JP7644589B2 - Agent for improving the unpleasant taste and odor of proteins - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an agent and method for improving the off-flavor and off-odor of animal or vegetable proteins, and further to food and drink containing animal or vegetable proteins in which the off-flavor and off-odor have been improved by adding the agent.

In recent years, protein has come to be increasingly recognized as an important nutrient, and as the number of athletes increases, its use is becoming more widespread among the general public. In addition, its uses are diversifying, including beauty, weight loss, and the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders such as locomotive syndrome associated with aging, and the demand is expanding further. In response to this, there is a growing need for protein-containing food and beverages that allow the necessary amount of protein to be taken easily and efficiently, and a wide variety of products such as protein powders and protein bars that contain relatively large amounts of multiple types of protein are now on sale.

Proteins are broadly divided into two types, animal-based and vegetable-based, based on their origin. Representative animal proteins include casein protein and whey protein, which are found in milk, while representative vegetable proteins include soy protein, pea protein, and almond protein.
Protein-containing foods and beverages are primarily consumed for the purpose of maintaining and increasing muscle strength needed during sports, and so the majority of products contain whey protein. However, with general consumers becoming more health and beauty conscious in recent years, attention has been focused on plant-based proteins, and the market for products containing these proteins has expanded significantly.

On the other hand, proteins have their own particular odors and unpleasant tastes. Dairy proteins have a gamey smell, while vegetable proteins have a unique unpleasant odor such as a bean smell or dried grass smell. They also all have a common, powdery, unpleasant texture, which adversely affects the flavor of foods and beverages and reduces their palatability. Therefore, methods have been proposed to improve the unpleasant odors and powdery, unpleasant tastes of proteins. In this application, "unpleasant, powdery texture" means a heavy, unpleasant texture that feels like powder clinging to the tongue, and hereafter this will be referred to as the "unpleasant taste" of protein.

A method for suppressing the odor of dairy products and the beany odor of soy milk using roasted barley extract (Patent Document 1); a method for masking the powdery odor of grains such as wheat flour, soy flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, rye and corn flour using sucralose (Patent Document 2); a method for masking unpleasant odors derived from animal and vegetable proteins (unpleasant odors caused by at least one compound selected from the group consisting of methional, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, and o-aminoacetophenone) using various flavoring compounds including 3-menthoxy-1,2-propanediol (Patent Document 3); and a method for suppressing the papery odor derived from milk proteins using linalool (Patent Document 4) have been reported. As for powdery taste, a method for suppressing the powdery aftertaste derived from milk proteins in acidic milk beverages using malic acid (Patent Document 5) is known.

However, all of these methods only partially improve unpleasant odors and off-flavors, and the types of proteins that can be affected are limited. Furthermore, because the active ingredients used are sweeteners, flavoring compounds, acidulants, etc., the foods and beverages to which they can be applied are limited due to the influence of their own flavors, and there is still room for improvement in masking technology for animal and vegetable proteins.

JP 2006-191826 A JP 2000-152764 A International Publication No. 2019/39490 JP 2019-41685 A JP 2019-41684 A JP 2001-321116 A JP 2017-23064 A JP 2017-23063 A JP 2010-4767 A JP 2011-45305 A JP 2019-187346 A

The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide an off-flavor/off-odor improver that reduces the unpleasant odors characteristic of milk proteins, such as the animal odor and the bean odor of vegetable proteins, as well as a powdery, unpleasant off-flavor, and a method for improving the unpleasant odor and powdery, unpleasant off-flavor of protein-containing foods and beverages using said improver, and further to provide protein-containing foods and beverages in which the unpleasant odor and powdery, unpleasant off-flavor have been improved using said method.

This technology can be widely applied to protein-enriched foods such as protein powders and protein bars, as well as general food and beverage products that use foods containing dairy proteins or vegetable proteins, such as milk, soy milk, and almond milk, as raw materials.

As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above problems, the inventors discovered that simply adding trace amounts of quinic acid and spilanthol to foods and beverages containing dairy protein and/or vegetable protein, so long as their respective flavors are not imparted, significantly reduces the unpleasant taste and odor caused by proteins, which led to the completion of the present invention.

That is, the present invention is characterized by the following.
[1] An agent for improving the unpleasant taste and odor of proteins, comprising quinic acid and spilanthol as active ingredients.
[2] The offensive taste and odor improving agent according to the above item 1, characterized in that the ratio of parts by mass of quinic acid to parts by mass of spilanthol is 0.0002 to 50,000,000.
[3] The offensive taste and odor improving agent according to the above item 1, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of quinic acid/spilanthol by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in a protein-containing solid food and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in a protein-containing liquid food.
[4] The agent for improving an unpleasant taste or odor according to any one of the above items 1 to 3, wherein the protein is a milk protein and/or a vegetable protein.
[5] The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of 1 to 4 above, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut.
[6] The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of the above items 1 to 4, wherein the milk protein is casein protein and/or whey protein.

[7] A fragrance composition comprising the offensive taste and odor improving agent according to any one of 1 to 6 above.
[8] The fragrance composition according to the above item 7, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of parts by mass of quinic acid/spilanthol is 0.0002 to 50,000,000.
[9] A flavoring composition according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of quinic acid/spilanthol by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in a protein-containing solid food and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in a protein-containing liquid food.

[10] A protein-containing food or drink to which the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).
[11] A protein-containing solid food to which the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).
[12] A protein-containing liquid food to which the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb).
[13] The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the protein is a milk protein and/or a vegetable protein.
[14] The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut.
[15] The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the milk protein is casein protein and/or whey protein.

[16] A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 to a protein-containing food or drink so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).
[17] A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 to a protein-containing solid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).
[18] A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 to a protein-containing liquid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb).
[19] The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the protein is a milk protein and/or a vegetable protein.
[20] The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut.
[21] The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of the above items 16 to 19, wherein the milk protein is casein and/or whey protein.

It is known that quinic acid has the effect of suppressing bitterness and astringency (Patent Document 6), and spilanthol has the effect of reducing the odor of aliphatic fatty acids (Patent Document 7) and improving the aftertaste of milk fat (Patent Document 8). It has also been reported that the combined use of quinic acid and spilanthol has the effect of improving the harshness and metallic taste peculiar to potassium salts (Patent Document 9), and that the combined use with vanilla polyphenols has the effect of suppressing the bitterness, harshness, and astringent taste of high-intensity sweeteners (Patent Document 10), and that the combined use with Monk fruit extract has the effect of reducing the grassy odor and bitterness and astringency of green juice (Patent Document 11). However, the effect of simultaneously reducing the unpleasant odors of milk and vegetable proteins and the unpleasant powdery off-flavors has never been known until now.

The off-flavor and off-odor improver of the present invention suppresses the animal odor specific to dairy proteins and the bean odor specific to vegetable proteins, as well as the unpleasant powdery off-flavor, and can therefore significantly improve the flavor of protein-containing foods and beverages. Furthermore, it is sufficiently effective even in small amounts that do not affect the flavor of the final food and beverage, allowing for a variety of flavors to be added to the final food and beverage, and also contributing to improving the palatability of protein-containing foods and beverages. Furthermore, because quinic acid and spilanthol are ingredients that can be extracted from plants, they can be widely used in natural foods and beverages such as vegetarian foods and beverages.

The present invention is described in detail below.

[1] Active ingredients of the off-taste and off-odor improving agent The off-taste and off-odor improving agent for protein of the present invention contains quinic acid and spilanthol as active ingredients. The ratio of parts by mass of quinic acid/spilanthol in the off-taste and off-odor improving agent for protein of the present invention is preferably 0.0002 to 50,000,000 when used in a protein-containing solid food, and preferably 0.001 to 10,000,000 when used in a protein-containing liquid food.

(1) Quinic Acid Quinic acid (1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid) is abundant in cranberry juice and the like, and is also widely distributed in plants as quinic acid derivatives such as chlorogenic acid, and can be obtained from plants by methods such as extraction. It can also be chemically synthesized and is commercially available as a reagent. In the present invention, commercially available quinic acid can be used as is, but in consideration of its use as a taste improver in foods and beverages, it is preferable to use a composition containing quinic acid obtained from edible plant raw materials such as fruit juice, tea, and coffee, and in particular, it is preferable to use tea leaves and coffee beans, which have a high quinic acid content and are easily available, as raw materials. Specifically, quinic acid can be obtained from tea leaves and coffee beans as follows.

(a) Extraction method from tea leaves The raw material tea leaves are the buds, leaves, and stems of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis var.) of the Theaceae family, and can be used regardless of the variety or place of origin. They can be raw or pretreated. Tea pretreatment methods include non-fermentation, semi-fermentation, and fermentation, and any processing method can be used. Examples of non-fermented tea include green tea (sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, bancha, tamaryokucha, matcha, hojicha, etc.), examples of semi-fermented tea include oolong tea and baozhongcha, and examples of fermented tea include black tea. Any of the tea leaves can be used as the raw material, but black tea leaves are preferred from the viewpoint of the yield of quinic acid, etc.

The tea leaves used as the raw material for extraction are extracted using water and/or a polar organic solvent. Examples of polar organic solvents include methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, acetone, etc., and one or a mixture of two or more of these can be used, and they are used in a mixed form with water, i.e., in the form of an aqueous solution, if necessary. From the standpoint of safety to the human body and ease of handling, the solvent used for extraction is preferably water or an aliphatic alcohol with 2 to 4 carbon atoms, such as ethanol, propanol, or butanol, and in particular water or ethanol, or a mixture of these, is most preferable.

The amount of solvent used for extraction can be selected at will, but generally 1 to 30 times the amount (mass) of tea leaves is used, and preferably 5 to 20 times the amount. The temperature and time of extraction can be determined at will, and are not particularly limited, but a temperature of 10 to 100°C for 1 to 12 hours, preferably 1 to 2 hours, is appropriate.

The resulting extract is then subjected to removal of insoluble matter, concentrated as necessary, and purified by contacting with an adsorbent such as activated carbon, silica gel, or a synthetic adsorbent to obtain a liquid composition containing quinic acid. The resulting liquid composition can be used as is, or, if necessary, can be converted to a powder form by removing the solvent by vacuum concentration or freeze-drying.

(b) Extraction method from coffee beans The raw coffee beans can be any beans without being limited by the place of origin or variety. Green coffee beans contain a large amount of quinic acid as derivatives such as chlorogenic acid, but in roasted coffee beans, chlorogenic acids are hydrolyzed during roasting to produce quinic acid. Therefore, when the raw material is roasted coffee beans, the roasted coffee beans can be extracted with water and/or a water-soluble solvent as is or after grinding, and the resulting extract can be subjected to a purification process similar to that for tea leaves to produce the taste improver of the present invention. When green coffee beans are used, the extract containing chlorogenic acid and the like obtained by extraction of the green beans is hydrolyzed using an enzyme or alkali as follows.

(Enzymatic hydrolysis)
Green coffee beans, either as is or after being ground, are extracted with water and/or a water-soluble solvent. Examples of water-soluble solvents include methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, acetone, etc., and one or a mixture of two or more of these can be used, and they are used in the form of an aqueous solution if necessary.

The extraction method can be performed under commonly used conditions and is not particularly limited, but the amount of extraction solvent used is 1 to 30 times the amount of coffee beans, and preferably 5 to 20 times the amount. The extraction temperature and time can be determined as desired and are not particularly limited, but appropriate temperatures are 50 to 100°C for 1 to 24 hours, and preferably 2 to 8 hours.

After removing insoluble matter, the extract is subjected to a concentration step as necessary and then enzymatic hydrolysis. If the resulting extract is an aqueous extract, it is preferably used as is, but if it contains a water-soluble solvent, it is preferably concentrated or otherwise reduced to 5% or less of the water-soluble solvent before being subjected to enzymatic treatment.

For the enzymatic decomposition, tannase or chlorogenic acid esterase is used. There are no particular limitations on the type of tannase that can be used, and examples include tannase produced by microorganisms such as filamentous fungi such as koji mold, yeasts, and bacteria, particularly tannase produced by the Aspergillus and Penicillium genera, but tannase produced by the Aspergillus genus, and particularly preferably Aspergillus oryzae, is used.

The type of chlorogenic acid esterase that can be used is not particularly limited, and examples include those produced by filamentous fungi such as those of the Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Botrytis genera. Preferably, chlorogenic acid esterase produced by the Aspergillus genus, particularly preferably Aspergillus japonics or Aspergillus niger, is used.

These enzymes are commercially available, for example, as products from Kikkoman Corporation. Furthermore, these enzymes can be immobilized using various immobilization methods to achieve even greater effectiveness.

The conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis are not particularly limited, but are preferably 30 to 50°C for 1 to 48 hours, and more preferably 35 to 45°C for 2 to 24 hours. Coffee bean extract is hydrolyzed with an enzyme, insoluble matter is removed, and the hydrolyzed product is purified by contacting it with an adsorbent to obtain a coffee bean hydrolyzate containing quinic acid. This can be purified by contacting it with an adsorbent such as a cation exchange resin such as Amberlite IR (Organo Corporation) or the styrene-divinylbenzene synthetic adsorbent Diaion HP (Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation), to obtain a liquid composition containing quinic acid.

(Alkaline hydrolysis)
When alkaline hydrolysis is carried out, coffee beans are finely ground, an alkaline aqueous solution is added to the ground coffee beans, and the ground coffee beans are heated and stirred for 10 to 60 minutes at 60 to 90° C. As the alkaline aqueous solution, an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, or the like is used, and calcium hydroxide is preferably used.

After hydrolysis, the reaction solution is neutralized by adding an acid such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, oxalic acid, or phosphoric acid, and then subjected to an ion exchange membrane electrodialysis device. The salt generated by neutralization is removed using an anion exchange membrane with a molecular weight cutoff of 100 to 300 or a cation exchange membrane, to obtain a liquid composition containing quinic acid.

The quinic acid-containing liquid composition obtained by enzymatic or alkaline hydrolysis can be used as it is, or, if necessary, can be converted into a powder form by removing the solvent by vacuum concentration or freeze-drying.

(2) Spilanthol Spilanthol (N-isobutyl-2,6,8-decatrienamide) is a pungent component contained in Spilanthes acmella, Spilanthes acmella var. oleracea, and the like, which belong to the Asteraceae family. Spilanthol can be obtained by collecting and purifying the above-mentioned plants, or it can be chemically synthesized. In the present invention, spilanthol obtained by any method can be used, and it is not necessary that the purity is high.

If the taste or smell of other ingredients does not affect the flavor of the food or drink, plant extracts and essential oils containing spilanthol may be used without purification. From the standpoint of safety, it is preferable to use extracts or essential oils obtained from plants that have been eaten, and from the standpoint of practicality such as supply and price, it is particularly preferable to use extracts or essential oils from Acanthus ornatus, which have a high spilanthol content.

One example of a method for extracting spilanthol is to dry and crush the flower heads of Amaranthella or Yellow Amaranthella, then extract them with an organic solvent to obtain an extract containing spilanthol.

The organic solvent used for extraction is not particularly limited, and alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, and propylene glycol, ketones such as acetone, esters such as ethyl acetate, ethers such as diethyl ether, and hydrocarbons such as hexane and heptane can be used alone or in combination as appropriate. Among these, polar organic solvents such as alcohols are preferred, and ethanol is particularly preferred from the standpoint of safety.

The solvent is distilled off from the resulting extract to obtain an extract containing spilanthol. In cases where the effect of components other than spilanthol contained in the extract on the flavor of food or beverage is a problem, it is preferable to further increase the spilanthol content by a purification method such as distillation before use. Purification methods include molecular distillation, thin-film distillation, and various types of chromatography, and these purification methods can be used alone or in appropriate combination to obtain an extract with a higher spilanthol content.

[2] Flavor composition The off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be added alone to protein-containing food and drink, but can also be used as a flavor composition for improving the off-taste and off-odor of protein by combining with other flavoring materials for food and drink. A wide variety of other flavoring materials can be used, whether natural or synthetic, and examples of such materials include flavorings (essential oils, essences, absolutes, extracts, oleoresins, recovered flavors, carbon dioxide-extracted essential oils, microbial/enzyme flavors, heat-cooked flavors, isolated flavors, synthetic flavors, etc.) described in the Patent Office Gazette "Collection of Well-Known and Commonly Used Technologies (Flavors) Part II Food Flavors" (published January 14, 2000, Japan Patent Office).

The above-mentioned active ingredients of the present invention can be added to protein-containing foods and beverages as they are, or as a flavor composition in combination with other flavoring materials, dissolved in a solvent such as ethanol, propylene glycol, or glycerin as necessary. Furthermore, they can also be used as emulsion flavors or powder flavors by adding commonly used emulsifiers and excipients in the usual manner.

The timing of adding the above-mentioned active ingredient to the protein-containing food or beverage is not particularly limited, and it can be added appropriately at each stage of the manufacturing process of the protein-containing food or beverage. When the manufacturing process of the protein-containing food or beverage includes a sterilization process, it is generally added before the sterilization process, but it can also be added after the sterilization process by sterilizing the above-mentioned active ingredient or a flavor composition containing it by membrane filtration or the like.

The off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention may also contain various additives commonly used in foods and beverages, such as antioxidants, salt, sugars, coloring agents, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, sweeteners, colorants, and pH adjusters, as necessary. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent may be in either a solid or liquid form.

[3] Antioxidants Antioxidants used in the present invention include, for example, mixed tocopherols, ascorbyl stearate, ascorbyl palmitate, γ-oryzanol, naturally extracted antioxidants, etc., and may be appropriately selected and used.

[4] Sugars Examples of sugars that can be used in the present invention include sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, etc., and can be appropriately selected and used.

[5] Coloring Agents Examples of coloring agents that can be used in the present invention include β-carotene, annatto color, turmeric color, shrimp color, krill color, orange color, chlorophyllin, chlorophyll, corn color, bamboo color, potato carotene, Dunaliella carotene, carrot carotene, palm oil carotene, tomato color, paprika color, Phaffia color, Haematococcus algae color, Monascus color, and marigold color, and any of these may be appropriately selected and used.

[6] Emulsifier The emulsifier used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible emulsifier. Specific examples include gum arabic, modified gum arabic, gum ghatti, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, sodium starch octenylsuccinate, organic acid monoglyceride, glycerol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, Quillaja quilla extract, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, gelatin, sodium caseinate, lecithin, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, alginic acid, Sophora japonin, barley husk extract, soybean saponin, Examples of such fatty acids include sterols, sphingolipids, calcium stearoyl lactate, bile powder, tea seed saponin, tomato glycolipid, beet saponin, and yucca foam extract. Preferably, one or more fatty acids selected from polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, starch sodium octenylsuccinate, octenylsuccinic acid-modified gum arabic, gelatin, sodium caseinate, and lecithin are used.

[7] Protein-Containing Foods and Beverages The off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be used in protein-containing foods and beverages that are caused by the milk proteins or vegetable proteins contained in the foods and beverages and that result in the characteristic gamey or beany odor or powdery, unpleasant off-taste, such as protein bars and protein powder drinks that contain relatively large amounts of multiple types of proteins and have an adjusted flavor for the purpose of nutritional supplementation or strengthening, as well as soft drinks, soups, cooked foods, sweets, frozen desserts, and other foods and beverages with increased protein content.

It can also be used in beverages that use plant-based milks such as soy milk or almond milk instead of cow's milk, frozen desserts such as ice cream, and meat substitutes (substitutes for livestock meat) made from soybeans and other legumes.
In particular, since proteins processed into powder or granules tend to have stronger characteristic animal or bean odors and unpleasant powdery flavors, the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be suitably used in protein bars and protein powder drinks that contain large amounts of these.

In this application, among protein-containing foods and beverages, liquid foods refer to those consumed in liquid form, such as beverages (including powdered beverages), soups, jellies, etc., and solid foods refer to those consumed in solid form, such as biscuits, cereal bars, meat substitutes, etc.

There are no particular limitations on the dairy proteins and vegetable proteins as long as they are those that are commonly contained in foods and beverages, but examples of dairy proteins for which the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be suitably used include casein protein and whey protein, and examples of vegetable proteins include soy protein, pea protein, almond protein, hemp protein, rice protein, wheat protein, oat protein, coconut protein, etc. In particular, the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be suitably used with whey protein, soy protein, and pea protein.

[8] Method for improving the off-taste and off-odor derived from protein The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor derived from protein of the present invention is characterized by adding the off-taste and off-odor improver of the present invention or a flavor composition containing said improver to a protein-containing food or drink. In this case, if the contents of the active ingredients quinic acid and spilanthol are too low, they cannot exert their sufficient effect, while if the contents are too high, the flavors of each ingredient may have an undesirable effect on the flavor of the food or drink.

Therefore, the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention or a flavoring composition containing the same is preferably added to a solid food containing protein so that the quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb), more preferably the quinic acid is 0.001 to 500 ppm and the spilanthol is 0.01 to 5000 ppb, and even more preferably the quinic acid is 2 to 500 ppm and the spilanthol is 10 to 5,000 ppb.

For liquid foods containing protein, it is preferable to adjust the concentration of quinic acid to 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but not including 0.0001 ppm or 200 ppm) and spilanthol to 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but not including 0.001 ppb or 2000 ppb), more preferably 0.001 to 100 ppm quinic acid and 0.01 to 1000 ppb spilanthol, and even more preferably 2 to 100 ppm quinic acid and 10 to 1000 ppb spilanthol.

Next, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[Test Example 1] (Evaluation of off-flavor and off-odor of protein)
A sensory evaluation was conducted by trained panelists on commercially available powdered soy protein, pea protein, and whey protein (solid foods) and on a liquid prepared by dissolving each of these in 10 times the amount of water (liquid foods). It was confirmed that soy protein and pea protein have a beany smell and an unpleasant powdery off-taste, while whey protein has an animal smell and an unpleasant powdery off-taste, and the effectiveness of improving these off-tastes and off-odors was examined.

<1> Protein-containing solid foods
[Test Example 2] (Effect of quinic acid and spilanthol on improving unpleasant taste and odor)
As model samples of protein-containing solid foods, commercially available (a) soy protein powder, (b) pea protein powder, and (c) whey protein powder, each containing approximately 80% by mass of protein, were prepared, and samples in which quinic acid or spilanthol was added alone (Comparative Examples 1 to 6) and samples in which both ingredients were added (Examples 1 to 3) were prepared.

A sensory evaluation was carried out by four expert panelists, who evaluated the effect of improving the off-flavor and off-odor of protein according to the following criteria. At the same time, a comprehensive evaluation was carried out, taking into consideration the alteration of flavor caused by the addition of quinic acid and spilanthol.
(Evaluation of the effect of suppressing unpleasant tastes and odors)
× No improvement effect △ Almost no improvement effect ○ Improved effect ◎ Strong improvement effect

評価結果は（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテインでも表１の通りとなった。キナ酸、スピラントールは（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテイン含有固形食品に対しても、各々単独ではほとんど異味異臭改善効果が無いにも関わらず、両成分を併用した場合には、プロテインの異味異臭が大きく低減することがわかった。 (Table 1: Verification results of combined use of quinic acid and spilanthol)

The evaluation results for all proteins (a) to (c) are shown in Table 1. Although quinic acid and spilanthol alone had almost no effect on improving the off-flavors and off-odors of any of the protein-containing solid foods (a) to (c), it was found that the off-flavors and off-odors of the proteins were significantly reduced when the two ingredients were used in combination.

[Test Example 3] (Effective Concentrations of Quinic Acid and Spilanthol)
As in Test Example 2, three types of powdered protein (a) to (c) were prepared as the base, and samples with different concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol were prepared for each to confirm the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from the protein.

評価結果は（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテインでも表２の通りとなった。本発明の異味異臭改善剤は、（ａ）～（ｃ）のいずれのプロテイン含有固形食品に対しても、キナ酸が０．０００１～５０００ｐｐｍ（但し０．０００１ｐｐｍ、５０００ｐｐｍは含まない）、スピラントールが０．００１～５００００ｐｐｂ（但し０．００１ｐｐｂ、５００００ｐｐｂは含まない）となるよう添加するのが好ましく、より好ましい濃度はキナ酸が０．００１～５００ｐｐｍ、スピラントールが０．００１～５０００ｐｐｂ、さらに好ましい濃度はキナ酸が２～５００ｐｐｍ、スピラントールが１０～５０００ｐｐｂであることが確認された。 (Table 2: Verification results of effective concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol)

The evaluation results for all of proteins (a) to (c) are as shown in Table 2. It was confirmed that the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention is preferably added to any of protein-containing solid foods (a) to (c) so that quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb), more preferably quinic acid is 0.001 to 500 ppm and spilanthol is 0.001 to 5000 ppb, and even more preferably quinic acid is 2 to 500 ppm and spilanthol is 10 to 5,000 ppb.

The concentrations per 1 mass % of protein are preferably 0.125×10 ^-5 to 62.5 ppm for quinic acid (excluding 0.125×10 ^-5 ppm and 62.5 ppm) and 0.125×10 ^-4 to 625 ppb for spilanthol (excluding 0.125×10 ^-4 ppb and 625 ppb), more preferably 0.125×10 ^-4 to 6.25 ppm for quinic acid and 0.125×10 ^-3 to 62.5 ppb for spilanthol, and even more preferably 0.025 to 6.25 ppm for quinic acid and 0.125 to 62.5 ppb for spilanthol.

[Test Example 4] (Combination ratio of quinic acid and spilanthol)
As in Test Examples 2 and 3, three types of powdered proteins (a) to (c) were used as a base, and for each sample, samples with different quinic acid/spilanthol ratios were prepared within the optimal addition concentration range of quinic acid and spilanthol, and the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from the protein was confirmed.

評価結果は（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテインでも表３の通りとなった。本発明の異味異臭改善剤におけるキナ酸/スピラントールの比率が０．０００２～５０００００００の範囲内であると、（ａ）～（ｃ）のいずれのプロテイン含有固形状食品に対しても、十分な異味改善効果が得られることがわかった。 (Table 3: Verification results of the blend ratio of quinic acid and spilanthol)

The evaluation results for all of the proteins (a) to (c) are as shown in Table 3. It was found that when the quinic acid/spilanthol ratio in the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention is within the range of 0.0002 to 50,000,000, a sufficient off-taste improving effect can be obtained for all of the protein-containing solid foods (a) to (c).

<2> Protein-containing liquid food
[Test Example 5] (Effect of quinic acid and spilanthol on improving unpleasant taste and odor)
As model samples of protein-containing liquid foods, the powders of (a) soy protein, (b) pea protein, and (c) whey protein used in Test Examples 2 to 4 were dissolved in 10 times the amount of water by mass (protein content: 8% by mass), and samples in which quinic acid or spilanthol was added alone (Comparative Examples 9 to 14) and samples in which both ingredients were added (Examples 10 to 12) were prepared.

Four expert panelists conducted a sensory evaluation using the same criteria as in Test Examples 2 to 4 to evaluate the effect of improving off-flavors and off-odors in liquid protein-containing foods.

評価結果は（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテインでも表４の通りとなった。キナ酸、スピラントールは（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテイン含有液状食品に対しても、各々単独ではほとんど異味異臭改善効果が無いにも関わらず、両成分を併用した場合には、プロテインの異味異臭が大きく低減することがわかった。 (Table 4: Verification results of combined use of quinic acid and spilanthol)

The evaluation results for all proteins (a) to (c) are shown in Table 4. Although quinic acid and spilanthol alone had almost no effect on improving the off-flavors and off-odors of any of the protein-containing liquid foods (a) to (c), it was found that the off-flavors and off-odors of the proteins were significantly reduced when the two ingredients were used in combination.

[Test Example 6] (Effective Concentrations of Quinic Acid and Spilanthol)
Using the same liquid protein sample as in Test Example 5, samples with different concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol were prepared, and the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from protein was confirmed.

評価結果は（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテインでも表５の通りとなった。本発明の異味異臭改善剤は、（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテイン含有液状食品に対しても、キナ酸が０．０００１～２００ｐｐｍ（但し０．０００１ｐｐｍ、２００ｐｐｍは含まない）、スピラントールの濃度が０．００１～２０００ｐｐｂ（但し０．００１ｐｐｂ、２０００ｐｐｂは含まない）となるよう添加するのが好ましく、より好ましい濃度はキナ酸が０．００１～１００ｐｐｍ、スピラントールが０．０１～１０００ｐｐｂであり、さらに好ましい濃度はキナ酸が２～１００ｐｐｍ、スピラントールが１０～１０００ｐｐｂであることが確認された。 (Table 5: Verification results of effective concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol)

The evaluation results for all of the proteins (a) to (c) are as shown in Table 5. It was confirmed that the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention is preferably added to any of the protein-containing liquid foods (a) to (c) so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb), more preferably 0.001 to 100 ppm for quinic acid and 0.01 to 1000 ppb for spilanthol, and even more preferably 2 to 100 ppm for quinic acid and 10 to 1000 ppb for spilanthol.

The concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol added per 1% by mass of protein are preferably 0.125×10 ^-4 to 25 ppm (excluding 0.125×10 ^-4 ppm and 25 ppm), and 0.125×10 ^-3 to 250 ppb (excluding 0.125×10 ^-3 ppb and 250 ppb), respectively, more preferably 0.125×10 ^-3 to 12.5 ppm for quinic acid and 0.125×10 ^-2 to 125 ppb for spilanthol, and even more preferably 0.25 to 12.5 ppm for quinic acid and 1.25 to 125 ppb for spilanthol.

[Test Example 7] (Combination ratio of quinic acid and spilanthol)
Using liquid protein samples similar to those in Test Examples 5 and 6, samples with different quinic acid/spilanthol ratios were prepared within the optimal concentration ranges of quinic acid and spilanthol, and the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from protein was confirmed.

評価結果は（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテインでも表６の通りとなり、（ａ）～（ｃ）いずれのプロテイン含有液状食品に対しても、本発明の異味異臭改善剤におけるキナ酸/スピラントールの比率が０．００１～１０００００００の範囲内であると、十分な異味改善効果を得られることがわかった。 (Table 6: Verification results of the blend ratio of quinic acid and spilanthol)

The evaluation results for all of proteins (a) to (c) are as shown in Table 6. It was found that for any of protein-containing liquid foods (a) to (c), when the quinic acid/spilanthol ratio in the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention is within the range of 0.001 to 10,000,000, a sufficient off-taste improving effect can be obtained.

Furthermore, the effects, optimal concentrations, and optimal ratios of quinic acid and spilanthol were verified for almond protein, oat protein, and coconut protein in solid and liquid foods in the same manner as in Test Examples 2 to 7. It was confirmed that all proteins were sufficiently effective in improving unpleasant tastes and odors at similar concentration ranges and blending ratios.

[Application examples for protein-containing foods and beverages]
Furthermore, various protein-containing foods and beverages were prepared according to the formulation examples shown below, and the effects of the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention were confirmed by comparing those containing the agent with those not containing the agent.

処方例の通り原料を配合、撹拌混合しプロテイン含有粉末飲料を作製し、粉末飲料中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加した。当該改善剤無添加の粉末飲料と比べるとホエイプロテインの獣臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 19] Protein supplement (powdered drink)

The raw materials were mixed and stirred according to the formulation example to prepare a powdered beverage containing protein, and the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the concentration of quinic acid in the powdered beverage was 2 ppm and the concentration of spilanthol was 10 ppb. Compared to a powdered beverage without the improving agent, the animal odor and powdery off-flavor of the whey protein were significantly reduced, improving the flavor to one suitable for consumption.

処方例の通り原料を配合、撹拌混合した後、容器に充填し殺菌を行い、プロテイン含有清涼飲料水を作製し、飲料中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加した。当該改善剤無添加の清涼飲料水と比べると、ホエイプロテインの獣臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 20] Protein-enriched drink (soft drink)

The raw materials were mixed and stirred according to the formulation example, then filled into containers and sterilized to produce a protein-containing soft drink, to which the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the drink was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb.Compared to a soft drink without the improving agent, the animal odor and powdery off-flavor of the whey protein were significantly reduced, improving the flavor to one suitable for consumption.

処方例の通り原料を配合、飲料中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加し撹拌混合した後、容器に充填し殺菌を行い、ゼリー飲料を作製した。当該改善剤無添加のゼリー飲料と比べると、ホエイプロテインの獣臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 21] Protein-enriched drink (jelly drink)

The raw materials were mixed according to the formulation example, and the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added and stirred so that the quinic acid concentration in the beverage was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb, and then the mixture was filled into a container and sterilized to produce a jelly beverage. Compared to a jelly beverage without the improving agent, the animal odor and powdery off-taste of the whey protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for consumption.

処方例の通り原料を配合、食品中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加し撹拌混合し殺菌した後、エージング、フリージングの工程を経て容器に充填しソイアイスを作製した。当該改善剤無添加のソイアイスと比べると、ソイプロテインの豆臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 22] Soy ice

The ingredients were mixed according to the recipe, and the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. The mixture was then stirred, mixed, sterilized, and then aged and frozen, after which the mixture was filled into containers to produce soy ice. Compared to soy ice without the improving agent, the beany odor and powdery off-taste of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

処方例の通り原料を配合、撹拌混合した後、容器に充填し殺菌を行い、ソイラテを作製した。飲料中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加した。当該改善剤無添加のソイラテを比べると、ソイプロテインの豆臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 23] Soy latte

The ingredients were mixed and stirred according to the recipe, then filled into a container and sterilized to produce a soy latte. The off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the beverage was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. Compared to a soy latte without the improving agent, the beany odor and powdery off-flavor of the soy protein were significantly reduced, improving the flavor to one suitable for consumption.

処方例の通り原料を配合、食品中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加し、撹拌混合した後、成型、焼成しプロテインバーを作製した。当該改善剤無添加のプロテインバーと
比べると、ソイプロテインの豆臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 24] Protein bar

The raw materials were mixed according to the recipe, the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the concentration of quinic acid in the food was 2 ppm and the concentration of spilanthol was 10 ppb, and the mixture was stirred and mixed, and then molded and baked to produce a protein bar. Compared to a protein bar without the improving agent, the beany odor and powdery off-flavor of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

処方例の通り原料を配合し粉砕。加熱しながら撹拌混合した後、食品中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加し、成形してソイチョコレートを作製した。当該改善剤無添加の
ソイチョコレートと比べると、ソイプロテインの豆臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 25] Soy chocolate

The raw materials were mixed and pulverized according to the recipe. After stirring and mixing while heating, the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb, and the mixture was molded to produce soy chocolate. Compared to soy chocolate without the improving agent, the beany odor and powdery off-flavor of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

処方例の通り原料を配合し食品中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加して撹拌混合した後、型抜き、焼成しソイビスケットを作製した。当該改善剤無添加のソイビスケットと比べると、ソイプロテインの豆臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 26] Soy biscuits

The ingredients were mixed as shown in the recipe, and the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. The mixture was then stirred and mixed, and molded and baked to produce soy biscuits. Compared to soy biscuits without the improving agent, the beany smell and powdery off-taste of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

処方例の通り原料を配合し食品中のキナ酸濃度が２ｐｐｍ、スピラントール濃度が１０ｐｐｂとなるよう本発明の異味異臭改善剤を添加して混合した後、成形、焼成、蒸気での加熱処理を行い、代替肉を精製した。当該改善剤無添加の代替肉と比べると、ソイプロテインの豆臭も粉っぽい異味も大幅に低減され、喫食に適した風味に改善された。 [Example 27] Meat substitute

The raw materials were mixed according to the recipe, and the off-flavor/off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added and mixed so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb, and then the mixture was molded, baked, and heated with steam to produce a meat substitute.Compared to meat substitutes without the improving agent, the beany odor and powdery off-flavor of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

Claims (22)

An agent for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising quinic acid and spilanthol , the agent containing quinic acid and spilanthol as active ingredients . The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of quinic acid/spilanthol in parts by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to claim 1, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are mixed so that the ratio of quinic acid/spilanthol by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in protein-containing solid foods and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in protein-containing liquid foods. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protein is a milk protein and/or a vegetable protein. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the milk protein is casein protein and/or whey protein. 7. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the quinic acid is (1) quinic acid contained in a purified product obtained by purifying a coffee bean extract, or (2) quinic acid contained in a purified product obtained by obtaining an extract from tea leaves using water and/or a polar organic solvent and then purifying the extract with an adsorbent. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the spilanthol is an extract or essential oil derived from Acanthus orbiculatus . A flavoring composition (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols) comprising a combination of the off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and another flavoring material for food or drink . 10. The fragrance composition according to claim 9 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols), characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of quinic acid/spilanthol parts by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000. The flavoring composition according to claim 9 or 10 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols), characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of quinic acid/spilanthol parts by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in a protein-containing solid food and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in a protein-containing liquid food. A protein-containing food or drink (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract) to which the flavoring composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol) has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb) . A protein-containing liquid food (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract) to which the flavoring composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol) has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb) . 14. The protein-containing food or drink according to claim 12 or 13 (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract) , wherein the protein is a milk protein and/or a vegetable protein. The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 12 to 14 (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract) wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut . A protein-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 12 to 14 (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract) , characterized in that the milk protein is casein protein and/or whey protein. A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol ) to a protein-containing food or drink so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb). A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols) to a protein-containing solid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb). A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols ) to a protein-containing liquid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb). The method for reducing the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the protein is a dairy protein and/or a vegetable protein. The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut. The method for reducing the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 17 to 20 , characterized in that the milk protein is casein and/or whey protein.