Patent EA-000739-B1 (EA)
Title: Acid food neutralization
Inventor: KLIGERMAN ALAN E
IPC: A23L1/304
Filed: 1996-07-23
Abstract: 1. A method of increasing the pH of acidic foods and acidic beverages comprising combining calcium glycerophosphate with an acidic food or an acidic beverage in an amount effective to increase the pH of the acidic food or acidic beverage to a level such that, when a consumer ingests the combination of calcium glycerophosphate and acidic food or acidic beverage, the consumer will experience less heartburn and other esophageal and/or gastrointestinal distress than if the acidic food or acidic beverage had been ingested without the calcium glycerophosphate. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH is increased by at least about 0.5 pH unit. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the acidic food or acidic beverage has a pH of less than about 5, and the combination of acidic food or acidic beverage with calcium glycerophosphate has a pH of about 5.4 to about 7.0. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the acidic beverage is selected from the group consisting of coffee, beer, fruit juice, tomato juice, lemonade, soft drinks, wine and at least partially dehydrated versions thereof. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein about 0.05 g to about 3 g of calcium glycerophosphate is added to a portion of the beverage. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the acidic beverage is coffee. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein about 0.3 g to about 0.6 g calcium glycerophosphate is added to an approximately six to eight ounce (from 170-to 227g) portion of the coffee. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the combination of coffee and glycerophosphate has a pH of about 5.4 to about 7.0. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the acid food is selected from the group consisting of pickles citrus-flavored water ices and sherbets, salsa, pickled herring, sweet and sour soup, sauerkraut, foods containing tomato sauce, aspirin and other acid-based analgesics and anti-inflammatories. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the calcium glycerophosphate is in the form of powder, tablet or aqueous solution. 11. A method of reducing heartburn and other esophageal and gastrointestinal distress in mammals due to ingestion of acidic foods and acidic beverages comprising contemporaneous ingestion of an acidic food or acidic beverage and an amount of calcium glycerophosphate effective to at least minimize the heartburn and other esophageal and gastrointestinal distress that would result if the acid food or acidic beverage had been ingested absent contemporaneous ingestion of the calcium glycerophosphate. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the acidic food and acidic beverage is selected from the group consisting of coffee, beer, fruit juice, tomato juice, lemonade, soft drinks, wine and at least partially dehydrated versions thereof, pickles, citrus-flavored water ices and sherbets, salsa, pickled herring, sweet and sour soup, sauerkraut, foods containing tomato sauce, aspirin and other acid-based analgesics and anti-inflammatories. 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the amount of calcium glycerophosphate is sufficient to raise the pH of a portion of acidic food or acidic beverage by at least about 0.5 pH units. 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the amount of calcium glycerophosphate is sufficient to raise the pH of a portion of acidic food or acidic beverage to about 5.4 to about 7.0. 15. The method of claim 11 wherein about 0.05 g to about 3 g of calcium glycerophosphate and about six to about eight ounces (from 170 to 227 g) of acidic food or acidic beverage are ingested. 16. The method of claim 11 wherein the contemporaneous ingestion is such that ingestion of the acidic food or acidic beverage occurs within about 1 hour of the ingestion of the calcium glycerophosphate. 17. The method of claim 11 wherein the acidic food or acidic beverage and calcium glycerophosphate are combined in vitro and the calcium glycerophosphate is in the form of a powder, tablet or aqueous solution. 18. The method of claim 11 wherein the acidic food and acidic beverage and calcium glycerophosphate are combined in vivo and the calcium glycerophosphate is in the form of a tablet or an aqueous solution. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the acidic beverage is wine. 20. A composition comprising calcium glycerophosphate and an edible material selected from the group consisting of acidic food, acidic beverage, at least partially dehydrated versions and components thereof, said composition having a pH of greater than about 5. 21. The composition of claim 20 having a pH of about 5.4 to about 7.0. 22. The composition of claim 20 having a pH of about 5.9 to 6.2. 23. The composition of claim 20 wherein the beverage is an acidic beverage selected from the group consisting of coffee, beer, lemonade, soft drinks, fruit juice, tomato juice, wine and at least partially dehydrated versions thereof. 24. The composition of claim 23 wherein about 0.05 g to about 3.0 g of calcium glycerophosphate are in combination with about 4 ounces (113 g) to about 12 ounces (340 g) of acidic beverage. 25. The composition of claim 23 wherein the acidic beverage is coffee. 26. The composition of claim 25 wherein about 0.3 g to about 0.6 g of calcium glycerophosphate is are present in' about 6 ounces (170 g) to about 8 ounces (226,4 g) of the coffee. 27. The composition of claim 26 having a pH of about 5.9 to about 6.2. 28. The composition of claim 20 wherein the acidic food is selected from the group consisting of pickles, citrus-flavored water ices and sherbets, sauerkraut, salsa, pickled herring, sweet and sour soup, and tomato sauce is the component of the acidic food. 29. A method for reducing the sharp taste of an acidic food or beverage comprising adding to a food or beverage having a pH of less than about 5.0, an amount of calcium glycerophosphate effective to bring the pH of the food or beverage to between about 5.4 to about 7.0.