Sugar Cane Flavoring Additive for Artificial Sweeteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Artificial sweeteners are not fully accepted due to their unusual taste, which current attempts to improve through additives have not fully addressed, limiting their use and acceptance among consumers.
Innovation Solution
A novel process to prepare an additive that, when mixed with non-caloric high-yield sweeteners, gives them a taste similar to sugar cane, involving steps like acid treatment, filtration, solvent use, yeast inoculation, and pH adjustment of a concentrated sugar cane extract to eliminate sucrose and create a flavoring that masks the odd flavors of artificial sweeteners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If artificial sweeteners are used to provide high-intensity sweetness, then caloric value is reduced, but taste quality deteriorates with strange flavors like bitter, metallic, sour, or salty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flavoring agent derived from sugar cane extract as an intermediary substance. This flavoring agent does not provide significant caloric value but effectively masks the strange flavors of artificial sweeteners, mediating between the low-calorie requirement and acceptable taste quality. The flavoring agent acts as a bridge that connects the functional benefit of artificial sweeteners with the sensory experience of natural sugar.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite sweetening system by combining artificial sweeteners with a flavoring agent derived from sugar cane extract. This composite formulation integrates the high-intensity sweetness and low-calorie properties of artificial sweeteners with the pleasant sucrose-like flavor of the natural extract, achieving a synergistic effect that satisfies both caloric reduction and taste quality requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If flavoring additives are added to artificial sweeteners to improve taste, then taste quality improves, but product complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes only the essential flavoring components from sugar cane extract, separating the desirable sucrose-like flavor from the bulk material. This extraction approach allows for the addition of minimal amounts of concentrated flavoring agent, improving taste quality while minimizing the increase in product complexity and maintaining straightforward formulation and processing.
3Use of energy by moving object
If concentrated sugar cane extract is processed to remove sucrose, then caloric value is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases through multiple treatment steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the presence of sucrose in sugar cane extract, which initially represents caloric content, into a benefit by using the extract as a flavoring source. Through controlled processing that removes or reduces sucrose while preserving the characteristic sucrose-like flavor compounds, the patent transforms a caloric disadvantage into a flavor advantage, creating a low-calorie product with natural sweetness perception.
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 additive significantly enhances consumer acceptance of non-caloric sweeteners by providing a pleasant sugar cane taste without adding caloric value, making them more appealing for general consumption and particularly for diabetics.
Implementation Method 1
acidulating said diluted concentrate with a mineral acid, preferably sulfuric acid
Implementation Method 2
treating this diluted concentrate with a mineral acid, preferably sulfuric acid
Implementation Method 3
Insolubilizing of the honeys thus obtained from sucrose by means of organic solvents
Implementation Method 4
obtaining in this way a product with no sucrose content but with a sugar cane taste
Implementation Method 5
inoculating this liquid phase with an osmotolerant yeast in order to fully eliminate the reducing sugars
Implementation Method 6
The bioreactor system consists of a sterilization unit, a heating unit, a pH-adjustment unit, a filtering unit
Implementation Method 7
inoculating this liquid phase with an osmotolerant yeast in order to fully eliminate the reducing sugars
Data Source
AI summary
The invention for which the protection is requested consists of a procedure for extracting a flavoring without caloric value based on sugar cane concentrates of the intermediate honeys and molasses obtained from sugar extraction by the sugar mills, which is mixed with artificial high yield sweeteners, where said additive provides said high yield sweeteners with the flavor of sugar cane.