JP7656410B2 - Method for enhancing flavor of spices and its application - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for enhancing the flavor of spices in food, an agent for enhancing the flavor of spices, and a food composition which is an application of the same.

Spices, which have complex flavors derived from plants, are essential ingredients in a wide range of foods because they contribute greatly to improving the taste and palatability of the food. However, spices are generally expensive, some types are difficult to obtain, and production volume and price fluctuate greatly. Therefore, there is a demand for methods that can reduce the amount of spices used while still providing sufficient taste and improved palatability.

To date, methods for enhancing the flavor of spices have been disclosed, such as a method for enhancing the flavor of foods and beverages by adding sugar alcohol to enhance pungency, spiciness, or umami (Patent Document 1), and a method for enhancing the flavor of spices using a full-bodied flavor imparting agent such as γ-glutamylvalylglycine (Patent Document 2).

However, all of the above methods involve adding ingredients that impart some kind of flavor, such as sweetness or richness, and depending on the amount used, there is a possibility that they may affect flavors other than those of spices.

JP 2008-35799 A International Publication No. 2014/123175

The present invention aims to provide a new means for enhancing the flavor of spices in a liquid food composition containing spices.

As a result of intensive research, the present inventors have discovered that one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan enhance the flavor of spices in a liquid food composition containing spices, and have thus completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention provides a method for enhancing the flavor of the following spices.
[1]
A method for enhancing the flavor of spices in a liquid food composition, comprising coexisting (A) one or more members selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan with (B) a spice.
[2]
(B) The method according to [1], wherein the spice is one or more selected from the group consisting of black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, chili pepper, Japanese pepper, Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, oregano, turmeric, fenugreek, fennel, caraway seed, cumin, coriander seed, mustard seed, curry leaf, clove, ginger, sage, thyme, celery seed, celery, dill, mace, basil, paprika, marjoram, rosemary, laurel, poppy seed, cinnamon, star anise, allspice, anise seed, parsley, green laver, dried tangerine peel, black sesame, white sesame, hemp seed, mint, and green onion.
[3]
The method according to [1] or [2], wherein the component (A) is contained in the liquid food composition in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by mass.

The present invention also provides an agent for enhancing the flavor of spices, as follows:
[4]
(A) An agent for enhancing the flavor of spices in a liquid food composition, comprising one or more members selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides and pullulan.

Furthermore, the present invention provides the following food compositions and foods.
[5]
A liquid food composition comprising (A) one or more substances selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides and pullulan, and (B) a spice.
[6]
(B) The liquid food composition according to [5], wherein the spice is one or more selected from the group consisting of black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, chili pepper, Japanese pepper, Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, oregano, turmeric, fenugreek, fennel, caraway seed, cumin, coriander seed, mustard seed, curry leaf, clove, ginger, sage, thyme, celery seed, celery, dill, mace, basil, paprika, marjoram, rosemary, laurel, poppy seed, cinnamon, star anise, allspice, anise seed, parsley, green laver, dried tangerine peel, black sesame, white sesame, hemp seed, mint and green onion.
[7]
The liquid food composition according to [5] or [6], wherein the content of the component (A) is 0.1 to 10% by mass.
[8]
A food product comprising the liquid food composition according to any one of [5] to [7].
[9]
A solid food composition for use in preparing the liquid food composition according to any one of [5] to [7], comprising (A) one or more members selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan, and (B) a spice.

The composition of the present invention allows consumers to easily detect the flavor of spices in the liquid food composition. In addition, since the influence of the flavor of the ingredients themselves is small, it is easy to design the flavor of the product, making it highly versatile.

[Method for enhancing the flavor of spices]
The method of the present invention for enhancing the flavor of spices is directed to a liquid food composition and comprises causing (A) one or more members selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan to coexist with (B) a spice.

(Component (A): One or more selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan)
The component (A) used in the present invention is one or more selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan. Among these, any one of these alone, a combination of gum arabic or gum ghatti and pullulan, a combination of gum arabic and gum ghatti, or a combination of these three is preferred, a combination of gum arabic or gum ghatti and pullulan is more preferred, and a combination of gum arabic and pullulan is even more preferred.

The gum arabic used in the present invention is a known polysaccharide obtained from the sap of Acacia plants (e.g., Acacia Senegal, Acacia Seyal, etc.), which are legumes. Although the molecular structure of gum arabic has not been fully elucidated, it is known that its constituent sugars are galactose, arabinose, rhamnose, and glucuronic acid.

Gum arabic is commercially available, and examples of such products include "Gum Arabic SD" manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.

In the present invention, modified gum arabic obtained by modifying the gum arabic can also be suitably used as gum arabic. Modification methods include, for example, a method of heat treatment at 90 to 180°C, preferably 100 to 150°C, for 15 minutes to 72 hours, preferably 30 minutes to 60 hours, more preferably about 1 to 10 hours, and a method of removing or reducing metal salts from gum arabic. Examples of methods of removing or reducing metal salts from gum arabic include ion exchange treatment in an organic solvent, and desalting treatment using an electrodialysis membrane or ion exchange resin.

In the present invention, it is desirable to use, as the modified gum arabic, gum arabic having a weight-average molecular weight of preferably 900,000 or more, more preferably 1.2 million or more, even more preferably 1.5 million or more, and even more preferably 2 million or more, and/or gum arabic having an arabinogalactan protein content of preferably 17% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more. By using such modified gum arabic as gum arabic, it is possible to improve the dispersibility of polysaccharides in the food product to which it is to be applied.

The weight-average molecular weight and arabinogalactan protein content (mass%) of gum arabic can be measured, for example, by gel filtration chromatography equipped with three detectors: a light scattering (MALLS) detector, a refractive index (RI) detector, and an ultraviolet (UV) detector. In detail, the measurements can be performed according to the method described in JP-A-2006-522202.

The upper limit of the weight-average molecular weight of the modified gum arabic that can be suitably used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 5 million, preferably 4.5 million, and more preferably 4 million. Similarly, the upper limit of the arabinogalactan protein content of the modified gum arabic is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 30% by mass.

Further examples of the modified gum arabic include gum arabic having a weight average molecular weight of preferably 900,000 to 5,000,000, more preferably 1,200,000 to 5,000,000, even more preferably 1,5 ...4,500,000, and particularly preferably 2,000,000 to 4,000,000, and/or gum arabic having an arabinogalactan protein content of preferably 17 to 30% by mass, more preferably 20 to 30% by mass.

Modified gum arabic having the above properties can be produced, for example, according to the method described in JP-A-2006-522202. As an example, it can be produced by heating gum arabic belonging to the Acacia Senegal species at 110°C for 10 hours or more, or under conditions that can produce substantially the same effect. The heating time can be, for example, 72 hours.

Modified gum arabic having the above properties is commercially available, and an example of such a product is "SUPER GUM EM10" manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.

The gum ghatti used in the present invention is a polysaccharide derived from the sap (secretory fluid) of the Anogeissus latifolia tree of the Combretaceae family, and is a polysaccharide known as a thickening stabilizer (food additive). The gum ghatti used in the present invention is commercially available, and an example of this is "Gum Ghatti SD" by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.

The gum ghatti may be, but is not limited to, a low molecular weight gum ghatti (low molecular weight gum ghatti). The weight average molecular weight of the low molecular weight gum ghatti is, but is not limited to, for example, 0.020 × 10 ⁶ to 1.10 × 10 ^6. The molecular weight of gum ghatti is measured by the method using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) described in WO 2018/062554.

Soybean polysaccharides are water-soluble polysaccharides derived from soybeans, and include, but are not limited to, those also known as soybean dietary fiber or water-soluble soybean hemicellulose. The constituent sugars are mainly galactose, arabinose, and galacturonic acid. Unlike pectin, soybean polysaccharides are characterized by their resistance to gelation or thickening by divalent metal ions. The soybean polysaccharides are usually extracted and purified from insoluble dietary fiber produced in the process of producing isolated soybean protein from soybeans, and can be prepared by sterilization as necessary. Soybean polysaccharides are conveniently commercially available, for example, under the name "SOYAFIBE-S" manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., or "Water-soluble soybean polysaccharides SM-700" from San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.

Pullulan is a linear polysaccharide in which α-1,4-linked maltotriose is regularly linked by α-1,6-glucosidic bonds. Of these, the pullulan used in the present invention is preferably α-glucan produced by Aureobasidium pullulas (filamentous fungus), a type of black yeast.

In the method of the present invention, the amount of component (A) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of achieving a significant effect of the present invention, the total content of the component (A) is preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 7% by mass, even more preferably 0.3 to 5% by mass, even more preferably 0.6 to 5% by mass, and particularly preferably 1 to 5% by mass, based on the total amount of the liquid food composition.

In the method of the present invention, when the liquid food composition contains one or more selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, and soybean polysaccharides as component (A), and pullulan, there are no particular limitations, but from the viewpoint of significantly achieving the effects of the present invention, the content of pullulan per 1 part by mass of the total content of gum arabic, gum ghatti, and soybean polysaccharides in the liquid food composition is preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass, more preferably 0.08 to 0.5 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.3 parts by mass.

((B) Ingredients: Spices)
The spices as component (B) of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they are used in foods. For example, the component (B) of the present invention may be one or more selected from the group consisting of black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, chili pepper, Japanese pepper, Chinese pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, oregano, turmeric, fenugreek, fennel, caraway seed, cumin, coriander seed, mustard seed, curry leaf, clove, ginger, sage, thyme, celery seed, celery, dill, mace, basil, paprika, marjoram, rosemary, laurel, poppy seed, cinnamon, star anise, allspice, anise seed, parsley, green laver, dried tangerine peel, black sesame, white sesame, hemp seed, mint and green onion. Among them, it is preferable to use one or more kinds selected from the group consisting of black pepper, white pepper, chili pepper, Japanese pepper, Chinese pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, oregano, turmeric, fenugreek, fennel, caraway seed, cumin, coriander seed, and mustard seed. Also, it is preferable that the spice of the present invention contains at least black pepper or white pepper.

In the method of the present invention, the total content of component (B) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of achieving a significant effect of the present invention, it is preferably 0.001 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 3% by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 1% by mass, based on the total amount of the liquid food composition.

In the method of the present invention, the total content of component (A) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of achieving a significant effect of the present invention, it is preferably 0.01 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 30 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by mass per part by mass of component (B) in the liquid food composition.

(Liquid food composition)
The liquid food composition of the present invention is a food or its manufacturing intermediate containing at least the component (B). Here, the manufacturing intermediate includes a composition in the middle of processing in industrial production of food, as well as a composition used by a consumer or a food provider for mixing, plating, topping, dilution, cooking, seasoning, etc. before being provided for consumption. Such liquid food compositions are not particularly limited, but include sauces such as curry sauce, stew sauce, white sauce, demi-glace sauce, hayashi rice sauce, pasta sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and chili sauce; soups for noodles and pasta, soups for hot pots, bouillabaisse, Tom Yum Kung soup, curry soup, potage soup, and other soups; dressings, etc. Among them, sauces are preferred, and curry sauce, stew sauce, or white sauce is more preferred.

In the method of the present invention, the liquid food composition to be treated further contains water. The amount of water (moisture content) is preferably 20 to 99% by mass, more preferably 40 to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 55 to 80% by mass.

In this specification, the method for measuring water content is appropriately selected from the methods for measuring water content described in the "Attachment: Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc." (hereinafter referred to as "Analytical Methods for Nutritional Components, etc.") of the "Food Labeling Standards" established by the Government of Japan (No. 139, March 30, 2015) according to the form of the liquid food composition.

In addition to component (B) and water, the liquid food composition may further contain, so long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired, known nutritional ingredients, starches (starch, wheat flour, potato starch, etc.), fats and oils (beef tallow, lard, vegetable oil, etc.), alcohol, alcoholic beverages, salts, seasonings (sauces, soy sauce, etc.), flavoring ingredients (sodium glutamate, etc.), processed vegetables (vegetable paste, vegetable juice, onions, carrots, potatoes, etc.), processed meat products (eggs, processed milk products (cheese, etc.), etc.), etc. may contain one or more of the following: processed seafood products, processed marine products, processed grain products, processed fruit products (fruit paste, fruit juice, etc.), extracts (derived from animals, plants, microorganisms, etc.; bouillon, consommé, yeast extract, etc.), sweeteners (sugars, honey, etc.), sugar alcohols, high-intensity sweeteners, bittering agents, acidulants, flavorings, coloring agents (caramel coloring, etc.), and other food additives (dietary fiber, pH adjusters, preservatives, antioxidants, thickeners, stabilizers, etc.).

The form of the liquid food composition that is the subject of the present invention is not particularly limited, but includes retort pouch foods, frozen foods, canned foods, bottled foods, bottled foods, tube foods, etc.

The liquid food composition that is the subject of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is stored, for example, at 0°C or below, 0 to 10°C, or 20 to 30°C, and is preferably stored at 10°C or below.

The total carbohydrate content of the liquid food composition that is the subject of the present invention is preferably 1 to 50% by mass, more preferably 3 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 15% by mass, from the viewpoint of achieving a significant effect of the present invention.

In this specification, the carbohydrate content is determined by the method described in "Methods for analyzing nutritional components, etc.".

(Application)
The method of the present invention is used to enhance the flavor of spices. In this specification, "flavor" refers to the overall sensation brought about by the smell (also called retronasal flavor) perceived by the sense of smell via the throat without passing through the outside of the body, and the taste perceived by the sense of taste when a composition is placed in the mouth.

In addition, in this specification, "enhancing flavor intensity" refers to increasing the intensity with which the consumer perceives the flavor of the spices.

[Agent for enhancing the flavor of spices]
The agent for enhancing the flavor of spices of the present invention contains (A) one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides and pullulan.

The form of the agent of the present invention is not particularly limited. Examples include solid forms (e.g., powder, granules, tablets, etc.) and liquid forms (e.g., solutions, dispersions, etc.).

The agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably used to prepare a liquid food composition or its production intermediate described in the above [Method for enhancing the flavor of spices]. In preparing the liquid food composition or its production intermediate, the agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably contained such that the content of component (A) is as described in the above [Method for enhancing the flavor of spices] relative to the total amount of the liquid food composition or the amount of component (B) in the liquid food composition.

The gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan used as component (A) of the agent of the present invention are the same as those described in the above [Method for enhancing the flavor of spices].

The content of component (A) in the agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 to 100% by mass, preferably 10 to 90% by mass, more preferably 15 to 85% by mass, and even more preferably 20 to 80% by mass, based on the total amount of the agent.

The agent of the present invention preferably contains an excipient in addition to component (A). In the manufacturing method of the agent of the present invention, the timing of adding the excipient is not particularly limited. For example, the excipient may be added as one of the granulation raw materials when granulating the polysaccharide of component (A), or the agent of the present invention may be manufactured by mixing the polysaccharide of component (A) and the excipient after granulation.

Examples of excipients include starch hydrolysates (e.g., dextrin, powdered syrup, etc.), sugars (e.g., monosaccharides (e.g., glucose, fructose, etc.), disaccharides (e.g., sucrose, lactose, maltose, trehalose, etc.), oligosaccharides (e.g., cellooligosaccharides, maltooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, etc.), sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, sorbitol, lactitol, maltitol, etc.), reduced sugars, etc.), dietary fiber (e.g., resistant dextrin, polydextrose, enzymatic hydrolysates of guar gum, etc.), etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

When an excipient is used, the content of the excipient in the agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10 to 90% by mass, preferably 20 to 85% by mass, more preferably 30 to 80% by mass, even more preferably 35 to 75% by mass, and particularly preferably 40 to 70% by mass.

In addition, the agent of the present invention may contain metal salts, emulsifiers, etc., in order to further improve dispersibility. The timing of adding the metal salts, emulsifiers, etc. is not particularly limited. For example, the metal salts and/or emulsifiers, etc. may be added as one component of the granulation raw material when granulating the agent of the present invention, or the agent of the present invention may be produced by mixing the metal salts and/or emulsifiers, etc. after granulation.

The type of metal salt is not particularly limited, but examples include potassium salts, sodium salts, calcium salts, and magnesium salts, and more specifically, the chlorides, hydroxides, lactates, citrates, gluconates, phosphates, sulfates, malates, and the like. In the present invention, it is preferable to use metal salts that are permitted for use in foods, etc. Examples of such metal salts include calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium lactate, sodium citrate, sodium gluconate, and potassium gluconate. The preferred metal salts are one or more selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate, and sodium gluconate.

Similarly, the type of emulsifier is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters (e.g., monoglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, etc.), propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, enzymatically decomposed lecithin, enzymatically treated lecithin, sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, Quillaja extract, saponin, polysorbates (e.g., polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60, polysorbate 65, polysorbate 80), etc. These may also be used alone or in combination of two or more.

The total content of the emulsifier in the agent of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.01 to 2% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 1% by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, based on the total amount of the agent.

[Liquid food composition and food containing liquid food composition]
The liquid food composition of the present invention contains (A) one or more members selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides and pullulan, and (B) a spice.

Specific examples and preferred contents of components (A) and (B) of the liquid food composition of the present invention, specific embodiments of the liquid food composition, and specific examples and preferred contents of water and other components are the same as those described in the section "Method for enhancing the flavor of spices" above.

The present invention also includes foods containing the liquid food composition. Such foods are not particularly limited, but examples include those that combine the liquid food composition with processed vegetables (onions, carrots, potatoes, etc.), processed meat products (including eggs and processed dairy products (cheese, etc.)), processed seafood products, processed marine products, processed grain products (cooked rice, noodles, pasta, etc.), processed fruits, etc. Further specific examples include curry rice, stew with ingredients, hayashi rice, hashed beef, pasta, udon, ramen, soup with ingredients, hot pot dishes, etc.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned food may contain, in addition to the components (A) and (B), one or more of the other components described in the section "Method for enhancing the flavor of spices."

[Solid food composition]
The present invention further includes a solid food composition for preparing the above-mentioned liquid food composition, which contains (A) one or more members selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, soybean polysaccharides, and pullulan, and (B) a spice.

The solid food composition of the present invention may contain one or more of the other ingredients described in the section "Method for enhancing the flavor of spices."

Specific examples of components (A) and (B) of the solid food composition of the present invention, as well as examples of other components, are the same as those described above in the section entitled "Method for enhancing the flavor of spices."

Such solid food compositions are not particularly limited, but examples include rouxes such as curry roux and stew roux; powders such as curry powder and powdered soup; pellets such as solid bouillon and freeze-dried foods; and granules such as granulated consommé.

In the solid food composition of the present invention, the total content of component (A) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of significantly exhibiting the effects of the present invention, it is preferably 1 to 80% by mass, more preferably 3 to 50% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 30% by mass, based on the total amount of the solid food composition.

In the solid food composition of the present invention, when the solid food composition contains one or more selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, and soybean polysaccharides as component (A), and pullulan, there are no particular limitations, but from the viewpoint of significantly achieving the effects of the present invention, the content of pullulan per part by mass of the total content of gum arabic, gum ghatti, and soybean polysaccharides in the solid food composition is preferably 0.05 to 1 part by mass, more preferably 0.08 to 0.5 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.3 parts by mass.

In the solid food composition of the present invention, the total content of component (B) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of significantly exhibiting the effects of the present invention, it is preferably 0.1 to 8% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 5% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 3% by mass, based on the total amount of the solid food composition.

In the solid food composition of the present invention, the total content of component (A) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of significantly exhibiting the effects of the present invention, it is preferably 0.01 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 30 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by mass per part by mass of component (B) in the solid food composition.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below based on experimental examples and examples, but the present invention is not limited by these examples. In the examples, "parts" and "%" mean "parts by mass" and "% by mass", respectively, unless otherwise specified. In addition, the "*" mark in the text indicates that the product is manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd., and the "※" mark in the text indicates that the product is a registered trademark of San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.

[Test 1. Evaluation test of flavor in curry sauce]
(1) The ingredients were mixed to obtain the composition shown in Table 1, and heated to 90° C. to prepare curry sauce. The mixture was then filled into containers and frozen at −20° C. for storage.
Curry powder contains turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, black pepper, paprika, ginger, fennel, cumin, dried citrus fruit peel, cardamom, dill, and nutmeg.
(2) Frozen curry sauce was heated in the microwave.
(3) The curry sauce obtained in (2) was heated to about 60° C. and subjected to a sensory evaluation. A panel of five people (three men and two women) engaged in food research and development tasted the curry sauce and evaluated the flavor of the spices in the curry sauce according to the following evaluation criteria.
<Evaluation criteria>
The flavor release was evaluated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5, with Comparative Example 1 (curry sauce not containing component (A)) being given a score of 3. 5: The spice flavor release is much better than Comparative Example 1. 4: The spice flavor release is better than Comparative Example 1. 3: The spice flavor release is about the same as Comparative Example 1. 2: The spice flavor release is worse than Comparative Example 1. 1: The spice flavor release is much worse than Comparative Example 1.

The results of the evaluation are shown in Table 1. The curry sauces of Examples 1-1 to 1-16, which contain component (A), had a better spice flavor than Comparative Example 1. And when gum arabic and pullulan were included as component (A), the flavor was particularly good. Also, since no panelists rated any of the sauces as having a worse flavor than the curry sauce of Comparative Example 1, it is believed that there is little variation in effect due to differences in personal preferences.

[Test Example 2. Evaluation test of flavor in white sauce]
(1) A white sauce was prepared with the composition shown in Table 2. First, wheat flour, modified starch, and a mixture of 90% gum arabic and 10% pullulan were added to water and stirred at 85°C for 10 minutes. Next, the other ingredients were added and stirred for 5 minutes. Finally, the total amount was adjusted with water, the mixture was filled into containers, and then frozen at -20°C for storage.
(2) The white sauce obtained in (1) was heated to about 60° C. and subjected to a sensory evaluation. A panel of five people (three men and two women) engaged in food research and development tasted the white sauce and evaluated the flavor of the spices in the white sauce according to the following evaluation criteria.
<Evaluation criteria>
The flavor release was evaluated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5, with Comparative Example 2 (white sauce not containing component (A)) being given a score of 3. 5: The spice flavor release is much better than Comparative Example 2. 4: The spice flavor release is better than Comparative Example 2. 3: The spice flavor release is about the same as Comparative Example 2. 2: The spice flavor release is worse than Comparative Example 2. 1: The spice flavor release is much worse than Comparative Example 2.

The results of the evaluation are shown in Table 2. The white sauce of Example 2, which contains component (A), had a better spice flavor than the white sauce of Comparative Example 2, which does not contain component (A).

[Test Example 3. Evaluation test of flavor in demi-glace sauce]
(1) A demi-glace sauce was prepared with the composition shown in Table 3. First, wheat flour, waxy corn starch, and a mixture of 90% gum arabic and 10% pullulan were added to water and stirred at 85°C for 10 minutes. Next, the other ingredients were added and stirred for 5 minutes. Finally, the total amount was adjusted with water, and after the temperature reached 90°C, the mixture was filled into a container and refrigerated for storage.
(2) The demi-glace sauce obtained in (1) was heated to about 60° C. and subjected to a sensory evaluation. A panel of five people (three men and two women) engaged in food research and development tasted the sauce and evaluated the flavor of the spices in the demi-glace sauce according to the following evaluation criteria.
<Evaluation criteria>
The flavor release was evaluated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5, with Comparative Example 3 (demi-glace sauce not containing component (A)) being given a score of 3. 5: The spice flavor release is much better than Comparative Example 3. 4: The spice flavor release is better than Comparative Example 3. 3: The spice flavor release is about the same as Comparative Example 3. 2: The spice flavor release is worse than Comparative Example 3. 1: The spice flavor release is much worse than Comparative Example 3.

The results of the evaluation are shown in Table 3. The demi-glace sauce of Example 3 containing the component (A) exhibited a better flavor of the spice of the component (B) derived from Worcestershire sauce than the demi-glace sauce of Comparative Example 3 not containing the component (A).

Claims (2)

1. A method for enhancing the flavor of spices in a liquid food composition, comprising: (A) causing one or more components selected from the group consisting of gum ghatti , pullulan , and a combination of gum arabic and pullulan to coexist with (B) spices (excluding a method in which a binder containing 200 g of a 40 wt % aqueous gum arabic solution having 0.6 g of guar gum and 40 g of an oil-based curry flavor dissolved therein is sprayed onto 400 g of curry powder consisting of 25 wt % turmeric, 15 wt % coriander, 15 wt % cumin, 10 wt % fennel, 5 wt % fenugreek, 5 wt % cardamom, 5 wt % clove, 5 wt % nutmeg, 5 wt % bay leaf, 5 wt % white pepper, and 5 wt % red pepper), wherein the liquid food composition contains 0.1 to 10 wt % of component (A). The method according to claim 1, wherein (B) the spice is one or more selected from the group consisting of black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, chili pepper, Japanese pepper, Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, oregano, turmeric, fenugreek, fennel, caraway seeds, cumin, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, cloves, ginger, sage, thyme, celery seeds, celery, dill, mace, basil, paprika, marjoram, rosemary, laurel, poppy seeds, cinnamon, star anise, allspice, anise seeds, parsley, green laver, dried tangerine peel, black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, hemp seeds, mint, and green onions.