Acid-derived flavor inhibitor, method for producing acid-derived flavor inhibitor, and method for inhibiting acid-derived flavor

Abstract

To provide an acid-derived flavor inhibitor and a method for inhibiting an acid-derived flavor which can inhibit acid-derived flavors such as sour taste and acidic odor in food and beverages.SOLUTION: The present invention provides an acid-derived flavor inhibitor that comprises purified α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat as an active ingredient. The present invention also provides a method for inhibiting an acid-derived flavor in food and beverages, the method including the addition of purified α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat to one or two selected from the group consisting of the food and beverages as well as the raw materials thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an acid-derived flavor suppressant, a method for producing an acid-derived flavor suppressant, and a method for suppressing an acid-derived flavor. [Background technology]

[0002] Sourness is an essential flavor characteristic of food materials such as vegetables and fruits that are naturally sour, and processed foods that use such food materials as raw materials. On the other hand, even in foods that do not require sourness as a flavor characteristic or foods that only need a slight sourness, organic acids, organic acid salts, or preparations containing these, such as pH adjusters and bacteriostatic agents, and vinegar, may be added to improve shelf life, resulting in more sourness than necessary. Since the sourness imparted in this way may impair the original flavor of the food, it has been an issue to suppress the development of unintended sourness in foods. Among organic acids, acetic acid and acetate salts in particular have a pungent sour odor, so suppressing the development of the sour odor has also been an issue.

[0003] As prior art for suppressing sourness and sour odor, there have been proposed a method for masking sourness by using a high-intensity sweetener in an amount below the sweetness threshold in a sour product (Patent Document 1), a method for masking sourness by adding sucralose to a sour product (Patent Document 2), and a powdered food preservation and improving agent by combining maltitol and / or erythritol with organic acids that are a mixture of one or more selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, sodium acetate, and adipic acid (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-215793 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-243776 [Patent Document 3] JP 2003-144115 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The above-mentioned substances that have been used so far to suppress the sour taste and sour odor of food and beverages are chemically synthesized, and therefore many of them have safety concerns, which is problematic from the viewpoint of health consciousness. Furthermore, since they also impart flavors such as sweetness to food and beverages, there is a risk of impairing the original flavor of the food and beverages, and therefore the range of use tends to be limited.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides an acid-derived flavor suppressant capable of suppressing acid-derived flavors such as the sour taste and acid odor of foods and beverages, and a method for suppressing an acid-derived flavor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present inventors have found that a specific treated oil or fat can suppress an acid-derived flavor, and have completed the present invention. That is, the present invention is as follows. [1] An acid-derived flavor suppressant whose active ingredient is refined alpha-linolenic acid-based oils and fats. [2] The flavor suppressant according to [1], wherein the acid comprises one or two acids selected from the group consisting of acetic acid and acetate salts. [3] The flavor suppressant described in [1] or [2], wherein the refined alpha-linolenic acid-based oils and fats are one or two selected from the group consisting of refined perilla oil and refined linseed oil. [4] The wind suppressant described in any one of [1] to [3] is in the form of an oil composition containing the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat and edible oil and fat other than refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat, and containing 0.05% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less of the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat. [5] The flavor suppressor described in any one of [1] to [4], which is used for cooking rice. [6] A method for producing an acid-derived flavor suppressor, comprising a step of mixing the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat with an edible oil and fat other than the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat. [7] A method for suppressing an acid-derived flavor in a food or beverage having an acid-derived flavor, comprising: The method, comprising adding a flavor suppressant described in any one of [1] to [5] to one or two items selected from the group consisting of ingredients of the food and beverage and the food and beverage. [8] The method according to [7], wherein the food or beverage is cooked rice. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The use of the acid-derived flavor suppressor of the present invention can suppress the acid-derived flavor of food and drink. More specifically, the use of the acid-derived flavor suppressor can suppress the sour taste and acid odor of food and drink. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Specific embodiments of the acid-derived flavor suppressor, the method for producing the acid-derived flavor suppressor, and the method for suppressing an acid-derived flavor of the present invention will be described below. In addition, when an upper limit and a lower limit of a numerical range are indicated in this specification, the upper limit and the lower limit can be appropriately combined, and the numerical range obtained by combining them is also considered to be disclosed.

[0010] The acid-derived flavor suppressant of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as flavor suppressant) contains refined α-linolenic acid-based fats and oils as an active ingredient. Here, α-linolenic acid-based fats and oils means fats and oils containing 50% by mass or more of α-linolenic acid in the constituent fatty acids, and refinement means that the fats and oils have undergone at least a deodorizing process in the refining process. The acid-derived flavor is the sour taste felt in the mouth when eating food or drink, and includes the acid odor felt by the nose when the acid is volatile.

[0011] The refined α-linolenic acid-based fats and oils are preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of refined perilla oil, refined linseed oil, and refined shiso oil, and more preferably one or two selected from the group consisting of refined perilla oil and refined linseed oil. These refined α-linolenic acid-based fats and oils may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The raw oil material for these refined α-linolenic acid-based fats and oils is preferably unroasted in order not to impart an unusual flavor to the food to which it is applied.

[0012] The refined α-linolenic acid-based oils and fats that are the active ingredients of the acid-derived flavor suppressant of the present invention are α-linolenic acid-based oils and fats that have been subjected to at least a deodorizing treatment among the refining treatments that are performed on crude oil, and preferably, α-linolenic acid-based oils and fats that have been subjected to degumming treatment, deacidification treatment, bleaching treatment and deodorization treatment on crude oil.

[0013] Degumming is a method for removing gums, mainly composed of phospholipids, hydrated substances, trace metals, etc. from crude oil. Deacidification is a method for removing free fatty acids and the like from oil using an alkali such as sodium hydroxide. The decolorization process is a method for removing colored substances, oxidized substances, pro-oxidant substances, etc. by adsorption using activated clay or the like. Deodorization is a method for removing volatile substances by performing molecular distillation, short-path distillation, steam distillation, etc. under high temperature and high vacuum.

[0014] The flavor suppressant derived from acid of the present invention may contain edible oils and fats other than refined α-linolenic acid-based oils and fats (hereinafter, also simply referred to as edible oils and fats). Such edible oils and fats are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include vegetable oils and fats such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, etc., animal oils and fats such as fish oil, lard, beef tallow, milk fat, medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, and processed oils and fats obtained by subjecting these to one or more processes selected from the group consisting of ester exchange, hydrogenation, and fractionation. These may be used alone, or two or more may be mixed and used. The edible oils and fats preferably contain one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and corn oil, and more preferably are one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and corn oil. The edible oil and fat is preferably a refined oil and fat that has been subjected to degumming, deacidification, bleaching and deodorization treatments.

[0015] The lower limit of the content of the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil in the acid-derived flavor suppressant of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.08% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, and especially preferably 0.3% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 10% by mass or less. In addition, the total content of the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and the edible oil is 100% by mass or less.

[0016] The flavor suppressant derived from acid of the present invention may contain any other component other than the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat and the edible oil and fat as long as the effect of the present invention is not impaired. Examples of such components include emulsifiers such as monoglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid ester, organic acid fatty acid glycerin ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, lecithin, and polysorbate; colorants such as carotene; antioxidants such as tocopherol; silicone; and fragrances.

[0017] The method for producing an acid-derived flavor suppressant of the present invention preferably includes a step of mixing the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and the edible oil. When the other optional components described above are included, the method may further include a step of mixing the components. The mixing step may be performed by a known method. In the mixing step, the amounts of the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and the edible oil to be mixed may be adjusted to the contents of the above-mentioned components.

[0018] The method of suppressing the acidic flavor of a food or drink having an acidic flavor of the present invention comprises adding the flavor suppressant to one or two selected from the group consisting of the raw materials of the food or drink and the food or drink. The method can suppress the acidic flavor felt when eating the food or drink. Since food or drink having an acidic flavor usually contains one or two of carbonic acid, carbonates, organic acids, and organic acid salts, which are substances that cause the acidic flavor, the method can be suitably used for food or drink containing one or two of carbonic acid, carbonates, organic acids, and organic acid salts.

[0019] Foods and beverages containing one or two of carbonic acid, carbonates, organic acids, and organic acid salts are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include food and beverage ingredients that originally contain one or two of organic acids and organic acid salts, such as vegetables such as tomatoes, fruits such as lemons, limes, yuzu, apples, plums, and strawberries, fermented foods such as yogurt and pickles, and vinegars such as rice vinegar, grain vinegar, black vinegar, fruit vinegar, and wine vinegar, as well as juices, ketchup, dressings, etc., which use these food and beverage ingredients as raw materials, or processed foods and beverages to which one or two of organic acids and organic acid salts have been added. Among these, processed foods and beverages to which one or two of organic acids and organic acid salts have been added are preferably used. Examples of the processed foods and beverages include cooked rice products such as white rice, seasoned rice, fried rice, porridge, brown rice, red rice, rice with ingredients such as chestnuts or beans, retort rice, and aseptically packaged rice; processed meat foods such as ham and sausage; noodle foods such as pasta, ramen, udon, soba, somen, hiyashi noodles, and hiyashi chuka; salads; cooked breads such as sandwiches; and canned foods, among which cooked rice products are preferred.

[0020] The organic acid is not particularly limited as long as it is edible, and examples thereof include adipic acid, citric acid, glucono delta lactone, gluconic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, fumaric acid, oxalic acid, malic acid, succinic acid, ascorbic acid, etc., and examples of the organic acid salts include sodium salts and potassium salts of the organic acids. Among these, acetic acid, fumaric acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and adipic acid and their salts are preferred. The target acid of the acid-derived flavor suppressor of the present invention is particularly preferably acetic acid and acetate salts, which are easily perceived as having an acidic odor, because they have the effect of suppressing the acidic odor.

[0021] The method of adding the flavor suppressant to one or two selected from the group consisting of the raw materials of the food and drink and the food and drink is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method of mixing the flavor suppressant with the raw materials in the manufacturing process of the food and drink and adding the flavor suppressant, a method of applying or spraying the flavor suppressant to the food and drink, or a method of immersing the food and drink in the flavor suppressant, etc. For example, when the food and drink is cooked rice, a cooked rice product in which the acid-derived flavor is suppressed can be obtained by adding one or more of carbonic acid, carbonates, organic acids and organic acid salts, and the flavor suppressant to the raw materials for cooking rice and then cooking the rice.

[0022] The amount of the acid-derived flavor suppressant of the present invention to be added to food or beverage is not uniform, as it varies depending on the strength and quality of the acid-derived flavor exhibited by the food or beverage, the method for producing the food or beverage, the desired level of acid-derived flavor suppression effect, etc.; however, for example, when added by mixing with the raw materials of a processed food or beverage, the amount is from 0.01 to 10 parts by mass, preferably from 0.1 to 5 parts by mass, and more preferably from 0.2 to 1 part by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the total of the other raw materials of the processed food or beverage. In addition, it is preferable to add an acid-derived flavor suppressant so that the active ingredient, refined alpha-linolenic acid-based oil or fat, is 0.00005 parts by mass or more and 0.2 parts by mass or less, more preferably 0.0005 parts by mass or more and 0.1 parts by mass or less, even more preferably 0.001 parts by mass or more and 0.02 parts by mass or less, and especially preferably 0.001 parts by mass or more and 0.01 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of the combined total of other raw materials of the processed food or beverage.

[0023] The acid-derived flavor suppressor of the present invention may be used by blending with a bacteriostatic agent, shelf life extender, etc., which contains one or more of carbonic acid, carbonate, organic acid, and organic acid salt, which are added to food and drink for the purpose of improving the shelf life, etc. In this way, the acid-derived flavor imparted to the food and drink when the bacteriostatic agent, shelf life extender, etc. is added to the food and drink can be suppressed. EXAMPLES

[0024] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

[0025] (1) Raw materials The following were used in preparing the acid-derived flavor suppressant:

[0026] (Refined α-linolenic acid-based oils and fats) Refined perilla oil: AJINOMOTO perilla oil (oil that has been deacidified, degummed, bleached, and deodorized), α-linolenic acid content 54.5% by volume, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. Refined linseed oil: AJINOMOTO linseed oil (oil that has been deacidified, degummed, bleached, and deodorized), α-linolenic acid content 58.0% by mass, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.

[0027] (Edible fats and oils other than refined α-linolenic acid fats and oils) Rapeseed oil: AJINOMOTO smooth canola oil, α-linolenic acid content 7.0% by mass, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. Soybean oil: AJINOMOTO soybean salad oil, α-linolenic acid content 6.2% by mass, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd. Corn oil: J Corn Salad Oil NS, α-linolenic acid content 1.3% by mass, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.

[0028] (Method for measuring α-linolenic acid content) The α-linolenic acid content of each of the above-mentioned fats and oils was measured. Specifically, methyl esterification was performed according to the Standard Method for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Oils 2.4.1.4-2013, and the α-linolenic acid content (mass%) in the constituent fatty acids of the fats and oils was measured.

[0029] (Measurement conditions) Equipment name: GC-2010 plus (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) Column: TC-70 (length 30 m, inner diameter 0.25 mm, liquid phase film thickness 0.25 μm) manufactured by GL Sciences Inc. Column heating conditions: See Table 1

[0030] [Table 1]

[0031] Column pressure: 79.7kPa / min Carrier gas: N2 Vaporization chamber temperature: 230℃ FID temperature: 240℃ Split ratio: 1:50 Injection volume: 1μL

[0032] (2) Preparation and evaluation of cooked rice Cooked rice was prepared using the acid-derived flavor suppressant (hereinafter also referred to as flavor suppressant) prepared according to the composition shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2, as follows. 400 g of raw rice (Koshihikari produced in Chiba Prefecture) was washed and soaked in water at 25°C, then transferred to a colander and drained. Water was added to this rice to make a total of 960 g, which was used as a cooked rice sample. 12 g of rice vinegar (Rice Plus-2, manufactured by Kewpie Brewing Co., Ltd.) and 4 g of flavor suppressant were added to the cooked rice sample, and the rice was cooked in a household electric rice cooker (pressure IH rice cooker NP-BG10 type, manufactured by Zojirushi Corporation). After cooking, the cooked rice was lightly loosened to a depth of 1 cm or more at the bottom of the pot and vacuum cooled (23°C). The cooked rice was packed in a pack and covered. The cooked rice was stored at 20°C for one day and evaluated for sourness and sour odor by three expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria. The sourness was evaluated by eating the stored cooked rice as is, and the sour odor was evaluated by heating the cooked rice to 65℃ in a microwave oven. The average of the scores from three expert panelists was used as the evaluation value. The evaluation values ​​are shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2.

[0033] [Table 2]

[0034] (Sourness evaluation criteria) 4: No sourness felt 3: Less sour than the control 2: Slightly less sour than the control 1: Same sourness as the control 0: Stronger sourness than the control

[0035] (Evaluation criteria for acid odor) 4: No acid smell 3: Less acidic smell than the control 2: The acid smell is slightly less noticeable than the control. 1: The same level of acidic odor as the control 0: Stronger acidic odor than the control

[0036] As shown in Tables 2-1 and 2-2, the cooked rice obtained by adding a flavor suppressant containing refined α-linolenic acid-based oils and fats (Examples 1-1 to 1-4, 2-1 to 2-2.3-1) during cooking had both a more suppressed sour taste and sour odor than the cooked rice obtained by adding only rapeseed oil (Control Example 1).

Claims

1. An acid-derived flavor suppressant whose active ingredient is refined alpha-linolenic acid-based oils and fats.

2. 2. The flavor suppressant according to claim 1, wherein the acid comprises one or two acids selected from the group consisting of acetic acid and acetate salts.

3. 3. The flavor suppressant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the refined α-linolenic acid-based oils and fats are one or two selected from the group consisting of refined perilla oil and refined linseed oil.

4. The flavor suppressant according to claim 1 or 2, which is in the form of an oil composition containing the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat and edible oil and fat other than the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat, and containing 0.05% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less of the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat.

5. The flavor suppressor according to claim 1 or 2, which is used for cooking rice.

6. The method for producing an acid-derived flavor suppressor includes a step of mixing the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat with an edible oil and fat other than the refined α-linolenic acid-based oil and fat.

7. A method for suppressing an acid-derived flavor in a food or beverage having an acid-derived flavor, comprising: The method, comprising adding the flavor suppressant according to claim 1 or 2 to one or two selected from the group consisting of raw materials for the food or beverage and the food or beverage.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the food or beverage is cooked rice.

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