Brown sugar with improved flavor

Abstract

To provide muscovado improved in muscovado flavor.SOLUTION: The muscovado containing acetylfuran, 5-methylfurfural, furfuryl acetate and furfuryl alcohol and having ≥ 0.45 and ≤ 0.85 absorbance of 1% muscovado aqueous solution to visible ray of wave length 430nm is found to have more improved taste than conventional muscovado.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to brown sugar having an improved brown sugar flavor. [Background technology]

[0002] Brown sugar is made by boiling down the juice of pressed sugarcane, and is a type of molasses-containing sugar. Brown sugar made solely from brown sugar is called "brown sugar" or "brown sugar," while processed brown sugar is made by adding other ingredients to enhance its suitability for processing. Brown sugar has long been used as an ingredient in Japanese cuisine and sweets, but because it contains vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and has a unique flavor, its physiological functions and masking effects have been discovered, and its use in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and health foods has been reported.

[0003] In the pharmaceutical field, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose the use of brown sugar to mask the bitterness of liquid antitussives and expectorants. In the food field, Patent Documents 3 to 7 disclose the use of brown sugar to address unpleasant flavors, such as masking the bitterness, fishy odor, and metallic taste derived from hemoglobin (Patent Document 3), improving the flavor of processed brown rice foods (Patent Document 4), improving the flavor of soy-containing breakfast cereals (Patent Document 5), masking green beverages (Patent Document 6), and masking the grassy odor of vegetables (Patent Document 7).

[0004] The mechanism behind brown sugar's masking effect has not been clarified, but it is thought to be due to its flavor, which is not found in refined sugar. When the odor to be masked is strong, methods such as adding more brown sugar are used, but because this also imparts sweetness, there is an upper limit to the amount that can be added. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2000-273050 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2000-273051 [Patent Document 3] Tokuho 07-102109 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 10-248508 [Patent Document 5] Patent Publication No. 2002-045133 [Patent Document 6] Patent Publication No. 2014-054202 [Patent Document 7] Patent Publication No. 2016-007168 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention provides brown sugar having an improved brown sugar flavor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research into solving the above problems, the inventors have discovered that brown sugar containing acetylfuran, 5-methylfurfural, furfuryl acetate, and furfuryl alcohol, and having an absorbance of 0.45 to 0.85, more preferably 0.50 to 0.80, and even more preferably 0.50 to 0.75, of a 1% aqueous solution of brown sugar for visible light at a wavelength of 430 nm, has an improved flavor compared to conventional brown sugar.

[0008] That is, the present invention provides: (1) Brown sugar containing acetylfuran, furfuryl acetate, and 5-methylfurfural; (2) The brown sugar according to (1), wherein the peak area ratios relative to the internal standard solution, when 100 microliters of a 0.1% hexanal solution is used, are 9 or more and 30 or less for acetylfuran, 30 or more and 50 or less for furfuryl acetate, and 15 or more and 45 or less for 5-methylfurfural. (3) The brown sugar according to (1) or (2), wherein the absorbance of a 1% aqueous solution of the brown sugar is 0.45 or more and 0.85 or less, more preferably 0.50 or more and 0.80 or less, and even more preferably 0.50 or more and 0.75 or less, for visible light having a wavelength of 430 nm. This provides: [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, brown sugar containing acetylfuran, furfuryl acetate, and 5-methylfurfural, and having an absorbance of 0.45 or more and 0.85 or less for visible light at a wavelength of 430 nm in a 1% aqueous solution, can enhance the brown sugar flavor when added to foods, beverages, etc., compared to conventional brown sugar. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] The results of the sensory evaluation of "brown sugar aroma" are shown below. [Figure 2] The results of the sensory evaluation for "caramel-like aroma" are shown below. [Figure 3] The results of the sensory evaluation regarding "coffee-like aroma" are shown. [Figure 4] The results of the sensory evaluation for "nutty aroma" are shown below. [Figure 5] The results of the analysis of brown sugar aroma components are shown below. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Brown sugar in this invention is a dense sugar made by boiling down the juice of sugarcane, and includes brown sugar produced without separating it into raw sugar and molasses, processed brown sugar made by adjusting brown sugar, raw sugar, and molasses to the desired quality, brown sugar made by combining raw sugar and molasses, and cane sugar made only from raw sugar. The brown sugar in this invention is synonymous with brown sugar, and does not depend on the place of production.

[0012] The brown sugar of the present invention is obtained by subjecting the raw brown sugar to a drying process. The drying method may be any known method, such as hot air drying, fluidized bed drying, vacuum low-temperature drying, drum drying, spray drying, low-temperature drying, vacuum freeze drying, or pressure drying. However, hot air drying, fluidized bed drying, vacuum low-temperature drying, or drum drying is preferred in terms of efficiently incorporating aroma components such as acetylfuran, furfuryl acetate, and 5-methylfurfural into the brown sugar. Drying conditions such as temperature and time are not particularly limited and may be adjusted as appropriate due to lot differences in the moisture content of the raw brown sugar. However, since the color of the brown sugar changes during the drying process, color measurement using absorbance as an indicator can be performed to determine optimal conditions. The color tone of the brown sugar in the present invention can be measured by the absorbance of a 1% aqueous solution of the brown sugar to visible light at 430 nm, and is adjusted to 0.45 or more and 0.85 or less, more preferably 0.50 or more and 0.80 or less, and even more preferably 0.50 or more and 0.75 or less. In the examples of the present invention, brown sugar powder A and brown sugar powder B are prototypes obtained by varying the drying time in the vacuum low-temperature drying method, and brown sugar powder B was obtained by setting the drying time twice as long as brown sugar powder A.

[0013] In the present invention, the moisture content of brown sugar can be measured by a normal pressure heating and drying method.

[0014] In the present invention, the absorbance of brown sugar can be measured by colorimetric analysis or absorptiometry using a 1% aqueous solution of brown sugar at 430 nm visible light.

[0015] The brown sugar of the present invention can be added to foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals, including health functional foods. The product of the present invention can be dissolved in water or oil and added to foods, beverages, and the like, or it can be added directly to foods, beverages, and the like and dispersed therein. There are no particular restrictions on the amount added, and it can be an amount selected by those skilled in the art.

[0016] The brown sugar of the present invention has an improved brown sugar-like flavor compared to conventional brown sugar, and for example, it can be added in a smaller amount than conventional products to impart the same brown sugar flavor. Therefore, it can impart a brown sugar flavor without upsetting the balance of flavor, and it can be used in foods and beverages where sugar intake is restricted, for example, by reducing the amount of added sugar while still imparting the brown sugar flavor. The brown sugar flavor in this invention is a flavor composed of a "caramel-like aroma" and a "coffee-like aroma", [Example]

[0017] The present invention will be specifically described below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0018] The following brown sugars were subjected to sensory evaluation and aroma component analysis. Experimental area 1: Brown sugar powder A (vacuum low-temperature drying method; drying temperature 130°C, drying time 2 hours) Experimental area 2: Brown sugar powder B (vacuum low-temperature drying method; drying temperature 130°C, drying time 4 hours) Comparison group 1: Brown sugar raw material (before vacuum low-temperature drying) Comparison area 2: Sudaki sugar (manufactured by Daito Sugar Co., Ltd.) Comparison group 3: Brown sugar (manufactured by Daito Sugar Co., Ltd.) Comparison group 4: Okinawa brown sugar (manufactured by Daito Sugar Co., Ltd.) Comparison area 1 is brown sugar, which is the raw material for implementation areas 1 and 2. By subjecting comparison area 1 to the vacuum low-temperature drying method, samples of implementation areas 1 and 2 can be obtained. The drying times for implementation areas 1 and 2 are different, with implementation area 2 taking twice as long.

[0019] (sensory evaluation test) A sensory evaluation of brown sugar paste was conducted for the brown sugars from experimental area 1, experimental area 2, and comparison area 1. The recipe for brown sugar paste is shown in Table 1. The sensory evaluation items were prepared by first describing the characteristic aroma of brown sugar, and then adding terms that were likely to constitute the brown sugar flavor to the sensory evaluation items. The "brown sugar aroma" was evaluated based on whether the aroma of brown sugar bean paste could be detected more clearly than that of regular bean paste, with the score closer to 7 indicating a stronger "brown sugar aroma" and closer to 1 indicating a weaker aroma. "Nutty aroma" was evaluated based on the fragrant aroma of almonds or peanuts, with the closer the score to 7, the stronger the "nutty aroma" and the closer to 1, the weaker it was. "Caramel-like aroma" was evaluated based on a sweet aroma similar to caramel sauce, with the closer the score to 7, the stronger the "caramel-like aroma" and the closer the score to 1, the weaker the aroma. The "coffee-like aroma" was evaluated based on the roasted aroma of coffee, with the closer the score to 7, the stronger the "coffee-like aroma" and the closer the score to 1, the weaker the aroma. The bean paste without added brown sugar was used as a control, and the sensory evaluation score for this was set at 4 points, and the other samples were evaluated. For the significance test, even though the evaluation was by an 11-member expert panel, the n number was small and the scale of the difference of 1 indicated by the sensory evaluation score varied among the expert panels, so that it was possible to determine whether the null hypothesis could be rejected. The population was treated as non-parametric, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used for analysis of variance, and the Steele-Was test was used for multiple comparison testing. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

[0020] [Table 1]

[0021] The results of the sensory evaluation test are shown in FIGS. As shown in Figure 1, there was no significant difference in the "brown sugar aroma" compared to the control in comparison area 1, but significant differences were observed in areas 1 and 2. In addition, the "brown sugar aroma" was stronger in area 2 than in area 1, suggesting that the longer the drying time in the drying process, the stronger the "brown sugar aroma" becomes. As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, there was no significant difference in the "caramel-like aroma" and "coffee-like aroma" in comparison area 1 compared to the control, but significant differences were observed in areas 1 and 2. These aromas were correlated with the "brown sugar aroma," suggesting that they became stronger the longer the drying time in the drying process. As can be seen from Figure 4, there was no significant difference in the "nutty aroma" compared to the control in any of the test plots, and it was thought that this did not contribute significantly to the "brown sugar aroma." The above results show that the "brown sugar aroma" was strengthened in Experimental Area 1 and Experimental Area 2, which were comparison Area 1 subjected to a drying process. Furthermore, as evaluation items that make up the aroma of brown sugar, "caramel-like aroma" and "coffee-like aroma" showed similar evaluation results to "brown sugar aroma," indicating that these aromas are components of the aroma of brown sugar, while "nutty aroma" does not contribute significantly. Furthermore, it was shown that the "caramel-like aroma," "coffee-like aroma," and "brown sugar aroma" became stronger as the drying time was increased.

[0022] (Color Tone Evaluation) The absorbance of brown sugar from test area 1, test area 2, and comparison area 1 was examined. A 1% aqueous solution of brown sugar was prepared for each test group, and the absorbance (Abs.) at a wavelength of 340 nm was measured using a colorimeter or absorptiometer.

[0023] The absorbance measurement results are shown in Table 2. It was shown that the longer the drying time in the drying process, the higher the absorbance.

[0024] [Table 2]

[0025] (Aroma component analysis) Aroma components were analyzed by gas chromatography for test area 1, test area 2, comparison area 1, comparison area 2, and comparison area 3 shown in Table 3. Volatile components were collected by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and identified using GC / MS. 2 g of sample, 3 g of water, and 20 μl of 0.01% cyclohexanol aqueous solution as an internal standard were placed in a 20 ml GC vial with a screw cap, and the vial was sealed with a PTFE-coated silicone septum. Volatile components were collected using a solid-phase extraction microfiber (SPME fiber) (DVB / Carboxen / PDMS, SUPELCO). After sealing, the vial was pre-warmed at 50°C for 10 minutes, and the volatile components were collected in the headspace of the vial using the SPME fiber for 30 minutes. After collection, the volatile components were desorbed for 3 minutes in an insert maintained at 250°C. GC was performed using a 7890 (Agilent Technologies). The MS was a 5975C (Agilent Technologies) and the column was a TC-WAX (60 m long, 0.25 mm thick, 0.25 μm thick, GL Sciences). The sample was injected splitless, with the inlet temperature at 230°C. The oven temperature was maintained at 40°C for 5 min, then increased at 2°C / min to 100°C, then increased at 4°C / min to 240°C, and then maintained at 240°C for 10 min. Helium was used as the carrier gas, and ionization was performed using the EI method. The MS measurement conditions were scan mode, 230°C ion source temperature, and 70 eV ionization voltage. The detected components were determined by comparing each GC / MS spectrum with the NIST base and by matching the mass spectrum and retention time with those of standard substances. The relative quantitative values ​​of each component were calculated from the area ratio of cyclohexanol, the internal standard. Measurements were performed once.

[0026] [Table 3]

[0027] The detected compounds were classified into alcohols, esters, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, furans, nitrogen-containing compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds, and their peak area ratios relative to the internal standard (cyclohexanol) were compared. Compared to comparison groups 1-4, test groups 1 and 2 contained significantly higher amounts of furans (Figure 4). The aroma compounds detected as furans are listed in Table 4. Acetylfuran, furfuryl acetate, and 5-methylfurfural were detected only in test groups 1 and 2, or at significantly higher concentrations than in the comparison group. Acetylfuran is known as an aroma component in coffee and potato chips, and its peak area was 9-30 times that of the internal standard. Furfuryl acetate is known to impart a floral aroma to coffee, and its peak area was 30-50 times greater. Furthermore, 5-methylfurfural is known to impart a caramel-like aroma, and its peak area was 15-45 times greater. These aroma compound profiles were consistent with the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0028] [Table 4]

[0029] The results of sensory evaluation, color evaluation, and aroma component analysis suggested that the brown sugar of the present invention has a stronger brown sugar flavor than conventional brown sugar, particularly due to enhanced caramel-like and coffee-like aromas. Brown sugar with an enhanced brown sugar flavor can be obtained by adjusting the drying time during the manufacturing process of the raw brown sugar so that a 1% aqueous brown sugar solution exhibits an absorbance (measured as color) of 0.5 or higher. It was also shown that brown sugar exhibiting such a color contains aroma components such as acetylfuran, furfuryl acetate, and 5-methylfurfural that were not detected in conventional brown sugar. [Industrial Applicability]

[0030] The brown sugar of the present invention has a stronger brown sugar flavor than conventional brown sugar, and is therefore expected to impart a brown sugar flavor and exhibit a masking effect while suppressing the sugar content by adding a small amount.

Claims

1. Brown sugar containing acetylfuran, furfuryl acetate and 5-methylfurfural.

2. 20 microliters of 0.01% cyclohexanol is used as an internal standard solution, and the peak area ratio relative to the internal standard solution is 9 to 30 for acetylfuran, 30 to 50 for furfuryl acetate, and 15 to 45 for 5-methylfurfural. Brown sugar according to claim 1.

3. The brown sugar according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the absorbance of a 1% aqueous solution of the brown sugar is 0.45 or more and 0.85 or less, more preferably 0.50 or more and 0.80 or less, and even more preferably 0.50 or more and 0.75 or less, for visible light having a wavelength of 430 nm.

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