GB2472400A - Pomegranate juice beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

A package comprises a wrapper 10 and four or more containers 11, each container containing a beverage having a volume of from 80 ml to 120 ml, said beverage comprising pomegranate juice. The pomegranate juice beverage preferably consists of pomegranate aril juice and the beverage may contain 100mg% phenolics.

Description

Pomegranate aril juice beverage The invention relates to beverages containing pomegranate juice and to consumption thereof for health benefits.

Pomegranate (punica granatium) is a small tree or shrub widely cultivated for its flowers and fruit.

Each edible fruit is botanically a berry with an approximately spherical shape, a thick reddish skin and 500 to 700 seeds. The seed, together with the edible pulp which surrounds it, is known as aril. Pomegranate aril juice (PJ) is extracted from the arils and is a popular drink in Middle Eastern and Indian diets and more recently in the Western world. The juice may also be used to produce Grenadine syrup, culinary sauces, marinades and dressings.

Pomegranate aril juice is a dietary source of vitamin C, vitamin (pantothenic acid), potassium and antioxidant polyphends, including the ellagitannins which are free-radical scavengers and absorbed into the human body following consumption. The antioxidant capacity (OPAC) of PJ is comparable to that of many other herbs and spices, but higher than that of most other fruit juices. Because PJ can be pleasurably consumed in quantities greater than that of most herbs and spices, it is potentially an important dietary source of antioxidants.

Consumption of pomegranate aril juice (PJ) is known to bring health benefits, for example: -Aviram et al. (2004) din. Nutrit. 23:423-433 reports that daily dietary supplementation with 50 ml PJ for three years in patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces carotid intima-media thickness, lowers blood pressure and lowers LDL oxidation, suggesting PJ possesses anti-atherosclerotic properties.

-Aviram et al. (2004) Atherosclerosis 158:195-198 reports that consumption of 50 ml of PJ for two weeks by hypersensitive patients resulted in a reduction of systolic blood pressure and serum angiotension converting enzyme (ACE) activity.

-Rosenblat et al. (2006) Atherosclerosis 187:363-321 reports that 50 ml per day for three months of PJ given to non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients leads to a significant reduction in cellular peroxides and serum lipid peroxides and an enhanced level of the antioxidant glulathiene without worsening diabetic parameters.

The health benefits are thought to be largely mediated by ellagitannins (ETs) which are found in a number of fruits and nuts but which are especially abundant in pomegranates.

Health benefits are typically reported in studies in which a daily dose of 50 ml PJ is given as a dietary supplement.

However, little attention has been paid to the absorption, metabolism, distribution and excretion of pomegranate ETs in animals. This lack of knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of ellagitannins suggests that prior art studies involved the administration of a sub-optimal amount of PJ.

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The principal ET is ellagic acid (EA) which is released from hydrolysable tannins and has a plasma half life of between two and six hours in humans.

Administration of 50 ml PJ results in plasma EA becoming undetectable and presumably ineffective six hours following ingestion. The Inventors therefore propse that in order for plasma ET to be elevated for a significant part of the day without requiring PJ to be administered more than once or twice a day, an administration volume of more than 50 ml is preferred.

Consumption of a total volume of more than 50 ml also allows the option of blending PJ with other ingredients (for example other fruit juices) in order to bring benefits which include a changed flavour which may be preferred by some people, whilst still keeping the levels of PJ consumed to levels shown to be biologically active. The option of blending PJ with other fruit juices to produce a different flavour also has the advantage of providing a range of flavours to the consumer which will minimise the risk of boredom with any one flavour and thereby promote regular consumption of PJ over sustained periods which brings sustained commercial benefits to the producer and sustained health benefits to the consumer.

PJ contains approximately 140 g of sugar per litre and therefore in order to comply with WHO recommendations that an individual's calorific intake from sugar is moderated, the Inventors propose that an ideal quantity of a beverage comprising PJ for administration to humans in order to maximise health benefits whilst mitigating disadvantages of administering too high an amount of PJ lies between 80 ml and 120 ml and is approximately 100 ml. A volume of approximately 100 ml also has advantages over larger volumes in terms of cost, convenience and portability.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a container containing a beverage, said beverage having a volume of from 80 ml to 120 ml, and said beverage comprising pomegranate aril juice.

Preferably the volume of said beverage is from 95 ml to 105 ml. Most preferably the volume.is approximately 100 ml.

A volume of approximately 100 ml has been found to provide an optimum balance between refreshment, affordability, ease of drinking (it can be easily swallowed in one or two mouthfuls) and portability so as to promote the habit of daily consumption which brings health benefits.

Preferably, the beverage consists primarily or solely of fruit juice or vegetable juice which may be produced from concentrate or not, pasteurized or not, and may have had permitted colourings, flavourings or preservatives added or be free from such additives.

Preferably the beverage essentially consists of pomegranate aril juice; the beverage may be pomegranate aril juice only. Alternatively, the beverage may be a mixture of pomegranate aril juice and one or more of blueberry, loganberry, cranberry, boysenberry, lingon berry, raspberry, acai, orange, apple, grapefruit, pineapple, tomato, strawberry, grape, prune, plum, cherry, lemon, lime, carrot, blackcurrant, whitecurrant, redcurrant, gooseberry, or mulberry juice. Preferably the beverage comprises more than 30%, more preferably more than 50%, and even more preferably more than 75%, pomegranate aril juice by weight Particular preferred juice combinations include pomegranate aril juice and blueberry juice, pomegranate aril juice and apple juice, pomegranate aril juice and raspberry juice.

Preferably the beverage comprises at least 100 mg% total phenolics.

The container is preferably a bottle which may be glass or clear or opaque plastic, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low density polyethylene (LD-PE) or high density polyethylene (HD-PE).

The bottle is preferably dimensioned so as to permit the contents to be dispensed rapidly, and preferably to enable the contents to be swallowed in a single gulp.

The container preferably has an opening which has a cross-sectional area greater than 300 mm2 and preferably more than 400 mm2. The opening is preferably circular and in that case the diameter of the opening is preferably more than 15mm, more preferably more than 20mm, and even more preferably more than 25mm.

The opening is preferably closed with a lid which is initially sealed. The lid may comprise a screw cap, which may be closable after opening to reseal the container or the lid may comprise a non-resealable closure such as twist-off seal, a foil seal or a welded plastic seal. A non-resealable closure has the advantages of preventing tampering and contamination and encouraging the consumption of all of the beverage contained in the container in a single time interval, thereby encouraging a "one-a-day" habit.

The container may include a label. The label may contain printed instructions regarding storage (eg "keep refrigerated"), consumption (eg "drink whole bottle" and/or "drink one bottle per day") or claims to specific or general health or nutritional benefits.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a package comprising a wrapper and four or more containers according to said first aspect of the invention.

By providing four or more containers in one package the daily consumption of the contents of a single container can be encouraged. Also handling is facilitated.

The wrapper may be made of a plastic film, for example a polyolefin plastic film, or cardboard.

The wrapper may comprise a sleeve, box or carton. It may be a shrink-wrapped plastic film or a cardboard sleeve or carton.

The envelope ofthe wrapper may extend around all parts of the containers. Alternatively, the envelope of the wrapper may extend around only parts, preferably upper parts, of the containers. For example, in the case where the containers are bottles with necks, the wrapper preferably extends around the necks of the bottles. Lower parts of the containers may be exposed, allowing the lower parts which may include labels to be seen by the consumer, as well as potentially saving on material.

Preferably, the wrapper wraps seven, preferably arranged in a single row, or eight, preferably arranged in two rows of four, containers. Alternatively, it may wrap multiples of seven containers (for example 14 in two rows of seven, 21 in three rows of seven or 28 in four rows of seven) or a number of containers close to a multiple of seven but allowing for equal row sizes (for example 15 in three rows of five or 20 in four rows of five or in five rows of four) . Many consumers visit a retailer (for example, a supermarket) at least once a week and providing containers in a wrapper containing seven containers or multiples thereof encourages a "one wrapper per week"! "one container a day" habit. Providing the containers in multiples of eight will also provide this advantage with one container to spare.

All of the containers in a wrapper may contain the same soft drink or alternatively they may contain a variety of drinks. By providing a variety, the consumer's satisfaction may be increased and sustained daily consumption encouraged.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of achieving elevated plasma concentrations of ellagic acid in a human subject f or at least three hours comprising administering to said subject a beverage, said beverage having a volume of from 80 ml to ml, and said beverage comprising pomegranate aril juice.

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Preferably, said beverage has one or more features described above in reference-to the first aspect of the invention. Preferably, the beverage is administered by consumption of the contents of a container according to the first aspect of the invention. Preferably the container is contained in a wrapper according to the second aspect of the invention.

Levels of plasma ellagic acid may be determined as described in Seeram, et al. (2006) J. Nutrit. 136:2481-2485 which is incorporated herein by reference.

Preferably, the beverage contained in the container of the invention and the method of the invention result in elevation of ellagic acid in the plasma of said subject by more than eight times the baseline levels, within one hour of consumption of said beverage. Preferably, ellagic acid is elevated to above 0.03 tmol/L at one hour from consumption. Preferably, plasma ellagic acid remains above 0.015 zrnol/L for at least two further hours and remains detectable for at least a further one or two hours.

Preferably, regular daily consumption leads to plasma levels of ellagic acid being elevated for the majority of any 24 hour period, preferably at levels of above 0.01 jimol/L for more than four hours of any 24 hour period.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a dosage form comprising from 80 to 120 ml of a beverage, said beverage comprising pomegranate aril juice for use as a medicament.

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Preferably, said dosage form is a container according to the first aspect of the invention. Said dosage form may comprise one or more features described above in reference to the first, second or third aspects of the invention.

Said dosage form is preferably for use as an antioxidant medicament.

Preferably, said medicament is for treating or preventing one or more of the following indications: cancer (for example, prostate cancer, prostatic hyperplasia or lymphoma) atherosclerosis hypertension loss of libido diabetes infection with rhinovirus infection with cold virus oxidative stress in haemodialysis coronary heart disease By way of example embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows an example container in the form of a bottle; Figure 2 shows an alternative example container; Figure 3 shows an example package comprising a wrapper and a plurality of containers according to Fig. 1;

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Figure 4 shows an alternative example package comprising an alternative wrapper and containers according to Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the bottle (1) comprises a label (2) and an opening (3). The opening is preferably dimensioned so as to permit the contents to be dispensed sufficiently rapidly to be swallowed in a single gulp or mouthful. It is circular and has a diameter of about 25 to 30 mm.

The opening (3) is closed with a lid which is a resealable screw cap (4) In Fig. 2 a container is shown that is substantially the same as the container of Fig. 1 except that the opening is closed with a non-resealable closure (5) such as twist-off seal, a foil seal or a welded plastic seal. A non-resealable closure has the advantages of preventing tampering and contamination and encouraging the consumption of all of the beverage contained in the bottle, thereby encouraging a "one-a-day" habit.

The label (2) contains printed instructions regarding storage (ie "keep refrigerated"), consumption (ie "drink whole bottle" and/or "drink one bottle per day") or claims to specific or general health or nutritional benefits.

Figures 3 and 4 show packages including alternative example wrappers. The carton (10) shown in Figure 3 wraps completely around four sides of eight grouped bottles (11), whereas the example shown in Figure 4 wraps the lids and necks (12) of the bottles only and advantageously allows the bottles, their content and labels (13) to be seen by the consumer, as well as potentially saving on material.

All of the bottles in a wrapper may contain the same soft drink or alternatively they may contain a variety of drinks.

Claims (26)

1. SClaims 1. A package comprising a wrapper and four or more containers, each container containing a beverage having a volume of from 80 ml to 120 ml, said beverage comprising pomegranate juice.
2. 2. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said beverage essentially Consists of pomegranate aril juice.
3. 3. A package as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said beverage comprises at least 100 mg % total phenolics.
4. 4. A package as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein each container comprises a non-resealable closure.
5. 5. A package as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein each container is in the form of a bottle.
6. 6. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein each container has an opening which has a cross-sectional area greater than 400 mm2.
7. 7. A package according to claim 6 wherein the opening is circular and of diameter greater than 20mm.
8. 8. A package according to claim 1 comprising seven or eight containers.
9. 9. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein the wrapper is a cardboard wrapper.
10. 10. A package according to any preceding claim, wherein the envelope of the wrapper extends around all parts of the containers.
11. 11. A package according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the envelope of the wrapper extends around upper parts only of the containers,
12. 12. A container containing a beverage, said beverage having a volume of from 80 ml to 120 ml, and said beverage corhprising pomegranate aril juice.
13. 13. A container as claimed in claim 12 wherein said beverage essentially consists of pomegranate aril juice.
14. 14. A container as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said beverage comprises at least 100 mg % total phenolics.
15. 15. A container as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14 comprising a non-resealable closure.
16. 16. A container as claimed in any of claims 12 to 15 in the form of a bottle.
17. 17. A container according to any of claims 12 to 16 wherein the container has an opening which has a cross-sectional area greater than 400 mm2.
18. 18. A container according to claim 17 wherein the opening is circular and of diameter greater than 20mm.
19. 19. A method of achieving elevated plasma concentrations of ellagic acid in a human subject for at least three hours comprising administering to said subject a beverage, said beverage having a volume of from 80 ml to 120 ml of a beverage, and said beverage comprising pomegranate aril juice.
20. 20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said beverage is administered from a container as claimed in any of claims 12 to 18.
21. 21. A dosage form comprising a beverage said beverage having a volume of from 80 ml to 120 ml, and said beverage comprising pomegranate aril juice, for use as a medicament.
22. 22. A dosage form as claimed in claim 21 wherein said dosage form is a container as claimed in any of claims 12 to 18.
23. 23. A dosage form as claimed in claim 21 or 22 wherein said medicanient is for use as an antioxidant.
24. 24. A dosage form as claimed in any of claims 21 to 23 wherein said medicament is for treating or preventing one or more of the following medical indications: cancer, atherosclerosis, hypertension, loss of libido, diabetes, infection with rhinovirus, infection with cold virus, oxidative stress in haemodialysis or coronary heart disease.
25. 25. A container according to claim 12 and substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.
26. 26. A package substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 3 or 4 of the accompanying drawings.