Flaxseed-containing composition and method for producing the same
A flaxseed composition with crushed coconut and uncured vegetable oil maintains flaxseed paste integrity and flavor, addressing separation issues and promoting health benefits.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2021-10-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-31
AI Technical Summary
Flaxseed pastes separate into solid and oil components over time, becoming hard lumps that are difficult to handle, and existing additives like long-chain saturated fatty acids and viscous sugar solutions compromise health benefits or flavor.
A composition comprising crushed coconut, uncured vegetable oil, and crushed flaxseed in specific ratios, which prevents separation and improves flavor and handling after long-term storage.
The composition allows easy handling of flaxseed pastes by preventing lump formation and enhancing flavor, while providing health benefits from dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Smart Images

Figure 0007837692000001 
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a flaxseed-containing composition and a method for producing the same.
Background Art
[0002] In addition to α-linolenic acid, flaxseeds (flax seeds) contain health functional components such as lignans and dietary fiber, and it is desired to effectively utilize these. However, since the polyunsaturated fatty acid (α-linolenic acid), which is a constituent component, is easily oxidized even in the state of grain, the taste and odor deteriorate over time. Since flaxseeds are covered with a hard shell, the yield of grinding process is poor and a by-product mainly composed of the hard shell is obtained. Also, due to the poor yield of the grinding process, it is difficult to sufficiently obtain the above-mentioned health functional components. In order to solve such problems, a flaxseed paste produced by mixing flaxseeds and oil and atomizing them has been proposed. The flaxseed paste produced by mixing flaxseeds and oil and atomizing them does not separate into solid components and oil components even when left standing for about 10 days. However, when left standing for a long time, it separates into solid components and oil components, and it is necessary to loosen the solid components and oil components before use. In particular, when left standing for 30 days or more, the solid components become hard lumps, which are extremely difficult to knead by hand and are not user-friendly, so it could not be widely popularized. As a method for solving such problems, a method of preventing separation by adding a fat with a high melting point containing long-chain saturated fatty acids such as palmitic acid and stearic acid, a viscous sugar solution, an aqueous solution, or water has been proposed.
[0003] Fats containing long-chain saturated fatty acids such as palmitic acid and stearic acid include lard, butter, shortening, and margarine. However, from a health perspective, incorporating fats containing long-chain saturated fatty acids presents a problem in that it is difficult to adequately promote their functional benefits. Furthermore, shortening and margarine are manufactured by hydrogenating vegetable oils containing unsaturated fatty acids, but because they are hydrogenated oils that contain a large amount of saturated fatty acids, they are not favored by some consumers. The inclusion of viscous sugar solutions does not adequately promote the low-sugar content as a health benefit. When adding aqueous solutions or water, the inclusion of alcohol or preservatives to prevent spoilage by microorganisms poses health risks. Furthermore, the use of salt and organic acids is limited in terms of quantity and application due to taste considerations.
[0004] It is known that sesame paste (sesame paste), produced by grinding roasted sesame seeds in a stone mill or roller-type grinder, also separates into solid and oil components when stored for a long period, with complete separation occurring after about two months, leaving a hard lump of solids. To solve this problem, Patent Document 1 discloses adding ethanol to sesame paste, Patent Document 2 discloses adding hydrogenated oil or shortening to the ground sesame paste, and Patent Document 3 discloses adding polysaccharides to sesame paste. Furthermore, Patent Document 4 discloses that the separation of solids and oil components in black sesame paste can be suppressed by micronizing the solids so that more than 50% of the solid components have a particle size of 0.01 to 20 μm. However, since flaxseed is harder than sesame, it is difficult to say that the above methods for sesame paste can be applied to flaxseed paste. Methods that incorporate hydrogenated oil or shortening, which are fats containing long-chain saturated fatty acids such as palmitic acid and stearic acid, which have high melting points, have the problem of not being able to adequately appeal the functional effects from a health perspective. As a solution, separation can be prevented by adding a viscous sugar solution to the flaxseed paste (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-184632) (Patent Document 5). However, the inclusion of a viscous sugar solution presents a problem in that it cannot adequately promote the low-carbohydrate aspect as a health benefit.
[0005] There is a flaxseed paste composition and a food product containing it, which is made by adding water or an aqueous solution to a flaxseed paste consisting of ground flaxseed and edible oil, and which does not separate solid and oil components even after long-term storage (Patent Document 6). However, when an aqueous solution or water is added, the addition of alcohol or preservatives to prevent spoilage by microorganisms poses health problems. Furthermore, products containing salt or organic acids have the problem of limiting the amount and use that can be used from a taste perspective. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]
[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-25658 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-204568 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 114176 / 1983 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-220276 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-22427 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-171221 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0007] The objective is to solve the problem of flaxseed paste, which is produced by mixing flaxseed and oil and micronizing it, becoming hard lumpy and extremely difficult to break apart by hand when stored for a long period of time (improvement of the solidified state after long-term storage), and to provide a flaxseed-containing composition that further contains materials that improve the flavor of flaxseed and have health functional effects themselves. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] The present inventors have found that they can provide a novel flaxseed-containing composition comprising crushed coconut, unhardened vegetable oil, and crushed flaxseed, wherein the composition contains 3 to 33% by mass of crushed coconut, 3 to 27% by mass of unhardened vegetable oil, and the remainder being crushed flaxseed, which solves the problem of flaxseed paste, produced by mixing and micronizing flaxseed and oil using the aforementioned flaxseed-containing composition, becoming hard lumpy and extremely difficult to break apart by hand when stored for a long period of time, and also improve the flavor of flaxseed, thus completing the present invention.
[0009] In other words, the present invention is as follows. [1] A flaxseed-containing composition comprising crushed coconut, uncured vegetable oil, and crushed flaxseed, wherein the flaxseed-containing composition contains 3 to 33% by mass of crushed coconut, 3 to 27% by mass of uncured vegetable oil, and the remainder being crushed flaxseed. [2] A method for producing the linseed-containing composition described in [1], comprising the step of grinding linseed in the presence of uncured vegetable oil to obtain a linseed powder. Food containing the flaxseed-containing composition described in [3][1]. A method for producing food, comprising the step of adding the flaxseed-containing composition described in [4][1] to a food ingredient. [Effects of the Invention]
[0010] According to the present invention, even if the solid content of a flaxseed paste produced by mixing flaxseed and oil and micronizing it becomes lumpy after long-term storage, it can be easily broken up by hand and homogenized, improving the solidified state after long-term storage. Furthermore, the flavor of the flaxseed can be improved. As a result, it is possible to easily manufacture foods using the flaxseed-containing composition as, for example, spreads, fillings, and kneaded oils in bakery products, as well as liquid or paste-like foods such as dressings, mayonnaise, dips, sauces, and soups for noodles and hot pot dishes. Moreover, because the flaxseed-containing composition of the present invention contains a large amount of dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acids and medium-chain fatty acids, which are low in carbohydrates and have high health benefits, many health benefits can be expected, such as improvement of the intestinal environment and reduction of cholesterol. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0011] The flaxseed-containing composition of the present invention consists of crushed coconut, uncured vegetable oil, and crushed flaxseed.
[0012] Flaxseed is the seed (kernel) of the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum), a member of the Linaceae family, which is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe. It is known in English as Flax Seed and its scientific name is Linum usitatissimum. In this invention, linseed can be used as a raw material regardless of its origin or variety, whether domestic or imported. Untreated, dried, moist heat treated, or dry heat treated flaxseeds that maintain their seed shape can be used. Roasted flaxseeds are preferred because roasting allows for the acquisition of flavor and aroma similar to sesame seeds. Roasting can be carried out, for example, by heating at 100-400°C for 30 seconds to 120 minutes.
[0013] In this invention, coconut can be used as a raw material regardless of its origin or variety, and at least one of either desiccated coconut or toasted coconut is used. Desiccated coconut refers to coconut endosperm that has been dried in a dryer and cut into strips or powder. Toasted coconut refers to desiccated coconut that has been lightly roasted in a roasting machine or the like. The particle size of the coconut is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of ease of grinding, finer is preferable, and the particle size of the desiccated coconut is preferably extra fine, having passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 0.84 mm.
[0014] In the present invention, the uncured vegetable oil is not particularly limited as long as it is a vegetable oil extracted from plant seeds that has not undergone a curing treatment in which unsaturated fatty acids are reacted with saturated fatty acids by hydrogenation. Uncured vegetable oils are preferably those containing polyunsaturated fatty acids and medium-chain fatty acids as functional fatty acids. Specifically, preferred examples include linseed oil, coconut oil, perilla oil, palm kernel oil, rice bran oil, olive oil, sesame oil, and canola oil, with linseed oil and coconut oil being more preferred.
[0015] The flaxseed-containing composition of the present invention contains 3 to 33% by mass of crushed coconut and 3 to 27% by mass of uncured vegetable oil, with the remainder being crushed flaxseed, based on the total amount of the flaxseed-containing composition. Preferably, the composition contains 8 to 22% by mass of crushed coconut and 8 to 22% by mass of uncured vegetable oil, with the remainder being crushed flaxseed, based on the total amount of the flaxseed-containing composition. When the coconut powder, unhardened vegetable oil, and linseed powder are within the range specified in this application, the solidification state of the linseed-containing composition after long-term storage can be improved, and the flavor from the linseed can be improved. Improvement in the consolidation state and flavor is thought to involve the balance of the amounts of coconut ground product, non-hardened vegetable oil, and flaxseed ground product. However, when the content of coconut ground product exceeds 33% by mass based on the total amount of the flaxseed-containing composition, the coconut flavor tends to become strong, and when it is less than 3% by mass, the effect of improving the consolidation state and flavor after long-term storage tends to decrease. Also, when the content of non-hardened vegetable oil exceeds 27% by mass based on the total amount of the flaxseed-containing composition, solid content separation progresses after long-term storage and the consolidation state tends to deteriorate. When it is less than 3% by mass, the production efficiency of the flaxseed-containing composition decreases, and the oxidation odor of the flaxseed ground product tends to become strong.
[0016] The method for producing the flaxseed-containing composition of the present invention includes a step of pulverizing flaxseed in the presence of non-hardened vegetable oil to obtain a flaxseed ground product. By pulverizing flaxseed in the presence of non-hardened vegetable oil, the oxidation odor of the flaxseed ground product can be suppressed. In the method for producing the flaxseed-containing composition of the present invention, as long as it includes a step of pulverizing flaxseed in the presence of non-hardened vegetable oil to obtain a flaxseed ground product, the order of mixing and pulverizing the raw materials, namely coconut, non-hardened vegetable oil, and flaxseed, is not limited. For example, flaxseed and non-hardened vegetable oil may be mixed and pulverized, and then coconut may be added and mixed and pulverized. All of flaxseed, vegetable oil, and coconut may be mixed and then pulverized. Also, coconut may be pulverized first, and then the flaxseed ground product and non-hardened vegetable oil may be added thereto, mixed, and then pulverized.
[0017] In the present invention, the pulverization is preferably wet pulverization. Here, wet pulverization means a method of pulverizing an object in a liquid such as water or oil. Examples of such treatment include wet pulverization methods such as a grindstone type (abrasive wheel type), cutting blade type, barrel pounding type, medium stirring type, compression type, impact type, and crushing type, and combinations thereof. Preferably, it is a grindstone type wet pulverization method or a cutting blade type wet pulverization method, and most preferably a grindstone type wet pulverization method.
[0018] The grinding conditions can be changed as needed. For example, a cutter mixer used in a cutting-blade wet grinding method can be used for processing at a rotation speed of 300 to 3500 rpm and a processing time of 2 to 20 minutes. This setting can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the desired texture and viscosity of the flaxseed-containing composition, but as a guideline for the degree of grinding, it is preferable to grind until the average particle size of the solid components of the flaxseed powder and coconut powder in the flaxseed-containing composition is 200 μm or less.
[0019] The mass ratio of linseed to uncured vegetable oil in the paste-forming process is not particularly limited, but it is preferably 60:40 to 95:5, and more preferably 70:30 to 85:15. If the amount of linseed is less than the mass ratio of linseed to uncured vegetable oil of 60:40, solid-liquid separation is more likely to occur and solidification will progress. If the amount of linseed is more than the mass ratio of linseed to uncured vegetable oil of 95:5, the efficiency of paste-forming tends to decrease.
[0020] The flaxseed-containing composition of the present invention can be added to a variety of foods. Such foods include, but are not limited to, dressings, mayonnaise, dips, sauces, soups for noodles and hot pot dishes, creams for bakery products, fillings such as flour paste, liquid or paste-like foods such as spreads, and kneading into bread dough, cookie dough, cake dough, tempura flour, batter for frying, okonomiyaki dough, and takoyaki dough. [Examples]
[0021] Examples are shown below to illustrate the present invention in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.
[0022] Manufacturing Example: Production of a flaxseed-containing composition (1) The flaxseed was roasted for 10-15 minutes at a temperature of 150-200°C to obtain roasted flaxseed. (2) Roasted flaxseed and vegetable oil were placed in a container in the mass ratio shown in Table 1 (totaling approximately 1 kg), and mixed thoroughly with a spatula until the contents were well combined. (3) A mixture of roasted flaxseed and vegetable oil was placed in a cutter mixer (made by Stefan) and ground at a rotation speed of 3000 rpm for 5 minutes to obtain a flaxseed paste containing ground flaxseed. Further, desiccated coconut (extra fine) was placed in the cutter mixer (made by Stefan) and ground at a rotation speed of 3000 rpm for 4 minutes to obtain a flaxseed-containing composition containing ground coconut.
[0023] Test example: Proportions of roasted flaxseed, vegetable oil, and coconut, and the dispersibility of flaxseed-containing compositions. Roasted flaxseed, vegetable oil, and coconut were prepared in the quantities listed in Table 1, and a flaxseed-containing composition was prepared according to the manufacturing example. Flaxseed oil (manufactured by Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd.) was used as the vegetable oil. The flaxseed-containing composition was divided into 300g portions in transparent plastic bags, deaerated and sealed, and then stored at 20°C and 30°C. After 30 days from the start of storage, the paste was observed to check for separation into solid and oil components, and all samples had separated into solid and oil components. Compared to the samples stored at 20°C, the samples stored at 30°C were more difficult to break down by kneading. Therefore, only the samples stored at 30°C were broken down and redispersed by hand by 10 panelists, and the solidification state was evaluated according to the evaluation criteria table, along with a sensory evaluation of the flavor. The results are shown in Table 1. A sample with an evaluation score of 3 or higher in all three evaluation items was given an overall rating of ○.
[0024] Evaluation Criteria Table TIFF0007837692000001.tif99146
[0025] Table 1-1 TIFF0007837692000002.tif88139
[0026] Table 1-2 TIFF0007837692000003.tif88159
[0027] Table 1-3 TIFF0007837692000004.tif83138
[0028] In the flaxseed-containing compositions of Examples 1 to 13, which contained 3 to 33% by mass of crushed coconut, 3 to 27% by mass of uncured vegetable oil, and the remainder being crushed flaxseed, all evaluation scores were 3 or higher, demonstrating their effectiveness.
Claims
1. A flaxseed-containing composition comprising crushed coconut, uncured vegetable oil, and crushed flaxseed, wherein the flaxseed-containing composition contains 3 to 33% by mass of crushed coconut and 3 to 27% by mass of the uncured vegetable oil, with the remainder being crushed flaxseed, the crushed coconut consisting of solids and oils derived from coconut before crushing, and the crushed flaxseed consisting of solids and oils derived from flaxseed before crushing, and the average particle size of the solids in the crushed coconut and the crushed flaxseed is 200 μm or less.
2. A method for producing a linseed-containing composition according to claim 1, comprising the step of grinding linseed in the presence of uncured vegetable oil to obtain a linseed powder.
3. A food product comprising the flaxseed-containing composition described in claim 1.
4. A method for producing food, comprising the step of adding the flaxseed-containing composition described in claim 1 to a food ingredient.
5. A flaxseed-containing composition comprising crushed coconut, uncured vegetable oil, and crushed flaxseed, wherein the flaxseed-containing composition contains 3 to 33% by mass of crushed coconut, 3 to 27% by mass of the uncured vegetable oil, and the remainder is crushed flaxseed, the crushed coconut consists of solids and oils derived from coconut before crushing, and the crushed flaxseed consists of solids and oils derived from flaxseed before crushing, and a method for producing the flaxseed-containing composition, The process includes crushing linseed and coconut in the presence of the uncured vegetable oil to obtain the linseed-containing composition, The manufacturing method involves grinding flaxseed and coconut using a cutting-blade wet grinding method, with a cutter mixer at a rotation speed of 300 to 3500 rpm and a processing time of 2 to 20 minutes.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
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