Modifiers for shredded cheese and grated cheese, modified shredded cheese and modified grated cheese

Abstract

To provide a modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese that can suppress the binding of shredded cheese and grated cheese during refrigerated and frozen storage, and to provide modified shredded cheese and modified grated cheese containing the modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese. [Solution] A modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese, characterized by containing lutein.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a modifier for shredded cheese and powdered cheese, modified shredded cheese, and modified powdered cheese.

Background Art

[0002] Natural cheese and processed cheese are shredded into strips or plates or formed into shapes for easy use in various applications, and powdered cheese is pulverized into a powder, packed in bags or placed in containers, and distributed in the market. When shredded cheese and powdered cheese processed into strip or powder form are stored for a long time under refrigeration or freezing, there is a problem that the shredded cheese and powdered cheese stick together and do not loosen when used.

[0003] Shredded cheese with binding prevention by forming into a specific shape has been proposed (Patent Document 1). Also, processed cheeses with a specific hardness and a thickness of less than 1 mm with binding prevention have been proposed (Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the method of Patent Document 1, the binding prevention effect is only for limited shapes, and it is not versatile when considering use in various applications. Also, in the method of Patent Document 2, a specific hardness is required, and the available processed cheeses are limited.

[0006] The present invention provides a modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese that can be modified so that shredded cheese and grated cheese do not stick together even when stored in the refrigerator or freezer for a long period of time, and modified shredded cheese and modified grated cheese containing the modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors have discovered that lutein, a carotenoid, modifies milk proteins contained in dairy raw materials, suppressing the binding of shredded cheese and grated cheese to each other even when stored in the refrigerator or freezer for extended periods.

[0008] In other words, the present invention is as follows [1] to [2]. [1] A modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese, characterized by containing lutein. [2] A modified shredded cheese and a modified powdered cheese, comprising milk protein and the modified shredded cheese and powdered cheese 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]

[0009] The shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention can suppress the binding of shredded cheese and grated cheese to each other even when the shredded cheese and grated cheese are stored in the refrigerator and freezer for a long period of time. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] [Modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese] The shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention is characterized by containing lutein, and modifies milk protein, enabling the production of modified shredded cheese and modified grated cheese in which binding between shredded cheese and grated cheese is suppressed even when stored in the refrigerator or freezer for a long period of time. The shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0011] [Lutein] Lutein is a type of carotenoid pigment that, in living organisms, is localized in the macula of the retina, absorbing high-energy light entering the eye and removing reactive oxygen species generated by light, thus being known as a beneficial component for protecting the eyes from light. The modifier for shredded cheese and powdered cheese of the present invention contains at least one of free lutein or esterified lutein. When lutein is included in milk raw materials containing milk protein, it binds to the milk protein, modifying it and suppressing the bonding of modified shredded cheese and powdered cheese to each other during long-term refrigerated and frozen storage of the manufactured modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese. 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.

[0012] Lutein can be derived from plants such as marigold, 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.

[0013] The shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention can be obtained by processing food materials containing lutein in a way that does not cause loss of lutein, such as extraction, pasteurization, or drying into powder. However, it is preferable that the modifier be 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. The shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention can be preferably used in a state where lutein is dissolved in oil, for example, because lutein is oil-soluble. The shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention can also be obtained by mixing dried animal or plant powder containing lutein with an oil such as rapeseed oil, gently heating it, filtering the dried animal or plant powder, and then dissolving the lutein in the edible oil.

[0014] When using a mixture of water or liquid sugar in which lutein-containing oil, such as rapeseed oil, is dispersed, 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.

[0015] The method for uniformly dispersing lutein-containing oil in water or liquid sugar is not particularly limited, but for example, a propeller stirrer or a high-pressure homogenizer can be used. When using a propeller stirrer, water or liquid sugar heated to 15-70°C is stirred with the propeller stirrer, and lutein-containing oil heated to 15-60°C is gradually added thereto, and the mixture is stirred at a stirring speed of 300-700 rpm for 10-30 minutes to obtain the shredded cheese and powdered cheese modifier of the present invention. Alternatively, when using a high-pressure homogenizer, water or liquid sugar heated to 15-70°C is stirred with the propeller stirrer, and lutein-containing oil heated to 15-60°C is gradually added thereto, 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 in the high-pressure homogenizer to obtain the shredded cheese and powdered 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.).

[0016] The lutein content in the shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 0.2 ppm to 20,000 ppm by mass. The lower limit is more preferably 1 ppm by mass or more, even more preferably 20 ppm by mass or more, and particularly preferably 200 ppm by mass or more. The upper limit is more preferably 10,000 ppm by mass or less, even more preferably 5,000 ppm by mass or less, and particularly preferably 2,000 ppm by mass or less. If the lutein content is within this range, the shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier 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 fully exhibited.

[0017] Commercially available lutein raw materials include, for example, "Lyc-O-Lutein 20% in Safflower Oil" (imported and sold by Sunbright Co., Ltd.) and "Lutein 20% Suspension" (imported and sold by Koyo Shokai Co., Ltd.). Alternatively, lutein-containing raw materials may be used in paste or dried powder form, or commercially available paste or powder products may be used. For example, kale powder (manufactured by Kodama Foods Co., Ltd.), parsley powder (manufactured by Kodama Foods Co., Ltd.), komatsuna fine powder (manufactured by Mikasa Sangyo Co., Ltd.), and CS Parsley Y42 (manufactured by S&B Foods Co., Ltd.) are commercially available vegetable powders containing lutein.

[0018] The lutein content measurement method of the present invention was performed in accordance with Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) 0008:2019.

[0019] [Other ingredients] In addition to lutein, the modifier for shredded cheese and powdered cheese of the present invention may optionally use oils and fats, emulsifiers, sugars, water, modified starch, preservatives, etc., as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0020] [Modified shredded cheese and modified grated cheese] The modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese of the present invention contain milk protein and the above-mentioned modifier for shredded cheese and powdered cheese.

[0021] [Milk protein] The milk protein of 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 shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese of the present invention include milk, skim milk, partially skimmed milk, cream, whey cream or buttermilk, or mixtures thereof. The milk can be derived from cows, goats, or sheep. In addition, using shredded cheese, natural cheese or processed cheese which are powdered cheese, foods mainly made from milk, etc. as raw materials, and containing modifiers for shredded cheese and powdered cheese in them, modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese can be produced which can suppress binding during long-term refrigerated and frozen storage.

[0022] The modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese of the present invention have a lutein content of 0.2 parts by mass or more per 1,000,000 parts by mass of milk protein. The content of lutein is preferably 2.0 - 500.0 parts by mass, more preferably 20.0 - 200.0 parts by mass, per 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 shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese, it is preferably 500 parts by mass or less.

[0023] The measurement method of the milk protein content of the present invention was measured according to the Kjeldahl method of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.

[0024] [Shredded cheese and powdered cheese] The shredded cheese and powdered cheese of the present invention meet the general standards for cheese in the Codex Alimentarius, or the standards for natural cheese and processed cheese in the Ministerial Ordinance concerning the Standards for Ingredients of Milk and Dairy Products, or the Fair Competition Rules concerning the Labeling of Natural Cheese, Processed Cheese, and Cheese Food. The shredded cheese is cut or molded into rods or plates, and the powdered cheese is ground into a powder. The shredded cheese and powdered cheese of the present invention are aggregates of two or more cheese fragments or powders.

[0025] The shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier of the present invention only needs to be uniformly contained in the shredded cheese and grated cheese containing milk protein, and may be added at any stage of the shredded cheese or grated cheese production process. Alternatively, the shredded cheese and grated cheese may be processed after production by re-melting or other means to incorporate the shredded cheese and grated cheese modifier, and then processed into shredded or grated cheese. [Examples]

[0026] Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to examples.

[0027] [Manufacturing of modifiers for shredded cheese and grated cheese] (Examples 1-1 to 1-3, Comparative Example 1-1) Based on the formulation shown in Table 1, Example 1-1 was prepared by the following method. Specifically, using lutein oil (product name: Lutein 20% Suspension (imported and sold by Koyo Shoji Co., Ltd., lutein content 20g / 100g)), 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 modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese (lutein content 2000 ppm by mass). Similarly, modifiers for shredded cheese and grated cheese were prepared for Examples 1-2, 1-3, and Comparative Example 1-1 using the formulations shown in Table 1.

[0028] (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 modifier for shredded cheese and powdered cheese (lutein content 2000 ppm by mass) was produced. Similarly, modifiers for shredded cheese and powdered cheese were prepared for Examples 2-2, 2-3, and Comparative Example 2-1 using the formulations shown in Table 2.

[0029] (Production of modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese 1) Modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese were produced using the shredded cheese and powdered cheese modifiers of Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 by the following method.

[0030] 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 shredded cheese and grated cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 were added and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C and shredded using a handheld shredder (Presto 02910 Salad Shooter Electric Slicer) to produce modified shredded cheese (modified cheddar cheese).

[0031] 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 shredded cheese and grated 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 and shredded using a handheld shredder (Presto 02910 Salad Shooter Electric Slicer) to produce modified shredded cheese (modified mozzarella cheese).

[0032] 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 shredded cheese and grated cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 were added and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C and shredded using a handheld shredder (Presto 02910 Salad Shooter Electric Slicer) to produce modified shredded cheese (modified Gouda cheese).

[0033] 420g of Steppen cheese (containing 23.8g of milk protein per 100g of Steppen cheese) (100g of milk protein) was melted in a water bath at 80°C. 1g each of the shredded cheese and grated cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 were added and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C and shredded using a handheld shredder (Presto 02910 Salad Shooter Electric Slicer) to produce modified shredded cheese (modified Steppen cheese).

[0034] 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) (100g of milk protein) was melted in a water bath at 80°C. 1g each of the shredded cheese and powdered cheese modifiers from Examples 1-1 to 1-3 and Comparative Example 1-1 were added and stirred until uniform. The mixture was then cooled to 5°C and shredded using a handheld shredder (Presto 02910 Salad Shooter Electric Slicer) to produce modified shredded cheese (modified processed cheese).

[0035] 227g of Parmesan cheese (containing 44.0g 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 shredded cheese and grated 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 and modified grated cheese (modified Parmesan cheese) was produced using a cheese grater (Microplane Premium Classic Zester-Grater).

[0036] (Production of modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese 2) Modified shredded cheese and modified powdered cheese were produced using the modifiers for shredded cheese and powdered cheese of Examples 2-1 to 2-3 and Comparative Example 2-1 by the following method.

[0037] 300g of milk (1000g milk protein) was heated to 32°C, 10g each of the shredded cheese and grated cheese modifiers from Examples 2-1 to 2-3 and Comparative Example 2-1, and cheese starter culture were added and stirred. The mixture was then 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. The curd was then 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, sprinkled evenly with salt, mixed in, and left to stand for another 30 minutes. The salted curd was packed into a mold and compressed under pressure for 3 hours. After removing it from the mold, it was aged at 5°C for 1 month, and the center portion was cut out and shredded using a handheld shredder (Presto 02910 Salad Shooter Electric Slicer) to produce modified shredded cheese.

[0038] (Evaluation of shredded cheese binding properties) The prepared modified shredded cheese was placed in 50g bags, each measuring 18cm x 18cm without a gusset, and sealed with a heat sealer. It was then stored at 7°C or -5°C for two weeks. After storage, immediately after removing the bags from 7°C or -5°C, they were dropped three times from a height of 40cm onto a table. The bags were then opened, and the presence or absence of sticking was checked. The stuck modified shredded cheese was removed, and the number of individual shredded pieces was counted and evaluated. The number of shredded modified shredded cheese pieces was evaluated as follows: "1" for 50 or more pieces, "2" for 40 or more but less than 50 pieces, "3" for 30 or more but less than 40 pieces, "4" for 20 or more but less than 30 pieces, and "5" for less than 20 pieces. Only "5" and "4" were considered passing grades.

[0039] (Evaluation of the binding properties of grated cheese) The prepared modified grated cheese was placed in a cylindrical plastic container measuring 10 cm in height and 3.5 cm in diameter, with 40 g of cheese inside and sealed. It was then stored at 7°C or -5°C for two weeks. After storage, immediately after removing it from the 7°C or -5°C storage area, it was dropped three times from a height of 30 cm onto a table. The container was then removed, and the presence or absence of binding was checked. The samples were evaluated as follows: "1" if there was one or more chunks larger than 1 cm; "2" if there were no chunks larger than 1 cm but one or more chunks between 5 mm and 1 cm; "3" if there were no chunks larger than 5 mm but five or more chunks smaller than 5 mm; "4" if there were no chunks larger than 5 mm but three or more chunks smaller than 5 mm; and "5" if there were no chunks larger than 5 mm but fewer than three chunks smaller than 5 mm. Only "5" and "4" were considered passing grades.

[0040] [Table 1]

[0041] [Table 2]

[0042] (Evaluation results) Tables 1 and 2 show that the modifiers for shredded cheese and grated cheese suppress the binding of shredded cheese and grated cheese during long-term storage in the refrigerator and freezer. On the other hand, Comparative Examples 1-1 and 2-1 do not contain lutein, and therefore cannot modify milk proteins, and thus do not have the effect of suppressing the binding of shredded cheese and grated cheese during the refrigerator and freezer.

Claims

1. A modifier for shredded cheese and grated cheese, characterized by containing lutein.

2. A modified shredded cheese and a modified powdered cheese, comprising milk protein and the modifier for shredded cheese and powdered cheese 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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