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EP-3954218-B1 - LOW CALORIE FOOD COMPOSITIONS

EP3954218B1EP 3954218 B1EP3954218 B1EP 3954218B1EP-3954218-B1

Inventors

  • VAN DAMME, ISABELLA BERNARDA MAXIMILIENNE

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20160617

Claims (12)

  1. A bulking agent comprising a cellodextrin material and a carbohydrate sweetener, wherein the cellodextrin material comprises a principal cellodextrin with a DP of at least 4, wherein the principal cellodextrin is a single cellodextrin form which is present in the cellodextrin material in an amount of more than 50% weight by weight of the total weight of cellodextrins.
  2. The bulking agent of claim 1, wherein the carbohydrate sweetener is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, dextrose, maltose, fructose, galactose, corn syrup solids, lactose, glucose syrup solids, invert sugar, hydrolyzed lactose, honey, maple sugar, brown sugar, molasses, sorbitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose, mannitol, xylitol, lactitol, erythritol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, maltitol, polydextrose, maltodextrin, and combinations thereof.
  3. The bulking agent of claim 1, wherein the carbohydrate sweetener is a high intensity sweetener.
  4. The bulking agent of claim 3, wherein the high intensity sweetener is selected from the group consisting of aspartame, cyclamates, saccharin, acesulfame-K, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, sucralose, alitame, stevia sweeteners, steviosides, rebaudiosides, glycyrrhizin, thaumatin, and combinations thereof.
  5. The bulking agent of claim 1, wherein the principal cellodextrin has a DP value of from 4 to 8 inclusive.
  6. The bulking agent of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cellodextrin material does not contain cellobiose.
  7. The bulking agent of claim 6, wherein the cellodextrin material does not contain cellobiose and cellotriose.
  8. The bulking agent of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cellodextrin material comprises a cellodextrin selected from the group consisting of cellotetraose, cellopentaose, cellohexaose, and mixtures thereof.
  9. A cellodextrin material comprising a principal cellodextrin with a degree of polymerisation (DP) value of at least 4 and at least one further cellodextrin, wherein the principal cellodextrin is a single cellodextrin form which is present in the cellodextrin material in an amount of more than 50% weight by weight of the total weight of cellodextrins.
  10. The cellodextrin material according to claim 9, wherein the further cellodextrin is not cellobiose and/or the said further cellodextrin also has a DP value of at least 4.
  11. A method of manufacturing a cellodextrin material according to claim 9 or 10, which comprises mixing together a principal cellodextrin with a degree of polymerisation (DP) value of at least 4 and at least one further cellodextrin.
  12. A method of manufacturing a cellodextrin material according to claim 9 or 10, which comprises hydrolysis of cellulose under conditions in which a cellodextrin composition comprising a principal cellodextrin have a degree of polymerisation (DP) value of at least 4 and at least one further cellodextrin is formed.

Description

The present invention relates to a bulking agent, a cellodextrin material, and methods of manufacturing the cellodextrin material. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Obesity is a growing problem in the world. According to the World Health Organization website (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ factsheet 113, dated March 2013), worldwide obesity has nearly doubled since 1980. There is a need, therefore, to produce low calorific alternatives to high calorific food products. Confectionery products such as chocolate products (whether with or without fillings) typically have a relative high calorific content compared to other foods. There is a desire from consumers to have lower calorific alternatives to such confectionery products yet with the taste and mouth-feel of the original product. Many attempts have been made to replace sucrose in such products with other less calorific alternatives. Examples include fructose, inulin, erythritol and cellobiose. Cellobiose belongs to a group of compounds called cellooligosaccharides or cellodextrins. Cellodextrins/cellooligosaccharides are intermediate products created upon the breakdown, and in particular the enzymatic breakdown or acid mediated breakdown, of cellulose to glucose. Cellodextrins exist in various forms and are often classified in accordance with their degree of polymerisation (DP), the DP indicating the number of glucose monomers present in the cellodextrin. Common names for some of these cellodextrins include: cellobiose (DP=2), cellotriose (DP=3), cellotetraose (DP=4), cellopentaose (DP=5), cellohexaose (DP=6). Depending upon their method of manufacture, they may be in the form of mixtures. Cellodextrin materials can include one or more of these cellodextrin forms. The average DP of a cellodextrin material depends on the types and amounts of the cellodextrin forms in the cellodextrin material. Such compounds can be made in various ways such as biosynthesis from monomers, enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose as well as chemical synthesis. Cellobiose has been suggested as a prebiotic compound because although mostly non-digestable by humans due to the B-1,4 linkage present, it is thought to be readily fermented by bacteria in our digestive system. Prebiotics are suggested to have health benefits by encouraging growth of desirable bacteria in our gut. Given its non-digestibility, cellobiose has also been suggested as a low calorie sugar replacer, partly due to its sweetness, but also because of its ability to act as a bulking agent. There remains a need for alternative low- calorie sugar alternatives, particularly for use in confectionery products such as chocolate. Prebiotics such as cellobiose encourage gut bacteria to grow and ferment. This is generally regarded as being beneficial since many of the gut bacteria are 'friendly bacteria' providing positive health effects. Since cellobiose is virtually non-digestible to humans, it is also suggested as a low-calorie sugar alternative. Some food compositions containing cellodextrins and including some higher (greater than 3) DP values have been described in the art, for example in EP-345199 or JP2009125064. Typically, however, the higher DP cellodextrin within a single composition represents a minor amount (less than 50% w/w and typically less than 20%w/w) of the total cellodextrin content, and cellobiose will generally be present as a preferred component. JP2010200715A discloses a baked confectionery which is obtained by heating and baking dough containing, based on the total solid weight of a raw material, 10-30 mass% of protein, 1-30 mass% of lipid, and 50-89 mass% of a carbohydrate. In the baked confectionery, the carbohydrate contains 1-10 mass% of a cellooligosaccharide. Furthermore, the cellooligosaccharide contains not less than 70 mass% of cellobiose, and not more than 30 mass% of the sum total of cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose, and cellohexaose. EP1930012A1 discloses a cellooligosaccharide composition comprising, as the main ingredient, at least one cellooligosaccharide selected from the group consisting of cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, cellopentaose and cellohexaose, which is in the powdery form having an average L/D value of 3.0 or lower, a bulk density of 0.80 g/mL or lower and an angle of repose of 60° or lower. JP2009142187A discloses candy containing cellooligosaccharides, having low calorie. JP2009100658A discloses meringue containing cellooligosaccharide and albumen, having low calories. JP2001112496A discloses a method for producing cellooligosaccharide. Contrary to the general understanding in the art, the applicants have found that cellobiose has undesirable side effects when used in food compositions and in particular solid or semi- solid foodstuffs. Specifically, the undesirable side effects include stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Such unpleasant side effects were not observed to such a great degree when the cellobiose was administere