Mayonnaise-like food

Abstract

To provide a mayonnaise-like food having good flavor and body taste without containing egg.SOLUTION: The present invention is a mayonnaise-like food containing a material derived from seeds, the material having a protein content of 15 to 95 mass% and an oil and fat content of less than 45 mass%. The amount of oil and fat in the material derived from seeds is preferably 2.0 pts. mass or less based on 1 pt. mass of the protein content in the material derived from seeds. As used herein, the term "seeds" refers to edible fruits and seeds that are enclosed in a hard skin or shell, other than beans and grains. Peanuts belong to the family Leguminosae in plant taxonomy, but are treated as seeds because of their high oil content.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mayonnaise-like food product. [Background technology]

[0002] Mayonnaise is a well-known semi-solid emulsified condiment. It is a dressing made from edible vegetable oil, eggs, and vinegar, with the emulsifying power of the lecithin and protein in the egg yolk used to emulsify the vinegar and oil into an oil-in-water emulsion. It is characterized by its rich flavor and is widely used in a variety of seasonings and cooking applications, including as a salad dressing and bakery topping.

[0003] However, due to the fact that eggs (chicken eggs) are one of the three major allergens, contain a lot of cholesterol, and in recent years, there has been a shortage of egg supplies due to avian influenza and other factors, there has been an increasing demand for egg-free mayonnaise. Under these circumstances, it has been common to use soybean lecithin instead of egg yolk lecithin and soybean protein instead of egg protein in mayonnaise-like foods that do not use eggs.

[0004] Specifically, methods using soy milk (see, for example, Patent Document 1), concentrated soy milk (see, for example, Patent Document 2), and fermented soy milk (see, for example, Patent Document 3) have been tried, but soybeans tend to produce a grassy flavor and their emulsifying power decreases in the acidic range, which causes problems such as insufficient viscosity and oil separation. Therefore, methods such as using octenyl succinic acid-treated starch with high emulsifying power (see Patent Document 4) and using cyclodextrin, a gelling agent, and an emulsifier in combination (see, for example, Patent Document 5) have also been tried, but these methods lack the pleasant flavor of protein, so it is necessary to compensate with seasonings, which results in a bland seasoning. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 59-146555 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-034503 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-054540 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-333949 [Patent Document 5] Patent Publication No. 2021-019525 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a mayonnaise-like food product that has a good flavor and rich taste without containing eggs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive investigations into achieving the above object, the present inventors have found that the above object can be achieved by using a material derived from specific nuts and seeds. That is, the present invention provides a mayonnaise-like food containing a nut or seed-derived material having a protein content of 15 to 95% by mass and an oil content of less than 45% by mass. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a mayonnaise-like food product having a good flavor and rich taste can be obtained without containing eggs. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The mayonnaise-like food of the present invention will be described in detail below. The mayonnaise-like food of the present invention contains a nut or seed-derived material having a protein content of 15 to 95% by mass and an oil and fat content of less than 45% by mass. In the present invention, "nuts and seeds" refers to edible fruits and seeds enclosed in a hard skin or shell, other than beans and grains. Peanuts belong to the Fabaceae family in botanical taxonomy, but are often treated as nuts and seeds due to their high oil content, and therefore will be treated as nuts and seeds in the present invention.

[0010] Examples of nuts and seeds that can be used in the present invention include almonds, hemp, linseed, apricot kernels, perilla seeds, cashew nuts, ginkgo nuts, chestnuts, walnuts, poppy seeds, coconuts, sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, chia seeds, horse chestnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and peanuts. In the present invention, one or more nuts and seeds selected from these can be used.

[0011] Among these nuts and seeds, it is preferable to use one or more nuts selected from almonds, apricot kernels, cashew nuts, walnuts, coconuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, and peanuts, from the viewpoint of preventing the imparting of an unpleasant taste to the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor and rich taste without containing eggs, and from the viewpoint of increasing emulsion stability and making oil-water separation less likely to occur, and it is more preferable to use one or more nuts and seeds selected from almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts, pistachios, and peanuts, and it is even more preferable to use almonds.

[0012] The nut- and seed-derived material used in the present invention refers to unprocessed nuts and seeds or processed nuts and seeds with a protein content of 15 to 95% by mass and an oil content of less than 45% by mass. Hereinafter, a nut- and seed-derived material with a protein content of 15 to 95% by mass and an oil content of less than 45% by mass will also be referred to simply as a "nut- and seed-derived material."

[0013] The processing method for obtaining the above-mentioned processed nut and seed materials is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include crushing, cutting, mashing, extracting, separating, isolating, concentrating components, heating, cooling, freezing, and drying. Examples of the above-mentioned processed nut and seed materials include processed materials obtained by extracting specific components from seeds, such as seed protein materials and seed starch materials, and seed milks such as almond milk. Furthermore, examples of seed-derived materials include food materials containing seeds, such as praline paste and gianduja, and among these, food materials containing 25% or more seeds by mass are preferred. The mayonnaise-like food of the present invention contains one or more of the above-mentioned nut or seed-derived materials.

[0014] The form of the nut- and seed-derived material is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, the original form of the nut or seed, or may be in the form of powder, granules, liquid, or paste. In the present invention, the nut or seed-derived material is preferably in the form of powder, granules, liquid or paste, more preferably in the form of powder, liquid or paste.

[0015] In the nut and seed-derived material, granules refer to particles with a particle size of more than 0.5 mm and not more than 3 mm, and powder refers to particles with a particle size of not more than 0.5 mm, preferably 0.01 to 0.3 mm. Furthermore, the term "paste" refers to a substance in which nuts and seeds are dispersed in the oils and water contained in the nuts and seeds themselves, or in other food materials such as water, and in the present invention, a paste having fluidity or viscosity can be used.

[0016] In the present invention, from the viewpoint of providing a good texture to the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention and preventing oil-water separation, it is preferable to use one or more types of nut-derived materials selected from unprocessed nuts and seeds in powder, granule or paste form, seed protein materials, and plant milk of nuts and seeds, it is more preferable to use one or more types of nut-and-seed materials selected from powder, granule or paste form, seed protein materials, and plant milk of nuts and seeds, and it is even more preferable to use powdered nuts and seed protein materials.

[0017] When the protein content of the nut or seed-derived material is 15% by mass or more, the occurrence of oil-water separation when the pH of the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention is adjusted to the numerical range described below can be suppressed, and smooth physical properties can be obtained.When the protein content of the nut or seed-derived material is 95% by mass or less, the occurrence of an unpleasant taste in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention can be suppressed. From the viewpoint of improving the flavor and richness of the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, achieving smooth physical properties, and further reducing the occurrence of oil-water separation, the protein content of the nut-derived material of the present invention is preferably 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, and even more preferably 35% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less. The protein content of a nut or seed-derived material can be measured by a conventionally known method, such as the Kjeldahl method or the combustion method.

[0018] In the present invention, when the fat content of the nut or seed-derived material is less than 45% by mass, the occurrence of oil-water separation when the pH of the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention is adjusted to the numerical range described below can be suppressed, smooth physical properties can be obtained, and the occurrence of an unpleasant taste in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention can be suppressed. From the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, achieving smooth physical properties, and reducing the likelihood of oil-water separation, the amount of oil and fat in the nut-derived material of the present invention is preferably 35% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 25% by mass or less. The lower limit of the fat and oil content is 0% by mass, but the fat and oil content of the nut and seed-derived material is preferably 1% by mass or more, and more preferably 5% by mass or more.

[0019] The nut and seed-derived material satisfies both the above protein content and the above preferred amount of fat and oil, and the amount of fat and oil per 1 mass part of protein content is preferably 2.0 mass parts or less, more preferably 1 mass part or less, and even more preferably 0.5 mass parts or less. The amount of fats and oils per 1 part by mass of protein content is preferably 0 part by mass or more, more preferably 0.02 part by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.1 part by mass or more. It is preferable that the ratio of the protein content of the nut- and seed-derived material to the fat and oil content of the nut- and seed-derived material falls within the above-mentioned preferred numerical range, because this makes it possible to obtain the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, which is less likely to have an unpleasant taste, has a good texture, and is highly stable in emulsion, particularly in terms of preventing oil-water separation.

[0020] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of suppressing changes in the physical properties of starch, dietary fiber, etc., which can cause clumping over time, improving the texture of the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, and maintaining its smooth physical properties for a longer period of time, the carbohydrate content of the nut or seed-derived material is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less. The lower limit of the carbohydrate content is 0% by mass.

[0021] The carbohydrate content of a nut- and seed-derived material can be measured by a conventional method, for example, by subtracting the total amount of protein, fats and oils, ash, and moisture, which have been separately measured, from the weight of the nut- and seed-derived material to determine the carbohydrate amount of the nut- and seed-derived material, and then dividing the determined carbohydrate amount of the nut- and seed-derived material by the weight of the nut- and seed-derived material. The ash content of the nut- and seed-derived material can be measured by a conventionally known method, such as the magnesium acetate-added ashing method or the direct ashing method.

[0022] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more favorably achieving the effects of the present invention, the moisture content of the nut or seed-derived material is preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less, with the lower limit of the moisture being 0% by mass.

[0023] The content of the nut or seed-derived material in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention is preferably 0.2 to 6.0 mass % in terms of solid content, more preferably 0.2 to 4.5 mass %, even more preferably 0.5 to 4.5 mass %, and even more preferably 0.5 to 3.5 mass %, from the viewpoints of making it difficult to detect an unpleasant taste, providing a good flavor and rich taste without containing eggs, achieving a smooth physical property, and making oil-water separation less likely to occur. In the present invention, the solid content refers to components other than water.

[0024] Next, the fats and oils used in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention will be described. The oils and fats used in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention may be any oils and fats suitable for food use, and typical examples thereof include animal and vegetable oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, rice oil, safflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, monkey fat, mango fat, milk fat, beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. Furthermore, one or more of these oils and fats that have been subjected to physical or chemical treatments such as hardening, fractionation, and interesterification can also be used. However, in the present invention, it is preferred to use liquid oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, rice oil, safflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, sunflower oil, and high oleic sunflower oil, because they provide a good flavor and rich taste and have good emulsion stability during storage.

[0025] The fat and oil content in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention is preferably 10 to 60% by mass, more preferably 15 to 50% by mass, and even more preferably 15 to 40% by mass. If the content is less than 5% by mass, the good flavor and rich taste may be difficult to sense, and if the content exceeds 60% by mass, the emulsion stability of the mayonnaise-like food may be reduced.

[0026] Next, the water used in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention will be described. The water is not particularly limited and may be any of ordinary tap water, mineral water, ion-exchanged water, distilled water, etc. These waters may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0027] The water content in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention is 15 to 70% by mass, preferably 20 to 60% by mass, more preferably 20 to 55% by mass, as the total amount including the water contained in the other ingredients described below. If the water content is less than 15% by mass, it becomes difficult to sense the mayonnaise-like flavor, and if it exceeds 70% by mass, it becomes difficult to sense the good flavor and rich taste. When water-containing ingredients are used in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, the water content mentioned above includes the moisture contained in those ingredients.

[0028] The mayonnaise-like food of the present invention contains the above-mentioned oil and fat and the above-mentioned water as an oil-in-water emulsion, since a water-in-oil type emulsion would not provide the appearance and texture of mayonnaise. The oil-in-water type may be any type as long as the continuous phase is an aqueous phase, and therefore includes multiple emulsion types such as water-in-oil-in-water types.

[0029] In the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, the pH of the aqueous phase is made acidic by using an acid or an acidulant, and if necessary, water. Acids and acidulants used to adjust the pH include lactic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, vinegar (acetic acid), fruit juice, fermented milk, etc., and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more, but it is preferable to use vinegar (acetic acid).

[0030] The pH of the aqueous phase of the mayonnaise-like food is preferably in the range of 2.0 to 5.5, more preferably 2.5 to 5.0, and most preferably 2.8 to 4.5. If the pH is less than 2.0, the resulting mayonnaise-like food may have an overly sour taste, while if the pH exceeds 5.5, the resulting mayonnaise-like taste may not be perceived, and the shelf life of the mayonnaise-like food may be reduced. In the above mayonnaise-like food, the amount of the acid or acidulant used may be appropriately selected depending on the type of acid used, etc., so that the pH of the aqueous phase is acidic, preferably 2.0 to 5.5. Preferably, the amount of the acid or acidulant used can be selected from the range of 0.1 to 20% by mass.

[0031] Furthermore, the mayonnaise-like food preferably contains substantially no egg components. Here, "substantially no egg components" means that the solid content is 10% by mass or less, preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0%. By using the above-mentioned nut-derived material in the mayonnaise-like food of the present invention, it is possible to produce a mayonnaise-like food that has a good flavor and rich taste without containing egg components. Examples of the egg components include raw whole eggs, raw egg yolks, raw egg whites, and processed products thereof such as salted egg yolks, salted whole eggs, sweetened whole eggs, sweetened egg yolks, dried whole eggs, dried egg yolks, dried egg whites, frozen whole eggs, frozen egg yolks, frozen egg whites, frozen sweetened whole eggs, frozen sweetened egg yolks, enzyme-treated whole eggs, and enzyme-treated egg yolks.

[0032] The mayonnaise-like food of the present invention preferably contains 1 to 30% by mass of sugars, more preferably 5 to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 14% by mass, based on the solid content. If the sugar content exceeds 30% by mass, the viscosity of the resulting mayonnaise-like food may increase significantly, resulting in a hard mayonnaise-like food. In addition, the mayonnaise-like food may have an overly sweet taste, which differs from the mayonnaise-like flavor. If the sugar content is less than 1% by mass, the oil-in-water emulsion of the mayonnaise-like food may become unstable, resulting in a mayonnaise-like food lacking in smoothness, and oil separation may occur more easily. When the sugar used is liquid, the above content is calculated based on the solid content.

[0033] The sugars mentioned above include white sugar, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, sucrose, liquid sugar, honey, glucose, fructose, brown sugar, maltose, lactose, cyclodextrin, enzyme-saccharified starch syrup, acid-saccharified starch syrup, reduced polydextrose, reduced lactose, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, palatinit, lactitol, linear oligosaccharide alcohols, branched oligosaccharide alcohols, highly saccharified reduced starch syrup, reduced maltose starch syrup, reduced starch syrup, isomerized liquid sugar, sucrose-bound starch syrup, Examples of the oligosaccharides include oligosaccharides, xylose, trehalose, fructooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, arabinose, palatinose oligosaccharides, agarooligosaccharides, chitin oligosaccharides, lactosaccharose oligosaccharides, hemicellulose, molasses, isomaltooligosaccharides, maltooligosaccharides, coupling sugar, raffinose, lactulose, theandeoligosaccharides, and gentiooligosaccharides. One or more selected from these may be used.

[0034] Furthermore, in the above mayonnaise-like food, a thickening stabilizer is preferably used in an amount of 0.01 to 15% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 8% by mass, since it is possible to obtain a mayonnaise-like food with high emulsion stability. Examples of the thickening stabilizer include thickening polysaccharides such as guar gum, tamarind gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, pectin, microcrystalline cellulose, furcellaran, agar, gelatin, gellan gum, glucomannan, alginic acid, alginates, curdlan, locust bean gum, gum arabic, pullulan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, and egg white powder; gelling agents; and starches such as starch, gelatinized starch, and gelatinized modified starch.

[0035] In the above mayonnaise-like food, since it is possible to obtain a mayonnaise-like food with high freezing resistance, it is preferable to use a thickening polysaccharide or a gelling agent among the above thickening stabilizers in combination with starches, and more preferably to use one or more starches selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, gelatin, sodium alginate, and alginic acid in combination with one or more starches selected from the group consisting of tapioca starch-derived gelatinized starch, tapioca starch-derived gelatinized starch, waxy cornstarch-derived gelatinized starch, and waxy cornstarch-derived gelatinized modified starch.

[0036] Furthermore, in the mayonnaise-like food, any auxiliary material known to be used in acidic oil-in-water emulsion compositions such as mayonnaise, tartar sauce, and emulsion-type salad dressing may be used as long as it does not impair the object of the present invention.

[0037] Examples of the secondary ingredients include flavoring ingredients such as spices and spice extracts, such as tomatoes, cheese, curry powder, and pepper, emulsifiers such as lecithin, lysolecithin, and glycerin fatty acid esters, seasonings such as high-intensity sweeteners and monosodium glutamate, flavorings, antioxidants, salt, protein, coloring agents, and vegetables such as pickles. Examples of the protein include milk proteins such as casein, whey protein, and milk fat globule membrane protein, and plant proteins such as soybean protein and pea protein. The amount of the secondary ingredients used can be selected appropriately depending on the purpose of use, etc., but in the mayonnaise-like food, the total amount is preferably 15 mass % or less.

[0038] The mayonnaise-like food can be prepared, for example, as follows. First, an aqueous phase is prepared by dispersing and dissolving water-soluble ingredients, such as acids (e.g., vinegar), acidulants, egg yolks (e.g., salted egg yolk), salt, sugars (e.g., starch syrup), and spices (e.g., mustard powder), in water. Then, an oil phase is prepared by dispersing oil-soluble ingredients and, if necessary, thickening stabilizers, in fats (e.g., liquid oil). Next, the oil phase is added to the aqueous phase while stirring to obtain an oil-in-water preliminary emulsion. The oil-in-water preliminary emulsion is then treated with an emulsifier (e.g., a colloid mill) or a homogenizer (e.g., a homogenizer) for final emulsification, yielding the mayonnaise-like food.

[0039] The average particle size of the oil particles in the mayonnaise-like food is preferably 20 μm or less, more preferably 10 μm or less, and most preferably 5 μm or less. A particle size exceeding 20 μm is undesirable because it tends to reduce the emulsion stability of the mayonnaise-like food and poses the risk of oil separation during storage. The average particle size can be measured, for example, using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (SALD-2100) manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation or an optical microscope.

[0040] The mayonnaise-like food of the present invention can be used as a sauce to replace mayonnaise, tartar sauce, etc., and can also be used in a wide range of applications, such as ingredients for Western confectionery, coffee whitener, ice cream, and bread kneading. [Example]

[0041] [Almond-derived materials (1)] The almonds were defatted, the protein was concentrated, and the powder was used. The protein content was 44.4% by mass, the fat content was 11.8% by mass, the carbohydrate content was 32.8% by mass, and the moisture content was 5.0% by mass (the fat content per 1 part by mass of protein content was 0.27 parts by mass). Note that this almond-derived material (1) is a nut-derived material.

[0042] [Almond-derived materials (2)] Powdered dehulled almonds were used. The protein content was 18.6% by mass, the fat content was 54.2% by mass, the carbohydrate content was 19.7% by mass, and the moisture content was 4.6% by mass (the fat content per 1 part by mass of protein was 2.91 parts by mass). Note that this almond-derived material (2) does not fall under the category of nut-derived materials.

[0043] [Soybean protein material] Soy protein isolate powder was used. The protein content was 80.7% by mass, the fat content was 3.0% by mass, the carbohydrate content was 7.7% by mass, and the moisture content was 6.0% by mass (the fat content was 0.04 part by mass per part by mass of protein content).

[0044] <<Manufacturing mayonnaise-like foods>> Example 1 An aqueous phase was prepared by mixing 31.2 parts by weight of water, 15 parts by weight of sugar-mixed fructose-glucose syrup (75% sugar, 35% water), 7 parts by weight of vinegar (10% acetic acid), 2 parts by weight of salt, 0.5 parts by weight of sodium glutamate, 0.5 parts by weight of mustard powder, and 1.5 parts by weight of almond-derived material (1). Separately, an oil phase was prepared by mixing 40 parts by weight of soybean salad oil, 2 parts by weight of gelatinized modified starch obtained by gelatinizing waxy corn starch after phosphate cross-linking, and 0.3 parts by weight of xanthan gum. The oil phase was then added to the aqueous phase while stirring to obtain an oil-in-water preliminary emulsion. This was then homogenized using a homogenizer to obtain mayonnaise-like food A, an acidic oil-in-water emulsion composition with an average oil particle size of 3 μm or less and a pH of 4.0.

[0045] Comparative Example 1 A mayonnaise-like food B was obtained, which is an acidic oil-in-water emulsion composition having an average oil particle size of 3 μm or less and a pH of 4.0, according to the formulation and manufacturing method of Example 1, except that 1.5 parts by mass of the almond-derived material (1) was changed to 1.5 parts by mass of almond-derived material (2).

[0046] Comparative Example 2 A mayonnaise-like food C was obtained, which is an acidic oil-in-water emulsion composition having an average oil particle size of 3 μm or less and a pH of 4.0, according to the formulation and manufacturing method of Example 1, except that 1.5 parts by mass of the almond-derived material (1) was changed to 1.5 parts by mass of the soy protein material.

[0047] Example 2 A mayonnaise-like food D was obtained, which is an acidic oil-in-water emulsion composition having an average particle size of 3 μm or less and a pH of 4.2, according to the formulation and manufacturing method of Example 1, except that the water was changed from 31.2 parts by mass to 46.2 parts by mass and further soybean salad oil was changed from 40 parts by mass to 25 parts by mass.

[0048] Example 3 A mayonnaise-like food E was obtained, which was an acidic oil-in-water emulsion composition having an average oil particle size of 3 μm or less and a pH of 4.0, according to the formulation and manufacturing method of Example 1, except that 2 parts by mass of gelatinized modified starch was changed to no additives and further 31.2 parts by mass of water was changed to 33.2 parts by mass.

[0049] Example 4 Mayonnaise-like food F, an acidic oil-in-water emulsion composition with an average oil particle size of 3 μm or less and a pH of 4.1, was obtained according to the formulation and manufacturing method of Example 1, except that 15 parts by mass of sugar-mixed fructose-glucose syrup was changed to no additives and 31.2 parts by mass of water was changed to 46.2 parts by mass.

[0050] <<Evaluation 1 of Mayonnaise-like Condiments>> The mayonnaise-like seasonings A to F obtained in Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were subjected to the following evaluations, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0051] [Evaluation of emulsion stability] Immediately after production, the mayonnaise-like seasoning was visually inspected and evaluated for emulsion stability according to the following evaluation criteria. (Evaluation criteria for emulsion stability) Excellent emulsion stability, no oil-water separation observed. Good: Emulsion stability was good, and oil-water separation was hardly observed. Δ: Emulsion stability was somewhat poor, and some oil-water separation was observed. ×: Emulsion stability was poor and oil-water separation was severe.

[0052] [Flavor and texture evaluation] The above mayonnaise-like seasoning, which had been stored at 4°C for 7 days after production, and a control, "OK in the microwave" (plain mayonnaise) (manufactured by ADEKA Corporation), were tasted by five experienced panelists, who scored the flavor, richness, and texture according to the following evaluation criteria. Prior to the evaluation, the panelists had previously agreed on the sensory level corresponding to each score. In Table 1, the total score (0 to 3 points) of each panelist is shown in the following manner. (Display method) ◎:13~15 points ○:10~12 points △:6~9 points ×: 0~5 points (Flavor evaluation criteria) 3 points: No strange taste was detected, and the flavor was very similar to the control mayonnaise, and was very good. 2 points: A slight strange taste was detected, but it was within the acceptable range and the flavor was good, similar to the control mayonnaise. 1 point: There was a slight strange taste and the flavor was somewhat unsatisfactory. 0 points: A strong strange taste was felt and the flavor was very bad. (Evaluation criteria for body taste) 3 points: Very good rich flavor, very close to the control mayonnaise. 2 points: A good rich flavor similar to the control mayonnaise. 1 point: Lacks richness and is unsatisfying. 0 points: No rich flavor. (Texture evaluation) 3 points: Very similar to the control mayonnaise, very good texture. 2 points: Good texture, similar to the control mayonnaise. 1 point: The texture was quite different from the control mayonnaise and was somewhat poor. 0 points: The texture was completely different from the control mayonnaise and was poor.

[0053] [Table 1]

[0054] <<Evaluation 2 of Mayonnaise-like Condiments>> Mayonnaise-like seasonings A and E obtained in Examples 1 and 3 were stored at -20°C for 30 days, and then thawed overnight in a refrigerator at 5°C. The mayonnaise-like seasonings were visually inspected and evaluated for emulsion stability upon freezing and thawing according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 2. (Evaluation criteria for emulsion stability when frozen and thawed) Excellent emulsion stability, no oil-water separation observed. ○+: Emulsion stability was good, and oil-water separation was hardly observed. ◯: The emulsion stability was good, and although some oil-water separation was observed, no cracking was observed. Δ: Emulsion stability was somewhat poor, and clear oil-water separation was observed. ×: The emulsion stability was extremely poor, cracking occurred, and oil-water separation was severe.

[0055] [Table 2]

[0056] As described above, the mayonnaise-like seasonings of the examples containing specific nut-derived materials had good emulsion stability, and also had good flavor and texture.

Claims

1. The mayonnaise-like food contains a nut-derived material having a protein content of 15 to 95% by mass and an oil content of less than 45% by mass.

2. 2. The mayonnaise-like food according to claim 1, wherein the amount of fat and oil contained in the nut and seed-derived material is 2.0 parts by mass or less per part by mass of the protein content of the nut and seed-derived material.

3. The mayonnaise-like food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat and oil content is 10 to 60% by mass.

4. 3. The mayonnaise-like food according to claim 1, wherein the sugar content is 1 to 30% by mass.

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