Bitter flavoring agent for gel

Abstract

A bitter flavoring agent for a gel. The flavoring agent is mainly formed by mixing carrageenan, λ-carrageenan, and xanthan gum. The ratio of parts by weight of the carrageenan to the λ-carrageenan to the xanthan gum is 1-1.5:1:1-1.5. A bitter component in the gel mainly is a nitrogen-containing alkaloid. By utilizing a synergistic effect formed between different types of carrageenan and xanthan gum, the flavoring agent can significantly improve the stability of the gel while having a significant flavoring effect on the bitter aftertaste of a nitrogen-containing alkaloid bitter component. The flavoring agent can be widely used in bitter flavoring of gels comprising nitrogen-containing alkaloid bitter components, thereby facilitating large-scale popularization and application of the gels, and particularly facilitating large-scale popularization and application of the gels in traditional Chinese medicines for children.

Description

A bitter flavoring agent for gels Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of flavor correction, in particular to the technical field of bitter taste masking of traditional Chinese medicine, and particularly to a bitter flavor corrective for gel, which is used as an auxiliary additive to adjust the taste of medicine. Background Art

[0002] Bitterness is an innate human behavior. Most medicines, essential for treating diseases, have a bitter taste. Over 50% of traditional Chinese medicines and Chinese patent medicines listed in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia have varying degrees of bitterness. Severe bitterness can easily cause vomiting and loss of appetite, impacting patient compliance and making it difficult to achieve or maintain optimal therapeutic effects. It can also lead to unstable drug exposure in the body, posing safety risks. Studies have found that bitter substances found in food and medicine are primarily alkaloids, terpenes, glycosides, and bitter peptides. Bile, certain amino acids, and some inorganic salts also have a bitter taste.

[0003] Existing bitter taste correction technologies can be divided into four main categories: adding flavoring agents to confuse the brain's taste perception and mask the bitterness of the drug; delaying or preventing the release of drugs in the mouth, isolating the drug from contact with taste buds; paralyzing taste cells to increase the threshold for bitterness perception; and preventing the binding of bitter receptors to bitter components, interrupting signal transmission and masking the bitter taste. Different bitter components exhibit distinctly different bitter characteristics. For example, the bitter alkaloid berberine hydrochloride is extremely bitter, with a long-lasting aftertaste; evodiamine is extremely bitter and pungent, with a burning sensation that irritates the lips and tongue; and the terpene andrographolide has a strong bitter irritation, with the bitterness primarily occurring at the root of the tongue and larynx, but the aftertaste dissipates quickly. According to the structural characteristics and flavor characteristics of different types of bitter molecules, targeted flavoring agents with appropriate correction principles can achieve the desired taste correction effect.

[0004] Carrageenan, also known as carrageenan, serrata gum, and Irish moss gum, is a hydrophilic polysaccharide extracted from red algae seaweeds such as Eucheuma, Gelidium, and Carrageenan. Its chemical structure is the calcium, potassium, sodium, and ammonium salts of polysaccharide sulfates composed of D-galactose and anhydrogalactose through alternating -1,3 glycosidic bonds and -1,4 glycosidic bonds.

[0005] Carrageenan has excellent gelling ability, chemical stability, and multiple physiological activities, making it widely used in the food, beverage, and cosmetics industries, such as as a food thickener, clarifier, and gelling agent. Furthermore, as a well-known excipient with a good flavor-correcting effect on most unpleasant tastes, carrageenan is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Carrageenan can be used as a gelling agent in the preparation of hard capsules, physically hindering the binding of bitter taste receptors and bitter substances to mask bitterness. Carrageenan can also be used as a thickening agent, increasing the viscosity of foods and liquid medicines to improve taste and reduce bitterness. Numerous studies on the flavor-correcting applications of carrageenan are documented in the prior art, such as those described in the following literature.

[0006] Ana et al.

[15] reported that the use of natural biopolymers such as carrageenan, chitosan, and psyllium husk powder as wall materials for encapsulating caffeine can effectively modify bitterness perception and favorably affect the taste of the produced microbeads (reducing bitterness).

[0007] Kim et al. used carrageenan or sodium alginate as shell materials and cocoa butter or Witepol W-35 as lipid cores to prepare solid lipid beads to delay the release rate of enrofloxacin and mask its bitter taste.

[0008] Chinese Patent Publication No. CN101700254A discloses a Chinese medicinal formula granule flavoring agent, a preparation method thereof, and a method for using the agent. Carrageenan, konjac gum, sucralose, ethyl maltol, hydroxylated phospholipids, maltodextrin, and lemon-flavored essence are uniformly mixed, and an appropriate amount of water is added as a binder to form wet granules. The granules utilize carrageenan and konjac gum to form a gel-structured solid under certain conditions, encapsulating the drug within the granules. This softens the drug's flavor, controls its diffusion to the taste buds, and interferes with the taste buds' sense of taste, thereby providing a flavor correction. This significantly improves the bitterness of the Chinese medicinal herb, Coptis chinensis.

[0009] The preparation method of Gegen Cenlian Decoction taste-masking suspension granules, published in China with patent publication number CN102309562A, includes sodium alginate, carrageenan, konjac gum, and a suspending agent. The gel jelly formed by adding water to sodium alginate, carrageenan, and konjac gum isolates the drug from contact with taste buds, reducing the perception of bitterness.

[0010] It can be seen that carrageenan has great potential as a bitter flavoring agent for traditional Chinese medicine gels.

[0011] Carrageenan is divided into seven main types based on the different forms of its sulfate groups: κ-type, ι-type, λ-type, γ-type, ν-type, ξ-type, and μ-type. The first three types are primarily produced and used industrially. Research by Harada et al. showed that the order of flavor-masking effectiveness among the three types of carrageenan is ι-type > λ-type > κ-type. This suggests that different carrageenan types have different flavor-correcting properties. Based on this, researchers can select different types of carrageenan for specific flavor-correcting treatments, thereby achieving optimal flavor-correcting effects.

[0012] For example, Chinese patent CN100482279C discloses a jelly-like Chinese herbal medicine composition, which contains Chinese herbal medicines selected from Gegen Decoction, Xiaoqinglong Decoction, Xiaochaihu Decoction, Bawei Dihuang Pills, Buzhong Yiqi Decoction, Xiaojianzhong Decoction, Xiaofeng San, Qingshang Fangfeng Decoction, Fangfeng Tongsheng San, Wuling San, Fangji Huangqi Decoction, Yizi Decoction, Danggui Shaoyao San, Guizhi Fuling Pills, Anzhong San or Pingwei San and a dispersion medium selected from water or a mixture of water and a polyol. The Chinese herbal medicine is contained in an amount of less than 60 w / w% in a matrix containing a combination of 0.01-10.0 w / w% carrageenan, 0.01-10.0 w / w% carob bean gum, and 0.01-10.0 w / w% xanthan gum, and no phosphate buffer; the carrageenan is iota carrageenan, or a combination of iota carrageenan with kappa carrageenan or lambda carrageenan, or a combination of iota carrageenan with kappa carrageenan and lambda carrageenan. This patent discloses a jelly-like Chinese herbal medicine composition similar to the aforementioned use of carrageenan, achieving a flavor-correcting effect by selecting multiple carrageenans to form a jelly-like Chinese herbal medicine composition.

[0013] As can be seen, carrageenan is both a flavoring agent with good flavoring effect and a gelling agent with good gelling effect. It can be added in a large number as an auxiliary material in food and medicine. Therefore, in the prior art, carrageenan is adopted in a large number of granules, solid gels or capsules. However, when carrageenan is added to bitter medicines and used as a flavoring agent and a gelling agent, although the flavoring effect can be well achieved, the product has been transformed from a fluid gel into a jelly-like form, and the solid product form is not fluid, which is unfavorable for patients to take, and the product index of the gelling agent cannot be reached, which is unfavorable for the market application of oral gelling agents. Therefore, it is urgently needed to develop a bitter flavoring agent auxiliary material that can significantly improve the bad taste of Chinese medicine gels, cover up bad taste, and have good fluidity.

[0014] In addition, the bitter taste formed in the mouth can be divided into two types based on the time of bitterness perception: bitterness at the entrance and bitter aftertaste. Bitterness at the entrance is the bitterness felt when the drug is in the mouth, which mainly affects the drug's compliance. The bitterness that remains after swallowing is bitter aftertaste, which can easily lead to loss of appetite and loss of appetite in patients. The bitter aftertaste gradually weakens over time until it dissipates, but the aftertaste of alkaloid bitter molecules can last for several hours, significantly affecting the patient's diet. However, the bitter taste correction effect of the bitter flavoring agents used in the prior art is only effective for bitterness at the entrance, and is not effective for bitter aftertaste. In particular, the residual bitterness is particularly obvious for gel-type bitter aftertaste, and there are no reports or studies on masking the bitter aftertaste.

[0015] Summary of the Invention

[0016] The present invention aims to overcome the defects of existing bitter flavoring agents in that they have a poor effect on correcting the bitter aftertaste of gels and that the gels have poor stability after flavoring, and to provide a bitter flavoring agent for gels. The bitter flavoring agent utilizes the synergistic effect formed between different types of carrageenan and xanthan gum to have a significant effect on correcting the bitter aftertaste of nitrogenous alkaloid bitter components and significantly improve the stability of the gel. The bitter flavoring agent can be widely used to correct the bitter taste of gels containing nitrogenous alkaloid bitter components, thereby facilitating the large-scale promotion and application of gels, especially the large-scale promotion and application of gels in traditional Chinese medicine for children.

[0017] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object of the invention, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0018] A bitter flavoring agent for a gel is mainly prepared by mixing iota-carrageenan, lambda-carrageenan and xanthan gum; the weight ratio of the iota-carrageenan, lambda-carrageenan and xanthan gum is 1-1.5:1:1-1.5; and the bitter component in the gel is mainly nitrogen-containing alkaloids.

[0019] The present invention is used for the bitter flavoring agent of gel, is composited by selecting the carrageenan of two subtypes, and uses xanthan gum to carry out the regulation of colloidal form, makes bitter flavoring agent show as the flow state of good geling agent in use, avoids the flavoring agent containing carrageenan to generally form the defect of jelly-like low fluidity.And bitter flavoring agent, after composition and proportioning are optimized, can better realize that residual bitter taste is suppressed, avoids the deficiency that traditional flavoring agent is difficult to overcome aftertaste bitterness.Use bitter flavoring agent of the present invention to better bring into play bitter taste masking effect, have good geling agent fluidity concurrently simultaneously, particularly can meet the high fluidity requirement of pediatric medication, avoids the medication of jelly-like bitter flavoring agent to exist and causes the suffocation risk of esophagus / airway obstruction.

[0020] Preferably, the content of nitrogenous alkaloids in the gel is not less than 0.01 mg / mL; above this nitrogenous alkaloid content, the gel has a strong bitter taste, thereby affecting drug compliance and having a taste-correcting effect. The bitter flavoring agent of the present invention has a significant bitterness-masking effect on nitrogenous alkaloid natural medicines, and can maximize the bitter taste-correcting effect.

[0021] Preferably, the nitrogenous alkaloid is at least one of berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, coptisine, matrine, evodiamine, liesinine, and ephedrine. The nitrogenous alkaloid components are highly irritating and can cause strong irritation to the taste organs. The bitter flavoring agent formulation of the present invention can maximize the bitterness masking effect and effectively mask and eliminate the long-lasting bitter aftertaste caused by the above components, which is significantly superior to existing general bitter flavoring agents.

[0022] Among them, preferably, the weight ratio of the ι-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan and xanthan gum is 1.25:1:1.25; the preferred weight ratio of the ι-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan and xanthan gum has a better effect of correcting the bitter aftertaste and minimizes the effect on the stability of the gel.

[0023] Among them, the study also found that in addition to the conventional flavor correction mechanism, the sulfate groups contained in the carrageenan can also affect the spatial arrangement of the nitrogen-containing group electron cloud in the nitrogen-containing alkaloids, thereby reducing the stimulation of the nitrogen-containing alkaloids on the human bitter receptors and significantly reducing the bitter taste (especially the bitter aftertaste). However, too high a sulfate content can affect the gel state and texture of the carrageenan, which not only reduces the flavor correction effect of the carrageenan on the bitter aftertaste, but also reduces the stability of the gel, which is not conducive to transportation, storage and consumption. Reasonable carrageenan sulfate content can improve the bitter aftertaste and the stability of the gel.

[0024] Therefore, preferably, the sulfate content in the iota-carrageenan is 20-30%, and the sulfate content in the lambda-carrageenan is 20-30%.

[0025] Most preferably, the sulfate content of the iota-carrageenan is 25%, and the sulfate content of the lambda-carrageenan is 25%.

[0026] The study also found that carrageenan viscosity not only affects the stability of the gel, but also its bitter aftertaste correction effect. Preferably, the viscosity of iota carrageenan is 8.0-16.0 cp; the viscosity of lambda carrageenan is 10.0-18.0 cp. The viscosity of the carrageenan is tested by dissolving a 0.5 gram sample in 100 mL of deionized water and measuring the viscosity using an LVDV-1T digital rotational viscometer. The viscosity test was performed at an ambient temperature of 25°C and with a #1 rotor. The preferred carrageenan viscosity combination exhibited both better bitter aftertaste correction and improved gel stability.

[0027] Most preferably, the viscosity of the iota-carrageenan is 12.0 cp; the viscosity of the λ-carrageenan is 14.0 cp.

[0028] The study also found that the viscosity of xanthan gum has a certain impact on the stability of the gel. Preferably, the viscosity of the xanthan gum is 52.0-57.0 cp; most preferably, the viscosity of the xanthan gum is 54.0 cp. The viscosity of the xanthan gum is tested by taking a 0.5 gram sample, dissolving it in 100 mL of deionized water, and measuring the viscosity using an LVDV-1T digital rotational viscometer. During the viscosity test, the ambient temperature is 25°C and the rotor is 1#. The preferred xanthan gum viscosity results in a gel with better gel stability.

[0029] Furthermore, the gel is a gel solution, suspension or emulsion formed by the drug and a solvent.

[0030] Among them, the amount of flavoring agent needs to be determined based on a comprehensive consideration of multiple factors such as the bitterness of the gel, product fluidity requirements, product stability requirements, and cost factors. Technical personnel can make reasonable adjustments based on actual production conditions.

[0031] In order to better achieve the above-mentioned purpose of masking the bitterness of a special bitter Chinese medicine preparation, the present invention also provides the application and application method of the above-mentioned flavor corrective.

[0032] The application of the above bitter flavoring agent in products with bitter taste.

[0033] Preferably, the product having a bitter taste is one of food, Chinese patent medicine, health care product, nutritional product, Chinese medicine preparation, functional beverage, and oral spray.

[0034] Preferably, the product with bitter taste is a traditional Chinese medicine gel; the bitter flavor corrective of the present invention is applied to the traditional Chinese medicine gel, which can well play the role of masking the bitter taste of the Chinese herbal medicine ingredients.

[0035] Furthermore, the bitter flavoring agent is added to a traditional Chinese medicine gel, and the traditional Chinese medicine gel is a traditional Chinese medicine gel containing at least one of coptis chinensis, rutaecarpa, sophora flavescens, phellodendron amurense, lotus seed core, and ephedra.

[0036] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0037] 1. The bitter flavoring agent of the present invention is compounded with two subtypes of carrageenan and xanthan gum to achieve colloidal morphology adjustment, ensure the fluidity of the gel, and avoid the common jelly-like low fluidity defect of flavoring agents containing carrageenan. The bitter flavoring agent of the present invention can better exert the bitter taste masking effect while also having good gel fluidity, especially meeting the high fluidity requirements of pediatric medications, and avoiding the risk of suffocation caused by esophageal / airway obstruction caused by the use of jelly-like bitter flavoring agents.

[0038] 2. The bitter flavoring agent of the present invention can better suppress the residual bitter taste through the optimization of ingredients and ratios, thereby avoiding the disadvantage that traditional flavoring agents are difficult to overcome the bitter aftertaste.

[0039] 3. The bitter flavoring agent of the present invention contains an appropriate ratio of sulfate groups, which allows the flavoring agent to change the spatial arrangement of the electron cloud of the nitrogen-containing group of the bitter nitrogen-containing alkaloid components, thereby reducing the stimulation of the nitrogen-containing alkaloids on bitter taste receptors and significantly reducing the bitter taste (especially the bitter aftertaste). In addition, after applying the corresponding flavoring agent, the gelling agent has a good gel morphology and high stability. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with test examples and specific embodiments. However, this should not be understood as limiting the scope of the present invention to the following embodiments, and all technologies implemented based on the present invention fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0041] 1. Bitterness intensity sensory evaluation experiment

[0042] (1) Screening and training of volunteers;

[0043] Aged 20-28, in good health, with no history of severe allergies, genetic diseases, cholecystitis, smoking, drinking and other bad habits, and no recent oral and throat diseases. Volunteers will be trained in accordance with the requirements of GB / T 23470.1-2009 and a sensory evaluation team will be established. All volunteers will undergo corresponding sensory evaluation training to be familiar with the corresponding procedures and details.

[0044] Quinine sulfate, tannic acid, citric acid, salt and sucrose were used to prepare bitter, astringent, sour, salty and sweet solutions respectively. Volunteers tasted the three samples randomly. If they tasted all the samples correctly, they passed the test and were trained in scoring. No irritation - slight irritation was scored as 0-2.5 points, slight irritation - obvious irritation was scored as 2.5-5 points, obvious irritation - strong irritation was scored as 5-7.5 points, and strong irritation - intense irritation was scored as 7.5-10 points. After preliminary testing, 0.05 mg / mL, 0.1 mg / mL, 0.5 mg / mL, and 1 mg / mL quinine sulfate solutions were prepared as bitter reference solutions with bitterness intensity scores of 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 points, respectively. Pure water was used as a bitter reference solution with a score of 0. Volunteers tasted the sample solutions one by one and were informed of their corresponding bitterness scores. A single-blind experiment was conducted, in which volunteers were given three bitter test solutions and were required to accurately score and rank their bitterness levels using the visual analogue scoring (VAS) method. Those who could not correctly distinguish and rank the three bitter tastes were eliminated, and those who could correctly distinguish and rank the three bitter tastes were included in the volunteer population for formal sensory evaluation experiments.

[0045] (2) Taste scoring method;

[0046] The sensory evaluation experiment was conducted under randomized, single-blind conditions. Volunteers took 15 mL of the test solution and placed it in their mouths, rinsing their mouths for 15 seconds before spitting it out. Each sample was then scored using the VAS.

[0047] No irritation - mild irritation is scored as 0-2.5 points, mild irritation - obvious irritation is scored as 2.5-5 points, obvious irritation - strong irritation is scored as 5-7.5 points, and strong irritation - severe irritation is scored as 7.5-10 points.

[0048] The scoring items include the bitterness score at the entrance (hereinafter referred to as bitterness at the entrance), the peak bitterness score at 15 seconds (the bitterness perception value at the moment when the rinsing action is completed and the test liquid is spit out, hereinafter referred to as peak bitterness), the aftertaste bitterness score at 60 seconds (the bitterness perception value at 60 seconds of the experiment, corresponding to 45 seconds after spitting out the test liquid, hereinafter referred to as aftertaste bitter 1), the aftertaste bitterness at 180 seconds (the bitterness perception value at 180 seconds of the experiment, hereinafter referred to as aftertaste bitter 2) and the aftertaste duration. After tasting each sample, rinse your mouth with clean water first, then eat whole-wheat bread, and rest until the taste is restored before evaluating the next sample to reduce sensory fatigue.

[0049] The data were tested and eliminated for outliers using the Grubbs test at a level of 0.05. After eliminating outliers, the data were calculated as follows.

[0050] The calculation formula of each taste score (I) is as follows: I=(I1+I2+I3+…+I n ) / n

[0051] I1,I2,…,I n is the unpleasant taste value given by each volunteer, and n is the number of volunteers participating in the sensory evaluation

[0052] The bitterness at the entrance, peak bitterness, and aftertaste of the drug together constitute the overall taste of the drug. Based on the sample characteristics and the impact of bitterness at each time point on the patient's compliance with the drug, the weights are assigned as follows: Y 苦 = 30% bitterness at the entrance + 30% bitterness at the peak + 20% bitterness at the aftertaste 1 (60s) +20% bitter aftertaste 2 (180s) .

[0053] The bitterness at the entrance and peak bitterness have the greatest impact on oral taste perception, with each weighing 30% for a total of 60%. The bitterness at the end of the taste buds (60s and 180s) is recorded, with each weighing 20% ​​for a total of 40%.

[0054] The calculation formula of improvement (ΔI%) is as follows: ΔI%=[(I a -I b ) / I a ]*100%

[0055] Among them, I a is the taste score of the sample before flavor correction, I b Score the taste of the samples after flavoring.

[0056] 2. Viscosity test:

[0057] The test sample (the gel after adding the flavoring agent) was placed in a 25°C water bath to maintain a constant temperature. The viscosity was measured at room temperature using an LVDV-1T digital rotational viscometer with a #1 rotor, repeated three times. The viscosity experiments revealed significant differences in the viscosity of the solutions produced when carrageenan (especially ι-carrageenan) was added to deionized water and a traditional Chinese medicine solution at the same ratio. This difference, verified through review of relevant literature, is due to the significant catalytic effect of cations in the solution on carrageenan gelation.

[0058] 3. Stability test

[0059] Seal the test samples in brown glass bottles, six per group, and place them under either high (45°C) or low (4°C) conditions for 10 days. Observe the test samples. Then, test the gel's water-holding capacity using centrifugation: Place a predetermined amount of gel into a weighed centrifuge tube (the empty tube is weighed, weight W0). Centrifuge the tube and gel (weight W1) at 4°C and 5000 rpm for 10 minutes. Pour off the supernatant, absorb any remaining water from the gel surface with filter paper, and weigh the remainder and the centrifuge tube together (weight W2).

[0060] Water holding capacity (%) is expressed as grams of water retained per 100 g of gel: Water holding capacity (%) = (W2 - W0) / (W1 - W0) x 100.

[0061] 4. The Coptidis Rhizome decoction used in the present invention was prepared according to the following standards: soak a certain amount of Coptidis Rhizome for 30 minutes, decoct for 30 minutes, decoct for 20 minutes, combine the two decoctions, filter through gauze, and set aside. The concentration was adjusted to 0.025 g / ml in the finished product before use.

[0062] The bitterness intensity sensory evaluation test and viscosity test were used to evaluate the bitterness of the Coptis chinensis decoction. The results are as follows:

[0063] Example 1:

[0064] A bitter flavoring agent for a gel is prepared by mixing iota-carrageenan (viscosity of 12.0 cp, sulfate content of 25%), lambda-carrageenan (viscosity of 14.0 cp, sulfate content of 25%), and xanthan gum (viscosity of 54.0 cp) in a weight ratio of 1.25:1:1.25.

[0065] The flavoring agent product prepared in Example 1 was added to the coptis chinensis decoction at a ratio of 0.5 wt %, and stirred for uniform mixing (60 r / min, stirring for 1 min). The coptis chinensis decoction with the flavoring agent was subjected to a bitterness intensity sensory test (entry bitterness (0 s), peak bitterness (15 s), aftertaste bitterness 1 (60 s), aftertaste bitterness 2 (180 s)), a stability test, and a viscosity test according to the above experimental method. The specific results are shown in Tables 1 and 2 below.

[0066] Table 1 Bitterness intensity score and viscosity test results

[0067] Table 2 Stability test results

[0068] Analysis of the experimental results in Tables 1 and 2 indicates that the bitter flavoring agent prepared in Example 1 of the present invention significantly reduces the bitterness of the coptis chinensis decoction both on the onset and aftertaste due to the synergistic effect between the specific ratios of iota-carrageenan, lambda-carrageenan, and xanthan gum. Furthermore, the flavoring agent moderately increases the viscosity of the coptis chinensis decoction, resulting in good fluidity. The resulting coptis chinensis gel exhibits excellent stability, lacks stratification, and exhibits good water retention.

[0069] Example 2-9:

[0070] A bitter flavoring agent for gels, comprising a mixture of iota-carrageenan (viscosity 12.0 cp, sulfate content 25%), lambda-carrageenan (viscosity 14.0 cp, sulfate content 25%), and xanthan gum (viscosity 54.0 cp). The specific weight ratios are shown in Table 3.

[0071] Table 3 Ratio of raw material flavoring agents by weight

[0072] The flavoring agent product prepared in Examples 2-9 above was added to the coptis chinensis decoction at a ratio of 0.5 wt %. The coptis chinensis decoction with the flavoring agent was subjected to a bitterness intensity sensory test (entry bitterness (0 s), peak bitterness (15 s), aftertaste bitterness 1 (60 s), aftertaste bitterness 2 (180 s)), a stability test, and a viscosity test according to the above experimental method. The specific results are shown in Tables 4 and 5 below.

[0073] Table 4 Bitterness intensity and viscosity test results

[0074] Table 5 Stability test results

[0075] Analysis of the bitterness intensity, viscosity, and stability data in Tables 4 and 5 shows that the ratio of iota carrageenan, λ-carrageenan, and xanthan gum in the bitter flavorant significantly affects the flavoring effect, viscosity, and stability of the flavorant. The raw material ratio is a necessary condition for forming a synergistic effect between the raw materials. In Example 2, the weight ratio of iota carrageenan in the flavorant is lower than the range specified in the present invention, resulting in a loss of synergistic effect between the raw materials. This significantly reduces the bitterness-correcting effect of the flavorant and reduces the water retention of the gel, making it unsuitable for bitter flavoring.

[0076] In Example 5, the weight ratio of ι-carrageenan in the flavoring agent is higher than the range specified in the present invention, the fluidity of the gel deteriorates, the administration is inconvenient, and the stability is reduced (a small amount of water precipitation occurs), which is not suitable for bitter flavoring of liquid gels.

[0077] In Example 6, the weight ratio of xanthan gum in the flavoring agent is lower than the range specified in the present invention, and the synergistic effect between the raw materials is weakened, which not only leads to a decrease in the flavoring effect of the flavoring agent on bitterness (especially the bitter aftertaste), but also leads to a significant decrease in the stability of the gel (stratification and large amounts of water precipitation), making it unsuitable for bitter flavoring of liquid gels.

[0078] In Example 9, the weight ratio of xanthan gum in the flavoring agent is higher than the range specified in the present invention, and the synergistic effect between the raw materials is weakened, which not only reduces the flavoring effect of the flavoring agent on the bitter aftertaste, but also significantly reduces the fluidity of the gel (high viscosity), making it inconvenient to take and not suitable for bitter flavoring of liquid gels.

[0079] It can be seen that controlling the weight ratio of ι-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan and xanthan gum within the range of 1-1.5:1:1-1.5, the flavoring agent pair not only has an excellent bitter masking effect (especially for the bitter aftertaste), but also ensures that the gel has good fluidity and stability, is more suitable for the production, transportation and administration of liquid gels, and has a positive effect on the large-scale promotion of liquid gels.

[0080] Examples 10-19:

[0081] A bitter flavoring agent for gelling agent, the specific formula is shown in Table 6. The following are the flavoring agent formulas: 1-carrageenan (viscosity of 12.0 cp, sulfate content of 25%), λ-carrageenan (viscosity of 14.0 cp, sulfate content of 25%), xanthan gum (viscosity of 54.0 cp); κ-carrageenan (viscosity of 11.0 cp, sulfate content of 8.5%, tested with reference to the test method of the aforementioned carrageenan); gelatin (viscosity of 1.5 cp); konjac gum (viscosity of 2800.0 cp); and carob bean gum (viscosity of 45.9 cp). The viscosity test method of gelatin, konjac gum, and carob bean gum is as follows: 0.5 gram of sample to be tested is taken, dissolved in 100 mL of deionized water, and the viscosity is measured using an LVDV-1T digital rotational viscometer. During the viscosity test, rotor 1 was used and the ambient temperature was 25°C.

[0082] Table 6 Flavoring agent formula

[0083] The flavoring agent products prepared in Examples 10-19 above were added to the coptis chinensis decoction at a ratio of 0.5 wt%. The coptis chinensis decoction with the flavoring agent was subjected to a bitterness intensity sensory test (entry bitterness (0 s), peak bitterness (15 s), aftertaste bitterness 1 (60 s), aftertaste bitterness 2 (180 s)), a stability test, and a viscosity test according to the above experimental method. The specific results are shown in Tables 7 and 8 below.

[0084] Table 7 Bitterness intensity and viscosity test results

[0085] Table 8 Stability test results

[0086] Analysis of the bitterness intensity, viscosity, and stability data in Tables 7 and 8 shows that the selection of raw material type and type significantly affects the flavor-masking effect, viscosity, and stability. Appropriate raw material selection and coordination are key to achieving optimal technical results. Specifically, in Example 10, while iota carrageenan alone as a flavoring agent has a good bitterness-masking effect, its gelling effect is too strong. As a result, after the flavoring agent is added, the gelling agent directly forms a solid gel, losing fluidity and being unsuitable for use in liquid gels.

[0087] In Example 11, the use of λ-carrageenan alone as a flavoring agent significantly reduced its bitterness-masking effect, making it unsuitable for flavoring liquid gels. In Example 12, the use of xanthan gum alone as a flavoring agent resulted in excellent gel stability, but not only was its bitterness-masking effect poor, but the gel also had poor fluidity, making it unsuitable for flavoring liquid gels.

[0088] In embodiment 13, flavoring agent only uses iota-carrageenan and lambda-carrageenan in combination, not only flavoring and masking bitter effect reduces (especially the flavoring effect of aftertaste bitter is significantly reduced), and the stability of gel is also significantly reduced, is unfavorable for the flavoring, storage and transportation of gel. In embodiment 14, the lambda-carrageenan in embodiment 1 flavoring agent is replaced by kappa-carrageenan, synergistic effect cannot be formed between each raw material, while causing flavoring agent to reduce the flavoring effect of bitter taste, gel becomes solid gel, loses fluidity, and is obviously not suitable for the flavoring of liquid gel.

[0089] In Example 15, kappa-carrageenan was used to replace the iota-carrageenan in the flavoring agent of Example 1, resulting in a failure to form a synergistic effect between the raw materials, and the flavoring effect of the flavoring agent on bitterness was significantly reduced. In Example 16, gelatin was used to replace the xanthan gum in the flavoring agent of Example 1, and a failure to form a synergistic effect between the raw materials, resulting in a reduction in the flavoring effect of the flavoring agent on bitterness, especially a significant reduction in the flavoring effect on aftertaste bitterness. At the same time, the stability of the liquid gel was significantly reduced, making it unsuitable for flavoring gels.

[0090] In embodiment 17, the scheme in reference patent CN100482279C, λ-carrageenan, locust bean gum and xanthan gum are composited by correctives, although there is good bitter effect, but also significantly lower than embodiment 1 to the corrective effect of bitter taste, and gel becomes solid gel, loses fluidity, and is obviously not suitable for the corrective of liquid gel.In embodiment 18, adopt konjac glucomannan to replace the xanthan gum in embodiment 1 correctives, can't form synergistic effect between each raw material, correctives reduces the corrective effect of bitter taste, and gel becomes solid gel, loses fluidity, and is obviously not suitable for the corrective of liquid gel.Embodiment 19, adopt konjac glucomannan to replace the λ-carrageenan in embodiment 1 correctives, cause can't form synergistic effect between each raw material, correctives reduces the corrective effect of bitter taste, and gel becomes solid gel, loses fluidity, and is obviously not suitable for the corrective of liquid gel.

[0091] As can be seen, the kind and type of iota-carrageenan, lambda-carrageenan and xanthan gum in the flavoring agent of the present invention is a necessary condition to realize the bitter taste flavoring effect enhancement and ensure the fluidity of the gel. If the flavoring component selection is inappropriate, the flavoring effect for bitter taste (especially bitter aftertaste) will be significantly reduced, showing a "tailing effect", and the experimenter represents that the bitter taste in the oral cavity can not be eliminated for a long time. After edible whole wheat bread, the taste recovery interval is significantly extended.

[0092] Therefore, the combination of ι-carrageenan, k-carrageenan and xanthan gum can achieve a better bitter taste correction effect compared to the combination of simple λ-carrageenan, xanthan gum or carrageenan and konjac gum, especially the most significant improvement in the bitter aftertaste. At the same time, it can also ensure that the gel has good fluidity and stability, which has a positive effect on the production, transportation and administration of the gel.

[0093] Examples 20-27:

[0094] A bitter flavoring agent for a gel is prepared by mixing iota-carrageenan (viscosity 12.0 cp), λ-carrageenan (viscosity 14.0 cp), and xanthan gum (viscosity 54.0 cp) in a weight ratio of 1.25:1:1.25. The specific content of sulfate groups in the iota-carrageenan and λ-carrageenan is shown in Table 9.

[0095] Table 9 Sulfate group content

[0096] The flavoring agent products prepared in Examples 20-27 above were added to the coptis chinensis decoction at a ratio of 0.5 wt %. The coptis chinensis decoction with the flavoring agent was subjected to a bitterness intensity sensory test (entry bitterness (0 s), peak bitterness (15 s), aftertaste bitterness 1 (60 s), aftertaste bitterness 2 (180 s)), a stability test, and a viscosity test according to the above-mentioned experimental method. The specific structures are shown in Tables 10 and 11.

[0097] Table 10 Bitterness intensity and viscosity test results

[0098] Table 11 Stability test results

[0099] Analysis of the bitterness intensity, viscosity, and stability test data in Tables 10 and 11 shows that the sulfate content of iota-carrageenan and λ-carrageenan in the raw materials of the bitter flavoring agent has a significant impact on the flavoring effect of the flavoring agent; by optimizing the sulfate content in iota-carrageenan and λ-carrageenan, the flavoring agent can have a better bitterness-masking effect.

[0100] Among them, in Example 20, when the sulfate content in the λ-carrageenan was 15%, although the flavoring agent also had a good bitterness-masking effect, its flavoring effect on the bitter aftertaste was significantly different compared to Example 1. At the same time, in Example 23, when the sulfate content in the λ-carrageenan was 35%, although the flavoring agent also had a good bitterness-masking effect, its flavoring effect on the bitter aftertaste was also significantly different compared to Example 1. It can be seen that when the sulfate content in the λ-carrageenan was 20-30%, the flavoring agent had a better bitter aftertaste-masking effect. In addition, the water holding capacity of the gelling agent increased with the increase of the sulfate content in the λ-carrageenan, but the increase was not significant.

[0101] In Example 24, when the content of sulfate groups in iota carrageenan is 15%, although the flavoring agent also has a good bitter masking effect, its flavoring effect on the bitterness at the entrance and peak bitterness is significantly reduced compared to Example 1. At the same time, in Example 27, when the content of sulfate groups in iota carrageenan is 35%, although the flavoring agent also has a good bitter masking effect, its flavoring effect on the bitterness at the entrance and peak bitterness is significantly reduced compared to Example 1, and the fluidity is poorer than that of Example 1. It can be seen that when the content of sulfate groups in iota carrageenan is 20-30%, the flavoring agent has better bitterness at the entrance and peak bitterness. In addition, the water holding capacity of the gel increases with the increase of the content of sulfate groups in iota carrageenan, and the increase is more significant.

[0102] Examples 28-35:

[0103] A bitter flavoring agent for a gel, comprising a mixture of iota-carrageenan (sulfate content: 25%), lambda-carrageenan (sulfate content: 25%), and xanthan gum (viscosity: 54.0 cp) in a weight ratio of 5:4:5. The viscosities of iota-carrageenan and lambda-carrageenan are shown in Table 12.

[0104] Table 12 Carrageenan viscosity

[0105] The flavoring agent products prepared in Examples 28-35 above were added to the coptis chinensis decoction at a ratio of 0.5 wt%. The coptis chinensis decoction with the flavoring agent was subjected to a bitterness intensity sensory test (entry bitterness (0 s), peak bitterness (15 s), aftertaste bitterness 1 (60 s), aftertaste bitterness 2 (180 s)), a stability test, and a viscosity test according to the above experimental method. The specific structures are shown in Tables 13 and 14.

[0106] Table 13 Bitterness intensity and viscosity test results

[0107] Table 14 Stability test results

[0108] Analysis of the bitterness intensity, viscosity, and stability test data in Tables 13 and 14 shows that the viscosity of ι-carrageenan and λ-carrageenan in the bitter flavoring raw materials has a significant impact on the flavoring effect of the flavoring agent; by optimizing the viscosity of ι-carrageenan and λ-carrageenan, the flavoring agent can have a better bitterness-masking effect.

[0109] Among them, in Example 28, when the viscosity of iota carrageenan is about 5cp, although the flavoring agent also has a good bitterness masking effect, compared with Example 1, its flavoring effect on bitterness has a more significant difference, and the viscosity of the gel is also lower, with better fluidity. At the same time, in Example 31, when the viscosity of iota carrageenan is about 20cp, although the flavoring agent has a better bitterness masking effect, compared with Example 1, its effect on the fluidity of the gel is significant, and the fluidity of the gel is significantly reduced, which is not conducive to the application of the flavoring agent in liquid gels. It can be seen that when the viscosity of iota carrageenan is 8-16cp, the flavoring agent has a better flavoring effect while the gel also has better fluidity.

[0110] In Example 32, when the viscosity of λ-carrageenan was approximately 5 cp, although the flavoring agent also had a good bitter masking effect, its effect on the bitter aftertaste was significantly different from that in Example 1, and the gel had a lower viscosity and better fluidity. Meanwhile, in Example 35, when the viscosity of λ-carrageenan was approximately 22 cp, although the flavoring agent also had a good bitter masking effect, its effect on the fluidity of the gel was significant compared to Example 1, significantly reducing the fluidity of the gel, which was not conducive to the use of the flavoring agent in liquid gels. It can be seen that when the viscosity of λ-carrageenan was approximately 10-18 cp, the flavoring agent had a better bitter aftertaste masking effect, and the gel also had better fluidity.

[0111] Experimental example:

[0112] The specific preparation method of Danggui Liuhuang Decoction is as follows: weigh 20g of Angelica sinensis, 20g of Rehmannia glutinosa, 20g of Rehmannia glutinosa, 20g of Phellodendron amurense, 20g of Scutellaria baicalensis, 20g of Coptis chinensis, and 40g of Astragalus membranaceus, add water to soak the slices for 30 minutes, make up the water volume to 750ml, decoct for the first time for 30 minutes, filter, add 745ml of water, decoct for the second time for 20 minutes, filter, combine the two decoctions, and prepare a medicinal solution with a crude drug concentration of 0.2g / L.

[0113] The specific preparation method of Sophora flavescens and Phellodendron chinense decoction is as follows: weigh 20g of Phellodendron chinense, 20g of Sophora flavescens, 20g of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, 15g of Cornus officinalis, 15g of Rehmannia glutinosa, 15g of Scutellaria baicalensis, 15g of Gentiana scabra, 15g of Echinops ternatea, 15g of Honeysuckle, 10g of Alisma orientalis, 10g of Atractylodes macrocephala, 10g of Dictamnus cortex, and 10g of Poria cocos, soak the slices in water for 30min, make up the water volume to 500ml, decoct for the first time for 30min, filter, add 450ml of water, decoct for the second time for 20min, filter, combine the two decoctions, and prepare a medicinal solution with a crude drug concentration of 0.2g / L.

[0114] The specific preparation method of Wuzhuyu Decoction is as follows: weigh 9g of Wuzhuyu, 18g of ginger, 9g of ginseng, and 9g of jujube, add water to soak the pieces for 30 minutes, add the water volume to 125ml, decoct for the first time for 30 minutes, filter, add 100ml of water, decoct for the second time for 20 minutes, filter, combine the two decoctions, and prepare a medicinal solution with a crude drug concentration of 0.2g / L.

[0115] First, the Danggui Liuhuang Decoction, Sophora flavescens and Phellodendron chinense Decoction and Evodia rutaecarpa Decoction prepared above were subjected to sensory tests on bitterness intensity (bitterness at the entrance (0s), peak bitterness (15s), aftertaste bitterness 1 (60s), aftertaste bitterness 2 (180s)) and viscosity tests, and then the flavor correctors prepared in Examples 1, 10 and 17 were added to the Danggui Liuhuang Decoction, Sophora flavescens and Phellodendron chinense Decoction and Evodia rutaecarpa Decoction in amounts of 0.5wt% and 0.25wt%, respectively. Then, the Danggui Liuhuang Decoction, Sophora flavescens and Phellodendron chinense Decoction and Evodia rutaecarpa Decoction after flavor correction were subjected to sensory tests on bitterness intensity (bitterness at the entrance (0s), peak bitterness (15s), aftertaste bitterness 1 (60s), aftertaste bitterness 2 (180s)), stability tests and viscosity tests, and the experimental results were recorded respectively (see Tables 15-20, respectively).

[0116] Table 15 Experimental results of bitterness intensity and viscosity of Danggui Liuhuang Decoction

[0117] Table 16 Danggui Liuhuang Decoction stability test results

[0118] Table 17 Experimental results of bitterness intensity and viscosity of Sophora flavescens and Phellodendron chinense decoction

[0119] Table 18 Stability test results of Kushen Huangbai Decoction

[0120] Table 19 Experimental results of bitterness intensity and viscosity of Wuzhuyu Decoction

[0121] Table 20 Evodia rutaecarpa decoction stability test results

[0122] It can be seen from the experimental data in analysis tables 15-20 that the flavoring agent in embodiment 1 of the present invention not only has excellent flavoring effect, but also does not affect the fluidity of the gel. In embodiments 10 and 17, although there is also good bitter taste corrective effect, the fluidity of the gel can be significantly affected, and after reducing the dosage, although the impact on fluidity can be reduced, its flavoring effect is also significantly reduced (the reduction amplitude is significantly greater than the present application), so the flavoring agent in the present invention is more suitable for the bitter taste corrective of liquid gel.

[0123] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bitter flavoring agent for a gel, characterized in that: The gel is mainly composed of iota-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan and xanthan gum; the weight ratio of the iota-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan and xanthan gum is 1-1.5:1:1-1.5; and the bitter component in the gel is mainly nitrogen-containing alkaloids.

2. The bitter flavoring agent according to claim 1, characterized in that The content of nitrogen-containing alkaloids in the gel is not less than 0.01 mg / mL.

3. The bitter flavor corrective according to claim 1, characterized in that The nitrogen-containing alkaloid is at least one of berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, coptisine, matrine, evodiamine, liesinine and ephedrine.

4. The bitter flavoring agent according to claim 1, characterized in that The weight ratio of the iota-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan and xanthan gum is 1.25:1:1.

25.

5. The bitter flavoring agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The sulfate content of the iota-carrageenan is 20-30%, and the sulfate content of the λ-carrageenan is 20-30%.

6. The bitter flavoring agent according to claim 5, characterized in that The sulfate content in the iota-carrageenan is 25%, and the sulfate content in the λ-carrageenan is 25%.

7. The bitter flavoring agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The viscosity of the iota-carrageenan is 8.0-16.0 cp; the viscosity of the λ-carrageenan is 10.0-18.0 cp.

8. A use of the bitter flavoring agent according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The bitter flavoring agent is used in products with bitter taste.

9. The use of the bitter flavoring agent according to claim 8, characterized in that: The product with bitter taste is a kind of food, Chinese patent medicine, health care product, nutritional product, Chinese medicine preparation, functional beverage, and oral spray.

10. The use of the bitter flavoring agent according to claim 9, characterized in that: The product with bitter taste is a traditional Chinese medicine gel containing at least one of coptis root, evodia rutaecarpa, sophora flavescens, phellodendron amurense, lotus seed core and ephedra.

Images