GB2116820A

GB2116820A - Sweetener compositions

Info

Publication number: GB2116820A
Application number: GB08302196A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marvin E Eisenstadt; Abraham I Bakal
Original assignee: Cumberland Packing Corp
Current assignee: Cumberland Packing Corp
Priority date: 1982-03-16
Filing date: 1983-01-27
Publication date: 1983-10-05
Also published as: GR82289B; AU551415B2; FR2523408B1; IL68018A0; GB2116820B; ZA831111B; JPS58158155A; CA1201922A; IT8319843A0; IT1163123B; AU1204583A; DE3309426A1; JPH0453502B2; IT8319843A1; FR2523408A1; GB8302196D0

Abstract

Sweetening compositions are disclosed which comprise 1.5-9% by weight of 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide or its alkali or alkaline earth metal salts, 87-98% by weight of a sugar, sugar alcohol or polysugar and 0.5-4% by weight of cream of tartar. The composition may also include up to 0.6% by weight of the extract of thaumatococcus daniellii and up to 0.6% by weight of maltol or ethyl maltol.

Description

SPECIFICATION Table top sweetener compositions BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The compound 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide and its alkali metal and alkaline earth salts have been described as artificial sweetening agents possessing about 1 30 times the sweetness of sucrose in U.S. patent No. 3,689,486. U.S. patent No. 4,256,730 describes the use of this compound and its salts in oral compositions.

6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide and its salts, most preferred of which is the potassium salt, namely the potassium salt of 6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazi-4 (3H)-one-2,2-dioxide, are exceptionally sweet as compared to sucrose. However, the sweetness of the compound is only about one-half the sweetness of saccharine.

Consequently, although it is desired to provide saccharine-free low calorie sweetening compositions, the use of the 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide for this purpose is limited by the need to use relatively high amounts, as compared to saccharine, to achieve the desired degree of sweetness. This is a disadvantage not only because of the relatively high cost of the 6-methyloxathiazinone dioxide but also because it is necessary to use the compound in the form of its salt, such as the potassium salt, and the use of the relatively high amounts thereof causes a metallic aftertaste.

For example, in order to achieve the sweetness of two teaspoons of sugar (9 grams), it is necessary to use about 70 mgs. of the potassium salt of 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide. This amount will provide the necessary sweetness but will also result in a pronounced metallic after taste so that the compound cannot properly be used for table top sweetening not only because of the relatively high cost of 70 mgs. of the compound but also because of the undesired metallic aftertaste.

Generally speaking, in accordance with the present invention, a composition is provided of 6methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide or its alkali metal or alkaline earth salts, a sugar, sugar alcohol, or polysugar and cream of tartar This composition provides for potentiated sweetening of the 6methyl-oxthiazinone dioxide as well as elimination of its metallic aftertaste.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide sweetening compositions utilizing 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide or its salts as the artificial sweetener together with a sugar, sugar alcohol or polysugar and cream of tartar to potentiate the sweetness and to reduce the metallic aftertaste. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide still greater potentiation of the sweetness of 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide or its salts.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide table top sweetener compositions which can be used in the manner of sugar without providing the calories of sugar.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a further reading of the specification of the appended claims.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention mainly comprises a sweetening composition of 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide or its salts, particularly its alkali metal or alkaline earth salts, and most particularly its potassium salt, together with a sugar, sugar alcohol or polysugar and further with cream of tartar.

The term " methyloxa sweetener" will be used hereinafter to refer to 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide or its alkali metal or alkaline earth salts, particularly its potassium salt. This term is used for convenience only and the specific salt will be mentioned where required.

The term "cream of tartar" is used interchangeably herein with its chemical equivalent "potassium bitartrate".

The sugar and sugar alcohols which may be used in the composition of the present invention include sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose, etc., for the sugars, and xyltol, manitol, sorbitol, for the sugar alcohols. The polysugars which may be used include the most readily commercially available of the polysugars, namely polydextrose.

The natural extract of the African fruit known as thaumatococcus daniellii which is used for further potentiation of the sweetness of the composition of the present invention will hereinafter be referred to by its commercial name "Talin", this material being manufactured by Tate 8 Lyle of England and described by J. D. Higginbothane in "Protein Sweeteners In Developments in Sweeteners-i", Applied Science Publishers Ltd. (1979). Maltol and ethyl maltol which are also used for sweetness potentiation will be referred to as such.

There are two particularly surprising aspects of the compositions of the present invention. The first is the fact that the sugar together with the cream of tartar has the effect of potentiating the sweetness of the methyloxa sweeteners. While sugars and cream of tartar have been used to overcome bitter aftertaste of sweeteners, potentiation of the sweetening effect of artificial sweeteners was hitherto obtained only by the additional use of extremely sweet substances such as glycyrrhizin (U.S. Patent No. 4,254,154).

Still further, the most preferred methyloxa sweetener, and the salt which is used for sweetnening purposes, is the potassium salt of 6-methyl-oxathiazinone dioxide. It is most surprising that the addition of another potassium salt, namely potassium bitartrate, in combination with the sugar, sugar alcohol or polysugar, does not increase the metallic aftertaste but rather helps to eliminate the same.

In order to achieve the potentiation of the sweetness of the methyloxa sweetener with the reduction in the metallic aftertaste thereof, the components of the composition of the present invention should be used in the following proportions: (a) Methyloxa sweetener-i .5-9% by weight, preferably 3-5% by weight; (b) Sugar, sugar alcohol or polysugar-87%-98% by weight, preferably 93-96% by weight; (c) Cream of tartar0.5-4% by weight or preferably 1-2% by weight.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Talin and/or maltol or ethyl maltol may be added to the composition to still further potentiate the sweetness of the methyloxa sweetener. Although Talin and/or maltol or ethyl maltol can be used to potentiate the sweetness of the methyloxa sweetener, when used alone, that is Talin alone or maltol or ethyl maltol alone or Talin plus maltol or ethyl maltol, it is not possible to achieve sufficient sweetness potentiation to have a pronounced effect on the amount of methyloxa sweetener used, and furthermore, there is no decrease in the metallic aftertaste of the methyloxa sweetener.

However, when used in the composition of the present invention, that is along with the methyloxa sweetener and sugar, sugar alcohol or polysugar plus cream of tartar, there is a desired further sweetness potentiation with an additional decrease in metallic aftertaste.

Thus, when used in the composition of the present invention, the amount of Talin should be between 0.05-0.6% by weight, preferably .1-.3% by weight. The amount of maltol or ethyl maltol should also be between 0.05-0.6% by weight. preferably 0.1-0.3% by weight. When used together, that is Talin plus maltol and/or ethyl maltol, the total amount of these substances should be between 0.05-0.6% by weight, preferably 0.1-0.3% by weight.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following examples are given to further illustrate the present invention. The scope of the invention is not, however, meant to be limited to the specific details of the examples.

Example 1 A dry mix having the following composition was prepared: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 5.0 parts Dextrose -95.0 parts One gram of this composition was added to 6 oz. of coffee. The coffee was evaluated against coffee sweetened with 2 teaspoons of sugar (9 grams) by an expert panel for sweetness intensity and quality of sweet taste in accordance with acceptable sensory testing procedures described in ASTM Publication 434, Manual on Sensory Testing Methods (1968).

The panel judged the coffee sweetened with the formulation above as slightly less sweet than the coffee sweetened with the sugar. The panel judged the coffee sweetened with the composition of this example as having a metallic aftertaste. According to these data, the potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone in this composition was approximately 1 50 times sweeter than sucrose.

This example illustrates that with the use of the sugar alone, in this example dextrose, the sweetness of the methyloxy sweetener is not substantially potentiated and there is no reduction in the metallic aftertaste.

Example 2 A dry mix was prepared in accordance with the following composition: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 4.0 parts Cream of tartar - 2.0 parts Dextrose -94.0 parts One gram of this mix was added to 6 oz. of coffee and compared against the beverages mentioned in Example 1. The panel determined that the beverage sweetened with this formulation has the sweetness equivalency of 9 grams-of sugar. According to the data, the potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone in this composition was about 230 times sweeter than sucrose. Thus this formulation results in sweetness enhancement in excess of 27 percent.

Furthermore, the panel judged the sweetened coffee as having no metallic aftertaste.

This example illustrates that the addition of the potassium bitartrate to the composition results in enhanced sweetness potentiation of the methyloxy sweetener with reduction in the metallic aftertaste.

Example 3 A dry mix was prepared having the following composition: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 3.0 parts Cream of tartar - 1.0 parts Talin - 0.3 parts Maltol - 0.5 parts Dextrose -95.2 parts One gram of this preparation was added to 6 oz. of coffee and the coffee was evaluated against the samples described in Example 1. The panel judged this product as having the sweetness equivalency of the product sweetened with 9 grams of sugar.

According to ths data, the potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone was about 300 times sweeter than sucrose in this composition.

Example 4 A dry mix was prepared having the following composition: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 6 parts Cream of tartar - 2 parts Maltol - 1.0 parts Talin - 0.6 parts Polydextrose -90.4 parts To 6 oz. of coffee 0.5 grams of the above preparation was added and compared to the control samples described in Example 1. The panel judged this sample to be as sweet as the control samples thus rating the potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone sweetness at 300 times that of sucrose.

The caloric value of this preparation is 0.5 calories versus 3.8 calories for the sample described in Example 3. The caloric savings is due to the low caloric content of polydextrose (1.0 calories per gram) versus dextrose (4.0 calories per gram).

Example 5 Example 2 was repeated, however substituting lactose for dextrose. The results were the same.

Example 6 Example 2 was repeated, however substituting manitol for dextrose. The results were again the same.

Example 7 The preparations described in Examples 1-6 were evaluated with tea. The results were similar to those obtained with coffee.

Example 8 A dry mix was prepared in accordance with the following composition: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 4.0 parts Cream of Tartar - 0.5 parts Talin - 0.3 parts Lactose -95.2 parts One gram of this preparation was added to 6 oz of coffee and the coffee was evaluated against the samples described in Examples 1. The panel judged this product as having approximately the sweetness equivalency of the product sweetened with 9 grams of sugar. According to this finding potassium salt of 6-methylozathiazinone is about 230 times sweeter than sucrose.

Example 9 A dry mix was prepared in accordance with the following composition: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 4.5 parts Ethyl maltol - 0.55 parts Dextrose -93.95 parts Cream of tartar - 1.0 parts One gram of this preparation was added to 6 oz. of coffee. The beverage was evaluated by the taste panel and was judged to have the approximate sweetness of the product sweetened with 9 grams of sucrose.

The sweetness of the potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone in this composition is thus calculated as about 200 times sweeter than sugar.

Example 10 Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 4.0 parts Cream of tartar - 2.0 parts Maltol - 0.4 parts Dextrose -93.6 parts One gram of this mix was added to 6 oz. of coffee and evaluated by the taste panel. The panel judged this product as having the approximate sweetness equivalency to coffee sweetened with 9 grams of sucrose. In addition, the panel judged this product as having a highly acceptable taste.

Example 11 A dry mix was prepared having the following composition: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 3.5 parts Cream of tartar - 1.5 parts Talin - 0.3 parts Dextrose -94.7 parts One gram of this mix was added to 6 oz. of coffee and evaluated by the taste panel. The panel judged this product as having the approximate sweetness equivalency to coffee sweetened with 9 grams of sugar. The panel also judged this product as highly acceptable.

Example 12 A dry mix was prepared having the following composition: Potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone - 6.0 parts Cream of tartar - 3.0 parts Maltol - 0.8 parts Talin - 0.4 parts Dextrose -89.8 parts 0.5 grams of this mix were added to 6 oz. of coffee. The coffee was judged to be as sweet as coffee sweetened with 9 grams of sugar and to have a highly acceptable taste.

While the invention has been illustrated with respect to specific amounts of specific ingredients, it is apparent that variations and modifications of the invention can be made.

Claims

1. A sweetening composition, comprising (a) 6-methyloxathiazinone dioxide or an alkali metal or alkaline earth salt thereof in an amount of about 1.5-9% by weight, (b) a natural sugar, sugar alcohol or a polysugar in an amount of about 87-98% by weight, (c) and cream of tartar in an amount of about 0.5%-4% by weight.

2. Composition according to claim 1 wherein the amount of said 6-methyloxathiazinone dioxide or its alkali metal or alkaline earth is about 3-5% by weight, the amount of said sugar, sugar alcohol or polysugar is about 93-96% by weight, and the amount of said cream of tartar is about 1-2% by weight.

3. Composition according to claim 1 wherein (a) is the potassium salt of 6-methyloxathiazinone dioxide.

4. Composition according to claim 1 wherein said (b) is a natural sugar.

5. Composition according to claim 3 wherein said (b) is a natural sugar.

6. Composition according to claim 5 wherein said sugar is dextrose.

7. Composition according to claim 1 wherein said (b) is polydextrose.

8. Composition according to claim 3 wherein said (b) is polydextrose.

9. Composition according to claim 1 and also including the extract of thaumatococcus daniellii in an amount of 0.05-0.6% by weight.

10. Composition according to claim 1 and also including maltol or ethyl maltol in an amount of 0.05-0.6% by weight.

11. Composition according to claim 9 wherein the amount of said extract is about 0.1-0.3% by weight.

1 2. Composition according to claim 10 wherein the amount of said maltol or ethyl maltol is about 0. 1-0. 3% by weight.

1 3. Composition according to claim 1 and also including the extract of thaumatococcus danielli and maltol or ethyl maltol in an amount of 0.05-0.6% by weight.

14. Composition according to claim 1 3 wherein the amount of said extract and said maltol or ethyl maltol totals 0.1-0.3% by weight.

15. A sweetening composition substantially as hereinbefore described and exemplified.