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* — llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll OJII Eur°Pean Patent Office <*S 0ffice europeen des brevets (11) EP 0 91 9 1 38 A1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (43) Date of publication: (51) |nt. CI.6: A23L 2/60, A23L 1/236 02.06.1999 Bulletin 1999/22 (21) Application number: 97121087.7 (22) Dateof filing: 01.12.1997 (84) Designated Contracting States: • Olbert, Ingeborg AT BE CH DE DK ES Fl FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC 96450 Coburg (DE) NL PT SE • Fischer, Christa Maria Designated Extension States: 65760 Eschborn (DE) AL LT LV MK RO SI (74) Representative: (71) Applicant: Canonici, Jean-Jacques et al THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY Procter & Gamble European Service GmbH, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (US) Sulzbacher Strasse 40-50 65824 Schwalbach am Taunus (DE) (72) Inventors: • Blumenstein-Stahl, Gabriele Annemarie 65719Hofheim/Ts(DE) (54) Beverage comprising an effective amount of f lavanols as sweetness cutting composition (57) The present invention relates to substantially alcohol free beverages having a sweetener system which ensures the full perception of the flavour system within the beverage while at the same time comprising f lavanols as a sweetness cutting material which reduces the sweetness impression of the sweetener system. In particular the present invention relates to beverages which are considered most appealing to an adult taste, having a full flavour impression while being considered less sweet than conventional beverages usually designed for children, who prefer a stronger sweetness impression. CO CO <7> O Q_ LU Printed by Xerox (UK) Business Services 2.16.7/3.6 1 EP 0 919 138 A1 2 Description feel change which often is described as "watery" further enhancing the impression that such a beverage has Field of the invention less flavour. [0006] One possibility widely used in beverage com- [0001] The present invention relates to substantially 5 positions, however for different reasons (such as a pres- alcohol free beverages having a sweetener system ervation effect or as an acidifier), is to provide the which ensures the full perception of the flavour system beverage with a sparkling C02 content. This does have within the beverage while at the same time comprising a reducing effect on the sweetness impression of such f lavanols as a sweetness cutting material which reduces compositions. At the same time the addition of C02 to the sweetness impression of the sweetener system. In 10 beverage compositions reduces all taste impressions in particular the present invention relates to beverages line with the reduction of the sweetness impression. The which are considered most appealing to an adult taste, reason for this is believed to be caused by the reduced having a full flavour impression while being considered amount of liquid actually contacting taste corpuscles on less sweet than conventional beverages usually the sensoric sensitive areas of the mouth when drinking designed for children, who prefer a stronger sweetness 15 such compositions. Based on this C02 is added usually impression. to beverages for it's refreshing effect and as part of the preservative system in beverages. Background of the invention [0007] Therefore, the inventors of the present inven- tion have investigated whether the addition of certain [0002] It is well-known in the art that in order to pro- 20 compounds would not provide a solution to the prob- vide a beverage with a well rounded and full bodied fla- lems associated with conventional attempts to reduce vour if is necessary to provide a sweetening system the sweetness impression of alcohol free beverages. It containing natural and/or artificial sweetening compo- now has been found that indeed the addition of certain nents such as sugar and high intensity sweetening com- well-known compounds causes a reduction in the pounds such as saccharin, acesulfam K, cyclamate, or 25 sweetness impression of a beverage composition. The aspartame (known under the trade name Nutra-Sweet). addition of such sweetness cutting compounds is, how- On the other hand it is known that in particular adult ever, also associated with a detrimental flavour effect on consumers of beverages have a desire for a less sweet the beverage compositions and hence has convention- beverage composition. ally not been used in order to provide a sweetness cut- [0003] In order to provide in particular adult consum- 30 ting effect but for other reasons. ers with a less sweet tasting beverage several well- [0008] It is therefore an objective of the present inven- known alternatives are available. The addition of a bitter tion to provide beverage compositions without reducing tasting ingredient such as chinin or grapefruit flavours the sweetening composition contained in such bever- have been tried in tonics and citrus beverages (also ages compositions but with a sweetness impression alcohol free beer could be considered in this context). 35 which is lower than would usually be expected from the However, many consumers do not find a bitter note sweetener composition comprised in the beverage. It is appealing, in particular since it usually is not adequate another objective of the present invention to maintain to overcome the sweetness perception in such bever- the flavour impression of a beverage composition while ages as tonic water, bitter lemon or grapefruit juice com- reducing the sweetness impression without raising the prising beverages. Even so these beverages comprise a 40 acidity level and without introducing an objectionable bitter tasting compound they are still rated as too sweet bitter note, or astringency to the beverage composition. mostly by adult consumers. [0009] It is a further objective of the present invention [0004] An alternative conventionally used is to to define the amount of sweetness cutting compounds increase the amount of acids in a beverage in order to to be added to a beverage composition in dependence change the sweetness impression of the sweetening 45 on the beverage compositions as such, i.e. without the composition comprised in the beverage. However, this sweetness cutting compounds, so as to prevent the has limitations in that too much added acids in bever- generation of a flavour impression substantially different ages are not appealing to many consumers and some from the original beverage composition. actually complain about heartburn caused by a too high acidity. so Summary of the invention [0005] A third apparent alternative is the reduction of the sweetening composition amount in order to reduce [001 0] The present invention relates to beverage com- the sweetness impression of a beverage. However, this positions having a reduced sweetness impression and (as indicated above) causes a reduction of the flavour comprising optionally a C02 content of up to 10 times impression of such a beverage composition and there- 55 the volume of the liquid, a sweetening composition fore causes a lack of appealing flavour to consumers of which may comprise natural or artificial sweetening such beverages. At the same time a reduction of the compounds or combinations thereof including in partic- sweetening compounds covers a consistency/mouth ular high intensity sweeteners such as saccharin, ace- 2 3 EP 0 919 138 A1 4 sulfam K, cyclamate, aspartame or others. The trate" refers to a beverage composition in liquid form sweetening composition is included to provide a sweet- usable to prepare a single strength beverage. Beverage ening strength measured by the sweetness impression concentrates within the scope of the present invention on an attribute grading test of a rating of at least 4 points typically comprise from 30 % to 70 %, preferably from in the attribute grading test (the test details and defini- 5 40 % to 60 %, water. They are usually formulated to pro- tions are given below) when the sweetening composi- vide, drinkable beverages when diluted with 2 to 5 parts tion is dissolved in water which has the same C02 by weight water. content as desired for the final beverage. In the same [001 6] As used herein mineral amounts are referred to test the bitterness impression is measured. as the supplemented amounts. Naturally contained min- [001 1 ] The beverage further comprises f lavanols as a 10 erals are not included when referring to mineral sweetness cutting composition in an amount of 60 - 1 50 amounts. ppm, preferably 70 - 1 20 ppm, more preferably 80 - 1 00 [0017] As used herein the term single strength refers ppm by weight. In a preferred embodiment of the to the ready-to-serve concentration of beverage com- present invention the beverage composition further pounds. comprises one compound or a combination of com- 15 [0018] As used herein the term "fruit juice" refers to pounds selected from triple sec flavour; vermouth fla- citrus juices, such as orange juice, lemon juice, lime vour; mint flavour or combinations thereof. juice, grapefruit juice, tangerine juice and mixtures [0012] The sweetening composition preferably con- thereof. Non citrus juices such as apple juice, grape tains compounds selected from the group of sugars juice, pear juice, cherry juice, berry juice, pineapple such as sacchorose, glucose, fructose, loctose, mal- 20 juice, kiwi juice, cashew juice, peach juice, apricot juice, trose, sorbit, dextrose, sorbose, xylit, lactit, maltit, iso- plum juice, prune juice, passion fruit juice, banana juice, maltit, or high intensity sweeteners such as saccharin, melon juice, cranberry juice, acerola juice, litschi juice, cyclamat, aspartam, acesulfam K, thaumatin, glycin or karambola juice, mango juice, Sharon fruit juice, cherry combinations thereof. The sweetness cutting composi- moya juice, lulo juice, physalis juice, and mixtures of tion according to the present invention can further con- 25 these juices, as well as mixtures of citrus and non-citrus tain compounds selected from the group of polyphenols juices. All amounts of fruit juice referred to herein are on of a molecular weight ranging from 500 to 3000, prefer- the basis of 100 % fruit juice in its single strength con- ably ranging from 850 to 2800, such as tannins or tannic centration.

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