JP7654384B2 - Liquid seasoning - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid seasoning, and more specifically, to a liquid seasoning that contains at least a milk ingredient containing milk protein, acetic acid, lactic acid, alcohol, salt, lipids, organic acid salts, and water.

Conventionally, liquid seasonings such as mayonnaise, sauces, and dressings have been commercially available, and these liquid seasonings have been blended with a variety of ingredients. Among the various ingredients, cheese goes well with the acidity and richness of oil, and also with salads, so sauces and dressings containing cheese have been developed in recent years. For example, there are separated liquid-type sauces in which cheese is blended into the aqueous phase, and emulsion-type sauces in which an oil phase is dispersed in the aqueous phase.

As a separated liquid type, for example, a packaged separated liquid sauce has been proposed that contains 5-75% edible oils and fats, 5-50% (in terms of raw materials) shredded agricultural products, 0.5-15% (in terms of natural cheese) melted cheese, 5-15% salt, and 0.3-5% ethanol (see Patent Document 1). However, the separated liquid sauce described in Patent Document 1 requires that the entire sauce be mixed approximately uniformly by shaking each time it is used, which is cumbersome.

Liquid seasonings that can be distributed at room temperature are usually sterilized in a retort pouch, but the high temperature sterilization results in clumping and deterioration of flavor. Therefore, there is a demand for liquid seasonings that can be distributed at room temperature without deterioration of flavor.

JP 2010-017120 A

When developing a liquid seasoning that can be distributed at room temperature, the inventors tried to add acetic acid to lower the pH to 4.5 or less to prevent spoilage, but this increased the sourness and destroyed the balance of the taste. They also tried adding salt to lower the water activity to 0.85 or less to prevent spoilage, but this increased the saltiness and destroyed the balance of the taste.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a liquid seasoning that has an excellent milky flavor, such as cheese flavor, is less sour and salty, has excellent milk protein stability and storage stability, and can be distributed at room temperature.

As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors have surprisingly discovered that by adding acetic acid and lactic acid to a liquid seasoning and adjusting the milk protein content within a specific range while controlling the pH and water activity, a liquid seasoning that has an excellent milk flavor such as cheese flavor, is less sour and salty, has excellent milk protein stability and storage stability, and can be distributed at room temperature can be obtained. The present invention was completed based on this discovery.

That is, according to one aspect of the present invention,
A liquid seasoning comprising a milk raw material containing a milk protein, acetic acid, lactic acid, alcohol, salt, lipids, an organic acid salt, and water,
The pH is 4.7 or more and 5.1 or less,
The water activity is 0.88 or more and less than 0.94,
The milk protein content is 1% by mass or more and 7% by mass or less of the total mass of the liquid seasoning,
The content of the acetic acid is 0.05% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less of the total mass of the liquid seasoning,
It is preferable that the salt content is 1% by mass or more and 7% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning.

In this aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the organic acid salt is at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium citrate, sodium lactate, and sodium acetate.

In this aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the alcohol content is 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less of the entire liquid seasoning.

In this aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the content of lactic acid is more than 1 part by mass and not more than 10 parts by mass per 1 part by mass of acetic acid.

In this aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the lipid content is 10% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less of the entire liquid seasoning.

In one aspect of the present invention, the liquid seasoning is preferably in an emulsion state, and the most frequent particle size of the lipids emulsified and dispersed in the liquid seasoning is 10 μm or more and 150 μm or less.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid seasoning that has an excellent dairy flavor such as cheese flavor, is weakly sour and salty, has excellent stability and preservability of milk proteins, and can be distributed at room temperature. By improving the quality of such liquid seasonings, it is expected that consumer purchasing motivation will increase and the market for liquid seasonings will further expand.

<Liquid seasoning>
The liquid seasoning of the present invention contains at least a dairy ingredient containing milk protein, acetic acid, lactic acid, alcohol, salt, lipids, organic acid salts, and water, and may further contain other ingredients such as edible oils and fats, thickeners, and yeast extract.

The liquid seasoning of the present invention is preferably in an emulsified form. The emulsified liquid seasoning may have a configuration of an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion or a W/O/W complex emulsion, and is more preferably an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Examples of liquid seasonings include dressings, sauces, sauces, and other foods similar to these.

(pH)
The pH of the liquid seasoning of the present invention is 4.7 or more and 5.1 or less, more preferably 4.8 or more and also preferably 5.0 or less. If the pH is within the above range, it is possible to provide a liquid seasoning that has excellent storage stability while suppressing sourness and can be distributed at room temperature. The pH value of the liquid seasoning is a value measured using a pH meter (tabletop pH meter F-72 manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.) at 1 atmospheric pressure and a product temperature of 20°C.

(Dairy ingredients)
The dairy raw material used in the liquid seasoning of the present invention contains at least milk protein. Examples of dairy raw materials include cheese, butter, fresh cream, milk, whey, skim milk powder, milk fat, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

(cheese)
The cheese used as the dairy raw material is not particularly limited, and natural cheese and/or processed cheese produced using the same can be used. For example, natural cheese includes raw cheese such as Parmesan cheese, Grana cheese, Cheddar, Emmental, Gouda, and Maribo. In the present invention, one or more of these raw cheeses can be used, and it is preferable to use two or more types in order to enhance the cheese flavor of the liquid seasoning.

The amount of cheese (when a food ingredient containing cheese is used, this means the amount of cheese contained therein) is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the amount of cheese is within the above range, it becomes easier to impart a cheese flavor to the liquid seasoning while suppressing the aggregation of milk proteins.

The milk protein content in the dairy raw materials can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the type of raw material. For example, the milk protein content in the dairy raw materials is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less. If the milk protein content in the dairy raw materials is within the above numerical range, it becomes easier to adjust the milk protein content in the liquid seasoning to a suitable range.

The amount of the dairy ingredients is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, and preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, and even more preferably 50% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the amount of the dairy ingredients is within the above range, the dairy flavor is sufficiently felt, and it is easy to adjust the milk protein content in the liquid seasoning to within a suitable range.

(Milk protein content)
The content of milk protein in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is 1% by mass or more and 7% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning, preferably 2% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and preferably 6% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably less than 4% by mass. If the content of milk protein is within the above numerical range, the liquid seasoning can be given a milk flavor while suppressing the aggregation of milk protein. The content of milk protein in the liquid seasoning can be adjusted by the blending amount of the milk raw material used in the production of the liquid seasoning and the composition of the milk raw material.

(Fat content)
The lipid content in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, and also preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or more, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the lipid content is within the above range, the richness and milk flavor of the liquid seasoning can be easily felt. The lipid content in the liquid seasoning is a value including not only the edible oil and fat blended, but also the lipid contained in the dairy raw material, etc.

(Water Activity)
The water activity of the liquid seasoning of the present invention is 0.88 or more and less than 0.94, preferably 0.89 or more, more preferably 0.90 or more, and preferably 0.935 or less, more preferably 0.93 or less. If the water activity of the liquid seasoning is within the above numerical range, the amount of salt added to lower the water activity can be reduced to weaken the saltiness of the liquid seasoning and improve the balance of the taste. In addition, since the sterilization temperature is lowered, the deterioration of the milky flavor of the liquid seasoning can be suppressed.

(Particle size of emulsified and dispersed lipid)
The mode of particle size of the emulsified lipid in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is preferably 10 μm or more and 150 μm or less, more preferably 20 μm or more, even more preferably 30 μm or more, and preferably 140 μm or less, even more preferably 100 μm or less. If the mode of particle size of the emulsified lipid is within the above numerical range, the milk flavor of the liquid seasoning can be improved.
In the present invention, the particle size refers to the most frequent particle size (mode diameter), and is a value measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device "Particle Size Distribution Meter MT3300EXII (manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.)" under analysis conditions of asphericity and refractive index of 1.6.

(viscosity)
The viscosity of the liquid seasoning of the present invention at 25° C. is preferably 1.0 Pa·s or more, more preferably 2.0 Pa·s or more, even more preferably 3.0 Pa·s or more, and is preferably 15.0 Pa·s or less, more preferably 12.5 Pa·s or less, even more preferably 10.0 Pa·s or less. By imparting a viscosity within the above range to the liquid seasoning, the flavor of the liquid seasoning can be more clearly felt.
The viscosity was measured using a BH type viscometer under the conditions of a product temperature of 25° C. and a rotation speed of 10 rpm. When the viscosity was 1.5 Pa·s or more and less than 10.0 Pa·s, rotor No. 3 was used, and when the viscosity was 10.0 Pa·s or more and 15 Pa·s or less, rotor No. 4 was used. The viscosity was calculated from the reading when the rotor made two rotations after the start of measurement.

(Acid material)
The liquid seasoning of the present invention can be adjusted to the above pH by blending an acidic material. By using acetic acid (vinegar) and lactic acid in combination as the acidic material, it is possible to improve the milk flavor while suppressing the sourness of the liquid seasoning.

The amount of the acidic material can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the target pH. The amount of acetic acid is 0.05% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less, preferably 0.1% by mass or more and preferably 0.3% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. The amount of lactic acid is preferably more than 1 part by mass, more preferably 1.1 parts by mass or more, and preferably 10 parts by mass or less and more preferably 5 parts by mass or less, based on 1 part by mass of acetic acid. If the amounts of acetic acid and lactic acid are within the above ranges, the sourness of the liquid seasoning can be suppressed while improving the milky flavor.

(Organic acid salt)
The type of acid of the organic acid salt used in the liquid seasoning of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is normally used as a food material, and examples thereof include citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, and fumaric acid. Examples of the salt of the organic acid salt include sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and ammonium. By blending the organic acid salt into the liquid seasoning, the balance of the taste is improved, and the milk flavor is more easily felt. Among these, from the viewpoint of the taste of the liquid seasoning, citrate, lactate, and acetate are preferred, sodium citrate, sodium lactate, and sodium acetate are more preferred, and sodium citrate and sodium lactate are even more preferred.

The amount of organic acid salt is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.05% by mass or more, and preferably 1.0% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the amount of organic acid salt is within the above range, the balance of the taste of the liquid seasoning will be better, and the milky flavor will be more easily perceived.

(alcohol)
The alcohol used in the liquid seasoning of the present invention may be ethanol. By adding ethanol to the liquid seasoning, the storage stability of the liquid seasoning can be improved while reducing the amount of acidic material to be added for lowering the pH or the amount of salt to be added for lowering the water activity.

The amount of alcohol blended is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, and also preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the amount of alcohol blended is within the above range, the shelf life of the liquid seasoning can be improved. In addition, although the blending of alcohol may cause protein aggregation, surprisingly, blending alcohol at a low concentration can improve the milky flavor.

(Edible oils and fats)
The edible oils and fats used in the liquid seasoning of the present invention are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, linseed oil, rice oil, camellia oil, perilla oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, almond oil, avocado oil, fish oil, beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, and oils and fats obtained by chemical or enzymatic treatment, such as MCT (medium chain triglyceride), diglyceride, hardened oil, interesterified oil, etc. Among these, it is preferable to use rapeseed oil, soybean oil, or palm oil.

The amount of edible oil or fat blended is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the amount of edible oil or fat blended is within the above range, the richness of the oil can be easily felt, and the taste of the liquid seasoning can be made smooth.

(Thickener)
The liquid seasoning of the present invention is preferably blended with a thickener to adjust the viscosity. Examples of the thickener used in the acidic emulsified liquid seasoning of the present invention include gums such as xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, tamarind seed gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, and gum arabic, potato starch, corn starch (e.g., corn starch derived from sweet corn, dent corn, and waxy corn), tapioca starch, sago starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, rice starch, and processed starches obtained by subjecting these starches to crosslinking, esterification, etherification, oxidation, and the like.

The amount of thickener blended is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and is preferably 3.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the amount of thickener blended is within the above range, the liquid seasoning can maintain a stable emulsified state even after storage.

(Table salt)
The liquid seasoning of the present invention can adjust the water activity by adding salt. The amount of salt added is 1% by mass or more and 7% by mass or less, preferably 2% by mass or more, more preferably 3% by mass or more, and preferably 6% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the liquid seasoning. If the amount of salt added is within the above range, the saltiness of the liquid seasoning can be adjusted to maintain a balanced taste, while lowering the water activity, thereby improving the shelf life of the liquid seasoning.

(Other ingredients)
In addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, the liquid seasoning of the present invention can contain various ingredients that are normally used in liquid seasonings, appropriately selected and contained within the scope that does not impair the effects of the present invention. For example, seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, sesame, sodium glutamate, bouillon, sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, oligosaccharides, trehalose, spices such as mustard powder and pepper, emulsifiers such as lecithin, lysolecithin, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and vitamin E, bacteriostatic agents, etc. can be mentioned.

<Method of producing liquid seasoning>
An example of a method for producing the liquid seasoning of the present invention will be described. For example, first, fresh water, dairy ingredients (a mixture of cheese, milk, etc.), acetic acid (vinegar), lactic acid, organic acid, alcohol, salt, thickener, and other ingredients are mixed uniformly to prepare an aqueous phase. Then, edible oils and fats are poured into the prepared aqueous phase while stirring to emulsify, and the liquid seasoning can be prepared.

The liquid seasoning of the present invention can be produced using equipment used in the production of ordinary liquid seasonings. Examples of such equipment include general mixers, stick mixers, stand mixers, homomixers, homodispers, etc. Examples of the shape of the mixing blades of the mixer include propeller blades, turbine blades, paddle blades, anchor blades, etc.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the contents of the following examples.

<Example of liquid seasoning production>
[Examples 1 to 10, Comparative Examples 1 to 5]
A liquid seasoning was produced according to the blending ratios shown in Table 1. Specifically, first, the following dairy ingredients (a mixture of cheese, milk, etc.), vinegar (acetic acid content 5%), lactic acid (50% solution), sodium citrate, ethanol, salt, amino acids, etc., and thickeners (xanthan gum, modified starch) were mixed uniformly to prepare an aqueous phase. Then, edible oils and fats were poured into the prepared aqueous phase while stirring to emulsify, and the liquid seasoning was prepared.
Dairy ingredient A: milk protein content 7.3%, cheese content 15.6%
Dairy ingredient B: milk protein content 7.7%, cheese content 28.8%
Dairy ingredient C: milk protein content 25.0%, cheese content 50.0%
Dairy ingredient D: milk protein content 16.7%, cheese content 33.3%
Dairy ingredient E: milk protein content 18.2%, cheese content 60.0%

(pH Measurement)
The pH of the liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 obtained above was measured using a pH meter (tabletop pH meter F-72 manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.) at 1 atmospheric pressure and a product temperature of 20° C. The measurement results are shown in Table 2.

(Viscosity Measurement)
For the liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 obtained above, a BH type viscometer was used to measure the viscosity at a product temperature of 25° C. and a rotation speed of 10 rpm. When the viscosity was 1.5 Pa·s or more and less than 10.0 Pa·s, rotor No. 3 was used, and when the viscosity was 10.0 Pa·s or more and 15 Pa·s or less, rotor No. 4 was used, and the viscosity was calculated from the reading when the rotor had made two rotations after the start of measurement. When the viscosities were measured, the values were 3 to 10 Pa·s for Examples 1 to 10 and 1 to 15 Pa·s for Comparative Examples 1 to 5.

(Measurement of particle size)
The liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 obtained above were diluted 10-fold with a 5% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution to prepare samples, and the mode of particle size of the emulsified and dispersed lipids was measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device "Particle Size Distribution Meter MT3300EXII (manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.)" (analysis conditions: non-spherical, refractive index 1.6). The mode of particle size of the emulsified and dispersed lipids in the liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 was all 30 to 100 μm, and the mode of particle size of the emulsified and dispersed lipids in the liquid seasonings of Comparative Examples 1 to 5 was all 10 to 150 μm.

(Sensory Evaluation)
A trained panel conducted a sensory evaluation of the liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 obtained above for "milky flavor,""sourness," and "saltiness" according to the following criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.
[Evaluation criteria for dairy flavor]
◎: The milk flavor (especially the cheese flavor) was very strong.
Good: The milk flavor (especially the cheese flavor) was quite pronounced.
×: The milk flavor (especially the cheese flavor) was not felt very much.
[Evaluation criteria for sourness]
◎: The acidity was weak and the taste was well balanced.
◯: The acidity was normal and the taste balance was fine.
×: The taste was too sour and the balance of the flavor was poor.
[Saltiness evaluation criteria]
◎: The saltiness was weak and the taste was well balanced.
◯: The saltiness was normal and there was no problem with the balance of flavors.
×: The saltiness was too strong and the taste was unbalanced.

(Stability of Milk Proteins)
The liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 obtained above were allowed to stand at 10° C. for 7 days, and then visually inspected for the presence or absence of milk protein aggregation according to the following criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.
[Evaluation criteria for milk protein stability]
◎: Milk protein was not condensed at all.
Good: Milk protein was slightly aggregated, but this did not pose a problem for practical use.
×: Milk proteins aggregated and precipitated.

(Storage of liquid seasonings)
The liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 obtained above were allowed to stand at 35° C. for 28 days, and then the number of target live bacteria was confirmed by a general microbiological test method to evaluate the preservability. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.
[Evaluation criteria for milk protein stability]
A: The viable cell count was 10 or less/g, and the storage stability was good.
×: The viable cell count was more than 10/g, and the preservability was poor.

As shown in Table 1, all of the liquid seasonings of Examples 1 to 10 had an excellent milk flavor (especially cheese flavor), were weakly sour and salty, had excellent stability of milk protein, and had good storage stability.
The liquid seasoning of Comparative Example 1 had a low pH, a strong sour taste, and an unbalanced taste.
The liquid seasoning of Comparative Example 2 had a low pH and poor storage stability.
The liquid seasoning of Comparative Example 3 had a small amount of milk protein, and the milk flavor (particularly the cheese flavor) was not felt very much.
The liquid seasoning of Comparative Example 4 contained a large amount of milk protein, and the stability of the milk protein was poor.
The liquid seasoning of Comparative Example 5 had a low water activity, a strong salty taste, and an unbalanced taste.

Claims (6)

A liquid seasoning comprising a dairy ingredient including milk protein and cheese, acetic acid, lactic acid, ethanol , salt, lipids, organic acid salts, and water,
The pH is 4.7 or more and 5.1 or less,
The water activity is 0.88 or more and less than 0.94,
The milk protein content is 1% by mass or more and 7% by mass or less of the total mass of the liquid seasoning,
The cheese content is 3% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning,
The content of the acetic acid is 0.05% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less of the total mass of the liquid seasoning,
The content of the lactic acid is more than 1 part by mass and not more than 10 parts by mass relative to 1 part by mass of the acetic acid,
The ethanol content is 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less of the total mass of the liquid seasoning,
The salt content is 1% by mass or more and 7% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning,
The lipid content is 10% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning,
The lipid includes edible oil and fat, and the content of the edible oil and fat is 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning,
the organic acid salt is at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium citrate, sodium lactate, and sodium acetate;
The content of the organic acid salt is 0.01% by mass or more and 1.0% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning.
Liquid seasoning. The organic acid salt is at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium citrate and sodium lactate .
The liquid seasoning according to claim 1. The ethanol content is 1% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning.
The liquid seasoning according to claim 1 or 2. The content of the lactic acid is 1.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less relative to 1 part by mass of the acetic acid.
The liquid seasoning according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The lipid content is 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less of the total liquid seasoning.
The liquid seasoning according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The liquid seasoning is in an emulsion state,
The mode of particle size of the lipid emulsified and dispersed in the liquid seasoning is 10 μm or more and 150 μm or less.
The liquid seasoning according to any one of claims 1 to 5.