AU2013201682A1 - Natural high-potency tabletop sweetener compositions with improved temporal and/or flavor profile, methods for their formulation, and uses - Google Patents

Abstract

A tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one natural high-potency sweetener and at least one sweet taste improving composition.

Description

NATURAL HIGH-POTENCY TABLETOP SWEETENER COMPOSITIONS WITH IMPROVED TEMPORAL AND/OR FLAVOR PROFILE, METHODS FOR THEIR FORMULATION, AND USES 5 The present application is a divisional application from Australian Patent Application No. 2006316313, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to novel tabletop sweetener compositions 10 comprising non-caloric or low-caloric natural high-potency sweeteners and methods for manufacture and use thereof. The present invention also relates to tabletop compositions and methods that can improve the tastes of non-caloric or low-caloric natural high-potency sweeteners by imparting a more sugar-like taste. In particular, the tabletop compositions and methods provide a more sugar-like temporal profile, including sweetness onset and sweetness 15 linger times, and/or a more sugar-like flavor profile, including osmotic taste. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tabletop sweeteners are used widely in the food and beverage industries. Tabletop sweeteners commonly are found in packet form, solid form, and liquid form, and can be used 20 for sweetening numerous food and beverage compositions. Historically, both caloric and non caloric or low-caloric, natural and synthetic tabletop sweetener compositions are available widely to consumers. Tabletop sweeteners, among other functions, allow consumers the option to customize a beverage or food product according to their individual tastes. This ability to customize food or beverage products becomes more important with increased health 25 awareness and sedentary lifestyles. Although natural caloric tabletop sweetener compositions such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose provide the most desireable taste to consumers, they are caloric. Therefore, alternative non-caloric or low-caloric sweeteners have been used widely as sugar or sucrose substitutes. However, these sucrose substitutes (e.g., saccharin, aspartame, and sucralose) possess taste characteristic different than that of sugar, and exhibit undesirable 30 taste characteristics such as sweeteness linger, delayed sweetness onset, and non-sugar like aftertastes.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 2 In general, because some sucrose substitutes (e.g., high-potency sweeteners) provide greater sweetening capacity than sugar, smaller amounts of the sweeteners will provide sweetening intensities equivalent to larger amounts of sugar. Thus, tabletop sweeteners require a product with a sugar-like taste and uniform sweetness. Where a 5 sweetener has a potency significantly greater than that of sugar, the tabletop sweetener generally comprises one or more agents to add to the bulk of the tabletop sweetener product. Such products generally dissolve quickly and have tastes which improve or do not interfere with the taste of the high-potency sweetener. Thus, there is need to provide a non-caloric or low-caloric tabletop sweetener 10 composition with a more sugar-like taste. Natural high-potency sweeteners, such as rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Guo sweetener, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, 15 brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukurozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, and cyclocarioside I generally are non-caloric; however, they exhibit sweet tastes that have different temporal profiles, maximal responses, flavor profiles, mouthfeels, and/or adaptation behaviors than that of sugar. For 20 example, the sweet tastes of natural high-potency sweeteners are slower in onset and longer in duration than the sweet taste produced by sugar and thus change the taste balance of a food composition. Because of these differences, use of a natural high-potency sweetener to replace a bulk sweetener, such as sugar, in a food or beverage, causes an unbalanced temporal profile and/or flavor profile. If the taste profile of natural high 25 potency sweeteners could be modified to impart specific desired taste characteristics to be more sugar-like, tabletop sweeteners comprising natural high-potency non-caloric or low caloric sweeteners could be provided to replace caloric sweeteners. Accordingly, it would be desirable to selectively modify the taste characteristics of natural high-potency sweeteners. 30 Thus, there is a need to provide a tabletop sweetener composition comprising non caloric or low-caloric natural high-potency sweeteners and methods thereof. There is an 3 additional need in the art to provide a tabletop sweetener composition comprising non-caloric or low-caloric natural high-potency sweeteners with a more sugar-like taste and methods thereof. The discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles and the like is included 5 in this specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any or all of these matters formed part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application. Where the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in 10 this specification (including the claims) they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or group thereof. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 15 Generally, this invention addresses the above described need by providing a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one natural high-potency sweetener (NHPS) composition in combination with at least one bulking agent, at least one sweet taste improving composition, at least one anti-caking agent, or combinations thereof. In one aspect, the present invention provides a tabletop sweetener composition 20 comprising at least one natural high-potency sweetener and at least one sweet taste improving composition. In a particular embodiment, the present invention provides a tabletop composition comprising at least one NHPS composition having improved temporal and/or flavor profile. In another aspect, the present invention provides a tabletop sweetener composition 25 comprising at least one natural high-potency sweetener and at least one bulking agent. More particularly, one embodiment of this invention encompasses a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one NHPS composition and at least one bulking agent and methods for manufacture and use thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one 30 NHPS composition in combination with at least one bulking agent and at least one sweet taste improving composition is provided, and methods for manufacture and use thereof.

3a In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one NHPS composition in combination with at least one bulking agent and at least one anti-caking agent, and methods for manufacture and use thereof are provided. In yet another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one 5 NHPS composition in combination with at least one bulking agent, at least one sweet taste improving composition, and at least one anti-caking agent, and methods for manufacture and use thereof are provided. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one NHPS and at least one sweet taste improving composition and methods for manufacture and 10 use thereof are provided.

4 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving composition and at least one anti-caking agent and methods for manufacture and use thereof are provided. Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms and abbreviations used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although methods and compositions similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, suitable methods and compositions are described without intending that any such methods and compositions limit the invention herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a powder x-ray diffraction scan of rebaudioside A polymorph Form I on a plot of the scattering intensity versus the scattering angle 20 in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Fig. 2 is a powder x-ray diffraction scan of rebaudioside A polymorph Form 2 on a plot of the scattering intensity versus the scattering angle 20 in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Fig. 3 is a powder x-ray diffraction scan of rebaudioside A polymorph Form 3A on a plot of the scattering intensity versus the scattering angle 20 in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Fig. 4 is a powder x-ray diffraction scan of rebaudioside A polymorph Form 3B on a plot of the scattering intensity versus the scattering angle 20 in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Fig. 5 is a powder x-ray diffraction scan of rebaudioside A polymorph Form 4 on a plot of the scattering intensity versus the scattering angle 20 in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 5 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION I. Tabletop Sweetener Compositions Reference now will be made in detail to the presently proffered embodiments of the invention. Each example is provided by way of explanation of embodiments of the 5 invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such 10 modifications and variations within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. It has been discovered that combinations of a NHPS and at least one sweet taste improving composition improve the temporal profile and/or flavor profile of the NHPS, including the osmotic taste, to be more sugar-like. Non-limiting examples of a sweet taste 15 improving composition, as used herein, include carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, polyamino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids and their corresponding salts, nucleotides, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts including organic acid salts and organic base salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants and flavoring ingredients, astringent compounds, proteins or protein 20 hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, flavonoids, alcohols, polymers, other sweet taste improving taste additives imparting such sugar-like characteristics, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a single sweet taste improving composition may be used in combination with a single NHPS. In another embodiment of the present invention, a 25 single sweet taste improving composition may be used in combination with one or more NHPSs. In yet another embodiment, one or more sweet taste improving compositions may be used in combination with a single NUPS. In a further embodiment, there may be a plurality of sweet taste improving* combinations used in combination with one or more NHPSs. 30 WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 6 A. Sweet Taste In a particular embodiment, combinations of at least one NHPS and at least one sweet taste improving composition suppress, reduce, or eliminate undesirable taste and impart sugar-like characteristics to the tabletop sweetener composition. As used herein, 5 the phrase "undesirable taste" includes any taste property which is not imparted by sugars, e.g. glucose, sucrose, fructose, or similar saccharides. Non-limiting examples of undesirable tastes include delayed sweetness onset, lingering sweet aftertaste, metallic taste, bitter taste, cooling sensation taste or menthol-like taste, licorice-like taste, and/or the like. 10 As used herein, the phrases "sugar-like characteristic," "sugar-like taste," "sugar like sweet," "sugary," and "sugar-like" are synonymous. Sugar-like characteristics include any characteristic similar to that of sucrose and include, but are not limited to, maximal response, flavor profile, temporal profile, adaptation behavior, mouthfeel, concentration/response function, tastant and flavor/sweet taste interactions, spatial pattern 15 selectivity, and temperature effects. These characterisitics are dimensions in which the taste of sucrose is different from the tastes of NHPSs. In one embodiment of this invention, a tabletop sweetener composition which exhibits a more sugar-like temporal and/or sugar-like flavor profile than a tabletop sweetener composition comprising a NHPS, but without a sweet taste improving composition, bulking agent, and/or anti-caking 20 agent is provided. Whether or not a characteristic is more sugar-like is determined by an expert sensory panel who taste compositions comprising sugar and compositions comprising a NHPS, both with and without a sweet taste improving composition, and provide their impression as to the similarities of the characteristics of compositions comprising a NHPS, both with and without a sweet taste improving composition, with 25 those comprising sugar. Suitable procedures for determining whether a composition has a more sugar-like taste are well known in the art. In a particular embodiment, a panel of assessors is used to measure the reduction of sweetness linger. Briefly described, a panel of assessors (generally 8 to 12 individuals) is trained to evaluate sweetness perception and measure sweetness at several time points 30 from when the sample initially is taken into the mouth until 3 minutes after it has been WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 7 expectorated. Using statistical analysis, the results are compared between samples containing additives and samples that do not contain additives. A decrease in score for a time point measured after the sample has cleared the mouth indicates there has been a reduction in sweetness perception. 5 The panel of assessors may be trained using procedures well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In a particular embodiment, the panel of assessors may be trained using the SpectrumTM Descriptive Analysis Method (Meilgaard et al, Sensory Evaluation Techniques, 3 edition, Chapter 11). Desirably, the focus of training should be the recognition of and the measure of the basic tastes; specifically, sweet. In order to ensure 10 accuracy and reproducibility of results, each assessor should repeat the measure of the reduction of sweetness linger about three to about five times per sample, taking at least a five minute break between each repetition and/or sample and rinsing well with water to clear the mouth. Generally, the method of measuring sweetness comprises taking a 10 mL sample 15 into the mouth, holding the sample in the mouth for 5 seconds and gently swirling the sample in the mouth, rating the sweetness intensity perceived at 5 seconds, expectorating the sample (without swallowing following expectorating the sample), rinsing with one mouthful of water (e.g., vigorously moving water in mouth as if with mouth wash) and expectorating the rinse water, rating the sweetness intensity perceived immediately upon 20 expectorating the rinse water, waiting 45 seconds and, while wating those 45 seconds, identifying the time of maximum perceived sweetness intensity and rating the sweetness intensity at that time (moving the mouth normally and swallowing as needed), rating the sweetness intensity after another 10 seconds, rating the sweetness intensity after another 60 seconds (cumulative 120 seconds after rinse), and rating the sweetness intensity after 25 still another 60 seconds (cumulative 180 seconds after rinse). Between samples take a 5 minute break, rinsing well with water to clear the mouth. B. Tabletop Compositions In one embodiment of the present invention, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one NHPS composition in combination with: (i) at least one bulking 30 agent and (ii) optionally at least one sweet taste improving composition and/or anti-caking WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 8 agent with improved temporal and/or flavor profile and methods for manufacture and use thereof are provided. In another embodiment of the present invention, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one NHPS composition in combination with: (i) at least one sweet taste improving composition and (ii) optionally at least one bulking 5 agent and/or anti-caking agent with improved temporal and/or flavor profile and methods for manufacture and use thereof are provided. In a sub-embodiment, the components of the tabletop composition- improve the temporal and/or flavor profile of a tabletop sweetener composition comprising a NHPS by imparting a more sugar-like temporal and/or flavor profile to compositions comprising a NHPS. 10 1. Natural High-Potency Sweeteners As used herein the phrases "natural high-potency sweetener", "NHPS", "NHPS composition", and "natural high-potency sweetener composition" are synonymous. "NHPS" means any sweetener found in nature which may be in raw, extracted, purified, or any other form, singularly or in combination thereof and characteristically have a 15 sweetness potency greater than sucrose, fructose, or glucose, yet have less calories. Non limiting examples of NHPSs suitable for embodiments of this invention include rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Guo sweetener, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, 20 RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukurozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, and cyclocarioside I. NHPSs also include modified NHPSs. Modified NHPSs include NHPSs which have been altered naturally. 25 For example, a modified NHPS includes, but is not limited to, NHPSs which have been fermented, contacted with enzyme, or derivatized or substituted on the NHPS. In one embodiment, at least one modified NHPS may be used in combination with at least one NHPS. In another embodiment, at least one modified NHPS may be used without a NHPS. Thus, modified NHPSs may be substituted for a NHPS or may be used in 30 combination with NHPSs for any of the embodiments described herein. For the sake of brevity, however, in the description of embodiments of this invention, a modified NHPS is WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 9 not described expressly as an alternative to an unmodified NHPS, but it should be understood that modified NHPSs can be substituted for NHPSs in any embodiment disclosed herein. In one embodiment, extracts of NHPSs may be used in any purity percentage, In 5 another embodiment, when an NHPS is used as a non-extract, the purity of the NHPS may range for example from about 25% to about 100%. In another example, the purity of the NHPS may range from about 70% to about 100%; from about 80% to about 90%; from about 90% to about 100%; from about 95% to about 100%; from about 96% to about 99%; from about 97% to about 98%; from about 98% to about 99%; and from about 99% to 10 about 100%. Purity as used herein refers to a purity of a single type of NIHPS. Purity, as used here, represents the weight percentage of a respective NHPS compound present in a NHPS extract, in raw or purified form. In one embodiment, a steviolglycoside extract comprises a particular steviolglycoside in a particular purity, with the remainder of the stevioglycoside extract comprising a mixture of other 15 steviolglycosides. To obtain a particularly pure extract of a NHPS, such as rebaudioside A, it may be necessary to purify the crude extract to a substantially pure form. Such methods generally are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. An exemplary method for purifying a NHPS, such as rebaudioside A, is described 20 in the co-pending patent application no. 60/805,216, entitled "Rebaudioside A Composition and Method for Purifying Rebaudioside A," filed on June 19, 2006, by inventors DuBois, et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Briefly described, substantially pure rebaudioside A is crystallized in a single step 25 from an aqueous organic solution comprising at least one organic solvent and water in an amount from about 10 % to about 25 % by weight, more particularly from about 15 % to about 20 % by weight. Organic solvents desirably comprise alcohols, acetone, and acetonitile. Non-limiting examples of alcohols include ethanol, methanol, isopranol, 1 propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, tert-butanol, and isobutanol. Desirably, the at least one 30 organic solvent comprises a mixture of ethanol and methanol present in the aqueous WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 10 organic solution in a weight ratio ranging from about 20 parts to about 1 part ethanol to 1 part methanol, more desirably from about 3 parts to about 1 part ethanol to 1 part methanol. Desirably, the weight ratio of the aqueous organic solvent and crude rebaudioside 5 A ranges from about 10 to about 4 parts aqueous organic solvent to 1 part crude rebaudioside A, more particularly from about 5 to about 3 parts aqueous organic solvent to 1 part crude rebaudioside A. . In an exemplary embodiment, the method of purifying rebaudioside A is carried out at approximately room temperature. In another embodiment, the method of purifying 10 rebaudioside A further comprises the step of heating the rebaudioside A solution to a temperature in a range from about 20"C to about 40'C, or in another embodiment to a reflux temperature, for about 0.25 hours to about 8 hours. In another exemplary embodiment, wherein the method for purifying rebaudioside A comprises the step of heating the rebaudioside A solution, the method further comprises the step of cooling the 15 rebaudioside A solution to a temperature in the range from about 4'C to about 25*C for about 0.5 hours to about 24 hours. According to particular embodiments, the purity of rebaudioside A may range from about 50% to about 100%; from about 70% to about 100%; from about 80% to about 100%; from about 90% to about 100%; from about 95% to about 100%; from about 95% 20 to about 99.5%; about 96% to about 100%; from about 97% to about 100%; from about 98% to about 100%; and from about 99% to about 100%. According to particularly desirable embodiments, upon crystallization of crude rebaudioside A, the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 95 % by weight up to about 100% by weight on a dry basis. In other exemplary 25 embodiments, substantially pure rebaudioside A comprises purity levels of rebaudioside A greater than about 97 % up to about 100% rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis, greater than about 98 % up to about 100% by weight on a dry basis, or greater than about 99 % up to about 100% by weight on a dry basis. The rebaudioside A solution during the single crystallization step may be stirred or unstirred.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 11 In an exemplary embodiment, the method of purifying rebaudioside A further comprises the step of seeding (optional step) the rebaudioside A solution at an appropriate temperature with high-purity crystals of rebaudioside A sufficient to promote crystallization of the rebaudioside A to form pure rebaudioside A. An amount of 5 rebaudioside A sufficient to promote crystallization of substantially pure rebaudioside A comprises an amount of rebaudioside A from about 0.0001 % to about 1 % by weight of the rebaudioside A present in the solution, more particularly from about 0.01 % to about 1 % by weight. An appropriate temperature for the step of seeding comprises a temperature in a range from about 18'C to about 35'C. 10 In another exemplary embodiment, the method of purifying rebaudioside A further comprises the steps of separating and washing the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition. The substantially pure rebaudioside A composition may be separated from the aqueous organic solution by a variety of solid-liquid separation techniques that utilize centrifugal force, that include, without limitation, vertical and horizontal perforated basket 15 centrifuge, solid bowl centrifuge, decanter centrifuge, peeler type centrifuge, pusher type centrifuge, Heinkel type centrifuge, disc stack centrifuge and cyclone separation. Additionally, separation may be enhanced by any of pressure, vacuum, and gravity filtration methods, that include, without limitation, the use of belt, drum, nutsche type, leaf, plate, Rosenmund type, sparkler type, and bag filters and filter press. Operation of the 20 rebaudioside A solid-liquid separation device may be continuous, semi-continuous or in batch mode. The substantially pure rebaudioside A composition also may be washed on the separation device using various aqueous organic solvents and mixtures thereof. The substantially pure rebaudioside A composition can be dried partially or totally on the separation device using any number of gases, including, without limitation, nitrogen and 25 argon, to evaporate residual liquid solvent. The substantially pure rebaudioside A composition may be removed automatically or manually from the separation device using liquids, gases or mechanical means by either dissolving the solid or maintaining the solid form. In still another exemplary embodiment, the method of purifying rebaudioside A 30 further comprises the step of drying the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition using techniques well known to those skilled in the art, non-limiting examples of which WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 12 include the use of a rotary vacuum dryer, fluid bed dryer, rotary tunnel dryer, plate dryer, tray dryer, Nauta type dryer, spray dryer, flash dryer, micron dryer, pan dryer, high and low speed paddle dryer and microwave dryer. In an exemplary embodiment, the step of drying comprises drying the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition using a 5 nitrogen or argon purge to remove the residual solvent at a temperature in a range from about 40'C to about 60'C for about 5 hours to about 100 hours. In yet another exemplary embodiment, wherein the crude rebaudioside A mixture comprises substantially no rebaudioside D impurity, the method of purifying rebaudioside A further comprises the step of slurrying the composition of substantially pure 10 rebaudioside A with an aqueous organic solvent prior to the step of drying the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition. The slurry is a mixture comprising a solid and an aqueous organic or organic solvent, wherein the solid comprises the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition and is only sparingly soluble in the aqueous organic or organic solvent. In an embodiment, the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition 15 and aqueous organic solvent are present in the slurry in a weight ratio ranging from about 15 parts to 1 part aqueous organic solvent to 1 part substantially pure rebaudioside A composition. In one embodiment, the slurry is maintained at room temperature. In another embodiment, the step of slurrying comprises heating the slurry to a temperature in a range from about 20 to about 40'C. The substantially pure rebaudioside A composition 20 is slurried for about 0.5 hours to about 24 hours. In still yet another exemplary embodiment, the method of purifying rebaudioside A further comprises the steps of separating the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition from the aqueous organic or organic solvent of the slurry and washing the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition followed by the step of drying the 25 substantially pure rebaudioside A composition. If further purification is desired, the method of purifying rebaudioside A described herein may be repeated or the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition may be purified further using an alternative purification method, such as the column chromatography.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 13 It also is contemplated that other NHPSs may be purified using the purification method described herein, requiring only minor experimentation that would be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. The purification of rebaudioside A by crystallization as described above results in 5 the formation of at least four different polymorphs: Form 1: a rebaudioside A hydrate; Form 2: an anhydrous rebaudioside A; Form 3: a rebaudioside A solvate; and Form 4: an amorphous rebaudioside A. The aqueous organic solution and temperature of the purification process influence the resulting polymorphs in the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition. Figures 1-5 are exemplary powder x-ray diffraction (XRPD) 10 scans of polymorphs Form 1 (hydrate), Form 2 (anhydrate), Form 3A (methanol solvate), Form 3B (ethanol solvate), and Form 4 (amorphous), respectively. The material properties of the four rebaudioside A polymorphs are summarized in the following table: 15 Table 1: Rebaudioside A Polymorphs Form 1 Form 2 Form 3 Form 4 Polymorph Polymorph Polymorph Polymorph Rate of dissolution Very low (<0.2 Intermediate (<30 High (> 30 % /5 High (> 35.0 %) in H20 at 25*C %/60 minutes) %/5 minutes) minutes) Alcohol content < 0.5 % < 1 % 1-3 % Moisture content >5% < 1 % <3% 6.74% The type of polymorph formed is dependent on the composition of the aqueous organic solution, the temperature of the crystallization step, and the temperature during the drying step. Form 1 and Form 3 are formed during the single crystallization step while 20 Form 2 is formed during the drying step after conversion from Form 1 or Form 3. Low temperatures during the crystallization step, in the range of about 20'C to about 50*C, and a low ratio of water to the organic solvent in the aqueous organic solvent results in the formation of Form 3. High temperatures during the crystallization step, in the range of about 50*C to about 80'C, and a high ratio of water to the organic solvent in 25 the aqueous organic solvent results in the formation of the Form 1. Form 1 can be converted to Form 3 by slurrying in an anhydrous solvent at room temperature (2 -16 hours) or at reflux for approximately (0.5-3 hours). Form 3 can be converted to Form 1 by WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 14 slurrying the polymorph in water at room temperature for approximately 16 hours or at reflux for approximately 2-3 hours. Form 3 can be converted to the Form 2 during the drying process; however, increasing either the drying temperature above 70'C or the drying time of a substantially pure rebaudioside A composition can result in 5 decomposition of the rebaudioside A and increase the remaining rebaudioside B impurity in the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition. Form 2 can be converted to Form 1 with the addition of water. Form 4 may be formed from Form 1, 2, 3, or combinations thereof, using methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Non-limiting examples of such methods 10 include melt-processing, ball milling, crystallization, and spray-drying. In a particular embodiment, Form 4 can be prepared from a substantially pure rebaudioside A composition obtained by the purification methods described hereinabove by spray-drying a solution of the substantially pure rebaudioside A composition. The NHPS may be used individually or in combination with other NHPSs. For 15 example, the sweetener composition may comprise a single NHPS or a plurality of NHPSs. A plurality of NHPSs may be used as long as the combined effect does not adversely affect the taste of the tabletop sweetener composition or orally sweetened composition. For example, particular embodiments comprise combinations of NHPSs, such as 20 steviolglycosides. Non-limiting examples of suitable stevioglycosides which may be combined include rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevioside, and steviolbioside. According to particularly desirable embodiments of the present invention, the combination of NHPSs comprises rebaudioside A in combination with rebaudioside B, 25 rebaudioside C, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, stevioside, steviolbioside, dulside A, or combinations thereof. Generally, according to a particular embodiment, rebaudioside A is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 50 to about 99.5 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 70 to about 90 weight 30 percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 75 to about 85 weight percent.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 15 In another particular embodiment, rebaudioside B is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 1 to about 8 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 2 to about 5 weight percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 2 to about 3 weight percent. 5 In another particular embodiment, rebaudioside C is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 1 to about 10 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 3 to about 8 weight percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 4 to about 6 weight percent. In still another particular embodiment, rebaudioside E is present in the 10 combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 0.1 to about 4 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 0.5 to about 1 weight percent. In still another particular embodiment, rebaudioside F is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 0.1 to about 4 weight. percent of the 15 combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 0.5 to about 1 weight percent. In still yet another particular embodiment, dulcoside A is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 0.1 to about 4 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 0.1 to about 2 weight 20 percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 0.5 to about 1 weight percent. In yet another particular embodiment, dulcoside B is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 0.1 to about 4 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 0.5 to about 1 weight percent. 25 In another particular embodiment, stevioside is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 0.5 to about 10 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 1 to about 6 weight percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 1 to about 4 weight percent.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 16 In still another particular embodiment, steviolbioside is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 0.1 to about 4 weight percent of the combination of NHPSs, more desirably in the range of about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent, and still more desirably in the range of about 0.5 to about 1 weight percent. 5 According to a particularly desirable embodiment, the NHPS composition comprises a combination of rebaudioside A, stevioside, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, and rebaudioside F; wherein rebaudioside A is present in the combination of NHPSs in an amount in the range of about 75 to about 85 weight percent based on the total weight of the combination of NHPSs, stevioside is present in an amount in the range of about 1 to 10 about 6 weight percent, rebaudioside B is present in an amount in the range of about 2 to about 5 weight percent, rebaudioside C is present in ana mount in the range of about 3 to about 8 weight percent, and rebaudioside F is present in an amount in the range of about 0.1 to about 2 weight percent. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that the sweetener 15 composition can be customized to obtain a desired calorie content. For example, a low caloric or non-caloric NHPS may be combined with a caloric natural sweetener and/or other caloric additives to produce a sweetener composition with a preferred calorie content. 2. Bulking Agents 20 The "bulking agent" as used herein refers to maltodextrin (10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, and the like, and 25 mixtures thereof. Additionally, granulated sugar (sucrose) or other caloric sweeteners such as crystalline fructose, other carbohydrates, or sugar alcohols can be used as a bulking agent due to their provision of good content uniformity without the addition of significant calories. In one embodiment, a bulking agent may be used as a sweet taste improving composition. 30 WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 17 3. Anti-Caking Agents As used herein the phrase "anti-caking agent" and "flow agent" refer to any composition which prevents, reduces, inhibits, or suppresses at least one NIPS molecule 5 from attaching, binding, or contacting to another NHPS molecule. Alternatively, anti caking agent may refer to any composition which assists in content uniformity and uniform dissolution. Non-limiting examples of anti-caking agents include cream of tartar, calcium silicate, silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel, FMC BioPolymer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania),, and tricalcium phosphate. In one embodiment, the anti 10 caking agents are present in the tabletop sweetener composition in an amount from about 0.001 to about 3 % by weight of the tabletop sweetener composition. 4. Sweet Taste Improving Compositions As described hereinabove, compositions comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving composition have an improved taste 15 that is more sugar-like. Non-limiting examples of a sweet taste improving composition include carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, polyamino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids and their corresponding salts, nucleotides, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts including organic acid salts and organic base salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants and flavoring ingredients, astringent 20 compounds, proteins or protein hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, flavonoids, alcohols, polymers, other sweet taste improving taste additives imparting such sugar-like characteristics, and combinations thereof. As used herein, the term "carbohydrate" generally refers to aldehyde or ketone compounds substituted with multiple hydroxyl groups; of the general formula (CH 2 O)a, 25 wherein n is 3-30, as well as their oligomers and polymers. The carbohydrates of the present invention can, in addition, be substituted or deoxygenated at one or more positions. Carbohydrates, as used herein, encompass unmodified carbohydrates, carbohydrate derivatives, substituted carbohydrates, and modified carbohydrates. As used herein, the phrases "carbohydrate derivatives", "substituted carbohydrate", and "modified 30 carbohydrates" are synonymous. Modified carbohydrate means any carbohydrate wherein WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 18 at least one atom has been added, removed, substituted, or combinations thereof. Thus, carbohydrate derivatives or substituted carbohydrates include substituted and unsubstituted monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. The carbohydrate derivatives or substituted carbohydrates optionally can be deoxygenated at 5 any corresponding C-position, and/or substituted with one or more moieties such as hydrogen, halogen, haloalkyl, carboxyl, acyl, acyloxy, amino, amido, carboxyl derivatives, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, cyano, sulfo, mercapto, imino, sulfonyl, sulfenyl, sulfinyl, sulfamoyl, carboalkoxy, carboxamido, phosphonyl, phosphinyl, phosphoryl, phosphino, thioester, thioether, oximino, hydrazino, carbamyl, 10 phospho, phosphonato, or any other viable tabletop group provided the carbohydrate derivative or substituted carbohydrate functions to improve the sweet taste of at least one NIHPS. Non-limiting examples of carbohydrates in embodiments of this invention include tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., i-cyclodextrin, P 15 cyclodextrin, and y-cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, 20 mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides 25 (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, and glucose syrup. Additionally, the carbohydrates as used herein may 30 be in either the D- or L- configuration.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 19 The term "polyol", as used herein, refers to a molecule that contains more than one hydroxyl group. A polyol may be a diol, triol, or a tetraol which contains 2, 3, and 4 hydroxyl groups, respectively. A polyol also may contain more than four hydroxyl groups, such as a pentaol, hexaol, heptaol, or the like, which contain, 5, 6, or 7 hydroxyl 5 groups, respectively. Additionally, a polyol also may be a sugar alcohol, polyhydric alcohol, or polyalcohol which is a reduced form of carbohydrate, wherein the carbonyl group (aldehyde or ketone, reducing sugar) has been reduced to a primary or secondary hydroxyl group. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving polyol additives in embodiments 10 of this invention include erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerine), threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo-oligosaccharides, reduced gentio oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, reduced glucose syrup, and sugar alcohols or any other carbohydrates capable of being reduced which do not adversely affect the taste of the 15 at least one NHPS or the orally ingestible composition. Suitable sweet taste improving amino acid additives for use in embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, isoleucine, asparagine, seine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid 20 (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, and their salt forms such as sodium or potassium salts or acid salts. The sweet taste improving amino acid additives also may be in the D- or L- configuration and in the mono-, di-, or tri- form of the same or different amino acids. Additionally, the amino acids may be a-, P-, y-, 8-, and s- isomers if appropriate. Combinations of the foregoing 25 amino acids and their corresponding salts (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium salts or other alkali or alkaline earth metal salts thereof, or acid salts) also are suitable sweet taste improving additives in embodiments of this invention. The amino acids may be natural or synthetic. The amino acids also may be modified. Modified amino acids refers to any amino acid wherein at least one atom has been added, removed, substituted, 30 or combinations thereof (e.g., N-alkyl amino acid, N-acyl amino acid, or N-methyl amino acid). Non-limiting examples of modified amino acids include amino acid derivatives WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 20 such as trimethyl glycine, N-methyl-glycine, and N-methyl-alanine. As used herein, amino acids encompass both modified and unmodified amino acids. As used herein, modified amino acid also may encompass peptides and polypeptides (e.g., dipeptides, tripeptides, tetrapeptides, and pentapeptides) such as glutathione and L-alanyl-L 5 glutamine. Suitable sweet taste improving polyamino acid additives include poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a-lysine or poly-L-e-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly L-a-ornithine or poly-L-e-omithine), poly-L-arginine, other polymeric forms of amino acids, and salt forms thereof (e.g., magnesium, calcium, potassium, or sodium salts such as 10 L-glutamic acid mono sodium salt). The sweet taste improving polyamino acid additives also may be in the D- or L- configuration. Additionally, the polyamino acids may be a-, 0-, y-, 6-, and .- isomers if appropriate. Combinations of the foregoing polyamino acids and their corresponding salts (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium salts or other alkali or alkaline earth metal salts thereof or acid salts) also are suitable sweet taste 15 improving additives in embodiments of this invention. The polyamino acids described herein also may comprise co-polymers of different amino acids. The polyamino acids may be natural or synthetic. The polyamino acids also may be modified, such that at least one atom has been added, removed, substituted, or combinations thereof (e.g., N-alkyl polyamino acid or N-acyl polyamino acid). As used herein, polyamino acids encompass 20 both modified and unmodified polyamino acids. In accordance with particular embodiments, modified polyamino acids include, but are not limited to, polyamino acids of various molecular weights (MW), such as poly-L-a-lysine with a MW of 1,500, MW of 6,000, MW of 25,200, MW of 63,000, MW of 83,000, or MW of 300,000. Suitable sweet taste improving sugar acid additives for use in embodiments of this 25 invention include, but are not limited to, aldonic, uronic, aldaric, alginic, gluconic, glucuronic, glucaric, galactaric, galacturonic, and their salts (e.g., sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium salts or other physiologically acceptable salts), and combinations thereof. Suitable sweet taste improving nucleotide additives for use in embodiments of this 30 invention include, but are not limited to, inosine monophosphate ("IMP"), guanosine WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 21 monophosphate ("GMP"), adenosine monophosphate ("AMP"), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uracil monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uracil triphosphate, 5 and their alkali or alkaline earth metal salts, and combinations thereof. The nucleotides described herein also may comprise nucleotide-related additives, such as nucleosides or nucleic acid bases (e.g., guanine, cytosine, adenine, thymine, uracil). Suitable sweet taste improving organic acid additives include any compound which comprises a -COOH moiety. Suitable sweet taste improving organic acid additives for 10 use in embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, C2-C30 carboxylic acids, substituted hydroxyl C1-C30 carboxylic acids, benzoic acid, substituted benzoic acids (e.g. 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid), substituted cinnamic acids, hydroxyacids, substituted hydroxybenzoic acids, substituted cyclohexyl carboxylic acids, tannic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, glucoheptonic acids, adipic acid, 15 hydroxycitric acid, malic acid, fruitaric acid (a blend of malic, fumaric, and tartaric acids), fumaric acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, chlorogenic acid, salicylic acid, creatine, glucosamine hydrochloride, glucono delta lactone, caffeic acid, bile acids, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, alginic acid, erythorbic acid, polyglutanic acid, and their alkali or alkaline earth metal salt derivatives thereof. In addition, the sweet taste improving organic acid 20 additives also may be in either the D- or L- configuration. Suitable sweet taste improving organic acid salt additives include, but are not limited to, sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium salts of all organic acids, such as salts of citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid (e.g., sodium lactate), alginic acid (e.g., sodium alginate), ascorbic acid (e.g., sodium ascorbate), benzoic acid 25 (e.g., sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate), and adipic acid. The examples of the sweet taste improving organic acid salt additives described optionally may be substituted with one or more of the following moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, haloalkyl, carboxyl, acyl, acyloxy, amino, amido, carboxyl derivatives, alkylamino, dialkylamino, arylamino, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, cyano, sulfo, 30 thiol, imine, .sulfonyl, sulfenyl, sulfinyl, sulfamyl, carboxalkoxy, carboxamido, phosphonyl, phosphinyl, phosphoryl, phosphino, thioester, thioether, anhydride, oximino, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 22 hydrazino, carbaryl, phospho, phosphonato, and any other viable tabletop group, provided the substituted organic acid salt additive functions to improve the sweet taste of the at least one NHPS. Suitable sweet taste improving inorganic acid additives for use in 5 embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid, polyphosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, and their corresponding alkali or alkaline earth metal salts thereof (e.g., inositol hexaphosphate Mg/Ca). Suitable sweet taste improving bitter compound additives for use in embodiments 10 of this invention include, but are not limited to, caffeine, quinine, urea, bitter orange oil, naringin, quassia, and salts thereof. Suitable sweet taste improving flavorant and flavoring ingredient additives for use in embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, vanillin, vanilla extract, mango extract, cinnamon, citrus, coconut, ginger, viridiflorol, almond, menthol (including 15 menthol without mint), grape skin extract, and grape seed extract. "Flavorant" and "flavoring ingredient" are synonymous, and include natural or synthetic substances or combinations thereof. Flavorants also include any other substance which imparts flavor, and may include natural or non-natural (synthetic) substances which are safe for human or animals when used in a generally accepted range. Non-limiting examples of proprietary 20 flavorants include DbhlerTM Natural Flavoring Sweetness Enhancer K14323 (D6hlerTM, Darmstadt, Germany), SymriseTM Natural Flavor Mask for Sweeteners 161453 and 164126 (Symrise, HolzmindenTM, Germany), Natural AdvantageTM Bitterness Blockers 1, 2, 9 and 10 (Natural AdvantageTM, Freehold, New Jersey, U.S.A.), and SucramaskTM (Creative Research Management, Stockton, California, U.S.A.). 25 Suitable sweet taste improving polymer additives for use in embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, chitosan, pectin (of beet, citrus, apple, and other vegetables) and modified pectins, pectic, pectinic, polyuronic, polygalacturonic acid, starch and starch derivatives, food hydrocolloid or crude extracts thereof (e.g., gum acacia senegal (FibergumTM), gum acacia seyal, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum karaya, gum 30 ghatti, carageenan), carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, xantha, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 23 scleroglucan, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a-lysine or poly-L-s-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine or poly-L-e-ornithine), polyarginine, polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether), polyaspartic acid, polyglutamic acid, polyethyleneimine, alginic acid, sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, sodium 5 hexametaphosphate (SHMP) and its salts, and sodium polyethyleneglycolalginate and other cationic and anionic polymers. Suitable sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives for use in embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, bovine serum albumin (BSA), whey protein (including fractions or concentrates thereof such as 90% instant 10 whey protein isolate, 34% whey protein, 50% hydrolyzed whey protein, and 80% whey protein concentrate), soluble rice protein, soy protein, protein isolates, protein hydrolysates, reaction products of protein hydrolysates, glycoproteins, and/or proteoglycans containing amino acids (e.g., glycine, alanine, serine, threonine, asparagine, glutamine, arginine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, norvaline, methionine, proline, tyrosine, 15 hydroxyproline, and the like), collagen (e.g., gelatin), partially hydrolyzed collagen (e.g., hydrolyzed fish collagen), and collagen hydrolysates (e.g., porcine collagen hydrolysate). Suitable sweet taste improving surfactant additives for use in embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, polysorbates (e.g., polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (polysorbate 80), polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60), sodium 20 dodecylbenzenesulfonate, dioctyl sulfosuccinate or dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium, sodium dodecyl sulfate, cetylpyridinium chloride (hexadecylpyridinium chloride), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium cholate, carbamoyl, choline chloride, sodium glycocholate, sodium taurodeoxycholate, lauric arginate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sodium taurocholate, lecithins, sucrose oleate esters, sucrose stearate esters, sucrose 25 palmitate esters, sucrose laurate esters, and other emulsifiers, and the like. Suitable sweet taste improving flavonoid additives for use in embodiments of this invention generally are classified as flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, isoflavones, or anthocyanidins. Non-limiting examples of flavonoid additives include catechins (e.g., green tea extracts such as PolyphenonTM 60, PolyphenonTM 30, and 30 PolyphenonTM 25 (Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd., Japan), polyphenols, rutins (e.g., enzyme WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 24 modified rutin SanmelinTM AO (San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc., Osaka, Japan)), neohesperidin, naringin, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, and the like. Suitable sweet taste improving alcohol additives for use in embodiments of this invention include, but are not limited to, ethanol. 5 Suitable sweet taste improving astringent compound additives include, but are not limited to, tannic acid, europium chloride (EuCl 3 ), gadolinium chloride (GdClA), terbium chloride (TbCl 3 ), alum, tannic acid, and polyphenols (e.g., tea polyphenols). Suitable sweet taste improving vitamins include nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) and pyridoxal hydrochloride (Vitamin B6). 10 The sweet taste improving compositions also may comprise other natural and/or synthetic high-potency sweeteners. For example, wherein the functional sweetener composition comprises at least one NHPS, the at least one sweet taste improving composition may comprise a synthetic high-potency sweetener, non-limiting examples of which include sucralose, potassium acesulfame, aspartame, alitame, saccharin, 15 neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, cyclamate, neotame, N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4 methoxyphenyl)propyl]-L-a-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3 hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutyl]-L-a-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl]-L-a-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, salts thereof, and the like. 20 The sweet taste improving compositions also may be in salt form which may be obtained using standard procedures well known in the art. The term "salt" also refers to complexes that retain the desired chemical activity of the sweet taste improving compositions of the present invention and are safe for human or animal consumption in a generally acceptable range. Alkali metal (for example, sodium or potassium) or alkaline 25 earth metal (for example calcium or magnesium) salts also can be made. Salts also may include combinations of alkali and alkaline earth metals. Non-limiting examples of such salts are (a) acid addition salts formed with inorganic acids and salts formed with organic acids; (b) base addition salts formed with metal cations such as calcium, bismuth, barium, magnesium, aluminum, copper, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, sodium, potassium, and the like, 30 or with a cation formed from ammonia, N,N-dibenzylethylenediamine, D-glucosamine, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 25 tetraethylammonium, or ethylenediamine; or (c) combinations of (a) and (b). Thus, any salt forms which may be derived from the sweet taste improving compositions may be used with the embodiments of the present invention as long as the salts of the sweet taste improving additives do not adversely affect the taste of the at least one NHPSs or the 5 orally ingestible compositions comprising the at least one NHPS. The salt forms of the additives can be added to the natural and/or synthetic sweetener composition in the same amounts as their acid or base forms. In particular embodiments, suitable sweet taste improving inorganic salts useful as sweet taste improving additives include, but are not limited to, sodium chloride, potassium 10 chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium citrate, europium chloride (EuCl 3 ), gadolinium chloride (GdCl 3 ), terbium chloride (TbCl 3 ), magnesium sulfate, alum, magnesium chloride, mono-, di-, tri-basic sodium or potassium salts of phosphoric acid (e.g., inorganic phosphates), salts of hydrochloric acid (e.g., inorganic chlorides), sodium carbonate, sodium bisulfate, and sodium bicarbonate. Furthermore, in particular embodiments, 15 suitable organic salts useful as sweet taste improving additives include, but are not limited to, choline chloride, alginic acid sodium salt (sodium alginate), glucoheptonic acid sodium salt, gluconic acid sodium salt (sodium gluconate), gluconic acid potassium salt (potassium gluconate), guanidine HCl, glucosamine HCl, amiloride HCl, monosodium glutamate (MSG), adenosine monophosphate salt, magnesium gluconate, potassium 20 tartrate (monohydrate), and sodium tartrate (dihydrate). C. Combinations of NHPS and Sweet Taste Improving Compositions One of ordinary skill in the art, with the teachings of the present invention, may arrive at all the possible combinations of NHPS and sweet taste improving compositions. For example, non-limiting combinations of the NHPS and sweet taste improving 25 compositions include: 1. at least one NHPS and at least one carbohydrate; 2. at least one NHPS and at least one polyol; 3. at least one NHPS and at least one amino acid; 4. at least one NHPS and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 26 5. at least one NHPS, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 6. at least one NHPS, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one polyol; 7. at least one NHPS, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one amino 5 acid; 8. at least one NHPS, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 9. at least one NHPS, at least one polyol, and at least one amino acid; 10. at least one NHPS, at least one polyol, and at least one other sweet taste 10 improving additive; 11. at least one NHPS, at least one amino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 12. at least one NHPS, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyol, and at least one amino acid; 15 13. at least one NHPS, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyol, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 14. at least one NHPS, at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; and 15. at least one NHPS, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, 20 and at least one other sweet taste improving additive. These fifteen major combinations further may be broken down into further combinations in order to improve the overall taste of the NHPS or the orally ingestible compositions comprising the NHPS. 1. Combinations of Sweet Taste Improving Compositions 25 As explained above, the sweet taste improving composition is selected from the group consisting of polyols, carbohydrates, amino acids, other sweet taste improving additives, and combinations thereof. The other sweet taste improving additives useful in embodiments of this invention are described hereinabove. In one embodiment, a single sweet taste improving composition may be used with a single NHPS. In another 30 embodiment of the present invention, a single sweet taste improving composition may be WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 27 used with one or more NHPSs. In yet another embodiment, one or more sweet taste improving compositions may be used with a single NHPS. In a further embodiment, there may be a plurality of sweet taste improving compositions used in combination with one or more NHPSs. Thus, non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving composition 5 combinations for embodiments of this invention include: i. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; ii. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 10 iii. at least one polyol and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; iv. at least one polyol and at least one carbohydrate; v. at least one carbohydrate and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; vi. at least one polyol and at least one amino acid; 15 vii. at least one carbohydrate and at least one amino acid; viii. at least one amino acid and at least one other sweet taste improving additive. Other sweet taste improving composition combinations in accordance with embodiments of this invention include: 20 1. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one amino acid; 2. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one polyamino acid; 3. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one sugar acid; 4. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one nucleotide; 5. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one organic acid; 25 6. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one inorganic acid; 7. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one bitter compound; 8. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one flavorant or flavoring ingredient; 9. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one polymer; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 28 10. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate or protein or protein hydrolysate with low molecular weight amino acid; 11. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one surfactant; 5 12. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one flavonoid; 13. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one alcohol; 14. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one emulsifier; 15. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one inorganic salt, 16. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one organic salt, 10 17. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one amino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 18. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one polyamino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 19. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one sugar acid, and at 15 least one other sweet taste improving additive; 20. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one nucleotide, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 21. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one organic acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 20 22. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one inorganic acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 23. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one bitter compound, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 24. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one flavorant or 25 flavoring ingredient, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 25. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one polymer, and -at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 26. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 30 27. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one surfactant, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 29 28. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one flavonoid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 29. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, and at least one alcohol, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 5 30. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one polyamino acid; 31. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 32. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least 10 one polyarnino acid, at least one sugar acid, and at least one nucleotide; 33. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, and at least one organic acid; 34. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least 15 one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 35. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one bitter compound; 20 36. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at-least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, and at least one polymer; 37. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least 25 one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 38. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one 30 organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 30 one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one surfactant; 39. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one 5 organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, at least one surfactant, and at least one flavonoid; 40. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one 10 organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, at least one surfactant, at least one flavonoid, and at least one alcohol; 41. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 15 42. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one nucleotide; 43. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one organic acid; 44. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at 20 least one inorganic acid; 45. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one bitter compound; 46. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one polymer; 25 47. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 48. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one surfactant; 49. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at 30 least one flavonoid; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 31 50. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one alcohol; 51. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 5 52. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one nucleotide; 53. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one organic acid; 54. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and 10 at least one inorganic acid; 55. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one bitter compound; 56. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one polymer; 15 57. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 58. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one surfactant; 59. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and 20 at least one flavonoid; 60. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one alcohol; 61. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one nucleotide; 25 62. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one organic acid; 63. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 64. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at 30 least one bitter compound; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 32 65. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one polymer; 66. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 5 67. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one surfactant; 68. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one flavonoid; 69. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at 10 least one alcohol; 70. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one organic acid; 71. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one inorganic acid; 15 72. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one bitter compound; 73. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one polymer; 74. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at 20 least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 75. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one surfactant; 76. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one flavonoid; 25 77. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one alcohol; 78. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 79. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at 30 least one bitter compound; WO 2007/061757 PCTIUS2006/044518 33 80. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one polymer; 81. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 5 82. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one surfactant; 83. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one flavonoid; 84. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at 10 least one alcohol; 85. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one bitter compound; 86. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one polymer; 15 87. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 88. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one surfactant; 89. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at 20 least one flavonoid; 90. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one alcohol; 91. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one polymer; 25 92. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 93. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one surfactant; 94. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and 30 at least one flavonoid; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 34 95. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one alcohol; 96. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 5 97. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one surfactant; 98. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one flavonoid; 99. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least 10 one alcohol; 100. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one surfactant; 101. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one flavonoid; 15 102. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one surfactant, and at least one flavonoid; 103. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one surfactant, and at least one alcohol; and 104. at least one polyol, at least one carbohydrate, at least one flavonoid, and at least 20 one alcohol. Other sweet taste improving composition combinations in accordance with embodiments of this invention include: 1. at least one polyol and at least one amino acid; 2. at least one polyol and at least one polyamino acid; 25 3. at least one polyol and at least one sugar acid; 4. at least one polyol and at least one nucleotide; 5. at least one polyol and at least one organic acid; 6. at least one polyol and at least one inorganic acid; 7. at least one polyol and at least one bitter compound; 30 8. at least one polyol and at least one flavorant or flavoring ingredient; 9. at least one polyol and at least one polymer; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 35 10. at least one polyol and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 11. at least one polyol and at least one surfactant; 12. at least one polyol and at least one flavonoid; 13. at least one polyol and at least one alcohol; 5 14. at least one polyol and at least one emulsifier; 15. at least one polyol and at least one inorganic salt; 16. at least one polyol and at least one organic salt; 17. at least one polyol and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate or mixture of low molecular weight amino acids; 10 18. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 19. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 20. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one other sweet taste 15 improving additive; 21. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 22. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 20 23. at least one polyol, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 24. at least one polyol, at least one bitter compound, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 25. at least one polyol, at least one flavorant or flavoring ingredient, and at least 25 one other sweet taste improving additive; 26. at least one polyol, at least one polymer, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 27. at least one polyol, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 30 28. at least one polyol, at least one surfactant, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 36 29. at least one polyol, at least one flavonoid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 30. at least one polyol, at least one alcohol, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 5 31. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one polyamino acid; 32. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 33. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, and at least one nucleotide; 10 34. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, and at least one organic acid; 35. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 15 36. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one bitter compound; 37. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one 20 inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, and at least one polymer; 38. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 25 39. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one surfactant; 40. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least 30 one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 37 protein or protein hydrolysate, at least one surfactant,. and at least one flavonoid; 41. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one 5 inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, at least one surfactant, at least one flavonoid, and at least one alcohol; 42. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 43. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one nucleotide; 10 44. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one organic acid; 45. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 46. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one bitter compound; 47. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one polymer; 48. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one protein or protein 15 hydrolysate; 49. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one surfactant; 50. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one flavonoid; 51. at least one polyol, at least one amino acid, and at least one alcohol; 52. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 20 53. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one nucleotide; 54. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one organic acid; 55. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one organic salt; 56. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 57. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one inorganic salt; 25 58. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one bitter compound; 59. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one polymer; 60. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolys ate; 30 61. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one surfactant; 62. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one flavonoid; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 38 63. at least one polyol, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one alcohol; 64. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one nucleotide; 65. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one organic acid; 66. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 5 67. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one bitter compound; 68. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one polymer; 69. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 70. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one surfactant; 10 71. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one flavonoid; 72. at least one polyol, at least one sugar acid, and at least one alcohol; 73. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one organic acid; 74. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one inorganic acid; 75. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one bitter compound; 15 76. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one polymer; 77. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 78. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one surfactant; 79. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one flavonoid; 20 80. at least one polyol, at least one nucleotide, and at least one alcohol; 81. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 82. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one bitter compound; 83. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one polymer; 84. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one protein or protein 25 hydrolysate; 85. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one surfactant; 86. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one flavonoid; 87. at least one polyol, at least one organic acid, and at least one alcohol; 88. at least one polyol, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one bitter 30 compound; 89. at least one polyol, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one polymer; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 39 90. at least one polyol, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 91. at least one polyol, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one surfactant; 92. at least one polyol, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one flavonoid; 5 93. at least one polyol, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one alcohol; 94. at least one polyol, at least one bitter compound, and at least one polymer; 95. at least one polyol, at least one bitter compound, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 96. at least one polyol, at least one bitter compound, and at least one surfactant; 10 97. at least one polyol, at least one bitter compound, and at least one flavonoid; 98. at least one polyol, at least one bitter compound, and at least one alcohol; 99. at least one polyol, at least one polymer, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 100. at least one polyol, at least one polymer, and at least one surfactant; 15 101. at least one polyoi, at least one polymer, and at least one flavonoid; 102. at least one polyol, at least one polymer, and at least one alcohol; 103. at least one polyol, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one surfactant; 104. at least one polyol, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one 20 flavonoid; 105. at least one polyol, at least one surfactant, and at least one flavonoid; 106. at least one polyol, at least one surfactant, and at least one alcohol; 107. at least one polyol, at least one flavonoid, and at least one alcohol; 108. at least one sweet taste improving additive and erythritol; 25 109. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltitol; 110. at least one sweet taste improving additive and mannitol; 111. at least one sweet taste improving additive and sorbitol; 112. at least one sweet taste improving additive and lactitol; 113. at least one sweet taste improving additive and xylitol; 30 114. at least one sweet taste improving additive and isomalt; 115. at least one sweet taste improving additive and propylene glycol; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 40 116. at least one sweet taste improving additive and glycerol; 117. at least one sweet taste improving additive and palatinose; 118. at least one sweet taste improving additive and reduced isomalto oligosaccharides; 5 119. at least one sweet taste improving additive and reduced xylo-oligosaccharides; 120. at least one sweet taste improving additive and reduced gentio oligosaccharides; 121. at least one sweet taste improving additive and reduced maltose syrup; 122. at least one sweet taste improving additive and reduced glucose syrup; 10 123. at least one sweet taste improving additive, erythritol, and at least one other polyol; 124. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltitol, and at least one other polyol; 125. at least one sweet taste improving additive, mannitol, and at least one other 15 polyol; 126. at least one sweet taste improving additive, sorbitol, and at least one other polyol; 127. at least one sweet taste improving additive, lactitol, and at least one other polyol; 20 128. at least one sweet taste improving additive, xylitol, and at least one other polyol; 129. at least one sweet taste improving additive, isomalt, and at least one other polyol; 130. at least one sweet taste improving additive, propylene glycol, and at least one 25 other polyol; 131. at least one sweet taste improving additive, glycerol, and at least one other polyol; 132. at least one sweet taste improving additive, palatinose, and at least one other polyol; 30 133. at least one sweet taste improving additive, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, and at least one other polyol; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 41 134. at least one sweet taste improving additive, reduced xylo-oligosaccharides, and at least one other polyol; 135. at least one sweet taste improving additive, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, and at least one other polyol; 5 136. at least one sweet taste improving additive, reduced maltose syrup, and at least one other polyol; and 137. at least one sweet taste improving additive, reduced glucose syrup, and at least one other polyol. Other sweet taste improving composition combinations in accordance with 10 embodiments of this invention include: 1. at least one polyol and tagatose; 2. at least one polyol and trehalose; 3. at least one polyol and galactose; 4. at least one polyol and rhamnose; 15 5. at least one polyol and dextrin; 6. at least one polyol and cyclodextrin; 7. at least one polyol and a-cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, or y-cyclodextrin; 8. at least one polyol and maltodextrin; 9. at least one polyol and dextran; 20 10. at least one polyol and sucrose; 11. at least one polyol and glucose; 12. at least one polyol and fructose; 13. at least one polyol and threose; 14. at least one polyol and arabinose; 25 15. at least one polyol and xylose; 16. at least one polyol and lyxose; 17. at least one polyol and allose; 18. at least one polyol and altrose; 19. at least one polyol and mannose; 30 20. at least one polyol and idose; 21. at least one polyol and talose; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 42 22. at least one polyol and lactose; 23. at least one polyol and maltose; 24. at least one polyol and invert sugar; 25. at least one polyol and trehalose; 5 26. at least one polyol and isotrehalose; 27. at least one polyol and neotrehalose; 28. at least one polyol and palatinose; 29. at least one polyol and galactose; 30. at least one polyol and beet oligosaccharides; 10 31. at least one polyol and isomalto-oligosaccharides; 32. at least one polyol and isomaltose; 33. at least one polyol and isomaltotriose; 34. at least one polyol and panose; 35. at least one polyol and xylo-oligosaccharides; 15 36. at least one polyol and xylotriose; 37. at least one polyol and xylobiose; 38. at least one polyol and gentio-oligoscaccharides; 39. at least one polyol and gentiobiose; 40. at least one polyol and gentiotriose; 20 41. at least one polyol and gentiotetraose; 42. at least one polyol and sorbose; 43. at least one polyol and nigero-oligosaccharides; 44. at least one polyol and palatinose oligosaccharides; 45. at least one polyol and fucose; 25 46. at least one polyol and fructooligosaccharides; 47. at least one polyol and kestose; 48. at least one polyol and nystose; 49. at least one polyol and maltotetraol; 50. at least one polyol and maltotriol; 30 51. at least one polyol and malto-oligosaccharides; 52. at least one polyol and maltotriose; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 43 53. at least one polyol and maltotetraose; 54. at least one polyol and maltopentaose; 55. at least one polyol and maltohexaose; 56. at least one polyol and maltoheptaose; 5 57. at least one polyol and lactulose; 58. at least one polyol and melibiose; 59. at least one polyol and raffinose; 60. at least one polyol and rhamnose; 61. at least one polyol and ribose; 10 62. at least one polyol and isomerized liquid sugars; 63. at least one polyol and high fructose corn syrup (e.g. HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90) or starch syrup; 64. at least one polyol and coupling sugars; 65. at least one polyol and soybean oligosaccharides; 15 66. at least one polyol and glucose syrup; 67. at least one polyol, tagatose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 68. at least one polyol, trehalose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 69. at least one polyol, galactose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 70. at least one polyol, rhanmose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 20 71. at least one polyol, dextrin, and at least one other carbohydrate; 72. at least one polyol, cyclodextrin, and at least one other carbohydrate; 73. at least one polyol, p-cyclodextrin, and at least one other carbohydrate; 74. at least one polyol, maltodextrin, and at least one other carbohydrate; 75. at least one polyol, dextran, and at least one other carbohydrate; 25 76. at least one polyol, sucrose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 77. at least one polyol, glucose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 78. at least one polyol, fructose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 79. at least one polyol, threose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 80. at least one polyol, arabinose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 30 81. at least one polyol, xylose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 82. at least one polyol, lyxose, and at least one other carbohydrate; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 44 83. at least one polyol, allose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 84. at least one polyol, altrose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 85. at least one polyol, mannose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 86. at least one polyol, idose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 5 87. at least one polyol, talose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 88. at least one polyol, lactose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 89. at least one polyol, maltose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 90. at least one polyol, invert sugar, and at least one other carbohydrate; 91. at least one polyol, trehalose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 10 92. at least one polyol, isotrehalose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 93. at least one polyol, neotrehalose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 94. at least one polyol, palatinose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 95. at least one polyol, galactose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 96. at least one polyol, beet oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 15 97. at least one polyol, isomalto-oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 98. at least one polyol, isomaltose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 99. at least one polyol, isomaltotriose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 100. at least one polyol, panose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 20 101. at least one polyol, xylo-oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 102. at least one polyol, xylotriose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 103. at least one polyol, xylobiose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 104. at least one polyol, gentio-oligoscaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 25 105. at least one polyol, gentiobiose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 106. at least one polyol, gentiotriose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 107. at least one polyol, gentiotetraose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 108. at least one polyol, sorbose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 109. at least one polyol, nigero-oligosaccharides, and at least one other 30 carbohydrate; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 45 110. at least one polyol, palatinose oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 111. at least one polyol, fucose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 112. at least one polyol, fructooligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 5 113. at least one polyol, kestose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 114. at least one polyol, nystose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 115. at least one polyol, maltotetraol, and at least one other carbohydrate; 116. at least one polyol, maltotriol, and at least one other carbohydrate; 117. at least one polyol, malto-oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 10 118. at least one polyol, maltotriose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 119. at least one polyol, maltotetraose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 120. at least one polyol, maltopentaose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 121. at least one polyol, maltohexaose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 122. at least one polyol, maltoheptaose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 15 123. at least one polyol, lactulose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 124. at least one polyol, melibiose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 125. at least one polyol, raffmose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 126. at least one polyol, rhamnose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 127. at least one polyol, ribose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 20 128. at least one polyol, isomerized liquid sugars, and at least one other carbohydrate; 129. at least one polyol, high fructose corn syrup (e.g. HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90) or starch syrup, and at least one other carbohydrate; 130. at least one polyol, coupling sugars, and at least one other carbohydrate; 25 131. at least one polyol, soybean oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 132. at least one polyol, glucose syrup, and at least one other carbohydrate; 133. at least one carbohydrate and erythritol; 134. at least one carbohydrate and maltitol; 30 135. at least one carbohydrate and mannitol; 136. at least one carbohydrate and sorbitol; WO 2007/061757 PCTIUS2006/044518 46 137. at least one carbohydrate and lactitol; 138. at least one carbohydrate and xylitol; 139. at least one carbohydrate and isomalt; 140. at least one carbohydrate and propylene glycol; 5 141. at least one carbohydrate and glycerol; 142. at least one carbohydrate and palatinose; 143. at least one carbohydrate and reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides; 144. at least one carbohydrate and reduced xylo-oligosaccharides; 145. at least one carbohydrate and reduced gentio-oligosaccharides; 10 146. at least one carbohydrate and reduced maltose syrup; 147. at least one carbohydrate and reduced glucose syrup; 148. at least one carbohydrate, erythritol, and at least one other polyol; 149. at least one carbohydrate, maltitol, and at least one other polyol; 150. at least one carbohydrate, mannitol, and at least one other polyol; 15 151. at least one carbohydrate, sorbitol, and at least one other polyol; 152. at least one carbohydrate, lactitol, and at least one other polyol; 153. at least one carbohydrate, xylitol, and at least one other polyol; 154. at least one carbohydrate, isomalt, and at least one other polyol; 155. at least one carbohydrate, propylene glycol, and at least one other polyol; 20 156. at least one carbohydrate, glycerol, and at least one other polyol; 157. at least one carbohydrate, palatinose, and at least one other polyol; 158. at least one carbohydrate, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, and at least one other polyol; 159. at least one carbohydrate, reduced xylo-oligosaccharides, and at least one other 25 polyol; 160. at least one carbohydrate, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, and at least one other polyol; 161. at least one carbohydrate, reduced maltose syrup, and at least one other polyol; and 30 162. at least one carbohydrate, reduced glucose syrup, and at least one other polyol.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 47 Other sweet taste improving composition combinations in accordance with embodiments of this invention include: 1. at least one carbohydrate and at least one amino acid; 2. at least one carbohydrate and at least one polyamino acid; 5 3. at least one carbohydrate and at least one sugar acid; 4. at least one carbohydrate and at least one nucleotide; 5. at least one carbohydrate and at least one organic acid; 6. at least one carbohydrate and at least one inorganic acid; 7. at least one carbohydrate and at least one bitter compound; 10 8. at least one carbohydrate and at least one flavorant or flavoring ingredient; 9. at least one carbohydrate and at least one polymer; 10. at least one carbohydrate and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 11. at least one carbohydrate and at least one surfactant; 12. at least one carbohydrate and at least one flavonoid; 15 13. at least one carbohydrate and at least one alcohol; 14. at least one carbohydrate and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate or mixture of low molecular weight amino acids; 15. at least one carbohydrate and at least one emulsifier; 16. at least one carbohydrate and at least one inorganic salt; 20 17. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 18. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 19. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one other sweet 25 taste improving additive; 20. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 21. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 30 22. at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 48 23. at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 24. at least one carbohydrate, at least one flavorant or flavoring ingredient, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 5 25. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 26. at least one carbohydrate, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 27. at least one carbohydrate, at least one surfactant, and at least one other sweet 10 taste improving additive; 28. at least one carbohydrate, at least one flavonoid, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 29. at least one carbohydrate, at least one alcohol, and at least one other sweet taste improving additive; 15 30. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one polyanino acid; 31. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 32. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, 20 at least one sugar acid, and at least one nucleotide; 33. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, and at least one organic acid; 34. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, and at 25 least one inorganic acid; 35. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one bitter compound; 36. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, 30 at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, and at least one polymer; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 49 37. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 5 38. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one surfactant; 39. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, 10 at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, at least one surfactant, and at least one flavonoid; 40. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, at least one polyamino acid, 15 at least one sugar acid, at least one nucleotide, at least one organic acid, at least one inorganic acid, at least one bitter compound, at least one polymer, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, at least one surfactant, at least one flavonoid, and at least one alcohol; 41. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 20 42. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one nucleotide; 43. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one organic acid; 44. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 45. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one bitter 25 compound; 46. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one polymer; 47. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolys ate; 48. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one surfactant; 30 49. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one flavonoid; 50. at least one carbohydrate, at least one amino acid, and at least one alcohol; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 50 51. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one sugar acid; 52. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one nucleotide; 5 53. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one organic acid; 54. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 55. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one bitter 10 compound; 56. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one polymer; 57. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 15 58. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one surfactant; 59. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one flavonoid; 60. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polyamino acid, and at least one alcohol; 20 61. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one nucleotide; 62. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one organic acid; 63. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 64. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one bitter 25 compound; 65. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one polymer; 66. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 67. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one surfactant; 30 68. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one flavonoid; 69. at least one carbohydrate, at least one sugar acid, and at least one alcohol; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 51 70. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one organic acid; 71. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one inorganic acid; 72. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one bitter 5 compound; 73. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one polymer; 74. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 75. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one surfactant; 10 76. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one flavonoid; 77. at least one carbohydrate, at least one nucleotide, and at least one alcohol; 78. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one inorganic acid; 79. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one bitter 15 compound; 80. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one polymer; 81. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 82. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one surfactant; 20 83. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one flavonoid; 84. at least one carbohydrate, at least one organic acid, and at least one alcohol; 85. at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one bitter compound; 86. at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one polymer; 25 87. at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 88. at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one surfactant; 89. at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one 30 flavonoid; 90. at least one carbohydrate, at least one inorganic acid, and at least one alcohol; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 52 91. at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one polymer; 92. at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 5 93. at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one surfactant; 94. at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one flavonoid; 95. at least one carbohydrate, at least one bitter compound, and at least one 10 alcohol; 96. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one protein or protein hydrolysate; 97. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one surfactant; 98. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one flavonoid; 15 99. at least one carbohydrate, at least one polymer, and at least one alcohol; 100. at least one carbohydrate, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one surfactant; 101. at least one carbohydrate, at least one protein or protein hydrolysate, and at least one flavonoid; 20 102. at least one carbohydrate, at least one surfactant, and at least one flavonoid; 103. at least one carbohydrate, at least one surfactant, and at least one alcohol; 104. at least one carbohydrate, at least one flavonoid, and at least one alcohol; 105. at least one sweet taste improving additive and D-tagatose; 106. at least one sweet taste improving additive and trehalose; 25 107. at least one sweet taste improving additive and D-galactose; 108. at least one sweet taste improving additive and rhamnose; 109. at least one sweet taste improving additive and dextrin; 110. at least one sweet taste improving additive and cyclodextrin; 111. at least one sweet taste improving additive and p-cyclodextrin; 30 112. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltodextrin; 113. at least one sweet taste improving additive and dextran; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 53 114. at least one sweet taste improving additive and sucrose; 115. at least one sweet taste improving additive and glucose; 116. at least one sweet taste improving additive and fructose; 117. at least one sweet taste improving additive and threose; 5 118. at least one sweet taste improving additive and arabinose; 119. at least one sweet taste improving additive and xylose; 120. at least one sweet taste improving additive and lyxose; 121. at least one sweet taste improving additive and allose; 122. at least one sweet taste improving additive and altrose; 10 123. at least one sweet taste improving additive and mannose; 124. at least one sweet taste improving additive and idose; 125. at least one sweet taste improving additive and talose; 126. at least one sweet taste improving additive and lactose; 127. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltose; 15 128. at least one sweet taste improving additive and invert sugar; 129. at least one sweet taste improving additive and trehalose; 130. at least one sweet taste improving additive and isotrehalose; 131. at least one sweet taste improving additive and neotrehalose; 132. at least one sweet taste improving additive and palatinose; 20 133. at least one sweet taste improving additive and galactose; 134. at least one sweet taste improving additive and beet oligosaccharides; 135. at least one sweet taste improving additive and isomalto-oligosaccharides; 136. at least one sweet taste improving additive and isomaltose; 137. at least one sweet taste improving additive and isomaltotriose; 25 138. at least one sweet taste improving additive and panose; 139. at least one sweet taste improving additive and xylo-oligosaccharides; 140. at least one sweet taste improving additive and xylotriose; 141. at least one sweet taste improving additive and xylobiose; 142. at least one sweet taste improving additive and gentio-oligoscaccharides; 30 143. at least one sweet taste improving additive and gentiobiose; 144. at least one sweet taste improving additive and gentiotriose; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 54 145. at least one sweet taste improving additive and gentiotetraose; 146. at least one sweet taste improving additive and sorbose; 147. at least one sweet taste improving additive and nigero-oligosaccharides; 148. at least one sweet taste improving additive and palatinose oligosaccharides; 5 149. at least one sweet taste improving additive and fucose; 150. at least one sweet taste improving additive and fructooligosaccharides; 151. at least one sweet taste improving additive and kestose; 152. at least one sweet taste improving additive and nystose; 153. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltotetraol; 10 154. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltotriol; 155. at least one sweet taste improving additive and malto-oligosaccharides; 156. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltotriose; 157. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltotetraose; 158. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltopentaose; 15 159. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltohexaose; 160. at least one sweet taste improving additive and maltoheptaose; 161. at least one sweet taste improving additive and lactulose; 162. at least one sweet taste improving additive and melibiose; 163. at least one sweet taste improving additive and raffinose; 20 164. at least one sweet taste improving additive and rhamnose; 165. at least one sweet taste improving additive and ribose; 166. at least one sweet taste improving additive and isomerized liquid sugars; 167. at least one sweet taste improving additive and high fructose corn syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90) or starch syrup; 25 168. at least one sweet taste improving additive and coupling sugars; 169. at least one sweet taste improving additive and soybean oligosaccharides; 170. at least one sweet taste improving additive and glucose syrup; 171. at least one sweet taste improving additive, D-tagatose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 30 172. at least one sweet taste improving additive, trehalose, and at least one other carbohydrate; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 55 173. at least one sweet taste improving additive, D-galactose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 174. at least one sweet taste improving additive, rhamnose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 5 175. at least one sweet taste improving additive, dextrin, and at least one other carbohydrate; 176. at least one sweet taste improving additive, cyclodextrin, and at least one other carbohydrate; 177. at least one sweet taste improving additive, p-cyclodextrin, and at least one 10 other carbohydrate; 178. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltodextrin, and at least one other carbohydrate; 179. at least one sweet taste improving additive, dextran, and at least one other carbohydrate; 15 180. at least one sweet taste improving additive, sucrose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 181. at least one sweet taste improving additive, glucose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 182. at least one sweet taste improving additive, fructose, and at least one other 20 carbohydrate; 183. at least one sweet taste improving additive, threose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 184. at least one sweet taste improving additive, arabinose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 25 185. at least one sweet taste improving additive, xylose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 186. at least one sweet taste improving additive, lyxose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 187. at least one sweet taste improving additive, allose, and at least one other 30 carbohydrate; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 56 188. at least one sweet taste improving additive, altrose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 189. at least one sweet taste improving additive, mannose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 5 190. at least one sweet taste improving additive, idose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 191. at least one sweet taste improving additive, talose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 192. at least one sweet taste improving additive, lactose, and at least one other 10 carbohydrate; 193. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 194. at least one sweet taste improving additive, invert sugar, and at least one other carbohydrate; 15 195. at least one sweet taste improving additive, trehalose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 196. at least one sweet taste improving additive, isotrehalose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 197. at least one sweet taste improving additive, neotrehalose, and at least one other 20 carbohydrate; 198. at least one sweet taste improving additive, palatinose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 199. at least one sweet taste improving additive, galactose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 25 200. at least one sweet taste improving additive, beet oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 201. at least one sweet taste improving additive, isomalto-oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 202. at least one sweet taste improving additive, isomaltose, and at least one other 30 carbohydrate; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 57 203. at least one sweet taste improving additive, isomaltotriose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 204. at least one sweet taste improving additive, panose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 5 205. at least one sweet taste improving additive, xylo-oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 206. at least one sweet taste improving additive, xylotriose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 207. at least one sweet taste improving additive, xylobiose, and at least one other 10 carbohydrate; 208. at least one sweet taste improving additive, gentio-oligoscaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 209. at least one sweet taste improving additive, gentiobiose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 15 210. at least one sweet taste improving additive, gentiotriose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 211. at least one sweet taste improving additive, gentiotetraose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 212. at least one sweet taste improving additive, sorbose, and at least one other 20 carbohydrate; 213. at least one sweet taste improving additive, nigero-oligosaccharides., and at least one other carbohydrate; 214. at least one sweet taste improving additive, palatinose oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 25 215. at least one sweet taste improving additive, fucose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 216. at least one sweet taste improving additive, fmuctooligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 217. at least one sweet taste improving additive, kestose, and at least one other 30 carbohydrate; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 58 218. at least one sweet taste improving additive, nystose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 219. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltotetraol, and at least one other carbohydrate; 5 220. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltotriol, and at least one other carbohydrate; 221. at least one sweet taste improving additive, malto-oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; 222. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltotriose, and at least one other 10 carbohydrate; 223. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltotetraose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 224. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltopentaose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 15 225. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltohexaose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 226. at least one sweet taste improving additive, maltoheptaose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 227. at least one sweet taste improving additive, lactulose, and at least one other 20 carbohydrate; 228. at least one sweet taste improving additive, melibiose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 229. at least one sweet taste improving additive, raffinose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 25 230. at least one sweet taste improving additive, rhamnose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 231. at least one sweet taste improving additive, ribose, and at least one other carbohydrate; 232. at least one sweet taste improving additive, isomerized liquid sugars, and at 30 least one other carbohydrate; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 59 233. at least one sweet taste improving additive, high fructose corn syrup (e.g. HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90) or starch syrup, and at least one other carbohydrate; 234. at least one sweet taste improving additive, coupling sugars, and at least one 5 other carbohydrate; 235. at least one sweet taste improving additive, soybean oligosaccharides, and at least one other carbohydrate; and 236. at least one sweet taste improving additive, glucose syrup, and at least one other carbohydrate. 10 In another embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition comprises at least one NHPS in combination with a plurality of sweet taste improving additives, desirably 3 or more sweet taste improving additives, and even more desirably 4 or more sweet taste improving additives, wherein each sweet taste improving additive is present in an amount such that no one sweet taste improving additive imparts a substantial off taste to the 15 tabletop sweetener composition. In other words, the amounts of the sweet taste improving additives in the tabletop sweetener composition are balanced so that no one sweet taste improving additive imparts a substantial off taste to the tabletop sweetener composition. 2. Temporal Profile Modulation According to a particular embodiment of this invention, the tabletop sweetener 20 composition provided herein comprises at least one sweet taste improving composition in the tabletop sweetener composition in an amount effective for the tabletop sweetener composition to impart an osmolarity of at least 10 mOsmoles/L to an aqueous solution of the tabletop sweetener composition, wherein the at least one NHPS is present in the aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to impart a maximum sweetness intensity 25 equivalent to that of a 10% aqueous solution of sucrose by weight. As used herein, "mOsmoles/L" refers to milliosmoles per liter. According to another embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition comprises at least one sweet taste improving composition in an amount effective for the tabletop sweetener composition to impart an osmolarity of 10 to 500 mOsmoles/L, preferably 25 to 500 mOsmoles/L preferably, more preferably 100 30 to 500 mOsmoles/L, more preferably 200 to 500 mOsmoles/L, and still more preferably WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 60 300 to 500 mOsmoles/L to an aqueous solution of the tabletop sweetener composition, wherein the at least one NHPS is present in the aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to impart a maximum sweetness intensity equivalent to that of a 10% aqueous solution of sucrose by weight. Wherein a plurality of sweet taste improving compositions are 5 combined with at least one NHPS, the osmolarity imparted is that of the total combination of the plurality of sweet taste improving compositions. Osmolarity refers to the measure of osmoles of solute per liter of solution, wherein osmole is equal to the number of moles of osmotically active particles in an ideal solution (e.g., a mole of glucose is one osmole), whereas a mole of sodium chloride is two osmoles 10 (one mole of sodium and one mole of chloride). Thus, in order to improve in the quality of taste of the tabletop sweetener composition, the osmotically active compounds or the compounds which impart osmolarity must not introduce significant off taste to the formulation. In one embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving carbohydrate additives for the 15 present invention have a molecular weight less than or equal to 500 and desirably have a molecular weight from 50 to 500. In particular embodiments, suitable carbohydrates with a molecular weight less than or equal to 500 include, but are not limited to, sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, lactose, mannose, galactose, and tagatose. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving carbohydrate additives for imparting 20 osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving carbohydrate additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 50 to about 500. In one embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving polyol additives have a molecular weight less than or equal to 500 and desirably have a molecular weight from 76 25 to 500. In particular embodiments, suitable sweet taste improving polyol additives with a molecular weight less than or equal to 500 include, but are not limited to, erythritol, glycerol, and propylene glycol. In a sub-embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving polyol additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste 30 improving polyol additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 76 to about 500.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 61 Desirably, the at least one NHPS and at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive are present in the sweetener composition in a ratio from about 1:4 to about 1:800, respectively; more particularly from about 1:20 to about 1:600; even more particularly from about 1:50 to about 1:300; and still more particularly from about 1:75 to about 1:150. 5 In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving alcohol additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving alcohol additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 46 to about 500. A non-limiting example of sweet taste improving alcohol additive with a molecular weight ranging from 10 about 46 to about 500 includes ethanol. In one embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving amino acid additives have a molecular weight of less than or equal to 250 and desirably have a molecular weight from 75 to 250. In particular embodiments, suitable sweet taste improving amino acid additives with a molecular weight less than or equal to 250 include, but are not limited to, glycine, 15 alanine, serine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, proline, theanine, and threonine. Preferred sweet taste improving amino acid additives include those which are sweet tasting at high concentrations, but desirably are present in embodiments of this invention at amounts below or above their sweetness taste detection threshold. Even more preferred are mixtures of sweet taste improving amino acid additives at amounts below or above their 20 sweetness taste detection threshold. In a sub-embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving amino acid additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving amino acid additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 250. 25 In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving amino acid salt additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving amino acid salt additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 300. Non limiting examples of sweet taste improving amino acid salt additives with a molecular WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 62 weight ranging from about 75 to about 300 include salts of glycine, alanine, seine, theanine, and threonine. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to 5 about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 300. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 300 include proteins or protein hydrolysates containing glycine, alanine, seine, and threonine. 10 In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving inorganic acid additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, phosphoric acid, HCI, and H 2 S0 4 and any other inorganic acid additives which are safe for human or animal consumption when used in a generally acceptable range. In a sub-embodiment, suitable sweet taste 15 improving inorganic acid additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving inorganic acid additives with a molecular weight range from about 36 to about 98. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additives 20 for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, salts of inorganic acids, for example sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium salts of phosphoric acid, and any other alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of other inorganic acids (e.g., sodium bisulfate) which are safe for human or animal consumption when used in a generally acceptable 25 range. In a sub-embodiment, suitable suitable sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additives with a molecular weight range from about 58 to about 120.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 63 In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving organic acid additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, creatine, citric acid, malic acid, succinic acid, hydroxycitric acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, glutaric acid, 5 adipic acid, and any other sweet taste improving organic acid additives which are safe for human or animal consumption when used in a generally acceptable range. In one embodiment, the sweet taste improving organic acid additive comprises a molecular weight range from about 60 to about 208. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving organic acid salt additives 10 for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, salts of sweet taste improving organic acid additives, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and other alkali or alkaline metal salts of citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, hydroxycitric acid, succinic acid, and salts of any other sweet 15 taste improving organic acid additives which are safe for human or animal consumption when used in a generally acceptable range. In one embodiment, the sweet taste improving organic acid salt additive comprises a molecular weight range from about 140 to about 208. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving organic base salt additives 20 for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, inorganic and organic acid salts of organic bases such as glucosamine salts, choline salts, and guanidine salts. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving astringent additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a 25 sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, tannic acid, tea polyphenols, catechins, aluminum sulfate, AINa(SO 4 )2, AIK(SO 4

)

2 and other forms of alum. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving nucleotide additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmolcs/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, adenosine monophosphate.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 64 In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving polyamino acid additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a lysine or poly-L-c-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine or poly-L-s 5 ornithine), and poly-L-arginine. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving polymer additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, chitosan, sodium hexametaphosphate and its salts, pectin, hydrocolloids such as gum acacia senegal, 10 propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, and poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether). In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving surfactant additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, polysorbates, choline chloride, sodium taurocholate, lecithins, sucrose oleate esters, sucrose stearate esters, sucrose 15 palmitate esters, and sucrlose laurate esters. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving flavonoid additives for imparting osmolarities ranging from about 10 mOsmoles/L to about 500 mOsmoles/L to a sweetenable composition include, but are not limited to, naringin, catechins, rutins, neohesperidin, and neohesperidin dihydrochalcone. 20 3. Flavor Profile Modulation In one embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving compositions improve the flavor profile, including the osmotic taste, of the NHPS tabletop composition. Non limiting examples of sweet taste improving compositions enhancing the NHPS's osmotic taste to be more sugar-like include sweet taste improving carbohydrate additives, sweet 25 taste improving alcohol additives, sweet taste improving polyol additives, sweet taste improving amino acid additives, sweet taste improving amino acid salt additives, sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additives, sweet taste improving polymer additives, and sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving carbohydrate additives for 30 improving the osmotic taste of the a NHPS to be more sugar-like include, but are not WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 65 limited to, sweet taste improving carbohydrate additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 50 to about 500. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving carbohydrate additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 50 to about 500 include sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, lactose, mannose, galactose, ribose, rhamnose, 5 trehalose, HFCS, and tagatose. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving polyol additives for improving the osmotic taste of a NHPS to be more sugar-like include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving polyol additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 76 to about 500. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving polyol additives with a 10 molecular weight ranging from about 76 to about 500 include erythritol, glycerol, and propylene glycol. In a sub-embodiment, other suitable sweet taste improving polyol additives include sugar alcohols. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving alcohol additives for improving the osmotic taste of a NHPS to be more sugar-like include, but are not limited 15 to, sweet taste improving alcohol additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 46 to about 500. A non-limiting example of sweet taste improving alcohol additive with a molecular weight ranging from about 46 to about 500 includes ethanol. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving amino acid additives for improving the osmotic taste of a NHPS to be more sugar-like include, but are not limited 20 to, sweet taste improving amino acid additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 250. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving amino acid additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 250 include glycine, alanine, seine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, proline, hydroxyproline, glutamine, theanine, and threonine. 25 In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving amino acid salt additives for improving the osmotic taste of a NHPS to be more sugar-like include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving amino acid salt additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 300. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving amino acid salt additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 300 WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 66 include salts of glycine, alanine, serine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, proline, hydroxyproline, glutamine, theanine, and threonine. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives for improving the osmotic taste of a NHPS to be more sugar-like 5 include, but are not limited to, sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 300. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additives with a molecular weight ranging from about 75 to about 300 include protein or protein hydrolysates containing glycine, alanine, serine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, proline, and 10 threonine. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additives for improving the osmotic taste of a NHPS to be more sugar-like include, but are not limited to, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, KH 2

PO

4 and NaH 2

PO

4 . Suitable sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additives for improving the 15 osmotic taste may comprise a molecular weight from about 58 to about 120. In another embodiment, suitable sweet taste improving bitter additives for improving the osmotic taste of the NHPS to be more sugar-like include, but are not limited to, caffeine, quinine, urea, quassia, tannic acid, and naringin. 4. Tabletop Compositions of NHPS and Sweet Taste Improving 20 Compositions In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving nucleotide additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one nucleotide additive is chosen from inosine monophosphate ("IMP"), guanosine monophosphate ("GMP"), 25 adenosine monophosphate ("AMP"), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uracil monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uracil triphosphate, nucleosides thereof, nucleic acid bases thereof, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least 30 one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 67 solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erytiritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 5 In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, and y-cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant 10 maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, 15 abequose, galactosamine, beet oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto 20 oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 25 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising 30 at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one polyol additive is chosen WO 2007/061757 PCTIUS2006/044518 68 from erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerine), threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto oligosaccharides, reduced xylo-oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, or reduced glucose syrup; and wherein the at least one bulking 5 agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 10 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one amino acid additive is chosen from aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, creatine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, isoleucine, 15 asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, 20 galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyamino acid 25 additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one polyamino acid additive is chosen from poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a-lysine or poly L-s-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine or poly-s-ornithine), poly-L arginine, other polymeric forms of amino acids, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup 30 solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 69 maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving sugar acid 5 additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one sugar acid additive is chosen from aldonic, uronic, aldaric, alginic, gluconic, glucuronic, glucaric, galactaric, galacturonic, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, 10 mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving organic acid 15 additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one organic acid is chosen from C2-C30 carboxylic acids, substituted hydroxyl C1-C30 carboxylic acids, benzoic acid, substituted benzoic acids (e.g., 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid), substituted cinnamic acids, hydroxyacids, substituted hydroxybenzoic acids, substituted cyclohexyl carboxylic acids, tannic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, 20 glucoheptonic acids, glutaric acid, creatine, adipic acid, hydroxycitric acid, malic acid, fruitaric acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, chlorogenic acid, salicylic acid, caffeic acid, bile acids, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, alginic acid, erythorbic acid, polyglutamic acid, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), 25 sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising 30 at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 70 additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one inorganic acid additive is chosen from phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid, polyphosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 5 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 10 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving bitter compound additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one bitter compound additive is chosen from caffeine, quinine, urea, bitter orange oil, naringin, quassia, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from 15 maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 20 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving flavorant additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one flavorant additive is chosen from vanillin, vanilla extract, mango extract, cinnamon, citrus, coconut, ginger, viridiflorol, almond, menthol, grape skin extract, or grape seed extract; DdhlerTM 25 Natural Flavoring Sweetness Enhancer K14323 (DihlerTM, Darmstadt, Germany), SymriseTM Natural Flavor Mask for Sweeteners 161453 or 164126 (SymriseTM, Holzminden, Germany), Natural AdvantageTM Bitterness Blockers 1, 2, 9 or 10 (Natural AdvantageTM, Freehold, New Jersey, U.S.A.), or SucramaskTM (Creative Research Management, Stockton, California, U.S.A.); and wherein the at least one bulking agent is 30 chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 71 mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising 5 at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polymer additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one polymer additive is chosen from chitosan, pectin, pectic, pectinic, polyuronic, polygalacturonic acid, starch, food hydrocolloid or crude extracts thereof (e.g., gum acacia senegal, gum acacia seyal, carageenan), poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a-lysine or poly-L-e-lysine), poly-L 10 omithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine or poly-E-ornithine), polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether), polyarginine, polyaspartic acid, polyglutamic acid, polyethyleneimine, alginic acid, sodium alginate, propylene glycol alginate, sodium polyethyleneglycolalginate, sodium hexametaphosphate and its salts, or other cationic and anionic polymers; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen 15 from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 20 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one protein or protein hydrolysate additive is chosen from bovine serum albumin (BSA), whey protein (including fractions or concentrates thereof such as 90% instant whey 25 protein isolate, 34% whey protein, 50% hydrolyzed whey protein, and 80% whey protein concentrate), soluble rice protein, soy protein, protein isolates, protein hydrolysates, reaction products of protein hydrolysates, glycoproteins, and/or proteoglycans containing amino acids (e.g., glycine, alanine, serine, threonine, theanine, asparagine, glutamine, arginine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, norvaline, methionine, proline, tyrosine, 30 hydroxyproline, or the like); and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 72 fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 5 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving surfactant additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one surfactant additive is chosen from polysorbates (e.g., polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (polysorbate 80), polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60), sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, 10 dioctyl sulfosuccinate or dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium, sodium dodecyl sulfate, cetylpyridinium chloride, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium cholate, carbamoyl, choline chloride, sodium glycocholate, sodium taurocholate, sodium taurodeoxycholate, lauric arginate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, lecithins, sucrose oleate esters, sucrose stearate esters, sucrose palmitate esters, sucrose laurate esters, and other 15 emulsifiers, or the like; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose 20 derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving flavonoid additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one flavonoid additive is chosen from catechins, polyphenols, rutins, neohesperidin, naringin, 25 neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, or the like; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and 30 cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 73 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with ethanol and optionally at least one bulking agent, wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), com syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, 5 sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising 10 at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving astringent compound additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one astringent additive is chosen from tannic acid, europium chloride (EuCl 3 ), gadolinium chloride (GdCl 3 ), terbium chloride (TbCl 3 ), alum, tannic acid, and polyphenols (e.g., tea polyphenol); and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 15 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 20 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one inorganic salt additive is chosen from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium sulfate, potassium citrate, europium chloride (EuCl 3 ), gadolinium 25 chloride (GdCl 3 ), terbium chloride (TbCl 3 ), magnesium sulfate, magnesium phosphate, alum, magnesium chloride, mono-, di-, tri-basic sodium or potassium salts of phosphoric acid, salts of hydrochloric acid, sodium carbonate, sodium bisulfate, or sodium bicarbonate; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, 30 invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 74 polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one tabletop ingredient and at least one NHPS in combination with at least one 5 sweet taste improving organic salt additive and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one organic salt additive is chosen from choline chloride, gluconic acid sodium salt, gluconic acid potassium salt, guanidine HCI, amiloride HCl, glucosamine HCI, monosodium glutamate (MSG), adenosine monophosphate salt, magnesium gluconate, potassium tartrate, and sodium tartrate; and wherein the at least one 10 bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 15 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving nucleotide additive, at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one nucleotide additive is chosen from inosine monophosphate ("IMP"), guanosine 20 monophosphate ("GMP"), adenosine monophosphate ("AMP"), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uracil monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uracil triphosphate, nucleosides thereof, nucleic acid bases thereof, or salts thereof; wherein the at least one 25 carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, and y-cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, 30 erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 75 acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet oligosaccharides, isomalto oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, 5 fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; wherein the at 10 least one amino acid additive is chosen from aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, isoleucine, asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen 15 from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 20 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving nucleotide additive, at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one nucleotide additive is chosen from inosine monophosphate ("IMP"), guanosine monophosphate ("GMP"), adenosine monophosphate 25 ("AMP"), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uracil monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uracil triphosphate, nucleosides thereof, nucleic acidbases thereof, or salts thereof; wherein the at least one carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, 30 trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, and y cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 76 dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, 5 glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, genetiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), 10 maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 15 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 20 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving nucleotide additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one nucleotide additive is chosen from inosine monophosphate ("IMP"), guanosine monophosphate ("GMP"), adenosine monophosphate 25 ("AMP"), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uracil monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uracil triphosphate, nucleosides thereof, nucleic acidbases thereof, or salts thereof; wherein the at least one polyol additive is chosen from erythritol, maltitol, 30 mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerine), threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo- WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 77 oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, or reduced glucose syrup; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, 5 erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NIPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving nucleotide 10 additive, at least one sweet taste improving amino acid, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one nucleotide additive is chosen from inosine monophosphate ("IMP"), guanosine monophosphate ("GMP"), adenosine monophosphate ("AMP"), cytosine monophosphate (CMP), uracil monophosphate (UMP), inosine diphosphate, guanosine diphosphate, adenosine diphosphate, cytosine diphosphate, uracil diphosphate, 15 inosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, cytosine triphosphate, uracil triphosphate, nucleosides thereof, nucleic acid bases thereof, or salts thereof; wherein the at least one amino acid additive is chosen from aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, isoleucine, asparagine, shrine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, 20 carnitine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, 25 maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste 30 improving amino acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 78 cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, and y-cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, 5 erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet oligosaccharides, isomalto oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, 10 gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or 15 HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; wherein the at least one polyol additive is chosen from erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerine), threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo-oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, or reduced glucose syrup; wherein the at 20 least one amino acid additive is chosen from aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, isoleucine, asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen 25 from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 30 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 79 additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, 0-cyclodextrin, and y cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), 5 dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet 10 oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, 15 maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffmose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; wherein the at least one polyol additive is chosen from erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerine), 20 threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, or reduced glucose syrup; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, 25 erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate 30 additive, at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 80 trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, and y cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, 5 palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides 10 (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., 15 HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; wherein the at least one amino acid additive is chosen from aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, praline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, isoleucine, asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, 20 hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, 25 fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one polyol additive is chosen from erythritol, maltitol, 30 mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerin), threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo- WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 81 oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, or reduced glucose syrup; wherein the at least one amino acid additive is chosen from aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, isoleucine, asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, 5 methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, 10 maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive, and optionally at least one 15 bulking agent; wherein the at least one polyol additive is chosen from erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerin), threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, or reduced glucose syrup; wherein the at least one inorganic salt additive is chosen from sodium 20 chloride, potassium chloride, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium sulfate, potassium citrate, europium chloride (EuCI 3 ), gadolinium chloride (GdCl 3 ), terbium chloride (TbCl 3 ), magnesium sulfate, alum, magnesium chloride, mono-, di-, tri-basic sodium or potassium salts of phosphoric acid, salts of hydrochloric acid, sodium carbonate, sodium bisulfate, or sodium bicarbonate; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from 25 maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. 30 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 82 additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, p-cyclodextrin, and y cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), 5 dextran, sucrose, glucose, ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet 10 oligosaccharides, isomalto-oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, 15 maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; wherein the at least one inorganic salt additive is chosen from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium sulfate, potassium citrate, 20 europium chloride (EuC 3 ), gadolinium chloride (GdCl 3 ), terbium chloride (TbCl 3 ), magnesium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, alum, magnesium chloride, mono-, di-, tri basic sodium or potassium salts of phosphoric acid, salts of hydrochloric acid, sodium carbonate, sodium bisulfate, or sodium bicarbonate; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 25 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising 30 at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 83 improving inorganic salt additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one carbohydrate additive is chosen from tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin (e.g., a-cyclodextrin, p--cyclodextrin, and y-cyclodextrin), maltodextrin (including resistant maltodextrins such as Fibersol-2TM), dextran, sucrose, glucose, 5 ribulose, fructose, threose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, allose, altrose, mannose, idose, lactose, maltose, invert sugar, isotrehalose, neotrehalose, palatinose or isomaltulose, erythrose, deoxyribose, gulose, idose, talose, erythrulose, xylulose, psicose, turanose, cellobiose, amylopectin, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, beet oligosaccharides, isomalto 10 oligosaccharides (isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and the like), xylo-oligosaccharides (xylotriose, xylobiose and the like), gentio-oligoscaccharides (gentiobiose, gentiotriose, gentiotetraose and the like), sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharides, fucose, fructooligosaccharides (kestose, nystose and the like), maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides (maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, 15 maltoheptaose and the like), lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup (e.g., HFCS55, HFCS42, or HFCS90), coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, or glucose syrup; wherein the at least one amino acid additive is chosen from aspartic acid, arginine, glycine, glutamic acid, proline, threonine, theanine, cysteine, cystine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, 20 isoleucine, asparagine, serine, lysine, histidine, ornithine, methionine, carnitine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, or gamma- isomers), glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine, norvaline, sarcosine, or salts thereof; wherein the at least one inorganic salt additive is chosen from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium citrate, europium chloride (EuCI 3 ), gadolinium chloride (GdCl 3 ), terbium chloride (TbC1 3 ), 25 magnesium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, alum, magnesium chloride, mono-, di-, tri basic sodium or potassium salts of phosphoric acid, salts of hydrochloric acid, sodium carbonate, sodium bisulfate, or sodium bicarbonate; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, 30 xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 84 inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, 5 at least one sweet taste improving polyamino acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one polyol additive is chosen from erythritol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, lactitol, xylitol, inositol, isomalt, propylene glycol, glycerol (glycerin), threitol, galactitol, palatinose, reduced isomalto-oligosaccharides, reduced xylo oligosaccharides, reduced gentio-oligosaccharides, reduced maltose syrup, or reduced 10 glucose syrup; wherein the at least one polyamino acid additive is chosen from poly-L aspartic acid, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly-L-a-lysine or poly-L-8-lysine), poly-L-ornithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine or poly-L-s-ornithine), poly-L-arginine, and other polymeric forms of amino acids, or salts thereof; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), 15 sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising 20 at least one NHPS in combination with at least one sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent; wherein the at least one sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additive is chosen from bovine serum albumin (BSA), whey protein (including fractions or concentrates thereof such as 90% instant whey protein 25 isolate, 34% whey protein, 50% hydrolyzed whey protein, and 80% whey protein concentrate), soluble rice protein, soy protein, protein isolates, protein hydrolysates, reaction products of protein hydrolysates, glycoproteins, and/or proteoglycans containing amino acids (e.g., glycine, alanine, seine, threonine, theanine, asparagine, glutamine, arginine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, norvaline, methionine, proline, tryptophan, tyrosine, 30 phenylalanine, hydroxyproline, or the like), collagen (e.g., gelatin), partially hydrolyzed collagen (e.g., hydrolyzed fish collagen), and collagen hydrolysates (e.g., porcine collagen WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 85 hydrolysate); wherein the at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive is chosen from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium citrate, europium chloride (EuCl 3 ), gadolinium chloride (GdCl 3 ), terbium chloride (TbC 3 ), magnesium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, alum, magnesium chloride, mono-, di-, tri 5 basic sodium or potassium salts of phosphoric acid, salts of hydrochloric acid, sodium carbonate, sodium bisulfate, or sodium bicarbonate; and wherein the at least one bulking agent is chosen from maltodextrin (e.g., 10 DE, 18 DE, or 5 DE), corn syrup solids (e.g., 20 or 36 DE), sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, 10 inulin, glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising rebaudioside A in combination with at least one NHPS other than rebaudioside-A, at least one sweet taste improving composition, and optionally at least one bulking agent. 15 In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising rebaudioside-A (REBA) in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. In a still more particular embodiment, the at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive is glycine or alanine, and the at least one sweet taste improving polyol 20 additive is erythritol. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. In a still more particular embodiment, the at least one sweet 25 taste improving amino acid additive is glycine or lysine, and the at least one sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additive is protein, a hydrolysate, or a reaction product of a hydrolysate of a protein containing glycine, alanine, seine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, proline, or threonine. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in 30 combination with at least one sweet taste improving protein hydrolysate additive, at least WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 86 one sweet taste improving polyol additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. In a still more particular embodiment, the at least one sweet taste improving protein or protein bydrolysate additive is a protein, a hydrolysate, or a reaction product of a hydrolysate of proteins containing glycine, alanine, serine, leucine, valine, isoleucine, 5 proline, or threonine, and the at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive is erythritol. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. In a still more particular embodiment, the 10 composition comprises REBA and glucose, sucrose, HFCS, or D-fructose. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with propylene glycol, erythritol, or combinations thereof. 15 In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Desirably, the at least one sweet taste improving polyol comprises erythritol. In another particular embodiment of the composition, REBA and erythritol are present in the composition in a ratio from about 1:4 to about 1:800, 20 respectively. In yet another particular embodiment of the composition, REBA and erythritol are present in the composition in a ratio from about 1:20 to about 1:600, respectively; more particularly from about 1:50 to about 1:300; and still more particularly from about 1:75 to about 1:150. Desirably, the REBA comprises at least 50 % REBA by weight with the remainder being other steviol glycosides. 25 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving synthetic sweetener additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. In a particular embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition comprises REBA in combination with saccharin or acesulfame potassium or other salts.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 87 In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with tagatose, fructose or 5 sucrose and erythritol. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with NaCl, KCI, NaHSO 4 .H20, NaH 2

PO

4 , MgSO 4 , KAl(SO 4

)

2 (alum), 10 magnesium phosphate, magnesium chloride, KCl and KH 2

PO

4 , or other combinations thereof. A particularly desirable embodiment comprises REBA in combination with a mixture of inorganic salt additives, such as chlorides, phosphates, and sulfates of sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium (e.g., sodium chloride and potassium chloride; potassium phosphate and potassium chloride; sodium chloride and sodium phosphate; 15 calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate; magnesium chloride and magnesium phosphate; and calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, and potassium sulfate). In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving organic acid salt additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in 20 combination with choline chloride in citrate buffer, D-gluconic acid sodium salt, guanidine HC1, D-glucosamine HCl, amiloride HCl, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving organic acid additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination 25 with fumaric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, tannic acid, lauric arginate, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination 30 with glycine, L-alanine, L-serine, L-threonine, S-alanine, aminobutyric acid (alpha-, beta-, WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 88 or gamma- isomers), L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-lysine, glycine and L-alanine mixture, salt derivatives or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving surfactant additive and optionally at 5 least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium, cetylpyridinium chloride, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, sucrose oleate, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, lecithin, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in 10 combination with at least one sweet taste improving polymer additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with cationic polymers such as polyethyleneimine, poly-L-lysine (e.g., poly L-a-lysine or poly-L-e-lysine), poly-L-omithine (e.g., poly-L-a-ornithine or poly-L-c ornithine), chitosan, or combinations thereof. 15 In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polymer additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with a hydrocolloid, such as a gum acacia seyal, and erythritol. 20 In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving protein or protein hydrolysate additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with bovine serum albumin (BSA), whey protein or combinations thereof. 25 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with glycine and alum; REBA in combination with glycine and potassium chloride; REBA in combination 30 with glycine and sodium chloride; REBA in combination with glycine, potassium WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 89 phosphate, and potassium chloride; and REBA in combination with glycine, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, at least one 5 sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with fructose, sucrose, or glucose and alum; REBA in combination with fructose, sucrose, or glucose and potassium chloride; REBA in combination with fructose, sucrose, or glucose and sodium chloride; REBA in combination with fructose, sucrose, or glucose, potassium phosphate, 10 and potassium chloride; and REBA in combination with fructose, sucrose, or glucose, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving bitter additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. A 15 non-limiting example includes REBA in combination with urea and sodium chloride. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyamino acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with glycine and poly-L 20 a-lysine; and REBA in combination with glycine and poly-L-s-lysine. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving organic acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. A non-limiting example includes REBA in combination with glycine and 25 sodium gluconate. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. A non-limiting example includes REBA in combination with L-alanine and 30 fructose.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 90 In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic salt additive, at least one sweet taste improving organic acid salt additive, and optionally at 5 least one bulking agent is provided. A non-limiting example includes REBA in combination with erythritol, glycine, KCl, KH 2

PO

4 , and choline chloride. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving carbohydrate additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol 10 additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. A non-limiting example includes REBA in combination with L-alanine, fructose, and erythritol. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving amino acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving polyol, additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid 15 salt additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. A non-limiting example includes REBA in combination with erythritol, glycine, KCl, and KH 2

PO

4 . In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with a sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. A non-limiting example includes REBA in 20 combination with sodium chloride. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising glycyrrihizin such as mono-ammonium glycyrrhizic acid salt hydrate in combination with a sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additive and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. A non-limiting example includes monoammonium glycyrrhizic acid 25 salt hydrate in combination with sodium chloride. In one embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition is provided comprising at least one NHPS chosen from rebaudioside-A, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Guo sweetener, monatin, or curculin in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste improving organic acid additive, 30 and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. In a particular embodiment, the WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 91 composition described hereinabove further comprises at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additive, at least one sweet taste improving organic acid salt additive, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in 5 combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste improving organic acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent is provided. Desirably, the REBA has a purity from about 50 to about 100% by weight of REBA, more desirably from about 80 to about 99.5% by weight REBA, most desirably from about 97 to about 99.5% by weight REBA in a steviolglycoside mixture. A non 10 limiting example includes REBA in combination with erythritol, lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, or combinations thereof. In a particular embodiment, the composition comprises 34,000 ppm of erythritol, 80 ppm of lactic acid, 310 ppm of citric acid, 310 ppm of malic acid, 310 ppm or tartaric acid, and 550 ppm of REBA. Desirably, the REBA has a purity from about 80 to about 99.5% by weight of REBA, more desirably 15 from about 97 to about 99.5% by weight REBA in a steviolglycoside mixture. The composition optionally also may include flavorants such as caramel, vanilla, or other such flavorants as described herein, or combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet 20 taste improving organic acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent described hereinabove further comprises at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid additive. Non-limiting examples of sweet taste improving inorganic acid additives include phosphoric acid, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and combinations thereof. In yet another embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition comprising REBA 25 in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste improving organic acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent described hereinabove further comprises at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additive and/or at least one sweet taste improving organic acid salt additive. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with erythritol, sodium chloride or magnesium 30 chloride, and lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, or combinations thereof; WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 92 REBA in combination with erythritol, potassium citrate or sodium citrate, and lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, or combinations thereof; or REBA in combination with erythritol, sodium chloride and sodium citrate, lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid, or combinations thereof. 5 In another embodiment, the composition comprising REBA in combination with at least one sweet taste improving polyol additive, at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid additive, at least one sweet taste improving organic acid additive, and optionally at least one bulking agent described hereinabove further comprises at least one sweet taste improving inorganic acid salt additive and/or at least one sweet taste improving 10 organic acid salt additive. Non-limiting examples include REBA in combination with erythritol, phosphoric acid, sodium chloride or magnesium chloride, and lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, or combinations thereof; REBA in combination with erythritol, phosphoric acid, potassium citrate or sodium citrate, and lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, or combinations thereof; or REBA in combination with erythritol, 15 phosphoric acid, sodium chloride and sodium citrate, lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, and tartaric acid, or combinations thereof. 5. Tabletop Sweetener Delivery Formulations Tabletop sweeteners are embodied and packaged in numerous different forms, and it is intended that the tabletop sweetener composition of the present invention may be of 20 any form known in the art. Non-limiting examples include powder form, granular form, packets, tablets, sachets, pellets, cubes, solids, and liquids. In an embodiment, a tabletop sweetener composition comprises a single-serving (portion control) packet comprising a dry-blend of a NHPS formulation. Dry-blend formulations generally may comprise powder or granules. Although the tabletop 25 sweetener packet may be of any size, an illustrative non-limiting example of conventional portion control tabletop sweetener packets are approximately 2.5 by 1.5 inches and hold approximately 1 gram of a sweetener composition having a sweeteness equivalent to 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar (- 8 g). The amount of NHPS in a dry-blend tabletop sweetener formulation will vary due to the varying potency of different NHPSs. In a 30 particular embodiment, a dry-blend tabletop sweetener formulation may comprise a NIPS WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 93 in an amount from about 1 % (w/w) to about 10 % (w/w) of the tabletop sweetener composition. Solid tabletop sweetener embodiments include cubes and tablets. A non-limiting example of conventional cubes are equivalent in size to a standard cube of granulated 5 sugar, which is approximately 2.2 x 2.2 x 2.2 cm 3 and weigh approximately 8 g. In one embodiment, a solid tabletop sweetener is in the form of a tablet or any other form known to those skilled in the art. A tabletop sweetener composition also may be embodied in the form of a liquid, wherein the NHPS is combined with a liquid carrier. Suitable non-limiting examples of 10 carrier agents for liquid tabletop sweeteners include water, alcohol, polyol, glycerin base or citric acid base dissolved in water, and mixtures thereof. Due to the varying potencies of the different NHPSs, the amount of NHPS in a liquid tabletop sweetener formulation also will vary. The sweetness equivalent of a tabletop sweetener composition for any of the forms described herein or known in the art may be varied to obtain a desired sweetness 15 profile. For example, a tabletop sweetener composition may comprise a sweetness comparable to that of an equivalent amount of standard sugar. In another embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition may comprise a sweetness of up to 100 times that of an equivalent amount of sugar. In another embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition may comprise a sweetness of up to 90 times, 80 times, 70 times, 60 times, 50 times, 40 20 times, 30 times, 20 times, 10 times, 9 times, 8 times, 7 times, 6 times, 5 times, 4 times, 3 times, and 2 times that of an equivalent amount of sugar. In one embodiment, the tabletop sweetener composition also may be formulated for targeted uses, for example, in beverage, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, herbal/vitamins, tobacco, and in any other products which may be sweetened. For 25 example, a tabletop sweetener composition for baking may be formulated having additional protecting agents, such as encapsulants. Other forms will be readily apparent to those skilled in the tabletop sweetener art. Commonly used methods for making powder or granulated NHPS formulations for packets include fluid bed agglomeration processes. Typically, finely divided particles of a 30 solution are sprayed onto a fluidized bed of particles under moisture and temperature WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 94 conditions which promote formation of an agglomerate. The solution comprises the NHPS, a sweet taste improving composition, and a binding agent. The spray rate can be modified to control the average particle size, as it is known that by increasing the spray rate, the average particle size is also increased. Following the spraying of the particles, the 5 particles are allowed to dry and may optionally be screened to control the particle size distribution. In another method for making a powder or granulated tabletop sweetener composition for packets, the method comprises combining at least one NHPS and any sweet taste improving composition, bulking agent, and/or anti-caking agent with an 10 aqueous solution to form a aqueous suspension that is thoroughly blended. The suspension is heated to approximately 50' to 90"C under vacuum to remove the water while avoiding decomposition of the materials. Finally, the mixture is milled to the desired particle size. It is contemplated that other methods for making tabletop sweetener compositions 15 that are well known in the art also may be used. Those skilled in the art appreciate that the amount of NHPS and amount and types of sweet taste improving composition, bulking agent, and/or anti-caking agent can be modified in order to tailor the taste of the tabletop sweetener composition to a desired profile and end use. 20 Embodiments of the sweet taste improving compositions of this invention can impart a more sharp and clean sensation to the taste of NHPS. Furthermore, embodiments of the sweet taste improving compositions of the present invention have a superior effect in improving the temporal and/or flavor profile of a NHPS while at the same time providing a sweetener composition with a low-caloric or non-caloric content, imparting 25 more sugar-like characteristics. The desired weight ratio of a NHPS to sweet taste improving composition, bulking agent, and/or anti-caking agent will depend on the NHPS, and the sweetness and other characteristics desired in the final tabletop sweetener composition. NHPSs vary greatly in their potency, ranging from about 30 times more potent than sucrose to about 8,000 times 30 more potent than sucrose on a weight basis. In general, the weight ratio of a NHPS to WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 95 sweet taste improving composition, bulking agent, and/or anti-caking agent may, for example, range from between 10,000:1 to about 1:10,000; a further non-limiting example may range from about 9,000:1 to about 1:9,000; yet another example may range from about 8,000:1 to about 1:8,000; a further example may range from about 7,000:1 to about 5 1:7,000; another example may range from about 6,000:1 to about 1:6000; in yet another example may range from about 5,000:1 to about 1:5,000; in yet another example may range from about 4,000:1 to about 1:4,000; in yet another example may range from about 3,000:1 to about 1:3,000; in yet another example may range from about 2,000:1 to about 1:2,000; in yet another example may range from about 1,500:1 to about 1:1,500; in yet 10 another example may range from about 1,000:1 to about 1:1,000; in yet another example may range from about 900:1 to about 1:900; in yet another example may range from about 800:1 to about 1:800; in yet another example may range from about 700:1 to about 1:700; in yet another example may range from about 600:1 to about 1:600; in yet another example may range from about 500:1 to about 1:500; in yet another example may range 15 from about 400:1 to about 1:400; in yet another example may range from about 300:1 to about 1:300; in yet another example may range from about 200:1 to about 1:200; in yet another example may range from about 150:1 to about 1:150; in yet another example may range from about 100:1 to about 1:100; in yet another example may range from about 90:1 to about 1:90; in yet another example may range from about 80:1 to about 1:80; in yet 20 another example may range from about 70:1 to about 1:70; in yet another example may range from about 60:1 to about 1:60; in yet another example may range from about 50:1 to about 1:50; in yet another example may range from about 40:1 to about 1:40; in yet another example may range from about 30:1 to about 1:30; in yet another example may range from about 20:1 to about 1:20; in yet another example may range from about 15:1 to 25 about 1:15; in yet another example may range from about 10:1 to about 1:10; in yet another example may range from about 9:1 to about 1:9; in yet another example may range from about 8:1 to about 1:8; in yet another example may range from about 7:1 to about 1:7; in yet another example may range from about 6:1 to about 1:6; in yet another example may range from about 5:1 to about 1:5; in yet another example may range from about 4:1 30 to about 1:4; in yet another example may range from about 3:1 to about 1:3; in yet another WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 96 example may range from about 2:1 to about 1:2; and in yet another example may be about 1:1; depending on the particular NIHPS selected. II. Examples The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples, which are 5 not to be construed in any way as imposing limitations upon the scope thereof. On the contrary, it is to be clearly understood that resort may be had to various other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents thereof which, after reading the description therein, may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention and/or the scope of the appended claims. Unless otherwise 10 specified, %'s are by weight. A. Example Set A Example Al Tabletop packets were prepared containing rebaudioside A ("REBA") and the bulking agent dextrose available from CPC International. The REBA and Unidex were 15 dry blended and the resulting dry blend was packaged into 1 gram packets. Each packet comprised approximately 3.2 % (w/w) REBA and approximately 96.8 % (w/w) Unidex. Each packet had a sweetness equivalent to approximately two teaspoons of sucrose. The tabletop packets were used to sweeten Folger brand aroma roasted coffee, black or whitened with 2 % milk. When mixed into approximately 240 mL (one cup) of 20 coffee, the packets yielded a good, sweet product. Example A2 Tabletop packets were prepared containing REBA and erythritol, a polyol. The REBA and erythritol were dry blended and the resulting dry blend was packaged into 1 25 gram packets. Each packet comprised approximately 3.2 % (w/w) REBA and approximately 96.8 % (w/w) erythritol. Each packet had a sweetness equivalent to approximately two teaspoons of sucrose.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 97 The tabletop packets were used to sweeten Folger brand aroma roasted coffee, black or whitened with 2 % milk. When mixed into approximately 240 mL (one cup) of coffee, the packets yielded a good, sweet product. Example A3 5 Tabletop packets were prepared containing REBA and glycine, an amino acid. The REBA and glycine were dry blended and the resulting dry blend was packaged into 1 gram packets. Each packet comprised approximately 3.2 % (w/w) REBA and approximately 96.8 % (w/w) glycine. Each packet had a sweetness equivalent to approximately two teaspoons of sucrose. 10 The tabletop packets were used to sweeten Folger brand aroma roasted coffee, black or whitened with 2 % milk. When mixed into approximately 240 mL (one cup) of coffee, the packets yielded a good, sweet product. Example A4 Tabletop packets were prepared containing REBA, glycine, an amino acid and the 15 bulking agent Unidex. The REBA, glycine, and Unidex were dry blended and the resulting dry blend was packaged into 1 gram packets. Each packet comprised approximately 3.2 % (w/w) REBA, approximately 48.4 % (w/w) glycine, and approximately 48.4 % (w/w) Unidex. Each packet had a sweetness equivalent to approximately two teaspoons of sucrose. 20 The tabletop packets were used to sweeten Folger brand aroma roasted coffee, black or whitened with 2 % milk. When mixed into approximately 240 mL (one cup) of coffee, the packets yielded a good, sweet product. Example A5 25 Tabletop packets were prepared containing, erythritol, a polyol and the bulking agent Unidex. The REBA, erythritol, and dextrose were dry blended and the resulting dry blend was packaged into 1 gram packets. Each packet comprised approximately 3.2 % (w/w) REBA, approximately 48.4 % (w/w) erythritol, and approximately 48.4 % (w/w) WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 98 dextrose. Each packet had a sweetness equivalent to approximately two teaspoons of sucrose. The tabletop packets were used to sweeten Folger brand aroma roasted coffee, black or whitened with 2 % milk. When mixed into approximately 240 mL (one cup) of 5 coffee, the packets yielded a good, sweet product. Example A6 Tabletop packets were prepared containing REBA and glycine, an amino acid. The REBA and glycine were dry blended and the resulting dry blend was packaged into 1 gram packets. Each packet comprised approximately 3.2 % (w/w) REBA and 10 approximately 96.8 % (w/w) glycine. Each packet had a sweetness equivalent to approximately two teaspoons of sucrose. The tabletop packets were used to sweeten Folger brand aroma roasted coffee, black or whitened with 2 % milk. When mixed into approximately 240 mL (one cup) of coffee, the packets yielded a good, sweet product. 15 The following Examples B1-B3, C1-C3, D, El-E3, and F illustrate methods of making purified rebaudioside A in accordance with particular embodiments of this invention: B. Example Set B Table 2: Summary of Examples B 1-3 Crude Solvent Heating Drying Yield HPLC Rebaudloside A Ethanol Methanol Water T (C) T (C) (g) Purity (g) (95%)(mL) (99%XmL) (mL) I (wt/wt %) B1 400 1200 400 320 50 50 130 98.9 B2 100 320 120 50 30-40 60 72 98.3. B3 50 160 60 25 -30 60 27.3 98.2 20 Example BI Crude rebaudioside A (77.4% purity) mixture was obtained from a commercial 25 source. The impurities (6.2% stevioside, 5.6% rebaudioside C, 0.6 % rebaudioside F, 1.0 % other steviolglycosides, 3.0% rebaudioside D, 4.9% rebaudioside B, 0.3% steviolbioside) were identified and quantified using HPLC on dry basis, moisture content 4.7%.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 99 Crude rebaudioside A (400 g), ethanol (95%, 1200 mL), methanol (99%, 400 mL) and water (320 mL) were combined and heated to 50*C for 10 minutes. The clear solution was cooled to 22*C for 16 hours. The white crystals were filtered and washed twice with ethanol (2 x 200 mL, 95%) and dried in a vacuum oven at 50 0 C for 16-24 hours under 5 reduced pressure (20 mm). The final composition of substantially pure rebaudioside A (130 g) comprised 98.91% rebaudioside A, 0.06% stevioside, 0.03% rebaudioside C, 0.12% rebaudioside F, 0.13% other steviolglycosides, 0.1% rebaudioside D, 0.49% rebaudioside B and 0.03% steviolbioside, all by weight. 10 Example B2 Crude rebaudioside A (80.37 %) was obtained from a commercial source. The impurities (6.22% stevioside, 2.28% rebaudioside C, 0.35% Dulcoside, 0.78 % rebaudioside F, 0.72 % other steviolglycosides, 3.33% rebaudioside B, 0.07% steviolbioside) were identified by HPLC on dry basis, moisture content 3.4%. 15 Crude rebaudioside A (100 g), ethanol (95%, 320 mL), methanol (99%, 120 mIL) and water (50 nL) were combined and heated to 30-40*C for 10 minutes. The clear solution was cooled to 22*C for 16 hours. The white crystals were filtered and washed twice with ethanol (2 x 50 mL, 95%). The wet filter cake (88 g) was slurried in ethanol (95%, 1320 mL) for 16 hours, filtered, washed with ethanol (95%, 2 x 100 mL) and dried 20 in a vacuum oven at 60*C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm). The final composition of substantially pure rebaudioside A (72 g) comprised 98.29% rebaudioside A, 0.03% stevioside, 0.02% rebaudioside C, 0.17% rebaudioside F, 0.06% rebaudioside D and 1.09% rebaudioside B. Steviolbioside was not detected by HPLC. 25 Example B3 Crude rebaudioside A (80.37%) was obtained from a commercial source. The impurities (6.22% stevioside, 2.28% rebaudioside C, 0.35% Dulcoside, 0.78 % rebaudioside F, 0.72 % other steviolglycosides, 3.33% rebaudioside B, 0.07% steviolbioside) were identified by HPLC on dry basis, moisture content 3.4%.

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 100 Crude rebaudioside A (50 g), ethanol (95%, 160 mL), methanol (99%, 60 mL) and water (25 mL) were combined and heated to approximately 30*C for 10 minutes. The clear solution was cooled to 22*C for 16 hours. The white crystals were filtered and washed twice with ethanol (2 x 25 mL, 95% ). The wet filter cake (40 g) was slurried in 5 methanol (99%, 600 mL) for 16 hours, filtered, washed with methanol (99%, 2 x 25 mL) and dried in a vacuum oven at 60'C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm). The final composition of substantially pure rebaudioside A (27.3g) comprised 98.22% rebaudioside A, 0.04% stevioside, 0.04% rebaudioside C, 0.18% rebaudioside F, 0.08% rebaudioside D and 1.03% rebaudioside B. Steviolbioside was not detected by 10 HPLC. C. Example Set C Table 3: Summary of Examples C1-3 I Solvent Crude Ethanol Organic Water Wash Solvent Yield HPLC Rebaudioside (95%)(mL) Co-solvent (mL) (g) Purity A (g) (mL) (%) Cl 5 15 Methanol (6) 3.5 EtOH/MeOH 2.6 >99 1 1 1 _ (3:1 v/v) C2 5 15 Methanol (5) 4 EtOH/MeOH 2.3 >99 1 1 1 __ (3:1 v/v) I C3 5 16 Methanol (6) 2.5 *EtOH/MeOH 3.2 >98 (8:3 v/v) Example C1 15 A mixture of crude rebaudioside A (80.37 % purity, 5 g), ethanol (95%, 15 mL), methanol (5 mL) and water (3.5 mL) were combined and heated to reflux for 10 minutes. The clear solution was cooled to 22*C for 16 hours while stirring. The white crystalline product was filtered, washed twice with ethanol:methanol (5.0 mL, 3:1, v/v) mixture and dried in a vacuum oven at 50"C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm) to yield 20 2.6 g of purified product (>99% by HPLC). Example C2 A mixture of crude rebaudioside A (80.37 % purity, 5 g), ethanol (95%, 15 mL), methanol (5 mL) and water (4.0 mL) were combined and heated to reflux for 10 minutes. The clear solution was cooled to 22*C for 16 hours while stirring. The white crystalline 25 product was filtered, washed twice with ethanol:methanol (5.0 mL, 3:1, v/v) mixture and WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 101 dried in a vacuum oven at 50*C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm) to yield 2.3 g of purified product (>99% by HPLC). Example C3 A mixture of crude rebaudioside A (80.37 % purity, 5 g), ethanol (95%, 16 mL), 5 methanol (6 mL) and water (2.5 mL) were combined and heated to reflux for 10 minutes. The clear solution was cooled to 22*C for 2 hours. During this time, crystals started to appear. The mixture is stirred at room temperature for 16 hours. The white crystalline product was filtered, washed twice with ethanol:methanol (5.0 mL, 8:3, v/v) mixture and dried in a vacuum oven at 50'C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm) to yield 10 3.2 g of purified product (>98% by HPLC). D. Example D Table 4: Summary of Example D Solvent Crude Organic Solvent Water Wash Solvent Yield HPLC Rebaudioside (ML) (mL) (g) Purity A (g) (%) D 50 EtOH (160) 40 EtOH 19.8 99.5 A mixture of crude rebaudioside A (80.37 % purity, 50 g), ethanol (95%, 160 mL) and water (40 mL) were combined and heated to reflux for 30 minutes. The mixture was 15 then allowed to cool to ambient temperature for 16-24 hours. The white crystalline product was filtered, washed twice with ethanol (95%, 25 mL), and dried in a vacuum oven at 60'C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm) to yield 19.8 g of purified product (99.5% by HPLC). 20 E. Example E Table 5: Summary of Examples E1-3 Crude Ethanol Organic Water Methanol Yield HPLC Rebaudioside (95%)(mL) Co-solvent (ML) Slurry (g) Purity A (g) (mL) (mL) (%) El 50 160 Methanol 25 200 12.7 >97 (60) E2 50 160 Methanol 25 300 18.6 >97 I 1 1 (60) E3 50 160 Methanol 25 350 22.2 >97 (60) WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 102 Example El A mixture of crude rebaudioside A (41% purity, 50 g), ethanol (95%, 160 mL), methanol (99.8 %, 60 mL) and water (25 mL) were combined by stirring at 22*C. A white 5 product crystallized out in 5-20 hours. The mixture was stirred for additional 48 hours. The white crystalline product was filtered and washed twice with ethanol (95%, 25 mL). The wet cake of white crystalline product then was slurried in methanol (99.8 %, 200 mL) for 16 hours, filtered, washed twice with methanol (99.8 %, 25 mL), and dried in a vacuum oven at 60*C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm) to give 12.7 g of 10 purified product (>97% by HPLC). Example E2 A mixture of crude rebaudioside A (48% purity, 50 g), ethanol (95%, 160 mL), methanol (99.8 %, 60 m.L) and water (25 mL) was combined by stirring at 22*C. The white product crystallized out in 3-6 hours. The mixture was stirred for additional 48 15 hours. The white crystalline product was filtered and washed twice with ethanol (95%, 25 mL). The wet cake of white crystalline product then was slurried in methanol (99.8 %, 300 mL) for 16 hours, filtered, washed twice with methanol (99.8 %, 25 mL) and dried in a vacuum oven at 60*C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm) to give 18.6 g of purified product (>97% by HPLC). 20 Example E3 A mixture of crude rebaudioside A (55% purity, 50 g), ethanol (95%, 160 mnL), methanol (99.8 %, 60 mL) and water (25 mL) was combined by stirring at 22*C. The white product crystallized out in 15-30 minutes. The mixture was stirred for an additional 48 hours. The white crystalline product was filtered and washed twice with ethanol (95%, 25 25 mL). The wet cake of white crystalline product was slurried in methanol (99.8 %, 350 mL) for 16 hours, filtered, washed twice with methanol (99.8 %, 25 mL) and dried in a vacuum oven at 60'C for 16-24 hours under reduced pressure (20 mm) to give 22.2 g of purified product (>97% by HPLC).

WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 103 Example F A solution of rebaudioside A ( >97% pure by HPLC ) was prepared in double distilled water (12.5 gm in 50 mL, 25 % concentration) by stirring the mixture at 40*C for 5 minutes. An amorphous rebaudioside A polymorph was formed by immediately using 5 the clear solution for spray drying with the Lab-Plant spray drier SD-04 instrument (Lab Plant Ltd., West Yorkshire, U.K.). The solution was fed through the feed pump into the nozzle atomizer which atomized it into a spray of droplets with the help of a constant flow of nitrogen / air. Moisture was evaporated from the droplets under controlled temperature conditions (about 90 to about 97'c) and airflow conditions in the drying chamber and 10 resulted in the formation of dry particles. This dry powder (11-12 g, H 2 0 6.74 %) was discharged continuously from the drying chamber and was collected in a bottle. The solubility in water at room temperature was determined to be > 35.0 %. While the invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an 15 understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be assessed as that of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims (44)

1. A tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one natural high-potency sweetener and at least one sweet taste improving composition.

2. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one 5 bulking agent.

3. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one anti-caking agent.

4. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one bulking agent and at least one anti-caking agent. 10

5. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition functions as a bulking agent.

6. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition functions as an anti-caking agent.

7. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, wherein the tabletop sweetener 15 composition is in the form of a solid, a liquid, a powder, granules, a tablet, a cube, or a pellet.

8. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, wherein. the at least one natural high-potency sweetener is selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside 20 A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Guo sweetener, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hemandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukurozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, 25 abrusoside A, cyclocarioside I, and combinations thereof. WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 105

9. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, wherein the sweet taste improving composition is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, polyamino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids 5 and their corresponding salts, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants, astringent compounds, polymers, proteins or protein hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, flavonoids, alcohols, synthetic sweeteners, and combinations thereof.

10. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 2, wherein the sweet taste improving 10 composition is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, polyamino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids and their corresponding salts, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants, astringent compounds, polymers, proteins or protein hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, flavonoids, alcohols, synthetic sweeteners, and 15 combinations thereof.

11. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 2, wherein the bulking agent is selected from the group consisting of maltodextrin, corn syrup solids, sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt,.maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, glycerol, propylene 20 glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, and mixtures thereof.

12. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 3, wherein the anti-caking agent is selected from the group consisting of cream of tartar, calcium silicate, silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, tricalcium phosphate, and mixtures thereof. 25

13. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one natural high-potency sweetener comprises rebaudioside A, stevia, stevioside, or combinations thereof. WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 106

14. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises a polyol.

15. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one polyol comprises erythritol. 5

16. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one polyol comprises xylitol.

17. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one amino acid.

18. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 17, wherein the at least one amino 10 acid comprises glycine, alanine, proline, hydroxyproline, glutamine, or combinations thereof.

19. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one polyamino acid.

20. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 19, wherein the at least one 15 polyamino acid comprises poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-L-a-lysine, poly-L-s-lysine, poly-L a-ornithine, poly-L-s-ornithine, poly-L-arginine, salts thereof, or combinations thereof.

21. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one inorganic salt.

22. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 21, wherein the at least one inorganic 20 salt comprises a sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium salt.

23. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 21, further comprising at least one inorganic phosphate.

24. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 23, wherein the at least one inorganic phosphate comprises a sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium phosphate. WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 107

25. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 21, further comprising at least one inorganic chloride.

26. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 25, wherein the at least one inorganic chloride comprises a sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium chloride. 5

27. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one carbohydrate.

28. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 27, wherein the at least one carbohydrate comprises sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, or sucrose.

29. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the at least one sweet 10 taste improving composition comprises at least one synthetic high-potency sweetener.

30. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 29, wherein the at least one synthetic high-potency sweetener comprises saccharin or acesulfame potassium or other salts.

31. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 70 % rebaudioside A by weight on 15 a dry basis.

32. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 80 % rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis.

33. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the rebaudioside A 20 comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 90 % rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis.

34. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 97 % rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis. WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 108

35. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 98 % rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis.

36. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 13, wherein the rebaudioside A 5 comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 99 % rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis.

37. A packaged tabletop sweetener composition comprising the tabletop sweetener composition as in claim 1 disposed in a portion control packet or a sachet.

38. A tabletop sweetener composition comprising at least one natural high- potency 10 sweetener and at least one bulking agent.

39. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 37, further comprising at least one anti-caking agent.

40. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 37, wherein the tabletop sweetener composition is in the form of a solid, a liquid, a powder, granules, a tablet, a cube, or a 15 pellet.

41. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 37, wherein the at least one natural high-potency sweetener is selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Guo 20 sweetener, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukurozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, cyclocarioside I, and combinations thereof. 25 WO 2007/061757 PCT/US2006/044518 109

42. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 37, wherein the bulking agent is selected from the group consisting of maltodextrin, dextro-maltodextrin blends, corn syrup solids, sucrose, fructose, glucose, invert sugar, sorbitol, xylose, ribulose, mannose, xylitol, mannitol, galactitol, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, maltose, tagatose, lactose, inulin, 5 glycerol, propylene glycol, polyols, polydextrose, fructooligosaccharides, cellulose and cellulose derivatives, and mixtures thereof.

43. The tabletop sweetener composition of claim 37, wherein the anti-caking agent is selected from the group consisting of cream of tartar, calcium silicate, silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, and tricalcium phosphate, and mixtures thereof. 10

44. The packaged tabletop sweetener composition comprising the tabletop sweetener composition of claim 37 disposed in a portion control packet or a sachet.