Composition, film-coated food, method for producing film-coated food, film-forming method, and food shipping method

Abstract

The present invention provides a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, a film-coated food having a film comprising a sugar-based surfactant, and a method for manufacturing a film-coated food by applying the aforementioned composition to a food and a method for forming a film. In addition, the present invention provides a method for shipping a food, which includes: (A) a step of conveying the food, (B) a step of forming a film on the food, and (C) a step of inspecting the film-coated food using an evaluation device, wherein in the aforementioned step (B), the film is formed by the aforementioned film forming method. A composition capable of maintaining the freshness of food without using a resin packaging film, a film-coated food, a method for manufacturing a film-coated food, a film forming method, and a method for shipping a food can be provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition, a film-coated food, a method for manufacturing a film-coated food, a film-forming method, and a method for shipping a food. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-173408 filed in Japan on October 14, 2020, Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-045131 filed in Japan on March 18, 2021, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-141435 filed in Japan on August 31, 2021, and the contents thereof are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, packaging materials that can maintain the freshness of food during distribution or storage, such as MA (Modified Atmosphere) packaging, have attracted much attention. In addition, from the perspective of reducing environmental burden, there is a trend to promote so-called single-material packaging materials, in which the packaging materials used are composed of a single raw material in order to facilitate recycling or disposal after use.

[0003] In addition, a technology has been proposed in which a quality preserving agent is directly applied to foods such as vegetables and fruits without using packaging materials to maintain the freshness of the foods (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Furthermore, for the purpose of preventing the peel of fruits and vegetables from being damaged, an agent for preventing the peel of fruits and vegetables from being damaged has been proposed, which contains a surfactant having an HLB value of 5 or less as an active ingredient (see Patent Document 3).

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-134115

[0008] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-530502

[0009] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-56564 Summary of the invention

[0010] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0011] However, the methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a short preservation period or use materials that are not human-friendly, and are not necessarily sufficient in terms of exhibiting preservation performance.

[0012] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a composition capable of maintaining the freshness of food, a film-coated food, a method for producing a film-coated food, a film-forming method, and a method for shipping a food.

[0013] Furthermore, the liquid preparation disclosed in Patent Document 3 described above has insufficient liquid stability and may gel during preparation of the liquid preparation or over time.

[0014] Therefore, another object of the present invention is to improve the liquid stability of the composition.

[0015] Furthermore, when the liquid preparation disclosed in Patent Document 3 is applied to food such as vegetables and fruits, it sometimes takes time to dry, resulting in poor productivity. In addition, coating marks are sometimes observed or the surface of the coated food turns white, and the coating appearance sometimes becomes poor.

[0016] Therefore, another object of the present invention is to obtain a composition which dries quickly when applied to the surface of a food and has a good appearance after application.

[0017] Solutions for solving problems

[0018] The present inventors considered that transpiration from food during distribution or storage is one of the causes of reduced freshness, and studied various films with high water vapor barrier properties. They also found that the above-mentioned problem can be solved by applying a film containing a specific surfactant to food.

[0019] In addition, the inventors have found that a composition containing a specific surfactant and an aqueous solvent has good liquid stability or is less likely to leave coating marks on food, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems.

[0020] That is, the present invention has the following aspects.

[0021] [1] A composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester, and out of 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester has 3 or less fatty acid ester groups, and 2 to 50% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester has 5 or more fatty acid ester groups.

[0022] [2] A composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the surface tension of the composition at 25° C. is 34 mN / m or less.

[0023] [3] A film-coated food having a film containing a sugar-based surfactant, wherein the film covers only a portion of the food.

[0024] [4] A method for producing a film-coated food, comprising:

[0025] A step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a portion of a food; or

[0026] A process of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a part of a food without a solvent.

[0027] [5] A method for producing a film-coated food, comprising the step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a food, or applying a sugar-based surfactant to a food in the absence of a solvent,

[0028] The method further comprises the step of removing a portion of the applied composition or sugar-based surfactant.

[0029] [6] The composition according to [2] above, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester.

[0030] [7] The composition according to [1] above, wherein 50% by mass or more of the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester are saturated fatty acids.

[0031] [8] The composition according to [1] or [6] above, wherein the mass ratio of saturated fatty acids to unsaturated fatty acids in the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester is 50 / 50 to 99 / 1.

[0032] [9] The composition according to any one of [1], [2] and [6] to [8] above, wherein the content of the sugar surfactant in the non-volatile components of the composition is 60% by mass or more.

[0033]

[10] The composition according to any one of [1], [2] and [6] to [9] above, wherein the aqueous solvent is water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0034]

[11] The composition according to any one of [1], [2] and [6] to

[10] above, which is used for coating on vegetables and fruits.

[0035]

[12] The film-coated food according to [3] above, wherein the sugar-based surfactant is a sucrose fatty acid ester.

[0036]

[13] The film-coated food according to

[12] above, wherein the lipophilic group of the sugar-based surfactant is a saturated fatty acid.

[0037]

[14] The film-coated food according to

[12] or

[13] above, wherein when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is set to 100% by mass, it contains 50% by mass or more of a sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups.

[0038]

[15] The film-coated food according to any one of

[12] to

[14] above, wherein the HLB of the sugar-based surfactant is 5 or more.

[0039]

[16] The film-coated food according to any one of

[12] to

[15] above, wherein the average film thickness of the film is greater than or equal to 0.1 μm and less than or equal to 10 μm.

[0040]

[17] The film-coated food according to any one of

[12] to

[16] above, wherein the crystal melting peak temperature of the film is 40°C or higher and 80°C or lower.

[0041]

[18] The film-coated food according to any one of

[12] to

[17] above, wherein the food is a vegetable or fruit.

[0042]

[19] The method for producing a film-coated food according to [4] or [5] above, wherein the coating method is a dipping method or a spraying method.

[0043]

[20] A method for forming a coating, comprising:

[0044] A step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a portion of a food; or

[0045] A process of applying a sugar-based surfactant to a part of a food without a solvent.

[0046]

[21] The coating forming method according to

[20] above, wherein the coating method is a dipping method or a spraying method.

[0047]

[22] A method for forming a coating, comprising:

[0048] A step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to food; or

[0049] The process of applying a sugar-based surfactant to food without a solvent.

[0050] After the composition or the sugar-based surfactant is applied to the food, a portion of the applied composition or the sugar-based surfactant is removed.

[0051]

[23] A method for shipping food, comprising: (A) a step of conveying food, (B) a step of forming a film on the food, and (C) a step of inspecting the film-coated food using an evaluation device.

[0052] In the step (B), the coating is formed by the method described in any one of

[20] to

[22] .

[0053]

[24] The food shipping method according to

[23] above, wherein the inspection step (C) includes at least one inspection selected from the group consisting of appearance inspection, sugar content inspection, and size inspection.

[0054] Effects of the Invention

[0055] The composition according to one embodiment of the present invention has good liquid stability, and sufficient freshness-preserving performance can be ensured by supplying the composition to foods.

[0056] In addition, when the composition according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied to foods such as vegetables and fruits, the drying speed is fast and the appearance after application is also good.

[0057] Furthermore, the film-coated food of the present invention can suppress transpiration from the food by having a film with high water vapor barrier properties, thereby maintaining freshness for a long time. The film also has oxygen barrier properties, so it can also suppress aging of fruits and vegetables due to respiration.

[0058] In addition, in the present invention, since a film having a fresh-keeping property is directly provided on food, a plastic packaging material is not required as in the past, and film-free production can be achieved, which greatly contributes to reducing environmental burden. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] Figure 1 This is an image diagram of the method for shipping fruits and vegetables according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] <Composition (1)>

[0061] The composition according to the first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "composition (1)") comprises a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent. The film obtained from the composition (1) has excellent water vapor barrier properties and is therefore suitable for application to food. In addition, the film also has oxygen barrier properties and is therefore particularly suitable for application to fruits and vegetables. It should be noted that the aqueous solvent can be removed from the film obtained from the composition (1) as described below.

[0062] Hereinafter, the composition (1) will be described in detail.

[0063] [Sugar-based surfactants]

[0064] Sugar-based surfactants are nonionic surfactants with sugar as the hydrophilic group.

[0065] The sugar-based surfactant in the composition (1) preferably has crystallinity from the viewpoint of being able to suppress the stickiness of the obtained film and improve the water vapor barrier property and oxygen barrier property.

[0066] From the viewpoint of suppressing the stickiness of the obtained coating, the sugar-based surfactant of the composition (1) preferably contains 60% by mass or more of a component that is solid at room temperature (20 to 25° C.), more preferably 70% by mass or more, further preferably 80% by mass or more, and further preferably 90% by mass or more. The sugar-based surfactant may be composed only of a component that is solid at room temperature (20 to 25° C.), and therefore the above ratio may be 100% by mass or less.

[0067] Examples of the sugar-based surfactant include sugar fatty acid esters formed by ester bonding of sugar and fatty acid, and alkyl glycosides formed by glycosidic bonding of sugar and higher alcohol. Among them, sugar fatty acid esters are preferred.

[0068] The lipophilic group of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (1) is preferably a saturated fatty acid. Therefore, in the sugar fatty acid ester, the constituent fatty acid of the sugar fatty acid ester preferably contains a saturated fatty acid as described below. It should be noted that the details of the saturated fatty acid are described below.

[0069] (Sugar fatty acid esters)

[0070] The sugar fatty acid ester of the composition (1) is not particularly limited as long as it can be used in foods, and examples thereof include sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, glucose esters, etc. Among them, sucrose fatty acid esters are preferred.

[0071] It should be noted that the sugar-based surfactant does not necessarily have to be only one kind, and two or more kinds may be used in combination. When two or more kinds are combined, when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is set to 100% by mass, preferably 60% by mass or more is sucrose fatty acid ester. From the viewpoint of being able to suppress the stickiness of the resulting coating and improve the water vapor barrier and oxygen barrier properties, the ratio is more preferably 70% by mass or more, further preferably 80% by mass or more, and further preferably 90% by mass or more. Sucrose fatty acid ester can be used alone as the sugar-based surfactant, so the above ratio only needs to be 100% by mass or less.

[0072] The constituent fatty acid of the sugar fatty acid ester is preferably edible fat and oil.

[0073] The carbon number of the fatty acid constituting the sugar fatty acid ester is not particularly limited, but is preferably 12 to 22, more preferably 12 to 18, and even more preferably 14 to 18. When the carbon number is within the above range, the stickiness of the obtained film can be suppressed.

[0074] The constituent fatty acid of the sugar fatty acid ester in the composition (1) may be a saturated fatty acid or an unsaturated fatty acid, and is preferably a saturated fatty acid from the viewpoint of being easily solid at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) and suppressing the stickiness of the resulting film.

[0075] More specifically, lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, etc. can be cited, among which saturated fatty acids having carbon atoms of 12 to 18, i.e., lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid, are preferred, and saturated fatty acids having carbon atoms of 14 to 18, i.e., myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid are more preferred. These saturated fatty acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0076] It should be noted that the constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid esters are not necessarily all the same, as long as more than 60% by mass of the constituent fatty acids in the sugar fatty acid esters are the above-mentioned suitable constituent fatty acids. From the viewpoint of suppressing the stickiness of the obtained coating, the ratio is preferably more than 70% by mass, more preferably more than 80% by mass, and further preferably more than 90% by mass. There is no particular limitation on the upper limit, as long as it is less than 100% by mass.

[0077] The constituent fatty acid composition of the sugar fatty acid ester can be determined by isolating the sugar fatty acid ester from the composition, derivatizing it, and then measuring it by gas chromatography.

[0078] The range of the number of fatty acid ester groups in sugar fatty acid esters varies depending on the number of hydroxyl groups capable of ester bonding present in the molecular structure of the sugar as a hydrophilic group, for example, 1 to 8 in sucrose fatty acid esters and 2 to 4 in sorbitan fatty acid esters.

[0079] In the composition (1), from the viewpoint of being able to form a coating using an aqueous solvent, when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is set to 100% by mass, it is preferred that 50% by mass or more of sugar fatty acid esters (monoesters, diesters or triesters) having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups are contained, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more. There is no particular limitation on the upper limit, as long as it is 100% by mass or less.

[0080] In addition, from the same viewpoint, when the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is set to 100% by mass, it is preferred to include 30% by mass or less of sugar fatty acid esters (six esters, seven esters, eight esters or more) having more than 6 fatty acid ester groups, more preferably 20% by mass or less, and more preferably 10% by mass or less. Sugar fatty acid esters having more than 6 fatty acid ester groups may not be contained, and the content thereof may be 0% by mass or more.

[0081] It should be noted that the content ratio of each fatty acid ester group can be measured by separating the sugar fatty acid ester from the composition, and then following the METHOD OF ASSAY (analysis method) described in Residue Monograph prepared by the meeting of the Joint FAO / WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), 84th meeting 2017 "Sucrose Esters of Fatty Acids" and Prepared at the 71st JECFA (2009) and published in FAO JECFA Monographs 7 (2009) "Sucrose Oligoesters Type I" and "Sucrose Oligoesters Type II".

[0082] 《Determination of monoesters, triesters and tetraesters or above》

[0083] After dissolving the sample in a certain amount of tetrahydrofuran (GPC or industrial grade containing a stabilizer), the insoluble matter was removed using a 0.5 μm membrane filter, and the resulting solution was used as a measurement sample, and high performance liquid chromatography was performed under the following conditions. The composition ratio was calculated as follows: the peak area of ​​each of the monoester to triester and the peak area of ​​the tetraester or more were calculated, and the ratio thereof to the total peak area of ​​all peaks detected until 43 minutes was calculated.

[0084] The peak area corresponds to the area from the starting point (the position where the value starts to rise) to the ending point (the position where the value starts to fall) of each peak.

[0085] When two or more peaks are adjacent to each other and the start point and the end point are unclear, the points where the data between the peaks are minimum are used as the start point and the end point, and the area is calculated.

[0086] <Measurement conditions: monoester to triester and tetraester or more>

[0087] Device: HLC-8320GPC

[0088] Detector: Differential refractometer (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)

[0089] Column: TSK-GEL G1000HXL, G2000HXL, G3000HXL, G4000HXL (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation)

[0090] Column temperature: 40°C

[0091] Detector temperature: 40°C

[0092] Eluent: Tetrahydrofuran (GPC or industrial grade with stabilizer)

[0093] Flow rate: 0.8ml / min

[0094] Injection volume: 80μl

[0095] Measurement time: 50 minutes (the area ratio is calculated based on all peaks detected up to 43 minutes)

[0096] 《Determination of Tetra- to Octa-Esters》

[0097] After dissolving the sample in a certain amount of methanol (reagent special grade) / tetrahydrofuran (HPLC grade without stabilizer) = 20 / 80 (vol / vol), the insoluble matter was removed by a 0.45 μm membrane filter, and the solution obtained was used as a measurement sample, and high performance liquid chromatography was performed under the following conditions. The composition ratio of tetraesters to octaesters was calculated as follows: the peak area of ​​each tetraester to octaester was calculated separately, and the ratio thereof relative to the total peak area of ​​the tetraester to octaester was calculated, and the area ratio of the tetraester to octaester was proportionally distributed to the area ratio of the tetraester or more obtained in the above-mentioned "Determination of monoesters to triesters and tetraesters or more".

[0098] The peak area corresponds to the area from the starting point (the position where the value starts to rise) to the ending point (the position where the value starts to fall) of each peak.

[0099] When two or more peaks are adjacent to each other and the start point and the end point are unclear, the points where the data between the peaks are minimum are used as the start point and the end point, and the area is calculated.

[0100] <Measurement conditions: four to eight esters>

[0101] Device

[0102] Degasser: DGU-20A (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0103] Pump: LC-20AD (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0104] Oven: CTO-20A (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0105] Detector: RID-20A differential refractometer (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation)

[0106] Column: 150 mm × 4.6 mm id; ODS-2 (manufactured by GL SCIENCE)

[0107] Column temperature: 40°C

[0108] Detector temperature: 40°C

[0109] Eluent: methanol (special reagent grade) / tetrahydrofuran (HPLC grade without stabilizer) = 70 / 30 to 50 / 50 (vol / vol)

[0110] Flow rate: 0.8ml / min

[0111] Injection volume: 20μl

[0112] Measurement time: 16 minutes

[0113] [Water-based solvents]

[0114] Examples of the aqueous solvent contained in the composition (1) include water; alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerol. From the viewpoint of being able to be applied to food, it is preferably an aqueous composition containing water as a solvent, but from the viewpoint of stability and coating properties, the composition may contain a small amount of an organic solvent such as the above-mentioned alcohol in addition to water as a solvent.

[0115] The content of the organic solvent in the composition (1) is preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, further preferably 10% by mass or less, and further preferably 5% by mass or less.

[0116] [pH adjuster]

[0117] The composition (1) of the present invention may contain a pH adjuster.

[0118] As the pH adjuster, for example, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, ammonia, etc. can be used.

[0119] [Physical properties of composition (1)]

[0120] (Non-volatile content)

[0121] The nonvolatile component concentration in the composition (1) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, further preferably 0.3% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, further preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. By setting the nonvolatile component concentration to 0.1% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, it is easy to dissolve the sugar-based surfactant appropriately in the aqueous solvent and form a film having a suitable film thickness.

[0122] In addition, the "non-volatile content concentration" in the present invention refers to the concentration of the non-volatile content obtained by removing the solvent contained in the composition.

[0123] (Content of sugar surfactant)

[0124] Regarding the content of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (1), from the viewpoint of being able to improve the water vapor barrier property and oxygen barrier property of the resulting coating film, the content is preferably 60 mass % or more, more preferably 70 mass % or more, further preferably 80 mass % or more, and even more preferably 90 mass % or more, with 100 mass % being the upper limit among the non-volatile components in the composition (1).

[0125] The coating in the present invention is obtained by volatilizing the solvent from the composition, and therefore the suitable content of the sugar-based surfactant in the coating is the same as described above.

[0126] (pH of composition (1))

[0127] From the viewpoint of being able to be safely applied to food, the pH of the composition (1) is preferably 4 or more and 10 or less, and more preferably 4 or more and 8 or less.

[0128] (HLB of sugar-based surfactants)

[0129] The HLB of the sugar surfactant in the composition (1) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 or more, more preferably 7 or more, and even more preferably 9 or more from the viewpoint of being able to form a film using an aqueous solvent. The upper limit of the HLB is usually 20, more preferably 18 or less.

[0130] <Composition (2)>

[0131] The composition described in the second embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "composition (2)") comprises a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester, and out of 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "low fatty acid esters") are contained, and 2 to 50% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "high fatty acid esters") are contained.

[0132] The composition (2) has good liquid stability by making the sugar-based surfactant have the above characteristics. The film obtained from the composition (2) has excellent water vapor barrier properties and is therefore suitable for coating on food. In addition, the film also has oxygen barrier properties and is therefore particularly suitable for coating on fruits and vegetables. It should be noted that the film obtained from the composition (2) is preferably free of aqueous solvent as described later.

[0133] Regarding composition (2), 50% by mass or more of the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester may be saturated fatty acids.

[0134] Regarding composition (2), among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester, the mass ratio of saturated fatty acids to unsaturated fatty acids may be 50 / 50 to 99 / 1.

[0135] The nonvolatile content of the composition (2) may be 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

[0136] The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the non-volatile components of the composition (2) may be 60% by mass or more.

[0137] Regarding the composition (2), the aqueous solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0138] The composition (2) can be applied to vegetables and fruits.

[0139] Hereinafter, composition (2) will be described in detail.

[0140] [Sugar-based surfactants]

[0141] In the composition (2), the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester. Here, the main component means that among the sugar-based surfactants, the sugar fatty acid ester is the largest component, and its content is, for example, 50% by mass or more, preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, further preferably 80% by mass or more, and further preferably 90% by mass or more. Sugar-based surfactants can use sugar fatty acid esters alone, so it only needs to be 100% by mass or less.

[0142] By using a sugar fatty acid ester as the main component of a sugar-based surfactant, the stickiness of the obtained film can be suppressed, and the water vapor barrier property and oxygen barrier property can be improved. In addition, for the same reason, as described above, the sugar-based surfactant preferably has crystallinity. Sugar fatty acid esters can present a crystalline structure, and therefore, the water vapor barrier property and oxygen barrier property of the obtained film can be improved.

[0143] (Sugar fatty acid esters)

[0144] The sugar in the sugar fatty acid ester of the composition (2) may be any of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, polysaccharides, sugar alcohols, and other oligosaccharides.

[0145] Examples of the monosaccharides include pentoses such as ribulose, xylulose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, lyxose, and deoxyribose; and hexoses such as psicose, fructose, sorbose, tagatose, allose, altrose, glucose, mannose, gulose, idose, galactose, talose, fucose, fucose, and rhamnose.

[0146] Examples of the disaccharides include sucrose, lactose, maltose, trehalose, turanose, and cellobiose.

[0147] Examples of the trisaccharides include raffinose, melezitose, and maltotriose.

[0148] Examples of the tetrasaccharides include acarbose and stachyose.

[0149] Examples of the polysaccharides include glycogen, starch, cellulose, dextrin, dextran, fructan, and chitin.

[0150] Examples of the sugar alcohol include sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, mannitol, and glycerin. The sugar alcohol may be a condensed product of these sugar alcohols.

[0151] Examples of other oligosaccharides include fructooligosaccharide, galacto-oligosaccharide, manno-oligosaccharide, and lactose-oligosaccharide.

[0152] Among the above, from the viewpoint of easy availability, sugar fatty acid esters containing disaccharides are preferred, and sugar fatty acid esters containing sucrose, that is, sucrose fatty acid esters are more preferred.

[0153] In addition, the sugar fatty acid ester does not need to be used alone, and two or more types may be used in combination. When two or more types are used in combination, the content of the sucrose fatty acid ester is the same as that of the composition (1).

[0154] Composition (2) contains 50 to 98% by mass of low fatty acid esters and 2 to 50% by mass of high fatty acid esters in 100% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters.

[0155] In a composition containing only the above-mentioned low fatty acid ester, the low fatty acid ester is easy to form a high-order structure and aggregate when preparing the composition, and it is easy to produce sediments and floating objects. On the other hand, if the content of the above-mentioned high fatty acid ester is more than the above-mentioned upper limit, the storage stability of the composition is easy to deteriorate.

[0156] In the composition (2), by making the number of fatty acid ester groups within the above range, the sugar fatty acid ester is inhibited from forming a high-order structure and agglomerating, so that no precipitate or floating matter is generated during the preparation of the composition, and the liquid stability of the composition is improved. In addition, no precipitate or floating matter is generated over time, and the storage stability of the composition is also improved.

[0157] From the above viewpoint, the content of low fatty acid ester is preferably more than 60 mass %, more preferably more than 70 mass %.In addition, it is preferably below 95 mass %, more preferably below 90 mass %, further preferably below 85 mass %, and further preferably below 80 mass %.

[0158] On the other hand, the content of the high fatty acid ester is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, and further preferably 20% by mass or less.

[0159] It should be noted that the composition (2) may contain, in addition to the low fatty acid ester and the high fatty acid ester, a sugar fatty acid ester having four fatty acid ester groups (tetraester).

[0160] The content of the tetraester may be 0% by mass or more, preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and preferably 48% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, and further preferably 35% by mass or less.

[0161] The constituent fatty acid of the sugar fatty acid ester is preferably an edible oil or fat. The number of carbon atoms of the constituent fatty acid of the sugar fatty acid ester is the same as that of the composition (1).

[0162] The constituent fatty acid of the sugar fatty acid ester in the composition (2) may be a saturated fatty acid or an unsaturated fatty acid, but a saturated fatty acid is preferred from the viewpoint of being easily solid at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) and suppressing the stickiness of the obtained film. The sugar fatty acid ester (a) having a saturated fatty acid easily presents a regular structure in the film, and thus can improve the water vapor barrier property and oxygen barrier property of the obtained film.

[0163] Among the fatty acids, the content of saturated fatty acids is preferably more than 50% by mass, more preferably more than 60% by mass, further preferably more than 70% by mass, further preferably more than 80% by mass, and especially preferably more than 90% by mass. About the upper limit, there is no particular limitation, as long as it is below 100% by mass.

[0164] As saturated fatty acid, more specifically, lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, behenic acid etc. can be listed, among which, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid are preferred, and myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid are more preferred. These saturated fatty acids can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0165] In addition, the above-mentioned sugar fatty acid ester (a) and sugar fatty acid ester (b) having unsaturated fatty acids can be used in combination. If sugar fatty acid ester (a) and sugar fatty acid ester (b) are used in combination, the liquid stability and storage stability of the composition become higher. In addition, if sugar fatty acid ester (a) and sugar fatty acid ester (b) are used in combination, the appearance when applied to food becomes good.

[0166] When sugar fatty acid ester (a) and sugar fatty acid ester (b) are used in combination, it is preferred to adjust the mass ratio of saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid to 50 / 50 to 99 / 1. The mass ratio is more preferably 50 / 50 to 90 / 10, further preferably 50 / 50 to 80 / 20, and further preferably 55 / 45 to 70 / 30.

[0167] More specifically, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, erucic acid, etc. are exemplified as the unsaturated fatty acid, and oleic acid and erucic acid are preferred among them. These unsaturated fatty acids may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0168] [Water-based solvents]

[0169] The aqueous solvent contained in the composition (2) contains at least water.

[0170] From the viewpoint of liquid stability and coating properties, a mixture of water and an organic solvent having affinity for water is preferred, and the organic solvent is more preferably an alcohol such as ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, or glycerin.

[0171] The content of water in the composition (2) is preferably 70% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less.

[0172] On the other hand, the content of the organic solvent in the composition (2) is preferably 1 mass % to 30 mass %, more preferably 2 mass % to 20 mass %, further preferably 3 mass % to 10 mass %.

[0173] [Other ingredients]

[0174] The composition (2) may contain a surfactant other than the above-mentioned sugar-based surfactant, a pH adjuster, and the like.

[0175] Examples of surfactants other than the sugar-based surfactants include organic acid monoglycerides, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, polysorbates, lecithin, etc. The content of these surfactants in the nonvolatile components of the composition (2) is preferably 0% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

[0176] As the pH adjuster, for example, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, ammonia, etc. can be used. From the viewpoint of safety, the content of the pH adjuster is preferably an amount such that the pH of the composition (2) becomes 4 to 10, preferably 4 to 8.

[0177] [Physical properties of composition (2)]

[0178] (Non-volatile content)

[0179] The nonvolatile component concentration in the composition (2) is preferably 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and further preferably 3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. When the nonvolatile component concentration is within the above range, a film having a suitable film thickness can be easily formed, and thus transpiration from food can be effectively suppressed.

[0180] It should be noted that when the content of low fatty acid esters and high fatty acid esters deviates from the range of composition (2), if the concentration of non-volatile components is low (for example, about 0.5% by mass), problems are unlikely to arise in terms of liquid stability and storage stability, but as it reaches 1% by mass or above, there is a tendency for liquid stability and storage stability to deteriorate.

[0181] The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (2), the pH of the composition, and the HLB of the sugar-based surfactant are the same as those in the composition (1).

[0182] <Composition (3)>

[0183] The composition according to the third embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "composition (3)") comprises a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, and has a surface tension of 34 mN / m or less at 25°C.

[0184] The composition (3) has the above-mentioned characteristics, so that when the coating liquid is applied to the surface of food, the drying speed is fast and the appearance after coating is also improved. The film obtained from the composition (3) has excellent water vapor barrier properties, and is therefore suitable for coating on food. In addition, the film also has oxygen barrier properties, and is therefore particularly suitable for coating on vegetables and fruits. It should be noted that the film obtained from the composition (3) is preferably free of aqueous solvents as described later.

[0185] Regarding composition (3), the main component of the sugar-based surfactant may be a sugar fatty acid ester.

[0186] Regarding composition (3), among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester, the mass ratio of saturated fatty acids to unsaturated fatty acids may be 50 / 50 to 99 / 1.

[0187] Composition (3) may contain 50 to 98% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups, out of 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester.

[0188] Composition (3) may contain 2 to 50% by mass of a sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups in 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester.

[0189] The nonvolatile content of the composition (3) may be 0.1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

[0190] The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the non-volatile components of the composition (3) may be 60% by mass or more.

[0191] Regarding the composition (3), the aqueous solvent may be water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

[0192] Regarding the composition (3), the content of the alcohol may be 1% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.

[0193] The composition (3) can be applied to vegetables and fruits.

[0194] Hereinafter, composition (3) will be described in detail.

[0195] (Surface tension)

[0196] The composition (3) has a surface tension of 34 mN / m or less at 25°C, so that the liquid discharge after the composition is applied to food becomes good, and thus the drying speed becomes faster. In addition, by making the liquid discharge good, it is prevented that the coating liquid remains excessively on foods such as vegetables and fruits, so that it is difficult to produce coating marks and whitening of the coating film. From the above viewpoints, the surface tension at 25°C is more preferably 32 mN / m or less, and further preferably 30 mN / m or less.

[0197] The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually 10 mN / m or more, preferably 15 mN / m or more, and more preferably 20 mN / m or more.

[0198] In addition, the surface tension can be measured by the method described in the Examples.

[0199] (Defoaming time)

[0200] The defoaming time of the composition (3) at 25°C is preferably 60 minutes or less, more preferably 40 minutes or less, further preferably 20 minutes or less, and further preferably 10 minutes or less. By setting the defoaming time within the above range, when bubbles are generated due to liquid migration in the coating process, it is possible to prevent traces of bubbles from remaining until drying. The shorter the defoaming time, the better, and therefore, it only needs to be 0 minutes or more.

[0201] It should be noted that the defoaming time can be measured by the method described in the Examples.

[0202] [Sugar-based surfactants]

[0203] From the same viewpoint as in composition (2), the sugar-based surfactant in composition (3) preferably has a sugar fatty acid ester as the main component.

[0204] The structures of sugar and fatty acid in the sugar fatty acid ester are the same as those in composition (2).

[0205] Regarding composition (3), it is preferred that 50 to 98% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups (low fatty acid esters) be contained in 100% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters. From the viewpoint of being able to improve solubility in aqueous solvents, the ratio is more preferably 60% by mass or more, and further preferably 70% by mass or more. In addition, it is more preferably 95% by mass or less, further preferably 90% by mass or less, further preferably 85% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 80% by mass or less.

[0206] In addition, regarding composition (3), it is preferred that 2 to 50% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups (high fatty acid esters) be contained in 100% by mass of sugar fatty acid esters. From the viewpoint of improving the stability of the composition, the ratio is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more. In addition, it is preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less.

[0207] It should be noted that the composition (3) may contain, in addition to the low fatty acid esters and high fatty acid esters, sugar fatty acid esters having four fatty acid ester groups (tetraesters).

[0208] In 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, the content of the tetraester can be 0% by mass or more, preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, preferably 48% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, and further preferably 35% by mass or less.

[0209] The constituent fatty acid of the sugar fatty acid ester in the composition (3) may be a saturated fatty acid or an unsaturated fatty acid, but it is more preferable to contain both saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids from the viewpoint of improving the drainage of the composition, the drying speed and the appearance of the coating film.

[0210] The sugar fatty acid ester (a) having a saturated fatty acid is likely to be solid at room temperature (20 to 25° C.), and can suppress the stickiness of the resulting film. In addition, the sugar fatty acid ester (a) is likely to have a regular structure in the film, and thus can improve the water vapor barrier property and oxygen barrier property of the resulting film.

[0211] On the other hand, sugar fatty acid esters (b) having unsaturated fatty acids tend to be liquid at room temperature (20 to 25° C.). By including sugar fatty acid esters (b), the surface tension of the composition is reduced, so the drying speed after coating is increased, and it is difficult for the coating liquid to remain on the food.

[0212] The blending ratio of sugar fatty acid ester (a) to sugar fatty acid ester (b) is preferably adjusted to an amount where the mass ratio of saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid is 50 / 50 to 99 / 1. The mass ratio is more preferably 50 / 50 to 90 / 10, further preferably 50 / 50 to 80 / 20, and further preferably 55 / 45 to 70 / 30.

[0213] [Water-based solvent and other ingredients]

[0214] The aqueous solvent and other components in the composition (3) are the same as those in the composition (2).

[0215] [Physical properties of composition (3)]

[0216] (Non-volatile content)

[0217] The concentration of the nonvolatile component in the composition (3) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. When the concentration of the nonvolatile component is within the above range, a coating having a suitable film thickness can be easily formed, thereby effectively suppressing evaporation from food. In addition, since excessive application of the coating liquid is prevented, traces of the coating liquid are less likely to remain.

[0218] The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the composition (3), the pH of the composition, and the HLB of the sugar-based surfactant are the same as those of the compositions (1) and (2).

[0219] <Food with film>

[0220] In the film-coated food of the present invention, the film contains a sugar-based surfactant. The film has excellent water vapor barrier properties, so it can suppress transpiration from the food and maintain freshness. In addition, the film also has oxygen barrier properties, so it can also suppress aging of vegetables and fruits caused by respiration.

[0221] The coating does not necessarily need to cover the entire food, and may cover only a portion of the food as long as transpiration and respiration from the food can be suppressed.

[0222] For example, when the food is vegetables and fruits, the coating may only cover a portion of the vegetables and fruits. The area of ​​the coating relative to the entire surface area of ​​the vegetables and fruits is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 25% or more, further preferably 40% or more, and further preferably 50% or more.

[0223] In addition, from the viewpoint of maintaining the freshness of fruits and vegetables, the coating preferably covers at least the parts where water evaporates more, such as the stomata on the back of leaves, stems, fruit stalks, cobs, calyx or roots, or the cut surface at harvest.

[0224] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of maintaining the freshness without significantly changing the appearance of the fruits and vegetables, it is preferred to cover only the parts where much water evaporates.

[0225] Furthermore, as described above, the sugar-based surfactant preferably has crystallinity from the viewpoint of being able to suppress the stickiness of the obtained film and improve the water vapor barrier property and the oxygen barrier property.

[0226] Whether the sugar-based surfactant in the film is crystalline can be confirmed by measuring the crystal melting peak temperature of the film. Therefore, in the DSC described below, it is preferred to detect the crystal melting peak derived from the sugar-based surfactant.

[0227] The crystal melting peak temperature of the coating is preferably 40°C or higher and 80°C or lower, and more preferably 45°C or higher and 70°C or lower. By setting the crystal melting peak temperature to 40°C or higher, the stickiness of the obtained coating is suppressed. On the other hand, by setting the crystal melting peak temperature to 80°C or lower, heating can be reduced when dissolved in an aqueous solvent, and productivity becomes good.

[0228] The crystal melting peak temperature refers to a temperature at which a crystal melting peak is detected in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) performed at a heating rate of 10° C. / min.

[0229] [food]

[0230] Examples of the food in the present invention include fresh foods such as vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish; and processed foods such as dairy products and bakery products.

[0231] Among them, the film of the present invention has excellent water vapor barrier properties, and therefore is preferably applied to fruits and vegetables or dairy products that are easily degraded by transpiration. In addition, the film also has oxygen barrier properties, and therefore is more preferably applied to fruits and vegetables that age due to respiration.

[0232] Examples of vegetables and fruits include citrus fruits such as apples, cherries, peaches, greengage, oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and sour oranges; fruits such as persimmons, figs, strawberries, kiwis, grapes, blueberries, bananas, mangoes, melons, papayas, lychees, apricots, avocados, cantaloupes, guavas, nectarines, pears (Japanese pears, Western pears, etc.), and plums; local products such as radishes, carrots, burdocks, bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, onions, ginger, taro, and yams; leafy vegetables such as asparagus, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts; fruit and vegetable products such as tomatoes, eggplants, pumpkins, green peppers, and cucumbers; wild vegetables such as bracken and pistachios; mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, spotted mushrooms, pleurotus eryngii, mushrooms, and maitake mushrooms; and cut flowers such as chrysanthemums, roses, and lilies.

[0233] Examples of dairy products include cheese and butter.

[0234] [Physical properties of the film]

[0235] (average film thickness)

[0236] The average film thickness of the coating of the present invention is preferably 0.1 μm or more and 10 μm or less, and more preferably 0.5 μm or more and 5 μm or less. By making the average film thickness 0.1 μm or more, water vapor barrier properties and oxygen barrier properties become good. On the other hand, by making the average film thickness 10 μm or less, the coating can be formed while maintaining the food texture.

[0237] In the present invention, the film thickness of the entire food may be non-uniform.

[0238] It should be noted that the average film thickness of the film can be calculated as follows: after pre-freeze-drying the film-coated food, the film is peeled off, the cross-section is observed using an electron microscope or a metal microscope, and the thickness is measured at more than 10 points selected at random, and the average thickness is used to calculate the average thickness.

[0239] (Water vapor barrier properties)

[0240] The film of the present invention preferably has a water vapor permeability of 0.1 to 20 g / (m 2 ·day), more preferably 0.5 to 10 g / (m 2 ·day), more preferably 1 to 5 g / (m 2 ·day).

[0241] In the case of a film formed from the compositions (2) and (3), the water vapor transmission rate per 1 μm at 30° C. and 50% RH is preferably 0.1 to 30 g / (m 2 ·day), more preferably 0.5 to 20 g / (m 2·day), more preferably 1 to 10 g / (m 2 ·day).

[0242] When the water vapor permeability is within the above range, transpiration from food can be suppressed and freshness can be preserved.

[0243] It should be noted that the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) can be measured by the differential pressure method using a water vapor transmission rate measuring device DELTAPERM according to JIS K7129-5. More specifically, it refers to the value obtained by converting the measured value of the water vapor transmission rate when covered on a 50 μm thick polyethylene terephthalate film under the conditions of 30°C and 50% RH into the transmittance per 1 μm by the following formula.

[0244] [Mathematical formula 1]

[0245]

[0246] (Oxygen barrier properties)

[0247] The oxygen permeability of the film of the present invention at 25°C and 50% RH per 1 μm is preferably 0.1 to 100 cc / (m 2 ·day·atm), more preferably 0.5 to 90cc / (m 2 ·day·atm), more preferably 1 to 50cc / (m 2 ·day·atm).

[0248] In the case of a film formed from the compositions (2) and (3), the oxygen permeability per 1 μm at 25° C. and 50% RH is preferably 0.1 to 1000 cc / (m 2 ·day·atm), more preferably 0.5 to 700cc / (m 2 ·day·atm), more preferably 1 to 500cc / (m 2 ·day·atm).

[0249] When the oxygen permeability is within the above range, aging of fruits and vegetables due to respiration can be suppressed, and freshness can be further preserved.

[0250] It should be noted that the oxygen permeability (OTR) can be measured by an isobaric method using an oxygen permeability measuring device OX-TRAN 2 / 21 (manufactured by MOCON Co.) in accordance with JIS K7126-2. More specifically, it refers to a value obtained by converting the measured value of the oxygen permeability when covered on a 50 μm thick polyethylene terephthalate film under the conditions of 25° C. and 50% RH into a transmittance per 1 μm by the following formula.

[0251] [Mathematical formula 2]

[0252]

[0253] <Method for producing film-coated food>

[0254] The film-coated food of the present invention can be produced by applying the composition to food or applying the sugar-based surfactant to food in the absence of a solvent. After applying the composition to food, the food may be dried.

[0255] Regarding the application and drying of the composition and the solvent-free application of the sugar-based surfactant, the method described in the “film forming method” described later can be appropriately used.

[0256] <Film Formation Method>

[0257] Examples of the film-forming method of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as “the present method”) include a method of applying the above-mentioned composition to food, or a method of applying the above-mentioned sugar-based surfactant to food in the absence of a solvent.

[0258] [Application of composition]

[0259] When the composition is applied to food, the application method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include methods of directly applying the coating liquid to food such as brush coating and curtain coating; dipping methods such as immersion coating; and spraying methods such as spraying.

[0260] Among these, the dipping method or the spraying method is preferred from the viewpoint of being able to relatively uniformly cover the surface of a food having a three-dimensional shape.

[0261] It should be noted that, when the food is vegetables and fruits, depending on the type of vegetables and fruits and the ease of coating operation, the coating can be formed on the surface of the vegetables and fruits after harvesting, or the vegetables and fruits can be harvested after the coating is formed on the surface. When the coating is formed before harvesting, it is desirable to form the coating when the vegetables and fruits reach a desired maturity.

[0262] In the present method, from the viewpoint of shortening the drying time of the composition and improving the efficiency of the film forming treatment, it is preferred to apply the composition to a part of the food.

[0263] For example, when the food is vegetables and fruits, the composition can be applied only to a portion of the vegetables and fruits. In this case, the coating area is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 25% or more, further preferably 40% or more, and further preferably 50% or more relative to the surface area of ​​the entire vegetables and fruits.

[0264] In addition, from the viewpoint of maintaining the freshness of fruits and vegetables, it is preferred to apply the composition at least to a portion where a lot of water evaporates.

[0265] From the viewpoint of reducing the amount of the sugar-based surfactant to the minimum necessary, the composition may be applied only to a portion where a large amount of water evaporates.

[0266] In the present method, after applying the composition to the food, a part of the applied composition may be removed. The removal method is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include removal by wind pressure using a gas dryer.

[0267] For example, by removing excess composition on the surface of food, it is possible to prevent poor drying of the excessively applied portion.

[0268] Furthermore, by removing a part of the food composition, the amount of the sugar-based surfactant used can be reduced to the necessary minimum.

[0269] When the food is a vegetable or fruit, freshness can be maintained as long as at least the portion where water evaporates more is covered, and therefore, the composition of the other portion may be removed.

[0270] Regarding the coating method, there is an example described in "Coating Methods" written by Harazaki Yuji and published in 1979 by Maki Shoten.

[0271] [dry]

[0272] After the composition is applied to food, the coating may be dried for the purpose of removing the aqueous solvent, etc. Examples of drying methods include static drying, air drying, or heat drying. From the perspective of maintaining the freshness of the food, a method of static drying at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) or a method of air drying at room temperature is preferred.

[0273] [Solvent-free coating of sugar-based surfactants]

[0274] When applying the sugar surfactant to food without a solvent, a preferred method is to heat the sugar surfactant to a temperature at which it exhibits fluidity (e.g., the melting point of the sugar surfactant to the melting point + 30°C), and then apply the sugar surfactant to the food by curtain coating or spray coating. When applying the sugar surfactant without a solvent, a substance containing only the sugar surfactant may be applied to the food, or a substance obtained by appropriately mixing other components (non-volatile components, etc.) other than the solvent with the sugar surfactant may be applied.

[0275] As with the above-mentioned [application of the composition], from the viewpoint of improving the efficiency of the film forming process, it is preferred to apply the sugar-based surfactant to a portion of the food. In addition, after applying the sugar-based surfactant to the food, a portion of the applied sugar-based surfactant can be removed.

[0276] <Food Shipping Method>

[0277] The food delivery method of the present invention is characterized in that it includes (A) a step of conveying food, (B) a step of forming a film on the food, and (C) a step of inspecting the film-coated food using an evaluation device, wherein in the step (B), a film is formed on the food by the film forming method of the present invention. In this way, the film-formed and inspected food is shipped to a consumption location by a transport unit or the like.

[0278] It should be noted that the order of step (B) and step (C) in the above-mentioned shipping method may be reversed. That is, the order may be step (A), step (B), step (C), or the order may be step (A), step (C), step (B).

[0279] In the following, the order of step (A), step (B), and step (C) is taken as an example. Figure 1 The impression diagram shown is explained in detail.

[0280] Figure 1 This is an image diagram of the food delivery method of the present invention. The step (A) of transporting food is a step for supplying food to the step (B). The method is not particularly limited, and for example, continuous transport can be performed using a conveyor belt, or a large amount of food can be transported at once using a truck.

[0281] exist Figure 1 , a mode of conveying food 10 by conveyor belt 11 is shown. Food 10 is placed on the conveyor belt, and is supplied to step (B) by rotating rotating roller 12.

[0282] The subsequent step (B) is a step of forming a coating on the food 10 conveyed in the step (A). The coating can be formed by the method described in the above-mentioned "Coating formation method".

[0283] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment, the dipping method is illustrated as one of the preferred methods. The food 10 is dipped in the dipping tank 13 filled with the composition of the present invention, and the composition is applied to the surface of the food. It should be noted that the conveyor belt has food fixing means such as claws, and the food 10 is moved in and out of the dipping tank in a fixed state. Thereafter, the solvent is removed by the drying oven 14 to form a coating on the food 10. The drying oven 14 can be omitted, and the food 10 can be left to stand and dry at room temperature. Drying can be omitted under the condition of solvent-free coating.

[0284] When forming a coating only on a part of the food in step (B), it is preferred that the composition be applied or sprayed on the food 10 placed on a conveyor and then conveyed to the drying oven 14 .

[0285] Alternatively, only a portion of the food 10 may be immersed in the dipping tank 13 using a food grasping means such as a robot arm, and then placed on a conveyor with the immersed surface facing upward, and transported to the drying oven 14 .

[0286] After the food 10 is immersed in the dipping tank 13 , a part of the applied composition may be removed by an air dryer (not shown) or the like.

[0287] Next, step (C) is a step of inspecting the food 10 on which the film is formed in step (B) using an evaluation device 15. As the evaluation device, a photo sensor, a weight scale, a camera, etc. can be used.

[0288] Various inspection items can be listed as the inspection in the (C) inspection step, and it is preferable to include at least one inspection selected from the group consisting of appearance inspection, sugar content inspection, and size inspection.

[0289] It should be noted that in the present invention, since the transparency of the coating is high, it does not hinder non-destructive inspection using light such as sugar content inspection, so the inspection method previously used for food (such as Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-78206) can be used directly.

[0290] The film-coated food that has undergone the (A) conveying step, (B) film forming step, and (C) inspection step as described above is shipped by conventional means. Figure 1 , an example of shipping using the shipping vehicle 16 is shown.

[0291] Example

[0292] Next, the present invention will be described in more detail by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to the examples described below.

[0293] <Test Examples 1 to 5: Japanese pear (Kosui)>

[0294] In Test Examples 1 to 5, a film was formed on the surface of Japanese pear (Kosui) and freshness evaluation was performed.

[0295] The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 1 to prepare compositions of Test Examples 1 to 4.

[0296] The compositions of Test Examples 1 to 4 were applied to the surface of Japanese pears by dipping, and dried at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) for 30 minutes to form a coating. In addition, Japanese pears without a coating were designated as Test Example 5.

[0297] L-1695: Sucrose laurate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester L-1695" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB: about 16, monoester to triester content: 96% by mass or more

[0298] P-1570: Sucrose palmitate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester P-1570" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB: about 15, monoester to triester content: 96% by mass or more

[0299] S-570: Sucrose stearate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-570" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB: about 5, monoester to triester content: 86% by mass or more

[0300] S-1670: Sucrose stearate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1670" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB: about 16, monoester to triester content: 97% by mass or more

[0301] [Freshness Evaluation]

[0302] The film-coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pear of Test Example 5 were evaluated for freshness preservation based on the weight retention rate, hardness retention rate, color, and taste.

[0303] Japanese pears are sweet and edible even when they are unripe. As they ripen, the color of Japanese pears changes from green to brown, and when they are overripe, they lose their original crisp taste and their commercial value decreases.

[0304] For the above reasons, regarding Japanese pears, the freshness-preserving effect was confirmed based on the firmness maintenance rate, color, and taste in addition to the weight maintenance rate for confirming transpiration suppression.

[0305] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0306] For the film-coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pear of Test Example 5, the weight maintenance rate after storage at 20°C and 90% RH for 10 days and 14 days was calculated ((weight after storage / weight on day 0)×100(%)) based on the weight of the Japanese pears before storage (day 0).

[0307] (Hardness retention rate)

[0308] For the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pears of Test Example 5, the hardness of the cross section of the Japanese pears at the time of destruction was measured using a fruit hardness meter KM-5 (manufactured by Fujiwara Seisakusho). It should be noted that the tip of the fruit hardness meter used a cylindrical tip. The hardness retention rate after 14 days of storage at 20°C and 90% RH was calculated ((hardness after 14 days of storage / hardness on day 0) × 100 (%)).

[0309] (color)

[0310] The base color of the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pear of Test Example 5 was evaluated using the fruit color spectrum supervised by the Fruit Tree Experimental Station of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. The evaluation was conducted twice, before storage (0 days) and after storage at 20°C and 90% RH for 10 days. It should be noted that in the evaluation based on the fruit color spectrum, the larger the value, the more mature it is.

[0311] (Food taste)

[0312] For the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 and the Japanese pears of Test Example 5, 4 subjects were asked to conduct a food taste test and evaluate according to the following criteria. The evaluation was conducted twice, before storage (0 day) and after storage for 14 days at 20°C and 90% RH. As mentioned above, the taste of Japanese pears will also affect the value of the product, so an evaluation of B or above is considered qualified, and C is considered unqualified. It should be noted that among the evaluations of the 4 subjects, the evaluation with the largest number of people is recorded in Table 1. In the case of separate evaluations by 2 people each, the lower evaluation is recorded in the table.

[0313] A: The taste is equivalent to that of the blank (0-day state of Test Example 5) Japanese pear.

[0314] B: Compared with the blank, the original crisp texture of Japanese pear is less.

[0315] C: There is no crispy taste at all.

[0316] Table 1 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 1 to 5.

[0317] [Table 1]

[0318]

[0319] According to Table 1, it can be confirmed that the weight maintenance rate, hardness maintenance rate, color and taste of the coated Japanese pears of Test Examples 1 to 4 are excellent compared with the Japanese pears of Test Example 5. Therefore, by providing a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the Japanese pear, a fresh-keeping effect can be obtained.

[0320] <Test Examples 6 to 10: Avocado>

[0321] In Test Examples 6 to 10, a film was formed on the surface of avocado and freshness evaluation was performed.

[0322] The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 2 to prepare compositions of Test Examples 6 to 9.

[0323] The compositions of Test Examples 6 to 9 were applied to the surface of avocados by dipping, and dried at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) for 30 minutes to form a coating. Avocados without a coating were designated as Test Example 10.

[0324] S-570: The product name and composition are as described above.

[0325] S-970: Sucrose stearate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-970" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB: about 9, monoester to triester content: 92% by mass or more

[0326] S-1170: Sucrose stearate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB: about 11, monoester to triester content: 94% by mass or more

[0327] S-1670: The product name and composition are as described above.

[0328] [Freshness Evaluation]

[0329] The film-coated avocados of Test Examples 6 to 9 and the avocado of Test Example 10 were evaluated for freshness retention based on weight retention rate, hardness, and color.

[0330] As avocados mature, they become softer and their color changes from green to dark purple. These changes in avocados are easy to understand, and consumers generally evaluate the freshness of avocados based on their firmness and color. Therefore, in addition to confirming the weight maintenance rate for transpiration suppression, the freshness-preserving effect of avocados is also confirmed based on firmness and color.

[0331] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0332] For the avocados with films of Test Examples 6 to 9 and the avocado of Test Example 10, the weight maintenance rate after storage at 25° C. and 50% RH for 3, 8, 11, and 16 days was determined ((weight after storage / weight on day 0)×100(%)) based on the weight of the avocados before storage (day 0).

[0333] (hardness)

[0334] Four avocados each of the film-coated avocados of Test Examples 6 to 9 and the avocado of Test Example 10 were prepared, and the hardness when the surface was lightly pressed with a finger was evaluated.

[0335] ○ (good): The hardness is equivalent to that of the blank (the state at 0 days in Test Example 10) or slightly softer, and deformation is small even when the surface is pressed.

[0336] × (bad): Very soft compared to the blank, and noticeably deformed when the surface is pressed.

[0337] The evaluation was performed six times: before storage (0 day) and after storage at 25° C. and 50% RH for 3 days, 8 days, 11 days, 16 days, and 21 days, and the change in hardness was evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0338] A: More than 75% of the samples were evaluated as ○ (good).

[0339] B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 50% and less than 75%.

[0340] C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 25% and less than 50%.

[0341] D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 0% and is 25% or less.

[0342] E: There were no samples that could be evaluated as ○ (good) (0%).

[0343] (color)

[0344] Four avocados of each of Test Examples 6 to 9 and Test Example 10 were prepared, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation was performed five times before storage (0 day) and after storage at 25°C and 50% RH for 3 days, 8 days, 11 days, and 16 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0345] A: There was no sample whose surface completely turned into black purple (0%) or less than 25%.

[0346] B: The number of samples whose surfaces completely turned into black-purple was 25% or more and less than 50%.

[0347] C: The number of samples whose surfaces completely turned into black-purple was 50% or more and less than 75%.

[0348] D: The number of samples whose surfaces completely turned into black-purple was 75% or more and less than 100%.

[0349] E: The surfaces of all samples were completely black-purple (100%).

[0350] Table 2 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 6 to 10.

[0351] [Table 2]

[0352]

[0353] From Table 2, it can be confirmed that the weight maintenance rate, hardness and color change of the film-coated avocados of Test Examples 6 to 9 are superior to those of the avocado of Test Example 10, and thus, a freshness-preserving effect is obtained by providing a film containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the avocado.

[0354] <Test Examples 11 to 16: Persimmon>

[0355] In Test Examples 11 to 16, a film was formed on the surface of persimmons and freshness evaluation was performed.

[0356] The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 3 to prepare compositions of Test Examples 11 to 15.

[0357] The compositions of Test Examples 11 to 15 were applied to the surface of persimmons by dipping, and dried at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) for 30 minutes to form a coating.

[0358] S-570: The product name and composition are as described above.

[0359] S-1170: The product name and composition are as described above.

[0360] S-1670: The product name and composition are as described above.

[0361] [Freshness Evaluation]

[0362] The film-coated persimmons of Test Examples 11 to 15 and the persimmon of Test Example 16 were evaluated for freshness retention based on the weight retention rate and the hardness retention rate.

[0363] Persimmons tend to become soft as they mature, and consumers generally evaluate the freshness of persimmons based on their hardness. Therefore, in addition to the weight maintenance rate for confirming transpiration suppression, the freshness-preserving effect of persimmons was confirmed based on the hardness maintenance rate.

[0364] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0365] For the coated persimmons of Test Examples 11 to 15 and the persimmons of Test Example 16, the weight maintenance rate after storage at 25°C and 50% RH for 7, 9, and 12 days was determined ((weight after storage / weight on day 0)×100(%)) based on the weight of the persimmons before storage (day 0).

[0366] (Hardness retention rate)

[0367] Prepare 6 coated persimmons of each of Test Examples 11 to 15 and 6 persimmons of Test Example 16, and set the ratio of samples that meet the following criteria as the hardness retention rate (references; Journal of the Horticultural Society / Volume 38 (1969) No. 2, Relationship between ripening phenomenon and respiratory type of fruits after harvest (First Report), Presence or absence of respiratory burst in respiration of persimmon fruits, Takashi Iwata, Katsuya Nakagawa, Kuniyasu Ogata).

[0368] A: Fully hard.

[0369] B: The whole thing becomes very soft but firm.

[0370] C: It seems to collapse when pressed with fingers. Or part of the flesh is soaked in water.

[0371] D: Becomes very soft. Or part of the peel is broken.

[0372] The measurement was performed according to this index, and fruits of grades C and D were evaluated as softened (failed).

[0373] Table 3 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 11 to 16.

[0374] [Table 3]

[0375]

[0376] Table 3 shows that the coated persimmons of Test Examples 11 to 15 are superior to the persimmon of Test Example 16 in both weight retention rate and hardness retention rate. Therefore, providing a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of persimmons can provide a freshness-preserving effect.

[0377] <Test Examples 17-18: Sour orange>

[0378] In Test Examples 17 and 18, a film was formed on the surface of the sour orange and the freshness preservation evaluation was performed.

[0379] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1670" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 4 to prepare the composition of Test Example 17.

[0380] The composition of Test Example 17 was applied to the surface of the tsukune by dipping, and dried at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) for 30 minutes to form a coating. The tsukune without a coating was designated as Test Example 18.

[0381] [Freshness Evaluation]

[0382] The film-coated tamarisks of Test Example 17 and the tamarisks of Test Example 18 were evaluated for freshness preservation based on the weight retention rate and color.

[0383] The change in color of tsukune from green to yellow as it matures is easy to understand, and consumers generally evaluate the freshness of tsukune based on color. Therefore, in addition to confirming the weight maintenance rate for transpiration inhibition, the freshness-preserving effect of tsukune is also confirmed based on color.

[0384] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0385] For the coated tartlets of Test Example 17 and the tartlets of Test Example 18, the weight of the tartlets before storage (0 day) was used as a reference, and the weight maintenance rate after storage at 15°C and 90% RH for 6 days, 8 days, and 11 days was calculated ((weight after storage / weight on 0 day) × 100 (%)).

[0386] (color)

[0387] Five pieces of each of the film-coated sotana of Test Example 17 and the sotana of Test Example 18 were prepared, and the color change was evaluated.

[0388] ○ (good): The green portion, which is equivalent to the blank (the state of 0 days in Test Example 18), accounts for 80% or more of the entire surface.

[0389] × (bad): The green portion of the entire surface is less than 80%, which is equivalent to the blank (the state of 0 days in Test Example 18).

[0390] The above evaluation was performed four times: before storage (0 day) and after storage at 15° C. and 90% RH for 6 days, 8 days, and 11 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0391] A: More than 80% of the samples were evaluated as ○ (good).

[0392] B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 60% and less than 80%.

[0393] C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 40% and less than 60%.

[0394] D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 20% and less than 40%.

[0395] E: The number of samples that could be evaluated as ○ (good) was 20% or less.

[0396] Table 4 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 17 to 18.

[0397] [Table 4]

[0398]

[0399] According to Table 4, it can be confirmed that the coated tangerine of Test Example 17 is superior to the tangerine of Test Example 18 in both weight maintenance rate and color change. Therefore, by providing a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the tangerine, a freshness-preserving effect is obtained.

[0400] <Test Examples 19 to 22: Water Vapor Barrier Properties>

[0401] In Test Examples 19 to 22, a coating film was formed on a polyethylene terephthalate film, and the water vapor barrier properties were evaluated.

[0402] [Test Example 19]

[0403] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-570" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant became 2% by mass, thereby preparing an aqueous composition 5-1.

[0404] The aqueous composition 5-1 was applied onto a PET film (50 μm thick, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.: A4160 type) that had been corona-treated on the high-smoothness side using a #20 rod coater, and dried at room temperature (20-25°C) for 24 hours to form a coating film with a thickness (after drying) of 0.74 μm on the PET film.

[0405] [Test Example 20]

[0406] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1670" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant became 2% by mass, thereby preparing an aqueous composition 5-2.

[0407] Using the aqueous composition 5-2, a coating film having a thickness of 0.58 μm was formed in the same manner as in Test Example 19.

[0408] [Test Example 21]

[0409] The coated PET film obtained in the above Test Example 20 was heated at 70° C. for 15 minutes and then cooled.

[0410] [Test Example 22]

[0411] The PET film on which no coating film was formed was designated as Test Example 22.

[0412] [Water vapor barrier property evaluation]

[0413] The water vapor permeability of the coated PET films of Test Examples 19 to 21 and the PET film of Test Example 22 was measured at 30° C. and 50% RH using a water vapor permeability measuring apparatus DELTAPERM manufactured by Technolox according to JIS K7129-5.

[0414] In addition, for the PET films with coating films of Test Examples 19 to 21, the water vapor transmission rates per 1 μm of the coating films were determined by the following formula.

[0415] [Mathematical formula 3]

[0416]

[0417] Table 5 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 19 to 22.

[0418] [Table 5]

[0419]

[0420] From Table 5, it can be confirmed that the PET films with coatings of Test Examples 19 to 21 have superior water vapor barrier properties compared to the PET film of Test Example 22, and therefore, the coating films containing the sugar-based surfactant have water vapor barrier properties.

[0421] In addition, in Test Examples 20 and 21, the water vapor barrier properties changed before and after the heat treatment. The crystal growth of the sugar-based surfactant (S-1670) used in Test Examples 20 and 21 was slow, so the coating film before the heat treatment had a crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant, while the coating film after the heat treatment did not have a crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant. Therefore, according to the results of Test Examples 20 and 21, it can be confirmed that the water vapor barrier properties are further improved by giving the coating film a crystal structure.

[0422] <Test Examples 23 to 26: Oxygen Barrier Properties>

[0423] In Test Examples 23 to 26, a coating film was formed on a polyethylene terephthalate film, and the oxygen barrier properties were evaluated.

[0424] [Test Example 23]

[0425] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant became 2% by mass, thereby preparing an aqueous composition 6-1.

[0426] The aqueous composition 6-1 was applied to a PET film (50 μm thick, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.: A4160 type) that had been previously corona-treated on the high-smoothness side using a #20 rod coater, and dried at room temperature (20-25°C) for 24 hours to form a coating film with a thickness (after drying) of 0.42 μm on the PET film.

[0427] [Test Example 24]

[0428] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant became 5% by mass, thereby preparing an aqueous composition 6-2.

[0429] Using the aqueous composition 6-2, a coating film having a thickness of 0.56 μm was formed in the same manner as in Test Example 23.

[0430] [Test Example 25]

[0431] The coated PET film obtained in the above Test Example 24 was heated at 70° C. for 15 minutes and then cooled.

[0432] [Test Example 26]

[0433] The PET film on which no coating film was formed was designated as Test Example 26.

[0434] [Evaluation of oxygen barrier properties]

[0435] The oxygen permeability of the coated PET films of Test Examples 23 to 25 and the PET film of Test Example 26 was measured at 25° C. and 50% RH using an oxygen permeability measuring apparatus “OX-TRAN 2 / 21” manufactured by MOCON according to JIS K7126-2.

[0436] In addition, for the PET films with coating films of Test Examples 23 to 25, the oxygen permeability per 1 μm of the coating film was determined by the following formula.

[0437] [Formula 4]

[0438]

[0439] Table 6 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 23 to 26.

[0440] [Table 6]

[0441]

[0442] From Table 6, it can be confirmed that the PET films with coatings of Test Examples 23 to 25 have superior oxygen barrier properties compared to the PET film of Test Example 26, and therefore, the coating films containing the sugar-based surfactant have oxygen barrier properties.

[0443] In addition, in Test Examples 24 and 25, the oxygen barrier properties changed before and after the heat treatment. The crystal growth of the sugar-based surfactant (S-1170) used in Test Examples 24 and 25 was slow, so the coating film before the heat treatment had a crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant, while the coating film after the heat treatment did not have a crystal structure of the sugar-based surfactant. Therefore, according to the results of Test Examples 24 and 25, it can be confirmed that the oxygen barrier properties are further improved by giving the coating film a crystal structure.

[0444] <Test Examples 27-28: Sunshine Rose Grapes>

[0445] In Test Examples 27 and 28, a film was formed on the surface of Sunshine Rose grapes to perform freshness evaluation.

[0446] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 7 to prepare the composition of Test Example 27.

[0447] The composition of Test Example 27 was applied to the surface of Sunshine Rose grapes by dipping, and dried at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) for 30 minutes to form a coating. Sunshine Rose grapes without a coating were designated as Test Example 28.

[0448] [Freshness Evaluation]

[0449] It is known that the cob of Sunshine Rose grapes turns brown when the freshness decreases. Therefore, the film-coated Sunshine Rose grapes of Test Example 27 and the Sunshine Rose grapes of Test Example 28 were evaluated for freshness based on the color of the cob.

[0450] (color)

[0451] Eight pieces of film-covered Sunshine Rose grapes of Test Example 27 and eight pieces of Sunshine Rose grapes of Test Example 28 were prepared, and changes in the color of the cobs were evaluated.

[0452] ○ (good): The green portion of the entire cob surface is 80% or more, which is equivalent to the blank (the state of day 0 in Test Example 28).

[0453] × (bad): The green portion of the entire surface of the cob is less than 80%, which is equivalent to the blank (the state of 0 days in Test Example 28).

[0454] The above evaluation was performed five times: before storage (0 day) and after storage at 5° C. and 50% RH for 13 days, 15 days, 18 days, and 21 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0455] A: More than 75% of the samples were evaluated as ○ (good).

[0456] B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 50% and less than 75%.

[0457] C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 25% and less than 50%.

[0458] D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 0% and is 25% or less.

[0459] E: There were no samples that could be evaluated as ○ (good) (0%).

[0460] Table 7 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 27 to 28.

[0461] [Table 7]

[0462]

[0463] According to Table 7, it can be confirmed that the color change of the cob of the Sunshine Rose grapes with the coating in Test Example 27 is less than that of the Sunshine Rose grapes in Test Example 28. Therefore, by providing a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the Sunshine Rose grapes, a fresh-keeping effect is obtained.

[0464] <Test Examples 29-30: Kyoho Grapes>

[0465] In Test Examples 29 to 30, a film was formed on the surface of Kyoho grapes to perform freshness evaluation.

[0466] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 8 to prepare the composition of Test Example 29.

[0467] The composition of Test Example 29 was applied to the surface of Kyoho grapes by dipping, and dried at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) for 30 minutes to form a coating. Kyoho grapes without a coating were designated as Test Example 30.

[0468] [Freshness Evaluation]

[0469] It is known that the cob of Kyoho grapes turns brown when the freshness decreases. Therefore, the film-coated Kyoho grapes of Test Example 29 and the Kyoho grapes of Test Example 30 were evaluated for freshness based on the color of the cob.

[0470] (color)

[0471] Six pieces of each of the film-coated Kyoho grapes of Test Example 29 and the Kyoho grapes of Test Example 30 were prepared, and changes in the color of the cob were evaluated.

[0472] ○ (good): The green portion of the entire cob surface is 80% or more, which is equivalent to the blank (the state of day 0 in Test Example 30).

[0473] × (bad): The green portion of the entire cob surface is less than 80%, which is equivalent to the blank (the state of 0 days in Test Example 30).

[0474] The above evaluation was performed four times: before storage (0 day) and after storage at 5° C. and 50% RH for 10 days, 13 days, and 16 days, and the color change was evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0475] A: More than 80% of the samples were evaluated as ○ (good).

[0476] B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 60% and less than 80%.

[0477] C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 40% and less than 60%.

[0478] D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 20% and less than 40%.

[0479] E: The number of samples that could be evaluated as ○ (good) was 20% or less.

[0480] Table 8 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 29 to 30.

[0481] [Table 8]

[0482]

[0483] From Table 8, it can be confirmed that the rachis of the film-coated Kyoho grapes of Test Example 29 change less in color than the Kyoho grapes of Test Example 30, and thus, a fresh-keeping effect is obtained by providing a film containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the Kyoho grapes.

[0484] <Test Examples 31 to 33: Strawberry>

[0485] In Test Examples 31 to 33, a film was formed on the surface of strawberry (Kano) and freshness evaluation was performed.

[0486] The following materials were dissolved in water in the amounts shown in Table 9 to prepare compositions of Test Examples 31 to 32.

[0487] The compositions of Test Examples 31 to 32 were applied to the surface of strawberries by dipping, and dried at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) for 30 minutes to form a coating.

[0488] P-1570: The product name and composition are as described above.

[0489] S-1670: The product name and composition are as described above.

[0490] [Freshness Evaluation]

[0491] The film-coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 and the strawberries of Test Example 33 were evaluated for freshness preservation based on the gloss retention rate, the freshness of the calyx, and the weight retention rate.

[0492] It is known that when the freshness of strawberries decreases, the gloss on the surface disappears and the calyx withers. Therefore, in addition to the weight maintenance rate for confirming transpiration inhibition, the freshness-preserving effect was confirmed based on the gloss maintenance rate and the freshness of the calyx.

[0493] (Gloss maintenance rate)

[0494] Sixteen strawberries of each of Test Examples 31 and 32 with film coating and Test Example 33 were prepared, and changes in surface gloss were evaluated.

[0495] ○ (good): The portion having the same glossiness as the blank (the state at day 0 of Test Example 33) accounts for 80% or more of the entire surface of the strawberry.

[0496] × (bad): The portion having the same glossiness as the blank (the state of 0 days in Test Example 33) on the entire surface of the strawberry was less than 80%.

[0497] The above evaluation was performed four times: before storage (0 day) and after storage at 5° C. and 50% RH for 3 days, 7 days, and 9 days, and the change in surface gloss was evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0498] A: More than 80% of the samples were evaluated as ○ (good).

[0499] B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 60% and less than 80%.

[0500] C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 40% and less than 60%.

[0501] D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 20% and less than 40%.

[0502] E: The number of samples that could be evaluated as ○ (good) was 20% or less.

[0503] (Freshness of calyx)

[0504] Sixteen strawberries of each of the film-coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 and the strawberry of Test Example 33 were prepared, and changes in the freshness of the calyx were evaluated.

[0505] ○ (good): The number of twisted calyx leaves in one strawberry was one or less.

[0506] × (bad): The number of twisted calyx leaves in one strawberry exceeded one.

[0507] The above evaluation was performed four times: before storage (0 day) and after 3 days, 7 days, and 9 days of storage at 5°C and 50% RH, and the change in the freshness of the calyx was evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0508] A: More than 80% of the samples were evaluated as ○ (good).

[0509] B: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 60% and less than 80%.

[0510] C: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 40% and less than 60%.

[0511] D: The number of samples that can be evaluated as ○ (good) is more than 20% and less than 40%.

[0512] E: The number of samples that could be evaluated as ○ (good) was 20% or less.

[0513] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0514] For the film-coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 and the strawberries of Test Example 33, the weight of the strawberries before storage (0 day) was used as a reference, and the weight maintenance rate after storage at 5°C and 50% RH for 3 days, 7 days, and 9 days was calculated ((weight after storage / weight on 0 day)×100(%)).

[0515] Table 9 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 31 to 33.

[0516] [Table 9]

[0517]

[0518] According to Table 9, it can be confirmed that the gloss and freshness of the calyx of the coated strawberries of Test Examples 31 and 32 are maintained, and the weight retention rate is also excellent compared with the strawberries of Test Example 33. Therefore, by providing a coating containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the strawberry, a freshness-preserving effect is obtained.

[0519] <Test Examples 34 to 42: Partial Coating>

[0520] In Test Examples 34 to 42, the efficiency of the film forming treatment and the influence on the freshness-keeping effect when a film was formed on a part of avocado, persimmon, and strawberry (red) were evaluated.

[0521] [Test Example 34]

[0522] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1670" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant became 3% by mass, thereby preparing an aqueous composition 10-1.

[0523] The aqueous composition 10-1 was applied to the entire surface of an avocado by dipping, and allowed to stand at room temperature (20 to 25° C.), and the time (drying time) until the entire surface was no longer sticky was determined.

[0524] [Test Example 35]

[0525] The avocado was left to stand, and the aqueous composition 10-1 was sprayed from above until the surface was wet, forming a coating film only on half of the avocado surface (50% or more of the entire surface area). The avocado was left to stand at room temperature (20-25°C), and the time (drying time) until the entire surface was no longer sticky was confirmed.

[0526] [Test Example 36]

[0527] The avocados without film formation were designated as Test Example 36.

[0528] [Freshness Evaluation (Avocado)]

[0529] The film-coated avocados of Test Examples 34 to 35 and the avocado of Test Example 36 were evaluated for freshness based on the weight retention rate, hardness, and color according to the same criteria as in Test Examples 6 to 10.

[0530] [Test Example 37]

[0531] "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester S-1170" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation was dissolved in water so that the content of the sugar-based surfactant became 5% by mass, thereby preparing an aqueous composition 10-2.

[0532] The aqueous composition 10-2 was applied to the entire surface of persimmons by dipping, and allowed to stand at room temperature (20 to 25° C.), and the time (drying time) until the entire surface of the coating no longer showed stickiness was determined.

[0533] [Test Example 38]

[0534] The persimmon calyx was immersed in the aqueous composition 10-2 with the calyx portion facing downward to form a coating film only around the calyx, and the mixture was left to stand at room temperature (20 to 25° C.) to check the time (drying time) until the coating film no longer became sticky on the entire surface.

[0535] [Test Example 39]

[0536] The persimmons without film formation were designated as Test Example 39.

[0537] [Freshness evaluation (persimmon)]

[0538] The film-coated persimmons of Test Examples 37 to 38 and the persimmons of Test Example 39 were evaluated for freshness retention based on the weight retention rate and the hardness retention rate according to the same criteria as in Test Examples 11 to 16.

[0539] [Test Example 40]

[0540] The aqueous composition 10-1 was applied to the entire surface of the strawberry by dipping, and allowed to stand at room temperature (20 to 25° C.), and the time (drying time) until the entire surface was no longer sticky was checked.

[0541] [Test Example 41]

[0542] The strawberries were left to stand, and the aqueous composition 10-1 was sprayed from above until the surface was wet, forming a coating only on half of the strawberry surface (50% or more of the entire surface area). The strawberries were left to stand at room temperature (20-25°C), and the time (drying time) until the coating no longer became sticky on the entire surface was confirmed.

[0543] [Test Example 42]

[0544] The strawberries without film formation were designated as Test Example 42.

[0545] [Freshness evaluation (strawberry)]

[0546] The film-coated strawberries of Test Examples 40 and 41 and the strawberries of Test Example 42 were evaluated for freshness based on the weight maintenance rate.

[0547] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0548] For the film-coated strawberries of Test Examples 40 and 41 and the strawberries of Test Example 42, the weight of the strawberries before storage (0 day) was used as a reference, and the weight maintenance rate after storage at 5°C and 80% RH for 4 days, 7 days, and 10 days was calculated ((weight after storage / weight on 0 day)×100(%)).

[0549] Table 10 shows the configurations and evaluation results of Test Examples 34 to 42.

[0550] [Table 10]

[0551]

[0552] It can be confirmed from Table 10 that the drying time can be shortened in Test Examples 35, 38 and 41 in which the coating is formed on a part of the avocado, persimmon and strawberry, compared with Test Examples 34, 37 and 40 in which the coating is formed on the whole, and the efficiency of the coating formation process is high. This is considered to be because if the coating is formed on the whole, liquid will accumulate on the bottom surface when it is left to stand, and it will take time to dry the coating.

[0553] It was also confirmed that Test Examples 35, 38 and 41 in which a coating was formed on a portion of the fruit were also superior to Test Examples 36, 39 and 42 in terms of weight retention, hardness and color. Therefore, even if the coating was present only on a portion of the avocado, persimmon and strawberry, a fresh-keeping effect could be obtained.

[0554] <Test Examples 43 to 52: Liquid Stability>

[0555] In Test Examples 43 to 52, the liquid stability of the composition was evaluated.

[0556] The following materials were mixed in the amounts listed in Table 11 to prepare compositions of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Examples 49 to 52. Specifically, the sugar-based surfactant (non-volatile component) was dissolved in an aqueous solvent containing ethanol and water at 73°C to give the contents listed in Table 11, and then allowed to stand at room temperature (25°C) for 2 hours to prepare a coating liquid (composition). The materials used are shown below.

[0557] S-1670: Sucrose stearate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 16

[0558] P-1670: Sucrose palmitate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 16

[0559] S-170: Sucrose stearate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 1

[0560] O-170: Sucrose oleate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 1

[0561] ER-290: Sucrose erucate, "Ryoto (registered trademark) Sugar Ester" manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB about 2

[0562] It should be noted that in Table 11, the content of sugar fatty acid esters with a fatty acid ester number of less than 3 is recorded in the "low fatty acid ester" column, and the content of sugar fatty acid esters with a fatty acid ester number of more than 5 is recorded in the "high fatty acid ester" column. These contents are values ​​obtained by calculation according to the value of the fatty acid ester number obtained by measuring the above-mentioned products according to METHOD OF ASSAY (analysis method) and the blending ratio of each product.

[0563] [evaluate]

[0564] (Sediment or floating matter)

[0565] Immediately after preparation and after leaving for 4 days, the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Examples 49 to 52 were visually evaluated for the presence or absence of precipitation or floating matter. The evaluation criteria are as follows.

[0566] A (very good): There is no precipitation or floating matter at all, and the liquid transparency is uniform.

[0567] B (good): Precipitation or floating matter was slightly observed, but the liquid transparency was 80% or more and was uniform.

[0568] C (poor): A small amount of precipitates or suspended matter was observed, but the boundary between the liquid phase and the precipitates or suspended matter was blurred.

[0569] D (very bad): Obvious precipitates or suspended matter were observed, and the liquid phase was clearly separated from the precipitates or suspended matter.

[0570] (Appearance of coating film)

[0571] The coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Examples 49 to 52 were applied to strawberries by dipping, and the appearance was visually evaluated after being left to dry at room temperature (20 to 25° C.). The evaluation criteria are as follows.

[0572] A (very good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or whitened surfaces was less than 5%.

[0573] B (good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or whitened surfaces was 5% or more and less than 50%.

[0574] C (poor): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or whitened surfaces was 50% or more.

[0575] The oxygen barrier property and the water vapor barrier property were evaluated by the same method as in Test Examples 19 to 22 and Test Examples 23 to 26.

[0576] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0577] For the grapes coated with the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 43 to 47 and Test Example 49 by the dipping method and the grapes of Test Example 48 (without film coating), the weight of the grapes before storage (0 day) was used as a reference, and the weight maintenance rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 day)×100(%)) after storage for 5 days, 12 days, and 24 days at 12°C and 80% RH was calculated.

[0578] [Table 11]

[0579]

[0580] The results in Table 11 demonstrate that the compositions of Test Examples 43 to 47 had no precipitation or floating matter immediately after preparation and after standing for 4 days, and the transparency of the liquid was roughly uniform, indicating high liquid stability. In addition, the films formed from the compositions of Test Examples 43 to 47 had oxygen barrier properties and water vapor barrier properties, and were able to suppress transpiration from grapes more than that of Test Example 48, suggesting that they had sufficient freshness-keeping performance.

[0581] On the other hand, in Test Examples 49 to 51 in which the content of sugar fatty acid esters with a number of fatty acid ester groups of 3 or less was less than 50% by mass, obvious precipitation or floating matter was observed in any case immediately after production and after standing for 4 days, and the liquid phase and the precipitation or floating matter were clearly separated. That is, it can be seen that the stability of the liquid is poor. In addition, in Test Example 52 in which the content of sugar fatty acid esters with a number of fatty acid ester groups of 3 or less exceeded 98% by mass, the stability of the liquid was high immediately after production, but a small amount of precipitation or floating matter was observed after standing for 4 days.

[0582] <Test Examples 53 to 62: Drying Speed>

[0583] In Test Examples 53 to 62, the drying speed of the applied liquid was evaluated.

[0584] The following materials were blended in the amounts listed in Table 12 to prepare compositions of Test Examples 53 to 56 and Test Examples 58 to 62. Specifically, the sugar-based surfactant (non-volatile component) was dissolved in an aqueous solvent containing ethanol and water at 73°C to give the contents listed in Table 12, and then allowed to stand at room temperature (25°C) for 2 hours to prepare a coating liquid (composition). The materials used were the same as those of Test Examples 43 to 52.

[0585] It should be noted that the contents of "saturated fatty acids" and "unsaturated fatty acids" in Table 12 are values ​​obtained by calculation based on the types of fatty acids constituting each of the above-mentioned products, the number of fatty acid ester groups in each product and the blending ratio of each product.

[0586] [evaluate]

[0587] (Surface tension)

[0588] The surface tension of the composition was measured by the Wilhelmy method using a surface tensiometer (Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd.: High-performance surface tensiometer DyneMaster "DY-500") using a platinum plate at 25° C. The measurement was performed three times, and the average value was calculated.

[0589] (Defoaming time)

[0590] 15 mL of the composition was added to a 50 mL glass bottle, and the glass bottle was shaken up and down vigorously 10 times at 25°C to generate bubbles on the upper surface of the composition. The glass bottle was observed from the top, and the time until the bubbles disappeared and the liquid surface was confirmed was measured. The shorter the defoaming time, the more difficult it is to leave traces of bubbles until drying when bubbles are generated due to liquid movement in the coating process. It should be noted that Test Examples 55 and 56 were defoamed immediately after shaking the glass bottle, so they were recorded as "<1".

[0591] (Drying speed)

[0592] The coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 53 to 56 and Test Examples 58 to 62 were applied to strawberries by dipping, and the time required for drying was checked under the conditions of temperature 25°C and humidity 25% RH. Whether the drying was completed was determined by whether the surface was sticky when touched with a finger. That is, the time when there was no stickiness was recorded as the drying was completed.

[0593] (Appearance of coating film)

[0594] The appearance of the strawberries after the drying rate test was visually evaluated. The evaluation criteria are as follows.

[0595] A (very good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or whitened surfaces was less than 5%.

[0596] B (good): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or whitened surfaces was 5% or more and less than 50%.

[0597] C (poor): The number of fruits with coating marks remaining or whitened surfaces was 50% or more.

[0598] The oxygen barrier property and the water vapor barrier property were evaluated by the same method as in Test Examples 19 to 22 and Test Examples 23 to 26.

[0599] (Weight maintenance rate)

[0600] For the grapes coated with the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 53 to 56, Test Examples 58 to 59, and Test Example 61 by the dipping method, and the grapes of Test Example 57 (without film coating), the weight of the grapes before storage (0 day) was used as a reference, and the weight maintenance rate ((weight after storage / weight on 0 day)×100(%)) after storage for 5 days, 12 days, and 24 days at 12°C and 80% RH was calculated.

[0601] [Table 12]

[0602]

[0603] According to the results in Table 12, the coating liquids (compositions) of Test Examples 53 to 56, which have a surface tension of 34 mN / m or less, have a short defoaming time and a fast drying speed. Therefore, the number of fruits with coating marks remaining or whitening on the surface is less than 5%, which is very small, showing an extremely good coating appearance. In addition, the coating formed by the compositions of Test Examples 53 to 56 has oxygen barrier properties and water vapor barrier properties, and can suppress transpiration from grapes more than Test Example 57, suggesting that they have sufficient freshness-keeping performance.

[0604] On the other hand, the coating liquid (composition) of Test Examples 58 to 62 has a long defoaming time and a slow drying speed. Therefore, the number of fruits with residual coating marks or whitening on the surface is more than 5% and less than 50% or more than 50%, and the coating appearance is significantly worse than that of the embodiments.

[0605] According to the above Test Examples 1 to 18 and Test Examples 27 to 62, it was confirmed that the freshness of the food can be maintained by providing a coating film containing a sugar-based surfactant on the surface of the food.

[0606] According to Test Examples 19 to 22, it was confirmed that the film containing the sugar-based surfactant had high water vapor barrier properties, and it was speculated that the freshness of the food was maintained due to the high water vapor barrier properties of the film. In addition, according to Test Examples 23 to 26, it was confirmed that the film containing the sugar-based surfactant also had good oxygen barrier properties, and it was speculated that the oxygen barrier properties of the film suppressed the respiration of fruits and vegetables, and the freshness of the food was further maintained.

[0607] According to Test Examples 34 to 42, it was confirmed that by forming a film only on a part of the food, the efficiency of the film forming process can be improved and the freshness of the food can be maintained.

[0608] According to Test Examples 43 to 52, it was confirmed that the liquid stability was good if the composition contained 50 to 98 mass % of the lower fatty acid ester and 2 to 50 mass % of the higher fatty acid ester in 100 mass % of the sugar fatty acid ester.

[0609] According to Test Examples 53 to 62, it was confirmed that a composition having a surface tension of 34 mN / m or less has a fast drying speed and a good appearance after coating.

[0610] In the present invention, the composition for forming the coating has a simple structure and is composed of a sugar-based surfactant that can be used as a food. Therefore, it has an advantage of being safe also in terms of food hygiene.

[0611] In addition, in the present invention, since the gas barrier property is imparted to the food by directly coating it, there is no need to use a resin packaging film as in the past, and a film-free method is achieved, thereby also having the advantage of reducing the environmental burden.

[0612] Industrial Applicability

[0613] The film-coated food of the present invention can suppress transpiration from the food by having a film with high water vapor barrier properties, thereby maintaining freshness for a long time. The film also has oxygen barrier properties, thereby suppressing aging of fruits and vegetables due to respiration.

[0614] In addition, in the present invention, since a film having a fresh-keeping property is directly provided on food, a plastic packaging material is not required as in the past, and film-free is achieved, which greatly contributes to reducing the environmental burden.

[0615] Furthermore, as described above, the composition of the present invention for forming a coating film with high freshness-preserving properties has good liquid stability and excellent handling properties, and is unlikely to leave coating marks on food, thereby maintaining the appearance of the food.

[0616] Description of Reference Numerals

[0617] 1Food delivery system

[0618] 10 Food

[0619] 11. Conveyor Belt

[0620] 12 Rotating rollers

[0621] 13 Dipping tank

[0622] 14 Drying oven

[0623] 15 Evaluation device

[0624] 16 Shipping vehicles

Claims

1. A composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester, and out of 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups and 2 to 50% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups are contained.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein Among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester, 50% by mass or more are saturated fatty acids.

3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein Among the fatty acids constituting the sugar fatty acid ester, the mass ratio of saturated fatty acids to unsaturated fatty acids is 50 / 50 to 99 / 1.

4. A composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent, wherein the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is a sugar fatty acid ester, the constituent fatty acids of the sugar fatty acid ester include saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids, and the surface tension of the composition at 25° C. is less than 34 mN / m.

5. The composition according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4, wherein The content of the sugar-based surfactant in the non-volatile components of the composition is 60% by mass or more.

6. The composition according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4, wherein The aqueous solvent is water or a mixture of water and alcohol.

7. The composition according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4, for application to vegetables and fruits.

8. A film-coated food, comprising a film containing a sugar-based surfactant, wherein the film covers only a portion of the food, wherein: The main component of the sugar-based surfactant is sugar fatty acid ester, and among 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups and 2 to 50% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups are included.

9. The film-coated food according to claim 8, wherein: The sugar-based surfactant is sucrose fatty acid ester.

10. The film-coated food according to claim 9, wherein: The lipophilic group of the sugar-based surfactant is a saturated fatty acid.

11. The film-coated food according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: When the total amount of the sugar-based surfactant is 100% by mass, 50% by mass or more of a sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups is contained.

12. The film-coated food according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The HLB of the sugar-based surfactant is 5 or more.

13. The film-coated food according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The average film thickness of the coating is 0.1 μm or more and 10 μm or less.

14. The film-coated food according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The coating has a crystal melting peak temperature of 40° C. or higher and 80° C. or lower.

15. The film-coated food according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The food is vegetables and fruits.

16. A method for producing a film-coated food, comprising: A step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a part of a food; or The process of applying the sugar-based surfactant to a part of the food without solvent; Among them, the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is sugar fatty acid ester, and among 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups is contained, and 2 to 50% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups is contained.

17. A method for producing a film-coated food, comprising the step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a food, or applying a sugar-based surfactant to a food in the absence of a solvent, and comprising the step of removing a portion of the applied composition or sugar-based surfactant; in, The main component of the sugar-based surfactant is sugar fatty acid ester, and among 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups and 2 to 50% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups are included.

18. The method for producing a film-coated food according to claim 16 or 17, wherein: The coating method is a dipping method or a spraying method.

19. A method for forming a coating, comprising: A step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to a part of a food; or The process of applying the sugar-based surfactant to a part of the food without solvent; Among them, the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is sugar fatty acid ester, and among 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups is contained, and 2 to 50% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups is contained.

20. The method for forming a coating according to claim 19, wherein: The coating method is a dipping method or a spraying method.

21. A method for forming a coating, comprising: A step of applying a composition comprising a sugar-based surfactant and an aqueous solvent to food; or The process of applying a sugar-based surfactant to food without a solvent. After applying the composition or sugar-based surfactant to food, removing a portion of the applied composition or sugar-based surfactant; Among them, the main component of the sugar-based surfactant is sugar fatty acid ester, and among 100% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester, 50 to 98% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 3 or less fatty acid ester groups is contained, and 2 to 50% by mass of the sugar fatty acid ester having 5 or more fatty acid ester groups is contained.

22. A method for shipping food, comprising: (A) a step of conveying a food, (B) a step of forming a film on the food, and (C) a step of inspecting the film-coated food using an evaluation device, In the step (B), the coating is formed by the method according to any one of claims 19 to 21.

23. The method for shipping food according to claim 22, wherein: The (C) inspection step includes at least one inspection selected from the group consisting of appearance inspection, sugar content inspection, and size inspection.

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