WO2007039041A1

WO2007039041A1 - Food composition

Info

Publication number: WO2007039041A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/008847
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yuguang Lin; Mario A. Vermeer
Original assignee: Unilever N.V.; Unilever Plc; Hindustan Unilever Limited
Priority date: 2005-09-30
Filing date: 2006-09-08
Publication date: 2007-04-12
Also published as: WO2007039040A1

Abstract

A food product comprising one or more sterols, oleanoic acid and/or ursolic acid, and wherein the weight ratio of sterols to the total amount of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is from 1 : 10 to 50 : 1 and wherein the sterol is selected from the group of fatty acid ester of ß-sitosterol, ß-sitostanol, campesterol, campestanol, stigmasterol, stigmastanol and mixtures thereof.

Description

Food composition

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a composition, specifically to a functional food composition having one or more health effects in humans. In particular, such health effect is related to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disorders.

Background to the invention

Plant sterols and their analogues and derivatives (hereafter referred to as sterols) enjoy a considerable scientific interest for their health promoting properties. For example sterols and fatty esters thereof are known for their LDL cholesterol lowering properties, LDL cholesterol being an established risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular diseases. However, the maximal cholesterol lowering effect of plant sterols/stanols is about 10-15%. For many subjects, more than 15% of cholesterol lowering is desired, there is a need to enhance the cholesterol lowering effect of sterols via combining them with other, preferably food or natural, ingredients .

One of the new trends is the combination of sterols with other health promoting ingredients, to target specific medical conditions or to achieve improved performance of the sterols. For example US 2002/0068095 discloses the combination of (a) one or more phytosterols or phytostanols with (b) a composition capable of inhibiting cholesterol absorption and (c) a composition capable of increasing cholesterol metabolism, wherein at least one of the compositions (b) and (c) is derived from plants.

This patent document mentions a great number of potentially- suitable plant sources to obtain the desired compositions (b) and (c) . A great number of these plants however are medical plants which would not be suitable for the use in food products.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a composition comprising a combination of sterols and further heart health ingredients, wherein the form and amount of said sterols and further heart health ingredients are such that improved effects can be obtained in lowering cholesterol levels. The composition of the invention can suitably be used in a variety of products, especially food products as described herein.

Surprisingly, we found that the combination of sterols with 1 or 2 further heart health ingredients selected from the group consisting of oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) in specific weight ratios leads to a synergistic cholesterol lowering effect, which is much higher than the maximum effect (15% as above described) of sterols alone. Also it has been found that if sterols are combined with oleanolic acid and/or ursolic acid in compositions comprising these ingredients in specific weight ratios, this leads to unexpectedly good lowering of plasma lipid concentrations in mammals.

Furthermore, the present invention provides food compositions comprising combinations of active ingredients to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases beyond what is obtainable by using only one of the active ingredients.

Accordingly in a first aspect the invention relates to a food product comprising one or more sterols, oleanoic acid and/or ursolic acid, and wherein the weight ratio of sterols to the total amount of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is from 1 : 10 to 50 : 1 and wherein the sterol is selected from the group of fatty acid ester of β-sitosterol , β-sitostanol , campesterol, campestanol, stigmasterol , stigmastanol and mixtures thereof.

Preferably the compositions of the invention are food products.

Also preferably the composition of the invention comprises both oleanoic acid and ursolic acid.

For the purpose of the invention the term oleanolic acid or ursolic acid also encompasses the food grade or edible salts or derivatives of these components, wherein the heart health functionality is substantially the same as for oleanolic acid and/or ursolic acid.

Detailed description of the invention

Discussion of prior art documents KR 2004 027 829 (Aimsphil Co LTD) discloses nanoliposome compositions suitable for treating skin diseases. These compositions comprise a combination of pentacyclic triterpenic acid (selected from ursolic acid, ursolic acid derivates and ursolic isomers) and sterols (selected from cholesterol, cholesterol acetate, cholesterol isostearate and cholesteryl macadamiate) . Dl does not disclose food products or the use of specific fatty acid esterified steols as described above. US 2002/0068095 discloses a composition comprising one or more phytosterols or phytostanols . D2 does not disclose the specific esterified sterols of the current invention. Also although D2 mentions several possible plants as a suitable ingredient for the composition, the specific combination of hawthorn extract and sterols in the ratios as currently claimed do not seem to be suggested or disclosed.

US 5,665,359 discloses the administration of the use of Shanzha fruit to obtain a hypocholesterolemic effect. D3 does not seem to disclose the combined use of hawthorn extract and specific esterified sterols in specific ratios in accordance to the present invention.

Compositions of the invention comprise sterols and oleanolic acid and/or ursolic acid. The amounts should be chosen such that the weight ratio of sterols to the total amount of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is from 1 : 10 to 50 : 1, more preferred from 5 : 1 to 50 : 1, most preferred from 10 : 1 to 30 : 1.

Ursolic acid and oleanolic acid are known for their health effects. For example, EPl, 161, 879 describes the use of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, obtained from apple skins, in food products and food supplements.

Ursolic acid and oleanolic acid can be obtained by various methods, for example by synthesis or by extraction from various natural sources such as apples, pears, cranberries, cherries, prunes or hawthorn.

A preferred natural extract containing OA and/or UA comprises at least 10 wt% of materials extracted from hawthorn and up to 90 wt% of solvent. Preferably the amount of materials from hawthorn is at least 25 wt%, more preferred 50 wt%, while the solvent level in the extract preferably is from 0 to 50 wt%, for example from 10 to 40 wt%. Especially preferred are hawthorn extracts which are substantially free from solvent, most preferably are hawthorn extracts which after extraction have been dried to form a hawthorn extract in powder form.

Typically the amount of natural extracts containing ursolic acid and/or oleanolic acid to be used in the composition of the invention will depend on a number of factors. For example the amount of sterol in the composition and the amount of UA and OA in the extract provided the specific weight ratio of sterols to the total of UA and OA is within the range as specified above. Generally however the amount of natural extract containing ursolic acid and/or oleanolic acid will be from 0.01 to 20 wt% of the composition, more general from 0.1 to 10 wt% such as for example 1 to 5 wt%.

The total amount of UA and/or OA in a composition of the invention is generally from 3 to 6000 mg per kg, preferably from 30 to 1000 mg per kg, most preferred from 200 to 600 mg per kg .

Preferably, the daily intake of total OA and/or UA is from lOmg to 800mg, more preferably from 50 to 400mg, especially from lOOmg to 200mg per day.

Preferably the weight ratio of UA to OA in compositions of the invention is 20 : 1 to 1 : 1, more prefered 15 : 1 to 2 : 1, and most preferred 10 : 1 to 3 : 1.

The Sterols For the purpose of the invention the term sterols refers to phytosterols, phytostanols, analogues, esters and derivatives thereof. The term sterol esters also refers to fatty acid esters of phytosterols or phytostanols

Typically, the phytosterols, phytostanols and their analogues and derivatives may be selected from one or more of phytosterols, phytostanols, synthetic analogues of phytosterols and phytostanols and esterified derivatives of any of the foregoing, and mixtures of any of these. The total amount of such substances in a product of the invention is preferably from 0.1% to 20%, more preferably from 0.1% to 15%, still more preferably from 0.2% to 8%, and most preferably from 0.3% to 8% by weight of the composition.

Preferably, the daily intake of such sterol -type component of the combination is from 0. Ig to 3g, more preferably from 1.5g to 2.5g, especially from 2g to 2.25g per day.

Sterols can be classified in three groups, 4-desmethylsterols, 4-monomethylsterols and 4 , 4 ' -dimethylsterols . In oils they mainly exists as free sterols and sterol esters of fatty acids although sterol glucosides and acylated sterol glucosides are also present. There are three major phytosterols namely beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol .

The phytostanols are the respective 5α- saturated derivatives of phytosterols such as sitostanol, campestanol and their derivatives .

Synthetic analogues of any of the sterols or stanols (which include chemically modified natural components) may also be used. Preferably the sterol is selected from the group comprising fatty acid ester of β-sitosterol , β-sitostanol , campesterol, campestanol, stigmasterol , stigmastanol and mixtures thereof.

Fatty Acid Esters

The sterol materials recited above may optionally be provided in the form of one or more fatty acid esters thereof. Mixtures of esterified and non-esterified materials may also be used.

Thus, any of the sterols and their synthetic analogues used in the present invention are preferably esterified with a fatty acid. Preferably, they are esterified with one or more C₂-₂₂ fatty acids. For the purpose of the invention the term C₂-₂₂ fatty acid refers to any molecule comprising a C2-₂2 main chain and at least one acid group. Although not preferred within the present context the C₂-₂₂ main chain may contain 1-6 double bonds, be partially substituted or side chains may be present. Preferably, however the C₂-₂₂ fatty acids are linear molecules comprising one or two acid group (s) as end group (s) . Most preferred are linear C₈-₂₂ fatty acids as occur in natural liquid oils.

Suitable examples of any such fatty acids are for example lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, cetoleic acid, erucic acid, elaidic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid and mixtures thereof.

When desired a mixture of fatty acids may be used for esterification of the sterols. For example, it is possible to use a naturally occurring fat or oil as a source of the fatty acid and to carry out the esterification via an interesterification reaction. Use of a natural source nearly always results in a mixture of fatty acids.

In a particular embodiment, the fatty acid mixture contains a high amount (>50%, preferably >70%, further preferred >80%) of unsaturates, being either monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and/or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) . This does not only provide the advantage of e.g. PUFA itself having good blood cholesterol lowering capacity, but also of the sterols esters prepared with such fatty acids.

Preferably fatty acid mixtures of sunflower, safflower, rapeseed, linseed, olive oil, linola and/or soybean are used. These are typical sources of high PUFA and/or low SAFA. Suitable esterification conditions are for example described in WO 92/19640.

Food products

In a second aspect it is a further object of the invention to provide a food composition having one or more health effects in humans, in particular such health effect is related to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disorders. Another object is to provide such food composition having a acceptable taste, preferably a good taste. Still a further object is to provide a food composition, that upon consumption by a human subject is effective in causing in the human subject a reduction of level of total blood cholesterol and/or a reduction of level of LDL cholesterol .

Accordingly the invention also relates to a food composition comprising sterols and oleanolic acid and/or ursolic acid wherein the weight ratio of sterols to the total of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is preferably from 5 : 1 to 50 : 1, more preferred from 10 : 1 to 30 : 1, most preferred from 25 : 1 to 20 : 1.

The food composition according to the invention may preferably be used as a physiologically functional food product. According to a preferred embodiment, the consumption of the food composition by a human subject is effective in causing in the human subject a reduction of level of total blood cholesterol and/or a reduction of level of LDL cholesterol.

The food products according to the invention may be of any food type. They may comprise common food ingredients in addition to the sterol and the oleanolic acid and/or ursolic acid, such as flavour, sugar, fruits, minerals, vitamins, stabilisers, thickeners, etc. in appropriate amounts. Preferably the food products are fruit juice products, dairy type such as yogurt or milk products, frozen confectionery products, nutrition bars and food emulsions such as spreads. These preferred types of food products are described in some detail below. These preferred food products may advantageously be used as part of a fat containing meal, or be used in conjuction with such a meal.

Examples of food products according to the invention are:

Fruit juice products

Examples of fruit juice products according to the invention are juices derived from citrus fruit like orange and grapefruit, tropical fruits, banana, peach, peer, strawberry or berry in which the sterols and ursolic acid and/or oleanolic acid are dissolved or suspended optionally in the presence of an appropriate emulsifier The average serving size for the fruit juice products is 250 ml. Typically the amount of sterol in 250 ml juice will be from 0.2 to 2 grams.

Dairy type products Examples of dairy products according to the invention are milk, dairy spreads, cream cheese, milk type drinks and yoghurt, wherein the the sterols and ursolic acid and/or oleanolic acid are dissolved or suspended optionally in the presence of an appropriate emulsifier. Optionally flavour or other additives may be added, also optionally the product could be homogenized by a high speed mixer. The average serving size for the dairy type product is 100 ml. Typically the amount of sterol in 100 ml dairy product will be from 0.2 to 2 grams.

An average serving size for a yoghurt type product could be from 50 to 250 g, generally from 80 to 200 g. Typically the amount of sterol in such a serving will be from 0.2 to 2 grams.

Frozen Confectionery Products For the purpose of the invention the term frozen confectionery product includes milk containing frozen confections such as icecream, frozen yoghurt, sherbet, sorbet, ice milk and frozen custard, water-ices, granitas and frozen fruit purees. Preferably the level of solids in the frozen confection e.g. sugar, fat, flavouring etc) is more than 3 wt%, more preferred from 10 to 70 wt%, for example 40 to 70 wt%.

Ice cream will typically comprise 0 to 20 wt% of fat, 0.1 to 5 wt% sterols, 0.1 to 5 wt% ursolic acid and/or oleanolic acid, sweeteners, 0 to 10 wt% of non-fat milk components and optional components such as emulsifiers, stabilisers, preservatives, flavouring ingredients, vitamins, minerals, etc, the balance being water. Typically ice cream will be aerated e.g. to an overrun of 20 to 400 %, more specific 40 to 200 % and frozen to a temperature of from -2 to -200 ⁰C, more specific -10 to -30 ⁰C. Ice cream normally comprises calcium at a level of about 0.1 wt%.

The average serving size of a frozen confectionery product is 85g.

Nutrition bars As example a composition of a granola bar is given. Granola bars consists of a binder syrup which binds the granola and fruit ingredients into a solid bar. E.g. nuts, pieces of chocolate, or a low moisture yoghurt filling can be added as well. The bar can be enrobed with a coating of e.g. chocolate or a low moisture yoghurt layer.

Granola bar example (weight per cent)

0-40 % granola base (oat flakes, wheat flakes, rice crispies) 0-60 % binder syrup (corn syrup, sugar, salt, lecithine, vegetable oil)

0-40 % fruit filling (low moisture jelly, dried fruits

0.1 to 5 wt% of sterol and ursolic acid and/or oleanolic acid.

Moisture content of a nutrition bar is typically below 15%.

Food emulsions, (fruit) spreads

The food product may be an oil and water containing emulsion, for instance a spread or a margarine. Oil and water emulsion is herein defined as an emulsion comprising oil and water and includes oil in water (O/W) emulsions and water in oil emulsions (W/O) and more complex emulsions for instance water- in-oil-in-water (W/O/W/O/W) emulsions. Oil is herein defined as including fat . Preferably the food product is a spread, frozen confection, a drink or a sauce. Preferably a spread according to the invention comprises 30-90 wt% vegetable oil. Advantageously a spread has a pH of 4.2-6.0.

Other food product according to the invention can be prepared by the skilled person based on common general knowledge, using the ursolic acid and/or oleanolic acid and the sterols as an ingredient in suitable amounts. Examples of such food products are baked goods, dairy type foods, snacks, etc.

The invention will now be illustrated by means of the following example .

Example I

Investigation of cholesterol -lowering effect of OA/UA in combination with sterol esters.

Study methods

Male LVG Golden Syrian hamsters (aged 8 weeks, approximately 70-80 g of body weight at arrival) were acclimated to individual stainless steel cages and fed a basal semi purified diet before initiation of the experimental diet treatment. These animals were randomly assigned to four groups based on their body weight. Each group consisted of 20 hamsters. Animals were housed individually in cages in a temperature-controlled environment under a 12 h light-dark cycle (lights on 18:00 h) . OA and UA used in this study was isolated from hawthorn fruit.

The experimental diets were semi -purified diets modified from AIN- 93 rodent diet. The four diets were: A) Control diet B) OA/UA diet

C) Plant sterol ester (PSE) diet

D) OA/UA + PSE diet

Table 1. Nutrient composition of the control and experimental diets

* OA and UA were isolated from hawthorn fruits. The details of the nutrient composition of each diet are shown in Table 1. The diets contained 30 energy % as fat (15.6 en% SAFA, 8,9 en% MUFA and 4,8 en% PUFA, resembling to a typical Western fat intake) . PSE was β-sitosterol, which had been esterified with fatty acids from sunflower oil to an esterification degree of >92%. Animals were fed experimental diets for 4 weeks. Hamsters had free access to food and water.

Plasma lipid and lipoprotein analysis Plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations were determined by enzymatic assays (Sigma Chemicals, Deisenhofen, Germany) . Free cholesterol (FC) in the liver samples was measured using an enzymatic kit from Wako Chemicals GmbH, Neuss, Germany. Plasma lipoproteins were isolated by sequential ultracentrifugation.

Three fractions were isolated based on the following densities: VLDL (d<1.006 kg/L) , LDL (1.006 <d <1.055 kg/L) , HDL (1.055 <d < 1.21 kg/L). TC and TAG concentrations in the fractions were determined using enzymatic assays .

Study results

Plasma cholesterol lowering effect (Table 2)

Since plasma VLDL and LDL fractions are low in hamsters, we combined the VLDL and LDL as non-HDL-C.

Hamsters administered PSE had significantly lower plasma non- HDL cholesterol concentrations than the control group (P<0.05). OA/UA tended to lower plasma TC and non-HDL-C compared to the control diet. However, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P<0.30). The combination of OA/UA with PSE had a synergistic cholesterol -lowering effect as indicated by the results that the combination of these ingredients resulted in an extra cholesterol-lowering effect compared to the add-on effect of these ingredients given individually.

Table 2. Plasma and lipoprotein lipid concentrations (mmol/L) of hamsters fed control and treatment diets

TC non-HDL-C

Control 5.85+0.21 2.08±0.12

OA/UA 5.39+0.18 1.96+0.08

(-8%) (-6%)

PSE 5.56+0.19 1.90+0.08 *

(-5%) (-9%)

OA/UA + PSE 4.93+0.19 * 1.64+0.10 *

(-16%) (-21%)

Data are presented as means ± SE (n=20) . * indicates that the value is significantly different from that of control (P<0.05) .

Data in parenthesis represent percentage difference compared to control group .

Claims

1. A food product comprising one or more sterols, oleanoic acid and/or ursolic acid, and wherein the weight ratio of sterols to the total amount of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is from 1 : 10 to 50 : 1 and wherein the sterol is selected from the group of fatty acid ester of β-sitosterol, β-sitostanol, campesterol, campestanol, stigmasterol , stigmastanol and mixtures thereof .

2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the amount of sterols is from 0.1 to 20 wt%, more preferably 0.2 to 8 wt%.

3. A composition according to claim 1 and 2 wherein the total amount of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is from 3 to 6,000 mg/kg.

4. A composition according to any of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the weight ratio of oleanolic acid to ursolic acid is from

20 : 1 to 1 : 1, more prefered 15 : 1 to 2 : 1, and most preferred 10 : 1 to 3 : 1.

5. A composition according to any of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the weight ratio of sterols to the total amount of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid is from 5 : 1 to 50 : 1, preferably from 10 : 1 to 30 : 1.