Preparation method of common caramel color and common caramel color

Abstract

The invention provides a preparation method of a common caramel color and the common caramel color, and the preparation method of the common caramel color comprises the following steps: adjusting the pH value of a sugar raw material to 1-2 by using a first acid auxiliary agent, and carrying out a first-stage coking reaction on the sugar raw material to prepare a first-stage material; adjusting the pH value of the first-stage material to 1-2 by using a second acid auxiliary agent, and carrying out a second-stage coking reaction on the first-stage material to prepare a second-stage material; and mixing the second-stage material with water, adjusting the pH value of the mixed system to 4.5-5 by using an alkali auxiliary agent, and carrying out heat preservation treatment at 90-100 DEG C to prepare the common-method caramel color. The application coloring ability of the common-method caramel color vegetable prepared by the preparation method is remarkably improved, so that the application quality of common-method caramel color in food coloring is effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of caramel color production technology, and in particular to a method for preparing conventional caramel color and conventional caramel color. Background Technology

[0002] Caramel color, commonly known as caramel pigment or soy sauce color, is a food coloring agent made from sugar raw materials through heat processing. It appears as a dark brown liquid, solid, or powder and is widely used in various foods such as condiments, candies, and beverages. It is currently the most widely used coloring agent in the food industry. Depending on the production process, caramel color is divided into four categories: ordinary method, caustic sulfite method, ammonia method, and ammonium sulfite method. Among them, ordinary method caramel color is made from carbohydrates with or without the addition of acids (alkalis). Because no ammonium (ammonia) salts or sulfites are used in the production process, it does not produce toxic or harmful substances such as 4-methylimidazole and sulfur dioxide, making it highly safe and widely applicable.

[0003] However, the coloring effect of ordinary caramel coloring is relatively weak, especially in braised dishes, which greatly limits the application range and coloring effect of ordinary caramel coloring. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, this application provides a method for preparing conventional caramel color with effectively improved coloring effect and the conventional caramel color itself.

[0005] The first aspect of this application provides a method for preparing caramel color using a conventional method, comprising the following steps:

[0006] After adjusting the pH value of the sugar raw material to 1-2 using a first acid auxiliary agent, the sugar raw material is subjected to a first-stage caramelization reaction to prepare the first-stage material;

[0007] After adjusting the pH value of the first-stage material to 1-2 using a second acid additive, the first-stage material is subjected to a second-stage coking reaction to prepare the second-stage material.

[0008] The second-stage material is mixed with water, and the pH of the mixture is adjusted to 4.5-5 using an alkali additive. The mixture is then kept at 90℃-100℃ to prepare the conventional caramel color.

[0009] In some embodiments, the temperature of the first-stage coking reaction is 130°C-160°C, and the reaction endpoint is when the material color rate reaches 10000EBC-15000EBC.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first acid auxiliary agent includes one or more of citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

[0011] In some embodiments, the temperature of the second-stage coking reaction is 130°C-160°C, and the reaction endpoint is when the material color rate reaches 20,000 EBC-30,000 EBC.

[0012] In some embodiments, the mass percentage of the second acid auxiliary agent relative to the dry weight of the sugar raw material is 0.05%-1%.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second acid auxiliary agent includes one or more of citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

[0014] In some embodiments, the water mass is 10%-40% of the dry weight of the sugar raw material.

[0015] In some embodiments, the alkali additive includes one or more of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, and sodium acetate.

[0016] In some embodiments, the heat preservation treatment time is 30 min to 60 min.

[0017] In some embodiments, the sugar raw material includes one or more of granulated sugar and syrup.

[0018] In some embodiments, the solids content of the syrup is 60wt%-90wt%.

[0019] In some embodiments, the syrup includes one or more of granulated sugar, maltose syrup, sucrose syrup, glucose syrup, and fructose syrup.

[0020] The second aspect of this application provides a conventional caramel color, which is prepared using the conventional caramel color preparation method of the first aspect of this application.

[0021] In some embodiments, the color rate of the ordinary caramel color is 10000EBC-30000EBC, and the red index is ≥6.2.

[0022] The above-mentioned conventional method for preparing caramel color has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0023] (1) The preparation method of this application clearly controls the pH value of the caramelization reaction system to 1-2, which can effectively improve the color intensity of unit sugar (unit sugar refers to the dry basis of unit sugar in sugar raw materials). Compared with the traditional method of fixing the amount of acid added, it can avoid the effect caused by the batch-to-batch fluctuation of pH of sugar raw materials, and the color depth of the produced ordinary caramel color is effectively improved and stabilized.

[0024] (2) The preparation method of this application adds an alkali additive after the coking reaction to adjust the pH value of the reaction material to a slightly acidic range of 4.5-5, which is conducive to the caramel color red index reaching the highest value and taking into account acid resistance and salt resistance. At the same time, it reduces the effect of the alkali additive on charge strength neutralization and ensures the coloring effect.

[0025] (3) The preparation method of this application, after adding the alkali additive, is kept at a temperature of 90℃-100℃, which can further improve the red index of caramel color and ensure its excellent redness. At the same time, the pH of the system decreases after the heat preservation, which further reduces the effect of the alkali additive on the neutralization of charge strength, thereby improving the coloring effect. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application and to more completely understand this application and its beneficial effects, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the conventional method for preparing caramel color according to one embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 2 The images show the coloring effect of the ordinary caramel color prepared in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 of this application.

[0029] Figure 3 These are coloring effect diagrams of the ordinary caramel color prepared in Examples 2, 2, and 3 of this application.

[0030] Figure 4 The images show the coloring effect of the ordinary caramel color prepared in Example 1, Comparative Example 5, and Comparative Example 6 of this application.

[0031] Figure 5 The images show the coloring effects of the ordinary caramel color prepared in Example 1, Comparative Example 7, and Comparative Example 8 of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description of the application will be provided below with reference to relevant embodiments. Preferred embodiments of the application are given below. However, the application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0034] As used herein, the terms "and / or," "or / and," and "and / or" encompass any one of two or more of the related listed items, as well as any and all combinations of the related listed items. These arbitrary and all combinations include any two related listed items, any more related listed items, or a combination of all related listed items. It should be noted that when at least three items are connected using at least two conjunctions selected from "and / or," "or / and," and "and / or," it should be understood that, in this application, the technical solution undoubtedly includes solutions connected by "logical AND," and also undoubtedly includes solutions connected by "logical OR."

[0035] In this application, the technical features described in an open-ended manner include both closed technical solutions consisting of the listed features and open technical solutions that include the listed features.

[0036] In this application, numerical ranges are referred to as continuous unless otherwise specified, and include the minimum and maximum values ​​of the range, as well as every value between the minimum and maximum values. Furthermore, when the range refers to integers, it includes every integer between the minimum and maximum values ​​of the range. Additionally, when multiple ranges are provided to describe a feature or characteristic, the ranges may be merged. In other words, unless otherwise specified, all ranges disclosed herein should be understood to include any and all subranges to which they are incorporated.

[0037] This document only specifically discloses some numerical ranges. However, any lower limit can be combined with any upper limit to form an unspecified range; and any lower limit can be combined with other lower limits to form an unspecified range, just as any upper limit can be combined with any other upper limit to form an unspecified range. Furthermore, each individually disclosed point or single value can itself serve as a lower or upper limit and be combined with any other point or single value or with other lower or upper limits to form an unspecified range.

[0038] Unless otherwise specified, the temperature parameters in this application may be either constant temperature processing or processing within a certain temperature range. The constant temperature processing allows temperature fluctuations within the precision range controlled by the instrument, such as ±5°C, ±4°C, ±3°C, ±2°C, or ±1°C.

[0039] In this document, the term "suitable" as used in phrases such as "suitable combination," "suitable method," and "any suitable method" refers to the ability to implement the technical solution of this application, solve the technical problem of this application, and achieve the expected technical effect of this application.

[0040] In this application, terms such as "further," "even further," and "particularly" are used to describe purposes and indicate differences in content, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] In this application, "optionally," "optionally," and "optional" mean that something is optional, that is, it means that it is selected from either "with" or "without." If there are multiple "optional" entries in a technical solution, unless otherwise specified, and there are no contradictions or mutual constraints, each "optional" entry shall be independent.

[0042] In the description of the application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0043] Unless otherwise specified, all embodiments and optional embodiments of this application can be combined to form new technical solutions. Unless otherwise specified, all technical features and optional technical features of this application can be combined to form new technical solutions.

[0044] Unless otherwise specified, all steps of this application may be performed sequentially or randomly, but sequentially is preferred.

[0045] Ordinary caramel coloring carries a weak negative charge, resulting in a relatively weak coloring effect, especially noticeable in braised dishes. This significantly limits the application range and coloring effect of ordinary caramel coloring, necessitating further breakthroughs in processing technology to improve its application quality in food coloring.

[0046] To address the aforementioned issues, this application utilizes a multi-stage acidification process to regulate the conventional caramelization reaction, ultimately adjusting the pH to a specific range with appropriate alkali and maintaining the temperature to prepare conventional caramel color. The prepared conventional caramel color exhibits significantly enhanced coloring ability in culinary applications, thereby effectively improving the quality of conventional caramel color in food coloring.

[0047] One or more embodiments of this application provide a method for preparing conventional caramel color, comprising the following steps: adjusting the pH of the sugar raw material to 1-2 using a first acid auxiliary agent, and then performing a first-stage caramelization reaction on the sugar raw material to prepare a first-stage material; adjusting the pH of the first-stage material to 1-2 using a second acid auxiliary agent, and then performing a second-stage caramelization reaction on the first-stage material to prepare a second-stage material; mixing the second-stage material with water, adjusting the pH of the mixture to 4.5-5 using an alkali auxiliary agent, and then heat-treating at 90℃-100℃ to prepare conventional caramel color.

[0048] It should be noted that the terms "first acid additive," "second acid additive," "first-stage coking," "second-stage coking reaction," "first-stage materials," and "second-stage materials" mentioned in the context are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or quantity, nor should they be interpreted as implicitly indicating the importance or quantity of the indicated technical features. Furthermore, "first," "second," etc., serve only a non-exhaustive enumeration purpose and should be understood as not constituting a closed-ended limitation on quantity.

[0049] As an example, the pH value of the sugar raw material can be adjusted to 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2, or any two of the above values ​​using a first acid auxiliary agent.

[0050] The pH value of the material in the first stage can be adjusted to 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2 or any two of the above values ​​by using a second acid additive.

[0051] The pH value of the mixture obtained after mixing the second-stage material with water can be adjusted to 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5, or any two of the above values ​​by using an alkali additive.

[0052] The temperature for heat preservation can be, but is not limited to, 90℃, 92℃, 94℃, 96℃, 98℃, 100℃, or any range between two of the above temperatures.

[0053] Under acidic conditions, the sugar raw material is heated to produce 1,2-enol hexose, which then rearranges to form 3-deoxyglucuronide, followed by dehydration and cyclization to form hydroxymethylfurfural. Furfural then undergoes a further polymerization reaction to produce a dark brown caramel color.

[0054] Acidic conditions can promote the caramelization reaction of sugar raw materials. The lower the pH of the reaction system, the stronger the caramelization reaction and the higher the charge intensity. However, when the pH of the reaction system is too low, the caramelization process is prone to material instability or even turbidity.

[0055] The caramelization process results in a small loss of acid additives, and the pH value of the reaction system will rise slightly. The caramelization process requires the appropriate replenishment of acid additives to maintain the pH range of the reaction system, which can ensure the maintenance of the charge intensity of the caramel color reaction and the stability of the coloring effect.

[0056] Caramel color is a mixture of complex substances. Its redness index first increases and then decreases as the pH value increases, reaching its highest value when the pH value is in the range of 4.5-5.

[0057] Understandably, the conventional method for preparing caramel color of this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0058] (1) The preparation method of this application clearly controls the pH value of the caramelization reaction system to 1-2, which can effectively improve the color intensity of unit sugar (unit sugar refers to the dry basis of unit sugar in sugar raw materials). Compared with the traditional method of fixing the amount of acid added, it can avoid the effect caused by the batch-to-batch fluctuation of pH of sugar raw materials, and the color depth of the produced ordinary caramel color is effectively improved and stabilized.

[0059] (2) The preparation method of this application adds an alkali additive after the coking reaction to adjust the pH value of the reaction material to a slightly acidic range of 4.5-5, which is conducive to the caramel color red index reaching the highest value and taking into account acid resistance and salt resistance. At the same time, it reduces the effect of the alkali additive on charge strength neutralization and ensures the coloring effect.

[0060] (3) The preparation method of this application, after adding the alkali additive, is kept at a temperature of 90℃-100℃, which can further improve the red / yellow index of caramel color and ensure its coloring redness. At the same time, the pH of the system decreases after the heat preservation, which further reduces the effect of the alkali additive on the neutralization of charge strength, thereby improving the coloring effect.

[0061] In some embodiments, the temperature of the first-stage coking reaction is 130℃-160℃; for example, it can be, but is not limited to, 130℃, 135℃, 140℃, 145℃, 150℃, 155℃, 160℃, or any range between two of the above temperatures. When the temperature of the first-stage coking reaction is within the above range, it is beneficial to improve the condensation and polymerization effect of caramel color and to control the coking color-forming efficiency.

[0062] As one possible implementation, the endpoint of the first-stage coking reaction is a material color index of 10,000-15,000 EBC. As an example, the material color index at the endpoint of the first-stage coking reaction can be, but is not limited to, 10,000 EBC, 10,500 EBC, 11,000 EBC, 11,500 EBC, 12,000 EBC, 12,500 EBC, 13,000 EBC, 13,500 EBC, 14,000 EBC, 14,500 EBC, 15,000 EBC, or any range between two of the above color indices. When the material color index is within the above range at the endpoint of the first-stage coking reaction, it is beneficial to ensure that the degree of coking reaction and the amount of caramel color generated in the first-stage reaction system are within a suitable range.

[0063] As one possible implementation, the first acid auxiliary includes one or more of citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

[0064] In some embodiments, the temperature of the second-stage coking reaction is 130℃-160℃; for example, it can be, but is not limited to, 130℃, 135℃, 140℃, 145℃, 150℃, 155℃, 160℃, or any range between two of the above temperatures. When the temperature of the second-stage coking reaction is within the above range, it is beneficial to improve the condensation and polymerization effect of caramel color, as well as to control the coking color-forming efficiency.

[0065] As one possible implementation, the endpoint of the second-stage coking reaction is a material color index of 20,000-30,000 EBC. As an example, the material color index at the endpoint of the first-stage coking reaction can be, but is not limited to, 20,000 EBC, 21,000 EBC, 22,000 EBC, 23,000 EBC, 24,000 EBC, 25,000 EBC, 26,000 EBC, 27,000 EBC, 28,000 EBC, 29,000 EBC, 30,000 EBC, or any range between two of the above color indices. When the material color index is within the above range at the endpoint of the second-stage coking reaction, it helps ensure that the degree of coking reaction and the amount of caramel color generated in the second-stage reaction system after acid supplementation are within a suitable range.

[0066] In some optional embodiments, the mass percentage of the second acid auxiliary agent relative to the dry weight of the sugar raw material is 0.05%-1%; for example, it can be, but is not limited to, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3%, 0.35%, 0.4%, 0.45%, 0.5%, 0.55%, 0.6%, 0.65%, 0.7%, 0.75%, 0.8%, 0.85%, 0.9%, 0.95%, 1%, or any range between two of the above values. When the mass of the second acid auxiliary agent is within the above range, it is beneficial to control the pH value of the second-stage reaction system within the range of 1.0-2.0.

[0067] As one possible implementation, the second acid auxiliary includes one or more of citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

[0068] In some embodiments, the percentage of water relative to the dry weight of the sugar raw material is 10%-40%; for example, it can be, but is not limited to, 10%, 12%, 14%, 16%, 18%, 20%, 22%, 24%, 26%, 28%, 30%, 32%, 34%, 36%, 38%, 40%, or any range between any two of the above values.

[0069] As one possible implementation, the alkali additive includes one or more of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, and sodium acetate.

[0070] In some embodiments, the heat treatment time is 30-60 minutes; for example, it can be, but is not limited to, 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 40 minutes, 45 minutes, 50 minutes, 55 minutes, 60 minutes, or any range between two of the above times. When the heat treatment time is within the above range, it is beneficial to further enhance the redness of the caramel color and ensure excellent redness of the caramel color; at the same time, the pH of the system decreases after heat treatment, which can further reduce the neutralizing effect of alkaline solution on charge strength, thereby improving the coloring effect.

[0071] In some embodiments, the sugar raw material includes one or more of granulated sugar and syrup.

[0072] In some alternative embodiments, the solids content of the syrup is 60wt%-90wt%; for example, it can be, but is not limited to, 60wt%, 65wt%, 70wt%, 75wt%, 80wt%, 85wt%, 90wt%, or any range between two of the above values.

[0073] In some exemplary embodiments, the syrup includes one or more of malt syrup, sucrose syrup, glucose syrup, and fructose syrup.

[0074] As an example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the preparation process of conventional caramel color includes: adjusting the pH value of the sugar raw material with a first acid auxiliary agent, performing a first-stage caramelization reaction on the sugar raw material to obtain a second-stage material; adjusting the pH value of the first-stage material with a second acid auxiliary agent, performing a second-stage caramelization reaction on the first-stage material to obtain a second-stage material; mixing the second-stage material with water, adding an alkali auxiliary agent to adjust the pH value, then performing a heat treatment, followed by cooling to obtain conventional caramel color. One or more embodiments of this application provide a conventional caramel color prepared using the above-described conventional caramel color preparation method.

[0075] In some alternative implementations, the color rate of ordinary caramel color is 10,000 EBC-30,000 EBC.

[0076] In some alternative implementations, the red index of ordinary caramel color is ≥6.2.

[0077] The technical solutions of this application will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are only for illustrating this application and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. For experimental methods in the following embodiments where specific conditions are not specified, please refer to the guidelines given in this application first, or follow experimental manuals or conventional conditions in the field, or follow the conditions recommended by the manufacturer, or refer to experimental methods known in the field.

[0078] In the specific embodiments described below, the measurement parameters involving raw material components may have slight deviations within the weighing accuracy range unless otherwise specified. Temperature and time parameters are subject to acceptable deviations due to instrument testing accuracy or operational precision.

[0079] I. Preparation of Caramel Color

[0080] Example 1

[0081] Step S1: Place 5000 kg of fructose syrup with a solid content of 76 wt% into a reaction vessel, adjust the pH of the system to 1.0 using sulfuric acid, and raise the temperature to 130°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the material color rate reaches 10000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0082] Step S2: Add 1.9 kg of sulfuric acid to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 1.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 130°C until the material color rate reaches 20000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0083] Step S3: Add 380L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 4.5, heat to 90℃ and keep warm for 60 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ after the holding time is over to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0084] Example 2

[0085] Step S1: Dissolve 5000 kg of white sugar completely in a reaction vessel. Adjust the pH of the system to 2.0 using hydrochloric acid and citric acid in a mass ratio of 2:1. Heat the mixture to 160°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the color rate of the material reaches 15000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0086] Step S2: Add 50 kg of hydrochloric acid and citric acid in a mass ratio of 2:1 to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 2.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 160℃ until the material color rate reaches 30000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0087] Step S3: Add 2000L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 5.0, heat to 100℃ and keep warm for 30 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0088] Comparative Example 1

[0089] The preparation method of Comparative Example 1 is similar to that of Example 1, except that the acid additive was not added in stages in Comparative Example 1. The details of Comparative Example 1 are as follows:

[0090] Step S1: Place 5000 kg of fructose syrup with a solid content of 76 wt% into a reaction vessel, adjust the pH of the system to 1.0 using sulfuric acid, and raise the temperature to 130°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the material color rate reaches 20000 EBC.

[0091] Step S2: Add 380L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 4.5, heat to 90℃ and keep warm for 60 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ after the holding time is over to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0092] Comparative Example 2

[0093] The preparation method of Comparative Example 2 is similar to that of Example 2, except that the pH value of the material is adjusted to 3.0 during the coking reaction in steps S1 and S2 of Comparative Example 2; all other aspects are the same. The details of Comparative Example 2 are as follows:

[0094] Step S1: Dissolve 5000 kg of white sugar completely in a reaction vessel. Adjust the pH of the system to 3.0 using hydrochloric acid and citric acid in a mass ratio of 2:1. Heat the mixture to 160°C under normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the color rate of the material reaches 15000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0095] Step S2: Add 30 kg of hydrochloric acid and citric acid in a mass ratio of 2:1 to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 3.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 160℃ until the material color rate reaches 30000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0096] Step S3: Add 2000L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 5.0, heat to 100℃ and keep warm for 30 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0097] Comparative Example 3

[0098] The preparation method of Comparative Example 3 is similar to that of Example 2, except that no heat preservation treatment was performed in step S3 of Comparative Example 3; all other aspects are the same. Comparative Example 3 is detailed below:

[0099] Step S1: Dissolve 5000 kg of white sugar completely in a reaction vessel. Adjust the pH of the system to 2.0 using hydrochloric acid and citric acid in a mass ratio of 2:1. Heat the mixture to 160°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the color rate of the material reaches 15000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0100] Step S2: Add 50 kg of hydrochloric acid and citric acid in a mass ratio of 2:1 to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 2.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 160℃ until the material color rate reaches 30000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0101] Step S3: Add 2000L of water to the reactor, stir evenly and cool down to below 65℃. Slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 5.0, and continue cooling down to below 50℃ to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0102] Comparative Example 4

[0103] The preparation method of Comparative Example 4 is similar to that of Example 1, except that the pH value of the material is adjusted to 0.5 during the coking reaction in steps S1 and S2 of Comparative Example 5. Comparative Example 5 is detailed below:

[0104] Step S1: Place 5000 kg of fructose syrup with a solid content of 76 wt% into a reaction vessel, adjust the pH of the system to 0.5 using sulfuric acid, and raise the temperature to 130°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction. When the color rate reaches more than 7000 EBC and the material becomes turbid, terminate the reaction.

[0105] Comparative Example 5

[0106] The preparation method of Comparative Example 5 is similar to that of Example 1, except that sodium hydroxide is added in step S3 of Comparative Example 5 to adjust the pH of the mixture to 4.0; all other steps are the same. Comparative Example 5 is detailed below:

[0107] Step S1: Place 5000 kg of fructose syrup with a solid content of 76 wt% into a reaction vessel, adjust the pH of the system to 1.0 using sulfuric acid, and raise the temperature to 130°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the material color rate reaches 10000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0108] Step S2: Add 1.9 kg of sulfuric acid to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 1.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 130°C until the material color rate reaches 20000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0109] Step S3: Add 380L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 4.0, heat to 90℃ and keep warm for 60 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ after the holding time is over to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0110] Comparative Example 6

[0111] The preparation method of Comparative Example 6 is similar to that of Example 1, except that sodium hydroxide is added in step S3 of Comparative Example 6 to adjust the pH of the mixture to 5.5; all other steps are the same. Comparative Example 6 is detailed below:

[0112] Step S1: Place 5000 kg of fructose syrup with a solid content of 76 wt% into a reaction vessel, adjust the pH of the system to 1.0 using sulfuric acid, and raise the temperature to 130°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the material color rate reaches 10000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0113] Step S2: Add 1.9 kg of sulfuric acid to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 1.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 130°C until the material color rate reaches 20000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0114] Step S3: Add 380L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 5.5, heat to 90℃ and keep warm for 60 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ after the holding time is over to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0115] Comparative Example 7

[0116] The preparation method of Comparative Example 7 is similar to that of Example 1, except that the temperature for heat treatment in step S3 of Comparative Example 7 is 80°C; all other aspects are the same. Comparative Example 7 is detailed below:

[0117] Step S1: Place 5000 kg of fructose syrup with a solid content of 76 wt% into a reaction vessel, adjust the pH of the system to 1.0 using sulfuric acid, and raise the temperature to 130°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the material color rate reaches 10000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0118] Step S2: Add 1.9 kg of sulfuric acid to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 1.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 130°C until the material color rate reaches 20000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0119] Step S3: Add 380L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 4.5, heat to 80℃ and keep warm for 60 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ after the holding time is over to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0120] Comparative Example 8

[0121] The preparation method of Comparative Example 8 is similar to that of Example 1, except that the temperature for heat treatment in step S3 of Comparative Example 8 is 110°C; all other aspects are the same. Comparative Example 8 is detailed below:

[0122] Step S1: Place 5000 kg of fructose syrup with a solid content of 76 wt% into a reaction vessel, adjust the pH of the system to 1.0 using sulfuric acid, and raise the temperature to 130°C at normal pressure to carry out the first stage of coking reaction until the material color rate reaches 10000 EBC, thus obtaining the first stage material.

[0123] Step S2: Add 1.9 kg of sulfuric acid to the reactor to adjust the pH of the first-stage material to 1.0, and continue the second-stage coking reaction at 130°C until the material color rate reaches 20000 EBC, thus obtaining the second-stage material.

[0124] Step S3: Add 380L of water to the reactor, stir well, slowly add food-grade sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH of the mixture to 4.5, heat to 110℃ and keep warm for 60 minutes, then cool down to below 50℃ after the holding time is over to obtain ordinary caramel color.

[0125] The caramel color in the above embodiments and comparative examples was tested for color rate, red index, acid salt resistance to precipitates, and coloring effect. The test methods are as follows:

[0126] Color rate and red index test: The absorbance values ​​at wavelengths of A610 and A510 were determined according to the method specified in Appendix A of "National Food Safety Standard for Food Additives Caramel Color" GB1886.64-2015. Color rate = A610×20000 / 0.076, red index = log(A510 / A610)×10.

[0127] Test method for acid-resistant precipitate: For caramel-colored materials, take 1.000g ± 0.002g of sample into a clean beaker, add 50mL of acid-water buffer (pH 5.0, salt content 18g / 100mL), stir until the sample is completely dissolved, let stand for 3 hours, then shake well. Take 10mL of the sample into a 10mL centrifuge tube and centrifuge at 4000r / min for 10min. After centrifugation, remove the centrifuge tube, carefully pour out the supernatant and drain for 5min, observe the precipitate at the bottom of the centrifuge tube to determine the volume mark.

[0128] Application test of coloring effect: Weigh 15g of the caramel color from the examples and comparative examples respectively, dissolve each completely in a small amount of water, and then bring the volume to 1000mL for later use. Add ingredients (such as white tofu) to the brine, place them in a water bath at 95-100℃ and braise for 30 minutes, then remove them, take them out and place them on a plate for observation.

[0129] The differences between the above embodiments and comparative examples, as well as the test results, are shown in Table 1.

[0130] Table 1

[0131]

[0132] As can be seen from the comparison of the results of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 in Table 1, by appropriately adding acid additives during the coking process and maintaining the pH value of the reaction system within a suitable range, it is beneficial to ensure the maintenance of the charge intensity of the caramel color reaction, thereby improving the coloring depth of the caramel color.

[0133] As can be seen from the comparison of the results of Example 1 and Comparative Example 4 in Table 1, by maintaining the pH value of the system in the caramelization reaction range of 1.0-2.0, the stability of the caramel color material can be ensured and water-soluble turbidity can be avoided during the preparation of caramel color.

[0134] As can be seen from the comparison of the results of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 5-6 in Table 1, by adjusting the pH value of the material after adding alkali additive to the range of 4.5-5.0, the effect of alkali additive on charge strength neutralization is reduced, which is conducive to improving the red index of caramel color, and the acid acid stability and coloring effect are at the optimal balance point.

[0135] As can be seen from the comparison of the results of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 7-8 in Table 1, after adding water and alkali additives, the pH of the system can be reduced by keeping it at a suitable temperature, which further reduces the effect of alkali additives on charge strength neutralization, effectively improves the red index of caramel color, and the acid acid stability and coloring effect are at the optimal balance point.

[0136] II. Application Testing

[0137] Weigh 15g of each of the caramel colorings from Examples 1-2, Comparative Examples 1-3, and Comparative Examples 5-8, dissolve them completely in a small amount of water, and then bring the volume to 1000ml. Add ingredients (such as dried tofu) to the brine, place it in a water bath at 95-100℃, and braise for 30 minutes. Remove the ingredients and place them on a plate for observation. The coloring effects of Examples 1 and Comparative Example 1 are as follows: Figure 2 As shown. The coloring effects of Example 2 and Comparative Examples 2-3 are as follows. Figure 3 As shown. The coloring results of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 5-6 are as follows. Figure 4 As shown. The coloring effects of Example 1 and Comparative Examples 7-8 are as follows. Figure 5 As shown.

[0138] Depend on Figure 2 It can be seen that the coloring effect of Example 1 is better than that of Comparative Example 1. From Figure 3 It can be seen that the coloring effect of Example 2 is better than that of Comparative Example 3, and the coloring effect of Comparative Example 3 is better than that of Comparative Example 2. The above results indicate that the caramel color prepared using the method of this application has excellent coloring effect. Figure 4 It can be seen that the coloring effect of Example 1 is better than that of Comparative Example 5, and the coloring effect of Comparative Example 5 is better than that of Comparative Example 6. Figure 5 It can be seen that the coloring effect of Example 1 is better than that of Comparative Example 7, and the coloring effect of Comparative Example 7 is better than that of Comparative Example 8.

[0139] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0140] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for preparing caramel color using conventional methods, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: After adjusting the pH value of the sugar raw material to 1-2 using a first acid auxiliary agent, the sugar raw material is subjected to a first-stage caramelization reaction to prepare the first-stage material; After adjusting the pH value of the first-stage material to 1-2 using a second acid additive, the first-stage material is subjected to a second-stage coking reaction to prepare the second-stage material. The second-stage material is mixed with water, and the pH of the mixture is adjusted to 4.5-5 using an alkali additive. The mixture is then kept at 90℃-100℃ to prepare the conventional caramel color.

2. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature of the first stage of coking reaction is 130℃-160℃, and the reaction endpoint is when the material color rate reaches 10000EBC-15000EBC.

3. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first acid additive includes one or more of citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

4. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second stage of coking reaction is carried out at a temperature of 130℃-160℃, and the reaction endpoint is when the material color rate reaches 20000EBC-30000EBC.

5. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mass percentage of the second acid auxiliary agent relative to the dry weight of the sugar raw material is 0.05%-1%; and / or, The second acid auxiliary agent includes one or more of citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid.

6. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water mass is 10%-40% of the dry weight of the sugar raw material.

7. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The alkali additive includes one or more of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, and sodium acetate.

8. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heat preservation time is 30-60 minutes.

9. The method for preparing caramel color using the conventional method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The sugar raw materials include one or more of granulated sugar and syrup; Optionally, the solids content of the syrup is 60wt%-90wt%; Optionally, the syrup includes one or more of malt syrup, sucrose syrup, glucose syrup, and fructose syrup.

10. A common caramel color, characterized in that, It is prepared by the conventional method for preparing caramel color according to any one of claims 1 to 9; Optionally, the color of the ordinary caramel color is 10000EBC-30000EBC and the red index is ≥6.2.

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