Granular food and producing method thereof

Abstract

To provide a granular food containing fat and flavor with excellent cup filling suitability, and a producing method of such granular food.SOLUTION: A granular food comprises (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average polymerization degree of 1 to 8 of a glycerin part and sucrose fatty acid esters with an HLB of 8 or less, (B) food ingredients, (D) humectants, (E) oils and fats, (F) flavors, and (G) porous sugars, where (B) food ingredients contain excipients including (C) porous starch, a fat content of the granular food is 9 mass% to 22 mass%, the total content of (C) porous starch and (G) porous sugars in the granular food is 3 mass% to 15 mass%, a Carr index of the granular food is 75 or more, and the granular food has an absorption peak wavenumber at 1024±5 cm-1 when measured using a micro ATR method with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to granular food products and methods for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Various powdered or granular foods have been developed as soups for instant foods such as instant cup noodles and instant cup soups. Methods for processing powdered soups into granules include, for example, fluidized bed granulation and extrusion granulation. Processing powdered soups into granules with a large surface area can improve the powder properties suitable for filling cups and the permeability to boiling water (or warm water). It is known that the fat and oil content of granular soups can be increased to enhance the flavor and deliciousness of the soup. Several additives for improving the flowability of granular foods are also known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 (WO 2022 / 085440) describes "a granular food comprising (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of the glycerin portion of 1 to 8 and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less, (B) a polyol, (C) fats and oils, and (D) a food ingredient, wherein the sum of the angle of repose and the angle of collapse is 87 degrees or less and the compressibility is 15% or less."

[0004] Patent Document 2 (JP 2015-019589 A) describes a "powdered or granular seasoning composition containing 5 to 30% by weight of fat or oil, a base material for containing fat or oil, and a polyol."

[0005] Patent Document 3 (JP 2004-035700 A) describes a powdered or granular oil or fat which contains "a fat, a base material for containing fat or fat, and a polyol, and is characterized in that the moisture content is 15% by weight or less, the maximum particle size is 10 mm or less, the average particle size is 5 mm or less, and the angle of repose is 70° or less."

[0006] Patent Document 4 (JP Patent Publication 64-027430 A) describes "an oil-containing composition comprising an oil, an oil-containing base material, and a polyol, the composition being characterized in that the water content is 15% by weight or less, the maximum particle size is 10 mm or less, the average particle size is 5 mm or less, and the angle of repose is 70° or less."

[0007] Patent Document 5 (JP Patent Publication No. 2005-021016) describes a "powdered or granular food product that is less likely to form lumps when dispersed or dissolved in water, warm water, or boiled water" and describes a "powdered or granular food product that is characterized by containing triglycerol behenic acid ester."

[0008] Patent Document 6 (JP Patent Publication No. 2003-304826) describes "a granular or powdered instant soup or instant sauce with improved dispersibility and suppressed formation of lumps" and "a granular or powdered instant soup or instant sauce characterized by containing 0.1 to 0.9 mass % of polyglycerol behenic acid ester."

[0009] Patent Document 7 (Japanese Patent No. 5300018) describes a method for improving the fluidity of powdered or granular food, comprising adding, by 0.5% by mass to 20% by mass of a flowability improving agent obtained by grinding dextrin of DE1 to 30 having an average particle size of several tens to 100 μm so that the average particle size (median size) when measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution measuring device is 0.1 μm to 10 μm, based on the mass of the powdered or granular food.

[0010] Patent Document 8 (JP 2021-075492 A) describes a method for producing a granulated product, comprising: "(A) 90 to 99.8 mass% of powder having a powder cohesion degree of 20% or more, (B) 0.1 to 4 mass% of fine silicon dioxide having an average particle size of 0.5 to 15 μm, and (C) 0.1 to 6 mass% of sucrose fatty acid ester, and a step of wet granulating the resulting mixed raw material." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 085440 [Patent Document 2] JP 2015-019589 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2004-035700 A [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 64-027430 [Patent Document 5] JP 2005-021016 A [Patent Document 6] JP 2003-304826 A [Patent Document 7] Patent No. 5300018 [Patent Document 8] Patent Publication No. 2021-075492 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] In order to enhance the flavor of granular soup such as instant cup noodles, it is sometimes desirable to mix and attach flavorings to the granules. However, when using a flavoring containing oil or when the granules have a high oil and fat content, mixing and attaching a flavoring to the granules causes the oil in the flavoring or the oil in the granules to seep out onto the surface of the granular soup, lowering the powder properties of the granular soup, such as the Carr index, and as a result, there is a risk of variation in weight when filling cups during factory production.

[0013] The present disclosure provides a granular food comprising fats and oils and flavours with excellent cup-fillability, and a method for producing such a granular food. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The inventors have discovered that a granular food with excellent suitability for filling into a cup can be produced by mixing a humectant and oil (second mixture) with a mixture (first mixture) of a specific fatty acid ester and a food ingredient containing an excipient containing porous starch, granulating the resulting mixture, and then mixing a flavoring and a porous carbohydrate with the granulated product, thereby completing the present invention.

[0015] The present invention includes the following aspects. [Aspect 1] (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of 1 to 8 in the glycerin moiety and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less; (B) a food ingredient; (D) a moisturizer; (E) fats and oils; (F) a fragrance; (G) a porous carbohydrate; A granular food comprising: The (B) food ingredient contains (C) an excipient containing porous starch, The oil content of the granular food is 9% by mass to 22% by mass, The total content of the (C) porous starch and the (G) porous carbohydrate in the granular food is 3% by mass to 15% by mass, The granular food has a Carr index of 75 or more; The granular food has a refractive index of 1024±5 cm when measured by a microscopic ATR method using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. -1 A granular food having a maximum absorption wavenumber at [Aspect 2] The granular food has a refractive index of 4000 cm when measured by a microscopic ATR method using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. -1 ~400cm -1 In the wavenumber region of 1024±5cm -1 2. The granular food of embodiment 1, having an absorption maximum wavenumber of [Aspect 3] 3. A granular food according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein the (G) porous carbohydrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch. [Aspect 4] (H) The granular food according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, further comprising silicon dioxide microparticles. [Aspect 5] A granular food according to aspect 4, wherein the content of the (H) silicon dioxide fine particles is 0.5% by mass to 2.5% by mass. [Aspect 6] A granular food according to aspect 4 or 5, wherein the (H) silicon dioxide microparticles are microparticles containing at least one selected from the group consisting of light anhydrous silicic acid, hydrous silicon dioxide, magnesium aluminometasilicate, and talc. [Aspect 7] A method for producing a food raw material comprising the steps of: (A) preparing a first mixture of at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of 1 to 8 in the glycerin moiety and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB value of 8 or less; and (B) preparing a food raw material; wherein the food raw material (B) contains (C) an excipient containing porous starch; preparing a second mixture of the first mixture and a moisturizer-dispersed oil containing (D) a moisturizer and (E) an oil; granulating the second mixture to form a granule; mixing (F) a flavoring and (G) a porous carbohydrate with the granules; A method for producing a granular food product comprising the steps of: [Aspect 8] mixing a portion of the (G) porous carbohydrate with the (F) flavoring to prepare a powder flavoring; mixing the remainder of the (G) porous carbohydrate and the powdered flavor with the granules; A method for producing a granular food product according to aspect 7, further comprising: [Aspect 9] A method for producing a granular food according to aspect 7 or 8, wherein the (G) porous carbohydrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch. [Aspect 10] (H) A method for producing a granular food according to any one of aspects 7 to 9, further comprising mixing silicon dioxide fine particles with the granules. [Aspect 11] (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of 1 to 8 in the glycerin moiety and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less; (B) a food ingredient; (D) a moisturizer; (E) fats and oils; (F) a fragrance; (G) a porous carbohydrate; A granular food comprising: The (B) food ingredient contains (C) an excipient containing porous starch, The oil content of the granular food is 9% by mass to 22% by mass, The total content of the (C) porous starch and the (G) porous carbohydrate in the granular food is 3% by mass to 15% by mass, The granular food has a Carr index of 75 or more; A granular food, wherein the (G) porous carbohydrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a granular food containing fats and oils and a flavoring, which has excellent suitability for filling into a cup.

[0017] The above description should not be considered as a disclosure of all embodiments of the present invention and all advantages associated with the present invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] Electron microscope images (200x and 1000x) of the granular soups of Examples 5 and 7. [Diagram 2]IR spectra obtained by a micro-ATR method of the granular soup (a), the granulated product (b), the liquid flavoring (c), the porous dextrin (d), and the mixture of the liquid flavoring and the porous dextrin (e) of Example 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The present invention will be described in more detail below for the purpose of illustrating representative embodiments thereof, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0020] <Granular food> A granular food according to one embodiment comprises (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of the glycerin moiety of 1 to 8 and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less, (B) a food ingredient, (D) a moisturizing agent, (E) fats and oils, (F) a flavoring, and (G) a porous carbohydrate. The (B) food ingredient comprises (C) an excipient containing porous starch. The oil content of the granular food is 9% by mass to 22% by mass, the total content of the (C) porous starch and the (G) porous carbohydrate is 3% by mass to 15% by mass, and the Carr index is 75 or more. The granular food has a mean particle size distribution of 1024±5 cm when measured by a microscopic ATR method using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. -1 It has a maximum absorption wavenumber at

[0021] (A) Fatty acid ester The fatty acid ester is at least one selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of glycerin moieties of 1 to 8, and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the fatty acid ester forms a network structure in the presence of liquid or semi-solid fats and oils, and forms a gel or solid by incorporating the liquid or semi-solid fats and oils into the network structure. This can also be said to be roughly emulsified in the gel or solid. This can increase the fat and oil content of the granular food, while suppressing the oozing of the fat and oil, thereby imparting high fluidity to the granular food. In addition, the network structure can incorporate not only fats and oils, but also ingredients such as spices. Therefore, during the fluidized bed granulation process performed at a temperature of, for example, 60°C to 80°C, it is possible to suppress the volatilization of the above ingredients while maintaining the fluidity of the granulated product, thereby enhancing the flavor of the granular soup. Furthermore, the network structure of the fatty acid ester disintegrates in hot water, for example at 90°C to 100°C, releasing relatively large chunks of roughly emulsified fat to the outside, which allows oil droplets to be formed when hot water is poured into a powdered or granular food.

[0022] The melting point of the fatty acid ester is preferably 50° C. or higher, more preferably 60° C. or higher, and even more preferably 70° C. or higher. By having a melting point of the fatty acid ester of 50° C. or higher, it is possible to impart moisture resistance to the granular food while preventing the fatty acid ester from melting. The melting point of the fatty acid ester is preferably 100° C. or lower, more preferably 90° C. or lower, and even more preferably 80° C. or lower. By having a melting point of the fatty acid ester of 100° C. or lower, it is easy to perform cleaning of the inside of the piping of the maintenance production equipment.

[0023] (Poly)glycerol fatty acid ester The (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester is an ester of a fatty acid and glycerin or a glycerin condensate (polyglycerin). The average degree of polymerization of the glycerin portion is 1 to 8. The (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester may be completely esterified or partially esterified. The fatty acid portion of the (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester may be a saturated fatty acid or an unsaturated fatty acid. The fatty acid portion of the (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester is preferably a saturated fatty acid.

[0024] The HLB value of the (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester is preferably 8 or less, more preferably 6 or less, and even more preferably 4 or less. A granular food containing a (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester having many lipophilic groups has high moisture resistance. From this viewpoint, the HLB value of the fatty acid ester can be 1 or more, or 3 or more. In the present disclosure, the HLB value is a value calculated from the Griffin's empirical formula. HLB = 20 × (1-SV / NV) SV: Saponification value of (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester or sucrose fatty acid ester NV: Neutralization value of fatty acids

[0025] The number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid portion of the (poly)glycerol fatty acid ester is preferably 16 to 22. Examples of the (poly)glycerol fatty acid ester include monoglycerol fatty acid esters such as monoglycerol palmitate, monoglycerol stearate, monoglycerol eicosanoate, and monoglycerol behenate; diglycerol fatty acid esters such as diglycerol palmitate, diglycerol stearate, diglycerol eicosanoate, and diglycerol behenate; triglycerol fatty acid esters such as triglycerol palmitate, triglycerol stearate, triglycerol eicosanoate, and triglycerol behenate; tetraglycerol fatty acid esters such as tetraglycerol palmitate, tetraglycerol stearate, tetraglycerol eicosanoate, and tetraglycerol behenate; pentaglycerol pentaglycerin fatty acid esters such as palmitic acid ester, pentaglycerin stearate, pentaglycerin eicosanoic acid ester, and pentaglycerin behenic acid ester; hexaglycerin fatty acid esters such as hexaglycerin palmitic acid ester, hexaglycerin stearate, hexaglycerin eicosanoic acid ester, and hexaglycerin behenic acid ester; heptaglycerin fatty acid esters such as heptaglycerin palmitic acid ester, heptaglycerin stearate, heptaglycerin eicosanoic acid ester, and heptaglycerin behenic acid ester; octaglycerin fatty acid esters such as octaglycerin palmitic acid ester, octaglycerin stearate, octaglycerin eicosanoic acid ester, and octaglycerin behenic acid ester; and mixtures of two or more of these. The (poly)glycerol fatty acid ester more preferably includes a (poly)glycerol stearate ester in which the fatty acid portion is stearic acid (having 18 carbon atoms).

[0026] The (poly)glycerin fatty acid ester preferably contains a mixture of monoglycerin fatty acid ester and polyglycerin fatty acid ester, more preferably a mixture of monoglycerin behenic acid ester and octaglycerin stearate, a mixture of monoglycerin stearate, pentaglycerin palmitic acid ester, and pentaglycerin stearate, or a mixture of monoglycerin stearate and diglycerin stearate, and particularly preferably a mixture of monoglycerin behenic acid ester and octaglycerin stearate. The mixture of monoglycerin fatty acid ester and polyglycerin fatty acid ester can improve the fluidity of granular food, promote the formation of oil droplets when eaten, and encapsulate oils and spice extracts (spices) to retain their flavor.

[0027] 《Sucrose fatty acid ester》 Sucrose fatty acid ester is an ester of fatty acid and sucrose. The HLB of sucrose fatty acid ester is 8 or less. Sucrose fatty acid ester may be completely esterified or partially esterified. The fatty acid portion of sucrose fatty acid ester may be a saturated fatty acid or an unsaturated fatty acid. The fatty acid portion of sucrose fatty acid ester is preferably a saturated fatty acid.

[0028] The HLB value of the sucrose fatty acid ester is preferably 6 or less, more preferably 4 or less. A granular food containing a sucrose fatty acid ester having many lipophilic groups and few hydrophilic groups has high moisture resistance. From this viewpoint, the HLB value of the sucrose fatty acid ester can be 1 or more, or 3 or more.

[0029] The number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid portion of the sucrose fatty acid ester is preferably 16 to 22. Examples of sucrose fatty acid ester include sucrose palmitate, sucrose stearate, sucrose eicosanoate, and sucrose behenate. More preferably, the sucrose fatty acid ester includes at least one selected from the group consisting of sucrose palmitate in which the fatty acid portion is palmitic acid (16 carbon atoms) and sucrose stearate in which the fatty acid portion is stearic acid (18 carbon atoms).

[0030] (B) Food raw materials Food ingredients are the main components that determine the flavor and taste of granular foods and are generally mixtures that include crystalline and powdered ingredients.

[0031] Examples of the crystalline substance include salt, granulated sugar, monosodium glutamate, sodium inosinate, disodium succinate, glucose, and disodium ribonucleotide. The crystalline substance is preferably in the form of fine particles.

[0032] The powdered raw material generally contains flavor components. A flavor component is an element that imparts taste (taste) or aroma (smell) to food. Examples of flavor components include general seasonings such as salt and sugar; fermented seasonings such as soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, and miso; spice seasonings such as garlic, ginger, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, and sage; extracts such as meat extracts (beef, pork, chicken, etc.), seafood extracts, vegetable extracts, boiled concentrates of animal and plant tissues, yeast extracts, and fermented extracts; acidulants such as citric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, and lactic acid; and seasonings such as amino acids, nucleic acids, organic acids other than acidulants, inorganic salts, protein hydrolysates, and nucleic acid decomposition products. The powdered raw material may further contain spices, flavorings, stabilizers (sodium caseinate, xanthan gum, etc.), emulsifiers, or antioxidants, or a combination of two or more of these.

[0033] (C) Porous starch The food ingredient contains an excipient containing porous starch. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that since porous starch has a high oil absorption capacity, when the moisturizing agent dispersion oil described below is mixed with the first mixture, the food ingredient is aggregated while powdering the liquid oil, thereby accelerating the formation of the granulated product. In addition, since porous starch has a relatively high heat resistance, it can maintain its porous structure even when heated in the granulation process of the second mixture described below, and can suppress the release of the oil absorbed in the porous structure.

[0034] Examples of the porous starch include natural starches such as potato starch, corn starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, sago starch, rice starch, waxy corn starch, etc., and modified starches thereof (etherified starch, esterified starch, crosslinked starch, etc.). An example of the porous starch is the product name Lonfood OWP (manufactured by Nippon Starch Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0035] The food raw material may contain other excipients in addition to the porous carbohydrates. Examples of excipients include hydrophilic proteins (gelatin, casein, sodium caseinate, whey protein, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, albumin, etc.), modified starches (acid-decomposed starch, oxidized starch, alpha-starch, grafted starch, etherified starch, esterified starch, etc.), hydrophilic polysaccharides (alginates, gum arabic, soybean polysaccharides, guar gum, xanthan gum, pectin, carboxymethylcellulose, agarose, etc.), maltodextrin, partial protein hydrolysates (HAP, HVP, etc.), partial starch hydrolysates (oligosaccharides, etc.), and sugars (lactose, etc.).

[0036] (D) Moisturizer The humectant is not particularly limited as long as it is used for food applications. The humectant can bind to the free water contained in the granular food and maintain the water activity value of the granular food low for a long period of time. The water activity value is related to the growth of microorganisms, and it is said that if the water activity value is 0.600 or less, all microorganisms cannot grow. Furthermore, without being bound by any theory, by mixing the humectant with the food ingredients, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of aggregation of fats and oils during the production of the granular food, disperse the fats and oils more uniformly in the granular food, and make the fats and oils semi-solid or solidify so that they can be retained in the granular food. This suppresses the seepage of fats and oils from the granular food, and even when the granular food is stored for a long period of time, it is possible to suppress the aggregation and maintain the fluidity of the granular food.

[0037] Examples of the moisturizing agent include polyols, organic acids, and organic acid salts.

[0038] Examples of the polyol include non-toxic glycols, sugars, or combinations of two or more of these. Examples of the non-toxic glycols include glycerin and propylene glycol. Examples of the sugars include sucrose and glucose. The polyol is preferably liquid at room temperature (23°C). The polyol preferably includes glycerin.

[0039] An example of the organic acid is hyaluronic acid.

[0040] Examples of the organic acid salt include sodium lactate, potassium lactate, and sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate. The organic acid salt preferably includes at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium lactate and potassium lactate.

[0041] The moisturizing agent preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of glycerin, sodium lactate, potassium lactate, sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate, and hyaluronic acid, and more preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium lactate and potassium lactate.

[0042] (E)Oils and fats The fats and oils are not particularly limited, and may be vegetable oils, animal fats and oils, or processed fats and oils, or a combination of two or more of these. Examples of vegetable oils include soybean oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, sesame oil, rice oil, olive oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, perilla oil, linseed oil, camellia oil, evening primrose oil, herb oil, and chili oil. Examples of animal fats and oils include lard, beef fat, chicken fat, and fish oil. Examples of processed fats and oils include margarine, shortening, oils containing medium chain fatty acids, monoglycerides, and diglycerides.

[0043] The melting point of the fat or oil can be, for example, 0° C. to 50° C. In one embodiment, the fat or oil is liquid at room temperature (23° C.).

[0044] (F)Fragrance The flavoring is not particularly limited, but an oil-soluble composition that is liquid at 20° C. can be used. Examples of the flavoring include citrus essential oils such as orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, mandarin, and bergamot; plant essential oils such as peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon, allspice, aniseed, basil, laurel, cardamom, celery, clove, jujube, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, mace, mustard, onion, paprika, and rosemary; cola nut, coffee, vanilla, cocoa, black tea, green tea, and wheat. Examples of the fragrance compounds include oil-soluble extracts such as Long Tea or oil layers obtained by steam distillation; synthetic fragrance compounds such as limonene, linalool, nerol, citronellol, geraniol, citral, l-menthol, eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, anethole, perillaldehyde, vanillin, γ-undecalactone, allyl caproate, l-carvone, maltol, and allyl isothiocyanate; and blended fragrance compositions obtained by mixing these in any ratio.

[0045] (G) Porous carbohydrate By mixing the porous carbohydrate with the granulated material together with the flavoring, it is possible to suppress the seepage of the fats and oils contained in the granulated material and the oils contained in the flavoring, thereby improving the suitability of the granulated food for filling into a cup.

[0046] Examples of the porous carbohydrate material include disaccharides or polysaccharides such as maltose, lactose, trehalose, and maltose, natural starches such as potato starch, corn starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, sago starch, rice starch, and waxy corn starch, and their modified starches (etherified starch, esterified starch, crosslinked starch, etc.), and dextrin. The porous carbohydrate is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch, and more preferably porous dextrin. The porous carbohydrate can be obtained, for example, by decomposing a raw material such as starch with oxygen or acid and drying the decomposition product. An example of the porous dextrin is the product name Oil Q No. 50 (manufactured by Nippon Starch Chemical Co., Ltd.). An example of the porous maltose is the product name Sanmaruto Shiro (manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd.). An example of the porous starch is trade name Lonfood OWP (manufactured by Nippon Starch Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0047] (H) Silicon dioxide particles The granular food may further contain silicon dioxide microparticles. The silicon dioxide microparticles are a component that contributes to improving the fluidity of the granular food. In one embodiment of the granular food, the silicon dioxide microparticles are unevenly distributed on the surface of the granular food, and can increase the fluidity of the granular food by reducing the contact resistance or chemical or electrostatic interaction between particles of the granular food. Examples of the silicon dioxide microparticles include at least one selected from the group consisting of light anhydrous silicic acid (containing 98.0% or more silicon dioxide), hydrous silicon dioxide (containing 95.0% or more silicon dioxide), magnesium aluminometasilicate, and talc (hydrous magnesium silicate (3MgO·4SiO2·H2O)).

[0048] The average particle size of the silicon dioxide microparticles is preferably 50 nm to 100 μm, more preferably 50 nm to 10 μm, and even more preferably 50 nm to 5 μm. By setting the average particle size of the silicon dioxide microparticles within the above range, the silicon dioxide microparticles can be effectively unevenly distributed on the surface of the granular food, thereby further improving the fluidity of the granular food. The average particle size of the silicon dioxide microparticles is the cumulative volume median diameter determined by the Coulter method (also called the "electrical detection zone method") (when the average particle size is 1 μm or more) or the dynamic light scattering method (when the average particle size is less than 1 μm).

[0049] 《Carr index》 The Carr index is defined as the sum of the information obtained from a powder property evaluation device (loose bulk density, packed bulk density, compressibility, angle of repose, angle of collapse, and angle of difference) that is indexed by referring to a fluidity index table and a floodability index table, and then adding the fluidity index to these indices. In other words, the Carr index = compressibility index + angle of repose index + fluidity index + angle of collapse index + angle of difference index (see also Yokoyama Tohei et al., "Trial manufacture of a powder fluidity measuring device by Carr's method," Journal of Powder Technology Research Society, Vol. 6, No. 4 (1969), pp. 264-291).

[0050] The Carr index of the granular food is at least 75, preferably at least 78, and more preferably at least 80. A granular food with a Carr index of at least 75 has high fluidity suitable for filling into a container.

[0051] Compression ratio The compression ratio of the granular food is preferably 20% or less, more preferably 18% or less, and even more preferably 16% or less. By controlling the compression ratio to 20% or less, it is possible to control the filling amount of the granular food. By controlling the compression ratio to 18% or less, it is possible to precisely control the filling amount of the granular food even in harsh environments of high temperature and high humidity (for example, temperature 33°C, humidity 75%). The compression ratio is determined at room temperature (23°C) using a powder property evaluation device according to the following procedure. Inner diameter 40 mm, height 80 mm, volume 100 cm 3 The outlet of the funnel (inner diameter of outlet: 7 mm) is aligned with a height of 38 cm from the top of the cylindrical container, so that the 3When the granular food is dropped into the funnel, the mass of the granular food packed in the cylindrical container is loosened and the bulk density a (g / 100 cm 3 ), a cap for topping up was attached to the same cylindrical container, and the granular food was dropped in the same manner as in the measurement of loose bulk density a. The container was tapped 10 times to make the granular food denser. The cap was then removed, and the excess granular food protruding from the top of the cylindrical container was scraped off. The mass of the granular food packed in the cylindrical container was then measured to determine the compacted bulk density b (g / 100 cm 3 ) and the value obtained by the formula: (ba)×100 / b is defined as the compression ratio.

[0052] <Angle of repose, angle of collapse and angle of difference> The angle of repose and the angle of collapse are determined at room temperature (23°C) using a powder characterization device according to the following procedure. Granular food is dropped through a funnel with an outlet height of 12 cm and an outlet inner diameter of 7 mm onto a disk with a diameter of 8 cm. The angle of the base of the mountain formed by the granular food is defined as the angle of repose, and the angle of the base after impacting the mountain three times is defined as the angle of collapse. Tapping is performed under standard conditions with a stroke length of 18 mm and a tapping speed of 60 times / min. The difference angle is the difference between the angle of repose and the angle of collapse (angle of repose - angle of collapse).

[0053] <Infrared spectroscopic characteristics of granular food surfaces> Granular food has a particle size of 1024±5cm when measured by the microscopic ATR method using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. -1 This maximum absorption wavenumber is attributed to the (G) porous carbohydrate present on the surface of the granular food. Measurements using the microscopic ATR method are performed under the following conditions. Infrared spectrometer: Fourier transform infrared spectrometer Magna-750 (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) Microscope: Infrared microscope Nic-Plan (Thermo Fisher Scientific) High refractive index medium (prism): Germanium Infrared light incident angle: 30±2 degrees Depth of measurement: 1μm Measurement area: 30μm Wavenumber resolution: 8cm-1

[0054] When granular foods were measured by the microscopic ATR method using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, -1 ~400cm -1 In the wavenumber region of 1024±5cm -1 It is preferable that the maximum absorption wave number is 1024±5 cm when measured by the microscopic ATR method. -1 The presence of the absorption maximum wave number at 1000 nm means that a large amount of the porous carbohydrate is unevenly distributed on the surface of the granular food. Therefore, in this embodiment, the oozing of the fats and oils contained in the granulated material and the oils contained in the flavoring is more effectively suppressed, and a granular food having particularly excellent suitability for filling into a cup can be provided.

[0055] 《Particle size distribution》 The 80 mesh pass particle size ratio of the granular food of one embodiment is less than 3 mass%, preferably less than 2 mass%, more preferably less than 1.5 mass%. The 80 mesh pass particle size ratio of the granular food of one embodiment is less than 13 mass%, preferably less than 10 mass%, more preferably less than 8 mass%. A granular food having an 80 mesh pass particle size ratio of less than 3 mass% and an 80 mesh particle size ratio of less than 13 mass% has a small content of fine powder, and therefore scattering during filling can be suppressed.

[0056] The 80 mesh pass particle size rate and 80 mesh particle size rate are determined using an electromagnetic vibration type sieve shaker according to the following procedure. Six φ200 sieves (six types of mesh sizes: 1000μm (16 mesh), 710μm (24 mesh), 355μm (42 mesh), 250μm (60 mesh), 180μm (80 mesh), 80 mesh pass (tray)) are stacked in six layers, starting from the coarsest mesh size at the top, and vibrated. Granular food is placed on the top sieve (1000μm mesh), and then sieved and classified by vibrating under the following conditions. Sample size: 100g~108g Operation mode: Stops every 20 seconds and immediately resumes vibration Vibration time: 5 minutes Amplitude: 2mm Frequency: 150 strokes / min

[0057] The mass A (g) of each mesh plate is recorded in advance, and the percentage of granular food having the particle size corresponding to each mesh plate is calculated by dividing the difference in the mass B (g) of each mesh plate after sieving and classification by the mass of the granular food added. Proportion (mass%) of granular food having the particle size corresponding to each perforated plate = (B(g)-A(g)) / mass (g) of granular food added

[0058] The 80 mesh pass particle size ratio (mass%) is defined as the mass ratio of the granular food that passed through an 80 mesh screen. The 80 mesh particle size ratio is defined as the mass ratio of the granular food that remains on an 80 mesh screen.

[0059] Average particle size of granular food D 50 In the present disclosure, the average particle diameter D of the granular food may be, for example, 30 μm to 1600 μm, 40 μm to 1500 μm, or 50 μm to 1400 μm. 50 is the cumulative volume median diameter determined using a laser diffraction scattering method.

[0060] The content of the (A) fatty acid ester in the granular food is preferably 0.1% by mass to 1.6% by mass, more preferably 0.12% by mass to 1.4% by mass, and even more preferably 0.15% by mass to 1.2% by mass. By setting the content of the fatty acid ester within the above range, the fluidity of the granular food can be increased and excessive aggregation of the granular food can be effectively prevented.

[0061] The content of the (B) food ingredient in the granular food is generally 61% by mass to 93% by mass, preferably 64% by mass to 92% by mass, and more preferably 70% by mass to 91% by mass.

[0062] The content of the moisturizing agent (D) in the granular food is preferably 0.1% by mass to 4.0% by mass, more preferably 0.3% by mass to 3.5% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass to 3.0% by mass. By setting the content of the moisturizing agent within the above range, the exudation of oils and fats from the granular food can be effectively suppressed, and the fluidity of the granular food can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0063] The oil content of the granular food is 9% by mass to 22% by mass, preferably 10% by mass to 20% by mass, and more preferably 12% by mass to 18% by mass. The oil content includes the oil contained in the (E) oils and fats and the (F) flavoring. The oil content varies depending on the types of fatty acid ester, food ingredients, oils and fats, and flavoring, and can be set appropriately depending on the product specifications of the granular food and the required fluidity (Carr index).

[0064] The total content of the (C) porous starch and (G) porous carbohydrate in the granular food is 3% to 15% by mass, preferably 4% to 12% by mass, and more preferably 5% to 10% by mass. By setting the total content of the (C) porous starch and (G) porous carbohydrate within the above range, the formation of granules during the production of the granular food is promoted, and the seepage of fats and oils contained in the granules and oils derived from flavorings onto the surface of the granular food is suppressed, thereby imparting excellent filling suitability to the granular food.

[0065] In an embodiment in which the granular food contains silicon dioxide microparticles (H), the content of the silicon dioxide microparticles (H) in the granular food is preferably 0.5% by mass to 2.5% by mass, more preferably 0.7% by mass to 2.0% by mass, and even more preferably 0.9% by mass to 1.8% by mass. By setting the content of the silicon dioxide microparticles within the above range, the contact resistance or chemical or electrostatic interaction between particles of the granular food can be effectively reduced, and the fluidity of the granular food can be further improved.

[0066] <Surface silicon concentration> In an embodiment in which the granular food contains (H) silicon dioxide microparticles, the surface silicon concentration of the granular food as determined by electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) analysis is preferably 0.1% by mass to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.2% by mass to 8% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass to 5% by mass. The surface silicon concentration of the granular food is derived from the presence of silicon dioxide microparticles, and is an index showing the degree of uneven distribution of the silicon dioxide microparticles on the surface. Granular foods with a surface silicon concentration of 0.1% by mass or more have excellent flowability and cup filling suitability due to the silicon dioxide microparticles adhering to the surface.

[0067] The surface silicon concentration by electron beam microanalyzer analysis is determined by depositing a thin gold film onto the surface of a granular food using a conductive film preparation device to make it conductive, and then performing analysis using an electron beam microanalyzer under the following conditions. Electron source: CeBix chip Acceleration voltage: 15 kV Analysis diameter: 100μm in diameter

[0068] <Method for producing granular food> A method for producing a granular food according to one embodiment includes the steps of: preparing a first mixture of (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of 1 to 8 in the glycerin portion and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less, and (B) a food ingredient, the food ingredient (B) including an excipient containing (C) porous starch; preparing a second mixture of the first mixture with a moisturizing agent and (E) a moisturizing agent-dispersed oil containing fats and oils; granulating the second mixture to form a granulated product; and mixing (F) a flavoring and (G) a porous carbohydrate with the granulated product. The amounts of the essential and optional components contained in the granular food can be determined so as to be the contents described above for the granular food.

[0069] Preparation of the first mixture The first mixture can be prepared by mixing (A) the fatty acid ester and (B) the food ingredient using a mixing device such as a pin mixer, a conical blender, a Nauta, or a conical ribbon mixer. The food ingredient components, such as soup powder and (C) porous starch, can also be premixed using the mixing device to prepare a premix, and then the premix and the fatty acid ester can be mixed. The food ingredient components, such as soup powder, the porous starch, and the fatty acid ester can also be mixed simultaneously.

[0070] <Preparation of Moisturizing Agent Dispersed Oil> The moisturizing agent dispersion oil containing (D) the moisturizing agent and (E) the oil or fat can be prepared using a conventional stirrer or homogenizer.

[0071] The moisturizer is preferably used in the form of an aqueous solution in the preparation of the moisturizer-dispersed oil. By using the aqueous solution of the moisturizer, the moisturizer is more uniformly dispersed, and the moisturizer-dispersed oil that is less likely to separate into two layers over time can be prepared. The concentration of the moisturizer in the aqueous solution of the moisturizer can be, for example, 10% by mass to 90% by mass, and preferably 20% by mass to 80% by mass.

[0072] The content of the moisturizer in the moisturizer-dispersed oil is preferably 2 to 20% by mass, more preferably 5 to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 13% by mass.

[0073] Preparation of the second mixture Next, the humectant dispersion oil and the first mixture are mixed to prepare a second mixture. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the water-soluble humectant dispersed in the oil in the humectant dispersion oil causes the food ingredients to aggregate during mixing, promoting the formation of granulated material. It is also believed that the presence of the fatty acid ester during the formation of granulated material suppresses excessive or uneven aggregation, thereby suppressing the formation of large lumps.

[0074] The moisturizing agent dispersion oil can be put into a container with a hole of 1.0 to 4.0 mm in diameter at the bottom, and dropped from the container into the first mixture. The moisturizing agent dispersion oil and the first mixture can be mixed using a mixing device such as a conical blender, a Nauta mixer, a ribbon mixer, a pin mixer, or a mixer (disintegrating mixer) having a disintegrating blade. The moisturizing agent dispersion oil and the first mixture can also be mixed using a rotatable storage container, for example, a rotatable tote bin. The mixing device is preferably a horizontal pin mixer that can mix the moisturizing agent dispersion oil and the first mixture more uniformly and has a wide discharge port to reduce the self-weight load. From the viewpoint of preventing the generation of lumps and improving the yield, a mixing device having a disintegrating blade is preferable.

[0075] The moisturizing agent dispersion oil is preferably mixed with the first mixture immediately after preparation, preferably within 20 minutes, more preferably within 10 minutes.

[0076] By leaving the second mixture to cool, the oil or fat can be semi-solidified or solidified by the moisturizing agent. After leaving to cool, the mixture may be sized using a vibrating sieve (8-10 mesh: 0.9 mmφ-2.25 mmφ opening). As a method for leaving the sized second mixture to stand, for example, temporary storage in a storage container such as a craft paper bag (20 kg capacity) or a flexible container bag can be mentioned.

[0077] Formation of Granules The second mixture is granulated to form a granule. Granulation may be performed simultaneously with the preparation of the second mixture, or may be performed in a separate step after the preparation of the second mixture.

[0078] In one embodiment, the second mixture is formed into a granule using fluidized bed granulation. Fluidized bed granulation can uniformly suspend the second mixture in a fluidized bed without forming lumps of the second mixture, and therefore can economically form a granular food product with consistent quality.

[0079] In the fluidized bed granulation, a binder for agglomerating the powder by liquid bridging may be sprayed onto the second mixture while suspending the powdered second mixture. Spraying methods include top spray, bottom spray, and tangential spray. Examples of binders include water, thickening polysaccharides (guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, etc.), starch, corn syrup, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and gelatin. The thickening polysaccharides, starch, corn syrup, CMC, and gelatin are generally sprayed in the form of an aqueous solution. The binder concentration in the aqueous binder solution is preferably 0.3% by mass to 0.7% by mass. The compressibility of the granulated product can be increased by liquid bridging the powder with the binder. Increasing the compressibility of the granulated product can reduce weighting errors in automatic cup filling using a stroke feeder device. The amount of binder used can be generally 0.04 to 0.05 parts by mass on a pilot scale and 0.08 to 0.1 parts by mass on a commercial scale, based on 100 parts by mass of the total of the fatty acid ester and the food raw material. The binder is preferably sprayed at 55°C or higher, more preferably at 60°C to 95°C. By setting the spray temperature at 55°C or higher, the network formation of the fatty acid ester can be promoted, and the fats and oils can be efficiently absorbed into the granular food. By setting the spray temperature at 95°C or lower, a granulated product with excellent flavor can be obtained.

[0080] The granular food obtained after granulation is allowed to stand and cool, which can promote the formation of a network of fatty acid esters and the semi-solidification or solidification of fats and oils by the moisturizing agent. After standing and cooling, large particle sizes may be removed using a vibrating sieve or the like.

[0081] Mixing Spices In the finishing step of the method for producing a granular food, (F) flavoring and (G) porous carbohydrate are mixed (post-mixed) with the granulated material. This produces a granular food with excellent suitability for filling in a cup, with the bleed-out of fats and oils contained in the granulated material and the flavoring suppressed. The mixing device is preferably a conical blender or a Nauta mixer, since it can suppress the crushing of the granulated material formed during the preparation of the second mixture. Mixing is preferably performed using a conical blender under conditions of a temperature of 10°C to 40°C and a mixing time of 10 to 30 minutes. This can suppress the collapse of the granulated material. After mixing, the granulated material may be sized using a vibrating sieve (8 to 10 mesh: mesh size 0.9 mmφ to 2.25 mmφ).

[0082] In one embodiment, a part of the porous carbohydrate is mixed with the flavoring to prepare a powdered flavoring, and the remainder of the porous carbohydrate, the powdered flavoring, and the granulated material are mixed. By preparing the powdered flavoring as an intermediate, the flavoring can be more uniformly attached to the surface of the granulated material.

[0083] In addition to the flavoring and the porous carbohydrate, (H) silicon dioxide fine particles may be mixed with the granulated material, which can further improve the cup-filling suitability of the granular food.

[0084] Another embodiment of the granular food contains (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of 1 to 8 in the glycerin moiety and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less, (B) a food ingredient, (D) a moisturizing agent, (E) fats and oils, (F) a flavoring, and (G) a porous carbohydrate. (B) The food ingredient contains (C) an excipient containing porous starch. The oil content of the granular food is 9% by mass to 22% by mass, the total content of (C) the porous starch and (G) the porous carbohydrate is 3% by mass to 15% by mass, and the Carr index is 75 or more. (G) The porous carbohydrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch. The components (A) to (G) and the optional component (H), as well as the method for producing the granular food, are as described above.

[0085] How to use granular food The granular food can be used for various purposes. Examples of the uses of the granular food include granular soup, furikake, and seasonings for other foods (e.g., snacks, french fries, etc.). The granular food can be particularly suitably used as granular soup. EXAMPLES

[0086] The following examples illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. All parts and percentages, including the tables, are by weight unless otherwise specified.

[0087] <Raw materials> The raw materials used in this example are shown in Table 1.

[0088] [Table 1]

[0089] The composition of the fatty acid ester Ap-1 was analyzed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and gas chromatography (GC).

[0090] The GPC measurement was carried out using a gel permeation chromatograph (DGU-20A3 / LC20AD / CBM-20A / SIL-20AHT / CTO-20AC / SPD-M20A / RID-10A / FRC-10A, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) under the following conditions. Column: Shim-pack GPC-80M (length 300 mm x inner diameter 80 mm) Detector: Refractive index detector (RID) Column temperature: 40℃ Mobile phase: Tetrahydrofuran (THF) Flow rate: 1mL / min Standard material: Shodex STANDARD (Type: SM-105, manufactured by Resonac Co., Ltd.) Sample: Tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution, fatty acid ester concentration 1g / L, filtered through a membrane filter (PTFE, 0.5μm) Injection volume: 20μL

[0091] The GC measurement was carried out using a gas chromatograph Agilent 7890B GC system (manufactured by Agilent Technologies, Inc.) under the following conditions. Column: DB-23 (Agilent Technologies, φ0.25 mm × 30 m, film thickness 0.25 μm) Detector: Flame ionization detector (FID) Inlet temperature: 250℃ Detector temperature: 250℃ Column temperature: 50°C (1 minute hold) → Heat up 10°C / min → 170°C → Heat up 1.2°C / min → 210°C Sample introduction system: split (1:20) Hydrogen gas flow rate: 35mL / min Air flow rate: 300mL / min Nitrogen flow rate (make-up): 20mL / min Helium gas (carrier gas) pressure: 115kPa Injection volume: 1μL Amount collected: 0.03615~0.04237g Final liquid volume: 3mL

[0092] For the fatty acid ester Ap-1, peaks were observed in the positions of weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 2719-3271 (10.782 min) and 826-878 (11.237 min) in GPC. The fatty acid composition was confirmed to be C18:C22=56:38 in GC. Based on this information, and using the molecular weights of glycerol or its polymer and fatty acid, it was determined that the fatty acid ester Ap-1 was a mixture of monoglycerol behenate (molecular weight 755.25=92.09+340.58×2−18) and octaglycerol stearate (molecular weight 3008.72=610.58+284.48×9−18×9).

[0093] Evaluation Method The properties of the granulated soup were evaluated using the following methods.

[0094] Compression ratio The compressibility of the granular soup was measured at room temperature (23°C) using a powder property evaluation device (Powder Tester (registered trademark) PT-X, manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation). The sieve opening was 1700 μm. The inner diameter was 40 mm, the height was 80 mm, and the volume was 100 cm. 3 The outlet of the funnel (inner diameter of outlet: 7 mm) is aligned with a height of 38 cm from the top of the cylindrical container, so that the 3 When the granular soup is poured into a funnel and dropped, the mass of the granular soup packed in the cylindrical container is loosened and the bulk density a (g / 100 cm 3 The same cylindrical container was fitted with a top-up cap, and the granular soup was dropped in the same manner as in the measurement of the loose bulk density a. The container was tapped 10 times to make the granular soup dense. After that, the cap was removed, and the excess granular soup protruding from the top of the cylindrical container was scraped off. The mass of the granular soup filled in the cylindrical container was then measured to determine the solidified bulk density b (g / 100 cm 3 The compression ratio was calculated using the formula: (ba) × 100 / b.

[0095] Angle of repose, angle of collapse and angle of difference The angle of repose and the angle of collapse of the granular soup were measured at room temperature (23°C) using a powder property evaluation device (Powder Tester (registered trademark) PT-X, manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation). The sieve opening was set to 1700 μm. The granular soup was dropped onto a disk with a diameter of 8 cm through a funnel with an outlet height of 12 cm and an outlet inner diameter of 7 mm. The angle of the base of the mountain formed by the granular soup was taken as the angle of repose, and the angle of the base after impacting the mountain three times was taken as the angle of collapse. Tapping was performed under standard conditions of a stroke length of 18 mm and a tapping speed of 60 times / min. The difference angle is the difference between the angle of repose and the angle of collapse (angle of repose - angle of collapse).

[0096] 《Carr index》 The information (loose bulk density, packed bulk density, compressibility, angle of repose, collapse angle, and difference angle) obtained from a powder property evaluation device (Powder Tester (registered trademark) PT-X, manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation) can be converted into indices by referring to a fluidity index table and a spoutability index table (see also Yokoyama Tohei et al., "Prototype of a Powder Fluidity Measurement Device by Carr's Method," Journal of Powder Technology Research Association, Vol. 6, No. 4 (1969), pp. 264-291). The sum of these indices plus the fluidity index is the Carr index (=compressibility index + angle of repose index + fluidity index + collapse angle index + difference angle index). The Carr index of granular soup was calculated using MT1001k analysis software Ver. 1.02 (manufactured by Seishin Enterprise Co., Ltd.).

[0097] <Evaluation based on the Carr index> The correlation between the number of cups with filling amounts outside the standard value and the Carr index was evaluated for granular soup after filling the cups. Specifically, 1,000 cups filled with granular soup using a stroke feeder (speed: 29 shots / min) were weighed, and the number of cups outside the standard value (median ±1g) was compared with the Carr index. The evaluation criteria were as follows: "Excellent" was defined as less than 5 cups outside the standard value (Carr index 80 or more), "Good" was defined as less than 10 cups outside the standard value (Carr index 78 or more, less than 80), "Fair" was defined as less than 20 cups outside the standard value (Carr index 75 or more, less than 78), and "Poor" was defined as 20 or more cups outside the standard value (Carr index less than 75).

[0098] 《Particle size distribution measurement》 The particle size distribution of granular soup was measured using an electromagnetic vibration type sieve shaker (Verder Scientific Co., Ltd. (formerly Retsch) AS200 control, clamp unit A type set (compatible with φ200-203 mm)). Six φ200 sieves (six types of mesh size: 1000 μm (16 mesh), 710 μm (24 mesh), 355 μm (42 mesh), 250 μm (60 mesh), 180 μm (80 mesh), 80 mesh pass (tray)) manufactured by Tokyo Screen Co., Ltd. were stacked in six layers from top to bottom with the coarsest mesh size and vibrated.

[0099] The sample was placed on the top sieve (mesh size 1000 μm) and then sieved and classified by vibrating under the following conditions. Sample size: 100g~108g Operation mode: Stops every 20 seconds and immediately resumes vibration Vibration time: 5 minutes Amplitude: 2mm Frequency: 150 strokes per minute

[0100] The mass A (g) of each perforated plate was recorded in advance, and the percentage of granular soup having the particle size corresponding to each perforated plate was calculated by dividing the difference in the mass B (g) of each perforated plate after sieving and classification by the mass of the sample added. The percentage of granular soup having the particle size corresponding to each perforated plate (mass%) = (B(g)-A(g)) / mass of sample added (g)

[0101] <Infrared spectroscopic analysis using the microscopic ATR method> The infrared spectroscopic characteristics of the granular soup were analyzed under the following conditions using a microscopic ATR method with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. Infrared spectrometer: Fourier transform infrared spectrometer Magna-750 (manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific) Microscope: Infrared microscope Nic-Plan (Thermo Fisher Scientific) High refractive index medium (prism): Germanium Infrared light incident angle: 30±2 degrees Depth of measurement: 1μm Measurement area: 30μm Wavenumber resolution: 8cm -1

[0102] 《Electron microscope and electron beam microanalyzer analysis》 Electron microscope images of the granular soup were taken and elemental analysis of the surface layer of the granular soup was carried out. The granular soup was fixed to an aluminum sample stand using carbon tape, and a thin gold film was evaporated onto the surface of the granular soup using a conductive film production device to make it conductive. After that, the images were taken and elemental analysis was carried out under the following conditions. (1) Electron microscope photography Equipment: JEOL Ltd. JSM-5600LV scanning electron microscope Electron beam source: tungsten filament Shooting mode: High vacuum mode Image taken: Secondary electron image Acceleration voltage: 5 kV Working distance: 20mm Magnification: 200x and 1000x (2) Electron probe microanalyzer analysis Equipment: Shimadzu Corporation electron probe microanalyzer EPMA-1610 Electron source: CeBix chip Acceleration voltage: 15 kV Analysis diameter: 100μm in diameter

[0103] General analysis (moisture, salt, oil) General analyses of moisture, salt, and oil contents were performed in accordance with the testing methods of the Japan Food Research Center.

[0104] Moisture content was analyzed by the reduced pressure heating drying method. Specifically, 3 g of the crushed and homogenized sample was placed in a weighing can, the lid was placed on the can, and the can was weighed. The lid was opened about halfway, and the weighing tube was placed in a vacuum dryer set at 70°C. After the temperature inside the vacuum dryer reached 70°C and the can was dried for 5 hours, the lid was quickly placed on the can and the can was transferred to a desiccator. The can was left to cool to room temperature and then weighed. Moisture content was calculated using the following formula. Moisture (g / 100g)=(W1-W2) / S×100 W1: Mass of the weighing can containing the sample before drying (g) W2: Mass of the weighing can containing the sample after drying (g) S: mass of sample (g)

[0105] Salt content was analyzed by the Mohr method. Specifically, 1 g of the crushed and homogenized sample was weighed into a beaker. 50 mL of boiling water was added to the sample and stirred. The mixture was filtered under reduced pressure, and the filtrate was cooled and then poured into a 100 mL measuring flask. The filtered material was washed with water several times, and the resulting liquid was also poured into a 100 mL measuring flask to obtain 100 mL of test solution.

[0106] (Titer of titrant) 10 mL of 0.1 mol / L sodium chloride solution was measured using a volumetric pipette and placed in a 100 mL Erlenmeyer flask. If a drop of phenolphthalein solution was added and the solution was colorless, it was neutralized with 1% by mass sodium carbonate solution, and if it was red, it was neutralized with 5% by mass acetic acid solution. 1 mL of potassium chromate solution was added and titrated with 0.1 mol / L silver nitrate solution. The end point was when the solution turned faint orange. The titer of the titrant was calculated using the following formula. Titrant titer (F1) = (10 x F2) / A1 A1: Titration volume of silver nitrate solution (mL) F2: Potency of 0.1 mol / L sodium chloride solution

[0107] (titration) 10 mL of the test solution was placed in a 100 mL Erlenmeyer flask using a volumetric pipette. After adding one drop of phenolphthalein solution, if the solution was colorless it was neutralized with 1% by mass sodium carbonate aqueous solution, and if the solution was red it was neutralized with 5% by mass acetic acid aqueous solution. 1 mL of potassium chromate aqueous solution was added and titrated with 0.1 mol / L silver nitrate aqueous solution. The end point was when the solution turned faint orange. The salt content was calculated using the following formula. Salinity (g / 100g)=[5.844×(A2-B)×F1×(V1 / V2)×α] / S×[(S1+S2) / S1]×100 A2: Titration volume of silver nitrate solution (mL) B: Titration volume (mL) of the blank test silver nitrate solution F1: Titration solution (silver nitrate solution) V1: Volume of the measuring flask (mL) V2: Volume of the volumetric pipette (mL) α: dilution ratio S: mass of sample (mg)

[0108] The oil content was analyzed by the Soxhlet extraction method. Specifically, 3 g of the sample was placed in a cylindrical filter paper filled with absorbent cotton. After drying the sample in an incubator at 105 °C for 2 hours, the sample was lightly packed with absorbent cotton and placed in an extraction tube. Diethyl ether was placed in a flask whose mass had been measured in advance at about 2 / 3 of its volume, and the flask was connected to the extraction tube and connected to a cooling tube. The flask was placed in an electric thermostatic water bath and extraction was performed for 8 to 16 hours. After the extraction was completed, the extraction tube was removed and the cylindrical filter paper was removed with tweezers. The flask was again connected to the cooling tube and heated in the electric thermostatic water bath. When most of the diethyl ether in the flask had moved to the extraction tube, the flask was removed and the diethyl ether remaining in the flask was removed with a vacuum pump. The outside of the flask was wiped with gauze and dried in an electric thermostatic oven at 105 °C for 1 hour, then transferred to a desiccator and allowed to cool for 1 hour, and the mass of the flask was weighed. The oil content was calculated using the following formula. Oil content (g / 100g)=(W1-W0) / S×100 W0: Mass of flask before extraction (g) W1: Mass of flask after extraction (g) S: Amount of sample collected (g)

[0109] <Examples 1 to 7, Comparative Example 1> The granulated soup was prepared as follows.

[0110] Preparation of the first mixture (B) Cheese-based powdered soup (X-1) was used as a food ingredient. X-1 contained 5% by mass of porous dextrin (PSt) as an excipient containing (C) porous starch. The crystals in X-1 were pulverized into powder. Then, X-1 was mixed with (A) fatty acid ester (Ap-1) using a conical ribbon mixer according to the composition shown in Table 2 to prepare a first mixture (PMX1-1).

[0111] [Table 2]

[0112] Preparation of the second mixture (D) Moisturizer (Sal-1) was added to (E) oil (LDOL) placed in a 3 L glass beaker with an inner diameter of 165 mm (manufactured by AGC Technoglass Co., Ltd.), and the mixture was stirred using a Tornado stirrer (name: TORNADO, turbine type P-65 model, stirring shaft 50 cm, manufactured by AS ONE Co., Ltd.) to prepare moisturizer dispersion oil (DISP-1). Table 3 shows the composition of the moisturizer dispersion oil.

[0113] [Table 3]

[0114] The moisturizing agent dispersion oil was placed in a container with holes of 1.0 to 4.0 mm in diameter, and the first mixture was placed in the stirring tank of a pin-type mixer, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes at a rotation speed of 70 rpm while dripping the moisturizing agent dispersion oil. Five minutes after the completion of stirring, the mixture was removed from the stirring tank, passed through a vibrating sieve with 8 to 10 mesh (openings 0.9 mmφ to 2.25 mmφ), and allowed to stand to prepare a second mixture (PMX2-1). Table 4 shows the composition of the second mixture.

[0115] [Table 4]

[0116] <Granulation of granules - fluidized bed granulation> The second mixture was placed on a perforated tray of a fluidized bed coating device (FLO-1 or FLO-300, manufactured by Okawara Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) and suspended by setting the intake air temperature at 80 to 95°C, the damper opening at 0.2 to 0.4 MPa, and the spray air pressure at 0.18 MPa, and a granulated material was formed by spraying a 0.3 mass% aqueous solution of a thickener (Orno SY-1, manufactured by Organo Foodtech Co., Ltd.) from a nozzle.

[0117] Mixing Spices (F) flavoring was mixed with (G) porous carbohydrate or other carbohydrate shown in Table 5, and in Examples 4, 6, and 7 and Comparative Example 1, further mixed with (H) silicon dioxide microparticles, and then mixed with the granulated material at 25° C. for 15 minutes using a conical blender to produce granulated soup. Table 5 shows the composition and physical properties of the granulated soup.

[0118] [Table 5]

[0119] The particle size distribution and granulation degree of the granular soup of Examples 1 to 7 are shown in Table 6. The evaluation criteria for the granulation degree in these examples are as follows. A: Compression rate 18% or less, Carr index 85 or more, and 80 mesh or more than 80 mesh pass B: Compression degree 18% or less, Carr index 78 to less than 85, and 80 mesh ≥ 80 mesh pass C: Compression rate over 18%, Carr index less than 78, 80 mesh < 80 mesh pass D: Compression rate over 18%, Carr index less than 78, 80 mesh < 80 mesh pass

[0120] [Table 6]

[0121] 1 shows electron microscope images (200x and 1000x) of the granular soup of Example 5 and Example 7. In the granular soup of Example 7 containing silicon dioxide microparticles, fine irregularities were observed on the surface, which were thought to be due to the microparticles.

[0122] The results of elemental analysis (semi-quantitative values) of the granular soups of Examples 5 and 7 are shown in Table 7.

[0123] [Table 7]

[0124] The carbon (C) value suggests that porous dextrin, which has a low specific gravity, covers the surface of the granular soup in the granular soup of Examples 5 and 7. In addition to the silicon (Si) and carbon (C) values, almost no other elements (Na, Cl, etc.) were detected, suggesting that in the granular soup of Example 7, a combination of porous dextrin and silicon dioxide microparticles covers the surface of the granular soup more widely.

[0125] FIG. 2 shows IR spectra measured by a micro-ATR method of the granular soup (a), the granulated product (b), the liquid flavoring (c), the porous dextrin (d), and the mixture of the liquid flavoring and the porous dextrin (e) of Example 5.

[0126] The 1737 cm observed in (a), (b), (c), and (e) of Figure 2 -1 ~1746cm -1 The absorption at the maximum wavenumber (4000 cm) attributable to the ester bonds of the oils and fats and the oils contained in the fragrances is shown in FIG. 2(a). -1 ~400cm -1 (which is also the absorption maximum wavenumber in the wavenumber region of 1024 cm -1 It was observed near the nucleus with an absorbance (Abs) of 0.096.

[0127] <Example 8 to Example 13> Granular soup was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the first mixture and the humectant-dispersed oil were mixed using a mixer with a crushing blade (disintegrating mixer). Specifically, the humectant-dispersed oil was added to the first mixture from the binder hopper, and the mixture was stirred under the following conditions to obtain four types of second mixtures with different amounts of oil and fat at a yield of 97% or more. Table 8 shows the composition and physical properties of the granular soup. Blade rotation speed: 242 rpm or 349 rpm Cross screw speed: 3017 rpm Mixing time: 30 seconds from the addition of moisturizing agent dispersion oil

[0128] [Table 8]

[0129] The particle size distribution and granulation degree of the granular soup of Examples 8 to 13 are shown in Table 9.

[0130] [Table 9]

[0131] The results of general analysis (moisture, salt, oil) of the granular soups of Examples 8, 10, 12, and 13 are shown in Table 10.

[0132] [Table 10] [Industrial Applicability]

[0133] The granular food of the present disclosure contains high concentrations of fats and oils and flavorings, while having excellent suitability for filling into cups, and can be suitably used, for example, in granular soups.

Claims

1. (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of the glycerin moiety of 1 to 8 and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less; (B) a food ingredient; and (D) a moisturizer; and (E) fats and oils; (F) a fragrance; and (G) a porous carbohydrate; A granular food comprising: The food ingredient (B) contains an excipient (C) containing porous starch, The oil content of the granular food is 9% by mass to 22% by mass, the total content of the (C) porous starch and the (G) porous carbohydrate in the granular food is 3% by mass to 15% by mass; The granular food has a Carr index of 75 or more; The granular food has a particle size distribution of 1024±5 cm when measured by a microscopic ATR method using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. －１ A granular food having a maximum absorption wavenumber at

2. The granular food has a refractive index of 4000 cm when measured by a microscopic ATR method using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. －１ ~400cm －１ In the wavenumber region of 1024±5 cm －１ 2. The granular food product of claim 1, having an absorption maximum wavenumber of

3. 3. The granular food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the (G) porous carbohydrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch.

4. 3. The granular food of claim 1 or 2, further comprising (H) silicon dioxide microparticles.

5. The granular food according to claim 4, wherein the content of the silicon dioxide fine particles (H) is 0.5% by mass to 2.5% by mass.

6. The granular food according to claim 4, wherein the silicon dioxide fine particles (H) are fine particles containing at least one selected from the group consisting of light anhydrous silicic acid, hydrous silicon dioxide, magnesium aluminometasilicate, and talc.

7. A method for producing a first mixture of (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of 1 to 8 in the glycerin moiety and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less, and (B) a food raw material, the food raw material (B) including (C) an excipient containing porous starch; preparing a second mixture of the first mixture and a moisturizer-dispersed oil containing (D) a moisturizer and (E) an oil; granulating the second mixture to form a granulation; (F) mixing a flavoring and (G) a porous carbohydrate with the granules; A method for producing a granular food product comprising the steps of:

8. mixing a portion of the (G) porous carbohydrate with the (F) flavoring to prepare a powder flavoring; mixing the remainder of the (G) porous carbohydrate and the powdered flavor with the granules; The method for producing a granular food product according to claim 7, further comprising:

9. 9. The method for producing a granular food according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the (G) porous carbohydrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch.

10. The method for producing a granular food according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising mixing (H) silicon dioxide fine particles with the granulated material.

11. (A) at least one fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters having an average degree of polymerization of the glycerin moiety of 1 to 8 and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 8 or less; (B) a food ingredient; and (D) a moisturizer; and (E) fats and oils; (F) a fragrance; and (G) a porous carbohydrate; A granular food comprising: The food ingredient (B) contains an excipient (C) containing porous starch, The oil content of the granular food is 9% by mass to 22% by mass, the total content of the (C) porous starch and the (G) porous carbohydrate in the granular food is 3% by mass to 15% by mass; The granular food has a Carr index of 75 or more; A granular food, wherein the (G) porous carbohydrate is at least one selected from the group consisting of porous dextrin, porous maltose, and porous starch.

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