Cacao-containing food and drink

Abstract

To provide a cacao-containing food and drink whose taste is enhanced.SOLUTION: A cacao-containing food and drink includes, as a solid content, 0.00002-2 mass% of hydrolysate derived from whey protein in which a nonfat cacao solid content in the solid content is 10 mass% or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cocoa-containing food or drink. [Background technology]

[0002] Cocoa-containing foods and beverages, such as chocolate, are widely consumed worldwide due to their pleasant flavor. These cocoa-containing foods and beverages are appealing due to the rich, mellow flavor derived from the cocoa. However, the price of cocoa beans has risen sharply in recent years, which can affect the prices of cocoa-containing foods and beverages. To mitigate price fluctuations, manufacturers of cocoa-containing foods and beverages have taken measures such as reducing the amount of cocoa ingredients or using cheaper cocoa ingredients. When the amount of cocoa raw material in a cocoa-containing food or beverage is reduced or when a cheaper cocoa raw material is used, the cocoa taste of the cocoa-containing food or beverage or the overall taste of the cocoa-containing food or beverage may be weakened compared to conventional methods. In order to enhance the weakened taste, flavorings, seasonings, etc. may be added. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in natural-oriented consumers who actively do not want to consume additives such as flavorings, and there is a demand for methods of enhancing the overall taste of cocoa-containing food or beverage other than the addition of flavorings. Patent Document 1 discloses a flavor improving agent composition containing a specific peptide, and Patent Document 2 discloses a method for improving the flavor of chocolate products using a specific yeast extract. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-160649 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-175963 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The inventors have considered methods for enhancing the taste of cocoa-containing foods and drinks such as chocolate, taking into account the current situation regarding cocoa raw materials. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cacao-containing food or drink that has an enhanced taste. When the specific peptide described in Patent Document 1 is added as a flavoring ingredient, it may not be well-received by natural-oriented consumers who do not want to actively ingest additives. When the yeast extract described in Patent Document 2 is used, the flavor of the yeast extract itself may interfere with the taste characteristic of cacao-containing foods and drinks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a result of extensive research, the inventors discovered that the original taste of cocoa-containing foods and beverages can be enhanced by using a hydrolysate derived from whey protein, leading to the present invention.

[0006] That is, the present invention provides: (1) A cocoa-containing food or beverage containing a whey protein hydrolysate at 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less as a solid content in the cocoa-containing food or beverage, and having a non-fat cocoa solid content of 10% by mass or more in the solid content; (2) The cocoa-containing food or drink according to (1), wherein the free amino acid content of the hydrolysate is 2% by mass or more. (3) The cocoa-containing food or drink according to (1), wherein the hydrolysate is whey peptide. (4) The cocoa-containing food or drink according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the hydrolysate is a taste enhancer for a cocoa-containing food or drink. (5) A method for producing a cocoa-containing food or beverage in which a whey protein-derived hydrolysate is blended in a cocoa-containing food or beverage at a solid content of 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, the solid content of which is non-fat cocoa solids of 10% by mass or more. (6) A method for enhancing the taste of a cocoa-containing food or beverage, comprising blending a whey protein-derived hydrolysate in a cocoa-containing food or beverage in an amount of 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less as a solid content. is. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cacao-containing food or drink in which the original taste of the cacao-containing food or drink is enhanced. This effect also makes it possible to provide a cocoa-containing food or drink that still has a good taste even when the amount of flavoring added is reduced. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The cocoa-containing food and drink of the present invention refers to all food and drink containing cocoa ingredients, and examples include chocolate, chocolate filling, cocoa drink, chocolate spread, chocolate sauce, chocolate ice cream, chocolate soft serve ice cream, chocolate cake, chocolate cookies, and baked chocolate. Representative cocoa-containing food and drink products are chocolate, chocolate filling, and chocolate drink. The cocoa-containing food and drink products that are most likely to exhibit the effects of the present invention are chocolate and foods and drinks that use chocolate, such as chocolate filling and chocolate drink. Furthermore, the cocoa-containing food and drink products that are most likely to exhibit the effects of the present invention are chocolate.

[0009] The term "chocolate" as used herein is not limited to "pure chocolate," "chocolate," "quasi-chocolate," and "chocolate-based foods" as defined by the National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council, but also refers to foods that contain fats and oils as an essential ingredient and include fat-processed foods that use cocoa mass, cocoa, whole milk powder, dried fruit juice powder, dried vegetable powder, cocoa butter, cocoa butter substitutes, hard butter, etc. Therefore, it may also be a general term for foods that have fats and oils as a base and have edible ingredients dispersed in addition to the cocoa raw material, such as matcha-flavored or strawberry-flavored foods that incorporate vegetable or fruit powders.

[0010] The cocoa-containing food or drink of the present invention contains a whey protein hydrolysate, which is a composition obtained by hydrolyzing a protein material with an enzyme, heat, or acid. The cacao-containing food or beverage of the present invention contains a hydrolysate in an amount of 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less in terms of solids to enhance the cacao-derived flavor. The preferred lower limit of the content is 0.00005%, 0.0001%, or 0.0005%, more preferably 0.0008%, 0.001%, or 0.005%, and even more preferably 0.008% by mass. The preferred upper limit of the content is 1.8%, 1.5%, or 1.2%, more preferably 1.0%, 0.8%, or even more preferably 0.5% by mass. By adjusting the content to a preferred level, a cacao-containing food or beverage that exhibits a cacao flavor can be prepared. However, adding a large amount may result in the flavor of the hydrolysate itself being noticeable.

[0011] In the present invention, the properties of the hydrolysate are not particularly limited, and whey protein-derived hydrolysates in liquid or powder form can be used. Whey protein is a general term for proteins in milk excluding casein. It may be classified as whey protein. Examples of the substances to be hydrolyzed include whey protein, whey protein, whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), etc. As exemplified, they may be those that have been made highly viscous by concentration processing such as vacuum concentration or freeze concentration, or may be those that have been made into powder form by powder processing such as spray drying or freeze drying. When the cacao-containing food or drink of the present invention is chocolate, the powdered protein hydrolysate can be added before the grinding process or during the mixing process. Alternatively, it can be added after the chocolate is produced and melted. In the case of a liquid whey protein hydrolysate, the solid content is usually about 0.1 to 20% by mass, and it can be added by melting it during or after the chocolate is produced and then mixing and dispersing it.

[0012] In the present invention, the whey protein-derived hydrolysate may be obtained by hydrolyzing a whey protein raw material, and then, if necessary, removing impurities and precipitates by centrifuging, filtering, acid treatment, etc., and further sterilizing, concentrating, and / or drying the resulting mixture. The method for hydrolyzing the hydrolysate is not particularly limited, but preferably it is hydrolysis by a protease. The enzyme to be used is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately selected from a method using multiple protease enzymes, a batch or continuous enzymatic hydrolysis method, or a method in which the raw material to be used as the substrate is previously heat-denatured and then enzymatically hydrolyzed. Furthermore, if necessary, a saccharolytic enzyme, an oil-decomposing enzyme, etc. may also be used in combination.

[0013] The whey protein hydrolysate of the present invention preferably contains free amino acids in an amount of 2% by mass or more, calculated as solid content. More preferably, the protein hydrolysate contains free amino acids in an amount of 3% by mass or more, 4% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 6% by mass or more, or 7% by mass or more, calculated as solid content. Furthermore, the protein hydrolysate more preferably contains free amino acids in an amount of 40% by mass or less, 35% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, calculated as solid content. By containing free amino acids in the above-mentioned appropriate range in the whey protein-derived hydrolysate, in combination with the peptide fraction in the hydrolysate, it is possible to prepare a cocoa-containing food or beverage that effectively exhibits the taste of cocoa. The free amino acid content can be calculated by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC / MS). For example, the content can be calculated from the measurement results of a standard solution using the ninhydrin coloring method, which is a post-column derivatization method in which free amino acids in a sample are separated and derivatized using an amino acid analyzer.

[0014] The cocoa-containing food or drink of the present invention has a non-fat cocoa solids content of 10% by mass or more of the solid content. The non-fat cocoa solids content refers to the portion of cocoa raw materials such as cocoa mass and cocoa powder excluding cocoa butter and water. In the present invention, the solid content of a cacao-containing food or drink refers to the portion of the cacao-containing food or drink excluding water. In the present invention, the non-fat cocoa solids content of the solids is preferably 11% by mass or more, more preferably 12% by mass or more, 13% by mass or more, 14% by mass or more, 15% by mass or more, 16% by mass or more, or 17% by mass or more. The non-fat cocoa solids content of the solids is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 55% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, or 45% by mass or less. If the content of non-fat cocoa solids is within an appropriate range, it is possible to prepare a cocoa-containing food or drink that has a distinct cocoa flavor.

[0015] The fats and oils used in the cacao-containing foods and beverages of the present invention are not particularly limited. Examples of fats and oils that can be used include, in addition to cacao butter, vegetable fats such as soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, high-erucic rapeseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, evening primrose oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil; animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, and lard; algae oil; fats and oils derived from microbial fermentation; medium-chain triglycerides (MCT); and processed fats and oils obtained by subjecting these to hydrogenation, fractionation, hydrogenated fractionation, fractionated hydrogenated oil, interesterification, etc.; and mixtures of these fats and oils. The cacao-containing food or drink of the present invention can contain fats and oils other than cacao butter as appropriate depending on the intended use.

[0016] In the present invention, the term "taste" refers to the so-called taste, particularly the umami, sweetness, bitterness, sourness, saltiness, as well as the richness and taste of cocoa that are felt on the tongue when eating. The richness and taste of cocoa felt in cocoa-containing foods and drinks can also be generally described as the taste of chocolate. In one embodiment, the cacao-containing food or drink of the present invention contains a whey protein-derived hydrolysate, which allows the taste to be perceived as being stronger. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the cocoa-containing food or drink of the present invention contains a whey protein hydrolysate, so that even if the non-fat cocoa solids content is reduced, the food or drink can still have the same taste as before the non-fat cocoa solids content was reduced. The present invention has the effect of enhancing the taste of cacao-containing foods and beverages, and therefore, can be said to be a method for enhancing the taste of cacao-containing foods and beverages.

[0017] The chocolate, which is one of the cocoa-containing foods and beverages of the present invention, can be produced in the same manner as in the production of ordinary chocolates. Specifically, the chocolate can be obtained by mixing an appropriate amount of ingredients, such as whey protein hydrolysate, cocoa mass, various powdered foods such as cocoa, sugars, and milk powder, emulsifiers, flavorings, and colorants, with an oil or fat, followed by rolling as a pulverizing step, adding the remaining ingredients as appropriate, and then performing a conching or mixing process as a mixing step. Alternatively, a production method in which the mixing and pulverizing steps are performed in parallel using a ball mill or bead mill can also be used.

[0018] The raw materials used in the cocoa-containing food and beverage of the present invention are not particularly limited, except for whey protein hydrolysates. The composition of chocolate, a typical cocoa-containing food and beverage, can also be used as a reference. For example, milk components, oils and fats, and other edible ingredients can be appropriately combined. Other additives include emulsifiers, antioxidants, flavorings, etc., but the type and amount are not limited, and they may not be added at all. [Example]

[0019] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

[0020] Preparation of chocolate According to the formulation shown in Table 1, all or part of the cocoa mass and sugar were mixed using a kneader and then pulverized using a roll refiner. After pulverization, the mixture was conched using a conche with a jacket water temperature set at 50°C. Cocoa butter, the remaining cocoa mass, and soybean lecithin were then mixed to prepare chocolate, a type of cocoa-containing food or beverage.

[0021] [Table 1]

[0022] Consideration 1 The prepared chocolate (1) was melted at a product temperature of 50 to 60°C, and whey peptides, which are hydrolysates derived from whey protein, were added according to the formulation shown in Table 3. For comparison, concentrated whey protein, casein peptides, yeast extract, and a milk protein hydrolysate prepared as follows were also added. After each addition, the chocolate was stirred thoroughly to ensure complete dispersion.

[0023] Preparation of milk protein hydrolysate Concentrated milk protein "Milk Protein Concentrate 4850" (Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited) was dissolved in water to a protein concentration of 5% by mass, and then hydrolyzed using endopeptidase and exopeptidase as proteolytic enzymes at 53°C for 2 hours or 4 hours. The enzymes were then inactivated by heating at 80°C or higher for 10 minutes or longer, resulting in aqueous solutions designated as milk protein hydrolysate (1) and milk protein hydrolysate (2), respectively.

[0024] ○Materials to be considered The following materials were added for testing: Whey Peptide (1): Whey Peptide HWP117 (Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd.) Solid content 91.6% by mass Whey Peptide (2): Whey Peptide HWP225 (Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd.) Solid content 95.1% by mass Whey Peptide (3): Whey Peptide HWP305 (Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd.) Solid content 94.1% by mass Concentrated whey protein: WPC80 (Saputo Dairy Australia Pty Ltd.) Casein Peptide (1): Casein Peptide HCP102 (Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd.) Casein Peptide (2): Casein Peptide HCP321 (Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company Ltd.) Yeast extract: Hypermeast HG-PdD20 (manufactured by Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd.) Milk protein hydrolysate (1): the sample prepared above Milk protein hydrolysate (2): the sample prepared above The solid content of whey peptides was calculated by measuring the moisture content using the atmospheric pressure heat drying method (equipment used: TABAI labostar LG-110, conditions: 105°C x 5 hours) and subtracting the moisture content from the total content to obtain the solid content.

[0025] ○ Measurement of free amino acids The free amino acid content of each of the added materials was confirmed by the following method. The sample was dissolved in a 5% by mass TCA solution (trichloroacetic acid solution). The supernatant obtained after centrifugation at 10,000 rpm for 10 minutes was filtered using a 0.22 μm filter. The filtrate was analyzed using a high-speed amino acid analyzer (LA8080, manufactured by Hitachi High-Tech Corporation), and the free amino acid content was calculated based on the results of the standard solution. Standard solution: Amino acid mixed standard solution (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) Mobile phase: sodium citrate buffer Reaction solution: ninhydrin reagent Wavelength: 570nm or 440nm The results of free amino acids are shown in Table 2.

[0026] Flavor evaluation The chocolate containing whey peptides and the other chocolates listed in Table 3 were each adjusted to a product temperature of 30 to 32°C, tempered, filled into molds, and cooled at 10°C for 30 minutes. The cooled and solidified chocolate was removed from the mold and aged for one week at 20°C, after which the flavor was evaluated. The flavor was confirmed by a sensory evaluation of the obtained chocolate by five taste panelists who are experienced in the field of chocolate. The sensory evaluation scores were determined by consensus of the panelists on a scale of 1 to 5 according to the following evaluation criteria. <Evaluation of taste enhancement effect> 5 points: The taste is significantly stronger than that of chocolate without the tested ingredient added. 4 points: The taste is stronger than that of chocolate without the tested ingredient added. 3 points: The taste is slightly stronger than chocolate without the tested ingredient. 2 points: The taste is slightly stronger than chocolate without the test material added. 1 point: There is no difference in flavor intensity compared to chocolate without the tested ingredient added. A score of 3 or more was determined to indicate a taste-enhancing effect. <Evaluation of the taste of cocoa-containing foods and beverages> We evaluated whether the taste of the chocolate was impaired by the added test materials. 5 points: Very good, you can taste the original taste of chocolate. 4 points: The original taste of chocolate can be felt without any discomfort, which is good. 3 points: Due to the added ingredients, there is a slightly strange taste that is not typical of chocolate, but it is within the acceptable range. 2 points: The added ingredients give an odd taste to the chocolate, making it unsuitable. 1 point: The added ingredients give a distinctly different taste to chocolate, making it unsuitable. A score of 3 or above was considered to be of good quality. The results of these flavor evaluations and component values ​​are shown in Table 4. Comparative Example 1 was used as a comparison example of chocolate to which no test material was added. Note that "whey protein hydrolysate" in the table refers to a hydrolysate derived from whey protein.

[0027] [Table 2]

[0028] [Table 3]

[0029] [Table 4]

[0030] It was shown that chocolate containing whey peptides, which are hydrolysates derived from whey protein, had an enhanced taste.

[0031] ● Study 2: Additive amount Whey peptides, which are hydrolysates derived from whey protein, were added to chocolate (1) according to the formulation shown in Table 5 and mixed thoroughly. The prepared chocolate was poured into a mold and solidified in the same manner as in Study 1, and then aged at 20°C for one week before being evaluated. In Study 2, the taste enhancing effect was also evaluated using Comparative Example 1 as a comparison. The results and component values ​​are shown in Table 6.

[0032] [Table 5]

[0033] [Table 6]

[0034] It was found that even the addition of a small amount of whey peptides has a flavor-enhancing effect. When comparing the amounts of whey peptide (3) added, it was found that an amount of 0.009% by mass to 0.1% by mass was more effective.

[0035] ● Study 3: Study of chocolate containing dipeptides The Trp-Leu dipeptide composite was added to the comparative examples in which casein peptide or milk protein hydrolysate, which had no flavor-enhancing effect, as shown in Table 7, to confirm the chocolate flavor-enhancing effect. The evaluation method was the same as in Study 1, with Comparative Example 1 being used as the comparison subject. The results and component values ​​are shown in Table 8. As a dipeptide synthesis product, a Trp-Leu peptide standard was produced by Fmoc solid-phase synthesis using tryptophan and leucine reagents for Fmoc solid-phase synthesis.

[0036] [Table 7]

[0037] [Table 8]

[0038] The dipeptide disclosed in Patent Document 1 as a flavor improving agent did not show any taste enhancing effect when added to chocolate.

[0039] Consideration 4 Whey peptides, which are hydrolysates derived from whey protein, were added to chocolate (2) or chocolate (3) according to the formulations shown in Table 9, and the mixture was thoroughly stirred. For comparison, chocolates without whey peptides were also prepared. The prepared chocolates were filled into molds and solidified in the same manner as in Study 1, and then aged at 20°C for one week before being evaluated. In Study 4, Comparative Examples 12 and 13 were used as comparison subjects, and the taste enhancing effect was evaluated on a scale of 5 to 1. The results and component values ​​are shown in Table 10.

[0040] [Table 9]

[0041] [Table 10]

[0042] The taste-enhancing effect was also confirmed when whey peptides were added to chocolates with different cocoa contents. The taste-enhancing effect was particularly clear when the non-fat cocoa solids content was 32 mass % or less of the solid content.

[0043] Consideration 5 Chocolate was prepared using the same method as in "Chocolate Preparation" according to the formulation shown in Table 11. Powdered ingredients such as sugar, cocoa, and whole milk powder were mixed with cocoa mass and a portion of the vegetable oil in a kneader, then pulverized and kneaded. The remaining vegetable oil and emulsifier were then mixed to prepare the chocolate. Whey peptides were added to the prepared chocolate according to the formulation shown in Table 12, and the chocolate was stirred well. The obtained chocolate was spread to a thickness of about 5 mm, solidified, and aged at 20°C for one week before being evaluated. The vegetable oil used was obtained by hardening the hard fraction of palm kernel oil and then refining it in a conventional manner. In Study 5, Comparative Examples 14, 15, and 16, which did not contain whey peptides, were used as comparison subjects, and the taste enhancement effect was evaluated on a scale of 5 to 1. The results and component values ​​are shown in Table 13.

[0044] [Table 11]

[0045] [Table 12]

[0046] [Table 13]

[0047] The flavor-enhancing effect was confirmed even when added to chocolate containing a large amount of cocoa in addition to cocoa mass.The flavor-enhancing effect was also confirmed even when the solid content of non-fat cocoa solids was 12% by mass.

[0048] ●Consideration 6: Chocolate Drink According to the formulation in Table 14, water was heated to 60°C and stirred in a TK HOMOMIXIER MARK II Model 2.5 (manufactured by PRIMIX) to dissolve 0.1 parts by mass of emulsifier. 10 parts by mass of chocolate (1) or the chocolate of Example 3, which had been completely melted at 60°C, was added, and 0.1 parts by mass of a thickening polysaccharide was added. Stirring was continued for 10 minutes to prepare a chocolate drink, which is a cocoa-containing food or beverage. The resulting mixture was then aged in a refrigerator and subjected to a flavor evaluation.

[0049] When preparing chocolate drinks in the same manner as above, 0.011 parts by mass or 0.106 parts by mass of the whey peptide (3) was added to the chocolate (1). The drinks were then aged in a refrigerator and evaluated for flavor. In Study 6, the flavor enhancement effect was evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 points using Comparative Example 17 as a comparison subject. The results are shown in Table 15. The thickening polysaccharide used was processed starch "Farinex VA70WM" (manufactured by Avebe), and the emulsifier used was sucrose stearate "Ryoto Sugar Ester S-570" (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation). <Evaluation of taste enhancement effect> 5 points: The taste is significantly stronger than that of a chocolate drink without the test ingredient added. 4 points: The taste is stronger than that of a chocolate drink without the test ingredient added. 3 points: The taste is slightly stronger than that of a chocolate drink without the tested ingredient. 2 points: The taste is slightly stronger than that of a chocolate drink without the test ingredient added. 1 point: There is no difference in the intensity of the flavor compared to a chocolate drink without the tested ingredients added. A score of 3 or more was determined to indicate a taste-enhancing effect.

[0050] [Table 14]

[0051] [Table 15]

[0052] Even when the cacao-containing food or beverage is a chocolate drink, the addition of whey peptides, which are hydrolysates derived from whey protein, has been shown to have an effect of enhancing the taste of the chocolate drink.Furthermore, the taste-enhancing effect was confirmed both when whey peptides were contained in the chocolate used as an ingredient and when they were added during the preparation of the chocolate drink.

[0053] ●Consideration 7: Filling Using the same equipment as used to prepare the chocolate drink of Study 6, water and an emulsifier were stirred according to the formulation shown in Table 16. Melted chocolate (1) or the chocolate of Example 3 was then added, and 8 parts by mass of a thickening polysaccharide was added. The mixture was stirred continuously for 10 minutes and heated to 90°C. This was then aged in a refrigerator to prepare a chocolate filling, a cocoa-containing food or drink.

[0054] When preparing chocolate fillings using the same method as above, 0.011 parts by mass or 0.106 parts by mass of the whey peptide (3) was added to the chocolate (1). The chocolates were then aged in a refrigerator and evaluated for flavor. In Study 7, the flavor enhancement effect was evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5 points using Comparative Example 18 as a comparison subject. The results are shown in Table 17. The emulsifier and thickening polysaccharide used in the formulation were the same as those used in Study 6. <Evaluation of taste enhancement effect> 5 points: The taste is significantly stronger than that of chocolate filling without the tested ingredient. 4 points: The taste is stronger than that of chocolate filling without the tested ingredient. 3 points: The taste is slightly stronger than that of chocolate filling without the tested ingredient. 2 points: The taste is slightly stronger than that of chocolate filling without the tested ingredient. 1 point: There is no difference in flavor intensity compared to chocolate filling without the tested ingredient. A score of 3 or more was determined to indicate a taste-enhancing effect.

[0055] [Table 16]

[0056] [Table 17]

[0057] Even when the cacao-containing food or drink is chocolate filling, the addition of whey peptides, which are hydrolysates derived from whey protein, has been shown to have an effect of enhancing the taste of the chocolate filling.Furthermore, the taste-enhancing effect was confirmed both when whey peptides were contained in the chocolate used as an ingredient and when they were added during the preparation of the chocolate filling.

[0058] Studies 1 to 7 demonstrated that the taste of a cacao-containing food or drink is enhanced when the food or drink satisfies the following requirements. The whey protein-derived hydrolysate is contained in an amount of 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less in terms of solid content. The solid content of non-fat cocoa is 10% or more by mass. [Industrial Applicability]

[0059] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a taste enhancer that can enhance the taste of a cacao-containing food or drink, and to provide a cacao-containing food or drink with an enhanced taste.

Claims

1. A cocoa-containing food or beverage contains a whey protein-derived hydrolysate at 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less as a solid content. Cocoa-containing food and drink with a non-fat cocoa solids content of 10% by mass or more of the solid content.

2. 2. The cocoa-containing food or drink according to claim 1, wherein the free amino acid content of the hydrolysate is 2% by mass or more.

3. 2. The cocoa-containing food or drink according to claim 1, wherein the hydrolysate is whey peptides.

4. The cocoa-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hydrolysate is a taste enhancer for a cocoa-containing food or drink.

5. A method for producing a cocoa-containing food or beverage in which a whey protein-derived hydrolysate is blended in a cocoa-containing food or beverage at a solid content of 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, so that the solid content of the food or beverage is 10% by mass or more of non-fat cocoa solids.

6. A method for enhancing the taste of a cocoa-containing food or beverage, comprising incorporating a whey protein-derived hydrolysate into the cocoa-containing food or beverage in an amount of 0.00002% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less as solid content.

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