Flavor oil manufacturing method and flavor oil

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flavor oil manufacturing method that involves: mixing a seasoning stock solution and an edible oil or fat to obtain a mixture; and fermenting the mixture. The present invention also relates to a flavor oil that satisfies at least one of (1) and (2) below. (1) A flavor oil containing a total of 2 ppb or more of at least two component selected from the group consisting of ethyl 2-methylpropanoate (component i), ethyl 2-methylbutanoate (component iii), and ethyl 3-methylbutanoate (component iv); (2) a flavor oil containing a total of 2 ppb or more of at least one component selected from the group consisting of ethyl 2-methylpropanoate (component i), ethyl 2-methylbutanoate (component iii), and ethyl 3-methylbutanoate (component iv), and containing 10 ppb or more of ethyl butanoate (component ii).

Description

Flavor oil manufacturing method and flavor oil

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a flavor oil and a flavor oil.

[0002] Soy sauce is a liquid seasoning made from soybeans, wheat, salt, etc., and produced by fermentation using yeast. It is widely used as a table sauce to dip or pour over food ingredients, to cook simmered, grilled, and stir-fried dishes, and as an ingredient in soups and sauces.

[0003] Soy sauce is produced by the honjozo method, the mixed brewing method, and the mixed method. There are also varieties of soy sauce, such as dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, white soy sauce, tamari soy sauce, and re-brewed soy sauce.

[0004] Soy sauce, for example, dark soy sauce produced by the traditional brewing method, is produced by the following method. First, a mixture of a protein material such as heat-denatured soybeans and a starchy material such as heat-gelatinized wheat is inoculated with koji starter containing koji mold and cultured to produce koji, thereby obtaining soy sauce koji. The obtained soy sauce koji is placed in brine and subjected to lactic acid fermentation and aging to obtain soy sauce moromi. The obtained soy sauce moromi is then subjected to yeast fermentation and aging to obtain matured moromi. The obtained matured moromi is subjected to compression and filtration to obtain raw soy sauce. The obtained raw soy sauce is then pasteurized to produce dark soy sauce.

[0005] Tamotsu soy sauce produced by the honjozo method is produced, for example, in the following manner. First, steamed soybeans are mixed with a very small amount of roasted and crushed wheat, and koji mold is grown on the mixture to obtain miso ball koji. The obtained miso ball koji is placed in salt water and subjected to lactic acid fermentation and aging to obtain soy sauce moromi. The obtained soy sauce moromi is then subjected to yeast fermentation and aging to obtain aged moromi. The moromi liquid that seeps out from the obtained soy sauce moromi and the aged moromi is pumped up and fermented and aged to produce tamari soy sauce.

[0006] However, it is known that grains containing gluten, such as wheat, cause severe symptoms in patients with celiac disease, and there is a worldwide demand for the development of gluten-free foods. As mentioned above, typical tamari soy sauce uses a very small amount of wheat, but due to the demand for gluten-free foods, tamari soy sauce is sometimes produced without using wheat.

[0007] Due to its excellent color, taste, and aroma, soy sauce is now used as a basic seasoning in cuisines around the world, primarily in Japanese and Chinese cuisine. The aroma of honjozo soy sauce contains over 300 compounds, and this composition provides excellent cooking effects such as enhancing the flavor of ingredients and masking off-flavors, making soy sauce a unique seasoning.

[0008] Academic Report of the Faculty of Agriculture, Mie University, March 1986, No. 72, pp. 105-111

[0009] Soy sauce currently available on the market is obtained through a fermentation process that produces aroma compounds, followed by a long period of aging, squeezing, filtration, and pasteurization. After solid-liquid separation by squeezing, the aqueous layer contains not only the aroma compounds but also coloring, salt, umami compounds, sweet compounds, etc., making it impossible to separate the aroma compounds from the other compounds. This fact in some cases limits the uses of soy sauce.

[0010] On the other hand, many of the aroma components produced during the soy sauce fermentation process are lipophilic and are not sufficiently dissolved or retained in the aqueous phase. Therefore, even if lipophilic aroma components are produced during the fermentation process, they can disperse into the air or be removed, altered, or volatilized in subsequent processes. Furthermore, soy sauce made from whole soybeans contains oil in the moromi mash, but there is a problem in that the aroma components produced during fermentation migrate to this oil and are removed along with the oil in processes after pressing. This oil containing aroma components is called soy sauce oil, but it deteriorates due to oxidation during the aging period and is therefore unsuitable for use in food (Non-Patent Document 1).

[0011] As mentioned above, no effective method has been found to date for collecting the useful aroma components produced during the soy sauce fermentation process, separating them from other components such as color and salt, and utilizing them in cooking.

[0012] The present inventors have surprisingly found that flavor oils can be produced by fermenting a mixture of a seasoning concentrate and an edible fat or oil, and have completed the present invention based on this finding. Furthermore, the present inventors have identified components contained in flavor oils having a desirable aroma.

[0013] That is, the present invention relates to the following items <1> to <14>. <1> A method for producing a flavor oil, comprising mixing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat to obtain a mixture, and fermenting the mixture. <2> The method for producing a flavor oil according to item <1> above, wherein the fermentation is yeast fermentation. <3> The method for producing a flavor oil according to item <1> or <2> above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, a lower layer of the mixture contains the seasoning concentrate and an upper layer of the mixture contains the edible oil or fat. <4> The method for producing a flavor oil according to item <1> or <2> above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning concentrate is a moromi liquid or one obtained by fermenting a moromi liquid. <5> The method for producing a flavor oil according to <1> or <2> above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation solution A or seasoning stock solution A obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation solution A, and the pre-fermentation solution A contains 4.5 (w / v)% or more of reducing sugars and 1.5 (v / v)% or less of ethanol. <6> The method for producing a flavor oil according to <1> or <2> above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation solution B or seasoning stock solution B obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation solution B, and the pre-fermentation solution B does not contain any wheat-derived components and contains 3 (w / v)% or more in total of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose. <7> The method for producing a flavor oil according to <1> or <2> above, wherein the content ratio of the seasoning concentrate to the edible oil / fat in the mixture at the start of fermentation is 5:95 to 80:20 on a volume basis. <8> The method for producing a flavor oil according to <1> or <2> above, wherein the fermentation period of the mixture is 1 week to 4 months. <9> The method for producing a flavor oil according to <1> or <2> above, wherein the fermentation is static fermentation. <10> A flavor oil obtained by mixing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil / fat to obtain a mixture, and fermenting the mixture. <11> A flavor oil that satisfies at least one of the following (1) and (2):(1) A flavor oil containing at least two selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more. (2) A flavor oil containing at least one selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more, and (component ii) ethyl butanoate in an amount of 10 ppb or more. <12> The flavor oil according to the above <11>, which satisfies at least one selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (c): (a) containing 1 ppb or more of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (b) containing 1 ppb or more of (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, (c) containing 1 ppb or more of (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate <13> The flavor oil according to <11> or <12> above, further containing at least one selected from the group consisting of (component v) phenethyl acetate, (component vi) 2-phenylethanol, and (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone. <14> The flavor oil according to <13> above, satisfying at least one selected from the group consisting of the following (d) to (f): (d) Contains 0.01 ppm or more of (component v) phenethyl acetate; (e) Contains 1 ppm or more of (component vi) 2-phenylethanol; (f) Contains 0.1 ppm or more of (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone.

[0014] The flavor oil obtained by the production method of the present invention has a pleasant aroma when used alone, and when added to food, it enhances the pleasant aroma of the food and masks the unpleasant aroma.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a mixture 10 of a seasoning concentrate 12 and an edible oil or fat 11 is fermented in a vessel 13 in a method for producing a flavor oil according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] The configuration and preferred embodiments of this invention are described in more detail below. In this specification, the term "A to B" indicating a range means "greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B." Furthermore, in this specification, "weight" and "mass," and "wt%" and "mass%" are treated as synonyms. In this specification, the term "flavor component" refers to any substance that can form a flavor (aroma or taste), and refers to a substance or its analog that contributes to the flavor. In this specification, the term "flavor oil" refers to edible oils and fats obtained by transferring a flavor component to edible oils and fats. In this specification, "ppm" refers to a unit that is commonly known, specifically, 1 ppm is 1 mg / L (w / v). In this specification, the term "ppb" refers to a unit that is commonly known, specifically, 1 ppb is 1 μg / L (w / v).

[0017] <Method for Producing Flavor Oil> A method for producing a flavor oil according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the production method of this embodiment) includes mixing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat to obtain a mixture, and fermenting the mixture.

[0018] The production method of this embodiment is believed to produce flavor oils with various flavors through the following mechanism. Specifically, it is believed that fermenting a mixture containing a seasoning concentrate and edible oils and fats transfers flavor components contained in the seasoning concentrate and flavor components generated during the fermentation of the seasoning concentrate to the edible oils and fats, thereby producing flavor oils. This is because the specific gravity of edible oils and fats is lower than that of the seasoning concentrate. As shown in FIG. 1 , in mixture 10, edible oils and fats 11 are located above seasoning concentrate 12 in container 13. Fermenting the mixture in this state volatilizes the flavor components contained in seasoning concentrate 12 and the multiple flavor components generated during the fermentation of seasoning concentrate 12. These flavor components dissolve in edible oils and fats 11 located at the top, resulting in the transfer of the flavor components to edible oils and fats 11, thereby producing flavor oils. The aroma and flavor of flavor oils are lipophilic and therefore do not volatilize easily. Furthermore, by transferring flavor components to edible oils and fats as a base, it is possible to concentrate and maintain the aroma of the resulting flavor oil. Note that the present invention is not limited to those having the above-mentioned mechanism of action.

[0019] (Condiment stock solution) A seasoning stock solution is a liquid that becomes a seasoning by fermentation. The seasoning is not particularly limited as long as it is used for the purpose of adjusting the flavor when processing ingredients, and examples thereof include soy sauce, soy sauce-like seasonings, cooking sake, mirin, salted rice malt, noodle soup, hot pot soup, dashi soup, dressing, and sauce, but is preferably at least one of soy sauce and soy sauce-like seasonings.

[0020] Soy sauce (also called shoyu or soy sauce) is not particularly limited as long as it is used as a commonly known seasoning, and examples thereof include those described in the "Soy Sauce Quality Labeling Standards" and "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Soy Sauce" notices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, specifically dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, white soy sauce, tamari soy sauce, and re-brewed soy sauce. Other examples include raw soy sauce, dashi soy sauce, teriyaki soy sauce, kiage soy sauce, quick-brewed soy sauce, amino acid-mixed soy sauce, reduced-salt soy sauce, and low-salt soy sauce. The soy sauce may be one of the above-mentioned soy sauces alone or a combination of two or more of them.

[0021] Soy sauce-like seasonings refer to seasonings used in the same way as "soy sauce" as defined by the Japanese Agricultural Standards, and are a concept that includes soy sauce, soy sauce processed products, and fermented seasonings. As long as they are used in the same way as "soy sauce," they do not necessarily need to contain ingredients derived from soy sauce koji (e.g., soybeans or wheat).

[0022] The seasoning concentrate is not particularly limited as long as it is a liquid used to obtain a seasoning, but examples thereof include liquids used to produce soy sauce, soy sauce-like seasonings, cooking sake, mirin, shio koji, noodle soup, hot pot soup, dashi soup, dressing, sauce, etc., and soy sauce concentrates and soy sauce-like seasoning concentrates are preferred. However, the seasoning concentrate may be used as a seasoning by itself.

[0023] The raw materials for the seasoning concentrate are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include soybeans such as whole soybeans and defatted soybeans, beans such as peas and chickpeas, wheat, barley, naked barley, adlay and other wheat, wheat gluten, rice, corn and other grains. Wheat does not have to be used in the seasoning concentrate.

[0024] The seasoning stock solution is preferably a fermented product obtained by inoculating and culturing koji starter containing koji mold as a raw material to produce koji, and then adding the koji starter to salt water for lactic acid fermentation and maturation. The fermented product thus obtained usually contains moromi. Preferred koji starter and lactic acid bacteria include those similar to those used in producing pre-fermentation liquid A and pre-fermentation liquid B, which will be described later.

[0025] At the start of fermentation, the moromi content in the seasoning concentrate is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less. Moromi is a soft solid produced by fermenting multiple ingredients during the fermentation process for seasonings such as soy sauce. Generally, the fermentation process leading up to the production of soy sauce is referred to as moromi, and the fermentation process leading up to the production of alcoholic beverages is referred to as moromi. In this specification, the soft solid produced during the fermentation process leading up to the production of a seasoning concentrate, including soy sauce and alcoholic beverages, is referred to as moromi. If the moromi content in the seasoning concentrate is 5% by mass or less at the start of fermentation, when a mixture containing the seasoning concentrate and edible oil is fermented, the solid content in the mixture is not too high, and a flavor oil with a good flavor tends to be obtained. If the moromi content in the seasoning concentrate is 5% by mass or less, aroma components are less likely to be adsorbed to the solid content, and a flavor oil with a better flavor tends to be obtained.

[0026] The moromi content of the seasoning stock solution can be adjusted, for example, by compression treatment. Specifically, it is preferable to use a vertical compressor using a filter cloth for compression treatment. When the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation liquid A described below or seasoning stock solution A obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid A, the moromi content of the seasoning stock solution can also be adjusted by a method of removing insoluble solids from soy sauce moromi to obtain a soy sauce moromi liquid in the example of the method for producing pre-fermentation liquid A. When the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation liquid B described below or seasoning stock solution B obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid B, the moromi content of the seasoning stock solution can also be adjusted by a method of removing insoluble solids from distilled soy sauce moromi to obtain a distilled soy sauce moromi liquid in the example of the method for producing pre-fermentation liquid B.

[0027] That is, the seasoning concentrate is preferably a moromi juice or one obtained by fermenting a moromi juice. A moromi juice is obtained by removing insoluble solids from moromi by the above-mentioned compression treatment or the like. Here, "a product obtained by fermenting a moromi juice" is preferably one obtained by pre-fermenting a moromi juice. Pre-fermentation will be described later.

[0028] The seasoning concentrate may be pasteurized or non-pasteurized, but non-pasteurized concentrate is preferred in order to obtain an oil with a more desirable aroma.

[0029] At the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is preferably pre-fermentation liquid A, seasoning stock solution A obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid A, pre-fermentation liquid B, or seasoning stock solution B obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid B, as described below.

[0030] (Pre-fermentation liquid A) At the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is preferably pre-fermentation liquid A or a seasoning stock solution A obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid A. Pre-fermentation liquid A contains a reducing sugar content of 4.5 (w / v)% or more and an ethanol content of 1.5 (v / v)% or less.

[0031] The content of reducing sugars in pre-fermentation liquid A is an amount that allows for fermentation such as yeast fermentation, and specifically is 4.5 (w / v)% or more. From the viewpoint that a sufficient amount of ethanol can be obtained by providing a long fermentation period, it is preferably 5 (w / v)% or more, more preferably 6 (w / v)% or more, and even more preferably 7 (w / v)% or more. The upper limit of the content of reducing sugars in pre-fermentation liquid A is not particularly limited, but is, for example, an amount that does not inhibit fermentation such as yeast fermentation, and is generally 30 (w / v)% or less. Note that reducing sugars refer to direct reducing sugars as defined in the "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Soy Sauce" notification of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.

[0032] When the reducing sugar content in pre-fermentation liquid A is less than 4.5 (w / v)%, it can be adjusted to 4.5 (w / v)% or more by adding a reducing sugar component to pre-fermentation liquid A. The reducing sugar component added in this case is not particularly limited as long as it can be directly measured as a reducing sugar by the method described in the document "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Soy Sauce" (Notice of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan), but examples thereof include glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose, and among these, glucose is preferred.

[0033] The ethanol content in pre-fermentation liquid A is an amount that allows fermentation such as yeast fermentation, and is specifically 1.5 (v / v)% or less. From the viewpoint of enabling more stable fermentation, it is preferably 1.0 (v / v)% or less, and more preferably 0.5 (v / v)% or less. The lower limit of the ethanol content in pre-fermentation liquid A is not particularly limited, and may be below the lower limit of detection, i.e., substantially 0 (v / v)%. Furthermore, ethanol may be added to pre-fermentation liquid A as long as the above-mentioned content is achieved. Examples of ethanol that can be used in this case include food-grade alcohol used in foods and alcoholic beverages containing ethanol, but are not particularly limited thereto.

[0034] The content of linoleic acid in pre-fermentation liquid A is not particularly limited, but is, for example, less than 0.15 (w / v)%, and from the viewpoint of making the aroma of a seasoning obtained by subjecting pre-fermentation liquid A to fermentation such as yeast fermentation pleasant, it is preferably 0.10 (w / v)% or less, more preferably 0.05 (w / v)% or less, even more preferably 0.03 (w / v)% or less, and even more preferably 0.01 (w / v)% or less. The lower limit of the linoleic acid content in pre-fermentation liquid A is not particularly limited, and may be below the lower limit of detection, i.e., substantially 0 (w / v)%.

[0035] The reducing sugar content in the pre-fermentation solution A can be measured by the method described in the document "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Soy Sauce" (Notification of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan).

[0036] The ethanol content in the pre-fermentation liquid A can be measured by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) under the following conditions according to a conventional method.

[0037] GC-FID analysis conditions Measurement device: GC-2014AF (Shimadzu Corporation) Column: Porapack q (80-100 mesh) (GL Sciences) Injection port temperature: 230°C Temperature conditions: 155°C (7 min) hold Carrier gas: Nitrogen Column flow rate: 20 mL / min Detector temperature: 250°C

[0038] The contents of linoleic acid and heptadecanoic acid used as an internal standard in pre-fermentation liquid A can be measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using a fatty acid methylation kit (manufactured by Nacalai Tesque) to methylate fatty acids according to the following conditions.

[0039] GC-MS conditions Measurement device: 7890B-5977 MSD (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) Column: DB-WAX (length 60 m, diameter 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm) (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) Injection port temperature: 250°C Temperature conditions: hold at 40°C (3 min) → increase temperature to 250°C at 6°C / min → hold for 15 min Carrier: high-purity helium, constant pressure mode 229 kPa Scan mass range: m / z 30.0 to 500.0 Ionization method: EI

[0040] The peak areas of methyl-esterified linoleic acid and the internal standard heptadecanoic acid were determined using the following m / z values: Methyl linoleate: m / z 294 Methyl heptadecanoate: m / z 284

[0041] The method for producing pre-fermentation liquid A is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that can produce pre-fermentation liquid A having predetermined amounts of reducing sugar content, ethanol content, etc. For example, when pre-fermentation liquid A is a soy sauce concentrate or a soy sauce-like seasoning concentrate, it can be produced by a soy sauce production method that includes a step prior to the yeast fermentation step, i.e., a soy sauce moromi production method. A specific example of pre-fermentation liquid A is a soy sauce moromi liquid obtained by a soy sauce production method using the traditional brewing method, which can be used as a raw material for a matured moromi liquid. The soy sauce moromi liquid will be described in detail below.

[0042] The method for producing soy sauce moromi mash is not particularly limited as long as it is a method among commonly known soy sauce production methods that includes the steps up to obtaining soy sauce moromi mash. One embodiment of the method for producing soy sauce moromi mash includes, for example, a method comprising the steps of inoculating a soy sauce raw material, which is a mixture of steamed and denatured soybeans, roasted and crushed barley, etc., with koji starter, and aerating the koji at 20 to 40°C for about 36 hours to 4 days to obtain soy sauce koji, subsequently adding the soy sauce koji to a salt solution having a salt concentration of 20 to 30% by mass, optionally adding soy sauce lactic acid bacteria, and subjecting the mixture to lactic acid fermentation and aging at 15 to 40°C for 10 to 200 days with appropriate stirring to obtain soy sauce moromi mash.

[0043] The soy sauce raw material is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include soybeans such as whole soybeans and defatted soybeans, beans such as peas and chickpeas, wheat such as wheat, barley, naked barley, and adlay, wheat gluten, rice, and corn.

[0044] The koji starter is not particularly limited as long as it is a koji mold used in the production of ordinary soy sauce, and examples thereof include Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus sojae, etc. The soy sauce lactic acid bacteria is not particularly limited as long as it is a soy sauce lactic acid bacteria used in the production of ordinary soy sauce, and examples thereof include halotolerant lactic acid bacteria such as Tetragenococcus halophilus.

[0045] In the method for producing soy sauce moromi mash, if the amount of starchy raw materials such as wheat or rice among the soy sauce raw materials is small, it may be impossible to obtain soy sauce moromi mash with a predetermined amount of reducing sugar. Therefore, it is preferable that the amount of starchy raw materials such as wheat or rice among the soy sauce raw materials is an amount that can obtain soy sauce moromi mash with a predetermined amount of reducing sugar. However, this does not apply when soy sauce moromi mash with a predetermined amount of reducing sugar is obtained by adding a reducing sugar component to the soy sauce moromi mash.

[0046] Soy sauce moromi mash obtained by a conventional soy sauce moromi manufacturing method contains insoluble solids derived from soy sauce raw materials such as soybeans and wheat. Therefore, the liquid obtained by removing the insoluble solids from the soy sauce moromi mash can be used as pre-fermentation liquid A. In this specification, the liquid obtained by removing the insoluble solids from the soy sauce moromi mash is also referred to as "soy sauce moromi liquid." By using such soy sauce moromi liquid, soy sauce or soy sauce-like seasonings can be obtained by simply carrying out fermentation such as yeast fermentation.

[0047] The method for removing insoluble solids from soy sauce moromi mash to obtain a soy sauce moromi mash is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include commonly known solid-liquid separation methods, specifically squeezing and filtration processes commonly used in soy sauce manufacturing methods, and more specifically squeezing and filtration processes using a press with a filter cloth, and membrane filtration processes using various permeable membranes such as microfiltration membranes (hereinafter also referred to as MF membranes) and ultrafiltration membranes (hereinafter also referred to as UF membranes). If a large amount of soy sauce lactic acid bacteria remains in the soy sauce moromi mash, yeast fermentation may not be carried out properly. Therefore, when obtaining a soy sauce moromi mash, it is preferable to adopt a method that can remove most of the soy sauce lactic acid bacteria along with the insoluble solids. The content of lactic acid bacteria in the soy sauce moromi mash is not particularly limited, but for example, 1.0 × 10 ８ It is preferable that the number of particles is 1.0 × 10 ７ More preferably, it is 1.0 x 10 ６ Therefore, the pre-fermentation liquid A is preferably a liquid obtained by removing insoluble solids and microorganisms from soy sauce moromi mash.

[0048] Pre-fermentation solution A may contain various other components as long as the contents of reducing sugars and ethanol are predetermined, and may further contain various other components as long as they do not interfere with the solution of the problems of the present invention. The other components are not particularly limited, but examples include seasoning components and food ingredients, specifically vegetable components (radish, carrot, onion, potato, garlic, etc.), meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc.), fish, yeast extract, meat extract (chicken extract, pork extract, beef extract, fish extract, etc.), fruit juice (apple juice, etc.), spices (ginger, chili pepper, pepper, basil, oregano, etc.), chemical seasonings (monosodium glutamate, monosodium inosinate, etc.), and flavors. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The contents of the other components may be appropriately set as long as they can solve the problems of the present invention. If the soy sauce moromi liquid or pre-fermentation liquid A obtained above is subjected to a decolorization treatment using an adsorption resin, free fatty acids, amino acids, etc. will be adsorbed, and therefore it is not preferable to subject the soy sauce moromi liquid or pre-fermentation liquid A to a decolorization treatment using an adsorption resin.

[0049] Non-limiting specific embodiments of the pre-fermentation liquid A include, for example, pre-fermentation liquid A having a reducing sugar content and an ethanol content as shown below (1-1) and (2-1), respectively: (1-1) Reducing sugar content: 4.5 to 30 (w / v)% (2-1) Ethanol content: 0 to 1.5 (v / v)%

[0050] Non-limiting specific embodiments of the pre-fermentation liquid A include, for example, pre-fermentation liquid A having a reducing sugar content, an ethanol content, and a linoleic acid content as shown below (1-2), (2-2), and (3-2), respectively: (1-2) Reducing sugar content: 4.5 to 30 (w / v)% (2-2) Ethanol content: 0 to 1.5 (v / v)% (3-2) Linoleic acid content: 0 to 0.10 (w / v)%

[0051] Non-limiting specific embodiments of the pre-fermentation liquid A include, for example, pre-fermentation liquid A having the following reducing sugar content, ethanol content, and linoleic acid content (1-3), (2-3), and (3-3), respectively: (1-3) Reducing sugar content: 6 to 30 (w / v)% (2-3) Ethanol content: 0 to 1.0 (v / v)% (3-3) Linoleic acid content: 0 to 0.03 (w / v)%

[0052] (Pre-fermentation liquid B) At the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is preferably pre-fermentation liquid B or a seasoning stock solution B obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid B. Pre-fermentation liquid B does not contain any wheat-derived components, and contains 3 (w / v)% or more in total of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose.

[0053] An example of a wheat-derived component is gluten.

[0054] The total content of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose in pre-fermentation solution B is an amount that allows fermentation such as yeast fermentation, and is specifically 3 (w / v)% or more, preferably 5 (w / v)% or more, and more preferably 7 (w / v)% or more. There are no particular limitations on the upper limit of the total content of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, and fructose in pre-fermentation solution B, but it is, for example, an amount that does not inhibit fermentation such as yeast fermentation, and is generally 30 (w / v)% or less.

[0055] When the content of a component selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose in pre-fermentation liquid B is less than 3 (w / v)%, the content can be adjusted to 3 (w / v)% or more by adding a component selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, and fructose to pre-fermentation liquid B.

[0056] The total content of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose in pre-fermentation solution B can be measured by the method described in the document "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Soy Sauce" (Notification of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan).

[0057] Pre-fermentation solution B can also be produced in the same manner as pre-fermentation solution A, except that wheat is not used as a raw material.

[0058] The method for producing pre-fermentation liquid B is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that produces a pre-fermentation liquid B that does not contain wheat-derived components and has a predetermined total content of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose. For example, when pre-fermentation liquid B is a soy sauce concentrate or a soy sauce-like seasoning concentrate, it can be produced by a soy sauce production method that includes a step prior to the yeast fermentation step, i.e., a soy sauce moromi production method. A specific example of pre-fermentation liquid B is a soy sauce moromi liquid obtained by a method for producing tamari soy sauce without using wheat, which can be used as a raw material for matured moromi. In this specification, soy sauce moromi obtained by a method for producing tamari soy sauce without using wheat is also referred to as tamari soy sauce moromi related to pre-fermentation liquid B.

[0059] The method for producing soy sauce moromi using the pre-fermentation liquid B is not particularly limited as long as it is a method including the steps up to obtaining the soy sauce moromi among commonly known methods for producing soy sauce, provided that wheat is not used. Furthermore, the method for producing distilled soy sauce moromi using the pre-fermentation liquid B is not particularly limited as long as it is a method including the steps up to obtaining the distilled soy sauce moromi among commonly known methods for producing distilled soy sauce, provided that wheat is not used. One embodiment of the method for producing distilled soy sauce moromi using the pre-fermentation liquid B is, for example, a method in which koji mold is inoculated onto a mixture of steamed soybeans and the like to obtain miso ball koji, and the obtained miso ball koji is placed in salt water for lactic acid fermentation and aging to obtain soy sauce moromi.

[0060] The raw material for the distilled soy sauce from the pre-fermentation liquid B is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include soybeans such as whole soybeans and defatted soybeans, beans such as peas and chickpeas, and pea protein.

[0061] The koji mold is not particularly limited as long as it is a koji mold used in the production of ordinary tamari soy sauce, and examples thereof include Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus sojae, etc. The soy sauce lactic acid bacteria is not particularly limited as long as it is a soy sauce lactic acid bacteria used in the production of ordinary soy sauce, and examples thereof include halotolerant lactic acid bacteria such as Tetragenococcus halophilus.

[0062] In a method for producing distilled soy sauce moromi using pre-fermentation liquid B that does not use wheat, if the amount of starchy raw materials such as rice among the soy sauce raw materials is small, it may be impossible to obtain soy sauce moromi with a predetermined content of reducing sugars. When the amount of starchy raw materials such as rice is small or no starchy raw materials such as rice are used, it is possible to obtain soy sauce moromi with a predetermined content of these components by adding one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose.

[0063] The moromi of tamari soy sauce obtained by the wheat-free method for producing tamari soy sauce moromi contains insoluble solids derived from tamari soy sauce raw materials such as soybeans, peas, chickpeas, and other beans, as well as pea protein. Therefore, a liquid obtained by removing the insoluble solids from such tamari soy sauce moromi can be used as pre-fermentation liquid B. By using such tamari soy sauce moromi liquid, soy sauce or soy sauce-like seasoning can be obtained by simply carrying out fermentation such as yeast fermentation.

[0064] The method for removing insoluble solids from the above-mentioned distilled soy sauce moromi to obtain the distilled soy sauce moromi liquid is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the same methods as those exemplified as the method for removing insoluble solids from the soy sauce moromi liquid for pre-fermentation liquid A. The content of lactic acid bacteria in the distilled soy sauce moromi liquid for pre-fermentation liquid B is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 1.0 × 10 ８ It is preferable that the number of particles is 1.0 × 10 ７ More preferably, it is 1.0 x 10 ６ Therefore, the pre-fermentation liquid B is preferably a liquid obtained by removing insoluble solids and microorganisms from the moromi mash of tamari soy sauce, and does not contain any wheat-derived components.

[0065] Pre-fermentation liquid B does not contain wheat-derived components, and the total content of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose may be a predetermined amount. It may further contain various other components as long as the problem of the present invention is not hindered. The other components are not particularly limited, and examples include the same components as those that may be contained in pre-fermentation liquid A. The content of the other components can be appropriately set as long as the problem of the present invention can be solved. If the soy sauce moromi liquid or pre-fermentation liquid B obtained above is subjected to a decolorization treatment using an adsorption resin, free fatty acids, amino acids, etc. are adsorbed, and therefore it is not preferable to subject the soy sauce moromi liquid or pre-fermentation liquid B to a decolorization treatment using an adsorption resin.

[0066] ((Pre-fermentation)) In the production method of this embodiment, a mixture containing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat is fermented as described below. The seasoning concentrate may be fermented before the mixture is fermented. In this specification, this is also referred to as pre-fermentation. Pre-fermentation is preferably carried out in order to facilitate fermentation of the mixture containing the seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat.

[0067] The pre-fermentation preferably includes yeast fermentation. The yeast fermentation included in the pre-fermentation is not particularly limited as long as it is yeast fermentation using soy sauce yeast as is commonly known when producing soy sauce, and examples thereof include conventional yeast fermentation using soy sauce yeast under conditions depending on the type and number of bacteria of the soy sauce yeast. The soy sauce yeast is not particularly limited as long as it is a yeast commonly used in the production of soy sauce, and examples thereof include salt-tolerant yeasts such as Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Candida etchellsii, and Candida versatilis. The content of yeast in the seasoning stock solution after pre-fermentation is not particularly limited, and for example, it is preferably 1.0 x 10 ５ / ml or more, more preferably 1.0 × 10 ６ / ml or more, more preferably 5.0 × 10 ６ The number is more than 1 / ml.

[0068] The yeast fermentation period in pre-fermentation is not particularly limited as long as it is a conventional yeast fermentation period under conditions depending on the type of yeast, the number of bacteria, etc., but is, for example, the period during which the ethanol content reaches 0.5 (v / v)% or more based on the end of pre-fermentation in the liquid obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid A and the liquid obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid B. More specifically, when Zygosaccharomyces rouxii is used as the soy sauce yeast, the period is, for example, about 1 to 7 days, at room temperature, preferably 15 to 30°C, during which the yeast is activated and the number of bacteria increases five-fold or more from the number added.

[0069] (Edible oils and fats) Examples of edible oils and fats used in the production method of this embodiment include animal-derived edible oils and fats such as lard, beef tallow, chicken oil, and butter, and plant-derived edible oils and fats such as soybean oil, rice bran oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, and olive oil. Among these, soybean oil, rice bran oil, and olive oil are preferred because they are liquid at room temperature, have little distinctive aroma, are easily available, are derived from grains that can also be used as a soy sauce ingredient, and are resistant to oxidation.

[0070] (Mixture) At the start of fermentation, the content ratio of the seasoning concentrate solution to the edible oil / fat in the mixture is preferably 5:95 to 80:20 by volume, more preferably 15:85 to 70:30, and even more preferably 30:70 to 65:35, from the viewpoint of appropriate aroma transfer to the edible oil / fat. By being in the above range, a flavor oil sufficiently containing a desirable aroma can be obtained.

[0071] At the start of fermentation, the mixture preferably contains 5 (v / v)% or more, more preferably 15 (v / v)% or more, and even more preferably 30 (v / v)% or more of the above-mentioned seasoning stock solution, from the viewpoint of ensuring an aroma titer that will function when used as a final product. Furthermore, the mixture preferably contains 80 (v / v)% or less, more preferably 70 (v / v)% or less, and even more preferably 65 (v / v)% or less of the above-mentioned seasoning stock solution, from the viewpoint of productivity in recovering oil and suppressing the transfer of unnecessary aroma components other than those that transfer to the oil by fermentation.

[0072] At the start of fermentation, the mixture preferably contains 20 (v / v)% or more, more preferably 30 (v / v)% or more, and even more preferably 35 (v / v)% or more of the above-mentioned edible oils and fats, from the viewpoints of productivity in recovering the oil and suppressing oxidation of the oil itself during fermentation. Furthermore, the mixture preferably contains 95 (v / v)% or less, more preferably 85 (v / v)% or less, and even more preferably 70 (v / v)% or less of the above-mentioned edible oils and fats, from the viewpoints of ensuring an aroma titer that will function when used as a final product.

[0073] Furthermore, at the start of fermentation, the mixture may contain other components in addition to the seasoning concentrate and edible oil and fat, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of other components include vitamin E as an antioxidant and silicon as an antifoaming agent. The content of other components in the mixture depends on the concentration at which the other components exert their effects, but is preferably 0.1 (w / v)% or less.

[0074] (Fermentation) The production method of this embodiment includes mixing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat to obtain a mixture, and fermenting the mixture. Note that "mixing" does not mean mixing the seasoning concentrate and the edible oil or fat to create an emulsified state, but rather means contacting the seasoning concentrate and the edible oil or fat without emulsifying them, for example by adding the other to either the seasoning concentrate or the edible oil or fat. Since edible oil or fat typically has a lower specific gravity than the seasoning concentrate, as shown in FIG. 1 , in the mixture 10, the edible oil or fat 11 is located above the seasoning concentrate 12 in the container 13. Fermentation of the mixture 10 begins in this state.

[0075] That is, at the start of fermentation, it is preferable that the lower layer of the mixture contains the seasoning concentrate and the upper layer of the mixture contains the edible oil or fat.

[0076] Fermentation of the mixture includes yeast fermentation, and may also include lactic acid fermentation, etc. In this specification, fermenting the mixture is also referred to as "main fermentation."

[0077] The yeast fermentation of the mixture is not particularly limited as long as it is yeast fermentation using soy sauce yeast as is commonly known when producing soy sauce, and examples thereof include conventional yeast fermentation using soy sauce yeast under conditions depending on the type of soy sauce yeast, the number of bacteria, etc. The soy sauce yeast is not particularly limited as long as it is a yeast commonly used in producing soy sauce, and examples thereof include salt-tolerant yeasts such as Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Candida etchellsii, and Candida versatilis. Among the above, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii, which is used as the main fermentation yeast in soy sauce brewing, is particularly used, and it is presumed that secondary metabolism using sugars, lipids, alcohol, and amino acids as substrates occurs during the fermentation process, enabling the production of a fruity flavor oil containing flavor components, primarily ethyl esters.

[0078] The fermentation method is not particularly limited as long as a flavor oil is produced, but static fermentation is preferred because it improves the aroma of the resulting flavor oil and makes it less likely to become cloudy. In this specification, static fermentation refers to fermentation in a static state without stirring, aeration, emulsification, etc. The reason static fermentation is preferred is that by not emulsifying the seasoning concentrate and the edible oil in the mixture, deterioration and cloudiness of the edible oil can be suppressed, and the resulting flavor oil can be easily separated thereafter.

[0079] The temperature during fermentation of the mixture is preferably 10 to 40°C, more preferably 15 to 35°C, and particularly preferably 20 to 30°C, in order to obtain a flavor oil containing a sufficient amount of desirable flavor components.

[0080] The fermentation period of the mixture is preferably 1 week to 4 months, more preferably 1 month to 3 months, in order to obtain a flavor oil containing a sufficient amount of desirable flavor components.

[0081] For fermentation, it is preferable not to use containers made of polyethylene (PE) plastic materials in order to prevent the adsorption of aroma components. Also, it is preferable to use containers with a small head space in order to suppress oxidation of edible oils and fats.

[0082] Note that when the mixture is fermented to produce a flavor oil, a seasoning obtained by fermenting the seasoning concentrate may be produced at the same time, or the seasoning may be produced before the flavor oil is produced, or the seasoning may be produced after the flavor oil is produced. Also, it is sufficient that the flavor oil is produced by the production method of this embodiment, and a seasoning does not necessarily have to be produced.

[0083] (Post-treatment) The flavor oil produced is preferably sterilized to remove microorganisms. Sterilization is performed by a method such as filtration using a sterilization filter, a UF membrane, or diatomaceous earth, or centrifugation. Sterilization using a filter containing activated carbon is not preferred because it also adsorbs the aroma.

[0084] Furthermore, the flavor oil is preferably filled in a container with a small head space and low oxygen permeability, such as a glass bottle or a sealed bottle.

[0085] (Separation) The obtained fermented oil is separated from the liquid obtained by fermenting the seasoning stock solution. The separation method is not particularly limited, but examples include separating the upper oil layer using a tube and separating the lower seasoning stock solution from the bottom of the fermentation vessel first. Note that if the moromi content in the seasoning stock solution at the start of fermentation is 5% by mass or less, separation is easier, which is an advantage.

[0086] (Flavor Oil) The flavor oil produced by the production method of this embodiment has a pleasant aroma, for example, a complex flavor specific to fermentation, and preferably has a fruity aroma. In particular, the flavor oil preferably contains ethyl esters as flavor components.

[0087] It is presumed that the flavor oil produced by the production method of this embodiment has flavor components contained in the seasoning concentrate and flavor components generated during the fermentation of the seasoning concentrate to produce a seasoning transferred to the edible oil. Therefore, the flavor is significantly different from flavor oils obtained by volatilizing or heat-extracting flavor components from conventional soy sauce and adding them to oil, and the flavor oil produced by the production method of this embodiment may have a fruity and complex flavor profile. Furthermore, lipophilic flavor components that are thought to easily dissipate during production in conventional soy sauce can be captured in the edible oil and are therefore presumed to remain in the flavor oil produced by the production method of this embodiment.

[0088] The flavor oil of this embodiment is a flavor oil that satisfies at least one of the following (1) and (2): (1) A flavor oil containing at least two selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more; (2) A flavor oil containing at least one selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more, and (component ii) ethyl butanoate in an amount of 10 ppb or more.

[0089] As described above, the flavor oil of the present embodiment contains a plurality of components, and therefore exhibits a fruity and complex aroma profile. A complex aroma is preferable because it gives depth to the flavor oil and tends to increase its palatability.

[0090] The flavor oil of (1) above preferably contains components i, iii, and iv in a total amount of 2 ppb or more.

[0091] The flavor oil of (1) above contains at least two selected from the group consisting of component i, component iii, and component iv in a total amount of preferably 4 ppb or more, and even more preferably 10 ppb or more.

[0092] The flavor oil of (2) above preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of component i, component iii, and component iv in a total amount of 2 ppb or more, in addition to 10 ppb or more of component ii, and more preferably contains component i, component iii, and component iv in a total amount of 2 ppb or more.

[0093] The flavor oil of (2) above contains component ii at a concentration of preferably 10 ppb or more, more preferably 30 ppb or more, and even more preferably 100 ppb or more. The flavor oil of (2) above also contains at least one selected from the group consisting of components i, iii, and iv at a total concentration of 2 ppb or more, more preferably 10 ppb or more, and even more preferably 50 ppb or more.

[0094] It is believed that a pleasant fragrance, particularly a fruity fragrance, can be obtained by the total content of the two or more components being equal to or greater than the lower limit, while a more well-balanced fragrance can be obtained as a flavor oil by the total content of the two or more components being equal to or less than the upper limit.

[0095] (Component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate is a compound with CAS number 97-62-1, and may be abbreviated as "component i" in this specification. In the flavor oil of this embodiment, (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate is preferably 1 ppb or more and 10,000 ppb or less, preferably 1 ppb or more, more preferably 20 ppb or more, even more preferably 30 ppb or more, especially preferably 100 ppb or more, particularly preferably 200 ppb or more, preferably 10,000 ppb or less, and even more preferably 1,000 ppb or less. A content of component i equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit is thought to result in a pleasant aroma, particularly a fruity aroma. Furthermore, a content of the component equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit results in a flavor oil with a better-balanced aroma.

[0096] (Component ii) ethyl butanoate is a compound with CAS number 105-54-4, and may be abbreviated as "component ii" in the present specification. In the flavor oil of this embodiment, (component ii) ethyl butanoate is preferably 10 ppb or more and 10,000 ppb or less, preferably 10 ppb or more, more preferably 50 ppb or more, even more preferably 100 ppb or more, especially preferably 200 ppb or more, particularly preferably 500 ppb or more, preferably 10,000 ppb or less, more preferably 1,000 ppb or less. A content of component ii equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit is thought to result in a pleasant aroma, particularly a fruity aroma. Furthermore, a content of the component equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit results in a flavor oil with a better-balanced aroma.

[0097] (Component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate is a compound with CAS number 7452-79-1, and may be abbreviated as "component iii" in the present specification. In the flavor oil of this embodiment, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate is preferably 1 ppb or more and 10,000 ppb or less, preferably 1 ppb or more, more preferably 10 ppb or more, even more preferably 100 ppb or more, especially preferably 200 ppb or more, particularly preferably 500 ppb or more, preferably 10,000 ppb or less, and even more preferably 1,000 ppb or less. A content of component iii equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit is thought to result in a pleasant aroma, particularly a fruity aroma. Furthermore, a content of the component equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit results in a flavor oil with a better-balanced aroma.

[0098] (Component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate is a compound with CAS number 108-64-5, and may be abbreviated as "component iv" in the present specification. In the flavor oil of this embodiment, (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate is preferably 1 ppb or more and 10,000 ppb or less, preferably 1 ppb or more, more preferably 10 ppb or more, even more preferably 100 ppb or more, especially preferably 200 ppb or more, particularly preferably 500 ppb or more, preferably 10,000 ppb or less, and even more preferably 1,000 ppb or less. A content of component iv equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit is thought to result in a pleasant aroma, particularly a fruity aroma. Furthermore, a content of the component equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit results in a flavor oil with a better-balanced aroma.

[0099] In the flavor oil production method, the flavor oil of this embodiment can be produced by fermenting a mixture containing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat as described above. The flavor oil of this embodiment may be obtained by adding at least one of components i, ii, iii, and iv to an edible oil or fat. The flavor oil of this embodiment may also be obtained by adding at least one of components i, ii, iii, and iv to the flavor oil obtained by fermenting a mixture containing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat as described above.

[0100] The flavor oil of this embodiment preferably further contains at least one selected from the group consisting of (component v) phenethyl acetate, (component vi) 2-phenylethanol, and (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone. By further containing at least one selected from the group consisting of components v, vi, and vii, the flavor oil of this embodiment enhances a pleasant aroma, particularly a fruity aroma, and exhibits a synergistic effect.

[0101] The flavor oil of the present embodiment more preferably further contains at least two selected from the group consisting of (component v) phenethyl acetate, (component vi) 2-phenylethanol, and (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, and even more preferably contains (component v) phenethyl acetate, (component vi) 2-phenylethanol, and (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone.

[0102] (Component v) phenethyl acetate is a compound with CAS number 103-45-7, and may be abbreviated as "component v" in the present specification. In the flavor oil of this embodiment, (component v) phenethyl acetate is preferably 0.01 ppm or more and 1,000 ppm or less, preferably 0.01 ppm or more, more preferably 0.2 ppm or more, even more preferably 0.3 ppm or more, preferably 1,000 ppm or less, and more preferably 100 ppb or less. When the content of component v is equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit, it is believed that a desirable aroma, particularly a fruity aroma, is enhanced. Furthermore, when the content of the component is equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, the flavor oil has a better-balanced aroma.

[0103] (Component vi) 2-phenylethanol is a compound with CAS number 60-12-8, and may be abbreviated as "component vi" in the present specification. In the flavor oil of this embodiment, (component vi) 2-phenylethanol is preferably 1 ppm or more and 10,000 ppm or less, preferably 1 ppm or more, more preferably 5 ppm or more, even more preferably 10 ppm or more, especially preferably 50 ppm or more, particularly preferably 100 ppm or more, preferably 10,000 ppm or less, more preferably 1,000 ppm or less. When the content of component vi is equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit, it is believed that a pleasant aroma, particularly a fruity aroma, is enhanced. Furthermore, when the content of the component is equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, the flavor oil has a better-balanced aroma.

[0104] (Component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone (also referred to as "HEMF") is a compound with CAS number 27538-10-9, and may be abbreviated as "component vii" in the present specification. In the flavor oil of this embodiment, (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone is preferably present at a concentration of 0.1 ppm or more and 10,000 ppm or less, preferably 0.1 ppm or more, more preferably 0.5 ppm or more, even more preferably 1 ppm or more, and preferably 10,000 ppm or less, more preferably 1,000 ppm or less. When the content of component vii is equal to or greater than the above-mentioned lower limit, it is believed that a desirable aroma, particularly a fruity aroma, is enhanced. Furthermore, when the content of the component is equal to or less than the above-mentioned upper limit, the flavor oil has a better-balanced aroma.

[0105] The contents of components i to vii in the flavor oil can be calculated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), specifically, the method described in the Examples below.

[0106] Non-limiting specific embodiments of the flavor oil of this embodiment include flavor oils having the following component contents (a-1), (b-1), and (c-1): (a-1) (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate content: 1 ppb to 10,000 ppb (b-1) (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate content: 1 ppb to 10,000 ppb (c-1) (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate content: 1 ppb to 10,000 ppb

[0107] Non-limiting specific embodiments of the flavor oil of this embodiment include flavor oils having the following component contents (a-1), (b-1), (c-1), and (d-1): (a-1) (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate content: 1 ppb to 10,000 ppb (b-1) (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate content: 1 ppb to 10,000 ppb (c-1) (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate content: 1 ppb to 10,000 ppb (d-1) (component ii) ethyl butanoate content: 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb

[0108] Non-limiting specific embodiments of the flavor oil of this embodiment include flavor oils having the following component contents (a-2), (b-2), (c-2), and (d-2): (a-2) (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate content: 20 ppb to 10,000 ppb (b-2) (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate content: 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb (c-2) (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate content: 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb (d-2) (component ii) ethyl butanoate content: 50 ppb to 10,000 ppb

[0109] Non-limiting specific embodiments of the flavor oil of this embodiment include flavor oils having the following component contents (a-3), (b-3), (c-3), and (d-3): (a-3) (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate content: 30 ppb to 1,000 ppb (b-3) (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate content: 100 ppb to 1,000 ppb (c-3) (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate content: 100 ppb to 1,000 ppb (d-3) (component ii) ethyl butanoate content: 100 ppb to 1,000 ppb

[0110] Processed foods that can use the flavor oil produced by the production method of this embodiment include meat foods, fish foods, noodles, prepared foods, seasonings, meat substitutes, bread, confectionery, etc. More specifically, salt-grilled meat, pickled tuna, instant noodles, Japanese, Western, and Chinese prepared foods, frozen foods, chilled foods, mayonnaise, Japanese-style dressing, vinaigrette sauce, soy meat buns, soy meat hamburgers, bread, tomato sauce, chocolate pound cake, etc. The flavor oil produced by the production method of this embodiment also has the effects of imparting sweetness, imparting umami, imparting richness, masking undesirable aromas, enhancing pleasant aromas, and integrating flavors. Therefore, the flavor oil produced by the production method of this embodiment can be used as a flavor oil for imparting sweetness, a flavor oil for imparting umami, a flavor oil for imparting richness, a flavor oil for masking, a flavor oil for enhancing, a flavor oil for integrating flavors, etc.

[0111] As used herein, "richness" refers to a deep flavor in which many flavors, including umami, persist and a pleasant taste remains in the mouth after eating or drinking. As used herein, "masking" refers to preventing the consumer from sensing the unpleasant odor or raw material odor of a food product that uses the flavor oil of this embodiment. As used herein, "enhancement" refers to allowing the consumer to sense part of the flavor of a food product that uses the flavor oil of this embodiment. As used herein, "taste integration" refers to unifying flavors, that is, harmonizing and balancing the flavors of the ingredients of the food product.

[0112] As explained above, this specification discloses the following: [1] A method for producing a flavor oil, comprising mixing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil or fat to obtain a mixture, and fermenting the mixture. [2] The method for producing a flavor oil according to [1] above, wherein the fermenting is yeast fermentation. [3] The method for producing a flavor oil according to [1] or [2] above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, a lower layer of the mixture contains the seasoning concentrate and an upper layer of the mixture contains the edible oil or fat. [4] The method for producing a flavor oil according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning concentrate is a moromi liquid or one obtained by fermenting a moromi liquid. [5] The method for producing a flavor oil according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation liquid A or seasoning stock solution A obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid A, and the pre-fermentation liquid A contains 4.5 (w / v)% or more of reducing sugars and 1.5 (v / v)% or less of ethanol. [6] The method for producing a flavor oil according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation liquid B or seasoning stock solution B obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid B, and the pre-fermentation liquid B does not contain any wheat-derived component and contains 3 (w / v)% or more in total of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose. [7] A method for producing a flavor oil according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the content ratio of the seasoning concentrate and the edible oil / fat in the mixture at the start of fermentation is 5:95 to 80:20 on a volume basis. [8] A method for producing a flavor oil according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the fermentation period of the mixture is 1 week to 4 months. [9] A method for producing a flavor oil according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the fermentation is static fermentation.

[10] A flavor oil obtained by mixing a seasoning concentrate and an edible oil / fat to obtain a mixture, and fermenting the mixture.

[11] A flavor oil that satisfies at least one of the following (1) and (2):(1) A flavor oil containing at least two selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more. (2) A flavor oil containing at least one selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more, and (component ii) ethyl butanoate in an amount of 10 ppb or more.

[12] The flavor oil according to

[11] above, which satisfies at least one selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (c): (a) containing 1 ppb or more of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (b) containing 1 ppb or more of (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, (c) containing 1 ppb or more of (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate

[13] The flavor oil according to

[11] or

[12] above, further containing at least one selected from the group consisting of (component v) phenethyl acetate, (component vi) 2-phenylethanol, and (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone.

[14] The flavor oil according to

[13] above, which satisfies at least one selected from the group consisting of the following (d) to (f): (d) Contains 0.01 ppm or more of (component v) phenethyl acetate; (e) Contains 1 ppm or more of (component vi) 2-phenylethanol; (f) Contains 0.1 ppm or more of (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone.

[0113] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, although the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0114] Test Example 1: Production and Evaluation of Flavor Oils Flavor oils of Examples 1 to 5 were produced and subjected to sensory evaluation.

[0115] Example 1: A mixture of steamed soybeans and crushed roasted wheat in a ratio of 6:4 based on the weight of the raw materials was inoculated with Aspergillus sojae koji starter and brewed for 43 hours by conventional methods to obtain soy sauce koji. 100 parts by mass of the resulting soy sauce koji was added to 94 parts by mass of salt solution (salt concentration 24 (w / v)%), and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria (Tetragenococcus halophilus) were added. The mixture was subjected to lactic acid fermentation at 15 to 25°C for 20 days with appropriate stirring according to conventional methods. After the lactic acid fermentation was completed, the soy sauce mash was subjected to solid-liquid separation, and the liquor was treated with a UF membrane to obtain a permeate (lactic acid fermentation liquor). 5 L of the resulting lactic acid fermentation broth containing 7 (w / v)% reducing sugars and 0.04 (v / v)% ethanol was transferred to a 10 L Duran bottle, and 1.0 × 10 salt-tolerant yeast (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii) was added. ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ The concentration of soybean oil was increased to 5000. 5 L of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.) was added to 5 L of the resulting pre-yeast fermented product, and the mixture was left stationary in a Duran bottle for 30 days at 25°C without aeration or stirring, allowing for main fermentation. The resulting upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a tube, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through filter paper to obtain a refined flavor oil. In Test Examples 1 and 2, the reducing sugar concentration was measured according to the method described in the literature "Japanese Agricultural Standards for Soy Sauce" (Notification of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan).

[0116] Example 2: Steamed soybeans were inoculated with Aspergillus sojae koji starter and brewed for 43 hours using standard methods to obtain soy sauce koji. One hundred parts by mass of the resulting soy sauce koji was added to 94 parts by mass of salt solution (salt concentration 24 (w / v)%), and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria (Tetragenococcus halophilus) were added. This mixture was then subjected to standard lactic acid fermentation at 15-25°C for 20 days with appropriate stirring. After lactic acid fermentation, the mixture was aged for 120 days at 20-30°C, after which the soy sauce moromi mash was subjected to solid-liquid separation. The broth was then heat-sterilized to obtain a lactic acid fermentation broth free of wheat-derived components (hereinafter also referred to as GF lactic acid fermentation broth). In this specification, GF stands for gluten-free. 500 g of hydrated crystalline glucose was dissolved in 5 L of the obtained GF lactic acid fermentation liquid, and then the solution was transferred to a 10 L Duran bottle. 1.0 × 10 ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ To 5 L of the obtained pre-yeast fermented product, 5 L of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.) was added, and the main fermentation was carried out for a further 30 days at 25°C without aeration or stirring by keeping the Duran bottle in a stationary state. The obtained upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a tube, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through filter paper to obtain a refined GF flavor oil.

[0117] [Example 3] A lactic acid fermentation broth produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was inoculated with 1.0 x 10 salt-tolerant yeast (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii). ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６The volume of the resulting pre-yeast fermented product was increased to 100 ml. 30 ml of the resulting pre-yeast fermented product was transferred to a 250 ml Duran bottle, and 270 ml of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group Co., Ltd.) was added up to the very top of the bottle's neck. The product was then left to stand in the Duran bottle for 30 days at 25°C without aeration or stirring, allowing for the main fermentation to proceed. If the bottle was used until it was just about to overflow, a 250 ml Duran bottle could hold 300 ml of liquid. The resulting upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a tube, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through filter paper to obtain a refined flavor oil.

[0118] [Example 4] A lactic acid fermentation broth produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was inoculated with 1.0 x 10 salt-tolerant yeast (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii). ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ The resulting pre-yeast fermentation product (200 ml) was transferred to a 250 ml Duran bottle, and 100 ml of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Inc.) was added up to the very top of the bottle. The product was then left to stand in the Duran bottle for 30 days at 25°C without aeration or stirring, allowing for main fermentation. The resulting upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a tube, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through filter paper to obtain a refined flavor oil.

[0119] [Example 5] A lactic acid fermentation broth produced in the same manner as in Example 1 was inoculated with 1.0 x 10 salt-tolerant yeast (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii). ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ The volume of the yeast fermented product was increased to 100 ml. 10 ml of the resulting pre-yeast fermented product was transferred to a 250 ml Duran bottle, and 290 ml of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Inc.) was added up to the very top of the bottle. The product was then left to stand in the Duran bottle for 30 days at 25°C without aeration or stirring, allowing for main fermentation. The resulting upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a tube, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through filter paper to obtain a refined flavor oil.

[0120] (Reference Example: Soybean Oil) As a reference example, soybean oil manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd. was prepared.

[0121] (Reference Example: Soy Sauce Oil) Soy sauce oil obtained in the process of producing normal soy sauce was prepared. Soy sauce oil is oil contained in the moromi mash, which is removed in the process after pressing.

[0122] [Evaluation] Six panelists with discriminating abilities tasted the flavor oils of Examples 1 to 5 and the Reference Example, and evaluated the aromas according to the following criteria. The fruity aroma referred to here refers to a sweet aroma or a fruity aroma felt from whiskey or rum, and indicates the aroma that was agreed upon among the panel as the characteristic aroma of Example 1. (Evaluation criteria) ○: A fruity aroma is felt △: A fruity aroma is slightly felt ×: A fruity aroma is not felt □: A fruity aroma is slightly felt, but there is a burnt smell and a soy sauce smell ■: A fruity aroma is slightly felt, but there is a mush-taste smell and a smell of deteriorated oil

[0123] The results are shown in Table 1.

[0124]

[0125] As shown in Table 1, more than half of the evaluators rated Examples 1 to 5 as either smelling a fruity scent or slightly smelling a fruity scent.

[0126] Test Example 2-1: Production, analysis, and evaluation of flavor oils The flavor oils of Examples 6 to 9 were produced, and these flavor oils and the oil of the Reference Example were analyzed to identify the aroma components contained in each oil and measure their contents. In addition, each oil was subjected to a sensory evaluation.

[0127] [Analysis Example] The content of each aroma component contained in the flavor oils of Examples 6 to 9 and the soybean oil and roasted soy sauce oil of Reference Examples was calculated by analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (hereinafter also referred to as "GCMS analysis"). Samples to be subjected to GCMS analysis were prepared in triplicate by the following two methods. Samples used for the analysis of components i, ii, iii, and iv were prepared by the method using Entech as described below in Method 2, and samples used for the analysis of components v, vi, and vii were prepared by the method using SAFE as described below in Method 1. GCMS analysis was performed using analytical samples prepared in triplicate each by Methods 1 and 2 below, and the average values ​​obtained were used.

[0128] (Method 1: Method using SAFE) In Method 1, 10 g of sample (flavor oils, soybean oil, or roasted soy sauce oil of Examples 6 to 9), 20 g of dichloromethane (special grade, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.), and 1 μg of the internal standard substance 2-octanone (CAS number 111-13-7) were placed in a sealable glass container equipped with a stirrer, stirred at room temperature for 12 hours, and then subjected to distillation using a solvent-assisted flavor evaporation apparatus (SAFE, manufactured by Kiriyama Seisakusho Co., Ltd.). Distillation was carried out using SAFE and a vacuum pump (DS-A212Z, manufactured by DIAVAC LIMITED) at a fractional distillation temperature of 40°C under reduced pressure (<10 －２ The distillation was carried out at 100 Pa. After distillation, the concentrate was concentrated to 1 to 20 mL using an evaporator or under a nitrogen stream and subjected to GCMS analysis. Quantitative analysis was performed using the standard addition method. To prepare the calibration curve sample, 10 g of sample (flavor oils from Examples 6 to 9, soybean oil, or burnt soy sauce oil), 20 g of dichloromethane (special grade, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.), 1 μg of the internal standard 2-octanone (CAS No. 111-13-7), and each aroma component at concentrations ranging from 0.01 μg to 10 μg were placed in a sealable glass container equipped with a stirrer, stirred at room temperature for 12 hours, and then subjected to SAFE distillation and similarly subjected to GCMS analysis.

[0129] (Method 2: Method using Entech) In Method 2, 10 g of sample (flavor oil, soybean oil, or roasted soy sauce oil from Examples 6 to 9) and 1 μg of the internal standard substance 2-octanone (CAS number 111-13-7) were sealed in a 0.5 L headspace vial and incubated in a thermostatic water bath set at 40°C for 20 minutes. Then, 200 mL of headspace gas was concentrated using Entech 7200 (manufactured by Nishikawa Measurement Co., Ltd.) and subjected to GCMS analysis. Quantitative analysis was performed by the standard addition method. To prepare the calibration curve samples, 10 g of the sample (flavor oils, soybean oil, or roasted soy sauce oil of Examples 6 to 9), 1 μg of the internal standard 2-octanone (CAS No. 111-13-7), and each aroma component at concentrations ranging from 10 μg to 0.01 μg were sealed in a 0.5 L headspace vial and incubated for 20 minutes in a thermostatic water bath set at 40° C. 200 mL of the headspace gas was then concentrated using an Entech 7200 (manufactured by Nishikawa Keisokuki) and subjected to GCMS analysis.

[0130] (GCMS Analysis) GCMS analysis was performed on the samples obtained by Method 1 or 2 above using a 7890GC / 5977MSD instrument (manufactured by Agilent) and a GC capillary column DB WAX (60 mm x 0.25 mm i.d. x 0.25 μm film thickness, manufactured by Agilent) under the following conditions: Column oven temperature: 40°C (3 min) → 6°C / min → 240°C (15 min) Injection port temperature: 250°C Carrier gas: He Interface temperature: 250°C Ion source temperature: 230°C Data acquisition time: 1-53 min Mass range: 30-250 m / z Injection volume: 1 μL

[0131] The obtained analytical data was processed using analytical software (Agilent MS quantitative analysis), and a calibration curve was created from the m / z of the standard additives and the m / z of the internal standard, and the concentration of each aroma component in each sample was calculated. The lower limit of quantification for components i, ii, iii, iv, and v was 0.1 ppb, and when the quantitative analysis results were less than 0.1 ppb, n.d. was used. The lower limit of quantification for components vi and vii was 0.01 ppm, and when the quantitative analysis results were less than 0.01 ppm, n.d. was used. The aroma components contained in the flavor oils, soybean oil, or roasted soy sauce oil of Examples 6 to 9 and their contents are shown in Table 2.

[0132] Example 6: A mixture of steamed soybeans and crushed roasted wheat in a ratio of 6:4 based on the weight of the raw materials was inoculated with Aspergillus sojae koji starter and brewed for 43 hours by conventional methods to obtain soy sauce koji. 100 parts by mass of the resulting soy sauce koji was added to 94 parts by mass of salt solution (salt concentration 24 (w / v)%), and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria (Tetragenococcus halophilus) were added. Lactic acid fermentation was carried out at 15 to 25 °C for 20 days with appropriate stirring according to conventional methods. After the completion of lactic acid fermentation, the soy sauce moromi mash was subjected to solid-liquid separation, and the liquor was treated with a UF membrane to obtain a permeate (lactic acid fermentation liquor). 100 L of the resulting lactic acid fermentation broth containing 7 (w / v)% reducing sugars and 0.04 (v / v)% ethanol was transferred to a 200 L jacketed stainless steel tank, and 1.0 × 10 salt-tolerant yeast (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii) was added. ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ To 100 L of the obtained pre-yeast fermented product, 100 L of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.) was added, and main fermentation was carried out for a further 45 days at 25°C while the tank was kept stationary without aeration or stirring. The obtained upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a hose, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through diatomaceous earth to obtain a refined flavor oil.

[0133] Example 7: A mixture of steamed soybeans and crushed roasted wheat in a ratio of 6:4 based on the weight of the raw materials was inoculated with Aspergillus sojae koji starter and brewed for 43 hours by conventional methods to obtain soy sauce koji. 100 parts by mass of the resulting soy sauce koji was added to 94 parts by mass of salt solution (salt concentration 24 (w / v)%), and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria (Tetragenococcus halophilus) were added. Lactic acid fermentation was carried out at 15 to 25 °C for 20 days with appropriate stirring according to conventional methods. After the completion of lactic acid fermentation, the soy sauce moromi mash was subjected to solid-liquid separation, and the liquor was treated with a UF membrane to obtain a permeate (lactic acid fermentation liquor). The resulting lactic acid fermentation broth (150 L) containing 7 (w / v)% reducing sugar and 0.04 (v / v)% ethanol was transferred to a 300 L acrylic tank, and 1.0 × 10 salt-tolerant yeast (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii) was added. ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ To 150 L of the obtained pre-yeast fermented product, 150 L of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.) was added, and main fermentation was carried out for a further 60 days at 25°C while the tank was kept stationary without aeration or stirring. The obtained upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a hose, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through diatomaceous earth to obtain a refined flavor oil.

[0134] Example 8: Steamed soybeans were inoculated with Aspergillus sojae koji starter and fermented for 43 hours using a conventional method to obtain soy sauce koji. 100 parts by mass of the resulting soy sauce koji was added to 94 parts by mass of brine (salt concentration 24 (w / v)%), and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria (Tetragenococcus halophilus) were added. The mixture was subjected to lactic acid fermentation at 15 to 25°C for 20 days with appropriate stirring using a conventional method. After completion of lactic acid fermentation, the mixture was aged for 120 days at 20 to 30°C, after which the soy sauce moromi mash was subjected to solid-liquid separation, and the broth was heat-sterilized to obtain a lactic acid fermentation broth free of wheat-derived components (hereinafter also referred to as GF lactic acid fermentation broth). 10 kg of hydrated crystalline glucose was dissolved in 100 L of the obtained lactic acid fermentation liquid of GF, and the solution was transferred to a 200 L jacketed stainless steel tank, and 1.0 × 10 ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ To 100 L of the obtained pre-yeast fermented product, 100 L of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.) was added, and main fermentation was carried out for a further 45 days at 25°C while the tank was kept stationary without aeration or stirring. The obtained upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a hose, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through diatomaceous earth to obtain a refined GF flavor oil.

[0135] Example 9: Steamed soybeans were inoculated with Aspergillus sojae koji starter and koji was produced for 43 hours using a conventional method to obtain soy sauce koji. 100 parts by mass of the resulting soy sauce koji was added to 94 parts by mass of brine (salt concentration 24 (w / v)%), and soy sauce lactic acid bacteria (Tetragenococcus halophilus) were added. This mixture was then subjected to lactic acid fermentation at 15 to 25°C for 20 days with appropriate stirring using a conventional method. After completion of lactic acid fermentation, the mixture was aged for 120 days at 20 to 30°C, after which the soy sauce moromi mash was subjected to solid-liquid separation, and the broth was heat-sterilized to obtain a lactic acid fermentation broth free of wheat-derived components (hereinafter also referred to as GF lactic acid fermentation broth). After dissolving 40 kg of hydrated crystalline glucose in 400 L of the obtained GF lactic acid fermentation liquid, the mixture was transferred to a 1 KL stainless steel container, and 1.0 × 10 ６ The mixture was added so that the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. The mixture was then subjected to pre-yeast fermentation at 25°C for 7 days without stirring, and the number of yeast cells reached 5.0 × 10. ６ To 400 L of the obtained pre-yeast fermented product, 400 L of soybean oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.) was added, and main fermentation was carried out for a further 60 days at 25°C while the tank was kept stationary without aeration or stirring. The obtained upper layer of fermented oil and the lower layer of yeast fermented product were separated using a hose, and the recovered fermented oil was filtered through diatomaceous earth to obtain a refined GF flavor oil.

[0136] (Reference Example: Soybean Oil) As a reference example, soybean oil manufactured by J-Oil Mills, Inc. was prepared.

[0137] (Reference Example: Burnt Soy Sauce Oil) As a reference example, JOYL PRO (registered trademark) burnt soy sauce oil manufactured by J-Oil Mills, Inc. was prepared.

[0138] [Evaluation] The aromas of the flavor oils of Examples 6 to 9 and the soybean oil and roasted soy sauce oil of the Reference Examples were evaluated by a panel of six people with distinguishing abilities. 1.0 g of each oil was weighed into a 20 mL glass vial with a sealable metal cap, and after leaving it to stand at room temperature, each panelist gently opened the cap and evaluated the aroma on a four-point scale according to the following criteria: 3: A clear fruity aroma is detected; 2: A slight fruity aroma is detected; 1: A faint fruity aroma is detected; 0: No fruity aroma is detected.

[0139] A total of 10 points or more in the evaluation by the panel was marked with a ◎, 7 to 9 points with a ○, 4 to 6 points with a △, and 3 points or less with an ×. ◎ and ○ were considered to be pass marks.

[0140]

[0141] As shown in Table 2, the flavor oils of Examples 6 to 9 had a fruity scent. On the other hand, the soybean oil and burnt soy sauce oil of the comparative examples did not have a fruity scent.

[0142] Test Example 2-2: Production and Evaluation of Flavor Oil The soybean oil used in Test Example 2-2 as a comparative example was used to add each component in the amount shown in Tables 3 to 9 below. The oil after addition was subjected to a sensory evaluation in the same manner as in Test Example 2-1. The results are shown in Tables 3 to 9 below. In Tables 3 to 9, the final concentration after addition of an aroma component marked "-" indicates that the corresponding aroma component was not added.

[0143]

[0144] As shown in Table 3, in Examples 10 and 11, the fruity aroma was enhanced.

[0145]

[0146] As shown in Table 4, Examples 12 and 13 had a sufficiently fruity scent.

[0147]

[0148] As shown in Table 5, the fruity aroma was enhanced by adding components v to vii in addition to components i to iv to the flavor oil.

[0149]

[0150] As shown in Table 6, flavor oils containing two or more aroma components among components i to iv exhibited a fruity aroma.

[0151]

[0152] As shown in Table 7 above, the fruity aroma was further enhanced in flavor oils containing at least two of components i to iv and at least one of components v to vii.

[0153]

[0154] As shown in Table 8 above, flavor oils containing at least two of components i to iv and at least one of components v to vii further enhanced the fruity aroma.

[0155]

[0156] As shown in Table 9, flavor oils containing two or more aroma components among components i to iv exhibited a fruity aroma.

[0157] Test Example 3: Production and evaluation of chocolate pound cake using flavor oil Chocolate pound cake was produced in two ways: a comparative example using commercially available rice bran oil and an example using the flavor oil according to the present invention, and evaluated.

[0158] [Method for producing chocolate pound cake] <Flavor oil: fermented rice bran oil> A flavor oil was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 above, except that rice bran oil (Mainichi no Rice Bran Oil, manufactured by Sanwa Yushi Co., Ltd.) was used as the edible oil and fat instead of soybean oil. This is also referred to as fermented rice bran oil.

[0159] The following ingredients were prepared. <Ingredients> - 100g soy milk (Kikkoman Soy Foods Corporation's Oishii Unsweetened Soy Milk) - 60g beet sugar - 60g rice bran oil (Sanwa Yushi Co., Ltd.'s Mainichi no Rice Bran Oil) / fermented rice bran oil - 55g rice flour - 25g almond powder - 25g chocolate chips - 25g joshinko (rice flour) - 20g cornstarch - 15g cocoa powder - 15g lemon juice - 4g baking powder - 1g salt

[0160] Chocolate pound cakes were made using the following procedure. (1) The oven was preheated to 180°C. (2) Rice flour, joshinko (rice flour), almond powder, cocoa powder, and baking powder were placed in a bag and mixed until no lumps remained. (3) While the bowl was placed over a hot water bath, rice bran oil was added to the comparative example and fermented rice bran oil to the example. Then, soy milk, beet sugar, and salt were added in that order to both the comparative example and example, and mixed with a whisk for 2-3 minutes. (4) (2) was added to (3) after removing from the hot water bath and mixed until no powdery texture remained. (5) Baking powder and lemon juice were added and mixed quickly. (6) The mixture was poured into a mold and baked in an oven preheated to 180°C for 10 minutes, after which the temperature was reduced to 160°C and baked for an additional 20 minutes.

[0161] <Evaluation> The chocolate pound cakes made using fermented rice bran oil according to the above procedure were subjected to a paired sensory evaluation by 15 panelists with discriminative abilities, using the following evaluation criteria to compare them with a chocolate pound cake made using rice bran oil. The evaluation was conducted on a 7-point scale for "sweetness," "richness," "chocolate flavor," "liquor flavor," "moistness," "soy sauce flavor," and "overall likability." The results are shown in Table 10.

[0162] (Evaluation criteria) - "Sweetness", "Richness", "Chocolate flavour", "Western liquor flavour", "Moistness", "Soy sauce flavour" 3 points: Very strong 2 points: Strong 1 point: Slightly strong 0 point: Same -1 point: Slightly weak -2 points: Weak -3 points: Very weak - "Overall preference" 3 points: Very like 2 points: Like 1 point: Slightly like 0 point: Same -1 point: Slightly dislike -2 points: Dislike -3 points: Very dislike

[0163] The results of the sensory evaluation of the chocolate pound cake made with fermented rice bran oil are shown in Table 2. Note that "++" indicates a significant difference in the positive direction at a risk level of 1% compared to the chocolate pound cake made with regular rice bran oil, and "+" indicates a significant difference in the positive direction at a risk level of 5% compared to the chocolate pound cake made with regular rice bran oil.

[0164]

[0165] As can be seen from the results in Table 10, using fermented rice bran oil in the production of chocolate pound cake not only improved the basic flavors such as richness and sweetness, but also enhanced specific flavors such as chocolate and liquor. Furthermore, the soy sauce flavor was not identified. The results showed that the taste was favorable.

[0166] Test Example 4: Production and evaluation of soy meat steamed buns using flavor oil Either commercially available soybean oil or the flavor oil according to the present invention was added to soy meat steamed buns, and an evaluation was carried out.

[0167] The fermented soybean oil used as the flavor oil according to the present invention was prepared by the method described in Example 1. The soybean oil used for comparison was soybean oil manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.

[0168] As the soy meat steamed buns, 120 g of Nyukuman (Shiitake mushroom) manufactured by Shochikuen Co., Ltd., a typical vegan steamed bun that uses soy meat instead of minced meat, was used. After heating in a microwave oven, the steamed buns were cut into four equal parts, and 3 ml of soybean oil was added to each slice in the comparative example, and 3 ml of fermented soybean oil was added to each slice in the example.

[0169] <Evaluation> The soy meat steamed buns with added fermented soybean oil prepared by the procedure described above were subjected to a paired sensory evaluation by 10 panelists with discriminative ability, using the following criteria to compare them with a soy meat steamed bun made with soybean oil. The evaluation was rated on a 7-point scale for "meatiness," "soybean smell," "shiitake mushroom smell," "umami," "united flavor," "soy sauce flavor," and "overall likability."

[0170] (Evaluation criteria) - "Meatiness," "Soybean smell," "Shiitake mushroom smell," "Umami," "Unity of flavors," "Soy sauce flavor" 3 points: Very strong 2 points: Strong 1 point: Slightly strong 0 point: Same -1 point: Slightly weak -2 points: Weak -3 points: Very weak - "Overall likability" 3 points: Very like 2 points: Like 1 point: Slightly like 0 point: Same -1 point: Slightly dislike -2 points: Dislike -3 points: Very dislike

[0171] The sensory evaluation results of the soy meat steamed buns with added fermented soybean oil are shown in Table 11. "++" indicates a significant difference in the positive direction at a risk of 1% compared to the soy meat steamed buns with added regular soybean oil, "+" indicates a significant difference in the positive direction at a risk of 5% compared to the soy meat steamed buns with added regular soybean oil, and "-" indicates a significant difference in the negative direction at a risk of 5% compared to regular soybean oil.

[0172]

[0173] As can be seen from the results in Table 11, the soy meat buns to which fermented soybean oil was added not only improved basic flavors such as umami, but also had the effect of masking specific flavors, such as masking the soybean smell, while the soy sauce flavor was not discernible. It also had the effect of unifying the overall flavor. The result was a significant improvement in palatability.

[0174] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0175] This application is based on an international application (PCT / JP2024 / 011481) filed on March 22, 2024 under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0176] 10 Mixture 11 Edible oil and fat 12 Stock solution for seasoning 13 Container

Claims

1. A method for producing a flavor oil, comprising mixing a seasoning concentrate with an edible oil or fat to obtain a mixture, and fermenting the mixture.

2. The method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1, wherein the fermenting is yeast fermentation.

3. A method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at the start of fermentation, a lower layer of the mixture contains the seasoning concentrate and an upper layer of the mixture contains the edible oil or fat.

4. A method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at the start of fermentation, the seasoning concentrate is a moromi juice or one obtained by fermenting a moromi juice.

5. A method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation liquid A or seasoning stock solution A obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid A, and the pre-fermentation liquid A contains reducing sugars at a content of 4.5 (w / v)% or more and ethanol at a content of 1.5 (v / v)% or less.

6. A method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, at the start of fermentation, the seasoning stock solution is pre-fermentation liquid B or seasoning stock solution B obtained by fermenting pre-fermentation liquid B, and the pre-fermentation liquid B does not contain any wheat-derived components and contains a total of 3 (w / v)% or more of one or more components selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and fructose.

7. A method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the seasoning concentrate to the edible oil / fat in the mixture at the start of fermentation is 5:95 to 80:20 by volume.

8. The method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fermentation period of the mixture is from 1 week to 4 months.

9. The method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fermentation is static fermentation.

10. A flavor oil obtained by mixing a seasoning concentrate with edible oils and fats to obtain a mixture and then fermenting said mixture.

11. A flavor oil that satisfies at least one of the following (1) and (2): (1) A flavor oil containing at least two selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more; (2) A flavor oil containing at least one selected from the group consisting of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate in a total amount of 2 ppb or more, and (component ii) ethyl butanoate in an amount of 10 ppb or more.

12. The flavor oil according to claim 11, which satisfies at least one selected from the group consisting of the following (a) to (c): (a) containing 1 ppb or more of (component i) ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, (b) containing 1 ppb or more of (component iii) ethyl 2-methylbutanoate, and (c) containing 1 ppb or more of (component iv) ethyl 3-methylbutanoate.

13. The flavor oil according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of (component v) phenethyl acetate, (component vi) 2-phenylethanol, and (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone.

14. The flavor oil according to claim 13, which satisfies at least one selected from the group consisting of the following (d) to (f): (d) containing 0.01 ppm or more of (component v) phenethyl acetate, (e) containing 1 ppm or more of (component vi) 2-phenylethanol, and (f) containing 0.1 ppm or more of (component vii) 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone.

Images