Stabilized steviol glycoside compositions and uses thereof

Abstract

It has been surprisingly found that the presence of steviol glycoside stabilizing compounds, such as the solubility enhancers described herein, significantly increases the stability of steviol glycosides under most conditions, including highly acidic conditions (e.g., at a pH less than 2, such as the conditions to which SGs might be exposed to, in use, in a throw syrup) and/or at elevated a temperatures (e.g., at temperatures exceeding 25° C., such as at 40° C.).

1 . A composition comprising:
 a steviol glycoside; and   a steviol glycoside stabilizing compound in an amount effective to reduce degradation of the steviol glycoside;   wherein the steviol glycoside stabilizing compound is at least one compound   selected from the group consisting of the following and isomers thereof:
 caffeic acid, an ester of caffeic acid, an ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid, an ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid comprising a single caffeic acid moiety (e.g., chlorogenic, cryptochlorogenic, and neochlorogenic acid; structures of each are provided herein), an ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid comprising more than one caffeic acid moiety (e.g., 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 1,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid; structures of each are provided herein); 
 ferulic acid, an ester of ferulic acid, an ester of ferulic acid and quinic acid, an ester of ferulic acid and quinic acid comprising a single ferulic acid moiety, an ester of ferulic acid and quinic acid comprising more than one ferulic acid moiety; 
 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid, a 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid derivative, an ester of 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid, an ester of a 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acid derivative, 
 quinic acid, a quinic acid derivative, an ester of quinic acid, an ester of a quinic acid derivative; 
 p-coumaric acid, an ester of p-coumaric acid, an ester of p-coumaric acid and quinic acid, an ester of p-coumaric acid and quinic acid comprising a single p-coumaric acid moiety, an ester of p-coumaric acid and quinic acid comprising more than one p-coumaric acid moiety; 
 sinapic acid, an ester of sinapic acid, an ester of sinapic acid and quinic acid, an ester of sinapic acid and quinic acid comprising a single sinapic acid moiety, an ester of sinapic acid and quinic acid comprising more than one sinapic acid moiety; 
 tartaric acid, a tartaric acid derivative, an ester of tartaric acid, an ester of a tartaric acid derivative, and 
 3-O-feruloylquinic acid, 4-O-feruloylquinic acid, 5-O-feruloylquinic acid, 3,4-diferuloylquinic acid, 3,5-diferuloylquinic acid, 4,5-diferuloylquinic acid. 
   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is an aqueous composition. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of steviol glycoside stabilizing compound effective to reduce degradation of the steviol glycoside is an amount such that at least about 10 wt. % of an initial steviol glycoside remains when the stabilized steviol glycoside composition is subjected to storage for 7 days at 40° C. in 5% phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the steviol glycoside comprises at least about 0.03 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the steviol glycoside comprises at least about 0.6 wt. % of the composition. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a 1:0.3 to 1:3 ratio by weight of steviol glycoside to steviol glycoside stabilizing compound. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition has a pH of less than about 4. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition has a pH of less than about 1. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is stored at room temperature. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is stored at about 4° C. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the steviol glycoside is Rebaudioside A or Rebaudioside M. 
     
     
         12 . A beverage concentrate product comprising the composition of  claim 1 , wherein the beverage concentrate product comprises between about 1,800 ppm and about 10,000 ppm of the steviol glycoside. 
     
     
         13 . A liquid water enhancer product comprising the composition of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid water enhancer product comprises between about 1.5 wt. % and about 3.5 wt. % of the steviol glycoside. 
     
     
         14 . A liquid sweetener comprising the composition of  claim 1 , wherein, the liquid sweetener comprises between about 1.0 wt. % and about 10 wt. % of the steviol glycoside.