Textured vegetable protein material and process for producing the same

Abstract

To provide a textured vegetable protein material having meat-like deliciousness and juicy feeling and free from grain smell peculiar to the vegetable protein material.SOLUTION: The textured vegetable protein material having juicy feeling while masking grain smell peculiar to vegetable protein and having meat-like deliciousness is produced by using a microorganism-fermented product having yeast smell developed by fermentation and containing δ - lactones and / or γ - lactones.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a textured vegetable protein material and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Textured protein materials, obtained by expanding the texture of a mixture of plant-derived protein materials such as soybeans and wheat in an extruder as the main raw material, have traditionally been produced to a quality that approximates the elasticity of livestock meat and are widely used as raw materials for the production of processed foods that use livestock meat, such as hamburgers, meatballs, gyoza, meat buns, shumai, minced meat cutlets, croquettes, and minced meat. The textured protein materials themselves are also increasingly being cooked directly and used as meat substitutes, such as fried chicken and roasted pork. In recent years, soybean puffs, which have a light texture, have also been increasingly used in cereal bars and granola. In recent years, patent applications have been filed for the creation of textured protein materials that combine protein raw materials with secondary ingredients. For example, there is a technology that adds oat fiber as a secondary ingredient to produce a textured soy protein material with a meat-like texture that has a more moderate hardness and a meat-like flaking texture (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Textured vegetable protein materials are typically produced by introducing powdered raw materials such as protein ingredients and raw materials containing water into an extruder, kneading and heating under pressure, and then extruding the raw materials under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to texture them, followed by drying. Most textured vegetable protein materials are in granular form, which can be broadly divided into two types: granular form, which is used as is after being extruded from a die, and finely divided form, which is processed using a grinder after being extruded from a die. The former is used to give the final product a chewy texture, while the latter is mainly used to give it a soft and juicy texture.

[0004] Furthermore, after kneading in an extruder, a jacket-cooling die called a cooling die is used to process the tissue into a membrane or fiber, and many new types of textured protein foods with a texture similar to that of meat or scallops have been developed and are now on the market. This manufacturing method has the advantage of being able to produce denser and longer fibers than the above-mentioned expanded textured products.

[0005] As the recent trend of replacing animal foods with plant-based ingredients becomes stronger, customers are increasingly demanding that textured plant protein materials have a more meat-like, elastic texture as well as superior quality in terms of flavor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5794373 [Patent Document 2] WO2015-153666 publication [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 3479342 [Non-patent literature]

[0007] [Non-Patent Document 1] Watanabe et al., 57th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology 2011 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Particularly difficult is recreating the umami and juiciness that you feel in the aftertaste when chewing meat. In recent years, there have been products that use flavorings such as beef tallow and lard, but these do not adequately mask the grain smell that is always present in plant-based meat substitutes, resulting in the coexistence of the grain smell and sweet aroma, making it impossible to reproduce the umami and juiciness of meat.

[0009] Furthermore, with the trend towards additive-free foods emerging, there was a demand for technology that could reproduce the umami and juicy aftertaste felt when chewing meat using only food ingredients. It is known that lactones are responsible for the umami and juiciness felt in the aftertaste of meat, such as beef tallow and lard. Of these lactones, delta-lactone has been identified as the main substance responsible for the umami and juiciness felt in the aftertaste of meat (Non-Patent Document 1). Lactones are often found in animal-derived ingredients, such as beef tallow, lard, and milk, and special processes are required to obtain lactones that are free of animal ingredients and additives.

[0010] In Patent Document 2, lactone is added to reproduce the umami, sweetness, juiciness, and gamey smell felt in the aftertaste when chewing meat. However, for example, "5-ethyl-4-hydroxy-2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone is added at a final concentration of 2.5*10 -5 % butyrolactone to a final concentration of 2.5*10 -8 % to a final concentration of 5*10 -9 Generally, isolated substances are used as additives, such as "lactones added up to 100%." ​​However, because lactones primarily contribute to the aftertaste, even if isolated substances like flavorings are used in textured plant protein materials, the grainy smell that is characteristic of plant protein materials remains. This makes it difficult to sense the umami and juiciness that are felt in the aftertaste when chewing meat.

[0011] Methods for producing food ingredients rich in γ-lactone have been reported. Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing a liquid composition in which lipid-containing organic matter is hydrolyzed or lipase-treated, and the resulting free fatty acids (free acids) are treated with lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus and microorganisms belonging to the genus Saccharomyces to obtain a solution containing γ-dodecalactone and γ-decalactone. Because the raw materials obtained by this method are food ingredients, they can be used as food ingredients without additives. While the lactones obtained by these methods have off-flavors removed from γ-lactone by distillation or extraction with ethanol, γ-lactone has a fruity or peach aroma, and sufficient verification has not been conducted to reproduce the umami and juicy aftertaste felt when chewing meat. Furthermore, for the same reasons as those described in paragraph 0010, there is also the problem of the lingering grain odor characteristic of plant protein ingredients.

[0012] As mentioned above, although methods for producing food ingredients rich in γ-lactones have been reported, it is difficult to use γ-lactones to create the meat-like aroma that is felt when using δ-lactones. Furthermore, when isolated substances such as flavorings are used, the grain flavor characteristic of plant protein ingredients remains. This makes it difficult to feel the umami and juicy aftertaste that is felt when chewing meat.

[0013] Given these challenges, there has been a demand for a textured vegetable protein material that uses lactone to have a natural meat-like flavor and juiciness, without the grain smell that is typical of vegetable protein materials.

[0014] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a textured vegetable protein material that has a meat-like flavor and juicy texture and does not have the grain smell that is characteristic of vegetable protein materials. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] As a result of extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have discovered that by using a microbial fermentation product that has a yeasty odor produced by fermentation and contains δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, it is possible to produce a textured vegetable protein material that has a meat-like flavor and a juicy feel by masking the grain odor characteristic of vegetable proteins, and thus has completed the present invention.

[0016] That is, the present invention provides: (1) A textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, which contains a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, and the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 1 ppb or more by weight; (2) The textured vegetable protein material according to (1), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight. (3) The textured vegetable protein material according to (1), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight. (4) The textured vegetable protein material according to any one of (1) to (3), which is a microbial fermentation product using lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast. (5) A meat substitute material containing the textured vegetable protein material according to any one of (1) to (4). (6) A method for producing a textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, the method comprising introducing a protein raw material and a raw material containing a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones into an extruder, kneading and heating under pressure, and extruding the raw material under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to texture it, the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones being 1 ppb or more by weight; (7) The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to (6), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight. (8) The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to (6), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight. (9) A method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to any one of (6) to (8), which is a microbial fermentation product using lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast. In other words, the present invention is (10) A textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, which contains a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, and the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 1 ppb or more by weight. (11) The textured vegetable protein material according to (10), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight. (12) The textured vegetable protein material according to (10), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight. (13) The textured vegetable protein material according to (10), which is a product of microbial fermentation by lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast. (14) The textured vegetable protein material according to (11), which is a product of microbial fermentation with lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast. (15) The textured vegetable protein material according to (12), which is a microbial fermentation product using lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast. (16) A meat substitute material containing the textured vegetable protein material according to (10). (17) A meat substitute material containing the textured vegetable protein material according to (12). (18) A meat substitute material containing the textured vegetable protein material according to (13). (19) A meat substitute material containing the textured vegetable protein material according to (15). (20) A method for producing a textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, the method comprising introducing a protein raw material and a raw material containing a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones into an extruder, kneading and heating under pressure, and extruding the raw material under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to texture it; (21) The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to (20), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight. (22) The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to (20), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight. (23) The method for producing the textured vegetable protein material according to (20), which is a microbial fermentation product using lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast. (24) The method for producing the textured vegetable protein material according to (22), which is a microbial fermentation product using lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast. is. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a textured vegetable protein material that has a meat-like flavor and a juicy feel by masking the grain smell specific to vegetable protein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0019] (Textured vegetable protein material) The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention is characterized by being a textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, including a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, and having a δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones content of 1 ppb or more by weight. The content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones in the textured plant protein material is preferably 5 ppb or more, more preferably 10 ppb or more, more preferably 40 ppb or more, more preferably 80 ppb or more, and can also be selected from 10 to 3000 ppb, 40 to 3000 ppb, 80 to 3000 ppb, 10 to 2500 ppb, 40 to 2500 ppb, and 80 to 2500 ppb. If the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones in the textured plant protein material is less than 1 ppb, the meat-like flavor and juicy texture cannot be perceived. The lactones in the textured vegetable protein material preferably include δ-lactones and γ-lactones. The protein content in the textured vegetable protein material is preferably 20 to 93% by weight, more preferably 20 to 91% by weight, and can also be 22 to 90% by weight.

[0020] (protein) The protein used in the present invention may be of any origin, and examples thereof include proteins derived from oilseeds such as soybean, pea, mung bean, chickpea, faba bean, rapeseed, cottonseed, peanut, sesame, safflower, sunflower, corn, safflower, coconut, etc., and proteins derived from grain seeds such as rice, barley, wheat, etc. Among the above raw materials, soybean-derived protein materials as described in the examples and protein materials derived from oilseeds that can be substituted therefor are particularly preferred, and among oilseeds, protein materials derived from beans are even more preferred. The protein may be in any form, including, for example, a liquid, a pulverized product, an extracted protein, a concentrated protein, an isolated protein, and the like.

[0021] (Microbial fermentation products containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones) The microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones of the present invention is prepared by culturing plant milk with microorganisms, and the resulting fermented product contains δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones at a concentration of 1 ppm or more. Examples of plant milk include soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk. Alternatively, a composition containing vegetable oil, such as soy milk cream, may be used instead of plant milk. Examples of vegetable oil include palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, moringa oil, sesame oil, and evening primrose oil. The plant milk preferably contains nutrient sources for the growth of microorganisms, such as sugars, peptides, and yeast extract. The microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is blended into the textured protein material so that the δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones are present at a concentration of 1 ppb or more by weight, preferably 5 ppb or more, more preferably 10 ppb or more, more preferably 40 ppb or more, more preferably 80 ppb or more, and even more preferably 10 to 3000 ppb, 40 to 3000 ppb, 80 to 3000 ppb, 10 to 2500 ppb, 40 to 2500 ppb, or 80 to 2500 ppb. The microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones preferably contains δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0022] (δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones) Examples of the δ-lactones of the present invention include δ-octalactone, δ-nonalactone, δ-decalactone, δ-undecalactone, δ-dodecalactone, δ-tridecalactone, δ-tetradecalactone, and δ-hexadecalactone. Further, the γ-lactones of the present invention include γ-octalactone, γ-nonalactone, γ-decalactone, γ-undecalactone, and γ-dodecalactone. The amount of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones in the present invention refers to the total amount of δ-lactones, the total amount of γ-lactones, or the total amount of δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0023] The contents of δ-lactones and γ-lactones in the textured vegetable protein material are quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of the fats and oils extracted from the textured protein material using a chloroform / methanol solution. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used under the following conditions. (GC-MS analysis conditions) Column: DB-WAX (Agilent J&W, length 60 m, inner diameter 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm) Oven: 50°C (no hold) - 3°C / min - 250°C (hold for 80 min) Carrier gas: He, G1 grade injection amount Injection volume: 1μl Mass spectrometer ionization voltage: 70 eV Ion source temperature: 230℃

[0024] Examples of microorganisms used in microbial fermentation include lactic acid bacteria and yeast. The microbial fermentation product may be one fermented by lactic acid bacteria or yeast alone, or one fermented by both lactic acid bacteria and yeast. The use of microbially fermented products, including those fermented with yeast, has the effect of effectively masking the grain odor caused by the vegetable protein material due to the yeast odor, and also contributes to imparting a good meat-like flavor and juiciness to the textured vegetable protein material. On the other hand, textured vegetable protein materials that are not produced by yeast fermentation and are produced using lactone flavorings have a strong grain smell inherent to vegetable protein materials and do not have the umami or juicy taste of meat.

[0025] (lactic acid bacteria) In the present invention, lactic acid bacteria capable of hydrating unsaturated fatty acids to produce hydroxylated fatty acids are used. Specifically, Lactobacillus brevis (L. brevis), Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus), Lactobacillus casei (L. casei), Lactobacillus paracasei (L. paracasei), Lactobacillus gasseri (L. gasseri), Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), Lactobacillus delbruekii subsp. bulgaricus (L. delbruekii ssp. bulgaricus), Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum), Lactobacillus buchneri (L. buchneri), and Lactobacillus rhamnosus are used. Lactobacillus bacteria such as L. rhamnosus and L. helveticus, or Pediococcus bacteria such as P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus, or Streptococcus bacteria such as Streptococcus thermophilus, or Leuconostoc bacteria such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides, or Lactococcus lactis, Lc. lactis ssp. lactis, Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris, or Lc. lactis These include Lactococcus bacteria such as Lactococcus ssp. cremoris and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis.

[0026] (yeast) In the present invention, yeasts that can be used include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus, Saccharomyces sake, Saccharomyces beticus, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Yarrowia lipolytica.

[0027] Typical, non-limiting examples of the production of microbial fermentation products containing lactones are given below. Plant milk is fermented with yeast. If necessary, lactic acid bacteria are added to carry out the fermentation. The lactic acid bacteria fermentation may be carried out simultaneously with the yeast fermentation, or lactic acid fermentation may be carried out first followed by the yeast fermentation. The fermentation method is not particularly limited, but aerobic fermentation is preferred when using yeast. After fermentation is complete, an acid such as hydrochloric acid, citric acid, or lactic acid is added as necessary to adjust the pH to 4.0 or less, and the mixture is heated to 60°C or higher to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing lactones. The microbial fermentation product containing lactones may be subjected to a concentration process as needed to increase the concentration of lactones to a predetermined level. Alternatively, a composition containing vegetable oil may be used in place of vegetable milk.

[0028] (Method for producing textured vegetable protein material) The term "textured vegetable protein material" in the present invention includes expanded type textured vegetable protein materials and non-expanded type textured vegetable protein materials. Expanded-type textured vegetable protein materials are produced by introducing a protein material such as defatted soybeans as the main manufacturing raw material (textured raw material) into an extruder along with water and other suitable raw materials such as starch and oils, and kneading the raw materials with a screw inside the device under conditions where the inside of the device is pressurized and heated.The resulting kneaded material is extruded under normal pressure from a hole in a part called a "die" at the outlet of the device, and the extruded material is cut and dried as necessary. The expanded-type textured vegetable protein material changes into an extrudate in an expanded state when the kneaded material is extruded through a die under normal pressure. For example, a textured vegetable protein material produced using defatted soybeans or powdered soy protein as the main raw material is also called "granular soy protein" or "soybean puffs." On the other hand, non-puffed type textured vegetable protein materials are produced by introducing a protein material such as defatted soybeans as the main manufacturing raw material (textured raw material) into an extruder together with water and other suitable raw materials such as starch and oils, and kneading the raw materials with a screw inside the device under conditions where the inside of the device is pressurized and heated.The resulting kneaded material is gradually cooled in a cooling pipe called a "die" from the outlet of the device, and then extruded.The extruded material is cut as necessary and then refrigerated or frozen to obtain the product. When the kneaded product of a non-puffed textured vegetable protein material is extruded through a die under normal pressure, the texture does not swell but becomes membranous and fibrous, and changes into an extrudate with a texture and texture similar to that of meat, adductor muscle, etc. For example, a textured vegetable protein material produced using defatted soybeans or powdered soybean protein as the main raw material is also called "fibrous soybean protein."

[0029] (Extruder) The texturing process for producing the textured vegetable protein material of the present invention is carried out using an extruder. Extruders generally have mechanisms for feeding raw materials from a raw material supply port into a barrel using a screw disposed therein, and for kneading, pressurizing (compressing), and heating the raw materials, and a die having holes of various shapes is attached to the tip (exit) of the barrel. There are no limitations on the extruder that can be used, and single-screw, twin-screw, or triple-screw or more extruders can be used. Among these, twin-screw extruders are preferably used.

[0030] (Extruder operating conditions) The operating conditions for supplying the raw materials for producing the textured vegetable protein material to an extruder and extruding them through a die under pressure and heat can be appropriately selected and adjusted based on known conditions. As a non-limiting example, the heating conditions include a temperature at the tip of the barrel of preferably 100 to 220°C, more preferably 120 to 180°C. The pressure conditions are preferably such that the die pressure at the end of the barrel is 0.01 to 10 MPa, more preferably 0.01 to 4 MPa.

[0031] (Thailand) When producing non-expanded textured vegetable protein materials, a cooling die is used as the die installed at the exit of the extruder. Circular or rectangular dies are suitable. The opening area correlates with the extruder flow rate, so the optimal size can be set depending on the operating conditions. For example, if mass production is desired, the opening area must be large, and if small quantities are desired, the processing volume must be reduced.

[0032] (added water) Hydration is carried out when the raw material for the textured vegetable protein material is supplied to an extruder. In the method for producing a textured vegetable protein material of the present invention, it is appropriate to add hydration so that the total moisture content of the raw material supplied to the extruder is preferably 20 to 90% by weight, more preferably 25 to 75% by weight.

[0033] (Oils and fats) The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention may contain oils and fats. Examples of fats and oils include vegetable fats and oils such as palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, moringa oil, sesame oil, and evening primrose oil, and medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. This does not preclude the use of animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, and lard, and the above-mentioned fats and oils can be used alone or in mixture, or their hardened oils, fractionated oils, hardened fractionated oils, fractionated hardened oils, and processed fats that have been subjected to interesterification or the like. The content of fats and oils in the textured vegetable protein material is preferably 0.5 to 7.5% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 7.0% by weight, and even more preferably 0.5 to 6.5, or even 0.5 to 6.0% by weight.

[0034] (Protein raw material) In the present invention, the term "protein raw material" refers to a protein-containing textured raw material that is introduced into an extruder to produce a textured vegetable protein material. Specifically, in one embodiment, a vegetable protein raw material is preferably used. "Vegetable protein raw materials" refer to protein materials derived from plants, such as protein materials derived from oilseeds such as soybeans, peas, mung beans, chickpeas, fava beans, rapeseed, cottonseed, peanuts, sesame, safflower, sunflower, corn, safflower, and coconut, or protein materials derived from grain seeds such as rice, barley, and wheat. Protein materials include ground products, extracted proteins, concentrated proteins, and isolated proteins from the above plants. Examples include rice glutelin, barley prolamin, wheat prolamin, wheat gluten, full-fat soy flour, defatted soy flour, concentrated soy protein, isolated soy protein, isolated pea protein, and isolated mung bean protein. As vegetable protein raw materials, soybean-derived protein materials and protein materials derived from oilseeds that can be substituted therefor, as described in the Examples, are particularly preferred, and among oilseeds, protein materials derived from beans are even more preferred.

[0035] The protein raw material used in the present invention is in a particulate form. That is, it can be in a powder or granular form. However, in the case of granular form, it is preferable that the particle size is as small as possible. Preferably, the particle size is 2 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or less.

[0036] The protein content of the solid content in the protein raw material is preferably as high as possible to meet the protein content per solid content in the textured vegetable protein material. Specifically, the protein content is 15% by weight or more of the solid content, preferably 20% by weight or more, more preferably 30% by weight or more, and even more preferably 40% by weight or more, 50% by weight, 60% by weight or more, 70% by weight or more, or 75% by weight or more. The protein content may also be 95% by weight or less, 92% by weight or less, or 91% by weight or less. The protein content was determined by multiplying the total nitrogen content in the sample by the Kjeldahl method by a factor of 6.25 to determine the percentage of the sample, and expressed in terms of solid content.

[0037] (Other texturized materials) Various other auxiliary ingredients can be added to the texturing raw materials of the textured vegetable protein material of the present invention. For example, fats and oils, alkali metal salts such as salt, animal proteins such as egg white and casein, carbohydrates such as starch and polysaccharides, dietary fiber, emulsifiers, flavorings, and other known additives can be added as appropriate within limits that do not impair the effects of the present invention. However, if it is intended to claim that the textured vegetable protein material is made solely of vegetable ingredients, it is preferable to exclude animal proteins.

[0038] Generally, the blending ratio of protein raw materials in the raw materials for producing a textured vegetable protein material can be appropriately set depending on the desired quality and the balance with other raw materials. Specifically, the protein raw materials are blended so that the protein content of the entire raw materials is 15 to 95% by weight. Preferably, the protein content is 20% by weight or more, and can also be 22% by weight or more. The upper limit can be preferably 93% by weight or less, 91% by weight or less, or 90% by weight or less.

[0039] (Application) The textured vegetable protein material obtained by the present invention has a good meat-like flavor and juicy texture and can be used as a meat substitute material, and can be used in products using livestock meat or fish meat, or in vegetable meat substitute products. For example, it can be used as a meat substitute in processed foods such as hamburgers, meatballs, nuggets, gyoza, meat buns, shumai, minced meat cutlets, croquettes, minced meat, and meatballs. The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention can also be cooked directly and used as a meat-like ingredient in thinly sliced ​​meat such as roasted pork or as a snack. The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention can be seasoned for use as a meat substitute. Specifically, it is preferable to add a protein hydrolyzate, yeast extract, flavoring, flavor oil, umami seasoning, etc. in combination with a protein raw material, starch, dietary fiber, and preferably an oil and fat raw material to the textured vegetable protein material. [Example]

[0040] The present invention will be described below by way of examples, in which parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

[0041] (Production Example 1) (Preparation of microbial fermentation products containing lactones 1) Soy milk cream (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., solids: 18.0%, protein: 5.6%, lipids: 12.3%) was simultaneously added to the lactic acid bacterium L. brevis and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and aerobic fermentation was carried out at 28°C for 5 days. After fermentation, hydrochloric acid was added to adjust the pH to below 3.0, and the mixture was heated at 80°C for 20 minutes to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0042] (Production Example 2) (Removal of yeast odor by adsorption treatment) The yeast odor was removed by reacting the microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones obtained in Production Example 1 with an anionic ion exchange resin and then with a synthetic adsorbent. GC-MS analysis of the post-reaction sample confirmed that aroma components such as butanoic acid, propionic acid, benzaldehyde, isovaleric acid, isobutyric acid, 2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, and phenethyl alcohol had been reduced.

[0043] (Production Example 3) (Preparation of vegetable oils containing lactones) 60% by weight of the microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones obtained in Production Example 1 was mixed with 40% by weight of soybean oil, and the oil fraction was collected by centrifugation to obtain a vegetable oil containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0044] (Production Example 4) (Preparation of microbial fermentation products containing lactones 2) Soy milk cream (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., solids: 18.0%, protein: 5.6%, lipids: 12.3%) was added with the yeast Saccharomyces bayanus and subjected to aerobic fermentation at 28°C for 5 days. After fermentation, the pH was adjusted to below 3.0 by adding hydrochloric acid and the mixture was heated at 80°C for 20 minutes to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0045] (Production Example 5) (Preparation of microbial fermentation products containing lactones 3) The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was added to an emulsion of 12.3% soybean oil, 6.2% powdered soybean protein (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.), and 0.5% sucrose, and aerobic fermentation was carried out at 28°C for 5 days. After fermentation, the pH was adjusted to below 3.0 by adding hydrochloric acid, and the mixture was heated at 80°C for 20 minutes to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0046] (Comparative Manufacturing Examples 1 and 2) For comparison, a synthetic lactone flavoring with no yeasty odor was diluted in soybean oil. The results are summarized in Table 1.

[0047] (Table 1) TIFF2026026431000001.tif65165

[0048] Microbial fermentation products containing lactones were prepared, but a yeasty odor was detected in Production Examples 1, 3, 4, and 5. This is because distillation was not performed as in Patent Document 3, resulting in the presence of a yeasty odor derived from yeast fermentation. Production Examples 1, 3, 4, and 5 had a mixture of a peach-like fruity odor and a yeasty odor, and could not be described as having a meaty aroma at all. On the other hand, Production Example 2 had a weak yeasty odor, and the peach-like fruity odor specific to γ-lactones was detected more strongly than in Production Examples 1, 3, 4, and 5. This was confirmed by comparing the lactone flavors of Comparative Production Examples 1 and 2.

[0049] Next, the raw materials containing the microbial fermentation products containing lactones prepared in Production Examples 1 to 5 were fed into an extruder to produce a textured vegetable protein material. The textured vegetable protein materials were produced by producing an expanded type textured vegetable protein material and a non-expanded type textured vegetable protein material.

[0050] (Production of Expanded-Type Textured Vegetable Protein Material) (Examples 1 to 5, Comparative Examples 1 and 2) According to the formulation in Table 2, the kneaded raw material was extruded through a die at the end of the barrel, and the extrudate was cut with a cutter immediately after exiting the die to a length of approximately 3 to 5 mm.Then, it was dried with hot air in a dryer to a moisture content of 8% by weight, thereby obtaining the textured vegetable protein material of the present invention. The lactone-containing microbial fermentation products used as raw materials were the lactone-containing microbial fermentation product of Production Example 1, which was concentrated and adjusted to 112 ppm of γ-lactones and 7 ppm of δ-lactones (microbial fermentation product A containing lactones), and this concentrated fermentation liquid was further adjusted to a γ-lactone concentration of 30 ppm (microbial fermentation product B containing lactones) or 60 ppm (microbial fermentation product C containing lactones). Furthermore, "γ-lactone fragrance a" is the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 1 concentrated and adjusted to a concentration of γ-lactones of 30 ppm, and "δ-lactone fragrance a" is the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 2 concentrated and adjusted to a concentration of δ-lactones of 30 ppm. The extruder used was a twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.), and the extrusion was carried out under the following conditions. Die: Circular opening (diameter 2.5 mm x 10 holes) ·Powder raw material flow rate: 25kg / hour ·Amount of water added: 12kg / hour Screw rotation speed: 200 rpm Barrel temperature: Inlet: 80℃, Center: 120℃, Outlet: 150℃ Die pressure at the end of the barrel: controlled at 0.01 to 1 MPa

[0051] The isolated soy protein used as the raw material (protein content: 90% in terms of solid content) was produced by the method described in Production Example 6. The protein content of the defatted soybeans used as the raw material was 52% in terms of solid content.

[0052] (Production Example 6) Seven volumes of water were added to the defatted soybeans, the pH was adjusted to 7 with sodium hydroxide, and the mixture was mixed and extracted. The precipitate was removed by centrifugation, and then five volumes of water (the amount of water) were added to the residue and treated in the same manner to obtain an extract. The protein was precipitated by adjusting the pH to 4.5 with hydrochloric acid and recovered by centrifugation. After adding water, the mixture was neutralized with sodium hydroxide and spray-dried at a hot air temperature of 180°C and an exhaust air temperature of 70°C to obtain a powdered isolated soy protein. The protein content of this isolated soy protein was 90% in terms of solid content.

[0053] Each sample obtained was tasted by seven panelists skilled in the sensory evaluation of the flavor of textured vegetable protein materials. Then, a sensory evaluation was conducted using the following evaluation criteria for meat-like flavor, juiciness, and grain odor. The evaluation was determined by consensus of the panelists. Samples with a rating of ○ or ◎ were considered to be acceptable. The results are shown in Table 2. <Evaluation criteria> Meat-like flavor evaluation ◎: Has a strong meaty flavor. ○: Tastes like meat. ×: No meaty flavor. Juiciness rating ◎: Feels very juicy. ○: Feels juicy. ×: Not juicy. Grain odor evaluation ◎: The least noticeable grain smell 〇: The grain smell is hard to detect, but it is slightly stronger than ◎ ×: The strongest grain smell

[0054] (Table 2) TIFF2026026431000002.tif103169

[0055] In Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which used flavorings that did not have a yeasty smell, the meat-like umami and juicy taste were not felt. This is thought to be because the grain smell was strong and the meat-like juicy taste was not felt. On the other hand, the textured vegetable protein materials (Examples 1 to 5) using microbial fermentation products A to C containing lactones, which had a strong yeast odor, consistently exhibited a meat-like umami and juicy flavor. This suggests that the yeast odor not only effectively masked the grain odor but also contributed to the umami and juicy flavor. Example 5, which contained 594.8 ppb of lactones (total amount of γ-lactones and δ-lactones), exhibited a significant meat-like umami and juicy flavor. Given the tendency of Example 3 (total amount of γ-lactones and δ-lactones) at 159.3 ppb and Example 4 (total amount of γ-lactones and δ-lactones) at 318.6 ppb, it is clear that similar effects can be obtained even if more lactones are added.

[0056] Furthermore, the grain smell was further reduced by using isolated soy protein as in Example 2. In Examples 1 to 3, the protein content was 40 to 90%, and it was found that the blending of microbial fermentation products containing lactone in this range imparted a meat-like flavor and a juicy feel.

[0057] (Production of non-puffed textured vegetable protein material) (Examples 6 to 15, Comparative Examples 3 to 5) According to the formulations in Table 3, the microbial fermentation product or lactone flavoring, the protein raw material, and raw materials containing water, oils and fats, starch, and flavoring were introduced into an extruder, kneaded, and pressurized and heated, and the raw materials were extruded under normal pressure through a cooling die installed at the outlet of the extruder to be textured, thereby obtaining each textured vegetable protein material. The microbial fermentation products or lactone flavorings used as raw materials are as follows: "Microbial fermentation product a containing lactones," "microbial fermentation product b containing lactones," "vegetable oil derived from a microbial fermentation product containing lactones," "microbial fermentation product d containing lactones," and "microbial fermentation product e containing lactones" were obtained by concentrating the microbial fermentation products containing lactones of Production Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, and adjusting the concentration of gamma-lactones to 43 ppm. "Fermentation product a containing lactones," "vegetable oil derived from a microbial fermentation product containing lactones c," "fermentation product d containing lactones," and "fermentation product e containing lactones" had a strong yeast odor, while "fermentation product b containing lactones" had a weak yeast odor. Furthermore, "microbial fermentation product D containing lactones" was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, with the concentration of γ-lactones adjusted to 20 ppm, and "microbial fermentation product E containing lactones" was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, with the concentration of δ-lactones adjusted to 20 ppm. In addition, γ-lactone fragrance b is the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 1 concentrated and adjusted to a concentration of 100 ppm, and δ-lactone fragrance b is the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 2 concentrated and adjusted to a concentration of 100 ppm. The extruder used was a twin-screw extruder, and was operated with the inlet temperature at 80-100°C and the outlet temperature at 140-180°C, with the die pressure at the end of the barrel controlled at 0.01-1 MPa. Water was added so that the moisture content of the entire raw material was 50-70%. The twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was used under the following conditions. The cooling die used had a rectangular hole shape of 10 mm x 40 mm and a length of 90 cm.

[0058] For each of the obtained samples, a sensory evaluation of the flavor of the textured vegetable protein material was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Tables 3 to 5.

[0059] (Table 3) TIFF2026026431000003.tif103169

[0060] (Table 4) TIFF2026026431000004.tif92170

[0061] (Table 5) TIFF2026026431000005.tif106169

[0062] In Comparative Examples 4 and 5, which used flavorings without a yeasty smell, the meat-like umami and juicy taste were not felt. This is thought to be because the grain smell was strong and the meat-like juicy taste was not felt. On the other hand, in Example 7, which used microbial fermentation product b containing lactones that had been subjected to adsorption treatment to weaken the yeast odor, the meat-like flavor and juiciness were perceived to be slightly weaker than in the other products using microbial fermentation products containing lactones that have a strong yeast odor. The textured protein ingredients (Examples 6, 8, 9, and 10) using lactone-containing microbial fermentation products a, d, and e, and lactone-containing vegetable oil c derived from microbial fermentation products, all had a meat-like umami and juicy texture. This is thought to be because the yeast odor not only effectively masks the grain odor but also contributes to the umami and juicy texture. These results demonstrate that even non-puffed textured vegetable protein materials can be imparted with a meat-like umami and juicy texture by the microbial fermentation product containing lactones that retain the yeasty odor. From the above, it was found that by using a microbial fermentation product containing lactones with a yeasty odor, it is possible to sense a meaty flavor and juicy feeling even when a large amount of γ-lactones is contained, and it was found that the yeasty odor produced by fermentation is essential for masking the grain odor and increasing the meaty flavor and juicy feeling sensed by lactones.

[0063] Furthermore, it was found that whether the fermented product was made from soy milk cream or oil, or from lactic acid bacteria and yeast, or from yeast alone, a yeasty smell was produced, and that this yeasty smell masked the grain smell and contributed to the meaty flavor and increased juiciness felt by lactones.

[0064] (Example 16, Comparative Example 6) Next, to further verify the effectiveness of microbial fermentation products containing lactones, we conducted an application study of textured vegetable protein materials. We created a seasoned meat substitute material using beef-flavored vegetable seasoning. From the studies so far, it has been found that the textured vegetable protein material of the present invention has a meat-like flavor and juicy texture and can be used as a meat substitute. In this study, a beef-flavored vegetable seasoning was further used as a raw material for texturization, and the textured vegetable protein material was evaluated as a seasoned meat substitute.

[0065] According to the formulations in Table 6, the protein raw material and raw materials containing water, oils, and flavorings were introduced into an extruder, kneaded, and heated under pressure. The raw materials were then extruded under normal pressure through a cooling die attached to the extruder outlet to be textured, yielding a textured product. A twin-screw extruder was used, and the inlet temperature was 80-100°C, the outlet temperature was 140-180°C, and the die pressure at the end of the barrel was controlled at 0.01-1 MPa. Water was added so that the moisture content of the entire raw material was 50-70%. The twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was used under the following conditions. The cooling die had a rectangular hole shape of 10 mm x 40 mm and a length of 90 cm. A microbial fermentation product containing lactones with a yeasty odor was prepared according to the manufacturing method of Production Example 1, and then concentrated to obtain "microbial fermentation product F containing lactones." As a result of the analysis, the lactone-containing microbial fermentation product F contained 63 ppm of γ-lactones and 19 ppm of δ-lactones.

[0066] Each sample was tasted by seven panelists skilled in the sensory evaluation of the flavor of textured vegetable protein materials. A sensory evaluation was then conducted using the following evaluation criteria for meat-like flavor and juiciness. The evaluation was determined by averaging the panelists' ratings. A rating of 3.0 or higher was considered acceptable. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0067] <Evaluation criteria> (Evaluation of seasoned meat substitute materials) Meat-like flavor evaluation 4: Has a strong meaty flavor. 3: It has a meaty flavor. 2: You can taste a slight meaty flavor. 1: I can't taste the meaty flavor. Juiciness rating 4: It has a strong juicy feel. 3: It feels juicy. 2: It feels a little juicy. 1: It doesn't feel juicy.

[0068] (Table 6) TIFF2026026431000006.tif108162

[0069] Considering the average values, the plant-based beef seasoning resulted in a slight meat-like flavor and little juiciness in Comparative Example 6. On the other hand, Example 16, in which the microbial fermentation product containing lactones was added, resulted in a meat-like flavor and juiciness, confirming that the taste of the meat substitute material was improved by the microbial fermentation product containing lactones.

[0070] The results of the above application studies confirmed that in microbial fermentation products containing lactones, the yeast odor produced by fermentation not only masks the grain odor but also contributes to an increase in the meat-like flavor and juiciness felt by the lactones, and also contributes to improving the taste of textured vegetable protein materials used in seasonings, etc.

Claims

1. A textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, which contains a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, and the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 1 ppb or more by weight.

2. 2. The textured vegetable protein material according to claim 1, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight.

3. 2. The textured vegetable protein material according to claim 1, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight.

4. 4. The textured vegetable protein material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a product of microbial fermentation with lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast.

5. A meat substitute material comprising the textured vegetable protein material according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A method for producing a textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, the method comprising introducing a protein raw material and a raw material containing a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones into an extruder, kneading and heating under pressure, and extruding the raw material under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to texture it. The method comprises the steps of:

7. 7. The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to claim 6, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight.

8. 7. The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to claim 6, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight.

9. 9. The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to any one of claims 6 to 8, which is a product of microbial fermentation with lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast.

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