STABILIZED COMPOSITION OF PHYTIC ACID

Abstract: A stabilized composition of phytic acid is obtained by the steps of: heating and drying rice bran de-fatted by pressing; adding acidic water, e.g. containing liquid phytic acid, of pH 3 to 5 to the dried rice bran, stirring the solution and completing the stirring before the pH of the solution reaches 5.7; and heating , e.g. to boiling, the thus obtained liquid extract to solidify protein components, followed by the removal of the solid matter by filtration. This composition is, e.g. as a powder, or in a tablet or capsule, useful for removing uraroma and body odor.

Description: The present invention relates to a stabilized composition of phytic acid and, more particularly, to a stabilized composition of phytic acid obtained by extracting degreased or de-fatted rice bran from water as well as its use as oral or body odor removers. Phytic acid, a hexaphosphate of inositol, occurs naturally as a mixed salt (phytin) with calcium, magnesium and potassium and is relatively abundantly found in the rinds of plant fruits. Phytic acid and its salts are now used as pharmaceuticals. For instance, calcium phytate is used as a calcium enricher, sodium phytate for the prevention of relapse of calculosis, and potassium phytate for the treatment of hypercalcemia. Phytic acid is also used as a food additive, for preventing the occurrence of strabite in canned foods or the blackening of canned foods, for preventing the discoloration of fruits and drinking water, and for promoting fermentation, and for preventing the oxidation of edible oil. Further, the inventors have found that phytic acid is effective not only against removing body odor and uraroma but also for detoxication, see our EP-A-0 326 963 and EP-A-0341810. A problem with phytic acid, however, is that it is so lacking in storage stability that it should be preserved in a refrigerator or cold, dark place of temperature 10°C or less, since it turns from pale yellow into brown upon standing for an extended period of time and is colored by heating. Another problem with phytic acid is that when powdered so as to improve storage stability, it suffers from polymerization at the powdering step, its hue changes to deep blue, and its viscosity increases. In order to stabilize phytic acid and maintain its action and effect, the inventors have now found that commercially available phytic acid products vary in pharmacological action from lot to lot, and that a phytic acid-containing composition obtained by extracting de-fatted rice bran from water in an acidic region of pH 3 to 5 is effective as a stabilized phytic acid. The present invention provides a stabilized phytic acid which is obtainable by the steps of heating and drying rice bran de-fatted by pressing; adding acidic water of pH 3 to 5 to the dried rice bran, stirring the solution and completing the stirring before the pH of the solution reaches 5.7; and heating the thus obtained liquid extract to solidify its protein components, followed by the removal of the solid matter by filtration. At a pH of 5.7 or higher, phytin precipitates. Typical results of analysis of the composition according to the present invention are summarized in Table 1. The stabilized composition according to the present invention may advantageously be used either in liquid form or in powdered form obtained by spray drying. Examples The present invention will now be illustrated by reference to the following examples. Example 1 Oily components such as germ oils, oryzanol and ferula esters were squeezed out of rice bran by pressing to obtain a pressed matter, which was then dried by heating. The thus dried product was used as raw material. Added to 1 kg of the input material (on dry basis) were 5000 cm³ of water to obtain an aqueous solution, which was then adjusted to pH 5 with liquid phytic acid. Under agitation at room temperature, small portions of liquid phytic acid were added to the solution while taking care that there was no sharp rise in the pH. Before a pH of 5.7 was reached, stirring was stopped (after about 3 hours). After the removal of solids and insoluble matter by pressing, the crude liquid extract was boiled to solidify protein, which was then filtered through a 300 mesh sieve to obtain 540 ml of a liquid extract. One hundred (100) ml of the liquid extract contained about 1 g of an inositol phosphate type of compound. The above-mentioned operations should always be carried out at a pH of 5.7 or lower. At higher than pH 5.7, phytin precipitates. Added to and mixed with 500 ml of the liquid extract were 20 g of cyclodextrin and 3 g of dextrin, and the mixture was spray-dried at 155°C to obtain about 45 g of powders. The powders are directly usable as pharmaceuticals, stabilizers for phytic acid preparations, nutrient enrichers for foodstuffs, taste enrichers for salted vegetables and so on. Example 2 - Tablet The specified amounts of the above ingredients were uniformly mixed together and compressed into a tablet of 16 mm in diameter and weighing 2500 mg. Example 3 - Capsule Given amounts of the above ingredients were uniformly mixed together and packed in a No. 2 capsule. Stabilization Test Example 1 For the stability of an aqueous solution of phytic acid and phytic acid per se under severe conditions, an amount (% by weight) of the composition obtained in Ex. 1 was added to varied amounts of commercially available phytic acid to prepare liquids under test to investigate an effect upon stabilizing phytic acid. The results, shown in Table 2, have revealed that the composition of the present invention has a much increased effect upon preventing decomposition and discoloration. Liquid A: 20 % aqueous solution of phytic acid obtained by the addition of commercially available phytic acid to the composition of the present invention. Liquid B: 40 % aqueous solution of phytic acid obtained by the addition of commercially available phytic acid to the composition of the present invention. Control a: 20 % aqueous solution of commercially available phytic acid. Control b: 40 % aqueous solution of commercially available phytic acid. Control c: Commercially available phytic acid powders. Test Example 2 - Removal of Odor For experimentation, pre-fed Afghan long-haired dogs, three for each group, confirmed to be normal by general physical examination, were used. A test group of animals was fed under normal conditions with feed containing the spray-dried powders of Ex. 1 in an amount of 1 g per 1 kg of weight once a day over one week. By permitting a total of three inspectors make an inspection of the sebum smells (doggy smells) of the back and maned regions of the animals, smelling tests were carried out, in which it was judged to be significant when, of the three inspectors, two found a significant difference between the test and control groups. As a result, all the inspectors concluded that the sebum smells (doggy smells) were completely or considerably removed from all the animals belonging to the test group; this means that the present composition is effective against removing body odor. Test Example 3 - In vitro testing on removing oral odor 1) Samples i. Physiological oral odor (artificial oral odor) Use was made of 5 ml of a solution containing in absolute quantity 10 g of methyl mercaptan, 250 g of hydrogen sulfide and 100 g of dimethyl sulfite. ii. Smelling of garlic Use was made of a fresh, grated garlic (S & B Shokuhin Co., Ltd.). iii. Smelling of gyoza - a fried dumpling stuffed with minced pork Use was made of one portion of commercially available gyoza (eight pieces). 2) Testing Procedures The tablet of the present invention in powdery form was added to 100 ml of each sample dissolved in water, and the solution was packed in a 2-liter sample bag, in which it was permitted to stand at 40°C for 15 minutes. Measurement was made with a detecting tube. As control, use was made of a sample to which 1500 mg of cyclodextrin were added in place of the tablet. 3) Test Results The results are summarized in Tables 3-6, in which the "residual ratio" is defined with respect to the control concentration being 100 %. 4) Consideration For measurement with an in vitro detector, the malodorants were used in large excess relative to the actual dosage of the present tablets, taking measuring sensitivity into account. The use of from two (one dose) up to sixty (thirty doses) tablets of the present invention was found to be effective against reducing the malodorants noticeably. By calculation, it has thus been noted that the amount of the malodorant trapped per dose of the present tablets is 0.77 g to 3.83 g/2 tablets. In this connection, those who have a foul breath are said to emit about 0.5 g of methyl mercaptan per several hours. That amount of methyl mercaptan can all be virtually trapped by a single dose of the present tablets, and the smaller the dose of the tablets used, the more the amount of the malodorant trapped per dose. As mentioned above, the tablets of the present invention can produce an effect upon removing as much offensive a smell as about 0.5 g of methyl mercaptan. Test Example 4 - In vivo oral odor removing test I) Organoleptic testing on the odor of gyoza 1) Testing procedures Immediately after having a subject eaten one portion of gyoza, 3 liters of breaths were gathered in a testing bag (made by Gaskuro Co., Ltd.). Then, 0 minute, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes after having the subject licked a single dose of the tablets of the present invention (two tablets), 3 liter of breaths were gathered in similar testing bags for the following organoleptic testing. 2) Estimation Just after eating as well as 0 minute, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes after the subject licked the present tablets, estimation was made of the intensity of odors the testing bags gave off according to the following six ratings, in which a high 5 indicates the odor of the malodorant - just after eating. 3) Testing results The testing results are tabulated in Table 8. II) Organoleptic testing on tobacco 1) Testing procedures Just after having a subject smoked three cigarettes (Mild Seven) within 10 minutes, 3 liters of breaths were gathered in a testing bag (made by Gaskuro Co., Ltd.). Then, 0 minute, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes after the subject licked a single dose of the tablet of the present invention (two tablets), 3 liter of breaths were gathered in similar testing bags for the following organoleptic testing. 2) Estimation Just after smoking as well as 0 minute, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes after the subject licked the present tablets, estimation was made of the intensity of odors the testing bags gave off according to the following six ratings, in which a high 5 indicates the odor of the malodorant - just after smoking. 3) Testing results The testing results are tabulated in Table 9. III) Consideration The present tables are effective against removing the odor of gyoza. However, they produce an effect upon removing the odor of tobacco only just after being masticated, and become ineffective as time goes by. This appears to be due to tar already accumulated in the lungs. With the stabilized composition according to the present invention, it is possible to stabilize phytic acid under severe conditions. The present composition is also effective against removing uraroma and body odor, even when used alone.

Claims: A stabilized composition of phytic acid obtainable by the steps of: heating and drying rice bran de-fatted by pressing; adding acidic water of pH 3 to 5 to the dried rice bran, stirring the solution and completing the stirring before the pH of the solution reaches 5.7; and heating the thus obtained liquid extract to solidify its protein components, followed by the removal of the solid matter by filtration. An uraroma remover containing as an effective ingredient a stabilized composition of phytic acid as claimed in Claim 1. A body odor remover containing as an effective ingredient a stabilized composition of phytic acid as claimed in Claim 1.

Inventors: ASAI, HIROMOTO, KURONO, MASAYASU, MITANI, TAKAHIKO, NINOMIYA, NAOHISA, SAWAI, KIICHI, ASAI, HIROMOTO, C/O SANWA KAGAKU KENKYUSHO CO., KURONO, MASAYASU, C/O SANWA KAGAKU KENKYUSHO CO., MITANI, TAKAHIKO, C/O SANWA KAGAKU KENKYUSHO CO., NINOMIYA, NAOHISA, C/O SANWA KAGAKU KENKYUSHO CO., SAWAI, KIICHI, C/O SANWA KAGAKU KENKYUSHO CO. LTD.
Applicants: SANWA KAGAKU KENKYUSHO CO., LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A61K7
IPC codes: A61Q15, A61K36, A61K8, A61K31, A23B7, A23L1, A61P1, A61L15