Composition with cheese flavor containing yeast material and vegetable fat and oil as main materials, method for producing same, and use thereof

Abstract

To provide a cheese flavor-imparting composition which is allergen-free, particularly does not use a milk-derived raw material, and can impart both flavor and taste of cheese.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a cheese-flavoring composition containing lipase-treated oil and fat, and a yeast material containing at least one selected from the group consisting of disodium 5 ' - ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, and not containing milk, a method for producing the same, and use of the same.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dairy-free composition having a cheese flavor and primarily made from yeast material and vegetable oils and fats, a method for producing the same, and uses thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, cheese is made by coagulating raw milk (cow's milk, goat's milk, etc.) with rennet and / or lactic acid fermentation to remove proteins and fats, and then removing the whey, and then optionally adding salt, flavorings, etc. to the curd, and aging the curd. A wide variety of cheeses are known around the world. In addition to being eaten as is, cheese is also widely used in cheese foods such as cheese spreads, and in various cheese-containing foods such as pasta sauces and cheese-flavored sweets.

[0003] In recent years, due to the increasing demand for low-fat or fat-free foods due to dietary and health-conscious trends, as well as the increasing demand for vegan diets, attention has been increasingly focused on foods that use dairy substitutes derived from plant ingredients such as oats, soybeans, and almonds instead of dairy ingredients, in order to avoid dairy-derived allergens. Demand for substitutes for cheese, a processed dairy product, is also increasing, and cheese flavors and cheese-flavored seasonings derived from plant ingredients are known.

[0004] For example, because the aroma of cheese and butter is derived from short- and medium-chain fatty acids, it has been reported that a method for hydrolyzing fats and oils using lipase, which has high specificity for fats and oils rich in medium-chain fatty acids, such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil, can be used to create cheese flavors (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Other reported methods include a method for producing dairy product flavors such as butter, cheese, and milk, which comprises subjecting a milk fat-containing food material to an enzymatic treatment in the presence of lipase and / or blending a branched cyclodextrin with the resulting product (see, for example, Patent Document 2), and a dairy product flavor for butter, cheese, and the like, which comprises blending an enzymatic hydrolyzate obtained by subjecting milk or a dairy product, such as cow's milk, as a substrate, to an enzymatic reaction in the presence of lipase, with a recovered aroma obtained by subjecting the milk or dairy product to an aroma recovery means (see, for example, Patent Document 3). Furthermore, as a cheese flavor enhancer for enhancing the palatability of cheese, a cheese flavor and / or milky taste enhancer has been reported, which is characterized by combining a powdered seasoning with a meat-like flavor prepared by heating a mixture of edible vegetable oil and yeast extract powder in a powdered state with yeast extract (see, for example, Patent Document 4). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2-86787 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-125733 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-142713 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-261385 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Previously, as allergen-free, particularly dairy-free cheese flavor-imparting compositions, those derived from vegetable oils and fats with a cheese aroma have been known, but these have been insufficient for imparting a cheese flavor. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an allergen-free, particularly dairy-free cheese flavor-imparting composition that can impart both the aroma and taste of cheese in a well-balanced manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research to solve this problem, the present inventors have found that by blending a yeast material containing specific components with lipase-treated fats and oils, it is possible to provide a cheese flavor-imparting composition that can impart both the aroma and taste of cheese in a balanced manner, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0008] The present invention is as follows. [1] A cheese flavoring composition comprising a lipase-treated oil and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, and not containing dairy. [2] The composition according to [1], wherein the content of lipase-treated fats and oils in the composition is 0.1% by mass or more. [3] The composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the yeast material is dried yeast, yeast extract, or yeast extract cell residue. [4] The composition according to any one of [1] to [3], which contains a yeast material so that the content of glutamic acid derived from the yeast material in the composition is 2% by mass or more. [5] The composition according to any one of [1] to [4], which contains a yeast material such that the content of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide derived from the yeast material in the composition is 1% by mass or more. [6] A method for producing a cheese flavor-imparting composition comprising a lipase-treated oil and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, (A) A method comprising the step of mixing a lipase-treated oil or fat with a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid. [7] A method for producing a cheese flavor-imparting composition comprising a lipase-treated oil and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, (A') mixing a yeast material containing oils and fats and at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid; and (B') treating the mixture obtained in step (A') with lipase; A method comprising: [8] Use of a dairy-free composition comprising a lipase-treated oil and fat and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid as a cheese flavoring agent. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a composition containing lipase-treated fats and oils and a yeast material containing specific components exerts an excellent cheese flavor-imparting effect even without containing dairy-derived products. In particular, by using a yeast material containing taste-providing components such as 5'-ribonucleotide disodium (particularly, a mixture of 5'-inosinate disodium and 5'-guanylate disodium) and glutamic acid together with lipase-treated fats and oils, an excellent cheese flavor-imparting composition can be provided that is inexpensive, allergen-free, and does not use dairy-derived ingredients, and that can impart both the aroma and taste of cheese in a well-balanced manner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, a dairy-free cheese flavoring composition is provided, which comprises a lipase-treated fat or oil and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid.

[0011] In the present invention, the term "cheese flavor-imparting composition" generally refers to a composition that can impart the aroma and taste of cheese to any food to which cheese, such as natural cheese, processed cheese, and / or cheese food, is added, even when used to replace all or part of the added cheese.

[0012] Lipases are known as enzymes that hydrolyze the ester bonds of fats and oils (triacylglycerols) to produce partial acylglycerols or glycerol and fatty acids. The "lipase" of the present invention may be, for example, derived from a natural product or obtained by a method using genetic engineering or the like, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a lipase available as a food enzyme. The "lipase" of the present invention is preferably a lipase derived from a microorganism. Examples of lipases derived from a microorganism include lipases derived from the genera Aspergillus, Candida, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Rhizomucor, and Mucor, with lipases derived from the genera Candida, Rhizopus, and Mucor being more preferred. Lipases derived from Candida cylindracea, Rhizopus oryzae, and Mucor javanicus are particularly preferred because they are excellent at hydrolyzing not only long-chain fatty acid triglycerides but also medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. Such lipases are available, for example, from Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd. as Amano lipases (e.g., Lipase AY "Amano" 30SD, Lipase MER "Amano," Lipase MHA "Amano" 10SD, etc.).

[0013] The "oils and fats" of the present invention may be, but are not limited to, vegetable oils and fats, animal oils and fats, or processed oils and fats. Examples include vegetable oils and fats such as edible safflower oil, edible grape oil, edible soybean oil, edible sunflower oil, edible corn oil, edible cottonseed oil, sesame oil, edible rapeseed oil, edible rice oil, edible peanut oil, edible olive oil, edible palm oil, edible palm olein, edible palm stearin, edible palm kernel oil, edible coconut oil, edible blended oil, and flavored edible oils; animal oils and fats such as beef tallow, lard, chicken oil, fish oil, and milk fat; and processed oils and fats such as hydrogenated oils and fats, MCT oil produced by extracting medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides from vegetable oils and fats, and oils and fats produced by microorganisms such as yeast. The "oils and fats" of the present invention are preferably edible vegetable oils and processed oils and fats, and among these, edible vegetable oils and processed oils containing medium-chain fatty acids are more preferred, with coconut oil, palm kernel oil, or MCT oil being particularly preferred.

[0014] The "lipase-treated fat" of the present invention may be any fat or oil that has been subjected to hydrolysis with the lipase. The "lipase-treated fat or oil" is a mixture containing partial acylglycerols such as monoacylglycerol and diacylglycerol and / or glycerol, fatty acids, etc. The hydrolysis treatment with lipase may be carried out before mixing with the yeast material, or after mixing with the yeast material (i.e., in the presence of the yeast material). A person skilled in the art can carry out the hydrolysis treatment according to the types of lipase and fat / oil (taking into consideration the specifications attached to the reagents and the prior art), for example, according to the methods described in the embodiments of the production method described below or in the Examples (Preparation Examples 1 and 2).

[0015] The "yeast" according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is applicable to the food industry, and examples thereof include yeast for beer production, yeast for bread production, and yeast for sake production. Alternatively, examples of yeast include, but are not limited to, those belonging to genera such as Saccharomyces, Saccharomycodes, Rhodotorula, Endomycopsis, Nematospora, Brettanomyces, Candida, and Torulopsis. Of these, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces pastorianus, and Candida utilis are preferred. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, the yeast may be available as dry yeast.

[0016] The "yeast material" used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is the above-mentioned yeast or a fraction thereof and contains the specific flavor components described below. Typical examples include dried yeast, yeast extract (water-soluble fraction) obtained by yeast extraction, and yeast extract cell residue (water-insoluble fraction). Examples of extraction processes include known extraction processes such as autolysis (protease treatment), hot water treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, acid treatment, alkali treatment, and / or mechanical disruption. The supernatant (water-soluble fraction) obtained by subjecting yeast to such extraction processes and separating it by centrifugation or the like may be used as the yeast extract, and the residue (water-insoluble fraction) obtained after removing the yeast extract may be used as the yeast extract cell residue. Furthermore, the entire product after extraction may be used as is (i.e., without separating the water-soluble and water-insoluble fractions). The recovered yeast extract (water-soluble fraction), yeast extract cell residue (water-insoluble fraction), and mixture of the water-soluble and water-insoluble fractions may be further purified (e.g., by HPLC, ultrafiltration, etc.), concentrated (e.g., by air-drying, filtration under reduced pressure, etc.), sterilized (e.g., by heat sterilization, filtration sterilization, etc.), dried (e.g., by air-drying, heating, reduced pressure, spray drying, etc.) and then used as a powdered or paste-like yeast material, if necessary.

[0017] The "yeast material" used in the present invention is characterized by containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of specific flavor components, 5'-ribonucleotide disodium, and glutamic acid. Specifically, the yeast material according to the present invention preferably contains at least glutamic acid, and more preferably contains both 5'-ribonucleotide disodium and glutamic acid.

[0018] Glutamic acid according to the present invention refers to glutamic acid or a salt thereof, preferably L-glutamic acid or an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt thereof, more preferably L-glutamic acid, sodium L-glutamate, potassium L-glutamate, magnesium L-glutamate, or calcium L-glutamate, and particularly preferably L-glutamic acid or sodium L-glutamate.

[0019] In the food industry, disodium 5'-ribonucleotide is a nucleic acid-based seasoning (tasty nucleotide) and is also called sodium 5'-ribonucleotide. It usually refers to a mixture primarily composed of disodium 5'-inosinate and disodium 5'-guanylate. Therefore, disodium 5'-ribonucleotide is also referred to as "IG" or "I+G." In this specification, disodium 5'-ribonucleotide refers to a mixture of disodium 5'-inosinate and disodium 5'-guanylate, and is sometimes referred to as IG.

[0020] Yeast materials containing such flavor components are commercially available, for example, from Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd. as Hyper Yeast (e.g., Hyper Yeast HG-DY, a dried yeast derived from yeast with a high glutamic acid content), Hyper Meast (e.g., Hyper Meast HG-Ps, a paste-like yeast extract with a high glutamic acid content), Yeastock (e.g., Yeastock S-Ps, a paste-like yeast extract extracted by autolysis), and Yeastock Yeast Peptone (e.g., Yeastock Yeast Peptone HR-Pd, a powdered yeast extract with a high content of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide extracted by enzymatic hydrolysis).

[0021] The cheese flavoring composition of the present invention contains a lipase-treated fat and oil, and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, and does not contain milk. The amount of lipase-treated fats and oils contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is within a range that can impart a cheese flavor (particularly, aroma), but is, for example, 0.1% by mass or more, preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and 50% by mass or less, preferably 30% by mass or less, and more preferably 20% by mass or less. In particular, when the fat and oil contain a large amount of medium-chain fatty acids (for example, when fats and oils containing 85% by mass or more, preferably 90% by mass or more, more preferably 95% by mass or more, particularly preferably 99% by mass or more of medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, such as MCT oil, are used), the amount of lipase-treated fats and oils contained in the composition may be 0.1 to 10% by mass. The amount of yeast material contained in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is within a range that can impart a cheese flavor, but is, for example, 10% by mass or more, preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 50% by mass or more, and 99.9% by mass or less, preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less.

[0022] Alternatively, the amount of yeast material contained in the composition of the present invention may be such that the content of glutamic acid derived from the yeast material in the composition is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 3% by mass or more, which can be calculated from the amount of glutamic acid in the yeast material. Alternatively, the amount of yeast material contained in the composition of the present invention may be such that the content of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide derived from the yeast material in the composition is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 1.5% by mass or more. Such an amount can be calculated from the amount of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide in the yeast material. In order to adjust the contents of glutamic acid and disodium 5'-ribonucleotide within the above ranges, two or more yeast materials with different contents of flavor components may be used in combination.

[0023] The cheese flavor-imparting composition according to the present invention does not contain milk. In the present invention, "milk" refers to milk that can be used as a raw material for cheese. Examples of "milk" include raw milk, cow's milk, special cow's milk, raw goat's milk, pasteurized goat's milk, raw sheep's milk, raw buffalo milk, composition-adjusted milk, low-fat milk, non-fat milk, and processed milk, which are defined as "milk" in the Ministerial Ordinance on the Compositional Standards of Milk and Dairy Products, and typically refers to cow's milk.

[0024] The cheese flavor-imparting composition of the present invention may further contain additives that can be used in foods, such as, but not limited to, excipients, lubricants, binders, disintegrants, pH adjusters, solvents, solubilizers, suspending agents, buffers, preservatives, antioxidants, colorants, sweeteners, surfactants, flavorings, thickeners, enzymes other than lipase (proteases, etc.), etc. These additives may be, for example, known additives, and the amounts used may be appropriately adjusted by those skilled in the art depending on the purpose.

[0025] For example, the excipient may be an organic excipient or an inorganic excipient. Examples of the organic excipient include sugar derivatives such as lactose, sucrose, glucose, mannitol, and sorbitol; starch derivatives such as corn starch, potato starch, α-starch, and dextrin; cellulose derivatives such as crystalline cellulose; gum arabic; dextran; or pullulan. Examples of the inorganic excipient include light anhydrous silicic acid; or sulfates such as calcium sulfate.

[0026] The cheese flavor-imparting composition of the present invention may contain salt. The amount of salt is not particularly limited and is appropriately set within a range that allows the cheese flavor-imparting composition to maintain a good balance of flavors. The term "salt" used herein is not particularly limited as long as it is sodium chloride or any edible salt containing sodium chloride as its main component. The salt may be rock salt, solar salt, or smelt salt, and the purity may be special grade salt (99.5% or more sodium chloride), table salt (99% or more sodium chloride), or regular salt (95% or more sodium chloride).

[0027] Alternatively, the cheese flavor-imparting composition of the present invention may consist only of lipase-treated fats and oils and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid.

[0028] In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a cheese flavoring composition comprising a lipase-treated fat or oil and a yeast material comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, the method comprising: (A) mixing a lipase-treated fat or oil with a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid.

[0029] The "lipase-treated fat or oil" and the "yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid" in step (A) have the same meanings as described above, and step (A) can be carried out by mixing the two in any manner.

[0030] In the production method of the present invention, the following step is carried out prior to step (A): (Pre-A) A step of subjecting fats and oils to hydrolysis treatment with lipase may also include:

[0031] The hydrolysis with lipase in step (pre-A) must be carried out in the presence of a sufficient amount of water to allow the hydrolytic activity of the lipase to be expressed, and this amount may be adjusted appropriately depending on the lipase used. The hydrolysis is preferably carried out under an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen to prevent deterioration of the oil and fat, inactivation of lipase, etc. The oil and fat used as the raw material may contain an antioxidant such as tocopherol, ascorbic acid, or t-butylhydroquinone. The temperature for hydrolysis is not particularly limited as long as it is a temperature at which the lipase exhibits activity, but is, for example, 20 to 70° C., preferably about 30 to 60° C. The hydrolysis time is, for example, 1 to 48 hours, preferably 4 to 36 hours, and more preferably 6 to 24 hours.

[0032] After the above treatment, the lipase may be inactivated, if necessary, by high-temperature treatment, acid or alkali treatment, or the like. After the above treatment, water can be removed from the resulting treated product by, for example, centrifugal separation (for example, 100 to 10,000 g) under static conditions, decanting, or the like, and the lipase-treated fat or oil can be recovered. The obtained lipase-treated oil or fat is a mixture containing partial acylglycerols such as monoacylglycerol and diacylglycerol and / or glycerol, as well as fatty acids and the like.

[0033] In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a cheese flavoring composition comprising a lipase-treated fat or oil and a yeast material comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, the method comprising: (A') mixing a yeast material containing oils and fats and at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid; and (B') treating the mixture obtained in step (A') with lipase; The present invention provides a method comprising:

[0034] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided use of a dairy-free composition comprising a lipase-treated oil or fat and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid as a cheese flavoring agent. [Example]

[0035] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples, but these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0036] [Preparation Example 1: Lipase-treated oil A] Edible coconut oil was heated to 90°C for 15 minutes and cooled to 50°C. Lipase (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd., Lipase AY "Amano" 30SD) was dissolved in 5 times the amount of water to give a 0.3% concentration relative to the coconut oil and added. The enzyme reaction was carried out at 50°C for 15 hours. The reaction mixture was heated at 85°C for 30 minutes to inactivate the enzyme. The mixture was left to stand to separate the water and oil layers, and the water layer was removed to obtain lipase-treated oil A.

[0037] [Preparation Example 2: Lipase-treated oil B] Lipase-treated fat / oil B was obtained in the same manner as in Preparation Example 1, except that the lipase concentration was changed to 5%.

[0038] [Preparation Example 3: Lipase-treated oil C] Lipase-treated fat / oil C was obtained in the same manner as in Preparation Example 1, except that the lipase concentration was 10% and the fat / oil was MCT oil (MT-N, manufactured by Kao Corporation).

[0039] [Preparation Example 4: Yeast Material A] As yeast material A, yeast extract (paste form, Yeastock S-Ps) manufactured by Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd. was used.

[0040] [Preparation example 5: Yeast material B] Dry yeast (Hyper Yeast HG-DY, manufactured by Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd.) was extracted with hot water, centrifuged, and the water-insoluble fraction was dried to obtain a yeast extract cell residue. The resulting suspension of yeast extract cell residue was sterilized in an autoclave and spray-dried to obtain powdered yeast material B.

[0041] [Preparation example 6: Yeast material C] As yeast material C, yeast extract (paste form, Hypermeast HG-Ps) manufactured by Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd. was used.

[0042] [Preparation example 7: Yeast material D] As yeast material D, yeast extract (powder, Yeastock Yeast Peptone HR-Pd) manufactured by Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd. was used.

[0043] [Preparation Example 8: Yeast Material E] As yeast material E, yeast extract (powder, Himax GL) manufactured by Fuji Foods Co., Ltd. was used.

[0044] The contents (by mass) of Glu (glutamic acid) and IG (disodium 5'-inosinate and disodium 5'-guanylate) in the yeast materials A to E obtained in Preparation Examples 4 to 8 are shown in Table 1. The contents of Glu and IG were measured according to the test method (liquid chromatography) in the Analysis of Food Additives in Foods, 2nd Edition.

[0045] [Table 1]

[0046] [Examples 1 to 11: Preparation of cheese flavor-imparting compositions] The raw materials (lipase-treated oil B obtained in Preparation Example 2, lipase-treated oil C obtained in Preparation Example 3, yeast materials A to E obtained in Preparation Examples 4 to 8, salt, and dextrin) were mixed according to the formulations shown in Table 2 below to obtain the cheese flavor-imparting compositions of Examples 1 to 11. The contents of Glu and IG in each composition were determined in the same manner as above, and the moisture content was measured by a conventional method for comparison, and the contents were calculated as the content per dry matter.

[0047] [Table 2]

[0048] Example 12: Preparation of cheese flavoring composition Edible coconut oil (15.0 g), yeast material A (28.0 g), yeast material B (32.8 g), yeast material C (10.0 g), yeast material D (7.2 g), salt (7.0 g), and water (21.0 g) were mixed and heated at 90°C for 15 minutes. After cooling to 50°C, 0.75 g of lipase (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd., Lipase AY "Amano" 30SD) dissolved in 4.0 g of water was added and the enzymatic reaction was carried out at 50°C for 15 hours. The reaction mixture was heated at 85°C for 30 minutes to inactivate the enzyme, yielding the cheese-flavored composition of Example 12. The contents of Glu and IG in the resulting composition were 3.06% and 1.52%, respectively.

[0049] [Comparative Example 1] The lipase-treated fat and oil A obtained in Preparation Example 1 was used as the composition of Comparative Example 1.

[0050] Comparative Example 2 The lipase-treated fat B obtained in Preparation Example 2 was used as the composition of Comparative Example 2.

[0051] Comparative Example 3 The lipase-treated fat C obtained in Preparation Example 3 was used as the composition of Comparative Example 3.

[0052] Comparative Example 4 Yeast material A (40.0 g), yeast material B (53.0 g), and salt (7.0 g) were mixed to obtain a composition of Comparative Example 4. The contents of Glu and IG in the obtained composition were 1.03% and 0%, respectively.

[0053] Comparative Example 5 Lipase-treated oil B (15.0 g), food additive monosodium glutamate (2.5 g), food additive disodium 5'-ribonucleotide (IG) (1.0 g), salt (7.0 g), and dextrin (74.5 g) were mixed to obtain a composition of Comparative Example 4. The contents of Glu and IG in the obtained composition were 2.01% and 1.02%, respectively.

[0054] [Test Example 1] The effect of adding the compositions obtained in the above Examples and Comparative Examples to plant-based cream soup to impart a cheese flavor was confirmed by a sensory test.

[0055] <Contains plant-based cream soup> The compositions obtained in Examples 1 to 12 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 were blended to prepare plant-based cream soups (formulations) with the formulations shown in Table 3 below, and the effect of adding the compositions on imparting a cheese flavor (taste and aroma) was confirmed by sensory evaluation. As a control, dextrin was blended in place of the compositions of the Examples and Comparative Examples. Furthermore, since the composition of Example 12 contains more water than the other Example compositions due to its preparation method, the amount added was set to 0.374% in consideration of the solid content. The blending amount of each Example / Comparative Example composition in the Comparative Example 3 formulation is such that the lipase-treated oil C blended in Examples 5 and 6 is blended in 1 / 15 or less of the lipase-treated oil B blended in the formulations of Examples 1 to 4 and 7 to 11 in Table 2, and therefore the blending amount of the Comparative Example 3 composition (lipase-treated oil C) was also 1 / 15, or 0.02%.

[0056] [Table 3]

[0057] <Sensory evaluation> Each of the resulting formulations was subjected to a sensory evaluation by six expert panelists. Evaluation items of "cheese-like aroma," "cheese-like taste," and "balance of cheese-like flavor" were evaluated based on the following evaluation criteria, with the control formulation given a score of 0.

[0058] <Sensory evaluation item score> 0 points: Equivalent to the control 1 point: Compared to the control, the cheese-like aroma or taste is "slightly stronger" or the balance is "slightly better" 2 points: Compared to the control, the cheese-like aroma or taste is "slightly stronger" or the balance is "slightly better" 3 points: Cheese-like aroma or flavor is "strong" or "well balanced" compared to the control 4 points: The cheese-like aroma or taste is "much stronger" or "much better balanced" than the control. 5 points: The cheese aroma or flavor is "extremely strong" or "extremely well balanced" compared to the control.

[0059] <Result> The average evaluation scores of the six expert panelists are shown in Table 4 below.

[0060] [Table 4]

[0061] It was confirmed that the formulations of Examples 1 to 12 (compositions containing both lipase-treated oil and yeast material) had a stronger cheese-like flavor than the formulation of Comparative Example 4 (composition containing only yeast material without oil and fat). Furthermore, the formulations of Comparative Examples 1, 2, and 3 (lipase-treated oils and fats only) had a strong scent, but the formulations of Examples 1 to 12 (compositions containing both lipase-treated oils and fats and yeast materials) had better taste and flavor balance. It was confirmed that the formulations of Examples 4 to 12, which have the same or higher Glu and IG contents as the formulation of Comparative Example 5 (a composition containing lipase-treated oil and fat and a food additive instead of a yeast material), have a better aroma, taste, and flavor balance than the formulation of Comparative Example 5, and have a stronger cheese flavor. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the formulation of Example 12 (in which the fat and oil and yeast material were mixed and then lipase-treated) had a stronger cheese-like flavor and better balance than the formulation of Example 10 (in which the lipase-treated fat and oil and the yeast material were added separately).

[0062] [Test Example 2] The effect of adding Example 12, Cheddar cheese, and Gouda cheese to the plant-based cream soup to impart a cheese flavor was confirmed by a sensory test.

[0063] <Contains plant-based cream soup> The composition obtained in Example 12, Cheddar cheese powder, and Gouda cheese powder were blended to prepare a plant-based cream soup (formulation) having the composition shown in Table 5 below, and the effect of adding the composition on imparting a cheese flavor (taste and aroma) was confirmed by sensory evaluation. The same control as in Table 3 above was used. The amount of the composition of Example 12 added was adjusted taking into account the solid content, as in Table 3 above.

[0064] [Table 5]

[0065] <Sensory evaluation> Each of the resulting formulations was subjected to a sensory evaluation by seven expert panelists. The evaluation items of "cheese-like aroma," "cheese-like taste," and "balance of cheese-like flavor" were evaluated based on the same evaluation criteria as in Test Example 1, with the control formulation being given a score of 0.

[0066] <Result> The average evaluation scores of the seven expert panelists are shown in Table 6 below.

[0067] [Table 6]

[0068] It was confirmed that the formulation of Example 12 was similar in cheese-like aroma, taste, and balance to the formulations of Comparative Example 6 (Cheddar cheese powder) and Comparative Example 7 (Gouda cheese powder). It was also confirmed that formulations using Example 12 in combination with Cheddar cheese powder or Gouda cheese powder produced good results.

[0069] As shown in Test Examples 1 and 2, it was confirmed that adding the composition of the present invention to plant-based cream soup imparts a cheese-like flavor similar to that of cheese (cheddar cheese or Gouda cheese). In particular, it was confirmed that compositions with high Glu and IG contents (for example, compositions containing 1% or more Glu, preferably 2% or more Glu, and 1% or more IG) have a stronger cheese-like flavor. [Industrial Applicability]

[0070] The composition of the present invention containing lipase-treated fats and oils and a yeast material exhibits an excellent cheese flavor-imparting effect even without containing dairy-derived products. In particular, a composition containing lipase-treated fats and oils and a yeast material containing disodium 5'-ribonucleotides (particularly, disodium 5'-inosinate and disodium 5'-guanylate) and glutamic acid is useful as a cheese-flavoring composition that is allergen-free, particularly does not contain dairy-derived ingredients, and can impart both the aroma and taste of cheese in a well-balanced manner.

Claims

1. The cheese flavoring composition contains a lipase-treated oil and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, and does not contain dairy.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of the lipase-treated oil or fat in the composition is 0.1% by mass or more.

3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the yeast material is a dry yeast, a yeast extract, or a yeast extract cell residue.

4. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition contains a yeast material such that the content of glutamic acid derived from the yeast material in the composition is 2% by mass or more.

5. 2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the composition contains a yeast material such that the content of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide derived from the yeast material in the composition is 1% by mass or more.

6. A method for producing a cheese flavor-imparting composition comprising a lipase-treated oil or fat and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, (A) mixing a lipase-treated fat or oil with a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid.

7. A method for producing a cheese flavor-imparting composition comprising a lipase-treated oil or fat and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid, (A') mixing a yeast material containing oils and fats and at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid; and (B') treating the mixture obtained in step (A') with lipase; A method comprising:

8. Use of a dairy-free composition comprising a lipase-treated oil or fat and a yeast material containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of disodium 5'-ribonucleotide and glutamic acid as a cheese flavoring agent.

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