Use of low glycemic index sweeteners in food and beverage compositions

Abstract

There is described a process for preparing a food or beverage composition having sweetness and a low glycemic index that entails incorporating in the composition a low glycemic index product comprising a blend of sucrose and a syrup or syrup solids comprising an acceptor selected from the group consisting of a sugar and a sugar alcohol having free hydroxyl groups at one or more of carbon positions numbers 2, 3 and 6, the blend having been reacted with a glucansucrase enzyme. Also disclosed is a process for reducing glycemic index of a food or beverage composition that entails introducing into the food or beverage composition a low glycemic index product comprising a blend of sucrose and a syrup or syrup solids comprising an acceptor selected from the group consisting of a sugar and a sugar alcohol having free hydroxyl groups at one or more of carbon positions numbers 2, 3 and 6, the blend having been reacted with a glucansucrase enzyme.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for preparing a low glycemic index food or beverage composition comprising incorporating into the food or beverage composition a low glycemic index product comprising a blend of sucrose and a component selected from the group consisting of a syrup and syrup solids comprising an acceptor selected from the group consisting of a sugar and a sugar alcohol having free hydroxyl groups at one or more of carbon positions numbers 2, 3 and 6, said blend having been reacted with a glucansucrase enzyme.  
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein there is prepared a low glycemic index food composition.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein there is prepared a low glycemic index beverage composition.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the blend comprises sucrose and the component in a ratio of sucrose to the component varying from 10:1 to 1:10.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 3  wherein the low glycemic index beverage composition is a sports drink.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a corn syrup and corn syrup solids that comprise an amount of about 2 to about 99 weight percent of maltose.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the glucansucrase enzyme is obtained from lactic acid bacteria.  
     
     
         8  The process according to  claim 1  wherein the glucansucrase enzyme is obtained from  Leuconostoc mesenteroides.    
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the glucansucrase enzyme is obtained from a strain selected from the group consisting of  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-523,  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-1355,  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-21297, and  Leuconostoc citreum  NRRL-B-742.  
     
     
         10  The process according to  claim 9  wherein the strain is  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-21297.  
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the low glycemic index product is incorporated into the food or beverage composition in an amount ranging from about 0.1 to about 99.9% by weight of the food or beverage composition.  
     
     
         12 . A process for reducing glycemic index of a food or beverage composition comprising incorporating into the food or beverage composition a low glycemic index product comprising a blend of sucrose and a component selected from the group consisting of a syrup and syrup solids comprising an acceptor selected from the group consisting of a sugar and a sugar alcohol having free hydroxyl groups at one or more of carbon positions numbers 2, 3 and 6, said blend having been reacted with a glucansucrase enzyme, as compared with a food or beverage composition wherein there is incorporated a blend of sucrose and the component, that has not been reacted with a glucansucrase enzyme.  
     
     
         13  The process according to  claim 12  wherein the glycemic index of a food composition is reduced.  
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the glycemic index of a beverage composition is reduced.  
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the blend comprises sucrose and the component in a ratio of sucrose to component varying from 10:1 to 1:10.  
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 14  wherein the beverage composition is a sports drink.  
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a corn syrup and corn syrup solids that comprise an amount of about 2 to about 99 weight percent of maltose.  
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the glucansucrase enzyme is obtained from lactic acid bacteria.  
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the glucansucrase enzyme is obtained from  Leuconostoc mesenteroides.    
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the glucansucrase enzyme is obtained from a strain selected from the group consisting of  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-523, ,  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-1355,  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-21297, and  Leuconostoc citreum  NRRL-B-742.  
     
     
         21 . The process according to  claim 20  wherein the strain is  Leuconostoc mesenteroides  NRRL-B-21297.  
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein the low glycemic index product is incorporated into the food or beverage composition in an amount ranging from about 0.1 to about 99.9% by weight of the food or beverage composition.