Oil-based emulsions in water

Abstract

Beyond the long-standing issue of allergies, the world has become a place where dietary diversification, sustainability, and vegetarianism are being considered. I felt the need to invent and offer a purely plant-based cream that does not use animal-derived ingredients or food additives. [Solution] An oil-in-water emulsion comprising 55-70% by mass of an aqueous phase and 30-45% by mass of vegetable fat, characterized in that it contains 0.1-0.5% by mass of oat oil containing 0.5-3.0% by mass of vegetable protein and 40% or more by mass of polar lipids, which is liquid under refrigeration and can be foamed by whipping.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a purely vegetable-based oil-in-water emulsion, such as fresh cream, mainly used in cooking and Western-style confectionery, that does not contain animal-derived ingredients or food additives and is capable of foaming. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, foaming creams can be broadly classified into three types: pure fresh cream, compound cream (where some of the milk fat is replaced with vegetable fat), and pure vegetable cream (where all the fat is from vegetables).

[0003] Pure fresh cream is defined as "cream" in the Ministerial Ordinance Concerning Standards for Ingredients of Milk and Dairy Products (hereinafter referred to as the Milk and Dairy Products Ordinance), and it contains no vegetable fats, food additives, etc., making it a truly natural food. On the other hand, compound cream and pure vegetable cream generally contain vegetable fats as a substitute for milk fat, as well as food additives such as emulsifiers and stabilizers as needed, and are defined in the Milk and Dairy Products Ordinance as "milk and dairy products, and foods made primarily from them," which is a different definition from pure fresh cream.

[0004] Pure fresh cream has a superior flavor and is preferred as a natural food because it does not contain food additives. In contrast, compound cream and pure vegetable cream have often been considered based on factors such as the substitution of cheaper ingredients or the ease of handling due to processing technology for vegetable fats.

[0005] On the other hand, since pure fresh cream is made from dairy ingredients, the issue of dairy allergies has always been a concern. Furthermore, in recent years, with considerations of food sustainability and vegetarianism, there are now situations where people are hesitant to use dairy ingredients for reasons different from before.

[0006] Therefore, demands for pure vegetable cream have arisen that go beyond functionality and low cost. However, when designing pure vegetable cream, the common technique involves incorporating food additives. Compared to pure fresh cream, there is a negative image associated with food additives, in addition to the flavor aspect.

[0007] While some people cannot eat pure fresh cream due to allergies or because it contains animal-derived ingredients, it's easy to imagine that a certain number of people also have a negative impression of pure vegetable cream because it contains additives.

[0008] In this context, the following technologies have been disclosed as prior art.

[0009] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for obtaining a foaming cream with excellent foaming and flower-making properties, without containing synthetic emulsifiers or stabilizers.

[0010] Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for obtaining an oil-in-water emulsion using a soy protein material that has low viscosity and high emulsifying and solubility properties.

[0011] Patent Document 3 discloses a technique for obtaining a foaming, purely plant-based oil-in-water emulsion by specifying the water-soluble nitrogen index (hereinafter referred to as NSI) and molecular weight of plant proteins within a specific range.

[0012] Patent Document 4 discloses a technique for obtaining a foaming, purely plant-based oil-in-water emulsion by defining the NSI of the plant protein, the median diameter of the particles, and the molecular weight. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-352901 [Patent Document 2] WO2017 / 141934 publication [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-052700 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2024-047396

[0014] [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0015] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 enables emulsification without the use of food additives, but both buttermilk powder and egg yolk oil use animal-derived raw materials, and therefore cannot address the needs of consumers who are hesitant to use animal-derived raw materials, which is the issue addressed by the present invention.

[0016] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 can produce an oil-in-water emulsion with very stable emulsification, but it is difficult to obtain whipped cream by appropriately deemulsifying it through a whipping operation. In addition, the examples use food additives, and the use of food additives is one of the conditions.

[0017] The technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 3 and 4 are both described as technologies that result in very stable emulsification and do not require the addition of additives such as emulsifiers. However, these technologies are only applicable to raw materials with a high NSI and within a specified molecular weight range, and the NSI is likely to decrease over time. Therefore, considering the ease of use and the specified range of raw materials, these technologies warrant further consideration.

[0018] While conventional technology allows for the production of purely plant-based oil-in-water emulsions using plant-based proteins without food additives, there is currently no simple technology to stably produce foaming oil-in-water emulsions.

[0019] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide an oil-in-water emulsion with foaming properties that uses vegetable oils used in foaming oil-in-water emulsions, does not use food additives, and uses only plant-based raw materials with a simple technology.

[0020]

Means for Solving the Problem

[0021] As a result of the intensive research by the present inventors, a pure plant-based cream having foaming properties was completed by using oat oil rich in vegetable fat, protein, and polar lipids without using food additives.

[0022] That is, the present invention provides the following oil-in-water emulsions. An oil-in-water emulsion composed of 1.55 to 70% by mass of an aqueous phase and 30 to 45% by mass of vegetable fat, containing 1.0 to 3.0% by mass of plant protein and 0.1 to 0.5% by mass of oat oil containing 40% by mass or more of polar lipids, which is liquid under refrigeration and can be foamed by whipping. The oil-in-water emulsion according to 1, which is used as whipped cream.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a pure plant-based cream that does not use both animal-derived raw materials and food additives, and it also becomes possible to have a wider range of choices regarding allergies to milk, dietary diversification, and sustainability.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0025] As the vegetable fat used as a raw material, the vegetable oils and fats conventionally used in compound cream or pure plant-based cream may be used. There is no particular limitation, and even partially hydrogenated oils and fats have no influence on the present invention. However, in recent years, due to the trans fatty acid problem, interesterified oils and fats are often used, and it is desirable to use them. Attention is required because food additives may be blended in vegetable oils and fats for the purpose of antioxidant protection and crystal adjustment.

[0026] The type of protein used does not need to be specific, as long as it is plant-based. However, as noted in prior art, caution is necessary as certain molecular weights may accelerate the formation of coagulated material.

[0027] Use oat oil with a polar fat content of 40% or more. While any food containing polar lipids could potentially be used, currently there are no other plant-based ingredients that offer comparable effects to oat oil. If the amount used is too low, whipping will be impossible or require an extremely long time. Conversely, if the amount is too high, the whipping time will be extremely short, and the mixture will become excessively viscous, making it impossible to maintain a liquid state. Care must be taken when using oat oil.

[0028] A water phase is used to adjust the composition, but there are no specific requirements for the water phase as long as it does not contain animal-derived ingredients or food additives. Other substances such as plant-based milk are also acceptable, but care must be taken regarding the presence or absence of additives. These can be used to adjust the fat content to the desired level.

[0029] To enhance the stabilization effect, food-grade agar or starch can be used to reinforce whipped cream and improve its quality. However, it is important to note that gelatin should not be used as it is an animal-derived ingredient.

[0030] The use of sugars does not affect this invention. Raw materials should be selected according to the purpose. It is necessary to avoid incorporating animal-derived raw materials and designated additives, but caution is required when using them, for example, in the case of vegans, the use of animal bones (bone char) in the sugar refining process may cause the product to no longer be considered vegan. Also, dextrin and powdered starch impart viscosity, so care must be taken with the amount used.

[0031] Furthermore, the absence of animal-derived ingredients and food additives will not affect the present invention. Ingredients can be selected according to the purpose. For example, alcohols may be used to flavor whipped cream, or vanilla may be used to flavor it, but this does not affect the present invention.

[0032] Although this invention is in a liquid state, whipped cream can be created by whipping. Like conventional whipped cream, this whipped cream can be used in Western-style confectionery and other applications, making it possible to avoid using dairy products.

[0033] The manufacturing method of the present invention can be any conventional manufacturing technique used in the production of creams, and is not particularly specified. It can be manufactured using general cream manufacturing equipment. Specifically, the raw materials, such as water, vegetable oil, vegetable protein, and oat oil, can be blended, and the desired manufacturing can be carried out by pre-emulsification, sterilization, homogenization, cooling, etc.

[0034] Conventional manufacturing techniques are sufficient for sterilization methods, and various sterilization methods such as batch sterilization, indirect heat sterilization, and direct heat sterilization can be selected.

[0035] The following describes some embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments in any way.

[0036] The following ingredients were used: ·Vegetable fats: Shortening (elevated melting point 23-29°C): Manufactured by Taiyo Yushi Co., Ltd. • Plant protein: Pea protein: Profam P-580: Manufactured by ADM Corporation Protein content: 75.0%, NSI: 18.6 Defatted Soy Protein: SUPRO710: Manufactured by Danisco Protein content: 87.5%, NSI: 57.0 Mung bean protein or protein MP-AC: Manufactured by Organo Food Tech. Protein content: 75.0%, NSI: 18.6 • Oat oil: SWEOAT OIL PL40 FG: Seti Co., Ltd. Furthermore, the NSI was performed using the 40°C method, following the standard method for analyzing fats and oils. However, for this particular case, the results obtained from the Gunma Prefectural Health Promotion Foundation were used. [Examples]

[0037] Mix 60g of pea protein with 1734g of water and heat to approximately 75°C. Then, add 1200g of vegetable oil (6g of oat oil dissolved in it, also heated to approximately 75°C) and maintain at 75°C for 20 minutes. After that, use a homogenizer (manufactured by Daito Machinery Co., Ltd.) under a pressure of 50kgf / cm². 2 The material is then homogenized and further processed at 20 kgf / cm². 2 The mixture was then homogenized. After cooling to below 10°C, it was filled into containers and stored in a refrigerator for approximately 72 hours before evaluation. [Examples]

[0038] 1895.5g of water is mixed with 51.5g of defatted soy protein and heated to approximately 75°C. Then, 1050g of vegetable oil (3g of oat oil dissolved in it, also heated to approximately 75°C) is added. The mixture is sterilized and held at 75°C for 20 minutes, and then homogenized using a homogenizer (manufactured by Daito Machinery Co., Ltd.) under a pressure of 50kgf / cm². 2 The material is then homogenized and further processed at 20 kgf / cm². 2 The mixture was then homogenized. After cooling to below 10°C, it was filled into containers and stored in a refrigerator for approximately 48 hours before evaluation. [Examples]

[0039] Mix 72g of mung bean protein with 1873.5g of water and heat to approximately 75°C. Then, add 1050g of vegetable oil (approximately 75°C) containing 4.5g of oat oil dissolved in it. Sterilize and hold at 75°C for 20 minutes, then homogenize using a homogenizer (manufactured by Daito Machinery Co., Ltd.) under a pressure of 50kgf / cm². 2 The material is then homogenized and further processed at 20 kgf / cm². 2 The mixture was then homogenized. After cooling to below 10°C, it was filled into containers and stored in a refrigerator for approximately 48 hours before evaluation. Comparative Example 1

[0040] Add 20 g of pea protein to 1924 g of water and heat it to about 75°C. Add 1050 g of vegetable oil at about 75°C in which 6 g of oat oil is dissolved. Perform a sterilization holding treatment at 75°C for 20 minutes, and then perform a homogenization treatment using a homogenizer (manufactured by Daito Kikai Co., Ltd.) under a pressure condition of 50 kgf / cm 2 and then perform a homogenization treatment at 20 kgf / cm 2 . Then cool it until it reaches 10°C or lower, fill it into a container, and evaluate it after aging it in a refrigerator for about 48 hours. Comparative Example 2

[0041] Add 160 g of pea protein to 1631 g of water and heat it to about 75°C. Add 1200 g of vegetable oil at about 75°C in which 9 g of oat oil is dissolved. Perform a sterilization holding treatment at 75°C for 20 minutes, and then perform a homogenization treatment using a homogenizer (manufactured by Daito Kikai Co., Ltd.) under a pressure condition of 50 kgf / cm 2 and then perform a homogenization treatment at 20 kgf / cm 2 . Then cool it until it reaches 10°C or lower, fill it into a container, and evaluate it after aging it in a refrigerator for about 48 hours.

[0042] The evaluation methods for Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 2 are shown below.

[0043] (1) State after storage Check the state after aging and judge according to the following criteria. ○: Liquid ×: State where separation, aggregation, etc. occur and it does not maintain a liquid state Note that only the evaluations after ○ judgment were carried out.

[0044] (2) Viscosity measurement For viscosity measurement, a viscometer (TVB-10M manufactured by Tokyo Keiki) was used. Measure for 20 seconds at a sample temperature of 3 to 6°C, and use the viscosity (mPa·s) to judge according to the following criteria. ○: 500 mPa·s or more ×: Less than 500 mPa·s [[ID=四十]]

[0045] (3) Whipping evaluation The whipping performance was evaluated using a mixer (Kenmix KM-800 manufactured by Aikousha Seisakusho). The mixture was stirred at speed 5 on the dial, and the whipping time until the mixture was fully formed (resulting in artificial flower-like consistency) and the overrun were measured. The overrun was calculated using the following formula. Overrun (%) = {(W1-W2) / W2} × 100 W1: Weight of liquid in a given volume W2: Weight of whipped product in a given volume The whipped cream was evaluated based on the following criteria. ○: Whipping time 1-5 minutes, overrun 70-170% ×: Whipping time less than 1 minute, more than 5 minutes, overrun less than 70%, and overrun more than 170%

[0046] The evaluation results for Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-2 are shown below. TIFF2026079628000001.tif31170 [Industrial applicability]

[0047] This invention makes it possible to provide a purely plant-based cream that can be whipped, free from animal-derived ingredients and food additives, which are not found in conventional creams. For example, it can be used in Western-style confectionery that does not contain allergens such as dairy, and can also accommodate sustainable diets and vegetarians, thus expanding the range of choices.

Claims

1. An oil-in-water emulsion comprising 55-70% by mass of an aqueous phase and 30-45% by mass of vegetable fat, characterized in that it contains 0.1-0.5% by mass of oat oil containing 1.0-3.0% by mass of vegetable protein and 40% or more by mass of polar lipids, which is liquid under refrigeration and can be foamed by whipping.

2. The oil-in-water emulsion according to claim 1, to be used as whipped cream.

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