Sweetness Enhancers, Sweetness Enhanced Sweetener Compositions, Methods for Their Formulation, and Uses

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to sweetness enhancers capable of enhancing the sweet taste of sweetener compositions and the sweetener compositions produced therefrom. In particular, the present invention relates to sweetener compositions comprising sulfamates capable of enhancing the sweetness of the sweetener composition.

1 . a sweetener composition comprising:
 at least one sweetener; and   at least one sweetness enhancer comprising a sulfamate having the chemical formula:   
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein R 1  and R 2 , independent of one another, comprise a hydrogen, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, acyl, cyano, thioester, thioether, or a straight chained, branched, or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclic group; 
       wherein R 3  comprises any alkali or alkaline earth metal, hydrogen, or a straight chained, branched, or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclic group; 
       wherein both R 1  and R 2  may be incorporated into a substituted or an unsubstituted heteroaryl or heterocyclic group; 
       wherein both R 2  and R 3  may be incorporated into a substituted or an unsubstituted heteroaryl or heterocyclic group; and 
       wherein the functional groups or moieties of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  may optionally be substituted with one or more moities including hydrogen, hydroxyl, 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, phospho, phosphonato, substituted or unsubstituted straight, branched, cyclic, alkyl, alkynyl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclic group. 
     
   
   
       2 . The sweetener composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sweet taste improving composition. 
   
   
       3 . The sweetener composition of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer, at least one sweetener, and optionally at least one sweet taste improving composition are present in the sweetener composition in an amount effective for the sweetener composition to impart an osmolarity from about 10 mOsmole/L to about 500 mOsmole/L to an aqueous solution of the sweetener composition when the at least one sweetness enhancer and at least one sweetener are present in the aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to impart a sweetness intensity equivalent to that of a 10% aqueous solution of sucrose by weight. 
   
   
       4 . The sweetener composition of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition imparts a more sugar-like flavor profile to the sweetener composition than the combination of the at least one sweetness enhancer and at least one sweetener would have without the at least one at least one sweet taste improving composition. 
   
   
       5 . The sweetener composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetener comprises a carbohydrate sweetener, a high-potency sweetener, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The sweetener composition of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one high-potency sweetener comprises a natural high-potency sweetener selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, 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, 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. 
   
   
       7 . The sweetener composition of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one high-potency sweetener comprises a synthetic high-potency sweetener selected from the group consisting of sucralose, acesulfame potassium or other salts, aspartame, alitame, saccharin, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, cyclamate, neotame, N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)propyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[3-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylpropyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, salts thereof, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The sweetener composition of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one sweetener comprises a carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, glucose, erythritol, maltitol, lactitol, sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, D-tagatose, trehalose, galactose, rhamnose, cyclodextrin, ribulose, 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, glucosamine, mannosamine, fucose, glucuronic acid, gluconic acid, glucono-lactone, abequose, galactosamine, xylo-oligosaccharides, gentio-oligoscaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, sorbose, nigero-oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, maltotetraol, maltotriol, malto-oligosaccharides, lactulose, melibiose, raffinose, rhamnose, ribose, isomerized liquid sugars such as high fructose corn/starch syrup, coupling sugars, soybean oligosaccharides, and glucose syrup. 
   
   
       9 . The sweetener composition of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one 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 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, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The sweetener composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer comprises: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       11 . The sweetener composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer comprises: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       12 . The sweetener composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer comprises: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       13 . The sweetener composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer comprises: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       14 . The sweetener composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer comprises: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       15 . A sweetened composition comprising a sweetenable composition and the sweetener composition of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       16 . The sweetened composition of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer, at least one sweetener, and optionally at least one sweet taste improving composition are present in the sweetened composition in an amount effective for the sweetener composition to impart an osmolarity from about 10 mOsmole/L to about 500 mOsmole/L to an aqueous solution of the sweetener composition when the at least one sweetness enhancer and at least one sweetener are present in the aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to impart a sweetness intensity equivalent to that of a 10% aqueous solution of sucrose by weight. 
   
   
       17 . A method for enhancing the sweetness of a sweetener composition comprising combining at least one sweetness enhancer and at least one high-potency sweetener, wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer comprises a sulfamate having the chemical formula: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein R 1  and R 2 , independent of one another, comprise a hydrogen, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, acyl, cyano, thioester, thioether, or a straight chained, branched, or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclic group; 
       wherein R 3  comprises any alkali or alkaline earth metal, hydrogen, or a straight chained, branched, or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclic group; 
       wherein both R 1  and R 2  may be incorporated into a substituted or an unsubstituted heteroaryl or heterocyclic group; 
       wherein both R 2  and R 3  may be incorporated into a substituted or an unsubstituted heteroaryl or heterocyclic group; and 
       wherein the functional groups or moieties of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  may optionally be substituted with one or more moities including hydrogen, hydroxyl, 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, phospho, phosphonato, substituted or unsubstituted straight, branched, cyclic, alkyl, alkynl, alkenyl, aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclic group. 
     
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one sweetness enhancer, at least one sweetener, and optionally at least one sweet taste improving composition are present in the sweetened composition in an amount effective for the sweetener composition to impart an osmolarity from about 10 mOsmole/L to about 500 mOsmole/L to an aqueous solution of the sweetener composition when the at least one sweetness enhancer and at least one sweetener are present in the aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to impart a sweetness intensity equivalent to that of a 10% aqueous solution of sucrose by weight.