Methods and compositions for improved taste quality

Abstract

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to sweetener and / or umami compositions, methods of making same, products comprising same, and methods of improving mouthfeel in a product, e.g., a savory or umami food or beverage. In various aspects, the disclosed compositions comprise a sweetening agent and / or an umami agent and a taste modulator component. In various aspects, the disclosed sweetener compositions comprise a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component. In further aspects, the disclosed savory compositions comprise an umami agent and a taste modulator component. In further aspects, the disclosed taste modulator composition can further comprise an additional CaSR modulator. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 62 / 908,543, filed on September 30, 2019, and 62 / 916,165, filed on October 16, 2019, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND

[0002] Natural sugars, such as sucrose, fructose and glucose, are utilized in the food and beverage industries to provide a pleasant taste to foods and beverages. In addition, natural sugars are commonly used in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and oral hygienic / cosmetic products to similarly impart a pleasant taste. Sucrose, in particular, imparts a taste that is highly preferred by many consumers. Although sucrose provides superior sweetness characteristics, it is caloric. High-potency (“HP”) sweeteners have been introduced to address consumer demand for products having a pleasant taste, while at the same time meet increasing demand for healthier, reduced calorie products. Moreover, the demand for healthier, reduced calorie products is being driven by public policy and regulatory mandates.

[0003] However, HP sweeteners differ significantly from natural caloric sugars in ways that frustrate consumers and limit market penetration of products containing many HP sweeteners. On a taste basis, HP sweeteners exhibit temporal profiles, maximal responses, flavor profiles, mouthfeels, and adaptation behaviors that differ from sugar. Commonly, HP sweeteners exhibit delayed sweetness onsets, lingering sweet aftertastes, bitter off tastes, astringent tastes, cooling and / or licorice-like tastes. HP sweeteners may be synthetic chemicals, natural substances, physically or chemically modified natural substances, and / or reaction products obtained from synthetic and / or natural substances. The desire for natural HP sweeteners with favorable taste characteristics remains high.

[0004] One class of HP sweeteners are the steviol glycosides. However, utilization has been limited to date by certain undesirable taste properties, including licorice and bitter off tastes, astringency and lingering sweet aftertaste. These undesirable taste properties tend to become more prominent with increased concentration. For example, these undesirable taste attributes are particularly prominent in carbonated beverages, where full replacement of sugar may involve concentrations of steviol glycosides that exceed 500 mg / L.

[0005] Importantly, although there exist certain taste modulators that have addressed some or many of the undesirable taste properties of HP sweeteners, the use of taste modulators has added significant cost to the use of HP sweeteners. For example, although a blend consisting of a steviol glycoside, rebaudioside A, with meso-erythritol can ameliorate the undesirable taste properties of rebaudioside A, it also results in a cost increase of about 2- to 4-fold for the good-tasting blends compared to rebaudioside A alone. The cost increase is even more significant when compared to the costs associated with sweeteners such as aspartame- or aspartame / acesulfame-sweetened products.

[0006] Despite advances in compositions and methods for sweetening foods, beverages, and other products, there is a scarcity of HP sweeteners that have both the taste properties of sucrose, fructose and glucose and suitably low cost for widespread use. These needs and other needs are satisfied by the present disclosure. SUMMARY

[0007] In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, the disclosure, in one aspect, relates to sweetener and / or savory compositions, methods of making same, and products comprising same. In various aspects, the disclosed sweetener compositions comprise a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component. The taste modulator component improves key properties associated with many sweetening agents, including maximal sweetness response; mitigates flavor profile issues such as bitter and / or licorice-like off-tastes; improves sweetness onset rate and lingering sweet aftertaste properties; improves desensitization / adaptation profile issues; and improves body / mouthfeel characteristics. In further aspects, the disclosed savory compositions comprise an umami agent and a taste modulator component. The taste modulator component improves key properties associated with many umami agents, including bitter off-taste and mouthfeel characteristics. In further aspects, the disclosed taste modulator composition can further comprise an additional CaSR modulator.

[0008] Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims. In addition, all optional and preferred features and modifications of the described aspects are usable in all aspects of the disclosure taught herein. Furthermore, the individual features of the dependent claims, as well as all optional and preferred features and modifications of the described aspects are combinable and interchangeable with one another. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows chemical structures for representative stevia-derived compounds as indicated (Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside B, and Rebaudioside C).

[0011] FIG. 2 shows chemical structures for representative stevia-derived compounds as indicated (Rebaudioside D, Rebaudioside E, and Rebaudioside F).

[0012] FIG. 3 shows chemical structures for representative stevia-derived compounds as indicated (Rebaudioside M and Rebaudioside N).

[0013] FIG. 4 shows chemical structures for representative stevia-derived compounds as indicated (Steviol, Steviolmonoside, Steviolbioside, and Stevioside).

[0014] FIG. 5 shows chemical structures for representative stevia-derived compounds as indicated (Rubusoside and Dulcoside A).

[0015] FIG. 6 shows representative data for the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition on an umami taste using MSG as the umami agent.

[0016] FIG. 7 shows representative data for the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition on an umami taste using MSG+IMP as the umami agents.

[0017] FIG. 8 shows representative data for the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition on an umami taste using MSG as the umami agent.

[0018] FIG. 9 shows representative data for the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition on an umami taste using a savory food seasoning as the umami agent.

[0019] FIG. 10 shows representative data for the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition on an umami taste using a savory food seasoning as the umami agent.

[0020] FIG. 11 shows representative data for the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition on sensory qualities with a hydrolyzed vegetable protein preparation.

[0021] FIG. 12 shows representative data for the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition on sensory qualities, e.g., bitterness, with a stevia sweetener preparation.

[0022] Additional advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or can be learned by practice of the disclosure. The advantages of the disclosure will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure, as claimed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Many modifications and other aspects disclosed herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the disclosed compositions and methods pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific aspects disclosed and that modifications and other aspects are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The skilled artisan will recognize many variants and adaptations of the aspects described herein. These variants and adaptations are intended to be included in the teachings of this disclosure and to be encompassed by the claims herein.

[0024] Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

[0025] As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual aspects described and illustrated herein has discrete components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several aspects without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure.

[0026] Any recited method can be carried out in the order of events recited or in any other order that is logically possible. That is, unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method or aspect set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not specifically state in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is no way intended that an order be inferred, in any respect. This holds for any possible non-express basis for interpretation, including matters of logic with respect to arrangement of steps or operational flow, plain meaning derived from grammatical organization or punctuation, or the number or type of aspects described in the specification.

[0027] All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and / or materials in connection with which the publications are cited. The publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present disclosure is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior disclosure. Further, the dates of publication provided herein can be different from the actual publication dates, which can require independent confirmation.

[0028] While aspects of the present disclosure can be described and claimed in a particular statutory class, such as the system statutory class, this is for convenience only and one of skill in the art will understand that each aspect of the present disclosure can be described and claimed in any statutory class.

[0029] It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosed compositions and methods belong. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0030] Prior to describing the various aspects of the present disclosure, the following definitions are provided and should be used unless otherwise indicated. Additional terms may be defined elsewhere in the present disclosure. Definitions

[0031] As used herein, “comprising” is to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more features, integers, steps, or components, or groups thereof. Additionally, the term “comprising” is intended to include examples and aspects encompassed by the terms “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of.” Similarly, the term “consisting essentially of” is intended to include examples encompassed by the term “consisting of.”

[0032] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “HP sweetener,” “a sweetening agent,” “a cation,” or “a taste modulator,” including, but not limited to, two or more such HP sweeteners, sweetening agents, cations, or taste modulators, including combinations of sweetening agents, cations, and taste modulators, and the like.

[0033] It should be noted that ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerical data can be expressed herein in a range format. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. It is also understood that there are a number of values disclosed herein, and that each value is also herein disclosed as “about” that particular value in addition to the value itself. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and / or to “about” another particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms a further aspect. For example, if the value “about 10” is disclosed, then “10” is also disclosed.

[0034] When a range is expressed, a further aspect includes from the one particular value and / or to the other particular value. For example, where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the disclosure, e.g. the phrase “x to y” includes the range from ‘x’ to ‘y’ as well as the range greater than ‘x’ and less than ‘y’. The range can also be expressed as an upper limit, e.g. ‘about x, y, z, or less’ and should be interpreted to include the specific ranges of ‘about x’, ‘about y’, and ‘about z’ as well as the ranges of ‘less than x’, less than y’, and ‘less than z’. Likewise, the phrase ‘about x, y, z, or greater’ should be interpreted to include the specific ranges of ‘about x’, ‘about y’, and ‘about z’ as well as the ranges of ‘greater than x’, greater than y’, and ‘greater than z’. In addition, the phrase “about ‘x’ to ‘y’”, where ‘x’ and ‘y’ are numerical values, includes “about ‘x’ to about ‘y’”.

[0035] It is to be understood that such a range format is used for convenience and brevity, and thus, should be interpreted in a flexible manner to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. To illustrate, a numerical range of “about 0.1% to 5%” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 0.1% to about 5%, but also include individual values (e.g., about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, and about 4%) and the sub-ranges (e.g., about 0.5% to about 1.1%; about 5% to about 2.4%; about 0.5% to about 3.2%, and about 0.5% to about 4.4%, and other possible sub-ranges) within the indicated range.

[0036] As used herein, the terms “about,” “approximate,” “at or about,” and “substantially” mean that the amount or value in question can be the exact value or a value that provides equivalent results or effects as recited in the claims or taught herein. That is, it is understood that amounts, sizes, formulations, parameters, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact, but may be approximate and / or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skill in the art such that equivalent results or effects are obtained. In some circumstances, the value that provides equivalent results or effects cannot be reasonably determined. In such cases, it is generally understood, as used herein, that “about” and “at or about” mean the nominal value indicated ±10% variation unless otherwise indicated or inferred. In general, an amount, size, formulation, parameter or other quantity or characteristic is “about,” “approximate,” or “at or about” whether or not expressly stated to be such. It is understood that where “about,” “approximate,” or “at or about” is used before a quantitative value, the parameter also includes the specific quantitative value itself, unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0037] As used herein, “stevia sweetener,” “stevia-derived sweetener,” and “Stevia rebaudiana-derived sweetener” can be used interchangeably. It is understood that a stevia sweetener can refer to an extract, concentrate, juice, or other preparation obtained from leaves and / or other plant structures (e.g., fruits, seeds, stems or fleshy plant parts) of a plant in the genus Stevia, in some cases from the Stevia rebaudiana plant; or a mixture of one or more purified or partially purified component or compound from a plant in the genus Stevia, in some cases from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, such as steviol glycosides, stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, steviolbioside, rubusoside, as well as other steviol glycosides found in a plant in the genus Stevia, in some cases from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, and mixtures thereof; glucosylated steviol glucosides; and combinations, mixtures, and kits comprising.

[0038] As used herein, the term "steviol glycoside(s)" refers to glycosides of steviol, including, but not limited to, naturally occurring steviol glycosides, e.g. Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside B, Rebaudioside C, Rebaudioside D, Rebaudioside E, Rebaudioside F, Rebaudioside G, Rebaudioside H, Rebaudioside I, Rebaudioside J, Rebaudioside K, Rebaudioside L, Rebaudioside M (also referred to as Rebaudioside X), Rebaudioside N, Rebaudioside O, Stevioside, Steviolbioside, Dulcoside A, Rubusoside, etc., or synthetic steviol glycosides, e.g. enzymatically glucosylated steviol glycosides and combinations thereof.

[0039] As used herein, “monk fruit sweetener,” “monk fruit-derived sweetener,” “luo han guo sweetener,” luo han guo-derived sweetener,” and “Siraitia grosvenorii-derived sweetener” can be used interchangeably. It is understood that a monk fruit sweetener can refer to an extract, concentrate, juice, or other preparation obtained from leaves and / or other plant structures (e.g., fruits, seeds, stems or fleshy plant parts) of a plant in the genus Siraitia, in some cases from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant; or a mixture of one or more purified or partially purified component or compound from a plant in the genus Siraitia, in some cases from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant, such as mogroside I, mogroside II, mogroside III, mogroside IV (esgoside), neomogroside, 11-oxo-mogroside V, mogroside VI, mogroside V, and siamenoside I, as well as other mogrosides and triterpene glycosides found in a plant in the genus Siraitia, in some cases from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant, and mixtures thereof; glucosylated mogrosides; and combinations, mixtures, and kits comprising any of the foregoing.

[0040] As used herein, the terms “high potency sweetener,” “high-potency sweetener,” and “HP sweetener,” terms that can be used interchangeably, refers to a sweetening agent that can synthetic or natural in origin, with a sweetness potency greater than sucrose, e.g., a sweetness potency that can be about 2-fold-15,000-fold greater than sucrose. HP sweeteners are essentially non-caloric and used widely in manufacturing of diet and reduced calorie food. In general, HP sweeteners do not affect the blood glucose level and provide little or no nutritive value. Non-limiting examples of synthetic HP sweeteners include sucralose, potassium acesulfame, aspartame, alitame, saccharin, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone and synthetic analogues, cyclamate, neotame, dulcin, suosan,    N—[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4- methoxyphenyl)propyl]-L-a-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N—[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutyl]-L-a-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N—[N-[3-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl]-L-a-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, salts thereof, and the like. Additional examples of synthetic HP sweeteners are described herein below. Non-limiting examples of natural HP sweeteners include Stevioside, Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside B, Rebaudioside C, Rebaudioside D, Rebaudioside E, Rebaudioside F, Rebaudioside M, Steviolbioside, Dulcoside A, Rubusoside, mogrosides, brazzein, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC), glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, perillartine, hernandulcin, mukur oziosides, baiyunoside, phlomisoside-l, dimethyl-hexahydrofluorenedicarboxylic acid, abrusosides, periandrin, carnosiflosides, cyclocarioside, pterocaryosides, polypodoside A, brazzein, hernandulcin, phillodulcin, glycyphyllin, phlorizin, trilobatin, dihydroflavonol, dihydroquercetin-3-acetate, neoastilibin, trans-cinnamaldehyde, monatinand its salts, selligueain A, hematoxylin, monellin, osladin, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mabinlin, pentadin, miraculin, curculin, neoculin, chlorogenic acid, cynarin, siamenoside and others. Additional examples of natural HP sweeteners are described herein below. It should be noted that HP sweeteners can be derived from the modification of natural HP sweeteners, for example, by fermentation, enzymatic treatment, or derivatization.

[0041] A “flavor” herein refers to the perception of taste and / or smell in a subject, which include sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami, and others. The subject may be a human or an animal.

[0042] A “flavoring agent" herein refers to a compound or a biologically acceptable salt thereof that induces a flavor or taste in an animal or a human.

[0043] A “flavor modifier" herein refers to a compound or biologically acceptable salt thereof that modulates, including enhancing or potentiating, and inducing, the tastes and / or smell of a natural or synthetic flavoring agent in an animal or a human.

[0044] A “flavor enhancer" herein refers to a compound or biologically acceptable salt thereof that enhances and / or multiplies the tastes or smell of a natural or synthetic flavoring agent, or a comestible composition comprising the flavor enhancer.

[0045] As used herein, “flavors with modifying properties” or “FMP” can be used interchangeably, and refer to those generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredients that enhance, subdue or otherwise effect other flavors without themselves being sweeteners or flavorings. The Flavor and Extracts Manufacturing Association (FEMA) has developed a protocol published in the November 2013 issue of Food Technology.

[0046] As used herein, the term “FEMA GRAS” means that an ingredient has been designated as generally recognized as safe by an independent Flavor Expert Panel for use in flavors, e.g., see Expert Panel, Toxicology, Decision Tree, Consumption Ratio, and Chart 486 - FEMA GRAS Lists Numbers Included, FDA GRAS, Bulk Flavor Labeling Statement.

[0047] As used herein, “taste” refers to a sensation caused by activation of target taste receptor cells in the taste buds of a subject. Taste can be selected from the group consisting of sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and umami. A taste can be elicited in a subject by a “tastant,” which can be a synthetic tastant, a tastant prepared from a natural source (i.e., a natural tastant), or combinations thereof.

[0048] As used herein, the terms “modulates” or “modifies” refers an increase or decrease in the amount, quality or effect of a particular activity of a receptor and / or an increase or decrease in the expression, activity or function of a receptor. “Modulators,” as used herein, refer to any inhibitory or activating compounds identified using in silico, in vitro and / or in vivo assays for, e.g., agonists, antagonists and their homologs, including fragments, variants and mimetics.

[0049] “Inducers,” “activators” or “agonists,” as used herein, refer to modulating compounds that increase, induce, stimulate, open, activate, facilitate, enhance activation, sensitize or upregulate a receptor or pathway of interest.

[0050] The terms “polypeptide,” “peptide,” “amino acid sequence” and “protein,” used interchangeably herein, refer to a molecule formed from the linking of at least two amino acids. The link between one amino acid residue and the next is an amide bond and is sometimes referred to as a peptide bond. The terms can apply to amino acid polymers in which one or more amino acid residue is an artificial chemical mimetic of a corresponding naturally occurring amino acid, as well as to naturally occurring amino acid polymers and non-naturally occurring amino acid polymers.

[0051] The term “amino acid,” as used herein, refers to naturally occurring and synthetic amino acids, as well as amino acid analogs and amino acid mimetics that function in a manner similar to the naturally occurring amino acids. Naturally occurring amino acids are those encoded by the genetic code, as well as those amino acids that are later modified, e.g., hydroxyproline, gamma-carboxyglutamate and O-phosphoserine. Amino acid analogs and derivatives can refer to compounds that have the same basic chemical structure as a naturally occurring amino acid, i.e., a carbon that is bound to a hydrogen, a carboxyl group, an amino group and an R group, e.g., homoserine, norleucine, methionine sulfoxide and methionine sulfone. Such analogs can have modified R groups (e.g., norleucine) or modified peptide backbones, but retain the same basic chemical structure as a naturally occurring amino acid. Amino acid mimetics means chemical compounds that have a structure that is different from the general chemical structure of an amino acid, but that functions in a manner similar to a naturally occurring amino acid.

[0052] As used herein, the term “effective amount” refers to an amount that is sufficient to achieve the desired modification of a physical property of the composition or material. For example, an “effective amount” of a disclosed sweetener composition or a sweetening agent refers to an amount that is sufficient to achieve the desired improvement in the property modulated by the formulation component, e.g. achieving the desired level of sweetness, sweetness appearance time, sweetness linger, sweetness desensitization, body / mouthfeel, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, or astringency. The specific level in terms of wt% in a composition required as an effective amount will depend upon a variety of factors including the amount and type of sweetener, amount and type of taste modulator, amount and type of salts and / or cations, and end use of the product made using the composition.

[0053] As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance can or cannot occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

[0054] Unless otherwise specified, temperatures referred to herein are based on atmospheric pressure (i.e. one atmosphere). Taste Modulator Compositions

[0055] In various aspects, the present disclosure, relates to taste modulator compositions comprising one or more taste modulator components. The taste modulator component improves key properties associated with edible liquids and foodstuffs, including overall taste response; mitigation of various flavor profile issues; improves desensitization / adaptation profile issues; and improves body / mouthfeel characteristics.

[0056] In various aspects, a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition and an HP sweetener has one or more of the following characteristics modified as indicated when compared to the same composition without the disclosed taste modulator composition: sweetness intensity maxima enhancement, sweetness onset time acceleration, sweetness linger attenuation, sweetness desensitization attenuation, and / or mouthfeel enhancement. That is, a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with an HP sweetener has modified one of the foregoing characteristics as compared to essentially the same composition except with the same HP sweetener at the same concentration with the disclosed taste modulator composition omitted as determined in a sensory panel study as described herein.

[0057] In various aspects, one or more of these characteristics in a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with a HP sweetener is improved, when determined in a sensory panel study as described herein, is improved by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, about 100%; or any range encompassed by the foregoing values; or any combination of the foregoing values. In various aspects, one or more of these characteristics in a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with a HP sweetener is improved, when determined in a sensory panel study as described herein, is improved by about 1.1-fold, about 1.2-fold, about 1.3-fold, about 1.4-fold, about 1.5-fold, about 1.6-fold, about 1.7-fold, about 1.8-fold, about 1.9-fold, about 2fold, about 2.1-fold, about 2.2-fold, about 2.3-fold, about 2.4-fold, about 2.5-fold, about 2.6-fold, about 2.7-fold, about 2.8-fold, about 2.9-fold, about 3-fold, about 3.1-fold, about 3.2-fold, about 3.3-fold, about 3.4-fold, about 3.5-fold, about 3.6-fold, about 3.7-fold, about 3.8-fold, about 3.9-fold, about 4-fold, about 4.1-fold, about 4.2-fold, about 4.3-fold, about 4.4-fold, about 4.5-fold, about 4.6-fold, about 4.7-fold, about 4.8-fold, about 4.9-fold,about 5-fold, about 6fold, about 7-fold, about 8-fold, about 9-fold, about 10-fold, about 11-fold, about 12-fold, about 13-fold, about 14-fold, about 15-fold, about 16-fold, about 17-fold, about 18-fold, about 19fold, about 20-fold, about 21-fold, about 22-fold, about 23-fold, about 24-fold, about 25-fold, about 26-fold, about 27-fold, about 28-fold, about 29-fold, about 30-fold, about 31-fold, about 32-fold, about 33-fold, about 34-fold, about 35-fold, about 36-fold, about 37-fold, about 38fold, about 39-fold, about 40-fold, about 41-fold, about 42-fold, about 43-fold, about 44-fold, about 45-fold, about 46-fold, about 47-fold, about 48-fold, about 49-fold, about 50-fold, about 51-fold, about 52-fold, about 53-fold, about 54-fold, about 55-fold, about 56-fold, about 57fold, about 58-fold, about 59-fold, about 60-fold, about 61-fold, about 62-fold, about 63-fold, about 64-fold, about 65-fold, about 66-fold, about 67-fold, about 68-fold, about 69-fold, about 70-fold, about 71-fold, about 72-fold, about 73-fold, about 74-fold, about 75-fold, about 76- fold, about 77-fold, about 78-fold, about 79-fold, about 80-fold, about 81-fold, about 82-fold, about 83-fold, about 84-fold, about 85-fold, about 86-fold, about 87-fold, about 88-fold, about 89-fold, about 90-fold, about 91-fold, about 92-fold, about 93-fold, about 94-fold, about 95fold, about 96-fold, about 97-fold, about 98-fold, about 99-fold, about 100-fold; or any range encompassed by the foregoing values; or any combination of the foregoing values.

[0058] In various aspects, a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition and a caloric sweetener has enhanced mouthfeel compared to the same composition without the disclosed taste modulator composition. That is, a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with a caloric sweetener has modified mouthfeel, specifically enhanced mouthfeel, as compared to essentially the same composition except with the same HP sweetener at the same concentration with the disclosed taste modulator composition omitted as determined in a sensory panel study as described herein.

[0059] In various aspects, one or more of these characteristics in a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with a caloric sweetener is improved, when determined in a sensory panel study as described herein, is improved by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, about 100%; or any range encompassed by the foregoing values; or any combination of the foregoing values. In various aspects, one or more of these characteristics in a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with a HP sweetener is improved, when determined in a sensory panel study as described herein, is improved by about 1.1-fold, about 1.2-fold, about 1.3-fold, about 1.4-fold, about 1.5-fold, about 1.6-fold, about 1.7-fold, about 1.8-fold, about 1.9-fold, about 2fold, about 2.1-fold, about 2.2-fold, about 2.3-fold, about 2.4-fold, about 2.5-fold, about 2.6-fold, about 2.7-fold, about 2.8-fold, about 2.9-fold, about 3-fold, about 3.1-fold, about 3.2-fold, about 3.3-fold, about 3.4-fold, about 3.5-fold, about 3.6-fold, about 3.7-fold, about 3.8-fold, about3.9-fold, about 4-fold, about 4.1-fold, about 4.2-fold, about 4.3-fold, about 4.4-fold, about 4.5-fold, about 4.6-fold, about 4.7-fold, about 4.8-fold, about 4.9-fold,about 5-fold, about 6fold, about 7-fold, about 8-fold, about 9-fold, about 10-fold, about 11-fold, about 12-fold, about 13-fold, about 14-fold, about 15-fold, about 16-fold, about 17-fold, about 18-fold, about 19fold, about 20-fold, about 21-fold, about 22-fold, about 23-fold, about 24-fold, about 25-fold, about 26-fold, about 27-fold, about 28-fold, about 29-fold, about 30-fold, about 31-fold, about 32-fold, about 33-fold, about 34-fold, about 35-fold, about 36-fold, about 37-fold, about 38fold, about 39-fold, about 40-fold, about 41-fold, about 42-fold, about 43-fold, about 44-fold, about 45-fold, about 46-fold, about 47-fold, about 48-fold, about 49-fold, about 50-fold, about 51-fold, about 52-fold, about 53-fold, about 54-fold, about 55-fold, about 56-fold, about 57fold, about 58-fold, about 59-fold, about 60-fold, about 61-fold, about 62-fold, about 63-fold, about 64-fold, about 65-fold, about 66-fold, about 67-fold, about 68-fold, about 69-fold, about 70-fold, about 71-fold, about 72-fold, about 73-fold, about 74-fold, about 75-fold, about 76fold, about 77-fold, about 78-fold, about 79-fold, about 80-fold, about 81-fold, about 82-fold, about 83-fold, about 84-fold, about 85-fold, about 86-fold, about 87-fold, about 88-fold, about 89-fold, about 90-fold, about 91-fold, about 92-fold, about 93-fold, about 94-fold, about 95fold, about 96-fold, about 97-fold, about 98-fold, about 99-fold, about 100-fold; or any range encompassed by the foregoing values; or any combination of the foregoing values. In the foregoing it is understood that the improvement is of a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with an HP sweetener compared to essentially the same composition except without the disclosed taste modulator composition when assessed in a sensory panel study as described herein.

[0060] In various aspects, a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition and an umami agent has one or more of the following characteristics modified as indicated when compared to the same composition without the disclosed taste modulator composition: decreased bitterness and / or mouthfeel enhancement. That is, a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with an umami agent has modified one of the foregoing characteristics as compared to essentially the same composition except with the same HP sweetener at the same concentration with the disclosed taste modulator composition omitted as determined in a sensory panel study as described herein.

[0061] In various aspects, one or more of these characteristics in a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with an umami agent is improved, when determined in a sensory panel study as described herein, is improved by about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, about 100%; or any range encompassed by the foregoing values; or any combination of the foregoing values. In various aspects, one or more of these characteristics in a composition comprising a disclosed taste modulator composition with a HP sweetener is improved, when determined in a sensory panel study as described herein, is improved by about 1.1-fold, about 1.2-fold, about 1.3-fold, about 1.4-fold, about 1.5-fold, about 1.6-fold, about 1.7-fold, about 1.8-fold, about 1.9-fold, about 2fold, about 2.1-fold, about 2.2-fold, about 2.3-fold, about 2.4-fold, about 2.5-fold, about 2.6-fold, about 2.7-fold, about 2.8-fold, about 2.9-fold, about 3-fold, about 3.1-fold, about 3.2-fold, about 3.3-fold, about 3.4-fold, about 3.5-fold, about 3.6-fold, about 3.7-fold, about 3.8-fold, about 3.9-fold, about 4-fold, about 4.1-fold, about 4.2-fold, about 4.3-fold, about 4.4-fold, about 4.5-fold, about 4.6-fold, about 4.7-fold, about 4.8-fold, about 4.9-fold,about 5-fold, about 6fold, about 7-fold, about 8-fold, about 9-fold, about 10-fold, about 11-fold, about 12-fold, about 13-fold, about 14-fold, about 15-fold, about 16-fold, about 17-fold, about 18-fold, about 19fold, about 20-fold, about 21-fold, about 22-fold, about 23-fold, about 24-fold, about 25-fold, about 26-fold, about 27-fold, about 28-fold, about 29-fold, about 30-fold, about 31-fold, about 32-fold, about 33-fold, about 34-fold, about 35-fold, about 36-fold, about 37-fold, about 38fold, about 39-fold, about 40-fold, about 41-fold, about 42-fold, about 43-fold, about 44-fold, about 45-fold, about 46-fold, about 47-fold, about 48-fold, about 49-fold, about 50-fold, about 51-fold, about 52-fold, about 53-fold, about 54-fold, about 55-fold, about 56-fold, about 57fold, about 58-fold, about 59-fold, about 60-fold, about 61-fold, about 62-fold, about 63-fold, about 64-fold, about 65-fold, about 66-fold, about 67-fold, about 68-fold, about 69-fold, about 70-fold, about 71-fold, about 72-fold, about 73-fold, about 74-fold, about 75-fold, about 76fold, about 77-fold, about 78-fold, about 79-fold, about 80-fold, about 81-fold, about 82-fold, about 83-fold, about 84-fold, about 85-fold, about 86-fold, about 87-fold, about 88-fold, about 89-fold, about 90-fold, about 91-fold, about 92-fold, about 93-fold, about 94-fold, about 95fold, about 96-fold, about 97-fold, about 98-fold, about 99-fold, about 100-fold; or any range encompassed by the foregoing values; or any combination of the foregoing values.

[0062] In a further aspect, the disclosed taste modulator compositions comprise a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. The taste modulator compositions can optionally further comprise one or more additional taste modulator components, e.g., a second taste modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a third taste modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a fourth taste modulator component comprising a fourth salt having a fourth cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. In some instances, the additional taste modulator components each comprise a different cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+.

[0063] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a second salt having a second cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a third salt having a third cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same.

[0064] In a further aspect, a disclosed modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation and a first anion, such that the first cation is selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a first anion is selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO?-3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^Os'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsOs’1), or combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ch), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), and combinations thereof. Alternatively, in an aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO / 3) or the first anion comprises chloride (Ch).

[0065] In a further aspect, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; optionally a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^Os'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6C>5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (F^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate ^b^CU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate ^b^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^bUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsbUCV2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate ^bUOe’2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOr), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CebUO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO?’2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate (C4HeO5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4’1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4'1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate ^bUOe’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (b^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (CF), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0066] In a further aspect, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy’1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^yOs-1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (F^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy’1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeCk2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate ^FbCU'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4 2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOr), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy-1), citrate (CeHsOy-3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs' 2), hydrogen malate (C4HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCU' 1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU-1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O6’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy-1), citrate (CeHsOy-3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^Os'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4’1), fumarate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0067] In a further aspect, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy’1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeCk2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O42), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate ^FbCU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOr), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy’1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO?'2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs' 2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate ^FhCU'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV 1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU-1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate ^FWe’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SO<2), bisulfate (HSO<1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOy ), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^Os'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate (C^HsCV1), fumarate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate (C^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeCV2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6C>5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate (C^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (F^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0068] In a further aspect, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO?-1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeCV2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeCk2), hydrogen malate (C4H7O5'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C^HsCV), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate (C^HsCV), glutarate (CsHeO^ 2), hydrogen glutarate (CsH7O4'1), adipate CeHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O62), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C^HsOs-1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU'2), dihydrogen phosphate (F^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; and the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeCk2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O42), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4 2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOr), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0069] In a further aspect, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; the first cation is K+; the second cation is Mg2+; the third cation is Ca2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy-1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C4HyOs'1), maleate ^FbCU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate ^FbCU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H4O62), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOr), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs' 2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O<2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV 1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O62), bitartrate (C^sOf1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPO<2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; and the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate (C^eOs-2), hydrogen malate (C^Os'1), maleate (C4H2O42), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4’1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsOs’1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0070] In a further aspect, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; the first cation is K+; the second cation is Mg2+; the third cation is Ca2+; the first anion is independently selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3) or conjugate acid form thereof, chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), or bisulfate (HSCU-1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3) or conjugate acid form thereof, chloride (Ck), sulfate (SCU-2), or bisulfate (HSCU-1), or combinations thereof; and the third anion is independently selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3) or conjugate acid form thereof, chloride (Ck), sulfate (SCU-2), or bisulfate (HSCU-1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0071] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; and a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2.

[0072] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; and a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2 + or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0073] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; and a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2 +

[0074] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+ or Mg2+.

[0075] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0076] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0077] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0078] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0079] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0080] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0081] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0082] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0083] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0084] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0085] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0086] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0087] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0088] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0089] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM.

[0090] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0091] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0092] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM.

[0093] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0094] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0095] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM.

[0096] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0097] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0098] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SO<2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SO<2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0099] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0100] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SO<2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SO<2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0101] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0102] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K+ and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SO4-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SC>4'2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0103] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0104] In various aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition comprises a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K+ and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SO4-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PO4'3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0105] In various aspects, the total concentration of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component taken together can be from about 0.1 mM to about 30 mM. For example, each of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component are independently present a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM, provided that the sum of concentrations of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component is less than about 30 mM. In a further aspect, the total concentration of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component taken together can be from about 0.1 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 30 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 25 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 20 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 15 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 10 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 10 mM; or a concentration or set of concentrations within the foregoing concentration ranges; or a sub-range of any of the foregoing concentration ranges.

[0106] In a further aspect, the concentration of the first modulator component can be from about 0.1 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 30 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 25 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 20 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 15 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 10 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 9 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 8 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 7 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 6 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 5 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 4 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 3 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 3 mM; or a concentration or set of concentrations within the foregoing concentration ranges; or a subrange of any of the foregoing concentration ranges.

[0107] In a further aspect, the concentration of the second modulator component can be from about 0.1 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 30 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 25 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 20 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 15 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 10 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 9 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 8 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 7 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 6 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 5 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 4 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 3 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 3 mM; or a concentration or set of concentrations within the foregoing concentration ranges; or a subrange of any of the foregoing concentration ranges.

[0108] In a further aspect, the concentration of the third modulator component can be from about 0.1 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 30 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 25 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 20 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 15 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 10 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 10 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 9 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 9 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 8 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 8 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 7 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 7 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 6 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 6 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 5 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 5 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 4 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 4 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 3 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 3 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 3 mM; or a concentration or set of concentrations within the foregoing concentration ranges; or a subrange of any of the foregoing concentration ranges.

[0109] The disclosed taste modulator compositions can be used at a suitable pH, e.g. a pH of from about pH 2 to about pH 9. In some instances, it may be desirable, e.g., to optimize a Taste Quality Metric such as sweetness linger, and / or body / mouthfeel, to use a lower pH, such as a pH of from about pH 2 to about pH 5, about pH 2 to about pH 4.5, about pH 2.0 to about pH 4.0, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.9, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.8, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.7, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.6, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.5, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.4, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.3, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.2, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.1, about pH 2.0 to about pH 3.0, about pH 2.1 to about pH 4.0, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.9, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.8, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.7, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.6, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.5, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.4, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.3, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.2, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.1, about pH 2.1 to about pH 3.0, about pH 2.2 to about pH 4.0, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.9, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.8, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.7, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.6, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.5, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.4, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.3, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.2, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.1, about pH 2.2 to about pH 3.0, about pH 2.3 to about pH 4.0, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.9, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.8, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.7, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.6, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.5, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.4, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.3, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.2, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.1, about pH 2.3 to about pH 3.0, about pH 2.4 to about pH 4.0, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.9, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.8, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.7, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.6, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.5, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.4, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.3, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.2, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.1, about pH 2.4 to about pH 3.0, about pH 2.5 to about pH 4.0, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.9, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.8, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.7, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.6, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.5, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.4, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.3, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.2, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.1, about pH 2.5 to about pH 3.0; or any pH value or sub-range within the foregoing ranges. Calcium Sensing Receptor (CaSR)

[0110] It has been reported that CaSR can be activated by both Ca2+ salts and Mg2+ salts as well as a large number of other agonists (e.g., see Spurney, R.F., et al. Kidney Int. 1999 May;55(5): 1750-8; and Breitwieser, G.E., et al. Cell Calcium. 2004 Mar;35(3):209-16). The CaSR belongs to class C of the seven-transmembrane receptors (G protein-coupled receptor; GPCR). The cloning of the gene for the calcium receptor was reported in 1993 (Nature, 1993 Dec. 9; 366(6455):575-80). The calcium receptor is known to cause various cellular responses through elevation of the intracellular calcium levels, etc., when activated with calcium, etc. The sequence of the human calcium receptor gene is registered with GenBank (Accession No. NM_000388), and is well conserved among many animal species. The “calcium receptor activity” is when binding of a substrate to the calcium receptor activates the guanine nucleotide binding protein and, as a result, transmits one or more signals. Without wishing to be bound by a particular theory, it is possible that the disclosed taste modulator compositions act in part via activation of the calcium sensing receptor (CaSR).

[0111] Further, without wishing to be bound by a particular theory, it is possible that the disclosed taste modulator compositions, acting on the CaSR, may be involved in kokumi taste. In a 2012 paper (Maruyama etal., PLoS ONE, 2012, 7(4): e34489) the activity of the CaSR in taste bud cells was found to be associated with a taste which they refer to as “kokumi taste”. In the field of food chemistry and biochemistry, substances having specific tastes have been used for many years. In particular, substances having the five basic tastes, namely, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami (a delicious taste) have been widely used as seasonings. Substances which enhance these basic tastes have also been widely used. One taste that does not fall within these five basic tastes is “kokumi”. Kokumi means a taste that is not one of the five basic tastes. Kokumi is a taste that not only enhances the five basic tastes but also enhances the marginal tastes of the basic tastes, such as thickness, growth (mouthfulness), continuity, and harmony. Several methods for imparting kokumi have been reported so far. Substances that have been reported to impart kokumi include glutathione (e.g., Japanese Patent No. 1464928), heated products of gelatin and tropomyosin (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (KOKAI) No. 10-276709), sulfone group-containing compounds (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (KOKAI) No. 8-289760), a peptide containing the Asn-His sequence (e.g., WO2004 / 096836), and so forth.

[0112] Accordingly, without wishing to be bound by a particular theory, improvement in the Taste Quality metric by the disclosed taste modulator compositions herein is via kokumi taste mediated at least in part via the CaSR.

[0113] In various aspects, a suitable additional CaSR modulator, e.g., a CaSR agonist, positive allosteric modulator, or combinations thereof, can be used in the various disclosed compositions. For example, a suitable additional CaSR modulator can be used to replace one or more of the taste modulator component, e.g., a first salt, a second salt, and the like. Alternatively, a suitable additional CaSR modulator can be an optional additional component in a disclosed taste modulator composition and by addition thereof decrease the amount of the taste modulator component, e.g., a first salt, a second salt, and the like, used compared to a composition that does not comprise a suitable additional CaSR modulator. Although it is understood that a taste modulator component, taste modulator component, e.g., a first salt, a second salt, and the like, may act at or bind to the CaSR, in the present context, “the suitable additional CaSR modulator” is understood to be a salt, compound, or molecular entity other than a first salt, second salt, third salt, or fourth salt as described herein above. That is, a suitable additional CaSR modulator can be any known CaSR agonist, CaSR positive allosteric modulator, or combination thereof - as known to the skilled artisan - that is a disclosed first salt, second salt, third salt, or fourth salt.

[0114] Exemplary, but non-limiting suitable additional CaSR modulators include creatine, spermine, spermidine, putrescine, L-glutathione, neomycin, poly-L-arginine, cinacalcet, calindol, an aluminum salt, an iron salt, a gadolinium salt, a zinc salt, a strontium salt, or combinations thereof. Further exemplary, but non-limiting suitable CaSR modulator includes a peptide that is acts at the CaSR such as a di-, tri-, and tetra-peptide such as Glu-Asp, Glu-Glu, Asp-Glu, Thr-Glu, Asp-Glu-Ser, Glu-Gly-Ser, Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp, and others as known to the skilled artisan. The peptide can be a suitable di-peptide upto an octapeptide, such as Lys-Gly-Asp-Glu-Glu-Ser-Leu-Ala. In some aspects, the peptide can be y-glutamyl peptide that is a di-peptide to an octapeptide, i.e., a peptide of 2-8 amino acids having a y-glutamyl residue, including, but not limited to y-Glu-Ala, y-Glu-Val, y-Glu-Cys, y-Glu-Abu-Gly (Abu = alphabutyric acid), y-Glu-Val-Gly, y-Glu-Ser, y-Glu-Thr, y-Glu-Glu, and others.

[0115] Further exemplary, but non-limiting suitable additional CaSR modulator includes a polyamine such as an organic compound having two or more primary amino groups, e.g., putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, spermine, or combinations thereof. The polyamine can be a branched or cyclic polyamine. In some instances, it may be preferable to use a cyclic polyamine.

[0116] Further exemplary, but non-limiting suitable additional CaSR modulator includes an aminoglycoside antibiotics such as amikacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin, netilmicin, paromomycin, streptomycin, tobramycin, apramycin, or combinations thereof.

[0117] Further exemplary, but non-limiting suitable additional CaSR modulator includes an allosterically active L-amino acid such as an aromatic or small aliphatic L-amino acid, such as Phe, Tyr, Trp, Gly, Ala, Vai, Leu, lie, or combinations thereof.

[0118] The present disclosure further provides methods for optimizing and modifying the disclosed taste modulator compositions by assessing the activity of same to modulate the activity and / or expression of a CaSR. For example, and not by way of limitation, the disclosed taste modulator compositions can act, in part, as agonists of a calcium-sensing receptor. The presently disclosed subject matter provides in silico and in vitro methods for identifying compounds that modulate the activity and / or expression of a CaSR, disclosed above.

[0119] In certain aspects, the method can be an in vitro methods for assessing the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition in modulating the activity and / or expression of a CaSR.

[0120] The CaSR for use in the presently disclosed methods can include isolated or recombinant calcium-sensing receptors or cells expressing a calcium-sensing receptor, e.g., a CaSR having an amino acid sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388. In certain aspects, the calcium-sensing receptor for use in the disclosed methods can have the amino acid sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388, or a fragment or variant thereof. In certain aspects, the calcium-sensing receptor for use in the disclosed method can have at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identity to the amino acid sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388, or a fragment or variant thereof. In some aspects, the calcium-sensing receptor for use in the disclosed method can have the nucleotide sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388,, or a fragment or variant thereof. In certain aspects, the calcium-sensing receptor for use in the presently disclosed subject matter can include a receptor comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identity to a nucleic acid sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388,, or a fragment or variant thereof.

[0121] In certain aspects, the method for assessing the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition that modulates the activity and / or expression of a calcium-sensing receptor comprises measuring the biological activity of a calcium-sensing receptor in the absence and / or presence of a taste modulator composition. In certain aspects, the method can include measuring the biological activity of a calcium-sensing receptor in the presence of varying concentrations of a disclosed taste modulator composition. The method can further include identifying the taste modulator compositions that result in a modulation of the activity and / or expression of the calcium-sensing receptor compared to the activity and / or expression of the calcium-sensing receptor in the absence of the taste modulator composition.

[0122] In certain aspects, a disclosed taste modulator composition can increase the biological activity of a calcium-sensing receptor by at least about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 100%, or more, compared to the biological activity of the calcium-sensing receptor when the compound is not present.

[0123] In certain aspects, the method can further include analyzing two or more, three or more or four or more components in combination. In certain aspects, the two or more, three or more or four or more components can be from different classes of compounds, e.g., amino acids, disclosed salts, and / or other small chemical compounds. For example, and not by way of limitation, the method can include analyzing the effect of one or more taste modulator compositions on the biological activity and / or expression of a calcium-sensing receptor in the presence of one or more additional components. In certain aspects, the method for identifying compounds activity and / or expression of a calcium-sensing receptor comprises analyzing the effect of a taste modulator composition on the biological activity and / or expression of a calcium-sensing receptor in the presence of one or more salt of a disclosed taste modulator composition, e.g., a calcium salt.

[0124] In certain aspects, the method for assessing the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition that modulates the activity and / or expression of a calcium-sensing receptor comprises determining whether a disclosed taste modulator composition modulates the receptor directly, for example, as an agonist. In certain aspects, the method comprises determining whether a disclosed taste modulator composition indirectly modulates the activity of the receptor (e.g., as an allosteric modulator), for example, by enhancing or decreasing the effect of other compounds on activating or inhibiting receptor activity.

[0125] In certain aspects, the method for assessing the effect of a disclosed taste modulator composition that modulates the activity and / or expression of a calcium-sensing receptor comprises expressing a calcium-sensing receptor in a cell line and measuring the biological activity of the receptor in the presence and / or absence of a taste modulator composition. The method can further comprise identifying taste modulator compositions that modulate the activity of the receptor by determining if there is a difference in receptor activation in the presence of a taste modulator composition compared to the activity of the receptor in the absence of the taste modulator composition. In certain aspects, the selectivity of the putative calcium-sensing receptor modulator can be evaluated by comparing its effects on other GPCRs or taste receptors, including, but not limited to umami, fatty acid, sweetener, umami, and bitterant receptors.

[0126] Activation of the receptor in the disclosed methods can be detected through the use of a labeling compound and / or agent. In certain aspects, the activity of the calcium-sensing receptor can be determined by the detection of secondary messengers such as, but not limited to, cAMP, cGMP, IP3, DAG or calcium. In certain aspects, the activity of the calcium-sensing receptor can be determined by the detection of the intracellular calcium levels. Monitoring can be by way of luminescence or fluorescence detection, such as by a calcium sensitive fluorescent dye. In certain aspects, the intracellular calcium levels can be determined using a cellular dye, e.g., a fluorescent calcium indicator such as Calcium 4. In certain aspects, the intracellular calcium levels can be determined by measuring the level of calcium binding to a calcium-binding protein, for example, calmodulin. Alternatively and / or additionally, activity of the calcium-sensing receptor can be determined by detection of the phosphorylation, transcript levels and / or protein levels of one or more downstream protein targets of the calcium-sensing receptor.

[0127] The cell line used in the disclosed methods can include any cell type that is capable of expressing a calcium-sensing receptor. Non-limiting examples of cells that can be used in the disclosed methods include HeLa cells, Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO cells), African green monkey kidney cells (COS cells), Xenopus oocytes, HEK-293 cells and murine 3T3 fibroblasts. In certain aspects, the method can include expressing a calcium-sensing receptor in HEK-293 cells. In certain aspects, the method can include expressing a calcium-sensing receptor in COS cells. In certain aspects, the cells constitutively express the calcium-sensing receptor. In another aspect, expression of the CaSR by the cells is inducible.

[0128] In certain aspects, the cell expresses a calcium-binding photoprotein, wherein the photoprotein luminesces upon binding calcium. In certain aspects, the calcium binding photoprotein comprises the protein clytin. In certain aspects the clytin is a recombinant clytin. In certain aspects, the clytin comprises an isolated clytin, for example, a clytin isolated from Clytia gregarium. In certain aspects, the calcium-binding photoprotein comprises the protein aequorin, for example, a recombinant aequorin or an isolated aequorin, such as an aequorin isolated from Aequorea victoria. In certain aspects, the calcium-binding photoprotein comprises the protein obelin, for example, a recombinant obelin or an isolated obelin, such as an obelin isolated from Obelia longissima.

[0129] In certain aspects, expression of a calcium-sensing receptor in a cell can be performed by introducing a nucleic acid encoding a calcium-sensing receptor into the cell. For example, and not by way of limitation, a nucleic acid having the nucleotide sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388, ora fragment thereof, can be introduced into a cell. In certain aspects, the introduction of a nucleic acid into a cell can be carried out by any method known in the art, including but not limited to transfection, electroporation, microinjection, infection with a viral or bacteriophage vector containing the nucleic acid sequences, cell fusion, chromosome-mediated gene transfer, microcell-mediated gene transfer, spheroplast fusion, etc. Numerous techniques are known in the art for the introduction of foreign genes into cells (see, e.g., Loeffler and Behr, Meth. Enzymol. 217:599618 (1993); Cohen etal., Meth. Enzymol. 217:618-644 (1993); Cline, Pharmac. Ther. 29:6992 (1985), the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties) and can be used in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In certain aspects, the technique can provide for stable transfer of nucleic acid to the cell, so that the nucleic acid is expressible by the cell and inheritable and expressible by its progeny. In certain aspects, the technique can provide for a transient transfer of the nucleic acid to the cell, so that the nucleic acid is expressible by the cell, wherein heritability and expressibility decrease in subsequent generations of the cell's progeny.

[0130] In certain aspects, the nucleic acid encoding a calcium-sensing receptor is comprised in a cloning vector, for example, a pcDNA3.1 vector or a pcDNA5 TO vector, that is introduced into the cell.

[0131] In certain aspects, the method can include assessing disclosed taste modulator compositions that bind to a calcium-sensing receptor. The method can comprise contacting a calcium-sensing receptor with a disclosed taste modulator composition and measuring binding between the compound and the calcium-sensing receptor. For example, and not by way of limitation, the methods can include providing an isolated or purified calcium-sensing receptor in a cell-free system, and contacting the receptor with a taste modulator composition in the cell-free system to determine if the taste modulator composition binds to the calcium-sensing receptor. In certain aspects, the method can comprise contacting a calcium-sensing receptor expressed on the surface of a cell with a candidate compound and detecting binding of the candidate compound to the calcium-sensing receptor. The binding can be measured directly, e.g., by using a labeled taste modulator composition, or can be measured indirectly. In certain aspects, the detection comprises detecting a physiological event in the cell caused by the binding of the compound to the calcium-sensing receptor, e.g., an increase in the intracellular calcium levels. For example, and not by way of limitation, detection can be performed by way of fluorescence detection, such as a calcium sensitive fluorescent dye, by detection of luminescence, or any other method of detection known in the art.

[0132] In certain non-limiting aspects, the in vitro assay comprises cells expressing a calcium-sensing receptor that is native to the cells. Examples of such cells expressing a native calcium-sensing receptor include, for example but not limited to, human taste cells or other suitable mammalian model (e.g., primary taste receptor cells). In certain aspects, the human taste cells expressing a calcium-sensing receptor are isolated from an ethically obtained human tissue, and then cultured in vitro. In certain aspects, the taste receptor cells can be immortalized, for example, such that the cells isolated from a human can be propagated in culture.

[0133] In certain aspects, expression of a calcium-sensing receptor in a cell can be induced through gene editing, for example, through use of the CRISPR gene editing system to incorporate a calcium-sensing receptor gene into the genome of a cell, or to edit or modify a calcium-sensing receptor gene native to the cell.

[0134] In certain aspects, the in vitro methods of assessing a disclosed taste modulator composition that binds to a calcium-sensing receptor comprises determining whether a taste modulator composition interacts with one or more amino acids of a calcium-sensing receptor interacting domain, as described herein.

[0135] In certain aspects, assessing a taste modulator composition identified as modulators of a calcium-sensing receptor can be further tested in other analytical methods including, but not limited to, in vivo assays, to confirm or quantitate their modulating activity.

[0136] In certain aspects, methods described herein can comprise determining whether a disclosed taste modulator composition is a kokumi taste enhancing compound, e.g., a calcium-sensing receptor agonist.

[0137] In certain aspects, the methods of assessing a disclosed taste modulator composition can comprise comparing the effect of a taste modulator composition to a calcium-sensing receptor agonist. For example, a taste modulator composition that increases the activity of the receptor compared to the activity of the receptor when contacted with a calcium-sensing receptor agonist can be selected as a calcium-sensing receptor modulating compound (e.g., as an agonist).

[0138] In certain aspects, the methods of assessing a disclosed taste modulator composition can comprise determining whether a taste modulator composition modulates the activity of the receptor when the receptor is contacted with an agonist, or whether the taste modulator composition can modulate the activity of a positive allosteric modulator (PAM). Taste modulator compositions that increase or decrease the effect of said agonist or PAM on the receptor can be selected as a calcium-sensing receptor modulating compound (e.g., as an allosteric modulator).

[0139] In certain aspects, the method can include predicting the three-dimensional structure (3D) of a calcium-sensing receptor and screening the predicted 3D structure with disclosed taste modulator compositions. The method can further include predicting whether the disclosed taste modulator compositions can interact with the binding site of the receptor by analyzing the potential interactions with the taste modulator composition and the amino acids of the receptor. The method can further include identifying a taste modulator composition that can bind to and / or modulate the biological activity of the calcium-sensing receptor by determining whether the 3D structure of the compound fits within the binding site of the 3D structure of the receptor.

[0140] In some aspects, the CaSR for use in the disclosed method can have the amino acid sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388, or a fragment or variant thereof. In certain aspects, the calcium-sensing receptor for use in the presently disclosed subject matter can include a receptor comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identity to an amino acid sequecce corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388, or a fragment or variant thereof. In certain aspects, the calcium-sensing receptor for use in the disclosed method can have the nucleotide sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388„ or a fragment or variant thereof. In certain aspects, the calcium-sensing receptor for use in the presently disclosed subject matter can include a receptor comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98% or at least 99% identity to a nucleic acid sequence corresponding to a described CaSR, e.g., GenBank Accession No. NM_000388, or a fragment or variant thereof.

[0141] In certain aspects, structural models of a calcium-sensing receptor can be built using crystal structures of other GPCRs as templates for homology modelling. For example, and not by way of limitation, structural models can be generated using the crystal structures of Group C GPCRs. In certain aspects, a structural model of a calcium-sensing receptor can be based on a known or a combination of known crystal structures of GPCRs. (See, e.g., Lee et al., Eur J Pharmacol. 2015 May 14. pii: S0014-2999(15)30012-1, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein). In certain aspects, a structural model of a calcium-sensing receptor can be generated based on the crystal structure of an mGluR protein. For example, and not by way of limitation, a structural model of the flytrap domain (VFT) of a calcium-sensing receptor can be generated based on the crystal structure having the protein data base (PDB) ID No. 1EWK. In certain aspects, a structural model of the 7 transmembrane domain (7TM) of a calcium-sensing receptor can be generated based on the crystal structures of mGluR proteins having PDB ID Nos. 4OR2 and 4009. FIG. 13 depict structural models of calcium-sensing receptors that can be used in the disclosed in silico methods. Any suitable modeling software known in the art can be used. In certain aspects, the Modeller software package can be used to generate the three-dimensional protein structure.

[0142] In some aspects, the in silico methods of assessing a disclosed taste modulator composition that binds to a CaSR comprises determining whether the taste modulator composition interacts with one or more amino acids of a calcium-sensing receptor interacting domain, as described herein.

[0143] Taste modulator compositions assessed by the disclosed in silico methods can be further assessed using the in vitro methods disclosed herein. Sweetening Agents

[0144] The sweetening agent used in the disclosed sweetener compositions can be a single sweetening agent or mixture of sweetening agents. It is understood that a natural sweetener, a synthetic sweetener, a semi-synthetic sweetener, and combinations thereof, are all within the scope of the disclosed sweetener compositions. Natural sweeteners can include, but are not limited to, natural HP sweeteners, natural polyol sweeteners, natural protein sweeteners, and / or natural carbohydrate sweeteners.

[0145] Certain naturally-occurring terpene glycosides are both potently sweet and non-calorific. For these reasons, terpene glycosides are very attractive for use as a sweetening agent in the food, beverage and dietary supplement industries. Accordingly, in various aspects, the disclosed sweetening agent can comprise a naturally occurring terpene glycoside derived from or present in a plant.

[0146] In a further aspects the sweetening agent can be a natural HP sweetener such as a Stevia rebaudiana-derived sweetener (i.e., a stevia sweetener), a Siraitia grosvenorii-derived sweetener, a protein sweetener, or combinations thereof.

[0147] Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America. The plant has been successfully grown under a wide range of conditions from its native subtropics to the cold northern latitudes. Steviol glycosides have zero calories and can be used wherever sugar is used. They are ideal for diabetic and low calorie diets. In addition, the sweet steviol glycosides possess functional and sensory properties superior to those of many high potency sweeteners.

[0148] The species Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is a perennial shrub of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family native to certain regions of South America widely grown for its sweet leaves. Stevia rebaudiana is best known for its sweetness, although the genus includes other members (e.g., S. eupatoria, S. ovata, S plummerae, S. salicifolia, and S. sen-ata), which may also produce sweet tasting glycosides. The leaves have been traditionally used for hundreds of years in Paraguay and Brazil to sweeten local beverages, foods and medicines. Stevia-based sweeteners can be obtained by extracting one or more sweet compounds from the leaves. Many of these compounds are steviol glycosides. These can be purified from the leaves in various ways, including as extracts. As sweeteners and sugar substitutes, many steviol glycoside extracts have a slower sweetness onset and longer duration than that of sugar. Some of the extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste, particularly at high concentrations, hence the usefulness of the presently disclosed taste modulators. Examples of steviol glycosides are described in WO 2013 / 096420 (see, e.g., listing in FIG. 1); in Ohta et al., “Characterization of Novel Steviol Glycosides from Leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Morita,” J. Appl. Glycosi., 57, 199-209 (2010) (See, e.g., Table 5 at p. 204); and in G. J. Gerwig et al., “Stevia Glycosides: Chemical and Enzymatic Modifications of Their Carbohydrate Moieties to Improve the Sweet-Tasting Quality”, Chapter 1 in Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biochemistry, 2016, 73, pp. 1-72.

[0149] Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, as one example, is a perennial shrub of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family native to certain regions of South America. Its leaves have been traditionally used for hundreds of years in Paraguay and Brazil to sweeten local teas and medicines. The plant is commercially cultivated in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, China, Israel, India, Brazil, Australia and Paraguay. Other varieties such as Stevia rebaudiana. Morita and the like, also are known.

[0150] The Stevia rebaudiana plant contain a mixture of different diterpene glycosides that can accumulate in leaves in an amount ranging up to about 10 to 20% of the total dry weight. These diterpene glycosides are about 150 to 450 times more potent than sugar. Structurally, the diterpene glycosides are characterized by a single aglycone, steviol, and differ by the presence of varying carbohydrate residues at positions C13 and C19 (for example, see also PCT Patent Publication WO 20013 / 096420). Typically, on a dry weight basis, the four major steviol glycosides found in the leaves of Stevia are Dulcoside A (0.3%), Rebaudioside C (0.61.0%), Rebaudioside A (3.8%) and Stevioside (9.1%). Other glycosides identified in Stevia extract include one or more of Rebaudioside B, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, Steviolbioside and Rubusoside. The leaves of other cultivars of Stevia are able to accumulate up to 10-20% (on dry weight basis) steviol glycosides. The major glycosides found in Stevia leaves are Rebaudioside A (2-10%), stevioside (2-10%), and Rebaudioside C (12%). Other glycosides such as Rebaudioside B, D, E, and F, Steviolbioside and Rubusoside are found at much lower levels (approx. 0-0.2%). As used herein, the term “REB” is used as a shorthand for rebaudioside. For example, REBN refers to Rebaudioside N.

[0151] Steviol glycosides include steviol glycoside compositions comprising at least 95 wt% of steviol glycosides comprising at least 50 wt% of Rebaudioside A and the balance comprising a mixture of compounds comprising a steviol backbone conjugated to any number or combination of the principal sugar moieties, such as glucose, rhamnose, xylose, fructose, arabinose, galactose and deoxyglucose, in any of the orientations occurring in the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in accordance with the JECFA 2017 definition (i.e., as defined in the Residue Monograph prepared by the meeting of the Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 84th meeting 2017, “Steviol Glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni”).

[0152] Steviol glycosides differ from each other not only by molecular structure, but also by their taste properties. The physical and sensory properties are well studied for a number of the steviol glycosides. Steviol glycoside extracts can be on the order of 10* or even 500* times the sweetness potency of sugar. Because stevia glycoside extracts tend to have a reducing effect on blood glucose levels as compared to sucrose, glucose, and fructose, sweetener compositions based on one or more steviol glycosides are attractive to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets. For example, the sweetness potency of Stevioside is around 110-270 times higher than sucrose, Rebaudioside A between 150 and 320 times, and Rebaudioside C between 40-60 times more potent than sucrose. Dulcoside A is 30 times more potent than sucrose. The Stevia extract containing Rebaudioside A and Stevioside as major components showed sweetness potency around 250 times. Rebaudioside A has the least astringent, the least bitter, and the least persistent aftertaste thus possessing the most favorable sensory attributes in major steviol glycosides (Tanaka O. (1987) Improvement of taste of natural sweeteners. PureAppl. Chem. 69:675-683; Phillips K. C. (1989) Stevia: steps in developing a new sweeteners. In: Grenby T. H. ed. Developments in sweeteners, vol. 3. Elsevier Applied Science, London. 1-43).

[0153] Previous studies show a certain correlation between number of glycosidic residues and taste quality of a steviol glycoside. When comparing steviol glycosides, rebaudioside A (G4, having 4 glucose residues) clearly surpasses stevioside and rebaudioside B (G3, each having 3 glucose residues) in taste quality. Steviolbioside and rubusoside (G2, each having 2 glucose residues) have a taste quality that is proven to be significantly inferior to that of stevioside (G3). In addition, the taste quality of rhamnosylated glycosides is inferior compared to that of glucosylated glycosides. Tanaka, 0., "Improvement of Taste of Natural Sweeteners," Pure & Appl. Chern., Vol. 69, No. 4, pp. 675-683 (1997). Steviol glycosides with a greater number of glucose residues, for example, more than two glucose residues, show a better taste quality. Particularly mono- and di-glucosyl forms of stevioside (having 4 glucose residues (G4) and 5 glucose residues (G5) respectively) possess significantly better taste quality. Tanaka, 0., "Improvement of Taste of Natural Sweeteners," Pure & Appl. Chern., Vol. 69, No. 4, pp. 675-683 (1997).

[0154] The chemical structures of some diterpene glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana are presented in FIGs. 1, 2 and 3. In a further aspect, a stevia sweetener can comprise one or more of the stevia sweeteners shown in Table 1 below and in FIGs. 1 and 2. Table 1. Common Name Shortened Name Chemical Formula Molecular Weight Rebaudioside A REBA C44H70O23 967.02 Rebaudioside B REBB CssHeoOis 804.88 Rebaudioside C REBC C44H70O22 951.02 Rebaudioside D REBD C50H80O28 1129.16 Rebaudioside E REBE C44H70O23 967.02 Rebaudioside F REBF C43H68O22 937.00 Rebaudioside M REBM C56H90O33 1291.30 Rebaudioside N REBN C56H90O32 1275.30 Steviol ___ C19H28O3 304.43 Steviolmonoside — C26H40O8 480.60 Steviolbioside — C32H50O13 642.74 Stevioside — C38H60O18 804.88 Rubusoside — C32H50O13 642.74 Dulcoside A — C38H60O17 788.88 Table 1, continued. Common Name IUPAC Name Rebaudioside A (3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl(4R,4aS,11aR,1ipS)-10-(((2R,3R,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3,4-bis(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,1ip-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9-methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylate Rebaudioside B (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aR, 11 pS)-9-(((2S,3R,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-3- (((3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,11 p-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9-methanocyclohepta[a] naphthalene-4-carboxylic acid Rebaudioside C (3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (4R,6aR,9S, 11 pS)-9-(((2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-3- (((2R,3S,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,11 p-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9- methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylate Rebaudioside D (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (4R,4aS,6aR,9S,11aR,1ipS)-9-(((2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3,4-bis(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,1 ip-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9-methanocyclohepta[a] naphthalene-4-carboxylate Rebaudioside E [(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl] (1R,4S,5R,9S,10R,13S)-13-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5,9-dimethyl-14-methylidenetetracyclo[11.2.1.01,10.04,9] hexadecane-5-carboxylate Rebaudioside F (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro- 2H-pyran-2-yl(4R,4aS,6aR,9S,11aR,1 ipS)-9-(((2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4- Common Name IUPAC Name (((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-3-(((2S, 3 R, 4S, 5 R)-3,4,5-tri hyd roxytetrahyd ro-2 H- py ran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,1 ip-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9-methanocyclohepta[a] naphthalene-4-carboxylate Rebaudioside M (2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methyl-3,4-bis(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (4R,4aS,6aR,9S,11aR,1ipS)-9-(((2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3,4-bis(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,1 ip-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9-methanocyclohepta[a] naphthalene-4-carboxylate Rebaudioside N (2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4- (((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-3- (((2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aR, 11 pS)-9-(((2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-5-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3,4-bis(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,11 p-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6,9-methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylate Steviol (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aS, 11 pS)-9-hydroxy-4-methyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9- methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylic acid Steviolmonoside (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aR, 11 pS)-4,11 b-dimethyl-8-methylene-9-(((2S,3R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetradecahydro-6a,9- methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylic acid Steviolbioside (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aR, 11 pS)-9-(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,11 p-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9- methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylic acid Stevioside (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aR, 11 pS)-9- (((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3- (((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,1 ip-dimethyl-8-methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9- methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylate Rubusoside (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aR, 11 pS)-4,11 b-dimethyl-8-methylene-9-(((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6- (hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetradecahydro-6a,9-methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylate Dulcoside A (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl (4R,4aS,6aR,9S, 11 aR, 11 pS)-9- Common Name IUPAC Name (((2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3- (((2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy)-4,11 p-dimethyl-8- methylenetetradecahydro-6a,9- methanocyclohepta[a]naphthalene-4-carboxylate

[0155] Steviol glycosides can be obtained from leaves in a variety of ways, including extraction techniques using either water or organic solvent extraction. Supercritical fluid extraction and steam distillation methods have also been described. Methods for the recovery of diterpenoid sweet glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana using supercritical CO2, membrane technology, and water or organic solvents, such as methanol and ethanol, can also be used. Methods for the extraction and purification of sweet glycosides from the Stevia Rebaudiana plant using water and / or organic solvents are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,361,697; 4,082,858; 4,892,938; 5,972,120; 5,962,678; 7,838,044 and 7,862,845. However, even in a highly purified state, steviol glycosides still possess undesirable taste attributes such as bitterness, sweet aftertaste, licorice flavor, etc. It was shown that these flavor notes become more prominent as the concentration of steviol glycosides increases (Prakash I., DuBois G. E., Clos J. F., Wilkens K. L., Fosdick L. E. (2008) Development of Rebiana, a natural, HP sweetener. Food Chern. Toxicol., 46, S75-S82.).

[0156] Rebaudioside B (CAS No: 58543-17-2), or REBB, also known as stevioside A<(Kennelly E. J. (2002) Constituents of Stevia Rebaudiana In Stevia’. The genus Stevia, Kinghom A. D. (Ed), Taylor & Francis, London, p. 71), is one of the sweet glycosides found in Stevia Rebaudiana. Sensory evaluations show that REBB was approximately 300-350 times more potent than sucrose, while for REBA this value was approximately 350-450 (Crammer, B. and Ikan, R. (1986) Sweet glycosides from the Stevia plant. Chemistry in Britain 22, 915-916, and 918). It was believed that REBB forms from partial hydrolysis of Rebaudioside A during the extraction process (Kobayashi, M., Horikawa, S., Degrandi, I. H., Ueno, J. and Mitsuhashi, H. (1977) Dulcosides A and B, new diterpenoid glycosides from Stevia Rebaudiana. Phytochemistry 16, 1405-1408).

[0157] However further research shows that REBB occurs naturally in the leaves of Stevia Rebaudiana and currently it is one of nine steviol glycosides recognized by FAO / JECFA (United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization / Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives) in calculating total steviol glycosides' content in commercial steviol glycosides preparations (FAO JECFA (2010) Steviol Glycosides, Compendium of Food Additive Specifications, FAO JECFA Monographs 10, 17-21). On the other hand, the water solubility of REBB is reported to be about 0.1% (Kinghorn A. D. (2002) Constituents of Stevia Rebaudiana In Stevia: The genus Stevia, Kinghorn A. D. (Ed), Taylor & Francis, London, p. 8). In many food processes where highly concentrated ingredients are used, a highly soluble form of REBB can be desirable. Rebaudioside D (CAS No: 63279-13-0), is one of the sweet glycosides found in Stevia rebaudiana. Studies have shown that highly purified forms of Rebaudioside D (REBD) possess a very desirable taste profile, almost lacking the bitterness and lingering licorice aftertaste typical for other steviol glycosides.

[0158] It is known that some of the undesired taste attributes associated with steviol glycoside molecules can be substantially reduced by the reaction of intermolecular transglycosylation of various enzymes, upon which the attachment of new carbohydrates at positions C13 and C19 of steviol glycosides takes place. The effect of adding glucose molecules to purified stevioside molecules by transglycosylation was previously evaluated (Tanaka, 0., "Improvement of Taste of Natural Sweeteners," Pure & Appl. Chern., Vol. 69, No. 4, pp. 675-683 (1997)). The resulting glucosylated steviosides were evaluated for their sweetness and taste quality and it was observed that the improvement of taste quality was greater when the glucose units were added to the C19 position rather than at the C13 position.

[0159] Various enzymes have been used to conduct such transglycosylation. Pullulanase, isomaltase (Lobov, S.V. et al., "Enzymic Production of Sweet Stevioside Derivatives: Transglucosylation by Glucosidases," Agric. Biol. Chern., Vol. 55, No. 12, pp. 2959-2965 (1991)), p-galactosidase (Kitahata, S. et al., "Production of Rubusoside Derivatives by Transgalactosylation of Various p-Galactosidases," Agric. Biol. Chern., Vol. 53, No. 1 1, pp. 2923-2928 (1989)), and dextrine saccharase (Yamamoto, K. et al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., Vol. 58, No. 9, pp. 1657-1661 (1994)) were used as enzymes with pullulan, maltose, lactose, and partially hydrolyzed starch being donors. The transglucosylation of steviol glycosides was also achieved by the action of cyclodextrin glucanotransferases (CGTase). The obtained sweeteners possessed improved sweetness without bitterness and licorice taste (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,219,571, 7,838,044, and 7,807,206).

[0160] It has been observed that an increase in the number of glucose units in steviol glycoside molecules (for example, from stevioside to Rebaudioside A), is associated with an increase in the sweetness intensity and improvement in the sweetness profile (taste). It is known that the sweetness quality generally improves with the addition of glucose units. The number of glucose units in a glucosylated steviol glycoside can be as described in International Patent Publ. No. WO2012129451A1, e.g., at least one glucose unit, at least one glucose units, or at least one glucose units. In some instances, the least one glucose unit, at least one glucose units, or at least one glucose units is at the C-13, C-19, or both the C-13 and C-19 of the glucosylated steviol glycoside. In other instances, at least one glucose unit occurs at position C-19 of the glucosylated steviol glycoside.

[0161] The fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family is one source for naturally-occurring terpene glycosides. An example of such fruit is monk fruit, also known by its Chinese name luo han guo (Siraitia grosvenorii, formerly known as Momordica grosvenorii). Monk fruit is grown in the South East provinces of China, mainly in the Guangxi region. This fruit has been cultivated and used for hundreds of years as a traditional Chinese remedy for coughs and congestion of the lungs, and also as a sweetener and flavoring agent in soups and teas.

[0162] Monk fruit and some other fruits of the Cucurbitaceae family contain terpene glycosides, such as mogrosides and siamenosides, which are typically present at a level of around 1% in the fleshy part of the fruit. These terpene glycosides have been described and characterized in Matsumoto et al., Chern. Pharm. Bull., 38(7), 2030-2032 (1990). The most abundant mogroside in monk fruit is mogroside V, which has been estimated to have a sweetness of approximately 250 times cane sugar on a weight basis. The fruit has terpene glycosides, wherein at least one of the terpene glycosides is mogroside V. The fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family may be monk fruit or other terpene glycoside-containing fruits. The juice obtained from fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family also has terpene glycosides, wherein at least one of the terpene glycosides is mogroside V. The juice may be a fruit juice, a juice concentrate, or a diluted juice. In one aspect, the sweet juice composition produced from the method retains at least about 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70% on a dry weight basis, as determined by HPLC, of mogroside V from the juice; or a range of mogroside V on a dry weight basis comprising as an lower and upper limit two values selected from the foregoing values.

[0163] Monk fruit and other terpene glycoside-containing fruits of the Cucurbitaceae family, although sweet, are generally unsuitable for widespread use as a non-nutritive sweetener without additional processing. Raw fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family has a tendency to easily form off-flavors, and pectin in the fruit may cause gelling. The fruit can be preserved by drying, but this can cause the formation of other undesirable bitter, astringent and cooked flavors. Existing sweet juice compositions derived from monk fruit and other terpene glycosidecontaining fruits of the Cucurbitaceae family suffer from the disadvantages of having a brown / yellow color, poor stability and noticeable undesirable flavors.

[0164] Various methods and techniques are currently known in the art to remove off-flavor components from the juice of monk fruit and other terpene glycoside-containing fruits of the Cucurbitaceae family; however, these methods also remove significant amounts of mogrosides from the juice. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,755; U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2009 / 0196966 and 2009 / 0311404. Other methods of producing a sweet juice with a clean flavor from monk fruit and other terpene glycoside-containing fruits of the Cucurbitaceae family containing terpene glycosides have been reported comprising utilizing a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange resin, either as separate resins or as a mixed bed of cation and anion exchange resins, to produce a sweet juice composition. For example, see U.S. Patent Application No. 2018 / 0000140. This latter method can be used to purify juice obtained from monk fruit; however, juice from other fruits comprise terpene glycosides, e.g., mogroside V or a terpene glycoside-rich fruit or mogroside V-rich fruit. Suitable fruits may be from a plant of the family Cucurbitaceae, and more specifically, from tribe Jollifieae, subtribe Thladianthinae, and more even specifically, genus Siraitia. For example, the fruit may be from a plant selected from Siraitia grosvenorii, Siraitia siamensis, Siraitia silomaradjae, Siraitia sikkimensis, Siraitia africana, Siraitia borneensis, and Siraitia taiwaniana. It should be understood that the terpene glycoside content, including the mogroside V content, after purification by the method disclosed U.S. Patent Application No. 2018 / 0000140, or any other similar method, may vary depending on numerous factors, including the composition of the juice, the type of ion exchange resins selected, and conditions under which the ion exchange resins are used.

[0165] In various aspects, a method of purifying a monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture can remove, one or more compounds that contribute to grassy or earthy flavors or odors and bitterness. Such compounds may be selected from, for example, melanoidins, peptides, terpenoids, phenols (including, for example, polyphenols, phenolic oligomers, condensed polyphenols), and terpene glycosides (other than sweet-tasting terpene glycosides described above, including for example mogroside V, mogroside IV, 11-oxo-mogroside V, mogroside VI, and siamenoside I).

[0166] In one aspect, the compound is a bitter-tasting melanoidin. In another aspect, the compound is a bitter-tasting peptide. In yet another aspect, the compound is a bitter-tasting terpenoid. In yet another aspect, the compound is a bitter-tasting phenol. In yet another aspect, the compound is a bitter-tasting polyphenol. In one aspect, the compound is a bittertasting phenolic oligomer. In another aspect, the compound is a bitter-tasting condensed polyphenol. In yet another aspect, the compound is a bitter-tasting terpene glycoside (other than sweet-tasting terpene glycosides described above, including for example mogroside V, mogroside IV, 11-oxo-mogroside V, mogroside VI, and siamenoside I).

[0167] In certain aspects, the methods described herein remove at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 99%, or about 100% of one or more of the bitter-tasting compounds described above on a dry weight basis as determined by HPLC, from the juice (before contact with the resins) to produce the sweet juice composition.

[0168] A monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture useful in the any of the disclosed compositions, mixtures, and formulations may be obtained from commercially available source or from monk fruit or other terpene glycoside-containing fruits using any methods known in the art, such as those methods described above, and others as may be known to the skilled artisan. The juice to be purified according to the methods described herein contains one or more terpene glycosides. In certain aspects, at least one of the terpene glycosides is a mogroside, including, but not limited to, mogroside V.

[0169] Mogrosides generally have varying number of glucose units, from 2 to 6, attached to carbon 3 and carbon 24 on a triterpene backbone. Mogrosides may include, for example, mogroside II, mogroside III, mogroside IV, mogroside V, mogroside VI, and any derivatives thereof. Mogroside II is the simplest mogroside, with one glucose residue attached to each of carbons 3 and 24. Mogroside III differs in having an additional glucose residue chained to carbon 24, while mogroside IV has 2-unit glucose side chains at both carbon 3 and 24. The progression continues through mogroside VI, which has 3 glucose residues attached at each of the two carbons at locations 3 and 24 of the triterpene backbone.

[0170] In other aspects, the one or more terpene glycoside in a monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture are selected from mogroside V, mogroside IV, 11-oxo-mogroside V, and mogroside VI. Ina preferred aspect, at least one of the terpene glycosides is mogroside V, which is also known as mogro-3-O-[p-D-glucopyranosyl (1-6)-p-D-glucopyranoside]-24-O-{[P-D-glucopyranosyl(1-2)]-[?-D-glucopyranosyl(1-6)]-p-D-gluco-pyranoside}.

[0171] The terpene glycosides present in a monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture may include, for example, mogrosides and siamenosides. In one aspect, the terpene glycosides monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture include mogroside V, mogroside IV, 11-oxo-mogroside V, mogroside VI, and siamenoside I. In another aspect, the terpene glycosides retained include mogroside V, and one or more of mogroside IV, 11-oxo-mogroside V, mogroside VI, and siamenoside I. In other aspects, a monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture may contain other terpene glycosides such as siamenosides. For example, in certain aspects, in addition to mogroside V, one of the terpene glycosides is siamenoside I.

[0172] It should be understood that the amount of terpene glycosides present in a monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture may vary depending on the type of fruit used, as well as the method and conditions used to obtain juice from the fruit. It should also be understood that sugars present in the juice to be purified are naturally found in the fruit. In certain aspects, the sugars naturally found in the fruit are simple sugars, including for example, monosaccharides and disaccharides. Such sugars naturally found in the fruit may include, for example, glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

[0173] One of skill in the art would recognize suitable analytical techniques that may be used to identify and quantify the amount of mogroside V and other terpene glycosides present in a monk fruit juice, extract, composition, or mixture. For example, in one aspect, high-performance liquid chromatography (also referred to as high-pressure liquid chromatography or HPLC) is a chromatographic technique that can be used for identifying, quantifying, and optionally purifying the individual terpene glycosides in the mixture.

[0174] Mogroside V content and terpene glycoside content may be expressed as a percentage on weight basis (% w / w). In one aspect, mogroside V content and terpene glycoside content are expressed as a percentage on dry weight basis. “Dry weight basis” refers to the weight of the mogroside V or terpene glycoside content divided by the weight of dry soluble solids in a given sample. In other aspects, mogroside V content and terpene glycoside content may be expressed in different units, such as percentage on wet weight basis or g / L. For example, one of skill in the art may measure mogroside V content and terpene glycoside content in a diluted juice sample using g / L, since volume of the juice can more easily be measured in a dilute sample. In contrast, one of skill in the art may measure mogroside V content and terpene glycoside content in a concentrated juice sample by weight. Further, one of skill in the art would be able to convert one unit to another.

[0175] The disclosed sweetening agent can further comprise one or more polyhydroxy C3-C12 compound. In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetening agent can further comprise a compound such as allulose, allose, sucrose, fructose, glucose, propylene glycol, glycerol, erythritol, arabinitol, maltitol, lactitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, and y-cyclodextrin), ribulose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, allulose, turanose, cellobiose, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, fuculose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), galactooligosaccharides, sorbose, ketotriose (dihydroxyacetone), aldotriose (glyceraldehyde), nigero-oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraose, inaltotriol, tetrasaccharides, mannan-oligosaccharides, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), dextrins, lactulose, melibiose, raffmose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized, liquid sugars such as high fructose corn / starch syrup (“HFCS / HFSS,” e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, glucose syrup and combinations thereof. It is understood that D- or L-configurations can be used when applicable.

[0176] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetening agent can further comprise at least one carbohydrate sweetener selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, sucrose and combinations thereof, in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 100 ppm to about 140,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage.

[0177] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetening agent can further comprise one or more carbohydrate sweeteners selected from D-allose, D-allulose, L-ribose, D-tagatose, L-glucose, fucose, L-Arabinose, Turanose and combinations thereof, in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 100 ppm to about 140,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage.

[0178] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetening agent can be one or more synthetic sweeteners. As used herein, the phrase “synthetic sweetener” refers to any composition which is not found naturally in nature. Preferably, a synthetic sweetener has a sweetness potency greater than sucrose, fructose, and / or glucose, yet has less calories than sucrose, fructose, and / or glucose. Non-limiting examples of synthetic HP sweeteners suitable for aspects of this disclosure include sucralose, potassium acesulfame, acesulfame acid and salts thereof, aspartame, alitame, saccharin and salts thereof, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, cyclamate, cyclamic acid and salts thereof, neotame, advantame, glucosylated steviol glycosides (GSGs) and combinations thereof. The synthetic sweetener is present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 0.3 ppm to about 3,500 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage.

[0179] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetening agent can be one or more natural, HP sweeteners. Suitable natural HP sweeteners include, but are not limited to, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside I, rebaudioside H, rebaudioside J, rebaudioside L, rebaudioside K, rebaudioside J, rebaudioside M (also known as rebaudioside X), rebaudioside O, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Guo Sweetener (as noted above, this can be used interchangeably and is the same as Monk Fruit Sweetener or a Siraitia grosvenorii-derived sweetener), siratose, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukur ozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, steviolbioside and cyclocarioside I. The natural HP sweetener is present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 0.1 ppm to about 3,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage.

[0180] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetening agent can comprise one or more chemically (including enzymatically) modified natural HP sweetener. Modified natural HP sweeteners include glycosylated natural HP sweetener such as glucosyl-, galactosyl-, fructosyl- derivatives containing 1-50 glycosidic residues. Glycosylated natural HP sweeteners may be prepared by enzymatic transglycosylation reaction catalyzed by various enzymes possessing transglycosylating activity. Others include one or more sugar alcohols obtained from sugarsuch by using hydrogenation techniques. In some aspects, a glycosylated natural HP sweetener can be a glucosylated steviol glycoside (which can also be referred to as a “GSG”). An exemplary, but not limiting, GSG that can be used in the disclosed sweetener compositions are those marketed by Almendra under the brand name of Steviaromes™.

[0181] Non-limiting examples of HP sweeteners that can be utilized with the disclosed taste modulator compositions include rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, and mogroside V, Luo Han Guo sweetener, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukur ozioside, phlomisoside 1, periandrin I, abrusoside A, and cyclocarioside I. HP sweeteners also include modified HP sweeteners. Modified HP sweeteners include HP sweeteners which have been altered naturally. For example, a modified HP sweeteners includes, but is not limited to, HP sweeteners which have been fermented, contacted with enzyme, or derivatized or substituted on the HP sweeteners.

[0182] In another aspect, the HP sweeteners may be selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Quo sweetener, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukur ozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, cyclocarioside I, saccharin and its salts, cyclamicacid and its salts, aspartame, aspartame-acesulfame salt, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, alitame, neotame, neohesperidin dihydrochalone (NHDC), advantame and combinations thereof.

[0183] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetening agent can comprise REBA, REBB, REBC, REDD, REBE, REBF, REBM, REBN, or combinations thereof, and at least one other sweetener that in combination function as the sweetening agent (i.e. the substance or substances that provide sweetness) of a disclosed sweetener composition. The disclosed sweetener compositions often exhibit synergy when individual sweetener compounds are combined and have improved flavor and temporal profiles compared to each sweetener alone. One or more additional sweetening agents can be used in the disclosed sweetener compositions. In a yet further aspect, disclosed sweetener compositions comprise REBA and at least one additional sweetener. In a still further aspect, a sweeteners composition contains REBB and at least one additional sweetener. In an even further aspect, a sweeteners composition contains REBC and at least one additional sweetener. In a still further aspect, a sweeteners composition contains REBD and at least one additional sweetener. In a yet further aspect, a sweeteners composition contains REBE and at least one additional sweetener. In an even further aspect, a sweeteners composition contains REBF and at least one additional sweetener. In a still further aspect, a sweeteners composition contains REBM and at least one additional sweetener. In a yet further aspect, a sweeteners composition contains REBN and at least one additional sweetener. Umami Agents

[0184] Until the close of the twentieth century, taste was typically considered to be one of the five senses which may be subdivided into four basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Even though this is the case, evidence began to accumulate for a fifth basic taste, savory taste. The first claim for savory taste was by Ikeda K. (J. Tokyo Chern. Soc. (1909) 30, 820-836) who isolated glutamic acid from a seaweed source and argued that its taste was unique. As the monosodium salt, the taste is savory and was given the Japanese word umami which means delicious. The literature on umami taste has been reviewed quite comprehensively (see Kawamura, Y. and Kare, M. R. (eds.). 1987. Umami: A Basic Taste, Marcel Dekker; and Bellisle F. (1999) Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 23, 423-438).

[0185] The umami agent used in the disclosed savory compositions can be any umami tastant, including compositions comprising a single umami agent or mixture of umami agents, including, but not limited to umami tastants and / or umami taste or savory flavor enhancers as described herein. In various aspects, the umami agent is an enhancer, modulator, ligand, activator, agonist or positive allosteric modulator of an umami receptor. A modulator is an agent that effects an increase or decrease of one or more of the following: the cell surface expression of a receptor, the binding of a ligand to a receptor, the intracellular response initiated by an active form of the receptor (either in the presence or absence or an agonist). The modulator can itself be an agonist that binds to the receptor, activates it and thereby modulates an increase in the cellular response. Modulators include various types of compounds, including small molecules, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, antibodies or fragments thereof. These can be derived from various sources including synthetic or natural, extracts of natural material, for example from animal, mammalian, insect, plant, bacterial or fungal cell material or cultured cells, or conditioned medium of such cells. A ligand is an agent that binds to the receptor; it may be an agonist, partial agonist, enhancer, antagonist, or inverse agonist. An agonist is a ligand of a umami receptor that activates the receptor and increases an intracellular response when it binds to a receptor compared to the intracellular response in the absence of the agonist. Additionally or alternatively, an agonist may decrease internalization of a cell surface receptor such that the cell surface expression of a receptor is increased as compared to the number of cell surface receptors present on the surface of a cell in the absence of an agonist. A partial agonist is an agonist that only partially activates the receptor in comparison to other agonists that maximally activate the receptor. An enhancer increases the binding of an agonist to the receptor as compared to the binding of the agonist in the absence of enhancer, and / or increases the intracellular response induced by an agonist.

[0186] It is understood that a natural umami agent, a synthetic umami agent, a semi-synthetic umami agent, and combinations thereof, are all within the scope of the disclosed savory compositions. Umami agents can include glutamate, inosine monophosphate, guanosine monophosphate, and others as disclosed herein or known to the skilled artisan, and combinations thereof. Glutamate can be a zwitterionic or uncharged form of glutamate, or a salt of glutamate comprising glutamate anions in combination with any type of cations, e.g., sodium or potassium cations. In a particular example, glutamate can be monosodium glutamate. The umami agent can also be an extract or mixture, e.g., a plant or animal extract such as a paste or liquid extract that is enriched or have naturally high concentrations of glutamate and / or one or more nucleotides such as inosine monophosphate or guanosine monophosphate. In some instances, the umami agent can be a fermentation product.

[0187] Further non-limiting examples of umami tastants and / or umami taste or savory flavor enhancers include, but are not limited to: L-Glu (glutamic acid, glutamate, for example in the form of its salts such as monosodium glutamate, monopotassium glutamate, monoammonium glutamate, calcium diglutamate, magnesium diglutamate); L-Asp (L-aspartate, or a salt thereof); and 5'-ribonucleotides or their salts including, without limitation, calcium 5'-ribonucleotides, disodium 5'-ribonucleotides, and dipotassium 5'-ribonucleotides such as inosinic acid, guanylic acid, adenosinic acid, inosinates, guanylates, and adenylates, including, but not limited to, guanosine 5'-monophosphate, inosine 5'-monophosphate, and 5'-adenylate and their salts such as disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, disodium adenylate; dipotassium guanylate, dipotassium inosinate, dipotassium adenylate, calcium guanylate, calcium inosinate, and calcium adenylate.

[0188] Further non-limiting examples of umami tastants and / or umami taste or savory flavor enhancers include, but are not limited to, natural substances that are derived from animal and vegetable raw materials as well as substances obtained through chemical synthesis, fermentation, genetic recombination, and the like and to use commercially available products, including autolyzed or hydrolyzed proteins such as autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins; Koji-Aji (a nucleotide-rich yeast extract, with fermented wheat gluten and maltodextrin also containing glutamates produced by Ajinomoto Food Ingredients); and natural preparations or extracts containing one or more of the above, for example including, but not limited to, extracts, purees or concentrates of vegetables (including mushrooms, shiitake, soy, tomato, potato, whey, kelp / seaweeds), cereals, meat, fish (e.g. shellfish, masago), a dairy product such as milk or a cheese, and egg yolks, or derived from the relevant ingredient in fresh or in fermented, partially or fully hydrolyzed form (e.g. various hydrolysed proteins).

[0189] Further non-limiting examples of umami tastants and / or umami taste or savory flavor enhancers include, but are not limited to, those described in "Chemistry of Gustatory Stimuli", G.E. DuBois, et al. in The Senses: A Comprehensive Reference, Volume IV, Olfaction and Taste, David Smith and Stuart Firestein, Eds., Elsevier, London, United Kingdom, 2008, pp. 27-74 (e.g., see discussion of umami agonists on pp. 56-58) and “Chemical Modulators of Taste", J.A. DeSimone, etal., in Handbook of Olfaction and Gustation, 3rd Edition, R. L. Doty, Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 2015, pp. 665-683 (e.g., see discussion of umami PAMs and ago-enhancers on pp. 672-675), both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0190] Further non-limiting examples of umami tastants and / or umami taste or savory flavor enhancers include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Pat. Appl. Nos. 11 / 349,071; 11 / 349,041; and 10 / 913,303; each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0191] It is understood that umami tastants and / or umami taste or savory flavor enhancers, e.g., L-Glu, L-Asp, and / or 5'-ribonucleotides, are inclusive of at least one salt thereof such as inorganic salts such as alkaline metal salts including sodium salts and potassium salts; alkaline earth metal salts including magnesium salts and calcium salts; and ammonium salts and organic salts of basic amino acid salts including arginine salts, lysine salts, and ornithine salts; amine salts such as monoethanolamine salts and diethanolamine salts, and pyrimidine salts.

[0192] Regarding the amount of umami tastants and / or umami taste or savory flavor enhancers used in a beverage, food formulation, food product, and the like, it depends on the type of umami taste receptor agonist and salts used, but between about 0.01 wt%-5 wt% can be used. Sweetener Compositions

[0193] In various aspects, the present disclosure, relates to sweetener compositions comprising a sweetening agent and a taste modulator composition. The taste modulator composition improves key properties associated with many sweetening agents, including maximal sweetness response; mitigates flavor profile issues such as bitter and / or licorice-like off-tastes; improves sweetness onset and lingering sweet aftertaste properties; improves desensitization / adaptation profile issues; improves body / mouthfeel characteristics; and decreases bitterness off-taste, when present. As used herein, the term “off-taste(s)” refers to an amount or degree of taste that is not characteristically or usually found in a beverage product or a consumable product of the present disclosure. For example, an off-taste is an undesirable taste of a sweetened consumable to consumers, such as, a bitter taste, a licoricelike taste, a metallic taste, an aversive taste, an astringent taste, a delayed sweetness onset, a lingering sweet aftertaste, and the like, etc. In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetener compositions comprise a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a sweetening agent. The taste modulator component of the disclosed sweetener compositions can optionally further comprise a second cation, a third cation, and a fourth cation.

[0194] As noted herein above, frequently HP sweeteners differ significantly from natural caloric sugars in ways that frustrate consumers and limit market penetration of products containing many HP sweeteners. Accepted metrics for commercial viability of a HP sweetener include: 1) Taste Quality; 2) Safety; 3) Solubility; 4) Stability; and 5) Cost. With regard to Taste Quality, HP sweeteners exhibit temporal profiles, maximal responses, flavor profiles, mouthfeels, and often desensitization / adaptation behaviors that differ from sugar. Specifically, HP sweeteners frequently exhibit one or more of the following problems or issues: • Rm Problem: Insufficient Maximal Sweetness Response; • Flavor Profile Problem: Bitter and Licorice-Like Off-tastes; • Temporal Profile Problem: Delay in Sweetness Onset and Lingering Sweet Aftertaste (Sweetness Linger = SL); • Desensitization / Adaptation Profile Problem: Sweetness causing a Desensitization of the Taste System and / or Reduction in Perceived Sweetness on Iterative Tasting; and • Body / Mouthfeel Problem: Absence of Body / Mouthfeel common in Sugar-Sweetened Formulations. Attempts have been made in the industry to address the Taste Quality issues associated with many HP sweeteners. However, although some of the currently available taste modulators are able to address the Taste Quality issues, these known taste modulators add unacceptable cost that make their use in common food and beverage products impractical; provide only limited modulation of Taste Quality problems, thus limiting their widespread use; are associated with regulatory or potential toxicity issues; or combinations of all these shortcomings.

[0195] The major application of HP sweeteners has been and will continue to be 0-calorie and calorie-reduced beverages. Thus, with regard to the cost metric discussed above, representative cost considerations for a HP sweetener can be assessed at a first approximation on the basis of cost impact for beverage use. Beverage manufacturers typically determine ingredient costs on a Cost per Unit Case (CUC) basis, where a Unit Case is 24 - 8 ounce bottles (ca. 5.7L). For purpose of illustration, in the US at the present time, the sweetener system CUCs for a sucrose-sweetened beverage is about $0.60, a high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverage is about $0.50, an aspartame-sweetened beverage is about $0.04 and an aspartame / acesulfame-K sweetened beverage is about $0.03.

[0196] In contrast, the use of many HP sweeteners cannot be used in typical beverage or food products because they often require a taste modulator to address the Taste Quality issues noted above. In particular, currently available taste modulators add significant cost to the use of many HP sweeteners. For example, a beverage using a sweetener formulation comprising rebaudioside A is understood in the industry to require the use of a taste modulator such as meso-erythritol in order to achieve desired Taste Quality metrics described above. However, at the levels required for beverage use, a rebaudioside A / meso-erythritol formulation is estimated to cost about $1.20 to about $1.50 on a CUC basis. Thus, although the use of a natural sweetener, such as rebaudioside A, in a beverage product is highly desirable in many respects, the use in such a context is cost prohibitive.

[0197] In various aspects, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a second salt having a second cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a third salt having a third cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same.

[0198] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion, such that the first cation is selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a first anion is selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate (C^eOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O42), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O41), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), and combinations thereof. Alternatively, in an aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO / 3) or the first anion comprises chloride (Ck).

[0199] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; optionally a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^yOs-1), maleate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2O42), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO?-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs' 2), hydrogen malate (C^yOs-1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCU' 1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU-1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate ^FWe’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO?-1), citrate (CeHsO?-3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO?'2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?'1), malate ^HeOs-2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate ^FbCU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsOs’1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6O5-2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same.

[0200] In various aspects, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a second salt having a second cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a third salt having a third cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a natural HP sweetener, a synthetic HP sweetener, a carbohydrate / polyol sweetener, or combinations thereof.

[0201] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion, such that the first cation is selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a first anion is selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU'2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsOy-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), and combinations thereof; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a natural HP sweetener, a synthetic HP sweetener, a carbohydrate / polyol sweetener, or combinations thereof. Alternatively, in an aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO / 3) or the first anion comprises chloride (Ck).

[0202] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; optionally a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^yOs-1), maleate (C^CV2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy’1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs’ 2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV 1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy-1), citrate (CeHsOy-3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C4HyOs-1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4-1), fumarate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O4-2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (C3H5O3-1), tartrate (C4H4O6-2), bitartrate (C4H5O6-1), phosphate (PO4-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SO4 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H30s'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6C>5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4'1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a natural HP sweetener, a synthetic HP sweetener, a carbohydrate / polyol sweetener, or combinations thereof.

[0203] In various aspects, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a second salt having a second cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a third salt having a third cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a stevia sweetener selected from stevioside, rubusoside, steviolbioside, dulcoside A, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, a glucosylated steviol glycoside, a mixture of glucosylated steviol glycosides, or combinations thereof.

[0204] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion, such that the first cation is selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a first anion is selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsOy-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), and combinations thereof; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a stevia sweetener selected from stevioside, rubusoside, steviolbioside, dulcoside A, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, a glucosylated steviol glycoside, a mixture of glucosylated steviol glycosides, or combinations thereof.

[0205] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; optionally a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C^yOs-1), maleate (C4H2O4’2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2O42), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy’1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs’ 2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCU' 1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate ^kWe’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (F^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy-1), citrate (CeHsOy-3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate (C4H6O5-2), hydrogen malate (C4HyOs-1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4-1), fumarate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O4-2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4-1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C^Oe-2), bitartrate (C^sOe-1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SO4 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H30s'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6C>5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O41), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (FkPCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a stevia sweetener selected from stevioside, rubusoside, steviolbioside, dulcoside A, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, a glucosylated steviol glycoside, a mixture of glucosylated steviol glycosides, or combinations thereof.

[0206] In various aspects, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a second salt having a second cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a third salt having a third cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a stevia sweetener selected from rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside M, a glucosylated steviol glycoside, a mixture of glucosylated steviol glycosides, or combinations thereof.

[0207] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion, such that the first cation is selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a first anion is selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4bl2O4’2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate ^b^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^bUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsbUCV2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C^Oe-2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPO<2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), and combinations thereof; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a stevia sweetener selected from rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside M, a glucosylated steviol glycoside, a mixture of glucosylated steviol glycosides, or combinations thereof.

[0208] In a further aspect, a disclosed sweetener composition comprises: a sweetening agent and a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; optionally a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2O42), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO?-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs’ 2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCU' 1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyCU-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate ^FWe’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO?'1), citrate (CeHsO?'3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsOs’1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOf1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6C>5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same; and such that the sweetening agent comprises a stevia sweetener selected from rebaudioside A, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside M, a glucosylated steviol glycoside, a mixture of glucosylated steviol glycosides, or combinations thereof.

[0209] The amount or relative amounts of the sweetening agent and the taste modulator in a disclosed sweetener composition are determined, in part, by the application or use of the disclosed sweetener composition and the product context. That is, the amount of the sweetening agent and the taste modulator in a disclosed sweetener composition in a beverage, a food product, a nutraceutical, a pharmaceutical, and the like will be determined by the requirements for sweetness intensity in a particular product use. In addition, the amount or relative amounts of the sweetening agent and the taste modulator in a disclosed sweetener composition is determined, in part, by established the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for salts used in the taste modulator, including various regulatory agencies and health or scientific bodies and organizations. For example, exemplary DRIs have been published by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of the United States (see: Dietary Reference Requirements: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements, J. J. Otten, J. Pitzi Hellwig, L. D. Meyers, Eds., The National Academies Press, 2006, Washington, D.C.). Thus, the level of the salts (first salt, optional second salt, optional third salt, and optional fourth salt) need to be present in an effective amount to modulate the sweetening agent taste properties, i.e., appropriate mitigation of factors such as maximal sweetness response, bitter and / or licoricelike off-tastes, sweetness linger, desensitization and adaptation, and body / mouthfeel parameters, while at the same time, not presenting concerns with regard to DRIs. Representative DRIs, as published by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of the United States, are given in Table 2 below. Table 2. Nutrient* DRI (mg / day) Male Female Sodium Age 9-50 1500 Age 9-50 1500 Age 50-70 1300 Age 50-70 1300 Age >70 1200 Age >70 1200 Potassium Age 9->70 4700 Age 9-13 4500 Age 14->70 4700 Magnesium Age 9-13 240 Age 9-13 240 Age 14-18 410 Age 14-18 360 Age 19-30 400 Age 19-30 310 Age 31->70 420 Age 31->70 320 Calcium Age 9-18 1300 Age 9-18 1300 Age 19-70 1000 Age 19-50 1000 Age >70 1200 Age 51-70 1200 Age >70 1200 Chloride Age 9-50 2300 Age 9-50 2300 Age 50-70 2000 Age 50-70 2000 Age >70 1800 Age >70 1800 Assumes the nutrient is in the form of an ion.

[0210] In various aspects, the sweetening agent is present in the disclosed sweetener compositions in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic from about 1 mg / L to about 1000 mg / L; and wherein a total cation present in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic less than or equal to 20% of the DRI provided by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of the United States; and wherein the total cation represents a sum of the first cation, and when present, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation.

[0211] In a further aspect, the sweetening agent is present in the disclosed sweetener compositions in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic from about 0.1 mg / L to about 1000 mg / L if the sweetener is a non-caloric sweetener or from about 1.0 wt% to about 15 wt% if the sweetener is a caloric sweetener; and wherein a total cation present in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic of less than or equal to about 25 mM Na+, less than or equal to about 25 mM K+, less than or equal to about 15 mM Mg2+, and less than or equal to about 25 mM Ca2+; and wherein the total cation represents a sum of the first cation, and when present, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation.

[0212] In a further aspect, the sweetening agent is present in the disclosed sweetener compositions in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic from about 0.1 mg / L to about 1000 mg / L if the sweetener is a non-caloric sweetener or from about 1.0 wt% to about 15 wt% if the sweetener is a caloric sweetener; and wherein a total cation present in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic of less than or equal to about 17.5 mM Na+, less than or equal to about 17.5 mM K+, less than or equal to about 10 mM Mg2+, and less than or equal to about 17.5 mM Ca2+; and wherein the total cation represents a sum of the first cation, and when present, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation.

[0213] In a further aspect, the sweetening agent is present in the disclosed sweetener compositions in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic from about 0.1 mg / L to about 1000 mg / L if the sweetener is a non-caloric sweetener or from about 1.0 wt% to about 15 wt% if the sweetener is a caloric sweetener; and wherein a total cation present in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic of less than or equal to about 10 mM Na+, less than or equal to about 10 mM K+, less than or equal to about 5 mM Mg2+, and less than or equal to about 10 mM Ca2+; and wherein the total cation represents a sum of the first cation, and when present, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation.

[0214] In a further aspect, the sweetening agent is present in the disclosed sweetener compositions in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic from about 0.1 mg / L to about 1000 mg / L if the sweetener is a non-caloric sweetener or from about 1.0 wt% to about 15 wt% if the sweetener is a caloric sweetener; and wherein a total cation present in an amount effective to provide a concentration when present in a beverage, food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic of less than or equal to about 13 mM Na+, less than or equal to about 24 mM K+, less than or equal to about 2.6 mM Mg2+, and less than or equal to about 5.0 mM Ca2+; and wherein the total cation represents a sum of the first cation, and when present, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation.

[0215] In various aspects, the amount effective described above can be in the form of a concentrate such that when utilized in a beverage, a food item, and the like, it is diluted to the disclosed amounts effective described herein above. As such, a concentrate can have an amount effective that is 2- to 100-fold greater than the amount effective for a concentration that is directly consumed or utilized in a product such as a beverage, a food item, and the like.

[0216] A disclosed sweetener composition can be present in the various forms. For example, the disclosed sweetener composition can be present as a powder, a particulate, an agglomerated solid, a solid, a gel, a tablet, or combinations thereof. In some cases, the disclosed sweetener can be present as a powder, a particulate, an agglomerated solid, or another essentially solid form. As used herein, “agglomerated solid” means a plurality of disclosed sweetener composition particles clustered and held together. Examples of agglomerated solids include, but are not limited to, binder held agglomerates, tablets, extrudates, and granules.

[0217] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetener composition can be present in a liquid, gel, or solution form, including such forms as a beverage, a food item, a nutraceutical, a pharmaceutical, a cosmetic item, or concentrate that can be used as an additive to or in the preparation of a beverage, a food item, a nutraceutical, a pharmaceutical, a cosmetic item. The disclosed sweetener composition, can further comprise, a food acceptable buffer such as a citric acid buffer or phosphoric acid buffer. Disclosed forms of the disclosed sweetener compositions include forms that are co-crystallized sweetener compositions with a sugar or a polyol, an agglomerated sweetener composition, a compacted sweetener composition, a dried sweetener composition, a particle sweetener composition, a spheronized sweetener composition, a granular sweetener composition, and a liquid sweetener composition.

[0218] In various aspects, a disclosed sweetener composition can further comprise an additive such as a liquid carrier, binder matrix, additional additives, and / or the like as detailed herein below. In some aspects, the disclosed sweetener composition contains additives including, but not limited to, carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, poly-amino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids and their corresponding salts, nucleotides, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts including organic acid salts and organic base salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants and flavoring ingredients, astringent compounds, proteins or protein hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, weighting agents, gums, antioxidants, colorants, flavonoids, alcohols, polymers and combinations thereof. In some aspects, the additives act to improve the temporal and flavor profiles of the sweetener to provide a sweetener composition with a favorable taste, such as a taste similar to sucrose.

[0219] In a further aspect, the disclosed sweetener composition contain one or more polyols. The term “polyol”, as used herein, refers to a molecule that contains more than one hydroxyl group. In some aspects, a polyol may be a diol, triol, or a tetraol which contains 2, 3, and 4 hydroxyl groups respectively. A polyol also may contain more than 4 hydroxyl groups, such as a pentaol, hexaol, heptaol, or the like, which contain 5, 6, 7, or even more hydroxyl groups, respectively. Additionally, a polyol also may be a sugar alcohol, polyhydric alcohol, polymer comprising OH functionality, or polyalcohol which is a reduced form of a carbohydrate, wherein a carbonyl group (aldehyde or ketone, reducing sugar) has been reduced to a primary or secondary hydroxyl group. In various aspects, polyols can include erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltitol, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo-oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, reduced glucose syrup, and combinations thereof. In a further aspect, polyols can include erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, lactitol, isomalt, galactitol, and maltitol, and combinations thereof. In a further aspect, polyols can include erythritol. In a further aspect, a polyol can be derived by reduction of isomaltulose, or sugar alcohols or any other carbohydrates capable of being reduced which do not adversely affect the taste of the disclosed sweetener composition.

[0220] In a further aspect, a polyol can be present in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 100 ppm to about 250,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition. In other aspects, the polyol is present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 400 ppm to about 80,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, from about 5,000 ppm to about 40,000 ppm, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition. As used herein, the term “ppm” refers to part(s) per million by weight, for example, of a given material, e.g., a compound, component, sweetening agent, disclosed taste modulator (and components that make up a taste modulator), or additive in a composition or product containing the given material; including, example, the milligrams of a given material per kilogram of a composition or product containing the given material (i.e., mg / kg); the milligrams of a given material per liter of a composition or product containing the given material (i.e., mg / L); or the volume of a given material (in microliters) per liter a composition or product containing the given material (i.e., pl / L).

[0221] In a further aspect, suitable amino acid additives include any compound comprising at least one amino functionality and at least one acid functionality. Examples include, but are not limited to, aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, trans-4-hydroxyproline, isoleucine, asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (a-, p-, and / or 5-isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, and their salt forms such as sodium or potassium salts or acid salts, and mixtures of any of the foregoing. The amino acid additives also may be in the D-configuration, L-configuration, and combinations thereof. Additionally, the amino acids may be a-, p-, y- and / or b-isomers if appropriate. Combinations of the foregoing amino acids and their corresponding salts (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium salts or other alkali or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, or acid salts) also are suitable additives in some aspects. The amino acids may be natural or synthetic. The amino acids also may be modified. Modified amino acids refers to any amino acid wherein at least one atom has been added, removed, substituted, or combinations thereof (e.g., N-alkyl amino acid, N-acyl amino acid, or N-methyl amino acid). Non-limiting examples of modified amino acids include amino acid derivatives such as N,N,N-trimethyl glycine, N,N-dimethyl-glycine, N-methyl-glycine, and N-methyl-alanine. As used herein, modified amino acids encompass both modified and unmodified amino acids. As used herein, amino acids also encompass both peptides and polypeptides (e.g., dipeptides, tripeptides, tetrapeptides, and pentapeptides) such as glutathione and L-alanyl-L-glutamine. Suitable polyamino acid additives include poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a-lysine or poly-L-e-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine or poly-L-p-ornithine), poly-L-arginine, other polymeric forms of amino acids, and salt forms thereof (e.g., calcium, potassium, sodium, or magnesium salts such as L-glutamic acid mono sodium salt). The poly-amino acid additives also may be in the D- or L-configuration. Additionally, the poly-amino acids may be a-, p-, y-, 5-, and e-isomers if appropriate. Combinations of the foregoing poly-amino acids and their corresponding salts (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium salts or other alkali or alkaline earth metal salts thereof or acid salts) also are suitable additives in some aspects. The poly-amino acids described herein also may comprise co-polymers of different amino acids. The poly-amino acids may be natural or synthetic. The poly-amino acids also may be modified, such that at least one atom has been added, removed, substituted, or combinations thereof (e.g., N-alkyl poly-amino acid or N-acyl poly-amino acid). As used herein, poly-amino acids encompass both modified and unmodified poly-amino acids. For example, modified poly-amino acids include, but are not limited to, poly-amino acids of various molecular weights (MW), such as poly-L-a-lysine with a MW of 1,500, MW of 6,000, MW of 25,200, MW of 63,000, MW of 83,000, or MW of 300,000.

[0222] In a further aspect, the amino acid is present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 10 ppm to about 50,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition. In another aspect, the amino acid is present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 1,000 ppm to about 10,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, from about 2,500 ppm to about 5,000 ppm or from about 250 ppm to about 7,500 ppm, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition.

[0223] In a further aspect, suitable sugar acid additives include, but are not limited to, aldonic, uronic, aldaric, alginic, gluconic, glucuronic, giticaric, galactaric, galacturonic, and salts thereof (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium salts or other physiologically acceptable salts), and combinations thereof.

[0224] In a further aspect, suitable nucleotide additives include, but are not limited to, inosine monophosphate (“IMP”), guanosine monophosphate (“GMP”), adenosine monophosphate (“AMP”), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uracil monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uracil triphosphate, alkali or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, and combinations thereof. The nucleotides described herein also may comprise nucleotide-related additives, such as nucleosides or nucleic acid bases e.g., guanine, cytosine, adenine, thymine, uracil). The nucleotide is present in the disclosed sweetener composition can be present in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 5 ppm to about 1,000 ppm when present in sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition.

[0225] In a further aspect, suitable organic acid additives include any compound which comprises a —COOH moiety, or an ester derivative thereof, such as, for example, C2-C30 carboxylic acids, substituted hydroxyl C2-C30 carboxylic acids, butyric acid, benzoic acid, substituted benzoic acids (e.g., 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid), substituted cinnamic acids, hydroxyacids, substituted hydroxybenzoic acids, anisic acid substituted cyclohexyl carboxylic acids, tannic acid, aconitic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, isocitric acid, gluconic acid, glucoheptonic acids, adipic acid, hydroxycitric acid, malic acid, fruitaric acid (a blend of malic, fumaric, and tartaric acids), fumaric acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, chlorogenic acid, salicylic acid, creatine, caffeic acid, bile acids, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, alginic acid, erythorbic acid, polygtutamic acid, glucono delta lactone, and their alkali or alkaline earth metal salt derivatives thereof. In addition, the organic acid additives also may be in either the D- or L-configuration.

[0226] In a further aspect, suitable organic acid additive salts include, but are not limited to, sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium salts of all organic acids, such as salts of citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid (e.g., sodium lactate), alginic acid (e.g., sodium alginate), ascorbic acid (e.g., sodium ascorbate), benzoic acid (e.g., sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate), sorbic acid and adipic acid. The examples of the organic acid additives described optionally may be substituted with at least one group chosen from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, haloalkyl, carboxyl, acyl, acyloxy, amino, amido, carboxyl derivatives, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, cyano, sulfo, thiol, imino, sulfonyl, sulfenyl, sulfinyl, sulfamyl, carboxalkoxy, carboxamido, phosphonyl, phosphinyl, phosphoryl, phosphino, thioester, thioether, anhydride, oximino, hydrazino, carbamyl, or phosphonato. In particular aspects, the organic acid additive is present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount from about 10 ppm to about 5,000 ppm, based on the total weight of the disclosed sweetener composition.

[0227] In a further aspect, suitable flavorant and flavoring ingredient additives include, but are not limited to, vanillin, vanilla extract, mango extract, cinnamon, citrus, coconut, ginger, virldiflorol, almond, menthol (including menthol without mint), grape skin extract, and grape seed extract. “Flavorant” and “flavoring ingredient” are synonymous and can include natural or synthetic substances or combinations thereof. Flavorants also include any other substance which imparts flavor and may include natural or non-natural (synthetic) substances which are safe for human or animals when used in a generally accepted range. The flavorant is present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 0.1 ppm to about 4,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition. In some instances, a flavorant or flavoring ingredient may also contribute to the sweetness of a composition. For instance, the presence of the additive may cause an increase in the sweetness equivalent of a composition in terms of degrees Brix of sugar. In such an instance, the flavorant is also considered to be a sweetener compound in the practice of the present disclosure.

[0228] In a further aspect, suitable polymer additives include, but are not limited to, chitosan, pectin, pectic, pectinic, polyuronic, polygalacturonic acid, starch, food hydrocolloid or crude extracts thereof (e.g., gum acacia Senegal, gum acacia seyal, carageenan), poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a-lysine or poly-L-e-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine poly-L-e-ornithine), polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether), polyarginine, polyaspartic acid, polyglutamic acid, polyethylene imine, alginic acid, sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, and sodium polyethyleneglycolalginate, sodium hexametaphosphate and its salts, and other cationic polymers and anionic polymers. The polymer can be present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 30 ppm to about 2,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition.

[0229] In a further aspect, suitable protein or protein hydrolysate additives include, but are not limited to, bovine serum albumin (BSA), whey protein (including fractions or concentrates thereof such as 90% instant whey protein isolate, 34% whey protein, 50% hydrolyzed whey protein, and 80% whey protein concentrate), soluble rice protein, soy protein, protein isolates, protein hydrolysates, reaction products of protein hydrolysates, glycoproteins, and / or proteoglycans containing amino acids (e.g., glycine, alanine, serine, threonine, asparagine, glutamine, arginine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, norvaline, methionine, proline, tyrosine, hydroxyproline, and the like), collagen (e.g., gelatin), partially hydrolyzed collagen (e.g., hydrolyzed fish collagen), and collagen hydrolysates (e.g., porcine collagen hydrolysate). The protein hydrolysate can be present in the disclosed sweetener composition in an amount effective to provide a concentration from about 200 ppm to about 50,000 ppm when present in a sweetened composition, such as, for example, a beverage, based on the total weight of the sweetened composition.

[0230] In some instances, the present disclosure, relates to sweetener compositions comprising a sweetening agent and a disclosed taste modulator composition that provide a mid-calorie beverage, e.g., a calorie reduction of about 33% to about 75% compared to a standard beverage comprising one or more caloric sweetener such as sucrose, fructose (in the form of HFCS-55 or HFCS-42), and the like similar caloric sweeteners. The beverage industry in recent years has shown strong interest in formulation of such mid-calorie beverages. In such mid-calorie beverage formulations, would contain a caloric sweetener (e.g., sucrose, HFCS-55, HFCS-42 or even glucose), providing 67% to 50% to 25% of the sweetness in the beverage product. The remainder of the sweetness in such products, generally, must be provided by a non-caloric sweetener. And such non-caloric sweeteners may be synthetic non-caloric sweeteners, e.g., saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose, neotame and advantame; or natural non-caloric sweeteners, e.g., Stevia Sweeteners (i.e., REBA, REBD, REBM, etc.), Monk Fruit Sweeteners (i.e., mogroside V, siratose, etc.), Protein Sweeteners (i.e., thaumatin, brazzein, etc.); and mixtures of one more synthetic non-caloric sweeteners, one or more natural non-caloric sweeteners, and combinations thereof. All such blends of caloric sweeteners and non-caloric sweeteners can be improved in taste (i.e., reduction in sweetness linger and increase in body / mouthfeel) by utilizing the disclosed taste modulator compositions and sweetener compositions of the present disclosure.

[0231] In discussion of mid-calorie beverages, it is useful to describe a suitable methodology for definition of the compositions of such caloric / non-caloric sweetener blends. One such system is a previously described Concentration / Response (C / R) function useful for many caloric as well as non-caloric sweeteners (see G.E. DuBois, et al., “A Systematic Study of Concentration-Response Relationships of Sweeteners”, In Sweeteners: Discovery, Molecular Design and Chemoreception, DE Walters, F Orthoefer and GE DuBois, Eds., ACS Symposium Series 450, ACS Books, Washington, DC, 1990.). Representative examples of C / R functions determined at that time for sweeteners of interest are as given in Table 3 below. Table 3. Sweetener C / R Function Comments* 1. Sucrose R = C C in % (w / v) 2. Fructose R = 1.27C + 0.04 C in % (w / v) 3. Glucose R = 0.60C-0.02 C in % (w / v) 4. Aspartame R = 16.00 / (560 + 0) C in mg / L 5. Acesulfame-K R = 11.60 / (470 + 0) C in mg / L 6. Rebaudioside A R = 100 / (200 + C) C in mg / L *AII equations calculate Response (R) in Sucrose Equivalents of Sweetness (i.e., R = 8.0 means sweetness equivalent to 8.0% sucrose); all C / R function data for sugars and polyols were best fit by linear C / R function equations and all C / R function data for HP sweeteners were best fit by hyperbolic functions of the form R = Rm x C / (kd + C), where Rm is the Maximal Response and Kd is the apparent Sweetener / Receptor dissociation constant.

[0232] The following example serves to show how the C / R function can be utilized in design of a mid-caloric beverage. Assume that the objective is to formulate a 50% calorie-reduced beverage with a blend of sucrose and REBA, where the original full-calorie beverage contained 10.0% sucrose. Assuming there is no synergy between sucrose and REBA, such a blend would require 5.0% sucrose and a concentration of REBA equivalent to 5.0% sucrose in sweetness. The requisite concentration (C) of REBA is easily calculated from its C / R function R = 10C / (200 + C) as follows: 5.0 = 10 x C / (200 + C); and C = 200mg / L.

[0233] Accordingly, the use of C / R functions, such as illustrated for the example of REBA above, can be used to predict the appropriate concentration of a sweetener of interest. Prototype beverage formulations can then be made and adjustments in sweetener concentration made, as appropriate, to provide the requisite target sweetness intensity level. Such sweetener compositions for beverages would further comprise a disclosed taste modulator composition. Savory Compositions

[0234] In various aspects, the present disclosure, relates to savory compositions comprising an umami agent and a taste modulator composition. The taste modulator composition improves key properties associated with many umami agents; mitigates flavor profile issues such as bitter off-tastes; and improves body / mouthfeel characteristics. As used herein, the term “off-taste(s)” refers to an amount or degree of taste that is not characteristically or usually found in a beverage product or a consumable product of the present disclosure.

[0235] In a further aspect, the disclosed savory compositions comprise a taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and an umami agent. The taste modulator component of the disclosed savory compositions can optionally further comprise a second cation, a third cation, and a fourth cation.

[0236] In a further aspect, a savory composition can be a food product including, but not limited to, condiments, e.g. sauces, dips, seasoning and the like, savory products, cereal products, rice products, pasta products, ravioli, tapioca products, sago products, baker's products, biscuit products, pastry products, bread products, confectionery products, dessert products, honey products, treacle products, yeast products, mustard products, vinegar products, processed foods, cooked fruits and vegetable products, meat and meat products, meat analogues / substitutes, jellies, jams, fruit sauces, egg products, dairy products, cheese products, dairy substitute products, soy products, edible oils and fat products.

[0237] In a further aspect, a savory composition can be a savory product including, but not limited to, salty snacks (potato chips, crisps, nuts, tortilla-tostada, pretzels, cheese snacks, corn snacks, potato-snacks, ready-to-eat popcorn, microwaveable popcorn, pork rinds, nuts, crackers, cracker snacks, breakfast cereals, meats, aspic, cured meats (ham, bacon), luncheon / breakfast meats (hotdogs, cold cuts, sausage), tomato products, margarine, peanut butter, soup (clear, canned, cream, instant, UHT), canned vegetables, and pasta sauces.

[0238] In a further aspect, a savory composition can be a beverage product including, but not limited to, juices, fruit juices, vegetable juices, carbonated soft drinks, beer, wine, hot chocolate, tea and coffee. Beverage Compositions

[0239] In various aspects, the present disclosure, relates to beverage compositions comprising at least one disclosed sweetening agent and one or more taste modulator components. The taste modulator component improves key properties associated with the sweetening agent in the beverage composition, including overall taste response; mitigation of various flavor profile issues; improves desensitization / adaptation profile issues; and improves body / mouthfeel characteristics. In a further aspect, the disclosed taste modulator compositions comprise a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. The beverage compositions can optionally further comprise one or more additional taste modulator components, e.g., a second taste modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a third taste modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a fourth taste modulator component comprising a fourth salt having a fourth cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. In some instances, the additional taste modulator components each comprise a different cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+.

[0240] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a second salt having a second cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; optionally a third salt having a third cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; provided that first cation, second cation, third cation, and fourth cation are not the same.

[0241] In a further aspect, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation and a first anion, such that the first cation is selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a first anion is selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate (C^eOs-2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4’1), fumarate (C4H2O4 2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4'1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsOs'1), or combinations thereof. In a specific aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), and combinations thereof. Alternatively, in an aspect, the first anion comprises citrate (CeHsO / 3) or the first anion comprises chloride (Ck).

[0242] In a further aspect, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; optionally a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO?-1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO?-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C4H7O5'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate (C4H4O4’2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^ 2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6C>5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU'2), dihydrogen phosphate (FkPCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOf1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2O42), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOr), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate (C4HeO5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4’1), fumarate ^b^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^bUCU'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4'1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate ^bUOe’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (b^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (CF), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0243] In a further aspect, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; optionally a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO?-1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO?'2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C4H7O5'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^ 2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CsHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPO4'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F'), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SO4' 2), bisulfate (HSO4'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H30s'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeH7O7'1), malate (C4H60s'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate (C4HsO4'1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H50e'1), phosphate (PCU'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PCU'), fluoride (F'), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SCU'2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CsHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (C6H7O / 1), malate (C4HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C4H70s'1), maleate (C4H2CU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3CU'1), succinate (C4H4CU'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4'1), glutarate (CsHsCU'2), hydrogen glutarate (Cs^CU'1), adipate CsHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs'1), tartrate (C4H40s'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (PCU'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F'), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SCU'2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsO4'1), glycolate (C2HsOs'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CsHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (C6H7O / 1), malate (C4H6O5'2), hydrogen malate (C4H70s'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate (C4HsO4'1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4HsO4'1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O41), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsH7O4'1), adipate CsHsOs2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPO4'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F'), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SO4'2), bisulfate (HSO4'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsO4'1), glycolate (C2HsOs'1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0244] In a further aspect, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; and optionally a fourth salt having a fourth cation and a fourth anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and the fourth cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO?-1), citrate (CsHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CsHsO?'2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HsOs'2), hydrogen malate (C4H7O5'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^ 2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPO4'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F'), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SO4' 2), bisulfate (HSO4'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H30s'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H60s'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate (C4H4O4'2), hydrogen succinate (C4HsO4'1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs'1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H50e'1), phosphate (PCU'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PCU'), fluoride (F'), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SCU'2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CsHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CsHsO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (C6H7O / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate (C4H70s'1), maleate (C4H2CU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate (C4H2CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3CU'1), succinate (C4H4CU'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4'1), glutarate (CsHsCU'2), hydrogen glutarate (Cs^CU'1), adipate CsHsCU'2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU'1), lactate (CsHsOs'1), tartrate (C4H40s'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (PCU'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F'), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SCU'2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs'), glycerate (CsHsO4'1), glycolate (C2HsOs'1), or combinations thereof; and the fourth anion is independently selected from gluconate (CsHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CsHsO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (C6H7O / 1), malate (C^eOs-2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4 2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4'1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU-1), glycolate (CzHsOs’1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0245] In a further aspect, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; the first cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the second cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the third cation is independently selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate ^FbCU'2), hydrogen maleate (C4H3O4'1), fumarate ^FbCU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeCU-2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs' 2), hydrogen malate (C4HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate ^HsCV1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCU' 1), glutarate (CsHeCU'2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyCU-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgCU-1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate ^kWe’2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PCU'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU'2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs'), carbonate (COs'2), bicarbonate (HCOs' ), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H30s'1), or combinations thereof; and the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnOy'1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeOy-2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyOy-1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4-2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate ^F^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4'1), succinate (C4H4O42), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (POU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F_), chloride (Cl ), sulfate (SCV 2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate ^HsOs’1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0246] In a further aspect, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; the first cation is K+; the second cation is Mg2+; the third cation is Ca2+; the first anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO?-1), malate (C4H6C>5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4H2O4'2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^FUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (C5H7O4-1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate (C4H4O6'2), bitartrate ^HsOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (F^PCV), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsO^1), glycolate (C2H3O3'1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO / 1), citrate (CeHsO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CebUO / 2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate ^HeOs'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4bl2O4’2), hydrogen maleate ^HsCV1), fumarate (C4bl2O4’2), hydrogen fumarate (C4H3O4’1), succinate ^bUCU'2), hydrogen succinate ^HsCV1), glutarate (CsbUCV2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsCh'1), tartrate ^bUOe’2), bitartrate (C4H5O6'1), phosphate (PCU-3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4), fluoride (F_), chloride (Ch), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU'1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (CCh'2), bicarbonate (HCOr), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate ^HsCh'1), or combinations thereof; and the third anion is independently selected from gluconate (CeHnO?-1), citrate (CebUO / 3), hydrogen citrate (CeHeO?’2), dihydrogen citrate (CeHyO / 1), malate (C4HeO5'2), hydrogen malate ^HyOs'1), maleate (C4H2O<2), hydrogen maleate (C4bl3O4’1), fumarate ^b^CU'2), hydrogen fumarate ^bhCU'1), succinate ^bUCU'2), hydrogen succinate (C4H5O4'1), glutarate (CsHeO^2), hydrogen glutarate (CsHyO^1), adipate CeHsO^2), hydrogen adipate CeHgO^1), lactate (CsHsOs-1), tartrate (C4H40e'2), bitartrate ^HUOe'1), phosphate (PO4'3), monohydrogen phosphate (HPCU-2), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4'), fluoride (F), chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), bisulfate (HSCU-1), nitrate (NOs-), carbonate (COs-2), bicarbonate (HCOs-), glycerate (CsHsCU'1), glycolate (C2H30s'1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0247] In a further aspect, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first salt having a first cation and a first anion; a second salt having a second cation and a second anion; a third salt having a third cation and a third anion; the first cation is K+; the second cation is Mg2+; the third cation is Ca2+; the first anion is independently selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3) or conjugate acid form thereof, chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), or bisulfate (HSCU-1), or combinations thereof; the second anion is independently selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3) or conjugate acid form thereof, chloride (Ck), sulfate (SOU-2), or bisulfate (HSO4'1), or combinations thereof; and the third anion is independently selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3) or conjugate acid form thereof, chloride (Ck), sulfate (SCU-2), or bisulfate (HSCU-1), or combinations thereof. In some instances, the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation are not the same. In other instances, some or all of the first cation, the second cation, the third cation, and the fourth cation can be the same, provided that the first anion, the second anion, the third anion, and the fourth anion are not the same.

[0248] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; and a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2.

[0249] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; and a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2 + or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0250] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; and a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0251] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+ or Mg2+.

[0252] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0253] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0254] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0255] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0256] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0257] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0258] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0259] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0260] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0261] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0262] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0263] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0264] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0265] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the first cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the first cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; such that the second taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the second cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the second cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+; and such that the third taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM if the third cation is Na+ or K+, or at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM if the third cation is Ca2+ or Mg2+.

[0266] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM.

[0267] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0268] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0269] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM.

[0270] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0271] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0272] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM.

[0273] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 25 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0274] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0275] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?' 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PO4'3), carbonate (COs'2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?'3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (POr3), carbonate (COs'2), sulfate (SO4'2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?'3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (POr3), carbonate (COs'2), sulfate (SO4'2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0276] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0277] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation selected from Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (POU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0278] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0279] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K + and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SO<2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SOU-2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 5 mM.

[0280] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K+; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0281] In various aspects, a disclosed beverage composition comprises at least one disclosed sweetening agent and a first taste modulator component comprising a first salt having a first cation comprising K + and a first anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SCU-2), and combinations thereof; a second modulator component comprising a second salt having a second cation comprising Mg2+ and a second anion selected from citrate (CeHsO?-3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SCU-2), and combinations thereof; and a third modulator component comprising a third salt having a third cation comprising Ca2+ and a third anion selected from citrate (CeHsO / 3), chloride (Ck), phosphate (PCU-3), carbonate (COs-2), sulfate (SCU-2), and combinations thereof; such that the first taste modulator component is present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 10 mM; and such that each of the second taste modulator component and the third modulator component are independently present at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 5 mM.

[0282] In various aspects, the total concentration of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component taken together can be from about 0.1 mM to about 30 mM. For example, each of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component are independently present a concentration of from about 0 mM to about 10 mM, provided that the sum of concentrations of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component is less than about 30 mM. In a further aspect, the total concentration of the first modulator component, the second modulator component, the third modulator component, and the fourth modulator component taken together can be from about 0.1 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 30 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 30 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 25 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 25 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 20 mM, about 1.0 mM to about 20 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.3 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.4 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.5 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.6 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.7 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.8 mM to about 15 mM, about 0.9 mM to about 15 mM, about 1.0 mM to a...

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A composition comprising:an umami agent; anda taste modulator composition consisting essentially ofa first taste modulator component consisting essentially of a first salt having a first cation Mg2+ and a first anion;a second taste modulator component consisting essentially of a second salt having a second cation Ca2+ and a second anion; and optionallya third taste modulator component consisting essentially of a third salt having a third cation selected from K+ and Na+ and a third anion;wherein the first taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 10 mM;wherein the second taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 10 mM;wherein the third taste modulator component, when present, is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 25 mM;wherein the umami agent is present in an amount of from 0.01 wt% to 5 wt%;wherein the first anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof; andwherein the second anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the first taste modulator component is at aconcentration of from 1 mM to 5 mM; and wherein the second taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 1 mM to 5 mM.

3. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first anion is selected from citrate, sulfate,chloride, and combinations thereof; wherein the second anion is selected from citrate, sulfate, chloride, and combinations thereof; and wherein the third anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof.

4. The composition of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the third taste modulator component2020358450   13 Aug 2026is at a concentration of from 5 mM to 15 mM.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the concentration of the first taste modulatorcomponent is from 0.1 mM to 5 mM; wherein the concentration of the second taste modulator component is from 0.1 mM to 5 mM; and wherein the concentration of the third taste modulator component is from 0.1 mM to 25 mM.

6. The composition of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the umami agent comprises L-glutamate, L-glutamic acid, a salt of L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, a salt of L-glutamine, L-aspartic acid, a salt of L-aspartic acid, a 5‘-ribonucleotide, a 5‘-ribonucleotide salt thereof, autolyzed protein, hydrolyzed protein, guanosine 5‘-monophosphate, inosine 5‘-monophosphate, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, disodium adenylate; dipotassium guanylate, dipotassium inosinate, dipotassium adenylate, calcium guanylate, calcium inosinate, calcium adenylate, or combinations thereof; or wherein the umami agent is an extract, a puree, or a puree prepared from a yeast, a vegetable, a cereal, a meat, a fish, a dairy product, an egg yolk, autolyzed yeast protein, hydrolyzed yeast protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or combinations thereof.

7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the umami agent is fermented.

8. The composition of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the pH of the composition is frompH 2.5 to pH 7.

9. A product comprising the composition of any one of claims 1-8.

10. The product of claim 9, wherein the product is a savory composition.

11. The product of claim 10, wherein the savory composition is a food product.

12. A method for inhibiting bitterness, the method comprising:adding a taste modulator composition to a product comprising a steviol composition;wherein the steviol glycoside composition comprises at least 95 wt% steviol glycosides comprising at least 50 wt% rebaudioside A and the balance of the steviol glycosides comprising a mixture of compounds comprising a steviol backbone conjugated to one or more sugar moiety;wherein the taste modulator composition comprisesa first taste modulator component consisting essentially of a first salt having a first cation Mg2+ and a first anion;a second taste modulator component consisting essentially of a second salt having a second cation Ca2+ and a second anion; and optionally2020358450   13 Aug 2026a third taste modulator component consisting essentially of a third salt having a third cation selected from K+ and Na+ and a third anion;wherein the first taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 10 mM;wherein the first anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof;wherein the second taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 10 mM;wherein the second anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof;wherein the third taste modulator component, when present, is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 25 mM;wherein the steviol glycoside composition is present in an amount of from 0.01 wt% to 0.06 wt%; andwherein the bitterness is inhibited when compared to a baseline product; andwherein the baseline product consists essentially of identical components as the product without the taste modulator component; and wherein the bitterness is determined using a sensory panel study.

13. A method for improving mouthfeel, the method comprising:adding a taste modulator composition to a product comprising an umami agent;wherein the taste modulator composition consists essentially ofa first taste modulator component consisting essentially of a first salt having a first cation Mg2+ and a first anion;a second taste modulator component consisting essentially of a second salt having a second cation Ca2+ and a second anion; and optionallya third taste modulator component consisting essentially of a third salt having a third cation selected from K+ and Na+ and a third anion;wherein the first taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 10 mM;wherein the first anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof;2020358450   13 Aug 2026wherein the second taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 10 mM;wherein the second anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof;wherein the third taste modulator component, when present, is at a concentration of from 0.1 mM to 25 mM;wherein the umami agent is present in an amount of from 0.01 wt% to 5 wt%; andwherein mouthfeel is enhanced when compared to a baseline product;wherein the baseline product consists essentially of identical components as the product without the taste modulator component; and wherein the mouthfeel is determined using a sensory panel study.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the bitterness is inhibited or the mouthfeel is improved compared to the baseline product by from 10% to 200%.

15. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein bitterness is inhibited or the mouthfeel is improved compared to the baseline product by at least 30%.

16. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the bitterness of the composition is decreased or the mouthfeel is improved compared to the baseline composition by 5-fold.

17. The method of any one of claims 12-16, wherein the product is a food product.

18. The product of claim 11 or the method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the food product is acondiment, a cereal product, a rice product, a pasta product, a tapioca product, a sago product, a baker's product, a biscuit product, a pastry product, a bread product, a yeast product, a mustard product, a vinegar product, a processed food product, a cooked vegetable product, a meat, a meat product, a meat substitute product, an egg product, a dairy product, a cheese product, a dairy substitute product, a soy product, an edible oil, or a fat product.

19. The product of claim 11 or the method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the food product is asnack product such as potato chips, crisps, nuts, tortilla-tostada, pretzels, cheese snacks, corn snacks, potato-snacks, ready-to-eat popcorn, microwaveable popcorn, pork rinds, nuts, crackers, cracker snacks; an aspic product; a cured meat product such as a ham or bacon; a luncheon or breakfast meat product, such as hotdogs, cold cuts, and sausages; a tomato product; a margarine product; a peanut butter product; a soup product such as clear soups, canned soups, cream soups, instant soups, and2020358450   13 Aug 2026vegetable or meat broth products; a canned vegetable product; or a pasta sauce product.

20. The method of any one of claims 12-16, wherein the product is a beverage.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the beverage is a juice product; a fruit juice product;a vegetable juice product; a carbonated soft drink product; a beer; a wine; a hot chocolate product; a tea; or a coffee beverage.

22. The method of claim 12 or any one of claims 14-21, wherein the steviol glycoside composition comprises at least 95 wt% of steviol glycosides comprising at least 50 wt% of Rebaudioside A and the balance comprising a mixture of compounds comprising a steviol backbone conjugated to any number or combination of the principal sugar moieties, such as glucose, rhamnose, xylose, fructose, arabinose, galactose and deoxyglucose, in any of the orientations occurring in the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni in accordance with the JECFA 2017 definition (i.e., as defined in the Residue Monograph prepared by the meeting of the Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 84th meeting 2017, “Steviol Glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni”).

23. The method of any one of claims 12-22, wherein the first taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 1 mM to 5 mM; and wherein the second taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 1 mM to 5 mM.

24. The method of any of claims 12-23, wherein the first anion is selected from citrate, sulfate, chloride, and combinations thereof; wherein the second anion is selected from citrate, sulfate, chloride, and combinations thereof; and wherein the third anion is selected from citrate, chloride, phosphate, carbonate, sulfate, and combinations thereof.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the third taste modulator component is at a concentration of from 5 mM to 15 mM.

26. The method of any one of claims 12-25, wherein the concentration of the first taste modulator component is from 0.1 mM to 5 mM; wherein the concentration of the second taste modulator component is from 0.1 mM to 5 mM; and wherein the concentration of the third taste modulator component is from 0.1 mM to 25 mM.

27. The method of any one of claims 13-21, wherein the umami agent comprises L-glutamate, L-glutamic acid, a salt of L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, a salt of L-glutamine, L-aspartic acid, a salt of L-aspartic acid, a 5‘-ribonucleotide, a 5‘-ribonucleotide salt2020358450   13 Aug 2026thereof, autolyzed protein, hydrolyzed protein, guanosine 5‘-monophosphate, inosine 5‘-monophosphate, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, disodium adenylate; dipotassium guanylate, dipotassium inosinate, dipotassium adenylate, calcium guanylate, calcium inosinate, calcium adenylate, or combinations thereof; or wherein the umami agent is an extract, a puree, or a puree prepared from a yeast, a vegetable, a cereal, a meat, a fish, a dairy product, an egg yolk, autolyzed yeast protein, hydrolyzed yeast protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and combinations thereof.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the umami agent is fermented.

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