MXPA00007818A - Acid and solvent modification of psyllium - Google Patents

Abstract

Modified psyllium having decreased gel hardness is prepared by exposing raw psyllium to an agent that modifies non-starch polysaccharides of psyllium for a sufficient period of time such that the recovered product has a gel hardness less than that of the starting raw psyllium or does not form a gel at all. Compositions containing the modified psyllium are also described.

Description

MODIFICATION OF PSYLIUM WITH ACIDS AND SOLVENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to methods for modifying psyllium in order to improve and extend the functionality of psyllium. The resulting modified psyllium has better manufacturing qualities than that prepared from crude psyllium. More specifically, the modified psyllium of the pre-sent invention has, for example, a lower gel hardness compared to that of the raw psyllium starting material and, in preferred embodiments, a 5% w / v suspension of modified psyllium in water it does not gel at all or gel to an insubstantial degree. The present invention also relates to food products containing the modified psyllium, to methods for preparing the food products and to methods for treating a patient by administering the modified psyllium of the invention to the patient, for example to reduce serum cholesterol or to provide a laxative effect of mass. Psyllium is a mucilaginous material derived from seeds of the Plantago plants, which grows in certain subtropical regions. The Plantago ovata is a preferred species and is grown commercially in India. Seeds of Plantago sp. They are dark brown, smooth, boat-shaped and bright. The psyllium seed is used whole, ground or peeled to make a variety of products that contain psyllium. Psyllium is a surplus source of both soluble and soluble fibers and has a proven cholesterol-lowering effect. There are two main types of dietary fibers known widely classified as soluble fibers and insoluble fibers. Psyllium and certain other grains, particularly oats, contain both soluble and insoluble fibers and are marketed in various foods and pharmaceuticals. Psyllium has a soluble fiber content approximately eight times greater than the soluble fiber content of oat bran and, therefore, there is a great interest in psyllium for its beneficial effects on health. These beneficial health effects include the reduction of total cholesterol in serum, the reduction of the lipoprotein of ba to density-cholesterol and the reduction of the glycemic index and of the levels of lipids, affecting the microbial and fecal metabolism of the colon, as well as the treatment of intestinal disorders. Psyllium contains neutral and acidic polysaccharides. The psyllium of different species of Plantago varies in terms of the composition and content of monosaccharides. These monosaccharides include D-xylose, D-arabose, D-rhamnose, D-galactose, D-galacturonic acid, 4-O-methyl-D-glucuronic acid and 2-0- (2-D-galactopyranosyluronic acid ) -L-rhamnose (1,2,3,4,5). Kennedy et al. have described the detailed structural data for Plantago ovata. See, for example, Kennedy et al., Structural data for the carbohydrate of ispaghala husk ex plantago ovata forsk, Carbohydrate Research 75L: 265-274 (1979). Kennedy et al. and all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Methylation analysis and partial acid hydrolysis have shown that the mucilage polysaccharide is a highly branched acid arabinoxylan. The skeleton of xylan has both (1-4) and (1-) 3) bonds. The substituent groups, including rhabmosa, xylose and 2-0- (galactopyranosyluronic acid) rhamnose, are linked to the arabinoxylan chain by (l- »2) and (l-3) bonds. The psyllium shell can absorb up to 90 times its weight in water and forms a viscous gel after hydration. These properties are problematic for the preparation of products containing psyllium. The mucilaginous nature of psyllium gives rise to a texture and a viscous or adhesive sensation that is undesirable when hydrated. This viscous feeling in the mouth is impalatable and various attempts have been made to mask these undesirable characteristics. The aforementioned difficulties become particularly problematic when formulating beverages or beverage mixes. Leis, Jr. And others have attempted to solve some of the problems associated with a dough laxative powder mix preparation preparation using a crude psyllium having a specific range of particle size as described in US Pat. Nos. 5,445,831 and 5,149,541. It is known that different variables can be controlled to inhibit the hydration of psyllium. These variables include the formation of nuggets by extrusion, as described in US Pat. No. 5,227,248. Changes in pH or particle size and the competition of other food ingredients for water (for example, sugar) have previously been used to improve the handling properties of psyllium. Barbera et al. describe the inclusion of an amount of an edible acid, for example citric acid, large enough to cause the speed of gelling to be slower, but below a level at which the edible acid is a flavoring to avoid the psyllium agglomerate of a certain particle size range, for example as described in US Pat. No. 5 234 687, 5,219,570 and 5,425,945. U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,331 and its US Concession. No. 32 811 discloses a modified dry dietic fiber product wherein a dietary fiber, such as psyllium, is coated with 0.5 to 20% by weight of a food grade emulsifier. The US Patents No. 4,459,280 and 4,548,806 Colliopoulos et al. they also try to avoid the agglomeration caused by the gelling of psyllium by reviewing psyllium with a hydrolyzed starch oligosaccharide, such as maltodextnna, which may also function as an emulsifying agent. Additionally, the US FDA it requires that a considerable amount of psyllium be incorporated into a food before a health claim can be made to reduce serum cholesterol, that is, the amount of psyllium to be included is generally about 10 g / day , whose quantity provides approximately 7 grams of more soluble fiber / day. However, commercially available mixing of a suitable beverage containing said amount of psyllium is not commercially available and can not be formulated using crude psyllium. It is known that pH can alter the functionality of a polysaccharide influencing molecular changes. The pH changes then influence the interactions between the solutes and can lead to an alteration of the functionality of the psyllium. It has been found that the hydration rate of psyllium in a suspension containing psyllium can be reduced by adjusting the pH of the suspension and the influence of the particle size on the hydration of the polysaccharide has also been established. Similar to most polysaccharides, psyllium, with a smaller particle size, has a higher hydration rate. It has been seen that competition from other ingredients, such as salt and sugar, reduces the hydration of the polysaccharide of the psyllium, including the polysaccharides found in psyllium. The desirable therapeutic effects provided by psyllium have led to many formulations of the prior art containing psyllium despite processing difficulties and alternative sources of fiber that present less processing difficulties. For example, various food products containing psyllium have been proposed which seek to take advantage of the regulating properties of the natural digestion of psyllium, or of the satiating effect of psyllium, for example as described in US Pat. No. 3 574 634 and 4,348,379. Patent No. 5,266,473 describes the enzymatic treatment of psyllium with certain proteases to reduce the problems associated with the allergy of psyllium. It is necessary in the technique to solve the manufacturing and manipulation difficulties associated with psyllium to take advantage of its beneficial effects. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method of modifying psyllium by treating crude psyllium with an agent that modifies polysaccharides other than starch of crude psyllium., for example with a solvent such as ethanol or with an acid, for a sufficient period of time for the resulting modified psyll to exhibit modified physical and / or chemical properties as compared to the raw psyllium starting material, for example a lower gel hardness. The period of time may vary in the range of about 1 hour to seven days or even more, depending, for example, on the conditions of the procedure and the physicochemical properties to be exhibited by the modified psyllium, the proportion of the ingredients and other factors that will be apparent to one skilled in the art. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the crude psyllium is treated with an aqueous acid solution of a solvent and an acid. The solvent is capable of dissolving the acid and can be organic, inorganic or a mixture of these. Ethanol is a preferred organic solvent. The acid is preferably a moderately to strong acid, having a pKa not greater than 5, preferably between about 1 and about 5 and, more preferably, between about 3 and about 1. In a preferred embodiment, the acid It is hydrochloric acid. It will be understood that the modified psyllium of the invention may also contain various byproducts of the reaction between the solution and psyllium, for example mono-, di-, poly- and oligosaccharides and the like, which occur as a result of the treatment of crude psyllium. The recovered modified psyllium can be directly added with other ingredients to prepare the desired final product, for example a food product containing psyllium, or it can be dried or lyophilized and stored for later use. The by-products of the mixture can also be isolated in solution and used as a separate ingredient or in another application, as desired. The modified psyllium has a better functionality or am-pliant, for example a reduced water absorption rate and a reduced gel hardness compared to the raw psyllium starting product. Modified psyllium has better processing qualities than crude psyllium and is useful, for example, for preparing food products, livestock foods and pharmaceuticals. In a preferred area, a 5% w / v solution of the modified psyllium in water does not exhibit gel formation. Compared to crude psyllium, when hydrated, the modified psyllium of the present invention has a lower water absorption rate and a lower gel hardness, adhesion, elasticity and viscosity, but, preferably, retains at least a portion, for example at least 10% of the insoluble and soluble fiber content of the raw psyllium starting product. Since the modified psyllium retains at least a portion of its fiber content, it can be substituted with crude psyllium or otherwise treated, for example pregelatinized, to prepare improved food and pharmaceutical products compared to those of the prior art. Other embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a diagram of a preferred method of preparing modified psyllium according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a graph of the water absorption properties of the modified psyllium of Example 3 against crude psyllium. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The modified psyllium of the present invention can be prepared by reaction of crude psyllium with an agent that modifies the polysaccharides other than starch of the crude psyllium under conditions such that modification of the polysaccharide can take place. Suitable modifiers of polysaccharides other than starch include, for example, hydrochloric acid and enzymes, for example xylanases. Suitable enzymes are described in copending US patent application Ser. N ° (to be defined), presented on June 4, 1999 and entitled ENZYMATIC MODIFICATION OF PSILIO (Yu et al.), here incorporated as reference. The modified psyllium of the present invention provides greatly improved manufacturing qualities compared to crude psyllium. The modified psyllium of the present invention preferably has modified properties, for example a greater or lesser gel hardness as compared to the raw psyllium starting material. Gel hardness is an indicator of the strength of the gel formed when psyllium is hydrated with water. Gel hardness is defined as the force peak during the first compression cycle measured using a texture analyzer TA-XT2 marketed by Texture Tech-nologies Corp., Scarsdale, New York, USA. All measurements are made in prepared gels by mixing 2.50 grams of the psyllium to be studied in 50 ml distilled distilled water. The test psyllium is added to the water and stirred for 30 seconds and then allowed to rest for 3 hours, after which the formed gel is subjected to a double compression test. The measurements are made using a test speed of 5.0 mm / sec at a distance of 6 mm. In preferred embodiments, the modified psyllium studied as described above exhibits a gel hardness ranging from about 5 to about 100% less than that of the crude starting psyllium, for example about 8.5% to about 90% less than gross psyllium. Preferably, the modified psyllium does not exhibit measurable gel hardness, i.e., no gel is formed at all, so that a gel hardness can not be determined, up to a gel hardness of about 75 g. In other preferred embodiments, the modified psyllium exhibits a gel hardness of 0.05 to about 70 g and, preferably, about 1 to about 50 g. For the present purposes, it will be designated that a psyllium that does not gel, that is, for which a gel hardness can not be determined, will have a gel hardness of less than 10 grams, depending on the sensitivity of the texture analyzer. The gel hardness of the modified psyllium may vary according to the intended end use. For example, if the modified psyllium is to be incorporated into a beverage or powder beverage mixture, a very low gel hardness, for example from 0 g to 30 g, may be desired. for baked goods, such as muffins, snack bars or cupcakes, a relatively higher gel hardness, for example from 30 g to about 70 g, may be acceptable. The desired gel hardness can be imparted to the psyllium by modifying various processing parameters, such as those described in greater detail here below. The gel hardness can also be increased, if desired. In addition to having a lower gel hardness compared to that of crude psyllium, the modified psyllium of the present invention will also preferably exhibit a lower water absorption rate compared to the starting crude psyllium product. Preferably, the modified psyllium of the invention will exhibit a lower water absorption rate, a lower elasticity, a lower adhesion, a lower viscosity or a combination of any of these in comparison with the raw psyllium starting product. The present invention is also directed to a method for preparing the modified psyllium of the present invention. The modified psyllium of the invention is prepared by exposing the crude psyllium to an agent that modifies the starch polysaccharides of psyllium starch for a period of time sufficient to modify the physical characteristics of the psyllium, for example to reduce the force of gel of the subsequently recovered product compared to that of the raw psyllium starting material. The agent that modifies the poly-saccharides other than psyllium starch can be any compound that is capable of modifying the physical and chemical (physicochemical) properties of psyllium and, more preferably, the xylan skeleton of the psyllium polysaccharides. Therefore, it is not necessary to add, for example, emulsifiers or edible acids, thereby presenting a considerable advantage over the previously suggested approximations. In a preferred embodiment, an agent that modifies the polysaccharides other than psyllium starch is a solvent In other preferred embodiments, an agent that modifies polysaccharides other than starch in the psyllium is an acid. After treatment with an agent that modifies the polysaccharides other than psyllium starch, the modified psyllium is recovered, for example, by removing the solvent by evaporation or by separating the psyllium, for example, by filtration. In a preferred embodiment, the modified psyllium is prepared by treating the crude psyllium with a solution consisting of about 1 to about 100% of a solvent and about 0 to about 99% of an acid. The treatment is carried out for a sufficient time and under suitable processing conditions, in such a way that the resulting psyllium has the desired predetermined properties, which will vary according to the intended use of the modified psyllium product. In a preferred embodiment, the psyllium is added to an acid solution consisting of an acid and a solvent, that is, a solvent capable of dissolving the acid, and the modified psyllium is recovered, for example, by evaporation of the solvent. The psyllium used as starting material is preferably raw psyllium husk. Preferably, psyllium is 98% pure, since this degree of psyllium is especially suitable for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It may be preferable in certain cases to use a less pure psyllium, for example 85% pure, particularly if the final product is to be used as feed for farm animals. Therefore, the starting product will vary with the ultimate use of the final product. The solvent can be any suitable aqueous or organic solvent, or mixtures thereof. Preferred organic solvents include alcohols, such as alcohols or polyhydric alcohols Ci to C2o or preferably Ci to C5 alcohols. Suitable alcohols include, for example, methanol, ethanol, propanol and isopropyl alcohol. Ethanol is preferred. Water is also a suitable solvent and combinations of organic solvent and aqueous solvents are also useful. Other solvents that may be used according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The solvent is preferably present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 100% solution. In a preferred embodiment, the solution is entirely composed of the solvent. In other preferred embodiments, the psyllium modifying agent other than starch includes an acid and is preferably a solvent containing alcohol. The acid used may be any acid known in the art, although moderate to strong acids are particularly preferred, and particularly those having a pKa of about 5 or less. Particularly preferred are acids with a pKa of from about 3 to about 1. The acid can be organic or inorganic. Preferably, the acid is an inorganic acid, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and the like. Hydrochloric acid is particularly preferred. Preferred organic acids include acetic acid and halogenated acetic acids. Preferably, the acid is present at about 0.01 to about 99% w / v of the acid solution. More preferably, the acid is present in an amount of from about 0.05% to about 50% w / v of the solution and, more preferably, from about 0.10% to about 10% w / v. The method of the present invention contemplates embodiments in which the acid is added to a mixture of solvent and psyllium. It is also understood that the acid is preferably added as an acid solution and a solvent, for example water, and it is considered that said embodiments are within the scope of the present invention. The psyllium is subjected to acid treatment until the desired final objectives are met. The final objectives are preferably predetermined and will be selected based on the intended use of the final product. Typically, the acid treatment will be carried out overnight. Preferably, the acid treatment is carried out for a period of time from about 1 hour to 7 days. Preferably, the time period varies between about 12 and about 200 hours and, more preferably, between about 50 and about 180 hours. The period of time necessary will vary with the strength or concentration of the selected acid, the desired properties of the modified psyllium and other factors that will be readily apparent to the person skilled in the art. Other processing conditions will vary depending on the desired final product. For example, the acid treatment will be suitably conducted at room temperature. In this way, the temperature is preferably higher than the freezing point of the solution, but lower than the boiling point of the solution and at a temperature that substantially degrades the psyllium and makes the final product unsuitable for its use. . It will be appreciated that, in general, an increase in the reaction temperature usually corresponds to an increase in the rate of acid hydrolysis of the xylan polysaccharide found in the psyllium. In general, the acid treatment is conducted at about 20 ° C to about 100%. The appropriate temperature will be determined from a variety of factors, including the preferred rate of reaction, the preferred degree of modification of the psyllium, the concentration and type of acid used, and other factors that will be obvious to the person skilled in the art. . The volume of acid medium used is not critical, but it should be a sufficient amount to fully immerse all the psyllium in the acid medium. A suitable amount of additional solvent can be added during the acid treatment to replace the amounts lost by, for example, evaporation, processing, etc. During the acid treatment, it is contemplated that the product samples are taken at various time points and studied to see if the final objectives have been reached. The process conditions can be modified during the course of the acid treatment to achieve the desired final product. For example, more acid can be added or n can raise the temperature to compensate for variations between bas that may occur in the crude psyllium or in the reagents that make up the solvent. After having reached the desired final goal, the psyllium product is recovered. The recovery of the product can be by evaporation of the solvent, filtration, centrifugation or other known methods. The evaporation of the solvent is preferred. The recovered product includes the modified shell of the starting psyllium and may also contain various reaction byproducts, such as oligosaccharides, and possibly together with acid salts which may be formed by the reaction of the psyllium components or other by-products of the reaction. Therefore, the term "psyllium product", as used herein, refers to any product derived from the treatment of psyllium, or any portion or fraction thereof. In this way, it will be understood that fractions of reaction by-products in the solvent can be left which can be separated when the solvent is removed. The present invention also contemplates these products within its scope. In preferred embodiments, the evaporation of the solvent is used to recover the modified psyllium. The evaporation of the solvent will keep the psyllium and any degradation product in the final recovered product. In other applications, it may be desirable to remove certain fractions from the final product, for example sugar hydrolysis products. In such cases, filtration for undesired fractions along with the solvent may be preferred. After recovery, the final product can be dried to obtain a desired water content. The product can simply be air dried at room temperature or can be dried by heating in an oven at a temperature above room temperature to reach the desired water content. The drying process is not critical to the invention and it is contemplated that the recovered product may not be dried, but rather directly incorporated with other ingredients to prepare useful products containing psyllium. The product may also be lyophilized. After recovery, the product can be ground to a desired particle size. Alternatively, L psyil can be milled to the desired particle size before treatment with acid or solvent. It has been discovered, surprisingly, that the improved properties of the modified psyllium of the present invention allow for the inclusion of the entire recommended cholester-reducing dose, that is, an amount sufficient to provide 7.0 grams of soluble fiber in a single service of drink from 8 to 10 ounces. In general, it is known that a reduced dosage frequency increases patient compliance with a given dosage regimen and will constitute an additional benefit provided by the modified psyllium of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, a beverage prepared with the modified psyllium of the invention contains a sufficient amount of modified psyllium to obtain approximately 7.0 grams of soluble fiber per 240 milliliters of beverage. It is preferred that the modified psyllium be non-gelled if it is to be employed in a beverage or beverage mixture or other liquid product, for example, a mass laxative beverage mixture. The modified psyllium of the present invention can be formulated into a wide variety of products, including, for example, pharmaceuticals such as bulk laxatives, food products, mixtures for beverages, beverages, animal feeds and the like using conventional techniques known to the art. expert in this field. If the modified psyllium of the invention replaces a crude psyllium used in a prior art product, it should be understood that it may be necessary to reduce the amount of other ingredients that are used as process aids, for example emulsifiers, edible acids and other agents used to enhance processing with crude psyllium. It may also be necessary to adjust the amount of water during processing, since the modified psyllium of the present invention does not absorb as much water as the crude psyllium. Like the crude psyllium, the modified psyllium of the present invention reduces cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum, provides a laxative effect of mass and provides other beneficial health effects attributed to the gross psyllium when the modified psyllium is administered in doses of soluble fiber equipotent to those of crude psyllium. To reduce serum cholesterol and / or LDL, to reduce triglycerides in the serum and to obtain a mass laxation in a mammal, a sufficient amount of the modified psyllium of the invention will be orally administered in a therapeutically effective amount of the psyllium. of the invention to a mammal, preferably a human. The dose may be offered as a liquid, capsule, tablet, granule or any other pharmaceutically acceptable dosage form. The dose may also be incorporated into the diet or added as an ingredient of the food to make, for example, snacks, starters or any other suitable food product. The following examples describe preferred embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that the examples provided herein are illustrative, but they do not limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS General procedure 80 g of crude psyllium (98% purity, 40 mesh, commercialized by JB Laboratories) was dispersed in a solvent contained in a 1000 ml beaker. The required amount of concentrated hydrochloric acid (Sigma, 36% -38%, w / v) was added to the above solution of psyllium at room temperature (20-25 ° C). The reaction was stopped by neutralizing the reaction solution to pH 6-7 using 10 M sodium hydroxide, after reacting for a certain period of time. The solvent was removed by filtration. The modified psyllium filtrate was collected and air dried overnight, except for Example 8. The final product of the acid modification was obtained after triturating the dried material through a 1 mm screen using a Wiley Mill crusher (Model ED-5, Arthur H. Thomas Co., Piula., PA). Analytical Methods for Psyllium Modifications Two tests were performed for each psyllium, including the ability to capture water and the gelling properties, to evaluate the functionality of enzymatically modified psyllium. In addition, the fiber contents (both soluble and insoluble fiber) were measured, since soluble fiber could be associated with the health benefits of the psyllium, especially for the laxative and hypocholesterolemic effects. Soluble and insoluble fiber contents were measured using the laboratory protocol established by Lee et al. , Journal of AOAC International, "Determination of Soluble and Insoluble Dietary Fiber, Psyllium-Containing Cereal Products", Vol. 78, No. 3, pp. 724-729 (1995). The water absorption capacity was gravimetrically determined according to the previous method described by Elizalde et al. , "Empirical model for water intake and hydration rate of Lood powders by sorption and Baumann methods", Journal of L '') or Sci ence 61: 407-409 (1996), with some modification. In summary, all the samples were balanced in a chamber with 10% humidity for 48 hours. The samples were then transferred to a chamber with 65% humidity and exposed to moisture for 5 minutes. The dry matter and the absolute amount of water absorbed were determined. All measurements were made in triplicate. The results were expressed as the "mean + SD" in mg of water absorbed per gram of psyllium per minute (mg / g / min). The gelation properties were analyzed using a TA-XT2 texture analyzer (Texture Technologies Corp., Scarsdale, NY) with a 1 inch diameter probe (Paras-kevopoulou, A. and Kiosseoglou, V. (1997), "Texture profile analysis of heat -formed gels and cakes prepared with low cho-Lesterol egg yolk concentrations ", Journal of Food Science 62: 208-211). 2.50 g of psyllium was added to 50 ml of distilled deionized water and stirred for 30 seconds. After allowing to settle for 3 hours, the gel samples were subjected to a double compression test. The measurements were carried out with a pre-test speed of 2.0 m / sec, a test speed of 5.0 mm / sec, a post test speed of 5.0 mm / sec and a distance of 6 mm . All measurements were made in triplicate. 2.5 grams of 98% psyllium, 40 meshes, were added to 50 ml of distilled water and this was used to compare the gelling and water absorption properties of the modified psyllium. The results were expressed as the "mean + SD" in grams strength for hardness and adhesion. All results are shown in Table 1 below. EXAMPLE 1 80 g of 98% 40-mesh crude psyllium were added to 400 ml of ethyl alcohol and the mixture was kept at room temperature for 125 hours. The solvent was then removed and the resulting solid air dried. The solid was crushed through a 1 mm screen. Example 2 80 grams of psyllium were dispersed in 388 ml of ethyl alcohol and 16 ml of HCl was added to the solution to obtain a final concentration of 1., 6%. After 125 hours, the reaction was stopped. Example 3 The psyllium was dispersed in 396 ml of ethyl alcohol and 8 ml of HCl was added to the solution to obtain a final concentration of 0.8%. After 125 hours, the reaction was stopped. Example 4 The psyllium was dispersed in 400 ml of ethyl alcohol and 4 ml of HCl was added to the solution to obtain a final concentration of 0.4%. After 125 hours, the reaction was stopped. Example 5 The psyllium was dispersed in 374 ml of ethyl alcohol and 32 ml of HCl was added to the solution to obtain a final concentration of 3.2%. After 125 hours, the reaction was stopped.

Example 6 The psyllium was added to 400 ml of isopropanol and 4 ml of HCl was added. The reaction was stopped after 96 hours. Example 7 The psyllium was added to 400 ml of ethyl alcohol and 4 ml of HCl was added. The reaction was stopped after 96 hours. Example 8 The psyllium was mixed with 400 ml of water and 10 ml of HCl was added to the suspension. The reaction was stopped after 96 hours. After neutralization, the pulp was lyophilized using a Genesis-25EL lyophilizer (marketed by The Vir-tis Company, Gardiner, NY), with the following temperature program: -40 ° C for 720 h, -20 ° C for 720 h , 0 ° C for 720 h, 10 ° C for 720 h, 20 ° C for 720 h and 25 ° C for 720 h.

NDA means that the sample did not gel at a concentration of 5% w / v in H20. * The psyllium used was 98% psyllium, 40 mesh. Hardness and adhesion are the maximum force (g) measured for the peaks of the "texture profile" graph obtained according to analytical tests with a texture analyzer as indicated above. These properties correspond to the first positive peak and the first negative peak. The results show that the most desirable functionality is achieved with the acid modified psyllium of the present invention compared to the control examples. It is seen that the best functionality can be achieved when gross psyllium is exposed to an organic solvent alone. In addition, no gel formation was observed for Example 4, a desirable result. EXAMPLE 9 To study the cholesterol-lowering effect of psi-1 LO treated with acid, studies were performed using Sirius Golden male LVG hamsters from Charles River Canada. In total, 5 groups of hamsters were studied. After an acclimation period of 6 days, groups of 12 animals were fed with one of five synthetically prepared diets for 3 weeks. The first two diets were control diets and were identical in formulation, with the exception that the first diet had no cholesterol and the second diet had cholesterol. The third diet (Test 1) had crude psyllium as test material, the fourth diet (Test 2) had the low acid psyllium of Example 3 as test material and the fifth diet (Test 3) had high content psyllium acid of Example 5 as test material. The final diet preparations (after mixing) were analyzed in terms of fat and protein content. The diets of tests 1-3 were the same as the Control Diet 2, except for the addition of the test psyllium product. The formulas of the diets are shown in the following Table 2: The results of the tests are presented in Table 3 and represent an average of two determinations.

The test animals had free access to water and to the respective dietary formulations. The feed intake and the body weight gain of the hamsters were determined twice a week. At the end of the 3-week feeding period, and after a fasting period of approximately 24 hours, the hamsters were sacrificed by exsanguination under anesthesia by ketamine / Rompun. The blood was collected in vacutainers for serum, the sera were separated, stored at 2-8 ° C and analyzed within 24 hours. The analysis included the determination of total triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. All clinical and analytical data were recorded and their respective means and standard deviations were calculated. Table 4 shows a summary of these data, with the use of group means.

Chemical analyzes were carried out on psyllium of low and high acid content and the fiber contents were determined (crude: 75%, low in acid: 72%, high in acid: 54%). The amount of psyllium of low acid content and high acid content in these respective diets was consequently increased to make all psyllium diets identical in terms of soluble dietary fiber content. The group of the gross psyllium had a cholesterol below that of the negative control; however, there was a slightly lower feed intake and weight gain in these < Mimics, which may have lowered cholesterol in addition to the cholesterol lowering effects of psyllium. The low-acid psyllium group (fed with the crude psyllium fiber level) had a cholesterol 24% lower than the positive control, a level similar to the negative control group. The psyllium group of high acid content, in spite of having also been fed with the fiber level of the crude psyllium, had an intermediate cholesterol between the positive control and the negative control (12% lower than the positive control). Studies show that the modified psyllium of the present invention is effective in reducing serum triglycerides and serum cholesterol. It will be understood that the description and examples are illustrative of the present invention and that other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All references cited here are incorporated by reference.

Claims (27)

Claims

1. A method for producing modified psyllium, consisting in adding psyllium to a solution consisting of a polysaccharide modifier other than starch, where the modified psyllium exhibits a gel hardness of from 0 g to about 75 g.

2. A method for reducing the gel hardness of the psyllium gel, consisting of adding psyllium to a solution including a polysaccharide modifier other than starch and recovering the resulting modified psyllium, where the modified psyllium exhibits a gel hardness of about 0 g 75 g.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprises recovering the product.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising drying the recovered product.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the product is dried at room temperature.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the product is dried at a temperature above ambient temperature, but lower than a temperature that degrades the product.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of organic acids, inorganic acids and mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the acid is i inorganic acid.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and mixtures thereof

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the acid is hydrochloric acid.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous solvent, an organic solvent and mixtures thereof.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the solvent consists of about 1% to 100% of an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, isopropyl alcohol and mixtures thereof.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the solution contains ethanol and hydrochloric acid.

14. The modified product produced by the process of any of the claims.

15. A method of treatment of crude psyllium consisting of adding crude psyllium fiber to a solution consisting of an acid having a pKa of not more than 5 and a solvent capable of dissolving the acid and reacting the resulting mixture for a sufficient time to reduce the hardness of the resulting modified psyllium gel at about 5 to about 100% less than that of crude psyllium.

16. Modified Psyllium having a gel hardness of about 0 g to about 75 g, wherein said gel hardness is measured using a double compression test after exposing a prepared suspension by adding 2.5 g of said modified psyllium to 50 g of water, stirring the psyllium-water mixture for 30 seconds and allowing the stirred mixture to stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours.

17. A food product containing the modified psyllium of claim 16.

18. A beverage containing the modified psyllium of claim 16.

19. A powder drink mixture containing the modified psyllium of claim 16.

20. An animal feed containing the modified psyllium of claim 16.

21. A pharmaceutical product containing the modified psyllium of claim 16.

22. A modified psyllium that does not form a gel when 2.5 grams of said modified psyllium is exposed to 50 grams of water.

23. A powdered beverage mixture containing the psi-1 or modified of claim 22.

24. A beverage containing enough of the modified psi-1 LO of claim 22 to provide about 7.0 grams of soluble fiber per 240 milliliters of beverage.

25. A method to reduce the gel hardness of psyllium, consisting of adding psyllium to a solution consisting essentially of an organic solvent, for a period of time sufficient to reduce the gel hardness of a gel prepared using the resulting modified psyllium, and recover the gel. modified psyllium

26. A method for reducing serum cholesterol in mammals, comprising orally administering a sufficient amount of the modified psyllium of claim 14 to a mammal.

27. A method for reducing serum triglycerides in mammals, comprising orally administering a sufficient amount of the modified psyllium of claim 14 to a mammal.