Stevia composition

Abstract

Stevia compositions are prepared from steviol glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The compositions are able to provide a superior taste profile and can be used as sweetness enhancers, flavor enhancers and sweeteners in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

1 . A stevia composition made by a process comprising the steps of:
 providing a stevia sweetener;   providing a biocatalyst capable of hydrolyzing β-glucosyl ester bonds in the stevia sweetener;   dissolving the stevia sweetener and adding the biocatalyst to make a reaction mixture;   incubating the reaction mixture for about 0.5 to 72 hours to at least partially hydrolyze β-glucosyl ester bonds in the stevia sweetener;   cooling the mixture to about 10-30° C. and adjusting the pH with acid to about pH 3.0-4.0;   incubating the mixture to obtain a precipitate;   separating the precipitate and washing the precipitate with water; and   drying the washed precipitate to obtain the stevia composition, wherein the stevia composition comprises rebaudioside B.   
     
     
         2 . The stevia composition of  claim 1 , wherein the stevia composition is a purified stevia composition comprising rebaudioside B having a purity of greater than about 99%. 
     
     
         3 . The stevia composition of  claim 1 , wherein the stevia composition is a highly soluble stevia composition having a solubility greater than about 20% in water at room temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  further comprising a rebaudioside B carboxylate salt. 
     
     
         5 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  wherein the stevia sweetener comprises rebaudioside A. 
     
     
         6 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  wherein the biocatalyst is selected from the group consisting of free cells, immobilized cells, an enzyme, and/or an enzyme preparation. 
     
     
         7 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  wherein the biocatalyst comprises an enzyme or an enzyme preparation having an enzyme selected from the group consisting of esterases, lipases, cellulases, hemicellulases, hesperidinases and β-glucosidases. 
     
     
         8 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  comprising a mixture of rebaudioside A and rebaudioside B at a ratio ranging from about 5%:95% to about 95%:5% (w/w). 
     
     
         9 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  comprising a mixture of rebaudioside D and rebaudioside B at a ratio ranging from about 5%:95% to about 95%:5% (w/w). 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  further comprising an additional sweetening agent selected from the group consisting of: stevia extract, steviol glycosides, stevioside, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, steviolbioside, rubusoside, other steviol glycosides found in  Stevia rebaudiana  Bertoni plant and mixtures thereof, Luo Han Guo extract, mogrosides, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, invert sugar, fructooligosaccharides, inulin, inulooligosaccharides, coupling sugar, maltooligosaccharides, maltodextins, corn syrup solids, glucose, maltose, sucrose, lactose, aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, sugar alcohols, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The stevia composition of  claim 1  further comprising a flavoring agent selected from the group consisting of: lemon, orange, fruit, banana, grape, pear, pineapple, mango, bitter almond, cola, cinnamon, sugar, cotton candy, vanilla, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprising a food ingredient selected from the group consisting of: acidulants, organic and amino acids, coloring agents, bulking agents, modified starches, gums, texturizers, preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, gelling agents, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A food, beverage, pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition comprising the stevia composition of  claim 1 .