Instant soup composition with high protein content

Abstract

To provide an instant soup composition or the like containing protein at a high concentration and having improved texture of soup.SOLUTION: A solid instant soup composition comprising (A) a particulate insoluble proteinaceous material and (B) water-soluble collagen, wherein a weight ratio (A: B) of a content of the (A) to a content of the (B) is 1:0.18 to 1:1.5, and a total protein amount is 40 to 75% by weight.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an instant soup composition, particularly to an instant soup composition having a high protein content. The present invention also relates to a method for improving the texture of soup prepared using the instant soup composition having a high protein content. [Background technology]

[0002] Protein is one of the nutrients important for extending healthy lifespan, and the "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2020 Edition)" formulated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends that men aged 18 and over consume at least 65 g of protein per day, and women at least 50 g of protein per day. While it is important to consume protein not just once a day but continuously every day, it is not easy to consistently consume sufficient amounts of protein in one's daily diet. In recent years, various processed foods that contain high concentrations of protein and can be easily incorporated into one's daily diet have been proposed and marketed (e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0003] Meanwhile, it has been proposed to use succinoglycan to reduce the roughness caused by protein particles in beverages and the like (Patent Document 4).It has also been proposed to add a specific emulsifier to a powdered beverage containing pea protein to suppress the roughness and other sensations that occur when drinking the beverage (Patent Document 5). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-65798 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-50441 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-133963 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-93797 [Patent Document 5] Patent Publication No. 2021-69305 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Instant soups such as instant miso soup (commonly referred to as instant soups, powdered soups, etc.) are one type of processed food that is easy to incorporate into daily meals. In the course of conducting research and development into instant soups containing high concentrations of protein, the present inventors have newly discovered that soups prepared by adding water to instant soups containing protein ingredients (particularly relatively inexpensive insoluble protein ingredients) tend to have a rough texture due to the protein ingredients when eaten, and that increasing the protein ingredient content in instant soups so that the instant soups contain a high concentration of protein increases the rough texture (grainy texture) when eaten, making them very difficult to ingest.

[0006] To address this problem, for example, when succinoglycan or an emulsifier is added to instant soup as proposed in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 4 and 5, the protein concentration inevitably decreases relatively.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and one of the problems to be solved by the present invention is to provide an instant soup composition that contains a high concentration of protein and has an improved soup texture (specifically, reduced grittiness when eating the soup). Another object of the present invention is to provide, as one aspect, a method for improving the texture of soup prepared using an instant soup composition containing a high concentration of protein (specifically, a method for reducing the roughness when eaten). [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems and surprisingly found that combining water-soluble collagen, a type of protein material, with an insoluble protein material can reduce the roughness caused by the insoluble protein material. Based on this finding, the present inventors conducted further research and completed the present invention. That is, the present invention is as follows.

[0009] [Item 1] (A) a powdered insoluble protein material and (B) a water-soluble collagen, The weight ratio (A:B) of the content of (A) to the content of (B) is 1:0.18 to 3, and A solid instant soup composition having a total protein content of 40 to 75% by weight. [Item 2] The composition according to Item 1, wherein the content of (A) is 25 to 70% by weight based on the weight of the composition. [Item 3] The composition according to item 1 or 2, wherein the content of (B) is 3 to 45 wt % of the composition. [Item 4] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the insoluble protein material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a plant-derived insoluble protein material and a milk-derived insoluble protein material. [Item 5] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the insoluble protein material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a soybean-derived insoluble protein material, a pea-derived insoluble protein material, and a milk-derived insoluble protein material. [Item 6] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein (B) comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of gelatin and collagen peptide. [Item 7] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 5, wherein (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of collagen peptides derived from livestock products and collagen peptides derived from marine products. [Item 8] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 7, wherein the average particle size of (A) is 30 to 300 μm. [Item 9] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 8, wherein the amount of intake of the composition per serving is 25 g or more. [Item 10] The composition according to any one of Items 1 to 9, wherein the soup is miso soup, potage, or corn cream soup. [Item 11] (A) A method for improving the texture of soup obtained by pouring water into a solid instant soup composition containing a powdery or granular insoluble protein material and stirring as necessary, The method includes causing the composition to further contain (B) water-soluble collagen, and setting the weight ratio (A:B) of the content of (A) to the content of (B) to be 1:0.18 to 3, The method, wherein the total protein content of the composition is 40 to 75% by weight. [Item 12] The method according to Item 11, wherein the content of (A) in the composition is 25 to 70% by weight based on the weight of the composition. [Item 13] The method according to Item 11 or 12, wherein the content of (B) in the composition is 3 to 45 wt % relative to the weight of the composition. [Item 14] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 13, wherein the insoluble protein material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a plant-derived insoluble protein material and a milk-derived insoluble protein material. [Item 15] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 13, wherein the insoluble protein material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a soybean-derived insoluble protein material, a pea-derived insoluble protein material, and a milk-derived insoluble protein material. [Item 16] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 15, wherein (B) includes at least one selected from the group consisting of gelatin and collagen peptide. [Item 17] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 15, wherein (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of collagen peptides derived from livestock products and collagen peptides derived from marine products. [Item 18] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 17, wherein the average particle size of (A) is 30 to 300 μm. [Item 19] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 18, wherein the amount of intake of the composition per serving is 25 g or more. [Item 20] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 19, wherein the soup is miso soup, potage, or corn cream soup. [Item 21] The method according to any one of Items 11 to 20, wherein the texture improvement is a reduction in roughness. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided an instant soup composition which contains a high concentration of protein and has an improved soup texture (specifically, reduced grittiness when the soup is eaten). The water-soluble collagen used in combination with the insoluble protein material in the present invention is itself a protein material, and therefore, when added to the instant soup composition, the protein concentration does not decrease, and an instant soup composition containing a high concentration of protein can be obtained. The present invention also provides a method for improving the texture of soup prepared using an instant soup composition containing a high concentration of protein (specifically, a method for reducing the roughness when eaten). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] One of the characteristics of the instant soup composition of the present invention (sometimes referred to as the "composition of the present invention" in this specification) is that it contains (A) an insoluble protein material and (B) water-soluble collagen. In this specification, for convenience of explanation, the "insoluble protein material" and the "water-soluble collagen" may be referred to simply as "(A)" and "(B)", respectively.

[0012] In the present invention, the term "instant soup composition" refers to a processed food that can be prepared into a soup suitable for consumption in a short time (usually about 10 seconds to 10 minutes) by pouring water into the instant soup composition and, if necessary, stirring it; this food is generally referred to as instant soup, dried soup, etc. Water (e.g., tap water, purified water, etc.) is usually poured into the instant soup composition, but an aqueous solution or water suspension may also be used. The temperature of the water poured into the instant soup composition (i.e., the water added to the instant soup composition to prepare the soup) is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately depending on the type of soup, etc. In one embodiment, the water poured into the instant soup composition may be heated (hot water, warm water, etc.), or may be at room temperature (20 to 30°C) or lower (below 20°C). When stirring is performed after pouring water into the instant soup composition, stirring may be performed in a conventional manner so as to prepare the soup, and the stirring conditions (e.g., stirring speed, stirring time, number of stirrings, etc.) are not particularly limited.

[0013] (A) Insoluble protein material In the present invention, the term "insoluble protein material" refers to a protein material (i.e., a food material or food additive that can be a protein source for foods) that is insoluble in water. Here, "insoluble" in water means that the protein material is completely or almost completely insoluble in water, and more specifically, when 10 g of the protein material is poured into 150 mL of water at 95 to 100°C and stirred for 1 minute, insoluble matter can be visually confirmed.

[0014] The origin of (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) is not particularly limited, and (A) may be either animal-derived or plant-derived. Specific examples of animal-derived insoluble protein materials include milk-derived insoluble protein materials, meat-derived insoluble protein materials, egg-derived insoluble protein materials, and insect-derived insoluble protein materials. Specific examples of plant-derived insoluble protein materials include bean-derived insoluble protein materials (e.g., soybean-derived insoluble protein materials, pea-derived insoluble protein materials, fava bean-derived insoluble protein materials, etc.), cereal-derived insoluble protein materials (e.g., wheat-derived insoluble protein materials, corn-derived insoluble protein materials, rice-derived insoluble protein materials, etc.), and potato-derived insoluble protein materials (e.g., potato-derived insoluble protein materials, etc.). One of these insoluble protein materials may be used alone as (A), or two or more may be used in combination as (A).

[0015] (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) is preferably an insoluble protein material derived from milk or an insoluble protein material derived from beans, more preferably an insoluble protein material derived from milk (e.g., casein, etc.), an insoluble protein material derived from soybeans (e.g., isolated soybean protein, concentrated soybean protein, etc.), or an insoluble protein material derived from peas (e.g., isolated pea protein, concentrated pea protein, etc.), and particularly preferably an insoluble protein material derived from soybeans or an insoluble protein material derived from peas.

[0016] The form of (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) is preferably powdery or granular. Here, the term "powdery or granular" encompasses powder, fine particles, fine grains, and granules.

[0017] The average particle size (median size) of (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 30 to 300 μm, more preferably 40 to 200 μm, and particularly preferably 45 to 100 μm. In the present invention, the average particle size refers to the particle size (D50) at the point where the cumulative volume from the fine particle side is 50% when the total volume of the particle population is 100% on a volume-based cumulative particle size distribution curve measured with a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (e.g., "SALD-2300" manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). The measurement sample is preferably (A) dispersed in water by ultrasonic waves.

[0018] The method for producing (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) is not particularly limited, and one produced by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto may be used. (A) may be produced, for example, by separating, extracting, or concentrating proteins contained in raw materials (e.g., soybeans, peas, raw milk, etc.) by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto. Furthermore, (A) may be a commercially available product (commercially available product). For example, a specific example of a commercially available soybean-derived insoluble protein material is "Prolina 700" (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.), a specific example of a commercially available pea-derived insoluble protein material is "ProDiem Pea 7028" (manufactured by Kelly Japan), and a specific example of a commercially available milk-derived insoluble protein material is "MPC480" (manufactured by Fonterra Japan), but is not limited to these.

[0019] The content of (A) (i.e., insoluble protein material) in the composition of the present invention is preferably 25% by weight or more, more preferably 30% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 32% by weight or more, relative to the composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of ensuring a high protein concentration in the composition of the present invention. Furthermore, the content of (A) is preferably 70% by weight or less, more preferably 65% ​​by weight or less, and particularly preferably 63% by weight or less, relative to the composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of more effectively reducing the graininess of soup prepared using the composition of the present invention when eaten.

[0020] (B) Water-soluble collagen In the present invention, "water-soluble collagen" refers to insoluble natural collagen that has been treated to make it water-soluble. Specific examples include gelatin obtained by treating natural collagen with acid or alkali (acid-treated gelatin, alkali-treated gelatin), and collagen peptide obtained by hydrolyzing (preferably enzymatically hydrolyzing) natural collagen or gelatin.

[0021] The origin of (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) is not particularly limited, and (B) may be derived from, for example, livestock products or marine products. Specific examples of water-soluble collagen derived from livestock products include water-soluble collagen derived from cows (gelatin, collagen peptides, etc.), water-soluble collagen derived from pigs (gelatin, collagen peptides, etc.), and water-soluble collagen derived from chickens (gelatin, collagen peptides, etc.). Specific examples of water-soluble collagen derived from marine products include water-soluble collagen derived from fish (gelatin, collagen peptides, etc.). One of these water-soluble collagens may be used alone as (B), or two or more may be used in combination as (B).

[0022] (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) is preferably water-soluble collagen derived from pigs or water-soluble collagen derived from fish, and more preferably gelatin derived from pigs, collagen peptide derived from pigs, gelatin derived from fish, or collagen peptide derived from fish.

[0023] The weight-average molecular weight of (B) (i.e., the water-soluble collagen) is preferably 500 to 50,000, more preferably 750 to 25,000, and particularly preferably 1,000 to 10,000. In the present invention, the weight-average molecular weight of the water-soluble collagen is measured by gel permeation chromatography.

[0024] The average particle size (median size) of (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 to 500 μm, more preferably 30 to 300 μm, and particularly preferably 50 to 150 μm.

[0025] The method for producing (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) is not particularly limited, and it may be produced by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto. Alternatively, (B) may be a commercially available product (commercially available product). For example, a specific example of a commercially available porcine-derived collagen peptide is "Well Collagen" (manufactured by Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., weight-average molecular weight: approximately 4300), and a specific example of a commercially available fish-derived collagen peptide is "Nippi Peptide FCP-EX" (manufactured by Nippi Corporation, weight-average molecular weight: approximately 3000-5000), but these are not limiting.

[0026] The content of (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) in the composition of the present invention is preferably 3% by weight or more, more preferably 5% by weight or more, even more preferably 10% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 10.2% by weight or more, relative to the composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of more effectively reducing the roughness of the soup prepared using the composition of the present invention when eaten. Also, the content of (B) is preferably 45% by weight or less, more preferably 40% by weight or less, and particularly preferably 35% by weight or less, relative to the composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of improving the flavor of the soup prepared using the composition of the present invention.

[0027] In the composition of the present invention, the weight ratio of the content of (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) to the content of (B) (i.e., the water-soluble collagen) is preferably within a specific range. By having the weight ratio of the content of (A) to the content of (B) within the specific range, the granularity of soup prepared using the composition of the present invention when eaten can be effectively reduced. Specifically, the weight ratio (A:B) of the content of (A) to the content of (B) in the composition of the present invention is preferably 1:0.18-3, more preferably 1:0.18-1.5, even more preferably 1:0.3-1.2, and particularly preferably 1:0.5-1.

[0028] In one embodiment, the composition of the present invention may consist only of (A) (i.e., an insoluble protein material) and (B) (i.e., a water-soluble collagen), but in another embodiment, in addition to (A) and (B), it may optionally contain components other than (A) and (B). Examples of ingredients other than (A) and (B) that may be optionally contained in the composition of the present invention include starch, dextrin, sugars (sugar, lactose, fructose, oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols, etc.), salt, powdered soy sauce, powdered vinegar, powdered miso, dried fish powder, solid fats, powdered extracts, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, yeast, dietary fiber, spices, sweeteners (e.g., high-intensity sweeteners, etc.), acidulants (e.g., organic acids, etc.), seasonings (e.g., nucleic acids, etc.), pH adjusters, antioxidants, thickening stabilizers, leavening agents, coagulants, coloring agents, flavorings, various dried ingredients, etc. However, without being limited to these, ingredients that are normally contained in commercially available instant soups, instant soups, powdered soups, etc. may be used as appropriate, as long as they do not impair the object of the present invention.

[0029] The composition of the present invention preferably has a total protein amount (i.e., the total amount of protein contained in the composition of the present invention) of a specific amount or more. The composition of the present invention having a total protein amount of a specific amount or more is useful for efficiently ingesting protein. Specifically, the total protein content of the composition of the present invention is preferably 40% by weight or more, more preferably 50% by weight or more, even more preferably 55% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 60% by weight or more, relative to the composition of the present invention. There is no particular upper limit to the total protein content of the composition of the present invention, but the total protein content of the composition of the present invention is usually 75% by weight or less, preferably 70% by weight or less, and more preferably 65% ​​by weight or less, relative to the composition of the present invention. The total protein content of the compositions of the present invention is measured by the combustion method.

[0030] The proportion of the protein derived from (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) in the total protein content of the composition of the present invention is preferably 25% by weight or more, more preferably 35% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 45% by weight or more. The proportion of the protein derived from (A) in the total protein content of the composition of the present invention is preferably 90% by weight or less, more preferably 80% by weight or less, and particularly preferably 70% by weight or less. In the present invention, the amount of protein derived from (A) is measured by a combustion method.

[0031] The proportion of the protein derived from (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) in the total protein content of the composition of the present invention is preferably 5% by weight or more, more preferably 15% by weight or more, more preferably 25% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 30% by weight or more. The proportion of the protein derived from (B) in the total protein content of the composition of the present invention is preferably 65% ​​by weight or less, more preferably 60% by weight or less, and particularly preferably 55% by weight or less. In the present invention, the amount of protein derived from (B) is measured by a combustion method.

[0032] The proportion of the total amount of protein derived from (A) (i.e., insoluble protein material) and protein derived from (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) in the total protein amount of the composition of the present invention is preferably 50% by weight or more, more preferably 75% by weight or more, even more preferably 80% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 90% by weight or more. There is no particular upper limit to the proportion of the total amount of protein derived from (A) and protein derived from (B) in the total protein amount of the composition of the present invention, and it may be 100% by weight or less.

[0033] The weight ratio (A:B) of the protein derived from (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) to the protein derived from (B) (i.e., the water-soluble collagen) is preferably 1:0.2-3, more preferably 1:0.2-1.5, even more preferably 1:0.2-1.2, and particularly preferably 1:0.24-1.1.

[0034] The composition of the present invention is preferably in the form of a solid, for example, a powder, a polyhedron, a sphere, a lump, a block, a cube, a flake, a plate, or the like.

[0035] The method for producing the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and the composition may be produced by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto depending on the form of the composition of the present invention, etc. For example, when the composition of the present invention is in the form of powder or granules, the composition may be produced by mixing powder or granule raw materials (e.g., (A) and (B)) and stirring until homogeneous.

[0036] Soup can be prepared by pouring water into the composition of the present invention and stirring as needed. Water (e.g., tap water, purified water, etc.) is typically used to pour water into the composition of the present invention, but an aqueous solution or water suspension may also be used. The temperature of the water poured into the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set depending on the type of soup, etc. In one embodiment, the water poured into the instant soup composition may be heated (hot water, warm water, etc.), or may be at room temperature (20 to 30°C) or lower (below 20°C). After pouring room temperature water or lower temperature water into the composition of the present invention, the composition may be heated as needed by a method known per se (e.g., microwave heating, etc.) or a method equivalent thereto. Furthermore, after pouring the heated water into the composition of the present invention, the composition may be cooled as needed by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto. The amount of water poured into the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is typically 100 to 800 parts by weight, preferably 300 to 600 parts by weight, and more preferably 350 to 550 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the composition of the present invention.

[0037] The type of soup prepared using the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples include miso soup, potage, cream of corn soup, minestrone soup, clam chowder, stew, Chinese soup, etc., and preferably miso soup, potage, and cream of corn soup, and particularly preferably miso soup.

[0038] The intake amount of the composition of the present invention per meal (i.e., the amount of the composition of the present invention ingested in one meal) is not particularly limited, but is usually 25 g or more, preferably 30 g or more. There is no upper limit to the intake amount of the composition of the present invention per meal, but it is usually 50 g or less.

[0039] A soup prepared using the composition of the present invention can have a preferable texture with reduced roughness caused by (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) when eaten. In the present invention, the texture of the soup (e.g., the presence or absence and degree of roughness) can be evaluated, for example, by sensory evaluation by a specialist panel.

[0040] The composition of the present invention allows one to ingest 10 g or more (preferably 15 g or more, more preferably 20 g or more) of protein per meal. Thus, in one embodiment, the composition of the present invention may be for ingesting 10 g or more (preferably 15 g or more, more preferably 20 g or more) of protein per meal.

[0041] The present invention also provides a method for improving the texture of soup obtained by pouring water into an instant soup composition containing (A) an insoluble protein material and stirring as necessary (sometimes referred to in this specification as the "method of the present invention"). One of the features of the method of the present invention is that the instant soup composition containing (A) an insoluble protein material further contains (B) water-soluble collagen.

[0042] In the method of the present invention, (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) contained in the instant soup composition is the same as (A) contained in the composition of the present invention described above, and preferred embodiments are also the same.

[0043] The content of (A) in the instant soup composition is the same as the content of (A) in the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred amount is also the same.

[0044] In the method of the present invention, the pouring of water and stirring of the instant soup composition are similar to the pouring of water and stirring of the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred embodiments are also similar.

[0045] (B) (ie, water-soluble collagen) used in the method of the present invention is the same as (B) contained in the composition of the present invention described above, and preferred embodiments are also the same.

[0046] In the method of the present invention, when an instant soup composition containing (A) (i.e., an insoluble protein material) further contains (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen), the content of (B) in the instant soup composition can be the same as the content of (B) in the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred amount is also the same.

[0047] The instant soup composition may optionally contain ingredients other than (A) and (B) that may be contained in the composition of the present invention described above.

[0048] The form of the instant soup composition is the same as the form (solid form, etc.) of the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred form is also the same.

[0049] The method for producing the instant soup composition is not particularly limited, and the instant soup composition may be produced by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto, similar to the above-mentioned composition of the present invention, depending on the form of the instant soup composition.

[0050] In the method of the present invention, the total protein content of the instant soup composition is preferably a specific amount or more. Specifically, the total protein content of the instant soup composition is the same as the total protein content of the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred amount is also the same. The method of the present invention involves converting an instant soup composition containing (A) (i.e., an insoluble protein material) into one that further contains (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen), and the total protein amount of the instant soup composition referred to here is the total amount including the amount of protein derived from (B).

[0051] The proportion of the protein derived from (A) (i.e., the insoluble protein material) to the total protein of the instant soup composition is the same as the proportion of the protein derived from (A) to the total protein of the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred proportions are also the same. Also, the proportion of the protein derived from (B) (i.e., the water-soluble collagen) to the total protein of the instant soup composition is the same as the proportion of the protein derived from (B) to the total protein of the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred proportions are also the same.

[0052] The ratio of the total amount of protein derived from (A) (i.e., insoluble protein material) and protein derived from (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) to the total amount of protein in the instant soup composition is the same as the ratio of the total amount of protein derived from (A) and protein derived from (B) to the total amount of protein in the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred ratio is also the same. Also, the weight ratio of protein derived from (A) and protein derived from (B) in the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred range is also the same.

[0053] The method of the present invention preferably includes adjusting the weight ratio of the content of (A) (i.e., insoluble protein material) to the content of (B) (i.e., water-soluble collagen) in the instant soup composition to be within a specific range. Specifically, the weight ratio of the content of (A) to the content of (B) in the instant soup composition is the same as the weight ratio of the content of (A) to the content of (B) in the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred range is also the same.

[0054] In the method of the present invention, the type of soup prepared using the instant soup composition is not particularly limited, but examples and preferred types of soup are the same as those described above as examples of the types of soup prepared using the composition of the present invention.

[0055] In the method of the present invention, the amount of instant soup composition to be taken per serving is not particularly limited, but is the same as the amount of the composition of the present invention to be taken per serving described above, and the preferred amount is also the same.

[0056] In the method of the present invention, the amount of protein that can be ingested from the instant soup composition is the same as the amount of protein that can be ingested from the composition of the present invention described above, and the preferred amount is also the same.

[0057] The method of the present invention can improve the texture of a soup obtained by pouring water into an instant soup composition containing (A) (i.e., an insoluble protein material) and stirring as needed. The method of the present invention can preferably reduce the roughness of the soup when eaten that is caused by (A). Thus, one aspect of the method of the present invention may be a method for reducing the roughness of a soup when eaten that is obtained by pouring water into an instant soup composition containing (A) and stirring as needed.

[0058] The present invention will be explained in more detail in the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way. All of the food ingredients used in the following examples are commercially available. [Example]

[0059] [Test 1] <Preparation of instant soup compositions of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5> The instant soup compositions of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 were each prepared as follows. The "base mass" used to prepare these instant soup compositions was a powder obtained by removing the ingredients (dried spinach and dried fried tofu) from commercially available instant miso soup (manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc., product name: "Tsugatari Miso Soup" Spinach). The base mass did not contain any insoluble protein material or water-soluble collagen, and the protein content per 100 g of base mass was 20.8 g. (Preparation of instant soup compositions of Examples 1 to 3) The base mass, a soy protein powder product (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., product name: Prolina 700, protein content per 100 g of product: 90 g, average particle size: 50 μm), and a fish-derived collagen peptide product (manufactured by Nippi Corporation, product name: Nippi Peptide FCP-EX, protein content per 100 g of product: 94.4 g, average particle size: 117 μm) were mixed and stirred in the amounts shown in Table 1 below to prepare each of the granular instant soup compositions (instant soup compositions of Examples 1 to 3). (Preparation of instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 1 to 5) The base mass and soy protein powder product (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., product name: Prolina 700, protein content per 100 g of product: 90 g, average particle size: 50 μm) were mixed and stirred in the amounts shown in Table 1 below to prepare each of the granular instant soup compositions (instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 1 to 5).

[0060] <Sensory evaluation> 160 mL of hot water (temperature: approximately 95°C) was poured into the instant soup compositions of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 and stirred for 30 seconds, and the resulting miso soups were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of experts to determine the presence and degree of roughness (graininess) when eaten. The expert panel consisted of three panelists with five or more years of experience in food research and development, and the evaluation of roughness when eaten was conducted according to the following criteria. The three panelists were trained in advance to ensure that they had a common understanding of the following evaluation criteria.

[0061] [Evaluation criteria for roughness when eating] ◎: No roughness is felt. 〇: There is a slight roughness, but it is within the acceptable range. △: Slight roughness is felt. ×: Roughness is felt. ××: Strong roughness is felt.

[0062] The evaluation results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0063] [Table 1]

[0064] As shown in Table 1, the miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup composition of Example 1, in which water-soluble collagen (specifically, fish-derived collagen peptide) is combined with an insoluble protein material (specifically, a soybean-derived insoluble protein material), did not feel rough when eaten. The miso soup did not feel rough when eaten and was smooth to the throat. Furthermore, the miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup compositions of Examples 2 and 3, in which water-soluble collagen (specifically, fish-derived collagen peptide) was combined with an insoluble protein material (specifically, a soybean-derived insoluble protein material), felt slightly rough when eaten, but was within an acceptable range. The miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup composition of Example 2 felt slightly rough when eaten, but was much easier to eat (drink) than the miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup composition of Comparative Example 5. The miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup composition of Example 3 also felt slightly rough when eaten, but was within an acceptable range. On the other hand, the miso soup obtained by pouring water into the instant soup composition of Comparative Example 1 and stirring it felt slightly rough when eaten. The miso soup left a slight rough feeling in the throat when eaten. Furthermore, the miso soups obtained by pouring water into the instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 2 and 3 and stirring them felt rough when eaten. All of the miso soups left a rough feeling in the throat when eaten. The miso soups obtained by pouring water into the instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 4 and 5 and stirring them had a strong gritty texture when eaten. All of these miso soups had a strong gritty texture that remained in the throat when eaten, and were undesirable.

[0065] [Test 2] <Preparation of instant soup compositions of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Examples 6 to 9> The instant soup compositions of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Examples 6 to 9 were prepared as follows. The "base mass" used to prepare these instant soup compositions was the same as that used in Test 1. (Preparation of instant soup composition of Example 4) A granular instant soup composition (the instant soup composition of Example 4) was prepared by mixing and stirring the base mass, a milk protein powder product (manufactured by Fonterra Japan Co., Ltd., product name: MPC480, protein content per 100 g of product: 80 g, average particle size: 93 μm), and a fish-derived collagen peptide product (manufactured by Nippi Corporation, product name: Nippi Peptide FCP-EX, protein content per 100 g of product: 94.4 g, average particle size: 117 μm) in the amounts shown in Table 2 below. (Preparation of instant soup composition of Example 5) The base mass, a pea protein powder product (manufactured by Kelly Japan, product name: ProDiem Pea 7028, protein content per 100 g of product: 74 g, average particle size: 58 μm), and a fish-derived collagen peptide product (manufactured by Nippi Corporation, product name: Nippi Peptide FCP-EX, protein content per 100 g of product: 94.4 g, average particle size: 117 μm) were mixed and stirred in the amounts shown in Table 2 below to prepare a granular instant soup composition (instant soup composition of Example 5). (Preparation of instant soup composition of Example 6) The base mass, a soy protein powder product (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., product name: Prolina 700, protein content per 100 g of product: 90 g, average particle size: 50 μm), and a pork-derived collagen peptide product (manufactured by Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd., product name: Well Collagen, protein content per 100 g of product: 84 g, average particle size: 83 μm) were mixed and stirred in the amounts shown in Table 2 below to prepare a granular instant soup composition (instant soup composition of Example 6). (Preparation of instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 6 and 7) The base mass and a milk protein powder product (manufactured by Fonterra Japan Co., Ltd., product name: MPC480, protein content per 100 g of product: 80 g, average particle size: 93 μm) were mixed and stirred in the amounts shown in Table 2 below to prepare granular instant soup compositions (instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 6 and 7). (Preparation of instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 8 and 9) The base mass and a pea protein powder product (manufactured by Kelly Japan Co., Ltd., product name: ProDiem Pea 7028, protein content per 100 g of product: 74 g, average particle size: 58 μm) were mixed and stirred in the amounts shown in Table 2 below to prepare granular instant soup compositions (instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 8 and 9).

[0066] <Sensory evaluation> 160 mL of hot water (temperature: about 95°C) was poured into the instant soup compositions of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Examples 6 to 9 and stirred for 30 seconds, and the resulting miso soups were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a specialist panel for the presence and degree of roughness (graininess) when eaten, in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0067] [Table 2]

[0068] As shown in Table 2, the miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup composition of Example 4, in which water-soluble collagen (specifically, fish-derived collagen peptide) was combined with an insoluble protein material (specifically, a milk-derived insoluble protein material), felt slightly grainy when eaten, but was within an acceptable range. Although the miso soup was highly viscous, it did not have the powdery texture associated with the milk protein material. Furthermore, the miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup compositions of Examples 5 and 6, in which water-soluble collagen (specifically, fish-derived collagen peptide or pork-derived collagen peptide) was combined with an insoluble protein material (specifically, a pea-derived insoluble protein material or a soybean-derived insoluble protein material), also felt slightly grainy when eaten, but was within an acceptable range. Similar to the miso soup obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup composition of Example 3 in Test 1, each miso soup felt slightly grainy when eaten, but was within an acceptable range. On the other hand, the miso soup obtained by pouring water into the instant soup composition of Comparative Example 6 and stirring it had a strong gritty texture when eaten. The miso soup had a strong gritty texture when eaten and was difficult to swallow. Furthermore, the miso soup obtained by pouring water into the instant soup composition of Comparative Example 7 and stirring it felt rough when eaten. In addition to the rough texture, the miso soup also felt powdery, making it difficult to ingest (drink). The miso soup obtained by pouring water into the instant soup composition of Comparative Example 8 and stirring it had a strong gritty texture when eaten. In addition to the gritty texture, the miso soup had a thick viscosity and was difficult to ingest. The miso soup obtained by pouring water into the instant soup composition of Comparative Example 9 and stirring it felt rough when eaten. The miso soup felt rough when eaten and was difficult to ingest.

[0069] [Test 3] <Preparation of instant soup compositions of Examples 7 and 8 and Comparative Examples 10 to 13> The instant soup compositions of Examples 7 and 8 and Comparative Examples 10 to 13 were each prepared as follows. The "Base Mass - Tomato" used to prepare the instant soup compositions of Example 7 and Comparative Examples 10 and 11 was a powder of commercially available instant potage (manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc., product name: "Knorr (registered trademark) Cup Soup," a potage made with one whole ripe tomato), while the "Base Mass - Corn" used to prepare the instant soup compositions of Example 8 and Comparative Examples 12 and 13 was a powder of commercially available instant cream of corn soup (manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc., product name: "Knorr (registered trademark) Cup Soup," cream of corn) from which the topping (croutons) had been removed. Both Basemas Tomato and Basemas Corn contain almost no insoluble protein material or soluble collagen (less than 1% by weight), and the protein content per 100g of Basemas Tomato is 9.9g, while the protein content per 100g of Basemas Corn is 6.1g. (Preparation of instant soup composition of Example 7) A powdered instant soup composition (the instant soup composition of Example 7) was prepared by mixing and stirring base trout and tomato, a soy protein powder product (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., product name: Prolina 700, protein content per 100 g of product: 90 g, average particle size: 50 μm), and a fish-derived collagen peptide product (manufactured by Nippi Corporation, product name: Nippi Peptide FCP-EX, protein content per 100 g of product: 94.4 g, average particle size: 117 μm) in the amounts shown in Table 3 below. (Preparation of instant soup composition of Example 8) A powdered instant soup composition (the instant soup composition of Example 8) was prepared by mixing and stirring base mass corn, a soy protein powder product (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., product name: Prolina 700, protein content per 100 g of product: 90 g, average particle size: 50 μm), and a fish-derived collagen peptide product (manufactured by Nippi Corporation, product name: Nippi Peptide FCP-EX, protein content per 100 g of product: 94.4 g, average particle size: 117 μm) in the amounts shown in Table 3 below. (Preparation of instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 10 and 11) Powdered instant soup compositions (instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 10 and 11) were prepared by mixing and stirring base mass, tomato, and soy protein powder products (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., product name: Prolina 700, protein content per 100 g of product: 90 g, average particle size: 50 μm) in the amounts shown in Table 3 below. (Preparation of instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 12 and 13) Corn base mass and soy protein powder product (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., product name: Prolina 700, protein content per 100 g of product: 90 g, average particle size: 50 μm) were mixed and stirred in the amounts shown in Table 3 below to prepare granular instant soup compositions (instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 12 and 13).

[0070] <Sensory evaluation> 150 mL of hot water (temperature: approximately 95°C) was poured into the instant soup compositions of Example 7 and Comparative Examples 10 and 11 and stirred for 30 seconds, and the resulting soups (potages) were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of experts for the presence and degree of roughness (graininess) when eaten, in the same manner as in Test Example 1. Furthermore, 150 mL of hot water (temperature: approximately 95°C) was poured into the instant soup compositions of Example 8 and Comparative Examples 12 and 13 and stirred for 30 seconds, and the resulting soups (corn cream soups) were subjected to a sensory evaluation by a panel of experts for the presence and degree of roughness (graininess) when eaten, in the same manner as in Test Example 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0071] [Table 3]

[0072] As shown in Table 3, the soups obtained by pouring water into and stirring the instant soup compositions of Examples 7 and 8, in which water-soluble collagen (specifically, fish-derived collagen peptide) was combined with an insoluble protein material (specifically, a soybean-derived insoluble protein material), felt slightly gritty when eaten, but were within an acceptable range. All of the soups felt slightly gritty when eaten, but were easy to ingest (easy to drink). On the other hand, the soups obtained by adding water to the instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 10 and 12 and stirring them had a strong gritty texture when eaten. All of these soups had a strong gritty texture when eaten and remained in the throat. Furthermore, the soups obtained by adding water to the instant soup compositions of Comparative Examples 11 and 13 and stirring them felt rough when eaten. All of these soups left a rough feeling in the throat when eaten.

[0073] The results of Tests 1 to 3 suggest that by combining (B) water-soluble collagen with (A) insoluble protein material, the roughness caused by (A) insoluble protein material can be reduced.

[0074] The average particle size (D50) of the products (soy protein powder product, milk protein powder product, pea protein powder product, fish-derived collagen peptide product, and pork-derived collagen peptide product) used to prepare the instant soup compositions in Tests 1 to 3 was measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (Shimadzu Corporation, "SALD-2300"). (Specifically, the samples were dispersed in water and wet-type measurements were performed using a flow cell.) The protein content of the products (protein content per 100 g of product) was measured using a combustion method. [Industrial Applicability]

[0075] According to the present invention, an instant soup composition is provided which contains a high concentration of protein and has an improved soup texture (specifically, the soup has reduced grittiness when eaten). The present invention also provides a method for improving the texture of soup prepared using an instant soup composition containing a high concentration of protein (more specifically, a method for reducing the roughness when eaten).

Claims

1. (A) a powdery insoluble protein material and (B) a water-soluble collagen, The weight ratio (A:B) of the content of (A) to the content of (B) is 1:0.18 to 3, and A solid instant soup composition having a total protein content of 40 to 75% by weight.

2. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of (A) is 25 to 70% by weight based on the weight of the composition.

3. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of (B) is 3 to 45% by weight based on the weight of the composition.

4. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the insoluble protein material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a plant-derived insoluble protein material and a milk-derived insoluble protein material.

5. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the insoluble protein material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a soybean-derived insoluble protein material, a pea-derived insoluble protein material, and a milk-derived insoluble protein material.

6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein (B) comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of gelatin and collagen peptide.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein (B) is at least one selected from the group consisting of collagen peptides derived from livestock products and collagen peptides derived from marine products.

8. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the average particle size of (A) is 30 to 300 μm.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of intake of the composition per serving is 25 g or more.

10. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the soup is miso soup, potage, or cream of corn soup.

11. (A) A method for improving the texture of soup obtained by pouring water into a solid instant soup composition containing a powdery or granular insoluble protein material and stirring it as necessary, comprising: The method includes causing the composition to further contain (B) water-soluble collagen, and setting the weight ratio (A:B) of the content of (A) to the content of (B) to be 1:0.18 to 3, The method of claim 1, wherein the total protein content of the composition is 40 to 75% by weight.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the improvement in texture is a reduction in roughness when eaten.

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