Gel-like composition containing vegetables

Abstract

To provide a gel-like composition that is soft and has low adhesiveness, in which aggregation of vegetable is suppressed even when the content of vegetable is high, or to provide a method for easily preparing such a gel-like composition.SOLUTION: A gel-like composition is prepared by coexisting an enzyme-treated product of vegetable obtained by treating vegetable with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of amylase, cellulase and hemicellulase, and a gelling agent. Enzymatic treatment of vegetable may be performed in the presence or absence of gel.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gel composition containing vegetables and a method for producing the composition.

Background Art

[0002] With the progress of aging, the demand for gel-like foods and drinks that are easy to chew or swallow is increasing. There are various types of such products, and gel compositions containing vegetables are one of them. There are also various types of vegetables, such as those rich in fiber like spinach, and those rich in starches like tubers, contributing to the diversity of choices. These gel compositions (hereinafter simply referred to as "vegetable gels") are often for the elderly, and especially when they are for those with difficulty swallowing, they are required to be soft, not easily aggregated, and not sticky (low adhesiveness). Vegetable gels may be manufactured in factories and delivered to places such as care sites, but they are also often prepared on-site by mixing a gelling agent with softened vegetables or vegetable pastes. However, on-site, water addition is necessary to sufficiently stir with a mixer after adding the gelling agent to the vegetables, and a large amount of water addition is required to prepare a soft gel. Moreover, even when a soft gel can be prepared by water addition, depending on the type of vegetables used, the adhesiveness may remain high. Therefore, in vegetable gels, especially in vegetable gels for those with difficulty swallowing, it is difficult to increase the vegetable content due to the relationship with the amount of water added, and it is laborious.

[0003] Vegetable gels using enzyme-treated vegetables are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a jelly-like food containing enzyme-treated vegetables and fruits. However, the enzyme treatment is for the purpose of peeling, softening, or preparing fruit juice or vegetable juice, and the product has a hardness such that "the gel contour can be felt in the mouth". As described above, conventionally, there has been a situation where a gel-like food containing highly nutritious vegetables and being "soft", "not easily aggregated", and "not sticky", which is one of the problems in places such as care sites, has not been sufficiently addressed with minimal effort. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5409947 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a gel-like composition that is soft and has low adhesiveness, even with a high vegetable content, while suppressing the aggregation of vegetables, or a method for easily preparing such a gel-like composition. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The inventors of this invention have made diligent efforts to solve the above problems and have arrived at this invention. This invention relates to the following (1) to (6). (1) A method for producing a vegetable-containing gel composition, characterized by preparing a gel composition by coexisting an enzyme-treated vegetable product obtained by treating vegetables with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of amylase, cellulase, and hemicellulase, with a gelling agent. (2) The method of (1) above, wherein the enzyme treatment of vegetables is carried out in the absence of a gelling agent. (3) The method of (2) above, which includes a step of treating vegetables with enzymes and then turning them into a paste. (4) The method of (1) above, wherein the vegetables are treated with enzymes in the presence of a gelling agent. (5) The method of (4) above, wherein the vegetables to be subjected to enzyme treatment are in a paste form. (6) The method of (4) or (5) above, wherein the gelling agent is a gelling agent containing an enzyme for processing vegetables. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention provides a gel-like composition that is soft and has low adhesiveness, even with a high vegetable content, as well as suppressing the aggregation of vegetables, or a method for easily preparing such a gel-like composition. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a graph showing the hardness (N / m2) of a vegetable gel (pumpkin), separated into cases with and without enzymes. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a graph showing the adhesion (J / m3) of vegetable gel (pumpkin), separated into cases with and without enzymes. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a graph showing the hardness (N / m2) of gels prepared using each vegetable, categorized by the absence of enzymes, the use of hemicellulase, and the use of α-amylase. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a graph showing the adhesion (J / m3) of gels prepared using each vegetable, categorized by the absence of enzymes, the use of hemicellulase, and the use of α-amylase. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The vegetables used in this invention can be any edible vegetable, and examples include, but are not limited to, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, taro and other tubers, beans such as green beans, spinach, komatsuna, garland chrysanthemum, leeks, scallions, chives, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and other leafy vegetables, onions, pumpkins, burdock, radishes, and turnips. Furthermore, while it is preferable to use the parts of each vegetable that are generally eaten, it is not limited to these. The vegetables may be used as they are, but it is preferable to use them after processing such as cutting, shredding, or grinding with a blender, and it is more preferable that they be in a paste form.

[0010] In the present invention, the enzyme used to process vegetables is an enzyme that has the activity to break down starch and dietary fiber contained in vegetables. For example, examples of enzymes that break down starch include various amylases such as α-amylase, β-amylase, and glucoamylase, and examples of enzymes that break down dietary fiber include cellulose and hemicellulose. Any enzyme that is safe for use in food products can be used. Each enzyme may be used individually, or two or more enzymes may be used in combination. Each enzyme may be purified or in its crude form. Commercially available enzyme preparations may also be used.

[0011] The selection and combination of enzymes, as well as the amount and conditions of use, can be appropriately set according to the type and condition of the vegetables being used. For example, it is preferable to use a large amount of amylase for starchy potatoes, and a large amount of cellulase or hemicellulase for fiber-rich vegetables such as burdock. The gelling agent used in the present invention is preferably one that has the ability to form a gel or sol, and, as will be described later, is not decomposed by the enzyme used to process the vegetables if the enzyme is not deactivated. Examples of such gelling agents include gellan gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, sodium alginate, tara gum, guar gum, tamarind gum, gum arabic, psyllium seed gum, pectin, arabinoxylan, arabinogalactan, karaya gum, pullulan, agar, curdlan, paramylon, and xanthan gum, but gellan gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan are preferred.

[0012] In the method for producing the vegetable gel of the present invention, as a method of allowing the enzyme-treated product of the vegetable and the gelling agent to coexist, examples include a method of performing the enzyme treatment of the vegetable in the absence or presence of the gelling agent, and any method may be used. As a method of performing the enzyme treatment of the vegetable in the absence of the gelling agent, a method of adding the gelling agent after performing the enzyme treatment of the vegetable can be mentioned. As a method of performing the enzyme treatment of the vegetable in the presence of the gelling agent, a method of enzymatically treating the vegetable with the enzyme after combining the vegetable, the enzyme, and the gelling agent can be mentioned. As a method of performing the enzyme treatment of the vegetable in the absence of the gelling agent, a method of separately preparing the enzyme-treated product of the vegetable and the gelling agent and then combining them can be mentioned. For example, after preparing the enzyme-treated product of the vegetable and the gelling agent, a method of mixing them so as to be preferably uniform can be mentioned.

[0013] The enzyme-treated product of the vegetable may be used as it is for coexistence with the gelling agent after enzymatically treating the vegetable. However, after enzymatically treating the vegetable, if it is subjected to stirring, grinding, etc. as necessary to make it into a paste and then used, it is preferable because it becomes easier to mix uniformly with the gelling agent. Also, when there is a possibility that the gelling agent used may be decomposed by the enzyme that treats the vegetable, the activity of the enzyme is inactivated before combining the enzyme-treated product of the vegetable with the gelling agent. This is preferable because it can expand the possibilities of the combination of the enzyme and the gelling agent when there is no concern about the gelling agent being decomposed by the enzyme.

[0014] As a method of performing the enzyme treatment of the vegetable in the presence of the gelling agent, a method of combining the vegetable, the enzyme, and the gelling agent to prepare a mixture and performing an enzyme reaction in the mixture can be mentioned. In this method, while it is necessary to select a combination of an enzyme and a gelling agent that is not likely to be decomposed by the enzyme used, on the site side such as for care, it is only necessary to prepare the vegetable, and an aspect of providing the enzyme and the gelling agent to this can be selected, which is preferable. Also, in providing the enzyme and the gelling agent, it is also possible to provide a mixture of the enzyme and the gelling agent, that is, a gelling agent containing the enzyme, so that the convenience at the site can be significantly enhanced, which is more preferable. In the mixture of the enzyme and the gelling agent, it is preferable to contain a stabilizer for stably holding the enzyme.

[0015] As described above, two examples of the method of coexisting the enzyme-treated product of vegetables and the gelling agent in the preparation of the vegetable gel of the present invention have been shown. The vegetable gel of the present invention obtained by this method has the characteristics that even if the water content is low, the viscosity and adhesiveness are low as compared with the vegetable-containing gel composition obtained by using vegetables that are not enzyme-treated. Therefore, the vegetable gel of the present invention can contain 50% by mass or more, preferably 60% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more of vegetables in the state immediately before eating. However, in the case of a gel-like food for the elderly or disabled, especially for those with difficulty swallowing, the upper limit of the vegetable content is preferably less than 85%.

[0016] The vegetable gel prepared according to the present invention is a composition in a state of sol or more, preferably gel or more, immediately before eating, and has a hardness of 5×10 5 N / m 2 Hereinafter, preferably 3×10 5 N / m 2 is preferable, and for those with difficulty swallowing, the adhesiveness is further preferably 1.5×10 3 J / m 3 or less. The vegetable gel of the present invention may contain other components that can be used in foods, in addition to vegetables, enzymes, gelling agents, and water used as required, as long as they do not affect the adjustment to the above physical properties. Examples of other components include sweeteners, salt, seasonings, various extracts, pH adjusters, pigments, and the like. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

Examples

[0017] (1) Two commercially available enzyme preparations having pectinase activity and dextrin were mixed to prepare enzyme preparation A. One of the enzyme preparations having pectinase activity used here contains pectinase, protease, α-amylase and dextrin, while the other contains pectinase and dextrin. As a result, enzyme preparation A has the formulation shown in Table 1.

[0018] [Table 1]

[0019] Mix 0.1 parts by weight of the above enzyme preparation A, 0.5 parts by weight of each gelling agent, and 100 parts by weight of water, and stir with a hand mixer for 40 seconds. Transfer to a jelly cup, steam heat at 90°C for 30 minutes, then cool to below 10°C using a blast chiller, and verify whether or not gel formation occurred. The test was performed with and without the enzyme preparation to confirm whether or not gel formation occurred due to the enzyme. The results are shown in Table 2, with "+" indicating gelation and "-" indicating non-gelation.

[0020] [Table 2]

[0021] As shown in Table 2, gelling agents whose gelation was inhibited by enzyme preparation A were identified. (2) Based on the results of (1) above, gelling agent composition No. 7 was prepared by mixing various gelling agents other than xanthan gum and glucomannan in the formulations shown in Table 3. In the following tests, gelling agent composition No. 7 was used for gelation.

[0022] [Table 3]

[0023] (3) Place 70 parts by weight of commercially available pumpkin paste, 30 parts by weight of water, and 1.5 parts by weight of gelling agent composition No. 7 into a beaker, and add 0.1 parts by weight of commercially available enzymes (hemicellulase, xylanase, mannanase, pectinase) to each, and mix with a hand mixer for 40 seconds. Transfer to jelly cups, steam heat at 90°C for 30 minutes, then cool to 20°C, and measure the gel hardness (N / m) using a rheometer in accordance with the conventional method. 2 ), cohesion, adhesion (J / m 3The following were measured. As a result, when hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano" 90 (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.)) was used, a decrease was observed in all physical properties of the gel, including hardness, cohesiveness, and adhesion, compared to the control group where the enzyme was not used. Table 4 shows the physical properties of the gel depending on whether or not the enzyme was used.

[0024] [Table 4]

[0025] (4) Using commercially available pumpkin paste (a product from the same manufacturer as used in (3) above, but from a different lot), water, gelling agent composition No. 7, and 0.1 parts by weight of hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano" 90 (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.)), a vegetable gel (pumpkin) was prepared by the same procedure as in (3) above, and each physical property index of the gel was measured at 20°C. The composition of the gel and the measurement results of each physical property index are shown in Tables 5 and 6. The results of each physical property index are also shown as graphs in Figures 1 and 2.

[0026] [Table 5]

[0027] [Table 6]

[0028] The prepared vegetable gel (pumpkin) formed a gel at all pumpkin content levels. Furthermore, as shown in Tables 5 and 6, the vegetable gel prepared with vegetables, enzyme (hemicellulase), and gelling agent showed lower values ​​for each physical property index of the gel, even at high vegetable content levels, compared to the case without enzymes. The texture and other properties were also at a level suitable for use as a care food. Note that the gel hardness value is higher than that of (3) above, but this is because different batches of pumpkin paste were used.

[0029] (4) 100 parts by weight of commercially available mashed potatoes, and pastes of taro, green beans, and green asparagus (70 parts by weight each), water (0 parts by weight if vegetables are 100 parts by weight, 30 parts by weight if vegetables are 70 parts by weight), and gelling agent composition No. 7 (1.5 parts by weight) were mixed with 0.1 parts by weight of hemicellulase (hemicellulase "Amano" 90 (Amano Enzyme Co., Ltd.)) and 0.04 parts by weight of α-amylase (liquid enzyme T (HBI Co., Ltd.)) as enzymes, respectively, and the same procedure as in (3) above was performed to prepare a vegetable gel, and its physical properties were measured. The results are shown in Table 7 and Figures 3 and 4.

[0030] [Table 7]

[0031] As shown in Table 7, the reduction in hardness and adhesion by hemicellulase was observed in gels made from any of the vegetables. Furthermore, although its effect was weaker compared to hemicellulase, α-amylase also showed an effect of reducing hardness and stickiness in mashed potatoes and taro, which are rich in starch. [Industrial applicability]

[0032] The present invention provides a gel-like composition that is soft and has low adhesion, even with a high vegetable content, as well as suppressing vegetable aggregation. It also provides a method for easily preparing such a gel-like composition. This is expected to reduce the effort required to prepare gel-like compositions in nursing care settings and other similar environments.

Claims

[Claim 1] A method for producing a vegetable-containing gel-like composition, comprising the step of preparing a gel-like composition by mixing vegetables, one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of amylase, cellulase, and hemicellulase, and a gelling agent, and then performing an enzymatic treatment of the vegetables, which are in a paste-like state, in the presence of the gelling agent.

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