GB1566821A - Sweetening composition - Google Patents

Description

(54) SWEETENING COMPOSITION (71) 1, HANS RUDOLF MUHLEMANN, a Swiss citizen of Beustweg 8, Zurich, Switzerland, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to sweetening compositions.

In many developed countries, approximately one third of total calorie intake is in the form of refined sugar, sucrose. In Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland, Scandinavia and the United States the sugar consumption per person per year is the range of 35-55 kg., of which approximately 30% is recognizable as sugar, such as powdered sugar, cube sugar, syrups, sweet dainties, sugar pastries, etc. In 1973, each Swiss ate an average of 10 kg. of chocolate. The English consumed on average 6.5 kg. each of sugar confectionary per year. 70% of the sugar eaten or drunk is probably identified as "sweet", but is not absolutely recognised as sugar.

Experimental investigations of caries carried out in past years have shown caries prevention by substitution of the sweetness recognisable as sucrose by only slightly fermentable or non-fermentable carbohydrates, e.g. hexitols and pentitols.

There is a loss of 100 Swiss francs a person per year because of dental caries which can be traced back to the frequent eating of sweets and because of periodontal disease resulting from treating dental cavities. However, of much greater social medical significance are illnesses due to obesity (overweight), and circulatory, vascular and metabolism disorders (Diabetes mellitus) caused by the excessive total amount of carbohydrates eaten. As it supplies the greatest portion of calories in the total amount of sugar eaten, of particular importance as sugar is the sucrose in for example sweet pastries, biscuits, cakes, sugar enriched confitures, compotes, fruit juices, sauces and sweetened drinks. The results which are injurious to health are treated in the monograph of J. Yudken (Sweet and Dangerous, P. H. Wyden Inc., New York, 1972). Modern nutritional studies extensively share Yudkin's previous warning of caloric overweight. As long ago as 1969, a recommendation of the Federal Republic of Germany required the reduction of one-third in calories in the form of sugar. Until now, this has been without great success. Limitations of calorie supply have paved the way for sweetening drinks and foods with calorie free sweeteners in place of sugar. However the food and food supplement industries as well as housewives have not been able to give up sugar in the preparation of foods because of the numerous favourable properties of sugar as "sweetener with body", preserving agent, filler and binder.

According to the present invention there is provided a sweetening composition comprising a mixture of L-sorbose and sucrose in a molar ratio of L-sorbose to sucrose of 1:0.5 to 1:50.

It has been found in animal tests that the keto-hexose, L-sorbose, when added to the disaccharide sucrose, inhibits obtaining a nutritive energy from this carbohydrate without causing digestive disturbances. Studies with people are in progress.

To understand the subsequent description of the experiments on which the present invention is based there must be considered several chemical principles "Sugar", whether refined or non-refined sugar, whether from sugar cane or sugar beet, chemically consists of the disaccharide, sucrose, a glucose-fructose molecule, see below: Grape Sugar Fruit Sugar d-Glucose d-Fructose

Mol.Wt. 180 Mol.Wt. 180 "Sugar" (Sucrose)

Mol. Wt. 342 L-Sorbose also is a saccharide and is a stereoisomer of fruit sugar (d-fructose) and differs from the latter only in the position of the hydroxyl group on the C5 atom.

d-Fructose L-Sorbose =L-Sorbinose =2-Oxo- 1 -Xylohexose In the eating of carbohydrates, there is differentiated between their availability as suppliers of energy: (1) in the mouth for oral microflora, or the bacteria-film on teeth; (2) in the stomac-intenstinal tract for intestinal microorganisms; and, (3) after the absorption unchanged or converted carbohydrate for metabolism occurring in the total organism.

It has been shown (Muhlemann/Schneider: "The Effect of Sorbose on pH of Mixed Saliva and Interproximal Plaque," Helv. Odont. Acta. 19, pages 76--80, 1976), that l-sorbose can supply no energy to the bacteria-film on the teeth since it is only slowly fermented to lactic acid, among others (glycolysis). The hydrogen ion concentration (pH) does not drop below 5.7 in the film on the teeth ("Plaque"). As a result, l-sorbose can be designated as "safe for teeth" in Switzerland based on the regulation of the Federal Health Office, Bern, January 22, 1969. The poor fermentability of pure sorbose in human saliva is established in a French Patent Application No. 72.34057 (Publication No. 2,201,081).

Mixtures of sorbose and sucrose according to the invention in freshly recovered total oral flora under laboratory conditions and in pH-telemetry of the plaque were scarcely less fermented than sucrose alone.

The mixture of sorbose with sucrose according to the present invention therefore takes place not with the view to reducing teeth damaging properties.

Rather orally consumed sorbose reduces the calorific value of simultaneously introduced sucrose.

Unless otherwise indicated, all parts and percentages in this specification are by weight.

Sorbose is produced by bacterial or catalytic dehydrogenation of sorbitol which occurs in nature. Sorbose is crystalline very similar to sugar. In contrast to fructose, sorbitol and xylitol, it is not hygroscopic and in combination with sucrose is non-laxative. It is colourless, odourless, chemically stable and readily soluble in water. 50 /^ sucrose-50'/0 sorbose mixtures are completely compatible, stable and appear to be of the same crystal particle size as sucrose and are able to be used in cooking as "sugar". Sorbose melts at 1650C without decomposition. Sorbose is caramelisable. The sweetening power of sorbose alone is double that of sorbitol, greater than that of d-glucose and about 0.6-0.75 that ot sucrose. It is without after-taste. Mixtures of I part sorbose and 1 part sucrose have nearly the same properties for the senses as conventional sugar (sucrose). The mixture can be made still sweeter in foods and food supplements with calorie free sweeteners, e.g.

saccharin.

The acute, subacute and chronic toxicity of sorbose for animals and men have been investigated by Ch. Dupas (Le sorbose These de pharmacie, Univ. de Lille II, 1974). The findings are very favourable.

The mixture of sorbose and sucrose may be prepared by mechanical mixing of the pure monohexose sorbose with the pure disaccharide sucrose. Thereby there may be formed a mixture utilisable in cooking as powdered or crystalline sugar.

The present -invention makes possible the provision of a sweetining composition which can be used in cooking or in dispensing on a table in the same way as conventional sugar. However, the theoretical calorific content of the sweetening composition is not completely utilised in the organism.

The invention also provides a food, fodder or food supplement containing 1sorbose and sucrose in a molar ratio of 1:0.5 to 1:50. In such foods, fodders or food supplements, compared with conventional such foods, fodders or food supplements, the calorie value is reduced or the calorie intake is checked unrealised by the consumer so that there is an effortless prophylaxis of overweight (obesity) with its consequent effects on the circulation, vascular system and metabolism of the organism.

The foods or food supplements according to the invention can be prepared by mixing, e.g. mechanically, sorbose alone with foods or food supplements which already contain naturally sucrose.

The sorbose and sucrose are preferably used in a molar ratio of substantially 1:1.

The theoretically optimum mixing ratio with sucrose is 1:1. Under these conditions one molecule of L-sorbose compares with one molecule of d-fructose from the sucrose. However, both smaller and larger amounts of sorbose based on the total of sorbose and sucrose, can be used since the absorption ratio in the intestine can change according to the composition of a meal. Further research with people also can be carried out to optimise the ratios in a particular feeding situation and the type of carbohydrate composition.

The food or food supplements according to the invention may be a beverage, such as coffee, tea or chocolate; a solid food e.g. containing starch; powdered sugar, chocolate, baked goods, frosting, a sweet drink, an energy imparting food, an infant food. confectionary, marmalade, jelly or jam.

a cake, pastry, pie or cookie or a cake mix, pastry mix, pie mix or cookie mix; a dairy product; a composition suitable for baking; the food or food supplement may contain starch or flour.

The sweetening compositions, foods and food supplements of the invention include in particular the following categories: 1. Powdered sugar for use in cooking and on the table:- 49 to 90 weight % sucrose and 10 to 51 weight % sorbose.

2. Confectionery Goods: (a) Sugar containing chocolates, chocolate compositions, e.g., Sucrose 75.130 grams Sorbose 75-20 grams Eggs 4 Egg yolks 4 Flour 100 grams Chocolate powder 30--40 grams In this example the amount of sorbose varies inversely with the sucrose so that the total of sucrose and sorbose is 150 grams.

(b) Sugar containing pastries such as mocha cubes, chocolate balls, Moor's heads, coverings, sweet fillings, nougat, marzipan, praline (chocolate cream) compositions, and almond macaroons.

(c) Sugar containing frostings and sweets, such as cream frostings, sugar frosting, powdered sugar frostings, semi-frozen parfaits, shells, cassata, coups (e.g., Danish, tutti frutti, napoleons, etc.):- e.g vanilla frosting Milk 800 ml Cream 200 ml Sucrose 125-225 grams Glucose 50 grams Sorbose 125-25 grams Egg yolks 10 1/2 vanilla stalk In this example the amount of sorbose varies inversely with the sucrose so that the total of sucrose and sorbose is 250 grams.

(d) Sugar containing cold drinks such as ice coffee, ice cream soda, sherbets, frappes, sugar containing creams, vacherins, meringues, etc.

3. Sucrose containing energy imparting foods, food supplements and refreshing agents in liquid or solid form with cocoa (e.g., the type of Ovomaltine).

4. Infant and small child food preparations with sucrose, sweetened condensed milk, sweetened dry milk.

5. Sweetened or unsweetened jams, marmalades, sweet fruit, sweetened preserves, fruit syrups. There can be employed unsweetened, naturally sweet, or fructose containing marmalades additionally sweetened with sorbitol, mannitol or Lycasine or with artificial sweeteners as well as sugared (sucrose, glucose syrup, isomerose, fructose, etc.).

The addition of sorbose to unsweetened (sorbitol containing) confectionaries depends on the content of natural sugars (fructose, glucose, etc.).

6. Sugared sweet drinks: e.g. mineral water 1000 ml sucrose 60--100grams sorbose 60--20 grams citrate (flavor) In this example the sorbose varies inversely with the sucrose so the total is 120 grams.

7. Sugar containing doughs, baked goods, small pastries, confectionary.

The sugar addition to dough can be partially replaced with sorbose, for example, sweet butter dough, chocolate, Linzer dough, honey dough: e.g. sugar dough flour 1500 grams sucrose 400700 grams sorbose 400--100 grams butter 700 grams eggs 6 egg yolks lemon, leavening salt In this example the sorbose varies inversely with the sucrose so that the total of sorbose and sucrose is 800 grams.

The invention also includes sugar containing honey pastry, "Basle Leckerle" gingerbread, biscuits, "Mailanderli", chocolate cream rings, chocolate bubbles, macaroons, nut confectionary, almond stalks, chrabeli, amaretti, pretzels, "Schoggisbessen", "Totenbeinli", half moons, almond peaks, risotes, etc.:- e.g. home biscuits sucrose 300-500 grams sorbose 300100 grams synthetic honey 150 grams butter 700 grams flour 1000 grams wheat powder 1000 grams eggs 2 egg yolks 2 leavening salt 10 grams milk 300 grams lemon In this example the amount of sorbose varies inversely with the sucrose so that the total of sucrose and sorbose is 600 grams.

There are also included sugar containing cakes, filled fruit loaves, special tortes such as Zuger cherry torte, Engadiner torte, etc.

The compositions can comprise, consist essentially of or consist of the materials set forth.

The invention is further illustrated in the following Experiment: Experiment Fifteen Osborne-Mendel rat litters, each of four animals, after weaning at the age of 32 days were given four different diets. The basic starch diet 2000f (Process 1) contained grain meal 64%, low fat milk powder 28%, dry yeast 5%, NaCI 1%, and a 2% addition of a polyvitamin, mineral salt and amino acid preparative (Gerval P).

In processes 2, 3 and 4, a portion of the starch was replaced by 30% sucrose, 30 /n L-sorbose or 30 /n sucrose and 30 /O sorbose. The following diets will be referred to in Table IA: TABLE IA Process 1 2000f basic starch diet Process 2 2000f+30% sucrose Process 3 2000f+30 /n sorbose Process 4 2000f+30 /n sucrose+30% sorbose Drinking water and feed were available to the animals ad libirum; however, in the course of the 35 day test period from the different processes there were determined on 8 litters chosen by chance, 8 times during 3 days: daily duration of eating and drinking, frequency of eating and drinking, consumption of feed and drinking water, water loss through diarrhoea, cleanliness of the cages and animals.

During the first three days of the caries tests the young animals were orally innoculated with a mixture of Streptococcus mutans OMZ I 76+Actinomyces viscosus OMZ 105(Ny-l) plus a feses suspension of caries active animals. During the experiments the behavior of the animals, condition of health, diarrhoea, etc., were continuously followed Upon killing there was determined the increase in weight (g) in grams during the experiments, the autopsies and photographs of the small and large intestines, the determination of the bacteria lining on the rat molars (BB), the slight (LKF) and average (MFK) caries lesions in the fissures of the lower-jaw molars and the smooth surfaces of the molars (GK).

The results, average values, average error of the middle value (sx) are collected in Tables IB and IC.

TABLE IB Attack with bacterial coating (bib), slight (LFK) and advanced fissure caries (FFK), smooth surface caries (GF) during a 35 day caries test, weight increase (grams): Process BB LFK FFK GF g Basic starch diet 2.6 0.1 0.0 1.1 144 +30% sucrose 2.2 7.7 4.0 7.5 159 +30 /n sorbose 1.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 90 +30% sucrose 30 sorbose 2.6 3.7 0.9 5.4 51 57 0.23 0.63 0.52 1.27 7.5 The pure basic starch diet as well as the diet containing 30% of sorbose in contrast to the sucrose mixture were non-carious. The mixing of sorbose partially reduced the caries promoting properties of sucrose. Sorbose and particularly the addition of sorbose to sucrose retarded the average increase in weight of the animals. Worthy of mention is the lack of diarrhoea even 34 days after the beginning of the experiments in the sorbose or sorbose-sucrose fed animals which supports absorption of the sorbose. The animals were healthy, active and had a clean, white skin. The cages also were clean. The lack of diarrhoea can also be seen from the normal consumption of drinking water (Table IC). The amount of drinking was inconspicuous in the sorbose-animals, with the sucrose/sorbose animals it was slightly reduced.

TABLE IC Several Recorded Eating and Drinking Behavior of the Animals in Experiment 24 Hour Values Eating Drinking Drinking Feed Amount Time Eating Time Frequency Eaten Drunk Process min Frequency min H2O g g Basic starch diet 313 12 46 33 13 29 +30 /n sucrose 329 13 51 37 13 31 +30%sorbose 265 12 48 32 11 28 30% sucrose 252 13 44 34 9 24 30%sorbose sox 19.5 1.0 3.1 1.1 0.4 1.8 Feeding of sugar substitutes, e.g., 30% sorbitol or 30% xylitol in the same basic starch diet as shown by other investigators produces severe diarrhoea and frequently high loss of animals, which was not the case in the present Experiment although the addition of sorbose alone to the basic starch diet through influencing the intestinal flora also led to slight swelling of the intestine (caecum, meteorismus). The simultaneous dispensing of 30% sorbose+30% sucrose, however, in the autopsies shows a normally proportioned intestine with much lower weight increase (Table IB). The missing caecum swelling in the sucrose-sorbose combination in the Experiment makes it highly improbable that there are formed the so-called "volatile fatty acids" by gas production with simultaneous formation of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid (Seely et al., in "Energy Metabolism of Farm Animals," Ed. Kil. Blaxter et al., Orid Press, 1969, pages 93-102), as is the case is feeding sorbose alone and together therewith a restricted calorific effect.

This can be an intestinal, but probably less important mechanism of the calorific restriction.

The retarding of the increase in weight with obviously sound animals in the Experiment points additionally to a retarding action of the sorbose on the sucrose utilization in the metabolism of the entire animal.

Claims (15)

1. WHAT I CLAIM IS

   I. A sweetening composition comprising a mixture of L-sorbose and sucrose in a molar ratio of L-sorbose to sucrose of 1:0.5 to 1:50.
2. 2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of L-sorbose to sucrose is substantially 1:1.
3. 3. A food, fodder or food supplement containing L-sorbose and sucrose in a molar ratio of 1:0.5 to 1:50.
4. 4. A food, fodder or food supplement according to claim 3, wherein the molar ratio of L-sorbose to sucrose is substantially 1:1.
5. 5. A food or food supplement according to claim 3 or 4 which is a beverage.
6. 6. A beverage according to claim 5 which is coffee, tea of chocolate.
7. 7. A solid food according to claim 3 or 4.
8. 8. A food according to claim 7 which contains starch.
9. 9. A food or food supplement according to claim 3 or 4 which is powdered sugar, chocolate, baked goods, frosting, a sweet drink, an energy imparting food, an infant food, confectionary, marmalade, jelly or jam.
10. 10. A food according to claim 3 or 4 which is a cake, pastry, pie or cookie or a cake mix, pastry mix, pie mix or cookie mix.
11. II. A food according to claim 3 or 4 which includes flour.
12. 12. A food or food supplement according to claim 3 or 4 also including starch.
13. 13. A food or food supplement according to claim 3 or 4 which is a dairy product.
14. 14. A food or food supplement according to claim 3 or 4 which is a composition suitable for baking.
15. 15. A food or food supplement according to claim 3 specifically described herein.