JP7489695B2 - Oil and fat composition having a whitener function and available at room temperature - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an oil composition that has a whitening function and can be distributed at room temperature, and is used in food and beverages such as soup and coffee.

Traditionally, whiteners have been used in drinks such as coffee, tea, and cocoa, confectioneries such as coffee jelly and bavarois, and soups and stews such as beef stew, curry, borsch, and minestrone to impart a smooth and full-bodied taste or to obtain a visual whitening effect.

In recent years, there has been a trend toward more realistic and realistic flavors in instant foods, and there has been a demand for whiteners that can be used in soups, such as curry or tomato flavored soups, and foods that contain noodles or pasta.

There are two types of whiteners: powder and liquid. The former powder type is produced by removing moisture, so it has low water activity and can be distributed at room temperature. However, because it contains little moisture, it has the disadvantage that it is difficult to disperse and does not easily give a cloudy appearance, especially when used in highly viscous foods such as the above-mentioned beef stew and curry. Conversely, when used in low-viscosity, high-moisture foods, it tends to become lumpy when it absorbs water rapidly and become difficult to dissolve. On the other hand, the latter liquid type has excellent dispersibility and cloudy appearance. However, since it is an oil-in-water emulsion, there is a risk of spoilage, and it cannot be used as is for foods that are stored at room temperature for long periods, such as the above-mentioned instant foods. Therefore, in order to improve storage stability and quality stability, a method of filling it aseptically has been adopted, but in order to reduce production costs, various studies have been conducted to find a simpler method that can be distributed at room temperature.

Patent Document 1 proposes an emulsifier composition for coffee whiteners distributed at room temperature, which prevents water separation during distribution at room temperature and improves stability by using sucrose fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, and citric acid monoglyceride as essential ingredients. Patent Document 2 proposes a whitener for food and beverages that contains fats and oils, an emulsifier, a pH adjuster, and a preservative, and contains a specified amount of carbohydrates that were not contained in conventional whiteners, allowing it to be stored at room temperature without ultra-high temperature short-time sterilization such as LL sterilization method or aseptic packaging.

However, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for preventing water separation and the like of an emulsifier composition for coffee whitener during distribution at room temperature, but since there is still a risk of spoilage, sterilization using an autoclave or the like is required, and it is not useful for reducing costs. In addition, Patent Document 2 sets the pH to an acidic level, which is not suitable for imparting a full-bodied flavor.

JP 5-176678 A Patent Publication 2009-291136

The present invention was made based on the above circumstances, and aims to provide an oil composition that has a good flavor, excellent dispersibility and white turbidity, and a whitener function that can withstand distribution at room temperature and long-term storage when added to food and beverages.

As a result of extensive research, the inventors have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by preparing an oil composition in which a powdered oil is dispersed after drying an oil-in-water emulsion in an edible oil having a melting point within a specific range, and have thus completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention relates to the following inventions.
[1] An oil and fat composition having a whitener function and which can be distributed at room temperature, comprising an edible oil and fat having an upward melting point of 55°C or less and a powdered oil and fat obtained by drying an oil-in-water emulsion dispersed therein.
[2] The oil and fat composition having a whitener function and which can be distributed at room temperature according to [1], wherein the ratio of the edible oil and fat to the powdered oil and fat is 85:15 to 30:70 (mass ratio).
[3] The oil and fat composition having a whitener function and capable of being distributed at room temperature according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of the oil and fat in the powdered oil and fat is 30 to 80 mass%.
[4] An oil and fat composition having a whitener function and capable of being distributed at room temperature, comprising any one of [1] to [3], which contains a diglycerol fatty acid ester.
[5] An oil composition having a whitener function and which can be distributed at room temperature, as described in any one of [1] to [4], which contains oil-processed starch and/or starch sodium octenyl succinate.
[6] The oil and fat composition having a whitener function according to any one of [1] to [5], which is in a paste or fluid form at 25° C. and can be distributed at room temperature.
[7] The oil and fat composition having a whitener function and available at room temperature according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the oil and fat composition is for instant food.

The present invention makes it possible to obtain, in a simple manner, an oil composition (hereinafter simply referred to as "oil composition" or "the present oil composition") that, when added to food or drink, has a good flavor, excellent dispersibility and opacity, and a whitener function that can withstand distribution at room temperature and long-term storage. The oil composition of the present invention can be distributed at room temperature, and is therefore suitable for use in instant foods. In particular, it can be used in instant soups and ramen noodles that are eaten by pouring hot water over them.

<Edible oils and fats>
The edible oils and fats used in the present invention have an elevation melting point of 55°C or less, preferably 50°C or less, more preferably 45°C or less, and even more preferably 40°C or less. By setting the edible oils and fats in the above range, the edible oils and fats constituting the surface of the present oil and fat composition have a moderate viscosity, and when the oil and fat composition is provided to a food or drink containing moisture, the powder contained in the present oil and fat composition can be prevented from absorbing water rapidly, and uniform dispersibility can be obtained without becoming lumpy. If the elevation melting point of the edible oil and fat exceeds 55°C, the dispersibility and solubility of the present oil and fat composition itself deteriorates, and it is not preferable because it has a negative effect on the melting in the mouth. In particular, when the present oil and fat composition is made into a paste or fluid at room temperature, it is preferable to select an edible oil and fat with a lower elevation melting point, and an oil and fat that is liquid at 20°C is more preferable. The elevation melting point of the edible oil and fat can be measured by the method described in the Standard Oil and Fat Analysis Test Method.

The oils and fats used may be any combination of animal and vegetable oils and/or processed oils and fats. Examples of animal and vegetable oils and fats include palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, olive oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, beef tallow, milk fat, lard, cocoa butter, shea butter, mango fat, monkey fat, illipe fat, fish oil, and whale oil. Examples of processed oils and fats include those obtained by subjecting animal and vegetable oils to ester exchange, hydrogenation, isomerization hydrogenation, fractionation, and the like, and ester exchange oils produced using fatty acids and/or fatty acid lower alcohol esters. Examples of processed oils and fats obtained by fractionation include palm olein and palm stearin. The content of edible oils and fats in the present oil and fat composition may be any amount that allows the powdered oils and fats and other powdered raw materials to be uniformly dispersed, and is preferably 30 to 85% by mass, more preferably 40 to 80% by mass, and even more preferably 50 to 75% by mass.

<Powdered oils and fats>
The powdered oil and fat in the present invention is obtained by drying the oil-in-water emulsion. As a drying method, a commonly known spray drying method, vacuum drying method, etc. can be used. Since the emulsified oil and fat is powdered, the oil and fat composition of the present invention can maintain a uniform white state when it is provided to a food or drink with a high moisture content, such as soup. In addition, even when stirred, the oil and fat does not separate, but is uniformly emulsified and becomes cloudy. In addition, by containing the powdered oil and fat in the oil and fat composition, a good full-bodied taste can be imparted. The content of the oil and fat in the powdered oil and fat is preferably 25 to 85% by mass, more preferably 30 to 80% by mass, and even more preferably 35 to 75% by mass. If the oil phase in the powdered oil and fat is less than 25% by mass, the whitener effect is likely to be weakened. In addition, if it is more than 85% by mass, the oil and fat cannot be completely covered with excipients consisting of proteins, sugars, etc., and it is likely to be difficult to stably produce the powdered oil and fat itself. The oil and fat contained in the powdered oil and fat may be edible oil and fat, and may be animal and vegetable oil and fat and/or processed oil and fat thereof. The ratio of the edible oil and fat to the powdered oil and fat is preferably 85:15 to 30:70, more preferably 80:20 to 40:60, and even more preferably 75:25 to 50:50, by mass. If the ratio of the powdered oil and fat to the edible oil and fat is less than the lower limit, the edible oil and fat is likely to separate when the oil and fat is added to a food or drink containing a lot of water, resulting in an uneven appearance, and the cloudiness when the oil and fat is stirred may be poor. If the ratio exceeds the upper limit, the edible oil and fat does not sufficiently cover the surface of the powdered oil and fat, resulting in poor dispersibility. When the present oil and fat composition is made into a paste at room temperature, the ratio of the edible oil and fat to the powdered oil and fat is preferably 30:70 to 60:40 by mass, and when the oil and fat composition is made into a fluid form, the ratio of the edible oil and fat to the powdered oil and fat is preferably 60:40 to 75:25 by mass.

<Emulsifier>
In the present invention, it is preferable to contain an emulsifier. By containing an emulsifier, the dispersibility, emulsification property, and opacity of the present oil-and-fat composition can be improved. Examples of emulsifiers include glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, sorbitan fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, and the like. Among these, glycerin fatty acid esters, lecithin, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters are preferred, glycerin fatty acid esters, lecithin, and sorbitan fatty acid esters are more preferred, and diglycerin fatty acid esters are even more preferred. When the present oil-and-fat composition contains an emulsifier, the content of the emulsifier in the present oil-and-fat composition is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 5% by mass.

The fat composition preferably contains fat-modified starch and/or starch sodium octenyl succinate.
<Oil-modified starch>
The oil-processed starch is a starch obtained by mixing oil with starch and then heat-treating it, and has been used in the batter of fish paste products and fried products. The starch that is the raw material of the oil-processed starch of the present invention includes potato starch, tapioca starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, high amylose corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, pea starch, etc., and processed starches thereof. Among these, unprocessed starches such as potato starch, tapioca starch, and waxy corn starch are preferred. The oil contained in the oil-processed starch may be any edible oil, and may be animal or vegetable oil and/or processed oil. The oil-processed starch may also contain an emulsifier. The content of the oil-processed starch in the present oil composition is preferably 1 to 20% by mass, more preferably 3 to 18% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 15% by mass. If the content of the oil-processed starch is less than the lower limit, the edible oil and fat will separate when the composition is added to a food or drink with a high moisture content, resulting in an uneven appearance. If the content of the oil-processed starch is more than the upper limit, the specific gravity of the composition will be high, and the composition will tend to sink when added to a food or drink with a low viscosity.

<Starch Sodium Octenyl Succinate>
Starch sodium octenylsuccinate is starch that is lipophilic by introducing an octenylsuccinic acid group into starch, and is obtained by treating a starch suspension with octenylsuccinic anhydride under alkaline conditions. The starch that is the raw material for starch sodium octenylsuccinate in the present invention can be a combination of one or more selected from potato starch, tapioca starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, high amylose corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, pea starch, etc. Examples of the starch include those that have been subjected to octenylsuccinic acid esterification treatment, those that have been further subjected to roasting treatment to reduce the viscosity, and those that have been further subjected to pregelatinization treatment. These starch sodium octenylsuccinates can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The content of starch sodium octenyl succinate in the present oil and fat composition is preferably 1 to 20% by mass, more preferably 3 to 18% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 15% by mass. If the content of starch sodium octenyl succinate is less than the lower limit, the edible oil and fat will separate when the composition is added to a food or drink with a high moisture content, resulting in an uneven appearance. If the content of starch sodium octenyl succinate exceeds the upper limit, the specific gravity of the composition will be high, and the composition will tend to sink when added to a food or drink with a low viscosity.

<Other optional ingredients>
The present fat and oil composition may contain other raw materials in addition to the edible fat and oil, powdered fat and oil, emulsifier, fat and oil processed starch, and starch sodium octenyl succinate. For example, other starches, carbohydrates such as dextrin, sugars, and dietary fiber, milk powders such as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, cream powder, whey powder, and buttermilk powder, flavorings, antioxidants, and coloring agents may be included, but in order to make the fat and oil composition available at room temperature, it is necessary that it contains no or almost no water. It is preferable to contain milk powders to impart flavor to the fat and oil composition. The other components may be contained within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention. In particular, when used in instant foods, it is necessary to select components that do not cause deterioration, separation, browning, or flavor deterioration even when stored for a long period of time.

<Production method of composition>
The oil and fat composition of the present invention is obtained by mixing and dispersing powdered oil and fat and, if necessary, other powdered raw materials in edible oil and fat. In order to maintain a more uniform and smooth state, it is preferable that the powdered raw materials contained are pulverized or ground to be fine particles. For the fine particle formation, a pulverizing device such as a roll mill, a cutter mill, a hammer mill, a ball mill, or a pin mill is used. The oil and fat composition can be prepared by mixing a part of the edible oil and fat with the powdered oil and fat and, if necessary, other powdered raw materials in advance, and pulverizing them in the pulverizing device, and then adding the remaining edible oil and fat.

The oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably in an anhydrous form or in a form containing as little water as possible in order to maintain its quality at room temperature. In addition, in order to obtain a better visual effect as a whitener, it is preferable that the composition be in a paste-like or fluid form at room temperature.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.
<Preparation of oil and fat composition>
The components used in preparing the compositions are shown below.

[Edible oils and fats]
Soybean oil, palm oil (iodine value 51): Ueda Oil Mill Co., Ltd. High-elucine rapeseed hardened oil: Yokozeki Oil Industries Co., Ltd.

[emulsifier]
Diglycerol fatty acid ester: "Poem DO-100V" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.
Sorbitan fatty acid ester: "Poem S-320YN" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.
Lecithin: "Nissin Lecithin DX" manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group Co., Ltd.
Polyglycerol fatty acid ester: "SY Glystar THL-15" manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

[Oil-modified starch]
Oil-modified starch (1): "F-coat NR-10" manufactured by Nippon Starch Chemical Co., Ltd.
Oil-processed starch (2): "Nisshoku Nerikomi Starch K-1" manufactured by Nihon Shokuhin Kako Co., Ltd.

[Starch Sodium Octenyl Succinate]
Starch sodium octenylsuccinate (1): "Emulstar 500" manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
Starch sodium octenylsuccinate (2): "Purity Gum BE" manufactured by Ingredion Japan, Inc.

[Powdered oils and fats]
Powdered oils and fats were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 1. The oil phase was prepared by heating the oil to 70°C and using the formulation ratio (parts by mass) shown in the oil phase column. The aqueous phase was prepared by heating water to 60°C and dissolving the raw materials in the formulation ratio shown in the aqueous phase column. The oil and aqueous phases were then mixed and emulsified, homogenized with a homogenizer, and spray-dried at a temperature of 150°C using a spray dryer (Okawahara Kakoki Co., Ltd.) to obtain powdered oils and fats (1) to (4) whose surfaces were coated with excipients.

[Other ingredients]
Skim milk powder: Megmilk Snow Brand Co., Ltd. "Skim milk powder"
Whole milk powder: Megmilk Snow Brand "Whole Milk Powder"
Dextrin: "Pine Index #3" manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

[Example 1]
25 parts by mass of powdered oil (1) was added to 10 parts by mass of heated and melted palm oil, and the mixture was micronized in a triple roll mill. 65 parts by mass of heated and melted palm oil was added to 35 parts by mass of the micronized mixture and mixed uniformly to obtain an oil composition.

[Examples 2 to 7, Comparative Examples 1 to 3]
As in Example 1, oil and fat compositions were obtained with the formulations shown in Table 2. The various emulsifiers were dissolved in edible oils and fats before use. Powdered raw materials such as starch and milk powder were mixed with powdered oils and fats before use. The slip melting point "-" for Examples 2 and 3 and Comparative Example 2 in Table 2 indicates that the product was liquid at 20°C. Furthermore, the "-" in "Edible oils and fats: Powdered oils and fats" for Comparative Examples 1 and 2 in the same table indicates that the product did not contain powdered oils and fats.

[Evaluation of each quality characteristic]
200 mL of hot water was poured into a beaker, and 10 g of the present oil composition was placed on top of it. The uniformity, dispersibility when stirred, and turbidity were visually evaluated.
(Uniformity)
No separation and a uniform white color was maintained: 〇 Some transparent edible oil separated: △
Transparent edible oil separated: ×
(Dispersibility)
Dispersed quickly: 〇 Some of the powder remained undissolved: △
Difficult to disperse even when stirred, or precipitated: ×
(Opacity)
Uniformly cloudy: 〇 Cloudy but not white enough: △
Not cloudy: ×

[sensory evaluation]
200 mL of hot water was poured into a beaker, 10 g of the oil composition was placed on top of it, and the resulting aqueous solution was stirred. Ten panelists tasted the solution and evaluated its flavor, richness, and melt-in-the-mouth feel.
(Flavor and richness)
More than 8 out of 10 people judged the flavor and richness to be good: ◎
5 to 7 out of 10 judged the flavor and richness to be good: ◯ 3 to 4 out of 10 judged the flavor and richness to be good: △
More than 8 out of 10 people judged the flavor and body to be poor: ×
(Melting sensation in the mouth)
More than 8 out of 10 people judged the texture to be good: ◎
5 to 7 out of 10 judged the texture to be good: ◯ 3 to 4 out of 10 judged the texture to be good: △
More than 8 out of 10 people judged the texture to be poor: ×

(Long-term storage stability)
Assuming long-term storage at room temperature, the oil composition was stored at 40°C for four months, and changes in flavor (sensory test) and color (visual test) were examined, and the long-term storage stability was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria.
No significant changes in either the sensory or visual inspection: 〇. The flavor became slightly more fragrant and the color changed to light brown: △.
The flavor became fragrant and the color changed to brown: ×

As is clear from the results in Table 2, by using the oil and fat compositions of the examples, it is possible to easily obtain oil and fat compositions that have a good flavor, excellent dispersibility and opacity, and whitener function that can withstand distribution at room temperature and long-term storage when added to food and beverages.

The present invention makes it possible to obtain, in a simple manner, an oil composition that, when added to food or drink, has a good flavor, excellent dispersibility and opacity, and a whitener function that can withstand distribution at room temperature and long-term storage. The oil composition of the present invention can be distributed at room temperature, and is therefore suitable for use in instant foods. In particular, it can be used in instant soups and ramen noodles that are eaten by pouring hot water over them.

Claims (6)

The oil and fat composition , which is paste-like or fluid at 25°C and has a whitener function and can be distributed at room temperature, is obtained by dispersing powdered oil and fat obtained by drying an oil-in-water emulsion in edible oil and fat having an ascending melting point of 55°C or less. 2. The oil and fat composition having a whitener function and which can be distributed at room temperature according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the edible oil and fat to the powdered oil and fat is 85:15 to 30:70 (mass ratio). The oil and fat composition having a whitener function and capable of being distributed at room temperature according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the oil and fat in the powdered oil and fat is 30 to 80 mass%. 4. The oil and fat composition having a whitener function and which can be distributed at room temperature according to claim 1, which contains a diglycerol fatty acid ester. 5. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising oil-modified starch and/or sodium starch octenyl succinate.
2. The oil and fat composition having a whitener function according to claim 1, which is commercially available at room temperature. 6. The oil and fat composition having a whitener function and available at room temperature according to claim 1 , which is for instant food.