Coffee food product

Abstract

To provide a coffee food product that can be used for a wide range of applications and has excellent taste and aroma.SOLUTION: In a coffee food product in which at least a coffee-derived finely ground product containing flavor components after roasting coffee beans and vegetable oils and fats are kneaded, the total amount of oil and fat components contained in the coffee food product is 30 wt.% or more and 45 wt.% or less. It is preferable that the mass ratio (L / O) of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the oil and fat components is 0.17 to 2.0 and that the mass ratio (L / S) of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component is 0.14 to 2.0. In addition, the mass ratio (S / P) of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat components may be 0.5 to 1.5. It is preferable that the vegetable oils and fats contain coffee oil extracted from coffee beans and that the total coffee oil, which is the sum of the coffee oil in the finely ground product and the coffee oil in the vegetable oils and fats, is contained in the range from 3 wt.% to 33 wt.%.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coffee food product that can be used for a wide range of purposes and allows the user to easily enjoy the aroma and taste of coffee. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, coffee is consumed as a beverage by many users. For example, in the case of drip coffee, hot water is added to ground coffee beans obtained by roasting and grinding green coffee beans, and the coffee is extracted. Therefore, in order to enjoy coffee, it is usually necessary to have equipment for extracting coffee and it takes time to extract the coffee. However, there is a high demand from consumers for the ability to easily enjoy the taste and aroma of coffee at any time.

[0003] Therefore, the inventors have already proposed a coffee food in which finely ground coffee-derived material containing aroma components after roasting coffee beans, coffee oil extracted from coffee beans, and hardened oil are kneaded and solidified, and the coffee oil content in the entire food is 1% by weight or more and 5% by weight or less. This is a coffee food in which the ... and coffee oil are coated with hardened oil, thereby trapping the aroma components of the coffee within the material and improving the preservation of the coffee aroma and the mouthfeel. This makes it possible to easily enjoy the taste and aroma of coffee at any time.

[0004] There is a strong demand for people to be able to easily enjoy the taste and aroma of coffee, and there is a demand for technology that can achieve a stable taste and aroma in a wide range of food forms, including not only solidified coffee foods but also non-solidified coffee foods. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6849552 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a coffee food that can be used for a wide range of purposes and has excellent taste and aroma. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In other words, the coffee food of the present invention is a coffee food in which at least finely ground coffee-derived material containing aroma components obtained after roasting coffee beans and vegetable oil are kneaded together, and is characterized in that the total amount of oil components contained in the coffee food is 30% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less. If the total amount of fat and oil components in a coffee food is less than 30% by weight, the rich flavor of coffee is not easily felt, and if it exceeds 45% by weight, there is a problem that the food is easily felt to be oily when ingested. By setting the amount to 30-45% by weight, a coffee food with a rich flavor and well-balanced taste and aroma can be obtained, even if the food is in a solid, semi-solid, or liquid form. The total amount of fat and oil components in a coffee food is more preferably 33% by weight or more and 40% by weight or less, and even more preferably 35.5% by weight or more and 37.5% by weight or less.

[0008] The "finely ground product derived from coffee" is preferably finely ground beans obtained by grinding roasted coffee beans (hereinafter also simply referred to as "finely ground beans"), but fine powder obtained by freeze-drying a coffee extract extracted from roasted coffee beans may also be used. The variety of coffee beans used here is preferably Arabica, but canephora or liberica may also be used. There is no particular limitation on the place of origin. The degree of roasting may be any of light, medium, and dark roasting, and the roasting temperature and time may be set within the range of commonly used conditions. The finely ground beans are preferably obtained by grinding roasted coffee beans from which no coffee oil or coffee liquid has been extracted, but beans from which coffee oil or coffee liquid has been extracted may also be used. The grinding method is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of achieving both a good texture on the tongue and a strong bean presence, the particle size of the finely ground beans is preferably a volume average particle size in the range of 10 to 100 micrometers.

[0009] As the "vegetable oils and fats", a wide variety of known vegetable oils can be used, such as coffee oil, cacao butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, palm oil, peanut oil, rice oil, rapeseed oil (lower sic), sesame oil, corn oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, etc. These vegetable oils may be used as they are, or may contain antioxidants and other additives. A part or all of the vegetable oils and fats are hydrogenated and used as hardened oils. The term "oil and fat components" refers to all the oil and fat components contained in the coffee food product, and may include not only vegetable oils and fats, but also animal oils and fats such as milk fat. Generally, coffee oil is contained in finely ground beans at about 14.5 to 20%, but the "vegetable fats and oils" in this case do not include the coffee oil contained in the finely ground beans (hereinafter also referred to as "finely ground bean coffee oil"). In contrast, the "fat and oil components" include finely ground bean coffee oil.

[0010] In the coffee food of the present invention, the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the oil and fat component is preferably L / O = 0.17 to 2.0. Furthermore, in the coffee food of the present invention, the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the oil and fat component is more preferably L / O = 0.17 to 1.0, and even more preferably L / O = 0.17 to 0.5. By ensuring that the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) is within this range, a flavorful coffee food with excellent taste and aroma can be obtained.

[0011] When the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the oil and fat component is L / O = 0.17 to 2.0, the coffee food of the present invention preferably has a mass ratio of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component of L / S = 0.14 to 2.0. In such a case, the coffee food of the present invention more preferably has a mass ratio of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component of L / S = 0.14 to 1.0, and even more preferably L / S = 0.14 to 0.5. By ensuring that the mass ratio of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) is within this range, the flavor stability of the coffee food can be further improved.

[0012] The coffee food of the present invention may have a mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component of S / P = 0.5 to 1.5. In such a case, the coffee food of the present invention more preferably has a mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component of S / P = 1.0 to 1.5. By having the mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) in this range, a flavorful coffee food with excellent taste and aroma can be obtained.

[0013] In the coffee food of the present invention, the vegetable oil contains coffee oil extracted from coffee beans, and the total amount of coffee oil, which is the sum of the coffee oil in the finely ground product and the coffee oil in the vegetable oil, is preferably in the range of 3% by weight to 33% by weight. If it is less than 3% by weight, the flavor of the coffee oil is difficult to fully feel, and if it exceeds 33% by weight, there is a problem that the oiliness increases and it becomes difficult to balance the flavor. Therefore, by containing the total coffee oil in the coffee food in the range of 3% by weight to 33% by weight, it is possible to obtain a coffee food that is easy to use for various purposes and has a rich flavor with excellent taste and aroma. It is more preferable that the total coffee oil in the food is contained in the range of 4% by weight to 28% by weight.

[0014] Here, "coffee oil extracted from coffee beans" (hereinafter also referred to as "added coffee oil") preferably refers to coffee oil pressed from coffee beans using a known pressing method, but may also be coffee oil extracted using, for example, fluid carbon dioxide or nitrogen as a supercritical fluid. In this specification, "added coffee oil" is used to distinguish it from "finely ground coffee oil", and the combination of "added coffee oil" and "finely ground coffee oil" refers to "total coffee oil".

[0015] In the coffee food of the present invention, the total coffee oil content may be in the range of 10% by weight to 20% by weight of the vegetable oil in addition to the weight % of coffee oil in the finely ground product. By including coffee oil in the vegetable oil in such a range, the semi-solid or solid coffee oil at room temperature can be easily dissolved and made fluid, and therefore the coffee oil can be eaten as it is, or made into a paste or liquid form and used as an ingredient in sweets or dishes, making it suitable for use in confectionery and cooking.

[0016] Furthermore, in the coffee food of the present invention, the total coffee oil content may be more than 5% by weight and less than 10% by weight of coffee oil in the vegetable oil in addition to the weight percent of coffee oil in the finely ground product. When the coffee oil in the vegetable oil is contained in such a range, it is solid at room temperature, making it easy to handle. In addition, it can be used for various purposes, such as being made semi-solid or fluid by dissolving it as needed, so it can be used not only as it is as a food, but also in a paste or liquid form.

[0017] In the coffee food of the present invention, it is preferable that the vegetable oil does not contain cacao butter. Even if cacao butter is not contained, the total amount of the oil and fat components and the mass ratio of each fatty acid contained in the oil and fat components are within the above-mentioned range, so that the food can be excellent in taste and aroma. Furthermore, by not containing cacao butter, the coffee food can be one in which the original flavor of coffee can be felt more, unlike chocolates and the like. In such a case, the vegetable oil may contain edible vegetable oils composed of palm oil, sunflower oil, shea nut oil, etc., in addition to coffee oil.

[0018] In addition, the coffee food of the present invention preferably does not contain cocoa mass. Even if the coffee food does not contain cocoa mass, the total amount of the fat and oil components and the mass ratio of each fatty acid contained in the fat and oil components are within the above-mentioned ranges, so that the coffee food can have excellent taste and aroma. Furthermore, by not containing cocoa mass, the coffee food can have a more original coffee flavor, unlike chocolates and the like. Effect of the Invention

[0019] The coffee food of the present invention has the advantage that it can be used for a wide range of purposes and has excellent taste and aroma. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] Principal component analysis results of fatty acid composition analysis data [Diagram 2] Graph showing parameters based on oleic acid and linoleic acid percentages in foods [Diagram 3] Graph showing parameters based on stearic acid and linoleic acid percentages in foods [Figure 4] Graph showing parameters based on palmitic acid and stearic acid percentages in foods DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following examples and illustrated examples, and many modifications and variations are possible. EXAMPLES

[0022] (About the test overview) The coffee food of the present invention, as well as coffee-like chocolates, coffee beans, coffee oil, and cocoa butter, were subjected to fatty acid composition analysis and principal component analysis, and correlations with coffee oil and with each fatty acid were examined. Table 1 below shows the details of the 11 types of samples used in this test. Table 2 below shows the recipes for the coffee foods of Examples A to C. All of Examples A to C shown in Tables 1 and 2 below are coffee foods that contain finely ground coffee beans and added coffee oil, but do not contain cocoa mass or cocoa butter. The proportion of finely ground beans in the food is 15% for Examples A and C, and 40% for Example B. In addition, Examples A and C use finely ground beans and added coffee oil from different places of origin. The numerical values ​​showing the proportion of vegetable oils and fats here indicate the proportion of vegetable oils and fats other than added coffee oil. The vegetable oils and fats contained in Examples A to C are composed of palm oil, sunflower oil, and shea nut oil.

[0023] Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are chocolates containing cacao butter and are already commercially available. Comparative Examples 1 and 2 contain finely ground coffee beans, but the specific amount of finely ground beans contained in the chocolates of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 is unknown. Comparative Examples 2 and 3 also contain cacao mass. Comparative Example 3 is a chocolate containing milk. The coffee foods of Examples A to C and the chocolates of Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were all judged to have a good balance between taste and aroma in a sensory evaluation test. The coffee beans shown in Table 1 refer to the finely ground coffee beans (Ethiopian Mocha) blended in the coffee food product of Example C. Coffee oil A is the coffee oil used in the preparation of Example A, and coffee oils (C1, C2) are the coffee oils used in the preparation of Example C. Coffee oils (A, C1, C2) are all coffee oils pressed from coffee beans using a known pressing method. Coffee oil C1 is coffee oil that has been pressed a long time ago, while coffee oil C2 is coffee oil that has been pressed a short time ago.

[0024] [Table 1]

[0025] [Table 2]

[0026] (Solid-liquid separation by Soxhlet extraction) To analyze the fatty acid composition, first, solid-liquid separation was performed by the Soxhlet method on the coffee foods of Examples A to C and the chocolates and coffee beans of Comparative Examples 1 to 3. The weights (%) of the solid contents and fats and oils obtained by solid-liquid separation by the Soxhlet method are shown in Table 3.

[0027] [Table 3]

[0028] (Fatty acid composition analysis) The fatty acid content per fat / oil component was quantified by GC (Gas Chromatograph) measurement for the fat / oil components, coffee oil, and cocoa butter in Examples A to C, Comparative Examples 1 to 3, or coffee beans separated by Soxhlet extraction. The fatty acid contents (%) obtained as a result of the quantification are shown in Table 4 below. Note that blanks in Table 4 indicate values ​​below the quantification limit.

[0029] [Table 4]

[0030] (About principal component analysis) Principal component analysis was performed using the fatty acid composition ratio data of a total of 11 samples shown in Table 4. FIG. 1 shows the results of subjecting the fatty acid composition data of Table 4 and the fatty acid composition analysis data of the above samples to principal component analysis. As shown in FIG. 1, it was confirmed that the coffee food of Example A and the chocolates of Comparative Example 2 are similar. It was also inferred that the fatty acid composition of the cocoa butter and Examples A to C is different. The principal component scores of each fatty acid obtained by principal component analysis are shown in Table 5 below. The contribution rate is 77.0% for the first principal component and 22.8% for the second principal component. As shown in Table 5, it was found that palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid have high principal component scores relative to the first and second principal components.

[0031] [Table 5]

[0032] (Calculation of the estimated coffee oil percentage in foods) Table 6 shows the approximate coffee oil ratios in each of the 11 samples subjected to the principal component analysis, and the palmitic acid / stearic acid / oleic acid / linoleic acid ratios in each sample. The ratio of finely ground coffee bean oil is generally estimated to be 14.5-20%, and in this example, it was estimated to be 20%. As shown in Table 6 below, it was found that palmitic acid and linoleic acid tend to increase as the total coffee oil ratio in the food increases. In addition, stearic acid and oleic acid tend to decrease as the total coffee oil ratio in the food increases. In this way, it was shown that the ratio of each fatty acid changes depending on the total coffee oil ratio in the food.

[0033] [Table 6]

[0034] Figures 2 to 4 are graphs showing parameters based on the ratio of two types of fatty acids in foods. Figure 2 shows the relationship between oleic acid and linoleic acid (correlation coefficient R 2 =0.9981), and Figure 3 shows the relationship between stearic acid and linoleic acid (correlation coefficient R 2 =0.9765), and Figure 4 shows palmitic acid and stearic acid (correlation coefficient R 2 =0.9367). As shown in FIG. 2, by adjusting the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the fat and oil components in the food to be equal to or greater than L / O=0.17 (as shown by the solid line) and equal to or less than L / O=2.0 (as shown by the dashed line), a flavorful coffee food with excellent taste and aroma can be produced. Furthermore, the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the oil and fat components in the food is preferably L / O=0.17 to 1.0, as indicated by the solid line and long dashed line in Fig. 2, and more preferably L / O=0.17 to 0.5, as indicated by the solid line and dashed dotted line in Fig. 2. By keeping it in this range, the flavor stability of the coffee food can be further improved.

[0035] Furthermore, the flavor stability of coffee foods can be further improved by setting the mass ratio of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) contained in the fat and oil components in the food to L / S=0.14 or more as indicated by the solid line and 2.0 or less as indicated by the dashed line, as shown in Fig. 3. The mass ratio of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) contained in the fat and oil components in the food is preferably L / S=0.14 to 1.0 as indicated by the solid line and long dashed line, and more preferably L / S=0.14 to 0.5 as indicated by the solid line and dashed dotted line in Fig. 3.

[0036] 4, the mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat components in the food may be S / P=0.5 or more as shown by the dashed line and S / P=1.5 or less as shown by the solid line. It is more preferable that the mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat components in the food is S / P=1.0 to 1.5 as shown by the long dashed line and solid line. By keeping the mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) in this range, a flavorful coffee food with excellent taste and aroma can be obtained. EXAMPLES

[0037] (Differences in physical properties depending on the amount of coffee oil added) Table 7 below shows the recipe for the coffee foods of Examples D to G. As shown in Table 7, all of the coffee foods of Examples D to G contain 40% finely ground coffee beans, but differ in the amount of added coffee oil. The difference in the amount of added coffee oil is achieved by varying the blend amount of vegetable oil other than the added coffee oil.

[0038] [Table 7]

[0039] Table 8 below shows the differences in the physical properties of the coffee foods of Examples D to G. The dissolution time shown in Table 8 refers to the time it takes to heat in a microwave oven (600 W) until the original shape is no longer recognizable. Shape retention and spreadability were evaluated by visually observing the state of a 6.8 g sample when it was heated in a microwave oven (600 W / 30 seconds). A sensory evaluation test was conducted by multiple panelists on the coffee foods of Examples D to G. The panelists evaluated the coffee food of Example D, which did not contain coffee oil, as having a "crispy texture." The panelists also evaluated the coffee food of Example E, which contained 5% coffee oil, as having a "long-lasting aroma" and a "desirable taste that lingers on the tongue." The coffee food of Example F, which contained 10% coffee oil, as having a "soft mouthfeel, like raw chocolate," "rich, with a strong sense of sourness and bitterness," and "not oily considering the amount of oil added." The coffee food of Example G, which contained 20% coffee oil, as having a "good aroma when melted at body temperature."

[0040] [Table 8]

[0041] As shown in Table 8 above, when it came to shape retention, when the coffee oil content was 0% and 5%, some of the coffee oil remained unmelted even when heated, but when it was 10%, it was almost completely melted when heated and could be spread when mixed. When the coffee oil content was 20%, it was completely melted when heated for 30 seconds, and after 40 seconds it had dissolved to the point where its original shape was no longer recognizable. Regarding spreadability, when 0% coffee oil was added, the texture was hard and it was difficult to spread overall. When 5% coffee oil was added, it could be spread overall, but not evenly and tended to pool in some areas. When 10% and 20% coffee oil were added, the texture was soft and it could be spread evenly overall.

[0042] From the above, it was found that by adjusting the amount of coffee oil added, it is possible to realize a wide range of coffee food forms, such as a soft type that is soft but can maintain its shape, a soft type with spreadability, and an even softer, viscous liquid type. For example, when the amount of coffee oil added is 0-10%, it can be served as a food product as is. Also, when the amount of coffee oil added is 20%, it can be used as an ingredient in sweets and cooking, in confectionery and cooking. For example, it can be spread on bread or crackers, mixed into bread dough, melted and used to draw letters or pictures, kneaded evenly to make sweets such as yokan, used as a filling for daifuku mochi, used as the filling for fondant au chocolat, as a coating for ice cream, and used as a secret ingredient in cooking. Therefore, by adjusting the amount of coffee oil added while satisfying the fatty acid composition parameter conditions described in Example 1, it is possible to produce a coffee food that can be used for a wide range of purposes and has excellent taste and aroma. EXAMPLES

[0043] (About the amount of oil and fat components) Table 9 below shows approximate calculations of the amounts of fat and oil components and coffee oil in the coffee foods of Examples A to C described in Example 1, and Examples D to G described in Example 2. Note that the fat and oil components used here as approximate theoretical values ​​do not take into account animal fats and oils such as milk fat. As shown in Table 9, it was found from the coffee foods of Examples A to G that the preferred ranges for the oil and fat component were 35.5 to 37.5%, and the preferred ranges for the total coffee oil were 4 to 28%.

[0044] [Table 9] [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] The present invention can be used as a coffee food product that makes the most of the flavor of coffee, as a solid food product such as chocolate, as confectionery, and as a paste-like food product, and can also be used as a sauce-like food product in confectionery and cooking.

Claims

1. A coffee food in which coffee-derived finely ground material containing aroma components obtained after roasting coffee beans and vegetable oil are kneaded together, A coffee food characterized in that the total amount of fat and oil components contained in the coffee food is 30% by weight or more and 45% by weight or less.

2. 2. The coffee food according to claim 1, characterized in that the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the oil and fat component is L / O = 0.17 to 2.

0.

3. 3. The coffee food according to claim 2, characterized in that the mass ratio of oleic acid (O) to linoleic acid (L) contained in the oil and fat component is L / O = 0.17 to 1.

0.

4. 3. The coffee food according to claim 2, characterized in that the mass ratio of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component is L / S = 0.14 to 2.

0.

5. 5. The coffee food according to claim 4, characterized in that the mass ratio of linoleic acid (L) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component is L / S = 0.14 to 1.

0.

6. 2. The coffee food according to claim 1, characterized in that the mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component is S / P = 0.5 to 1.

5.

7. 7. The coffee food according to claim 6, characterized in that the mass ratio of palmitic acid (P) to stearic acid (S) contained in the oil and fat component is S / P = 1.0 to 1.

5.

8. The vegetable oil includes coffee oil extracted from coffee beans, 8. A coffee food according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the total amount of coffee oil, consisting of the coffee oil in the finely ground material and the coffee oil in the vegetable oil, is in the range of 3% by weight or more and 33% by weight or less.

9. 9. The coffee food according to claim 8, characterized in that the total amount of coffee oil includes the weight percent of coffee oil in the finely ground material plus the weight percent of coffee oil in the vegetable oil in the range of 10% by weight or more and 20% by weight or less.

10. 9. The coffee food according to claim 8, characterized in that the total amount of coffee oil includes the weight percent of coffee oil in the finely ground material plus the weight percent of coffee oil in the vegetable oil in the range of more than 5 weight percent but less than 10 weight percent.

11. 8. The coffee food according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable oil does not contain cocoa butter.

12. 8. The coffee food according to claim 1, which does not contain cocoa mass.

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