Method for producing a food composition, fermented food composition, method for reducing wastewater load, and method for suppressing component runoff.

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing a food composition that can maintain the quality of the food composition while implementing measures to reduce the environmental impact during the processing of the food composition, and a fermented food composition obtained using the method for producing the food composition. [Solution] The method for producing a food composition is characterized by comprising steps (i) and (ii). Specifically, step (i) is the step of preparing a raw material that satisfies condition (ia) a processed product of edible plants containing 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry basis, and step (ii) is the step of obtaining a modified product by adjusting the raw material so that condition (ii-a) the increase in mineral content is 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less. The fermented food composition is characterized by being produced by a method for producing a food composition, comprising step (iii) of fermenting the raw material or the modified product after step (i) or after step (ii).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a food composition, a fermented food composition, a method for reducing wastewater load, and a method for suppressing component outflow. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing a food composition using raw materials containing low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, a fermented food composition using raw materials containing low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, a method for reducing wastewater load, and a method for suppressing component outflow using raw materials containing low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1, described below, discloses an invention in which crushed soybeans are soaked in an aqueous solution containing a specific thickener in order to prevent the loss of nutrients during the soaking process of soybeans, which is a manufacturing process for crushed natto. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 06-98707 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] On the other hand, in food processing, when processing edible plants that are rich in dietary fiber, there is a tendency for components to leak out during processing. In particular, when fermenting such edible plants, the leakage of these components tends to reduce their fermentability. However, if conventional techniques such as those described in Patent Document 1 are used to suppress component leakage, the taste of the food composition changes, making it difficult to achieve a balance between fermentability and taste.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to obtain a food composition that suppresses the leakage of components without significantly impairing the taste. In particular, when the food composition is a fermented food composition, it is possible to achieve a balance between fermentability and taste. Furthermore, it aims to provide a fermented food composition that achieves both a good fermentation state and a good balance of taste. In addition, it aims to provide a method for reducing wastewater load that can reduce the wastewater load in food manufacturing. Furthermore, it aims to provide a method for suppressing the leakage of components from food during food manufacturing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The inventors, in order to solve the above problems, conducted extensive research and discovered that when manufacturing a food composition using raw materials rich in low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, by adding a step to increase the minerals contained in the raw materials within a predetermined range, the leakage of components from the food ingredients is suppressed, and as a result, processed edible plants with good fermentability can be obtained. Furthermore, they discovered that by performing fermentation using edible plants in which the minerals contained in the raw materials have been increased within a predetermined range, it is possible to achieve both fermentability and a balance of taste, thus completing the present invention.

[0007] In other words, the purpose of this invention relates, for example, to the following: [1] A method for producing a food composition, characterized by comprising the following steps (i) and (ii). (i) The step of preparing raw materials that satisfy (ia) below. (ii) The step of obtaining a prepared product obtained by adjusting the raw materials so as to satisfy (ii-a) below. (ia) A processed product of edible plants that contains 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. (ii-a) The increase in mineral content is between 0.02% by mass and 2.5% by mass. [2] A method for producing the food composition according to [1] above, wherein the edible plant is one or more selected from the group consisting of grains, cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds, vegetables, fruits and mushrooms. [3] A method for producing the food composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the mineral is a monovalent metal species and / or a divalent metal species. [4] A method for producing the food composition according to [3] above, wherein the monovalent metal species is sodium and / or potassium, and the divalent metal species is calcium and / or magnesium. [5] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of the above [1] to [4], wherein the raw materials satisfy (ib) below in step (i). (ib) The dry moisture content is 20% or less. [6] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [5] above, comprising a heating and water absorption step in which the raw material is heated in a wet state after step (i). [7] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [6] above, comprising a step (iii) of fermenting the raw materials or the prepared product after step (i) or after step (ii). [8] A method for producing the food composition according to [7] above, wherein the food composition is a fermented food composition. [9] A method for producing the food composition according to [7] or [8] above, wherein the edible plant is one or more selected from the group consisting of legumes, nuts and seeds, or grains.

[10] A method for producing the food composition according to any one of [7] to [9] above, wherein the food composition is natto.

[11] A method for producing a food composition according to [7], further comprising a heating and water absorption step after step (i) in which the raw material or the prepared product is heated in a wet state.

[12] A method for producing a food composition according to [7] or

[11] above, wherein the composition obtained through step (iii) satisfies (iii-a) below. (iii-a) Levan content M L PGA content M (as per mass%) P (Mass %) ratio (M P / M Lis 2 or more

[13] After the step (ii), a method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[12] above, comprising a heating and water absorption step of heating the adjusted product under wet conditions.

[14] The adjustment in the step (ii) includes an operation of immersing in an aqueous mineral solution in which the mineral content is 0.01% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less, and a method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[13] above.

[15] A method for producing a food composition according to

[13] above, wherein the adjusted product after the step (ii) satisfies the following (ii-b). (ii-b) The mineral content is greater than the average mineral concentration of the adjusted product during immersion to be the adjusted product.

[16] After the step (i) and before the step (ii), a method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[15] above, comprising a heating and water absorption step of heating the raw material under wet conditions.

[17] After the step (ii), a method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[16] above, comprising a step (iii) of fermenting the adjusted product.

[18] The adjustment in the step (ii) is performed by adding an adjustment component, The adjustment component contains an amino acid, A method for producing a food composition according to

[17] above, wherein the content of the amino acid is 0.02% by mass or more.

[19] A fermented food composition, characterized in that it is produced by the method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[18] above.

[20] A fermented food composition according to

[19] above, satisfying 1 or more of the following requirements (h) to (j). (h) The ratio of Gln to the total amount of amino acids is 1.0% or less (i) The ratio of Asn to the total amount of amino acids is 1.6% or less (j) The ratio of Glu to the total amount of amino acids is 17.5% or less

[21] The fermented food composition is natto, The fermented food composition described in

[19] or

[20] above, wherein no tyrosine crystal precipitation is observed after storage at 10°C for two weeks.

[22] A method for reducing wastewater load in food manufacturing, characterized by comprising the following steps (i) and (ii). (i) The step of preparing raw materials that satisfy (ia) below. (ii) The step of obtaining a prepared product obtained by adjusting the raw materials so as to satisfy (ii-a) below. (ia) A processed product of edible plants that contains 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. (ii-a) The increase in mineral content is between 0.02% by mass and 2.5% by mass.

[23] A method for suppressing the leakage of food components, characterized by comprising the following steps (i) and (ii). (i) The step of preparing raw materials that satisfy (ia) below. (ii) The step of obtaining a prepared product obtained by adjusting the raw materials so as to satisfy (ii-a) below. (ia) A processed product of edible plants that contains 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. (ii-a) The increase in mineral content is between 0.02% by mass and 2.5% by mass.

[24] A method for imparting freeze tolerance to legumes by subjecting them to a mineral-enhancing treatment, thereby obtaining freeze tolerance in treated legumes.

[25] The method for imparting freeze resistance according to

[24] above, wherein the mineral increase treatment is a treatment that adjusts the increase in mineral content to be 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

[26] The method for imparting freeze tolerance according to

[24] or

[25] above, wherein the legumes subjected to the mineral-enhancing treatment are further subjected to fermentation after the mineral-enhancing treatment.

[27] The method for imparting freeze tolerance according to

[26] above, wherein the fermentation process is fermentation using natto bacteria.

[28] Natto for frozen storage obtained using the method for imparting freeze tolerance described in

[27] above.

[29] A method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining the texture of frozen beans after thawing, A method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture by treating legumes to increase their mineral content before freezing.

[30] The method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture according to

[29] above, wherein the mineral-increasing treatment is a treatment that adjusts the increase in mineral content to be 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

[31] The method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture according to

[29] or

[30] above, wherein the bean products subjected to the mineral-enhancing treatment are subjected to fermentation treatment after the mineral-enhancing treatment.

[32] The method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture according to

[31] above, wherein the fermentation process is fermentation using natto bacteria.

[33] Natto obtained using the bitterness suppression and / or texture preservation method described in

[32] above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to a method for producing a food composition in one aspect of the present invention, a food composition can be obtained in which the leakage of components is suppressed without significantly impairing the taste. According to one aspect of the present invention, a fermented food composition can achieve a balance between fermentability and taste. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for reducing wastewater load can be used to reduce the wastewater load in food manufacturing. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for suppressing the leakage of components from food during food production can be suppressed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for imparting freeze tolerance to legumes can be used to impart freeze tolerance to them. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture, it is possible to impart the ability to suppress bitterness and / or maintain texture to legumes after thawing. According to one aspect of the present invention, natto can be made freeze-resistant, and as a result, bitterness in natto after thawing and / or texture can be maintained. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention will be described below based on specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented in any form without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, all publications, patents, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated herein by reference as they are.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, the description of the problems described above does not preclude the existence of other problems disclosed herein. That is, in one aspect of the present invention, for example, one problem may be to implement measures to reduce the environmental impact during the processing of a food composition while maintaining the quality of the food composition, or to implement measures to reduce the environmental impact associated with the manufacture of a food composition, or to maintain the quality of the food composition, or to improve the characteristics related to the taste of the food composition. Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention does not need to solve all of these problems. In addition, other problems may be extracted from the description in this specification and these claims.

[0011] In this specification, the terms “contains” and “includes” encompass the concepts of “contains,” “includes,” “substantially consist of,” and “consist solely of.” When using the terms “contains” and “includes,” the listed stages or options do not need to be exhaustive. In this specification, the expression "and / or" encompasses both the meanings of "and" and "or." For example, "A and / or B" encompasses both the meanings of A and B and A or B, and represents three possibilities: "A alone," "B alone," and "both A and B."

[0012] In this specification, when specifying multiple upper and / or lower limits for a numerical range, even if not explicitly stated, the specification of a numerical range combining at least the maximum value of the upper limit and the minimum value of the lower limit is directly described, and all numerical ranges obtained by combining any upper limit from among the upper limits and any lower limit from among the lower limits are included in one embodiment of the present invention. Also in this specification, a numerical range connected by "~" means a numerical range that includes the numbers before and after "~" as the lower and upper limits. When multiple lower limits and multiple upper limits are shown separately, any lower and upper limits can be selected and connected by "~". Furthermore, ranges obtained by arbitrarily swapping the upper and / or lower limits of the above range are also exemplified in this specification.

[0013] In this specification, the term "flavor" of a food composition encompasses the taste, aroma, stringiness, or sensations that arise in the mouth when the food composition is ingested. That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, flavor may refer to at least one of the five basic tastes: saltiness, sweetness, bitterness, umami, and sourness, or it may refer to sensations such as spiciness, astringency (a sensation of the mouth contracting when eaten), or a feeling of maturity felt immediately after putting the food in the mouth. These flavors can be evaluated by sensory evaluators who have ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs and who have undergone the identification training described later, and who are capable of performing absolute evaluations for each sensory evaluation item.

[0014] In this specification, "dry mass" refers to the remaining mass after subtracting the amount of water, calculated from the "dry-weight-based moisture content" described below, from the total mass of the food, unless otherwise specified. "Dry mass conversion (sometimes referred to as dry mass basis or dry weight basis)" refers to the percentage of each component, calculated with the dry mass of the composition as the denominator and the content of each component as the numerator. (Note that "wet mass conversion" and "wet mass basis" refer to the percentage of each component, calculated with the wet mass of the composition (including water) as the denominator and the content of each component as the numerator.) In other words, the dry mass conversion value for each measurement is obtained by calculating it from the wet mass, rather than by analyzing the composition after it has actually undergone drying. Note that the concentration of liquids such as aqueous solutions is expressed as the wet mass conversion concentration, but unless otherwise specified, the percentage (mass%) is expressed as the dry mass conversion.

[0015] In this specification, "ppb" and "ppm" refer to mass concentration (w / w), representing the mass of the target component relative to the total mass of the food.

[0016] (1) Method for producing food compositions The method for producing the food composition is characterized by comprising the following steps (i) and (ii). (i) The step of preparing raw materials that satisfy (ia) below. (ii) The step of obtaining a prepared product obtained by adjusting the raw materials so as to satisfy (ii-a) below. (ia) A processed product of edible plants that contains 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. (ii-a) The increase in mineral content is between 0.02% by mass and 2.5% by mass.

[0017] [1] Stage (i) Step (i) is the step of preparing processed edible plant products as raw materials, which contain 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. Low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) refers to "low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber" as defined in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Revised Edition) Supplement 2023," and its measurement method is also based on the AOAC.2011.25 method.

[0018] The types of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber are not limited, but examples include pectin, inulin, alginate oligosaccharides, indigestible dextrin, and polydextrose. These can be used individually or in combination of two or more. The low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber contained in processed edible plant products may be naturally present in the edible plant, added, or both. Furthermore, the low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber may be derived from the edible plant, not derived from the edible plant, or both. The content of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber can be adjusted, for example, by addition. In addition, the content of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber in processed edible plant products can be increased by drying the edible plant containing low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber.

[0019] As mentioned above, the origin of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber is not limited, but from the perspective of incorporating more dietary fiber, dietary fiber localized sites can be utilized. Dietary fiber localized sites are parts of edible plants that have a relatively higher dietary fiber content than the edible parts, and for example, in a dry state, they can have a dietary fiber content of 1.1 times or more, or 1.2 times or more, or 1.3 times or more, or 1.4 times or more, or 1.5 times or more, or 1.6 times or more, or 1.7 times or more, or 1.8 times or more, or 1.9 times or more, or 2.0 times or more than that of the edible parts.

[0020] Specific examples of sites where dietary fiber is localized include seeds of grains, legumes, nuts, and vegetables, as well as the husks of grains, legumes, nuts, and vegetables. More specifically, these include the seed coat of legumes, the pods of legumes, the bran of grains, the cob of corn, the seed coat of plantain, and the stems and leaves of vegetables (especially the hard, thick parts). These can be used individually or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, the dietary fiber localized sites may be enzymatically treated. Specifically, sites treated with at least one of the following enzymes can be used: cellulase, pectinase, and xylanase. Other examples of dietary fiber localized sites include the "discarded parts" of various food ingredients listed in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Revised Edition) Supplement 2023".

[0021] Processed edible plants are edible plants that have been processed to have a low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber content above a specified value. Processing here includes operations such as washing, cutting (reducing size, changing shape), and drying of the edible plants. These operations may be used individually or in combination of two or more. By adjusting the mineral content of processed edible plants that have been processed to contain a predetermined amount of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (mainly into aqueous liquids) can be suppressed. In other words, in compositions in which edible plants have been processed to contain a predetermined amount of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber before adjusting the mineral content, the effect of suppressing the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber is achieved, making the present invention useful.

[0022] The content of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber in processed edible plant products should be 0.1% by mass or more on a dry basis, but the lower limit may be 0.5% by mass or more, or 1.0% by mass or more, or 1.5% by mass or more, or 2.0% by mass or more, or 2.5% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more, or 3.5% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 4.5% by mass or more, or 4.6% by mass or more, or 4.8% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not limited, but is usually 30.0% by mass or less, and may be 25.0% by mass or less, or 20.0% by mass or less, or 15.0% by mass or less, or 10.0% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.1 to 30.0 mass%, or 0.5 to 30.0 mass%, or 1.0 to 25.0 mass%, or 1.5 to 25.0 mass%, or 2.0 to 20.0 mass%, or 2.5 to 20.0 mass%, or 3.0 to 15.0 mass%, or 3.5 to 15.0 mass%, or 4.0 to 15.0 mass%, or 4.5 to 10.0 mass%, or 4.6 to 10.0 mass%, or 4.8 to 10.0 mass%.

[0023] In step (i), the dry moisture content of the raw material is not limited, but from the viewpoint of promoting mineral absorption, (ib) the dry moisture content may be 20% or less. This dry moisture content may further be 18% by mass or less, or 16% by mass or less, or 14% by mass or less, or 12% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not limited, and is usually 0% by mass or more, and may further be 2% by mass or more, or 4% by mass or more, or 6% by mass or more. The above upper and lower limits may be any combination thereof, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0 to 20% by mass, or 2 to 18% by mass, or 4 to 16% by mass, or 4 to 14% by mass, or 6 to 12% by mass, or 6 to 10% by mass.

[0024] In addition, dry basis moisture content R W(%) is the ratio of the moisture content M W (g) to the solid content M S (g) that constitutes the raw material (i.e., processed products of edible plants) (M W / M S ×100). Among this, the moisture content M W (g) includes the moisture derived from the raw material, and when there is separately added moisture, it is the total amount including the added moisture. S The moisture content M W (g) of the raw material W to the solid content M S (g) W / M S S ×100). Among this, the moisture content M W (g) W includes the moisture derived from the raw material, and when there is separately added moisture, it is the total amount including the added moisture. The moisture content on a dry weight basis R W (%) W is measured by heating to 90°C using the vacuum heating drying method in accordance with the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table (8th Edition) Supplement 2023. That is, for example, an appropriate amount of the sample is taken and weighed (W1) in a weighing container (W0) that has been pre-determined to be a constant weight, and in a vacuum electric constant temperature drying oven adjusted to a predetermined temperature (more specifically 90°C) at normal pressure, the lid of the weighing container is removed or the mouth is opened, placed inside, the door is closed, the vacuum pump is operated, dried for a certain period at a predetermined degree of vacuum, the vacuum pump is stopped, dry air is sent to return to normal pressure, the weighing container is taken out, covered, cooled in a desiccator, and then weighed. Repeat drying, cooling, and weighing until a constant weight (W2) is obtained, and calculate using the following formula. R W (%) = (W1 - W0 - W2) / W2×100 W

[0025] Incidentally, for example, when the method for producing this food composition is the method for producing natto, before performing the heating and water absorption step (for example, the steaming process), it can include a step of immersing the prepared dried soybeans in water. In this case, the moisture content on a dry weight basis of the processed product of the edible plant after immersion in water can be 20% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more. On the other hand, although the upper limit is not restricted, it can usually be 200% by mass or less, or 150% by mass or less, or 100% by mass or less.

[0026] ​Edible plants are plants in which at least a part of the plant body is edible, and examples include grains, cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more species. When used in combination, three or more species, or four or more species, may be used. There is no upper limit to the number of edible plant species, but for example, it may be limited to 10 species or less.

[0027] Of the above, the cereals are not limited to these, but examples include rice, wheat, whole wheat, barley, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, oats, rolled barley, Job's tears, popcorn, etc. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, there are no restrictions on the part used, and endosperm, bran, rice bran, etc., can be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0028] Of the above, root vegetables are not limited to these, but examples include sweet potato, cassava, yacon, taro, Japanese taro, konjac, Polynesian arrowroot, potato, purple sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, dogtooth violet, yam, wild yam, Chinese yam, and kudzu. You may use only one of these or two or more in combination.

[0029] Of the above, the legumes are not limited to these, but examples include legumes of the genera *Pea*, *Soybean*, *Nelumbo*, *Pea pea*, *Vigna*, *Vicia*, *Pelosia*, *Lupinus*, *Lathyrus*, *Cluster pea*, *Platycerium*, *Carob*, and *Palchia*. One of these may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination. Among these, it is preferable to use one or more selected legumes from the genera *Pea*, *Nelumbo*, *Pea pea*, *Vigna*, *Vicia*, *Pelosia*, *Soybean*, and *Pelosia*. When legumes are included as edible plants, the food composition obtained by this method may be a processed legume product (especially a processed soybean product).

[0030] Specific examples of legumes, though not limited to these, include peas (especially yellow peas, white peas, and green peas), kidney beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, tiger beans, lima beans, red kidney beans, pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, soybeans (including edamame, which are immature soybean seeds harvested in their pods while still immature, characterized by their green appearance), chickpeas, lentils, flat beans, blue peas, purple kidney beans, lentils, peanuts, lupine beans, grass peas, carob, twisted crowberry, broad crowberry, coffee beans, cocoa beans, Mexican flying beans, etc. These can be used individually or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, the classification of edible plants, including the aforementioned legumes, can be naturally understood by those skilled in the art who handle such foods and processed food products. For example, a clearer determination can be made by referring to the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table (8th Revised Edition), Supplement 2023. In addition, even for ingredients where some edible parts (such as edamame and green peas) are treated as vegetables, it is possible to determine whether they are legumes based on the state of the entire plant (such as soybeans and peas) including the inedible parts (such as pods).

[0031] The nuts and seeds listed above are not limited to these, but examples include almonds, hemp, flax, perilla, cashews, pumpkin seeds, kaya seeds, ginkgo nuts, chestnuts, walnuts, poppy seeds, coconuts, sesame seeds, chestnuts, horse chestnuts, lotus seeds, water chestnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and peanuts. These can be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0032] Of the above, vegetables are not limited to these, but examples include pumpkin, carrot, radish, rutabaga, parsnip, turnip, black salsify, lotus root, beet (preferably beetroot: a variety of beet grown for edible roots), water chestnut, shallot, garlic, shallot, lily bulb, kale, onion, asparagus, udo, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, Chinese cabbage, rapeseed, komatsuna, bok choy, chives, leeks, nozawana, butterbur, Swiss chard, mizuna, tomato, eggplant, bell pepper, Examples include cucumber, corn, Japanese ginger, cauliflower, broccoli, edible chrysanthemum, bitter melon, okra, artichoke, zucchini, sugar beet, tiger nuts, ginger, perilla, wasabi, paprika, herbs (watercress, coriander, water spinach, celery, tarragon, chives, chervil, sage, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, mustard greens, mugwort, basil, oregano, rosemary, peppermint, savory, lemongrass, dill, wasabi leaves, Japanese pepper leaves, stevia), bracken, fiddlehead ferns, sea beans, tonburi, bamboo shoots, etc. You may use just one of these or two or more in combination. In addition to the plant-based ingredients listed in the food group classification of the Japanese Food Standard Composition Table (8th Revised Edition), 2023 Supplement, wild plants commonly eaten as vegetables (such as plantain, bracken, butterbur, mugwort, and goosefoot) can also be used. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0033] Of the above, fruits are not limited to these, but examples include acerola, avocado, apricot, strawberry, fig, plum, citrus fruits (Iyokan, Satsuma mandarin, orange, grapefruit, lime, lemon, etc.), olive, persimmon, kiwi, guava, coconut, pomegranate, watermelon, plum, cherry (cherry, black cherry, etc.), jujube, pineapple, haskap, banana, papaya, loquat, grape, berry (blueberry, raspberry, etc.), mango, mangosteen, melon, peach, apple, etc. One of these may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination.

[0034] Among the above, the mushrooms are not limited to these, but examples include shiitake, matsutake, wood ear mushroom, maitake, bracket fungus, oyster mushroom, king oyster mushroom, enoki mushroom, shimeji, oak mushroom, button mushroom, nameko, mitsuke, husk mushroom, and tangerine mushroom. You may use just one of these or two or more in combination.

[0035] [2] Stage (ii) Step (ii) is the step of obtaining a modified product by adjusting the raw materials (processed edible plants) prepared in step (i) so that the increase in mineral content is between 0.02% by mass and 2.5% by mass. Here, the increase in mineral content is derived from the following equation I. Formula I: (Mineral content of the adjusted product (mass %)) - (Mineral content of the raw material prepared in i (mass %))

[0036] When manufacturing a food composition, adjusting the mineral content increase within a predetermined range during the process can suppress the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber from intermediate processed products (processed products before becoming the food composition obtained in each process) in subsequent stages. This suppression of outflow contributes not only to the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber but also to the suppression of the outflow of water-soluble components, including low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber. The reason for this suppression of water-soluble component outflow is not clear, but it is thought that the coexistence (reaction) of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (e.g., polysaccharides such as pectin) and minerals (e.g., sodium) may suppress the outflow of water-soluble components. It is also thought that the effect of osmotic pressure gradients may be influencing this. Thus, although the mechanism is not clear, since the outflow of water-soluble components, including low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, can be suppressed during the manufacturing process of the food composition, the wastewater load during the processing of the food composition can be reduced by suppressing the elution of water-soluble components into wastewater during the manufacturing process of the food composition. On the other hand, since water-soluble components include many components that improve the flavor of the resulting food composition, suppressing the leaching of water-soluble components can maintain the flavor of the food composition, or even better, suppressing leaching can lead to a better flavor.

[0037] The term "minerals" above refers to "inorganic substances" as defined in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Revised Edition), Supplementary Edition 2023." While the types of minerals are not limited, examples include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, chromium, and molybdenum. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. The measurement methods for these minerals also conform to the standards of the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Revised Edition), Supplementary Edition 2023," and are measured using atomic absorption spectrometry. Furthermore, in this specification, the salt equivalent amount described later is the value obtained by multiplying the sodium content, measured according to the standards of the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Revised Edition), Supplementary Edition 2023," by 2.54.

[0038] In the method for producing this food composition, from the viewpoint of suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components, the minerals are preferably monovalent and / or divalent metal species. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the suppression of water-soluble component outflow, the monovalent metal species is preferably sodium and / or potassium. Also, the divalent metal species is preferably calcium and / or magnesium. In particular, from the viewpoint of obtaining the outflow suppression effect more significantly, it is preferable that sodium is included as a mineral, and moreover, it is especially preferable that the mineral concentration is the sodium concentration.

[0039] In step (ii), the increase in mineral content is adjusted to fall within a predetermined range. That is, the mineral content in the adjusted product obtained in step (ii) is adjusted to increase by 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less relative to the mineral content in the raw material (processed edible plant). From the viewpoint of fermentation efficiency, the lower limit of this increase in mineral content should be 0.02% by mass or more, but it may be further 0.03% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.059% by mass or more, or 0.09% by mass or more, or 0.12% by mass or more, or 0.15% by mass or more. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of the influence of mineral-derived taste, the upper limit should be 2.5% by mass or less, but it may be further 2.0% by mass or less, or 1.5% by mass or less, or 1.0% by mass or less, or 0.80% by mass or less, or 0.60% by mass or less, or 0.40% by mass or less, or 0.35% by mass or less, or 0.30% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. For example, they may be 0.02 to 2.0 mass%, or 0.03 to 1.5 mass%, or 0.05 to 1.0 mass%, or 0.07 to 0.80 mass%, or 0.10 to 0.60 mass%, or 0.10 to 0.40 mass%, or 0.15 to 0.35 mass%, or 0.15 to 0.30 mass%.

[0040] As mentioned above, from the viewpoint of obtaining a more significant effect in suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components, it is preferable that sodium be included as a mineral, and it is particularly preferable that the mineral concentration be sodium concentration. When this sodium concentration is expressed as the amount of salt equivalent, in step (ii), it is preferable to adjust it so that the increase in the amount of salt equivalent is 0.051% by mass or more and 6.35% by mass or less. The lower limit of the increase in the amount of salt equivalent is not limited, but it can be 0.051% by mass or more, and may be 0.076% by mass or more, or 0.13% by mass or more, or 0.15% by mass or more, or 0.23% by mass or more, or 0.30% by mass or more, or 0.38% by mass or more. On the other hand, while there is no upper limit to the increase in salt equivalent, it can be 6.35% by mass or less, and may also be 5.1% by mass or less, or 3.8% by mass or less, or 2.5% by mass or less, or 2.0% by mass or less, or 1.5% by mass or less, or 1.0% by mass or less, or 0.9% by mass or less, or 0.8% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.051 to 6.35% by mass, or 0.076 to 5.1% by mass, or 0.13 to 3.8% by mass, or 0.18 to 2.5% by mass, or 0.18 to 2.0% by mass, or 0.25 to 1.5% by mass, or 0.25 to 1.0% by mass, or 0.38 to 0.9% by mass, or 0.38 to 0.8% by mass.

[0041] In step (ii), the adjustment (an adjustment made so that the increase in mineral content falls within a predetermined range) may be carried out in any way. For example, (1) the above adjustment can be performed by immersing the raw material (processed edible plant) in a mineral-containing liquid and allowing the minerals to permeate the raw material (hereinafter also simply referred to as "immersion adjustment"). Furthermore, for example, (2) by adding and mixing a mineral-containing adjusting component to the raw material (processed edible plant product), an adjusted product can be obtained in which the content of a predetermined mineral is increased relative to the raw material (hereinafter also simply referred to as "additive adjustment"). These adjustment methods may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0042] In the immersion preparation described in (1) above, an aqueous solution (hereinafter also simply referred to as "mineral aqueous solution") can be used as the mineral-containing liquid. That is, it is a liquid in which minerals are contained as a solute in the solvent. The solvent constituting the mineral aqueous solution is not limited, but it may consist only of water, or it may contain a drinkable liquid such as alcohol. When the preparation in step (ii) is carried out as an immersion preparation, it is preferable in that the minerals are incorporated more uniformly into the raw material, thereby more evenly and uniformly suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components such as low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber.

[0043] Furthermore, when using an aqueous mineral solution in the immersion preparation, it is preferable to suppress the viscosity of the aqueous mineral solution from the viewpoint of obtaining the effects of the present invention more significantly. Specifically, the upper limit can be 1000 mPa or less, and may be 500 mPa or less, 100 mPa or less, or 50 mPa or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but may be 0 mPa or more, 0.05 mPa or more, 0.1 mPa or more, 0.5 mPa or more, or 1 mPa or more. More specifically, from the viewpoint of suppressing the viscosity of the aqueous mineral solution, it is preferable not to use a thickening agent as a mineral source. That is, examples of such thickening agents include xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, tamarind gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, gellan gum, tara gum, carrageenan, pectin, gluten, carboxymethylcellulose, alkali metal salts such as alginic acid, and alkaline earth metal salts.

[0044] When using an aqueous mineral solution for immersion preparation, the mineral concentration in the aqueous mineral solution is not limited, but its lower limit can be, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, and may be further 0.03% by mass or more, further 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.08% by mass or more, or 0.10% by mass or more, or 0.15% by mass or more. On the other hand, its upper limit can be, for example, 2.5% by mass or less, and may be further 2.0% by mass or less, further 1.5% by mass or less, or 1.0% by mass or less, or 0.80% by mass or less, or 0.50% by mass or less, or 0.40% by mass or less, or 0.39% by mass or less (i.e., salt equivalent of 1.0% by mass or less), or 0.35% by mass or less, or 0.30% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.01 to 2.5 mass%, or 0.03 to 2.0 mass%, or 0.05 to 1.5 mass%, or 0.08 to 1.0 mass%, or 0.07 to 0.80 mass%, or 0.10 to 0.50 mass%, or 0.10 to 0.40 mass%, or 0.15 to 0.39 mass%, or 0.15 to 0.35 mass%.

[0045] Furthermore, if the mineral contained in the mineral aqueous solution is sodium, the lower limit of the salt equivalent amount in the mineral aqueous solution can be 0.025% by mass or more, and may be further 0.075% by mass or more, further 0.12% by mass or more, or 0.20% by mass or more, or 0.25% by mass or more, or 0.38% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 6.3% by mass or less, and may be further 5.0% by mass or less, further 3.8% by mass or less, or 2.5% by mass or less, or 2.0% by mass or less, or 1.2% by mass or less, or 1.0% by mass or less, or 0.90% by mass or less, or 0.80% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it can be 0.075 to 6.3 mass%, and further may be 0.12 to 5.0 mass%, or 0.20 to 3.8 mass%, or 0.20 to 2.5 mass%, or 0.25 to 2.0 mass%, or 0.25 to 1.2 mass%, or 0.38 to 1.0 mass%, or 0.38 to 0.90 mass%. As mentioned above, the salt equivalent is calculated by multiplying the measured sodium content by 2.54, and therefore may differ from the actual salt (sodium chloride) content.

[0046] Furthermore, as will be described later, if stage (iii) (fermentation stage) is included, a lower mineral concentration in the mineral aqueous solution can be used from the viewpoint of suppressing fermentation inhibition. Specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, and may be further 0.03% by mass or more, further 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.08% by mass or more, or 0.10% by mass or more, or 0.15% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 1.0% by mass or less, and may be further 0.80% by mass or less, or 0.40% by mass or less, or 0.39% by mass or less (i.e., salt equivalent of 1.0% by mass or less), or 0.35% by mass or less, or 0.30% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.03 to 1.0 mass%, or 0.05 to 0.80 mass%, or 0.05 to 0.40 mass%, or 0.08 to 0.39 mass%, or 0.10 to 0.35 mass%, or 0.15 to 0.30 mass%.

[0047] Similarly, in cases where stage (iii) (fermentation stage) is included and the mineral contained in the mineral aqueous solution is sodium, a lower sodium chloride equivalent aqueous solution can be used from the viewpoint of suppressing fermentation inhibition. Specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 0.025% by mass or more, further 0.075% by mass or more, further 0.12% by mass or more, or 0.17% by mass or more, or 0.25% by mass or more, or 0.38% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 3.0% by mass or less, further 2.5% by mass or less, or 2.0% by mass or less, or 1.5% by mass or less, or 1.0% by mass or less, or 0.90% by mass or less, or 0.80% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.075 to 3.0 mass%, or 0.12 to 2.5 mass%, or 0.17 to 2.0 mass%, or 0.25 to 1.5 mass%, or 0.25 to 1.0 mass%, or 0.38 to 0.90 mass%, or 0.38 to 0.80 mass%.

[0048] When using the immersion adjustment described in (1) above, the immersion time is not limited, but may be, for example, 1 hour or more, and may be 2 hours or more, or 4 hours or more, or 5 hours or more, or 6 hours or more, or 8 hours or more. On the other hand, the upper limit may be, for example, 36 hours or less, and may be 30 hours or less, or 24 hours or less, or 16 hours or less, or 14 hours or less, or 12 hours or less. Numerical ranges that can be determined by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, they may be 1 to 36 hours, or 2 to 30 hours, or 4 to 24 hours, or 5 to 16 hours, or 6 to 14 hours, or 8 to 12 hours. Similarly, the immersion temperature is not limited, but may be, for example, 0°C or higher, and may be 10°C or higher, or 20°C or higher. On the other hand, its upper limit may be, for example, 40°C or lower, and may be 30°C or lower. Numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, they may be 0 to 40°C, or 10 to 30°C, or 20 to 30°C. Naturally, the increase in mineral content when performing immersion adjustment is the increase in the adjusted product after immersion.

[0049] On the other hand, when performing step (ii) by the additive adjustment described in (2) above, any mineral-containing component can be used as the adjusting component, without being limited by its properties. Specifically, the adjusting component may be a solid (powder, granules, granular form, clay-like substance such as miso, etc.) or a liquid. Among the above, examples of solid adjusting components (solid adjusting components) include sodium chloride (including table salt, etc.), potassium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride (including bittern, etc.), and miso (including rice miso, barley miso, soybean miso, blended miso, red miso, white miso, etc.). These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, examples of liquid adjusting components (liquid adjusting components) include soy sauce (including dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari soy sauce, double-brewed soy sauce, white soy sauce, dashi soy sauce, etc.) and fish sauce (including nam pla, ikanago soy sauce, etc.). These may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0050] Among these, liquids can be used as adjusting components. Furthermore, for example, fermentable liquid seasonings containing amino acids along with minerals, such as soy sauce and fish sauce, can be used. Also, in step (ii), when the above-mentioned additive adjustment (2) is adopted, it is suitable for an embodiment that includes a heating and water absorption step after step (i) and before step (ii), which will be described later. Furthermore, in addition to including a heating and water absorption step after step (i) and before step (ii), it is particularly suitable for an embodiment that includes step (iii), which will be described later, after step (ii). Naturally, any increase in mineral content when adding minerals is the increase at the stage when the product is in the added state. More specifically, for example, when soy sauce is added during the natto manufacturing process, it is the increase after fermentation. Similarly, when minerals are kneaded into noodles, it is the increase after they have been thoroughly kneaded in.

[0051] In particular, when the fermentation stage (iii) is included, the properties of the resulting fermented food composition can be improved by employing the additive adjustment described in (2) above and using a liquid adjusting component as the adjusting component. Specifically, if the fermented food composition is natto, the stringiness can be enhanced. Although the mechanism is not clear, it is thought that the liquid adjusting component contains at least some of the minerals as amino acid compounds such as monosodium glutamate, as well as other amino acids, which allows fermentation to proceed more smoothly.

[0052] When using liquid conditioning components, the mineral concentration in the liquid conditioning components is not limited, but its lower limit can be, for example, 0.001% by mass or more, and may be further 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.020% by mass or more, or 0.025% by mass or more, or 0.030% by mass or more. On the other hand, its upper limit can be, for example, 0.1% by mass or less, and may be further 0.09% by mass or less, or 0.08% by mass or less, or 0.070% by mass or less, or 0.065% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.001 to 0.1% by mass, or 0.01 to 0.09% by mass, or 0.020 to 0.080% by mass, or 0.025 to 0.070% by mass, or 0.030 to 0.065% by mass.

[0053] Furthermore, the lower limit of the sodium chloride equivalent in the liquid preparation component can be 0.01% by mass or more, and may be further 0.03% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.06% by mass or more, or 0.07% by mass or more, or 0.08% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 0.5% by mass or less, and may be further 0.4% by mass or less, or 0.30% by mass or less, or 0.25% by mass or less, or 0.20% by mass or less, or 0.18% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it can be 0.01 to 0.5 mass%, and further, it may be 0.03 to 0.4 mass%, or 0.05 to 0.30 mass%, or 0.06 to 0.25 mass%, or 0.07 to 0.20 mass%, or 0.08 to 0.18 mass%.

[0054] Furthermore, as will be described later, if stage (iii) (fermentation stage) is included, from the viewpoint of suppressing fermentation inhibition, a liquid adjusting component with a lower mineral concentration than the above can be used. Specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 0.001% by mass or more, and may be 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.020% by mass or more, or 0.025% by mass or more, or 0.030% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 0.09% by mass or less, or 0.08% by mass or less, or 0.070% by mass or less, or 0.065% by mass or less, or 0.060% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.001 to 0.09 mass%, or 0.01 to 0.08 mass%, or 0.020 to 0.070 mass%, or 0.025 to 0.065 mass%, or 0.030 to 0.060 mass%.

[0055] Similarly, if stage (iii) (fermentation stage) is included, a lower amount of liquid adjusting component equivalent to sodium chloride can be used from the viewpoint of suppressing fermentation inhibition. Specifically, the lower limit can be, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, and may be 0.03% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.06% by mass or more, or 0.07% by mass or more, or 0.08% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be, for example, 0.4% by mass or less, or 0.30% by mass or less, or 0.25% by mass or less, or 0.20% by mass or less, or 0.18% by mass or less, or 0.15% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it can be 0.01 to 0.4 mass%, and further, it may be 0.03 to 0.3 mass%, or 0.05 to 0.25 mass%, or 0.06 to 0.20 mass%, or 0.07 to 0.18 mass%, or 0.08 to 0.15 mass%.

[0056] Furthermore, while the amount of amino acids contained in the liquid adjusting components is not limited, particularly from the viewpoint of obtaining better fermentation when the food composition is a fermented food composition, the lower limit may be 1.0% by mass or more, and may be 1.5% by mass or more, or 2.0% by mass or more, or 2.5% by mass or more, or 3.0% by mass or more, or 4.0% by mass or more, or 5.0% by mass or more, or 6.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit may be, for example, 40% by mass or less, and may be 35% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, or 25% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. Numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it can be 1.0 to 40 mass%, and further may be 1.5 to 35 mass%, or 2.0 to 35 mass%, or 2.5 to 30 mass%, or 3.0 to 30 mass%, or 4.0 to 25 mass%, or 5.0 to 25 mass%, or 6.0 to 20 mass%, or 8.0 to 10 mass%, or 10 to 20 mass%. Furthermore, "amino acids" refers to "amino acids" as defined in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Revised Edition), Supplementary Edition 2023," and the measurement methods are also based on those standards.

[0057] In this method, after obtaining the adjusted product in step (ii), it is preferable to avoid immersion in fresh water. This is because immersion in fresh water may reduce the mineral content. In other words, it is preferable that the effect of suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components such as low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber is reduced. Therefore, it is preferable that this method does not include immersion in fresh water (fresh water immersion step) in its process. Furthermore, "pure water" refers to an aqueous solution with a mineral concentration of less than 0.01% by mass.

[0058] If the freshwater immersion step is not included, the prepared product after step (ii) can satisfy (ii-b) "the mineral content is greater than the average mineral concentration of the prepared product during immersion." That is, if we consider a graph with the preparation time in this method (the elapsed time in the preparation process to obtain the prepared product) on the horizontal axis and the mineral concentration contained in the prepared product (including the transition state from raw materials to prepared product during the preparation process) on the vertical axis, if freshwater immersion is not performed, the mineral concentration in the prepared product will not decrease throughout the entire preparation time. Therefore, the mineral concentration of the prepared product obtained through step (ii) will ultimately be greater than the mineral content calculated by the cumulative average over the period. On the other hand, if freshwater immersion is performed during the preparation process, the mineral concentration will decrease as a result of the freshwater immersion. Therefore, the mineral concentration of the prepared product obtained through step (ii) will ultimately be less than the mineral content calculated by the cumulative average over the period. Furthermore, the cumulative average mineral content over the period is the arithmetic mean of the mineral concentrations of the object measured at 30-minute intervals during stage (ii). Also, "during stage (ii)" refers to the period from the start of immersion to the end of immersion in the immersion preparation described in (1) above.

[0059] [3] Heating and water absorption stage The method for producing this food composition may include steps other than steps (i) and (ii). Other steps include a heating and water absorption step in which the raw materials are heated in a wet state. That is, a step in which the raw materials are heated in a wet state to cause them to absorb water. This step may be performed after step (i), and may be performed after step (i) and before step (ii). It may also be performed after step (i) and after step (ii). It may also be performed in both cases. By including a heating and water absorption step, the effect of suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components can be improved. Examples of such heating and water absorption steps include steaming, boiling (including boiling, simmering, etc.), and water addition (adding hot water, etc.). These may be used individually or in combination of two or more. Among these, steaming is particularly preferred. This is because steaming is an operation in which water is supplied by steam, and unlike the operation of immersion in liquid, it can significantly suppress the outflow of water-soluble components.

[0060] As mentioned above, the heating and water absorption step can be performed at any time in relation to steps (i) and (ii). However, from the perspective of increasing the water absorption efficiency of processed edible plants, for example, it is preferable to perform the heating and water absorption step after step (ii). On the other hand, from the perspective of increasing the mineral content, it is preferable to perform the heating and water absorption step before step (ii) if other components (e.g., amino acids) can be increased at the same time.

[0061] The specific operation of the heating and water absorption stage is not limited, but for example, it may be carried out under atmospheric pressure, reduced pressure, or pressurized pressure. One of these may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination. Among these, it is preferable to carry out the process under pressurized pressure from the viewpoint of being able to raise the steam temperature and to be carried out in a shorter time. The pressurized conditions (for example, the pressurized conditions during steaming) are not limited, but the lower limit may be, for example, 0.02 MPa or higher, and may be further 0.06 MPa or higher, or 0.10 MPa or higher. On the other hand, the upper limit may be, for example, 0.28 MPa or lower, and may be further 0.25 MPa or lower, or 0.22 MPa or lower. A numerical range that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits is also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0.02 to 0.28 MPa, and may be further 0.06 to 0.25 MPa, or 0.10 to 0.22 MPa.

[0062] Furthermore, the temperature during the heating and water absorption stage (e.g., the steam temperature during steaming) is not limited, but its lower limit may be, for example, 80°C or higher, and may be 90°C or higher, or 95°C or higher, or 100°C or higher. On the other hand, its upper limit may be, for example, 150°C or lower, and may be 145°C or lower, or 140°C or lower, or 135°C or lower. Numerical ranges that can be determined by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 80 to 150°C, and may be 90 to 145°C, or 95 to 140°C, or 100 to 135°C.

[0063] Furthermore, the operating time during the heating and water absorption stage (for example, the steaming time during steaming) is not limited, but its lower limit may be, for example, 1 minute or more, and may be 3 minutes or more, or 4 minutes or more, or 5 minutes or more. On the other hand, its upper limit may be, for example, 60 minutes or less, and may be 50 minutes or less, or 40 minutes or less, or 30 minutes or less. Numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 1 to 60 minutes, and may be 3 to 50 minutes, or 4 to 40 minutes, or 5 to 30 minutes. Furthermore, the heating and water absorption stage does not have to be performed in a single step, but can be carried out in multiple stages. Also, when performing the heating and water absorption stage by boiling, for example, a method of boiling in water at 90-100°C for 20-50 minutes can be used.

[0064] [4] Stage (iii) In the method for producing this food composition, in addition to steps (i) and (ii), a step (iii) "fermentation step" may be included. This step may be performed after step (i) or after step (ii), and may be performed after step (i) and before step (ii) (i.e., a fermentation step in which the raw materials are fermented). It may also be performed after step (ii) (i.e., a fermentation step in which the adjusted product is fermented). Furthermore, it may be performed in both cases. By including a fermentation step, a fermented food composition can be obtained as a food composition. The method of fermentation is not particularly limited, but may be liquid fermentation or solid fermentation, for example. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of suppressing the outflow of minerals, the present invention is more useful in solid fermentation.

[0065] When this method for manufacturing fermented food compositions is used in the production of fermented food compositions, as described above, the outflow of water-soluble components, including low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, can be suppressed, thereby reducing the wastewater load during the production process of fermented food compositions. More specifically, examples include aqueous solutions obtained by soaking soybeans in the production process of natto (i.e., aqueous solutions that are the residue after soaking the soybeans). BOD, COD, SS, etc., can be used as indicators of wastewater load. Of these, biochemical oxygen consumption (BOD) refers to the amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by aerobic microorganisms in the target sample over a certain period of time. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) refers to the mass concentration of oxygen converted to the amount of oxidizing agent consumed when the target sample is oxidized using an oxidizing agent under certain conditions. Suspended solids (SS) refers to the amount of insoluble particulate matter with a diameter of 2 mm or less suspended in water. Note that this insoluble particulate matter is called suspended solids in JIS, for example, and suspended solids in environmental standards and wastewater standards.

[0066] In addition, nutrients (nutrients as water-soluble components) remain inside the intermediate processed product (processed product obtained before becoming the fermented food composition at each stage), which is thought to improve water retention and promote fermentation. Specifically, the resulting fermented food composition can maintain a good gloss. That is, it is thought that the suppression of the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, and the abundant retention of this low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, contributes to good water retention. Such a fermented food composition not only provides a good gloss as described above, but also exhibits an effect of suppressing drying during storage. In other words, the method for producing this food composition is suitable as a method for producing fermented food compositions.

[0067] When this method is used as a method for producing fermented food compositions, the edible plants mentioned above are preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of legumes, nuts and seeds, or grains, and it is particularly preferable that they include legumes. Examples of fermented food compositions containing legumes include natto (especially stringy natto), miso, and soy sauce. Among these, this method is particularly suitable for natto (especially stringy natto).

[0068] If the food composition obtained by this method is a fermented food composition and includes legumes (as described above for details of legumes) as the edible plant used, the mass percentage of legumes in the processed edible plant product is not limited to 100% by mass, but is preferably 5% by mass or more, and can be 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more. The above values ​​can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these values ​​are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 5-100% by mass, or 10-100% by mass, or 15-100% by mass, or 20-100% by mass, or 25-100% by mass, or 30-100% by mass, or 40-100% by mass, or 50-100% by mass, or 60-100% by mass, or 70-100% by mass, or 80-100% by mass, or 90-100% by mass.

[0069] Furthermore, when using legumes as edible plants, their shape is not limited; they may be used in their natural round shape as obtained from the edible plant, or cut beans may be used. In other words, the beans may be halved or split. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more types. This method is preferable when using chopped beans (processed edible plants) as an edible plant, rather than using beans in their whole form, from the standpoint of suppressing the leakage of water-soluble components.

[0070] When producing a fermented food composition by this method, if legumes are included as edible plants, it is preferable that the legumes include the genus Soybean. In this case, the mass percentage of the genus Soybean to the total legumes is not limited and may be 100% by mass, but is preferably 5% by mass or more, and can be 10% by mass or more, or 15% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more, or 30% by mass or more, or 40% by mass or more, or 50% by mass or more, or 60% by mass or more, or 70% by mass or more, or 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more. The above values ​​can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these values ​​are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 5-100% by mass, or 10-100% by mass, or 15-100% by mass, or 20-100% by mass, or 25-100% by mass, or 30-100% by mass, or 40-100% by mass, or 50-100% by mass, or 60-100% by mass, or 70-100% by mass, or 80-100% by mass, or 90-100% by mass.

[0071] When producing a fermented food composition by this method, and including soybeans as legumes among the edible plants, the mass percentage of legumes other than soybeans in the total legumes is not limited and may be 0%, but is preferably 80% by mass or less, and may be 70% by mass or less, or 60% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less, or 20% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less, or 5% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less. The above values ​​can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges specified by combining these values ​​are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it may be 0 to 80% by mass, or 0 to 70% by mass, or 0 to 60% by mass, or 0 to 50% by mass, or 0 to 40% by mass, or 0 to 30% by mass, or 0 to 20% by mass, or 0 to 10% by mass, or 0 to 5% by mass, or 0 to 1% by mass.

[0072] When producing a fermented food composition by this method, and including legumes as edible plants, the total mass percentage of legumes belonging to the genera *Pea*, *Peanuta*, and *Nelumbo* in the total legumes is not limited and may be 0%, but may also be 50% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, 10% by mass or less, 5% by mass or less, or 1% by mass or less.

[0073] When producing a fermented food composition by this method (particularly when producing natto), grains may be included as edible plants. When grains are included, the mass percentage of grains to the total edible plants is not limited and can be 5% or more by mass, or 10% or more by mass, or 15% or more by mass, or 20% or more by mass, or 25% or more by mass, or 30% or more by mass, or 40% or more by mass, or 50% or more by mass, or 60% or more by mass, or 70% or more by mass, or 80% or more by mass, or 90% or more by mass.

[0074] When producing a fermented food composition by this method (particularly when producing natto), nuts and seeds may be included as edible plants. When nuts and seeds are included, the mass percentage of nuts and seeds in the total edible plants is not limited and can be 5% or more by mass, or 10% or more by mass, or 15% or more by mass, or 20% or more by mass, or 25% or more by mass, or 30% or more by mass, or 40% or more by mass, or 50% or more by mass, or 60% or more by mass, or 70% or more by mass, or 80% or more by mass, or 90% or more by mass.

[0075] Even when this method is used as a method for producing fermented food compositions, as mentioned above, a heating and water absorption step can be added in addition to steps (i) and (ii). This step can be performed after step (i), and can be performed after step (i) and before step (ii). It can also be performed after step (ii). Furthermore, it can be performed in both cases. It is believed that by including a heating and water absorption step, the effect of suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components can be improved. Although the mechanism is not clear, as mentioned above, it is thought that the outflow of water-soluble components is suppressed by the reaction between low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber and minerals, but it is thought that by imposing a heating and water absorption step, the above reactivity is improved and further suppression of outflow is obtained. In other words, in the manufacturing process of fermented food compositions, it is thought that the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (i.e., fermentation nutrients) is suppressed, and fermentation is promoted. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of promoting fermentation, the heating and water absorption step can be performed before step (ii). Also, from the viewpoint of suppressing the outflow of components during immersion, the heating and water absorption step can be performed after step (ii). Moreover, from the viewpoints of both above, it can be performed both before and after step (ii).

[0076] When this method is used as a method for producing fermented food compositions, as mentioned above, it is preferable that sodium is included as a mineral in step (ii) from the viewpoint of obtaining a more significant effect in suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components. In particular, when legumes with a salt equivalent content of less than 0.02% by mass are used as edible plants, a significant effect in suppressing the outflow of water-soluble components can be obtained.

[0077] Furthermore, when performing the heating and water absorption step, the raw materials or prepared products may be immersed in water or an aqueous solution beforehand to allow them to swell. For example, when using legumes as edible plants, the preparation procedure for beans (such as steamed beans) after the heating and water absorption step is not limited, but for example, steamed beans can be obtained by immersing the beans in water or an aqueous solution, draining off the excess liquid, and then steaming them in steam at 100-135°C for 10-30 minutes. In addition, the steaming process can be carried out under pressure, for example, 0.12-0.22 MPa. Furthermore, the preparation procedure for boiled beans is not limited, but for example, boiled beans can be obtained by immersing the beans in room temperature water or an aqueous solution for about 6-24 hours, and then boiling them in water at 90-100°C for 20-50 minutes.

[0078] The fermentation in step (iii) above refers to the process by which the components of the raw material to be fermented (prepared product, intermediate processed product after heating and water absorption, etc.) are changed by the endogenous enzymes of microorganisms to produce organic matter, and includes the fermentation process associated with the growth of microorganisms and the fermentation process by the endogenous enzymes possessed by the microorganisms. In other words, the "fermented food composition" in this method includes metabolites produced as microorganisms grow and reaction products produced by the endogenous enzymes possessed by the microorganisms. When fermentation is carried out by the endogenous enzymes possessed by microorganisms, the enzymes may be in any state, but they may be endogenous enzymes possessed by microorganisms that have been isolated and produced, or they may be in an inactivated state (typically dead bacteria) in which the growth activity of the microorganisms has been lost but the endogenous enzymes remain active.

[0079] Fermentation can be carried out in any way, but usually, at least fermentable microorganisms are used. Examples of microorganisms include those with α-amylase activity. The type of microorganism with α-amylase activity is not limited, but Aspergillus oryzae is an example. In addition, examples of microorganisms include those that can produce PGA. PGA is a polymer in which glutamic acid is polymerized by γ-amide bonds. This substance is the main component of the stringy (sticky) component of natto. PGA can be obtained, for example, from a culture of Bacillus bacteria. Bacillus bacteria have the property of producing γ-PGA during the culture process and releasing it outside the cell. As Bacillus bacteria, natto bacteria belonging to Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus velezensis belonging to Bacillus subtilis are preferred, and natto bacteria are particularly preferred from the viewpoint of imparting umami and richness to fermented foods.

[0080] In other words, as mentioned above, natto can be produced as a fermented food composition. Any type of natto bacterium can be used as the natto bacteria. For example, common commercially available strains such as Miyagino bacteria (product name: Pure cultured natto bacteria (Miyagino natto bacteria)) (manufactured by Miyagino Manufacturing Co., Ltd.), Takahashi bacteria (product name: Natto-so) (manufactured by Takahashi Yuzo Research Institute Co., Ltd.), and Naruse bacteria (product name: Powdered natto bacteria) (manufactured by Naruse Fermentation Chemistry Research Institute) can be used, but various strains such as mutant strains and genetically modified strains with specific properties can also be used. Natto bacteria are classified as Bacillus subtilis, but are generally classified as a variety of Bacillus subtilis, such as Bacillus subtilis var. natto, or Bacillus subtilis (natto), to distinguish them from Bacillus subtilis, or as a closely related species of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus natto.

[0081] Furthermore, when using Bacillus subtilis as inoculation, there are no restrictions on the state of the Bacillus subtilis added as a starter culture. However, to prevent contamination by other bacteria, it is preferable to use a spore-forming starter culture that can be directly inoculated onto the raw material to be fermented at high temperatures (prepared product, intermediate processed product after heating and water absorption, etc.). To ensure uniform fermentation, it is desirable to add the starter culture to the raw material to be fermented by inoculation or spraying, and then mix, so that the raw material and the Bacillus subtilis are uniformly distributed. Moreover, it is even more preferable to prepare a spore suspension of Bacillus subtilis and add it in liquid form. As the spore suspension, a culture solution obtained by culturing Bacillus subtilis in a liquid medium containing components suitable for spore formation can be used.

[0082] Furthermore, the culture medium components are not particularly limited, as long as they are liquid culture media containing culture medium components such as carbon sources, nitrogen sources, and inorganic salts that enable spore formation and growth of Bacillus subtilis natto and are commonly used in the cultivation of Bacillus subtilis natto. Synthetic media or natural media are also acceptable.

[0083] Examples of carbon sources in the culture medium include sugars such as glucose, sucrose, galactose, mannose, starch, and starch hydrolysates, and organic acids such as citric acid. Examples of nitrogen sources include peptone, meat extract, casein hydrolysate, ammonia, ammonium sulfate, and ammonium chloride. Examples of inorganic salts include sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium bisulfate, sodium nitrate, potassium phosphate, ferric chloride hexahydrate, magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, manganese chloride tetrahydrate, and ferrous sulfate. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0084] Furthermore, the culture medium can contain yeast extract, malt extract, soy flour, vitamins (such as biotin), etc. When using a natto bacillus mutant strain that requires specific nutrients due to genetic defects, etc., the culture medium composition can be changed as needed.

[0085] The number of bacteria to be inoculated is not limited, but the bacterial concentration can be set to a level similar to that of conventional natto production, typically 1.0 × 10⁶ per gram of raw material to be fermented. 3 ~1.0×106 It can be considered as an individual. Furthermore, while there are no restrictions on the temperature of the raw materials used for inoculation, a high temperature of around 55-95°C is preferable to prevent contamination by unwanted bacteria during inoculation.

[0086] In step (iii) of this method, it is necessary to maintain the temperature of the raw material to be fermented at substantially the normal fermentation temperature range for a predetermined period of time from the start of fermentation. The normal fermentation temperature range refers to a temperature range of 30 to 60°C. By keeping the temperature within this range, it is possible to obtain good flavor in fermented food compositions, make it easier to keep specific flavor-related components within the desired quantitative range, and further prevent the excessive production of ammonia and lower fatty acids.

[0087] Furthermore, "maintaining the raw material temperature substantially within the normal fermentation temperature range for a predetermined period from the start of fermentation" does not mean that the temperature never deviates from that range. For example, it means that even if the temperature falls outside the range by a small temperature range (e.g., within 3°C, preferably within 2°C) and for a small period of time (e.g., within 20 minutes, preferably within 10 minutes), the fermentation conditions are still met. Therefore, "average fermentation temperature" means the average value of the fermentation temperature in the process of fermentation using bacteria capable of producing PGA (especially Bacillus subtilis natto). Specifically, it can be calculated by finding the arithmetic mean of the temperatures measured at at least three points selected from each of the following points during the fermentation stage: immediately after the start of fermentation, at the midpoint of the fermentation period, and from the end of fermentation. That is, "the number of bacteria is 1.0 × 10 1 ~3.0×10 3 "When the average fermentation temperature is between 40°C and 65°C in the state of / g," means that the number of bacteria is 1.0 × 10 1 ~3.0×10 3 Within the time period within the range of / g, for example, measure the temperature at one or more points immediately after the start of fermentation, at the midpoint of the fermentation period, and from the end of fermentation, and indicate that the average temperature is greater than 40°C and less than 65°C. Similarly, "the number of bacteria is 3.0 × 10 3 "In the state of exceeding 3.0 × 10 / g, the average fermentation temperature is between 45°C and 75°C" means that the number of bacteria is 3.0 × 10 3During the time period within the range of over / g, for example, measure the temperature at one or more points immediately after the start of fermentation, at the midpoint of the fermentation period, and at the end of fermentation, and indicate that the average temperature is greater than 45°C but less than 75°C.

[0088] The number of viable bacteria (bacteria capable of producing PGA) is measured according to the following procedure. Specifically, the number of viable bacteria in the fermented product to be measured can be measured by, for example, culturing a diluted solution obtained by diluting the suspension of the fermented product on an agar plate and measuring the number of colonies. By shortening the culture time (37°C for 18 hours) compared to the usual general viability measurement (37°C for 48 hours), the number of colonies other than those of bacteria capable of producing PGA can be suppressed. For example, the fermented product can be placed in a bag with a filter attached to a paddle-type blender "Stomacher (registered trademark)", injecting phosphate buffer, shaking in the Stomacher, diluting with phosphate buffer, mixing onto a standard agar plate (manufactured by Atect Co., Ltd.), culturing at 37°C for 18 hours, and calculating the number of colonies that appear.

[0089] During the fermentation stage, there is no limit to the predetermined time for maintaining the fermentation temperature range (fermentation time), but it can be, for example, 5 to 23 hours. The lower limit of the fermentation time can be 5 hours or more, 6 hours or more, or 7 hours or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of the fermentation time can be 23 hours or less, 22 hours or less, or 21 hours or less. That is, for example, it is preferable to carry out the fermentation in the range of 5 to 23 hours at a product temperature of 30°C to 60°C. By keeping the fermentation time within an appropriate range, fermentation can proceed within an appropriate range, it is easier to keep specific components related to flavor within the desired quantitative range, and an increase in the production of lower fatty acids can be prevented.

[0090] According to this method, the fermented food composition obtained has a content of (iii-a) levan M L PGA content M (as per mass%) P (Mass %) ratio (M P / M L) can be made 2.0 or more. Among the above, levan is a polymer of fructose that widely exists in nature and is produced by many microorganisms and plants. Similar to the above-mentioned PGA, it is one of the components of the thread-drawing component (slimy component) of natto. Due to the property that this ratio (M P / M L ) is 2.0 or more, the thread-drawing property in the obtained fermented food composition can be improved.

[0091] Regarding the above ratio (M P / M L ), the lower limit can be, for example, 2.0 or more as described above, but can be further 4.0 or more, and can be further 8.0 or more, or 12 or more. On the other hand, the upper limit of this ratio (M P / M L ) can be, for example, 50 or less, but can be further 30 or less, or 25 or less, or 20 or less. The above upper and lower limit values can be each combination, and the numerical range specified by combining these upper limit values and lower limit values is also disclosed in this specification. That is, for example, it can be 2.0 to 50, or 4.0 to 30, or 8.0 to 25, or 12 to 20.

[0092] Incidentally, the content of PGA can be measured by the following method. <Pretreatment for PGA analysis> For the sample for performing PGA analysis in the fermented food composition, after performing the protein removal treatment described below, the viscous substance extract of the fermented food composition obtained by performing the purification treatment using ethanol is used as the sample. 1. Add 50 mL of 2.5% trichloroacetic acid (hereinafter also referred to as TCA) to 10 g of the fermented food composition, heat it to 50 °C for 10 minutes, and stir. 2. After removing the solid part from the above mixture, perform centrifugation (12,000 rpm, 10 min) to obtain the supernatant. 3. Adjust the pH of the obtained supernatant to 7.0 with sodium hydroxide, dilute it 2-fold with ion-exchanged water, and then add ethanol cooled in advance to -30 °C in an amount equal to the neutralized solution and stir. 4. After standing still on ice for 10 minutes, centrifugation (12,000 rpm, 10 min) was performed, and then the supernatant was discarded and dried. 5. The precipitate obtained by drying was used as a thickening substance, and the solution dissolved in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) was used as a viscous substance extract.

[0093] <Measurement of PGA> For the measurement of PGA in the fermented food composition, absorbance measurement was performed on the solution treated by the following method for the viscous substance extract subjected to the above pretreatment, and quantitative analysis was performed by comparing the absorbance with the standard substance. For the absorbance measurement, an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer UV-1800 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) was used. 1. For the preparation of the standard calibration curve, prepare standard solutions of 0, 25, 50, and 100 μg / mL of a 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) dilution of "poly-γ-glutamic acid" (average molecular weight 1,500,000 - 2,500,000) (FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation) as a PGA standard solution. 2. Dilute the viscous substance extract obtained by the above method with 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) so as to fall within the concentration range of the calibration curve. 3. Add 2.0 mL of 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) to 0.5 mL of the PGA standard solution and the analysis sample, add 0.5 mL of 0.1 M cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (cetaburon) / 1 M NaCl solution, and stir. 4. After standing still at room temperature for 20 minutes, measure the Abs (absorbance) at a wavelength of 400 nm, and calculate the PGA concentration of the sample using the calibration curve prepared from the standard solution.

[0094] The content of levan can be measured by the following method. <Pretreatment for levan analysis> For the specimen for performing levan analysis in the fermented food composition, after performing the protein removal treatment described below, the viscous substance extract of the fermented food obtained by performing the purification treatment using ethanol is used as the specimen. 1. Add 10g of the fermented food composition to 50mL of 2.5% trichloroacetic acid (hereinafter also referred to as TCA), and heat to 50°C for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. 2. After removing the solid portion from the above mixture, centrifuge (12000 rpm, 10 min) is performed to obtain the supernatant. 3. Adjust the pH of the obtained supernatant to 7.0 with sodium hydroxide, dilute it twice with deionized water, then add an equal volume of ethanol that has been pre-cooled to -30°C to the neutralized solution and stir. 4. After letting it stand on ice for 10 minutes, perform centrifugation (12000 rpm, 10 min), discard the supernatant, and dry it. 5. The precipitate obtained by drying is used as a thickening agent, and the solution obtained by dissolving it in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) is used as the viscous substance extract.

[0095] <Measurement of Levan To measure levan in fermented food compositions, absorbance measurements are performed on solutions prepared by the following method using the viscous substance extract that has undergone the above-described pretreatment. Quantitative analysis is then performed by comparing the absorbance with that of a standard substance using fructose as an indicator. A UV-Vis spectrophotometer UV-1800 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) is used for absorbance measurement. 1. To create a standard calibration curve, prepare fructose standard solutions at concentrations of 0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 μg / mL in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). 2. Dilute the previously obtained thickening substance extract with 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) according to its concentration so that it falls within the range of the calibration curve described above. 3. Add 0.3 mL of resorcinol-thiourea reagent to 0.6 mL of fructose standard solution and analytical sample, and gently mix with 2.1 mL of 30% HCl in a test tube. Cover the mixture with a marble or similar object to prevent bumping, and incubate at 80°C for 10 minutes. 4. Measure the Abs (absorbance) at a wavelength of 500 nm, and calculate the levan concentration using a calibration curve prepared from the standard solution. Note that the levan concentration is calculated by subtracting the water in the binding site and multiplying the fructose calibration curve by 0.9.

[0096] (2) Fermented food composition This fermented food composition is characterized by being produced by a method comprising step (iii) after step (i) or after step (ii).

[0097] Examples of such fermented food compositions include natto (especially stringy natto), miso, and soy sauce. Furthermore, by obtaining a fermented food composition using the method described above, it is possible to obtain a fermented food composition that satisfies one or more of the following requirements (h) to (l). (h) The ratio of Gln to the total amount of amino acids is 1.0% or less. (i) The ratio of Asn to the total amount of amino acids is 1.6% or less. (j) The ratio of Glu to the total amount of amino acids is 17.5% or less.

[0098] In the requirements of (h) above, if the ratio of Gln (glutamine) to the total amount of amino acids (by mass) is 1.0% or less, it is preferable because it results in a fermented food composition that is less prone to tyrosine precipitation even when stored at low temperatures (e.g., average storage temperature of 10°C or below) for a long period of time (e.g., 7 days, more preferably 14 days). Although the principle is unknown, it is possible that the above effect is achieved because the Gln ratio being below a predetermined ratio to the total amount of amino acids makes it difficult for the microorganisms used in fermentation (e.g., Bacillus subtilis natto) to produce tyrosine through metabolism. The upper limit of the Gln ratio can be further set to 0.95% or less, or 0.90% or less, or 0.85% or less, or 0.80% or less, 0.70% or less, or 0.60% or less. On the other hand, there is no particular lower limit to the Gln ratio, but it can usually be 0.01% or more, and further set to 0.10% or more, or 0.20% or more, or 0.35% or more, or 0.45% or more. The upper and lower limits mentioned above can be any combination of these, and the numerical ranges that can be determined by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. For example, these ranges can be 0.01 to 1.0%, or 0.10 to 0.95%, or 0.20 to 0.95%, or 0.45 to 0.90%, or 0.50 to 0.90%. Furthermore, the ratio of Gln to the total amount of amino acids can be calculated using the formula: {(Gln content (mg)) / (Total amount of amino acids (mg))} × 100 (%). However, the total amount of amino acids refers to the sum of the content of 20 types of free amino acids.

[0099] In the requirements of (i) above, if the ratio of Asn (asparagine) to the total amount of amino acids (by mass) is 1.6% or less, it is preferable because it results in a fermented food composition that is less prone to tyrosine precipitation even when stored at low temperatures (e.g., average storage temperature of 10°C or less) for a long period of time (e.g., 7 days, more preferably 14 days). Although the principle is unknown, it is possible that the above effect is achieved because the Asn ratio being below a predetermined ratio to the total amount of amino acids makes it difficult for the microorganisms used in fermentation (e.g., Bacillus subtilis) to metabolize and produce tyrosine. The upper limit of the Asn ratio can be further set to 1.59% or less, or 1.55% or less, or 1.50% or less, or 1.45% or less. On the other hand, there is no particular limit to the lower limit of the Asn ratio, but it can usually be 0.10% or more, and further set to 0.30% or more, or 0.50% or more, or 0.70% or more, or 0.90% or more. The upper and lower limits mentioned above can be any combination of these, and the numerical ranges that can be determined by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. For example, they can be 0.10 to 1.60%, or 0.30 to 1.55%, or 0.50 to 1.50%, or 0.70 to 1.45%, or 0.90 to 1.45%. The ratio of Asn to the total amount of amino acids can be calculated using the formula: {(Asn content (mg)) / (Total amount of amino acids (mg))} × 100 (%). However, the total amount of amino acids refers to the sum of the content of 20 free amino acids.

[0100] In the requirements of (j) above, if the ratio of Glu (glutamic acid) to the total amount of amino acids (by mass) is 17.5% or less, it is preferable because it results in a fermented food composition that is less prone to tyrosine precipitation even when stored at low temperatures (e.g., average storage temperature of 10°C or less) for a long period of time (e.g., 7 days, more preferably 14 days). Although the principle is unknown, it is possible that the above effect is achieved because the Glu ratio being below a predetermined ratio to the total amount of amino acids makes it difficult for the microorganisms used in fermentation (e.g., Bacillus subtilis) to metabolize and produce tyrosine. The upper limit of the Glu ratio can be further set to 17.4% or less, or 17.3% or less, or 17.2% or less. On the other hand, there is no particular limit to the lower limit of the Glu ratio, but it can usually be 2.0% or more, and further set to 5.0% or more, or 8.0% or more, or 12.0% or more, or 16.5% or more. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination of each other, and the numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it can be 2.0-17.5%, or 5.0-17.4%, or 12.0-17.3%, or 16.5-17.2%. The ratio of Glu to the total amount of amino acids can be calculated using the formula: {(Glu content (mg)) / (Total amount of amino acids (mg))} × 100 (%). However, the total amount of amino acids refers to the sum of the content of 20 free amino acids.

[0101] By using the edible plant processed product of the present invention in fermentation, the microorganisms used in fermentation (e.g., Bacillus subtilis) become active and selectively metabolize specific amino acids (Gln, Asn, Glu) in the fermentation substrate (e.g., soybeans), potentially resulting in a fermented food composition with a low proportion of the aforementioned specific amino acids. Due to these characteristics, the fermented food composition of the present invention can be suitably used as a composition for long-term low-temperature storage (e.g., a Bacillus subtilis fermented composition, more specifically natto). Specifically, it can be used to produce long-life natto that is less prone to the formation of rice grains even when stored at 10°C or below for a shelf life of 7 days or more (more preferably 14 days or more).

[0102] Furthermore, requirements (h), (i), and (j) above can be measured by the following methods. <Sample pretreatment for measuring the amino acid composition of fermented food samples> Place 10g of the sample into a synthetic resin pouch and press it with a metal spoon to make a paste. Next, gradually add 50% ethanol until it becomes a thick liquid, then transfer it to a 100ml volumetric flask. Rinse the flask thoroughly and add all of the sample to the volumetric flask, then fill up with 50% ethanol. The resulting sample suspension is sonicated for 20 minutes, then centrifuged (10000×g, 5 minutes), and the supernatant is filtered through filter paper (No. 2) and collected as a pretreatment solution.

[0103] <Amino acid composition analysis of fermented food samples> The free amino acids are measured by diluting the aforementioned pretreatment solution with lithium citrate solution (pH 2.2) to approximately 2 mg / 100 ml, filtering the resulting filtrate through a 0.45 μm filter, and using the filtrate for measurement. An amino acid analyzer (for example, JEOL Ltd., model "JLC-500 / V2") is used for the measurement.

[0104] Furthermore, if the fermented food composition is natto, it is possible to prevent the precipitation of tyrosine (Tyr) crystals after storage at 10°C for two weeks. This suppresses the crunchy texture that develops in natto. It also allows for the production of natto with reduced bitterness.

[0105] As described above, the method for producing the food composition of the present invention may include a step (iii) in addition to steps (i) and (ii). Furthermore, step (iii) may be included after step (i) or after step (ii). Therefore, the method for producing the food composition of the present invention may include step (iii) after step (i), and step (ii) after step (iii). In this method, since step (iii) is included, the resulting food composition is a fermented food composition, and the present invention can be said to be a method for producing a fermented food composition. According to this method for producing a fermented food composition, a fermented food composition that is less prone to component leakage can be obtained.

[0106] In other words, the present invention includes a method for producing a fermented food composition, characterized by comprising the following steps (i) to (iii). Stage (i): A stage in which raw materials that satisfy the following (ia) are prepared. (ia): A processed edible plant containing 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. Step (iii): Step of obtaining a fermented product by fermenting the raw materials. Step (ii): Step of adjusting the fermented product to satisfy (ii-a) below in order to obtain a fermented food composition. (ii-a): The increase in mineral content is between 0.02% by mass and 2.5% by mass.

[0107] According to the above method, it is possible to suppress the leakage of components (especially aromatic components) from the fermented product (especially natto) obtained through step (iii). In particular, it can solve the problem that the flavor deteriorates due to the leakage of components during stirring in fermented products that are stirred before consumption. Furthermore, in the above method, any adjustment to satisfy (ii-a) may be made, but it is preferable to do so by additive adjustment. The adjusting component can be any component containing minerals, and specifically, it may be a solid (powder, granules, granular form, clay-like substance such as miso, etc.) or a liquid. Among these, liquids can be preferably used. As a liquid adjusting component, for example, fermentable liquid seasonings containing amino acids along with minerals, such as sauces, soy sauce, and fish sauce, can be preferably used. Naturally, the increase in mineral content when additive adjustment is made is the increase at the stage when it becomes a product after addition. More specifically, for example, when adding sauce in the natto manufacturing process, it is the increase after the sauce is added and stirred before consumption.

[0108] Each step is as described above, but in particular, in the method for producing a fermented food composition by the above steps (i) → (iii) → (ii), the minerals increased in step (ii) may be just one type, but it is preferable that there be two or more. More specifically, it is preferable that the minerals be monovalent or divalent cationic metals, and furthermore, it is preferable that the cationic metals be two or more of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Furthermore, it is preferable that the two or more minerals include at least calcium or iron. When there are two or more minerals increased in step (ii), it is thought that the outflow of aroma components is more easily suppressed. The mechanism is not clear, but it is thought that this is because the effect of suppressing the outflow of components (especially aroma components) from the fermented food composition (especially natto) whose surface structure has softened due to fermentation is more pronounced.

[0109] The mineral concentration in the fermented food composition should be such that the concentration of cationic metals (especially calcium ions or iron ions) is 0.0001% by mass or more, or 0.0002% by mass or more, or 0.0003% by mass or more, or 0.0004% by mass or more, or 0.0005% by mass or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but it may be typically 0.10% by mass or less, typically 0.05% by mass or less, typically 0.03% by mass or less, or typically 0.01% by mass or less. In particular, the iron ions or calcium ions may satisfy the above requirements, or cationic metals other than sodium ions may satisfy the above requirements. When sodium ions are included, the lower limit may be specifically 0.02% by mass or more, or 0.03% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, or 0.07% by mass or more, or 0.10% by mass or more, or 0.15% by mass or more. Furthermore, there is no particular upper limit, but it may normally be 2.5% by mass or less, or 2.0% by mass or less, or 1.5% by mass or less, or 1.0% by mass or less, or 0.80% by mass or less, or 0.60% by mass or less, or 0.40% by mass or less, or 0.35% by mass or less, or 0.30% by mass or less.

[0110] As described above, the method for producing the food composition of the present invention may comprise steps (i) and (ii) but omit step (iii). This method for producing the food composition (i.e., a method comprising steps (i) and (ii) but omitting step (iii)) can be suitably used, for example, when the food composition is a dough composition (especially noodle dough). This method for producing the food composition makes it possible to obtain a food composition that is less prone to component leakage. More specifically, it is possible to obtain a food composition (noodle dough composition) that can suppress the leakage of components of the dough composition (especially low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (by the AOAC.2011.25 method)) and suppress component leakage during heating and water absorption processes (e.g., dough kneading process, noodle boiling process, etc.).

[0111] In other words, the present invention includes a method for producing a food composition (a method for producing a noodle dough composition) characterized by comprising the following steps (i) and (ii). Stage (i): A stage in which raw materials that satisfy the following (ia) are prepared. (ia): A processed edible plant containing 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. Step (ii): Step of preparing the raw materials to satisfy (ii-a) below in order to obtain a food composition. (ii-a): The increase in mineral content is between 0.02% by mass and 2.5% by mass.

[0112] Each step is as described above, but in particular, the adjustment to satisfy (ii-a) in step (ii) can be done by additive adjustment, and adjustment by kneading is particularly suitable. More specifically, the method may include a step of kneading the raw materials after step (i) and before step (ii), or simultaneously with step (ii). That is, after kneading the raw materials prepared in step (i), step (ii) can be performed on the resulting dough precursor, or step (ii) can be performed on the dough precursor obtained while kneading, or both can be performed.

[0113] The adjusting component used in step (ii) of the said method is not limited to any component containing minerals, and may be solid (powder, granules, granular form, clay-like form such as miso, etc.) or liquid (saltwater, etc.). Among these, solids are preferably used. Suitable solid adjusting components include, for example, powdered salt and granular salt. Naturally, the increase in mineral content when adding adjustments is the increase at the stage of the product after addition. More specifically, for example, when salt is added during the noodle dough manufacturing process, it is the increase relative to the raw material.

[0114] Furthermore, noodles are a food product obtained by kneading and hardening a clay-like substance or a subdivided substance thereof (such as being shaped into noodles, sheets, ribbons, etc.) made from powders primarily composed of grains (wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, beans, etc.), and then heating it under moist conditions. Heating under moist conditions includes boiling (including boiling and simmering), steaming, and adding water (such as hot water). These methods may be used individually or in combination of two or more. The aforementioned noodle dough composition refers to a clay-like substance made from powders primarily composed of grains. Examples of such noodles include soba, udon, kishimen, ramen, Chinese noodles, pasta, macaroni, somen, pho, Korean cold noodles, and glass noodles. Moreover, since the present invention is useful in that it suppresses the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, it is preferable that the main grains used as ingredients for the noodles contain two or more types and contain a larger amount of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber.

[0115] The fermented food composition of the present invention can be consumed as is, but it can also be processed into a paste or liquid form, or added to other foods and beverages for consumption. This allows for the overall deliciousness (flavor and texture) of the food or beverage to be enhanced, or to bring out the deliciousness of other foods and beverages.

[0116] Here, there are no particular restrictions on other foods and beverages, but processed grain products can be mentioned as an example. Processed grain products refer to foods and beverages manufactured by processing the aforementioned grains, and specifically include rice dishes, noodles, bread, waffles, cereals, and beverages. "Rice dishes" refer to processed rice products made by boiling or steaming rice with water, and include, for example, white rice, salted rice, red bean rice, sticky rice, mixed rice, mixed rice, rice balls, sushi rice, mochi, and dumplings. Note that "rice" can refer to non-glutinous rice, glutinous rice, pre-washed rice with different milling degrees, and brown rice. "Noodles" are foods made primarily from flours of grains such as wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, and beans, which are shaped and processed into noodle-like, flat, or ribbon-like forms and cooked by boiling, simmering, or steaming. Examples include soba, udon, kishimen, ramen, Chinese noodles, pasta, macaroni, somen, pho, Korean cold noodles, and glass noodles. "Bread" refers to a food product with a moisture content of 10% or more, made primarily from flours of grains such as wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, and beans, to which yeast is added, or made by kneading these with water, salt, fruits, vegetables, eggs and their processed products, sugars, and edible oils, etc., and then baking the fermented mixture. "Waffles" are a food product made primarily from flours of grains such as wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, and beans, to which eggs, butter, milk, sugar, etc. are mixed, and the dough is sandwiched between two iron plates and baked. "Cereals" are foods made by baking and processing grains such as corn, wheat, oats, and rice (brown rice). By adding the fermented food product of the present invention, the deliciousness (flavor and texture) of processed grain products can be improved.

[0117] (3) Methods to reduce wastewater load in food manufacturing The method for reducing the wastewater load in food manufacturing is characterized by comprising steps (i) and (ii). Step (i) of the method for reducing the wastewater load in the production of this food is as described above in [1] [1], and that description can be applied as is. Step (ii) of the method for reducing the wastewater load in the production of this food is as described above in [1][2], and that description can be applied as is. In addition, other steps besides steps (i) and (ii) described in (1) above can be adopted in the method for reducing the wastewater load in the production of this food.

[0118] In this method for reducing wastewater load in food manufacturing, the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber from intermediate processed products (processed products before they become food products obtained in each process) in subsequent processes can be suppressed by adjusting the increase in mineral content during the food manufacturing process so that it remains within a predetermined range. This suppression of outflow contributes not only to the outflow of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber but also to the suppression of the outflow of water-soluble components, including low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber. The reason for this suppression of water-soluble component outflow is not clear, but as mentioned above, it is thought that the outflow of water-soluble components may be suppressed by the coexistence (reaction) of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (e.g., polysaccharides such as pectin) and minerals (e.g., sodium). It is also thought that the effect of osmotic pressure gradients may be influencing this. Thus, although the mechanism is not clear, since the outflow of water-soluble components, including low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, can be suppressed during the food manufacturing process, the wastewater load in the food manufacturing process can be reduced by suppressing the elution of water-soluble components into wastewater during the food manufacturing process. As mentioned above, BOD, COD, SS, etc. can be used as indicators of wastewater load.

[0119] (4) Methods to suppress the leakage of food components The method for suppressing the leakage of components from this food is characterized by comprising steps (i) and (ii). Step (i) in the method for suppressing the leakage of components of this food is as described above in [1] [1], and that description can be applied as is. Step (ii) in the method for suppressing the leakage of components of this food is as described above in [1][2], and that description can be applied as is. In addition, other steps besides steps (i) and (ii) described in (1) above can be used in the method for suppressing the leakage of components of this food.

[0120] In this method for suppressing the leakage of components from food, the leakage of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber from intermediate processed products (processed products before they become the final food product) in subsequent processes can be suppressed by adjusting the increase in mineral content during the food manufacturing process so that it remains within a predetermined range. This leakage suppression contributes not only to the leakage of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber but also to the leakage of water-soluble components, including low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber. The reason for this suppression of water-soluble component leakage is not clear, but as mentioned above, it is thought that the coexistence (reaction) of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (e.g., polysaccharides such as pectin) and minerals (e.g., sodium) may suppress the leakage of water-soluble components. It is also thought that the effect of osmotic pressure gradients may play a role. Thus, although the mechanism is not clear, the leakage of water-soluble components, including low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber, can be suppressed during the food manufacturing process. Furthermore, since water-soluble components contain many components that improve the flavor of the resulting food, it is thought that suppressing the elution of water-soluble components can maintain a good flavor in the food, or rather, that suppressing leakage can even lead to a better flavor.

[0121] (5) Method for imparting freeze tolerance, method for suppressing bitterness, method for maintaining texture The method for conferring freeze tolerance to legumes involves applying a mineral-enhancing treatment to the legumes, thereby obtaining freeze tolerance in the treated legumes. The method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture after thawing frozen beans involves treating the beans to increase mineral content before freezing.

[0122] Freeze tolerance refers to the ability of food to be frozen and then thawed, thereby suppressing the deterioration of its taste and texture. In other words, when comparing food A, which is not freeze-tolerant, with food B, which is freeze-tolerant, food B will have a better taste and texture after thawing than food A. The principle by which mineral-enhancing treatment imparts freeze tolerance is not entirely clear, but it is thought that this may be due to the retention of nutrients (nutrients as water-soluble components, nutrients as amino acids, etc.) within the intermediate processed product (processed product obtained at each stage before becoming food). Specifically, it is thought that the retention of water-soluble components improves water retention, and the water that would otherwise leak out after freezing and thawing is retained, thus maintaining the taste and texture. It is also thought that the retention of amino acids suppresses the degree of freezing, thus maintaining the taste and texture after thawing.

[0123] Furthermore, suppressing bitterness specifically means that when comparing beans that have been fermented, frozen, and thawed without mineral-enhancing treatment with beans that have been fermented, frozen, and thawed after mineral-enhancing treatment, the bitterness perceived when eaten is weaker in the latter. This is because the amount of bitter amino acids, or the proportion of bitter amino acids to the total amino acids, is lower in the latter. While freezing and thawing generally increase the bitterness of legumes, mineral-enhancing treatment can suppress this increase, resulting in a taste similar to unfrozen legumes. Furthermore, freezing and thawing after mineral-enhancing treatment may even reduce bitterness compared to unfrozen legumes. Here, "bitter amino acids" refers to the eight amino acids: valine (Val), methionine (Met), isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), tyrosine (Tyr), phenylalanine (Phe), lysine (Lys), and arginine (Arg). The bitter amino acid content refers to the total amount of these eight amino acids. Furthermore, the bitter amino acid content is measured using the method described in the aforementioned "Amino Acid Composition Analysis of Fermented Food Samples."

[0124] Furthermore, maintaining texture specifically means that, when comparing beans that have been fermented, frozen, and thawed without mineral-enhancing treatment with beans that have been fermented, frozen, and thawed after mineral-enhancing treatment, the latter does not exhibit a strong crumbly texture. While freezing and thawing generally makes beans have a dry, crumbly texture, applying a mineral-enhancing treatment can reduce this dryness, making them closer to the texture of beans that have not been frozen or thawed. Furthermore, freezing and thawing after mineral-enhancing treatment may even reduce the dryness compared to beans that have not been frozen or thawed. To describe this crumbly texture in other words, for example, it could be described as a texture that lacks firmness and easily crumbles.

[0125] In each of the above methods, freezing means maintaining the upper limit of the product temperature at 0°C or below. This product temperature can be further set to -5°C or below, -10°C or below, -15°C or below, -18°C or below, and -20°C or below. On the other hand, the lower limit of the product temperature in freezing is not limited, but can be -196°C or above, and can be further set to -150°C or above, -100°C or above, -80°C or above, -60°C or above, -40°C or above, and -30°C or above. Numerical ranges that can be specified by combining these upper and lower limits are also disclosed herein. That is, for example, it can be -196 to -5°C, and further set to -150 to -20°C, further set to -100 to -18°C, further set to -80 to -10°C, further set to -60 to -15°C, further set to -40 to -18°C, and further set to -30 to -18°C.

[0126] In each of these methods, the mineral-enhancing treatment may be carried out in any way, but it can be done by adjusting the mineral content of the legumes before freezing (excluding freezing before processing) to 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less, as described in step (ii) above in [1][2]. Details are as described above. Furthermore, for legumes before freezing, processed legumes containing 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (by AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis can be used, as in step (i) described in [1] above. Details are as described above.

[0127] Furthermore, in each method, after the mineral-enhancing treatment, the treated legumes can be subjected to further fermentation. This fermentation can be carried out in the same manner as in step (iii) described in [1][4] above, and is also the same in that fermentation using natto bacteria can be performed in the fermentation process. In other words, in each of the above methods, when fermentation is performed in particular, each method can be rephrased as a method for producing a fermented food composition.

[0128] 《6》 Natto This natto is obtained using the methods described above, namely, a method for imparting freeze tolerance to beans, and a method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture after thawing frozen beans. Therefore, this natto includes natto before freezing, frozen natto (frozen natto), and natto that has been thawed after freezing (thawed natto). Specifically, it includes natto before freezing that has been given freeze tolerance by mineral-enhancing treatment and is in a state where bitterness suppression and / or texture retention effects can be exhibited, frozen natto (natto in a frozen state) which is the natto before freezing that has been frozen, and natto in a state where bitterness suppression and / or texture retention effects have been exhibited by thawing the frozen natto. [Examples]

[0129] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but these examples are merely illustrative examples for explanatory purposes only, and the present disclosure is not limited in any way to these examples.

[0130] [1] Manufacturing of food compositions Stage (i) Two types of raw materials, A and B, were prepared as follows.

[0131] Raw material A: Table 1 indicates "Dried and cut". A processed edible plant product was prepared by cutting dried whole soybeans into 1mm cubes. This product had undergone both drying and cutting processes. The dry weight content of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber in this processed edible plant product was measured using the AOAC.2011.25 method and was found to be 4.6% by mass. The dry weight moisture content of this processed edible plant product was also measured and found to be 10% by mass.

[0132] Ingredient B: Listed as "dried pills" in Table 1. Dried whole soybeans were prepared. These whole soybeans had undergone a drying process. The dry weight content of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber in these whole soybeans was measured using the AOAC.2011.25 method and was found to be 4.6% by mass. The dry weight moisture content of these whole soybeans was also measured and found to be 10% by mass.

[0133] Stage (ii) By performing immersion adjustments (Experimental Examples 1-11, 14, and 15) or additive adjustments (Experimental Examples 12-13) on each of the raw materials prepared in step (i) above, adjusted products with the increased mineral content shown in Table 1 were obtained. As shown in Table 1, in Experimental Examples 12 and 13, raw material A or B was immersed in water for 3 hours, similar to Experimental Example 1, and then, after the heating and water absorption stage described later, the additive adjustment was performed as step (ii). The soy sauce used in Experimental Examples 12 and 13 was commercially available dark soy sauce, with an amino acid content of 5.8%. The sodium content was 5.4% by mass. Furthermore, the water used in the experiments was purified water from which minerals had been removed.

[0134] Heating and water absorption stage As shown in the order of the steps in Table 1, a heating and water absorption step by steaming was added after step (i) and before step (ii), or after step (ii). The steaming conditions at this time were as follows. Pressure conditions: 0.16 MPa (pressurized conditions) Time conditions: 30 minutes (steaming time)

[0135] [Table 1]

[0136] Stage (iii) After completing steps (i), (ii), and the heating and water absorption stage, a bacterial solution containing strain K-245: Bacillus subtilis K-245; NITE BP-01804 was added to the intermediate processed product (soybeans) so that 5,000 natto bacteria were incorporated per gram, and then the bacterial solution was homogenized to obtain a pre-fermentation processed product. The resulting pre-fermentation processed material was placed in a container and left to ferment in a programmed incubator set to a gas phase temperature of 43°C for 16 hours to obtain natto.

[0137] [2] Evaluation of food composition <1> Evaluation of stringiness After stirring each of the natto samples from Experimental Examples 1 to 15 obtained in [1] above with chopsticks 30 times for 10 seconds, the degree to which the natto grains remained on the chopsticks when a clump of natto grains (approximately 20 grams) was lifted was used for evaluation. An overall evaluation was performed according to the evaluation criteria below, and the results are shown in Table 3. 5: The stringiness is very strong (when a clump of mixed natto grains is lifted with chopsticks, it remains suspended in the air for more than 5 seconds without falling), which is desirable. 4. Strong stringiness (when a clump of mixed natto grains is lifted with chopsticks, it remains suspended in the air for 3 seconds before falling), which is desirable. 3: There is some stringiness (when lifting a clump of mixed natto beans with chopsticks, the beans cannot be held in the air and fall off), but this is within acceptable limits. 2: The stringiness is somewhat weak (it produces strings, but clumps of natto beans do not form), which is undesirable. 1: The stringiness is weak, which is undesirable.

[0138] <2> Taste evaluation The following procedure was used to conduct a sensory evaluation of the taste. First, as sensory evaluators to conduct each sensory test, we first conducted training in identifying the taste, texture, and appearance of food products. We then selected evaluators who performed particularly well, had experience in product development, possessed extensive knowledge of the quality of food products, including taste, texture, and appearance, and were capable of making absolute evaluations for each sensory evaluation item. Specifically, we conducted the identification training described in A) to C) below, and then selected evaluators who performed particularly well, possessed extensive knowledge of the quality of food products, including taste and texture, and were capable of making absolute evaluations for each sensory evaluation item.

[0139] A) A taste discrimination test in which, for each of the five basic tastes (sweetness: the taste of sugar, sourness: the taste of tartaric acid, umami: the taste of monosodium glutamate, saltiness: the taste of sodium chloride, bitterness: the taste of caffeine), one aqueous solution is prepared at a concentration close to the threshold for each component, and two distilled water solutions are added to these to create a total of seven samples, from which the tester must accurately identify the sample for each taste. B) A concentration difference identification test to accurately identify the concentration differences between five types of saline solutions and acetic acid solutions with slightly different concentrations. C) A three-point identification test to accurately identify soy sauce from manufacturer B from a total of three samples: two from manufacturer A and one from manufacturer B.

[0140] Next, ten selected sensory evaluators tasted each of the natto samples obtained in Experimental Examples 1-15 above [1]. The results of their evaluations of off-flavors in Experimental Examples 2-13, compared to the taste of Experimental Example 1 as the baseline, are recorded in the "Evaluation 1" column under "Taste" in Table 3. Furthermore, the results of their evaluations of off-flavors in Experimental Examples 8 and 15, compared to the taste of Experimental Example 14 as the baseline, are recorded in the "Evaluation 2" column under "Taste" in Table 3. In addition, the characteristics of off-flavors derived from minerals are noted in the remarks. ◎: No off-flavors, pleasant △: I detect an off-flavor derived from minerals, but it's within an acceptable range. ×: I strongly felt an off-flavor derived from minerals, which was undesirable.

[0141] <3> Overall evaluation The results of (1) and (2) above were evaluated comprehensively according to the following evaluation criteria, and the results are shown in Table 3. 5: The balance between flavor and stringiness is good and desirable. 4: The balance between flavor and stringiness is quite good, which is desirable. 3: The balance between flavor and stringiness is good and within acceptable limits. 2: The balance between flavor and stringiness is somewhat poor, which is undesirable. 1: The balance between flavor and stringiness is poor, which is undesirable.

[0142] <4> Evaluation of crystal precipitation After storing each of the natto samples from Experimental Examples 1-15 obtained in [1] above at 10°C for two weeks, they were evaluated by visual observation according to the following evaluation criteria, and the results were recorded in the "Crystal Precipitation" column of Table 3. ◎: No precipitation observed, desirable. △: Slight precipitation is observed, but within acceptable limits. ×: Precipitation occurs, which is undesirable.

[0143] <5> Evaluation of glossiness The glossiness of each natto sample from Experimental Examples 1 to 15 obtained in [1] above was visually evaluated, and the results are shown in Table 2. 5: The glossiness is particularly good. 4: Good glossiness 3: Has a glossy finish, within acceptable limits. 2: Lack of shine, undesirable. 1: It has absolutely no shine, which is undesirable.

[0144] <6> Evaluation of drainage load index <6-1> Measurement of BOD Dried soybeans (dried and cut soybeans) were immersed in three times the volume of water or mineral solution (same preparation conditions as in Experimental Examples 1-11 in Table 1, except the immersion time was 1 hour). The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the immersion water (immersion solution) after 1 hour was measured in accordance with the factory wastewater testing method of JIS K0102:2019, and the results are shown in Table 2. The dilution method corresponding to item 21 of JIS K0102:2019 was used.

[0145] <6-2> Measurement of COD Dried soybeans (dried and cut soybeans) were immersed in three times the volume of water or mineral solution (same preparation conditions as in Experimental Examples 1-11 in Table 1, except the immersion time was 1 hour). The chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the immersion water (immersion solution) after 1 hour was measured in accordance with the factory wastewater testing method of JIS K0102:2019, and the results are shown in Table 2. The sulfuric acid acid KMnO4 method corresponding to item 17 of JIS K0102:2019 was used.

[0146] <6-3> Measurement of SS Dried soybeans (dried and cut soybeans) were immersed in three times the amount of water or mineral solution (same preparation conditions as in Experimental Examples 1-11 in Table 1, except the immersion time was 1 hour). After 1 hour, the amount of suspended solids (SS) in the immersion water (immersion solution) as described in Environmental Agency Notification No. 64, Section 32 was measured in accordance with the factory wastewater testing method of JIS K0102:2019, and the results are shown in Table 2. The method for measuring suspended solids corresponding to Section 14 of JIS K0102:2019 was used.

[0147] <7> Evaluation of amino acids The percentage of total amino acids, asparagine (Asn), glutamic acid (Glu), and glutamine (Gln) contained in each of the natto samples obtained in Experimental Examples 1-15 above [1] was measured, and the results are shown in Table 2. The measurement method was as described above.

[0148] <8> Evaluation of γ-PGA and Levan The proportions of γ-PGA and levan in each of the natto products obtained in Experimental Examples 1-15 above [1] were measured, and the results are shown in Table 3. Furthermore, the correlation (M) between the proportions of γ-PGA and levan was also measured. P / M L The values ​​were calculated and are shown in Table 3. The measurement method is as described above.

[0149] [Table 2]

[0150] [Table 3]

[0151] <9> Evaluation of freeze tolerance The natto samples obtained in Experimental Examples 1, 2, and 4 in [1] above were frozen and thawed, and their texture and taste were evaluated afterward. As a result, the natto in Experimental Example 1 had a dry, crumbly texture and a strong bitter taste, but these were improved in the natto in Experimental Example 2, and further improved in the natto in Experimental Example 4. Furthermore, when the texture and taste were evaluated similarly with mineral concentrations other than those in Experimental Examples 1, 2, and 4, the results showed that the texture and taste improved in a mineral concentration-dependent manner, similar to the results obtained in Experimental Examples 1, 2, and 4. [Industrial applicability]

[0152] The method for producing the food composition and the fermented food composition described herein are widely used in the food industry.

Claims

1. A method for producing a food composition, characterized by comprising the following steps (i) and (ii). (i) The step of preparing raw materials that satisfy (i-a) below. (ii) A step of obtaining a prepared product obtained by adjusting the raw materials so as to satisfy (ii-a) below. (i-a) A processed product of edible plants that contains 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. (ii-a) The increase in mineral content is 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

2. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 1, wherein the edible plant is one or more selected from the group consisting of grains, cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms.

3. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mineral is a monovalent metal species and / or a divalent metal species.

4. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 3, wherein the monovalent metal species is sodium and / or potassium, and the divalent metal species is calcium and / or magnesium.

5. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the raw materials satisfy the following (i-b) in step (i). (i-b) The dry moisture content is 20% or less.

6. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a heating and water absorption step in which the raw materials are heated in a wet state after step (i).

7. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a step (iii) of fermenting the raw materials or the prepared product after step (i) or after step (ii).

8. The method for producing the food composition according to claim 7, wherein the food composition is a fermented food composition.

9. The method for producing a food composition according to claim 7, wherein the edible plant is one or more selected from the group consisting of legumes, nuts and seeds, or grains.

10. A method for producing the food composition according to claim 8, wherein the food composition is natto.

11. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 7, further comprising a heating and water absorption step in which the raw material or the prepared product is heated in a wet state after step (i).

12. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 7, wherein the composition obtained through the above step (iii) satisfies (iii-a) below. (iii-a) Levan content M Ｌ PGA content M (as a percentage of mass) Ｐ (Mass %) ratio (M Ｐ / M Ｌ ) is 2 or more

13. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a heating and water absorption step in which the adjusted material is heated in a wet state after the above step (ii).

14. The method for producing a food composition according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment in step (ii) comprises immersing in an aqueous mineral solution having a mineral content of 0.01% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

15. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 13, wherein the adjusted product after step (ii) satisfies (ii-b) below. (ii-b) The mineral content is greater than the average mineral concentration of the immersed conditioned material.

16. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 7, further comprising a heating and water absorption step, after step (i) and before step (ii), in which the raw material is heated in a wet state.

17. A method for producing a food composition according to claim 16, further comprising a step (iii) of fermenting the adjusted product after the above step (ii).

18. The adjustment in step (ii) above is carried out by adding the adjusting component. The aforementioned adjusting component contains an amino acid, A method for producing the food composition according to claim 17, wherein the content of the amino acid is 0.02% by mass or more.

19. A fermented food composition characterized by being produced by the method for producing a food composition described in claim 7.

20. A fermented food composition according to claim 19, satisfying one or more of the following requirements (h) to (j). (h) The ratio of Gln to the total amount of amino acids is 1.0% or less. (i) The ratio of Asn to the total amount of amino acids is 1.6% or less. (j) The ratio of Glu to the total amount of amino acids is 17.5% or less.

21. This fermented food composition is natto, The fermented food composition according to claim 19, wherein no tyrosine crystal precipitation is observed after storage at 10°C for two weeks.

22. A method for reducing wastewater load in food manufacturing, characterized by including the following steps (i) and (ii). (i) The step of preparing raw materials that satisfy (i-a) below. (ii) A step of obtaining a prepared product obtained by adjusting the raw materials so as to satisfy (ii-a) below. (i-a) A processed product of edible plants that contains 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. (ii-a) The increase in mineral content is 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

23. A method for suppressing the leakage of food components, characterized by comprising the following steps (i) and (ii). (i) The step of preparing raw materials that satisfy (i-a) below. (ii) A step of obtaining a prepared product obtained by adjusting the raw materials so as to satisfy (ii-a) below. (i-a) A processed product of edible plants that contains 0.1% by mass or more of low molecular weight water-soluble dietary fiber (according to the AOAC.2011.25 method) on a dry weight basis. (ii-a) The increase in mineral content is 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

24. A method for imparting freeze tolerance to legumes by applying a mineral-enhancing treatment to them, thereby obtaining freeze tolerance in the treated legumes.

25. The method for imparting freeze resistance according to claim 24, wherein the mineral-increasing treatment is a treatment that adjusts the increase in mineral content to be 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

26. The method for imparting freeze tolerance to legumes that have undergone the mineral-enhancing treatment, further by performing a fermentation treatment on the legumes that have undergone the mineral-enhancing treatment, according to claim 24 or 25.

27. The method for imparting freeze tolerance according to claim 26, wherein the fermentation process is fermentation using natto bacteria.

28. Natto for frozen storage obtained using the method for imparting freeze resistance described in claim 27.

29. A method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining the texture of frozen beans after thawing, A method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture by treating legumes to increase their mineral content before freezing.

30. The method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture according to claim 29, wherein the mineral-increasing treatment is a treatment that adjusts the increase in mineral content to be 0.02% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less.

31. The method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture according to claim 29 or 30, wherein the legumes subjected to the mineral-enhancing treatment are subjected to a fermentation treatment after the mineral-enhancing treatment.

32. The method for suppressing bitterness and / or maintaining texture according to claim 31, wherein the fermentation process is fermentation using natto bacteria.

33. Natto obtained using the bitterness suppression and / or texture preservation method described in claim 32.

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