Rebaudioside a and stevioside with improved solubilities

Abstract

The invention describes sweetening compositions and methods to prepare sweetening compositions containing steviol glycosides, salts, and other natural or synthetic sweeteners with improved solubilities and sensory profiles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising one or more steviol glycosides, one or more salts, and one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners;
 wherein the one or more steviol glycosides comprise rebaudioside A and rebaudioside B;   wherein the one or more salts are selected from the group consisting of a metal or metal alkali halide, a metal or metal alkali carbonate or bicarbonate, a metal or metal alkali sulfate or metabisulfate, and any combination thereof; and   wherein the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners are selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, xylitol, sorbitol, dextrose, glucose, mannitol, aspartame, inulin, sucralose, acesulfame-K, sodium cyclamate, erythritol, thaumatin, arabinose, galactose, mannose, rhamnose, xylose, trehalose, raffinose, cellobiose, tagatose, allulose, mogroside, and any combination thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more steviol glycosides selected from steviolbioside, stevioside, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rubusoside, dulcoside A, and rebaudioside M. 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the rebaudioside A and rebaudioside B comprise about 100% of the total steviol glycosides in the composition. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more salts are selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, potassium sulfate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is a sweetening composition. 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more steviol glycosides comprise from 20-99 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises 20-100 wt. % of the total steviol glycosides in the composition, and optionally wherein the rebaudioside B comprises greater than 0 to 80 wt. % of the total steviol glycosides in the composition. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises 20-100 wt. % or 70-80 wt. % of the composition, and optionally wherein the rebaudioside B comprises greater than 0 to 80 wt. % or 10-20 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the one or more salts comprise 0.1-50 wt. % or 0.1-30 wt. % of the composition; and/or   (ii) the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners comprise 0.1-50 wt. % or 0.1-30 wt. % of the composition.   
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises 65-98 wt. % of the composition, the rebaudioside B comprises 2-35 wt. % of the composition, the one or more salts comprise 0.1-5 wt. % of the composition, and the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners comprise 0.1-10 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises 70-80 wt. % of the composition, the rebaudioside B comprises 10-20 wt. % of the composition, the one or more salts comprise 0.1-5 wt. % of the composition, and the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners comprise 0.1-10 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises 70-85 wt. % of the composition, the rebaudioside B comprises 10-25 wt. % of the composition, the one or more salts comprise 0.1-5 wt. % of the composition, and the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners comprise 1-10 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         13 . The composition according to  claim 1 , comprising Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside B, glucose, and sodium chloride, optionally wherein:
 (i) the mole ratio of rebaudioside B and glucose is about 1:1; or   (ii) the weight ratio of Rebaudioside A, Rebaudioside B, glucose, and sodium chloride is 77.55:16.39:3.99:1.30 respectively.   
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is prepared by hydrolysis of a raw material comprising rebaudioside A, optionally wherein the raw material comprises >90 wt. % rebaudioside A. 
     
     
         15 . A sweetening composition comprising one or more steviol glycosides, one or more salts, and one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners, wherein the one or more steviol glycosides comprise from 20-99 wt. % of the sweetening composition;
 wherein the one or more salts are selected from the group consisting of a metal or metal alkali halide, a metal or metal alkali carbonate or bicarbonate, a metal or metal alkali sulfate or metabisulfate, and any combination thereof; and   wherein the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners are selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, xylitol, sorbitol, dextrose, glucose, mannitol, aspartame, inulin, sucralose, acesulfame-K, sodium cyclamate, erythritol, thaumatin, arabinose, galactose, mannose, rhamnose, xylose, trehalose, raffinose, cellobiose, tagatose, allulose, mogroside, and any combination thereof.   
     
     
         16 . The sweetening composition according to  claim 15 , wherein the one or more steviol glycosides are selected from the group consisting of steviolbioside, stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rubusoside, dulcoside A, rebaudioside M, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The sweetening composition according to  claim 15 , wherein the one or more steviol glycosides comprise stevioside and steviolbioside. 
     
     
         18 . The sweetening composition according to  claim 15 , wherein the one or more salts are selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, potassium sulfate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The sweetening composition according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 (i) the one or more salts comprise 0.1-50 wt. % or 0.1-30 wt. % of the composition; and/or   (ii) the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners comprise 0.1-50 wt. % or 0.1-30 wt. % of the composition.   
     
     
         20 . The sweetening composition according to  claim 17 , wherein the stevioside comprises 70-85 wt. % of the composition, the steviolbioside comprises 10-25 wt. % of the composition, the one or more salts comprise 0.1-5 wt. % of the composition, and the one or more natural or synthetic sweeteners comprise 1-10 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         21 . The sweetening composition according to  claim 17 , comprising stevioside, steviolbioside, glucose, and sodium chloride. 
     
     
         22 . The sweetening composition according to  claim 17 , wherein the composition is prepared by hydrolysis of a raw material comprising stevioside, optionally wherein the raw material comprises >90 wt. % stevioside. 
     
     
         23 . An orally consumable composition comprising the composition according to  claim 1 , optionally wherein:
 (i) the composition according to  claim 1  is present in an amount effective to sweeten or to modify or enhance the taste, odor and/or texture of the orally consumable composition; and/or   (ii) the orally consumable composition is a beverage, broth, beverage preparation, food, food preparation, candy, confection, dessert or snack.   
     
     
         24 . An orally consumable composition comprising the sweetening composition according to  claim 15 , optionally wherein:
 (i) the sweetening composition according to  claim 15  is present in an amount effective to sweeten or to modify or enhance the taste, odor and/or texture of the orally consumable composition; and/or   (ii) the orally consumable composition is a beverage, broth, beverage preparation, food, food preparation, candy, confection, dessert or snack.   
     
     
         25 . A method to prepare an orally consumable composition, the method comprising admixing the composition according to  claim 1  with the orally consumable composition or a component thereof, optionally wherein the orally consumable composition is a beverage, broth, beverage preparation, food, food preparation, candy, confection, dessert or snack. 
     
     
         26 . A method to prepare an orally consumable composition, the method comprising admixing the sweetening composition according to  claim 15  with the orally consumable composition or a component thereof, optionally wherein the orally consumable composition is a beverage, broth, beverage preparation, food, food preparation, candy, confection, dessert or snack.