JP7621067B2 - Dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a dispersible composition of glucomannan. In particular, the present invention relates to a dispersible composition of glucomannan that is stable in a particulated state and a method for producing the same.

Glucomannan is a neutral water-soluble polysaccharide obtained from the cell walls of konjac yam and coniferous trees, and exists as a complex of β-1,4-glycosidic bonds between the hexose glucose and mannose in a ratio of approximately 2:3.

In the food and beverage industry, glucomannan is used in the form of jelly-like foods and granules. When ingested, glucomannan absorbs water and swells several dozen times its size, so it has also attracted attention as a health ingredient for dieting purposes (Patent Document 1).

When taking glucomannan orally, it is required to provide it as a dispersion composition in small microparticles in order to reduce the risk of aspiration or choking and to enjoy a suitable texture.

Patent Document 2 discloses a method for producing a dispersion composition of glucomannan gel by preparing an acidic composition containing glucomannan and the like, and then carrying out a process such as enzymatic hydrolysis.

JP 2011-229501 A JP 2015-034136 A

However, as shown in Example 3 of Patent Document 2, in an enzyme-free system, even if a thickening polysaccharide is used, there is a tendency for aggregation, and it is difficult to obtain a stable dispersible composition in which glucomannan is in a small particle state.

As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that a dispersible composition of particulated glucomannan can be easily obtained by adopting a process of mechanically stirring water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide under alkaline conditions, and have completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention provides a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan as described below.
[1]
A dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan, characterized in that it is obtained by a method comprising mechanically stirring a mixture containing water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide under alkaline conditions.

[2]
The composition according to [1], wherein the method further comprises a heat treatment.

[3]
The composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the thickening polysaccharide is at least one selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, fermented cellulose, crystalline cellulose, carrageenan, psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, native gellan gum, and tara gum.

[4]
The composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the alkaline conditions are pH 8 to 12.

[5]
The composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the rotation speed under the mechanical stirring treatment conditions is 50 rpm or more.

[6]
The composition according to any one of [2] to [5], wherein the temperature condition in the heat treatment is 35° C. or higher.

[7]
The composition according to any one of [2] to [6], wherein the heat treatment is performed for 1 minute or longer.

[8]
The composition according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the method further includes a mechanical stirring treatment or a cooling treatment for the heat-treated product.

The present invention also provides a method for producing a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan, as described below.
[9]
A method for producing a dispersible composition of particulated glucomannan, comprising:
A step of mixing water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide;
adjusting the mixture to alkaline conditions; and
subjecting the mixture to mechanical stirring.

[10]
The method according to [9], further comprising a step of subjecting the mixture to a heat treatment.

[11]
The manufacturing method according to [9] or [10], wherein the thickening polysaccharide is at least one selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, fermented cellulose, carrageenan, crystalline cellulose, psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, native gellan gum, and tara gum.

[12]
The method according to any one of [9] to [11], wherein the alkaline conditions are pH 8 to 12.

[13]
The method according to any one of [9] to [12], wherein the rotation speed in the mechanical stirring treatment conditions is 50 rpm or more.

[14]
The method according to any one of [10] to [13], wherein the temperature condition in the heat treatment is 35° C. or higher.

[15]
The method according to any one of [10] to [14], wherein the heat treatment is performed for 1 minute or longer.

[16]
The method according to any one of [9] to [15], further comprising a step of subjecting the mechanical stirring treatment or the heat-treated product to a cooling treatment.

By utilizing the present invention, it is possible to obtain a stable dispersible composition of glucomannan in a small particle state using an industrially simple method.

1 is a photograph showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 1. Photographs showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 2. Photographs showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 3. Photographs showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 4. Photographs showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 5. Photographs showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 6. Photographs showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 7. Photographs showing the state of the final glucomannan gel produced in each test sample of Test Example 9.

The present invention relates to a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan, which is obtained by a method including a step of mechanically stirring water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide under alkaline conditions.

[Dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan]
The composition of the present invention refers to a composition in which glucomannan is finely granulated and exists in a dispersed state.Glucomannan forms a hydrophilic colloid, but depending on the reaction conditions, the constituent polymers aggregate with each other to become an insoluble gel.For example, under alkaline conditions, deacetylation occurs, and it is considered that a partial network structure is formed by hydrogen bonds between glucomannan molecules, resulting in glucomannan gel.

However, like konjac, glucomannan tends to coalesce easily, making it difficult to disperse it into particles using conventional technology.

In addition, when dispersing glucomannan gel into particles, it is necessary to cause the constituent polymers to aggregate to an appropriate degree, making it difficult to analyze the partial network structure or the degree of deacetylation, and characterization of the manufacturing process is required. In this situation, the present inventor has discovered that a composition in which glucomannan is broken down into small particles and exists in a dispersed state can be obtained by an industrially simple method of mechanically stirring water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide under alkaline conditions.

(water)
In this specification, the water is not particularly limited as long as it is water that can be commonly used in the food industry, and pure water, ion-exchanged water, tap water, etc. can be used appropriately.

(Raw materials containing glucomannan)
The raw material containing glucomannan is not particularly limited as long as it contains glucomannan as a constituent material of the raw material. Although not limited, the raw material containing glucomannan is preferably one whose main component is glucomannan.

Raw materials containing glucomannan can be prepared, for example, by grating konjac yam, an underground corm of a plant belonging to the Araceae family, and then drying it. Examples of such raw materials include konjac yam powder (konjac flour) and its crude and refined products.

In addition to the above, the raw material containing glucomannan may also contain a partial hydrolysis product of glucomannan. The partial hydrolysis product of glucomannan can be produced, for example, by adding glucomannase or a culture solution or product of a bacterium that produces glucomannanase to a raw material containing glucomannan to partially hydrolyze the glucomannan.

The raw material containing glucomannan may be produced from konjac root or the like, or a commercially available product may be purchased and used. Examples of commercially available raw materials containing glucomannan include Rheox RS (manufactured by Shimizu Chemical Co., Ltd.), Propol A (manufactured by Shimizu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and Specially Selected Konjac Powder (manufactured by Shimizu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

(Thickening polysaccharides)
As the thickening polysaccharide is demonstrated by using various components in the examples described later, it is possible to use any known thickening polysaccharide regardless of its type. Although not limited thereto, the thickening polysaccharide is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, fermented cellulose, crystalline cellulose, carrageenan, psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, native gellan gum, tara gum, agar, soybean polysaccharides, pectin, starch, pullulan, gum arabic, and gum ghatti, and more preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, fermented cellulose, crystalline cellulose, carrageenan (which may be any of κ (kappa) carrageenan, λ (lambda) carrageenan, and ι (iota) carrageenan), psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, native gellan gum, tara gum, agar, soybean polysaccharides, pectin, starch, pullulan, gum arabic, and gum ghatti. It is more preferable that the gum is at least one selected from the group consisting of gum, tara gum, agar, soybean polysaccharides, starch, and pectin, and it is even more preferable that the gum is at least one selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, fermented cellulose, crystalline cellulose, carrageenan, psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, native gellan gum, and tara gum, and it is particularly preferable that the gum is at least one selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, fermented cellulose, crystalline cellulose, carrageenan, psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, native gellan gum, and tara gum.

The content (amount added) of thickening polysaccharides is not limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, and is appropriately adjusted depending on the type of thickening polysaccharides and the types and amounts of other contained components. For example, the total content of thickening polysaccharides per 1 part by mass of raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.001 to 200 parts by mass, preferably 0.005 to 150 parts by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 100 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.05 to 90 parts by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when locust bean gum is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of locust bean gum per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.005 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 1 part by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when xanthan gum is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of xanthan gum per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.005 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 1 part by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when guar gum is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of guar gum per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.005 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 1 part by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when fermented cellulose is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of fermented cellulose per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.001 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.005 to 8 parts by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 5 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.05 to 2 parts by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when crystalline cellulose is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of crystalline cellulose per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.005 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 8 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 5 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 2 parts by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when carrageenan is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of carrageenan per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.005 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 1 part by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when psyllium seed gum is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of psyllium seed gum per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.005 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 8 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 5 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 2 parts by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when tamarind seed gum is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of tamarind seed gum per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.01 to 15 parts by mass, preferably 0.05 to 10 parts by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 8 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 5 parts by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when native gellan gum is used as the thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of native gellan gum per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.001 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.005 to 5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 2 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass.

In a specific embodiment, when tara gum is used as a thickening polysaccharide, for example, the content of tara gum per 1 part by mass of a raw material containing glucomannan can be 0.005 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.01 to 8 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 5 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 2 parts by mass.

(Alkaline conditions)
In the step of mechanically stirring a mixture containing water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide under alkaline conditions, the alkaline conditions are brought about by a known method. Glucomannan swells when water is added, becomes pasty, and exhibits strong viscosity, but by applying alkaline conditions, it is possible to suppress swelling and solidify in a hydrated state.

For the alkaline conditions, any alkaline substance (pH adjuster) used in the food industry can be used without any particular restrictions. As the alkaline substance, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, trisodium phosphate, tripotassium phosphate, calcined shell calcium, calcined eggshell calcium, basic amino acids, and mixtures thereof is preferable, at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, calcined shell calcium, calcined eggshell calcium, and mixtures thereof is more preferable, and at least one selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and mixtures thereof is even more preferable.

The pH under alkaline conditions is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but for example, a pH of 8 to 12 is preferable, a pH of 8.5 to 11.5 is more preferable, a pH of 9 to 11 is more preferable, a pH of 9.1 to 10.9 is more preferable, a pH of 9.2 to 10.8 is more preferable, a pH of 9.3 to 10.7 is more preferable, and a pH of 9.3 to 10.6 is particularly preferable.

The content (amount added) of the alkaline substance is appropriately adjusted so as to set the above pH, and is not limited. For example, the content of the alkaline substance can be 0.001 to 5 parts by mass, preferably 0.005 to 1 part by mass, and more preferably 0.01 to 0.5 parts by mass, per 1 part by mass of the raw material containing glucomannan.

(Mechanical stirring treatment)
The conditions for the mechanical stirring treatment are not particularly limited as long as the strength can be appropriately adjusted depending on the viscosity and amount of the mixture containing water, the raw material containing glucomannan, and the thickening polysaccharide, the volume of the container used for mechanical stirring, the desired particle size of the glucomannan gel, etc., and the desired glucomannan gel particles can be obtained.

For the mechanical stirring process, a known mixing method can be used, and although there is no particular limitation, for example, a mixer such as a propeller blade mixer, a paddle blade mixer, a turbine blade mixer, an anchor blade mixer, a helical ribbon blade mixer, a homodisper, or a homomixer can be used. Although there is no limitation, when the viscosity of the mixture is low, it is preferable to use a propeller blade mixer, a paddle blade mixer, or a turbine blade mixer, and when the viscosity is high, it is preferable to use an anchor blade mixer or a helical ribbon blade mixer. In addition, when preparing a gel with smaller particles, it is preferable to use a homodisper or a homomixer. The above mixers may be used alone or in combination. When multiple types of mixers are used in combination, although there is no limitation, for example, a propeller blade mixer, a paddle blade mixer, or a turbine blade mixer may be used, and then a homodisper or a homomixer may be used, or, for example, an integrated mixer in which an anchor blade mixer and a homodisper and/or a homomixer are combined may be used. A dispersible composition of particulated glucomannan can be obtained by using a propeller blade agitator, paddle blade agitator, turbine blade agitator, anchor blade agitator, or helical ribbon blade agitator as a mixer, but by using a homodisper or homomixer in combination, for example, the gel particles can be broken down, making it possible to obtain even finer particles.

Although not particularly limited, the rotation speed in the mechanical stirring process can be, for example, 50 rpm or more, 60 rpm or more, 70 rpm or more, 80 rpm or more, 90 rpm or more, 100 rpm or more, 150 rpm or more, 200 rpm or more, 300 rpm or more, 400 rpm or more, 500 rpm or more, 600 rpm or more, 700 rpm or more, 800 rpm or more, 900 rpm or more, or 1000 rpm or more.

The mechanical stirring process may be carried out under any pressure condition, including normal pressure, increased pressure, or reduced pressure, but normal pressure or increased pressure is preferred, and normal pressure is more preferred.

The time conditions for the mechanical stirring process are not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 1 minute or more, preferably 2 minutes or more, more preferably 3 minutes or more, more preferably 4 minutes or more, more preferably 5 minutes or more, even more preferably 10 minutes or more, even more preferably 11 minutes or more, even more preferably 12 minutes or more, even more preferably 13 minutes or more, even more preferably 14 minutes or more, and particularly preferably 15 minutes or more. The upper limit of the time conditions is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 2 hours or less, preferably 90 minutes or less, and more preferably 60 minutes or less.

(Heat Treatment)
The method for producing a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan may further include a heat treatment step.

The dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan is obtained by mechanically stirring a mixture containing water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide under alkaline conditions, so it can be carried out at room temperature. From the viewpoint of promoting the gelling reaction, it is preferable to include a heat treatment. In this specification, room temperature means a normal room temperature, specifically, a room temperature of 1 to 30°C as specified in the 17th revised edition of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.

The mixture containing water, glucomannan-containing raw material, and thickening polysaccharide can be heat-treated before or after mechanical stirring, or in conjunction with the mechanical stirring, but it is preferable to heat-treat before or in conjunction with the mechanical stirring.

The temperature conditions in the heat treatment are not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 35°C or higher, preferably 40°C or higher, more preferably 45°C or higher, more preferably 50°C or higher, even more preferably 55°C or higher, even more preferably 60°C or higher, even more preferably 65°C or higher, even more preferably 70°C or higher, even more preferably 75°C or higher, even more preferably 80°C or higher, and particularly preferably 85°C or higher. The upper limit of the temperature conditions is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 120°C or lower, preferably 105°C or lower, and more preferably 100°C or lower.

The time conditions for the heat treatment are not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 1 minute or more, preferably 2 minutes or more, more preferably 3 minutes or more, more preferably 4 minutes or more, more preferably 5 minutes or more, even more preferably 10 minutes or more, even more preferably 11 minutes or more, even more preferably 12 minutes or more, even more preferably 13 minutes or more, even more preferably 14 minutes or more, and particularly preferably 15 minutes or more. The upper limit of the time conditions is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved, but can be, for example, 2 hours or less, preferably 90 minutes or less, and more preferably 60 minutes or less.

(Cooling process)
The method for producing a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan may further include a cooling treatment (step), particularly when a heat treatment is performed.

By mechanically stirring a mixture containing water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide under alkaline conditions, a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan is obtained. Even if a heat treatment is performed, the temperature can be lowered to room temperature by natural heat dissipation and used, but from the viewpoints of storage stability, quality retention, etc., it is preferable to perform a cooling treatment.

The conditions for the cooling process are not particularly limited as long as known cooling methods are used. The temperature conditions for the cooling process are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of storage stability, quality retention, etc., the temperature can be, for example, 10°C or less, preferably 6°C or less, and more preferably 4°C or less.

(Sterilization treatment)
The method for producing a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan may further include a sterilization treatment (step) from the viewpoints of storage stability, quality retention, and the like.

The conditions of the sterilization treatment are not particularly limited as long as a known sterilization method is used. Specific methods of heat sterilization that can be used include boiling sterilization, batch sterilization, UHT sterilization, retort sterilization, and microwave sterilization. The temperature and time conditions of heat sterilization vary depending on the method. For example, sterilization is preferably performed under conditions where the F value is 0.00002 or more, and more preferably under conditions where the F value is 0.000 or more. In addition, for example, sterilization is preferably performed under conditions where the F value is 100 or less, more preferably under conditions where the F value is 90 or less, and even more preferably under conditions where the F value is 80 or less.

In this specification, the F value is an index used in the field of retort foods, and is the value (in minutes) of the effect of killing microorganisms when a food is heated at a certain temperature for a certain period of time, converted into the time required for heating at 121°C. The F value is described in detail in "Basics and Applications of Retort Foods (June 10, 1995), pp. 73-78, published by Saiwai Shobo Co., Ltd."

Preferred examples of the temperature and time conditions for heat sterilization are as follows.
At 60-100°C, for 5 minutes or more and 60 minutes or less At 100-130°C, for 1 second or more and 40 minutes or less At 130-145°C, for 1 second or more and 5 minutes or less

(Gel particle size)
In the present invention, the gel particles of glucomannan in the dispersible composition can be measured visually or with a particle size distribution meter (laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device SALD-2200/manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). The particle size of the gel particles is appropriately changed depending on the application, dosage form, etc., and is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0.1 mm to 20 mm, preferably 0.1 mm to 19 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm to 18 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm to 17 mm, even more preferably 0.3 mm to 16 mm, and particularly preferably 0.3 mm to 15 mm.

As shown in the examples below, the particle size of the gel particles can be adjusted within the above range by adjusting the content (addition rate) of thickening polysaccharides in the raw material containing glucomannan. Although the details of the mechanism are unknown, it is speculated that the thickening polysaccharides enter between the glucomannan molecules and inhibit gelation through hydrogen bonds.

(container)
The method for producing a dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan may further include a step of filling the composition into a container from the viewpoints of storage stability, quality retention, and the like.

There are no particular limitations on the material of the container, but for example, glass, metal, and synthetic resin containers can be used, and it is preferable to use opaque, transparent, or translucent synthetic resin containers. Examples of such synthetic resins include polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET. Metal containers include aluminum containers and steel containers. Other examples include bag-shaped containers made of aluminum laminate film, aluminum vapor deposition film, etc., which combine synthetic resin and aluminum.

After the above-mentioned filling step, it is preferable to further include a sealing step of sealing the opening of the container with a packaging film or the like. The material of the packaging film or the like is not particularly limited, and for example, an aluminum laminate or a SUS laminate can be used. Although not limited, it is preferable that the opening of the container is heat sealed with the packaging film.

(Application)
The present invention can be used without any particular limitation in any field in which glucomannan particles are used, and can be used, for example, as a composition to be taken orally (oral composition), a composition to be applied to the skin or the like (external composition), a composition to be used in the oral cavity (oral composition), etc. Although not limited thereto, the composition of the present invention can be prepared as a food or drink (food or drink composition), a cosmetic (cosmetic composition), a medicine, a quasi-drug (pharmaceutical composition), etc. The food or drink may be feed to be given to animals.

Examples of food and drink compositions include fruit juice, fruit and/or vegetable drinks made from fruits (grapefruit, orange, lemon, apple, grape, peach, strawberry, pineapple, etc.) and/or vegetables (tomato, bell pepper, celery, gourd, bitter melon, carrot, potato, alparagus, bracken, fern, etc.); sports drinks; diet drinks; beauty drinks; milk-containing drinks; soft drinks; coffee-containing drinks; tea drinks; carbonated drinks; hot chocolate, shiruko drinks, amazake drinks, etc.; alcohol-containing drinks; and other general beverage compositions; concentrated drinks for preparing these general beverage compositions; yogurt, jelly (including diet jelly, beauty jelly, hydration jelly, nutritional jelly, salt adjustment jelly, etc.), smoothies, puddings, mousses, buns, etc. Examples of such products include desserts such as Barois; Western sweets such as cakes, pies, and buns, as well as dumplings, and Japanese sweets such as shiratama and uiro; frozen and frozen desserts such as ice cream and sorbet; general confectioneries including jelly beans; soups such as potage soup, miso soup, Chinese soup, minestrone, and stew; sauces such as fruit flavored sauces, chocolate sauce, and white sauce; confectioneries; creams such as butter cream, flower paste, and whipped cream; jams such as strawberry jam and marmalade; sauces used for grilled meat, yakitori, and grilled eel, as well as seasonings such as tomato ketchup, sauces, and noodle soup; fish paste products such as kamaboko, processed meat products such as sausages, retort foods, tsukudani, delicacies, side dishes, and frozen foods; and processed agricultural, livestock, and marine products.

Examples of cosmetic compositions include face packs, moisturizing gels, all-in-one (multifunctional) gel cosmetics, makeup remover gels, beauty serum gels, and whitening gels.

Examples of pharmaceutical compositions include gel preparations, swallowing aids (thickening agents), nutritional supplements, and enteral nutritional supplements.

[Method for producing a particulate glucomannan dispersible composition]
The method for producing the granulated glucomannan dispersible composition of the present invention comprises:
A step of mixing water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and a thickening polysaccharide;
adjusting the mixture to alkaline conditions; and
subjecting the mixture to mechanical agitation.

The types and contents of water, raw materials containing glucomannan, thickening polysaccharides, and other ingredients used in the above manufacturing method are as described above in [Dispersible composition of particulate glucomannan].

The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples. However, these examples do not limit the present invention.

[Test Example 1. Preparation of glucomannan gel dispersion using thickening polysaccharide (locust bean gum)]
Glucomannan gels of each test sample were prepared based on the recipe in Table 1. The specific preparation method is as follows. The component numbers in the preparation method correspond to the component numbers in the table (the same applies to the following test examples).
(1) 1 was added to water, and the powder mixture of 2 and 3 was added, followed by stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) The temperature was raised to 85° C. and maintained at that temperature for 10 minutes. After weight correction, the viscosity was measured.
(3) 4 was added, and the mixture was heated and stirred for an additional 15 minutes (stirring at 450 rpm).
(4) 75% of the solution obtained in (3) above was taken and heated to 92° C., after which 5, 6 and 7 were added thereto to correct the weight.
(5) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
The evaluation results of the viscosity, the pH immediately after the addition of the pH adjuster (potassium carbonate), and the properties of the gel and the continuous phase are shown in FIG.

(Viscosity Measurement)
The viscosity was measured at 85° C. using a Brookfield viscometer (TVB10 model, manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.) while rotating at 60 rpm with a rotor of No. 1, 2, or 3. The viscosity was measured in the same manner in the following test examples. The results are shown in FIG.

(Confirmation of gel and continuous phase properties)
The properties of each test sample (gel and continuous phase) at room temperature were visually confirmed. After each test sample was produced, it was photographed as a final product. The method of confirming the properties was the same for the following test examples. The results are also shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 1, when locust bean gum was not added, the fine gel coalesced into large lumps, and no glucomannan gel particles were obtained (Comparative Example 1-1). On the other hand, it was confirmed that when locust bean gum was added, the glucomannan gel did not coalesce, but instead became finely granular (each Example). Furthermore, it was confirmed that the particles became smaller as the addition rate of locust bean gum increased.

[Test Example 2. Preparation of glucomannan gel dispersion using thickening polysaccharide (xanthan gum)]
Glucomannan gels of the test samples were prepared according to the recipes in Table 2. The specific preparation methods are as follows.
(1) 1 was added to water, and the powder mixture of 2 and 3 was added, followed by stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) The temperature was raised to 85° C. and maintained at that temperature for 10 minutes. After weight correction, the viscosity was measured.
(3) 4 was added, and the mixture was heated and stirred for an additional 15 minutes (stirring at 450 rpm).
(4) 75% of the solution obtained in (3) above was taken and heated to 92° C., and 5 and 6 were added thereto to correct the weight.
(5) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
The evaluation results of the viscosity, the pH immediately after the addition of the pH adjuster (potassium carbonate), and the properties of the gel and the continuous phase are shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 2, it was confirmed that the addition of xanthan gum prevented the glucomannan gel from coalescing and turned it into fine particles (each example). It was confirmed that the particles became smaller as the rate of xanthan gum added increased.

[Test Example 3. Preparation of glucomannan gel dispersion using thickening polysaccharide (guar gum)]
Glucomannan gels of the test samples were prepared according to the recipes in Table 3. The specific preparation methods are as follows.
(1) 1 was added to water, and the powder mixture of 2 and 3 was added, followed by stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) The temperature was raised to 85° C. and maintained at that temperature for 10 minutes. After weight correction, the viscosity was measured.
(3) 4 was added, and the mixture was heated and stirred for an additional 15 minutes (stirring at 450 rpm).
(4) 75% of the solution obtained in (3) above was taken and heated to 92°C, and No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 were added thereto to correct the weight.
(5) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
The evaluation results of the viscosity, the pH immediately after the addition of the pH adjuster (potassium carbonate), and the properties of the gel and the continuous phase are shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 3, it was confirmed that the addition of guar gum prevented the glucomannan gel from coalescing and turned into fine particles (each example). It was confirmed that the particles became smaller as the addition rate of guar gum increased.

[Test Example 4. Preparation of glucomannan gel dispersion using thickening polysaccharide (fermented cellulose)]
Glucomannan gels for each test sample were prepared based on the formulation in Table 4. In Table 4, "Sun Artist [registered trademark] PG" is a preparation containing fermented cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and a fermented cellulose complex of guar gum.
The specific preparation method is as follows.
(1) 1 was added to water, and then 2 and 3 were added, followed by stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) The temperature was raised to 85° C. and maintained at that temperature for 10 minutes. After weight correction, the viscosity was measured.
(3) 4 was added, and the mixture was heated and stirred for an additional 15 minutes (stirring at 450 rpm).
(4) 75% of the solution obtained in (3) above was taken and heated to 92°C, and No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 were added thereto to correct the weight.
(5) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
The evaluation results of the viscosity, the pH immediately after the addition of the pH adjuster (potassium carbonate), the properties of the gel and the continuous phase, and the particle size of the gel (visual measurement) are shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 4, it was confirmed that the addition of fermented cellulose caused the glucomannan gel to not coalesce but to become fine granular (each example). It was confirmed that the particles became smaller as the addition rate of fermented cellulose increased. Compared to other test examples, there was a tendency for the apparent amount of glucomannan gel to be greater.

The glucomannan gel dispersion compositions prepared in Examples 4-1 and 4-5 were processed for 30 seconds at 4000 rpm using a homomixer (TK homomixer Mark2, manufactured by Tokushu Kika Kogyo Co., Ltd.). The particle size (visual measurement) of the glucomannan gel after processing was 0.5 mm to 3 mm in Example 4-1 and 0.3 mm to 2 mm in Example 4-5. In addition, when the samples were measured using a particle size distribution meter (laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device SALD-2200), the minimum particle size was 0.50 mm in Example 4-1 and 0.13 mm in Example 4-5.

[Test Example 5. Preparation of glucomannan gel dispersion using thickening polysaccharide (fermented cellulose)]
Glucomannan gels of each test sample were prepared based on the formulation in Table 5. In Table 5, "Sun Artist [registered trademark] PN" is a preparation containing a fermented cellulose complex of fermented cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and xanthan gum (the same applies to the following test examples).
The specific preparation method is as follows.
(1) Add 1 to 50 parts of water, add 2 and 3, and stir at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) After heating to 80° C., the mixture was heated and stirred for 10 minutes (stirring at 450 rpm).
(3) 4 and 5 were added, and the temperature was raised to 92° C. with heating and stirring.
(4) 6, 7 and 8 were added to correct for weight.
(5) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
Photographs of the test samples used to evaluate the properties of the gel and the continuous phase are shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 5, it was confirmed that the addition of fermented cellulose caused the glucomannan gel to not coalesce but to become fine granular (each example). It was confirmed that the particles became smaller as the addition rate of fermented cellulose increased.

[Test Example 6. Evaluation test of gels based on types of commercially available glucomannan products]
We evaluated whether the type of commercially available glucomannan affects the properties of glucomannan gel.
Based on the formulation in Table 6, glucomannan gels were prepared for each test sample.
The specific preparation method is as follows.
(1) 1 was added to 50 parts of water, 2 and 3 were added, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes and then refrigerated for one day.
(2) After heating to 80° C., the mixture was heated and stirred for 10 minutes (stirring at 450 rpm).
(3) 4 and 5 were added, and the temperature was raised to 92° C. with heating and stirring.
(4) 6, 7 and 8 were added to correct for weight.
(5) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
Photographs of the test samples used to evaluate the properties of the gel and the continuous phase are shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 6, it was confirmed that there was no significant difference in the properties of the glucomannan gel even when the type of commercially available glucomannan was changed (each example).

[Test Example 7. Evaluation test of gels depending on the type of pH adjuster and pH]
We evaluated whether the type of pH adjuster (potassium carbonate or calcium hydroxide) and differences in pH had an effect on the properties of the glucomannan gel.
Based on the formulation in Table 7, glucomannan gels were prepared for each test sample.
The specific preparation method is as follows.
(1) 1 and 2 were added to water and stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) After heating to 85° C., the mixture was maintained for 10 minutes, and 3 and 4 were added. After weight adjustment, the mixture was stirred at 85° C. for an additional 15 minutes (stirring speed: 300 rpm).
(3) 75% of the solution obtained in (2) above was taken and heated to 92°C, and 5, 6 and 7 were added thereto to correct the weight.
(4) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
Photographs of the test samples used to evaluate the properties of the gel and the continuous phase are shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 7, it was confirmed that there was no significant difference in the properties of the glucomannan gel even when the type of pH adjuster (potassium carbonate or calcium hydroxide) was changed (each example).

[Test Example 8. Evaluation test of gels with different heating temperatures and times]
We evaluated whether differences in heating temperature and time had any effect on the formation of glucomannan gel.
Each test sample was prepared according to the recipe in Table 8-1.
The specific preparation method is as follows.
(1) Add 1 to 50 parts of water, add 2 and 3, and stir at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) After heating to the heating temperature shown in Table 8-2, the temperature was maintained for 10 minutes, 4 and 5 were added, and stirring was continued for the time shown in Table 8-2 (stirring at 300 rpm).
(3) Heat to 92°C, add 6, 7, and 8, and correct the total amount.
(4) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
The evaluation results of the gel properties are shown in Table 8-2. When no granular gel was formed, it was rated "X", when a small amount of granular gel was formed, it was rated "△", and when a large amount of granular gel was formed, it was rated "◯".

As shown in Table 8-2, granular glucomannan gel was produced even when the heating time and temperature were changed.

[Test Example 9. Evaluation test of gels with different thickening polysaccharides]
We evaluated whether the type of thickening polysaccharide affects the properties of the glucomannan gel.
Based on the formulation in Table 9, glucomannan gels were prepared for each test sample.
The specific preparation method is as follows.
(1) 1 was added to water, and then 2 and 3 were added, followed by stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(2) After raising the temperature to 85° C., the mixture was heated for 10 minutes, 4 was added, and after weight adjustment, the mixture was heated and stirred for an additional 15 minutes (stirring at 450 rpm).
(3) 75% of the solution obtained in (2) above was taken and heated to 92°C, and No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 were added thereto, followed by weight correction.
(4) The mixture was poured into containers, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.
The evaluation results of the properties of the gel and the continuous phase, and the particle size of the gel (visual measurement) are shown in FIG.

As shown in Figure 8, it was confirmed that even if the type of thickening polysaccharide was changed, the glucomannan gel did not coalesce and remained in fine granular form (each example).

Claims (7)

A method for producing a dispersible composition of particulated glucomannan, comprising:
A step of mixing water, a raw material containing glucomannan, and at least one thickening polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, fermented cellulose, crystalline cellulose, carrageenan, psyllium seed gum, tamarind seed gum, native gellan gum, and tara gum (excluding the step of mixing a liquid composition (A) containing 20 g of hot water (60° C.), 1 g of 50% lactic acid, 0.2 g of cellulase, and 4 g of refined konjac flour with a liquid composition (B) containing 180 g of water, 0.6 g of refined konjac flour, 0.27 g of gellan gum, and 0.34 g of calcined shell calcium);
adjusting the mixture to alkaline conditions; and
subjecting the mixture to mechanical stirring. The method of claim 1 further comprises a heat treatment. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the temperature condition in the heat treatment is 35°C or higher. The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the time condition for the heat treatment is 1 minute or more. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 further includes a mechanical stirring treatment or a cooling treatment for the heat-treated product. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the alkaline conditions are pH 8 to 12. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rotation speed under the mechanical stirring treatment conditions is 50 rpm or more.