EDULCORATING SOLUBLE COMPOSITION CONTAINING ALIMENTARY FIBRES, ITS PREPARATION AND USE FOR ALIMENTARY PURPOSE

Abstract: An edulcorating soluble composition containing at least a gelating alimentary fibre optionally soluble in admixture with other alimentary fibers and one or more sweeteners optionally in admixture among themselves, is therein described.

Description: EDULCORATING SOLUBLE COMPOSITION CONTAINING ALIMENTARY FIBRES, ITS PREPARATION AND USE FOR ALIMENTARY PURPOSE DESCRIPTION The present invention concerns both an edulcorating soluble composition containing alimentary fibres , combined with natural and/or synthetic sweeteners, and its preparation and alimentary use. It is known that the industrial preparation of aliments refined more and more the food by impoverishing the same of natural alimentary fibres. This fact increased the appearance of some gastrointestinal and methabolic pathologies which are typical of the modern age . For this reason, the experts in alimentation have been recommending since some time the daily assumption of vegetables, fruit and wholemeal products which would be able to re-balance the damages caused by the alimentary refining. However, several people have some difficulties in following these indications, both for wrong eating habits, and for the daily urgent engagements. On the other hand, the industrial integration of aliments containing alimentary fibres, results hardly realizable because of the scarce solubility and the gelating phenomena which could occur as said fibres are inserted in food and drinks. Now, it has been surprisingly found that, thanks to the mixture of appropriate alimentary fibres with sweeteners, it is possible to obtain an edulcorating soluble composition containing fibres, which can be used for the softening of the substances to be swallowed and at the same time for integrating food and drinks both warm and cold with fibres, without, however, presenting gelating and/or insolubility phenomena. The scope of the present invention is therefore an edulcorating composition soluble containing at least an alimentary fibre non gelating soluble if necessary in mixture with other alimentary fibres chosen among the gelating alimentary fibres soluble, insoluble or partially soluble, and one or more sweeteners if necessary in mixture among themselves. The alimentary fibres are substances non assimilable of vegetal origin deriving either from the stem, or from the leaves or from the seeds of particular plants. The fibres commonly commercialized have a chemical composition constituted for the greatest part by cellulose and therefore by pectine substances, fats and waxes, present in the plant, and by a woody tissue particularly abundant in the fibre of the leaf. The fibres which can be used in the present invention are those normally used in the dietetic-alimentary field, for example: the soluble fibres non gelating as inulin, fibre of chicory, fibre of acacia and similar; the soluble fibres gelating as pectin, agar-agar, karaja gum, guar gum, glucomannan, carob, seeds of carob, fibres insoluble or partially soluble as pea, beetroot, apple, oat, wheat, maize, soy, cacao, barley, carob, seeds of carob, hazelnut and fibres in general of vegetables, citrus fruits and cereals (lemon, orange, bean). Particularly, in the present invention the use alimentary fibres soluble non gelating, if necessary in mixture among themselves is preferred. In the composition of the present invention said fibres are therefore suitably mixed with some edulcorants or sweeteners, that is, substances having a taste more or less sweet. Among these, there are substances belonging to chemical classes very different and heterogeneous. Commonly, the edulcorants are divided into two founda ental groups: natural edulcorants and synthetic edulcorants. The foundamental difference beween the edulcorants of the two classes is represented by the fact that while the natural edulcorants constitute an excellent biological fuel and therefore they produce calories, the synthetic edulcorants do not produce calories and so can be used even where, for pathological reasons or for other reasons, the alimentary use of saccharose (and of polysaccharides which release glucose in the metabolism process) is contraindicated and has to be limited. In the composition of the present invention are used as synthetic sweeteners: acesulfame K, aspartame, cyclamic acid and its salts of sodium and calcium, saccharin and its salts of sodium, potassium and calcium, thaumatine, neoesperidine DC; as natural sweeteners it is possible to use the polyhydric alcohol, among which there are first of all those related to glucosides as, for example, sorbitol or different glucosides, as saccharose (cane sugar, beet sugar), considered the natural sweetener par exellence, glucose, fructose, invert sugar, dextrose. Particularly, in the composition of the present invention the fibres are present in an amount of about 30-99% in weight of which at least about 50% formed by soluble fibres non gelating; while the synthetic sweeteners could be present in amounts variable between about 0,5-5% of the weight of the fibres used and the natural sweeteners could be added in measure of about 1-20% of the weight of the fibre. Another purpose of the present invention is constituted by a process for the preparation of said edulcorating composition. Said process consists in mixing, in a suitable mixer for powders, (with screw, with four-ways, with square shaft or other) a suitable amount of fibre in powder, previously sieved, with a suitable amount of sweetener. The mixer is set in motion and left in motion until when the distribution of the sweetener in the fibre is perfectly homogeneous. If necessary, the mixture is treated with steam for obtaining its instantanizing. For its alimantary use, the composition of the present invention could be administrated orally in a formulation containing the same if necessary with conventional excipients non toxic. The alimentary compositions suitable for the orally administration could be for example tablets, powders or pellets that can be dispersed, hard or soft capsules. Said compositions could contain one or more colouring, flavouring agents, suitable for making the alimentary composition elegant and agreable. The formulations for the orally use include tablets in which the edulcorating composition is mixed with non toxic excipients. Said excipients could be inert diluents, as lactose, calcium phosphate or sodium phosphate; granulating or disgregrating agents, as wheat starch or alginic acid, polyvinyl pyrrolidone; binding agents as starch or gelatins, cellulose and derivatives; lubricating agents as magnesium stearate, stearic acid, magnesium salts, sodium and calcium of the stearic acid and hydrogenated vegetal salts or talcum powder. The tablets could be covered or non-covered with conventional technologies for an expert in the art. The powders and the dispersing granulates suitable for the preparation of a water suspension by addition of water can contain the edulcorating composition in a mixture with suitable additions of a disgregating agent as starch, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, hydrogenated starch, and of a lubricating agent as magnesium stearate, calcium stearate and sodium stearate, hydrogenated vegetal fats. Said mixture can be compressed if necessary in tablets which will constitute the units of use of the sweetener by the consumer. For a better illustration of the present invention, hereinafter are the examples which are in no way limitative of the same. Exemple 1 Inulin 62,4% Maltodestrine 26 % Mannitol 6% Reticulate Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone 3% Magnesium Stearate 1 % Saccharin 0,9% acesulfame K 0,6% Flavourings 0 , 1% %= weight percentage. In a mixer with screw for powders are filled the fibre in powder previously sieved and the sweetener. The mixer is set in motion and left in motion until when the distribution of the sweetener in the fibre is perfectly homogeneous. The mixture as obtained can be used as such or can be submitted to a damp or dry granulation process, or to a process of instantanizing. Exemple 2 The same procedure of Exemple 1 but with the use of the following edulcorating composition: Inulin 60% Maltodestrine 31,35% Mannitol 7,2% Acesulfame k 0,75% Aspartame 0,6% Flavourings 0 , 1% %= weight percentage. Exemple 3 The same procedure of Exemple 1 but with the use of the following edulcorating composition Sorbitolo 40,4% Inulin 15,95% Fibre beetroot 15,95% Saccharose 13,95% Destrose 10,95% Sucro ester 1% Glucomannan 1% Aspartame 0,6% Flavouring 0,2% %= weight percentage. Exemple 4 Inulin 62,4% Maltodestrine 26 % Mannitol 6 % Reticulate Polyvinyl pyrrolidone 3 % Magnesium Stearate 1 % Saccharin 0.9% Acesulfame k 0.6% Flavourings 0.1% %= weight percentage. The composition thus obtained, is compressed with compressor Ronchi R18 equiped with square punches 15x15. In this way 1,2 gr tablets are obtained.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An edulcorating soluble composition characterized by the fact that it contains at least a non gelating alimentary fibre optionally soluble in admixture with other alimentary fibres chosen among the group of gelating alimentary fibres soluble, insoluble or partially soluble, and one or more sweeteners optionally in admixture among themselves. 2. A composition according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it contains inulin as non gelating soluble alimentary fibre. 3. A composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that it contains at least a synthetic sweetener. 4. A composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that it contains at least a natural sweetener. 5. A composition according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that the fibres are present in an amount of about 30-99% in weight, of which at least 50% formed by non gelating soluble fibres; the synthetic sweeteners are present in an amount of about 0,5-5% of the weight of the fibres and the natural sweeteners are present in an amount of about 1-20% of the weight of the fibres. 6. A process for the preparation of a composition according to anyone of the claims 1 to 5, characterized by the fact that the alimentary fibre previously sieved and one or more sweeteners are set in a mixer for powders and mixed homogeneously; excipients, flavourings, dyes, dispersing agents and lubricants are optionally added to the mixture obtained. 7. An edulcorating composition prepared according to the process of claim 6, characterized by the fact that it is in the technical form of soluble powder. 8. An edulcorating composition prepared according to the process of claim 6, characterized by the fact that it is in the technical form of granulate. 9. An edulcorating composition prepared according to the process of claim 6, characterized by the fact that it is in the technical form of tablet. 10. Use of an edulcorating composition according to one of the claims 1 to 5 and 7 to 9 for the sweetening of aliments.

Inventors: SENECI ALESSANDRO, SENECI, ALESSANDRO
Applicants: SAVAS S A S, SAVAS S.A.S.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A23L1
IPC codes: A23L1