Masking composition

Abstract

To provide a masking composition that can improve the flavor of beverage or food, and to provide a method for improving the flavor of beverage or food using the masking composition.SOLUTION: By adding to a beverage or food a composition in which onion extract, 2-(methylthio)ethanol, and 3,4-dimethylthiophene coexist, undesirable flavors in the beverage or food, particularly green odors derived from vegetables in beverages or foods containing vegetables or in processed vegetable products, can be masked, thereby improving the flavor of beverages or foods containing vegetables or processed vegetable products.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a masking composition that can improve the flavor of food and drink. [Background technology]

[0002] Pickles are widely accepted as a food and beverage because they are not only available in a wide variety of varieties commercially, but can also be easily made at home, allowing people to easily consume vegetables. However, pickles have a grassy smell that comes from the vegetables used as ingredients, and a method to improve this has been sought.

[0003] To date, a liquid seasoning for pickles containing magnesium and capsaicin within a specified range has been reported as a method for improving the grassy smell of pickles. By using this liquid seasoning, the grassy smell of vegetables can be suppressed while preventing the vegetables from softening (Patent Document 1). However, since it is necessary to add magnesium and capsaicin within a specified range, there is a problem that the manufacturing process becomes complicated. Furthermore, magnesium is known to have an unpleasant taste depending on the amount added, and therefore it is necessary to consider the amount of magnesium in the food or beverage to which it is added, leaving room for improvement.

[0004] Onions are widely used in the production of foods and beverages, and crushed onions, extracts, etc. are used as ingredients for foods and beverages. However, no method has been reported to date for using onions to improve the grassy smell of pickles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-073859 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an onion extract-containing masking composition capable of improving the flavor of foods and drinks, and a method for improving the flavor of foods and drinks by using the onion extract composition. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive studies to achieve the above object, the present inventors have found that the flavor of foods and drinks can be improved by adding a composition containing an onion extract, 2-(methylthio)ethanol, and 3,4-dimethylthiophene to the foods and drinks, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention relates to the following first to ninth aspects. The first is a masking composition containing 2-(methylthio)ethanol, 3,4-dimethylthiophene and onion extract. Secondly, the composition according to the first aspect is a composition in which 5 mL of the composition, adjusted to a Brix value of 3 to 20% by weight, is placed in a vial, 2 g of NaCl and 100 μL of 98 ppm cyclohexanol are added, and the headspace is analyzed using a solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometer. When the peak area value of cyclohexanol is taken as 1, the peak area value of 2-(methylthio)ethanol contained in the composition is 0.05 to 7, and the peak area value of 3,4-dimethylthiophene is 3.6 to 10. Third, the masking composition according to the first or second aspect further comprises ethanol. Fourth, the masking composition according to the first or second aspect further comprises 2-phenylethyl acetate. Fifth, the masking composition according to the third aspect further comprises 2-phenylethyl acetate. Sixth, there is provided a method for improving the flavor of food or drink, which comprises adding the masking composition according to the first or second aspect. Seventh, the method for improving the flavor of food or drink according to the sixth aspect is the method for masking the grassy smell of vegetables. Eighth, there is provided a method for producing a food or beverage, which includes a step of adding the masking composition described in the first or second aspect. Ninth, a food or drink containing the masking composition according to the first or second aspect. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, by causing 2-(methylthio)ethanol, 3,4-dimethylthiophene and an onion extract to coexist, it is possible to obtain a composition which can be added to foods and drinks to improve the flavor of the foods and drinks. Furthermore, by adding a composition containing 2-(methylthio)ethanol, 3,4-dimethylthiophene and an onion extract to foods and drinks, the flavor of the foods and drinks can be improved and the grassy smell of vegetables can be suppressed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The onion extract of the invention is not limited in origin or production method so long as it uses the bulb of onion that is normally eaten. Any onion extract produced by a method normally employed in food production can be used, for example an extract obtained by extracting fresh onions with water. The onion extract to be used may be a liquid or slurry produced during processing of fresh onions such as cutting, shredding, grinding or squeezing, or one containing solids. Furthermore, an onion extract extracted from heated onions may be used instead of fresh onions. A heat-treated onion extract obtained from fresh onions may also be used. Commercially available onion extracts may also be used.

[0011] In the present invention, masking refers to making unpleasant tastes or aromas of foods and beverages less noticeable, such as the grassy smell, bitterness, or spiciness of vegetables. The vegetables may be any vegetables that have an unpleasant flavor, such as carrots, cabbage, radish, cucumber, broccoli, and turnip. The masking composition of the present invention is a composition containing 2-(methylthio)ethanol (CAS No. 5271-38-5), 3,4-dimethylthiophene (CAS No. 632-15-5), and an onion extract. An onion extract in which 2-(methylthio)ethanol and 3,4-dimethylthiophene are present together can be used as the composition of the present invention.

[0012] The amounts of 2-(methylthio)ethanol and 3,4-dimethylthiophene contained in the masking composition of the present invention can be measured as follows. The Brix value of the onion extract used in the measurement is adjusted to 3 to 20% by weight, preferably 5 to 15% by weight, and more preferably 6 to 11% by weight. The Brix value may be adjusted, for example, by adjusting the amount of water in the extract, by adding water, or by concentrating the extract. In this specification, the Brix value is a value equivalent to the mass percentage of a 20% aqueous sucrose solution. Any method generally used in food standards may be used to measure the Brix value, and a commercially available refractometer for sugars may be used. 5 mL of the prepared composition is placed in a vial, 2 g of NaCl and 100 μL of 98 ppm cyclohexanol (internal standard) are added, and the aroma components in the headspace are analyzed using a solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometer. When the peak area value of the internal standard cyclohexanol is set to 1, the peak area value of 2-(methylthio)ethanol is preferably 0.05 to 7, and more preferably 0.06 to 5. In a similar analysis method, when the peak area value of the internal standard cyclohexanol is set to 1, the peak area value of 3,4-dimethylthiophene is preferably 3.6 to 10, and more preferably 4.1 to 8.5.

[0013] The masking composition of the present invention may contain ethanol in addition to the above compounds. The ethanol concentration of the composition of the present invention can be determined by measuring the alcohol content in accordance with the analytical method prescribed by the National Tax Agency. The ethanol concentration contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and can be adjusted appropriately by a person skilled in the art depending on the form of the product, etc., and may be, for example, 2 to 20 wt %, preferably 5 to 15 wt %.

[0014] Furthermore, the masking composition of the present invention may contain 2-phenylethyl acetate (CAS number 103-45-7). When the content of 2-phenylethyl acetate is measured by the same analytical method as for 2-(methylthio)ethanol and 3,4-dimethylthiophene, the peak area value of 2-phenylethyl acetate is preferably 2 to 10, more preferably 3 to 8, relative to the peak area value of cyclohexanol as the internal standard, which is set to 1.

[0015] As a method for making 2-phenylethyl acetate or 3,4-dimethylthiophene coexist in the onion extract, generally available 2-(methylthio)ethanol or 3,4-dimethylthiophene may be added in required amounts. Furthermore, a preferred method is to use the onion extract as a medium to culture microorganisms capable of producing either or both of these components, thereby allowing them to be contained in the onion extract.

[0016] When the masking composition of the present invention is produced by culturing a microorganism capable of producing 2-(methylthio)ethanol or 3,4-dimethylthiophene, the composition can be obtained by culturing the microorganism in a medium containing the onion extract described in paragraph 0011. Examples of the microorganism include yeasts that can be generally used in the production of foods and beverages, such as baker's yeast, sake yeast, brewer's yeast, wine yeast, Torula yeast, and fission yeast. Among these, yeasts capable of producing alcohol are preferred, and budding yeasts used in the production of alcoholic beverages, such as sake yeast, brewer's yeast, and wine yeast, are more preferred.

[0017] When the masking extract of the present invention is produced by inoculating an onion extract with a microorganism, ingredients other than the onion extract may be added to prepare suitable fermentation conditions, such as yeast extract, a protein hydrolysate from yeast, organic acids, inorganic salts, sugars, vitamins and minerals.

[0018] The fermentation conditions are not particularly limited, and can be appropriately set as long as they allow 2-(methylthio)ethanol or 3,4-dimethylthiophene to be present in the onion extract at the desired concentration. For example, the fermentation may be carried out under static culture or stirring conditions at a fermentation temperature of 4 to 35°C, preferably 15 to 30°C. The fermentation time may be 48 to 240 hours, preferably 72 to 216 hours, and more preferably 96 to 144 hours.

[0019] The fermented product thus obtained can be used as the masking composition of the present invention as is, and can also be heat-sterilized as needed, and then finally filled into a packaging container to be made into a product that can be distributed on the market in the form of a liquid seasoning or paste seasoning.

[0020] Any commonly available onion extract containing a predetermined amount of 2-(methylthio)ethanol or 3,4-dimethylthiophene can be used as the masking composition of the present invention. For example, Onifretchi (Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences) can be mentioned.

[0021] The flavor of a food or beverage in the present invention refers to the taste or smell of the food or beverage, and includes the taste or smell of a flavoring that reproduces the food or beverage. By adding the masking composition of the present invention to a food or beverage, the flavor of the food or beverage and the flavor of the flavoring that reproduces the food or beverage can be improved. In particular, the grassy smell of vegetables can be masked to make it less noticeable, thereby improving the flavor of the food or beverage. The flavor improvement effect of the present invention can be determined by sensory evaluation.

[0022] The food and drink to which the masking composition of the present invention can be added may be any food and drink made from vegetables, including processed vegetable products such as pickles, which tend to have a grassy smell of vegetables, and seasonings for the production of processed vegetable products.When the food and drink to which the composition of the present invention is added is a seasoning for the production of processed vegetable products, the seasoning to which the composition of the present invention is added can be used in the production of processed vegetable products.

[0023] The method for producing a food or beverage containing the masking composition of the present invention can be carried out in a conventional manner, except for adding the composition of the present invention to the food or beverage. The composition may be added simultaneously with other ingredients or separately. The amount of the composition of the present invention added to the food or beverage is not particularly limited and can be determined appropriately depending on the amount and type of vegetables used as ingredients for the food or beverage. For example, the composition is added in an amount of 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, preferably 0.3 to 8 parts by weight, and more preferably 0.5 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the food or beverage. The food or beverage obtained by the method for producing a food or beverage of the present invention is a food or beverage that has a pleasant flavor in which the grassy smell of vegetables is masked and the flavor is improved.

[0024] Furthermore, the flavor of food and beverages can be improved by the flavor improving method of the present invention. Specifically, by adding the composition of the present invention to food and beverages, the grassy smell derived from vegetables in the food and beverages can be masked and made less noticeable, thereby improving the flavor, such as the taste or aroma, of the food and beverages. The method of adding the masking composition of the present invention to food and beverages and the amount of the composition of the present invention to be added are as described above. [Example]

[0025] The present invention will be specifically explained below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0026] <Each sample> Instead of preparing the masking composition of the present invention, the applicant company's "Onifretchi" (Sample 1) was used as a masking composition containing 2-(methylthio)ethanol, 3,4-dimethylthiophene, and onion extract. The content (peak area ratio) of 3,4-dimethylthiophene in Sample 1 was 7.12 relative to the peak area of ​​the internal standard (cyclohexanol) when analyzed using a solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system (described below). The content of 2-(methylthio)ethanol was confirmed using the same analytical method and found to be 0.078 relative to the peak area of ​​the internal standard (cyclohexanol). The content of 2-phenylethyl acetate was confirmed using the same analytical method and found to be 6.70 relative to the peak area of ​​the internal standard. Furthermore, the Brix value was measured according to the general method of the Food Standards Standards and was found to be 9.09% by weight, and the alcohol content was measured according to the analytical method prescribed by the National Tax Agency and found to be 10.6%.

[0027] <Conditions for analyzing aroma components> 5 mL of sample (Sample 1) to be analyzed by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatograph mass spectrometer was placed in a vial, and 2 g of NaCl and 100 μL of 98 ppm cyclohexanol as an internal standard were added to prepare the sample. Micro solid-phase extraction was performed using SPME fiber (50 / 30 μm, DVB / CAR / PDMS), and the sample was then analyzed by gas chromatograph mass spectrometer. The gas chromatograph was a 7890B, and the mass spectrometer was a 5977B EI Inert Plus Turbo Pump (both from Agilent). The analytical conditions for the gas chromatograph mass spectrometer were as follows: The mass spectrum and retention time, taking into account the retention index, were compared with a database of aroma compounds for identification. Inlet mode, temperature: splitless, 250℃ Separation column: DB-WAX column 122-7062 (0.25 mm x 60 m x 0.25 μm; Agilent Technologies) Carrier gas and pressure: Helium, 181kPa Ionization method: EI Detection: Scan Mode

[0028] <Effects of adding to pickles> Sample 1 was added to a commercially available pickling solution containing 9% brewed vinegar to a final concentration of 0.5%, to prepare a sample of Example 1, which is a seasoning for the production of processed vegetables. Similarly, Sample 1 was added to a final concentration of 1.0%, to prepare a sample of Example 2. The sample to which Sample 1 was not added was used as the sample of Comparative Example 1. Using the prepared samples of Examples 1 to 3 or Comparative Example 1, pickles (daikon radish, cucumber, carrot) were produced according to the following procedure. The radish and carrot were peeled and cut into 10mm square, 50mm long sticks. Both ends of the cucumber were cut off, cut into quarters lengthwise, and then cut into 50mm long sticks. Next, the cut vegetables were pre-soaked by immersing them in 6% saline overnight at a solid-liquid ratio of 2:1. Subsequently, the pre-soaked vegetables were seasoned and soaked in the samples of Examples 1 and 2 or Comparative Example 1 overnight at a solid-liquid ratio of 1:1 to produce processed vegetable products (pickles).

[0029] The processed vegetable products produced in the previous step were subjected to a sensory evaluation. Eight panelists performed a sensory evaluation of the "grassiness" of each processed vegetable product. The "grassiness" of Comparative Example 1 was evaluated using a 7-point rating system, with 4 points as the standard, 1 point as the weaker side, and 7 points as the stronger side. The results are shown in Table 1. Generally available onion extracts have a bitter or harsh taste and are therefore unlikely to result in processed vegetable products with a pleasant taste and aroma. However, the processed vegetable products made using the samples of Examples 1 and 2 had a well-balanced vinegar flavor and significantly (p<0.05) masked the green smell of cucumber and the odor specific to raw radish and carrot compared to Comparative Example 1. They also had a fresh flavor and were processed vegetable products with a pleasant taste and aroma. On the other hand, the processed vegetable product made using the sample of Comparative Example 1 had a green smell of vegetables and a monotonous flavor.

[0030] [Table 1]

[0031] <Effect of adding to fried dumplings> First, the gyoza filling was prepared. Cabbage was cut into 5 mm cubes, and Sample 1 was added to a final concentration of 1 wt %. The mixture was lightly mixed and refrigerated at 4°C for 20-30 minutes, after which the mixture was lightly drained. Next, salt was added to the ground pork and mixed until sticky, after which the drained cabbage and other seasonings were added and mixed to prepare the filling. The prepared filling was then covered with commonly used gyoza wrappers to form a crescent shape, and this was designated Example 3. A filling prepared using the same procedure but without the addition of Sample 1 was designated Comparative Example 2. Each filling was covered with commercially available gyoza wrappers, and crescent-shaped raw gyoza were prepared with the wrappers welded around the filling. The prepared raw gyoza were then arranged in a frying pan, water was added to the frying pan so that the bottom of the gyoza was submerged, and the pan was covered. After steaming for 5 minutes over medium heat, the lid was removed, 10 g of salad oil was added, and the pan was heated until the entire surface was browned (baked). Pan-fried gyoza were obtained.

[0032] A sensory evaluation was carried out on the pan-fried gyoza produced in the previous step. As a result, the pan-fried gyoza using the filling of Example 2 had an increased sweetness of cabbage and the grassy smell of the cabbage was masked. On the other hand, the pan-fried gyoza using the filling of Comparative Example 1 had a grassy smell of cabbage and a strong meaty smell.

[0033] From the above, by using the composition of the present invention, the grassy smell of vegetables in processed vegetable products can be masked, and processed vegetable products with a pleasant flavor can be provided. Furthermore, it has been shown that the masking composition of the present invention can provide processed vegetable products in which the grassy smell is masked, and it has been shown that it is possible to provide foods and beverages with improved flavor.

Claims

1. A masking composition comprising 2-(methylthio)ethanol, 3,4-dimethylthiophene and an onion extract.

2. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein 5 mL of the composition, which has been adjusted to a Brix value of 3 to 20% by weight, is placed in a vial, 2 g of NaCl and 100 μL of 98 ppm cyclohexanol are added, and the headspace is analyzed using a solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometer. When the peak area value of cyclohexanol is taken as 1, the peak area value of 2-(methylthio)ethanol contained in the composition is 0.05 to 7, and the peak area value of 3,4-dimethylthiophene is 3.6 to 10.

3. The masking composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising ethanol.

4. The masking composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising 2-phenylethyl acetate.

5. The masking composition of claim 3, further comprising 2-phenylethyl acetate.

6. A method for improving the flavor of food or drink, comprising adding the masking composition according to claim 1 or 2.

7. 7. The method for improving the flavor of food or drink according to claim 6, wherein the method is masking the grassy smell of vegetables.

8. A method for producing a food or beverage, comprising a step of adding the masking composition according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A food or drink comprising the masking composition according to claim 1 or 2.

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