Aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol

Abstract

To provide an aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol which contains organic acid monoacylglycerol in a high concentration and has excellent storage stability.SOLUTION: There is provided an aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol, wherein the aqueous dispersion contains a basic amino acid and a polyhydric alcohol, the organic acid monoacylglycerol has a polycarboxylic acid component as an organic acid component, the content of the organic acid monoacylglycerol in the aqueous dispersion is 9.0 to 23.0 mass%, the content of the polyhydric alcohol is 8.5 to 60.0 mass% and the molar amount of the basic amino acid relative to 1 molar amount of the carboxyl group of the organic acid monoacylglycerol is 0.4 to 1.2.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aqueous dispersion of an organic acid monoacylglycerol. [Background technology]

[0002] Improvements in texture, taste, flavor, etc. have been made in flour-containing foods such as bread, baked goods, noodles, etc. For example, in bread production, the Tangdane method has been developed and is now widely used, which can produce a unique chewy texture and umami (sweetness) while maintaining a soft texture. In the Tangzhong method, a portion of the flour ingredients used to make bread is kneaded in the presence of hot water to prepare a Tangzhong dough. This Tangzhong dough is then mixed with the remaining flour ingredients, water, yeast, etc., or a sponge dough obtained by fermenting a dough kneaded from the flour ingredients, water, yeast, etc. is further mixed, and the resulting dough is kneaded. The resulting dough is then baked to produce bread (see, for example, Patent Document 1). When preparing industrial Tangzhong dough, an emulsifier is typically added to control the dough's physical properties and taste. In addition, when preparing industrial Tangzhong dough, the raw ingredients, such as flour, water, emulsifier, oils and fats, and seasonings, are often mixed while applying shear force using a device such as an extruder. In order to uniformly mix the powder, such as flour, and the emulsifier in the barrel, the emulsifier is made into an aqueous dispersion to increase fluidity, and then supplied into the barrel by a pump. Mixing using an extruder is not the only method, and blending the emulsifier in the form of a stable aqueous dispersion is advantageous in terms of ease of handling and uniform mixing.

[0003] Several technologies related to emulsifiers have been proposed to improve the physical properties of dough made with cereal flour. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a flour dough modifier consisting of an aqueous dispersion containing an organic acid monoacylglycerol, a base, a trivalent or higher polyhydric alcohol, and water, wherein the organic acid monoacylglycerol content is 0.1 to 8.9% by mass, the fat content is less than 1.0% by mass, and the pH is 5.8 to 8.2. According to the technology described in Patent Document 2, this flour dough modifier has excellent dispersion stability and sufficient fluidity, and by adding it to the preparation of dough using flour, it is possible to modify the resulting dough so that it can maintain the desired soft properties even at low temperatures. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes a quality improving composition for starch foods that has fluidity at 10° C. and is characterized by comprising 0.05 to 20% by weight of a glycerin organic acid fatty acid ester and / or stearyl lactylate, 0.01 to 10% by weight of salt, and 20 to 95% by weight of water. According to the technology described in Patent Document 3, by incorporating this quality improving composition in the production of starch foods, it is possible to prevent the dough from sticking to itself or to machinery during mixing and shaping, improve workability and yield, increase the volume of the starch food, and improve food quality, while also suppressing deterioration in texture over time. As described above, organic acid monoacylglycerol is known and widely used as a food modifier for dough and the like made from cereal flour. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-000123 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-191597 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-203834 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When improving flour dough or the like, when an aqueous dispersion of an emulsifier is blended, it is required to increase the concentration of the emulsifier from the viewpoints of transportation costs, production costs, etc. Furthermore, for example, snacks and the like need to reduce the amount of water (moisture content) contained in the dough during production, and when the emulsifier is blended as an aqueous dispersion, the emulsifier in the aqueous dispersion also needs to be at a higher concentration. However, it is difficult to ensure long-term dispersion stability and fluidity (i.e., suppress gelation and improve storage stability) for aqueous dispersions containing high concentrations of emulsifiers such as organic acid monoacylglycerol, and this has resulted in limitations on the practical application of the dispersion in terms of its physical properties.

[0006] The present invention relates to an aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol, which contains organic acid monoacylglycerol at a high concentration and has excellent storage stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present inventors have conducted extensive research with a view to commercializing high-concentration aqueous dispersions of organic acid monoacylglycerols, and as a result have found that by employing an organic acid monoacylglycerol having a polycarboxylic acid component as the organic acid component and blending specific amounts of a basic amino acid and a polyhydric alcohol in preparation of an aqueous dispersion obtained by dispersing this organic acid monoacylglycerol in water, an aqueous dispersion having excellent storage stability can be obtained even when the amount of the organic acid monoacylglycerol blended is set to a predetermined high concentration. The present invention has been completed through further investigation based on these findings.

[0008] The present invention provides the following aqueous dispersions of organic acid monoacylglycerols: 1. An aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol, comprising: The aqueous dispersion contains a basic amino acid and a polyhydric alcohol, the organic acid monoacylglycerol has a polycarboxylic acid component as an organic acid component, The aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol, wherein the content of the organic acid monoacylglycerol in the aqueous dispersion is 9.0 to 23.0% by mass, the content of the polyhydric alcohol is 8.5 to 60.0% by mass, and the molar amount of the basic amino acid is 0.4 to 1.2 relative to 1 molar amount of carboxy groups in the organic acid monoacylglycerol. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol of the present invention has excellent storage stability despite containing organic acid monoacylglycerol at a high concentration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a photograph showing the appearance of the bread samples of the Reference Example and the Example after baking. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A preferred embodiment of the aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol of the present invention (hereinafter also simply referred to as "aqueous dispersion of the present invention") will be described.

[0012] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention is a dispersion obtained by dispersing an organic acid monoacylglycerol in water. The aqueous dispersion of the present invention contains, in addition to the organic acid monoacylglycerol, specific amounts of a basic amino acid and a polyhydric alcohol. The organic acid component of the organic acid monoacylglycerol is a polycarboxylic acid component. That is, the organic acid monoacylglycerol has at least one carboxy group (a carboxy group not ester-bonded) derived from a polycarboxylic acid. Therefore, the basic amino acid also functions as a neutralizer of the carboxy group of the organic acid monoacylglycerol. In the aqueous dispersion of the present invention, the organic acid monoacylglycerol does not dissolve in water but is finely dispersed in water, and the content of the organic acid monoacylglycerol in the aqueous dispersion is 9.0 to 23.0% by mass. The content of the polyhydric alcohol in the aqueous dispersion is 8.5 to 60.0% by mass. Furthermore, the relationship between the contents of the organic acid monoacylglycerol and the basic amino acid in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is such that, when the total molar amount of carboxy groups (free carboxy groups not ester-bonded) possessed by the organic acid monoacylglycerol in the aqueous dispersion is taken as 1, the molar amount of the basic amino acid in the aqueous dispersion is 0.4 to 1.2 (molar ratio: 0.4≦basic amino acid / carboxy groups of organic acid monoacylglycerol≦1.2). Each component contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention will be explained in turn.

[0013] [Organic acid monoacylglycerol] The organic acid monoacylglycerol (hereinafter also referred to as "organic acid MAG") contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is a compound (emulsifier) ​​in which a polycarboxylic acid (a polyvalent organic acid) is ester-bonded to one of the two hydroxyl groups derived from glycerin possessed by the monoacylglycerol (hereinafter also referred to as "MAG") (preferably the hydroxyl group at the third position of glycerin). In other words, the organic acid MAG used in the present invention is a compound in which a polycarboxylic acid is ester-bonded to one of the three hydroxyl groups possessed by glycerin, a fatty acid is ester-bonded to the other hydroxyl group, and the remaining hydroxyl group remains as is. The organic acid MAG is also generally referred to as a glycerin organic acid fatty acid ester.

[0014] In the organic acid MAG contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention, the organic acid component is not particularly limited as long as it is a polycarboxylic acid component. Examples of polycarboxylic acids that derive the polycarboxylic acid component include succinic acid, citric acid, diacetyltartaric acid, and tartaric acid. Of the above polycarboxylic acids, succinic acid and / or citric acid are preferred. The total proportion of succinic acid and / or citric acid components in the organic acid MAG contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. It is also preferred that all of the organic acid components of the organic acid MAG contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention are succinic acid and / or citric acid components. Of these, the organic acid MAG contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is preferably succinic acid MAG. Here, in this specification, the total proportion of "B" and / or "C" in "A" means the proportion of B when A contains B but not C, means the proportion of C when A contains C but not B, and means the total proportion of B and C when A contains both B and C.

[0015] The fatty acid component constituting the organic acid MAG contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is not particularly limited in type, and is preferably a fatty acid component having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, more preferably a fatty acid component having 16 to 18 carbon atoms. The fatty acid from which the fatty acid component is derived may be either saturated or unsaturated. Examples of the fatty acid include lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. The total fatty acid components constituting the organic acid MAG contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention more preferably include stearic acid components and / or oleic acid components. The total proportion of stearic acid components and / or oleic acid components in the total fatty acid components constituting the organic acid MAG is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. It is also preferred that all of the fatty acid components constituting the organic acid MAG contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention are stearic acid components and / or oleic acid components.

[0016] The content of the organic acid MAG in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is 9.0 to 23.0% by mass. From the viewpoint of further improving storage stability, the content of the organic acid MAG in the aqueous dispersion is preferably 10.0% by mass or more, more preferably 12.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 14.0% by mass or more. From the same viewpoint, the content of the organic acid MAG in the aqueous dispersion is preferably 20.0% by mass or less, more preferably 18.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 16.0% by mass or less.

[0017] The organic acid MAG can be prepared by a conventional method, or a commercially available product can be used. Examples of commercially available organic acid MAG include Step SS (trade name: succinic acid monoglyceride, manufactured by Kao Corporation), Sunsoft 621B (trade name: citric acid monoglyceride, manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.), Sunsoft 683CB (trade name: succinic acid monooleic acid glycerin, manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.), and Sunsoft 641D (trade name: diacetyltartaric acid monostearate glycerin, manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.).

[0018] [Basic amino acids] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention contains a basic amino acid. This basic amino acid plays a role in neutralizing some or all of the organic acids constituting the organic acid MAG in the aqueous dispersion. It is presumed that the aqueous dispersion of the present invention has improved dispersibility or dispersion stability due to the organic acid MAG being neutralized by the basic amino acid, which improves the hydration power of the hydrophilic moiety. Furthermore, it is presumed that the increased hydration radius of the hydrophilic moiety suppresses aggregation of the organic acid MAG, making β-crystallization less likely to occur and improving fluidity. Here, the amount of ions (counterion bonding strength) that enter the aggregate structure of organic acid MAG is thought to be larger for basic amino acids than for inorganic ions such as potassium ions and sodium ions, and organic acid MAG neutralized by basic amino acids is thought to behave like an emulsifier with a larger hydrophilic moiety, which is presumed to effectively contribute to further improvement of the dispersibility and dispersion stability mentioned above.

[0019] As described above, the content (molar amount) of the basic amino acid in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is 0.4 to 1.2 relative to the molar amount of carboxy groups (free carboxy groups not forming ester bonds) possessed by the organic acid MAG in the aqueous dispersion. From the viewpoint of further improving storage stability, the content (molar amount) of the basic amino acid in the aqueous dispersion is preferably 0.5 or more, more preferably 0.6 or more, and even more preferably 0.7 or more. From the same viewpoint, the content (molar amount) of the basic amino acid in the aqueous dispersion is preferably 1.1 or less, more preferably 1.0 or less, and even more preferably 0.9 or less.

[0020] The type of basic amino acid contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include lysine, arginine, histidine, and tryptophan, and one or more of these can be used in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention. The basic amino acid contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention preferably includes arginine. The proportion of arginine in the total basic amino acids in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. It is also preferable that all of the basic amino acids contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention are arginine.

[0021] [Polyhydric alcohol] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention contains a polyhydric alcohol, which has good affinity with the water in the aqueous dispersion without significantly affecting the flavor, and can sufficiently enhance the bacteriostatic properties, uniformity, and fluidity of the aqueous dispersion, and can also ensure sufficient dispersibility of the dispersoids even when the aqueous dispersion is diluted during use.

[0022] The content of the polyhydric alcohol in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is 8.5 to 60.0% by mass. From the viewpoint of further improving storage stability, the content is preferably 14.0% by mass or more, more preferably 20.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 25.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 30.0% by mass or more. From the same viewpoint, the content is preferably 57.0% by mass or less, more preferably 52.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 49% by mass or less, and even more preferably 45% by mass or less.

[0023] The polyhydric alcohol used in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention preferably has a valence of 3 or more, more preferably 3 to 12, and even more preferably 3 to 6, from the viewpoint of further increasing fluidity. Specific examples of the polyhydric alcohol include glycerin, sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, lactitol, glucose, maltitol, mannitol, sucrose, trehalose, and reduced starch syrup, and one or more of these can be used in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention. The polyhydric alcohol in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention preferably contains sorbitol. In this case, the proportion of sorbitol in the total polyhydric alcohol in the aqueous dispersion is preferably 70% by mass or more, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more. It is also preferable that all of the polyhydric alcohols contained in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention are sorbitol.

[0024] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention may contain, in addition to the polyhydric alcohol, an alcohol other than the polyhydric alcohol, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Such an alcohol includes, for example, ethanol. When the aqueous dispersion of the present invention contains an alcohol other than a polyhydric alcohol, the content is preferably 10.0% by mass or less, more preferably 6.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 4.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2.0% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of storage stability.

[0025] [water] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention contains water as a dispersion medium, and the water may be a wide variety of water, such as pure water, distilled water, ion-exchanged water, tap water, or mineral water. In the aqueous dispersion of the present invention, the water content is preferably 20.0% by mass or more, more preferably 25.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 30.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 35.0% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of the fluidity of the aqueous dispersion. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of increasing the concentration of the organic acid MAG, the water content in the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is preferably 70.0 mass% or less, more preferably 65.0 mass% or less, even more preferably 60.0 mass% or less, and even more preferably 55.0 mass% or less. When raw materials such as the polyhydric alcohols and alcohols other than the polyhydric alcohols are dissolved in water and then blended, the water constitutes the water of the aqueous dispersion of the present invention.

[0026] [Other emulsifiers] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention may contain an emulsifier other than the organic acid MAG having a polycarboxylic acid as an organic acid component (hereinafter referred to as "other emulsifier"), as long as the effect of the present invention is not impaired. Examples of other emulsifiers include phospholipids, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and polyglycerin fatty acid esters. In the aqueous dispersion of the present invention, the content of other emulsifiers is preferably 0.1 to 10.0 mass%, more preferably 1.0 to 9.0 mass%, even more preferably 2.0 to 8.0 mass%, and still more preferably 4.0 to 6.0 mass%, from the viewpoint of storage stability.

[0027] [Oils and fats] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention may contain oils and fats to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. In this case, the aqueous dispersion of the present invention may be in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion composition. From the viewpoint of further improving storage stability, the content of oils and fats in the aqueous dispersion is preferably 20.0% by mass or less, more preferably 11.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 6.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 4.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2.0% by mass or less. In the present invention and the specification, the term "oil and fat" means triacylglycerol.

[0028] [Polysaccharide] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention may contain a polysaccharide to the extent that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The polysaccharide is preferably a thickening polysaccharide, which is a sugar in which monosaccharide molecules are polymerized through glycosidic bonds and has 10 or more polymerized monosaccharide units. The polysaccharide is not particularly limited as long as it has the above structure, but is preferably one or more selected from alginic acid compounds, carrageenan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, locust bean gum, guar gum, polyglutamic acid, gum arabic, and cellulose derivatives. When the aqueous dispersion of the present invention contains a polysaccharide, the content of the polysaccharide in the aqueous dispersion is preferably 5.0% by mass or less, more preferably 3.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, from the viewpoints of fluidity and storage stability.

[0029] [Oily ingredients] In the aqueous dispersion of the present invention, from the viewpoint of further improving storage stability, the oil component is preferably less than 30% by mass, more preferably less than 26% by mass, and even more preferably less than 20% by mass. In the present invention, the organic acid MAG, the other emulsifier, and the oil or fat constitute the oily component of the present invention.

[0030] From the viewpoint of storage stability and suppressing deterioration of the production line, the aqueous dispersion of the present invention preferably does not contain table salt, and more preferably does not contain inorganic salt. In this specification, the term "inorganic salt" refers to an inorganic salt such as table salt that is blended into the aqueous dispersion as a raw material.

[0031] [Method of producing the aqueous dispersion of the present invention] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention can be obtained by mixing the components specified in the present invention and dispersing the organic acid MAG in an aqueous medium. The mixing temperature is preferably set to a relatively high temperature, for example, 50°C or higher, preferably 60°C or higher, more preferably about 70 to 95°C, and even more preferably about 75 to 90°C. The mixing itself can be carried out by a method commonly used in preparing aqueous dispersions, and is typically carried out using a homomixer. Also, the mixture may be subjected to ultrasonic treatment before, after, or during mixing.

[0032] [Uses of the aqueous dispersion of the present invention] The aqueous dispersion of the present invention can be used as a food modifier (additive). Adding the aqueous dispersion of the present invention to food during production can improve the texture and feel of the resulting food. The type of food is not particularly limited, and the aqueous dispersion of the present invention can be added to conventional foods containing the organic acid MAG to appropriately modify the food. Examples of such foods include starch-containing foods and protein-containing foods. Examples of starch-containing foods include snacks, bread, cakes, noodles, and batters (tempura, fried batter). Examples of protein-containing foods include meringues, macarons, hamburgers, sausages, fish paste products, and soy meat (meat substitutes). When the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is blended with a food material, the blending amount is adjusted appropriately in consideration of the content of the organic acid MAG, etc. in the aqueous dispersion, and within a range that does not impair the intended effect. For example, 1 to 10 parts by mass of the aqueous dispersion of the present invention may be blended with 100 parts by mass of a starch-containing material or a protein-containing material.

[0033] Furthermore, when the starch-containing food is produced using the aqueous dispersion of the present invention, the dough can be modified to have desired properties, for example, by adding the aqueous dispersion of the present invention to the preparation of dough using cereal flour. The cereal flour is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include wheat flour, rice flour, soybean flour, corn starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, kudzu starch, sago starch, mung bean starch, etc. When the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is blended in the preparation of dough, the blending amount is adjusted appropriately in consideration of the content of the organic acid MAG, etc. in the aqueous dispersion, and within a range that does not impair the intended effect. For example, 1 to 10 parts by mass of the aqueous dispersion of the present invention can be blended per 100 parts by mass of the starch-containing material.

[0034] A preferred embodiment of the aqueous dispersion of the present invention is to incorporate it into Yudane dough when producing bread or the like using the Yudane method. By using the aqueous dispersion of the present invention in preparing Yudane dough, even aqueous dispersions that have been stored for a long period of time can be uniformly mixed into the Yudane dough. The preparation of the tangdane dough and the preparation of bread by the tangdane method can be carried out by conventional methods except for using the aqueous dispersion of the present invention. The amount of the aqueous dispersion of the present invention to be blended in the preparation of the tangdane dough depends on the content of the organic acid MAG in the aqueous dispersion, but can be, for example, 1 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the cereal flour used to prepare the tangdane dough.

[0035] (snack) In the present invention and the specification, the term "snack" refers to a composition (dough) containing starch as a main component that has been deep-fried or baked at a high temperature (non-fried snack), and specific examples include potato-based snacks such as potato chips, fabricated potatoes, and potato shoestrings, wheat-based snacks, corn-based snacks, rice-based snacks, sweet potato-based snacks, rice crackers such as fried rice crackers, and karinto.

[0036] (bread) In the present invention and the specification, "bread" includes, for example, bread such as white bread, sweet bread, special bread, cooked bread, and pizza. Examples of white bread include white bread, brown bread, French bread, variety bread, and rolls (table roll, bun, butter roll, etc.). Examples of sweet bread include jam bread, bean paste bread, cream bread, raisin bread, melon bread, sweet roll, and rich goods (croissant, brioche, Danish, pastry, etc.). Examples of special bread include muffins. Examples of cooked bread include hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.

[0037] (cake) In the present invention and the specification, the term "cake" refers to a cake obtained by adding a confectionery foaming agent, such as baking powder, meringue, or oil, to a dough, stirring and kneading the dough to incorporate air bubbles, and then baking the dough, and refers to sponge cake, butter cake, chiffon cake, roll cake, Swiss roll, bussee, baumkuchen, pound cake, cheesecake, snack cake, steamed cake, etc. In addition, in the present invention, confectioneries such as manju, donuts, pancakes, dorayaki, and imagawayaki are also included in the term "cake."

[0038] The storage and distribution conditions of the aqueous dispersion of the present invention are not particularly limited. Because the aqueous dispersion of the present invention has excellent storage stability, it can be stored and distributed at room temperature (25°C), for example. However, from the viewpoint of further enhancing storage stability over a long period of time, it is preferable to store and distribute it at a low temperature. It is preferable to store and distribute it at 20°C or below, more preferably at 15°C or below, even more preferably at 10°C or below, and even more preferably at 5°C or below. [Example]

[0039] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0040] [Preparation Example 1] Preparation of aqueous dispersion The raw materials were blended in the proportions (% by mass) shown in Tables 1 to 7 below to obtain the compositions shown in Tables 1 to 7, and 30 g of each was placed in a 50 ml glass vial (SV-50A, manufactured by Nichiden Rika Glass Co., Ltd.). The glass vial was then placed in hot water heated to 80°C, and stirred at approximately 100 to 300 rpm for 5 minutes using a stirrer (High Power Stirrer HPS-100, manufactured by AS ONE Corporation), and then stirred at approximately 1400 rpm for 5 minutes to achieve a uniform dispersion. The glass vial was then removed from the hot water bath, placed in an ice-water bath, and cooled to room temperature (25°C) by stirring at approximately 700 to 1000 rpm for 5 minutes using the stirrer, thereby obtaining aqueous dispersions of the Examples and Comparative Examples.

[0041] The details of the raw materials used in the preparation of the aqueous dispersion are as follows: <Organic acid MAG> SMG: Succinic acid MAG with stearic acid as the fatty acid component (product name: Step SS, manufactured by Kao Corporation) CMG: Citrate MAG with stearic acid as the fatty acid component (product name: Sunsoft 621B, manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.) SMGO: Succinic acid MAG with oleic acid as the fatty acid component (product name: Sunsoft 683CB, manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.) <base> Arg: L-arginine (trade name: L-arginine Kyowa, manufactured by Kyowa Hakko Bio Co., Ltd.) NaOH: Sodium hydroxide (product name: Sodium hydroxide, special grade reagent, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) KOH: Potassium hydroxide (product name: Potassium hydroxide, special grade reagent, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) Na2CO3: Sodium carbonate (trade name: Sodium carbonate (anhydrous) food additive, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) K2CO3: Potassium carbonate (product name: Potassium carbonate (anhydrous) food additive, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) <Polyhydric alcohol> Sorbitol: 70% sorbitol aqueous solution (product name: Sorbitol W-70, manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences) Glycerin: Food grade glycerin (product name, manufactured by Kao Corporation) Amamiru: Reduced starch syrup (product name, manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences) Glucose: Glucose (trade name: D(+) Glucose, manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) Trehalose: Trehalose (trade name: Treha, manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd.) The polyhydric alcohol was diluted with water as appropriate to achieve the polyhydric alcohol and water contents shown in the table below (for example, in the case of sorbitol, sorbitol diluted with water is referred to as "diluted sorbitol" in the table). <Water> Water: Ion-exchanged water <Monohydric alcohol> Ethanol: Ethanol (trade name: Traceable 95 Grade 1, manufactured by Japan Alcohol Industry Co., Ltd.) <Other emulsifiers> S-120V: Polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate (trade name: Emazol S-120V, manufactured by Kao Corporation) S1570: Sucrose stearate (trade name: Ryoto TM Sugar Ester S1570, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) PS-200V: Propylene glycol monostearate (product name: Kaohomotex PS-200V, manufactured by Kao Corporation) <Polysaccharide> Kimica Algin I-8: Sodium alginate (trade name, manufactured by Kimica Co., Ltd.) Chimiloid LLV: Alginate ester (trade name, manufactured by Kimica) Meiji Polyglutamic Acid: Polyglutamic acid (trade name, manufactured by Meiji Co., Ltd.) Kelcogel (LA): Gellan gum (product name, manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.) MW210: κ-carrageenan (trade name, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) MV512: ι-Carrageenan (trade name, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) RG100: Guar gum (purified product) (product name, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation) <Oils> Rapeseed oil: Rapeseed oil (product name, manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Co., Ltd.)

[0042] [Storage stability evaluation] The aqueous dispersion obtained in Preparation Example 1, which satisfied all of the requirements of the present invention, exhibited excellent storage stability, with little gelation or phase separation, when stored for 4 months at a low temperature of 5° C. Therefore, the storage stability when stored at temperatures close to room temperature, which are more severe storage conditions, was evaluated by the following test. Each aqueous dispersion obtained in Preparation Example 1 above was allowed to stand at 20°C for 1 to 4 weeks, and the fluidity and appearance (uniformity of the aqueous dispersion) at room temperature after standing were visually observed and evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Tables 1 to 7 below. In the evaluation criteria below, "1 week" corresponds to 168 hours. In the tables below, the "base equivalent" of a basic amino acid (Arg) is the molar amount of the basic amino acid in the aqueous dispersion relative to 1 molar amount of carboxy groups possessed by the organic acid monoacylglycerol in the aqueous dispersion. <Evaluation criteria> 4: No gelation or phase separation occurred after standing for 4 weeks. 3: After standing for 2 weeks, neither gelation nor phase separation occurred, but after standing for 4 weeks, gelation or phase separation occurred. 2: After standing for one week, neither gelation nor phase separation occurred, but after standing for two weeks, gelation or phase separation occurred. 1: Gelling or phase separation occurred after standing for one week.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] As shown in Table 1 above, the aqueous dispersions of Comparative Examples 1 to 3 and 5 and 6, which contained less organic acid MAG than the content specified in the present invention, showed gelation or phase separation within one week of standing. Furthermore, the aqueous dispersion of Comparative Example 4, which contained an increased amount of organic acid MAG but slightly less than the content specified in the present invention, showed gelation or phase separation within one to two weeks of standing. Thus, all aqueous dispersions containing less organic acid MAG than the content specified in the present invention exhibited poor formulation fluidity and dispersion stability after long-term storage. Furthermore, the aqueous dispersions of Comparative Examples 7 and 8, which contained more organic acid MAG than the content specified in the present invention, also showed gelation or phase separation within one week of standing. In contrast, the aqueous dispersions of Examples 1 to 8, which are included in the aqueous dispersions of the present invention, did not show gelation or phase separation even after being left standing for 2 weeks, and all of them had excellent storage stability.

[0045] [Table 2]

[0046] As shown in Table 2 above, the aqueous dispersions of Comparative Examples 9 and 10, which contained less basic amino acid than the specified amount according to the present invention, and the aqueous dispersions of Comparative Examples 11 and 12, which contained more basic amino acid than the specified amount according to the present invention, showed gelation or phase separation within one week of standing (Comparative Examples 9-11) and within one to two weeks of standing (Comparative Example 12). Furthermore, aqueous dispersions using sodium hydroxide (Comparative Examples 13 and 14) or potassium hydroxide (Comparative Examples 15 and 16) instead of the basic amino acid showed gelation or phase separation within one week of standing (Comparative Examples 13-15) and within one to two weeks of standing (Comparative Example 16), even though the base content was within the specified range according to the present invention. Furthermore, when sodium carbonate (Comparative Example 17) or potassium carbonate (Comparative Example 18) was used instead of the basic amino acid, foaming occurred during mixing, and the aqueous dispersion itself could not be produced. In contrast, the aqueous dispersions of Examples 9 to 14, in which the content of basic amino acid was within the range specified in the present invention, did not show gelation or phase separation even after being left standing for 2 weeks, and all of them had excellent storage stability.

[0047] [Table 3]

[0048] As shown in Table 3 above, the aqueous dispersion of Comparative Example 19, which did not contain any polyhydric alcohol, and the aqueous dispersion of Comparative Example 20, which contained less polyhydric alcohol than specified in the present invention, both had poor dispersion stability and fluidity after long-term storage. In contrast, the aqueous dispersions of Examples 15 to 36, in which the polyhydric alcohol content was within the range specified in the present invention, all exhibited excellent dispersion stability and fluidity after long-term storage, regardless of the type of polyhydric alcohol.

[0049] [Table 4]

[0050] As shown in Table 4 above, all of the aqueous dispersions (Examples 37 to 39) containing other emulsifiers in addition to the organic acid MAG were excellent in storage stability.

[0051] [Table 5]

[0052] As shown in Table 5 above, it is clear that excellent storage stability can be achieved even with the aqueous dispersions containing polysaccharides (Examples 40 to 46).

[0053] [Table 6]

[0054] As shown in Table 6 above, even the aqueous dispersions containing fats and oils (Examples 47 to 51) exhibited excellent storage stability.

[0055] [Table 7]

[0056] As shown in Table 7 above, it is clear that even the aqueous dispersions containing ethanol (Examples 52 to 55) can achieve excellent storage stability.

[0057] [Preparation Example 2] Production of bread The bread was made according to the operating instructions that came with the bread maker (SD-MDX102, Panasonic). Strong flour was added to the bread maker's container so that the center was higher, and then sugar, salt, butter, and skim milk were added. Water was then added, circulating around the flour. Dry yeast was placed in a special container, set into the machine, the lid was closed, and bread was prepared using menu "2." Immediately after baking, the bread was removed from the container and allowed to cool at room temperature for 2 hours to obtain sliced ​​bread. In preparing the above bread, the liquid preparation and sorbitol were dispersed in water and then added, and SMG (powder) was added to the bread flour and mixed with a whisk before preparation.

[0058] The details of the ingredients used in making the bread are shown in Table 8 below: Wheat flour: Strong flour (product name: Ecode, manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) Liquid Formulation 1: Aqueous dispersion of Example 19 above Liquid Formulation 2: Aqueous dispersion of Example 25 above Sorbitol: 70% sorbitol aqueous solution (product name: Sorbitol W-70, manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences) SMG: Succinic acid MAG (product name: Step SS, manufactured by Kao Corporation) Water: Purified water Sugar: White sugar (product name: Cup Brand White Sugar, manufactured by Nissin Sugar Co., Ltd.) Salt: Table salt (product name: Table salt, manufactured by the Salt Industry Center, a public interest incorporated foundation) Butter: Butter (product name: Yotsuba Butter Unsalted, manufactured by Yotsuba Dairy Co., Ltd.) Skim milk: Skim milk (product name: Hokkaido skim milk powder, manufactured by Yotsuba Dairy Co., Ltd.) Dry yeast: Dry yeast (product name: Super Camellia Dry Yeast, manufactured by Nissin Foods)

[0059] The volume of each bread sample was measured. A panel of three experts evaluated the texture of each sample. The results were consistent across all panelists. The results are shown in Table 8 below. Figure 1 shows the appearance of each bread sample after baking. In the table below, "SMG (to flour) %" refers to the ratio (mass %) of the amount of SMG to the amount of wheat flour.

[0060] [Table 8]

[0061] As shown in Table 8 above, the bread samples of Reference Examples 1 (no additives) and 2 (containing sorbitol), which did not contain a liquid formulation, exhibited a hard, elastic, and chewy texture. Furthermore, the bread sample of Reference Example 3, which contained MAG succinate (SMG) without using a liquid formulation, exhibited a slightly softer texture than Reference Examples 1 and 2. In contrast, the bread samples of Examples 56 and 57, which used the liquid preparations of Examples 19 and 25 prepared in Preparation Example 1 above, had a softer texture and a crisp, moist texture compared to the bread samples of Reference Examples 1 to 3. In addition, as shown in Figure 1, the volume of the bread samples after baking was large.

Claims

1. 1. An aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol, comprising: The aqueous dispersion contains a basic amino acid and a polyhydric alcohol, the organic acid monoacylglycerol has a polycarboxylic acid component as an organic acid component, The aqueous dispersion of organic acid monoacylglycerol, wherein the content of the organic acid monoacylglycerol in the aqueous dispersion is 9.0 to 23.0% by mass, the content of the polyhydric alcohol is 8.5 to 60.0% by mass, and the molar amount of the basic amino acid is 0.4 to 1.2 relative to 1 molar amount of carboxy groups in the organic acid monoacylglycerol.

2. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1 , wherein the content of the oil or fat in the aqueous dispersion is less than 20% by mass.

3. 3. The aqueous dispersion of claim 1, wherein the polyhydric alcohol comprises sorbitol.

4. The aqueous dispersion according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the organic acid monoacylglycerol comprises monoacylglycerol succinate and / or monoacylglycerol citrate.

5. A food product using the aqueous dispersion according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. 6. The food product according to claim 5, wherein the food product is bread, cakes, snacks, noodles, batter, hamburger steak, sausage, fish paste products, or soy meat.

7. A method for producing a food product, comprising mixing cereal flour with the aqueous dispersion according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to prepare a dough.

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