Ajinomoto Co., Ltd.

Ken-ichi Mori

Tadashi Takemoto

Masakazu Sugiyama

Nobuyoshi Kitamura

Eriko Ono

Toshihisa Kato

Masahiko Oshimura

Crystals of (2R,4R)-monatin potassium salt which exhibit an X-ray powder diffraction pattern having characteristic peaks at diffraction angles 2&#x3b8; of 5.5&#xb0;, 7.2&#xb0;, 8.1&#xb0;, 8.9&#xb0;, and 16.3&#xb0;, by powder X-ray diffraction (Cu&#x2014;K&#x3b1; radiation), are superior in sweetness, preservation stability, solubility, and color stability.

Crystal of (2R,4R)-monatin potassium salt and sweetener composition containing same

A solution to be treated containing monatin and impurities is treated with a nonpolar resin having aromatic rings, whereby monatin is separated from the solution. Treatment with the nonpolar resin having aromatic rings results in efficient separation of monatin under a mild pH condition.

Method for producing monatin

By simultaneously carrying out an isomerization reaction at position 2 of monatin in different configurations at positions 2 and 4 in the presence of an aldehyde under a condition of pH 4 to 11 in a mixture solvent of water and an organic solvent, and the crystallization of monatin in the same configurations at positions 2 and 4 or a salt thereof, monatin useful as a sweetener, particularly optically active monatin can efficiently be produced.

A ruminant feed additive composition containing (A) lysine magnesium phosphate, (B) magnesium oxide, (C) a binder and (D) water, said water content being between 5 and 15% by weight, and processes for producing the composition.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Ken-ichi Mori