Abstract: Described are processes for removing the bitter aftertaste and enhancing the sweetness of a cola beverage having dissolved therein a sweetening quantity and concentration of aspartame, which causes a bitter aftertaste on subsequent ingestion of the cola beverage. The process consists of adding to the beverage from about 1 up to about 20 ppb of damascenone and at least one of the alcohols: cis-3-hexenol; 1-octen-3-ol; or &bgr;-phenylethyl alcohol. In the alternative, the process consists of adding to the cola beverage from about 1 up to about 20 ppb of &bgr;-homocyclocitral and at least one of the oxo compounds, cis-3-hexenol, acetophenone, or the pineapple compound. In the alternative, the process consists of adding to the cola beverage from about 1 up to about 20 ppb of a mixture of cis-3-hexenol and the pineapple compound.

Abstract: Described is a tastand-containing product produced from Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves) by means of carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on a plurality of such leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof whereby a tastand composition is separated and isolated from the remainder of the plurality of leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof. The term “tastand” is intended to mean a composition of matter which: (i) effects flavor improvement; (ii) imparts flavor; (iii) effects sweetness enhancement; (iv) effects removal of bitter tastes and aftertastes; and/or (v) effects removal of metallic tastes and metallic aftertastes. Such unit operations include pressurization using hydraulic press means, steam distillation, factional distillation, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, volatile solvent extraction and/or charcoal column separation means.

Abstract: Described is a process for producing one or more tastands including food and beverage additives from Saccharum officinarum leaves (sugarcane leaves) by means of carrying out one or more physical separation unit operations on a plurality of such leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof whereby one or more natural food additives is separated and isolated from the remainder of the plurality of leaves, macerates thereof or mixtures of leaves and macerates thereof. Such unit operations include pressurization using hydraulic press means, steam distillation, fractional distillation, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, volatile solvent extraction and/or charcoal column separation means. Also described is apparatus for carrying out such processes as well as the products produced using such processes and organoleptic uses of such products. Also described are compositions comprising (a) such tastands in admixture with (b) an eatable having a bitter and/or metallic taste.