A CLEAR TOMATO CONCENTRATE AS A TASTE ENHANCER

Abstract: The present invention relates to a taste enhancer comprising clear tomato concentrate. The present invention also relates to a method of enhancing the flavor of foods comprising adding a clear tomato concentrate to the food in an amount sufficient to enhance the flavor.

Description: A CLEAR TOMATO CONCENTRATE AS A TASTE ENHANCER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel taste enhancer. The present invention more particularly relates to a natural taste enhancer having taste enhancing properties as good as if not better than commercially available taste enhancers without the problems associated with the popular taste enhancers, in use by the food industry. BACKGROUND OF THE INVΕNTION The food industry uses flavor enhancers in a variety of savory products. These enhancers consist of monosodium glutamate (hereinafter MSG), hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, disodium salts of the 5'-nucieotides inosine monophosphate (IMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP), as well as autolysed yeasts. While all have disadvantages, the major enhancer, MSG, suffers from the problem known as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome. The literature on taste enhancers is very large. A sample reference cited to show the various taste enhancers known is: S. Fuke and Y. Ueda, "Interactions between umami and other flavor characteristics", in Trends in Food Science & Technology, Special Issue on Flavor Perception, December, 1996 (Vol. 7), Elsevier Sciences Ltd. In the processing of tomatoes described in EL 107,999 w have obtained two fractions: serum and pulp where the serum is further concentrated: — > Concentrate After removing from the tomato juice the pulp, the serum is concentrated to a value that is higher than 4.5 ° Bx which is the normal value of crushed tomatoes to reach a Bx value of 80 Bx. It can then be hydrolyzed (or hydrolyzed and then concentrated). This product is commonly referred to as Clear Tomato Concentrate (CTC )-although it is clear only when it is in the 4.5 ° Bx region while at higher Bx values it becomes opaque. OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION The objective of the present invention is to afford a novel taste enhancer the Clear Tomato Concentrate which lacks the dominant tomato flavor to enable it to be used in a variety of savory food and beverage products and not only those based on tomatoes. It is a further objective of the present invention to afford a taste enhancer with little of no chance of causing Chinese Restaurant Syndrome. STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION A taste enhancer. comprising clear tomato concentrate, and a method of enhancing the flavor of foods comprising adding a clear tomato concentrate to the food in an amount sufficient to enhance the flavor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Tomato Serum Concentrate contains 8-10% soluble proteins and free amino acids. By hydrolyzing the proteins, one can increase the concentration of free amino acids, an in this way intensity the flavor enhancing properties of the concentrate where the hydrolysis occurs due to the presence of natural tomato acids. The rate of hydrolysis increases by heating, and depends on the time and temperature. The results of acid hydrolysis of the Tomato Serum Concentrate are shown in Table 1. The tomato proteins (in the concentrate or in the serum prior to concentration) can also be hydrolyzed by enzymes at relatively low temperatures. For this we have used fungal, protease/peptidase enzyme formualation developed by Novo Nordisk, and sold under the name of "flavourzyme". Almost complete protein hydrolysis was obtained after one-hour enzyme treatment at 50 °. The enzyme was subsequently inactivated by heating at 80 ° for a short period. The results of enzymatic hydrolysis of the Tomato Serum Concentrate are shown in Table 2. Hydrolysis before or after concentration of the Tomato Serum yielde essentially the same results-namely an excellent food flavor enhancer. A further embodiment of the invention is to use the flavor enhancer in powder form. Thus the Clear Tomato Concentrate, after the steps of hydrolysis and concentration , is either sprayed dried or dried using any other conventional dehydration techniques used by the food industry. The Clear Tomato Concentrate can be dried on a variety of materials such as maltodextrins, starches, sugars, carbohydrates, their derivatives or salts used as carriers to facilitate drying. EXAJVIPLE 1 • Clear Tomato Concentrate In Powder Form Clear Tomato Concentrate and maltodextrine 19 DE (dextrose equivalent) were diluted with water to the appropriate viscosity and sprayed dried to a free flowing powder containing 3 - 5 % moisture. EXAMPLE 2 : Flavor Enhancing Properties Of Clear Tomato Concentrate The food and flavor enhancing properties of the hydrolyzed and concentrated (in either order) Clear Tomato Concentrate are demonstrated in taste trials in which three different types of products (namely hamburger, Paolla rice, and vegetable soup) were prepared in three versions: 1. Control (with no flavor enhancers). 2. Product plus pure MSG (0.3% in the final product). 3. Product plus Clear Tomato Concentrate, 60° Bx (0.5% in end Product). Fifteen tasters were asked to answer two questions for each product: 1. Which of the three samples is substantially different? 2. Which one of the remaining products do you prefer? The results of the first question was as follows: Hamburger: All 15 participants recognized the control as different and inferior. Paolla Rice: All 15 participants recognized the control as different and inferior. Vegetable Soup: All 15 participants recognized the control as different and inferior. The results for the second question were as follows: Hamburger: Three participants preferred the hamburger with MSG; 9 preferred the hamburger with the Clear Tomato Concentrate; and 3 had no preference. Paolla Rice: One participant preferred the sample with MSG; 12 participants preferred the sample with Clear Tomato Concentrate; and 2 had no preference. Vegetable Soup: Six participants preferred the soup with MSG; 5 participants preferred the sample with Clear Tomato Concentrate and 4 had no preference. From this taste panel we see that the Clear Tomato Concentrate containing a total of 4-5%o glutamic acid and glutamine is equal to or better than pure MSG with no problem of the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome. It is believed that this superior enhancing property is due to synergism between the glutamic acid and glutamine on the one hand and the various other amino acids present in the clear Tomato Concentrate on the other hand. TABLE 1 CONCENTRATION OF FREE AMINO ACIDS IN TOMATO SERUM (60° Bx) AFTER ACID HYDROLYSIS Compound CONC mg/kg Aspartic acid 11904 12 Threonine 1117 25 Seπne 1279 80 Asparagine 5684 74 Glutamic acid 25501 90 Glutamine 12942 68 Proline 276 54 Glycine 280 20 Alanine 4574 41 Valine 440 16 Methionine 152 93 Isoleucine 531 46 Leucine 623 99 Tyrosme 419 01 Phenylalanine 1567 32 Gamma aminobutyπc 9908 32 Ethanolamine 148 30 Tryptophane 16 56 Lysine 1010 62 Histidme 1035 93 Arginine 905 63 Total 80321 87 TABLE 2 CONCENTRATION OF FREE AMINO ACIDS IN' TOMATO SERUM C60° Bx) AFTER ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS Compound CONC. mg/kg Aspartic acid 12393.07 Threonine 1 186.59 Serine 1370.29 Asparagine 4565.77 Glutamic acid 25547.74 Glutamine 11454.92 Proline 280.31 Glycine 332.54 Alanine 4570.03 Valine 488.21 Methionine 156.60 Isoleucine 522.86 Leucine 612.15 Tyrosine 435.35 Phenylalanine 1598.48 Gamrna aminobutyric 10271.85 Ethanolamine 167.84 Tryptophane 26.97 Lysine 1058.58 Histidine 1051.20 Arginine 925.63 Total 79016.99

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A clear tomato concentrate for use as a taste enhancer. 2. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the clear tomato concentrate is obtained by separating the serum from tomato juice and concentrating it. 3. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 or 2, wherein the serum is concentrated to Bx values of 8 to 80. 4. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 or 2, wherein the serum is concentrated to Bx values of 8 to 60. 5. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 4, containing 0.5%) to 20% free amino acids. 6. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with Claim 5 containing 4%> to 15% free amino acids. 7. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with Claim 5 containing 8% to 10% free amino acids. 8. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the clear tomato concentrate is hydrolyzed. 9. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with Claim 8 wherein the serum is hydrolyzed and then concentrated. 10. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with Claim 8 wherein the serum is concentrated and then hydrolyzed. 1 l.A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 10 wherein the hydrolysis is carried out using heat and the natural acid present in the concentrate or serum. 12. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with Claims 1 to 10 wherein the hydrolysis is carried out via protolytic enzymes. 13. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the clear tomato concentrate has very little tomato flavor compared with tomato concentrate. 14. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 13 wherein the clear tomato concentrate is in the form of a powder . 15. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 14 wherein the clear tomato concentrate is sprayed dried on a suitable carrier. 16. A clear tomato concentrate in accordance with Claims 14 or 15 wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of maltodextrins, starch, starch derivatives sugars, corn syrup solids, gums, salts and mixtures thereof. 17. A method of enhancing the flavor of foods comprising adding a clear tomato concentrate to the food in sufficient quantity to enhance the flavor of the food. 18. A method of enhancing the flavor of foods comprising adding a clear tomato concentrate in combination with another suitable flavor enhancer or mixtures thereof in sufficient quantity to enhance the flavor of the food. 19. A method of enhancing the flavor of foods in accordance with Claim 18 wherein the additional flavor enhancer is selected from monosodium glutamate (MSG), hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, disodium salts of the 5'-nucleotides inosine monophosphate (IMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and autolysed yeasts 20. A method in accordance with Claim 17 wherein the taste enhancer contains 0.5% to 20%) free amino acids. 2 l.A method in accordance with Claim 20 wherein the taste enhancer contains 4%> to 15%) free amino acids. 22. A method in accordance with Claim 20 wherein the taste enhancer contains 8% to 10%) free amino acids. 23. A method in accordance with any of Claims 17 to 22 wherein the clear tomato concentrate is hydrolyzed. 24. A method in accordance with Claim 23 wherein the serum is hydrolyzed and then concentrated. 25. A method in accordance with Claim 23 wherein the serum is concentrated and then hydrolyzed. 26. A method in accordance with any of Claims 17 to 25 wherein the hydrolysis is carried out using the natural acid present in the concentrate serum and heat. 27. A method in accordance with any of Claims 17 to 25 wherein the hydrolysis is carried out via protolytic enzymes. 28. A method in accordance with any of Claims 17 to 25 wherein the flavor enhancer has very little tomato flavor compared with tomato concentrate. 29. A method in accordance with any of Claims 17 to 28 wherein the clear tomato concentrate is in the form of a powder. 30. A method in accordance with any of Claims 17 to 29 wherein the clear tomato concentrate is spray dried on a suitable carrier. 3 l.A method in accordance with any of Claims 17 to 29 wherein the carrier is selcted from the group consisting of maltodextrins, starch, starch derivatives, sugar, corn syrup solids, gums, salts and mixtures thereof.

Inventors: GEIFMAN ARTURO, HARTAL DOV, GEIFMAN, ARTURO, HARTAL, DOV
Applicants: GEIFMAN ARTURO, HARTAL DOV, LYCORED NATURAL PROD IND LTD, GEIFMAN, ARTURO, HARTAL, DOV, LYCORED NATURAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES LTD.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A23L1
IPC codes: A23L1