Isolated taste-modifier and method of making same
A process for isolating a taste-modifier component useful for food, beverage, nutraceutical, or pharmaceutical applications is shown. 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.
1. A process for isolating a taste-modifier component useful for food, beverage, nutraceutical, or pharmaceutical applications, comprising:
(a) combining a pulverized vegetable-based feedstock with a natural, edible solvent to produce a heterogeneous mixture, the vegetable being selected from the group consisting of, cucumber, squash, zucchini, cabbage, peanuts, asparagus, soy, chives, and collard greens;
(b) isolating a liquid phase from the mixture in step (a);
(c) contacting the liquid phase from step (b) with an acidic ion-exchange resin to sequester a basic taste-modifier component from the liquid phase; and
(d) treating the ion-exchange resin with a dilute solution of an alkali metal hydroxide to elute the taste-modifier component.
2. The process of claim 1 wherin the vegetable is a cucumber.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the natural, edible solvent is selected from the group consisting of water, ethanol, acetic acid, glycerin, and mixtures thereof.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the heterogeneous mixture from step (a) or the liquid phase from step (b) is chilled at a temperature within the range of 0° C. to 10° C. for 4 to 96 hours.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid phase from step (b) is isolated by decantation, filtration, centrifugation, or a combination thereof prior to contacting it with the ion-exchange resin in step (c), wherein the ion-exchange resin is a sulfonic acid resin.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the taste-modifier component is, in any desired order, diluted with water, heated at a temperature within the range of 50° C. to 120° C., and combined with a vitamin, a flavor, or another food additive to produce an aqueous taste-modifier composition.
7. The process of claim 6 wherein the aqueous taste-modifier composition is pasteurized.
8. The process of claim 6 wherein the aqueous taste-modifier composition contains 0.5 to 50 wt. % of the taste-modifier component.
9. The process of claim 1 wherein the taste-modifier component is concentrated to remove some or all of the water, and the resulting concentrate is combined with an edible oil and a vitamin, a flavor, or another food additive to produce an oil-based taste-modifier composition.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein the taste-modifier component is concentrated to remove some or all of the water, the resulting concentrate is combined with a food- or beverage-grade emulsifier to form an emulsion, and the emulsion is spray dried to produce a powder-based taste-modifier composition.
11. The process of claim 10 wherein the emulsion or the powder-based taste-modifier composition is combined with a vitamin, a flavor, or another food additive.
12. The process of claim 10 wherein the emulsion is spray dried in two or more stages at a temperature within the range of 80° C. to 220° C.
13. A taste-modifier component made by the process of claim 1 .
14. An aqueous taste-modifier composition made by the process of claim 6 .
15. An oil-based taste-modifier composition made by the process of claim 9 .
16. A powder-based taste-modifier composition made by the process of claim 10 .
17. A food or beverage product, a nutraceutical product, or a pharmaceutical product comprising the aqueous taste-modifier composition of claim 14 .
18. A food or beverage product, a nutraceutical product, or a pharmaceutical product comprising the oil-based taste-modifier composition of claim 15 .
19. A food or beverage product, a nutraceutical product, or a pharmaceutical product comprising the powder-based taste modifier composition of claim 16 .