Ingredient

Abstract

To provide a polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in preparing a food thickening composition that includes a polysaccharide-based source material that has been subjected to a protein hydrolysis step as well as methods of making the same.SOLUTION: A stable liquid composition that is capable of increasing the viscosity of a foodstuff, which includes one or a plurality of thickening agents and a polysaccharide-based ingredient that has been subjected to a protein hydrolysis step, and methods of making same are provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ingredient. In particular, the present invention relates to a polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in the preparation of a food thickening composition and a method for making the same. The present invention further relates to a stable liquid composition comprising a polysaccharide-based ingredient and a thickening agent for increasing the viscosity of a liquid or semi-liquid food product and a method for using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] It is often desirable to provide a viscous thickened liquid, particularly in the geriatric and convalescent markets, which must be of a specific, known and reproducible viscosity for application in these markets.

[0003] Predetermined liquid viscosities have been developed by many regulatory agencies which consider them to have a clinically important benefit in "slowing" swallowing in dysphagic patients, thus preventing common complications of the disorder such as aspiration pneumonia. In light of the different severity of dysphagia, the following professional guidelines are commonly practiced in clinical practice: slightly viscous (meat-like viscosity); moderately viscous (honey-like viscosity); viscous (pudding-like viscosity). These guidelines usually correspond to 150, 400 and 900 mPa.s, respectively.

[0004] Viscous beverages for managing dysphagia in institutions and at home are typically made using powdered thickeners that are "instantized" by physical modification such as agglomeration. However, such powders have limitations such as the inability to deliver precise volumetric doses to foods as needed and the need for specialized mixing equipment to obtain sufficient shear to properly disperse them. Furthermore, the time required for a powdered thickener to develop its viscosity is typically not instantaneous (i.e., less than 30 seconds) and may take several minutes to bring the food to its maximum or desired viscosity. Commercially available liquid thickeners, which work by developing the viscosity of the thickener in a concentrated solution and diluting it to the desired concentration, are similarly limited by the amount of shear required to disperse and develop their viscosity. Such liquid thickeners also have the potential to not be stable for a sufficient period of time when stored at room temperature, resulting in separation of one or more of their components.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a stable liquid thickening composition that can be used in subjects suffering from chewing and / or swallowing disorders, such as dysphagia, that overcomes one of the inherent limitations of commercially available liquid and / or powder thickening compositions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in the preparation of a food thickening composition comprising: a polysaccharide-based ingredient selected from the group consisting of Larix occidentalis polysaccharide extract, Larix laricina polysaccharide extract, Acacia tree polysaccharide extract, Larix decidua polysaccharide extract, Larix sibirica polysaccharide extract, and any combination thereof; Here, a polysaccharide-based feedstock is subjected to a proteolytic process.

[0007] In some embodiments, the protein hydrolysis step reduced the initial protein level of the polysaccharide-based feedstock to a second protein level.

[0008] In one embodiment, the polysaccharide-based feedstock is further subjected to a protein extraction process.

[0009] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing a polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in the preparation of a food thickening composition comprising the steps of: (i) providing a polysaccharide-based ingredient selected from the group consisting of Larix occidentalis polysaccharide extract, Larix laricina polysaccharide extract, Acacia tree polysaccharide extract, Larix decidua polysaccharide extract, Larix sibirica polysaccharide extract, and any combination thereof; and (ii) hydrolyzing a portion of the protein in the polysaccharide-based feedstock; Thereby, a polysaccharide-based component is prepared.

[0010] In some embodiments, step (ii) reduces the initial protein level of the polysaccharide-based feedstock to a second protein level.

[0011] In one embodiment, the method of this aspect further comprises the step of extracting a portion of the hydrolyzed proteins from the polysaccharide-based feedstock of (ii).

[0012] With respect to the foregoing embodiment, the protein hydrolysis step suitably comprises one or more of heat treatment, protease treatment, acid treatment, alkali treatment, microwave radiation treatment, and metal ion treatment. More preferably, the protein hydrolysis step comprises heat treatment and / or acid treatment.

[0013] In certain embodiments of the first and second aspects, the acid treatment comprises contacting the polysaccharide-based feedstock with a food-grade acid selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, formic acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and any combination thereof. Preferably, the food-grade acid is or comprises gluconic acid, such as at least partially derived from glucono-delta-lactone.

[0014] With reference to the above embodiment, the acid treatment is suitably carried out at a pH of about 3 to about 5. Preferably, the acid treatment is carried out at a pH of about 4.0 to 4.5, more preferably at a pH of about 4.2 to 4.4.

[0015] In certain embodiments of the first and second aspects, the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of about 55° C. to about 90° C. More preferably, the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of about 65° C. to about 85° C., and even more preferably, at a temperature of about 70° C. to about 80° C.

[0016] Suitably, the protein extraction step of the first and second aspects comprises one or more of gravity separation, centrifugation, size exclusion chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, free-flow electrophoresis, metal binding, immunoaffinity chromatography and immunoprecipitation.

[0017] With regard to the first and second aspects, the protein hydrolysis step is preferably carried out for about 15 minutes to about 30 hours, more preferably about 8 hours to about 20 hours, and even more preferably about 30 minutes to about 2 hours.

[0018] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a polysaccharide-based ingredient prepared by the method of the second aspect.

[0019] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a stable liquid composition having a viscosity of less than 4000 cP comprising: (i) one or more thickening agents; and (ii) a polysaccharide-based component according to the first and third aspects; Here, when the composition is added to an aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid-solid mixed food product, the viscosity of said food product increases.

[0020] Suitably, the thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, tragacanth gum, ghatti gum, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, methylethylcellulose, karaya gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, tara gum, psyllium seed gum, quince seed gum, pectin, furcellaran, gellan gum, konjac, sodium alginate, and any combination thereof.

[0021] In one embodiment, the composition has a viscosity of less than 2000 cP.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the composition has a water activity of greater than 95%.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the composition is stable at room temperature for at least six months.

[0024] Suitably, the composition is configured such that, when added to a food product, there is substantially no change in the impedance level of the food product. In this regard, the food product is preferably a medium for use in determining the diagnosis and / or prognosis of dysphagia or comprises the medium.

[0025] In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a method for increasing the viscosity of an aqueous liquid or an aqueous liquid-solid mixture food product, the method comprising the steps of: (a) adding the stable liquid composition of the fourth aspect to a food product; and (b) mixing the composition with the food product in a manner that causes the composition to increase the viscosity of said food product.

[0026] Suitably, the mixing step comprises applying low shear mixing. To this end, low shear mixing is preferably applied for a time period of about 30 seconds or less to achieve maximum viscosity of the food product. More preferably, low shear mixing is applied for a time period of about 10 seconds to about 30 seconds to achieve maximum viscosity of the food product. In certain embodiments, low shear mixing comprises stirring the composition at a speed of about 10 rpm to about 40 rpm.

[0027] In certain embodiments, the viscosity of the food product is suitably increased to greater than 95 cP.

[0028] In view of the above aspects, the food with increased viscosity is suitable for feeding to a subject suffering from a disease, disorder or condition of mastication and / or swallowing. Preferably, the disease, disorder or condition of mastication and / or swallowing is or includes dysphagia.

[0029] In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing a stable liquid composition comprising the steps of: (i) providing a polysaccharide-based ingredient according to the first or third aspect; (ii) adding one or more thickening agents to the polysaccharide-based component; and (iii) mixing the mixture of step (ii), thereby producing a stable liquid composition.

[0030] Suitably the stable liquid composition is of the fourth aspect.

[0031] As used herein, unless the context specifically requires, the terms "comprising," "comprises," and "comprised" and variations of the term "comprise" are not intended to exclude additional elements, components, integers, or steps, and may include one or more additional, unspecified elements, components, integers, or steps.

[0032] It will be understood that the indefinite articles "a" and "an" should not be read as singular indefinite articles or otherwise excluding more than one or more than one object to which the indefinite article refers. For example, "a" polysaccharide includes one polysaccharide, or one or more polysaccharides, or a plurality of polysaccharides. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention and to enable those skilled in the art to carry out the same in practice, preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 provides an embodiment of a method for making a food thickening composition. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 provides the percent reduction in residues at each stage of the manufacturing process for the food thickening composition of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows 10 mL diagnostic bolus media across four concentrations (non-thickened, thickened level 150, level 400 and level 900) of variously concentrated liquid compositions comprising embodiments of the polysaccharide-based components of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 provides an SDS PAGE of samples taken during the run of the method; PM indicates lanes containing SeeBlue Plus2 stained protein ladder. Lane 1: first extract (TSC1), lane 2: second extract (TSC2), lane 3: bulk retentate 2 (TSC3), lane 4: third extract (TSC4), lane 5: bulk retentate 3 (TSC5), lane 6: bulk retentate 4 (TSC6), lane 7: FG commercial product (TSC7), and lane 8: bulk retentate 1 (TSC8). Red arrows indicate protein bands at 60, 40 and 20 kDa (top to bottom) that were used for LC-MS analysis. [Diagram 5] Figure 5 shows the base peak chromatograph of sample TSC2-3, showing the m / z values ​​of the abundant but non-matching peptide peaks. The autolysis peptide of trypsin itself is represented by T. [Figure 6-1]FIG. 6-1 shows extracted ion chromatographs of seven abundant but mismatched peptides in the initial hydrophobic colloid (Bulk Retentate 1, FIG. 5A) and the final composition (Bulk Retentate 5, FIG. 5B). [Figure 6-2] FIG. 6-2 shows extracted ion chromatographs of seven abundant but mismatched peptides in the initial hydrophobic colloid (Bulk Retentate 1, FIG. 5A) and the final composition (Bulk Retentate 5, FIG. 5B). [Figure 7-1] FIG. 7-1 shows the extracted ion chromatograms of the gel bands from sample TSC1; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC1-1), 40 kDa (TSC1-2), and 20 kDa (TSC1-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, respectively. [Figure 7-2] FIG. 7-2 shows the extracted ion chromatograms of the gel bands from sample TSC1; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC1-1), 40 kDa (TSC1-2), and 20 kDa (TSC1-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, respectively. [Figure 7-3] FIG. 7-3 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC1; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC1-1), 40 kDa (TSC1-2), and 20 kDa (TSC1-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, respectively. [Figure 8-1] FIG. 8-1 shows the extracted ion chromatograms of the gel bands from sample TSC2; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC2-1), 40 kDa (TSC2-2), and 20 kDa (TSC2-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, respectively. [Figure 8-2] FIG. 8-2 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC2; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC2-1), 40 kDa (TSC2-2), and 20 kDa (TSC2-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, respectively. [Figure 8-3]FIG. 8-3 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC2; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC2-1), 40 kDa (TSC2-2), and 20 kDa (TSC2-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, respectively. [Figure 9-1] FIG. 9-1 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC3; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC3-1), 40 kDa (TSC3-2), and 20 kDa (TSC3-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, respectively. [Figure 9-2] FIG. 9-2 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC3; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC3-1), 40 kDa (TSC3-2), and 20 kDa (TSC3-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, respectively. [Figure 9-3] FIG. 9-3 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC3; peptides from the 60 kDa (TSC3-1), 40 kDa (TSC3-2), and 20 kDa (TSC3-3) bands are shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, respectively. [Figure 10-1] FIG. 10-1 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC5; peptides of the 40 kDa (TSC5-1) and 20 kDa (TSC5-2) bands are shown in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, respectively. [Figure 10-2] FIG. 10-2 shows extracted ion chromatograms of gel bands from sample TSC5; peptides of the 40 kDa (TSC5-1) and 20 kDa (TSC5-2) bands are shown in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, respectively. [Figure 11-1] FIG. 11-1 shows the extracted ion chromatograms of the gel bands from sample TSC5; peptides of the 40 kDa (TSC8-2) and 20 kDa (TSC8-3) bands are shown in FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B, respectively. [Figure 11-2]FIG. 11-2 shows the extracted ion chromatograms of the gel bands from sample TSC5; peptides of the 40 kDa (TSC8-2) and 20 kDa (TSC8-3) bands are shown in FIG. 11A and FIG. 11B, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Detailed Description of the Invention The present invention advantageously provides polysaccharide-based ingredients for use in the preparation of liquid food thickening compositions that are stable (e.g., for up to 6 months at room temperature) and capable of controlled release and viscosity when dispersed in liquid or semi-liquid foods. Foodstuffs thickened with the liquid food thickening composition, such as electrolyte solutions, may also show utility in diagnostic and / or prognostic settings due to their ability to cause little or no change in impedance levels of the foodstuff when the composition is added. Liquid food thickening compositions comprising polysaccharide-based ingredients also require only the use of low shear mixing forces (e.g., gentle mixing with a spoon) when added to a foodstuff to quickly (e.g., in less than 30 seconds) develop their viscosity.

[0035] In one aspect, the present invention provides a polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in the preparation of a food thickening composition comprising: a polysaccharide-based ingredient selected from the group consisting of Larix occidentalis polysaccharide extract, Larix laricina polysaccharide extract, Acacia tree polysaccharide extract, Larix decidua polysaccharide extract, Larix sibirica polysaccharide extract, and any combination thereof; Here, a polysaccharide-based feedstock is subjected to a protein hydrolysis step.

[0036] In some embodiments, the protein hydrolysis step reduced the initial protein level of the polysaccharide-based feedstock to a second protein level.

[0037] In one embodiment, the polysaccharide-based raw material is further subjected to a protein extraction step.

[0038] In a related aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing a polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in preparing a food thickening composition, comprising the steps of: (i) providing a polysaccharide-based ingredient selected from the group consisting of Larix occidentalis polysaccharide extract, Larix laricina polysaccharide extract, Acacia tree polysaccharide extract, Larix decidua polysaccharide extract, Larix sibirica polysaccharide extract, and any combination thereof; and (ii) hydrolyzing a portion of the protein in the polysaccharide-based feedstock; Thereby, a polysaccharide-based component is prepared.

[0039] In some embodiments, step (ii) reduces the initial protein level of the polysaccharide-based feedstock to a second protein level.

[0040] In one embodiment, the method of this aspect further comprises the step of (ii) extracting a portion of the hydrolyzed proteins from the polysaccharide-based feedstock.

[0041] Thus, a polysaccharide-based ingredient refers to a modified polysaccharide-based raw material, such as a vegetable gum, that has been subjected to hydrolysis to break down the protein portion and, where appropriate, or optionally, the polysaccharide portion thereof.

[0042] The term "polysaccharide" as used herein generally refers to a polymer formed from about 10 to more than 100,000 sugar units linked together by hemiacetal or glycosidic bonds. Polysaccharides can be either linear, monobranched, or polybranched, with each branch having additional secondary branches, and the monosaccharides can be standard D- or L-cyclic sugars in the form of pyranose (six-membered ring) or furanose (five-membered ring), such as D-fructose and D-galactose, respectively. Furthermore, they can be cyclic sugar derivatives, deoxy sugars, sugars, sugar acids, or polyderivatized sugars. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, polysaccharide preparations, especially those isolated from nature, typically contain molecules with heterogeneous molecular weights.

[0043] "Polysaccharide-based material" refers to a material that includes one or more polysaccharides as a major component (e.g., a polysaccharide-based material includes at least about 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or any range therein, polysaccharides, by weight of the polysaccharide-based material). Additionally, polysaccharide-based materials can include other components, such as proteins, lipids, etc., as minor components thereof.

[0044] As described herein, the polysaccharide-based material, such as the plant extracts or gums described herein, also contains a protein portion as a minor component thereof. In certain embodiments, the polysaccharide-based material has an initial protein content or level of about or less than about 20% by weight (e.g., 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5% by weight and any range therein), preferably less than about 10% by weight, more preferably less than about 6% by weight, based on the total weight of the polysaccharide-based material. Thus, in some embodiments, the second protein content or level produced following processing of the polysaccharide-based feedstock in step (ii) above is less than about 20% by weight (e.g., 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5% by weight and any range therein).

[0045] "Protein" refers to an amino acid polymer. The amino acids may be natural or unnatural amino acids, D- or L-amino acids, as is well understood in the art. The term "protein" includes and encompasses "peptides," which are generally used to describe proteins having 50 or fewer amino acids, and "polypeptides," which are commonly used to describe proteins having 50 or more amino acids.

[0046] "Proteolysis" or "hydrolyzing proteins" refers to the process of breaking or destroying the chemical bonds that hold proteinaceous material together such that proteins are hydrolyzed or broken down, typically into smaller peptides or protein fragments with reduced molecular weights than the original protein (i.e., unhydrolyzed) state. In one embodiment, the method of the invention partially hydrolyzes the lignocellulosic material. As used herein, "partial hydrolysis" or "partially hydrolyses" and any grammatical variations thereof refer to hydrolysis reactions that break or destroy less than 100% of the chemical bonds that hold proteins together. By way of example, proteins may be hydrolyzed using heat treatment, acid, base, one or more enzymes, or any combination thereof.

[0047] Thus, in certain embodiments, the protein hydrolysis step comprises one or more of heat treatment, protease treatment, acid treatment, alkali treatment, microwave radiation treatment, and metal aqueous ion treatment. In a preferred embodiment, the protein hydrolysis step comprises heat treatment and / or acid treatment. In this regard, the protein hydrolysis step may comprise: (a) acid treatment only; (b) heat treatment only; (c) acid treatment followed by heat treatment; or (d) heat treatment followed by acid treatment.

[0048] As used herein, "treating" or "treatment" can refer to, for example, contacting, soaking, steam impregnation, spraying, suspending, imersing, saturating, dipping, wetting, rinsing, washing, submerging, and / or any variations and / or any combination thereof.

[0049] The term "protease" is defined herein as an enzyme that hydrolyzes peptide bonds. The term "protease" can include any enzyme that belongs to the EC 3.4 enzyme group, including each of its 13 subclasses. The EC numbers refer to the Enzyme Nomenclature 1992 of the NC-IUBMB, Academic Press, San Diego, California. As can be seen from this context, proteases are classified into the following groups based on their catalytic mechanism: serine proteases (S), cysteine ​​proteases (C), aspartic proteases (A), metalloproteases (M), and unknown or unclassified proteases (U) (see, e.g., Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes, AJ Barrett, ND Rawlings, JF Woessner (eds), Academic Press (1998)).

[0050] Proteases as used herein may be derived, for example, from fruits, animal sources, bacteria or fungi. Proteases may have endoactivity and / or exoactivity or any combination thereof. It will be appreciated that proteases suitable for use in the methods of the present invention are available from commercial suppliers such as, but not limited to, Novozymes, Genencor, AB-Enzymes and DSM Food Specialities Amano. Exemplary proteases are of bacterial or fungal origin, such as Bacillus licheniformes or Aspergillus oryzae.

[0051] As used herein, the term "acid" will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to refer to a variety of water-soluble compounds below pH 7 that can react with an alkali to form a salt. Exemplary acids can be monobasic or polybasic and can contain one, two, three or more acid functional groups. Exemplary acids include, but are not limited to, mineral acids, Lewis acids, acid metal salts, organic acids, solid acids, inorganic acids, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the acid treatment comprises contacting the polysaccharide-based feedstock with a food-grade acid, such as lactic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, formic acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and any combination thereof. Preferably, the food-grade acid has a concentration of about 0.1 to 5M, more preferably about 0.5 to about 2M.

[0052] In one particular embodiment, the food grade acid is or comprises gluconic acid, which is at least partially derived from glucono-delta-lactone. In this regard, it will be appreciated that glucono-delta-lactone is typically hydrolyzed in aqueous solution to produce gluconic acid.

[0053] With respect to the protein hydrolysis step, the acid treatment is suitably carried out at a pH of about 2.0 to about 6.0, preferably about 3.0 to 4.0, or any range therein. In certain embodiments, the acid treatment is carried out at a pH of about 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, or any range therein. In certain preferred embodiments, the acid treatment is carried out at a pH of about 4.2 to 4.4.

[0054] As will be readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, "alkali" as used herein refers to various water-soluble compounds that can react with acids to form salts and have a pH greater than 7. By way of example, alkali can include, but is not limited to, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and alkali metal salts such as, but not limited to, sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate.

[0055] In certain embodiments, the polysaccharide-based feedstock may be treated with one or more acids and / or alkalis for the protein hydrolysis step, for example, the polysaccharide-based feedstock may be treated with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more acids and / or alkalis.

[0056] In the protein hydrolysis step, acid and / or alkali may be present in an amount of about 0.1% to about 15% by weight, or any range therein, such as, but not limited to, about 0.3% to about 13% by weight, or about 1% to about 10% by weight of the polysaccharide-based feedstock. In certain embodiments of the invention, acid and / or alkali is added to the protein hydrolysis step at about 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.1%, 1.2%, 1.3%, 1.4%, 1.5%, 1.75%, 2%, 2.25%, 2.5%, 2.75%, 3%, 3.25%, 3.5%, 3.75%, 4%, 4.25%, 4.5%, 4.75%, 5%, 5.25%, 5.5%, 5.75%, 6%, 6.25%, 6.5%, 6.5%, 7.5%, 8.5%, 9.5%, 10.5%, 11.5%, 12.5%, 13.5%, 14.5%, 15.5%, 16.5%, 17.5%, 18.5%, 19.5%, 20.5%, 21.5%, 22.5%, 23.5%, 24.5%, 25.5%, 26.5%, 27.5%, 28.5%, 29.5%, 30.5%, 31.5%, 32.5%, 33.5%, 34.5%, 35.5%, 36.5%, 37.5%, 38.5%, 39.5%, 40.5%, 41.5%, 42.5%, 43.5%, 44.5%, 45.5%, 46.5%, 47.5%, 48.5%, 49.5%, 50.5%, 51.5%, 52.5%, 53.5%, 54.5%, 55.5%, 56.5%, 57.5%, 58.5%, 5 In certain embodiments of the present invention, the acid and / or alkali is present in an amount of about 1% to about 2% by weight of the polysaccharide-based raw material in the protein hydrolysis step.

[0057] With respect to the protein hydrolysis step, the heat treatment is suitably carried out at a temperature ranging from about 40° C. to 99° C., preferably from about 55° C. to 90° C., or any temperature range including, but not limited to, from about 65° C. to about 85° C. or from about 45° C. to about 80° C. In certain embodiments, the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature ranging from about 40° C., 41° C., 42° C., 43° C., 44° C., 45° C., 46° C., 47° C., 48° C., 49° C., 50° C., 51° C., 52° C., 53° C., 54° C., 55° C., 56° C., 57° C., 58° C., 59° C., 60° C., 61° C., 62° C., 63° C., 64° C., 65° C., 66° C., 67° C., 68° C., 69° C., The heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of 70° C., 71° C., 72° C., 73° C., 74° C., 75° C., 76° C., 77° C., 78° C., 79° C., 80° C., 81° C., 82° C., 83° C., 84° C., 85° C., 86° C., 87° C., 88° C., 89° C., 90° C., 91° C., 92° C., 93° C., 94° C., 95° C., 96° C., 97° C., 98° C., 99° C., or any range therein. In certain preferred embodiments, the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of about 70° C. to about 80° C.

[0058] With regard to the above embodiment, the protein hydrolysis step is suitably carried out for a period of about 15 minutes to about 48 hours, preferably about 20 minutes to about 12 hours, more preferably about 30 minutes to about 2 hours, or any range therein. In certain embodiments, the protein hydrolysis step is carried out for about 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 50 minutes, 1 hour, 1.25 hours, 1.5 hours, 1.75 hours, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 9 hours, 10 hours, 11 hours, 12 hours, 13 hours, 14 hours, 15 hours, 16 hours, 17 hours, 18 hours, 19 hours, 20 hours, 21 hours, 22 hours, 23 hours, 24 hours, 25 hours, 26 hours, 27 hours, 28 hours, 29 hours, 30 hours, 31 hours, 32 hours, 33 hours, 34 hours, 35 hours, 36 hours, 37 hours, 38 hours, 39 hours, 40 hours, 41 hours, 42 hours, 43 hours, 44 hours, 45 hours, 46 hours, 47 hours, 48 ​​hours, and any range therein.

[0059] As generally used herein, the term "protein extraction" refers to the separation, removal and / or isolation of proteins, more specifically hydrolyzed proteins, from polysaccharide-based feedstocks, which may be carried out by any method or means known in the art. Exemplary methods of protein extraction include gravity separation, centrifugation, size exclusion chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, free-flow electrophoresis, metal binding, immunoaffinity chromatography, and immunoprecipitation.

[0060] In some embodiments, the protein extraction process yields a second protein level that is at least about 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 15%, 10%, or 5% lower than the initial protein level of the polysaccharide-based starting material. In certain embodiments, the protein extraction process produces a second protein level that is at least about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, and any range therein, higher than the starting protein level.

[0061] In the above regard, the degree of protein hydrolysis can be determined by any method known to those skilled in the art (see, for example, Petersen et al., Determination of the Degree of Hydrolysis (DH) based on OPA Reaction, ED-9512723 Novo Nordisk A / S, Dec. 1995; Frister et al., OPA method modified by use of N,N-dimethyl-2-mercaptoethylammonium chloride as thiol component, Fresenius J. Anal. Chem. 330 (1988) 631).

[0062] In a further aspect, the present invention provides a polysaccharide-based ingredient prepared by the method of the previous aspect.

[0063] With regard to the aforementioned embodiment, the polysaccharide-based component is preferably capable of adjusting and / or controlling or adapted to the water-binding capacity of the thickener, such as those described below. To this end, the polysaccharide-based component can preferably provide a certain degree of viscosity inhibition of the liquid composition, such as those provided herein, comprising the polysaccharide-based component and the thickener. Moreover, the polysaccharide-based component can further control the rate and extent to which those viscosity inhibitions are released and / or reversed upon dilution of the liquid composition.

[0064] Thus, in another aspect, the present invention provides a stable liquid composition having a viscosity of less than 4000 cP comprising: (i) one or more thickening agents; and (ii) the polysaccharide-based component as described above; Here, the addition of the composition to an aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid-solid mixed food product increases the viscosity of said food product.

[0065] The term "thickening agent" as used herein refers to compounds provided herein that are used to increase the viscosity of liquid mixtures and / or solutions, particularly those used in food applications, including edible gums, vegetable gums, and food-grade polysaccharides. Non-limiting examples of thickening agents include agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, tragacanth gum, ghatti gum, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, methylcellulose, karaya gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, tara gum, psyllium seed gum, quince seed gum, pectin, furcellaran, gellan gum, konjac, sodium alginate, and any combination thereof.

[0066] Liquid compositions for thickening or thickening foods are known in the art. For example, US2004 / 0197456 (hereinafter referred to as "Holahan") describes a liquid thickener targeted to people with swallowing disorders. However, the invention disclosed in Holahan describes a liquid composition having a thickener concentrated several times its intended use level. Unlike the controlled release technology described herein, Holahan's liquid thickener consists of a thickener that is already fully expressed in its viscosity and is therefore fully hydrated even before adding to the food, and then Holahan's liquid thickener is simply added in an amount such that the diluted liquid thickener develops the desired viscosity in the food.

[0067] In certain embodiments, the composition has a water activity of more than 95%. It can be easily understood that water activity or aw is defined as the ratio of the partial vapor pressure of water in a material to the partial vapor pressure of water at standard conditions at the same temperature. Furthermore, water generally migrates from areas of high water activity to areas of low water activity. For example, the liquid compositions provided herein have a water activity of more than 95% (e.g., about or greater than 95.5%, 96%, 96.5%, 97%, 97.5%, 98%, 98.5%, 99%, 99.5% and any range therein), which then typically requires protection from atmospheres or environments with a relative humidity of less than 95% to prevent the liquid composition from drying out during storage and before delivery or preparation, typically by pump dispensers or other sealed delivery systems known in the art.

[0068] The liquid compositions of the above aspects may be stored and / or delivered by any means known in the art. In certain embodiments, the liquid compositions are stored and / or delivered by a container and pump dispenser arrangement, as known in the art (see, e.g., PCT / AU2017 / 050966, which is incorporated herein by reference). In alternative embodiments, the liquid compositions are stored and / or delivered by sachets, such as those provided herein.

[0069] Suitably, the liquid compositions described herein, when added in a desired amount to an aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid-solid mixed food product, do not alter certain desirable properties of the food product, such as its inherent flavor and / or color, which may be attractive to consumers. In this regard, the liquid compositions, when added in a desired amount to a food product, preferably have little or no flavor and / or color impact on said food product. Alternatively, it is desirable that the amount of liquid composition added to a food product to achieve a desired viscosity is as small as possible to avoid diluting the flavor and / or color properties of the food product.

[0070] In the context of the present invention, the liquid compositions described herein are suitably flowable. To this end, the liquid compositions of the present invention suitably have a viscosity of less than 4000 cP, more preferably from about 2000 cP to about 4000 cP. Advantageously, the liquid compositions have a viscosity that allows them to be dispersed with little or no agitation (i.e., low shear mixing forces) when added in a desired amount to an aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid-solid mixed food product, and to be easily dispersed, such as from a pump dispenser or sachet. Furthermore, the liquid compositions of the present invention are preferably concentrated, allowing for the incorporation of a relatively high proportion of thickener without losing the flowability of the composition. This further allows for easy and accurate dispersion of the liquid composition into the selected food product.

[0071] In certain embodiments of the foregoing aspects, the liquid composition may comprise at least about 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750 , 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100, 3200, 3300, 3400, 3500, 3600, 3700, 3800, 3900, 4000 cP, or any range thereof. Preferably, the liquid composition has a viscosity between about 500 cP and about 1500 cP. More preferably, the liquid composition has a viscosity between about 750 cP and about 1250 cP.

[0072] The viscosity of the liquid composition can be measured by any means known in the art. For example, the viscosity can be measured using a Bostwick consistency meter, a Brookfield viscometer, or similar devices. Preferably, the viscosity is measured in absolute centipoise provided by a rheometer, not in relative centipoise measured by a viscometer. Those skilled in the art will understand that rheometer measurement is the best way to determine the viscosity of food products, and therefore the standard method.

[0073] Suitably, the liquid composition described herein increases the viscosity of an aqueous liquid or aqueous solid mixed food by more than 95 cP. The advantage of the method of the present invention is that the inhibition of the polysaccharide-based ingredient's viscosity development by the thickener is effectively overcome by gently mixing the liquid composition into the liquid or liquid solid food. This allows the thickener to develop its viscosity quickly due to the controlled release of the viscosity suppressing effect of the polysaccharide-based ingredient on the thickener, making incorporation into the food easy and fast. This is advantageous over thickeners that are substantially fully hydrated before being added to the food as described in Holahan, and therefore can be addressed in a smooth and time-efficient manner to be incorporated into the food. Moreover, the complete development of viscosity by a fully hydrated thickener is itself an obstacle to easy and fast development of viscosity increase when diluted with a liquid or liquid solid food.

[0074] It will therefore be apparent that in any of the above aspects, the thickener in the composition is preferably not fully hydrated prior to addition to the food product.

[0075] In certain embodiments, upon addition of a liquid composition, the viscosity of the food product increases by at least 95, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100, 3200, 3300, 3400, 3500, 3600, 3700, 3800, 3900, 4000, 4100, 4200, 4300, 4400, 4500, 5000, 5500, 6000, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950, 1000, 1050, 1100, 1150, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 450, 1500, 1550, 1600, 1650, 1700, 1750, 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, 2000, 2050, 2100, 2150, 2200, 2250, 2300, 2350, 2400, 2450, 2500, 2550, 2600, 2650, 2700, 2750, 2800, 2850, 2900, 2950, ​​3000 cP, or any range therein.

[0076] For purposes of the present invention, the thickening agent may be present in an amount of from about 3% to about 30% by weight of the liquid composition, or any range therein, such as, but not limited to, from about 5% to about 15% by weight, or from about 7% to about 12% by weight. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the thickening agent may be present in an amount of from about 3.0%, 3.5%, 4.0%, 4.5%, 5.0%, 5.5%, 6.0%, 6.5%, 7.0%, 7.5%, 8.0%, 8.5%, 9.0%, 9.5%, 10.0%, 10.5%, 11.0%, 11.5%, or 12.0% by weight of the liquid composition. 12.0% by weight, 12.5% ​​by weight, 13.0% by weight, 13.5% by weight, 14.0% by weight, 14.5% by weight, 15.0% by weight, 15.5% by weight, 16.0% by weight, 16.5% by weight , 17.0% by weight, 17.5% by weight, 18.0% by weight, 18.5% by weight, 19.0% by weight, 19.5% by weight, 20.0% by weight, 20.5% by weight, 21.0% by weight, 21.5% by weight %, 22.0% by weight, 22.5% by weight, 23.0% by weight, 23.5% by weight, 24.0% by weight, 24.5% by weight, 25.0% by weight, 25.5% by weight, 26.0% by weight, 26.5% by weight Amount %, 27.0 wt%, 27.5 wt%, 28.0 wt%, 28.5 wt%, 29.0 wt%, 29.5 wt%, 30.0 wt%, 30.5 wt%, 31.0 wt%, 31.5 %, 32.0%, 32.5%, 33.0%, 33.5%, 34.0%, 34.5%, 35.0%, 35.5%, 36.0%, 36.5%, 37.0%, 37.5%, 38.0%, 38.5%, 39.0%, 39.5%, 40.0% or any range thereof by weight. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the thickening agent is present in an amount of about 3% to about 20% by weight of the liquid composition.

[0077] For the present invention, the polysaccharide-based component is suitably present in a sufficiently high concentration that it does not significantly contribute to the viscosity of the liquid composition. To this end, the polysaccharide-based component described herein may be present in an amount of about 3% to about 30% by weight of the liquid composition, or any range therein, such as, but not limited to, about 5% to about 20% by weight, or about 7.5% to about 17.5% by weight.

[0078] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the polysaccharide-based ingredient described herein is present in an amount of about 3.0%, 3.5%, 4.0%, 4.5%, 5.0%, 5.5%, 6.0%, 6.5%, 7.0%, 7.5%, 8.0%, 8.5%, 9.0%, 9.5%, 10.0%, 10.5%, 11.0%, 11.5%, 12.0%, 12.5%, 13.0%, 13.5%, 14.0%, 14.5%, 15.0%, 15.5%, 16.0%, 16.5%, 17.0%, 17.5%, 18.0%, 18.5%, 19.0%, 19.5%, 20.0%, 20.5%, 21.0%, 22.0%, 23.0%, 24.0%, 25.0%, 26.0%, 27.0%, 28.0%, 29.0%, 30.0%, 31.0%, 32.0%, 33.0%, 34.0%, 35.0%, 36.0%, 37.0%, 38.0%, 39.0%, 40.0%, 41.0%, 42.0%, 43.0%, 44.0%, 45.0%, 46.0%, 47.0%, 48.0%, 49.0%, 50.0%, 51.0%, 52.0%, 53.0%, 54.0%, 55.0%, 56.0%, 57.0%, 58.0%, 59.0%, 60.0%, 61.0%, 62.0%, 63.0%, 64.0%, 65.0%, 66.0%, 67.0%, 68.

[0033] The compound may be present in an amount of 0%, 21.5%, 22.0%, 22.5%, 23.0%, 23.5%, 24.0%, 24.5%, 25.0%, 25.5%, 26.0%, 26.5%, 27.0%, 27.5%, 28.0%, 28.5%, 29.0%, 29.5%, 30.0%, 30.5%, 31.0%, 31.5%, 32.0%, 32.5%, 33.0%, 33.5%, 34.0%, 34.5%, 35.0%, 35.5%, 36.0%, 36.5%, 37.0%, 37.5%, 38.0%, 38.5%, 39.0%, 39.5%, 40.0% or any range therein. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the polysaccharide-based component described herein is present in an amount of about 3% to about 20% by weight of the liquid composition. If the concentration of the polysaccharide-based component is lower than this range, the liquid composition will typically form a viscous solution and lose flowability when a thickening agent is added.

[0079] Preferably, the polysaccharide-based component is present in an amount such that the stable liquid composition has a lower viscosity than the viscosity of the liquid composition when the thickener is comprised solely of water or other suitable aqueous solution. More preferably, the polysaccharide-based component reduces the viscosity of the stable liquid composition by at least one third of the viscosity of the liquid composition when the thickener is comprised solely of water or other suitable aqueous solution. In certain embodiments, the polysaccharide-based component reduces the viscosity of the stable liquid composition by at least about 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100%, 102%, 104%, 106%, 108%, 109%, 110%, 111%, 120%, 122%, 130%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60% or any range therein.

[0080] Suitably, the compositions referred to herein are stable at room temperature for at least 6 months, and up to at least 2 years. In this regard, the inventors have shown that the liquid compositions of the present invention, including polysaccharide-based ingredients, exhibit little or no separation between their component materials (e.g., polysaccharide-based ingredients and thickeners) after storage at room temperature for 6 months or more. This is in contrast to liquid thickeners known in the art. By way of example, U.S. Patent 6,455,090 (hereinafter referred to as "Uzuhashi") describes a method of making a liquid thickening formulation that can exhibit thickening when added to a liquid, and is initially inhibited from forming a viscous solution or gel. The inventors assert that the present invention can be suitably added to liquid or semi-liquid foods for patients with chewing and swallowing difficulties.

[0081] Nevertheless, the invention disclosed in Uzuhashi is limited in that the thickeners described therein exhibit neither microbial nor physical stability, but rather rapidly separate and form layers. Furthermore, Uzuhashi's thickeners do not form a consistent, uniform thickening when added to liquid foods. Thus, Uzuhashi's liquid thickeners have no practical utility in the management of dysphagia to prevent or limit common co-morbid disorders of that condition.

[0082] This lack of usefulness is twofold. First, the lack of physical stability and the resulting separation of the solvent and gelling agent hinder the accurate dosing of Uzuhashi's liquid thickener. Thus, the disclosed invention cannot guarantee that the required level of a given viscosity of the resulting thickened food is consistently met. Second, patients as described herein are typically vulnerable populations. In fact, Uzuhashi's liquid thickening composition should not be administered clinically to the subject population as described, since it is not microbiologically stable. Conversely, the liquid composition comprising the polysaccharide-based ingredient described herein successfully overcomes the problems of the prior art by not separating and forming layers, and therefore can consistently impart a predetermined and accurate viscosity when added to an aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid solid food (see Table 3).

[0083] The composition of the present invention is stable without significant loss of thickener performance, so that the viscosity remains constant for a commercially reasonable period of time. Thus, the formulation can be provided to the end user as a packaged product in itself, such as in a metered pump dispenser or sachet. To this end, the end user can reliably calculate the amount of the liquid composition of the present invention to add to a food or beverage to achieve its desired end product. The liquid composition of the present invention can then be easily dispensed and mixed into food to give the desired end product.

[0084] As previously mentioned, the ability to package and use liquid compositions in this manner is a result of the presence of a combination of thickener and polysaccharide-based ingredients which inhibit the development of viscosity of the thickener until released by the application of low shear mixing, and has distinct advantages in use compared to traditional sachets of powdered or gelled thickeners which are notoriously difficult to accurately measure and accurately incorporate into liquid foods unless the exact pack size is appropriate.

[0085] The stability of the liquid compositions of the present invention over time can be indicated by the retention of color (if any), flavor (if any), separation (if any), microbial spoilage (if any), viscosity and / or clarity of the liquid composition. Additionally or alternatively, the stability of a liquid composition can be determined by the ability of the composition to consistently and repeatedly impart viscosity to a predetermined level when added to a food product. The stability of a liquid composition can be determined by using any of the techniques available to those skilled in the art of food chemistry, including microbiological testing to measure the extent and rate of microbial spoilage; visual inspection for physical changes such as separation and / or settling; sensory evaluation to measure changes in color, flavor and / or clarity; and viscosity measurements using a Bostwick Consistometer, Brookfield Viscometer, Rheometer or similar device.

[0086] With regard to stability, the liquid composition of the present invention may further comprise a food grade preservative, as is well known in the art. Suitable food grade preservatives include, but are not limited to, gellan gum, vitamin E, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium metabisulfite, methylparaben, EDTA, sulfur dioxide, nisin, and propionic acid. In one preferred embodiment, the food grade preservative is or comprises gellan gum. The amount of preservative in the liquid composition may range from about 0.001 to about 0.1% by weight of the total weight of the liquid composition.

[0087] Again, with respect to stability, the liquid compositions described herein suitably have a pH between about 3.0 and about 7.5 (e.g., 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and any range therein). Preferably, the pH of the liquid composition is between about 4 and 4.4. To this end, the acidic pH of the liquid composition may be achieved by any means known in the art, such as those previously described herein.

[0088] Suitably, the liquid composition described herein is added to aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid-solid mixture food to feed subjects suffering from mastication and / or swallowing disease, disorder or pathology.Preferably, the mastication and / or swallowing disease, disorder or pathology is dysphagia or includes dysphagia.Therefore, in this application, it is preferred that the liquid composition is appropriately separated into individual portions such as sachets or is pump dispensable.

[0089] It is easy to understand that dysphagia is a medical condition in which the process of swallowing is impaired. During eating, this impairment can lead to the intrusion of liquid or solid food into the trachea and then into the patient's lungs, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia. Dysphagia can occur at any age, but is most common in the elderly, especially in the case of stroke and dementia. One management strategy for patients with dysphagia is to consume texture-modified foods (i.e., foods and beverages with high viscosity) that slow down the swallowing reflex and allow the trachea to close before food passes, thereby preventing food aspiration.

[0090] Suitably, the composition is configured so that it does not substantially change the impedance level when added thereto. Therefore, when added to food, it becomes a medium of known electrical impedance and may be suitable for application in diagnostic and / or prognostic settings, such as high resolution impedance measurement (HRIM). Thus, in certain embodiments, food is or comprises a medium for use in determining the diagnosis and / or prognosis of a subject suffering from a disease, disorder or condition of chewing and / or swallowing, such as dysphagia.

[0091] Dysphagia symptoms are usually examined by having patients swallow a contrast agent in front of an x-ray machine and then filming the swallow (video-fluoroscopy) to visualize the contrast agent passing through the pharynx and esophagus. This procedure is limited to only providing a "snapshot" of how the patient is swallowing. Furthermore, x-ray evaluation is qualitative, and video-fluoroscopy cannot evaluate the strength of pharyngeal and esophageal muscle contraction or relaxation and how these relate to the movement of swallowed contents. Recently, there have been important advances that allow pressure and the resulting flow of contents (impedance) to be measured with "high resolution" (i.e., HRIM). Utilizing a catheter incorporating many closely spaced pressure sensors combined with impedance electrodes, the contraction pressure and resulting flow can be "mapped" seamlessly in space and time, creating a flow map that provides a means of biomechanically based swallowing evaluation in patients with dysphagia. However, this diagnostic function requires a special bolus medium that is thickened to a consistent, reproducible, predetermined level that allows for accurate measurement and analysis of both pressure (manometry) and flow (impedance), but importantly does not appreciably affect the impedance levels of the diagnostic bolus medium.

[0092] Diagnostic media for use in impedance studies such as HRIM typically contain an electrolyte solution. It will be appreciated that the electrical impedance of such diagnostic media may be determined primarily by the fixed charge density and thus the concentration of charged particles therein. Liquid compositions useful for thickening such diagnostic media must generally be configured to maintain their impedance levels within a known impedance range (e.g., 150-200 ohms) over a range of viscosities or thicknesses known to have clinical effectiveness (e.g., 150-900 cP).

[0093] Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the removal of the proteinaceous fraction from the polysaccharide-based component removes, reduces, or controls the concentration of charged proteins in the liquid composition, and thus, when added to a diagnostic medium, such as an electrolyte aqueous solution, the impedance of the resulting diagnostic medium will show little or no change in impedance as there is little or no increase in the level of charged particles therein.

[0094] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method for increasing the viscosity of an aqueous liquid or an aqueous liquid-solid mixture food product, the method comprising the steps of: (a) adding a stable liquid composition described herein to a food product; and (b) mixing the composition with a food product in a manner that promotes an increase in viscosity of said food product by the composition;

[0095] Suitably the method further comprises the step of applying low shear mixing to the food product and the composition to facilitate an increase in viscosity of said food product by the composition.

[0096] As generally used herein, the term "low shear mixing" refers to non-turbulent or minimally turbulent mixing, such as gentle mixing or stirring with a spoon, etc. It will be understood that low shear mixing can be defined in terms of shear rate, which is typically a function of many variables, such as mixing vessel configuration and mixer speed.

[0097] It will be appreciated that low shear mixing is sufficient to facilitate physical removal of the polysaccharide-based component from its inhibitory interaction site(s) on the thickener to enable the thickener to exert its desired effect of increasing the viscosity of the associated liquid or semi-liquid food product. Thus, in particular, low shear mixing includes stirring at a speed of about 10 rpm to about 40 rpm (e.g., about 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 rpm or any range therein).

[0098] Suitably, low shear mixing is applied for about 60 seconds or less to achieve a maximum or near maximum increase in viscosity of the food product. Preferably, low shear mixing is applied for about 10 to about 40 seconds (e.g., about 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 seconds or any range thereof) to achieve a maximum or near maximum viscosity of the food product.

[0099] In certain embodiments, the viscosity of the food product is increased to 95 cP or greater.

[0100] With reference to the above embodiment, the food with increased viscosity is suitable for feeding a subject suffering from a disease, disorder or condition of mastication and / or swallowing. Preferably, the disease, disorder or condition of mastication and / or swallowing is or includes dysphagia.

[0101] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing a stable liquid composition comprising the steps of: (i) providing a polysaccharide-based ingredient in accordance with the foregoing; (ii) adding one or more thickening agents to the polysaccharide-based component; and (iii) mixing the mixture of step (ii), thereby producing a stable liquid composition.

[0102] Suitably the stable liquid composition is as described above.

[0103] The preparation of a stable liquid composition of the present invention can include, for example, heating the polysaccharide-based component and / or one or more thickening agents when present in a suitable liquid carrier, such as an aqueous carrier. The heated composition can then be hot-fill packaged or cooled prior to packaging.

[0104] The method may include preparing an aqueous solution or suspension of the polysaccharide-based component, wherein the aqueous solution may have a dry mass content of the polysaccharide-based component of about 0.1 to about 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution of the suspension.

[0105] Similarly, the method may include preparing an aqueous solution or suspension of the thickening agent. In this regard, the aqueous solution may have a dry mass content of about 0.1 to about 60% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution of the suspension.

[0106] The method of the present embodiment may optionally include the step of adding one or more excipients or additives to the stable liquid composition, such as colors, flavors, proteins (animal and vegetable), dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, humectants such as glycerol and sorbitol, fats and oils, emulsifiers, acidity regulators, antioxidants, low calorie fillers, firming agents, umami flavor enhancers, foaming agents, gelling agents, preservatives, sequestrants, and stabilizers.

[0107] Throughout this specification, the objective has been to describe preferred embodiments of the invention without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or particular collection of features. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in light of this disclosure, various modifications and changes can be made in the specific embodiments illustrated without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0108] All computer programs, algorithms, patent and scientific literature referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0109] Reference to any publication cited herein is not an admission that the disclosures constitute part of the general knowledge in Australia.

[0110] In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and practiced, one or more preferred embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only. EXAMPLES

[0111] Example 1: Method for producing polysaccharide-based ingredients

[0112] The purpose of this example was to analyze embodiments of the polysaccharide-based ingredient of the present invention with respect to protein content and composition, and the proteinaceous fractions removed therefrom.

[0113] method Eight samples were analyzed from various stages of the manufacturing process of the food thickening composition, detailed in Figure 1. Aliquots (15–20 g) from each sample were placed in eight containers each and transported to the Nutrition Laboratory at Massey University for total nitrogen quantification, measured by the Dumas method (an updated version of the Kjeldahl method) (Leco, AOAC 968.06).

[0114] result Mass Balance The mass balance of the inputs and outputs into and out of the system during the process depicted in Figure 1 is summarized in Table 1. A total of 43.9 kg was removed as a result of the acid pyrohydrolysis.

[0115] [Table 1]

[0116] Total Nitrogen Analysis The protein content of the retentate samples was estimated by multiplying the analytically obtained total nitrogen (Table 2) by the Jones conversion factor of 6.25 (Jones, 1931). The percent reduction in the protein content of the retentate at each stage is shown in Figure 2. The protein content of the whole samples ranged from 0.0031 g / g to 0.0063 g / g, with sample 4 (second recovery extract) showing the highest protein content and sample 5 (second recovery retentate) showing the lowest protein content. The majority of the protein was extracted from the polysaccharide-based components (and / or their intermediates) after the first 2-h acid and hydrolysis steps. The removal of a significant amount of protein supports the technology to facilitate subsequent utilization of food thickening compositions. Specifically, stable site-specific inhibition of hydrated viscosity inhibitor xanthan solution; and electrical impedance changes facilitating diagnostic applications are described.

[0117] [Table 2]

[0118] References AOAC 968.06-1969, Protein (Crude) in animal feed. Dumas method. Jones, DB (1931). Factors for converting percentages of nitrogen in foods and fees into percentages of proteins. Circular No. 183. US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

[0119] Example 2: Evaluation of the impedance of diagnostic media thickened according to the invention

[0120] The purpose of this example was to evaluate the effect of adding an embodiment of a liquid composition having a polysaccharide-based component of the present invention on the electrical impedance of the diagnostic medium. As can be seen in Figure 3, this study compared 10 mL of diagnostic bolus medium across four concentrations (thickened, level 150, level 400, and level 900 thickened) thickened with various concentrations of liquid composition produced using a polysaccharide-based component. Parameters affected by the level of impedance (e.g., UES opening, bolus presence time) are very stable between the different concentrations.

[0121] [Table 3]

[0122] Example 3: Protein Analysis Data for Proteins Extracted from Polysaccharide-Based Components

[0123] In this example, samples taken during the manufacture of the components, as well as the starting hydrocolloid and the final product, were analyzed for protein / peptide content and profile using SDS-PAGE and LC-MS analysis of bands recovered from the gel. The results obtained for each individual sample were compared to the starting material to determine if any changes occurred during processing.

[0124] Materials and Methods SDS-PAGE Protocol Eight samples from different steps in the manufacturing process of the food thickening product described in Example 1 were taken. An aliquot of each sample (approximately 200 mg) was weighed into an Eppendorf tube and diluted with water to a final weight of 1000 mg. Based on the total protein determinations performed previously, a protein concentration of 0.6-1 mg / mL of the samples should be obtained (see Table 1). Prior to SDS-PAGE, 5 μL of sample was mixed with 5 μL of LDS sample buffer, 2 μL of β-mercaptoethanol and 8 μL of water to a final volume of 20 μL. These solutions were heated at 70° C. for 10 min. After cooling the samples, 15 μL of each sample was applied to a well of a precast NuPAGE gel (NuPAGE, Bis-Tris, 4-12%, 1.0 mm). Electrophoresis was performed at room temperature for 35 min (starting voltage: 200 V, starting current 90 mA). Power was provided by a Pharmacia biotech electrophoresis power pack (EPS600). Gels were stained with Coomassie Blue. SeeBlue Plus2 prestained protein ladder (Invitrogen) was added as a molecular standard.

[0125] LC / MS analysis of peptides in gel bands and in solution Sample preparation Gel bands were diced and destained in acetonitrile:50 mM ammonium bicarbonate (1:1), then dehydrated in acetonitrile and submerged in 10 mM dithiothreitol. 5 μL aliquots of the two solution samples were diluted with 45 μL of 50 mM ammonium bicarbonate, and DTT was added to a final concentration of 10 mM. All samples were heated at 56°C for 15 min. Gel band supernatants were then replaced with 50 mM iodoacetamide, and iodoacetamide was added to the solution samples to a final concentration of 50 mM. All samples were incubated at room temperature in the dark for 30 min. Gel pieces were dehydrated in acetonitrile, dried, and reswelled with 12.5 ng / μL sequencing grade modified porcine trypsin (Promega), and 1 μg sequencing grade modified porcine trypsin was added to the solution samples. All samples were digested for 60 min in a cooled microwave (CEM Discover) at 45° C. with a power of 15 W. Digests were acidified with 1 μL of 50% formic acid.

[0126] The two solution digests were desalted and cleaned up on 10 mg Oasis HLB SPE cartridges and eluted with 300 μL of 50% acetonitrile. The extracts were dried down to ~20 μL in a vacuum centrifuge. The solution extracts were diluted 20-fold and the gel bands were digested 3-fold with 0.1% formic acid for LC-MS / MS analysis.

[0127] LC-MS / MS analysis A 2μL aliquot of each diluted sample was injected onto a 0.3x10mm trap column (Dr Maisch) packed with 3um Reprosil C18 media for desalting, followed by injection onto a 0.075x150mm picofrit column (New Objective) packed with 3um Reprosil C18 media and separated at 300nl / min using a gradient of 0.1% formic acid (in water) and 0.1% formic acid (in acetonitrile).

[0128] The picofrit spray was directed to a TripleTOF6600 quadrupole-Time-of-Flight mass spectrometer (Sciex, Framingham, MA, USA) scanning from 350 to 1600 m / z for 200 ms, followed by a 50 ms MS / MS scan on the 35 most abundant multiply charged peptides (m / z 100 to 1600) with a dynamic exclusion time of 12 s. The mass spectrometer and HPLC system were under the control of the Analyst TF1.7 software package (Sciex). Data obtained from each pool were searched against the aforementioned protein sequence databases using ProteinPilot version 5.0 (Sciex) with the following parameters: sample type, identification; search effort, exhaustive; Cys alkylation, iodoacetamide; digestion; trypsin; ID focus, microbiological modification and amino acid substitution (maximum two amino acids can be substituted per peptide sequence). Manual de novo sequencing was performed on the seven high intensity MS / MS spectra that did not match the above. Extracted ion chromatograms of these peptides (+ / - 0.015 Da) were generated using PeakView2.2 (AB Sciex).

[0129] 7-11 summarize the extracted ion chromatograms generated for the bands extracted from SDS-PAGE according to FIG. 4.

[0130] Determination of protein / peptide profiles in hydrocolloids Determination of protein / peptide profiles using SDS-PAGE Eight samples from various steps of the process were examined (see Table 4). First, the total protein content of the samples was estimated by determining the total nitrogen content of sample 1 and multiplying this value by the Jones conversion factor (JF = 6.25)2. The results, summarized in Table 4, show that the samples contained between 3.1 and 6.3 mg protein / g sample.

[0131] Protein content was calculated based on total nitrogen content determined according to the Dumas method at the Nutrition Laboratory of Massey University.

[0132] [Table 4]

[0133] During the process, a slight increase in total protein content was observed when compared to residues taken from the same process stage (e.g., bulk residue 2 vs. first extract; see Table 4).

[0134] In this regard, note the reduction in protein from the first untreated hydrocolloid to the first extract and prior to the addition of gum (e.g., xanthan gum) to the treatment process. Additionally, it should be noted that the protein levels in the third and fourth retentates (i.e., samples 6 and 8) are increased by the addition of xanthan gum and thus additional protein to the treatment process.

[0135] For SDS-PAGE analysis, an aqueous solution of approximately 200 mg / g was prepared from each sample. Based on the total protein measurements performed previously, this should result in a protein concentration of the samples between 0.6 and 1 mg / mL. Samples Cl-TSC4, 6, and 7 did not form clear solutions but formed heterogeneous solid gels, which made pipetting and further processing of the samples difficult. Samples were processed and subjected to SDS-PAGE according to Laemmli. The resulting gel is shown in Figure 4.

[0136] In the starting material (lane 8, TSC8), the first two extracts (lanes 1, TSC1 and 2, TSC2) and bulk residue 2, one strong band at 20 kDa and two faint bands at 40 and 60 kDa are visible. In contrast, for bulk residue 3 only a very faint staining is observed, while for the third extract (lane 4, TSC4), bulk residue 4 (lane 6, TSC6) and the commercial product (lane 7, TSC7) no protein was detected. In this regard, the loss of the 60 kDa protein in the third residue is highlighted following the first heat treatment and protein extraction steps. It can be hypothesized that the removal of this higher molecular weight protein fraction has a positive effect on the stability of the polysaccharide-based components of the invention.

[0137] According to previous results, these latter samples contained 0.44-0.56% protein (see Table 4), which should provide enough protein for detection on the gel under the electrophoretic conditions used. However, as noted above, these samples formed very viscous gels when mixed with water. This made the samples difficult to process and transfer onto the gel, and may have resulted in insufficient protein loading on the gel.

[0138] LC / MS Analysis of Proteins / Peptides LC / MS analysis of proteins / peptides was performed by the Centre for Genomics and Proteomics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Data generated for each pool were searched against protein sequences using ProteinPilot (see Materials and Methods above).

[0139] For analysis, bands visible on the SDS-PAGE gel after staining (see red arrows in Figure 4) were carefully excised using a surgical knife and placed individually into labeled Eppendorf containers. Overall, 13 samples were taken as outlined in Table 5.

[0140] Samples were processed and analyzed according to the standard protocols outlined in detail above. The resulting peptides were compared to the protein database, providing sequence entries for species likely to be present in the sample as well as entries for possible contaminants (such as human keratin).

[0141] [Table 5]

[0142] Database searches identified many matches with human keratin, porcine trypsin (used to process the samples), and proteins from several plants (Table 6). However, more distinct peptides were not identified automatically (Table 6). Even a broader search of the database, including other plants (containing 3.5 million entries), failed to identify any matches.

[0143] [Table 6]

[0144] Manual sequencing of the seven more distinct peptides produced proposed peptide sequences, summarized in Table 7. These were all used to search plant species databases. Although some partial matches were produced, there was no clear indication that a particular plant protein was the source of all these peptides, suggesting protein sequences that differ significantly from those currently published.

[0145] In addition to this, the above process has demonstrated the protein fraction of the polysaccharide-based component, and we further hypothesize that removing the original 60 kDa protein fraction from the final retentate (and from the third retentate onwards) will improve the stability of the product, especially with respect to separation.

[0146] [Table 7]

[0147] [Table 8]

[0148] Overall, the relative abundance of the seven major peptides and the generally consistent appearance of these peptides across all samples confirmed that the major (unidentified) protein present in these samples was found in all 13 preparations, however, as expected, a notable decrease in the abundance of one peptide from the low protein molecular weight gel band was observed, consistent with the loss of a specific region of the parent protein (see ion chromatograms in Figures 7-11). As stated above, we hypothesize that the removal of this specific protein fraction confers stability to the application.

[0149] conclusion LC / MS analysis of samples taken during processing produced a profile containing seven major peptides that did not match an extensive search of known plant protein databases.

[0150] Example 4: Comparison of stability of Uzuhashi embodiment and the present invention

[0151] This example relates to the second method described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment (column 4, line 26) of U.S. Patent No. 6,455,090 (hereinafter referred to as Uzuhashi), and compares the formulation of the acidified and preserved solutions of thickening and viscosity inhibiting polysaccharides provided by the present invention with that of Example 1 above.

[0152] Uzuhashi describes a method for making a liquid thickener that, when added to a liquid, thickens and inhibits the formation of an initially viscous solution or gel. The inventors assert that the present invention may be suitably added to liquid or semi-liquid foods for patients with chewing and swallowing difficulties.

[0153] Microbiological stability [Table 9]

[0154] physical stability The physical stability of each formulation was demonstrated by separating the thickener from the viscosity-inhibiting polysaccharide. For this purpose, the viscosity (measured with a Bothwick consistency meter after 30 seconds of flow) of a 20 g sample of the liquid thickener was taken from the bottom of the container and mixed into 100 ml of water (note: an increase in the Bothwick reading indicates a decrease (thinning) in viscosity).

[0155] [Table 10]

[0156] After 4 weeks, the Uzuhashi embodiment continued to exhibit a thinner viscosity even though no change in Bothwick measurements was observed.After 8 weeks, the bottom separated phase of the Uzuhashi embodiment contained no thickening agent and only a clear layer of thickening inhibiting polysaccharide and no thickening agent, whereas the formulation of Example 1 was physically stable for over 52 weeks.

[0157] Thus, the invention disclosed in Uzuhashi is limited in that the thickener exhibits neither microbial nor physical stability. Thus, Uzuhashi's liquid thickener has no practical utility in the management of dysphagia to prevent or limit common co-morbidities of the condition. This lack of utility is twofold. First, the lack of physical stability and resulting separation of the solvent and gelling agent prevents accurate dosing of Uzuhashi's liquid thickener. In addition to the above, Uzuhashi's liquid thickener further exhibits a reduced ability to consistently and uniformly thicken liquids or liquid solid foods when compared to the liquid thickener of Example 1.

[0158] In view of the above, the invention disclosed in Uzuhashi cannot consistently guarantee the required level of viscosity of the resulting thickened food product. Secondly, patients as described herein are usually vulnerable populations. As such, the populations are governed by legislative instruments such as NSW Food Authority-Guidelines for Feeding Vulnerable People. Uzuhashi's liquid thickening composition is not microbiologically stable and therefore could not be administered clinically to the intended population as described.

Claims

1. 1. A polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in the preparation of a food thickening composition, comprising: comprising a polysaccharide-based ingredient selected from the group consisting of Larix occidentalis polysaccharide extract, Larix laricina polysaccharide extract, Acacia tree polysaccharide extract, Larix decidua polysaccharide extract, Larix sibirica polysaccharide extract, and any combination thereof; wherein the polysaccharide-based feedstock has been subjected to a proteolytic process.

2. 10. The polysaccharide-based ingredient of claim 1, wherein the polysaccharide-based ingredient has been further subjected to a protein extraction process.

3. 1. A method for preparing a polysaccharide-based ingredient for use in preparing a food thickening composition, comprising: (i) providing a polysaccharide-based raw material selected from the group consisting of Larix occidentalis polysaccharide extract, Larix laricina polysaccharide extract, Acacia tree polysaccharide extract, Larix decidua polysaccharide extract, Larix sibirica polysaccharide extract, and any combination thereof; and (ii) hydrolyzing a portion of the protein of the polysaccharide-based feedstock; thereby preparing a polysaccharide-based ingredient.

4. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of extracting a portion of the hydrolyzed proteins from the polysaccharide-based feedstock of (ii).

5. 5. The polysaccharide-based ingredient of claim 1 or 2 or the method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the protein hydrolysis step comprises one or more of heat treatment, protease treatment, acid treatment, alkali treatment, microwave radiation treatment, and metal aqua ion treatment.

6. 6. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method of claim 5, wherein the protein hydrolysis step comprises heat treatment and / or acid treatment.

7. 7. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the acid treatment comprises contacting the polysaccharide-based raw material with a food grade acid selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, formic acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and any combination thereof.

8. 8. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method of claim 7, wherein the food grade acid is or comprises gluconic acid.

9. 9. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method of claim 8, wherein the gluconic acid is at least partially derived from glucono-delta-lactone.

10. 10. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the acid treatment is carried out at a pH of from about 3 to about 5.

11. The polysaccharide-based component or method according to claim 10, wherein the acid treatment is carried out at a pH of about 4.2 to 4.

4.

12. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method according to any one of claims 5 to 11, wherein the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of from about 55°C to about 90°C.

13. 13. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method of claim 12, wherein the heat treatment is carried out at a temperature of about 70°C to about 80°C.

14. 14. The polysaccharide-based component or method according to any one of claims 3 and 5 to 13, wherein the protein extraction step comprises one or more of gravity separation, centrifugation, size exclusion chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, free-flow electrophoresis, metal binding, immunoaffinity chromatography and immunoprecipitation.

15. 15. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the protein hydrolysis step is carried out for a period of from about 15 minutes to about 30 hours.

16. 16. The polysaccharide-based ingredient or method of claim 15, wherein the protein hydrolysis step is carried out for a period of from about 30 minutes to about 2 hours.

17. A polysaccharide-based ingredient prepared by the method according to any one of claims 3 to 16.

18. 1. A stable liquid composition having a viscosity of less than 4000 cP, comprising: (i) one or more thickening agents; and (ii) a polysaccharide-based component according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 5 to 17. A stable liquid composition, wherein addition of said composition to an aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid-solid mixture food product increases the viscosity of said food product.

19. 19. The stable liquid composition of claim 18, wherein the thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, tragacanth gum, ghatti gum, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, methylethylcellulose, karaya gum, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, tara gum, psyllium seed gum, quince seed gum, pectin, furcellaran, gellan gum, konjac, sodium alginate, and any combination thereof.

20. 20. The stable liquid composition of claim 18 or 19, wherein the composition has a viscosity of less than 2000 cP.

21. 21. The stable liquid composition of any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the composition has a water activity of greater than 95%.

22. 22. The stable liquid composition of any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the composition is stable at room temperature for at least 6 months.

23. 23. The stable liquid composition of any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein the composition is configured such that when added to the food product, it does not cause a substantial change in the impedance level of the food product.

24. 24. The stable liquid composition of claim 23, wherein the food product is or comprises a medium for use in determining the diagnosis and / or prognosis of dysphagia.

25. 1. A method for increasing the viscosity of an aqueous liquid or aqueous liquid-solid mixture food product, comprising: (a) adding the stable liquid composition according to any one of claims 18 to 24 to a food product; and (b) mixing the food product and the composition to promote an increase in the viscosity of the food product by the composition; A method comprising the steps of:

26. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the mixing step comprises applying low shear mixing.

27. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the low shear mixing is applied for a time of about 30 seconds or less to achieve maximum viscosity of the food product.

28. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the low shear mixing is applied for about 10 to about 30 seconds to achieve maximum viscosity of the food product.

29. 29. The method of any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein the low shear mixing comprises stirring the composition at a speed of about 10 rpm to about 40 rpm.

30. 30. The method of any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein the viscosity of the food product is increased to greater than 95 cP.

31. 31. The method of any one of claims 25 to 30, wherein the food with increased viscosity is suitable for feeding to a subject suffering from a disease, disorder or condition of mastication and / or swallowing.

32. 32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the disease, disorder or condition of chewing and / or swallowing is or comprises dysphagia.

33. 1. A method for producing a stable liquid composition comprising: (i) providing a polysaccharide-based ingredient according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 5 to 17; (ii) adding one or more thickening agents to the polysaccharide-based component; and (iii) mixing the mixture of step (ii), thereby producing said liquid composition; A method comprising the steps of:

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the stable liquid composition is according to any one of claims 18 to 24.

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