Powder or granular detergent composition

Abstract

To provide a powdered or granular cleansing agent composition which has high storage stability, reduced roughness in tactile sensation, and favorable feeling upon use.SOLUTION: A powdered or granular cleansing agent composition comprises a carbonate, an organic acid, and a surfactant. The content of particles having a particle diameter of 100 μm or more is 30 mass% or more. Among the particles having the particle diameter of 100 μm or more, the content of particles having a hardness of 5 gf or more is 0.10 number% or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder or granular detergent composition. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, foam-type facial cleansers and body soaps have been gaining attention due to their ease of use. In light of this, a foaming cosmetic composition that generates fine carbon dioxide bubbles has been reported (Patent Document 1), which takes advantage of the property that a mixture of carbonate and organic acid generates carbon dioxide gas when a small amount of water is added. It is disclosed that this foaming cosmetic composition can be used as a facial cleanser, shaving foam, shampoo, or body soap. However, because the foaming cosmetic composition described in Patent Document 1 is a mixture of carbonate and organic acid, even in the presence of trace amounts of water, carbon dioxide gas is generated during storage, and water is generated as a by-product of the reaction, causing a chain reaction that results in problems such as swelling of the packaging material and a decrease in foaming ability during use.

[0003] To address this issue, techniques for improving storage stability have been reported. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a briquette formulation that contains polyethylene glycol and polyvinylpyrrolidone to improve storage stability. Patent Document 3 also discloses a bath agent composition that has good storage stability by containing the following components (A) to (C): (A) 25 to 55 mass % of an alkali metal carbonate having 50% or more particles with a particle diameter of 180 μm or more, (B) 40 to 70 mass % of an organic acid having 50% or more particles with a particle diameter of 180 μm or more, and (C) 0.01 to 10 mass % of a poorly water-soluble metal oxide. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1-290615 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-76263 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-155213 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology described in Patent Document 2 uses a polymeric compound, such as polyethylene glycol, that is solid at room temperature. This reduces the instantaneous solubility of the detergent, resulting in a rough texture due to undissolved components, which deteriorates the feel of the detergent upon use. Patent Document 3, meanwhile, relates to bath additives. When a bath additive composition dissolves on the surface of the bathwater, carbon dioxide gas dissolves in the bathwater without dissolving sufficiently, and therefore the bath additive composition must be allowed to settle in the bathwater and remain there for a certain period of time to dissolve. Therefore, the bath additive composition must be composed of raw material particles with a certain degree of large particle size. In contrast, detergent compositions require instantaneous solubility, allowing them to dissolve instantly in a small amount of water in a short period of time. Therefore, using large particles in detergent compositions results in poor solubility, resulting in the same problems described above. Unlike bath additives, detergent compositions come into direct contact with the skin of the face, body, etc., and therefore require a delicate feel (touch). Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a powder or granular detergent composition that has high storage stability, is less rough to the touch, and provides a good feel when used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of further investigations, the inventors have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by a powder or granular detergent composition that contains a carbonate, an organic acid, and a surfactant, and that contains a predetermined amount or more of particles having a particle size equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and that contains a predetermined amount or less of particles having a particle size and hardness equal to or larger than a predetermined value. Specifically, the present invention relates to a powder or granular detergent composition that contains a carbonate, an organic acid, and a surfactant, contains 30% by mass or more of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more, and contains 0.10% by number or less of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a powder or granular detergent composition which has high storage stability, is suppressed in roughness to the touch, and has a good feel when used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention comprises: Contains carbonate, organic acid and surfactant, Contains 30% by mass or more of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more, and The content of particles with a particle diameter of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more is 0.10% by number or less. The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as the detergent composition) exhibits excellent cleaning properties in addition to the cleaning action of the surfactant, as a result of the carbonate reacting with the organic acid to generate carbon dioxide gas when the detergent composition is dissolved in water. The powder or granular cleanser composition of the present invention is primarily used for cleansing the face, body, etc. Such cleanser compositions for direct application to the skin of the face, body, etc. are required to have a pleasant feel when lathered, without any roughness to the touch, and must be instantly dissolved in a short time, desirably resulting in small particle sizes of particles constituting the cleanser composition. However, it has been found that when the particle size of a cleanser composition is small, the effect of adding a moisture absorbent is insufficient, and carbon dioxide gas generation in the packaging material cannot be suppressed, resulting in poor storage stability. Therefore, in order to suppress carbon dioxide gas generation during storage, it is necessary to increase the particle size of the carbonate or organic acid. The present inventors conducted extensive research to address these conflicting needs and found that the hardness and particle size of the particles constituting the cleanser composition are closely related to the feel during use and storage stability. They also found that adjusting the hardness and particle size of the particles in the cleanser composition makes it possible to achieve both good feel and storage stability, thereby completing the present invention. According to the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention, by containing a predetermined amount or more of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more and by controlling the content of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more to a predetermined number percent or less, roughness to the touch can be suppressed, resulting in a good feel when used.

[0009] <Carbonates> The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention contains a carbonate salt. Examples of carbonates used in the present invention include dialkali metal carbonates such as sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate; alkali metal hydrogen carbonates such as sodium hydrogen carbonate and potassium hydrogen carbonate; and the like, and one or more of these can be used. Among the above, from the viewpoint of improving foaming properties, the carbonate preferably contains one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), more preferably sodium bicarbonate. From the viewpoint of improving foaming properties, the content of one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate in the carbonate is preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, and preferably 100% by mass or less, more preferably 100% by mass.

[0010] From the viewpoint of improving foaming property, the carbonate content in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, even more preferably 20% by mass or more, and even more preferably 30% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of improving foam retention, it is preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 55% by mass or less, and even more preferably 50% by mass or less. The carbonate content in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 10% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or more and 55% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less.

[0011] The carbonate used in the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention may be contained in the form of raw material particles (hereinafter also referred to as "raw material particles"), or may be contained as particles granulated with other components as needed (hereinafter also referred to as "granulated particles"), or a mixture of these. When the carbonate is in the form of granulated particles, the carbonate may be granulated alone or together with components other than the carbonate. However, in the case of granulated particles, it is preferable that the carbonate does not contain an organic acid from the viewpoint of storage stability. Here, "free" means that the carbonate is substantially free, and the amount of organic acid in the granulated particles is preferably less than 1% by mass, more preferably 0% by mass. Furthermore, the carbonate is preferably granulated together with components other than the organic acid, such as one or more selected from the group consisting of surfactants, excipients, binders, and hygroscopic agents, and is particularly preferably granulated together with all components other than the organic acid. Granulating the carbonate together with the components other than the organic acid reduces the amount of fine powder derived from the components other than the organic acid, thereby preventing choking caused by the scattering of fine powder during use of the detergent composition.

[0012] <Organic acid> The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention contains an organic acid. Examples of organic acids used in the present invention include citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, malonic acid, pyridonecarboxylic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, glutaric acid, and ascorbic acid, and one or more of these can be used. Among these, from the viewpoints of effervescence and solubility in water, the organic acid preferably contains one or more selected from the group consisting of citric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, and ascorbic acid, and more preferably contains citric acid. From the viewpoint of improving effervescence, the content of one or more selected from the group consisting of citric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, and ascorbic acid in the organic acid is preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, and preferably 100% by mass or less, and more preferably 100% by mass.

[0013] From the viewpoint of improving foaming property, the content of the organic acid in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of improving foam retention, the content is preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, still more preferably 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less. The content of the organic acid in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 5% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, still more preferably 7% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, still more preferably 7% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

[0014] The organic acid used in the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention may be contained in the form of raw material particles (raw material particles), or may be contained as particles granulated with other components as needed (granulated particles), or a mixture of these. When the organic acid is in the form of granulated particles, the organic acid may be granulated alone or together with components other than the organic acid. However, in the case of granulated particles, it is preferable that the organic acid does not contain carbonate from the viewpoint of storage stability. Here, "free" means that the organic acid is substantially free, and the amount of carbonate in the granulated particles is preferably less than 1% by mass, more preferably 0% by mass. Furthermore, the organic acid is preferably granulated together with components other than carbonate, such as one or more selected from the group consisting of surfactants, excipients, binders, and hygroscopic agents, and is particularly preferably granulated together with all components other than carbonate. Granulating the organic acid together with components other than carbonate reduces the amount of fine powder derived from components other than carbonate, thereby preventing choking caused by scattering of fine powder during use of the detergent composition.

[0015] <Surfactant> The cleaning composition of the present invention contains a surfactant. The surfactants used in the present invention include anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, and nonionic surfactants, and one or more of these can be used. Specific examples of each are shown below.

[0016] [Anionic surfactants] Specific examples of anionic surfactants include N-acylamino acid salts, N-acyl-N-methylamino acid salts, fatty acid salts, salts of esters of fatty acids having from 5 to 18 carbon atoms and isethionic acid, alkyl or alkenyl sulfonates having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether sulfate salts, and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates.

[0017] Examples of counter ions of the anionic group of the anionic surfactant include alkali metal ions such as sodium ion and potassium ion; alkaline earth metal ions such as calcium ion and magnesium ion; ammonium ion; and alkanolammonium having 1 to 3 alkanol groups having 2 or 3 carbon atoms (for example, monoethanolammonium, diethanolammonium, triethanolammonium, triisopropanolammonium, etc.), with sodium ion and potassium ion being preferred, and sodium ion being more preferred.

[0018] [Cationic surfactant] Examples of cationic surfactants include quaternary ammonium salts such as alkyltrimethylammonium salts, alkoxyalkyltrimethylammonium salts, dialkyldimethylammonium salts, alkylamidoalkyltrimethylammonium salts, benzalkonium chloride, and alkylpyridinium salts.

[0019] Examples of counter ions of the cationic group of the cationic surfactant include alkyl sulfate ions having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, sulfate ions, phosphate ions, carboxylate ions having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms (formate ions, acetate ions, propionate ions), and halide ions such as chloride ions and bromide ions. Among these, from the viewpoints of ease of production and ease of availability of raw materials, halide ions are preferred, and chloride ions are more preferred.

[0020] [Amphoteric surfactants] Examples of amphoteric surfactants include one or more selected from the group consisting of alkylamine oxides having an alkyl group with 10 to 18 carbon atoms and alkylbetaines having an alkyl group with 10 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0021] [Nonionic surfactant] Specific examples of nonionic surfactants include one or more selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkenyl ethers, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbit fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, alkyl glucosides, alkyl alkanolamides, alkyl glyceryl ethers, higher fatty acid sucrose esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, and alkyl saccharides. Among the above, anionic surfactants are preferred from the viewpoints of good solubility in water and good foaming, and salts of esters of isethionic acid with fatty acids having from 5 to 18 carbon atoms are more preferred. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of low irritation, amino acid-based anionic surfactants such as N-acylamino acid salts and N-acyl-N-methylamino acid salts are preferred.

[0022] The surfactant content in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of improving foaming ability. From the viewpoint of improving foam-rinsing, it is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 35% by mass or less. The surfactant content in the detergent composition is preferably 10% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, even more preferably 15% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more and 35% by mass or less.

[0023] In the powder or granular detergent composition, the mass ratio of the total amount of carbonate and organic acid to the surfactant [(carbonate + organic acid) / surfactant] is preferably 0.1 or more, more preferably 1.0 or more, and even more preferably 1.5 or more, from the viewpoint of foaming ability, and is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 10 or less, and even more preferably 5 or less, from the viewpoint of improving detergency. The mass ratio of the total amount of carbonate and organic acid [(carbonate + organic acid) / surfactant] is preferably 0.1 or more and 20 or less, more preferably 1.0 or more and 10 or less, and even more preferably 1.5 or more and 5 or less. In the powder or granular detergent composition, the mass ratio of the organic acid to the carbonate [organic acid / carbonate] is preferably 0.05 or more, more preferably 0.1 or more, even more preferably 0.2 or more, and preferably 10 or less, more preferably 5.0 or less, and even more preferably 1.0 or less, from the viewpoint of foaming property. The mass ratio of the organic acid to the carbonate [organic acid / carbonate] is preferably 0.05 or more and 10 or less, more preferably 0.1 or more and 5.0 or less, and even more preferably 0.2 or more and 1.0 or less.

[0024] The total amount of carbonate and organic acid in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, and even more preferably 45% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of foaming ability, and is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% by mass or less, and even more preferably 60% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of improving foam retention. The total amount of carbonate and organic acid in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 35% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less, and even more preferably 45% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. The total amount of carbonate, organic acid, and surfactant in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more, from the viewpoints of improving detergency and foaming properties, and is preferably 95% by mass or less, more preferably 90% by mass or less, and even more preferably 85% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of improving foam retention. The total amount of carbonate, organic acid, and surfactant in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 50% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less.

[0025] <Moisture absorbent> The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention preferably further contains a moisture absorbent. Examples of moisture absorbents used in the present invention include alkaline earth metal oxides such as magnesium oxide and calcium oxide, zinc oxide, etc. Among these, magnesium oxide is preferred from the viewpoint of improving storage stability and foaming properties. From the viewpoint of improving storage stability, the content of the moisture absorbent in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 1% by mass or more, still more preferably 2% by mass or more, and even more preferably 4% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of improving foaming ability, the content is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 9% by mass or less, and even more preferably 8% by mass or less. The content of the moisture absorbent in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 9% by mass or less, even more preferably 1% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less, still more preferably 2% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 4% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less.

[0026] <Other ingredients> The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention may contain ingredients commonly used in powder or granular detergent compositions, such as excipients, binders, natural colorants, moisturizers, anti-inflammatory agents, disinfectants, antiperspirants, antioxidants, fragrances, and mixtures thereof, provided that the ingredients do not impair the objectives of the present invention. Examples of the excipients used in the present invention include silicic acid, silicic anhydride (silica), magnesium silicate, calcium silicate, aluminum silicate, barium silicate, strontium silicate, diatomaceous earth, talc, sericite, mica, kaolin, montmorillonite, clay, bentonite, vermiculite, titanium oxide-coated mica (titanium mica), bismuth oxychloride, boron nitride, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, low-order titanium oxide, metal tungstate, hydroxyapatite, zeolite, ceramic powder, aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum chloride, aluminum sulfate, basic aluminum bromide, basic Examples of suitable inorganic powders include aluminum iodide, aluminum zirconium chlorohydrate, zinc sulfate, basic aluminum zinc lactate, aluminum oxide, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, red iron oxide, black iron oxide, yellow iron oxide, ultramarine, Prussian blue, chromium oxide, chromium hydroxide, calamine, and carbon black; monosaccharides such as glucose, fructose, galactose, and mannose; disaccharides such as lactose, trehalose, and maltose; starches such as cornstarch and potato starch; and sugar alcohols such as mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, and erythritol. One or more of these may be used. From the viewpoints of solubility, granulation ability, foaming ability, and storage stability, the content of the excipient in the detergent composition is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, and preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 30% by mass or less. The content of the excipient in the detergent composition is preferably 5% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

[0027] Examples of binders used in the present invention include hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan gum, and carrageenan, and one or more of these can be used. From the viewpoints of immediate solubility and productivity, the content of the binder in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less. The content of the binder in the powder or granular detergent composition is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less.

[0028] <Powder or Granular Cleaning Composition> The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention contains 30% by mass or more of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more, and the content of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more is 0.10% by number or less. That is, the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention contains 30 mass% or more of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more among the particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition, and the content of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more among the particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition is 0.10 number% or less. By including 30% by mass or more of particles with a particle diameter of 100 μm or more, storage stability can be improved, and by keeping the content of particles with a particle diameter of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more to 0.10% by number or less, roughness to the touch can be suppressed, making it possible to improve the feel in use.

[0029] Furthermore, it is preferable that at least a portion of the particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more are granulated particles. From the viewpoint of improving the feeling of use, particularly suppressing roughness to the touch, the content of granulated particles among the particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more is preferably more than 55% by number, more preferably more than 60% by number, even more preferably more than 65% by number, even more preferably more than 70% by number, and even more preferably all are granulated particles, but from the viewpoint of production efficiency, some particles may be contained as they are from the raw materials. If the particles are granulated, the hardness can be easily adjusted, making it possible to adjust the content of particles having a size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more. The content of granulated particles among particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more in the particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention can be determined by sieving the particles through a sieve with a mesh size of 100 μm, observing the obtained particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more using an SEM, and actually measuring the number ratio.

[0030] In general, the carbonate particles and organic acid particles used as raw materials have high hardness, and if large particle size raw materials are used as is, the content of particles 100 μm or larger and having a hardness of 5 gf or larger will be high, and when the detergent composition is dissolved in water, the remaining particles will deteriorate the feel to the touch. However, by converting at least a portion of the particles 100 μm or larger into granulated particles, it is possible to reduce the content of particles with high hardness, suppress roughness to the touch, and improve the feel in use. Examples of partially granulated particles include a case where either the organic acid or the carbonate is granulated and the other is used as raw material. More specifically, examples include a case where the other components constituting the detergent composition other than the organic acid, preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of surfactants, excipients, binders, and hygroscopic agents, more preferably all components other than the organic acid, and the carbonate are granulated, and the organic acid is used as raw material without granulation; or a case where the other components constituting the detergent composition other than the carbonate, preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of surfactants, excipients, binders, and hygroscopic agents, more preferably all components other than the carbonate, and the organic acid are granulated, and the carbonate is used as raw material without granulation. From the viewpoint of production efficiency, it is preferable to granulate the organic acid and use the carbonate as raw material particles. It is also preferable that the granulated particles contain a surfactant. It is preferable that the organic acid and the carbonate are not granulated together, but are each in the form of separate, independent particles, which can further improve storage stability and effervescence.

[0031] The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention preferably contains particles (A) containing a carbonate and particles (B) containing an organic acid. Preferably, particles (A) do not contain an organic acid, and particles (B) do not contain a carbonate. Preferably, particles (A) or particles (B) contain a surfactant, or both particles (A) and (B) contain a surfactant. Specifically, the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention may contain particles (A) containing a carbonate and particles (B) containing an organic acid and a surfactant, particles (A) containing a carbonate and a surfactant and particles (B) containing an organic acid, or particles (A) containing a carbonate and a surfactant and particles (B) containing an organic acid and a surfactant.

[0032] The content (mass proportion) of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more in all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention can be measured by a sieving method. The content of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more in all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention can be measured by the following method. (i) First, the content (number ratio) of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more in all particles is calculated. Specifically, the particle size distribution is measured using a Camsizer XT (particle size measuring device, manufactured by Retsch), and particles of 1 to 3000 μm in the obtained distribution are defined as the "total particles" in the present invention. These are divided equally into 100 logarithms, and the range including 100 μm or more is counted as 100 μm or more. The total number of particles of 100 μm or more is calculated, and the content (number ratio) of particles of 100 μm or more in the total particles is calculated. (ii) Next, the content (number ratio) of particles having a hardness of 5 gf or more among the particles having a particle diameter of 100 μm or more is calculated. Specifically, a powder or granular detergent composition is sieved through a sieve with a mesh size of 100 μm, and 20 or more particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more are randomly sampled from the resulting particles. The hardness of each particle is measured using a microcompression tester (MCT series, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), and the content of particles having a hardness of 5 gf or more is calculated. This procedure is repeated three times and the average value is calculated. The hardness of a particle can be determined by the load (gf) at the breaking point of the particle when applied using a micro-compression tester. If the particle breaks down in multiple stages, the load at the first breaking point (hereinafter also referred to as the first breaking point) is used as the hardness of the particle. (iii) Next, the content (number ratio) of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more among all particles obtained in (i) above is multiplied by the content (number ratio) of particles having a hardness of 5 gf or more among particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more obtained in (ii) above, thereby calculating the content (number ratio) of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more among all particles.

[0033] Of all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention, particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more comprise 30% by mass or more, preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, even more preferably 50% by mass or more, still more preferably 55% by mass or more, even more preferably 65% by mass or more, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of storage stability. From the viewpoint of productivity, the composition preferably comprises 100% by mass or less, more preferably 95% by mass or less, and even more preferably 90% by mass or less. Of all particles, particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more comprise 30% by mass or more, preferably 30% by mass or more to 100% by mass, more preferably 35% by mass or more to 100% by mass, even more preferably 40% by mass or more to 95% by mass, still more preferably 50% by mass or more to 90% by mass, even more preferably 55% by mass or more to 90% by mass, still more preferably 65% by mass or more to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 70% by mass or more to 90% by mass.

[0034] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of storage stability, the proportion of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more among all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention is preferably 0.015% by number or more, more preferably 0.017% by number or more, even more preferably 0.02% by number or more, even more preferably 0.03% by number or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by number or more. Ideally, the upper limit is 100% by number, but because fine powder is also included in the production process, from the viewpoint of productivity, the upper limit is preferably 1% by number or less, more preferably 0.7% by number or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by number or less. Of all particles, the proportion of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more is preferably 0.015% by number or more and 1% by number or less, more preferably 0.017% by number or more and 0.7% by number or less, even more preferably 0.02% by number or more and 0.5% by number or less, even more preferably 0.03% by number or more and 0.5% by number or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by number or more and 0.5% by number or less. Of all the particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention, the content of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more is 0.10% by number or less, preferably 0.07% by number or less, more preferably 0.05% by number or less, even more preferably 0.04% by number or less, and still more preferably 0% by number, from the viewpoint of improving the feel in use, particularly suppressing roughness to the touch. Note that from the viewpoint of productivity, the lower limit may be, for example, preferably 0.001% by number or more, more preferably 0.005% by number or more, and even more preferably 0.01% by number or more.

[0035] Furthermore, it is preferable that particles having a hardness of 5 gf or more account for 45% by number or less of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more. If the number of such particles is 45% by number or less, the feeling of use can be improved, and in particular roughness to the touch can be suppressed. Of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more, particles having a hardness of 5 gf or more account for preferably 40% by number or less, more preferably 35% by number or less, even more preferably 30% by number or less, and even more preferably 25% by number or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, and it is preferable that it is not included, i.e., 0% by number, but from the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferably 1% by number or more, more preferably 5% by number or more, and even more preferably 10% by number or more.

[0036] From the viewpoints of improving usability and storage stability, and particularly preventing choking, the content of fine powder having a particle size of 10 μm or less of all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention is preferably 3.5% by mass or less, more preferably 3.3% by mass or less, even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less, still more preferably 2.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.0% by mass or less. From the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.002% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.003% by mass or more. The content of fine powder having a particle size of 10 μm or less of all particles is preferably 0.001% by mass or more to 3.5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.002% by mass or more to 3.3% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.003% by mass or more to 3.0% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.003% by mass or more to 2.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.003% by mass or more to 1.0% by mass. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving storage stability, the average hardness of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more is preferably 0.3 gf or more, more preferably 0.4 gf or more, and even more preferably 0.5 gf or more, and from the viewpoint of improving the feeling in use, particularly suppressing roughness to the touch, it is preferably less than 5 gf, more preferably 4.7 gf or less, and even more preferably 4.5 gf or less. The average hardness is calculated by sampling 20 or more particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more at random, measuring the hardness of each particle one by one using a microcompression tester (MCT series, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), and calculating the average value.

[0037] The powder or granular cleanser composition of the present invention can be suitably used in face care products such as face washes, and body care products such as hand soaps and body soaps. A foaming detergent product using the detergent composition of the present invention can be provided by being enclosed in a package. The detergent composition of the present invention is unlikely to cause swelling of the package due to the generation of carbon dioxide gas even when enclosed in the package and stored, and therefore has excellent storage stability in the form of a product enclosed in a package. The shape of the packaging material is not particularly limited as long as it has a structure that can encapsulate the detergent composition, and examples thereof include a bag shape, a bottle shape, etc. Among these, a bag-shaped packaging material is preferred. The material constituting the packaging material is not particularly limited as long as it can encapsulate the detergent composition. For example, in the case of a bag-shaped packaging material, a resin film or a laminated film in which an inorganic thin film made of a metal or metal oxide is laminated on a resin film can be used.

[0038] <Method for producing powder or granular detergent composition> The method for producing the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention includes a step of granulating at least one of a carbonate and an organic acid. Either the carbonate or the organic acid may be used as a raw material without granulation, or the carbonate and the organic acid may be granulated separately to form granulated particles of the carbonate and granulated particles of the organic acid. By forming at least one of the carbonate and the organic acid into granulated particles, it becomes possible to produce a detergent composition with an adjusted particle size and hardness, thereby achieving both storage stability and a good feel in use.

[0039] The method for producing the powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention preferably includes a step of mixing particles (A) containing a carbonate and particles (B) containing an organic acid. It is preferable that the carbonate-containing particles (A) do not contain an organic acid. Furthermore, the carbonate-containing particles (A) may be particles of the raw material itself, or may be granulated particles of a carbonate. On the other hand, it is preferable that the organic acid-containing particles (B) do not contain a carbonate. Furthermore, the organic acid-containing particles (B) may be particles of the raw material itself, or may be granulated particles of an organic acid. It is preferable that the particles (A) or the particles (B), or both the particles (A) and the particles (B), contain a surfactant.

[0040] When granulating the carbonate, it is preferred to obtain granulated particles by granulating the carbonate with other components constituting the detergent composition other than the organic acid, preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of surfactants, excipients, binders and moisture absorbents, more preferably all components other than the organic acid. When granulating an organic acid, it is preferred to obtain granulated particles by granulating the organic acid with other components constituting the detergent composition other than the carbonate, preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of surfactants, excipients, binders and moisture absorbents, more preferably all components other than the carbonate.

[0041] It is also preferable to use carbonates and organic acids with a median diameter of 170 μm or less as raw materials. More specifically, from the viewpoint of improving productivity and storage stability, the median diameter of the carbonate used as a raw material is preferably 10 μm or more, more preferably 15 μm or more, and even more preferably 20 μm or more. From the viewpoint of improving the feel, it is preferably 170 μm or less, more preferably 150 μm or less, even more preferably 120 μm or less, still more preferably 110 μm or less, still more preferably 100 μm or less, still more preferably 95 μm or less, and even more preferably 90 μm or less. The median diameter of the carbonate used as a raw material is preferably 10 μm or more and 170 μm or less, more preferably 15 μm or more and 150 μm or less, still more preferably 20 μm or more and 120 μm or less, still more preferably 20 μm or more and 110 μm or less, still more preferably 20 μm or more and 100 μm or less, still more preferably 20 μm or more and 95 μm or less, and still more preferably 20 μm or more and 90 μm or less. Furthermore, from the same viewpoint as above and from the viewpoint of further improving the feel, the median diameter of the carbonate used as a raw material when granulating the carbonate is, in addition to the above range, even more preferably 100 μm or less, even more preferably 90 μm or less, even more preferably 70 μm or less, even more preferably 60 μm or less, and even more preferably 10 μm or more and 100 μm or less, even more preferably 10 μm or more and 90 μm or less, even more preferably 10 μm or more and 70 μm or less, and even more preferably 10 μm or more and 60 μm or less. Furthermore, when the carbonate is used as a raw material without granulation, from the same viewpoint as above and from the viewpoint of the balance between storage stability and feel, the median diameter is more preferably 80 μm or more, even more preferably 90 μm or more, and even more preferably 110 μm or less, in addition to the above ranges, and even more preferably 80 μm or more and 170 μm or less, even more preferably 80 μm or more and 150 μm or less, even more preferably 90 μm or more and 120 μm or less, and even more preferably 90 μm or more and 110 μm or less.

[0042] The median diameter of the organic acid raw material particles is preferably 10 μm or more, more preferably 15 μm or more, and even more preferably 20 μm or more from the viewpoint of improving productivity and storage stability, and is preferably 170 μm or less, more preferably 150 μm or less, even more preferably 120 μm or less, even more preferably 110 μm or less, still more preferably 100 μm or less, even more preferably 95 μm or less, still more preferably 90 μm or less, and even more preferably 80 μm or less from the viewpoint of improving the feel to the touch. The median diameter of the organic acid used as a raw material is preferably 10 μm or more and 170 μm or less, more preferably 15 μm or more and 150 μm or less, even more preferably 20 μm or more and 120 μm or less, even more preferably 20 μm or more and 110 μm or less, even more preferably 20 μm or more and 100 μm or less, even more preferably 20 μm or more and 95 μm or less, even more preferably 20 μm or more and 90 μm or less, and even more preferably 20 μm or more and 80 μm or less. Furthermore, from the same viewpoint as above and from the viewpoint of further improving the feel, the median diameter of the organic acid used as a raw material when granulating the organic acid is, in addition to the above range, even more preferably 30 μm or more, even more preferably 70 μm or less, even more preferably 60 μm or less, even more preferably 50 μm or less, and even more preferably 20 μm or more and 70 μm or less, even more preferably 20 μm or more and 60 μm or less, and even more preferably 20 μm or more and 50 μm or less. Furthermore, when the organic acid is used as a raw material without granulation, the preferred median diameter is, in addition to the above ranges, even more preferably 80 μm or more, even more preferably 90 μm or more, and even more preferably 110 μm or less, from the same viewpoint as above and from the viewpoint of the balance between storage stability and feel, and even more preferably 80 μm or more and 170 μm or less, even more preferably 80 μm or more and 150 μm or less, even more preferably 90 μm or more and 120 μm or less, and even more preferably 90 μm or more and 110 μm or less.

[0043] Furthermore, it is preferable that the carbonate and the organic acid are produced so that they have the following median diameters, respectively. From the viewpoint of storage stability, the median diameter of the carbonate in the detergent composition (finished product) is preferably 80 μm or more, more preferably 90 μm or more, even more preferably 100 μm or more, still more preferably 110 μm or more, and even more preferably 120 μm or more. From the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferably 500 μm or less, more preferably 400 μm or less, even more preferably 300 μm or less, and still more preferably 200 μm or less. The median diameter of the granulated product of the carbonate in the detergent composition (finished product) is preferably 80 μm or more and 500 μm or less, more preferably 90 μm or more and 400 μm or less, and even more preferably 100 μm or more and 300 μm or less. From the viewpoint of improving the feel in use, particularly reducing roughness to the touch, it is preferable to granulate the carbonate, and in that case, it is preferable that the median diameter of the carbonate after granulation but before blending is within the above range. In addition to the above-mentioned preferred range, the median diameter of the granulated product is even more preferably 110 μm or more and 300 μm or less, even more preferably 120 μm or more and 300 μm or less, and even more preferably 120 μm or more and 200 μm or less, from the viewpoint of further improving storage stability. When the carbonate is used as a raw material, the preferred range of the median diameter of the carbonate in the powdered or granular carbonated foamable composition (product) is as described above for the median diameter of the carbonate as raw material particles.

[0044] From the viewpoint of storage stability, the median diameter of the organic acid in the detergent composition (finished product) is preferably 70 μm or more, more preferably 80 μm or more, even more preferably 90 μm or more, still more preferably 100 μm or more, still more preferably 110 μm or more, and still more preferably 120 μm or more. From the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferably 500 μm or less, more preferably 400 μm or less, even more preferably 300 μm or less, and still more preferably 200 μm or less. The median diameter of the granulated organic acid in the detergent composition (finished product) is preferably 70 μm or more and 500 μm or less, more preferably 80 μm or more and 500 μm or less, even more preferably 90 μm or more and 400 μm or less, and still more preferably 100 μm or more and 300 μm or less. From the viewpoint of improving the feel in use, particularly suppressing roughness to the touch, it is preferable to granulate the organic acid. In this case, it is preferable that the median diameter of the organic acid after granulation but before blending is within the above range. In addition to the above-mentioned preferred range, the median diameter of the granulated product is even more preferably 110 μm or more and 300 μm or less, even more preferably 120 μm or more and 300 μm or less, and even more preferably 120 μm or more and 200 μm or less, from the viewpoint of further improving storage stability. When the organic acid is used as a raw material, the preferred range of the median diameter of the organic acid in the powdered or granular carbonated foamable composition (product) is as described above for the median diameter of the organic acid as raw material particles.

[0045] Here, the median diameter (D50) means the particle diameter at which the cumulative volume frequency calculated by volume fraction is 50% calculated from the smallest particle diameter. Specifically, the median diameter can be measured by the method described in the Examples.

[0046] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the feel to the touch, particles having a particle size of preferably 500 μm or more, more preferably 400 μm or more, and even more preferably 300 μm or more may be removed from the raw material particles using a sieve before granulation. The raw material components other than the carbonate and the organic acid have a median diameter equal to or smaller than the median diameter of the carbonate and the organic acid, and are usually 170 μm or smaller, for example, 5 μm to 150 μm.

[0047] As the granulation method, any of fluidized bed granulation, stirring granulation, tumbling granulation, and extrusion granulation can be used. Among these, fluidized bed granulation is preferred from the viewpoint of improving the solubility of the detergent composition in water. Specifically, for example, raw material particles are loaded into a fluidized bed granulator, and a binder liquid prepared by dissolving a binder in water, ethanol, or a mixture thereof is added to the uniformly mixed powder and granules to form granules. From the viewpoint of productivity, the binder content (solid content) in the binder liquid is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or less. The binder content in the binder liquid is preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 8% by mass, even more preferably 0.5 to 5% by mass. As mentioned above, from the viewpoint of improving storage stability, it is preferable that the same granulated particles do not contain both a carbonate and an organic acid. The granulated particles can be mixed with non-granulated particles by known means to produce a detergent composition. When the carbonate and the organic acid are granulated separately, the respective granulated particles (granulated particles containing the carbonate and granulated particles containing the organic acid) can be mixed by known means to produce a detergent composition.

[0048] <Method of using powder or granular detergent composition> The powder or granular cleanser composition of the present invention can be suitably used for washing the face, hair, and body, for example. The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention is a foaming detergent composition that begins to foam spontaneously upon addition of water, and therefore foams quickly and does not require a special foaming procedure that requires time and effort, making it easy to use. The powder or granular detergent composition of the present invention can be used, for example, by placing the detergent composition in the palm of the hand, adding water to the detergent composition, thoroughly blending the detergent composition with the water on the palm of the hand, lightly lathering the composition, and applying it to the face, hair, whole body, etc., to be washed.

[0049] From the viewpoints of improving the solubility and foaming properties of the powder or granular detergent composition, the amount of water added to the powder or granular detergent composition is such that the mass ratio of the powder or granular detergent composition to the added water (powder or granular detergent composition / water) is preferably 1 / 30 or more, more preferably 1 / 25 or more, even more preferably 1 / 20 or more, and preferably 1 / 0.5 or less, more preferably 1 / 1 or less, even more preferably 1 / 2 or less.

[0050] From the viewpoint of foam retention, the powder or granular cleanser composition of the present invention is applied to the skin preferably within 5 minutes, more preferably within 3 minutes, even more preferably within 2 minutes, and even more preferably within 1 minute and 30 seconds after addition of water. The temperature of the water added to the powder or granular detergent composition is not particularly limited, but is preferably 15°C or higher and 50°C or lower, more preferably 15°C or higher and 45°C or lower, and even more preferably 20°C or higher and 45°C or lower.

[0051] In relation to the above-described embodiments, the present invention further discloses the following. <1> Contains carbonate, organic acid and surfactant, Contains 30% by mass or more of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more, and The content of particles with a particle diameter of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more is 0.10% by number or less. Powder or granular detergent compositions. <2> Among the particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more, particles with a hardness of 5 gf or more account for 45% by number or less. <1> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1. <3> Further, it contains a moisture absorbent, <1> or <2> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1. <4> The organic acid contains one or more selected from the group consisting of citric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, and ascorbic acid. <1> ~ <3> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <5> The carbonate contains one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. <1> ~ <4> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <6> The moisture absorbent is magnesium oxide, <3> ~ <5> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <7> At least a part of the particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more is granulated particles. <1> ~ <6> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <8> the granulated particles are granulated particles obtained by granulating either an organic acid or a carbonate and other components constituting the detergent composition other than the organic acid and the carbonate; <7> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1. <9> The powder or granular detergent composition contains 30% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more among all particles constituting the composition. <1> ~ <8> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <10> The powder or granular detergent composition contains 0.015% by number or more and 1% by number or less of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more out of all particles constituting the composition. <1> ~ <9> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <11> The content of fine powder having a particle size of 10 μm or less in all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition is 0.001% by mass or more and 3.5% by mass or less. <1> ~ <10> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <12> The average hardness of the particles having a particle diameter of 100 μm or more is 0.3 gf or more and less than 5 gf. <1> ~ <11> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <13> The content of granulated particles among the particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more is more than 55% by number. <7> ~ <12> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <14> The particles having a particle diameter of 100 μm or more account for 35% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, and 0.017% by number or more and 0.7% by number or less, <1> ~ <13> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <15> the content of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more among all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition is 0.07% by number or less, and the content of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more among the particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more is 40% by number or less; <1> ~ <14> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <16> The content of the carbonate is 10% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. <1> ~ <15> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <17> The content of the organic acid is 5% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less. <1> ~ <16> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <18> The content of the surfactant is 10% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less. <1> ~ <17> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <19> a mass ratio of the total amount of the carbonate and the organic acid to the surfactant [(carbonate + organic acid) / surfactant] of 0.1 or more and 20 or less; <1> ~ <18> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <20> a mass ratio of the organic acid to the carbonate [organic acid / carbonate] of 0.05 or more and 10 or less; <1> ~ <19> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <21> the total amount of the carbonate and the organic acid is 35% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less; <1> ~ <20> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <22> The content of the moisture absorbent is 0.01% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. <3> ~ <21> 1. The powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <23> The particle (A) containing the carbonate and the particle (B) containing the organic acid are contained, The particles (A) do not contain an organic acid, and the particles (B) do not contain a carbonate. <1> ~ <22> 1. A powder or granular cleaning composition according to any one of the preceding claims. <24> The particles (A) contain a surfactant. <23> 1. A powder or granular cleaning composition according to claim 1. <25> The particles (B) contain a surfactant. <23> 1. A powder or granular cleaning composition according to claim 1. <26> Both the particles (A) and the particles (B) contain a surfactant. <23> 1. A powder or granular cleaning composition according to claim 1. <27> <1> ~ <26> A method for producing the powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of the above, A method for producing a powder or granular detergent composition, comprising a step of granulating at least one of a carbonate or an organic acid. [Example]

[0052] The present invention will be described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of the examples. Measurements in the examples were carried out by the following methods.

[0053] (1) Measurement method for the content (number ratio) of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more Measurement was performed using 3 g of the detergent composition using a Camsizer XT (particle size measuring device, manufactured by Retsch Corporation). The particle size distribution obtained was divided equally into 100 logarithmic intervals of 1 to 3,000 μm, and the range including 100 μm or more was counted as 100 μm or more. The total number of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more was calculated, and the content (number ratio) of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more among all particles was calculated.

[0054] (2) Method for measuring the content (number ratio) of particles with a hardness of 5 gf or more among particles with a diameter of 100 μm or more The powder or granular detergent composition was sieved through a sieve with 100 μm openings, and the particles remaining on the sieve were collected with a very small spatula. Next, the particles collected with the spatula were spread on the pressure plate of a micro-compression tester (Shimadzu Corporation, MCTW500), and the hardness of 20 randomly selected particles was measured, and the content (number ratio) of particles with a hardness of 5 gf or more among particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more was calculated. This procedure was repeated three times, and the average value was calculated.

[0055] (3) Method for measuring the content (number ratio) of granulated particles in particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more The powder or granular detergent composition was sieved through a sieve with 100 μm openings, and the particles remaining on the sieve were collected with a very small spatula. The collected particles were wrapped around a 5 mm × 5 mm carbon tape and observed under a Hitachi tabletop microscope, Miniscope TM3030 (manufactured by Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation). Twenty randomly selected particles were observed, and the content (number ratio) was calculated, with agglomerates considered to be granulated particles.

[0056] (4) Calculation method for the content of particles with a particle diameter of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more The content of particles with a particle diameter of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more among all particles was calculated by multiplying the value obtained by the measurement in (1) above by the value obtained by the measurement in (2) above.

[0057] (5) Method for measuring the content (mass ratio) of particles with a particle size of 100 μm or more 3 g of the powder or granular detergent composition was sieved through a sieve with 100 μm openings, and the weight was calculated from the mass remaining on top.

[0058] (6) Method for measuring the content of fine powder Measurement was performed using 3 g of the detergent composition using a Camsizer XT (particle size analyzer, manufactured by Retsch). The particle size distribution obtained was divided equally into 100 logarithmic intervals from 1 to 3000 μm, and the range including 10 μm was counted as 10 μm or less. The volume frequency of particles of 10 μm or less was calculated, and the content (mass proportion) of particles of 10 μm or less in the total particles was calculated.

[0059] [Method for measuring median diameter] The organic acid, carbonate, and their granulated raw materials (3 g each) were used to measure the median diameter using a Camsizer XT (particle size measuring device, manufactured by RETSCH Co., Ltd.).

[0060] [Preparation of mixed surfactants] 300 g of sodium N-myristoyl-L-glutamate (Amisoft MS manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.) and 291.5 g of sodium N-lauroyl-L-glutamate (Amisoft LS manufactured by Ajinomoto Co., Inc.) were mixed at room temperature to obtain a mixed surfactant.

[0061] [Example 1] According to the formulation shown in Table 1, powder or granular detergent compositions were obtained. 67.4 g of citric acid (citric acid anhydrous 60 manufactured by Iwata Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), 118.3 g of mixed surfactants, 25.2 g of magnesium oxide (manufactured by Kyowa Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and 84.0 g of talc (SW-K4 manufactured by Asada Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) were charged into a fluidized bed granulator (FD-MP-01E manufactured by Powrex Corporation) with an air volume of 0.3 m 3 The mixture was granulated while adding 314 g of a 1.6% aqueous carrageenan solution (5.0 g solids) at a rate of 5 g / min under conditions of a flow rate of 5 g / min and an intake air temperature of 80°C, yielding granules with a particle size of 172 μm. The resulting granules and 203 g of sodium bicarbonate (hereinafter also referred to as sodium bicarbonate, manufactured by AGC Inc.) were placed in a bag and mixed by hand in a transparent vinyl bag until uniform, to produce a powder or granular detergent composition. The resulting detergent compositions were evaluated according to the methods described below. The results are shown in Table 1. Table 2 also shows the particle sizes of the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) used as raw materials, and the particle sizes in the powder or granular detergent compositions (products) obtained by production.

[0062] [Examples 2 to 3, 5 to 7] A powder or granular detergent composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the formulation shown in Table 1 was used. The resulting powder or granular detergent compositions were evaluated according to the methods described below. The results are shown in Table 1. Table 2 also shows the particle sizes of the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate used as raw materials and the particle sizes in the resulting powder or granular detergent compositions (products).

[0063] [Example 4] Sodium bicarbonate was granulated according to the formulation shown in Table 1. 139.9 g of sodium bicarbonate (AGC Corporation), 81.5 g of mixed surfactants, 17.3 g of magnesium oxide (Kyowa Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and 57.8 g of talc (SW-K4, Asada Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) were charged into a fluidized bed granulator (FD-MP-01E, Powrex Corporation). Granulation was carried out under the same conditions as in Example 1, while adding 216 g of a 1.6% aqueous carrageenan solution (solid content: 3.5 g) at a rate of 5 g / min, yielding granules with a particle size of 127 μm. The resulting granules and 46.6 g of citric acid were mixed by hand in a transparent vinyl bag until uniform, producing a powder or granular detergent composition. The resulting powder or granular detergent compositions were evaluated according to the methods described below. The results are shown in Table 1. Table 2 also shows the particle sizes of the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate used as raw materials and the particle sizes in the resulting powder or granular detergent compositions (products).

[0064] [Comparative Examples 1 to 3] According to the formulation shown in Table 3, powder or granular detergent compositions were obtained. In Comparative Examples 1 to 3, all ingredients were placed in a bag without granulation and mixed by hand in the bag to obtain powder or granular detergent compositions. The resulting powder or granular detergent compositions were evaluated according to the following methods. The results are shown in Table 3. The particle sizes of the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate used as raw materials are shown in Table 4.

[0065] [Storage stability] 3.9 g of each detergent composition was sealed in an 80 mm × 50 mm × 18 mm aluminum package at 50°C and 50% RH, and the amount of expansion of the aluminum package was measured before and after storage at 50°C for 4 weeks. Specifically, a water tank filled with water at 25°C was placed on a balance and its weight was measured. Next, the aluminum package containing the detergent composition was completely submerged in the water tank and its mass was measured. The difference in mass before and after submerging the aluminum package in water was converted into volume using Archimedes' principle, assuming a water density of 1.0 g / ml, and this was used as the volume of the aluminum package before storage. The same measurement was then performed after 4 weeks of storage to determine the volume of the aluminum package after storage, and the amount of expansion of the aluminum package after storage was calculated from the difference in volume between the aluminum package before and after storage. A smaller amount of expansion indicates better storage stability.

[0066] [Usage feel (touch)] 1 g of powder or granular detergent composition was placed in the palm of one hand, and 10 g of water at 42°C was dropped onto the detergent composition. The detergent composition was thoroughly soaked in water on the palm of one hand, and after allowing the composition to foam naturally (approximately 10 seconds after the water was dropped), the palm of one hand was placed together with the other hand to create a lather. While continuing to lather, a panel of three experts evaluated the feel of the lather within 3 minutes of the water dropping according to the following criteria, and the results were determined by discussion among the expert panel. 1: No roughness felt from the start 2: It feels rough at first, but it disappears as you start to lather. 3: It feels rough at first, but it disappears while whipping 4: Feels rough, but disappears after lathering 5: Feels rough and doesn't go away even after lathering (The above "initial foaming" refers to within 1 minute after dripping water onto the cleanser composition, "during foaming" refers to more than 1 minute but not more than 2 minutes after the same, and "after foaming" refers to more than 2 minutes but not more than 3 minutes after the same.)

[0067] [Table 1]

[0068] [Table 2]

[0069] [Table 3]

[0070] [Table 4]

[0071] *1 "Organic acid granulation" in the "Granulation state" column in Tables 1 to 4 refers to the state in which all ingredients (surfactants, excipients, binders, and moisture absorbents) other than the organic acid and the carbonate (sodium bicarbonate) are granulated. In the case of organic acid granulation, the carbonate (sodium bicarbonate) was used as raw material particles that were not granulated. "Carbonate granulation" refers to the state in which all ingredients (surfactants, excipients, binders, and moisture absorbents) other than carbonate and organic acid (citric acid) are granulated. In the case of carbonate granulation, the organic acid (citric acid) was used as raw material particles without being granulated. "Ungranulated" refers to a state in which all powder ingredients are used without granulation. *2 Carrageenan was dissolved in purified water to prepare a 1.6% carrageenan aqueous solution. However, since the purified water evaporates during the manufacturing process, the carrageenan content in Tables 1 and 3 indicates the solid content. *3 In Tables 1 and 3, "in the total detergent composition" means "in all particles constituting the powder or granular detergent composition." *4 The particle sizes in Tables 2 and 4 indicate the median diameter.

[0072] From Tables 1 and 3, it can be seen that the powder or granular detergent compositions of the present examples have excellent storage stability and an excellent feel to the touch. Furthermore, all of the detergent compositions of this example were excellent in foaming properties, foam removal, and foam retention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0073] The present invention provides a powder or granular cleanser composition that has high storage stability, is suppressed from feeling rough to the touch, and provides a good feel when used. The cleanser composition can be used in face care products such as face washes, and body care products such as hand soaps and body soaps.

Claims

1. Contains carbonate, organic acid and surfactant, The content of particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more is 30% by mass or more, and The content of particles having a particle diameter of 100 μm or more and a hardness of 5 gf or more is 0.10% by number or less; Powder or granular detergent compositions.

2. 2. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein particles having a hardness of 5 gf or more account for 45% or less by number of the particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more.

3. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1, further comprising a moisture absorbent.

4. 2. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the organic acid comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of citric acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, and ascorbic acid.

5. 2. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein the carbonate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.

6. 4. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 3, wherein the moisture absorbent is magnesium oxide.

7. 2. The powder or granular detergent composition according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the particles having a particle size of 100 μm or more are granulated particles.

8. The particle (A) containing the carbonate and the particle (B) containing the organic acid are contained, 2. The powder or granular cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein the particles (A) do not contain an organic acid, and the particles (B) do not contain a carbonate.

9. 9. The powder or granular cleaning composition according to claim 8, wherein the particles (A) or the particles (B), or both the particles (A) and the particles (B), contain a surfactant.

10. A method for producing the powder or granular detergent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: A method for producing a powder or granular detergent composition, comprising a step of granulating at least one of a carbonate or an organic acid.

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