Stevia Encapsulation in Carbohydrate Crystals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Natural sweeteners like Stevia extracts face challenges due to their bitter taste and aftertaste, poor solubility, and tendency to crystallize, making it difficult to create stable, highly concentrated solutions for use in food and pharmaceutical applications.
Innovation Solution
A powder composition comprising crystallizable carbohydrates (e.g., sucrose) with Stevia extract encapsulated in their crystal structure, enhancing organoleptic properties and stability, and a manufacturing process involving spray drying to ensure homogeneous crystallization and amorphous structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If stevia extract is used as a sweetener, then sweetening power is improved, but bitter taste and aftertaste worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The stevia extract is encapsulated within the crystal structure of crystallizable carbohydrates. The carbohydrate crystals act as a container or matrix that holds the stevia extract internally, preventing direct contact between the bitter-tasting stevia compounds and the consumer's taste buds while still delivering the sweetening effect
Solution Approach 2:
Crystallizable carbohydrates serve as an intermediary substance between the stevia extract and the consumer. This intermediary carrier masks the bitter taste of stevia by physically separating it from the tongue while still allowing the sweetening function to be delivered through the encapsulated structure
2Quantity of substance
If stevia extract concentration is increased, then sweetening power is improved, but solubility and stability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting stevia extract within carbohydrate crystal structures, the invention enables high concentrations of stevia to be incorporated without causing solubility problems. The crystal matrix provides a stable framework that prevents precipitation and maintains homogeneity even at high stevia concentrations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material combining stevia extract with crystallizable carbohydrates. This composite structure leverages the solubility and stability properties of the carbohydrate component while incorporating the high sweetening power of stevia, achieving a balanced formulation that overcomes the limitations of pure stevia
3Ease of manufacture
If simple physical mixture of stevia extract and sucrose is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but sensory profile worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the manufacturing simplicity of physical mixing with the superior sensory profile of encapsulation. By using a single-step spray drying process that simultaneously forms carbohydrate crystals and encapsulates stevia extract within them, the method achieves both ease of manufacture and improved sensory characteristics without requiring multiple sequential coating steps
4Stability of the object's composition
If successive coating techniques are used, then encapsulation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple functions into a single manufacturing step. The spray drying process simultaneously achieves carbohydrate crystallization, stevia extract encapsulation, and product formation in one operation, eliminating the need for multiple sequential coating steps while maintaining effective encapsulation quality
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 composition achieves improved sweetening power, reduced bitterness, and enhanced stability, allowing for the production of stable, highly concentrated Stevia-based sweeteners suitable for various food and pharmaceutical preparations.
Implementation Method 1
spray drying of a homogeneous and stable syrup... to obtain particles of amorphous structure
Implementation Method 2
homogeneous crystallization of the above stevia extract and the above crystallizable carbohydrate or the above mixture of crystallizable carbohydrates
Implementation Method 3
said stevia extract in its amorphous form being encapsulated in the crystals of the above-mentioned crystallizable carbohydrate
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3C
Figure 4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a powdered composition of crystals comprising: - crystals of a crystallizable carbohydrate or a mixture of crystallizable carbohydrates in a proportion of at least 80%, in particular 90% by mass relative to the total weight of the composition, - a stevia extract in a proportion of 0.1% to 20%, in particular 0.3% to 10% by mass relative to the total weight of the composition, said stevia extract in its amorphous form being encapsulated in the crystals of the aforementioned crystallizable carbohydrate or the aforementioned mixture of crystallizable carbohydrates, said composition having a sweetening power superior to that of the aforementioned crystallizable carbohydrate or the aforementioned mixture of crystallizable carbohydrates and a flavor devoid of bitterness, and said composition having a melting point lower than that of the aforementioned crystallizable carbohydrate or the aforementioned mixture of crystallizable carbohydrates.