Meal replacement gels and methods of making and using same

Abstract

The present application provides a kind of meal replacement gel, raw materials include konjac glucomannan, pullulan, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, citric acid and tea polyphenol;Wherein, the meal replacement gel is formed by chemical crosslinking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of citric acid, and by physical crosslinking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of tea polyphenol;By chemical crosslinking and physical crosslinking constitute interpenetrating network, so that meal replacement gel obtains high swelling performance, simultaneously by adjusting the weight part of citric acid and tea polyphenol adjusts the proportion of chemical crosslinking and physical crosslinking in interpenetrating network, to regulate the swelling performance of meal replacement gel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food science and technology, and more specifically to a meal replacement gel, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of people's living standards, dietary structures have become increasingly high in fat and sugar, leading to a sharp increase in the proportion of overweight or even obese individuals. Obesity is widespread globally and has become a significant public health issue facing the international community. Obesity easily causes various diseases such as cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and fatty liver, which seriously threaten human health. Furthermore, obesity accelerates aging and affects lifespan.

[0003] The root cause of obesity is that energy intake exceeds energy expenditure; therefore, all weight loss methods revolve around calorie control, with mainstream approaches including medication, surgery, and lifestyle interventions. As the demand for weight loss or weight control grows stronger, how to achieve this safely, effectively, and conveniently is a primary concern for this group.

[0004] Drug therapy refers to using medications such as those that promote metabolism, suppress appetite, and act as laxatives to accelerate fat breakdown and achieve weight loss. While drug therapy has the advantage of rapid effectiveness, it has significant side effects and only treats the symptoms, not the root cause. Surgical treatment involves reducing energy intake through procedures such as gastrectomy. Although the weight loss effect is good, this method carries high risks and is only suitable for severely obese individuals. Lifestyle interventions, including dietary and exercise interventions, are the most widely recognized healthy ways to lose weight. While exercise can increase energy expenditure, people today face high work pressure and lack the time and energy for fitness and weight loss. Therefore, many people turn to dietary interventions, which involve adopting a low-calorie, low-fat diet to ensure that daily calorie intake is lower than calorie expenditure, thus achieving weight loss.

[0005] Currently, most meal replacement products on the market are in the form of solid powders. They increase satiety by increasing the protein content of food, using calorie-free dietary fiber, and using sweeteners. However, they still have problems such as weak satiety, requiring large intake; easy digestion and short stay in the stomach; and unadjustable satiety, making them unsuitable for all age groups. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a weight-loss meal replacement gel. This meal replacement gel has excellent expansion properties, which can enhance the feeling of fullness after consumption. Furthermore, the expansion properties can be adjusted according to actual conditions to meet different needs.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a meal replacement gel is provided, the raw materials of which include konjac glucomannan, pullulan, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, citric acid, and tea polyphenols; wherein the meal replacement gel is formed by chemical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of citric acid, and by physical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of tea polyphenols; the interpenetrating network formed by chemical and physical cross-linking enables the meal replacement gel to obtain high expansion performance, and the proportion of chemical and physical cross-linking in the interpenetrating network is adjusted by adjusting the weight parts of citric acid and tea polyphenols to regulate the expansion performance of the meal replacement gel.

[0008] As an optional implementation, the ingredients of the meal replacement gel, calculated by weight, include: 15-25 parts by weight of konjac glucomannan, 15-25 parts by weight of pullulan, 40-60 parts by weight of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 5-9 parts by weight of citric acid, and 1-5 parts by weight of tea polyphenols.

[0009] As an optional implementation, the weight ratio of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is 20:20:50, 15:15:60, or 25:25:40.

[0010] As an optional implementation, the weight ratio of citric acid to tea polyphenols is (1:10) to (10:1).

[0011] As an optional implementation, the konjac glucomannan has a glucomannan content of ≥90%, and the pullulan has a molecular weight of 10~100 kDa.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for preparing the aforementioned meal replacement gel is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0013] Konjac glucomannan, pullulan, tea polyphenols and citric acid were dissolved in water and stirred until homogeneous to obtain the first solution;

[0014] Stir the first solution and add sodium carboxymethyl cellulose while stirring until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain the second solution;

[0015] The second solution is dried at the desired temperature to form chemical and physical cross-links and an interpenetrating network, thus obtaining the meal replacement gel.

[0016] As an optional implementation, the conditions for drying the second solution are as follows:

[0017] The processing temperature is 80~120℃, and the drying time is 6 hours.

[0018] As an optional implementation method, the stirring speed is 100~1000 rpm.

[0019] In a third aspect of the present invention, a drug carrier is provided, said carrier being the aforementioned meal replacement gel.

[0020] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a capsule is provided, the capsule comprising the aforementioned meal replacement gel.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the significant advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0022] The meal replacement gel of this invention forms an interpenetrating gel network through chemical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of citric acid, and physical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of tea polyphenols. By introducing a physical cross-linking network into the chemical cross-linking network of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose initiated by citric acid, the characteristic of chain segment shrinkage of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in acidic media is overcome, making the gel more absorbent, swollen, and moisturizing. Furthermore, by changing the ratio of cross-linking agents, the ratio of chemical cross-linking to physical cross-linking in the interpenetrating network can be changed, thereby achieving adjustable swelling properties and customized adjustable gel swelling performance to meet the needs of various application scenarios.

[0023] The meal replacement gel of this invention uses konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as raw materials. It has strong hygroscopicity, low calories, and will not be hydrolyzed by gastric digestive enzymes in the stomach. It can stay in the stomach for a long time, thereby maintaining a continuous feeling of fullness. It is an ideal food ingredient for weight loss or weight control. In addition, it has a low sugar content, which is beneficial for controlling sugar intake. It is especially suitable for people with high fat and obesity.

[0024] The meal replacement gel of this invention contains tea polyphenols, which have good effects in anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation, and can increase the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the product.

[0025] The weight control product prepared by the process of this invention can be quickly dispersed after absorbing water. The preparation process is simple, and it is easy to carry and consume, making it suitable for large-scale production. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is an image of the sample obtained in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a picture of the sample after reconstitution in Example 1.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a picture of the sample from Example 1 packaged in a capsule. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To better understand the technical content of the present invention, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Various aspects of the invention are described in this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which numerous illustrative embodiments are shown. The embodiments of this disclosure are not necessarily intended to encompass all aspects of the invention. It should be understood that the various concepts and embodiments described above, as well as those described below in more detail, can be implemented in any of a number of ways.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a meal replacement gel is provided, the raw materials of which include konjac glucomannan, pullulan, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, citric acid, and tea polyphenols; wherein, the meal replacement gel is formed by chemical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of citric acid, and by physical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of tea polyphenols; the interpenetrating network formed by chemical cross-linking and physical cross-linking gives the meal replacement gel high expansion performance, and the proportion of chemical cross-linking and physical cross-linking in the interpenetrating network is adjusted by adjusting the weight parts of citric acid and tea polyphenols to regulate the expansion performance of the meal replacement gel.

[0032] As an optional implementation, the ingredients of the meal replacement gel, calculated by weight, include: 15-25 parts by weight of konjac glucomannan, 15-25 parts by weight of pullulan, 40-60 parts by weight of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 5-9 parts by weight of citric acid, and 1-5 parts by weight of tea polyphenols.

[0033] As an optional implementation, the weight ratio of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is 20:20:50, 15:15:60, or 25:25:40.

[0034] As an optional implementation, the weight ratio of citric acid to tea polyphenols is (1:10) to (10:1).

[0035] As an optional implementation, the glucomannan content of konjac glucomannan is ≥90%.

[0036] As an optional implementation method, pullulan has a molecular weight of 10~100 kDa.

[0037] As an optional implementation, the meal replacement gel has high swelling properties, with a swelling coefficient of not less than 11 cm⁻¹. 3 / g, up to 14.41cm 3 / g.

[0038] In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing the aforementioned meal replacement gel is provided, wherein a uniformly mixed solution of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, citric acid and tea polyphenols is added to a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution, and cross-linking is performed under high temperature conditions to obtain a meal replacement gel.

[0039] In an exemplary embodiment, the method for preparing the meal replacement gel includes the following steps:

[0040] Konjac glucomannan, pullulan, tea polyphenols and citric acid were dissolved in water and stirred until homogeneous to obtain the first solution;

[0041] Stir the first solution and add sodium carboxymethyl cellulose while stirring until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain the second solution;

[0042] The second solution is dried at the desired temperature to form chemical and physical cross-links and an interpenetrating network, thus obtaining the meal replacement gel.

[0043] It is understandable that products treated at high temperatures can be ground into powder to facilitate further processing.

[0044] As an optional implementation, the conditions for drying the second solution are as follows:

[0045] The processing temperature is 80~120℃, and the drying time is 6 hours.

[0046] In a more specific embodiment, the conditions for drying the second solution are as follows:

[0047] First, treat at 80~100℃ for 1~3 hours, then treat at 100~120℃ for 3~5 hours.

[0048] As an optional implementation method, the stirring speed is 100~1000 rpm.

[0049] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a capsule is also provided, the capsule containing the aforementioned meal replacement gel, for example, the dry gel ground into powder is loaded into the capsule shell so that it can be swallowed directly, ready to eat immediately, and is very convenient; and after the capsule loaded with meal replacement gel powder enters the human stomach through consumption, the meal replacement gel powder is re-dissolved in the stomach, fully and quickly swells, and keeps the stomach feeling full for a long time.

[0050] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a drug carrier is also provided, which uses the aforementioned meal replacement gel as a carrier to load a drug in the meal replacement gel, thereby achieving combined treatment, such as loading a weight-loss drug in the meal replacement gel to achieve the purpose of combined weight control.

[0051] In other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the aforementioned meal replacement gel may also be incorporated into food for weight control in humans or animals.

[0052] In other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, depending on different usage scenarios, such as the user's age group (childhood, youth, or old age), or depending on the user's specific needs, such as the degree of satiety required by the user, the expansion coefficient is adjusted by adjusting the ratio of citric acid to tea polyphenols, thereby achieving adjustable expansion performance to meet different needs.

[0053] The following examples illustrate specific implementations of the present invention. However, these examples are merely for illustrative purposes and do not limit the scope of the invention in any way.

[0054] In the following examples, the konjac glucomannan has a glucomannan content of ≥90%, and the pullulan has a molecular weight of 10~100 kDa.

[0055] Example 1

[0056] Dissolve 20g of konjac glucomannan, 20g of pullulan, 5g of tea polyphenols and 5g of citric acid in water to obtain solution A; while stirring solution A, add 50g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain solution B.

[0057] Solution B was treated at 100℃ for 2 hours, and then at 120℃ for 4 hours to obtain the meal replacement gel. Figure 1 As shown.

[0058] Example 2

[0059] Dissolve 20g of konjac glucomannan, 20g of pullulan, 5g of tea polyphenols and 5g of citric acid in water to obtain solution A; while stirring solution A, add 50g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain solution B; treat solution B at 100℃ for 1 hour, and then at 120℃ for 5 hours to obtain meal replacement gel.

[0060] Example 3

[0061] Dissolve 20g of konjac glucomannan, 20g of pullulan, 5g of tea polyphenols and 5g of citric acid in water to obtain solution A; while stirring solution A, add 50g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain solution B; treat solution B at 100℃ for 3h and then at 120℃ for 3h to obtain meal replacement gel.

[0062] Example 4

[0063] Dissolve 15g of konjac glucomannan, 15g of pullulan, 5g of tea polyphenols and 5g of citric acid in water to obtain solution A; while stirring solution A, add 60g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain solution B; treat solution B at 100℃ for 1 hour and then at 120℃ for 5 hours to obtain meal replacement gel.

[0064] Example 5

[0065] Dissolve 25g of konjac glucomannan, 25g of pullulan, 5g of tea polyphenols and 5g of citric acid in water to obtain solution A; while stirring solution A, add 40g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain solution B; treat solution B at 100℃ for 1 hour and then at 120℃ for 5 hours to obtain meal replacement gel.

[0066] Examples 6-9

[0067] The experimental procedure is the same as in Example 1, except that different chemical cross-linking and physical cross-linking can be obtained by changing the mass of citric acid and tea polyphenols.

[0068] Meal replacement gel, specific data are shown in Table 1.

[0069] Table 1

[0070] Sample number The quality of citric acid Quality of tea polyphenols Example 6 1g 9g Example 7 3g 7g Example 8 7g 3g Example 9 9g 1g

[0071] Comparative Example 1

[0072] 20g of konjac glucomannan, 20g of pullulan, and 5g of citric acid were dissolved in water to obtain solution A;

[0073] While stirring solution A, add 50g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain solution B;

[0074] Solution B was treated at 100℃ for 2 hours, and then at 120℃ for 4 hours to obtain the meal replacement gel.

[0075] Comparative Example 2

[0076] 20g of konjac glucomannan, 20g of pullulan, and 5g of tea polyphenols were dissolved in water to obtain solution A;

[0077] While stirring solution A, add 50g of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain solution B;

[0078] Solution B is the meal replacement gel.

[0079] test

[0080] {Expansion performance}

[0081] The coefficients of thermal expansion of Examples 1-5 and the control product were determined by taking a certain amount of sample.

[0082] Accurately weigh and calculate the volume. Then, fill a container with 100 mL of water, place the samples inside, and allow them to absorb water for 4 hours. Pour out the excess water, calculate or measure the volume of the remaining portion, and calculate the expansion coefficient. Expansion coefficient = (volume after water absorption - volume before water absorption) / sample weight; the reconstituted sample of Example 1 is as follows. Figure 2 As shown;

[0083] The comparison products are: whole grain meal replacement biscuits (Bicuiyuan), konjac biscuits (Zhongshantang), and whole wheat bread (Detective Wuwu).

[0084] The results are shown in Table 2.

[0085] Table 2

[0086] sample Weight (g) <![CDATA[Volume before water absorption (cm 3 )]]> <![CDATA[Volume after water absorption (cm 3 )]]> <![CDATA[Coefficient of expansion (cm 3 / g)]]> Example 1 0.41 1.02 7.00 14.41 Example 2 0.37 0.86 5.25 11.86 Example 3 0.52 1.38 8.56 13.80 Example 4 0.47 1.26 6.59 11.34 Example 5 0.45 1.21 6.28 11.26 Example 6 0.42 1.20 3.51 5.50 Example 7 0.40 1.18 4.69 8.77 Example 8 0.48 1.31 7.49 12.87 Example 9 0.45 1.20 7.98 15.06 Comparative Example 1 0.50 1.30 6.34 10.08 Comparative Example 2 0.45 1.17 2.51 2.97 Whole grain meal replacement biscuits (Bicuiyuan) 15.49 14.81 35.1 1.31 Konjac Biscuits (Zhongshantang) 15.45 13.60 50.6 2.39 Whole Wheat Bread (Detective Wu Wu) 9.91 27.05 20.5 -0.66

[0087] The data above shows that the expansion rate of both meal replacement biscuits and meal replacement breads on the market is relatively low, around 3 cm. 3 / g or less

[0088] The meal replacement gel, which fails to satisfy the need for a feeling of fullness, has an expansion coefficient of 11 cm⁻¹, produced using the raw material formula and process of this invention. 3 / g or higher, with a maximum of 14.41cm 3 / g, superior to ordinary products on the market, it can expand rapidly after a small amount is consumed, with excellent expansion performance, thereby producing a feeling of fullness, reducing food intake, and achieving the goal of weight control.

[0089] As can be seen from the results of Examples 6-9, the meal replacement gel of the present invention can adjust the ratio of chemical crosslinking and physical crosslinking in the interpenetrating network by adjusting the weight parts of citric acid and tea polyphenols, thereby affecting the swelling performance of the meal replacement gel and meeting the requirements of different scenarios.

[0090] Based on the comparison of the results of Comparative Examples 1-2 and the Examples, it can be seen that the meal replacement gel of the present invention, through the chemical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of citric acid, and the physical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of tea polyphenols, forms an interpenetrating gel network. By introducing a physical cross-linking network into the chemical cross-linking network of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose initiated by citric acid, the characteristic of chain segment shrinkage of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in acidic media is overcome, making the gel more absorbent, swollen, and moisturizing.

[0091] By filling the meal replacement gel of the present invention into a capsule shell, a meal replacement capsule with a satiety effect can be obtained, such as... Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a sample image after the sample obtained in Example 1 has been loaded into a capsule shell.

[0092] While the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A meal replacement gel, characterized in that, The raw materials consist of 15-25 parts by weight of konjac glucomannan, 15-25 parts by weight of pullulan, 40-60 parts by weight of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 5-9 parts by weight of citric acid and 1-5 parts by weight of tea polyphenols. The meal replacement gel is formed by adding a uniformly mixed solution of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, citric acid, and tea polyphenols to a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution, and then treating it at 80-100°C for 1-3 hours and then at 100-120°C for 3-5 hours. The meal replacement gel is formed through chemical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of citric acid, and through physical cross-linking of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose under the action of tea polyphenols. By constructing an interpenetrating network through chemical and physical cross-linking, the meal replacement gel achieves high expansion performance. At the same time, by adjusting the weight ratio of citric acid and tea polyphenols, the proportion of chemical and physical cross-linking in the interpenetrating network can be adjusted to regulate the expansion performance of the meal replacement gel.

2. The meal replacement gel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weight ratio of konjac glucomannan, pullulan, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is 20:20:50, 15:15:60, or 25:25:

40.

3. The meal replacement gel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The konjac glucomannan has a glucomannan content of ≥90%, and the pullulan has a molecular weight of 10~100 kDa.

4. A method for preparing a meal replacement gel according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Konjac glucomannan, pullulan, tea polyphenols and citric acid were dissolved in water and stirred until homogeneous to obtain the first solution; Stir the first solution and add sodium carboxymethyl cellulose while stirring until the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is completely dissolved to obtain the second solution; The second solution is dried at the desired temperature to form chemical and physical cross-links and an interpenetrating network, thus obtaining the meal replacement gel.

5. The method for preparing the meal replacement gel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The conditions for drying the second solution are as follows: First, treat at 80~100℃ for 1~3 hours, then treat at 100~120℃ for 3~5 hours.

6. The method for preparing the meal replacement gel according to claim 4, characterized in that, The stirring speed is 100~1000 rpm.

7. A drug carrier, characterized in that, The carrier is the meal replacement gel according to any one of claims 1-3.

8. A capsule, characterized in that, The capsule contains the meal replacement gel according to any one of claims 1-3.

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