JP7719933B2 - Food composition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a food composition containing whey protein.

Malnutrition in the elderly can lead to frailty and sarcopenia. Protein intake is important as a countermeasure against malnutrition, and whey protein in particular is a high-quality protein source with an excellent amino acid score and rapid absorption rate, so active intake is recommended.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a high-protein powdered nutritional composition containing whey protein that can be easily dissolved in water and becomes transparent, intended for consumption by malnourished elderly people, etc. Patent Document 2 discloses an acidic whey protein-containing beverage with a refreshing and clean flavor.

Foods containing high concentrations of whey protein are excellent in terms of protein intake. However, whey protein has a distinctive unpleasant taste (see Patent Document 1). Furthermore, to improve the solubility of whey protein, emulsifiers are generally used in combination (see Patent Document 2), but adding emulsifiers to foods creates the unpleasant taste of the emulsifier, which can be problematic.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-242308 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-57707

The present invention relates to a food composition containing whey protein and an emulsifier, which provides a food composition that suppresses the unpleasant taste inherent to whey protein and the unpleasant taste caused by the emulsifier.

The inventors conducted extensive research in light of the above-mentioned problems and discovered that by adding milk lipids and using a specific ratio of milk lipids to emulsifiers, the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste caused by the emulsifier can be suppressed.

That is, the present invention relates to the following 1) and 2).
1) The following components (A), (B), and (C):
A solid food composition comprising (A) whey protein in an amount of 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less, (B) milk lipid, and (C) an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more.
2) the following components (A), (B), and (C):
(A) Whey Protein
A food composition comprising (B) a milk lipid and (C) an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more,
The content of component (A) and component (B) relative to the solid content in the food composition is as follows:
(A) Whey protein 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less (B) Milk lipid 5% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a food composition in which the unpleasant taste characteristic of whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from emulsifiers are suppressed.

The present invention relates to a food composition containing (A) whey protein, (B) milk lipid, and (C) an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is at least 9. By having the above-described configuration, the food composition of the present invention can suppress the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier.
The reason why the food composition of the present invention exhibits the above-mentioned effects is not clear, but is thought to be as follows.
It is known that various factors are involved in the flavor of a food composition, but it is believed that the component (B) milk lipid and component (C) emulsifier in the food composition create a surface state that makes it difficult for the component (A) whey protein to come into contact with the tongue or oral cavity when orally ingested, thereby suppressing the unpleasant taste specific to the component (A) whey protein.Furthermore, it is believed that the presence of the component (B) milk lipid and component (C) emulsifier in an appropriate ratio causes the components (A), (B), and (C) to interact with each other, thereby suppressing the unpleasant taste specific to the component (A) whey protein, while creating a surface state that makes it difficult to suppress the unpleasant taste of the component (C) emulsifier.

[Aspect 1]
One aspect of the present invention is a solid food composition comprising (A) 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less of whey protein, (B) milk lipid, and (C) an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more.
As used herein, the solid food composition is not particularly limited in shape as long as it is solid at room temperature (20°C ± 15°C), and can be in various forms such as powder (powder, granules), tablets, rods, plates, blocks, etc. Furthermore, when the food composition of the present invention is a solid food composition, its size can be appropriately selected depending on the form of the food composition. When the food composition is solid, the solid content of the food composition is usually 95% by mass or more, preferably 97% by mass or more. The upper limit of the solid content is not particularly limited, and may be 100% by mass. Here, as used herein, "solid content" refers to the mass of the residue remaining after drying a sample in an electric thermostatic dryer at 105°C for 3 hours and removing volatile substances.
In this specification, the food composition includes not only general foods but also foods that can be labeled with functionality (such as foods for specified health uses and foods with functional claims).

The solid food composition of the present invention contains (A) whey protein. Whey protein is a protein isolated from whey (milk serum). Examples of raw milk include cow's milk (including raw milk), goat's milk, sheep's milk, buffalo milk, horse's milk, and soy milk. Among these, cow's milk is preferred because it is widely consumed, inexpensive, provides a good milk flavor, and suppresses the unpleasant taste inherent to whey protein.
(A) Whey protein may be purified, or a whey protein raw material containing whey protein may be used. Examples of whey protein raw materials include concentrated whey protein (WPC), purified whey protein (WPI), concentrated milk protein (MPC), purified milk protein (MPI), skim milk powder, whole milk powder, cream powder, butter powder, buttermilk powder, buttermilk powder, etc. Among these, purified whey protein (WPI) and concentrated whey protein (WPC) are preferred because they allow efficient intake of whey protein.
As the whey protein raw material, commercially available products can be used.

The content of (A) whey protein in the whey protein raw material is not particularly limited, but is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more, in order to enable a large amount of whey protein to be ingested at one time with a small amount of whey protein raw material. The upper limit is preferably 100% by mass or less, more preferably 98% by mass or less, and even more preferably 95% by mass or less, in order to suppress the unpleasant odor of whey protein.

The content of whey protein (A) in the solid food composition of the present invention is 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less, but is preferably 55% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of efficient intake of whey protein, and is preferably 82% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 77% by mass or less, and even more preferably 73% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of the absence of unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the imparting of a pleasant milk flavor.The content of whey protein (A) in the solid food composition of the present invention is 50 to 82% by mass, preferably 50 to 80% by mass, more preferably 55 to 77% by mass, and even more preferably 60 to 73% by mass.
The content of component (A) can be measured by a commonly known analytical method suited to the conditions of the measurement sample. Since whey protein does not precipitate at pH 4.6, the amount of whey protein can be measured by subtracting the mass of the precipitate formed when adjusting the pH to 4.6 with hydrochloric acid from the total protein amount calculated by the method described in the Examples below.

The solid food composition of the present invention contains (B) milk lipid. Here, milk lipid refers to lipid isolated from milk by, for example, ether extraction, acid hydrolysis, chloroform-methanol extraction, or Roese-Gottlieb method. Examples of raw milk include cow's milk (including raw milk), goat's milk, sheep's milk, buffalo milk, and horse's milk. Among these, cow's milk is preferred because it is widely consumed, inexpensive, and provides a good milk flavor.
Milk lipids include simple lipids (glycerides, etc.), complex lipids (phospholipids, glycolipids, etc.), derived lipids (fatty acids, etc.), steroids (cholesterol, etc.), etc. Milk lipids preferably include simple lipids and complex lipids, and more preferably include glycerides and phospholipids.
The fatty acid constituting the (B) milk lipid is preferably a saturated or unsaturated straight-chain fatty acid. From the viewpoint of imparting a desirable flavor characteristic of milk lipid, the number of carbon atoms in the straight-chain fatty acid is preferably 4 to 24, more preferably 4 to 18.
In terms of suppressing the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein, suppressing the unpleasant taste derived from emulsifiers, and imparting a pleasant flavor specific to milk, the fatty acid composition of the total fatty acids constituting the (B) milk lipid preferably comprises a myristic acid content of 5% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, a palmitic acid content of 20% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, a stearic acid content of 5% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and an oleic acid content of 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less.
The fatty acid composition of milk lipids can be determined by gas chromatography.

In the solid food composition of the present invention, the content of (B) milk lipid is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 5.7% by mass or more, even more preferably 6% by mass or more, still more preferably 7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 8% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier, and is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, still more preferably 20% by mass or less, still more preferably 17% by mass or less, and even more preferably 16% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier. The content of (B) milk lipid in the solid food composition of the present invention is preferably 5 to 50% by mass, more preferably 5 to 40% by mass, even more preferably 5.7 to 40% by mass, still more preferably 5.7 to 30% by mass, still more preferably 6 to 20% by mass, still more preferably 7 to 17% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 16% by mass.
The content of component (B) can be measured by a commonly known analytical method suited to the conditions of the measurement sample. Specific examples include the methods described in the Examples below. The content of (B) milk lipids includes those derived from other raw materials, such as component (A) and optional additives.

In the solid food composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of component (A) to component (B) [(A)/(B)] is preferably 15 or less, more preferably 12 or less, even more preferably 9 or less, even more preferably 6 or less, and even more preferably 5.5 or less, in order to suppress the unpleasant taste inherent to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier. Furthermore, in order to suppress the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier, it is preferably 1.5 or more, more preferably 3 or more, and even more preferably 3.5 or more. Furthermore, this mass ratio [(A)/(B)] is preferably 1.5 to 15, more preferably 1.5 to 12, even more preferably 3 to 9, even more preferably 3 to 6, and even more preferably 3.5 to 5.5.

The solid food composition of the present invention contains (C) an emulsifier. Examples of emulsifiers include glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters (polysorbates), lecithin, and enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin. Of these, from the viewpoint of improving the solubility of whey proteins, one or more emulsifiers selected from polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters are preferred, and polyglycerin fatty acid esters are more preferred. The emulsifiers can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

Polyglycerol fatty acid esters are esters of polyglycerol and fatty acids. From the viewpoint of improving the solubility of whey protein, the average degree of polymerization of glycerol in the polyglycerol is preferably 3 or more, more preferably 5 or more, and preferably 20 or less, more preferably 10 or less. Here, the average degree of polymerization of glycerol refers to a value determined by terminal group analysis. The terminal group analysis is the following method. From the relationship between the measured value of the hydroxyl value (OHV) and the theoretical value, the degree of polymerization n and molecular weight (MW) are calculated using the following formula:
MW = 74n + 18
OHV=56110(n+2)/MW
The hydroxyl value can be measured by the acetic anhydride/pyridine method or the phthalic anhydride/pyridine method.
Polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester is a sorbitan fatty acid ester condensed with an average of 20 ethylene oxide molecules.
In this specification, the fatty acid constituting the emulsifier is preferably a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, more preferably a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and even more preferably a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms or an unsaturated fatty acid having 18 carbon atoms, from the viewpoint of improving the solubility of whey protein.

HLB is an abbreviation for Hydrophilic Lipophilic Balance, and is a value indicating the balance between the hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of an emulsifier. The HLB of an emulsifier is preferably 6 or more, more preferably 8 or more, from the viewpoint of uniformly dispersing the emulsifier in water. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of uniformly dispersing milk lipids in water, the HLB is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 17 or less.
The HLB can be determined by Griffin's equation. When two or more emulsifiers are used in combination, the HLB of the emulsifiers is determined by arithmetic averaging the HLB values of the individual emulsifiers based on their blending ratios.

The content of emulsifier (C) in the solid food composition of the present invention can be appropriately selected so long as the mass ratio [(B)/(C)] falls within the range described below, but from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant tastes derived from the emulsifier, it is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.75% by mass or less, and from the viewpoint of whey protein solubility, it is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.3% by mass or more. The content of emulsifier (C) in the solid food composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 2% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 1.5% by mass, even more preferably 0.2 to 1.0% by mass, and even more preferably 0.3 to 0.75% by mass.
The content of component (C) can be measured by a commonly known analytical method suited to the conditions of the sample. For example, it can be measured according to the method described in "Analysis of Food Additives in Food (2nd Edition)." Specifically, the analytical method for emulsifiers is as follows.
Glycerin fatty acid esters: Gas chromatography (following "Analysis of Food Additives in Food (2nd Edition)" pp. 387-389)
Glycerin fatty acid esters in foods are quantified as monoglycerides by gas chromatography, which measures the monoglycerides, the main components, as trimethylsilyl derivatives.
Sorbitan fatty acid esters: Gas chromatography (following "Analysis of Food Additives in Food (2nd Edition)" pp. 398-401)
Sorbitan fatty acid esters in foods are subjected to saponification decomposition, and the resulting sorbitol, sorbitan, and sorbide are converted into trimethylsilyl derivatives, which are then quantified as sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters by gas chromatography.
- Polysorbate: Thin-layer chromatography (in accordance with Appendix 3 of the revised "Method for Analyzing Food Additives in Foods" (June 24, 2021))
Polysorbates (polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60, polysorbate 65, and polysorbate 80) in foods are extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile/hexane/methanol (28:3:2), cleaned up using an alumina column and a silica gel solid-phase extraction column, and then qualitatively analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. If polysorbates are detected, they are quantified as polysorbate 80 by a colorimetric method.
Sucrose fatty acid esters: thin layer chromatography (following "Analysis of Food Additives in Food 2000 (2nd Edition)" pp. 413-416)
Sucrose fatty acid esters in foods are extracted with isobutanol, and mono-, di-, and triesters are separated by thin-layer chromatography and quantified by colorimetry.

In the solid food composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is at least 9. In a food composition containing whey protein and an emulsifier, by incorporating a specific amount of milk lipid (B) relative to the emulsifier (C), the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier can be suppressed.
The mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more, preferably 14 or more, more preferably 20 or more, and even more preferably 25 or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier, and from the viewpoint of whey protein solubility, and is also preferably 300 or less, more preferably 200 or less, even more preferably 100 or less, still more preferably 60 or less, and still more preferably 40 or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier. The mass ratio [(B)/(C)] is preferably 9 to 300, more preferably 9 to 200, even more preferably 14 to 100, still more preferably 20 to 60, and even more preferably 25 to 40.

Furthermore, in the solid food composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of component (A) to component (C) [(A)/(C)] is preferably 40 or more, more preferably 65 or more, even more preferably 90 or more, even more preferably 105 or more, and even more preferably 130 or more, particularly from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant flavors derived from emulsifiers; and from the viewpoint of whey protein solubility, it is preferably 300 or less, more preferably 250 or less, even more preferably 200 or less, even more preferably 160 or less, and even more preferably 150 or less. The mass ratio [(A)/(C)] is preferably 40 to 300, more preferably 40 to 250, even more preferably 65 to 250, even more preferably 90 to 200, even more preferably 105 to 160, and even more preferably 130 to 150.

In addition to the above components (A) to (C), the solid food composition of the present invention may contain additives such as minerals (e.g., calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, chromium, selenium, manganese, molybdenum, copper, iodine, phosphorus, sodium), vitamins (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, folic acid and their salts or esters), sweeteners (e.g., monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, synthetic sweeteners), fruit juice, vegetable juice, amino acids, proteins, dairy products, oils and fats, extracts, acidulants, flavorings, colorings, preservatives, etc., within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. The content of the additives can be appropriately set within the range that does not impair the object of the present invention.

The solid food composition of the present invention may contain an acceptable carrier as needed. Examples of carriers include excipients (e.g., lactose, starches (starch, modified starch, dextrin, etc.), sugar alcohols (maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, etc.), crystalline cellulose, sucrose, light anhydrous silicic acid, calcium hydrogen phosphate), binders (e.g., hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, gelatin, pregelatinized starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, pullulan, methylcellulose, hydrogenated oil), disintegrants (e.g., carmellose, carmellose calcium, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, corn starch, low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose), lubricants (e.g., calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, sodium stearyl fumarate, talc), flow improvers (e.g., silicon dioxide), flavoring agents (e.g., stevia, aspartame), bulking agents, surfactants, dispersants, buffers, coating agents, diluents, etc.

The solid food composition of the present invention can be produced according to conventional methods, and any suitable method can be employed. For example, it can be produced by mixing components (A) to (C) and, if necessary, a carrier and/or additives. The order in which the components are mixed is not particularly limited, and they may be added in any order or simultaneously. Any suitable mixing method, such as stirring or shaking, can be employed, and a mixing device may also be used. The mixing method of the mixing device may be either a rotating container type or a fixed container type. Examples of rotating container types that can be used include horizontal cylindrical, V-type, double-cone, and cubic types. Examples of fixed container types that can be used include ribbon, screw, conical screw, paddle, fluidized bed, and Phillips blenders.
Alternatively, granules may be prepared by a known granulation method. Examples of the granulation method include spray granulation, fluidized bed granulation, compression granulation, tumbling granulation, stirring granulation, extrusion granulation, and powder coating granulation. Granulation conditions can be appropriately selected depending on the granulation method. Among these, fluidized bed granulation is preferred from the viewpoints of high granule uniformity and high granulation yield.

[Aspect 2]
Another aspect of the present invention is a food composition containing (A) whey protein, (B) milk lipid, and (C) emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or greater, and the food composition contains 50% to 82% by mass of (A) whey protein relative to the solid content, and 5% to 40% by mass of (B) milk lipid relative to the solid content. The (A) whey protein, (B) milk lipid, and (C) emulsifier are as described above. By having the above-described configuration, the food composition of the present invention can suppress the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier.
The food composition of the present invention is based on the discovery that, when it contains components (A), (B), and (C) in predetermined amounts in terms of mass content relative to the solid content, it is possible to similarly suppress the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from emulsifiers, even when diluted with an excipient or solvent.

In this embodiment, the "solid content" can be defined as the mass of the residue remaining after drying 3 g of sample in an electric thermostatic dryer at 100°C for 3 or 4 hours and removing volatile substances.

In this embodiment, the food composition may be in a solid or liquid (drink) form and may take any suitable form. For example, when the food composition of the present invention is a solid food composition, its form is not particularly limited as long as it is solid at room temperature (20°C ± 15°C), and it may be in various forms such as powder (powder, granules), tablets, bars, plates, blocks, etc.
Furthermore, when the food composition of the present invention is in a liquid form (drink), there are no particular limitations as long as it can be consumed as is, and it may be in the form of a liquid such as an RTD (Ready to Drink) that is not diluted, a drink or slurry obtained by diluting powder for an instant drink with water, or a semi-solid form such as jelly. In the case of a semi-solid form, it is sufficient that the drink can be sucked through a spout or straw attached to the container, and the solid content concentration is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately.

In particular, the food composition is preferably a liquid food composition, and more preferably in the form of an RTD food composition. Examples of RTD food compositions include liquid, concentrated liquid, gel, and jelly.

In the food composition of the present invention, the content of (A) whey protein relative to the solid content is 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less; however, from the viewpoint of efficient intake of whey protein, it is preferably 55% by mass or more, and more preferably 60% by mass or more; and from the viewpoint of eliminating the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and imparting a pleasant milky flavor, it is preferably 82% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 77% by mass or less, and even more preferably 73% by mass or less. The content of (A) whey protein relative to the solid content of the food composition of the present invention is 50 to 82% by mass, preferably 50 to 80% by mass, more preferably 55 to 77% by mass, and even more preferably 60 to 73% by mass.

In the food composition of the present invention, the content of (B) milk lipid relative to the solid content is 5% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less; however, in order to suppress the unpleasant taste characteristic of whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier, it is preferably 5.7% by mass or more, more preferably 6% by mass or more, even more preferably 7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 8% by mass or more; and in order to suppress the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier, it is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 17% by mass or less, and even more preferably 16% by mass or less. In the food composition of the present invention, the content of (B) milk lipid relative to the solid content is 5 to 40% by mass, preferably 5.7 to 40% by mass, more preferably 5.7 to 30% by mass, even more preferably 6 to 20% by mass, even more preferably 7 to 17% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 16% by mass.

In the food composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of component (A) to component (B) [(A)/(B)] is preferably 1.5 to 15, more preferably 1.5 to 12, even more preferably 3 to 9, even more preferably 3 to 6, and even more preferably 3.5 to 5.5, in order to suppress the unpleasant taste characteristic of whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier.

In the food composition of the present invention, the content of emulsifier (C) relative to the solid content can be selected as appropriate, so long as the mass ratio [(B)/(C)] falls within the range described below. However, in order to suppress unpleasant flavors derived from the emulsifier, it is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.75% by mass or less. In terms of whey protein solubility, it is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.3% by mass or more. The content of emulsifier (C) relative to the solid content in the food composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 2% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 1.5% by mass, even more preferably 0.2 to 1.0% by mass, and even more preferably 0.3 to 0.75% by mass.

In the food composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is at least 9. In a food composition containing whey protein and an emulsifier, by incorporating a specific amount of milk lipid (B) relative to emulsifier (C), the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier can be suppressed.
The mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more, preferably 14 or more, more preferably 20 or more, and even more preferably 25 or more, from the viewpoint of suppressing the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier, and from the viewpoint of whey protein solubility, and is also preferably 300 or less, more preferably 200 or less, even more preferably 100 or less, still more preferably 60 or less, and still more preferably 40 or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing the unpleasant taste derived from the emulsifier. The mass ratio [(B)/(C)] is preferably 9 to 300, more preferably 9 to 200, even more preferably 14 to 100, still more preferably 20 to 60, and even more preferably 25 to 40.

In the food composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of component (A) to component (C) [(A)/(C)] is preferably 40 to 300, more preferably 40 to 250, even more preferably 65 to 250, still more preferably 90 to 200, even more preferably 105 to 160, and even more preferably 130 to 150, from the viewpoints of suppressing unpleasant flavors derived from the emulsifier and of the solubility of whey protein.

The food composition of the present invention may contain additives other than the above-mentioned components (A) to (C) as appropriate.

When the food composition of the present invention is a beverage, it may be produced by diluting a solid food composition containing all of components (A) to (C) whose contents relative to the solid content are within the range of the present invention with a liquid such as water, or by diluting each of components (A) to (C) with a liquid such as water in any order.

When the food composition of the present invention is a beverage, from the viewpoint of easily enjoying the effects of the present invention, the solid content relative to the mass of the liquid food composition that is a beverage is preferably 2.5% by mass or more, more preferably 7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing the formation of lumps and lumps, the solid content is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, and even more preferably 25% by mass or less.

With respect to the above-described embodiment, the present invention further discloses the following aspects:

<1> The following components (A), (B) and (C):
A solid food composition comprising (A) whey protein in an amount of 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less, (B) milk lipid, and (C) an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more.

<2> The solid food composition according to <1>, wherein component (A) is preferably made from whey protein concentrate (WPC), purified whey protein (WPI), concentrated milk protein (MPC), purified milk protein (MPI), skim milk powder, whole milk powder, cream powder, butter powder, buttermilk powder, or buttermilk powder as a whey protein raw material.
<3> The solid food composition according to <1> or <2>, wherein the content of component (A) in the solid food composition is preferably 55% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and is preferably 82% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 77% by mass or less, and even more preferably 73% by mass or less.
<4> The solid food composition according to <1> or <2>, wherein the content of component (A) in the solid food composition is preferably 50 to 80% by mass, more preferably 55 to 77% by mass, and even more preferably 60 to 73% by mass.
<5> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the fatty acid composition of component (B) is 5% by mass to 15% by mass of myristic acid, 20% by mass to 40% by mass of palmitic acid, 5% by mass to 15% by mass of stearic acid, and 20% by mass to 35% by mass of oleic acid.
<6> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the content of component (B) is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 5.7% by mass or more, even more preferably 6% by mass or more, still more preferably 7% by mass or more, still more preferably 8% by mass or more, and is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, still more preferably 20% by mass or less, still more preferably 17% by mass or less, and still more preferably 16% by mass or less.
<7> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <5>, wherein the content of component (B) is preferably 5 to 50% by mass, more preferably 5 to 40% by mass, even more preferably 5.7 to 40% by mass, even more preferably 5.7 to 30% by mass, still more preferably 6 to 20% by mass, even more preferably 7 to 17% by mass, and still more preferably 8 to 16% by mass.
<8> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein the component (C) is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters.
<9> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <7>, comprising, as component (C), one or more selected from the group consisting of polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters.
<10> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <9>, wherein the HLB of component (C) is preferably 6 or more, more preferably 8 or more, and preferably 20 or less, more preferably 17 or less.
<11> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the content of component (C) is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.75% by mass or less, and is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, and still more preferably 0.3% by mass or more.
<12> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the content of component (C) is preferably 0.01 to 2% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 1.5% by mass, even more preferably 0.2 to 1.0% by mass, and still more preferably 0.3 to 0.75% by mass.
<13> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <12>, wherein the content mass ratio of component (A) to component (B) [(A)/(B)] is preferably 15 or less, more preferably 12 or less, even more preferably 9 or less, still more preferably 6 or less, still more preferably 5.5 or less, and is preferably 1.5 or more, more preferably 3 or more, even more preferably 3.5 or more.
<14> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <12>, wherein the content mass ratio of component (A) to component (B) [(A)/(B)] is preferably 1.5 to 15, more preferably 1.5 to 12, even more preferably 3 to 9, still more preferably 3 to 6, and still more preferably 3.5 to 5.5.
<15> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <14>, wherein the content mass ratio of component (A) to component (C) [(A)/(C)] is preferably 40 or more, more preferably 65 or more, even more preferably 90 or more, still more preferably 105 or more, still more preferably 130 or more, and is preferably 300 or less, more preferably 250 or less, even more preferably 200 or less, still more preferably 160 or less, still more preferably 150 or less.
<16> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <14>, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (A) to the content of component (C) [(A)/(C)] is preferably 40 to 300, more preferably 40 to 250, even more preferably 65 to 250, still more preferably 90 to 200, still more preferably 105 to 160, and even more preferably 130 to 150.
<17> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <16>, wherein the content mass ratio of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is preferably 14 or more, more preferably 20 or more, even more preferably 25 or more, and is preferably 300 or less, more preferably 200 or less, even more preferably 100 or less, still more preferably 60 or less, and still more preferably 40 or less.
<18> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <16>, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (B) to the content of component (C) [(B)/(C)] is preferably 9 to 300, more preferably 9 to 200, even more preferably 14 to 100, still more preferably 20 to 60, and still more preferably 25 to 40.
<19> The following components (A), (B) and (C):
A solid food composition comprising (A) whey protein in an amount of 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less, (B) milk lipid in an amount of 5.7% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and (C) a polyglycerol fatty acid ester, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more.
<20> The following components (A), (B) and (C):
(A) whey protein 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less; (B) milk lipid 5.7% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less; and (C) polyglycerin fatty acid ester,
the mass ratio of the content of the component (A) to the content of the component (B) [(A)/(B)] is 1.5 or more and 12 or less;
A solid food composition, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (B) to the content of component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more.

<21> The following components (A), (B) and (C):
(A) Whey Protein
A food composition comprising (B) a milk lipid and (C) an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of the content of the component (B) to the component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 9 or more,
The content of component (A) and component (B) relative to the solid content in the food composition is as follows:
(A) Whey protein 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less (B) Milk lipid 5% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.
<22> The food composition according to <21>, wherein the content of component (A) relative to the solid content in the food composition is preferably 55% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and is preferably 82% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 77% by mass or less, and still more preferably 73% by mass or less.
<23> The food composition according to <21>, wherein the content of component (A) relative to the solid content in the food composition is preferably 50 to 80 mass%, more preferably 55 to 77 mass%, and even more preferably 60 to 73 mass%.
<24> The food composition according to any one of <21> to <23>, wherein the content of component (B) relative to the solid content is preferably 5.7% by mass or more, more preferably 6% by mass or more, even more preferably 7% by mass or more, still more preferably 8% by mass or more, and is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 17% by mass or less, and still more preferably 16% by mass or less.
<25> The food composition according to any one of <21> to <23>, wherein the content of component (B) relative to the solid content is preferably 5.7 to 40% by mass, more preferably 5.7 to 30% by mass, even more preferably 6 to 20% by mass, still more preferably 7 to 17% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 16% by mass.
<26> The food composition according to any one of <21> to <25>, which is a solid food composition.
<27> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <20> and <26>, which is in the form of powder, granules, tablets, bars, plates, or blocks.
<28> The solid food composition according to any one of <1> to <20>, <26>, and <27>, which contains lactose, starch, modified starch, or dextrin as an excipient.
<29> The food composition according to any one of <21> to <25>, which is a liquid food composition.
<30> The food composition according to <29>, wherein the liquid food composition is in the form of a liquid, a concentrated liquid, a gel, or a jelly.
<31> The food composition according to <29> or <30>, wherein the solid content in the liquid food composition is preferably 2.5% by mass or more, more preferably 7% by mass or more, even more preferably 10% by mass or more, and preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, even more preferably 25% by mass or less.

[Analysis method]
(1) Analysis of Protein Amount The total protein amount was calculated using the combustion method with a nitrogen/protein conversion factor of 6.38.
The amount of whey protein was calculated as all the total protein for the whey protein raw material, and as 20% by mass of the total protein in the cream powder, based on the ratio of whey protein and casein protein in the protein in the milk.

(2) Analysis of Milk Lipid Content Milk lipid content was determined by acid hydrolysis. 1 g of a sample was weighed and hydrochloric acid was added to decompose it, after which diethyl ether and petroleum ether were added and mixed by stirring. The ether mixture layer was removed and washed with water. The solvent was distilled off, and the sample was dried and then weighed to determine the lipid content.

(3) Measurement of Moisture Content The moisture content was determined by a normal pressure heating and drying method (drying at 100°C for 4 hours and measuring the weight).

(4) Analysis of Carbohydrates The amount of carbohydrates was determined by subtracting the amounts of protein, milk fat, ash, and moisture in the sample from the mass of the sample.
The ash content was determined by the direct ashing method (a sample was ashed at 550°C and weighed).

[Raw materials]
The raw materials used in this example are listed below.
Whey protein raw material (WPI): WPI 895 (Fonterra)
Whey protein raw material (WPC): WPC472 (Fonterra)
Cream powder: Heavy cream powder (manufactured by Hoosier Hill Farm)
・Lactose: Lactose (Shizen Kenko Co., Ltd.)
Emulsifier (polyglycerin oleate): Ryoto Polyglycerol O-15D (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical), HLB 13
Emulsifier (Polyglycerin laurate): Ryoto Polyglycerol L-7D (Mitsubishi Chemical), HLB 17
Emulsifier (Polyglycerol myristate ester): Ryoto Polyglycerol M-7D (Mitsubishi Chemical), HLB 16
Emulsifier (sorbitan laurate): Emazol L-10V (Kao), HLB 8.6
Emulsifier (Polysorbate 20): Emazol L-120V (Kao), HLB 16.7
Emulsifier (Polysorbate 80): Emazol 0-120V (Kao), HLB 15.0
The composition of the whey protein ingredient (WPI) was: moisture 5.9g/100g, protein: 93.8g/100g, fat 0.5g/100g, carbohydrate 0g/100g.
The composition of the whey protein raw material (WPC) was 4.6 g/100 g moisture, 78.09 g/100 g protein, 5.25 g/100 g fat, and 6.6 g/100 g carbohydrates.
The composition of the cream powder was water 1.3g/100g, protein 8.2g/100g, lipid 72.5g/100g, carbohydrate 12.9g/100g, and the composition of lactose was water 5g/100g, protein 0g/100g, lipid 0g/100g, carbohydrate 95g/100g.

Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Example 1
A mixed powder was obtained by mixing the raw materials except for the emulsifier in the formulation shown in Table 1. To 7.5 g of the obtained mixed powder, an emulsifier solution was added, which had been dissolved in ion-exchanged water in advance so that the amount of emulsifier relative to the mixed powder was the formulation shown in Table 1, and ion-exchanged water was further added so that the solution became a 15% by mass aqueous solution. The mixture was stirred with a stirrer until the powder was dissolved, and a solution for evaluation was obtained.
The resulting evaluation solutions were evaluated by a panel of four experts according to the following criteria. The final score was determined as the average score (rounded to the nearest tenth) of the scores determined by each expert panel.

[Sensory evaluation]
The unpleasant taste derived from whey protein was evaluated based on whether or not the unpleasant taste was felt when ingested. The unpleasant taste felt in a solution in which only whey protein raw material (WPI) or whey protein raw material (WPC) was dissolved in ion-exchanged water to a concentration of 15% by mass was scored as "1," and the unpleasant taste felt in other samples in which no unpleasant taste derived from whey protein was felt at all was scored as "5." The samples were ranked relative to each other on a five-point scale from "1" to "5."
[Unpleasant taste derived from whey protein]
5: No unpleasant taste at all 4: Slight unpleasant taste 3: Slightly unpleasant taste, but not bothersome 2: Strong unpleasant taste 1: Very strong unpleasant taste (equivalent to an aqueous solution containing only 15% whey protein raw material by mass)

The unpleasant taste of the emulsifier was evaluated based on whether or not the unpleasant taste was felt when ingested. The unpleasant taste felt in an emulsifier solution prepared by dissolving only the emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) in ion-exchanged water to a concentration of 0.075% by mass (the content of the emulsifier in the solution was the same as in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2) was scored as "1," and the unpleasant taste felt in the other samples was scored as "5." The unpleasant taste felt in the other samples was scored as "5," based on whether or not the unpleasant taste of the emulsifier was felt when ingested.
[Unpleasant taste of emulsifiers]
5: No unpleasant taste at all 4: Slightly unpleasant taste 3: Slightly unpleasant taste, but not bothersome 2: Strongly unpleasant taste 1: Very strongly unpleasant taste

The results are shown in Table 1.
In the following Tables 1 to 5, the values of the emulsifiers were calculated from the component composition values of each blended raw material other than the emulsifiers.

Examples 11 to 15
Evaluation solutions having the compositions shown in Table 2 were obtained by the same procedure as in Example 1. A sensory evaluation was carried out for each evaluation solution. The sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the unpleasant taste of a solution containing only each emulsifier was evaluated as "1". The results are also shown in Table 2.

Example 16
The raw materials mixed according to the composition shown in Table 3 were charged into a fluidized bed granulator (FLOW COATER FL-LABO manufactured by Freund Corporation, the same applies hereinafter) so that the final weight was 298.5 g. The emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) was completely dissolved in ion-exchanged water, and a 1.5 mass % aqueous solution of the emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) was sprayed at an intake air temperature of 80°C, an intake air flow rate of 0.25 ^m3 /min, a spray rate of approximately 5 mL/min, and a spray amount of 100 g. The mixture was then dried at an air flow rate of 0.25 ^m3 /min for 10 minutes and sieved through a sieve with 1 mm openings to prepare Granule 1.
For the sensory evaluation, the prepared granules 1 were dissolved in ion-exchanged water to give a 15% by mass aqueous solution to obtain evaluation solutions, and each evaluation solution was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are also shown in Table 3.

Examples 17 to 25 and Comparative Example 2
292.25 g of whey protein raw material (WPI) was placed in a fluidized bed granulator (FLOW COATER FL-LABO manufactured by Freund Corporation; the same applies hereinafter). The emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) was completely dissolved in ion-exchanged water, and a 6.46 wt% aqueous solution of the emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) was sprayed at an intake air temperature of 80°C, an intake air volume of 0.25 ^m3 /min, a spray rate of approximately 5 mL/min, and a spray amount of 120 g. The mixture was then dried for 10 minutes at an air volume of 0.25 ^m3 /min and sieved through a sieve with 1 mm openings to prepare granule 2. The whey protein raw material content of granule 2 was 97.42 wt%, and the emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) content was 2.58 wt%.
Next, granule 2, additional whey protein ingredient (WPI), lactose and cream powder were mixed according to the formulation shown in Table 4 to obtain 30 g of a mixed powder.
The resulting mixed powder was evaluated by a panel of four experts according to the following criteria. The final score was determined as the average score (rounded to the nearest tenth) of the scores given by each expert panel.

[Sensory evaluation]
The unpleasant taste derived from whey protein was evaluated based on whether or not the unpleasant taste was felt when ingested. The unpleasant taste felt when a powder containing 99.5% by mass of whey protein ingredient (WPI) and 0.5% by mass of emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) (Control Product 1) was orally ingested as is was scored as "1," and the other samples were scored as "5" when no unpleasant taste derived from whey protein was felt at all. The samples were ranked relative to each other on a 5-point scale from "1" to "5."
[Unpleasant taste derived from whey protein]
5: No unpleasant taste at all 4: Slightly unpleasant taste 3: Slightly unpleasant taste, but not bothersome 2: Strongly unpleasant taste 1: Very strongly unpleasant taste

The unpleasant taste of the emulsifier was evaluated based on whether or not the unpleasant taste was felt when ingested. The unpleasant taste felt when a powder containing 99.5% by mass of whey protein ingredient (WPI) and 0.5% by mass of emulsifier (polyglycerol oleate) (Control Product 1) was orally ingested as is was given a rating of "1," and the other samples were given a rating of "5" if no unpleasant taste due to the emulsifier was felt at all. The samples were ranked relative to each other on a 5-point scale from "1" to "5."
[Unpleasant taste of emulsifiers]
5: No unpleasant taste at all 4: Slightly unpleasant taste 3: Slightly unpleasant taste, but not bothersome 2: Strongly unpleasant taste 1: Very strongly unpleasant taste

The results are shown in Table 4.

Examples 26 to 27 and Comparative Examples 3 to 4
Mixed powders having the compositions shown in Table 5 were obtained by the same procedure as in Example 1. Ion-exchanged water was added to the obtained mixed powders so that the aqueous solutions were 5 mass %, 15 mass %, or 30 mass %. The mixture was stirred with a stirrer until the powder was dissolved, and solutions for evaluation were obtained.
A sensory evaluation was carried out for each evaluation solution. The sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 5.

Tables 1 to 5 show that by adding milk lipids and using a specific ratio of milk lipids to emulsifiers, a food composition can be obtained in which the unpleasant taste specific to whey protein and the unpleasant taste caused by the emulsifier are suppressed.

Claims (8)

The following components (A), (B), and (C):
A solid food composition comprising (A) whey protein in an amount of 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less, (B) milk lipid, and (C) an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (B) to component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 14 or more and 200 or less . The solid food composition according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of component (A) to component (B) [(A)/(B)] is 15 or less. The solid food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio of component (A) to component (C) [(A)/(C)] is 40 or more. The solid food composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fatty acid composition of component (B) is 5% to 15% by mass of myristic acid, 20% to 40% by mass of palmitic acid, 5% to 15% by mass of stearic acid, and 20% to 35% by mass of oleic acid. The solid food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein component (C) is one or more selected from polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters. The solid food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of component (B) is 5% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less. The solid food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of component (C) is 2% by mass or less. The following components (A), (B), and (C):
A food composition comprising (A) whey protein (B) milk lipid (C) and an emulsifier, wherein the mass ratio of the content of component (B) to the content of component (C) [(B)/(C)] is 14 or more and 200 or less ,
The content of component (A) and component (B) relative to the solid content in the food composition is as follows:
(A) Whey protein 50% by mass or more and 82% by mass or less (B) Milk lipid 5% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.