SACCHARIDE COMPOSITIONS HAVING SUCROSE-LIKE CHARACTERISTICS AND RELATED METHODS

1 .- 123 . (canceled)

124 . A flavoring precursor composition comprising:

a) a first oligosaccharide;

b) a second oligosaccharide that is a different type of oligosaccharide to the first oligosaccharide; and

c) an acidity regulator;

wherein:

the first oligosaccharide and the second oligosaccharide of the flavoring precursor composition comprise a ratio of the second oligosaccharide to the first oligosaccharide of up to 90:10 w/w;

wherein a composition of 100 mg of the flavoring precursor added to 1 mL of water can attain a temperature greater than 120° C. (under atmospheric conditions), wherein at least 5% by weight of the added water remains in the composition at 120° C.;

the heating of the flavoring precursor produces a plurality of non-enzymatic oligosaccharide breakdown products comprising one or more compound(s) selected from the group consisting of ketones, esters, aldehydes, furans, pyrazines, and aromatic compounds; and

the first oligosaccharide and the second oligosaccharide are selected independently from one of the following types of oligosaccharide:

i. cello-oligosaccharides having a degree of polymerization (DP) of 2-6

ii. fructo-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

iii. mannan-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

iv. galacto-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

v. mixed-linkage glucan oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

vi. malto-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

vii. xylo-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

125 . The flavoring precursor composition of claim 124 , wherein upon heating to a temperature of 170° C. and maintaining the temperature for five minutes, a 100 mg/mL aqueous solution in total concentration prepared from the first oligosaccharide and the second oligosaccharide of the flavoring precursor composition has a background-subtracted absorbance (using water as a reference) at room temperature and 420 nm that is greater than a sucrose solution, of equivalent mass-concentration, treated in the same manner.

126 . The flavoring precursor composition of claim 124 , wherein upon heating an aqueous solution of the flavoring precursor to greater than or equal to 170° C., the relative amount of saccharides remaining in the flavoring precursor is at least 45% of the relative amount of saccharides in the flavoring precursor prior to heating.

127 . The flavoring precursor composition of claim 124 , wherein the flavoring precursor further comprises moisture and/or water.

128 . The flavoring precursor composition of claim 124 , wherein the first oligosaccharide is cello-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-6.

129 . The flavoring precursor of claim 124 , wherein the first oligosaccharide or the second oligosaccharide is selected from the following:

i) cello-oligosaccharide having a DP of 2-6

ii) fructo-oligosaccharide having a DP of 2-12

iii) xylo-oligosaccharide having a DP of 2-12

130 . The flavoring precursor composition of claim 128 , wherein the ratio of the first oligosaccharide to the second oligosaccharide is from 10:90 to 50:50 w/w.

131 . A cooked food product produced from a raw food product, the cooked food product comprising a flavoring component which comprises:

a plurality of non-enzymatic oligosaccharide breakdown products comprising one or more compound(s) selected from the group consisting of ketones, esters, aldehydes, furans, pyrazines, and aromatic compounds;

wherein the non-enzymatic oligosaccharide breakdown products were produced during cooking of the raw food product,

wherein the raw food product comprises a flavoring precursor composition, the flavoring precursor composition comprising:

a) a first oligosaccharide;

b) a second oligosaccharide, that is a different type of oligosaccharide to the first oligosaccharide;

c) an acidity regulator;

wherein:

the first oligosaccharide and the second oligosaccharide of the flavoring precursor composition comprise a ratio of the second oligosaccharide to the first oligosaccharide of up to 90:10 w/w;

a composition of 100 mg of the flavoring precursor added to 1 mL of water can attain a temperature greater than 120° C. (under atmospheric conditions), wherein at least 5% by weight of the added water remains in the composition at 120° C.; and

the first oligosaccharide and the second oligosaccharide are selected independently from one of the following types of oligosaccharide i-vii):

i. cello-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-6

ii. fructo-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

iii. mannan-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

iv. galacto-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

v. mixed-linkage glucan oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

vi. malto-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12

vii. xylo-oligosaccharides having a DP of 2-12.

132 . The cooked food product of claim 131 , wherein at least one of the plurality of non-enzymatic oligosaccharide breakdown products is present at a higher concentration than a cooked food product produced from a raw food product wherein the first oligosaccharide and the second oligosaccharide are substituted for sucrose.

133 . The cooked food product of claim 131 , wherein the flavoring precursor composition further comprises an amino acid, one or more lipids, or a combination thereof.

134 . The cooked food product of claim 131 , wherein the cooked food product is a baked good or a confectionary product.

135 . The cooked food product of claim 131 , wherein the raw food product and/or cooked food product comprises polysaccharides.

136 . The cooked food product of claim 135 , wherein the polysaccharides comprise cellulose.

137 . A method of making a cooked food the method comprising:

(a) providing a composition having a first pH, the composition comprising:

a first oligosaccharide; and

a second oligosaccharide that is a different oligosaccharide from the first oligosaccharide;

(b) adjusting, if necessary, the first pH of to be from 3 to 10; and

(c) heating the composition to greater than 100° C., wherein a flavoring component, comprising a plurality of non-enzymatic breakdown products, is produced;

wherein:

at least one of the plurality of non-enzymatic oligosaccharide breakdown products is present at a higher concentration than if the first oligosaccharide and the second oligosaccharide in the composition of a) are substituted for sucrose;

wherein an acidity regulator is provided during a) and/or b); and

a composition of 100 mg of the flavoring precursor added to 1 mL of water can attain a temperature greater than 120° C. (under atmospheric conditions), wherein at least 5% by weight of the added water remains in the composition at 120° C.

138 . The method of claim 137 , wherein (b) further comprises adjusting the pH of the composition to a second pH, the second pH being 4 to 7.

139 . The method of claim 137 , wherein (c) comprises heating the composition to at most 177° C.

140 . The method of claim 137 , further comprising: (d) maintaining the heat for a time period sufficient to achieve a predetermined sugar stage.

141 . The method of claim 140 , wherein (d) comprises heating the composition to from 110° C. to 112° C. such that the composition has a consistency of sucrose at a thread stage.

142 . The method of claim 140 , wherein (d) comprises heating the composition to from 112° C. to 116° C. such that the composition has a consistency of sucrose in a soft ball stage.

143 . The method of claim 140 , wherein (d) comprises heating the composition to from 118° C. to 120° C. such that the composition has a consistency of sucrose in a firm ball stage.

144 . The method of claim 140 , wherein (d) comprises heating the composition to from 121° C. to 130° C. such that the composition has a consistency of sucrose in a hard ball stage.

145 . The method of claim 140 , wherein (d) comprises heating the composition to from 133° C. to 143° C. such that the composition has a consistency of sucrose in a soft crack stage.

146 . The method of claim 140 , wherein (d) comprises heating the composition to from 146° C. to 154° C. such that the composition has a consistency of sucrose in a hard crack stage.