How to make butter substitutes

Abstract

To provide a novel milk fat-containing food that can be used as a butter substitute.SOLUTION: Provided is a method for producing milk fat-containing food in which a liquid mixture containing the solid content of a butter aqueous fraction generated when separating butter oil from the butter, water, and butter oil (step j), is subjected to heating treatment (step k) to yield a milk fat-containing food.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a milk fat-containing food and a milk fat-containing food. [Background technology]

[0002] Methods for producing dairy substitutes have been proposed in the past. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe examples in which an oil-in-water emulsion having a fresh texture like that of fresh cream is produced by mixing an aqueous phase component resulting from the production of butter oil from cream or butter, palm oil, hardened soybean oil, hardened palm olein oil, and an emulsifier, soybean lecithin. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-51700 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2003-299450 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Butter is inconvenient because it is difficult to store at room temperature. An object of the present invention is to provide a novel milk fat-containing food product that can be used as a butter substitute. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention has the following aspects. [1] A method for producing a milk fat-containing food, comprising heat-treating a mixture containing water, butter oils, and solids from an aqueous butter fraction produced during separation of butter oils from butter to obtain a milk fat-containing food. [2] The method for producing a milk fat-containing food according to [1], wherein the mixed liquid is prepared using one or more selected from the butter aqueous fraction, a dried product of the butter aqueous fraction, a frozen product of the butter aqueous fraction, and a concentrate of the butter aqueous fraction. [3] The method for producing a milk fat-containing food according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of the butter oils in the mixed liquid is 80% by mass or less, the solid content of the aqueous butter fraction is 2% by mass or more, and the water content is 10 to 80% by mass. [4] The method for producing a milk fat-containing food according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein in the heat treatment, the mixture is heated to a heating temperature T1, and the heating temperature T1 is 50° C. or higher. [5] The method for producing a milk fat-containing food according to [4], wherein the mixture is heated to the heating temperature T1 and then held at the heating temperature T1 for a holding time t1, the holding time t1 being 120 minutes or less. [6] A method for producing a milk fat-containing food according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein, in gas chromatography using the milk fat-containing food as a sample, when the peak area of ​​n-nonane at 0.2 ppm is 145,100 and the peak area of ​​n-decane at 0.8 ppm is 348,600, the peak area of ​​a component having a retention index of 953 is 1,000 or more.

[0006] [7] A milk fat-containing food comprising an oil phase containing milk fat and an aqueous phase containing phospholipids, The milk fat content is 10% by mass or more and less than 80% by mass, and the water content is 10 to 80% by mass, relative to the total mass of the milk fat-containing food; A milk fat-containing food, in which, in gas chromatography using the milk fat-containing food as a sample, when the peak area of ​​n-nonane at 0.2 ppm is 145,100 and the peak area of ​​n-decane at 0.8 ppm is 348,600, the peak area of ​​a component having a retention index of 953 is 1,000 or more. [8] A milk fat-containing food according to [7], in which the phospholipid content exceeds 1.5% by mass relative to the solid content of the aqueous phase. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a milk fat-containing food product suitable as a butter substitute can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic process diagram showing an example of a typical process for producing butter. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic process diagram showing an example of a process for producing butter oils and a butter aqueous phase fraction from butter and a process for preserving them. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic process diagram showing an example of a process for producing a milk fat-containing food product according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a graph comparing the results of the sensory test and the results of the GC analysis. [Diagram 5] 1 is a graph comparing the results of the sensory test and the results of the GC analysis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] As used herein the following definitions apply: The symbol "~" indicating a range of values ​​means that the values ​​before and after it are included as the lower and upper limits. Contents shown as percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified. "Food" means anything that can be orally ingested by an animal or the raw materials thereof, and includes beverages, medicines, feed, food raw materials, etc. "Room temperature storage" means storage at 5 to 30°C, "refrigerated storage" means storage at 0 to 10°C, and "frozen storage" means storage at -18°C or below. "Butteriness" refers to a scent that evokes the sweetness and richness that are characteristic of butter. It is different from a scent that evokes oiliness or wateriness.

[0010] <Measurement method> In the present invention, the following measurement method is used. The moisture and milk fat contents are measured using methods that conform to the methods for quantifying moisture and milk fat in butter and butter oil, as set forth in the Ministerial Ordinance on the Compositional Standards of Milk and Dairy Products. The solid content is calculated as solid content (mass %) = 100 - moisture (mass %). The amount of free fatty acids having 12 or more carbon atoms is measured by a method conforming to the method described in the following document a. Document a: Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 45, No. 10, pp. 927-932, "Quantitative Analysis of Free Fatty Acids in Milk and Dairy Products by High Performance Liquid Chromatography," Shinichi Totsuka, Tsune Matsuda, Takayoshi Sato, Norio Minagawa, 1996. The phospholipid content was measured using the following method. The lipids in the dairy raw material were extracted using the Folch method, and the extracted lipid solution was decomposed using a wet decomposition method (based on the wet decomposition method described in the Food Ingredients Testing Methods, Hygienic Testing Methods, Commentary 2015, edited by the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan), after which the phosphorus content was determined using the molybdenum blue absorbance method (based on the quantification of phosphorus using molybdic acid described in the Food Ingredients Testing Methods, Hygienic Testing Methods, Commentary 2015, edited by the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan). The phospholipid content (g) in 100g of dairy raw material was calculated from the calculated phosphorus content using the following formula. Phospholipids (g / 100g) = [phosphorus content (μg) / dairy raw material amount (g)] x 25.4 x (0.1 / 1000)

[0011] In this specification, the peak area of ​​a component with a retention index of 953 (hereinafter also referred to as "RI953 component") measured by the following measurement method (X) is used as an index of the strength of the buttery taste of a milk fat-containing food. The following measurement method (X) is a method using gas chromatography (GC). The retention index (hereinafter also referred to as RI) of the alkane standard substance is expressed as a value 100 times the number of carbon atoms based on the definition of retention index. In the following measurement method (X), the peak area of ​​n-nonane (RI=900) present at 0.2 ppm in the headspace during measurement is 145100, and the peak area of ​​n-decane (RI=1000) present at 0.8 ppm is 348600. [Measurement method (X)] 5 g of sample (milk fat-containing food) is placed in a vial (20 mL headspace vial) and heated at 60°C for 45 minutes to transfer the aroma to the headspace. 5 mL of headspace gas is sampled and analyzed by gas chromatography using a gas chromatograph system equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID) (e.g., Alpha Moss Japan's product name "Flash GC Nose HERACLES II") under the following measurement conditions. The retention index (RI) is determined using alkanes with carbon numbers of 6 to 16 using analysis software (e.g., Alpha Moss Japan's product name "Alpha Soft"). (Measurement conditions) Column: MXT-WAX (φ0.18mm×10m) Carrier gas: Hydrogen Sample volume: 5g (20mL headspace vial) Incubation: 60℃, 45 min Headspace injection volume: 5mL Syringe temperature: 70℃ Trap temperature: 60℃ Detector (FID) temperature: 270℃ Column heating conditions: 40℃ (10s) to 250℃ (60s) 1.5℃ / second

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. <Butter> In this specification, butter means butter as defined in the Ministerial Ordinance on Milk and Dairy Products (Ministry of Health and Welfare Ordinance No. 52, December 27, 1951), i.e. butter with a milk fat content of 80% or more and a moisture content of 17.0% or less.

[0013] Generally, butter is produced, for example, by the process shown in Figure 1. First, the starting material, milk, is centrifuged in a centrifuge (step a). This separates it into skim milk and cream (for example, about 40% milk fat). The resulting cream is churned to form lumps of milk fat (butter granules) (step b). In churning, the cream is stirred to partially destroy the membrane on the surface of the milk fat globules, and the fat contained in the milk fat globules is coagulated to form milk fat lumps. The milk fat lumps thus formed become butter. The aqueous phase remaining after the milk fat lumps are separated is buttermilk.

[0014] <Butter aqueous fraction> Butter aqueous fraction used in this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "butter water phase fraction") The butter aqueous fraction is a fraction that is generated when butter oils are separated from butter. The butter that is the raw material for the butter aqueous fraction may be a common butter or a commercially available product. From the viewpoint of flavor, unsalted butter is preferred. FIG. 2 is a schematic process diagram showing an example of a process for obtaining a butter water phase fraction from butter. First, butter is heated and melted to make it liquid (step c). Next, the liquid butter is centrifuged to concentrate the milk fat (step d). Milk fat concentrated to a moisture content of 0.5% or less is called butter oil, and the remainder after separating the butter oil is called the butter aqueous fraction. Butter oils can be stored at room temperature (step e). They can also be stored refrigerated.

[0015] Since it is difficult to store the water phase fraction of butter at room temperature as it is, it is processed for preservation (preservation processing) as necessary (step f). For example, the water phase fraction of butter can only be stored for about one day if it is in a liquid state as it is. Examples of processing for storage include a method of making a solid (dried product) using a drying method such as freeze-drying, spray drying, or aeration drying, a method of freezing the product to make a frozen product and storing it in a freezer, a method of concentrating the product to make a concentrated product and storing it in a refrigerator, etc. From the viewpoint of cost, the method of drying the product to make it into a solid form is preferable because it can be stored at room temperature. When the aqueous butter phase fraction obtained in the process for producing butter oils is used immediately for the production of milk fat-containing foods, no processing for preservation is required.

[0016] In the method for obtaining butter oils from cream described later, the aqueous phase fraction other than the butter oils is buttermilk. This buttermilk does not correspond to the butter aqueous phase fraction used in the present embodiment. The buttermilk and the butter aqueous phase fraction have different compositions. Specifically, the content of milk fat membrane components in buttermilk products is generally about 1 to 5%, whereas the content of milk fat membrane components in the butter aqueous phase fraction obtained from butter is high, ranging from more than 5% to 20%. For example, in the process shown in Figure 1, when cream is separated into butter and buttermilk, the milk fat membrane components present at the interface of the fat globules are contained in large amounts in butter and in small amounts in buttermilk. In addition, the milk fat membrane destroyed by churning during butter production is contained in large amounts in the aqueous phase of the butter. For example, in the process shown in Figure 2, the butter aqueous phase fraction separated from butter contains a large amount of milk fat film components that are not found in the aqueous phase of buttermilk or regular cream.

[0017] Moreover, the butter aqueous phase fraction has a higher phospholipid content than the buttermilks. For example, the phospholipid content relative to the solid content of the butter aqueous phase fraction is more than 1.5% and 15% or less, preferably 2 to 15%, whereas the phospholipid content relative to the solid content (solid content derived from milk) of the buttermilks is usually 0.5 to 1.5%.

[0018] <Butter oils> The butter oils used in this embodiment are fat compositions containing milk fat with a water content of 0.5% or less, which are obtained by removing almost all components other than milk fat from butter or cream. Since butter oils have a low water content of 0.5% or less, they have excellent storage stability and can be stored at room temperature. The milk fat content (milk fat content) of butter oils is not particularly limited, but is preferably 99.3% or more.

[0019] Specific examples of butter oils include butter oil, clarified butter, anhydrous milk fat, fractionated butter oil, ghee, and the like. Butter oil is defined in the Dairy and Milk Products Ordinance as being made by removing almost all ingredients other than milk fat from butter or cream, and has a milk fat content of 99.3% or more and a moisture content of 0.5% or less. Anhydrous milkfat (AMF) is made by heating butter oil to 90-98°C and then vacuum drying it to increase the fat content to 99.8% or more. Fractionated butter oil is butter oil that has been separated into fractions with different melting points by melting point fractionation.

[0020] Butter oils obtained from butter can be produced, for example, by the method shown in FIG. 2 above. Butter oils obtained from cream can be produced, for example, by the following method. First, milk is centrifuged to remove skim milk and produce cream with a milk fat content of 40% or more. This cream is then concentrated by centrifugal force to produce concentrated cream with a milk fat content of 75% or more. The resulting concentrated cream is then phase-inverted and further concentrated by centrifugal force to reduce the moisture content to 0.5% or less to produce butter oils. Butter oils obtained from butter have a higher amount of free fatty acids having 12 or more carbon atoms than butter oils obtained from cream. Specifically, the amount of free fatty acids having 12 or more carbon atoms in butter oils obtained from cream is about 1.6 mg / g, whereas the amount of free fatty acids having 12 or more carbon atoms in butter oils obtained from butter is more than 1.6 mg / g, preferably 2 mg / g or more, and more preferably 2.1 mg / g or more.

[0021] <Method of manufacturing milk fat-containing foods> FIG. 3 is a schematic process diagram showing an example of a method for producing a milk fat-containing food product of this embodiment. The method for producing a milk fat-containing food of this embodiment includes a mixing step (step j) of preparing a mixed liquid containing solids from the aqueous fraction of butter, water, and butter oils, and a heat treatment step (step k) of heat-treating the mixed liquid to obtain a milk fat-containing food.

[0022] As the butter oil, commercially available products that can be stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen can be used. Alternatively, butter oils may be produced using milk, cream or butter as a raw material, and the obtained butter oils may be used as they are, or may be used after being stored at room temperature, refrigerated or frozen. The origin of the raw material milk, butter or cream is not limited to Japan. Butter oils may be unbleached or deodorized or may be derived from bleached or deodorized butter. Butter oils have good storage stability, and are therefore highly convenient. Room temperature storage products or refrigerated storage products are preferred, and room temperature storage products are particularly preferred in terms of storage costs and transportation costs, since they do not require the use of a refrigerator or freezer.

[0023] Since butter oils are solid at room temperature, it is preferable to heat and melt them in advance (step h) to obtain a fluid state and then subject them to the mixing step. Alternatively, step h may be omitted and the butter oils may be heated and melted while being mixed with the butter water phase fraction in step j.

[0024] The mixture contains at least the solids of the aqueous fraction of butter and water in addition to the butter oils. The solids of the butter aqueous fraction and the water may be subjected to the mixing step separately, the butter aqueous phase fraction in the form of an aqueous solution may be subjected to the mixing step, or the butter aqueous phase fraction in the form of an aqueous solution and water may be subjected to the mixing step. In preparing the mixture, it is preferable to use one or more selected from the group consisting of the butter aqueous fraction itself produced when separating butter oils from butter, a dried product of the butter aqueous fraction, a frozen product of the butter aqueous fraction, and a concentrate of the butter aqueous fraction. The dried products, frozen products and concentrates may be commercially available products stored at room temperature, refrigerated or frozen. Alternatively, a butter aqueous phase fraction may be produced using milk or butter as a raw material, and the obtained butter aqueous phase fraction may be used as it is, or may be used after being stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen. The origin of the raw milk or butter is not limited to Japan. Since the aqueous butter fraction is difficult to store at room temperature, it is preferable to use a preserved product. In particular, a dried solid product preserved at room temperature can be stored for a long period of time and does not require the use of a refrigerator or freezer, which is preferable in terms of storage costs and transportation costs.

[0025] The butter water phase fraction is preferably subjected to the mixing step in the state of an aqueous solution in which the solids of the butter water phase fraction are dissolved in water. When using a preserved product of the butter aqueous phase fraction, it is preferable to carry out a reduction step (step i) of returning the preserved state to the state of an aqueous solution, if necessary. Heating may be carried out in step i. The heating temperature in the case of heating in step i is preferably 50° C. or lower, more preferably 45° C. or lower. For example, when using a solid product obtained by drying the aqueous phase fraction of butter, it is preferable to dissolve it in water to obtain an aqueous solution. When using a frozen product of the aqueous phase fraction of butter, it is preferable to thaw it by heating. A concentrate of the aqueous phase fraction of butter (aqueous solution concentrate) may be used as it is, or water may be added to adjust the moisture content. These may also be combined. When the butter aqueous phase fraction is to be used without preservation, the reduction step (step i) is not necessary.

[0026] The proportion of solids relative to the total amount of solids and water in the butter water phase fraction contained in the mixture is preferably 5 to 20%, more preferably 7 to 15%, and even more preferably 9 to 13%. If the proportion is equal to or higher than the lower limit of the above range, a strong buttery feel is imparted, and if the proportion is equal to or lower than the upper limit, mixing with butter oil can be performed smoothly.

[0027] The content of butter oils and the solid content of the butter water phase fraction in the mixed liquid are not particularly limited, and are preferably set according to the milk fat content and buttery taste intensity of the milk fat-containing food to be obtained. The lower the butter oil content, the lower the milk fat content of the milk fat-containing food. The higher the solids content of the butter water phase fraction, the stronger the buttery taste tends to be. For example, it is possible to produce a milk fat-containing food product that has a good buttery taste despite having a lower milk fat content than butter.

[0028] When a milk fat-containing food product with a strong buttery taste is to be obtained, the solid content of the butter aqueous phase fraction relative to the mixed liquid is preferably 2% or more, more preferably 3% or more, even more preferably 4% or more, and particularly preferably 5% or more. The upper limit is preferably 12% or less, more preferably 10% or less, and even more preferably 9% or less, in order to prevent the buttery taste from being hindered by the aroma peculiar to the aqueous phase. In the mixed liquid, the ratio of the solid content of the butter aqueous phase fraction to the butter oils is preferably 3% or more, more preferably 5% or more, even more preferably 10% or more, and particularly preferably more than 10%. The upper limit is preferably 40% or less, more preferably 35% or less, and even more preferably 30% or less, in order to prevent the buttery feeling from being hindered by the aroma peculiar to the aqueous phase.

[0029] The composition of the mixed liquid is the same as the composition of the milk fat-containing food obtained by heat-treating the mixed liquid (step k), except for the denaturation of the components due to heating. For example, the milk fat content of the mixture is the same as that of the milk fat-containing food. If the milk fat content of the mixture is less than 80%, the resulting milk fat-containing food will have less milk fat than butter, as defined in the Milk and Milk Products Ordinance. When a food product containing less milk fat than butter is to be obtained, the milk fat content in the mixture is less than 80%, preferably 70% or less, and more preferably 55% or less. The lower limit is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 20% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more, in terms of imparting a strong buttery feel.

[0030] The water content (moisture content) in the mixed liquid is the same as the moisture content of the milk fat-containing food. The water content in the mixture is preferably 10 to 80%, more preferably 15 to 70%, and even more preferably 40 to 65%. If the water content is more than the lower limit of the above range, the oily feeling is reduced, and if it is less than the upper limit, the wateriness is reduced.

[0031] The mixture may contain components other than the solid content of the aqueous butter fraction, water, and butter oils, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of other ingredients include milk solids such as skim milk powder and buttermilk solids, salts, and sugars. The content of other components in the mixed liquid is preferably 3% or less, more preferably 2% or less, and even more preferably 1% or less. It may be zero. The content of fats and oils other than milk fat in the mixed liquid is preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less, and even more preferably 3% or less. It may be zero.

[0032] The mixing step is preferably carried out by mixing the heated and melted butter oil with the aqueous butter phase fraction to prepare a mixed liquid. The aqueous butter phase fraction may or may not be heated before mixing. Alternatively, the butter oils may not be heated and melted before mixing, but the butter water phase fraction in the form of an aqueous solution may be heated before mixing, and the solid butter oils may be added thereto and melted, and then these may be mixed to prepare the mixed liquid. Alternatively, both the butter oils and the butter water phase fraction may be mixed while being heated, without being heated before mixing.

[0033] In the mixing step (step j), when one or both of the butter oils and the butter water phase fraction are heated, the heating temperature is preferably equal to or higher than the melting point of the butter oils. For example, the heating temperature is preferably 30° C. or higher but lower than 50° C., and more preferably 37° C. or higher but lower than 45° C. If the heating temperature is lower than the upper limit, quality changes such as oxidation of fatty acids can be reduced. The mixing means may be, for example, a batch-type tank mixer equipped with an agitator. The mixer is preferably provided with a double jacket on the outer wall, and mixing is preferably performed while heating or keeping warm inside the mixer by passing a heat medium through the double jacket.

[0034] Next, the mixture prepared in the mixing step (step j) is subjected to a heat treatment step (step k) to obtain a milk fat-containing food. The heat treatment imparts a buttery feel to the food. The purpose of the heat treatment in the heat treatment step is different from that of heat sterilization, and it is not necessary to subject the food to a strong heat history as in heat sterilization. In fact, excessive heat history is undesirable in terms of flavor.

[0035] The heat treatment may be performed by a batch method or a continuous method. In the case of a batch method, a jacketed tank or the like may be used. In the case of a continuous method, a plate type heat exchanger or the like may be used. A homogenization step may be performed before, during, or after the heat treatment step. The homogenization may be performed by a batch method or a continuous method, and a homogenizer, a shear pump, a homomixer, an in-line mixer, or the like may be used.

[0036] In the heat treatment step (step k), it is preferable to heat the mixture to a heating temperature T1 (heating step), hold the mixture at the heating temperature T1 for a predetermined holding time t1 (heating and holding step), and then lower the mixture to a cooling temperature T2.

[0037] The strength of the buttery taste in a food containing milk fat can be adjusted by the heating temperature T1 and the holding time t1. If the heating temperature T1 is low, the buttery taste tends to be weaker, and if the holding time t1 is long, the buttery taste tends to be weaker. The heating temperature T1 is preferably 50° C. or higher, more preferably over 50° C., even more preferably 60° C. or higher, and particularly preferably over 60° C. It may be 70° C. or higher. The upper limit of the heating temperature T1 is preferably 100° C. or lower, more preferably 80° C. or lower, from the viewpoint of preventing a burnt flavor. The retention time t1 is preferably 120 minutes or less, more preferably 60 minutes or less, even more preferably less than 60 minutes, and particularly preferably 30 minutes or less. The retention time t1 may be zero, that is, after the temperature is raised to the heating temperature T1, the temperature may be immediately lowered without performing the heating and holding step.

[0038] The thermal history of the mixed liquid in the heating and holding step is preferably 500 seconds or less, more preferably 10 seconds or less, and even more preferably 1 second or less, calculated in terms of the F0 value. The F0 value is a parameter used as an index of thermal history in heat sterilization, and is the F value when the Z value below is 10°C. That is, when a certain microbial cell is heated at a certain temperature (°C), in the linear portion of a graph showing the relationship between the common logarithm of the number of surviving bacteria and the heating time, the time (minutes) required to reduce the number of surviving bacteria to 1 / 10 is called the D value. In a TDT curve (Thermal Death Time curve) in which the logarithm of the D value (minutes) is plotted against the temperature (°C), the temperature change amount at which the D value becomes 1 / 10 is called the Z value. (See Fujikawa, Journal of the Japanese Society of Food Science and Technology (2002), 3(3), pp.65-78, or RY Murphy et al., Journal of Food Protection (2003), 66(2), pp.242-248.) The F value is an index of the thermal history when the heating temperature is converted to a reference temperature (121°C) and is calculated by the following formula (1). о The value is calculated according to the following formula (2). F value = t × 10 (T-121) / Z (1) F о Value = t x 10 (T-121) / 10 (2) t indicates the heating time (min), T indicates the heating temperature (°C), and Z indicates the Z value (°C). In this specification, the F0 value is a value calculated based on the thermal history from the point when the temperature reaches 50°C after the start of heating, through the heating and holding step, to the point when the temperature reaches 50°C after the start of cooling.

[0039] The temperature (cooling temperature T2) of the milk fat-containing food immediately after the completion of the heat treatment step (step k) is preferably 0 to 50° C., more preferably 0 to 30° C. The milk fat-containing food at temperature T2 may be used as a food ingredient as it is, or may be further cooled to a storage temperature T3 (step i) and stored before use. When a cooling step (step i) of cooling to a storage temperature T3 is carried out after the heat treatment step (step k), the storage temperature T3 is preferably 10 to 0° C., more preferably 5 to 0° C. If it is equal to or higher than the lower limit of the above range, freezing is prevented, and if it is equal to or lower than the upper limit, it is suitable in terms of bacteria and flavor.

[0040] After the heat treatment step (step k) and before the cooling step (step i), the milk fat-containing food may be sterilized as necessary. When the milk fat-containing food is blended into a food as a food ingredient and then the food is sterilized, the milk fat-containing food is not necessarily sterilized.

[0041] According to this embodiment, a milk fat-containing food having a good buttery taste can be produced. Specifically, a milk fat-containing food can be produced in which the peak area of ​​the RI953 component measured by the measurement method (X) is 1000 or more. That is, in gas chromatography using a milk fat-containing food as a sample, when the peak area of ​​n-nonane at 0.2 ppm is 145,100 and the peak area of ​​n-decane at 0.8 ppm is 348,600, a milk fat-containing food can be produced in which the peak area of ​​the RI953 component is 1,000 or more. In order to provide a food containing milk fat with a stronger buttery taste, the peak area of ​​the RI953 component is preferably 1400 or more.

[0042] As shown in the Examples below, the larger the peak area of ​​the RI953 component obtained by the measurement method (X), the stronger the buttery taste of the milk fat-containing food. Specifically, Fig. 4 is a graph plotting the results of the sensory test of butteriness (average evaluation score) and the peak area of ​​the RI953 component for the milk fat-containing foods obtained in Examples 1 to 17 of the embodiment. The horizontal axis is the peak area of ​​the RI953 component, and the vertical axis is the average evaluation score of the sensory test. As shown in this graph, the peak area of ​​the RI953 component correlates with the results of the sensory test, and the larger the peak area of ​​the RI953 component, the stronger the butteriness of the milk fat-containing food. In the graph of Fig. 4, when the peak area of ​​the RI953 component is 1000 or more, the average score of the sensory test exceeds 3, and in particular, an inflection point appears at the peak area of ​​the RI953 component of 1400. When the peak area of ​​the RI953 component is 1400 or more, the average score of the sensory test is 7 or more, indicating an excellent buttery feel.

[0043] <Foods containing milk fat> The milk fat-containing food of this embodiment is an emulsion containing an oil phase containing butter oils, and an aqueous phase containing water and solids from the aqueous fraction of butter. As described above, the butter aqueous fraction is characterized by containing a large amount of milk fat membrane components and a high content of phospholipids. That is, the milk fat-containing food of the present embodiment preferably comprises an oil phase containing milk fat and an aqueous phase containing phospholipids.

[0044] The milk fat content (milk fat content) of the milk fat-containing food is preferably less than 80%, more preferably 70% or less, and even more preferably 55% or less, based on the total mass of the food. The lower limit is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 20% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more. The water content (moisture content) of the milk fat-containing food is preferably 10 to 80%, more preferably 15 to 70%, and even more preferably 40 to 65%, based on the total mass of the food. The content of fats and oils other than milk fat is preferably 0 to 10%, more preferably 0 to 5%, and even more preferably 0 to 3%. It may be zero.

[0045] In the milk fat-containing food of this embodiment, the phospholipid content relative to the solid content of the aqueous phase is preferably more than 1.5%, more preferably 2% or more. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 15% or less. In addition, it is preferable that the content of the milk fat coating component exceeds 5% relative to the aqueous phase of the milk fat-containing food.

[0046] In view of the excellent buttery feel, the milk fat-containing food of this embodiment preferably has a peak area of ​​1000 or more, more preferably 1400 or more, for the RI953 component obtained by the measurement method (X). That is, in gas chromatography using a milk fat-containing food as a sample, when the peak area of ​​n-nonane at 0.2 ppm is 145100 and the peak area of ​​n-decane at 0.8 ppm is 348600, it is preferable that the peak area of ​​the RI953 component is 1000 or more, and more preferably 1400 or more.

[0047] The milk fat-containing food of this embodiment may be an oil-in-water (O / W) emulsion composed of a continuous phase made of the aqueous phase and a dispersed phase made of the oil phase, or a water-in-oil (W / O) emulsion composed of a continuous phase made of the oil phase and a dispersed phase made of the aqueous phase. An oil-in-water (O / W) emulsion is preferred because it can be made lower in fat. The milk fat-containing food of this embodiment may be homogenized. Homogenization can reduce the size of fat globules.

[0048] The milk fat-containing food of the present embodiment can be eaten as it is, or can be mixed with other foods as a food ingredient and used. For example, it can be suitably used as a butter substitute. Butter generally has a shelf life of only about 4 to 6 months when stored in the refrigerator. If the butter is frozen and stored in the freezer, the shelf life can be extended to 12 months. However, freezing requires the use of freezers, which increases the costs of equipment and electricity, and transporting butter by land requires the use of a truck equipped with a freezer, which also increases costs. In contrast, butter oils contain less than 0.5% moisture, so they can be stored at room temperature and have a longer shelf life than butter. The milk fat-containing food of this embodiment is easy to adjust the production volume and easy to use because the raw material butter oil can be stored at room temperature. For example, there are cases where butter is in short supply in Japan due to supply and demand. In such cases, it is possible to import butter oil from a foreign country, manufacture the milk fat-containing food of this embodiment, and use it as a butter substitute.

[0049] The milk fat-containing food of this embodiment is produced by mixing a butter water phase fraction obtained by separating butter with butter oils. As shown in the examples below, the butter water phase fraction itself does not have a buttery feel, and the butter oils have a poor buttery feel. However, by heat-treating a mixture containing both, a milk fat-containing food with a good buttery feel can be obtained. In addition, the strength of the buttery feel can be adjusted by the blending of the solid content of the butter water phase fraction and the butter oils, and the heat treatment conditions. For example, a milk fat-containing food that can exhibit a good buttery feel can be realized, even though it has a lower milk fat content than butter. This allows, for example, the use of a low-fat milk fat-containing food instead of butter when designing a food product's composition, making it possible to conserve milk fat and significantly reduce costs. It is also suitable for diet foods that require a lower fat content.

[0050] The butter aqueous phase fraction, which is the raw material of the milk fat-containing food of this embodiment, is a by-product of butter oil production, and is a material that has been used in many cases and discarded in the past due to its limited utility. By using such a butter aqueous phase fraction as a raw material, the production cost of the milk fat-containing food can be reduced. The milk fat-containing food of this embodiment also makes a great contribution to industry in that it provides a new and useful use for the aqueous phase fraction of butter. In addition, since the solid content of the water phase fraction of butter can be stored at room temperature, the production volume can be easily adjusted and the product is easy to use. EXAMPLES

[0051] The present invention will be described in more detail below using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following, "room temperature" is "25°C ± 3°C" unless otherwise specified.

[0052] <Preparation Example 1: Preparation of butter oils and butter water phase fraction> Salt-free butter (manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry; hereinafter sometimes referred to as "raw butter") was heated to 50°C and melted. The resulting molten liquid was centrifuged for 6 minutes at a centrifugal force of 250×G using a centrifuge (Kokusan Co., Ltd. product name "H-103N") to separate into an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The oil phase was collected as butter oils, and the aqueous phase was collected as a butter aqueous phase fraction. The raw butter had a milk fat content of 83% and a moisture content of 15%. The obtained butter oil had a water content of 0.45%, a milk fat content of 99.5%, and a free fatty acid content of 12 or more carbon atoms of 2.1 mg / g. The solid content of the obtained butter aqueous phase fraction was 11.9%, and the phospholipid content relative to the solid content was 5.4%.

[0053] <Examples 1 to 5> In the present examples, milk fat-containing foods were produced by changing the blending ratio of the aqueous butter fraction and butter oils. Example 1 is a comparative example, and Examples 2 to 5 are working examples. The butter oils obtained in Preparation Example 1 were melted by heating (40°C) and the butter water phase fraction (10°C) were charged into a mixer and mixed to prepare a mixed liquid (mixing step) in the formulation shown in Table 1. Table 1 shows the ratio of solids of the butter water phase fraction to the butter oils in the mixed liquid (referred to as "solids of butter water phase fraction / butter oils" in the table), and the content of solids of the butter water phase fraction to the mixed liquid (referred to as "solids of butter water phase fraction / mixed liquid" in the table). Next, the mixture (15 to 35°C) was heated with stirring to 80°C (heating step). Then, the mixture was kept at a temperature of 80±5°C for 30 minutes with stirring (heating and holding step). After that, the mixture was allowed to cool at room temperature to obtain a milk fat-containing food (room temperature). The milk fat content, moisture content, and emulsion form of the obtained milk fat-containing food are shown in Table 1. In the milk fat-containing food of this example, the phospholipid content relative to the solid content of the aqueous phase is the same as the phospholipid content relative to the solid content of the butter aqueous phase fraction used as the raw material.

[0054] Using the obtained milk fat-containing food samples, a sensory test for buttery feeling was carried out by the following method. The results are shown in Table 1. [Sensory test of buttery taste] Six panelists (No. 1 to 6) were familiar with butter flavor. They smelled the room temperature samples through their nasal cavity and rated them on an 11-point scale from "0 (no buttery taste at all)" to "10 (flavor equivalent to butter)." As a negative control, the flavor of a sample containing 100% butter water phase fraction was set to "0 (no buttery taste at all)," and as a positive control, the flavor of a sample made by adjusting the temperature of raw butter to room temperature was set to "10 (same as butter)." The average score of the six panelists was calculated, and the strength of the buttery taste was evaluated according to the following criteria. The higher the average score, the stronger the buttery taste. A: The average evaluation score is 7 or higher. B: The average score is greater than 3 and less than 7. C: The average score is 3 or less.

[0055] In addition, the obtained milk fat-containing food was used as a sample and subjected to gas chromatography analysis (GC analysis) using the above-mentioned measurement method (X), and the peak area of ​​the RI953 component was calculated from the obtained chromatogram. Evaluation was performed according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 1. A: The peak area of ​​the RI953 component is 1400 or more. B: The peak area of ​​the RI953 component is 1000 or more and less than 1400. C: The peak area of ​​the RI953 component is less than 1000.

[0056] The peak area of ​​the RI953 component in Example 1 was taken as the standard (P1), and the increase rate (unit: area %) of the peak area (P2) of the RI953 component in each example was calculated by the following formula. The results are shown in Table 1. Peak area increase rate = (P2-P1) / P1 x 100

[0057] [Table 1]

[0058] <Examples 6 to 11> In this example, milk fat-containing foods were produced by changing the holding time t1 in the heating and holding step. Example 6 is a comparative example, and Examples 7 to 11 are working examples. The butter oils obtained in Preparation Example 1 were heated and melted to obtain a molten liquid (40°C) and the butter water phase fraction (10°C) in the formulation shown in Table 2, which were then charged into a mixer and mixed to obtain a mixed liquid (mixing process). Next, the mixture (at about 20° C.) was heated with stirring to 80° C. (heating step). Next, in Examples 6 and 8 to 11, the mixture was kept at a temperature of 80±5°C while stirring for the holding time t1 shown in Table 2 (heating and holding step). Thereafter, the mixture was allowed to cool at room temperature to obtain a milk fat-containing food (room temperature). In Example 7, the temperature was allowed to drop to room temperature immediately after reaching 80°C, thereby obtaining a milk fat-containing food. Table 2 shows the thermal history of the mixed liquid in the heating and holding step of each example, converted into F0 value (unit: seconds).

[0059] Using the obtained milk fat-containing food as a sample, the sensory test for butteriness, the measurement of the peak area of ​​the RI953 component, and the calculation of the increase rate of the peak area were carried out by the above-mentioned method. The standard of the increase rate of the peak area was the same as in Example 6. The results are shown in Table 2. The manufacturing conditions of Example 6 were the same as those of Example 1, and the manufacturing conditions of Example 9 were the same as those of Example 4. However, the sensory test dates were different, and it is believed that the difference in the evaluation results was due to the difference within the range of variation in the sensory evaluation.

[0060] [Table 2]

[0061] <Examples 12-17> In this example, milk fat-containing foods were produced by changing the holding temperature in the heating and holding step. Example 12 is a comparative example, and Examples 13 to 17 are working examples. In the formulation shown in Table 3, the butter oils obtained in Preparation Example 1 were heated and melted to obtain a molten liquid (40°C) and the butter water phase fraction (10°C) were added to a mixer and mixed to obtain a mixed liquid (mixing process). Next, the mixture (at about 20° C.) was heated with stirring to a heating temperature T1 shown in Table 3 (heating step). Next, in Examples 12 to 16, the mixture was kept at the temperature (T1) ± 5°C while stirring for the holding time t1 shown in Table 3 (heating and holding step). Thereafter, the mixture was allowed to cool at room temperature to obtain a milk fat-containing food product (room temperature). In Example 17, the temperature was allowed to drop to room temperature immediately after reaching 60°C, thereby obtaining a milk fat-containing food.

[0062] The obtained milk fat-containing food was used as a sample, and the sensory test for butteriness, the peak area of ​​the RI953 component, and the increase rate of the peak area were calculated by the above-mentioned method. The standard for the increase rate of the peak area was Example 12. The results are shown in Table 3. The manufacturing conditions for Example 12 were the same as those for Examples 1 and 6, and the manufacturing conditions for Example 16 were the same as those for Examples 4 and 9. However, it is believed that the difference in the evaluation results was due to the difference in the RI953 component (lot difference) of the raw butter oil.

[0063] [Table 3]

[0064] 4 is a graph plotting the results (average values) of the sensory test of butteriness and the peak area of ​​the RI953 component for the milk fat-containing foods obtained in Examples 1 to 17. The horizontal axis represents the peak area of ​​the RI953 component, and the vertical axis represents the average score of the sensory test. As shown in this graph, a correlation was observed between the peak area of ​​the RI953 component and the results of the sensory test, and when the peak area was 1000 or more, the average score of the sensory test exceeded 3. Also, an inflection point appeared when the peak area of ​​the RI953 component was 1400. When the peak area of ​​the RI953 component was 1400 or more, the average score of the sensory test was 7 or more, and the result was that the buttery taste was strong.

[0065] 5 is a graph plotting the results (average values) of the sensory test for butteriness and the increase rate of the peak area of ​​the RI953 component for the milk fat-containing foods obtained in Examples 1 to 5, 6 to 11, and 12 to 17. The horizontal axis represents the increase rate of the peak area of ​​the RI953 component, and the vertical axis represents the average score of the sensory test. As shown in this graph, there was a correlation between the rate of increase in the peak area of ​​the RI953 component and the results of the sensory test. The greater the rate of increase in the peak area, the higher the sensory test score and the stronger the buttery taste.

[0066] As shown in the results in Table 1, in a milk fat-containing food produced by heat-treating a mixture of the oil phase (butter oils) and aqueous phase (butter aqueous fraction) of butter, the milk fat content decreased and the buttery feel improved as the proportion of the butter aqueous fraction increased. The milk fat-containing foods of Examples 2 to 5 had a good buttery feel, even though they had a lower milk fat content than the raw material butter (Reference Example 1). In particular, the milk fat-containing foods of Examples 4 and 5 had a strong buttery taste, and the peak area of ​​the RI953 component was larger than that of the raw material butter.

[0067] As shown in the results in Table 2, there was a tendency for the buttery flavor to weaken if the holding time t1 in the heat treatment was too long. The milk fat-containing foods of Examples 7 to 11 had a good buttery taste. In particular, the milk fat-containing foods of Examples 7 to 9 had a strong buttery taste, and the peak area of ​​the RI953 component was 1400 or more.

[0068] As shown in the results in Table 3, there was a tendency for the buttery flavor to be weakened when the heating temperature T1 in the heat treatment was too low. The milk fat-containing foods of Examples 13 to 17 had a good buttery taste. In particular, the milk fat-containing foods of Examples 14 to 17 had a strong buttery taste, and the peak area of ​​the RI953 component was 1400 or more.

[0069] <Example 18> A mixture of butter oils and a butter water phase fraction was prepared in the same manner as in Example 4. The mixture was used as a sample without heat treatment, and a sensory test for buttery feeling was carried out by the above-mentioned method. The buttery feeling was evaluated as 3. In other words, it was found that a buttery feeling was imparted by heat treatment of the mixture.

[0070] <Example 19> This example is a production example in which a milk fat-containing food was produced using a dried product of an aqueous fraction of butter. 2 kg of the butter aqueous phase fraction obtained in Preparation Example 1 was placed in a freeze-drying apparatus (Kyowa Vacuum Technology Co., Ltd., product name RL-B04), frozen by cooling to -40°C, and freeze-dried by raising the temperature to 30°C over 2 days under a reduced pressure of 8 Pa to obtain a powder (dried butter aqueous fraction). The obtained powder was dissolved in water to prepare an aqueous solution with a solid content of 12%. A milk fat-containing food was obtained in the same manner as in Example 4, except that the obtained aqueous solution was used as the butter aqueous fraction. The obtained milk fat-containing food was an O / W emulsion with a good butter flavor. [Industrial Applicability]

[0071] To provide an inexpensive milk fat-containing food that can be used as a butter substitute while taking advantage of the advantage of butter oils that they have good storage stability. Preferably, a milk fat-containing food product can be provided that has a good buttery feel even with a small amount of milk fat. By proposing a new method for utilizing the aqueous fraction of butter, which was previously discarded, the scope of effective use of the aqueous fraction of butter can be expanded.

Claims

1. The method for producing a butter substitute comprises heat-treating a mixture containing a solid content of an aqueous butter fraction produced when butter oils are separated from butter, water, and butter oils having a moisture content of 0.5% by mass or less, to obtain a milk fat-containing food for use as a butter substitute.

2. The method for producing a butter substitute according to claim 1, wherein the mixed liquid is prepared using one or more selected from the group consisting of the butter aqueous fraction, a dried product of the butter aqueous fraction, a frozen product of the butter aqueous fraction, and a concentrate of the butter aqueous fraction.

3. The method for producing a butter substitute according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the butter oils is 80% by mass or less, the content of the solid content of the butter aqueous fraction is 2% by mass or more, and the content of water is 10 to 80% by mass, relative to the mixed liquid.

4. In the heat treatment, the mixture is heated to a heating temperature T1, The method for producing a butter substitute according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating temperature T1 is 50°C or higher.

5. The method for producing a butter substitute according to claim 4, wherein the mixed liquid is heated to the heating temperature T1 and then held at the heating temperature T1 for a holding time t1, and the holding time t1 is 120 minutes or less.

6. A method for producing a butter substitute described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the content of fats and oils other than milk fat in the mixed liquid is 10 mass% or less.

7. A method for producing a butter substitute described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the content of the solids of the butter aqueous fraction, the water, and other components other than the butter oils in the mixed liquid is 3 mass% or less.

8. A method for producing a butter substitute described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the ratio of solids of the aqueous butter fraction to the butter oils in the mixed liquid is 3% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.

9. A method for producing a butter substitute described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the solid content of the aqueous butter fraction is 2% by mass or more and the milk fat content is 10% by mass or more in the mixed liquid.

10. A method for obtaining a milk fat-containing food for use as a butter substitute, comprising heat-treating a mixture consisting of only water, a solid fraction of an aqueous fraction of butter, and butter oils, which is generated during the separation of butter oils from butter, the method comprising the steps of: In gas chromatography using the milk fat-containing food as a sample, when the peak area of ​​n-nonane at 0.2 ppm is 145100 and the peak area of ​​n-decane at 0.8 ppm is 348600, the peak area of ​​a component having a retention index of 953 is 1000 or more.

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