JP3944786B2 - Gel-like functional food - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gel-like functional food containing low redox potential water. More specifically, the present invention comprises hydrogenated water comprising water as a dispersion medium and a food containing agar or gelatin as a dispersoid and maintaining the oxidation-reduction potential at -520 mV after 60 days from production. It relates to a gel-like functional food.

Description of prior art

The inventor has a method for producing water having an oxidation-reduction potential of −400 mV or less, And a method for maintaining the oxidation-reduction potential has been developed, and a series of techniques have been patented.

  The reason behind the development of these technologies is that interest in drinking water has recently increased. The reason for this is that tap water treated with only sterilization as the primary idea is poor and people's health consciousness is increasing.

At the same time, scientific research on water has become popular. Conventionally, water has the molecular formula H ₂ It has been considered and treated as a colorless, tasteless, odorless, neutral, and stable substance represented by O. However, as research deepens in recent years, water is simply H ₂ Not a simple substance represented by O, but some water molecules gathered (H ₂ O) It has come to be considered that a cluster (cluster) such as n is formed.

And it has been considered to activate the water by various means to reduce the cluster. In addition, as one of the activations of water, the redox potential of water and in vivo reactions have been studied.

There are various redox systems in the living body, and many of them are conjugated to each other and involved in the in vivo redox reaction. The redox potential of the in vivo redox system is directly related to the free energy change of the reaction and the equilibrium constant, and is useful for predicting the direction of these reactions.

The redox reaction of human organs or in vivo reactions has a low potential, usually in the range of −100 mV to −400 mV, and the pH is in the range of 3 to 7. It is said that when the oxidation-reduction potential of the body fluid increases, active oxygen tends to stay and damage the organ. In particular, the intestines where the intestinal microorganisms actively act to digest and absorb nutrients must be maintained in an anaerobic reducing atmosphere.

For example, the redox potential of (acetic acid + CO ₂ + 2H ⁺ / α-ketoglutaric acid reaction) is −673 mV, and the redox potential of (acetic acid + CO ₂ / pyruvic acid reaction) is −699 mV, (acetic acid + 2H ⁺ / acetaldehyde). The redox potential of (acid reaction) is −581 mV, the redox potential of ferredoxin is −413 mV, the redox potential of (xanthine + H ⁺ / hypoxanthine + H ₂ O) is −371 mV, and (uric acid + H ⁺ / xanthine + H ₂ O). The oxidation-reduction potential is −360 mV, and the oxidation-reduction potential of (acetoacetic acid + 2H ⁺ / β-hydroxybutyric acid reaction) is −346 mV (cystine + 2H ⁺ / 2 cysteine reaction) is −340 mV .

Thus, the reactions of enzymes, coenzymes, and metabolism-related substances in the living body are in an environment where the redox potential is low. In addition, water or food having a low redox potential has an action of separating and eliminating active oxygen that oxidizes the body and molecules or atoms having one or more unpaired electrons, that is, free radicals, It is said to promote the reaction of an active oxygen scavenging enzyme called SOD (superoxide dismutase).

Body fluids provide a place for metabolic reactions in the body, including redox reactions. Body fluids occupy almost 60% of the living body. Body fluids are composed mainly of water, and electrolytes, proteins, and the like as important components. This is the reason why water having a low redox potential is effective in vivo.

By the way, the redox potential of tap water is +400 to +800 mV, the redox potential of spring water selected as natural mineral water or the name of the water agency of the Environment Agency is +200 to 300 mV, and the pH is 6.5 to 8. Range. It is considered that these waters cannot be balanced with a living organ having a redox potential in the range of −100 to −400 mV at the redox potential.

At present, several methods have been proposed for reducing the redox potential of water in a mixed state of an oxidant and a reductant, such as tap water, such as an electrolysis method and a high-frequency current application method. However, in any case, the balance between the value of the redox potential and the pH is not an ideal method from the viewpoint of the in vivo redox reaction.

The basic method developed by the present inventor and already applied for a patent is that the redox potential of water in a mixed state of an oxidant and a reductant, for example tap water, is reduced to that of a living organ, that is, −400 mV or less. As a method of doing this, hydrogen is blown in while bringing the raw material water into contact with a reduction catalyst in which a metal is supported on silica-based quartz porphyry. Furthermore, vitamin C such as L-ascorbic acid, sodium L-ascorbate, L-ascorbic acid stearate, L-ascorbic acid palmitate, etc., tocophenols, β- By adding a reducing agent selected from the group consisting of carotene, flavonoids, capsaicin, polyphenols, citric acids, erythrobinic acid, and mixtures thereof, or filling the aluminum pouch with an oxidation-reduction potential of at least −400 mV or less. Furthermore, it can be maintained for almost 30 days.

However, since the form of the product developed by the present inventor is water, the form as a product from the viewpoint of product economics such as pricing, distribution, quality, long-term maintenance of oxidation-reduction potential, or merchandising. There was room for improvement.

Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-290882 Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-198747

The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the inventor has developed a low redox potential in water, pricing, distribution, quality, product economics such as long-term maintenance of the redox potential, or merchandising perspective It is to make into the form of the food which is advantageous as a product from.

More specific problem to be solved by the present invention is a state in which the redox potential of water developed by the present inventor is kept low, it is included in a large amount in voids of higher molecular structure, and has nutrition and functions. In addition, it is to make a product form as an advantageous product from the viewpoint of product economics such as pricing, distribution, quality, or merchandising.

Means to solve the problem

The present inventor has focused on the following in formulating means for solving the problems. (1) The food to be developed should maintain the redox potential of water developed by the present inventor at a low potential for a long time. (2) It can be used for food immediately after opening without external heating or cooking with a microwave oven. In other words, it can be eaten cold. Similarly, (3) have some function as food. And (4) Apply to foods that satisfy various laws and regulations and are regularly used and evaluated, not newly developed foods.

As a result of the study by the present inventors from various viewpoints, the food satisfying the above (1) is that the food is an aqueous solution, that is, juice or soft drink in which food as a dispersoid is uniformly dispersed in water as a dispersion medium. Rather, it must contain as much water as possible in the macromolecular structure. Similarly, in order to satisfy the above (2), it should be used for food as a so-called frozen dessert or dessert. Similarly, satisfy (3) above. To add, foods that are not nutritious but have some function, such as dietary fiber, are preferred. And to satisfy the above (4), it does not require complicated cooking as an ingredient, but can be used for food almost as it is simply by seasoning, flavoring and coloring as needed. Was found to be preferable.

Then, this inventor examined the functional food containing the carbohydrate which contains abundant dietary fiber, and a certain protein as a foodstuff which satisfies all the requirements of said (1)-(4).

Accordingly, the present invention, which is a means for solving the problems, comprises water as a dispersion medium and a food selected from the group consisting of foods containing gelatin or agar as a dispersoid, and is redox after 60 days from the production. The present invention relates to a gel-like functional food containing water as a dispersion medium whose potential is maintained at -520 mV.

Dietary fiber is “an indigestible ingredient with a large carbohydrate molecule that is not digested by human digestive enzymes”. In Japan, in the “Five Japanese Food Standard Composition Table” (revised work started in 1994 and published in March 1997), what was traditionally simply “fiber” of carbohydrates was made independent as “food fiber” The “total amount”, “water-soluble” and “insoluble” were clearly specified for each food.

The main components of dietary fiber are carbohydrates, and because of their properties, plant gum, mucilage (mannan), "water-soluble dietary fiber" such as seaweed polysaccharides, pectin, and part of hemicellulose, as well as seaweed polysaccharides, pectin, It is roughly classified into “insoluble dietary fiber” such as a part of hemicellulose.

In recent years, research on dietary fiber has become active, and its functionality has been elucidated. Inhibition of cholesterol absorption, in vitro excretion of ingested sodium, inhibition of digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, growth effect of useful intestinal bacteria, improvement of constipation, normalization of blood pressure, etc. have been reported.

According to the data published by the former Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1989 “Annual change in dietary fiber intake by Japanese people”, the average was 1960 g in 1960, 17.3 g in 1985, and then decreased to 16 g. The target intake of 20-25 g / day, which was newly established in “Fiveth Japanese Nutritional Requirements”, is considerably insufficient. Therefore, it is desired to actively take various food forms.

As described above, dietary fiber is roughly classified into insoluble dietary fiber and water-soluble dietary fiber. Insoluble dietary fiber is contained in a large amount in a portion discarded in the process of refining food, so that it is collected in large quantities and processed and commercialized. It is mainly added to rice cakes and snacks, cookies and bread, and is also used in kneaded products such as rice cakes.

As described above, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that the water developed by the present inventors maintains a low redox potential of water and is contained in a large amount of voids of higher molecular structure, and has nutrition and functions. In addition, it is to make a product form as an advantageous product from the viewpoint of product economics such as pricing, distribution, quality, or merchandising. Accordingly, the dietary fiber suitable for use in the present invention is preferably water soluble dietary fiber.

Water-soluble dietary fiber is an indigestible substance that is contained in plant secretions and cytoplasm in a dissolved state in water, and has a slimy gel shape and has a strong adsorptive power to contain harmful components and the like. It has functions of slowing the digestion and absorption of food to suppress a rapid rise in blood sugar level, adsorbing bile acids to suppress cholesterol production, and preventing constipation .

The water-soluble dietary fiber used in the present invention is derived from gelatin or agar .

As agar algae (agarophyte), which is a raw material for agar, in addition to the family Tenidae (Gelidium), the genus (Glaudelupia), the genus (Gocagliaria), the genus Ibaranori (Hypnea), the red genus (Gigartina), etc. Besides, there are red algae belonging to several genera. Its components are agarose (about 70%) and agaropectin (about 30%). It is transparent and glossy white and does not dissolve in cold water, but dissolves in hot water to form a sol and gels when cooled (may be about 1%).

Agar contains 80.9 g of dietary fiber in 100 g. This hermetic fiber has a function of binding to sodium and lowering blood pressure. It also inhibits the absorption of cholesterol and bile acids in the intestine, reducing cholesterol in the blood and liver, and has a preventive effect on diseases such as arteriosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, ischemic, and heart disease It has been reported.

The gelatin used in the present invention is a kind of high protein collagen. The three-dimensional structure of collagen is a triple helical molecular structure, but the broken state, that is, denatured collagen is called gelatin. In addition to denatured collagen, commercially available gelatin contains other substances and pigments, as well as NH in the amide group of glutamine and asparagine. ₂ Is a mixture of those that have been broken or covalent bonds have been broken. In solution theory, it shows the behavior of a typical random coil, but when the conditions causing denaturation, such as heating, addition of denaturing agents, raising pH, etc. are restored, at least partially the original collagen structure I take the. Unlike other proteins, gelatin is very well soluble in water. This is the amino acid composition of collagen It is thought that the hydrophobic amino acid residues are remarkably few and proline prefers to come into contact with water. A thick gelatin solution becomes a gel when cooled.

Collagen is made from amino acids in cells. Collagen produced inside the cell is secreted outside the cell and settles where it is needed. The fibers are connected vertically and horizontally to form a three-dimensional structure that promotes cell growth and promotes cell activation. .

Collagen, which is expected to have a variety of functions, is currently made mainly from cow skin, pork skin, and cow cartilage, and its molecular weight is reduced by enzymatic fermentation so that it can be easily digested and absorbed in the intestinal tract. Many types of products with various characteristics are supplied depending on the type and decomposition method, and they are used not only for health foods but also for general foods.

The gel-like functional food containing hydrogenated water in which the redox potential of water as the dispersion medium of the present invention is maintained at -520 mV even after 60 days from the heating step is (1) treated with a predetermined method to have a different taste and smell. Then, hydrogen gas is blown for a predetermined time at a gas pressure of 0.9 MPa while bringing the purified water from which impurities have been removed into contact with a reduction catalyst in which a metal is supported on silica-based quartz porphyry as a dispersion medium having an oxidation-reduction potential of −600 mV or less. (2) A gel-like product is produced by mixing the hydrogenated water as the dispersion medium produced in the previous step and a food containing agar or gelatin as the dispersoid. A step, (3) a step of filling and sealing an aluminum pouch with the gel-like product produced in the step, and (4) a step of completely heating the food containing agar or gelatin by heating in a sealed state. And It is produced in the absence of method.

Alternatively, the redox potential of water as the dispersion medium of the present invention is determined from the heating step. After 60 days, the gel-like functional food containing hydrogenated water maintained at -520 mV is treated with (1) water as a dispersion medium that has been treated by a predetermined method to remove off-flavors, off-flavors, and impurities. A process of mixing food containing agar or gelatin, filling and sealing in an aluminum pouch, and (2) heating in a sealed state to completely dissolve the food containing agar or gelatin to form a gel product. A step of producing, and (3) a step of blowing hydrogen gas at a gas pressure of 0.9 MPa for a predetermined time while contacting the gel product produced in the above step with a reduction catalyst in which a metal is supported on silica-based quartz porphyry. It is manufactured by the method containing.

Which method is adopted is determined in consideration of the form of food to be manufactured, manufacturing cost, inventory period, sales method, distribution system, and the like.

Preferred embodiments of the invention

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described by way of examples.

1. Measuring equipment used
Oxidation reduction potential measurement: “Portable 0RP meter RM-2” (trade name) manufactured by Toa DKK Industry Co., Ltd. Unit: mV
PH measurement: Toa DK Industrial Co., Ltd. “Portable PH meter HM-2OP” (trade name)
Viscosity measurement: RI0N viscometer “VT-04F” (trade name) Unit: ps Dissolved hydrogen amount measurement: Toa DKK Industry Co., Ltd. “DHD1-1 type dissolved hydrogen meter” Unit: ppm, ppb
2. Gelatin used: “Zerais” (trade name) manufactured by Zerais Co., Ltd.
Standard amount: 250 g of water for 5 g of zealice.
3. Hydrogen gas used: Hydrogen gas manufactured by Iwatani Gas Co., Ltd. (purity 99.97%)
4). Aluminum pouch used: Polyethylene terephthalate / aluminum Um / nylon / polyethylene (PET / AL / NY / PE) laminate, 130 (width) x 180 mm (height), capacity 500 mL, with a stopper at the center.

Production of hydrogenated water
  Sterilized and dechlorinated 500 ml of tap water having a water temperature of 10.2 ° C. was further subjected to microfiltration treatment to remove impurities to produce tasteless and odorless purified water. As a result of measuring this purified water, the oxidation-reduction potential was +250 mV, the pH was 7.12, and the amount of dissolved oxygen was 0.001 ppb. Hydrogen gas (purity 99.97%) was blown into 20 liters of this purified water at a hydrogen injection pressure of 0.9 MPa and a discharge pressure of 0.02 MPa for 2.5 minutes, an oxidation-reduction potential of −615 mV, and a pH of 7.23. Hydrogenated water having a dissolved hydrogen content of 1.20 ppm and a water temperature of 10.3 ° C. was produced.

Next, 10 g of gelatin was weighed and poured into an aluminum pouch, and then 490 mL of hydrogenated water was poured in, shaken lightly five times, capped, and the aluminum pouch was sealed. In a sealed state, the gelatin was completely dissolved by heating in a warm bath at 85 ° C. for 30 minutes to prepare a 2% solution of gelatin. The sample was then cooled with tap water at 15 ° C. for 30 minutes and then cooled at room temperature of 15 ° C. for 24 hours to produce a sample. Three samples were prepared by the same method.

The upper full width (130 mm width) of the sample pouch produced by the method described above was cut, the pouch was completely opened, and stored in a refrigerator at 2 to 5 ° C. Immediately after opening, the redox potential was -585 mV, the pH was 6.88, the viscosity was 800 ps, and the temperature was 9.3 ° C.

The oxidation-reduction potential, PH, and temperature change of this sample were measured. The results obtained are listed in Table-1.

From the results in Table 1, the oxidation-reduction potential is -615 mV immediately after production, and the aluminum pouch is filled and sealed with a cap, and the pouch is completely cut by cutting the entire upper width (130 mm width). Immediately after being opened and stored in a refrigerator at 2 to 5 ° C., it is −585 mV, and after 24 hours, the redox potential of a 2% gelatin solution using hydrogenated water increased to −400 mV or more as a medium. It is understood that -577 mV is maintained even after 45 days.

  Sterilized and dechlorinated 500 ml of tap water having a water temperature of 10.2 ° C. was further subjected to microfiltration treatment to remove impurities to produce tasteless and odorless purified water. As a result of measuring this purified water, the oxidation-reduction potential was +250 mV, the pH was 7.12, and the amount of dissolved oxygen was 0.001 ppb. 490 mL of this purified water was filled in an aluminum pouch. Next, 10 g of gelatin was weighed, added to an aluminum pouch, stirred well, and heated in a warm bath at 85 ° C. for 30 minutes to completely dissolve the gelatin to produce a 2% solution of gelatin. It was. Next, after cooling with tap water at 15 ° C. for 30 minutes, hydrogen gas (purity 99.97%) is blown in at 2 MPa for 5 minutes at a hydrogen injection pressure of 0.9 MPa and a discharge pressure of 0.02 to produce a gel food. did. As a result of measuring each physical property value by the same method as in Example, almost the same result as in Example 1 was obtained.

  5 g of powder agar derived from the genus Genus was dissolved in 70 cc of hot water to form a sol, added to 400 cc of hydrogenated water produced in Example 1 and cooled to form a gel of about 1%. Immediately thereafter, the oxidation-reduction potential was measured and found to be -540 mV. Next, the oxidation-reduction potential was measured after 10 days and found to be -530 mV. Furthermore, as a result of measuring the oxidation-reduction potential after 30 days, it was -527 mV. Furthermore, as a result of measuring the oxidation-reduction potential after 60 days, it was -520 mV.

The invention's effect

  According to the invention described in claim 1 or 2, water having a redox potential of −500 mV or less is included in the voids of the higher molecular structure of the food containing dietary fiber such as gelatin or agar as a dispersion medium. 60 days later, a gel-like functional food containing hydrogenated water maintained at -520 mV is provided.

Claims (2)

(1) Hydrogen gas is supplied at a gas pressure of 0.9 MPa for a predetermined time while contacting with a reduction catalyst in which a metal is supported on silica-based quartz porphyry in purified water that has been treated by a predetermined method to remove off-flavors, off-flavors, and impurities. Injecting hydrogenated water as a dispersion medium having a redox potential of −600 mV or less in advance,
(2) a step of producing a gel-like product by mixing hydrogenated water as a dispersion medium produced in the above step and a food containing agar or gelatin as a dispersoid;
(3) filling and sealing the aluminum product with the gel-like product produced in the step;
(4) A dispersion medium produced by a method comprising heating in a sealed state and completely dissolving agar or a food containing gelatin A gel-like functional food containing hydrogenated water in which the redox potential of water is maintained at -520 mV even after 60 days from the heating step. (1) a step of mixing a food containing agar or gelatin as a dispersoid with water as a dispersion medium that has been treated by a predetermined method to remove off-flavors, off-flavors, and impurities, and filling and sealing the aluminum pouch;
(2) heating in a sealed state to completely dissolve the food containing agar or gelatin to produce a gel product;
(3) A method in which the gel-like product produced in the above step is blown with hydrogen gas at a gas pressure of 0.9 MPa for a predetermined time while being brought into contact with a reduction catalyst in which a metal is supported on silica-based quartz porphyry. A gel-like functional food containing hydrogenated water in which the redox potential of water as a dispersion medium is maintained at -520 mV even after 60 days from blowing in hydrogen gas.