Foaming fat and oil composition, oil-based confectionery and composite food

Abstract

To provide a foamable fat composition capable of suppressing foam releasing in aerated oily confectionery even if the aerated oily confectionery is in a flowable state or suppressing foam vanishing in aerated oily confectionery even if the aerated oily confectionery is in a state in which small piece reinforcing ingredients are included, and the aerated confectionery and a composite food in which the foamable fat composition is applied.SOLUTION: The invention includes adding at least one kind among a group consisting of sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and sorbitan di-fatty acid ester to a foamable fat composition.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a foaming fat composition, and also to an oil-based confectionery and a composite food product containing the foaming fat composition. [Background technology]

[0002] One method for further enhancing the palatability of oil-based confections, which are popular for their smooth texture and melt-in-the-mouth texture, is to reduce the specific gravity of the confections by incorporating air into them. The inclusion of gas (air bubbles) in the oil-based confections gives them a light and smooth texture and makes them more likely to melt and spread quickly in the mouth. Known examples of aerated oil-based confections obtained by this method (hereinafter referred to as "aerated oil-based confections") include aerated chocolates and sugar creams. Aerated oil-based confections are not only eaten alone, but are also used in the manufacture of other confections.

[0003] Combinations of aerated oil-based confectioneries with baked goods such as cookies and biscuits, or with frozen desserts such as ice cream, have been proposed. However, it is known that aerated oil-based confectioneries generally have poor workability, such as difficulty in coating other foods and difficulty in molding them into any desired shape. This problem of workability is particularly pronounced in the case of aerated chocolate. One of the reasons for the poor workability of aerated oil-based confectioneries is that the aerated oil-based confectioneries lose their fluidity as the amount of gas increases. On the other hand, if workability is prioritized and the viscosity of the aerated oil-based confectionery is reduced to a certain level while heating or adjusting the temperature to impart fluidity, degassing from the aerated oil-based confectionery is likely to occur.

[0004] Several studies have been conducted on methods for improving the workability of aerated oil-based confections and methods for preventing defoaming from aerated oil-based confections. For example, Patent Documents 1 to 3 describe methods for using a specific emulsifier in a foaming oil-based composition used in aerated oil-based confections. Furthermore, Patent Documents 4 and 5 describe methods for adjusting the physical properties (e.g., triglyceride composition, solid fat content (SFC), etc.) of the oil-based composition in the foaming oil-based composition used in aerated oil-based confections. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-325105 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-073611 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-236289 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-141547 [Patent Document 5] Patent No. 6450045 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the conventional foaming fat and oil compositions described in Patent Documents 1 to 5 are not sufficiently effective in suppressing defoaming while maintaining the fluidity of aerated oil-based confectioneries.

[0007] On the other hand, when small pieces of additional ingredients (for example, nuts such as almonds and peanuts, and dried fruits) are added to aerated oil-based confectionery, a new problem has been found in that foaming tends to occur in the aerated oil-based confectionery. The conventional foaming oil and fat compositions described in Patent Documents 1 to 5 cannot adequately address this new problem.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a foaming oil composition that can suppress defoaming in aerated oil-containing confectionery even when the aerated oil-containing confectionery is in a fluid state, or a foaming oil composition that can suppress defoaming in aerated oil-containing confectionery even when the aerated oil-containing confectionery contains small pieces of supplementary ingredients.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide an oil-based confectionery containing the foamable oil-and-fat composition, and a composite food product containing the oil-based confectionery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The above-mentioned problems can be solved by adding at least one member selected from the group consisting of sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters and sorbitan di-fatty acid esters to a foamable oil composition. Specifically, the above-mentioned problems can be solved by the following means. <1> A foamable oil composition comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters and sorbitan di-fatty acid esters. <2> The sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester or sorbitan di-fatty acid ester contains a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 or more carbon atoms. <1> The foamable oil composition according to claim 1. <3> Furthermore, it contains a highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester with an esterification rate of 65% or more. <1> or <2> The foamable oil composition according to claim 1. <4> The highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester contains a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 or more carbon atoms. <3> The foamable oil composition according to claim 1. <5> The content of the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is 0.1 to 2.0% by mass relative to the mass of the foamable oil and fat composition. <3> or <4> The foamable oil composition according to claim 1. <6> the content of the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is 0.3 to 1.5 parts by mass when the total content of the sorbitan monofatty acid ester and the sorbitan difatty acid ester is 1 part by mass; <3> ~ <5> The foamable oil composition according to any one of the above. <7> It is a no-temper type. <1> ~ <6> The foamable oil composition according to any one of the above. <8> For oil-based confectioneries, <1> ~ <7> The foamable oil composition according to any one of the above. <9> <1> ~ <8> 1. An oil-based confectionery comprising the foamable oil-and-fat composition according to any one of the above. <10> <9> A composite food product comprising the oily confectionery described in 1. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The foaming oil-and-fat composition and oil-based confectionery of the present invention can suppress defoaming in the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery even when the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery is in a fluid state, or can suppress defoaming in the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery even when the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery contains small pieces of supplementary ingredients.Furthermore, the composite food of the present invention can provide a more palatable texture. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A typical embodiment of the present invention will be described below. For convenience, each component will be described based on this typical embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment.

[0013] <Foaming oil and fat composition> The foamable oil composition of the present invention contains at least one selected from the group consisting of sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters and sorbitan di-fatty acid esters.

[0014] In the present invention, the above-mentioned configuration can suppress defoaming in aerated oil-based confectionery even when the aerated oil-based confectionery is in a fluid state, or can suppress defoaming in aerated oil-based confectionery even when the aerated oil-based confectionery contains small pieces of augmented ingredients. The reason for this is unclear, but it is thought that the sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and sorbitan di-fatty acid ester form a membrane around the air bubbles that easily interacts with fats and oils and is difficult to destroy. That is, the presence of such a membrane around the air bubbles stabilizes the shape of the air bubbles, makes it difficult for the air bubbles to move through the aerated oil-based confectionery, makes it difficult for the air bubbles to bond together, improves the durability of the air bubbles against stimuli from the augmented ingredients, and makes it difficult for the air bubbles to be absorbed by the augmented ingredients. As a result, it is thought that defoaming or defoaming can be suppressed even when the aerated oil-based confectionery is in a fluid state or contains small pieces of augmented ingredients.

[0015] <<Sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters and sorbitan di-fatty acid esters>> Sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters and sorbitan di-fatty acid esters (hereinafter also referred to as "specific sorbitan fatty acid esters") are types of sorbitan fatty acid esters in which sorbitan and a fatty acid are ester-bonded. Of these, sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters are compounds in which an ester bond is formed with a fatty acid at one of the hydroxyl groups of sorbitan, and sorbitan di-fatty acid esters are compounds in which an ester bond is formed with a fatty acid at two of the hydroxyl groups of sorbitan.

[0016] In the present invention, the sorbitan-derived partial structure in the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester is not particularly limited. Sorbitan is a compound obtained by dehydration of sorbitol, and includes, for example, 1,4-anhydrosorbitol, 1,5-anhydrosorbitol, and 1,4,3,6-dianhydrosorbitol. In the present invention, the sorbitan-derived partial structure may be a structure derived from any sorbitan.

[0017] In the present invention, the type of fatty acid residue contained in the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a fatty acid residue having 10 to 30 carbon atoms, a saturated fatty acid residue, or an unsaturated fatty acid residue. From the viewpoint of maintaining an aerated state even when the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester has fluidity or contains a piece-like augmentation device, the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester preferably contains a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 or more carbon atoms, more preferably a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, even more preferably a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and most preferably a saturated fatty acid residue having 16 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0018] The effects of the present invention can be obtained even when using a specific sorbitan fatty acid ester containing a saturated fatty acid residue having less than 12 carbon atoms or a specific sorbitan fatty acid ester containing an unsaturated fatty acid residue. However, it is difficult to obtain the same effects as when using the above-mentioned specific sorbitan fatty acid ester having a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 or more carbon atoms. In addition, the time required for foaming tends to be long, which tends to reduce production efficiency.

[0019] In the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention, the content of the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably 0.5 to 2.2% by mass, more preferably 0.8 to 1.8% by mass, and most preferably 1.0 to 1.6% by mass, relative to the mass of the foamable oil-and-fat composition. By including the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester within the above range, the oil-based confectionery is less likely to defoam even when rendered fluid. It also tends to have a good texture. Furthermore, even when small pieces of additional ingredients such as nuts and dried fruits are added, defoaming is suppressed, making it easier to maintain an aerated state.

[0020] The foamable oil composition of the present invention may contain two or more specific sorbitan fatty acid esters having different bound fatty acid residues. In this case, the total content of the two or more specific sorbitan fatty acid esters having different bound fatty acid residues is preferably within the above range.

[0021] From the viewpoint of making it difficult to defoam when the fluidity of aerated oil-based confectionery is increased, and from the viewpoint of maintaining the aerated state when small pieces of supplementary ingredients are added, the foamable oil and fat composition of the present invention preferably contains a specific sorbitan fatty acid ester having one type of bound fatty acid residue. As used herein, the term "one type of bound fatty acid residue" in relation to a specific sorbitan fatty acid ester means that the specific fatty acid residue accounts for 50% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acid residue composition of the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester. The constituent fatty acid residue composition of the sorbitan fatty acid ester can be measured by capillary gas chromatography in accordance with "Standard Test Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials, 2.4.2.3-2013, Established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society" or "Standard Test Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials, 2.4.4.3-2013, Established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society."

[0022] <<Sorbitan fatty acid ester with an esterification rate of 65% or more>> From the viewpoint of further improving the effects, the foamable oil composition of the present invention preferably contains, in addition to the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester, a sorbitan fatty acid ester having an esterification rate of 65% or more (hereinafter also referred to as a "highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester").

[0023] By including a highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester in addition to the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester, degassing becomes more difficult even when fluidity is increased, improving the production efficiency of composite foods using aerated oil-based confectionery. Furthermore, since it becomes easier to aerate oil-based confectionery, the production efficiency of the aerated oil-based confectionery itself is also likely to improve. Furthermore, the texture of the aerated oil-based confectionery tends to be good. Furthermore, even when small pieces of additional ingredients are included, the aerated state is more easily maintained.

[0024] The esterification rate (%) of the sorbitan fatty acid ester in the present invention is a value calculated by the following formula: The ester value and hydroxyl value in the formula are measured, for example, in accordance with [2.3.3-1996 Ester value] and [2.3.6-1996 Hydroxyl value] of "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials (I)" (edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society). Esterification rate (%) = {ester value / (ester value + hydroxyl value)} x 100

[0025] Any sorbitan fatty acid ester having an esterification rate of 65% or more can be used as the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester. The highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester preferably has an esterification rate of 70% or more, more preferably 73% or more. In the present invention, from the viewpoint of industrially produced or commercially sold products and easy availability, the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester preferably has an esterification rate of 90% or less, more preferably 85% or less, and may even be 80% or less. In particular, the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably a sorbitan trifatty acid ester. A sorbitan trifatty acid ester is an ester compound of sorbitan and a fatty acid, in which ester bonds are formed with fatty acids at three of the hydroxyl groups of sorbitan.

[0026] In the present invention, the type of fatty acid residue contained in the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a fatty acid residue having 10 to 30 carbon atoms, a saturated fatty acid residue, or an unsaturated fatty acid residue. From the viewpoint of maintaining an aerated state even when the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester has fluidity or contains a piece-like augmenting device, the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester preferably contains a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 or more carbon atoms, more preferably a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, even more preferably a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and most preferably a saturated fatty acid residue having 16 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0027] From the viewpoint of making it difficult to defoam when the fluidity of an aerated oil-based confectionery is increased, and from the viewpoint of maintaining the aerated state when small pieces of supplementary ingredients are contained, the foamable oil and fat composition of the present invention preferably contains a highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester having one type of bound fatty acid residue. In this specification, the phrase "having one type of bound fatty acid residue" in relation to a highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester means that the specific fatty acid residue accounts for 70 mass% or more of the constituent fatty acid residue composition of the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester.

[0028] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the effects of the present invention, it is preferable that the fatty acid residue contained in the maximum amount constituting the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is the same type as the fatty acid residue contained in the maximum amount constituting the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester.

[0029] In the present invention, the content of the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is preferably 0.1 to 2.0 mass %, more preferably 0.2 to 1.5 mass %, and even more preferably 0.3 to 1.2 mass %, relative to the mass of the foamable oil or fat composition.

[0030] Furthermore, the content of the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester in the foamable oil composition is preferably 0.3 to 1.5 parts by mass, more preferably 0.4 to 1.2 parts by mass, and even more preferably 0.5 to 0.9 parts by mass, when the content of the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester (i.e., the total content of sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and sorbitan di-fatty acid ester) is taken as 1 part by mass.

[0031] <<Oils and fats that can be used>> The foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention contains a fat or oil as a main component. In particular, from the viewpoint of facilitating aeration of an oil-based confectionery containing the foamable oil-and-fat composition, the fat or oil content is preferably 80 to 99.5% by mass. The fat or oil content is more preferably 85% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. The fat or oil content may be 99% by mass or less, or may be 98% by mass or less.

[0032] The fats and oils used in the foamable fat composition of the present invention are not particularly limited and include, for example, vegetable fats and oils such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, rice oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, monkey fat, mango fat, and cocoa butter; animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, fish oil, and whale oil; and processed fats obtained by subjecting these fats and oils to one or more physical or chemical treatments such as hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification. One of the above fats and oils may be used alone, or two or more fats and oils may be used in combination. When two or more fats and oils are used in combination, it is preferable that the total content of these fats and oils falls within the above numerical range.

[0033] Although it depends on the mode of use of the aerated confectionery produced using the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention, the foamable oil-and-fat composition preferably contains one or more of the following oils and fats (1) and (2) as raw material oil-and-fat ingredients, which makes it easier for the oil-and-fat confectionery to be aerated by stirring or aeration. (1) Lauric acid-based oils and fats (2) At least one fractionated soft oil selected from cocoa butter fractionated soft oil, shea butter fractionated soft oil, sal fat fractionated soft oil, and interesterified soft oil derived from high oleic sunflower oil (hereinafter, simply referred to as "cocoa butter fractionated soft oil").

[0034] The above-mentioned (1) lauric fats and oils in this specification refer to processed fats and oils that are obtained by using coconut oil, palm kernel oil, or a mixture of these oils and oils as one of the raw materials and subjecting them to one or more physical or chemical treatments such as hydrogenation, fractionation, and interesterification, and that contain 15 to 65 mass % of lauric acid (a saturated fatty acid having 12 carbon atoms) in the fatty acid composition.

[0035] As described above, the (2) fractionated soft oil such as cocoa butter in the present invention is at least one type of fat selected from fractionated soft oil of cocoa butter, fractionated soft oil of shea butter, fractionated soft oil of monkey fat, and interesterified fractionated soft oil derived from high oleic sunflower oil. "Fractionated soft oil" refers to a low-melting point fat obtained by separating and removing high-melting point fats by fractionation. The fractionated soft oil such as cocoa butter may be a fat consisting of only one type of fat selected from fractionated soft oil of cocoa butter, fractionated soft oil of shea butter, fractionated soft oil of monkey fat, and interesterified fractionated soft oil derived from high oleic sunflower oil, or may be a mixed fat consisting of two or more types of fats.

[0036] The fractionated soft oil such as cacao butter may be partially or entirely a fat that is not a liquid oil, but from the viewpoint of facilitating aeration of oil-based confectioneries, it is preferred that the entire fractionated soft oil such as cacao butter be a liquid oil having an SFC of 10% or less at 25° C. The iodine value of the fractionated soft oil such as cacao butter is preferably 40 or more, more preferably 50 to 75.

[0037] The fractionation method for obtaining fractionated soft oil from cocoa butter, shea butter, and monkey fat is not particularly limited, and known methods can be used. Such methods include, for example, solvent fractionation such as acetone fractionation and hexane fractionation, and solventless fractionation such as crystallization. Fractionation may be performed multiple times as needed, and the fractionation conditions may be changed for each time. Solvent fractionation and solventless fractionation may also be combined.

[0038] The interesterified fractionated soft part oil derived from high oleic sunflower oil can be obtained by mixing high oleic sunflower oil and ethyl stearate in a mass ratio of preferably 1:2 to 2:1, adding a lipase having 1,3-position specificity to the mixture, and interesterifying the mixture by a conventional method, followed by fractionation by a known method as described above.

[0039] In addition to enhancing foaming properties, from the viewpoint of imparting good melt-in-the-mouth properties to the aerated oil-based confectionery, the content of the lauric oil in the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is preferably 15 to 60 mass %, more preferably 20 to 55 mass %, of the oil content contained in the foamable oil-and-fat composition.

[0040] Laurin-based fats and oils can significantly improve the melting property in the mouth at room temperature, and are therefore preferably used in oil-based confectioneries to be eaten at room temperature.

[0041] Similarly, from the viewpoint of imparting good melt-in-the-mouth properties to the aerated oil-based confectionery in addition to enhancing foaming properties, the content of the fractionated soft oil such as cocoa butter in the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is preferably 40 to 65 mass %, more preferably 45 to 60 mass %, of the oil content contained in the foamable oil-and-fat composition.

[0042] Fractionated soft oils such as cocoa butter are liquid at room temperature, but when refrigerated or frozen, they have a moderate viscoelasticity and melt easily in the mouth when eaten, making them particularly suitable for use in oil-based confectioneries eaten frozen.

[0043] The foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention may be of the tempering type or the non-tempering type. When an oil-and-fat composition is aerated by stirring or aeration, the oil-and-fat composition is usually heated to a temperature at which it becomes fluid. Therefore, the non-tempering type is preferred from the viewpoint of being able to obtain desired physical properties without considering the crystal form of the oil or fat in the oil-and-fat composition.

[0044] A non-tempering type foaming fat composition can be obtained by a conventional method in the art. For example, the foaming fat composition can be made non-tempering by decreasing the proportion of SUS type (symmetric) triglycerides and increasing the proportion of SSU type (asymmetric) triglycerides in the S2U type triglycerides (triglycerides containing two saturated fatty acids S and one unsaturated fatty acid U) in the fat composition.

[0045] The foamable oil / fat composition of the present invention preferably contains substantially no trans fatty acids. "Substantially no trans fatty acids" means that the content of trans fatty acids is less than 10% by mass relative to the mass of all constituent fatty acids contained in the foamable oil / fat composition. This content of trans fatty acids is more preferably 5% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 1% by mass or less.

[0046] <<Other ingredients>> In addition to the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester and the fat or oil, the foamable fat or oil composition of the present invention can contain water and additives. Known additives can be used alone or in combination. Examples of additives include emulsifiers, thickening stabilizers, salting agents such as salt and potassium chloride, acidulants such as acetic acid, lactic acid, and gluconic acid, sugars and sugar alcohols, sweeteners such as stevia and aspartame, coloring agents such as β-carotene, caramel, and red koji pigment, antioxidants such as tocopherol and tea extract, vegetable proteins such as wheat protein and soy protein, eggs and various egg products, cocoa raw materials such as cocoa mass and cocoa powder, milk and dairy products such as skim milk powder, whole milk powder, cream, milk, and whey minerals, flavorings, spices, seasonings, pH adjusters, food preservatives, shelf-life enhancers, fruit juice, and coffee raw materials.

[0047] However, in the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention, a high water content significantly deteriorates the solidification properties of the oil-based confectionery and also makes it more likely to thicken, so a lower water content is preferable. The water content in the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is preferably 3% by mass or less, particularly preferably 1% by mass or less. Note that this water content is calculated by adding not only the water directly blended but also the water contained in other ingredients containing water. When the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention contains water, the foamable oil-and-fat composition may be in the form of an emulsion such as an oil-in-water emulsion or a water-in-oil emulsion.

[0048] As the emulsifier, any emulsifier other than sorbitan fatty acid ester can be used. For example, the emulsifier may be glycerin fatty acid ester, glycerin difatty acid ester, glycerin organic acid fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, calcium stearoyl lactylate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, or lecithin. The emulsifier may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In order not to reduce the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to select lecithin as the emulsifier.

[0049] The amount of the emulsifier added is preferably 0.1 to 1 mass %, more preferably 0.2 to 0.7 mass %, based on the mass of the foamable oil or fat composition.

[0050] The foamable oil or fat composition of the present invention may or may not contain air bubbles.

[0051] <Method for producing foamable oil and fat composition> Next, a method for producing the foamable oil composition of the present invention will be described. The foamable oil composition of the present invention is produced by dissolving the specific sorbitan fatty acid ester in an oil phase, adding an aqueous phase as needed to emulsify the mixture, and cooling and crystallizing the mixture.

[0052] Specifically, first, one or more oils are selected, and the oils are heated and dissolved, followed by mixing and stirring. A desired amount of a specific sorbitan fatty acid ester is then added to the oil and dissolved with mixing to prepare an oil phase. At this time, other oil-soluble ingredients can be added to the oil phase as needed. Alternatively, if needed, other water-soluble ingredients can be added to water to prepare an aqueous phase, which can then be added to the oil phase for emulsification. When an emulsifier (particularly lecithin) is used as an additional ingredient, it is preferable to add it to the oil phase.

[0053] In the present invention, it is preferable to sterilize the mixture of raw materials obtained as described above. Any known method can be used as the sterilization method, and it may be a batch method in a tank or a continuous method using a plate-type heat exchanger or a scraped-surface heat exchanger.

[0054] Next, the mixture of raw materials is cooled and plasticized as necessary. In the present invention, the cooling condition is preferably 0.5°C / min or more, more preferably 5°C / min or more. Equipment used for cooling includes a closed-type continuous tube cooler, for example, a margarine manufacturing machine such as a Votator, a Combinator, or a Perfector, a plate-type heat exchanger, and the like, and also includes a combination of an open-type diacooler and a complexor.

[0055] In any of the steps of producing the foamable oil composition of the present invention, the composition may be optionally aerated with nitrogen, air, etc. When a foamable oil composition containing no bubbles is to be produced, such aeration treatment is not required at this stage.

[0056] <Oil-based sweets> The oil-based confectionery of the present invention will now be described. The foaming oil-and-fat composition obtained as described above is particularly preferably used in oil-based confectionery. The oil-based confectionery of the present invention is characterized by containing the foaming oil-and-fat composition described above. The oil-based confectionery of the present invention is characterized by containing the foaming oil-and-fat composition described above, which, when aerated, can suppress defoaming in the aerated confectionery even when the aerated confectionery is in a fluid state, or can suppress defoaming in the aerated confectionery even when the aerated confectionery contains small pieces of an expanding ingredient. Therefore, the oil-based confectionery is preferably in an aerated state, and in this case, the foaming oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is particularly useful.

[0057] The timing of the aeration treatment of the oil-based confectionery of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be any stage after the foaming oil-and-fat composition is added to the oil-based confectionery ingredients and before the oil-based confectionery is eaten. For example, after the foaming oil-and-fat composition is added to the oil-based confectionery ingredients, the oil-based confectionery may be aerated during the series of production processes for the oil-based confectionery. Furthermore, for example, the oil-based confectionery may be aerated at a location other than the production site of the oil-based confectionery, such as a confectionery factory, confectionery workshop, or confectionery store, after it is distributed on the market as an oil-based confectionery for aeration without being aerated during the production process of the oil-based confectionery.

[0058] The method for aeration is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method in which the oil-based confectionery is cooled to an appropriate temperature and stirred with a whisk or the like while adjusting the amount of crystallization, a method in which air bubbles are forcibly incorporated into the oil-based confectionery using a continuous mixer, a method in which the oil-based confectionery is forcibly foamed by reducing the pressure, and aeration in which air or an inert gas is blown into the oil-based confectionery. When the aerated oil-based confectionery to be produced is a temper type, it is preferable to temper the oil-based confectionery before carrying out the aeration treatment.

[0059] The degree of aeration, i.e., the specific gravity of the aerated oil-based confectionery, is preferably 0.5 to 1.0, and more preferably 0.6 to 0.9. If the specific gravity is less than 0.5, the air bubbles become coarse, resulting in extremely brittle physical properties, and the oil-based confectionery becomes difficult to dissolve in the mouth, resulting in a sluggish texture and making it difficult to achieve a good melt-in-the-mouth feel. On the other hand, if the specific gravity exceeds 1.0, it is difficult to achieve the light aftertaste and smooth texture unique to aerated chocolate.

[0060] The type of oily confectionery of the present invention is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include chocolates and creams.

[0061] <<Chocolate>> First, chocolates, which are one embodiment of the oil-based confectionery of the present invention, will be described. The chocolates, which are the oil-based confectionery of the present invention, contain the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention as the oil-and-fat constituting the chocolates.

[0062] In this specification, the term "chocolate" refers not only to "chocolate" and "semi-chocolate" as defined by the National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council, but also to processed foods containing fats and oils, such as raw chocolate, white chocolate, and colored chocolate, which use cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cocoa, etc. For example, such chocolates can be obtained by mixing raw materials selected from various powdered foods, such as cocoa mass, cocoa powder, and milk powder, fats and oils, sugars, emulsifiers, flavorings, and colorings, in any desired ratios, and then subjecting the mixture to conventional processing such as rolling and conching.

[0063] The content of the foaming oil-and-fat composition in the chocolates, which are oil-based confectioneries of the present invention, varies depending on the amount of cocoa butter contained in the chocolates, but is preferably 60 to 100% by mass, more preferably 65 to 95% by mass, and particularly preferably 75 to 90% by mass, of the mass of the oil-and-fat contained in the chocolates.

[0064] In order to obtain chocolates having a good flavor and texture, the content of cocoa butter relative to the mass of the fat and oil content of chocolates containing the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is preferably 5 to 35% by mass, more preferably 5 to 30% by mass. In particular, when the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is a non-tempering type, the content of cocoa butter relative to the mass of the fat and oil content of chocolates is preferably 5 to 25% by mass, more preferably 5 to 20% by mass, in order to suppress deterioration in the quality of chocolates due to the occurrence of blooming, etc.

[0065] Furthermore, when the chocolates of the present invention contain milk fat derived from dairy products, the content of milk fat in the oil phase is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less, which makes it easier to maintain the aerated state when the oil-based confectionery is aerated as described below, even when it is in a fluid state or contains small pieces of additional ingredients.

[0066] The chocolates which are oil-based confectioneries of the present invention contain the foaming oil-and-fat composition of the present invention, and when the chocolates are aerated, the chocolates can be characterized in that, even if the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery is in a fluid state, defoaming in the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery can be suppressed, or even if the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery contains small pieces of an expanding ingredient, defoaming in the aerated oil-and-fat confectionery can be suppressed. Therefore, when the chocolates are aerated chocolates, the foaming oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is particularly useful.

[0067] A preferred method for producing an aerated chocolate (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "aerated chocolate"), which is one embodiment of the oil-based confectionery of the present invention, will be described below.

[0068] To produce the aerated chocolate of the present invention, first, a chocolate dough containing the foaming oil-and-fat composition of the present invention is produced. Examples of such a method include adding the foaming oil-and-fat composition of the present invention to a molten chocolate dough and thoroughly mixing it, or adding the foaming oil-and-fat composition of the present invention during the production of the chocolate dough and thoroughly mixing it by a standard method. Next, the chocolate dough is aerated and cooled.

[0069] The degree of air inclusion, i.e., the specific gravity of the aerated chocolate, is preferably 0.5 to 1.0, and more preferably 0.6 to 0.9. If the specific gravity is less than 0.5, the air bubbles will become coarse, resulting in extremely brittle physical properties, and the oily confectionery will have difficulty dissolving in the mouth, resulting in a sluggish texture and making it difficult to achieve a good melt-in-the-mouth feel. On the other hand, if the specific gravity exceeds 1.0, it will be difficult to achieve the light aftertaste and smooth texture that are unique to aerated chocolate.

[0070] Examples of molding methods for molding the aerated chocolate dough include pouring the aerated chocolate dough into various molds, squeezing it into a plate through a nozzle, or pouring it into the center of a chocolate shell.Then, in accordance with a standard method, the mixture is cooled, and if necessary, released from the mold and molded.

[0071] <<Cream>> Creams, which are one embodiment of the oil-based confectionery of the present invention, will now be described. Creams are food materials that contain an oil phase as a continuous phase, such as cream, butter cream, and sugar cream. The creams, which are the oil-based confectionery of the present invention, contain the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention as part or all of their oil phase.

[0072] The content of the foamable oil composition in the cream of the present invention is preferably 20 to 100% by mass, more preferably 30 to 100% by mass, based on the mass of the oil contained in the cream.

[0073] When the cream of the present invention contains cocoa butter, the cocoa butter content is preferably 5 to 35% by mass, more preferably 5 to 30% by mass, based on the mass of the fat and oil content of the cream in order to obtain a good flavor and texture. In particular, when the foamable oil and fat composition of the present invention is a non-tempering type, the cocoa butter content is preferably 5 to 25% by mass, more preferably 5 to 20% by mass, based on the mass of the fat and oil content of the cream in order to suppress deterioration in the quality of the cream due to the occurrence of blooming, etc.

[0074] The creams of the present invention can be produced by a conventional production method appropriate for the type of cream, etc., except that the foamable oil / fat composition of the present invention is used as a raw material. In particular, it is preferable to take advantage of the feature of the foamable oil / fat composition of the present invention that it is difficult to defoam, and to incorporate air by stirring, aeration, etc.

[0075] <Composite food> The composite food of the present invention will be described. The composite food of the present invention is a food produced using the oil-based confectionery of the present invention, that is, it contains the oil-based confectionery of the present invention. The composite food of the present invention can be produced, for example, by combining the above-mentioned oil-based confectionery with bakery foods, frozen foods, and small pieces of supplementary ingredients. It is more preferable that the oil-based confectionery of the present invention is aerated, as it provides a novel texture.

[0076] Examples of the bakery foods used in the production of the composite food of the present invention include breads and baked goods.

[0077] Examples of the breads used in the production of the composite food of the present invention include white bread, sweet bread, butter roll, variety bread, French bread, Danish, pastry, and the like.

[0078] These bread doughs can be produced by known bread-making methods. Examples of such bread-making methods include the quick-bread method, straight dough method, sponge dough method, liquid dough method, sourdough method, sake dough method, hop dough method, medium dough method, Chollywood method, continuous bread-making method, refrigerated dough method, and frozen dough method. The dough can be floor-baked, divided, bench-baked, shaped, and proofed in the same manner as when preparing ordinary bread dough.

[0079] Examples of the baked confectioneries used in the production of the composite food of the present invention include butter cakes such as pound cake, fruit cake, madeleine, baumkuchen, castella, etc., cookies such as icebox cookies, wire-cut cookies, sables, langue de chat cookies, etc., as well as pies, choux pastries, donuts, hard biscuits, waffles, scones, etc. The dough for these baked confectioneries can be produced by known methods such as the sugar batter method, the flour batter method, the all-in-mix method, etc., and baked confectioneries can be obtained according to conventional methods.

[0080] Examples of the frozen foods used in the production of the composite food of the present invention include frozen desserts such as ice cream, ice candy, semifreddo cake, frozen cake, frozen bread, frozen cookies, ice cream monaka, and ice cream cone, as well as frozen bakery dough such as frozen pies and frozen bread dough.

[0081] The small pieces of supplementary ingredients used in the production of the composite food of the present invention are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include nuts and seeds, dried fruits, crushed baked goods, and marshmallows.

[0082] Examples of the nuts and seeds mentioned above include peanuts, almonds, cashew nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecan nuts, oat nuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, coconuts, pine nuts, poppy nuts, sunflower nuts, and other nuts and seeds, as well as their whole, split, and sliced ​​products, and processed products such as pastes and purees made from them.

[0083] Examples of the dried fruits include grapes (including muscat grapes, etc.), berries (including strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, etc.), citrus fruits (including mandarins, oranges, yuzu, etc.), peaches, prunes, bananas, papayas, pineapples, apples, plums, tomatoes, etc., with a water activity reduced to about 0.5 to 0.7.

[0084] In this specification, "dried fruit" refers to foods that are generally classified as vegetables or grains (including legumes such as soybeans, adzuki beans, and chickpeas), but also includes foods such as pumpkins and sweet potatoes with a Brix value of 5% or more that have been dried to reduce their water activity to approximately 0.5 to 0.7.

[0085] The pulverized baked confectionery products are obtained by crushing, grinding and cutting the above-mentioned baked confectionery products.

[0086] The small pieces of supplementary material used in the production of the composite food of the present invention may be crushed, pulverized, or cut into pieces according to their size. The size of the pieces contained in the composite food of the present invention is preferably about 1 to 8 mm on each side.

[0087] The method of combining is not particularly limited, and the composition can be combined with various foods by filling, topping, coating, enrobing, etc. In particular, since the oil-based confectionery produced using the foamable oil-and-fat composition of the present invention has the characteristic of maintaining an aerated state even in a fluid state, it is useful when the aerated oil-based confectionery of the present invention is combined with the above-mentioned various foods by coating or enrobing. This makes it possible to obtain foods with a novel texture not previously seen.

[0088] Methods for combining aerated oil-based confectionery with bakery foods and frozen foods by coating and enrobing include dripping, painting, spraying, dipping, and dipping (e.g., immersing a large portion of the food for a relatively short period of time).

[0089] Furthermore, the oil-based confectionery produced using the foaming oil composition of the present invention has the characteristic of maintaining an aerated state even when containing small pieces of supplementary ingredients, and is therefore useful when small pieces of supplementary ingredients are dispersed and contained in the aerated oil-based confectionery of the present invention, thereby making it possible to obtain foods with a novel texture that has not been seen before.

[0090] Methods for dispersing and incorporating small pieces of supplementary ingredients into aerated oil-based confectionery include, for example, a method in which the aerated oil-based confectionery is heated until it becomes fluid, and then the small pieces of supplementary ingredients are added and further mixed to disperse, and a method in which the small pieces of supplementary ingredients are added when the oil-based confectionery is aerated.

[0091] The amount of the oily confectionery of the present invention used when producing the composite food of the present invention is not particularly limited and may vary depending on the type of food to be combined. [Example]

[0092] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples. The materials, amounts used, ratios, processing details, processing procedures, etc. shown in the examples can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific examples shown below.

[0093] "Preparation of raw oils and fats" Oil and fat compositions A, B and C for use in producing foamable oil and fat compositions were prepared according to the following procedure.

[0094] <Oil composition A> Shea fractionated soft oil (iodine value 65), which is a fractionated soft oil such as cocoa butter, and palm kernel fractionated soft oil, which is a lauric fat, were heated and mixed and stirred in the melted state to obtain oil and fat composition A having the following composition. Formulating oil composition A 50 parts by weight of shea fractionated soft part oil Fractionated palm kernel soft oil 50 parts by weight

[0095] <Oil composition B> Fats b1, b2, b3, and b4 were prepared by the following procedure: Next, fats b1, b2, lauric fats b3 and b4, and hardened palm oil (iodine value 1 or less) were each heated and mixed and stirred in a melted state to obtain fat composition B having the following composition. Formulating oil and fat composition B ·Oil b1 39 parts by mass ·Oil b2 19 parts by mass ·Oil b3 20 parts by mass ·Oil b4 19 parts by mass ···Palm extremely hardened oil 3 parts by mass

[0096] <<Method for preparing oil b1>> First, 42 parts by mass of extremely hardened palm oil (palm oil hydrogenated until its iodine value was 1 or less), 27.5 parts by mass of palm oil, and 30.5 parts by mass of soft fractionated palm oil (iodine value 56) were each stirred and mixed in a melted state to obtain an oil and fat blend. This oil and fat blend was placed in a four-neck flask, the liquid temperature was adjusted to 90°C, and 0.2 parts by mass of sodium methoxide was added per 100 parts by mass of the oil and fat blend. The mixture was then stirred and mixed under vacuum for 1 hour while heated. Citric acid was then added to the oil and fat blend to neutralize the sodium methoxide, and the mixture was refined into an oil and fat blend by a conventional method to obtain a randomly interesterified oil.

[0097] The randomly interesterified oil was placed in a jacketed glass crystallizer and heated to 60°C while stirring at 50 rpm. The completely dissolved oil was rapidly cooled at 7.0°C / h until the oil temperature reached 46°C. After the oil temperature reached 46°C, a 5-hour aging process was carried out, followed by slow cooling at 2.2°C / h until the oil temperature reached 35.0°C. After the oil temperature reached 35°C, an 11-hour aging process was carried out to obtain a crystallized slurry. This crystallized slurry was subjected to filtration, fractionation, and squeezing, and the obtained fractionated soft oil was refined by conventional methods to obtain oil b1.

[0098] <<Method for preparing oil b2>> First, 35 parts by mass of extremely hardened palm oil (palm oil hydrogenated until its iodine value was 1 or less) and 65 parts by mass of palm oil were each stirred and mixed in a melted state to obtain an oil and fat blend. This oil and fat blend was placed in a four-neck flask, the liquid temperature was adjusted to 90°C, and 0.2 parts by mass of sodium methoxide was added per 100 parts by mass of the oil and fat blend. The mixture was then stirred and mixed under vacuum for 1 hour while heating. Citric acid was then added to the oil and fat blend to neutralize the sodium methoxide, and the mixture was refined by conventional methods to obtain oil and fat b2.

[0099] <<Method for preparing oil b3>> An oil and fat blend was obtained by stirring and mixing 50 parts by mass of palm kernel oil (lauric acid residue content of constituent fatty acid residues: 50.1%) and 50 parts by mass of extremely hardened palm oil, which was palm oil hydrogenated until the iodine value was 1 or less, in a melted state. This oil and fat blend was used to carry out a random interesterification reaction using sodium methoxide as a catalyst and a purification treatment in the same manner as for oil and fat b1, to obtain oil and fat b3, which is a random interesterified oil.

[0100] <<Method for preparing oil b4>> An oil and fat blend was obtained by stirring and mixing 45 parts by mass of extremely hardened palm oil, which had been hydrogenated to an iodine value of 1 or less, and 55 parts by mass of palm oil in a melted state. This oil and fat blend was placed in a four-neck flask, the liquid temperature was adjusted to 90°C, and 0.2 parts by mass of sodium methoxide was added per 100 parts by mass of the oil and fat blend. The mixture was then stirred and mixed under vacuum for 1 hour while heated. Citric acid was then added to the oil and fat blend to neutralize the sodium methoxide, and the mixture was refined by a conventional method to obtain a randomly interesterified oil.

[0101] The randomly interesterified oil was placed in a jacketed glass crystallizer and heated to 60°C while stirring at 50 rpm. The completely dissolved oil was rapidly cooled at 8.3°C / h until the oil temperature reached 45°C. After the oil temperature reached 45°C, it underwent a 3-hour aging process and was then slowly cooled at 1°C / h until the oil temperature reached 39.5°C to obtain a crystallized slurry. This crystallized slurry was subjected to filtration, fractionation, and squeezing, and the obtained fractionated soft oil was refined by conventional methods to obtain oil b4.

[0102] <Oil composition C> The above-mentioned oil b4, palm soft fractionated oil (iodine value 65), and palm mid-melting point fraction were each heated and mixed and stirred in a melted state to obtain an oil composition C having the following composition. Formulating oil and fat composition C ·Oil b4 54 parts by mass Fractionated soft palm oil 29 parts by weight Palm mid-melting point fraction 17 parts by mass

[0103] "Study 1. Oil-based confectionery for coating frozen confectionery" Using the above-mentioned oil composition A, foamable oil compositions were prepared as shown below. Note that, hereinafter, the foamable oil compositions of Examples 1 to 11 may be referred to as Ex-1 to Ex-11, respectively, and the foamable oil compositions of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 may be referred to as CEx-1 and CEx-2, respectively. The materials used are as follows:

[0104] <Material specifications> Sorbitan monostearate: A sorbitan fatty acid ester that contains one fatty acid residue in the compound, and that fatty acid residue is a stearic acid residue. "GRINSTED SMS MB" manufactured by Danisco Japan. Sorbitan monolaurate: A sorbitan fatty acid ester containing one fatty acid residue in the compound, the fatty acid residue being a lauric acid residue. "L-300" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. Sorbitan monooleate: A sorbitan fatty acid ester containing one fatty acid residue in the compound, where the fatty acid residue is an oleic acid residue. "Poem O-80V" manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. Sorbitan distearate: A sorbitan fatty acid ester containing two fatty acid residues, both of which are stearic acid residues. This product is available as "Poem S-320YN" by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. Sorbitan tristearate: A sorbitan fatty acid ester containing three fatty acid residues, all of which are stearic acid residues. Grised STS Q, manufactured by Danisco Japan.

[0105] Example 1 The oil composition A, sorbitan monostearate, and tocopherol were added in the following proportions, and the mixture was heated to 70°C until completely dissolved and thoroughly mixed. The mixture was then rapidly cooled at a cooling rate of 30°C / min to plasticize, thereby obtaining a foamable oil composition (Ex-1). ·Combination of foaming oil and fat composition (Ex-1) ·Oil composition A 99.68 parts by mass Sorbitan monostearate 0.30 parts by weight Tocopherol 0.02 parts by mass

[0106] <Example 2> A foamable oil composition (Ex-2) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of oil composition A was 99.08 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 0.9 parts by mass.

[0107] Example 3 A foamable oil composition (Ex-3) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of oil composition A was 98.78 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.2 parts by mass.

[0108] Example 4 A foamable oil composition (Ex-4) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of oil composition A was 98.48 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.5 parts by mass.

[0109] <Example 5> A foamable oil composition (Ex-5) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of oil composition A was 97.98 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 2.0 parts by mass.

[0110] Example 6 A foamable oil composition (Ex-6) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of oil composition A was 97.58 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 2.4 parts by mass.

[0111] Example 7 A foamable oil composition (Ex-7) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 5, except that the same amount of sorbitan distearate was used instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0112] Example 8 A foamable oil composition (Ex-8) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 5, except that the same amount of sorbitan monolaurate was used instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0113] Example 9 A foamable oil composition (Ex-9) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 5, except that the same amount of sorbitan monooleate was used instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0114] Example 10 Sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan tristearate, and tocopherol were added to the oil and fat composition A in the following proportions, and the mixture was heated to 70°C until completely dissolved and thoroughly mixed. The mixture was then rapidly cooled at a cooling rate of 30°C / min to plasticize, thereby obtaining a foamable oil and fat composition (Ex-10). ·Combination of foaming oil composition (Ex-10) ·Oil composition A 98.78 parts by mass Sorbitan monostearate 0.60 parts by weight Sorbitan tristearate 0.60 parts by mass Tocopherol 0.02 parts by mass

[0115] Example 11 A foamable oil composition (Ex-11) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 10, except that the amount of oil composition A was 97.78 parts by mass, the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.2 parts by mass, and the amount of sorbitan tristearate was 1.0 part by mass.

[0116] <Comparative Example 1> A foamable oil composition (CEx-1) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that sorbitan monostearate was not added and the amount of oil composition A was 99.98 parts by mass.

[0117] <Comparative Example 2> A foamable oil composition (CEx-2) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the amount of oil composition A was 99.38 parts by mass and 0.6 parts by mass of sorbitan tristearate was added instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0118] <Production of aerated oily confectionery and composite foods> Using foaming fat and oil compositions Ex-1 to Ex-11 and CEx-1 and CEx-2, respectively, aerated oil-based confections for coating frozen desserts and frozen desserts using the same were produced as follows.

[0119] A non-tempering type aerated oil-based confectionery (aerated chocolate) was obtained with the following formulation. Specifically, sugar, cocoa mass (oil content 55% by mass), cocoa powder, liquid oil (soybean oil), flavoring, and lecithin were placed in a bowl, kneaded together to form a paste, and rolled. After rolling, each foaming oil-based composition was added and further conched to obtain a non-tempering type oil-based confectionery dough. This oil-based confectionery dough was stirred at high speed using a tabletop mixer until the specific gravity reached 0.83, thereby obtaining an aerated oil-based confectionery. The temperature of the oil-based confectionery dough at the start of stirring was 40°C. The temperature of the oil-based confectionery dough at the end of stirring was 25.5°C, and it was in a fluid paste state. -Formulation of oil-based confectionery ·Sugar 32.26 parts by mass 8.24 parts by weight of cocoa mass 15.47 parts by weight of cocoa powder 20.55 parts by mass of liquid oil ·Fragrance 0.03 parts by mass ··Foaming oil and fat composition 23.00 parts by mass Lecithin 0.45 parts by weight

[0120] A portion of the aerated oil-containing confectionery was placed in a cup and subjected to the "specific gravity evaluation" described below. Next, the aerated oil-containing confectionery was adjusted to 25°C and dipped into vanilla ice cream on a stick (Lotte's "Hokkaido Vanilla Bar", 45 ml x 10 bars) to obtain a frozen dessert coated with the aerated oil-containing confectionery to a thickness of approximately 3 mm. During the coating process in producing this frozen dessert, the "visual observation evaluation" described below was performed. The frozen dessert was then thoroughly frozen and stored at -20°C, and then subjected to the "sensory evaluation" described below.

[0121] <Evaluation> <<Weighted Evaluation>> The aerated oil-based confections obtained using each foaming oil composition were stored in a constant temperature chamber set at 25°C for 3 hours. The specific gravity before and after storage was evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. The specific gravity was calculated using the following formula, assuming that the specific gravity of water is 1. Specific gravity of aerated oily confectionery = A / B A represents the weight of a given volume of aerated oily confectionery. B represents the weight of a given volume of water. Evaluation criteria Fluctuation in specific gravity = |Specific gravity of aerated oil-based confectionery after storage -Specific gravity of aerated oil-based confectionery before storage| ++: The variation in specific gravity was 0.02 or less. +: The fluctuation in specific gravity was more than 0.02 and less than 0.04. ±: The fluctuation in specific gravity was more than 0.04 and 0.06 or less. -: The fluctuation in specific gravity was greater than 0.06 and less than 0.08. --: The specific gravity fluctuation was more than 0.08.

[0122] <<Visual Observation Evaluation>> The surface of the aerated oil-containing confectionery obtained using each foaming oil-and-fat composition was visually observed and rated on a 5-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. Evaluation criteria ++: The fluidity required for coating is sufficient, the air bubbles are very fine, and the surface of the chocolate dough is smooth. +: The fluidity required for coating is sufficient, the air bubbles are small, and the surface of the chocolate dough is smooth. ±: The fluidity required for coating is sufficient, the air bubbles are somewhat fine, and the surface of the chocolate dough is somewhat smooth. -: The liquidity required for coating is sufficient, but the air bubbles are somewhat coarse and the surface of the chocolate dough is somewhat rough. --: The liquidity required for coating is sufficient, but the air bubbles are coarse and the surface of the chocolate dough is rough.

[0123] <<Sensory evaluation>> A sensory evaluation of the aerated oil-based confectioneries produced in the Examples and Comparative Examples was carried out by 10 expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria. The total scores of the 10 expert panelists were calculated, and a total score of 46-50 points was evaluated as +++, 39-45 points as ++, 32-38 points as +, 27-31 points as ±, 14-26 points as -, and 0-13 points as --. Prior to the evaluation, the panelists agreed on the sensory level corresponding to each score. Evaluation criteria 5 points: Light and extremely light aftertaste, very good. 3 points: A light and refreshing aftertaste that is good. 1 point: The texture is rough and crumbly, or the texture remains in the mouth, and is somewhat poor. 0 points: Too hard or too soft, poor quality.

[0124] <<Evaluation Results>> The results of the evaluations in Study 1 are shown in Table 1. The results of the specific gravity evaluation showed that the configuration of the present invention can suppress defoaming in aerated oil-based confectionery even when the aerated oil-based confectionery is in a fluid state. In particular, the results of Examples 3 to 7 showed that by setting the added amounts of sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and sorbitan di-fatty acid ester within a specified range, the air bubble retention performance is further improved, and fine air bubbles can be maintained, resulting in a fine-grained oil-based confectionery. Furthermore, the results of Examples 10 and 11 showed that even when a sorbitan fatty acid ester with an esterification rate of 65% or more is used in combination, the aerated state is more easily maintained and a good texture is obtained.

[0125] [Table 1]

[0126] "Consideration 2: Oily snacks for sandwiches" Using the above-mentioned oil / fat composition B, foamable oil / fat compositions were prepared as shown below. Note that, hereinafter, the foamable oil / fat compositions of Examples 12 to 21 may be referred to as Ex-12 to Ex-21, respectively, and the foamable oil / fat compositions of Comparative Examples 3 and 4 may be referred to as CEx-3 and CEx-4, respectively. The materials used were the same types as those used in Study 1.

[0127] Example 12 The oil and fat composition B, sorbitan monostearate, and tocopherol were added in the following proportions, and the mixture was heated to 70°C until completely dissolved and thoroughly mixed. The mixture was then rapidly cooled at a cooling rate of 30°C / min to plasticize, thereby obtaining a foamable oil and fat composition (Ex-12). ·Combination of foaming oil and fat composition (Ex-12) ·Oil composition B 99.08 parts by mass Sorbitan monostearate 0.90 parts by weight Tocopherol 0.02 parts by mass

[0128] Example 13 A foamable oil composition (Ex-13) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 12, except that the amount of oil composition B was 98.78 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.2 parts by mass.

[0129] Example 14 A foamable oil composition (Ex-14) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 12, except that the amount of oil composition B was 98.48 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.5 parts by mass.

[0130] Example 15 A foamable oil composition (Ex-15) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 12, except that the amount of oil composition A was 97.98 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 2.0 parts by mass.

[0131] Example 16 A foamable oil composition (Ex-16) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 15, except that the same amount of sorbitan distearate was used instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0132] Example 17 A foamable oil composition (Ex-17) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 15, except that the same amount of sorbitan monolaurate was used instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0133] Example 18 A foamable oil composition (Ex-18) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 15, except that the same amount of sorbitan monooleate was used instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0134] Example 19 Sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan tristearate, and tocopherol were added to the oil and fat composition B in the following proportions, and the mixture was heated to 70°C until completely dissolved and thoroughly mixed. The mixture was then rapidly cooled and plasticized at a cooling rate of 30°C / min to obtain a foamable oil and fat composition (Ex-19). ·Combination of foaming oil and fat composition (Ex-19) ·Oil composition B 98.78 parts by mass Sorbitan monostearate 0.60 parts by weight Sorbitan tristearate 0.60 parts by mass Tocopherol 0.02 parts by mass

[0135] Example 20 A foamable oil composition (Ex-20) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 19, except that the amount of oil composition B was 97.78 parts by mass, the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.2 parts by mass, and the amount of sorbitan tristearate was 1.0 part by mass.

[0136] Example 21 A foamable oil composition (Ex-21) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 19, except that the amount of oil composition B was 97.88 parts by mass, the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.5 parts by mass, and the amount of sorbitan tristearate was 0.6 parts by mass.

[0137] <Comparative Example 3> A foamable oil composition (CEx-3) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 12, except that sorbitan monostearate was not added and the amount of oil composition B was 99.98 parts by mass.

[0138] <Comparative Example 4> A foamable oil composition (CEx-4) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 12, except that the amount of oil composition B was 99.38 parts by mass and 0.6 parts by mass of sorbitan tristearate was added instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0139] <Production of aerated oily confectionery and composite foods> Using foaming oil-and-fat compositions Ex-12 to Ex-21 and CEx-3 and CEx-4, respectively, aerated oil-and-sandwich confectioneries and sandwich confectioneries using the same were produced as follows.

[0140] A non-tempering type aerated oil-based confectionery (aerated chocolate) was obtained with the following formulation. Specifically, cocoa mass was heated to approximately 55°C to melt, and cocoa powder, skim milk powder, and sugar were added and kneaded. A portion of the foaming oil-based composition was then dissolved and added to the mixture to a degree that would give a hardness suitable for use in a roll refiner. The mixture was further kneaded and rolled. Lecithin and the remaining foaming oil-based composition were then added, and the mixture was conched to obtain an oil-based confectionery dough. While adjusting the temperature, the oil-based confectionery dough was stirred at high speed using a tabletop mixer until the specific gravity reached 0.83, thereby obtaining a non-tempering type aerated oil-based confectionery. The temperature of the oil-based confectionery dough at the start of stirring was 50°C. The temperature of the oil-based confectionery dough at the end of stirring was 33°C, and the dough was in a fluid paste state. -Formulation of oil-based confectionery ·Sugar 31.0 parts by mass ··Cacao mass 8.0 parts by weight 11.2 parts cocoa powder 6.4 parts by weight of skim milk powder ·Foaming oil and fat composition 43.0 parts by mass Lecithin 0.4 parts by mass

[0141] A portion of the aerated oil-based confectionery was placed in a cup and subjected to the "specific gravity evaluation" described below. This aerated oil-based confectionery was adjusted to 30°C to make it fluid, and then packed into a triangular bag with a 10mm nozzle. 15g was squeezed onto a baked confectionery ("Marie" manufactured by Morinaga & Co., Ltd.), and another baked confectionery of the same type was placed on top to form a sandwich. This was then cooled at 5°C for 30 hours to obtain a sandwich confectionery in which the aerated oil-based confectionery was combined with the baked confectionery. Each of the sandwich confectioneries obtained above was subjected to the "internal phase evaluation" and "sensory evaluation" described below.

[0142] <Evaluation> <<Weighted Evaluation>> The aerated oil-based confectionery obtained using each foaming oil / fat composition was stored for 48 hours in a constant temperature chamber set at 25° C. The specific gravity before and after storage was evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. Evaluation criteria Fluctuation in specific gravity = |Specific gravity of aerated oil-based confectionery after storage -Specific gravity of aerated oil-based confectionery before storage| ++: The variation in specific gravity was 0.02 or less. +: The fluctuation in specific gravity was more than 0.02 and less than 0.04. ±: The fluctuation in specific gravity was more than 0.04 and 0.06 or less. -: The fluctuation in specific gravity was greater than 0.06 and less than 0.08. --: The specific gravity fluctuation was more than 0.08. <<Ministerial Evaluation>> The sandwich confectionery was broken into pieces, and the internal structure of the aerated oily confectionery sandwiched between the baked confectionery pieces was evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. Evaluation criteria ++: Fine bubbles are uniformly present, and coarse bubbles are hardly observed. +: Fine bubbles are uniformly present, but a few coarse bubbles are observed. ±: Fine bubbles and slightly coarse bubbles are observed to an equal extent. -: Slightly coarse bubbles are seen throughout. --: Slightly coarse bubbles are seen throughout, and some coarse bubbles are also seen in some areas. <<Sensory evaluation>> The sandwich confectioneries produced in the Examples and Comparative Examples were subjected to a sensory evaluation of the aerated oil-based confectioneries by 10 expert panelists according to the following evaluation criteria. The total scores of the 10 expert panelists were calculated, and a total score of 46-50 points was evaluated as +++, 39-45 points as ++, 32-38 points as +, 27-31 points as ±, 14-26 points as -, and 0-13 points as --. Prior to the evaluation, the panelists agreed on the sensory level corresponding to each score. Evaluation criteria 5 points: Light and extremely light aftertaste, very good. 3 points: A light and refreshing aftertaste that is good. 1 point: The texture is coarse and crumbly, or sticky, and is somewhat poor. 0 points: Too hard or too soft, poor quality.

[0143] <<Evaluation Results>> The results of the evaluations in Study 2 are shown in Table 2. The results of the specific gravity evaluation showed that the configuration of the present invention can suppress defoaming in aerated oil-based confections even when the aerated oil-based confections are in a fluid state. In particular, the results of Examples 13 to 16 showed that by setting the added amounts of sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and sorbitan di-fatty acid ester within a specified range, the aerated state can be maintained even better, and fine bubbles can be maintained, resulting in a fine-grained oil-based confection. Furthermore, the results of Examples 20 and 21 showed that even when a sorbitan fatty acid ester with an esterification rate of 65% or more was used in combination, the aerated state was more easily maintained and a good texture was obtained.

[0144] [Table 2]

[0145] "Study 3. Oily confectionery containing additional ingredients" Using the above-mentioned oil / fat composition C, foamable oil / fat compositions were prepared as shown below. Note that, hereinafter, the foamable oil / fat compositions of Examples 22 to 29 may be referred to as Ex-22 to Ex-29, respectively, and the foamable oil / fat compositions of Comparative Examples 5 and 6 may be referred to as CEx-5 and CEx-6, respectively. The materials used were the same types as those used in Study 1.

[0146] <Example 22> The oil and fat composition C, sorbitan monostearate, and tocopherol were added in the following proportions, and the mixture was heated to 70°C until completely dissolved and thoroughly mixed. The mixture was then rapidly cooled at a cooling rate of 30°C / min to plasticize, thereby obtaining a foamable oil and fat composition (Ex-22). ·Combination of foaming oil and fat composition (Ex-22) ·Oil and fat composition C 99.08 parts by mass Sorbitan monostearate 0.90 parts by weight Tocopherol 0.02 parts by mass

[0147] Example 23 A foamable oil composition (Ex-23) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 22, except that the amount of oil composition C was 98.78 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.2 parts by mass.

[0148] Example 24 A foamable oil composition (Ex-24) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 22, except that the amount of oil composition C was 98.48 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.5 parts by mass.

[0149] Example 25 A foamable oil composition (Ex-25) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 22, except that the amount of oil composition C was 97.98 parts by mass and the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 2.0 parts by mass.

[0150] <Example 26> A foamable oil composition (Ex-26) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 25, except that the same amount of sorbitan distearate was used instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0151] Example 27 Sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan tristearate, and tocopherol were added to the oil and fat composition C in the following proportions, and the mixture was heated to 70°C until completely dissolved and thoroughly mixed. The mixture was then rapidly cooled at a cooling rate of 30°C / min to plasticize, thereby obtaining a foamable oil and fat composition (Ex-27). ·Combination of foaming oil composition (Ex-27) ·Oil and fat composition C 98.78 parts by mass Sorbitan monostearate 0.60 parts by weight Sorbitan tristearate 0.60 parts by mass Tocopherol 0.02 parts by mass

[0152] Example 28 A foamable oil composition (Ex-28) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 27, except that the amount of oil composition C was 97.78 parts by mass, the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.2 parts by mass, and the amount of sorbitan tristearate was 1.0 part by mass.

[0153] Example 29 A foamable oil composition (Ex-29) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 27, except that the amount of oil composition C was 97.88 parts by mass, the amount of sorbitan monostearate was 1.5 parts by mass, and the amount of sorbitan tristearate was 0.6 parts by mass.

[0154] <Comparative Example 5> A foamable oil composition (CEx-5) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 22, except that sorbitan monostearate was not added and the amount of oil composition C was 99.98 parts by mass.

[0155] <Comparative Example 6> A foamable oil composition (CEx-6) was obtained in the same manner as in Example 22, except that the amount of oil composition C was 99.38 parts by mass and 0.6 parts by mass of sorbitan tristearate was added instead of sorbitan monostearate.

[0156] <Production of aerated oily confectionery and composite foods> Using foaming oil and fat compositions Ex-22 to Ex-29 and CEx-5 and CEx-6, respectively, composite confectioneries were produced by incorporating supplementary ingredients into aerated oil-based confectioneries as follows.

[0157] A temper-type aerated chocolate (aerated oil-based confectionery) was obtained with the following composition. Specifically, sugar, cocoa mass, foaming oil / fat composition, cocoa butter, and lecithin were mixed, pulverized, and conched according to a conventional method to obtain a temper-type chocolate dough. This dough was seed tempered, cooled to 25°C, and further stirred at high speed using a whipper until the specific gravity reached 0.72, obtaining a temper-type aerated chocolate. -Formulation of oil-based confectionery ·Sugar 38.3 parts by mass Cocoa mass 45.1 parts by weight 7.3 parts cocoa powder ·Foaming oil and fat composition 9.0 parts by mass Lecithin 0.3 parts by weight

[0158] Next, 10 parts by mass of dried fruit (raisins) was added to 100 parts by mass of this aerated chocolate, and the mixture was further stirred at low speed using a beater for 30 seconds to uniformly disperse the dried fruit in the aerated chocolate, thereby obtaining a composite confectionery. The composite confectionery obtained at this stage was filled into a cup, and the whiteness measurement described below was performed, and this measurement value was used as a control. Meanwhile, the composite confectionery was further stirred at low speed using a beater for 5 minutes, and the composite confectionery obtained at this stage was filled into a cup, and the whiteness measurement described below was performed, and a "whiteness evaluation" described below was performed based on the ratio of the measured whiteness to the control value (hereinafter referred to as "relative whiteness").

[0159] <<Whiteness evaluation>> The relative whiteness was evaluated according to the following criteria. A higher value of the relative whiteness indicates that defoaming and defoaming from the aerated chocolate are more inhibited. Evaluation criteria ++: Relative whiteness was 0.85 or more. +: Relative whiteness was 0.75 or more and less than 0.85. -: Relative whiteness was 0.65 or more and less than 0.75. --: Relative whiteness was less than 0.65. ·Measurement of whiteness The color tone was measured using a spectrophotometer (CM-700d, manufactured by Konica Minolta, Inc.) Specifically, the aerated chocolate was measured at five points using the spectrophotometer, and the average Hunter whiteness value calculated using the spectrophotometer was taken as the whiteness of the aerated chocolate.

[0160] <<Evaluation Results>> The evaluation results of Study 3 are shown in Table 3. The results of the whiteness evaluation showed that the structure of the present invention can suppress defoaming in aerated oil-based confections, even when the aerated oil-based confections contain small pieces of filler. In particular, the results of Examples 23 to 26 showed that the ability to maintain the aerated state was further improved by setting the added amounts of sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and sorbitan di-fatty acid ester within a specified range. Furthermore, the results of Examples 28 and 29 showed that the aerated state was further maintained when a sorbitan fatty acid ester with an esterification rate of 65% or more was used in combination.

[0161] [Table 3]

Claims

1. A foamable oil and fat composition containing at least one member selected from the group consisting of sorbitan mono-fatty acid esters and sorbitan di-fatty acid esters, and having an oil and fat content of 80 to 99.5% by mass and a water content of 3% by mass or less, the content of the sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and the sorbitan di-fatty acid ester is 0.5 to 2.2% by mass relative to the mass of the foamable oil-and-fat composition; the sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and the sorbitan di-fatty acid ester contain fatty acid residues having 12 to 18 carbon atoms, The foamable oil and fat composition, wherein the sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester or the sorbitan di-fatty acid ester contains a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 or more carbon atoms.

2. The foamable oil composition according to claim 1, further comprising a highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester having an esterification rate of 65% or more.

3. The foamable oil composition according to claim 2, wherein the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester contains a saturated fatty acid residue having 12 or more carbon atoms.

4. The foamable oil composition according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the content of the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is 0.1 to 2.0% by mass relative to the mass of the foamable oil composition.

5. The foamable oil composition according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the content of the highly esterified sorbitan fatty acid ester is 0.3 to 1.5 parts by mass when the total content of the sorbitan mono-fatty acid ester and the sorbitan di-fatty acid ester is 1 part by mass.

6. The foamable oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is a non-tempering type.

7. The foamable fat and oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is for use in oil-based confectioneries.

8. An oil-based confectionery comprising the foamable oil-and-fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A composite food product comprising the oily confectionery of claim 8.

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