Natural Honey-Containing Composition And Method Of Preparation

Abstract

Compositions comprising cellulosic polymers and natural honey that display reduced instability due to the presence of a chelant that inhibits the activity of naturally occurring cellulases are described. Methods of treating natural honey to inhibit cellulase activity comprising mixing the natural honey with a chelant and optionally heating the mixture are provided. Flavour compositions consisting of natural honey and a chelant, optionally in a carrier are further described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing the loss of viscosity of a liquid composition comprising a honey flavor composition and a cellulosic polymer by adding and mixing a chelant to the honey flavor composition;
 wherein the honey flavor composition comprises natural honey comprising at least one cellulose enzyme;   wherein the chelant is selected from the group consisting of EDTA, phytic acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, and mixtures thereof;   wherein a loss of viscosity associated with the degradation of the cellulosic polymer is less than about 50%.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the loss of viscosity associated with the degradation of the cellulosic polymer is less than about 30%. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the loss of viscosity associated with the degradation of the cellulosic polymer is less than about 20%. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein from about 0.01% to about 5% chelant, by weight of the natural honey, is added to the honey flavour composition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein from about 0.01% to about 1% chelant, by weight of the natural honey, is added to the honey flavour composition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein from about 0.1% to about 3% chelant, by weight of the natural honey, is added to the honey flavour composition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the chelant is selected from the group consisting of EDTA, phytic acid, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the chelant is EDTA. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 15% honey, by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 10% honey, by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cellulosic polymer is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and its salts, ethylhydroxyethylcellulose, celluloseacetatepthalalte, ethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the cellulosic polymer is carboxymethylcellulose and its salts. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 10% of the cellulosic polymer, by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 5% of the cellulosic polymer, by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the composition further comprises a pharmaceutical active selected from the group consisting of antitussives, antihistaminics, non-sedating antihistamines, decongestants, expectorants, mucolytics, analgesics, antipyretics, anti-inflammatory agents, local anesthetics, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the natural honey is heated to a temperature of from about 90° C. to 130° C. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the heating step occurs after the chelant has been added to the natural honey. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said heating step has a duration of from 1 minute to 60 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said heating step has a duration of from 1 minute to 30 minutes.