Method for preparing caramel pigment from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of food additives, and particularly relates to a method for preparing caramel pigment from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating, which comprises the following steps: S1, hydrolyzing the organic meal: mixing the organic meal with sodium bicarbonate, then adding pure water, then putting the mixed feed liquid into a microwave heater for hydrolysis, and filtering to obtain filtrate; precipitating and filtering solid impurities from the reacted feed liquid to obtain organic cake meal hydrolysate; s2, preparing caramel pigment: adding water into cane molasses for dilution, then mixing the diluted cane molasses with the organic cake hydrolysate, then putting the mixed solution into a microwave heater, carrying out gradient heating reaction, filtering the reaction solution after the reaction is finished, and evaporating and concentrating the filtrate to obtain the caramel pigment. According to the caramel pigment and the preparation method thereof, the problems of high production cost and insufficient safety of the caramel pigment in the prior art can be solved, and the caramel pigment which is good in flavor, high in color rate and excellent in safety and stability can be formed while the cost of the caramel pigment can be remarkably reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food additives, and more particularly to a method for preparing caramel coloring from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating. Background Technology

[0002] Caramel color is one of the most widely used food colorings globally. Based on different production processes and reactants, the Codex Alimentarius Commission classifies it into four categories: I, II, III, and IV. Among them, Category III caramel color, namely ammonia-based caramel color, is widely used in industries such as soy sauce, vinegar, beer, beverages, and baked goods due to its excellent coloring ability, stable ditar properties, and good stability in acidic environments.

[0003] Traditional ammonia-based caramel color production processes typically use sucrose, glucose, or starch syrup as carbon sources and ammonium compounds, such as ammonia, ammonium carbonate, and ammonium sulfite, as nitrogen sources, producing the color through Maillard and caramelization reactions at high temperatures. However, this traditional process has several significant drawbacks: First, the core raw materials for this process, sugar and chemical ammonium salts, are expensive and their prices are highly susceptible to market fluctuations; second, the reaction process is energy-intensive, requiring prolonged high-temperature heating, resulting in low production efficiency; more importantly, under the intense high-temperature and high-pressure reaction conditions, a potential carcinogen—4-methylimidazole (4-MEI)—is easily generated, affecting the safety of caramel color. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for preparing caramel coloring from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating, so as to solve the technical problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A method for preparing caramel coloring from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating includes the following steps: S1 Organic Meal Hydrolysis: Organic meal is mixed with sodium bicarbonate, then pure water is added, and the mixture is placed in a microwave heater for hydrolysis. After the reaction, the mixture is filtered to remove solid impurities, and organic meal hydrolysate is obtained. S2 Caramel Color Preparation: Dilute sugarcane molasses with water, then mix the diluted sugarcane molasses with organic cake hydrolysate, and then place the mixture in a microwave heater for gradient heating reaction. After the reaction is completed, filter the reaction solution, take the filtrate, evaporate and concentrate it to obtain caramel color.

[0006] Furthermore, in S1, the organic meal is one of rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, soybean meal, and peanut meal.

[0007] Furthermore, in S1, organic meal and sodium bicarbonate are mixed in a mass ratio of 10:1.

[0008] Furthermore, in S1, when pure water is added, the mass ratio of the material to the liquid is 1:10.

[0009] Furthermore, in S1, the hydrolysis temperature is 65℃ and the time is 4h.

[0010] Furthermore, in S2, sugarcane molasses is diluted with water at a mass ratio of 2:1.

[0011] Furthermore, in S2, the diluted sugarcane molasses and organic cake hydrolysate are mixed at a volume ratio of 3:1.

[0012] Furthermore, in S2, the gradient heating conditions are as follows: first, the temperature is increased to 110°C at a rate of 15°C / min and held for 30 min; then, the temperature is increased to 130°C at a rate of 10°C / min and held for 20 min; finally, the temperature is increased to 160°C at a rate of 10°C / min, held for 5 min, and then rapidly cooled.

[0013] Furthermore, in S2, the reaction solution is filtered through an 80-mesh filter cloth.

[0014] Furthermore, in S2, the evaporation and concentration temperature is ≤80℃.

[0015] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are as follows: 1. This invention uses agricultural processing by-products such as rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, soybean meal, and peanut meal as nitrogen sources. By hydrolyzing these organic meals, hydrolysates rich in various amino acids and short peptides are obtained. These organic meal hydrolysates serve as an ideal, natural source of amino compounds that can replace chemical ammonium salts. At the same time, the use of inexpensive sugarcane molasses as a sugar source can significantly reduce the production cost of caramel coloring and improve production efficiency.

[0016] 2. This invention prepares caramel color using a gradient heating method. In the three-stage gradient heating, the first temperature gradient initiates the Maillard reaction and caramelization reaction, the second temperature gradient forms a large number of flavor substances, and the third temperature gradient produces dark macromolecular substances to form caramel color. At the same time, the temperature and reaction time in these three stages of gradient heating are controlled to prevent the formation of excessive 4-methylimidazole and other undesirable byproducts. The whole process is highly efficient and controllable, and can form caramel color with good flavor, high color rate, and excellent safety and stability. It can significantly improve product quality and can be widely used in coloring in various fields, showing good application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 These are the identification results of the types and quantities of volatile flavor substances in the caramel colorings of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-2 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that many details listed in the specification are merely to provide the reader with a thorough understanding of one or more aspects of the invention, and these aspects of the invention can be achieved even without these specific details.

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, a method for preparing caramel coloring from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating includes the following steps: S1 Organic Meal Hydrolysis: Organic meal and sodium bicarbonate are mixed at a mass ratio of 10:1. The organic meal is one of rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, soybean meal, and peanut meal. Then, pure water is added, and the mass ratio of material to liquid is 1:10. The mixed liquid is then placed in a microwave heater and hydrolyzed at a temperature of 65°C for 4 hours. After the reaction liquid is precipitated and filtered to remove solid impurities, organic meal hydrolysate is obtained. Preparation of S2 caramel color: Sugarcane molasses was diluted with water at a mass ratio of 2:1. Then, the diluted sugarcane molasses was mixed with organic cake hydrolysate at a volume ratio of 3:1. The mixture was then placed in a microwave heater for gradient heating reaction. The gradient heating conditions were as follows: first, the temperature was increased to 110℃ at a rate of 15℃ / min and held for 30min; then, the temperature was increased to 130℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min and held for 20min; finally, the temperature was increased to 160℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min and held for 5min, followed by rapid cooling. During the gradient heating reaction, the mixture was continuously stirred at a speed of 300rpm. After the reaction was completed, the reaction solution was filtered through an 80-mesh filter cloth. The filtrate was evaporated and concentrated at a temperature ≤80℃ to obtain caramel color.

[0020] The following description uses more specific examples.

[0021] Example 1 A method for preparing caramel coloring from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating includes the following steps: S1 Organic Meal Hydrolysis: Organic meal and sodium bicarbonate are mixed at a mass ratio of 10:1. The organic meal is rapeseed meal. Then pure water is added, and the mass ratio of material to liquid is 1:10. The mixed liquid is then placed in a microwave heater and hydrolyzed at a temperature of 65°C for 4 hours. After the reaction liquid is precipitated and filtered to remove solid impurities, organic meal hydrolysate is obtained. Preparation of S2 caramel color: Sugarcane molasses was diluted with water at a mass ratio of 2:1. Then, the diluted sugarcane molasses was mixed with organic cake hydrolysate at a volume ratio of 3:1. The mixture was then placed in a microwave heater for gradient heating reaction. The gradient heating conditions were as follows: first, the temperature was increased to 110℃ at a rate of 15℃ / min and held for 30min; then, the temperature was increased to 130℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min and held for 20min; finally, the temperature was increased to 160℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min and held for 5min, followed by rapid cooling. During the gradient heating reaction, the mixture was continuously stirred at a speed of 300rpm. After the reaction was completed, the reaction solution was filtered through an 80-mesh filter cloth. The filtrate was evaporated and concentrated at a temperature ≤80℃ to obtain caramel color.

[0022] The rapeseed meal mentioned is a byproduct of oil extraction. After detoxification treatment, it is edible.

[0023] The sugarcane molasses mentioned is commercially available final sugarcane molasses, which is one of the by-products of sugarcane sugar factories. Its main indicators are shown in Table 1.

[0024] Table 1 Sugarcane Molasses Indicators

[0025] Example 2 It is basically the same as Example 1, except that the organic meal is cottonseed meal.

[0026] Example 3 It is basically the same as Example 1, except that the organic meal is soybean meal.

[0027] Example 4 It is basically the same as Example 1, except that the organic meal is peanut meal.

[0028] Comparative Example 1 The caramel color was prepared by using the inorganic ammonia method, that is, by using a 5% ammonia solution instead of the organic meal hydrolysate, while the other preparation conditions were the same as in Example 1.

[0029] Comparative Example 2 The commercially available brand is Aipu's ammonia-based caramel color.

[0030] Determination of free amino acid content The content of free amino acids in the organic cake hydrolysate of Examples 1-4 was tested using the ninhydrin colorimetric method (National Standard GB / T 8314-2013), and the results are shown in Table 2.

[0031] Table 2 Free amino acid content

[0032] Therefore, the free amino acid contents in the hydrolysate prepared from the organic meal of this application are 5.8 mg / mL, 6.3 mg / mL, 5.9 mg / mL and 5.4 mg / mL, respectively, indicating that the organic meal used in this application can replace the traditional inorganic ammonia as a nitrogen source.

[0033] 2. Determination of physicochemical properties, safety, and sensory flavor of caramel coloring (1) Determination of color index, red and yellow index Referring to the national standard GB 1886.64-2015 "National Food Safety Standard for Food Additives - Caramel Color", a 0.1% caramel color solution was prepared by accurately weighing the caramel color sample. To ensure the clarity of the sample solution and the accuracy of the measurement results, the sample solution was centrifuged at 3000 r / min for 10 min. The supernatant after centrifugation was collected, and its absorbance (A610, A510, and A460) was measured at 610 nm, 510 nm, and 460 nm using a spectrophotometer. Each measurement was performed in triplicate, and the average value was taken.

[0034] Color ratio, red index, and yellow index are calculated according to formulas (1), (2), and (3), respectively:

[0035] (2) Physicochemical indicators specified in national food safety standards In accordance with the provisions of the national standard GB 1886.64-2015 "National Food Safety Standard for Food Additives Caramel Color", various physicochemical indicators of the prepared caramel color were tested, including absorbance, ammonia nitrogen content, sulfur dioxide content, 4-methylimidazole content, total nitrogen content, total sulfur content, total arsenic content, lead content and total mercury content.

[0036] (3) Sensory requirements stipulated in national food safety standards In accordance with the provisions of the national standard GB 1886.64-2015 "National Food Safety Standard for Food Additives - Caramel Color", the color, state and odor of the prepared caramel color were tested.

[0037] (4) pH value determination Prepare a 0.1% caramel coloring solution and directly measure its pH value using a pH meter.

[0038] (5) Measurement of charge The isoelectric point of proteins, i.e., the pH value corresponding to the protein's electrical neutrality, is determined using the gelatin method. This method is based on the principle of attraction between different charges, using a colloid with known charge properties to determine the pH value corresponding to the change in protein charge. The specific procedure is as follows: First, prepare a 0.5% gelatin solution with warm water. After cooling, take 25 mL of each solution and place it in four separate beakers. Adjust the pH of the solutions to 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 respectively using 1 mol / L hydrochloric acid. Simultaneously, take four more beakers and add 25 mL of 1% caramel solution to each, and similarly adjust the pH to the four gradients using 1 mol / L hydrochloric acid. Then, take 10 mL of the pH-adjusted caramel solution in each test tube, and add 10 drops of gelatin solution of the same acidity to each. After standing for 12 hours, observe the phenomena: if the solution in the test tube remains clear without precipitation, it indicates that the gelatin is positively charged; if turbidity or precipitation occurs, it indicates that the gelatin is negatively charged.

[0039] (6) Determination of salt and acid resistance Weigh a certain amount of caramel coloring and mix it separately with 20% sodium chloride solution and 5% acetic acid solution to prepare a 1% caramel coloring mixed solution. Let it stand for 24 hours and observe its turbidity in a bright place. If the solution is clear and there is no turbidity or precipitate, it indicates good salt and acid resistance; otherwise, it indicates poor salt and acid resistance.

[0040] (7) Determination of resinification time A 50% caramel coloring sample was sealed in a glass tube and placed in a 100°C constant temperature oven. The time required for resinification was observed. If the resinification time exceeded 15 hours, it indicated that the caramel coloring could be stored for more than one year.

[0041] (8) Determination of antioxidant activity The antioxidant activity of caramel color was evaluated using an in vitro free radical scavenging assay, specifically targeting DPPH radicals, hydroxyl radicals (·OH), and nitrite ions (NO2). - The scavenging capacity and total reducing capacity of [a substance] were determined, with vitamin C (Vc) as a positive control. The half-maximal clearance concentration (IC50) was used as the scavenging power. 50 As an evaluation index, the concentration-scavenging rate response function was obtained by measuring six concentration points and performing curve fitting, and the sample concentration required to achieve a 50% scavenging rate was calculated. 50 The lower the value, the stronger the antioxidant capacity of the caramel color. The specific experimental method is as follows: Determination of DPPH free radical scavenging ability: Take 0.2 mL of caramel color sample solution (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 mg / mL) into a colorimetric tube, add 3 mL of 0.1 mmol / L DPPH ethanol solution, react at room temperature in the dark for 30 min, and measure the absorbance Ax at a wavelength of 517 nm. Use ethanol instead of the sample solution as a blank control to measure the absorbance Ao, and use ethanol instead of DPPH solution to measure the background absorbance Axo. Each group of experiments was measured in parallel three times, and the average value was taken. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate was calculated according to formula (4).

[0042]

[0043] Determination of hydroxyl radical (·OH) scavenging ability: Take 2 mL of caramel color sample solution (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 mg / mL) into a colorimetric tube, add 1 mL of 9 mmol / L ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) solution, 1 mL of 8.8 mmol / L hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution and 1 mL of 9 mmol / L salicylic acid-ethanol solution in sequence, mix well and react in a water bath at 37℃ for 15 min, and measure the absorbance Ay at a wavelength of 510 nm. Use ethanol instead of the sample solution as a blank control to measure the absorbance Ao, and use ethanol instead of H2O2 solution and salicylic acid-ethanol solution to measure the background absorbance Ayo. Each group of experiments was measured in parallel three times, and the average value was taken. The ·OH radical scavenging rate was calculated according to formula (5).

[0044]

[0045] Nitrite ions (NO2) - Determination of scavenging ability: Take 2 mL of caramel color sample solution (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 mg / mL) into a colorimetric tube, add 0.4 mL of 5 μg / mL sodium nitrite (NaNO2) solution respectively, mix well, react in a 37℃ water bath for 15 min, cool, add 1 mL of 0.4% p-aminobenzenesulfonic acid solution, let stand for 5 min, then add 0.4 mL of 0.2% naphthylethylenediamine hydrochloride solution, let stand for 15 min, and measure the absorbance Az at a wavelength of 538 nm. Use water instead of sample solution as a blank control to measure absorbance Ao, and use water instead of NaNO2 solution to measure background absorbance Azo. Each group of experiments was measured in parallel three times, the average value was taken, and NO2 was calculated according to formula (6). - Clearance rate.

[0046]

[0047] Determination of reducing power: Take 0.4 mL of caramel color sample solution (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 mg / mL) into a colorimetric tube, add 2 mL of 0.2 mol / L phosphate buffer solution (pH=6.6) and 2 mL of 1% potassium ferricyanide solution in sequence, mix well and react in a 50℃ water bath for 20 min, cool and add 2 mL of 10% trichloroacetic acid solution, mix well again and centrifuge, take 2 mL of supernatant, add 2 mL of water and 0.2 mL of 0.1% ferric chloride solution, let stand for 10 min, and measure the absorbance Aj at a wavelength of 700 nm. Use water instead of sample solution as a blank control to measure absorbance Ao. Each group of experiments is measured in parallel three times, the average value is taken, and the reducing power is calculated according to formula (7). The larger the absorbance, the stronger the reducing power. The half-maximal reducing power concentration (50% of the total reducing power concentration) is used as the basis for the determination of the reducing power. () as an evaluation indicator.

[0048]

[0049] (9) Determination of volatile flavor compounds in caramel coloring Sample pretreatment: Take a certain amount of caramel color sample, place it in a vacuum drying oven at 40°C and dry it into a solid paste. After cooling, prepare a 1% caramel color ethyl acetate solution using 100% ethyl acetate as the solvent.

[0050] Chromatographic conditions: An Agilent 19091S-433 HP-5ms column (30m × 250μm × 0.25μm) was used; column temperature control employed a programmed temperature ramp: 40℃ for 3 min, then ramped to 120℃ at a rate of 3℃ / min and held for 2 min; ramped to 180℃ at a rate of 5℃ / min and held for 2 min; finally ramped to 230℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min and held for 2 min. The flow rate was 1.4 mL / min; the detector was an MSD; the carrier gas was helium; a split injection mode was used with a split ratio of 5:1, an injection volume of 1 μL, and an injection port temperature of 270℃.

[0051] Mass spectrometry conditions: EI ionization mode; ion source temperature 230℃, quadrupole temperature 150℃, transfer line temperature 280℃; data acquisition using scan / SIM mode, scan mass range 35–550 m / z; solvent delay time 4 min. Physicochemical properties, safety, and sensory flavor results of caramel coloring are shown in Table 3.

[0052] Table 3 Physicochemical properties, safety, and sensory flavor of caramel coloring

[0053] aNational Standard GB 1886.64-2015 "National Food Safety Standard for Food Additives - Caramel Color"; b The International Numbering System for Food Additives, adopted by the United Nations Food and Drug Regulatory Commission (CAC) in 1989 (revised in 2001). c The half-maximal clearance (or reducing power) concentration of vitamin C required to use vitamin C as a positive control.

[0054] As shown in Table 3: (1) The caramel colorings obtained from the four organic meal products in Examples 1-4 were all dark brown viscous liquids with a typical caramel aroma. Their color, state, and odor all met the sensory requirements of the national standard GB 1886.64-2015. In addition, the various physicochemical indicators of these four organic meal caramel colorings, including absorbance, ammonia nitrogen content, sulfur dioxide content, 4-methylimidazole content, total nitrogen content, total sulfur content, total arsenic content, lead content, and total mercury content, all met the relevant technical requirements of the national standard GB1886.64-2015.

[0055] (2) The 4-methylimidazole content of the organic meal caramel color in Examples 1-4 was lower than that of Comparative Example 1, which prepared caramel color using the inorganic ammonia method, and Comparative Example 2, which prepared caramel color using the commercial ammonia method. This is because, during the preparation of caramel color using the ammonia method and the ammonium sulfite method, the carbonyl group of the sugar compound and the amino group of the amine (ammonia, ammonium) undergo a Maillard reaction under high temperature conditions, condensing to form a water-soluble dark brown macromolecule. Since the conditions for the Maillard reaction are similar to those for the formation of 4-methylimidazole, the formation of a certain amount of 4-methylimidazole is inevitably induced in the process of using amine (ammonia, ammonium) as an additive. Therefore, the content of 4-methylimidazole is closely related to the raw material composition and process parameters, such as temperature, time, pH value, and concentration. In this application, organic meal hydrolysate is used to replace the traditional inorganic ammonia source as the nitrogen source, and microwave gradient heating technology is combined to precisely control the reaction temperature and time, which significantly reduces the amount of 4-methylimidazole generated while promoting the formation of pigment macromolecules.

[0056] (3) The four organic meal caramel colorants in Examples 1-4 have a color index of 4.2–4.7 × 10⁻⁶. 4The caramel colorant in Example 1 has a high color intensity, which falls within the range specified in the International Numbering System for Food Additives (2001 Revision) adopted by the United Nations Food and Drug Regulatory Commission (CAC) in 1989. Furthermore, its red index is 4.0–4.5 and its yellow index is 6.6–7.3. Therefore, Example 1 is similar to the caramel colorants in Comparative Examples 1-2 in terms of color intensity, red index, and yellow index, with no significant differences. This demonstrates that the caramel colorant prepared in this application possesses excellent color characteristics, making it widely applicable in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic fields where high color tone requirements are necessary.

[0057] (4) The organic caramel colorings from Examples 1-4 have a pH range of 6.6–7.0, indicating weak acidity. All of them carry a positive charge and exhibit good salt and acid resistance. These excellent properties make them suitable for use in condiments, alcoholic beverages, and other beverages in positively charged, high-salt, or acidic environments, such as soy sauce, vinegar, sauces, beer, wine, and syrup beverages. Furthermore, the resinification time of the organic caramel colorings from Examples 1-4 is between 21 and 26 hours, all exceeding 15 hours, indicating a shelf life of over one year and good stability.

[0058] (5) The organic caramel pigments from meal samples in Examples 1-4 all exhibited strong antioxidant activity, and their activity was positively correlated with concentration. In in vitro antioxidant experiments, the half-maximal DHHP scavenging concentration range of Examples 1-4 was 0.23–0.33 mg / mL, while the positive control Vc was 0.05 mg / mL; the half-maximal ·OH scavenging concentration range was 0.64–0.82 mg / mL, while Vc was 0.07 mg / mL; the half-maximal NO2 scavenging concentration range was... - The scavenging concentration range was 0.71–0.94 mg / mL, with a vitamin C concentration of 0.07 mg / mL; the half-maximal reducing power (MCP) range was 0.31–0.42 mg / mL, with a vitamin C concentration of 0.06 mg / mL. Compared with Comparative Examples 1-2, the caramel color of this application showed better resistance to DHHP and NO2. - The scavenging ability is stronger, and its scavenging ability for ·OH is better than that of Comparative Example 1. Therefore, the caramel color of this application has good in vitro antioxidant capacity, broad application prospects, and potential for development and utilization.

[0059] 3. Detection of volatile substances in caramel coloring GC-MS analysis was performed on the caramel colorants prepared from four organic meal products, including Example 1 which had the highest color rate, and the three caramel colorants prepared from Comparative Examples 1-2. Combined with NIST library search results, volatile components with high matching degrees were classified and summarized. The identification results of the types and quantities of volatile flavor compounds are as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0060] A total of 46 volatile components were detected in the caramel color (A) of Example 1, including 8 pyrazines (18%), 7 alcohols (15%), 7 ketones (15%), 5 aldehydes (11%), 5 alkanes (11%), 4 esters (9%), 2 phenols (4%), 2 acids (4%), 2 alkenes (4%), 1 pyridine (2%), and 3 other components (7%).

[0061] A total of 37 volatile components were detected in the caramel color (B) of Comparative Example 1, including 10 ketones (27%), 7 pyrazines (19%), 5 acids (14%), 3 alcohols (8%), 3 aldehydes (8%), 2 furans (5%), 2 alkanes (5%), 1 pyrimidine (3%), 1 phenol (3%), 1 ester (3%), and 3 other compounds (7%).

[0062] A total of 41 volatile components were detected in the caramel color (C) of Comparative Example 2, including 8 pyrazines (20%), 8 ketones (20%), 4 aldehydes (10%), 4 esters (10%), 3 alcohols (7%), 3 acids (7%), 3 alkanes (7%), 2 phenols (5%), 2 furans (5%), 1 alkene (2%), and 3 other compounds (7%).

[0063] Table 4 shows the top ten volatile compounds by peak area percentage in caramel coloring and their odor characteristics.

[0064] Table 4. Odor characteristics of the top 10 compounds by peak area percentage in volatile flavor compounds from Example 1.

[0065] In the preparation of caramel color, the Maillard reaction and caramelization reaction generate various heterocyclic compounds, such as pyrazines, pyrroles, pyrimidines, pyridines, and furans, which impart a unique caramel aroma to the product. Simultaneously, aromatic components such as acids, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and phenols play a coordinating and complementary role in the overall flavor. Figure 2 As can be seen from Table 4, the caramel color prepared in Example 1 of this application has a rich and diverse flavor composition. The total number of volatile flavor substances it contains is higher than that of Comparative Examples 1-2. Moreover, there are more types of major flavor components such as pyrazines, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, alkanes, and esters, and their distribution is more balanced. These compounds work together to construct the complex and unique flavor characteristics of the caramel color of this application, which has important application value in improving food quality and flavor.

[0066] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing caramel coloring from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1 Organic Meal Hydrolysis: Organic meal is mixed with sodium bicarbonate, then pure water is added, and the mixture is placed in a microwave heater for hydrolysis. After the reaction, the mixture is filtered to remove solid impurities, and organic meal hydrolysate is obtained. S2 Caramel Color Preparation: Dilute sugarcane molasses with water, then mix the diluted sugarcane molasses with organic cake hydrolysate, and then place the mixture in a microwave heater for gradient heating reaction. After the reaction is completed, filter the reaction solution, take the filtrate, evaporate and concentrate it to obtain caramel color.

2. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S1, the organic meal is one of rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, soybean meal, and peanut meal.

3. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S1, organic meal and sodium bicarbonate are mixed in a mass ratio of 10:

1.

4. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: When pure water is added to S1, the mass ratio of the material to the liquid is 1:

10.

5. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S1, the hydrolysis temperature is 65℃ and the time is 4h.

6. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, sugarcane molasses is diluted with water at a mass ratio of 2:

1.

7. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, diluted sugarcane molasses and organic cake hydrolysate are mixed at a volume ratio of 3:

1.

8. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the gradient heating conditions are as follows: first, the temperature is increased to 110℃ at a rate of 15℃ / min and held for 30min; then, the temperature is increased to 130℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min and held for 20min; finally, the temperature is increased to 160℃ at a rate of 10℃ / min, held for 5min, and then rapidly cooled.

9. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the reaction solution is filtered through an 80-mesh filter cloth.

10. The method for preparing caramel color from organic meal and molasses under microwave gradient heating according to claim 1, characterized in that: In S2, the evaporation and concentration temperature is ≤80℃.

Images