A composition comprising a Maillard reaction product (MRP) prepared from one or more glycosylated mogrosides (GMGs) and/or glycosylated monk fruit extracts (GMEs) is disclosed. Also disclosed are the methods of making the composition and methods of using the composition.

The invention provides a sweetener or flavor modifying composition comprising Thaumatin of greater than 90% purity and at least one Mogroside.

An enhanced sweetener made from granules of a carrier, such as sucrose, embedded with molecules of a high potency sweetener, such as stevia extract. The process for making the enhanced sweetener involves dissolving the high potency sweetener in warmed water and mixing the resulting solution with the heated carrier. The resulting slurry is then dried, optionally under reduced pressure. The apparatus for producing the enhanced sweetener includes one or more heated agitators connected to a heated, airtight blender, which can be evacuated with a vacuum pump. The result is an enhanced sweetener with a homogenous distribution of high potency ingredients that retains the functionalities of sugar necessary for food preparation, improves the spreading of the sweetness throughout the food, and reduces aftertastes. Other high potency ingredients and carriers may also be used in the process.

Nobel Stevia Sweetening components are provided. Through the analysis of the components of the nobel Steviol Glycoside included in the stevia extract and/or crystals, not only the quality control of sweeteners, but judgment on the correctness of indication of origin or infringement of right are facilitated since the raw material of the sweetener can be identified.

Disclosed are whole-cell catalysts, methods of making the whole-cell catalysts, and methods of using the whole-cell catalysts to produce steviol glycosides.

Methods of preparing steviol glycosides, including Rebaudioside D, Rebaudioside E, Rebaudioside M, Rebaudioside N and Rebaudioside O are provided herein. Sweetener and sweetened consumables containing Rebaudioside D, Rebaudioside E, Rebaudioside M, Rebaudioside N and Rebaudioside O are also provided herein.

The present invention relates to a steviol glycoside having the formula of (I)

##STR00001## wherein at least 3 sugar moieties are present at positions R1 and at least three sugar moieties are present at position R2 and wherein the steviol glycoside comprises at least seven sugar moieties all of which are linked, directly or indirectly, to the steviol aglycon by -linkages.

A sweetener composition comprising xylose, a sugar alcohol and brown seaweed extract in solid form, preferably powdered or crystalline form. The sugar alcohol is preferably an erythritol and the brown seaweed extract is preferably obtained from Laminaria japonica. The sweetener composition can further comprise one or a combination of additional vitamins, minerals, probiotic cultures, and other plant-based extracts.

Novel cultivars of Stevia rebaudiana plant, with a novel genetic trait of self-compatibility, and the advantageous use of this genetic trait in Stevia rebaudiana crossing breeding for increasing steviol glycosides production, including food and beverage products and other consumables, are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method for the production of a diterpene or a glycosylated diterpene, which method comprises: a. fermenting a recombinant microorganism in a suitable fermentation medium, wherein the microorganism comprises one or more nucleotide sequence(s) encoding: a polypeptide having ent-copalyl pyrophosphate synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene synthase activity; a polypeptide having ent-Kaurene oxidase activity; and a polypeptide having kaurenoic acid 13-hydroxylase activity and whereby expression of the nucleotide sequence(s) confer(s) on the microorganism the ability to produce at least steviol, whereby a diterpene or glycosylated diterpene is produced extracellularly in the fermentation medium; and b. recovering the diterpene or glycosylated diterpene from the fermentation medium.