Production of 2-furfurylthiol in brassica seed and use of same

Abstract

A process for producing 2-furfurylthiol (“FFT”) in Brassica seed includes heating Brassica seed under a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce an elevated amount of FFT in the Brassica seed. The heated seed may be extracted and/or otherwise treated, and may be used to provide a flavorant or odorant to consumables such as foods.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for producing 2-furfurylthiol (“FFT”) in Brassica seed, comprising the step of: 
 heating Brassica seed, the Brassica seed containing a natural amount of FFT and at least one precursor of FFT, under a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce an elevated amount of FFT.  
 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heating step includes heating the Brassica seed in a surrounding temperature, the surrounding temperature being within a range of about 120° C. to about 250° C.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2  wherein the Brassica seed is heated for a period of time of at least about 5 minutes.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 2  wherein the Brassica seed is heated for a period of time within a range of about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heating step results in a percent increase in the concentration of FFT of at least 100 percent.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heating step results in a percent increase in the concentration of FFT of at least 500 percent.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heating step results in a percent increase in the concentration of FFT of at least 1,000 percent.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heating step results in a percent increase in the concentration of FFT of at least 10,000 percent.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  further including the step of treating the Brassica seed after the heating step by grinding, flaking, and/or expanding, thereby forming treated Brassica seed containing an elevated amount of FFT.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the treating step includes grinding the Brassica seed to an average particle size within a range of about 40 mesh to about 10 mesh.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9  further including the step of recovering at least some of the FFT from the treated Brassica seed.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the recovering step includes one or more of extracting, distilling, pressing, centrifuging, and chromatographically separating.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the recovering step includes extracting.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the extracting includes one or more of steeping, immersion, percolation, and batch extraction.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the extracting includes steeping the treated Brassica seed in an inert solvent.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the inert solvent includes one or more of a vegetable oil, an alcohol, water, an aliphatic hydrocarbon, an oxygenated hydrocarbon, a triglyceride, and supercritical carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the inert solvent includes a vegetable oil.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the inert solvent has a temperature within a range of about 20° C. to about 70° C.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18  wherein the treated Brassica seed is steeped in the inert solvent for a period of time within a range of about 10 hours to about 36 hours.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1  further including the step of recovering at least some of the FFT from the heated Brassica seed.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20  wherein the recovering step includes one or more of extracting, distilling, pressing, centrifuging, and chromatographically separating.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 20  wherein the recovering step includes extracting.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 22  wherein the extracting includes one or more of steeping, immersion, percolation, and batch extraction.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 22  wherein the extracting includes steeping the Brassica seed in an inert solvent.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24  wherein the inert solvent includes one or more of a vegetable oil, an alcohol, water, an aliphatic hydrocarbon, an oxygenated hydrocarbon, a triglyceride, and supercritical carbon dioxide.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 24  wherein the inert solvent includes a vegetable oil.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 24  wherein the inert solvent has a temperature within a range of about 20° C. to about 70° C.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 27  wherein the Brassica seed is steeped in the inert solvent for a period of time within a range of about 10 hours to about 36 hours.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the Brassica seed is selected from the group consisting of  Brassica alba, Brassica juncea, Brassica napus, Brassica nigra, Brassica rapa,  and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         30 . The product produced by the process of  claim 1 ,  3 ,  5 ,  9 , or  11 .  
     
     
         31 . A flavorant or odorant, comprising: 
 Brassica seed having an amount of 2-furfurylthiol (“FFT”) which is elevated relative to a natural amount of FFT, the Brassica seed having been heated under a temperature and for a time sufficient to produce the elevated amount of FFT.    
     
     
         32 . The flavorant or odorant of  claim 31  wherein the Brassica seed has a concentration of at least about one milligram FFT per kilogram Brassica seed.  
     
     
         33 . The flavorant or odorant of  claim 31  wherein the Brassica seed has a concentration of at least about five milligrams FFT per kilogram Brassica seed.  
     
     
         34 . The flavorant or odorant of  claim 31  wherein the Brassica seed has a concentration of at least about ten milligrams FFT per kilogram Brassica seed.  
     
     
         35 . A flavorant or odorant, comprising: 
 isolated 2-furfurylthiol (“FFT”), wherein the FFT is extracted from Brassica seed.    
     
     
         36 . The flavorant or odorant of  claim 35  wherein the Brassica seed has a concentration of at least about one milligram FFT per kilogram Brassica seed.  
     
     
         37 . A process for enhancing the flavor or odor of a consumable, comprising the step of: 
 combining a consumable and a flavor- or odor-enhancing amount of 2-furfurylthiol (“FFT”), the FFT having been produced in Brassica seed by heating the Brassica seed.    
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 37  wherein the Brassica seed has a concentration of at least about one milligram FFT per kilogram Brassica seed.  
     
     
         39 . A consumable in combination with a flavor- or odor-enhancing amount of 2-furfurylthiol (“FFT”), the FFT having been produced in Brassica seed by heating the Brassica seed.  
     
     
         40 . The consumable of  claim 39  wherein the Brassica seed has a concentration of at least one milligram FFT per kilogram Brassica seed.