IP Library Granted Patent US 11,985,994
Granted Patent B2
US 11,985,994 · App. 17/455,284 · Granted May 21, 2024

Sweetener and flavor compositions, methods of making and methods of use thereof

Inventors: Jingang Shi (Beijing, CN); Hansheng Wang (Beijing, CN); Xin Shi (Beijing, CN); Yi Wang (Beijing, CN); Wei Lyu (Beijing, CN); Yingxiang Xin (Beijing, CN); Thomas Eidenberger (Wels, AT); Weiyao Shi (Bethlehem, PA)
Assignee: EPC NATURAL PRODUCTS CO., LTD
A23L2/60A21D2/181A21D2/245A21D2/26A23C9/1307A23C9/1526A23C9/156A23F5/465A23L2/02A23L2/38A23L2/54A23L2/56A23L2/66A23L27/11A23L27/215A23L27/31A23L27/33A23L27/34A23L27/36A23L27/88A23L33/105A23L33/125A23L33/145A23L33/175A23L33/18A23F3/405A23G3/36A23L2/58A23V2002/00A23V2250/262A23V2250/266A23V2250/54A23V2250/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,985,994
App. No.
17/455,284
Granted
May 21, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Sweetener and flavor compositions with improved taste profiles are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making and methods of using such sweetener and flavor compositions.

Claims (46)

1. A composition, comprising:

(A) a Maillard reaction product (MRP), wherein the MRP is produced by heating a reaction mixture comprising:

(1) one or more high intensity natural sweeteners;

(2) one or more amine donors comprising a free amino group; and

(3) a juice, juice concentrate or dry fruit extract; and

(B) one or more high intensity sweeteners,

wherein (1) and (2) undergo a Maillard reaction,

wherein the addition of the MRP improves a taste of the composition, and

wherein the taste improvement is in terms of bitterness, sweetness onset, aftertaste, and sweetness linger that are associated with the one or more high intensity sweeteners.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the MRP is present in the composition at a concentration in the range of 1-15,000 ppm.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the MRP is present in the composition in an amount in the range of 0.0001-99 wt % of the composition.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein component (A) and component (B) are present in the composition at an A:B weight ratio in the range of 0.01:1 to 2:1.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more amine donors comprise thaumatin and an amino acid.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more high intensity sweeteners in component (B) comprise a high intensity natural sweetener selected from the group consisting of Stevia extracts, glycosylated Stevia extracts, steviol glycosides, glycosylated steviol glycosides, sweet tea extracts, glycosylated sweet tea extracts, sweet tea glycosides, glycosylated sweet tea glycosides, swingle extracts, glycosylated swingle extracts, mogrosides, glycosylated mogrosides, rubusosides, glycosylated rubusosides, suaviosides, and glycosylated suaviosides.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more high intensity sweeteners in component (B) comprise a high intensity synthetic sweetener selected from the group consisting of sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), neotame, saccharin, glycyrrhizin, sodium cyclamate, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC), mabinlin, naringin dihydrochalcone, and advantame.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a food product.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a beverage or dairy product.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a sweetener or flavor.

11. A method for improving a taste or mouth feel of a composition, comprising:

adding to the composition the composition of claim 1 .

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more high intensity natural sweeteners in the reaction mixture are selected from the group consisting of Stevia extracts, glycosylated Stevia extracts, steviol glycosides, glycosylated steviol glycosides, sweet tea extracts, glycosylated sweet tea extracts, sweet tea glycosides, glycosylated sweet tea glycosides, swingle extracts, glycosylated swingle extracts, mogrosides, glycosylated mogrosides, rubusosides, glycosylated rubusosides, suaviosides, and glycosylated suaviosides.

13. The composition of claim 1 , comprising a juice or a juice concentrate selected from the group consisting of apple juice, peach juice, apricot juice, grape juice, pear juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, tangerine juice, citrus juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, watermelon juice, pineapple juice, mango juice, berry juice and concentrates thereof.

14. The composition of claim 1 , comprising a dry fruit extract selected from the group consisting of dry apple extract, dry peach extract, dry apricot extract, dry grape extract, dry pear extract, dry cranberry extract, dry orange extract, dry tangerine extract, dry citrus extract, dry grapefruit extract, dry lime extract, dry watermelon extract, dry pineapple extract, dry mango extract, and dry berry extract.

15. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more spices.

16. The composition of claim 15 , wherein the one or more spices are selected from the group consisting of chili, pepper, basil, cinnamon, ginger, bay leaves, paprika, thyme, garlic, oregano, onion, rosemary, nutmeg, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, curry, mustard, cardamom, cumin and extracts thereof.

17. A composition, comprising:

(A) a Maillard reaction product (MRP), wherein the MRP is produced by heating a reaction mixture comprising:

(1) one or more high intensity natural sweeteners;

(2) one or more amine donors comprising a free amino group; and

(B) one or more high intensity sweeteners;

(C) one or more fruit juices, juices concentrates and/or dry fruit extracts,

wherein (1) and (2) undergo a Maillard reaction,

wherein the addition of the MRP improves a taste of the composition, and

wherein the taste improvement is in terms of bitterness, sweetness onset, aftertaste, and sweetness linger that are associated with the one or more high intensity sweeteners.

18. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the MRP is present in the composition at a concentration in the range of 1-15,000 ppm.

19. The composition of claim 17 , wherein component (A) and component (B) are present in the composition at an A:B weight ratio in the range of 0.01:1 to 2:1.

20. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the one or more amine donors comprise thaumatin and an amino acid.

21. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the one or more high intensity sweeteners in component (B) comprise a high intensity natural sweetener selected from the group consisting of Stevia extracts, glycosylated Stevia extracts, steviol glycosides, glycosylated steviol glycosides, sweet tea extracts, glycosylated sweet tea extracts, sweet tea glycosides, glycosylated sweet tea glycosides, swingle extracts, glycosylated swingle extracts, mogrosides, glycosylated mogrosides, rubusosides, glycosylated rubusosides, suaviosides, and glycosylated suaviosides.

22. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the one or more high intensity sweeteners in component (B) comprise a high intensity synthetic sweetener selected from the group consisting of sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), neotame, saccharin, glycyrrhizin, sodium cyclamate, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC), mabinlin, naringin dihydrochalcone, and advantame.

23. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the composition is a food product.

24. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the composition is a beverage or dairy product.

25. The composition of claim 17 , wherein the one or more high intensity natural sweeteners in the reaction mixture are selected from the group consisting of Stevia extracts, glycosylated Stevia extracts, steviol glycosides, glycosylated steviol glycosides, sweet tea extracts, glycosylated sweet tea extracts, sweet tea glycosides, glycosylated sweet tea glycosides, swingle extracts, glycosylated swingle extracts, mogrosides, glycosylated mogrosides, rubusosides, glycosylated rubusosides, suaviosides, and glycosylated suaviosides.

26. The composition of claim 17 , comprising a juice or juice concentrate selected from the group consisting of apple juice, peach juice, apricot juice, grape juice, pear juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, tangerine juice, citrus juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, watermelon juice, pineapple juice, mango juice, berry juice and concentrates thereof.

27. The composition of claim 17 , comprising a dry fruit extract selected from the group consisting of dry apple extract, dry peach extract, dry apricot extract, dry grape extract, dry pear extract, dry cranberry extract, dry orange extract, dry tangerine extract, dry citrus extract, dry grapefruit extract, dry lime extract, dry watermelon extract, dry pineapple extract, dry mango extract, and dry berry extract.

28. The composition of claim 17 , further comprising one or more spices.

29. The composition of claim 28 , wherein the one or more spices are selected from the group consisting of chili, pepper, basil, cinnamon, ginger, bay leaves, paprika, thyme, garlic, oregano, onion, rosemary, nutmeg, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, curry, mustard, cardamom, cumin and extracts thereof.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2026
From: EPC NATURAL PRODUCTS CO., LTD.
To: EPC NEXTASTE PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 075717/0201 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2023
From: SHI, WEIYAO
To: EPC NATURAL PRODUCTS CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 062639/0212 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2022
From: SHI, JINGANG; WANG, HANSHENG; SHI, XIN; WANG, YI; LYU, WEI; XIN, YINGXIANG; EIDENBERGER, THOMAS; SHI, WEIYAO
To: EPC NATURAL PRODUCTS CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 060592/0078 →
Continuity (9)
Continuation 16402999 · May 3, 2019
Provisional Application 62841858 · May 2, 2019
Provisional Application 62819980 · Mar 18, 2019
Provisional Application 62775983 · Dec 6, 2018
Provisional Application 62771485 · Nov 26, 2018
Provisional Application 62744755 · Oct 12, 2018
Provisional Application 62696481 · Jul 11, 2018
Provisional Application 62668580 · May 8, 2018
Related Publication 20230060800A1 · Mar 2, 2023