Effervescent Composition for Bitter Taste Masking and Quantification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for masking bitter tastes in pharmaceutical compositions are inefficient, often requiring large amounts of taste masking substances and can leave additional unpleasant tastes, while quantitative evaluation of bitterness perception is challenging due to subjective human taste tests.
Innovation Solution
An effervescent composition comprising a ratio of sodium bicarbonate to citric acid is used to increase the electric potential of bitter molecules, reducing bitterness perception and allowing for objective determination through electric potential measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If taste masking substances are added to mask bitter tastes, then bitterness perception is reduced, but additional unpleasant taste perception remains and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the taste masking function from traditional taste masking substances and transfers it to the effervescent reaction itself. The effervescent combination (citric acid and sodium bicarbonate) generates CO2 bubbles that physically mask the bitter taste of the API, eliminating the need for separate taste masking substances that would add their own unpleasant tastes.
Solution Approach 2:
The effervescent combination serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the therapeutic effect (as the API itself or as a delivery vehicle), creates effervescence for taste masking, and enhances patient acceptability. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional dedicated taste masking substances.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If large amounts of taste masking substances are used to achieve acceptable taste masking, then bitterness perception is reduced, but costs increase and additional unpleasant taste perception remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for large quantities of taste masking substances by integrating the masking function into the effervescent reaction mechanism. The CO2 bubbles generated during dissolution provide physical masking of the bitter taste, requiring no additional substantial additives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and behavior of the API by formulating it as an effervescent composition. The rapid dissolution and effervescence generation alter how the API interacts with taste receptors, masking the bitter taste through the effervescent action rather than through chemical interaction with large amounts of masking substances.
3Ease of operation
If human taste testing is used to evaluate bitterness perception, then qualitative assessment is possible, but quantitative evaluation is not possible and subject variability is extreme
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the biological/mechanical human taste testing system with an electrochemical measurement system. By measuring the electric potential generated during the effervescent reaction, the patent obtains objective, quantitative data about bitterness perception without relying on human subjects, thereby eliminating subject variability and enabling precise measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electric potential measurement as an intermediary parameter that correlates with bitterness perception. Instead of directly measuring human sensory response, the electric potential generated during effervescence serves as an objective mediator that quantifies the taste masking effect without requiring human subjects.
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 effervescent composition effectively masks bitter tastes and provides a quantitative method for bitterness perception, eliminating the need for large taste masking substances and subjective human testing.
Implementation Method 1
an effervescent combination, such as comprising sodium bicarbonate and citric acid
Implementation Method 2
bitterness perception can be determined in vitro using electric potential measurements
Data Source
AI summary
An effervescent composition is provided herein that includes an effervescent combination including sodium bicarbonate and citric acid to taste mask the bitter taste perception of various molecules or compositions, such as an active pharmaceutical ingredient or a composition including an active pharmaceutical ingredient. Also provided is a method of reducing bitterness perception of a molecule or composition by adding the effervescent combination; and a method of determining bitterness perception of a molecule or a composition by measuring electric potential and optionally adjusting the bitterness perception of the molecule or composition by adding the effervescent combination.