Steviol glycoside composition

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition comprising one or more steviol glycosides which composition comprises kaurenoic acid in an amount of no more than 150 ppm. The invention also relates to a method for preparing a steviol glycoside composition, which method comprises: providing a steviol glycoside composition; combining the steviol glycoside composition with a solvent to form a steviol glycoside solution; and crystallizing a steviol glycoside composition from the steviol glycoside solution, wherein the crystallization is carried out at pH7.0 or below. The invention also relates to a method for reducing the kaurenoic acid content of a steviol glycoside composition, which method comprises: providing a steviol glycoside composition which comprises kaurenoic acid; combining the steviol glycoside composition with a solvent to form a steviol glycoside solution; and crystallizing a steviol glycoside composition from the steviol glycoside solution, wherein the crystallization is carried out at pH7.0, thereby to reduce the amount of kaurenoic acid in the steviol glycoside composition.

1 . A composition comprising one or more steviol glycosides which composition comprises kaurenoic acid in an amount of no more than 150 ppm. 
     
     
         2 . A composition comprising one or more steviol glycosides which composition comprises kaurenoic acid in an amount of no more than 100 ppm, optionally no more than 10 ppm. 
     
     
         3 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the steviol glycosides are fermentatively produced. 
     
     
         4 . A composition according to  claim 1  which comprises one or more of any one of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, stevioside, dulcoside A, rubusoside or steviolbioside. 
     
     
         5 . A composition according to  claim 1  which comprises at least 80% on a dry weight basis of at least one steviol glycoside. 
     
     
         6 . A composition according to  claim 1  which comprises at least 95% on a dry weight basis of at least one steviol glycoside. 
     
     
         7 . A method for preparing a steviol glycoside composition, which method comprises:
 providing a steviol glycoside composition;   combining the steviol glycoside composition with a solvent to form a steviol glycoside solution; and   crystallizing a steviol glycoside composition from the steviol glycoside solution, wherein the crystallization is carried out at pH7.0 or below.   
     
     
         8 . A method for reducing the kaurenoic acid content of a steviol glycoside composition, which method comprises:
 providing a steviol glycoside composition which comprises kaurenoic acid;   combining the steviol glycoside composition with a solvent to form a steviol glycoside solution; and   crystallizing a steviol glycoside composition from the steviol glycoside solution, wherein the crystallization is carried out at pH7.0, thereby to reduce the amount of kaurenoic acid in the steviol glycoside composition.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the crystallization is carried out at pH6.0 or below. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the crystallization is carried out at pH5.0 or below. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the crystallization is carried out at pH4.0 or below. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the resulting steviol glycoside composition comprises kaurenoic acid in an amount of no more than 150 ppm, optionally no more than 100 ppm. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the resulting steviol glycoside composition comprises kaurenoic acid in an amount of no more than about 10 ppm. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the steviol glycosides are fermentatively produced. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the resulting steviol glycoside composition comprises one or more of any one of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside M, stevioside, dulcoside A, rubusoside or steviolbioside. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the resulting steviol glycoside composition comprises at least 80% on a dry weight basis of at least one steviol glycoside. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the resulting steviol glycoside composition comprises at least 95% on a dry weight basis of at least one steviol glycoside. 
     
     
         18 . A steviol glycoside composition obtainable by a method according to  claim 7 .