Soybean protein granule

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a protein granulated material containing soy protein as a main ingredient, wherein the average particle size is 150-220 μm, the uniformity U is 0.58 or less, the content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder having a particle size of at least 300 μm is 27% or less, and the content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder having a particle size of at most 100 μm is 30% or less.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to protein granules, and particularly to protein granules containing soy protein as a main component.

Background Art

[0002] Soy protein can be obtained by degreasing soybeans and then extracting them with, for example, an alkaline solution and subjecting them to a precipitation step under acidic conditions.

[0003] Soy protein is used as a protein source for sports nutrition foods, diet foods, etc. However, when soy protein is attempted to be dissolved in water as it is, the surface of the powder mass becomes sticky like candy, forming lumps and clumps. Once it forms lumps, it becomes difficult to dissolve it without carefully breaking up the lumps.

[0004] Generally, in order to enhance the water solubility of powder raw materials, a method of granulating them into granules to improve sedimentation properties and make them easily dispersible or soluble in water is known. However, when soy protein is present at a high concentration in the powder raw material, there is a problem that even when granulated, the sedimentation property in water is still poor and it is difficult to improve the solubility in water. Therefore, a large amount of undissolved protein occurs, and the sticky undissolved protein may adhere to the oral cavity during oral ingestion, making it difficult to drink.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, for example, in Patent Document 1, a method of using water-soluble polysaccharides and sugar alcohols as binders has been proposed. Also, in Patent Document 2, a method of using hydrolyzed soy protein has been proposed. However, these methods have not yet sufficiently improved the water solubility of soy protein.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a soy protein granule having sufficiently high water solubility. Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a soy protein granule capable of preparing a protein solution with less undissolved residue and easy to drink by sufficiently dissolving the granule in water. [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0008] As a result of intensive studies, the present inventors have found that in a protein granule containing soy protein as a main component, the average particle diameter and the uniformity U defined below are within specific ranges, and further, the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder are adjusted to specific ranges, whereby the above problems can be solved, and the present invention has been completed. That is, the present invention is as follows.

[0009] [1] A protein granule containing soy protein as a main component, having an average particle diameter of 150 to 220 μm, a uniformity U of 0.58 or less, a content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder having a particle diameter of 300 μm or more of 27% or less, and a content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder having a particle diameter of 100 μm or less of 30% or less, as determined by the following measurement methods. [Measurement Methods for Average Particle Diameter, Uniformity U, Content Ratios of Coarse Powder and Fine Powder] 1. For the granule, obtain a volume-based particle size distribution plotted with the particle diameter on the horizontal axis and the content ratio of the particles on the vertical axis by a laser diffraction / scattering measurement method. 2. The average particle diameter, the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder are determined from the volume-based particle size distribution. 3. The uniformity U is determined by the following formula (1).

[0010] [Number]

[0011] In formula (1), D p is the average particle diameter (μm), X i is the abundance ratio of particles at each particle diameter in the volume-based particle size distribution, and D i represents the particle diameter (μm) of each particle. [2] The protein granule according to [1] above, wherein the protein content is 50% by mass or more. [3] The protein granule according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the average particle diameter is 180 to 210 μm. [4] The protein granule according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the uniformity U is 0.40 to 0.50. [5] The protein granule according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder having a particle diameter of 300 μm or more is 18% or less, and the content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder having a particle diameter of 100 μm or less is 22% or less. [6] After adding 7 g of the granule to 100 ml of water and stirring, sieving through a sieve with a mesh opening of 500 μm, and drying the granule remaining on the sieve at 98°C for 4 hours, the residue amount of the granule is 1 g or less. The protein granule according to any one of [1] to [5] above. [7] The protein granule according to any one of [1] to [6] above, further containing at least one selected from the group consisting of saccharides, vitamins, emulsifiers, and thickening polysaccharides. [8] A food or drink containing the protein granule according to any one of [1] to [7] above. [9] A soy protein-containing food or drink obtained by dissolving the food or drink according to [8] above in a hydrate.

[10] A method for producing the protein granule according to any one of [1] to [7] above, including a mixing step of mixing soy protein powder and other components, and a granulation step of granulating the mixture obtained in the mixing step.

[11] The production method according to

[10] above, further including a step of classifying the granule obtained in the granulation step by sieving. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0012] Since the average particle size, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder of the present invention are within specific ranges, it is possible to provide a protein granule having sufficiently high water solubility, with little residue remaining and capable of preparing a protein solution that is easy to drink, that is, a soy protein granule can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail.

[0015] One embodiment of the present invention is a protein granule containing soy protein as a main component, with the average particle size, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder within specific ranges. The protein granule according to this embodiment (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as a granule) can provide a protein granule having sufficiently high water solubility by setting the average particle size, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder within specific ranges.

[0016] In this embodiment, although the detailed reason why sufficiently high water solubility can be obtained by adjusting the average particle size, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder to specific ranges is not clear at present, it is presumed to be due to the following actions. That is, fine powder with a small particle size forms lumps in water and does not settle, and coarse powder with a large particle size does not allow water to penetrate to the inside and remains undissolved. Therefore, by setting the content ratios of these fine powder and coarse powder to be below a certain value and adjusting the average particle size and uniformity to specific ranges, the solubility in water can be improved. Note that this embodiment is not limited to those having the above actions.

[0017] The soy protein in this embodiment may be any protein contained in soybeans, and may be extracted from soybeans. Also, those purified from raw soybeans can be used. The purification method of raw soybeans is not particularly limited, and conventionally known methods can be used. As such soy protein, those commercially available as food and beverage materials, medical materials, and supplement foods can be used.

[0018] Specific examples of soy protein include soy protein isolate (SPI), glycinin, β-conglycinin, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0019] The granulated product according to this embodiment contains soy protein as the main component. Here, the "main component" means the component having the highest content ratio (by mass) among all the components of the granulated product. The content of soy protein in the granulated product is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 55% by mass or more, still more preferably 60% by mass or more, still more preferably 65% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 70% by mass or more with respect to the granulated product.

[0020] When the content of soy protein in the granulated product is within the above range, a granulated product with high protein purity is obtained. Since the granulated product according to this embodiment has sufficient water solubility, even such a high-concentration protein can be dissolved in water.

[0021] In addition, the upper limit of the content of soy protein in the granulated product according to this embodiment is not particularly limited. For example, it is 99% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, or 90% by mass or less with respect to the granulated product.

[0022] The granulated product according to this embodiment needs to have an average particle diameter of 150 to 220 μm. When the average particle diameter is within the above range, the solubility of the granulated product in water becomes sufficiently high, there is little residue, and a protein solution that is easy to drink can be prepared.

[0023] The average particle diameter of the granulated product is preferably 160 μm or more, more preferably 170 μm or more, and even more preferably 180 μm or more. Also, the average particle diameter of the granulated product is preferably 215 μm or less, more preferably 210 μm or less, and even more preferably 205 μm or less.

[0024] The average particle diameter of the granulated product according to this embodiment can be determined from the volume-based particle size distribution plotted with the horizontal axis as the particle diameter and the vertical axis as the particle presence ratio shown in FIG. 1 by the laser diffraction / scattering measurement method. Specifically, the average particle diameter can be determined from the volume-based particle size distribution based on the following formula.

[0025]

Equation

[0026] Among the above formulas, D p is the average particle diameter (μm), D i is an arbitrary particle diameter (μm), X i is the particle presence ratio (volume ratio) of the granulated product at D i Here, D iThe volume ratio of the particles in the granulated product refers to the ratio of the volume of the granulated product with particle diameter D i to the total volume of the granulated product. Let the total volume of the granulated product be V and the volume of the granulated product with particle diameter D i be V i . In this case, it means V i / V.

[0027] In this embodiment, the median diameter of the volume-based frequency distribution is measured using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer, and this median diameter can be defined as the average particle diameter. As the laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer, for example, the product named Mastersizer 3000 manufactured by Malvern and the attached software Mastersizer 3000 can be used.

[0028] Also, the granulated product according to this embodiment needs to have a uniformity U of 0.58 or less. The uniformity U refers to the value shown by the following formula (1). When this value is low, the granulated product has a sharp particle size distribution. When the uniformity U is within the above range, the solubility of the granulated product in water becomes sufficiently high, there is little residue, and a protein solution that is easy to drink can be prepared.

[0029] The uniformity U of the granulated product according to this embodiment is preferably 0.54 or less, more preferably 0.52 or less, still more preferably 0.50 or less, and particularly preferably 0.48 or less. Also, the lower limit value of the uniformity U of the granulated product is, for example, 0.25 or more, 0.30 or more, 0.35 or more, 0.40 or more, 0.45 or more.

[0030] The uniformity U of the granulated product according to this embodiment can be measured using the product named Mastersizer 3000 manufactured by Malvern and the attached software Mastersizer 3000 as the laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer, in the same manner as the measurement of the above average particle diameter.

[0031] Hereinafter, the uniformity U will be described with reference to FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the average particle diameter (μm), which is the median diameter of the volume-based frequency distribution, is D pLet any particle diameter (μm) of the particles of the granulated product be D i When it is i The volume ratio of the particles of the granulated product at is X i It is represented by. At this time, the particle size distribution of the particles of the granulated product, that is, the uniformity U, can be represented by the following formula (1). The numerator of formula (1) is the particle diameter D of any particle i And the average particle diameter D p The sum of the difference between and the volume ratio X i Multiplied by, and the uniformity U is the value obtained by dividing the sum by the average particle diameter D p

[0032] In addition, in formula (1), the symbol "||" indicates the absolute value. Also, D i The volume ratio of the particles of the granulated product at means the ratio of the volume of the granulated product with a particle diameter D i To the volume of the whole granulated product. Let the volume of the whole granulated product be V and the volume of the granulated product with a particle diameter D i Be V i When, it means V i / V

[0033]

Number

[0034] As can be seen from the above formula (1), the sharper the particle size distribution of the particles of the granulated product, the lower the value of the uniformity U. In this embodiment, as described above, it is necessary that the uniformity U is 0.58 or less, and it can be said that it has a narrow particle size distribution.

[0035] In addition, the granulated product according to this embodiment needs to have a content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder having a particle diameter of 300 μm or more of 27% or less. By the content ratio of the coarse powder being within the above range, the solubility of the granulated product in water becomes sufficiently high, the residue after dissolution is small, and a protein solution that is easy to drink can be prepared.

[0036] ​The content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder with a particle diameter of 300 μm or more is preferably 26% or less, more preferably 24% or less, still more preferably 22% or less, even more preferably 20% or less, and particularly preferably 18% or less.

[0037] In addition, the content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder with a particle diameter of 300 μm or more is, for example, 10% or more, 12% or more, 14% or more, 15% or more, 16% or more.

[0038] Moreover, for the granulated product according to the present embodiment, it is necessary that the content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder with a particle diameter of 100 μm or less is 30% or less. When the content ratio of the fine powder is within the above range, the solubility of the granulated product in water becomes sufficiently high, there is little residue, and a protein solution that is easy to drink can be prepared.

[0039] The content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder with a particle diameter of 100 μm or less is preferably 28% or less, more preferably 26% or less, still more preferably 24% or less, and particularly preferably 22% or less.

[0040] In addition, the content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder with a particle diameter of 100 μm or less is, for example, 10% or more, 12% or more, 14% or more, 16% or more, 18% or more, 20% or more.

[0041] The content ratios (volume ratios) of the above-mentioned coarse powder and fine powder can be obtained from the volume-based particle size distribution plotted with the horizontal axis representing the particle diameter and the vertical axis representing the content ratio of the particles by the laser diffraction / scattering measurement method described above.

[0042] Specifically, the content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder with a particle diameter of 300 μm or more can be obtained from the volume-based particle size distribution based on the following formula.

[0043]

Equation

[0044] Among the above formulas, X l is the content ratio (volume ratio (%)) of coarse powder, D k is any particle diameter (μm) of 300 μm or more, X k is the particle diameter D k means the abundance ratio (volume ratio) of the particles with the particle diameter D i and D i are the same as in the above formula (1). Also, the abundance ratio (volume ratio) of the particles with the particle diameter D k means the ratio of the volume of the granulated product with the particle diameter D k to the volume of the whole granulated product. Let the volume of the whole granulated product be V and the volume of the granulated product with the particle diameter D k be V k Then it means V k / V.

[0045] Also, the content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder with a particle diameter of 100 μm or less can be obtained from the volume-based particle size distribution based on the following formula.

[0046]

Equation

[0047] Among the above formulas, X s is the content ratio (volume ratio (%)) of fine powder, D j is any particle diameter (μm) of 100 μm or less, X j is the particle diameter D j means the abundance ratio (volume ratio) of the particles with the particle diameter D i and D i are the same as in the above formula (1). Also, the abundance ratio (volume ratio) of the particles with the particle diameter D j means the ratio of the volume of the granulated product with the particle diameter D j to the volume of the whole granulated product. Let the volume of the whole granulated product be V and the volume of the granulated product with the particle diameter D j be V j Then when it is V j it means V

[0048] The granulated product according to this embodiment may contain proteins other than soy protein. For example, collagen protein, milk protein, milk protein concentrate (MPC), whey protein, whey peptide, wheat protein, wheat protein hydrolyzate, etc. may be mentioned. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0049] The content of the total protein in the granulated product according to this embodiment is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 55% by mass or more, still more preferably 60% by mass or more, still more preferably 65% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 70% by mass or more with respect to the granulated product.

[0050] Also, the upper limit of the content of the total protein in the granulated product according to this embodiment is not particularly limited, but for example, it is 99% by mass or less, 95% by mass or less, 90% by mass or less with respect to the granulated product. The granulated product according to this embodiment can have sufficient water solubility even when it contains a large amount of protein as described above.

[0051] The granulated product according to this embodiment can contain other components other than the above proteins as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The other components are not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected from known ones according to the application.

[0052] Note that, as described above, the granulated product according to the present embodiment can obtain sufficiently high water solubility by adjusting the average particle size, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder within specific ranges. This is presumably because fine powder with a small particle size floats on the water surface and is difficult to sink into the water, and even if the fine powder sinks, it forms lumps and is difficult to disperse, while coarse powder with a large particle size does not allow water to penetrate to the inside and remains undissolved. Thus, it is important to set the content ratios of these fine powder and coarse powder below a certain value and adjust the average particle size and uniformity within specific ranges to improve the water solubility of the granulated product. Therefore, even if other components other than the above protein are included, the water solubility of the granulated product can be improved by adjusting the average particle size, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder within specific ranges.

[0053] Examples of other components include thickening polysaccharides such as pullulan, gum arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum, and locust bean gum as binders. When a binder is included, from the viewpoints of binding particles to each other and improving solubility, it is preferably contained in the granulated product at 0.05 to 1% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 0.8% by mass, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.6% by mass.

[0054] Examples of saccharides include sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, lactose, erythritol, trehalose, sorbitol, maltitol, xylitol, oligosaccharides, dextrin, maltodextrin, soluble starch, etc. When saccharides are included, from the viewpoint of nutritional design, it is preferably contained in the granulated product at 0 to 50% by mass, more preferably 0 to 35% by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 20% by mass.

[0055] Examples of acidulants include citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, etc. When an acidulant is included, from the viewpoints of nutritional design, flavor, and improved palatability, it is preferably contained in the granulated product at 1 to 20% by mass, more preferably 2 to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 3 to 10% by mass.

[0056] Examples of sweeteners include stevia, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, etc. When containing a sweetener, from the viewpoints of improving flavor and palatability, it is preferably contained in the granulated product in an amount of 0 to 1% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 1% by mass, and even more preferably 0.02 to 0.5% by mass.

[0057] Examples of minerals include calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, sodium, zinc, etc. When containing minerals, from the viewpoints of nutritional design, improving flavor and palatability, it is preferably contained in the granulated product in an amount of 0 to 6% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 4% by mass, and even more preferably 0.2 to 2% by mass.

[0058] Examples of vitamins include fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K and water-soluble vitamin B group (B1, B2, B6, B12, etc.), C, pantothenic acid, folic acid, niacin, etc. When containing vitamins, from the viewpoints of nutritional design, improving flavor and palatability, it is preferably contained in the granulated product in an amount of 0 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 3% by mass, and even more preferably 0.2 to 1.5% by mass.

[0059] Examples of amino acids include valine, leucine, isoleucine, glutamine, lysine, methionine, etc. When containing amino acids, from the viewpoints of nutritional design, improving flavor and palatability, it is preferably contained in the granulated product in an amount of 0 to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, and even more preferably 1 to 5% by mass.

[0060] Examples of flavors include vanilla flavor, milk flavor, fruit flavor, drink flavor, etc. When containing flavors, from the viewpoints of improving flavor and palatability, it is preferably contained in the granulated product in an amount of 0.1 to 4% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 3% by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 2.5% by mass.

[0061] Examples of emulsifiers include monoglyceride fatty acid esters, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, monoglyceride organic acid esters, monoglyceride phosphate esters, and the like. When an emulsifier is included, from the viewpoints of solubility and flavor improvement, it is preferably contained in an amount of 0 to 3% by mass, more preferably 0 to 2.5% by mass, and even more preferably 0 to 1.5% by mass based on the granulated product.

[0062] In addition, cocoa powder, salt, and the like may also be used. When cocoa powder is included, from the viewpoints of flavor and solubility improvement, it is preferably contained in an amount of 0 to 20% by mass, more preferably 1 to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 2 to 10% by mass based on the granulated product. When salt is included, from the viewpoint of flavor improvement, it is preferably contained in an amount of 0.1 to 2.5% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 2% by mass, and even more preferably 0.3 to 1.5% by mass based on the granulated product.

[0063] The above other components may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0064] Among them, the granulated product of the present embodiment preferably contains saccharides, vitamins, emulsifiers, and thickening polysaccharides.

[0065] In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is a powdered food or drink containing the above protein granulated product. The powdered food or drink of the present embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it contains the above-described protein granulated product, and other components may be appropriately selected from known ones according to the use.

[0066] Another embodiment of the present invention is a soy protein-containing food or drink obtained by dissolving the above powdered food or drink in a hydrate. Since the above granulated product or powdered food or drink has good water solubility, it can be sufficiently dissolved in the hydrate.

[0067] The hydrate is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include water, milk, yogurt, whey beverages, milk beverages, dairy products such as processed milk, fruit juices, vegetable juices, and alcoholic beverages.

[0068] The granulated product, powdered food and drink, and soy protein-containing food and drink according to the present embodiment can be in the form of health foods, foods for specified health uses, nutrient function foods, supplements, foods with functional claims, and pharmaceuticals for supplementing soy protein. Since the granulated product, powdered food and drink, and soy protein-containing food and drink according to the present embodiment contain soy protein at a high concentration, the single intake amount of the product can be reduced. In addition, since the granulated product according to the present embodiment has good water solubility, consumers can easily ingest it.

[0069] The granulated product according to the present embodiment is granulated so as to satisfy the average particle diameter, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder within the above specific ranges. Those skilled in the art can set the average particle diameter, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder within the above specific ranges by appropriately selecting various conditions using conventionally known mixing methods and granulation methods described later.

[0070] The granulated product according to the present embodiment can be produced through a step of mixing soy protein powder and other components, and a step of granulating the resulting mixture. Such a production method may include a step of classifying the granulated product obtained in the above granulation step by sieving. This will be described in detail below.

[0071] To obtain the granulated product according to the present embodiment, first, soy protein powder and, if necessary, any other optional components are mixed. The mixing method can be performed by a method generally used conventionally and is not particularly limited. For example, it can be performed using a horizontal cylindrical mixer, V-type mixer, double cone-type mixer, rocking rotary mixer, single shaft ribbon-type mixer, double shaft paddle-type mixer, rotary vane-type mixer, conical screw-type mixer, etc. Also, various components may be mixed and granulated simultaneously in the granulation process described later.

[0072] Subsequently, the mixture obtained above can be granulated by a general granulation method. The granulation method is not particularly limited. Either dry granulation or wet granulation can be used. Examples of dry granulation include the slug method, the roller compactor method, etc. Examples of wet granulation include agitation granulation, spray drying granulation, fluidized bed granulation, tumbling granulation, tumbling fluidized bed granulation, extrusion granulation, etc.

[0073] Agitation granulation is a granulation method in which water or a binder (also referred to as a binder) is added to the agitated particles, and shear, rolling, compaction, etc. are applied by the rotation of various-shaped blades, promoting the formation of cross-links between particles, repeating the generation, bonding (association), and crushing (dissociation) of fine particles, causing particle growth to form granulated particles.

[0074] Spray drying granulation is a granulation method in which a liquid is dispersed in a high-temperature air stream and dried.

[0075] Fluidized bed granulation is a granulation method in which, in a fluidized bed such as a normal fluidized bed, a circulating flow type fluidized bed, a forced circulation type fluidized bed, a jet fluidized bed, etc., while keeping the powder layer in a fluidized state, water or a binder is sprayed to agglomerate and granulate the powders.

[0076] Tumbling granulation is a granulation method in which the raw material powder of particles is tumbled in various containers by the action of stirring blades, spraying water or a binder by spray, generating fine particles by cross-link formation between particles, and promoting particle growth by applying tumbling and rotational motions to the particles. It is carried out using a dish-type (pan-type) granulator, a drum-type granulator, a vibration-type granulator, etc.

[0077] Tumbling fluidized bed granulation is a mechanism that combines the characteristics of agitation granulation and fluidized bed granulation. It is a granulation method in which particles are tumbled, fluidized, and agitated while spraying water or a binder to promote cross-link formation between particles to form granulated particles.

[0078] Extrusion granulation refers to adding water or a binder, kneading, and extruding the powder with imparted plasticity through a screen or die with multiple holes using a screw, roller, etc. to form granules. Extrusion granulation is carried out using a forward extrusion granulator, disk pelletizer, ring die granulator, basket granulator, oscillating granulator, cylinder granulator, etc.

[0079] Among wet granulation, for example, when adopting the fluidized bed granulation method, it can be carried out using a conventionally known fluidized bed granulation device. This is a device that blows a fluid such as air from the lower part of the device to make solid particles (raw material powder) in a floating (fluidized) state, and sprays a spraying liquid such as water or a binder onto it for granulation and drying. As the fluidized bed granulation device, a commercially available fluidized bed granulator can be used. The operating conditions to be adjusted at this time include, for example, the type of spraying liquid, the amount of spraying liquid, the spraying flow rate, the amount of blowing air, the temperature of blowing air, the exhaust air temperature, the damper opening degree, etc.

[0080] As the binder, those commonly used conventionally can be used. For example, cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hypromellose, hypromellose phthalate; starches such as corn starch, wheat starch; synthetic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, acrylic acid polymer; natural polymers such as gum arabic, gelatin, etc. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Also, regarding the usage amount, it can be used within the range where normal granulation is possible.

[0081] For example, when granulating using a fluidized bed granulator, the specific average particle size, uniformity U, and the content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder in this embodiment can be specifically realized by adjusting the air supply amount, air supply temperature, binder flow rate, binder droplet diameter, etc.

[0082] The following specifically exemplifies the granulation conditions when using a fluidized bed granulator. Size at the time of introducing soy protein: 80 - 100 μm Amount at the time of introducing soy protein: 100 - 500 g Feeding temperature (granulation): 50 - 100 °C Feeding temperature (drying): 50 - 100 °C Feeding air volume (granulation): 0.2 - 0.8 m 3 / min Feeding air volume (drying): 0.2 - 0.8 m 3 / min Binder flow rate: 10 - 50 g / min Binder addition amount: 30 - 500 g Spray air flow rate: 10 - 40 L / min Granulation time: 5 min - 30 min

[0083] In addition, if necessary, the granulated product obtained above can be further classified by sieving, and the average particle size, uniformity U, content ratio of coarse powder and fine powder of the granulated product can be adjusted within the ranges defined in the present invention.

[0084] The granulated product according to this embodiment obtained in this way has sufficient water solubility and is easy to drink when taken orally. For example, after adding 7 g of the granulated product to a container containing 100 ml of water and stirring, and then sieving through a sieve with an aperture of 500 μm, when the granulated product remaining on the sieve is dried at 98 °C for 4 hours, the residue amount (dry weight) of the granulated product is 1 g or less, preferably 0.9 g or less, more preferably 0.8 g or less, and even more preferably 0.7 g or less. Since the residue amount of the granulated product is within the above range, there is little undissolved residue and it is easy to drink.

Examples

[0085] Hereinafter, the present invention will be further described with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0086] 〔Measurement method〕 The measurement methods used in this example will be described below.

[0087] [Average particle size, uniformity U, content ratio of coarse powder and fine powder] Using the Mastersizer 3000 (manufactured by Malvern) and the attached software Mastersizer 3000 of the laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution measuring device, a volume-based particle size distribution was obtained by plotting the horizontal axis as the particle diameter and the vertical axis as the abundance ratio of the particles. As the measurement conditions, the hopper gap was 3.5 mm, the feeder intensity was 20 - 40%, and the air pressure for powder conveyance was 0.2 bar. From the obtained volume-based particle size distribution, the average particle diameter (median diameter), the content ratio of coarse powder with a particle diameter of 300 μm or more, and the content ratio of fine powder with a particle diameter of 100 μm or less were determined. Also, the uniformity U was determined from the following formula (1) based on the obtained volume-based particle size distribution.

[0088]

Equation

[0089] In formula (1), D p is the average particle diameter (μm), X i is the abundance ratio of the particles at each particle diameter in the volume-based particle size distribution, and D i represents the particle diameter (μm) of each particle.

[0090] 〔Production Example 1〕 A soybean protein-containing composition 1 before granulation was prepared by mixing the following components. Purified soybean protein (trade name HD101R, manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) Maltodextrin Cocoa powder Table salt Sweetener Vitamin mixture (containing vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, K, pantothenic acid, folic acid, niacin)

[0091] The prepared composition 1 was introduced into a fluidized bed granulator together with an emulsifier (polyglycerin fatty acid ester), which is a liquid component (binder), and an aqueous solution of thickening polysaccharides (pullulan and gum arabic) to obtain a granulated product having the composition shown in Table 1. By changing the binder addition amount, spray air flow rate, etc., eight types of granulated products A - H shown in Table 2 were obtained. The particle size of the above composition 1 before granulation was 80 to 100 μm, and the granulation time was 20 minutes.

[0092] Subsequently, the water-solubilities of the obtained granulated products A to H were evaluated by the following method. 7 g of the granulated product was added to a 300 ml beaker containing 100 ml of water at 25°C, and stirred for 10 seconds at a peripheral speed of 0.25 m / sec by a stirrer. After stirring, the granulated product was sieved through a sieve with an opening size of 500 μm. The granulated product remaining on the sieve was dried in a thermostat at 98°C for 4 hours, and the residue amount (dry weight) was measured to evaluate the water-solubility. The results are shown in Table 2 and Figure 2 below.

[0093]

Table 1

[0094]

Table 2

[0095] From the results in Table 2 and Figure 2, it was found that in the granulated products E and F with an average particle size in the range of 150 to 220 μm, the residue weight was 1 g or less, indicating excellent water-solubility.

[0096] 〔Production Example 2〕 In Production Example 2, the average particle sizes were roughly made uniform, and the difference in the residue weight due to the uniformity U was confirmed. The above composition 1 prepared in Production Example 1 was introduced into a fluidized bed granulator together with an emulsifier as a liquid component (binder) and an aqueous solution of a thickening polysaccharide. By changing the binder addition amount, spray air flow rate, etc., four types of granulated products (I to L) shown in Table 3 were obtained. Also, in the same manner as in Production Example 1, the water-solubilities of the obtained granulated products I to L were evaluated. The results are shown in Table 3 and Figure 3 below.

[0097]

Table 3

[0098] From the results in Table 3 and Figure 3, it was found that for the granulated products with an average particle diameter in the range of 150 to 220 μm, the granulated products I and J with a uniformity U of 0.58 or less had a residue weight of 1 g or less and exhibited excellent water solubility.

[0099] [Production Example 3] In Production Example 3, the difference in the residue weight due to the content ratio (volume ratio) of the coarse powder with a particle diameter of 300 μm or more was confirmed. The above composition 1 prepared in Production Example 1 was introduced into a fluidized bed granulator together with an emulsifier as a liquid component (binder) and an aqueous solution of a thickening polysaccharide. By changing the binder addition amount, spray air flow rate, etc., four types of granulated products (M to P) shown in Table 4 were obtained. Also, in the same manner as in Production Example 1, the obtained granulated products M to P were evaluated for water solubility. The results are shown in Table 4 and Figure 4 below.

[0100]

Table 4

[0101] From the results in Table 4 and Figure 4, for the granulated products with an average particle diameter in the range of 150 to 220 μm and a uniformity U of 0.58 or less, the granulated products M and N with a content ratio (volume ratio) of the coarse powder of 27% or less had a residue weight of 1 g or less and exhibited excellent water solubility.

[0102] [Production Example 4] In Production Example 4, the difference in the residue weight due to the content ratio (volume ratio) of the fine powder with a particle diameter of 100 μm or less was confirmed. The above composition 1 prepared in Production Example 1 was introduced into a fluidized bed granulator together with an emulsifier as a liquid component (binder) and an aqueous solution of a thickening polysaccharide. By changing the binder addition amount, spray air flow rate, etc., three types of granulated products (Q to S) shown in Table 5 were obtained. Note that the granulated product M in Table 5 is the same as that prepared in Production Example 3. Also, in the same manner as in Production Example 1, the obtained granulated products M, Q to S were evaluated for water solubility. The results are shown in Table 5 and Figure 5 below.

[0103]

Table 5

[0104] From the results in Table 5 and Figure 5, it was found that in the granulated product where the average particle diameter is in the range of 150 to 220 μm and the uniformity U is 0.58 or less, the granulated product M with the content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder being 30% or less has a residue weight of 1 g or less and exhibits excellent water solubility.

[0105] From the above results, it was confirmed that a protein granulated product containing soy protein as a main component, having an average particle diameter of 150 to 220 μm, a uniformity U of 0.58 or less, a content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder with a particle diameter of 300 μm or more of 27% or less, and a content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder with a particle diameter of 100 μm or less of 30% or less, exhibits sufficiently high solubility in water, has little residue, and can prepare a protein solution that is easy to drink.

[0106] As described above, various embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modification examples or correction examples within the scope described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that those also belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Also, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention, the respective components in the above embodiments may be arbitrarily combined.

[0107] Note that this application is based on a Japanese patent application filed on September 20, 2019 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-172260), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A protein granule containing soybean protein as a main component, having an average particle diameter of 150 to 220 μm as determined by the following measurement method, a uniformity U of 0.58 or less, a content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder having a particle diameter of 300 μm or more of 27% or less, and a content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder having a particle diameter of 100 μm or less of 30% or less, containing more than 0% by mass and 3% by mass or less of an emulsifier, wherein the emulsifier is at least one selected from the group consisting of monoglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, monoglycerin organic acid ester, and monoglycerin phosphate ester. [Measurement method for average particle diameter, uniformity U, content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder] 1. For the granule, obtain a volume-based particle size distribution plotted with the horizontal axis being the particle diameter and the vertical axis being the content ratio of the particles by the laser diffraction / scattering measurement method.

2. The average particle diameter, content ratios of coarse powder and fine powder are determined from the volume-based particle size distribution.

3. The uniformity U is determined by the following formula (1). 【Number 1】 In formula (1), D ｐ is the average particle diameter (μm), X ｉ is the abundance ratio of particles at each particle diameter in the volume-based particle size distribution, D ｉ represents the particle diameter (μm) of each particle.

2. The protein granule according to Claim 1, having a protein content of 50% by mass or more.

3. The protein granule according to Claim 1 or 2, having an average particle diameter of 180 to 210 μm.

4. The protein granule according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, having a uniformity U of 0.40 to 0.

50.

5. The protein granule according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, having a content ratio (volume ratio) of coarse powder having a particle diameter of 300 μm or more of 18% or less and a content ratio (volume ratio) of fine powder having a particle diameter of 100 μm or less of 22% or less.

6. The protein granule according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein after adding 7 g of the granule to 100 ml of water and stirring, sieving through a sieve with an aperture of 500 μm, and drying the granule remaining on the sieve at 98°C for 4 hours, the residue amount of the granule is 1 g or less.

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