 1000 kg of carob pulp were extracted by water-diffusion with 3000 l of water (50° C.) to yield an aqueous extract of carob having 17° Brix. This extract was decanted and centrifuged in a decanter centrifuge and pasteurized. Finally the extract was clarified by means of ultrafiltration in order to give a clear carob extract having 15-16° Brix.

[0095] 1000 kg of orange pulp were subjected to a milling and grinding step and subsequently extracted by mixing with 2500 l of water. This mixture was pressed to yield an extract of orange pulp having 4° Brix which was decanted and centrifuged in a decanter centrifuge and pasteurized. Finally the extract was clarified by means of ultrafiltration in order to give a clear orange extract having 3° Brix. This extract was concentrated on a plate heat exchanger under vacuum to 65° Brix.

[0096] The clear carob extract and the clear orange extract concentrate were mixed in a ratio of 60% by weight of clear carob extract and 40% by weight of clear orange extract concentrate and had 36-37° Brix.

[0097] This mixture was heated to 55° C. and subsequently fractionated by applying the mixture on a column filled with the cation exchange resin Diaion UBK 555® (Resindion). The column had a diameter of 0.9 m and a height of 8 m resulting in a resin bed a volume of approximately 4500 l.

[0098] The first collected fraction had a dark and intensive brownish-reddish color and 0.5-1.5° Brix.

[0099] Reverse osmosis water was entered into the system as eluent and subsequently a second fraction was collected. This second fraction was colorless and had 4-6° Brix.

[0100] The first and second fraction were mixed and concentrated on a plate heat exchanger under vacuum to about 20° Brix. L-ascorbic acid was added to the mixture to give a final concentration of 0.7 g/l. Arabic gum was added to the mixture to be present in a concentration of 35% by weight, based on the total amount of solids.

[0101] The concentrated mixture was subsequently spray dried at a temperature of about 95° C. to yield a natural masking agent having the following characteristics:

[0102] Constituents based on the extract of carob and orange in powder form: about 5.5% by weight proteins, about 7.9% by weight free amino acids, about 35% by weight fibers, about 41% by weight minerals, about 2.8% by weight organic acids, <0.1% by weight fats, about 2.1% by weight polyphenols and about 5,6% water.

[0103] Content of Arabic gum based on total amount of solids: about 35% by weight.

[0104] The moisture was <10% by weight.

[0105] The pH (solution in water with 1% w/v) was about 6.5.

[0106] The total acidity was <400 mEq/kg.

[0107] The specific gravity was about 0.5 g/ml.

[0108] The mixture of glucosylated steviol glycoside and masking agent was added to a commercial orange lemonade in a concentration 56.9 mg/L and compared with the same lemonade were only 50.9 mg/L of the glucosylated steviol glycoside compound without the masking agent was added.

[0109] Both lemonades were compared by a panel of trained experts (N=5). In a descriptive forced-choice test it was found that the lemonade containing the mixture of glucosylated stevia and masking agent was generally favored. The reason was that it had an all-over more intense orange taste and a more rounded sweetness compared to the lemonade that contained only glucosyl stevia as a flavor modifier.

Example 2

Taste Comparison in Strawberry Yoghurt

[0110] The mixture of glucosylated steviol glycoside and masking agent described in Example 1 was added to a commercial strawberry flavored yoghurt in a concentration 56.9 mg/L and compared with the same yoghurt were only 50.9 mg/L of the glucosylated steviol glycoside compound without the masking agent was added.

[0111] A sensory evaluation according to Example 1 showed that the yoghurt containing the mixture of glucosylated stevia and masking agent was generally preferred and had a more intense strawberry taste and a more rounded sweetness compared to the yoghurt that contained only glucosyl stevia.

Example 3

Taste Comparison in Lemonade with Reduced Calories

[0112] The mixture of glucosylated steviol glycoside and masking agent described in Example 1 was added to a commercial calorie reduced lemonade (Libella Apple-cherry partly sweetened with stevia) in a concentration 56.9 mg/L and compared with the same Lemonade were only 50.9 mg/L of the glucosylated steviol glycoside compound without the masking agent was added.

[0113] A sensory evaluation according to example 1 showed that the calorie reduced lemonade containing the mixture of glucosylated stevia and masking agent had a more intense fruit flavor and a more rounded sweet taste compared to the calorie reduced lemonade that contained only glucosyl stevia as flavor modifier and was thus generally preferred.