Sweetening compositions and processes for preparing them

Abstract

The invention relates to sweetening compositions obtained from the Luo Han Guo fruit, a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. The compositions are free of bitter-tasting impurities, have a light colour and contain about 16-75% mogroside V and about 30-95% total terpene glycosides on a dry weight basis. A filtered (0.2 μm) solution of the composition in water with a solids content of 1% w/v has an absorbance at 420 nm of about 0.55 or below. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such compositions which includes a heating step to encourage the formation of melanoidins, highly coloured impurities, thereby permitting their removal by filtration providing a lighter coloured product.

1 - 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A sweetening composition, comprising from about 16% to about 75% mogroside V and from about 30% to about 95% total terpene glycosides on a dry weight basis, and wherein a filtered (0.2 μm) solution of the composition in water having a solids content of 1% w/v has an absorbance at 420 nm of about 0.55 or below. 
     
     
         56 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the terpene glycosides in the composition are naturally occurring terpene glycosides obtained from fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family. 
     
     
         57 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the absorbance at 420 nm of a filtered (0.2 μm) solution of the composition in water having a solids content of 1% w/v is less than about 0.5. 
     
     
         58 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the composition comprises from about 20% to about 70% mogroside V, on a dry weight basis. 
     
     
         59 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the composition comprises from about 40% to about 90% total terpene glycosides, on a dry weight basis. 
     
     
         60 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the composition comprises from about 20% to about 70% mogroside V and from about 40% to about 90% total terpene glycosides, on a dry weight basis. 
     
     
         61 . The composition of  claim 60 , wherein the absorbance at 420 nm of a filtered (0.2 μm) solution of the composition in water having a solids content of 1% w/v is less than about 0.5. 
     
     
         62 . A sweetening composition comprising:
 (a) a first component containing from about 16% to about 75% mogroside V and from about 30% to about 95% total terpene glycosides on a dry weight basis, and wherein a filtered solution (0.2 μm) of the first component in water having a solids content of 1% w/v has an absorbance at 420 nm of about 0.55 or below; and   (b) one or more additional components.   
     
     
         63 . The composition of  claim 62 , wherein the terpene glycosides in the composition are naturally occurring terpene glycosides obtained from fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family. 
     
     
         64 . The composition of  claim 62 , wherein the absorbance at 420 nm of a filtered (0.2 μm) solution of the composition in water having a solids content of 1% w/v is less than about 0.5. 
     
     
         65 . The composition of  claim 62 , wherein the composition comprises from about 20% to about 70% mogroside V, on a dry weight basis. 
     
     
         66 . The composition of  claim 62 , wherein the composition comprises from about 40% to about 90% total terpene glycosides, on a dry weight basis. 
     
     
         67 . The composition of  claim 62 , wherein the composition comprises from about 20% to about 70% mogroside V and from about 40% to about 90% total terpene glycosides, on a dry weight basis. 
     
     
         68 . The composition of  claim 67 , wherein the absorbance at 420 nm of a filtered (0.2 μm) solution of the composition in water having a solids content of 1% w/v is less than about 0.5. 
     
     
         69 . The composition of  claim 62 , wherein one or more additional components are one or more colouring agents, flavouring agents, or other sweetening agents, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         70 . The composition of  claim 68 , wherein one or more additional components are one or more colouring agents, flavouring agents, or other sweetening agents, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         71 . A beverage comprising a sweetening composition according to  claim 55 . 
     
     
         72 . A food product comprising a sweetening composition according to  claim 55 . 
     
     
         73 . A health care composition comprising a sweetening composition according to  claim 55 .