Amorphous Rebaudioside B Sweetener Solubility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extracting and purifying steviol glycosides from the Stevia rebaudiana plant face challenges due to undesirable taste attributes like bitterness and licorice flavor, which become more pronounced as concentration increases, limiting the commercialization of stevia sweeteners, and rebaudioside B is often viewed as an impurity without significant evaluation of its potential as a sweetener or flavor modifier.
Innovation Solution
A process involving partial conversion of rebaudioside A to rebaudioside B under elevated pH conditions in aqueous media, followed by thermal treatment to enhance solubility, results in a high-purity rebaudioside B that can be used as a sweetener and flavor modifier in various food products, improving the taste profile of stevia sweeteners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If steviol glycosides are extracted and purified to high concentration, then sweetness intensity is improved, but undesirable taste attributes (bitterness, licorice flavor) worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates rebaudioside B from the complex mixture of steviol glycosides. By separating this specific component from the other glycosides that contribute bitterness and licorice flavor, the invention achieves high sweetness intensity while eliminating undesirable taste attributes. The purification process specifically targets reb B extraction and removal of other glycosides.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating a purified product with specific compositional characteristics. The final product contains rebaudioside B at high purity (≥95%), concentrating the desirable sweetness properties while excluding the harmful taste components found in crude extracts or less purified products.
2Manufacturing precision
If rebaudioside B is produced through conventional purification methods, then purity is improved, but solubility worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes in the form of thermal treatment (heating to elevated temperatures followed by controlled cooling) to modify the physical properties of rebaudioside B. This thermal processing alters the crystalline structure or molecular arrangement, transforming the substance from a low-solubility crystalline form to a high-solubility amorphous form while maintaining high purity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional extraction methods are used, then production cost is reduced, but product versatility worsens due to limited application range
Solution Approach 1:
By applying thermal treatment to convert rebaudioside B into its amorphous, highly soluble form, the invention dramatically expands the product's versatility. The improved solubility enables use in a wide range of food and beverage applications including carbonated drinks, dairy products, baked goods, and confectionery, whereas the low-solubility conventional product would be limited in its applicability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process yields a high-purity rebaudioside B with increased solubility and improved sensory attributes, enhancing the use of stevia sweeteners in food and beverages by reducing bitterness and aftertaste, thus offering significant advantages for their application in various products.
Implementation Method 1
dispersing the stevia sweetener in the alkaline solution and incubating for about 12 to 48 hours at about 55-75°C to form a mixture
Implementation Method 2
suspending the stevia composition in water and incubating at an elevated temperature for about 1-3 hours
Implementation Method 3
cooling the mixture to about 10-30°C and adjusting the pH with acid to about pH 3.0-4.0; incubating the mixture at low temperature to obtain a precipitate
Data Source
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AI summary
Amorphous stevia compositions are prepared from steviol glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The amorphous composition has greater than 20% solubility in water at room temperature. The composition comprises rebaudioside B. The composition is obtained via a process involving spray drying.