Patent Description:
This invention provides a method for enhancing the sweetness of a consumable according to the claims. That is, the present invention provides a method of enhancing the sweetness of a consumable including a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring comprising adding traumatic acid, <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid, or combination thereof to the consumable in an amount effective to enhance the sweetness or mouthfeel of the consumable; wherein the amount of traumatic acid, <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid, or combination thereof is at least <NUM> ppm. In certain embodiments, the method further includes the use of sebacic acid.

It has now been found that traumatic acid and its isomer, <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid, exhibit a sweet enhancement effect. Accordingly, the present invention provides methods which use traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid as an additive to enhance the sweetness of a consumable.

As is known in the art, traumatic acid (<NPL>) and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid (<NPL>) are linear, monounsaturated dicarboxylic acids. Traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid of use in this invention may be obtained from a natural source or prepared by synthetic methods. Natural sources of traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid include Phaseolus vulgaris and Boehmeria nivea leaves, as well as the leaves, stems, fruit and roots of numerous other plants, in particular wounded plant material. Traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid may be isolated from one or more of these natural sources by conventional methods. Chromatographic fractionation typically includes column chromatography and may based on molecular sizing, charge, solubility and/or polarity. Depending on the type of chromatographic method, column chromatography can be carried out with matrix materials composed of, for example, dextran, agarose, polyacrylamide or silica and can include solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide, pyridine, water, dimethylformamide, methanol, saline, ethylene dichloride, chloroform, propanol, ethanol, isobutanol, formamide, methylene dichloride, butanol, acetonitrile, isopropanol, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, chloroform/dichloromethane, etc. Typically, the product of the chromatographic step is collected in multiple fractions, which may then be tested for the presence of the desired compound using any suitable analytical technique (e.g., thin layer chromatography, mass spectrometry). Fractions enriched in the desired compound may then be selected for further purification.

Alternatively, traumatic acid or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid may be synthesized. For example, traumatic acid can be synthesized by converting undecylenic acid to the half-aldehyde of sebacic acid, which they then condensed with malonic acid in the presence of pyridine. CO<NUM> is subsequently split off after the condensation, and the unsaturated diacid is isolated after hydrolysis of the ester group (<NPL>). See also <NPL>) for an alternative method of synthesizing traumatic acid. In yet other embodiments, traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid are obtained from a commercial source such as Cayman Chemical (Ann Arbor, MI) or Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO). In particular embodiments, the traumatic acid is purified to at least <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>% or <NUM>% homogeneity.

The compounds used in the method of the invention may have a number of isomers such as positional isomers. Accordingly, the compounds described herein include isomeric mixtures as well as single isomers that may be separated using techniques known in the art. Suitable techniques include, e.g., chromatography such as high-performance liquid chromatography, referred to as HPLC, and particularly silica gel chromatography and gas chromatography trapping known as GC trapping.

While salts of traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid may be used in this invention (see, e.g., <CIT>), preferably the traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid are not derivatized or conjugated to another molecule, i.e., the traumatic acid or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid is unconjugated traumatic acid or unconjugated <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid.

As described herein, traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid enhance the taste and flavor of consumables. The taste and flavor profile of a consumable including traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid may be enhanced or more intense (e.g., <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>% or <NUM>% more intense) than a comparative taste and flavor profile of a comparative consumable which does not include the traumatic acid or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid as an additive. Further, the mouthfeel, e.g., sweet and/or fatty mouthfeel, of a consumable including traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid may be improved in relation to the mouthfeel of a comparative consumable that does not include traumatic acid or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid.

In particular embodiments, traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid enhances the sweetness of a consumable containing a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring. As used herein, the term "sweetness" or "sweetness intensity" refers to the relative strength of sweet sensation as observed or experienced by an individual, e.g., a human, or a degree or amount of sweetness detected by a taster, for example on the scale from <NUM> (none) to <NUM> (very strong) used in sensory evaluations according to the procedure described in <NPL>). The mouthfeel of a substance relates to the physical sensations in the mouth produced by a particular food. By way of illustration, a "sugary mouthfeel" is the physical sensation observed or experienced by an individual, e.g., a human, upon consumption of a sugar.

As used herein, a consumable includes all food products, pharmaceutical compositions, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, dental hygienic compositions, tabletop sweeteners, beverages, or cosmetic products. In some embodiments, the consumable includes one or more carbohydrate sweeteners or flavorings. The carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring can be present in the consumable inherently (e.g., in food products containing fruits) or the carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring is added into the consumable (i.e., an exogenous sweetener or flavoring). Suitable carbohydrate sweeteners of the present invention include, but are not limited to, sucrose, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup (containing fructose and glucose), xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, and sugar alcohols, such as erythritol, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, or inositol. In one embodiment, the carbohydrate sweetener is sucrose, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, xylose, arabinose or rhamnose, preferably sucrose, fructose, or glucose. In one aspect of this embodiment, the carbohydrate sweetener is sucrose. In another aspect of this embodiment, the carbohydrate sweetener is glucose. In another aspect of this embodiment, the carbohydrate sweetener is fructose. In another embodiment, the carbohydrate sweetener is a sugar alcohol, e.g., erythritol, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, or inositol.

Flavorings of use in this invention include, but are not limited to, Natural Sweet Flavor #<NUM> (<CIT>), stevioside, rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, stevia, alpha-glucosyl stevia, fructosyl stevia, galactosyl stevia, beta-glucosyl stevia, siamenoside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Guo sweetener, monatin and its salts, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts (e.g., as found in MAGNASWEET), curculin, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobtain, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukurozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, cyclocarioside I, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the flavoring is Natural Sweet Flavor #<NUM> (also known as NSF-<NUM>), which contains glucosylated steviol glycosides and dextrin.

When added to a consumable as an additive, traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid is used in an amount effective to enhance the sweetness of a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring without exhibiting any off-taste. Any amount of traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid that provides the desired degree of sweetness enhancement can be used. Preferably, the amount of traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid present in the consumable is an amount as low as <NUM> ppm, in an amount as low as <NUM> ppm, in an amount as low as <NUM> ppm, or in an amount as low as <NUM> ppm. The traumatic acid can be included in the consumable in an amount that is as high as <NUM> ppm, in an amount as high as <NUM> ppm, or in an amount as high as <NUM> ppm. The traumatic acid may further be present within any range delimited by any pair of the foregoing values, such as between <NUM> ppm and <NUM> ppm, or between <NUM> ppm and <NUM> ppm, for example. The term "ppm" as used herein means part per million by weight or volume, for example, the weight of the component (in milligrams) per liter of solution, i.e., µg/ml.

In some embodiments, the invention embraces a combination of traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid with sebacic acid (<NPL>). In particular embodiments, the weight ratio of traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid to sebacic acid is at least <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, or <NUM>:<NUM>.

The phrase "food product" as used herein includes, but is not limited to, fruits, vegetables, juices, meat products (e.g., ham, bacon and sausage), egg products, fruit concentrates, gelatins and gelatin-like products (e.g., jams, jellies, preserves, and the like) milk products (e.g., ice cream, sour cream and sherbet), icings, syrups including molasses, corn products, wheat products, rye products, soybean products, oat products, rice products and barley products, nut meats and nut products, cakes, cookies, confectionaries (e.g., candies, gums, fruit flavored drops, and chocolates), chewing gum, mints, creams, ice cream, pies and breads, and beverages such as coffee, tea, carbonated soft drinks (e.g., soft drinks sold under the tradenames COKE® and PEPSI®), non-carbonated soft drinks, juices and other fruit drinks, sports drinks such as those sold under the tradename GATORADE®, alcoholic beverages, such as beers, wines and liquors, and flavored drinks sold under the tradename KOOL-AID®. Food products also include condiments such as herbs, spices and seasonings, and flavor enhancers, such as monosodium glutamate. A food product also includes prepared packaged products, such as dietetic sweeteners, liquid sweeteners, granulated flavor mixes which upon reconstitution with water provide non-carbonated drinks, instant pudding mixes, instant coffee and tea, coffee whiteners, malted milk mixes, pet foods, livestock feed, tobacco, and materials for baking applications, such as powdered baking mixes for the preparation of breads, cookies, cakes, pancakes, donuts and the like. Food products also include diet or low-calorie food and beverages containing little or no sucrose. Especially preferred food products are carbonated beverages. Preferably, the consumable in which the sweetness is enhanced contains a decreased level of the carbohydrate sweetener. For example, an improved carbonated soft drink can be produced with the same sweetness as the known carbonated soft drink but with a lower sugar content by adding traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid.

The consumable can also be a pharmaceutical composition. Preferred compositions are pharmaceutical compositions containing traumatic acid and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. These pharmaceutical compositions can be used to formulate pharmaceutical drugs containing one or more active agents that exert a biological effect other than sweetness enhancement. The pharmaceutical composition preferably further includes one or more active agents that exert a biological effect. Such active agents include pharmaceutical and biological agents that have an activity other than taste enhancement. Such active agents are well known in the art. See, e.g., The Physician's Desk Reference. Such compositions can be prepared according to procedures known in the art, for example, as described in <NPL>. In one embodiment, such an active agent includes bronchodilators, anorexiants, antihistamines, nutritional supplements, laxatives, analgesics, anesthetics, antacids, H<NUM>-receptor antagonists, anticholinergics, antidiarrheals, demulcents, antitussives, antinauseants, antimicrobials, antibacterials, antifungals, antivirals, expectorants, anti-inflammatory agents, antipyretics, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the active agent is a antipyretic or analgesic, e.g., ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or aspirin; laxative, e.g., phenolphthalein dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate; appetite depressant, e.g., amphetamine, phenylpropanolamine, phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, or caffeine; antacidic, e.g., calcium carbonate; antiasthmatic, e.g., theophylline; antidiuretic, e.g., diphenoxylate hydrochloride; agent active against flatulence, e.g., simethecon; migraine agent, e.g., ergotaminetartrate; psychopharmacological agent, e.g., haloperidol; spasmolytic or sedative, e.g., phenobarbitol; antihyperkinetic, e.g., methyldopa or methylphenidate; tranquilizer, e.g., a benzodiazepine, hydroxinmeprobramate or phenothiazine; antihistaminic, e.g., astemizol, chloropheniramine maleate, pyridamine maleate, doxlamine succinate, bromopheniramine maleate, phenyltoloxamine citrate, chlorocyclizine hydrochloride, pheniramine maleate, or phenindamine tartrate; decongestant, e.g., phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, phenylephrine hydrochloride, pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, pseudoephedrine sulfate, phenylpropanolamine bitartrate, or ephedrine; beta-receptor blocker, e.g., propanolol; agent for alcohol withdrawal, e.g., disulfuram; antitussive, e.g., benzocaine, dextromethorphan, dextromethorphan hydrobromide, noscapine, carbetapentane citrate, or chlophedianol hydrochloride; fluorine supplement, e.g., sodium fluoride; local antibiotic, e.g., tetracycline or cleocine; corticosteroid supplement, e.g., prednisone or prednisolone; agent against goiter formation, e.g., colchicine or allopurinol; antiepileptic, e.g., phenyloine sodium; agent against dehydration, e.g., electrolyte supplement; antiseptic, e.g., cetylpyridinium chloride; NSAID, e.g., acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or salt thereof; gastrointestinal active agent, e.g., loperamide and famotidine; an alkaloid, e.g., codeine phosphate, codeine sulfate, or morphine; supplement for a trace element, e.g., sodium chloride, zinc chloride, calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, or other alkali metal salt or alkali earth metal salt; vitamin; ion-exchange resin, e.g., cholestyramine; cholesterol-depressant or lipid-lowering substance; antiarrhythmic, e.g., N-acetylprocainamide; or expectorant, e.g., guaifenesin.

In some embodiments, the consumable is a dietary supplement or nutraceutical. Examples of such compositions having an undesirable taste include, but are not limited to, enteral nutrition products for treatment of nutritional deficit, trauma, surgery, Crohn's disease, renal disease, hypertension, obesity and the like, to promote athletic performance, muscle enhancement or general well-being or inborn errors of metabolism such as phenylketonuria. In particular, such compositions can contain one or more amino acids which have a bitter or metallic taste or aftertaste. Such amino acids include, but are not limited to, essential amino acids such as L isomers of leucine, isoleucine, histidine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine.

In a further embodiment, the consumable of the present invention is a dental hygienic composition, containing a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring and traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid. Dental hygienic compositions are known in the art and include, but are not necessarily limited to, toothpaste, mouthwash, plaque rinse, dental floss, dental pain relievers (such as ANBESOL™), and the like. In one embodiment, the dental hygienic composition includes one carbohydrate sweetener. In another embodiment, the dental hygienic composition includes more than one carbohydrate sweetener. In certain embodiments, the dental hygienic composition includes sucrose and corn syrup, or sucrose and aspartame.

In yet another embodiment, the consumable of the present invention is a cosmetic product containing a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring and traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid. For example, but not by way of limitation, the cosmetic product can be a face cream, lipstick, lip gloss, and the like. Other suitable compositions of the invention include lip balm, such as lip balm sold under the tradename CHAPSTICK® or BURT'S BEESWAX®.

When used in the methods of this invention, traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid is added to a consumable (i.e., the traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid is not an endogenous component of the consumable) in an amount effective to enhance the sweetness of the consumable including a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring. In this respect, the amount of carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring added to the consumable may be reduced while retaining the desired sweetness level. Thus, the present invention also provides methods for enhancing the sweetness of a carbohydrate sweetener and/or flavoring and decreasing the amount of a carbohydrate sweetener and/or flavoring in a consumable by combining the carbohydrate sweetener and/or flavoring with traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid. In some embodiments, the weight ratio of carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring to traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid is <NUM>:<NUM>, <NUM>:<NUM>, or <NUM>:<NUM>. The disclosure provides, but does not claim, a consumable containing an effective amount of a combination of (a) traumatic acid and/or <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid and (b) a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring in a reduced amount in order to achieve the same level of sweetness when the carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring is used alone in the traditional amount. In this respect, the amount of carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring used in a consumable can be reduced by at least about <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>% or more. Unless otherwise specified, percentages (%) are by weight.

The invention is described in greater detail by the following non-limiting examples.

Sugar water (<NUM>% sucrose in drinking water) was prepared and used as a base solution. Different amounts of traumatic acid were added to the base solution and descriptive sensory evaluations were performed (Table <NUM>).

Sugar water (<NUM>% sucrose in drinking water) was prepared and used as a base solution. Traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid were added to the base solution and descriptive sensory evaluations were performed (Table <NUM>).

The results of this analysis indicated that both traumatic acid and <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid enhanced the sweetness and mouthfeel of sugar water.

Descriptive sensory evaluations were carried out using different amounts of traumatic acid in different applications. The results of this analysis, as compared to the same applications in the absence of traumatic acid, are presented in Table <NUM>.

Sweetened milk (<NUM>% fat milk with <NUM>% sucrose) was prepared and used as a base solution ("base"). Sebacic acid and traumatic acid were added to the base solution and descriptive sensory evaluations were performed (Table <NUM>).

The results of this analysis indicated that traumatic acid (<NUM> ppm) and sebacic acid (<NUM> ppm) each increased sweetness and mouthfeel of sweetened milk. When used together, traumatic acid (<NUM> ppm) and sebacic acid (<NUM> ppm) provided the most increase in sweetness and mouthfeel.

Claim 1:
A method of enhancing the sweetness of a consumable including a carbohydrate sweetener or flavoring comprising adding traumatic acid, <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid, or combination thereof to the consumable in an amount effective to enhance the sweetness of the consumable;
wherein the amount of traumatic acid, <NUM>-dodecenedioic acid, or combination thereof is at least <NUM> ppm.