Flavonoid Sweetener Blends for Sucrose-Like Taste Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steviol glycoside and mogroside sweeteners exhibit undesirable taste properties such as licorice taste, bitterness, astringency, and a distinct aftertaste, limiting their use in beverages, and they also fail to provide the desired sweetness level comparable to sucrose.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating flavonoids, specifically rebaudioside M and siamenoside I, into steviol glycoside and mogroside blends to enhance sweetness and modulate taste attributes, making beverages taste more like sucrose-sweetened beverages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If steviol glycoside and mogroside sweeteners are used to provide non-caloric sweetness, then caloric content is reduced, but undesirable taste properties such as licorice taste, bitterness, and astringency increase
Solution Approach 1:
Flavonoid compounds are introduced as intermediary substances that mediate between the steviol glycoside/mogroside sweeteners and the consumer's taste perception. The flavonoids mask the undesirable licorice, bitter, and astringent tastes while allowing the sweetening function to remain effective, thus resolving the contradiction between non-caloric benefit and taste quality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite sweetening system by combining steviol glycosides or mogrosides with flavonoid compounds. This composite formulation integrates the non-caloric sweetening property of the diterpene glycosides with the taste-modifying properties of flavonoids, achieving both low caloric content and improved taste profile
2Quantity of substance
If the concentration of steviol glycoside and mogroside sweeteners is increased to achieve desired sweetness level, then sweetness intensity increases, but undesirable taste properties become more prominent
Solution Approach 1:
Flavonoid compounds serve as intermediary substances that enable higher concentrations of steviol glycosides or mogrosides to be used without amplifying the negative taste effects. The flavonoids selectively interact with the bitter and astringent taste receptors, blocking these unpleasant sensations while permitting the sweet taste to dominate, thus allowing increased sweetness intensity without proportional increase in bitterness
3Object-generated harmful factors
If natural caloric sugars like sucrose are used to provide superior sweetness characteristics, then taste preference is improved, but caloric content increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the sweetening system by using flavonoid compounds that modify taste perception parameters. The flavonoids alter the temporal profile, flavor profile, and taste characteristics of the steviol glycoside or mogroside blend, making them more similar to sucrose in terms of taste preference while maintaining the non-caloric advantage
Solution Approach 2:
A composite sweetening formulation is created that combines the non-caloric steviol glycosides or mogrosides with flavonoid compounds to replicate the superior taste characteristics of caloric sugars. This composite material achieves taste preference comparable to sucrose without the associated caloric content
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and consumables comprising certain sweeteners and at least one flavonoid of Formula I are provided herein, wherein the at least one sweetener is selected from certain steviol glycoside and/or mogroside sweeteners. The at least one flavonoid enhances the sweetness of the consumable and/or modulates one or more taste attributes to make the consumable taste more like a sucrose-sweetened consumable. Methods of enhancing the sweetness of a consumable, methods of making a consumable taste more like a sucrose-sweetened consumable and methods of preparing consumables are also detailed herein.