Beverage Bitterness Reduction via Catechin-Cyclodextrin Complexes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverages with high concentrations of non-polymer catechins tend to have a strongly bitter taste, making them unsuitable for regular consumption, and existing methods to reduce bitterness, such as using cyclodextrins or artificial sweeteners, often impair the original flavor or are insufficient.
Innovation Solution
A packaged beverage containing 0.05 to 0.5% non-polymer catechins and 0.00001 to 0.005% thaumatin, combined with glycyrrhizin, sorbitol, and other sweetening agents at specific ratios, effectively reduces bitterness while maintaining the beverage's flavor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high concentration of non-polymer catechins is added to a beverage, then the physiological effects (cholesterol suppression, amylase inhibition) are enhanced, but the bitterness of the beverage increases strongly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cyclodextrin as an intermediary substance to complex with catechins, forming a inclusion complex that reduces the direct interaction between catechins and taste receptors. This mediator approach allows high concentrations of catechins (0.05-0.5% by mass) to be present in the beverage while the cyclodextrin masks the bitter taste by encapsulating the catechin molecules, thus resolving the contradiction between physiological effectiveness and bitterness reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system combining catechins with cyclodextrin in specific ratios (cyclodextrin to catechin mass ratio of 2.5:1 or higher). This composite material approach allows the beneficial physiological effects of high-concentration catechins to be preserved while the cyclodextrin component provides bitterness reduction, effectively addressing both requirements simultaneously
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cyclodextrin is used to reduce bitterness, then the bitter taste is suppressed, but the original flavor of the beverage may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of both cyclodextrin (0.1-20% by mass) and catechins (0.05-0.5% by mass) to achieve the desired balance. By carefully controlling these parameters within specific ranges, the patent reduces bitterness effectively while minimizing flavor impairment, as the optimized concentrations ensure sufficient cyclodextrin for bitterness suppression without excessive amounts that would mask the original beverage flavor
3Reliability
If the concentration of catechins is increased to achieve physiological effects, then the health benefits are improved, but the palatability of the beverage decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Cyclodextrin serves as a mediator that enables high concentrations of catechins (0.05-0.5% by mass) to be incorporated into the beverage while maintaining palatability. The cyclodextrin inclusion complexes allow the catechins to remain bioavailable for physiological effects while the complex structure reduces direct interaction with taste receptors, thus improving ease of consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the concentration parameter of cyclodextrin to specific ranges (0.1-20% by mass, preferably 1-10%) that optimize both physiological effectiveness and palatability. This parameter optimization ensures that sufficient cyclodextrin is present to mask bitterness and improve drinkability, while allowing high catechin concentrations to deliver the desired health benefits
Data Source
AI summary
To reduce the bitterness of a packaged beverage which contains a high concentration of non-polymer catechins, without deteriorating the flavor of the beverage, provided is a packaged beverage including 0.05 to 0.5% by mass of (A) non-polymer catechins and (B) a sweetening agent selected from the following sweetening agents (B1), (B2), (B3), and (B4): (B1) 0.0001 to 0.5% by mass of glycyrrhizin; (B2) 0.00001 to 0.005% by mass of thaumatin; (B3) 0.01 to 5% by mass of (b31) sorbitol and 0.001 to 5% by mass of (b32) a sweetening agent other than sorbitol, in which a ratio of (b32)/(b31) (mass ratio) is 0.01 to 100; and (B4) 0.01 to 5% by mass of (b41) erythritol and 0.01 to 5% by mass of (b42) one or more kinds selected from glucose, fructose, a glucose-fructose syrup, and a fructose-glucose syrup.