Extract of zanthoxylum piperitum seeds

Abstract

To provide a new means for obtaining an extract containing an active ingredient of Japanese pepper from Japanese pepper seeds.SOLUTION: The method for producing the Japanese pepper seed extract includes bringing Japanese pepper seeds into contact with oil and fat and / or water, and the Japanese pepper seed extract is obtained by the method.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an extract of Japanese pepper seeds. More specifically, the present invention relates to an extract of Japanese pepper seeds that has the refreshing aroma of Japanese pepper while having almost no numbing sensation peculiar to Japanese pepper. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese pepper berries have been a familiar spice in people's lives since ancient times, and their unique numbing sensation and refreshing aroma are highly valued as an accent to dishes and enhance their flavor. Japanese pepper has also long been used as a medicinal herb, and components contained in Japanese pepper, such as sanshool, citronellal, dipentene, and geraniol, are known to have effects such as increasing appetite and improving gastrointestinal function. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Sansho berries are generally harvested before summer when they are immature, and after summer when they are ripe. Both the skin and the soft seeds of the immature berries can be eaten. On the other hand, the seeds of the ripe berries are very hard and inedible, so everything except the skin, which is used as a spice and herbal medicine, is discarded. The amount of waste in Japan is said to be between 50 and 100 tons per year.

[0004] The inventors of the present invention believe that the generation of such a large amount of waste during the processing and manufacturing of various products using Japanese pepper berries is a major issue in addressing today's environmental problems, and therefore attempted to extract active ingredients from the seeds of ripe Japanese pepper berries in order to explore the possibility of using these seeds.

[0005] However, it was found that the essential oil is adsorbed or absorbed by the porous shell of the very hard seeds when using the common extraction method of compression extraction, making it difficult to extract the essential oil from the seeds. Also, when solvent extraction using organic solvents was performed, it was found that the flavor of Japanese pepper was reduced or lost by the organic solvent.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a new means for obtaining an extract containing the active ingredients of Japanese pepper from Japanese pepper seeds. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that by contacting Japanese pepper seeds with oils and / or water, the active ingredients of the Japanese pepper seeds are extracted into the oils and / or water and can be easily removed from the seeds together with these solvents. Furthermore, the Japanese pepper seed extract thus obtained has the novel characteristic of having a refreshing Japanese pepper aroma while having little or no numbing sensation characteristic of Japanese pepper.

[0008] The present invention is based on these new findings and includes the following inventions. [1] Extract of Japanese pepper seeds. [2] An extract of [1] which is an oil and / or water extract. [3] An extract of [2], wherein the oil is vegetable oil. [4] An extract of any of [1] to [3], characterized in that the sanshool content is lower than the sanshool content in an extract of Japanese pepper peel. [5] An extract according to any one of [1] to [4], containing one or more aroma components selected from limonene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalool, geraniol, and geranyl acetate. [6] An extract of any of [1] to [5], which has the refreshing aroma of Japanese pepper, but has little or no numbing sensation peculiar to Japanese pepper. [7] A cosmetic product containing an extract of any of [1] to [6]. [8] Food and beverages containing extracts of any of [1] to [6]. [9] A method for producing a Japanese pepper seed extract, comprising contacting Japanese pepper seeds with oil and / or water.

[10] The manufacturing method of [9], wherein the Japanese pepper seeds are in the form of a crushed product.

[11] The method according to [9] or

[10] , wherein the oil or fat is vegetable oil or fat.

[12] The method of any one of [9] to

[11] , further comprising a step of pressing the Japanese pepper seeds after contacting them with oil and / or water.

[13] The method according to any one of [9] to

[12] , wherein the Japanese pepper seeds are contacted with oils and / or water in a mass ratio of 1:0.4 or less (Japanese pepper seeds:oils and / or water).

[14] The manufacturing method according to any one of [9] to

[13] , wherein the sanshool content in the Japanese pepper seed extract is lower than the sanshool content in the Japanese pepper peel extract.

[15] The method for producing any one of [9] to

[14] , wherein the Japanese pepper seed extract contains one or more aroma components selected from limonene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalool, geraniol, and geranyl acetate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a new method for obtaining an extract containing the active ingredients of Japanese pepper from Japanese pepper seeds can be provided. Furthermore, according to the present invention, an extract having the unprecedented characteristic of having the refreshing fragrance of Japanese pepper while having little or no numbing sensation peculiar to Japanese pepper can be provided.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention can provide new possibilities for utilizing Japanese pepper seeds, which have traditionally been discarded in large quantities. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In the present invention, "Japanese pepper" refers to a plant of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, plants belonging to the following genus: Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC), Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.forma inerme Makino, Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.forma brevispinosum Makino, Zanthoxylum schinifolium, Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim, also known as Zanthoxylum bungeanum (also known as Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim), Zanthoxylum beecheyanum, Zanthoxylum teriha sansho (Zanthoxylum nitidum), Zanthoxylum armatum var. subtrifoliatum, Zanthoxylum mailanthoides, and the like, and the variety is not particularly limited. Preferably, Japanese pepper in the present invention is Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC).

[0012] In the present invention, "Japanese pepper seeds" refers to the portion of the fruit of Japanese pepper excluding the pericarp (sometimes referred to as "shell") (i.e., the "seed"). Japanese pepper fruits may be immature ones generally harvested before summer (the pericarp is green and the seeds are soft; sometimes referred to as "immature Japanese pepper," "Japanese pepper fruit," or "green Japanese pepper"), or ripe ones generally harvested after summer (the pericarp is reddish and the seeds are black and hard; sometimes referred to as "fully ripe Japanese pepper," "broken Japanese pepper," etc.), but ripe ones are preferred. Generally, immature Japanese pepper fruits, including the pericarp and seeds, are used as food ingredients. However, the hard seeds of ripe Japanese pepper are difficult to use as food ingredients and are almost entirely discarded. In the present invention, these hard seeds can be utilized, reducing waste and environmental impact, making them preferable.

[0013] In the present invention, Japanese pepper seeds may be fresh or in the form of a dried product. A "dried product" can be obtained by subjecting Japanese pepper fruit or Japanese pepper seeds to a conventionally known drying process to reduce the moisture content. When Japanese pepper fruit is subjected to a drying process, the Japanese pepper seeds are then separated. Conventionally known drying processes include, but are not limited to, freeze-drying, reduced-pressure drying, vacuum freeze-drying, heat drying, air drying, and sun drying. The moisture content of Japanese pepper seeds after drying is not particularly limited, but can be 15% by mass or less, 10% by mass or less, 5% by mass or less, or less than this amount, based on the total amount of Japanese pepper seeds.

[0014] In the present invention, Japanese pepper seeds can be used in their original form, cut to an appropriate size or shape, or crushed, pulverized, or ground form (for example, crushed, paste, powder, granules, etc.). The step of cutting, crushing, pulverizing, or grinding the Japanese pepper seeds can be combined with the drying treatment, and can be carried out before or after the drying treatment, or simultaneously with the treatment. In this case, a dried product in a cut, crushed, pulverized, or ground form can be obtained.

[0015] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can extract refreshing aroma components from the Japanese pepper seed. However, it is preferably prepared using a solvent extraction method using oils and fats, water, or a mixture of oils and fats and water as the solvent. That is, the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention is an oil and fat extract, a water extract, or a mixture extract of oils and fats and water from Japanese pepper seed. By using a solvent extraction method using oils and fats, water, or a mixture of oils and fats and water as the solvent, the aroma components can be efficiently extracted while preventing the refreshing aroma of Japanese pepper seed from being reduced or lost, which is preferable.

[0016] In the present invention, the term "oils and fats" refers to oils and fats commonly used in the production of cosmetics and foods and beverages, and both polar and non-polar oils and fats can be used. Examples of such oils and fats include vegetable-derived oils (e.g., canola oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, rice oil, rice bran oil, camellia oil, safflower oil, olive oil, linseed oil, perilla oil, perilla oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, tea oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, kukui nut oil, grapeseed oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, wheat germ oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, castor oil, hazelnut oil, macadamia nut oil, rosehip oil, etc.). Suitable examples of suitable oils and fats include vegetable oils and fats such as corn oil, grape oil, cacao oil, jojoba oil, palm kernel oil, high oleic soybean oil, high oleic canola oil, and high oleic sunflower oil, animal-derived oils and fats (e.g., beef tallow, lard, lanolin, squalene, squalane, and other animal oils and fats), synthetic oils and fats (e.g., medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), triethylhexanoin, isodecyl neopentanoate, and the like), and their extremely hardened oils and fats, interesterified oils and fats, etc. (but are not limited to these). The oils and fats used in the present invention are preferably those that are liquid at room temperature. In this specification, "room temperature" means 5 to 35°C, preferably 15 to 35°C. Any of the oils and fats may be used alone or in combination with different oils and fats, and appropriate oils and fats may be selected and used.

[0017] When a mixture of oil and water is used as the solvent, the mixing ratio thereof is not particularly limited, but can be appropriately selected, for example, in the mass ratio of oil to water, from a range of 10:90 to 90:10, for example, from a range of 20:80 to 50:50.

[0018] The extraction step is carried out by contacting Japanese pepper seeds with the solvent. The amounts of Japanese pepper seeds and the solvent to be contacted are not particularly limited as long as they are sufficient to extract the refreshing aroma components of Japanese pepper seeds. For example, the mass ratio of Japanese pepper seeds to solvent can be 1:0.4 or less, preferably 1:0.3 or less, and more preferably 1:0.2 or less. The lower limit of the amount of solvent is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 1:0.1 or more. If the amount of solvent is more than 0.4 or less than 0.1, the desired refreshing aroma components of Japanese pepper seeds may not be sufficiently extracted. The contact time between Japanese pepper seeds and the solvent is not particularly limited, as long as it is sufficient to extract the refreshing aroma components of Japanese pepper seeds. For example, it can be 15 minutes to 2 hours, preferably 30 minutes to 1 hour. The contact time between Japanese pepper seeds and the solvent is preferably carried out at room temperature. If the temperature during contact between the Japanese pepper seeds and the solvent is too high, the refreshing aroma of the Japanese pepper seeds may disappear or be weakened.

[0019] The extraction step may further include a step of pressing the mixture of the Japanese pepper seeds and the solvent, if necessary. By pressing the mixture of the Japanese pepper seeds and the solvent, the refreshing aroma components of the Japanese pepper seeds extracted into the solvent can be efficiently extracted from the Japanese pepper seeds together with the solvent.

[0020] The contacting step of the Japanese pepper seeds with the solvent and the pressing step of the mixture of the Japanese pepper seeds and the solvent can be carried out simultaneously and / or separately. When the contacting step and the pressing step are carried out separately, the pressing step is carried out after the contacting step.

[0021] The extraction process may further include, as necessary, a refining process commonly used in the production of vegetable oils and fats, animal oils and fats, and essential oils. Such refining processes include, but are not limited to, filtration (removal of solid components), degumming (removal of gums mainly composed of phospholipids), deacidification (removal of free fatty acids), bleaching (removal of pigments), centrifugation (separation of oil phase or aqueous phase), dehydration (drying), etc., and one or more means selected from these may be used.

[0022] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention obtained through the above extraction process is characterized by having little or no numbing sensation, which is unique to Japanese pepper, when ingested. The numbing sensation, which is unique to Japanese pepper, is due to the pungent component called sanshool. As will be described in detail in the Examples below, the amount of sanshool contained in Japanese pepper seeds is significantly less than the amount of sanshool contained in Japanese pepper peel. Therefore, the amount of sanshool contained in the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention is also low, and is characterized by its amount being lower than the sanshool content in a similarly extracted Japanese pepper peel extract. The amount of sanshool contained in the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention is less than 1 / 20, 1 / 25, 1 / 30, 1 / 35, 1 / 40, 1 / 45, 1 / 50, or even less (in terms of dry weight) than the sanshool content in a similarly extracted Japanese pepper peel extract. For example, the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention contains sanshool in a dry weight concentration of 7.0mg / g or less, 6.0mg / g or less, 5.0mg / g or less, 4.0mg / g or less, 3.0mg / g or less, 2.0mg / g or less, or less than these. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but it is contained in an amount of, for example, 0.05mg / g or more, or 0.1mg / g or more. In the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention, by containing sanshool in the above amount, the numbing sensation unique to Japanese pepper felt when ingested is reduced or not felt, and the refreshing aroma of Japanese pepper seed can be suppressed or prevented from being masked by the numbing sensation, and the refreshing aroma of Japanese pepper seed can be clearly perceived.

[0023] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention is characterized by having a refreshing Japanese pepper aroma. The refreshing Japanese pepper aroma is due to the refreshing Japanese pepper seed aroma components contained in the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention. Typical examples of the "refreshing aroma components" include myrcene, limonene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalol, geraniol, and geranyl acetate. The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention contains one or more, preferably three or more, more preferably four or more, even more preferably five or more, even more preferably six or more, and particularly preferably all, of the refreshing aroma components selected from the group consisting of limonene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalol, geraniol, and geranyl acetate. The amount of each component is not particularly limited, as long as it is sufficient to perceive the refreshing aroma.

[0024] For example, the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention may contain the following amounts (dry weight concentrations) of the above-mentioned representative aroma components: (A) Limonene is contained in an amount of 1100 ppm or more, preferably 1300 ppm or more, and more preferably 1500 ppm or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is approximately 2200 ppm or less. (B) Myrcene is contained in an amount of 70 ppm or more, preferably 90 ppm or more, and more preferably 110 ppm or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is about 160 ppm or less. (C) Beta-phellandrene is contained in an amount of 250 ppm or more, preferably 300 ppm or more, and more preferably 350 ppm or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is approximately 550 ppm or less. (D) Citronellal is contained in an amount of 200 ppm or more, preferably 250 ppm or more, and more preferably 300 ppm or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is approximately 500 ppm or less. (E) Linalool is contained in an amount of 30 ppm or more, preferably 40 ppm or more, and more preferably 50 ppm or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is approximately 100 ppm or less. (F) Geraniol is contained in an amount of 400 ppm or more, preferably 500 ppm or more, and more preferably 600 ppm or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is approximately 800 ppm or less. (G) Geranyl acetate is contained in an amount of 1500 ppm or more, preferably 1800 ppm or more, and more preferably 2100 ppm or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is approximately 3000 ppm or less.

[0025] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can further contain, as needed, ingredients commonly used in the production of cosmetics, foods, beverages, and other intended uses, in amounts appropriate for the desired use, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of such ingredients include, but are not limited to, excipients, disintegrants, lubricants, binders, diluents, buffers, suspending agents, thickeners, emulsifiers, gelling agents, preservatives, antibacterial agents, antiseptics, antioxidants, UV absorbers, humectants, colorants, pigments, dyes, color formers, lubricants, plasticizers, solvents, solubilizers, isotonicity agents, flavorings, vitamins, surfactants, pH adjusters, chelating agents, flavors, salt, sugars, seasonings, sweeteners, taste-providing components, acidulants, and food ingredients.

[0026] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be in any form depending on the intended use in cosmetics, foods, beverages, etc. For example, the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be in the form of a liquid, semi-solid, paste, powder, fine granules, granules, solid, etc., containing the above-mentioned other components as needed.

[0027] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be provided in a form filled in a container such as a can, a jar, a pouch, a bottle, or a tube bottle.

[0028] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be filled into a container and / or subjected to heat sterilization treatment. Heat sterilization treatment may be carried out before or after filling into a container.

[0029] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention is characterized by having the refreshing fragrance of Japanese pepper, and can be used in an embodiment that exhibits the refreshing fragrance of Japanese pepper. For example, in one embodiment, the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be provided in the form of a cosmetic product. In the present invention, "cosmetics" means a product containing a fragrance or cosmetic that exhibits the refreshing fragrance of Japanese pepper, and the form is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include skin care products (facial cleansers, body soaps, body care products, soaps, bath additives, deodorants, lotions, emulsions, creams, lipsticks, lip balms, foundations, shaving agents, etc.), hair care products (shampoos, rinses, conditioners, hair treatments, hair tonics, hair oils, hair growth agents, hair care products, etc.), and the like. Examples of such products include: styling products, permanents, etc.), fragrance products (perfumes, body colognes, eau de parfum, etc.), laundry detergents, fabric softeners, clothing finishing agents, various cleaning agents (for textiles, leather, hard surfaces, homes, households, kitchens, toilets, baths, etc.), household products (air fresheners, deodorizers, waxes, aroma oils, paper products, fabric products, nonwoven fabric products, hygiene products, oral hygiene products (toothpaste, mouthwash, mouthwash, mouth fresheners, breath fresheners, etc.), etc.).

[0030] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be contained in a cosmetic product in any amount depending on the form of use in the intended application, and the amount can be appropriately determined depending on the expected level of the refreshing Japanese pepper aroma that the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention will produce. For example, the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be contained in a cosmetic product in an amount selected from the range of 0.01% by mass or more, and can be appropriately determined, for example, from 1 to 100% by mass, preferably 10 to 100% by mass, and more preferably 50 to 100% by mass.

[0031] In another embodiment, the extract of Japanese pepper seeds of the present invention can be provided in the form of a food or drink. In the present invention, the term "food or drink" refers to a food or drink that has a refreshing fragrance of Japanese pepper, but has little or no numbing sensation peculiar to Japanese pepper, and its form is not particularly limited, but for example, it can be a beverage (soft drink, lactic acid bacteria drink, milk drink, non-fruit juice drink, fruit juice drink, carbonated drink, alcoholic beverage, energy drink, powdered drink, etc.), confectionery (bread, Japanese confectionery, Western confectionery, baked confectionery, snack food, candy, chocolate, chewing gum, bean confectionery, ice cream, etc.), seafood, seafood processed food, etc. These include processed foods, livestock foods, processed livestock products (meat products, dairy products, ice cream, etc.), agricultural foods, processed agricultural foods (processed grain products, processed beans / nuts, processed vegetables, processed fruits, pickles, noodles, etc.), edible oils and fats, seasonings, miso, soy sauce, sauces (sauces, ketchup, mayonnaise, dressings, etc.), cooked foods, frozen foods, sealed packaged foods (retort pouch foods, canned foods, bottled foods, etc.), processed foods with food additives, dairy products, seasonings, furikake, etc. In addition to general foods and beverages, foods and beverages include health functional foods (foods for specified health uses (including conditional foods for specified health uses)), nutrient functional foods, foods with functional claims, and health foods and beverages (supplements, dietary supplements, health supplements, nutritionally adjusted foods, etc.).

[0032] The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be contained in foods and beverages in any amount depending on the form of use in the intended application, and the amount can be appropriately determined depending on the expected level of the refreshing Japanese pepper aroma that the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention will produce. For example, the Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can be contained in foods and beverages in an amount selected from a range of 0.01% by mass or more, and can be appropriately determined from a range of, for example, 0.05 to 20% by mass, preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 5% by mass.

[0033] The present invention will be described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Example]

[0034] I. Sensory evaluation of the peel and seeds of Japanese pepper and measurement of various components 1. Sensory evaluation of numbness A 20 mg sample of powdered Japanese pepper peel (commercially available product) (hereafter referred to as "Japanese pepper peel powder") and powdered Japanese pepper seeds (hereafter referred to as "Japanese pepper seed powder") were ingested, and a sensory evaluation of the numbness sensation was conducted according to the following criteria. The sensory evaluation was conducted by five well-trained expert panelists.

[0035] [Table 1]

[0036] 2. Measurement of concentration of numbing substances 3 g of powdered Japanese pepper peel and powdered Japanese pepper seeds were weighed into 50 mL glass centrifuge tubes, and 30 mL of extraction solvent (methanol) was added. The mixture was shaken and stirred at room temperature for 3 hours to obtain an extract. The resulting extract was centrifuged, and the supernatant was collected and filtered. This was used as the test solution, and subjected to HPLC under the following conditions to measure the concentration of the numbing component (sanshool).

[0037] HPLC conditions: Equipment used: Ultimate 3000 (Thermo Fisher Scientific) Column: SenshuPack (Senshu Scientific Co., Ltd.) Column size: 4.6 x 250 mm Particle size: 5μm Mobile phase: water / methanol (see Table 2) Flow rate: 0.6mL / min Temperature: 35℃ Injection volume: 5μL Detector: Charged particle detector Corona Veo (Thermo Fisher Scientific)

[0038] [Table 2]

[0039] 3. Sensory evaluation of refreshing aroma The powdered Japanese pepper peel and the powdered Japanese pepper seeds were each smelled and subjected to a sensory evaluation of the refreshing aroma according to the following criteria. The sensory evaluation was carried out by five well-trained expert panelists.

[0040] [Table 3]

[0041] 4. Measurement of the concentration of refreshing aroma components 20 mg each of Japanese pepper peel powder and Japanese pepper seed powder was weighed into a 20 mL GCMS vial along with sea sand C (480 mg), and 1 μL of an internal standard solution containing an internal standard dissolved at a concentration of 500 ppm was added. The vial was gently stirred to allow for mixing, and then capped. This sample was subjected to GCMS under the following conditions to measure the concentrations of refreshing aroma components (myrcene, limonene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalol, geraniol, and geranyl acetate).

[0042] GCMS conditions: For GC-MS, Agilent Technologies GC (7890) and MSD (5975C) were used. Oven Temperature: 40°C (0 min) - 10°C / min - 110°C (0 min) - 2°C / min - 166°C (0 min) - 15°C / min - 226°C (0 min) - 4°C / min - 230°C (8 min) - 40°C / min - 250°C (4.5 min) Column: DB-WAX (60 m x 0.25 mm I.D. x 0.25 μm F.T.) (Agilent Technologies) Column flow rate: 1.0 mL / min (helium)

[0043] Inlet conditions Injection: SPME (split mode, split ratio 50:1) SPME fiber: 50 / 30 μm DVB / CAR / PDMS (2 cm) (Supelco) -Temperature: 250℃ - Pressure: 110.9kPa -Purge flow: 3mL / min

[0044] MS conditions -Transfer line temperature 250℃ -Ion source temperature 230℃ -MSQ pole temperature 150℃ -Mode: SCAN -Ionization voltage: EI 70eV

[0045] 5.Results The sensory evaluation of the numbness sensation and the measurement results of the sanshool concentration for the powder of Japanese pepper peel and the powder of Japanese pepper seeds are shown in Table 4 below.

[0046] The commonly used powder of Japanese pepper peel has a sanshool concentration about 50 times higher than that of Japanese pepper seed powder, and therefore causes a strong numbing sensation when eaten.

[0047] On the other hand, the powdered Japanese pepper seeds had a low concentration of sanshool, so there was almost no numbness when eaten. The results of the numbness sensation (sensory evaluation) are the average values ​​of five panelists.

[0048] [Table 4]

[0049] The sensory evaluation of the refreshing aroma of the Japanese pepper peel powder and the Japanese pepper seed powder, and the measurement results of the concentration of the refreshing aroma components, are shown in Table 5. The results of the refreshing aroma (sensory evaluation) are the average values ​​of five panelists.

[0050] Compared to the commonly used powder of Japanese pepper peel, the concentrations of the refreshing aroma components (myrcene, limonene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalool, geraniol, and geranyl acetate) contained in the powder of Japanese pepper seeds were all lower, but the refreshing aroma felt when smelling the two did not differ significantly compared to the difference in concentration.

[0051] In particular, when the powdered Japanese pepper peel and the powdered Japanese pepper seed were eaten, as described above, the powdered Japanese pepper seed caused almost no numbing sensation, and as a result, the refreshing aroma could be perceived more clearly than when the powdered Japanese pepper peel was eaten.

[0052] [Table 5] II. Oil extract from Japanese pepper seeds 1. Preparation method of oil and fat extract

[0053] The samples used were Japanese pepper peel and Japanese pepper seeds. The Japanese pepper peel and Japanese pepper seeds were each crushed using a mill (IFM-800 (Iwatani Corporation)).

[0054] 20 g each of crushed Japanese pepper peel and crushed Japanese pepper seeds and 4 g of rice bran oil were mixed with a spatula at room temperature for 5 minutes, and then allowed to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

[0055] Next, oil was extracted from each mixture using an oil extractor (SHiBORO-PRO65 oil extractor, manufactured by Ishino Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) to obtain oil (rice bran oil) extracts of crushed Japanese pepper peel, crushed Japanese pepper seeds, and powdered Japanese pepper peel. Each of the oil extracts obtained was used in the following sensory evaluation. For reference, commercially available Japanese pepper flavor oil (product name: Japanese pepper flavor oil, sold by Tsuno Foods Co., Ltd.) prepared from Japanese pepper peel was also used in the following sensory evaluation. 2. Sensory evaluation of oil and fat extracts

[0056] Each oil and fat extract obtained above and a commercially available Japanese pepper flavored oil were subjected to sensory evaluation for refreshing aroma and numbing sensation. For refreshing aroma, each sample was smelled and sensory evaluation was performed according to the evaluation criteria listed in Table 3 above. For numbing sensation, 0.2 g (one dropper drop) of each sample was eaten and sensory evaluation was performed according to the evaluation criteria listed in Table 1 above. All sensory evaluations were performed by five well-trained expert panelists. 3.Results

[0057] The results of the sensory evaluation of the numbing sensation and the refreshing aroma for each sample are shown in Table 6. Each result of the sensory evaluation is the average value of five panelists.

[0058] The oil extract prepared from crushed Japanese pepper peel (shown as "oil extract from Japanese pepper peel" in the table) gave a strong numbing sensation and a refreshing fragrance.

[0059] The oil extract prepared from crushed Japanese pepper seeds (listed as "Japanese pepper seed oil extract" in the table) also had a strong refreshing aroma. In particular, the Japanese pepper seed oil extract caused almost no numbing sensation when eaten, and therefore the refreshing aroma could be perceived more clearly, and the refreshing aroma was strongly felt.

[0060] The commercially available "Japanese pepper flavor oil" (listed as "commercial oil extract" in the table) prepared from Japanese pepper peel gave off both a numbing sensation and a refreshing aroma, but neither was felt strongly. This is presumably because the amount of Japanese pepper peel relative to the oil used to produce the flavor oil was small.

[0061] [Table 6]

[0062] From the above results, it can be seen that the extract prepared from Japanese pepper seeds has a weaker numbing sensation than the extract prepared from the commonly used Japanese pepper peel, while the refreshing aroma can be more clearly perceived. The Japanese pepper seed extract of the present invention can impart the refreshing aroma of Japanese pepper and is expected to make a great contribution to the fields of cosmetics and food and beverages.

Claims

1. Extract of Japanese pepper seeds.

2. The extract according to claim 1 , which is an oil and / or water extract.

3. The extract according to claim 2, wherein the oil is a vegetable oil.

4. 2. The extract according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of sanshool is lower than that in the extract of Japanese pepper peel.

5. 2. The extract of claim 1, comprising one or more aroma components selected from limonene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalol, geraniol, and geranyl acetate.

6. 2. The extract according to claim 1, which has the refreshing fragrance of Japanese pepper, but has little or no numbing sensation peculiar to Japanese pepper.

7. A cosmetic product comprising the extract according to claim 1 or 2.

8. A food or drink comprising the extract according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A method for producing Japanese pepper seed extract, comprising contacting Japanese pepper seeds with oil and / or water.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the Japanese pepper seeds are in the form of a crushed product.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the oil is a vegetable oil.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of pressing the Japanese pepper seeds after contacting them with oil and / or water.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the Japanese pepper seeds are contacted with fats and / or oils and / or water in a mass ratio of 1:0.4 or less (Japanese pepper seeds: fats and / or oils and / or water).

14. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the content of sanshool in the extract of Japanese pepper seeds is lower than that in the extract of Japanese pepper peel.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the Japanese pepper seed extract contains one or more aroma components selected from limonene, myrcene, beta-phellandrene, citronellal, linalool, geraniol, and geranyl acetate.

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