Composition for improving cooling perception, mental alertness and cognitive performance

Abstract

The present invention relates to the compositions comprising at least one cooling agent and at least one tingling agent for use in enhancing coldness perception in an individual. The present invention further relates to compositions and methods for improving mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus and / or sustained attention in an individual.

Description

[0001] COMPOSITION FOR IMPROVING COOLING PERCEPTION, MENTAL ALERTNESS AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to the compositions comprising at least one cooling agent and at least one tingling agent for use in enhancing coldness perception in an individual. The present invention further relates to compositions and methods for improving mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus and / or sustained attention in an individual.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus, and sustained attention are critical aspects of daily functioning and productivity. Various factors, including stress, fatigue, and environmental influences, can adversely affect these cognitive functions.

[0006] In modern society, individuals frequently encounter situations that require prolonged periods of mental alertness and cognitive engagement. These situations can range from professional tasks, academic studies, to any everyday activities.

[0007] However, maintaining high levels of cognitive performance and focus over extended periods can be challenging due to several factors, such as chronic stress and fatigue that are prevalent in today’s fast-paced world. They significantly impair cognitive functions, leading to decreased mental alertness, poor memory retention, and reduced attention span. These conditions can result in suboptimal performance in both professional and personal settings (Smith, A. P., & Broadbent, D. E., 1980. "Effect of noise on performance on a task requiring attention to multiple sources of information." Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 6(2), 314-323).

[0008] External factors such as noise pollution, inadequate lighting, and uncomfortable working conditions can detract from an individual’s ability to concentrate and remain focused. These distractions can interrupt the cognitive process, making it difficult to sustain attention on tasks (Evans, G. W., & Johnson, D., 2000. "Stress and open-office noise." Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(5), 779-783).

[0009] Traditional methods to combat mental fatigue and enhance cognitive performance often involve the use of stimulants such as caffeine, energy drinks, and nootropics. While these substances can provide temporary relief, they come with a range of side effects, including jitteriness, increased heart rate, and potential dependency. Moreover, not all individuals can safely consume these stimulants due to health concerns or personal preferences (Smith, A., 2002. "Effects of caffeine on human behavior." Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40(9), 1243-1255).

[0010] Many cognitive enhancers and stimulants are associated with adverse health effects. For instance, excessive caffeine intake can lead to insomnia, digestive issues, and anxiety. Nootropics, while promising, can sometimes have unproven efficacy and unknown long-term health impacts (Lieberman, H. R., 2001. "The effects of ginseng, ephedrine, and caffeine on cognitive performance, mood and energy." Nutrition Reviews, 59(4), 91-102).

[0011] Given these challenges, there is a need for safer alternatives that can provide immediate and sustained cognitive benefits, such as improving mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus, and sustained attention, without the risk of adverse effects and the drawbacks associated with traditional stimulants and cognitive enhancers.

[0012] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The inventors previously found that sensory properties of refreshing or coldness perception are likely to induce changes in mental energy, as revealed by increases in subjective alertness, performance of attention and EEG activation in the alpha and beta ranges (D. Labbe et al. I Food Quality and Preference 22 (2011) 92-100). However, the treatment in the study induces an undesirable increase in saliva flow.

[0014] The present invention aims to provide an alternative and improved novel composition that combines at least one cooling agent and at least one tingling agent for use in generating coldness or refreshment perception of food and beverage that improves mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus, and sustained attention that is side-effect-free compared to the traditional stimulants and previously disclosed solutions.

[0015] Thus, the present invention relates to a composition comprising

[0016] at least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,

[0017] and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%.

[0018] In an embodiment, the composition according to the present invention is for use in improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention in an individual. In an embodiment, the composition according to the present invention is for use in enhancing coldness perception in an individual.

[0019] In an embodiment, the cooling agent is selected from menthol derivative compounds, acyclic and / or cyclic carboxamides, N-substituted paramenthane carboxamides, phosphine oxides, substituted p-menthanes, menthoxypropane, alpha-keto enamine derivatives, N-substituted p-menthane carboxamide, menthyl half acid ester derivatives, cubebol.

[0020] In an embodiment, the tingling agent is selected from spilanthol, hyperoside, [3-sanshool, a-sanshool, hydroxyl sanshool, saanshool - I, saanshool - II, sanshoamide, chavicine, piperine, echinacea extract, northern prickly ash extract, red pepper oleoresin, sichuan pepper, fruit of zanthoxylum species, and / or other plant extracts including extracts from pepper, onion, garlic, radish, horseradish, mustard, chilli, ginger.

[0021] In an embodiment, the composition according to the present invention is in the form of food composition, food product, dietary supplement, nutritional composition, nutraceutical, powdered nutritional product to be reconstituted in water or milk before consumption, food additive, medicament, beverage and drink, including coffee-based product, oral nutritional supplement (ONS), a complete nutritional formula, a pharmaceutical, a medical or a food product.

[0022] In an embodiment, the food product is frozen dessert including ice cream, sorbet, mellorine, frozen yogurt, milk shake, sherbet, milk ice or water ice.

[0023] The present invention also relates to use of the composition according to the present invention in individuals in need of at least one of i) improving cognitive performance; ii) improving mental alertness; iii) improving focus and / or sustained attention.

[0024] The present invention also relates to use of the composition comprising

[0025] at least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%

[0026] and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%

[0027] for improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention in an individual.

[0028] The present invention also relates to use of the composition comprising

[0029] at least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,

[0030] and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%

[0031] in enhancing coldness perception in an individual.

[0032] The present invention also relates to a method for enhancing coldness perception in an individual, wherein the method comprises administering to the individual the composition according to the present invention. The potential applications and advantages of the composition and its use include enhancing productivity, improving focus and performance in work environments and academic settings, supporting sustained attention during long periods of activity, such as driving or studying, providing a non-stimulant alternative for individuals sensitive to caffeine or other traditional stimulants.

[0033] The present invention thus provides a versatile and effective means of improving mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus, and sustained attention through the combined use of cooling and tingling agent.

[0034] DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0035] Figure 1: Impact of cooling and tingling agents on coldness perception.

[0036] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Definitions

[0038] All percentages are by weight of the total weight of the composition unless expressed otherwise. Similarly, all amounts and all ratios are by weight unless expressed otherwise. When reference is made to the pH, values correspond to pH measured at 25 °C with standard equipment. As used herein, “about,” “approximately” and “substantially” are understood to refer to numbers in a range of numerals, for example the range of -10% to +10% of the referenced number, preferably -5% to +5% of the referenced number, more preferably -1% to +1% of the referenced number, most preferably -0.1% to +0.1% of the referenced number.

[0039] Furthermore, all numerical ranges herein should be understood to include all integers, whole or fractions, within the range. Moreover, these numerical ranges should be construed as providing support for a claim directed to any number or subset of numbers in that range. For example, a disclosure of from 1 to 10 should be construed as supporting a range of from 1 to 8, from 3 to 7, from 1 to 9, from 3.6 to 4.6, from 3.5 to 9.9, and so forth.

[0040] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular form of a word includes the plural, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, the references “a,” “an” and “the” are generally inclusive of the plurals of the respective terms. Similarly, the words “comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising” are to be interpreted inclusively rather than exclusively. Likewise, the terms “include,” “including” and “or” should all be construed to be inclusive, unless such a construction is clearly prohibited from the context. However, the embodiments provided by the present disclosure may lack any element that is not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, a disclosure of an embodiment defined using the term “comprising” is also a disclosure of embodiments “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” the disclosed components.

[0041] Where used herein, the term “example,” particularly when followed by a listing of terms, is merely exemplary and illustrative, and should not be deemed to be exclusive or comprehensive. Any embodiment disclosed herein can be combined with any other embodiment disclosed herein unless explicitly indicated otherwise.

[0042] The “subject” or “individual” of the present invention is a human adult subject, preferably an adult, a child, an infant, an animal, a pet with the need to improve mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus, and sustained attention.

[0043] The relative terms “improved,” “increased,” “enhanced” and the like refer to the effects of the composition in improving mental alertness, cognitive performance, focus, and sustained attention.

[0044] “Mental alertness” refers to a state of being mentally perceptive and responsive to external stimuli (Loftis, C. (2018). Alertness. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham). It involves sustained attention, high sensory awareness, and a readiness to respond quickly to changes in the environment (Campbell, J. P. (1990). A general model of individual differences in performance). Mental alertness also refers to the relief of mental fatigue.

[0045] “Cognitive performance” refers to the level and quality of mental processes involved in the acquisition of knowledge, manipulation of information, and reasoning (Kiely, K.M. (2014). Cognitive Function. In: Michalos, A.C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research). It encompasses various domains of functioning, which are often hierarchical in nature. These domains range from basic sensory and perceptual processes to higher-order executive functions and cognitive control (Harvey PD. Domains of cognition and their assessment Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2019 Sep;21(3):227-237). Motivational performance describes the subjective perception of mental resources available, subjective perception of “feeling of energy” and / or “feeling of vigor” which in turn is linked to cognitive functioning (Egan et al. (2015) Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(3), 336-350). For example, motivational performance is reduced in states of depression and anxiety (O’Connor et al. (2006) Nutrition Reviews, 64(7 Pt 2), S2-6).

[0046] For example, a motor task under incentivized conditions may be measured as an individual’s ability to perform a strenuous motor task, e.g. squeezing a handgrip measuring both force and endurance wherein the performance is normalized for individual muscular strength (Zhu et al. (2019) NeuroImage. Clinical, 23, 101922; Berchio et al., 2019, Strasser et al. 2020).

[0047] For example, a cognitive task under incentivized conditions may be an individual’s ability to perform a strenuous cognitive task, e.g. continuous / sustained attention and working memory (e.g. Unsworth et al. (2019) Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition), mental arithmetic, or spatial reasoning (e.g. Nagase et al. (2015) Journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 38(10), 2631-2651) wherein the performance is normalized for individual capacity to perform this task.

[0048] “Focus” and / or “sustained attention” is the ability to remain focused and fully attentive on the task at hand. Among the different cognitive domains, the ability to retain focus and concentration when tasks require high levels of continuous attention is considered evidence of mental capacity. Specifically, performance declines in vigilance tasks, conceptualized as errors of omission / commission, are thought to be related to mental fatigue, and can provide a proxy of mental performance capacity. Among these vigilance tasks, the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is often used to detect changes in sustained attention (focus / concentration) “Fatigue” or levels of perceived fatigue is a main predictor of the capacity of people to perform demanding tasks. It's a state of weariness that reduces energy, motivation and concentration. Fatigue at this level impacts emotional and psychological well-being, Among the instruments measuring fatigue, the Profile Of Mood States (POMS) has been consistently used to assess fatigue in the context of nutritional interventions. The POMS is a questionnaire consisting of 65 items (37 items for POMS-short form) that load into 6 mood constructs: tension / anxiety, depression / dejection, anger / hostility, fatigue / inertia, confusion / bewilderment, and vigor / activity.

[0049] The terms “food,” “beverage”, “food product”, “beverage product”, “food composition” and beverage composition” mean a product or composition that is intended for ingestion by an individual such as a human and provides at least one nutrient to the individual. The compositions of the present disclosure, including the many embodiments described herein, can comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of the essential elements and limitations described herein, as well as any additional or optional ingredients, components, or limitations described herein or otherwise useful in a diet.

[0050] The composition can be any kind of composition that is suitable for human and / or animal consumption. For example, the composition may be selected from the group consisting of: food compositions, dietary supplements, nutritional compositions, nutraceuticals, powdered nutritional products to be reconstituted in water or milk before consumption, food additives, medicaments, beverages and drinks, including coffee based products (coffee RTD, coffee capsules, etc..). In an embodiment, the composition is an oral nutritional supplement (ONS), a complete nutritional formula, a pharmaceutical, a medical or a food product. In a preferred embodiment, the composition is administered to the individual as a beverage. The composition may be stored in a sachet as a powder and then suspended in a liquid such as water for use.

[0051] As used herein, “complete nutrition” contains sufficient types and levels of macronutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates) and micronutrients to be sufficient to be a sole source of nutrition for the individual to which the composition is administered. Individuals can receive 100% of their nutritional requirements from such complete nutritional compositions.

[0052] Administration of the compositions of the invention encompass “enteral administration” in all forms, although oral administration is preferred.

[0053] Embodiments

[0054] The present invention relates to a composition comprising

[0055] at least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,

[0056] and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%.

[0057] In an embodiment, the composition according to the present invention is for use in improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention in an individual.

[0058] In an embodiment, the composition according to the present invention is for use in enhancing coldness perception in an individual. By “cooling agent” is to be understood any agent that imparts a cooling sensation to the skin and mucous membranes of the body, particularly the mouth, nose, throat and gastrointestinal tract during consumption. Cooling agents are known in the art, for example from US 7,090,832.

[0059] In an embodiment, the cooling agent is selected from menthol derivative compounds, acyclic and / or cyclic carboxamides, N-substituted paramenthane carboxamides, phosphine oxides, substituted p-menthanes, menthoxypropane, alpha-keto enamine derivatives, N-substituted p-menthane carboxamide, menthyl half acid ester derivatives, cubebol.

[0060] Preferably, the composition comprises the cooling agent in an amount of 0.01-0.10 wt%, preferably 0.02-0.08 wt%, more preferably 0.02-0.05 wt%.

[0061] By “tingling agent” is to be understood agents which trigger a trigeminal perception. These tingling agents may be selected from a plethora of compounds (plant extracts or synthetic compounds) that are known in the art to provide a tingling sensation and are used accordingly in a number of food products.

[0062] Preferably, the composition comprises the tingling agent in an amount of 0.05-0.2 wt%, preferably 0.05-0.1 wt%, more preferably 0.05-0.08 wt%.

[0063] In an embodiment, the tingling agent is selected from spilanthol, hyperoside, [3-sanshool, a-sanshool, hydroxyl sanshool, saanshool - I, saanshool - II, sanshoamide, chavicine, piperine, echinacea extract, northern prickly ash extract, red pepper oleoresin, sichuan pepper, fruit of zanthoxylum species, and / or other plant extracts including extracts from pepper, onion, garlic, radish, horseradish, mustard, chilli, ginger.

[0064] In an embodiment, the composition according to the present invention is in the form of food composition, food product, dietary supplement, nutritional composition, nutraceutical, powdered nutritional product to be reconstituted in water or milk before consumption, food additive, medicament, beverage and drink, including coffee-based product, oral nutritional supplement (ONS), a complete nutritional formula, a pharmaceutical, a medical or a food product.

[0065] The present invention also relates to use of the composition according to the present invention in individuals in need of at least one of i) improving cognitive performance; ii) improving mental alertness; iii) improving focus and / or sustained attention.

[0066] The present invention also relates to use of the composition comprising

[0067] at least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,

[0068] and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%

[0069] for improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention in an individual.

[0070] The present invention also relates to use of the composition comprising at least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,

[0071] and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%

[0072] in enhancing coldness perception in an individual.

[0073] The present invention also relates to a method for enhancing coldness perception in an individual, wherein the method comprises administering to the individual the composition according to the present invention.

[0074] In an embodiment, the composition is administered orally.

[0075] In an embodiment, the composition is a food, a beverage, a food supplement or a dietary supplement.

[0076] In an embodiment, the composition is in the form of an RTD, an RTD coffee, a coffee capsule, a tablet, a gummy or powder sachet.

[0077] Composition formulations

[0078] In one embodiment, the compositions are food compositions, including human and pet food compositions. In several embodiments, the food composition is a product with at least one nutrient for improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention.

[0079] For pet food compositions, they may supply the necessary dietary requirements for an animal, animal treats (e.g., biscuits), or dietary supplements. The compositions may be a dry composition (e.g., kibble), semi-moist composition, wet composition, or any mixture thereof. In another embodiment, the composition is a dietary supplement such as a gravy, drinking water, beverage, yogurt, powder, granule, paste, suspension, chew, morsel, treat, snack, pellet, pill, capsule, tablet, or any other suitable delivery form. The dietary supplement is to be administered to the animal in small amounts, or in the alternative, can be diluted before administration to an animal. The dietary supplement may require admixing or can be admixed with water or other diluent prior to administration to the animal.

[0080] In another embodiment, the composition is in the form of a food supplement or dietary supplement, in particular in the form of a tablet, a powder sachet or a gummy.

[0081] In a preferred embodiment, the composition is in the form of an effervescent tablet.

[0082] The effervescent tablets can be produced and controlled same as conventional tablets. These controls include physicochemical properties such as hardness, weight variation, friability, solution time, pH and content uniformity. The effervescent tablets can be produced by a direct compression method, a fusion method, a wet or dry granulation method, or any other suitable method. Low relative humidity (e.g., maximum of 25% or less) and moderate to cool temperatures (e.g., about 25 °C or 77 °F) in the environment may be essential to prevent sticking granule or tablets to the tablet press machine.

[0083] In the direct compression method, the effervescent tablet can be formed by compressing the ingredients in the form of powders into a dense mass, for example, by a tablet press machine. The powdered ingredients may be first granulized to similar or equal sizes before being made into tablets, so that the mixtures of powder have excellent flowability without particles segregation. Granulating may not be required if the raw materials are selected to achieve a free-flowing, nonsegregating, compressible powder blend. The tablets can then be dried by heat, such as in an oven with air circulation, at a suitable temperature for a suitable time and after cooling can be packed in a suitable package.

[0084] In the fusion method, the ingredients can be mixed in a suitable mixer, such as a blender, for an appropriate time. Then, the obtained mixture can be heated to a suitable temperature. The powder may be mixed regularly until the crystallization water of citric acid is released as binder factor (e.g., approximately 30 minutes) and an appropriate pasty mass is obtained. This wet mass can be passed through a sieve to obtain the desired granules, which can then be dried at a suitable temperature for an appropriate time. After drying, the granules can be passed through the sieve again. Other ingredients can be added to the granule mass and mixed for a suitable time. The granule mixtures then can be compressed into tablets by the tablet press machine. Finally, the tablets can be dried and packed in a suitable package.

[0085] In the wet granulation method, the ingredients may be milled by a miller, either separately or as a mixture with ethanol, ethanol-water mixture, isopropanol, etc., and the obtained powder can be passed through a sieve and then blended. A binder solution can be added to the mixture to form a pasty mass. This pasty mass can then be passed through a sieve to obtain desired granules, which can then dried. The dried mass can be passed through a sieve again, and other ingredients can be added and mixed. The obtained granule mixtures then can be compressed into tablets by the tablet press machine. Finally, the tablets can be dried and packed in a suitable package. Wet granulation can also be performed by carefully adding 0.1 to 1.0 percent water (weight-to-weight basis) to a blend of raw materials that possess the uniformity, compressibility, and flowability needed to produce good-quality tablets, but which lacks the needed binding properties. The free water which is usually added in the form of a fine spray to selected formulation components while mixing in a suitable blender acts as a binder. The granulation steps must be precisely timed and the ingredients mixed thoroughly to distribute the granulating fluid evenly in the blend. The mix is then quickly discharged to drying ovens. After drying, the granules are sized, and a final mix is performed. The granules are then compressed into tablets using tablet machines.

[0086] The dry granulation method can use special processing equipment known as a “roller compactor” or “chilsonator.” These machines compress premixed powders between two counterrotating rollers under extreme pressure. Depending on the configuration of the roller, the feed material may be compacted into dense ribbon-like materials known as flakes (smooth rolls) or dense briquettes (almond or stick-shaped) if the rollers have grooved or etched surfaces. The compressed material is reduced to the proper size for tablet granulation purposes. Another dry granulation procedure is slugging, in which the powder particles are compressed into large flat tablets or pellets using a tablet press or more usually, a heavy-duty tablet-compacting equipment. The resulting tablet or slug are milled to yield the desired granule characteristics.

[0087] The effervescent tablet can be made in any shape and can have any suitable size. As non-limiting examples, the tablet can be 5 mm to 20 mm long, thick, and / or in diameter if having a round shape. The size of the tablet can be from 5 mm to 10 mm, 5 mm to 15 mm, 10 mm to 15 mm, 10 mm to 20 mm, or 15 mm to 20 mm.

[0088] The effervescent tablet may comprise a binder, such as polyvinylpyrolidone (PVP) or any other suitable binder. The binder is preferably water-soluble. It can be added as dry powder or in a wet form as an aqueous or hydroalcoholic solution. Mannitol, PEG 6000 and water in small amounts can also be used as a binder. PEG 6000 at 3% use level can be used as a dry binder. The ideal amount of binder is one that makes the tablet hard enough to handle but soft enough to disintegrate and dry enough to be stable. The effervescent tablet may also be formulated without a binder.

[0089] Beverage compositions

[0090] In one embodiment, the compositions are beverage compositions. Such beverage compositions are meant to be consumed by a human or animal. In several embodiments, the beverage is a milk-based beverage; a performance nutrition product, a medical nutrition product; a milk product, e.g. a milk drink, a product with at least one nutrient for improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention.

[0091] Dairy product In one embodiment, the composition can be formulated as a “dairy product” together with milk proteins, e.g., milk protein concentrate or milk protein isolate; caseinates or casein, e.g., micellar casein concentrate or micellar casein isolate; or whey protein, e.g., whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate. Additionally, or alternatively, at least a portion of the protein can be plant protein such as one or more of soy protein, pea protein or canola protein.

[0092] Nutritional supplement

[0093] In one embodiment, the composition of the invention can be formulated as a “nutritional supplement” together with compounds of the invention. The compounds of the invention can be used alone or in combination with appropriate additives to make tablets, gummies, powders, granules or capsules, for example, with conventional additives, such as lactose, mannitol, corn starch or potato starch; with binders, such as crystalline cellulose, cellulose functional derivatives, acacia, corn starch or gelatins; with disintegrators, such as corn starch, potato starch or sodium carboxymethylcellulose; with lubricants, such as talc or magnesium stearate; and if desired, with diluents, buffering agents, moistening agents, preservatives and flavoring agents.

[0094] Administration

[0095] The composition of the invention can be administered at least one day per week, preferably at least two days per week, more preferably at least three or four days per week (e.g., every other day), most preferably at least five days per week, six days per week, or seven days per week. The time period of administration can be at least one week, preferably at least one month, more preferably at least two months, most preferably at least three months, for example at least four months. In an embodiment, dosing is at least daily; for example, a subject may receive one or more doses daily. In some embodiments, the administration continues for the remaining life of the individual. In other embodiments, the administration occurs until no detectable symptoms of the condition remain. In specific embodiments, the administration occurs until a detectable improvement of at least one symptom occurs and, in further cases, continues to remain ameliorated.

[0096] The ideal duration of the administration of the composition can be determined by those of skill in the art.

[0097] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

[0098] Examples

[0099] Example 1

[0100] A range of water-based beverages containing different levels of cooling and tingling agents (flavourings) was scored on coldness perception using a 10 cm visual analogue scale by seven trained sensory panelists.

[0101] In this example, cyclohexanecarboxamide, the active molecule in the cooling ingredient, stimulates the trigeminal nerve by activation of the peripheral receptor TRMP8 generating coldness perception. The activation of the peripheral receptor TRPA1 by sanshol derivatives contains in the tingling ingredient in the example amplified at a central level the coldness perception.

[0102] The water-based beverage containing 0.01 wt% of cooling agent and 0.1 wt% of tingling agent was perceived in average colder than the same beverage in absence of tingling flavouring or with its amount equal or less than 0.04 wt%. Tingling flavouring alone at 0.1% is not perceived cold (Fig.1).

Claims

CLAIMS1. A composition comprisingat least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein it is for use in improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention in an individual.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein it is for enhancing coldness perception in an individual.

4. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling agent is selected from menthol derivative compounds, acyclic and / or cyclic carboxamides, N-substituted paramenthane carboxamides, phosphine oxides, substituted p-menthanes, menthoxypropane, alpha-keto enamine derivatives, N-substituted p-menthane carboxamide, menthyl half acid ester derivatives, cubebol.

5. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tingling agent is selected from spilanthol, hyperoside, [3-sanshool, a-sanshool, hydroxyl sanshool, saanshool - I, saanshool - II, sanshoamide, chavicine, piperine, echinacea extract, northern prickly ash extract, red pepper oleoresin, sichuan pepper, fruit of zanthoxylum species, and / or other plant extracts including extracts from pepper, onion, garlic, radish, horseradish, mustard, chilli, ginger.

6. The composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition is in the form of food composition, food product, dietary supplement, nutritional composition, nutraceutical, powdered nutritional product to be reconstituted in water or milk before consumption, food additive, medicament, beverage and drink, including coffee-based product, oral nutritional supplement (ONS), a complete nutritional formula, a pharmaceutical, a medical or a food product.

7. Use of the composition of any one of the preceding claims in individuals in need of at least one of i) improving cognitive performance; ii) improving mental alertness; iii) improving focus and / or sustained attention.

8. Use of the composition comprisingat least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%for improving mental alertness, cognitive performance or / and focus and / or sustained attention in an individual.

9. Use of the composition comprisingat least one cooling agent in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 wt%,and at least one tingling agent in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 wt%in enhancing coldness perception in an individual.

10. A method for enhancing coldness perception in an individual, wherein the method comprises administering to the individual the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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