Chocolates

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide chocolates that solidify quickly, melt well in the mouth, and have excellent flavor development. Chocolates containing a fat / oil SFC of 10% or less at 25°C, which contain randomly interesterified oils that satisfy the following (A) and (B): (A) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 20% by mass or more. (B) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the mass ratio of the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms to the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 0.2 or more and less than 1.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-029560, filed on February 29, 2024. The entire priority application is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to chocolates, and more particularly to chocolates containing randomly interesterified oils. [Background technology]

[0003] Chocolates are used in a wide variety of food products, including not only chocolates alone but also in combination with other foods such as bread, cakes, confectioneries, frozen desserts, etc. Depending on the type of use, the functions required of chocolates vary.

[0004] One example of how chocolates can be used is to coat (cover), knead, or drip chocolate into frozen desserts such as ice cream, with the aim of diversifying flavors, preventing moisture migration, and maintaining texture.

[0005] As the fats and oils used in the chocolates, coating chocolates using interesterified fats and oils that do not contain lauric fats have been disclosed (Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0006] As another prior art, Patent Document 4 discloses chocolate for frozen desserts that is less likely to bloom in the freezing temperature range and contains linear saturated fatty acids with 8 to 10 carbon atoms as an essential component. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-321076 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-268749 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-244920 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-148848 [Patent Document 5] International Publication No. 2020 / 235170 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The applicant has proposed chocolates for frozen desserts that have a low saturated fatty acid content, are soft to the touch when first chewed in the freezer, harden quickly, have a moderate amount of lingering power, and have a chocolatey flavor (Patent Document 5). The applicant aimed to solve another problem in the chocolates.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide chocolates that solidify quickly, melt easily in the mouth, and have excellent flavor expression. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] As a result of extensive research into solving the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have found that chocolates containing a randomly interesterified oil having a specific constituent fatty acid composition can solve the above-mentioned problems, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0011] That is, the present invention includes the following. (1) Chocolates in which the SFC of the fats and oils contained therein at 25°C is 10% or less, Chocolates containing randomly interesterified oils that satisfy the following (A) and (B): (A) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 20% by mass or more. (B) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the mass ratio of the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms to the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 0.2 or more and less than 1. (2) The chocolates according to (1), wherein the randomly interesterified oil has an unsaturated fatty acid content of 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less in the constituent fatty acid composition (C). (3) The chocolates according to (1) or (2), wherein the random interesterified oil has a content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition (D) of 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less. (4) Chocolates according to (1) or (2), in which the fat content in the chocolates is 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, and the fat content in the chocolates contains the randomly interesterified oil in an amount of 5% by mass or more and 97% by mass or less. (5) Chocolates according to (3), in which the fat content in the chocolates is 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, and the fat content in the chocolates contains the randomly interesterified oil in an amount of 5% by mass or more and 97% by mass or less. (6) Frozen desserts made with chocolates from (4). (7) Frozen desserts made with chocolates from (5). [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, chocolates that solidify quickly, melt well in the mouth, and have excellent flavor expression can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention will be specifically described below.

[0014] The chocolates of the present invention are chocolates in which the SFC of the fats and oils contained in the chocolates is 10% or less at 25° C. In this specification, the fats and oils contained in the chocolates refers not only to the fats and oils derived from fats and oils, but also to the total amount of all fats and oils contained in the raw materials of the chocolates, such as cocoa mass, cocoa, and milk powder.

[0015] Examples of fats and oils that can be used in the chocolates of the present invention include soybean oil, high erucic acid rapeseed oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, rice oil, safflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, olive oil, sesame oil, palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, shea butter, monkey fat, cocoa butter and other vegetable fats and oils; animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, and lard; medium-chain fatty acid (MCT) fats; and processed fats and oils that have been subjected to interesterification, such as hydrogenated oils, fractionated oils, hydrogenated fractionated oils, fractionated hydrogenated oils, and interesterified fats, as well as mixed oils of these. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention aims to produce chocolates with low trans fatty acids, without using partially hydrogenated oils that contain a relatively large amount of trans fatty acids. When high erucic acid rapeseed oil is used, the content of erucic acid contained in the high erucic acid rapeseed oil is preferably 30% by mass or more in the constituent fatty acid composition. Furthermore, the content of oleic acid contained in high oleic sunflower oil and high oleic safflower oil is preferably 60% by mass or more in the constituent fatty acid composition.

[0016] The chocolates of the present invention are not limited to "pure chocolate," "chocolate," "semi-chocolate," and "chocolate-based foods" as defined by the National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council, but also refer to foods that contain fats and oils as an essential ingredient and include fat-processed foods that use cocoa mass, cocoa, whole milk powder, dried fruit juice powder, dried vegetable powder, vegetable milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa butter substitutes, hard butter, etc. Therefore, the chocolates of the present invention may also be a general term for foods that have edible ingredients dispersed in a fat-and-oil base, such as matcha-flavored or strawberry-flavored foods that incorporate vegetable or fruit-derived powders.

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the chocolate of the present invention is a chocolate that can be used in frozen desserts.

[0018] In this specification, frozen desserts are not particularly limited to any type as long as they are confectioneries that are eaten at freezing temperatures, but typical examples include ice cream, ice milk, and lacto ice cream as defined in the "Ministerial Ordinance on the Ingredient Standards, etc. of Milk and Dairy Products," also known as the "Milk, etc. Ministerial Ordinance," and frozen desserts as defined in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Notification "Standards and Criteria for Foods, Additives, etc."

[0019] The chocolates of the present invention are chocolates containing a randomly interesterified oil that satisfies the following (A) and (B): (A) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 20% by mass or more. (B) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the mass ratio of the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms to the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 0.2 or more and less than 1.

[0020] In the (A) constituent fatty acid composition, the content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 20% by mass or more, preferably 20% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less.

[0021] In the (B) constituent fatty acid composition, the mass ratio of the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms to the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 0.2 or more and less than 1, preferably 0.2 or more and 0.8 or less, and more preferably 0.2 or more and 0.7 or less.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the random interesterified oil has an unsaturated fatty acid content in the (C) constituent fatty acid composition of 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, more preferably 52% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, and even more preferably 55% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the random interesterified oil has a content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms in the (D) constituent fatty acid composition of 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or more and 27% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less, and even more preferably 6% by mass or more and 23% by mass or less.

[0024] The random interesterified oil is not particularly limited to the fats and oils used as the raw material fats and oils as long as it satisfies the above-mentioned composition, but it is preferable to use the following fat and oil raw materials r and s as essential components. Oil and fat raw material: Vegetable oil with an iodine value of 56 to 150 Fat and oil raw materials: lauric fat and oil

[0025] In this specification, examples of vegetable oils and fats with an iodine value of 56 to 150 used as the oil and fat raw material r include soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, olive oil, palm olein, and shea olein. Preferred are soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil, and safflower oil with an iodine value of 70 to 145.

[0026] In this specification, the lauric fats and oils used as the fat and oil raw material s are fats and oils containing a large amount of lauric acid, a saturated fatty acid having 12 carbon atoms, and the content of lauric acid in all constituent fatty acids is 30% by mass or more, preferably 40% by mass or more. Specific examples include coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and their hardened oils, fractionated oils, hardened fractionated oils, and fractionated hardened oils, as well as mixtures of these.

[0027] The random transesterification method may be a method using a chemical catalyst or a method using an enzyme catalyst. Examples of chemical catalysts that can be used include alkali metal catalysts such as sodium methylate, and examples of enzyme catalysts include lipases from the genera Alcaligenes, Penicillium, and Thermomyces. These lipases may be immobilized on ion exchange resins or diatomaceous earth by known methods, or may be used in powder form.

[0028] As described above, the fat content in this specification includes fat content (cocoa butter) derived from cocoa raw materials such as cocoa mass and cocoa powder, as well as fat content derived from raw materials blended into chocolates. The fat content in chocolates is preferably 30% to 70% by mass, more preferably 45% to 65% by mass. If the fat content is appropriate, it is easy to combine with frozen desserts, and coating work is particularly easy, allowing for a uniform coating on the frozen dessert. If the fat content is below the lower limit, the viscosity of the chocolates during coating may increase, making it difficult to coat evenly. Conversely, if the fat content is above the upper limit, the flavor of the chocolates may be weakened and the chocolates may have a strong oily feel. In another preferred embodiment, the fat and oil content of the chocolates contains the random interesterified oil in an amount of 5% by mass to 97% by mass, more preferably 6% by mass to 88% by mass, and even more preferably 9% by mass to 70% by mass. If the random interesterified oil content is less than 5% by mass, the effects of the present invention may not be achieved, or the chocolates may not have the texture desired.

[0029] The chocolates of the present invention can appropriately use raw materials such as sugars, dairy products such as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, cream powder, whey powder, and buttermilk powder, cocoa components such as cocoa mass, cocoa powder, and adjusted cocoa powder, cheese powder, coffee powder, and fruit juice powder, so long as they satisfy the requirements. In addition, vanillin, flavorings, acidulants, and colorings can also be appropriately used to adjust the flavor and color tone. Furthermore, the chocolates of the present invention can contain emulsifiers that are commonly used in the production of chocolates. Examples include lecithin, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerol fatty acid esters, polysorbates, and polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid esters. These may be used in combination of two or more types.

[0030] The chocolates of the present invention can be produced in the same manner as ordinary chocolates. Specifically, the chocolates can be obtained by mixing an appropriate amount of cocoa mass (part thereof), various powdered foods such as cocoa powder, sugars, and milk powder, emulsifiers, flavorings, and colorings with fats and oils, followed by rolling as a grinding step, adding the remaining ingredients as appropriate, and then performing a conching or mixing step. Alternatively, a manufacturing method in which the mixing and grinding steps are performed in parallel using a ball mill or bead mill can also be used.

[0031] A preferred embodiment is when the chocolates of the present invention are used in frozen desserts. There are no particular limitations on the shape or method of use, but examples include "coating applications" in which a frozen dessert is dipped into melted chocolates of the present invention to coat the surface of the frozen dessert, and "incorporation or dripping applications" in which melted chocolates are dropped and mixed into a fluid frozen dessert such as ice cream, solidifying the chocolates and leaving them in granular or fragmented form within the frozen dessert. The manner in which the frozen dessert and chocolates are combined is also not particularly limited, and examples include cases in which the surface of the frozen dessert is uniformly covered, as well as cases in which only a portion is covered, and cases in which the chocolates are kneaded into the frozen dessert and the amount of dripping increases to prevent the granular or fragmented chocolates from separating, resulting in a marbled or thin plate-like combination within the frozen dessert. [Example]

[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.

[0033] 〇Analysis method [Method of analyzing iodine value] The iodine value of the oils and fats was analyzed in accordance with the Standard Method for Analysis of Fats and Oils 2.3.4.1-2013. [Method for analyzing fatty acid composition] The analysis was carried out in accordance with the method prescribed in the Japan Oil Chemists' Society's Standard Methods for Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials (1996 edition), 2.4.1. 2 Methyl esterification method (boron trifluoride methanol method). [Method of analyzing slip melting point] The analysis was carried out in accordance with the method prescribed in 2.2.4.2 (Slip Melting Point) of the Japan Oil Chemists' Society's Standard Methods for Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials (1996 edition). [SFC Parallel measurements at each temperature] SFC is analyzed in accordance with IUPAC.2 150 SOLID CONTENT DETERMINATION IN FATS BY NMR. The analytical device used is the Bruker "minispec mq20." The oil was kept at 80°C for 30 minutes, then at 60°C for 30 minutes to completely dissolve it, and then at 0°C for 1 hour to solidify it. After further keeping it at the specified temperature for 30 minutes, the SFC (solid fat content) was analyzed.

[0034] *Oils and fats used in the study The raw oils and fats were blended according to Table 1 (units: parts by mass). Random transesterification reaction was carried out with 1.0 kg of blended oil using sodium methylate as a catalyst until randomization was complete. The catalyst was then deactivated by washing with an acidic solution and then with hot water, followed by bleaching and deodorization as per usual methods, yielding randomly transesterified oils 1 to 4. The oleic acid content in the constituent fatty acid composition of the high oleic sunflower oil used was 86.0% by mass. In the table, the iodine value is represented as IV.

[0035] The random interesterified oils 1 to 4 were analyzed according to the above-mentioned [Method for analyzing fatty acid composition], and the results are shown in Table 2 (unit: mass %). In the table, the number following C indicates the number of carbon atoms, and the number to the right of the colon (:) indicates the number of double bonds. For saturated fatty acids that do not have double bonds, the information after the colon (:) is omitted. In addition, the content (mass%) of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition is represented as M, the content (mass%) of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms is represented as N, the total amount (mass%) of unsaturated fatty acids is represented as O, and the mass ratio of the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms to the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition is represented as N / M.

[0036] [Table 1]

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] 〇Consideration of fats and oils for chocolate The obtained randomly interesterified oils 1 to 4 were mixed with each fat according to Table 3 (unit: parts by mass) to obtain the fats and oils to be investigated used in Table 4 (compositions of chocolates).

[0039] 〇Evaluation by chocolate test Chocolates were prepared using the prepared test oils and fats. The chocolates were prepared in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 according to the following "Method for preparing chocolates for frozen desserts" using the same formulation as in Table 4 (units: parts by mass), with only the test oil and fat portion being different. The chocolates were prepared according to the "Method for coating chocolates on frozen desserts" below, and then evaluated according to the "Method for evaluating chocolates" and "Chocolate evaluation criteria" below, with the results shown in Table 5. The analytical values ​​(M, N, N / M, O) of the randomly interesterified oil used are also shown.

[0040] [Table 3]

[0041] [Table 4]

[0042] Regarding the SFC of fats and oils contained in chocolate at 25°C A mixed oil of 97.3 parts by mass of the test fat and 2.7 parts by mass of cocoa butter was prepared, corresponding to the fat and oil component consisting of the test fat and oil component shown in Table 4 and the cocoa butter component derived from cocoa powder. The fat and oil (cocoa butter) content in the cocoa powder used was 11% by mass. The SFC at 25°C of each of the prepared mixed oils was analyzed according to the above-mentioned "SFC Parallel Measurements at Each Temperature" The results are shown in Table 5 (unit: mass%).

[0043] [How to make chocolates] Cocoa powder and sugar are mixed with an appropriate amount of the examined fat and lecithin, and the mixture is heated and mixed in a mixer to make a dough. This dough is then refined to a particle size of approximately 20 μm using a roll refiner (BUHLER Three-roll mill SDY300), to which the remaining fat and lecithin are added, and the mixture is kneaded uniformly in a conching machine (conche) to obtain chocolates.

[0044] [Method for coating frozen desserts with chocolate] The obtained chocolates were heated to 50°C to completely dissolve the fat crystals, and then cooled to 40°C and maintained at a constant temperature. Meanwhile, a commercially available ice cream bar (Lacto Ice, manufactured by Lotte Co., Ltd.) was removed from a freezer set at -20°C, quickly immersed in the molten chocolate, and removed after 1 second. The time until the surface of the coated chocolate was completely solidified was measured in a room temperature environment of 20°C, and the bar was then stabilized overnight in a -20°C freezer.

[0045] [Chocolate evaluation method] The chocolate-covered ice cream bars were subjected to a sensory evaluation by five trained panelists who are involved in the development of frozen dessert ingredients and who make frozen dessert prototypes on a daily basis, based on the following evaluation criteria. In this evaluation, a score of 3 or more, determined by consensus, was considered a pass.

[0046] [Chocolate evaluation criteria] Solidification The time until the chocolate no longer adhered to the finger when the surface of the coated chocolate was stroked with the finger was measured, and the solidification was evaluated based on the following criteria. Under 4:70 seconds (very fast) 3: Over 70 seconds and under 90 seconds (fast) 2: Over 90 seconds and under 100 seconds (normal) Over 1:100 seconds (slow) Melts in your mouth 4: Melts easily in the mouth. 3: Melts easily in the mouth. 2: It doesn't melt in the mouth very well. 1: It doesn't melt in your mouth Flavor development 4: The chocolate flavor is strong. 3: You can taste the flavor of chocolate. 2: The chocolate flavor is weak. 1: The chocolate flavor is hard to detect. Products that achieved a score of 3 or higher for solidification, melting in the mouth, and flavor development were considered to be acceptable.

[0047] [Table 5]

[0048] Consideration of Table 5 The ice cream bars of the examples were evaluated as passing in all evaluation items, and the target quality was achieved.

[0049] Evaluation of fatty acid composition analysis values The fatty acid composition of the random interesterified oil was evaluated using the following numerical ranges as indicators. M (content of saturated fatty acids with 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition) is 20% by mass or more N (content of saturated fatty acids with 12 to 14 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition) is 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less N / M (the mass ratio of the total amount of saturated fatty acids with 12 to 14 carbon atoms to the total amount of saturated fatty acids with 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid composition) is 0.2 or more and less than 1 O (content of unsaturated fatty acids in the constituent fatty acid composition) is 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less

[0050] Evaluation results of fatty acid composition analysis The randomly interesterified oils 1 to 3 used in the examples in which the target quality was obtained both had M and N / M values ​​that satisfied the numerical ranges used as indicators. The random interesterified oils 1 to 3 satisfy the numerical ranges set as indices for the O as well as the M and N / M. The random interesterified oils 1 to 3 satisfy the numerical ranges set as indices for the N in addition to the M and N / M. The random interesterified oil 4 used in Comparative Example 3, in which the target quality was not achieved, did not satisfy the N / M requirement.

[0051] Consideration of the oil and fat ingredients used The random interesterified oils 1 to 3 used in the examples in which the target quality was obtained contained the following oil and fat raw material r and oil and fat raw material s in the raw oil and fat in addition to the above composition. Oil and fat raw material: Vegetable oil with an iodine value of 56 to 150 Fat and oil raw materials: lauric fat and oil

[0052] Regarding the SFC of fats and oils contained in chocolate at 25°C The SFC of the fats and oils contained in the chocolates at 25°C was all 10% or less. In a preferred embodiment, the chocolates of the present invention satisfy the above-mentioned numerical ranges and are therefore suitable for use in frozen desserts. [Industrial Applicability]

[0053] According to the present invention, chocolates that solidify quickly, melt well in the mouth, and have excellent flavor expression can be provided.

Claims

1. Chocolates in which the SFC of the fats and oils contained in the chocolates at 25°C is 10% or less, Chocolates containing randomly interesterified oils that satisfy all of the following (A) to (C): (A) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 20% by mass or more. (B) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the mass ratio of the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms to the total amount of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is 0.2 or more and less than 1. (C) In the constituent fatty acid composition, the content of unsaturated fatty acids is 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less

2. The chocolates according to claim 1, wherein the random interesterified oil has a constituent fatty acid composition (D) in which the content of saturated fatty acids having 12 to 14 carbon atoms is 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

3. 3. The chocolate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat and oil content in the chocolate is 30% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, and the fat and oil content in the chocolate contains the random interesterified oil in an amount of 5% by mass or more and 97% by mass or less.

4. A frozen dessert using the chocolates described in claim 3.

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