Compositions and methods for taste modulation

Abstract

A consumable is provided that includes (a) at least one sweetener, and (b) a sweetness modifier comprising an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum or at least one flavan or flavanone compound, wherein the at least one sweetener is present in a sweetening amount.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Technical Field The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods of using extracts or fractions from Viscum articulatum, as well as one or more flavonoid and / or flavan compounds isolated from Viscum articulatum, in flavor compositions and consumables, for example, to improve the sweetness of the consumables, improve the mouthfeel and off-note masking of the consumables.

[0002] background Compounds are widely used to modify the taste of consumable products, i.e. products that are taken orally, either to be ingested or expelled, such as foodstuffs, beverages, confectioneries, oral care products, etc. They do not themselves add flavor to the consumable, but provide a desired concomitant benefit, such as enhanced mouthfeel and / or sweetness, or masking undesirable characteristics of other ingredients, such as the distinctive taste and texture that are perceived as unappealing in products containing sugar substitutes.

[0003] In the case of sugar substitutes, the taste they impart may exhibit different temporal profiles, flavor profiles, or adaptive behaviors compared to the sugars they replace in whole or in part. For example, the sweet taste of natural or synthetic high-intensity sweeteners (HIS) is generally slower in onset and longer in duration than the sweet taste produced by sugars (sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, including glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, and lactose) or high fructose corn syrup, known as sugar substitutes, and this can change the balance of tastes of edible compositions containing them. This can create an unbalanced temporal taste profile. In addition to differences in temporal profiles, high-intensity sweeteners generally exhibit a lower maximum response than sugars; off-tastes, including bitterness, metallic taste, cooling sensation, astringency, licorice-like taste, and / or sweetness, which decrease with repeated tasting.

[0004] However, all high intensity sweeteners have an undesirable aftertaste in the form of off-notes, such as a licorice-like aftertaste and / or a lingering sweetness. In the specific case of Reb A, this takes the form of a combination of an undesirable lingering sweetness and a licorice-like aftertaste. This aftertaste mars the desired sugar-like sweetness, and therefore, effectively masking the undesirable or off-taste in an edible composition is key to consumer acceptance of many edible compositions.

[0005] Consequently, there remains a need to provide taste modifying ingredients, extracts or fractions that are natural and / or suitable for vegans, i.e., "cleaner label", while at the same time improving the mouthfeel, off-note masking, and / or improving the sweetness of the consumable. Summary of the Invention

[0006] overview In one exemplary embodiment, the consumable composition comprises (a) at least one sweetener, and (b) a sweetness modifier comprising an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum or at least one flavan or flavanone compound, wherein the at least one sweetener is present in a sweetening amount. In another exemplary embodiment, the flavor composition comprises at least one flavan or flavanone compound isolated from an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum or an extract from Viscum articulatum.

[0007] In another exemplary embodiment, a method for enhancing the sweetness or mouthfeel of a consumable that includes a sweetener comprises adding an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum or at least one flavan or flavanone compound in an effective amount to the consumable to enhance the sweetness or mouthfeel of the consumable.

[0008] In another exemplary embodiment, the flavor composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4'-dihydroxy-5,3'-dimethoxyflavan, 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4'-dihydroxy-5,3'-dimethoxyflavanone, homoeriodictyol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside, naringenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(5-O-benzoyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside, and combinations thereof. These and other features, aspects and advantages of specific embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from reading this disclosure.

[0009] Detailed Description The following text provides a broad description of the numerous different aspects of the present disclosure. The description is intended to be illustrative only and does not describe all possible aspects, as describing all possible aspects would be impractical, if not impossible. It will be understood that any features, characteristics, components, compositions, ingredients, products, steps, or methodologies described herein can be omitted, combined, or substituted in whole or in part. Numerous alternative aspects can be implemented using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, and still fall within the scope of the claims. All publications and patents cited herein are incorporated by reference.

[0010] The present disclosure relates to the surprising finding that an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum (V. articulatum) and one or more flavonoid and / or flavan compounds isolated from the V. articulatum extract or fraction exhibit sweetness-modifying effects and mouthfeel-modifying and masking properties.In particular, the present disclosure relates to an extract or fraction from V. articulatum and one or more flavonoid and / or flavan compounds isolated from V. articulatum that can be used, for example, to improve the temporal profile of reduced sugar and non-caloric sweeteners, approaching a full sugar experience.

[0011] V. articulatum is a parasitic herbaceous perennial plant of the mistletoe (Loranthaceae) family. It is distributed around southern China, India, Malaysia, and Southeast Asian countries. The leaves and stems of V. articulatum are traditionally used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of diseases such as hemorrhage, pleurisy, gout, heart disease, arthritis, and hypertension. It is also used in the Ayurvedic medicinal system for the treatment of various disorders. In some areas of China, V. articulatum is consumed as a tea beverage due to its pleasant sensory qualities and health benefits.

[0012] The whole or part of the V. articulatum plant may be used in the method. In one embodiment, the V. articulatum plant material is partially dried prior to extraction. In another embodiment, the V. articulatum plant material is totally dried prior to extraction. In some embodiments, the plant material is optionally milled prior to extraction. The plant material may be extracted by any suitable extraction process, such as, for example, continuous or batch reflux extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-assisted extraction, microbial-assisted extraction, ultrasonically assisted extraction, ultrasonically assisted extraction, microwave assisted extraction, etc. The method may be practiced at any scale.

[0013] The solvent used for extraction can be any suitable solvent, such as a polar organic solvent (degassed, vacuum, pressurized, or distilled), a non-polar organic solvent, water (degassed, vacuum, pressurized, deionized, distilled, carbon-treated, or reverse osmosis), or a mixture thereof. In a specific embodiment, the solvent comprises water and one or more alcohols. In a specific embodiment, the solvent comprises water and an alcohol selected from methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, and mixtures thereof.

[0014] The amount of alcohol in the solvent can vary from about 10% to about 100%, such as about 20%, about 30%, about 40%, about 50%, about 60%, about 70%, about 80%, about 90%, or any range in between. In specific embodiments, the alcohol comprises about 80% to about 100% of the solvent, with the remainder being water. In some embodiments, the extraction process is carried out at an elevated temperature, such as, for example, from about 50° C. to about 100° C. In more specific embodiments, the extraction process is carried out at a temperature of about 100° C.

[0015] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the duration of extraction will vary based on the solvent used and the amount of plant material. In some embodiments, the extraction is carried out for about 10 minutes to about 24 hours. Water and / or any insoluble material may be removed from the extraction mixture to provide a "crude extract." Insoluble plant material may be separated from the extracted mixture, for example, by filtration. Other suitable separation methods include, but are not limited to, gravity filtration, plate-and-frame filter press, cross-flow filtration, screen filtration, Nutsche filtration, belt filtration, ceramic filtration, membrane filtration, microfiltration, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration, or centrifugation. Optionally, various filtration aids, such as diatomaceous earth, bentonite, zeolites, etc., may be used in the process.

[0016] The crude extract is then subjected to one or more chromatographic separations to provide a solution of at least one flavanoid or flavan compound as described herein. The crude extract is passed through one or more columns, for example, one filled with a polymeric adsorption resin. One or more elutions with aqueous methanol provide a solution containing a fraction of the plant extract. In one embodiment, 10% ethanol is first applied to the column and the eluent is collected. The fractions are collected based on the % methanol used for elution, for example, 0% methanol, 30% methanol, 50% methanol, 70% methanol and 100% methanol. Typically, the product of the chromatographic step is collected in multiple fractions, which may then be analyzed using any suitable method, for example, thin layer chromatography or mass spectrometry.

[0017] In accordance with the present invention, the fraction of V. articulatum includes flavans. Flavans are benzopyran derivatives that use a 2-phenyl-3,3-dihydro-2H-chromene skeleton. The general skeleton of a flavan is given as follows: [ka]

[0018] In another embodiment, the fraction of V. articulatum includes flavonoids. Flavonoids are derived from flavans and have the general structure (C6-C3-C6) given as follows: [ka] One particular flavonoid of interest according to the present disclosure is the flavanone. Flavanones, called dihydroflavones, lack the double bond between the 2 and 3 carbons in the C ring of the flavonoid backbone.

[0019] In one embodiment, the flavan and flavanone compounds according to the present disclosure are sweetness modifiers. The term "sweetness modifier" as used herein refers to a compound that modifies, enhances, amplifies, or potentiates the sweetness perception of a consumable when the compound is present at a concentration below the sweetness perception threshold of the compound, i.e., at a concentration where the compound does not contribute any noticeable sweetness in the absence of additional sweetener(s). The term "sweetness perception threshold concentration" as used herein is the lowest known concentration of a compound that is perceived as sweet by the human palate.

[0020] In another embodiment, the flavan and flavanone compounds according to the present disclosure are taste modulating agents, whether or not they simultaneously act as sweetness modulating agents. That is, in some embodiments, the flavan and flavanonic acid compounds modulate one or more taste attributes of a sweetener. In other embodiments, the flavan and flavanone compounds modify the sweetness of a sweetener without modulating one or more taste attributes of the sweetener. In yet other embodiments, the flavan and flavanone compounds modulate one or more taste attributes of a sweetener without modifying the sweetness of the sweetener.

[0021] In one particular embodiment, flavan compounds according to the following formula (I) are useful as sweetness modifiers and / or taste modifiers: [ka]

[0022] In another specific embodiment, flavanone compounds according to the following formulas (IIa, IIb, IIc, IId, and IIe) are useful as sweetness modifiers and / or taste modifiers: [ka]

[0023] [ka]

[0024] [ka]

[0025] [ka]

[0026] [ka]

[0027] Thus, in one embodiment, the at least one flavanone may be selected from the group consisting of Viscumneoside III, Pinocembrin 7-(apiosyl-(1→5)-apiosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside, 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4'-dihydroxy-5,3'-dimethoxyflavanone, Homoeriodictyol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside, Naringenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(5-O-benzoyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside and combinations thereof. Based on evidence as discussed herein, I, IIc, IId, and IIe were identified as new compounds.

[0028] In accordance with the present disclosure, additional known and unknown compounds were identified from fractions of V. articulatum extracts via LC-MS and NMR spectroscopic analysis. These compounds include: 1-O-benzyl-[5-O-benzoyl-(β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→2))-β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranoside; benzyl O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside (CAS No. 172428-49-8); (2S)-eriodictyol-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside; viscumneoside V (CAS No. 119016-92-1); naringenin 7-O-(2-sD-apiofuranosyl)-sD-glucopyranoside (CAS No. 952483-10-2); prunin (CAS No. 529-55-5); homoeriodictyol 7-OsD-glucoside (CAS No. 14982-11-7; pinosembrin 7-(apiofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside) (CAS No. 773899-28-8); 2S-viscarticulide A (CAS No.1885096-55-8;1-O-benzyl-[5-O-benzoyl-(β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→2))-β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranoside;7-O-[2-O-(5-O-feruloyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-phenylmethanol;Naringenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside;Eriodictyol homoeriodictyol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside; pinosembrin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(apiofuranosyl-(1→5)-apiofuranosyl-(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside; and pinosembrin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside.

[0029] The flavan and flavanone compounds described herein can be provided in pure form or as part of a mixture, which can be an extract or fraction prepared from a plant or plant part as described herein. The extract or fraction from V. articulatum and / or one or more flavan and flavanone compounds described herein modify and / or modulate the taste of at least one sweetener. The at least one sweetener can be any known sweetener, such as a natural sweetener, a natural high-potency sweetener, or an artificial sweetener.

[0030] At least one sweetener is present in a sweetening amount, which, as used herein, refers to the amount of a compound required to provide a detectable sweetness when present in a consumable, e.g., a beverage. As used herein, the phrase "natural high-potency sweetener" refers to any sweetener that is naturally found in nature and that characteristically has a sweetening potency greater than sucrose, fructose, or glucose, and yet has fewer calories. Natural high-potency sweeteners can be provided as pure compounds or, alternatively, as part of an extract. As used herein, the phrase "synthetic sweetener" refers to any composition that is not naturally found in nature and that characteristically has a sweetening potency greater than sucrose, fructose, or glucose, and yet has fewer calories.

[0031] In other embodiments, the at least one sweetener is a carbohydrate sweetener. Suitable carbohydrate sweeteners are selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, sucrose, glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, erythrose, threose, erythrulose, arabinose, lyxose, ribose, xylose, ribulose, xylulose, allose, altrose, galactose, glucose, gulose, idose, mannose, talose, fructose, psicose, sorbose, tagatose, mannoheptulose, sedoheltulose, octolose, fucose, rhamnose, turanose, cellobiose, sialose, and combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the at least one sweetener does not include a carbohydrate sweetener.

[0032] In another embodiment, the additional sweetener is a rare sugar selected from sorbose, lyxose, ribulose, xylose, xylulose, D-allose, L-ribose, D-tagatose, L-glucose, L-fucose, L-arabinose, turanose, and combinations thereof. Other sweeteners include siamenoside I, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, tomatin, hemandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, trilobatin, bayunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukurozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, steviol, glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetin ... These include rubioside and cyclocaryoside I, sugar alcohols such as erythritol, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, acesulfamic acid and their salts, aspartame, alitame, saccharin and their salts, hesperidin dihydrochalcone glucoside, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, cyclamate, cyclamic acid and their salts, neotame, advantame, glycosylated steviol glycosides (GSGs), and combinations thereof.

[0033] In one embodiment, the sweetener is a caloric sweetener or a mixture of caloric sweeteners. In another embodiment, the caloric sweetener is selected from sucrose, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn / starch syrup, beet sugar, cane sugar, and combinations thereof.

[0034] In other embodiments, the sweetener comprises at least one steviol glycoside, wherein the at least one steviol glycoside is present in a sweetening amount. The steviol glycoside can be natural, synthetic, or a combination of natural and synthetic. The steviol glycoside can be provided in pure form or as part of a mixture, i.e., a steviol glycoside blend. Exemplary steviol glycosides include, but are not limited to, rebaudioside M, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside N, rebaudioside O, rebaudioside E, steviol monoside, steviol bioside, rubusoside, dulcoside B, dulcoside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside G, stevioside, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside Rebaudioside I, Rebaudioside H, Rebaudioside L, Rebaudioside K, Rebaudioside J, Rebaudioside M2, Rebaudioside D2, Rebaudioside S, Rebaudioside T, Rebaudioside U, Rebaudioside V, Rebaudioside W, Rebaudioside Zl, Rebaudioside Z2, Rebaudioside IX, enzymatically glycosylated steviol glycosides, and combinations thereof.

[0035] Steviol glycosyl blend sweeteners typically have a total steviol glycoside content of about 95% or more by weight on a dry basis. The remaining 5% contains other non-steviol glycoside compounds, such as by-products from the extraction or purification process. In some embodiments, steviol glycoside blend sweeteners have a total steviol glycoside content of about 96% or more, about 97% or more, about 98% or more, or about 99% or more. "Total steviol glycoside content" as used herein refers to the sum of the relative weight contributions of each steviol glycoside in a sample.

[0036] In one embodiment, the sweetener comprises at least one mogroside, wherein the at least one mogroside is present in a sweetening amount. The mogroside may be natural, synthetic, or a combination of natural and synthetic. The mogroside may be provided in pure form or as part of a mixture, i.e., a mogroside blend. Exemplary mogrosides include, but are not limited to, any of grosmogroside I, mogroside IA, mogroside IE, 11-oxomogroside IA, mogroside II, mogroside IIA, mogroside IIB, mogroside IIE, 7-oxomogroside IIE, mogroside III, mogroside Hie, 11-oxomogroside HIE, 11-deoxymogroside III, mogroside IV, mogroside IVA, 11-oxomogroside IV, 11-oxomogroside IVA, mogroside V, isomogroside V, 11-deoxymogroside V, 7-oxomogroside V, 11-oxomogroside V, isomogroside V, mogroside VI, mogrol, 11-oxomogrol, siamenoside I, and combinations thereof.

[0037] In one embodiment, the weight ratio of the at least one sweetener to the at least one flavan or flavanone compound described herein may vary.

[0038] product In accordance with the present disclosure, an extract or fraction or one or more flavan and / or flavonone compounds from V. articulatum may be added to a sweetened consumable (i.e., a consumable having at least one sweetener therein) or may be provided as part of a flavor composition for a consumable. In accordance with the present disclosure, a flavor composition may include a characterizing flavor and at least one flavan and / or flavonone compound. The term "characterizing flavor" refers to a flavor that is perceived as dominant by an individual upon consumption by that individual.

[0039] In one embodiment, the extract or fraction from V. articulatum or one or more flavan and / or flavonone compounds described herein are present in the flavor composition in an amount such that, when the flavor composition is added to a sweetened consumable, the sucrose equivalent of the consumable is increased compared to a consumable in the absence of the extract or fraction from V. articulatum or one or more flavan and / or flavonone compounds.

[0040] When added to a consumable, the extract or fraction from V. articulatum or one or more flavan / flavonone compounds are used in an amount effective to modify the sweetness or mouthfeel of the sweetener without imparting any off-taste. According to one embodiment, the extract or fraction or at least one flavan compound / flavonone compound from V. articulatum may be present in an amount of about 0.01 ppm to about 100 ppm, and in another embodiment, 0.01 ppm to about 50 ppm, such as about 0.01 ppm to about 45 ppm, about 0.01 ppm to about 40 ppm, about 0.01 ppm to about 35 ppm, about 0.01 ppm to about 30 ppm, about 0.01 ppm to about 25 ppm, about 0.01 ppm to about 20 ppm, about 0.01 ppm to about 15 ppm, about 0.01 ppm to about 10 ppm, and about 0.01 ppm to about 5 ppm.

[0041] In one embodiment, at least one sweetener described herein is present at a concentration of from about 50 ppm to about 600 ppm, e.g., from about 50 ppm to about 500 ppm, from about 50 ppm to about 400 ppm, from about 50 ppm to about 300 ppm, from about 50 ppm to about 200 ppm, from about 50 ppm to about 100 ppm, from about 100 ppm to about 600 ppm, from about 100 ppm to about 500 ppm, from about 100 ppm to about 400 ppm, from about 100 ppm to about 300 ppm, from about 100 ppm to about 100 ppm, The sweetener may be present in the consumable at a concentration of up to about 100,000 ppm, such as from about 200 ppm to about 600 ppm, from about 200 ppm to about 500 ppm, from about 200 ppm to about 400 ppm, from about 200 ppm to about 300 ppm, from about 300 ppm to about 600 ppm, from about 300 ppm to about 500 ppm, from about 300 ppm to about 400 ppm, from about 400 ppm to about 600 ppm, from about 400 ppm to about 500 ppm, and from about 500 ppm to about 600 ppm. In another embodiment, for full and reduced sugar applications, at least one sweetener may be present in the consumable at a concentration of up to 100,000 ppm.

[0042] When expressed as "ppm", the concentration is parts per million by weight based on the total weight of the consumable. It should be understood that when a range of values ​​is described in this disclosure, it is intended that any and all values ​​in the range, including the endpoints, are to be considered as disclosed. For example, a "range of 0.01 ppm to 100 ppm" of an extract or fraction from V. articulatum or a flavan and / or flavonone is to be understood as indicating each and every possible number along the continuum between 0.01 and 100. It should be understood that the inventors recognize and understand that any and all values ​​in the range are to be considered as specified, and that the inventors retain the complete range and all values ​​in the range.

[0043] The flavor composition may also contain one or more food grade excipient(s). Suitable excipients for flavor compositions are well known in the art and include, for example, without limitation, solvents (including water, alcohol, ethanol, oils, fats, vegetable oils, and miglyol), binders, diluents, disintegrants, lubricants, flavorings, colorings, preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, stabilizers, flavor enhancers, sweeteners, anticaking agents, and the like. Examples of such carriers or diluents for flavors can be found, by way of example, in: "Perfume and Flavour Materials of Natural Origin", S. Arctander, Ed., Elizabeth, NJ, 1960; "Perfume and Flavour Chemicals", S. Arctander, Ed., Vol. I & II, Allured Publishing Corporation, Carol Stream, USA, 1994; "Flavourings", E. Ziegler and H. Ziegler (ed.), Wiley-VCH Weinheim, 1998, and "CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Handbook", JM Nikitakis (ed.), 1st ed., The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, Inc., Washington, 1988.

[0044] The flavor composition may have any suitable form, for example, liquid or solid, wet or dry, or in encapsulated form bound to or coated on a carrier / particle, or as a powder. The flavor composition may include a characterizing flavor in an amount of about 0.01 to about 10%, about 0.01 to about 5% in another embodiment, about 0.01 to about 1% in another embodiment, or any individual number within the range, based on the weight of the flavor composition. In another embodiment, the consumable may include a characterizing flavor in an amount of about 0.01 to about 0.5%, about 0.01 to about 0.3% in another embodiment, about 0.02 to about 0.1% in another embodiment, or any individual number within the range, based on the weight of the consumable.

[0045] In this disclosure, the term "about" used in connection with a value includes the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context. For example, it includes at least the degree of error associated with the measurement of the specific value. Those skilled in the art will understand that the term "about" as used herein means that the amount of "about" the stated value will provide the desired degree of efficacy in the compositions and / or methods of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will further understand that the boundaries of "about" for percentage, amount or quantity values ​​of any component in an embodiment can be determined by varying the values, determining the efficacy of the composition or method for each value, and determining the range of values ​​that will provide the composition or method with the desired degree of efficacy according to the present disclosure.

[0046] The consumable may include a base. As used herein, the term "base" refers to all the ingredients necessary for the consumable, apart from flavan and / or flavonone compounds. These will of course vary in both nature and proportion depending on the nature and use of the consumable or additive, but they are all well known to those skilled in the art and may be used in proportions recognized by those skilled in the art. The formulation of such a base for any conceivable purpose is therefore within the ordinary skill of the person skilled in the art.

[0047] Without being limiting, and by way of example only, suitable bases may include: anti-caking agents, antifoaming agents, antioxidants, binders, colorants, diluents, disintegrants, emulsifiers, encapsulating agents or formulations, enzymes, fats, flavor enhancers, flavoring agents, gums, polysaccharides, preservatives, proteins, solubilizers, solvents, stabilizers, sugar derivatives, surfactants, sweeteners, vitamins, waxes, etc. Solvents that may be used are known to those skilled in the art and include, by way of example, water, ethanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, and triacetin. Encapsulating materials and gums include: maltodextrin, gum arabic, alginic acid, gelatin, modified starch, other polysaccharides, and proteins.

[0048] Examples of excipients, carriers, diluents or solvents for flavor compounds can be found, by way of example, in “Perfume and Flavour Materials of Natural Origin”, S. Arctander, Ed., Elizabeth, NJ, 1960; “Perfume and Flavour Chemicals”, S. Arctander, Ed., Vol. I & II, Allured Publishing Corporation, Carol Stream, USA, 1994; “Flavourings”, E. Ziegler and H. Ziegler (ed.), Wiley-VCH Weinheim, 1998, and “CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Handbook”, JM Nikitakis (ed.), 1st ed., The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, Inc., Washington, 1988.

[0049] Non-limiting examples of suitable flavors include natural flavors, artificial flavors, spices, seasonings, etc. These include synthetic flavor oils and flavored aromatics and / or oils, oleoresins, essences, and distillates, and combinations thereof.

[0050] Accessory ingredients may be present to provide other benefits, such as enhanced stability, ease of incorporation into consumables or additives, and enhanced nutritional value. Non-limiting representative examples of such accessory ingredients include stabilizers, emulsifiers, preservatives, gums, starches, dextrins, vitamins and minerals, functional ingredients, salts, antioxidants, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Specific examples are emulsifiers and carriers that are useful in spray drying processes. Non-limiting examples of these are modified starches, such as Capsul.TM., and maltodextrin.

[0051] The additive may be a single component or a blend of components, or it may be encapsulated in any suitable encapsulating agent. The additive may be prepared by any suitable method, such as, for example, spray drying, extrusion, and fluidized bed drying.

[0052] In accordance with the present disclosure, the term "consumable" refers to a product intended to be consumed by a subject, typically via the oral cavity (although consumption may occur via non-oral means such as inhalation), for at least one purpose of enjoyment, nutrition, or health and wellness benefits. Consumables may be in any form, including, but not limited to: liquids, solids, semi-solids, tablets, capsules, lozenges, strips, powders, gels, gums, pastes, slurries, solutions, suspensions, syrups, aerosols, and sprays. The term also refers to, for example, dietary and nutritional, and health and wellness supplements. Consumables encompass compositions that are placed in the oral cavity for a period of time before being discarded, but are not swallowed. They may be placed in the oral cavity before being consumed, or may be held in the oral cavity for a period of time before being discarded.

[0053] Broadly, consumables include, but are not limited to, all types of confectionery, confectionery products, baked products, sweet products, savory products, leavened products, dairy products, non-dairy products, beverages, dietary supplements and medicines.

[0054] Non-limiting examples of consumables include wet / liquid soups, including frozen soups, regardless of concentration or container. For purposes of this definition, soup(s) means a food product prepared in liquid and from meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, grains, fruits, and other ingredients, including any or all visible pieces of these ingredients. It may be clear (broth) or thick (chowder), smooth, pureed or chunky, instant, semi-condensed or concentrated, hot or cold, served as a first or main course of a meal or as a snack between meals (sipped like a beverage), soups may be used as an ingredient to prepare other meal components, and may range from soups (consomme) to sauces (cream or cheese-based soups);

[0055] Dehydrated and prepared foods, including cooking aid products such as: powders, granules, pastes and concentrated liquid products (including: concentrated bouillons, bouillons and bouillon-like products in compressed cubes, tablets or powdered or granular form, sold as finished products or as ingredients in products, sauces and recipe mixes (regardless of technology);

[0056] Meal solution products, such as dehydrated and freeze-dried soups, including: dehydrated soup mixes, dehydrated instant soups, dehydrated cooking soups, ready-to-eat dishes, meals, and dehydrated or ambient preparations of single serve entrees (pasta, potato, and rice dishes);

[0057] Dietary garnish products, such as: condiments, marinades, salad dressings, salad toppings, dips, breadings, batter mixes, shelf-stable spreads, barbecue sauces, liquid recipe mixes, concentrates, sauces or sauce mixes (including recipe mixes for salads), whether dehydrated, liquid or frozen, sold as a finished product or as an ingredient in a product;

[0058] Beverages, including beverage mixes and concentrates, including but not limited to: alcoholic non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages and dry powder beverages, carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, such as sodas, fruit or vegetable juices, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, teas, such as green tea and black tea, wines, such as red wine;

[0059] Confectionery products, such as cakes, cookies, pies, candy, chewing gum, gelatin, ice cream, sorbets, puddings, jams, jellies, salad dressings and other condiments, cereals and other breakfast foods, canned fruit and fruit sauces, and the like.

[0060] Methods are provided for enhancing the sweetness of a consumable and / or adjusting one or more taste attributes of a sweetener to make the consumable taste more like a sucrose-sweetened consumable. In one embodiment, a method for enhancing the sweetness of a consumable comprises (i) providing a consumable comprising at least one sweetener, and (ii) adding an extract or fraction from V. articulatum or at least one flavan compound and / or flavonone compound to the consumable to provide an enhanced sweetness to the consumable.

[0061] In another embodiment, a method for enhancing the sweetness of a consumable comprises (i) providing a consumable base, and (ii) adding at least one sweetener and an extract or fraction from V. articulatum or at least one flavan and / or flavonone compound to the consumable base to provide enhanced sweetness to the consumable. The at least one sweetener and the extract or fraction from V. articulatum or at least one flavan and / or flavonone compound may be added together in the form of a flavor or individually.

[0062] The present disclosure is further described with reference to the following non-limiting examples. example The following examples are given solely for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limitations of the present invention, since many variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

[0063] Example 1: Preparation of extract from V. articulatum V. articulatum powder (200 g) was loaded into 66 mL stainless steel cells (2-3 cells depending on material density). Dionex™ ASE™ 350 accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) conditions were: pressure 1500 psi; temperature 100C; static time 15 min; cycle 2; rinse 70%; purge 60 s. Each cell was extracted successively with 100% and 80% methanol. All extracts were combined and the organic solvent was evaporated on a rotary evaporator to give a 42 g extract. The extract after rotary evaporation was freeze-dried.

[0064] Example 2: Isolation and characterization of fractions from V. articulatum 12 g of the extract was suspended in water and loaded onto a Diaion HP20 absorption resin column on a Biotage Flash System Isolera One. Five HP20 fractions were obtained by elution with a gradient mobile phase (water, 30%, 50%, 70%, 100% methanol). A portion of the 50% MeOH HP20 fraction (0.8 g of 1.74 g) was dissolved in methanol and fractionated by preparative HPLC (Column: Waters XSelect CSH Prep C18 5um 19×250 mm. Mobile phase: 18% acetonitrile to 50% acetonitrile in 0.1% formic acid in 25 min. Flow rate: 16 mL / min). Thirteen fractions (HP20-50-1 to HP20-50-13) were collected by peak detection mode and further separated by semi-preparative HPLC (Agilent 1100 analytical HPLC System; Phenomenex Luna 5μ C8(2) 250×10 mm). The following compounds were isolated from 13 subfractions as shown in the table below.

[0065] [Table 1]

[0066] The 70% MeOH HP20 fraction (1 g of 2.2 g) was donated to seven fractions (HP20-70-1 to HP20-70-7) after preparative HPLC fractionation. The following compounds were isolated from the seven subfractions as shown in the table below.

[0067] [Table 2]

[0068] [Table 3]

[0069] [Table 4]

[0070] [Table 5]

[0071] Example 3: Taste modulation using V. articulatum fractions Water and methanol fractions of V. articulatum (50%) were prepared and descriptive sensory evaluation was carried out using different amounts of extract in different applications. The results of the analysis compared to the same application in the absence of V. articulatum are presented in Table VI. [Table 6]

[0072] Example 4: Taste modulation using compounds isolated from V. articulatum extract Descriptive sensory evaluation was carried out using different amounts of compounds isolated from the V. articulatum fraction on different bases. The results of the analysis compared to the same application in the absence of V. articulatum are presented in Table VII.

[0073] [Table 7]

[0074] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. below: (a) at least one sweetener, and (b) a sweetness modifier comprising an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum containing 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4′-dihydroxy-5,3′-dimethoxyflavan and at least one flavanone compound. A consumer product comprising: The consumable, wherein at least one sweetener is present in a sweetening amount.

2. 2. The consumable of claim 1, wherein the at least one sweetener is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, glucose, xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, tagatose, allulose, trehalose, isomaltulose, steviol glycosides, mogrosides, stevia, trilobatin, rubusoside, aspartame, advantame, agave syrup, acesulfame potassium (AceK), high fructose corn syrup, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, high fructose corn syrup, starch syrup, Monk Fruit Extract, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, naringin dihydrochalcone, HDG, sugar alcohol cellobiose, psicose, cyclamate, prazein, tomatin, molasses, rice syrup, and combinations thereof.

3. Steviol glycosides include rebaudioside M, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside N, rebaudioside O, rebaudioside E, steviol monoside, steviolbioside, rubusoside, dulcoside B, dulcoside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside G, stevioside, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside I, rebaudioside H, rebaudioside 3. The consumable of claim 2, wherein the steviol glycoside is selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside L, rebaudioside K, rebaudioside J, rebaudioside M2, rebaudioside D2, rebaudioside S, rebaudioside T, rebaudioside U, rebaudioside V, rebaudioside W, rebaudioside Zl, rebaudioside Z2, rebaudioside IX, enzymatically glucosylated steviol glycosides, and combinations thereof.

4. The mogrosides are: gross mogroside I, mogroside IA, mogroside IE, 11-oxomogroside IA, mogroside II, mogroside IIA, mogroside IIB, mogroside IIE, 7-oxomogroside IIE, mogroside III, mogroside Hie, 11-oxomogroside HIE, 11-deoxymogroside III, mogroside IV, mogroside IVA, 11-oxomogroside HIE, 11-deoxymogroside III, mogroside IV, mogroside IVA, 11-oxomogroside IEA ...

3. The consumable of claim 2, wherein the consumable is selected from the group consisting of 1-oxomogroside IV, 11-oxomogroside IVA, mogroside V, isomogroside V, 11-deoxymogroside V, 7-oxomogroside V, 11-oxomogroside V, isomogroside V, mogroside VI, mogrol, 11-oxomogrol, siamenoside I, and combinations thereof.

5. 10. The consumable of claim 1, wherein the sweetness modifier is present in a concentration from 0.01 ppm to 100 ppm.

6. 2. The consumable of claim 1, wherein the at least one flavanone is selected from the group consisting of Viscumneoside III, Pinocembrin 7-(apiosyl-(1→5)-apiosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside, 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4'-dihydroxy-5,3'-dimethoxyflavanone, Homoeriodictyol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside, Naringenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(5-O-benzoyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside and combinations thereof.

7. The consumable product of claim 1 , wherein the consumable product is a beverage.

8. A flavor composition comprising an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum containing 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4'-dihydroxy-5,3'-dimethoxyflavan and at least one flavanone compound.

9. 9. The flavor composition of claim 8, wherein the at least one flavanone is selected from the group consisting of viscumneoside III, pinocembrin 7-(apiosyl-(1→5)-apiosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside, 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4'-dihydroxy-5,3'-dimethoxyflavanone, homoeriodictyol 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside, naringenin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-(5-O-benzoyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl(1→2))-β-D-glucopyranoside, and combinations thereof.

10. 9. The flavor composition of claim 8 in the form of an emulsion.

11. 9. The flavor composition of claim 8 in the form of a powder.

12. 1. A method for enhancing the sweetness or mouthfeel of a consumable product comprising a sweetener, the method comprising adding to the consumable product an extract or fraction from Viscum articulatum containing 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-7,4'-dihydroxy-5,3'-dimethoxyflavan and at least one flavanone compound in an effective amount to modify the sweetness or mouthfeel of the consumable product.

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