Nutritional composition

Abstract

The present technology aims to provide a nutritional composition with excellent emulsion stability. [Solution] The present technology provides a nutritional composition comprising a protein component, a lipid, and an organic acid monoglyceride, the organic acid monoglyceride being two or more selected from acetic acid monoglyceride, citric acid monoglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride, diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride, and lactic acid monoglyceride. At least one of the organic acid monoglycerides may be succinic acid monoglyceride. Also, at least one of the organic acid monoglycerides may be diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present technology relates to nutritional compositions, and particularly to nutritional compositions containing organic acid monoglycerides.

Background Art

[0002] Patients in the acute stage such as after surgery, and patients with diarrhea often have reduced digestive and absorptive ability. Liquid foods (especially enteral nutritional agents) may be used for nutritional supplementation of patients with reduced digestive and absorptive ability. Examples of liquid foods include digested liquid foods and semi-digested liquid foods, which differ in the nitrogen source contained therein. A digested liquid food is a liquid food in which the nitrogen source contained therein is a peptide (especially a low molecular weight peptide) and / or an amino acid. On the other hand, a semi-digested liquid food contains protein as a nitrogen source.

[0003] Liquid foods often contain lipids. Regarding liquid foods containing lipids, several proposals have been made. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses "a ketogenic edible nutritional composition containing an oil and fat containing a fatty acid having 8 to 12 carbon atoms and a soybean protein hydrolyzate."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Nutritional compositions such as liquid foods may contain protein components and lipids as described above. In nutritional compositions containing protein components and lipids, problems regarding emulsion stability may occur. Such problems may occur, for example, due to heat sterilization of the nutritional composition. Also, such problems may appear after long-term storage of the nutritional composition.

[0006] Furthermore, pre-digested liquid diets can be absorbed without undergoing the digestion process and are more easily absorbed than semi-digested liquid diets. However, protein hydrolysates included as nitrogen sources in pre-digested liquid diets have weaker emulsifying properties compared to undigested proteins. Therefore, pre-digested liquid diets containing protein hydrolysates are particularly prone to problems related to emulsification stability.

[0007] Based on the above, the objective of this technology is to provide a nutritional composition with excellent emulsification stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors have discovered that a specific nutritional composition exhibits excellent emulsification stability.

[0009] In other words, this technology provides the following: [1] Contains protein components, lipids, and organic acid monoglycerides, A nutritional composition comprising two or more organic acid monoglycerides selected from monoglycerides acetate, monoglycerides citrate, monoglycerides succinate, monoglycerides diacetyltartaric acid, and monoglycerides lactate. [2] The nutritional composition according to [1], wherein at least one of the organic acid monoglycerides is succinic acid monoglyceride. [3] The nutritional composition according to [2], wherein the ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to the total amount of organic acid monoglycerides is 80% by mass or less. [4] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein at least one of the organic acid monoglycerides is diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride. [5] The nutritional composition according to [4], wherein the ratio of diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride to the total amount of the organic acid monoglycerides is 80% by mass or less. [6] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the total amount of the organic acid monoglycerides per 100 kcal of the composition is 0.005 g or more and 2.0 g or less. [7] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the protein component comprises milk protein, a hydrolyzed milk protein, or both milk protein and a hydrolyzed milk protein. [8] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the protein component comprises a casein hydrolysate and a whey protein hydrolysate. [9] The nutritional composition according to [8], wherein the ratio of the casein hydrolysate and the whey protein hydrolysate is 1:9 to 9:1.

[10] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [9], wherein the content of the protein component is 1 g or more and 15 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The nutritional composition produced by this technology exhibits excellent emulsification stability. For example, the nutritional composition produced by this technology is less prone to separation even when subjected to heat sterilization processes. Furthermore, the nutritional composition produced by this technology is less prone to separation even after long-term storage. Furthermore, the effects of this technology are not limited to those described herein, but may include any of the effects described in this specification. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Preferred embodiments of this technology are described below. However, this technology is not limited to the preferred embodiments described below and can be freely modified within the scope of this technology.

[0012] The nutritional composition of this technology comprises protein components, lipids, and organic acid monoglycerides. The nutritional composition includes two or more organic acid monoglycerides selected from monoglycerides acetate, monoglycerides citrate, monoglycerides succinate, monoglycerides diacetyltartaric acid, and monoglycerides lactate. The organic acid monoglycerides can improve the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition containing protein components and lipids. For example, the organic acid monoglycerides can prevent separation when heat sterilization occurs. Furthermore, they can also prevent separation after long-term storage.

[0013] The nutritional composition of this technology may be fluid, that is, it may be a fluid nutritional composition. This allows the nutritional composition of this technology to be administered enterally, and when administered orally, it is easy to eat and swallow.

[0014] The composition of this technology will be described in more detail below.

[0015] (1) Protein components The protein component contained in the nutritional composition of this technology may be a protein hydrolysate, protein (i.e., undigested protein), or a protein hydrolysate and protein. For example, the protein component may include milk protein, milk protein hydrolysate, or both milk protein and milk protein hydrolysate. The amount of the protein component may be, for example, 1.0 g or more, preferably 2.0 g or more, more preferably 2.5 g or more, and even more preferably 3.0 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. For example, the amount per 0 kcal may be 15.0 g or less, preferably 12.0 g or less, more preferably 10.0 g or less, and even more preferably 8.0 g or less.

[0016] In one embodiment, the nutritional composition of the present technology may contain at least a protein hydrolysate, or for example, only a protein hydrolysate. Protein hydrolysates have a weaker emulsifying effect compared to undigested proteins. Therefore, nutritional compositions containing protein hydrolysates (especially digestive liquid foods containing only protein hydrolysates) are likely to have problems regarding emulsion stability. The effect of improving emulsion stability by the present technology is more likely to be clearly exhibited in such nutritional compositions.

[0017] In other embodiments, the nutritional composition of the present technology contains at least protein, and may contain, for example, only protein. According to the present technology, the effect of improving emulsion stability can also be exerted in nutritional compositions containing protein.

[0018] The protein hydrolysate may be, for example, an animal protein hydrolysate or a plant protein hydrolysate. Examples of the animal protein hydrolysate include milk protein hydrolysate, egg protein hydrolysate, fish protein hydrolysate, and meat protein hydrolysate. Examples of the plant protein hydrolysate include soybean protein hydrolysate, pea protein hydrolysate, and wheat protein hydrolysate. The protein hydrolysate contained in the nutritional composition of the present technology may include any one or a combination of two or more of these listed protein hydrolysates.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the protein hydrolysate contained in the nutritional composition of the present technology may be a milk protein hydrolysate, a soybean protein hydrolysate, or a combination thereof. When these protein hydrolysates are adopted, the effect of the present technology is more effectively exerted.

[0020] In a more preferred embodiment, the protein hydrolysate contained in the nutritional composition of the present technology is a milk protein hydrolysate. The milk protein hydrolysate may include, for example, a casein hydrolysate, a whey protein hydrolysate, or a combination of these two hydrolysates.

[0021] The protein hydrolysate content of the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 1.0 g or more, preferably 2.0 g or more, more preferably 2.5 g or more, and even more preferably 3.0 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the protein hydrolysate content of the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 15.0 g or less, preferably 12.0 g or less, more preferably 10.0 g or less, and even more preferably 8.0 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. This allows for efficient intake of nitrogen sources. Furthermore, this technology also provides the effect of improving emulsification stability even when the protein hydrolysate content of the nutritional composition is this high.

[0022] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the protein hydrolysates contained in the nutritional composition of this technology include a combination of casein hydrolysates and whey protein hydrolysates, or, for example, only this combination. The mass ratio of casein hydrolysates and whey protein hydrolysates in the nutritional composition is, for example, 10:90 to 90:10, preferably 50:50 to 90:10, more preferably 60:40 to 90:10, even more preferably 60:40 to 80:20, and particularly preferably 65:35 to 75:25. Such a mass ratio enhances the bioavailability of these hydrolysates in vivo.

[0023] The amount of casein hydrolysate in the nutritional composition may be, for example, 0.2 g or more, preferably 1.0 g or more, and more preferably 1.5 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. For example, the amount per kcal may be 12.0g or less, preferably 9.0g or less, and more preferably 7.5g or less. The amount of whey protein hydrolysate in the nutritional composition may be, for example, 0.1 g or more, preferably 0.5 g or more, and more preferably 0.8 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the amount of whey protein hydrolysate in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 8.0 g or less, preferably 6.0 g or less, and more preferably 5.0 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0024] The protein hydrolysate may be produced by methods known in the art, for example, by hydrolyzing the protein with an enzyme or acid, but it is preferable that the hydrolysate be produced by hydrolysis with a protease.

[0025] The number-average molecular weight of the milk protein hydrolysate may be, for example, 1200 or less, preferably 900 or less, and more preferably 600 or less. Furthermore, the number-average molecular weight of the milk protein hydrolysate may be, for example, 100 or more, preferably 200 or more, and more preferably 300 or more.

[0026] The number-average molecular weight of the casein degradation product may be, for example, 1000 or less, preferably 700 or less, and more preferably 400 or less. Furthermore, the number-average molecular weight of the casein degradation product may be, for example, 100 or more, preferably 200 or more, and more preferably 300 or more.

[0027] The number-average molecular weight of the whey protein hydrolysate may be, for example, 1200 or less, preferably 900 or less, and more preferably 600 or less. Furthermore, the number-average molecular weight of the whey protein hydrolysate may be, for example, 100 or more, preferably 200 or more, and more preferably 300 or more.

[0028] Within this specification, the number-average molecular weight of protein degradation products is determined by the following concept of number-average molecular weight. The number average of molecular weight, as described in reference (for example, in the book "Fundamentals of Polymer Science," edited by the Society of Polymer Science, Japan, pp. 116-119, Tokyo Kagaku Dojin Co., Ltd., 1978), indicates the average molecular weight of a polymer compound based on the following different indicators. In other words, high molecular weight compounds such as protein degradation products are heterogeneous substances with a distribution of molecular weight. Therefore, for physicochemical purposes, the molecular weight of protein degradation products must be expressed as the average molecular weight. The number-average molecular weight (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as Mn) is the average with respect to the number of molecules. If the molecular weight of peptide chain i is Mi and the number of molecules is Ni, then it is defined by the following formula.

[0029]

number

[0030] In this specification, the number-average molecular weight of protein degradation products refers to the amount measured and calculated by the following method: using high-performance liquid chromatography with a polyhydroxyethyl aspartamide column (Poly LC; 4.6 × 200 mm diameter), dissolved in 20 mM sodium chloride and 50 mM formic acid. Elution occurs at an output rate of 0.4 mL / min (Nobuo Ui et al., "High-Performance Liquid Chromatography of Proteins and Peptides") "Tography," Chemical Magazine Supplement No. 102, p. 241, Kagaku Dojin Co., Ltd., 1984. Detection is performed using a UV detector (Shimadzu Corporation), and the number-average molecular weight is calculated by analyzing the data using a GPC analysis system (Shimadzu Corporation). For molecular weight calculation, any protein and / or peptide with a known molecular weight may be used as a standard.

[0031] The nutritional composition of this technology may further contain protein (i.e., undigested protein). From the viewpoint of improving digestibility and absorption, the nutritional composition of this technology may preferably contain only protein hydrolysates and no protein. This allows the nutritional composition of this technology to be prepared as a digestible liquid diet. The aforementioned protein may be, for example, an animal protein or a plant protein. For example, it may include one or more combinations of the proteins that are the source of the protein hydrolysates listed in "(1) Protein hydrolysates" above (for example, milk protein).

[0032] The protein may be, for example, an animal protein or a plant protein. Examples of animal proteins include milk protein, chicken egg protein, fish protein, and meat protein. Examples of plant proteins include soy protein, pea protein, and wheat protein. The protein contained in the nutritional composition of this technology may include one or more combinations of these listed proteins.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the protein contained in the nutritional composition of this technology may be milk protein, soy protein, or a combination thereof. The effects of this technology are more effectively exhibited when these proteins are used.

[0034] In a more preferred embodiment, the protein contained in the nutritional composition of the present technology includes milk protein. The milk protein may include, for example, casein, whey protein, or a combination of the two hydrolysates.

[0035] (2) Lipids The nutritional composition of this technology contains lipids. Nutritional compositions containing lipids may have emulsification stability issues. One such issue is lipid separation, which can occur, for example, due to heat sterilization or after long-term storage. This technology can improve emulsification stability and, for example, prevent lipid separation.

[0036] In one embodiment, the lipid comprises at least stearic acid, and more preferably stearic acid and palmitic acid. The inclusion of stearic acid, and particularly stearic acid and palmitic acid, in the lipid contributes to improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology, and, for example, to preventing separation during heat sterilization.

[0037] The lipid content of the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 1.0 g or more, preferably 1.5 g or more, and more preferably 2.0 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the lipid content of the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 8.0 g or less, preferably 7.0 g or less, more preferably 6.0 g or less, even more preferably 5.0 g or less, and particularly preferably 4.0 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. When the nutritional composition of this technology contains lipids in such amounts, the emulsification stability improvement effect is easily exhibited.

[0038] (Stearic acid) The proportion of stearic acid (C18:0) in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 7.2% by mass or more, preferably 7.4% by mass or more, and more preferably 7.6% by mass or more. Having a stearic acid content above such a lower limit contributes to improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology, and for example, helps to prevent separation during heat sterilization. The proportion of stearic acid content in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 15.0% by mass or less, preferably 14.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 13.0% by mass or less.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the proportion of stearic acid content to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 12.0% by mass or less, more preferably 11.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 11.0% by mass or less. By keeping the proportion of stearic acid content below such an upper limit, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology can be further improved, and separation during heat sterilization can be more effectively prevented, for example.

[0040] (Palmitic acid) The proportion of palmitic acid (C16:0) in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 11.7% by mass or more, preferably 11.8% by mass or more, and more preferably 11.9% by mass or more. Having a palmitic acid content above such a lower limit contributes to improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology, and for example, helps to prevent separation during heat sterilization. The proportion of palmitic acid in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 18.0% by mass or less, preferably 17.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 16.0% by mass or less.

[0041] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the proportion of palmitic acid in the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 15.0% by mass or less, more preferably 14.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 13.0% by mass or less. By keeping the proportion of palmitic acid content below such an upper limit, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology can be further improved, and separation during heat sterilization can be more effectively prevented, for example.

[0042] In a particularly preferred embodiment of this technology, the proportion of stearic acid content in the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 7.2% by mass or more, preferably 7.4% by mass or more, and more preferably 7.6% by mass or more, and the proportion of palmitic acid content in the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 11.7% by mass or more, preferably 11.8% by mass or more, and more preferably 11.9% by mass or more. Such proportions of stearic acid and palmitic acid are particularly suitable for improving emulsification stability in nutritional compositions containing protein hydrolysates.

[0043] (n-6 fatty acids) The aforementioned lipid may further contain n-6 fatty acids. The n-6 fatty acids may include, for example, one or two of linoleic acid (C18:2) and arachidonic acid (C20:4). Preferably, the n-6 fatty acids include linoleic acid. For example, it is believed that including n-6 fatty acids in the proportions described below contributes to improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology.

[0044] The proportion of the n-6 fatty acid content to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 11.6% by mass or less, more preferably 11.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 11.4% by mass or less. Setting the n-6 fatty acid content in this way also contributes to improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology, and helps to prevent separation during heat sterilization, for example. The proportion of n-6 fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 4.0% by mass or more, preferably 5.0% by mass or more, and more preferably 6.0% by mass or more.

[0045] In a particularly preferred embodiment of this technology, the proportion of n-6 fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 6.5% by mass or more, preferably 7.0% by mass or more, and more preferably 8.0% by mass or more. Such a proportion of n-6 fatty acids is particularly suitable for improving the emulsification stability of nutritional compositions containing protein hydrolysates.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the lipid contains linoleic acid, and the proportion of linoleic acid to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 11.3% by mass or less, more preferably 11.2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 11.1% by mass or less. Furthermore, the proportion of linoleic acid to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is, for example, 4.0% by mass or more, preferably 5.0% by mass or more, and more preferably 6.0% by mass or more. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the proportion of linoleic acid in the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 6.5% by mass or more, preferably 7.0% by mass or more, and more preferably 7.5% by mass or more. Such a proportion of linoleic acid is particularly suitable for improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition containing protein hydrolysates.

[0047] The lipid may contain arachidonic acid. The proportion of arachidonic acid to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 0.6% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.4% by mass or less. Furthermore, the proportion of arachidonic acid to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, preferably 0.05% by mass or more, and more preferably 0.1% by mass or more.

[0048] The content of the n-6 fatty acid in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 0.05 g or more, preferably 0.1 g or more, and more preferably 0.15 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the content of the n-6 fatty acid in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 0.5 g or less, preferably 0.4 g or less, and more preferably 0.3 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0049] (Medium-chain fatty acids) The aforementioned lipids may include, for example, medium-chain fatty acids. The medium-chain fatty acids may be one, two, three, or all four of the following: caproic acid (C6:0), caprylic acid (C8:0), capric acid (C10:0), and lauric acid (C12:0). Preferably, the medium-chain fatty acids may be a combination of caprylic acid and capric acid. For example, including medium-chain fatty acids in the proportions described below is considered to contribute to improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology.

[0050] The proportion of medium-chain fatty acids (particularly the total content of caprylic acid and capric acid) in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 30% by mass or more, preferably 31% by mass or more, and more preferably 32% by mass or more. The proportion of medium-chain fatty acids (particularly the total content of caprylic acid and capric acid) in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 40% by mass or less, preferably 39% by mass or less, and more preferably 38% by mass or less.

[0051] The content of medium-chain fatty acids in the nutritional composition of this technology (particularly the total content of caprylic acid and capric acid) may be, for example, 0.4 g or more, preferably 0.5 g or more, and more preferably 0.6 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the content of medium-chain fatty acids in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 1.4 g or less, preferably 1.2 g or less, and more preferably 1.0 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0052] (n-3 fatty acids) The aforementioned lipids may include, for example, n-3 fatty acids. The aforementioned n-3 fatty acids may include, for example, one, two, three, or all four of EPA (C20:5), DPA (C22:5), DHA (C22:6), and α-linolenic acid (C18:3). Preferably, the aforementioned n-3 fatty acids may include one, two, or all three of EPA, DHA, and α-linolenic acid. The aforementioned n-3 fatty acids may be included in the nutritional composition, for example, as fish oil, particularly refined fish oil. For example, including n-3 fatty acids in the proportions described below is considered to contribute to improving the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology.

[0053] The proportion of n-3 fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 5% by mass or more, preferably 7% by mass or more, and more preferably 9% by mass or more. The proportion of n-3 fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is, for example, 15% by mass or less, preferably 13% by mass or less, and more preferably 11% by mass or less.

[0054] Preferably, the lipid contains α-linolenic acid (C18:3), and the proportion of α-linolenic acid to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 3.5% by mass or less, more preferably 3.25% by mass or less. Furthermore, the proportion of α-linolenic acid to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is, for example, 1.0% by mass or more, preferably 1.5% by mass or more, more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2.5% by mass or more.

[0055] Preferably, the lipid contains EPA (C2O:5), and the proportion of the EPA content to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 7.0% by mass or less, more preferably 6.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 4.8% by mass or less. Also, the proportion of the EPA content to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is, for example, 1.0% by mass or more, preferably 2.0% by mass or more, more preferably 3.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 3.5% by mass or more.

[0056] Preferably, the lipid contains DHA (C22:6), and the proportion of DHA content to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 5.0% by mass or less, more preferably 4.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 3.5% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 3.2% by mass or less. Furthermore, the proportion of DHA content to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is, for example, 1.0% by mass or more, preferably 1.5% by mass or more, more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2.5% by mass or more.

[0057] The content of the n-3 fatty acid in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 0.05 g or more, preferably 0.15 g or more, and more preferably 0.2 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Furthermore, the content of the n-6 fatty acid in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 0.5 g or less, preferably 0.4 g or less, and more preferably 0.3 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0058] (Other unsaturated fatty acids) The lipids may include, for example, unsaturated fatty acids other than n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (hereinafter also referred to as "other unsaturated fatty acids"). Examples of such other unsaturated fatty acids include, but are not limited to, palmitoleic acid (C16:1), oleic acid (C18:1), and eicosenoic acid (C20:1).

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, the lipid contains oleic acid (C18:1). The proportion of oleic acid to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 17.8% by mass or less. More preferably, it is 17.6% by mass or less. Furthermore, the proportion of oleic acid content to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is, for example, 10.0% by mass or more, preferably 11.0% by mass or more, more preferably 12.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 13.0% by mass or more.

[0060] (saturated fatty acids) The aforementioned lipids may include saturated fatty acids. The aforementioned saturated fatty acids include stearic acid and palmitic acid as described above.

[0061] The proportion of saturated fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is preferably 56.0% by mass or more, more preferably 56.2% by mass or more, and even more preferably 56.4% by mass or more. The proportion of saturated fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is preferably 70.0% by mass or less, more preferably 68.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 65.0% by mass or less. It is believed that the inclusion of saturated fatty acids in this proportion contributes to the improved emulsification stability of the nutritional composition in this technology. Within this specification, the saturated fatty acid content is the total content of caprylic acid (C8:0), capric acid (C10:0), lauric acid (C12:0), myristic acid (C14:0), pentadecanoic acid (C15:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), heptadecanoic acid (C17:0), stearic acid (C18:0), and arachidic acid (C20:0). In one embodiment, the present technology provides a nutritional composition comprising a protein hydrolysate and a lipid, wherein the lipid comprises at least saturated fatty acids, and the proportion of saturated fatty acids to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 56.0% by mass or more.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the proportion of saturated fatty acids to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 62.0% by mass or less, more preferably 61.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 60.0% by mass or less. By keeping the saturated fatty acid content below this upper limit, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology can be further improved, and separation during heat sterilization, for example, can be more effectively prevented.

[0063] (unsaturated fatty acids) The aforementioned lipids may include unsaturated fatty acids. The aforementioned unsaturated fatty acids include the n-3 fatty acids and n-6 ​​fatty acids described above.

[0064] The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is preferably 25.0% by mass or more, more preferably 27.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 30.0% by mass or more. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in the total fatty acid content of the aforementioned lipid is preferably 42.0% by mass or less, more preferably 41.8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 41.6% by mass or less. It is believed that the inclusion of unsaturated fatty acids in this proportion contributes to the improved emulsification stability of the nutritional composition in this technology. Within this specification, the content of unsaturated fatty acids is defined as palmitoleic acid (C16:1), oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6), and alpha-linolenic acid (C18 This is the total content of C20 (3 n-3), eicosenoic acid (C20:1), arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6), EPA (C20:5 n-3), DPA (C22:5 n-3), and DHA (C22:6 n-3). In one embodiment, the technology comprises protein hydrolysates and lipids, wherein the lipids are The present invention provides a nutritional composition that contains at least unsaturated fatty acids, and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is 42.0% by mass or less.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids to the total fatty acid content of the lipid is preferably 32.0% by mass or more, more preferably 34.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 36.0% by mass or more. By ensuring that the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids is above this lower limit, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition of this technology can be further improved, and separation during heat sterilization, for example, can be more effectively prevented.

[0066] (Method for measuring fatty acid composition) The proportion of fatty acids described above is determined by the fatty acid composition analysis method described below. This analysis method involves extracting fatty acids according to the methyl esterification method, followed by analysis using capillary gas chromatography.

[0067] (Method for adjusting fatty acid composition) The fatty acid composition contained in the nutritional composition of this technology can be appropriately adjusted by adjusting the content of fatty acid-containing materials (e.g., superhydrogenated oil or fish oil) incorporated into the nutritional composition. For example, the amount of superhydrogenated oil may be adjusted to adjust the content of palmitic acid and / or stearic acid.

[0068] For example, the ratio of the content of superhydrogenated oil to the total lipid content in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 2% by mass or more, preferably 3% by mass or more, and more preferably 4% by mass or more. Alternatively, the ratio of the content of superhydrogenated oil to the total lipid content in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 15% by mass or less, preferably 13% by mass or less, more preferably 11% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or less. For example, the content of the superhydrogenated oil in the nutritional composition of this technology may be preferably 0.04 g or more, more preferably 0.06 g or more, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The content of the superhydrogenated oil in the nutritional composition of this technology may be preferably 0.25 g or less, more preferably 0.20 g or less, and even more preferably 0.18 g or less, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The superhydrogenated oil may contain palmitic acid and / or stearic acid. It is believed that including highly hydrogenated oil in this proportion contributes to the improved emulsification stability of the nutritional composition.

[0069] (3) Organic acid monoglycerides The nutritional composition of this technology contains organic acid monoglycerides. These organic acid monoglycerides may be included in the nutritional composition as emulsifiers. The organic acid monoglycerides may include two or more selected from monoglycerides acetate, monoglycerides citrate, monoglycerides succinate, monoglycerides diacetyltartrate, and monoglycerides lactate. In other words, the nutritional composition may contain two or more selected organic acid monoglycerides from monoglycerides acetate, monoglycerides citrate, monoglycerides succinate, monoglycerides diacetyltartrate, and monoglycerides lactate. Combinations of two or more of these organic acid monoglycerides can improve the emulsification stability in nutritional compositions containing protein components and lipids. The nutritional composition contains one or more emulsifiers, preferably two. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more emulsifiers are one or more of monoglycerides acetate, monoglycerides citrate, monoglycerides succinate, monoglycerides diacetyltartrate, and monoglycerides lactate. Preferably, the one or more emulsifiers are monoglycerides succinate and / or monoglycerides diacetyltartrate. In a preferred embodiment, the nutritional composition contains two emulsifiers, the two emulsifiers being monoglycerides succinate and monoglycerides diacetyltartrate. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the two emulsifiers, monoglycerides succinate and monoglycerides diacetyltartrate, are the only emulsifiers contained in the composition; that is, the composition does not contain any other emulsifiers. In one embodiment, the composition does not contain lecithin. In another embodiment, the composition does not contain pentaglucerin monostearate. In another embodiment, the composition does not contain enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin. In another embodiment, the composition does not contain lecithin, pentagricerine monostearate, and enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin (hydrolyzed lecithin). In another embodiment, the composition contains only succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride, and does not contain lecithin, pentagricerine monostearate, and enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin (hydrolyzed lecithin).

[0070] Preferably, at least one of the organic acid monoglycerides contained in the nutritional composition of this technology is succinic acid monoglyceride. Succinic acid monoglyceride is particularly suitable for improving emulsification stability in nutritional compositions containing protein components and lipids.

[0071] The ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to the total amount of the organic acid monoglycerides is, for example, 80% by mass or less, preferably 78% by mass or less, and more preferably 76% by mass or less. The proportion is, for example, 20% by mass or more, preferably 22% by mass or more, and more preferably 24% by mass or more. By having the amount of succinic acid monoglyceride within this numerical range, the emulsification stability-improving effect of succinic acid monoglyceride can be more effectively exhibited.

[0072] Preferably, at least one of the organic acid monoglycerides contained in the nutritional composition of this technology is diacetyltartrate monoglyceride. Diacetyltartrate monoglyceride is particularly suitable for improving emulsification stability in nutritional compositions containing protein components and lipids.

[0073] The ratio of diacetyltartrate monoglyceride to the total amount of the organic acid monoglycerides is, for example, 80% by mass or less, preferably 78% by mass or less, and more preferably 76% by mass or less. Furthermore, the ratio of diacetyltartrate monoglyceride to the total amount of the organic acid monoglycerides is, for example, 20% by mass or more, preferably 22% by mass or more, and more preferably 24% by mass or more. By having the amount of diacetyltartrate monoglyceride within this numerical range, the emulsification stability-improving effect of diacetyltartrate monoglyceride can be more effectively exhibited.

[0074] Particularly preferably, the organic acid monoglycerides contained in the nutritional composition of this technology include succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride. The organic acid monoglycerides may also consist of only two types, for example, succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride. A combination of these two types is particularly suitable for improving emulsification stability in nutritional compositions containing protein components and lipids.

[0075] The total amount of the organic acid monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition is, for example, 0.005 g or more, preferably 0.01 g or more, more preferably 0.03 g or more, even more preferably 0.1 g or more, 0.15 g or more, or 0.2 g or more, particularly preferably 0.25 g or more, or 0.3 g (e.g., 0.27 g) or more, or 0.4 g or more. Alternatively, the total amount of the organic acid monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition may be, for example, 2.0 g or less, preferably 1.5 g or less, more preferably 1.2 g or less, even more preferably 1.1 g or less or 1.0 g or less, and particularly preferably 0.9 g or less or 0.8 g or less. The numerical range of the total amount may be defined by a value selected from the upper and lower limits listed above, and the total amount may be, for example, 0.005g or more and 2.0g or less, preferably 0.03g or more and 1.2g or less, or 0.1g or more and 1.1g or less. In a preferred embodiment, the total amount of organic acid monoglycerides per 100 kcal of nutritional composition is, for example, about 0.4 g or more and about 0.5 g (for example, about 0.55 g) or less. These ranges are particularly preferred when the emulsifier (e.g., organic acid monoglycerides) is succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride (only), and the ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is as follows. The preferred ratio is as described below, for example 2.5:1 to 1:1, particularly preferably 2.5:1 to 1.5:1, even more preferably 2.2:1 to 1.5:1, and most preferably 2:1. Preferably, in connection therewith, protein hydrolysates (casein hydrolysates and whey protein hydrolysates) are used as protein components. In a more preferred embodiment, the total amount of organic acid monoglycerides per 100 kcal of nutritional composition is, for example, about 0.4 g (e.g., 0.39 g) or more and about 1.1 g or less. These ranges are particularly preferred when the emulsifier (e.g., organic acid monoglycerides) is succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride (only), and the ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is as follows. The preferred ratio is as described below, for example 2.5:1 to 1:1, particularly preferably 2.5:1 to 1.5:1, even more preferably 2.2:1 to 1.5:1, and most preferably 2:1. Preferably, in connection therewith, proteins (casein, whey protein, and soy protein) are used as protein components. When organic acid monoglycerides are included in a nutritional composition containing protein components and lipids in the total amount described above, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition is particularly improved. Furthermore, the total amount of the organic acid monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition may be, for example, 0.005 g or more, preferably 0.01 g or more, more preferably 0.05 g or more, 0.1 g or more, 0.2 g or more, 0.25 g or more, 0.3 g or more, 0.35 g or more, or 0.4 g or more. Also, the total amount of the organic acid monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition may be, for example, 2.0 g or less, preferably 1.9 g or less, more preferably 1.8 g or less, 1.7 g or less, 1.6 g or less, or 1.5 g or less. The numerical range of the total amount may be defined by a value selected from the upper and lower limits listed above, and the total amount may be, for example, 0.005 g or more and 2.0 g or less, preferably 0.4 g or more and 1.5 g or less. In a more preferred embodiment, the total amount of organic acid monoglycerides per 100 ml of nutritional composition is, for example, about 0.4 g or more and about 1.2 g or less. These ranges are particularly preferred when the emulsifier (e.g., organic acid monoglycerides) is succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride (only), and the ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is as follows. Here, the preferred ratio is as described below, for example 2.5:1 to 1:1, particularly preferably 2.5:1 to 1.5:1, even more preferably 2.2:1 to 1.5:1, and most preferably 2:1. Preferably, in connection therewith, proteins (casein, whey protein, and soy protein) are used as protein components. When organic acid monoglycerides are included in a nutritional composition containing protein components and lipids in the total amount described above, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition is particularly improved.

[0076] In one embodiment, the organic acid monoglyceride is a combination of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride, and the total amount of the organic acid monoglyceride is related The upper and lower limits listed above are then applied to the total amount of the combination per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. That is, the numerical range of the total amount of the combination per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition may be defined by either the upper or lower limit listed above, or by either the upper or lower limit listed above. In this embodiment, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition containing protein components and lipids is particularly improved.

[0077] When the nutritional composition of this technology contains succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride, the mass ratio of these two components (mass of succinic acid monoglyceride:mass of diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride) is, for example, 5:1 to 1:5, preferably 4:1 to 1:4, and more preferably 3:1 to 1:3, with specific ratios being 1:3, 1:1, and 3:1. Such mass ratios allow the emulsification stability-improving effect of the combination of these two components to be more pronounced. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the mass ratio of these two components (mass of succinic acid monoglyceride:mass of diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride) is 2.5:1 to 1:1, particularly preferably 2.5:1 to 1.5:1, and even more preferably 2.2:1 to 1.5:1. This ratio of the two components provides a particularly excellent emulsification stability improvement effect.

[0078] (Numerical range of succinate monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride content) In one embodiment, the nutritional composition of the present technology comprises a protein component, a lipid, and an organic acid monoglyceride, wherein the organic acid monoglyceride is succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride. In this embodiment, the content of succinic acid monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition may be, for example, 0.0001 g or more, 0.001 g or more, or 0.01 g or more, preferably 0.02 g or more, more preferably 0.06 g or more, even more preferably 0.1 g or more or 0.14 g or more, and particularly preferably 0.17 g or more or 0.2 g or more. The content of succinic acid monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition may be, for example, 1.5 g or less or 1.3 g or less, preferably 1.1 g or less, more preferably 1.0 g or less, even more preferably 0.9 g or less or 0.8 g or less, and particularly preferably 0.7 g or less or 0.6 g or less. In this embodiment, the content of diacetyltartrate monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition is, for example, 0.0001 g or more or 0.001 g or more, preferably 0.01 g or more, more preferably 0.03 g or more, and even more preferably 0.05 g or more. The content of diacetyltartrate monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition is, for example, 1.0 g or less or 0.8 g or less, preferably 0.6 g or less, more preferably 0.5 g or less, even more preferably 0.4 g or less, and particularly preferably 0.3 g or less. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the organic acid monoglyceride is succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride (in other words, the nutrient organism includes a combination of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride as the organic acid monoglyceride), and the content of succinic acid monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutrient composition is 0.1 g to 0.6 g, and the content of diacetyltartrate monoglyceride is 0.05 g to 0.3 g. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the content of succinic acid monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition may be, for example, 0.0001 g or more, 0.001 g or more, or 0.01 g or more, preferably 0.05 g or more, more preferably 0.1 g or more, even more preferably 0.15 g or more, 0.2 g or more, or 0.25 g or more. The content of succinic acid monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition may be, for example, 1.5 g or less, preferably 1.4 g or less, more preferably 1.3 g or less, even more preferably 1.2 g or less, 1.1 g or less, or 1.0 g or less. In this embodiment, the content of diacetyl tartaric acid monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition is, for example, 0.0001 g or more, 0.001 g or more, or 0.01 g or more. The amount is preferably 0.05 g or more, more preferably 0.07 g or more, even more preferably 0.08 g or more, 0.09 g or more, or 0.1 g or more. The content of diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition is, for example, 1.0 g or less, preferably 0.9 g or less, more preferably 0.8 g or less, even more preferably 0.7 g or less, 0.6 g or less, or 0.5 g or less. In the above embodiments, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition containing protein components and lipids is particularly improved.

[0079] (Total content of succinate monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride and their ratio) In one embodiment, the nutritional composition of the present technology comprises a protein component, a lipid, and an organic acid monoglyceride, wherein the organic acid monoglyceride is succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride. In this embodiment, the total amount of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition is, for example, 0.005 g or more, preferably 0.01 g or more, more preferably 0.03 g or more, even more preferably 0.1 g or more, 0.15 g or more, or 0.2 g or more, and particularly preferably 0.25 g or more. Furthermore, the total amount of the organic acid monoglycerides per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition is, for example, 2.0 g or less, preferably 1.5 g or less, more preferably 1.2 g or less, even more preferably 1.1 g or less or 1.0 g or less, and particularly preferably 0.9 g or less or 0.8 g or less. Furthermore, the total amount of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition is, for example, 0.005 g or more, preferably 0.01 g or more, more preferably 0.05 g or more, 0.1 g or more, 0.2 g or more, 0.25 g or more, 0.3 g or more, 0.35 g or more, or 0.4 g or more. Also, the total amount of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride per 100 ml of the nutritional composition is, for example, 2.0 g or less, preferably 1.9 g or less, more preferably 1.8 g or less, 1.7 g or less, 1.6 g or less, or 1.5 g or less. The numerical range of the total amount may be defined by a value selected from the upper and lower limits listed above, and the total amount may be, for example, 0.005 g or more and 2.0 g or less, preferably 0.4 g or more and 1.5 g or less. In this embodiment, the ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride content per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition (succinic acid monoglyceride content: diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride content) is preferably 3:1 to 1:3, and more preferably 3:1 to 1:2. In the above embodiments, the emulsification stability of the nutritional composition containing protein components and lipids is particularly improved.

[0080] (4) Other ingredients The nutritional composition of this technology may further contain other components. Examples of such other components include salts, sugars, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients. The nutritional composition of this technology may contain one or more of these other components. Furthermore, the other ingredients may include one or more additives selected from emulsifiers, thickeners, and gelling agents. These other components may be appropriately selected depending on, for example, the target recipient or purpose of administration of the nutritional composition.

[0081] The aforementioned salts may include one or more of the following: calcium salts, magnesium salts, sodium salts, and potassium salts.

[0082] The calcium salts may include one or more of the following in combination: calcium chloride, calcium hydroxide, tricalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium sulfate, and calcium oxide. In other words, the nutritional composition of this technology may contain one or more of the following selected calcium salts: calcium chloride, calcium hydroxide, tricalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium sulfate, and calcium oxide. The total content of the calcium salts may be preferably 0.05 g or more, more preferably 0.10 g or more, and even more preferably 0.12 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Furthermore, the total content of the calcium salts may be preferably 0.7 g or less, more preferably 0.5 g or less, and even more preferably 0.4 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0083] The magnesium salt may be one or more combinations of trimagnesium phosphate, magnesium carbonate, and magnesium chloride. In other words, the nutritional composition of this technology may contain one or more combinations selected from calcium salts consisting of trimagnesium phosphate, magnesium carbonate, and magnesium chloride. The total content of the magnesium salt may be preferably 0.06 g or more, more preferably 0.10 g or more, and even more preferably 0.13 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the total content of the magnesium salt may be preferably 0.6 g or less, more preferably 0.4 g or less, and even more preferably 0.3 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0084] For example, the nutritional composition may contain one, two, or all three of the following sodium salts: sodium pyrophosphate, trisodium citrate, and sodium ferrous citrate. The total content of the sodium salts may be, for example, 0.06 g or more, preferably 0.13 g or more, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The total content of the sodium salts may be, for example, 0.4 g or less, preferably 0.3 g or less, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0085] For example, the nutritional composition may contain one, two, or three of the following potassium salts: potassium chloride, potassium carbonate, and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate. The total content of the potassium salts may be, for example, 0.06 g or more, preferably 0.13 g or more, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The total content of the potassium salts may be, for example, 0.4 g or less, preferably 0.3 g or less, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0086] Furthermore, the nutritional composition may further contain copper salts and / or zinc salts. Examples of copper salts include copper gluconate, and examples of zinc salts include zinc gluconate. The content of each of these salts may be, for example, 0.04 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition, and particularly 0.02 g or less.

[0087] The aforementioned sugars may include carbohydrates used in food, such as monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Among these, polysaccharides are preferred. For example, such polysaccharides are dextrin. That is, the nutritional composition may contain, for example, dextrin.

[0088] The content of the aforementioned sugars (particularly dextrin) may be, for example, 3 g or more, preferably 5 g or more, and more preferably 7 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the content of the aforementioned sugars (particularly dextrin) may be, for example, 22 g or less, preferably 20 g or less, and more preferably 18 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0089] The aforementioned amino acids may include, for example, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), that is, one, two, or all three of valine, leucine, and isoleucine. Preferably, the nutritional composition contains leucine. The content of the aforementioned amino acids (particularly the total content of branched-chain amino acids) may be, for example, 0.2 g or more, preferably 0.4 g or more, and more preferably 0.6 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The amount may be, for example, 6.0 g or less, preferably 4.0 g or less, and more preferably 3.0 g or less, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Furthermore, the leucine content may be, for example, 0.1 g or more, preferably 0.2 g or more, and more preferably 0.3 g or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the leucine content may be, for example, 3.0 g or less, preferably 2.0 g or less, and more preferably 1.5 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0090] The aforementioned vitamins include, for example, vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are classified as fat-soluble vitamins, and the B vitamins (vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B6), which are classified as water-soluble vitamins. 12 It may contain one or more of the following: niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, or vitamin C. The vitamin A content may be, for example, 20 μgRAE or more, preferably 40 μgRAE or more, and more preferably 60 μgRAE or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin A content may be, for example, 400 μgRAE or less, preferably 300 μgRAE or less, and more preferably 200 μgRAE or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The vitamin D content may be, for example, 0.2 μg or more, preferably 0.5 μg or more, and more preferably 0.7 μg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin D content may be, for example, 5.0 μg or less, preferably 4.0 μg or less, and more preferably 3.0 μg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The vitamin E content may be, for example, 0.2 mg or more, preferably 0.5 mg or more, and more preferably 0.7 mg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin E content may be, for example, 5.0 mg or less, preferably 4.0 mg or less, and more preferably 3.0 mg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The vitamin K content may be, for example, 2.0 μg or more, preferably 4.0 μg or more, and more preferably 5.0 μg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin K content may be, for example, 25 μg or less, preferably 20 μg or less, and more preferably 15 μg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The vitamin B1 content may be, for example, 0.05 mg or more, preferably 0.15 mg or more, and more preferably 0.2 mg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin B1 content may be, for example, 1.6 mg or less, preferably 1.2 mg or less, and more preferably 0.8 mg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The vitamin B2 content may be, for example, 0.05 mg or more, preferably 0.15 mg or more, and more preferably 0.2 mg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin B2 content may be, for example, 1.8 mg or less, preferably 1.4 mg or less, and more preferably 1.0 mg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The vitamin B6 content may be, for example, 0.1 mg or more, preferably 0.2 mg or more, and more preferably 0.3 mg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin B6 content may be, for example, 1.8 mg or less, preferably 1.4 mg or less, and more preferably 1.2 mg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Vitamin B12 The content may be, for example, 0.2 μg or more, preferably 0.3 μg or more, and more preferably 0.4 μg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Also, vitamin B 12 The content may be, for example, 3.0 μg or less, preferably 2.5 μg or less, and more preferably 2.0 μg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The niacin equivalent may be, for example, 2 mg NE or more, preferably 3 mg NE or more, and more preferably 3.5 mg NE or more, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the niacin equivalent may be, for example, 15 mg NE or less, preferably 12 mg NE or less, and more preferably 10 mg NE or less, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The pantothenic acid content may be, for example, 0.2 mg or more, preferably 0.6 mg or more, and more preferably 1.0 mg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The content of tontothenic acid may be, for example, 6.0 mg or less, preferably 5.0 mg or less, and more preferably 4.0 mg or less, per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The folic acid content may be, for example, 10 μg or more, preferably 20 μg or more, and more preferably 30 μg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the folic acid content may be, for example, 250 μg or less, preferably 200 μg or less, and more preferably 150 μg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The biotin content may be, for example, 2.0 μg or more, preferably 3.0 μg or more, and more preferably 4.0 μg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the biotin content may be, for example, 25 μg or less, preferably 20 μg or less, and more preferably 15 μg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. The vitamin C content may be, for example, 5 mg or more, preferably 10 mg or more, and more preferably 15 mg or more per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the vitamin C content may be, for example, 100 mg or less, preferably 80 mg or less, and more preferably 60 mg or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0091] Other nutritional components include, for example, trace minerals and carnitine. The trace minerals may be, for example, mineral yeast. Examples of minerals included in the trace minerals include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, chromium, and molybdenum.

[0092] The nutritional composition of this technology may contain, for example, water, sweeteners, fruit juice, vegetable juice, flavorings, colorings, and acidulants. The types and proportions of these components may be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art according to the desired physical properties, shape, taste, or appearance.

[0093] (5) Physical properties of nutritional composition The nutritional composition of this technology may be fluid, for example, in the form of a liquid or paste, or a fluid gel.

[0094] The nutritional composition of this technology may be in an emulsified state, preferably an oil-in-water emulsion (O / W type).

[0095] The water content in the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 20g or more, preferably 30g or more, and more preferably 40g or more, per 100kcal of the nutritional composition. Alternatively, the water content may be, for example, 200g or less, preferably 180g or less, and more preferably 160g or less, per 100kcal of the nutritional composition.

[0096] The nutritional composition of this technology is fluid, making it easy for, for example, the elderly to take, and can also be administered to subjects via tube feeding. The various physical properties of the nutritional composition of this technology may be set as follows, for example.

[0097] The pH of the nutritional composition of this technology at 20°C may be, for example, 6.0 to 8.0, preferably 6.3 to 7.7, and more preferably 6.5 to 7.5.

[0098] The specific gravity of the nutritional composition of this technology at 20°C may be, for example, 1.0 to 1.5, preferably 1.01 to 1.4, and more preferably 1.02 to 1.2.

[0099] The viscosity of the nutritional composition of this technology at 20°C may be, for example, 1 mPa·s to 30,000 mPa·s, preferably 5 mPa·s to 1,800 mPa·s, more preferably 10 mPa·s to 100 mPa·s. In one embodiment of this technology, the viscosity of the nutritional composition of this technology at 20°C may be, for example, 200 mPa·s or less, preferably 100 mPa·s or less. The viscosity may be less than or equal to 50 mPa·s, more preferably. Such viscosity makes the nutritional composition easy to use as an enteral nutritional supplement.

[0100] In one embodiment of this technology, the energy content per 1 ml of the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 0.5 kcal or more, 0.6 kcal or more, 0.7 kcal or more, 0.8 kcal or more, or 0.9 kcal or more. Thus, a high energy content per 1 ml of the composition enables efficient energy intake. In this embodiment, the energy content per 1 ml of the nutritional composition of this technology may be, for example, 3 kcal or less, 2 kcal or less, or 1.8 kcal or less. For example, the nutritional composition of this technology may have an energy content of 1.5 kcal per 1 ml.

[0101] (6) Food and drink composition The nutritional composition of this technology may be used as a food or beverage composition. The food or beverage composition in this technology may be in the form of, for example, a liquid or a paste.

[0102] Furthermore, the food and beverage composition of this technology may be used as an enteral nutritional supplement, for example, as an artificial concentrated liquid diet. The food and beverage composition of this technology may be composed of, for example, a digested liquid diet, a partially digested liquid diet, or a component diet, but a digested liquid diet is preferred. This digested liquid diet does not contain undigested protein.

[0103] The food and beverage composition of this technology can be provided or sold as a food or beverage labeled with uses such as providing nutrition to patients in the acute phase or patients immediately after the onset of illness. Furthermore, the food and beverage composition of this technology can be provided and / or sold with labels indicating the target of consumption, for example, "individuals in the acute phase" or "individuals with diarrhea." The act of "labeling" includes all acts that inform consumers of the uses of the composition of this technology, and any expression that can evoke and / or infer the aforementioned uses, regardless of the purpose of the labeling, the content of the labeling, or the object and / or medium on which it is displayed, falls under the category of "labeling" of this technology.

[0104] Furthermore, it is preferable that the "display" be made in a way that allows consumers to directly recognize the above-mentioned use. Specifically, this includes acts such as transferring, delivering, displaying for transfer or delivery, or importing food and beverage products or product packaging on which the above-mentioned use is described; displaying or distributing advertisements, price lists, or transaction documents related to products on which the above-mentioned use is described; or providing information containing such information on an electronic (internet, etc.) basis.

[0105] On the other hand, the content of the display is preferably a display approved by the government or other administrative body (for example, a display approved based on various systems established by the government and made in accordance with such approval). Furthermore, it is preferable to attach such display content to packaging, containers, catalogs, brochures, point-of-sale (POP) displays and other promotional materials used at sales sites, and other documents.

[0106] Furthermore, "labeling" also includes labeling as health foods, functional foods, enteral nutrition foods, foods for special dietary uses, health functional foods, foods for specified health uses, nutrient functional foods, foods with functional claims, quasi-drugs, etc.

[0107] (7) Pharmaceutical composition The nutritional composition of this technology may be used as a pharmaceutical composition. The pharmaceutical composition in this technology may be in the form of, for example, a liquid or a paste.

[0108] The pharmaceutical composition of this technology may be used as an enteral nutritional supplement, and may be configured as, for example, an artificial concentrated liquid diet. The pharmaceutical composition of this technology may be, for example, a digested liquid diet, a partially digested liquid diet, or It may be formulated as a component nutritional supplement, but preferably as a digestible liquid diet. This digestible liquid diet does not contain undigested protein.

[0109] When the composition relating to this technology is used as a pharmaceutical composition, the pharmaceutical composition may be administered orally or parenterally, and can be formulated into a desired dosage form as appropriate depending on the method of administration. For example, in the case of oral administration, it may be formulated into a desired dosage form (liquid or paste). In the case of parenteral administration, the composition relating to this technology can be administered, for example, via a gastrostomy tube, or, for example, enterally.

[0110] Furthermore, when formulating, the pharmaceutical composition relating to this technology may contain additives commonly used in formulation (e.g., pH adjusters, colorants, flavoring agents, etc.). In addition, the pharmaceutical composition relating to this technology may contain known or potentially discovered components for improving the condition of acutely ill patients, as long as they do not impair the effects of this technology. In addition, formulation can be carried out by known methods as appropriate, depending on the dosage form. When formulating, a formulation carrier may be added as appropriate.

[0111] (8) Method for producing nutritional composition The method for producing the nutritional composition of this technology includes a mixing step of mixing protein components, lipids, and organic acid monoglycerides. This mixing may be carried out in a liquid medium, particularly in water. The mixing yields a mixture. The mixing may be carried out so that the mixture is in an emulsified state, for example, to form an oil-in-water emulsion. For example, protein components (e.g., casein hydrolysates and / or whey protein hydrolysates), carbohydrates, and minerals are dissolved in water at 55°C to 65°C. After dissolution, oils and fats and emulsifiers are added and mixed by stirring, and then homogenized at a pressure of 50 MPa. In this way, the nutritional composition of this technology may be produced.

[0112] The protein component, the lipid, and the organic acid monoglyceride are as described in (1), (2), and (3) above, respectively. The amounts of these components may be set according to the content of each component in the nutritional composition to be manufactured. Other components described in (4) above may also be mixed in during the mixing process.

[0113] The manufacturing method may include a sterilization step for sterilizing the nutritional composition obtained by mixing in the mixing step. This sterilization may be carried out by any method known in this technology, such as retort sterilization, indirect heat sterilization (plate type, tubular type, or scraping type), or direct heat sterilization (steam injection type or steam infusion type).

[0114] The manufacturing method described above may further include a filling step of filling a container with the composition obtained in the mixing step, either before or after the sterilization step. If the filling step is performed after the sterilization step, the filling step may be performed aseptically. The container may be, for example, a paper carton, a plastic bag, a plastic bottle, a plastic cup, an aluminum pouch, a metal can, or a glass container. The filling step results in the nutritional composition being filled into a container. The nutritional composition of this technology may be sold in a filled container. In another embodiment, the technology also provides a method for producing a nutritional composition comprising protein components, lipids, and organic acid monoglycerides. Specifically, in some preferred embodiments, the method is as follows: (1) A method for producing a nutritional composition comprising a mixing step of obtaining a mixture of protein components, lipids, and organic acid monoglycerides, wherein the organic acid monoglycerides include two or more selected from acetic acid monoglyceride, citrate monoglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride, diacetyltartrate monoglyceride, and lactic acid monoglyceride; preferably, the organic acid monoglycerides include at least one of succinic acid monoglyceride or diacetyltartrate monoglyceride; more preferably, the organic acid monoglycerides include succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyltartrate monoglyceride. (2) In the manufacturing method described in (1) above, the manufacturing method further includes a sterilization step of sterilizing the mixture obtained by mixing in the mixing step, and the sterilization is carried out by heat sterilization such as retort sterilization, indirect contact sterilization, or direct contact sterilization. (3) In the manufacturing method described in (2) above, the sterilization is carried out by retort sterilization at 120°C to 150°C for 0.5 to 15 minutes, preferably at 130°C for 10 minutes, or by direct or indirect sterilization at 130°C to 160°C for 1 to 90 seconds. (4) A manufacturing method according to any of (1) to (3) above, further comprising a filling step of filling a container with the composition obtained in the mixing step before and after the sterilization step, and optionally comprising a storage step of storing the composition for a long period of time. Furthermore, the nutritional composition obtained by the above method is another embodiment of the present technology, which is a nutritional composition produced by any of the methods described in (1) to (3) above, and the nutritional composition is preferably a sterilized composition.

[0115] (9) Method of using nutritional composition The target recipients of the nutritional composition of this technology may be animals, particularly mammals, more particularly primates, and even more particularly humans or non-human primates, and especially preferably humans. When the target recipient of the composition of this technology is a human, the age of the human may be, for example, 0 to 120 years. Particularly preferably, the nutritional composition of this technology is administered to patients in the acute phase, such as after surgery, or to patients with diarrhea. The nutritional composition of this technology contains protein hydrolysates, and the protein components The solution does not need to be digested for absorption. Therefore, it is suitable for providing nutrition to such patients.

[0116] The nutritional composition of this technology may be administered, for example, orally or enterally. In the latter case, the nutritional composition of this technology is administered to a human, for example, via a gastrostomy tube. The composition of this technology is preferably fluid, which makes it suitable for enteral administration to patients receiving enteral nutrition.

[0117] In one embodiment of this technology, the nutritional composition of this technology may be administered to a target so that, for example, 500 kcal to 2000 kcal, preferably 600 kcal to 1500 kcal, and preferably 800 kcal to 1200 kcal per day, is provided by the nutritional composition of this technology. For example, 200 kcal to 500 kcal of energy may be provided to the target by the composition of this technology per administration, and such administration may be performed 1 to 10 times, 2 to 8 times, or 2 to 5 times per day. The nutritional composition of this technology may be administered regularly, for example, daily, or at intervals such as every other day or every two days. The composition of this technology may be administered for a period of, for example, one week or more, two weeks or more, or three weeks or more. There is no upper limit to the duration of administration of the nutritional composition of this technology, but it may be, for example, three years or less, two years or less, or one year or less, and it may be administered without specifying an end date for the administration period.

[0118] The present technology will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present technology is not limited to these examples. [Examples]

[0119] <Experiment 1> A nutritional composition was prepared using the following raw material formulation per 100 ml of nutritional composition: 4.5 g of casein hydrolysate (manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., casein hydrolysate content 88%, number average molecular weight 330), 2.3 g of whey protein hydrolysate (manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., whey protein hydrolysate content 75%, number average molecular weight 450), 35 g of dextrin (manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., standard 67°Bx), trisodium citrate, potassium carbonate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, calcium chloride, and trimagnesium phosphate were added to 60°C water and mixed and dissolved. To this, 3.3 g of mixed oil (vegetable oil, medium-chain fatty acids, refined fish oil) and emulsifiers (two or three of the following: lecithin, succinic acid monoglyceride, diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride, pentagricerin monostearate, and enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin) were further added and stirred and mixed. The emulsifier in question had the component composition shown in Table 1 below. Four patterns of emulsifier composition were prepared, as shown in Examples 1 to 4 in the same table.

[0120] [Table 1]

[0121] After the aforementioned stirring and mixing, the mixture was homogenized using a high-pressure homogenizer (manufactured by APV) at a pressure of 50 MPa. After homogenization, the resulting emulsified liquid (also called prepared milk) was filled into 100 ml retort pouches (manufactured by Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd.), sealed, and retort sterilized at 130°C for 3 minutes using a retort sterilizer (manufactured by Hisaka Works Co., Ltd.) to produce liquid nutritional compositions. Hereinafter, the liquid nutritional compositions produced using the emulsifiers of Examples 1 to 4 will also be referred to as "Nutritional Composition of Example 1" to "Nutritional Composition of Example 4," respectively.

[0122] The energy content of these manufactured nutritional compositions was 150 kcal (per 100 ml of nutritional composition), with a protein content of 3.8 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition), a lipid content of 2.7 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition), a sugar content of 15.2 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition), and a water content of 52 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition).

[0123] The emulsification stability of the nutritional compositions in Examples 1 to 4 was evaluated. This evaluation was performed by visually assessing the state of the emulsified liquid after the homogenization treatment and before retort sterilization, and the state of the nutritional composition one day after retort sterilization. The evaluation criteria are as follows. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1 above. AAA: It was extremely well emulsified and had a more homogeneous appearance than AA. AA: No separation of lipid components was observed, and the nutritional composition was well emulsified. A: The lipid components had separated slightly and floated to the top of the nutritional composition, but it was generally emulsified. B: A large amount of lipid components had separated.

[0124] As shown in Table 1 above, the nutritional composition of Example 1 was well emulsified in the state of the prepared milk solution before retort sterilization. The nutritional composition of Example 1 was also well emulsified after retort sterilization. Furthermore, regarding the nutritional compositions of Examples 2-4, a slight separation of fat components was observed in the prepared milk solution before retort sterilization, but they were generally emulsified. However, after retort sterilization, the nutritional composition of Example 2 remained generally emulsified, while a large amount of separation of lipid components was observed in the nutritional compositions of Examples 3 and 4. A comparison of Example 2 with Examples 3 and 4 shows that combining two types of organic acid monoglycerides can improve the emulsification stability of nutritional compositions containing protein components and lipids. Furthermore, a comparison between Example 1 and Example 2 reveals that even better emulsification stability can be obtained when lecithin is not included as an emulsifier than when lecithin is included. It is also considered desirable to include only organic acid monoglycerides as emulsifiers for emulsification stability in nutritional compositions containing protein components and lipids.

[0125] <Experiment 2> The emulsion was obtained using the same manufacturing method as in Experiment 1, except that the emulsifier composition shown in Table 2 below was adopted. The emulsion was sterilized using an injection sterilizer (Micro Thermics) at 151°C for 4 seconds, and then filled into sterilized PET bottles (Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd.) in a sterile environment at 200 ml each to produce liquid nutritional compositions. The liquid nutritional compositions produced using the emulsifiers of Examples 5 and 6 are also referred to as "Nutritional Composition of Example 5" and "Nutritional Composition of Example 6," respectively. Table 2 below shows the total amount of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride (per 100 ml of nutritional composition and per 100 kcal of nutritional composition), as well as the percentage (mass %) of each of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride relative to the total amount. The same applies to Tables 3 to 6 described later.

[0126] [Table 2]

[0127] The emulsification stability of the nutritional compositions in Example 5 and Example 6 was evaluated. This evaluation was performed by visually assessing the state of the nutritional compositions after storage in a constant temperature incubator at 37°C for one month following the injection sterilization treatment. The evaluation criteria were the same as those described in Experiment 1.

[0128] As shown in Table 2 above, both nutritional compositions in Example 5 and Example 6 remained well emulsified even after being stored for one month following injection sterilization. These results indicate that good emulsification stability can be obtained when the mass ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is 3:1 to 1:3.

[0129] <Experiment 3> The emulsion was obtained using the same manufacturing method as in Experiment 1, except that the emulsifier composition shown in Table 3 below was adopted. The emulsion was filled into 100 ml retort pouches in the same manner as in Experiment 1, sealed, and retort sterilized at 130°C for 3 minutes using a retort sterilizer to produce liquid nutritional compositions. Hereinafter, the liquid nutritional compositions produced using the emulsifiers of Examples 7 to 11 will also be referred to as "Nutritional Composition of Example 7" to "Nutritional Composition of Example 11," respectively.

[0130] [Table 3]

[0131] The emulsification stability of the nutritional compositions in Examples 7 to 11 was evaluated. This evaluation was performed by visually assessing the state of the nutritional compositions after storage in a constant temperature incubator at 37°C for one month following retort sterilization. The evaluation criteria were as described in Experiment 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3 above.

[0132] As shown in Table 3 above, all of the nutritional compositions in Examples 7 to 11 remained well emulsified even after being stored for one month following retort sterilization. These results indicate that good emulsification stability can be obtained when the mass ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is 3:1 to 1:2. Furthermore, in Experiment 2, the total amount of organic acid monoglycerides was 0.27 g / 100 kcal (nutrition composition), while in Experiment 3, the total amount of organic acid monoglycerides was 0.40 g / 100 kcal (nutrition composition). Therefore, it can be seen that good emulsification stability can be obtained even when the total amount of these two types of organic acid monoglycerides is changed. In other words, for example, the total amount may be between 0.27 g / 100 kcal and 0.40 g / 100 kcal.

[0133] <Experiment 4> The emulsion was obtained using the same manufacturing method as in Experiment 1, except that the emulsifier composition shown in Table 4 below was adopted. The emulsion was filled into 100 ml retort pouches in the same manner as in Experiment 1, sealed, and retort sterilized at 130°C for 3 minutes using a retort sterilizer to produce liquid nutritional compositions. Hereinafter, the liquid nutritional compositions produced using the emulsifiers of Example 12 and Example 13 will also be referred to as "Nutritional Composition of Example 12" and "Nutritional Composition of Example 13," respectively.

[0134] [Table 4]

[0135] The emulsification stability of the nutritional compositions in Examples 12 and 13 was evaluated. This evaluation was performed by visually assessing the state of the nutritional compositions after storage in a constant temperature incubator at 37°C for one month following retort sterilization. The evaluation criteria were as described in Experiment 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 4 above.

[0136] As shown in Table 4 above, both nutritional compositions in Example 12 and Example 13 remained well emulsified even after being stored for one month after retort sterilization. These results indicate that good emulsification stability can be obtained even when the total amount of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is varied, provided that the combined mass ratio of these two components is 3:1. For example, it was confirmed that the total amount can range from 0.27 g / 100 kcal to 0.40 g / 100 kcal.

[0137] <Experiment 5> The emulsion was obtained using the same manufacturing method as in Experiment 1, except that the emulsifier composition shown in Table 5 below was adopted. The emulsion was filled into 100 ml retort pouches in the same manner as in Experiment 1, sealed, and retort sterilized at 130°C for 3 minutes using a retort sterilizer to produce liquid nutritional compositions. Hereinafter, the liquid nutritional compositions produced using the emulsifiers of Examples 14 to 19 will also be referred to as "Nutritional Composition of Example 14" to "Nutritional Composition of Example 19," respectively.

[0138] [Table 5]

[0139] The emulsification stability of the nutritional compositions in Examples 14-19 was evaluated. This evaluation was performed by visually assessing the state of the nutritional compositions after storage in a constant temperature incubator at 37°C for one month following retort sterilization. The evaluation criteria were as described in Experiment 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 5 above.

[0140] As shown in Table 5 above, all of the nutritional compositions in Examples 14 to 19 remained well emulsified even after being stored for one month after retort sterilization. Furthermore, the nutritional compositions in Examples 15 to 17 emulsified even better than those in Examples 14, 18, and 19. These results indicate that good emulsion stability can be obtained even when the total amount of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is varied, provided the blending ratio is 2:1. For example, it was confirmed that the total amount can range from 0.32 g / 100 kcal to 0.76 g / 100 kcal. Furthermore, these results indicate that particularly good emulsification stability can be obtained when the total amount of succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is between 0.40 g / 100 kcal and 0.55 g / 100 kcal.

[0141] <Experiment 6> In Experiment 1 above, protein hydrolysates (casein hydrolysate and whey protein hydrolysate) were used as protein components. In Experiment 6, the emulsification stability when using proteins (casein, whey protein, and soy protein) as protein components was investigated. The nutritional composition was prepared using the following raw material formulation per 100 ml: 2.5 g of concentrated micellar casein (manufactured by Mirai Co., Ltd., casein content 71%, whey protein content 8%), 2.0 g of sodium caseinate (manufactured by Tatsua Co., Ltd., casein content 91%), 0.23 g of powdered soy protein (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., soy protein content 86%), 21 g of dextrin (manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., standard 67°Bx), citric acid, trisodium citrate, sodium chloride, potassium carbonate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, and magnesium carbonate were added to 60°C water and mixed. To this, 2.9 g of vegetable oil and emulsifiers in the formulations shown in Table 1 were further added and stirred. Subsequently, a high-pressure homogenizer (manufactured by APV Co., Ltd.) was used to mix under a pressure of 50 MPa. The mixture was homogenized. After homogenization, the resulting emulsion (also called prepared emulsion) was filled into 100 ml retort pouches (manufactured by Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd.), sealed, and retort sterilized at 130°C for 3 minutes using a retort sterilizer (manufactured by Hisaka Works Co., Ltd.) to produce liquid nutritional compositions. Hereinafter, the liquid nutritional compositions produced using the emulsifiers of Examples 20 to 30 will also be referred to as "Nutritional Composition of Example 20" to "Nutritional Composition of Example 30," respectively. The energy content (per 100 ml of nutritional composition) of these manufactured nutritional compositions is shown in Table 6. The protein content was 4.0 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition), the lipid content was 3.3 g to 4.5 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition), the sugar content was 13.7 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition), and the water content was 85 to 86 g (per 100 kcal of nutritional composition).

[0142] [Table 6]

[0143] The emulsification stability of the nutritional compositions in Examples 20-30 was evaluated. This evaluation was performed by visually assessing the state of the nutritional compositions after storage in a constant temperature incubator at 37°C for one month following retort sterilization. The evaluation criteria were as described in Experiment 1. The evaluation results are shown in Table 6 above.

[0144] As shown in Table 5 above, the nutritional compositions of Examples 22-30 remained well emulsified even after being stored for one month after retort sterilization. Furthermore, the nutritional compositions of Examples 26-30 emulsified even better than those of the other examples. These results indicate that even when protein is used instead of protein hydrolysates, the emulsification stability improvement effect according to this technology is achieved. Furthermore, it can be seen that a total amount of organic acid monoglycerides between 0.040g and 1.1g / 100cal exhibits an excellent emulsification stability improvement effect. Moreover, it can be seen that a total amount of organic acid monoglycerides between 0.39g and 1.1g / 100cal yields a particularly excellent emulsification stability improvement effect.

Claims

1. It contains protein components, lipids, and organic acid monoglycerides. The aforementioned organic acid monoglycerides include succinic acid monoglyceride and diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride. The mass ratio of succinic acid monoglyceride to diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is 2.5:1 to 1.5:

1. A nutritional composition having a pH of 6.0 to 8.0 at 20°C.

2. The nutritional composition according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of the organic acid monoglycerides per 100 kcal of the composition is 0.005 g or more and 2.0 g or less.

3. The nutritional composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protein component comprises milk protein, a hydrolyzed milk protein, or both milk protein and a hydrolyzed milk protein.

4. The nutritional composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protein component comprises casein hydrolysate and whey protein hydrolysate.

5. The nutritional composition according to claim 4, wherein the ratio of the mass content of the casein hydrolysate and the whey protein hydrolysate is 1:9 to 9:

1.

6. The nutritional composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the content of the protein component is 1 g or more and 15 g or less per 100 kcal of the nutritional composition.

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