Method for manufacturing container-filled liquid food products

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing liquid food products in containers, which reduces the oxygen content of the headspace after the container is sealed, thereby suppressing the progression of oxidation of oils and fats at the liquid surface in contact with the headspace, as well as the progression of oxidation of oils and fats adhering to the container walls and cap joints in the headspace. [Solution] A step of sealing a container in which a portion of the gas present in the headspace of a container filled with liquid food has been replaced with an inert gas, and a step of applying an acceleration of 1.5 to 6.0 m / s² to the sealed container for 30 seconds or more, starting within 30 minutes after sealing. 2 Vibration, or acceleration of 0.1-6.0 m / s² for 60 seconds or more. 2 A method for manufacturing a container-filled liquid food, comprising the step of applying vibration.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing liquid food products in containers. [Background technology]

[0002] To prevent oxidation of liquid foods filled in containers such as bottles, a method is known in which the air (oxygen) present in the headspace of the container is replaced with an inert gas and then sealed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] These existing methods involve blowing an inert gas into the headspace of the container before sealing it, thereby replacing it with the inert gas. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4601711 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6736363 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] A method was needed to further reduce the oxygen concentration in the headspace of containers filled with liquid foods.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing liquid food products in containers, which can suppress the progression of oxidation of oils and fats at the liquid surface in contact with the headspace, as well as the progression of oxidation of oils and fats adhering to the container walls and cap joints in the headspace, by reducing the oxygen content of the headspace after the container is sealed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides the following method for producing liquid food products in containers.

[0008] In this specification, the notation X(value) to Y(value) means X or greater and Y or less, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, "oil and / or fat" means "oil and / or grease."

[0009] [1] A step of sealing a container in which a portion of the gas present in the headspace of a container filled with liquid food has been replaced with an inert gas, and a step of applying an acceleration of 1.5 to 6.0 m / s² to the sealed container, starting within 30 minutes after sealing, for a period of 30 seconds or more. 2 Vibration, or acceleration of 0.1-6.0 m / s² for 60 seconds or more. 2 A method for manufacturing a container-filled liquid food, comprising the step of applying vibration. [2] The method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to [1], wherein the frequency of the vibration is 3 to 10,000 Hz. [3] A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to [1] or [2], wherein the oxygen concentration in the headspace of the container before the vibration is applied is 0.1 to 20% by volume. [4] A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the headspace volume is 1 to 30% of the total contents of the container. [5] A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the inert gas is one or more selected from argon gas, helium gas, nitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide gas. [6] A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the liquid food is an edible oil or fat. [7] A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the starting point is immediately after sealing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, by reducing the oxygen content of the headspace after sealing the container, it is possible to suppress the progression of oxidation of oils and fats at the liquid surface in contact with the headspace, as well as the progression of oxidation of oils and fats adhering to the container wall and cap joint in the headspace. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited in any way to the following embodiments, and various modifications may be appropriately made and implemented within the scope of the purpose of the present invention. In addition, the preferred aspects, more preferred aspects and the like exemplified below can be appropriately combined with each other for use regardless of expressions such as "for example", "preferred", and "more preferred". Further, the descriptions of numerical ranges are merely illustrative, and ranges obtained by appropriately combining the upper limit and lower limit of each range and the numerical values of the examples can also be preferably used (for example, when described as A to B and C to D, a combination of A to D or C to B can be used). Furthermore, terms such as "contain" or "include" may be read as "consist essentially of" or "consist only of".

[0012] [Method for Producing Container-Packed Liquid Food] In the method for producing a container-packed liquid food according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment"), a part of the gas present in the headspace of the container filled with the liquid food is replaced with an inert gas, the method comprising a step of sealing the container, and a step of applying vibration to the sealed container for 30 seconds or more at an acceleration of 1.5 to 6.0 m / s starting within 30 minutes after sealing 2 , or for 60 seconds or more at an acceleration of 0.1 to 6.0 m / s 2 to the sealed container.

[0013] (Step of Sealing the Container) The method for producing a container-packed liquid food according to the present embodiment includes a step of sealing a container in which a part of the gas present in the headspace of the container filled with the liquid food has been replaced with an inert gas (hereinafter referred to as the replacement and sealing step).

[0014] The method for carrying out the replacement and sealing step is not particularly limited, and can be performed by a known method. For example, the step can be implemented by the methods described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0015] <Container> Various types of containers can be used, and for example, it is preferable to use a bottle container. The bottle container is provided with a cap, and after being filled with liquid food, it is hermetically sealed with a headspace purged with an inert gas. At this time, before filling the container with the liquid food, it is preferable to blow an inert gas to replace the air with the inert gas in advance.

[0016] The bottle container is a so-called bottle-shaped container, and one in which the container cross-sectional diameter at the headspace is smaller than the container cross-sectional diameter of the part filled with the liquid food is preferable in terms of both function and design. As the bottle container, for example, one for a liquid food content of 100 to 1800 g can be used.

[0017] As the material of the container, for example, resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polylactic acid, glass, paper, metal and the like are used as materials. A plastic container or a glass container using a resin is preferred, and a plastic container is particularly preferred. Further, it may have a multilayer structure in which a film is combined therewith. It may also be a delamination peelable container (a so-called delamination container).

[0018] The plastic container is preferably a blow-molded plastic container in order to maintain the shape of the container. Further, it is more preferable that the container is deformable by pressing or the like so that the volume at the time of disposal can be reduced.

[0019] As the paper container, for example, a paper container having an opening for filling liquid food at the top of the container, which is hermetically sealed at a pressure-bonded seal portion, is preferable. Specifically, for example, a gable-top (also referred to as a gable-roof type) container, a flat-top type container and the like can be mentioned. Further, the paper container is not limited to a container made only of paper, and may be one in which the front and back wall surfaces of paper are coated with a polymer such as polyethylene, or one in which an aluminum foil or the like is laminated as a part of the layer structure.

[0020] <Liquid Foods> Liquid foods are not particularly limited as long as they are liquid foods that are fluid at 10-25°C, but liquid foods that are easily oxidized by air are preferred. Specifically, examples include edible oils and fats, dressings, milk, soy milk, soups such as corn soup, sake, seasonings such as soy sauce, and various beverages (carbonated drinks, fermented drinks, tea beverages such as barley tea, soft drinks (juice, sports drinks, energy drinks, iced tea, iced coffee, etc.)), but edible oils and fats are preferred.

[0021] The types of edible oils and fats are not particularly limited. Examples include soybean oil, rapeseed oil, high-oleic rapeseed oil, corn oil, sesame oil, sesame salad oil, perilla oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, high-oleic safflower oil, sunflower oil, high-oleic sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, grape seed oil, macadamia nut oil, hazelnut oil, pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, tea seed oil, perilla oil, borage oil, olive oil, rice oil, rice bran oil, wheat germ oil, medium-chain triglycerides, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, milk fat, fish oil, seal oil, algae oil, these oils and fats that have been desaturated through selective breeding and mixtures thereof, transesterified oils and fats, hydrogenated oils and fats, fractionated oils and fats, etc. Edible oils and fats are preferably liquid at 20°C. Specifically, they are one or more selected from soybean oil, rapeseed oil, high-oleic rapeseed oil, corn oil, sesame oil, sesame salad oil, perilla oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, high-oleic safflower oil, sunflower oil, high-oleic sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, grape seed oil, macadamia nut oil, hazelnut oil, pumpkin seed oil, walnut oil, camellia oil, tea seed oil, perilla oil, borage oil, olive oil, rice oil, rice bran oil, wheat germ oil, medium-chain triglyceride, fish oil, and algae oil. The viscosity of the oil is preferably 40-100 mm². 2 The viscosity is / s (at 25°C). The viscosity of oils and fats can be measured in accordance with section 2.2.10.1-1996 Viscosity (kinematic viscosity) of the "Standard Methods for Analysis of Oils and Fats (edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society)".

[0022] Edible oils and fats may contain antioxidants such as L-ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid derivatives, vitamin E, tocopherols, ascorbic acid fatty acid esters, lignans, coenzyme Q, phospholipids, oryzanol, plant sterols, diacylglycerol, catechins, and polyphenols, as well as tea extracts. Other additives may also be added, such as polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polysorbates, condensed ricinolein fatty acid esters, monoglycerin fatty acid esters, and emulsifiers such as soy lecithin, egg yolk lecithin, soy lysolecithin, egg yolk lysolecithin, enzyme-treated egg yolk, saponins, plant sterols, and milk fat globule coatings. It is preferable that the oil contains one or more additives selected from antioxidants and emulsifiers.

[0023] <Inert gas> The inert gas can be one or more inert gases selected from nitrogen gas, argon gas, helium gas, and carbon dioxide gas. From the viewpoint of versatility and cost, nitrogen gas is preferred.

[0024] <Headspace> From the viewpoint of making it easier to reduce the oxygen concentration, the headspace of the container is preferably 5 to 150 ml, more preferably 7 to 100 ml, and most preferably 10 to 40 ml.

[0025] The ratio of the headspace volume to the total container volume ((headspace volume (ml) / container volume (ml)) × 100) is preferably 1 to 30%, more preferably 1 to 25%, even more preferably 1 to 20%, and most preferably 1 to 15%.

[0026] After the replacement and sealing step, the oxygen concentration in the headspace before applying vibration to the container is preferably 0.1 to 20% by volume, more preferably 0.1 to 12% by volume, and even more preferably 0.1 to 10% by volume. The lower limit of the oxygen concentration is also preferably 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 or 1.0% by volume. The oxygen concentration of the gas in the headspace can be measured, for example, by "Pack Master Residual Oxygen RO-105: Iijima Electronics Co., Ltd."

[0027] <Surface Area of Liquid Surface> The surface area of the liquid surface of the liquid food filled in the container (the surface area in contact with the headspace) is 3 to 50 cm 2 is preferred, 3 to 40 cm 2 is more preferred, 4 to 38 cm 2 is even more preferred, and 5 to 38 cm 2 is most preferred.

[0028] (Step of Applying Vibration to Container) The method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to the present embodiment includes a step of applying vibration to a sealed container, starting within 30 minutes after sealing, for 30 seconds or more at an acceleration of 1.5 to 6.0 m / s 2 , or for 60 seconds or more at an acceleration of 0.1 to 6.0 m / s 2 (hereinafter referred to as the vibration step).

[0029] The start point of applying vibration in the vibration step is within 30 minutes after sealing, preferably within 25 to 15 minutes, more preferably within 15 to 5 minutes, even more preferably within 5 to 3 minutes, and most preferably immediately after sealing (within 0 to 3 minutes).

[0030] <Vibration Conditions> The method of vibration is not limited as long as the desired vibration can be applied to the container. Examples of equipment for applying vibration include vibrators and vortex mixers. The part of the container to which the vibration is applied is also not limited. Vibration can be applied by contacting one or more of the top, upper, middle, lower, and bottom of the container with the vibration equipment. It is preferable to apply vibration to the bottom of the container. Vibration may also be applied by ultrasound or the like without contact with the vibration equipment.

[0031] The acceleration of vibration is 1.5 to 6.0 m / s² when the vibration duration is 30 seconds or longer. 2 The frequency is preferably 1.5 to 5.5 m / s 2 And more preferably 1.5 to 5.0 m / s 2 And more preferably 1.5 to 4.0 m / s 2 Alternatively, the acceleration of vibration is 0.1 to 6.0 m / s² if the vibration duration is 60 seconds or longer. 2 The frequency is preferably 0.3 to 6.0 m / s 2 And more preferably 0.3 to 5.5 m / s 2 And more preferably 0.3 to 4.0 m / s 2 That is the case.

[0032] The vibration frequency is preferably between 3 and 10,000 Hz.

[0033] If the vibration time is 30 seconds or longer, it is preferably 30 to 3000 seconds, more preferably 30 to 1500 seconds, and even more preferably 30 to 800 seconds. Alternatively, if the vibration time is 60 seconds or longer, it is preferably 60 to 3000 seconds, more preferably 60 to 1500 seconds, and even more preferably 60 to 800 seconds. The vibration process is preferably continuous, but may be intermittent. If it is intermittent, the total time should be within the above range.

[0034] The vibration process may be performed by stopping the container at a predetermined location on the production line (for example, adjacent to the location where the replacement and sealing process is performed), or by performing it while the container is being transported without stopping. From the viewpoint of shortening the manufacturing time, it is preferable to perform the vibration process while the container is being transported without stopping.

[0035] In this embodiment, it is sufficient to apply a predetermined vibration for 30 seconds or more, or a predetermined vibration for 60 seconds or more, starting within 30 minutes after sealing. Insofar as the effects of the present invention are not impaired, the same or different vibrations may be applied before and / or after the vibration process.

[0036] The rate of decrease in oxygen concentration in the headspace after the vibration process (calculated using the following formula) is preferably 1.5-25%, 1.5-20%, or 1.5-15%, more preferably 2-25%, 2-20%, or 2-15%, even more preferably 2.5-25%, 2.5-20%, or 2.5-15%, and most preferably 3-25%, 3-20%, or 3-15%. The oxygen concentration of the gas in the headspace can be measured, for example, using "Packmaster Residual Oxygen RO-105: Iijima Electronics Industry Co., Ltd.". Oxygen concentration reduction rate (%) = {(Oxygen concentration after displacement / sealing process and before vibration process - Oxygen concentration after vibration process) / Oxygen concentration after displacement / sealing process and before vibration process)} × 100

[0037] The present invention will now be described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Examples]

[0038] [Manufacturing of container-filled liquid food products] Canola oil (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group Ltd.) was filled into one of the following types of bottle containers: polyethylene terephthalate bottle container (hereinafter referred to as PET container) (for 350g of oil, content volume 421ml), PET container (for 800g of oil, content volume 912ml), or polyethylene bottle container (hereinafter referred to as poly container) (for 1300g of oil, content volume 1459ml), so that the headspace volume was as indicated in Tables 1 to 4. Next, the container filled with canola oil was placed in a sealed case of a size that could accommodate the container, and nitrogen gas was filled to achieve the same oxygen concentration as the desired headspace oxygen concentration indicated in Tables 1 to 4. While the gas inside the case was gently agitated, the opening of the container was sealed with a cap to produce the sample (container-filled liquid food).

[0039] The vibration was applied within 5 minutes of sealing the container. Using a vortex mixer (product name: GHW-3000, manufactured by AS ONE Corporation), the sample was placed in the center of the mixing plate, and vibration was applied to the sample according to the acceleration and vibration time described in Tables 1-4.

[0040] The acceleration of vibrations imparted by the vortex mixer was determined by placing an accelerometer (product name: ELESMART X (MCV-090), manufactured by Nippon Tex Engineering Co., Ltd.) probe (vibration acceleration sensor) at the center of the mixing plate of the vortex mixer and measuring the acceleration in the frequency range of 3 to 10,000 Hz.

[0041] [Measurement of headspace oxygen concentration and calculation of the rate of decrease] For samples that were not subjected to vibration (within 1 minute of sealing) and samples that were subjected to vibration (within 1 minute of vibration cessation), a suction needle connected to a tube for aspirating the target gas was inserted from the top of the container lid, and the oxygen concentration of the gas in the headspace collected from this point was measured using "Packmaster Residual Oxygen RO-105: Iijima Electronics Industry Co., Ltd.". The oxygen concentration reduction rate (%) was also calculated using the following formula. The results are shown in Tables 1-4. Oxygen concentration reduction rate (%) = {(Oxygen concentration of unvibrated sample - Oxygen concentration of vibrated sample) / Oxygen concentration of unvibrated sample)} × 100

[0042] Table 1

[0043] Table 2

[0044] Table 3

[0045] Table 4

Claims

1. A step of sealing a container in which a portion of the gas present in the headspace of a container filled with liquid food has been replaced with an inert gas, In the sealed container, starting within 30 minutes of sealing, an acceleration of 1.5 to 6.0 m / s² is applied for at least 30 seconds. ２ Vibration, or acceleration of 0.1 to 6.0 m / s² for 60 seconds or more. ２ A method for manufacturing a container-filled liquid food, comprising the step of applying vibration.

2. The method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of the vibration is 3 to 10,000 Hz.

3. A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen concentration in the headspace of the container before the vibration is applied is 0.1 to 20% by volume.

4. A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to claim 1, wherein the headspace volume relative to the total contents of the container is 1 to 30%.

5. The method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to claim 1, wherein the inert gas is one or more selected from argon gas, helium gas, nitrogen gas, and carbon dioxide gas.

6. The method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to claim 1, wherein the liquid food is an edible oil or fat.

7. A method for producing a container-filled liquid food according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the starting point is immediately after sealing.

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