The applications and future implications of bitterness reduction and inhibition in food products

Semisolid Extrusion 3D Printing of Propranolol Hydrochloride Gummy Chewable Tablets: an Innovative Approach to Prepare Personalized Medicine for Pediatrics

The demand for personalized medicine has received extensive attention, especially in pediatric preparations. An emerging technology, extrusion-based 3D printing, is highly attractive in the field of personalized medicine. In this study, we prepared propranolol hydrochloride (PR) gummy chewable tablets tailored for children by semisolid extrusion (SSE) 3D printing technology to meet personalized medicine needs in pediatrics. In this study, the effects of critical formulation variables on the rheological properties and printability of gum materials were investigated by constructing a full-factorial design. In addition, the masticatory properties, thermal stability, and disintegration time of the preparations were evaluated. Bitterness inhibitors were used to mask the bitterness of the preparations. The results of the full-factorial design showed that the amount of gelatin and carrageenan were the key factors in the formulation. Gelatin can improve printability and masticatory properties, carrageenan can improve thermal stability, and accelerate the disintegration of preparations; therefore, a reasonable combination of both could satisfactorily meet the demand for high-quality 3D printing. γ-Aminobutyric acid can reduce the bitterness of gummy chewable tablets to improve medication compliance and the determined formulation (F7) met the quality requirements. In conclusion, the gum material has excellent potential as an extrusion material for 3D printing. The dosage can be adjusted flexibly by the model shape and size. 3D printing has broad prospects in pediatric preparations.

Discovery and Development of S6821 and S7958 as Potent TAS2R8 Antagonists

In humans, bitter taste is mediated by 25 TAS2Rs. Many compounds, including certain active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients, and nutraceuticals, impart their bitter taste (or in part) through TAS2R8 activation. However, effective TAS2R8 blockers that can either suppress or reduce the bitterness of these compounds have not been described. We are hereby reporting a series of novel 3-(pyrazol-4-yl) imidazolidine-2,4-diones as potent and selective TAS2R8 antagonists. In human sensory tests, S6821 and S7958, two of the most potent analogues from the series, demonstrated efficacy in blocking TAS2R8-mediated bitterness and were selected for development. Following data evaluation by expert panels of a number of national and multinational regulatory bodies, including the US, the EU, and Japan, S6821 and S7958 were approved as safe under conditions of intended use as bitter taste blockers.

Toxicological evaluation of two novel bitter modifying flavour compounds: 3-(1-((3,5-dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-(3-hydroxybenzyl)imidazolidine-2,4-dione and 3-(1-((3,5-dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-(3-hydroxybenzyl)-5,5-dimethylimidazolidine-2,4-dione

A toxicological evaluation of two novel bitter modifying flavour compounds, 3-(1-((3,5-dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-(3-hydroxybenzyl)imidazolidine-2,4-dione (S6821, CAS 1119831-25-2) and 3-(1-((3,5-dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-(3-hydroxybenzyl)-5,5-dimethylimidazolidine-2,4-dione (S7958, CAS 1217341-48-4), were completed for the purpose of assessing their safety for use in food and beverage applications. S6821 undergoes oxidative metabolism in vitro, and in rat pharmacokinetic studies both S6821 and S7958 are rapidly converted to the corresponding O-sulfate and O-glucuronide conjugates. S6821 was not found to be mutagenic or clastogenic in vitro, and did not induce micronuclei in bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes in vivo. S7958, a close structural analog of S6821, was also found to be non-mutagenic in vitro. In short term and subchronic oral toxicity studies in rats, the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for both S7958 and S6821 was 100 mg/kg bw/day (highest dose tested) when administered as a food ad-mix for either 28 or 90 consecutive days, respectively. Furthermore, S6821 demonstrated a lack of maternal toxicity, as well as adverse effects on fetal morphology at the highest dose tested, providing a NOAEL of 1000 mg/kg bw/day for both maternal toxicity and embryo/fetal development when administered orally during gestation to pregnant rats.

In vitro evaluation of potential bitterness-masking terpenoids from the Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

In a screening of extracts of selected plants native to Ohio against the human bitterness receptor hTAS2R31, a chloroform-soluble extract of the aerial parts of Solidago canadensis (Canada goldenrod) was determined to have hTAS2R31 antagonistic activity and, thus, was fractionated for isolation of potential bitterness-masking agents. One new labdane diterpenoid, solidagol (1), and six known terpenoids, including two labdane diterpenoids (2 and 3), three clerodane diterpenoids (6β-angeloyloxykolavenic acid, 6β-tigloyloxykolavenic acid, and crotonic acid), and a triterpenoid (longispinogenin), were isolated. Among these compounds, 3β-acetoxycopalic acid (2) was found to be the first member of the labdane diterpene class shown to have inhibitory activity against hTAS2R31 activation (IC50 8 μM). A homology model of hTAS2R31 was constructed, and the molecular docking of 2 to this model indicated that this diterpenoid binds well to the active site of hTAS2R31, whereas this was not the case for the closely structurally related compound 3 (sempervirenic acid). The content of 2 in the chloroform-soluble portion of the methanolic extract of S. canadensis was up to 2.24 g/100 g dry weight, as determined by HPLC.

In vitro evaluation of flavonoids from Eriodictyon californicum for antagonist activity against the bitterness receptor hTAS2R31

The leaves of the native North American plant, Eriodictyon californicum, were once used to mask the bitter taste of pharmaceuticals, an application currently of importance. Ten flavonoids (1-10) were isolated from the leaves of E. californicum, of which the structure and absolute configuration of 6-methoxyhesperetin (8) were assigned for the first time. In addition, the absolute configurations at C-2 were established for 4'-isobutyrylhomoeriodictyol (3) and 6-methoxyhomoeriodictyol (7). Using a cell-based assay, it was determined that the 7-methoxylated flavanones, sakuranetin (2) and 6-methoxysakuranetin (9), and the flavone, jaceosidin (10), are antagonists of hTAS2R31.

Taste masking technologies in oral pharmaceuticals: recent developments and approaches

Taste is one of the most important parameters governing patient compliance. Undesirable taste is one of several important formulation problems that are encountered with certain drugs. Oral administration of bitter drugs with an acceptable degree of palatability is a key issue for health care providers, especially for pediatric patients. Several oral pharmaceuticals, numerous food and beverage products, and bulking agents have unpleasant, bitter-tasting components. So, any pharmaceutical formulation with a pleasing taste would definitely be preferred over a competitor's product and would translate into better compliance and therapeutic value for the patient and more business and profits for the company. The desire of improved palatability in these products has prompted the development of numerous formulations with improved performance and acceptability. This article reviews the earlier applications and methodologies of taste masking and discusses the most recent developments and approaches of bitterness reduction and inhibition for oral pharmaceuticals.

Real time breath and headspace analysis of flavour volatiles

An overview is presented of the principle, scope and major applications to date of the use of atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation mass spectrometry (APCI-MS) for monitoring the kinetics of release of flavour volatiles in real time, principally from breath during eating. The technique is rapid, quantitative, sensitive to the ppb level and can be used to monitor the vast majority of flavour volatiles. Advances made during the last 5 years in our understanding of factors affecting flavour release, particularly when conducted simultaneously with sensory evaluation, are contributing increasingly to more efficient product development in the food and flavour industry and to the design of flavour systems with desired dynamic flavour characteristics. Real time APCI-MS headspace data may be used to validate mathematical modelling of flavour release. It is proposed that these advances may be applied with similar benefits in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in the improvement of the flavour acceptability of orally administered drugs.

Effect of different proteases on bitterness of hemoglobin hydrolysates

Hemoglobin was hydrolyzed by several enzymes (Proctase, Alcalase, Neutrase, papain). Hydrolysates were analyzed (degree of hydrolysis, gel permeation on Superose 12 column, tasting) and fractionated by ultrafiltration and 2-butanol extraction. The bitter peptides were isolated and identified. The results were compared with those already obtained with peptic hemoglobin hydrolysates. All the findings were confirmed. Ultrafiltration concentrated bitter compounds in the fraction corresponding to 500-5000 Da, and these compounds were selectively extracted by 2-butanol. All the bitter peptides belonged to the same fragment of the beta-chain of bovine hemoglobin. Finally, the use of a Superose 12 chromatographic column for easy detection of bitter hydrolysates without sensory analysis could be generalized for hemoglobin hydrolysates.

A review of sweet taste potentiation brought about by divalent oxygen and sulfur incorporation

The plethora of high-potency sweetener research has allowed the construction of important structure-taste relationships. In light of new structure-taste relationships, it is instructive to review sweet taste potentiation brought about by divalent oxygen and sulfur incorporation. The taste of sulfur-containing organic compounds was reviewed in Japanese by Yasuo Ariyoshi in 1977. Several new representative examples of sweet taste potentiation and taste dichotomy (sweet and bitter) found within similar classes of oxygen- and sulfur-containing organic compound: amides, dipeptides, ureas, sulfamates, sulfonamides, oximes, sugars, dihydroisocoumarins, and others are reviewed. Special attention is given to the thioethers and thioureas in sulfamates, dipeptides, aryl ureas, and hybrid dipeptide ureas. The most notable contributions have arisen from the work of Nofre and Tinti at Université Claude Bernard in Lyons, France. A common trend emerges with certain sweeteners when a carbon atom is strategically replaced by sulfur or oxygen atoms. The net result is an increase in the sweetness two- to tenfold. With saccharins, the usual bitter, metallic taste is removed. Sweet taste receptor models that have been published are mainly based on the original Shallenberger and Acree model of the glucophores AH-B with contributions from Kier (AH-B-X). AH is a proton donor group, B is a proton acceptor group, and X is some hydrophobic group. All of the models have overlooked the contributions of divalent sulfur (often in place of oxygen) in bringing about sweetness potentiation. There is no precedence for localizing the energy-minimized structures of sulfur-containing sweeteners in a binding mode that includes sulfur. These sulfur potentiation loci are analyzed and illustrated in a computer-generated sweetener model to show the specific region in which sulfur is being "recognized" as a potentiating feature.