Flavonoid Taste Modifiers for Sweet-Sour Balance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food and beverage products face challenges in balancing sweet and sour tastes without using high concentrations of sweeteners, which can lead to unpleasant acidic taste impressions and health issues associated with high sugar content, while reducing sugar content disrupts this balance and may not be feasible due to microbial stability requirements.
Innovation Solution
An aroma composition comprising taste modifiers with specific chemical formulas, such as phloretin and hesperetin, that mask or reduce acidic taste impressions without providing a sweetness impression above 1.5% sucrose equivalents, allowing for improved sweet/sour balance and mouthfeel without enhancing existing sweet substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If high concentrations of sweeteners are used to mask acidic taste, then the sweet/sour balance is improved, but health issues associated with high sugar content and unpleasant aftertaste occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces taste modifiers (flavonoids like phloretin and hesperetin) as intermediary substances that mediate between the acidic taste and the desired sweet/sour balance. These modifiers interact with taste receptors to suppress acidic perception without requiring high concentrations of traditional sweeteners, thus avoiding the harmful effects of excessive sugar intake and unpleasant aftertaste associated with conventional sweeteners.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the taste modulation system by using specific flavonoid compounds with defined molecular structures (formula I) instead of conventional sweeteners. This parameter change enables taste modification at lower concentrations, achieving the desired sweet/sour balance while avoiding the health issues and aftertaste problems associated with high sugar content and traditional sweetener overuse.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sugar content is reduced to address health issues, then health problems are mitigated, but the sweet/sour balance is disrupted and acidic taste becomes unpleasant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs taste modifiers as intermediary agents that compensate for the reduced sweetness when sugar content is lowered. These flavonoid compounds interact with taste receptors to maintain the sweet/sour balance even in low-sugar formulations, allowing health benefits of reduced sugar intake while preventing the unpleasant acidic taste that would otherwise result.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the taste perception parameters by introducing flavonoid compounds that alter taste receptor responses. This enables the maintenance of acceptable sweet/sour balance at reduced sugar concentrations, addressing health concerns while preventing the disruption of taste balance that would make acidic taste unpleasant in low-sugar products.
3Ease of operation
If acid components are reduced to improve sweet/sour balance, then sweetness perception is enhanced, but microbial stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses taste modifiers as intermediary substances that decouple the relationship between acid content and taste perception. These flavonoids mediate taste modulation independently of the acid components, allowing reduction of acid concentrations to improve sweet/sour balance while maintaining the microbial stability provided by the acid-preserving formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the taste perception parameters through flavonoid addition, enabling optimization of sweet/sour balance without compromising the acid content necessary for microbial stability. This parameter change allows independent optimization of taste and preservation properties.
4Ease of operation
If traditional sweeteners are used to mask acidic taste, then sweet taste impression is enhanced, but taste-related problems such as bitter aftertaste and pronounced flavor impressions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs taste modifiers that provide temporary, targeted taste modulation without the persistent unwanted effects of traditional sweeteners. These flavonoid compounds offer a cleaner taste profile that enhances sweetness without leaving bitter aftertaste or pronounced flavor impressions, effectively acting as a disposable taste solution that resolves the problem and leaves no negative residue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition of the taste modulation system by using flavonoid compounds with specific molecular structures (formula I) instead of conventional sweeteners. This parameter change results in a cleaner taste profile that enhances sweet taste impression without generating the bitter aftertaste and pronounced flavor impressions characteristic of traditional sweetener overuse.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an aroma composition comprising at least one taste modifier having the general formula I or a salt thereof, a semi-finished product comprising such an aroma composition, a finished product comprising such an aroma composition and/or such a semi-finished product, the use of at least one specific taste modifier and a method for improving the sweet/sour balance and/or reducing the sweet/sour imbalance and/or improving the mouthfeel in a preparation.