Oil oxidation inhibitor, oil-water separation inhibitor, and emulsion particle stability improver for emulsified food

Abstract

To provide a technique for suppressing quality deterioration such as oil-water separation and oil oxidation of emulsified food with the lapse of time.SOLUTION: (a) a reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50 mass% of monosaccharides, 20 to 50 mass% of disaccharides, and 25 mass% or less of tri - or higher saccharides, (b) a reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing less than 30 mass% of monosaccharides and less than 50 mass% of penta - or higher saccharides, and (c) a reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing a starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 37 or more and 70 or less. According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the oxidation of oil that occurs with time in an emulsified food.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an oil oxidation inhibitor, an oil-water separation inhibitor, and an emulsion particle stability improver for emulsified foods, each of which contains a specified reduced starch syrup as an active ingredient, and a method for producing emulsified foods using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Emulsified foods are foods in which oil and water are mixed (emulsified) almost uniformly, and there are many types, such as milk, fresh cream, mayonnaise, ice cream, emulsified liquid dressing (O / W type), and butter (W / O type). Emulsified foods are generally in a uniformly emulsified state immediately after production, but problems arise over time during transportation and storage, such as separation of the oil and water, or oxidation of the oil, resulting in loss of flavor. Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can prevent the quality of emulsified foods from deteriorating over time. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that uses a proteinaceous fermented seasoning and sorbitol to prevent browning of emulsified dressings. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-222756 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, although the technology described in Patent Document 1 is shown to prevent browning, it is unclear whether it can suppress separation of oil and water or oxidation of oil. In other words, even in light of the prior art, it cannot be said that there is a sufficient supply of technology that suppresses deterioration in the quality of emulsified foods over time.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a technology that suppresses quality deterioration of emulsified foods, such as oil-water separation and oil oxidation, that occurs over time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of intensive research, the present inventors have found that the specific reduced starch syrups shown in (a) to (d) below can suppress oil-water separation and oxidation of oil that occur over time in emulsified foods, and also improve the stability of emulsified particles over time. Based on these findings, the present inventors have completed the following inventions.

[0007] (1) The oil oxidation inhibitor for emulsified foods according to the present invention contains, as an active ingredient, a reduced starch syrup selected from the following (a) to (c): (a) reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20 to 50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or higher; (b) reduced starch syrup, which has a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more; (c) Reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 37 or more and 70 or less.

[0008] (2) The oil-water separation inhibitor for emulsified foods according to the present invention contains, as an active ingredient, a reduced starch syrup selected from the following (a) to (c): (a) reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20 to 50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or higher; (b) reduced starch syrup, which has a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more; (c) Reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 37 or more and 70 or less.

[0009] (3) The emulsion particle stability improver for emulsified foods according to the present invention contains, as an active ingredient, a reduced starch syrup selected from the following (a) to (c): (a) reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20 to 50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or higher; (b) reduced starch syrup, which has a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more; (c) Reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 37 or more and 70 or less.

[0010] (4) In the present invention, the reduced starch syrup may be the following (d): (d) Reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 2 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 30 to 55% by mass of disaccharides, 1 to 35% by mass of trisaccharides, 1 to 10% by mass of tetrasaccharides, and 1 to 15% by mass of pentasaccharides or more.

[0011] (5) In the present invention, the emulsified food may be an emulsified seasoning.

[0012] (6) The method for producing an emulsified food according to the present invention comprises a step of mixing the agent according to the present invention with ingredients for the emulsified food. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the oxidation of oil that occurs over time in emulsified foods. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the oil-water separation that occurs over time in emulsified foods. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the stability of emulsified particles over time in emulsified foods. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the quality of emulsified foods over time, extend their expiration dates, and contribute to reducing food waste. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a photographic image showing the appearance of a dressing without reduced starch syrup (Sample 1) and dressings with various reduced starch syrups (Samples 2 to 5) after long-term storage. [Figure 2] 1 is a bar graph showing the rate of change in carbonyl compounds when a dressing without reduced starch syrup (sample 1) and dressings containing various reduced starch syrups (samples 2 to 5) are stored for a long period of time. [Figure 3]These are scanning microscope images showing emulsified particles after long-term storage of a dressing without reduced starch syrup (sample 1) and dressings containing various reduced starch syrups (samples 2 to 5). [Figure 4] This is a bar graph showing the rate of change in carbonyl compounds when the raw salad oil, dressing without reduced starch syrup (sample 1), and dressing with high-saccharification reduced starch syrup (sample 2) are stored for a long period of time. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention provides an "agent for inhibiting oil oxidation in emulsified foods," an "agent for inhibiting oil-water separation in emulsified foods," and an "agent for improving emulsion particle stability in emulsified foods." In the present invention, these may be collectively referred to as "the agent," or any one of them may be referred to as "the agent."

[0016] The term "emulsified food" refers to a food in which oil and water are mixed (emulsified) almost uniformly. Emulsified foods include oil-in-water (O / W) types, in which oils and fats are dispersed as oil droplets in an aqueous phase, and water-in-oil (W / O) types, in which water is dispersed as water droplets in an oil phase. Specific examples of oil-in-water emulsified foods include milk, fresh cream, ice cream, emulsified seasonings, confectionery creams such as ganache cream and custard cream, stew, and curry, while examples of water-in-oil emulsified foods include butter and margarine.

[0017] "Emulsified seasoning" refers to a liquid or semi-solid seasoning in an emulsified form. Specific examples include dressings such as mayonnaise, creamy salad dressing, semi-solid dressing, and emulsified liquid dressing, as well as fat-containing sauces such as hollandaise sauce and beurre blanc.

[0018] In the present invention, the terms "oil," "oils and fats," and "oil content" all refer to edible oils and fats. Edible oils and fats include those that are liquid at room temperature, those that are solid at room temperature, vegetable oils and fats, and animal oils and fats, and any of these may be used.

[0019] Oils contained in emulsified foods usually oxidize over time. In the present invention, inhibiting oil oxidation means preventing oxidation of the oil or reducing the degree of oxidation, even if oxidation does occur.

[0020] Whether or not oil oxidation has been inhibited can be confirmed, for example, by comparing the degree of oxidation of the oil contained in emulsified food A containing the agent and emulsified food B not containing the agent after storing them under the same conditions for a certain period of time. The degree of oil oxidation can be evaluated, for example, by measuring the amount of carbonyl compounds produced by decomposition of fats and oils after oxidation according to a standard method. If the comparison results show that food A has a lower amount of carbonyl compounds than food B, or that food A has a lower rate of increase in carbonyl compounds before and after storage than food B, it can be determined that the agent has inhibited oil oxidation.

[0021] The oil and water contained in emulsified foods may come out of their emulsified state over time and separate into two phases (oil and water phases, oil and emulsion phases, or water and emulsion phases) or three phases (oil, water, and emulsion phases). In the present invention, inhibiting oil-water separation means preventing separation into the two or three phases, or reducing the extent of separation if it does occur.

[0022] Whether oil-water separation has been suppressed or not can be confirmed, for example, by placing emulsified food A using this agent and emulsified food B not using this agent in a transparent container and storing them under the same conditions for a certain period of time, and then visually observing and comparing the degree of oil-water separation (presence or volume of the phase newly formed by separation).If the comparison results in a smaller volume of the phase formed by separation in food A than in food B, it can be determined that oil-water separation has been suppressed by this agent.

[0023] Emulsified particles (oil droplets or water droplets) contained in emulsified foods may aggregate or coalesce with other emulsified particles over time, increasing their particle size. This can change the mouthfeel, texture, and flavor of the food, and if this phenomenon progresses, oil-water separation can occur, so size changes in emulsified particles can cause a decrease in quality. Therefore, it is preferable to maintain the size of emulsified particles stably. In the present invention, improving the stability of emulsified particles means preventing size changes in emulsified particles, or, if size changes occur, minimizing the extent of such changes.

[0024] Whether or not the stability of emulsion particles has been improved can be confirmed, for example, by storing emulsified food A using this agent and emulsified food B not using this agent under the same conditions for a certain period of time, and then observing and comparing the particle sizes of the emulsion particles under a microscope. If the comparison shows that food A has a smaller change in particle size before and after storage than food B, it can be determined that the stability of emulsion particles has been improved by this agent.

[0025] Reduced starch syrup is a type of sugar alcohol obtained by reducing starch syrup. Here, starch syrup is a substance obtained by saccharifying starch with acids or enzymes, and is a mixture of monosaccharides (glucose) and polysaccharides (oligosaccharides, dextrin, etc.). Therefore, reduced starch syrup is also a mixture containing two or more sugar alcohols, including monosaccharide sugar alcohols and polysaccharide sugar alcohols (disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, or more than pentasaccharides).

[0026] Reduced starch syrup can be divided into high saccharification reduced starch syrup, medium saccharification reduced starch syrup, and low saccharification reduced starch syrup depending on the degree of saccharification. In the present invention, it is preferable to use high saccharification reduced starch syrup or medium saccharification reduced starch syrup.

[0027] An example of the sugar composition of highly saccharified reduced starch syrup is (a) a sugar composition containing 30-50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20-50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or more, and an example of the sugar composition of medium saccharified reduced starch syrup is (b) a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more.Furthermore, an example of the sugar composition of high to medium saccharified reduced starch syrup is (d) a sugar composition containing 2-50% by mass of monosaccharides, 30-55% by mass of disaccharides, 1-35% by mass of trisaccharides, 1-10% by mass of tetrasaccharides, and 1-15% by mass of pentasaccharides or more.

[0028] In the present invention, the sugar composition refers to the mass percentage of each sugar relative to the total mass of sugars, i.e., the mass percentage of each sugar when the total mass of sugars is taken as 100.

[0029] The sugar composition can be confirmed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). That is, reduced starch syrup is subjected to HPLC as a sample to obtain a chromatogram. In the chromatogram, the sum of the areas of all peaks corresponds to the "total mass of sugars," and the area of ​​each peak corresponds to the "mass of each sugar." Therefore, the mass percentage of each sugar in the sample can be calculated as the ratio of the area of ​​each peak to the sum of the areas of all detected peaks. HPLC conditions can be set appropriately according to standard methods, but the following conditions can be exemplified. HPLC conditions Column: MCI GEL CK04S (10mm ID x 200mm) Eluent; high purity water Flow rate; 0.4mL / min Injection volume; 20μL Column temperature: 65°C Detection: Differential refractive index detector RI-10A (Shimadzu Corporation)

[0030] Since reduced starch syrup is produced by reducing starch syrup, the degree of saccharification of reduced starch syrup corresponds to the degree of saccharification of the starch syrup. In other words, the higher the degree of saccharification of the raw starch syrup, the higher the degree of saccharification of the reduced starch syrup, and the lower the degree of saccharification of the raw starch syrup, the lower the degree of saccharification of the reduced starch syrup. The dextrose equivalent (DE) is generally used as an indicator of the degree of saccharification of starch syrup. DE is the ratio (percentage) of reducing sugars in a sample to the total solids when the reducing sugars in the sample are measured as glucose. The maximum DE value is 100, which means that all of the solids are glucose, and the lower the DE, the more oligosaccharides and polysaccharides there are.

[0031] The reduced starch syrup according to the present invention is preferably high to medium sugar content. Therefore, the DE of the raw material starch syrup can be, for example, 37 to 70, 40 to 70, or 45 to 70.

[0032] The DE of starch syrup can be measured by the following method. <<DE measurement method>> Accurately weigh 2.5 g of sample and dissolve in water to make 200 mL. Measure 10 mL of this solution, add 10 mL of 1 / 25 mol / L iodine solution (Note 1) and 15 mL of 1 / 25 mol / L sodium hydroxide solution (Note 2), and leave in the dark for 20 minutes. Next, add 5 mL of 2 mol / L hydrochloric acid (Note 3), mix, and then titrate with 1 / 25 mol / L sodium thiosulfate solution (Note 4). When the solution turns slightly yellow near the end of the titration, add 2 drops of starch indicator (Note 5) and continue titrating. The end point is when the solution's color disappears. Determine the blank value using water, and calculate DE using the following equation 1. (Note 1) 1 / 25 mol / L iodine solution: Place 20.4 g of potassium iodide and 10.2 g of iodine in a 2 L measuring flask, dissolve in a small amount of water, and then add water up to the marked line. (Note 2) 1 / 25 mol / L sodium hydroxide solution: Place 3.2 g of sodium hydroxide in a 2 L measuring flask, dissolve it in a small amount of water, and then add water up to the marked line. (Note 3) 2 mol / L hydrochloric acid: Gradually add 150 mL of hydrochloric acid to 750 mL of water while stirring. (Note 4) 1 / 25 mol / L sodium thiosulfate solution: Place 20 g of sodium thiosulfate in a 2 L measuring flask, dissolve it in a small amount of water, and then add water up to the marked line. (Note 5) Starch indicator: Dissolve 5 g of soluble starch in 500 mL of water, and dissolve 100 g of sodium chloride in this. TIFF2026003093000002.tif49165

[0033] In the present invention, commercially available reduced starch syrup may be used as is, or may be produced according to a method known to those skilled in the art. Known methods for producing reduced starch syrup include a reduction reaction in which hydrogen is added to starch syrup (raw material sugar) as a raw material.

[0034] The reduction reaction by hydrogenation can be carried out, for example, by charging a 40 to 75% by mass aqueous solution of raw sugar together with a reduction catalyst into a high-pressure reactor, adjusting the hydrogen pressure in the reactor to 4.9 to 19.6 MPa, the reaction solution temperature to 70 to 180°C, and mixing and stirring until hydrogen absorption is no longer observed.The reduction catalyst is then separated, and the solution is decolorized and desalted by ion exchange resin treatment, and if necessary, activated carbon treatment, etc., and then concentrated to a predetermined concentration to produce a highly concentrated reduced starch syrup.

[0035] The reduced starch syrup can be added to ingredients in the normal manufacturing process of emulsified foods. That is, the present invention also provides a method for manufacturing emulsified foods. This method includes a step of mixing the agent with ingredients for the emulsified food. This method makes it possible to produce emulsified foods in which oil oxidation is suppressed, emulsified foods in which oil-water separation is suppressed, or emulsified foods in which the stability of emulsified particles is improved.

[0036] In this method, the term "ingredients" refers to the food ingredients that make up the emulsified food. Emulsified foods are usually composed of oil, water, emulsifier components, and other components. Therefore, in producing emulsified foods, ingredients containing all of these components are used in combination with ingredients containing one or more of these components. The ingredients may also include additives (e.g., thickeners) used in producing emulsified foods.

[0037] In this method, the timing and method of mixing the reduced starch syrup with the ingredients are not particularly limited and can be set as desired, but since the reduced starch syrup is hydrophilic, it is preferable to first add it to a food material that contains water or a lot of water and mix it in. Furthermore, emulsified foods are usually produced through an emulsification process such as stirring, but in order to disperse the reduced starch syrup uniformly in the food, it is preferable to add the reduced starch syrup before or during the emulsification process.

[0038] The method may include other steps as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of such steps include an emulsifying step, a seasoning step, a heating step, a cooling step, a packaging step, and a sterilizing step.

[0039] The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the features shown in these examples. [Example]

[0040] <Reduced Starch Syrup> The commercially available reduced starch syrup shown in Table 1 was used. [Table 1]

[0041] Example 1: Emulsified liquid dressing (1) Manufacturing of emulsified liquid dressing Emulsified liquid dressings, Samples 1 to 5, were produced according to the following procedures A) to C). The formulations were as shown in Table 2 (unit: g). In Table 2, the type of reduced starch syrup used is shown in parentheses next to the sample name. The produced dressings were stored at 40°C for 50 days and then subjected to the evaluations (2) to (5) below. a) All ingredients except for the thickener (thickening polysaccharide; San-Ei Gen FFI) were placed in a mixer and mixed for 30 seconds. B) A thickener was added to A) and stirred for 5 minutes. C) and B) were filled into 200g PET bottles. [Table 2]

[0042] (2) Verification of separation stability The appearance of the samples was visually observed on the 3rd, 11th, 30th, and 50th days after the start of storage to confirm the presence or absence, and the degree of separation, of the water and oil. Photographs of the sample appearance are shown in Figure 1.

[0043] As shown in Figure 1, there was no noticeable difference in the appearance of the dressings among the samples on the third day. On the other hand, on the 11th day, a lower layer (a separated water layer) was observed in Sample 1 (no reduced starch syrup), whereas no lower layer was observed in Sample 2 (highly saccharified reduced starch syrup: SE 600), Sample 3 (highly saccharified reduced starch syrup: SE 600P), Sample 4 (medium-saccharified reduced starch syrup), or Sample 5 (low-saccharified reduced starch syrup). On the 30th and 50th days, a lower layer was observed in all samples, but the height of the lower layer was significantly lower in Samples 2, 3, 4, and 5 compared to Sample 1.

[0044] In other words, from 11 to 50 days after the start of storage, the amount of separated water in the dressing was significantly less in the sample containing reduced starch syrup compared to the sample without it. These results demonstrate that adding reduced starch syrup can prevent the separation of water and oil in emulsified foods.

[0045] (3) Verification of oil oxidation Aliquots were taken from each sample at the start of storage (day 0) and on days 3, 7, and 21 after storage, and the amount of carbonyl compounds was measured using the method described below. Specifically, a 5-fold volume of butanol was added to the sample, mixed thoroughly, and the supernatant was recovered. The mixture was then mixed thoroughly with an equal volume of 0.05% 2,4-dihydrophenylhydrazine solution and allowed to react at 40°C for 20 minutes. After the reaction was complete, an aliquot was taken, mixed thoroughly with a 4-fold volume of 1-butanol solution containing 8% potassium hydroxide, and centrifuged at 25°C, 8,500 × g, and 5 minutes. The absorbance of the resulting supernatant was measured at 420 nm. The amount of carbonyl compounds was calculated from a calibration curve prepared using trans-2-decenal as a standard.

[0046] Next, the amount of carbonyl compounds at the start of storage was defined as 100%, and the amount of carbonyl compounds on days 3, 7, and 21 was converted into a percentage, which was used as the rate of change. In other words, the rate of change represents the increase or decrease in the amount of carbonyl compounds relative to the start of storage, and therefore a larger rate of change indicates a greater degree of oxidation of the oils and fats contained in the dressing (more oxidation of the oils and fats during storage). The results are shown in Figure 2.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2, the rates of change on days 3 and 7 were smaller for Sample 2 (highly saccharified reduced starch syrup: SE 600), Sample 3 (highly saccharified reduced starch syrup: SE 600P), Sample 4 (medium saccharified reduced starch syrup), and Sample 5 (low saccharified reduced starch syrup) compared to Sample 1 (no reduced starch syrup). The rates of change on day 21 were significantly smaller for Samples 2, 3, and 4 compared to Sample 1.

[0048] In other words, the samples containing high- and medium-sugar reduced starch syrup showed a smaller rate of change in carbonyl compounds at all time points after storage compared to samples without the added sugars. In particular, the rate of change was significantly smaller on the 21st day after storage. These results demonstrate that the addition of high- or medium-sugar reduced starch syrup significantly suppresses the oxidation of oil in emulsified foods.

[0049] (4) Verification of emulsion particle stability The samples were observed with a scanning microscope at the start of storage (day 0) and on the 21st day after storage to confirm the particle size of the emulsified particles. The observed images are shown in Figure 3.

[0050] As shown in Figure 3, in Sample 1 (no reduced starch syrup) and Sample 5 (low saccharification reduced starch syrup), the particle size of the emulsified particles increased on Day 21 compared to Day 0. In contrast, in Sample 2 (high saccharification reduced starch syrup: SE 600), Sample 3 (high saccharification reduced starch syrup: SE 600P), and Sample 4 (medium saccharification reduced starch syrup), there was no significant difference in the particle size of the emulsified particles between Day 0 and Day 21.

[0051] In other words, in the samples containing high- and medium-sugar reduced starch syrup, there was almost no increase in the particle size of the emulsified particles even after 21 days of storage. These results demonstrate that the addition of high- or medium-sugar reduced starch syrup can improve the stability of emulsified particles over time in emulsified foods.

[0052] Example 2: Separated liquid dressing (1) Manufacturing of separated liquid dressings Separated liquid dressings Sample 1 and Sample 2 were produced according to the following procedures A) to C). The formulations were as shown in Table 3 (unit: g). a) Xanthan gum was dissolved in hot water and allowed to swell. B) All ingredients (including A) except for the salad oil were mixed and heated to 80°C to dissolve the powder ingredients. C) 160g of B) and 40g of salad oil were mixed and filled into a PET bottle. [Table 3]

[0053] (2) Verification of oil oxidation The dressings and the salad oils used as ingredients for the samples were stored at 40°C for 21 days, and the rate of change in carbonyl compounds was measured on days 3, 7, and 21 using the method described in Example 1(3). The results are shown in Figure 4.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, the rate of change for Sample 2 (highly saccharified reduced starch syrup) was nearly the same as that for salad oil and Sample 1 (without reduced starch syrup) on days 3, 7, and 21. In other words, the rate of change for carbonyl compounds was the same for samples with and without highly saccharified reduced starch syrup, as well as the raw salad oil, at all time points after storage began, indicating that the oil oxidation inhibitory effect of reduced starch syrup was not obtained in separated liquid dressings. These results demonstrate that the oil oxidation inhibitory effect of reduced starch syrup is an effect that is uniquely exhibited in foods that are in an emulsified form.

Claims

1. An agent for inhibiting oil-water separation in emulsified foods, the agent comprising, as an active ingredient, a reduced starch syrup selected from the following (a) to (c): (a) reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20 to 50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or higher; (b) reduced starch syrup, which has a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more; (c) Reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 14 to 70.

2. An agent for improving the stability of emulsion particles in emulsified foods, the agent comprising, as an active ingredient, a reduced starch syrup selected from the following (a) to (c): (a) reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20 to 50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or higher; (b) reduced starch syrup, which has a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more; (c) Reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 37 or more and 70 or less.

3. The agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reduced starch syrup is the following (d): (d) Reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 2 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 30 to 55% by mass of disaccharides, 1 to 35% by mass of trisaccharides, 1 to 10% by mass of tetrasaccharides, and 1 to 15% by mass of pentasaccharides or more.

4. A method for producing an emulsified food, comprising the step of mixing the agent according to any one of claims 1 to 3 with ingredients for the emulsified food.

5. A method for suppressing oil-water separation in an emulsified food, comprising a step of mixing a reduced starch syrup selected from the following (a) to (c) with ingredients of the emulsified food; (a) reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20 to 50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or higher; (b) reduced starch syrup, which has a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more; (c) Reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 37 or more and 70 or less.

6. A method for improving the stability of emulsified particles in an emulsified food, comprising a step of mixing a reduced starch syrup selected from the following (a) to (c) with ingredients of the emulsified food; (a) reduced starch syrup having a sugar composition containing 30 to 50% by mass of monosaccharides, 20 to 50% by mass of disaccharides, and 25% by mass or less of trisaccharides or higher; (b) reduced starch syrup, which has a sugar composition containing less than 30% by mass of monosaccharides and less than 50% by mass of pentasaccharides or more; (c) Reduced starch syrup obtained by reducing starch syrup having a dextrose equivalent of 37 or more and 70 or less.

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