Patent Application
20220151271
This invention relates to the production of an artificial honey product encompassing chemical or enzymatic inversion of sugars, with the optional addition of nutritive and functional components for producing a formula similar to or healthier than natural honey without using bees or any other animal.
The artificial honey of this invention refers to a plant-based product, produced without using the labor or any biological material derived from animals. More specifically, it is produced based on inverted sucrose, preferably by means of an enzymatic catalysis of VHP/VVHP/demerara dark sugars rich in minerals, vitamins, and natural antioxidants with wide nutritional and pharmacological appeal. It does not contain or produce any chemical substances harmful to humans (e.g. furfural) or added starch; however, it can be flavored and/or aromatized with a honey aroma identical to the natural flavor, an artificial one, and optionally a natural aroma added with fibers, natural extracts, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. The honey product of this invention may be consumed either directly or in other food, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or cosmetic products.
Bee honey has been used by the human kind both as food and as medicine since times immemorial. As a matter of fact, ancestral records indicate that raw honey is the oldest sweetener and it has been used all over the world for many millions of years: [Crane E: History of honey. In Honey, A comprehensive Survey. Edited by Crane E. London: William Heinemann; 1975:439-488].
Bee honey is a sweet and tasteful liquid food with a high nutritional value and several health benefits [Bogdanov S, Jurendic T, Sieber R, Gallmann P: Honey for Nutrition and Health: A Review. J Am Co/1 Nutr 2008, 27(6):677-689; Ajibola A, Idowu G O, Amballi A A, Oyefuga O H, Iquot I S: Improvement of some haematological parameters in albino rats with pure natural honey. J Biai Sei Res 2007, 2:67-69].
It is produced by bees from the nectar of flowers and plant exudates. In addition, it is widely consumed, and its use goes beyond the barriers of culture and ethnicity.
Honey use is even defended and employed by all religious and cultural beliefs. It is even a food mentioned in all religious books and accepted by all generations, traditions, and civilizations, old and modern. For instance, the religion of Islam recommends using honey as both food and medicine and even includes a full chapter in the Holy Quran called Surah al-Nahl, which means “the bee honey chapter” [An-Nahl (The Bee) 16, 1-128: The Holy Qur'an, English translation of the meanings and Commentary. The Presidency of Islamic Researches, IFTA, Call and Guidance. Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: King Fahd Holy Qur'an Printing Complex; 1990:730-773. 1410 A.H.5].
Besides, it is reported in the Holy Bible that John the Baptist survived on a diet including wild honey for a long period of time when he was in the desert, as well as that King Solomon said: “My son, eat honey, for it is good;” [Old Testament, proverb 24:13; Mathew 3, 4: The Holy Bible. Authorised King James Version. New York: Oxford University Press; 1972. 10].
Other groups of beliefs, traditions, and civilizations that attest to the popularity of honey include Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Vedas, and others [Jones R: Honey and healing through the ages. In Honey and healing. Edited by Munn P, Jones R. Cardiff: International Bee Research Association IBRA; 2001; Crane E: History of honey. In Honey, A comprehensive Survey. Edited by Crane E. London: William Heinemann; 1975:439-488].
Currently, the world production of bee honey is around 1.2 million tons, less than 1% of the total production of sugar in the world [Alvarez-Suarez J M et al. Contribution of honey in nutrition and human health: a review. Mediterr J Nutr Metab 2010, 3:15-23]. Honey consumption varies a lot from country to country. The largest exporters of honey, China and Argentina, have small consumptions of 0.1 to 0.2 per capita a year. Honey consumption is higher in developed countries, whose production not always meets their market demands.
In the European Union, which is at the same time a large importer and producer of honey, annual consumption per capital varies from medium (0.3 to 0.4 kg) in Italy, French, Great Britain, Denmark, and Portugal, to high (1.0 to 1.8 kg), in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Hungary, and Greece, whereas in countries like the USA, Canada, and Australia, the average consumption per capital is 0.6 to 0.8 kg/year [Bogdanov S, Jurendic T, Sieber R et al. Honey for nutrition and health: a review. Am J Co/1 Nutr 2008, 27:677-6897].
The global market of bee honey is estimated at between 2.0 and 6.0 billion dollars [Ajibola A, Idowu G O, Amballi A A, Oyefuga O H, Iquot I S: Improvement of some haematological parameters in albino rats with pure natural honey. J Biai Sei Res 2007, 2:67-69].
Honey has always been obtained by man in an extractive manner and, often, with harm to beehives. Over the centuries, man learned how to capture swarms and install them in “artificial hives”.
By developing and enhancing the handling techniques, they managed to increase the production of honey and extract it without damaging the hive. With the “domestication” of bees for honey production, apiculture started. Currently, on top of honey, several products can be obtained, such as bee pollen, royal jelly, apitoxin, propolis, and wax. Also, queen bees and, in some cases, swarms and breeds are produced and traded.
Generally, honey is mostly made up (around 75%) of carbohydrates, notably simple sugars (glucose and fructose). Honey is also made up of water (around 20%), minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and others), around half of the existing amino acids, organic acids (acetic acid, citric acid, and others), and complex-B vitamins, vitamin C, D, and E [Ajibola, A, Chamunorwa, J P; Erlwanger, K H. Nutraceutical values of natural honey and its contribution to human health and wealth. Nutrition & Metabolism 2012, 9:61]. Natural honey also has elements in its composition such as hormones, pigments, amino acids, and other biologically active substances, as described in document CN108208266, titled “Formula of honey product”, filed on Jun. 29, 2018, which is being considered herein; therefore, not only is it a food with a high energy value, but it is also an important supplement to human nutrition.
More specifically, to manufacture natural honey, the bee secretes two enzymes, invertase and glucose oxidase, through glands existing on its head. Honey is formed from a reaction of those substances to the nectar (mainly sucrose) collected from flowers.
Each of these enzymes has a certain role in honey production. Invertase converts sucrose—type of sugar contained in nectar—into two other sugars: glucose and fructose. Glucose oxidase, in its turn, transforms a small quantity of glucose into gluconic acid, which makes honey acidic, protecting it from bacteria. These bacteria, if uncontrolled, would make honey ferment.
In addition, by shaking their wings, bees remove the water present in a large quantity in the nectar, thus dehydrating the honey, which helps prevent microorganisms from spreading.
However, it has been observed that the quality of the honey available on the world market is not constant, since it would require a strict quality control certifying where the bees collect pollen. This is not always possible. The quality of bee honey depends on its chemical composition and floral origin. The composition of the active components in plants depends on many factors, particularly biochemistry, chemotype, and weather conditions [Alvarez-Suarez J M et al. Contribution of honey in nutrition and human health: a review. Mediterr J Nutr Metab 2010, 3:15-23]. For that reason, there is no standardization regarding the types and composition of honey products produced around the world, making it greatly difficult to establish a quality control over both their nutritional properties and their pharmacological and medical properties.
Honey, like any other natural food, may also be exposed to contamination by antibiotics, pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxic compounds [Bogdanov S: Contaminants of bee products. Apidologie 2006, 38:1-18].
These hazardous substances may result from disease control in crops using agrochemicals, accidental exposure, environmental risks, air pollution, and hostile human practices [Schneider A: Asian honey, banned in Europe, is flooding U.S. grocery shelves, Food Safety News. 7th edition. Seattle Wash.: The Food Watchdog; 2011. Assessed from http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/honeylaundering/ on Apr. 14, 2012; Bibi S, Husain S Z, Malik R N: Pollen analysis and heavy metals detection in honey samples from seven selected countries. Pak J Bot 2008, 40(2):507-516].
For example, it was reported by European health authorities that lead (Pb) had been found in honey bought from India in early 2010. The results showed, in addition to lead, at least two antibiotics in nearly 23.0% of all 362 test samples of the export honey product [Schneider A: Asian honey, banned in Europe, is flooding U.S. grocery shelves, Food Safety News. 7th edition. Seattle Wash.: The Food Watchdog; 2011. Assessed from http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/honeylaundering/ on 14/04/12], this being a concerning health issue for honey consumers.
Analyzing the same scenario through a different prism, the United Nations environment program has already warned about bee mortality especially in the North hemisphere. The main reason is believed to be the use of agrochemicals in crops, but they also mention viral epidemics and parasites that can be devastating for that insect, which is very fragile [Ratnieks F L W, Carreck N. Clarity on honey bee collapse? Science, 2010, 327, 152-153].
According to several sources, such as the U.S. Colony Collapse Disorder Steering Committee, pollination is threatened and plant productivity is falling [Ratnieks and Carreck, Clarity on Honey Bee Collapse? Science, 2010, 327: 152-153]. The United Nations Environment Agency has issued a report that the world population of bees will continue to be in decline, unless man changes his way of handling the planet, causing great environmental and food security concerns.
From that perspective, the history of human life shows that men have been feeding from fruit, plants, and animal meat. However, during our evolutionary history, some groups began to oppose the consumption of animal products. A religious group established in the 6th century BC created Orphism, which banished animal sacrifice and consumption.
Another example of a movement opposing the consumption of animal products was Greek mathematician Pythagoras, who believed in reincarnation and, for that reason, refrained from consuming meat. For a long time, the religious issue began to exert wide influence on the people's decision not to consume animal products [Spencer, Colin. The Heretic's Feast: A History of Vegetarianism. Lebanon: UPNE, 1996. 402 p]. Only in the middle of the 19th century did the first vegetarian organizations start to show up, the first of them in England, in 1847. Following that event, other countries also began to establish vegetarian organizations, like the United States, in 1850, and Germany, in 1867. For example, the International Vegetarian Union (IVU) was founded in 1908 [Leitzmann, Claus. Vegetarian nutrition: past, present, future. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 2014, 100:496-502].
These days, the vegetarian movement has been growing all over the world. According to recent data, India has 40% of its population adopting vegetarianism [Leitzmann, Claus. Vegetarian nutrition: past, present, future. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 2014, 100: 496-502; Ruby M. Vegetarianism: A blossoming field of study. Appetite. Vancouver, 2012, 58: 141-150]. In developed countries, the percentage of vegetarians in the total population varies from 2 to 9%, and in the United States and the United Kingdom they comprise approximately 3% [Vegetarian Journal. How many vegetarians are there? Baltimore, 2009. The Vegetarian Resource Group; Food Standards Agency. Public Attitudes to Food. London. 91 p., 2009], 8% in Canada and in Brazil [Vancouver Human Society. Almost 12 million Canadians now vegetarian or trying to eat less meat. Available at: http://www.vancouverhumanesociety.bc, visited on: Nov. 20, 2018; IBOPE. Dia Mundial do Vegetarianismo: 8% da população brasileira afirma seradepta do estilo. Available at: http://www.ibope.com.br, visited on: Nov. 20, 2018], 9% in Germany and Italy, and 2% in France, Spain, and Portugal [EVU—European Vegetarian Union. V-label guide. Available at: <https://www.v-label.eu/v-label-guide>. Visited on: Nov. 20, 2018].
In many countries, the segment of vegetarian consumers has been growing expressively: in Australia, it increased by 30% from 2012 to 2016, when the percentage of that population became 11% vegetarians [Roy Morgan. The slow but steady rise of vegetarianism in Australia. Available at: <http://www.roymorgan.com>, visited on: Nov. 20, 2018].
In the last decades of the 20th century, vegetarian nutrition started to be scientifically assessed through research on the various diets adopted, seeking to understand their benefits for man. From that moment on, more and more studies demonstrate that a balanced vegetarian diet can be completely healthy, which draws the attention of individuals to that movement [Leitzmann, Claus. Vegetarian nutrition: past, present, future. American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 2014, 100: 496-502].
Nowadays, the vegetarian movement accounts for important segments of consumers, especially in the developed countries, and, for that reason, it has been the subject of study by researchers and organizations who characterize the new trends in consumption of food in the world [Euromonitor International. Top 10 Global Consumer Trends for 2016. 45 p. 2016].
Several reasons lead people to become vegetarians, with the most common argument relating to the ethics issue of animal slaughter, a search for personal health, and support to food production systems that generate a reduced environmental impact [Ruby M. Vegetarianism: A blossoming field of study. Appetite. Vancouver 2012, 58:141-150].
There are strict vegetarian people who will not consume any animal product. On the other hand, there are those who occasionally eat fish and still call themselves vegetarians [Ruby M. Vegetarianism: A blossoming field of study. Appetite. Vancouver 2012, 58:141-150].
Generally, vegetarians are deemed to be individuals who do not consume any type of red meat, poultry, or fish. However, this type of diet has its sub-classifications, which define the degree of exclusion of each animal food, encompassing a wide spectrum of nutrition standards. According to Key et al. (2006), [Key T J, Appleby P N, Rosell M S. Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets. Proceedings Of The Nutrition Society 2006, 65:35-41], a vegetarian diet can be classified as follows:
The vegan food market is the most well-defined of all existing markets, with world certification standards and a better outlined field of study.
Vegan certification has international standards that are common to all countries having authorities that grant that seal. This standard was created by the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) and, later, adopted by other countries.
According to the EVU [EVU—European Vegetarian Union. Definitions of “vegan” and “vegetarian” in accordance with the EU Food Information Regulation. Berlin. 5p. 2016], the certification criteria for vegan foods are:
Besides, throughout product development and manufacturing, no animal may be used in any stage, including toxicity or experimentation tests. Certification is granted per product, rather than granted to a company as a whole. Thus, the maximum percentage of contamination of animal products in vegan products is 0.1% [EVU—European Vegetarian Union. How many veggies are there? Available at: <http://www.euroveg.eu/lang/en/infolhowmany.php>. Visited on: Oct. 18, 2017; EVU—European Vegetarian Union. V-label guide. Available at: <https://www.v-label.eu/v-label-guide>. Visited on: Nov. 2, 2017].
There is high trend in this segment looking for products that meet the vegan market. However, honey cannot be consumed by vegans, because it comes from bees.
In view of all such dilemmas, it would be interesting to develop a production process for different compositions than those of the artificial honey products available today. These artificial honey products use starch as a raw material, and their composition is not truly analogous to natural honey.
On the other hand, to produce honey without using bees, it is necessary to develop a production method that dispenses with animal use or labor in any form, which will allow this exceptional food to be supplied to all the population in the event of a future scenario where bee exploitation is restricted, whether this population consumes conventional honey or follows the vegan philosophy.
The invention herein described has the following purposes:
This invention provides, therefore, a solution for the problems found in the state of the art, providing a method for artificial honey production that obtains a formula very similar to natural honey, though from plant-based sucrose. That is, it does not use any material of animal origin and does not employ the labor of bees, who suffer with human activity and often with the environmental pressure of viruses and pathogens.
The first modality of this invention shows a composition with uniform quality, since it depends on a source of sucrose and is independent from flowers or outside interferences, as is the case with bee-based production. This provides consumers with assurance of a food complement with a controlled origin, a food product in accordance with the specific demands of each type of consumer.
The second modality of this invention shows a process of production of an artificial honey product, preferably from the raw material sucrose, that is, inverted sucrose, preferably using enzymes (not chemically) to make even more similar to natural honey. The process of this invention will not use undesirable added chemical substances, such as colorants and artificial pigments and others, and may be flavored preferably with a honey aroma identical to the natural flavor (vegan), artificial aroma, and, as an option, the natural aroma. The process may further include the optional addition of isolated elements of mineral or plant origin that are naturally found in bee honey, such as amino acids, whole proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc. Thus, a different formulation can be obtained when compared to the artificial honey products available in the state of the art and on the market.
The third and last modality of this invention consists in using the artificial honey either as a household food product and in the general industry, for instance, in byproducts such as cakes, sweets, dairy, cosmetics, jellies, sweets, food supplements, drugs, nutraceuticals, cereal bars, and others.
This invention, therefore, is based on sucrose produced on demand for the production of artificial honey. For that purpose, the artificial honey so produced may have as its preferred origin the VHP/VVHP/Demerara brown sugars, which are rich in minerals, vitamins, and natural antioxidants with wide pharmacological appeal.
However, production of the honey product in this invention may be based on different sources of carbohydrates, but preferably from VHP (Very High Polarization) and Demerara sugars inverted using the invertase enzyme, or non-animal origin, similar to the one used by bees.
In other words, to keep the characteristic of the artificial honey very close to natural honey, this invention uses the invertase enzyme itself, preferably through a fully natural process, biologically and in a GMO-free method (a technology that does not use genetically modified organisms) or using commercially available enzymes.
This invention therefore describes an ARTIFICIAL HONEY COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION PROCESS based on inverted sugar, reaching a carbohydrate composition that is very close to that of natural bee honey, that is, glucose and fructose in similar quantities and reduced sucrose quantity.
In view of the possibility that other functional additives are used, the artificial honey product of this invention may have a lower glycemic index than the average/typical value in bee honey. To adjust the aroma of the product, aromas identical to the natural flavors are used, and no artificial colorant whatsoever is used.
For instance, using the VHP or Demerara sugar as a basis for manufacturing the artificial honey allows the product to have an important set of mineral salts, vitamins, and antioxidants coming from the sugarcane, as described in the following example:
The ARTIFICIAL HONEY COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION PROCESS is conducted with 100 grams of VHP or Demerara sugar, and several minerals are present. It is worth highlighting here that the mineral composition directly depends on the type of sugarcane cultivar, the agricultural treatment, crop region, etc. However, several studies show that, the darker and, obviously, the less “treated” a sugar product is, the more minerals will be conserved in it, as shown by Silva (2017) [Silva, A F S. Caracterização e determinação de minerais em amostras de açúcares brasileiros. Master's Thesis. ESALQ, USP, Piracicaba, 2017], as shown in Table 1, below:
30 to 338.1
As shown in Table 1, darker sugars have increasing mineral contents, going from refined sugar to brown sugar. Even when you compare Demerara sugar to Refined sugar, we observe a huge difference in the contents of all minerals shown in Table 1.
The more extensive the knowledge on the exact composition of each of the sugars that we can use as a basis for artificial honey, for instance, the higher the power to select the most adequate raw material for producing artificial honey product that is richer as food or exhibiting desired organoleptic, physical-chemical, and/or sensory properties. In this regard, choosing an optimal source of sucrose is essential and a technology advantage so that the artificial honey product of this invention will not only become more similar to natural honey, but will also exhibit improved properties when compared to natural honey.
To better illustrate the above-mentioned improvements, the artificial honey product of this invention may contain pharmacological compounds, for instance, those present in VHP and Demerara sugars, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids such as luteolin, apigenin, tricine, quercetin, kaempferol caffeic acid, apigenin, luteolin, tricine, chlorogenic acid, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. These compounds are directly associated with several pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and even anti-tumor properties, as shown in Table 2: [Valli V, Gomez-Caravaca A. M.; D/Nunzio M., Danesi F, Caboni M F, Bordoni A. Sugar cane and sugar beet molasses, antioxidant-rich alternatives to refined sugar. J. Agri Food Chem, 2012, 60, 12508-12515; Alves V. G, Souza A G, Chiavelli L U R, Ruiz A L T G, Carvalho J E, Pomini A M, Silva C C. Phenolic compounds and anticancer activity of commercial sugarcane cultivated in Brazil. Na. Acad. Bras, Cienc. 2016, 88, 1201-1209; Taylor R P. Discovery of bioactive natural products from sugarcane. Master of Science Thesis. School of Environmental Science and Management, Southern Cross University, Lismore N S W, Australia. 2018; Almeida J M D. Flavonóides e ácidos cinamicos de cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum officinarum L.—Poaceae) e seus produtos. Identificação e atividade antioxidante e antiproliferativa. Doctor's Thesis. University of Sao Paulo, 2006].
This invention therefore shows an artificial honey composition capable of keeping the pharmacological properties of brown sugars that are demonstrated to help maintain the muscle tone of the digestive tract wall; improve the health of the nervous system; strengthen the skin, nails, and hair; improve the functioning of the liver, speed up the healing of injuries, and prevent and treat anemia due to the iron present. These attributes, depending on the raw material and additives used, allow the artificial honey product of this invention to be compared to the most famous natural honey, Manuka honey, derived from the Manuka flower in New Zealand, regarded as one of the best in the world.
The honey product of this invention may exhibit important medical properties, depending on the raw material and additives used as similar to or better than those of the Manuka honey, since its composition includes different bioactive compounds derived, from instance, from the brown cane sugar, as can be observed in Table 2. In addition, the artificial honey product does not contain pesticides, which were detected in a Manuka honey study conducted by Moniruzzaman et al (2014) [Moniruzzaman M, Chowdhury M A Z, Rahman M A, Sulaiman S A, Gan S H. Determination of mineral, trace element, and pesticide levels in honey samples originating from different regions of Malaysia compared to Manuka Honey. Biomed. Res. Int. 2014, ID 359890].
Moreover, the process of this invention conducts a sucrose inversion elevating its sweetness from a level of 100 to 120, with a 20% increase, very close to the sweetening power of bee honey, to adjust to the demands of consumers and the industry, who also demand or will demand a real substitute for natural honey.
In the inversion proposed in this invention, for example, above 98%, sucrose is almost completely converted into equal parts of glucose and fructose, without significantly losing its nutritional characteristics as to vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals present prior to inversion. Because it is a biological catalyst, the invertase enzyme (preferably free of genetically modified organisms—GMO) or a non-GMO-free invertase enzyme, unlike chemical inversion, does not form toxic compounds in the inversion process, such as furfural.
With a very low content of residual sucrose, an optional addition of functional fibers may allow the honey product of this invention to exhibit a glycemic index deemed low (<55). This makes it more adequate for diets seeking to avoid illnesses, such as diabetes and obesity problems.
To illustrate it better, the characteristics of this artificial honey product are shown below, made from Demerara sugar, for example, as per this invention:
Artificial Honey Production Process, according to this invention, in one of the forms of artificial honey production, the method starts with dilution of solid sucrose, present in the selected source of carbohydrate, with water, to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° for total dissolution of sucrose, through agitation in the tank. That syrup is then cooled down to 55.0 to 60.0° C., and the pH adjusted at 4.5 using citric acid. The invertase enzyme, either GMO-free or commercially available, is added to the syrup, and the reaction is kept for the time required to achieve inversion of up to 98.0% of the sucrose into glucose and fructose under the described conditions. The syrup may be added with fibers, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, aroma identical to the natural flavor, artificial aroma, and optionally natural aroma. Depending on the sucrose source, the product color may be adjusted by using natural colorants. On top of these additives, the artificial honey product may also be added with other aromatizers, such as orange blossom, truffle, pepper, etc.
The product obtained from this process exhibits very similar characteristics than those of bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor. This product has been used for a comparison with Manuka honey and natural bee honey. Table 3 shows the results of the comparison, using, for example, artificial sugar Demerara, bee honey, and Manuka honey [Ajibola A, Chamunorwa J P, Erlwanger K H. Nutraceutical values of natural honey and its contribution to human health and wealth. Nutrition & Metabolism 2012, 9:61; Moniruzzaman M, Chowdhury M A Z, Rahman M A, Sulaiman S A, Gan S H. Determination of mineral, trace element, and pesticide levels in honey samples originating from different regions of Malaysia compared to Manuka Honey. Biomed. Res. Int. 2014, ID 359890; Nogueira F S, Ferreira K S, Carneiro Junior J B, Passoni L C. Minerais em melados e em caldos de cana. Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos 2009, 29:727-731; Silva A F S. Caracterização e determinação de minerais em amostras de açúcares brasileiros. Master's Thesis. ESALQ, USP, Piracicaba, 2017].
As per the studies conducted, when we use the above-described process, it is possible to obtain an artificial honey product with the following advantages when compared to bee honey:
However, this invention has verified that the artificial honey product, with these and other advantages, may be obtained from slight variations in the above-described process with different types of sucrose. Thus, in order to better illustrate the different ways of obtaining it and the types of sucrose, below are illustrative examples of processes and composition of the artificial honey product of this invention, considering that the values shown in the tables are based on [Ajibola A., Chamunorwa J P, Erlwanger K H. Nutraceutical values of natural honey and its contribution to human health and wealth. Nutrition & Metabolism 2012, 9:61; Faria D A M. Estudo Nutricional e sensorial de açúcares cristal, refinado, demerara e mascavo orgânicos e convencionais. Master's Thesis. UFSCAR, 2012; Luchini D L. Teores de nutrientes minerais e metais pesados em açúcar mascavo produzido por diferentes sistemas orgânicos e convencionais. Master's Thesis. UFSCAR, 2014; Moniruzzaman M, Chowdhury M A Z, Rahman M A, Sulaiman S A, Gan S H. Determination of mineral, trace element, and pesticide levels in honey samples originating from different regions of Malaysia compared to Manuka Honey. Biomed. Res. Int. 2014, ID 359890; Nogueira F S, Ferreira K S, Carneiro Junior J B, Passoni L C. Minerais em melados e em caldos de cana. Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos 2009, 29:727-731; Silva A F S. Caracterização e determinação de minerais em amostras de açúcares brasileiros. Master's Thesis. ESALQ, USP, Piracicaba, 2017].
1. Solid sucrose is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is cooled down to 55.0 to 60.0° C., and the pH adjusted at 4.5 using citric acid. In that syrup, the invertase enzyme (whether or not GMO-free) is added as indicated for commercial applications, and the reaction is kept for the time required to ensure the necessary inversion percentage;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
Thus, example 1 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, as shown in Table 4.
1. Solid sucrose is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through intense agitation in the tank:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, as shown in Table 5.
18-20.0
It is worth stressing that, with a sucrose inversion using the traditional chemical method, the initial syrup has a maximum concentration of 60° Brix due to the need for filtrations to remove color and odor, and, after the inversion, the syrup pH needs to be corrected using soda ash, a fact that saturates the syrup with undesirable sulfates, and then the syrup is filtered and concentrated on evaporators, which further reduces its quality due to the additional build-up of undesirable substances such as: furfural, hydromethylfurfural, and mainly sulfooxymethylfurfural, given its capacity to react to the DNA and cause mutations [Ogando F I B. Estudo da degradação térmica de sacarose e da contaminação microbiológica no processo de fabricação de açúcar. Master's Theses, ESALQ/USP, 2015].
1. Solid sucrose is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through intense agitation in the tank:
2. Acid is added to the syrup up to pH 2.0 to 2,5, keeping it at 95° C. until the desired inversion rate. Acid is used in this process must be allowed on the Positive List of Organics (executive instruction No. 18, dated May 28, 2009, Law 10831, dated Dec. 23, 2003); example: citric acid;
3. The syrup pH is corrected with products allowed on the Positive List of Organics (executive instruction No. 18, dated May 28, 2009, Law 10831, dated Dec. 23, 2003); to pH 4.5 to 5.0;
4. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
5. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma.
Thus, example 3 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, as shown in Table 6.
18-20.0
1. Solid VVHP (Very High Polarization) or VHP (Very High Polarization) sucrose is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma.
Thus, example 4 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, as shown in Table 7.
18-20.0
1. Solid Demerara sucrose is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or
(iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma.
Thus, EXAMPLE 5 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, as shown in Table 8.
18-20.0
1. Solid sucrose from any type of sugar is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The honey syrup is added with 0.5% to 20.0% of soluble fibers, organic or not, such as, for instance: corn fibers, polydextroses, soluble maltodextrins (example: Promitor 70R/Grasse), or cassava fibers (example: LowPure Tapioca 900/Gramkow).
Thus, example 6 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is rich in fibers, as shown in Table 9.
18-20.0
1. Solid sucrose from any type of sugar is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The honey syrup is added with 0.5% to 20.0% organic or non-organic insoluble fibers, such as corn or cassava fibers (example: Fibervita—MF Carrier 125) or plant fibers (Example: inulin/Grasse).
Thus, example 7 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is regarded as a food rich in insoluble fibers, as shown in Table 10.
18-20.0
1. Solid sucrose from any type of sugar is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through intense agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The syrup is added with 1.0% to 20.0% soluble or insoluble fibers in a proportion of 1.0 to 99.0% of mixture of both types of fibers.
Thus, example 8 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is regarded as a food rich in soluble and insoluble fibers, as shown in Table 11.
18-20.0
1. Solid sucrose from any type of sugar is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The syrup is added with 1.0% to 20.0% with soluble or insoluble fibers or a soluble/insoluble fiber combination;
6. The syrup may receive additives taking into account the range for a daily intake of Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, and Magnesium as indicated for the various age groups or group of necessities according to an ANVISA regulation approved under Decree No. 3029, dated Apr. 16, 1999, combined with article 111, item 1, letter “e” of the Bylaws approved under Ordinance No. 593, dated Aug. 25, 2000, published in the Dec. 22, 2000 DOU (Federal Official Gazette), at a meeting held on Dec. 6, 2004. Other national or foreign regulations may also be used as a reference. Also, other minerals, such as copper, selenium, manganese, and phosphorus, may be added within the limits established in the various regulations.
Thus, example 9 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is regarded as a food rich in fibers (soluble or insoluble or both) and minerals, as shown in Table 12: Table 12: Example comparing the composition of bee honey and artificial honey. Comparison based on enzymatically inverted DEMERARA sugar rich in soluble/insoluble fibers and minerals. Example with 100% of the Anvisa-recommended dose:
1. Solid sucrose from any type of sugar is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is inverted CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The syrup is added with 1.0% to 20.0% with soluble or insoluble fibers or a soluble/insoluble fiber combination;
6. The syrup may be added taking into account the range for a daily intake of Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, and Magnesium as indicated for the various age groups or group of necessities according to an ANVISA regulation approved under Decree No. 3029, dated Apr. 16, 1999, combined with article 111, item 1, letter “e” of the Bylaws approved under Ordinance No. 593, dated Aug. 25, 2000, published in the Dec. 22, 2000 DOU (Federal Official Gazette), at a meeting held on Dec. 6, 2004. Other national or foreign regulations may also be used as a reference. Also, other minerals, such as copper, selenium, manganese, and phosphorus, may be added within the limits established in the various regulations;
7. The syrup may be added taking into account the range for a daily intake of vitamins of the A, B, C, D, and E complexes, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin, as indicated for the various age groups or group of necessities according to an ANVISA regulation approved under Decree No. 3029, dated Apr. 16, 1999, combined with article 111, item 1, letter “e” of the Bylaws approved under Ordinance No. 593, dated Aug. 25, 2000, published in the Dec. 22, 2000 DOU (Federal Official Gazette), at a meeting held on Dec. 6, 2004. Other national or foreign regulations may also be used as a reference. Other vitamins, such as vitamin B5—pantothenic acid, and vitamin K, may be added according to the various regulations.
Thus, example 10 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is regarded as a food rich in fibers (soluble or insoluble or both), minerals, and vitamins, as shown in Table 13:
1. Solid sucrose from any type of sugar is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through intense agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The syrup is added with 1.0% to 20.0% with soluble or insoluble fibers or a soluble/insoluble fiber combination;
6. The syrup may be added taking into account the range for a daily intake of Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, and Magnesium as indicated for the various age groups or group of necessities according to an ANVISA regulation approved under Decree No. 3029, dated Apr. 16, 1999, combined with article 111, item 1, letter “e” of the Bylaws approved under Ordinance No. 593, dated Aug. 25, 2000, published in the Dec. 22, 2000 DOU (Federal Official Gazette), at a meeting held on Dec. 6, 2004. Other national or foreign regulations may also be used as a reference. Also, other minerals, such as copper, selenium, manganese, and phosphorus, may be added within the limits established in the various regulations;
7. The syrup may be added taking into account the range for a daily intake of vitamins of the A, B, C, D, and E complexes, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin, as indicated for the various age groups or group of necessities according to an ANVISA regulation approved under Decree No. 3029, dated Apr. 16, 1999, combined with article 111, item 1, letter “e” of the Bylaws approved under Ordinance No. 593, dated Aug. 25, 2000, published in the Dec. 22, 2000 DOU (Federal Official Gazette), at a meeting held on Dec. 6, 2004. Other national or foreign regulations may also be used as a reference. Other vitamins, such as vitamin B5—pantothenic acid, and vitamin K, may be added according to the various regulations;
8. According to the characteristics of the various types of natural honey (flowers, region, seasonality, etc.), the syrup may also be added with various types of amino acids, such as: glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glutamine, histidine, glycine, threonine, alanine, arginine, proline, tyrosine, valine, methionine, cysteine, leucine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, tryptophan, ornithine, and lysine, and others. However, as said before, either the presence or the absence of those amino acids in natural honey depends on the place of occurrence, type of flower, type of pollen, etc. However, in the artificial honey product of this invention, we can optionally add a mix of amino acids that will mimic or is superior to the composition of conventional honey. Thus, the artificial honey product can have superior standardization, always making sure that, in the end product, the various amino acids can be present.
Thus, the claim in example 11 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is regarded as a food rich in fibers, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids, as shown in Table 14:
1. Solid sucrose from any type of sugar is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through intense agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is inverted CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The syrup is added with 1.0% to 20.0% with soluble or insoluble fibers or a soluble/insoluble fiber combination;
6. The syrup may be added taking into account the range for a daily intake of Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, and Magnesium as indicated for the various age groups or group of necessities according to an ANVISA regulation approved under Decree No. 3029, dated Apr. 16, 1999, combined with article 111, item 1, letter “e” of the Bylaws approved under Ordinance No. 593, dated Aug. 25, 2000, published in the Dec. 22, 2000 DOU (Federal Official Gazette), at a meeting held on Dec. 6, 2004. Other national or foreign regulations may also be used as a reference. Also, other minerals, such as copper, selenium, manganese, and phosphorus, may be added within the limits established in the various regulations;
7. The syrup may be added taking into account the range for a daily intake of vitamins of the A, B, C, D, and E complexes, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin, as indicated for the various age groups or group of necessities according to an ANVISA regulation approved under Decree No. 3029, dated Apr. 16, 1999, combined with article 111, item 1, letter “e” of the Bylaws approved under Ordinance No. 593, dated Aug. 25, 2000, published in the Dec. 22, 2000 DOU (Federal Official Gazette), at a meeting held on Dec. 6, 2004. Other national or foreign regulations may also be used as a reference. Other vitamins, such as vitamin B5—pantothenic acid, and vitamin K, may be added according to the various regulations;
8. According to the characteristics of the various types of natural honey (flowers, region, seasonality, etc.), the syrup may also be added with various types of amino acids, such as: glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glutamine, histidine, glycine, threonine, alanine, arginine, proline, tyrosine, valine, methionine, cysteine, leucine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, tryptophan, ornithine, and lysine, and others. However, as said before, either the presence or the absence of those amino acids in natural honey depends on the place of occurrence, type of flower, type of pollen, etc. However, in the artificial honey product of this invention, we can optionally add a mix of amino acids that will mimic or is superior to the composition of conventional honey. Thus, the artificial honey product can have superior standardization, always making sure that, in the product, the various amino acids can be present;
9. The artificial honey product can be added with encapsulated, micro-encapsulated, or nano-encapsulated substances, for instance, sugarcane molasse, sugarcane honey, pharmacological and nutraceutical compounds, natural plant extracts, but not limited to these. The encapsulation process preserves the pharmacological properties of products and masks their potential interferences in the organoleptic properties of artificial honey; however, it maintains their functional properties intact. The addition proportion will depend on the type of product to be added and the concentration of the substances of interest, between 1.0 to 10.0% of the end honey product, though it can be higher. Some additives like vitamins, amino acids, and minerals may also be encapsulated.
Thus, the claim in example 12 refers to:
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is regarded as a food rich in fibers, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and encapsulated substances of interest, as shown in Table 15:
0-49.0
0-49.0
1. Sugar from beetroot, coconut, and other products is diluted with water to a sucrose syrup from 78.0 to 82.0° Brix and heated at 80° C. for total dissolution of the sugar, through intense agitation in the tank;
2. The syrup is inverted CHEMICALLY inverted (organic or non-organic products) or ENZYMATICALLY as described in the previous examples;
3. The syrup is filtered for removal of particulates;
4. The filtered syrup is added with: (i) aroma identical to the natural flavor (example: aroma AIN Artificial Honey/Grasse), (ii) artificial honey aroma, or (iii) optionally, natural honey aroma. The aroma proportion indicated in this product is 0.1% to 5.0% (w/w) or until it becomes identical to the natural honey aroma;
5. The syrup may be added with fibers, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and encapsulated substances, as shown in example 6 through 12.
The product is similar to bee honey in terms of appearance, thickness, and flavor, but it is regarded as a food rich in fibers (soluble or insoluble or both), minerals, amino acids, and encapsulated substances.
Thus, example 12 refers to:
The artificial honey product can be encapsulated using several products, such as calcium alginate, maltodextrin, and modified starches producing capsules or pearls of several diameters, not limited to only these encapsulation agents.
For instance, calcium alginate, which is the main gel used for encapsulation, because of its gelling properties, low cost, handiness, and inexistent toxicity, will be described below:
1. The honey syrup may be added with 5.0% (w/w) acid alginate heated at 70° C. The concentration of alginate may vary between 1.0 and 20.0% in the product;
2. The honey syrup is dripped into a water-based solution containing 3.5% CaCl2) through agitation at 100 rpm, using mechanical dripping devices that can drip several volumes, consequentially producing sugar pearls of several diameters;
3. The pearls can be sunk in the solution for different times, as one might want a softer or harder pearl, depending on the application.
Thus, the claim in EXAMPLE 14 refers to:
The honey pearls have a bee honey favor in a format never seen before on the market, thus bringing an innovation in the form and marketing of the product.
The artificial honey product may be thickened using several hydrocolloids, such as Xantan gum, Guar gum, pectins, gelatins, gellan gum, carrageenans, cellulose compounds, and others, like modified starches, gelling agents, and emulsifiers, producing artificial honey gels and pastes with several textures, not limited to only said agents.
As an example, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, which was used in the honey syrup, with a texturized honey gel being obtained, according to the example:
1. The honey syrup may be added with 1.0% (w/w) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, such as the product Walocel CRT 40000PA. The concentration of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose may vary between 0.1 and 20.0% in the product;
2. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can be added directly to the honey syrup and mechanically homogenized, producing a honey product with gelatinous texture.
Thus, the claim in EXAMPLE 15 refers to:
The honey gels and pastes have a bee honey favor in a form of supply never seen before on the market, thus bringing an innovation in the form and marketing of the product.
The above examples have been described to illustrate the various methods of production of the artificial honey product and its final composition from both types of inversion, several types of raw material, and additives, and must not be faced as limiting this invention, it being known that slight variations from the above will still be part of the scope of this invention.
In this regard, the scope of this invention also covers the various uses and applications of an artificial honey composition having such similar taste to that of natural honey with improved properties, as described in this invention. The main applications, however, without limitation, are:
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.2019.00215-0 | Feb 2019 | BR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/BR2020/050022 | 1/31/2020 | WO | 00 |
