Cold water soluble creaming powder

Abstract

To provide creaming powder that can be easily dissolved in cold water.SOLUTION: Cold water-soluble creaming powder is provided, where at least a part of a surface of the creaming powder is coated with a composition containing edible oil and fat, and the composition has an amount of removed oil per 6 cm2 of quantitative filter paper of 0.02 g or less. The amount of removed oil is measured by the following steps (1)-(4): (1) heating and melting the composition at 70°C followed by keeping it still at 40°C for 3 hours or more to cause it to gelatinize; (2) placing a quantitative filter paper on a top face of gel thus obtained after the step (1) to let it adhere to the gel; (3) keeping still the gel with the quantitative filter paper adhering to it at 40°C for 1 hour after the step (2); and (4) peeling the quantitative filter paper from the gel after the step (3), and measuring an increase in a weight of the quantitative filter paper as the amount of removed oil of the composition.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a creaming powder that can be easily dissolved in cold water. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, dairy products such as raw milk, cream, cream cheese, and butter are used to impart a milky flavor and texture. However, these ingredients are expensive, which limits the amount that can be used. To solve this problem, a common method is to replace some or all of the milk fat with vegetable oil. By using vegetable oil instead of milk fat, it becomes possible to manufacture milky-flavored foods and beverages at a lower cost. For example, as a substitute for cream added to beverages such as coffee and tea, there are oil-in-water emulsions containing vegetable oil, milk proteins such as casein protein, and powdered base materials, as well as creaming powders made by drying these emulsions.

[0003] However, creaming powders are high in oil and have poor wettability and dispersibility in water. Therefore, when dispersed in water, the powder tends to float on the water surface without wetting or settling, and clumps easily even when stirred. Several solutions have been proposed to improve this water dispersibility. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a creaming powder in which at least a portion of the particle surface is coated with mono and / or di-medium-chain fatty acid glycerides composed of fatty acids with 6 to 10 carbon atoms, thereby improving solubility in water at temperatures below 20°C.

[0004] Furthermore, cocoa powder, which has a high fat content, is an example of a powder with poor dispersibility in water. When cocoa powder is dispersed in water to produce cocoa beverages, it tends to clump together. As a method to improve the dispersibility of cocoa powder in water, for example, a method of blending cocoa powder with diglycerin mono fatty acid ester and oil (Patent Document 2), or a method of coating cocoa powder with an oil composition containing medium-chain triglyceride (MCT), diglycerin fatty acid ester, and propylene glycol di fatty acid ester having a viscosity of 25.0 millipascal seconds or less at 20°C (Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 7-10214 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-275905 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-168366 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The instant creaming powder coated with mono and / or di-medium-chain fatty acid glycerides described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that, although its solubility at low temperatures can be improved, its characteristic flavor is affected. Furthermore, while the methods described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 improve the dispersion stability of cocoa powder in hot water, there is still room for improvement in its dispersibility in cold water.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a creaming powder that has good solubility in cold water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of diligent research to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention discovered that solubility in cold water can be improved by coating at least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder with an oleogel that has good oil retention properties, and thus completed the present invention.

[0009] [1] A cold water-soluble creaming powder according to a first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that at least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder is coated with a composition containing edible oil and fat and an oleogelating agent, wherein the oleogelating agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of polyglycerin fatty acid esters and decaglycerin behenate esters, and the composition is measured on a 6cm quantitative filter paper. 2 The amount of oil released per unit is 0.02 g or less, and the quantitative filter paper is made from cellulose fibers with an α-cellulose content of 90% or more, with an ash content reduced to about 0.01%, a filtration time of 120 to 140 seconds, a water absorption rate of 7.0 to 8.0 cm, and a thickness of 0.20 to 0.25 mm, and is ADVANTEC quantitative filter paper No. 3 (product name, manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.), and the amount of oil released is measured by the following (1) to (4). (1) A step of heating and melting the composition at 70°C, and then letting it stand at 40°C for 3 hours or more to gel it, (2) After step (1) above, a step of placing quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the obtained gel and making it adhere to it, (3) After step (2) above, the gel with the quantitative filter paper in contact with it is left to stand at 40°C for 1 hour. (4) After step (3), peel the quantitative filter paper from the gel and measure the increase in the weight of the quantitative filter paper as the amount of oil released from the composition. [2] A cold water soluble creaming powder according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that at least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder is coated with a composition containing an edible oil and fat and an oleogelling agent, wherein the oleogelling agent is candelilla wax, and the composition is measured on a 6cm quantitative filter paper. 2The amount of oil released per unit is 0.013 g or less, and the quantitative filter paper is made from cellulose fibers with an α-cellulose content of 90% or more, with an ash content reduced to about 0.01%, a filtration time of 120 to 140 seconds, a water absorption of 7.0 to 8.0 cm, and a thickness of 0.20 to 0.25 mm, and is ADVANTEC quantitative filter paper No. 3 (product name, manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.), and the amount of oil released is measured by the following (1) to (4). (1) A step of heating and melting the composition at 70°C, and then letting it stand at 40°C for 3 hours or more to gel it, (2) After step (1) above, a step of placing quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the obtained gel and making it adhere to it, (3) After step (2) above, the gel with the quantitative filter paper in contact with it is left to stand at 40°C for 1 hour. (4) After step (3), peel the quantitative filter paper from the gel and measure the increase in the weight of the quantitative filter paper as the amount of oil released from the composition. [3] A cold water soluble creaming powder according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that at least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder is coated with a composition containing edible oil and fat and an oleogelling agent, wherein the oleogelling agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of sunflower wax and carnauba wax, and the composition is measured on a 6cm quantitative filter paper. 2 The amount of oil released per unit is 0.004 g or less, and the quantitative filter paper is made from cellulose fibers with an α-cellulose content of 90% or more, with an ash content reduced to about 0.01%, a filtration time of 120 to 140 seconds, a water absorption rate of 7.0 to 8.0 cm, and a thickness of 0.20 to 0.25 mm, and is ADVANTEC quantitative filter paper No. 3 (product name, manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.), and the amount of oil released is measured by the following (1) to (4). (1) A step of heating and melting the composition at 70°C, and then letting it stand at 40°C for 3 hours or more to gel it, (2) After step (1) above, a step of placing quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the obtained gel and making it adhere to it, (3) After step (2) above, the gel with the quantitative filter paper in contact with it is left to stand at 40°C for 1 hour. (4) After the step (3), the quantitative filter paper is peeled off from the gel, and the increase in the weight of the quantitative filter paper is measured as the oil separation amount of the composition. [4] In any of the cold water-soluble creaming powders of [1] to [3] above, it is preferable that the content of the oleogelator with respect to the total amount of the composition is 20% by mass or less. [5] In any of the cold water-soluble creaming powders of [1] to [4] above, it is preferable that the composition further contains an emulsifier. [6] In the cold water-soluble creaming powder of [5] above, it is preferable that the emulsifier is diglycerin monooleate. [7] In any of the cold water-soluble creaming powders of [1] to [6] above, it is preferable that the edible oil and fat is medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride. [Effect of the Invention]

[0010] The cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention has at least a part of its surface coated with an oleogel having good oil retention property, so it has high solubility in water, especially cold water. Therefore, this cold water-soluble creaming powder is easily dissolved even when the liquid such as water or milk is at a low temperature, and is particularly preferably used for beverages prepared at a low temperature. [Embodiment for Carrying out the Invention]

[0011] In the present invention and this specification, "cold water" means water at 10°C or lower. Also, when the powder is "cold water-soluble", it means that when the powder is put into cold water and stirred with a spoon or the like, a sufficient amount of the powder dissolves. That is, the cold water-soluble powder is a powder that can be dissolved only by stirring with a spoon or the like even when the solvent for dissolution is cold water. The "cold water solubility performance" of the powder is examined by the method described in the following examples.

[0012] In the present invention and the specification of the present application, "powder" means a granular material (composed of many solid particles with different size distributions, and there is some interaction between individual particles). Further, "granule" is an aggregate of particles (granular granulates) granulated from powder. Powder includes granules.

[0013] In the present invention and the specification of the present application, the oil retention property of a composition containing an edible oil is evaluated using the amount of oil separated from an oleogel obtained by solidifying the composition as an index. A composition that forms an oleogel with a large amount of oil separation is evaluated as having a low oil retention property. A composition that forms an oleogel with a small amount of oil separation is evaluated as having a high (good) oil retention property.

[0014] <Method for Measuring the Amount of Oil Separated from Oleogel> In the present invention and the specification of the present application, the amount of oil separated from an oleogel is measured by the following steps (1) to (4). (1) A step of heating and melting the composition at 70°C and then allowing it to stand at 40°C for 3 hours or more to gel. (2) A step of placing a quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the gel obtained after the step (1) and making it adhere. (3) A step of allowing the gel with the quantitative filter paper adhered to stand at 40°C for 1 hour after the step (2). (4) A step of peeling the quantitative filter paper from the gel after the step (3) and measuring the increase in the weight of the quantitative filter paper as the amount of oil separated from the composition.

[0015] The quantitative filter paper is prepared from cellulose fibers with an α-cellulose content of 90% or more and has an ash content reduced to about 0.01%. As the quantitative filter paper used in the method for measuring the amount of oil separated, the water filtration time is 120 to 140 seconds, the water absorption degree is 7.0 to 8.0 cm, and the thickness is 0.20 to 0.25 mm. The water filtration time is defined in JIS P 3801 [Filter Paper (for Chemical Analysis)], and using a Hertzberg filtration rate tester, 10 cm 2The filter paper is used to filter 100 mL of distilled water at 20°C under a pressure of 0.98 kPa. The water absorption rate is the height of the water that rises in 10 minutes when a long, narrow filter paper is placed upright in 20°C water. In the method for measuring the amount of oil released, ADVANTEC quantitative filter paper No. 3 (manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.) is preferably used.

[0016] In step (2) above, the method for adhering the quantitative filter paper to the top surface of the gel is not particularly limited. For example, the quantitative filter paper can be made to adhere to the gel by laying the quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the gel and placing a weight on top of it that is not heavy enough to deform the gel. As for the weight to be used, for example, a 50g OIML cylindrical weight can be used for a 15 x 40 mm quantitative filter paper. The weight placed on the quantitative filter paper in step (2) above is removed before performing step (3).

[0017] <Cold water soluble creaming powder> The cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention has at least a portion of its surface coated with a composition containing edible oils and fats and having good oil retention properties (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "coating composition"). When oil seeps out from the surface of the creaming powder, the wettability and dispersibility of the creaming powder in water decreases. In the present invention, an oil-containing composition with good oil retention properties is used as the coating composition, and by coating the surface of the creaming powder with this composition, the seepage of oil from the surface of the creaming powder is suppressed, and the solubility in water, especially cold water, is improved.

[0018] The coating composition for coating at least a portion of the surface of the cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention is a composition containing edible oils and fats, and is measured on a 6cm quantitative filter paper. 2 The amount of oil released per unit is 0.02g or less (hereinafter simply referred to as "0.02g / 6cm") 2 It is sometimes expressed as ". The oil release amount of the coating composition is 0.02 g / 6 cm 2Since it is a very small amount as described below, the creaming powder coated with the coating composition has little oil exudation from the particle surface, and the wettability of the particle surface is maintained well. As a result, the creaming powder has good cold water solubility and can be easily dissolved in water or milk at 10°C or lower, for example, just by gently stirring with a spoon or the like.

[0019] Also, generally, powders with a high oil content such as creaming powder have poor fluidity due to the oil exuded on the particle surface. For this reason, there is a problem that the productivity is low, such as adhering to the pipe wall or the like in the manufacturing line of the factory. In contrast, the cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention has good fluidity because the exudation of oil onto the particle surface is suppressed.

[0020] The coating composition used in the present invention contains edible oil and fat, and the oil separation amount is 0.02 g / 6 cm 2 If it is below, it is not particularly limited. As such a composition having a small oil separation amount and containing edible oil and fat, in addition to edible oil and fat, it contains an oleogelator and forms an oleogel on the particle surface of the creaming powder. Since the coating composition forms an oleogel, the exudation of oil from the coating composition on the particle surface of the creaming powder is suppressed.

[0021] As the oleogelator contained in the coating composition, the oil separation amount of the coating composition itself is 0.02 g / 6 cm 2The oleogelating agent used is not particularly limited, as long as it can be adjusted as described below, and can be appropriately selected from among edible oleogelating agents. Examples of oleogelating agents include polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, long-chain fatty acids, waxes, emulsifiers, shellac, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and plant sterols. The oleogelating agent contained in the coating composition may be one type or two or more types in combination. In the present invention, one or more oleogelating agents selected from the group consisting of polyglycerin fatty acid esters and waxes are preferred, and one or more selected from the group consisting of polyglycerin fatty acid esters, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and sunflower wax are more preferred.

[0022] Polyglycerol fatty acid esters are obtained by dehydrating polyglycerol, and some or all of the hydroxyl groups of polyglycerol are esterified with one or more fatty acids. The polyglycerol fatty acid ester used as an oleogel agent may be a single type or a combination of two or more types.

[0023] The average degree of polymerization of the polyglycerin fatty acid ester used as an oleogelating agent is preferably 1.5 to 20, more preferably 2 to 15, and even more preferably 2 to 12. The "average degree of polymerization of polyglycerin" in polyglycerin fatty acid ester refers to the average value of the degree of polymerization of the polyglycerin constituting the polyglycerin fatty acid ester. The degree of polymerization of polyglycerin shall be calculated based on the hydroxyl value of polyglycerin. The hydroxyl value of polyglycerin shall be measured in accordance with the Japanese Industrial Standard JIS K 0070:1992.

[0024] The constituent fatty acids of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester used as an oleogelating agent are not particularly limited and may be, for example, saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having 8 to 24 carbon atoms. The constituent fatty acids of the polyglycerol fatty acid ester may be one type or a combination of two or more types. For example, two or more fatty acids may be ester-bonded to one polyglycerol chain molecule.

[0025] Since the amount of oil released from the coating composition can be reduced with a smaller amount, the polyglycerin fatty acid ester to be included in the coating composition is preferably a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an average degree of polymerization of 2 to 12 and one or more saturated fatty acids having 8 to 24 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids; more preferably a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an average degree of polymerization of 2 to 12 and one or more saturated fatty acids having 16 to 24 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids; even more preferably a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an average degree of polymerization of 2 to 12 and one or more saturated fatty acids having 18 to 22 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids; and even more preferably a polyglycerin fatty acid ester having an average degree of polymerization of 2 to 12 and two or more constituent fatty acids selected from the group consisting of stearic acid, behenic acid, and arachidic acid.

[0026] The wax used as an oleogelating agent is not particularly limited as long as it is edible. Candelilla wax, carnauba wax, and sunflower wax are examples of waxes that can be included in the coating composition because they can reduce the amount of oil released from the coating composition with a smaller amount. These may be included in the coating composition individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0027] The amount of oleogelating agent to be included in the coating composition is 0.02 g / 6 cm, which corresponds to the oil separation amount of the coating composition. 2The amount is not particularly limited as long as it can be achieved as follows, and can be adjusted as appropriate considering the type of oleogelating agent used, the composition of components other than the oleogelating agent, etc. If the oleogelating agent content is high, the taste of the creaming powder may be affected by the taste of the oleogelating agent itself. For this reason, the content of the oleogelating agent relative to the total amount of the coating composition is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 5 to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 15% by mass.

[0028] The edible oils and fats to be included in the coating composition are not particularly limited and may be natural oils, processed oils, or synthetic oils. Examples of such edible oils include palm oil, hydrogenated palm oil, palm kernel oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, rapeseed oil (canola oil), corn oil, soybean oil, rice oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, and medium-chain triglycerides. Of these vegetable oils and fats, palm oil, hydrogenated palm oil, palm kernel oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, rapeseed oil, or medium-chain triglycerides (triglycerides in which fatty acids with 6 to 12 carbon atoms are ester-bonded to glycerol) are particularly preferred. Only one type of vegetable oil or two or more types may be used. Since a powder with higher cold water solubility can be obtained, the edible oil to be included in the coating composition is preferably an edible oil with a melting point of 50°C or lower, and more preferably an edible oil with a melting point of 45°C or lower. In particular, in the case of edible powders with a high lipid content, such as creaming powder, the edible oil included in the mixture that coats the surface of the powder particles is preferably medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides or edible oils containing them, and edible oils containing medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides at a concentration of 80% by mass or more of the total amount of oil are especially preferred.

[0029] To obtain a powder with higher cold water solubility, it is preferable to include diglycerin monooleate in the coating composition in addition to edible oil and fat and oleogelling agent. By coating at least a portion of the surface of the powder with a mixture of edible oil and fat and diglycerin monooleate, the wettability of the powder in water is increased, and its solubility in water is enhanced.

[0030] Since a sufficient cold water solubility improvement effect can be obtained, the proportion of diglycerin monooleate to the total amount of coating composition is preferably 30% by mass or more. Furthermore, since the effect on flavor is small, the proportion of diglycerin monooleate to the total amount of coating composition is more preferably 30 to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 30 to 80% by mass.

[0031] The method for preparing the coating composition is not particularly limited as long as it allows for the uniform inclusion of all components. For example, a uniform coating composition can be obtained by mixing edible oils and fats, an oleogelating agent, and other components such as diglycerin monooleate as needed, and then heating and stirring the mixture to 50-80°C as needed.

[0032] The cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention is manufactured by coating at least a portion of the particle surface of the creaming powder with a coating composition. The ratio of the coating composition to the total amount of creaming powder is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined considering the lipid content of the particles themselves, their solubility in water, particle size, etc. Since a sufficient cold water solubility improvement effect can be obtained and the impact on taste can be sufficiently minimized, the ratio of the coating composition to the total amount of creaming powder is preferably 0.6% by mass or more, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 1.2% by mass or more. Furthermore, since the impact on flavor is small, the ratio of the coating composition to the total amount of creaming powder is preferably 5.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 4.0% by mass or less.

[0033] The method for coating the particle surface of the creaming powder with a coating composition is not particularly limited. For example, the creaming powder and the coating composition may be mixed in small amounts, or the coating composition may be sprayed onto the creaming powder. The resulting cold water-soluble creaming powder may be subjected to classification, granulation, and pulverization as needed.

[0034] The creaming powder coated with the coating composition can be produced by selecting edible oils and fats such as coconut oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, palm oil, hydrogenated palm oil, palm kernel oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, milk fat, beef tallow, and lard; carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, and starch hydrolysates such as corn syrup; proteins such as sodium caseinate; milk raw materials such as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, and whey powder; and other raw materials such as disodium phosphate, sodium citrate, and emulsifiers, according to the desired quality characteristics, dispersing them in water, homogenizing them, and drying them. The creaming powder used as a raw material for the creaming powder according to the present invention preferably contains at least vegetable oils and fats, starch hydrolysates such as corn syrup, and milk proteins, and may also contain at least milk fat and milk proteins.

[0035] Creaming powder coated with a coating composition can be produced, for example, by mixing raw materials such as edible oils and fats in water, then using an emulsifier such as a high-pressure homogenizer to produce an oil-in-water emulsion (O / W emulsion), and finally removing the water. Any method can be selected to remove the water, including spray drying, spray freezing, freeze-drying, freeze-grinding, and extrusion granulation. The resulting creaming powder may be classified, granulated, and ground as needed.

[0036] <Powdered composition for instant beverages> The cold-water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention may be consumed by dissolving it alone in water or the like, or it may be mixed with other powders to form an instant beverage powder composition. By using the cold-water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention as a creaming powder in, for example, an instant café au lait beverage powder composition, an instant milk tea beverage powder composition, or an instant soup powder composition, it is possible to produce instant café au lait beverage powder compositions, etc., that can be easily dissolved even in cold water.

[0037] In the present invention and this specification, "instant beverage powder composition" means a powder composition that can be used to prepare a beverage by dissolving it in a liquid such as water or milk. For example, "instant coffee beverage powder composition" means a powder composition that can be used to prepare a coffee beverage by dissolving or diluting it in a liquid such as water or milk. Also, "instant soup powder composition" means a powder composition that can be used to prepare soup by dissolving or diluting it in a liquid such as water or milk.

[0038] The other powders are not particularly limited as long as they are generally included in instant beverage powder compositions, and can be appropriately selected and used depending on the quality of the beverage in question. Examples of such other powders include soluble solids in beverages, sweeteners, dairy ingredients, acidulants, flavorings, dietary fiber, minerals, excipients, binders, and flow improvers.

[0039] In the present invention and this specification, "refined beverage" means coffee; tea beverages such as black tea, green tea, matcha, and oolong tea; herbal tea, cocoa, or mixtures thereof. Examples of herbal tea ingredients include hibiscus, rosehip, peppermint, chamomile, lemongrass, lemon balm, and lavender.

[0040] The soluble solids in beverages are soluble solids extracted from beverage ingredients such as roasted coffee beans and tea leaves. Specific examples of powdered soluble solids include soluble coffee solids powder (instant coffee powder), soluble black tea solids powder (instant black tea powder, hereafter the same), instant green tea powder, instant oolong tea powder, instant herbal tea powder, and mixed powders of two or more of these.

[0041] The soluble solids in powdered beverages can be manufactured by conventional methods, or commercially available products may be used. For example, instant coffee powder is obtained by extracting the soluble solids from roasted coffee beans using hot water and drying the resulting extract. Similarly, powdered soluble solids in tea beverages are obtained by extracting the soluble solids from tea leaves such as black tea leaves, green tea leaves (raw tea leaves), and oolong tea leaves using hot water and drying the resulting extract. Instant herbal tea powder is obtained by extracting the soluble solids from herbal raw materials using hot water and drying the resulting extract. As raw materials for beverages, such as coffee beans and tea leaves, those commonly used in beverages can be used. Methods for drying the obtained extract include freeze-drying, spray-drying, and vacuum-drying. Furthermore, extracts from tea leaves and coffee beans may be concentrated before drying, if necessary. Such concentration can be carried out by commonly used concentration methods such as thermal concentration, cryogenic concentration, and membrane concentration using reverse osmosis membranes or ultrafiltration membranes.

[0042] Examples of sweeteners include sugars such as sucrose, oligosaccharides, and glucose-fructose syrup; sugar alcohols such as erythritol, trehalose, and sorbitol; high-intensity sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose; and stevia. The sugar used may be granulated sugar or powdered sugar.

[0043] Examples of dairy ingredients include whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, milk, low-fat milk, concentrated milk, skimmed concentrated milk, unsweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened skimmed condensed milk, sweetened skimmed condensed milk, lactose, fresh cream, butter, etc. Whole milk powder and skim milk powder are produced by removing moisture from milk (whole milk) or skim milk, respectively, and drying and powdering them using methods such as spray drying. Examples of acidulants include food additives such as citric acid, tartaric acid, and malic acid.

[0044] Examples of excipients and binders include starch hydrolysates such as dextrin, powdered syrup, and corn syrup; sugars such as maltose and trehalose; dietary fiber such as indigestible dextrin and xanthan gum; and proteins such as casein. Among these, dextrin, which is commonly used in instant coffee compositions, is preferred.

[0045] As a fluidity improver, fine silicon dioxide, tricalcium phosphate, etc., may be used. Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocopherol), BHT (dibutylhydroxytoluene), BHA (butylhydroxyanisole), sodium erythorbate, propyl gallate, sodium sulfite, sulfur dioxide, chlorogenic acid, and catechin.

[0046] Since the effects of the present invention are more pronounced when coated with a specific coating composition, it is particularly preferable that the powder composition for instant beverages containing the cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention contains a fluidity improver. Creaming powders in which the particle surface is coated with a liquid composition obtained by dissolving an emulsifier in water or edible oil to improve cold water solubility may lose their cold water solubility when stored mixed with a fluidity improver. This is because the fluidity improver is a hard, porous material and adsorbs the coating layer on the surface of the creaming powder, causing the cold water solubility improving effect of the coating layer to be lost. In contrast, the cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention is coated with a coating composition containing edible oil and fat and an oleogelling agent, and the coating layer formed on the particle surface is an oleogel. Therefore, the cold water-soluble creaming powder according to the present invention is less susceptible to adsorption and removal of the coating layer by the fluidity improver, and even when used in combination with a fluidity improver, it has the effect of not easily losing its cold water solubility. [Examples]

[0047] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "%" means "mass%".

[0048] <Measurement of oil separation amount> The amount of oil released from a composition containing edible oils and fats and an oleogelating agent was measured as follows. First, the test composition was heated and melted at 70°C. 10g was then placed in an aluminum cup ("Aluminum Cup with Handle No. 2," manufactured by AS ONE Corporation) and solidified in a 40°C incubator for at least 3 hours. A 15 x 40mm quantitative filter paper ("ADVANTEC Quantitative Filter Paper No. 3," manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.) was placed on top of the solidified gel, and a 50g weight was used to press down on the filter paper to ensure it adhered to the gel surface. The gel with the attached filter paper was then held in a 40°C incubator for 1 hour, after which the weight of the filter paper was measured. The increase in weight (g) from the weight of the filter paper before adhesion to the gel represents the oil absorbed by the filter paper after separating from the gel. From the measured increase, the weight of a 6cm piece of filter paper was calculated. 2 The amount of increase per unit was calculated and this was defined as the amount of oil removed.

[0049] <Coating with creaming powder> The creaming powder was coated with the coating composition as described below. The creaming powder used had the composition shown in Table 1.

[0050] [Table 1]

[0051] The surface of 200g of creaming powder was coated by adding and mixing a coating composition, melted at 70°C, under the following conditions.

[0052] Coating conditions; Equipment: Fluidized bed granulator (FLO-5 manufactured by Okawara Seisakusho Co., Ltd.) Sample (creaming powder) quantity: 2kg / batch Method: Place the sample inside and set the airflow to 5 m³. 3 The mixture was allowed to flow at a flow rate of 80°C in the intake air. After the exhaust air temperature reached 55°C, the coating solution heated to 70°C was sprayed from the granulator nozzle. After the spraying was completed, the mixture was allowed to flow for 5 minutes, and then cooled and allowed to flow for another 5 minutes.

[0053] <Powdered composition for instant coffee beverages> Powdered compositions for instant coffee beverages were prepared by mixing the raw materials, weighed according to the composition listed in Table 2, under the following conditions. For the silicon dioxide particles, "Silopage 720" (manufactured by Fuji Silicia Chemical Co., Ltd.) was used.

[0054] [Table 2]

[0055] mixed conditions; Mixer used: KitchenAid Professional 6000 HD (manufactured by KitchenAid) Sample (instant coffee beverage powder composition) quantity: 200g / batch Mixing speed: Dial 4 Mixing time: 5 minutes

[0056] <Measurement of cold water solubility> First, 12 g of the test sample was placed in a 200 mL beaker. Next, 180 mL of cold water (5°C) was poured into the beaker and stirred 25 times with a spoon. To measure the amount of undissolved clumps, immediately after stirring, the entire contents were poured onto a sieve with a mesh size of 355 μm. After absorbing the remaining moisture from the sieve with a paper towel from below, the weight of the insoluble matter remaining on the sieve was measured. If the amount of insoluble matter was less than 0.4 g, the creaming powder was evaluated as having good cold water solubility; if the amount of insoluble matter was 0.4 g or more but less than 0.8 g, the creaming powder was evaluated as being soluble in cold water; and if the amount of insoluble matter was 0.8 g or more, the creaming powder was evaluated as being insoluble in cold water.

[0057] [Example 1] A composition was prepared by mixing diglycerin monooleate ("Poem DO-100V", manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.) and an edible oil containing 88% medium-chain triglycerides, such that the diglycerin monooleate content was 70% and the edible oil content was 30%, to create an emulsifier-containing oil mixture (DF70). Additions listed in Table 1 were then added to the mixture to a total content of 10% by mass. Of the additives used, "Ryoto Polyglyceride B-70D (HLB4)" and "Ryoto Polyglyceride B-100D (HLB3)" were manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods, "TAISET AD" and "Sunfat PS-68" were manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd., "Candelilla Wax MK-4", "Carnauba Wax R-100", and "Sunflower Wax" were manufactured by Yokozeki Oil & Fat Industry Co., Ltd., and "Poem B-150", "Poem B-200", and "Poem S-65V" were manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.

[0058] Each composition was heated and melted at 70°C, then left to stand at 40°C for 3 hours to check for solidification. The results are shown in Table 3. In the table, a "○" in the "Solidified" column indicates a composition that solidified and formed an oleogel, while a "×" indicates a composition that did not solidify.

[0059] [Table 3]

[0060] As a result, compositions containing the polyglycerin fatty acid esters "TAISET AD," "Sunfat PS-68," "Ryoto Polyglycerin B-70D," "Ryoto Polyglycerin B-100D," and "Poem B-200," along with the plant waxes "Candelilla Wax MK-4," "Carnauba Wax R-100," and "Sunflower Wax," solidified to form oleogels, demonstrating that these additives function as oleogel-forming agents. On the other hand, compositions containing the sorbitan fatty acid esters "Poem B-150" and "Poem S-65V" did not solidify, and no oleogels were formed.

[0061] Of the eight oleogelating agents identified, the amount of oil released (g) was measured for "TAISET AD" when it was mixed with an emulsifier-mixed oil (DF70) at varying concentrations. The measurement results are shown in Table 4. The results showed a tendency for the amount of oil released to decrease as the "TAISET AD" content increased.

[0062] [Table 4]

[0063] Next, powder compositions for instant coffee beverages were prepared using creaming powder coated with each composition, and the cold water solubility of the powder preparations was measured. The results are shown in Table 4. In Table 4, "×" indicates that the amount of insoluble matter was 0.7g or more and the product was insoluble in cold water, "△" indicates that the amount of insoluble matter was 0.4g or more and less than 0.7g and the product was soluble in cold water, and "〇" indicates that the amount of insoluble matter was less than 0.4g and the product had good cold water solubility.

[0064] As a result, it was observed that the lower the amount of oil released, the less insoluble material there was, and the better the cold water solubility tended to be. In particular, when the amount of oil released was 0.02 g / 6 cm, 2 By coating the creaming powder with the following composition, it was possible to make it soluble in cold water.

[0065] Similarly, for the remaining seven types that were confirmed to be oleogelating agents, the amount of oil released (g) was measured for compositions mixed with emulsifier-mixed oil (DF70) at varying amounts, and the cold water solubility of instant coffee beverage powder compositions containing creaming powder coated with these compositions was also measured. The results are shown in Tables 5 and 6.

[0066] [Table 5]

[0067] [Table 6]

[0068] As a result, it was observed that with all oleogelating agents, increasing the amount added tended to reduce the amount of oil released and improve cold water solubility. In particular, the amount of oil released was 0.020 g / 6 cm. 2 By preparing a creaming powder coated with the following composition, we were able to make the powdered composition for instant coffee beverages cold water soluble.

[0069] [Example 2] Coating compositions were prepared using "TAISET AD," "Ryoto Polyglyceride B-70D," "Candelilla Wax MK-4," "Carnauba Wax R-100," and "Sunflower Wax," respectively, from the oleogelating agents used in Example 1. The creaming powder was then coated with the obtained coating compositions. The coating compositions were prepared by mixing each oleogelating agent with an emulsifier-mixed oil (DF70) to the content indicated in the "Content (%)" column of Table 7.

[0070] Using coated creaming powder, instant coffee beverage powder compositions were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. The cold water solubility of the obtained instant coffee beverage powder compositions was examined on the day of manufacture and after storage at 40°C for 7 days. Table 7 shows the measurement results of the amount of insoluble matter (g) for each instant coffee beverage powder composition in the cold water solubility measurement.

[0071] [Table 7]

[0072] The silicon dioxide resistance of each instant coffee beverage powder composition was investigated by comparing the amount of insoluble matter on the day of manufacture with the amount of insoluble matter after storage at 40°C for 7 days. The silicon dioxide resistance of the instant coffee beverage powder composition was evaluated based on the increase in insoluble matter after storage at 40°C for 7 days ([Amount of insoluble matter after storage at 40°C for 7 days (g)] - [Amount of insoluble matter on the day of manufacture (g)]). Specifically, if the increase in insoluble matter after storage at 40°C for 7 days was 0.1g or less, the silicon dioxide resistance was evaluated as high (indicated by "〇" in Table 7), if it was between 0.1g and 0.5g, it was evaluated as having silicon dioxide resistance (indicated by "△" in Table 7), and if it was greater than 0.5g, it was evaluated as low silicon dioxide resistance (indicated by "×" in Table 7).

[0073] As a result, in Example 1, the amount of oil released was 0.02 g / 6 cm 2 The instant coffee beverage powder composition containing creaming powder coated with the following coating composition showed almost no increase in insoluble matter even after storage at 40°C for 7 days, indicating silicon dioxide resistance. In Example 1, the instant coffee beverage powder composition containing creaming powder coated with the coating composition that had a large amount of oil separation showed an increase in insoluble matter and decreased cold water solubility after storage at 40°C for 7 days.

[0074] [Example 3] The resistance to tricalcium phosphate was investigated when the fluidity improver was replaced with tricalcium phosphate (manufactured by Taihei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) instead of silicon dioxide.

[0075] In Example 1, a coating composition was prepared using "TAISET AD," one of the oleogelating agents used in Example 1, and the creaming powder was coated with the obtained composition. The coating composition was prepared by mixing "TAISET AD" in an emulsifier-mixed oil (DF70) to a concentration of 0 or 11.5%. Creaming powder coated with the prepared coating composition was produced in the same manner as in Example 2.

[0076] Next, using the obtained coated creaming powder, an instant coffee beverage powder composition was prepared in the same manner as in Example 2, except that 0.1% tricalcium phosphate was added instead of 0.2% fine silicon dioxide. The cold water solubility of the composition was then examined on the day of manufacture and after storage at 40°C for 7 days. Table 8 shows the results of measuring the amount of insoluble matter (g) for each instant coffee beverage powder composition in the cold water solubility measurement.

[0077] [Table 8]

[0078] As a result, the instant coffee beverage powder composition containing creaming powder coated with an emulsifier mixture oil (DF70) that did not contain an oleogelating agent showed little insoluble matter on the day of manufacture and good cold water solubility, but it could not be dissolved in cold water after being stored at 40°C for 7 days. In contrast, the composition containing 11.5% "TAISET AD" showed an oil separation amount of 0.02 g / 6 cm in Example 1. 2 The powdered composition for instant coffee beverages containing creaming powder coated with the following coating composition showed almost no increase in insoluble matter even after storage at 40°C for 7 days, demonstrating resistance to tricalcium phosphate.

[0079] [Example 4] The fluidity of creaming powder coated with a coating composition prepared using one of the oleogelating agents used in Example 1, "TAISET AD," "Ryoto Polyglyceride B-70D," or "Candelilla Wax MK-4," was investigated, as well as the fluidity of an instant coffee beverage powder composition containing said creaming powder.

[0080] First, coating compositions were prepared by blending diglycerin monooleate ("Poem DO-100V," manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.), edible oil containing 88% medium-chain triglycerides, and an oleogelating agent in the compositions shown in Tables 9 and 10. Creaming powder was coated with each coating composition in the same manner as in Example 1. The amount of oil released and the angle of repose of the coated creaming powder were measured. Furthermore, an instant coffee beverage powder composition was prepared using the coated creaming powder in the same manner as in Example 1, and the silicon dioxide resistance of this instant coffee beverage powder composition was examined in the same manner as in Example 2.

[0081] The angle of repose is generally considered an indicator of powder fluidity. A smaller angle of repose indicates better fluidity, while a larger angle of repose indicates poorer fluidity. For example, powders with an angle of repose of 56° or higher have poor fluidity, are prone to clogging in the manufacturing line, and have low suitability for manufacturing.

[0082] The measurement results for each creaming powder and the instant coffee beverage powder composition using them are shown in Tables 9 and 10. Note that in Table 9, Comparative Test Group 1 shows the results for creaming powder that was not coated with the coating composition. Furthermore, the evaluation criteria for cold water solubility are the same as in Example 1, and the evaluation criteria for silicon dioxide resistance are the same as in Example 2.

[0083] [Table 9]

[0084] [Table 10]

[0085] The creaming powders in comparative test sections 2 and 3, coated with a coating composition containing only an emulsifier-mixed oil and no oleogelating agent, showed good cold water solubility, but the amount of oil released was 0.2 g / 6 cm. 2The amount of silicon dioxide was extremely high, and the angle of repose was also high, exceeding 50°, resulting in poor fluidity. Furthermore, the silicon dioxide resistance of the instant coffee beverage powder compositions produced from these materials was also poor. In contrast, the creaming powders from test sections 1-5, coated with a coating composition mixed with an oleogelating agent, had an oil separation amount of 0.02 g / 6 cm. 2 The amount of oleogelating agent was very small, and the angle of repose was also small, resulting in good fluidity. Furthermore, the silicon dioxide resistance of the instant coffee beverage powder compositions produced from these was also good. In particular, as shown in test sections 1 to 3, it was observed that as the amount of oleogelating agent increased, the amount of oil released decreased, the angle of repose decreased, and the fluidity tended to improve.

Claims

1. At least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder is coated with a composition containing edible oils and fats and an oleogelating agent. The oleogelating agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of polyglycerin fatty acid esters and decaglycerin behenate esters. The above composition is measured on a 6cm quantitative filter paper. ２ The amount of oil released per unit is 0.02g or less. The aforementioned quantitative filter paper is made from cellulose fibers with an α-cellulose content of 90% or more, has an ash content reduced to approximately 0.01%, has a filtration time of 120 to 140 seconds, a water absorption rate of 7.0 to 8.0 cm, and a thickness of 0.20 to 0.25 mm, and is ADVANTEC quantitative filter paper No. 3 (product name, manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.). The amount of oil released is measured by the following (1) to (4), characterized in that it is a cold water-soluble creaming powder: (1) A step of heating and melting the composition at 70°C, and then letting it stand at 40°C for 3 hours or more to gel, (2) After step (1) above, a step of placing quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the obtained gel and making it adhere to it, (3) After step (2) above, the gel with the quantitative filter paper in contact with it is left to stand at 40°C for 1 hour, (4) After step (3), peel the quantitative filter paper from the gel and measure the increase in the weight of the quantitative filter paper as the amount of oil released from the composition.

2. At least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder is coated with a composition containing edible oils and fats and an oleogelating agent. The oleogelating agent is candelilla wax. The above composition is measured on a 6cm quantitative filter paper. ２ The amount of oil released per unit is 0.013g or less. The aforementioned quantitative filter paper is made from cellulose fibers with an α-cellulose content of 90% or more, has an ash content reduced to approximately 0.01%, has a filtration time of 120 to 140 seconds, a water absorption rate of 7.0 to 8.0 cm, and a thickness of 0.20 to 0.25 mm, and is ADVANTEC quantitative filter paper No. 3 (product name, manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.). The amount of oil released is measured by the following (1) to (4), characterized in that it is a cold water-soluble creaming powder: (1) A step of heating and melting the composition at 70°C, and then letting it stand at 40°C for 3 hours or more to gel, (2) After step (1) above, a step of placing quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the obtained gel and making it adhere to it, (3) After step (2) above, the gel with the quantitative filter paper in contact with it is left to stand at 40°C for 1 hour, (4) After step (3), peel the quantitative filter paper from the gel and measure the increase in the weight of the quantitative filter paper as the amount of oil released from the composition.

3. At least a portion of the surface of the creaming powder is coated with a composition containing edible oils and fats and an oleogelating agent. The oleogelating agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of sunflower wax and carnauba wax. The above composition is measured on a 6cm quantitative filter paper. ２ The amount of oil released per unit is 0.004g or less. The aforementioned quantitative filter paper is made from cellulose fibers with an α-cellulose content of 90% or more, has an ash content reduced to approximately 0.01%, has a filtration time of 120 to 140 seconds, a water absorption rate of 7.0 to 8.0 cm, and a thickness of 0.20 to 0.25 mm, and is ADVANTEC quantitative filter paper No. 3 (product name, manufactured by Toyo Filter Paper Co., Ltd.). The amount of oil released is measured by the following (1) to (4), characterized in that it is a cold water-soluble creaming powder: (1) A step of heating and melting the composition at 70°C, and then letting it stand at 40°C for 3 hours or more to gel, (2) After step (1) above, a step of placing quantitative filter paper on the top surface of the obtained gel and making it adhere to it, (3) After step (2) above, the gel with the quantitative filter paper in contact with it is left to stand at 40°C for 1 hour, (4) After step (3), peel the quantitative filter paper from the gel and measure the increase in the weight of the quantitative filter paper as the amount of oil released from the composition.

4. The cold water-soluble creaming powder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the content of the oleogelating agent relative to the total amount of the composition is 20% by mass or less.

5. The cold water-soluble creaming powder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the composition further contains an emulsifier.

6. The cold water-soluble creaming powder according to claim 5, wherein the emulsifier is diglycerin monooleate.

7. The cold water-soluble creaming powder according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the edible oil is a medium-chain triglyceride.

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