Highly soluble stevia sweetener

Abstract

A method for making highly soluble Stevia sweetener compositions is described. The resulting sweetener compositions readily provide high concentration solutions, and also possess superior taste qualities. The compositions can be used as sweeteners, sweetness enhancers, and flavor enhancers in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to a process for the preparation of highly soluble sweet glycosides from a Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni plant, and more particularly for preparation of highly soluble compositions containing rebaudioside D.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0002]The extract of Stevia rebaudiana plant (Stevia) contains a mixture of different sweet diterpene glycosides, which have a common aglycon—steviol and differ by the presence of carbohydrate residues at positions C13 and C19 of steviol molecule. These glycosides accumulate in Stevia leaves and compose approximately 10%-20% of the total dry weight. Typically, on a dry weight basis, the four major glycosides found in the leaves of Stevia are Dulcoside A (0.3%), Rebaudioside C (0.6-1.0%), Rebaudioside A (3.8%) and Stevioside (9.1%). Other glycosides identified in Stevia extract include Rebaudioside B, C, D, E, and F, Steviolbioside and Rubusoside. Steviol glycosides differ from each other by their taste pr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent is about a way to make a sweetener called Stevia. The method involves soaking the sweetener in water and then spray drying it to create a highly soluble powder. The invention also includes a measure of the solubility of the sweetener in water. The technical effect of this patent is to provide a more stable and concentrated version of Stevia, which can be easily dissolved in water to create a sweet beverage or other sweet product.

Problems solved by technology

It is noted that using heat for dissolution of Reb D may not be possible in compositions containing heat sensitive components.

Also maintaining high temperature of mixture for prolonged time to prevent premature crystallization of Reb D can cause thermal degradation of mixture components or undesirable changes of organoleptic properties.

Extended time period of said vacuum thermal treatment is a disadvantage as well.

It is noted that the said method describes only a solubilization technique for a specific aqueous liquid, and does not provide readily usable form of highly soluble Reb D.

It is noted that some techniques described within the application, such as freeze-drying, are difficult to implement in large-scale multi-ton productions.

The significant portion on non-sweet (low sweetness) compound, (i.e. cyclodextrin), reduces the overall sweetness of the mixture as well.

Images