Butter-based natural nut-flavored milk-based flavor and method for preparing and use thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to a butter-based natural nut-flavored milk-based flavor and its preparation method and application, and belongs to the technical field of food flavor. The milk-based flavor is prepared by shearing and emulsifying a protein solution, a butter enzymatic product, butter and a stabilizer; wherein the butter enzymatic product is obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of butter under the action of a food-grade lipase Lipase A "Amano" 12. Compared with the addition of butter alone or the addition of enzymatic butter alone, the milk-based flavor obtained by the present application can improve the milk aroma, milk sweet aroma, butter aroma, cream aroma, overall coordination and acceptance, and reduce the risk of off-flavors such as whey flavor and rancid odor caused by high proportion of enzymatic butter; at the same time, the distribution of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic, ketone and ester volatile substances in the obtained milk-based flavor is changed, forming a complex flavor background of nut-like, roasted and milk fat-like. The present application can be used in ice cream, milk beverage, baked food, candy, chocolate, cheese-flavored food and composite seasoning.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food flavoring technology, and in particular to natural nut-flavored milk-based flavorings based on butter, their preparation methods, and applications. Background Technology

[0002] Milk-based flavorings are a class of food flavorings made primarily from dairy products or milk components through physical processing, enzymatic hydrolysis, thermal reaction, emulsification, and compounding. They are widely used in ice cream, baked goods, chocolate, candy, dairy beverages, and compound seasonings. Butter, as a typical dairy fat raw material, contains abundant dairy triglycerides and lipid flavor precursors, making it an important source of milky, buttery, creamy, fatty aromas and a rich, creamy texture.

[0003] As consumers increasingly demand naturally sourced ingredients, clean labeling, and complex flavor experiences, the food industry is seeing a growing need for dairy flavorings that combine rich creamy aromas, good flavor harmony, and a nutty, roasted flavor profile. Nutty and roasted flavors typically impart richer, warmer, and fuller flavor profiles to food, and when combined with creamy, buttery, or other creamy flavors, they can create more distinctive complex flavor characteristics.

[0004] Existing dairy-based flavorings typically enhance flavor by directly adding butter, cream, or dairy lipoprotein hydrolysates. While adding butter alone can provide some dairy aroma, its flavor release efficiency is limited, resulting in a relatively simple aroma profile. Increasing the amount of butter to enhance aroma intensity can easily increase the fat burden, cost, and greasiness of the system. On the other hand, enzymatic hydrolysis of dairy fat using lipases can release free fatty acids and further influence the formation of ketones, esters, alcohols, and other lipid-derived volatile substances, thereby enhancing dairy-related flavors. However, when the degree of hydrolysis is too high or the proportion of hydrolysates added is too high, free fatty acids and related volatile substances may accumulate excessively, leading to an increase in undesirable flavors such as whey, rancidity, and putridity, reducing overall harmony and acceptability.

[0005] Therefore, the existing technology still has the following problems: First, simply increasing the amount of butter added is not enough to obtain a sufficiently rich and complex milky aroma at a low fat level; Second, although increasing the amount of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter added alone can enhance some lipid flavor, it is easy to introduce unpleasant off-flavors; Third, the existing technology does not pay enough attention to the compounding ratio of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter in the protein emulsion system, the flavor synergy, and the control of off-flavors.

[0006] Based on the above problems, it is necessary to provide a new method for preparing milk-based flavorings that enables the synergistic effect of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter, unhydrolyzed butter, and protein emulsion system. This method enhances the aroma of milk, sweet milk, cheese, butter, and cream while creating a nutty and baked complex flavor background and reducing the risk of undesirable flavors such as whey and putrid tastes caused by a high proportion of enzymatically hydrolyzed products. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the limitations of existing technologies in enhancing flavor by adding butter alone, the tendency of adding a high proportion of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter alone to produce unpleasant odors, and the insufficient synergistic flavor-enhancing effect of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unhydrolyzed butter in a milk-based system, this invention provides a natural nut-flavored milk-based flavoring based on butter, its preparation method, and its application.

[0008] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0009] The first objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing a natural nut-flavored milk-based flavoring based on butter, comprising the following steps:

[0010] S1. Melt the butter by heating, then cool it to the enzymatic hydrolysis temperature; add lipase to perform enzymatic hydrolysis, inactivate the enzyme, and obtain the butter hydrolysis product after separation.

[0011] S2. Dissolve the protein powder in water to obtain a protein solution;

[0012] S3. Add the enzymatic hydrolysis product of butter obtained in step S1 and butter to the protein solution obtained in step S2, add a stabilizer and shear emulsify to obtain the natural nut flavored milk base flavoring based on butter.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S1, the butter is butter with a fat content of 80% (w / w).

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S1, the melting temperature is 60°C-70°C.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S1, the lipase is lipase A12; preferably Lipase A "Amano"12.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S1, the amount of lipase added is 149 U / g-151 U / g.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S1, the enzymatic hydrolysis conditions are: 80 rpm-100 rpm, 39℃-40℃ for 29 min-31 min.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S2, the mass concentration of the protein solution is 5.0%-5.5%.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S3, the mass ratio of the added butter enzymatic hydrolysis product to the butter, calculated by fat content, is 1:1.5-1:2.5.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S3, the stabilizer is xanthan gum and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose; the mass percentage of xanthan gum added is 0.25%-0.35%; and the mass percentage of xanthan gum and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose added is 0.15%-0.25%.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, in step S3, the shearing conditions are: shearing at 8000 rpm-12000 rpm for 0.5 min-3 min.

[0022] A second objective of this invention is to provide a natural nut-flavored milk-based flavoring agent based on butter obtained by the aforementioned preparation method. The natural nut-flavored milk-based flavoring agent comprises 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine, 2-methylpyridine, 2-nonanone, ethanol, ethyl acetate, ethyl octanoate, acetic acid, hexanoic acid, and 8-methylnonanone. Among these, 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine and 2-methylpyridine are important marker compounds that distinguish it from systems where unhydrolyzed butter is added alone, and can be used to support a complex nut-like and baked flavor background; 2-nonanone, esters, and alcohols are associated with a creamy, sweet, and mild aroma background.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the raw materials of the natural nut-flavored milk-based flavoring include a protein solution, butter hydrolysate, butter, and a stabilizer.

[0024] A third objective of this invention is to provide the application of the aforementioned milk-based flavoring in the preparation of food products, including one or more of ice cream, dairy beverages, baked goods, confectionery, chocolate, cheese-flavored foods, and compound seasonings.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the above-described technical solution of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0026] (1) In this invention, the enzymatic hydrolysis product of butter and unenzymatic butter are added back into a protein solution in a specific ratio, and a milk-based flavoring is obtained by stabilization and shear emulsification, thereby realizing the compound synergistic effect of the enzymatic hydrolysis product of butter, unenzymatic butter and protein emulsion system.

[0027] (2) The present invention introduces lipid-derived flavor substances and nut-like and roasted flavor backgrounds by means of appropriate amount of butter hydrolysis products, while providing a milky aroma base by means of unhydrolyzed butter, so that the resulting milk-based flavoring is superior to the system that adds unhydrolyzed butter alone in terms of milky aroma, milky sweet aroma, cheese aroma, butter aroma and cream aroma.

[0028] (3) Under the same total fat content, the present invention can significantly improve the harmony and acceptability of milk-based flavorings by replacing unhydrolyzed butter with some of the enzymatically hydrolyzed butter products; under the condition of low total fat content, its flavor performance is still better than the system that simply increases the amount of butter added, indicating that its flavor improvement does not simply come from the increase in fat content.

[0029] (4) The preferred ratio of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter to unhydrolyzed butter in this invention can avoid the increase of whey and putrid odor caused by a high proportion of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter, and maintain a good flavor balance while enhancing the complex aroma of butter fat.

[0030] (5) Analysis of volatile flavor compounds shows that the distribution of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, ketones, alcohols and esters in the preferred system of the present invention is changed, which can form a complex flavor background of nuts, roasting and creaminess that is different from the system with butter added alone. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To make the content of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 These are the sensory evaluation results of the milk-based flavoring re-added emulsions with different ratios of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter in this invention; wherein, 1, 2, 3, and 4 are sample 1, sample 2, sample 3, and sample 4, respectively.

[0033] Figure 2 These are the sensory evaluation results of emulsions with different fat contents and added flavorings in this invention; where 1, 2, and 5 are sample 1, sample 2, and sample 5, respectively.

[0034] Figure 3 These are the results of volatile flavor substances in emulsions with different emulsion-based flavorings added in this invention; where A, B, and C represent sample 1, sample 2, and sample 5, respectively.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a score chart of PLS-DA analysis of volatile flavors by SPME-GC-MS in this invention; where A, B, and C represent sample 1, sample 2, and sample 5, respectively.

[0036] Figure 5This is a permutation test plot for PLS-DA analysis of volatile flavors using SPME-GC-MS in this invention; where the R2 intercept is approximately 0.411 and the Q2 intercept is approximately -0.102.

[0037] Figure 6 This is a VIP value graph of PLS-DA analysis of volatile flavors by SPME-GC-MS in this invention; where A, B, and C represent sample 1, sample 2, and sample 5, respectively.

[0038] Figure 7 This is a heatmap showing the content of substances with VIP values ​​greater than 1 in SPME-GC-MS PLS-DA analysis of volatile flavors in this invention; where A, B, and C represent sample 1, sample 2, and sample 5, respectively; A1, A2, and A3 represent three parallel samples of sample 1, i.e., the 9% unhydrolyzed butter system; B1, B2, and B3 represent three parallel samples of sample 2, i.e., the 3% butter hydrolysis product + 6% unhydrolyzed butter system; and C1, C2, and C3 represent three parallel samples of sample 5, i.e., the 11% unhydrolyzed butter system. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments described are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0040] It should be noted that the "natural nut flavor" mentioned in this invention does not refer to added nut flavorings or nut extracts, but rather to a complex flavor profile of nuts, baked goods, cream, and dairy fats formed by combining natural dairy fat raw materials such as butter with unhydrolyzed butter in a protein emulsion system after short-term mild enzymatic hydrolysis by food-grade lipase.

[0041] This invention does not simply aim to increase the degree of enzymatic hydrolysis of butter, nor does it simply increase the amount of butter added. Instead, it involves adding an appropriate amount of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unhydrolyzed butter in a specific ratio to a protein solution. After stabilization and shear emulsification, a milk-based flavoring is formed. The enzymatically hydrolyzed butter provides lipid-derived flavor compounds and a nutty and baked flavor background; the unhydrolyzed butter provides a rounded and continuous milk fat aroma base; and the protein emulsion system helps disperse the milk fat components and regulate the release of volatile flavor compounds. The combined effect of these three components enhances the milk-based flavoring in terms of milky aroma, sweet milky aroma, cheese aroma, buttery aroma, creamy aroma, overall harmony, and acceptability, while avoiding the increase in whey and rancid odors caused by a high proportion of enzymatically hydrolyzed products.

[0042] In this invention, "butter hydrolysis product" and "enzymatic hydrolysis product" have the same meaning, both referring to the milk fat hydrolysate obtained after butter is hydrolyzed, inactivated and separated by food-grade lipase.

[0043] In this invention, "re-addition" refers to the process of adding the enzymatic hydrolysis product of butter and / or unhydrolyzed butter to a protein solution, followed by stabilization and shear emulsification to form a milk-based flavoring.

[0044] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, the amount of added enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unhydrolyzed butter is calculated based on fat content and the total mass of the final milk-based flavoring.

[0045] In this invention, U / g is a unit of lipase activity, which means that under specified conditions, one unit of lipase activity is the amount of enzyme that catalyzes the release of 1 μg of oleic acid from the substrate per minute.

[0046] In this invention, "calculated based on fat content" means that the amount added is calculated based on the total mass of the final milk-based flavoring, according to the actual milk fat mass in the enzymatically hydrolyzed or unhydrolyzed butter. The formula is as follows:

[0047] Added mass of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter = Target mass of enzymatically hydrolyzed fat / Fat mass fraction in enzymatically hydrolyzed butter

[0048] Added mass of unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter = Target fat mass of unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter / Fat mass fraction in unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter

[0049] Unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods used in the following examples are conventional methods, and the materials and reagents used are commercially available.

[0050] The following food-grade lipase is from Amano Corporation, and the lipase is Lipase A "Amano" 12. The xanthan gum and carboxymethyl cellulose are from Anhui Runtian Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0051] Example 1

[0052] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a natural nut-flavored milk-based flavoring based on butter, as detailed below:

[0053] (1) 50 g of butter with a fat content of 80% (w / w) was melted at 65°C, then cooled to 40°C and stirred at 100 rpm for 10 min at 40°C. Then 150 U / g of food-grade lipase Lipase A “Amano”12 was added, and enzymatic hydrolysis was carried out at 100 rpm for 30 min at 40°C. After the enzymatic hydrolysis was completed, the enzyme was inactivated at 85°C for 15 min. After the system was separated into layers, the enzymatic hydrolysate of butter was obtained.

[0054] (2) Dissolve protein powder with a protein content of 73% (w / w) in distilled water to prepare a protein solution with a protein mass concentration of 5.5% (w / w).

[0055] (3) The above-mentioned enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unhydrolyzed butter (fat content of 80% (w / w)) were added to the above-mentioned protein solution at a mass ratio of 1:2 based on fat content, wherein the mass percentage of the enzymatically hydrolyzed butter added based on fat content was 3%, and the mass percentage of the unhydrolyzed butter added based on fat content was 6%. Subsequently, 0.3% (w / w) xanthan gum and 0.2% (w / w) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose were added. The resulting system was subjected to high-speed shearing at 10,000 rpm for 1 min to prepare an emulsion with a fat content of 9% (w / w), which was designated as sample 2.

[0056] Comparative Example 1

[0057] This comparative example provides a method for preparing a milk-based flavoring with only butter added, similar to Example 1, except that:

[0058] In step (3), only unhydrolyzed butter is added to the protein solution above, and the amount of unhydrolyzed butter added is 9% based on fat content; the remaining steps are consistent with those in Example 1.

[0059] An emulsion with a fat content of 9% (w / w) was prepared and designated as Sample 1.

[0060] Comparative Example 2

[0061] This embodiment provides a method for preparing a high proportion of milk-based flavoring added to the enzymatic hydrolysis product of butter, similar to Example 1, except that:

[0062] In step (3), the amount of the enzymatically hydrolyzed butter added, calculated as fat, is 6%, and the amount of the unhydrolyzed butter added, calculated as fat, is 3%; the remaining steps are consistent with those in Example 1.

[0063] An emulsion with a fat content of 9% (w / w) was prepared and designated as sample 3.

[0064] Comparative Example 3

[0065] This comparative example provides a method for preparing a milk-based flavoring by adding only the enzymatic hydrolysis product of butter, similar to Example 1, except that:

[0066] In step (3), the above-mentioned enzymatic hydrolysate of butter is added to the above-mentioned protein solution, wherein the amount of enzymatic hydrolysate of butter added is 9% based on fat content; the remaining steps are consistent with those in Example 1.

[0067] An emulsion with a fat content of 9% (w / w) was prepared and designated as sample 4.

[0068] Comparative Example 4

[0069] This comparative example provides a method for preparing a high-butter-content milk-based flavoring, similar to Example 1, except that:

[0070] In step (3), unhydrolyzed butter (fat content of 80% (w / w)) is added to the above protein solution, wherein the amount of unhydrolyzed butter added is 11% based on fat content; the remaining steps are consistent with those in Example 1.

[0071] An emulsion with a fat content of 11% (w / w) was prepared and designated as sample 5.

[0072] Performance testing

[0073] (1) Effects of different ratios of enzymatically hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed butter on the sensory quality of dairy flavoring

[0074] The samples obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were subjected to sensory evaluation in terms of aroma, and the results were compared as follows: Figure 1 As shown.

[0075] The total fat content of the samples obtained in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3 was 9%, but the ratio of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter to unhydrolyzed butter differed. Figure 1 It can be seen that as the proportion of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter increases and the proportion of unhydrolyzed butter decreases, the whey and putrid flavors generally increase, while the pleasantness indicators such as milky aroma, milky sweetness, cheese, butter, cream, harmony, and acceptability show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. Among them, Sample 2 (3% enzymatically hydrolyzed butter + 6% unhydrolyzed butter system) performed better in all pleasant flavor indicators.

[0076] Specifically, Sample 2 scored 4.75 for milk aroma, 4.25 for sweetness, 3.083 for cheese, 3.75 for butter, and 4.25 for cream, with a harmony score of 6.25 and an acceptability score of 6.833, all higher than the other three samples, and no putrid odor was detected. In contrast, Sample 1 (0% enzymatically hydrolyzed butter + 9% unhydrolyzed butter system) had relatively lower flavor scores, with an acceptability score of 4.25, indicating that simply adding unhydrolyzed butter is insufficient to provide a complex and full-bodied creamy aroma.

[0077] When the amount of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter added increased to 6% or 9%, whey and putrid odors increased, typical dairy flavor indicators decreased, and harmony and acceptability declined. In samples 3 and 4, the putrid odor scores reached 0.333 and 0.667, respectively, indicating that a high proportion of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter may introduce undesirable flavors.

[0078] The above results indicate that an appropriate amount of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter can enhance the milky, sweet, cheese, buttery, and creamy aromas in dairy flavorings. However, an excessively high proportion of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter can lead to an increase in whey and putrid odors. In summary, adding 3% enzymatically hydrolyzed butter to 6% unhydrolyzed butter in Sample 2 is the optimal ratio, as it enhances the complex aroma of dairy fats while maintaining good harmony and acceptability.

[0079] (2) Comparison of compounding with enzymatically hydrolyzed butter products and increasing the amount of butter alone

[0080] Sensory evaluation was performed on samples 2, 1, and 5 obtained from Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 4. The comparison results are as follows: Figure 2 As shown.

[0081] Depend on Figure 2 The results show that increasing the amount of unhydrolyzed butter from 9% to 11% alone can improve the milky aroma, sweetness, cheese flavor, butteriness, creaminess, fat content, harmony, and acceptability to some extent. For example, the milky aroma score increased from 2.667 to 3.500, the sweetness score from 2.417 to 3.667, the butter score from 1.917 to 2.333, the creaminess score from 2.167 to 2.583, and the acceptability score from 4.250 to 5.333. This result indicates that butter itself is an important contributor to the characteristic flavor of dairy products.

[0082] However, with a total fat content of 9%, replacing part of the unhydrolyzed butter with 3% butter hydrolysate (i.e., changing the system from 9% unhydrolyzed butter to a system of 3% butter hydrolysate + 6% unhydrolyzed butter) resulted in a more significant improvement in sensory performance. Sample 2 scored 4.75 for milk aroma, 4.25 for sweetness, 3.083 for cheese, 3.75 for butter, 4.25 for cream, 2.333 for fat content, 6.25 for harmony, and 6.833 for acceptability, all of which were higher than those of Sample 1.

[0083] However, with a total fat content of 9%, replacing some of the un-hydrolyzed butter with 3% enzymatically hydrolyzed butter (i.e., changing from Sample 1 to Sample 2) resulted in a more significant improvement in sensory performance. Sample 2 scored higher than Sample 1 in all aspects: milk aroma 4.75, milk sweetness 4.25, cheese 3.083, butter 3.75, cream 4.25, fat content 2.333, harmony 6.25, and acceptability 6.833.

[0084] Further comparison of Sample 2 and Sample 5 reveals that while Sample 2 has a total fat content of 9%, lower than Sample 5's 11%, Sample 2 surpasses Sample 5 in terms of milky aroma, sweetness, cheese flavor, butteriness, creaminess, fat content, balance, and acceptability. Specifically, Sample 2's score of 4.75 is higher than Sample 5's 3.50; Sample 2's creaminess score is 4.25, higher than Sample 5's 2.583; and Sample 2's acceptability score is 6.833, higher than Sample 5's 5.333.

[0085] The above results demonstrate that the flavor enhancement of this invention is not solely due to increased fat content, but rather stems from the synergistic effect of the combined effects of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unhydrolyzed butter in the protein emulsion system. Compared to simply increasing the amount of butter added, the combination system of 3% enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and 6% unhydrolyzed butter achieves better complex creamy aroma, harmony, and acceptability at a lower total fat content.

[0086] (3) Analysis of volatile flavor compounds in different milk-based flavorings

[0087] Samples 2, 1, and 5 obtained from Example 1, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 4 were analyzed by SPME-GC-MS, and the results are as follows: Figures 3-7 As shown in the figure. Where A, B, and C represent sample 1, sample 2, and sample 5, respectively.

[0088] Depend on Figure 3 It can be seen that there are significant differences in the volatile compound composition of the three groups of samples A, B, and C. Group A has relatively high levels of acetic acid, hexanoic acid, D-limonene, phenol, and some aldehydes and acids; Group B shows high levels of 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine, 2-methylpyridine, ethanol, 2-nonanone, undecane, and dodecane; Group C shows relatively high responses to substances such as benzaldehyde, acetone, nonanoic acid, octanoic acid, 8-methylnonanoic acid, and styrene.

[0089] These results indicate that different fat treatment methods can alter the distribution of volatile substances in protein emulsion systems. Groups A and B had the same total fat content of 9%, but the volatile substance profile of group B was significantly different from that of group A. This suggests that the difference in group B was not caused by the increased amount of fat added, but rather by the addition of 3% enzymatically hydrolyzed butter. Although the amount of unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter in group C was increased to 11%, its volatile substance composition did not show the same trend as group B, indicating that simply increasing the amount of unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter cannot replace the moderating effect of the combination of enzymatically hydrolyzed butter and unenzymatically hydrolyzed butter on the flavor structure.

[0090] Figure 4 Analyze the score chart for PLS-DA. (By...) Figure 4It can be seen that the three groups of samples A, B and C can be distinguished. Among them, group B is separated from groups A and C, indicating that the sample obtained in Example 1 has a volatile flavor profile that is different from the system with butter added alone.

[0091] Figure 5 This is the result of the PLS-DA permutation test. The permutation test result can be used to indicate that the model does not show a significant overfitting trend.

[0092] Figure 6 Volatile compounds that significantly contributed to inter-group differences were identified. Substances with high VIP values ​​primarily included 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine, 2-methylpyridine, dodecane, ethanol, acetic acid, undecane, hexanoic acid, 2-nonanone, and 8-methylnonanoic acid. Considering that some siloxanes may originate from the detection or material background, this invention focuses on nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds, ketones, alcohols, esters, and organic acids relevant to food flavor when interpreting aroma contributions.

[0093] Figure 7 This is a heatmap showing the content of representative compounds with a VIP value greater than 1. (Source: [Insert heatmap here]) Figure 7 It is evident that Group B is distinguished from Groups A and C by elevated levels of certain pyridines, hydrocarbons, esters, alcohols, and ketones. Among these, the elevations in 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine and 2-methylpyridine in Group B are particularly significant, serving as key marker volatile compounds for differentiating Group B.

[0094] Based on the relative quantitative results under the detection conditions of this experiment, 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine was 932.09±24.45 mg / L in group B, while it was not detected in group A and 6.98±3.02 mg / L in group C; 2-methylpyridine was mainly detected in group B, with a content of 113.10±1.87 mg / L. Pyridine compounds can be associated with nutty, baked, or complex flavor backgrounds, indicating that group B has nutty and baked complex flavor characteristics that are distinct from the system with unhydrolyzed butter added alone.

[0095] Besides pyridine compounds, some ketones, alcohols, and esters were also present at relatively high levels in group B. The content of 2-nonanone in group B was 40.07±0.37 mg / L, higher than that in group A (28.37±1.51 mg / L) and slightly higher than that in group C (36.91±2.90 mg / L). 2-Nonanone is a lipid-derived ketone and may be involved in the formation of creamy, buttery, and fatty flavors.

[0096] Ethanol concentration in group B was 65.11±1.80 mg / L, higher than group A's 47.68±0.71 mg / L, and close to group C's 63.18±2.84 mg / L. Ethyl octanoate was detected only in group B, at 11.80±1.73 mg / L; ethyl acetate concentration in group B was 6.83±1.41 mg / L, higher than group A's 2.05±0.89 mg / L. Esters typically provide a sweet, fruity, and soft aroma background, which may contribute to enhancing the sweetness, creaminess, and overall harmony of group B.

[0097] Organic acids showed different trends in the three sample groups. Acetic acid was relatively high in group A (30.84±17.50 mg / L), while it was 14.48±4.86 mg / L in group B and 12.36±1.36 mg / L in group C. Hexanoic acid was 17.76±21.86 mg / L in group A and 11.38±4.93 mg / L in group B, but not detected in group C. 8-Methylnonanoic acid was higher in group C (6.86±0.25 mg / L), higher than that in group B (4.42±0.23 mg / L), but not detected in group A. These results suggest that the flavor difference in group B was not solely caused by the accumulation of organic acids, but more likely related to the combined changes in various volatile compounds formed after blending enzymatically hydrolyzed and unhydrolyzed butter.

[0098] Based on the comprehensive sensory evaluation and volatile flavor compound analysis results, Sample 2 obtained in Example 1, under the condition of a total fat content of 9%, exhibits high levels of milky aroma, sweet milky aroma, cheese aroma, buttery aroma, creamy aroma, harmony, and acceptability, and no obvious putrid odor was detected. The volatile flavor compound spectrum of this system differs from that of systems with 9% unhydrolyzed butter added alone and systems with 11% unhydrolyzed butter added alone, indicating that the present invention, through a specific ratio of butter hydrolysis products and unhydrolyzed butter, forms a milk-based flavor with a complex flavor background of nuts, roasting, and creaminess in a protein emulsion system.

[0099] Obviously, the above embodiments are merely illustrative examples for clear explanation and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a natural nut-flavored dairy flavoring based on butter, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Melt the butter by heating, then cool it to the enzymatic hydrolysis temperature; add lipase to perform enzymatic hydrolysis, inactivate the enzyme, and obtain the butter hydrolysis product after separation. S2. Dissolve the protein powder in water to obtain a protein solution; S3. Add the enzymatic hydrolysis product of butter obtained in step S1 and butter to the protein solution obtained in step S2, add a stabilizer and shear emulsify to obtain the natural nut flavored milk base flavoring based on butter.

2. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the lipase is lipase A12.

3. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the amount of lipase added is 149 U / g-151 U / g.

4. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the enzymatic hydrolysis conditions are: 80-100 rpm rotation speed, 39-40℃ enzymatic hydrolysis for 29-31 min.

5. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, the mass concentration of the protein solution is 5.0%-5.5%.

6. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, the mass ratio of the added butter enzymatic hydrolysate to the butter is 1:1.5-1:2.5, calculated based on fat content.

7. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, the stabilizer is xanthan gum and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose; the mass percentage of xanthan gum added is 0.25%-0.35%; the mass percentage of xanthan gum and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose added is 0.15%-0.25%.

8. The preparation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, the shearing conditions are: shearing at 8000rpm-12000rpm for 0.5min-3min.

9. The butter-based natural nut-flavored milk flavoring obtained by the preparation method according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The volatile flavor compounds of the natural nut-flavored milk base flavoring include 5-ethyl-2-methylpyridine, 2-methylpyridine, 2-nonanone, ethanol, ethyl acetate, ethyl octanoate, acetic acid, hexanoic acid, and 8-methylnonanone.

10. The use of the milk-based flavoring of claim 9 in the preparation of food products; said food products include one or more of ice cream, dairy beverages, baked goods, confectionery, chocolate, cheese-flavored foods, and compound seasonings.

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