JP7651290B2 - Cooking oil and fat composition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooking oil composition and a method for producing the same.

Fats and oils are widely used in cooking, such as baking, frying, and deep frying. (Hereinafter, fats and oils used in cooking may be referred to simply as cooking fat and oil compositions.)

Among foods that have been cooked (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as cooked foods), foods that have been fried (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as fried foods) are popular with many people due to their crispy texture and juiciness after cooking.

However, foods cooked using cooking oil and fat compositions can have a greasy texture (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "sticky"). In particular, foods fried in oil have the problem that the oil absorbed during frying gradually seeps out over time after cooking (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "oil stains"), causing the food to lose its crispy texture.

One example of fried foods is bakery foods that are fried. When fried, bakery foods can have a sticky texture when picked up or eaten due to oil stains. In addition, fried bakery foods that are sprinkled with sugar or iced after frying, such as deep-fried bread and donuts, have a problem in that the sugar dissolves in the oil as the oil seeps out over time, causing sugar to drip from the surface of the deep-fried bread or donuts, a phenomenon known as "sugar crying." This sugar crying not only mars the appearance, but also makes it easier for the sugar to get on the hands when eating the food, significantly reducing the product value. Therefore, there has been a demand to prevent sugar crying caused by oil seeping out, especially in deep-fried bread, donuts, and other foods that are sprinkled with sugar after frying.

In order to solve the problems of oil stains and sugar weeping, improvements have been made to cooking oil compositions used in deep frying. For example, a method has been disclosed in which an oil composition containing an emulsifier is used to maintain the texture of fried foods after cooking, such as a fat composition for frying (see Patent Document 1) that is characterized by containing a diglycerol oleate ester with an esterification rate of 40% or more, which suppresses excessive oil absorption in fried foods and can maintain a crispy texture for a long time. In addition, a method has been disclosed in which separation of liquid oil from fat crystals is suppressed to suppress oil stains and sugar weeping, such as a fat composition for frying (see Patent Document 2) that contains edible fats and oils including refined palm oil, liquid vegetable oil, and extremely hardened oil, and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester in which 50% or more of the constituent fatty acids are saturated fatty acids with 16 to 22 carbon atoms, has an HLB of 4 or less, and has a melting point of 50 to 75°C.

However, in the current context of increasing health consciousness among people and a demand for foods that do not use food additives such as emulsifiers, oil and fat compositions containing emulsifiers, such as those in Patent Document 1, are not desirable for consumers. In addition to the above, Patent Document 2 suppresses the separation of liquid oil components, which may reduce the juiciness and melt-in-the-mouth feel when eating fried foods. Although these methods certainly have the effect of maintaining the texture of fried foods and suppressing the seepage of oil, there is a demand for cooking oil and fat compositions that can further improve the texture, suppress oil stains, and further suppress sugar crying that occurs with oil stains when the fried food is fried bread, donuts, etc., which are sprinkled with sugar or coated with icing after frying.

When using an oil composition for cooking, it is necessary to dispense a liquid or solid oil composition in the amount to be used. In particular, when deep frying, it is necessary to put the oil composition in the fryer in the amount to be used.

When a liquid cooking oil composition is used, oil may splash when poured into the fryer, soiling the working environment, and it is difficult to pour in the desired amount. When a solid cooking oil composition is used, it is poured into the fryer by either i) dissolving it once or ii) taking it in solid form. In method i), special equipment is required for dissolving, and in method ii), when taking out the composition with a scoop or the like, it is difficult to take out the desired amount depending on the physical properties of the cooking oil composition. Thus, the previously known cooking oil compositions, whether liquid or solid, have the problem of being difficult to handle when used for deep frying. This problem is particularly noticeable in small bakeries such as retail bakeries and convenience stores that use small fryers.

In order to solve the problem of cooking oil and fat compositions being difficult to handle when used for deep frying, a method has been disclosed in which a solid oil and fat composition contains a specific volume of gas, making it easier to insert a scoop or the like into the oil and fat composition and improving ease of handling, such as an oil and fat composition for deep frying that contains 32 mL/100 g to 115 mL/100 g of gas at 10°C, contains 70% by mass to 100% by mass of palm-based oil and fat, and is in a solid state at 10°C (see Patent Document 3).

However, with the method of Patent Document 3 of incorporating a large amount of gas, although it is easier to insert a scoop or the like, the amount of oil or fat in a given volume is small, so it is necessary to repeatedly put the fat or oil into the fryer with a scoop or the like, leaving room for improvement in terms of ease of use. There is also room for improvement in terms of improving the texture of cooked foods and suppressing oil stains and sugar weeping.

Thus, previous studies have not sufficiently investigated cooking oil and fat compositions that satisfy all of the following three requirements: (1) improving the texture of cooked foods; (2) suppressing oil stains and sugar weeping in fried foods; and (3) making the cooking oil and fat composition easy to handle when used in cooking.

JP 2020-043792 A JP 2017-163885 A JP 2018-042475 A

The present invention aims to achieve the following objectives 1) to 3).
1) To improve the texture of cooked foods.
2) Prevents oil stains and sugar weeping in fried foods.
3) To make the material easy to handle when used for cooking.

As a result of the studies by the present inventors, it was found that by using an oil composition containing a specific volume of gas and having a solid fat content in a specific range at 25°C and 35°C for cooking, the texture of the cooked food can be improved, and in particular, when used for deep-frying, oil stains and sugar tears in the deep-frying food can be suppressed. It was also found that an oil composition that satisfies the above conditions is easy to handle when used for cooking.

The cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention is based on the above findings and has the following composition.
(1) A cooking oil composition containing a gas that is acceptable for use in food,
The content of the gas under conditions of 1 atmospheric pressure and 25°C is 10 to 30 mL per 100 g of the oil or fat composition,
The solid fat content at 25°C is 10 to 40%;
A cooking fat composition having a solid fat content of 4 to 10% at 35°C.
(2) The cooking fat composition according to (1), which contains one or more fats selected from the group consisting of fats and oils A and B below.
Fats and oils A: Hardened oils or fractionated hard oils having a melting point of 50 to 70°C.
Oil/fat B: Interesterified oil/fat satisfying the conditions (b-1) and (b-2).
Condition (b-1): The oil/fat is an interesterified oil/fat obtained by transesterification of a palm-based oil/fat with an oil/fat containing 15% by mass or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition, and the fatty acid residue composition contains 5 to 12% by mass of behenic acid residues.
Condition (b-2): The melting point is 20 to 50°C.
(3) The cooking fat composition according to (1) or (2), containing 5 to 30% by mass of the fat A and 2 to 15% by mass of the fat B.
(4) The cooking fat or oil composition according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the gas is at least one selected from the group consisting of air and an inert gas.
(5) The cooking fat and oil composition according to any one of (1) to (4), which is for deep frying.
(6) The cooking fat and oil composition according to any one of (1) to (5), which is for use in bakery foods to be fried.

The present invention also relates to a food product and a method for producing a cooking fat and oil composition having the following configurations.
(7) A food cooked using the cooking fat and oil composition according to any one of (1) to (6).
(8) A method for producing a cooking fat or oil composition according to any one of (1) to (6), comprising a step of cooling and kneading the fat or oil composition and a step of incorporating a gas into the fat or oil composition, or a step of incorporating a gas into the fat or oil composition while cooling and kneading the fat or oil composition.

According to the present invention, the following effects 1) to 3) can be obtained.
1) The texture of cooked foods can be improved.
2) It can prevent oil stains and sugar weeping from deep-fried foods.
3) It is easy to handle when used for cooking.

The cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention will be described in detail below.
The cooking fat or oil composition of the present invention is characterized in that it contains 10 to 30 mL of gas per 100 g of the fat or oil composition, has a solid fat content of 10 to 40% at 25°C, and has a solid fat content of 4 to 10% at 35°C.
The gas volume in the cooking fat and oil composition is the value when the fat and oil composition is placed under the conditions of 1 atmospheric pressure and 25° C. In the present invention, 1 atmospheric pressure is 1013 hPa.

First, the gas contained in the cooking fat or oil composition of the present invention will be described.
The cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention contains 10 to 30 mL of gas per 100 g of the fat and oil composition. If the volume of the gas contained is less than 10 mL per 100 g of the fat and oil composition, the cooked food produced using the fat and oil composition of the present invention becomes sticky and has a poor texture. Furthermore, even if the cooking fat and oil composition satisfies the range of the solid fat content described below, it becomes difficult to handle when used for cooking.

Furthermore, if the volume of the gas contained exceeds 30 mL per 100 g of the oil composition, when the cooking oil composition of the present invention is in a solid form (meaning a state in which there is no fluidity; it may have plasticity), the cooking oil composition will crumble and become difficult to handle when scooped with a shovel or poured into a heating cooking utensil such as a pot, frying pan, or fryer. In addition, the capacity of the container required to hold the cooking oil composition will be large, which will cause inconvenience during storage and transportation.

It is unclear why an oil composition becomes difficult to handle when the volume of gas contained exceeds 30 mL per 100 g of the composition, but it is speculated that this is because the number of cavities in the oil composition caused by gas increases in proportion to the increase in the gas content in the oil composition, making the oil composition brittle and prone to crumbling.

In the present invention, ease of handling refers to the ease of removing the cooking oil/fat composition from a container, the ease of measuring the amount when dispensing the cooking oil/fat composition, and the ease of putting the cooking oil/fat composition into a cooking utensil for heating.

The volume of gas in the cooking fat composition of the present invention is preferably 12 to 30 mL, more preferably 15 to 30 mL, and most preferably 15 to 25 mL per 100 g of the fat composition, in order to improve the texture of the cooked food produced using the cooking fat composition of the present invention and to improve ease of handling when used in cooking.

The reason or mechanism by which the use of a cooking fat and oil composition containing a gas in the above-mentioned volume range results in a cooked food with reduced stickiness and a crispy texture is not known, but the inventors speculate as follows.

It is known that fats and oils oxidize during storage and cooking. In general, when fats and oils oxidize, they become more viscous, in addition to producing a deteriorating odor and worsening color over time, a phenomenon known as deterioration. For this reason, it is believed that when oxidized fats and oils are used for cooking, the food absorbs the oil with increased viscosity during cooking, resulting in a sticky texture and making it difficult to obtain a crispy texture.

On the other hand, it is believed that the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention contains a gas in the above-mentioned volume range, which causes the oxygen originally contained in the fat and oil to be discharged, resulting in a decrease in the amount of dissolved oxygen. As a result, compared to conventional fat and oil compositions for heat cooking that do not contain gas, it is believed that oxidation of the fat and oil during storage is particularly unlikely to occur, and the fat and oil is unlikely to deteriorate before cooking. Therefore, it is presumed that the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention, which contains the above-mentioned volume of gas, is less sticky and allows for the production of heat-cooked foods with a crispy texture.

The volume of gas in the cooking oil/fat composition can be measured using various methods. For example, the volume of gas in the cooking oil/fat composition can be calculated by filling a cup-shaped hydrometer with the cooking oil/fat composition of the present invention, determining the specific gravity, and calculating using the mass and volume of the oil/fat composition when it does not contain gas. Alternatively, the volume of gas in 100 g of the oil/fat composition can be calculated by filling a container with the cooking oil/fat composition, measuring the mass and volume, completely dissolving the cooking oil/fat composition in a hot water bath, and measuring the volume after degassing, and calculating the volume of gas in 100 g of the oil/fat composition from the change in volume of the cooking oil/fat composition before and after.

The gas in the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention may be any gas that is acceptable for use in food, and is preferably one or more selected from air and inert gases. Examples of inert gases include food additive nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, and other gases that are harmless to the human body. In particular, in terms of ease of availability, an inert gas is more preferable, and nitrogen gas is most preferable.

It is preferable that the gas in the cooking fat and oil composition is uniformly dispersed. Various methods can be used to uniformly disperse the gas. Specific production methods are described below.

Next, the solid fat content of the cooking fat composition of the present invention will be described.
The solid fat content is the percentage of solid fat contained in a fat at a certain temperature. For example, when a fat is completely melted, the solid fat content is 0%.

The solid fat content of the cooking fat composition of the present invention is 10-40% at 25°C and 4-10% at 35°C.

If the solid fat content at 25°C is less than 10%, the cooked food produced using the cooking fat composition will have a sticky texture. In addition, oil stains will occur in fried foods, and sugar crying cannot be suppressed, especially in fried bread, donuts, etc., which are sprinkled with sugar or iced. If the solid fat content at 25°C is more than 40%, even if the gas volume is within the above range, it will be difficult to handle when used for cooking, and the melting in the mouth of fried bakery foods produced using the cooking fat composition will be poor.
The solid fat content at 25° C. of the cooking fat composition of the present invention is preferably 10 to 35%, more preferably 10 to 30%, and most preferably 12 to 25%.

In addition, if the solid fat content at 35°C is less than 4%, the cooked food produced using the cooking fat composition will have a sticky texture. In addition, oil stains will occur in fried foods, and sugar crying cannot be suppressed, especially in fried bread, donuts, etc., which are sprinkled with sugar or iced. If the solid fat content at 35°C is more than 10%, even if the gas is contained in the above-mentioned volume range, it will be difficult to handle when used for cooking, and the melting in the mouth of fried bakery foods produced using the cooking fat composition will be poor.
The solid fat content at 35° C. of the cooking fat composition of the present invention is preferably 4 to 8%, more preferably 5 to 8%.

To obtain the effects of the present invention, the cooking oil/fat composition must contain a gas volume within the above range, and the solid fat content of the cooking oil/fat composition at 25°C and at 35°C must each be within the above range. If the solid fat content at either or both temperatures is outside the above range, it will be impossible to provide a good texture to cooked foods produced using the cooking oil/fat composition, to prevent oil stains and sugar tears, and to improve ease of handling when used in cooked foods.

In addition to setting the solid fat content at 25°C and 35°C within the above ranges, the solid fat content at 10°C of the cooking fat composition of the present invention is preferably 35 to 60%, and more preferably 35 to 50%, from the viewpoint of making it easier to handle when used in cooking.

In the present invention, the solid fat content may be measured by any method, such as a method that utilizes the change in specific volume due to the thermal expansion of the oil or fat, or a method that utilizes nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). For example, the solid fat content can be measured by the method described in Standard Methods for Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials 2.2.9 (2013) established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society using a solid fat content measuring device "SFC-2000R" manufactured by Astec Corporation.

In addition, when the cooking fat composition of the present invention contains an aqueous phase, the measured value of the solid fat content obtained by the above method is converted into the amount of the oil phase, and this is regarded as the solid fat content of the cooking fat composition. When the cooking fat composition does not contain an aqueous phase, the measured value is regarded as the solid fat content of the cooking fat composition.

The cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention is preferably solid or semi-solid (having fluidity and maintaining a certain shape when left to stand) at room temperature (25°C) or lower, from the viewpoint of improving the ease of handling of the cooking fat and oil composition. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the cooking fat and oil composition has plasticity in addition to the above.

The cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention prevents a sticky texture and makes it easier to obtain cooked foods with a crispy texture, so the melting point of the fat and oil contained therein is preferably 30 to 45°C, and more preferably 35 to 45°C.

In the present invention, the melting point of fats and oils refers to the slip melting point. The slip melting point can be measured by a method previously known. For example, it can be measured by the method described in Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials 2.2.4.2 (1996) established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society.

Here, from the viewpoint of facilitating the separation of a required amount of the cooking oil/fat composition during cooking, when the cooking oil/fat composition of the present invention is in a solid form, the breaking strength at 10°C is preferably 5000 gf/ ^cm2 or less, and more preferably 2500 to 4500 gf/ ^cm2 . A larger breaking strength value indicates a harder cooking oil/fat composition, and a smaller breaking strength value indicates a softer cooking oil/fat composition. Thus, a smaller breaking strength value tends to make it easier to separate the solid cooking oil/fat composition into a fryer with a scoop or the like.

The breaking strength of the cooking fat composition of the present invention is measured as follows. For example, first, prepare a cooking fat composition cut or molded into a cube of 30 mm length, 30 mm width and 30 mm thickness. Next, attach a disk-shaped adapter with a diameter of 5 mm to a device capable of measuring breaking strength, such as a rheometer, and measure the maximum stress when compressed 50% at a speed of 2 cm/min. In the present invention, the measured value obtained is used as the breaking strength. As a device capable of measuring breaking strength, for example, a rheometer CR-3000EX-S manufactured by Sun Scientific Co., Ltd. can be used.

Next, the fats and oils used as raw materials for the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention will be described.
Examples of fats and oils that can be used in the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention include palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, high erucic rapeseed oil, rice oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, safflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, kapok oil, evening primrose oil, beef tallow, milk fat, lard, shea fat, monkey fat, kokum fat, illipe fat, cacao fat, fish oil, whale oil, and other vegetable and animal fats and oils, as well as processed fats and oils obtained by subjecting these to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification. These fats and oils can be used alone or in combination to satisfy the above-mentioned range of solid fat content.

The amount of fat or oil contained in the cooking fat or oil composition of the present invention is preferably 95 to 100% by mass, more preferably 99 to 100% by mass, and most preferably 99.8 to 100% by mass.

The cooking fat composition of the present invention preferably contains one or more fats selected from the group consisting of fats A and fats B that satisfy the following conditions, in that it prevents foods cooked with heat from becoming sticky in texture and, in the case of foods fried with oil, it has an excellent effect of preventing oil stains and sugar weeping in foods after cooking.
Fats and oils A: Hardened oils or fractionated hard oils having a melting point of 50 to 70°C.
Oil/fat B: Interesterified oil/fat satisfying the conditions (b-1) and (b-2).
Condition (b-1): The interesterified oil/fat is an interesterified oil/fat obtained by transesterification of a palm-based oil/fat with an oil/fat containing 15% by mass or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition, and the interesterified oil/fat contains 5 to 12% by mass of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition.
Condition (b-2): The melting point is 20 to 50°C.

First, we will discuss fat A. The melting point of fat A used in the cooking fat composition of the present invention is 50 to 70°C, preferably 50 to 65°C, and more preferably 50 to 60°C.

The fat A is an extremely hardened oil or fractionated hard oil that satisfies the melting point range described above. For example, the extremely hardened oil obtained by hydrogenating the fats and oils described above that can be used in the present invention, or fractionated hard oils such as palm stearin, can be mentioned. Palm stearin is preferable because it prevents foods cooked with heat from becoming sticky, prevents oil stains and sugar tears in foods cooked in oil, and provides good melting in the mouth in bakery foods fried in oil. The extremely hardened oil in the present invention refers to fats and oils that have been hydrogenated to have an iodine value of 3 or less. In the present invention, extremely hardened oils with an iodine value of 1 or less are preferable. When obtaining fractionated hardened oil, solvent fractionation or dry fractionation may be performed.

The fat A used in the cooking fat composition of the present invention preferably has a solid fat content of 45 to 100%, more preferably 50 to 70%, at 25°C, from the viewpoint of making it possible to easily produce cooked foods that have a good texture without being sticky. Also, the solid fat content at 35°C is preferably 25 to 100%, more preferably 30 to 50%.

The content of oil A in the cooking oil composition of the present invention is preferably 5 to 30% by mass, more preferably 10 to 30% by mass, and most preferably 10 to 25% by mass, in order to prevent cooked foods from having a sticky texture.

Next, we will discuss fat B. First, we will discuss condition (b-1) for fat B. Fat B is an interesterified fat of palm-based fat and fat containing 15% by mass or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition.

The palm-based fats and oils in condition (b-1) refer to one or a mixture of two or more of palm oil, palm olein, palm superolein, palm stearin, palm midfraction and other palm fractionated oils, hardened palm oil, and hardened palm fractionated oil. Among these, palm oil, palm olein, and palm superolein are preferably used because they can effectively prevent cooked foods from becoming sticky in texture and, when fried bakery foods are produced, they have a good melt-in-the-mouth feel.

The fat or oil used to produce the fat or oil B preferably used in the present invention contains 15% by mass or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition. From the viewpoint of preventing cooked foods from having a sticky texture, it is more preferable that the fat or oil contains 20 to 70% by mass of behenic acid residues, and most preferably 30 to 60% by mass.

Examples of fats and oils containing 15% by mass or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition include extremely hydrogenated fish oil, extremely hydrogenated rapeseed oil, and extremely hydrogenated high erucine rapeseed oil, and it is preferable to use extremely hydrogenated rapeseed oil and extremely hydrogenated high erucine rapeseed oil.

The content of behenic acid residues in the transesterified oil/fat under condition (b-1) is 5 to 12% by mass, preferably 5 to 10% by mass, in the fatty acid residue composition of the oil/fat. When the transesterified oil/fat contains behenic acid residues in the above range in the fatty acid residue composition of the oil/fat, the texture of food cooked using the cooking oil/fat composition of the present invention is improved. In particular, the effect of inhibiting oil stains is better in deep-fried foods.

The content of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition of the fats and oils used in the present invention can be measured using various previously known methods, for example, the method described in Standard Methods for Analysis of Fats and Oils 2.4.2.2 (1996) established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society.

The oil B preferably used in the present invention is obtained by mixing the above palm-based oil with an oil containing 15% by mass or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition to obtain a mixed oil having a behenic acid residue content of 5 to 12% by mass in the fatty acid residue composition, and then transesterifying the mixed oil.

In this mixed oil, the palm-based oil content is preferably 70 to 95 mass%, and more preferably 75 to 90 mass%, out of a total of 100 mass% of palm-based oil and fat and fat containing 15 mass% or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition.

The transesterification method for obtaining the oil B preferably used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a transesterification method using an enzyme such as lipase, and a transesterification method using a chemical catalyst such as sodium methoxide. These transesterification reactions may be random transesterification reactions or selective transesterification reactions, but it is preferable to obtain the above transesterified oil by a random transesterification reaction.

Specific examples of the oil B preferably used in the present invention include an interesterified oil obtained by random interesterification in a conventional manner using 0.1 parts by mass of sodium methoxide relative to the oil for 100 parts by mass of a mixed oil obtained by mixing 80 parts by mass of palm olein with an iodine value of 56 and 20 parts by mass of highly hardened rapeseed oil in a melted state.

Next, we will discuss condition (b-2). The melting point of fat B is 20 to 50°C, preferably 30 to 50°C, and more preferably 35 to 48°C.

The content of fat B in the cooking fat composition of the present invention is preferably 2 to 15% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 10% by mass, in order to prevent foods cooked with heat from becoming sticky, and to effectively prevent oil stains and sugar tears, particularly in foods fried with oil.

The fat B used in the cooking fat composition of the present invention preferably has a solid fat content of 20 to 50% at 25°C, more preferably 25 to 40%, from the viewpoint of making it possible to easily produce cooked foods that are not sticky and have a good texture. Also, the solid fat content at 35°C is preferably 10 to 30%, more preferably 12 to 25%.

In the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention, by containing one or more fats selected from the group consisting of fat and oil A and fat and oil B, it is possible to preferably prevent the cooked food obtained using the product of the present invention from having a sticky texture, and to prevent oil stains and sugar tears in fried foods. However, since the effect of the present invention is further improved when both fats and oils are contained, it is preferable to contain both fat and oil A and fat and oil and oil B.

In the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention, when fat and oil A and fat and oil B are used in combination, the preferred mass ratio of fat and oil A to fat and oil B is 0.3 to 15 parts by mass, and more preferably 1 to 12.5 parts by mass, of fat and oil A per 1 part by mass of fat and oil B.

In addition, the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention preferably contains 2 to 15% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 12% by mass, of liquid oil in order to impart a favorable flavor derived from fats and oils to cooked foods. Examples of liquid oils that can be used in the present invention include palm superolein, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, high erucic rapeseed oil, rice oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, safflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, kapok oil, and evening primrose oil, and one or a combination of two or more of these may be selected. Among these liquid oils, it is preferable to use corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, and olive oil, and it is most preferable to use rice oil, sunflower oil, and high oleic sunflower oil, because they provide a good flavor while also improving the oxidation stability of the cooking oil composition.

The iodine value of the liquid oil used in the cooking oil composition of the present invention is preferably 60 to 140, and more preferably 70 to 120.

In the present invention, other fats and oils can be contained in addition to fat and oil A, fat and oil B, and liquid oil, so long as the solid fat content at 25°C is 10-40% and the solid fat content at 35°C is 4-10%, and the effect of the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention is not impaired.

The other fats and oils in the cooking fat composition of the present invention are fats and oils other than the fats and oils A, B, and liquid oils that can be used in the present invention, and may be used alone or in combination of two or more. From the viewpoint of improving the ease of handling of the cooking fat and oil composition, it is preferable that the other fats and oils are one or more selected from palm olein, palm midfraction, and transesterified fats thereof, and it is more preferable that the other fats and oils are one or more selected from palm olein and transesterified fats of palm olein.

The content of the other fats and oils in the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention is preferably 35 to 90 mass %, more preferably 50 to 70 mass %, of the cooking fat and oil composition.
In view of the above, preferred embodiments of the oil and fat blend in the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention include the following blends.

Examples of oils and fats include mixed oils and fats obtained by mixing, in a melted state, 20 parts by mass of palm stearin with a melting point of 53°C, which corresponds to oil and fat A; 5 parts by mass of transesterified oil made of 80 parts by mass of palm olein with an iodine value of 56 and 20 parts by mass of highly hydrogenated high erucic rapeseed oil, which corresponds to oil and fat B; 10 parts by mass of rice bran oil, which corresponds to liquid oil; 50 parts by mass of palm olein, which corresponds to other oils and fats; and 15 parts by mass of random transesterified oil of palm olein.

The water content of the cooking fat or oil composition of the present invention is preferably 0 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0 to 1% by mass, and most preferably zero. In the present invention, "no water" means that the water content in the cooking fat or oil composition is 0.1% by mass or less.
Examples of the water in the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention include tap water and mineral water.

When the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention contains water, the oil phase and the water phase may be emulsified. There are no particular limitations on the form of the emulsion, and it can be an oil-in-water type, a water-in-oil type, an oil-in-water-in-oil type, or the like.

The cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention may contain, if necessary, a small amount, preferably 1% by mass or less, of one or more other ingredients selected from emulsifiers, antioxidants, antifoaming agents, colorants, seasonings, flavors, etc., that does not impair the effects of the present invention or the flavor of the cooking fat and oil composition.

Next, a method for producing the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention will be described.
The present invention is a method for producing the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention described above, which is characterized by having a step of cooling and kneading the fat and oil composition and a step of incorporating a gas into the fat and oil composition, or a step of incorporating a gas into the fat and oil composition while cooling and kneading the fat and oil composition. Hereinafter, a method for producing a cooking fat and oil composition that is solid at or below room temperature and has plasticity, which is a preferred embodiment of the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention, will be described.

Specifically, one or more types of oils and fats are melted by heating, preferably to 60-80°C, and mixed to obtain a mixed oil and fat, so that the solid fat content of the oil and fat composition is 10-40% at 25°C and 4-10% at 35°C.

The cooking fat composition of the present invention can be obtained by mixing this mixed fat with water and other ingredients as necessary, plasticizing the mixture by cooling and kneading, and injecting gas so that the content is 10 to 30 mL per 100 g of the fat composition. The cooking fat composition of the present invention can also be obtained by injecting gas so that the volume falls within the above range while plasticizing the mixture by cooling and kneading.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, various methods can be used to incorporate gas into the oil composition. For example, there is a method of injecting gas into the plastic oil obtained by cooling and kneading as described above by aeration, a method of continuously injecting gas using a continuous aeration device, and a method of injecting gas into a closed mixer and creaming.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the step of incorporating gas can be carried out at any time as long as the final cooking fat composition contains a volume of gas within the above range. It is preferable to carry out the step of incorporating gas simultaneously with the step of cooling and kneading in order to uniformly disperse the gas in the fat composition.

When aeration is performed during the cooling and kneading process, it is preferable to use a continuous aeration device to continuously inject gas. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is preferable to inject gas while mixing the mixed oil and fat with water and other ingredients as necessary and plasticizing the mixture by cooling and kneading.

In the production method of the present invention, cooling can be performed using a closed type continuous scraping tubular cooler (A unit) such as a Combinator, Votator, Perfector, or Chemtator, a plate type heat exchanger, or a combination of an open type diacooler and a Complexor. Cooling may be performed by either slow cooling or rapid cooling, but rapid cooling is preferred. Here, rapid cooling refers to cooling at a cooling rate of -0.5°C/min or more, and in the production method of the cooking fat and oil composition of the present invention, cooling is preferably performed at a cooling rate of -0.5°C/min or more, and more preferably at a cooling rate of -5°C/min or more.
In the production method of the present invention, cooling to -10 to 5°C is preferable, and cooling to -5 to 5°C is more preferable.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, kneading is performed while cooling. This kneading can be performed using a kneading device (B unit) such as a pin machine, a resting tube, a holding tube, etc.

After cooling and kneading, the cooking fat composition of the present invention in a plastic solid form can be obtained from the kneading device, resting tube, or holding tube. The cooking fat composition of the present invention obtained may be poured into a container such as a case or cup, or may be molded into any shape. When pouring, any container such as an 18-liter can (18-liter can) or cardboard may be used. When molding, it can be molded into various shapes such as a sheet, block, cylinder, or granule. The preferred size of each shape is 50 to 1000 mm in length, 50 to 1000 mm in width, and 1 to 50 mm in thickness for a sheet. For a block, it is 50 to 1000 mm in length, 50 to 1000 mm in width, and 50 to 500 mm in height. For a cylinder, it is 1 to 25 mm in diameter and 5 to 100 mm in length. For granules, it is 1 to 25 mm in diameter. Of course, the cooking fat composition of the present invention molded into the above-mentioned shape may be packed into a container.

The cooking oil composition of the present invention is preferably stored at a temperature within a range in which the cooking oil composition does not melt, so as to prevent the gas contained in the oil composition from escaping. From the viewpoint of preventing oxidation and deterioration of the cooking oil composition, it is more preferable to store it at room temperature or below, even more preferable to store it at 15°C or below, and most preferable to store it at 10°C or below.

Next, the uses of the cooking oil and fat composition of the present invention will be described. The cooking oil and fat composition of the present invention can be preferably used in cooking by baking, frying, boiling, deep-frying, etc. By using the cooking oil and fat composition of the present invention, the texture of cooked foods can be improved, and when used in the production of cooked foods, particularly deep-fried foods, oil stains can be suppressed, and when used in the production of deep-fried bakery foods, particularly deep-fried bakery foods, sugar crying can be suppressed even when sugar is sprinkled or icing is applied.

Therefore, the cooking oil and fat composition of the present invention can be preferably used for frying, and more preferably for bakery foods that are to be fried.

In this invention, bakery foods to be fried refer to breads and confectioneries produced by frying, such as deep-fried bread, curry bread, pies, donuts such as cake donuts and yeast donuts, and pretzels.

To obtain the dough for the fried bakery food of the present invention, previously known raw materials can be used. For example, wheat flour such as strong flour, medium flour, and weak flour, other cereal flours such as rye flour, barley flour, and rice flour, nut flour, starches such as corn starch, tapioca starch, wheat starch, and rice starch, and starches that have been subjected to one or more types of processing such as enzyme treatment, gelatinization treatment, decomposition treatment, etherification treatment, esterification treatment, and crosslinking treatment, leavening agents such as baking powder, yeast, emulsifiers, thickening polysaccharides, water, sugars, sugar alcohols, high-intensity sweeteners, dairy products such as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, milk, concentrated milk, fermented milk, whey minerals, yogurt, condensed milk, pure fresh cream, compound cream, and vegetable cream, eggs, egg products, salt, fats and oils such as shortening and margarine, colorants, flavors, seasonings, food ingredients such as fruit, dried fruit, fruit juice, meat, fish, and vegetables, and other raw materials such as food additives.

The dough for the bakery food to be fried in the present invention can be produced by a method known in the art. Examples of such methods include bread dough production methods such as the sponge dough method, straight kneading method, liquid dough method, medium noodle method, old noodle method, and tangzhong method, and confectionery dough production methods such as the sugar batter method, flour batter method, all-in-mix method, combined mixing method, and separate mixing method.

The bakery food to be fried in the present invention is obtained by blending the above-mentioned raw materials in a conventional manner, processing the dough as necessary by ripening or shaping it, sandwiching or wrapping a filling, baking it, and then frying it in oil. These processing and baking can also be performed after cooking in oil. In addition, since the cooking oil composition of the present invention has the effect of suppressing sugar crying, it is possible to smoothly carry out topping processing such as sprinkling sugars such as white sugar, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, glucose, maltose, etc., or applying icing after frying.

The cooked foods that can be produced using the cooking oil and fat composition of the present invention are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include baked dishes such as grilled meat, grilled fish, teriyaki, and teppanyaki; baked goods such as pancakes, butter cakes, pound cakes, cakes, madeleines, cookies, castella, and dorayaki; stir-fried dishes such as stir-fried vegetables, fried rice, and yakisoba; simmered dishes such as braised pork and boiled fish; fried dishes such as tempura, french fries, pork cutlets, deep-fried foods, deep-fried foods, and fritters; fried bread, curry bread, pies, donuts such as cake donuts and yeast donuts; fried bakery foods such as pretzels; and fried goods such as rice crackers, karinto, and snacks.

When used for cooking, the cooking oil composition of the present invention can be used in combination with one or more other oil compositions, but it is most preferable to use the cooking oil composition of the present invention alone in order to obtain the effects of the present invention satisfactorily.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

[Production Example of Interesterified Oil (1)]
A random transesterification reaction was carried out using sodium methoxide as a catalyst on an oil and fat blend consisting of 80% by mass of palm olein and 20% by mass of highly hardened hyercin rapeseed oil containing 45% by mass of behenic acid residues as constituent fatty acid residues, to obtain an interesterified oil and fat (1) corresponding to the above-mentioned oil and fat B. The content of behenic acid residues in the constituent fatty acid residues of this interesterified oil and fat (1) was 8% by mass, and the melting point was 44°C.

Example 1
20% by mass of palm stearin, 5% by mass of interesterified oil (1), 10% by mass of rice oil, 50% by mass of palm olein, and 15% by mass of randomly interesterified oil of palm olein were heated to 60° C. to melt and mixed by stirring to prepare a mixed oil having a solid fat content of 15.3% at 25° C. and a solid fat content of 5.3% at 35° C. This oil was quenched and kneaded from 60° C. to −5° C. at a cooling rate of −5° C./min while injecting nitrogen gas, to obtain a cooking oil composition of the present invention containing 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil composition.
In addition, palm stearin corresponds to the fat A in the present invention, rice oil corresponds to the liquid oil in the present invention, and palm olein and randomly interesterified palm olein correspond to other fats in the present invention. The melting point of the palm stearin used was 53°C.

Example 2
A cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the palm stearin in the oil and fat blend was changed from 20% by mass to 15% by mass and the palm olein was changed from 50% by mass to 55% by mass. The solid fat content at 25°C was 14.9% and the solid fat content at 35°C was 5.1%, and the oil and fat composition contained 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil and fat composition.

Example 3
A cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the palm stearin in the oil and fat blend was changed from 20% by mass to 25% by mass and the palm olein was changed from 50% by mass to 45% by mass. The solid fat content at 25°C was 18.5% and the solid fat content at 35°C was 8.3%, and the oil and fat composition contained 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil and fat composition.

Example 4
Using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the volume of nitrogen gas was changed from 15 mL to 22 mL per 100 g of cooking fat composition, a cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained, which had a solid fat content of 15.3% at 25°C and a solid fat content of 5.3% at 35°C, and contained 22 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the fat composition.

Example 5
Using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the volume of nitrogen gas was changed from 15 mL to 30 mL per 100 g of cooking fat composition, a cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained, which had a solid fat content of 15.3% at 25°C and a solid fat content of 5.3% at 35°C, and contained 30 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the fat composition.

Example 6
A cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the 50% by weight of palm olein in the fat composition was changed to 45% by weight of palm mid fraction and the 20% by weight of palm stearin was changed to 25% by weight. The solid fat content at 25°C was 24.0% and the solid fat content at 35°C was 9.3%, and the oil composition contained 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil composition.
The palm mid fraction corresponds to the other fats and oils in the present invention.

Example 7
5% by mass of interesterified oil (1), 10% by mass of rice oil, 40% by mass of palm oil, 15% by mass of palm olein, and 30% by mass of randomly interesterified oil of palm olein were heated to 60° C. to melt and mixed by stirring to prepare a mixed oil having a solid fat content of 13.6% at 25° C. and a solid fat content of 5.3% at 35° C. This oil was quenched to −5° C. at a cooling rate of −5° C./min and kneaded while injecting nitrogen gas, to obtain a cooking oil composition of the present invention containing 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil composition.
Incidentally, palm oil corresponds to other fats and oils in the present invention.

Example 8
A cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the palm olein in the oil and fat blend was changed from 50% by mass to 55% by mass and that the interesterified oil and fat (1) was not contained. The solid fat content at 25° C. was 14.1% and the solid fat content at 35° C. was 8.2%, and the oil and fat composition contained 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil and fat composition.

Example 9
A cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the 5% by mass of the transesterified fat (1) in the oil and fat blend was changed to 10% by mass, and the 15% by mass of the random transesterified fat of palm olein was changed to 10% by mass. The solid fat content at 25° C. was 16.3% and the solid fat content at 35° C. was 9.5%, and the oil and fat composition contained 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil and fat composition.

Comparative Example 1
A gas-free cooking fat composition having a solid fat content of 15.3% at 25°C and a solid fat content of 5.3% at 35°C was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that nitrogen gas was not injected during the quenching kneading.

Comparative Example 2
Using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the volume of nitrogen gas was changed from 15 mL to 5 mL per 100 g of cooking fat composition, a cooking fat composition was obtained that contained 5 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of fat composition, and had a solid fat content of 15.3% at 25°C and 5.3% at 35°C.

Comparative Example 3
Using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the volume of nitrogen gas was changed from 15 mL to 35 mL per 100 g of cooking fat composition, a cooking fat composition was obtained that contained 35 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of fat composition, and had a solid fat content of 15.3% at 25°C and a solid fat content of 5.3% at 35°C.

Comparative Example 4
In Example 7, the palm oil in the oil/fat blend was changed from 40% by mass to 35% by mass, the palm olein from 15% by mass to 30% by mass, the random interesterified oil of palm olein from 30% by mass to 15% by mass, and the rice oil from 10% by mass to 15% by mass, and a gas-free cooking fat composition with a solid fat content of 8.2% at 25°C and 1.8% at 35°C was obtained using the same blending and manufacturing method as in Example 7, except that nitrogen gas was not injected during the quenching and kneading.

Comparative Example 5
A cooking fat composition having a solid fat content of 9.7% at 25° C. and 2.4% at 35° C. and containing 10 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the oil composition was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 7, except that the palm oil in the oil blend was changed from 40% by mass to 45% by mass, the palm olein was changed from 15% by mass to 23% by mass, the random interesterified oil of palm olein was changed from 30% by mass to 15% by mass, and the rice oil was changed from 10% by mass to 12% by mass, and the volume of nitrogen gas was changed from 15 mL to 10 mL per 100 g of the cooking fat composition.

Comparative Example 6
A cooking fat composition of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the palm stearin was changed from 20% by mass to 35% by mass and the palm olein was changed from 50% by mass to 35% by mass. The cooking fat composition had a solid fat content of 23.3% at 25°C and 10.6% at 35°C and contained 15 mL of nitrogen gas per 100 g of the fat composition.

The cooking fat and oil compositions obtained in Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were packed into 18-liter cans immediately after production and stored at 25°C for three weeks, and the following evaluations were carried out using these. The evaluation results are summarized in Table 2.

<Evaluation of oil stains on fried donuts>
3 kg of the cooking fat and oil compositions of Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were put into a fryer and heated to 180°C, after which 6 commercially available frozen doughnuts (Shikishima Seipan Co., Ltd.'s Plain Cake Donuts) weighing about 60 g each were put in and fried for 2 minutes on each side for a total of 4 minutes. After that, they were placed on a stainless steel net for 30 minutes to drain the oil and allowed to cool. One of the donuts was left to stand on filter paper for 1 hour, after which the weight of the oil-soaked filter paper was measured, and the increase in weight was used as an index of oil staining.
Evaluation criteria for oil stains: ⊚: The increase in weight of the filter paper was less than 0.5 g.
◯: The increase in the weight of the filter paper was 0.5 g or more and less than 1.0 g.
Δ: The increase in the weight of the filter paper is 1.0 g or more and less than 1.5 g.
×: The increase in weight of the filter paper is 1.5 g or more.

<Fried donuts sugar crying evaluation>
3 kg of the cooking fat and oil compositions of Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were put into a fryer, heated to 180°C, and then 6 commercially available frozen doughnuts (Shikishima Seipan Co., Ltd. Plain Cake Donuts) weighing about 60 g each were put in and fried for 2 minutes on each side for a total of 4 minutes. After that, they were placed on a stainless steel net for 30 minutes to drain the oil and allowed to cool. These donuts and powdered sugar were placed in a plastic bag, the opening was closed, and the plastic bag was lightly shaken to uniformly sprinkle powdered sugar on the donuts until the surface of the donuts turned white. The powdered sugar-sprinkled donuts were taken out of the plastic bag, and left to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, after which sugar crying was evaluated based on the amount of powdered sugar remaining.
・Evaluation criteria for sugar crying ◎: Powdered sugar remains unmelted ○: Slight sugar crying, but most of the sugar remains unmelted △: Sugar crying ×: Very much sugar crying, most of the sugar has melted

<Texture evaluation of fried donuts>
3 kg of the cooking fat and oil compositions of Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were put into a fryer, heated to 180°C, and then 6 commercially available frozen doughnuts (Shikishima Seipan Co., Ltd. Plain Cake Donuts) weighing about 60 g each were put into the fryer and fried for 2 minutes on each side for a total of 4 minutes. The donuts were then placed on a stainless steel net for 30 minutes to drain the oil and allowed to cool. Six experienced panelists ate the donuts and scored them on a scale of 1 to 7, with the texture of Comparative Example 1 being the standard (4 points), with a higher value indicating a crispier texture and a lower value indicating a more sticky texture. The total score was calculated and the texture was evaluated according to the following criteria. The panelists had previously agreed on the evaluation criteria before scoring.
Evaluation criteria for texture: ◎: Average score is 6 or more; ○: Average score is 4 or more and less than 6; △: Average score is 2 or more and less than 4; ×: Average score is less than 2

Evaluation of ease of handling of oil and fat compositions
For the cooking fat and oil compositions of Examples 1 to 9 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6, the ease of handling when scooping the fat and oil composition with a scoop and dispensing it into a fryer was evaluated by six experienced panelists according to the following evaluation criteria, and the average score was used to evaluate the ease of handling of the fat and oil composition.
Evaluation criteria for ease of handling of oils and fats: 4 points: The oil and fat composition can be easily inserted with a scoop, and the oil and fat composition is well-organized and easy to separate.
3 points: The oil composition is somewhat hard, but the scoop can easily be inserted, and the oil composition is well-organized and easy to separate.
2 points: The oil composition is hard and difficult to insert a scoop into, or the oil composition crumbles slightly, making it difficult to separate.
1 point: The oil composition is very hard and the scoop is very difficult to insert. Or, the oil composition is very brittle and crumbles, so it is very difficult to separate.
Evaluation of ease of handling of the oil composition: Excellent: average score of 3.5 points or more.
A: The average score is 3 points or more and less than 3.5 points.
Δ: The average score is 2 or more and less than 3 points.
×: The average score is less than 2 points.

As shown in Table 2, cooking fat compositions with a solid fat content of 10-40% at 25°C and 4-10% at 35°C suppressed oil stains and sugar weeping, and the texture of the food after cooking was also good. However, Comparative Examples 4 and 5, which have solid fat contents at 25°C and 35°C outside the above ranges, did not suppress oil stains and sugar weeping, and the texture of the food after cooking was also poor.

Furthermore, from Examples 7 and 8, it was found that the cooking fat composition of the present invention, even if it contained only one of fat A and fat B, could obtain the effect of suppressing oil stains and sugar crying and improving the texture of food after cooking, but these effects could be obtained more effectively by using both fat A and fat B in combination as in Example 1.

As shown in Table 2, when the gas content was in the range of 10 to 30 mL per 100 g of the oil composition, the cooking oil composition was easy to handle. On the other hand, even though the solid fat content at 25°C and 35°C was within the above range, Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 4, in which the volume of gas was less than 10 mL per 100 g of the oil composition, were hard and difficult to handle with a scoop. In addition, Comparative Example 6, in which the gas content was within the above range but the solid fat content at 35°C was outside the above range, was also hard and difficult to handle with a scoop.

Comparative Example 3, which contained more than 30 mL of gas per 100 g of the oil composition, improved the texture of the food after cooking and prevented oil stains and sugar tears, but the oil composition was brittle and crumbled when separated, and was prone to spilling when transferred to the fryer, making it very difficult to handle.

<Evaluation of breaking strength>
The breaking strength at 10° C. was measured for the cooking fat and oil compositions of Examples 1 and 4, which were rated as ⊚ in ease of handling, and Comparative Examples 1 and 6, which were rated as x.

The above cooking oil and fat compositions were each cut into a cube measuring 30 mm in length, 30 mm in width and 30 mm in thickness, and left to stand in a thermostatic chamber adjusted to 10°C for three days to adjust the temperature of the cooking oil and fat compositions to 10°C. The breaking strength of the cooking oil and fat compositions after temperature adjustment was measured using a rheometer CR-3000EX-S manufactured by Sun Scientific Co., Ltd. Using a disk-shaped adapter with a diameter of 5 mm, the cooking oil and fat compositions were compressed by 50% at a speed of 2 cm/min, and the maximum stress value at that time was taken as the breaking strength of the cooking oil and fat composition.

As shown in Table 6, the cooking fat and oil compositions of Examples 1 and 4, which were easy to handle, had lower breaking strengths than the cooking fat and oil compositions of Comparative Examples 1 and 6, which were difficult to handle. From these results, it was inferred that there is a correlation between the breaking strength value and ease of handling of the fat and oil composition.

Claims (7)

A cooking fat or oil composition comprising a gas that is acceptable for use in food,
The content of the gas under conditions of 1 atmospheric pressure and 25°C is 10 to 30 mL per 100 g of the oil or fat composition,
The solid fat content at 25°C is 10 to 40%;
A cooking fat composition having a solid fat content of 4 to 10% at 35°C and containing fat A and fat B described below .
Oil A: Fractionated hard oil having a melting point of 50 to 70°C.
Oil/fat B: Interesterified oil/fat satisfying the conditions (b-1) and (b-2).
Condition (b-1): The oil/fat is an interesterified oil/fat obtained by transesterification of a palm-based oil/fat with an oil/fat containing 15% by mass or more of behenic acid residues in the fatty acid residue composition, and the fatty acid residue composition contains 5 to 12% by mass of behenic acid residues.
Condition (b-2): The melting point is 20 to 50°C. The cooking fat composition according to claim 1 , comprising 5 to 30% by mass of the fat A and 2 to 15% by mass of the fat B. The cooking fat and oil composition according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the gas is at least one selected from the group consisting of air and inert gases. The cooking fat and oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , which is for deep frying. The cooking fat and oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , which is for use in bakery foods to be fried. A method for producing food, comprising cooking the food by using the cooking fat and oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The method for producing a cooking fat or oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , comprising a step of cooling and kneading the fat or oil composition and a step of incorporating a gas into the fat or oil composition, or a step of incorporating a gas into the fat or oil composition while cooling and kneading the fat or oil composition.