Abstract: An improved method of purifying bean extract alpha-amylase inhibitor protein material is described. The materials purified by this process provide significantly more amylase inhibition than materials purified by other processes. In this process: (a) bean extract-derived alpha-amylase inhibitor is suspended in an aqueous solution having a pH of from about 3.0 to about 3.5; (b) a preservative is added to the solution; (c) the solution is heated to about 175 to about 195 F for about 10 to about 120 seconds; (d) the solution is cooled to about 65 to about 85 F and allowed to sit, in a non-agitated state, for about 3 to about 24 hours, such that bean extract particles settle out of solution; and (e) the supernatant, which contains the purified amylase inhibiting protein, is separated from the particles.

Abstract: An improved method of purifying bean extract alpha-amylase material is disclosed. The materials purified by this process provide significantly more amylase inhibition than materials purified by other processes. In this process: (a) bean extract alpha-amylase material is suspended in an aqueous solution at a solution pH of from about 3.0 to about 3.5; (b) a preservative is added to the solution; (c) the solution is heated to about 175 F to about 195 F for from about 10 to about 120 seconds; (d) the solution is cooled to a temperature of from about 65 to about 85 F, and the solution is allowed to sit, under static non-agitated conditions, at a temperature with that defined range for from about 3 to about 24 hours to allow bean extract particles to settle out of solution; and (e) the particles are separated from the supernatant.

Abstract: The present invention is a composition which provides product opacity (“cloud”) to beverages without requiring the use of added oil. The beverage comprises a beverage matrix, a protein having a tertiary or quaternary structure (such as WPC 80) having an average particle size of from about 0.3 to about 10 ?m and a hydrocolloid gum (such as gellan gum) which imparts thixotropic properties to the beverage matrix. The method for importing cloud to a beverage composition, using this composition, is also described.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes for preparing a plant matter extract, as well as food compositions comprising such extracts. The plant matter is selected from avocado, alfalfa, fig, primrose, and mixtures thereof. The processes include providing plant matter selected from the group consisting of avocado, alfalfa, fig, primrose, and mixtures thereof; combining the plant matter with an aqueous solution and optionally with an enzyme, further optionally with heating, to provide a digested plant mixture; concentrating the digested plant mixture to enhance the concentration of carbohydrate therein. The processes for preparing food compositions further include combining the digested plant mixture with one or more food composition components.

Abstract: An ingestible coating agent comprising: (a) sterol, and (b) solvent. The coating agent can be used to protect ingestible substrates from adverse conditions that would otherwise lead to degradation of the substrate. Preferably, the solvent comprises azeotropic solvent. In another aspect, the present invention provides a coated substrate comprising an ingestible coating and an ingestible substrate. The coating agent can be used to coat any suitable substrate. Suitable substrates can include, but are not limited to, vitamins, amino acids, minerals, phytochemicals, carotenoids, pharmaceuticals, salts, nutrients, physiological active agents, and mixtures thereof.