Composition and solid shaped body

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide a solid molded article with excellent transportability and solubility and rich in protein, as well as a composition for manufacturing the solid molded article. This objective is achieved by the following composition: a composition for manufacturing a solid molded article containing protein (a) and carbohydrate (b), wherein, relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, the amount of carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the carbohydrate (b).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a composition and a solid molded article. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, techniques for producing solid molded articles by shaping powdered food (such as protein powder) into a solid shape were known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a solid milk obtained by compressing milk powder, and Patent Document 2 discloses a nutritional tablet containing protein, carbohydrates, fat, and tricalcium phosphate.

[0003] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-075913 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 7125978 Summary of the Invention The problem that the invention aims to solve For the aforementioned solid molded articles, it is required that they possess both transportability and solubility. However, in the prior art, especially in protein-rich solid molded articles, it is not possible to achieve both transportability and solubility.

[0004] In the above context, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide a solid molded article with excellent transportability and solubility and rich in protein, as well as a composition for manufacturing the solid molded article.

[0005] Methods for solving problems To address the aforementioned issues, one aspect of the present invention relates to a composition for manufacturing a solid molded article containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein, relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of the protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the carbohydrate (b).

[0006] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a solid molded article obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a sugar (b), the manufacturing method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; a humidification step of humidifying the tablets obtained in the tableting step; and a drying step of drying the humidified tablets obtained in the humidification step, wherein the composition is a composition in which the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of sugar (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the sugar (b).

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a solid molded article obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a sugar (b), the manufacturing method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; and a curing step of curing the tablets obtained in the tableting step using superheated steam, wherein the composition is a composition in which the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of sugar (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the sugar (b).

[0008] The effects of the invention According to one aspect of the present invention, a solid molded article with excellent transportability and solubility and rich in protein, and a composition for manufacturing the solid molded article, can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 This is a chart showing the results of sugar screening in the examples. Detailed Implementation

[0010] The following describes one embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention is not limited to the configurations described below, and various modifications can be made within the scope shown in the claims. Furthermore, embodiments or examples obtained by combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments or examples are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. Moreover, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment. In addition, all academic and patent documents described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated in this specification, "A~B" indicating a numerical range means "A or more (inclusive of A and greater than A) and B or less (inclusive of B and less than B)".

[0011] [1. Technical concept of the present invention] Generally, protein-rich foods are widely available in powder form (often called "protein powder," etc.). However, because these powdered foods are powder, they have a high porosity (approximately 55%–65%). Furthermore, when filling these products, sufficient head space is required to accommodate the measuring spoon, and this head space increases due to compaction during transport. Therefore, if the volume of the porosity and head space are combined, the required storage space is approximately 1.88 to 2.1 times the volume of the powder itself. This results in higher storage and transportation costs for powdered foods. In the context of pursuing a sustainable society, reducing the volume of transported goods and decreasing the frequency of transportation is an extremely important social issue.

[0012] As a means of addressing such problems, a technology has been proposed to shape (solidify) powdered food into solid molded products. If powdered food can be formed into solid molded products, the porosity will be significantly reduced, thus drastically lowering storage and transportation costs. This would be a highly beneficial solution for creating a sustainable society. Furthermore, powdered food typically requires storage in plastic containers, while solid molded products can be stored even in non-plastic containers, thus possessing social value from a plastic-free perspective. Moreover, the elimination of the need for weighing before each use also contributes to improved usability.

[0013] On the other hand, as mentioned above, solid molded products are required to have transport suitability, i.e., resistance to damage during transportation or carrying due to cracking or disintegration, and are required to have solubility that dissolves rapidly upon use. However, especially for protein-rich foods, their solubility in water tends to decrease significantly. Therefore, although solid molded products have various advantages over powder forms as mentioned above, according to the prior art, it is impossible to provide a protein-rich solid molded product that combines sufficient transport suitability and solubility.

[0014] In this context, the inventors of the present invention conducted in-depth research to provide a solid molded article that is both highly transportable and soluble and rich in protein. As a result, they discovered that by molding a powder-like composition containing specific sugars and rich in protein, a solid molded article that is both highly transportable and soluble and rich in protein can be provided, thus completing the present invention.

[0015] It can be said that the discovery of a solid molded body that can simultaneously meet the contradictory market demands of excellent transportability, excellent solubility, and high protein content, as well as the composition that can provide such a solid molded body, is an unknown and astonishing discovery to date.

[0016] [2. Composition] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a composition (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the composition") for manufacturing a solid molded article containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein, relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of the protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the carbohydrate (b). By molding (solidifying) the composition using known methods, a protein-rich solid molded article with both good transportability and solubility can be provided.

[0017] In this specification, a protein-rich solid molded body means that it contains more than 50% by mass of protein relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the solid molded body.

[0018] The components that may be included in this composition will be described in detail below.

[0019] (Protein (a)) This composition contains protein (a). Hereinafter, “protein (a)” will sometimes be referred to as “component (a)”. Component (a) can also be described as a protein composition consisting of one or more proteins.

[0020] The protein serving as component (a) can be a known protein, preferably a powdered protein. Furthermore, the protein serving as component (a) can be an animal protein, a plant protein, or a combination thereof.

[0021] Animal proteins that can be included as component (a) in this composition include, for example, whey protein, casein, ovalbumin, and insect (derived) proteins such as those from crickets or silkworms. Among these, whey protein is preferably included as component (a) in this composition due to its advantages such as excellent tablet compatibility, good taste, and easy availability.

[0022] Plant-based proteins that may be included as component (a) in this composition include, for example, soy protein, wheat protein, corn protein, buckwheat protein, proteins derived from seaweed or microalgae, etc.

[0023] Relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition, the content of component (a) in the composition is 50% to 90% by mass, preferably 60% to 90% by mass, more preferably 70% to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 80% to 90% by mass. The content (containment ratio) of component (a) in the composition is the content (containment ratio) of component (a) in the solid molded article obtained by molding the composition. Therefore, by setting the content of component (a) in the composition within the above range, a protein-rich solid molded article can be provided. Furthermore, when the composition contains two or more proteins as component (a), the content of component (a) in the composition refers to the sum of the contents of each protein.

[0024] (Carbohydrates (b)) This composition contains carbohydrate (b). Hereinafter, "carbohydrate (b)" will sometimes be referred to as "component (b)". Component (b) can also be described as a complex carbohydrate composed of more than one type of carbohydrate.

[0025] Relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition, the content of component (b) in the composition is 10% to 50% by mass, preferably 10% to 40% by mass, more preferably 10% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% to 20% by mass. By containing component (b) in the composition within the above range, a solid molded article rich in protein can be provided, while also possessing sufficient transportability and solubility. Furthermore, when the composition contains two or more sugars as component (b), the content of component (b) in the composition refers to the total amount of each sugar.

[0026] In this composition, the sugar that serves as component (b) contains maltose. The content of maltose serving as component (b) in this composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the obtained solid molded article, it is preferably 5% to 30% by mass relative to the total mass (100% by mass), more preferably 5% to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 5% to 10% by mass.

[0027] Furthermore, the volume average particle size of the maltose serving as component (b) in this composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded article, it is preferably 10 μm to 350 μm, more preferably 12 μm to 200 μm, and even more preferably 15 μm to 100 μm. In addition, in this specification, the volume average particle size of the sugar serving as component (b) is a value determined by dry mechanical sieving (according to JIS Z8815).

[0028] Furthermore, maltose serving as component (b) in this composition may also be porous maltose in a fine-porous state. The specific surface area of ​​the porous maltose serving as component (b) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded article, a specific surface area measured using a nitrogen gas adsorption method is preferably 1 m². 2 / g or more.

[0029] Furthermore, the pores of the porous maltose that serves as component (b) are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded article, it is preferable that the pores have a pore volume of 0.1 ml / g or more in the pore distribution determined by mercury intrusion technique, and show a clear peak when the pore diameter is less than 5 μm.

[0030] In this composition, as long as component (b) contains at least maltose, it may further contain sugars other than maltose. Examples of sugars other than maltose that may be included as component (b) in this composition include: any monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, or sugar alcohols, such as: trehalose, lactulose, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, palatinitol, pullulan, isomaltulose, isomaltulose, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, etc. In this composition, as component (b), in addition to maltose, it may contain only one of these sugars, or it may contain two or more.

[0031] From the viewpoint of providing a solid molded article with better solubility, it is preferable that this composition further contains trehalose as component (b). The content of trehalose as component (b) in this composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded article, it is preferably 1% to 20% by mass relative to the total mass (100% by mass), more preferably 1% to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 1% to 10% by mass.

[0032] Furthermore, the volume average particle size of trehalose, which serves as component (b) in this composition, is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded article, it is preferably 10 μm to 600 μm, more preferably 12 μm to 400 μm, and even more preferably 15 μm to 300 μm.

[0033] Furthermore, porous trehalose can also be used as trehalose, which serves as component (b) in this composition. The specific surface area of ​​the porous trehalose serving as component (b) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded article, a specific surface area measured by a nitrogen gas adsorption method is preferably 1 m². 2 / g or more.

[0034] Furthermore, the pores of the porous trehalose that serves as component (b) are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the obtained solid molded body, it is preferable that the pores have a pore volume of 0.1 ml / g or more in the pore distribution determined by mercury porosimetry, and show a clear peak when the pore diameter is less than 5 μm.

[0035] From the viewpoint of providing a solid molded article with excellent humidification and curing properties, this composition preferably further contains lactulose as component (b). The content of lactulose serving as component (b) in this composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded article with excellent humidification and curing properties, it is preferably 1% to 20% by mass relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition, more preferably 1% to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 1% to 10% by mass.

[0036] From the viewpoint of providing a solid molded article with excellent transportability, solubility, and humidification curing properties, it is particularly preferred that component (b) contains a complex sugar including maltose, trehalose, and lactulose.

[0037] (Other ingredients) Without impairing the effects of the present invention, this composition may contain ingredients other than those described in components (a) and (b) above (sometimes referred to as "other ingredients"). Examples of other ingredients that may be included in this composition include, but are not limited to: defoamers, lipids (oils, etc.), amino acids, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, lubricants (emulsifiers), and other food additives (e.g., flavorings, sweeteners, acidulants, colorings, etc.). This composition may contain only one of these other ingredients, or it may contain two or more of them.

[0038] When this composition contains other components, the content of these other components is not particularly limited as long as the content of components (a) and (b) is at least a specified amount. However, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition, it is preferably 0.01% to 40% by mass, more preferably 0.1% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 1% to 20% by mass. Furthermore, when this composition contains multiple substances as other components, the content of these other components in the composition refers to the total content of all such other components.

[0039] Among the other components mentioned above, since they can suppress the generation of bubbles when the composition dissolves in water or the like, the solubility of the resulting solid molded article can be further improved. Therefore, it is preferable that the composition contains an antifoaming agent as one of the other components.

[0040] As an antifoaming agent that can be included as another ingredient in this composition, various food-grade antifoaming agents can be used, such as (poly)glycerol fatty acid esters.

[0041] When the composition contains an antifoaming agent as another component, the content of the antifoaming agent in the composition is not particularly limited. However, from the viewpoint of further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded article, it is preferably 0.01% to 40% by mass relative to the total mass (100% by mass), more preferably 0.1% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 1% to 20% by mass. Furthermore, when the composition contains multiple substances as other components, the content of the other components in the composition refers to the total content of the multiple other components.

[0042] (other) The transportability of the solid molded body obtained by molding this composition is directly proportional to the hardness of the solid molded body after effect treatment (the higher the hardness of the solid molded body after effect treatment, the better its transportability), and the solubility is directly proportional to the porosity (also known as void ratio) of the solid molded body (the higher the porosity of the solid molded body, the better its solubility). In addition, the porosity of the solid molded body is directly proportional to the thickness of the solid molded body (the greater the thickness of the solid molded body, the higher its void ratio). Considering this, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded body with both better transportability and solubility, the following composition is preferred: the solid molded body obtained by curing this composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≥14.201x - 0.071 …Formula (1).

[0043] [In formula (1), y represents the thickness (mm) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment.]

[0044] Generally, when tableting under high load to increase the hardness of a solid molded article, the porous structure in the solid molded article is compressed and destroyed, and the thickness of the solid molded article decreases. On the other hand, the composition satisfying the above formula (1) means that even when tableting under high load to achieve high strength, the composition can maintain sufficient thickness (i.e., porous structure). In other words, this means that the composition can provide a solid molded article with both superior transportability and solubility. Furthermore, in this specification, the hardness of the solid molded article (after curing) is a value measured by a force sensor type tablet hardness tester (e.g., PC-30 manufactured by Okada Seiko Co., Ltd.).

[0045] The transportability of the solid molded body obtained by molding this composition is also directly proportional to the hardness of the solid molded body after curing (the higher the hardness of the solid molded body after curing, the better its transportability). Therefore, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded body that has both better transportability and solubility, the following composition is preferred: the solid molded body obtained by curing this composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≤138.29e 0.0172v …Formula (2) [In Equation (2), w represents the dissolution time (seconds) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment. In addition, e is the base of the natural logarithm (Napier constant)].

[0046] Generally, the hardness of a solid molded body is negatively correlated with its dissolution time; the higher the hardness of the solid molded body after curing, the longer its dissolution time tends to be (i.e., deterioration of solubility). On the other hand, the fact that the composition satisfies the above formula (2) means that although the composition has excellent hardness, it can still dissolve in a sufficiently short time. In other words, this means that the composition can provide a solid molded body that has both better transportability and solubility.

[0047] The solid molded body in the above formulas (1) and (2) is a solid molded body obtained by pressing 2g of the composition into a tablet and curing it into a solid molded body with a diameter of 20mm. Therefore, for any composition, when determining whether the target composition satisfies the above formulas (1) and / or formulas (2), the hardness or dissolution time of the solid molded body obtained by pressing 2g of the target composition into a tablet and curing it into a solid molded body with a diameter of 20mm is measured and used in the calculation of formulas (1) and / or formulas (2).

[0048] Furthermore, the hardness, thickness, and dissolution time of the solid molded body in formulas (1) and / or (2) after curing can be measured by the methods described in the examples. In addition, the curing treatment in formulas (1) and (2) refers to the operation of the humidification and drying processes or the curing process described below. That is, regarding formulas (1) and (2), the solid molded body before curing treatment refers to the tablet after the tableting process and before the humidification or curing process, and the solid molded body after curing treatment refers to the solid molded body obtained after the humidification and drying processes or the curing process. Therefore, the specific conditions for each process can be appropriately adopted from the conditions described in the section [4. Method for Manufacturing the Composition and Solid Molded Body] below.

[0049] Furthermore, the "hardness" in the above formula refers to the hardness of a solid molded body obtained by compressing and curing a 2g weight of the composition into a tablet with a diameter of 20mm. For solid molded bodies with different weights and / or diameters than those described above, it is not advisable to directly substitute their hardness into the above formula. For solid molded bodies with different weights and / or diameters than those described above, it is possible to determine whether the above formula is satisfied by converting their hardness into stress. Here, "stress of the solid molded body (N / m)" is used. 2")" refers to the value obtained by dividing the hardness (N) of the solid molded body by the cross-sectional area of ​​the solid molded body.

[0050] [3. Solid molded body] In one embodiment of the present invention, a solid molded article obtained by molding the present composition is provided. Hereinafter, "the solid molded article according to an embodiment of the present invention" is sometimes referred to as "the molded article".

[0051] Since this molded body is a solid molded body obtained by molding this composition, it is rich in protein and also has excellent transportability and solubility.

[0052] (Composition of this molded body) This molded body is a solid molded body obtained by molding the composition. Therefore, the components and their composition contained in this molded body are the same as those in the composition. Therefore, this molded body can also be described as follows: a solid molded body containing protein (a) and carbohydrate (b), wherein, relative to the total mass of the solid molded body, the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, the amount of carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the carbohydrate (b).

[0053] For the reasons stated above, the specific forms of the components contained in this molded article are appropriately referenced from the description in section [2. Composition] above, and are omitted in this section.

[0054] (Transportation suitability) This molded body is a solid molded body with excellent transportability. The transportability of a solid molded body is a quality indicator that it should possess during transportation. The transportability of a solid molded body can be broadly divided into transportability during the manufacturing process and transportability after curing. First, regarding transport during the manufacturing process, the issue is that damage or defects may occur during handling on conveyor belts or by robotic arms after tableting and before curing. This issue can be addressed by increasing the hardness (N) of the molded body (tablet) before curing. That is, the transportability of the solid molded body during the manufacturing process can be evaluated by stress (N / m²), which is the value obtained by dividing the hardness (N) of the molded body (tablet) before curing or the hardness (N) of the solid molded body by the cross-sectional area of ​​the solid molded body. Second, regarding transport after curing, the issue is that damage or cracking may occur upon drop. This issue can be addressed by increasing the drop strength of the solid molded body after curing. That is, the transportability of the solid molded body after curing can be evaluated by the drop strength of the solid molded body.

[0055] In this specification, "solid molded body with excellent transportability" means that, of the two types of transportability mentioned above, at least the solid molded body has excellent transportability after curing treatment. That is, this molded body is a solid molded body with excellent transportability after curing treatment, and preferably a solid molded body with excellent transportability during the manufacturing process and excellent transportability after curing treatment.

[0056] Furthermore, in this specification, the transport suitability of solid molded bodies (transport suitability after curing) can be evaluated by a drop strength test, which is carried out according to the following methods (1) to (3): (1) Prepare 5 solid molded body samples made under specified conditions (specifically the conditions described in the examples), and drop each sample one by one from a height of 80 cm onto a 10 mm thick SUS304 plate; (2) Record the number of times the sample does not crack in a total of 5 drops; (3) Solid molded bodies that do not crack more than 3 times are evaluated as solid molded bodies with excellent transport suitability (transport suitability after curing).

[0057] (Solubility) This molded body is a solid molded body with excellent solubility. In this specification, the solubility of the solid molded body can be evaluated by the following method: (1) A solid molded body sample prepared under specified conditions (specifically the conditions described in the examples) is placed in a rotating basket with an inner diameter of 30 mm and a height of 30 mm, and holes of 2.0 mm in diameter are equally spaced on the top, bottom and wall surfaces; (2) The rotating basket containing the sample and 900 mL (within 10 mL error) of ion-exchange water are placed in a round-bottom flask, and the liquid temperature is maintained at 25.0 °C (within 1 °C error), and the rotating basket containing the sample is rotated at a speed of 300 ± 3 rpm. During the rotation, the conductivity of the solution (ion-exchange water) is measured every second; (3) The conductivity at each time point is standardized to the value when there is no sample residue in the rotating basket; (4) Based on the standardized result, the solubility of the solid molded body at each time point is calculated, and the solubility of the solid molded body is evaluated based on the relationship between the calculated solubility and the rotation time. Specifically, in the above method, solid molded bodies that require less than 350 seconds to achieve a solubility of 95% (95% of the solid molded body is dissolved) are evaluated as solid molded bodies with excellent solubility.

[0058] Furthermore, the excellent solubility of the solid molded form (i.e., the solid molded form meets the above-mentioned criteria) means that it will readily dissolve in relatively high-temperature liquids (85°C), such as those used to dissolve milk powder. It will also dissolve rapidly in relatively low-temperature liquids (approximately 5–40°C), such as water, which is generally considered difficult for solid molded forms to dissolve, as well as in various water-based liquids (especially milk, soft drinks, coffee, etc.). In other words, this means that the solid molded form is suitable for daily use (ingestion).

[0059] (Applications of solid molded parts) This molded body is well-suited for use as a daily food product, and more specifically, it is well-suited for use as a snack or other condiment, health food, health supplement, health functional food, food for specific health purposes, nutritional functional food, supplement, or functionally labeled food.

[0060] [4. Method for manufacturing the composition and solid molded article] <Method for manufacturing this composition> The method of manufacturing this composition is not particularly limited. It can be manufactured by measuring 50 to 90 parts by mass of component (a), 10 to 50 parts by mass of component (b), and any other components according to known methods, so that the total mass is 100 parts by mass, and mixing them.

[0061] In the manufacturing method of this composition, the amounts of component (a), component (b), and any other arbitrary components used are the content of each component in the resulting solid molded article. Therefore, in the manufacturing method of this composition, it is preferable to adjust the amount of each component used so that the resulting solid molded article has a desired composition, especially a desired amount of protein content.

[0062] <Manufacturing Method of This Molded Body> Regarding the manufacturing method of this molded article, there is no particular limitation as long as the composition can be molded to obtain a molded article. However, from the viewpoint of obtaining a solid molded article with better transportability, preferred methods include: methods including a tableting process, a humidification process, and a drying process, or methods including a tableting process and a curing process. That is, the preferred manufacturing method of this molded article is any of the following: (Method 1): A method for manufacturing a solid molded article, which is obtained by molding a composition containing protein (a) and sugar (b), the manufacturing method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; a humidification step of humidifying the tablets obtained in the tableting step; and a drying step of drying the humidified tablets obtained in the humidification step, wherein the composition is a composition as described below (i.e., this composition): the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of sugar (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the sugar (b); (Method 2): A method for manufacturing a solid molded article obtained by molding a composition containing protein (a) and sugar (b), the manufacturing method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; and a curing step of curing the tablets obtained in the tableting step using superheated steam, wherein the composition is a composition in which the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of sugar (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the sugar (b).

[0063] (Method 1) First, taking a method including a tableting process, a humidification process, and a drying process (method (1)) as an example, a preferred embodiment of the manufacturing method of this molded article will be described in detail. Furthermore, regarding the composition containing a specified amount of protein (a) and sugar (b) used in this manufacturing method (i.e., this composition), the description in the above section [2. Composition] is cited and is omitted in this section.

[0064] (Tableting process) The preferred method for manufacturing this molded article includes a tableting process of compressing the composition into tablets. By performing the tableting process, a solid molded article with superior hardness can be provided, and shape collapse of the molded article (tablet) made of this composition during subsequent humidification and drying processes can be prevented.

[0065] In the tableting process, there is no particular limitation on the method of tableting this composition, but it is preferable to use a tableting machine for tableting because it is easy to control the tableting intensity (also known as tableting load) and the size of the resulting tablets, and from a production point of view.

[0066] As for the tableting strength in the tableting process, it is preferable that the resulting tablets have a strength that can suppress damage or defects during transport to subsequent humidification and drying processes, and prevent shape collapse during these processes. Specifically, regarding the tableting strength in the tableting process, there is no particular limitation as long as the hardness of the resulting tablets is 3N to 10N, preferably 3N to 5N. Furthermore, there is no particular upper limit to the tableting strength, but it can be 6 kN or less. Additionally, the hardness of the tablets can also be considered the hardness of the molded body before curing.

[0067] The thickness of the tablet obtained in the tableting process is related to the porosity of the tablet. A greater thickness of the tablet obtained by compressing equal amounts of the composition indicates a higher porosity. Therefore, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded body with high porosity, it is preferable to compress this composition in the tableting process to maximize the thickness of the resulting tablet. However, if the compression strength is reduced to increase the thickness of the resulting tablet, the strength of the resulting tablet will also decrease. That is, in the prior art, the thickness and hardness of the resulting tablet are in a trade-off, making it difficult to obtain a tablet that combines both thickness and hardness. On the other hand, since this composition contains component (b), even when tableting is performed with a relatively weak compression strength (e.g., about 3-6 kN) to increase the thickness of the resulting tablet, a tablet with sufficient hardness of 10 N or more can be provided. Therefore, it is possible to provide a tablet with large thickness, i.e., high porosity, and consequently, a solid molded body with high porosity and excellent solubility.

[0068] (Humidification process) The preferred method for manufacturing this molded article includes a humidification step of humidifying the tablets obtained in the tableting process to obtain humidified tablets. By performing the humidification step, a portion of the particles of this composition present on the surface of the tablets becomes liquid or gel-like and cross-links with each other. As a result, a robust structure composed of this composition can be formed on the surface of the humidified tablets. Consequently, the strength of the resulting solid molded article can be improved, providing a solid molded article with superior transport suitability.

[0069] There are no particular limitations on the method of humidifying the tablets during the humidification process. Examples include: placing the tablets in a high-humidity environment, directly spraying water onto the tablets, and blowing steam onto the tablets. Furthermore, there are no specific limitations on the humidification method; it can be continuous or batch-based.

[0070] When the method of placing the tablets in a high humidity environment is adopted, the humidity of the environment is not particularly limited. For example, it can be 60% RH to 100% RH, preferably 80% RH to 100% RH, and more preferably 90% RH to 100% RH.

[0071] The longer the humidification time of the tablets in the humidification process (humidification time), the higher the hardness of the resulting humidified tablets and, consequently, the resulting solid molded articles tend to be. Therefore, from the viewpoint of hardness, a longer humidification time is preferred. On the other hand, a longer humidification time results in lower manufacturing efficiency of the solid molded articles; therefore, from the viewpoint of productivity, a shorter humidification time is preferred. Therefore, from the viewpoint of balancing excellent hardness and productivity, the humidification time in the humidification process is preferably 10 to 300 seconds, more preferably 20 to 250 seconds, and even more preferably 30 to 200 seconds.

[0072] (Drying process) The preferred method for manufacturing this molded article includes a drying step of drying the humidified tablet obtained in the humidification process to obtain a solid molded article. By performing the drying step, the tack of the liquid or gel-like structure formed on the surface of the humidified tablet in the humidification process can be removed, resulting in a solid molded article with a robust structure composed of interlinked components of this composition and excellent handling properties. Sometimes, the series of operations including this humidification and drying steps is referred to as a humidification curing process.

[0073] There are no particular limitations on the method of drying humidified tablets in the drying process. For example, the following methods can be listed: placing the humidified tablets in a low humidity and high temperature environment, using a dryer to dry the humidified tablets, and blowing hot air onto the humidified tablets (hot air drying).

[0074] There is no particular limitation on the temperature (drying temperature) for drying the humidified tablets in the drying process. For example, it can be 20 to 90°C, preferably 30 to 80°C, and more preferably 40 to 60°C.

[0075] (Method 2) Next, taking the method including the tableting process and the curing process (method (2)) as an example, another preferred method for manufacturing this molded article will be described in detail. In addition, since the specific method of the tableting process of method (2) is the same as that of the tableting process of method (1), it will not be described in this section.

[0076] (Curing process) The preferred method for manufacturing this molded article includes a curing step that cures the tablet obtained in the tableting process using superheated steam. This curing step can also be described as a step of contacting the tablet with superheated steam. By performing the curing step, similar to the humidification step described above, a robust structure composed of this composition can be formed on the surface of the tablet, and similar to the drying step described above, the tack of the liquid or gel-like structure formed on the surface of the tablet can be removed. As a result, a solid molded article with a robust structure composed of interlinked components of this composition and excellent handling properties can be provided. In other words, the curing method using superheated steam can be described as a method that simultaneously performs humidification and drying. Furthermore, superheated steam refers to water vapor obtained by heating to above the boiling point of water.

[0077] There are no particular limitations on the method of treating the tablets with superheated steam during the curing process. Examples include: placing the tablets in a constant temperature and humidity chamber, or spraying superheated steam onto the tablets in a conveyor belt continuous furnace.

[0078] The temperature of the superheated steam used in the curing process is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 to 300°C, more preferably 110 to 250°C, and even more preferably 120 to 220°C.

[0079] In the curing process, the longer the contact time between the tablet and superheated steam (curing time), the higher the hardness of the resulting solid molded body tends to be. Therefore, from the viewpoint of hardness, a longer curing time is preferred. On the other hand, a longer curing time results in lower manufacturing efficiency of the solid molded body; therefore, from the viewpoint of productivity, a shorter curing time is preferred. Therefore, from the viewpoint of balancing excellent hardness and productivity, the curing time in the curing process is preferably 10 to 300 seconds, more preferably 20 to 250 seconds, and even more preferably 30 to 200 seconds.

[0080] In the manufacturing method of this molded article, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded article with superior transportability, the hardness of the solid molded article obtained after the humidification and drying processes, or after the curing process (the hardness of the molded article after curing treatment) is preferably 10 N or more, more preferably 15 N or more, and even more preferably 25 N or more. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of solubility, the hardness of the solid molded article is preferably 30 N or less. That is, from the viewpoint of balancing transportability and solubility, the hardness of the solid molded article is preferably 10 N to 30 N, more preferably 20 N to 30 N, and even more preferably 25 N to 30 N.

[0081] [5. Other] One aspect of the present invention may include the following forms.

[0082] [1] A composition for manufacturing a solid molded body containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose.

[0083] [2] The composition according to [1] further contains trehalose as said sugar (b).

[0084] [3] The composition according to [1], wherein the maltose comprises 5% to 30% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition.

[0085] [4] The composition according to [2], wherein the composition contains 1% to 20% by mass of the trehalose relative to the total mass of the composition.

[0086] [5] The composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the sugar (b) further contains lactulose.

[0087] [6] The composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein whey protein is contained as said protein (a).

[0088] [7] The composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein it further comprises an antifoaming agent.

[0089] [8] The composition according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the solid molded article obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≥14.201x - 0.071 …Formula (1) [In formula (1), y represents the thickness (mm) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment.]

[0090] [9] The composition according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the solid molded article obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≤138.29e 0.0172v …Formula (2) [In formula (2), w represents the dissolution time (seconds) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment.]

[0091]

[10] A solid molded body obtained by molding the composition described in any one of [1] to [9].

[0092]

[11] A method for manufacturing a solid molded article, the solid molded article being obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a sugar (b), the manufacturing method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; a humidification step of humidifying the tablets obtained in the tableting step; and a drying step of drying the humidified tablets obtained in the humidification step, wherein the composition is a composition in which the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of sugar (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the sugar (b).

[0093]

[12] A method for manufacturing a solid molded article, the solid molded article being obtained by molding a composition containing protein (a) and sugar (b), the manufacturing method comprising: a tableting step of pressing the composition into tablets; and a curing step of curing the tablets obtained in the tableting step using superheated steam, the composition being a composition in which the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of sugar (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and maltose is contained as the sugar (b).

[0094] Example The present invention will now be described in more detail based on embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0095] [Experimental Example 1: Screening Test for Sugars] (Experimental Methods) By confirming the tableting characteristics of various sugars, sugars suitable for manufacturing solid molded products can be selected.

[0096] First, weigh 2.0g (within 0.003g error) of protein powder (WPC392 manufactured by Fonterra Japan Co., Ltd.) and any one of the various sugars shown below, and mix them to prepare a composition containing 50 parts by weight of protein and sugar (weight ratio 1:1).

[0097] • Sugars used Maltose, palaginose, glucose, pullulan, trehalose, isomaltulose, maltitol, and erythritol.

[0098] For each of the obtained compositions, tableting was performed while appropriately adjusting the tableting strength to achieve a tablet hardness of 5N, thereby obtaining a tablet with a hardness of 5N. The thickness of the obtained tablet was measured. The results are as follows. Figure 1As shown. Furthermore, the thickness of the tablets and solid molded bodies in the examples were measured using a vernier caliper (Mitutoyo Corporation ABS digital caliper CD-AX), and the hardness of the tablets and solid molded bodies were measured using a force sensor-type tablet hardness tester (Okada Seiko Corporation PC-30).

[0099] (result) When tableting to achieve a tablet hardness of 5N, maltose exhibits the greatest thickness. Since the thickness of the tablet is correlated with the solubility of the final solid form, the following conclusion is drawn: from the viewpoint of providing a solid form with excellent transportability and solubility, maltose is the most suitable sugar.

[0100] [Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-2] (Preparation of the composition) The materials shown in Table 1, in the specified types and proportions, were mixed to obtain a powder composition. Details of each material used are described below.

[0101] ·Material Ingredients (a) a-1: A protein powder primarily containing whey protein (manufactured by Fonterra Japan Co., Ltd., trade name "WPC392"). Component (b) b-1: Maltose (manufactured by Hayashihara Co., Ltd., trade name "Sunmalt (registered trademark) Midori") b-2: Trehalose (manufactured by Hayashihara Co., Ltd., trade name "Treha (registered trademark)") b-3: Lactulose (manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., trade name "Milk Oligo Sugar MLC (registered trademark)-97") Defoamer Defoamer formulation (manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd., trade name "Poem ZL-3") Other sugars lactose In addition, commercially available protein powders sometimes contain trace amounts of impurities besides protein. However, in this specification, the amount (content) of protein powder including such impurities is regarded as the content of component (a) in the composition.

[0102] (Table 1)

[0103] The resulting composition and the molded articles obtained by molding the composition are measured or evaluated for their tableting properties, humidification curing properties, transport suitability and solubility based on the following methods.

[0104] (Tableting characteristics) 2.000 g of each of the above compositions were weighed and compressed into cylindrical shapes with a diameter of 2.0 cm using a tablet press according to the compression strength specified in Table 2, thereby obtaining compressed tablets. The hardness and thickness of the obtained compressed tablets were measured. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0105] (Table 2)

[0106] As shown in Table 2, the tablets obtained by compressing compositions 1 and 2, which satisfy the elements of this composition, exhibit superior hardness when compressed at the same compression strength, compared to the tablets obtained by compressing comparative compositions 1 and 2. Furthermore, for example, a comparison of the results when compressing composition 1 at 2 kN with the results when compressing comparative composition 1 at 5 kN shows that, while providing the same hardness, a tablet with superior thickness can be provided. That is, this demonstrates that by compressing this composition, a tablet with excellent thickness and hardness can be provided, and this tablet can provide a solid molded body with excellent transportability and solubility.

[0107] (humidification curing characteristics) In the method described in the (Tableting Characteristics) section above, each of the above compositions is compressed to a compression strength resulting in a hardness of 1.00 N, thereby obtaining a compressed tablet with a hardness of 1.00 N. The obtained compressed tablet is placed in a constant temperature bath at 95% RH and 80°C for the specified times (humidification time) as described in Table 3 to humidify it, thereby obtaining a humidified compressed tablet. The hardness of the obtained humidified compressed tablet is measured. The results are shown in Table 3. Furthermore, as shown in Table 3, for a portion of the humidified compressed tablets from Comparative Composition 1 and Comparative Composition 2, the tablets had not yet cured at the end of the specified humidification time, and the hardness could not be measured.

[0108] (Table 3)

[0109] *1: Measurement is not possible because hardness cannot be determined. As shown in Table 3, the humidified tablets derived from compositions 1 and 2, which are elements of this composition, achieve significantly higher hardness in a shorter time compared to the humidified tablets derived from comparative compositions 1 and 2. That is, this indicates that by further humidifying the tablets obtained by compressing this composition, humidified tablets with excellent hardness can be efficiently provided, and these humidified tablets can provide solid molded bodies with excellent transportability.

[0110] (Transportation suitability (drop strength)) Each of the above compositions, 3g (within tolerance of 0.001g), was compressed using a tableting machine to achieve a tableting strength of 1.0N, thereby obtaining a tablet with a hardness of 1.0N (tableting process). Next, the obtained tablet was placed in a constant temperature bath at 95% RH and 80°C for 240 seconds to humidify it, thereby obtaining a humidified tablet (humidification process). Subsequently, the obtained humidified tablet was placed in a dryer at 60°C and dried for 10 minutes to obtain a solid molded body (drying process).

[0111] The transport suitability of each solid molded body was evaluated using the following method: (1) For each solid molded body, five samples were prepared, and each sample was dropped one by one from a height of 80 cm onto a 10 mm thick SUS304 plate; (2) For each solid molded body, the number of times the sample did not crack was recorded during the five drops; (3) For each molded body, the transport suitability was evaluated based on the number of times the sample did not crack, according to the following criteria. The evaluation results of transport suitability are shown in Table 4.

[0112] • Evaluation criteria for transport suitability The sample did not crack more than 3 times: Excellent transport suitability (superior); If the sample does not crack less than twice: poor suitability for transportation (poor).

[0113] (Table 4)

[0114] As shown in Table 4, the solid molded articles obtained by molding compositions 1 and 2 have poor transportability, while the solid molded articles obtained by molding compositions 1 and 2, which satisfy the elements of this composition, have excellent transportability. That is, this shows that by molding this composition, a solid molded article with excellent transportability can be provided.

[0115] (Solubility) Each of the above compositions, 3g (within tolerance of 0.001g), is compressed using a tableting machine to achieve a tableting strength of 1.0N, thereby obtaining a tablet with a hardness of 1.0N (tableting process). Next, the obtained tablet is placed in a constant temperature bath at 95% RH and 80°C for 240 seconds to humidify it, thereby obtaining a humidified tablet (humidification process). Subsequently, the obtained humidified tablet is placed in a dryer at 60°C and dried for 10 minutes to obtain a solid molded body with a hardness of 10N or 20N (drying process).

[0116] The solubility of the obtained solid molded bodies was evaluated by the following method: (1) The prepared solid molded body sample was placed in a rotating basket with an inner diameter of 30 mm and a height of 30 mm, and holes with a diameter of 2.0 mm were opened at equal intervals on the top, bottom and wall surfaces; (2) The rotating basket containing the sample and 900 mL (within 10 mL error) of ion-exchange water were placed in a round-bottom flask, and the liquid temperature was kept at 25.0 °C (within 1 °C error), and the rotating basket containing the sample was rotated at a speed of 300 ± 3 rpm. During the rotation, the conductivity of the solution (ion-exchange water) was measured every second; (3) The conductivity at each time point was standardized using the value when there was no sample residue in the rotating basket; (4) Based on the standardized result, the solubility of the solid molded body at each time point was calculated, and the solubility of the solid molded body was evaluated according to the following criteria based on the relationship between the calculated solubility and the rotation time. The evaluation results of solubility are shown in Table 5. Here, the standardization of conductivity was performed according to the following formula.

[0117] The standardized sample electronegativity at a certain time (t) = the sample electronegativity at time (t) [μS / cm] / the electronegativity at time (t2) when there is no sample residue in the rotating basket [μS / cm].

[0118] • Evaluation criteria for solubility The time required to achieve a 95% solubility (95% of the solid molded part is dissolved) is less than 350 seconds: Excellent solubility (superior); The time required to achieve a solubility of 95% (95% of the solid molded part is dissolved) is more than 350 seconds: poor solubility (poor); Solubility less than 5% after 500 seconds of rotation: Insoluble (the solid is almost insoluble or completely insoluble in water)

[0119] Furthermore, in this specification, "solid molded body (after curing) dissolution time" refers to the time required for the solid molded body to dissolve 100% when the solid molded body is obtained by pressing a 2g weight of the composition into a tablet and curing it into a solid molded body with a diameter of 20mm in accordance with the same steps as described above, while performing the operations (1) to (4) above.

[0120] (Table 5)

[0121] As shown in Table 5, the solid molded articles obtained by molding comparative composition 1 and the solid molded articles obtained by molding comparative composition 2 to a hardness of 20 N are completely insoluble in water. Furthermore, the solid molded articles obtained by molding comparative composition 2 to a hardness of 10 N, while soluble in water, exhibit poor solubility. On the other hand, it is evident that the solid molded articles obtained by molding compositions 1 and 2, which satisfy the elements of this composition, are solid molded articles with excellent solubility. That is, this demonstrates that by molding this composition, solid molded articles with excellent solubility can be provided.

[0122] Based on the above results, it is shown that the solid molded body obtained by molding this composition is a solid molded body with excellent transportability and solubility and is rich in protein.

[0123] Industrial utilization potential The solid molded article according to one embodiment of the present invention, as a solid molded article rich in protein and with excellent transportability and solubility, can be well used in the food industry and other fields.

Claims

1. A composition for manufacturing a solid molded article containing protein (a) and carbohydrate (b), wherein, Relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, the amount of carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and The sugar (b) contains maltose.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, The sugar (b) further contains trehalose.

3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, The composition contains 5% to 30% by mass of the maltose relative to its total mass.

4. The composition according to claim 2, wherein, The composition contains 1% to 20% by mass of the trehalose relative to its total mass.

5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, The sugar (b) further contains lactulose.

6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, The protein (a) contains whey protein.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, It further contains defoaming agents.

8. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, The solid molded body obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≥14.201x - 0.071 …Formula (1) [In formula (1), y represents the thickness (mm) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment.] 9. The composition according to claim 1, wherein, The solid molded body obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≤138.29e 0.0172v …Formula (2) [In formula (2), w represents the dissolution time (seconds) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment.] 10. A solid molded article obtained by molding the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A method for manufacturing a solid molded article, the solid molded article being obtained by molding a composition containing protein (a) and carbohydrate (b), The manufacturing method includes: The tableting process of compressing the composition into tablets; A humidification process for humidifying the tablets obtained in the tableting process; as well as The drying process involves drying the humidified tablets obtained in the humidification process. The composition is as follows: Relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, the amount of carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and The sugar (b) contains maltose.

12. A method for manufacturing a solid molded article, the solid molded article being obtained by molding a composition containing protein (a) and carbohydrate (b), The manufacturing method includes: The tableting process of compressing the composition into tablets; as well as A curing process that uses superheated steam to cure the tablets obtained in the tableting process. The composition is as follows: Relative to the total mass of the composition, the amount of protein (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, the amount of carbohydrate (b) is 10% to 50% by mass, and The sugar (b) contains maltose.

Images