U.S. patent number 4,176,201 [Application Number 05/854,604] was granted by the patent office on 1979-11-27 for sweetening composition.
This patent grant is currently assigned to MacAndrews and Forbes Company. Invention is credited to Marvin K. Cook.
United States Patent |
4,176,201 |
Cook |
November 27, 1979 |
Sweetening composition
Abstract
A sweetening composition consisting essentially of lactose or
sorbitol, potassium bitartrate, ammoniated glycyrrhizin and a
5'-nucleotide.
Inventors: |
Cook; Marvin K. (Port
Charlotte, FL) |
Assignee: |
MacAndrews and Forbes Company
(Camden, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
25319138 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/854,604 |
Filed: |
November 25, 1977 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/548; 426/558;
426/602; 426/804; 426/565; 426/658 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23L
27/23 (20160801); A23G 3/42 (20130101); A23G
9/32 (20130101); A23L 27/34 (20160801); A23G
3/38 (20130101); A23G 9/34 (20130101); A23L
27/30 (20160801); A21D 2/08 (20130101); A23L
27/60 (20160801); A23G 9/32 (20130101); A23G
2200/06 (20130101); Y10S 426/804 (20130101); A23G
2200/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A23G
9/32 (20060101); A23L 1/236 (20060101); A21D
2/08 (20060101); A21D 2/00 (20060101); A23G
3/00 (20060101); A23L 1/24 (20060101); A23L
1/226 (20060101); A23L 1/229 (20060101); A23L
001/236 () |
Field of
Search: |
;426/548,658,804,558,565,602 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jones; Raymond N.
Assistant Examiner: Kepplinger; Esther M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Howson and Howson
Claims
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
1. A sweetening composition consisting essentially of about 85% to
about 95% sorbitol, about 2.5% to about 7.5% potassium bitartrate,
about 2.5% to about 7.5% ammoniated glycyrrhizin and about 0.025%
to about 0.075% of a 5'-nucleotide, said percentages being by
weight, based on the weight of the composition.
2. The sweetening composition of claim 1 consisting essentially of
about 89.5% sorbitol, about 5% potassium bitartrate, about 5%
ammoniated glycyrrhizin and about 0.05% of a 5'-nucleotide.
3. A food product containing the sweetening agent of claim 1 in an
amount sufficient to sweeten.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Efforts to develop low calorie sweeteners which will eliminate or
substantially reduce the amount of sugar (sucrose) used in foods,
beverages and confections continue as limitations on use of
synthetic sweeteners are imposed by the Food and Drug
Administration. Most recently, the severe limitations suggested on
use of saccharin has intensified the search for new low calorie
sweeteners.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,073 describes sweetening compositions
comprising ammoniated glycyrrhizin and an amount of a 5'-nucleotide
sufficient to repress the licorice flavor of ammoniated
glycyrrhizin. The sweetening compositions described in this patent
have met with commercial acceptance, and further development work
has led to the compositions of this invention .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, there is provided a novel sweetening
composition consisting essentially of about 85% to about 95% of a
member selected from the group consisting essentially of lactose
and sorbitol, about 2.5% to about 7.5% potassium bitartrate, about
2.5% to about 7.5% ammoniated glycyrrhizin and from about 0.025% to
about 0.075% of a 5'-nucleotide, said percentages being by weight,
based on the weight of the composition.
Ammoniated glycyrrhizin is derived from licorice root, and is
obtained by ammoniation of glycyrrhizic acid to replace one or more
of the three acid hydrogen atoms with ammonium. Therefore, the term
"ammoniated glycyrrhizin" includes a mono-ammoniated product, a
di-ammoniated product, and, theoretically, includes a
tri-ammoniated product, although there is some indication that the
tri-ammoniated salt may not actually be produced. As used in the
present specification and claims, the term ammoniated glycyrrhizin
is meant to include mono-ammoniated, di-ammoniated and
tri-ammoniated glycyrrhizin as well as mixtures thereof.
Ammoniated glycyrrhizin has a sweetness value about 50 times that
of sucrose, and is presently the only manufactured flavorant which
is on the FDA list of natural flavorants generally recognized as
safe. Ammoniated glycyrrhizin has the characteristic licorice
flavor, and because of this flavor, ammoniated glycyrrhizin has not
been used alone as a sweetening agent except in some
licorice-flavored confections, since the amount required for
sweetening also imparts the characteristic licorice flavor. Fully
ammoniated glycyrrhizin is completely soluble in hot and cold
water. On the other hand, mono-ammoniated glycyrrhizin is only
sparingly soluble in cold water, i.e. 0.1% at 20.degree. C., and
not much more soluble in hot water. The poor solubility of
mono-ammoniated glycyrrhizin has served to limit use of this
compound as a low calorie sweetener.
It has now been determined that combining ammoniated glycyrrhizin
with an essentially equivalent amount, by weight, of cream of
tartar and a small but effective amount of a 5'-nucleotide and
lactose or sorbitol provides a sweetening composition which can be
used in place of sucrose and other sugars in food products such as
cakes, pies and confections. The sweetening composition is low in
calories, is quite soluble in water and water base liquids, and
does not possess any objectionable flavor or aftertaste
characteristic of most artificial sweeteners.
Cream of tartar, also known as potassium bitartrate, is a readily
available commodity and there are no special attributes this
material must have so long as it is of food grade quality.
The 5'-nucleotides which may be used in this invention include both
naturally occurring and synthetic types, provided they are
palatable. Thus, useful 5'-nucleotides include 5'-inosinic acid,
5'-guanylic acid and the sodium salts of such acids. Suitable
synthetic 5'-nucleotides are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,206.
The term "5'-nucleotide" as used in this invention includes any
physiologically acceptable and edible nucleotide as well as edible
salts thereof. A preferred 5'-nucleotide comprises a mixture of the
disodium salts of 5'-inosinic and of 5'-guanylic acid.
Lactose, or milk sugar, is a sugar characterized by good water
solubility and poor sweetness properties. In terms of relative
sweetness, lactose ranks among the lowest of the sugars. In
addition to lactose, sorbitol, a nonnutritive polyol sweetener may
be used in the sweetening compositions of this invention. Sorbitol,
like lactose, has low sweetening properties, and is used in the
same proportion as lactose in the sweetening compositions of this
invention. As the result of the present invention, there is
provided a sweetening composition which has the water solubility of
lactose or sorbitol and the sweetening characteristics of
ammoniated glycyrrhizin without the licorice flavor usually
associated with ammoniated glycyrrhizin.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the sweetening
composition consists essentially of about 89.5% lactose or
sorbitol, about 5% potassium bitartrate, about 5% ammoniated
glycyrrhizin, and about 0.05% of a 5'-nucleotide.
The following examples are provided to further illustrate the
invention:
EXAMPLE 1
Sweetener Composition A
89.95 parts of lactose, 5 parts of potassium bitartrate, 5 parts of
mono-ammoniated glycyrrhizin and 0.05 parts of a 5'-nucleotide were
thoroughly mixed to provide a uniform mixture.
Sweetener Composition B
89.95 parts of sorbitol, 5 parts of potassium bitartrate, 5 parts
of mono-ammoniated glycyrrhizin and 0.05 parts of a 5'-nucleotide
were thoroughly mixed to provide a uniform mixture.
0.25 g. of Sweetener Composition A or B will sweeten beverages such
as 8 oz. of hot coffee or tea without causing any bitter or
licorice aftertaste. The sweetness level obtained is more intense
than that achieved with two level teaspoons of sucrose in 8 oz. of
hot coffee or tea and somewhat less sweet than that obtained when
40 mg. of saccharin is used to sweeten 8 oz. of hot coffee or tea
initially. However, after sipping beverages sweetened with
sweetener composition A or B, the well known cumulative effect of
the sweeteners, renders the level of sweetness comparable to that
of saccharin.
EXAMPLE II
Chocolate Cookies
0.25 lbs. of sweetener composition A (Example I), 3 lb. shortening,
0.75 lbs. dutched cocoa (10-12% butterfat), 3-5 lbs. flour, 0.5 lb.
whole milk powder, 1 lb. whole eggs, liquid, 2 oz. vanilla extract,
single-fold, 0.5 oz. baking powder and 0.5 g. water were mixed to
form a cookie batter. The cookies were baked at 425.degree. F. and
were adequately sweet without bitter or licorice aftertaste and had
excellent chocolate flavor.
Ice Cream
40 lb. of 35% cream, 15 lb. 70% sorbitol solution, 7 lb. sodium
caseinate, 0.2 lb. carboxy methyl cellulose, 0.5 lb. sweetener
Composition A (Example I), 37.3 lb. water and flavorant sufficient
to provide desired flavor were mixed and frozen into a diabetic ice
cream. The ice cream has 620 calories per unit and a sweetness
comparable to ice cream frozen from a like mixture in which 0.25
lb. saccharin was used in place of sweetener Composition A.
EXAMPLE III
An imitation low-calorie maple flavored syrup was prepared from the
following recipe.
0.1 g. Imitation Maple flavor
0.8 g. Kelcoloid HV
1.0 g. Sweetener Composition A (Example I)
0.1 g. Salt
0.1 g. Sodium benzoate
0.1 g. Potassium sorbate
0.25 g. Caramel color
0.025 g. Citric acid
97.25 g. Water
The syrup had a maple flavor and no licorice flavor usually
associated with ammoniated glycyrrhizin.
A low calorie mayonnaise free of licorice flavor was prepared from
the following recipe.
1.5 g. Gum tragacanth
3.5 g. Corn starch
0.5 g. Agar powder
9.0 g. Vinegar
12.0 g. Vegetable oil
0.2 g. Onion powder
0.1 g. Garlic powder
0.5 g. Lemon juice
2.0 G. Sweetener Composition A (Example I)
0.1 g. Potassium sorbate
0.1 g. Sodium benzoate
69.9 g. Water
8.5 Certified color
* * * * *