Fish oil emulsion flavor base for enhancing umami perception, and preparation method and application thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a preparation method of fish oil emulsion flavor base for enhancing umami perception, and comprises the following steps: (1) dissolving (E, E)-2,4-heptadienal, 1-octene-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran in fish oil, and uniformly mixing to obtain a flavor fish oil; (2) mixing an emulsifier with the flavor fish oil prepared in the step (1), then adding water, and emulsifying and homogenizing to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion, namely the fish oil emulsion flavor base. The application constructs a fish oil emulsion system, adds specific aroma substances with fresh-keeping efficiency, utilizes the synergistic effect of odor-taste to enhance food umami perception, can avoid the defects of the thermal oxidation process, can effectively reduce the dependence on traditional flavoring agents, realizes efficient fresh-keeping, and provides a new idea for food flavor enhancement and umami improvement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food processing technology, and in particular to a fish oil emulsion flavor base for enhancing umami perception, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Umami, as a key attribute of food flavor, has a significant impact on overall quality. Currently, the food industry mainly relies on traditional flavoring agents such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and 5'-ribonucleotides to enhance umami. However, in pursuit of better flavor, these flavoring agents are often added in excessive amounts during processing, which can cause discomfort such as thirst after meals, and their potential health risks have raised consumer concerns. Conversely, reducing the amount of traditional flavoring agents can easily lead to a decline in the intensity of umami and sensory quality of food.

[0003] Existing research indicates that flavor perception stems from the synergistic effect of aroma and taste. For example, citrus aromas can enhance the perception of sweetness. Currently, when seeking umami enhancement solutions, the food industry often focuses on increasing the content of umami-enhancing substances (such as purines, umami amino acids, and peptides) or excessively adding salt to meet consumers' demands for flavor intensity. In developing natural flavor bases using fish oil as a raw material, traditional thermal oxidation methods have many drawbacks, such as difficulty in controlling the degree of oxidation, the tendency for over-oxidation, strong fishy or off-flavors, cumbersome and energy-intensive processes, and the potential for generating harmful substances at high temperatures. Therefore, developing a umami-enhancing seasoning agent that is simple to prepare, safe for consumption, and has a good umami-enhancing effect is particularly important. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies, this invention provides a fish oil emulsion flavor base for enhancing umami perception, its preparation method, and its application. This invention constructs a fish oil emulsion system, adds specific aroma substances with umami-enhancing properties, and utilizes the synergistic effect of aroma and taste to enhance the umami perception of food. This approach avoids the drawbacks of thermal oxidation processes and effectively reduces reliance on traditional seasonings, achieving highly efficient umami enhancement and providing a new approach to enhancing food flavor and umami.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: The first objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing a fish oil emulsion flavor base that enhances umami perception, comprising the following steps: (1) Dissolve (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran in fish oil and mix well to obtain flavored fish oil; the amount of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran is 0.2 ~ 0.6 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil; and the ratio of the three is 1:2:2, 2:2:1, 1:2:1 or 1:1:1.

[0006] (2) Mix the emulsifier with the flavored fish oil obtained in step (1), then add water, emulsify and homogenize to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion, which is the fish oil emulsion flavor base.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step (1), the amount of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal is 0.25 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil, the amount of 1-octen-3-ol is 0.5 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil, the amount of 2-pentylfuran is 0.5 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil, and the mass ratio of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran is 1:2:2.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step (2), the emulsifier is one or more of Tween 20, Tween 60, Tween 80, Span 20, monoglyceride, and sucrose ester.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step (2), the mass ratio of emulsifier to flavored fish oil is 1:3 to 5.

[0010] Preferably, the mass ratio of the emulsifier phase to the flavored fish oil is 1:4.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step (2), the total mass ratio of emulsifier and flavored fish oil to water is 1:18 to 20; the emulsification homogenization conditions are: homogenization at 10,000 rpm for 3 to 6 minutes.

[0012] Preferably, the total mass ratio of emulsifier and flavored fish oil to water is 1:19, and the mixture is homogenized at 10,000 rpm for 5 min.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing a fish oil emulsion flavor base that enhances umami perception includes the following steps: (1) Take 4 g of fish oil as a base, add 0.25 wt% of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 0.5 wt% of 1-octen-3-ol and 0.5 wt% of 2-pentylfuran relative to the amount of fish oil, stir to dissolve and mix evenly to prepare flavored fish oil; (2) Mix 1 g of Tween 20 with 4 g of the flavored fish oil obtained in step (1), and then add 19 times the mass of water. Homogenize at 10,000 rpm for 5 min to obtain the fish oil emulsion flavor base.

[0014] The second objective of this invention is to provide a fish oil emulsion flavor base prepared by the above-described preparation method.

[0015] A third objective of this invention is to provide an application of the above-mentioned fish oil emulsion flavor base for enhancing the umami perception of umami flavorings in aqueous solutions.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the enhanced umami flavoring agent includes, but is not limited to, free amino acids or their sodium salts, flavor nucleotides or their sodium salts, umami peptides or their ingredients.

[0017] The beneficial technical effects of this invention are as follows: The fish oil emulsion flavor base of this invention can significantly enhance the perception of "umami" flavor, increasing the umami score by 57.14%, demonstrating a clear flavor enhancement effect and practical application value; at the same time, it has the unexpected effect of enhancing the perception of sweetness, improving the perception of multiple dimensions of flavor attributes, which is of great significance for enhancing food flavor.

[0018] The fish oil emulsion flavor base of this invention effectively enhances the umami perception in food through the synergistic effect of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran with flavoring agents, which can reduce the dependence on traditional seasonings and meet the needs of modern consumers for healthy diets.

[0019] This invention provides a fish oil emulsion flavor base that achieves flavor control while avoiding thermal processing, fundamentally mitigating the risk of lipid oxidation. Furthermore, the preparation method is simple, the raw materials are readily available, and the resulting product is suitable for various food industry applications, including aquatic product seasoning oils, soup bases, ready-to-eat seafood, and pre-prepared dishes, demonstrating promising prospects for widespread application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 Microstructure diagram of the fish oil emulsion flavor base prepared in Example 1 Figure 2 The sensory evaluation diagrams show the umami enhancement capabilities of the three umami-enhancing substances in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-8 with and without their presence.

[0021] Figure 3 The images show sensory evaluation charts of the concentration changes of the three flavor enhancers in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 12-16. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] Raw material source: The monosodium glutamate (MSG) was purchased from Meihua Biotechnology Group Co., Ltd.

[0024] Fish oil is extracted from flounder bones using a neutral protease hydrolysis method.

[0025] The flounder bones were provided by Dalian Haohe Food Co., Ltd.

[0026] Yeast extract (FA28) was provided by Angel Yeast Co., Ltd.

[0027] Unless otherwise specified, all raw materials are commercially available.

[0028] Detection method: 1. Detection of volatile compounds Volatile flavor compounds in the samples were determined using an Agilent 7890B / 5977B gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) system. 1 mL of fish oil emulsion flavor base and an internal standard (20 μL, 50 mg / L cyclohexanone) were added to a 20 mL headspace vial. SPME (DVB / CAR / PDMS) was incubated at 60 °C for 20 min, followed by extraction at 60 °C for 40 min, desorption at the injection port for 5 min, and aging for 15 min. Separation was performed using an HP-5MS capillary column (30 m × 250 μm × 0.25 μm). The GC temperature program was as follows: initial temperature 35 °C, hold for 3 min, increase to 75 °C at 3 °C / min, hold for 3 min, increase to 230 °C at 5 °C / min, hold for 5 min, and injection port temperature 250 °C. The mass spectrometer used an electron impact (EI) ion source with an electron energy of 70 eV, in Scan mode, with a mass scan range of 45–400 m / z. The ion source temperature was 230 °C, the quadrupole detector temperature was 150 °C, and the solvent delay was 2.5 min. The retention index (RI) of the volatile compounds was calculated using the retention times of n-alkanes (C7–C30) as a reference. Qualitative analysis of the volatile compounds was performed using the reported RI values ​​and the results of a NIST 14 library search. The relative concentration of the compounds was determined by calculating the peak area ratio of the compounds to cyclohexanone.

[0029] 2. Microstructure analysis The microstructure of the samples was characterized using cryo-SEM, employing a field emission scanning electron microscope system (Regulus 8010, Hitachi, Japan) equipped with a cryogenic sample preparation unit (PP3010T, Quorum, UK). Approximately 2 μL of sample was aliquoted onto the cryogenic stage and immediately rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen to maintain structural integrity. The frozen samples were then transferred to a high-vacuum preparation chamber for cryogenic sectioning on the system's microtome. After sublimation at -80 °C for 30 min, the samples were gold-plated (10 mA, 60 s) and then transferred to the observation chamber for imaging with an accelerating voltage of 3 kV.

[0030] 3. Sensory Experiments The sensory evaluation team consisted of 15 evaluators (5 men and 10 women), aged between 21 and 42. All team members underwent triangulation training to familiarize themselves with the flavor properties and intensity of umami. Sensory experiments were conducted in a specialized sensory laboratory.

[0031] 3.1 Sensory experiments were conducted to determine the concentration of odor substances used in the flavor base of fish oil emulsions. Fish oil emulsion flavor base containing different concentrations of odor substances was diluted (1 mL fish oil emulsion flavor base + 9 mL water) and poured into a 50 mL aviation cup wrapped in aluminum foil, which was then given to the evaluators. To avoid the influence of anterior nasal smell, the evaluators were required to drink the sample while holding the nose clip, and after approximately 2 seconds, remove the nose clip and breathe through their noses before swallowing. The intensity of fishy and odor was expressed as acceptability. Sensory personnel were required to rate the acceptability and odor intensity of the sample on a 10-point scale, where 0 indicates unacceptable / no odor perceived, and 10 indicates completely acceptable / strong odor perceived. The score was the average of the scores given by 15 sensory testers, and the result was rounded to one decimal place. The dilution factor was determined based on the score.

[0032] 3.2 Sensory evaluation of the flavor-enhancing ability of fish oil emulsion base The experiment was divided into an experimental group and a control group. Experimental group: Different concentrations of flavoring solutions (9 mL) were mixed with fish oil emulsion flavor base (1 mL), and then submitted to sensory evaluators. Control group: Different concentrations of flavoring solutions (9 mL) were mixed with 1 mL of water, and then submitted to sensory evaluators.

[0033] Sensory personnel were required to rate the umami intensity of the experimental and control groups. The ratings were the average of the scores given by 15 sensory personnel, rounded to one decimal place.

[0034] The formula for calculating the percentage of enhanced freshness is: Umami Enhancement Percentage = [(Umami Score of Experimental Group – Umami Score of Control Group) / Umami Score of Control Group] × 100% Example 1 A method for preparing a fish oil emulsion flavor base that enhances umami perception includes the following steps: (1) Take 4 g of fish oil as a base, add 0.25 wt% of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 0.5 wt% of 1-octen-3-ol and 0.5 wt% of 2-pentylfuran, stir to dissolve and mix evenly to prepare flavored fish oil; (2) Mix 1 g of Tween 20 with 4 g of the flavored fish oil obtained in step (1), then add 95 mL of water and homogenize at 10000 rpm for 5 min to obtain the fish oil emulsion flavor base. The volatile content of the fish oil emulsion flavor base is shown in Table 1 below.

[0035] Table 1

[0036] See Table 1 for the content of volatile substances in the fish oil emulsion flavor base. The contents of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran increased to 60.93 ± 0.88, 104.62 ± 12.65 and 156.23 ± 1.67 μg / mL, respectively.

[0037] See Figure 1 The microstructure results of the fish oil emulsion flavor base showed that the lipid particles in the emulsion were 100-200 nm in size and uniformly distributed, indicating that the emulsion has good storage stability.

[0038] 1 mL of the fish oil emulsion flavor base prepared in this example was compounded with 9 mL of monosodium glutamate solution (0.34 g / L; the concentration after compounding is the taste threshold of monosodium glutamate, i.e., 0.3 g / L) to evaluate the ability of the fish oil emulsion flavor base to enhance the umami flavor of monosodium glutamate.

[0039] Comparative Example 1 Same as Example 1, except that steps (1) and (2) are omitted, and no fish oil emulsion flavor base is involved, and the umami score of 0.3 g / L monosodium glutamate solution is directly evaluated.

[0040] Comparative Example 2 Same as Example 1, except that step (1) is omitted and 4 g of fish oil is directly emulsified.

[0041] Comparative Example 3 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), only (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal (0.25 wt%) was dissolved in 4 g of fish oil.

[0042] Comparative Example 4 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), only 1-octen-3-ol (0.5 wt%) was dissolved in 4 g of fish oil.

[0043] Comparative Example 5 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), only 2-pentylfuran (0.5 wt%) is dissolved in 4 g of fish oil.

[0044] Comparative Example 6 Same as Example 1, except that step (1) does not contain 2-pentylfuran.

[0045] Comparative Example 7 Same as Example 1, except that step (1) does not contain (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal.

[0046] Comparative Example 8 Same as Example 1, except that step (1) does not contain 1-octen-3-ol.

[0047] See Figure 2 In this invention, the umami score of the control group, i.e., the pure monosodium glutamate solution of Comparative Example 1, was 2.1. The umami scores of Examples 1 and Comparative Examples 2-7 were all higher than those of Comparative Example 1. The umami score of Comparative Example 2 was higher than that of Comparative Example 1, but the difference was not significant. In Comparative Examples 3-5, the umami-enhancing ability was significantly improved when the three umami-enhancing substances were present individually. The results of Comparative Examples 6-8 and Example 1 showed that the three umami-enhancing substances had a synergistic effect, and their combined use significantly improved the perception of umami. Furthermore, when one substance was missing, especially 1-octen-3-ol, the aroma had the worst effect on enhancing umami. Therefore, the mushroom aroma of 1-octen-3-ol is the key attribute for enhancing umami, and (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal and 2-pentylfuran have auxiliary effects. The umami-enhancing effect of the umami-enhancing substances present individually was significantly weaker than that of the mixture of two or three substances, highlighting the necessity of the synergistic effect when all three are present simultaneously.

[0048] The results of the effect of fish oil emulsion flavor base on enhancing the umami flavor of monosodium glutamate are shown in Table 2 below.

[0049] Table 2

[0050] Referring to Table 2, the sensory test results confirm that the odor substances in fish oil can enhance the umami perception of monosodium glutamate (MSG) solution; the addition of umami-enhancing odor substances can significantly enhance the umami perception; when the concentration of the three umami-enhancing substances is the same as in Example 1, the fish oil emulsion flavor base prepared by the present invention can significantly improve the umami perception of MSG (at the threshold concentration), and the umami is enhanced by 57.14% compared with the use of MSG alone.

[0051] Example 2 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadecenal (added at 0.5 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.5 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.25 wt%) are added; that is, the ratio of the three is 2:2:1.

[0052] Example 3 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal (added at 0.25 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.5 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.25 wt%) are added; that is, the ratio of the three is 1:2:1.

[0053] Example 4 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadecenal (added at 0.25 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.25 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.25 wt%) are added; that is, the ratio of the three is 1:1:1.

[0054] Comparative Example 9 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal (added at 0.25 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.25 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.5 wt%) are added; that is, the ratio of the three is 1:1:2.

[0055] Comparative Example 10 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadecenal (added at 0.5 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.25 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.25 wt%) are added; that is, the ratio of the three is 2:1:1.

[0056] Comparative Example 11 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadecenal (added at 0.5 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.25 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.5 wt%) are added; that is, the ratio of the three is 2:1:2.

[0057] The flavor-enhancing effects of different proportions of flavor-enhancing substances are shown in Table 3 below.

[0058] Table 3

[0059] Referring to Table 3, when the three flavor enhancers are combined in different proportions, they produce drastically different flavor-enhancing effects. Specifically, Example 1 shows the best flavor-enhancing effect, followed by Examples 2 to 4; the flavor-enhancing effect is worst when the proportions are 1:1:2 (Comparative Example 9), 2:1:1 (Comparative Example 10), and 2:1:2 (Comparative Example 11). Comparative Example 12 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal (added at 0.0625 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.125 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.125 wt%) are added.

[0060] Comparative Example 13 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal (added at 0.125 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (0.25 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (0.25 wt%) are added.

[0061] Comparative Example 14 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal (added at 0.5 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (1 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (1 wt%) are added.

[0062] Comparative Example 15 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal (added at 1 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (2 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (2 wt%) are added.

[0063] Comparative Example 16 Same as Example 1, except that in step (1), (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal (added at 2 wt% of the fish oil mass), 1-octen-3-ol (4 wt%) and 2-pentylfuran (4 wt%) are added.

[0064] See Figure 3 When the concentrations of the three flavor enhancers are as in Example 1, the odor intensity can be effectively controlled while preserving the characteristics of the flavor compounds, resulting in a final product that combines flavor enhancement with good sensory acceptance. The concentration conditions in Comparative Examples 13 and 14 perform slightly worse than in Example 1 in balancing odor and acceptability. At higher concentrations, the odor intensity is too high, causing discomfort to the evaluators. At lower concentrations, the odor intensity is too weak to effectively enhance the perception of umami.

[0065] Example 5 Unlike Example 1, to evaluate the umami-enhancing effect of fish oil emulsion flavor base on other umami-enhancing agents (such as yeast extract), the flavor solution was replaced with a yeast extract solution (0.26 g / L) instead of a monosodium glutamate solution. The control group consisted of a mixture of 1 mL water and 9 mL yeast extract solution. The experimental group consisted of a mixture of 1 mL fish oil emulsion flavor base and 9 mL yeast extract solution. The umami-enhancing effect of the fish oil emulsion flavor base on yeast extract is shown in Table 4 below.

[0066] Table 4

[0067] See Table 4. Fish oil emulsion flavor base significantly enhances the umami perception of other types of umami flavorings, such as yeast extract.

[0068] Example 6 Unlike Example 1, to evaluate the enhancing effect of fish oil emulsion flavor base on other flavor attributes, the flavor solution was replaced with a sucrose solution (5.6 g / L; the concentration after blending was the flavor threshold of sucrose, i.e., 5 g / L), and sensory evaluation was performed after blending it with the fish oil emulsion flavor base. The enhancing effect of fish oil emulsion flavor base on umami and sweetness is shown in Table 5 below.

[0069] Table 5

[0070] As shown in Table 5, the three odor compounds in the fish oil emulsion flavor base, which enhance umami, also increase the intensity of sweetness perception. Although this product's effect on enhancing the perception of sweetness is not as strong as its effect on umami, the multi-dimensional enhancement of flavor by odor compounds is of great significance for improving the flavor quality of food.

[0071] The embodiments provided above are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, nor are the described steps intended to limit the order of execution. Any obvious modifications made to the invention by those skilled in the art based on existing common knowledge also fall within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a fish oil emulsion flavor base that enhances umami perception, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Dissolve (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran in fish oil, mix well to obtain flavored fish oil; the amounts of (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran are all 0.2 ~ 0.6 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil. Furthermore, the ratio of the three components is 1:2:2, 2:2:1, 1:2:1, or 1:1:1; (2) Mix the emulsifier with the flavored fish oil obtained in step (1), then add water, emulsify and homogenize to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion, which is the fish oil emulsion flavor base. The mass ratio of emulsifier to flavored fish oil is 1:3 to 5; the mass ratio of the total mass of emulsifier and flavored fish oil to water is 1:18 to 20.

2. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the amount of (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal is 0.25 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil, the amount of 1-octen-3-ol is 0.5 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil, the amount of 2-pentylfuran is 0.5 wt% relative to the amount of fish oil, and the mass ratio of (E,E)-2,4-heptadenal, 1-octen-3-ol and 2-pentylfuran is 1:2:

2.

3. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the emulsifier is one or more of Tween 20, Tween 60, Tween 80, Span 20, monoglyceride, and sucrose ester.

4. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the emulsification and homogenization conditions are: homogenization at 10000 rpm for 3 to 6 minutes.

5. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Take 4 g of fish oil as a base, add 0.25 wt% of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, 0.5 wt% of 1-octen-3-ol and 0.5 wt% of 2-pentylfuran relative to the amount of fish oil, stir to dissolve and mix evenly to prepare flavored fish oil; (2) Mix 1 g Tween 20 with 4 g of the flavored fish oil obtained in step (1), then add 19 times the mass of water and homogenize at 10,000 rpm for 5 min to obtain the fish oil emulsion flavor base.

6. A fish oil emulsion flavor base prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 1-5.

7. An application of the fish oil emulsion flavor base according to claim 6, characterized in that, Used to enhance the umami perception of flavorings.

8. The application according to claim 7, characterized in that, The flavoring agent is an ingredient containing free amino acids or their sodium salts, flavor nucleotides or their sodium salts, umami peptides or ingredients containing umami peptides.

Images