Sweetener with imbedded high potency ingredients

Abstract

An enhanced sweetener made from granules of a carrier, such as sucrose, embedded with molecules of a high potency sweetener, such as stevia extract. The process for making the enhanced sweetener involves dissolving the high potency sweetener in warmed water and mixing the resulting solution with the heated carrier. The resulting slurry is then dried, optionally under reduced pressure. The apparatus for producing the enhanced sweetener includes one or more heated agitators connected to a heated, airtight blender, which can be evacuated with a vacuum pump. The result is an enhanced sweetener with a homogenous distribution of high potency ingredients that retains the functionalities of sugar necessary for food preparation, improves the spreading of the sweetness throughout the food, and reduces aftertastes. Other high potency ingredients and carriers may also be used in the process.

1 . A granule of enhanced sweetener comprising an edible carrier imbedded with molecules of a high potency sweetener. 
     
     
         2 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the edible carrier is sucrose. 
     
     
         3 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the high potency sweetener is stevia extract. 
     
     
         4 . The granule of  claim 1 , wherein the edible carrier is further imbedded with one or more of a vitamin, a mineral, a flavoring and a coloring. 
     
     
         5 . An enhanced sweetener comprising a plurality of granules of enhanced sweetener, each granule comprising an edible carrier imbedded with molecules of a high potency sweetener, wherein the high potency sweetener is distributed homogenously between the plurality of granules. 
     
     
         6 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 5 , wherein the enhanced sweetener is made by a process comprising:
 dissolving the high potency sweetener in warmed water to form a solution;   heating the edible carrier;   mixing the solution with the heated, edible carrier to form a slurry; and   drying the slurry.   
     
     
         7 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 6 , wherein the slurry is dried under reduced pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 7 , wherein the reduced pressure is a tenth of atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 6 , wherein the warmed water is between 25° C. and 75° C. 
     
     
         10 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 5 , wherein the high potency sweetener is stevia extract. 
     
     
         11 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 10 , wherein the warmed water is about 60° C. 
     
     
         12 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 6 , wherein the edible carrier is heated to between 95° C. and 100° C. 
     
     
         13 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 5 , wherein the edible carrier is sucrose. 
     
     
         14 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 5 , wherein each granule is imbedded with one or more of a vitamin, a mineral, a flavoring and a coloring. 
     
     
         15 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 6 , wherein one or more of a vitamin, a mineral, a flavoring and a coloring is dissolved in the solution. 
     
     
         16 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 5 , wherein each granule is imbedded with a further high potency sweetener. 
     
     
         17 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 6 , wherein the warmed water is at a first temperature, the enhanced sweetener being made by the process further comprising:
 dissolving one or more of a vitamin, a mineral, a flavoring, a coloring and a further high potency sweetener in warmed water at a second temperature to form a further solution; and   mixing the further solution with the solution and heated edible carrier.   
     
     
         18 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 5 , wherein the high potency sweetener is one or both of monk fruit extract and sucralose. 
     
     
         19 . The enhanced sweetener of  claim 6 , wherein the enhanced sweetener is made by the process further comprising passing the dried slurry through a vibrating screen.