Processed cheese-like food product

Abstract

To provide a processed cheese-like food product having a comparable texture to milk cheese.SOLUTION: A processed cheese-like food product includes a soybean composition, which has a breaking load of 13-73 N and a breaking strain rate of 29-62%.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a processed cheese-like food product. [Background technology]

[0002] Cheese is generally produced by coagulating milk proteins from animal milk such as cows, sheep, and goats. Meanwhile, in light of recent health trends and sustainability, development of plant-based cheeses that do not contain milk-derived animal proteins or cholesterol, or that contain reduced amounts of these, is also underway. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a soy protein-containing cheese-like food product characterized by containing soy protein, acid-treated starch, and fats and oils with an SFC (solid fat content) of 45% or more at 10°C and 20% or more at 20°C. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-233270 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A wide variety of plant-based cheese products are already on the market. However, compared to cheese made from animal milk (dairy cheese), there are issues such as insufficient nutritional content and an inadequate texture. In order to expand the plant-based cheese market, it is also important to increase the variety of choices available to consumers.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a processed cheese-like food product having a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheese. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a processed cheese-like food product comprising a soybean composition, having a breaking load of 13 N or more and 73 N or less, and a breaking strain of 29% or more and 62% or less.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a processed cheese-like food product having a lipid content (mass%) to protein content (mass%) ratio of 0.87 to 2.60, and a trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility of 13.5 to 22.3% by mass.

[0008] Each of the above-mentioned processed cheese-like foods has the above-mentioned features, and therefore has a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheese.

[0009] Each of the above-mentioned processed cheese-like foods may satisfy Y≦2.93X−46.131 (29≦X≦62 and 13≦Y≦73), where X (%) is the breaking strain rate and Y (N) is the breaking load.

[0010] One aspect of the present invention includes, for example, the following inventions. [1] comprising a soy composition, A processed cheese-like food product having a breaking load of 13N or more and 73N or less and a breaking strain rate of 29% or more and 62% or less. [2] The ratio of lipid content (mass%) to protein content (mass%) is 0.87 or more and 2.60 or less, and The processed cheese-like food according to [1], wherein the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility is 13.5% by mass or more and 22.3% by mass or less. [3] The process cheese-like food according to [1] or [2], wherein Y≦2.93X−46.131 (29≦X≦62 and 13≦Y≦73) is satisfied, where X (%) is the breaking strain rate and Y (N) is the breaking load. [4] The processed cheese-like food according to [3], further satisfying 0.8922X-19.555≦Y. [5] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the protein content is 14% by mass or more and 23% by mass or less. [6] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the lipid content is 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less. [7] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [1] to [6], which is substantially free of milk-derived components. [8] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [1] to [7], which is substantially free of modified starch. [9] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the proportion of the soybean composition in the components other than water is 90 mass % or more.

[10] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the proportion of the soybean composition in the components other than water is 100% by mass.

[0011] Other aspects of the present invention include, for example, the following inventions. [2-1] comprising a soy composition, The ratio of lipid content (mass%) to protein content (mass%) is 0.87 or more and 2.60 or less, and A processed cheese-like food product having a trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility of 13.5% by mass or more and 22.3% by mass or less. [2-2] The processed cheese-like food according to [2-1], having a protein content of 14% by mass or more and 23% by mass or less. [2-3] The processed cheese-like food according to [2-1] or [2-2], wherein the lipid content is 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less. [2-4] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [2-1] to [2-3], which is substantially free of milk-derived components. [2-5] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [2-1] to [2-4], which is substantially free of modified starch. [2-6] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [2-1] to [2-5], wherein the proportion of the soybean composition in the components other than water is 90 mass % or more. [2-7] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [2-1] to [2-6], wherein the proportion of the soybean composition in the components other than water is 100 mass %. [2-8] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [2-1] to [2-7], which has a breaking load of 13 N or more and 73 N or less, and a breaking strain rate of 29% or more and 62% or less. [2-9] The processed cheese-like food according to any one of [2-1] to [2-8], wherein Y≦2.93X−46.131 (29≦X≦62 and 13≦Y≦73) is satisfied, where X (%) is the breaking strain rate and Y (N) is the breaking load. [2-10] The processed cheese-like food according to [2-9], further satisfying 0.8922X-19.555≦Y. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, a processed cheese-like food product having a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheese can be provided. Furthermore, the processed cheese-like food product according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention has a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheese and can contain nutritional components equivalent to those of dairy cheese. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a graph plotting breaking load (N) and breaking strain (%) of commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese). [Figure 2] 1 is a graph plotting the breaking load (N) and breaking strain rate (%) of the soy milk gel prepared in Test Example 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0015] The process cheese-like food product according to this embodiment contains a soy composition.

[0016] In this specification, "processed cheese-like food" refers to a food that does not fall under the category of processed cheese but has a texture similar to that of processed cheese. Processed cheese here refers to the food defined in Article 2, Paragraph 19 of the Ministerial Ordinance on the Compositional Standards of Milk and Dairy Products (Ministry of Health and Welfare Ordinance No. 52 of 1951, effective June 1, 2021).

[0017] As used herein, the term "soybean composition" refers to a composition comprising soybean-derived components. Examples of soybean-derived components include proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The soybean composition may or may not contain soybean-derived water.

[0018] When producing the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment, examples of ingredients to be blended as the soybean composition include soybean oil, soybean protein, soy milk, powdered soy milk, concentrated soy milk, soy milk cream, non-fat soy milk, and soybean pulp.

[0019] The content of the soybean composition in the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may be 90% by mass or more, as a proportion of the soybean composition in the components other than water. The "water" referred to here includes both water derived from soybeans and water added during the production of the processed cheese-like food product. The content of the soybean composition in the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may be 95% by mass or more, 96% by mass or more, 97% by mass or more, 98% by mass or more, 99% by mass or more, or 100% by mass, as a proportion of the soybean composition in the components other than water.

[0020] A process cheese-like food product according to one embodiment has a breaking load of 13 N or more and 73 N or less, and a breaking strain rate of 29% or more and 62% or less.

[0021] The processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment exhibits a breaking load and breaking strain rate equivalent to those of commercially available dairy cheeses, and therefore has a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheeses.

[0022] In this specification, the terms "breaking load" and "breaking strain" refer to the load and strain at the breaking point measured using a creep meter to break a sample (such as a processed cheese-like food product) measuring 1.8 cm in width, 1.8 cm in depth, and 1 cm in height. Specifically, these values ​​are measured by the method described in "Measurement of Breaking Load and Breaking Strain" in the Examples section below.

[0023] The breaking load and breaking strain rate of the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may satisfy Y≦2.93X−46.131 (29≦X≦62 and 13≦Y≦73), where X (%) is the breaking strain rate and Y (N) is the breaking load. This allows the effects of the present invention to be more pronounced. Furthermore, the breaking load and breaking strain rate of the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may further satisfy 0.8922X−19.555≦Y, which allows the effects of the present invention to be even more pronounced.

[0024] The breaking load of the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment may be, for example, 14N or more and 72N or less, 15N or more and 71N or less, 16N or more and 70N or less, 17N or more and 69N or less, 18N or more and 68N or less, 19N or more and 67N or less, or 20N or more and 66N or less.

[0025] The breaking strain rate of the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment may be, for example, 30% or more and 61% or less, 31% or more and 60% or less, 32% or more and 59% or less, 33% or more and 58% or less, 34% or more and 57% or less, 35% or more and 56% or less, or 36% or more and 55% or less.

[0026] In one embodiment, the processed cheese-like food has a lipid content (mass%) to protein content (mass%) ratio (lipid content / protein content) of 0.87 or more and 2.60 or less, and a trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility of 13.5% by mass or more and 22.3% by mass or less.

[0027] The processed cheese-like food of this embodiment has a lipid content / protein content and a TCA solubility rate within a specific range, and therefore exhibits a breaking load and breaking strain rate equivalent to those of commercially available dairy cheeses, and has a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheeses.

[0028] The protein and lipid contents of processed cheese-like foods can be measured by methods commonly used in food analysis.

[0029] The protein content of the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may be, for example, 14% by mass or more and 23% by mass or less. This not only significantly enhances the effect of having a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheese, but also allows the nutritional content to approach that of dairy cheese. The protein content of the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may be, for example, 14.5% by mass or more and 22.5% by mass or less, 15% by mass or more and 22% by mass or less, 15.5% by mass or more and 21.5% by mass or less, 16% by mass or more and 21% by mass or less, 16.5% by mass or more and 20.5% by mass or less, 17% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, 17.5% by mass or more and 19.5% by mass or less, or 18% by mass or more and 19% by mass or less.

[0030] The lipid content of the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may be, for example, 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less. This not only significantly enhances the effect of having a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheese, but also allows the nutritional content to be closer to that of dairy cheese. The lipid content of the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may be, for example, 20.5% by mass or more and 34.5% by mass or less, 21% by mass or more and 34% by mass or less, 21.5% by mass or more and 33.5% by mass or less, 22% by mass or more and 33% by mass or less, 22.5% by mass or more and 32.5% by mass or less, 23% by mass or more and 32% by mass or less, 23.5% by mass or more and 31% by mass or less, 24% by mass or more and 31% by mass or less, 24.5% by mass or more and 30.5% by mass or less, or 25% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

[0031] The lipid content (mass%) relative to the protein content (mass%) of the processed cheese-like food product of this embodiment (lipid content / protein content) may be, for example, 0.88 or more and 2.50 or less, 0.89 or more and 2.40 or less, 0.90 or more and 2.30 or less, 0.91 or more and 2.20 or less, 0.92 or more and 2.10 or less, 0.93 or more and 2.00 or less, 0.94 or more and 1.90 or less, or 0.95 or more and 1.80 or less.

[0032] The type of protein contained in the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a plant-derived protein such as soy protein, almond protein, pea protein, wheat protein, rice protein, oat protein, broad bean protein, or chickpea protein, or an animal-derived protein such as milk protein. From the perspective of achieving a more pronounced effect of the present invention, the protein contained in the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment is preferably a plant-derived protein such as soy protein, and more preferably soy protein. Here, "predominantly" a certain protein means that the protein accounts for 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 98% by mass or more, 99% by mass or more, or 100% by mass of the total protein content of the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment.

[0033] The type of lipid contained in the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment is not particularly limited and may be, for example, edible oils and fats such as vegetable oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, sesame oil, palm oil, and coconut oil, and animal oils and fats such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. From the viewpoint of more pronounced effects of the present invention, the lipid contained in the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment is preferably vegetable oils and fats such as soybean oil, and more preferably soybean oil. Here, "predominantly" a certain lipid means that the lipid accounts for 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 98% by mass or more, 99% by mass or more, or 100% by mass of the total lipid content of the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment.

[0034] As used herein, "trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility" refers to the proportion (mass%) of protein soluble in a 0.22 M TCA aqueous solution out of the total protein contained in a processed cheese-like food. Specifically, this is a value measured by the method described in "Measurement of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility" in the Examples below. TCA has the property of precipitating high molecular weight proteins. The TCA solubility is an index that reflects the degree of protein degradation, and a higher TCA solubility indicates a greater degree of protein degradation.

[0035] The TCA solubility of the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment may be, for example, 14% by mass or more and 22% by mass or less, 14.5% by mass or more and 21.5% by mass or less, 15% by mass or more and 21% by mass or less, 15.5% by mass or more and 20.5% by mass or less, 16% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, or 16.5% by mass or more and 19.5% by mass or less.

[0036] Examples of methods for adjusting the TCA solubility rate of the processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment include using raw materials containing proteins decomposed by protease treatment as raw materials for the processed cheese-like food, using raw materials containing proteins decomposed by acid-alkali treatment, and using raw materials containing proteins fermented by koji or lactic acid bacteria.

[0037] The protease used in the protease treatment may be, for example, an endo-protease or an exo-protease, but an endo-protease is preferred because it can suppress the bitterness derived from proteins.

[0038] The type of protease used in the protease treatment may be, for example, serine protease, cysteine ​​protease, threonine protease, aspartic acid protease, glutamic acid protease, metal protease (metalloprotease), or asparagine peptide lyase, but metal proteases are preferred because they can suppress the bitterness derived from proteins.

[0039] Specific examples of proteases used in the protease treatment include papain, bromelain, ficin, and the endo-type metalloprotease commercially available from Godo Shusei Co., Ltd. under the trade name ADMIL.

[0040] The protease treatment can be carried out on a protein source (e.g., a soybean-derived material containing soybean protein) to be incorporated into the processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment. The conditions for the protease treatment can be appropriately set depending on the type of protein source and the type of protease used. For example, when soy milk is used as the protein source and an endo-type metalloprotease (e.g., ADMIL, a product name of Godo Shusei Co., Ltd.) is used as the protease, the protease treatment can be carried out in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5%, at a reaction temperature of 40 to 60°C, and for a reaction time of 1 to 24 hours.

[0041] The protease treatment may be carried out so that the TCA solubility falls within the range of 13.5% by mass to 22.3% by mass, or may be carried out so that the TCA solubility falls outside this range. When the protease treatment is carried out so that the TCA solubility falls outside the range, the TCA solubility can be adjusted to fall within the range of 13.5% by mass to 22.3% by mass by appropriately mixing a protease-treated protein source with a non-protease-treated protein source.

[0042] The processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may contain water. The water may be any water used in food, such as water, distilled water, or ion-exchanged water, without any restrictions. The water may also be soy-derived water.

[0043] The processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment may contain other ingredients used in foods, such as salt, sugars, thickeners (e.g., modified starch), seasonings, flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, etc., to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0044] The processed cheese-like food product according to this embodiment preferably contains substantially no processed starch, since it has a texture equivalent to that of dairy cheese even without the use of processed starch. By being substantially free of processed starch, the carbohydrate content can be reduced, thereby bringing the nutritional content closer to that of dairy cheese. Here, "substantially free" means that the amount of processed starch contained is such that it does not exert the effect of imparting a texture similar to that of dairy cheese to the plant-based cheese. Specifically, for example, based on the total weight of the processed cheese-like food product, the content of processed starch may be less than 5% by mass, 4% by mass or less, 3% by mass or less, 2% by mass or less, 1% by mass or less, 0.5% by mass or less, or even 0% by mass.

[0045] Specific examples of modified starches include acid-treated starches that have been treated with acids such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid, cross-linked starches that have been subjected to a cross-linking treatment, and acetylated acid-modified starches that have been obtained by acetylation and acid treatment.

[0046] The processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment preferably does not substantially contain any milk-derived components, since it has the same texture as milk cheese even without using milk-derived components such as milk proteins. Here, "substantially does not contain" may mean, for example, that the content of milk-derived components is less than 5% by mass, 4% by mass or less, 3% by mass or less, 2% by mass or less, 1% by mass or less, 0.5% by mass or less, or 0% by mass, based on the total mass of the processed cheese-like food. Examples of milk-derived components include all components derived from animal milk, such as milk proteins, milk fat, and whey.

[0047] The processed cheese-like food according to this embodiment is preferably substantially free of animal-derived components. Here, "substantially free" means, for example, that the content of animal-derived components based on the total amount of the processed cheese-like food is less than 5% by mass, 4% by mass or less, 3% by mass or less, 2% by mass or less, 1% by mass or less, 0.5% by mass or less, or 0% by mass. When the processed cheese-like food contains no animal-derived components at all, it can also be used as vegan cheese.

[0048] The processed cheese-like food of this embodiment can be produced, for example, by a production method including a step of kneading a protein source, a lipid source, and water (kneading step), and a step of heating the kneaded mixture obtained in the kneading step (heating step).

[0049] The protein source used in the kneading step is preferably adjusted so that the TCA solubility is in the range of 13.5% by mass to 22.3% by mass. The TCA solubility can be adjusted by the protease treatment described above. The protein source used in the kneading step may be a raw material containing protein, specifically, a raw material containing soy protein (e.g., soy milk, soy milk powder).

[0050] The lipid source used in the kneading step may be a raw material containing lipid, and specifically, for example, may be a raw material containing soybean oil (for example, soybean oil itself).

[0051] The water used in the kneading step may be water derived from soybeans, or may be water used in food production, such as water, distilled water, or ion-exchanged water.

[0052] The amounts of protein source, lipid source, and water used in the kneading process can be set as appropriate, but it is preferable to adjust them so that the protein content, lipid content, and lipid content (mass%) relative to the protein content (mass%) in the processed cheese-like food are within the above-mentioned ranges (lipid content / protein content).

[0053] The method for kneading the protein source, lipid source, and water is not particularly limited as long as the method is one that thoroughly mixes them, and for example, a kneading device used for food products may be used.

[0054] The production method according to the present embodiment may further include a step of packaging the kneaded product obtained in the kneading step, subsequent to the kneading step. For packaging, any method commonly used in food production can be applied without particular limitation, and a specific example is a method of transferring the kneaded product into a pouch and vacuum-packaging it.

[0055] In the heating step, the kneaded product obtained in the kneading step or a packaged version of the kneaded product obtained in the kneading step is heated to gel the kneaded product. Heating conditions can be, for example, 70 to 100°C for 5 to 60 minutes. The gelled kneaded product can be used as a processed cheese-like food.

[0056] The above-described embodiments of the process cheese-like food according to the present invention can be combined in any manner. [Example]

[0057] The present invention will be specifically described below based on examples, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to these.

[0058] Test Example 1: Production of processed cheese-like food <Preparation of powdered soy milk> Commercially available soy milk (Kikkoman Oishii Unsweetened Soy Milk, Kikkoman Corporation) was transferred into medium bottles at 1 L each, and protease (ADMIL, Godo Shusei Co., Ltd.) was added at 0.2% or 0.3%. The mixture was stirred in a thermostatic chamber set at 50°C for 2 hours. The mixture was then heated in an autoclave (LSX-700, Tomy Seiko Co., Ltd.) at 90°C for 10 minutes to inactivate the protease, and then returned to room temperature.

[0059] The soy milk used was analyzed for its components, and the results were: solids 10.1% by mass, protein 4.4% by mass, fat 2.9% by mass, carbohydrates 2.2% by mass, and ash 0.6% by mass.

[0060] The soy milk treated with protease and the untreated soy milk were freeze-dried. Freeze-drying was carried out using a freeze dryer (RLEIII-103, manufactured by Kyowa Vacuum Engineering Co., Ltd.) after freezing at a shelf temperature of -40°C for 3 hours, followed by a shelf temperature of 30°C and a vacuum of 133 Pa. The freeze-dried soy milk was pulverized in a mixer to obtain powdered soy milk.

[0061] <Preparation of processed cheese-like food> The powdered soy milk prepared above, soybean oil (AJINOMOTO soybean oil, manufactured by J-Oil Mills, Inc.: lipids 100% by mass), and distilled water were weighed out (50 g total) in proportions to achieve the protein and lipid contents shown in Table 2. Powdered soy milk with different protease concentrations and untreated soy milk were used in combination to achieve the desired texture. The mixture was then kneaded using a bowl and a rubber spatula. The kneaded paste was transferred to a pouch and vacuum-packed at a vacuum level of 99% using a vacuum packaging machine (V-307GII, manufactured by TOSEI Corporation). The vacuum-packed pouch was heated in an autoclave at 90°C for 20 minutes and then cooled on ice to obtain soy milk gels (processed cheese-like foods of Examples 1 to 45 and soy milk gels of Comparative Examples 1 to 4). The resulting soy milk gels were stored at 4°C until evaluation.

[0062] Test Example 2: Evaluation of processed cheese-like food <Measurement of breaking load and breaking strain rate> The soy milk gel prepared in Test Example 1 and commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese) were cut into samples measuring 1.8 cm in width, 1.8 cm in depth, and 1 cm in height, and the samples were stored at 4°C until immediately before measurement.

[0063] A creep meter (RE33005C, manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.) was used to perform fracture analysis on each sample. A cylindrical plunger (No. 3) with a diameter of 16 mm was used as the measurement jig, and measurements were made at a strain rate of 99%, a speed of 5 mm / s, and a retraction pitch of 0.01 s. Three replicates were obtained for each sample.

[0064] The waveform data for each sample was then plotted on a graph, and the breaking point was identified on the graph. The load and strain at the identified breaking point were defined as the breaking load (N) and breaking strain (%), respectively.

[0065] <Measurement of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility> 100 g of distilled water was added to 10 g of the soy milk gel prepared in Test Example 1, and the mixture was ground in a mixer for 20 seconds. The mixture was then stirred at 8,000 rpm for 1 minute using a homogenizer (T 25 digital ULTRA-TURRAX®, manufactured by IKA). After stirring, the mixture was centrifuged at 3,000 × g for 3 minutes at room temperature, and the supernatant was collected. The collected supernatant was filtered through a No. 5A filter, and the permeate was collected. 5 mL of 0.44 M trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solution was added to 5 mL of the collected permeate (final TCA concentration: 0.22 M) and stirred with a stirrer. After stirring, the mixture was filtered through a No. 6 filter, and the permeate was collected. Protein was extracted from the collected permeate using a protein extraction kit (Pierce® Plant Total Protein Extraction Kit, manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific), and the protein amount was quantified using the BCA method (Pierce® BCA Protein Assay Kit, manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific).

[0066] The quantified protein amount was multiplied by the dilution factor, and then divided by the amount of protein contained in the soy milk gel to obtain the TCA solubility rate. TCA has the property of precipitating high molecular weight proteins. The TCA solubility rate is the proportion of protein dissolved in TCA out of total protein, and is therefore an index that reflects the degree of protein degradation; the higher the TCA solubility rate, the more advanced the protein degradation.

[0067] <Result> Table 1 shows the measurement results of the breaking load (N) and breaking strain rate (%) of commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese).

[0068] [Table 1]

[0069] The measurement results of the breaking load (N) and breaking strain rate (%) of the soy milk gel prepared in Test Example 1 are shown in Table 2.

[0070] [Table 2]

[0071] FIG. 1 is a graph plotting the breaking load (N) and breaking strain (%) of commercially available dairy cheese (process cheese). FIG. 2 is a graph plotting the breaking load (N) and breaking strain (%) of the soy milk gel prepared in Test Example 1. In FIG. 2, black circles indicate the results of comparative examples. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the dashed lines are the lines Y=2.93X-46.131 and Y=0.8922X-19.555, where X (%) is the breaking strain and Y (N) is the breaking load. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the region enclosed by the solid-line rectangle is the region defined by 29≦X≦62 and 13≦Y≦73.

[0072] As shown in Figure 1, the breaking load and breaking strain rate of commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese) were distributed within a breaking load range of 13 to 73 N and a breaking strain rate range of 29 to 62%. As shown in Figure 2, the breaking load and breaking strain rate of the processed cheese-like foods of Examples 1 to 45 prepared in Test Example 1 were within the same range as the breaking load and breaking strain rate of commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese), demonstrating that the texture of commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese) was reproduced.

[0073] As shown in Table 2, the processed cheese-like foods of Examples 1 to 45 had a lipid content to protein content ratio (lipid content / protein content) of 0.87 to 2.60 and a TCA solubility ratio of 13.5% to 22.3% by mass. Furthermore, the processed cheese-like foods of Examples 1 to 45 also had a protein content of 14% to 23% by mass and a lipid content of 20% to 35% by mass. On the other hand, the soy milk gels of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 did not have a lipid content / protein content ratio of 0.87 to 2.60 or a TCA solubility ratio of 13.5% to 22.3%.

[0074] Furthermore, the processed cheese-like foods of Examples 1 to 45 prepared in Test Example 1 have a protein content of 14% by mass or more and 23% by mass or less, and a lipid content of 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less, and therefore have a texture equivalent to that of commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese) and contain nutritional components equivalent to that of commercially available dairy cheese (processed cheese).

Claims

1. comprising a soy composition, A processed cheese-like food having a breaking load of 13N or more and 73N or less and a breaking strain rate of 29% or more and 62% or less.

2. comprising a soy composition, The ratio of the lipid content (mass%) to the protein content (mass%) is 0.87 or more and 2.60 or less; and A processed cheese-like food having a trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solubility of 13.5% by mass or more and 22.3% by mass or less.

3. 3. The process cheese-like food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein Y≦2.93X−46.131 (29≦X≦62 and 13≦Y≦73) is satisfied, where X (%) is the breaking strain rate and Y (N) is the breaking load.

4. The processed cheese-like food according to claim 3, further satisfying 0.8922X-19.555≦Y.

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