Foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition for whipped cream intended for distribution at room temperature

Abstract

The present invention provides a whipped cream for room temperature distribution that maintains a good appearance and texture even when distributed at room temperature, has a strong milky flavor, and leaves no lingering sweetness in the aftertaste, as well as a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition used to produce such a product. [Solution] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition for whipped cream to be distributed at room temperature has a water activity of 0.88 to 0.96, contains 35 to 50% by weight of sugars by dry weight, 15 to 25% by weight of fats and oils, 1.5 to 4% by weight of non-fat milk solids, 0.5 to 1.7% by weight of milk protein, and 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of emulsifiers. Of the total sugars, monosaccharides account for 2 to 8% by weight, disaccharides for 50 to 67% by weight, trisaccharides for 10 to 23% by weight, and tetrasaccharides or higher for 15 to 25% by weight. Of the total emulsifiers, the content of emulsifiers whose main constituent fatty acids are saturated fatty acids is 80% by weight or more.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition for producing whipped cream that can be distributed at room temperature, and to whipped cream obtained by foaming this composition. [Background technology]

[0002] Foaming oil-in-water emulsions offer better melt-in-the-mouth properties compared to foaming water-in-oil emulsions, and their lower fat content and calorie count meet consumer health needs. They are widely used for decorating cakes, as well as for bread toppings and fillings. In recent years, confectionery and bakery products using whipped cream made from these foaming oil-in-water emulsions have become increasingly common in supermarkets and convenience stores, creating a demand for whipped cream that maintains a good appearance even when distributed at room temperature. While it is common practice to reduce the water activity or increase the sugar content of whipped cream distributed at room temperature, recent consumer preferences favor a cream with a strong milky flavor and a clean, refreshing aftertaste, even if it has a higher sugar content.

[0003] To date, Patent Document 1 discloses a foaming oil-in-water emulsion that provides a whipped cream with a refined sweetness that mellows the sweetness of sugars and has excellent structural stability when whipped. This emulsion contains fats and oils, proteins, emulsifiers, sugars and / or sugar alcohols, and water, with a specific amount of sugars and / or sugar alcohols present as solids in the aqueous phase, and with specific amounts of (1) monosaccharides and / or monosaccharide sugar alcohols, (2) disaccharides and / or disaccharide sugar alcohols, and (3) oligosaccharides and / or oligosaccharide sugar alcohols having a chain length of three or more. However, the resulting whipped cream has a lingering sweetness in the aftertaste and is not refreshingly smooth due to the high content of monosaccharides and disaccharides and / or sugar alcohols in the overall sugar and sugar alcohol content. Furthermore, the main fatty acids of the emulsifier have not been considered, and there is still room for improvement in terms of appearance and texture. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-179070 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a whipped cream for distribution at room temperature that maintains a good appearance and texture even when distributed at room temperature, has a strong milky flavor, and leaves no lingering sweetness in the aftertaste, as well as a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition used to produce them. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The inventors diligently conducted research to solve the above problems and have found that a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition having a water activity within a specific range, containing specific amounts of sugars (dry weight), fats and oils, non-fat milk solids, milk proteins, and emulsifiers, with the content of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides or more within a specific range, and containing a specific amount of emulsifier whose main constituent fatty acid is saturated fatty acid, maintains a good appearance even when distributed at room temperature, has a strong milky flavor, and leaves a clean aftertaste without any lingering sweetness. As a result, the inventors have completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the first aspect of the present invention relates to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition for whipped cream intended for distribution at room temperature, having a water activity of 0.88 to 0.96 and containing 35 to 50% by dry weight of sugars in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition, wherein the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition contains 15 to 25% by weight of fats and oils, 1.5 to 4% by weight of non-fat milk solids, 0.5 to 1.7% by weight of milk proteins, and 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of emulsifiers, wherein the total sugars consist of 2 to 8% by dry weight of monosaccharides, 50 to 67% by dry weight of disaccharides, 10 to 23% by dry weight of trisaccharides, and 15 to 25% by dry weight of tetrasaccharides or higher sugars, and the total emulsifier content of an emulsifier whose main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid is 80% by weight or more. A preferred embodiment relates to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition containing 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of monoglycerin monofatty acid ester, 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of diacetyltartrate fatty acid monoglyceride, and 0.1 to 0.2% by weight of diglycerin fatty acid ester in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition. A preferred embodiment relates to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition in which, in the entire composition of fatty acids, C 12 The following saturated fatty acids make up 40-50% by weight, C 16 The above saturated fatty acids make up 25-35% by weight, C 16~18The present invention relates to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition having an unsaturated fatty acid content of 7 to 15% by weight. A preferred embodiment relates to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition containing 2 to 10% by weight of at least one selected from the group consisting of raw milk, skim milk, skim condensed milk, cow's milk, and buttermilk, and 1.5 to 4.2% by weight of at least one selected from the group consisting of whey powder, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, buttermilk powder, and whey protein concentrate. The second aspect of the present invention relates to a whipped cream for distribution at room temperature, which is obtained by whipping the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The third aspect of the present invention relates to a food product for distribution at room temperature, including the aforementioned whipped cream for distribution at room temperature. The fourth aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition for use in whipped cream distributed at room temperature, having a water activity of 0.88 to 0.96, comprising: an aqueous phase dissolved in water so as to contain 1.5 to 4% by weight of nonfat milk solids, 0.5 to 1.7% by weight of milk protein, 0.05 to 0.49% by weight of a hydrophilic emulsifier, and 35 to 50% by weight of sugars by dry weight in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition; and a mixture of 15 to 25% by weight of fat and oil and 0.01 to 0.45% by weight of lipophilic emulsifier in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The present invention relates to a method for producing a foaming oil-in-water emulsion of fats and oils, comprising mixing a dissolved oil phase with a mixture obtained therefrom, pre-emulsifying and homogenizing the mixture, sterilizing it, and then cooling it, wherein the foaming oil-in-water emulsion of fats and oils composition contains 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of an emulsifier, of which 80% by weight or more is an emulsifier whose main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid, and of which 2 to 8% by weight of monosaccharides, 50 to 67% by weight of disaccharides, 10 to 23% by weight of trisaccharides, and 15 to 25% by weight of tetrasaccharides or higher by dry weight. The fifth aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing whipped cream for distribution at room temperature, comprising whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition obtained by the above-mentioned manufacturing method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a whipped cream for room temperature distribution that maintains a good appearance and texture even when distributed at room temperature, has a strong milky flavor, and leaves no lingering sweetness in the aftertaste, as well as a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition used to produce them. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention will be described in more detail below. One embodiment of the present invention is a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition which has a water activity within a specific range and contains a specific amount of sugars (dry weight). Furthermore, it contains specific amounts of fats and oils, non-fat milk solids, milk proteins, and emulsifiers, and the total amount of sugars is characterized by monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and tetrasaccharides or more being within a specific range, and the amount of emulsifier whose main constituent fatty acid is saturated fatty acid being specific. By whipping this foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition, a whipped cream suitable for distribution at room temperature is obtained. Specifically, the whipped cream maintains a good appearance and texture even when distributed at room temperature, has a strong milky flavor, and leaves a clean aftertaste without any lingering sweetness.

[0010] Here, "room temperature" refers to one of the three temperature ranges generally known as frozen, refrigerated (chilled), and room temperature during delivery and storage. For example, it could be 15-30°C or 15-25°C. "Distribution" refers to the process from immediately after the whipped cream is made until it is consumed.

[0011] The water activity is preferably 0.88 to 0.96, more preferably 0.89 to 0.95, and even more preferably 0.9 to 0.94. If the water activity is less than 0.88, a sweet aftertaste may remain, impairing the refreshing quality. If it exceeds 0.96, the hygienic storage of the whipped cream at room temperature may be compromised. The water activity can be measured in accordance with the dew point method (Fleischwirtschaft, vol.52, pp.1461-1462, 1972), for example, by using "AquaLab Seris4 TE DUO" manufactured by AINEX Co., Ltd.

[0012] The water activity can be easily adjusted by setting the water content in the entire oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat composition having foaming properties to 22 to 45% by weight. Here, the water content is the total content of the water contained in each raw material and the water added separately therefrom. The water content can be calculated from the blending amounts of the water contained in each raw material and the water added separately therefrom, and can also be measured by a known method, for example, by the normal pressure heating drying method or the Karl Fischer method.

[0013] The content of the saccharides is preferably 35 to 50% by weight, more preferably 38 to 48% by weight, and still more preferably 40 to 47% by weight in terms of dry weight in the entire oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat composition having foaming properties. When the content is less than 35% by weight, it may be difficult to adjust the water activity to 0.88 to 0.96. On the other hand, when it exceeds 50% by weight, sweetness may remain in the aftertaste and the crispness may be impaired.

[0014] As the saccharides, it is preferable to contain monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, and saccharides of four sugars or more, respectively. In terms of the crispness of the aftertaste, the content of each is preferably 2 to 8% by weight of monosaccharides, 50 to 67% by weight of disaccharides, 10 to 23% by weight of trisaccharides, and 15 to 25% by weight of saccharides of four sugars or more in terms of dry weight in the total saccharides.

[0015] The content of the monosaccharides is more preferably 3 to 7% by weight, and still more preferably 4 to 6% by weight. The content of the disaccharides is more preferably 52 to 65% by weight, and still more preferably 55 to 62% by weight. The content of the trisaccharides is more preferably 12 to 20% by weight, and still more preferably 14 to 18% by weight. The content of the saccharides of four sugars or more is more preferably 16 to 24% by weight, and still more preferably 18 to 22% by weight. By setting the content of each saccharide within the above range, it is possible to obtain whipped cream with a strong milk flavor, no remaining sweetness in the aftertaste, and a crisp taste.

[0016] Examples of the monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, galactose, xylose, arabinose, tagatose, etc. Examples of the disaccharides include sucrose, maltose, lactose, isomaltose, trehalose, cellobiose, etc. Examples of the trisaccharides include, for example, maltotriose, isomaltotriose, raffinose, etc. Examples of the saccharides having four or more sugar units include, for example, stachyose, maltotetraose, etc. As raw materials for the saccharides, in addition to the saccharides themselves, molasses, honey, invert sugar, syrup, isomerized sugar (for example, high fructose liquid sugar, fructose-glucose liquid sugar, glucose-fructose liquid sugar), etc., which are mixtures of the above saccharides, can be used, and they may be adjusted to the content of each of the above saccharides and then used.

[0017] The content of the oil and fat is preferably 15 to 25% by weight, more preferably 17 to 24% by weight, and still more preferably 18 to 23% by weight in the whole oil-in-water type whipped emulsion oil and fat composition. If the content is less than 15% by weight, the texture of the appearance of the whipped cream after distribution at room temperature may deteriorate, or the desired overrun may not be obtained. On the other hand, if the content exceeds 25% by weight, the milk flavor of the whipped cream may deteriorate, or there may be a case where sweetness remains in the aftertaste and the cleanliness is inferior.

[0018] The content of the oil and fat is the total content of the oil component contained in each raw material and the oil and fat added separately therefrom. It can be calculated from the blending amounts of the oil component contained in each raw material and the oil and fat added separately therefrom, and can also be measured by a known method, for example, by the Soxhlet extraction method.

[0019] Examples of the types of the oil and fat include plant-derived oils and fats such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, corn oil, rice oil, cottonseed oil, animal-derived oils and fats such as milk fat, and fractionated oils, fully hydrogenated oils, transesterified oils, etc. of these oils and fats. At least one selected from these groups can be used.

[0020] In the constituent fatty acids of the oil and fat as a whole, the saturated fatty acids having 12 40 to 50% by weight and the saturated fatty acids having 16By containing 25 to 35% by weight of the above saturated fatty acids and 7 to 15% by weight of the unsaturated fatty acids of C 16~18 it is preferable because it is possible to further improve the texture of the appearance of whipped cream after distribution at room temperature. The content of saturated fatty acids below C 12 is more preferably 42 to 47% by weight. The content of saturated fatty acids above C 16 is more preferably 26 to 32% by weight. The content of unsaturated fatty acids of C 16~18 is more preferably 10 to 14% by weight.

[0021] The content of the non-fat milk solids is preferably 1.5 to 4% by weight, more preferably 1.8 to 3% by weight, and still more preferably 2 to 2.5% by weight in the whole oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat composition having foaming properties. If the content is less than 1.5% by weight, the milk flavor of whipped cream may decrease. Also, if the content exceeds 4% by weight, the texture of the appearance of whipped cream after distribution at room temperature may deteriorate, or there may be a case where sweetness remains in the aftertaste and the refreshingness is inferior.

[0022] Examples of the source of the non-fat milk solids include raw milk, skim milk, skim concentrated milk, milk, buttermilk, cream, whey powder, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, buttermilk powder, whey protein concentrate (WPC), casein protein, whey minerals, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened condensed milk, cheese, etc. In particular, with respect to the whole oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat composition having foaming properties, at least one selected from the group consisting of raw milk, skim milk, skim concentrated milk, milk and buttermilk is 2 to 10% by weight, and at least one selected from the group consisting of whey powder, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, buttermilk powder and whey protein concentrate is 1.5 to 4.2% by weight. By containing them, it is possible to easily satisfy the above non-fat milk solids content and the following milk protein content, and while the milk flavor is strongly felt in whipped cream, no sweetness remains after eating, and the refreshingness of the aftertaste can be further enhanced, so it is more preferable.

[0023] The content of at least one selected from the group consisting of raw milk, skim milk, skim condensed milk, cow's milk, and buttermilk is more preferably 2 to 7% by weight, and even more preferably 3 to 5% by weight. Furthermore, the content of at least one selected from the group consisting of whey powder, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, buttermilk powder, and whey protein concentrate is more preferably 2 to 3.5% by weight, and even more preferably 2 to 3% by weight.

[0024] The milk protein content is preferably 0.5 to 1.7% by weight, more preferably 0.6 to 1.5% by weight, even more preferably 0.7 to 1.2% by weight, and particularly preferably 0.8 to 1% by weight, in the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. If the content is less than 0.5% by weight, the milk flavor of the whipped cream may decrease. If the content exceeds 1.7% by weight, the texture of the whipped cream after distribution at room temperature may decrease, and a lingering sweetness may remain in the aftertaste, resulting in a less refreshing taste.

[0025] The milk protein mentioned above is a milk-derived protein, such as milk, and of this milk-derived protein, approximately 80% by weight is casein, with the remaining 20% ​​by weight being whey protein. The source of the milk protein is not particularly limited, but in addition to milk, it can be whey, concentrated whey, whey protein concentrate (WPC), total milk protein, casein salts such as sodium caseinate and potassium caseinate, as well as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, buttermilk powder, etc., which contain these.

[0026] The emulsifier content is preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 0.4% by weight, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.3% by weight, of the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. If the emulsifier content is less than 0.1% by weight, the desired overrun may not be achieved. If it is more than 0.5% by weight, the melt-in-the-mouth quality of the whipped cream may decrease or the flavor may deteriorate.

[0027] Of the emulsifiers mentioned above, it is more preferable to have 0.05 to 0.49% by weight of hydrophilic emulsifier in the aqueous phase and 0.01 to 0.45% by weight of lipophilic emulsifier in the oil phase of the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition, as this can further improve the texture of the whipped cream after it has been distributed at room temperature. The content of the hydrophilic emulsifier is more preferably 0.06 to 0.4% by weight, even more preferably 0.08 to 0.3% by weight, and particularly preferably 0.1 to 0.25% by weight. The content of the lipophilic emulsifier is more preferably 0.015 to 0.35% by weight, even more preferably 0.02 to 0.3% by weight, and particularly preferably 0.03 to 0.2% by weight.

[0028] In this disclosure, a lipophilic emulsifier means an emulsifier that dissolves in oil, and a hydrophilic emulsifier means an emulsifier that dissolves in water. The degree of lipophilicity and hydrophilicity of an emulsifier is indicated by its HLB (Helping Barometer). The HLB of a lipophilic emulsifier is approximately 0 to 9, and the HLB of a hydrophilic emulsifier is approximately 7 to 20. However, the degree of lipophilicity and hydrophilicity is not determined solely by the HLB, but can also be distinguished by whether or not it dissolves in the oil phase or the water phase. If an emulsifier is dispersed in a state that does not dissolve in each phase, its behavior will differ, and the desired effect may not be obtained, which is undesirable. Furthermore, if an emulsifier is dispersed in a state that does not dissolve, turbidity will appear in each phase and will be visible.

[0029] In the total amount of the emulsifier, the content of emulsifiers whose main constituent fatty acids are saturated fatty acids is preferably 80% by weight or more, more preferably 90% by weight or more, and even more preferably 95% by weight or more. If the content is less than 80% by weight, the texture of the whipped cream after distribution at room temperature may deteriorate.

[0030] In this disclosure, an emulsifier whose main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid means an emulsifier in which the content of saturated fatty acids relative to the total constituent fatty acids is 55% by weight or more. More preferably, the content of saturated fatty acids relative to the total constituent fatty acids is 65% by weight or more, even more preferably 80% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 90% by weight or more.

[0031] Examples of the emulsifiers include synthetic emulsifiers such as monoglycerin fatty acid esters, diglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, monoglyceride derivatives to which organic acids are bound, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polysorbates; lecithins such as soy lecithin, egg yolk lecithin, and lecithins fractionated therefrom; and modified lecithins such as enzymatically hydrolyzed lysolecithin; as well as naturally derived emulsifiers containing milk-derived phospholipids. At least one selected from this group can be used.

[0032] The monoglycerin fatty acid esters include monoglycerin monofatty acid esters, monoglycerin difatty acid esters, and monoglycerin trifatty acid esters, of which monoglycerin monofatty acid esters and monoglycerin difatty acid esters are preferred, and monoglycerin monofatty acid esters are more preferred.

[0033] The diglycerin fatty acid esters include diglycerin mono fatty acid esters, diglycerin di fatty acid esters, diglycerin tri fatty acid esters, and diglycerin tetra fatty acid esters, of which diglycerin mono fatty acid esters are preferred.

[0034] Furthermore, the organic acid in the emulsifier refers to an acidic organic compound that is a hydrocarbon compound having a carboxyl group, such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, diacetyltartaric acid, and succinic acid. In addition, the fatty acid in the emulsifier refers to a monovalent carboxylic acid having a carboxyl group in a hydrocarbon chain with 6 or more carbon atoms, and does not include organic acids.

[0035] The monoglyceride derivative to which the organic acid is bonded refers to a monoglyceride in which an organic acid is further ester-bonded to a fatty acid monoglyceride. Specifically, examples include monoglyceride acetate, monoglyceride lactate, monoglyceride citrate, monoglyceride diacetyltartrate, monoglyceride succinate, and the like. In particular, the effects of the present invention can be more fully enjoyed by including 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of monoglycerin monofatty acid ester, 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of diacetyltartrate fatty acid monoglyceride, and 0.1 to 0.2% by weight of diglycerin fatty acid ester in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition.

[0036] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition of one embodiment of the present invention may optionally contain thickeners, flavoring agents, shelf-life extenders, colorants, fragrances, salts, antioxidants, etc., to the extent that it does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0037] Examples of the thickening agents include glucomannan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agar, pectin, sodium alginate, locust bean gum, gum arabic, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, powdered cellulose, crystalline cellulose, and microcrystalline cellulose, and at least one selected from this group can be used.

[0038] From the viewpoint of the texture of the whipped cream after it has been distributed at room temperature, the content of the thickening agent is preferably 0.05 to 0.3% by weight, and more preferably 0.1 to 0.2% by weight, in the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The thickening agent is contained in the aqueous phase.

[0039] Examples of the flavoring agent include those obtained by enzymatic decomposition, heating, separation, fractionation, etc., of the milk raw material, and at least one of these can be used. From the viewpoint of the flavor of whipped cream, the content of the flavoring agent is preferably 0.01 to 0.5% by weight, and more preferably 0.02 to 0.3% by weight, of the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The flavoring agent is contained in the oil phase if it is lipophilic, and in the aqueous phase if it is hydrophilic.

[0040] Examples of shelf-life extenders include glycine, sodium acetate, lysozyme, potassium sorbate, and others that can be used in food applications, and at least one selected from this group can be used. The shelf-life extender content is preferably 0.01 to 3% by weight, and more preferably 0.05 to 2% by weight, of the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The shelf-life extender is contained in the aqueous phase.

[0041] The aforementioned colorants include those that can be used for food applications, regardless of whether they are natural or artificial components, and at least one selected from this group can be used. The content of the aforementioned colorant is preferably 0.1% by weight or less, and more preferably 0.05% by weight or less, of the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The aforementioned colorant is contained in the oil phase if it is lipophilic, and in the aqueous phase if it is hydrophilic.

[0042] The aforementioned fragrances can be natural or artificial ingredients, and can be used for food applications. At least one selected from this group may be used. The content of the fragrance is preferably 0.005 to 0.5% by weight, and more preferably 0.01 to 0.2% by weight, of the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition. The fragrance is included in the oil phase if it is lipophilic, and in the aqueous phase if it is hydrophilic.

[0043] The salts mentioned above are not particularly limited as long as they are salts commonly used in food products. Examples include sodium metaphosphate such as sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, trisodium phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium lactate, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, ammonium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, etc. At least one selected from this group can be used. The content of the salts is preferably 0.01 to 0.5% by weight, and more preferably 0.02 to 0.3% by weight, of the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil and fat composition. The salts are contained in the aqueous phase.

[0044] Examples of the antioxidant include those that can be used in food applications and whose main component is antioxidant, such as vitamin E, rosemary extract, β-carotene, tea extract (catechin, etc.), and enoki mushroom extract. At least one selected from this group can be used. The content of the antioxidant is preferably 0.001 to 0.5% by weight, and more preferably 0.005 to 0.2% by weight, in the total foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The antioxidant is contained in the oil phase if it is lipophilic, and in the aqueous phase if it is hydrophilic.

[0045] An example of a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to one embodiment of the present invention and a method for producing whipped cream using the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition are given below.

[0046] First, the foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition is dissolved in water to prepare an aqueous phase, containing 1.5-4% by weight of non-fat milk solids, 0.5-1.7% by weight of milk protein, 0.05-0.49% by weight of hydrophilic emulsifier, and 35-50% by weight of sugars by dry weight. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the water content to 22-45% by weight of the foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition, and the temperature of the aqueous phase is preferably 50-70°C. The water used to prepare the aqueous phase may be heated as needed before mixing with each dissolved component.

[0047] Separately, an oil phase is prepared by dissolving 15-25% by weight of oil in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition and 0.01-0.45% by weight of a lipophilic emulsifier. The oil used to prepare the oil phase only needs to be melted before mixing with the other dissolved components; for example, it can be melted by heating to 50-70°C. After that, the foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition can be obtained by processing the aqueous and oil phases according to a conventional method, such as a method that includes mixing the obtained oil phase and aqueous phase (or adding the oil phase to the obtained aqueous phase), pre-emulsifying and homogenizing the mixture, followed by sterilization and cooling.

[0048] Next, whipped cream is obtained by whipping the resulting foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. Whipping is preferably done using a sealed continuous whipping machine such as Mondo Mix (Mondo Co.) or Turbo Mix (Aikousha Seisakusho) to achieve an overrun of 75-150%. During this whipping process, various flavoring ingredients can be quantitatively injected and mixed in-line. After whipping, the mixture can be filled into sealed containers, such as pillow bags, and stored refrigerated at 1-10°C before being used in food products and distributed at room temperature.

[0049] The overrun measurement is performed by pouring the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition before whipping and the resulting whipped cream into a 100 cm³ mixture. 3 The contents are placed in a container and weighed. Based on these measurements, the overrun can be calculated using the following formula. Overrun (%) = [(100cm 3 (Weight of foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition before whipping) - (100 cm³) 3 (Weight of whipped cream in volume) ÷ (100cm³) 3 (Volume of whipped cream weight) × 100

[0050] Furthermore, the aforementioned room-temperature whipped cream can be suitably used for frosting, sandwiching, filling, or topping food products. Examples of such food products include confectionery such as sponge cakes, busse, cookies, and biscuits, as well as bread products such as hot dog buns, bagels, and croissants, and it is particularly suitable for food products that are distributed at room temperature. [Examples]

[0051] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited in any way to these examples. In the examples, "parts" and "%" are based on weight.

[0052] The materials used in the examples and comparative examples are as follows: 1) Archer Daniels Midland Company's "YelkinTS" (HLB: 3 or less, unsaturated fatty acid content in the total fatty acid composition: 70% or more by weight) 2) Polyethylene terephthalate: Made by Riken Micron Co., Ltd. MS" (HLB: 4.3, saturated fatty acid content in all constituent fatty acids: 90% by weight or more) 3) "Hokuno Milk" manufactured by Kanako Co., Ltd. (milk content: 3.4% by weight, moisture content: 87.4% by weight, lactose content: 4.8% by weight, fat-free milk solids content: 8.9% by weight, fat content: 3.7% by weight) 4) Yotsuha Milk Industry Co., Ltd.'s "All-Powder Milk" (Milk content: 27.1% by weight, Moisture content: 2.6% by weight, Lactose content: 38.9% by weight, Nonfat milk solids content: 71.9% by weight, Fat content: 16.6% by weight) 5) Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.'s "Skimmed Milk Powder" (Milk content: 34.0% by weight, Moisture content: 3.8% by weight, Lactose content: 53.3% by weight, Nonfat milk solids content: 95.2% by weight, Fat content: 1.0% by weight) 6) Warrnambool Cheese and Butter's "WPC80" (Milk content: 76.5% by weight, Moisture content: 5.6% by weight, Lactose content: 10.1% by weight, Nonfat milk solids content: 89.6% by weight, Fat content: 4.8% by weight) 7) "Hapro" manufactured by Nippon Shin-Yaku Co., Ltd. (lactose content: 85.8% by weight, moisture content: 5.5% by weight, lactose content: 0% by weight, nonfat milk solids content: 88.6% by weight, fat content: 5.9% by weight) 8) Nisshin Sugar Co., Ltd.'s "Upper White Sugar P" (Moisture content: 0.2% by weight, Disaccharide content: 99.8% by weight) 9) Sanwa Starch Co., Ltd.'s "MS-500" (Moisture content: 24.5% by weight, Monosaccharide content: 1.1% by weight, Disaccharide content: 38.5% by weight, Trisaccharide content: 15.0% by weight, Tetrasaccharide or higher content: 20.9% by weight) 10) San-Ai Saccharification Co., Ltd. produces "Hydrated Crystallized Sugar" (Moisture content: 8.0% by weight, Sugar content: 92.0% by weight) 11) "Leorex RS-H" manufactured by Shimizu Chemical Co., Ltd. (Moisture content: 9.3% by weight) 12) Cargill Japan Co., Ltd. "SATIAXANE CX 90" (Moisture content: 9% by weight) 13) Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Co., Ltd. "KC-200S" (Moisture content: 6% by weight) 14) CESAGUM LN-1 / 200 manufactured by Sanei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd. (Moisture content: 13% by weight) 15) "KC Floc" manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (Moisture content: 5% by weight) 16) Diglycerin monostearate: "Poem DS-100A" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. (HLB: 7.7, saturated fatty acid content in total constituent fatty acids: 90% by weight or more) 17) Diacetyl tartrate fatty acid monoglyceride: "Poem W-60" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. (HLB: 9.5, saturated fatty acid content in total constituent fatty acids: 90% by weight or more) 18) Diglycerin monooleate: "Poem DO-100V" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. (HLB: 7.3, unsaturated fatty acid content in total constituent fatty acids: 70% by weight or more) 19) "Polyrinsan 1-D" manufactured by Organo Food Tech Co., Ltd. (Sodium polyphosphate: 85% by weight, Sodium metaphosphate: 12% by weight, Sodium pyrophosphate: 3% by weight) 20) Purified sodium citrate manufactured by Fuso Chemical Industries, Ltd. 21) Glycine manufactured by Organic Synthetic Chemicals Co., Ltd.

[0053] <Evaluation of the flavor of whipped cream> The whipped cream obtained in the examples and comparative examples was tasted by 10 experienced panelists, who evaluated the milky flavor and clean aftertaste on a scale of 1 to 5 points. The average score was used as the evaluation score. The evaluation criteria were as follows:

[0054] (milk flavor) 5 points. Compared to Example 1, the milky flavor is much stronger. 4 points. Equivalent to Example 1, with a strong milky flavor. 3 points. Slightly inferior to Example 1, but still has a milky flavor. 2. Compared to Example 1, the milky flavor is weaker. 1. Compared to Example 1, the milky flavor is almost imperceptible.

[0055] (A clean aftertaste) 5 points. Compared to Example 1, there is no lingering sweetness after eating, and the aftertaste is very clean and refreshing. 4 points. Equivalent to Example 1, with almost no sweetness remaining after eating, and a pleasantly clean aftertaste. 3. Compared to Example 1, a slight sweetness remains after eating, and the aftertaste is slightly less refreshing, but it is still at a level that does not pose a quality problem. 2. Compared to Example 1, this product leaves a lingering sweetness after eating, and the aftertaste is less refreshing. One point: Compared to Example 1, there is a noticeable lingering sweetness after eating, and the aftertaste is very poor.

[0056] <The texture of whipped cream's appearance> The whipped cream obtained in the examples and comparative examples was placed in a piping bag and piped using an 8-cut flower-shaped nozzle. After being stored at 20°C for 2 days, it was visually inspected by a skilled panelist and evaluated according to the following criteria. 5 points. Compared to Example 1, the surface texture and edges are free of roughness and are in an extremely clean condition. 4 points. Similar to Example 1, with slight roughness on the surface texture and edges, but otherwise in good condition. 3. Compared to Example 1, the surface texture and edges are slightly rougher, but overall it is in good condition. 2. Compared to Example 1, the surface texture and edges are rougher, resulting in inferior marketability. 1. Compared to Example 1, roughness is observed in the surface texture and edges, and the product quality is clearly inferior.

[0057] <Overall evaluation of whipped cream> The following evaluation criteria were used to conduct an overall evaluation based on the results of each evaluation of the whipped cream's appearance (texture), milky flavor, and clean aftertaste after being stored at 20°C for two days. A: Whipped cream with a texture score of 5 or 4 after being stored at 20°C for 2 days, and a rating of 4.0 or higher for both milky flavor and clean aftertaste. B: Whipped cream that has been stored at 20°C for 2 days and has a texture score of 5 or 4, and both the milky flavor and clean aftertaste are rated between 3.5 and 5.0, with at least one item scoring between 3.5 and 4.0. C: Whipped cream with a texture score of 3 after storage at 20°C for 2 days, and both milk flavor and aftertaste cleanliness scores of 3.0 to 5.0, OR whipped cream with a texture score of 5 or 4 after storage at 20°C for 2 days, and both milk flavor and aftertaste cleanliness scores of 3.0 to 5.0, with at least one item scoring between 3.0 and 3.5. D: Whipped cream with a texture score of 2 after storage at 20°C for 2 days, and both milk flavor and aftertaste cleanliness scores of 2.0 to 5.0, OR whipped cream with a texture score of 5, 4, or 3 after storage at 20°C for 2 days, and both milk flavor and aftertaste cleanliness scores of 2.0 to 5.0, with at least one of them being between 2.0 and 3.0. E: Whipped cream with a texture score of 1 after 2 days of storage at 20°C, or one or more items with a score of less than 2.0 in the evaluation of milky flavor and clean aftertaste.

[0058] (Manufacturing Example 1) Preparation of Mixed Oil 1 85 parts by weight of palm kernel hydrogenated oil (elevated melting point: 36°C) (manufactured by Kaneka Corporation), 10 parts by weight of palm olein (manufactured by Kaneka Corporation), and 5 parts by weight of palm superhydrogenated oil (manufactured by Kaneka Corporation) were heated, melted, and mixed to obtain mixed oil 1. Of the total fatty acids that make up mixed oil 1, C 12 The following saturated fatty acids make up 45.1% by weight, C 16 The above saturated fatty acids make up 29.2% by weight, C 16~18 The unsaturated fatty acid content was 11.8% by weight.

[0059] (Manufacturing Example 2) Preparation of Mixed Oil 2 78 parts by weight of palm kernel hydrogenated oil (manufactured by Kaneka Corporation) and 22 parts by weight of palm olein (manufactured by Kaneka Corporation) were heated, melted, and mixed to obtain mixed oil 2. Of the total fatty acids that make up mixed oil 2, C 12 The following saturated fatty acids make up 39.5% by weight, C 16 The above saturated fatty acids make up 28.2% by weight, C 16~18 The unsaturated fatty acid content was 19.4% by weight.

[0060] (Example 1) Preparation of a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and whipped cream for room temperature distribution. According to the formulation shown in Table 1, mixed oil 1 was heated and melted at 65°C, and lecithin and monoglycerin monostearate were uniformly dissolved in it to prepare the oil phase. Separately, sugar, starch syrup, glucose, milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey protein concentrate, sodium caseinate, diglycerin monostearate, diacetyl tartrate fatty acid monoglyceride, glucomannan, xanthan gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, cellulose, condensed phosphate, sodium citrate, and glycine were dissolved in added water and heated at 65°C to prepare the aqueous phase.

[0061] The aqueous phase and the oil phase were mixed and pre-emulsified at approximately 60°C. This pre-emulsified liquid was homogenized using a high-pressure homogenizer at a pressure of 6 MPa, sterilized by batch sterilization at 85°C for 15 minutes, then cooled to 60°C using a plate cooler, processed again using a high-pressure homogenizer at a pressure of 10 MPa, gradually cooled to 7°C, and aged for 12 hours to obtain a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The obtained foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition was whipped using a continuous whipping machine to produce whipped cream with an overrun of 100%, and the evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] (Example 2, Comparative Example 1) Preparation of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and whipped cream for room temperature distribution. Except for changing the amounts of sugar, starch syrup, and glucose according to the formulations in Table 1 to 16.5 parts by weight, 33.0 parts by weight, and 3.0 parts by weight (Example 2), or 24.0 parts by weight, 15.0 parts by weight, and 10.0 parts by weight (Comparative Example 1), respectively, and adjusting the total volume with added water, a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, and whipped cream was produced by whipping under the same conditions as in Example 1. The evaluation results of the whipped cream produced are shown in Table 1.

[0064] (Examples 3-4) Preparation of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and whipped cream for room temperature distribution Except for changing the amounts of lecithin and monoglycerin monostearate ester to 0.01 parts by weight and 0.04 parts by weight (Example 3), or 0.04 parts by weight and 0.01 parts by weight (Example 4), respectively, according to the formulations in Table 1, a foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, and whipped cream was prepared by whipping under the same conditions as in Example 1. The evaluation results of the whipped cream prepared are shown in Table 1.

[0065] (Comparative Example 2) Preparation of a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and whipped cream for distribution at room temperature A foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that diglycerin monostearate was replaced with diglycerin monooleate according to the formulation in Table 1. Whipped cream was then prepared by whipping under the same conditions as in Example 1. The evaluation results of the prepared whipped cream are shown in Table 1.

[0066] (Example 5) Preparation of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and whipped cream for room temperature distribution A foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that Formulated Oil 1 (Production Example 1) was replaced with Formulated Oil 2 (Production Example 2) according to the formulation in Table 1. Whipped cream was then prepared by whipping under the same conditions as in Example 1. The evaluation results of the prepared whipped cream are shown in Table 1.

[0067] As is clear from the results in Table 1, the whipped creams (Examples 1-5) obtained by whipping foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions in which monosaccharides accounted for 2-8% by weight, disaccharides for 50-67% by weight, trisaccharides for 10-23% by weight, and tetrasaccharides or higher for 15-25% by weight of the total sugars, and in which the content of emulsifiers whose main constituent fatty acids in the total emulsifier was saturated fatty acids was 80% by weight or more, all showed good evaluations of appearance texture, milky flavor, and clean aftertaste after storage at 20°C for 2 days. In particular, the whipped cream obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition in which monosaccharides accounted for 4-6% by weight, disaccharides for 55-62% by weight, trisaccharides for 14-18% by weight, and tetrasaccharides or higher for 18-22% by weight of the total sugars, and in which the proportion of emulsifiers whose main constituent fatty acids in the total emulsifier was saturated fatty acids was 90% by weight or more, received an overall evaluation of A (Examples 1 and 3). Furthermore, among the total constituent fatty acids of the fat, C 12 The following saturated fatty acids make up 40-50% by weight, C 16 The above saturated fatty acids make up 25-35% by weight, C 16~18 Whipped cream (Example 1) obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition having an unsaturated fatty acid content in the range of 7-15% by weight is C 12 The following saturated fatty acids make up a small amount at 39.5% by weight, C 16 The above saturated fatty acids make up 28.2% by weight, C 16~18 Compared to the whipped cream (Example 5) obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition with a high unsaturated fatty acid content of 19.4% by weight, it had a better appearance and received an overall evaluation of A.

[0068] On the other hand, a whipped cream (Comparative Example 1) obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition in which monosaccharides accounted for a large 20.5% by weight, disaccharides for a large 67.7% by weight, trisaccharides for a small 4.9% by weight, and tetrasaccharides or higher for a small 6.9% by weight, received a poor evaluation of the clean aftertaste and an overall evaluation of D. Furthermore, a whipped cream (Comparative Example 2) obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition in which the main constituent fatty acid of the emulsifier was a saturated fatty acid for a small 27.3% by weight, received a poor evaluation of the texture of the whipped cream after storage at 20°C for 2 days and an overall evaluation of D.

[0069] (Examples 6-8, Comparative Examples 3-4) Preparation of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions and whipped cream for room temperature distribution. Except for changing the amount of dairy raw materials and adjusting the total volume with added water according to the formulations in Table 2, a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, and whipped cream was produced by whipping under the same conditions as in Example 1. The evaluation results of the whipped cream produced are shown in Table 2.

[0070] [Table 2]

[0071] As is clear from the results in Table 2, the whipped creams obtained by whipping foaming oil-in-water emulsions containing 1.5-4% by weight of nonfat milk solids and 0.5-1.7% by weight of milk protein (Examples 1, 6-8) all received good evaluations for appearance, texture, milk flavor, and clean aftertaste after storage at 20°C for two days. In particular, the whipped cream obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion containing 2-2.5% by weight of nonfat milk solids and 0.8-1% by weight of milk protein, with 3% by weight of milk and a total content of 2.34% by weight of skim milk powder, whole milk powder, and whey protein concentrate (Example 1) received an overall evaluation of A. On the other hand, the whipped cream obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition with a low non-fat milk solids content of 0.8% by weight and a low milk protein content of 0.3% by weight (Comparative Example 3) had a poor evaluation of the milk flavor of the whipped cream, resulting in an overall evaluation of E. Furthermore, the whipped cream obtained by whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition with a high non-fat milk solids content of 5.0% by weight and a high milk protein content of 1.9% by weight (Comparative Example 4) had a poor evaluation of the texture of the appearance and the cleanliness of the aftertaste of the whipped cream after storage at 20°C for 2 days, resulting in an overall evaluation of D.

Claims

1. A foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition having a water activity of 0.88 to 0.96, and containing 35 to 50% by dry weight of sugars in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition, The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition contains 15-25% by weight of fats and oils, 1.5-4% by weight of non-fat milk solids, 0.5-1.7% by weight of milk protein, and 0.1-0.5% by weight of emulsifiers. Of the total sugars, monosaccharides account for 2-8% by weight, disaccharides for 50-67% by weight, trisaccharides for 10-23% by weight, and tetrasaccharides or higher for 15-25% by weight, based on dry weight. The emulsifier in question contains 80% by weight or more of an emulsifier whose main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid. A foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition for whipped cream intended for distribution at room temperature.

2. The foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to claim 1, wherein the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition contains 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of monoglycerin monofatty acid ester, 0.01 to 0.05% by weight of diacetyltartrate fatty acid monoglyceride, and 0.1 to 0.2% by weight of diglycerin fatty acid ester.

3. In the entire foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil composition, in the entire constituent fatty acids of the oil and fat, C １２ The following saturated fatty acids make up 40-50% by weight, C １６ The above saturated fatty acids make up 25-35% by weight, C １６～１８ The foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to claim 1, wherein the unsaturated fatty acid content is 7 to 15% by weight.

4. The foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to claim 1, comprising 2 to 10% by weight of at least one selected from the group consisting of raw milk, skim milk, skim concentrated milk, cow's milk, and buttermilk, and 1.5 to 4.2% by weight of at least one selected from the group consisting of whey powder, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, buttermilk powder, and whey protein concentrate.

5. A whipped cream for distribution at room temperature, comprising a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A food product for distribution at room temperature, comprising whipped cream for distribution at room temperature as described in claim 5.

7. A method for producing a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition for use in whipped cream distributed at room temperature, having a water activity of 0.88 to 0.96, The foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition contains an aqueous phase dissolved in water, with the entire composition containing 1.5 to 4% by weight of nonfat milk solids, 0.5 to 1.7% by weight of milk protein, 0.05 to 0.49% by weight of hydrophilic emulsifier, and 35 to 50% by dry weight of sugars. A mixture obtained by mixing 15 to 25% by weight of oil and fat in the entire foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition with an oil phase in which a lipophilic emulsifier is dissolved to a concentration of 0.01 to 0.45% by weight, This includes pre-emulsification, homogenization, sterilization, and cooling. The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition contains 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of an emulsifier, the emulsifier whose main constituent fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid contains 80% by weight or more of the emulsifier, and the sugars consist of 2 to 8% by weight of monosaccharides, 50 to 67% by weight of disaccharides, 10 to 23% by weight of trisaccharides, and 15 to 25% by weight of tetrasaccharides or higher sugars by dry weight. A method for producing a foamable oil-in-water emulsified fat composition.

8. A method for producing whipped cream for distribution at room temperature, comprising whipping a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition obtained by the production method of claim 7.

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