Coated oily food

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of controlling the amount of coating by maintaining fluidity even when moisture is mixed in an oily food to be coated. The present invention also addresses the problem of obtaining an appearance having good gloss after coating. A coating oily food which is an oily food satisfying the following 1)-3). 1) an oil content of 35% by mass to 70% by mass; 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB of 3-17, the sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16-24 carbon atoms as the main constituent fatty acid; and 3) the yield value of the sucrose fatty acid ester in a state after melting at 50 DEG C is 0.1-10 Pa (wherein the sucrose fatty acid ester contains 60 mass% or more of the constituent fatty acids as the main constituent fatty acids.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-054499, filed with the Japan Patent Office on March 30, 2023. The entire contents of the priority application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The invention relates to an oily food for coating. Background Art

[0004] Foods made by coating water-containing foods with oily foods are widely used for their excellent flavor and appearance, as well as for product diversification. Foods coated with chocolate or chocolate coatings are also widely used to give oily foods a luxurious feel and are popular.

[0005] In the past, chocolate made from cocoa mass and cocoa beans was mostly used for coating, but in recent years, colored chocolates of various hues have also been used for diversification. These oily foods used for coating require good gloss to ensure a good appearance when coated.

[0006] Patent Document 1 describes an invention relating to chocolate coatings containing polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid ester and fibrous materials such as cocoa fiber.

[0007] Patent Document 2 describes an invention relating to an oily food raw material for coating frozen desserts, which uses a starch hydrolyzate and a sucrose fatty acid ester to suppress thickening caused by the incorporation of a trace amount of water during the coating process.

[0008] Patent Document 3 describes an invention relating to a method for producing water-containing heat-resistant chocolate, which enables preparation of a water-containing chocolate material in a paste form that maintains fluidity without causing an increase in viscosity by adding water in stages.

[0009] Prior art literature

[0010] Patent Literature

[0011] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-110268

[0012] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-042087

[0013] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-121228 Summary of the Invention

[0014] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0015] Patent Document 1 describes an invention related to an oily food with good gloss. Patent Document 2 discloses an invention that combines dextrins to suppress the increase in viscosity caused by the addition of water. However, the need to add fiber and dextrins sometimes limits the use of other ingredients and flavor adjustment.

[0016] Patent Document 3 shows that thickening in the process of manufacturing chocolate material can be controlled, but does not suggest a solution to the problem of viscosity increasing over time due to a gradual increase in moisture content during the coating process of chocolate.

[0017] The inventors have conducted extensive research with reference to the background art, but have not yet identified the specific problem. However, the inventors have discovered that maintaining gloss is correlated with maintaining the fluidity of oily foods for coating.

[0018] Therefore, the present invention aims to maintain the fluidity of the oily food for coating even when water is mixed in, thereby controlling the coating amount and obtaining a glossy appearance after coating.

[0019] Solutions for solving problems

[0020] The present inventors conducted further research and found that the problem of the present invention can be solved by the following oily food: an oily food having an oil content of 35% to 70% by mass, wherein the oily food contains a specific main constituent fatty acid and a sucrose fatty acid ester with HLB, and the yield value as an indicator of fluidity is adjusted to 0.1 Pa to 10 Pa at 50°C.

[0021] That is, the present invention is as follows.

[0022] (1) An oily food for coating, wherein the oil content is 35% to 70% by mass;

[0023] Sucrose fatty acid esters containing sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 3 to 17, wherein the main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms;

[0024] The yield value of the melted state at 50°C is 0.1Pa to 10Pa.

[0025] Here, the main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

[0026] (2) The oily food for coating according to (1), wherein the fat-free cocoa solid content is 3% by mass or less and the content of the dairy product is 2% by mass to 30% by mass.

[0027] (3) The oily food for coating according to (1) or (2), wherein the content of saturated fatty acids having 12 and 14 carbon atoms in all constituent fatty acids in the oil is 15% by mass to 50% by mass.

[0028] (4) The oily food for coating according to (1) or (2), wherein, when mixed with 0.4% by mass of water, at 50°C,

[0029] The ratio of the yield value after water mixing to the yield value before water mixing is 0.5 to 5.

[0030] The ratio of the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer after the incorporation of water to the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer before the incorporation of water is 0.5 to 5.

[0031] (5) The oily food for coating according to (1) or (2), wherein the cocoa butter content in the oily food is 5% by mass or less.

[0032] (6) The oily food for coating according to (1) or (2), wherein the food to be coated is a water-containing food having a water activity of 0.75 or more.

[0033] (7) A composite food obtained by coating a water-containing food with the oily food for coating according to (1) or (2).

[0034] (8) A method for producing an oily food for coating, which satisfies all of the following necessary conditions 1) to 3), wherein 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester is added before the pulverization step, mixed and pulverized, 1) the oil content is 35% to 70% by mass; 2) the sucrose fatty acid ester contains a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms as the main constituent fatty acid and an HLB of 3 to 17; 3) the yield strength at 50°C after production is 0.1 Pa to 10 Pa,

[0035] Here, the main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

[0036] (9) A method for producing a composite food, comprising coating a water-containing food with the oily food for coating obtained by the production method according to (8).

[0037] (10) A method for improving the gloss of a composite food, comprising coating the surface of the composite food with an oily food.

[0038] The oily food for coating is an oily food having an oil content of 35% to 70% by mass;

[0039] Sucrose fatty acid esters containing sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 3 to 17, wherein the main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms;

[0040] The yield value of the melted product at 50°C is 0.1 Pa to 10 Pa.

[0041] Alternatively, it can be expressed as follows.

[0042] (21) An oily food for coating, which satisfies all of the following 1) to 3):

[0043] 1) The oil content is 35% to 70% by mass;

[0044] 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms and an HLB of 3 to 17;

[0045] 3) The yield value of the melted state at 50°C is 0.1Pa to 10Pa.

[0046] Here, the main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

[0047] (22) The oily food for coating according to (21), wherein the oily food for coating further satisfies 4):

[0048] 4) The fat-free cocoa solids content is 3% by mass or less and the content of dairy products is 2% to 30% by mass.

[0049] (23) An oily food for coating, which satisfies all of the following 1) to 5):

[0050] 1) The oil content is 35% to 70% by mass;

[0051] 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms and an HLB of 3 to 17;

[0052] 3) The yield value of the melted state at 50°C is 0.1Pa to 10Pa;

[0053] 4) The fat-free cocoa solids content is 3% by mass or less and the dairy product content is 5% to 20% by mass;

[0054] 5) The cocoa butter content in the oily food is 5% by mass or less,

[0055] Here, the main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

[0056] (24) The coated oily food according to any one of (21) to (23), wherein the total content of saturated fatty acids having 12 carbon atoms and 14 carbon atoms in all the constituent fatty acids in the oil is 15% by mass to 50% by mass.

[0057] (25) The coated oily food according to any one of (21) to (23), wherein, when mixed with 0.4% by mass of water, at 50°C,

[0058] The ratio of the yield value after water mixing to the yield value before water mixing is 0.5 to 5.

[0059] The ratio of the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer after the incorporation of water to the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer before the incorporation of water is 0.5 to 5.

[0060] (26) The oily food for coating according to (21) or (22), wherein the cocoa butter content in the oily food is 5% by mass or less.

[0061] (27) The oily food for coating according to any one of (21) to (23), wherein the food to be coated is a water-containing food having a water activity of 0.75 or more.

[0062] (28) A composite food obtained by coating a water-containing food with the oily food for coating according to any one of (21) to (23).

[0063] (29) A method for producing an oily food for coating, which satisfies all of the following requirements 1) to 3), wherein the sucrose fatty acid ester of 2) is added before the pulverization step, and the mixture is mixed and pulverized.

[0064] 1) The oil content is 35% to 70% by mass;

[0065] 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms and an HLB of 3 to 17;

[0066] 3) The yield value at 50°C after manufacturing is 0.1Pa~10Pa,

[0067] Here, the main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

[0068] (30) A method for producing a composite food, comprising coating a water-containing food with the coated oily food obtained by the production method according to (29).

[0069] (31) A method for improving the gloss of a composite food, comprising coating the surface of the composite food with an oily food.

[0070] The oily food for coating is an oily food having an oil content of 35% to 70% by mass;

[0071] A sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms and an HLB of 3 to 17, wherein the main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms; and the yield value in a melted state at 50° C. is 0.1 Pa to 10 Pa.

[0072] (32) A method for maintaining the fluidity of an oily food for coating, which is a method for maintaining the fluidity of the oily food for coating by using the oily food for coating obtained by the manufacturing method according to (29) in a manner that satisfies the following necessary conditions A) and B), wherein:

[0073] When 0.4% by mass of water was mixed in, at 50°C,

[0074] A) The ratio of the yield value after water mixing to the yield value before water mixing is 0.5 to 5;

[0075] B) The ratio of the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer after the incorporation of water to the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer before the incorporation of water is 0.5 to 5.

[0076] Effects of the Invention

[0077] According to the present invention, the coated oily food maintains fluidity even when moisture is incorporated. Therefore, even when used in the continuous production of composite foods, the coating amount on the water-containing food can be controlled. Furthermore, the ability to maintain fluidity even when moisture is incorporated allows the coated food to maintain a good gloss even during continuous production.

[0078] By using the oily food for coating of the present invention for coating, the coating amount can be controlled, and a composite food having a glossy appearance can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0079] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0080] The oily food herein refers to a food in which oil forms a continuous phase, and specifically refers to chocolate. The term "chocolate" is not limited to chocolate, quasi-chocolate, or chocolate-based foods as defined by the National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council and the Chocolate-Based Food Fair Trade Council, but also includes foods containing oils and fats as essential ingredients and including oil-processed foods obtained from cocoa mass, cocoa beans, whole milk powder, dried fruit juice powder, dried vegetable powder, vegetable milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa butter substitutes, and hard butter.

[0081] The oily food for coating of the present invention particularly refers to chocolates used for coating (applying or wrapping) the entire or a portion of the surface of confectionery and baked goods.

[0082] In the present invention, the oil content of the oily food for coating is 35% to 70% by mass relative to the total oily food for coating, preferably 36% to 65% by mass, more preferably 37% to 63% by mass, or 38% to 61% by mass. By adjusting the oil content to an appropriate range, the operation of coating the oily food on the water-containing food can be simplified. When the oil content is less than 35% by mass, the fluidity is low, making it difficult to control the coating amount. When the oil content exceeds 70% by mass, a good flavor may not be obtained as a coating, and the oiliness may be enhanced.

[0083] The oil content in oily foods refers to the mass % including all fats and oils contained in whole milk powder, etc.

[0084] In one embodiment, the oily food coating of the present invention can reduce variations in the coating amount when applied to a water-containing food, thereby maintaining a constant coating amount even during continuous coating. Generally, the coating amount of an oily food affects its fluidity. Therefore, when applying a coating to a water-containing food, the oil content is adjusted to adjust the fluidity, or the temperature of the oily food is adjusted during the coating process.

[0085] However, if the composite food is continuously coated with the composite food, the fluidity gradually changes, and the weight per unit area may change, making it difficult to maintain a constant quality of the composite food.

[0086] In one embodiment, the oil-based food for coating of the present invention can maintain fluidity even when water is mixed in, and thus the coating amount can be controlled to be constant.

[0087] The oils and fats used in the coated oily food of the present invention are not particularly limited, but examples of the oils and fats that can be used include soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, high-erucic acid rapeseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, evening primrose oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and other vegetable oils and fats, and animal oils and fats such as milk fat, beef tallow, and lard, algae oil, oils and fats derived from microbial fermentation, and their hardened oils, fractionated oils, hardened fractionated oils, fractionated hardened oils, processed oils and fats that have undergone interesterification, and mixed oils and fats thereof.

[0088] It should be noted that high-erucic acid rapeseed oil refers to rapeseed oil in which the erucic acid content in the fatty acid composition is 30% by mass or more.

[0089] In one embodiment, the oily food coating of the present invention includes a sucrose fatty acid ester. The sucrose fatty acid ester content is preferably 0.05% to 1% by mass, more preferably 0.08% to 0.8% by mass, and most preferably 0.09% to 0.6% by mass. By including an appropriate amount of sucrose fatty acid ester, the oily food coating maintains fluidity even when water enters the coating. Furthermore, the coating maintains a good gloss when applied to a water-containing food.

[0090] In the present invention, HLB is the abbreviation of Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance, which is the balance between hydrophilicity and lipophilicity, and is an indicator of whether the emulsifier is hydrophilic or lipophilic. The HLB value is set to 0 to 20, and the smaller the HLB value, the stronger the lipophilicity. The HLB of the sucrose fatty acid ester used in the oily food for coating of the present invention is preferably 3 to 17, more preferably 4 to 16, more preferably 5 to 16, 6 to 16, 6 to 14, 6 to 12, and most preferably 6 to 10. By using a sucrose fatty acid ester of a specified HLB, the fluidity can be maintained even when water is mixed into the oily food for coating. In addition, the good gloss can be maintained when the oily food for coating with maintained fluidity is coated on a water-containing food.

[0091] In one embodiment of the oily food for coating of the present invention, the sucrose fatty acid esters contained are at least one sucrose fatty acid ester selected from sucrose fatty acid esters whose main constituent fatty acids are saturated fatty acids having 16 to 24 carbon atoms. Preferably, the main constituent fatty acids are saturated fatty acids having 16 to 20 carbon atoms. More preferably, the main constituent fatty acids are saturated fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms. It should be noted that, in the present invention, the main constituent fatty acids refer to fatty acids comprising 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

[0092] As the food to be coated with the oily food coating of the present invention, preferably a water-containing food is used, so that the effects of the present invention are more easily achieved. Preferably, the water-containing food to be coated has a water activity of 0.75% or more at 25°C. More specifically, the effects of the present invention are more easily achieved when the water activity is 0.75-0.99, 0.76-0.98, or 0.76-0.97. When the water activity is low, the amount of water that mixes into the oily food coating due to contact with the water-containing food during the coating process is small, so problems such as deterioration of fluidity are less likely to occur. When the water activity of the water-containing food is 0.75 or more, water is easily mixed into the oily food coating during the coating process, sometimes reducing fluidity or reducing the gloss of the oily food after coating and solidification. Therefore, the effects of the present invention are more easily achieved.

[0093] For example, water activity can be measured using AQUA LAB (manufactured by Meter Japan Co., Ltd.) or the like.

[0094] The water-containing food to be coated with the oily food for coating in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a snack or a baked product. Examples of the desserts include steamed buns, steamed yokan, castella, dorayaki, Imagawayaki, taiyaki, kintama, waffles, chestnut steamed buns, moon cakes, bolo, Yatsuhashi cakes, crackers, karinto, sponge cake, roll cake, angel cake, pound cake, baumkuchen, fruit cake, madeleine, cream puff, mille-feuille, apple pie, tart, biscuit, cookie, cracker, steamed bread, brezel, wafers, snacks, pizza, crepe, soufflé, and beignet. Examples of fruits include bananas, apples, and strawberries. Examples of baked products include white bread, spindle bread, fruit bread, corn bread, butter rolls, hamburger buns, donuts, French bread, rolls, pastry bread, sweet dough, dry bread, muffins, bagels, croissants, Danish pastry, and nan.

[0095] More preferably, the water-containing food used in one embodiment of the present invention includes desserts and baked goods such as sponge cake, cake roll, angel food cake, pound cake, Baumkuchen, cream puffs, spindle bread, cream rolls, donuts, bread rolls, croissants, and Danish bread.

[0096] For example, the water activity of the water-containing food at 25° C. is 0.85 for Baumkuchen, 0.92 for yeast donuts, 0.77 for cake donuts, 0.93 for spindle bread, 0.83 for croissants, and so on.

[0097] In one embodiment, the coated oily food of the present invention maintains fluidity even when water is mixed in. Fluidity can generally be measured using a viscometer. The viscometer is not particularly limited as long as it measures the viscosity of a fluid having non-Newtonian characteristics. However, B-type viscometers such as BM, BH, and BL can generally be used to measure viscosity.

[0098] In addition, as an index for evaluating fluidity, yield value and plastic viscosity can be used. The shear stress under the situation of changing shear rate can be measured, and yield value and plastic viscosity can be calculated according to the result. The equipment for measuring and calculating is not particularly limited. If an example is given, yield value and plastic viscosity can be calculated according to the shear stress measured by equipment such as Rheolab-QC made by Anton Paar. In order to calculate, the approximate formula specified by IOCCC2000 can be adopted.

[0099] Specifically, under the conditions specified in IOCCC2000, the shear stress is measured while decelerating from 50 rpm to 2 rpm over 180 seconds. The yield value is obtained by approximating this value to the constant a in the following formula. In this case, the constant b represents the plastic viscosity.

[0100] y(1 / p)=a+b*x(1 / p)

[0101] By confirming the fluidity such as viscosity, yield value, and plastic viscosity, the degree of viscosity increase of the oily food can be evaluated.

[0102] In one embodiment, the oily food for coating of the present invention has a yield value of 0.1 Pa to 10 Pa in a melted state at 50°C. It is more preferably 0.3 Pa to 9 Pa, and even more preferably 0.4 Pa to 9 Pa or 0.5 Pa to 8 Pa. When the oily food for coating of the present invention is melted and used for coating purposes, it may incorporate water due to contact with water-containing foods. If the yield value of the oily food for coating, i.e., before the incorporation of water, is within a specified range, it can be used for coating purposes.

[0103] The yield value for coating applications is ideally 20 Pa or less, and is therefore required to be 20 Pa or less even after moisture is mixed in. It is more preferably 18 Pa or less, and further preferably 16 Pa or less, or 15 Pa or less.

[0104] In addition, the viscosity of a certain embodiment of the oily food for coating of the present invention is preferably 200mPa·s to 7000mPa·s in a melted state at 50°C. The viscosity is measured using a B-type viscometer, and in particular, the viscosity measured using a BM-type viscometer can be used for quality evaluation. A more preferred viscosity when melted is 250mPa·s to 6800mPa·s, and even more preferably 300mPa·s to 6500mPa·s or 350mPa·s to 6000mPa·s. When the oily food for coating of the present invention is melted and used for coating purposes, water is mixed in due to contact with water-containing foods. If the viscosity before water mixing, i.e., when melted, is within the specified range, it can be used for coating purposes.

[0105] The viscosity measured with a Brookfield viscometer for coating applications is ideally 10,000 mPa·s or less, and is therefore required to remain 10,000 mPa·s or less even after moisture is mixed in. It is more preferably 9,000 mPa·s or less, and further preferably 8,000 mPa·s or less, or 7,000 mPa·s or less.

[0106] In the present invention, the values measured by the BM viscometer are values measured using a No. 3 rotor at 12 rpm at 50° C. When the viscosity is too high to be measured using a No. 3 rotor, a No. 4 rotor is used.

[0107] In one embodiment of the present invention, the coating oily food can suppress the increase in viscosity when water is mixed in. As an indicator, when 0.4% by mass of water is mixed in the coating oily food, the ratio of the yield value at 50°C after water mixing to the yield value at 50°C before water mixing can be controlled to 0.5 to 5. More ideal ranges are 0.7 to 4.5, 0.9 to 4, and even more ideally, 1 to 3.5. When the yield value is within the appropriate range before and after water mixing, it can be determined that the fluidity is adequately maintained.

[0108] In one embodiment of the oily food for coating of the present invention, the ratio of the viscosity measured by a BM viscometer at 50°C after water incorporation to the viscosity measured by a BM viscometer at 50°C before water incorporation can be controlled to be between 0.5 and 5. More preferably, the ratio can be controlled to between 0.6 and 4.5, 0.7 and 4, and even more preferably, 0.8 and 3.5. When the yield point is within the appropriate range before and after water incorporation, it can be determined that sufficient fluidity is maintained.

[0109] When both the yield value and the BM type viscometer measurement value satisfy the above conditions, it can be judged that the coating operation is particularly good and the fluidity is maintained.

[0110] By maintaining fluidity, molding and edible coating operations can be performed without problems.

[0111] Furthermore, the oil-based food coating of the present invention maintains fluidity, and the gloss of the oil-based food coating that is coated and solidified on the water-containing food remains as good as before the incorporation of moisture. This means that even with the incorporation of moisture, a product group with good gloss can be continuously produced, thereby enabling the continuous production of products with stable quality.

[0112] In a certain embodiment, the coated oily food of the present invention contains about 0.3% to 2% by mass of water even before water is mixed in. This is not actually the addition of water, but is caused by the small amount of water contained in raw materials such as sugar and milk powder, and has no direct effect on the deterioration of fluidity. In addition to the small amount of water from these raw materials, fluidity may sometimes deteriorate when new water is mixed in. As reasons for water mixing into oily foods, there are examples of water accidentally mixing into oily foods, handling oily foods in a high-humidity working environment, and mixing of water due to contact between the water-containing food of the coated object and the oily food. The coated oily food of the present invention can cope with any of these situations.

[0113] When manufacturing composite foods coated with oily foods, coating equipment called enrobers are often used for industrial continuous production. When using an enrober, the melted oily food is coated on the water-containing food and sent to the cooling process by a conveyor. When coating the oily food, water from the water-containing food mixes into the oily food. Then, the reduced amount of oily food for coating is resupplied. When using an enrober to continuously manufacture composite foods, although it also depends on the moisture content of the water-containing food to be coated, about 0.1% to 1.5% by mass of water mixes into the oily food over time. After the water is mixed in, the oily food in the melting tank of the enrober is only stirred to the extent of circulating in the machine, and it is difficult to achieve the stirring and mixing performed in the manufacturing process of chocolate.

[0114] The oily food for coating of the present invention may be coated on a water-containing food manually while the melted oily food is kept warm in a container, without using a coating machine.

[0115] In either case, if the fluidity of the oily food for coating decreases, the coating operation becomes difficult. Therefore, in order to control the coating amount for the water-containing food and maintain consistent quality of the composite food, it is ideal to maintain fluidity even when water gradually enters. In one embodiment of the oily food for coating of the present invention, by maintaining fluidity, the quality of the composite food can be maintained. Furthermore, due to its excellent glossiness, the composite food can consistently maintain a higher quality than before.

[0116] In the present invention, fat-free cocoa solids refers to the portion of cocoa raw materials such as cocoa mass and cocoa beans, after removing cocoa butter and water. In the present invention, the preferred fat-free cocoa solids content is 3% by mass or less. Examples of oily foods with a fat-free cocoa solids content of 3% by mass or less include white chocolate and colored chocolates such as caramel chocolate and strawberry chocolate. Most of these oily foods, unlike so-called dark chocolate (bitter chocolate) and sweet chocolate, fall into the category of chocolate containing no or very little fat-free cocoa solids.

[0117] The present invention particularly exhibits the effect of maintaining gloss when the fat-free cocoa solids content in the coating oily food is low, and particularly exhibits the effect when the content is 2% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less. The effect is most readily apparent when the fat-free cocoa solids content is less than 1% by mass. Furthermore, the effect is exhibited even when no fat-free cocoa solids are present.

[0118] In colored chocolates designed to diversify products, the addition of fat-free cocoa solids can sometimes achieve a flavor similar to conventional chocolate without overly vivid color. Therefore, coating oil-based foods with a low fat-free cocoa solids content and a good appearance are useful in diversifying products.

[0119] As a preferred embodiment of the oily food for coating of the present invention, dairy products are included. Dairy products refer to all raw materials derived from fresh milk that have been used in chocolate. For example, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, buttermilk powder, cream powder, etc. can be cited. For use in chocolate, the dairy product is preferably a powdered dairy product with a moisture content of less than 10% by mass. The content of dairy products in the oily food for coating of the present invention is preferably 2% to 30% by mass. More preferably, it is 3% to 25% by mass, 4% to 23% by mass, and even more preferably 5% to 20% by mass, 6% to 18% by mass.

[0120] In one embodiment, the oily food for coating of the present invention preferably contains 15% to 50% by mass of the total amount of saturated fatty acids with 12 carbon atoms and saturated fatty acids with 14 carbon atoms, relative to the total fatty acids in the oil. More preferably, it contains 18% to 45% by mass, and even more preferably, it contains 20% to 43% by mass. When the oil contains appropriate amounts of saturated fatty acids with 12 carbon atoms and saturated fatty acids with 14 carbon atoms, the food can have a good gloss.

[0121] The fatty acid composition of oils and fats is a value measured using the method specified in 2.4.1.2 Methylation Method (Boron Trifluoride Methanol Method) of the Japan Oil Chemists' Association Standard Oil and Fats Analysis Test Method (1996 Edition).

[0122] By using an interesterified oil containing a saturated fatty acid having 12 carbon atoms and a saturated fatty acid having 14 carbon atoms as the oil contained in the oily food for coating of the present invention, the effect of improving and maintaining the gloss is further exerted.

[0123] In one embodiment of the oily food coating of the present invention, the cocoa butter content is preferably 5% by mass or less. Generally, tempering oily foods containing a large amount of cocoa butter can achieve a good gloss. Furthermore, the high cocoa butter content provides a chocolate-like melt-in-the-mouth texture. On the other hand, in a preferred embodiment of the oily food coating of the present invention, i.e., when the cocoa butter content is 5% by mass or less, even without tempering, a better gloss and a good melt-in-the-mouth texture can be achieved.

[0124] In the present invention, the cocoa butter content of the oil-based food for coating is more preferably 0% by mass to 4% by mass, and even more preferably 0% by mass to 3% by mass in the oil-based food.

[0125] The content of cocoa butter in the oil component is preferably 0% by mass to 10% by mass, more preferably 0% by mass to 9% by mass, and even more preferably 0% by mass to 8% by mass.

[0126] The oily food coating of the present invention has good gloss after being coated and cured on a water-containing food. Gloss can be confirmed visually, but can also be easily evaluated using the glossiness measured with a gloss meter. As an example, the gloss meter is preferably a handheld gloss meter manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.<Gloss Checker> HORIBAIG-320, etc.

[0127] In the present invention, as an example, the measurement results are shown as follows: the glossiness when cured at 20°C (incident angle 60 degrees) is 7 or higher, which is good glossiness. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, "glossiness" refers to the value measured under the conditions of glossiness when cured at 20°C (incident angle 60 degrees).

[0128] Furthermore, the oil-based food for coating of the present invention exhibits a more remarkable effect of improving gloss when the fat-free cocoa solid content is low.

[0129] As a method for measuring glossiness, chocolate was melted at 50°C and applied to a plastic film. After solidification at 20°C, the glossiness was measured using a glossiness measuring device.

[0130] As a numerical value of glossiness, 7 or more is good, and 10 or more is more preferable.

[0131] The method for producing the oil-based food for coating of the present invention can be carried out according to the general principles of chocolate production. Specifically, various powdered raw materials such as sugar and milk powder, emulsifiers, flavorings, and pigments are appropriately selected and mixed with oils and fats, followed by roller pressing as a pulverization step and refining as a kneading step or mixing as a mixing step. Alternatively, a production method in which the mixing and pulverization steps are performed simultaneously using a ball mill or bead mill can be used.

[0132] Among them, as a more preferred production method, sucrose fatty acid esters whose main constituent fatty acids are saturated fatty acids with 16 to 24 carbon atoms and HLB of 3 to 17 are added before the pulverization step such as roll pressing and pulverized in the same manner as the powder raw material.

[0133] By adding it before the pulverization step, the dispersibility in the oily food for coating is improved, and the effects of improving gloss and maintaining fluidity are more likely to be exhibited.

[0134] After the mixing step, the yield value of the prepared oily food for coating at 50° C. is 0.1 Pa to 10 Pa.

[0135] Example

[0136] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples, but the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the following Examples. It should be noted that in the examples, % and parts are based on mass.

[0137] ●Preliminary research

[0138] Preparation of oily food for coating

[0139] According to the formulation shown in Table 1, powdered raw materials such as sugar and whole milk powder were mixed with a portion of the melted vegetable oil using a mixer, and the mixture was pulverized using a roll refiner. The remaining oil and lecithin were then added and mixed to prepare an oily food for coating.

[0140] As the vegetable oil W in the table, fractionated soft palm oil having an iodine value of 68 was used.

[0141] As the vegetable oil X, a transesterified oil obtained by randomly transesterifying the hard part of palm oil fraction and coconut oil with sodium methoxide and then refining it according to a conventional method was used.

[0142] Among the fatty acids constituting the vegetable oil and fat X, the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 carbon atoms and saturated fatty acids having 14 carbon atoms is 44.5% by mass.

[0143] Verification of fluidity when water is mixed 1

[0144] The prepared oily food for coating was placed in a covered mixing tank and stirred very slowly at 32 rpm while being melted at 50°C. Water was added at 0.02% or 0.04% every 10 minutes. The fluidity was checked at regular intervals.

[0145] For the measurement of viscosity for verifying the particle size, 200 g of the sample was collected in a cup and the viscosity was measured at 50° C. using a BM viscometer.

[0146] The viscosity was measured using a BM viscometer using a No. 3 rotor at 12 rpm. If the viscosity exceeded 10,000 mPa·s, the viscosity was measured using a No. 4 rotor at 12 rpm. If the viscosity could not be measured using a No. 4 rotor at 12 rpm, the viscosity was considered to be unmeasurable.

[0147] The shear stress of the same sample at 50° C. was measured using Rheolab-QC manufactured by Anton Paar, and the yield value was calculated. The approximate formula specified in IOCCC2000 was used for the calculation.

[0148] The results of fluidity are shown in Table 2. The yield value after production and the B-type viscometer viscosity after production in the table represent the yield value and viscosity before water is mixed.

[0149] Verification of fluidity when water is mixed 2

[0150] 200 g of the same oily food used in "Verification of Fluidity Upon Water Incorporation 1" was collected in a cup and tempered to 50°C. The viscosity was measured at this point using a BM viscometer. Next, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.7% of water were added to a separate 300 g oily food, thoroughly stirred, and tempered to 50°C. The viscosity was then measured using a BM viscometer.

[0151] Furthermore, the shear stress at 50° C. was measured for each sample using Rheolab-QC manufactured by Anton Paar, and the yield value was calculated.

[0152] The results are shown in Table 3. The yield value after production and the B-type viscometer viscosity after production in the table indicate the yield value and viscosity before water incorporation, similarly to Table 2.

[0153] [Table 1]

[0154] Comparative Example 1 Whole milk powder [parts] 10.3 Granulated sugar (parts) 44.1 Cocoa butter [parts] 2.8 Vegetable oil W [portion] 4.3 Vegetable oil X [portion] 38.5 Lecithin [parts] 0.3

[0155] The results showed that when water was continuously added, the change in yield value and the change in B-type viscometer viscosity became larger over time, indicating thickening.

[0156] Furthermore, when the plastic film is coated, it is confirmed that the amount of oily food coated with the thickened coating is significantly increased compared to the oily food coated with the coating before water addition. When the oily food is shaken off to reduce the amount of coating, the action causes unevenness on the coated surface.

[0157] On the other hand, according to the results of "Verification of Fluidity Upon Water Mixing 2" in which a predetermined amount of water was directly mixed, when 0.4% by mass of water was mixed, a result close to the yield value obtained when thickening was confirmed in "Verification of Fluidity Upon Water Mixing 1" was obtained, making it difficult to maintain a constant coating amount.

[0158] Therefore, based on the results of the case where 0.2% by mass to 0.4% by mass of water was mixed at once, it was determined that the degree of thickening that would occur if a small amount of water was continuously mixed was conceivable.

[0159] [Table 2]

[0160]

[0161] [Table 3]

[0162]

[0163] Study 1

[0164] Following the same procedures as described in the "Preparation of an Oily Food for Coating" above, the cocoa mass, powdered raw material, and sucrose fatty acid ester were mixed with a portion of the melted vegetable oil in a mixer according to the formulation shown in Table 4, and pulverized with a roll refiner. The remaining oil and lecithin were then added and mixed to prepare an oily food for coating.

[0165] As the sucrose fatty acid ester a, RYOTO SUGAR ESTER S-770 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB 7, main constituent fatty acid: saturated fatty acid having 16 carbon atoms) was used.

[0166] The same study as in the previous study "Verification of fluidity upon water inclusion 2" was conducted. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0167] Coating test

[0168] The obtained oil-based food-coated Baumkuchen was used and evaluated according to the following evaluation method.

[0169] 4.0 g (±1.0 g) of the prepared oily food was applied to the upper surface of a Baumkuchen (Ace Bakery, Inc., thick-cut Baumkuchen) in a molten state at 50°C. The application method was not particularly limited, but approximately one-third of the Baumkuchen was immersed in the molten oily food, then lifted and allowed to stand at room temperature of 20°C with the oily food-attached portion facing the upper portion.

[0170] The water activity of Baumkuchen is 0.85 at 25°C.

[0171] ·Gloss evaluation: visual inspection of appearance

[0172] The glossiness was visually confirmed after application to the Baumkuchen.

[0173] The evaluation was performed according to the following criteria: ○ or higher was judged as acceptable quality.

[0174] ◎: particularly good, ○: good, Δ: slightly dark but within the allowable range, ×: poor.

[0175] ·Gloss evaluation: glossiness

[0176] In order to evaluate the gloss, the glossiness was measured.

[0177] The glossiness was measured using a GlossChecker (HORIBA IG-320, incident angle 60°) after applying chocolate on a plastic film at 50°C and curing at 20°C for 1 hour.

[0178] The resulting oily food for coating was subjected to the aforementioned "Verification of Fluidity Upon Moisture Incorporation 2" and "Coating Test." The results are shown in Table 5. Note that "C12+C14" in the table represents the content of saturated fatty acids with 12 and 14 carbon atoms.

[0179] [Table 4]

[0180]

[0181] [Table 5]

[0182]

[0183] The coated oily food of the Examples maintained fluidity even when water was mixed in, and had a good gloss. Controlling the coating amount was also easy. Regarding gloss, a glossiness of 7 or higher was considered good, and a glossiness of 10 or higher was considered particularly good. This was consistent with visual evaluation.

[0184] In the comparative example where 0.4% water was mixed in, it was difficult to control the coating amount within the target range in the coating test. When the oily food was shaken off to adjust the coating amount, unevenness occurred on the coated surface.

[0185] Study 2

[0186] According to the same principles as the above-mentioned "Preparation of Oily Foods for Coating", according to the formulations in Table 6, in Examples 4 to 9, the powder raw material and sucrose fatty acid ester were mixed in a mixer, and in the comparative example, the powder raw material and a portion of the melted vegetable oil were mixed. After pulverization with a roll refiner, the remaining oil, lecithin and other emulsifiers (PGPR) were added and mixed, thereby preparing oily foods for coating with a fat-free cocoa solid content of 0% by mass.

[0187] As vegetable oil Y, a mixture of palm oil fraction hard ends, coconut oil, and rapeseed oil was added to vegetable oil Y. The mixture was prepared by randomly transesterifying the hard ends with sodium methoxide, followed by purification according to conventional methods. The total amount of saturated fatty acids with 12 carbon atoms and 14 carbon atoms in the fatty acids comprising vegetable oil Y was 32.3% by mass.

[0188] Palm kernel oil hardened to an iodine value of 2.5 and then refined according to conventional methods was used as the vegetable oil Z. The total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 carbon atoms and saturated fatty acids having 14 carbon atoms in the fatty acids constituting the vegetable oil Z was 63% by mass.

[0189] As PGPR, SY Glyster CR-350H (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd.) was used.

[0190] The obtained oily food for coating was subjected to the aforementioned "Verification of Fluidity 2 Upon Moisture Incorporation" and "Coating Test". The results are shown in Table 7.

[0191] [Table 6]

[0192]

[0193] [Table 7]

[0194]

[0195] The Examples maintained fluidity even when the amounts of oil and dairy products were varied. Therefore, the coating amount could be easily controlled. The Examples also had a good gloss. In the Comparative Examples, the viscosity increased when water was mixed in, and fluidity could no longer be maintained. Therefore, controlling the coating amount within the target range was difficult. When attempting to shake off the oily food to adjust the coating amount, unevenness formed on the coated surface. The gloss was also poor.

[0196] Study 3

[0197] According to the same principles as the above-mentioned "Preparation of Oily Food for Coating", according to the formulation in Table 8, the powder raw material and sucrose fatty acid ester are mixed with a portion of the melted vegetable oil in a mixer, and after pulverizing with a roller refiner, the remaining oil and lecithin are added and mixed, thereby preparing a fat-free cocoa solid content of 0% by mass oil for coating.

[0198] The obtained oily food for coating was subjected to the aforementioned "Verification of Fluidity 2 Upon Moisture Incorporation" and "Coating Test". The results are shown in Table 9.

[0199] [Table 8]

[0200] Example 10 Example 11 Example 12 Example 13 Whole milk powder [parts] 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 Granulated sugar (parts) 44.1 44.1 44.1 44.1 Cocoa butter [parts] 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 Vegetable oil W [portion] 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 Vegetable oil X [portion] 38.5 38.5 38.5 38.5 Lecithin [parts] 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Sucrose fatty acid ester a[part] 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 Oil content / product [%] 48.1 48.0 48.0 47.9 Dairy products / products [%] 10.3 10.2 10.2 10.2 Cocoa butter / product [%] 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 Cocoa butter / oil [%] 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 C12+C14 / Constituted fatty acids [%] 36.5 36.5 36.5 36.5

[0201] [Table 9]

[0202]

[0203] Even when the amount of emulsifier added is changed, the fluidity when water is mixed is maintained, the coating amount can be easily controlled during coating, and the gloss is also good.

[0204] Study 4

[0205] Following the same procedures as described in the "Preparation of Oily Foods for Coatings" above, and in accordance with the formulations shown in Table 10, the powdered raw material and sucrose fatty acid ester or sorbitan fatty acid ester were mixed in Examples 14-16 and Comparative Example 9. In Comparative Examples 6 and 7, the powdered raw material was mixed with a portion of the melted vegetable oil in a mixer, pulverized with a roll refiner, and the remaining oil and lecithin were added and mixed. Thus, fat-free cocoa solids content of 0% by mass was prepared. However, in Comparative Example 6, sucrose fatty acid ester b was dispersed in the remaining oil. In Comparative Example 7, sucrose fatty acid ester d and lecithin were added and mixed at the same time.

[0206] The obtained oily food for coating was subjected to the aforementioned "Verification of Fluidity 2 Upon Moisture Incorporation" and "Coating Test". The results are shown in Table 11.

[0207] In the preparation of the oily food for coating, the following emulsifiers were used in addition to the sucrose fatty acid ester a.

[0208] Sucrose fatty acid ester b: RYOTO SUGAR ESTER S-070 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB0, main constituent fatty acid: saturated fatty acid having 16 carbon atoms).

[0209] Sucrose fatty acid ester c: RYOTO SUGAR ESTER S-1670 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB 16, main constituent fatty acid: saturated fatty acid having 16 carbon atoms).

[0210] Sucrose fatty acid ester d: RYOTO SUGAR ESTER ER-290 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB 2, main constituent fatty acid: unsaturated fatty acid having 22 carbon atoms).

[0211] Sucrose fatty acid ester e: RYOTO SUGAR ESTER S-570 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, HLB 5, main constituent fatty acid: saturated fatty acid having 16 carbon atoms).

[0212] Sorbitan fatty acid ester: Solman S-300V (manufactured by Riken Vita Co., Ltd., HLB 5.3, main constituent fatty acid: saturated fatty acid having 16 carbon atoms).

[0213] [Table 10]

[0214] Example 14 Comparative Example 6 Example 15 Comparative Example 7 Example 16 Comparative Example 8 Whole milk powder [parts] 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 Granulated sugar (parts) 44.1 44.1 44.1 44.1 44.1 44.1 Cocoa butter [parts] 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 Vegetable oil W [portion] 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 Vegetable oil X [portion] 38.5 38.5 38.5 38.5 38.5 38.5 Lecithin [parts] 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 Sucrose fatty acid ester a[part] 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 Sucrose fatty acid ester b [parts] 0 0.3 0 0 0 0 Sucrose fatty acid ester c [parts] 0 0 0.3 0 0 0 Sucrose fatty acid esters d [parts] 0 0 0 0.3 0 0 Sucrose fatty acid ester e [part] 0 0 0 0 0.3 0 Sorbitan fatty acid esters [parts] 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 Oil content / product [%] 48.0 48.0 48.0 48.0 48.0 48.0 Dairy products / products [%] 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 Cocoa butter / product [%] 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 Cocoa butter / oil [%] 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 C12+C14 / Constituted fatty acids [%] 36.5 36.5 36.5 36.5 36.5 36.5

[0215] The results in Table 11 show that the examples using sucrose fatty acid esters a, c, and e maintained fluidity not only when directly mixed with 0.4% water, but also when directly mixed with 0.7% water. This makes it easy to control the coating amount during coating, and the gloss is also good. Sucrose fatty acid ester c maintains fluidity and good gloss, but some oil stains are observed on the surface when stored at 20°C.

[0216] [Table 11]

[0217]

[0218] Study 5

[0219] Using Example 14, as in the previous study "Verification of Fluidity Upon Water Incorporation 1," 0.02 mass % of water was added every 10 minutes to continuously incorporate a small amount of water. The results are shown in Table 12 along with the results of Comparative Example 1.

[0220] [Table 12]

[0221]

[0222] The results in Table 12 suggest that, in the examples where fluidity is maintained even when a predetermined amount of water is directly mixed in, fluidity can also be maintained even when a trace amount of water is further mixed in.

[0223] Industrial applicability

[0224] According to the present invention, the oily food for coating maintains fluidity even when water is mixed in. By maintaining fluidity, the coating amount can be controlled, and an oily food for coating having a good glossy appearance after coating can be provided.

Claims

1. An oily food for coating, which satisfies all of the following 1) to 3): 1) The oil content is 35% to 70% by mass; 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms and an HLB of 3 to 17; 3) The yield value of the melted state at 50°C is 0.1Pa to 10Pa. in, The main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

2. The oily food for coating according to claim 1, wherein The oily food for coating further satisfies 4): 4) The fat-free cocoa solids content is 3% by mass or less and the content of dairy products is 2% to 30% by mass.

3. An oily food for coating, which satisfies all of the following 1) to 5): 1) The oil content is 35% to 70% by mass; 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms and an HLB of 3 to 17; 3) The yield value of the melted state at 50°C is 0.1Pa to 10Pa; 4) The fat-free cocoa solids content is 3% by mass or less and the dairy product content is 5% to 20% by mass; 5) The cocoa butter content in the oily food is 5% by mass or less, in, The main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

4. The oily food for coating according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The total content of saturated fatty acids having 12 carbon atoms and 14 carbon atoms in all constituent fatty acids in the oil is 15% by mass to 50% by mass.

5. The oily food for coating according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein When 0.4% by mass of water was mixed in, at 50°C, The ratio of the yield value after water mixing to the yield value before water mixing is 0.5 to 5. The ratio of the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer after the incorporation of water to the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer before the incorporation of water is 0.5 to 5.

6. The oily food for coating according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The cocoa butter content in the oily food is 5% by mass or less.

7. The oily food for coating according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The food to be coated is a hydrated food with a water activity of 0.75 or above.

8. A composite food, wherein the oily food for coating according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is coated on a water-containing food.

9. A method for producing an oily food for coating, which satisfies all of the following requirements 1) to 3), wherein: Before the pulverization process, the sucrose fatty acid ester of 2) is mixed and pulverized. 1) The oil content is 35% to 70% by mass; 2) a sucrose fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms and an HLB of 3 to 17; 3) The yield value at 50°C after manufacturing is 0.1Pa~10Pa, Here, the main constituent fatty acid of the sucrose fatty acid ester means a fatty acid containing 60% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids.

10. A method for producing a composite food, comprising coating a water-containing food with the oily food for coating obtained by the method according to claim 9.

11. A method for improving the gloss of a composite food, comprising coating the surface of a coating oily food. The oily food for coating is the following oily food: The oil content is 35% to 70% by mass; Sucrose fatty acid esters containing sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 3 to 17, wherein the main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 24 carbon atoms; The yield value in the melted state at 50°C is 0.1 Pa to 10 Pa.

12. A method for maintaining the fluidity of an oily food for coating, wherein the method comprises using the oily food for coating obtained by the production method according to claim 9 and maintaining the fluidity of the oily food for coating in a manner satisfying the following requirements A) and B). When 0.4% by mass of water was mixed in, at 50°C, A) The ratio of the yield value after water mixing to the yield value before water mixing is 0.5 to 5; B) The ratio of the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer after the incorporation of water to the viscosity measured by the B-type viscometer before the incorporation of water is 0.5 to 5.

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