Frozen bread dough improving agent

Abstract

To solve two problems: (1) to provide frozen bread dough capable of producing frozen bread having excellent volume, and (2) to provide bread dough for frozen bread dough with improved extensibility.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a frozen bread dough improving agent, which contains 50 to 90 mass% of skimmed concentrated milk having a solid content of 35 mass% or more. When the improving agent is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, particles having a particle size in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm constitute at least 70% of all particles.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a frozen bread dough improver.

Background Art

[0002] In conventionally known frozen bread dough, sufficient fermentation cannot be carried out before freezing in order to prevent freezing damage. In particular, in the straight method, which is one of the frozen bread dough production methods and prepares the bread dough by a single mixing, due to the short fermentation time, the dough cannot rest sufficiently after mixing. For this reason, there has been a problem that after molding, the dough shrinks over time and the volume of the resulting bread becomes small because it is molded in a state where gluten shrinkage is strong. Consideration has been made to increase the volume of frozen bread. For example, frozen bread dough containing a predetermined amount of transglutaminase, heat-resistant α-amylase, and an oxidizing agent per 100 g of flour (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2), and a modifier for frozen bread dough containing a carbohydrate oxidase (see Patent Document 3) etc. are available.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problems of the present invention are as follows. (1) To obtain a frozen bread dough capable of producing a frozen bread having a good volume. (2) To obtain bread dough for frozen bread with improved extensibility.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventor has found that the above problems can be solved by using skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more when producing frozen bread dough, and has completed the present invention. That is, the present invention is composed of the following technical matters. [1] A frozen bread dough improver containing 50 to 90% by mass of skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more, wherein when the improver is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm in particle diameter are 70% or more of all particles. [2] The frozen bread dough improver according to [1], having a lipid content of 1 to 7% by mass, a protein content of 5 to 15% by mass, a carbohydrate content of 10 to 20% by mass, and a solid content of 15 to 35% by mass. [3] The frozen bread dough improver according to [1] or [2], wherein 85% by mass or more of the contained lipids are derived from skim concentrated milk. [4] Bread dough containing the frozen bread dough improver according to any one of [1] to [3]. [5] Bread containing the frozen bread dough improver according to any one of [1] to [3]. [6] A method for producing the frozen bread dough improver according to any one of [1] to [3], including the following steps (a) to (d) in this order. (a) A step of freezing skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more to obtain frozen skim concentrated milk. (b) A step of thawing the frozen skim concentrated milk to obtain thawed skim concentrated milk. (c) A step of preparing a dispersion containing 50 to 90% by mass of the thawed skim concentrated milk and subjecting the dispersion to heat treatment at 100°C or higher for 1 to 60 seconds. (d) A step of homogenizing the dispersion obtained in step (c) at a pressure such that particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm are 70% or more of all particles when subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] The effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) It is possible to obtain a frozen bread dough capable of producing a frozen bread having a good volume. (2) It is possible to obtain a bread dough for frozen bread dough with improved stretchability.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

[0008] The improver for frozen bread dough of the present invention (hereinafter, also referred to as the improver of the present invention) contains 50 to 90% by mass of skim concentrated milk having a solid content of 35% by mass or more, and when the improver is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, particles belonging to the particle size range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm are 70% or more of all particles.

[0009] In addition, the bread dough produced using the improver of the present invention is hereinafter also referred to as the bread dough of the present invention, the frozen product of the bread dough of the present invention is hereinafter also referred to as the frozen bread dough of the present invention, and the baked product of the bread dough of the present invention or the frozen bread dough of the present invention is hereinafter referred to as the bread of the present invention.

[0010] The skim concentrated milk used in the present invention will be described. Skim concentrated milk is a liquid obtained by separating cream from raw milk and then sterilizing and concentrating the skim milk. In the so-called Milk Act, it is a concentrated product obtained by removing milk fat from raw milk, cow's milk, or special milk, and is defined as having a non-fat milk solid content of 18.5% by mass or more.

[0011] In the present invention, skim concentrated milk that satisfies this definition and has a solid content of 35% by mass or more (hereinafter, also referred to as "skim concentrated milk of the present invention") is used. By using the skim concentrated milk of the present invention, the volume of the bread of the present invention becomes good. In addition, the stretchability of the bread dough of the present invention is improved.

[0012] From the viewpoint of more preferably obtaining the effects of the present invention, the solid content of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention is 35% by mass or more, more preferably 36% by mass or more, still more preferably 37% by mass or more, and the upper limit thereof is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 48% by mass or less, still more preferably 45% by mass or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the solid content of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention is preferably 35 to 50% by mass, more preferably 36 to 48% by mass, and still more preferably 37 to 45% by mass.

[0013] In the present invention, the "solid content" refers to the total amount of components other than moisture among the nutritional components consisting of protein, lipid, carbohydrate, moisture, and ash. Further, the "non-fat milk solid content" refers to the total amount of components other than lipid among the milk-derived solid contents.

[0014] Although it is also possible to mix skim concentrated milk with a solid content of less than 35% by mass and skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more to prepare a mixture of skim concentrated milk whose solid content satisfies the above range, since the effects of the present invention cannot be sufficiently obtained, it is preferably not used in the improver of the present invention.

[0015] The reason why the effects of the present invention cannot be sufficiently obtained when such a mixture of skim concentrated milk is used is not clear at present. Although the difference in the solid content of skim concentrated milk is caused by the degree of concentration during the production of skim concentrated milk, the present inventor believes that some active ingredient is not sufficiently concentrated and its content decreases.

[0016] When the solid content of the skim concentrated milk exceeds 35% by mass, it can be adjusted by adding water so that the solid content concentration is any value within the range where the solid content is 35% by mass or more.

[0017] The component composition of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention preferably has a protein content of 10 to 15% by mass, a lipid content of 4 to 6% by mass, a carbohydrate amount of 16 to 20% by mass, an ash content of 2.5 to 4.0% by mass, and a moisture content of 60 to 70% by mass.

[0018] In addition, the phospholipid content in the solid content of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention is preferably 7.5% by mass or more, more preferably 8.0% by mass or more, still more preferably 8.5% by mass or more, and the upper limit is preferably 14% by mass or less, more preferably 13% by mass or less, still more preferably 12% by mass or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the phospholipid content in the solid content of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention is preferably 7.5 to 14% by mass, more preferably 8.0 to 13% by mass, and still more preferably 8.5 to 12% by mass.

[0019] By preferably satisfying the above range of the phospholipid content in the solid content of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention, the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention can be further improved.

[0020] The quantification of phospholipids in the present invention can be measured by, for example, the following method. First, the lipids in the skim concentrated milk are extracted using the Folch method. Next, the extracted lipid solution is decomposed by a wet digestion method (in accordance with the wet digestion method described in the Hygiene Test Methods and Annotations 20002.1 Food Component Test Methods edited by the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan), and then the phosphorus amount is determined by the molybdenum blue absorbance method (in accordance with the quantification of phosphorus by molybdic acid described in the Hygiene Test Methods and Annotations 20002.1 Food Component Test Methods edited by the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan). The content (g) of phospholipids in 100 g of milk solids of the milk raw material is determined from the obtained phosphorus amount using the following calculation formula. Phospholipids (g / 100g) = [Phosphorus amount (μg) / (Milk raw material - Moisture (g) of the milk raw material)] × 25.4 × (0.1 / 1000)

[0021] The production process of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is obtained by separating cream from raw milk and then sterilizing and concentrating the skim milk. However, at any point in the production process, it is preferable to use skim concentrated milk produced through a freezing process, and it is more preferable to use frozen skim concentrated milk obtained by freezing skim concentrated milk produced without going through a freezing process.

[0022] By using the skim milk powder produced through the freezing process as the skim milk powder of the present invention, it is possible to improve the volume of the bread of the present invention and the shrinkage of the bread dough of the present invention over time. For freezing, the set temperature of the freezing equipment is preferably -5°C or lower, more preferably -8°C or lower, and even more preferably -12°C or lower.

[0023] Also, the storage time under freezing is preferably 12 hours or more, more preferably 18 hours or more, and even more preferably 24 hours or more in the freezing equipment.

[0024] When freezing the skim milk powder, the cooling may be rapid freezing or slow freezing. However, from the perspective of more preferably obtaining the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to perform slow freezing. In the present invention, "rapid freezing" refers to a freezing method in which the skim milk powder passes through the ice crystal formation temperature zone (temperature zone of less than 0°C and more than -5°C) within 30 minutes in the freezing process, and "slow freezing" refers to a freezing method in which the ice crystal formation temperature zone is passed through over 30 minutes. When storing in the freezing equipment, it is preferably cooled in advance so that the product temperature of the skim milk powder is preferably 10°C or lower, more preferably 8°C or lower, and even more preferably 5°C or lower before storage.

[0025] Note that for the production of the improver of the present invention, frozen commercially available skim milk powder may be used, or commercially available products of frozen skim milk powder may be used.

[0026] When the skim milk powder used in the improver of the present invention is slowly frozen, the reason why the effects of the present invention can be obtained more preferably is unclear, but currently it is considered as follows. By slowly freezing skim concentrated milk, it is conceivable that the concentration of inorganic salts such as phosphates increases locally. Along with this, it is considered that the micellar casein protein contained in the skim concentrated milk aggregates and the skim concentrated milk becomes gel-like. By making the dispersion containing this gel-like skim concentrated milk satisfy the conditions of the particle size described later, the gel and the components constituting the gel become very fine and are dispersed in the improver of the present invention. As a result, the obtained improver has an appropriate viscosity, so it is considered that the effects of the present invention can be easily obtained. As described later, when producing the improver of the present invention using frozen skim concentrated milk, preferably the frozen skim concentrated milk is thawed and used as thawed skim concentrated milk.

[0027] The improver of the present invention contains 50 to 90% by mass of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention, preferably the skim concentrated milk satisfying the above conditions. The content of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention is preferably 55% by mass or more, 57% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, 62% by mass or more, or 64% by mass or more, and the upper limit thereof is preferably 88% by mass or less, 87% by mass or less, more preferably 85% by mass or less, 84% by mass or less, and even more preferably 80% by mass or less.

[0028] Therefore, in one embodiment, the improver of the present invention contains the skim concentrated milk of the present invention, preferably 57 to 87% by mass, more preferably 64 to 84% by mass, and even more preferably 71 to 80% by mass. By the content of the skim concentrated milk in the improver of the present invention satisfying the above range, the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention can be further improved.

[0029] The other components that the improver of the present invention may contain will be described. As described above, the improver of the present invention contains 50 to 90% by mass of the skim concentrated milk of the present invention, and contains 10 to 50% by mass of other components within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. Note that, as described later, considering the nutritional components in other components described later, the improver of the present invention preferably has a lipid content of 1 to 7% by mass, a protein content of 5 to 15% by mass, a carbohydrate content of 10 to 20% by mass, and a solid content of 15 to 35% by mass. Therefore, other components other than the skimmed concentrated milk of the present invention are preferably selected and contained so as to satisfy this condition within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0030] In the improver of the present invention, as other components, for example, water, edible oils and fats, saccharides, eggs and egg products, milk and dairy products, flavors, coloring agents, preservatives, emulsifiers, thickeners, antioxidants, pH adjusters, etc. can be contained.

[0031] The water is not particularly limited, and any of ordinary tap water, mineral water, ion-exchanged water, distilled water, etc. can be used. These waters can be used alone or in combination of two or more. However, in the improver of the present invention, from the viewpoint of satisfying the solid content described later, the amount of water used as other components is preferably 10 to 40% by mass, more preferably 15 to 35% by mass, and even more preferably 20 to 30% by mass.

[0032] Examples of the edible oils and fats include various vegetable oils and animal oils such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, beef tallow, milk fat, lard, cocoa butter, fish oil, whale oil, butter, butter oil, etc., and processed oils and fats obtained by subjecting these to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and transesterification. In the present invention, one or more selected from the above oils and fats can be used. However, in the improver of the present invention, from the viewpoint of satisfying the lipid content described later, when using edible oils and fats as other components, the amount is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass.

[0033] Here, preferably 85% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, and even more preferably 95% by mass or more of the lipid contained in the improver of the present invention is derived from the above skimmed concentrated milk, and the upper limit is 100% by mass. By setting the proportion of the lipid derived from the above skimmed concentrated milk in the lipid contained in the improver of the present invention within the above range, the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention can be further improved. The reason for this is not clear at present, but it is considered that this is because the decrease in the concentration of phospholipids derived from skimmed concentrated milk in the lipid in the improver of the present invention is suppressed.

[0034] Examples of the above saccharides include glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, enzymatically saccharified starch syrup, lactose, reduced starch saccharide, isomerized liquid sugar, sucrose-bound starch syrup, oligosaccharide, reducing sugar, polydextrose, sorbitol, reduced lactose, trehalose, xylose, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, fructooligosaccharide, soy oligosaccharide, galactooligosaccharide, lactulose oligosaccharide, raffinose, lactulose, palatinose oligosaccharide, etc. In the present invention, high-intensity sweeteners such as sucralose, acesulfame potassium, stevia, and aspartame can also be used as saccharides. In the present invention, one or more selected from the above saccharides can be used.

[0035] However, in the improver of the present invention, from the viewpoint of satisfying the amount of carbohydrates described later, the amount of saccharides contained in the improver of the present invention is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, even more preferably 1% by mass or less or 0.5% by mass or less, and most preferably not contained.

[0036] Examples of the thickener include thickening polysaccharides such as guar gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, alginic acids, pectin, xanthan gum, pullulan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, crystalline cellulose, CMC, methyl cellulose, agar, glucomannan, etc., gelatin, starches such as starch and modified starch. In the present invention, one or more selected from the above thickeners can be used.

[0037] Examples of the above-mentioned milk and dairy products include raw milk, cow milk, special milk, raw goat milk, pasteurized goat milk, raw ewe milk, partially skimmed milk, processed milk, cream, cream cheese, butter, cheese, concentrated whey, ice creams, whipped cream, condensed milk, unsweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk powder, cream powder, whey powder, butter milk powder, sweetened whole milk powder, prepared milk powder, fermented milk, lactic acid bacteria beverage, milk beverage, etc., skim milk powder, protein concentrated whey powder, butter milk, casein calcium, casein sodium, casein potassium, casein magnesium, whey protein concentrate, total milk protein, etc.

[0038] From the viewpoint of further improving the daily stability of the improver of the present invention, the volume of the bread of the present invention, and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention, it is preferably contained so that the total milk protein as a dairy product is 0.001 to 0.015% by mass, more preferably 0.002 to 0.01% by mass, and particularly preferably 0.003 to 0.008% by mass.

[0039] Examples of those that can be used as total milk protein in the improver of the present invention include total milk protein, milk protein concentrate, butter milk, and butter milk powder. In addition, for dairy products other than whole milk proteins such as whey protein, whey, whey powder, lactose-free whey, lactose-free whey powder, whey protein concentrate (WPC or WPI), buttermilk powder, sweetened powdered milk, prepared powdered milk, fermented milk, casein calcium, casein sodium, casein potassium, casein magnesium, micellar casein isolate, etc., it is preferable not to include them so as not to impair the effect of the improver of the present invention obtained.

[0040] Examples of the above emulsifier include natural emulsifiers such as lecithin and enzymatically treated lecithin, and synthetic emulsifiers such as glycerin fatty acid ester, glycerin acetic fatty acid ester, glycerin lactic fatty acid ester, glycerin succinic fatty acid ester, glycerin diacetyl tartaric fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, calcium stearoyl lactate, sodium stearoyl lactate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester. In the present invention, one or more selected from the above emulsifiers can be used.

[0041] However, from the viewpoint of avoiding a decrease in the texture of the obtained bread, the amount of the emulsifier contained in the improver of the present invention is preferably 0.5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.3% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.1% by mass or less, and most preferably not contained.

[0042] The particle size of the improver of the present invention will be described. The improver of the present invention is characterized in that when the improver is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, particles belonging to the particle size range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm account for 70% or more of all particles. By satisfying this condition, the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention can be further improved.

[0043] From the perspective of further improving the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention, when the improver of the present invention is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, the proportion of particles belonging to the particle size range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm is preferably 74% or more, more preferably 78% or more, still more preferably 80% or more, and the upper limit thereof is preferably 97% or less, more preferably 94% or less, still more preferably 90% or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the proportion of particles belonging to the particle size range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm is preferably 74 to 97%, more preferably 78 to 94%, and still more preferably 80 to 90%.

[0044] Also, from the same perspective, when subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, the proportion of particles belonging to the particle size range of 8 μm or more is preferably 3% or less, more preferably 2% or less, and still more preferably 1% or less.

[0045] Furthermore, from the same perspective, when subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, the proportion of particles belonging to the particle size range of less than 0.2 μm is preferably 5% or less, more preferably 4% or less, and still more preferably 3% or less.

[0046] In addition, from the same perspective, the median diameter of the improver of the present invention is preferably 0.3 μm or more, more preferably 0.35 μm or more, still more preferably 0.4 μm or more, and the upper limit thereof is preferably 0.8 μm or less, more preferably 0.7 μm or less, still more preferably 0.6 μm or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the median diameter of the improver of the present invention is preferably 0.3 to 0.8 μm, more preferably 0.35 to 0.7 μm, and still more preferably 0.4 to 0.6 μm.

[0047] Regarding the present invention, when referring to the particle size distribution, unless otherwise specified, it refers to the degree of the particle size distribution included in the target composition. Further, when used in the context of "particle size distribution" or "particle diameter", "%" divides the measured particle diameter range on a volume basis and indicates the amount of particles present in each particle diameter interval. Also, the "median diameter" refers to the particle diameter at which the integrated value in the particle size distribution measured by a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device is 50%. In this specification, the particle size distribution is measured wet by volume-based distribution using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device (for example, "SALD-2300" manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation).

[0048] The lipid content, protein content, carbohydrate content, and solid content of the improver of the present invention will be described. In addition to the conditions related to the skimmed concentrated milk and particle size of the present invention described above, the improver of the present invention can further improve the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention by satisfying specific ranges of the lipid content, protein content, carbohydrate content, and solid content.

[0049] Preferably, the improver of the present invention has a lipid content of 1 to 7% by mass, a protein content of 5 to 15% by mass, a carbohydrate content of 10 to 20% by mass, and a solid content of 15 to 35% by mass. More preferably, the lipid content is 1 to 6% by mass, the protein content is 5 to 13% by mass, the carbohydrate content is 10 to 19% by mass, and the solid content is 18 to 33% by mass. Even more preferably, the lipid content is 1 to 5% by mass, the protein content is 5 to 11% by mass, the carbohydrate content is 10 to 18% by mass, and the solid content is 20 to 31% by mass.

[0050] As a method for setting the lipid content, protein content, carbohydrate content, and solid content of the improver of the present invention within the above ranges, for example, appropriately adjusting the solid content and content of the skimmed concentrated milk of the present invention and the content of other components can be mentioned.

[0051] The properties of the improver of the present invention will be described. The improver of the present invention can have any property such as solid forms like powders, granules, tablets, etc., or fluid forms like liquids, pastes, etc., as long as it satisfies the conditions of the particle size distribution, and preferably further satisfies the conditions such as the above lipid content and protein content.

[0052] In particular, from the viewpoint of high miscibility with other raw materials of bread dough, it is preferably in a fluid form such as liquid and paste. When it is in powder form, it may be freeze-dried into powder or spray-dried into powder.

[0053] The manufacturing method of the improver of the present invention will be described. Next, the manufacturing method of the improver of the present invention (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "the manufacturing method of the present invention") will be explained. The manufacturing method of the present invention is not particularly limited. It is an improver for frozen bread dough containing 50 to 90% by mass of skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more. When the improver is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, as long as it is possible to manufacture an improver for frozen bread dough in which particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm account for 70% or more of all particles, a known method may be adopted.

[0054] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the manufacturing method of the present invention will be described. In a preferred embodiment, the manufacturing method of the present invention includes the following steps (a) to (d) in this order. (a) A step of freezing skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more to obtain frozen skim concentrated milk (b) A step of thawing the frozen skim concentrated milk to obtain thawed skim concentrated milk (c) A step of preparing a dispersion containing 50 to 90% by mass of the thawed skim concentrated milk and subjecting the dispersion to heat treatment at 100°C or higher for 1 to 60 seconds (d) A step of subjecting the dispersion obtained in step (c) to homogenization treatment at a pressure such that particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm account for 70% or more of all particles when subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement

[0055] Step (a) will be described. In step (a), defatted concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more is frozen to obtain frozen defatted concentrated milk. When freezing defatted concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more, the set temperature of the freezing equipment is preferably -5°C or lower, more preferably -8°C or lower, and even more preferably -12°C or lower. Also, the storage time under freezing is preferably 12 hours or more, more preferably 18 hours or more, and even more preferably 24 hours or more in the freezing equipment.

[0056] The cooling when freezing defatted concentrated milk may be rapid freezing or slow freezing, but from the viewpoint of more preferably obtaining the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to perform slow freezing. The details of slow freezing and rapid freezing in the present invention are as described above. When storing in the freezing equipment, it is preferably cooled in advance so that the product temperature of the defatted concentrated milk is preferably 10°C or lower, more preferably 8°C or lower, and even more preferably 5°C or lower, and then stored.

[0057] Step (b) will be described. In step (b), the frozen defatted concentrated milk obtained through step (a) is thawed to obtain thawed defatted concentrated milk. The method for thawing the frozen defatted concentrated milk is not particularly limited. For example, the frozen defatted concentrated milk in a container can be thawed by a water bath or a warm bath, or the frozen defatted concentrated milk can be placed in a heatable container and directly heated for thawing. It is preferable to thaw while stirring appropriately.

[0058] Also, as described separately in step (c) to be described later, in the production of the improver of the present invention, a dispersion containing 50 to 90% by mass of this thawed defatted concentrated milk is prepared. In the production of the improver of the present invention, the thawing of the frozen defatted concentrated milk in step (b) and the preparation of the dispersion in step (c) to be described later may be performed simultaneously. In the present invention, from the viewpoints of improving manufacturing efficiency and stabilizing the quality of the obtained improver of the present invention, it is preferable to simultaneously perform the thawing of the frozen skim concentrated milk in step (b) and the preparation of the dispersion in step (c).

[0059] In any method for obtaining thawed skim concentrated milk, from the viewpoint of reducing changes in flavor and properties due to heating, the upper limit of the liquid temperature in step (b) is preferably 80°C, more preferably 75°C, still more preferably 70°C, and preferably 40°C or higher, more preferably 48°C or higher, still more preferably 55°C or higher from the viewpoint of efficiently obtaining thawed skim concentrated milk.

[0060] Step (c) will be described. In step (c), a dispersion containing 50 to 90% by mass of thawed skim concentrated milk is prepared, and the dispersion is heat-treated at 100°C or higher for 1 to 60 seconds.

[0061] First, the preparation of the dispersion will be described. In the present invention, the dispersion refers to, in addition to an aqueous solution, a liquid substance having a suspension or an aqueous phase as a continuous phase in which a small amount of components insoluble in water are dispersed mainly in the aqueous phase. The preparation of a dispersion containing 50 to 90% by mass of thawed skim concentrated milk may preferably involve adding other components other than thawed skim concentrated milk to the thawed skim concentrated milk, or vice versa, so as to satisfy the lipid content and the like of the improver of the present invention described above.

[0062] The amount of thawed skim concentrated milk in the dispersion when manufacturing the improver of the present invention is preferably 55% by mass or more, 57% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, 62% by mass or more, or 64% by mass or more, still more preferably 70% by mass or more, or 71% by mass or more, and the upper limit is preferably 87% by mass or less, more preferably 84% by mass or less, still more preferably 80% by mass or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the amount of thawed skim concentrated milk in the dispersion in step (c) is preferably 57 to 87% by mass, more preferably 64 to 84% by mass, still more preferably 71 to 80% by mass.

[0063] Also, as described above, in the present invention, the step of obtaining thawed and defatted concentrated milk in step (b) and the step of preparing the dispersion in step (c) may be carried out simultaneously.

[0064] As a preferred embodiment when these steps are carried out simultaneously, it may be mentioned to add frozen defatted concentrated milk to water and perform appropriate heating and stirring. As a more preferred embodiment, frozen defatted concentrated milk is added to water in which all the milk proteins are dispersed and dissolved in an amount such that it becomes 0.001 to 0.015% by mass in the improver of the present invention, and appropriate heating and stirring are carried out.

[0065] In the production method of the present invention, if it contains 50 to 90% by mass of thawed and defatted concentrated milk, it can be used as it is as the dispersion, but preferably a homogenized dispersion is used. By using a homogenized dispersion, it becomes easy to make the particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm in particle size account for 70% or more of all the particles in the improver of the present invention obtained, and solid-liquid separation, oil-water separation, etc. of the improver of the present invention obtained are preferably suppressed.

[0066] The homogenization of the dispersion is not particularly limited and can usually be carried out by a method of applying pressure (homogenization pressure). For example, it can be carried out by methods such as shear emulsification, homogenization, kneading, etc. Examples of the homogenizer used for the homogenization of the dispersion include kettle-type cheese emulsifying kettles, high-speed shear emulsifying kettles such as Stefan mixers, static mixers, in-line mixers, bubble-type homogenizers, homomixers, colloid mills, disper mills, and the like.

[0067] The pressure during homogenization (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "homogenization pressure") is not particularly limited. However, from the perspective of facilitating the particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm in particle size to account for 70% or more of all particles in the obtained improver of the present invention, and from the perspective of preferably suppressing solid-liquid separation, oil-water separation, etc. of the obtained improver of the present invention, the homogenization pressure is preferably 1.0 to 6.0 MPa, more preferably 2.5 to 5.7 MPa, and even more preferably 4.0 to 5.4 MPa.

[0068] When the homogenization pressure is applied in two stages as in the case of performing the homogenization treatment using a two-stage homogenizer (including the case where the homogenization pressure is not applied at any stage), for example, the homogenization pressure of the first stage may be set to satisfy the above range, and the second stage may be performed at a homogenization pressure of 0 to 5 MPa. When supplying the dispersion to the homogenizer, the liquid temperature is preferably 40 to 80°C, more preferably 48 to 75°C, and even more preferably 55 to 70°C.

[0069] In addition, the pH of the obtained dispersion is usually 3 to 7, preferably 4 to 6.8, more preferably 5 to 6.7, and most preferably 6.0 to 6.5 from the perspective of suppressing changes in properties over time and easily obtaining the fabric improving effect.

[0070] Next, the heat treatment of the dispersion will be described. By heat-treating the dispersion of the present invention, the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention can be further improved.

[0071] The reason why a preferable effect is obtained by heat-treating the dispersion is unclear, but at present, the inventors consider it as follows. In the present invention, by further heat-treating a dispersion containing defatted concentrated milk that has been frozen and thawed, it is considered that solid components such as proteins contained in the dispersion, particularly casein proteins and whey proteins, are complexly denatured, coagulated, complexed, and insolubilized. It is considered that a preferable effect is obtained when the denatured, coagulated, complexed, and insolubilized solid components are crushed by homogenization in step (d) described later.

[0072] The heating temperature of the dispersion is 100°C or higher, preferably 110°C or higher, more preferably 120°C or higher, still more preferably 130°C or higher, and the upper limit is preferably 160°C or lower, more preferably 155°C or lower, still more preferably 150°C or lower. Therefore, in one embodiment, the dispersion is preferably heated to 110 to 160°C, more preferably 120 to 155°C, still more preferably 130 to 150°C. Also, the heating time after the temperature of the dispersion reaches the above range can preferably be 1 to 60 seconds, more preferably 1 to 30 seconds, still more preferably 1 to 15 seconds.

[0073] There is no particular limitation on the method of heating until the temperature reaches 100°C or higher. For example, direct heating methods such as injection type and infusion type, or heating methods such as UHT, HTST, batch type, retort, microwave heating using indirect heating methods such as plate type, tubular type, and scraping type, or heating methods such as direct fire can be mentioned.

[0074] From the viewpoint of suppressing browning and the generation of heterogeneous flavors in the obtained improver of the present invention, among these, it is preferable to perform UHT heat treatment. There are no particular restrictions on the conditions when performing UHT heat treatment, but the set temperature conditions are preferably 120 to 160°C, more preferably 130 to 150°C, still more preferably 139 to 146°C, and the treatment time is preferably 1 to 6 seconds, more preferably 2 to 6 seconds, still more preferably 4 to 6 seconds.

[0075] Step (d) will be described. In step (d), the dispersion obtained in step (c) is homogenized so as to have a predetermined particle size distribution. In the present invention, the homogenization treatment preferably performed in step (b) is also referred to as "first homogenization treatment", and the homogenization treatment in step (d) is also referred to as "second homogenization treatment".

[0076] By passing through step (d), an improver of the present invention with excellent temporal stability, in which oil-water separation and thickening over time hardly occur, can be obtained. In addition, the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention can be further improved.

[0077] The second homogenization treatment can be homogenized by a known method as long as the particles belonging to the particle size range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm are 70% or more of all the particles when the improver of the present invention obtained through the second homogenization treatment is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement. The method of the second homogenization treatment can be the same as the method of the first homogenization treatment.

[0078] Also, for the homogenizer used in the second homogenization step, the same equipment as that in the first homogenization step can be selected and used. For example, a kettle-type cheese emulsifying kettle, a high-speed shear emulsifying kettle such as a Stefan mixer, a static mixer, an in-line mixer, a bubble-type homogenizer, a homomixer, a colloid mill, and a dispermill can be used.

[0079] The homogenization pressure in the second homogenization step is not particularly limited. However, from the viewpoint of enhancing the stability of the obtained improver of the present invention over time and from the viewpoint of making the particle size distribution of the obtained improver of the present invention satisfy predetermined conditions, the homogenization pressure is preferably 5.0 MPa or more, more preferably 6.5 MPa or more, still more preferably 8.0 MPa or more or 10.0 MPa or more, and the upper limit thereof is preferably 20.0 MPa or less, more preferably 16.5 MPa or less, still more preferably 13.5 MPa or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the homogenization pressure in the second homogenization step is preferably 5.0 to 20.0 MPa, more preferably 6.5 to 16.5 MPa, and still more preferably 10.0 to 13.5 MPa.

[0080] When the homogenization pressure is applied in two stages as in the case of performing homogenization treatment using a two-stage homogenizer (including the case where the homogenization pressure is not applied in any stage), for example, the homogenization pressure in the first stage may be set to satisfy the above range, and the second stage may be performed at a homogenization pressure of 0 to 5 MPa.

[0081] In the present invention, it is preferable that the homogenization pressure in the second homogenization step is higher than the homogenization pressure in the first homogenization step. If the homogenization pressure in the second homogenization step is set lower than that in the first homogenization step, aggregation and precipitation may occur, and the stability over time may decrease. In addition, the fabric improving effect may decrease accordingly. Therefore, it is preferable to set the homogenization pressure in the second homogenization step higher than the homogenization pressure in the first homogenization step.

[0082] When the homogenization pressure is applied in two stages as in the case of using a two-stage homogenizer in the first homogenization step or the second homogenization step, or both homogenization steps (including the case where the homogenization pressure is not applied in any stage), the comparison shall be made based on the set pressure in the first stage to confirm its magnitude. In the present invention, the homogenization pressure in the second homogenization step is preferably 2 MPa or more greater than the homogenization pressure in the first homogenization step, more preferably 4 MPa or more greater, and even more preferably 6 MPa or more greater. The difference between the homogenization pressure in the second homogenization step and the homogenization pressure in the first homogenization step is preferably, for example, 10 MPa or less.

[0083] In the present invention, when performing the second homogenization step, from the viewpoint of enhancing the stability over time, the liquid temperature of the dispersion to be subjected to the second homogenization step is preferably 100°C or less, more preferably 70 to 90°C, and even more preferably 75 to 85°C. The liquid temperature of the dispersion during the second homogenization step is preferably 45 to 100°C, more preferably 50 to 90°C, and even more preferably 55 to 85°C.

[0084] The liquid temperature of the dispersion after being subjected to the second homogenization step may be maintained by heating or the like, but it may also not be heated or maintained. The liquid temperature of the dispersion (the outlet temperature of the homogenizer) at the end of the second homogenization step may be, for example, lower than the liquid temperature of the dispersion to be subjected to the second homogenization step, specifically, for example, it may be 45 to 75°C, preferably 50 to 70°C, and more preferably 55 to 65°C.

[0085] In the production method of the present invention, after step (d), it is also possible to go through the third to nth (n is an integer of 4 or more) homogenization steps. However, since the effect obtained by further performing the homogenization step is small, it is preferable not to go through the homogenization step after step (d). Further, the dispersion that has undergone the second homogenization step may be cooled, such as by rapid cooling or slow cooling. When performing the cooling operation, it is preferable to cool until the liquid temperature reaches 20°C or less, more preferably until it reaches 15°C or less, and particularly preferably until it reaches 10°C or less.

[0086] Other steps that can be obtained in the production method of the improver of the present invention will be described. In addition to the above steps (a) to (d), the method for producing the improver of the present invention may optionally incorporate other steps before and after each step, as long as the effects of the improver of the present invention obtained are not impaired.

[0087] Examples of other steps that may be incorporated include a pH adjustment step, an enzyme treatment step, and the like.

[0088] When the production method of the present invention includes a pH adjustment step, in this pH adjustment step, it can preferably be adjusted to pH 3 to 6, more preferably pH 4 to 6, and even more preferably pH 4.7 to 5.8. Examples of methods for adjusting the pH include a method of adding an acid for adjustment, a method of treating by lactic acid fermentation or the like so that the pH falls within the above preferred range, and the like.

[0089] When an acid is used so that the pH falls within the above preferred range, the acid used may be an inorganic acid or an organic acid, but an organic acid is preferred. Examples of such organic acids include acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, phytic acid, sorbic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, etc. Food and beverages containing organic acids such as fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice, fermented milk, and yogurt can also be used. In the present invention, it is preferable to use phytic acid and gluconic acid because they have less sourness and do not affect the flavor.

[0090] When the production method of the present invention includes an enzyme treatment step, in this enzyme treatment step, one or more arbitrary enzymes can be selected and used. Examples of such enzymes include amylase, protease, amyloglucosidase, pullulanase, pentosanase, cellulase, lipase, phospholipase, catalase, glutaminase, lipoxygenase, ascorbic acid oxidase, sulfhydryl oxidase, hexose oxidase, glucose oxidase, etc. The conditions for the enzyme treatment can be arbitrarily set according to the enzyme selected.

[0091] These other steps may be incorporated during any of the above steps (a) to (d), but preferably steps (a) and (b) are performed continuously, more preferably steps (a) to (c) are performed continuously, and even more preferably steps (a) to (d) are performed continuously. Here, "performing continuously" with respect to steps means that no other steps are included between each step. From the viewpoint of maximizing the effect of the improver of the present invention, it is particularly preferable to perform the above steps (a) to (d) continuously and not to include other steps other than steps (a) to (d). Note that operations such as stirring and filtration, or filling into containers, for the produced improver of the present invention shall not be included in the above other steps.

[0092] In steps (a) to (d), the pH of the dispersion is usually 3 to 7, preferably 4 to 6.8, more preferably 5 to 6.7, and even more preferably 6.0 to 6.5. Therefore, the production method of the present invention does not particularly need to include the above pH adjustment step, and preferably does not include the above pH adjustment step.

[0093] The bread dough, frozen bread dough, and bread of the present invention will be described. First, the bread dough of the present invention will be described. The bread dough of the present invention contains the improver of the present invention.

[0094] From the viewpoint of further improving the volume of the bread of the present invention and the extensibility of the bread dough of the present invention, the bread dough of the present invention contains, based on 100 parts by mass of the flour contained in the bread dough of the present invention, the improver of the present invention as a solid content, preferably in an amount of 0.1 part by mass to 3.5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.1 part by mass to 3 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 2.5 parts by mass.

[0095] The bread dough of the present invention may appropriately contain cereals, yeast, sugars, sweeteners, oils and fats, eggs, dairy products, water, salt, starches, seasonings, spices, flavoring agents, coloring agents, cocoa, chocolate, nuts, yogurt, cheese, matcha, black tea, coffee, tofu, soybean flour, beans, vegetables, fruits, fruit juices, jams, fruit sauces, fruits, herbs, meats, seafood, oxidizing agents, reducing agents, enzymes, yeast food, emulsifiers, preservatives, freshness improvers, etc.

[0096] Examples of the above-mentioned cereals include wheat flour (weak flour, medium flour, semi-strong flour, strong flour), wheat germ, whole grain flour, wheat bran, durum flour, barley flour, rice flour, rye flour, whole rye flour, soybean flour, adzuki bean flour, etc. One or more selected from these can be used. In the present invention, among these, in the cereals, preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and still more preferably 100% by mass of wheat flour is used.

[0097] The bread dough of the present invention can be produced based on a commonly used bread dough production method such as the sponge method or the straight method. However, from the viewpoint of suppressing freezing damage, it is preferable to adopt the straight method.

[0098] When the bread dough of the present invention is produced by the sponge method, it can be produced by kneading the improving material of the present invention into the sponge dough and / or the final dough. When produced by the straight method, it can be produced by kneading the improving material for frozen bread dough of the present invention into the dough.

[0099] In addition, the frozen bread dough of the present invention is the bread dough of the present invention that has been frozen. The freezing stage is not particularly limited, and it can be frozen dough at various stages such as dough ball frozen dough, shaped frozen dough, and proofed frozen dough. However, due to the action of the improver of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a dough that is not easily shrunk after shaping. Therefore, it is preferably shaped frozen dough. Here, the freezing treatment is preferably quick freezing.

[0100] Next, the bread of the present invention will be described. The bread of the present invention contains the improver of the present invention and is obtained by heat-treating the bread dough of the present invention. It can also be obtained by thawing the frozen bread dough of the present invention and then performing heat treatment. When using the frozen bread dough of the present invention, heat treatment may be directly performed without thawing.

[0101] Examples of the heat treatment include baking, frying, steaming, and microwave treatment of the bread dough. It is also possible to refrigerate or freeze the obtained bread of the present invention and then heat it in a microwave oven after the storage. The types of the bread of the present invention are not particularly limited. Examples thereof include sandwich bread, sweet bread, variety bread, butter roll, soft roll, hard roll, sweet roll, Danish, pastry, and French bread.

Examples

[0102] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the examples shown below.

[0103] <Details of raw materials used for manufacturing the frozen bread dough improver> Details are shown in Table 1. Skim concentrated milk A stored in a freezer at -18°C for at least 36 hours was used.

[0104]

Table 1

[0105] <Manufacture of the frozen bread dough improver> Based on the formulations (mass %) and homogenization conditions shown in Table 2, improvers Ex-1 to 2 and improvers CEx-1 to 2 were manufactured. Note that only improver Cex-2 is in powder form, and the other improvers are all in liquid form.

[0106] 〔Example 1〕 First, skim concentrated milk A was added to water heated to 55°C and stirred to obtain a dispersion (pH 6.3). Next, this dispersion was homogenized using a two-stage homogenizer at a setting of 4.9 MPa in the first stage and 0 MPa in the second stage. The homogenized dispersion was subjected to UHT heat treatment (140 °C, 4 seconds), and then homogenized again using a two-stage homogenizer at a setting of 12.8 MPa in the first stage and 2.9 MPa in the second stage. After that, it was cooled until the liquid temperature of the dispersion reached 5 °C, and Improver Ex-1 was produced.

[0107] 〔Example 2〕 First, total milk protein was added to water heated to 55 °C, stirred and dispersed to prepare an aqueous solution of total milk protein. Skim concentrated milk A was added to this aqueous solution, stirred and dispersed to obtain a dispersion (pH 6.3). Next, this dispersion was homogenized using a two-stage homogenizer at a setting of 4.9 MPa in the first stage and 0 MPa in the second stage. The homogenized dispersion was subjected to UHT heat treatment (140 °C, 4 seconds), and then homogenized again using a two-stage homogenizer at a setting of 12.8 MPa in the first stage and 2.9 MPa in the second stage. After that, it was cooled until the liquid temperature of the dispersion reached 5 °C, and Improver Ex-2 was produced.

[0108] 〔Comparative Example 1〕 Skim concentrated milk A left to thaw in an environment of 20 °C was obtained as Improver Cex-1.

[0109] 〔Comparative Example 2〕 Skim concentrated milk A left to thaw in an environment of 20 °C was freeze-dried until the moisture content reached 3.5 mass%, and freeze-dried and powdered to obtain Improver Cex-2.

[0110] <Measurement of particle size distribution> Using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device (product name: SALD-2300, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), the particle size distributions of Improvers Ex-1 to 2 and Cex-1 to 2 were measured under the following conditions. Refractive index: 1.60 - 0.20i Dispersion medium: water Pump speed: 5 Light intensity distribution: Using a batch cell, it was appropriately adjusted with water so that the maximum value of the light intensity distribution was 35 - 75%.

[0111]

Table 2

[0112] <Bread dough, frozen bread dough, production and evaluation of bread> Using improvers Ex - 1 to 2 and Cex - 1 to 2 produced as described above, based on the formulations in Table 3, bread dough, frozen bread dough, and bread were produced as follows. The obtained bread dough and bread were evaluated by the evaluation methods described below, and the results are shown in Table 4.

[0113]

Table 3

[0114] [Formulation and manufacturing method of roll bread] Take strong flour (trade name "Eagle": manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.), water, bread yeast, granulated sugar, salt, non - fat dry milk, and either one of improvers Ex - 1 to 2 or either one of improvers Cex - 1 to 2 in a mixer bowl, mix at low speed for 3 minutes and at medium speed for 6 minutes, add shortening here, and mix at low speed for 3 minutes and at medium speed for 7 minutes to obtain bread dough. The kneading - up temperature of this bread dough was 22°C. After taking the floor time of this bread dough for 20 minutes under the conditions of 28°C and 75% humidity, it was divided into 70 g / each. For half of the divided dough, bench time was 30 minutes, and for the other half, bench time was 60 minutes. (Note that the bread dough with a bench time of 60 minutes was only used for the evaluation of the shrinkage of the bread dough described later, and the subsequent operations were carried out using the one with a bench time of 30 minutes) After taking the bench time, perform mold forming on the bread dough, quickly freeze the bread dough at - 40°C for 40 minutes to obtain frozen bread dough. The obtained frozen bread dough was stored frozen at - 20°C for 2 weeks. Next, each frozen bread dough after frozen storage was left standing in a thermostat set at 20°C for 150 minutes for thawing. After that, it was proofed for 60 minutes under the conditions of a temperature of 38°C and a relative humidity of 85%, and then baked in an oven set at 200°C for both the upper and lower heaters for 7 minutes to obtain roll pans Ex-1 to 2 and roll pans CEx-1 to 2. In addition, roll pans manufactured in the same manner as roll pans Ex-1 to 2 and roll pans Cex-1 to 2, except that they did not contain an improver, were used as benchmark products.

[0115] <Evaluation criteria for the extensibility of the obtained bread dough> For the additive-free product, bread dough Ex-1 and Ex-2, and bread dough Cex-1 and Cex-2, the lengths of the doughs formed by molder molding were measured 10 times for each bench time length (30 minutes and 60 minutes), and the average values were evaluated according to the following criteria. The smaller the difference in dough length, the more the dough has sufficiently stretched even when the bench time length is 30 minutes, indicating that a preferable bread dough has been obtained.

[0116] In this study, products with an evaluation of "+" or "++" were regarded as qualified products. ++: The difference in dough length between the product with a bench time length of 30 minutes and the product with a bench time length of 60 minutes is less than 5 mm. +: The difference in dough length between the product with a bench time length of 30 minutes and the product with a bench time length of 60 minutes is 5 mm or more and less than 10 mm. -: The difference in dough length between the product with a bench time length of 30 minutes and the product with a bench time length of 60 minutes is 10 mm or more and less than 15 mm. --: The difference in dough length between the product with a bench time length of 30 minutes and the product with a bench time length of 60 minutes is 15 mm or more.

[0117] <Evaluation criteria for the volume of the obtained bread> For the additive-free product, roll pans Ex-1 and Ex-2, and roll pans Cex-1 and Cex-2, the appearance was visually confirmed and evaluated according to the following criteria. Generally, the larger the volume, the more it is recognized by consumers as a suitable bread.

[0118] In this study, products with an evaluation of "+" or "++" were regarded as qualified products. ++: It was very bulky with a large volume and had a very good appearance. +: It was bulky with a large volume and had a good appearance. -: It had a slightly small volume and an inferior appearance. --: It had no volume and a very inferior appearance.

[0119]

Table 4

Claims

1. A frozen bread dough improver containing 50 to 90% by mass of skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more, wherein when the improver is subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement, particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm in particle diameter are 70% or more of all particles.

2. The frozen bread dough improver according to Claim 1, wherein the fat content is 1 to 7% by mass, the protein content is 5 to 15% by mass, the carbohydrate content is 10 to 20% by mass, and the solid content is 15 to 35% by mass.

3. The frozen bread dough improver according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein 85% by mass or more of the fat contained is derived from skim concentrated milk.

4. Bread dough containing the frozen bread dough improver according to Claim 1.

5. Bread containing the frozen bread dough improver according to Claim 1.

6. A method for producing the frozen bread dough improver according to Claim 1, comprising the following steps (a) to (d) in this order. (a) A step of freezing skim concentrated milk with a solid content of 35% by mass or more to obtain frozen skim concentrated milk (b) A step of thawing the frozen skim concentrated milk to obtain thawed skim concentrated milk (c) A step of preparing a dispersion containing 50 to 90% by mass of the thawed skim concentrated milk and subjecting the dispersion to heat treatment at 100°C or higher for 1 to 60 seconds (d) A step of subjecting the dispersion obtained in step (c) to homogenization treatment at a pressure such that particles belonging to the range of 0.2 to 1.0 μm in particle diameter are 70% or more of all particles when subjected to laser diffraction particle size distribution measurement

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