Sweetening composition

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to a sweeting composition and a method for pro ducing the same.

Background

Sucrose is the most commonly used sweetening agent in the food industry. The high sugar content in most food products has led to the development of sucrose substitutes with fewer calories and with a low glycaemic index. However, sucrose substitutes generally mimic certain properties of sucrose, such as body, mouthfeel and texture, poorly. Moreo- ver, such sucrose substitutes are often difficult to dose and to handle in food manufactur ing.

W02011/017140 provides information about a composition (Composition IB) that com prises a blend (that is not agglomerated particles) of 90 % xylitol and 9.32 % Unidex. How- ever, W02011/017140 also clearly discloses that composition IB is not useful ("oily, clumpy, poor").

Summary of invention

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a composition comprising particles, the particles comprising a high intensity sweetener, a non-sucrose bulk sweetener and a low digestible carbohydrate polymer.

The sweeting composition has a number of advantages. The particle size of the composition can be made similar to that of conventional sucrose, which simplifies the adaption of current recipes, procedures and equipment.

The sweetening composition can be used in the production of various sweetened products, such as confectionery and ice cream. The sweetening composition can be used to replace sucrose. Sucrose can be replaced in an already established manufacturing process with the sweeting composition at a 1:1 ratio

The homogeneous particle size and the fact that the composition is premixed and agglom- erated makes is easy to dispense in bulk and prevents caking. The particles are of a uni form size and density which avoids phasing, i.e. that one compound has smaller particle size and is therefore not homogenously distributed when mixed with particles of a large size. The distribution of the high-intensity sweetener (HIS) in the product will be homoge nous which will ensure even sweetness in the end product.

Low digestible carbohydrate polymers (LDCs) provide bulk in the composition and are also more slowly digested which results in a low calorie -product, reduced glucose response, increased satiety and a reduction in tooth decay (cavities). However, LDCs such as dextrin (see below) has low density, is "fluffy" and are difficult to mix homogenously and mixtures typically does not stay homogenous. Hence LDCs are typically difficult to use in machinery. The inventive composition is much easier to handle in machinery.

Hence, by binding a non-sucrose bulk sweetener and a high-intensity sweetener to a low - digestible carbohydrate polymer a number of advantages are achieved.

Preferably at least 99% of the particles are smaller than 500 pm and at most 20% of the particles are smaller than 100 pm. This provides a particle size that is easy to use in machin ery and which easily replaces sucrose. In one embodiment the composition comprises from 0.01% to 1 % by weight of high inten sity sweetener, from 75 % to 92 % by weight of a non-sucrose bulk sweetener and from 5 % to 22 % by weight of a low digestible carbohydrate polymer. In a preferred embodiment the non-sucrose bulk sweetener is present in an amount of from 85% to 90 % by weight, the low digestible carbohydrate polymer is present in an amount of from 9 % to 13 % by weight and the high intensity sweetener is present in an amount of from 0.01 % to 1% by weight. For several reasons it is useful to keep the amount of fiber (LDC) in such a product as low as possible. Fiber products tend to be expensive.

Moreover, the inventors have found that fibers tend to break down into sugars when used in various food producing methods which results in release of sugar moieties from the fi- bers. This results in a higher sugar content in the final product than intended. This makes it difficult to estimate the amount of sugar in the final product. It is therefore useful to keep the amount of fiber as low as possible.

In one embodiment the non-sucrose bulk sweetener is present in an amount of from 86% to 90 % by weight.

In a preferred embodiment the low digestible carbohydrate polymer is dextrin. The non sucrose bulk sweetener may for example be maltitol or erythritol, and the low digestible carbohydrate polymer may preferably be dextrin.

The particles may consist of from 0.01 % to 1 % of a high intensity sweetener, from 5 % to 22 % by weight of a low digestible carbohydrate polymer the balance being a low digesti ble carbohydrate polymer.

The particles may consist of from 0.01 % to 1 % of a high intensity sweetener, from 9 % to 13 % by weight of a low digestible carbohydrate polymer, the balance being a non- sucrose bulk sweetener. Again, the low digestible carbohydrate polymer is preferably dex trin.

In a second aspect of the invention there is provided a particle comprising a high intensity sweetener, a non-sucrose bulk sweetener and a low digestible carbohydrate polymer. In a preferred embodiment the non-sucrose bulk sweetener is present in an amount of from 85% to 90 % by weight, the low digestible carbohydrate polymer is present in an amount of from 9 % to 13 % by weight and the high intensity sweetener is present in an amount of from 0.01 % to 1% by weight in the particle.

In one embodiment, the non-sucrose bulk sweetener is present in an amount of from 86% to 90 % by weight.

In a third aspect there is provided a method of manufacturing a sweetening composition comprising the steps of a) mixing a high intensity sweetener with water, and b) mixing a non-sucrose bulk sweetener (for example particles comprising a non-sucrose bulk sweetener) with a low digestible carbohydrate polymer (for example particles comprising a low-digestible carbohydrate polymer), to form a powder, then c) mixing the mixture from step a) with the powder from step b) and d) drying the mixture to allow the high intensity sweetener, the digestible car bohydrate polymer and the non-sucrose bulk sweetener to form particles. It is preferred that the water-high intensity sweetener mixture does not contain low di gestible carbohydrate polymer or a non-sucrose bulk sweetener. Fluid bed drying is a pre ferred method of producing the particles and the composition.

In a fourth aspect there is provided a composition obtainable with the method according to the third aspect of the invention. In a fifth aspect there is provided a particle obtainable with the method according to the third aspect of the invention.

There is also provided a method for manufacturing a sweetened product, comprising the steps of replacing sucrose in a recipe with the inventive composition at a ratio of 1:1.

Drawings The accompanying drawings form a part of the specification and schematically illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and serve to illustrate the principles of the inven tion.

Fig. 1 is a flowchart of a method. Fig. 2 is a schematic drawing of a fluid bed dryer.

Figs. 3 to 6 are electron microscopy images.

Detailed description

Percentages are stated as weight/weight herein.

Particle size herein refers to particle size determined by using a plurality of sieves with dif ferent cut-offs, such as sieve from Retsch (www.retsch.com). The material is sieved start ing with the sieve with the largest openings, and proceeds to the sieves with smaller open- ings. The reminder of material in each sieve is weighted, and the weight percentages of each fraction is determined. Suitable cut-offs for the sieves may be for example 100 pm, 200 pm, S00 pm, 400 pm and 500 pm. The composition comprises particles that comprise of a high intensity sweetener, a non sucrose bulk sweetener and a low digestible carbohydrate polymer in an agglomerated form.

The composition comprises a high intensity sweetener (HIS). High intensity sweeteners (or high potency sweeteners) are hundreds to thousands of times sweeter than sucrose.

There are many different useful high intensity sweeteners. The HIS in the composition is preferably a HIS that is approved for use in food. Useful HIS include stevia sweeteners (stevia glycosides), aspartame, acesulfame-K, thaumatin, saccharin, sucralose and ne- otame, or mixtures of these. Rebaudioside A and rebaudioside M are a preferred stevia sweeteners. Rebaudioside A is approximately 200 to S00 times as sweet as sucrose. Other useful HIS include steviobioside, rebaudioside B, C, D, E, F and M and dulcoside, as well as high intensity sweeteners extracted from the monk fruit.

The concentration of the HIS in the final product may be from 0.01% to 1.5%, more prefer ably from 0.01% - 1 %, more preferably from 0.02% to 0.5 %, in particular 0.02 % to 0.2 % and most preferred 0.02 % to 0.08%. The concentration is selected based on the intensity of the HIS and the concentration and sweetness of the non-sucrose bulk sweetener that is used.

The composition comprises a non-sucrose bulk sweetener. The non-sucrose bulk sweet ener is preferably incompletely digested and/or poorly absorbed by the body. The non-su crose bulk sweetener preferably has a low caloric value, preferably a caloric value that is lower than that of sucrose, which is 4 kcal/g. The caloric value may be for example less than 3 kcal/g, more preferably less than 2.5 kcal/g. Maltitol has a caloric value of 2.1 kcal/g.

The non-sucrose bulk sweetener may be an ingredient that can substitute for both the physical bulk and sweetness of sucrose. It also provides texture, to achieve a suitable mouth feel when the end product is consumed. Examples of suitable non-sucrose bulk sweeteners include allulose, polyols, tagatoses, tre haloses and isomultuloses, where polyols are preferred. The polyol is preferably a sugar alcohol. Sugar alcohols are commonly obtained by hydrogenation of sugars.

Suitable sugar alcohols include maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt, erythritol, lactitol, mannitol and xylitol, or mixtures of these, where maltitol, erythritol, sorbitol, isomalt and xylitol are pre ferred. Polyols vary in sweetness from half as sweet to about as sweet as sucrose. Hence the relative sweetness in relation to sucrose may be from 0.5 to 1.

Allulose is also a preferred non-sucrose bulk sweetener.

The concentration of non-sucrose bulk sweetener in the composition may be from 50- 95%, more preferably 70-92%, in particular from 85 % to 91 %, or 85-90% and even more preferably 86% (or 86.5 %) to 89 %.

The composition includes a low-digestible carbohydrate polymer (LDC). LDCs typically are fiber or fiber-like ingredients. They are polymers consisting of monomer units which may include or consist of glucose or fructose chains with 1,6-glycosidic or b 2 ->1 linkage. The polymers may be branched or linear with degree of polymerizations ranging between 3 and 60. The average molecular weight of the LDC, in particular dextrin, may be from 1000 Daltons to 10000 Daltons more preferably from 3000 Daltons to 6000 Daltons, more pref erably from 4000 Daltons to 5000 Daltons. It is preferred that the LDC is a resistant to deg radation during digestion to at least some extent.

Examples of useful LDCs include polydextrose, inulin, oligofructose and dextrin, or mix tures of these. Dextrin is a preferred LDC, because it has a neutral taste and is stable at a wide range of pH values.

The concentration of low digestible carbohydrate polymer in the composition, for example dextrin, may be 5-22%, more preferably 9-14 %, in particular 9-13 %, even more preferred 10% -13% and most preferably 11% to -13 %. The concentration of low digestible carbohy drate polymer may also be from 5% to 8 %.

In one embodiment the composition comprises 50 %-95%, more preferably 75%-92%, in particular 85-90% maltitol, and 5-22%, more preferably 9-14 %, in particular 9-13 % dex trin and a high intensity sweetener.

The composition may additionally comprise other suitable and food-compatible compo nents. Examples of such agents are flavouring agents, sweetness enhancers, and flavour modifiers. Examples of such components are yeast extract and antioxidants. Such compo nents are typically present in less than 1%. The composition may also comprise emulsifier, a stabiliser or a hydrocolloid. Any suitable concentration may be used, but preferably the concentration is from 0.1 to 3 %.

In one embodiment the composition consists of 5-22%, more preferably 9-14 %, in partic ular 9-13 %, even more preferred from 10% to 13% and most preferably from 11% to 13 % of a LDC which preferably is dextrin, from 0.01% - 1 % of a HIS, and optionally up to 3 % of a sweetness enhancer, a flavour modifier, an emulsifier, a stabiliser or a hydrocolloid, the balance being a non-sucrose bulk sweetener. The composition preferably consists of particles which, on average, has this composition.

The composition may also comprise trace amounts of impurities.

The combined concentration of low digestible carbohydrate polymer and non-sucrose bulk sweetener may be at least 97%, more preferably at least 98% and most preferably at least 99%.

The sweetness of the composition can be adjusted by selecting the amounts of the se lected HIS and the selected non-sucrose bulk sweetener. The final sweetness may be close or identical to that of sucrose. Sweetness may be determined by using a panel of persons as is known in the art. The composition is preferably in the form of a powder. The composition is preferably dry. Moisture of the composition is preferably less than 2 %. The moisture content of the prod uct is preferably less than 1%, more preferably 0.2 - 0.5%. The composition and the various components are preferably edible and/or suitable or at least acceptable for human consumption. The composition can be used as a sucrose sub stitute. In one aspect of the invention, sucrose in a recipe and/or procedure is replaced with the same quantity of the composition. This provides for easy adaptation of sucrose- containing recipes. The composition may be used as sweetener in various solid food prod- ucts such as baked goods, confectionary, ice cream or similar. It may also be used to sweeten dairy products such as ice cream, yogurt, cheese curd and puddings. It may also be used to sweeten jams and chocolate spread. In one embodiment the composition is used to sweeten a product that is not a beverage. In a preferred embodiment the compo sition is used as sweetener in ice cream. The composition preferably comprises particles comprising the high intensity sweetener, the non-sucrose bulk sweetener and the low digestible carbohydrate polymer. Hence, the particles of the composition are preferably agglomerates that comprise non-sucrose bulk sweetener, LDC and HIS in one and the same particle. For example, the high intensity sweetener may bind the particles of low-digestible carbohydrate polymer and the parti- cles of non-sucrose bulk sweetener to each other, to form a larger particle.

Or, low digestible carbohydrate polymer particles may be partially or wholly coated with the non-sucrose bulk sweetener and the high intensity sweetener. The non-sucrose bulk sweetener may partially penetrate into particles of LDC.

In one embodiment there are separate particles comprising the low digestible carbohy- drate polymer and the non-sucrose bulk sweetener where one or both of them are coated or partially coated with the high intensity sweetener. The high intensity sweetener may partially or wholly coat or otherwise adhere to particles of low digestible carbohydrate polymer and/or the particles of non-sucrose bulk sweetener. The binding or coating in the particles may be mediated with any type of suitable chemical or physical bond such as covalent bond or a van der Waals bond.

The particle size is preferably similar to that of sucrose. An upper limit of the particle size may be 1000 pm, such that 99% or 100 % of the particles or more are smaller than 1000 pm , more preferably smaller than 500 pm. Preferably more than 70%, more preferably more than 80%, and most preferably more than 90% of the particles are larger than 100 pm. The particle size may be adjusted by selecting appropriate particle size of the non-su crose bulk sweetener and the LDC as the starting material.

The composition is preferably obtained by a method comprising mixing particles of the non-sucrose bulk sweetener and the LDC and exposing them to a water solution compris ing the high-intensity sweetener, in a manner such that high intensity sweetener binds to the LDC and the non-sucrose bulk sweetener particles, and preferably so that the non-su crose bulk sweetener particles and the LDC particles bind to each other, to form agglomer ates. The concentration of high intensity sweetener in the water may be from 5-30%, in particu lar from 20-25%, in particular when there the high-intensity sweetener is a stevia sweet ener. The binding may occur under conditions where the non-sucrose bulk sweetener or the LDC particles does not dissolve in the water. The conditions for binding are selected to obtain the desired final concentration of HIS, for example to apply the desired amount of HIS in the final particle, which in turn depends on the sweetness of the selected HIS.

The method may include a drying step. When fluid bed drying is used, no extra drying step is necessary. The method may comprise the step of breaking the particles to a suitable particle size, for example by milling. This may be carried out after binding and drying. This is typically not needed when a fluid bed dryer is used. With reference to Fig. 1, in step 100 high intensity sweetener is dissolved in water. Hence preferably a mixture that comprises high intensity sweetener and water and not non-su crose bulk sweetener or LDC is obtained. The mixture may consist of high intensity sweet ener and water. Separately, the LDC in powder form is mixed with the non-sucrose bulk sweetener in powder form. In step 101 the high intensity sweetener is allowed to bind to the mixture of particles of non-sucrose bulk sweetener and LDC. Preferably the water-HIS mixture is sprayed on the particles of non-sucrose bulk sweetener and LDC, preferably while the particles are being vibrated or agitated and preferably also heated. The resulting mixture is dried in step 102. Steps 101 and 102 can be carried out using a fluid bed dryer, see below. Hence step 101 and 102 may be carried out in one continuous process.

Any vessel with spray-nozzles, vibration/agitation, capacity for heating and where the ma terial preferably can flow from one end to the other can be used. Suitable temperatures are those used for fluid bed drying (below). Useful technologies include fluid bed drying, spray drying and wet granulation. The final product is preferably a free flowing and homo geneous powder.

In a preferred method fluid bed drying is used for steps 101 and 102. An example of a fluid bed chamber dryer is shown in Fig. 2. The mixture of non-sucrose bulk sweetener and LDS is fluidised and sprayed with the water solution comprising the HIS. The fluid bed dryer chamber of Fig. 2 comprises nozzles for spraying water-HIS mixture onto the fluid bed that holds the bulk-sweetener/LDC particles. The bed is maintained by hot air injected from be low. Formation of the particles occurs in the bed as HIS/water is sprayed. The fluid bed drier may also be used to adjust final particle size. Particles that are too small are recircu lated. The fluid bed drier may also have a sieve for removing particles that are too large. The fluid bed drier may provide vibration in the chamber. A suitable fluid bed dryer is VIBRO-FLUIDIZER™ Fluid Bed from GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft. from F.H. SCHULE Muh- lenbau GmbH.

When a fluid bed drier is used a preferred temperature in the chamber is 80°C to -120°C, more preferably 90°C -100°C and most preferred 90°C -95°C. The temperature in the hot air source may be higher. The non-sucrose bulk sweetener and the LDS may enter the fluid bed drier at ambient temp.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, the description is in general only intended to illustrate the inventive concept and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. The invention is generally defined by the claims. Example 1

Stevia glucosides rebaudioside A (97% purity) was mixed with water to obtain a solution containing 22.8 % stevia. Maltitol powder (particles size 200 urn) and dextrin powder was mixed to obtain a powder mixture, which was fed into a fluid bed drier. Air temp in the chamber was 90-95 ^° C. Drying process was about two minutes. The batch size was 400 kg.

The final composition of the product was as follows:

Maltitol (87.15%)

Dextrin (12.73%) Steviol glycosides (0.12%)

The result was a free flowing and homogenous powder.

Example 2

The particle size of the composition was determined using sieves. The final particle size distribution was as follows:

>400pm 7%

BOOm - 400 pm 11% 200 pm - B00 urn 42%

100 pm - 200 pm 30%

<100 pm 10%

90% of particles were larger than 100 urn. All particles were smaller than 500 urn.

Example 3

Electron microscopy was carried out on the mixture of maltitol and dextrin and the final product. Figure 4 (final result) compared with figure 3 (starting material mixture of LDC IB and non-sucrose bulk sweetener) indicates that coating and agglomeration has taken place and shows a more homogenous particle size. Figure 5 (starting material) compared with figure 6 (final result) indicates that coating and agglomeration has taken place. Example 4

The composition was tested in various aspects. The composition behaved like sucrose. It was a free flowing powder and was easy to use in machinery. The composition did not dust and was easy to mix with other components and was freely soluble in water. The sweetness was about the same as for sucrose. The composition was used to sweeten a composition for ice cream with excellent results. The composition had the same mouth- feel as sucrose.

Example 5

Litesse ultrabulking (54.45 %)

Erythritol (45.37 %)

Navia Reb M 80 (0.18 %) Particles was formed essentially as described as in example 1.

Example 6

The composition of Example 5 was tested in various aspects. The composition behaved like sucrose. It was free flowing powder and was easy to use in machinery. The composi tion did not dust and was easy to mix with other components and was freely soluble in water. The sweetness was about the same as for sucrose.