Sterilized plant milk

Abstract

To provide a plant milk exhibiting natural sweetness and a rich taste, while suppressing occurrence of oil separation.SOLUTION: A sterilized plant milk characterized by containing 2.5-10 mass% of an edible oil or fat. The SFC of the edible oil or fat at 20°C is preferably 5% or more. The edible oil or fat preferably contains an interesterified oil or fat. The edible oil or fat preferably contains a lauric oil or fat. The plant milk preferably contains a saccharified grain liquid. The plant milk contains sodium and potassium, and it is preferable that the mass ratio (Na:K) of sodium to potassium is 1:0.5-10.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to plant milks. [Background technology]

[0002] Since cow's milk and other animal milks are produced for the purpose of lactation, they are highly nutritious and well-balanced, and have been widely consumed as beverages and used as food ingredients since ancient times.

[0003] However, because animal milk can only be extracted during the lactation period, both the amount and the period of production are limited. For this reason, a cloudy liquid similar to animal milk has been obtained from plants that can produce it stably and used as plant milk. For example, plant milks such as coconut milk, rice milk, soy milk, and almond milk are produced by crushing part or all of grains, beans, seeds, hard fruits, or fruits, suspending them in water, and then enzymatically hydrolyzing them.

[0004] In recent years, plant-based foods have increasingly been chosen for various reasons, such as environmental impact, health, and allergen avoidance, and plant-based milks are becoming more common on the market.

[0005] These plant-based milks have traditionally been required to have a flavor similar to animal milk, especially cow's milk, i.e., a milky flavor. However, these plant-based milks have the problem of having a flavor or harsh taste specific to the plant.

[0006] Furthermore, in recent years, problems have become apparent with plant-based milks, such as their low sugar content and lack of sweetness, resulting in a light flavor and a lack of richness.

[0007] Therefore, attempts have been made to increase the content of monosaccharides and disaccharides by enzymatically hydrolyzing the starch contained in plant milk, thereby increasing the sweetness and richness (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0008] However, the sugars produced by the breakdown of starch are different from lactose, the main sweet component of milk, in that they are very sweet, and the sweetness is too strong to achieve a natural sweetness, and in addition, there is a problem in that the rich flavor is not sufficient. In some cases, the lack of natural sweetness can diminish the milk flavor.

[0009] Here, it is common to add edible oils to plant-based milk, following the example of milk fat, which gives milk a rich flavor. However, the plant proteins contained in plant-based milk have an extremely low emulsifying power compared to the milk proteins in cow's milk, so increasing the oil content causes oil separation, which has the problem that only about 1 to 2% by mass of edible oil can be added. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-142183 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-207359 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-039283 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a plant-based milk that has a natural sweetness and richness and is less likely to cause oil separation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] As a result of extensive research conducted to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the inventors discovered that by adding more edible oils and fats than the 1-2% oil content typically found in plant-based milk, it is possible to adjust the perception of sweetness, and that by undergoing a sterilization process, it is possible to stably add more oil. That is, the present invention provides sterilized vegetable milk characterized by containing 2.5 to 10% by mass of edible oils and fats. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, a highly convenient plant-based milk can be obtained that has a natural sweetness and rich flavor, is fluid even with a high solids content, is less prone to oil separation, and is free of graininess and sedimentation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The plant milk of the present invention will be described in detail below. The plant milk of the present invention contains 2.5 to 10% by mass of edible oils and fats. If the edible oil and fat content is less than 2.5% by mass, natural sweetness and richness cannot be obtained. If the edible oil and fat content is more than 10% by mass, emulsion stability decreases, causing oil separation and graininess or sedimentation. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the effects of the present invention, the edible oil and fat content in the plant milk is preferably 2.5 to 9% by mass, and more preferably 5 to 9% by mass.

[0015] The edible oils and fats are not particularly limited, but examples include vegetable oils and fats such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and cocoa butter; animal oils and fats such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, fish oil, and whale oil; and processed oils and fats obtained by subjecting these oils and fats to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification. In the present invention, these oils and fats can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The edible oil and fat content is calculated by adding the oil content contained in the other components listed below in addition to the edible oils and fats.

[0016] The plant milk of the present invention exhibits a good milky richness without containing milk fat. Therefore, the plant milk of the present invention can be used as a food that can be eaten by vegetarians and vegans. In addition, in the present invention, it is preferable not to use animal-derived fats such as milk fat, animal fats such as beef tallow, lard, fish oil, and whale oil, and processed fats obtained by subjecting animal fats to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification.

[0017] In the plant milk of the present invention, it is particularly preferred that the SFC of the edible oil or fat at 20° C. is 5% or more, preferably 10% or more, and more preferably 20% or more. Usually, when oil or fat is used in producing plant milk, liquid oil, i.e., oil or fat with an SFC of 0 at 20° C., is used to prevent graininess or precipitation due to crystallization or to prevent deterioration of melt-in-the-mouth texture. However, in the present invention, a rich flavor can be achieved by using oil or fat with the above SFC. The upper limit of the SFC at 20° C. is preferably 60% or less, more preferably 55% or less, in terms of melt-in-the-mouth texture.

[0018] In the vegetable milk of the present invention, the edible oils and fats preferably include interesterified oils and fats. By including interesterified oils and fats, vegetable milk can be obtained that has good emulsion stability and rich flavor. The amount of interesterified oils and fats used is preferably 25% by mass or more, and more preferably 25 to 100% by mass, of the oil phase of the vegetable milk.

[0019] As the interesterified oils and fats, any of the above edible oils and fats that have been interesterified can be used without any particular limitation. In terms of being able to produce a plant milk with higher emulsion stability and more suppressed oil separation, interesterified oils containing palm-based fats such as palm oil, extremely hardened palm oil, soft palm fractionated oil, and hard palm fractionated oil are preferred. The content of palm-based fats in the above-mentioned "oils containing palm-based fats" is preferably 20 to 100% by mass. It is preferable to use palm olein as the palm-based oil / fat, since it is possible to produce a plant milk with higher emulsion stability. The iodine value of the fractionated soft palm oil is preferably 56 or more, more preferably 60 or more. The iodine value of fractionated soft palm oil is usually 80 or less, and from the viewpoint of ease of production, it is preferably 70 or less. The method and conditions for transesterification are not particularly limited, and known methods and conditions can be used.

[0020] In the plant milk of the present invention, the edible oils and fats preferably include lauric oils and fats. By including lauric oils and fats, plant milk can be obtained that has a rich flavor and melts in the mouth, giving it a milky taste. When lauric oils and fats are used, their content in the oil phase of the plant milk is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 20 to 100% by mass, even more preferably 20 to 95% by mass, and particularly preferably 30 to 90% by mass. The lauric fat is a general term for fats and oils having a high content of lauric acid (slightly less than 50%) as a fatty acid constituting triglycerides. Specific examples of lauric fats and oils include coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and fats obtained by hardening, fractionating, or interesterifying these oils. These fats and oils can be used alone or in combination of two or more. When a lauric fat and oil is used as part of the raw material blend oil for interesterified fats and oils, the content of the lauric fat and oil is calculated based on the blending amount. In the present invention, the oil component refers to triglycerides, and the oil phase refers to the oil component as well as oil-soluble components.

[0021] It is preferable that the plant milk of the present invention contains both the above-mentioned ester-exchanged oil and fat and lauric oil, as this results in a plant milk that has excellent emulsion stability, a rich flavor, and a milky taste that melts easily in the mouth. In this case, the above-mentioned interesterified oils and fats may be used in combination with lauric oils and fats, or "interesterified oils and fats using lauric oils and fats" in which lauric oils and fats are used as part or all of the raw material blend oils for the interesterified oils and fats may be used. However, in order to obtain a plant milk that has good melt-in-the-mouth properties and emulsion stability, the method of using "interesterified oils and fats using lauric oils and fats" is preferred, and it is particularly preferred to use "interesterified oils and fats using palm-based oils and fats and lauric oils and fats."

[0022] When the above-mentioned "ester-exchanged oils and fats using lauric oils and fats" is used, the amount of lauric oils and fats used in the raw material blend oils of the ester-exchanged oils and fats is preferably 20 to 90 mass%, more preferably 30 to 85 mass%, and particularly preferably 40 to 80 mass%. When the above-mentioned "transesterified oils and fats using palm-based oils and lauric-based oils and fats" is used, the amount of palm-based oils and fats used in the raw material blend oils for the transesterified oils and fats is preferably 10 to 80 mass%, more preferably 15 to 70 mass%, and particularly preferably 20 to 60 mass%. The amount of lauric-based oils and fats used in the raw material blend oils for the transesterified oils and fats is preferably 20 to 90 mass%, more preferably 40 to 80 mass%.

[0023] The plant milk of the present invention preferably contains a grain saccharified liquid, which can inhibit separation of fats and oils and impart a natural sweetness. The grain saccharified liquid is a liquid obtained by cleaving grain starch and decomposing it into dextrins, oligosaccharides, and further monosaccharides, and then solubilizing the saccharified liquid in water. The sweetness ranges from low to high depending on the degree of decomposition. There are two methods for saccharifying grains: acid saccharification using an acid and enzymatic saccharification using an enzyme. In the present invention, it is preferable to saccharify grains by enzymatic saccharification using an enzyme in order to avoid discoloration and to prevent unpleasant flavors.

[0024] In a specific enzymatic saccharification method, a suspension of grain flour in water, or a grain extract, squeezed juice, grinding liquid, or pulverized liquid is prepared as the raw grain (hereinafter also referred to as "raw grain material"). This raw grain material is heated as necessary, and the starch in the grain is cleaved and solubilized with an acid or enzyme. Examples of grain grinding liquid include slurries obtained by wet grinding grains or grain flour.

[0025] The enzymes that can be used include one or more of cell wall-degrading enzymes such as cellulase, hemicellulase, pectinase, xylanase, pentosanase, and pullulanase; and amylases such as α-amylase, β-amylase, maltose-producing α-amylase, trisaccharide-producing amylase, tetrasaccharide-producing amylase, glucoamylase, and isoamylase; and starch-degrading enzymes such as amyloglucosidase. However, in the present invention, it is preferable not to use cell wall-degrading enzymes as the enzymes, as they tend to weaken the richness of the product.

[0026] In the present invention, it is preferable to use one or more of the glycolytic enzymes such as α-amylase, β-amylase, and glucoamylase as the enzyme, and more preferably to use a combination of α-amylase and β-amylase, or a combination of α-amylase and glucoamylase. When two or more enzymes are used in combination, they may be reacted sequentially or simultaneously. Alternatively, separate saccharified solutions may be produced for each enzyme or enzyme combination and then mixed together.

[0027] The α-amylase can be selected from commercially available α-amylase preparations, such as Clistase L1, Biozyme A (all manufactured by Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.), Biotex L#3000, Biotex TS, Spitase HS, Spitase CP-40FG, Spitase CP3, Spitase L, Spitase XP-404, Neospitase PK-2, and T-50 (all manufactured by Nagase ChemteX Corporation), Grindamyl A (manufactured by Danisco Japan), BAN, and Fungamil (all manufactured by Novozymes Japan), Fuctamylase 30, Fuctamylase 50, Fuctamylase 10L, and Liquifase L45 (all manufactured by HI Bio Inc.), VERON Soft+, VERONVERON M4, and Sternzyme A6003 (all manufactured by Higuchi Shokai), Uniase BM-8 (manufactured by Yakult Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), Softagen 3H (manufactured by Taisho Technos Co., Ltd.), Bakezyme AN301, MatL Classic, Mycolase, Bakezyme P500 (manufactured by DSM), Sumiteam AS, Sumiteam L (all manufactured by Shin-Nihon Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), etc. can be used.

[0028] The above-mentioned β-amylase can be selected from commercially available β-amylase preparations, such as Secura (manufactured by Novozymes Japan), Hymaltosin G, Hymaltosin GL, Hymaltosin GLH (all manufactured by HI Bio), β-amylase #1500S, β-amylase L / R (all manufactured by Nagase ChemteX), and β-amylase F "Amano" (manufactured by Amano Enzyme).

[0029] The glucoamylase may be selected from commercially available glucoamylase preparations, such as Amigase, Bakezyme AG800 (manufactured by DSM), Amylase AG, AMG1100BG, AMG300L (manufactured by Novozymes Japan), Glucozyme AF6, Glucozyme NL4.2 ​​(manufactured by Amano Enzyme), Glucozyme #20000, Denatyme GSA / R, Nagase Enzyme N-40 (manufactured by Nagase ChemteX), Glutase AN (manufactured by HI), and Coclase G2 (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods).

[0030] Other enzymes may be used before or after the production of a saccharified solution, or during the production of a saccharified solution by enzymatic decomposition.

[0031] Examples of the other enzymes include glycosyltransferases such as glucosyltransferase, oxidoreductases such as glucose oxidase, proteases, and lipases. The amount of the enzyme added can be adjusted according to the activity of the enzyme, but is generally preferably about 0.001 to 3% by mass relative to the amount of grain used as the raw grain flour material. In this specification, the "amount of raw grain" refers to the amount of the raw grain material as a solid, for example, the amount of powder. Specifically, when a suspension of grain flour in water or a grinding or crushing liquid of grain is used as the raw grain material, the amount of grain flour contained in this liquid is used. For grain extracts or juices, the amount of grain flour obtained by drying them is used.

[0032] During the production of the saccharified solution, the amount of grain in the suspension, grinding solution or pulverized solution, extract, or aqueous juice solution, i.e., the concentration of the raw grain material, is preferably 2 to 75 mass % in terms of solid content, more preferably 10 to 60 mass %, and particularly preferably 20 to 50 mass %.

[0033] The reaction temperature and reaction time of the enzyme can be set appropriately depending on the type of saccharifying enzyme used and the type of grain flour used as raw material, but the reaction temperature is preferably 45°C to 120°C, more preferably 50°C to 110°C, and the reaction time is preferably 0.01 hours to 24 hours, more preferably 0.1 hours to 12 hours.

[0034] The amount of enzyme to be added, the reaction temperature and the reaction time for producing the saccharified solution are preferably set to conditions that allow the enzymatic reaction to reach equilibrium, in order to ensure the compositional stability of the resulting saccharified solution.

[0035] Furthermore, after the enzymatic reaction, the enzyme must be inactivated. However, when an immobilized enzyme is used instead of the batch method as described above, there is no need to inactivate the enzyme.

[0036] Examples of grains that can be used as a raw material for the grain saccharified solution include soybeans, adzuki beans, rice, barley, wheat, pearl barley, rye, oats, buckwheat, quinoa seeds, millet, sorghum, chickpeas, peas, mung beans, broad beans, lentils, lupin seeds, kidney beans, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, pine nuts, peaches, safflower seeds, canola seeds, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, coconuts, sesame seeds, walnuts, and hemp seeds. In the present invention, however, it is preferable to use one or more grains selected from the group consisting of almonds, rice, soybeans, oats, chickpeas, and peas, as this will enable the effective effects of the present invention to be achieved and will result in a particularly good milk flavor. Oats are particularly preferred because they will result in a more good milk flavor. The grains used as raw materials may be roasted or gelatinized.

[0037] The content of the grain saccharified liquid in the plant milk of the present invention is preferably 11 to 100% by mass, more preferably 30 to 98% by mass, and more preferably 50 to 98% by mass.

[0038] The plant milk of the present invention may also contain plant milk or grain flour other than the above-mentioned grain saccharified liquid. Examples of the "plant milk other than the above-mentioned grain saccharified liquid" include a suspension of grain flour in water, or a grain extract, squeezed juice, grinding liquid, or pulverized liquid obtained during the production of the above-mentioned saccharified liquid. In addition, since the effects of the present invention are reduced with the plant milk of the present invention, it is preferable that the plant milk or grain flour be contained in the plant milk at a ratio of solids of 49 mass % or less of the total content of the grain saccharification liquid, more preferably 20 mass % or less, and most preferably 1 mass % or less.

[0039] Furthermore, the plant milk of the present invention contains sodium and potassium, and the mass ratio of sodium to potassium (Na:K) is preferably 1:0.5 to 10, more preferably 1:0.8 to 6, and most preferably 1:2 to 4. By keeping the mass ratio within the range of 1:0.5 to 10, plant milk with a good milk flavor can be obtained.

[0040] The sodium source ingredients in the plant milk of the present invention include sodium salts such as sodium citrate, disodium phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and sodium chloride, as well as foods and food additives that contain a lot of sodium. However, to obtain a plant milk with a good flavor, it is preferable to use at least sodium chloride. The origin of the sodium source ingredients can be mineral, chemical, or marine, but is not particularly limited. The sodium content in the plant milk of the present invention is preferably 0.005 to 0.5% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 0.4% by mass, and most preferably 0.02 to 0.2% by mass.

[0041] Examples of ingredients that serve as potassium sources in the plant milk of the present invention include organic acid potassium salts such as potassium citrate and tripotassium citrate, potassium salts such as potassium phosphate and potassium chloride, and foods and food additives that contain a lot of potassium such as potassium caseinate and whey minerals. The origins of the ingredients that serve as potassium sources include mineral origin, chemical products, and marine-derived ingredients, but in the present invention, marine-derived potassium salts are preferred because they provide plant milk with a "natural and mellow flavor" and "good body and aftertaste."

[0042] The marine-derived potassium salts are salts obtained from a solution of solutes mainly composed of potassium chloride, which is obtained by further removing salts such as magnesium from a crude magnesium chloride solution called nigari, which is mainly composed of magnesium obtained by removing sodium from seawater for the production of table salt.

[0043] The marine-derived potassium salt used in the present invention has a potassium chloride content of 51% by mass or more, preferably 70% by mass or more, based on the solid content. The upper limit of the potassium chloride content in the marine-derived potassium salt is preferably 99.7% by mass or less based on the solid content. The marine-derived potassium salt used in the present invention preferably has a solid content of 95% by mass or more, more preferably 97% by mass or more. The solid content is the amount excluding water, and can be measured by the atmospheric pressure heating and drying method or the Karl Fischer method.

[0044] Examples of the marine-derived potassium salt include "Ocean Potassium" (manufactured by FC Chemicals), "Purified Potassium Chloride" (manufactured by Diasalt), and "Potassium Base" (manufactured by FC Chemicals).

[0045] The potassium content in the plant milk of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 2 mass %, more preferably 0.03 to 1.6 mass %, and most preferably 0.1 to 1 mass %.

[0046] When the above-mentioned marine-derived potassium salt is used, the content of the marine-derived potassium salt in the plant milk of the present invention varies depending on the type of plant milk and the purpose of use, but is preferably 0.01 to 5 mass%, more preferably 0.04 to 1.5 mass%, and even more preferably 0.04 to 0.5 mass%.

[0047] Furthermore, when using the above-mentioned marine-derived potassium salt, it is preferable that the potassium content derived from the above-mentioned marine-derived potassium salt accounts for 50% by mass or more of the total potassium in the plant milk of the present invention, and more preferably 60% by mass or more.

[0048] The plant milk of the present invention may contain sugars. Examples of such sugars include white sugar, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, sucrose, liquid sugar, honey, glucose, fructose, brown sugar, maltose, lactose, cyclodextrin, enzyme-saccharified starch syrup, acid-saccharified starch syrup, reduced starch syrup, polydextrose, reduced lactose, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, isomerized liquid sugar, sucrose-bound starch syrup, caramel, maple sugar, oligosaccharides, xylose, trehalose, fructooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, arabinose, palatinose oligosaccharides, agarooligosaccharides, chitin oligosaccharides, lactoferrin oligosaccharides, hemicellulose, molasses, isomaltooligosaccharides, maltooligosaccharides, coupling sugar, raffinose, lactulose, theandeoligosaccharides, and gentiooligosaccharides.

[0049] However, the plant milk of the present invention preferably contains substantially no sugars other than those derived from the cereal saccharified liquid, as this allows for a more natural sweetness and richness. "Substantially no sugars other than those derived from the saccharified liquid" means that of the sugars contained in the plant milk, sugars derived from the cereal saccharified liquid account for a total of 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, even more preferably 95% by mass or more, and most preferably 100% by mass.

[0050] Furthermore, when the plant milk of the present invention is used as a food that can be eaten by vegetarians or vegans, it is necessary that it does not contain sugars of animal origin, particularly lactose and its processed sugars derived from dairy products.

[0051] The plant milk of the present invention may also contain a thickening stabilizer. Examples of the thickening stabilizer include thickening polysaccharides and gelling agents such as guar gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, tamarind gum, pectin, microcrystalline cellulose, furcellaran, agar, gelatin, gellan gum, glucomannan, alginic acid, alginates, curdlan, locust bean gum, gum arabic, pullulan, psyllium seed gum, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, and egg white powder, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more. When these thickening stabilizers are contained, the amount thereof in the plant milk is preferably 0.01 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 3% by mass, from the viewpoints of emulsion stability and flavor.

[0052] The plant milk of the present invention may contain an emulsifier, such as glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, glycerin organic acid fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, calcium stearoyl lactylate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, enzyme-treated lecithin, and saponins, which may be used alone or in combination of two or more. When these emulsifiers are contained, the amount in the plant milk is preferably 0.01 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 3% by mass, from the viewpoints of emulsion stability and flavor.

[0053] The plant milk of the present invention may contain other ingredients in addition to those described above, as long as the effects of the present invention are not affected. Examples of such other ingredients include water, starches, acidulants such as acetic acid, lactic acid, and gluconic acid, sweeteners such as stevia and aspartame, colorants such as β-carotene, caramel, and red koji pigment, antioxidants such as tocopherol and tea extract, seasonings, pH adjusters, food preservatives, shelf life extenders, and food ingredients and food additives such as fruit, fruit juice, coffee, spices, cocoa mass, and cocoa powder.

[0054] Other ingredients can be used as desired as long as they do not impair the objectives of the present invention, but preferably, the total amount of other ingredients other than water in the plant milk of the present invention is used in a range that is 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less.

[0055] Furthermore, when the plant milk of the present invention is used as a food that can be eaten by vegetarians or vegans, it is necessary that the other ingredients mentioned above do not contain any raw materials of animal origin.

[0056] The plant milk of the present invention preferably has a non-fat solids content of 10 to 40% by mass, particularly preferably 20 to 38% by mass. In the present invention, the "non-fat solid content" is calculated by subtracting the water content and oil content from the total mass. When the non-fat solid content is within the above range, the emulsion stability of the oils and fats can be increased by undergoing a sterilization process, particularly a heat sterilization process, so that it is possible to stably contain a larger amount of oils and fats. Furthermore, when used in food and beverages, it can be diluted to any concentration, making it highly convenient.

[0057] The plant milk of the present invention preferably has a water content of 40 to 87.5% by mass, more preferably 40 to 90% by mass, and particularly preferably 60 to 80% by mass.

[0058] The plant milk of the present invention preferably has a protein content of 0.1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 8% by mass, and particularly preferably 1.0 to 5.0% by mass. A protein content of 0.1% by mass or more provides a good milk flavor and rich taste. Furthermore, a protein content of 10% by mass or less helps prevent graininess during storage.

[0059] The plant milk of the present invention is sterilized. By sterilizing the plant milk containing a specific amount of fat or oil, the plant milk is less likely to experience oil separation. The sterilized plant milk is a composition containing edible fat or oil, plant protein, and water that has been subjected to a sterilization treatment. In the present invention, heat-sterilized plant milk is preferred from the viewpoint of further enhancing the effects of the present invention. The reason why oil separation is suppressed by sterilization even when the plant milk contains a relatively high amount of fat and oil is not clear, but one of the reasons is thought to be the emulsion stabilizing effect due to the gelatinization of the starch contained in the plant milk. From this perspective, the plant milk of the present invention is preferably an emulsion, and more preferably an oil-in-water emulsion. The sterilization method will be described in detail in the method for producing the plant milk of the present invention below.

[0060] Next, a method for producing the plant milk of the present invention will be described. To obtain the plant milk of the present invention, the edible oil and fat content is adjusted to 2.5 to 10% by mass, preferably 2.5 to 9% by mass, and more preferably 2.5 to 7.5% by mass during the production of the plant milk, and then the milk is sterilized, preferably by heat sterilization.

[0061] A preferred production method will be described below, taking as an example a case where the plant milk of the present invention does not contain any plant milk other than the above-mentioned cereal saccharified liquid and contains raw materials other than plant milk. First, other ingredients are added as needed to water and / or a grain saccharified liquid, and preferably a potassium-containing raw material or a sodium-containing raw material is added and dispersed, and the mixture is heated preferably to about 60°C to prepare an aqueous phase. Meanwhile, an edible oil or fat is heated and dissolved, preferably at 60°C or higher, to prepare an oil phase. The oil phase is added to the aqueous phase to form an oil-in-water emulsion. The mixture is then homogenized, preferably at a pressure of 0 to 100 MPa, using a homogenizing device such as a valve homogenizer, homomixer, or colloid mill.

[0062] This is followed by a sterilization treatment, preferably a heat sterilization treatment. The sterilization treatment can be carried out by heat sterilization or heat sterilization treatment such as UHT, HTST, low-temperature sterilization using a direct heating method such as injection or infusion, or an indirect heating method such as plate, tubular, or scraping, batch, retort, or microwave heating, or by heat treatment such as direct flame. The heat sterilization treatment temperature is preferably 60 to 160°C, and the heat sterilization treatment time is preferably 1 second to 30 minutes. In particular, in the case of UHT sterilization, the heat sterilization treatment temperature is preferably 120°C or higher and 160°C or lower, and more preferably 130°C or higher and 150°C or lower. Furthermore, in the case of UHT sterilization, the heat sterilization treatment time is preferably 1 second to 6 seconds, and more preferably 2 seconds to 6 seconds.

[0063] Furthermore, the plant milk may be homogenized again after heating as needed, and may be subjected to a cooling procedure such as rapid cooling or slow cooling as needed.

[0064] The plant milk of the present invention may be plant milk produced by the above-mentioned production method. The inventors have discovered that oil separation can be suppressed by setting a predetermined amount of edible oil and fat content and performing a sterilization treatment. The oil separation suppression ability of plant milk has not been evaluated much to date, and specifying it as a physical property would require the development of a new measurement method, which would require a significant amount of time. In the food industry, where product life is short, early filing is required under the first-to-file system, making it impossible or impractical to specify the physical properties related to oil separation suppression for sterilized plant milk.

[0065] The plant milk of the present invention is diluted and used as plant milk. The diluted plant milk can be used in various beverages and also in the manufacture of various foods. The plant milk can also be used as it is without dilution as condensed milk, coffee whitener, a substitute for whipped cream or fresh cream, or as an ingredient in other foods and beverages.

[0066] Foods in which the plant milk of the present invention can be used include, for example, creams such as custard cream and white cream, stews and gratins using these creams, desserts such as bavarois, frozen desserts such as ice cream, pastes such as flower paste, mayonnaise and other dressings, cheese-like foods, and for kneading into bread, sweets, ham, sausages, and other processed foods.

[0067] Since the plant milk of the present invention is sterilized, it does not need to be frozen and can be stored in a refrigerator or at room temperature. Therefore, conventional frozen products do not experience denaturation during freezing or thawing, which can cause separation of physical properties, particularly water and oil, or deterioration in flavor. Furthermore, while conventional frozen products can only be used after being thawed once, the plant milk of the present invention can be used immediately, making it highly convenient. [Example]

[0068] Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples and comparative examples, but these are not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0069] <Production of grain saccharified liquid> [Production Example 1] 60 parts by mass of water was heated to 60°C, and while stirring, 0.15 parts by mass of α-amylase (BAN 480L (Novozymes)) and 40 parts by mass of oat powder (Tialan) (moisture content 14% by mass, protein content 11.9% by mass, potassium content 0.330% by mass, sodium content 0.008% by mass) were added, and the mixture was held for 3 hours to allow the enzyme reaction to occur, yielding a reaction solution. The reaction solution was then inactivated at 90°C for 15 minutes, cooled to 5°C, and homogenized at a pressure of 5 MPa to yield grain saccharified solution A.

[0070] [Production Example 2] 60 parts by mass of water was heated to 60°C, and while stirring, 0.15 parts by mass of α-amylase (BAN 480L (Novozymes)), 0.3 parts by mass of glucoamylase (Amylase AG (Novozymes)), and 40 parts by mass of oat powder (Tialan) (moisture content 14% by mass, protein content 11.9% by mass, potassium content 0.330% by mass, sodium content 0.008% by mass) were added, and the mixture was held for 3 hours to allow the enzyme reaction to occur, yielding a reaction solution. The reaction solution was then inactivated at 90°C for 15 minutes, cooled to 5°C, and homogenized at a pressure of 5 MPa to produce grain saccharified solution B.

[0071] [Production Example 3] 75 parts by mass of water was heated to 60°C, and while stirring, 0.15 parts by mass of α-amylase (BAN 480L (Novozymes)) and 25 parts by mass of oat powder (Tialan) (moisture content 14% by mass, protein content 11.9% by mass, potassium content 0.330% by mass, sodium content 0.008% by mass) were added, and the mixture was held for 3 hours to allow the enzyme reaction to occur, yielding a reaction solution. The reaction solution was then inactivated at 90°C for 15 minutes, cooled to 5°C, and homogenized at a pressure of 5 MPa to yield grain saccharified solution C.

[0072] [Production Example 4] 75 parts by mass of water was heated to 60°C, and while stirring, 0.15 parts by mass of α-amylase (BAN 480L (Novozymes)), 0.3 parts by mass of glucoamylase (Amylase AG (Novozymes)), and 25 parts by mass of oat powder (Tialan) (moisture content 14% by mass, protein content 11.9% by mass, potassium content 0.330% by mass, sodium content 0.008% by mass) were added, and the mixture was held for 3 hours to allow the enzyme reaction to occur, yielding a reaction solution. The reaction solution was then inactivated at 90°C for 15 minutes, cooled to 5°C, and homogenized at a pressure of 5 MPa to produce grain saccharified liquid D.

[0073] <Production of plant-based milk> Example 1 65 parts by weight of the saccharified grain solution A and 20 parts by weight of the saccharified grain solution B were mixed, to which 0.15 parts by weight of salt, 0.2 parts by weight of marine-derived potassium salt (Ocean Potassium, manufactured by FC Chemicals, solid content: 99.9% by weight, sodium content: 0% by weight, potassium content: 52.2% by weight, potassium chloride content in solid content: 99.5% by weight), 0.03 parts by weight of xanthan gum, and 9.62 parts by weight of water were added and mixed, and 5 parts by weight of sunflower oil (SFC at 20°C = 0%) was added and emulsified to prepare a preliminary emulsion. This preliminary emulsion was homogenized at a pressure of 3 MPa, then sterilized at 140°C for 4 seconds in a VTIS sterilizer (UHT sterilizer manufactured by Alfa Laval), homogenized again at a pressure of 5 MPa, and cooled to 5°C to obtain plant milk A of the present invention. The resulting plant milk A had a moisture content of 65% by mass, a non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, a sodium content of 0.061% by mass, a potassium content of 0.216% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The plant milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the sunflower oil content in the oil phase of the plant milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk A had a good milk flavor, natural sweetness and richness, and was fluid despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, with almost no oil separation and no granularity or sedimentation, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, plant milk A still had a good milky flavor, natural sweetness, and rich taste.

[0074] Example 2 Plant milk B of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the sunflower oil in Example 1 was changed to a randomly interesterified palm fractionated soft oil (SFC = 23% at 20°C) with an iodine value of 56. The resulting vegetable milk B had a water content of 65% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the content of randomly interesterified fats in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk B had a good milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste, and despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, there was no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, plant milk B still had a good milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0075] Example 3 Plant milk C of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the sunflower oil in Example 1 was changed to a randomly interesterified palm fractionated soft oil with an iodine value of 64 (SFC = 17% at 20°C). The resulting plant milk C had a moisture content of 65% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5.The plant milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the content of randomly interesterified fats in the oil phase of the plant milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk C had a good milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste, and despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, there was no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, plant milk C still had a good milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0076] Example 4 Plant milk D of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the sunflower oil in Example 1 was changed to palm oil (SFC at 20°C = 34%). The resulting plant milk D had a water content of 65% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The plant milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the palm oil content in the oil phase of the plant milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk D had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste.Despite its high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, showed almost no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, plant milk D still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0077] Example 5 Plant milk E of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and production method as in Example 1, except that the sunflower oil in Example 1 was changed to the following interesterified oil A (SFC at 20°C = 50%). The resulting plant milk E had a water content of 65% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5.The plant milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the content of interesterified fat A in the oil phase of the plant milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk E had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste.Despite its high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, there was no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, plant milk E still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0078] <Production of interesterified oil A> An oil and fat blend prepared by mixing palm kernel oil and extremely hardened palm oil in a mass ratio of 80:20 was subjected to random interesterification using a chemical catalyst and refined by a conventional method to obtain interesterified oil and fat A having a melting point of 33°C.

[0079] Example 6 Plant milk F of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the 0.15 parts by mass of salt in Example 1 was changed to 0.35 parts by mass, and 0.2 parts by mass of marine-derived potassium salt (Ocean Potassium: manufactured by FC Chemical, solid content: 99.9% by mass, potassium chloride content in solid content: 99.5% by mass) was not added. The resulting vegetable milk F had a water content of 65% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, a sodium content of 0.139% by mass, a potassium content of 0.112% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:0.8. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass. The obtained plant milk F had a slightly weak milk flavor but still had a good milk flavor, natural sweetness and richness, and despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, there was almost no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk F still had a good milk flavor, natural sweetness, and rich taste, although the milk flavor was slightly weak.

[0080] Example 7 Plant milk G of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the 5 parts by mass of sunflower oil in Example 1 was changed to 2.5 parts by mass of the above-mentioned interesterified oil A, and the water was changed from 9.62 parts by mass to 12.12 parts by mass. The resulting vegetable milk G had a water content of 68% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5.The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 2.5% by mass, and the content of interesterified fat A in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk G had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness and richness, and despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, there was no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk G still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and rich taste.

[0081] Example 8 Except for changing the 5 parts by mass of sunflower oil in Example 1 to 7.5 parts by mass of the above-mentioned interesterified oil A and further changing the amount of water from 9.62 parts by mass to 7.12 parts by mass, plant milk H of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and production method as in Example 1. The edible oil content of the plant milk was 7.5% by mass, and the content of interesterified oil A in the oil phase of the plant milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk H had a moisture content of 63 mass %, a non-fat solid content of 29 mass %, a protein content of 4.0 mass %, and a mass ratio of sodium to potassium of 1:3.5. The obtained plant milk H had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste, and despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, there was no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk H still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0082] Example 9 Except for changing the 5 parts by mass of sunflower oil in Example 1 to 10 parts by mass of the above-mentioned interesterified oil A and further changing the amount of water from 9.62 parts by mass to 4.62 parts by mass, plant milk I of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and production method as in Example 1. The edible oil content of the plant milk was 10% by mass, and the content of interesterified oil A in the oil phase of the plant milk was 100% by mass. The resulting plant milk I had a moisture content of 60 mass %, a non-fat solid content of 29 mass %, a protein content of 4.0 mass %, and a mass ratio of sodium to potassium of 1:3.5. The obtained plant milk I had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste, and despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it was fluid, there was almost no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk I still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0083] Comparative Example 1 Comparative example plant milk J was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the 5 parts by mass of sunflower oil in Example 1 was changed to 12.5 parts by mass of the above-mentioned interesterified oil A, and the water was changed from 9.62 parts by mass to 2.12 parts by mass. The resulting plant milk J had a water content of 58% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5.The plant milk also had an edible fat content of 12.5% ​​by mass, and the content of interesterified fat A in the oil phase of the plant milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk J had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness and strong richness, and was fluid despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, but oil separation occurred. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk J still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0084] Comparative Example 2 Comparative example plant milk K was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the 5 parts by mass of sunflower oil in Example 1 was changed to 1 part by mass of the above-mentioned interesterified oil A, and the water was changed from 9.62 parts by mass to 13.62 parts by mass. The resulting vegetable milk K had a water content of 69% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 1% by mass, and the content of interesterified fat A in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The resulting plant milk K had a good milk flavor, but was too sweet and lacked body. Despite its high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, it had fluidity, no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation. Furthermore, even when Plant Milk K was diluted three times with water and drunk, it still had a good milky flavor, but the sweetness was perceived as being too sharp and it lacked richness.

[0085] Comparative Example 3 In Example 9, no sterilization step was performed. That is, after this preliminary emulsion was homogenized at a pressure of 3 MPa, it was homogenized again at a pressure of 5 MPa without sterilization and then cooled to 5° C. Other than this, the composition and manufacturing method were the same as in Example 9 to obtain Comparative Example Plant Milk L. The resulting vegetable milk L had a water content of 60% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 29% by mass, a protein content of 4.0% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 10% by mass, and the content of interesterified fat A in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk L had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness and strong richness, and was fluid despite having a high non-fat solids content of 29% by mass, but oil separation occurred.

[0086] Example 10 To 90 parts by mass of plant milk (oat milk: manufactured by Kosei Sangyo, moisture content 60% by mass, protein content 4.9% by mass, potassium content 0.151% by mass, sodium content 0.05% by mass), 0.04 parts by mass of salt, 0.15 parts by mass of marine-derived potassium salt (Ocean Potassium: manufactured by FC Chemical), 0.03 parts by mass of xanthan gum, and 4.78 parts by mass of water were added and mixed, and then 5 parts by mass of sunflower oil (SFC = 0% at 20°C) was added and emulsified to prepare a preliminary emulsion, which was homogenized at a pressure of 3 MPa, sterilized at 140°C for 4 seconds in a VTIS sterilizer (UHT sterilizer manufactured by Alfa Laval), homogenized again at a pressure of 5 MPa, and cooled to 5°C to obtain the plant milk M of the present invention. The resulting vegetable milk M had a water content of 59% by mass, a non-fat solids content of 35% by mass, a protein content of 4.4% by mass, a sodium content of 0.061% by mass, a potassium content of 0.214% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the sunflower oil content in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk M had a good milk flavor, natural sweetness and richness, and was fluid despite having a high non-fat solids content of 35% by mass, with almost no oil separation and no granularity or sedimentation, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk M still had a good milky flavor, natural sweetness, and rich taste.

[0087] Example 11 Plant milk N of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and production method as in Example 10, except that the sunflower oil in Example 10 was changed to the above-mentioned interesterified oil A. The resulting vegetable milk N had a moisture content of 59% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 35% by mass, a protein content of 4.4% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the content of interesterified fat A in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk N had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste.Despite its high non-fat solids content of 35% by mass, it was fluid, there was no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk N still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0088] Example 12 65 parts by mass of the above grain saccharified liquid C and 20 parts by mass of the above grain saccharified liquid D were mixed, and 0.135 parts by mass of salt, 0.25 parts by mass of marine-derived potassium salt (Ocean Potassium: manufactured by FC Chemical), 0.03 parts by mass of xanthan gum, and 9.585 parts by mass of water were added and mixed, and 5 parts by mass of sunflower oil (SFC = 0% at 20°C) was added and emulsified to prepare a preliminary emulsion, which was homogenized at a pressure of 3 MPa and then sterilized at 140°C for 4 seconds in a VTIS sterilizer (UHT sterilizer manufactured by Alfa Laval), homogenized again at a pressure of 5 MPa, and cooled to 5°C to obtain the plant milk O of the present invention. The resulting vegetable milk O had a water content of 76% by mass, a non-fat solids content of 18% by mass, a protein content of 2.5% by mass, a sodium content of 0.054% by mass, a potassium content of 0.2% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.7. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the sunflower oil content in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk O had a good milk flavor, natural sweetness and richness, and was fluid despite having a high non-fat solids content of 18% by mass, with almost no oil separation and no granularity or sedimentation, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk O retains a good milky flavor, natural sweetness, and rich taste.

[0089] Example 13 The plant milk P of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and production method as in Example 10, except that the sunflower oil in Example 12 was changed to the above-mentioned interesterified oil A. The resulting vegetable milk P had a water content of 76% by mass, a non-fat solid content of 18% by mass, a protein content of 4.4% by mass, and a sodium to potassium mass ratio of 1:3.5. The vegetable milk also had an edible fat content of 5% by mass, and the content of interesterified fat A in the oil phase of the vegetable milk was 100% by mass. The obtained plant milk P had an excellent milk flavor, natural sweetness, and a strong rich taste, and despite having a high non-fat solids content of 18% by mass, it was fluid, there was no oil separation, and no granularity or sedimentation was observed, making it a highly convenient plant milk. Furthermore, even when diluted three times with water, Plant Milk P still had an excellent milky flavor, natural sweetness, and strong richness.

[0090] The plant milks of Examples 1 to 13 had a natural sweetness and rich flavor and were less likely to experience oil separation. In contrast, the plant milk of Comparative Example 1, in which the content of edible oils and fats exceeded the upper limit specified in the present invention, experienced oil separation. The plant milk of Comparative Example 2, in which the content of edible oils and fats was less than the lower limit specified in the present invention, did not have a natural sweetness and rich flavor. Furthermore, the plant milk of Comparative Example 3, which was not subjected to sterilization, experienced oil separation. From the above results, it is clear that the present invention can provide plant milk that has a natural sweetness and rich flavor and is less likely to experience oil separation.

Claims

1. A pasteurized vegetable milk containing 2.5 to 10% by mass of edible oils and fats.

2. 2. The pasteurized plant milk according to claim 1, wherein the edible oil or fat has an SFC of 5% or more at 20°C.

3. The pasteurized plant milk of claim 2 , wherein the edible oil or fat comprises interesterified oil or fat.

4. The pasteurized vegetable milk according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the edible oil or fat contains a lauric oil or fat.

5. 3. The pasteurized plant milk according to claim 1 or 2, which contains cereal saccharified liquid.