AU2018285184B2 - Microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid food/drink, and method for improving dispersibility of precipitates or agglomerates of microbial cell powder in food/drink - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an effective means for improving, in a non-carbonated beverage containing microbial cells such as those of lactic acid bacteria, the dispersibility of precipitates and agglomerates of microbial cells produced during manufacture and storage. This microbial cell-containing non-carbonated beverage is characterized in containing (A) a microbial cell powder and (B) at least one sucrose fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of sucrose stearate esters having an HLB of 8-12, sucrose oleate esters having an HLB of 14-16, sucrose laurate esters having an HLB of 15-17, sucrose palmitate esters having an HLB of 14.5-15.5, and sucrose myristate esters having an HLB of 15-17.

Description

Description

MICROBIAL CELL-CONTAINING NON-CARBONATED LIQUID FOOD/DRINK, AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING DISPERSIBILITY OF PRECIPITATES OR AGGLOMERATES OF MICROBIAL CELL POWDER IN FOOD/DRINK

Technical Field

[0001]

The present invention relates to non-carbonated liquid

food/drink containing microbial cells of lactic acid bacteria

or the like, and a method for improving the dispersibility of

precipitates or agglomerates of microbial cell powder in such

food/drink.

Background Art

[0002]

Lactic acid bacteria attract attention as functional

components having useful physiological activities as to

health in the context of health consciousness in recent years

and the like. It is known until now that lactic acid

bacteria have various physiological activities such as an

intestine regulating effect, an anti-allergic effect, a

cholesterol reducing effect, a blood pressure lowering

effect, a skin enhancement effect, and a sound sleep effect depending on the strain. Research concerning lactic acid bacterium strains having new physiological activities has been advanced. For example, it has been reported that

Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1563 strain is effective in

improving lipid metabolism and/or sugar metabolism (Patent

Literature 1), and the effect of improving lipid metabolism

is enhanced by destroying the strain (Patent Literature 2).

Lactic acid bacterium-containing beverages agree with the

health consciousness of consumers in that such lactic acid

bacteria can be ingested daily conveniently, and it is

expected that demand will grow increasingly from now on.

[00031

Examples of methods for producing a lactic acid

bacterium-containing beverage include a method in which

fermented milk obtained by adding lactic acid bacteria to raw

material milk and fermenting the mixture is blended and a

method in which bacterial cell powder obtained by drying

bacterial cells of lactic acid bacteria by freeze-drying or

the like is blended. However, a lactic acid bacterium

containing beverage produced by these methods had problems

such as the occurrence of the agglomerates or precipitates of

milk protein or bacterial cell powder in fermented milk and

the occurrence of the opacity of fermented milk during

storage.

[00041

Methods in which stabilizers such as a pectin, a gum,

and a soybean polysaccharide are added (Patent Literatures 3

and 4), and a method in which adding fermented cellulose and

a soybean polysaccharide are added (Patent Literature 5) to

suppress the occurrence of the precipitates of milk protein

and the like in a lactic acid bacterium-containing beverage

and improve storage stability have been reported until now.

[0005]

An emulsifier such as a glycerin fatty acid ester or a

sucrose fatty acid ester is used for purposes such as

emulsification, dispersion, osmosis, washing, foaming,

defoaming and mold releasing at the time of food processing

and often used in a beverage to prevent the separation of an

oil and fat content during storage. For example, Patent

Literature 6 discloses that a polyglycerin fatty acid ester

and a sucrose fatty acid ester are used in combination to

obtain a milk beverage which is satisfactorily emulsified and

excellent in storage stability. Patent Literature 7

discloses that the dispersion stability can be improved by

blending a suspending agent for protein beverages, wherein

the suspending agent contains five components of (A) an

emulsifier such as a sucrose fatty acid ester having the

average HLB of 14 or less, (B) crystalline cellulose, (C) xanthan gum, (D) gellan gum and (E) a monosaccharide or the like as essential components, and contains four components of

(A) to (D) at a specific ratio, even though the protein

beverages are high salt content beverages or low viscous

beverages.

[00061

However, all the inventions described in Patent

Literatures 3 to 7 stabilize the beverage by suppressing the

agglomeration of milk protein or promoting the dispersion of

milk fat content, and do not improve dispersibility of the

precipitates or agglomerates of microbial cells such as

lactic acid bacteria.

[0007]

Meanwhile, Patent Literature 8 describes "a

composition containing a lactic acid bacteria

immunostimulatory action-enhancing composition containing a

lactic acid bacterium having an immunostimulatory action and

an ester conjugate of a polyhydric alcohol and a saturated

fatty acid as active components", illustrates "food/drink" as

the "composition", and illustrates a " sucrose fatty acid

ester" as the " ester conjugate of the polyhydric alcohol and

the saturated fatty acid". In the invention described in

Patent Literature 8, the ester conjugate of the polyhydric

alcohol and the saturated fatty acid is, however, merely used as a component for enhancing the immunostimulatory action of the lactic acid bacterium, and it is not particularly distinguished in terms of the effect whether "food/drink" is a "beverage" or another matter (solid or the like). In other words, Patent Literature 8 does not disclose that when the ester conjugate of the polyhydric alcohol and the saturated fatty acid, especially a sucrose fatty acid ester having an

HLB in a specific range, is blended in a "beverage" (for

example, lactic acid bacterium beverage), the ester conjugate

has the effect of improving the dispersion stability of the

lactic acid bacterium (powder) so that such a fact can be

recognized specifically. Although Example 3 and Figure 3 of

Patent Literature 8 disclose that sucrose palmitic acid

esters (RYOTO sugar esters P-1570 and P-1670), sucrose

stearic acid esters (RYOTO sugar esters S-1570 and S-1670) or

sucrose oleic acid ester (RYOTO sugar ester 0-1570) is used

as the sucrose fatty acid ester, "mixtures of the lactic acid

bacterium (JCM5805 strain) and samples described in Figure 3"

prepared in the Example are for adding to a cell suspension

of spleen cells for inspecting immunostimulatory action

(Example 1), and are not "beverages". Each product of the

above-mentioned sucrose fatty acid esters is inspected only

as to the immunostimulatory action when the product is added

to the cells, and the product is not inspected from the viewpoint whether a practical effect of improving the dispersion stability is exhibited when the product is added to a beverage.

[00081

Although Patent Literature 9 describes a food

composition containing a lactic acid bacterium belonging to

the Lactobacillus kunkeei or its bacterial cell treated

product and illustrates beverages as a food composition,

Patent Literature 9 does not disclose that a sucrose fatty

acid ester having an HLB in a specific range is further

blended in the food composition. Example of Patent

Literature 9 discloses that hard capsules were filled with a

mixture of specific lactic acid bacterium powder and a

sucrose fatty acid ester (which is usually powdered or pasty)

to obtain "lactic acid bacterium capsules". The composition

is not a "beverage", and the HLB of the sucrose fatty acid

ester and the compound name of the fatty acid (residue) are

not known, either, however.

[0008a]

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices,

articles or the like which has been included in the present

specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or

all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were

common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each of the appended claims.

[0008b]

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or

variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be

understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element,

integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but

not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or

group of elements, integers or steps.

Citation List

Patent Literature

[00091

Patent Literature 1

JP 5690416 B

6a

Patent Literature 2

JP 5801802 B

Patent Literature 3

JP 2005-185132 A

Patent Literature 4

JP 2006-325606 A (JP 4017175 B)

Patent Literature 5

JP 2014-19 A (JP 5868791 B)

Patent Literature 6

JP H11-75683 A (JP 3509566 B)

Patent Literature 7

JP 2000-312572 A

Patent Literature 8

JP 2016-5452 A

Patent Literature 9

WO 2013/099883 A

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

[0010]

When it is attempted to ingest microbial cells of

lactic acid bacteria or the like through non-carbonated

liquid food/drink (typically a non-carbonated beverage), it

is preferable to contain microbial cell powder in non carbonated liquid food/drink to widen end product forms.

When it is attempted to ingest physiologically active

substances existing in bacterial cells, it is preferable to

contain destructively treated bacterial cell powder obtained

by destroying the microbial cells in non-carbonated liquid

food/drink. In this case, microbial cell powder, however,

forms precipitates or agglomerates in non-carbonated liquid

food/drink during storage easily. The following problem has

been found: especially when the microbial cell powder is

destructively treated bacterial cell powder in non-carbonated

beverages, precipitates of bacterial cell powder easily

adhere to the bottoms of containers, or the bacterial cell

powder in the liquid or the precipitates easily aggregate to

form hard agglomerates, it is therefore difficult to ingest

physiologically active substances, and the appearances of the

non-carbonated beverages are also inferior. A problem has

been found in which microbial cell powder (especially

destructively treated bacterial cell powder) is also

aggregated in a solution, and microbial cells cannot be

uniformly filled into a container at the time of producing

food/drink other than non-carbonated liquid food/drink, for

example, jellylike food/drink, has been found.

[0011]

In one aspect, a desirable outcome of the present

invention is then to provide effective means for improving

the dispersibility of precipitates or agglomerates of

microbial cell powder occurring at the time of production and

during storage in non-carbonated liquid food/drink containing

powder of microbial cells such as a lactic acid bacterium.

Solution to Problem

[0012]

The present inventors have made intensive studies to

solve the above-mentioned problems, consequently found that

blending a specific type of sucrose fatty acid ester having a

specific HLB with microbial cell powder of a lactic acid

bacterium or the like into a non-carbonated beverage enables

remarkable improvement in the dispersibility of precipitates

or agglomerates of microbial cell powder occurring at the

time of producing this non-carbonated beverage and during

storage thereof, and completed the present invention.

Although a sucrose fatty acid ester is a conventional

compound widely blended in various food/drink as a food

additive (emulsifier), the present invention has been

completed based on the fact that only sucrose fatty acid

esters that are a specific type which have a specific HLB

have an unexpected property (use) of the capability of improving the dispersibility of precipitates and agglomerates of microbial cell powder contained in a non-carbonated beverage. In addition, the present inventors have found that even though the food/drink is not only a non-carbonated beverage but also the other non-carbonated liquid food/drink, and the food/drink is food/drink which is finally solidified but produced using a solution (dispersion) of microbial cell powder, when the same problem occurs at the time of production and during storage, utilizing a specific sucrose fatty acid ester enables improving the dispersibility of precipitates and agglomerates of microbial cells similarly.

[0013]

The present applicant filed a patent application for

an invention in which a polyglycerin fatty acid ester alone

or a combination of a polyglycerin fatty acid ester and an

organic acid monoglyceride is blended together with microbial

cell powder into a carbonated or non-carbonated beverage to

solve the above-mentioned problems (Japanese Patent

Application No. 2016-240827, hereinafter an invention

according to the application is referred to as a "prior

invention"). The present invention is still more excellent

in action and effect of improving the dispersibility of

precipitates and agglomerates of microbial cells than the

prior invention.

[00141

That is, the present invention encompasses the

following inventions.

[Item 1]

A microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink, comprising: (A) microbial cell powder and (B) at

least one sucrose fatty acid ester selected from the group

consisting of sucrose stearic acid ester having an HLB of 8

to 12, sucrose oleic acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 16,

sucrose lauric acid ester having an HLB of 15 to 17, sucrose

palmitic acid ester having an HLB of 14.5 to 15.5, and

sucrose myristic acid ester having an HLB of 15 to 17.

[Item 2]

The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to item 1, wherein a content of the

sucrose fatty acid ester (B) in the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink is 0.001 to 0.2% by mass.

[Item 3]

The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to item 1 or 2, wherein the microbial

cell powder (A) is destructively treated microbial cell

powder.

[Item 4]

The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the

microbial cell powder (A) is bacterial cell powder of a

lactic acid bacterium.

[Item 5]

The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to item 4, wherein the lactic acid

bacterium is a lactic acid bacterium belonging to a genus

Lactobacillus.

[Item 6]

The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the

non-carbonated liquid food/drink further comprises milk.

[Item 7]

The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the

non-carbonated liquid food/drink is a non-carbonated

beverage.

[Item 8]

A method for improving dispersibility of precipitates

or agglomerates of microbial cell powder in food/drink at the

time of production or during storage, wherein microbial cell

powder and a sucrose fatty acid ester are allowed to coexist

in a solution.

[Item 9]

The method for improving the dispersibility according

to item 8, wherein the food/drink is non-carbonated liquid

food/drink.

[Item 10]

The method for improving the dispersibility according

to item 9, wherein the non-carbonated liquid food/drink is a

non-carbonated beverage.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0015]

According to the present invention, non-carbonated

liquid food/drink which contains microbial cell powder of a

lactic acid bacterium or the like useful as a functional

component for maintenance and improvement of health, and is

excellent in dispersion stability at the time of production

and storage is provided. The non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention has satisfactory

dispersibility of precipitates or agglomerates of microbial

cells occurring during storage, and, for example,

precipitates or agglomerates does not adhere to the bottom of

a container in a non-carbonated beverage. Even though

precipitates or agglomerates occur, lightly shaking the

container before drinking therefore enables redispersion.

Since the dispersibility of microbial cells at the time of

production can be improved according to the present

invention, non-carbonated liquid food/drink can be uniformly

filled with microbial cells. Such action and effect of the

present invention is sufficiently produced even when the

microbial cells easily producing precipitates or agglomerates

are a destructively treated product. Additionally, a method

for improving the dispersibility of precipitates or

agglomerates of microbial cells according to the present

invention can produce the same action and effect even if it

is applied at the time of producing not only non-carbonated

liquid food/drink but also other food/drink which is finally

solidified.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0016]

[Figure 1] Figure 1 is a photograph of the appearances of the

bottoms of containers showing the evaluation standard of

precipitation (refer to section (1) in Example 1).

[Figure 2] Figure 2 is a photograph of the appearances of the

bottoms of the containers of Reference Examples 1 and 2.

Description of Embodiments

[0017]

1. Microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink

Non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the present

invention is non-carbonated (no carbonic acid-containing)

liquid food/drink containing microbial cell powder (A) and a

specific sucrose fatty acid ester having a specific HLB (B)

(herein occasionally described merely as a "sucrose fatty

acid ester (B)") as a component for improving the

dispersibility of precipitates or agglomerates of the

microbial cell powder occurring at the time of production and

during storage.

[0018]

The type of non-carbonated liquid food/drink is not

particularly limited as long as microbial cells of a lactic

acid bacterium, a yeast or the like can be blended, and

examples of the types include non-carbonated beverages

(lactic beverage, fruit juice and vegetable juice beverage,

tea beverage, coffee beverage, functional beverage, sports

beverage and the like), soups (consomme, potage, ramen soup

and the like), sauces (tomato sauce, pasta sauce, demiglace

sauce and the like) and seasonings (soy sauce, soy-based

sauce for dipping, soy-based sauce for blasting, broth, a

boiled food liquid seasoning, a pickles liquid seasoning,

dressing and the like). As the non-carbonated liquid food/drink in the present invention, non-carbonated beverages are particularly preferable.

[0019]

Here, "liquid food/drink" is used as a term

encompassing beverages and liquid foods which correspond to

foods which can be ingested for the maintenance and

improvement of health except drugs, for example, health

foods, functional foods, foods with health claims or foods

for special dietary uses, besides beverages and liquid foods

which correspond to common foods. Health foods include foods

provided under the names of nutritional supplements, health

supplements, and supplements. Foods with health claims are

defined by the Food Sanitation Act or the Health Promotion

Act, and include foods for specified health use and foods

with nutrient function claims which can indicate specific

health effects, the functions of nutritional compositions,

the reduction of disease risks, or the like, and foods with

function claims which are defined by the Food Labeling Act

and can indicate the contents submitted to the commissioner

of the Consumer Affairs Agency as to functionality based on

scientific bases. Foods for special dietary uses include

foods for the sick, foods for the aged, foods for babies,

foods for pregnant women and nursing mothers which indicate the foods being suitable for specific subjects or patients having specific diseases.

[0020]

[Microbial cell powder]

Although microbial cells which non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention contains and which are

used for preparing microbial cell powder refer to bacterial

cells of lactic acid bacteria typically, the microbial cells

are not limited to this, and may be, for example, bacterial

cells of a yeast. The lactic acid bacterium encompasses

bifidus bacteria as lactic acid bacteria in a wide sense

besides lactobacilli and lactococci. Bacterial cells of the

lactic acid bacterium are not limited as long as the

bacterial cells are commonly used for food/drink, and

examples of the bacterial cells include bacterial cells of

lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus,

Bifidobacterium, Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, Pediococcus,

Enterococcus, Streptococcus and Weissella. Among them,

bacterial cells of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Lactobacillus are particularly preferable. These

bacterial cells of lactic acid bacteria may be used alone or

as a mixture of two or more.

[0021]

Examples of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Lactobacillus include Lactobacillus amylovorus,

Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus,

Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus

delbrueckii, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus

helveticus, Lactobacillus kefir, Lactobacillus paracasei,

Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus,

Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus salivarius,

Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus crispatus and

Lactobacillus gallinarum.

[00221

The genus Bifidobacterium is also called bifidus

bacteria. Examples of such lactic acid bacteria include

Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis,

Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum,

Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, Bifidobacterium animalis,

Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis,

Bifidobacterium catenulatum, Bifidobacterium

pseudocatenulatum and Bifidobacterium magnum.

[0023]

Examples of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Leuconostoc include Leuconostoc mesenteroides and

Leuconostoc lactis.

[0024]

Examples of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Lactococcus include Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus

plantarum, Lactococcus raffinolactis and Lactococcus

cremoris.

[0025]

Examples of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Pediococcus include Pediococcus pentosaceus and

Pediococcus damnosus.

[0026]

Examples of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Enterococcus include Enterococcus faecalis,

Enterococcus hirae and Enterococcus faecium.

[0027]

Examples of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Streptococcus include Streptococcus thermophilus,

Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus diacetylactis and

Streptococcus faecalis.

[0028]

Examples of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the

genus Weissella include Weissella cibaria, Weissella confusa,

Weissella halotolerans, Weissella hellenica, Weissella

kandleri, Weissella kimchii, Weissella koreensis, Weissella

minor, Weissella paramesenteroides, Weissella soli, Weissella

thailandensis and Weissella viridescens.

[00291

Strains used in non-carbonated liquid food/drink of

the present invention and belonging to the above-mentioned

lactic acid bacteria species may be any of natural isolates,

deposited strain, stock strains, commercial strains and the

like.

[0030]

Microbial cells used for non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention, preferably bacterial

cells selected from those of lactic acid bacteria belonging

to the genus Lactobacillus, can be proliferated and collected

by culturing under conditions commonly used using a medium

commonly used for culturing microbial cells.

[0031]

The culture medium usually contains a carbon source, a

nitrogen source, mineral salts and the like, and any of

natural medium and synthetic medium may be used as long as

the medium enables culturing the above-mentioned types of

bacteria efficiently. As the carbon source, for example,

lactose, glucose, sucrose, fructose, galactose, or blackstrap

molasses can be used. As the nitrogen source, for example,

an organic nitrogen-containing substance such as a casein

hydrolysate, a whey protein hydrolysate, a soybean protein

hydrolysate, yeast extract or meat extract can be used. As the mineral, for example, phosphate, sodium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc can be used. Examples of media suitable for culturing lactic acid bacteria include a MRS liquid medium, a GAM medium, a BL medium, Briggs Liver

Broth, animal milk, skim milk and milk whey. Sterilized MRS

medium can be preferably used. A medium comprising only food

materials and food additives can also be used when the medium

is used for food. As the natural medium, tomato juice,

carrot juice, other vegetable juices, fruit juice of apple,

pineapple, grape or the like can be used.

[0032]

Culture is performed at 20 to 500C, preferably 25 to

420C, more preferably about 37°C under an anaerobic condition.

The temperature condition can be adjusted with a thermostatic

oven, a mantle heater, a jacket or the like. The anaerobic

condition is a hypoxic environment in which bacteria can

proliferate. For example, using an anaerobic chamber; an

anaerobic box; an airtight container or a bag charged with a

deoxidizer; or the like or merely closing a culture container

airtightly enables producing an anaerobic condition. The

forms of culture are stationary culture, shaking culture,

tank culture and the like. The culture time is not

particularly limited, and the culture time can be, for

example, 3 hours to 96 hours. The pH of the medium at the start of culture is preferably maintained, for example, at

4.0 to 8.0.

[00331

For example, when the lactic acid bacterium

Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1563 strain (accession number FERM

BP-11255) is used as the microbial cell, the lactic acid

bacterium can be inoculated into food-grade medium for lactic

acid bacteria, and cultured at about 370C overnight (about 18

hours).

[0034]

"Microbial cell powder" used for non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention can be obtained by drying

culture solution of the microbial cells into a powdery

substance using a method and an apparatus which are known in

the art. Specific drying methods are not particularly

limited, and examples of the methods include spray drying,

drum drying, hot air drying, vacuum drying and freeze-drying.

These drying means can be used alone or in combination.

[00351

The microbial cell powder may be "destructively

treated microbial cell powder" obtained by damaging bacterial

cells by destroying the cellular structure of the microbial

cells and pulverizing the microbial cells into still finer

powder than microbial cell powder merely dried by a technique such as freeze-drying. The destructively treated microbial cell powder is obtained by collecting all the destroyed microbial cells (that is, essentially all the components constituting the cells) as it is.

[00361

The destruction treatment of microbial cells can be

performed using a method and an apparatus which are known in

the art, for example, by physical crushing, grinding

treatment, enzyme dissolution treatment, chemical treatment,

or self-dissolution treatment.

[0037]

The physical crushing may be performed by either of a

wet type (microbial cells are treated in a suspension) or a

dry type (microbial cells are treated in microbial cell

powder). Microbial cells can be damaged by stirring using a

homogenizer, a ball mill, a bead mill, a planetary mill or

the like; by pressure using a jet mill, a French press, a

cell homogenizer or the like; or by filtration with a filter.

[00381

The enzyme dissolution treatment is performed by

destroying cell walls of microbial cells using an enzyme such

as lysozyme.

[00391

The chemical treatment is performed by destroying the

cellular structure of microbial cells, for example, using a

surfactant such as a glycerin fatty acid ester or soybean

phospholipid.

[0040]

The self-dissolution treatment is performed by

dissolving microbial cells with a microorganism's own enzyme.

[0041]

Since other reagents or components do not need to be

added, physical crushing is preferable, and physical crushing

by a dry type is more preferable among the above-mentioned

treatments.

[0042]

The physical crushing can be more specifically

performed by a method for treating microbial cell powder in

the presence of various balls (for example, 10-mm balls made

of zirconia, 5-mm balls made of zirconia and 1-mm balls made

of alumina) at a rotational number of 50 to 10,000 rpm (for

example, 190 rpm) for 30 minutes to 20 hours (for example, 5

hours) in a known dry type planetary mill cell homogenizer

(GOT5 Galaxy 5 or the like), a method for treating microbial

cell powder at a feeding speed of 0.01 to 10,000 g/min (for

example, 0.5 g/min) and a discharge pressure of 1 to 1,000

2 kg/cm (for example, 6 kg/cm 2 ) 1 to 10 times (for example, 1 time) in a known dry type jet mill cell homogenizer (Jet-0

Miser or the like), or the like. The physical crushing can

also be performed by a method for treating a microbial cell

suspension using glass beads at a peripheral speed of 10.0 to

20.0 m/s (for example, about 14.0 m/s), a treating flow rate

of 0.1 to 10 L/10 min (for example, about 1 L/10 min), and a

temperature of a crushing tank of 10 to 300C (for example,

about 15°C) 1 to 7 times (for example, 3 to 5 times) in a

known dynomill cell homogenizer (DYNO-MILL homogenizer or the

like), a method for treating a microbial cell suspension at a

discharge pressure of 50 to 1,000 MPa (for example, 270 MPa)

and a treating flow rate of 50 to 1,000 ml/min (for example,

300 ml/min) 1 to 30 times (for example, 10 times) in a known

wet type jet mill cell homogenizer (JN20 Nano-jet Pal or the

like), or the like.

[0043]

The destructively treated microbial cells obtained by

the above-mentioned methods can be made a powdery substance

without any additional treatment in the case of a dry type or

by drying the cells in the case of a wet type. Specific

examples of the drying methods include, but are not

particularly limited to, spray drying, drum drying, hot air

drying, vacuum drying and freeze-drying. These drying means

can be used alone or in combination.

[00441

The content of the microbial cell powder (A) in the

non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the present invention is

not particularly limited, and the content is preferably an

amount in which the physiological activity (for example,

effect of improving lipid metabolism and/or sugar metabolism)

can be expected, and is, for example, 0.001 to 1.0% by mass,

and more preferably 0.01 to 0.1% by mass.

[0045]

[Sucrose fatty acid ester]

A sucrose fatty acid ester having a specific HLB, that

is, sucrose stearic acid ester having an HLB of 8 to 12,

sucrose oleic acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 16, sucrose

lauric acid ester having an HLB of 15 to 17, sucrose palmitic

acid ester having an HLB of 14.5 to 15.5, or sucrose myristic

acid ester having an HLB of 15 to 17, is blended with the

microbial cell powder into the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention. These sucrose fatty

acid esters may be used singly or in combinations of two or

more.

[0046]

A sucrose fatty acid ester is a compound permitted as

a food additive (emulsifier for food) in the Food Sanitation

Act, and is a nonionic surfactant having sucrose as a hydrophilic group and a fatty acid forming an ester bond with the sucrose as a lipophilic group. One molecule of sucrose has eight hydroxyl groups, mono- to octa-esters in which one or more molecules of a fatty acid form ester bonds with these hydroxyl groups exist. Sucrose glyceric acid esters are usually produced and sold as compositions containing a plurality of compounds which are mono- to octa-esters. The

HLB is changed depending on the type of the fatty acid, and

the proportions of the respective ester compounds contained

(the blending composition of the ester compounds). In

general, as the contents of ester compounds having a smaller

number of fatty acids bonded increases, the HLB of the

sucrose fatty acid ester as a composition increases

(hydrophilic) and the content of ester compounds having a

larger number of fatty acids bonded increases, the HLB of the

sucrose fatty acid ester as a composition generally decreases

(lipophilic). In other words, as the average value of the

number of the bonds (the average number of bonds) of a fatty

acid per molecule of sucrose becomes smaller, the HLB of a

sucrose fatty acid ester becomes larger. As the average

number of the bonds of a fatty acid becomes larger, the HLB

of a sucrose fatty acid ester becomes smaller.

[0047]

A sucrose fatty acid ester having a desired HLB can be

produced by a known method (for example, the ester exchange

reaction of sucrose and a higher alcohol fatty acid ester),

and can also be obtained as a commercial product. Examples

of sucrose stearic acid ester having an HLB of 8 to 12

include "RYOTO (registered trademark) sugar ester" produced

by MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION, brand "S-970" (HLB

= about 9) and "S-1170" (HLB = about 11) . Examples of

sucrose oleic acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 16 include

"0-1570" (HLB = about 15) similar to the above. Examples of

sucrose lauric acid ester having an HLB of 15 to 17 include

"L-1695" (HLB = about 16) similar to the above. Examples of

sucrose palmitic acid ester having an HLB of 14.5 to 15.5

include "P-1570" (HLB = about 15) similar to the above.

Examples of sucrose myristic acid ester having an HLB of 15

to 17 include "M-1695" (HLB = about 16) similar to the above.

[0048]

Although a catalog (the homepage of MITSUBISHI

CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION,

http://www.mfc.co.jp/product/nyuuka/ryotosyuga/list.html)

records that values are approximate ("about" is added), the

above-mentioned integers are expressed as approximate values

by rounding off to whole numbers. For example, if the HLB is

"about 9", it is presumed that the HLB is "8.5 or more and less than 9.5". Also, when other products are used, catalog values can be referred to for HLBs. When a catalog value is unknown, or when a sucrose fatty acid ester is prepared and used in-house or personally, the HLB can be determined according to a known method. Methods for calculating an HLB include the Atlas method, the Griffin method, the Davies method and the Kawakami method, and also include the method for determining an HLB from the retention time in high performance liquid chromatography. In the present invention,

(i) when the composition of a sucrose fatty acid ester

(mixture) is known, the HLB of each compound is calculated by

the Griffin method, and then the weighted average is set to

the HLB of the sucrose fatty acid ester, and (ii) when the

composition of a sucrose fatty acid ester (mixture) is not

known, the HLB of the sucrose fatty acid ester is determined

from the retention time in high performance liquid

chromatography by comparing the sucrose fatty acid ester with

samples of sucrose fatty acid esters having known HLBs.

[0049]

The content of the specific sucrose fatty acid ester

having the specific HLB (B) in the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention can be appropriately

adjusted in view of the effect of improving the

dispersibility of the microbial cell powder (A), and the like. The minimum content of the sucrose fatty acid ester

(B) in the non-carbonated liquid food/drink, preferably a

non-carbonated beverage, is preferably 0.001% by mass, more

preferably 0.01% by mass, further preferably 0.02% by mass,

particularly preferably 0.04% by mass, and most preferably

0.05% by mass. The maximum content of the sucrose fatty acid

ester (B) in the non-carbonated liquid food/drink, preferably

a non-carbonated beverage, is preferably 0.2% by mass, more

preferably 0.15% by mass, and further preferably 0.11% by

mass. When the minimum is lower than this, the effect of

dispersibility cannot be expected. When the maximum is

higher than this, the non-carbonated liquid food/drink is not

desirable from the viewpoints of flavor, cost and the

muddiness of liquid color.

[0050]

[Other components and the like]

The non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the present

invention contains water besides essential components, the

microbial cell powder (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester

(B) as mentioned above, and may further contain other

components (optional components) if needed as long as effects

of the present invention are not impaired. Optional

components can be appropriately selected from other raw

materials usually used for common beverages. Examples of the components include milk, fruit juice and vegetable juice, thickening stabilizer (milk protein stabilizer), acidulant, sweetener, flavor, antifoaming agent, pigment and other additives.

[0051]

As the water, for example, ion-exchanged water can be

used. Water contained in raw materials such as milk, fruit

juice or vegetable juice can also be water in the non

carbonated liquid food/drink. The content of water in the

non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the present invention can

be appropriately adjusted in view of the contents of other

components, and the like so that especially the contents of

the microbial cell powder (A) and the sucrose fatty acid

ester (B) are in a suitable range or the above-mentioned

preferable range.

[0052]

The milk may be any milk derived from an animal or a

plant. For example, animal milk such as cow's milk, goat's

milk, sheep's milk or mare's milk; or plant milk such as

soybean milk can be used, and cow's milk is common. The milk

can be used alone or as a mixture of two or more.

[0053]

The form of the milk is not particularly limited, and

may be any of whole milk, skim milk, milk serum and powdered milk thereof, a milk protein concentrate, and reconstituted milk produced from concentrated milk. Fermented milk obtained using microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria or bifidus bacteria can also be used as the milk. The milk may be used alone or as a mixture of two or more.

[00541

When the milk is blended in the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention, the amount of solid-not

fat (SNF) contained in the non-carbonated liquid food/drink

is not particularly limited. The amount is preferably 0.1 to

10% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 4% by mass, further

preferably 0.1 to 2% by mass, and most preferably 0.2 to 1.2%

by mass from the viewpoints of flavor and storage stability.

Here, the solid-not-fat (SNF) is components except water and

fat content among the components which constitute milk, and

mainly includes proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and

vitamins, etc.

[0055]

As long as the pH of the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention is acidic, the pH is not

particularly limited. The pH is preferably less than 6.5,

more preferably less than 6.0, further preferably less than

4.5, further more preferably less than 4.2, and particularly

preferably less than 4.0.

[00561

When the non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the

present invention is produced, pH adjustment is not needed

when the pH is in the above-mentioned range depending on raw

materials to be used, and for example, fermented milk, fruit

juice or the like used as an optional component. When the pH

is not in the above-mentioned range, however, pH adjustment

is performed using a pH adjuster. As the pH adjuster, an

organic or inorganic edible acid or a salt thereof commonly

used as an acidulant may be used. Examples of the pH

adjuster include organic acids such as citric acid, malic

acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, phytic acid, lactic acid,

fumaric acid, succinic acid, and gluconic acid, inorganic

acids such as phosphoric acid, or sodium salts, calcium salts

or potassium salts thereof. The amount of the pH adjuster

used is not particularly limited as long as the pH can be

adjusted to a desired pH and the flavor of a beverage is not

affected.

[0057]

The sugar content (Brix value) of the non-carbonated

liquid food/drink of the present invention is not

particularly limited, and the sugar content is preferably 0.1

to 16, more preferably 0.1 to 11, and further preferably 0.1

to 5 from the viewpoints of flavor and the calorie. The Brix value (unit: Bx) is the reading of a refractometer for sugar at 200C, and means the amount of a soluble solid content which is measured at 200C, for example, using a digital refractometer "Rx-5000" (manufactured by ATAGO CO., LTD.).

[00581

Examples of the sweeteners (sugar content regulators)

for imparting sweet taste to the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention and adjusting the sugar

content (Brix value) to the above-mentioned range include

monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, xylose, galactose and the

like), disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, lactose, trehalose,

isomaltulose and the like), oligosaccharides

(fructooligosaccharide, maltooligosaccharide,

isomaltooligosaccharide, galactooligosaccharide, coupling

sugar, nigerooligosaccharide and the like), sugar alcohols

(erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, lactitol, reduced

isomaltulose, reduced starch syrup and the like), and

isomerized sugars such as fructose glucose liquid sugar.

High-intensity sweetener such as sucralose, aspartame,

acesulfame potassium, stevia, saccharin sodium, glycyrrhizin,

dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, thaumatin and neotame can also

be used.

[00591

Examples of the fruit juice include fruit juices of

apple, orange, mandarin orange, lemon, grapefruit, melon,

grape, banana, peach, strawberry, blueberry, mango and the

like. Examples of the vegetable juice include vegetable

juices of tomato, carrot, pumpkin, green pepper, cabbage,

broccoli, celery, spinach, kale, Jew's marrow and the like.

Fruit juice or vegetable juice may be squeezed fruit juice or

vegetable juice as it is, or may be concentrated. The juice

may be opaque fruit juice or opaque vegetable juice

containing an insoluble solid matter, or may be transparent

fruit juice or transparent vegetable juice from which an

insoluble solid matter is removed by treatment such as

microfiltration, enzyme treatment or ultrafiltration.

[00601

Examples of additives accepted in the non-carbonated

liquid food/drink include thickening stabilizers (a soybean

polysaccharide, pectin, carrageenan, gellan gum, xanthan gum,

guar gum and the like), antifoaming agents (glycerin fatty

acid ester, silicon preparation and the like), antioxidants

(tocopherol, ascorbic acid, cysteine hydrochloride and the

like), flavors (lemon flavor, orange flavor, grape flavor,

peach flavor, apple flavor and the like), and pigments

(carotenoid pigment, anthocyanin pigment, safflower pigment,

gardenia pigment, caramel pigment, various synthetic colorants and the like). Various functional components such as vitamins (the vitamin B group, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D and the like), minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium and the like), and dietary fiber can also be used in expectation of enhancement in health function.

[0061]

[Production method]

The non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the present

invention is obtained by a production method comprising a

step of mixing a solution or a dispersion containing

microbial cell powder (A) (herein occasionally referred to as

a "microbial cell powder solution") and a solution or a

dispersion containing a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) (herein

occasionally referred to as a "sucrose fatty acid ester

solution"), and then subjecting the mixture to homogenizing

treatment.

[0062]

A sucrose fatty acid ester solution can be prepared,

for example, by dispersing a sucrose fatty acid ester in cold

water and then heating the mixture to 700C or more so as to

dissolve the sucrose fatty acid ester.

[0063]

The homogenizing treatment may be performed by a usual

method using a homogenizer commonly used for food processing, and its pressure is preferably around 10 to 30 MPa with the homogenizer. The temperature at the time of homogenization may be any temperature (for example, 5 to 25°C), and homogenization can also be performed under a general heating condition (for example, 50 to 90°C). When a microbial cell powder solution and a sucrose fatty acid ester solution are mixed, adding other components to be blended if needed (for example, milk, a thickening stabilizer, an acidulant and an antifoaming agent) to either of the above-mentioned solutions beforehand or adding the components to a mixed solution of the above-mentioned solutions and mixing the microbial cell powder and the sucrose fatty acid ester together enables blending the components into the non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the present invention in the homogenizing treatment step.

[0064]

In the method for producing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink of the present invention, steps other than the

homogenizing treatment step using the above-mentioned

microbial cell powder solution and sucrose fatty acid ester

solution can be based on a usual method for producing non

carbonated liquid food/drink. For example, the method for

producing non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the present

invention can further comprise a sterilization treatment step, a filtration treatment step, a filling step and the like.

[0065]

The sterilization treatment step can be performed by

heat sterilization treatment having a sterilization value,

for example, equivalent to heating at 650C for 10 minutes, or

more. The sterilization treatment may be performed before

the homogenizing treatment step, may be performed before or

after the step of the non-carbonated liquid food/drink into a

container after the homogenizing treatment step, or may be

performed not only once but also at the above-mentioned

plurality of time points. The method for sterilization

treatment is not particularly limited, and usual methods such

as retort sterilization, batch sterilization, autoclave

sterilization, plate sterilization and tubular sterilization

can be adopted.

[00661

The step of filling the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink into a container can be performed, for example, by

a method for subjecting the non-carbonated liquid food/drink

to the sterilization treatment step to hot pack filling and

cooling the filled container or a method for cooling the non

carbonated liquid food/drink to a temperature suitable for

filling the non-carbonated liquid food/drink into a container and filling the non-carbonated liquid food/drink into a container washed and sterilized beforehand.

[00671

The type of containers to be filled with the non

carbonated liquid food/drink of the present invention is not

particularly limited, and a container made of glass, a

plastic (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE),

polypropylene (PP) or the like), a metal or paper can be

used. The capacity is not particularly limited, examples of

the capacity include 100 to 2,000 ml, and the capacity can be

appropriately selected in view of the amount of microbial

cells, or the like.

[0068]

2. Method for improving dispersibility of precipitates

or agglomerates of microbial cell powder in food/drink

A method for improving the dispersibility of

precipitates or agglomerates of microbial cell powder in

food/drink according to the present invention (herein

occasionally merely referred to as "a method for improving

the dispersibility of the present invention") includes making

microbial cell powder (A) and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B)

coexist in a solution or a dispersion.

[00691

In the present invention, "improving dispersibility"

refers to the effect of dispersing precipitates or

agglomerates of microbial cell powder produced after

settlement in a solution more easily in a mixed solution

(including a non-carbonated beverage) containing both

microbial cell powder (A) and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B)

than in a microbial cell powder-containing solution

containing the microbial cell powder (A) but not containing

the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) which can be confirmed, for

example, based on the fact that the amount of precipitates or

agglomerates which are microbial cell powder adhering to the

bottom of a container and which remain adhered to the bottom

even though the container is turned over and admixed is

small.

[0070]

The method for improving the dispersibility of the

present invention can be applied also to either of the

food/drink at the time of production (which can also be said

to be an intermediate product in the middle of production),

and the food/drink during storage. In the food/drink at the

time of production or during storage in a state in which the

microbial cell powder (A) is dispersed homogeneously, that

is, precipitates or agglomerates have not been formed yet, the method for improving the dispersibility of the present invention can be utilized to maintain its state.

[0071]

The food/drink encompasses not only the above

mentioned non-carbonated liquid food/drink but also

food/drink other than non-carbonated liquid food/drink

wherein the food/drink finally becomes a product in the form

of a solid, jelly, a capsule, cream, paste or the like but is

produced through a liquid form or using liquid raw materials

for which precipitations or agglomerates of the microbial

cell powder (especially destructively treated bacterial cell

powder) in a liquid substance (in a solution or the like) at

the time of the production is problematic. Examples of such

food/drink include dairy products (yogurt, cheese, mousse,

custard pudding, cream, butter, ice cream and the like).

[0072]

Articles as to the non-carbonated liquid food/drink of

the present invention and a method for producing the same

described herein, especially articles as to the microbial

cell powder (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B), can be

appropriately applied correspondingly to the method for

improving the dispersibility of the present invention. For

example, in the method for improving the dispersibility of

the present invention, the microbial cell powder as an object for improvement in the dispersibility of precipitates or agglomerates may be the above-mentioned destructively treated microbial cell powder.

[0073]

Additionally, the embodiments as to the food/drink at

the time of production (encompassing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink and others) among the methods for improving the

dispersibility of the present invention can be converted into

a method for producing food/drink which produces the same

action and effect. From another aspect, the above-mentioned

method for producing non-carbonated liquid food/drink of the

present invention can also be expanded into a method for

producing food/drink other than non-carbonated liquid

food/drink using a solution in which precipitates or

agglomerates of the microbial cell powder (especially

destructively treated bacterial cell powder) can cause a

problem in a production process.

Examples

[0074]

Although the present invention will be described

further specifically hereinafter by Examples, these Examples

do not limit the present invention.

[0075]

[Preparation Example 1] Preparation of destructively

treated lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder

Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1563 strain (accession

number FERMBP-11255) was cultured at 370C for 18 hours using

food-grade self-prescribed lactic acid bacteria medium and

collected by filter concentration. The concentrate was

sterilized at a reached temperature of 90°C to obtain lactic

acid bacterium freeze-dried powder by freeze-drying. The

obtained lactic acid bacterium freeze-dried powder was

crushed using a dry type jet mill (FS-4, SEISHIN ENTERPRISE

Co., Ltd.) to obtain destructively treated lactic acid

bacterium bacterial cell powder wherein the average major

axis of the bacterial cells was reduced to 70% or less of the

average major axis before the treatment (example: 2.77 pm-+

1.30 pm).

[0076]

[Preparation Example 2] Preparation of lactic acid

bacterium bacterial cell powder (non-destructively treated

product)

Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 strain (accession number

FERMBP-11331) was cultured at 370C for 18 hours using food

grade self-prescribed lactic acid bacteria medium and

collected by filter concentration. The concentrate was sterilized at a reached temperature of 900C to obtain lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder by freeze-drying.

[00771

[Test Example 1] Effect obtained by adding sucrose

fatty acid ester on the dispersibility of destructively

treated lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder (Examples

1 to 6 and Comparative Examples 1 to 8)

(1) Preparation of beverage sample

A lactic non-carbonated beverage sample having a

blending composition shown in the following Table 1 was

prepared by the following procedure.

[0078]

Table 1

Amount blended Rawmaterials(w/w%)

Powdered skim milk 0.500

Soybean polysaccharide 0.120

Citric acid (anhydride) 0.240

Trisodium citrate 0.100 Destructively treated lactic acid 0.040 bacterium bacterial cell powder Sucrose fatty acid ester or control 0.052 compound (refer to Table 2) Silicon preparation 0.001

Water 98.947

(Total) 100

Properties

Sugar content 1.1

Acidity (w/w citric acid) 0.22 pH 3.5

SNF 0.4

[0079]

250 g of reconstituted skim milk having a

concentration of 20% by mass and 400 g of a soybean

polysaccharide solution having a concentration of 3% by mass

(trade name: SM-1200, produced by San-Ei Gen F.F.I., Inc.)

were mixed, 240 g of an aqueous citric acid solution having a

concentration of 10% by mass was added thereto, and the

mixture was sufficiently stirred to prepare a raw material

solution (I).

[0080]

100 g of an aqueous trisodium citrate solution having

a concentration of 10% by mass prepared separately was added

to the raw material solution (I). The following sucrose

fatty acid ester or control compound, which are commercially

available as emulsifiers for foods, was then added at an

amount blended shown in Table 2. These emulsifiers for foods

were dispersed in water at normal temperature beforehand so

that the concentrations were set at 2% by mass. The

temperatures were raised to around 700C to allow the

emulsifier to be dissolved, then the mixtures were cooled to

normal temperature to prepare solutions, and each of them were used and added. Then, 400 g of a 1% by mass diluted solution of destructively treated lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder (prepared in Reference Example 1) was added. The mixture was stirred so as to be homogenous, and 1 g of a silicon preparation (trade name: KM-72, produced by

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) having a concentration of 10%

by mass and prepared separately were further added to prepare

a raw material solution (II). However, in a level 14

(Comparative Example 9), a sucrose fatty acid ester or a

control compound was not added, but an equivalent amount of

water was increased instead, and the obtained solution was

used as a raw material solution (II).

[0081]

Information on the trade names of sucrose stearic acid

esters and control compounds, and the like shown in Table 2

is as follows. The following commodity 13) "sucrose fatty

acid ester A" is a sucrose stearic acid ester used as an

emulsifier f in Comparative Examples (Comparative Example 2

and the like) of the prior invention. The following

commodity 13) "Sunsoft A-121E" is a polyglycerin fatty acid

ester (monolauric acid pentaglycerin) used as an emulsifier c

in Examples (Example 8 and the like) of the prior invention.

[0082]

1) Sucrose stearic acid ester/ HLB = 5: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester S-570" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

2) Sucrose stearic acid ester/ HLB = 7: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester S-770" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

3) Sucrose stearic acid ester/ HLB = 9: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester S-970" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

4) Sucrose stearic acid ester/ HLB = 11: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester S-1170" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

5) Sucrose stearic acid ester/ HLB = 15: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester S-1570" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

6) Sucrose stearic acid ester/ HLB = 16: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester S-1670" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

7) Sucrose palmitic acid ester/ HLB = 15: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester P-1570" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

8) Sucrose palmitic acid ester/ HLB = 16: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester P-1670" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

9) Sucrose myristic acid ester/ HLB = 16: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester M-1695" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

10) Sucrose oleic acid ester/ HLB = 15: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester 0-1570" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

11) Sucrose lauric acid ester/ HLB = 16: trade name "RYOTO

sugar ester L-1695" (MITSUBISHI-CHEMICAL FOODS CORPORATION)

12) Sucrose stearic acid ester/ HLB unknown: trade name

"sucrose fatty acid ester A (SE-A)" (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.)

13) Monolauric acid pentaglycerin/ HLB = 14: trade name

"Sunsoft A-121E" (Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.)

[00831

The raw material solution (II) was subjected to

homogenizing treatment to obtain a beverage undiluted

solution. The homogenizing treatment was performed at a

treatment temperature of 200C and a treatment pressure of 15

MPa using a homogenizer for laboratories (type 15MR,

manufactured by APV Gaulin).

[0084]

The obtained beverage undiluted solution was diluted

with ion-exchanged water to a prescribed amount (10000 g) and

then filled into a heat-resistant PET bottle. Then, the

diluted solution was subjected to sterilization in which the

diluted solution can be surely maintained at 650C for 10

minutes at cold spots to obtain a lactic non-carbonated

beverage (hereinafter referred to as a "beverage sample")

packed in the container. The sugar content (Bx) of the

beverage was 1.1, the acidity was 0.22, the pH was 3.5, and

the SNF was 0.4.

[00851

(2) Evaluation test of dispersibility of beverage

sample at the time of storage

The beverage sample prepared in (1) was left to stand

in an incubator set at 50C for 7 days. The sample after left

standing is turned over by inversion at a speed of about once

per second and admixed twice. Then, the container was

opened, and the content liquid was discharged. Thereafter,

the bottom of the container was observed. Evaluation was

performed according to four ranks, a sample wherein the

lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder remained at

almost the whole bottom was rated at a score 1 (rank D), a

sample wherein the powder remained at a part of the bottom

was rated at a score 2 (rank C), a sample wherein almost none

of the powder remained was rated at a score 3 (rank B), and a

sample wherein none of the powder remained was rated at a

score 4 (rank A). Beverage samples rated at scores 3 and 4

(ranks B and A) were defined as Examples having good

dispersibility, and beverage samples rated at scores 1 and 2

(ranks D and C) were defined as Comparative Examples having

inferior dispersibility. Figure 1 shows a photograph of the

appearances of the bottoms of containers used as an

evaluation standard. The following Table 2 shows the

evaluation results.

[0086]

Table 2

Effect obtained by adding sucrose fatty acid ester on the dispersibility of destructively treated lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder

Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sucrose fatty HEB Exapl Exapl Exmpl acid ester or Product HLB ExComp.le Exmpe Example Example Exmpple Exomp.e Example control 1 2 1 2 3 4 compound

S-570 5 0.052 - - - -

S-770 7 - 0.052 - - - -

Sucrose S-970 9 - - 0.052 - - - stearic acid ester S-1170 11 - - - 0.052 - -

S-1570 15 - - - - 0.052 -

S-1670 16 - - - - - 0.052

Sucrose P-1570 15 - - - - - - 0.052 palmitic acid ester P-1670 16 - - - - - -

Sucrose myristic M-1695 16 - - - - - - acid ester Sucrose oleic 0-1570 15 - - - - - - acid ester Sucrose lauric L-1695 16 - - - - - - acid ester Sucrose stearic SE-A Unknown - - - - - - acid ester Monolauric acid A-121E 14 - - - - - - pentaglycerin

Nothing - - - - - - -

Turned over and Dispersibility admixed twice evaluation after left 2 2 3 4 2 2 3 score standing at 5°C for 7 days

(Table 2 Continued)

Level 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Sucrose fatty Comp. Comp. Comp. Comp. acid ester or Product HLB Example Example Example Example Example Example Example control 4 5 6 compound 5 6 7 8

S-570 5 - - - - - -

S-770 7 - - - - - -

Sucrose S-970 9 - - - - - - stearic acid ester S-1170 11 - - - - - -

S-1570 15 - - - - - -

S-1670 16 - - - -

Sucrose P-1570 15 - - - - palmitic acid ester P-1670 16 0.052 - - - - -

Sucrose myristic M-1695 16 - 0.052 - - - - acid ester Sucrose oleic 0-1570 15 - - 0.052 - - - acid ester Sucrose lauric L-1695 16 - - - 0.052 - - acid ester Sucrose stearic SE-A Unknown - - - - 0.052 - acid ester Monolauric acid A-121E 14 - - - - - 0.052 pentaglycerin

Nothing - - - - - - -

Turned over and Dispersibility admixed twice evaluation after left 2 3 4 3 2 2 1 score standing at 5oC for 7 days

[0087]

As shown in Table 2, beverage samples containing

specific types of sucrose fatty acid esters having specific

HLBs (Examples 1 to 6) are more excellent in the effect of

improving the dispersibility of destructively treated lactic

acid bacterium bacterial cell powder than beverage samples

containing (or presumed to contain) other sucrose fatty acid esters (Comparative Examples 1 to 6), a beverage sample containing a polyglycerin fatty acid ester (monolauric acid pentaglycerin) estimated to be effective in the prior invention (Comparative Example 7), and a beverage sample containing no sucrose fatty acid ester, etc. (Comparative

Example 8).

[00881

[Test Example 2] Effect obtained by adding sucrose

fatty acid ester on the dispersibility of lactic acid

bacterium bacterial cell powder (non-destructively treated

product) (Examples 7 and 8, and Comparative Examples 9 and

10)

Beverage samples (levels 15 to 18) were prepared in

the same manner as in the level 10 (Example 5), the level 11

(Example 6), the level 13 (Comparative Example 7) and the

level 14 (Comparative Example 8) except that the lactic acid

bacterium bacterial cell powder not treated destructively

(Preparation Example 2) was used instead of the destructively

treated lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder

(Preparation Example 1). The dispersibility evaluation test

was performed using them.

[00891

The following Table 3 shows the evaluation results. It

was confirmed that predetermined sucrose fatty acid esters have the effect of improving dispersibility of the microbial

(lactic acid bacterium) bacterial cell powders regardless of

whether the powders were destructively treated or not or the

bacterial kinds of microorganisms (lactic acid bacteria).

[00901

Table 3

Effect obtained by adding sucrose fatty acid ester on the dispersibility of lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder (non-destructively treated product)

Level 15 16 17 18

Sucrose fatty Comparative Comparative acid ester Product HLB Example Example Example Example or control 7 8 compound

Sucrose oleic 0-1570 15 0.052 - - acid ester

Sucrose lauric L-1695 16 - 0.052 acid ester

Monolauric acid A-121E 14 - - 0.052 pentaglycerin

Turned over and Dispersibility admixed twice evaluation after left 4 4 2 1 score standing at 5°C for 7 days

[0091]

[Reference Example] Confirmation of subject on which

effect obtained by adding sucrose fatty acid ester is

Lactic non-carbonated beverage samples having blending

compositions shown in the following Table 4 (SNF 0.5) were

prepared in the same procedure as in the above-mentioned (1)

"Preparation of beverage sample". Reference Example 1 is the

same sample as the level 12, and Reference Example 2 is the

same sample as level 12 except that destructively treated

lactic acid bacterium bacterial cell powder was not blended.

These beverage samples were left to stand in the incubator

set at 50C for 7 days in the same manner as in the above

mentioned (2) "Evaluation test of dispersibility of beverage

sample". The samples after left standing were turned over

and admixed twice. The containers were then opened, content

liquids were discharged, and the bottoms of the containers

were then observed. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the

appearances of the bottoms of the containers of Reference

Examples 1 and 2. While precipitates (agglomerates) are

observed at the bottom of a container as to the beverage

sample of Reference Example 1 containing lactic acid

bacterium bacterial cell powder, almost none of such

precipitates (agglomerates) are observed as to the beverage

sample of Reference Example 2 containing no lactic acid

bacterium bacterial cell powder. This shows that the

precipitates (agglomerates) at the bottom of the container

are mainly formed by not milk protein, etc. contained in milk

such as powdered skim milk but the lactic acid bacterium

bacterial cell powder. That is, it was confirmed that a

subject on which the effect of a specific sucrose fatty acid ester improving the dispersibility in the present invention is not milk protein as regarded as a subject in the Patent

Literatures 3 to 5 but the lactic acid bacterium bacterial

cell powder.

[0092]

Table 4

Amount blended

Raw materials (w/w%) Reference Reference Example 1 Example 2 Powdered skim milk 0.500 0.500 Soybean polysaccharide 0.120 0.120 Citric acid (anhydride) 0.240 0.240 Trisodium citrate 0.100 0.100 Destructively treated lactic acid 0.040 bacterium bacterial cell powder Silicon preparation 0.001 0.001 Water 98.999 99.039

Industrial Applicability

[0093]

The present invention can be utilized in non

carbonated food/drink containing microbial cells such as a

lactic acid bacterium, production field thereof and the like.

Claims (14)

Claims

1. A microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink, comprising: (A) microbial cell powder and (B) at

least one sucrose fatty acid ester selected from the group

consisting of sucrose stearic acid ester having an HLB of 8 to

12, sucrose oleic acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 16,

sucrose lauric acid ester having an HLB of 15 to 17, sucrose

palmitic acid ester having an HLB of 14.5 to 15.5, and sucrose

myristic acid ester having an HLB of 15 to 17,

wherein the microbial cell powder (A) is destructively

treated microbial cell powder of a lactic acid bacterium.

2. The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to claim 1, wherein a content of the

sucrose fatty acid ester (B) in the non-carbonated liquid

food/drink is 0.001 to 0.2% by mass.

3. The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lactic acid

bacterium is a lactic acid bacterium belonging to a genus

Lactobacillus.

4. The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the

non-carbonated liquid food/drink further comprises milk.

5. The microbial cell-containing non-carbonated liquid

food/drink according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the non-carbonated liquid food/drink is a non-carbonated beverage.

6. A method for improving dispersibility of precipitates or

agglomerates of microbial cell powder in food/drink at the

time of production or during storage, wherein (A) microbial

cell powder and (B) at least one sucrose fatty acid ester

selected from the group consisting of sucrose stearic acid

ester having an HLB of 8 to 12, sucrose oleic acid ester

having an HLB of 14 to 16, sucrose lauric acid ester having an

HLB of 15 to 17, sucrose palmitic acid ester having an HLB of

14.5 to 15.5, and sucrose myristic acid ester having an HLB of

to 17 are allowed to coexist in a solution, and

wherein the microbial cell powder (A) is destructively

treated microbial cell powder of a lactic acid bacterium.

7. The method for improving dispersibility according to

claim 6, wherein the food/drink is non-carbonated liquid

food/drink.

8. The method for improving dispersibility according to

claim 7, wherein the non-carbonated liquid food/drink is a

non-carbonated beverage.