JP7784243B2 - Composition and method for producing coconut milk-containing food - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a composition and a method for producing a coconut milk-containing food product.

Coconut milk is a white ingredient used in a variety of dishes. Some colored foods use coconut milk. For example, green curry is a green food that contains coconut milk. Green curry is characterized by its coconut milk flavor and green color, which comes from the color of herbs.

Appearance is one of the important quality characteristics of food. Therefore, it is desirable to impart the desired color to colored dishes that use coconut milk. In the case of retort pouch foods, it is also desirable for the color to be maintained even after heat sterilization. It is desirable to provide a composition that stably maintains the imparted color even after long-term storage.

As a technology related to the appearance of foods containing coconut milk, Patent Document 1 (Patent No. 6690888) discloses an invention aimed at providing a method for preparing a green curry-style sauce from a brown curry sauce. The invention described in Patent Document 1 is a powdered additive for turmeric-containing curry sauce, which contains 5% to 70% by weight of coconut milk powder, a calcium-containing edible white powder, and a blue pigment, with the weight ratio of the calcium-equivalent weight of the calcium-containing edible white powder to the blue pigment being 0.015 to 12.0:0.002 to 0.50.

Patent Document 1 (Patent No. 6690888)

When coloring foods, it is necessary to impart the desired color to the food. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a means for stably imparting the desired color to foods containing coconut milk, or for maintaining the color stably even after heat sterilization or long-term storage.

The present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by the following means.
[1] A method for producing a composition, comprising the steps of emulsifying a plant material containing a pigment and an oil or fat to prepare an emulsion, and mixing the emulsion with coconut milk.
[2] The manufacturing method described in [1], wherein the step of preparing the emulsion includes any one of a step of shearing the plant material and the oil, a step of mixing the plant material with the oil while shearing, and a step of mixing the sheared plant material with the oil while further shearing.
[3] The method according to [1] or [2], wherein the step of preparing the emulsion is carried out under heating.
[4] The method according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the pigment includes a fat-soluble pigment.
[5] A method for producing a coconut milk-containing food, comprising: preparing the composition by the method according to any one of [1] to [4]; and mixing the composition with other food ingredients to prepare a coconut milk-containing food.

The present invention makes it possible to stably impart color to foods containing coconut milk or to improve the stability in terms of appearance. It also makes it possible to provide a composition with improved storage stability in terms of appearance.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.
The method according to this embodiment includes a step of emulsifying a plant material containing a pigment and an oil to obtain an emulsion (step S1), and a step of mixing the emulsion with coconut milk to obtain a composition (step S2). According to this method, the color of an emulsion, which is a dispersion of the pigment, is first prepared in step S1, thereby determining its color. Then, in step S2, the emulsion is mixed with coconut milk to obtain a composition having a desired color. The composition obtained by this method stably retains the imparted color even after heat treatment or long-term storage, and can impart a desired color when used in processed foods, etc. Note that preparing an emulsion containing coconut milk in step S1 results in a whitening of the emulsion, making it impossible to prepare and impart the desired color.

Each process is described in detail below.

(Step S1: Preparation of emulsion)
First, a plant material containing a pigment is prepared. The plant material may be in any form. It may be a raw plant or may be in powder form. The type of plant material is not particularly limited as long as it contains a pigment.
Examples of pigments include chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanins, capsanthin, lycopene, and phycocyanins.
Preferably, the pigment is a fat-soluble pigment, such as carotenoid, chlorophyll, capsanthin, and lycopene.
Examples of plant raw materials include spinach, turmeric, blueberries, blackcurrants, purple sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, paprika, tomatoes, carrots, green bell peppers, green chili peppers, broccoli, cruciferous green vegetables, green peas, mulukhiyah, chlorella, and spirulina.

Fat or oil is also prepared. There are no particular limitations on the type of fat or oil. Examples of fat or oil include natural fats, processed fats, vegetable fats, animal fats, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, vegetable fat or oil is used. Examples of vegetable fat or oil include at least one selected from the group consisting of palm oil, almond oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, and margarine. Preferably, palm oil is used as the vegetable fat or oil. Use of palm oil can further enhance the coconut flavor. The oil required for emulsification may be derived from a high-fat plant material.

The prepared plant material and oil are then emulsified to prepare an emulsion, which has a uniform color.
Specifically, any of the following steps can be employed: shearing the plant material and the oil/fat, mixing the plant material with the oil/fat while shearing, or mixing the sheared plant material with the oil/fat while further shearing. Preferably, the steps are shearing both the plant material and the oil/fat, and mixing the plant material with the oil/fat while shearing.
The term "shearing" refers to breaking down the processed material by shearing force. That is, by mixing the plant raw material or oil while shearing, the water (derived from the plant raw material or extraneous) and the oil or plant raw material are broken down and mixed together to form an emulsion.
Examples of means for applying shear force include a comitrol, a mixer, a colloid mill, and a homogenizer.

For example, 30 to 110 parts by mass of plant raw material is mixed with 100 parts by mass of oil. The amount of plant raw material used per 100 parts by mass of oil is preferably 40 to 100 parts by mass, more preferably 50 to 90 parts by mass.

In preparing the emulsion, raw materials other than those mentioned above may be mixed as needed. For example, other raw materials include almonds. The use of almonds can enhance the coconut flavor. Natural emulsifiers with emulsifying power can be used, and the almonds can be used as nuts with emulsifying power. Increasing the degree of emulsification of the emulsion and composition can improve the color stability of the composition.
Furthermore, water is required for the preparation of an emulsion. The water required for emulsification may be derived from plant materials or may be water added from an external source.

Preferably, the emulsion is prepared under heating. The heating temperature is, for example, 80 to 120°C, preferably 90 to 110°C, and more preferably 95 to 100°C, so that the product temperature is 80 to 120°C, preferably 90 to 110°C, and more preferably 95 to 100°C.

(Step S2: Mixing with coconut milk)
Next, the emulsion prepared in step S1 is mixed with coconut milk to obtain the composition according to the present embodiment. The form of the coconut milk is not particularly limited. For example, coconut milk powder can be used.

Preferably, the emulsion and coconut milk are mixed by heating and mixing. The heating temperature is, for example, 80 to 110°C, preferably 90 to 100°C.

The amount of coconut milk to be blended per 100 parts by mass of the composition is, for example, 40 to 80 parts by mass, preferably 50 to 70 parts by mass, in terms of solid content.

The resulting mixture of emulsion and coconut milk is preferably in the form of a paste.

If desired, ingredients other than coconut milk may be mixed with the emulsion in this step.

(composition)
The composition according to this embodiment can be obtained by the method described above.

The resulting composition is mixed with other food ingredients, such as curry sauce, and served as a coconut milk-containing food product.

In a preferred embodiment, the composition is used as an ingredient in foods that are heat-treated in a sealed state, such as seasonings for retort foods. That is, the composition is filled into a retort container or the like together with other food ingredients, sealed, and then subjected to retort processing (heat-pressure sterilization processing). This results in a retort food or the like as a coconut milk-containing food. Generally, heat processing such as retort processing can cause deterioration in color and flavor of the coconut milk. In contrast, use of the composition according to this embodiment suppresses color and flavor deterioration caused by retort processing, etc.

In a preferred embodiment, the composition is used to prepare retort curry. That is, the composition is mixed with curry sauce, filled into a retort container, sealed, and then retort processing is carried out. The amount of seasoning used per 100 parts by mass of curry sauce is, for example, 5 to 25 parts by mass, preferably 8 to 15 parts by mass, in the sauce excluding ingredients. The retort curry is preferably green curry.

The following examples are provided to explain the present invention in more detail. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following examples.

[Composition and curry sauce using the same]
Example 1
A composition (paste-like seasoning) according to Example 1 was prepared using the composition shown in Recipe 1 in Table 1. Specifically, an emulsion was first obtained using almond powder, spinach paste previously pulverized at room temperature using a Comitrol, turmeric powder, and palm oil. More specifically, the spinach paste previously pulverized using a Comitrol was further shredded using a Comitrol with shearing force and mixed with other ingredients to obtain an emulsion. The mixing was carried out under heating at 98°C. The resulting emulsion had a uniform color.

Next, the resulting emulsion was heated and mixed with coconut milk powder. The heating temperature was approximately 95°C, and the mixing time was 10 minutes. This yielded the composition of Example 1.

(Comparative Example 1)
Spinach paste pulverized at room temperature using a Comitrol mill according to the composition shown in Recipe 1 in Table 1 was mixed with almond powder, turmeric powder, and palm oil using a kneader equipped with stirring blades. However, the plant raw materials (spinach paste, turmeric powder) and oil (palm oil) were mixed with a stirring force that was not strong enough to shear them.
Furthermore, the obtained mixture was heated and mixed with coconut milk powder in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain a composition according to Comparative Example 1.
(Comparative Example 2)
A composition according to Comparative Example 2 was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that the composition shown in Blend 2 in Table 1 was used.

Using approximately 10 parts by mass of the composition of Example 1, Comparative Example 1, or Comparative Example 2, approximately 2 parts by mass of fish sauce, approximately 3 parts by mass of vegetable and chicken stock extract, approximately 2 parts by mass of seasoning, approximately 10 parts by mass of spices, and the remaining amount of water (total 100 parts by mass), green curry was produced by heating and mixing the ingredients in a conventional manner, and then pressurized and heated to prepare a retort pouch curry.

(Sensory evaluation)
The resulting retort curry was evaluated for "coconut milk flavor" by sensory evaluation. The sensory evaluation was carried out according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 2.
(Coconut milk flavor)
◎: In addition to a sweet coconut-like scent, it has a unique oily and rich creaminess.
△: Has a sweet coconut-like scent, but lacks body and richness.
×: No sweet coconut-like scent, and no distinctive flavor.

(exterior)
The appearance of the curry was observed immediately after production and after the heating and pressure treatment. The results are shown in Table 2. The results in Table 2 have the following meanings.
⊚: The green curry after production and heating and pressure treatment was a bright, vivid yellow-green color.
△: The green curry after production and heating and pressure treatment is a dull yellow-green color compared to ◎.

(Color data)
Furthermore, color data was obtained for each of the green curries using the compositions of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 using a color difference meter (SE6000 manufactured by Nippon Denshoku). Measurements were performed at a product temperature of 50°C or higher to prevent whitening due to solidification of the oil. Specifically, Hunter Lab values (L value, a value, b value) were measured at several locations on the exterior, and the average values were calculated for each.
The L value corresponds to lightness, with L = 100 being white and L = 0 being black. The larger the L value, the brighter the image tends to be. An increase in the a value on the positive side indicates a reddish tint, an increase in the a value on the negative side indicates a greenish tint, and an increase in the b value on the positive side indicates a yellowish tint, and an increase in the b value on the negative side indicates a blueish tint.
The results are shown in Table 3. Example 1 had higher brightness and a more vivid yellow-green color tone than Comparative Example 1. That is, Example 1 was superior in coconut milk flavor and color quality to Comparative Example 1. This demonstrates that by mixing plant raw materials, oils and fats, and coconut milk in a predetermined manner, a composition and coconut milk-containing food product with excellent coconut milk flavor and color quality can be obtained.

The figures are parts by mass

"←" indicates that the column is the same as the one on the left.

[Composition and color data thereof]
Examples 1 to 3
In addition to Example 1, compositions of Examples 2 and 3 were prepared. Table 4 shows the formulations of Examples 1 to 3.
For Examples 1 and 2, the spinach paste was mixed with the other ingredients except for the coconut milk powder while shearing using a Comitrol to obtain a mixture, which was then heated and mixed with the coconut milk powder.
For Example 3, the ingredients other than coconut milk powder were first mixed while shearing using a Comitrol to obtain a mixture. The resulting mixture was then heated and mixed with coconut milk powder. In each example, the heating conditions during shearing and heating were the same as in Example 1. Each of the produced compositions was subjected to a pressurized heat treatment, and color data was obtained using the measurement method described above for each composition stored for a certain period after production and after the pressurized heat treatment.

The figures are parts by mass

It should be noted that "Example 1" refers to Example 1. The same applies to the other numbers.

After storage for the equivalent of two months, a forced test is conducted to show the results after storage at room temperature for the equivalent of two months.
After storage for the equivalent of four months, a forced test was conducted to show the results after storage at room temperature for the equivalent of four months.
ΔLabE was calculated as the rate of change after storage for the equivalent of two months compared to storage for the equivalent of four months.

The results are shown in Table 5.
Example 1 had high brightness and a vivid yellow-green color, demonstrating its excellent performance. This indicates that a vivid color can be achieved by first preparing an emulsion of plant ingredients and fats and oils, and then mixing it with coconut milk. Furthermore, the color did not change much after storage, demonstrating excellent stability.
In Example 2, in which only spinach was used as the plant material containing the pigment, the brightness was high and the yellow-green color was vivid. In Example 2, the brightness was high and the yellow-green color was vivid. This demonstrates that even when spinach is the only plant material containing the pigment, a vivid color can be imparted by preparing an emulsion in advance.
In Example 3, in which only turmeric was used as the plant material containing the pigment, the brightness was high and the yellow-green color was vivid. This demonstrates that even when turmeric is the only plant material containing the pigment, a vivid color can be imparted by preparing an emulsion in advance.

(Examples 4 to 6)
Compositions according to Examples 4 to 6 (paste-like seasoning materials containing tomato paste, carrot paste, and paprika color) were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 6.
Specifically, the ingredients other than coconut milk powder were mixed under shear using a Comitrol to obtain a mixture. The resulting mixture was then heated and mixed with coconut milk powder. In each example, the heating conditions for the shearing and heating were the same as in Example 1.

The results are shown in Table 7.
Example 4, which used tomato paste, had a vivid red color and was excellent.
In Example 5, which used carrot paste, yellow was predominant, and the L value showed a high brightness.
Example 6, which used a paprika pigment, resulted in a high brightness in terms of L value.

Claims (4)

A step of emulsifying a plant material containing a pigment, oils and fats, and nuts to prepare an emulsion;
mixing the emulsion with coconut milk;
A method for producing a heat-pressure sterilized composition, comprising:
The production method, wherein the step of preparing the emulsion comprises any one of a step of shearing the plant material and the oil/fat, a step of mixing the plant material with the oil/fat while shearing, and a step of mixing the sheared plant material with the oil/fat while further shearing , and is carried out under heating . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pigment comprises a fat-soluble pigment. In the step of preparing the emulsion, 30 to 110 parts by mass of the plant material is mixed with 100 parts by mass of the oil or fat,
The method according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the amount of coconut milk blended per 100 parts by mass of the composition is 40 to 80 parts by mass in terms of solid content. preparing the composition by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ;
mixing the composition with other food ingredients to prepare a coconut milk-containing food product;
A method for producing a coconut milk-containing food product, comprising: