Food composition

Abstract

To provide a food composition having a new texture different from the texture of various pasty foods such as boiled azuki, jam, semi-solid dressing, and honey.SOLUTION: A food composition contains pasty food, and oil and fat powder with a melting point of 55°C or higher. In the food composition, the content of the oil and fat powder is 3-30 mass%. There is also provided a method for producing a food composition that contains 3-30 mass% of oil and fat powder with a melting point of 55°C or higher, in which the oil and fat powder is mixed with pasty food for stirring.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food composition and a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Bean paste is a paste-like food that is widely used as an ingredient in Japanese sweets. Instead of using this bean paste as it is in Japanese sweets and the like, additives have been added to improve it, and bean paste-containing foods with new shapes and textures not found in conventional bean paste-containing foods have been developed. For example, a porous bean paste food product was developed by adding calcium salt to a foamed material consisting of water-soluble alginate, a soy protein-based foaming agent, and water, mixing and stirring the mixture, and then adding paste paste to create a foamed coagulated product, which has an extremely light texture not found in conventional bean paste-containing foods (Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, by adding gelatinized crystalline monoglyceride and other emulsifiers to bean paste and whipping it, a foaming bean paste has been developed that can be whipped into extremely fine bubbles without impairing the delicate flavor of the bean paste (Patent Document 2). As described above, the development of bean paste with a texture different from that of conventional bean paste has been studied, but there has not been much study into changing the texture of paste-like foods such as jam, semi-solid dressing, honey, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-236535 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-159265 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a food composition that has a new texture different from that of paste-like foods, not only bean paste but also jam, semi-solid dressing, honey, and the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of extensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors discovered that a food composition with a new texture can be obtained by mixing and stirring a paste-like food with an oil or fat powder having a melting point of 55°C or higher in a specific ratio, and thus completed the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention relates to the following. [1] A food composition containing a paste-like food and an oil or fat powder having a melting point of 55°C or higher, wherein the content of the oil or fat powder in the food composition is More than 5% by mass, 30% by mass below A food composition characterized by: However, the paste-like food is one or more selected from the group consisting of boiled azuki beans, jam, semi-solid dressing, and honey. [2] The content of oil and fat powder in the food composition is 10 to 30% by mass. The food composition described in [1]. [3] Specific gravity of the food composition But, 0 .60~0.95g / cm 3 The food composition according to [1] or [2], characterized in that: [4] The food composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the average particle size of the oil or fat powder is 0.5 to 200 μm. [5] The food composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the fat or oil powder contains a fat or oil component comprising one or more XXX-type triglycerides having a fatty acid residue X with a carbon number of x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin, where the carbon number x is an integer selected from 16 to 20, the fat or oil component contains a β-type fat or oil, and the particles of the fat or oil powder have a plate-like shape. [6] The food composition according to any one of [1] to [5], which does not contain an emulsifier. [7] A food product containing the food composition according to any one of [1] to [6]. [8] Oil and fat powder with a melting point of 55°C or higher more than 5% by mass, 30 mass %below The method for producing a food composition comprising the oil and fat powder is characterized by mixing and stirring a paste-like food and the oil and fat powder. However, the paste-like food is one or more selected from the group consisting of boiled azuki beans, jam, semi-solid dressing, and honey. [9] The content of oil and fat powder in the food composition is 10 to 30% by mass. A method for producing the food composition described in [8].

[10] The specific gravity of the food composition is 0.60 to 0.95 g / cm 3 The method for producing the food composition according to [8] or [9], characterized in that:

[11] The method for producing a food composition according to any one of [8] to

[10] , wherein the average particle size of the oil or fat powder is 0.5 to 200 μm.

[12] The method for producing a food composition according to any one of [8] to

[11] , wherein the fat powder contains a fat component comprising one or more XXX-type triglycerides having a fatty acid residue X with a carbon number of x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin, where the carbon number x is an integer selected from 16 to 20, the fat component contains a β-type fat, and the particles of the fat powder have a plate-like shape.

[13] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [8] to

[12] , characterized in that no emulsifier is added. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a food composition having a new texture different from the texture of various paste-like foods such as boiled azuki beans, jam, semi-solid dressing, and honey. Furthermore, the food composition of the present invention can contain an emulsifier, but even if it does not contain an emulsifier, it is possible to provide a food composition that has a new texture different from various paste-like foods. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a DSC chart showing the change in endothermic heat when oil / fat powder (a) is heated at a temperature increase rate of 2° C. / min. [Figure 2] 1 is an electron microscope photograph of the fat and oil powder (a) of Production Example 1. [Figure 3] This is a photograph of a control sample in which only jam has been mixed and stirred on top of a sponge cake. [Figure 4] This is a photograph of a control sample in which only jam was mixed and stirred, sandwiched between sponge cakes. [Figure 5] 1 is a photograph of the food composition of Example 2 placed on the surface of a sponge cake. [Figure 6] 1 is a photograph of the food composition of Example 2 sandwiched between sponge cakes. [Figure 7] This is a photograph of a control sample in which only boiled azuki beans have been mixed and stirred on the uncooked side of a dorayaki pancake. [Figure 8] This is a photograph of a control sample made by mixing and stirring only boiled azuki beans, sandwiched between dorayaki skins. [Figure 9] This is a photograph of the food composition of Example 9 placed on the untouched side of a dorayaki crust. [Figure 10] This is a photograph of the food composition of Example 9 sandwiched between Dorayaki skins. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the object of the present invention.

[0011] The present invention relates to a food composition containing a paste-like food and an oil or fat powder having a melting point of 55°C or higher, wherein the content of the oil or fat powder in the food composition is 3 to 30 mass%.

[0012] [Paste-like food] First, the paste-like food used in the present invention will be explained. The paste-like food used in the present invention is a food that has a paste-like appearance and may contain solid matter such as beans, fruits, etc. Semi-solid foods are also included in the paste-like food. The viscosity of the paste-like food is not particularly limited, but is, for example, preferably 40,000 to 400,000 mPa·s, more preferably 45,000 to 300,000 mPa·s, and even more preferably 50,000 to 200,000 mPa·s. Specific examples of paste-like foods include boiled azuki beans, jam, semi-solid dressing, honey, etc., and commercially available products can be used for these. Here, semi-solid dressings are defined in the "Food Labeling Standards" (Cabinet Office Ordinance No. 10 of 2015) based on the Food Labeling Act, and have a viscosity of 30 Pascal·seconds or more, and include mayonnaise, creamy salad dressings, and semi-solid dressings. Mayonnaise is made from egg yolk or whole eggs, edible vegetable oil, vinegar or citrus juice, salt, sugars, etc., and the ingredients that can be used are determined by food labeling standards, with the weight percentage of edible vegetable oil being 65% or more. In addition, the ingredients that can be used in creamy salad dressing are determined by food labeling standards, such as egg yolk and starch or thickener, edible vegetable oil, vinegar or citrus juice, salt, and sugars, and the weight percentage of edible vegetable oil is between 10% and 50%. Semi-solid dressings are other than mayonnaise and creamy salad dressings.

[0013] Commercially available boiled azuki beans include "Boiled Azuki Beans from Hokkaido T1" sold by Hotei Foods Corporation and "Boiled Azuki Beans from a Japanese Confectionery Shop" sold by Eitaro Sohonten Co., Ltd. Commercially available jams include "Raspberry Jam RSPN" sold by Kasei Foods Co., Ltd. and "Raspberry P-31" sold by Taka Foods Co., Ltd. Commercially available semi-solid dressings include "Mayonnaise" from Kewpie Corporation. Examples of commercially available honey include "Sakura Brand Pure Honey" sold by Kato Bee Garden Honpo Co., Ltd.

[0014] [Oil powder] Next, the fat and oil powder used in the present invention will be explained. Examples of fat and oil powders used in the present invention include powders of fat and oil in which 80% by mass or more of the fatty acids constituting the fat and oil are saturated fatty acids having 16 or more carbon atoms, such as palm stearin, extremely hardened palm oil, extremely hardened rapeseed oil, extremely hardened high-erucic acid rapeseed oil, extremely hardened soybean oil, extremely hardened sunflower oil, and extremely hardened safflower oil, and one or more of these may be used. The melting point of the oil or fat powder is 55°C or higher, preferably 58°C or higher, and more preferably 61°C or higher, and the upper limit of the melting point is preferably 90°C or lower, more preferably 80°C or lower, and even more preferably 75°C or lower. The oil and fat powder of the present invention is different from powdered oil and fat obtained by spray-drying an emulsion of an aqueous solution containing oil and fat, excipients, emulsifiers, etc.

[0015] The melting point of the fat or oil powder used in the present invention can be determined by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) measurement. The fat or oil powder is heated at a temperature increase rate of 1 to 5°C (preferably 2°C) per minute, and the temperature at which endothermic heat disappears is taken as the melting point. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the melting point is the temperature at the intersection of the baseline where endotherm has completely disappeared due to heating and the rising line returning from the last endotherm to the baseline.

[0016] The average particle size (effective diameter) of the particles is, for example, preferably 0.5 to 200 μm, more preferably 1 to 100 μm, even more preferably 1 to 50 μm, particularly preferably 1 to 30 μm, and especially preferably 1 to 20 μm. In particular, when the average particle size of the fat or oil powder is 1 to 20 μm, a food composition that does not have a rough texture can be obtained. Here, the average particle size (effective diameter) refers to the volume mean diameter [MV], and the volume mean diameter [MV] is determined by measuring the volume-based particle size distribution by dry measurement using a particle size distribution analyzer (e.g., manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation, device name: SALD-2300) based on the laser diffraction scattering method (ISO13320, JIS Z 8825-1), and the obtained volume mean diameter [MV] is taken as the average particle size. The volume mean diameter [MV] can be calculated from the following formula using the particle size, particle volume, and total particle volume values ​​of the particles. Volume mean diameter (MV) = sum of (particle size x particle volume) / sum of particle volumes The effective diameter means the particle size of a sphere when the measured diffraction pattern of the crystal to be measured matches the theoretical diffraction pattern obtained assuming the crystal is spherical. In this way, in the case of the laser diffraction scattering method, the effective diameter is calculated by matching the theoretical diffraction pattern obtained assuming the crystal is spherical with the measured diffraction pattern, so that the measurement can be performed using the same principle whether the object to be measured is plate-shaped or spherical.

[0017] The fat powder may optionally contain other components (additives) such as emulsifiers, flavorings, colorings, etc. To incorporate these other components, the other components may be added to or mixed with the raw materials for the fat powder or the fat powder. Specifically, the fat powder may be produced by mixing the other components such as emulsifiers, flavorings, colorings, etc. with the raw materials for the fat powder, mixing the other components such as emulsifiers, flavorings, colorings, etc. with the fat powder raw materials, or by pulverizing the fat powder to produce it, or by mixing the other components such as emulsifiers, flavorings, colorings, etc. with the produced fat powder. Here, examples of the emulsifiers as other ingredients include monoglycerides, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and lecithin. Examples of the flavoring agents include limonene, vanillin, orange, vanilla, and jasmine. Examples of the coloring agents include natural coloring agents such as turmeric color, gardenia color, safflower color, paprika color, and red cabbage color, and synthetic coloring agents such as tar-based coloring agents. The amount of these other components can be any amount as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention, but for example, when the total mass of the oil or fat powder is taken as 100% by mass, it is, for example, 0 to 30% by mass, preferably 1 to 18% by mass, more preferably 2 to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 3 to 8% by mass. Preferably, 90% by mass or more of the other components are powders with an average particle size of 1000 μm or less, and more preferably powders with an average particle size of 500 μm or less. Furthermore, since fine particles of 20 μm or less are difficult for the human senses to detect, powders with an average particle size of, for example, 20 μm or less, preferably 0.1 to 20 μm, more preferably 1 to 18 μm, are preferred, as this eliminates the rough, gritty feel of the powder when placed in the mouth.

[0018] The method for producing the fat or oil powder used in the present invention is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the fats and oils used as raw materials for the fat and oil powder having a melting point of 55°C or higher are not particularly limited as long as they are edible fats and oils. The fat powder can be produced, for example, by pulverizing a fat powder raw material having a melting point of 55°C or higher using a conventionally known method such as freeze-pulverization, extrusion granulation, or spray cooling. The fat powder used in the present invention may be a commercially available fat powder, such as "Lubriwax-102H" sold by Freund Corporation, "TP-9" sold by NOF Corporation, or "Spray Fat NR-100" sold by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. Furthermore, the fat and oil powder used in the present invention can be the fat and oil powder A described below.

[0019] [Oil powder A] The fat powder used in the present invention may be fat powder A, which will be described below. The fat / oil powder A is a fat / oil powder containing a fat / oil component including one or more XXX-type triglycerides having saturated fatty acid residues X with a carbon number x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin, where the carbon number x is an integer selected from 16 to 20, the fat / oil component includes β-type fats, and the particles of the fat / oil powder are plate-like. The oil powder A will be described in detail below.

[0020] The fat powder A contains a fat component. The fat component contains at least a XXX triglyceride and optionally contains other triglycerides. The fat and oil component includes β-type fats and oils. Here, β-type fats and oils are fats and oils consisting only of β-type crystals, which is one of the crystalline polymorphs of fats and oils. Other crystalline polymorphs include β'-type fats and α-type fats. β'-type fats and oils are fats and oils consisting only of β'-type crystals, which is one of the crystalline polymorphs of fats and oils. α-type fats and oils are fats and oils consisting only of α-type crystals, which is one of the crystalline polymorphs of fats and oils. Some fat and oil crystals have the same composition but different sublattice structures (crystal structures), which are called crystalline polymorphs. Representative examples include hexagonal, orthorhombic perpendicular, and triclinic parallel, which are called α-type, β'-type, and β-type, respectively. The melting points of each polymorph increase in the order of α, β', and β. The melting points of each polymorph vary depending on the type of fatty acid residue X with carbon number x. Table 1 below shows the melting points (°C) of each polymorph for tripalmitin, tristearin, and triarachydin, respectively. Table 1 was prepared based on Nissim Garti et al., "Crystallization and Polymorphism of Fats and Fatty Acids," Marcel Dekker Inc., 1988, pp. 32-33. In preparing Table 1, the melting points (°C) were rounded to the nearest whole number. Furthermore, if the composition of a fat or oil and the melting points of each of its polymorphs are known, it is possible to detect at least whether or not a beta fat or oil is present in the fat or oil.

[0021] [Table 1]

[0022] A common method for identifying these polymorphs is by X-ray diffraction, the diffraction conditions of which are given by the Bragg equation: 2dsinθ=nλ(n=1,2,3) Diffraction peaks appear at positions that satisfy this equation. Here, d is the lattice constant, θ is the diffraction (incidence) angle, λ is the wavelength of the X-ray, and n is a natural number. The diffraction peaks corresponding to the short spacing, 2θ = 16–27°, provide information about the lateral packing (sublattice) within the crystal, allowing for the identification of polymorphs. In particular, for triacylglycerols, characteristic peaks for the β-type appear at 2θ = 19, 23, and 24° (near 4.6 Å, 3.9 Å, and 3.8 Å), and a characteristic peak for the α-type appears at 21° (4.2 Å). X-ray diffraction measurements are typically performed using an X-ray diffractometer (Rigaku Corporation, Smart Lab 9 kW, fully automated multipurpose X-ray diffractometer) maintained at 20°C. CuKα radiation (1.54 Å) is the most commonly used X-ray source.

[0023] The fat and oil component contains β-type fats and oils, and has a peak intensity ratio of 0.6 to 1, or contains β-type fats and oils as the main component (more than 50% by mass of the fat and oil powder A or the fat and oil component). In a preferred embodiment of the oil and fat component, the oil and fat component is substantially composed of β-type oil and fat, in a more preferred embodiment, the oil and fat component is composed of β-type oil and fat, and in a particularly preferred embodiment, the oil and fat component is composed solely of β-type oil and fat. When all of the oil and fat component is β-type oil and fat, no α-type oil and / or β'-type oil and fat is detected by differential scanning calorimetry. In a further embodiment, it is preferable that all of the oil and fat components are β-type oils and fats, but other α-type oils and fats or β'-type oils and fats may also be contained.

[0024] Specifically, based on the findings of the above-mentioned X-ray diffraction measurement, the ratio of the peak intensity at 2θ=19° (4.6 Å), which is a characteristic peak of β-form, to the peak intensity at 2θ=21° (4.2 Å), which is a characteristic peak of α-form, is calculated as follows: peak intensity around 19° / (peak intensity around 19°+peak intensity around 21°)[peak intensity around 4.6 Å / (peak intensity around 4.6 Å+peak intensity around 4.2 Å)]. This is used as an index representing the amount of β-form fat present in the above-mentioned fat and oil component, and it can be understood that "β-form fat is contained." Ideally, in the present invention, all of the above-mentioned fat and oil components are β-form fats (i.e., peak intensity ratio = 1). In other words, if this peak intensity ratio is 0, it is determined that all of the fats and oils are alpha-type fats, if the peak intensity ratio is 1, it is determined that all of the fats and oils are beta-type fats, and if the peak intensity ratio is close to 1, it is determined that there is a large amount of beta-type fats and oils. Since it is preferable that the oil and fat component contains a larger amount of β-type oil and fat, the peak intensity ratio is preferably close to 1. Therefore, the peak intensity ratio is preferably 0.6 to 1, more preferably 0.7 to 1, even more preferably 0.8 to 1, still more preferably 0.9 to 1, and particularly preferably 0.95 to 1. The content of the oil and fat component in the oil and fat powder A may be, for example, about 50 to 100 mass%, 70 to 100 mass%, 80 to 100 mass%, 85 to 100 mass%, 92 to 100 mass%, or 95 to 100 mass%.

[0025] The fat and oil component contains one or more XXX triglycerides having a fatty acid residue X with a carbon number of x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin. The XXX triglycerides are triglycerides having a fatty acid residue X with a carbon number of x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin, and each fatty acid residue X is the same as the others. Here, the carbon number x is an integer selected from 16 to 20, preferably an integer selected from 16 to 18, and more preferably 18. The fatty acid residue X may be a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid residue. Specific examples of the fatty acid residue X include, but are not limited to, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and arachidic acid. Palmitic acid and stearic acid are more preferred fatty acids, and stearic acid is even more preferred. The content of the XXX triglyceride is, when the total mass of the oil / fat powder A or the oil / fat component is taken as 100% by mass, for example, 50% by mass or more, preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and even more preferably 80% by mass or more as the lower limit, and for example, 100% by mass or less, preferably 99% by mass or less, and more preferably 95% by mass or less as the upper limit. One or two or more types of XXX triglycerides can be used, preferably one or two types, and more preferably one type is used. When two or more types of XXX triglycerides are used, the total value thereof represents the content of the XXX triglyceride.

[0026] The fat and oil component may contain other triglycerides in addition to the above-mentioned XXX triglycerides, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The other triglycerides may be multiple types of triglycerides, and may be synthetic or natural fat and oil. Examples of synthetic fat and oil include glyceryl tricaprylate and glyceryl tricaprate. Examples of natural fat and oil include cocoa butter, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, and cottonseed oil. When the total triglycerides in the fat and oil powder A or the fat and oil component are taken as 100% by mass, there is no problem if the other triglycerides are contained in an amount of, for example, 1% by mass or more, or about 5 to 50% by mass, relative to the total mass of the fat and oil powder A or the fat and oil component. The content of other triglycerides is, for example, 0 to 50% by mass, preferably 5 to 40% by mass, more preferably 10 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 15 to 25% by mass, when the total mass of the fat and oil powder A or the fat and oil component is 100% by mass.

[0027] It is preferable that the fat / oil powder A consists essentially of the fat / oil component, and that the fat / oil component consists essentially of triglycerides. The term "substantially" means that the components other than the fat / oil component contained in the fat / oil powder A or the components other than triglycerides contained in the fat / oil component account for, for example, 0 to 15% by mass, preferably 1 to 10% by mass, and more preferably 2 to 5% by mass, when the fat / oil powder A or the fat / oil component is taken as 100% by mass.

[0028] Oil powder A is a powdery solid at room temperature (20°C), and the particles have a plate-like shape. Here, whether or not the particles of the fat or oil powder have a plate-like shape can be determined by the aspect ratio. The plate-like shape preferably has an aspect ratio of 1.1 or more, more preferably 1.2 or more, still more preferably 1.2 to 3.0, particularly preferably 1.3 to 2.5, and even more preferably 1.4 to 2.0.

[0029] [Aspect ratio] The aspect ratio in the present invention is defined as the ratio of the long side length to the short side length of a circumscribing rectangle that circumscribes the particle shape to minimize its area. Furthermore, when the particles are spherical, the aspect ratio is less than 1.1. In a method in which an oil or fat with a high solid fat content, such as an extremely hardened oil, is dissolved at room temperature and directly sprayed, the particles of oil or fat powder A become spherical due to surface tension, resulting in an aspect ratio of less than 1.1. The aspect ratio can be determined by measuring the lengths of the major and minor axes of arbitrarily selected particles through direct observation using, for example, an optical microscope or a scanning electron microscope, and then calculating the average value of the number of particles measured.

[0030] [Loose bulk density] The loose bulk density of the oil / fat powder A is preferably 0.05 to 0.6 g / cm 3 and more preferably 0.1 to 0.4 g / cm 3 and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.3 g / cm 3 is. Loose bulk density (g / cm 3 ) is the mass of a powder divided by the bulk volume that the powder occupies, i.e., the powder mass per unit bulk volume. The loose bulk density can be measured using a Powder Tester PT-X (manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation). Measurements using the Powder Tester PT-X use the injection method, in which air-containing powder or granular material is allowed to fall freely into a container using sinusoidal vibrations. Specifically, the powder sample was placed on a circular sieve with a diameter of 7.5 cm and openings of 1.7 mm, with a thickness of 200 to 300 cm. 3 The powder sample was subjected to a free fall from a height of 27 cm, and then vibrated at an amplitude of 1.5 mm and dropped through the sieve (free fall due to sinusoidal vibration). The powder sample was then dropped onto a 100 cm stainless steel sieve placed below the sieve. 3 The powder sample is poured into a cup (inner diameter approximately 5 cm x height approximately 5 cm), and after pouring until it overflows from the cup, the vibration of the sieve is stopped.Then, the excess powder sample on the cup is scraped off along the top surface of the cup with a rectangular blade, and the mass (A (g)) of the powder sample in the cup is measured to calculate the loose bulk density using the following formula (V). The loose bulk density is measured three times for each sample, and the average value is taken as the loose bulk density value of that sample. Loose bulk density (g / cm 3 )=A(g) / 100(cm 3 ) (V)

[0031] The loose bulk density of the fat / oil powder A is, for example, 0.05 to 0.6 g / cm when the fat / oil powder A is substantially composed of only fat / oil components. 3 , preferably 0.1 to 0.5 g / cm 3 and more preferably 0.1 to 0.4 cm 3 and more preferably 0.1 to 0.3 g / cm 3 is.

[0032] Next, the method for producing the oil and fat powder A will be described. The fat powder A can be obtained by melting a fat powder A raw material containing one or more XXX triglycerides having saturated fatty acid residues X with carbon number x at positions 1-3 of glycerin, maintaining the melt at a specific cooling temperature, and solidifying the melt. This process eliminates the need for special processing techniques such as spraying or mechanical pulverization using a mill or other grinder. More specifically, (a) the fat powder A raw material containing the XXX triglycerides is prepared. In step (b), the fat powder A raw material obtained in step (a) is optionally heated to dissolve the triglycerides contained in the fat powder A raw material, thereby obtaining the fat powder A raw material in a molten state. Furthermore, (d) the fat powder A raw material is cooled and solidified to obtain fat powder A containing β-fat and having a plate-like particle shape. The fat powder A can also be produced by applying known grinding techniques, such as a hammer mill, cutter mill, or fine grinder, to the solid obtained after cooling.

[0033] The method for producing the oil and fat powder A will be described in more detail. Oil and fat powder A is produced by the following process: (a) preparing a raw material for oil / fat powder A containing XXX triglycerides; (b) an optional step of optionally heating the raw material of the oil / fat powder A obtained in step (a) to dissolve triglycerides contained in the raw material of the oil / fat powder A, thereby obtaining the raw material of the oil / fat powder A in a molten state; (d) cooling and solidifying the raw material of the oil / fat powder A to obtain an oil / fat powder A containing β-type oils and fats and having a plate-like particle shape; It can be produced by a method comprising: In addition, an optional step (c) for promoting powder generation may be included between the steps (b) and (d), such as (c1) a seeding step, (c2) a tempering step, and / or (c3) a pre-cooling step. Furthermore, in the above step (d), the oil / fat powder A can also be obtained by applying an impact (such as crushing, breaking up, vibrating, or sieving) to the solid material having voids obtained after cooling. The above steps (a) to (d) will be explained below.

[0034] (a) Raw material preparation process The raw material for the fat powder A containing XXX triglycerides prepared in step (a) is produced based on a conventional method for producing fats and oils, such as XXX triglycerides, containing one or more XXX triglycerides having saturated fatty acid residues X with a carbon number of x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin, or can be readily obtained commercially. Here, the XXX triglycerides specified by the carbon number x and saturated fatty acid residue X are identical to those of the target fat and oil component to be finally obtained, except for the crystal polymorphism. The raw material may contain β-type fats and oils, and may contain, for example, a β-type fat content of 0.1% by mass or less, 0.05% by mass or less, or 0.01% by mass or less. However, since β-type fats disappear when the raw material is brought into a molten state by heating or the like, the raw material may be in a molten state. When the raw material is in a molten state, for example, being substantially free of β-type fats and oils means not only that XXX triglycerides are present, but also that substantially all of the fat and oil components are not β-type fats and oils. The presence of β-type fats and oils can be confirmed by the diffraction peaks attributable to β-type fats and oils in the above-mentioned X-ray diffraction measurement, or by confirming β-type fats and oils by differential scanning calorimetry. The amount of β-type fats and oils present in a material that is "substantially free of β-type fats and oils and oils" can be estimated from the intensity ratio of the characteristic peak of β-type fats and oils to the characteristic peak of α-type fats and oils in the X-ray diffraction peaks [intensity of characteristic peak of β-type fats / (intensity of characteristic peak of α-type fats + intensity of characteristic peak of β-type fats)] (peak intensity ratio). The peak intensity ratio of the raw material for the above-mentioned oil and fat powder A is, for example, 0.2 or less, preferably 0.15 or less, and more preferably 0.10 or less. The raw material for the oil and fat powder A may contain one or more types of XXX triglycerides as described above, preferably one or two types, and more preferably one type. Specifically, for example, the XXX triglyceride can be produced by direct synthesis using a fatty acid or a fatty acid derivative and glycerin. Methods for directly synthesizing XXX triglycerides include (i) a method of directly esterifying a fatty acid having X carbon atoms with glycerin (direct ester synthesis), (ii) a method of reacting a fatty acid alkyl (e.g., fatty acid methyl and fatty acid ethyl) in which the carboxyl group of a fatty acid X having x carbon atoms is bonded to an alkoxyl group with glycerin under basic or acidic catalytic conditions (ester exchange synthesis using a fatty acid alkyl), and (iii) a method of reacting a fatty acid halide (e.g., fatty acid chloride and fatty acid bromide) in which the hydroxyl group of the carboxyl group of a fatty acid X having x carbon atoms is substituted with a halogen with glycerin under a basic catalyst (acid halide synthesis). XXX type triglycerides can be produced by any of the above-mentioned methods (i) to (iii). From the viewpoint of ease of production, however, (i) direct ester synthesis or (ii) transesterification synthesis using a fatty acid alkyl is preferred, and (i) direct ester synthesis is more preferred.

[0035] To produce XXX triglycerides by (i) direct ester synthesis, it is preferable to use 3 to 5 moles, and more preferably 3 to 4 moles, of fatty acid X or fatty acid Y per mole of glycerin from the viewpoint of production efficiency. The reaction temperature in (i) direct ester synthesis of XXX triglycerides may be any temperature at which the water produced by the esterification reaction can be removed from the system, and is, for example, preferably 120° C. to 300° C., more preferably 150° C. to 270° C., and even more preferably 180° C. to 250° C. By carrying out the reaction at 180 to 250° C., XXX triglycerides can be produced particularly efficiently.

[0036] In the (i) direct ester synthesis of XXX triglycerides, a catalyst that promotes the esterification reaction may be used. Examples of the catalyst include acid catalysts and alkaline earth metal alkoxides. The amount of the catalyst used is preferably about 0.001 to 1% by mass based on the total mass of the reaction raw materials. In the (i) direct ester synthesis of XXX triglycerides, after the reaction, the catalyst and unreacted raw materials can be removed by carrying out known purification treatments such as washing with water, alkaline deoxidation and / or deoxidation under reduced pressure, and adsorption treatment. Furthermore, the obtained reaction product can be further purified by carrying out decolorization and deodorization treatment.

[0037] The amount of XXX triglycerides contained in the raw material of the fat or oil powder A is, for example, 100 to 50% by mass, preferably 95 to 55% by mass, more preferably 90 to 60% by mass, and even more preferably 85 to 65% by mass, when the total mass of all triglycerides contained in the raw material is 100% by mass.

[0038] <Other triglycerides> The other triglycerides used as raw materials for the fat / oil powder A containing XXX triglycerides may include various triglycerides in addition to the above-mentioned XXX triglycerides, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of other triglycerides include X2Y triglycerides in which one of the saturated fatty acid residues X in the above-mentioned XXX triglyceride is substituted with fatty acid residue Y, and XY2 triglycerides in which two of the saturated fatty acid residues X in the above-mentioned XXX triglyceride are substituted with fatty acid residue Y. The amount of the other triglycerides is, for example, 0 to 100% by mass, preferably 0 to 70% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 40% by mass, when the total mass of the XXX triglycerides is 100% by mass.

[0039] Furthermore, as the raw material for the fat and oil powder A, instead of directly synthesizing the above-mentioned XXX-type triglycerides, a naturally-occurring triglyceride composition may be hydrogenated, transesterified, or fractionated. Examples of naturally-occurring triglyceride compositions include rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, safflower oil, palm stearin, and mixtures thereof. Particularly preferred are hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, and extremely hydrogenated oils of these naturally-occurring triglyceride compositions. More preferred are hard palm stearin, extremely hydrogenated high oleic sunflower oil, extremely hydrogenated rapeseed oil, and extremely hydrogenated soybean oil.

[0040] Furthermore, examples of raw materials for the oil powder A include commercially available triglyceride compositions and synthetic oils and fats. For example, examples of triglyceride compositions include hard palm stearin (manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Inc.), extremely hydrogenated rapeseed oil (manufactured by Yokoseki Oil & Fats Industries Co., Ltd.), and extremely hydrogenated soybean oil (manufactured by Yokoseki Oil & Fats Industries Co., Ltd.). Examples of synthetic oils and fats include tripalmitin (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), tristearin (manufactured by Sigma-Aldrich), tristearin (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), triarachidin (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), and tribehenin (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). In addition, highly hydrogenated palm oil has a low content of XXX-type triglycerides, so it can be used as a diluting component for triglycerides.

[0041] <Other ingredients> The raw material of the fat or oil powder A may contain, in addition to the above triglycerides, other components such as partial glycerides, fatty acids, antioxidants, emulsifiers, solvents such as water, etc. The amount of these other components can be any amount as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention, but for example, when the total mass of the XXX triglycerides is taken as 100 mass%, it is 0 to 5 mass%, preferably 0 to 2 mass%, more preferably 0 to 1 mass%.

[0042] When the raw materials for the oil / fat powder A contain multiple components, they may be mixed arbitrarily. The mixing may be performed using any known mixing method as long as a homogeneous reaction substrate is obtained, and may be performed using, for example, a paddle mixer, an azihommixer, a disper mixer, or the like. The mixing may be carried out under heating as necessary. The heating temperature is preferably about the same as that in the step (b) described below, for example, 50 to 120°C, preferably 60 to 100°C, more preferably 70 to 90°C, and even more preferably 80°C.

[0043] (b) A step of obtaining the molten oil or fat powder A Before the step (d), if the raw material for oil / fat powder A prepared in the step (a) is in a molten state when prepared, it is cooled as it is without heating, but if it is not in a molten state when prepared, it is optionally heated to melt the triglycerides contained in the raw material for oil / fat powder A, thereby obtaining the raw material for oil / fat powder A in a molten state. Here, the raw material for oil / fat powder A is suitably heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the triglycerides contained in the raw material for oil / fat powder A, particularly a temperature capable of melting XXX triglycerides, for example, 70 to 200° C., preferably 75 to 150° C., more preferably 80 to 100° C. Furthermore, heating is suitably continued for, for example, 0.1 to 3 hours, preferably 0.3 to 2 hours, more preferably 0.5 to 1 hour.

[0044] (d) A step of cooling the molten raw material of oil / fat powder A to obtain oil / fat powder A. The raw material of the molten oil / fat powder A prepared in the above step (a) or (b) is further cooled and solidified to form an oil / fat powder A containing β-type oil / fat and having a plate-like particle shape. Here, in order to "cool and solidify the raw material of molten fat powder A," it is necessary to maintain the raw material of molten fat powder A at a temperature lower than the melting point of the β-type fat of the fat component contained in the raw material of fat powder A as the upper limit of the cooling temperature. For example, in the case of an XXX triglyceride having three stearic acid residues with 18 carbon atoms, the melting point of the β-type fat is 74°C (Table 1), so "a temperature lower than the melting point" refers to a temperature that is 1 to 30°C lower than the melting point (i.e., 44 to 73°C), preferably a temperature that is 1 to 20°C lower than the melting point (i.e., 54 to 73°C), more preferably a temperature that is 1 to 15°C lower than the melting point (i.e., 59 to 73°C), and particularly preferably a temperature that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10°C lower. The reason for setting the cooling temperature at or above this level is that, in order to obtain β-type fats containing XXX-type triglycerides, the cooling temperature must be set at a temperature at which α-type fats and β'-type fats other than β-type fats do not crystallize during crystallization of the fats. Since the cooling temperature mainly depends on the molecular size of the XXX-type triglycerides, it can be seen that there is a certain correlation between the number of carbon atoms x and the lower limit of the optimum cooling temperature. For example, when the XXX triglyceride contained in the raw material of fat powder A is a XXX triglyceride having three stearic acid residues each having a carbon number of 18, the lower limit of the cooling temperature is 50.8°C or higher. Therefore, in the case of a XXX triglyceride having three stearic acid residues each having a carbon number of 18, the temperature at which the "molten raw material of fat powder A is cooled and solidified" is more preferably 50.8°C or higher and 72°C or lower. Furthermore, when the XXX triglyceride is a mixture of two or more types, the lower limit can be determined according to the cooling temperature of the triglyceride with the smaller carbon number x. For example, when the XXX triglyceride contained in the raw material of fat or oil powder A is a mixture of an XXX triglyceride with three palmitic acid residues each having a carbon number of 16 and an XXX triglyceride with three stearic acid residues each having a carbon number of 18, the lower limit of the cooling temperature is 37.6°C or higher according to the smaller carbon number of 16.

[0045] In another embodiment, the lower limit of the cooling temperature is suitably a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the α-type oil or fat corresponding to the β-type oil or fat in the raw material of fat powder A containing XXX-type triglyceride. For example, when the XXX-type triglyceride contained in the raw material of fat powder A is a XXX-type triglyceride having three stearic acid residues with a carbon number of 18, the melting point of the α-type oil or fat in the XXX-type triglyceride having three stearic acid residues is 55°C (Table 1), and therefore, in such a case, the temperature for "cooling and solidifying the raw material of fat powder A in a molten state" is preferably 55°C or higher and 72°C or lower.

[0046] In yet another embodiment, the raw material of the oil or fat powder A in a molten state is cooled preferably to 36 to 66°C, more preferably to 44 to 64°C, and even more preferably to 52 to 62°C when x is 16, preferably to 50 to 72°C, more preferably to 54 to 70°C, and even more preferably to 58 to 68°C when x is 17 or 18, and preferably to 62 to 80°C, more preferably to 66 to 78°C, and even more preferably to 70 to 77°C when x is 19 or 20. It is appropriate to leave the material at the above-mentioned final temperature for, for example, preferably 2 hours or more, more preferably 4 hours or more, and even more preferably 6 hours or more, and preferably for 2 days or less, more preferably 24 hours or less, and even more preferably 12 hours or less.

[0047] (c) Powder generation promotion process Furthermore, before step (d) or between steps (a) or (b) and (d), as an optional step for accelerating powder production (c), the molten oil / fat powder A composition raw material used in step (d) may be subjected to a seeding method (c1), a tempering method (c2), and / or a preliminary cooling method (c3). These optional steps (c1) to (c3) may be performed alone or in combination. Here, "between step (a) or (b) and step (d)" means during step (a) or (b), after step (a) or (b) but before step (d), and during step (d). The seeding method (c1) and the tempering method (c2) are methods for promoting powder production in the production of fat or oil powder A, in which the raw material for fat or oil powder A in a molten state is treated before being cooled to the final temperature in order to more reliably turn the raw material for fat or oil powder A in a molten state into a powder. The seeding method (c1) is a method for promoting powderization by adding a small amount of a component that serves as a core (seed) of the powder to the molten raw material of fat / oil powder A during cooling. Specifically, for example, a fat / oil powder containing preferably 80% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, of XXX triglycerides having the same carbon number as the XXX triglycerides in the raw material of fat / oil powder A obtained in step (b) is prepared as the core (seed) component. This core fat / oil powder is added in an amount of 0.1 to 1 part by mass, preferably 0.2 to 0.8 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the raw material of fat / oil powder A during cooling of the raw material of fat / oil powder A when the temperature of the raw material of fat / oil powder A reaches, for example, a temperature within ±0 to +10°C of the final cooling temperature, preferably +5 to +10°C. This method promotes powderization of the fat / oil. The tempering method (c2) is a method for accelerating the powderization of fats and oils by cooling the raw material of the molten fat powder A once before leaving it to stand at the final cooling temperature, to a temperature lower than the cooling temperature in step (d), for example, a temperature lower by 5 to 20°C, preferably lower by 7 to 15°C, and more preferably lower by about 10°C, for preferably 10 to 120 minutes, and more preferably for about 30 to 90 minutes. Furthermore, the pre-cooling method (c3) is a method of temporarily cooling the molten fat powder A raw material obtained in step (a) or (b) at a temperature between the temperature at which the XXX triglyceride-containing fat powder A raw material was prepared and the cooling temperature at which the fat powder A raw material was cooled before being cooled in step (d). In other words, it is a method of temporarily pre-cooling at a temperature lower than the temperature at which the molten fat powder A raw material was prepared in step (a) or (b) and higher than the cooling temperature in step (d). Following the pre-cooling method (c3), cooling is performed at the cooling temperature at which the fat powder A raw material was cooled in step (d). The temperature higher than the cooling temperature in step (d) may be, for example, a temperature 2 to 40°C higher, preferably 3 to 30°C higher, more preferably 4 to 30°C higher, and even more preferably about 5 to 10°C higher than the cooling temperature in step (d). The lower the pre-cooling temperature, the shorter the main cooling time at the cooling temperature in step (d). In other words, the pre-cooling method differs from the seeding method and tempering method in that it is a method that can promote the powdering of fats and oils simply by gradually lowering the cooling temperature, and is therefore highly advantageous for industrial production.

[0048] (Powdering by impact) The solid material with voids obtained after cooling in step (d) is a solid material with voids whose volume has increased compared to the molten oil or fat. However, since this solid material with voids easily disintegrates into a powdery substance, the voids can be disintegrated into a powdery substance during the filling process of filling into containers or the transportation process, without the need for a special powdering process. The porous solid obtained in step (d) can also be powdered by applying an impact. The method of applying an impact is not particularly limited, but examples include a method of crushing the porous solid using a conventional crusher (such as a hammer mill, cutter mill, or fine crusher), a method of breaking up the porous solid with a spatula, rubber spatula, or shovel, a method of vibrating the porous solid placed in a container, and a method of sieving the porous solid and applying an impact. Furthermore, before pulverization, solid materials having voids may be crushed in a crusher. In this manner, oil and fat powder A can be produced.

[0049] (Food composition) Next, the food composition of the present invention will be described. The food composition of the present invention has a new texture that differs from the texture of the paste-like food used as the raw material. The content of the paste-like food in the food composition is preferably 65 to 97% by mass, more preferably 70 to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 75 to 90% by mass. The content of the oil or fat powder in the food composition is preferably 3 to 30% by mass, more preferably 5 to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 20% by mass. This is because if the oil and fat powder content is less than 3% by mass, it is not possible to obtain a new texture that is different from the texture of paste-like foods, and even if the oil and fat powder content is more than 30% by mass, no further effect can be expected.

[0050] The specific gravity of the food composition at 20°C is 0.60 to 0.95 g / cm 3 It is preferable that the density is 0.70 to 0.95 g / cm 3 More preferably, it is 0.75 to 0.90 g / cm 3 It is more preferable that: The specific gravity of a food composition can be determined by dividing the mass of a sample in a certain volume by the mass of a standard substance (water) of the same volume. The smaller the specific gravity, the fluffier the texture of the food composition tends to be.

[0051] The food composition of the present invention has a paste-like appearance, and the viscosity of the food composition at 20°C is preferably 45,000 to 300,000 mPa·s, more preferably 50,000 to 280,000 mPa·s, and even more preferably 70,000 to 250,000 mPa·s. The viscosity of the food composition can be measured using a rotational viscometer "BII type viscometer" manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.

[0052] The food composition of the present invention may contain various ingredients, such as emulsifiers, sugars, stabilizers, salts, flavorings, etc., in appropriate amounts. As mentioned above, the food composition of the present invention is also characterized in that it can be prepared without blending an emulsifier. Examples of the emulsifier include conventionally known emulsifiers such as lecithin, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, organic acid fatty acid esters, and polysorbates. Examples of sugars include glucose, maltose, sorbitol, sucrose, and lactose. Examples of stabilizers include xanthan gum, locust bean gum, guar gum, agar, and the like. Examples of salts include sodium metaphosphate, alkali metal salts of phosphoric acid, and alkali metal salts of citric acid. These other ingredients can be contained within a range that does not impair the function of the food composition.

[0053] (Method of producing food composition) The food composition of the present invention can be easily produced by mixing and stirring the above-mentioned paste-like food with an oil or fat powder having a melting point of 55°C or higher. The blending amount of the paste-like food in the food composition is preferably 65 to 97% by mass, more preferably 75 to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 77 to 90% by mass. The blending amount of the fat or oil powder in the food composition is preferably 3 to 30 mass %, more preferably 10 to 20 mass %, and even more preferably 10 to 18 mass %. The mixing and stirring can be carried out by hand using a stirring tool, by hand using a stirrer, or by using a machine such as a whisk. Examples of the agitator include a tabletop vertical mixer (manufactured by Hobart Japan Co., Ltd., device name "Mixer N50"). The time for mixing and stirring is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 15 minutes, more preferably 1 to 10 minutes, and even more preferably 1 to 5 minutes.

[0054] (Food containing food composition) The food composition of the present invention can be used in various foods. For example, food compositions produced using boiled azuki beans as a raw material can be used in Japanese sweets, bread, cakes, frozen desserts, etc. For example, a food composition produced using jam as an ingredient can be used in bread, confectionery, frozen desserts, etc. For example, a food composition produced using mayonnaise as an ingredient can be used in salads, sandwiches, etc. Foods containing the food composition of the present invention can be produced by known methods except for using the food composition as a raw material. [Example]

[0055] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following, "%" indicates % by mass unless otherwise specified.

[0056] <Analysis method> Melting point of oil powder Using a DSC (Mettler-Toledo DSC1), a sample (e.g., oil powder) was heated at a heating rate of 2°C / min, and the endothermic curve was measured. The melting point was determined as the temperature at the intersection of the baseline where the endothermic heat completely disappeared upon heating and the rising line returning from the final endothermic heat to the baseline.

[0057] Average particle size of oil and fat powder The average particle size was determined by measuring the volumetric particle size distribution by dry measurement using a particle size distribution analyzer (Shimadzu Corporation, device name: SALD-2300) based on the laser diffraction scattering method (ISO13320, JIS Z 8825-1) to determine the volume mean diameter (MV), and the resulting volume mean diameter (MV) was used as the average particle size. The volume mean diameter (MV) was calculated using the following formula using the particle size, particle volume, and total particle volume values. Volume mean diameter (MV) = sum of (particle size x particle volume) / sum of particle volumes

[0058] Triacylglycerol composition Gas chromatography analysis conditions DB1-ht (0.32mm x 0.1μm x 5m) Agilent Technologies (123-1131) Injection volume: 1.0μL Inlet: 370℃ Detector: 370℃ Split ratio: 50 / 1 35.1kPa constant pressure Column CT: 200°C (0 min hold) ~ (15°C / min) ~ 370°C (4 min hold)

[0059] X-ray diffraction measurement Measurements were performed using an X-ray diffractometer (Rigaku Corporation, fully automated multipurpose X-ray diffractometer Smart Lab 9 kW) with a CuKα (λ = 1.542 Å) radiation source, a Cu filter, an output of 9.0 kW, an operating angle of 0.96 to 30.0°, and a measurement speed of 20° / min. This measurement confirmed the presence of α-type fats, β'-type fats, and β-type fats in the fat and oil components containing XXX-type triglycerides. If there is only a peak around 4.6 Å and no peak around 4.1 to 4.2 Å, it can be determined that all of the fat and oil components are β-type fats. Therefore, from the results of the above X-ray diffraction measurement, the peak intensity ratio = [intensity of the characteristic peak of β type (2θ = 19° (4.6 Å)) / (intensity of the characteristic peak of α type (2θ = 21° (4.2 Å)) + intensity of the characteristic peak of β type (2θ = 19° (4.6 Å)))] was calculated, and this value was used as an index representing the amount of β type fats and oils present.

[0060] Loose bulk density Loose bulk density (g / cm 3 ) was calculated by dividing the mass of the powder by the bulk volume occupied by the powder, that is, the powder mass per unit bulk volume. The loose bulk density was measured using a Powder Tester PT-X (manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation). The Powder Tester PT-X uses an injection method, in which air-containing powder is allowed to fall freely into a container using sinusoidal vibrations. Specifically, the powder sample was placed on a circular sieve with a diameter of 7.5 cm and openings of 1.7 mm, with a thickness of 200 to 300 cm. 3 The powder sample was subjected to free fall from a height of 27 cm and then vibrated at an amplitude of 1.5 mm, and dropped from the sieve (free fall due to sinusoidal vibration). The powder sample was then dropped onto a 100 cm stainless steel sieve placed below the sieve. 3 The powder sample was poured into a cup (inner diameter approximately 5 cm x height approximately 5 cm) until it overflowed from the cup, after which the sieve vibration was stopped. The excess powder sample on the cup was then leveled off along the top surface of the cup with a rectangular blade, and the mass (A (g)) of the powder sample in the cup was measured to calculate the loose bulk density using the following formula (V). The loose bulk density was measured three times for each sample, and the average value was used as the loose bulk density of that sample. Loose bulk density (g / cm 3 )=A(g) / 100(cm 3 ) (V)

[0061] Appearance observation The appearance of each of the obtained oil and fat powders was visually observed. Furthermore, the particle shape of the fat and oil powder (a) of Production Example 1 described below was observed at a magnification of 10,000 times using an electron microscope (manufactured by JEOL Ltd., "JSM-7500F"). The deposition method for the samples observed under the electron microscope is described below. First, conductive tape was attached to a copper plate, and the sample powder was placed on top of it. After that, a nitrogen gas blower was used to blow off the excess sample. Then, an osmium plasma coater (OPC-80, manufactured by Nippon Laser & Electronics Lab.) was used to perform osmium deposition (30 nm).

[0062] Specific gravity of boiled azuki beans, jam, mayonnaise, and food compositions The specific gravity of the boiled azuki beans, jam, mayonnaise, and food composition was calculated by dividing the mass of a sample at a certain volume by the mass of a standard substance (water) of the same volume, and this value was taken as the specific gravity. Specifically, the sample was poured into a 72 ml cup, and the excess sample was removed with a palette knife, after which the mass was measured. The specific gravity of the food composition was measured not only for the final product after 5 minutes of mixing and stirring, but also for the samples mixed and stirred for 1 minute and 3 minutes during the production process. The measurement was carried out three times, and the average value was used as the specific gravity of the sample. The smaller the specific gravity, the fluffier the texture of the food composition tends to be.

[0063] Viscosity of food compositions The viscosity of the food composition was measured using a rotational viscometer "Type II Viscometer" manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd. Specifically, the viscosity was measured at a rotation speed of 4 rpm using rotor No. 6 or No. 7. The measurement was carried out three times, and the average value was taken as the viscosity of the sample.

[0064] Raw materials used in the production of food compositions Table 2 shows the ingredients used in the production of the food compositions described below.

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] [Production Example 1: Oil and Fat Powder (a)...corresponding to Oil and Fat Powder A described in the specification] As a raw material for the oil and fat powder, flaked rapeseed hardened oil (α-type oil, peak intensity ratio: 0.03, melting point: 67°C, content of XXX-type triglyceride having fatty acid residue X (stearic acid residue) with 18 carbon atoms at the 1st to 3rd positions of glycerin was 79.6% by mass, when the total mass of the rapeseed hardened oil was taken as 100% by mass) was used. 2 kg of flaky rapeseed extremely hardened oil was spread and lined in a stainless steel container (width: 530 mm x depth: 325 mm x height: 100 mm), and a total of three stainless steel containers were placed on a steel rack (width: 760 mm x depth: 460 mm x height: 1795 mm) in a constant temperature room (width: 5100 mm x height: 2100 mm x depth: 4050 mm, manufactured by Espec Corporation, device name "TBUU") and maintained at 80°C, above the melting point, for 10 hours until completely melted. After that, it was cooled at 60°C for 16 hours to form a solid with increased volume and voids. After completing crystallization, it was cooled to room temperature (25°C) to obtain a solid oil. 6.0 kg of the obtained oil and fat solid was crushed in a crusher to obtain crushed oil and fat. Next, the obtained crushed material was crushed using a fine grinder at room temperature (25°C) to obtain a crushed product. The crushed product was then passed through a sieve (30 mesh), and the powder that passed through the sieve was collected to obtain a fat powder (a) containing β-type fats and oils (melting point: 67.4°C, average particle size: 16.6 μm, loose bulk density: 0.21 g / cm). 3 , aspect ratio 1.6, specific surface area 2.1 (m 2 / g), peak intensity ratio: 0.98, and the content of XXX-type triglycerides having a fatty acid residue X (stearic acid residue) with 18 carbon atoms at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin was 79.4% by mass when the total mass of the oil and fat powder was taken as 100% by mass. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the crystalline polymorphism of the fat in the obtained fat powder (a) was the β type. The particles of the oil / fat powder (a) were observed under an electron microscope based on the above appearance observation, and were found to have a plate-like shape. An electron microscope photograph is shown in Figure 2.

[0067] [Production of food composition (paste-like food: using jam) ( Reference Example 1, Example 2 ~5) Food compositions were produced using the formulations shown in Tables 3 and 4 (total amount: 300 g). First, the jam, which is a paste-like food, and the oil and fat powder (a) were placed in a bowl and mixed and stirred for 5 minutes using a Hobart Japan N50 mixer to produce a food composition ( Reference Example 1, Example 2 ~5). As a control sample, the jam was mixed and stirred as it was without adding anything (control sample).

[0068] [Appearance, analysis, sensory evaluation] (1) Appearance The appearance of the resulting food composition was visually observed and is shown below the formulation in Tables 3 and 4. (2) Specific gravity and viscosity ·specific gravity The specific gravity of the raw jam and food composition was measured. The specific gravity of the food composition was measured not only for the final product after 5 minutes of mixing and stirring, but also for the products mixed and stirred for 1 minute and 3 minutes during production. The results are shown below the formulations in Tables 3 and 4. ·viscosity The viscosity of the resulting food composition was measured, and the measurement results are shown below the formulation in Tables 3 and 4. (3) Sensory evaluation The texture of the resulting food compositions was evaluated, and the evaluation results are shown below the formulations in Tables 3 and 4.

[0069] [Table 3]

[0070] [Table 4]

[0071] The results in Tables 3 and 4 show that the food composition obtained by adding fat powder (a) to jam and mixing and stirring has a softer texture than that obtained by not adding fat powder (a).

[0072] [Production of food compositions (paste foods: jam) using various oil and fat powders or emulsifiers (Examples 6 to 8, Comparative Example 1)] Food compositions were produced using the formulations shown in Tables 5 and 6 (total amount: 300 g). First, the jam, which is a paste-like food, and the oil and fat powder (a) were placed in a bowl and mixed and stirred for 5 minutes using a Hobart Japan N50 mixer to produce food compositions (Examples 6 to 8). In addition, in Comparative Example 2, in which an emulsifier was added, a portion of the jam (30 g) and the emulsifier were placed in a bowl, heated to 80°C to dissolve the emulsifier, the remaining jam was added, the product temperature was brought to 20°C, and the mixture was mixed and stirred for 5 minutes in a Hobart Japan N50 mixer to produce a food composition (Comparative Example 1). As a control sample, the jam was mixed and stirred without adding anything (control sample).

[0073] (1) Appearance The appearance of the resulting food composition was visually observed and is shown below the formulation in Tables 5 and 6. (2) Specific gravity and viscosity ·specific gravity The specific gravity of the raw jam and food composition was measured. The specific gravity of the food composition was measured not only for the final product after 5 minutes of mixing and stirring, but also for the products mixed and stirred for 1 minute and 3 minutes during production. The results are shown below the formulations in Tables 5 and 6. ·viscosity The viscosity of the resulting food composition was measured, and the measurement results are shown below the formulation in Tables 5 and 6. (3) Sensory evaluation The texture of the resulting food compositions was evaluated, and the evaluation results are shown below the formulations in Tables 5 and 6.

[0074] [Table 5]

[0075] [Table 6]

[0076] From the results in Tables 5 and 6, the food composition obtained by adding oil and fat powders (b), (c), and (d) to jam and mixing and stirring had a fluffy texture, but also a rough texture. Furthermore, even when an emulsifier was added and the mixture was stirred, a food composition having a soft and fluffy texture could not be obtained.

[0077] [Production of food composition (paste-like food: using boiled azuki beans) (Examples 9 to 12)] Food compositions were produced using the formulations shown in Tables 7 and 8 (total amount: 300 g). First, boiled azuki beans, which are a paste-like food, and oil powder (a) were placed in a bowl and mixed and stirred for 5 minutes using a Hobart Japan N50 mixer to produce food compositions (Examples 9 to 12). As a control sample, boiled azuki beans were mixed and stirred without adding anything (control sample).

[0078] [Appearance, analysis, sensory evaluation] (1) Appearance The appearance of the resulting food composition was visually observed and is shown below the formulation in Tables 3 and 4. (2) Specific gravity and viscosity ·specific gravity The specific gravity of the raw material (boiled azuki beans) and the food composition was measured. The specific gravity of the food composition was measured not only for the final product after 5 minutes of mixing and stirring, but also for the products mixed and stirred for 1 minute and 3 minutes during production. The results are shown below the formulation in Tables 3 and 4. ·viscosity The viscosity of the resulting food composition was measured, and the measurement results are shown below the formulation in Tables 3 and 4. (3) Sensory evaluation The texture of the resulting food compositions was evaluated, and the evaluation results are shown below the formulations in Tables 7 and 8.

[0079] [Table 7]

[0080] [Table 8]

[0081] The results in Tables 3 and 4 show that the food composition obtained by adding a specific amount of oil powder to boiled azuki beans and mixing and stirring them has a fluffy texture compared to that of the food composition without the addition of oil powder.

[0082] [Production of food composition (paste-like food: using mayonnaise) (Examples 13 to 16)] Food compositions were produced using the formulations shown in Tables 9 and 10 (total amount: 300 g). First, mayonnaise, which is a paste-like food, and oil powder (a) were placed in a bowl and mixed and stirred for 5 minutes using a Hobart Japan N50 mixer to produce food compositions (Examples 13 to 16). As a control sample, mayonnaise was mixed and stirred without adding anything (control sample).

[0083] [Appearance, analysis, sensory evaluation] (1) Specific gravity and viscosity ·specific gravity The specific gravity of the raw material mayonnaise and the food composition was measured. The specific gravity of the food composition was measured not only for the final product after 5 minutes of mixing and stirring, but also for the products mixed and stirred for 1 minute and 3 minutes during production. The results are shown below the formulations in Tables 3 and 4. ·viscosity The viscosity of the resulting food composition was measured, and the measurement results are shown below the formulation in Tables 3 and 4. (2) Sensory evaluation The texture of the resulting food compositions was evaluated, and the evaluation results are shown below the formulations in Tables 9 and 10.

[0084] [Table 9]

[0085] [Table 10]

[0086] The results in Tables 3 and 4 show that the food composition obtained by adding a specific amount of oil powder to mayonnaise and mixing and stirring it has a fluffy texture compared to that of the food composition without the addition of oil powder.

[0087] [Sandwiching of food composition into sponge cake (Examples 17 and 18, Comparative Examples 2 and 3)] Approximately 220 g of a control sample in which only jam was mixed and stirred, or the food composition of Example 2, was placed on the surface of a sponge cake (circular, approximately 18 cm in diameter), and another sponge cake (circular, approximately 18 cm in diameter) was placed on top of that and sandwiched (Comparative Example 2, Example 17). The appearance and texture of these products are shown in Table 11. Photographs of these products are shown in Figs. 3 to 6. In addition, a control sample in which only boiled azuki beans were mixed and stirred, or approximately 25 g of the food composition of Example 9, was placed on the untouched side of a dorayaki skin (circular, approximately 8 cm in diameter, 17 g per piece), and another dorayaki skin was placed on top to form a sandwich (Comparative Example 3, Example 18). The appearance and texture of these products are shown in Table 11. Photographs of these products are shown in Figs. 7 to 10.

[0088] [Table 11]

Claims

1. A food composition comprising a paste-like food and an oil or fat powder having a melting point of 55°C or higher, wherein the content of the oil or fat powder in the food composition is more than 5% by mass and not more than 30% by mass. However, the paste-like food is one or more selected from the group consisting of boiled azuki beans, jam, semi-solid dressing, and honey.

2. A food composition as described in claim 1, wherein the content of oil and fat powder in the food composition is 10 to 30 mass%.

3. The specific gravity of the food composition is 0.60 to 0.95 g / cm ３ 3. The food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

4. The food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the average particle size of the oil or fat powder is 0.5 to 200 µm.

5. The food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fat or oil powder contains a fat or oil component comprising one or more XXX triglycerides having a fatty acid residue X with a carbon number of x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin, wherein the carbon number x is an integer selected from 16 to 20, the fat or oil component contains a β-type fat or oil, and the particles of the fat or oil powder have a plate-like shape.

6. 6. The food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which does not contain an emulsifier.

7. A food product comprising the food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A method for producing a food composition containing more than 5% by mass and not more than 30% by mass of an oil or fat powder having a melting point of 55°C or higher, characterized in that a paste-like food and the oil or fat powder are mixed and stirred. However, the paste-like food is one or more selected from the group consisting of boiled azuki beans, jam, semi-solid dressing, and honey.

9. A method for producing a food composition as described in Claim 8, wherein the content of oil and fat powder in the food composition is 10 to 30 mass%.

10. The specific gravity of the food composition is 0.60 to 0.95 g / cm ３ The method for producing a food composition according to claim 8 or 9, wherein

11. The method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the average particle size of the oil or fat powder is 0.5 to 200 µm.

12. The method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the fat powder contains a fat component comprising one or more XXX triglycerides having a fatty acid residue X with a carbon number of x at positions 1 to 3 of glycerin, wherein the carbon number x is an integer selected from 16 to 20, the fat component contains a β-type fat, and the particles of the fat powder have a plate-like shape.

13. The method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that no emulsifier is added.

Images