Modifiers for stringy cheeses and modified stringy cheeses

Abstract

To provide a stringy cheese modifier that allows the original deliciousness of cheeses to be felt both at room temperature and when heated, improves stringiness when heated, and maintains good stringiness even when heated for a long time, and to provide a modified stringy cheese containing the stringy cheese modifier. [Solution] A cheese modifier for stringy cheeses, characterized by containing lutein.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a modifier for drawn cheese and modified drawn cheese.

Background Art

[0002] When heating cheeses such as natural cheese and processed cheese, those having drawability may be eaten as they are, but they are used in various dishes such as pasta, gratins, risotto, and cheese fondue, and are combined with other foods to enhance their deliciousness. Cheeses with better drawability during heating have better entanglement with other foods and an improved sense of excitement when eaten, so there is a demand for cheeses with excellent drawability during heating. Furthermore, for cheese fondue and the like, good drawability is desired even during long-term heating.

[0003] As a method for improving drawability during heating, a method of containing tapioca modified starch in raw material cheese has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

[0004] Also, by mixing an oil-in-water type emulsified oil and fat composition containing non-micellar casein protein, liquid oil, phosphoric acid crosslinked starch, etc. with drawable cheeses, a cheese-containing composition excellent in continuous mass productivity showing good drawability by heat cooking has been proposed (Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the method described in Patent Document 1, the inclusion of tapioca-processed starch reduces the milky flavor and umami derived from the fat content of milk, which are the inherent deliciousness of cheeses. Similarly, in the method described in Patent Document 2, the inclusion of an oil-in-water emulsion fat composition reduces the umami, which is the inherent deliciousness of cheeses, and furthermore, stringiness cannot be expected during prolonged heating.

[0007] The present invention provides a stringy cheese modifier that allows the original deliciousness of cheeses to be felt both at room temperature and when heated, improves stringiness when heated, and maintains good stringiness even when heated for a long time, and a modified stringy cheese containing the stringy cheese modifier. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors have found that lutein, a carotenoid, modifies the milk protein contained in the milk raw material, allowing the original deliciousness of cheese to be felt both at room temperature and when heated, improving the stringiness when heated, and maintaining good stringiness even when heated for a long time.

[0009] In other words, the present invention is as follows [1] to [2]. [1] A modifier for stringy cheeses, characterized by containing lutein. [2] A modified stringy cheese containing milk protein and the stringy cheese modifier described in [1], characterized in that the lutein content is 0.2 parts by mass or more per 1,000,000 parts by mass of milk protein. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The stringy cheese modifier of the present invention allows the original deliciousness of cheeses to be felt both at room temperature and when heated, improves stringiness when heated, and maintains good stringiness even when heated for a long time. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] [Stretchable cheese modifier] The stringy cheese modifier of the present invention is characterized by containing lutein, and modifies milk protein, allowing the original deliciousness of the cheese to be felt both at room temperature and when heated, improving stringiness when heated, and enabling the production of modified stringy cheeses that maintain good stringiness even when heated for a long time. The stringy cheese modifier of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0012] [Lutein] Lutein is a type of carotenoid pigment that, in living organisms, is localized in the macula of the retina. It is known to be a beneficial component for protecting the eyes from light by absorbing high-energy light entering the eye and removing reactive oxygen species generated by light. The stringy cheese modifier of the present invention contains at least one of free lutein or esterified lutein. By including lutein in milk raw materials containing milk protein, the lutein binds to the milk protein, modifying it and allowing the modified stringy cheeses produced to retain the original deliciousness of cheese and improve their stringiness when heated. It was previously unknown that lutein, a pigment, has such a milk protein modifying effect, and the present invention has discovered a new effect that could not be anticipated from the prior art.

[0013] Lutein can be derived from plants such as marigolds, kale, parsley, spinach, komatsuna, broccoli, lettuce, and pumpkin peel, or from animals such as chicken eggs, but plant-derived lutein is preferred from a flavor standpoint.

[0014] The stringy cheese modifier of the present invention can be obtained by extracting, pasteuring, drying, or otherwise processing lutein from food materials containing lutein in a way that does not cause lutein loss. However, it is preferable to use it in the form of oil, W / O, O / W, or powder so that it can be uniformly dispersed in dairy raw materials containing milk protein. For example, since lutein is oil-soluble, it can preferably be used in a state dissolved in oil. It is also possible to use a mixture of dried animal or plant powder containing lutein with an oil such as rapeseed oil, gently heat it, filter the dried animal or plant powder, and obtain a mixture in which lutein has dissolved in edible oil.

[0015] When using a solution in which lutein-containing oil, such as rapeseed oil, is dispersed in water or liquid sugar as a stringy cheese modifier of the present invention, the average particle size of the lutein-containing oil dispersed in water or liquid sugar is preferably 0.01 μm or more and 1000 μm or less. More preferably, it is 0.05 μm or more and 500 μm or less, and most preferably 0.1 μm or more and 100 μm or less. Within this range, the dispersibility of lutein is improved, and the effects of the present invention can be more fully exhibited.

[0016] There are no particular limitations on the method for uniformly dispersing lutein-containing oil in water or liquid sugar, but for example, a propeller stirrer or a high-pressure homogenizer can be used. When using a propeller stirrer, the lutein-containing oil heated to 15-60°C is gradually added while stirring water or liquid sugar heated to 15-70°C with the propeller stirrer, and the mixture is stirred at a stirring speed of 300-700 rpm for 10-30 minutes to obtain the stringy cheese modifier of the present invention. Alternatively, when using a high-pressure homogenizer, the lutein-containing oil heated to 15-60°C is gradually added while stirring water or liquid sugar heated to 15-70°C with the propeller stirrer, and the mixture is stirred at a stirring speed of 300-700 rpm for 10-15 minutes, and then homogenized at a pressure of 10-30 MPa with the high-pressure homogenizer to obtain the stringy cheese modifier of the present invention. The average particle size when lutein-containing oil was dispersed in water or liquid sugar was measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer LA-950 (manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.).

[0017] The lutein content in the modified agent for drawn cheese of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, 0.2 mass ppm to 20,000 mass ppm is preferable. The lower limit is more preferably 1 mass ppm or more, still more preferably 20 mass ppm or more, and particularly preferably 200 mass ppm or more. The upper limit is more preferably 10,000 mass ppm or less, still more preferably 5,000 mass ppm or less, and particularly preferably 2,000 mass ppm or less. If the lutein content is within this range, the modified agent for drawn cheese can be mixed in an appropriate amount into the milk raw material containing milk protein, and the effects of the present invention can be more exerted.

[0018] As raw materials for lutein, commercially available products include, for example, "Lyc-O-Lutein 20% in Safflower Oil" (imported and sold by Sanbright Co., Ltd.) and "Lutein 20% Suspension" (imported and sold by Koyo Shokai Co., Ltd.). Also, raw materials containing lutein may be made into paste or dried powder and used, or commercially available products made into paste or powder may be used. For example, kale powder (manufactured by Kodama Foods Co., Ltd.), parsley powder (manufactured by Kodama Foods Co., Ltd.), fine powder of Komatsuna (manufactured by MIKASA INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.), and CS parsley Y42 (manufactured by S&B Foods Co., Ltd.) are commercially available as powders of vegetables containing lutein.

[0019] The measurement method of the lutein content of the present invention was measured in accordance with Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) 0008:2019.

[0020] [Other components] In addition to lutein, the modified agent for drawn cheese of the present invention can optionally use fats and oils, emulsifiers, saccharides, water, modified starch, preservatives, etc. within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0021] [Modified drawn cheese] The modified drawn cheese of the present invention contains milk protein and the above-mentioned modified agent for drawn cheese.

[0022] [Milk protein] The milk protein in the present invention refers to all proteins obtained from dairy products, including but not limited to casein protein, whey protein, etc. Casein protein is the main protein component in milk. Whey protein is the remaining protein after removing casein protein from milk. It is sufficient to contain one or more of these milk proteins. Examples of raw materials containing milk protein when producing the modified drawability cheeses of the present invention include proteins contained in milk, skim milk, partially skimmed milk, cream, whey cream or buttermilk, or mixtures thereof. The milk can be derived from cows, goats, or sheep. Also, natural cheeses and processed cheeses, which are produced cheeses, and foods mainly made from milk, etc. are used as milk raw materials, and by containing a drawability cheese modifier therein, the original deliciousness of the cheeses can be felt, and modified drawability cheeses with improved drawability during heating can be produced.

[0023] The modified drawability cheeses of the present invention have a lutein content of 0.2 parts by mass or more with respect to 1,000,000 parts by mass of milk protein. The lutein content is preferably 2.0 to 500.0 parts by mass, more preferably 20.0 to 200.0 parts by mass, with respect to 1,000,000 parts by mass of milk protein. When it is 0.2 parts by mass or more, the modifying effect of lutein on milk protein can be fully exerted. Although it can contain more than 500 parts by mass, from the perspective of appearance, since the carotenoid pigment lutein colors the modified drawability cheeses, it is preferably 500 parts by mass or less.

[0024] The measuring method of the milk protein content of the present invention was measured in accordance with the Kjeldahl method of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.

[0025] [Cheeses] In this invention, cheeses refer to those that meet the general standards for cheese in the Codex Alimentarius Standards, or those that meet the standards for natural cheese and processed cheese in the Ministerial Ordinance concerning the Standards for Ingredients of Milk and Dairy Products, or those that meet the Fair Competition Rules concerning the Labeling of Natural Cheese, Processed Cheese and Cheese Food, and that exhibit stringiness when heated. Furthermore, foods manufactured using cheeses that meet the above conditions as raw materials are also included in the modified stringy cheeses of this invention.

[0026] While there are no particular limitations on natural cheeses, those that easily produce stringiness, such as pasta filata (mozzarella, scarmorza, provolone, caciocavallo), Steppen cheese, cottage cheese, quark cheese, Camembert cheese, Brie cheese, Limburger cheese, Hunt cheese, Colby cheese, Gorgonzola cheese, blue cheese, Gouda cheese, Osseau-Iraty cheese, Reblochon cheese, Cheddar cheese, Comté cheese, and Gruyère, may be used. Processed cheeses that produce stringiness when heated can also be used.

[0027] In this invention, the criterion for stringiness is that when cheese is cut into a rectangular parallelepiped with sides of 2 cm, placed on an oven sheet, heated in a toaster at 240°C for 2 minutes, and then grasped with tweezers and pulled up, any cheese that stretches by 1 cm or more is considered to have stringiness.

[0028] The stringy cheese modifier of the present invention only needs to be uniformly contained in cheeses containing milk protein, and may be added at any stage in the production of modified stringy cheeses. Alternatively, the stringy cheese modifier may be added after the cheeses have been produced, by dissolving them again or by other means. [Examples]

[0029] Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to examples.

[0030] [Manufacturing of stringy cheese modifiers] (Examples 1-1 to 1-3, Comparative Example 1-1) Example 1-1 was prepared using the following method based on the formulation shown in Table 1. Specifically, lutein oil (product name: Lutein 20% Suspension (imported and sold by Koyo Shokai Co., Ltd., lutein content 20g / 100g)) was used, and 1000g of lutein oil and 9000g of rapeseed oil were mixed and stirred to obtain a 10-fold diluted lutein oil product (lutein content 20000 ppm by mass). Furthermore, 1000g of the 10-fold diluted lutein oil product and 9000g of rapeseed oil were heated, mixed, and stirred at 60°C to produce a stringy cheese modifier (lutein content 2000 ppm by mass). Similarly, stringy cheese modifiers were prepared for Examples 1-2, 1-3, and Comparative Example 1-1 using the formulations shown in Table 1.

[0031] (Examples 2-1 to 2-3, Comparative Example 2-1) Based on the formulations shown in Table 2, Example 2-1 was prepared by the following method. Specifically, 100g of lutein oil (product name: Lutein 20% Suspension (imported and sold by Koyo Shokai Co., Ltd., lutein content 20g / 100g)) and 9900g of reduced starch syrup (product name: Amamiru, manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Co., Ltd., viscosity 880mPa·s / 20℃) were heated and mixed in a propeller agitator at 60℃, stirred, and then homogenized under high pressure at 20MPa in a high-pressure homogenizer. After cooling to 15℃, a stringy cheese modifier (lutein content 2000 ppm by mass) was produced. Similarly, stringy cheese modifiers were prepared for Examples 2-2, 2-3, and Comparative Example 2-1 using the formulations shown in Table 2.

[0032] (Production of modified stringy cheeses 1) Cheeses were produced using the stringy cheese modifiers of Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 by the following method. The cheeses used were cut into rectangular prisms with sides of 2 cm, placed on an oven sheet, heated in a toaster oven at 240°C for 2 minutes, and then stretched by 1 cm or more when the top was grasped and lifted with tweezers. Cheddar cheese stretched to 2.3 cm, mozzarella cheese to 4.0 cm, Gouda cheese to 2.8 cm, and Steppen cheese to 3.1 cm.

[0033] 389g of cheddar cheese (containing 25.7g of milk protein per 100g of cheddar cheese) (100g of milk protein) was melted in a water bath at 80°C. 1g each of the stringy cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 was added to the melted cheese and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C to produce modified stringy cheese (modified cheddar cheese).

[0034] 357g of mozzarella cheese (containing 28.0g of milk protein per 100g of mozzarella cheese) (100g of milk protein) was melted in a water bath at 80°C. 1g each of the stringy cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 was added to the melted cheese and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C to produce modified stringy cheese (modified mozzarella cheese).

[0035] 377g of Gouda cheese (containing 26.5g of milk protein per 100g of Gouda cheese) (100g of milk protein) was melted in a water bath at 80°C. 1g each of the stringy cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 was added to the melted cheese and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C to produce modified stringy cheese (modified Gouda cheese).

[0036] Steppen cheese (containing 23.8g of milk protein per 100g of Steppen cheese) was dissolved in a water bath at 80°C. 1g each of the stringy cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 was added to the mixture and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C to produce modified stringy cheese (modified Steppen cheese).

[0037] 457g of processed cheese (product name: Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Melting Slice Cheese, manufactured by Meiji Co., Ltd., containing 21.9g of milk protein per 100g) was melted in a water bath at 80°C. 1g each of the stringy cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 was added and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C to produce modified stringy cheese (modified processed cheese).

[0038] (Production of modified stringy cheeses 2) Modified stringy cheeses were produced using the stringy cheese modifiers of Examples 2-1 to 2-3 and Comparative Example 2-1 by the following method. For cheeses produced by the following method without containing the stringy cheese modifier, the cheeses were cut into rectangular prisms with sides of 2 cm, placed on an oven sheet, heated in a toaster oven at 240°C for 2 minutes, and then stretched by 1 cm or more when the top was grasped and lifted with tweezers.

[0039] 300g of milk (1000g milk protein) was heated to 32°C, 10g of the stringy cheese modifier from Examples 2-1 to 2-3 and Comparative Example 2-1 was added, and cheese starter culture was added and stirred. After stirring, it was left to stand for 60 minutes to allow fermentation to proceed. Rennet was added and stirred, then left to stand again for 45 minutes to separate the curd (solid) and whey (liquid). The solidified curd was cut into small cubes with a knife and left to stand for 5 minutes after cutting. The cut curd was heated to 38°C over 30 minutes, stirring gently during heating to ensure even heating. After that, the curd was removed and the whey was drained. The curd was stacked and turned over periodically over 1 hour at 38°C. The curd was cut into small pieces, salt was sprinkled evenly over it and mixed in, and then left to stand for another 30 minutes. The salted curds were packed into molds and compressed under pressure for 3 hours. After being removed from the molds, they were aged at 5°C for 1 month to produce modified stringy cheeses.

[0040] (Evaluation of stringiness during heating) Prepared modified stringy cheeses molded to 3cm x 3cm and 1cm thick, and placed in the center of a cracker measuring 5cm x 5cm and 3mm thick with a perforation in the middle. This was heated in a toaster at 240°C for 3 minutes, immediately removed from the toaster, split in half along the perforation, and one half was lifted vertically. The distance the modified stringy cheese stretched without breaking was measured. The evaluation was based on a relative value, with the stretch distance when using the stringy cheese modifier of Comparative Example 1-1 or Comparative Example 2-1 set to 100. The stretch distance of the modified cheddar cheese using the stringy cheese modifier of Comparative Example 1-1 was 15cm, and the stretch distance of the modified stringy cheese of Comparative Example 2-1 was 16.5cm. The stretch distance of the modified cheddar cheese using the stringy cheese modifier of Example 1-3 was 75cm, demonstrating excellent stringiness. The relative distance was evaluated as follows: "5" for distances of 300 or greater, "4" for distances between 200 and less than 300, "3" for distances between 150 and less than 200, "2" for distances between 100 and less than 150, and "1" for distances below 100. Only "5", "4", and "3" were considered passing grades.

[0041] (Evaluation of stringiness during prolonged heating) The modified stringy cheeses produced were molded to a size of 10 cm in length, width, and height, and 1 cm in thickness. These were then heated on a hot plate at 180°C. After 5 minutes and 15 minutes of heating, the modified stringy cheeses were lifted from the center using a stainless steel spoon, and the distance the cheese stretched without breaking was measured from the surface of the hot plate to the tip of the stainless steel spoon. The evaluation was based on a relative value, with the stretch distance of the modified stringy cheeses of Comparative Example 1-1 or Comparative Example 2-1 after 5 minutes of heating set to 100. The stretch distance after 5 minutes of heating was 31 cm for the modified cheddar cheese using the stringy cheese modifier in Comparative Example 1-1, 32 cm for the modified stringy cheeses of Comparative Example 2-1, 14 cm for the modified cheddar cheeses of Comparative Example 2-1 after 15 minutes of heating, and 16 cm for the modified stringy cheeses of Comparative Example 2-1. Furthermore, when the modified cheddar cheese using the stringy cheese modifiers of Examples 1-3 was heated for 5 minutes, the distance was 120 cm, and when heated for 15 minutes, the distance was 100 cm, confirming excellent stringiness even with longer heating times. The relative distance was evaluated as follows: "5" for distances of 300 or greater, "4" for distances between 200 and less than 300, "3" for distances between 120 and less than 200, "2" for distances between 100 and less than 120, and "1" for distances below 100. Only "5", "4", and "3" were considered passing grades.

[0042] (Taste rating) The modified stringy cheeses were prepared and molded into cubes with sides of 1 cm. The milky texture and umami of the modified stringy cheeses were tasted at room temperature and after being heated in a toaster oven at 240°C for 2 minutes on a baking sheet and then allowed to cool naturally to 40°C. These samples were then evaluated by 10 panelists through sensory evaluation. Based on the milky texture and umami of the modified stringy cheeses of Comparative Example 1-1 or Comparative Example 2-1, the cheeses were evaluated on a scale of "4" (clearly stronger milky texture and umami than the original cheese), "3" (strong milky texture and umami), "2" (equivalent), and "1" (weak milky texture and umami). The average of the sensory evaluations of the 10 panelists (rounded to the first decimal place) was used as the smoothness score, with scores of "4", "3", and "2" or higher considered passing.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] [Table 2]

[0045] (Evaluation results) Tables 1 and 2 show that the stringiness modifier improves the stringiness of modified stringy cheeses when heated, and that excellent stringiness can be obtained even with long heating times. Furthermore, the stringiness improvement effect can be obtained without impairing the original deliciousness of the cheese. Comparative Examples 1-1 and 2-1 do not contain lutein, so no improvement in stringiness when heated is observed, and it can be seen that the stringiness decreases significantly when heated for long times.

Claims

1. A cheese modifier characterized by containing lutein.

2. A modified stringy cheese containing milk protein and the stringy cheese modifier described in claim 1, characterized in that the lutein content is 0.2 parts by mass or more per 1,000,000 parts by mass of milk protein.

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