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US 6,228,996 B1Granted
Process for extracting sweet diterpene glycosides
OwnerJames H. Zhou, Weiping Heinventors
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Abstract
A process is provided for obtaining diterpene glycosides which process extracts such diterpene glycosides from plant or botanical material so as to provide a product which is high in content of such diterpene glycosides, and substantially free of bitter tasting tannins. This advantageously provides a product which can be used as a sweetener material.
Claims23
A process for obtaining diterpene glycosides from a plant source containing diterpene glycosides, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plant source material containing diterpene glycosides,
- obtaining a liquid extract from said source material, said liquid extract containing said diterpene glycosides;
- mixing said liquid extract with a saturated solution containing at least one metallic ion selected from the group consisting of metallic ion having an oxidation number of three, metallic ions having an oxidation number of two, and combinations thereof to provide a mixture;
- allowing said mixture to stand to permit a solid material to precipitate thereby providing said solid material and a liquid portion containing said diterpene glycosides;
- passing said liquid portion through a first column containing a neutral absorptive macroporous resin to absorb portions of said liquid portion including said diterpene glycosides onto said neutral absorptive macroporous resin;
- rinsing said first column with an alcohol to obtain an alcohol solution containing said diterpene glycosides;
- passing said alcohol solution through a second column containing an alkaline macroporous resin so as to provide a purified alcohol solution containing said diterpene glycosides;
- and
- drying said purified alcohol solution so as to provide a dry composition containing said diterpene glycosides.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.