Creaming powder and composition for instant beverage

Abstract

To provide a cold-water soluble creaming powder that has easy dissolvability in cold water and a favorable flavor, and a powdered instant beverage composition containing the creaming powder.SOLUTION: This creaming powder comprises edible oil and fat, and an emulsifier, wherein the content ratio of the edible oil and fat to the total amount of the creaming powder is 40 mass% or more, the edible oil and fat comprises medium-chain triglyceride and lauric oil and fat, the content ratio of the medium-chain triglyceride to the total amount of the edible oil and fat is 25 to 75 mass%, and the emulsifier comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid ester and sucrose fatty acid ester with an HLB of 1 to 5, and polyglycerol fatty acid ester with an HLB of 14 to 20.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cold-water-soluble creaming powder that can be easily dissolved in cold water and has a good flavor, and to an instant beverage composition containing the creaming powder. [Background technology]

[0002] Dairy products such as raw milk, cream, cream cheese, and butter are commonly used to impart a milky flavor and texture. However, these materials are expensive, limiting the amount of incorporation. To solve this problem, a method of partially or completely replacing milk fat with vegetable oil has been widely used. By using vegetable oil instead of milk fat, it becomes possible to produce milk-flavored foods and beverages at lower cost. For example, as a substitute for cream added to favorite beverages such as coffee and tea, there are oil-in-water emulsions containing vegetable oil, milk protein such as casein protein, and a powdered base material, and creaming powders obtained by drying and powdering this emulsion. By incorporating creaming powder into instant beverage compositions whose main ingredients are the soluble solids of beverages such as instant coffee, and dissolving the emulsion in water, a milk-flavored beverage such as cafe au lait can be easily prepared.

[0003] However, creaming powders contain a high amount of oil and have poor wettability and dispersibility in water. In particular, creaming powders with a relatively high lipid content exhibit significantly reduced emulsion stability in low-temperature water and are difficult to dissolve. Therefore, when dispersed in water, the powder tends to float on the water surface without wetting or settling, and tends to form lumps even when stirred. Therefore, several solutions have been proposed to improve this water dispersibility. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a creaming powder whose solubility in low-temperature water (below 20°C) is improved by coating at least a portion of the particle surface with a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride (MCT) composed of fatty acids having 6 to 10 carbon atoms. Patent Document 2 also discloses a cold-water-soluble creaming powder whose solubility in cold water is improved without impairing flavor by coating at least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder with a mixture of edible oil and fat and diglycerol monooleate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 7-10214 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-176297 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The instant creaming powder coated with MCT described in Patent Document 1 can improve solubility at low temperatures, but has the problem of its characteristic flavor being affected.Furthermore, the methods described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 improve the dispersion stability of cocoa powder in hot water, but there is still room for improvement in dispersibility in cold water.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a creaming powder that has good solubility in cold water and a good flavor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have found that in a cream powder having a relatively high edible oil / fat content of 40 mass% or more relative to the total amount of creaming powder, the solubility in cold water can be improved without impairing the flavor by using only MCT and lauric oil / fat as edible oil / fat, by setting the ratio of the content of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride relative to the total amount of edible oil / fat within a specific range, and by using a specific emulsifier, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] The present invention is as follows. [1] Contains edible oils and fats and emulsifiers, The content of the edible oil or fat relative to the total amount of the creaming powder is 40% by mass or more, the edible fats and oils are composed of medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides and lauric fats and oils, and the content of the medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides relative to the total amount of the edible fats and oils is 25 to 75% by mass; A creaming powder characterized in that the emulsifier comprises one or more emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 1 to 5, and a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 20. [2] The creaming powder according to [1], wherein the emulsifier comprises a sorbitan fatty acid ester and a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 20. [3] The creaming powder according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of lauric acid relative to the total amount of the edible oil or fat is 10 to 40 mass%. [4] The creaming powder according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the content of caprylic acid is 18 to 60% by mass and the content of capric acid is 5 to 35% by mass relative to the total amount of the edible fat or oil. [5] The creaming powder according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the lauric oil is one or more selected from the group consisting of coconut oil, hardened coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and hydrogenated palm kernel oil. [6] A powdery instant beverage composition for preparing a beverage by mixing with an edible liquid, The instant beverage composition is characterized by containing any one of the cream powder of [1] to [5]. [7] Furthermore, the instant beverage composition of [6] contains a soluble beverage solid content or a fine powder of a beverage raw material. [8] The soluble beverage solid content is one or more selected from the group consisting of soluble coffee solid content, soluble black tea solid content, soluble green tea solid content, soluble roasted green tea solid content, soluble oolong tea solid content, soluble herbal tea solid content, and cocoa powder, The fine powder of the beverage raw material is one or more selected from the group consisting of matcha powder, green tea powder, and oolong tea powder. The instant beverage composition of [7]. [Effect of the Invention]

[0009] The cream powder according to the present invention has a high edible oil content of 40% by mass or more, but has a good flavor and high solubility in cold water. Therefore, with the cream powder and the instant beverage composition containing the same, even when a liquid such as water or milk is at a low temperature, it can be easily dissolved, and a beverage or liquid food with a good flavor can be obtained. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0010] In the present invention and this specification, "X to Y (X and Y are real numbers satisfying X < Y)" means a numerical range of "X or more and Y or less".

[0011] In the present invention and this specification, "cream powder" means a powder composition added to a flavored beverage such as coffee as a substitute for cream.

[0012] In the present invention and this specification, "instant beverage composition" means a composition that can prepare a beverage by dissolving or diluting it in an edible liquid such as water or milk. The instant beverage composition according to the present invention is a powder composition.

[0013] In this invention and this specification, "powder" means a granular material (consisting of many solid particles with a distribution of different sizes, with some interaction between the individual particles). Also, "granules" are aggregates of particles (granular granulations) granulated from powder. In this invention and this specification, powder also includes granules.

[0014] In the present invention and this specification, "cold water" means water at a temperature of 10°C or below. Furthermore, a powder being "cold water soluble" means that when the powder is placed on the surface of cold water and allowed to stand, the entire powder settles. In other words, a cold water soluble powder is a powder that can be dissolved simply by being placed in cold water without stirring, even when the solvent used for dissolution is cold water.

[0015] <Creaming powder> The edible oils and fats contained in the creaming powder of the present invention comprise edible oils and fats consisting of MCT and lauric fats, and an emulsifier, and the content of the edible oils and fats relative to the total amount of the creaming powder is 40% by mass or more, and the content of MCT relative to the total amount of the edible oils and fats is 25 to 75% by mass. As an edible oil and fat, MCT is highly hydrophilic but has a unique astringent taste, so creaming powders containing a large amount of MCT have good cold water solubility but poor flavor. The creaming powder of the present invention uses only MCT and lauric fats in particular as edible oils and fats, and the content of MCT relative to the total amount of edible oils and fats is 25 to 75% by mass. Therefore, despite the content of the edible oils and fats being 40% by mass or more relative to the total amount of the creaming powder, both cold water solubility and flavor are good.

[0016] The edible oil content of the creaming powder according to the present invention may be 40% by mass or more based on the total amount of the creaming powder. For example, the edible oil content of the creaming powder according to the present invention is preferably in the range of 40 to 60% by mass, more preferably in the range of 40 to 55% by mass, and even more preferably in the range of 40 to 50% by mass.

[0017] In the present invention and the present specification, "lauric fat" refers to edible fats and oils having a lauric acid content of 35% by mass or more relative to the total amount of fats and oils. Furthermore, "the lauric acid content relative to the total amount of fats and oils" refers to the proportion of lauric acid in the total amount of fatty acids, based on the fatty acid composition obtained by analyzing the fats and oils. Specifically, the fatty acid composition of fats and oils is measured by the methyl esterification method, which is the official method of the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS).

[0018] The lauric acid content of the lauric acid-based oil or fat contained in the creaming powder according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible oil or fat having a lauric acid content of 35% by mass or more relative to the total amount of the oil or fat, but is preferably 40% by mass or more, and more preferably 42% by mass or more. The upper limit of the lauric acid content of the lauric acid-based oil or fat is not particularly limited, and can be 60% by mass or less, preferably 55% by mass or less, and more preferably 50% by mass or less.

[0019] The creaming powder according to the present invention may contain one type of lauric oil or fat, or two or more types. The lauric oil or fat may be a natural oil, a processed oil, or a synthetic oil. The lauric oil or fat contained in the creaming powder according to the present invention is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of palm oil (coconut oil), hardened palm oil, palm kernel oil, and hydrogenated palm kernel oil.

[0020] MCT refers to fatty acid glycerides in which all of the fatty acids that make up the oil are medium-chain fatty acids (fatty acids with 8 to 10 carbon atoms). The fatty acid composition of MCT, like that of lauric oils, is measured by the methyl esterification method, an official method established by the American Oil Chemical Society (AOCS). The "caprylic acid content relative to the total amount of MCT" refers to the percentage of caprylic acid in the total amount of fatty acids, based on the fatty acid composition obtained by analyzing the MCT. The "capric acid content relative to the total amount of MCT" refers to the percentage of capric acid in the total amount of fatty acids, based on the fatty acid composition obtained by analyzing the MCT.

[0021] The MCT contained in the creaming powder according to the present invention may be an MCT whose constituent fatty acids are all saturated fatty acids having 8 to 10 carbon atoms, but is preferably an MCT consisting of caprylic acid (a saturated fatty acid having 8 carbon atoms) and capric acid (a saturated fatty acid having 10 carbon atoms). Of these, an MCT in which the caprylic acid content relative to the total amount of MCT is 50 to 90% by mass and the capric acid content relative to the total amount of MCT is 10 to 50% by mass is preferred, and an MCT in which the caprylic acid content relative to the total amount of MCT is 55 to 82% by mass and the capric acid content relative to the total amount of MCT is 17 to 45% by mass is more preferred.

[0022] The content of lauric acid relative to the total amount of edible fats and oils contained in the creaming powder of the present invention is preferably 10 to 40% by mass, more preferably 12 to 38% by mass, even more preferably 14 to 37% by mass, and even more preferably 16 to 35% by mass.

[0023] The content of caprylic acid relative to the total amount of edible fats and oils contained in the creaming powder of the present invention is preferably 18 to 60% by mass, more preferably 20 to 57% by mass, and the content of capric acid relative to the total amount of edible fats and oils contained in the creaming powder of the present invention is preferably 5 to 35% by mass, more preferably 8 to 32% by mass.

[0024] In the creaming powder according to the present invention, the content of lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid relative to the total amount of edible fats and oils contained in the creaming powder is preferably 10 to 40% by mass, 18 to 60% by mass, and 5 to 35% by mass, more preferably 16 to 35% by mass, 20 to 57% by mass, and 8 to 32% by mass, respectively. When the fatty acid composition of the edible fats and oils contained in the creaming powder according to the present invention is within these ranges, a creaming powder having higher cold water solubility and better flavor can be obtained.

[0025] The creaming powder of the present invention preferably contains only lauric fats and MCTs as edible fats. However, it may contain small amounts of one or more other edible fats as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Specifically, the creaming powder may contain other edible fats in addition to lauric fats and MCTs, as long as the content of lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid relative to the total amount of edible fats contained in the creaming powder is 10 to 40% by mass, 18 to 60% by mass, and 5 to 35% by mass, respectively. The other edible fats may be natural oils, processed oils, or synthetic oils. Examples of such other edible fats include vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil (canola oil), corn oil, soybean oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, and sunflower oil; and animal fats such as milk fat, beef tallow, and lard.

[0026] The emulsifier contained in the creaming powder of the present invention may be one or more selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters with HLB of 1 to 5, and a polyglycerol fatty acid ester with HLB of 14 to 20. Examples of sorbitan fatty acid esters include esters of sorbitan with 1 to 3 fatty acids. Examples of sucrose fatty acid esters with HLB of 1 to 5 include esters of sucrose with 1 to 8 fatty acids. Examples of polyglycerol fatty acid esters with HLB of 14 to 20 include esters of polyglycerol, which is a polymer of 2 to 10 glycerol units, with 1 to 8 fatty acids. Fatty acids that can be used as raw materials for sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, and polyglycerol fatty acid esters include capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidic acid, arachidonic acid, behenic acid, and erucic acid. In the case of an esterification product with two or more fatty acids, the fatty acid residues present in one molecule of fatty acid ester may all be of the same type, or may be of two or more types.

[0027] Examples of emulsifiers contained in the creaming powder according to the present invention include a combination of one or more sorbitan fatty acid esters with one or more polyglycerol fatty acid esters having an HLB of 14 to 20, a combination of one or more sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 1 to 5 with one or more polyglycerol fatty acid esters having an HLB of 14 to 20, or a combination of one or more sorbitan fatty acid esters with one or more sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 1 to 5 with one or more polyglycerol fatty acid esters having an HLB of 14 to 20, with a combination of one or more sorbitan fatty acid esters with one or more polyglycerol fatty acid esters having an HLB of 14 to 20 being more preferred.

[0028] The total content of all emulsifiers contained in the cream powder according to the present invention is preferably 0.2% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, based on the total amount of cream powder. Furthermore, since this has less effect on flavor, the ratio of the total content of emulsifiers to the total amount of cream powder is preferably 5.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 4.0% by mass or less.

[0029] The content of various ingredients (edible oils and fats, emulsifiers, etc.) in the creaming powder of the present invention can be calculated from the ratio of the amount blended as ingredients to the total amount of solids in the ingredients ([amount of each ingredient blended (g)] / [total amount of solids in ingredients (g)] × 100%).

[0030] The creaming powder according to the present invention preferably contains, in addition to the edible oil and fat and the emulsifier, one or more types of milk selected from the group consisting of animal milk and vegetable milk. By containing such milk, a creaming powder having a better milk flavor can be obtained. In the present invention and this specification, "milk" is a general term for animal milk and vegetable milk.

[0031] In the present invention and this specification, "animal milk" refers to the milk of mammals. Examples of animal milk include cow's milk, goat's milk, sheep's milk, and horse's milk. Animal milk also includes whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, cow's milk, low-fat milk, concentrated milk, concentrated skim milk, unsweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened condensed skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, lactose, fresh cream, and butter. Note that whole milk powder and skim milk powder are obtained by removing water from cow's milk (full-fat milk) or skim milk by spray drying or the like, and then drying and powdering them, respectively. These animal milks are preferably obtained by removing water from them by spray drying or the like, and then drying and powdering them. The creaming powder according to the present invention may contain one type of animal milk, or may contain a combination of two or more types of animal milk.

[0032] In the present invention and this specification, the term "plant-based milk" refers to a liquid obtained by extracting components containing protein and fat from plant-derived raw materials such as beans, nuts, and grains with water. Examples of plant-based milk include bean milk, nut milk, and grain milk. Examples of legume milk include soy milk and peanut milk. Examples of nut milk include almond milk, walnut milk, pistachio milk, hazelnut milk, cashew nut milk, pecan nut milk, macadamia nut milk, and coconut milk. Examples of grain milk include rice milk, oat milk, and corn milk. These plant-based milks are preferably dried and powdered by removing water using methods such as spray drying. The creaming powder of the present invention may contain one type of plant-based milk or a combination of two or more types.

[0033] The creaming powder of the present invention may contain other ingredients in addition to the edible oil and emulsifier, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. In addition to the milk, such other ingredients may include excipients, pH adjusters, sweeteners, acidulants, minerals, flavorings, flow improvers (anti-caking agents), antioxidants, etc.

[0034] The excipient is not particularly limited as long as it can be added to foods and beverages, and examples thereof include carbohydrates such as starch, starch hydrolysates, sugars, and dietary fiber, as well as proteins. Examples of starch include edible starches such as tapioca starch, glutinous rice starch, rice starch, potato starch, wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, taro starch, and sago starch. These starches may also be subjected to crosslinking or other processing such as hydroxypropylation, acetylation, and phosphate monoesterification. Examples of starch hydrolysates include starch syrup (a mucilaginous composition obtained by saccharifying various starches with acid or a saccharifying enzyme), powdered syrup (a powdered composition obtained by dehydrating and drying starch syrup), and dextrin. Examples of sugars include glucose (grape sugar), lactose, maltose, sucrose, trehalose, and oligosaccharides. Examples of dietary fiber include indigestible dextrin, cellulose, xanthan gum, etc. Protein may be animal protein, but vegetable protein is preferred. Examples of protein include casein, whey protein, soybean flour, soybean flour, soybean pulp powder, rice flour, wheat powder, etc. Examples of casein include various caseins commonly used for food, such as sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, acid casein, caseinate, and rennet casein. The creaming powder of the present invention may contain one type of excipient or a combination of two or more types.

[0035] The pH adjuster is not particularly limited as long as it can be added to foods and beverages, and may be an inorganic acid salt or an organic acid salt. Examples of inorganic acid salts include phosphate, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, etc. Examples of phosphate salts include disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, etc. Examples of organic acid salts include citrates such as trisodium citrate; malates such as DL-sodium malate; gluconates such as potassium gluconate and sodium gluconate; and lactates such as potassium lactate and sodium lactate. The creaming powder of the present invention may contain one type of pH adjuster or may contain two or more types in combination. The pH adjuster contained in the creaming powder of the present invention is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, phosphate, and citrate.

[0036] Examples of sweeteners include sugars such as sugar, oligosaccharides, and glucose-fructose corn syrup; sugar alcohols such as erythritol, trehalose, and sorbitol; high-intensity sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose; and stevia. Sugar may be granulated sugar, white sugar, or powdered sugar. The sweetener used in the present invention may be a single type or a combination of two or more types.

[0037] Examples of the acidulant include organic acids and phosphoric acids. Examples of the organic acids include citric acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, glucono-delta-lactone, phytic acid, adipic acid, and ascorbic acid. The phosphoric acid may be orthophosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, tripolyphosphoric acid, or metaphosphoric acid. The acidulant used in the present invention may be a single type or a combination of two or more types.

[0038] As the flow improver, fine silicon oxide, tricalcium phosphate, etc. may be used. The creaming powder according to the present invention may contain one type of flow improver or may contain two or more types in combination.

[0039] Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocopherol), BHT (dibutylhydroxytoluene), BHA (butylhydroxyanisole), sodium erythorbate, propyl gallate, sodium sulfite, sulfur dioxide, chlorogenic acid, catechin, etc. The creaming powder according to the present invention may contain one type of antioxidant or a combination of two or more types.

[0040] The creaming powder according to the present invention can be produced, for example, by mixing raw materials such as edible oils and fats in water, then forming an oil-in-water emulsion (O / W emulsion) using an emulsifier or the like, and then removing the water. The water can be removed by any method selected from spray drying, spray freezing, freeze drying, freeze-pulverization, extrusion granulation, and the like. The obtained creaming powder may be classified, granulated, pulverized, and the like, as necessary.

[0041] The creaming powder according to the present invention can be used as an ingredient in various foods and beverages, similar to other creaming powders. The creaming powder according to the present invention may be added directly to foods and beverages produced by a conventional method, or may be mixed with other ingredients during the production process to produce foods and beverages.

[0042] The food and drink produced using the creaming powder of the present invention as a raw material is not particularly limited and may be a solid food, a gel-like food, or a cream-like food. However, beverages and liquid foods are preferred because they can more fully exhibit the excellent cold water solubility characteristic. The beverage may be a non-alcoholic beverage or an alcoholic beverage. It may also be a sparkling beverage (carbonated beverage) or a non-sparkling beverage. Specific examples of the food and drink produced using the creaming powder of the present invention as a raw material include beverages, dairy beverages, lactic acid bacteria beverages, juices, sports drinks, near water, soups, etc.

[0043] <Instant beverage composition> The instant beverage composition according to the present invention is a powdered instant beverage composition to be mixed with an edible liquid to prepare a beverage, and contains the creaming powder according to the present invention. By containing the creaming powder according to the present invention, the instant beverage composition according to the present invention can produce an instant beverage that has excellent solubility in cold water and a good flavor.

[0044] The instant beverage composition of the present invention can be prepared by mixing other ingredients with the creaming powder of the present invention. Alternatively, the instant beverage composition of the present invention can be prepared by mixing the edible oil and fat, emulsifier, and other ingredients, which are the raw materials for the creaming powder of the present invention, as separate raw materials, with the other ingredients. Examples of the other ingredients include soluble beverage solids, finely powdered beverage ingredients, milk, excipients, pH adjusters, sweeteners, acidulants, minerals, flavorings, flow improvers (anti-caking agents), and antioxidants. The milk, excipients, pH adjusters, sweeteners, acidulants, flavorings, minerals, flow improvers, and antioxidants can be the same as those listed above.

[0045] Soluble beverage solids are soluble solids extracted from various beverage ingredients, and beverages are prepared by dissolving them in water. Fine powder beverage ingredients are powders obtained by grinding various beverage ingredients, and beverages are prepared by dispersing the fine powder in a liquid such as water. Beverage ingredients include roasted coffee beans, tea leaves for tea beverages such as black tea, green tea, matcha, roasted green tea, and oolong tea, barley, cocoa beans, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Preferred herbs are herbs commonly consumed as herbal tea, such as hibiscus, rosehip, peppermint, chamomile, lemongrass, lemon balm, lavender, and rooibos.

[0046] The soluble solids of beverage ingredients can be produced by conventional methods, or commercially available products can be used. For example, soluble coffee powder (instant coffee powder) can be obtained by extracting soluble solids from roasted coffee beans using hot water and drying the resulting extract. Powdered soluble solids for tea beverages can be obtained by extracting soluble solids from tea leaves such as black tea leaves, green tea leaves (fresh tea leaves), roasted tea leaves, and oolong tea leaves using hot water and drying the resulting extract. Soluble herbal tea powder (instant herbal tea powder) can be obtained by extracting soluble solids from herbal ingredients using hot water and drying the resulting extract. Cocoa powder is obtained by fermenting and roasting cocoa beans, removing the seed coat and germ, and grinding them to prepare cocoa mass, and then pulverizing the remaining cocoa cake from the resulting cocoa mass, removing the cocoa butter from the resulting cocoa mass. As beverage raw materials, such as coffee beans, tea leaves, herbs, and cocoa beans, those commonly used as beverage raw materials can be used. Methods for drying the obtained extract include freeze-drying, spray-drying, and vacuum drying. Furthermore, extracts from tea leaves and coffee beans may be concentrated as needed before drying. Such concentration methods can be commonly used, such as thermal concentration, freeze-concentration, and membrane concentration using a reverse osmosis membrane or an ultrafiltration membrane.

[0047] The fine powder of the beverage ingredient can be produced by a conventional method, or a commercially available product may be used. For example, matcha powder can be obtained by sterilizing tea leaves (fresh leaves) and then grinding them using a stone mill or a commonly used grinder. Green tea powder and oolong tea powder can also be obtained in a similar manner using green tea or oolong tea leaves as the raw material.

[0048] The instant beverage composition of the present invention may contain one type of soluble beverage solids or fine powders of beverage ingredients, or two or more types may be used in combination. The soluble beverage solids of the present invention are preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of soluble coffee solids, soluble black tea solids, soluble green tea solids, soluble oolong tea solids, soluble herbal tea solids, cocoa powder, matcha powder, green tea powder, and oolong tea powder.

[0049] Examples of edible liquids to be mixed with the beverage composition of the present invention include water, liquid dairy ingredients such as cow's milk, low-fat milk, concentrated milk, and concentrated skim milk, and liquid plant milk such as soy milk. The temperature of the edible liquid to be mixed with the instant beverage composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably within the range of 0 to 20°C, more preferably within the range of 0 to 15°C, and even more preferably within the range of 0 to 10°C, in view of excellent cold water solubility.

[0050] The instant beverage composition of the present invention can be individually packaged in a small pouch or the like in a single serving amount (for example, the amount required to dissolve in 120 to 180 mL of liquid to prepare an instant beverage), or it can be packaged in a container such as a bottle in a number of serving amounts so that it can be shaken out of the container or taken out with a spoon when in use and supplied as a commercial product.

[0051] The individually packaged type is a stick-shaped aluminum pouch or similar that is filled with the contents of one drink, and the contents can be removed by opening the container and pushing it out with your fingers. The individually packaged type has the advantage of being easy to handle and hygienic, as each serving is sealed. [Example]

[0052] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples and reference examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In the following examples, "%" means "% by mass" unless otherwise specified.

[0053] [Example 1] An instant creaming powder was produced using coconut oil, MCT, and an emulsifier, and the solubility of the instant creaming powder in cold water was investigated.

[0054] Instant creaming powders were produced according to the compositions shown in Tables 1 and 2. In the columns for coconut oil and MCT in the tables, the numbers in parentheses at the bottom indicate the percentage of coconut oil or MCT content relative to the total amount of edible fats and oils (total content of coconut oil and MCT).

[0055] Specifically, all ingredients except for edible oils and fats (coconut oil, MCT) and emulsifiers (sorbitan fatty acid ester, monoglycerin fatty acid ester) were added to the raw water and mixed at 60°C. The emulsifier and edible oils and fats were further added to the resulting mixture, and the stirred raw material mixture was mixed at 400 kg / cm using a homogenizer (product name: "R5-10.38", manufactured by APV). 2 The homogenized emulsion was spray-dried using a spray dryer (product name: "FSD4.0 Type Spray Dryer", manufactured by GEA) under conditions of a hot air temperature of 180°C and an exhaust air temperature of 90°C, to obtain a creaming powder.

[0056] <Evaluation of cold water solubility> The cold water solubility of each creaming powder produced was evaluated as follows. First, 100 mL of cold water (1.5°C) was poured into a 200 mL beaker. 5 g of the analytical sample (equivalent to the amount per cup of beverage) was poured onto the surface of the cold water in the beaker, stirred 30 times with a spoon, and the state of the powder added was observed. The cold water solubility of each analytical sample was evaluated based on the following criteria.

[0057] Cold water solubility score; 1: There is residual material on the surface of the liquid. This is unacceptable as a product. 2: There was no residue on the surface of the liquid, and the entire amount was dissolved. The product is acceptable.

[0058] [Table 1]

[0059] [Table 2]

[0060] The evaluation results of the cold water solubility of beverages prepared from the creaming powders of each test group are shown in Tables 1 and 2. As shown by the results of the creaming powders of test groups 1-1 to 1-4, the solubility in cold water worsened as the MCT content was reduced and the palm oil content was increased. In test groups 1-3 and 1-4, which contained palm oil at 32% or more, some of the product remained undissolved, making it unacceptable as a product. A similar trend was observed in the creaming powders of test groups 1-5 to 1-8, which used high-HLB polyglycerol fatty acid esters instead of monoglycerol fatty acid esters.

[0061] Furthermore, despite the creaming powders having the same composition except for the emulsifier, some of the creaming powder from Test Plot 1-3 remained undissolved, while the creaming powder from Test Plot 1-7 was completely dissolved, demonstrating excellent cold water solubility. These results indicate that the cold water solubility of creaming powders with relatively high fat and oil content can be improved by using a combination of sorbitan fatty acid ester and high HLB polyglycerol fatty acid ester as an emulsifier. While the reason why different types of emulsifiers produce such effects is unclear, it is presumed that the combination of sorbitan fatty acid ester and high HLB polyglycerol fatty acid ester with lauric fats and oils can suppress fat crystallization while maintaining emulsion stability, thereby improving solubility in cold water.

[0062] [Example 2] Instant creaming powder was produced using coconut oil, MCT, and an emulsifier, and the solubility in cold water and flavor of the instant creaming powder were investigated.

[0063] Instant creaming powders were produced in the same manner as in Example 1 using the compositions shown in Table 3. In the coconut oil and MCT columns in the table, the numbers in parentheses at the bottom indicate the percentage of coconut oil or MCT content relative to the total amount of edible fats and oils (total content of coconut oil and MCT). Table 3 also shows the percentage of lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid content relative to the total amount of edible fats and oils contained in the creaming powder of each test group.

[0064] <Evaluation of cold water solubility> The cold water solubility of each creaming powder produced was evaluated based on the following criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

[0065] <Evaluation of astringency and concentration> A panel of five experts evaluated the astringent taste and thickness of a 10% by mass aqueous solution of each creaming powder produced, based on the following criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

[0066] astringent taste score; 1: The astringent taste is too strong. Unacceptable as a product. 2: The astringent taste is somewhat strong. The product is acceptable. 3: Weak astringent taste. Acceptable as a product.

[0067] concentration sense score; 1: The consistency is too strong. Unacceptable as a product. 2: The concentration is somewhat strong. The product is acceptable. 3: The concentration is weak. Acceptable as a product.

[0068] [Table 3]

[0069] As shown in Table 3, in creaming powders with a total fat content of 45% relative to the total amount of creaming powder, the creaming powders of Test Groups 2-2 and 2-3, in which the MCT content relative to the total amount of creaming powder was 13-30% and the lauric fat (palm oil) content relative to the total amount of creaming powder, had both good flavor and physical properties. These results confirmed that creaming powders in which the percentages (%) of lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid relative to the total amount of edible fats contained in the creaming powder were 20-57% for caprylic acid, 8-32% for capric acid, and 16-35% for lauric acid, respectively, were excellent in both cold water solubility and flavor.

[0070] [Example 3] Powder compositions for cafe au lait beverages were produced using the creaming powders of test plots 2-3 and 2-4 prepared in Example 2, and the solubility in cold water and flavor of the instant creaming powders were examined.

[0071] The ingredients were mixed according to the composition shown in Table 4 to prepare an instant beverage composition for producing a cafe au lait beverage.

[0072] <Evaluation of cold water solubility> The cold water solubility of each instant beverage composition was evaluated based on the following criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4.

[0073] [Table 4]

[0074] As shown in Table 4, the instant beverage composition of Test Plot 3-1, which contained the creaming powder of Test Plot 2-3, which had excellent cold water solubility, had no residual product and good cold water solubility. On the other hand, the instant beverage composition of Test Plot 3-2, which contained the creaming powder of Test Plot 2-4, which had insufficient cold water solubility, had residual product and was unacceptable as a product.

Claims

1. Contains edible oils and fats and emulsifiers, The content of the edible oil or fat relative to the total amount of the creaming powder is 40% by mass or more, the edible fats and oils are composed of medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides and lauric fats and oils, and the ratio of the content of the medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides to the total amount of the edible fats and oils is 25 to 75% by mass; The creaming powder is characterized in that the emulsifier comprises one or more emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters having an HLB of 1 to 5, and a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 20.

2. 2. The creaming powder according to claim 1, wherein the emulsifier comprises a sorbitan fatty acid ester and a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an HLB of 14 to 20.

3. 2. The creaming powder according to claim 1, wherein the content of lauric acid relative to the total amount of the edible fat or oil is 10 to 40% by mass.

4. 2. The creaming powder according to claim 1, wherein the content of caprylic acid is 18 to 60% by mass and the content of capric acid is 5 to 35% by mass relative to the total amount of the edible fat or oil.

5. 2. The creaming powder according to claim 1, wherein the lauric oil is at least one selected from the group consisting of coconut oil, hardened coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and hydrogenated palm kernel oil.

6. 1. A powdered instant beverage composition for mixing with an edible liquid to prepare a beverage, comprising: An instant beverage composition comprising the creaming powder according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The instant beverage composition according to claim 6, further comprising a soluble beverage solid or a fine powder of a beverage ingredient.

8. the soluble beverage solids are one or more selected from the group consisting of soluble coffee solids, soluble black tea solids, soluble green tea solids, soluble roasted green tea solids, soluble oolong tea solids, soluble herbal tea solids, and cocoa powder; 8. The instant beverage composition according to claim 7, wherein the fine powder of the beverage ingredient is one or more selected from the group consisting of matcha powder, green tea powder, and oolong tea powder.

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