Oil and fat composition

Abstract

To solve the problems of (1) providing a solid cheese-like food product having good texture regardless of an eating form, and (2) providing a cheese-like food product having physical properties that allow processing such as shredding, dicing, or slicing.SOLUTION: An oil and fat composition for a solid cheese-like food product contains oil and fat (A): fractionated palm-based oil and fat, and oil and fat (B): animal oil and fat. Preferably, a content mass ratio of the oil and fat (A) to 1 pt.mass of the oil and fat (B) is 2 to 19 pts.mass. Preferably, a ratio of the oil and fat (A) and the oil and fat (B) to the contained oil and fat is 50 to 100 mass%.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an oil and fat composition used in producing a solid cheese-like food product. [Background technology]

[0002] Cheese is broadly divided into natural cheese, which is made by adding lactic acid bacteria and milk-clotting enzymes to the milk of cows, goats, sheep, etc., and processed cheese, which is made using natural cheese as one of the ingredients. Because all types of cheese tend to be expensive due to the time required for production and the high cost of raw materials, cheese-like foods (hereinafter referred to as cheese-like foods) made by adding fats, oils, starches, etc. to cheese have been studied for some time.

[0003] For example, there have been disclosed a molded cheese-like food product (Patent Document 1) which contains acid-treated starch with a low degree of acid treatment, fats and oils with an ascent melting point of 20 to 50°C, and protein, and has a protein content of 10% by weight or less, and a processed cheese product (Patent Document 2) which contains fats and oils with a melting point of 33°C or more and 41°C or less, and has a trans fatty acid content of 1% or more and 12% or less.

[0004] Known cheese-like foods include solid cheese-like foods (for example, shredded cheese, diced cheese, sliced ​​cheese) and paste cheese-like foods (for example, cream cheese, cheese fondue, cheese sauce, cheese filling, cheese spread).

[0005] Among these, solid cheese-like foods are sometimes eaten as is, and sometimes topped on bread dough, pizza dough, pie dough, sliced ​​bread, etc., and are required to have a good texture in both cases. In addition, they are also required to have physical properties that allow them to be processed, such as shredded, diced, or sliced, to make them easier to eat or use as toppings. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-065948 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-192910 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Previously known cheese-like foods have not been able to achieve both a good flavor independent of the form of consumption and good processability.

[0008] The present invention aims to solve the following problems. (1) To provide a solid cheese-like food product having a good texture regardless of the form of consumption. (2) To provide a cheese-like food product having physical properties that allow it to be processed by shredding, dicing, slicing, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of investigations by the present inventors, it was found that the above problems can be solved by a cheese-like food product that uses an oil and fat composition containing a specific oil and fat.

[0010] The present invention is based on this finding and specifically provides the following. In this specification, the term "cheese-like food" is a concept that encompasses all foods similar to cheese that are obtained by blending raw cheese (natural cheese, processed cheese, etc.) with fats and oils.

[0011] The present invention provides the following [1] to [6]. [1] A fat composition for solid cheese-like foods, comprising the following fats (A) and fats (B): Oils and fats (A): Fractionated palm oils and fats Fats and oils (B): Animal fats and oils [2] The oil and fat composition according to [1], wherein the content of the oil and fat (A) is 2 to 19 parts by mass per part by mass of the oil and fat (B). [3] The oil and fat composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the proportion of the oil and fat (A) and the oil and fat (B) in the contained oil and fat is 50 to 100 mass %. [4] The oil or fat composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the ratio of SFC (SFC-10) at 10°C to SFC (SFC-25) at 25°C (SFC-10 / SFC-25) is 2.8 to 7. [5] A solid cheese-like food product comprising a raw material cheese and the oil or fat composition according to any one of [1] to [4]. [6] A method for producing a solid cheese-like food, comprising mixing the oil or fat composition according to any one of [1] to [4] with a raw material cheese. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) It is possible to provide a solid cheese-like food product that has a good texture regardless of the form of consumption. (2) A cheese-like food product can be provided that has physical properties that allow it to be processed, such as shredded, diced, or sliced. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] [Oil and fat composition for solid cheese-like foods] Hereinafter, the fat and oil composition for a solid cheese-like food of the present invention is a fat and oil composition to be blended with raw material cheese to produce a solid cheese-like food (hereinafter simply referred to as the fat and oil composition of the present invention). The fat and oil composition of the present invention will be described for each condition.

[0014] <Oils> The oil and fat composition of the present invention contains the following oil and fat (A) and oil and fat (B). When the oil and fat composition contains the oil and fat (A) and oil and fat (B) described below, the effects of the present invention can be achieved. Oils and fats (A): Fractionated palm oils and fats Fats and oils (B): Animal fats and oils

[0015] First, the fats and oils (A) will be described.

[0016] The palm-based oil and fat in the present invention can be one or more selected from palm oil and processed oils and fats obtained by using palm oil as a raw material and subjecting it to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification. When palm-based oil and fat is produced through one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification, the palm-based oil and fat in the present invention is one that contains 70% by mass or more of palm-based oil and fat before treatment.

[0017] The oil and fat composition of the present invention contains this fractionated palm-based oil and fat.

[0018] As the palm-based fat or oil, any of the palm-based fats described above may be used. However, from the viewpoint of ensuring a favorable texture of the solid cheese-like food obtained using the oil and fat composition of the present invention and favorable processing suitability after production, it is preferable to select, as the palm-based fat or oil in the present invention, one or more types selected from the group consisting of unprocessed fats and oils (i.e., palm oil) and processed fats obtained by using palm oil as a raw material and subjecting it to one or more treatments selected from fractionation and interesterification, and it is more preferable to select one or more types selected from the group consisting of palm oil and processed fats obtained by using palm oil as a raw material and subjecting it to fractionation treatment one or more times.

[0019] Furthermore, by using one or more types of processed oils selected from the group consisting of palm oil and processed oils obtained by subjecting palm oil to one or more treatments selected from fractionation and interesterification, the solid cheese-like food obtained using the oil and fat composition of the present invention can be prevented from becoming brittle, and good processing suitability can be easily achieved.Furthermore, the texture of the resulting solid cheese-like food can be prevented from becoming hard, and the texture of the original cheese-like food can be easily achieved.

[0020] The fractionated fats and oils used in the present invention include fractionated soft oils (low melting point portions obtained by removing the high melting point portions by fractionation), fractionated middle oils (mid melting point portions obtained by removing the high melting point portions and low melting point portions by fractionation), and fractionated hard oils (high melting point portions obtained by removing the low melting point portions by fractionation). From the viewpoint of obtaining a solid cheese-like food product having a better texture regardless of whether it is heated or not, it is preferable to use one or more selected from the group consisting of fractionated soft oils and fractionated middle oils as the fat and oil (A).

[0021] The method for fractionating the fats and oils (A) of the present invention can be selected arbitrarily, and may be either dry fractionation or solvent fractionation. One or more types of fats and oils (A) obtained by dry fractionation may be used in combination with one or more types of fats and oils (A) obtained by solvent fractionation.

[0022] When palm oil is selected as the palm-based oil / fat of the present invention, examples of the fractionated soft oil in the fat / oil (A) of the present invention include palm olein, super olein, and top olein, with palm olein being preferred. Examples of the fractionated middle oil include soft palm mid fraction (palm mid fraction) and hard palm mid fraction, with soft palm mid fraction being preferred. Examples of the fractionated hard oil include hard stearin (palm stearin), soft stearin, and super stearin, with hard stearin being preferred. That is, fats and oils that have been subjected to multiple fractionation procedures can also be used as the fats and oils (A) of the present invention.

[0023] The iodine value of the fat (A) is preferably 25 or more, more preferably 28 or more, and even more preferably 30 or more. The upper limit is preferably 65 or less, and more preferably 60 or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the iodine value of the fat (A) is preferably 25 to 65, more preferably 28 to 65, and even more preferably 30 to 60. When the iodine value of the fat (A) satisfies the above numerical range, the effects of the present invention can be more suitably exhibited.

[0024] The iodine value of fats and oils can be measured by a conventionally known method, for example, the method described in "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials, 2.3.4.1 (2013) Established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society." The same applies hereinafter in the present invention.

[0025] The iodine value of one or more oils selected from the group consisting of fractionated soft oils and fractionated middle oils, which are preferably used as the fats and oils (A), is preferably 40 or more, more preferably 42 or more, and even more preferably 44 or more. The upper limit is preferably 65 or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the iodine value of one or more oils selected from the group consisting of fractionated soft oils and fractionated middle oils is preferably 40 to 65, more preferably 42 to 65, and even more preferably 44 to 65.

[0026] Furthermore, when fractionated hard part oil is used as the fat (A), the iodine value thereof is preferably 25 or more, more preferably 28 or more, and even more preferably 30 or more. The upper limit thereof is preferably 50 or less, more preferably 45 or less, and even more preferably 40 or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the iodine value of the fractionated hard part oil is preferably 25 to 50, more preferably 28 to 45, and even more preferably 30 to 40.

[0027] Next, the fats and oils (B) will be described.

[0028] In the present invention, animal fats and oils are a general term for fats and oils obtained from animals. Examples of animal fats and oils include marine animal fats such as fish oil, liver oil, and whale oil, and animal fats such as pupa oil, bone oil, beef tallow, lard, horse fat, chicken oil, egg oil, bone fat, and milk fat. In the present invention, the animal fats and oils can include the above-mentioned various animal fats and oils processed by subjecting these to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification.

[0029] In addition, when selecting fats and oils that have undergone one or more processes selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification, fats and oils containing 70% by mass or more of animal fats and oils before the process are treated as animal fats and oils in the present invention.

[0030] The iodine value of the fat or oil (B) is preferably 35 or more, more preferably 40 or more, and even more preferably 45 or more. The upper limit is preferably 80 or less, more preferably 75 or less, and even more preferably 70 or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the iodine value of the fat or oil (B) is preferably 35 to 80, more preferably 40 to 75, and even more preferably 45 to 70.

[0031] In the present invention, among the above animal fats and oils, it is preferable to use one or more types of fats and oils selected from beef tallow, lard, milk fat, and processed fats obtained by subjecting these to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification, and more preferably beef tallow and / or lard. When beef tallow and lard are used in combination, they are used in a mass ratio of preferably 10:90 to 90:10, more preferably 30:70 to 50:50.

[0032] The reason why beef tallow or lard is preferably used in the present invention is unclear, but natural cheese and processed cheese contain milk fat, and it is thought that by using beef tallow or lard, which have relatively low levels of short-chain fatty acids and medium-chain fatty acids in their fatty acid composition, it is possible to make the processing suitability and texture when heated more suitable.

[0033] Next, fats and oils other than the fats and oils (A) and the fats and oils (B) that can be used in the fat and oil composition of the present invention will be described.

[0034] The other fats and oils used in the oil and fat composition of the present invention are not particularly limited and may be selected from various vegetable fats and oils such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil (including rice germ oil), olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, evening primrose oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, mango kernel oil, sal fat, and illipe fat, various animal fats and oils such as beef tallow, lard, and milk fat, and processed fats obtained by subjecting these fats and oils to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification. Of these, palm-based fats and oils other than fat and oil (A) are preferred, and palm oil is more preferred. Note that fats and oils corresponding to the above-mentioned fats and oils (A) and fats (B) are not considered as other fats and oils.

[0035] The iodine value of the other fats and oils is preferably 25-65, more preferably 28-65, and even more preferably 30-60.

[0036] When an oil or fat other than the oil or fat (A) and the oil or fat (B) is contained in the oil or fat composition of the present invention, any amount of the oil or fat other than the oil or fat (A) and the oil or fat (B) may be contained within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. However, it is preferable that the oil or fat composition of the present invention contain an oil or fat so as to satisfy the conditions for SFC described below.

[0037] Next, the amount of the oil or fat contained in the oil or fat composition of the present invention will be described.

[0038] The amount of oil or fat in the oil or fat composition of the present invention varies depending on the texture and physical properties required for the solid cheese-like food produced using the oil or fat composition of the present invention, but is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 100% by mass. It is preferably 70 to 100% by mass, more preferably 80 to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 90 to 100% by mass. The amount of fats and oils in the fat and oil composition of the present invention includes the amounts of fats and oils in the other components described below, as well as the fats and oils (A), (B), and fats and oils other than the fats and oils (A) and (B).

[0039] The content of the oil (A) in the oil / fat composition of the present invention is preferably 55% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 65% ​​by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 95% by mass or less, and more preferably 85% by mass or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the content of the oil (A) in the oil / fat composition is preferably 55 to 95% by mass, more preferably 60 to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 65 to 85% by mass.

[0040] The content of the fat (B) in the fat composition of the present invention is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 7% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 45% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 35% by mass or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the content of the fat (B) in the fat composition is preferably 3 to 45% by mass, more preferably 5 to 40% by mass, and even more preferably 7 to 35% by mass.

[0041] In the oil-and-fat composition of the present invention, the content of the oil-and-fat (A) relative to 1 part by mass of the contained oil-and-fat (B) is preferably 2 parts by mass or more, or 4 parts by mass or more, more preferably 4.5 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 5 parts by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 19 parts by mass or less, more preferably 15 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 10 parts by mass or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the content of the oil-and-fat (A) relative to 1 part by mass of the contained oil-and-fat (B) is preferably 2 to 19 parts by mass or 4 to 19 parts by mass, more preferably 4.5 to 15 parts by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 10 parts by mass.

[0042] When the oil / fat composition of the present invention contains the oil / fat (A) and the oil / fat (B) in the above-mentioned mass ratio, it becomes easier to obtain a solid cheese-like food that has a good flavor and is suitable for processing, and the texture of the obtained solid cheese-like food also tends to be good.

[0043] Furthermore, the proportion of the oils and fats (A) and (B) in the oils and fats contained in the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. The upper limit is preferably 100% by mass or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the proportion of the oils and fats (A) and (B) in the oils and fats contained in the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 70 to 100% by mass, and even more preferably 90 to 100% by mass.

[0044] When the oil / fat composition of the present invention contains the oil / fat (A) and the oil / fat (B) in amounts that satisfy the above ranges, it becomes easier to obtain a solid cheese-like food that has a good flavor and is easy to process, and the texture of the resulting solid cheese-like food also tends to be good.

[0045] <SFC of oil and fat composition> Next, the SFC (solid fat content) of the oil and fat composition of the present invention will be described.

[0046] In the oil and fat composition of the present invention, the ratio of SFC (SFC-10) at 10°C to SFC (SFC-25) at 25°C (SFC-10 / SFC-25) is preferably 2.8 or more, more preferably 3 or more, and even more preferably 3.5 or more. The upper limit is preferably 7 or less, more preferably 5.5 or less, and even more preferably 4.3 or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, SFC-10 / SFC-25 is preferably 2.8 to 7, more preferably 3 to 5.5, and even more preferably 3.5 to 4.3.

[0047] When the SFC-10 / SFC-25 ratio of the oil / fat composition of the present invention satisfies the above range, the solid cheese-like food obtained using the oil / fat composition of the present invention tends to have a good flavor and good processability, and also tends to have a good texture.

[0048] From the viewpoint of producing a solid cheese-like food product having better flavor, texture, and physical properties, the SFC-10 of the oil or fat composition of the present invention is preferably 25% or more, more preferably 30% or more, and even more preferably 35% or more. The upper limit is preferably 85% or less, more preferably 80% or less, and even more preferably 75% or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the SFC-10 of the oil or fat composition of the present invention is preferably 25 to 85%, more preferably 30 to 80%, and even more preferably 35 to 75%.

[0049] From the viewpoint of producing a solid cheese-like food product having better flavor, texture, and physical properties, the SFC-25 of the oil or fat composition of the present invention is preferably 5% or more, more preferably 10% or more, and even more preferably 15% or more. The upper limit is preferably 35% or less, more preferably 30% or less, and even more preferably 25% or less. Therefore, in one embodiment, the SFC-10 of the oil or fat composition of the present invention is preferably 5 to 35%, more preferably 10 to 30%, and even more preferably 15 to 25%.

[0050] The SFC value indicates the content of solid fat in fats and oils at a given temperature, and can be determined by methods such as utilizing the change in specific volume due to thermal expansion of fats and oils, or by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In the present invention, the SFC of a sample to be measured is measured using pulsed NMR (direct method) described in AOCS official method CD16B-93, and the measured value is then converted into the amount of oil phase. That is, when a sample not containing an aqueous phase (for example, when the fat and oil composition of the present invention is in the form of shortening) is measured, the measured value is the SFC as is, and when a sample containing an aqueous phase (for example, when the fat and oil composition of the present invention is in the form of margarine) is measured, the measured value converted into the amount of oil phase is the SFC (the same applies hereinafter to the measurement of SFC).

[0051] <Continuous phase and morphology> Next, the continuous phase and form of the oil or fat composition of the present invention will be described.

[0052] The oil or fat contained in the oil or fat composition of the present invention may be contained as a continuous phase or as a dispersed phase, but is preferably contained as a continuous phase. That is, in the oil or fat composition of the present invention, the continuous phase is preferably an oil phase. When the oil and fat composition of the present invention has an oil phase as the continuous phase, it may be an emulsion having an oil phase as the continuous phase, such as margarine or fat spread, which contains an aqueous phase as the dispersed phase, or it may be a composition consisting of only an oil phase, such as shortening, which contains substantially no water. Of these, a composition consisting of only an oil phase is preferred.

[0053] When the oil and fat composition of the present invention contains water, the emulsion type is not limited as long as the oil phase is the continuous phase, and may be a water-in-oil emulsion or a multiple emulsion such as a double emulsion or an oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion. Furthermore, the oil and fat composition of the present invention may have plasticity from the viewpoint of facilitating the production of a solid cheese-like food.

[0054] In order to ensure that the resulting solid cheese-like food has good flavor, texture, and physical properties, the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably a composition consisting only of an oil phase such as shortening that is substantially free of water, and more preferably has plasticity.

[0055] <Other ingredients> Next, other components that may be contained in the oil or fat composition of the present invention will be described.

[0056] The oil and fat composition of the present invention may consist solely of the above-mentioned oil and fat, but may contain other components in addition to the above-mentioned oil and fat (A) and oil and fat (B) depending on the flavor, texture, and physical properties required for the solid cheese-like food.

[0057] Examples of such other ingredients include water, starches, acidulants such as acetic acid, lactic acid, and gluconic acid, sweeteners such as sodium salts and potassium salts, sugars, stevia, and aspartame, thickening agents, emulsifiers, coloring agents 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 fruits, fruit juice, coffee, spices, cocoa mass, and cocoa powder.

[0058] Other components can be used as desired as long as they do not impair the object of the present invention. Preferably, the total amount of other components other than water in the oil or fat composition of the present invention is used in a range of 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less.

[0059] Examples of sodium salts that can be contained in the oil and fat composition 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 large amount of sodium salts.

[0060] Examples of potassium salts that can be contained in the oil and fat composition of the present invention include potassium salts of organic acids 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.

[0061] The origin of the sodium salt is not particularly limited, but includes mineral origin, chemical product, and marine origin.

[0062] The origin of the potassium salt may be mineral, chemical, or marine. In the present invention, however, marine-derived potassium salts are preferred from the viewpoint of obtaining a solid cheese-like food product with a good flavor.

[0063] Examples of sugars that can be contained in the oil and fat composition of the present invention 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.

[0064] Examples of thickening stabilizers that can be contained in the oil or fat composition of the present invention 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.

[0065] When a thickening stabilizer is contained, the content of the thickening stabilizer in the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 2% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 1% by mass, from the viewpoints of stability and flavor.

[0066] Examples of emulsifiers that can be contained in the oil and fat composition of the present invention include 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, and these can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0067] When these emulsifiers are contained, the content in the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 2 mass % from the viewpoints of stability and flavor, and more preferably 0.1 to 1 mass %.

[0068] [Method of producing an oil and fat composition for solid cheese-like foods] Next, a method for producing the oil and fat composition of the present invention will be described.

[0069] The method for producing the oil and fat composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and any known method can be used as long as it contains the above-mentioned oil and fat (A) and oil and fat (B).

[0070] For example, when producing the oil and fat composition of the present invention having plasticity, it can be produced by incorporating at least the oil and fat (A) and the oil and fat (B) and plasticizing the resulting mixture by rapid cooling. In producing the plastic oil-and-fat composition of the present invention, when the oil-and-fat composition contains an aqueous phase, the oil-and-fat composition can be produced by rapidly plasticizing an oil phase containing at least the oil-and-fat (A) and the oil-and-fat (B) together with an aqueous phase.

[0071] Hereinafter, a method for producing the oil and fat composition of the present invention, in which the continuous phase is an oil phase, will be described based on a preferred embodiment.

[0072] To produce an oil / fat composition in which the continuous phase is an oil phase, the above-mentioned oils (A) and oils (B) are mixed, preferably in amounts within the above ranges, with other edible oils and fats as needed, to prepare an oil phase that will become the continuous phase. If necessary, other oil-soluble components or other components dispersible in the oil phase may be mixed with the oil phase. Mixing is preferably carried out by heating the oil / fat in a melted state. The temperature for heating and melting the oil / fat may be any temperature at which the oil / fat dissolves, but is preferably 50 to 90°C, more preferably 55 to 70°C.

[0073] The oil phase obtained as described above is desirably sterilized. The sterilization method may be a batch method in a tank, or a continuous method using a plate heat exchanger or a scraped-surface heat exchanger. The sterilization temperature is preferably 80 to 100°C, more preferably 80 to 95°C, and even more preferably 80 to 90°C. For example, when continuous sterilization is performed at 85°C using a scraped-surface heat exchanger, the sterilization time is preferably 30 to 300 seconds, more preferably 40 to 285 seconds, and even more preferably 50 to 260 seconds. Thereafter, if necessary, precooling is performed to a degree that does not cause precipitation of fat crystals. The precooling temperature is preferably 40 to 60°C, more preferably 40 to 55°C, and even more preferably 40 to 50°C.

[0074] The oil and fat composition of the present invention may be a plastic shortening. In this case, the pre-cooled oil phase is further cooled, preferably by rapid plasticization. This rapid plasticization can be carried out using, for example, a closed-type continuous scraped tube chiller cooler (A unit) such as a Combinator, Votator, Perfector, or Chemtator, a plate-type heat exchanger, or a combination of a diacooler and a complexator, which are open-type coolers. Rapid cooling converts the oil phase into a plastic oil and fat composition. A kneading device (B unit) such as a pin machine, a resting tube, or a holding tube may be used during rapid plasticization.

[0075] In the production process of the oil or fat composition of the present invention, nitrogen, air, etc. may or may not be incorporated into the oil or fat composition.

[0076] The oil and fat composition of the present invention, when obtained as described above and having plasticity, can be used even when dissolved, but even if it is not completely dissolved, it has the characteristic of being easily kneaded when producing a solid cheese-like food, which is advantageous from the viewpoints of economy and environmental friendliness, since it can reduce the cost of dissolving and the carbon dioxide generated by heating in the processing of the oil and fat composition for a solid cheese-like food.

[0077] The oil and fat composition of the present invention easily melts and spreads when heated, and therefore can be suitably used as an oil and fat composition for producing a solid cheese-like food for heating (or heat melting) (e.g., for heating in a microwave oven, oven range, or toaster oven) (e.g., a solid cheese-like food to be heated to 70°C or higher).

[0078] The oil and fat composition of the present invention can also be suitably used as an oil and fat composition for producing a solid cheese-like food to be used without heating, and can produce a solid cheese-like food that has excellent texture and melt-in-the-mouth feel when eaten as is after refrigerated storage.

[0079] [Solid cheese-like food] Next, the solid cheese-like food of the present invention will be described.

[0080] The solid cheese-like food of the present invention comprises a raw material cheese and the oil and fat composition of the present invention.

[0081] The raw material cheese may be either natural cheese or processed cheese. Examples of natural cheese include soft cheese (e.g., unripened types such as mozzarella and mascarpone, and ripened types such as camembert), semi-hard cheese (e.g., ripened types such as gorgonzola and gouda), hard cheese (e.g., ripened types such as emmental and cheddar), and extra-hard cheese (e.g., ripened types such as parmigiano-reggiano). Examples of processed cheese include one or more of the natural cheeses listed above that are emulsified by heating and melting. These raw material cheeses can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0082] The content of raw material cheese is not particularly limited and can be selected arbitrarily, for example, within the range of 5 to 90% by mass relative to the total mass of the solid cheese-like food, and is preferably 10 to 85% by mass, more preferably 20 to 80% by mass, and even more preferably 30 to 75% by mass.

[0083] The content of the oil and fat composition of the present invention in the solid cheese-like food of the present invention can be set arbitrarily depending on the flavor, texture, and physical properties desired for the solid cheese-like food, but is, for example, 10 to 60% by mass, preferably 10 to 50% by mass, more preferably 10 to 40% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 30% by mass, based on the total amount of the solid cheese-like food. By adding the oil and fat composition of the present invention so as to satisfy the above range, a solid cheese-like food having a good cheese flavor is easily obtained.

[0084] The solid cheese-like food of the present invention may contain other ingredients in addition to the raw material cheese and the oil / fat composition of the present invention, such as water, molten salt, proteins, starches, and thickening polysaccharides.

[0085] The water content can be set arbitrarily depending on the desired texture or physical properties of the solid cheese-like food, but is preferably 0.1 to 50% by mass, more preferably 1 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 2 to 10% by mass, based on the total mass.

[0086] Examples of molten salts include phosphates (e.g., sodium polyphosphate) and citrates (e.g., trisodium citrate). The content of the molten salt is not particularly limited and is, for example, 0.1 to 5% by mass relative to the total mass of the solid cheese-like food.

[0087] Examples of the above proteins include animal proteins such as whey protein, casein protein, and milk proteins such as skim milk powder; egg proteins such as low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, phosvitin, livetin, phosphoglycoprotein, ovalbumin, conalbumin, and ovomucoid; and plant proteins such as wheat proteins such as gliadin, glutenin, prolamin, and glutelin; soy protein, pea protein, fava bean protein, mung bean protein, chickpea protein, lentil protein, rice protein, and almond protein. The protein content in the solid cheese-like food of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 1 to 15% by mass relative to the total mass of the solid cheese-like food.

[0088] Examples of the starches include wheat flour such as strong flour, semi-strong flour, medium-strength flour, weak flour, durum flour, and whole wheat flour; other grain flours such as rye flour, barley flour, and rice flour; nut flours such as almond flour, hazelnut flour, cashew nut flour, oat flour, and pine nut flour; starches such as corn starch, tapioca starch, wheat starch, sweet potato starch, sago starch, and rice starch; and starches obtained by treating these starches with enzymes such as amylase, or modified starches obtained by subjecting the starches to one or more treatments selected from gelatinization treatment, degradation treatment, etherification treatment, esterification treatment, crosslinking treatment, and grafting treatment, and the like, and the starch composition may contain one or more of these.

[0089] The content of starches in the solid cheese-like food of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is, for example, 0.1 to 10% by mass relative to the total mass of the solid cheese-like food.

[0090] Examples of the thickening polysaccharides include xanthan gum, galactomannan, tamarind seed gum, carrageenan, agar, pectin, gum arabic, pullulan, and soybean polysaccharides, and one or more of these thickening polysaccharides can be used.

[0091] [Method of manufacturing a solid cheese-like food] The solid cheese-like food of the present invention can be produced by a conventional method, for example, a method comprising the steps of heating a raw material cheese, the oil and fat composition of the present invention, and, if necessary, the other ingredients described above, to about 40 to 100°C, followed by mixing, and cooling the mixture to about 1 to 10°C.

[0092] The heating temperature in the step of mixing the raw material cheese and the oil and fat composition of the present invention can be adjusted appropriately depending on the type of raw material cheese used, but is preferably 40 to 100°C, more preferably 50 to 80°C, and even more preferably 55 to 75°C.

[0093] Alternatively, for example, it can be produced by a method including a step of mixing a raw material cheese whose temperature has been appropriately adjusted, the oil and fat composition of the present invention, and, if necessary, the other ingredients described above.

[0094] The solid cheese-like food of the present invention obtained as described above can be formed into any shape, such as a block, rod, cylinder, dice, shreds, sheet, sphere, etc. Preferred sizes for each shape are: block: length 50 to 1000 mm, width 50 to 1000 mm, thickness 50 to 500 mm; rod: length 1 to 25 mm, width 1 to 25 mm, length 5 to 100 mm; cylinder: diameter 1 to 25 mm, length 5 to 100 mm; dice: length 5 to 50 mm, width 5 to 50 mm, thickness 5 to 50 mm; shred: diameter 1 to 25 mm, length 5 to 100 mm; sheet: length 50 to 1000 mm, width 50 to 1000 mm, thickness 1 to 50 mm; sphere: diameter 10 to 500 mm.

[0095] It may also be packed or packaged in a container, bag, or the like of any shape.

[0096] Next, the characteristics and applications of the solid cheese-like food of the present invention will be described.

[0097] The solid cheese-like food of the present invention is characterized by its excellent flavor regardless of the form of consumption, whether it is eaten unheated or heated. Furthermore, as described above, it is characterized by its physical properties that allow it to be processed into any shape. Specifically, when the obtained solid cheese-like food is subjected to processing such as dicing or shredding, the generation of chips and disintegration during processing are suppressed, and adhesion of the diced or shredded solid cheese-like food to each other is suppressed.

[0098] Therefore, the solid cheese-like food of the present invention can be used as a substitute for natural cheese or processed cheese.

[0099] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the solid cheese-like food product of the present invention can be eaten as is, or can be eaten as a food or composite food in combination with other ingredients.

[0100] Examples of foods or composite foods that are combined with other ingredients include foods that use shredded cheese, block cheese, cheese sauce, and powdered cheese, and solid cheese-like foods that are used as toppings or fillings for cooked foods are preferred.

[0101] Specific examples of such foods include toast, pizza, gratin, doria, lasagna, hamburger steak, risotto, etc. [Example]

[0102] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0103] <Oils and fats used> Palm oil Palm olein (palm fractionated soft oil, dry fractionated product) Palm stearin (fractionated palm oil, dry fractionated palm oil) Palm mid fraction (palm fractionated mid oil, solvent fractionated product) ·beef tallow Pork fat ·Soybean oil

[0104] <Raw materials used> Natural cheese (Meiji Hokkaido Gouda, manufactured by Meiji Co., Ltd.)

[0105] The above-mentioned oils and fats to be used were heated to 60° C. and mixed in a melted state according to Table 1 to prepare oil and fat compositions Ex-1 to Ex-7 and oil and fat compositions Cex-1 to Cex-5.

[0106] In Table 1, oil and fat compositions Ex-1 to Ex-7 are examples, and oil and fat compositions Cex-1 to Cex-5 are comparative examples.

[0107] The prepared mixed oils and fats Ex-1 to Ex-7 are examples, and Cex-1 to Cex-5 are comparative examples. Solid cheese-like foods Ex-1 to Ex-7 and Cex-1 to Cex-5 were produced using the oil and fat compositions Ex-1 to Ex-7 and Cex-1 to Cex-5, respectively, as described below.

[0108] [Method of manufacturing a solid cheese-like food] 70 parts by mass of natural cheese, 25 parts by mass of various oil and fat compositions, and 5 parts by mass of water were weighed into a stainless steel beaker and mixed in a mixer while heating to maintain the temperature at 60 to 70° C. After mixing, the mixture was poured into a metal pad to a depth of 1 cm and cooled in a refrigerator at 5° C. for 24 hours or more to produce solid cheese-like foods Ex-1 to Ex-7 and solid cheese-like foods Cex-1 to Cex-5.

[0109] [Evaluation method for solid cheese-like foods] The processability of the produced solid cheese-like foods Ex-1 to Ex-7 and solid cheese-like foods Cex-1 to Cex-5 was evaluated by visual observation according to the following criteria.

[0110] In addition, for the sensory evaluation (flavor evaluation, texture evaluation, and texture evaluation after heating), sensory evaluation was conducted by 10 expert panelists using the following evaluation criteria, and the scores (1 to 5 points) given by each expert panelist were totaled to form a score.

[0111] Table 2 shows the evaluation results in the following format: ++:43~50 points +:37~42 points ±:31~36 points -:24~30 points --:23 points or less Prior to the evaluation, the panelists agreed on the sensory level corresponding to each score. Products that received a rating of ± or higher for all items were considered to have passed the evaluation.

[0112] [Evaluation of processing suitability] The produced solid cheese-like food was processed into 1 cm cubes using a cheese dicer ("cheesixx" manufactured by Holac), and the processing suitability was evaluated based on the following evaluation criteria.

[0113] ++: Processable, and no stickiness on the cutting teeth or adhesion of solid cheese-like foods to each other after cutting was observed. +: Processable, but slightly sticky on the cutting teeth, and some pieces of the solid cheese-like food stuck together after cutting. ±: Machinable, but slight stickiness on the cutting teeth was observed and some collapse of the die shape was observed. -: Machinable, but significant stickiness on the cutting teeth and widespread collapse of the die shape were observed. --: The hardness was insufficient, and processing itself could not be carried out.

[0114] [Flavor evaluation] Of the produced solid cheese-like foods, those that could be formed into 1 cm cubes were eaten as they were and evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0115] 5 points: No strange taste was detected, and the flavor was very good, with a moderate acidity and a rich taste. 4 points: No strange taste was detected, and the flavor was good with a moderate acidity and a slightly rich taste. 3 points: A slight strange taste was detected, but it was within the acceptable range, and a moderate acidity was detected. 2 points: There was a strange taste and the flavor was bad. 1 point: There was a strong strange taste and the flavor was very bad.

[0116] [Evaluation criteria for texture] Of the produced solid cheese-like foods, those that could be formed into 1 cm cubes were eaten as they were and evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0117] 5 points: Not sticky or powdery, had a moderate cheese-like hardness and viscosity, and had a very good texture. 4 points: Although it felt slightly sticky or powdery, it had a firm and sticky texture like cheese and had a good texture. 3 points: Although sticky or powdery, it had a cheese-like texture and was within the acceptable range. 2 points: The case fell into one of the following categories (A) to (C). (A) Hard, brittle, and lacking in cheese-like texture. (B) Powdery and with little cheese-like consistency. Sticky and lacking the firmness of cheese. (C) It is very sticky and does not have the hardness of cheese. 1 point: Two or more of the following (A) to (C) were true. (A) Hard, brittle, and lacking in cheese-like texture. (B) Powdery and with little cheese-like consistency. Sticky and lacking the firmness of cheese. (C) It is very sticky and does not have the hardness of cheese.

[0118] [Evaluation criteria for texture after heating] Of the solid cheese-like foods produced, those that could be formed into 1 cm cubes were placed on crackers ("Levain Classic" manufactured by Yamazaki Biscuits Co., Ltd.) and heated for 2 minutes in an oven toaster (manufactured by Kozumi, heaters: quartz tube heaters on both the upper and lower tiers, power consumption 1000W). The food was then eaten and evaluated according to the following criteria.

[0119] 5 points: Not sticky, had a moderate cheese-like viscosity, and had a very good texture. 4 points: Although it felt slightly sticky, it had a cheese-like consistency and a good texture. 3 points: Although it felt sticky, it had a cheese-like texture and was within the acceptable range. 2 points: The case fell into one of the following categories (A) and (B). (A) It is hard and lacks a cheese-like texture. (B) It is very sticky and does not have a cheese-like consistency. 1 point: The item fell under (A) or (B) below. (A) It is hard and lacks a cheese-like texture. (B) It is very sticky and does not have a cheese-like consistency.

[0120] [Table 1]

[0121] [Table 2]

Claims

1. An oil and fat composition for solid cheese-like foods, comprising the following oil and fat (A) and oil and fat (B): Oils and fats (A): Fractionated palm oils and fats Fats and oils (B): Animal fats and oils

2. The oil-and-fat composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of the oil-and-fat (A) relative to 1 part by mass of the oil-and-fat (B) is 2 to 19 parts by mass.

3. The oil and fat composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the proportion of the oil and fat (A) and the oil and fat (B) in the contained oil and fat is 50 to 100 mass%.

4. 3. The oil or fat composition according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of SFC (SFC-10) at 10°C to SFC (SFC-25) at 25°C (SFC-10 / SFC-25) is 2.8 to 7.

5. A solid cheese-like food product comprising raw material cheese and the oil and fat composition according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A method for producing a solid cheese-like food, which comprises mixing the oil or fat composition according to claim 1 or 2 with a raw material cheese.

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