Agent for improving the unpleasant taste and odor of proteins

Abstract

To provide a foreign taste and foreign odor improvement agent for simultaneously improving, in addition to specific unpleasant odor such as animal odor of milk protein and soy bean odor of a plant protein, powdery unpleasant foreign taste, a method of improving unpleasant odor of the protein-containing food and drink and powdery unpleasant foreign taste by the improvement agent, and a protein-containing food product in which the unpleasant odor and powdery unpleasant odor are improved by the method.SOLUTION: It is intended to add a foreign taste and foreign odor improving agent of protein which uses quinic acid and spirantol as an active ingredient or a flavor composition containing the improvement agent to a protein-containing food and drink.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agent and method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of animal or vegetable proteins, and further to animal- or vegetable-protein-containing foods and beverages in which the off-taste and off-odor have been improved by adding said agent. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, protein has come to be recognized as an important nutrient, and in addition to being more widely used among the general public due to an increase in the number of people participating in sports, its uses have diversified to include beauty, dieting, and the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders such as locomotive syndrome associated with aging, and the demand is expanding further. In response to this, there is an increasing need for protein-containing food and drink that allows the easy and efficient intake of the required amount of protein, and a wide variety of products such as protein powders and protein bars that contain relatively large amounts of multiple types of proteins are now available in the market.

[0003] Proteins are broadly divided into two types, animal-based and vegetable-based, based on their origin. Representative animal proteins include casein protein and whey protein, which are found in milk, while representative vegetable proteins include soy protein, pea protein, and almond protein. Protein-containing foods and beverages are primarily consumed with the aim of maintaining and increasing muscle strength needed during sports, and so the majority of products contain whey protein. However, with general consumers becoming more health and beauty conscious in recent years, attention has been focused on plant-based proteins, and the market for products containing these proteins has expanded significantly.

[0004] On the other hand, proteins have their own unique odors and unpleasant tastes. Dairy proteins have a gamey smell, while vegetable proteins have a unique unpleasant odor such as a bean smell or dried grass smell. They also have a common powdery and unpleasant texture, which adversely affects the flavor of foods and beverages and reduces their palatability, so methods have been proposed to improve such unpleasant odors and powdery and unpleasant tastes of proteins. In this application, the term "unpleasant powdery texture" refers to a heavy and unpleasant texture that feels like powder clinging to the tongue, and hereinafter this will be referred to as the "unpleasant taste" of proteins.

[0005] A method for suppressing the odor of dairy products and the bean odor of soy milk using roasted barley extract (Patent Document 1); a method for masking the powdery odor of grains such as wheat flour, soy flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, rye and corn flour using sucralose (Patent Document 2); a method for masking unpleasant odors derived from animal and vegetable proteins (unpleasant odors caused by at least one compound selected from the group consisting of methional, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, and o-aminoacetophenone) using various flavoring compounds including 3-menthoxy-1,2-propanediol (Patent Document 3); a method for suppressing the paper odor derived from milk proteins using linalool (Patent Document 4) have been reported. In addition, a method for suppressing the powdery aftertaste derived from milk proteins in acidic milk beverages using malic acid (Patent Document 5) is known.

[0006] However, all of these methods only partially improve unpleasant odors and unpleasant tastes, and the types of proteins that can be used are limited. Furthermore, since sweeteners, flavoring compounds, acidulants, etc. are used as active ingredients, there is a problem that the foods and beverages to which they can be applied are limited due to the influence of their own flavors, and there is still room for improvement in masking technologies for animal and vegetable proteins. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-191826 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2000-152764 A [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2019 / 39490 [Patent Document 4] JP 2019-41685 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2019-41684 A [Patent Document 6] JP 2001-321116 A [Patent Document 7] JP 2017-23064 A [Patent Document 8] JP 2017-23063 A [Patent Document 9] JP 2010-4767 A [Patent Document 10] JP 2011-45305 A [Patent Document 11] JP 2019-187346 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide an off-taste and off-odor improver that reduces not only the unpleasant odors specific to milk proteins, such as the animal odor and the bean odor of vegetable proteins, but also the unpleasant powdery off-taste, as well as a method for improving the unpleasant odor and powdery off-taste of protein-containing foods and beverages using said improver, and further to provide protein-containing foods and beverages in which the unpleasant odor and powdery off-taste have been improved using said method.

[0009] This technology can be widely applied to protein-enriched foods such as protein powders and protein bars, as well as general foods and beverages that use foods containing dairy proteins or vegetable proteins, such as milk, soy milk, and almond milk, as raw materials. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above problems, we discovered that simply adding small amounts of quinic acid and spilanthol to foods and beverages containing dairy protein and / or vegetable protein, so long as their respective flavors are not lost, significantly reduces the unpleasant taste and odor caused by proteins, and thus completed the present invention.

[0011] That is, the present invention is characterized by the following. [1] An agent for improving the unpleasant taste and odor of proteins, containing quinic acid and spilanthol as active ingredients. [2] The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to the above item 1, characterized in that the ratio of parts by mass of quinic acid to parts by mass of spilanthol is 0.0002 to 50,000,000. [3] The off-flavor and off-odor improving agent according to the above item 1, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of quinic acid / spilanthol by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in a protein-containing solid food and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in a protein-containing liquid food. [4] The agent for improving an off-taste or off-odor according to any one of the above items 1 to 3, wherein the protein is a milk protein and / or a vegetable protein. [5] The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of 1 to 4 above, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut. [6] The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of 1 to 4 above, wherein the milk protein is casein protein and / or whey protein.

[0012] [7] A fragrance composition comprising the offensive taste and odor improving agent according to any one of 1 to 6 above. [8] The fragrance composition according to the above item 7, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of parts by mass of quinic acid / spilanthol is 0.0002 to 50,000,000. [9] The flavoring composition according to any one of 7 or 8 above, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended so that the ratio of quinic acid / spilanthol by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in a protein-containing solid food and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in a protein-containing liquid food.

[0013]

[10] A protein-containing food or drink to which the flavoring composition according to any one of 7 to 9 above has been added so that quinic acid is present at a concentration of 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and spilanthol is present at a concentration of 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).

[11] A protein-containing solid food to which the flavoring composition according to any one of 7 to 9 above has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).

[12] A protein-containing liquid food to which the flavoring composition according to any one of 7 to 9 above has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb).

[13] The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of 10 to 12 above, wherein the protein is a milk protein and / or a vegetable protein.

[14] The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of the above items 10 to 13, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut.

[15] The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of the above items 10 to 13, wherein the milk protein is casein protein and / or whey protein.

[0014]

[16] A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 to a protein-containing food or drink so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).

[17] A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of the above items 7 to 9 to a protein-containing solid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).

[18] A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of 7 to 9 above to a protein-containing liquid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb).

[19] The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the protein is a milk protein and / or a vegetable protein.

[20] The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of the above items 16 to 19, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut.

[21] The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of the above items 16 to 19, wherein the milk protein is casein and / or whey protein.

[0015] It is known that quinic acid has the effect of suppressing bitterness and astringency (Patent Document 6), and spilanthol has the effect of reducing the odor of aliphatic fatty acids (Patent Document 7) and improving the aftertaste of milk fat (Patent Document 8). It has also been reported that the combined effect of quinic acid and spilanthol is the improvement of the harshness and metallic taste peculiar to potassium salts (Patent Document 9), the combined effect of vanilla polyphenol suppresses the bitterness, harshness, and astringency of high-intensity sweeteners (Patent Document 10), and the combined effect of monk fruit extract reduces the grassy odor and bitterness of green juice (Patent Document 11). However, it has not been known until now that they have the effect of simultaneously reducing the unpleasant odor and powdery unpleasant taste of milk and vegetable proteins. Effect of the Invention

[0016] The off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention suppresses the animal odor specific to milk protein and the bean odor specific to vegetable protein, as well as the powdery and unpleasant off-flavor, and can therefore significantly improve the flavor of protein-containing foods and beverages. In addition, it is effective even in a small amount that does not affect the flavor of the final food and beverage, making it possible to add a variety of flavors to the final food and beverage, and contributing to improving the palatability of protein-containing foods and beverages. Furthermore, since quinic acid and spilanthol are ingredients that can be extracted from plants, they can be widely used in natural foods and beverages such as vegetarian foods. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0018] [1] Active ingredients in odor and taste improvement agents The protein off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention contains quinic acid and spilanthol as active ingredients. The ratio of parts by mass of quinic acid / spilanthol in the protein off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention is preferably 0.0002-50,000,000 when used in protein-containing solid foods, and preferably 0.001-10,000,000 when used in protein-containing liquid foods.

[0019] (1) Quinic Acid Quinic acid (1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxycyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid) is abundant in cranberry juice and the like, and is widely distributed in plants as quinic acid derivatives such as chlorogenic acid, and can be obtained by methods such as extraction from plants. It can also be chemically synthesized and is commercially available as a reagent. In the present invention, commercially available quinic acid can be used as is, but considering its use as a taste improver in foods and beverages, it is preferable to use a composition containing quinic acid obtained from edible plant raw materials such as fruit juice, tea, and coffee, and in particular, it is preferable to use tea leaves and coffee beans, which have a high quinic acid content and are easily available, as raw materials. Specifically, it can be obtained from tea leaves and coffee beans as follows.

[0020] (a) Extraction method from tea leaves The raw tea leaves are the buds, leaves, and stems of the tea tree (Camellia sinensis var.) of the Theaceae family, and can be used regardless of the variety or place of origin. They can be raw or pretreated. Tea pretreatment methods include non-fermentation, semi-fermentation, and fermentation, and any processing method can be used. Examples of non-fermented tea include green tea (sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, bancha, tamaryokucha, matcha, hojicha, etc.), examples of semi-fermented tea include oolong tea and baozhongcha, and examples of fermented tea include black tea. Any of the tea leaves can be used as the raw material, but black tea leaves are preferable from the viewpoint of the yield of quinic acid, etc.

[0021] The raw material tea leaves are extracted using water and / or a polar organic solvent. Examples of polar organic solvents include methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, acetone, etc., and one or a mixture of two or more of these can be used. If necessary, they are used in a mixed form with water, i.e., in the form of an aqueous solution. From the viewpoint of safety to the human body and ease of handling, the solvent used for extraction is preferably water or an aliphatic alcohol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, such as ethanol, propanol, or butanol, and in particular, water or ethanol, or a mixture of these, is most preferable.

[0022] The amount of solvent used for extraction can be selected arbitrarily, but is generally 1 to 30 times the amount (mass) of tea leaves, and preferably 5 to 20 times the amount. The temperature and time of extraction can be determined arbitrarily, and are not particularly limited, but are suitably 10 to 100°C for 1 to 12 hours, and preferably 1 to 2 hours.

[0023] Insoluble matters are removed from the obtained extract, and the extract is concentrated if necessary, and then the extract is purified by contacting the extract with an adsorbent such as activated carbon, silica gel, or a synthetic adsorbent to obtain a liquid composition containing quinic acid. The obtained liquid composition can be used as it is, or, if necessary, can be used in powder form after removing the solvent by vacuum concentration or freeze-drying.

[0024] (b) Extraction method from coffee beans The raw coffee beans can be any beans without being limited by the place of origin or variety. Green coffee beans contain a large amount of quinic acid as derivatives such as chlorogenic acid, but in roasted coffee beans, chlorogenic acids are hydrolyzed during roasting to produce quinic acid. Therefore, when the raw material is roasted coffee beans, the roasted coffee beans can be extracted with water and / or a water-soluble solvent as is or after grinding, and the resulting extract can be subjected to a purification process similar to that for tea leaves to produce the taste improver of the present invention. When green coffee beans are used, the extract containing chlorogenic acid and the like obtained by extraction of the green beans is hydrolyzed using an enzyme or alkali as follows.

[0025] (enzymatic hydrolysis) Green coffee beans, either as is or after grinding, are extracted with water and / or a water-soluble solvent. Examples of water-soluble solvents include methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, acetone, etc., and one or a mixture of two or more of these can be used, and they are used in the form of an aqueous solution if necessary.

[0026] The extraction method can be carried out under commonly used conditions and is not particularly limited, but the amount of extraction solvent used is 1 to 30 times the amount of coffee beans, and preferably 5 to 20 times the amount. The extraction temperature and time can be determined arbitrarily and are not particularly limited, but are suitably 50 to 100°C for 1 to 24 hours, and preferably 2 to 8 hours.

[0027] After removing insoluble matter, the extract is subjected to a concentration step as necessary and then enzymatic hydrolysis. If the obtained extract is an aqueous extract, it is preferable to use it as is, or if it contains a water-soluble solvent, to reduce the amount of the water-soluble solvent to 5% or less by concentration or the like, and then to perform the enzymatic treatment.

[0028] For the enzymatic decomposition, tannase or chlorogenic acid esterase is used. The type of tannase that can be used is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include tannase produced by microorganisms such as filamentous fungi such as koji mold, yeasts, and bacteria, particularly tannase produced by the Aspergillus and Penicillium genus, preferably tannase produced by the Aspergillus genus, particularly preferably Aspergillus oryzae.

[0029] The type of chlorogenic acid esterase that can be used is not particularly limited, and examples include those produced by filamentous fungi such as those of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Botrytis. Preferably, chlorogenic acid esterase is used that is produced by the Aspergillus genus, and more preferably, Aspergillus japonics or Aspergillus niger.

[0030] These enzymes are commercially available, for example, as products of Kikkoman Corp. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain even higher effects by using these enzymes immobilized by various immobilization methods.

[0031] The conditions for the enzymatic hydrolysis are not particularly limited, but are preferably 30 to 50°C for 1 to 48 hours, and more preferably 35 to 45°C for 2 to 24 hours. A coffee bean extract is hydrolyzed with an enzyme, and after removing insoluble matter, the hydrolyzed product is purified by contacting it with an adsorbent to obtain a coffee bean hydrolyzate containing quinic acid. This is then contacted with an adsorbent such as a cation exchange resin such as Amberlite IR (Organo Corporation) or a styrene-divinylbenzene synthetic adsorbent Diaion HP (Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) and purified to obtain a liquid composition containing quinic acid.

[0032] (Alkaline hydrolysis) When alkaline hydrolysis is carried out, coffee beans are finely ground, an alkaline aqueous solution is added to the ground coffee beans, and the resulting mixture is heated and stirred for 10 to 60 minutes at 60 to 90° C. As the alkaline aqueous solution, an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, or the like is used, and calcium hydroxide is preferably used.

[0033] After hydrolysis, the reaction liquid is neutralized by adding an acid such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, oxalic acid, or phosphoric acid, and then subjected to an ion exchange membrane electrodialysis device. The salt generated by neutralization is removed using an anion exchange membrane with a molecular weight cutoff of 100 to 300 or a cation exchange membrane, thereby obtaining a liquid composition containing quinic acid.

[0034] The quinic acid-containing liquid composition obtained by enzymatic or alkaline hydrolysis is The product may be used as it is, or may be converted into a powder form by removing the solvent, if necessary, by vacuum concentration or freeze-drying.

[0035] (2) Spilanthol Spilanthol (N-isobutyl-2,6,8-decatrienamide) is a pungent component contained in Spilanthes acmella, Spilanthes acmella var. oleracea, and other plants of the Asteraceae family. Spilanthol can be obtained by collecting and purifying the plants, or it can be chemically synthesized. Spilanthol obtained by any method can be used in the present invention, and it is not necessary that the purity is high.

[0036] In cases where the taste or smell of other ingredients does not affect the flavor of the food or drink, the extract or essential oil of a plant containing spilanthol may be used without purification. From the viewpoint of safety, it is preferable to use an extract or essential oil obtained from a plant that has been eaten, and from the viewpoint of practicality such as supply and price, it is particularly preferable to use an extract or essential oil of Acanthus oryzae, which has a high spilanthol content.

[0037] An example of a method for extracting spilanthol is a method in which the flower heads of Amaranthella or Amaranthella sulcata are dried and crushed, and then extracted with an organic solvent to obtain an extract containing spilanthol.

[0038] The organic solvent used for extraction is not particularly limited, and alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, propylene glycol, etc., ketones such as acetone, esters such as ethyl acetate, ethers such as diethyl ether, hydrocarbons such as hexane, heptane, etc. can be used alone or in combination as appropriate. Among them, polar organic solvents such as alcohols are preferred, and ethanol is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of safety.

[0039] The solvent is distilled off from the obtained extract to obtain an extract containing spilanthol.When the influence of the components other than spilanthol contained in the extract on the flavor of food or drink is a problem, it is preferable to further increase the spilanthol content by purification such as distillation before use.The purification method can include molecular distillation, thin film distillation, various types of chromatography, etc., and these purification methods can be used alone or in combination to obtain an extract with a higher spilanthol content.

[0040] [2] Flavor composition The off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be added alone to protein-containing food and drink, but can also be used as a flavoring composition for an off-taste and off-odor improving agent for protein in combination with other flavoring materials for food and drink. The other flavoring materials can be widely used regardless of whether they are natural flavorings or synthetic flavorings, and examples of such flavorings include those described in the Patent Office Gazette "Collection of Well-Known and Commonly Used Technologies (Flavors) Part II Food Flavors" (published on January 14, 2000 by the Japan Patent Office) (essential oils, essences, absolutes, extracts, oleoresins, recovered flavors, carbon dioxide-extracted essential oils, microbial and enzyme flavors, heat-cooked flavors, isolated flavors, synthetic flavors, etc.).

[0041] The above-mentioned active ingredient of the present invention can be added to protein-containing foods and beverages as it is, or as a flavor composition in combination with other flavor materials, by dissolving it in a solvent such as ethanol, propylene glycol, glycerin, etc., as necessary. Furthermore, it can also be used as an emulsion flavor or powder flavor by adding a commonly used emulsifier or excipient in the usual manner.

[0042] The timing of adding the above-mentioned active ingredient to the protein-containing food or drink is not particularly limited, and it can be added appropriately at each stage of the manufacturing process of the protein-containing food or drink. When the manufacturing process of the protein-containing food or drink includes a sterilization process, it is generally added before the sterilization process, but it can also be added after the sterilization process by sterilizing the above-mentioned active ingredient or a flavor composition containing it by membrane filtration or the like.

[0043] The off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention may further contain various additives generally used in foods and beverages, such as antioxidants, salt, sugars, coloring agents, emulsifiers, preservatives, seasonings, sweeteners, color formers, pH adjusters, etc. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent may be in either a solid or liquid form.

[0044] [3] Antioxidants Examples of the antioxidants used in the present invention include mixed tocopherols, ascorbyl stearate, ascorbyl palmitate, γ-oryzanol, and naturally extracted antioxidants, and are appropriately selected and used.

[0045] [4] Sugars Examples of the sugars used in the present invention include sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, etc., and are appropriately selected and used.

[0046] [5] Coloring agent Examples of coloring agents that can be used in the present invention include β-carotene, annatto color, turmeric color, shrimp color, krill color, orange color, chlorophyllin, chlorophyll, corn color, bamboo color, potato carotene, Dunaliella carotene, carrot carotene, palm oil carotene, tomato color, paprika color, Phaffia color, Haematococcus algae color, Monascus color, and marigold color, and can be appropriately selected and used.

[0047] [6] Emulsifiers The emulsifier used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible emulsifier. Specific examples of the emulsifier include gum arabic, modified gum arabic, gum ghatti, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, sodium starch octenylsuccinate, organic acid monoglyceride, glycerol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, Quillaja quilla extract, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, gelatin, sodium caseinate, lecithin, xanthan gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, alginic acid, Sophora japonin, barley husk extract, soybean saponin, Examples include sterols, sphingolipids, calcium stearoyl lactate, bile powder, tea seed saponin, tomato glycolipid, beet saponin, yucca foam extract, and the like. Preferably, one or more selected from polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, starch sodium octenylsuccinate, octenylsuccinic acid modified gum arabic, gelatin, sodium caseinate, and lecithin are used.

[0048] [7] Protein-containing foods and beverages The off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be used in protein-containing foods and beverages that are caused by the milk proteins and vegetable proteins contained in the foods and beverages and that result in the characteristic animal or bean smell and unpleasant powdery off-flavors, such as protein bars and protein powder drinks that have been flavored by blending relatively large amounts of multiple types of proteins for the purpose of nutritional supplementation or strengthening, as well as soft drinks, soups, cooked foods, sweets, frozen desserts, and other foods and beverages with increased protein content.

[0049] It can also be used in beverages that use plant-based milks such as soy milk or almond milk instead of cow's milk, frozen desserts such as ice cream, and meat substitutes (substitutes for livestock meat) made from soybeans and other legumes. In particular, since proteins processed into powder or granules tend to have stronger characteristic animal or bean odors and unpleasant powdery flavors, the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be suitably used in protein bars and protein powder drinks that contain large amounts of these.

[0050] In this application, among protein-containing foods and beverages, those consumed in liquid form, such as beverages (including powdered beverages), soups, jellies, etc., are referred to as liquid foods, and those consumed in solid form, such as biscuits, cereal bars, meat substitutes, etc., are referred to as solid foods.

[0051] There are no particular limitations on the milk proteins and vegetable proteins as long as they are those generally contained in foods and beverages, but examples of milk proteins for which the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be suitably used include casein protein and whey protein, and examples of vegetable proteins include soy protein, pea protein, almond protein, hemp protein, rice protein, wheat protein, oat protein, coconut protein, etc. In particular, the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention can be suitably used for whey protein, soy protein, and pea protein.

[0052] [8] Method for improving protein-derived unpleasant tastes and odors The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of protein of the present invention is characterized by adding the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention or a flavor composition containing said improving agent to a protein-containing food or drink. In this case, if the contents of the active ingredients quinic acid and spilanthol are too low, they cannot exert their full effect, while if the contents are too high, the flavors of each ingredient may have an undesirable effect on the flavor of the food or drink.

[0053] Therefore, the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention or a flavoring composition containing the same is preferably added to a protein-containing solid food so that the quinic acid is at 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the spilanthol is at 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb), more preferably the quinic acid is at 0.001 to 500 ppm and the spilanthol is at 0.01 to 5000 ppb, and even more preferably the quinic acid is at 2 to 500 ppm and the spilanthol is at 10 to 5,000 ppb.

[0054] For liquid foods containing protein, it is preferable to adjust the concentrations of quinic acid to 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and spilanthol to 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb), more preferably 0.001 to 100 ppm for quinic acid and 0.01 to 1000 ppb for spilanthol, and even more preferably 2 to 100 ppm for quinic acid and 10 to 1000 ppb for spilanthol.

[0055] Next, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0056] [Test Example 1] (Evaluation of off-flavor and off-odor of protein) A sensory evaluation was conducted by trained panelists on commercially available powdered soy protein, pea protein, and whey protein (solid foods) and on a liquid prepared by dissolving each of these in 10 times the amount of water (liquid foods).The results confirmed that soy protein and pea protein have a beany smell and an unpleasant powdery taste, while whey protein has an animal smell and an unpleasant powdery taste, and the effectiveness of improving these unpleasant tastes and odors was examined.

[0057] <1> Protein-rich solid foods [Test Example 2] (Effect of quinic acid and spilanthol on improving unpleasant taste and odor) As model samples of protein-containing solid foods, commercially available (a) soy protein powder, (b) pea protein powder, and (c) whey protein powder, each containing approximately 80% by mass of protein, were prepared, and samples in which quinic acid or spilanthol was added alone (Comparative Examples 1 to 6) and samples in which both ingredients were added (Examples 1 to 3) were prepared.

[0058] A sensory evaluation was conducted by four expert panelists, who evaluated the effect of improving the protein's off-flavor and odor using the following criteria. At the same time, a comprehensive evaluation was conducted, taking into consideration the flavor modification caused by the addition of quinic acid and spilanthol. (Evaluation of the effect of suppressing unpleasant tastes and odors) × No improvement effect △ Almost no improvement effect ○ I feel an improvement ◎ Strong improvement effect

[0059] (Table 1: Verification results of the combined effect of quinic acid and spilanthol) [Table 1] The evaluation results for all proteins (a) to (c) are shown in Table 1. Although quinic acid and spilanthol alone had almost no effect on improving the off-flavors and off-odors of any of the protein-containing solid foods (a) to (c), when the two ingredients were used together, it was found that the off-flavors and off-odors of the proteins were greatly reduced.

[0060] [Test Example 3] (Effective Concentrations of Quinic Acid and Spilanthol) As in Test Example 2, three types of powdered protein (a) to (c) were prepared as the base, and samples with different concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol were prepared for each to confirm the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from the protein.

[0061] (Table 2: Verification results of effective concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol) [Table 2] The evaluation results for all of the proteins (a) to (c) are as shown in Table 2. It was confirmed that the off-taste / off-odor improving agent of the present invention is preferably added to any of the protein-containing solid foods (a) to (c) so that quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb), more preferably quinic acid is 0.001 to 500 ppm and spilanthol is 0.001 to 5000 ppb, and even more preferably quinic acid is 2 to 500 ppm and spilanthol is 10 to 5,000 ppb.

[0062] The concentration of quinic acid per 1% by mass of protein is 0.125 x 10 -5 ~62.5ppm (0.125×10 -5 ppm, excluding 62.5 ppm), and spilanthol is 0.125 x 10 -4 ~625ppb (but 0.125×10 -4 ppb, excluding 625 ppb), and more preferably, the concentration is 0.125 x 10 -4 ~6.25 ppm, spilanthol is 0.125×10 -3 More preferably, the concentration of quinic acid is 0.025 to 6.25 ppm, and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.125 to 62.5 ppb.

[0063] [Test Example 4] (Quinic acid and spilanthol blend ratio) As in Test Examples 2 and 3, three types of powdered protein (a) to (c) were used as the base, and for each, samples with different quinic acid / spilanthol ratios were prepared within the optimal addition concentration range of quinic acid and spilanthol, and the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from the protein was confirmed.

[0064] (Table 3: Verification results of the blend ratio of quinic acid and spilanthol) [Table 3] The evaluation results for all of the proteins (a) to (c) are shown in Table 3. It was found that when the quinic acid / spilanthol ratio in the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention is within the range of 0.0002 to 50,000,000, a sufficient off-taste improving effect can be obtained for all of the protein-containing solid foods (a) to (c).

[0065] <2> Protein-containing liquid food [Test Example 5] (Effect of quinic acid and spilanthol on improving unpleasant taste and odor) As model samples of protein-containing liquid foods, the powders of (a) soy protein, (b) pea protein, and (c) whey protein used in Test Examples 2 to 4 were dissolved in 10 times the amount of water (protein content: 8% by mass) to prepare model samples. To these, samples were added with quinic acid or spilanthol alone (Comparative Examples 9 to 14), and samples with both ingredients added (Examples 10 to 12).

[0066] A sensory evaluation was carried out by four expert panelists using the same criteria as in Test Examples 2 to 4 to evaluate the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor in liquid protein-containing foods.

[0067] (Table 4: Verification results of the combined effect of quinic acid and spilanthol) [Table 4] The evaluation results for all proteins (a) to (c) are shown in Table 4. Although quinic acid and spilanthol alone had almost no effect on improving the off-flavors and off-odors of any of the protein-containing liquid foods (a) to (c), it was found that when the two ingredients were used together, the off-flavors and off-odors of the proteins were greatly reduced.

[0068] [Test Example 6] (Effective Concentrations of Quinic Acid and Spilanthol) Using the same liquid protein sample as in Test Example 5, samples with different concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol were prepared, and the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from protein was confirmed.

[0069] (Table 5: Verification results of effective concentrations of quinic acid and spilanthol) [Table 5] The evaluation results for all of the proteins (a) to (c) are shown in Table 5. It was confirmed that the off-taste / off-odor improving agent of the present invention is preferably added to any of the protein-containing liquid foods (a) to (c) so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (but excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (but excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb), more preferably 0.001 to 100 ppm for quinic acid and 0.01 to 1000 ppb for spilanthol, and even more preferably 2 to 100 ppm for quinic acid and 10 to 1000 ppb for spilanthol.

[0070] The concentration of quinic acid per 1% by mass of protein is 0.125 x 10 -4 ~25ppm (but 0.125×10 -4 ppm, excluding 25 ppm), and spilanthol is 0.125 x 10 -3 ~250ppb (but 0.125×10 -3 ppb, 250 ppb not included), and more preferably, the concentration is 0.125 x 10 -3 ~12.5 ppm, spilanthol is 0.125×10 -2 More preferably, the concentration of quinic acid is 0.25 to 12.5 ppm, and the concentration of spilanthol is 1.25 to 125 ppb.

[0071] [Test Example 7] (Quinic acid and spilanthol blend ratio) Using liquid protein samples similar to those in Test Examples 5 and 6, samples with different quinic acid / spilanthol ratios were prepared within the optimal concentration ranges of quinic acid and spilanthol, and the effect of improving the unpleasant taste and odor derived from protein was confirmed.

[0072] (Table 6: Verification results of the blend ratio of quinic acid and spilanthol) [Table 6] The evaluation results for all proteins (a) to (c) are as shown in Table 6. It was found that for all protein-containing liquid foods (a) to (c), a sufficient off-flavor improvement effect can be obtained when the quinic acid / spilanthol ratio in the off-flavor and off-odor improvement agent of the present invention is within the range of 0.001 to 10,000,000.

[0073] In addition, the effects, optimal concentrations, and optimal ratios of quinic acid and spilanthol were verified for almond protein, oat protein, and coconut protein in both solid and liquid foods in the same manner as in Test Examples 2 to 7. As a result, it was confirmed that all proteins were sufficiently effective in improving unpleasant tastes and odors at similar concentration ranges and blending ratios.

[0074] [Application examples for protein-containing foods and beverages] Furthermore, various protein-containing foods and beverages were prepared according to the formulation examples shown below, and the effects of the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention were confirmed by comparing those containing the agent with those not containing the agent.

[0075] [Example 19] Protein supplement (powdered drink) [Table 7] The raw materials were mixed and stirred according to the recipe to prepare a powdered beverage containing protein, and the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the powdered beverage was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. Compared to a powdered beverage without the improving agent, the animal odor and powdery off-flavor of the whey protein were significantly reduced, improving the flavor to one suitable for consumption.

[0076] [Example 20] Protein-enriched drink (soft drink) [Table 8] The raw materials were mixed and stirred according to the recipe, then filled into containers and sterilized to produce a protein-containing soft drink, to which the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the drink was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb.Compared to a soft drink without the improving agent, the animal odor and powdery off-flavor of the whey protein were significantly reduced, improving the flavor to one suitable for consumption.

[0077] [Example 21] Protein-enriched drink (jelly drink) [Table 9] The raw materials were mixed according to the formulation example, the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the beverage was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb, and the mixture was stirred and mixed, then the drink was filled into a container and sterilized to produce a jelly drink.Compared to a jelly drink without the improving agent, the animal odor and powdery off-taste of the whey protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for consumption.

[0078] [Example 22] Soy ice cream [Table 10] The ingredients were mixed according to the recipe, and the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. The mixture was then stirred and sterilized, and after aging and freezing, the mixture was filled into containers to produce soy ice. Compared to soy ice without the improving agent, the beany smell and powdery off-taste of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

[0079] [Example 23] Soy latte [Table 11] The ingredients were mixed and stirred according to the recipe, then filled into a container and sterilized to produce a soy latte. The off-flavor and off-odor improver of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the beverage was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. Compared to a soy latte without the improver, the beany odor and powdery off-flavor of the soy protein were significantly reduced, improving the flavor to one more suitable for consumption.

[0080] [Example 24] Protein bar [Table 12] The ingredients were mixed according to the recipe, and the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. After stirring and mixing, the product was molded and baked to produce a protein bar. In comparison, the beany smell and powdery unpleasant taste of soy protein have been significantly reduced, improving the flavor to make it more suitable for eating.

[0081] [Example 25] Soy chocolate [Table 13] The raw materials were mixed and crushed according to the recipe. After stirring and mixing while heating, the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb, and the product was molded to produce soy chocolate. Compared to soy chocolate, the beany smell and powdery unpleasant taste of soy protein have been significantly reduced, resulting in an improved flavor that is more suitable for eating.

[0082] [Example 26] Soy biscuits [Table 14] The ingredients were mixed as shown in the recipe, and the off-taste and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. The mixture was then stirred and mixed, and molded and baked to produce soy biscuits. Compared to soy biscuits without the improving agent, the beany smell and powdery off-taste of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

[0083] [Example 27] Meat substitute [Table 15] The raw materials were mixed according to the recipe, and the off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was added so that the quinic acid concentration in the food was 2 ppm and the spilanthol concentration was 10 ppb. The off-flavor and off-odor improving agent of the present invention was then added and mixed, and the meat substitute was refined by molding, baking, and heat treatment with steam. Compared to meat substitutes without the agent, the beany odor and powdery off-flavor of the soy protein were significantly reduced, and the flavor was improved to be more suitable for eating.

Claims

1. An agent for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising quinic acid and spilanthol, the agent containing quinic acid and spilanthol as active ingredients.

2. 2. The offensive taste and odor improving agent according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of parts by mass of quinic acid to parts by mass of spilanthol is 0.0002 to 50,000,000.

3. The offensive taste and odor improving agent according to claim 1, characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended so that the ratio of quinic acid / spilanthol by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in a protein-containing solid food and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in a protein-containing liquid food.

4. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protein is a milk protein and / or a vegetable protein.

5. 5. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut.

6. The off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the milk protein is casein protein and / or whey protein.

7. An agent for improving unpleasant tastes and odors as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the quinic acid is (1) quinic acid contained in a purified product obtained by purifying a coffee bean extract, or (2) quinic acid contained in a purified product obtained by obtaining an extract from tea leaves using water and / or a polar organic solvent and then purifying the extract with an adsorbent.

8. An agent for improving unpleasant tastes and odors described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein spilanthol is an extract or essential oil derived from Acanthus officinalis or Acanthus serrata.

9. A flavor composition comprising the off-taste and off-odor improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 8 combined with another flavor material for food or drink (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols).

10. The fragrance composition according to claim 9 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols), characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of quinic acid / spilanthol parts by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000.

11. The flavoring composition according to claim 9 or 10 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenols), characterized in that quinic acid and spilanthol are blended together such that the ratio of quinic acid / spilanthol by mass is 0.0002 to 50,000,000 in a protein-containing solid food and 0.001 to 10,000,000 in a protein-containing liquid food.

12. A protein-containing food or drink (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract) to which the flavor composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol) has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).

13. A protein-containing liquid food (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract) to which the flavor composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol) has been added so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb).

14. 14. A protein-containing food or drink according to claim 12 or 13 (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract), wherein the protein is a milk protein and / or a vegetable protein.

15. The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract).

16. 15. The protein-containing food or drink according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the milk protein is casein protein and / or whey protein (excluding milk coffee containing milk and coffee extract).

17. A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavor composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol) to a protein-containing food or drink so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).

18. A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol) to a protein-containing solid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 5000 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 5000 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 50,000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 50,000 ppb).

19. A method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein, comprising adding the flavoring composition according to any one of claims 9 to 11 (excluding those containing vanilla polyphenol) to a protein-containing liquid food so that the concentration of quinic acid is 0.0001 to 200 ppm (excluding 0.0001 ppm and 200 ppm) and the concentration of spilanthol is 0.001 to 2000 ppb (excluding 0.001 ppb and 2000 ppb).

20. The method for reducing the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the protein is a dairy protein and / or a vegetable protein.

21. The method for improving the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the vegetable protein is one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean, pea, almond, hemp seed, rice, wheat, oat and coconut.

22. The method for reducing the off-taste and off-odor of a protein according to any one of claims 17 to 20, characterized in that the milk protein is casein and / or whey protein.

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