Food additive compositions and their use

Abstract

This provides a novel technology related to licorice-derived extracts. [Solution] The food additive composition contains an extract from a plant of the genus Licorice, and the liquiritin content of the composition is 0.3 times or more compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content, and the glycyrrhizic acid content of the composition is 5 mg / g or more.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , , , , , , ,

[0007] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for food additives and its use.

Background Art

[0002] Licorice (Glycyrrhiza), a leguminous perennial plant, grows in dry regions such as southern Russia, Mongolia, northern to western China, and Europe. Licorice is particularly known as an important raw material in traditional Chinese medicine and has been used since ancient times as an analgesic, antispasmodic, antitussive, and expectorant.

[0003] In addition to glycyrrhizic acid, licorice contains licorice flavonoids such as liquiritin and isoliquiritin. Extracts obtained from licorice containing these components are used in various applications in addition to pharmaceutical additives.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 uses a licorice extract containing glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, liciritigenin, etc. as a feed additive for livestock.

[0005] Also, Patent Document 2 uses a hydrous alcohol extract of licorice containing three components as a melanogenesis inhibitor and an MMP1 inhibitor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] As mentioned above, extracts obtained from licorice have been recognized for a variety of uses, and further technological development is needed.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances and aims to provide a novel technology relating to licorice-derived extracts. However, the problems that will be addressed by the embodiments described in detail later are not limited to those described above. It is also possible to position problems corresponding to the effects exhibited by the compositions, uses, etc. shown in each embodiment as other problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The inventors diligently investigated the above problem and found that a novel extract composition could be obtained by producing an extract from licorice cultivated under the inventors' management in a field using a predetermined method, and that compositions and food and beverages using this composition possess specific taste characteristics. One aspect of the present invention that solves the above problems includes the following aspects.

[0010] [1] A food additive composition comprising an extract from a plant of the genus Licorice, wherein the liquiritin content of the composition is 0.3 times or more relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content, and the glycyrrhizic acid content of the composition is 5 mg / g or more.

[0011] [2] The food additive composition according to [1], wherein the extract is an extract obtained from the root or stolon of the licorice plant.

[0012] [3] The food additive composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the isoliquiritin content of the composition is 0.5 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content, the liquiritin content is 1.5 mg / g or more, and the isoliquiritin content is 2.5 mg / g or more.

[0013] [4] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the composition contains 9 mg / g or more of liquiritin and 15 mg / g or more of isoliquiritin.

[0014] [5] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the glycyrrhizic acid content of the composition is 15 to 50 mg / g.

[0015] [6] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the liquiritin content of the composition is 0.5 to 2.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0016] [7] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the isoliquiritin content of the composition is 1.0 to 3.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0017] [8] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the liquiritigenin content of the composition is 0.05 to 0.5 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0018] [9] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the isoliquiritigenin content of the composition is 0.005 to 0.08 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0019]

[10] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the licorice plant is Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

[0020]

[11] A food additive composition described in any one of [1] to

[10] for use in enhancing richness of flavor.

[0021]

[12] A food additive composition according to any one of [1] to

[10] for use in reducing the amount of salt added.

[0022]

[13] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to

[10] for use in suppressing sour taste.

[0023]

[14] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to

[10] , wherein the glycyrrhizin content of the composition is 20 mg / g or more, for use in suppressing or preventing inflammation.

[0024]

[15] The food additive composition according to any one of [1] to

[10] , wherein the glycyrrhizin content of the composition is 20 mg / g or more, for use in suppressing or preventing allergic reactions.

[0025]

[16] A vegetable-containing beverage comprising the food additive composition according to any one of [1] to

[15] .

[0026]

[17] A vegetable extract comprising the food additive composition according to any one of [1] to

[15] .

[0027]

[18] The vegetable-containing beverage according to

[16] , which is a tomato-containing beverage.

[0028]

[19] The vegetable extract according to

[17] , which is a tomato extract.

[0029]

[20] A method for producing a food additive composition containing an extract from a Glycyrrhiza plant, the method including a step of extracting the extract from the Glycyrrhiza plant by dissolving it in water or an aqueous ethanol solution, and the content of glycyrrhizin in the food additive composition is 0.3 times or more the content of glycyrrhetinic acid.

[0030]

[21] The method for producing a food additive composition according to

[20] , wherein the content of isoglycyrrhizin in the food additive composition is 0.5 times or more the content of glycyrrhetinic acid, the content of glycyrrhetinic acid is 5 mg / g or more, the content of glycyrrhizin is 1.5 mg / g or more, and the content of isoglycyrrhizin is 2.5 mg / g or more.

[0031]

[22] A method for producing a food additive composition according to

[20] or

[21] , further comprising the step of powdering the extract by spray drying.

[0032]

[23] A method for producing a food additive composition according to any one of

[20] to

[22] , wherein the plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza is Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

[0033]

[24] A method for producing a food additive composition according to any one of

[20] to

[23] , wherein the liquiritin content is 0.5 to 2.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0034]

[25] A method for producing a food additive composition according to any one of

[20] to

[24] , wherein the isoliquiritin content is 1.0 to 3.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0035]

[26] A method for producing the food additive composition according to any one of

[20] to

[25] , wherein the content of liquiritigenin in the food additive composition is 0.05 to 0.5 times the content of glycyrrhizic acid.

[0036]

[27] A method for producing the food additive composition according to any one of

[20] to

[26] , wherein the isoliquiritigenin content of the food additive composition is 0.005 to 0.08 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0037]

[28] A method for producing a food additive composition according to any one of

[20] to

[27] , wherein the licorice plant is a dried product, and the glycyrrhizic acid content of the dried licorice plant is more than 0% by weight and less than 2.5% by weight.

[0038]

[29] The method for producing a food additive composition according to any one of

[20] to

[28] , wherein the licorice plant is a licorice plant cultivated in a field with the soil moisture content controlled to be in the range of 10.0 to 50.0 volume percent from July to September. [Effects of the Invention]

[0039] According to the present invention, a novel technology relating to licorice-derived extracts can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0040] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a graph showing the changes in soil moisture content from July 1st to September 30th in each field where Ural licorice was cultivated. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a graph showing the taste evaluation values ​​for licorice extracts 1-3. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a graph showing the taste evaluation results of Sample 1 tomato juice compared to additive-free tomato juice. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a graph showing the taste evaluation results of Sample 2 tomato juice compared to additive-free tomato juice. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a graph showing the taste evaluation results of Sample 3 tomato juice compared to additive-free tomato juice. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0041] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. [Food additive composition] The food additive composition according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention contains an extract from a plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza, wherein the liquiritin content of the food additive composition is 0.3 times or more compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition, and the glycyrrhizic acid content is 5 mg / g or more.

[0042] As will be detailed later in the examples, a food additive composition having a liquiritin content of 0.3 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content and a glycyrrhizic acid content of 5 mg / g or more can enhance the complexity, richness, texture, and saltiness of food while adding sweetness. Furthermore, by enhancing the complexity, richness, and saltiness, the amount of salt added can be reduced, and the addition of sweetness can suppress the acidity of the food.

[0043] Therefore, the food additive composition of this embodiment may be a food additive composition used to enhance richness, a food additive composition used to reduce the amount of salt added, or a food additive composition used to suppress acidity. It should be noted that the so-called "salt acclimatization effect" is the effect of mitigating the saltiness of food, and the salt acclimatization effect exhibited by the food additive composition of this embodiment is an effect achieved by enhancing complexity, richness, and saltiness, and is therefore significantly different from the "salt acclimatization effect." Furthermore, complexity and richness are taste characteristics that indicate complexity, breadth, and depth of flavor, and are concepts different from umami, which is a type of taste.

[0044] Furthermore, when the liquiritin content of the food additive composition is particularly 20 mg / g or more, it exhibits particularly excellent anti-inflammatory effects. For this reason, the food additive composition of this embodiment may be a food additive composition used for the suppression or prevention of inflammation.

[0045] The food additive composition contains glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, and isoliquiritigenin as active ingredients for anti-inflammatory effects. An example of a food additive composition used to suppress or prevent inflammation is a food additive composition used to suppress the production of nitric oxide. Compositions expected to have anti-inflammatory effects are easy to consume because, as mentioned above, they have a sweet, complex, and rich flavor.

[0046] Furthermore, when the liquiritin content of the food additive composition is particularly 20 mg / g or more, it exhibits particularly excellent anti-allergic effects. For this reason, the food additive composition of this embodiment may also be an anti-allergic food additive composition (a food additive composition used for the suppression or prevention of allergies).

[0047] The food additive composition contains glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, and isoliquiritigenin as active ingredients with anti-allergic properties.

[0048] Those skilled in the art may add food additive compositions to various foods for the purposes described above, but the purposes of addition are not limited to these.

[0049] Food additive compositions are substances added as raw materials during the manufacturing of food, and can also be called food ingredients. Food additive compositions are not limited to food additives as defined by law.

[0050] The food additive composition may be in any form, such as liquid, paste, solid, semi-solid, or powder.

[0051] <Plants of the genus Licorice> The type of Glycyrrhiza plant from which the above extract is extracted is not particularly limited; for example, it may be Glycyrrhiza uralensis or Glycyrrhiza glabra, but Glycyrrhiza uralensis is preferred.

[0052] The part of the licorice plant from which the above extract is extracted is not particularly limited, but examples include the root or stolon.

[0053] <Composition of food additive composition> The liquiritin content of the food additive composition may be 0.3 to 2.0 times, 0.5 to 2.0 times, 0.7 to 0.9 times, 0.7 to 2.0 times, 1.1 to 2.0 times, 0.8 to 1.5 times, or 0.8 to 1.2 times the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition, but is not limited to these ranges.

[0054] (Lower limit of liquiritin content) The liquiritin content (concentration) of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be 0.3 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition, and may also be 0.5 times or more, 0.7 times or more, 0.8 times or more, 0.9 times or more, 1.0 times or more, or 1.1 times or more.

[0055] The liquiritin content of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 1.5 mg / g or more (0.15 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the food additive composition), 5 mg / g or more, 9 mg / g or more, 15 mg / g or more, 18 mg / g or more, 20 mg / g or more, 25 mg / g or more, 27 mg / g or more, or 28 mg / g or more.

[0056] (Upper limit of liquiritin content) The liquiritin content of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 2.0 times or less, 1.5 times or less, 1.3 times or less, 1.2 times or less, 1.1 times or less, 1 time or less, or 0.9 times or less compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition.

[0057] The liquiritin content of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 55 mg / g or less, 45 mg / g or less, 40 mg / g or less, 35 mg / g or less, 33 mg / g or less, 31 mg / g or less, 30 mg / g or less, 29 mg / g or less, 23 mg / g or less, or 20 mg / g or less. The lower and upper limits for liquiritin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0058] On the other hand, the isoliquiritin content (concentration) of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be 0.5 to 3.0 times, 0.5 to 1.9 times, more preferably 1.0 to 3.0 times, even more preferably 1.0 to 2.5 times, particularly preferably 1.1 to 2.2 times, 1.0 to 1.9 times, 1.1 to 1.9 times, 1.0 to 1.4 times, 1.8 to 2.3 times, 2.1 to 3.0 times, or 2.1 to 2.5 times.

[0059] (Lower limit of isoliquirtin content) The isoliquiritin content of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 0.5 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition, and may be 1.0 times or more, 1.1 times or more, 1.3 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 1.8 times or more, 2.0 times or more, or 2.1 times or more.

[0060] The isoliquiritin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 2.5 mg / g or more, 5 mg / g or more, 10 mg / g or more, 15 mg / g or more, 20 mg / g or more, 23 mg / g or more, 30 mg / g or more, 40 mg / g or more, 50 mg / g or more, 55 mg / g or more, or 58 mg / g or more.

[0061] (Upper limit of isoliquiritin content) The isoliquiritin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 3.0 times or less, 2.5 times or less, 2.3 times or less, 2.2 times or less, 1.9 times or less, 1.5 times or less, 1.4 times or less, or 1.3 times or less, relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition.

[0062] The isoliquiritin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 90 mg / g or less, 80 mg / g or less, 70 mg / g or less, 65 mg / g or less, 62 mg / g or less, 61 mg / g or less, 40 mg / g or less, 30 mg / g or less, or 28 mg / g or less.

[0063] The lower and upper limits for isoliquiritin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0064] On the other hand, the liquiritigenin content (concentration) of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.05 to 0.5 times, 0.07 to 0.3 times, 0.08 to 0.25 times, or 0.08 to 0.15 times the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition.

[0065] (Lower limit of liquiritigenin content) The liquiritigenin content of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but it is preferably, for example, 0.05 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition, and may be 0.06 times or more, 0.07 times or more, 0.08 times or more, or 0.09 times or more.

[0066] The liquiritigenin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 1.0 mg / g or more, 1.5 mg / g or more, 1.8 mg / g or more, 2.0 mg / g or more, 2.1 mg / g or more, 2.3 mg / g or more, 2.5 mg / g or more, or 2.6 mg / g or more.

[0067] (Upper limit of liquiritigenin content) The liquiritigenin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 0.7 times or less, 0.5 times or less, 0.4 times or less, 0.3 times or less, 0.25 times or less, 0.2 times or less, 0.15 times or less, 0.12 times or less, or 0.1 times or less, relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition.

[0068] The liquiritigenin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 8 mg / g or less, 7 mg / g or less, 5 mg / g or less, 4 mg / g or less, 3.5 mg / g or less, 3 mg / g or less, or 2.8 mg / g or less.

[0069] The lower and upper limits for liquiritigenin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0070] On the other hand, the isoliquiritigenin content (concentration) of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.002 to 0.08 times, 0.005 to 0.08 times, 0.002 to 0.05 times, 0.005 to 0.04 times, 0.007 to 0.04 times, or 0.01 to 0.03 times the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition.

[0071] (Lower limit of isoliquiritigenin content) The isoliquiritigenin content of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.002 times or more, 0.003 times or more, 0.005 times or more, 0.007 times or more, 0.008 times or more, 0.01 times or more, 0.013 times or more, or 0.015 times or more relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition.

[0072] The isoliquiritigenin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 0.05 mg / g or more, 0.1 mg / g or more, 0.11 mg / g or more, 0.2 mg / g or more, 0.3 mg / g or more, 0.4 mg / g or more, or 0.45 mg / g or more.

[0073] (Upper limit of isoliquiritigenin content) The isoliquiritigenin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 0.1 times or less, 0.08 times or less, 0.05 times or less, 0.04 times or less, 0.03 times or less, 0.02 times or less, 0.018 times or less, 0.017 times or less, or 0.01 times or less, relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition.

[0074] The isoliquiritigenin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 2.5 mg / g or less, 2 mg / g or less, 1.5 mg / g or less, 1 mg / g or less, 0.8 mg / g or less, 0.6 mg / g or less, 0.5 mg / g or less, or 0.3 mg / g or less.

[0075] The lower and upper limits for isoliquiritigenin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0076] On the other hand, the formononetin content (concentration) of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0 to 0.082 times, 0 to 0.07 times, 0 to 0.06 times, 0 to 0.05 times, 0 to 0.03 times, 0 to 0.02 times, or 0 to 0.016 times relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition. Since formononetin is known to have potential side effects such as estrogen-like effects, it is preferable that the formononetin content in food additive compositions be low.

[0077] (Lower limit of formononetin content) The formononetin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 0 mg / g or more, 0.05 mg / g or more, 0.1 mg / g or more, 0.15 mg / g or more, 0.2 mg / g or more, 0.25 mg / g or more, 0.3 mg / g or more, 0.5 mg / g or more, 0.8 mg / g or more, 1.0 mg / g or more, 1.3 mg / g or more, or 1.4 mg / g or more.

[0078] (Upper limit for formononetin content) The formononetin content of the food additive composition may be, for example, 6 mg / g or less, 4 mg / g or less, 3 mg / g or less, 2 mg / g or less, 1.5 mg / g or less, 0.5 mg / g or less, 0.4 mg / g or less, or 0.35 mg / g or less.

[0079] The lower and upper limits for formononetin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0080] (Upper limit for glycyrrhizic acid content) The glycyrrhizic acid content (concentration) of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 50 mg / g or less, 40 mg / g or less, 35 mg / g or less, 33 mg / g or less, 30 mg / g or less, 25 mg / g or less, 23 mg / g or less, or 22 mg / g or less.

[0081] (Lower limit of glycyrrhizic acid content) The glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition is 5 mg / g or more, and may be, for example, 10 mg / g or more, 15 mg / g or more, 18 mg / g or more, 20 mg / g or more, 25 mg / g or more, or 27 mg / g or more.

[0082] The lower and upper limits for glycyrrhizic acid content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0083] Furthermore, in measuring the content of glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, isoiquiritigenin, etc., high-performance liquid chromatography is used to separate and quantify each component on the stationary phase. For example, a Waters Alliance 2695 HPLC system can be used as the analytical instrument for high-performance liquid chromatography.

[0084] When a food additive composition is used to suppress or prevent inflammation, it is preferable that the food additive composition contains 23 mg / g or more of glycyrrhizic acid, 20 mg / g or more of liquiritin, and 30 mg / g or more of isoliquiritin; more preferably 25 mg / g or more of glycyrrhizic acid, 25 mg / g or more of liquiritin, and 50 mg / g or more of isoliquiritin; and particularly preferably 26 mg / g or more of glycyrrhizic acid, 26 mg / g or more of liquiritin, and 55 mg / g or more of isoliquiritin. The same applies when a food additive composition is used for anti-allergic purposes (to suppress or prevent allergic reactions).

[0085] Furthermore, when a food additive composition is used to suppress or prevent inflammation, the food after the addition of the food additive composition may contain an extract from a licorice plant at a concentration of 1 mg / mL or more. The same applies when a food additive composition is used for anti-allergic purposes (to suppress or prevent allergies).

[0086] Furthermore, the "food additive composition for use in suppressing or preventing inflammation" described above is also useful as a food composition (not for use as an additive to food) for suppressing or preventing inflammation. The food composition for use in suppressing or preventing inflammation may, for example, be a food composition for use in suppressing the production of nitric oxide. The food composition may be any form or type of food that contains the above-mentioned extract, and examples include bread, fermented foods, dried foods, processed foods, frozen foods, retort foods, instant foods (instant noodles, dried foods), processed foods (processed fish products, processed livestock products), confectionery and other luxury foods, health foods such as supplements (functional foods), foods for special dietary uses (foods for the sick, foods for infants, foods for the elderly), foods with functional claims, foods for specified health uses, water, coffee, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, tea, seasonings, etc.

[0087] Furthermore, the aforementioned "anti-allergic food additive composition (a food additive composition used to suppress or prevent allergies)" is also useful as an anti-allergic food composition (not for use as a food additive). Examples of food compositions include, but are not limited to, the foods mentioned above.

[0088] The content of glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritigenin in the above-mentioned food additive composition may be the content when the food additive composition consists only of an extract from a licorice plant and a solvent, or the content when it consists of a raw material and solvent that substantially does not contain the extract and these five compounds, or the content in a food additive composition prepared by adding glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and / or isoliquiritigenin to an extract from a licorice plant, or the content when the extract from a licorice plant is concentrated (for example, concentrated until the Brix value is 25). A raw material that is substantially free of glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritigenin refers to a raw material in which the content of each of these components is 0.01% by weight or less of the amount of each component contained in the extract from the licorice plant in the food additive composition.

[0089] In this specification, "Brix value" refers to the soluble solids content and the reading of a refractometer. Since the Brix value measured by a refractometer may change depending on the temperature of the sample, it is desirable to perform the measurement when the temperature of the food additive composition is set to 20°C. If the deviation of the measured Brix value depending on the temperature of the sample is known, it is possible to determine whether the measured value falls within the above range, so the temperature of the sample during the measurement is not particularly limited.

[0090] (Other ingredients) The food additive composition may contain other components besides extracts from licorice plants, as long as they do not significantly reduce the complexity or richness of the flavor provided by the extracts from licorice plants, do not inhibit anti-inflammatory activity, or do not inhibit anti-allergic activity. It may also consist solely of extracts from licorice plants.

[0091] Other components besides extracts from licorice plants include, but are not limited to, seasonings, sugars, oils and fats, amino acids, proteins, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, thickeners, emulsifiers, flavorings, colorings, fillers, binders, excipients, food additives, and components other than extracts from licorice plants that have anti-inflammatory and / or anti-allergic activity.

[0092] Examples of minerals include salt, as will be shown later in Experimental Example 3. The salt content of the food additive composition can be, for example, 0.01 to 0.3% by weight, but is not limited to this range.

[0093] Suitable excipients include, for example, starch and dextrin.

[0094] The amount of components other than the extract from the genus Licorice may be, for example, 0% by weight, 1% or less by weight, 3% or less by weight, 5% or less by weight, 10% or less by weight, 20% or less by weight, 30% or less by weight, or 50% or less by weight, relative to the total mass of the food additive composition, but is not limited to these amounts. Furthermore, the other components may be substantially free of glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritigenin.

[0095] Furthermore, the food additive composition of this embodiment may also contain, separately added, glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and / or isoliquiritigenin, in addition to the extract from the licorice plant.

[0096] Here, triterpene glycosides such as glycyrrhizic acid, and licorice flavonoids such as liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritigenin are commercially available. In addition, the isolation methods for each component are known techniques as described in the following literature. Therefore, by adding or diluting each component, it is possible to arbitrarily adjust the concentration of each licorice flavonoid component in the food additive composition. Method for isolating liquiritin: Japanese Patent Publication No. 1989-79166 Isolation method of isoliquiritin: Shi et al., Studies on the identification of constituents in ethanol extract of Radix Glycyrrhizae and their anticancer activity. African Journal of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 11(2):334-338, 2014. Method for isoliciritingenin isolation: Nguyen et al., Two activators of in vitro fertilization in mice from licorice. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 13, 467(2), 447-50, 2015. Method for isolating liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin: Cheng-jun et al., One step isolation and purification of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Risch. using high-speed counter-current chromatography. Journal of chromatography A, 1078, 188-192, 2005. Isolation methods for liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin: Eun et al., Isolation and Characterization of Compounds from Glycyrrhiza uralensis as Therapeutic Agents for the Muscle Disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 16, 22(2), 876, 2021.

[0097] Furthermore, the amount of licorice flavonoids in the roots of licorice plants can be controlled by managing the moisture content of the soil in which the plants are cultivated. For example, to increase the liquiritin content to 0.3 times or more, the isoliquiritin content to 0.5 times or more, and keep the formononetin content to 0.082 times or less, relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of licorice plant roots, it is necessary to maintain (manage) the soil moisture content (volume water content) of the field during the period from July to September when the above-ground parts are in full bloom to a range of 5.0 to 60.0 vol%, preferably 10.0 to 50.0 vol%. The above-mentioned extracts from licorice plants are preferably extracts from licorice plants cultivated while managing the soil moisture content within this range. Soil moisture content can be measured with the METER 5TE soil moisture, temperature, and EC sensor.

[0098] On the other hand, in Mongolia, the native habitat of licorice, Non-Patent Literature X reports that soil moisture content is often between 0% and 10%, with most locations reporting a moisture content of 15% or less. Assuming a soil specific gravity of 1.2 g / mL, when calculating soil moisture content, a moisture content of 10% corresponds to approximately 7 vol.%, indicating that the soil is extremely dry. Non-patent document x: Ayako Sekiyama et al., "Vegetation survey and soil moisture estimation using pattern development method in Mongolian grasslands," Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 63-72, June 2010.

[0099] There are no particular limitations on how soil moisture content can be managed. For example, when soil moisture content is low, irrigation using irrigation tubes can suppress the decrease in soil moisture. When soil moisture content is high, agricultural paper mulch sheets can be placed on the soil surface to ensure evaporation of water from the soil while reducing water infiltration into the soil, thereby suppressing the rise in soil moisture. Furthermore, installing open ditches around the field in advance is also effective in preventing the rise in soil moisture content. Aside from soil moisture content management, general cultivation methods for licorice plants can be used. The following provides a detailed explanation of commonly practiced and preferred cultivation methods for licorice plants.

[0100] <How to cultivate licorice> Cultivation of licorice is preferably managed in the same way as general plant cultivation methods. Management mainly includes planting, fertilizing, weeding, and harvesting. While there are no specific limitations on licorice cultivation methods, methods described in, for example, Non-Patent Document y can be adopted. Non-patent literature y: "Guide to Cultivating Medicinal Crops ~Towards Expanding Domestic Production of Medicinal Crops~ Licorice Edition," published by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, March 2021.

[0101] (planting) In the above-mentioned non-patent document y, seedlings prepared by collecting stolons are used for transplanting, but the same treatment can be applied to seedlings obtained by germination from seeds. Although non-patent document y states that the transplanting period in cold regions is May, it is acceptable to transplant anytime between May and September, preferably between May and August, and even more preferably between May and July.

[0102] (fertilization) While there are no particular limitations on the amount or composition of fertilizer, the following can be used: per 10 ares (a), in the first year of cultivation, 8 kg of nitrogen, 8 kg of phosphorus, 8 kg of potassium, 1 ton of compost, and 100 kg of magnesium lime (55% alkali content); and from the second year onward, 10 kg of nitrogen, 10 kg of phosphorus, 10 kg of potassium, and 100 kg of magnesium lime (55% alkali content). More preferably, it is desirable to analyze the soil components of the field where licorice is cultivated and apply fertilizer to compensate for any deficiencies. The amount of fertilizer can be calculated using the fertilizer reduction criteria described in the following non-patent document z as a guideline. Non-patent document z: "Manual for Healthy Soil Preparation Techniques" published by Aomori Prefecture.

[0103] (weeding) There are no particular limitations on the weed control method, but it can be addressed by using herbicides or rakes for inter-plant weeding, as described in Non-Patent Literature Y. Since weed proliferation greatly affects the growth of licorice, it is preferable to take meticulous measures such as manual weeding in addition to the methods described in Non-Patent Literature Y. There are no particular limitations on the time when weed control is necessary in cold regions (for example, Hokkaido and the Tohoku region). For example, Non-Patent Literature Y states that it should be done from early May after planting and sprouting to early October, but it is preferable to do so from early May after planting and sprouting until late October when the plants enter dormancy, and more preferably from early April when weeds sprout until late November when the weeds die.

[0104] (harvest) There are no particular limitations on the harvesting method, but one example is the method using a digger or power shovel, as described in Non-Patent Literature y. Since licorice has roots that grow deep into the ground, it is preferable to use machinery that can dig deep into the soil. Also, there are no particular limitations on the number of years of cultivation until harvest; Non-Patent Literature y states that it is the third year of cultivation, but it may be the first year of cultivation, the second year, or even the fourth year or later. There are no particular limitations on the harvesting period in cold regions. For example, Non-Patent Literature y states November, but it may be from August to November, preferably from September to November, and more preferably from September to October.

[0105] <Amount of food additive composition added> (Lower limit of the amount to be added) The amount of food additive composition added to food is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be 0.1% by weight or more, 0.5% by weight or more, 0.8% by weight or more, 1% by weight or more, 1.2% by weight or more, 1.5% by weight or more, 1.8% by weight or more, 2.0% by weight or more, 3.0% by weight or more, or 5.0% by weight or more of the food after addition.

[0106] (Upper limit of the amount to be added) The amount of food additive composition added to food may be, for example, 30% by weight or less, 15% by weight or less, 10% by weight or less, 5% by weight or less, 3% by weight or less, 2.5% by weight or less, 2.3% by weight or less, 2.1% by weight or less, 2.0% by weight or less, 1.7% by weight or less, 1.5% by weight or less, 1.3% by weight or less, or 1.1% by weight or less, relative to the food after addition.

[0107] <Forms of food additive compositions> The form of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but it may be prepared and used in the form of, for example, powder, granules, liquid, solid, semi-solid, syrup, paste, etc.

[0108] Examples of foods to which the food additive composition of this embodiment can be added include, but are not limited to, processed foods, bread, fermented foods, dried foods, processed fish products, frozen foods, retort foods, instant foods (instant noodles, dried foods), processed foods (fish products, livestock products), confectionery and other luxury foods, health foods such as supplements (functional foods), foods for special dietary uses (foods for the sick, foods for infants, foods for the elderly), foods with functional claims, foods for specified health uses, water, juice, vegetable-containing beverages (tomato-containing beverages, etc.), fruit-containing beverages, coffee, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, tea, seasonings, etc.

[0109] The food additive composition may be added before, during, or after cooking the food to which it is added.

[0110] [Vegetable-containing beverage] A vegetable-containing beverage according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the food additive composition of the above embodiment.

[0111] Vegetable-containing beverages include, for example, vegetable juice, mixed vegetable juice, mixed vegetable and fruit juice, and green juice.

[0112] The vegetable-containing beverage in this embodiment may also be a tomato-containing beverage. A tomato-containing beverage means one in which part or all of the raw materials are tomato juice. Tomato juice refers to the juice extracted from tomato fruit, concentrated tomato juice, the reconstituted juice of concentrated tomato juice, and processed juices thereof.

[0113] By incorporating the food additive composition of the above embodiment into a vegetable-containing beverage, it is possible to add sweetness to the beverage while enhancing its complexity, richness, and texture. In particular, if the vegetable-containing beverage is a tomato-containing beverage, the acidity from the tomato can be suppressed. Furthermore, by enhancing the complexity and richness of the vegetable-containing beverage, the amount of salt added can be reduced. In addition, it is expected that the vegetable-containing beverage may have an effect of suppressing or preventing inflammation in drinkers. Furthermore, it is expected that the vegetable-containing beverage may have an effect of suppressing or preventing allergic reactions in drinkers. The following provides a detailed explanation of the [vegetable-containing beverage], but the same can be said for the [vegetable extract] which will be described in detail later.

[0114] (Lower limit of the proportion of food additive composition) The proportion of food additive composition contained in a vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.1% by weight or more, 0.5% by weight or more, 0.8% by weight or more, 1% by weight or more, 1.2% by weight or more, 1.5% by weight or more, 1.8% by weight or more, 2.0% by weight or more, 3.0% by weight or more, or 5.0% by weight or more.

[0115] (Upper limit on the proportion of food additives) The proportion of food additive composition contained in the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 30% by weight or less, 15% by weight or less, 10% by weight or less, 5% by weight or less, 3% by weight or less, 2.5% by weight or less, 2.3% by weight or less, 2.1% by weight or less, 2.0% by weight or less, 1.7% by weight or less, 1.5% by weight or less, 1.3% by weight or less, or 1.1% by weight or less.

[0116] The lower and upper limits for the proportion of the above-mentioned food additive composition in vegetable-containing beverages can be combined arbitrarily.

[0117] The liquiritin content (concentration) of a vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.3 to 2.0 times, 0.5 to 2.0 times, 0.7 to 0.9 times, 0.7 to 2.0 times, 1.1 to 2.0 times, 0.8 to 1.5 times, or 0.8 to 1.2 times the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0118] (Lower limit of liquiritin content in vegetable-containing beverages) The liquiritin content (concentration) of a vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but for example, it may be 0.3 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage, and may also be 0.5 times or more, 0.7 times or more, 0.8 times or more, 0.9 times or more, 1.0 times or more, or 1.1 times or more.

[0119] The liquiritin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.02 mg / g or more, 0.075 mg / g or more, 0.135 mg / g or more, 0.225 mg / g or more, 0.27 mg / g or more, 0.3 mg / g or more, 0.375 mg / g or more, 0.4 mg / g or more, 0.5 mg / g or more, 0.8 mg / g or more, or 1.4 mg / g or more.

[0120] (Upper limit of liquiritin content in vegetable-containing beverages) The liquiritin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 2.0 times or less, 1.5 times or less, 1.3 times or less, 1.2 times or less, 1.1 times or less, 1 time or less, or 0.9 times or less compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0121] The liquiritin content of vegetable-containing beverages is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 2.75 mg / g or less, 2.25 mg / g or less, 2 mg / g or less, 1.75 mg / g or less, 1.65 mg / g or less, 1.55 mg / g or less, 1.5 mg / g or less, 1.45 mg / g or less, 1.15 mg / g or less, 1 mg / g or less, or 0.3 mg / g or less. The lower and upper limits for liquiritin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0122] On the other hand, the isoliquiritin content (concentration) of the vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but may be 0.5 to 3.0 times, 0.5 to 1.9 times, more preferably 1.0 to 3.0 times, even more preferably 1.0 to 2.5 times, particularly preferably 1.1 to 2.2 times, 1.0 to 1.9 times, 1.1 to 1.9 times, 1.0 to 1.4 times, 1.8 to 2.3 times, 2.1 to 3.0 times, or 2.1 to 2.5 times.

[0123] (Lower limit of isoliquiritin content in vegetable-containing beverages) The isoliquiritin content of the food additive composition is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 0.5 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition, and may be 1.0 times or more, 1.1 times or more, 1.3 times or more, 1.5 times or more, 1.8 times or more, 2.0 times or more, or 2.1 times or more.

[0124] The isoliquiritin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.037 mg / g or more, 0.075 mg / g or more, 0.15 mg / g or more, 0.225 mg / g or more, 0.3 mg / g or more, 0.345 mg / g or more, 0.45 mg / g or more, 0.6 mg / g or more, 0.75 mg / g or more, 0.82 mg / g or more, 1.3 mg / g or more, 1.8 mg / g or more, or 2.5 mg / g or more.

[0125] (Upper limit for isoliquiritin content in vegetable-containing beverages) The isoliquiritin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 3.0 times or less, 2.5 times or less, 2.3 times or less, 2.2 times or less, 1.9 times or less, 1.5 times or less, 1.4 times or less, or 1.3 times or less compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0126] The isoliquiritin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 5 mg / g or less, 4 mg / g or less, 3.5 mg / g or less, 3.3 mg / g or less, 3.1 mg / g or less, 3 mg / g or less, 2 mg / g or less, 1.5 mg / g or less, 1.3 mg / g or less, 0.8 mg / g or less, or 0.4 mg / g or less.

[0127] The lower and upper limits for isoliquiritin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0128] On the other hand, the liquiritigenin content (concentration) of the vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.05 to 0.5 times, 0.07 to 0.3 times, 0.08 to 0.25 times, or 0.08 to 0.15 times the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0129] (Lower limit of liquiritigenin content) The liquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 0.05 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage, and may be 0.06 times or more, 0.07 times or more, 0.08 times or more, or 0.09 times or more.

[0130] The liquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.015 mg / g or more, 0.02 mg / g or more, 0.027 mg / g or more, 0.03 mg / g or more, 0.032 mg / g or more, 0.034 mg / g or more, 0.038 mg / g or more, 0.04 mg / g or more, 0.08 mg / g or more, or 0.13 mg / g or more.

[0131] (Upper limit of liquiritigenin content) The liquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.7 times or less, 0.5 times or less, 0.4 times or less, 0.3 times or less, 0.25 times or less, 0.2 times or less, 0.15 times or less, 0.12 times or less, or 0.1 times or less, relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0132] The liquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.4 mg / g or less, 0.35 mg / g or less, 0.25 mg / g or less, 0.2 mg / g or less, 0.17 mg / g or less, 0.14 mg / g or less, 0.1 mg / g or less, or 0.04 mg / g or less.

[0133] The lower and upper limits for liquiritigenin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0134] On the other hand, the isoliquiritigenin content (concentration) of the vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.002 to 0.08 times, 0.005 to 0.08 times, 0.002 to 0.05 times, 0.005 to 0.04 times, 0.007 to 0.04 times, or 0.01 to 0.03 times the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0135] (Lower limit of isoliquiritigenin content) The isoliquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.002 times or more, 0.003 times or more, 0.005 times or more, 0.007 times or more, 0.008 times or more, 0.01 times or more, 0.013 times or more, or 0.015 times or more, relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0136] The isoliquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.75 μg / g or more, 1.5 μg / g or more, 1.7 μg / g or more, 3 μg / g or more, 4.5 μg / g or more, 6 μg / g or more, 10 μg / g or more, 15 μg / g or more, or 22 μg / g or more.

[0137] (Upper limit of isoliquiritigenin content) The isoliquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.1 times or less, 0.08 times or less, 0.05 times or less, 0.04 times or less, 0.03 times or less, 0.02 times or less, 0.018 times or less, 0.017 times or less, or 0.01 times or less, relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0138] The isoliquiritigenin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 125 μg / g or less, 100 μg / g or less, 75 μg / g or less, 50 μg / g or less, 40 μg / g or less, 30 μg / g or less, 20 μg / g or less, 10 μg / g or less, or 4 μg / g or less.

[0139] The lower and upper limits for isoliquiritigenin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0140] The formononetin content (concentration) of the vegetable-containing beverage is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0 to 0.082 times, 0 to 0.07 times, 0 to 0.06 times, 0 to 0.05 times, 0 to 0.03 times, 0 to 0.02 times, or 0 to 0.016 times the glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage.

[0141] The formononetin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 0.01 μg / g or more, 0.1 μg / g or more, 0.15 μg / g or more, or 0.3 μg / g or more.

[0142] The formononetin content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 100 μg / g or less, 50 μg / g or less, 30 μg / g or less, 10 μg / g or less, 3 μg / g or less, 1 μg / g or less, or 0.3 μg / g or less.

[0143] The lower and upper limits for formononetin content mentioned above can be combined in any way.

[0144] (Lower limit of glycyrrhizic acid content in vegetable-containing beverages) The glycyrrhizic acid content (concentration) of vegetable-containing beverages is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.07 mg / g or more, 0.15 mg / g or more, 0.18 mg / g or more, 0.2 mg / g or more, 0.23 mg / g or more, 0.27 mg / g or more, 0.3 mg / g or more, 0.5 mg / g or more, 0.8 mg / g or more, or 1.3 mg / g or more.

[0145] (Upper limit for glycyrrhizic acid content in vegetable-containing beverages) The glycyrrhizic acid content of the vegetable-containing beverage may be, for example, 2.5 mg / g or less, 2 mg / g or less, 1.75 mg / g or less, 1.65 mg / g or less, 1.5 mg / g or less, 1.2 mg / g or less, 1 mg / g or less, 0.7 mg / g or less, or 0.3 mg / g or less.

[0146] [Vegetable extract] Another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the above-described food additive composition. The vegetable extract may be a tomato extract, i.e., a liquid extracted from tomato fruit.

[0147] By incorporating the aforementioned food additive composition into vegetable extracts, it is possible to enhance the complexity, richness, and texture of the vegetable extract while adding sweetness. In particular, if the vegetable extract contains extracts from tomato fruit, the acidity of the tomato can be suppressed. Furthermore, by enhancing the complexity and richness of the vegetable extract, the amount of salt added can be reduced. In addition, it is expected that the vegetable extract may have an effect of suppressing or preventing inflammation in those who consume it. Furthermore, it is expected that the vegetable extract may have an effect of suppressing or preventing allergic reactions in those who consume it.

[0148] Examples of vegetable extracts include, but are not limited to, broth made from vegetables.

[0149] [Method for producing a food additive composition containing an extract from a plant of the genus Licorice] Another preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for producing a food additive composition containing an extract from a plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza, which includes a step of extracting an extract from a plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza (water-soluble components and / or alcohol-soluble components contained in the plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza) by dissolving it in water or an aqueous solution of ethanol (hereinafter also referred to as the "extraction step").

[0150] The food additive composition containing the extract thus obtained is the same as the food additive composition detailed in the above-described embodiment of [Food Additive Composition]. Therefore, the liquiritin content of the food additive composition obtained by the production method of this embodiment is 0.3 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0151] <Extraction process> The licorice plants used in the extraction process are not particularly limited, but may include, for example, Glycyrrhiza uralensis or Glycyrrhiza glabra. The licorice plants used in the extraction process may be wild plants or cultivated plants grown in a field, but cultivated plants grown in a field are preferred. The licorice plants used in the extraction process are more preferably extracts from licorice plants cultivated under controlled conditions of soil moisture content from July to September to a range of 10.0 to 50.0% by volume, and are preferably from Hokkaido.

[0152] The licorice plants used in the extraction process may be dried. In this case, the glycyrrhizic acid content of the dried licorice plants is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, more than 0% by weight and less than 2.5% by weight.

[0153] The ethanol concentration of the aqueous ethanol solution used to extract extracts from licorice plants is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 0.1-99.9%, 10-80%, 20-50%, 20-40%, or 25-35%.

[0154] When extracting with water, hot water is preferable.

[0155] <Concentration process> The extract contained in the food additive composition may be the extract itself obtained with water or an aqueous solution of ethanol, or it may be a concentrate of the obtained extract. In other words, the method for producing the food additive composition of this embodiment may include a step of concentrating the extract obtained from a plant of the genus Licorice (also called the "concentration step").

[0156] There are no particular limitations on the degree to which the extract is concentrated during the concentration process, but one example is to concentrate it until the Brix value is 25 or higher.

[0157] The Brix value of the food additive composition obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment is not particularly limited, but may be in the range of 5 or more and less than 40, or in the range of 25 or more and less than 40.

[0158] The food additive composition obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment may contain a powder obtained by spray-drying an extract from a plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza. That is, the manufacturing method of the food additive composition may include a step of powdering an extract obtained by extracting from a plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza with water or an aqueous ethanol solution by spray-drying.

[0159] <Composition of food additive composition> The isoliquiritin content of the food additive composition obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment may be 0.5 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content of the food additive composition, and the glycyrrhizic acid content may be 5 mg / g or more, the liquiritin content may be 1.5 mg / g or more, and the isoliquiritin content may be 2.5 mg / g or more.

[0160] Furthermore, the liquiritin content of the food additive composition obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment may be, for example, 0.5 to 2.0 times, 0.7 to 0.9 times, 0.7 to 2.0 times, 1.1 to 2.0 times, 0.8 to 1.5 times, or 0.8 to 1.2 times the glycyrrhizic acid content. The isoliquiritin content of the food additive composition may be 0.5 to 3.0 times, 0.5 to 1.9 times, 1.0 to 3.0 times, 1.0 to 2.5 times, 1.1 to 2.2 times, 1.0 to 1.9 times, 1.1 to 1.9 times, 1.0 to 1.4 times, 1.8 to 2.3 times, 2.1 to 3.0 times, or 2.1 to 2.5 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0161] Furthermore, the liquiritigenin content of the food additive composition obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment is preferably 0.05 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content, and may be 0.06 times or more, 0.07 times or more, 0.08 times or more, or 0.09 times or more.

[0162] Furthermore, the isoliquiritigenin content of the food additive composition obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment may be, for example, 0.002 to 0.08 times, 0.005 to 0.08 times, 0.002 to 0.05 times, 0.005 to 0.04 times, 0.007 to 0.04 times, or 0.01 to 0.03 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0163] Furthermore, the formononetin content of the food additive composition obtained by the manufacturing method of this embodiment may be, for example, 0 to 0.082 times, 0 to 0.07 times, 0 to 0.06 times, 0 to 0.05 times, 0 to 0.03 times, 0 to 0.02 times, or 0 to 0.016 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0164] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims, and these modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention. [Examples]

[0165] The present invention will be described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Unless otherwise specified, in each experiment, a t-test was used to determine statistical significance, and p<0.05 was observed.

[0166] [Experimental Example 1] In this experiment, Ural licorice was cultivated in fields A and B in Hokkaido, while controlling the soil moisture content. The Ural licorice was grown from seeds obtained from transplanted parent plants, which were then grown into seedlings and transplanted to the fields between June and August. The soil moisture content of the fields was measured using a METER 5TE soil moisture, temperature, and EC sensor.

[0167] Figure 1 is a graph showing the changes in soil moisture content from July to September in each field where Ural licorice was cultivated. In fields A and B, soil moisture levels were controlled to be between 10.2% by volume and 46.7% by volume during the 92-day period from July to September when licorice was cultivated.

[0168] Fertilization was carried out per 10 ares (a) using 8 kg of nitrogen, 8 kg of phosphorus, 8 kg of potassium, 1 ton of compost, and 100 kg of magnesium lime (55% alkali content) in the first year of cultivation, and 10 kg of nitrogen, 10 kg of phosphorus, 10 kg of potassium, and 100 kg of magnesium lime (55% alkali content) from the second year onward. Weeds were removed from early April until late November when the weeds died, using herbicides and rakes for weeding between plants, as well as by hand. The licorice was harvested between August and October of the third year of cultivation using a digger and power shovel.

[0169] After washing and drying the licorice harvested from fields A and B, the extracts were subjected to hot water extraction in the same manner as in Example 1 of Experimental Example 2, which will be explained later, and then concentrated under reduced pressure until the Brix reached 25 or higher. As a result, the liquirrhizinic acid content relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content in the extracts obtained from licorice from field A and licorice from field B was 0.3 times or more.

[0170] These results suggest that by managing the soil moisture content of fields where licorice plants are cultivated (especially soil moisture content from July to September) to a range of 10-50% by volume, the liquiricidal acid content can be reduced to more than 0.3 times the glycyrrhizic acid content. [Experimental Example 2] In this experiment, as will be explained in detail below, extracts were prepared using hot water or an ethanol aqueous solution from Ural licorice (cultivated in Hokkaido, using the same method as in Experimental Example 1 at Field B in Hokkaido, with soil moisture content controlled to a range of 10-50% by volume; example) or from foreign sources (wild-collected specimens from China obtained from Eida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; comparative example, with uncontrolled soil moisture content).

[0171] (Example 1: Production of extract 1 by hot water extraction from licorice grown in Hokkaido) First, Ural licorice roots, planted in field B in Hokkaido in July 2018 and harvested in October 2020, were washed and dried, then cut into 5mm wide strips. 3kg of the resulting licorice root strips were then ground in a mortar and pestle (3000rpm, 1mm stone clearance) with added water.

[0172] Next, the ground material was placed in a 100L jacketed beaker, and 60L of water was added. The mixture was stirred and extracted for 30 minutes while being heated with steam. After the extraction process, the extract was packed into a filter cloth and pressed using a press until the filtrate was completely drained. The obtained 58L of filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure using a small evaporator until the Brix reached 25 or higher to obtain licorice extract 1.

[0173] The components of the licorice extract 1 obtained in this way were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and it was found that it contained 21.05 mg / g of glycyrrhizic acid, 19.05 mg / g of liquiritin, and 25.38 mg / g of isoliquiritin.

[0174] (Example 2: Production of extract 2 by 30% ethanol extraction from licorice grown in Hokkaido) Licorice roots planted in field B in Hokkaido in July 2018 and harvested in October 2020 were washed, dried, and then cut into 5mm wide strips. The resulting cut licorice roots were then ground in a mortar and pestle (3000 rpm, 1mm stone clearance) with added water.

[0175] The ground material was placed in a 100L jacketed beaker, and 18.9L of 95% ethanol was added to 41.0L of water. The mixture was stirred and extracted for 30 minutes while being heated with steam. After the extraction process, the extract was packed into a filter cloth and pressed using a press until the filtrate was completely drained. The obtained 56L of filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure using a small evaporator until the Brix reached 25 or higher to obtain licorice extract 2.

[0176] The components of the licorice extract 2 obtained in this way were quantified by HPLC, and it was found to contain 28.08 mg / g of glycyrrhizic acid, 28.32 mg / g of liquiritin, and 60.86 mg / g of isoliquiritin.

[0177] (Comparative Example 1: Preparation of Extract 3 by hot water extraction from foreign-grown licorice) Purchased Chinese Ural licorice root fragments were ground in a muscoloider while adding water (3000 rpm, stone clearance 1 mm). The ground material was placed in a 100L jacketed beaker, and 60L of water was added and stirred for 30 minutes while steam heating to extract the material.

[0178] After the extraction process, the extract was packed into a filter cloth and pressed using a press until the filtrate was completely drained. 60 L of the obtained filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure using a small evaporator until the Brix reached 25 or higher, to obtain licorice extract 3.

[0179] The licorice extract obtained in this way was analyzed by HPLC, and the results showed that it contained 72.44 mg / g of glycyrrhizic acid, 5.00 mg / g of liquiritin, and 5.94 mg / g of isoliquiritin.

[0180] (Comparative Example 2: Production of Extract 4 by 30% ethanol extraction from foreign-grown licorice) Purchased Chinese Ural licorice root fragments were ground in a muscoloider with added water (3000 rpm, stone clearance 1 mm). The ground material was placed in a 100 L jacketed beaker, and 18.9 L of 95% ethanol was added to 41.0 L of water. The mixture was stirred and extracted for 30 minutes while being heated with steam.

[0181] After the extraction process, the extract was packed into a filter cloth and pressed using a press until the filtrate was completely drained. 55 L of the obtained filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure using a small evaporator until the Brix reached 25 or higher, to obtain licorice extract 4.

[0182] The components of the licorice extract 4 obtained in this way were quantified by HPLC, and it was found to contain 96.88 mg / g of glycyrrhizic acid, 4.38 mg / g of liquiritin, and 6.62 mg / g of isoliquiritin. Table 1A below shows the component composition of licorice extracts 1-4 and the total content of glycyrrhizic acid and seven flavonoid components (a total of eight components) in each extract.

[0183] [Table 1A]

[0184] As shown in Table 1A, extracts 1 and 2 obtained from Ural licorice, where soil moisture content was controlled to a range of 10-50% by volume, had a liquiritin content of 0.3 times or more and an isoliquiritin content of 0.5 times or more compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content. In contrast, extracts 3 and 4 obtained from wild Ural licorice, where soil moisture content was not controlled, had a liquiritin content of less than 0.3 times and an isoliquiritin content of less than 0.5 times compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content.

[0185] The quantification of the components contained in each licorice extract 1-4 was performed by HPLC as follows. First, the obtained licorice extracts 1, 2, 3, or 4 were accurately weighed, 7 mL of 50% ethanol was added, and the mixture was extracted at 45°C for 30 minutes with appropriate stirring. Next, the supernatant was collected by centrifugation, and another 5 mL of 50% ethanol was added and the mixture was extracted again. After that, the supernatants were combined after centrifugation, the volume was made up to 15 mL, and the mixture was filtered to obtain the sample for quantitative analysis.

[0186] The substances to be quantified were eight components: glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, ononine, liquiritigenin, isoiquiritigenin, formononetin, and glycicoumarin. All eight components were quantified using a single-point measurement curve. Glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin, ononine, liquiritigenin, and formononetin were detected at 254 nm, while isoliquiritin, isoliquiritigenin, and glycicoumarin were detected at 350 nm. Since the peak of formononetin overlapped with that of isoliquiritigenin at 254 nm detection, the area value corrected using the following correction formula (A) was used.

[0187] Formononetin-corrected area value = Formononetin peak area value - (Isoliquiritigenin peak area value × Isoliquiritigenin area ratio) ... (A) *The "isoliquiritigenin area ratio" in the above correction formula (A) was obtained by dividing the 254nm area value of the isoliquiritigenin standard by the 350nm area value.

[0188] The analytical instruments and conditions used for quantitative analysis are as follows. (Analyzer) Waters Alliance 2695 HPLC System (column) Tosoh TSKgel ODS-100V (4.6 x 150 mm, particle size: 3 μm) (mobile phase) Solution A: 28% acetonitrile aqueous solution (containing 50 mM ammonium acetate and 0.5% acetic acid) Solution B: Acetonitrile (mode) Gradient (16 min → 22 min, and 27 min → 27.5 min) Table 1B below shows the transition of the mobile phase concentration ratio.

[0189] [Table 1B]

[0190] (flow velocity) 1.3 mL / min (Column temperature) 40℃ (Injection amount) 10 μL (measurement) 254nm, 350nm

[0191] [Experimental Example 3] In this experiment, the nitric oxide production rate was measured to confirm the anti-inflammatory effects of licorice extracts 1-4 obtained in Experimental Example 2.

[0192] In detail, first, mouse macrophage-like cell line RAW264 (hereinafter abbreviated as "RAW264 cells") was seeded in a 96-well plate, and a culture medium containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (final concentration 0.1 μg / mL) was added. Lipopolysaccharide is known to induce the expression of inflammatory cytokines and cause inflammation. The composition of the culture medium was as follows: DMEM medium Fetal bovine serum 1% by weight Penicillin-Streptmycin 1% by weight

[0193] Next, each licorice extract was added to a final concentration of 1000 μg / mL. As a control group, a system was prepared in which only culture medium was added instead of licorice extract. In addition, a system with culture medium that did not contain RAW264 cells was prepared separately and used as a sample blank.

[0194] After adding the licorice extract, the cells were incubated overnight at 37°C, and the cell supernatant was separated into another plate. Griess reagent was added to the cell supernatant and reacted at 37°C for 20 minutes.

[0195] Finally, using a microplate reader, the absorbance of the azo compound produced by the diazo coupling reaction of NO2 ions and Griess reagent was measured (measurement wavelength: 540 nm). More specifically, absorbance was measured using a NaNO2 solution as a standard solution, and a calibration curve was created. From the calibration curve, the NO2 concentration (μmol / L) was calculated from the absorbance of each well. In this process, the absorbance used in the calibration curve was the absorbance of the measurement well minus the absorbance of the sample blank well.

[0196] The production rate of nitric oxide was calculated using the following formula (i). Nitric oxide production rate (%) = (Average value of NO2 concentration [Sa] / NO2 concentration [CN]) × 100 ... (i) In equation (i), NO2 concentration [Sa] is the NO2 concentration of each test solution, and NO2 concentration [CN] is the NO2 concentration of the control group. Table 2A below shows the average nitric oxide production rate for each extract with a final concentration of 1000 μg / mL added to the culture medium.

[0197] [Table 2A]

[0198] Furthermore, Table 2B below shows the raw data (number of samples: 3) and average values ​​(average production rate) of nitric oxide production rates for each concentration of extract added to the culture medium.

[0199] [Table 2B]

[0200] Table 2C below shows the results of significance testing for average production rates between systems with the same extraction method (water or 30% ethanol) and the same sample concentration, but from different origins of licorice. A "〇" in the table indicates a statistically significant difference. Significant difference testing was not performed for combinations other than those shown in Table 2C.

[0201] [Table 2C]

[0202] As shown in Tables 2A and 2B, the system to which extract 2, obtained by extracting Hokkaido-grown licorice with 30% ethanol, was added showed a lower nitric oxide production rate compared to the systems to which extracts 1, 3, or 4 were added. In particular, as shown in Table 2C, the system to which extract 2 was added showed a significantly lower nitric oxide production rate compared to the system to which extract 4 was added, at all sample concentrations. This result suggests that extracting Hokkaido-grown licorice with an ethanol aqueous solution yields an extract that exhibits excellent anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, the system to which extract 1 at a concentration of 250 μg / mL was added showed a significantly lower nitric oxide production rate compared to the system to which extract 3 at the same concentration was added. These results suggest that extracts 1 and 2 from licorice grown in Hokkaido may have a composition that exhibits superior anti-inflammatory effects compared to extracts 3 and 4 from licorice grown in other countries.

[0203] Table 2D below shows the percentage decrease from 100% of the nitric oxide production rate in each system, divided by the total content of the eight components in each extract shown in Table 1A. A higher value indicates a higher anti-inflammatory effect. Furthermore, by dividing by the total content mentioned above, it is believed that a value can be obtained that roughly eliminates the influence of differences in concentration between the extracts on the anti-inflammatory effect.

[0204] [Table 2D]

[0205] Table 2E below shows the results of significance testing for the average percentage decrease in nitric oxide production from 100% (calculated by the total content of the eight components) between systems with the same extraction method (water or 30% ethanol) and the same sample concentration, but from different origins of licorice. Significance testing was not performed for combinations other than those shown in Table 2E. A "〇" in the table indicates a statistically significant difference.

[0206] [Table 2E]

[0207] As shown in Table 2D, when using the same extraction method (water or 30% ethanol) and the same sample concentration, the extract from Hokkaido-grown licorice had a higher average value when divided by the total content of the eight components compared to the extract from imported licorice, suggesting a higher anti-inflammatory effect. In particular, in the system extracted with 30% ethanol, the average value was significantly higher for the extract from licorice grown in Hokkaido at all sample concentrations (see Table 2E).

[0208] These results suggest that, even after correcting for the total content of the eight components in the extract, licorice from Hokkaido has a component ratio that exhibits superior anti-inflammatory effects.

[0209] Furthermore, Table 2F below shows the percentage decrease in nitric oxide production rate from 100% in each system, divided by the glycyrrhizic acid content of each extract shown in Table 1A. A higher value indicates a greater anti-inflammatory effect.

[0210] [Table 2F]

[0211] Table 2G below shows the results of significance testing for the mean percentage decrease in nitric oxide production rate from 100% (calculated by the glycyrrhizic acid content) between systems with the same extraction method and sample concentration but from different licorice origins. Significance testing was not performed for combinations other than those shown in Table 2G. A "〇" in the table indicates a statistically significant difference.

[0212] [Table 2G] As shown in Tables 2F and 2G, when using the same extraction method and sample concentration, the average value of the glycyrrhizic acid content was higher for the extract from Hokkaido-grown licorice than for the extract from foreign-grown licorice, suggesting a higher anti-inflammatory effect.

[0213] These results suggest that, even after correcting for the glycyrrhizic acid content of the extract, Hokkaido-grown licorice exhibited superior anti-inflammatory effects, and that differences in the concentrations of other anti-inflammatory components such as liquiritin and isoliquiritigenin may be influencing the results.

[0214] [Experimental Example 4] In this experiment, in order to confirm the anti-allergic effects of licorice extracts 1-4 obtained in Experimental Example 2, the relative amount of granulocytes released when IgE is cross-linked by an antigen (degranulation rate) was measured.

[0215] In detail, rat basophilic leukemia cells RBL-2H3 (hereinafter referred to as "RBL-2H3 cells") were first seeded in a 96-well plate and cultured overnight. A culture medium containing anti-DNP-IgE antibody was added, and the mixture was incubated at 37°C for 2 hours. After that, the RBL-2H3 cells were washed with buffer solution.

[0216] Next, licorice extracts 1-4 obtained in Experimental Example 2 were added to a final concentration of 500 μg / mL or 250 μg / mL, and the mixture was reacted at 37°C for 10 minutes. Then, DNP-labeled human serum albumin was added, and the mixture was reacted at 37°C for 3 hours. The untreated control was prepared by adding only the buffer solution, and the same test was performed. In addition, the unstimulated control was prepared by adding a culture medium that did not contain anti-DNP-IgE antibody, followed by sequentially adding the buffer solution and DNP-labeled human serum albumin, and reacting the mixture in the same manner. After transferring the entire cell supernatant into an empty well, Lysis buffer was added to the cells, and the mixture was allowed to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to obtain cell lysates.

[0217] Subsequently, the substrate solution was added to the cell supernatant and cell lysate, and the reaction was allowed to proceed at 37°C for 25 minutes, after which the reaction was stopped by adding Glycine buffer. A separate sample blank was also prepared using the cell supernatant and cell lysate with Glycine buffer, reacted at 37°C for 25 minutes, and then the substrate solution was added.

[0218] (Measurement method) Using a microplate reader, the absorbance of p-nitrophenol, produced by the reaction of β-hexosamidase (abundant in the granules) with the substrate, was measured. The measurement wavelength was 405 nm, and the control wavelength was 650 nm.

[0219] (Calculation method) The release rate was calculated using equation (ii) and the degranulation rate using equation (iii) based on the absorbance of each test solution relative to the absorbance of the untreated control. In equation (ii), "absorbance of the cell supernatant" is the value obtained by subtracting the absorbance of the sample blank.

[0220] Release rate (%) = Absorbance of cell supernatant / (Absorbance of cell supernatant + Absorbance of cell lysate) ... (ii) Degranulation rate (%) = (Release rate of test solution - Release rate of unstimulated antigen control) / (Release rate of untreated control - Release rate of unstimulated antigen control) × 100 ... (iii)

[0221] (Test results) Table 3A below shows the average degranulation rate in each system to which one of the licorice extracts 1 to 4 was added.

[0222] [Table 3A]

[0223] Furthermore, Table 3B below shows the raw data (number of samples: 4) and average degranulation rate for each system, including the system to which the extract with a final concentration of 1000 μg / mL was added.

[0224] [Table 3B]

[0225] Furthermore, Table 3C below shows the results of significance testing for the average degranulation rate between licorice samples from different origins, using the same 30% ethanol extraction method and the same sample concentration. In the table, "〇" indicates a significant difference, and "-" indicates no significant difference.

[0226] [Table 3C]

[0227] As shown in Tables 3A and 3B, in all systems, whether licorice extract 1-4 was added at a concentration of 500 μg / mL, 250 μg / mL, or 1000 μg / mL, licorice extract 2 showed the lowest degranulation rate. In particular, in the systems where licorice extract 2 was added at concentrations of 250 μg / mL or 500 μg / mL, the degranulation rate was significantly and remarkably lower compared to the system where licorice extract 4 was added (see Table 3C). These results suggest that extracting licorice from Hokkaido with an ethanol aqueous solution yields an extract that exhibits excellent anti-allergic properties.

[0228] Table 3D below shows the percentage decrease from 100% of the degranulation rate in each system shown in Table 3B, divided by the total content of the eight components in each extract shown in Table 1A. A higher value indicates a higher anti-allergic effect. Furthermore, by dividing by the total content mentioned above, it is believed that a value can be obtained that roughly eliminates the influence of differences in concentration between the extracts on the anti-allergic effect.

[0229] [Table 3D]

[0230] Table 3E below shows the results of significance testing for the average value of the decrease rate from 100% of the degranulation rate, calculated by dividing it by the total content of the eight ingredients, across systems with the same sample concentration but different origins and extraction methods of licorice. A "〇" in the table indicates a statistically significant difference. Note that significance testing was not performed for combinations other than those shown in Table 3E.

[0231] [Table 3E]

[0232] As shown in Table 3D, with the exception of the 500 μg / mL system, for the same extraction method and sample concentration, the average value of the extract from Hokkaido-grown licorice was higher than that of the extract from foreign-grown licorice, when divided by the total content of the eight components, suggesting a higher anti-allergic effect.

[0233] Furthermore, as shown in Table 3E, the 1000 μg / mL extract of Extract 1 showed significantly higher anti-allergic activity than the 1000 μg / mL extract of Extract 4. Similarly, the 500 μg / mL extract of Extract 1 showed significantly higher anti-allergic activity than the 500 μg / mL extract of Extract 4. Also, the 250 μg / mL extract of Extract 1 showed significantly higher anti-allergic activity than the 250 μg / mL extract of Extract 4.

[0234] From the results shown in Table 3D and Table 3E, it was suggested that even when corrected by the total content of 8 types in the extract, licorice produced in Hokkaido has a component ratio that exhibits an excellent anti-allergic effect.

[0235] Furthermore, Table 3F below shows the values obtained by dividing the reduction rate from 100% of the degranulation rate in each system by the glycyrrhizic acid content of each extract shown in Table 1A. The higher this value, the higher the anti-allergic effect.

[0236]

Table 3F

[0237] In addition, Table 3G below shows the results of a significance test for the average value obtained by dividing the reduction rate from 100% of the nitric oxide production rate by the glycyrrhizic acid content between systems with different licorice origins at the same sample concentration. "〇" in the table indicates a significant difference. Note that significance tests have not been performed for combinations other than those shown in Table 3G.

[0238]

Table 3G

[0239] As shown in Table 3F, at the same sample concentration, the extract from licorice produced in Hokkaido has a higher average value of the value obtained by dividing by the glycyrrhizic acid content and a higher anti-allergic effect than the extract from foreign licorice, regardless of the extraction method. For example, Extract 1 at each sample concentration had a significantly higher anti-allergic effect than Extracts 3 and 4 at the same sample concentration (see Table 3G).

[0240] From the results shown in Table 3F, even when corrected by the glycyrrhizic acid content of the extract, licorice produced in Hokkaido exhibits an excellent anti-allergic effect, suggesting that the concentration difference of components other than glycyrrhizic acid, such as liquiritin and isoliquiritigenin, which have an anti-allergic effect, may be affecting.

[0241] [Experimental Example 5] In this experiment, the initial and aftertaste evaluations of licorice extracts 1 and 3 obtained in Experimental Example 2, as well as licorice extract 5 (a variation of licorice extract 1, cultivated in the same field as licorice extract 1, and using the same cultivation and extraction methods), were commissioned to the Institute for Taste and Aroma Strategy. The evaluations were performed using the TS-5000Z taste recognition device. The evaluation method is as follows.

[0242] First, the base reference potential Vr was measured in a standard solution (30 mM KCl + 0.3 mM tartaric acid). Next, the potential Vs was measured in the samples (licorice extracts 1, 3, and 5, and standard solution) to calculate the initial taste. After that, the samples were rinsed with the standard solution, and the reference potential Vr' was measured again in the standard solution to calculate the aftertaste. For each sensor corresponding to each taste, the measured value for each taste was calculated using the following equations (iv) and (v). A 1% sugar solution was used as the standard solution. For the samples, licorice extracts 1, 3, and 5 were diluted to a 1% concentration in a tasteless solution. A tasteless solution is a solution that a person does not perceive as having a taste. For the standard solution, refined sugar was dissolved in a 1% concentration of tasteless solution. Taste measurement value = Vs - Vr ...(iv) Aftertaste measurement value = Vr' - Vr ... (v)

[0243] The measured values ​​thus calculated were converted into evaluation values ​​using the following formula (vi). An evaluation value of 1.0 was set for a concentration difference of 20% (a concentration difference that humans perceive as a different taste). Evaluation value = ((C1 / C0 × 100) - 100) / 20 ... (vi) *C0 represents the measurement value for the standard solution, and C1 represents the measurement value for licorice extracts 1, 3, and 5.

[0244] Table 4 below shows the initial taste evaluation values ​​for licorice extracts 1 and 3, and Table 5 shows the aftertaste evaluation values ​​for licorice extracts 1 and 3. Figure 2 is a graph showing the taste evaluation values ​​for licorice extracts 1, 3, and 5.

[0245]

Table 4

[0246]

Table 5

[0247] As shown in Table 4, Table 5, and FIG. 2, Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts 1 and 5 extracted from Glycyrrhiza glabra produced in Hokkaido with hot water were suggested to have a mild sweetness and a clear taste compared to Glycyrrhiza glabra extract 3 extracted from foreign Glycyrrhiza glabra with hot water. In addition, since Glycyrrhiza glabra extracts 1 and 5 have a weaker aftertaste than Glycyrrhiza glabra extract 3, it was suggested that they are suitable for addition to foods.

[0248] [Experimental Example 6] In this experiment, tomato juice containing salt, sugar, and / or Glycyrrhiza glabra extract 1 obtained in Experimental Example 2 was produced, and the evaluation of the front taste and the aftertaste was entrusted to the Taste and Aroma Strategy Research Institute. The evaluation method was the same as in Experimental Example 2, except that tomato juice without addition (without addition of salt and Glycyrrhiza glabra extract) was used as the standard solution.

[0249] Five types of tomato juice samples were prepared as follows. Sample 1: Tomato juice produced by blending 0.2% by weight of salt into raw food variety tomatoes (The blending amount of salt is 0.2 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of tomato juice) Sample 2: Tomato juice produced by blending 0.2% by weight of salt into raw food variety tomatoes, and further blending 1% by weight of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract 1 (hot water extraction) obtained in Experimental Example 2 from Glycyrrhiza glabra produced in Hokkaido Sample 3: Tomato juice produced by blending 1% by weight of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract 1 (hot water extraction) obtained in Experimental Example 2 from Glycyrrhiza glabra produced in Hokkaido into tomato juice produced only from raw food variety tomatoes Sample 4: Tomato juice produced by blending 1.0% by weight of sugar into raw food variety tomatoes Sample 5: Tomato juice made by adding 0.2% by weight of salt and 1.0% by weight of sugar to fresh tomatoes.

[0250] Figure 3 is a graph showing the taste evaluation results of Sample 1 tomato juice compared to additive-free tomato juice. Figure 4 is a graph showing the taste evaluation results of Sample 2 tomato juice compared to additive-free tomato juice. Figure 5 is a graph showing the taste evaluation results of Sample 3 tomato juice compared to additive-free tomato juice.

[0251] Furthermore, Table 6 below shows the evaluation values ​​for the initial taste of tomato juice samples 1-5, and Table 7 shows the evaluation values ​​for the aftertaste of tomato juice samples 1-5.

[0252] [Table 6]

[0253] [Table 7]

[0254] As shown in Figure 3, the tomato juice of Sample 1, which had salt added, exhibited a significantly more pronounced acidity compared to the tomato juice without salt.

[0255] As shown in Figure 5, the tomato juice of Sample 3, to which licorice extract 1 was added, showed reduced acidity, increased complexity of bitterness and astringency, and enhanced richness compared to the tomato juice without the extract, resulting in a more pronounced overall flavor. Furthermore, it was suggested that the saltiness was emphasized even without the addition of salt.

[0256] As shown in Figure 4, Sample 2 tomato juice, to which salt and licorice extract 1 were added, had a lower acidity compared to Sample 1 tomato juice, while increasing the complexity of bitterness and astringency, as well as the richness and texture of the ingredients, resulting in a well-balanced flavor.

[0257] These results suggest that adding licorice extract can enhance complexity, richness, texture, and saltiness. [Industrial applicability]

[0258] According to the present invention, by using a food additive composition in which the liquiritin content is 0.3 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content and the glycyrrhizic acid content is 5 mg / g or more, it is possible to add sweetness to food while enhancing complexity, richness, texture, and saltiness, and also exhibit a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect, making it suitable for industrial use.

Claims

1. A composition used as an additive to food, Contains extracts from plants of the licorice genus. The liquiritin content of the above composition is 0.3 times or more relative to the glycyrrhizic acid content. A food additive composition having a glycyrrhizic acid content of 5 mg / g or more.

2. The food additive composition according to claim 1, wherein the extract is an extract obtained from the root or stolon of the licorice plant.

3. The isoliquirritin content of the above composition is 0.5 times or more compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content. The food additive composition according to claim 2, wherein the liquiritin content is 1.5 mg / g or more and the isoliquiritin content is 2.5 mg / g or more.

4. The food additive composition according to claim 3, wherein the composition contains 9 mg / g or more of liquiritin and 15 mg / g or more of isoliquiritin.

5. The food additive composition according to claim 2, wherein the glycyrrhizic acid content of the composition is 15 to 50 mg / g.

6. The food additive composition according to claim 2, wherein the liquiritin content of the composition is 0.5 to 2.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

7. The food additive composition according to claim 2, wherein the isoliquiritin content of the composition is 1.0 to 3.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

8. The food additive composition according to claim 2, wherein the liquiritigenin content of the composition is 0.05 to 0.5 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

9. The food additive composition according to claim 2, wherein the isoliquiritigenin content of the composition is 0.005 to 0.08 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

10. The food additive composition according to claim 2, wherein the licorice plant is Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

11. A food additive composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, for use in enhancing richness of flavor.

12. A food additive composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, for use in reducing the amount of salt added.

13. A food additive composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, for use in suppressing sourness.

14. The food additive composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the liquiritin content of the composition is 20 mg / g or more, and is used for suppressing or preventing inflammation.

15. The food additive composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the liquiritin content of the composition is 20 mg / g or more, and is used for suppressing or preventing allergic reactions.

16. A vegetable-containing beverage comprising the food additive composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

17. A vegetable extract comprising the food additive composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

18. The vegetable-containing beverage according to claim 16, which is a tomato-containing beverage.

19. The vegetable extract according to claim 17, which is a tomato extract.

20. A method for producing a food additive composition containing an extract from a plant of the genus Licorice, The process includes extracting the extract from a plant of the genus Licorice by dissolving it in water or an aqueous solution of ethanol, A method for producing a food additive composition in which the liquiritin content of the food additive composition is 0.3 times or more the glycyrrhizic acid content.

21. The isoliquirritin content of the aforementioned food additive composition is 0.5 times or more compared to the glycyrrhizic acid content. A method for producing the food additive composition according to claim 20, wherein the glycyrrhizic acid content is 5 mg / g or more, the liquiritin content is 1.5 mg / g or more, and the isoliquiritin content is 2.5 mg / g or more.

22. A method for producing a food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, further comprising the step of powdering the extract by spray drying.

23. A method for producing a food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the licorice plant is Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

24. A method for producing a food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the liquiritin content is 0.5 to 2.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

25. A method for producing a food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the isoliquiritin content is 1.0 to 3.0 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

26. A method for producing the food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the liquiritigenin content of the food additive composition is 0.05 to 0.5 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

27. A method for producing the food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the isoliquiritigenin content of the food additive composition is 0.005 to 0.08 times the glycyrrhizic acid content.

28. A method for producing a food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the licorice plant is a dried product, and the glycyrrhizic acid content of the dried licorice plant is more than 0% by weight and less than 2.5% by weight.

29. A method for producing a food additive composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the licorice plant is a licorice plant cultivated in a field with the soil moisture content controlled to a range of 10.0 to 50.0% by volume from July to September.

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