Compositions having sugar-like characteristics

Abstract

Disclosed herein are consumable foods, beverages, and other products comprising an effective amount of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition to provide an equivalent sucrose sweetness of at least 1%, the composition comprises from 5% to 30% by weight of rebaudioside M (reb M), from 15% to 35% by weight of rebaudioside AM (reb AM), and from 10% to 25% by weight of rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product. Beneficial is that the sweetener composition provides sucrose-like characteristics, including maximum response, flavor characteristics, temporal characteristics, adaptation behavior and mouthfeel. The sweetener compositions may be included in a variety of food, beverages, and other consumable products to provide a pure sugar-like taste, and may be used as sweeteners or sweetness enhancers in low sugar food, beverages, and other consumable products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Disclosed herein are foods, beverages and other consumable products comprising steviol glycoside sweetener compositions. Beneficially, the sweetener compositions provide features similar to sucrose, including maximum response, flavor characteristics, time characteristics, adaptation behavior and mouthfeel. The sweetener compositions can be included in various foods, beverages and other consumable products to provide a pure sugar-like taste, and can be used as a sweetener or sweetness enhancer in low-sugar foods, beverages and other consumable products. Background Art

[0002] Sugar and sweeteners are widely used in food, beverages and other consumable products, and play a key role in the choice of consumers and the preference of such products. What is expected is the sweet taste of sugar and / or the flavor caused by sugar. Sucrose imparts a taste preferred by consumers, which is the "gold standard" in terms of the sweet taste onset (appearance time) and sweet taste decay (fading time) of expectation. Although sucrose provides excellent sweet taste characteristics, it is high in calories. Calorie-free or low-calorie sweeteners (both nutritive and non-nutritive) have been introduced to meet the needs of consumers for sweet products providing calorie-free or low-calorie sweet taste.

[0003] The major challenge of replacing sucrose with non-nutritive high-efficiency sweeteners is to achieve a sweet taste characteristic similar to sucrose. In addition, sweeteners may be difficult to be formulated into products such as food and beverages. Sweeteners cannot simply be substituted into products containing sugar. There may be various formulation and processing challenges, including finding the desired sugar taste when using combined sugars and / or sweeteners, and removing any undesirable taste characteristics that they can impart. In taste, no-calorie or low-calorie sweeteners show time characteristics, maximum response, flavor characteristics, mouthfeel and / or adaptation behavior that are different from sugar. Specifically, no-calorie or low-calorie sweeteners show delayed sweet taste onset, long sweet aftertaste, bitterness, metallic taste, astringency, cool taste and / or liquorice-like taste.

[0004] Therefore, there is a continuing need for sweetener compositions that provide "sugar-like" characteristics, including the maximum response of sucrose, flavor characteristics (i.e., lack of detectable off-tastes (e.g., metallic notes, licorice notes, and bitterness)), cooling taste, and adaptation behavior. There is also a mouthfeel aspect that is characteristic of the "sugar-like" taste. There is a clear consumer demand for natural non-caloric and / or low-calorie sweeteners that have the same taste qualities as sucrose.

[0005] There is also a need to develop natural low-calorie or no-calorie sweeteners (also referred to as low-calorie and / or zero-calorie sweeteners) that provide temporal and flavor characteristics similar to sucrose. This need is to replace the detectable off-flavors (e.g., metallic, licorice, and bitter), cooling, and adaptive behavior of high-potency sweeteners while still providing natural non-caloric sweeteners with the same taste qualities as sucrose.

[0006] Additionally, there remains a need to develop sweetening compositions, such as foods, beverages and / or other consumable products, containing low-calorie or no-calorie sweetener compositions that have more sugar-like characteristics than currently available low-calorie or no-calorie sweetener compositions. Summary of the invention

[0007] Disclosed herein are consumable foods, beverages, or other products comprising an effective amount of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition to provide at least 1% equivalent sucrose sweetness, the composition comprising 5% to 30% by weight of rebaudioside M (reb M), 15% to 35% by weight of rebaudioside AM (reb AM), and 10% to 25% by weight of rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product.

[0008] Also disclosed is a consumable food, beverage or other product comprising from about 5 ppm to about 5000 ppm of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition comprising 5 wt % to 30 wt % rebaudioside M (reb M), 15 wt % to 35 wt % rebaudioside AM (reb AM) and 10 wt % to 25 wt % rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product, wherein the consumable product has a sweetness equivalent to a sucrose solution having a concentration between 5 ppm and 10,000 ppm (1 SSE to 40 SSE).

[0009] Also disclosed is a method for enhancing the sugar-like characteristics of a consumable food, beverage or other product, the method comprising the steps of adding a steviol glycoside sweetener composition to a sweetenable consumable product composition, the steviol glycoside sweetener composition comprising 5 wt % to 30 wt % rebaudioside M (reb M), 15 wt % to 35 wt % rebaudioside AM (reb AM) and 10 wt % to 25 wt % rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product.

[0010] Also disclosed is a method for imparting a sugar-like temporal characteristic, a sugar-like flavor characteristic, or both to a consumable food, beverage, or other product, the method comprising adding to the product from about 5 ppm to about 5000 ppm of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition, the composition comprising 5 wt % to 30 wt % rebaudioside M (reb M), 15 wt % to 35 wt % rebaudioside AM (reb AM), and 10 wt % to 25 wt % rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1a is the sweetness evaluation comparing composition A (straight line) and reb M 90% (dashed line) in buffer; and

[0012] Figure 1b Bitterness evaluations of composition A (straight line) and reb M 90% (dashed line) in buffer are compared. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] In the following description, a large number of specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, unless otherwise noted or implied from the context, the details are intended to be exemplary and should not be considered to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. In addition, features described in conjunction with individual or specific embodiments should not be understood as being unsuitable for use in conjunction with other embodiments disclosed herein, unless such exclusivity is explicitly stated or implied from the context.

[0014] All terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to be limited in any way or scope. For example, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "one", "a kind of" and "the" used in this specification and the appended claims may include plural forms. In addition, all units, prefixes and symbols can be expressed in the form accepted by their SI. The numerical ranges listed in this specification include numbers within the limited range. Throughout this disclosure, various aspects are presented in range format. It should be understood that the description of the range format is only for convenience and simplicity, and should not be interpreted as an unchangeable limitation to the scope of the invention. Therefore, the description of the range should be considered to specifically disclose all possible sub-ranges and single numerical values ​​within the range (for example, 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4 and 5).

[0015] In order to make it easier to understand the present invention, some terms are first defined. Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments of the present invention belong. Many methods and materials similar to, modified or equivalent to those described herein can be used to practice the embodiments without excessive experimentation. When describing and claiming the embodiments, the following terms will be used according to the definitions listed below.

[0016] As used herein, the term "about" refers to variations in the numerically represented quantity that may occur due to, for example, typical measurements and processing procedures; careless errors in such procedures; differences in the manufacture, origin, or purity of ingredients; etc. Whether or not modified by the term "about," the claims include equivalents to the quantities.

[0017] As used herein, the term "Brix" refers to the sugar content in aqueous solution with respect to sucrose. One Brix is ​​1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution. The Brix of a sweetener compound or composition can be calculated by a sensory evaluation panel using the sweetness relative to sucrose. The equivalent sweetness expressed in Brix of a sweetener compound can be similarly calculated using the concentration response determined by the sensory evaluation panel. The approximate relative sweetness values ​​of sweeteners that can be used as sucrose substitutes are listed in Table 1.1 of "Alternative Sweeteners", 4th edition, Lyn O'Brien-Nabors CRC Press (published on October 26, 2016), ISBN 9781138198562-CAT#K31388. For all purposes, the contents of this reference are incorporated herein by reference.

[0018] As used herein, the term "ppm" means parts per million and is a relative weight parameter. Parts per million are micrograms per gram, such that a component present at 10 ppm is present at 10 micrograms of the particular component per 1 gram of aggregate mixture.

[0019] As used herein, the phrases "sugar-like characteristics", "sugar-like taste", "sugar-like sweetness", "sugar-containing" and "sugar-like" are synonymous. Sugar-like characteristics include any characteristics similar to sucrose, and include but are not limited to maximum response, flavor characteristics, time characteristics, adaptation behavior, mouthfeel, concentration / response functional behavior, tastants and flavor / sweetness interactions, and temperature effects. These characteristics are aspects in which the taste of sucrose is different from the taste of natural and synthetic high-potency sweeteners. Whether a feature is more like sugar is determined by an expert taster or a trained sensory panel evaluating sugar and compositions containing and not containing steviol glycoside sweetener compositions. Such evaluations quantify the similarity of the characteristics of the composition comprising the sweetener composition according to the present invention compared to the composition comprising sugar. Suitable procedures for determining whether a composition has a more sugar-like taste are well known in the art. In addition, the flavor characteristics of a sweetener composition are the quantitative distribution of the relative intensities of all taste attributes in the presented taste attributes. Such distributions are usually plotted as bar graphs or radar plots.

[0020] As used herein, "throwing syrup" or "concentrated syrup" refers to a composition comprising a sweetener composition dissolved in a certain volume of a liquid medium, the volume of which is less than the volume of the liquid medium contained in the finished beverage product. In one embodiment described herein, the throw-in syrup or concentrated syrup comprises a sweetener composition and a liquid medium in a ratio of 1:1 to 120:1. The throw-in syrup is combined with the liquid medium to form a finished beverage product. The throw-in syrup may optionally contain flavorings, colorants and other additives, such as food-grade acids and preservatives. Reducing the volume of the liquid medium in the throw-in syrup allows for reduced storage and shipping costs and extended shelf life. In some embodiments, the throw-in syrup is formulated to provide a finished beverage composition of about 2 times to about 120 times the volume of the liquid medium when diluted, for example, 3 times, 4 times, 5 times, 6 times, 7 times, 8 times, 9 times, 10 times, etc. to 120 times the volume. For example, a carbonated beverage is made in the following manner: first, a concentrated syrup is prepared, and then the syrup is diluted with water at the time and place of preparing the beverage. Such beverages are typically diluted at a 1:5 ratio, meaning one part syrup is mixed with five parts water. The beverages are typically carbonated when bottled or otherwise packaged.

[0021] As used herein, the terms "weight percent," "weight %," "percent by weight," "% by weight," and variations thereof refer to the concentration of a substance, i.e., the weight of the substance divided by the total weight of the composition and multiplied by 100. It should be understood that, as used herein, "percent," "%," and the like are intended to be synonymous with "weight percent," "weight %," and the like.

[0022] These methods and compositions may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the components and ingredients described herein and other ingredients. As used herein, "consisting essentially of" means that these methods and compositions may include additional steps, components, or ingredients, but only if the additional steps, components, or ingredients do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed methods and compositions.

[0023] Steviol glycoside sweetener composition

[0024] In one embodiment, the steviol glycoside sweetener composition comprises 5% to 30% by weight of rebaudioside M (Reb M), 15% to 35% by weight of rebaudioside AM (reb AM) and 10% to 25% by weight of rebaudioside N2 (reb N2) based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the composition. The sweetener composition imparts a more sugar-like feature than a composition without the sweetener composition. In one embodiment, reb M is present in an amount ranging from 10% to 25% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the composition. In one embodiment, reb M is present in an amount ranging from 8% to 27% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the composition. In one embodiment, reb AM is present in an amount ranging from 25% to 35% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the composition. In one embodiment, reb N2 is present in an amount ranging from 10% to 20% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the composition.

[0025] As used herein, the abbreviated term "reb" refers to "rebaudioside." The two terms have the same meaning and are used interchangeably.

[0026] As used herein, the term "steviol glycoside" refers to the glycoside of steviol. Steviol glycoside is a diterpene glycoside characterized in that a single core structure is steviol, and the difference is that there are carbohydrate residues at positions C13 and C19. Steviol glycosides can be natural or produced by fermentation, bioenzyme cascade or extraction from the leaves of Stevia Rebaudiana plants. Exemplary types of steviol glycosides are steviol monoglycosides, steviol disaccharide glycosides, rubusoside, stevioside, dulcoside, and rebaudioside. Examples of steviol glycosides are steviol monoglycoside, steviol monoglycoside A, steviol bioglycoside, steviol bioglycoside D, rubusoside, steviol bioglycoside A, steviol bioglycoside B, rebaudioside B, stevioside, rebaudioside G, stevioside A, stevioside B, stevioside C, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside E2, rebaudioside E4, rebaudioside E6, rebaudioside E3, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside I, rebaudioside AM, rebaudioside D7 , rebaudioside M, rebaudioside M4, rebaudioside N2, rebaudioside O2, rebaudioside 1a, rebaudioside 1b, rebaudioside 1c, rebaudioside 1d, rebaudioside 1e, rebaudioside 1f, rebaudioside 1g, rebaudioside 1h, rebaudioside 1i, rebaudioside 1j, rebaudioside 1k, rebaudioside 1l, rebaudioside 1m, rebaudioside 1n, rebaudioside 2a, synthetic steviol glycosides, such as enzymatically glycosylated steviol glycosides, and combinations thereof.

[0027] In one embodiment, the steviol glycoside composition further comprises rebaudioside O4 (reb O4). In one embodiment, the steviol glycoside composition further comprises reb O4 from about 3 wt % to about 10 wt % based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the food or beverage product. In one embodiment, the steviol glycoside composition further comprises reb O4 from about 5 wt % to about 9 wt % based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the food or beverage product.

[0028] In one embodiment, the steviol glycoside composition further comprises one or more additional steviol glycosides selected from the group consisting of Reb 2M, Reb M5, Reb D9, Reb 2A, Reb O4, Reb M4, Reb E, Reb O, Reb D, Reb K, Reb N, Reb C2, Reb J, Reb K2, Reb V2, Reb H, Reb I, Reb A, stevioside, Reb F, Reb C, dulcoside A, rubusoside, Reb B, Sbio, and combinations thereof.

[0029] The remainder of the steviol glycoside composition may be any one or more steviol glycosides.

[0030] Additional sweeteners

[0031] Sweetener compositions may include at least one additional sweetener. Suitable sweeteners for use in combination with sweetener compositions include, for example, full-calorie, low-calorie and / or zero-calorie sweeteners. These sweeteners may also be referred to as nutritive sweeteners, partial nutritive sweeteners, and non-nutritive sweeteners (i.e., high-efficiency sweeteners (or high-intensity sweeteners)). Non-nutritive sweeteners including both natural sweeteners and synthetic sweeteners (i.e., artificial sweeteners) together with partial nutritive sweeteners are alternative forms of nutritive sweeteners, to provide desired taste characteristics and other functional properties with significantly lower caloric content. Non-nutritive sweeteners do not contribute to the caloric content of the sweetener composition.

[0032] Exemplary zero-calorie sweeteners (i.e., non-nutritive, natural high-potency sweeteners) include sweeteners that occur in nature, either raw, extracted, purified, or in any other form (e.g., by fermentation, physiological transformation), either alone or in combination, and are characterized by having a sweetness potency greater than sucrose, fructose, or glucose while having lower calories. Non-limiting examples of natural zero-calorie sweeteners include amino acids, tryptophan, steviol monoglycosides, steviol bioglycosides, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevioside, stevioside, mogroside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, mogroside VI, isomogroside V, glabra saponins, mogrosides, simoneoside, monk fruit sweetener, monk fruit, simoneoside, monadin and its salts (monadin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, malathin, mabinin, brazzein, hemandulcin, phylloside, sarsaparilla glycoside, phloridzin, trilobtain, baiyun ginsenoside, eudicot glycoside, polysaccharide A, pterocaryoside A (pterocaryoside A), pitiroside B, sapindus sesquiterpene glycosides, scutellaria glycosides I, periandrin I, abrusoside A and rubusoside I. Natural high-potency sweeteners also include modified natural high-potency sweeteners.

[0033] Exemplary amino acid additives include, but are not limited to, aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, praline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, arabinose, trans-4-hydroxyproline, isoleucine, asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (α-isomer, β-isomer and / or δ-isomer), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, and their salt forms, such as sodium or potassium salts or acid salts. The amino acid additives may also be in the D-configuration or the L-configuration. The amino acids may be natural or synthetic. The amino acids may also be modified. A modified amino acid refers to any amino acid (e.g., N-alkyl amino acids, N-acyl amino acids, or N-methyl amino acids) in which at least one atom has been added, removed, substituted, or a combination thereof. As used herein, amino acids also encompass both peptides and polypeptides (eg, dipeptides, tripeptides, tetrapeptides, and pentapeptides), such as glutathione and L-alanyl-L-glutamine.

[0034] Exemplary polyamino acid additives include poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-α-lysine or poly-L-ε-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly-L-α-ornithine or poly-L-ε-ornithine), poly-L-arginine, other polymeric forms of amino acids, and their salt forms (e.g., calcium, potassium, sodium or magnesium salts, such as monosodium L-glutamate). Suitable sugar acid additives include, but are not limited to, aldonic acid, uronic acid, saccharic acid, alginic acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, glucaric acid, galactaric acid, galacturonic acid and their salts (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium or other physiologically acceptable salts), and combinations thereof. Suitable nucleotide additives include, but are not limited to, inosine monophosphate ("IMP"), guanosine monophosphate ("GMP"), adenosine monophosphate ("AMP"), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uridine monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uridine triphosphate, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, and combinations thereof. The nucleotides described herein may also include nucleotide-related additives such as nucleosides or nucleic acid bases (e.g., guanine, cytosine, adenine, thymine, uracil). Exemplary non-nutritive synthetic high potency sweeteners include those that are not naturally present in nature and are characterized by having a sweetness potency greater than sucrose, fructose, or glucose, but with fewer calories or no calories.

[0035] Additional exemplary synthetic zero-calorie (i.e., high potency) sweeteners include sucralose, acesulfame potassium (acesulfame potassium), aspartame, alitame, saccharin, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, cyclamate, neotame, advantame, N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)propyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester, salts thereof, etc. Synthetic high potency sweeteners also include modified synthetic high potency sweeteners.

[0036] Low-calorie (i.e., partially nutritive) sweeteners contribute to the caloric content of the composition. In some embodiments, the use of low-calorie sweeteners can provide a "medium-calorie" composition such that when added to a sweet composition (such as, for example, as a beverage product), they impart a desired sweetness and have less than about 60 calories per 8 oz portion. In other embodiments, the use of low-calorie sweeteners can provide a "low-calorie" composition such that when added to a sweet composition (such as, for example, a beverage product), they impart a desired sweetness and have less than 40 calories per 8 oz portion.

[0037] Exemplary low-calorie sweeteners include polyols. As used herein, the term "polyol" refers to a molecule containing more than one hydroxyl group. A polyol can be a diol, triol or tetraol containing 2, 3 and 4 hydroxyl groups, respectively. A polyol can also contain more than 4 hydroxyl groups, such as pentaol, hexaol, heptaol, etc., which contain 5, 6 or 7 hydroxyl groups, respectively. In addition, a polyol can also be a sugar alcohol, a polyol or a polyol in a reduced form of a carbohydrate, wherein the carbonyl group (aldehyde or ketone, reducing sugar) has been reduced to a primary hydroxyl group or a secondary hydroxyl group. Examples of polyols include erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerine), threitol, dulcitol, palatinose, reduced isomaltooligosaccharides, reduced xylo-oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, reduced glucose syrup and sugar alcohols, or any other carbohydrate that can be reduced without adversely affecting the taste of the sweetening composition.

[0038] Additional exemplary low-calorie sweeteners include psicose (also known as D-psicose). In some embodiments, psicose includes a mixture of psicose and additional monosaccharides and disaccharides, as measured by the purity level of psicose.

[0039] In some embodiments, full caloric sweeteners may be included as nutritive sweeteners, and typically include carbohydrate sweeteners. Examples of carbohydrate sweeteners include, but are not limited to, sucrose, cane sugar, fructose, glucose, maple syrup, honey, molasses, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, D-psicose, D-tagatose, leucrose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrins (e.g., α-cyclodextrin, β-cyclodextrin, and γ-cyclodextrin), ribulose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, fucose, glucuronic acid , gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abacose, galactosamine, xylooligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose, etc.), gentiooligosaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose, etc.), galacto-oligosaccharides, sorbose, ketotriose (dihydroxyacetone), trialdose (glyceraldehyde), niger oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, kestose, etc.), maltotetraose, maltotriol, tetrasaccharides, manno-oligosaccharides, maltooligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose, etc.), dextrin, lactulose, melibiose, 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.

[0040] In another embodiment, the additional sweetener is selected from stevioside, mogroside, erythritol, psicose, HFCS, sucrose, cane sugar, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and any combination of two or more of the foregoing.

[0041] Foods, beverages and / or consumable products containing one or more sweetener compositions described herein

[0042] One or more sweetener compositions as described herein are suitable for various applications, including but not limited to food products, beverage products and / or other consumable products. One of the advantages of sweetener compositions is that they can be easily incorporated into the known processes for making food, beverages and other consumable products without any additional processing steps. For example, sweetener compositions as described herein can be mixed with solvents before or simultaneously with other components of food, beverages or other consumable products at room temperature or under heat (e.g., gradient heat treatment).

[0043] In any embodiment, a consumable food, beverage or other product comprises an effective amount of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition to provide at least 1% equivalent sucrose sweetness (SSE). In any embodiment, a consumable food, beverage or other product comprises an effective amount of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition to provide at least 1%, at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15% or at least 20% equivalent sucrose sweetness. In any embodiment, the consumable is a food, beverage or other product having a sweetness equivalent to a sucrose solution having a concentration between 5ppm and 10,000ppm (1SSE to 40SSE).

[0044] In exemplary embodiments, the sweetener composition can be between about 5 ppm and about 5000 ppm, about 5 ppm and about 50 ppm, about 10 ppm and about 100 ppm, about 20 ppm and about 100 ppm, about 20 ppm and about 200 ppm, about 20 ppm and about 300 ppm, about 20 ppm and about 400 ppm, about 20 ppm and about 500 ppm, about 50 ppm and about 500 ppm, about 100 ppm and about 500 ppm, about 100 ppm and about 700 ppm, about 100 ppm and about 800 ppm, about 100 ppm and about 900 ppm, about 100 ppm and about 1000 ppm, about 500 ppm and about 500 ppm. ppm to about 1000 ppm, about 500 ppm to about 1100 ppm, about 500 ppm to about 1200 ppm, about 500 ppm to about 1300 ppm, about 500 ppm to about 1400 ppm, about 500 ppm to about 1500 ppm, about 1000 ppm to about 1600 ppm, about 1000 ppm to about 1700 ppm, about 1500 ppm to about 1800 ppm, about 1500 ppm to about 1900 ppm, about 1500 ppm to about 2000 ppm, about 2000 ppm to about 2100 ppm, about 2100 ppm to about 2200 ppm, about 2200 ppm to about 2300 ppm ppm to about 3000 ppm, about 3000 ppm to about 3100 ppm, about 3100 ppm to about 3200 ppm, about 3200 ppm to about 3300 ppm, about 3300 ppm to about 3400 ppm, about 3400 ppm to about 3500 ppm, about 3500 ppm to about 3600 ppm, about 3600 ppm to about 3700 ppm, about 3700 ppm to about 3800 ppm, about 3800 ppm to about 3900 ppm, about 3900 ppm to about 4000 ppm, about 4000 ppm to about 4100 ppm, about 4100 ppm to about 4200 ppm, about 4200 ppm to about 4300 ppm ppm to about 3700 ppm, about 3700 ppm to about 3800 ppm, about 3800 ppm to about 3900 ppm, about 3900 ppm to about 4000 ppm, about 4100 ppm to about 4200 ppm, about 4200 ppm to about 4300 ppm, about 4300 ppm to about 4400 ppm, about 4400 ppm to about 4500 ppm, about 4500 ppm to about 4600 ppm, about 4600 ppm to about 4700 ppm, about 4700 ppm to about 4800 ppm, about 4800 ppm to about 4900 ppm, about 4900 ppm to about 5000 ppm, or increments therebetween.

[0045] In some embodiments, one or more of the beverage products described herein are mid-calorie, low-calorie, or zero-calorie non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages.

[0046] In exemplary embodiments, the sweetener composition can be included in the food product composition in an amount between about 0.1% to about 50% by weight, about 0.5% to about 40% by weight, about 1% to about 40% by weight, about 5% to about 35% by weight, about 5% to about 30% by weight, about 10% to about 30% by weight, about 10% to about 25% by weight, about 10% to about 20% by weight, or increments therebetween.

[0047] In other embodiments, one or more parabolic syrups described herein comprise a steviol glycoside sweetener composition (including all sub-ranges and values ​​therebetween) at a total composition concentration of about 75ppm to about 60000ppm based on the parabolic syrup. In other embodiments, one or more parabolic syrups described herein comprise a steviol glycoside sweetener composition at a concentration of about 450ppm to about 15,000ppm. In other embodiments, one or more parabolic syrups described herein comprise a steviol glycoside sweetener composition at a concentration of about 750ppm to about 25,000ppm. In other embodiments, one or more parabolic syrups described herein comprise a steviol glycoside sweetener composition at a concentration of about 18,000ppm to about 60,000ppm.

[0048] The disclosed concentration of the steviol glycoside sweetener composition in food, beverage and / or other consumable products is beneficial to provide a desired degree of sugar-like characteristics for such food, beverage and / or other consumable product compositions, wherein the sugar-like characteristics may include maximum response, flavor characteristics, time characteristics, adaptation behavior, mouthfeel, concentration / response functional behavior, tastants and flavor / sweetness interactions, and temperature effects. In other embodiments, the sweetener composition suppresses, weakens or eliminates at least one undesirable taste associated with the sweetener, wherein at least one undesirable taste may include a delayed sweetness onset, a long sweet aftertaste, a metallic taste, a bitter taste, a cooling sensation taste, a menthol-like taste or a licorice-like taste.

[0049] Exemplary food, beverage and / or other consumable food product compositions containing steviol glycoside sweetener compositions are listed in Table 1 below. When used as a single sweetener, exemplary food, beverage and / or other consumable food product compositions provide a ppm range of typical concentrations of steviol glycoside sweetener compositions. Concentrations may vary according to formulation, flavor and target consumer.

[0050]

[0051] Examples of food products include, but are not limited to, sweets, condiments, chewing gum, frozen foods, desserts, canned foods, soy-based products, dressings, custards, bars, snacks, edible gel mixes and compositions, whipped toppings, mayonnaise, sauces, gravies, spreads, vinegars, ice cream, cereal compositions, baked goods, dairy products such as yogurt, fruit preparations and concentrates, non-dairy products, dairy alternatives, protein products, snack foods, dry blends (e.g., coffee or beverage packets), and tabletop sweetener compositions.

[0052] Examples of beverage products include, but are not limited to, ready-to-drink products that are carbonated (e.g., cola or other soft drinks, sparkling beverages, alcoholic beverages, and malt) or non-carbonated (e.g., fruit juices, beverages containing fruit, nectar, vegetable juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, enhanced water, coconut water tea, RTD tea, non-dairy beverages, protein drinks, meal replacement drinks, coffee, cocoa drinks, beverages containing milk, coffee creamers, beverages containing grain extracts, smoothies, and alcoholic beverages), and powdered beverage products (dry mixes) that are combined with a liquid base (such as water, milk, or club soda) and a beverage concentrate (such as a throwaway syrup). Throwaway syrups can be used to prepare any of the beverages described herein by adding an appropriate amount of water or other liquid medium.

[0053] In some embodiments, the beverage products and disposable syrups disclosed herein may include a composition based on juice obtained from a fruit or vegetable. The composition based on juice may be used in any form such as a juice form, a concentrate, an extract, a powder (which can be reconstituted with water or other suitable liquids), etc. Suitable juices include, for example, non-citrus juices, such as apple juice, grape juice, pear juice, peach juice, blackcurrant juice, raspberry juice, gooseberry juice, blackberry juice, blueberry juice, strawberry juice, sugar apple juice, pomegranate juice, guava juice, kiwi juice, mango juice, papaya juice, watermelon juice, cantaloupe juice, cherry juice, cranberry juice, peach juice, apricot juice, plum juice, and pineapple juice; citrus juices, such as orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and tangerine juice; and vegetable juices, such as carrot juice and tomato juice; or any combination thereof. The beverage products and disposable syrups disclosed herein may include fruit or vegetable liquids containing a certain percentage of solids derived from fruits or vegetables (e.g., pulp, seeds, skin, fiber, etc. and pectin naturally present in fruits or vegetables). In some embodiments, juice-based compositions are fortified with dissolved calcium in the form of calcium carbonate, calcium lactate, calcium oxide, or calcium hydroxide.

[0054] In some embodiments, the beverage products and disposable syrups disclosed herein include a dairy composition, wherein the dairy composition contains dairy protein. Exemplary dairy compositions include any type of dairy product, including cream, whole milk, low-fat milk, skim milk, milk solids, condensed milk, or any combination thereof, particularly a combination of cream and skim milk. Dairy compositions typically contain a certain amount of dairy protein, such as whey protein containing β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, or serum albumin; and the like. In some embodiments, the dairy product can be replaced with a certain amount of non-dairy components such as soy milk, soy protein, almond milk, coconut milk, or any combination thereof.

[0055] The sweetener compositions described herein may also be used in dental and pharmaceutical compositions.

[0056] Further description of exemplary foods, beverages and / or other consumable products suitable for including one or more sweetener compositions described herein is disclosed in International Publication WO2013096420, the portions of which that disclose exemplary foods, beverages and / or other consumable compositions that can be sweetened with one or more sweetener compositions described herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0057] When incorporated into foods, beverages, and / or other consumable products, the sweetener composition may be the sole sweetening ingredient or other sugars and / or sweeteners may also be incorporated into the product.

[0058] Sweetener compositions may also be combined with one or more additives (which may or may not be additional sweeteners) in foods, beverages, and / or other consumable products. Examples of additives include, but are not limited to, carbohydrates (also described above in Additional Sweeteners), polyols (also described above in Additional Sweeteners), amino acids and their corresponding salts (also described above in Additional Sweeteners), 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, caffeine, flavoring agents and flavoring ingredients, astringent compounds, proteins or protein hydrolyzates, surfactants, emulsifiers, weighing agents, fruit juices, dairy products, cereals and other plant extracts, gums, coloring agents, flavonoids, alcohols, polymers, essential oils, antifungal agents, and combinations thereof.

[0059] The sweetener composition may also be combined with one or more leavening agents in food, beverages, and / or other consumable products (which may or may not be suitable as additives or additional sweeteners). Leavening agents may, for example, be used to promote direct replacement of sugar with the sweetener composition disclosed herein in applications such as baking, cooking, and table use. Examples of leavening agents include, but are not limited to, bulk sweeteners such as sucrose, dextrose, invert sugar maltose, dextrin, maltodextrin, fructose, levulose, and galactose; low-glycemic carbohydrates such as oligofructose, oligogalactose, mannitol, inulin, xylitol, lactitol, erythritol, and maltitol; fibers such as polydextrose, resistant maltodextrin, resistant starch, soluble corn fiber, and cellulose; and aqueous colloids such as pectin, guar gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, locust bean gum, gum arabic, xanthan gum, and alginate. In some embodiments, the leavening agent is selected from maltodextrin, a dextrose-maltodextrin blend, corn syrup solids, sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, mannitol, galactitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, polydextrose, oligofructose, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or a combination thereof.

[0060] In some embodiments, consumable products (e.g., food, beverages and / or other consumable products) do not include nutritive sweeteners, including sucrose (table sugar), glucose, fructose, corn syrup (including high fructose corn syrup), maltose, lactose, molasses, honey, agave, fruit juice, maple syrup, etc. In other embodiments, the product contains a reduced amount of nutritive sweeteners, because these nutritive sweeteners are advantageously replaced (or reduced in content) by adding a sweetener composition disclosed herein (or a sweetener compound of formula (I)). In exemplary embodiments, the nutritive sweeteners in the composition are reduced by at least about 80%, 75%, 70%, 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10% or 5% in consumable products disclosed herein.

[0061] Sweetener compositions can also be combined with one or more functional ingredients in food, beverages and / or other consumable products. Examples of functional ingredients include, but are not limited to, saponins, antioxidants, dietary fiber sources, fatty acids, vitamins, glucosamine, minerals, preservatives, hydrating agents, probiotics, prebiotics, long-chain aliphatic saturated primary alcohols, phytosterols, and combinations thereof.

[0062] In a characteristic embodiment, the consumable product is a tabletop sweetener composition. In such embodiments, the sweetener composition (or the combination of the sweetener composition and the agent described in the present embodiment) may also include at least one leavening agent, additive, anti-caking agent, functional ingredient, and a combination thereof. The tabletop sweetener composition may be present in the form of a solid, a suspension, or a liquid; including co-crystallized sweetener compositions with sugar or polyols, condensed sweetener compositions, compacted sweetener compositions, dry sweetener compositions, granular sweetener compositions, spherical sweetener compositions, spray-dried compositions, granular sweetener compositions, liquid suspension compositions, and liquid sweetener compositions. Exemplary liquid tabletop sweeteners may include water and optional additives, such as, for example, polyols (e.g., erythritol, sorbitol, propylene glycol, or glycerol), acidulants (e.g., citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid), antimicrobial agents (e.g., benzoic acid or its salts)

[0063] Method for enhancing the sugar-like characteristics of a consumable food, beverage or other product

[0064] In one embodiment, a method is provided for imparting a sugar-like time characteristic, flavor characteristic or both of consumable food, beverage or other consumable product. The method includes providing a consumable food, beverage or other product as a sweetening composition, and adding one or more sweetener compositions as described herein to such products to impart a sugar-like characteristic of such compositions or product desired degree. Expected characteristics may include maximum response, flavor characteristic, time characteristic, adaptation behavior, mouthfeel, concentration / response functional behavior, tastant and flavor / sweet taste interaction and temperature effect. In any embodiment, the method includes adding a steviol glycoside sweetener composition of about 5ppm to about 5000ppm to the product, the composition comprising rebaudioside M (reb M) of 5% by weight to 30% by weight, rebaudioside AM (reb AM) of 15% by weight to 35% by weight and rebaudioside N2 (reb N2) of 10% by weight to 25% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product.

[0065] In another embodiment, a method for enhancing the sugar-like characteristics of consumable food, beverage or other products is provided. In any embodiment, the method includes adding a steviol glycoside sweetener composition to a consumable product composition that can be sweetened, the steviol glycoside sweetener composition comprising 5% to 30% by weight of rebaudioside M (reb M), 15% to 35% by weight of rebaudioside AM (reb AM) and 10% to 25% by weight of rebaudioside N2 (reb N2) based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product.

[0066] In one embodiment, reb M is present in an amount ranging from 10% to 25% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the edible composition. In one embodiment, reb M is present in an amount ranging from 8% to 27% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the edible composition. In one embodiment, reb AM is present in an amount ranging from 25% to 35% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the edible composition. In one embodiment, reb N2 is present in an amount ranging from 10% to 20% by weight based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the edible composition.

[0067] Embodiments of the present invention are further defined in the following non-limiting examples. It should be understood that although these examples illustrate certain embodiments of the present invention, they are only given by way of example. Through the above discussion and these examples, those skilled in the art can determine the basic characteristics of the present invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention to make them suitable for various purposes and conditions. Therefore, in addition to those shown and described herein, various modifications of the embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the previous description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0068] Example

[0069] Sweetness is usually measured by comparison to a reference solution of sucrose. Sucrose is the standard to which all other sweeteners are compared. For convenience, taste panelists are usually trained to quantify sweetness on a 15 cm line scale, using 2% to 15% sucrose solutions as a reference. (A common method used in industry).

[0070] Other sweeteners are then tasted in a series of dilutions to determine whether their concentration is as sweet as a given sucrose reference percentage. For example, if a 1% solution of Sweetener X is as sweet as a 10% sucrose solution, then Sweetener X is said to be 10 times more potent than sucrose. Since the sweetness potency of all high-potency sweeteners (HPS) is strongly dependent on the sucrose equivalence level, it is important to state the sucrose sweetness equivalent (SSE) level at which sweetness potency is determined.

[0071] The sweetness potency of composition A was tested relative to sucrose. Reference samples of 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0% sucrose solutions were used. Composition A was added to acidified buffered water (pH 3.17) under ambient conditions. These samples were evaluated in a blinded manner (n=3-6 tasters) using the aspiration method.

[0072] Table 2. Steviol glycoside composition (composition A)

[0073] Steviol glycosides Weight % range of steviol glycosides (based on the weight of all steviol glycosides) Reb M 11-24 Reb AM 28-32 Reb O4 5-9 Reb N2 13-16

[0074] As shown in Table 2, Composition A was found to be more effective (179 potency at 2.5% sucrose, 119 potency at 5% sucrose, 109 potency at 7.5% sucrose, and 66 potency at 10% sucrose), with higher sweetness intensity and little licorice and bitter aftertaste. Composition A was able to reach 10% with clean sweetness, no bitterness to slight bitterness, and no off-flavors (metallic, licorice, or earthy).

[0075] Table 3. Sweetness efficacy evaluation of composition A

[0076] Sucrose Sweetness Equivalent (SSE) 2.5％ 5％ 7.5％ 10％ Dosage(ppm) 140 420 690 1500 Estimated efficacy 179 119 109 66

[0077] The taste characteristics of Composition A were evaluated relative to known sweeteners (Reb AM and high Reb A commercial products). The samples (n=3-6 tasters) were evaluated in a blinded fashion using a comparative analytical method and utilizing the aspiration method. The evaluation focused on sweetness characteristics, off-taste characteristics (described as bitter, sweetness lingering, sweetness onset, mouthfeel, mouth coating, and metallic taste), and flavor characteristics. Qualitative descriptors for the samples in water were provided by the tasters in Table 4. A 5% sucrose aqueous solution was used as a control. Unlike other steviol glycosides, including Reb A, there was no significant bitter or licorice off-taste when evaluated in water.

[0078] Table 4. Comparison of sensory attributes of Composition A with other stevia sweeteners

[0079]

[0080]

[0081] The taste characteristics of composition A at different concentrations in pH 6.41 were also evaluated. The samples were tasted in a blind manner using a comparative analysis method and using the aspiration method. The evaluation focused on sweetness characteristics, off-flavor characteristics (described as bitterness, sweetness lingering, sweetness onset, mouthfeel, mouth coating and metallic taste) and flavor characteristics. The samples were prepared by dissolving the desired concentration of composition A in neutral water at pH 6.41 under ambient conditions. The samples were evaluated by 3-5 tasters. The samples were blind coded, randomized and balanced. The qualitative descriptors for the samples in water were provided by the tasters in Table 5.

[0082] Table 5. Sensory attributes of composition A .

[0083]

[0084] Composition A exhibits sucrose-like characteristics. Inclusion of Composition A results in significant taste improvements on multiple attributes. In addition, Composition A is capable of reaching 10% with clean sweetness, no bitterness to slight bitterness, no off-flavors (metallic, licorice, or earthy). Specific areas of taste improvement include increased upfront sweetness, thickness, reduced sweetness (lingering) and bitter aftertaste, licorice, astringency, metallic, and bitterness. In addition, the results demonstrate that Composition A is a significantly cleaner tasting sweetener than Reb M, Reb AM, and other commercial stevia products.

[0085] The taste characteristics of composition A were evaluated relative to a known sweetener (High Reb M commercial product). Descriptive sensory analysis (spectral descriptive method) was performed by trained external panelists (14 panelists) using a 15-point universal scale with 3 replicates. Samples were balanced, randomized, single-valued, with a time delay of 7 minutes between samples. Palate cleansers such as spring water, unsalted crackers, and carbonated water were used. Panelists were trained to rate sweetness based on a sucrose standard.

[0086] The samples (Composition A) were prepared with spring water at 7 concentrations (150 ppm, 475 ppm, 700 ppm, 1000 ppm, 1500 ppm and 2000 ppm) to account for moisture. The samples were stored at approximately 40°F and evaluated.

[0087] Sucrose is the recognized gold standard - it provides the ideal onset (onset time) and decay (disappearance time) of sweetness. A major challenge in replacing sucrose with high-potency sweeteners is to achieve a sweetness profile similar to sucrose. Zero-calorie, high-potency sweeteners can differ in temporal profile (delayed onset, lingering sweetness) and contain detectable off-flavors (metallic, licorice, and bitter). Consumers expect natural, non-caloric sweeteners that can have the same taste qualities as sucrose, the gold standard for sweeteners. In fact, it is well known in the food industry that HPSs can have low maximum sweetness (e.g., AceK, saccharin), which limits their practicality in applications over a wide range of sweetness equivalence (especially sweetness targets exceeding 8% sucrose). DuBois et al. (Concentration—Response Relationships of Sweeteners A Systematic Study, DOI: 10.1021 / bk-1991-0450.ch020 (December 31, 1991)) demonstrated in a dose-response study of a variety of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners that the sweetness function of HPS is hyperbolic, in that the perceived sweetness reaches an upper limit and does not increase further with increasing concentration. In contrast, monosaccharides, disaccharides, and sugar alcohols show a linear dose-response (DR) function.

[0088] Figure 1a It shows that compound A unexpectedly exhibits a linear dose response of sweetness in the concentration range tested; 0% to 0.2% (2000 ppm). Therefore, we can infer that composition A can provide a wide range of equivalent sweetness for various applications, which is very beneficial to consumers.

[0089] Furthermore, Composition A exhibited a lower bitter taste compared to Reb M (see Figure 1b ).

[0090] Extrapolation Figure 1a and 1b Data points for commercial Reb M at 1500 ppm and 2000 ppm were not evaluated.

[0091] It should be understood that although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments of the invention, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate rather than limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments, advantages and modifications are within the scope of the following claims. The features disclosed in the foregoing description or the following claims or the accompanying drawings are represented in their specific form or in a manner for performing the disclosed functions, or the methods or processes for obtaining the disclosed results may be used alone or in any combination of such features as appropriate, thereby implementing the invention in its various different forms.

Claims

1. A consumable food, beverage or other product comprising an effective amount of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition to provide at least 1% of the equivalent sucrose sweetness, the composition comprising 5% to 30% by weight of rebaudioside M (reb M), 15% to 35% by weight of rebaudioside AM (reb AM) and 10% to 25% by weight of rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product.

2. The consumable product of claim 1, wherein the steviol glycoside sweetener composition further comprises rebaudioside O4 (reb O4).

3. The consumable product of claim 1, wherein the steviol glycoside sweetener composition is present in an amount of about 5 ppm to about 5000 ppm.

4. The consumable product of claim 1, wherein the steviol glycoside sweetener composition is present in an amount from about 75 ppm to about 60,000 ppm.

5. The consumable product of claim 1 further comprising at least one additive, leavening agent and / or functional ingredient.

6. The consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the consumable product is a beverage product, a beverage concentrate or a food product.

7. The consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the consumable product is a dietary sweetener, a dental product and / or a pharmaceutical product.

8. A consumable product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the consumable product is a food or beverage having a sweetness equivalent to a sucrose solution having a concentration between 5 ppm and 10,000 ppm (1 SSE to 40 SSE).

9. A consumable food, beverage or other product comprising from about 5 ppm to about 5000 ppm of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition, the steviol glycoside sweetener composition comprising 5 wt % to 30 wt % rebaudioside M (reb M), 15 wt % to 35 wt % rebaudioside AM (reb AM) and 10 wt % to 25 wt % rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product, wherein the consumable product has a sweetness equivalent to a sucrose solution having a concentration between 5 ppm and 10,000 ppm (1 SSE to 40 SSE).

10. The consumable product of claim 9, wherein the steviol glycoside sweetener composition provides at least 1%, at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, or at least 20% equivalent sucrose sweetness.

11. A consumable product according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the product is selected from the group consisting of non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages, beverage products, fruit preparations, fruit concentrates, seasonings, frozen foods, canned foods, desserts, bars, sauces, spreads, pharmaceutical compositions, edible gel mixes and compositions, dental compositions, sweets, condiments, chewing gum, cereal compositions, frozen foods, desserts, soy-based products, protein products, snacks, gravies, baked goods, dairy products, dairy alternatives, tabletop sweeteners, concentrates, dry blends and throw-in syrups.

12. A consumable product according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the product is a beverage product.

13. A consumable product according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the product is a mid-calorie, low-calorie or zero-calorie beverage.

14. The consumable product of claim 1, wherein the product is a throw-away syrup configured to be diluted with a liquid medium to form a beverage.

15. A method for enhancing the sugar-like characteristics of a consumable food, beverage or other product, the method comprising the steps of: A steviol glycoside sweetener composition is added to a sweetenable consumable product composition, the steviol glycoside sweetener composition comprising 5 wt % to 30 wt % rebaudioside M (reb M), 15 wt % to 35 wt % rebaudioside AM (reb AM), and 10 wt % to 25 wt % rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product.

16. A method for imparting a sugar-like temporal characteristic, a sugar-like flavor characteristic, or both, to a consumable food, beverage, or other product, the method comprising adding to the product from about 5 ppm to about 5000 ppm of a steviol glycoside sweetener composition, the composition comprising 5 wt % to 30 wt % rebaudioside M (reb M), 15 wt % to 35 wt % rebaudioside AM (reb AM), and 10 wt % to 25 wt % rebaudioside N2 (reb N2), based on the total amount of steviol glycosides in the consumable product.

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