Flavour Compositions

Abstract

The present invention in a first aspect relates to flavour modulation in foodstuffs, beverages, pharmaceutics, tobacco products and oral care products, using a flavour modulating substance selected from the group of substances represented by formula (I) or formula (II), edible salts thereof and edible esters thereof: It has been found that these substances are capable imparting highly desirable taste attributes in the products they are incorporated in. In addition said flavour modulating substances are capable of modulating and complementing, the sensory impact of other, taste imparting, substances. Thus, the present substances are advantageously applied in flavour compositions, foodstuffs, pharmaceutics, tobacco products and oral care products. Typical examples of flavour modulating substances according to the present invention include 2-hydroxy-N-(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)-propanamide, N-lactoyl 1-amino-2-propanol, N-lactoyl 2-amino-1-propanol, N-lactoyl 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, N-gluconyl 1-amino-2-methyl-2-propanol, N-gluconyl 1-amino-2-propanol, N-gluconyl 2-amino-1-propanol, N-gluconyl 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, N-(2-mercaptopropyl)lactamide, edible salts thereof and edible esters thereof.

1 . A flavour composition comprising i) at least 0.1 wt. % of one or more flavouring substances, optionally including a saccharide sweetener in the amount of 0-20% by weight of the composition and/or an artificial sweetener in the amount of 0-3% by weight of the composition; and ii) between 0.001 and 95 wt. % of one or more flavour modulating substances of formula (I), formula (II), edible salts thereof, or edible esters thereof: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 1  and R 2  independently represent hydrogen, C 1 -C 5  alkyl or C 1 -C 5  alkenyl, each optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from hydroxyl, oxo and C 1 -C 3  carboxyl; R 3  represents hydrogen or C 1 -C 3  alkyl ; and X represents ethylene substituted with 1-4 substituents selected from methyl, ethyl and propyl; with the proviso that if the composition comprises N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-gluconamide, N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-glucoheptonamide, an edible salt thereof and/or edible ester thereof, the ratio between the flavour modulating substances of N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-gluconamide, N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-glucoheptonamide, an edible salt thereof and/or edible ester thereof and the flavouring substances is less than 50:1. 
     
     
         2 . The flavour composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the flavour modulating substances and the flavouring substances is within the range of 1:100 to 10:1. 
     
     
         3 . The flavour composition according to  claim 1 , wherein, the composition comprises the artificial sweetener in combination with one or more flavour modulating substances of N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-gluconamide, N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-glucoheptonamide, edible salts thereof or edible esters thereof, and the weight ratio of one or more flavour modulating substances of N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-gluconamide, N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-glucoheptonamide, edible salts thereof or edible esters thereof to artificial sweetener is less than 50:1. 
     
     
         4 . The flavour composition according to  claim 1  comprising the flavour modulating substances in an amount of 0.01-90 wt. %. 
     
     
         5 . The flavour composition according to  claim 1  comprising 1-95 wt. % of flavouring substances. 
     
     
         6 . The flavour composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more flavour modulating substances is represented by formula (I), edible salts thereof, or edible esters thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The flavour composition according to any one of  claims 1 - 6 , wherein X represents ethylene substituted with 1-4 methyl groups. 
     
     
         8 . The flavour composition according to any one of  claims 1 - 6 , wherein X represents ethylene substituted with at least 2 methyl groups. 
     
     
         9 . The flavour composition according to any one of  claims 1 - 6 , wherein the one or more flavour modulating substances is: 2-hydroxy-N-(2-hydroxy-2- methylpropyl)-propanamide, N-lactoyl 1-amino-2-propanol, N-lactoyl 2-amino1- propanol, N-lactoyl 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, N-gluconyl 1-amino-2-methyl-2- propanol, N-gluconyl 1-amino-2-propanol, N-gluconyl-2-amino-1-propanol, N-gluconyl 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, N-(2-mercaptopropyl)lactamide, edible salts thereof or edible esters thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A flavour modulating substance comprising formula (I); formula (II), edible salts thereof or edible esters thereof: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein: R 1  and R 2  independently represent hydrogen, C 1 -C 5  alkyl or C 1 -C 5  alkenyl each optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from hydroxyl, oxo and C 1 -C 3  carboxyl; R 3  represents hydrogen or C 1 -C 3  alkyl ; and X represents ethylene substituted with 1-4 substituents selected from methyl, ethyl and propyl; with the proviso that said substance is not N-[2-hydroxypropyl]-gluconamide, N-[2- hydroxypropyl]-glucoheptonamide, an edible salt thereof or an edible ester thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The flavour modulating substance according to  claim 10 , wherein said flavour modulating substance is: 2-hydroxy-N-(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)-propanamide, N-lactoyl 1-amino-2-propanol, N-lactoyl 2-amino-1-propanol, N-lactoyl 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, N-gluconyl 1-amino-2-methyl-2-propanol, N-gluconyl 1-amino-2-propanol, N-gluconyl 2-amino1-propanol, N-gluconyl 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, N-(2-mercaptopropyl)lactamide, edible salts thereof or edible esters thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A composition comprising at least 0.001 ppm of one or more flavour modulating substances of  claim 10  or  11 . 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising mixing one or more flavour modulating substances of  claim 11  with foodstuffs, beverages, pharmaceutics, tobacco products or oral care products for improving the flavour of foodstuffs, beverages, pharmaceutics, tobacco products or oral care products. 
     
     
         14 . A process comprising mixing with a foodstuff, a beverage, a pharmaceutical product, a tobacco product or an oral care product with one or more flavour modulating substances of  claim 10 , in an amount between 0.1-10,000 ppm. 
     
     
         15 . A product of foodstuffs, beverages, pharmaceutics, tobacco products, and oral care products comprising one or more flavour modulating substances of  claim 10 , in an amount between 0.1-10,000 ppm. 
     
     
         16 . The product according to  claim 15 , wherein if the product contains added sweetener, the weight ratio of flavour modulating substances to saccharide sweetener does not exceed 1:1 and the weight ratio of flavour modulating substances to artificial sweetener is less than 50:1. 
     
     
         17 . The flavour composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the weight ratio of the structuring agent to artificial sweetener is less than 20:1. 
     
     
         18 . The flavour composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the flavour modulating substances is in an amount of 0.1-25 wt. %. 
     
     
         19 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more flavour modulating substances is in an amount between 1-5,000 ppm. 
     
     
         20 . The product according to  claim 15 , wherein the one or more flavour modulating substance is in an amount between 1-5,000 ppm.