US2011251380A1PendingUtilityA1

Rebaudioside A Purification Method

43
Assignee: SGF HOLDINGS LLCPriority: Oct 18, 2004Filed: Mar 23, 2011Published: Oct 13, 2011
Est. expiryOct 18, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Mel Clinton JacksonGordon James FrancisRobert Gordon Chase
A61P 3/10A61P 3/04C07H 1/00A23L 27/36C07H 15/252A23L 27/30
43
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Claims

Abstract

The invention provides a high throughput, high purity, high yield system and method of isolating and purifying rebaudioside A (“Reb A”), with acceptable water solubility for all commercial uses, from commercially available Stevia rebaudiana starting material.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 .- 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method of purifying rebaudioside A from a starting material selected from the group consisting of  Stevia  starting material, a crude extract of  Stevia  plant material, and a crude extract of  Stevia  plant material which extract has at least 40% rebaudioside A purity, comprising:
 identifying approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material;   formulating an aqueous alkanol solvent having an alkanol to water ratio based on the rebaudioside A purity of the starting material;   refluxing the starting material in the aqueous alkanol solvent; and   removing alkanol and water to obtain purified rebaudioside A,   
       wherein the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 4% and about 15%. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 45% and about 90%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 15% and about 6%, respectively. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein (i) when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 80% and about 90%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 8% and about 6%, respectively, or (ii) when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 70% and about 80%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 10% and about 8%, respectively, or (iii) when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 60% and about 70%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 12% and about 10%, respectively. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the water content of the aqueous alkanol solvent is substantially inversely proportional to the rebaudioside A purity of the starting material. 
     
     
         29 . The method any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the alkanol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and isopropanol. 
     
     
         30 . The method of any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the method further comprises an additional reflux step. 
     
     
         31 . The method of any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the method further comprises a wash step. 
     
     
         32 . Purified rebaudioside A produced by the method of any one of  claims 25  to  28 . 
     
     
         33 . The purified Rebaudioside A of any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the purified rebaudioside A has a purity greater than 95%. 
     
     
         34 . The purified Rebaudioside A of any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the purified rebaudioside A has a purity greater than 99%. 
     
     
         35 . A food composition comprising purified rebaudioside A produced by the method of any one of  claims 25  to  28 . 
     
     
         36 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising purified rebaudioside A produced by the method of any one of  claims 25  to  28 . 
     
     
         37 . The method of any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the alkanol is a denatured alkanol. 
     
     
         38 . The method of any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the alkanol is denatured ethanol. 
     
     
         39 . A method of purifying rebaudioside A from a starting material selected from the group consisting of  Stevia  starting material, a crude extract of  Stevia  plant material, and a crude extract of  Stevia  plant material which extract has at least 40% rebaudioside A purity, comprising:
 identifying approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material;   preparing an aqueous ethanol solvent having an ethanol to water ratio based on the rebaudioside A purity of the starting material;   refluxing the starting material in the aqueous ethanol solvent to form a reflux mixture;   cooling the reflux mixture to produce a precipitate;   separating the precipitate from the mixture; and   removing ethanol and water from the precipitate to obtain purified rebaudioside A, wherein the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 4% and about 15%.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 45% and about 90%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 15% and about 6%, respectively. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein (i) when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 80% and about 90%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 8% and about 6%, respectively, or (ii) when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 70% and about 80%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 10% and about 8%, respectively, or (iii) when the approximate rebaudioside A purity in the starting material is between about 60% and about 70%, the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is between about 12% and about 10%, respectively. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the water content in the aqueous alkanol solvent is substantially inversely proportional to the rebaudioside A purity of the starting material. 
     
     
         43 . The method any one of  claims 39  to  42 , wherein the alkanol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, and isopropanol. 
     
     
         44 . The method of any one of  claims 39  to  42 , wherein the method further comprises an additional reflux step. 
     
     
         45 . The method of any one of  claims 39  to  42 , wherein the method further comprises a wash step. 
     
     
         46 . Purified rebaudioside A produced by the method of any one of  claims 39  to  42 . 
     
     
         47 . The purified Rebaudioside A of any one of  claims 39  to  42 , wherein the purified rebaudioside A has a purity greater than 95%. 
     
     
         48 . The purified Rebaudioside A of any one of  claims 39  to  42 , wherein the purified rebaudioside A has a purity greater than 99%. 
     
     
         49 . A food composition comprising purified rebaudioside A produced by the method of any one of  claims 39  to  42 . 
     
     
         50 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising purified rebaudioside A produced by the method of any one of  claims 39  to  42 . 
     
     
         51 . The method of any one of  claims 39  to  42 , wherein the alkanol is a denatured alkanol. 
     
     
         52 . The method of any one of  claims 39  to  42 , wherein the alkanol is denatured ethanol.

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