JP7577408B2 - Oil and fat composition for chocolate and chocolate for freezing - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to chocolate for freezing and a chocolate fat composition for obtaining said chocolate for freezing.

Chocolate is used not only in products consisting of chocolate alone, but also in products that combine chocolate with other foods. Products that combine chocolate with other foods include products that combine chocolate with frozen confections such as ice cream. Examples of chocolates proposed for use in frozen confections include those in Patent Documents 1 to 5.

Nowadays, frozen sweets are also expected to be easy to eat. One of the reasons why frozen sweets are easy to eat is that they can be eaten immediately after being taken out of the freezer. In order for frozen sweets to be eaten immediately after being taken out of the freezer, they need to soften when frozen, without becoming too hard. Therefore, just like frozen sweets, the chocolate used in frozen sweets also needs to soften when frozen.

One way to try to make chocolate soft when frozen is to improve the fats and oils that make up the structure of the chocolate. One way to improve fats and oils to make chocolate soft when frozen is to use liquid oil. For flavor reasons, rapeseed oil is often used as the liquid oil in chocolate for frozen confectioneries. However, chocolate made using rapeseed oil has the problem of hardening when frozen.

In light of the above, there was a need to develop fats and oils that would allow frozen chocolate to remain soft and have a good flavor when frozen.

JP 2002-20785 A JP 2004-65070 A JP 2006-280209 A JP 2010-268749 A JP 2012-34653 A

The objective of the present invention is to provide a chocolate for freezing that remains soft when frozen and has a good flavor.

The present inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above problems. As a result, they discovered that the above problems could be solved by using an oil and fat composition that satisfies certain conditions in chocolate for freezing, and thus completed the present invention.

That is, a first aspect of the present invention is an oil and fat composition for chocolate which satisfies the following conditions (a) to (d):
An oil and fat composition for chocolate that satisfies the following conditions (a) to (d):
(a) The constituent fatty acids are 75 to 95% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms.
(b) the ratio of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms among the constituent fatty acids is 0.58 or less.
(c) Contains 0.05 to 10 mass % of polyglycerol fatty acid ester.
(d) The chocolate is freezer chocolate.
A second aspect of the present invention is a chocolate for freezing, in which the fat or oil contained in the chocolate contains 97% by mass or more of the fat or oil composition for chocolate described in the first aspect of the present invention.
The third invention of the present invention is chocolate for freezing, which satisfies the following conditions (a) to (c).
(a) The constituent fatty acids are 75 to 95% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms.
(b) the ratio of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms among the constituent fatty acids is 0.58 or less.
(c) Contains 0.05 to 10 mass % of polyglycerol fatty acid ester.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is a frozen confectionery using the chocolate for freezing according to the second or third aspect of the present invention.

The present invention provides chocolate for freezing that remains soft when frozen and has a good flavor.

The oil and fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention satisfies the following conditions (a) to (d).
An oil and fat composition for chocolate that satisfies the following conditions (a) to (d):
(a) The constituent fatty acids are 75 to 95% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms.
(b) the ratio of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms among the constituent fatty acids is 0.58 or less.
(c) Contains 0.05 to 10 mass % of polyglycerol fatty acid ester.
(d) The chocolate is freezer chocolate.

In the present invention, chocolate is not limited by the "Fair Competition Code for the Labeling of Chocolates" (National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council) or other legal provisions, but is a food product made from edible fats and sugars as main ingredients, with cacao components (cacao mass, cocoa powder, etc.), dairy products, flavorings, emulsifiers, etc. added as necessary, and produced through chocolate production processes (all or part of the mixing process, micronization process, refining process, temperature adjustment process, molding process, cooling process, etc.), in which fats and oils form a continuous phase and which does not substantially contain water (water content is preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or less). In addition, chocolate in the present invention may be any of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and colored chocolate.

The oil and fat composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention contains 75 to 95% by mass, preferably 80 to 94% by mass, and more preferably 85 to 93% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids (condition (a)). Specific examples of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms are oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. Hereinafter, the content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms may be referred to as C18USFA. In addition, in the present invention, the constituent fatty acids refer to fatty acids that constitute the oil and fat in the oil and fat composition.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the ratio of the content (mass%) of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content (mass%) of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acids (content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms/content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms) is 0.58 or less, preferably 0.10 to 0.56, more preferably 0.30 to 0.53, and most preferably 0.35 to 0.53. (Condition (b)). In the present invention, polyunsaturated fatty acids refer to unsaturated fatty acids having two or more double bonds. Specific examples of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms are linoleic acid and linolenic acid. Hereinafter, the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms may be referred to as C18 PUSFA. In addition, the ratio of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms to the content of unsaturated fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acids is sometimes written as C18PUSFA/C18USFA.

The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention contains 0.05 to 10% by mass of polyglycerol fatty acid ester, preferably 0.08 to 7% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 5% by mass, and most preferably 0.5 to 5% by mass (condition (c)). Hereinafter, polyglycerol fatty acid ester may be referred to as PGE.

In the embodiment of the fat and oil composition for chocolate of the present invention, the chocolate is chocolate for freezing (condition (d)). In the present invention, chocolate for freezing refers to chocolate that is frozen before use. Chocolate for freezing may be frozen alone or may be frozen after being combined with other frozen confectionery. Specific examples of other frozen confectionery include ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice cream, sherbet, and frozen desserts.

When the fat and oil composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention satisfies the above conditions (a) to (d), a chocolate for freezing that is soft when frozen and has a good flavor can be obtained.

The oil and fat composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention contains, as constituent fatty acids, preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 10 to 48% by mass, even more preferably 25 to 48% by mass, and most preferably 32 to 46% by mass of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms.

The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 3% by mass, more preferably less than 2% by mass, and even more preferably less than 1% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 14 or less carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. Specific examples of saturated fatty acids having 14 or less carbon atoms include lauric acid and myristic acid. Hereinafter, the content of saturated fatty acids having 14 or less carbon atoms may be referred to as C14 or less SFA.

The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 5% by mass, more preferably less than 4% by mass, and even more preferably less than 3% by mass of fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. Specific examples of fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms include arachidic acid, erucic acid, and behenic acid. Hereinafter, the content of fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms may be referred to as C20 or more FA.

The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 5 to 15% by mass, more preferably 7 to 14% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 13% by mass of saturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids. Specific examples of saturated fatty acids include lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, erucic acid, and behenic acid. Hereinafter, the content of saturated fatty acids may be referred to as SFA.

The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 5% by mass of trans fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, more preferably less than 4% by mass, and even more preferably less than 3% by mass. Hereinafter, the content of trans fatty acids may be referred to as TFA.

The solid fat content (hereinafter referred to as SFC) of the fat composition for chocolate in this embodiment is preferably 63% or less at -20°C and 3% or less at 10°C, more preferably 50% or less at -20°C and 2% or less at 10°C, even more preferably 30% or less at -20°C and 1% or less at 10°C, and most preferably 12% or less at -20°C and 1% or less at 10°C.

The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention can be produced using ordinary edible fats and oils, without any particular restrictions, so long as the composition of the constituent fatty acids is within the above range. Examples of edible fats and oils used in the production of the fat and oil composition according to the embodiment of the present invention include palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, sal fat, illipe fat, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, rice oil, corn oil, sesame oil, olive oil, milk fat, etc., and processed fats and oils (hydrogenated oils, fractionated oils, interesterified oils), etc. Two or more of the edible fats and oils can also be used in combination.

The fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains fat A and fat B as described below.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 80 to 97% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids, and the ratio of the content (mass%) of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content (mass%) of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acids (content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms/content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms) is 0.38 or less.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 80 to 97% by mass, preferably 83 to 95% by mass, and more preferably 86 to 93% by mass, of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention has a ratio of the content (mass%) of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content (mass%) of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acids (content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms/content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms) of 0.38 or less, preferably 0.05 to 0.38, more preferably 0.12 to 0.35, and most preferably 0.28 to 0.35.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 35% by mass or less, more preferably 5 to 35% by mass, even more preferably 12 to 33% by mass, and most preferably 25 to 33% by mass of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 3% by mass, more preferably less than 2% by mass, and even more preferably less than 1% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 14 or less carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 7% by mass, more preferably less than 5% by mass, and even more preferably less than 4% by mass of fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 20% by mass or less of saturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, more preferably 3 to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 10% by mass.

The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 5% by mass of trans fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, more preferably less than 4% by mass, and even more preferably less than 3% by mass.

Specific examples of the fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention are rapeseed oil, high oleic acid safflower oil, high oleic acid sunflower oil, etc. The fat A used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably rapeseed oil.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 75 to 95 mass % of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids, and the ratio of the content (mass %) of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content (mass %) of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acids (content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms/content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms) is 0.60 or more.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 75 to 95% by mass, preferably 78 to 93% by mass, and more preferably 80 to 90% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention has a ratio of the content (mass%) of polyunsaturated fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms to the content (mass%) of unsaturated fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acids (content of polyunsaturated fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms/content of unsaturated fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms) of 0.60 or more, preferably 0.65 to 0.85, and more preferably 0.68 to 0.75.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 50 to 80% by mass, more preferably 53 to 75% by mass, and even more preferably 55 to 65% by mass of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 3% by mass, more preferably less than 2% by mass, and even more preferably less than 1% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 14 or less carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 5% by mass, more preferably less than 3% by mass, and even more preferably less than 2% by mass of fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 5 to 23% by mass, more preferably 7 to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 18% by mass of saturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids.

The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 5% by mass of trans fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, more preferably less than 4% by mass, and even more preferably less than 3% by mass.

Specific examples of the fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention are soybean oil, high linoleic acid safflower oil, high linoleic acid sunflower oil, corn oil, etc. The fat B used in the production of the fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably soybean oil.

The oil and fat composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 25 to 99% by mass of fat A and 0 to 74% by mass of fat B, more preferably contains 40 to 89% by mass of fat A and 10 to 59% by mass of fat B, even more preferably contains 45 to 79% by mass of fat A and 20 to 54% by mass of fat B, and most preferably contains 45 to 74% by mass of fat A and 25 to 54% by mass of fat B.
When the fat or oil composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention contains fat or oil A and fat or oil B in the above-mentioned ranges, the melting point of the fat or oil is lowered and the SFC at -20°C is further reduced, making it easier to obtain chocolate for freezing that is soft under freezing.

The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention can also contain, as components other than fats and oils and polyglycerol fatty acid esters, components that are usually contained in fats and oils for chocolate, such as emulsifiers other than polyglycerol fatty acid esters, antioxidants, flavorings, etc.

The content of the constituent fatty acids in fats and oils can be measured by gas chromatography (in accordance with AOCS Ce1f-96).
The SFC can be measured according to "2.2.9-2003 Solid Fat Content (NMR Method)" in "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials (compiled by the Japan Oil Chemists'Society)."

In the chocolate for freezing according to an embodiment of the present invention, the fats and oils contained in the chocolate contain 80% by mass or more of the fat and oil composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention, more preferably 90% by mass or more, even more preferably 95% by mass or more, and most preferably 97% by mass or more. When the fats and oils contained in the chocolate contain the fat and oil composition for chocolate according to an embodiment of the present invention in the above range, a chocolate that is soft when frozen and has a good flavor can be obtained.

In the present invention, the fats and oils contained in chocolate refer to the total fats and oils contained in chocolate. For example, if chocolate contains cacao mass, whole milk powder, and fat a, the fats and oils are a mixture of the cocoa butter contained in the cacao mass, the milk fat contained in the whole milk powder, and fat a. In other words, in the present invention, the fats and oils include the fats and oils (cocoa butter, milk fat, etc.) contained in the oil-containing raw materials (cacao mass, cocoa powder, whole milk powder, etc.) in addition to the fats and oils that are blended.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the fats and oils contained in the chocolate for freezing preferably contain less than 8% by mass of cocoa butter, more preferably less than 5% by mass, even more preferably less than 3% by mass, and most preferably less than 1% by mass.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the fats and oils contained in the chocolate for freezing contain preferably less than 3% by mass of lauric fats and oils, more preferably less than 2% by mass, and even more preferably less than 1% by mass.

The chocolate for freezing according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 30 to 70% by mass of fats and oils, more preferably 40 to 65% by mass, even more preferably 45 to 60% by mass, and most preferably 45 to 55% by mass.

The chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains carbohydrates. In the present invention, carbohydrates refer to carbohydrates excluding dietary fiber. Specific examples of carbohydrates include sugars, sugar alcohols (maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, lactitol, mannitol, reduced starch syrup, etc.), starch, oligosaccharides, dextrin, etc. In the present invention, sugars refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose, sugar (sucrose), lactose, maltose, etc.).
The carbohydrate used in the production of the chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a sugar, more preferably sugar or lactose.
The chocolate for freezing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 25 to 65% by mass of carbohydrate, more preferably 35 to 60% by mass, even more preferably 40 to 58% by mass, and most preferably 45 to 55% by mass.

In addition to fats and oils and carbohydrates, the frozen chocolate of the embodiment of the present invention can use ingredients that are generally mixed into chocolate. Specifically, for example, dairy products such as whole milk powder and skim milk powder, cacao components such as cacao mass and cocoa powder, soy flour, soy protein, processed fruit products, processed vegetable products, various powders such as matcha powder and coffee powder, gums, starches, emulsifiers such as lecithin, lysolecithin, enzymatically decomposed lecithin, sucrose fatty acid esters, and sorbitan fatty acid esters, antioxidants, coloring agents, flavorings, etc. can be used.

The chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention can be manufactured by a conventionally known method for manufacturing chocolate. The chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention can be manufactured, for example, using fats and oils, cocoa components, sugars, dairy products, emulsifiers, etc. as raw materials through a mixing process, a micronization process (refining), a refining process (conching), a cooling process, etc. Furthermore, the chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably manufactured through a micronization process.

The chocolate for freezing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is preferably a non-tempering chocolate.

The chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention is soft when frozen and has a good flavor. Therefore, the chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably used as a coating chocolate for frozen sweets or a chocolate sauce for frozen sweets.

The frozen confectionery according to the embodiment of the present invention is obtained by using the chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention. The frozen confectionery according to the embodiment of the present invention may be obtained by freezing only the chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention, or by combining the chocolate for freezing according to the embodiment of the present invention with other frozen confectionery. Specific examples of other frozen confectionery that may be used to manufacture the frozen confectionery according to the embodiment of the present invention include ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice cream, sherbet, ice cream, etc.

The frozen confectionery according to the embodiment of the present invention can be produced by a conventionally known method for producing frozen confectionery. For example, it can be produced by freezing only chocolate by a conventionally known method, or by combining chocolate with other frozen confectionery by a conventionally known method. For example, methods for combining chocolate with other frozen confectionery include coating, pouring, filling, sandwiching, etc.

In the frozen confectionery of the present invention, the chocolate for freezing of the present invention is preferably present on the top, middle or bottom of ice cream filled in a container such as a cup.

In the frozen confectionery according to the embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate part is soft when frozen and has a good flavor. In addition, the chocolate part of the frozen confectionery according to the embodiment of the present invention is easy to spoon and is hard enough to be eaten immediately after being taken out of the freezer.

The present invention will now be described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

<Measurement of fatty acid content in fats and oils>
The fatty acid content of the oils and fats was measured by gas chromatography (in accordance with AOCS Ce1f-96).
<Measurement of SFC of fats and oils>
The SFC was measured according to "2.2.9-2003 Solid Fat Content (NMR Method)" in "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials (compiled by the Japan Oil Chemists'Society)."

[Oil and fat A1]
Rapeseed oil C18USA: 90.9% by mass, C18PUSA: 29.5% by mass, C18PUSA/C18USA: 0.325, C14 or less SFA: 0.1% by mass, C20 or more FA: 2.6% by mass, SFA: 7.5% by mass, TFA: 1.4% by mass) was used as oil A1.
[Oil and fat B1]
Soybean oil (C18USA: 84.0% by mass, C18PUSA: 60.3% by mass, C18PUSA/C18USA: 0.718, C14 or less SFA: 0.1% by mass, C20 or more FA: 1.1% by mass, SFA: 15.7% by mass, TFA: 1.3% by mass) was used as fat B1.
[PGE1]
Sunsoft QMP-1, a polyglycerol fatty acid ester manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd., was used as PGE1.
[PGE2]
Sunsoft QMP-5, a polyglycerol fatty acid ester manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd., was used as PGE2.
[PGE3]
SY Glystar THL-15, a polyglycerol fatty acid ester manufactured by Sakamoto Yakuhin Kogyo Co., Ltd., was used as PGE3.
[PGE4]
SY Glystar THL-17, a polyglycerol fatty acid ester manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., was used as PGE4.
[PGE5]
SY Glystar THL-44, a polyglycerol fatty acid ester manufactured by Sakamoto Yakuhin Kogyo Co., Ltd., was used as PGE5.
[SE1]
Ryoto Sugar Ester P-170, a sucrose fatty acid ester manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation, was designated SE1.
[SBE1]
Poem B-150, a sorbitan fatty acid ester manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd., was designated as SBE1.

[Production of oil and fat composition]
The melted fats and oils in the compositions shown in Tables 1 to 6 were mixed to produce fat and oil compositions.
The fatty acid content of the oil and fat in the obtained oil and fat composition and the SFC of the oil and fat composition were measured according to the above-mentioned analytical method. In addition, the hardness at -20°C of each oil and fat composition was evaluated by the following method. The measurement results and evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 to 6. The unit of the blending of the oil and fat composition and the fatty acid content is mass% (there is no unit of mass ratio), and the unit of SFC is %.

<Evaluation of hardness of oil and fat composition>
20 g of each oil composition was filled into a cylindrical plastic container having a diameter of 70 mm and a height of 40 mm, and cooled to -20°C. After that, the ease of spooning the oil composition was evaluated using a spoon according to the following evaluation criteria.
◎: Very easy to pass ○: Easy to pass ×: Poorly pass

As can be seen from Tables 1 to 6, the oil and fat compositions of Examples 1 to 19 and Comparative Example 4, which had a low SFC at -20°C, were soft.
On the other hand, as can be seen from Tables 1, 3 and 4, the oil and fat compositions of Comparative Examples 1 to 3, which had a high SFC at -20°C, were hard at -20°C.

[Chocolate manufacturing]
Chocolates were produced using the oil and fat compositions of Examples 5, 8, 11, and 18 and the oil and fat compositions of Comparative Examples 1 and 4 according to the blending shown in Table 7 (the blending units are parts by mass). The chocolates were produced by mixing, pulverizing, refining, and then cooling the raw materials. The content of each oil and fat composition in the oil and fat contained in the chocolate was 100% by mass. The oil and fat content in the chocolate was 50% by mass. The moisture content in the chocolate was 3% by mass or less.

[Chocolate evaluation]
The hardness and flavor of each chocolate at -20°C were evaluated by the following methods. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 8 and 9.

<Chocolate hardness rating 1>
The hardness of the chocolate was measured using a rheometer (Yamaden, Creepmeter RE2-33005B) according to the following steps 1) to 3). For the measurement with the rheometer, a wedge-shaped plunger (Yamaden) with a tip width of 1 mm, length of 10 mm, and height of 25 mm was used. The hardness measured with the rheometer was the maximum load at 50% deformation (when the plunger penetrated 10 mm). The unit of hardness is N (Newton).
1) 20 g of melted chocolate is filled into a cylindrical plastic container with a diameter of 70 mm and a height of 40 mm.
2) The plastic container filled with the chocolate is cooled to -20°C to freeze the chocolate.
3) Using a rheometer, measure the hardness of the chocolate at -20°C at a measurement speed of 1 mm/sec.

<Chocolate hardness rating 2>
20 g of each chocolate was filled into a cylindrical plastic container with a diameter of 70 mm and a height of 40 mm, and after cooling to -20°C, the ease of spooning the chocolate was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria.
◎: Very easy to pass ○: Easy to pass ×: Poorly pass

<Evaluation of chocolate flavor>
20 g of each chocolate was filled into a cylindrical plastic container with a diameter of 70 mm and a height of 40 mm, and cooled to -20°C. After that, a panel of five experts tasted the chocolate and gave it a score according to the following evaluation criteria. The average score of the five experts was calculated and evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation results were judged to have a good flavor when the average score was rated as ◎ or ○. The expert panel who evaluated the flavor of the chocolates regularly received training in sensory evaluation of chocolate flavor, etc., and there was little individual variation in the sensory evaluation results of the chocolate flavor, etc.
3 points: Very good 2 points: Good 1 point: Average 0 points: Not good <Average score>
◎: 2.5 points or more ○: 2.0 points or more and less than 2.5 points △: 1.5 points or more and less than 2.0 points ×: Less than 1.5 points

As can be seen from Tables 8 and 9, the chocolates of the Examples were soft when frozen and had a good flavor.
On the other hand, as can be seen from Table 8, the chocolate of Comparative Example 5 was hard when frozen. Also, as can be seen from Table 9, the chocolate of Comparative Example 6 did not have a good flavor.

Claims (4)

An oil and fat composition for chocolate that satisfies the following conditions (a) to (d):
(a) The constituent fatty acids are 75 to 95% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms.
(b) the ratio of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms among the constituent fatty acids is 0.58 or less.
(c) Contains 0.05 to 10 mass % of polyglycerol fatty acid ester.
(d) The chocolate is freezer chocolate. 2. A chocolate for freezing, comprising an oil-and-fat composition for chocolate according to claim 1 in an amount of 97 % by mass or more. 1. Chocolate for freezing, the fats and oils contained in the chocolate satisfying the following conditions (a) to (c):
(a) The constituent fatty acids are 75 to 95% by mass of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms.
(b) the ratio of the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms to the content of unsaturated fatty acids having 18 carbon atoms among the constituent fatty acids is 0.58 or less.
(c) Contains 0.05 to 10 mass % of polyglycerol fatty acid ester. A frozen confectionery using the chocolate for freezing according to claim 2 or 3 .