U.S. patent application number 10/807067 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-29 for sugar substitute prepared with nutritive and high-intensity sweeteners.
Invention is credited to Vazirani, Roma.
Application Number | 20050214425 10/807067 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34962149 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050214425 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vazirani, Roma |
September 29, 2005 |
Sugar substitute prepared with nutritive and high-intensity
sweeteners
Abstract
A sweetener composition and a method of producing it. The
composition contains granules having a core and a layer on the
core. The core contains one or more nutritive sweeteners, such as
sucrose, and the layer on the core contains sucralose. The layer
may optionally contain a binder and/or non-nutritive sweeteners in
addition to sucralose. The composition may contain (other than
materials of no essential significance) only such granules, or it
may include such granules admixed with granules containing only
nutritive sweeteners (such as sucrose). Compositions of the
invention may exhibit a variety of advantages, including good
sweetness homogeneity and good stability under accelerated aging
conditions.
Inventors: |
Vazirani, Roma; (East
Brunswick, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RATNERPRESTIA
P O BOX 980
VALLEY FORGE
PA
19482-0980
US
|
Family ID: |
34962149 |
Appl. No.: |
10/807067 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/548 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23P 10/30 20160801;
A23V 2250/264 20130101; A23V 2250/628 20130101; A23V 2002/00
20130101; A23V 2250/60 20130101; A23V 2200/22 20130101; C13B 50/002
20130101; A23L 27/37 20160801; A23V 2002/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/548 |
International
Class: |
C10M 101/00 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A sweetener composition, the composition comprising granules
having (a) a core including a nutritive sweetener, and (b) on the
core, a layer including sucralose.
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the layer consists
essentially of sucralose.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the layer includes sucralose
and a binder.
4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the binder comprises
sucrose.
5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the layer consists
essentially of sucralose and a binder.
6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the sucralose constitutes
between about 30 wt % and 50 wt % of the layer.
7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the sucralose constitutes
between about 0.1 wt % and 50 wt % of the composition.
8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the sucralose constitutes
between about 0.1 wt % and 0.5 wt % of the composition.
9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the sucralose constitutes
between about 1 wt % and 5 wt % of the composition.
10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the layer includes
sucralose dispersed in sucrose.
11. The composition of claim 3, wherein the binder consists
essentially of sucrose.
12. The composition of claim 1, wherein the nutritive sweetener
comprises sucrose.
13. The composition of claim 1, wherein the nutritive sweetener
consists essentially of sucrose.
14. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition consists
essentially of the granules.
15. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises
the granules and a nutritive sweetener.
16. The composition of claim 15, wherein the nutritive sweetener
comprises sucrose.
17. The composition of claim 1, wherein the layer includes a
sucralose-binder solid solution.
18. The composition of claim 1, wherein the layer includes
particles consisting essentially of sucralose, the particles
dispersed within the layer.
19. The composition of claim 5, wherein both the binder and the
nutritive sweetener are sucrose, and wherein a 14-day accelerated
aging of the composition yields an aged composition having a Hunter
"a" value no greater than 0.2 units higher than a Hunter "a" value
of the composition before aging.
20. The composition of claim 5, wherein both the binder and the
nutritive sweetener are sucrose, and wherein a 14-day accelerated
aging of the composition yields an aged composition having a Hunter
"a" value no greater than 0.1 units higher than a Hunter "a" value
of the composition before aging.
21. The composition of claim 5, wherein both the binder and the
nutritive sweetener are sucrose, and wherein a 14-day accelerated
aging of the composition yields an aged composition having a Hunter
"b" value no greater than 1.0 units higher than a Hunter "b" value
of the composition before aging.
22. A method of making a sweetener composition, the method
comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of granular
cores each comprising sucrose; and (b) forming on the granular
cores a layer comprising sucralose.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (b) comprises pan-coating
the granular cores with an aqueous mixture comprising the sucralose
and drying the coated cores to form at least a portion of the
sweetener composition.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising adding granular
sucrose to the at least a portion of the sweetener composition.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein substantially all of the
sucralose in the aqueous mixture is dissolved in the mixture.
26. The method of claim 23, further comprising repeating step (b)
at least once.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the drying is performed at a
temperature between about 52.degree. C. and 66.degree. C.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the aqueous mixture further
comprises a binder.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the binder consists essentially
of sucrose, and wherein the aqueous mixture comprises between 20 wt
% and 60 wt % water, between 15 wt % and 55 wt % sucrose, and
between 15 wt % and 35 wt % sucralose.
30. The method of claim 28, wherein the binder consists essentially
of sucrose, and wherein the aqueous mixture comprises between 35 wt
% and 45 wt % water, between 31 wt % and 41 wt % sucrose, and
between 18 wt % and 28 wt % sucralose.
31. A sweetener composition made by a method comprising the steps
of: (a) providing a plurality of granular cores each comprising
sucrose; and (b) forming on the granular cores a layer comprising
sucralose and sucrose by coating the granular cores with an aqueous
mixture comprising the sucrose and the sucralose and drying the
coated cores to form the sweetener composition.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to high-intensity
sweeteners. More particularly, the invention relates to granular
sweetener compositions including a mixture of a nutritive sweeter
and a high-intensity sweetener, in a form that minimizes separation
of these components during shipping and handling.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Sucralose, 4,1',6'-trichloro-4,1',6'-trideoxygalactosucrose,
a sweetener with a sweetness intensity several hundred times that
of sucrose, is made from sucrose by replacing the hydroxyl groups
in the 4, 1', and 6' positions with chlorine. Synthesis of
sucralose is technically challenging because of the need to
selectively replace specific hydroxyl groups with chlorine atoms,
while preserving other hydroxyl groups including a highly reactive
primary hydroxyl group. Numerous approaches to this synthesis have
been developed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,869; U.S.
Pat. No. 4,826,962; U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,463; and U.S. Pat. No.
5,141,860, which are expressly incorporated in this document by
reference.
[0003] Sucralose may be purified by crystallizing from water to
form needle-shaped crystals, as described for example in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,343,934; U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,746, U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,254;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,463; U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,031; U.S. Pat. No.
5,498,709; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,106. Many of these crystals
typically have a length-to-diameter ("L/D") ratio ranging from
about 4:1 to about 10:1, and in some cases even higher. Typically,
many such needles are broken, which produces undesirable dust.
Nonetheless, at least a significant fraction of the needles remain
that have high L/D values. The high L/D values makes such
crystalline sucralose difficult to handle. Among such difficulties
is poor flow, which makes the crystalline sucralose difficult to
incorporate into formulations with other ingredients. Furthermore,
such crystals of sucralose may not be suitable for use in certain
consumer products such as sweetener packets for use by a consumer
in sweetening food items such as beverages.
[0004] In some such applications, it is desirable for the sweetener
to contain some amount of a sugar (typically sucrose, commonly
referred to as table sugar) and some amount of a high-intensity
sweetener. Sucrose typically has a granular form, however, while
sucralose typically has a needle form, as noted above. As a result,
mixtures of these two components may separate to some degree during
shipping and handling, resulting in unpredictable levels of
sweetening when the consumer dispenses the product. Thus, in some
applications, it is desirable to provide a sweetener that does not
separate in this manner, while still maintaining an appearance
similar to that of normal table sugar. This result may be of
particular importance in formulating certain popular products in
which one half teaspoon of a sweetener is made mostly of sucrose
with a small amount of a non-nutritive sweetener (such as
sucralose), and has the same sweetening power as a full teaspoon of
pure sucrose.
[0005] There remains a need for granular sweeteners having a
combination of sucrose and sucralose, in which the sucrose and
sucralose do not separate during shipping and handling, and
resembling common table sugar in appearance and flow
characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] To meet this and other needs, and in view of its purposes,
the present invention provides a sweetener composition, the
composition comprising granules comprising, consisting of, or
consisting essentially of (a) a core including a nutritive
sweetener, and (b) on the core, a layer including sucralose.
[0007] In another aspect, the invention provides a method of making
a sweetener composition. The method includes the steps of (a)
providing a plurality of granular cores each comprising, consisting
of, or consisting essentially of sucrose; and (b) forming on the
granular cores a layer comprising, consisting of, or consisting
essentially of sucralose.
[0008] In another aspect, the invention provides a sweetener
composition made by the method set forth in the preceding
paragraph. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary,
but are not restrictive, of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] For purposes of this application, the term "high intensity
sweetener" and "non-nutritive sweetener" are used interchangeably
and have the same meaning as those skilled in the art ascribe to
such terms, presently or in the future.
[0010] The sweetener compositions of the invention include
granules, which in turn have a core and a layer deposited on such
core. The core includes at least one nutritive sweetener, and the
layer deposited on the core includes sucralose. There may be more
than one layer deposited on the core, and any or all of the one or
more layers may also include one or more binders and/or other
non-nutritive sweeteners.
[0011] The nutritive sweetener(s) in the cores of the compositions
of this invention may include, as non-limiting examples, sucrose,
fructose, invert sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, sugar alcohols, and
combinations of any of these. In one exemplary embodiment, sucrose
alone is used, and thus the core consists essentially of sucrose.
By "consists essentially of," it is meant that no other ingredients
are purposefully added to the core that change the sweetness
profile of the core. Sources of sucrose suitable for use according
to the present invention include any commonly available source,
such as, for example, beet sugar and cane sugar. They may include
white sugar or brown sugar.
[0012] No special preparation of the cores need be made, but it may
be helpful to use cores of a relatively uniform size in order to
provide a more even distribution of sucralose on the cores. A
uniform size may be beneficial because the use of cores having a
wide distribution of sizes may result in the smaller particles
including a higher percentage by weight of sucralose, and thus any
settling and separation of small from large particles may result in
uneven sweetness within a sample. Commercially available granules
from any of a wide variety of sources known in the art may be used,
and are typically sieved before use in order to achieve a
relatively uniform size distribution. The cores are therefore
essentially solid, and are typically of such a size and shape that
they resemble common table sugar. A typical (but non-limiting) size
distribution for the cores is as follows: no more than 3% retained
on a 20-mesh sieve, a minimum of 8% (cumulative) retained on a
40-mesh sieve, and no more than 10% passing through a 100-mesh
sieve.
[0013] The layer deposited on the core may contain (other than
materials of no essential significance) only sucralose, or it may
include sucralose in combination with one or more binders and/or
with other non-nutritive sweeteners. Examples of suitable
non-nutritive sweeteners that may optionally be added include, but
are not limited to, saccharin, acesulfame-K, cyclamate, stevia,
neotame, alitame, aspartame, and combinations of such
sweeteners.
[0014] Binders suitable for use according to the invention include,
but are not limited to, nutritive sweeteners, such as those
mentioned above, including mixtures of them. Other suitable binders
include, as non-limiting examples, maltose, glucose, polyols (e.g.,
sugar alcohols, such as erythritol and sorbitol), modified food
starches, gum, inulin or hydrolyzed inulin, maltodextrin, and
combinations of these examples. Typically, the binder will include
sucrose, and may contain (other than materials of no essential 15
significance) only sucrose. In one embodiment of the invention,
sucralose constitutes between about 30 wt % and about 50 wt % of
the layer, with one or more binders making up the balance.
Typically, sucralose is present in an amount of between about 0.1
wt % and about 50 wt % of the sweetener composition.
[0015] In one embodiment, essentially all of the composition
contains (other than materials in trace amounts) only granules
having a core with a sucralose-containing layer deposited on the
core, with the composition containing between about 0.1 wt % and
about 0.50 wt % sucralose, the remainder containing (other than
materials of no essential significance) only sucrose. The resulting
sweetener composition has a sweetness equivalence of one-half
teaspoon equal to a full teaspoon of sucrose. In another embodiment
of the invention, the sweetener composition may contain between
about 1.0 wt % and about 50 wt % sucralose, with the rest
containing (other than materials of no essential significance) only
sucrose. Such a material may be blended with sucrose (in a ratio
depending on the content of sucralose in the material) to provide a
product with between about 0.1 wt % and about 0.5 wt % of sucralose
overall. Such a blended product is another embodiment of the
invention. Other weight percent loadings of sucralose will be
apparent to persons skilled in the art, and the invention is not
restricted to any particular proportions of sucralose and sucrose
on any given granule or fraction of granules.
[0016] The layer including sucralose may be composed of any of a
number of formulations. The layer may be provided, for example, by
applying a dispersion (which may be a solution) including sucralose
in an appropriate volatile carrier, such as water, to the granular
cores and evaporating the volatile carrier. Methods of applying
such coatings will be discussed below. In one embodiment, the
dispersion that is applied to the cores contains only sucralose and
the carrier, and the layer thus produced contains (other than
materials of no essential significance) only sucralose.
[0017] In another embodiment of the invention, a binder is included
in the sucralose-containing dispersion. There may be other
ingredients in the dispersion in addition to the binder, sucralose,
and the carrier, or the dispersion may contain no other added
ingredients.
[0018] If the layer includes a binder, the sucralose may be
dispersed in that binder. For example, the layer may contain (other
than materials of no essential significance) only a solid solution
of sucralose and binder, by which it is meant that the sucralose is
dissolved in the binder or a component of the binder (if the binder
has more than one component), and/or the binder (or a component of
the binder) is dissolved in the sucralose. The layer may also, or
instead, have particles containing (other than materials of no
essential significance) only sucralose dispersed within it. The
layer may be essentially continuous, and it may cover essentially
the entire surface of a given granule, or it may include isolated
patches of layer composition, or there may be an at least partially
interconnected network of regions of layer composition on the
cores.
[0019] The material in the layer is essentially solid, meaning that
there are few or no hollows or voids in the layer, with the obvious
exception that the entire layer itself may be hollow in the sense
that it may constitute a continuous shell around the core.
Sweetener compositions according to the invention, as a result of
having a structure as described above, typically have a bulk
density approximately equal to that of common table sugar. Thus, in
at least some embodiments, especially those based on sucrose as the
nutritive sweetener core material, the bulk density may be in the
range of about 0.7 to 0.9, typically between 0.8 and 0.86.
[0020] As noted above, sweetener compositions according to the
invention include granules with a core and a layer. The composition
may contain (other than materials of no essential significance)
only such granules, or it may include the granules mixed with other
materials. Such other materials may include non-sweet diluents
and/or nutritive sweeteners. In one embodiment of the invention,
the granules are mixed with a nutritive sweetener including, or
containing (other than materials of no essential significance) only
sucrose. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
sweetener composition includes about 10 wt % of a granular material
including a core and a layer on the core, with the rest of the
composition containing (other than materials of no essential
significance) only granules of uncoated sucrose. In this
embodiment, the sucralose in the granules having a core and a layer
constitutes between about 1 wt % and 5 wt % of those granules.
[0021] In one embodiment of the invention, the layer contains
sucralose and sucrose, which acts as a binder, and the core is
sucrose as well. Such a composition may have storage stability, as
measured by a 14-day accelerated aging test, greater than that of
compositions in which the sucralose is not provided in a layer on a
sucrose core. The term "14-day accelerated aging test," as used for
the purposes of this invention, is described in detail in the
Examples section, and measures the color of the material according
to the Hunter Lab.RTM. method, which is well known in the art.
Sweetener compositions according to the invention have good
stability as indicated by this test, and may for example have a
Hunter "a" value no greater than 0.2 units, more typically no
greater than 0.1 units, higher than the Hunter "a" value of the
composition before aging. They may have a Hunter "b" value that is
no greater than 1.0 units higher than the "b" value of the
composition prior to aging.
[0022] Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory or
explanation, it is believed that the enhanced color stability of
sweetener compositions according to the invention may result from
the dispersion of the sucralose into small domains in the layer
residing on the cores. These small domains may be small particles
containing (other than materials of no essential significance) only
sucralose, or the domains may be of a molecular size, in other
words, a solid solution of sucralose in a binder component, or vice
versa. It is believed that, for either or both of these reasons,
dispersion or dilution of the sucralose results in increased
stability of the sweetener composition.
[0023] The layer including sucralose and (optionally) a binder may
be formed on the cores by any of a number of methods known in the
art. Such methods include, as non-limiting examples, spray-drying
and fluidized bed drying. One particularly suitable method of
forming the layer is by pan-coating, which may be used in either
batch mode or continuous mode. Equipment suitable for pan-coating
of granules such as those of the present invention is well-known in
the pharmaceutical compounding art, and is available from a variety
of manufacturers. A typical machine has a rotating pan in which the
granular cores tumble. A spray nozzle is typically placed through
an opening in the drum, and a mixture of the sucralose-containing
layer composition in a volatile carrier is sprayed onto the
granular cores. A wave is created as the pan turns, and the
granules tumble in a wave form. The coating material slowly builds
up on the granules, which are dried to form the layer.
[0024] The coating operation may be performed in a single step,
with drying being performed either concurrently or subsequently to
the spraying on of the aqueous mixture. Typically, a series of
coating/drying cycles is performed, until the desired layer weight
is produced. Optionally, particles including sucralose may be
introduced after spraying but before drying is complete, so that
the particles adhere to the granules. This may reduce the time
required to provide the desired amount of sucralose, by reducing
the drying time per unit of sucralose added. Drying may be
performed by any mechanism known in the art, including for example
the application of a stream of air or other gas, such as nitrogen,
and/or warming the contents of the rotating pan. For example, it
has been found suitable to warm the contents of the rotating pan to
between about 38.degree. C. and 93.degree. C., more typically
between 52.degree. C. and 66.degree. C., because drying within this
temperature range has been found to be helpful in providing a
product with good accelerated aging stability.
[0025] In one embodiment of the invention, the sucralose to be
incorporated in the layer is added in the form of an aqueous
mixture, optionally containing other volatile carriers. Such
carriers may be one or more of any of a number of suitable volatile
materials, with non-limiting examples being methanol, ethanol,
isopropyl alcohol, and ethyl acetate. Typically, water is the only
carrier and the aqueous mixture also contains sucrose as a binder.
In some embodiments, the binder contains (other than materials of
no essential significance) only sucrose.
[0026] In one embodiment of the invention, substantially all of the
sucralose to be used in forming the layer is dissolved in the
aqueous mixture. Such a mixture may for example include between 20
wt % and 60 wt % of water, between 15 wt % and 55 wt % of sucrose,
and between 15 wt % and 35 wt % of sucralose. Typically, the
mixture includes between 35 wt % and 45 wt % of water, between 31
wt % and 41 wt % of sucrose, and between 18 wt % and 28 wt % of
sucralose.
EXAMPLES
[0027] The following examples are included to more clearly
demonstrate the overall nature of the invention. These examples are
exemplary, not restrictive, of the invention.
Example 1
[0028] A sweetener composition according to the invention was
prepared as follows. A mixture of 23.2 parts by weight of
sucralose, 54.2 parts by weight of a 67.7 wt % aqueous sucrose
solution, and 22.6 parts by weight of water was mixed at 70.degree.
C. until all components were dissolved. The resulting coating
composition contained 23.2 wt % of sucralose, 36.8 wt % of sucrose,
and 40.0 wt % of water.
[0029] Extra fine sugar (sucrose) was sieved through a 52T screen
and charged to a 48-inch Stokes coating pan. The contents of the
coating pan were heated to approximately 54.degree. C., and several
applications of coating composition were applied by a sprayer
operated at an average spray pressure of 84 psi, using a No. 30
spray tip equipped with an inline filter. After each application,
the product was heated until dry (which was indicated by an
operator squeezing the product in a fist, to make sure it did not
clump) before the next coating was applied. During the coating and
drying operations, a stainless steel hoop was used to agitate the
bed of granular material. During the coating process, the average
bed temperature was approximately 57.degree. C. The resulting
product was sieved through an 18T sieve and had a sucralose content
of 2.2 wt %. This concentrated product was dry-blended in a weight
ratio of 1 part out of 10 with extra fine sugar (sieved as
described above) using a rotary tote blender to provide a product
having a sucralose content of 0.22 wt %. This material had a
composition such that one half teaspoon had the sweetness
equivalence of a full teaspoon of sucrose.
Example 2 (Comparative)
[0030] A sweetener composition including a simple mechanical
mixture of sucrose and sucralose was prepared as follows. A
composition containing 0.22% micronized sucralose and 99.78% extra
fine sugar was blended for 5 minutes using a TURBULA.RTM.
Shaker-Mixer--Model T2F, available from Glen Mills Inc. of Clifton,
N.J. Accelerated aging of the samples prepared in Examples 1 and 2
was performed as follows. The sweetener composition was maintained
at 50.degree. C. and sampled after a given number of days. The
color of a dry sample of the composition was evaluated in a 10-mm
cuvette by the Hunter Labs method. According to this method,
samples having an "a" value greater than zero have a net red color
component; those samples with a negative "a" value have a net green
color component. Similarly, samples having a Hunter "b" value
greater than zero have a net yellow color component; those with a
negative "b" value have a net blue color component. Samples having
both "a" and "b" values equal to zero are colorless. Samples having
high "L" values are brighter than those with low values. The
results of color testing of the sweeteners prepared in Examples 1
and 2 after accelerated aging for the number of days indicated are
shown in the tables below, in which each data point represents an
average of nine color determinations.
Example 1
[0031]
1 Measurement Day 0 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 14 L (Avg.)
90.77 91.00 91.48 90.64 90.31 89.66 91.54 a (Avg.) -0.36 -0.33
-0.35 -0.34 -0.38 -0.34 -0.33 b (Avg.) 3.85 3.93 3.82 4.18 4.01
3.91 4.46
Example 2
[0032]
2 Measurement Day 0 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 14 L (Avg.)
90.17 89.91 90.59 89.48 89.48 89.42 89.57 a (Avg.) -0.52 -0.51
-0.43 -0.40 -0.40 -0.33 0.26 b (Avg.) 5.84 6.17 6.36 6.26 6.08 6.16
7.35
[0033] As can be seen by comparing the accelerated aging results
obtained with Examples 1 and 2, increases in "a" and "b" values as
a result of 14 days of accelerated aging were noticeably less for
the layer-and-core sweetener composition according to the invention
(Example 1) than for the simple mechanical mixture of sucrose and
sucralose (Example 2).
[0034] Although the invention is illustrated and described above
with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not
intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various
modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range
of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the
invention. It is expressly intended, for example, that all ranges
broadly recited in this document include within their scope all
narrower ranges which fall within the broader ranges.
* * * * *