Flavor release enhancer and method for enhancing flavor release

Abstract

To provide a new method for improving the flavor release of foods containing thickeners. [Solution] A flavor release enhancer for thickener-containing foods, characterized by containing dietary fiber derived from fruit.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor release improver for foods, a method for improving flavor release, and a food containing the flavor release improver.

Background Art

[0002] In the production of foods, the use of thickeners has many advantages such as making ingredients better adhere to foods such as sauces, being able to disperse ingredients in foods, and improving the texture of the foods. Therefore, thickeners are widely used in the food industry.

[0003] However, foods containing thickeners tend to have a concentrated flavor and poor flavor release. Therefore, the development of a method for improving the flavor release of foods containing thickeners is eagerly desired.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a new method for improving the flavor release of foods containing thickeners.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Under these circumstances, the inventors diligently investigated and found that adding fruit-derived dietary fiber to foods containing thickeners or their raw materials can improve the flavor release of foods containing thickeners. Based on this new finding, the inventors experimented with different types of fruit-derived dietary fiber, amounts, methods of addition, and target foods, ultimately completing the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention provides the following: Item 1. A flavor release enhancer for thickener-containing foods, characterized by containing dietary fiber derived from fruit.

[0007] Item 2. Foods containing dietary fiber and thickeners derived from fruits.

[0008] Item 3. A flavor release enhancer as described in Item 1 or a food as described in Item 2, wherein the fruit-derived dietary fiber contains citrus fiber.

[0009] Item 4. Foods as described in Item 2, wherein the content of dietary fiber derived from fruit is 0.0001 to 20% by mass.

[0010] Item 5. A method for improving the flavor release of a thickener-containing food, including adding it to a food or its raw materials that contain fruit-derived dietary fiber and a thickener. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, a novel method for improving the flavor release of foods containing a thickening agent can be provided. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] 1. Flavor release enhancer In one embodiment, the present invention provides a flavor release enhancer for thickener-containing foods, which contains fruit-derived dietary fiber. In the present invention, "flavor" refers to the collective sensations that arise when food is put into the mouth, such as its aroma, taste, and texture. It is also called flavor or aroma. Improved flavor release means that when a food is consumed, the flavor is perceived more strongly compared to a food without the enhancer. Examples of flavors that can be improved in the present invention include saltiness, sourness, spiciness, and the aroma of the raw materials. Therefore, examples of flavor release improvement in the present invention include particularly enhanced saltiness, sourness, and spiciness, improved aroma of raw materials, and combinations thereof. Examples of aromas that can be improved in the present invention include those derived from vegetables, meat, seasonings, and combinations thereof, with vegetable and fruit-derived aromas being preferred. In a preferred embodiment, examples of vegetable aromas include tomato, ginger, garlic, wasabi, and chili pepper, and examples of fruit aromas include strawberry, apple, grape, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, in the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly stated, "flavor release enhancing agent for thickener-containing foods containing fruit-derived dietary fiber" refers to an agent for enhancing the flavor release of thickener-containing foods, and which contains fruit-derived dietary fiber. Therefore, in the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly stated, the term "flavor release enhancing agent for thickener-containing foods containing fruit-derived dietary fiber" may also include agents that do not contain a thickener themselves.

[0013] Examples of fruit-derived dietary fiber include citrus-derived dietary fiber (citrus fiber), apple-derived dietary fiber, and orange-derived dietary fiber. These fruit-derived dietary fibers can be used individually or in combination of two or more. Citrus-derived dietary fiber is preferred as the fruit-derived dietary fiber.

[0014] Fruit-derived dietary fiber is a composition obtained by drying and grinding a fraction of fruit that contains dietary fiber. Furthermore, fruit-derived dietary fiber is characterized by containing a large amount of insoluble dietary fiber such as cellulose and hemicellulose in the cell walls of the cells that make up the fruit, and partially retaining the fibrous tissue structure of the fruit. For example, fruit-derived dietary fiber may have a porous structure due to the breakdown of the micelle structure of the cells.

[0015] The origin of the fruit-derived dietary fiber used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it provides the effects of the present invention. Examples include citrus fruits (lemon, lime, yuzu, orange, grapefruit, summer orange, Satsuma mandarin, sudachi, kabosu, hassaku, iyokan, pomelo, banpeiyu, kumquat, bitter orange, etc.), apples, pineapples, bananas, guavas, mangoes, acerola, papayas, passion fruit, peaches, grapes (including muscat and kyoho), strawberries, plums, pears, apricots, prune, kiwifruit, melons, persimmons, figs, etc. Among these, dietary fiber derived from citrus fruits is preferred, and dietary fiber derived from one or more selected from the group consisting of lemon, lime, yuzu, orange, grapefruit, and summer orange is more preferred.

[0016] The fruit-derived dietary fiber used in the present invention is preferably prepared from the residue obtained by removing the juice from the fruit, or from a purified product obtained by filtration or the like. The dietary fiber used in the present invention preferably contains 50 to 90% by mass of water-insoluble dietary fiber, out of water-soluble dietary fiber and water-insoluble dietary fiber. Such dietary fiber is commercially available, and an example of a dietary fiber suitably used in the present invention is Sun Oasis* CF*, which is a dietary fiber derived from lemon and / or lime.

[0017] In the flavor release enhancer of the present invention, fruit-derived dietary fiber may be used in a purified state, but is not limited thereto. Natural materials containing fruit-derived dietary fiber can be used as the flavor release enhancer of the present invention, as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. Such natural materials are not limited to those mentioned above, but for example, natural materials containing fruit-derived dietary fiber include intermediate products obtained in the process of preparing and purifying fruit-derived dietary fiber from the aforementioned citrus fruits.

[0018] The flavor release enhancer of the present invention is not limited to its form, but can be in solid form such as powder, granules, tablets, or capsules, as well as in semi-solid or liquid form such as syrup, emulsion, liquid, or gel.

[0019] The flavor release enhancer of the present invention may consist solely of fruit-derived dietary fiber, or, in addition to fruit-derived dietary fiber, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or a carrier that can be incorporated into food may be appropriately added depending on its form. Examples of such carriers include oligosaccharides such as isomaltoligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, and fructooligosaccharides; polysaccharides such as dextrin, cellulose, gum arabic, and starch (corn starch, etc.); and solvents such as water and ethanol, provided that they do not affect the effects of the flavor release enhancer of the present invention. Furthermore, flavorings, colorings, acidulants, or shelf-life enhancers commonly used in food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, etc., may also be added, provided that they do not affect the effects of the flavor release enhancer of the present invention. In such embodiments, the amount of fruit-derived dietary fiber in the flavor release enhancer of the present invention can be appropriately set from the range of 0.00000001 to 99% by mass (0.0001 to 990000 ppm), depending on, for example, the manner in which the flavor release enhancer of the present invention is used and the presence or absence of other components. More specifically, the lower limit of the amount of fruit-derived dietary fiber in the flavor release enhancer of the present invention can be appropriately set from, for example, 0.00000001% by mass or more, 0.000001% by mass or more, 0.0001% by mass or more, 0.01% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, 95% by mass or more, 97% by mass or more, etc. The upper limit of the amount of fruit-derived dietary fiber in the flavor release enhancer of the present invention is also not limited and can be appropriately set from, for example, 99% by mass or less, 97% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, etc.

[0020] The flavor release enhancer of the present invention is used to enhance the flavor release of foods containing the target thickener described later. In the present invention, the target foods are not limited, but examples include: beverages such as water, milk, dairy beverages, lactic acid bacteria beverages, drinkable yogurt, fruit juice soft drinks, carbonated beverages, fruit juice beverages such as orange juice, vegetable juice beverages, tea beverages, coffee beverages, cocoa beverages, sports drinks, functional beverages, ion drinks, vitamin supplement beverages, nutritional balance beverages, etc.; frozen dessert mixes such as soft serve ice cream mix; alcoholic beverages such as sake, beer, sparkling wine, beer-flavored alcoholic beverages, shochu, whiskey, brandy, wine, spirits (rum, vodka, gin, tequila, etc.), liqueurs, various cocktails containing drinking alcohols, fruit wines such as red wine, etc.; soups such as consommé soup, potage soup, cream soup, Chinese soup, ramen soup, etc.; miso soup, clear soup, stew, curry, etc. Examples include liquid finished foods such as white sauce, cream sauce, pasta sauce, custard cream, fillings, flower paste, fruit sauce, dessert base, jam, mousse, kudzu starch drink, thickened sauce, and sauces (for grilled meat, ginger pork, yakitori, mitarashi, etc.); rice ball fillings, salads (egg salad, macaroni salad, etc.), grated ginger, grated radish, wasabi, grated garlic, mustard, kimchi; liquid egg products; pickle liquid; batter; Japanese sweets such as sweet bean paste; special foods and therapeutic foods such as protein, phosphorus, and potassium-adjusted foods, salt-adjusted foods, fat-adjusted foods, intestinal regulating foods, calcium, iron, and vitamin-fortified foods, low-allergy foods, high-calorie liquid foods, liquid foods for people with chewing and swallowing difficulties, blended foods, and chopped foods; and liquid seasonings such as soy sauce, dressings, sauces, and miso.

[0021] In the present invention, the thickener is not particularly limited. For example, deacylated gellan gum, native gellan gum, carrageenan (κ, ι, λ, μ, ν, θ, ζ, π), furcelleran, xanthan gum, konjac mannan, locust bean gum, tara gum, psyllium seed gum, alginic acid and its salts, pectin, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and its salts, tamarind seed gum, chondroitin sulfate and its salts, guar gum, acacia gum, soybean polysaccharides, mugwort seed gum, macrohomopsis gum, starch (modified starch, etc.), starch degradation products, gelatin, ramzan gum, agar, curdlan, welan gum, pullulan, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, ghatti gum, PGA, cyclodextrin, chitin, chitosan, egg white, whey protein, lactalbumin, lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin, and soybean protein, etc. can be mentioned. Particularly, xanthan gum and modified starch are preferable. These thickeners may be purified or unpurified. Further, the thickeners can be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds.

[0022] The content of the thickener in the food is not limited. For example, 0.001% by mass or more, preferably 0.005% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, etc. can be mentioned. The upper limit of the content of the thickener in the food is also not limited. For example, 5% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, etc. can be mentioned.

[0023] In the present invention, the blending amount of the flavor release improver in the food is not limited. For example, when the food added with the flavor release improver is 100% by mass, the fruit-derived dietary fiber can be added so as to be, for example, 20% by mass or less, preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, etc. Further, in the present invention, the lower limit of the blending amount of the flavor release improver in the food is also not limited. For example, when the food added with the flavor release improver is 100% by mass, the fruit-derived dietary fiber can be added so as to be, for example, 0.0001% by mass or more, preferably 0.0005% by mass or more, more preferably 0.001% by mass or more, etc.

[0024] The method for adding the flavor release improver of the present invention to food is not particularly limited. For example, there are methods such as adding the flavor release improver of the present invention to food containing a thickener or its raw materials, adding the thickener after adding the flavor release improver of the present invention to food or its raw materials, and simultaneously adding the flavor release improver of the present invention and the thickener to food or its raw materials.

[0025] According to the present invention, by using the flavor release improver of the present invention, the flavor release of food containing a thickener can be improved. Further, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is useful because it can improve the flavor release of the target food while having no or suppressing the influence of the flavor derived from the dietary fiber derived from fruits itself.

[0026] 2. Methods for improving flavor release in foods containing thickeners In another embodiment, the present invention provides a food containing dietary fiber derived from fruits and a thickener. Details such as the dietary fiber derived from fruits, thickener, and target food in this embodiment (types, amounts, method of adding dietary fiber derived from fruits, etc.) are the same as described above.

[0027] In this embodiment, the content of the dietary fiber derived from fruits in the food of the present invention is not limited. For example, when the food is 100% by mass, the dietary fiber derived from fruits can be set to be 20% by mass or less, preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, etc. Also, in the present invention, the lower limit of the content of the dietary fiber derived from fruits in the food is not limited. For example, when the food is 100% by mass, the dietary fiber derived from fruits can be set to be 0.0001% by mass or more, preferably 0.0005% by mass or more, more preferably 0.001% by mass or more, etc.

[0028] In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for improving the flavor release of a thickener-containing food, comprising adding fruit-derived dietary fiber to a food containing a thickener or its raw materials. Details of the fruit-derived dietary fiber, thickener, target food, etc. (type, amount, method of adding fruit-derived dietary fiber, etc.) in this embodiment are the same as described above. The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. Unless otherwise specified, "%" means "mass%" and "parts" means "parts by mass". Also, the mark "*" in the text indicates that it is manufactured by San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd., and the mark "※" in the text indicates that it is a registered trademark of San-Ei Gen F.F.I. Co., Ltd.

[0029] Example 1: Retort meat sauce Preparation method Retort meat sauce was prepared using the formulations listed in Table 1 (Basic Formulation) and Table 2 (Formulation of Ingredients Under Consideration) below, following the steps (1) to (4) shown below. The raw material numbers in the descriptions of each process correspond to Table 1. (1) Add 5, 13-15 to water and stir at 85°C for 10 minutes. (2) Add ingredients 1-4 and 6-12, and stir for another 5 minutes. (3) After the entire amount was corrected, it was filled into pouches. (4) Sterilized by retort at 121°C for 20 minutes.

[0030] [Table 1]

[0031] [Table 2]

[0032] evaluation The retort meat sauce obtained using the method described above was subjected to sensory evaluation using the following criteria (standard samples) as shown in Table 3. Sensory evaluation item: The flavor of tomato's acidity and saltiness after swallowing. Temperature of the retort meat sauce during evaluation: 60℃ Number of panelists: 9 Standard samples: Comparative Example 1-1 and a sample with twice the amount of salt added as in Comparative Example 1-1 were prepared and used as standard samples.

[0033] [Table 3] Regarding scores 2, 3, and 4, we coordinated to ensure that the panel members had a common understanding.

[0034] The results are shown in Table 4.

[0035] [Table 4]

[0036] In Example 1-1, the flavor of the fruit-derived dietary fiber (Sun Oasis* CF*) itself was not noticeable. As can be seen from Table 4, in Example 1-1, in which fruit-derived dietary fiber (Sun Oasis* CF*) was added, the saltiness, acidity, and tomato flavor of the retort meat sauce were significantly enhanced. On the other hand, the other fiber materials (Comparative Examples 1-2 to 1-5) only showed a slight improvement in flavor compared to Comparative Example 1-1, and the improvement in flavor, particularly in saltiness and acidity, was not as noticeable as in Example 1-1.

[0037] Example 2: Ginger pork sauce Using the formulations listed in Table 5 (Basic Formulation) and Table 6 (Formulation of Ingredients Under Consideration), the ginger pork sauce was prepared according to the following steps (1) to (3). The raw material numbers in the descriptions of each process correspond to Table 5. (1) Add 3, 7, and 8 to water and heat at 85°C for 10 minutes until dissolved. (2) Add ingredients 1, 2, and 4-6 and stir for 5 minutes until dissolved. (3) The entire volume was corrected, sterilized at 85°C for 30 minutes, and then cooled.

[0038] [Table 5]

[0039] [Table 6]

[0040] evaluation The ginger pork sauce obtained using the method described above was subjected to sensory evaluation using the following criteria (standard samples) shown in Table 7. Sensory evaluation: The flavors of salt, ginger, soy sauce, etc. that develop after swallowing, and the lingering aroma. Evaluated at room temperature Panel members: 13 Standard samples were prepared as follows: Comparative Example 2-1, a sample of Comparative Example 2-1 with 1.1 times the amount of ingredients other than xanthan gum added, and a sample of Comparative Example 2-1 with 1.3 times the amount of ingredients other than xanthan gum added.

[0041] [Table 7] Regarding scores 2, 3, 5, and 6, we coordinated to ensure that there was a common understanding among the panel members.

[0042] The results are shown in Table 8.

[0043] [Table 8]

[0044] In Example 2-1, the flavor of the fruit-derived dietary fiber (Sun Oasis* CF*) itself was not noticeable. As can be seen from Table 8, in Example 2-1, which included fruit-derived dietary fiber (Sun Oasis* CF*), the flavor of the ginger pork sauce was significantly enhanced, particularly the saltiness and ginger flavor. On the other hand, the other fiber materials (Comparative Examples 2-2 to 2-6) only showed a slight improvement in flavor compared to Comparative Example 2-1, and the saltiness and ginger flavor were not enhanced as much as in Example 2-1.

Claims

1. A flavor release enhancer for thickener-containing foods, characterized by containing dietary fiber derived from fruit.

2. A food product containing fruit-derived dietary fiber and thickeners.

3. The flavor release enhancer according to claim 1 or the food according to claim 2, wherein the fruit-derived dietary fiber includes citrus fiber.

4. The food according to claim 2, wherein the content of dietary fiber derived from fruit is 0.0001 to 20% by mass.

5. A method for improving the flavor release of a thickening agent-containing food, including adding it to a food or its raw materials that contain fruit-derived dietary fiber and a thickening agent.

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