Beverage Formulation Using Rebaudioside A and Acidulants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage formulations face challenges in achieving desirable taste profiles and nutritional characteristics, particularly when using alternative sweeteners and natural ingredients, as they often result in bitterness and off-tastes, and struggle to meet market demands for reduced calorie content and natural ingredients.
Innovation Solution
The use of rebaudioside A as a non-nutritive sweetener combined with tagatose and erythritol, along with an acidulant comprising lactic, tartaric, and citric acids, in beverage products to enhance taste and nutritional characteristics while maintaining a clear and natural composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If alternative sweeteners (saccharin, Stevia extract, aspartame) are used to reduce calorie content, then nutritional characteristics are improved, but taste quality deteriorates with bitterness and off-tastes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining multiple sweeteners (rebaudioside A, tagatose, erythritol) and multiple acidulants (lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid) into a synergistic formulation. This composite approach allows the mixture to achieve desirable taste profiles while maintaining reduced calorie content, as each component contributes different sensory properties that complement each other and mask bitter notes individually present in simpler formulations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by carefully controlling the ratios and concentrations of sweeteners and acidulants in the formulation. By adjusting these parameters, the invention optimizes the taste profile to eliminate bitterness and off-tastes while preserving the low-calorie characteristic. The specific parameter ranges disclosed in the patent enable reproducible organoleptically pleasing results.
2Adaptability or versatility
If natural ingredients are used to meet consumer demand, then product naturalness is improved, but formulation complexity increases due to need to balance multiple objectives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a multi-functional formulation where the same combination of natural sweeteners and acidulants simultaneously achieves multiple objectives: providing sweetness, reducing calories, eliminating bitterness, and creating organoleptically pleasing taste. This universal formulation can be applied across different beverage types without requiring separate complex formulations for each product category.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If sweetener blends are used to improve taste, then organoleptic properties are improved, but formulation stability becomes challenging to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by establishing specific concentration ranges and ratios for each component in the sweetener and acidulant blends. These controlled parameters ensure formulation stability while maintaining improved organoleptic properties. The patent discloses optimized parameter ranges that prevent precipitation, degradation, or unwanted interactions that could compromise stability.
Data Source
AI summary
Beverage products and methods for making the same are disclosed. The beverage products comprise a non-nutritive sweetener comprising rebaudioside A and at least one of tagatose, and erythritol, and an acidulant comprising lactic, tartaric, and citric acids.