Composition and method for improving the sweetness of rare sugars without altering texture or flavor

Abstract

This specification discloses compositions comprising rare sugars and sweetening proteins, and methods for improving the sweetness of low-glycemic index rare sugars without altering the texture and flavor of the rare sugars. More specifically, the present invention discloses a method for improving the sweetness of rare sugars without altering the sweetness profile, texture, and flavor of the main sugar. Furthermore, the present invention reveals a method for enhancing sweetness by adding blazein to liquid rare sugars under different temperature conditions during the rare sugar synthesis process, such as before crystallization, before caramelization, or after caramelization. Blazein enhances the sweetness of rare sugars such as D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, trehalose, etc. (but not limited to these). Furthermore, the invention provides evaluation of non-nutritional sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K, cyclamate, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose. When used in combination with rare sugars, these have limitations in taste quality. However, the use of blazein does not alter the flavor or texture of the rare sugar, and its taste profile is consistent with that of sucrose.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition comprising a sweet-tasting protein, and a carbohydrate and / or non-carbohydrate selected from rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutritive sweeteners, for improving sweetness without altering texture and flavor, as well as a method for improving the sweetness of rare sugars. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for improving the sweetness of rare sugars without altering the texture and flavor of the main sugar.

[0002] The present invention further relates to enhancing sweetness by adding brazzein to liquid rare sugars at different temperatures before crystallization of the rare sugars, or at the pre-caramelization stage or post-caramelization stage of the rare sugars. Brazzein enhances the sweetness of rare sugars including, but not limited to, D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, and trehalose.

[0003] The present invention also relates to the evaluation of sugar substitutes and / or non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K, cyclamate, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, and stevia, each of which has limitations in taste quality when used in combination with rare sugars. However, the use of brazzein does not change the flavor or texture of the rare sugars, and the taste profile matches that of sucrose.

Background Art

[0004] Rare sugars and their derivatives are barely present in nature. These saccharides have properties as sweeteners but lack caloric value. Therefore, they can be used as alternatives to other sweeteners. Rare sugars are not metabolized in the body like natural saccharides.

[0005] Due to numerous reported harmful effects of sugar, the demand for sugar substitutes is currently increasing. These harmful effects include increased risk of coronary heart disease, contribution to obesity and diabetes, and suppression of the immune system. Alternative saccharides can be classified into two groups of compounds: natural and artificial.

[0006] Synthetic sugar substitutes include acesulfame potassium, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, and sucralose. National food and drug authorities strictly regulate synthetic sugar substitutes as food additives, based on discussions regarding their health risks.

[0007] In addition to synthetic sugar substitutes, consumers are also exposed to many natural sugars known as rare sugars, such as isomaltulose, tagatose, allulose, trehalose, turanose, and allose, as alternative sweeteners.

[0008] Isomaltulose, also known by its trade name Palatinose and chemical name 6-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-D-fructose, is a disaccharide carbohydrate formed from glucose and fructose. It is naturally present in honey and sugarcane extracts, and is also industrially produced from sucrose to serve as a sugar substitute.

[0009] Tagatose is a hexose monosaccharide found in trace amounts in various foods and is attracting attention as a potential alternative sweetener. It is particularly produced in dairy products during the heat treatment of milk. Its texture and appearance are very similar to sucrose (table sugar), and while it has 92% of the sweetness, it contains only 38% of the calories.

[0010] D-allulose, also known simply as allulose, is a low-calorie isomer of the monosaccharide fructose. Several major food and beverage companies use it as a low-calorie sweetener. It was first discovered in wheat in the 1940s and is naturally present in trace amounts in certain foods.

[0011] Trehalose is a disaccharide consisting of one fructose molecule bonded to one glucose molecule. It functions as a structural isomer of sucrose and is found in trace amounts in honey. This compound accounts for 50% of the sugars in honeydew produced by the silverleaf whitefly and is synthesized from sucrose by certain bacteria, such as Protaminobacter rubrum.

[0012] Allose is classified as an aldohexose sugar and exists as 6-O-cinnamyl glycoside in the leaves of the African shrub Protea rubropilosa. Furthermore, this sugar is also present in the extract of the freshwater alga Ochromus marhamensis, although its absolute configuration remains unidentified. It has also been identified as the C-3 epimer of glucose.

[0013] Rare sugars are monosaccharides that are only partially available in nature. Therefore, this research focuses on the industrial synthesis of rare sugars using various chemical, enzymatic, and microbial processes, aiming to reduce production costs and improve molecular availability, thereby making research on these molecules more accessible. Subsequently, numerous studies have been conducted on the medical and clinical applications of rare sugars, and as a result, rare sugars have emerged as promising candidates to replace conventional sugars in human nutrition due to their beneficial health effects. Furthermore, the use of rare sugars in agriculture has also been recently reported. The aforementioned rare sugars do not possess the same level of sweetness as sucrose. For example, D-tagatose is 8% less sweet than sucrose and contains only 1.5 kcal / g [Torrico, DD; Tam, J.; Fuentes, S.; Viejo, CG; Dunshea, FR D-tagatose as a sucrose substitute and its effect on the physicochemical properties and acceptability of strawberry-flavored yogurt. Foods 2019, 8, 256].

[0014] U.S. Public Notice 20080182752A1 discloses an agricultural formulation containing, as an active ingredient, a rare sugar selected from the group consisting of D-psicose, a mixture of D-psicose and D-fructose, D-allose, D-altose, and L-galactose, which has the effect of inducing systemic acquired resistance in plants.

[0015] U.S. Patent 9717267B2 discloses a low-calorie carbonated soft drink with sugary properties, containing D-psicose and rebaudioside A as sweetness enhancers. Sweet proteins have the potential to replace these artificial sweeteners by functioning as superior natural low-calorie sweeteners, because proteins do not cause insulin demand in these patients, whereas sucrose is known to do so. There are seven known sweetness and taste-modifying proteins: blazein, thaumatin, monellin, curculin, mavinrin, miraculin, and pentazin. All of these sweet proteins have been isolated from plants growing in tropical rainforests.

[0016] Brazein was first disclosed in International Publication WO1994019467A1 as a protein sweetener isolated from Pentadiplandra brazzeana Baillon. This publication further discloses that brazein is heat-stable, lysine-rich, and has a relatively persistent taste. International Publication WO2008112475A2 and PCT / KR2009 / 004855 disclose variants of brazein and nucleotide sequences that can express them.

[0017] International Publication WO2010030999A1 discloses codon-optimized blazein coding sequences and the expression of blazein and its variants using a yeast expression system. This publication further discloses a protein expression method for enhancing the sweetness profile of foods and / or beverages.

[0018] International Publication WO2018056746A1 discloses a blazein multiple mutant having anti-allergic and antioxidant activity, more specifically, a blazein multiple mutant capable of simultaneously exhibiting antioxidant effects mediated by GST and tyrosinase activity and anti-allergic effects mediated by inhibitory activity against histamine-induced release of β-hexosaminidase, a granule release indicator. Therefore, the blazein multiple mutant according to the present invention can be usefully used in pharmaceutical formulations for the prevention or treatment of allergic diseases, anti-allergic cosmetic formulations, antioxidant formulations, antioxidant cosmetic formulations, and health functional foods.

[0019] The above literature indicates that commercial interest in rare sugars and sweet proteins such as blazein continues. However, from the discovery of blazein in the late 1980s and the early stages of rare sugars to the present day, there has been no industrial solution providing a successful formulation (composition) of rare sugars including blazein, nor has any published technical solution with the potential to meet market needs.

[0020] Based on the above, in order to meet the growing needs of the healthcare market, there are still technical challenges in improving the sweetness index of naturally derived rare sugars using sweet proteins such as blazein. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0021] Accordingly, the present invention relates to a composition comprising a sweet protein and a carbohydrate and / or non-carbohydrate selected from rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutrient sweeteners, in order to improve sweetness without changing texture or flavor.

[0022] The sweet protein is selected from the group consisting of blazein, curucrin / neocrine, egg white lysozyme, mavinrin, miraculin, monellin, pentadine, thaumatin, etc.

[0023] In one embodiment, the sweet protein used to improve the sweetness of rare sugars is blazein.

[0024] In another aspect, the sweet protein brazzein can also be used in compositions comprising rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame-K, cyclamate, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and the like.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a composition comprising brazzein and a rare sugar, which improves the sweetness of the rare sugar with a low glycemic index without altering the texture and flavor of the rare sugar.

[0026] In one embodiment, brazzein is used at a concentration ranging from 1 to 30 mg per 100 g of the rare sugar.

[0027] In one embodiment, brazzein is used in an appropriate amount as the sole sweetener, or as added to the rare sugar and / or sugar substitute and / or non-nutritive sweetener according to the actual application of the composition, and the purpose of brazzein is sweetness enhancement and / or bitterness compensation (bitterness alleviation).

[0028] The rare sugar is selected from the group including, but not limited to, D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, trehalose, leucrose, turanose and the like.

[0029] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for improving the sweetness of a rare sugar without altering the texture and flavor of the rare sugar. This method comprises adding brazzein to the rare sugar before the caramelization step or after the caramelization step to increase the sweetness.

[0030] More specifically, the present invention discloses a method for improving the sweetness of a rare sugar by adding brazzein before the caramelization step or after the caramelization step of the rare sugar, without altering the sweetness profile (sweetness characteristics), texture and flavor of the main sugar. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0031] The present invention will be described in detail in relation to certain preferred embodiments and optional embodiments so that its various aspects can be more fully understood and appreciated.

[0032] In this specification, the terms "rare sugar" or "primary sugar" interchangeably refer to and mean the rare sugars used in the present invention: D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, trehalose, turanose, leucose, and sorbose.

[0033] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a composition comprising carbohydrates and / or non-carbohydrates selected from rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutrient sweeteners, and a sweet protein, in order to improve sweetness without altering texture or flavor.

[0034] In another embodiment, the sweet protein is selected from the group consisting of blazein, curucrin / neocrine, egg white lysozyme, mavinrin, miraculin, monellin, pentadine, thaumatin, and similar substances.

[0035] In one embodiment, the sweet protein used to improve the sweetness of a rare sugar is blazein.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a composition comprising blazein and a rare sugar, which improves the sweetness of the low glycemic index rare sugar without altering the texture and flavor of the rare sugar.

[0037] In one embodiment, blazein is used at a concentration ranging from 1 to 30 mg per 100 g of rare sugar.

[0038] In embodiments, blazein may be used as a standalone sweetener or in appropriate amounts as an additive to rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutrition sweeteners, depending on the actual use of the composition. Here, the purpose of blazein is to enhance sweetness and / or compensate for bitterness.

[0039] Rare sugars are selected from a group that includes, but is not limited to, D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, D-sorbose, isomaltulose, trehalose, turanose, and leucose.

[0040] In another embodiment, the sweet protein blazein can also be used in compositions containing rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutrition sweeteners, including but not limited to aspartame, acesulfame-K, cyclamate, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, and stevia. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for improving the sweetness of rare sugars without altering their texture and flavor. This method involves adding blazein to the rare sugars either before or after caramelization.

[0041] In another embodiment, the sweet protein used in this method is selected from the group consisting of blazein, curucrin / neocrin, egg white lysozyme, mavinrin, miraculin, monellin, pentadine, thaumatin, and the like.

[0042] In another embodiment, the main sugar is a rare sugar, which is also an alternative sweetener, and includes, but is not limited to, D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, trehalose, sorbose, turanose, and leucose.

[0043] In another embodiment, the process includes, but is not limited to, a process of adding sweetening proteins to the main sugars in the pre-caramelization or post-caramelization stage of the synthesis of rare sugars at different temperatures, thereby increasing sweetness.

[0044] More specifically, the present invention discloses a method for improving the sweetness of rare sugars without altering the flavor of the main sugar by adding blazein in the pre-caramelization or post-caramelization stage of rare sugar synthesis at different temperatures.

[0045] According to the present invention, by adding blazein in the pre-caramelization or post-caramelization stage of rare sugar synthesis, the sweetness of rare sugars, including but not limited to D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, and trehalose, is enhanced.

[0046] According to one embodiment, in order to enhance the sweetness of the rare sugar, a natural alternative sweetener having a higher sweetness index than sucrose, such as a sweet protein selected from the group consisting of blazein, curucrin / neocrine, egg white lysozyme, mavinrin, miraculin, monellin, pentadine, and thaumatin, is blended with the rare sugar using a proprietary method.

[0047] Compared to other sweetening proteins, blazein is an attractive sweetener candidate because, in addition to its potential sweetness and sugar-like taste, it also offers other health benefits such as obesity control, oral hygiene, and diabetes management.

[0048] Blazein was isolated in two forms from the fruit of the West African plant Pentadiplanda brazzeana Baillon. The primary form has pyroglutamic acid at its N-terminus, while the secondary form lacks it. The primary form has an intrinsic sweetness 500 times that of sucrose by weight (9500 times that per molecule).

[0049] The secondary form of blazein has a molecular weight of approximately 5,890 daltons and exhibits a sweetness approximately 2,000 times greater in a 2% solution than in a 2% sucrose solution. Thermal stability tests conducted according to the present invention demonstrated that this protein possesses desirable thermal stability properties (significantly improving its suitability for applications related to formulation and calcination). In this regard, the protein retained its very sweet taste even after incubation at 98°C for 2 hours.

[0050] Therefore, blazein is particularly suitable for mixing with known rare sugars such as D-allulose, isomaltulose, turanose, and trehalose, which have a low glycemic index (GI) and are low in calories. Introducing blazein into these rare sugars can improve their sweetness index compared to sucrose.

[0051] In another embodiment, the compositions of the present invention are applicable to food applications including, but not limited to, additions to beverages, chocolates, cookies, and the like.

[0052] The process of obtaining solid forms of sugars and proteins together from a liquid can be achieved by a method selected from methods such as cocrystallization, freeze-drying, and spray-drying.

[0053] The present invention offers the following advantages. 1. This process enhances the sweetness of low-glycemic index rare sugars without altering their texture or flavor. 2. Blazein can be mixed with rare sugars that have a low glycemic index (GI) and low calorie value, such as D-allulose, isomaltulose, turanose, and trehalose. 3. Adding blazein to rare sugars improves the sweetness index of the rare sugars compared to sucrose.

[0054] The following non-limiting embodiments may provide a better understanding of the present invention. The embodiments described are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any way. Examples

[0055] Example 1: Evaluation of the sweetness of allulose sugar solution with the addition of blazein.

[0056] Natural allulose has 70% more sweetness than sucrose.

[0057] The lack of sweetness in the allulose solution was compensated for by adding blazein.

[0058] Blazein formulations of different concentrations (5-25 mg) were added to 100 g of allulose solution. Sweetness was evaluated by taste analysis and recorded on a sweetness scale of 0-10.

[0059] Note: Sweetness scale 0-10: 0 indicates no sweetness, 10 indicates the highest level of sweetness. JPEG2026534567000001.jpg49126

[0060] Results: Adding 5-25 mg of blazein to 100 g of allulose compensated for the lack of sweetness and enhanced the sweetness.

[0061] Conclusion: It can be concluded that adding blazein to allulose significantly increased its sweetness.

[0062] Example 2: Evaluation of the sweetness of a tagatose sugar solution with the addition of blazein.

[0063] Tagatose in its natural form is 90% sweeter than sucrose.

[0064] By adding blazein to the tagatose solution before caramelization, the lack of sweetness in the tagatose solution was compensated for.

[0065] Blazein formulations of different concentrations (2-20 mg) were added to 100 g of tagatose solution. Sweetness was evaluated by taste analysis and recorded on a sweetness scale of 0-10.

[0066] Note: Sweetness scale 0-10: 0 indicates no sweetness, 10 indicates the highest level of sweetness. JPEG2026534567000002.jpg49127

[0067] By adding 2-20 mg of blazein to 100 g of tagatose, the lack of sweetness was compensated for, and the sweetness was enhanced.

[0068] Conclusion: It can be concluded that adding blazein to tagatose significantly increased its sweetness.

[0069] This specification provides a detailed description for illustrative purposes only; however, the details are so illustrative that those skilled in the art should understand that they can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, except as limited by the claims.

Claims

1. A composition comprising a carbohydrate and / or non-carbohydrate selected from rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutrient sweeteners, and a sweet protein, in order to improve sweetness without altering texture or flavor.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the sweet protein is selected from the group consisting of blazein, curucrin / neocrin, egg white lysozyme, mavinrin, miraculin, monellin, pentazin, thaumatin, and similar substances.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sweet protein used to improve the sweetness of the rare sugar is blazein.

4. The composition according to claim 1, comprising blazein and rare sugar in order to improve the sweetness of rare sugar without changing the texture or flavor.

5. The composition according to claim 4, in which blazein is used at a concentration in the range of 1 to 30 mg per 100 g of rare sugar.

6. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an appropriate amount of blazein may be added to rare sugars and / or sugar substitutes and / or non-nutrition sweeteners, depending on the actual use of the composition, and the purpose of blazein is to enhance sweetness and / or compensate for bitterness.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the rare sugar is selected from D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, trehalose, sorbose, turanose, leucrose, and similar substances.

8. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sweet protein blazein can also be used in compositions containing non-nutritional sweeteners and / or sugar substitutes and / or rare sugars, including but not limited to aspartame, acesulfame-K, cyclamate, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, and similar substances.

9. A method for improving the sweetness of rare sugars without altering their texture or flavor, comprising adding blazein to the rare sugars either before or after caramelization.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the main sugar is a rare sugar which is also an alternative sweetener containing but not limited to D-allulose, D-tagatose, D-allose, isomaltulose, trehalose, sorbose, turanose, leucrose, and similar substances.

11. Use of a rare sugar and a sweet protein as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, for the purpose of improving sweetness in beverages, chocolates, cookies, etc.

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