Abstract: The present invention is concerned with providing refined plant isolates that can be used as starting materials for the production of functional food ingredients, such as taste enhancers, through an isolation process that employs ion exclusion chromatography. More particularly, the present invention provides a refined plant isolate comprising at least 30% by weight of dry matter of water soluble plant components selected from fructose, glucose, proteinaceous matter of plant origin, acids and potassium, said isolate further being characterized in that at a concentration of 40° Brix the isolate: •contains at least 0.3 wt % of glutamate; •contains at least 500 ppm of K+; •contains less than 300 ppm of Ca2+; •contains less than 700 ppm of Mg2+; •contains less than 1 wt. % of components capable of passing an ultra filtration membrane having a molecular weight cut off of 250 kDa; wherein the concentration ratio ([Ca2+]+[Mg2+])/[K+] does not exceed 5:100, each of said cation concentrations being expressed in ppm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tomato isolate comprising 0-90 wt. % water and 10-100 wt. % dry matter. The isolate comprises glutamate, aspartate and sucrose; wherein the weight ratio glutamate:citrate exceeds 2 and wherein glutamate, 5?-AMP, aspartate and pyroglutamate together represent at least 15 wt. % of the dry matter contained in the tomato isolate.

Abstract: The invention provides an efficient method for producing a high quality umami-active tomato fraction, said process comprising the steps of: a. providing a tomato serum; b. separating the tomato serum into two or more portions, including a lycopene-depleted portion and a lycopene-enriched portion; c. concentrating the lycopene-depleted portion to at least 10° Brix; d. chromatographically fractionating the concentrated lycopene-depleted portion into two or more fractions, including a crude umami fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:monosaccharide of X and a monosaccharide fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:monosaccharide of Y, wherein the ratio X:Y exceeds 20; e. optionally, concentrating the crude umami fraction; f. chromatographically fractionating the crude umami fraction into two or more fractions, including a clean umami fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:citrate of K and a citrate fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:citrate of L, wherein the ratio K:L exceeds 10.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with providing refined plant isolates that can be used as starting materials for the production of functional food ingredients, such as taste enhancers, through an isolation process that employs ion exclusion chromatography. More particularly, the present invention provides a refined plant isolate comprising at least 30% by weight of dry matter of water soluble plant components selected from fructose, glucose, proteinaceous matter of plant origin, acids and potassium, said isolate further being characterized in that at a concentration of 40° Brix the isolate: •contains at least 0.3 wt % of glutamate; •contains at least 500 ppm of K+; •contains less than 300 ppm of Ca2+; •contains less than 700 ppm of Mg2+; •contains less than 1 wt. % of components capable of passing an ultra filtration membrane having a molecular weight cut off of 250 kDa; wherein the concentration ratio ([Ca2+]+[Mg2+])/[K+] does not exceed 5:100, each of said cation concentrations being expressed in ppm.

Abstract: A method for separating a feed mixture comprising at least two solutes by an intermittent multi column chromatography process with a basic step N performed in a predetermined switching time period. Basic step N comprises two sub steps which are carried out sequentially according to a predetermined step ratio. In sub step one inlet ports and outlet ports are open, a desorbent and a feed mixture enters upstream of a first and a third section. A first outlet stream comprising the desorbent and at least one solute is withdrawn downstream of the first section a second outlet stream comprising the desorbent and at least a further solute is withdrawn downstream of a the third section. In sub step two inlet ports and outlet ports are closed, a fluid stream comprising the desorbent part of the feed mixture circulates through three sections in a closed loop.

Abstract: The invention provides an efficient method for producing a high quality umami-active tomato fraction, said process comprising the steps of: a. providing a tomato serum; b. separating the tomato serum into two or more portions, including a lycopene-depleted portion and a lycopene-enriched portion; c. concentrating the lycopene-depleted portion to at least 10° Brix; d. chromatographically fractionating the concentrated lycopene-depleted portion into two or more fractions, including a crude umami fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:monosaccharide of X and a monosaccharide fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:monosaccharide of Y, wherein the ratio X:Y exceeds 20; e. optionally, concentrating the crude umami fraction; f. chromatographically fractionating the crude umami fraction into two or more fractions, including a clean umami fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:citrate of K and a citrate fraction with a weight ratio glutamate:citrate of L, wherein the ratio K:L exceeds 10.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with providing refined plant isolates that can be used as starting materials for the production of functional food ingredients, such as taste enhancers, through an isolation process that employs ion exclusion chromatography. More particularly, the present invention provides a refined plant isolate comprising at least 30% by weight of dry matter of water soluble plant components selected from fructose, glucose, proteinaceous matter of plant origin, acids and potassium, said isolate further being characterized in that at a concentration of 40° Brix the isolate: •contains at least 0.3 wt % of glutamate; •contains at least 500 ppm of K+; •contains less than 300 ppm of Ca2+; •contains less than 700 ppm of Mg •contains less than 1 wt. % of components capable of passing an ultra filtration membrane having a molecular weight cut off of 250 kDa; wherein the concentration ratio ([Ca2+]+[Mg2+])/[K?] does not exceed 5:100, each of said cation concentrations being expressed in ppm.