JP7259181B2 - Food composition containing amino acid fermentation product - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a food composition containing a fermentation product containing amino acids produced by a fermentation method using microorganisms, and a method for producing the same.

Today, various amino acids are produced by fermentation methods using microorganisms and are used in various fields such as pharmaceuticals, food and drink. For example, an example of such amino acids includes γ-aminobutyric acid (hereinafter referred to as “GABA”) and the like.

GABA is one of non-protein amino acids widely distributed in nature, and is commonly contained in vegetables, fruits, cereals, and the like. In vivo, it has been found to act as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and to be present particularly abundantly in the central nervous system such as the brain and spinal cord.

GABA is known to have the effect of adjusting the balance of the autonomic nervous system, and due to this effect, it is possible to have effects such as lowering blood pressure, relieving stress, relaxing, reducing fatigue, and improving the quality of sleep. It has been confirmed (Patent Document 1). In recent years, foods with health claims (foods for specified health use, foods with function claims, etc.) focusing on such effects of GABA have been developed and marketed, and are attracting attention.

It is known that GABA can be produced in large quantities and at low cost by a fermentation method using lactic acid bacteria (Patent Document 2), and fermented products containing GABA produced by a fermentation method are used in many products.

Catechin is a general term for a group of plant-derived polyphenols contained in green tea, red wine, etc., and includes epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, epicatechin, gallocatechin, gallocatechin gallate, catechin, etc. is included.

Catechins are known to have high antioxidant activity, as well as bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, and are used in many products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food and drink (Patent Document 3).

In addition, Patent Document 4 states that tannins (catechins), which are active ingredients of green tea, have uses such as halitosis prevention, antibacterial, antiviral, blood pressure elevation suppression, blood sugar elevation suppression, anti-cholesterol, and tooth decay prevention effects. It is shown.

WO2007/125883 JP-A-2007-63236 JP 2009-138028 A JP-A-2003-235503

The present inventors have found that a fermentation product containing amino acids produced by a fermentation method has a peculiar smell, and a food composition containing this product has an unpleasant odor caused by the fermentation product. I found that there is a case.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a food composition in which the unpleasant odor caused by the fermentation product is reduced or eliminated.

As a result of intensive studies by the present inventors to solve the above problems, a food composition in which the unpleasant odor caused by the fermentation product is reduced or eliminated is obtained by blending catechins together with the fermentation product. I found out that it can be done.

That is, the present invention includes the following inventions.
[1] A food composition containing an amino acid fermentation product and catechins.
[2] The food composition of [1], wherein the amino acid fermentation product contains γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
[3] The food composition of [1] or [2], wherein the amino acid fermentation product is an amino acid lactic acid fermentation product.
[4] The food composition of any one of [1] to [3], wherein the catechins are green tea extracts.
[5] The food composition of any one of [1] to [4], containing the amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a weight ratio of 100:0.04 or more.
[6] The food composition of [5], which contains 1 to 400 mg of an amino acid fermentation product and 0.0004 mg or more of catechins.
[7] The food composition according to any one of [1] to [6], which is a liquid food or drink.

[8] A method for producing a food composition containing an amino acid fermentation product and catechins, comprising blending the amino acid fermentation product and catechins with raw materials.
[9] The method of [8], which comprises blending the amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a weight ratio of 100:0.04 or more.
[10] The method of [9], which comprises blending 1 to 400 mg of an amino acid fermentation product and blending 0.0004 mg or more of catechins.
[11] The method of any one of [8] to [10], wherein the food composition is a liquid food or drink.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the food composition from which the unpleasant smell resulting from the fermentation product containing the amino acid produced|generated by the fermentation method was reduced or eliminated can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the results of sensory evaluation of yeast odor, fermented odor, stuffy feeling, and aftertaste of each beverage (stored in a refrigerator). FIG. 2 is a graph showing the results of sensory evaluation of yeast odor, fermented odor, stuffy feeling, and aftertaste of each beverage (stored in a constant temperature chamber at 50° C.).

The present invention relates to food compositions containing amino acid fermentation products and catechins.

In the present invention, "amino acid fermentation product" means a fermentation product containing amino acids produced by a fermentation method using microorganisms. Amino acid fermentation products can be produced according to known methods, that is, using a fermentation medium containing a predetermined amino acid or polypeptide as a raw material, culturing microorganisms, filtering the resulting culture, and obtaining a filtrate. It can be manufactured by obtaining The microorganism is not particularly limited as long as it can produce the target amino acid from a predetermined amino acid or polypeptide. For example, yeast, lactic acid bacteria, koji mold, and the like can be used. The resulting amino acid fermentation product contains desired amino acids such as GABA, alanine, ornithine, etc., depending on the raw materials used (raw material amino acids such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, etc.). Preferably, the amino acid fermentation product in the present invention contains GABA.

More preferably, the amino acid fermentation product in the present invention is an amino acid lactic acid fermentation product. "Amino acid lactic acid bacterium fermentation product" can be produced according to a known method (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-063236), using a fermentation medium containing a predetermined amino acid or polypeptide as a raw material, lactic acid bacteria for 1-3 days at 20-30° C. and filtering the resulting culture to obtain a filtrate. The "lactic acid bacterium" to be used is not particularly limited as long as it can produce the target amino acid from a predetermined amino acid or polypeptide, but preferably produces GABA from glutamic acid and/or its salt. Any lactic acid bacterium capable of Examples of such lactic acid bacteria include Lactobacillus brevis IFO12005 strain, Lactobacillus brevis strain K-3, Lactobacillus brevis strain TY414, Lactobacillus sp. Y-3 strain and the like can be mentioned (but not limited to these). The amino acid lactic acid fermentation product thus obtained contains GABA.

When the amino acid fermentation product contains GABA, its content can be approximately 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, or more on a solids basis. The GABA content in the amino acid fermentation product may vary depending on factors such as the fermentation medium used, culture conditions, type of microorganism or strain, purification method, and the like.

In the present invention, the amino acid fermentation product may contain, in addition to the target amino acid (eg, GABA), other amino acids, other components such as sugars, fermentation medium components, microorganisms or parts thereof.

In the present invention, any form of amino acid fermentation product can be used, and a liquid or powder form can be used. The powder form can be obtained using a known drying/powdering method (eg, hot air drying, spray drying, freeze drying, etc.). Alternatively, commercially available products may be used.

In the present invention, "catechins" include epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECg), epicatechin (EC), gallocatechin (GC), gallocatechin gallate (GCg), At least one compound selected from catechin (C), preferably two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more, six or more, or a mixture of seven compounds, more preferably a mixture of seven compounds including.

When the catechins contain a mixture of two or more compounds, a mixture of chemically synthesized compounds in an arbitrary ratio can be used as the catechins. Alternatively, green tea extract may be used as catechins. Green tea extract can be obtained from green tea by a known method (for example, JP-A-2006-131512), and the extract obtained by hot water extraction of green tea is separated with an organic solvent such as ethyl acetate. can be obtained by concentrating the catechins. The content of catechins in the green tea extract may vary depending on factors such as the extraction solvent and extraction conditions used, but the amount per solid content is approximately 60%, 70%, 80%, It can be 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or more. The green tea extract contains 1 to 40% by weight of EGCg, such as 1 to 20% by weight, preferably 2 to 2.2% by weight, and 0.1 to 10% by weight of EGC, such as 0.5 to 5% by weight. %, preferably 0.8-0.9 wt %, ECg 0.1-10 wt %, for example 0.1-5 wt %, preferably 0.3-0.4 wt %, EC 0.1-10 wt %. 1-6% by weight, such as 0.1-3% by weight, preferably 0.3-0.4% by weight; 0.1-0.2% by weight, 0.01-6% by weight of GCg, for example 0.01-3% by weight, preferably 0.06-0.08% by weight, 0.01-2% by weight of C %, for example 0.01 to 1% by weight, preferably 0.06 to 0.08% by weight, respectively.

In the present invention, catechins in any form can be used, and catechins in liquid or powder form can be used. The powder form can be obtained by treating a solution or extract containing catechins by the known drying/powderization method. Alternatively, commercially available products may be used.

In the present invention, by including the amino acid fermentation product and catechins, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the unpleasant odor caused by the amino acid fermentation product in the food composition.

In the present invention, "unpleasant odor caused by amino acid fermentation products" means yeast odor, fermentation odor, stuffy feeling, aftertaste, etc., which are usually recognized in fermentation products using amino acids as raw materials. The terms "yeast odor", "fermented odor", "stuffy feeling", and "afterglow" can be used interchangeably with "unpleasant odor". More specifically, the “yeast odor” may be expressed as, for example, “the odor of heated thiamine”, “the odor of boiling pork juice”, “dry yeast-like odor”, and the like. "Fermentation odor" may be expressed as, for example, "smell like rice bran" or "smell like hydrogen sulfide". The "stuffy feeling" is sometimes expressed as, for example, "smell like half-dried laundry in the rainy season". "Flavor remaining in the oral cavity" may be expressed as, for example, "flavor remaining in the oral cavity".

Preferably, the food composition of the present invention contains an amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a weight ratio of 100:0.04 or more (amino acid fermentation product: catechins, hereinafter the same), for example, amino acid Fermentation products and catechins can be contained at a weight ratio of 100:0.2 or more, preferably 100:0.4 or more, more preferably 100:2 or more, and even more preferably 100:3.2 or more. Even more preferably, the food composition of the present invention contains an amino acid fermentation product and catechins in a weight ratio of 100:4 or more, for example, an amino acid fermentation product and catechins in a weight ratio of 100:6 or more, particularly preferably Contain in a weight ratio of 8 or more.

The upper limit of the catechins in the food composition can be selected from a range in which the flavor of the catechins themselves does not affect the flavor of the food composition, and is not particularly limited, but is based on 100 parts by weight of the amino acid fermentation product. 24 parts by weight or less, preferably 18 parts by weight or less, more preferably 16 parts by weight or less, and even more preferably 12 parts by weight or less.

For example, the food composition of the present invention contains an amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a ratio of 100:0.04 or more (for example, 100:0.2 or more, preferably 100:0.4 or more, more preferably 100:0.4 or more). 2 or more, more preferably 100:3.2 or more), preferably 100:4 or more (e.g. 100:6 or more, more preferably 100:8 or more), and 100:24 or less. .

Alternatively, the food composition of the present invention contains an amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a ratio of 100:0.04 or more (for example, 100:0.2 or more, preferably 100:0.4 or more, more preferably 100:0.4 or more). 2 or more, more preferably 100:3.2 or more), preferably 100:4 or more (e.g. 100:6 or more, more preferably 100:8 or more), and 100:18 or less. .

Alternatively, the food composition of the present invention contains an amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a ratio of 100:0.04 or more (for example, 100:0.2 or more, preferably 100:0.4 or more, more preferably 100:0.4 or more). 2 or more, more preferably 100:3.2 or more), preferably 100:4 or more (e.g. 100:6 or more, more preferably 100:8 or more), and 100:16 or less. .

Alternatively, the food composition of the present invention contains an amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a ratio of 100:0.04 or more (for example, 100:0.2 or more, preferably 100:0.4 or more, more preferably 100:0.4 or more). 2 or more, more preferably 100:3.2 or more), preferably 100:4 or more (e.g., 100:6 or more, more preferably 100:8 or more), and 100:12 or less. .

Most preferably, it contains amino acid fermentation products and catechins in a weight ratio of 100:8.

More specifically, the food composition of the present invention can contain an amino acid fermentation product in an amount selected from the range of 1 to 400 mg, and in this case, catechins, for example, 0.0004 mg to 96 mg (eg , 0.002 mg to 96 mg, preferably 0.004 mg to 96 mg, more preferably 0.02 mg to 96 mg, more preferably 0.032 mg to 96 mg), preferably 0.04 to 96 mg, more preferably 0.06 to 96 mg , and more preferably in an amount selected from the range of 0.08 to 96 mg.

Alternatively, when the food composition of the present invention contains the amino acid fermentation product in an amount selected from the range of 1 to 400 mg, the catechins are, for example, 0.0004 mg to 72 mg (for example, 0.002 mg to 72 mg, preferably is 0.004 mg to 72 mg, more preferably 0.02 mg to 72 mg, more preferably 0.032 mg to 72 mg), preferably 0.04 to 72 mg, more preferably 0.06 to 72 mg, more preferably 0.08 to It can be included in an amount selected from the range of 72 mg.

Alternatively, when the food composition of the present invention contains the amino acid fermentation product in an amount selected from the range of 1 to 400 mg, the catechins are, for example, 0.0004 mg to 64 mg (for example, 0.002 mg to 64 mg, preferably is 0.004 mg to 64 mg, more preferably 0.02 mg to 64 mg, more preferably 0.032 mg to 64 mg), preferably 0.04 to 64 mg, more preferably 0.06 to 64 mg, more preferably 0.08 to It can be included in an amount selected from the range of 64 mg.

Alternatively, when the food composition of the present invention contains the amino acid fermentation product in an amount selected from the range of 1 to 400 mg, the catechins are, for example, 0.0004 mg to 48 mg (for example, 0.002 mg to 48 mg, preferably is 0.004 mg to 48 mg, more preferably 0.02 mg to 48 mg, more preferably 0.032 mg to 48 mg), preferably 0.04 to 48 mg, more preferably 0.06 to 48 mg, more preferably 0.08 to It can be included in an amount selected from the range of 48 mg.

By containing the amino acid fermentation product and the catechins in the amounts described above, it is possible to obtain a food composition in which the unpleasant odor caused by the amino acid fermentation product is reduced or eliminated.

In addition to the above amino acid fermentation product and catechins, the food composition of the present invention further contains excipients (e.g., dextrin, starch, amino acids, etc.) and sweeteners (e.g., , monosaccharides, disaccharides, isomerized sugars, sugar alcohols, honey, high-intensity sweeteners, etc.), vitamins (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacin, pantothenic acid, inositol, folic acid, etc.), minerals (e.g., sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, etc.), antioxidants (e.g., vitamin C, tocopherol (vitamin E), enzyme-treated rutin, etc.), acidity ingredients (e.g., citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, acetic acid, etc.), pH adjusters (e.g., glycine, sodium citrate, anhydrous sodium acetate, polymeric phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, etc.), seasonings (e.g., Salt, amino acids, etc.), crude drugs (e.g., ginger, hihatsu, gardenia, etc.), emulsifiers, thickeners (e.g., xanthan gum, carrageenan, pectin, guar gum, etc.), spices (e.g., pepper, red pepper, garlic, ginger, etc.), Coloring agents (for example, annatto pigment, gardenia pigment, carotenoid pigment such as β-carotene, turmeric pigment, caramel pigment, etc.), perfume, and the like can be included as necessary.

In the present invention, the "food composition" includes solid food and liquid food and drink. Solid foods include, but are not limited to, dry foods, supplements, and the like, such as jelly, yogurt, frozen desserts, candy, tablets, chocolate, gum, crackers, biscuits, cookies, cakes, and bread. Examples of liquid foods and beverages include soft drinks, sports drinks, mineral water, carbonated drinks, tea (green tea, oolong tea, black tea, herbal tea, etc.), mineral water, concentrated fruit juice, concentrated reduced juice, straight juice, mixed fruit juice. , pulp-containing fruit juices, fruit juice-containing beverages, fruit/vegetable mixed juices, vegetable juices, milk, milk beverages, cocoa beverages, powdered beverages, and the like, but are not limited to these. Preferably, the "food composition" in the present invention is a liquid food or drink, and particularly preferably a soft drink.

Liquid foods and beverages can be contained in containers that are used as beverage containers. Examples of beverage containers include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers such as so-called PET bottles and metal can containers. The shape of the container is not particularly limited. In addition, although the volume of the container is not particularly limited, it can be, for example, 50 mL to 500 mL (typically 50 mL, 100 mL, 150 mL, 200 mL, 250 mL, 300 mL, 350 mL, 400 mL, 450 mL or 500 mL), preferably 50 mL to 200 mL. can. A small volume type can be, for example, 20 mL to 100 mL (typically 20 mL, 25 mL, 30 mL, 40 mL, 50 mL, 60 mL, 70 mL, 80 mL, 90 mL, or 100 mL). Any means may be used to contain the liquid food or drink in the container.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing a food composition containing an amino acid fermentation product and catechins. This method includes blending the amino acid fermentation product described above and the catechins described above with the ingredients of the food composition in the respective amounts described above. The order and means of adding the amino acid fermentation product and catechins to the raw materials are arbitrary.
EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

1. Preparation of Beverage Comparative Example 1 containing no catechins and beverages of Examples 1 to 9 containing catechins were prepared according to the formulation shown in Table 1.

The amino acid lactic acid bacteria fermentation product used is manufactured by Pharma Foods Co., Ltd. (trade name: Pharma GABA), which contains GABA produced from glutamic acid. As catechins, those manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd. (trade name: Sankator W-5) were used.

The numerical value of each raw material in the table represents parts by weight. As for catechins, only the amount of catechins contained in Sankator W-5 is shown.

For each beverage, the fermented product of amino acid lactic acid bacteria and catechins were added to water, and after the temperature reached 98°C, the mixture was held for 5 minutes to dissolve sufficiently, and sealed in an aluminum pouch. This solution was heated in hot water at 83° C. for 10 minutes and then cooled with running water. Two bags of each were prepared, and one was stored in a refrigerator and the other was stored in a thermostat at 50°C for one week.

2. Sensory evaluation Sensory evaluation was performed on the yeast odor, fermented odor, damp feeling, and aftertaste of the prepared beverages.
The sensory evaluation was evaluated by a panel of 9 healthy men and women aged 20 to 50 on a scale of 0 to 10 (0: weak to 10: strong).

3. Results Figs. 1 and 2 show the results of the sensory evaluation of each beverage regarding the yeast odor, fermented odor, damp feeling, and aftertaste of the prepared beverages. The score of each drink indicates the average value of 9 panelists.

After preparation, it was confirmed that the addition of catechins reduced yeast odor, fermentation odor, stuffy feeling, and aftertaste in both the beverage stored in the refrigerator and the beverage stored in the constant temperature storage at 50 ° C.

In particular, in both the beverage stored in the refrigerator and the beverage stored in the constant temperature storage at 50 ° C, the yeast odor, fermented odor, stuffy feeling, and the remaining residue contain catechins of 0.0075 parts by weight or more (implementation In Examples 7-9), a large decrease compared to Comparative Example 1 was observed.

Furthermore, regarding beverages stored in a refrigerator, when 0.010 parts by weight of catechins were blended (Example 8), the yeast odor, fermented odor, stuffy feeling, and aftertaste all showed the lowest values. rice field.

4. Beverage Containing Other Ingredients Beverages containing ingredients other than the fermentation product of amino acid lactic acid bacteria and catechins were prepared and stored in the same manner as the above beverages according to the formulation shown in Table 2. The pH of the beverage was adjusted to 3.6 using a pH adjuster (trisodium citrate).

The amino acid lactic acid bacteria fermentation product used is manufactured by Pharma Foods Co., Ltd. (trade name: Pharma GABA), which contains GABA produced from glutamic acid. As catechins, those manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd. (trade name: Sankator W-5) were used.

The numerical value of each raw material in the table represents parts by weight. As for catechins, only the amount of catechins contained in Sankator W-5 is shown.

Sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as described above for each of the obtained beverages.

5. Results Both the beverage stored in the refrigerator and the beverage stored in the constant temperature storage at 50° C. did not have yeast odor, fermented odor, stuffy feeling, or aftertaste, and had good flavor.

Claims (7)

A food composition containing an amino acid fermentation product and catechins at a weight ratio of 100:0.04 or more and 12 or less , and containing 1 to 400 mg of the amino acid fermentation product and 0.0004 mg or more of the catechins. 2. The food composition of claim 1, wherein the amino acid fermentation product comprises γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). 3. The food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amino acid fermentation product is an amino acid lactic acid fermentation product. The food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the catechins are green tea extracts. The food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is a liquid food or drink. A method for producing a food composition containing an amino acid fermentation product and catechins, wherein the weight ratio of the amino acid fermentation product and catechins is 100:0.04 or more and 12 or less , and the amino acid fermentation product is 1 to 1 400 mg, and a method including blending 0.0004 mg or more of catechins with the raw material. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the food composition is a liquid food or drink.

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