Oil-containing okara composition

Abstract

Provided is a defatted okara composition containing oil and fat, which has a good soft texture (melt-in-the-mouth) and a good flavor without a powdery feeling. 【Solution means】A composition containing an oil and fat-containing defatted okara powder obtained by mixing defatted okara powder having a median diameter of 150 μm or less and an oil and fat having a melting point of 73° C. or less becomes a powdery composition having a good soft texture (melt-in-the-mouth), a creamy richness, and not remaining on the tongue due to the synergistic effect of the finely divided defatted okara powder and the oil and fat.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a powdery composition containing okara powder.

Background Art

[0002] Okara is a by-product generated during the production of soy milk and tofu. According to the "Japanese Food Standard Ingredients Table (8th Edition) Supplement 2023," the components contained in the undried product (raw okara) are as follows: carbohydrates 13.8%, protein 6.1%, dietary fiber 11.5%, lipids 3.6%, ash 1.0%, and moisture 75.5%, making it highly nutritious. Although okara powder obtained by drying okara is used as a food material as it is, many of them are not suitable for direct consumption because the particles are coarse, have a size variation, have a soy milk odor or an unpleasant flavor of soybeans, have a powdery texture, or have a rough texture. Therefore, various improvements have been made, such as adding sugars, seasonings, etc., or making the okara particles finer and more uniform.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing oil-containing okara in which okara and oil are dispersed in an aqueous solvent at a ratio such that the crude fat in the oil-containing okara finally becomes 20 to 85 wt%, and then the solvent is removed. Patent Document 2 describes a method for producing an okara-containing food using, as a raw material, a product obtained by mixing oil and fat in an okara pulverized product obtained by pulverizing okara under heating conditions. Further, Patent Document 3 describes a processing method for okara in which okara is pulverized under heat generation by a grinder pulverizer, adjusted to a moisture content of 50 to 85% and a particle size of about 30 to 120 mesh, and then vegetables, processed materials such as meats, and seasonings are mixed into the pulverized okara, formed into a predetermined shape, and then frozen or deep-fried.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a okara powder-containing composition having a soft texture, good palatability, and good flavor, and a method for producing the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present inventor has found that by using okara powder having a median diameter of 150 μm or less and combining it with a fat or oil having a melting point of 73 °C or less, a fat or oil-containing okara powder having a good soft texture (palatability) and a good flavor without a powdery feeling can be obtained, and the present invention has been completed.

[0007] The present invention relates to the composition described in the following (1) to ( 6 ), the food described in ( 7 ), or the production method described in ( 8 ). (1) Okara having a median diameter of 150 μm or less from 30 to 68% by weight and A fat or oil having a melting point of 73 °C or less from 10 to 35% by weight Containing 、 Powdery composition. (2) The composition according to (1) above, wherein the okara is derived from soybeans from which at least a part of the seed coat and / or hypocotyl has been removed. (3) The composition according to (1) above, wherein the dietary fiber content of the okara is 45% by weight or less. (4) The composition according to (1) above, wherein the median diameter of the okara is 20 to 150 μm. ( 5 ) The composition according to (1) above, wherein the fat or oil is a vegetable oil having a melting point of 25 to 73 °C. ( 6 ) 30 to 68% by weight of Okara and from 10 to 35% by weight having a melting point of 73 °C or lower A fat or oil, and a powdery composition having a median diameter of 20 to 380 μm. ( 7)The food containing the composition according to any one of (1) to 6 ) above. ( 8 ) A method for producing the composition according to (1) or 6 ) above, characterized in that okara having a median diameter of 150 μm or less and fats and oils having a melting point of 73 °C or less are mixed and stirred.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] The oil-containing okara powdery composition of the present invention has a sweet flavor due to fats and oils and okara, while the stickiness of the fats and oils as a composition is suppressed. Due to the synergistic effect of fine okara powder and fats and oils, it has a good soft feeling (melt-in-the-mouth) and does not linger on the tongue, yet has a creamy richness. Furthermore, when using okara made from soybeans with at least a part of the seed coat and hypocotyl removed as a raw material, it becomes difficult to feel the unpleasant beany flavor of soybeans, so the good sweet flavor and richness become stronger. Thus, not only is it highly nutritious but also delicious, and it can be further used as a topping or food material for a wider range. Also, the production method of the present invention is a simple process of simply mixing and stirring fine okara powder with fats and oils, and can be produced by an inexpensive method that does not require much labor.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Okara is a solid obtained after steaming or boiling raw soybeans, then mashing and pressing to extract soy milk. The okara powder of the present invention can be obtained by pulverizing this undried (raw) okara or dried okara. In the present invention, “%” means “% by weight” even if the unit is not specified, and “~” described between numerical values means a value including the numerical values before and after, meaning a value greater than or equal to the previous numerical value and less than or equal to the latter numerical value.

[0010] The okara of the present invention may be okara containing soybean hulls and hypocotyls obtained during tofu production, but when using okara produced from raw soybeans that have been dehulled and had their hypocotyls removed, with all or part of the seed coat and / or hypocotyl removed, an oil-containing okara powder with a sweet flavor that has no off-flavors or off-odors of soybeans and is not likely to have astringent flavors can be obtained. Since the effect is enhanced as the degree of dehulling and hypocotyl removal of the raw soybeans increases, it is more preferable to use raw soybeans from which the seed coat and hypocotyl have been removed, such as okara obtained during soymilk production.

[0011] Okara from dehulled and hypocotyl-removed raw soybeans is prepared by heating soybeans from which all or part of the seed coat and / or hypocotyl has been removed by steaming or boiling, then grinding them, and pressing them to extract soymilk. The method for removing the seed coat and hypocotyl from soybeans is not particularly limited, but for example, heated soybeans can be passed through an auxiliary dehulling machine and then a peeling machine, the husk can be separated by air selection, and then passed through a multi-stage sieve device to separate the cotyledons and hypocotyls.

[0012] The okara powder of the present invention is made into a fine powder with a median diameter of the okara particles of 150 μm or less by directly grinding undried okara with a water content of about 70% or by drying it and then grinding it. The median diameter of the okara powder has a range of 20 - 600 μm, and it is also possible to re-grind the okara powder or fractionate the ground okara powder to obtain an okara powder with a particle size distribution having a median diameter of 150 μm or less. When the median diameter of the okara powder exceeds 150 μm, a gritty feeling may be felt when eating the oil-containing okara powder, and the softness and texture become poor. Also, since the lower limit of the median diameter of the okara powder is about 20 μm, the median diameter of the okara powder of the present invention is 20 - 150 μm, and 20 - 120 μm is preferable.

[0013] For grinding the okara, known grinders can be used, and any of a roll grinder, a mortar grinder, an impact grinder, a pneumatic grinder, etc. can be used. The particle size distribution of the present invention was measured by the laser diffraction / scattering method and dry dispersion (particle refractive index: 1.81, dispersion pressure: 100 kPa) using a particle size distribution measuring device SYNC30 (Microtrac Bel Co., Ltd.). The median diameter is the cumulative 50% diameter, D(cumulative)50%, which means the particle diameter at the 50% integrated value in the particle size distribution.

[0014] Okara powder obtained by grinding the okara of the present invention to a median diameter of 150 μm or less preferably has a dietary fiber content of 45% by weight or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, in the dried product. When the dietary fiber content exceeds 45%, the palatability and softness of the resulting oil and fat composition deteriorate. Dietary fiber is abundantly contained in the skin and hypocotyls of soybeans, and the content of dietary fiber can be reduced by adjusting the degree of peeling and / or decotyledonization of the raw soybeans, but about 33% by weight is the lower limit. The dietary fiber content of commercially available okara powder is generally about 45 to 65% by weight.

[0015] In the present invention, oil and fat having a melting point of 73°C or less is mixed with okara having a median diameter of 150 μm or less to produce oil and fat-containing okara powder. The oil and fat to be used is not particularly limited as long as it is an edible oil and fat having a melting point of 73°C or less, and any of animal fats and oils, vegetable fats and oils, or powdered fats and oils can be used. The melting point of the oil and fat is preferably 25 to 73°C, more preferably 29 to 70°C, still more preferably 29 to 50°C, and most preferably 29 to 43°C. As edible oils, for example, animal fats and oils such as butter, lard, pork oil, and head, vegetable fats and oils such as rice oil, cottonseed oil, corn germ oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, refined oils, their high oleic oils, their fractionated oils, hydrogenated oils, transesterified oils, etc. can be used. Further, a mixture of two or more of these edible oils can be used. Examples of the fractionated oil include palm mid-fraction (PMF), which is a fractionated oil of palm oil, and palm stearin. Examples of the hydrogenated oil include palm kernel hydrogenated oil, which is a hydrogenated oil of palm kernel oil. Examples of the powdered fat and oil include powdered rapeseed highly hydrogenated oil. The melting point in the present invention is the value determined by the melting point (rising melting point) in "Standard Oil Analysis Test Methods" edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society, 2.2.4.2 - 1996. The melting point of rapeseed oil is set from -12°C to 0°C.

[0016] The fatty acid composition is closely related to the melting point of fats and oils. Generally, if the proportion of saturated fatty acids is high, the melting point will be high, and if the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, is high, the melting point will be low. Furthermore, depending on the quantitative ratio of fatty acids, it greatly affects the flavor and texture of fats and oils such as the mouthfeel of fat = smoothness (bad ⇔ good), the richness of fat (plain ⇔ strong), the greasiness of fat (weak ⇔ strong), and the smell (easily oxidized ⇔ difficult to oxidize). The quantitative ratio of fatty acids affects the effects of the present invention as follows.

[0017] In the fatty acid composition of the oil and fat used, when the fatty acid content with 12 to 16 carbon atoms is 40 to 75% by mass, or the fatty acid content with 18 carbon atoms is 90 to 95% by mass, an okara powder containing oil and fat having a soft feeling and richness can be obtained. More preferably, it is the case when okara derived from soybeans from which the seed coat and hypocotyl have been removed is used as okara. Also, when okara derived from soybeans from which the seed coat and hypocotyl have been removed is used as okara, in the fatty acid composition of the oil and fat used, when the fatty acid content with 12 to 16 carbon atoms is 40 to 75% by mass, an okara powder containing oil and fat having not only a soft feeling and richness but also a sweeter taste can be obtained. In particular, when the fatty acid content with 12 to 16 carbon atoms is 45 to 70% by mass, an okara powder containing oil and fat with better softness, richness, sweetness, and fluidity can be obtained. Note that the analysis of the fatty acid composition of fats and oils can be performed by gas chromatography (in accordance with AOCS Ce1f - 96).

[0018] The method for producing an okara powder containing oil and fat of the present invention, which contains okara powder and oil and fat, conforms to the conventional method of mixing and stirring raw materials. It can be produced by a simple process of mixing okara powder with a median diameter of 150 μm or less and fats and oils with a melting point of 73 °C or less. When further adding seasonings or the like to this composition, they may be added when mixing the okara powder and the fats and oils, or after mixing, and dried if necessary. There are no particular limitations on the equipment and production conditions used for mixing and stirring or drying, but it is preferable to mix the oil at room temperature or heated to 65 °C or less.

[0019] By combining okara with a median diameter of 150 μm or less and fats and oils with a melting point of 73 °C or less, the texture of the resulting fat- and oil-containing okara powder is improved. When the melting point of the fats and oils exceeds 73 °C, the mouthfeel becomes considerably worse, making it difficult to use as a wide range of toppings or food materials. Also, when the melting point of the fats and oils is low, since it is liquid at room temperature, the resulting fat- and oil-containing okara powder tends to be sticky. When stickiness is suppressed, the flavor is improved, and it is also excellent in handling during production. Therefore, vegetable oils and fats with a melting point of 25 to 73 °C are preferably used. In particular, when using vegetable oils and fats with a melting point of 29 to 70 °C, an effect of easily maintaining a powdery shape can also be obtained when used as a wide range of toppings or food materials. However, even for fats and oils with a melting point exceeding 73 °C, in the case of fats and oils with a high proportion of saturated fatty acids, a fatty acid content of 12 to 16 carbon atoms of 40 to 75% by mass, or a fatty acid content of 18 carbon atoms of 90 to 95% by mass, the softness and richness of the fat- and oil-containing okara powder can be maintained.

[0020] Further, a powdery composition can be obtained by mixing seasonings, fragrances, pigments, excipients, etc. with the fat- and oil-containing okara powder containing okara of the present invention and fats and oils with a melting point of 73 °C or less. Thereby, a composition having a flavor and color according to the use of the fat- and oil-containing okara powder can be obtained. The ratio of okara to fats and oils in the powdery composition is preferably 30 to 68% by weight of okara with a median diameter of 150 μm or less and 10 to 35% by weight of fats and oils with a melting point of 73 °C or less. If the amount of fats and oils is too much relative to the okara powder, the stickiness of the fats and oils may not be suppressed, and if it is too little, the flavor, texture, and mouthfeel of the okara cannot be improved.

[0021] In addition, the dietary fiber content of the powdery composition is preferably 11 to 55% by weight, and the lipid content is preferably 20 to 43% by weight. When the dietary fiber content of okara powder itself with a median diameter of 150 μm or less exceeds 45%, although the palatability and softness of the obtained okara powder containing oil and fat become poor, in the powdery composition obtained by further adding dietary fiber to the okara powder containing oil and fat, even with a dietary fiber content of up to 55% by weight, the palatability does not deteriorate.

[0022] The powdery composition containing okara with a median diameter of 150 μm or less and oil and fat with a melting point of 73°C or less obtained in this way has a sweet flavor due to the oil and fat and okara, and the stickiness of the oil and fat as a composition is also suppressed. Due to the synergistic effect of the fine okara powder and the oil and fat, although it has a good softness (palatability) and does not remain on the tongue, it has a creamy richness. Since it can be made into a composition having flavors and colors according to the use, as an okara powder excellent in texture and flavor, it can be used as a material for a wider range of foods.

[0023] Furthermore, the present invention includes an embodiment of a powdery composition having a median diameter of 20 to 380 μm and containing okara and oil and fat. The median diameter is preferably 60 to 360 μm, more preferably 80 to 360 μm. In addition, a drying ingredient or water-soluble particles may be further added to the powdery composition having a median diameter of 20 to 380 μm to form a powdery composition. In this case, even when the median diameter exceeds 380 μm and is 600 μm or less, if the swelling degree of the powdery composition excluding solid ingredients of 1 mm or more is 1.0 or less and the wet particle size is 250 μm or less, it exhibits the same effects as the powdery composition having a median diameter of 20 to 380 μm. Preferably, if the swelling degree is 1.1 or less and the wet particle size is 210 μm or less, more effects are exhibited. The swelling degree of the present invention is a value obtained by dividing the median diameter in wet dispersion (dispersion medium: water, ultrasonic vibration output 40 W, with 1-minute irradiation) by the median diameter in dry dispersion.

Examples

[0024] Hereinafter, examples will be shown to specifically explain the details of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, when simply described as "%" in the examples, it means "mass %".

[0025] [Preparation of Okara Powder] For okara powders A to J, the median diameter, the content of dietary fiber, and the presence or absence of the steps excluding the seed coat and hypocotyl are shown in Table 1 below. [Table 1]

[0026] [Sensory Evaluation] Regarding okara powders A, B, and F before mixing with oil, sensory evaluations were performed in five grades by three analytical panelists (with a training period of one year or more). The evaluation items are two items: "softness" and "richness". The evaluation criteria for each item are as follows. The results of the sensory test are shown in Table 2. In the table, PMF is palm mid-fractionated oil, and the powder oil is the powder of rapeseed highly hydrogenated oil. In addition, "sweet flavor", "astringent flavor (an unpleasant soybean-derived flavor that reminds of astringency, bitterness, and astringency)", and "greasiness" were also evaluated and the results were described as comments. Hereinafter, the test groups with an evaluation of 3 or more in both "softness" and "richness" were evaluated as "acceptable".

[0027] [Softness] Softness was defined as good palatability and no powdery or rough feeling in the aftertaste. 5: Strongly felt 4: Felt 3: Slightly felt 2: Almost not felt 1: Not felt [Richness] Richness was defined as having a creamy flavor. 5: Strongly felt 4: Felt 3: Slightly felt 2: Almost not felt 1: Not felt

[0028] [Table 2]

[0029] Since the oil and fat are not mixed, none of the okara powders are sticky. Both okara powders A and F have a small median diameter, but since A is okara derived from soybeans with the seed coat and hypocotyl removed, there is a difference, especially in the flavor evaluation, compared to F.

[0030] [Preparation of Composition Containing Okara Powder Containing Oil and Fat] Using each of the blending raw materials shown in Table 3, the okara powder, oil and fat, and other components were mixed and stirred to prepare a powdery composition. For each composition, a sensory evaluation was conducted by the same sensory evaluation as described above. The numerical values in parentheses in Table 3 indicate the melting point of the oil and fat.

[0031] [Table 3] JPEG0007709586000004.jpg107158

[0032] In Comparative Examples 1 to 8 using okara powder with a median diameter exceeding 150 μm, both the softness and richness were poorly evaluated. In contrast, in Examples 1 to 18 using okara powder with a median diameter within 150 μm, although there was variation depending on the oil and fat used, the evaluations of softness and richness were acceptable. Among them, when using okara powder derived from soybeans with the seed coat and / or hypocotyl removed, both the softness and richness were highly evaluated, and the sweet flavor was excellent.

[0033] [Mixing Ratio of Okara and Oil and Fat] Using each of the blending raw materials shown in Table 4, the okara powder, oil and fat, and other components were mixed and stirred to prepare a powdery composition. For each composition, a sensory evaluation was conducted by the same sensory evaluation as described above. The numerical values in parentheses in Table 4 indicate the melting point of the oil and fat. [Table 4]

[0034] In the powdery composition of the present invention, if there is too much oil and fat, stickiness will be felt. Therefore, it is preferable that the oil and fat is contained in an amount of about 10 to 35% by weight, and okara is preferably contained in an amount of about 30 to 70% by weight. Moreover, regarding the oils and fats shown in Table 3 and Table 4, the fatty acid composition thereof is shown in Table 5.

[0035]

Table 5

[0036] It was found that when using refined coconut oil, PMF, refined palm, palm kernel hardened oil or palm stearin having a fatty acid content of C12 - C16 of 40 - 75% by mass, or rapeseed oil, pork oil, or powdered oil and fat having a fatty acid content of C18 of 90 - 95% by mass, an okara powder containing oil and fat having a soft feeling and umami can be obtained (Examples 1 - 26). Moreover, when comparing the evaluation results of Examples 5, 9, 11 - 15, 17, and 18 in which 5% by mass of refined palm was blended, it was found that when using okara derived from soybeans from which the seed coat and hypocotyl were removed (okara powder A, I) as okara, an okara powder containing oil and fat having a sweeter flavor can be obtained. Also, when using okara derived from soybeans from which the seed coat and hypocotyl were removed (okara powder A, I) as okara, in the fatty acid composition of the oil and fat used, when the fatty acid content of C12 - C16 is 40 - 75% by mass, not only a soft feeling and umami but also an okara powder containing oil and fat having a sweeter taste can be obtained. In particular, when the fatty acid content of C12 - C16 is 45 - 70% by mass, it was found that an okara powder containing oil and fat having better softness, umami, sweetness, and fluidity can be obtained. Example 2 (pork oil) and Example 5 (refined palm) are both suitable test groups. Although their melting points are the same at 35°C, the slight difference in the effect in terms of soft feeling, sweet flavor, stickiness, etc. is presumably due to the difference in their fatty acid compositions, suggesting that the fatty acid composition of lipids is involved in the effect of the present invention.

[0037] [Measurement of hexanal in soybean pulp powder] Hexanal is the main substance responsible for the grassy smell of soybeans, and hexanal was measured using a GC-MS "Agilent 8890GC / 5977MSD" (manufactured by Agilent). 1.0 g of each sample was weighed into a 20 mL headspace vial, and 5.0 g of water was added. Next, the aroma components in the headspace were adsorbed onto an SPME fiber by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) at 60°C for 15 minutes, and then measurements were performed. The peak area of hexanal was determined using m / z 56. The detailed conditions are as follows. The hexanal content was calculated relative to the peak area of the control (Okara Powder A) set at 1. Measurement mode: Scan SPME fiber: DVB / C-WR / PDMS Inlet temperature: 250℃ Column: DB-WAX UI60mx0.25mmx0.25μm Carrier gas and flow rate: Hydrogen, 1.2mL / min Cycle time: 63 min Split ratio: 100:1 Temperature conditions: 40℃ (3min) hold → 5℃ / min increase to 250℃ → hold for 10min

[0038] The amount of hexanal (relative peak area value) was 3.4 for Okara Powder B, 2.6 for Okara Powder C, 5.0 for Okara Powder D, 5.2 for Okara Powder E, 2.8 for Okara Powder F, 1.8 for Okara Powder G, 3.5 for Okara Powder H, and 0.6 for Okara Powder I, with Okara Powder A being the reference value of 1.0. Okara powders A and I, which had been processed by removing the seed coat and embryo axis, had low hexanal values, which was presumably affecting the flavor, such as richness.

Claims

1. A powdery composition containing 30 to 68% by weight of okara having a median diameter of 150 μm or less and 10 to 35% by weight of an oil or fat having a melting point of 73°C or less.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the okara is derived from soybeans with at least a part of the seed coat and / or hypocotyl removed.

3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the dietary fiber content of the okara is 45% by weight or less.

4. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the median diameter of the okara is 20 to 150 μm.

5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the oil or fat is a vegetable oil or fat having a melting point of 25 to 73°C.

6. A powdery composition having a median diameter of 20 to 380 μm, containing 30 to 68% by weight of okara and 10 to 35% by weight of an oil or fat having a melting point of 73°C or less.

7. A food product containing the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for producing the composition according to claim 1 or 6, characterized by mixing and stirring okara having a median diameter of 150 μm or less and an oil or fat having a melting point of 73°C or less.

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