Plant-based molded cheese-like food

Abstract

To provide a vegetable molded cheese-like food product having sufficiently high hardness at a small fatty acid content and suitable for use as a target.SOLUTION: An oil-in-water emulsion containing 10 to 40 wt.% of fat, starches, and vegetable protein, wherein the SFC of the fat in the oil-in-water emulsion is 5 to 50% at 20°C, and a saturated fatty acid content is 2.5 to 10 wt.% and a ratio of saturated fatty acid in a total constituent fatty acid in oil in the oil-in-water emulsion is less than 70 wt.%.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant-based molded cheese-like food product.

[0002] Efforts to achieve the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are underway worldwide. In particular, due to the global population increase, animal and water resources are predicted to become scarce in the future, and there is a growing social sense of crisis regarding global issues such as "food resource shortages" and "environmental issues." Attempts are being made to address global social issues such as food resource shortages and environmental issues that arise as the population increases through plant-based food ingredients.

[0003] Cheese is a type of dairy product made from milk, an animal resource extracted from cows, buffalo, sheep, goats, yaks, etc., through processes such as coagulation and fermentation. In addition to being eaten as is, cheese is often combined with other foods and is used in a variety of dishes, such as pizza, pasta, gratin, risotto, and cheese fondue. Cheese made from dairy has a moderately firm, elastic texture, and is often sold and used as molded cheese, such as shredded or sliced.

[0004] On the other hand, health problems such as obesity and diabetes caused by increased consumption of animal resources have become a problem, and interest is growing in improving health through diet. There is also an increasing number of people who, for a variety of reasons, need or choose to eat an exclusively vegetarian diet. In response to this situation, food made from plant-based resources is becoming increasingly popular.

[0005] Several cheese-like foods made from vegetable resources have been studied. Among them, Patent Document 1 proposes a cheese-like food with a firm texture, made primarily from soy milk, casein, and vegetable oils and fats. While the analytical values ​​for the firmness are listed, the food is not hard enough to be molded into a shape suitable for shredding or slicing.

[0006] To obtain a cheese-like food product having a hardness suitable for shaping processes such as shredding or slicing, the physical properties of the product are determined by its formulation, i.e., the amount and nature of the fats and oils and other ingredients in the product, and the process by which the product is manufactured. Processing steps such as emulsification, heating, and tempering affect the physical properties of the product. Various types of oils and fats are blended depending on their functional properties, specifically taking into consideration their effect on the physical properties of the final product.

[0007] Currently, a wide range of oils and fats with hard physical properties suitable for the physical properties of hard products are naturally available. Hydrogenation of liquid oils such as soybean, rapeseed, sunflower, and peanut oils, also known as "hardening," is a widely used technique for obtaining hard fats and oils. Hydrogenation results in the conversion of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (SAFA) as well as the conversion of cis-unsaturated fatty acids to trans-isomers (TFA), both of which contribute to the conversion of liquid oils to solid fats by hydrogenation.

[0008] For example, in References 2 and 3, semi-hard or hard vegetable cheese-like foods are proposed, but in order to obtain a hard physical property, a large amount of saturated fatty acids (SAFA) is blended.

[0009] Saturated fatty acids (SAFA) are abundant in natural fats and oils such as cocoa butter, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, beef tallow, etc. Naturally occurring trans fatty acids (TFAs) are found primarily in the fats and oils of ruminants. Natural vegetable oils do not contain this trans isomer.

[0010] For functional reasons, high amounts of SAFA and / or TFA are recommended to obtain desired physical properties, but nutritionally, consumption of these saturated fatty acids is limited as they increase the risk of developing heart disease. Therefore, official bodies such as the WHO have published recommended upper limits for daily intake of SAFA and TFA. Therefore, there is a need for cheese-like foods that can reduce the intake of saturated fatty acids (SAFA). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-8191 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2020 / 089384 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2020 / 089385 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] Thus, there is a need for a cheese-like food product that has a low saturated fatty acid content and a sufficiently high hardness to be suitable for its intended use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The present inventors have conducted extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, and as a result have discovered that in a vegetable-based molded cheese-like food product which is an oil-in-water emulsion containing 10 to 40% by weight of fats and oils, starch, and vegetable protein, the SFC of the fats and oils is 5 to 50% at 20°C, the saturated fatty acid content is 2.5 to 10% by weight, and the proportion of saturated fatty acids in the total constituent fatty acids of the fats and oils is less than 70% by weight, and the hardness of the oil-in-water emulsion measured with a rheometer at 5°C is 400g / 19.6mm. 2The inventors have found that a plant-based molded cheese-like food characterized by a temperature of 500°C or more (circular plunger with a diameter of 5 mm, table speed of 50 mm / min) can solve the above problems, and have completed the present invention.

[0014] That is, the present invention includes the following inventions. (1) A vegetable-based molded cheese-like food product that is an oil-in-water emulsion containing 10 to 40% by weight of fats and oils, starch, and vegetable protein, wherein the SFC of the fats and oils is 5 to 50% at 20°C, the saturated fatty acid content is 2.5 to 10% by weight, and the proportion of saturated fatty acids in the total constituent fatty acids in the fats and oils is less than 70% by weight, and the hardness of the oil-in-water emulsion measured by a rheometer at 5°C is 400g / 19.6mm 2 (5mm diameter circular plunger, table speed 50mm / min) or more. (2) A plant-based molded cheese-like food product in the form of slices, sainome, tanzak or shreds, obtained by cutting the plant-based molded cheese-like food product described in (1). (3) A plant-based molded cheese-like food product according to either (1) or (2), which is made solely from plant ingredients. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a plant-based molded cheese-like food product that has a hardness suitable for molding processes such as shredding and slicing while reducing the intake of saturated fatty acids (SAFA). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present invention relates to a vegetable-based molded cheese-like food product which is an oil-in-water emulsion containing 10 to 40% by weight of oils and fats, starch, and vegetable protein, wherein the SFC of the oils and fats is 5 to 50% at 20°C, the saturated fatty acid content is 2.5 to 10% by weight, and the proportion of saturated fatty acids in the total constituent fatty acids of the oils and fats is less than 70% by weight, and the hardness of the oil-in-water emulsion measured by a rheometer at 5°C is 400g / 19.6mm. 2(Circular plunger with a diameter of 5 mm, table speed of 50 mm / min) or more. In the present invention, plant-based does not mean that the product does not contain any animal-derived ingredients, but rather that the product contains 50% or more, preferably 60% or more, of plant-derived ingredients. The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0017] (Oils and fats - fats and oils content) The plant-based molded cheese-like food of the present invention is characterized in that the oil-in-water emulsion contains an oil content of 10 to 40% by weight, preferably 15 to 30% by weight, and more preferably 23 to 30% by weight. At this oil content, the oil forms a better crystalline network and the starches undergo retrogradation, which is thought to impart a hardness to the plant-based molded cheese-like food that is suitable for molding processes such as shredding and slicing.

[0018] (Oils and fats - saturated fatty acid content) The plant-based molded cheese-like food of the present invention is an oil-in-water emulsion. tired of The oil-in-water emulsion is characterized in that the saturated fatty acid content is 2.5 to 10% by weight and the proportion of saturated fatty acids in the total constituent fatty acids in the oil is less than 70% by weight. tired of It is suitable for the oil-in-water emulsion to contain 6 to 10% by weight of saturated fatty acids, and it is preferable for the oil in the oil-in-water emulsion to contain less than 40% by weight of saturated fatty acids relative to the total fatty acids in the oil. At this saturated fatty acid content, the oil forms a better crystalline network and the starch undergoes retrogradation, which is thought to impart a hardness suitable for molding processes such as shredding and slicing of vegetable-based molded cheese-like foods.

[0019] (Oils and fats) The fats and oils that can be used in the present invention include, for example, the fats and oils described in JP-A-2009-525735.

[0020] (Oils and fats-SFC) Furthermore, in the molded vegetable cheese-like food of the present invention, the SFC (solid fat content) of the oil in the oil-in-water emulsion at 20°C is preferably 5 to 50%, more preferably 20 to 40%.

[0021] (Oils and fats) Such fats and oils can be widely used as edible fats and oils, and examples thereof include vegetable fats and oils such as rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, evening primrose oil, palm oil, shea butter, monkey fat, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and palm kernel oil, and animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, fish oil, and whale oil. Examples of such fats and oils include the above-mentioned fats and oils used alone or in combination, or processed fats and oils obtained by hardening, fractionating, transesterifying, etc.

[0022] The molded vegetable cheese-like food of the present invention may contain a small amount of fat other than vegetable oil, such as milk fat derived from butter or fresh cream, thereby improving the flavor of the molded vegetable cheese-like food. In addition, natural cheese and / or processed cheese can be contained in the plant-based molded cheese-like food, and by containing a small amount of natural cheese and / or processed cheese, the flavor of the plant-based molded cheese-like food can be further improved. However, when preparing a plant-based molded cheese-like food product made only from plant ingredients, the content of animal-derived fats and oils, natural cheese and / or processed cheese must be 0% by weight.

[0023] (Slip melting point) In terms of flavor and meltability in the mouth, the molded vegetable cheese-like food of the present invention preferably uses fats and oils having an ascent melting point at 20°C in the range of 5 to 50%, preferably 20 to 40%.

[0024] (starches) The plant-based molded cheese-like food of the present invention is an oil-in-water emulsion containing fats and oils, starch, and plant protein. The starch is not particularly limited, and examples include starches obtained from corn, rice, potato, tapioca, pea, wheat, sweet potato, etc., and processed starches such as phosphorylated starch, gelatinized starch, and hydroxypropylated starch.

[0025] (protein) The vegetable-based molded cheese-like food of the present invention is an oil-in-water emulsion containing fats and oils, starch, and vegetable protein, but does not necessarily contain no animal ingredients. The protein is not particularly limited, and vegetable proteins such as soy protein, corn protein, wheat protein, and pea protein, and animal proteins such as casein, egg albumin, milk protein, whey protein, gelatin, actin, myosin, and silk protein can be used. Polypeptides, peptides, and amino acids can also be used. The protein may be entirely vegetable, entirely animal, or a mixture of these. The protein content in the plant-based molded cheese-like food product of the present invention is preferably 10% by weight or less, more preferably 8% by weight or less. If the protein content in the plant-based molded cheese-like food exceeds 10% by weight, the viscosity of the mixture increases when the cheese-like food is prepared, which may make production difficult.

[0026] (others) The plant-based molded cheese-like food product of the present invention may further contain a thickener. This makes it possible to impart further viscosity to the plant-based molded cheese-like food, and further improve the suitability for molding into shreds and the like. The thickener is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include agar, xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, carrageenan, gelatin, pectin, propylene glycol alginate, and alginates.

[0027] Furthermore, the plant-based molded cheese-like food of the present invention may contain an emulsifier to the extent that the flavor is not impaired. The emulsifier is not particularly limited, and conventionally known emulsifiers can be used. Examples thereof include lecithin, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, various organic acid monoglycerides such as acetate monoglyceride, tartaric acid monoglyceride, mixed acetate tartaric acid monoglyceride, citric acid monoglyceride, diacetyltartaric acid monoglyceride, and lactic acid monoglyceride, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters.

[0028] The plant-based molded cheese-like food product of the present invention may contain, in addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, known additives used in foods. For example, pH adjusters such as phosphates, flavorings such as milk flavors and cheese flavors for the purpose of imparting flavor, various spices, fruit purees and jams, sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and stevia for the purpose of imparting sweetness, and colorings such as beta-carotene, paprika color and annatto color can be used for the purpose of coloring. Furthermore, in order to improve shelf life, shelf life improvers such as glycine, sodium acetate, and egg white lysozyme can also be used.

[0029] Furthermore, the plant-based molded cheese-like food of the present invention has physical properties such as a hardness of 400 g / 19.6 mm as measured by a rheometer at 5°C. 2 (5mm diameter circular plunger, table speed 50mm / min) or more, more preferably 800g to 2000g / 19.6mm 2 A cheese-like food product having such physical properties is suitable for molding and can be subjected to known processes such as cutting, dividing, mixing, and crushing to provide a molded cheese-like food product in the form of slices, sainome, tanzak, shreds, or powder.

[0030] The plant-based molded cheese-like food of the present invention can be produced, for example, by pre-emulsifying and homogenizing an oil-in-water emulsion containing a mixture of fats and oils, starch, a protein raw material, maltodextrin, a thickener (modified starch), salt, yeast extract, a pH adjuster, and water, followed by sterilization and cooling steps. During the preliminary emulsification, the pH is adjusted to 3.5 to 5.7 using an organic acid or an alkaline salt, but the pH can also be adjusted by subjecting the oil-in-water emulsion to lactic acid fermentation. In the case of lactic acid fermentation, a lactic acid bacteria starter is used and the fermentation is carried out at 15 to 45°C until the pH reaches 3.5 to 5.7, preferably 4 to 5.5. If the pH exceeds 5.5, the shelf life tends to decrease, and if the pH is below 4, the acidity becomes too strong, and when used as a cheese-like food, the balance of the food as a whole becomes poor, so it is appropriate to adjust the pH to within the above range. Heat sterilization is also intended to gelatinize starches, and is preferably carried out at 70 to 95°C. [Example]

[0031] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, in which parts and percentages are all by weight.

[0032] (Preparation of oils and fats) The following fats and oils I to X were prepared. Details of each fat and oil are shown in Table 1.

[0033] (Table 1) TIFF0007746678000001.tif73170

[0034] Example 1 23 parts of fat I, 37 parts of low-fat soy milk (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.), 11.5 parts of potato or tapioca-derived starch, 10.5 parts of pea-derived starch, 4.4 parts of maltodextrin, 3 parts of thickener (modified starch), 1.5 parts of salt, 0.2 parts of yeast extract, 7.8 parts of water, and 1.1 parts of a pH adjuster containing lactic acid were mixed at 55°C for 10 minutes, and then further mixed at 100 kg / cm 2 The mixture was homogenized under pressure. After homogenization, the mixture was passed through a scraping-type continuous heat exchanger and sterilized by heating at 80-90°C, then filled into containers for molding, rapidly cooled in a tunnel freezer, and aged in a refrigerator (1-10°C) for at least 3 days to obtain a plant-based molded cheese-like food product. The cheese-like food was subjected to a quality evaluation for its physical properties and texture. The fat content of the cheese-like food product was 23% by weight, the saturated fatty acid content in the fat was 8.9% by weight, and the ratio of saturated fatty acids to the total constituent fatty acids in the fat was 38.6% by weight. The SFC of the fat was 38% at 20°C, the pH was 5.4, and the hardness measured by a rheometer at 5°C was 800g / 19.6mm. 2 (Circular plunger with a diameter of 5 mm, table speed of 50 mm / min, manufactured by Rheotech Co., Ltd.) and had excellent suitability for molding processes such as shredding, as well as a smooth melt-in-the-mouth texture and a good flavor.

[0035] Examples 2 to 6 As in Example 1, a plant-based molded cheese-like food product was prepared according to the recipe in Table 2 below. Table 2 shows the SFC, saturated fatty acid content, percentage of saturated fatty acids in the total constituent fatty acids in the fats and oils of Examples 1 to 6, and the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0036] (Table 2) TIFF0007746678000002.tif110170

[0037] (Comparative Examples 1 to 6) As in Example 1, a plant-based molded cheese-like food product was prepared according to the recipe in Table 3 below. Table 3 shows the SFC, saturated fatty acid content, percentage of saturated fatty acids in the total constituent fatty acids in the fats and oils of Comparative Examples 1 to 6, and the results of the sensory evaluation.

[0038] (Table 3) TIFF0007746678000003.tif101170

Claims

1. A vegetable-based molded cheese-like food product is an oil-in-water emulsion containing 10 to 40% by weight of fats and oils, starch, and vegetable protein, wherein the SFC of the fats and oils is 20 to 40% at 20°C, the saturated fatty acid content in the oil-in-water emulsion is 2.5 to 10% by weight, and the proportion of saturated fatty acids in the total constituent fatty acids in the fats and oils is less than 70% by weight, and the hardness of the oil-in-water emulsion measured by a rheometer at 5°C is 400g / 19.6mm ２ (Circular plunger with a diameter of 5 mm, table speed of 50 mm / min) or more.

2. 2. A vegetable-based molded cheese-like food product in the form of slices, sainome, tanzak or shreds, obtained by cutting the vegetable-based molded cheese-like food product according to claim 1.

3. 3. The plant-based molded cheese-like food product according to claim 1, which consists solely of plant-based ingredients.

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