Composition for reducing off-flavors in soybean-derived foodstuffs

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for reducing the off-odor of soybean-derived food materials, which does not impart an off-taste or color to food and contains as an active ingredient a component with a relatively high odor threshold. [Solution] The above object can be achieved by a composition for reducing the off-odor of soy-derived food materials and a method for reducing the off-odor of soy-derived food materials, each of which contains any one of the following active ingredients (1) to (3): (1) Methyl 5-hexenoate (2) 2-Vinylpyrazine (3) Methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for reducing off-flavors in soy-derived foodstuffs. [Background technology]

[0002] Meat and fish dishes are generally enjoyed as main dishes at meals. However, in recent years, in addition to vegetarians, the number of strict vegans, who do not eat any animal-derived ingredients, including meat, fish, dairy products, or eggs, has been increasing. Vegans eat plant-based foods that use plant-derived ingredients and no animal-derived ingredients. One type of plant-derived ingredient is soy-derived ingredients that are derived from soybeans. Soy-derived ingredients are also attracting attention as a substitute for meat.

[0003] However, soybeans have a unique odor, which can become more pronounced depending on the processing method. Such a soybean odor can reduce the palatability of soybean-derived food materials or foods using soybean-derived food materials. Soybean-derived food materials that are prone to producing a soybean odor include soybean processed products such as soy protein. Known foods that contain soybean protein but have reduced heat deterioration odor of soy protein include foods obtained by adding polyphenols extracted from teas and foods containing phenethyl acetate or γ-lactones (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3432614 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7024054 [Patent Document 3] JP 2022-127549 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the tea extract used in the food product described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that it may impart an unpleasant taste such as bitterness and coloring to the food product.

[0006] The phenethyl acetate and γ-lactones used in the foods described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 have a relatively low threshold of several thousand ppb for sensing their characteristic aromas. Therefore, when they are used in packaged foods that are heated in a sealed space, such as foods filled in retort pouches and sterilized by heat, there is a problem that the amount of phenethyl acetate and γ-lactones used is limited.

[0007] On the other hand, there are almost no known substances that can reduce the off-flavors caused by soybean-derived food ingredients, without imparting off-flavors or coloring to foods, and that have a relatively high odor threshold.

[0008] Therefore, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a composition for reducing the unpleasant odors of soy-derived food materials, which does not impart unpleasant tastes or coloring to foods and contains as an active ingredient a component with a relatively high aroma threshold. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems, and have tried many ingredients alone or in appropriate combinations, either as is or after various processing treatments, in an attempt to obtain ingredients that can reduce the off-odors of soy-derived food ingredients.

[0010] As a result of extensive investigations, the present inventors have surprisingly found that methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine, which do not impart an unpleasant taste or color to foods and have a relatively high aroma threshold, can reduce the unpleasant odor of soy-derived food materials. Even more surprisingly, the present inventors have made the surprising and unexpected discovery that the combination of methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine can reduce the unpleasant odor of soy-derived food materials in a synergistic manner, not an additive manner, compared to the actions of each of them alone.

[0011] Based on these findings, the present inventors have succeeded in creating a composition for reducing the off-odor of soy-derived foodstuffs, which contains methyl 5-hexenoate and / or 2-vinylpyrazine as active ingredients, in order to solve the problems of the present invention. The present invention has been completed based on the findings and success stories first obtained by the present inventors.

[0012] Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention, there are provided the following embodiments: [1] A composition for reducing the unpleasant odor of soybean-derived food materials, comprising any one of the following active ingredients (1) to (3). (1) Methyl 5-hexenoate (2) 2-Vinylpyrazine (3) Methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine [2] The content of methyl 5-hexenoate in the active ingredient (1) is 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb based on the total amount of the composition, and / or The content of 2-vinylpyrazine in the active ingredient (2) is 80,000 or more based on the total amount of the composition, and / or The composition according to item [1], wherein the content of methyl 5-hexenoate in the active ingredient (3) is 3 ppb to 10,000 ppb based on the total amount of the composition, and the content of 2-vinylpyrazine is 5 ppb or more based on the total amount of the composition. [3] The content of methyl 5-hexenoate in the active ingredient (1) is 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb based on the total amount of the soybean-derived foodstuff used, and / or The content of 2-vinylpyrazine in the active ingredient (2) is 1,200,000 ppb or more based on the total amount of the soybean-derived foodstuff used, and / or The composition according to item [1], wherein the content of methyl 5-hexenoate in the active ingredient (3) is 45 ppb to 150,000 ppb, based on the total amount of the soy-derived food material used, and the content of 2-vinylpyrazine is 75 ppb or more, based on the total amount of the soy-derived food material used. [4] The composition according to any one of items [1] to [3], wherein the soybean-derived food material is at least one soybean-derived food material selected from the group consisting of soybeans and processed soybean products. [5] A method for reducing the off-odor of a soy-derived food material, comprising the step of contacting a soy-derived food material with methyl 5-hexenoate, 2-vinylpyrazine, or methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine to reduce the off-odor of the soy-derived food material. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce foods containing soy-derived ingredients having a desired excellent flavor by reducing off-flavors caused by soy-derived ingredients, such as retort odor and soybean odor. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to produce highly palatable plant-based foods for use in vegetarian and vegan meals.

[0014] The composition according to one embodiment of the present invention can be obtained by a simple production method, and therefore can be produced in large quantities on an industrial scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Each aspect of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the present invention is not limited to the details of these items and can take various forms as long as the object of the present invention is achieved.

[0016] Unless otherwise specified, each term in this specification is used in the sense commonly used by those skilled in the art of foods, including seasonings, and should not be interpreted as having an unduly limiting meaning. In addition, the speculations and theories made in this specification are based on the inventors' knowledge and experience to date, and therefore the present invention is not limited solely to such speculations and theories.

[0017] The term "composition" is not particularly limited to the commonly used meaning, but may be, for example, a combination of two or more ingredients. "Foodstuff" and "(raw) material" refer to a substance used (added) in producing a composition, and are synonymous with "ingredient." "Foodstuff" and "(raw) material" may exist in a composition in a qualitatively and / or quantitatively maintained or altered state compared to before use. "Content" is synonymous with concentration and amount added (amount used), and refers to the ratio of the amount of a component to the total amount of a composition. However, the total amount of the content of the components does not exceed 100%. "w / v%" represents a mass volume percent concentration, which is synonymous with "% (w / v)", "vol%" represents a volume percent concentration, which is synonymous with "% (v / v)", and "wt%" represents a mass percent concentration, which is synonymous with "% (w / w)". When a commercially available product is used, the content of the component is preferably the amount of the component contained in the commercially available product, but may be the amount of the commercially available product itself. "Food" means food products, beverages, or both. Food includes processed foods obtained by cooking ingredients. "Plant-based food" means food that contains mainly plant-derived ingredients and does not contain animal-derived ingredients. "Containerized" means filled or contained in a sealable airtight or sealed container. An airtight container is a container that prevents the intrusion of solid or liquid foreign matter and the loss or evaporation of the contents under normal handling, transportation, or storage conditions. A sealed container is a container that prevents the intrusion of gas under normal handling, transportation, or storage conditions. "Comprising" means that elements other than the elements explicitly stated as being included can be added (same meaning as "comprising at least"), but also encompasses "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of." In other words, "comprising" can mean including the elements explicitly stated and any one or more elements, consisting of the elements explicitly stated, or consisting essentially of the elements explicitly stated. Elements include limitations such as ingredients, steps, conditions, and parameters. The term "and / or" means any one or any or all combinations of two or more of the associated listed items. "ppb" is a unit as it is commonly known, specifically 1 ppb is 1 / 10 9 This is equivalent to 1 ng / g in grams. "ppm" is a unit as it is commonly known, and specifically, 1 ppm is 1 / 10 6 This is equivalent to 1 μg / g in mass conversion and approximately 1 mg / l in mass / volume conversion. The "to" in a numerical range includes the numerical values ​​before and after it, and also includes the range excluding one of the included limits. For example, "0 w / v% to 100 w / v%" may be 0 w / v% or more, 100 w / v% or less, or 0 w / v% or more and 100 w / v% or less. "More than" and "less than" refer to the lower and upper limits, respectively, without including the numerical value before them, for example, "more than 1" means a numerical value greater than 1, and "less than 100" means a numerical value less than 100. "About" refers to an amount within ±10% of the quantity following the term. For example, "about 100" means 100±10%, i.e., 90 to 110. The number of digits in an integer value is the same as the number of significant digits. For example, 1 has one significant digit, and 10 has two significant digits. Also, the number of digits after the decimal point in a decimal value is the same as the number of significant digits. For example, 0.1 has one significant digit, and 0.10 has two significant digits.

[0018] "Flavor" refers to the aroma (retronasal) that escapes from the mouth to the nose when a food is held in the mouth, the taste (taste) that is felt on the tongue when a food is held in the mouth, or both. The "off-odor" of soy-derived foodstuffs refers to the unpleasant aroma (smell) that is caused by soy-derived foodstuffs. The "off-odor" of soy-derived foodstuffs can also be called "soybean odor." The "effect of reducing the off-odor of soybean-derived foodstuffs" refers to making the off-odor of soybean-derived foodstuffs less noticeable, but does not preclude the possibility of preventing the off-odor from occurring.

[0019] [Summary of odor reducing composition] One aspect of the present invention is an off-odor reducing composition capable of reducing the off-odor of soybean-derived foodstuffs. The off-odor reducing composition of the present invention is broadly divided into three types depending on the content of the active ingredient. The off-odor reducing composition of the first aspect of the present invention is an off-odor reducing composition containing methyl 5-hexenoate. The off-odor reducing composition of the second aspect of the present invention is an off-odor reducing composition containing 2-vinylpyrazine. The off-odor reducing composition of the third aspect of the present invention is an off-odor reducing composition containing methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine.

[0020] The off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention can reduce the off-odor caused by soybean-derived food materials. A plant-based food using the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention has reduced off-odor caused by plant-derived food materials and is more palatable than a plant-based food not using the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] [Active ingredients] Methyl 5-hexenoate has a CAS registration number of 2396-80-7 and is represented by the following formula (I): [ka] (I) It is a compound having the structure represented by the following formula:

[0022] The content of methyl 5-hexenoate may be an amount sufficient to exert an off-odor reducing effect. As shown in Table 1 in the examples described later, according to the inventors' investigations, when the off-odor reducing composition contains 5 ppb or more of methyl 5-hexenoate, the off-odor of soybean-derived food materials can be made less noticeable. On the other hand, when the content of methyl 5-hexenoate is high, the off-odor of soybean-derived food materials and the off-flavor of methyl 5-hexenoate combine, and the off-odor reducing composition may emit a kerosene-like off-flavor.

[0023] Therefore, the content of methyl 5-hexenoate is preferably 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb relative to the total amount (internal addition amount) of the odor reducing composition, and in order to exert a more excellent odor reducing effect, it is more preferably 20 ppb to 10,000 ppb, and even more preferably 40 ppb to 10,000 ppb.

[0024] The content of methyl 5-hexenoate is preferably 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb relative to the total amount (external addition amount) of the soybean-derived food material in which the off-odor reducing composition is used, and more preferably 100 ppb to 150,000 ppb to achieve a more excellent off-odor reducing effect, and even more preferably 250 ppb to 150,000 ppb. Note that "an amount of 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb" means, for example, that the amount of methyl 5-hexenoate provided to a total of 100 g of soybean-derived food material is 7.5 μg to 15,000 μg (15 mg). In other words, in this case, the amount of methyl 5-hexenoate used relative to the unit amount of soybean-derived food material is 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb.

[0025] For example, when an off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention contains 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb of methyl 5-hexenoate, if 60 g of the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention is used for 4 g of soy-derived food material, the amount of methyl 5-hexenoate used is 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb relative to the total amount of the soy-derived food material.

[0026] 2-Vinylpyrazine has a CAS registration number of 4177-16-6 and is represented by the following formula (II): [ka] (II) It is a compound having the structure represented by the following formula:

[0027] The content of 2-vinylpyrazine may be an amount that can exert an off-odor reducing effect. As shown in Table 2 in the examples described later, according to the investigations conducted by the present inventors, when the off-odor reducing composition contains 80,000 ppb or more of 2-vinylpyrazine, the off-odor of soybean-derived foodstuffs can be made hard to sense. On the other hand, when the content of 2-vinylpyrazine is high, some people may sense a sweet smell and a flavor (off-flavor) that is not normally sensed in plant-based foods.

[0028] Therefore, the content of 2-vinylpyrazine is preferably 80,000 ppb to 100,000 ppb relative to the total amount of the off-odor reducing composition (internal addition amount).Moreover, the content of 2-vinylpyrazine is preferably 1,200,000 ppb to 1,500,000 ppb relative to the total amount of the soybean-derived foodstuff in which the off-odor reducing composition is used (external addition amount).

[0029] As shown in Table 3 in the examples described later, when methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine are used in combination, the off-odor reducing effect can be exhibited even if the content of each is reduced. As a result, the combined use of methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine can enhance the off-odor reducing effect synergistically, not additively.

[0030] When methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine are used in combination, the content of methyl 5-hexenoate is preferably 3 ppb to 10,000 ppb, more preferably 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb, even more preferably 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb, and even more preferably 100 ppb to 10,000 ppb, relative to the total amount (internal addition amount) of the composition for reducing odors; and the content of 2-vinylpyrazine is preferably 5 ppb to 100,000 ppb, more preferably 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb, and even more preferably 100 ppb to 10,000 ppb.

[0031] When methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine are used in combination, the content of methyl 5-hexenoate is preferably 45 ppb to 150,000 ppb, more preferably 65 ppb to 150,000 ppb, even more preferably 100 ppb to 150,000 ppb, and even more preferably 1,000 ppb to 150,000 ppb, relative to the total amount (external addition amount) of the soybean-derived foodstuff in which the off-odor reducing composition is used; and the content of 2-vinylpyrazine is preferably 75 ppb to 1,500,000 ppb, more preferably 100 ppb to 1,500,000 ppb, and even more preferably 1,000 ppb to 1,500,000 ppb.

[0032] The active ingredient may be the active ingredient itself, or an active ingredient-containing material containing the active ingredient. When the active ingredient itself is used, a commercially available product may be used.

[0033] [Composition for reducing unpleasant odors] The soybean-derived food material used in the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention may be any food material derived from soybeans that are generally used as food materials, and may be a processed soybean food. In other words, the soybean-derived food material may be one that has been subjected to processing such as making soybeans into a paste, crushing, slicing, cutting into diced or rectangular shapes, baking, frying, or the like.

[0034] The off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention may contain other ingredients in addition to the active ingredient. The other ingredients are not particularly limited, but may include, for example, ingredients used in food and seasonings. Specifically, liquid ingredients include water, soy sauce, alcohol, sweet ingredients (mirin, liquid sugar, starch syrup, etc.), sour ingredients (vinegar, etc.), oil and fat ingredients, alcoholic beverage ingredients (wine, sake, etc.), and fruit juice (apple juice, etc.); solid ingredients include salt, sugars (sugar, glucose, fructose, starch syrup, isomerized liquid sugar, etc.), thickeners (thickening polysaccharides such as carrageenan, starch, processed starch, gums, etc.), chemical seasonings (glutamic acid, sodium glutamate, glycine, sodium inosinate, sodium guanylate, etc.), flavors, miso, curry powder, etc. Plant-derived ingredients other than soybeans may be included as long as they do not interfere with the off-odor reducing effect of the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] When the off-odor reducing composition according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied to plant-based foods, it is preferable that it does not contain animal-derived ingredients such as meat, eggs, and dairy products, and yeast extract. "Does not contain animal-derived ingredients and yeast extract" means that it is not intentionally contained, except in cases where animal-derived ingredients are inevitably mixed in due to raw materials or manufacturing processes that contain animal-derived ingredients together with ingredients other than animal-derived ingredients and yeast extract (collectively referred to as animal-derived ingredients, etc.). Therefore, "does not contain animal-derived ingredients and yeast extract" means that even if animal-derived ingredients, etc. are contained, they are in extremely small amounts, and in this case, for example, the content of animal-derived ingredients, etc. is preferably 0% to 0.1% by mass.

[0036] The other components may be one of the above alone or a combination of two or more of them. The content of the other components can be appropriately set as long as the problem of the present invention can be solved.

[0037] The form of the off-odor reducing composition according to one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, but it is preferably a liquid composition such as a liquid, suspension, or paste, since it mixes well with food materials. A liquid off-odor reducing composition is mostly water, and the water content is preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more, based on the total amount of the composition. The upper limit of the water content is typically 99% by mass.

[0038] The odor reducing composition according to one embodiment of the present invention may be a packaged composition filled in a sealable airtight or sealed container. The container is not particularly limited as long as it is an airtight or sealed container, and examples of the container include packaging containers such as single-layer or multi-layer (laminated) film bags, retort pouches, vacuum packs, molded containers, bottles, and cans made of metals such as aluminum and steel, paper, plastics such as PET, and glass. The packaged composition can be sold independently and commercially available in the distribution market. Note that a container with a lid used for the purpose of storing food at home is a sealed container, and is strictly distinguished from an airtight container and a sealed container, especially a sealed container.

[0039] The off-odor reducing effect of the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention may be an effect in which a soy-derived food material containing the composition exhibits a weaker off-odor soybean odor than a soy-derived food material (control) that does not use the composition under the same conditions.

[0040] The off-odor reducing effect can be confirmed by the method described in the Examples below. For example, when a sensory evaluation is performed on the evaluation item "soybean odor" for soy protein using the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention, the effect may be such that the degree to which the "soybean odor" is perceived is weakened compared to a control. From this perspective, the off-odor reducing effect is, for example, an effect in which a similar sensory evaluation is performed and the evaluation of "soybean odor" is "◎" or "○", and more preferably an effect in which "◎" is obtained.

[0041] The amount of the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention used is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set depending on the content of the active ingredient in the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention, the type and amount of the soy-derived food material to which the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention is to be applied, and the processed food to be produced. For example, the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably used in an amount of 10 to 10,000 parts by mass, more preferably 50 to 5,000 parts by mass, and even more preferably 100 to 3,000 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the soy-derived food material.

[0042] The method for producing the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method for producing a seasoning by mixing each component as is commonly known, specifically a method including mixing the active ingredient with other components, such as seasoning components such as water, alcohol, sugar, and salt, by a mixing means such as stirring at room temperature or under heating. The other components may be pretreated by being subjected to a treatment such as chopping, crushing, swelling, or heating.

[0043] In consideration of storage stability, the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably one that has been subjected to anti-spoilage treatment such as sterilization treatment by heating, filtration, etc. The off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably a composition that has been subjected to sterilization treatment under conditions that are usually adopted when sterilizing foods such as seasonings, and is preferably a composition that has been heat-sterilized at 100°C or less for several seconds to several minutes. The off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention may be subjected to retort sterilization. Retort sterilization may be performed at a temperature, pressure, and time that allows sterilization to a state that allows long-term storage, and is not particularly limited, but for example, it is performed under normal pressure or pressure at 100°C to 130°C, preferably about 120°C, for 1 minute to 30 minutes, preferably about 10 minutes.

[0044] A non-limiting specific embodiment of the present invention is a composition for reducing unpleasant odors, comprising the following component (A): Component (A) 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb of methyl 5-hexenoate (usage amount for soybean-derived foodstuffs is 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb)

[0045] A non-limiting specific embodiment of the present invention is a composition for reducing unpleasant odors, comprising the following component (B): Component (B) 80,000 ppb to 100,000 ppb of 2-vinylpyrazine (usage amount for soybean-derived foodstuffs is 1,200,000 ppb to 1,500,000 ppb)

[0046] A non-limiting specific embodiment of the present invention is a composition for reducing unpleasant odors, comprising the following components (A) and (B): Component (A) 3 ppb to 10,000 ppb of methyl 5-hexenoate (45 ppb to 150,000 ppb for soybean-derived food ingredients) Component (B) 5 ppb to 100,000 ppb of 2-vinylpyrazine (usage amount for soybean-derived foodstuffs is 75 ppb to 1,500,000 ppb)

[0047] A non-limiting specific embodiment of the present invention is a composition for reducing unpleasant odors, comprising the following components (A) and (B): Component (A) 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb of methyl 5-hexenoate (usage amount for soybean-derived foodstuffs is 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb) Component (B) 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb of 2-vinylpyrazine (usage amount for soybean-derived foodstuffs is 150 ppb to 150,000 ppb)

[0048] A non-limiting specific embodiment of the present invention is a composition for reducing unpleasant odors, comprising the following components (A) and (B): Component (A) 10 ppb to 10,000 ppb of methyl 5-hexenoate (usage amount for soybean-derived foodstuffs is 150 ppb to 150,000 ppb) Component (B) 100 ppb to 10,000 ppb of 2-vinylpyrazine (usage amount for soybean-derived foodstuffs is 1,500 ppb to 150,000 ppb)

[0049] By using the off-odor reducing composition according to one embodiment of the present invention and a soybean-derived food material and cooking them at room temperature or by heating, a highly palatable plant-based food product in which the off-odor of the soybean-derived food material is reduced can be obtained. The off-odor reducing composition according to one embodiment of the present invention can be used as a seasoning.

[0050] The method of cooking soybean-derived food materials using the off-odor reducing composition of one embodiment of the present invention as a seasoning is not particularly limited and can be appropriately set depending on the type and amount of soybean-derived food materials used, the type of plant-based food to be obtained, etc. For example, cooking methods include ordinary heating and cooking methods such as stir-frying, deep-frying, baking, steaming, heating using a microwave oven, heating with hot air, and heating in hot water.

[0051] [Another aspect of the present invention] The use of the active ingredient can reduce the soybean odor of soy-derived food materials. Thus, another aspect of the present invention is a method for reducing the off-odor of soy-derived food materials, comprising the step of contacting a plant-derived food material with methyl 5-hexenoate, 2-vinylpyrazine, or methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine to reduce the off-odor of the soy-derived food material. In the method for reducing the off-odor of soy-derived food materials of one aspect of the present invention, it is preferable to heat the soy-derived food material after contacting the soy-derived food material with the active ingredient, i.e., to heat-cook the soy-derived food material using the active ingredient.

[0052] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples, and the present invention can take various forms as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved. EXAMPLES

[0053] [1. Preparation of test composition] A methyl 5-hexenoate (600 ppm) solution containing 600 ppm (6 mg / g) of methyl 5-hexenoate and a methyl 5-hexenoate (0.6 ppm) solution containing 0.6 ppm (0.006 mg / g) of methyl 5-hexenoate were prepared by dissolving methyl 5-hexenoate (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) with a purity of over 98.0% in 95% ethanol. Also, a methyl 5-hexenoate (600 ppm) solution containing 600 ppm (6 mg / g) of 2-vinylpyrazine and a methyl 5-hexenoate (0.6 ppm) solution containing 0.6 ppm (0.006 mg / g) of 2-vinylpyrazine were prepared by dissolving 2-vinylpyrazine (Sigma-Aldrich Co., Ltd.) with a purity of over 97% in 95% ethanol.

[0054] Test compositions 1 to 38 (60 mg) were prepared by mixing the amounts shown in Tables 1 to 3 of sugar, salt, 5-hexenoic acid methyl (600 ppm) solution, 5-hexenoic acid methyl (0.6 ppm) solution, 2-vinylpyrazine (600 ppm) solution, 2-vinylpyrazine (0.6 ppm) solution, and water at room temperature.

[0055] 2. Treatment of soybean-derived foodstuffs using test compositions After placing 4 g of granular soy protein ("New Fujinic 59", Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) in a retort pouch, each test composition was placed therein. The retort pouch containing the granular soy protein and the test composition was sealed and then gently shaken to mix the contents, and then subjected to a heat treatment at 120°C for 20 minutes. The retort pouch after the heat treatment was returned to room temperature to obtain granular soy protein treated with the test composition. However, for test compositions 39 to 44, each component shown in Table 4 was added and mixed in a stainless steel can, and the mixture was subjected to a heat treatment in which the mixture was heated to 50°C or 90°C.

[0056] [3. Sensory evaluation method] Three panelists with the ability to distinguish food tastes evaluated the "soybean odor" intensity of the granular soy protein treated with the test composition using a 5-point scoring method according to the following criteria: When the total score of the three panelists was 3 to 5 points, it was rated as "X", when it was 6 to 8 points, it was rated as "△", when it was 9 to 11 points, it was rated as "○", and when it was 12 points or more, it was rated as "◎". 5: I can't feel it 4: Almost no feeling 3: Somewhat 2: Feel 1: Very strong feeling

[0057] "Soybean odor" refers to the smell of green soybeans or a smell similar to soybean flour, which is felt when the smell escapes from the mouth to the nose when eating. Note that these odors tend to become more pronounced when soybeans are heated.

[0058] The test compositions were also checked for off-flavors due to methyl 5-hexenoate and / or 2-vinylpyrazine, and were rated as "○" if no off-flavor was detected, and "×" if an off-flavor was detected.

[0059] The overall sensory evaluation was rated as "◎" when the "soybean smell" was rated as "◎" and the off-flavor was rated as "○", as "○" when the "soybean smell" was rated as "○" and the off-flavor was rated as "○", and as "×" in all other cases.

[0060] [4. Sensory evaluation results] The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Tables 1 to 4. As shown in these tables, the composition having a methyl 5-hexenoate content of 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb, the composition having a 2-vinylpyrazine content of 80,000 ppb to 100,000 ppb, and the composition having a methyl 5-hexenoate content of 3 ppb to 10,000 ppb and a 2-vinylpyrazine content of 10 ppb to 100,000 ppb had the effect of reducing the soybean odor of soy protein.

[0061] Furthermore, in light of the fact that the lower limit of the content at which methyl 5-hexenoate, when used alone, showed a soybean odor-reducing effect of soy protein was 5 ppb, and that the lower limit of the content at which 2-vinylpyrazine, when used alone, showed a soybean odor-reducing effect of soy protein was 80,000 ppb, when these were used in combination, the lower limit of the methyl 5-hexenoate content was 3 ppb and the lower limit of the 2-vinylpyrazine content was 10 ppb, indicating that the combination of methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine shows a synergistic, rather than additive, effect of reducing the soybean odor of soy protein.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Table 4, it was found that the effect of methyl 5-hexenoate and / or 2-vinylpyrazine in reducing the soybean odor of soy protein was exerted regardless of the product temperature of the soy protein.

[0063] [Table 1]

[0064] [Table 2]

[0065] [Table 3]

[0066] [Table 4] [Industrial Applicability]

[0067] The composition for reducing off-odors of one embodiment of the present invention is capable of reducing the off-odors of soybean-derived food ingredients, can be produced industrially, and can be used in restaurants and homes, making it useful as a seasoning for use in a variety of situations.

Claims

1. A composition for reducing the unpleasant odor of soybean-derived food materials, comprising any one of the following active ingredients (1) and (3): (1) Methyl 5-hexenoate (3) Methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine

2. When the composition contains the active ingredient (1), the content of methyl 5-hexenoate in the active ingredient (1) is 5 ppb to 10,000 ppb based on the total amount of the composition, and / or The composition according to claim 1, wherein, when the composition contains the active ingredient (3), the content of 5-methyl hexenoate in the active ingredient (3) is 3 ppb to 10,000 ppb based on the total amount of the composition, and the content of 2-vinylpyrazine in the active ingredient (3) is 5 ppb or more based on the total amount of the composition.

3. When the composition contains the active ingredient (1), the composition is used in an amount such that the content of methyl 5-hexenoate in the active ingredient (1) is 75 ppb to 150,000 ppb based on the total amount of the soybean-derived foodstuff used; and / or The composition according to claim 1, wherein, when the composition contains the active ingredient (3), the content of 5-methyl hexenoate in the active ingredient (3) is 45 ppb to 150,000 ppb based on the total amount of the soy-derived food material used, and the content of 2-vinylpyrazine in the active ingredient (3) is 75 ppb or more based on the total amount of the soy-derived food material used.

4. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the soybean-derived food material is at least one soybean-derived food material selected from the group consisting of soybeans and processed soybean products.

5. The method for reducing the off-odor of a soybean-derived food material comprises a step of contacting a soybean-derived food material with methyl 5-hexenoate or methyl 5-hexenoate and 2-vinylpyrazine to reduce the off-odor of the soybean-derived food material.

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