Patent ID: 6251463
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: A23G,A23L,A24B,A61K,A61Q

Abstract:
A process for augmenting, enhancing or imparting an aroma or taste of or to a consumable material selected from the group consisting of calcium supplements, foodstuffs, beverages, chewing gum, toothpaste and mouthwash, comprising the step of adding to said consumable material an aroma or taste augmenting, enhancing or imparting quantity and concentration of a natural tastand product having the GC capillary survey profiles of FIGS. 2-A and 2-B produced according to the process consisting essentially of the sequential steps of:(i) providing a plurality of Saccharum officinarum leaves, macerates thereof or a mixture of Saccharum officinarum leaves and macerates thereof;(ii) effecting pressurization of said leaves, macerates thereof or mixture of leaves and macerates thereof using hydraulic pressurization means designed to separate solids from liquids, thereby separating liquid leaf extract from pressed cake;(iii) separating said natural tastand from the remainder of the liquid leaf extract by means of the unit operation of fractional distillation of the liquid leaf extract whereby the natural tastand-containing composition is condensed from overhead distillate in the liquid phase; and(iv) spray-drying or freeze-drying the resulting liquid tastand whereby a freeze-dried or spray-dried tastand, which is a food, beverage, chewing gum, calcium supplement or oral care product additive, is produced,wherein the fractional distillation takes place at temperatures in the range of from about 70.degree. C. up to about 225.degree. C. and at pressures in the range of from about 0.7 atmospheres up to about 3.0 atmospheres absolute; and the hydraulic pressurization means pressure is in the range of from about 2,000 psig up to about 4,000 psig.