Heat-resistant mold growth inhibitors, food and beverage products that inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds, and methods for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds.

Abstract

In order to provide a heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor that can inhibit the growth of heat-resistant mold without high-temperature heating treatment, a food product whose growth of heat-resistant mold is inhibited, and a method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant mold, the heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of the present invention uses diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid as active ingredients.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor that can inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds, and to food and beverages using the inhibitor to inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds, as well as a method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds. Prior Technology

[0002] Previously, food and beverages that were at risk of being contaminated by microorganisms were usually heat-treated to kill the microorganisms inside. However, for example, molds carrying spores in the thick shell of ascocarps and the like have heat resistance that allows them to survive even when subjected to heat treatment at 70°C for 10 minutes to 75°C for 30 minutes (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Therefore, food and beverage products that are at risk of being contaminated by heat-resistant molds (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "heat-resistant molds") need to be heated at higher temperatures (e.g., above 100°C) to inhibit their growth. Previous technical documents Patent documents

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-143147 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-141882

[0004] On the other hand, high-temperature heat treatment can alter the flavor, color, texture, and nutritional components of food and beverages, indicating a tendency to degrade their quality. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method to inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds using methods other than high-temperature heat treatment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] [The problem the invention aims to solve] This invention provides a heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor that inhibits the growth of heat-resistant molds without high-temperature heating treatment, a food product whose growth of heat-resistant molds is inhibited, and a method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds. [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following [1] to

[10] . [1] A heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor, which uses diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid as active ingredients. [2] The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor described in [1] refers to a mold that survives under conditions of heating at 70°C for 10 minutes. [3] The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitors described in [1] or [2], wherein the heat-resistant molds belong to at least one of the genera *Hymenopterus* and *Neosatonicus*. [4] A food or beverage in which the growth of heat-resistant molds is inhibited, wherein the heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is present in a concentration of 1 to 40,000 ppm as described in any one of [1] to [3], based on the concentration of diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid. [5] The food and beverage in which the growth of heat-resistant molds described in [4] is inhibited, wherein the concentration of the above-mentioned diethyl fumarate is 1 to 20,000 ppm. [6] A food or beverage in which the growth of heat-resistant molds described in [4] or [5] is inhibited, wherein the concentration of the above-mentioned 2-decenoic acid is 1 to 20,000 ppm. [7] A method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds, wherein the heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor described in any one of [1] to [3] is added to a food or beverage in such a way that the concentration of diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid is 1 to 40,000 ppm, thereby inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds in the food or beverage. [8] The method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds as described in [7] involves adding the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor to food and beverages in such a way that the concentration of the above-mentioned diethyl fumarate is 1 to 20,000 ppm. [9] The method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds as described in [7] or [8] involves adding the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor to food or beverages in such a way that the concentration of the above-mentioned 2-decenoic acid is 1 to 20,000 ppm.

[10] A method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds, wherein the growth inhibitor of heat-resistant molds described in any one of [1] to [3] is used to inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds in an object.

[0007] In order to obtain a heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor that can inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds without high-temperature heating treatment, the inventors have repeatedly conducted intensive research and found that even for various components that have been reported to have growth-inhibiting effects on common molds (not heat-resistant molds), heat-resistant molds do not necessarily have growth-inhibiting effects. Based on this insight, further research was conducted, and it was found that if a heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor with diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid as the active ingredient is used in food and beverage products, the growth of heat-resistant molds in the food and beverage products can be effectively inhibited without changing the flavor, color, texture, or nutritional components, thus completing the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of the present invention can inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds without high-temperature heating treatment. Implementation

[0009] The present invention will now be described in more detail based on embodiments thereof, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, in this invention, when the expression is "X~Y" (X and Y are arbitrary numbers), unless otherwise specified, it includes not only the meaning of "X or more and Y or less", but also the meaning of "preferably greater than X" or "preferably less than Y". Furthermore, when expressed as "above X" (where X is any number) or "below Y" (where Y is any number), it also includes the meaning of "preferably greater than X" or "preferably less than Y". Furthermore, when expressed as "X and / or Y" (where X and Y are arbitrary words), it includes not only the meaning of "both X and Y", but also the meaning of "only X" or "only Y".

[0010] <Heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor> The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of this embodiment uses diethyl fumarate and / or (E)-dec-2-enoic acid as active ingredients. In this invention, the active ingredient refers to the ingredient that can achieve the effect of this invention, namely the heat-resistant mold growth inhibition effect. Even if it is an ingredient that has the heat-resistant mold growth inhibition effect, it does not contain any ingredient formulated at a concentration that would not achieve the desired effect.

[0011] The heat-resistant molds targeted by the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitors refer to those that carry spores in the thick shells of ascocarps and other similar fruits, and can survive even after heating at 70°C for 10 minutes, and more preferably, after heating at 75°C for 30 minutes. In this embodiment, the growth inhibition effect is particularly high against molds belonging to the genera *Hymenobacter* and *Neosatonicia*.

[0012] Examples of heat-resistant molds belonging to the *Byssochlamys* genus include *B. fulva*, *Byssochlamys nivea*, and *Byssochlamys lagunculariae*. Examples of heat-resistant molds belonging to the *Neosartorya* genus include *N. primulina*, *Neosartorya fischeri*, and *Neosartorya glabra*. In this embodiment, *B. fulva* and *N. primulina* show particularly high efficacy.

[0013] The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of this embodiment may contain only the active ingredient, namely diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid, or it may be a composition containing multiple other ingredients.

[0014] When the heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of this embodiment is a composition, the components other than the aforementioned active ingredients, namely diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid, can include, for example, various solvents and various excipients. These can be used, for example, in the form of a spray prepared by dissolving the aforementioned active ingredients, namely diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid, in a solvent such as ethanol, or in the form of a powder prepared by mixing the aforementioned active ingredients with excipients (gum arabic, dextrin, etc.).

[0015] The aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably used on the target substance at a concentration of 1 to 40,000 ppm for diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid, more preferably 10 to 20,000 ppm, further preferably 20 to 10,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 5,000 ppm. Furthermore, in this invention, ppm represents a mass ratio.

[0016] Furthermore, the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably used on a target substance at a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm for diethyl fumarate, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably at a concentration of 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0017] Furthermore, the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably used on a target substance with a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm of 2-decenoic acid, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0018] Methods to Inhibit the Growth of Heat-Resistant Molds The method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds in this embodiment is to use the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor to inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds in the target object. In this invention, the object is the target substance that exerts a heat-resistant effect on inhibiting the growth of mold, such as beverages, food and other food products, soil, ground, walls, indoor dust, etc.

[0019] When the target substance is a food or beverage, the growth of heat-resistant molds in the food or beverage can be inhibited by adding the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor. The aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably added in the form of diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid at a concentration of 1 to 40,000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 20,000 ppm, further preferably 20 to 10,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 5,000 ppm.

[0020] Furthermore, the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably added to the aforementioned food and beverage at a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0021] Furthermore, the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably added to the aforementioned food and beverage at a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm of 2-decenoic acid, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0022] When adding the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor to the above-mentioned food and beverage, it can be added directly to the food and beverage. For example, the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor can be dissolved in a solvent such as ethanol to prepare a solution, and the above-mentioned solution can be added to the above-mentioned food and beverage. Alternatively, the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor can be mixed with excipients (gum arabic, dextrin, etc.) to form a powder.

[0023] The aforementioned food and beverage products can be in various forms, such as liquid, solid, or jelly. Liquid forms are preferable in terms of allowing for precise control over the concentration of the food and beverage and its long shelf life.

[0024] When the target material is soil, the growth of heat-resistant molds in the soil can be inhibited by adding the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor. The aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably added in the soil at a concentration of 1 to 40,000 ppm for diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid, more preferably 10 to 20,000 ppm, further preferably 20 to 10,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 5,000 ppm.

[0025] Furthermore, the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably added to the soil at a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm of diethyl fumarate, more preferably 10 to 20,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0026] Furthermore, the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably added to the soil at a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm of 2-decenoic acid, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0027] When adding the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor to the soil, it can be added directly to the soil. If necessary, the soil and the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor can be mixed. For example, the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor can be dissolved in a solvent such as ethanol to prepare a solution, and the solution can be added to the soil. Alternatively, the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor can be mixed with excipients (gum arabic, dextrin, etc.) to form a powder.

[0028] When the target object is a floor, wall, or indoor dust, the growth of heat-resistant mold can be inhibited by spraying or coating the aforementioned surface with the heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor. The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor can be prepared as a powder and sprayed directly onto the surface, or preferably dissolved in a solvent such as ethanol to form a solution, which is then sprayed or coated. Preferably, the solution contains diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid at a concentration of 1-40,000 ppm, more preferably 10-20,000 ppm, further preferably 20-10,000 ppm, and most preferably 30-5,000 ppm. The amount of the solution sprayed or coated varies depending on the surface condition of the surface; for example, a standard of 200 g / m² is preferred, covering the entire surface.

[0029] Furthermore, the solution of the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is preferably a diethyl fumarate solution with a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0030] Furthermore, the solution of the aforementioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor preferably has a concentration of 2-decenoic acid of 1 to 20,000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0031] <Food and beverage products whose growth is inhibited by heat-resistant molds> The heat-resistant mold growth-inhibiting food and beverage system of this embodiment is prepared by adding the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor in the form of diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid at a concentration of 1 to 40,000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 20,000 ppm, even more preferably 20 to 10,000 ppm, and most preferably in the form of 30 to 5,000 ppm.

[0032] Furthermore, regarding the amount of heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor added to the aforementioned food and beverage, it is preferable to add it in the form of diethyl fumarate at a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, further preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and most preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0033] Furthermore, regarding the amount of the heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor added to the aforementioned food and beverage, it is preferable to add it in the form of 1 to 20,000 ppm of 2-decenoic acid in the aforementioned food and beverage, more preferably 10 to 10,000 ppm, further preferably 20 to 5,000 ppm, and especially preferably 30 to 2,500 ppm.

[0034] Regarding the form and manufacturing of the aforementioned food and beverages, as described in the section on "Methods for Inhibiting the Growth of Heat-Resistant Molds" above, the description is omitted. [Example]

[0035] The present invention will now be specifically described through examples. However, the present invention is not limited to any of the examples described below.

[0036] [Examples 1-4, Comparative Example 1: Growth of pure *Hydrilla verticillata*] For tomato juice (100% juice, no added salt), diethyl fumarate or 2-decenoic acid was added to the tomato juice at the concentrations shown in Table 1 below. The juice was then left to stand at 25°C under a gas atmosphere to investigate whether *Hymenopterus xanthipes* growth was observed in the tomato juice after a specific number of days. The results are shown in Table 1 below. In Table 1, those observed to have pure *Cyclocarya paliurus* growth are marked as +, and those not observed to have growth are marked as -.

[0037] [Table 1] [Growth of pure yellow hygrophytes] Active ingredients concentration (ppm) Number of days stored at 25°C 3 days 5 days 7 days 10 days 14 days Comparative Example 1 none - - + + + + Example 1 diethyl fumarate 70 - - - + + Example 2 270 - - - - - Example 3 2-Decanonic acid 70 - - - + + Example 4 270 - - - - -

[0038] According to the results in Table 1, Examples 1-4 showed an inhibitory effect on the growth of *Hymenochrysis fulvidraco*, a heat-resistant mold. It was particularly evident in Examples 2 and 4, where the concentration of the active ingredient was higher, that no *Hymenochrysis fulvidraco* was observed to have grown even after 14 days, indicating a sustained growth-inhibiting effect. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, where no such active ingredient was added, *Hymenochrysis fulvidraco* was observed to have grown after 5 days.

[0039] [Examples 5-8, Comparative Example 2: Growth of Neosatoria spp.] For tomato juice (100% juice, no added salt), diethyl fumarate or 2-decenoic acid was added to the concentrations shown in Table 2 below. The mixture was then left to stand at 25°C under a gas atmosphere. The growth of *Neosatoria primrose* was investigated after a specific number of days. The results are shown in Table 2 below. In Table 2, those in which growth of *Neosatoria primrose* was observed were marked as +, and those in which no growth was observed were marked as -.

[0040] [Table 2] Growth of *Primulina neosatoria* Active ingredients concentration (ppm) Number of days stored at 25°C 3 days 5 days 7 days 10 days 14 days Comparative Example 2 none - + + + + + Example 5 diethyl fumarate 70 - - - - + Example 6 270 - - - - - Example 7 2-Decanonic acid 70 - + + + + Example 8 270 - - - - -

[0041] According to the results in Table 2, Examples 5-8 exhibited growth-inhibiting effects against *Neosatoria primrose*, a heat-resistant mold. Particularly in Examples 5 and 6, where diethyl fumarate was used as the active ingredient, no *Neosatoria primrose* growth was observed even after 10 days, and the growth-inhibiting effect persisted. Furthermore, in Examples 6 and 8, where the concentration of the active ingredient was higher, this effect persisted even after 14 days. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, where no such active ingredient was added, *Neosatoria primrose* growth was observed after 3 days.

[0042] [Examples 9 and 10, Comparative Examples 3-16] Diethyl fumarate and 2-decenoic acid were prepared as examples. The following components (palmitic acid, trans-anestigmatine, benzyl alcohol, cinnamic acid, juniper alcohol, salicylic acid, hexanal, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, p-isopropyltoluene, 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, succinate, 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid, linalool acetate) which have been reported to have growth-inhibiting effects on common molds (not heat-resistant molds) were prepared as comparative examples and added to trypsinized casein soybean broth medium at the concentrations shown in Table 3 below. The culture medium was stored at 25°C for 7 days. The growth of *Neosatoria primulatum* and / or *Hymenococcus flavonoides* was then investigated in the culture medium after 7 days. The results are shown in Table 3 below. In the table, observed growth is marked as +, and no growth is marked as -.

[0043] [Table 3] Active ingredient (concentration 1000 ppm) Store at 25°C for 7 days Neosatoria primrose pure yellow silk mold Example 9 diethyl fumarate - - Example 10 2-Decanonic acid - - Comparative Example 3 Palmitic acid + + Comparative Example 4 Anti-anise brain + + Comparative Example 5 benzyl alcohol + + Comparative Example 6 Cinnamon acid + + Comparative Example 7 Hinoki alcohol + + Comparative Example 8 salicylic acid + + Comparative Example 9 Hexanal + + Comparative Example 10 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole + + Comparative Example 11 p-Isopropyltoluene + + Comparative Example 12 1,8-Cyclocarpine + + Comparative Example 13 α-pinene + + Comparative Example 14 Grassroots brain + + Comparative Example 15 4-Hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid + + Comparative Example 16 Agaric acetate + +

[0044] According to the results in Table 3, in Examples 9 and 10, both *Euphorbia fulva* and *Neosatoria primrose*, which are heat-resistant molds, exhibited growth-inhibiting effects. The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitors with diethyl fumarate or 2-decenoic acid as active ingredients were excellent. On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 3 to 16, which showed growth inhibition effects against common molds, none of them showed growth inhibition effects against heat-resistant molds. Based on this, it can be concluded that even if a product has a growth inhibition effect against common molds, it does not necessarily have a growth inhibition effect against heat-resistant molds.

[0045] The above embodiments illustrate specific aspects of the present invention, but these embodiments are merely illustrative and not intended to be limiting. Various variations understood by those skilled in the art are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0046] This invention can be used as a heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor that can suppress the growth of heat-resistant molds without high-temperature heating treatment.

Claims

1. A heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor, comprising diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid as active ingredients, wherein the heat-resistant mold is a heat-resistant mold that forms ascocarps.

2. The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of claim 1, wherein the heat-resistant mold is a mold that survives under conditions of heating at 70°C for 10 minutes.

3. The heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat-resistant mold belongs to at least one of the genera *Hymenopterus* and *Neosatonicus*.

4. A food or beverage in which the growth of heat-resistant molds is inhibited, comprising, in concentrations of diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid, 1 to 40,000 ppm of any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A food or beverage in which the growth of heat-resistant molds as described in claim 4 is inhibited, wherein the concentration of diethyl fumarate is 1 to 20,000 ppm.

6. A food or beverage in which the growth of heat-resistant molds as described in claim 4 is inhibited, wherein the concentration of the aforementioned 2-decenoic acid is 1 to 20,000 ppm.

7. A method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds, wherein the heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor of any one of claims 1 to 3 is added to a food or beverage at a concentration of diethyl fumarate and / or 2-decenoic acid of 1 to 40,000 ppm, thereby inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds in the food or beverage.

8. The method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds as claimed in claim 7, wherein the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is added to food or beverages at a concentration of 1 to 20,000 ppm of diethyl fumarate.

9. The method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds as claimed in claim 7, wherein the above-mentioned heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor is added to food or beverages in such a way that the concentration of the above-mentioned 2-decenoic acid is 1 to 20,000 ppm.

10. A method for inhibiting the growth of heat-resistant molds, comprising using a heat-resistant mold growth inhibitor as described in any one of claims 1 to 3 to inhibit the growth of heat-resistant molds in a target material.