Texture improver for biscuits and similar products

Abstract

To provide a biscuit food texture improving agent capable of obtaining biscuits having a light and crispy texture and excellent melt in mouth.SOLUTION: The above problem is solved by using a biscuit food texture improving agent containing pentacyclic triterpene for the production of biscuits.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a texture improver for biscuits.

Background Art

[0002] Biscuits are foods manufactured by baking dough obtained by mixing wheat flour, sugars, edible oils and fats, and salt as raw materials, and if necessary, raw materials such as starch, dairy products, egg products, leavening agents, food additives, etc. They have the characteristics of low elasticity, low moisture content, and low water activity. Among biscuits, according to the "Fair Competition Rules Concerning the Labeling of Biscuits and the Enforcement Regulations Thereof", those with a handmade appearance and a total of sugar and fat content of 40% by mass or more based on the total amount of raw materials are regarded as cookies. Those with a larger amount of edible oil used than cookies and a strong flavor of oils such as butter and margarine are sablés. Also, biscuits are roughly classified into two types depending on gluten formation. Hard biscuits are those baked from dough with a firm texture kneaded to form gluten, and soft biscuits are those baked from dough kneaded so as not to form gluten as much as possible. Furthermore, those obtained by adding yeast or enzymes to the above raw materials are crackers, dry bread, pretzels, etc. A group of these foods including biscuits are biscuits. Biscuits are a type of baked confectionery that is widely loved because of their high preservability and ability to substitute for staple foods. Such biscuits are desired to have a crispy texture, good melt-in-the-mouth feeling, and a texture that easily melts and disappears in the mouth. In order to impart such a texture, it is common to increase the oil and fat content, but in recent years, due to health consciousness, there is a tendency to avoid it, and in production, there is a drawback that the dough becomes sticky and difficult to gather, resulting in poor workability. In order to improve the crispy feeling, auxiliary materials such as starches may be used, but there is a problem that the flavor of wheat flour in biscuits is weakened. Various studies have been conducted to improve the texture of biscuits. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing baked goods such as biscuits using a specific amount of at least one starch-modified product selected from hypochlorite-treated starch, acetylated starch with a substitution degree of 0.01 to 0.04, and cross-linked starch with a swelling degree of 4 to 15, relative to wheat flour. Patent Document 2 discloses a texture improver for baked goods in which an aqueous solution of sucrose fatty acid ester and a sugar compound with a specific HLB ratio of 15 to 19 is spray-dried. Both methods can produce biscuits with a crisp texture and excellent melt-in-the-mouth quality, but they require special materials, and further improvements are needed. Furthermore, biscuits, especially those baked in an oven at high temperatures, develop cracks over time during storage after production, creating a distinctive appearance. This is because high-temperature, short-time baking increases the difference in moisture content between the surface and the center of the biscuit, and cracks occur as moisture diffuses from the center to the entire biscuit over time after baking. In particular, biscuits have a lower water retention capacity than cookies because their sugar and fat content is 40% by mass or less. As a result, the moisture content near the surface of the baked biscuit is low, creating a large moisture gradient between the surface and the center, making them more prone to cracking than other baked goods classified as biscuits, such as cookies. On the other hand, maslinic acid, a type of pentacyclic triterpene, is known to have various physiological functions, such as anti-obesity effects (Non-Patent Literature 1) and lipid metabolism improving effects (Non-Patent Literature 2). Attempts have been made to use maslinic acid, which has such physiological functions, in food. Patent Literature 3 discloses a food ingredient containing a carbohydrate and at least one triterpene selected from the group consisting of corosolic acid, maslinic acid, and tormetic acid, and a food containing such a food ingredient, and it is stated that the glycemic index can be reduced. Patent Literature 4 discloses a food or oral whitening agent for skin whitening that contains a compound selected from the group consisting of pentacyclic triterpenes and their physiologically acceptable salts, or derivatives thereof, as an active ingredient, and it is stated that melanin production was suppressed. All of these inventions are based on the expectation that maslinic acid will exert its physiological functions in living organisms, and until now there has been no knowledge that pentacyclic triterpenes affect the texture or physical properties of food, and it was not known that they could improve the texture of biscuits. Patent Document 5 discloses a food or beverage characterized by containing an extract obtained from the olive plant (hereinafter referred to as "olive extract"), stating that it is possible to obtain a food or beverage with antioxidant, skin-beautifying, and antitumor effects. Example 22 shows that cookies were made using the olive extract, and Example 26 shows that the cookies have high storage stability due to their antioxidant effect. However, the texture of the cookies containing olive extract has not been evaluated at all. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-99011 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-125310 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-121949 [Patent Document 4] Retable No. 2002-043736 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-186453 [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] Liou CJ et al., FASEB J. 2019.Nov;33(11):11791-11803 [Non-Patent Document 2] Perez-Jimenez A et al., Phytomedicine. 2016. Nov 15;23(12):1301-1311 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a texture improver for biscuits that can produce biscuits with a light, crisp texture and excellent melt-in-the-mouth quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a result of diligent research to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have found that by using a texture improver for biscuits containing a pentacyclic triterpene, it is possible to obtain biscuits with a light, crisp texture and excellent melt-in-the-mouth properties, thus completing the present invention.

[0007] In other words, the present invention encompasses the following embodiments. [1] A texture improver for biscuits containing pentacyclic triterpenes. [2] The pentacyclic triterpene is contained in the refined product of the plant extract, The purified product is produced by passing a plant extract containing pentacyclic triterpenes through a column packed with an adsorbent, and then performing gradient elution of the components adsorbed on the adsorbent using a mixed solvent of ethanol and water in a volume ratio of ethanol to water from 50:50 to 100:0 to recover the pentacyclic triterpene-containing fraction. The process of concentrating and drying the recovered fraction. Obtained by a method including, The refined product is a texture improver for biscuits according to [1], containing 20% ​​by mass or more of a pentacyclic triterpene. [3] The texture improver for biscuits according to [1], wherein the pentacyclic triterpene is selected from one or more of the group consisting of oleanane-type triterpenes, ursan-type triterpenes, lupin-type triterpenes, and hopan-type triterpenes. [4] A method for improving the texture of biscuits, wherein the biscuit texture improver described in any one of items [1] to [3] is used such that the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the biscuit texture improver is 0.1 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the total starch raw materials used in the manufacture of biscuits. [5] A premix for biscuits containing starchy raw materials and a texture improver for biscuits described in any one of items [1] to [3]. A biscuit dough containing a biscuit texture improver described in any one of items [6][1] to [3], or a biscuit premix described in [5]. A method for producing biscuits, comprising the step of heating the biscuit dough of [7][5]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, by using a texture improver for biscuits containing a pentacyclic triterpene, it is possible to provide biscuits with a light, crisp texture and excellent melt-in-the-mouth properties. Furthermore, this invention offers not only improved texture but also various health benefits, such as anti-obesity effects and improved lipid metabolism. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an HPLC analysis chart of Biscuit Texture Improver 2 (Oleananne-type Triterpene Powder derived from Olive Fruit). [Figure 2]External appearance photographs of the biscuits of Example 4 and Reference Example 1 (the arrow indicates a good crack).

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] In the present invention, "biscuits" refers to foods produced by baking dough obtained by mixing raw materials such as wheat flour, sugars, edible oils and fats, and salt, and if necessary, raw materials such as starch, dairy products, egg products, leavening agents, food additives, etc. Examples of such biscuits include biscuits, cookies, crackers, pies, dry bread, pretzels, and the like.

[0011] <Pentacyclic triterpenes> The texture improver for biscuits of the present invention contains pentacyclic triterpenes. Triterpenes are compounds having a basic skeleton of 30 carbon atoms, and typical examples thereof include pentacyclic triterpenes. Pentacyclic triterpenes are pentacyclic compounds composed of 6 isoprene units, and although the basic carbon number is 30, those whose carbon number changes due to rearrangement, oxidation, elimination or alkylation in the biosynthesis process are also included. Pentacyclic triterpenes are generally classified according to their skeletons. For example, oleanane-type triterpenes, ursane-type triterpenes, lupane-type triterpenes, hopane-type triterpenes, serratane-type triterpenes, friedelin-type triterpenes, taraxerane-type triterpenes, taraxastane-type triterpenes, multiflorane-type triterpenes, germanican-type triterpenes, etc. can be mentioned.

[0012] Oleanane-type triterpenes are pentacyclic triterpenes having a structure represented by the following formula 1 as a basic skeleton, and maslinic acid (Formula 2), oleanolic acid (Formula 3), glycyrrhetinic acid (Formula 4), etc. are classified into that group.

Chemical formula

Chemical formula

[0013] Ursolic acid triterpenes are pentacyclic triterpenes that have the structure represented by formula 5 below as their basic framework, and corosolic acid (formula 6) and ursolic acid (formula 7) are classified as belonging to this group. [ka] (Formula 5) Ursane-type triterpene [ka] (Formula 6) Corosolic acid [ka] (Formula 7) Ursolic acid

[0014] Lupin-type triterpenes are pentacyclic triterpenes that have the structure represented by formula 8 below as their basic framework, and betulinic acid (formula 9) and alphatolic acid (formula 10) are classified as belonging to this group. [ka] (Formula 8) Lupin-type triterpene [ka] (Formula 9) Betulinic acid [ka] (Equation 10) Alphitolic acid

[0015] Hopane-type triterpenes are pentacyclic triterpenes that have the structure represented by formula 11 below as their basic framework, and leucotic acid (formula 12) is classified as one of these groups. [ka] (Formula 11) Hopane-type triterpene [ka] (Equation 12) Leucotylic acid

[0016] In the biscuit texture improver of the present invention, the pentacyclic triterpene is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of oleanane-type triterpenes, ursan-type triterpenes, lupan-type triterpenes, and hopane-type triterpenes, more preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of oleanane-type triterpenes and ursan-type triterpenes, and even more preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of maslinic acid, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid. Note that when a molecule has a carboxyl group in its molecule, it is generally referred to as a pentacyclic triterpenic acid, but in this specification, pentacyclic triterpenic acid is included in pentacyclic triterpenes.

[0017] Pentacyclic triterpenes are biosynthesized by various plants and are ubiquitous or localized in the fruits, petals, cotyledons, stems, and roots of those plants. For example, maslinic acid, which is classified as a type of oleanane triterpene, is found in olive fruits and leaves, jujube, almonds, banaba leaves, sage, apples, cranberries, and quince. Oleanolic acid, which is classified as a type of oleanane triterpene, is found in olive fruits and leaves, grapes, beets, jujube, almonds, banaba leaves, sage, hawthorn, raspberries, quince, rosemary leaves, guava, perilla leaves, blueberries, prunes, loquats, pomegranates, lemon balms, basil, rosehips, persimmons, and swertia japonica. Ursolic acid, which is classified as a type of ursolic acid triterpene, is found in apples, basil, bilberries, cranberries, elderflower, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, oregano, thyme, hawthorn, and prunes.

[0018] Pentacyclic triterpenes possess functional groups such as hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, aldehyde groups, and ketone groups. In plants, these functional groups exist modified by various compounds or through intramolecular crosslinking. For example, glycyrrhizin, found in licorice and used as a sweetener, is a glycoside in which two glucuronic acid molecules are ether-linked via the 3β-hydroxyl group of glycyrrhetinic acid, which is classified as an oleanane-type triterpene. Generally, compounds modifying such functional groups are eliminated during extraction, fractionation, and purification, and the pentacyclic triterpenes obtained through these processes are generally in a free form.

[0019] Pentacyclic triterpenes can be used as refined products obtained by extraction from plants containing them by known methods, followed by fractionation and purification by the methods described later, or they can be obtained by chemical synthesis. Commercially available products can also be suitably used. They can also be used in the form of pharmacokinetically acceptable salts and / or derivatives. Pentacyclic triterpenes may be a single component or a mixture (combination) of two or more components.

[0020] Pentacyclic triterpenes may also be in the form of refined plant extracts containing them. The purified product is obtained by a method comprising the steps of passing a plant extract containing a pentacyclic triterpene through a column packed with an adsorbent, then performing gradient elution of the components adsorbed on the adsorbent using a mixed solvent of ethanol and water in a volume ratio of ethanol to water from 50:50 to 100:0 to recover the pentacyclic triterpene-containing fraction, and then concentrating the recovered fraction to dryness. The purified product preferably contains 20% by mass or more of pentacyclic triterpenes.

[0021] As plant extracts containing pentacyclic triterpenes, olive fruit extract or almond seed extract is preferable for oleanane-type triterpenes because they have a reasonably high content, a long history of use in food, and can be reused after oil extraction. For ursan-type triterpenes, apple peel extract is preferable because it can be reused after juicing or food processing.

[0022] Olive fruit extract contains maslinic acid and oleanolic acid as the main triterpenes. For example, maslinic acid can be extracted and purified using dried or semi-dried or undried olive fruits containing moisture, or olive oil residue generated during the oil extraction process, as starting materials. Furthermore, defatted olives obtained by removing oil with a lipid-soluble organic solvent such as n-hexane can also be used as a starting material. There are no particular limitations on the olive variety used; it can be used regardless of origin (domestic or foreign), cultivation use, or oil extraction use. Specifically, oleanane-type triterpenes are extracted from these raw materials using a lower alcohol from which maslinic acid can be extracted (e.g., ethanol, methanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, etc.) or a water-containing lower alcohol thereof. The triterpenes extracted from olive fruits in this way generally contain maslinic acid and oleanolic acid in a ratio of approximately 4:1, but this ratio may range from 1:1 to 7:1 depending on the growth conditions and region of the olive fruits, or the oil extraction conditions.

[0023] Almond seed extract contains maslinic acid and oleanolic acid as its main triterpenes. For example, pentacyclic triterpenes can be extracted using lower alcohols or aqueous lower alcohols, starting with almonds themselves, almond oil residue, by-products discharged from the manufacture of processed foods such as snacks, or by-products such as shells and husks discharged during almond threshing. Generally, almond shells are used as fuel material, and husks are used as compost.

[0024] Apple peel extract contains ursolic acid as the main triterpene. For example, pentacyclic triterpenes can be extracted using lower alcohols or aqueous lower alcohols from by-products such as apple juice residue or apple peels removed at food processing plants.

[0025] When using extracts derived from plants other than olive fruit, almonds, and apple peels as starting materials, extracts containing pentacyclic triterpenes can be obtained using methods suitable for the plant used as the raw material. Furthermore, the types and proportions of pentacyclic triterpene components obtained depend on the plant used as the raw material.

[0026] Plant extracts containing pentacyclic triterpenes are subjected to saponification and neutralization as needed, and then passed through a column packed with an adsorbent. Octadecyl silica (ODS), silica gel, synthetic adsorbents, etc., can be used as adsorbents. As a synthetic adsorbent, Amberlite XAD4, a synthetic adsorbent resin manufactured by Organo Corporation, can be used.

[0027] Next, the components adsorbed onto the adsorbent are subjected to gradient elution using a mixed solvent of ethanol and water at a volume ratio of ethanol to water from 50:50 to 100:0 to recover the pentacyclic triterpene-containing fraction. Preferably, fractions with an ethanol to water volume ratio in the range of 60:40 to 90:10 are recovered. More preferably, within the ethanol to water volume ratio range of 60:40 to 90:10, a high-concentration pentacyclic triterpene fraction can be recovered by recovering only the fractions in which a pentacyclic triterpene peak can be confirmed, for example, while monitoring with an HPLC chart.

[0028] The method for concentrating and drying the recovered fraction is not particularly limited and can be carried out according to conventional methods. For example, the solvent can be removed by vacuum distillation, 100 parts by mass of the resulting liquid-oil pentacyclic triterpene-containing solution can be added to 100 parts by mass of 20% aqueous ethanol and mixed thoroughly to dissolve, then allowed to stand overnight at 4°C to precipitate, the precipitate can be collected and washed by filtration, and then dried under vacuum to obtain the solution.

[0029] Furthermore, concentrated and dried purified fractions of oleanane-type triterpenes such as maslinic acid and oleanolic acid are white to brownish powders, with the brown color becoming stronger depending on the impurity content. All of these are soluble in aqueous alcohols, etc.

[0030] The refined product contains 20% by mass or more of pentacyclic triterpenes, preferably 25% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, even more preferably 50% by mass or more, even more preferably 65% ​​by mass or more, still more preferably 85% by mass or more, and most preferably 90% by mass or more.

[0031] Furthermore, physiologically acceptable salts of pentacyclic triterpenes include, for example, salts with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, nitric acid, pyrosulfuric acid, and metaphosphoric acid; salts with organic acids such as citric acid, benzoic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, and sulfonic acid; and alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts.

[0032] <Texture improver for biscuits> The biscuit texture improver of the present invention contains a pentacyclic triterpene. The pentacyclic triterpene may be contained in the refined product of the above-mentioned plant extract. By applying the biscuit texture improver of the present invention, baked goods such as cookies, biscuits, and crackers can be obtained that melt easily in the mouth, have deep cracks, and have excellent texture and appearance. The biscuit texture improver of the present invention may consist of pentacyclic triterpenes or the above-mentioned plant extracts, or it may contain other components. When other components are included, the biscuit texture improver of the present invention is preferably a mixture with inclusion compounds, carriers, oils and fats, emulsifiers, excipients, etc., in order to improve workability when manufacturing biscuit premixes, biscuit dough, biscuits, etc. For example, it can be used as an inclusion composition in which an inclusion compound such as cyclodextrin or highly branched cyclic dextrin is inclusion; a carrier composition supported on an edible carrier such as cereal flour or starch; an oil-and-fat solution composition dissolved or dispersed in edible oils and fats; a W / O or O / W type emulsified composition of oils and fats, water and an emulsifier; or an excipient composition with excipients such as purified water, alcohol, glycerin, dextrin, lactose, mannitol, starch, corn syrup, honey, etc. The content of pentacyclic triterpenes in the biscuit texture improver of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be adjusted as appropriate so that the effects of the present invention are obtained when the biscuits are manufactured. For example, it is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, even more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 15% by mass or more, and still more preferably 20% by mass or more, based on the total amount of the biscuit texture improver. Furthermore, the amount of the biscuit texture improver used in the production of biscuits can be appropriately adjusted so that the effects of the present invention are obtained when the biscuits are produced. For example, the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the biscuit texture improver should be 0.1 parts by mass or more, preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more, more preferably 1 part by mass or more, even more preferably 5 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 10 parts by mass or more, based on 100 parts by mass of the total starch raw materials used in the production of biscuits. There is no particular upper limit to the amount used, but from the viewpoint of cost reduction, it is preferably 20 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 15 parts by mass or less. In this invention, the starchy raw material used in the manufacture of biscuits is not particularly limited and can be any that is commonly used in the manufacture of biscuits. Examples of such starchy raw materials include grain flours derived from common wheat, durum wheat, rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, soybeans, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, amaranth, etc.; tuber flours or root flours from staple crops similar to grains, such as potatoes, taro, cassava, sweet potatoes, and yams; starches separated and purified from grains, tubers, roots, tree trunks, etc., and their waxy or high-amylose varieties (wheat starch, rice starch, corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, mung bean starch, sago starch, etc., and their waxy and high-amylose starches); and modified starches obtained by etherification, esterification, acetylation, crosslinking, oxidation, heat treatment, enzymatic treatment, etc., or combinations thereof. The starchy raw material is preferably wheat flour, but other grain flours and / or starches can be used depending on the desired taste, texture, or workability in manufacturing. In such cases, the wheat flour content in the starchy raw material is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more.

[0033] <Methods for improving the texture of biscuits> The present invention relates to a method for improving the texture of biscuits, wherein the biscuit texture improver is used such that the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the biscuit texture improver is 0.1 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the total starch raw materials used in the production of biscuits. In the biscuit texture improvement method of the present invention, the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the biscuit texture improver is preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more, more preferably 1 part by mass or more, even more preferably 5 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 10 parts by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of total starch raw materials used in the production of biscuits. There is no particular upper limit to the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the biscuit texture improver per 100 parts by mass of total starch raw materials used in the production of biscuits, but from the viewpoint of cost reduction, it is preferably 20 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 15 parts by mass or less. The starch raw materials used in the manufacture of biscuits are not particularly limited; any materials commonly used in the manufacture of biscuits will suffice. Examples of such starchy raw materials include grain flours derived from common wheat, durum wheat, rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, soybeans, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, amaranth, etc.; tuber flours or root flours from staple crops similar to grains, such as potatoes, taro, cassava, sweet potatoes, and yams; starches separated and purified from grains, tubers, roots, tree trunks, etc., and their waxy or high-amylose varieties (wheat starch, rice starch, corn starch, tapioca starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, mung bean starch, sago starch, etc., and their waxy and high-amylose starches); and modified starches obtained by etherification, esterification, acetylation, crosslinking, oxidation, heat treatment, enzymatic treatment, etc., or combinations thereof. The starchy raw material is preferably wheat flour, but other grain flours and / or starches can be used depending on the desired taste, texture, or workability in manufacturing. In such cases, the wheat flour content in the starchy raw material is preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more.

[0034] <Premixed flour for biscuits> The premixed flour for biscuits of the present invention comprises a starchy raw material and the biscuit texture improver. Herein, premixed flour generally refers to a mixture of wheat flour, starchy raw materials such as flours other than wheat flour, starches including various modified starches, chemical leavening agents, powdered raw materials such as seasonings, flavors, and colorants, and optionally oils and fats, depending on its intended use. The premixed flour for biscuits of the present invention, in addition to the biscuit texture improver of the present invention, comprises flours such as wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, glutinous rice flour, corn flour, rye flour, durum wheat flour, and white sorghum flour; starches such as potato starch, tapioca starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, and sago starch, and chemically modified starches that have undergone alpha-gelatinization, etherification, esterification, acetylation, cross-linking, oxidation treatment, and combinations thereof, and physically modified starches that have undergone dry heat treatment and moist heat treatment; This product may contain main and secondary ingredients commonly used in the manufacture of baked biscuits, such as sugars including sucrose, glucose, maltose, lactose, and oligosaccharides; egg powders made from powdered egg yolk, egg white, and whole egg; powdered milk made from powdered livestock milk such as cow's milk; processed livestock milk powders such as skim milk powder; powdered broths made from powdered broth of agricultural products such as soy milk powder; foaming agents such as baking powder; protein materials such as soy protein; thickening polysaccharides such as guar gum; inorganic salts such as salt; fats and oils such as shortening, lard, margarine, butter, and liquid oil; and emulsifiers. The content of pentacyclic triterpenes in the premix for biscuits of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be adjusted as appropriate to obtain the effects of the present invention when manufacturing biscuits. For example, the content is 0.1 parts by mass or more, preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more, more preferably 1 part by mass or more, even more preferably 5 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 10 parts by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of starchy raw materials contained in the premix for biscuits. There is no particular upper limit, but from a cost-effectiveness perspective, it is preferably 1 part by mass or less, more preferably 0.5 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1 parts by mass or less. If the premix for biscuits contains pentacyclic triterpenes, biscuits with a light, crisp texture and excellent melt-in-the-mouth properties can be obtained.

[0035] <Dough for biscuits> The biscuit dough of the present invention contains the above-mentioned biscuit texture improver or the above-mentioned biscuit premix powder. Here, dough generally refers to a mixture of wheat flour with other grain flours, chemical leavening agents, seasonings, flavorings, colorings, and other powdered ingredients; shortening and other oil and fat ingredients; water, liquid egg and other liquid ingredients, depending on its intended use. When using the above-mentioned biscuit texture improver, the biscuit dough of the present invention can use any of the ingredients normally used in the manufacture of biscuit food dough, such as grain flours such as wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, glutinous rice flour, corn flour, rye flour, and white sorghum flour; starches such as potato starch, tapioca starch, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, and sago starch, and chemically modified starches obtained by gelatinization, etherification, esterification, acetylation, crosslinking, oxidation treatment, and combinations thereof. It can be obtained using powder, dry heat-treated or moist heat-treated physically modified starches; sugars such as sucrose, glucose, maltose, lactose, and oligosaccharides; egg components such as egg yolk, egg white, whole egg and their powdered forms, and other egg-derived components; livestock milk such as cow's milk and processed milk such as skim milk; fats and oils such as shortening, lard, margarine, butter, and liquid oil; foaming agents such as baking powder; protein materials such as soy protein; thickening polysaccharides such as guar gum; inorganic salts such as sodium chloride; emulsifiers; boiling liquids such as soy milk; juices of fruits and vegetables; water; and fresh cream. If the above-mentioned biscuit mix powder is used, the biscuit dough of the present invention can be obtained using liquid ingredients such as water, boiling liquids such as soy milk, juices of fruits and vegetables, and livestock milk. The content of pentacyclic triterpenes in the biscuit dough of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be adjusted as appropriate so as to obtain the effects of the present invention when manufacturing biscuits. For example, it is 0.1 parts by mass or more, preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more, more preferably 1 part by mass or more, even more preferably 5 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 10 parts by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of starchy raw material contained in the biscuit dough. There is no particular upper limit, but from a cost-effectiveness perspective, it is preferably 1 part by mass or less, more preferably 0.5 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1 parts by mass or less.

[0036] <Method for manufacturing biscuits> The method for producing biscuits according to the present invention can be carried out in accordance with conventional methods, except that it includes a step of heating the biscuit dough according to the present invention. For example, dough can be obtained by appropriately mixing the biscuit texture improver of the present invention with other raw materials according to the type of biscuit to be produced, or by mixing liquid raw materials such as water, livestock milk, or egg liquid with the biscuit mix powder of the present invention to obtain dough, and then the obtained dough can be molded or placed in a baking mold according to conventional methods, or cut out using a cookie cutter and placed on a baking sheet, and then baked to produce biscuits. In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the obtained biscuit dough may be immediately shaped or baked in a baking mold as needed without storage, or it may be stored as frozen or refrigerated dough and then shaped or baked in a baking mold as needed. [Examples]

[0037] Examples are shown below to illustrate the present invention in detail, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0038] <Manufacturing Example 1: Manufacturing of Biscuit Texture Improvers 1 and 2 and Composition A> (1) Olive oil was extracted from olive fruits using the cold-press method, and olive fruit oil cake was obtained. (2) Add 250 parts by mass of 90% aqueous ethanol (v / v) to 100 parts by mass of olive fruit oil cake, heat at 70°C with stirring for 2 hours, and remove the liquid portion obtained by solid-liquid separation under reduced pressure using an evaporator to obtain a concentrated solution. (3) The concentrated solution was dispersed in water and subjected to column chromatography using the synthetic adsorbent resin Amberlite XAD4 (Organo Corporation) as a support. Stepwise elution was performed in 10% increments from 50% aqueous ethanol to 100% ethanol, and fractions were separated using a fraction collector while monitoring with an HPLC chart. The fractions from 60-90% aqueous ethanol were designated as low triterpene fractions, and the fractions in which triterpene peaks were observed were collected and designated as high triterpene fractions. (4) The concentrated solution (unfractionated by HPLC), the fraction with low triterpene content, and the fraction with high triterpene content were removed by vacuum distillation to prepare three types of liquid-oil solutions containing oleanane-type triterpenes derived from olive fruit. (5) 100 parts by mass of 20% aqueous ethanol was added to 100 parts by mass of each of the three types of oleanane-type triterpene-containing liquids and mixed thoroughly to dissolve. The mixture was left to stand overnight at 4°C to precipitate, the precipitate was collected and washed by filtration, dried under reduced pressure, and then powdered using a pin mill to obtain composition A (derived from concentrated liquid), biscuit texture improver 1 (derived from low triterpene fraction), and biscuit texture improver 2 (derived from high triterpene fraction). (6) 1 g each of biscuit texture improver 1 and biscuit texture improver 2 were dissolved in methanol and subjected to HPLC analysis. Figure 1 is the HPLC chart of biscuit texture improver 2, where peak A is maslinic acid and peak B is oleanolic acid (the HPLC chart of biscuit texture improver 1 is omitted). Peak identification was performed by comparing retention times with the standard and by LC / MS analysis, and quantitative values ​​were calculated based on the peak area of ​​the standard. As a result, it was found that composition A contains 6.3% by mass of maslinic acid and 3.7% by mass of oleanolic acid (10% by mass as oleanane-type triterpenes), biscuit texture improver 1 contains 18.8% by mass of maslinic acid and 11.2% by mass of oleanolic acid (30% by mass as oleanane-type triterpenes), and biscuit texture improver 2 (olive fruit-derived oleanane-type triterpene powder) contains 50% by mass of maslinic acid and 30% by mass of oleanolic acid (80% by mass as oleanane-type triterpenes).

[0039] <Manufacturing Example 2: Manufacturing of Texture Improvers 3 and 4 for Biscuits> (1) Except for performing a gradient elution from 50% aqueous ethanol to 100% ethanol instead of the above stepwise elution, a liquid oil-like solution containing oleanane-type triterpenes derived from olive fruit was prepared according to Production Example 1, and powdered to obtain texture improvers 3 and 4 for biscuits. (2) When the obtained biscuit texture improver 3 was subjected to HPLC analysis (HPLC chart omitted), the content of oleanane-type triterpenes was 90% by mass, the content of maslinic acid was 90% by mass, and the content of oleanolic acid was 0% by mass. (3) When the obtained biscuit texture improver 4 was subjected to HPLC analysis (HPLC chart omitted), the content of oleanane-type triterpenes was 80% by mass, the content of maslinic acid was 0% by mass, and the content of oleanolic acid was 80% by mass.

[0040] <Manufacturing Example 3: Manufacturing of Texture Improver 5 for Biscuits> (1) Production Example 1: 100 parts by mass of an oleanane-type triterpene-containing liquid derived from olive fruit used in step 5 and 400 parts by mass of highly branched cyclic dextrin (cluster dextrin, Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd.) were put into a mixer and mixed until homogeneous to obtain 500 parts by mass of a powdered texture improver for biscuits 5. (2) When the obtained biscuit texture improver 5 was subjected to HPLC analysis (chart omitted), the content of oleanane-type triterpenes was 16% by mass, the content of maslinic acid was 10% by mass, and the content of oleanolic acid was 6% by mass.

[0041] <Manufacturing Example 4: Manufacturing of die-cut biscuits> (1) 25 parts by mass of refined sugar, 3 parts by mass of skim milk powder, 0.8 parts by mass of salt, 0.4 parts by mass of baking soda, 0.5 parts by mass of ammonium bicarbonate, 22 parts by mass of water, and 15 parts by mass of shortening were put into a mixer and blended at low speed for 1 minute, medium speed for 3 minutes, and high speed for 3 minutes to obtain a creamy paste. (2) Next, 100 parts by mass of standard soft wheat flour (manufactured by Nippon Flour Mills Co., Ltd.: product name Dia) was added and mixed at low speed for 1 minute to obtain biscuit dough. (3) The dough was rolled out to a thickness of 7 mm with a rolling pin, cut out with a 6 cm diameter cutter, and then placed in an oven preheated to 200°C and baked at 200°C for 14 minutes to obtain cut-out biscuits.

[0042] <Evaluation Example 1: Sensory Evaluation> The obtained biscuits were evaluated by 10 experienced panelists based on the evaluation criteria shown in the table below, specifically for appearance (cracks on the top surface) and texture. The average score and standard deviation (SD) were then calculated. Reference Example 1, a die-cut biscuit manufactured without the use of a biscuit texture improver, was given a score of 3.

[0043] Evaluation Criteria TIFF0007839670000013.tif83148

[0044] <Test Example 1: Examination of Triterpene Usage> Except for adding the biscuit texture improver listed in Table 1 in step (2) of Production Example 4, die-cut biscuits were manufactured according to Production Example 4 and evaluated according to Evaluation Example 1. The results obtained are shown in Table 2 below. Figure 2 shows photographs of the appearance of the biscuits from Example 3 and Reference Example 1. In Reference Example 2, 1 part by mass of olive extract prepared according to the method of Example 16 of Patent Document 5 (JP 2002-186453) was added. HPLC analysis of this olive extract revealed that it contained maslinic acid at 6.1% by mass and oleanolic acid at 1.7% by mass, respectively. In Example 1, the crisp texture of the cracks was slightly improved, but it was comparable to the standard biscuit in Reference Example 1. In Examples 2-4, crack formation was promoted in a manner that resembled a biscuit, depending on the amount of oleanane-type triterpene used, resulting in a crisp texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality. Example 5 also produced a biscuit with good appearance and texture, but it was only slightly better than Example 4. In Examples 6 and 7, cracking, texture, and melt-in-the-mouth quality were all good, but they were slightly inferior to Example 4. From this, it was found that using both maslinic acid and oleanolic acid together resulted in better improvement of the biscuit than using either one alone. In the biscuit using "olive extract" from Reference Example 2, crack formation was comparable to Example 1, but the crispness was slightly inferior, and the melt-in-the-mouth quality was not good. In the biscuits using "olive extract" in Reference Example 2 and composition A in Reference Example 3, crack formation was slightly improved, but the texture and melt-in-the-mouth quality were slightly inferior. In Reference Examples 4 and 5, there was no difference in cracking, texture, and melt-in-the-mouth quality compared to Reference Example 1. From this, it can be inferred that the slight improvement in cracking and deterioration in texture and melt-in-the-mouth quality in Reference Examples 2 and 3 are due to the influence of impurities (polar or nonpolar fractions, such as the 50% aqueous ethanol fraction and the 100% ethanol fraction) contained in "olive extract" and composition A. Table 1 TIFF0007839670000014.tif99143 TIFF0007839670000015.tif93146 OTT is an abbreviation for oleanane-type triterpene, representing the sum of maslinic acid and oleanolic acid.

[0045] Test Example 2: Investigation of highly branched cyclic dextrin inclusion complexes of triterpenes Except for adding the biscuit texture improver 5 in step (2) of Production Example 4, die-cut biscuits were manufactured according to Production Example 4 and evaluated according to Evaluation Example 1. In Reference Example 6, the biscuit texture improver 5 was not added, but the amount of highly branched cyclic dextrin contained in Example 8 was added. The results obtained are shown in Table 3 below. In Reference Example 6, which used highly branched cyclic dextrin, crack formation, texture, and melt-in-the-mouth properties were all improved. In Example 8, which used biscuit texture improver 5, crack formation, texture, and melt-in-the-mouth properties were further improved compared to Reference Example 6. The reason why the evaluation of Example 8 was not approximately additive with that of Example 3 and Reference Example 6, which contained almost the same amounts of maslinic acid and oleanolic acid as Example 8, was thought to be because the oleanane-type triterpene was encapsulated in the highly branched cyclic dextrin. It was thought that the biscuit-improving effect inherent in oleanane-type triterpenes could be better exhibited by using excipients such as dextrin or lactose, or carriers such as flour or starch, instead of the encapsulating compound.

[0046] Table 2 TIFF0007839670000016.tif78142 Dextrin is an abbreviation for highly branched cyclic dextrin.

Claims

1. A texture improver for biscuits containing a pentacyclic triterpene, wherein the pentacyclic triterpene is maslinic acid and / or oleanolic acid.

2. The aforementioned pentacyclic triterpene is contained in the refined product of the plant extract, The purified product is obtained by passing a plant extract containing pentacyclic triterpenes through a column packed with an adsorbent, and then performing gradient elution of the components adsorbed on the adsorbent using a mixed solvent of ethanol and water in a volume ratio of ethanol to water from 50:50 to 100:0 to recover the pentacyclic triterpene-containing fraction. The process of concentrating and drying the recovered fraction. Obtained by a method including, The refined product contains 20% by mass or more of a pentacyclic triterpene, the texture improver for biscuits according to claim 1.

3. The texture improver for biscuits according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pentacyclic triterpene is maslinic acid and oleanolic acid.

4. A method for improving the texture of biscuits, comprising using the biscuit texture improver according to any one of claims 1 to 3, such that the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the biscuit texture improver is 0.1 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of total starchy raw materials used in the manufacture of biscuits.

5. A premix for biscuits, comprising starchy raw materials and the texture improver for biscuits described in claim 3, wherein the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the texture improver for biscuits is 0.1 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the total starchy raw materials.

6. A biscuit dough containing the biscuit texture improver described in claim 3, wherein the amount of pentacyclic triterpene contained in the biscuit texture improver is 0.1 parts by mass or more per 100 parts by mass of the total starch raw materials contained in the biscuit dough.

7. A method for producing biscuits, comprising the step of heating the biscuit dough described in claim 6.

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