HMB-derived off-taste suppressant, food and drink containing HMB-derived off-taste suppressant, and method for suppressing HMB-derived off-taste

Abstract

To provide an inhibitor of allotriogeusia derived from HMB, a food and drink inhibited from allotriogeusia containing a specific amount of HMB and an inhibitor of allotriogeusia derived from the HMB, and a method of inhibiting allotriogeusia of a food and drink comprising blending a fat containing a medium chain fatty acid in constituent fatty acids to the food and drink containing HMB.SOLUTION: An inhibitor of allotriogeusia derived from HMB contains a fat containing a medium chain fatty acid in constituent fatty acids as an active ingredient. The food and drink contains 4-87 mass% of HMB, and 13-96 mass% of an inhibitor of allotriogeusia derived from HMB. A method of inhibiting allotriogeusia derived from HMB of a food and drink comprises blending a fat containing a medium chain fatty acid in constituent fatty acids to the food and drink containing HMB.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an agent for suppressing off-tastes derived from HMB (HMB-derived off-taste suppressant), which contains as an active ingredient an oil or fat containing medium-chain fatty acids among its constituent fatty acids; foods and beverages with suppressed off-tastes that contain specific amounts of HMB and the HMB-derived off-taste suppressant; and a method for suppressing off-tastes in foods and beverages that contain HMB by blending oil or fat containing medium-chain fatty acids among its constituent fatty acids with the foods and beverages. [Background technology]

[0002] HMB (3-Hydroxy 3-Methylbutyrate) is known to promote muscle synthesis and inhibit muscle breakdown, and direct intake is attracting attention not only for the body shaping of athletes but also for inhibiting muscle loss associated with aging (such as preventing sarcopenia). One way to directly ingest HMB is through supplements (powder, capsules, tablets, etc.) or beverages containing the calcium salt of HMB. However, because HMB has a distinctive bitter taste (also referred to as an off-taste), when HMB is added to food or beverages, the resulting food or beverage does not have a fully satisfactory flavor, making it difficult to consistently ingest. For this reason, methods of suppressing the above-mentioned strange taste have been proposed, such as incorporating amino sugars such as glucosamine (Patent Document 1) and incorporating high-intensity sweeteners and cyclic oligosaccharides (Patent Document 2), but there is still room for further investigation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-88844 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-174714 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an agent for suppressing off-tastes derived from HMB (HMB-derived off-taste suppressant), foods and beverages containing specific amounts of HMB and the HMB-derived off-taste suppressant and having suppressed off-tastes, and a method for suppressing off-tastes in foods and beverages containing HMB by blending oils and fats whose constituent fatty acids include medium-chain fatty acids with the foods and beverages. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present inventors discovered that the off-flavor caused by HMB can be suppressed by using oils and fats containing medium-chain fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, and thus completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0006] (1) An agent for suppressing the unpleasant taste derived from HMB, containing as an active ingredient an oil or fat containing medium-chain fatty acids as its constituent fatty acids. (2) A food or beverage containing, in the dried product thereof, 4 to 87% by mass of HMB and 13 to 96% by mass of the HMB-derived off-flavor suppressant described in (1). (3) A method for suppressing the off-flavor caused by HMB in a food or beverage containing HMB by blending an oil or fat containing medium-chain fatty acids in its constituent fatty acids. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, there are provided an agent for suppressing an off-taste derived from HMB (an off-taste suppressant derived from HMB), a food or drink in which the off-taste is suppressed, and a method for suppressing the off-taste in the food or drink. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] [HMB] The HMB (3-hydroxy 3-methylbutyrate) of the present invention is known as a metabolite of leucine, and is also known by other names such as 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid. Commercially available HMB of the present invention can be used, and natural or artificially produced HMB can also be used. The HMB of the present invention can be used in any of the free form, metal salts, and mixtures of the free form and metal salts. Metal salts of HMB are preferred, and HMB calcium is more preferred.

[0009] [HMB-derived off-flavor suppressant] The HMB-derived off-taste suppressant of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as the off-taste suppressant) contains an oil or fat containing medium-chain fatty acids as its constituent fatty acids as an active ingredient, and has the effect of suppressing the off-taste derived from HMB contained in foods and beverages. In the present invention, the off-taste refers to the unpleasant bitter taste unique to HMB, which is a sensation felt when eating or drinking. The off-taste suppressant of the present invention can achieve an off-taste suppressing effect if it is uniformly dispersed in a food or drink.

[0010] The off-taste suppressant of the present invention preferably contains 80 to 100% by mass, more preferably 90 to 100% by mass, and most preferably 95 to 100% by mass of oils and fats containing medium-chain fatty acids as constituent fatty acids. The off-taste suppressant of the present invention may also contain other ingredients such as emulsifiers and gelling agents, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The off-taste suppressant of the present invention may also be processed into a liquid, semi-solid, or solid form, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Specific examples include powdered oils and fats containing 60 to 80% by mass of the off-taste suppressant of the present invention.

[0011] [Oils and fats containing medium-chain fatty acids] The fats and oils of the present invention containing medium-chain fatty acids as constituent fatty acids contain medium-chain fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids of triglycerides. In the fats and oils of the present invention containing medium-chain fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, the content of medium-chain fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids of triglycerides is preferably 50 to 100% by mass, more preferably 70 to 100% by mass, and most preferably 90 to 100% by mass. The medium-chain fatty acids are fatty acids having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and preferably one or more fatty acids selected from fatty acids having 8 carbon atoms (n-octanoic acid) and 10 carbon atoms (n-decanoic acid).

[0012] Examples of the oils and fats of the present invention that contain medium-chain fatty acids as constituent fatty acids include oils and fats containing medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides (hereinafter also referred to as MCT) whose constituent fatty acids are composed only of medium-chain fatty acids, oils and fats containing medium-long-chain fatty acid triglycerides (hereinafter also referred to as MLCT) whose constituent fatty acids are composed of medium-chain fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids (fatty acids having 14 to 24 carbon atoms), coconut oil, palm kernel oil, etc. Furthermore, the oils and fats of the present invention containing medium-chain fatty acids as constituent fatty acids may be mixed oils and fats containing the above-mentioned MCT, MLCT, coconut oil, etc. with other oils and fats, as long as the content of medium-chain fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids of the triglycerides satisfies the above-mentioned range. The mixed oils and fats are preferably liquid at 20°C. The MCT and MLCT can be obtained by esterification of medium-chain or long-chain fatty acids derived from coconut oil or palm kernel oil with glycerin, or by transesterification of medium-chain or long-chain alkyl fatty acids with glycerin. The conditions for the esterification reaction are not particularly limited, and the reaction may be carried out under pressure without a catalyst or solvent, or may be carried out using a catalyst or solvent. The MLCT can also be obtained by transesterification of MCT with a fat or oil other than MCT. The transesterification method is not particularly limited, and may be a commonly used method such as chemical transesterification using sodium methoxide as a catalyst or enzymatic transesterification using a lipase preparation as a catalyst. As a method for confirming and quantifying the constituent fatty acids in the fats and oils used in the present invention, for example, a quantitative analysis method in accordance with "Standard Test Methods for Analysis of Fats and Oils 2.4.2.3-2013 Fatty Acid Composition (Capillary Gas Chromatography)" established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society can be mentioned.

[0013] [Food and beverages] The food and drink of the present invention contains HMB and the off-taste suppressant of the present invention, and is a food and drink in which the off-taste derived from HMB is suppressed. The food and drink of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can contain HMB and the off-taste suppressant of the present invention. Examples of the food and drink include nutritional supplements (supplements), foods for athletes, foods for specified health uses, foods with functional claims, medical foods, foods for the sick, foods for infants, foods for caregivers, and foods for the elderly. Furthermore, the method for producing the food and drink of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired, and any method for producing food and drink that is commonly used can be used.

[0014] The HMB content in the food and beverage of the present invention is 4 to 87% by mass in the dry matter of the food and beverage. Here, the term "dry matter of the food and beverage" refers to the mass remaining after removing water from the food and beverage. The dry matter of the food and beverage can be determined by a conventional loss on drying method (105°C, 4 hours). The HMB content is preferably 8 to 60% by mass, more preferably 15 to 40% by mass, and most preferably 18 to 30% by mass. If the HMB content is within the above range, it can be reasonably ingested in an amount that is expected to have health benefits. The HMB content in the food and beverage of the present invention can also be measured by a conventionally known method, such as liquid chromatography.

[0015] When the HMB of the present invention contains HMB salts, the HMB salt content in food and drink can be adjusted to the desired HMB content by using the HMB equivalent value calculated from each molecular weight.For example, when HMB calcium is used, the value obtained by multiplying HMB calcium by 0.808 (coefficient calculated from molecular weight) can be used as the HMB equivalent value, and the HMB calcium content in food and drink can be adjusted to the desired content.

[0016] The content of the off-taste suppressant in the food or beverage of the present invention is 13 to 96% by mass based on the dry matter of the food or beverage. The content of the off-taste suppressant is preferably 20 to 80% by mass, more preferably 35 to 70% by mass, and most preferably 45 to 60% by mass. When the content of the off-taste suppressant is within the above range, the effect of suppressing the unpleasant bitterness unique to HMB is easily achieved.

[0017] The content of the off-taste suppressant in the food or drink of the present invention is preferably 0.2 to 15 times, more preferably 0.5 to 10 times, even more preferably 1 to 6 times, and most preferably 2 to 3 times by mass the content of HMB in the dry matter of the food or drink. When the content of the off-taste suppressant is within the above range, the effects of the present invention are easily achieved.

[0018] The content of fats and oils containing medium-chain fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids in the food and beverage of the present invention is preferably 13 to 96 mass %, more preferably 20 to 80 mass %, even more preferably 35 to 70 mass %, and most preferably 45 to 60 mass % in the dry matter of the food and beverage.

[0019] The food or drink of the present invention may contain other ingredients to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired, such as coloring agents, sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, antioxidants, flavorings, bittering agents, and oils and fats other than those contained in the off-taste suppressant of the present invention, which are commonly added to foods. When the food or beverage of the present invention contains the other ingredients as described above, the HMB content in the food or beverage of the present invention is preferably 4 to 87% by mass, more preferably 8 to 60% by mass, even more preferably 15 to 40% by mass, and most preferably 18 to 30% by mass in the dry product of the food or beverage; the off-taste suppressant content is preferably 12 to 95% by mass, more preferably 20 to 82% by mass, even more preferably 30 to 70% by mass, and most preferably 42 to 62% by mass in the dry product of the food or beverage; and the other ingredients content is preferably 1 to 75% by mass, more preferably 10 to 60% by mass, even more preferably 15 to 50% by mass, and most preferably 20 to 40% by mass in the dry product of the food or beverage.

[0020] [Method for suppressing off-flavors in food and beverages] The method for suppressing the off-flavor of foods and beverages of the present invention comprises blending an oil or fat containing medium-chain fatty acids among the constituent fatty acids of the HMB-containing food or beverage. This makes it possible to suppress the off-flavor caused by HMB in the food or beverage. The method for blending an oil or fat containing medium-chain fatty acids among the constituent fatty acids of the food or beverage is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient to mix it uniformly into the food or beverage. Furthermore, the method of the present invention for suppressing off-flavors in foods and beverages can typically use the above-mentioned HMB-derived off-flavor suppressant.

[0021] The amount of fats and oils containing medium-chain fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids that can be added to foods and beverages is not limited as long as the effect of suppressing the off-flavor caused by HMB in the foods and beverages can be obtained, but the amount is preferably 0.2 to 15 times, more preferably 0.5 to 10 times, even more preferably 1 to 6 times, and most preferably 2 to 3 times the mass ratio of the HMB content in the foods and beverages. When the amount of fats and oils containing medium-chain fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids is within the above range, the effect of suppressing off-flavors is likely to be obtained.

[0022] In the method of suppressing off-flavors in foods and beverages of the present invention, the content of HMB in the food and beverage is preferably 4 to 87% by mass, more preferably 8 to 60% by mass, even more preferably 15 to 40% by mass, and most preferably 18 to 30% by mass, based on the dry matter of the food and beverage. Furthermore, in the method for suppressing an unpleasant taste in a food or beverage, the content of fats and oils containing medium-chain fatty acids among the constituent fatty acids in the food or beverage is preferably 13 to 96 mass %, more preferably 20 to 80 mass %, even more preferably 35 to 70 mass %, and most preferably 45 to 60 mass % in the dried matter of the food or beverage. Here, the term "dry matter" refers to the mass of the food or drink remaining after removing water from the food or drink. The dry matter of the food or drink can be determined by a conventional loss on drying method (105°C, 4 hours).

[0023] When the food or beverage used in the method for suppressing an off-flavor in a food or beverage of the present invention contains the above-mentioned other ingredients, the content of HMB in the dried product of the food or beverage is preferably 4 to 87% by mass, more preferably 8 to 60% by mass, even more preferably 15 to 40% by mass, and most preferably 18 to 30% by mass; the content of oils and fats containing medium-chain fatty acids as constituent fatty acids in the dried product of the food or beverage is preferably 12 to 95% by mass, more preferably 20 to 82% by mass, even more preferably 30 to 70% by mass, and most preferably 42 to 62% by mass; and the content of other ingredients in the dried product of the food or beverage is preferably 1 to 75% by mass, more preferably 10 to 60% by mass, even more preferably 15 to 50% by mass, and most preferably 20 to 40% by mass. [Example]

[0024] The present invention will be explained in more detail below by showing examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the descriptions of these examples in any way.

[0025] [Confirmation of the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from HMB-1] As shown in Tables 1 and 2, beverages containing 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0% by mass of HMB calcium (hereinafter also referred to as HMB-Ca) and 0.5, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0% by mass of MCT or rapeseed oil were prepared. Specifically, a thickener was dissolved in 20°C water to a concentration of 0.05% by mass and an emulsifier to a concentration of 1.0% by mass, and then a desired amount of HMB-Ca was dissolved. Finally, a desired amount of MCT or rapeseed oil was added and emulsified using a tabletop homogenizer mixer to prepare various beverages (Example 1 and Comparative Example 1). Among the various beverages mentioned above, a beverage containing HMB-Ca but not containing MCT or rapeseed oil was also prepared in the same manner as above to serve as a control for confirming the effect of suppressing off-flavors.A beverage containing 6.0% by mass of rapeseed oil but not containing HMB-Ca or MCT was also prepared in the same manner as above to serve as a control for confirming the oily sensation.

[0026] The thickener used was manufactured by Ogawa Fragrance Co., Ltd. under the trade name of Ticantan Gum SD-RC, the emulsifier used was manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. under the trade name of Poem J-0081HV (HLB 12.0), the MCT used was manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group Co., Ltd. under the trade name of ODO (a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride whose constituent fatty acids are n-octanoic acid (carbon number 8) and n-decanoic acid (carbon number 10) in a mass ratio of 75:25), and the rapeseed oil used was manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group Co., Ltd. under the trade name of Nisshin Canola Oil Healthy Light.

[0027] To confirm the effect of suppressing off-flavors, the beverage prepared above (temperature: 20°C) was subjected to a sensory test by a panel of five experts who had passed the in-house taste test. The scores were scored according to the following criteria, and the total scores of the five experts were used to evaluate the beverage according to the following criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. (Scoring criteria for off-flavor suppression effect) 2 points: The off-flavor is suppressed even more than 1 point compared to the control. 1 point: The off-flavor is suppressed compared to the control. 0 points: The same strange taste as the control. (Evaluation criteria for off-flavor suppression effect) 9 points or more, 10 points or less: ◎ (very good) 6 points or more, 8 points or less:○ (Good) 0 points or more, 5 points or less: × (defective)

[0028] The oily texture (oily texture after eating) was also evaluated in the same manner as above. The evaluation criteria and results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. (Grading criteria for oiliness) 2 points: Even less oily feeling than 1 point compared to the control example. 1 point: Less oily feeling compared to the control. 0 points: The same oily feeling as the control. (Evaluation criteria for oily feel) 9 points or more, 10 points or less: ◎ (no oiliness) 6 points or more, 8 points or less: ○ (oily feeling) 0 points or more, 5 points or less: × (very oily)

[0029] [Table 1]

[0030] [Table 2]

[0031] The above results show that beverages containing 0.5 to 3.0% by mass of HMB-Ca and 0.5 to 6.0% by mass of MCT (HMB content in the dry matter: 6.2 to 69.3% by mass, and MCT content in the dry matter: 14.3 to 92.3% by mass) suppressed the off-flavor caused by HMB.

[0032] [Confirmation of the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from HMB-2] [Production of powdered oils and fats] Powdered oils and fats were produced according to the formulation shown in Table 3. Oils and fats (MCT or rapeseed oil) were added to an aqueous solution of starch sodium octenyl succinate and dextrin, and the mixture was stirred with a homomixer to form an oil-in-water emulsion. 2 The mixture was homogenized under pressure and spray-dried to obtain powdered oils of MCT (off-flavor suppressant) or rapeseed oil.

[0033] The starch sodium octenylsuccinate used was Purity Gum BE, a product of Indigleon, and Pine Index #2, a product of Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. The other raw materials used were the same as those used in "Confirmation of the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from HMB - 1" above.

[0034] [Table 3]

[0035] Powdered HMB-Ca and MCT powdered oil or rapeseed oil powder were uniformly mixed according to the formulations shown in Tables 4 and 5 to obtain powdered foods (A-1 to 4, B-1 to 4, C-1 to 4, D-1 to 4, E-1 to 4, F-1 to 4, G-1 to 4, H-1 to 4). Control foods (Control A to Control H) that did not contain any of the powdered oils were also obtained.

[0036] [Table 4]

[0037] [Table 5]

[0038] As shown in Tables 6 and 7, beverages containing 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0% by mass of HMB-Ca and 0.67, 2.67, 5.33, and 8.00% by mass of MCT powdered oil or rapeseed oil (0.5, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0% by mass as MCT or rapeseed oil) were prepared. Specifically, each of the powdered foods (A-1 to 4, B-1 to 4, C-1 to 4, D-1 to 4, E-1 to 4, F-1 to 4, G-1 to 4, and H-1 to 4) produced above was dissolved in water at 20°C to prepare a total amount of 150 g. In addition, control beverages were prepared by dissolving the control foods (Control A to Control H) in the various beverages described above, and these beverages were used as controls.

[0039] The effect of suppressing off-flavors and oily sensation were evaluated using the same methods as those used in "Confirmation of the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from HMB - 1" above. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 6 and 7.

[0040] [Table 6]

[0041] [Table 7]

[0042] The above results show that beverages containing powdered foods (A-1 to 4, B-1 to 4, C-1 to 4, D-1 to 4) containing HMB-Ca and MCT powdered oils and fats (HMB content of the dry matter: 4.8 to 66.1% by mass, and MCT content of the dry matter: 13.6 to 70.6% by mass) suppressed the unpleasant taste caused by HMB.

[0043] [Confirmation of the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from HMB-3] As shown in Table 8, various raw materials were uniformly mixed to produce powdered foods (Control Example, Example 3, Comparative Example 3). The MCT powdered oil and rapeseed oil powders produced as described above were used.

[0044] To confirm the effect of suppressing off-flavors and oiliness, five expert panelists who had passed the company's standard taste test ate 1.0 g of the powdered food prepared above and conducted a sensory test (evaluation of off-flavor suppression) using the same method as in "Confirmation of the effect of suppressing off-flavors derived from HMB - 1" above. The evaluation results are shown in Table 8.

[0045] [Table 8]

[0046] The above results show that a powdered food containing 27.2% by mass of HMB-Ca (22.0% by mass of HMB) and 72.8% by mass of MCT powdered oil (54.6% by mass of MCT) suppressed the off-flavor caused by HMB.

Claims

1. A food or drink containing 8 to 60% by mass of HMB and 20 to 80% by mass of a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride, which is an agent for suppressing off-tastes derived from HMB, in a dried substance thereof, wherein the mass ratio of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride to the HMB is 0.5 to 10 (provided that the food or drink is a liquid nutritional composition containing (A) HMB, a sodium salt of HMB, or a potassium salt of HMB, (B) protein, and (C) MCT, wherein the (A) component is 0.1 to 1.0% by mass in terms of HMB free acid, and the (B) component is 0.5 to 10% by mass in terms of HMB free acid. (Excluding liquid nutritional compositions containing 2.0 to 12.0% by mass of component (A) and 1 to 30% by mass of component (B), having a viscosity of less than 50 MPa s, a pH of 5.0 to 7.0, and a calorie content of 1.0 kcal / g or more, and liquid nutritional compositions containing 1.50% by mass of HMB, 2.50% by mass of milk protein, 2.50% by mass of collagen peptide, 10.00% by mass of MCT, 0.60% by mass of lecithin, 0.01% by mass of sucralose, 0.80% by mass of sodium hydroxide, 0.24% by mass of flavoring, and water.)

2. A method for suppressing off-flavors caused by HMB in a food or drink comprising blending a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride with an HMB-containing food or drink so that the food or drink contains 8 to 60% by mass of the HMB and 20 to 80% by mass of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride in a dry matter of the food or drink, and the mass ratio of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride to the HMB is 0.5 to 10 times (however, the food or drink does not include a liquid nutritional composition containing (A) HMB, a sodium salt of HMB, or a potassium salt of HMB, (B) protein, and (C) MCT, wherein the food or drink contains 0.1 to 1.0% by mass of the (A) component, calculated as HMB free acid, 2.0 to 12.0% by mass of the (B) component, and 1 to 30% by mass of the (C) component, and has a viscosity of less than 50 MPa s, a pH of 5.0 to 7.0, and a calorie content of 1.0 kcal / g or greater).

3. A powdered food product containing 18 to 30% by mass of HMB and 45 to 60% by mass of medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, with the mass ratio of the medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides to the HMB being 2 to 3 times, and with the off-taste derived from HMB suppressed.

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