Fats and oils composition for bakery use

Abstract

To provide an oil and fat composition for bakery which can achieve a bakery product which provides good workability during its production and melts well in a mouth and has a soft and chewy texture and which can keep the texture.SOLUTION: An oil and fat composition for bakery contains 1.5 to 55 mass% of xanthan gum and a glycolytic enzyme and has a water content of 5 mass% or less. In the oil and fat composition for bakery, a content of starch is preferably 2 mass% or less and a content of the glycolytic enzyme is preferably 0.01 to 0.7 mass%.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fat composition for bakery.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the rise of wholesale bakeries, the cases of selling bakery products produced in factories and the like at storefronts have been increasing. Popular bakery products among Japanese consumers include bakery products with a chewy texture, and even in wholesale bakeries, studies have been conducted to obtain bakery products with a chewy texture.

[0003] However, bakery products produced in wholesale bakeries require time from production to consumption. Therefore, depending on the storage conditions after production and the elapsed time, changes or deterioration in texture may occur from the texture after production. Thus, there is a demand for bakery products in which the chewy texture of the bakery products after production is maintained and preserved until the time of eating.

[0004] Generally, in order to produce bakery products with a chewy texture, there are approaches from the manufacturing method aspect and from the raw material aspect. As approaches from the manufacturing method aspect, mainly, there are three: the multi - water addition method, the low - temperature long - time aging method, and the tangzhong method. However, in the multi - water addition method, since the amount of added water is more than that of ordinary bakery dough, the dough is sticky and the workability during production is poor, and the mechanical resistance of the bakery dough is also poor. In the low - temperature long - time aging method, since the time of the fermentation process is longer than that of the ordinary manufacturing method, the production efficiency is poor. In the tangzhong method, the dough is likely to be sticky and the workability is also poor. Furthermore, when manufacturing bakery dough, it is necessary to let the bakery dough rest, and the production efficiency is also poor. Therefore, in wholesale bakeries where many processes are mechanized and work efficiency and production efficiency are required, it has been difficult to adopt these manufacturing methods.

[0005] As approaches from the raw material aspect, there are three: flour, starches, and fats and oils. One approach using cereal flour involves using pregelatinized cereal flour. For example, a method (Patent Document 1) has been reported that includes mixing pregelatinized cereal flour with water to prepare a paste-like dough, kneading a material containing non-pregelatinized cereal flour with water to prepare a dough, then mixing this dough with the paste-like dough to obtain bread dough, fermenting the bread dough, and heating the fermented bread dough.

[0006] One approach using starches involves employing starches that have undergone specific processing. For example, a bakery product composition comprising etherified starch and / or acetylated starch, and pregelatinized starch, wherein the mass ratio of etherified starch and / or acetylated starch to pregelatinized starch is within a specific range (Patent Document 2).

[0007] One approach from the perspective of oils and fats is to use an oil and fat composition having a specific triglyceride composition. For example, an oil and fat composition for bread (Patent Document 3) has been reported in which, with a total triglyceride content of 100% by mass, 65 to 99% by mass of XXX-type triglycerides having fatty acid residues X with x carbon atoms at positions 1 to 3, and 35 to 1% by mass of one or more X2Y-type triglycerides in which one of the fatty acid residues X of the XXX-type triglycerides is replaced with a fatty acid residue Y with y carbon atoms, wherein the number of carbon atoms x is an integer selected from 8 to 20, and the number of carbon atoms y is an integer selected independently from x+2 to x+12 and y ≤ 22.

[0008] However, methods using pregelatinized cereal flour, such as in Patent Document 1, or methods using specially treated starches, such as in Patent Document 2, had the problem of imparting an undesirable sticky texture to bakery products due to the pregelatinized cereal flour or specially treated starches, as well as resulting in poor melt-in-the-mouth quality. Furthermore, there was room for improvement in the workability during the production of bakery dough. While the fat composition in Patent Document 3 certainly produces soft and elastic breads, it does not mention any effect on improving the workability during the production of bakery products, and there was still room for improvement in the resulting chewy texture.

[0009] Furthermore, in the methods described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, there was room for improvement regarding the effectiveness of maintaining the chewy texture of bakery products after manufacturing until consumption. Therefore, there is a need for a method to produce bakery products that retain their good melt-in-your-mouth texture and chewy consistency not only immediately after manufacturing, but also after being stored for a certain period of time. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-112989 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-195770 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-163568 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The problems that this invention will address are the following three points. 1) To obtain a bakery oil composition that has good workability when used in the manufacture of bakery products. 2) To obtain a bakery oil composition that can be used to produce bakery products that have a chewy texture and melt in the mouth. 3) To obtain a bakery oil composition that makes it possible to manufacture bakery products that maintain a chewy texture even after time has passed since manufacturing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] As a result of diligent research, the inventors have found that the above problem can be solved by a bakery oil composition containing a specific amount of xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme, and having a moisture content below a specific numerical range.

[0013] The present invention is based on the above findings and has the following configuration. (1) A bakery oil composition containing 1.5 to 55% by mass of xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme, with a water content of 5% by mass or less. (2) The bakery oil composition according to (1), wherein the starch content is 2% by mass or less. (3) The bakery oil composition according to (1) or (2), wherein the content of sugar-degrading enzymes is 0.01 to 0.7% by mass. (4) A bakery oil composition according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the sugar-degrading enzyme is an amylase. (5) A bakery oil composition according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the xanthan gum content is 10 to 300 parts by mass per 1 part by mass of sugar-degrading enzyme. (6) A bakery oil composition according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the viscosity of a 1% xanthan gum solution in a 1% aqueous potassium chloride solution as a solvent is measured using a Type B viscometer with a No. 1 rotor, and the viscosity at 25°C is 500 to 3000 mPa·s. (7) A bakery oil composition according to any one of items (1) to (6), for use in bakery products intended for raw consumption. (8) A bakery dough containing a bakery oil and fat composition described in any one of items (1) to (7) and flours, wherein per 100 parts by mass of flours, the dough contains 0.1 to 2 parts by mass of xanthan gum, 0.001 to 0.025 parts by mass of sugar-degrading enzymes and 0.5 to 30 parts by mass of oil and fat. A bakery product obtained by heat-treating the bakery dough described in (9)(8). (10) A method for producing a bakery fat composition according to any one of (1) to (7), comprising cooling and plasticizing an oil and fat mixture, adding xanthan gum and a carbohydrase, and kneading. (11) A method for improving the texture of a bakery product, which uses a bakery fat composition containing 1.5 to 55% by mass of xanthan gum and a carbohydrase and having a water content of 5% by mass or less as one of the raw materials.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] The effects obtained by the present invention are as follows. 1) It is possible to provide a bakery fat composition having good workability when used in the production of bakery products. 2) It is possible to provide a bakery fat composition capable of producing a bakery product having a chewy texture and good palatability. 3) It is possible to provide a bakery fat composition capable of producing a bakery product that can maintain a chewy texture even after the passage of time after production.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, the bakery fat composition of the present invention will be described. First, the xanthan gum contained in the bakery fat composition of the present invention will be described. Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by the microorganism Xanthomonas campestris, and is a polysaccharide having a side chain in which D-mannose, D-glucuronic acid, and D-mannose are bonded in this order to the main chain skeleton composed of D-glucose.

[0016] The content of xanthan gum in the bakery fat composition of the present invention is 1.5 to 55% by mass in the bakery fat composition. If the xanthan gum content is less than 1.5% by mass in the bakery fat composition, when the bakery fat composition of the present invention is used in the production of bakery products, it is likely to be sticky and the workability deteriorates. Further, even when the bakery fat composition of the present invention is used, a bakery food with a chewy texture cannot be produced, and the effect of maintaining a chewy texture cannot be obtained either. If the xanthan gum content exceeds 55% by mass in the bakery fat composition, the bite of the bakery product produced using the bakery fat composition of the present invention deteriorates. Further, it becomes impossible to uniformly disperse xanthan gum in the bakery fat composition.

[0017] From the viewpoint of obtaining a bakery product having a chewy texture and good bite, and from the viewpoint that the effect of maintaining the chewy texture of the bakery product can be more preferably obtained, the xanthan gum content of the bakery fat composition of the present invention is preferably 2 to 55% by mass, more preferably 3 to 55% by mass, and even more preferably 3 to 52% by mass.

[0018] The xanthan gum content of the bakery fat composition of the present invention can be arbitrarily set within the above numerical range according to the usage method and purpose of the bakery fat composition of the present invention.

[0019] For example, in the bakery fat composition of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the low-concentration type bakery fat composition of the present invention) which is particularly preferably used in the production of general bakery products such as bread and sweet bread, the xanthan gum content is preferably 1.5 to 30% by mass in the bakery fat composition, preferably 2 to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 3 to 20% by mass.

[0020] Furthermore, in cases where the content of the bakery oil composition of the present invention is limited due to the formulation of the bakery dough (for example, when manufacturing lean bakery products or when using oils or other bakery oil compositions in combination), the bakery oil composition of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the high-concentration type of bakery oil composition of the present invention) is particularly suitable for use in such cases, the xanthan gum content is preferably greater than 30% by mass and 55% by mass or less in the bakery oil composition, more preferably 35 to 55% by mass, and even more preferably 40 to 52% by mass.

[0021] The xanthan gum used in the bakery fat composition of the present invention preferably has a viscosity of 500 to 3000 mPa·s, more preferably 700 to 2500 mPa·s, and most preferably 1000 to 2000 mPa·s at 25°C, when measured using a Type B viscometer with a No. 1 rotor as a 1% solution with a 1% aqueous potassium chloride solvent.

[0022] It is preferable that the viscosity of the xanthan gum used in the bakery oil composition of the present invention is within the above numerical range, as this results in a chewier texture and better melt-in-your-mouth quality of bakery products made using the bakery oil composition of the present invention. The viscosity of the above xanthan gum can be measured, for example, using the "Visco Tester VT-06" manufactured by Rion Co., Ltd. and its accompanying rotor No. 1.

[0023] Next, we will describe the sugar-degrading enzyme contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention. The bakery oil composition of the present invention contains a sugar-degrading enzyme. The bakery fat composition of the present invention contains a sugar-degrading enzyme, which allows for the production of bakery products with a chewy texture and good melt-in-your-mouth quality when used. Furthermore, the chewy texture of bakery products produced using the bakery fat composition of the present invention can be maintained.

[0024] Examples of sugar-degrading enzymes in the present invention include amylases such as α-amylase, maltose-producing α-amylase, maltooligosaccharide-producing α-amylase, β-amylase, glucoamylase, and isoamylase, as well as maltase, isomaltase, sucrase, lactase, trehalase, pullulanase, hemicellulase, cellulase, and pectinase. These sugar-degrading enzymes can be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0025] Among these sugar-degrading enzymes, it is preferable to use one or more selected from amylases in the bakery oil composition of the present invention, and more preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose-producing α-amylase, maltooligosaccharide-producing α-amylase, and β-amylase.

[0026] The origin of the sugar-degrading enzyme used in the present invention is not particularly limited; for example, sugar-degrading enzymes derived from animals, plants, or microorganisms such as molds and bacteria can be used.

[0027] The optimal temperature for the sugar-degrading enzyme used in the present invention is any temperature range within which it can act on bakery dough, preferably 20 to 95°C, and more preferably 30 to 85°C.

[0028] The optimal pH of the sugar-degrading enzyme used in the present invention is within the range of pH that can act on bakery dough, preferably 4.0 to 9.0, and more preferably 5.0 to 8.0.

[0029] The amylases, which are preferably used as sugar-degrading enzymes contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention, will be described in more detail below. Amylases are enzymes that break down amylose and amylopectin, which are components of starch, into glucose, amylose, and oligosaccharides. In this invention, by using amylases, a moderate elasticity is obtained, resulting in bakery products with a chewier texture. Furthermore, the chewier texture obtained can be maintained.

[0030] In the present invention, it is preferable to use one or more of the above-mentioned amylases selected from the group consisting of maltose-producing α-amylase, maltooligosaccharide-producing α-amylase, and β-amylase.

[0031] Maltose-producing α-amylases are a type of amylase that primarily produces maltose by cleaving the α-1,4-glucosidic bonds of amylose and amylopectin, which are components of starch, from the non-reducing end. Various formulations containing maltose-producing α-amylase that can be used in the bakery oil composition of the present invention are commercially available, for example, Kokurase (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation), Novamyl 10000BG, Novamyl L, Maltogenase (all manufactured by Novozymes Japan), and Grindamyl MAX-LIFE100 (manufactured by Danisco Japan).

[0032] The optimal temperature for maltose-producing α-amylase is preferably 40 to 95°C.

[0033] Maltooligosaccharide-producing α-amylase is an enzyme among amylases that primarily produces maltooligosaccharides by cleaving the α-1,4 glucosidic bonds of amylose and amylopectin, which are components of starch, from the non-reducing end.

[0034] Maltooligosaccharides refer to maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose, maltheptaose, etc.

[0035] The maltooligosaccharide-producing α-amylase described above is not particularly limited as long as it is an enzyme that cleaves α-1,4-glucosidic bonds to produce maltooligosaccharides, and one type may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination. In the bakery fat composition of the present invention, it is even more preferable that the maltooligosaccharide-producing α-amylase is a maltotetraose-producing α-amylase that mainly produces maltotetraose.

[0036] Various formulations containing maltotetraose-producing α-amylase that can be used in the bakery oil composition of the present invention are commercially available, for example, POWERFresh 3050, POWERFresh 3150, POWERFresh 4150 (all manufactured by Danisco Japan), Denabake Extra (manufactured by Nagase ChemteX), etc.

[0037] The optimal temperature for maltooligosaccharide-producing α-amylase is preferably 30 to 90°C.

[0038] β-amylase is an enzyme among amylases that primarily produces maltose by cleaving the α-1,4 glucosidic bonds of amylose and amylopectin, which are components of starch, from the non-reducing end at disaccharide units. On the other hand, it is also an enzyme that has the characteristic of stopping the reaction before reaching the α-1,6 glucosidic bond in amylopectin.

[0039] Various formulations containing β-amylase that can be used in the bakery oil composition of the present invention are commercially available, for example, Optimalt BBA (manufactured by Genencore Kyowa Co., Ltd.), β-amylase #1500, β-amylase L, β-amylase #1500S (all manufactured by Nagase ChemteX Corporation), Hymaltosin G, Hymaltosin GL (both manufactured by HBI Co., Ltd.), Uniase L (manufactured by Yakult Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.), GODO-GBA (manufactured by Godo Seishu Co., Ltd.), and the like.

[0040] The optimal temperature for β-amylase is preferably 30 to 65°C.

[0041] The bakery fat composition of the present invention, although it varies depending on the type and activity of the glycosphagnet it contains, preferably contains 0.01 to 0.7% by mass of glycosphagnet, more preferably 0.05 to 0.65% by mass, and even more preferably 0.08 to 0.63% by mass. If the bakery fat composition of the present invention contains multiple glycosphagnets, the sum of these values ​​shall be considered as the glycosphagnet content of the bakery fat composition of the present invention.

[0042] In the bakery oil composition of the present invention, if the content of sugar-degrading enzymes satisfies the above numerical range, the bakery products produced using the bakery oil composition of the present invention tend to be less sticky and easier to work with. Furthermore, the bakery products produced have a chewier texture and melt in the mouth, and the effect of maintaining that chewy texture is also good.

[0043] Furthermore, the content of the sugar-degrading enzyme in the bakery oil composition of the present invention, like the content of xanthan gum, can be arbitrarily set depending on the method and purpose of use of the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0044] For example, in the low-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, the content of the sugar-degrading enzyme is preferably 0.01 to 0.3% by mass, more preferably 0.05 to 0.3% by mass, and even more preferably 0.08 to 0.2% by mass.

[0045] Furthermore, in the high-concentration type of bakery oil composition of the present invention, the content of sugar-degrading enzyme is preferably greater than 0.3% by mass and 0.7% by mass or less, preferably 0.35 to 0.65% by mass, and more preferably 0.4 to 0.63% by mass.

[0046] The bakery oil composition of the present invention, due to the synergistic effect of xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme, results in bakery products made using the bakery oil composition of the present invention having a chewy texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality, and also maintaining that chewy texture. Therefore, it is necessary to use xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme in combination.

[0047] In the bakery oil composition of the present invention, the content of xanthan gum per 1 part by mass of the sugar-degrading enzyme is preferably 10 to 300 parts by mass, more preferably 30 to 270 parts by mass, even more preferably 40 to 200 parts by mass, and most preferably 50 to 150 parts by mass. The effects of the present invention can be more favorably obtained if the mass ratio of xanthan gum content to glycosphagnum enzyme content is within the above numerical range.

[0048] The enzyme activity of the sugar-degrading enzyme contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention varies depending on the type of sugar-degrading enzyme contained, but is preferably 100 to 7000 units per 100g of the bakery oil composition, more preferably 500 to 6500 units, and even more preferably 800 to 6300 units. If the enzyme activity of the sugar-degrading enzyme is less than 100 units per 100g of the bakery oil composition, the effect of maintaining a chewy texture may not be sufficiently obtained. If it exceeds 7000 units per 100g of the bakery oil composition, the texture may become excessively soft, and a chewy texture may not be obtained. When the enzyme activity of the sugar-degrading enzyme satisfies the above numerical range, the workability when manufacturing bakery products using the bakery oil composition of the present invention tends to be better. Furthermore, the manufactured bakery products have a chewier texture and melt in the mouth better, and the effect of maintaining that chewy texture is also better. If the bakery oil composition of the present invention contains multiple sugar-degrading enzymes, the sum of the enzyme activity values ​​of each enzyme shall be used as the enzyme activity of the sugar-degrading enzymes contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0049] Furthermore, the enzyme activity of the sugar-degrading enzyme contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention can be arbitrarily set according to the method and purpose of use of the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0050] For example, in the low-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, the enzyme activity of the sugar-degrading enzyme is preferably 100 to 3000 units per 100g of the bakery oil composition, more preferably 500 to 2500 units, and even more preferably 800 to 2000 units.

[0051] Furthermore, in the high-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, the amount is preferably greater than 3,000 units and 7,000 units or less per 100g of the bakery oil composition, more preferably between 3,500 and 6,500 units, and even more preferably between 4,000 and 6,300 units.

[0052] The enzyme activity of the above-mentioned glycosphagnum enzymes can be measured using commonly used enzyme activity measurement methods, depending on the type of glycosphagnum enzyme being measured. The following describes one method for measuring the enzymatic activity of maltose-producing α-amylase, maltotetraose-producing α-amylase, and β-amylase, which are particularly preferred as sugar-degrading enzymes contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0053] The enzymatic activity of maltose-producing α-amylase can be measured, for example, as follows: Under optimal temperature and pH conditions, one unit of enzyme is defined as the amount of enzyme that produces 1 micromolar of maltose per minute when reacting with maltotriose as a substrate. Maltose can be measured by referring to "Quantitative Methods for Reducing Sugars, 2nd Edition" (by Sakuzo Fukui, Gakkai Shuppan Center).

[0054] The enzymatic activity of maltotetraose-producing α-amylase can be measured, for example, as follows: Accurately weigh 5,000 g of pre-dried soluble starch (for enzyme testing), suspend it in 300 mL of water, and heat while occasionally shaking to prevent the starch from settling. After boiling for 5 minutes, allow to cool completely. Add 50 mL of 200 mmol / L phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 and water to make a total volume of exactly 500 mL. This will be used as the substrate solution for measuring enzyme activity. Add 0.2 mL of the sample solution precisely to 5 mL of the substrate solution, which has been warmed to 40 ± 0.5 °C, and mix well. Allow to react at 40 ± 0.5 °C for exactly 20 minutes. Next, measure out 1 mL of the reaction solution and immediately add it to 2 mL of the pre-prepared Somogyi copper reagent to stop the reaction. Then, place a glass bead on the test tube and heat it in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. After cooling this solution, add 2 mL of Nelson's reagent and mix well. Let it stand for 30 minutes, then add exactly 5 mL of water and measure the absorbance AT at a wavelength of 520 nm. Separately, accurately add 0.2 mL of the sample solution to 5 mL of the substrate solution, which has been warmed to 40 ± 0.5 °C, and mix. Immediately measure out 1 mL and add it to 2 mL of the previously prepared Somogyi copper reagent to stop the reaction. Then, perform the same procedure as for absorbance AT measurement and measure the absorbance A0. Furthermore, accurately measure 1 mL each of glucose standard solution and water, add them to 2 mL of pre-prepared Somogyi copper reagent, and perform the same procedure to measure the absorbances AS and AB. The enzyme activity can be determined by substituting the measurement results into the following formula. (Enzyme activity)={(AT-A0)×300×5.2×n} / {(AS-AB)×180.16×0.2×20} However, each algebra and numerical value has the following meaning: AT: Absorbance of the reaction solution A0: Absorbance of reaction stop solution AS: Absorbance of glucose standard solution AB: Absorbance of water 300: Concentration of glucose standard solution (μg / mL) 180.16: Molecular weight of glucose 5.2: Total volume of reaction solution (mL) 0.2: Volume of sample solution (mL) 20: Reaction time (minutes) n: Dilution factor of the sample solution

[0055] The enzymatic activity of β-amylase can be measured, for example, as follows: Under optimal temperature and pH conditions, one unit of enzyme is defined as the amount of enzyme that produces 1 micromolar of maltose per minute when reacting with a soluble starch solution as a substrate. Maltose can be measured by referring to "Quantitative Methods for Reducing Sugars, 2nd Edition" (by Sakuzo Fukui, Gakkai Shuppan Center).

[0056] Next, we will describe the fats and oils contained in the bakery fat composition of the present invention. The bakery fat composition of the present invention can be used without particular limitations as long as it is an edible fat. Examples include various vegetable and animal fats such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, high erucine rapeseed oil, rice oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, high oleic sunflower oil, safflower oil, high oleic safflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, kapok oil, evening primrose oil, beef tallow, milk fat, lard, shea butter, sal fat, kokum fat, illipe fat, cocoa butter, fish oil, whale oil, and processed fats obtained by subjecting these to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and transesterification. These fats can be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0057] The bakery fat composition of the present invention preferably has a solid fat content (hereinafter referred to as SFC) of 33-70% at 10°C, more preferably 35-65%, and even more preferably 40-60%. Furthermore, the SFC at 20°C is preferably 15-50%, more preferably 18-45%, and even more preferably 20-40%.

[0058] When the SFC of the bakery oil composition of the present invention at 10°C and 20°C is within the above numerical range, it is preferable that the oil composition has an appropriate hardness, making it easier to uniformly disperse when mixing xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzymes into the cooled and plasticized oil composition, which is one aspect of the preferred manufacturing method of the bakery oil composition of the present invention described later. This is preferable because it is possible to uniformly obtain the effects of producing bakery products with a chewy texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality, as well as the effect of maintaining a chewy texture.

[0059] The SFC of the bakery oil composition of the present invention refers to the oil phase SFC, which is the sum of the oils used in the bakery oil composition of the present invention and the oils contained in the raw materials other than oils.

[0060] In this invention, the measurement of SFC can be performed using any method, such as a method that utilizes the change in specific volume due to the thermal expansion of oils and fats, or a method that utilizes nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). For example, it can be measured using the "SFC-2000R" solid fat content analyzer manufactured by Astec Corporation, using the method described in Section 2.2.9 (2013) of the Standard Methods for Analysis of Oils and Fats established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society.

[0061] The fat and oil content in the bakery fat and oil composition of the present invention is preferably 45 to 98.5% by mass, preferably 45 to 95% by mass, and most preferably 47 to 92.5% by mass, from the viewpoint of facilitating the uniform dispersion of xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzymes in the bakery fat and oil composition. The above fat and oil content includes fats and oils contained in raw materials other than fats and oils.

[0062] The fat content in the bakery fat composition of the present invention, like the xanthan gum content, can be arbitrarily set depending on the method and purpose of use of the bakery fat composition of the present invention.

[0063] For example, in the low-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, the oil content is preferably 60 to 98.5% by mass, more preferably 75 to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 92.5% by mass.

[0064] Furthermore, in the high-concentration type of bakery oil composition of the present invention, the oil content is preferably 45 to 65% by mass, more preferably 45 to 60% by mass, and even more preferably 47 to 55% by mass.

[0065] Next, we will discuss the water content of the bakery oil composition of the present invention. One of the features of the bakery oil composition of the present invention is that its moisture content is 5% by mass or less. The above moisture content is the sum of the moisture content of xanthan gum, tap water, distilled water, mineral water, and other water sources, as well as the moisture content of other raw materials described later.

[0066] In the bakery oil composition of the present invention, if the water content exceeds 5% by mass, the xanthan gum will clump or thicken, making it impossible to uniformly disperse the xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzymes in the bakery oil composition. In addition, the dispersibility of the bakery oil composition in bakery dough is also impaired, resulting in poor workability during the production of bakery products. Furthermore, it becomes impossible to obtain bakery products with a chewy texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality, and the effect of maintaining the chewy texture is also lost.

[0067] The moisture content of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, similar to the xanthan gum content, can be arbitrarily set while satisfying the above-mentioned moisture content range, depending on the method and purpose of use of the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0068] For example, in the low-concentration type of bakery oil composition of the present invention, the water content is 5% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, and most preferably 1% by mass or less. The lower limit of the water content is 0% by mass.

[0069] Furthermore, in the high-concentration type of bakery oil composition of the present invention, the water content is 5% by mass or less, preferably 4.8% by mass or less, more preferably 4.6% by mass or less, and most preferably 4.4% by mass or less. The lower limit of the water content is 0% by mass.

[0070] The method for measuring the moisture content described above is not particularly limited, and various methods can be used. For example, general methods for measuring moisture content such as the Karl Fischer method can be used.

[0071] Next, we will describe the starches in the bakery oil composition of the present invention. The bakery fat composition of the present invention does not inhibit the action of xanthan gum or sugar-degrading enzymes, and from the viewpoint of favorably obtaining the effects of the present invention, as well as from the viewpoint of suppressing bakery products from becoming sticky or having poor melt-in-the-mouth texture, the starch content is preferably 2% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.3% by mass or less, and most preferably 0.1% by mass or less. The lower limit of the preferred starch content is 0% by mass.

[0072] The starch content in the bakery oil composition of the present invention described above is the sum of the starches contained in the other raw materials described later, in addition to the starches themselves.

[0073] Examples of the starches mentioned above include starches obtained from plants such as corn, cassava, tapioca, sago palm, wheat, rice, sweet potato, potato, and mung bean, as well as modified starches obtained by subjecting these starches to one or more physical treatments such as retrogradation, bleaching, and moist heat treatment, chemical treatments such as esterification, etherification, acetylation, crosslinking, and emulsifier treatment, and enzymatic treatments. There are no particular restrictions on the origin of the starches.

[0074] The method for measuring the starch content is not particularly limited, and various methods may be used. For example, a colorimetric method using iodine, or a method in which starch is enzymatically hydrolyzed into glucose and the amount of glucose is quantified to calculate the starch content can be used.

[0075] The inventors speculate that the mechanism by which the present invention's oil and fat composition for bakeries yields bakery products with a chewy texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality, and which maintains that texture even after time has passed, is as follows.

[0076] Xanthan gum absorbs water faster than starches found in bakery dough. Therefore, when bakery dough is made using the bakery oil composition of the present invention, the xanthan gum quickly absorbs moisture, making the dough less sticky and improving workability. Furthermore, while xanthan gum absorbs water quickly, it has a weak ability to retain the absorbed water. Therefore, during the heat treatment of bakery dough, xanthan gum slowly releases the absorbed water, and the starch from the flours used in the bakery dough absorbs that water instead, allowing for efficient gelatinization. Since the chewy texture of bakery products depends on the starch from the flours absorbing enough water and undergoing gelatinization, we believe that the bakery oil composition of the present invention, through the above action, can produce bakery products with a chewy texture. Because the present invention promotes the gelatinization of the starch in the flours themselves, it is thought that the bakery products have less stickiness and a better melt-in-your-mouth texture compared to conventional bakery products that achieve a chewy texture by adding modified starch.

[0077] Furthermore, the bakery fat composition of the present invention must contain both xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme. By containing both xanthan gum and the sugar-degrading enzyme, both act on the starch of the flour, suppressing the recrystallization and retrogradation of the gelatinized starch, thereby improving the chewy texture and melt-in-the-mouth quality while maintaining that chewy texture. In particular, in the present invention, excellent effects are obtained due to the synergistic effect of the action of xanthan gum and the action of the sugar-degrading enzyme, and it is thought that particularly favorable effects are obtained when the ratio of xanthan gum to sugar-degrading enzyme contained is within a certain range.

[0078] If xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzymes are added directly to the bakery dough instead of to the oil and fat composition, the effects of the present invention cannot be obtained. As described above, xanthan gum absorbs water quickly, so if it is added directly to the bakery dough, it will clump together where it absorbs water and will not be uniformly dispersed in the dough. As a result, the starch of the cereal flours throughout the bakery dough cannot be efficiently gelatinized, and we believe that the effects of the present invention cannot be obtained. Therefore, we believe that by incorporating xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzymes into an oil and fat composition with a moisture content within a specific range, the dispersibility in the bakery dough is improved, resulting in bakery products with a chewy texture and good melt-in-your-mouth quality, and maintaining that chewy texture.

[0079] The bakery oil composition of the present invention may contain, in addition to the xanthan gum, sugar-degrading enzyme, and oils and fats mentioned above, other ingredients that can be used for food. Other raw materials include, for example, sugars, sugar alcohols, high-intensity sweeteners, emulsifiers, thickeners and stabilizers other than xanthan gum, salts such as sodium chloride and potassium chloride, acidulants such as acetic acid and lactic acid, enzymes other than sugar-degrading enzymes, pH adjusters, colorants such as beta-carotene and caramel, flavorings, food preservatives, shelf-life extenders, antioxidants such as tocopherol, plant proteins such as wheat protein and soy protein, various egg products and animal proteins, milk and dairy products, seasonings, fruits and vegetables and their juices, fruits, pulp, spices, coffee, cocoa mass, cocoa powder, grains, beans, nuts and seeds, meats, fish and shellfish, and other food materials and food additives. One or more of these may be selected and used.

[0080] Examples of the above sugars include refined white sugar, brown sugar, sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, granulated sugar, brown sugar, maltose, beet sugar, powdered sugar, liquid sugar, isomerized sugar, invert sugar, enzyme-fermented corn syrup, isomerized corn syrup, sucrose-bonded corn syrup, fructooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, lactulose oligosaccharides, xylose, trehalose, raffinose, lactulose, palatinose oligosaccharides, and other monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides.

[0081] Examples of the above sugar alcohols include sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, lactitol, reduced maltose syrup, reduced lactose, and reduced starch syrup.

[0082] Examples of the high-intensity sweeteners mentioned above include sodium saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, stevia, neotame, licorice, glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizinate, dihydrochalcone, thaumatin, and monellin.

[0083] Examples of the emulsifiers mentioned above include glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, glycerin organic acid fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, calcium stearoyl lactylate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, saponins, and the like. In the bakery oil composition of the present invention, it is preferable that the above-mentioned emulsifier is not included, from the viewpoint of suppressing the deterioration of the melt-in-your-mouth texture of bakery products made using the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0084] Examples of the thickening and stabilizing agents mentioned above include those other than xanthan gum, such as guar gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, alginic acids, pectin, pullulan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, crystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, agar, glucomannan, gelatin, and polysaccharides such as dextrin.

[0085] Other enzymes besides the sugar-degrading enzymes mentioned above include, for example, proteases, lipases, phosphoripases, catalases, lipoxygenases, ascorbic acid oxidases, sulfidyl oxidases, hexose oxidases, and glucose oxidases.

[0086] Examples of the above-mentioned milk and dairy products include cow's milk, animal milk obtained from animals such as goats and sheep, plant-based milk obtained from plants such as soy milk, skim milk, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, fermented milk, fresh cream, compound cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, concentrated milk, whey minerals, whey, and whey powder.

[0087] The content of other raw materials in the bakery oil composition of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 7% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass or less. The lower limit of the content of other raw materials is 0% by mass.

[0088] The form of the bakery oil composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be in the form of an oil composition without an aqueous phase, or in the form of a water-in-oil emulsion.

[0089] In the bakery oil composition of the present invention, it is preferable that the oil composition is in a form that does not contain an aqueous phase, from the viewpoint that it is easier to uniformly disperse xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzymes in the bakery oil composition, and that it is easier to disperse the bakery oil composition of the present invention in bakery dough, thereby obtaining the effects of the present invention more favorably. The aqueous phase in the above-mentioned bakery oil composition can be observed by conventional methods, such as taking a small amount of the bakery oil composition on a glass slide and observing it using an optical microscope at a temperature at which the bakery oil composition does not melt. In this invention, a bakery oil composition that does not show an aqueous phase when observed with an optical microscope at a magnification of 200x is defined as a bakery oil composition that does not contain an aqueous phase.

[0090] Furthermore, the bakery oil composition of the present invention is preferably plastic in that it is easily mixed with the raw materials of the bakery dough during the production of the dough.

[0091] The bakery oil composition of the present invention can be preferably used in the production of bakery products such as bread and confectionery.

[0092] The bakery fat composition of the present invention can be used alone in the manufacture of bakery products, or it can be used in combination with other fats and oils or fat compositions.

[0093] When using the bakery oil composition of the present invention alone, it is particularly preferable to use a low-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention. When using it in combination with other oils or oil compositions, it is particularly preferable to use a high-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0094] When using the high-concentration type of bakery oil composition of the present invention in combination with other oils or oil compositions, the preferred mass ratio is 0.1 to 30 parts by mass of the other oil or oil composition per 1 part by mass of the high-concentration type of bakery oil composition of the present invention, and more preferably 0.3 to 10 parts by mass of the other oil or oil composition. The other oils or oil compositions are not particularly limited as long as they are edible, and one or more types can be used.

[0095] Next, the method for producing the bakery oil composition of the present invention will be described. The method for producing the bakery oil composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and it can be produced by known methods as long as the final product contains 1.5 to 55% by mass of xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme, and the moisture content of the oil composition is 5% by mass or less.

[0096] The following describes the preferred form of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, which is a plastic oil composition that does not contain an aqueous phase.

[0097] In the production of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme may be added separately, or they may be added as a pre-mixed mixture. Furthermore, when these are added separately, the order of addition and the timing of addition during the manufacturing process are not particularly restricted and can be added at any time.

[0098] For example, (1) a bakery oil composition may be produced by adding xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme to heated and melted oil and then cooling and plasticizing it, or (2) all raw materials other than xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme may be mixed, cooled and plasticized, and then xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme may be added and kneaded.

[0099] In the method for producing the bakery oil composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of suppressing the inactivation of the contained sugar-degrading enzyme and from the viewpoint of work efficiency, it is preferable to cool and plasticize the oil mixture as described in (2) above, and then add xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme and knead it.

[0100] The following describes in more detail one preferred method for producing the bakery oil composition of the present invention, which takes the form of a plastic oil composition that does not contain an aqueous phase.

[0101] First, the oils and fats are heated and melted and mixed, and other raw materials are added and dissolved as needed to obtain an oil mixture. If necessary, the obtained oil mixture may be sterilized. The sterilization method can be a batch system in a tank or a continuous system using a plate heat exchanger or scrape heat exchanger.

[0102] Next, the above oil mixture is cooled and plasticized. Cooling in this invention may be rapid or slow cooling, but rapid cooling is preferred. Slow cooling in this invention refers to cooling at a cooling rate of less than -0.5°C / min, and rapid cooling refers to cooling at a cooling rate of -0.5°C / min or higher. It is even more preferable that the rapid cooling in this invention be carried out at a cooling temperature of -5°C / min or higher.

[0103] The above cooling may be carried out using previously known devices or methods. For example, it can be done using a closed-type continuous scraping tubular cooler (Unit A) such as a combinator, botator, perfector, or chemtator, a plate-type heat exchanger, or a combination of an open-type diacooler and compressor.

[0104] Furthermore, the plasticization described above may also be carried out using previously known apparatus and methods. For example, it can be done by kneading with a kneading device (B unit) such as a pin machine, or by kneading with a resting tube, holding tube, etc.

[0105] Next, xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme are added to the plasticized oil composition obtained by cooling and plasticizing as described above, and kneaded to obtain the bakery oil composition of the present invention, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase.

[0106] The method for adding the above-mentioned xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme to the plastic fat composition and kneading it may be carried out using conventionally known apparatus and methods. For example, this could involve adding the xanthan gum and sugar-degrading enzyme to the plastic fat composition and kneading it using a kneading device (B unit) such as a pin machine, resting tube, or holding tube, or manually kneading it using a mixer or whisk.

[0107] The bakery oil composition of the present invention, which is plastic and free of an aqueous phase, obtained as described above, may be poured into containers such as cardboard boxes, cases, or 18-liter cans, or it may be molded into any shape. When molded, it can be made into, for example, a sheet, a block, a cylinder, or granules. The preferred sizes for each shape are as follows: for a sheet, the length is 50 to 1000 mm, the width is 50 to 1000 mm, and the thickness is 1 to 50 mm. for a block, the length is 50 to 1000 mm, the width is 50 to 1000 mm, and the height is 50 to 500 mm. for a cylinder, the diameter is 1 to 25 mm and the length is 5 to 100 mm. for granules, the diameter is 1 to 25 mm. Of course, the bakery oil composition of the present invention molded into the above shapes may also be packed into containers.

[0108] Next, the bakery dough of the present invention will be described. The bakery dough of the present invention contains at least the bakery oil and fat composition of the present invention and flours, and contains 0.1 to 2 parts by mass of xanthan gum, 0.001 to 0.025 parts by mass of sugar-degrading enzyme, and 0.5 to 30 parts by mass of oil and fat per 100 parts by mass of flours. In this invention, "flours" refers collectively to grain flours and starches.

[0109] The type of bakery dough of the present invention may be any type of bread dough or pastry dough. Examples include white bread dough, sweet bread dough, variety bread dough, butter roll dough, soft roll dough, hard roll dough, sweet roll dough, Danish pastry dough, pastry dough, French bread dough, pie dough, choux pastry dough, donut dough, butter cake dough, sponge cake dough, hard biscuit dough, waffle dough, scone dough, etc. Among these, white bread dough, sweet bread dough, variety bread dough, butter roll dough, soft roll dough, hard roll dough, sweet roll dough, French bread dough, and donut dough are preferred from the viewpoint of easily experiencing the effects of the present invention.

[0110] The bakery dough of the present invention may contain a low-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention, or it may contain a high-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention. Details of the bakery oil composition of the present invention are as described above.

[0111] The content of the bakery oil composition of the present invention can be set so that the content of xanthan gum, the content of sugar-degrading enzyme, and the content of oil in the bakery dough of the present invention, as described later, are within the following numerical ranges. The upper limit of the content is preferably 30 parts by mass or less, more preferably 20 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 15 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of flour. The lower limit of the content is preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more, more preferably 0.7 parts by mass or more, and even more preferably 1 part by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of flour.

[0112] When incorporating the above-described bakery oil composition of the present invention into bakery dough by itself, it is preferable to use a low-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention. When incorporating the above-described bakery oil composition of the present invention into bakery dough in combination with other oils or oil compositions, it is preferable to use a high-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention. The preferred ratio when using the high-concentration type of the bakery oil composition of the present invention in combination with other oils or oil compositions is as described above.

[0113] The xanthan gum contained in the bakery dough of the present invention is preferably the same as the xanthan gum contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention described above, and the details are as described above.

[0114] The xanthan gum content in the bakery dough of the present invention is 0.1 to 2 parts by mass, preferably 0.2 to 1.8 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.3 to 1.5 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of flour.

[0115] The sugar-degrading enzyme contained in the bakery dough of the present invention is preferably the same as the sugar-degrading enzyme contained in the bakery oil composition of the present invention described above, and the details are as described above.

[0116] The content of the sugar-degrading enzyme in the bakery dough of the present invention is 0.001 to 0.025 parts by mass, preferably 0.003 to 0.020 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.005 to 0.018 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of flour.

[0117] The oils and fats contained in the bakery dough of the present invention can be used without particular limitation, as long as they are edible, including oils and oil compositions.

[0118] The fat and oil content in the bakery dough of the present invention varies depending on the type of bakery dough being manufactured, but is generally 0.5 to 30 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of flour. A preferred fat and oil content is, for example, in the case of bread, preferably 20 parts by mass or less, more preferably 15 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of flour. It is also preferably 0.7 parts by mass or more, and more preferably 1 part by mass or more. The above-mentioned fat content includes both fats and oils contained in the bakery dough ingredients other than fats and oils.

[0119] The bakery dough of the present invention contains cereal flours and / or starches. Examples of the above-mentioned flours include wheat flour such as soft flour, medium flour, semi-strong flour, and strong flour, as well as wheat germ, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, durum flour, barley flour, rice flour, rye flour, whole rye flour, soy flour, and Job's tears flour. One of these can be used alone, or two or more can be used in combination.

[0120] In the bakery dough of the present invention, it is preferable to use wheat flour in an amount of 50% by mass or more of the cereal flours, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 100% by mass.

[0121] Examples of the starches mentioned above include starches obtained from plants such as corn, cassava, tapioca, sago palm, wheat, rice, sweet potato, potato, and mung bean, as well as modified starches obtained by subjecting these starches to one or more physical treatments such as retrogradation, bleaching, and moist heat treatment, chemical treatments such as esterification, etherification, acetylation, crosslinking, and emulsifier treatment, and enzymatic treatment. One of these can be used alone, or two or more can be used in combination. There are no particular restrictions on the origin of the starches.

[0122] The bakery dough of the present invention may, if necessary, be blended with other ingredients that can be used as ingredients in general bakery products. Other ingredients mentioned above include, for example, water, oils and fats, yeast, sugars, sugar alcohols, high-intensity sweeteners, thickeners and stabilizers, colorants, antioxidants, dextrin, milk and dairy products, starches, cheeses, distilled spirits, brewed alcoholic beverages, various liqueurs, emulsifiers, leavening agents, inorganic salts, salt, baking powder, yeast food, cocoa and cocoa products, coffee and coffee products, herbs, beans, eggs, proteins, preservatives, bittering agents, acidulants, pH adjusters, shelf-life extenders, fruits, fruit juices, jams, fruit sauces, seasonings, spices, flavorings, various food ingredients and food additives.

[0123] The above-mentioned other raw materials can be used in any amount as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. However, with respect to water, from the viewpoint of making it easier to obtain bakery products with a chewy texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality, and from the viewpoint of preventing stickiness during bakery dough production and improving workability, for example, in the case of bread, it is preferable to use 30 to 120 parts by mass, more preferably 50 to 100 parts by mass, and even more preferably 60 to 90 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of flour. The amount of water mentioned above includes the water contained in xanthan gum, the bakery oil composition of the present invention, and other raw materials. Furthermore, if water is added to multiple doughs, such as when producing the bakery dough of the present invention using the sponge and dough method, the total amount of water added to each dough should be considered the total amount of water.

[0124] The bakery dough of the present invention contains at least the bakery oil composition of the present invention, and the content of xanthan gum, sugar-degrading enzyme, and oil is within the above numerical range, resulting in good workability during the production of the bakery dough, and bakery products obtained by heat-treating the bakery dough of the present invention have a chewy texture and melt in the mouth. In addition, if the amount of water added to the bakery dough is high, the workability during production of the bakery dough is further improved, and the effect of obtaining a chewy texture can be significantly obtained. For bakery dough with a high amount of water, the amount of water added varies depending on the type of bakery dough, but for example, in the case of white bread dough, a white bread dough containing 70 to 100 parts by mass of water per 100 parts by mass of flour is preferable because the above effect can be significantly obtained.

[0125] The method for producing bakery dough according to the present invention is not particularly limited, and conventionally known methods for producing bakery dough can be used. For example, general methods for producing bread dough such as the sponge and dough method, direct kneading method, liquid starter method, medium dough method, and tangzhong method, as well as general methods for producing confectionery dough such as the sugar batter method, flour batter method, all-in-mix method, melted butter method, separate method, post-flour method, post-oil method, and tangzhong method, can be appropriately selected and used for production.

[0126] In the bakery dough of the present invention, it is preferable to manufacture it by the sponge and dough method, from the viewpoint of easily obtaining bakery products with a chewier texture and better melt-in-your-mouth quality. When manufacturing the bakery dough of the present invention by the sponge and dough method, it is preferable to knead the bakery oil composition of the present invention into the sponge and dough and / or the main dough, preferably kneading it into the main dough and incorporating it.

[0127] The method for incorporating the bakery oil composition of the present invention into the bakery dough described above is not particularly limited. For example, the bakery oil composition of the present invention may be kneaded into the bakery dough or folded into it. Preferably, the bakery oil composition of the present invention is kneaded into the bakery dough.

[0128] The bakery dough of the present invention may be stored refrigerated or frozen after production. The above-mentioned refrigerated storage refers to storage at a temperature of -5°C or higher and 10°C or lower, preferably at 0 to 10°C, and more preferably at 0 to 5°C. The above-mentioned frozen storage refers to storage at a temperature of -30°C or higher and lower than -5°C, and more preferably at -30 to -10°C.

[0129] The bakery dough of the present invention, which has been stored in the refrigerator or freezer as described above, may be heated as is, or it may be returned to room temperature and then shaped or otherwise processed and heated as needed.

[0130] Next, we will describe the bakery product of the present invention. The bakery product of the present invention is obtained by heat-treating the bakery dough of the present invention.

[0131] There are no particular restrictions on the method of heat-treating the bakery dough described above. For example, the bakery dough of the present invention may be baked, fried, steamed, or microwaved. The bakery products of the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they are made by heat-treating the bakery dough of the present invention.

[0132] From the viewpoint of the effect of the present invention, which is to easily obtain bakery products that have a chewy texture, melt in the mouth well, and maintain that texture, the bakery products of the present invention are preferably white bread, sweet bread, variety bread, butter rolls, soft rolls, hard rolls, sweet rolls, French bread, and donuts.

[0133] The raw materials used in the bakery products of the present invention are the same as the raw materials used in the bakery dough of the present invention as described above.

[0134] The bakery product of the present invention obtained as described above may be stored from the time of manufacture until consumption, as long as hygiene can be ensured. Even if the bakery product of the present invention is stored from the time of manufacture until consumption, it can maintain its desirable chewy texture.

[0135] While there are no particular restrictions on storage temperature as long as hygiene can be ensured, it is preferable to store at room temperature or frozen. If stored in the refrigerator, the starches in the bakery product are prone to staling, which may prevent the desired effect of maintaining the chewy texture of the present invention from being achieved. Therefore, it is preferable not to store the present invention in the refrigerator. In this invention, "room temperature" refers to a temperature higher than 10°C and 30°C or lower, "refrigeration" refers to a temperature between -5°C and 10°C, and "freezing" refers to a temperature higher than -30°C and lower than -5°C.

[0136] Conventional bakery products lose their texture as time passes after production due to the deterioration of starches in the product. However, the bakery oil composition of the present invention maintains a chewy texture even after time has passed since production, allowing consumers to enjoy the same chewy texture as when the product was made without reheating it before consumption. For this reason, the bakery products of the present invention are preferably products that can be eaten raw.

[0137] In this invention, "eating raw" refers to consuming bakery products obtained by heat-treating bakery dough without further heat treatment, such as toasting or heating in a microwave oven. Specifically, this includes consuming bakery products without further heat treatment after storage following production, consuming bakery products that have been stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen without further heat treatment, or consuming frozen bakery products after natural thawing. Heat treatment is as described above.

[0138] Furthermore, in the case of bakery products that have been stored in the refrigerator, the texture may harden, and the effect of maintaining the chewy texture of the present invention may not be desirable. Therefore, it is preferable that the bakery products to be eaten raw are not bakery products that have been stored in the refrigerator.

[0139] In this invention, room temperature storage refers to storage at a temperature higher than 10°C and 30°C or lower, refrigerated storage refers to storage at a temperature between -5°C and 10°C, and frozen storage refers to storage at a temperature between -30°C and 5°C.

[0140] Finally, the present invention describes a method for improving the texture of bakery products. The present invention provides a method for improving the texture of bakery products, which involves using a bakery oil composition containing 1.5 to 55% by mass of xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme, and having a moisture content of 5% by mass or less, as one of the raw materials.

[0141] By using the method for improving the texture of bakery products according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain bakery products that have a chewy texture and melt in the mouth, and that maintain their chewy texture even after time has passed since production.

[0142] As a bakery oil composition containing 1.5 to 55% by mass of xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme, and having a moisture content of 5% by mass or less, it is preferable to use the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0143] The bakery oil composition and bakery product of the present invention in the method for improving the texture of bakery products described above are as stated above. [Examples]

[0144] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited in any way by these examples.

[0145] [Production of transesterified oil A] A random transesterification reaction was carried out using sodium methoxide as a catalyst on 100% by mass of palm olein (a low-melting point fraction obtained by fractionating palm oil, with an iodine value of 57), and the resulting product was purified by a conventional method to obtain transesterified oil A.

[0146] [Production of transesterified oil B] A random transesterification reaction was carried out using sodium methoxide as a catalyst on 100% by mass of palm superolein (a low-melting-point fraction obtained by further fractionation of the low-melting-point fraction of palm oil, with an iodine value of 65), and the resulting product was purified by a conventional method to obtain transesterified oil B.

[0147] Xanthan gum: "Echo Gum" (manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.), viscosity: 1500 mPa·s, moisture content: 8% by mass of the product Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose: "Heat Sol Loose MH" (manufactured by Unitech Foods Co., Ltd.) Maltose-producing α-amylase: "Novamyl 10000BG" (manufactured by Novozymes Japan Co., Ltd.), enzyme activity: 10000 units / g α-Amylase: "Fungamy l2500SG" (manufactured by Novozymes Japan Co., Ltd.), enzyme activity: 5300 units / g

[0148] [Example 1] 50 parts by mass of palm oil, 5 parts by mass of palm stearin, and 45 parts by mass of transesterified fat A were heated and melted, then mixed by stirring to obtain a fat mixture. 98.08 parts by mass of the obtained oil mixture was rapidly cooled and plasticized to 10°C at a cooling temperature of -5°C / min to obtain a plastic oil composition. Subsequently, 1.8 parts by mass of xanthan gum and 0.12 parts by mass of maltose-producing α-amylase were added to the obtained plastic oil composition and mixed to obtain a low-concentration type bakery oil composition 1 that is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of Bakery Oil Composition 1 at 10°C was 47.7%, and at 20°C it was 23.1%. Furthermore, the moisture content of Bakery Oil Composition 1 was 0.14% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0149] [Example 2] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 96.68 parts by mass and the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 3.2 parts by mass, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition 2 was obtained, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of Bakery Oil Composition 2 was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of Bakery Oil Composition 2 was 0.26% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0150] [Example 3] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 89.88 parts by mass and the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 10 parts by mass, a general-purpose bakery oil composition 3 was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method, but without an aqueous phase and possessing plasticity. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition 3 was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition 3 was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0151] [Example 4] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 64.40 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 35 parts by mass, and the amount of maltose-producing α-amylase from 0.12 parts by mass to 0.6 parts by mass, a high-concentration type bakery oil composition 4 was obtained, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition 4 at 10°C was 47.7%, and at 20°C it was 23.1%. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition 4 was 2.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0152] [Example 5] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 49.40 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 50 parts by mass, and the amount of maltose-producing α-amylase from 0.12 parts by mass to 0.6 parts by mass, a high-concentration type bakery oil composition 5, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition 5 was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition 5 was 4.0% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0153] [Example 6] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 89.96 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 10 parts by mass, and the amount of maltose-producing α-amylase from 0.12 parts by mass to 0.04 parts by mass, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition 6 was obtained, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition 6 was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition 6 was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0154] [Example 7] Except for reducing the amount of the fat mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 49.35 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 50 parts by mass, and the amount of maltose-producing α-amylase from 0.12 parts by mass to 0.65 parts by mass, a high-concentration type bakery fat composition 7, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition 7 was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition 7 was 4.0% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0155] [Example 8] Except for the oil mixture formulation in Example 1 being 20 parts by mass of palm oil, 15 parts by mass of transesterified oil A, and 65 parts by mass of transesterified oil B, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition 8 was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method, but without an aqueous phase and possessing plasticity. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition 8 was 36.1% at 10°C and 16.2% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition 8 was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0156] [Example 9] Except for the oil mixture formulation in Example 1 being 70 parts by mass of palm oil, 15 parts by mass of palm stearin, and 15 parts by mass of transesterified oil A, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition 9 was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. This composition does not contain an aqueous phase and is plastic. The SFC of bakery oil composition 8 was 51.9% at 10°C and 25.9% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition 9 was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0157] [Example 10] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 89.88 parts by mass, reducing the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 10 parts by mass, and replacing maltose-producing α-amylase with α-amylase, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition 10 was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. This composition is free of an aqueous phase and possesses plasticity. The SFC of the bakery oil composition 10 was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. The moisture content of the bakery oil composition 10 was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0158] [Comparative Example 1] 50 parts by mass of palm oil, 5 parts by mass of palm stearin, and 45 parts by mass of transesterified fat A were heated and melted, then mixed by stirring to obtain a fat mixture. To 79.87 parts by mass of the obtained oil mixture, 0.01 parts by mass of emulsifier and 10 parts by mass of water were added and mixed by stirring to emulsify, obtaining a water-in-oil emulsion. This emulsion was rapidly cooled and plasticized to 10°C at a cooling temperature of -5°C / min to obtain a plastic oil composition. Subsequently, 10 parts by mass of xanthan gum and 0.12 parts by mass of maltose-producing α-amylase were added to the obtained plastic oil composition and mixed to obtain a low-concentration type bakery oil composition A having an aqueous phase and being plastic. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition A was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition A was 10.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0159] [Comparative Example 2] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 84.88 parts by mass, and the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 10 parts by mass, and adding 5 parts by mass of modified starch to the obtained plastic oil composition, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition B, which is plastic and has no aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition B was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition B was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 5% by mass.

[0160] [Comparative Example 3] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 85.58 parts by mass, and the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 14.3 parts by mass of hydroxymethylcellulose, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition C, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition C was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content and starch content of bakery oil composition C were both 0% by mass.

[0161] [Comparative Example 4] Except for changing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 99.08 parts by mass and the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 0.8 parts by mass, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition D, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition D was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition D was 0.1% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0162] [Comparative Example 5] Except for reducing the amount of the fat mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 34.40 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 65 parts by mass, and the amount of maltose-producing α-amylase from 0.12 parts by mass to 0.6 parts by mass, a high-concentration type bakery fat composition E, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition E was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition E was 5.2% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0163] [Comparative Example 6] A low-concentration bakery oil composition F, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 (98.08 parts by mass) was reduced to 90.00 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum (1.8 parts by mass) was reduced to 10 parts by mass, and maltose-producing α-amylase was omitted. The SFC (Saturated Fuel Content) of bakery oil composition F was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition F was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0164] [Comparative Example 7] Except for reducing the amount of oil mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 89.995 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 10 parts by mass, and the amount of maltose-producing α-amylase from 0.12 parts by mass to 0.005 parts by mass, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition G, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition G was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition G was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0165] [Comparative Example 8] Except for reducing the amount of the fat mixture in Example 1 from 98.08 parts by mass to 49.10 parts by mass, the amount of xanthan gum from 1.8 parts by mass to 50 parts by mass, and the amount of maltose-producing α-amylase from 0.12 parts by mass to 0.9 parts by mass, a high-concentration type bakery fat composition H, which is plastic and does not contain an aqueous phase, was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method. The SFC (Saturated Fibre Content) of bakery oil composition H was 47.7% at 10°C and 23.1% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of bakery oil composition H was 4.0% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0166] [Comparative Example 9] Except for the oil mixture in Example 1 being composed of 5 parts by mass of palm oil and 95 parts by mass of transesterified oil B, a low-concentration type bakery oil composition I was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method, but without an aqueous phase and possessing plasticity. The SFC (Saturated Fats Content) of Bakery Oil Composition I was 31.2% at 10°C and 14.0% at 20°C. Furthermore, the moisture content of Bakery Oil Composition I was 0.8% by mass, and the starch content was 0% by mass.

[0167] [Table 1]

[0168] <Evaluation of oil and fat compositions for bakery use> The bakery oil compositions 1-10 and A-I described above were visually inspected and their adhesion was checked by touch. The evaluation was carried out according to the evaluation criteria below. The results are shown in Table 2. [Evaluation Criteria] ○: The bakery oil composition did not clump together and was not sticky, indicating good performance. △: Some areas of the bakery oil composition showed signs of being slightly coated with flour. Alternatively, the bakery oil composition was slightly sticky. ×: The bakery oil composition was either a clump of flour that wouldn't come together, or it was extremely sticky and of poor quality.

[0169] [Table 2]

[0170] Bakery oil compositions 1 to 10 held together without clumping and were not sticky, which was good. Bakery oil composition 8 of Example 8 had lower SFCs at 10°C and 20°C than bakery oil composition 3 of Example 3. Although the oil composition was slightly softer, it was not sticky and was good. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, bakery oil composition A, which had a water content of 10.8% by mass and contained an aqueous phase, some areas of granular flour were observed because the xanthan gum absorbed the water. In Comparative Example 2, bakery oil composition B, which contained starches, the sugar-degrading enzyme acted on the starches, resulting in a slightly sticky texture. Furthermore, Comparative Example 5, bakery oil composition E, which contained 65% by mass of xanthan gum, was unsatisfactory because the xanthan gum content was too high, resulting in clumping and preventing it from forming a single oil composition. Comparative Example 9, bakery oil composition I, which had even lower SFC at 10°C and 20°C than bakery oil composition 8 of Example 8, was too soft and somewhat sticky.

[0171] <Bread Making Test 1> Using the above-mentioned bakery fat compositions 1-10 and bakery fat compositions A-D, F-I, breads 1-1-10-1 and breads A-1-D-1, F-1-I-1 were produced according to the formulations shown in Table 3 and the manufacturing method described below. As mentioned above, bakery fat composition E could not be tested due to its poor properties. Low-concentration types, bakery fat compositions 1-3, 6, 8-10, and bakery fat compositions A-D, F, G, and I, were used individually, while high-concentration types, bakery fat compositions 4, 5, 7, and bakery fat composition H, were used in combination with shortening.

[0172] [Table 3]

[0173] The ingredients for the sponge dough were placed in a mixer bowl and mixed using the hook at low speed for 2 minutes, then at medium speed for 2 minutes to obtain the sponge dough. The final dough temperature was 24°C. Next, the obtained sponge dough was fermented for 4 hours in a constant temperature room at 28°C and 85% relative humidity. The fermented sponge dough was placed in a mixer bowl, and the ingredients for the final dough, excluding the bakery fat composition and shortening, were added. The mixture was then mixed using the hook at low speed for 3 minutes and then at medium speed for 3 minutes. At this point, the bakery fat composition and shortening were added, and the mixture was further mixed at low speed for 3 minutes and then at medium speed for 4 minutes to obtain the bread dough. The final dough temperature was 27°C. Next, the dough was allowed to rest for 20 minutes, then divided into 220g portions and rounded. After a 20-minute bench rest, it was molded, and the six pieces of dough were placed in a 3-loaf pan in a U-shape. The dough was then proofed at 38°C and 80% relative humidity for 45 minutes. Finally, it was baked in an oven set to 200°C for 40 minutes to obtain the loaf of bread.

[0174] The workability during the bread-making process described above was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 4. ◎: The fabric was not sticky at all, and the workability was excellent. ○: The fabric was slightly sticky, but within an acceptable range, and the workability was good. △: The fabric was sticky, making it somewhat difficult to work with. ×: The fabric was extremely sticky, making it very difficult to work with.

[0175] The texture and melt-in-your-mouth quality of the manufactured bread were evaluated as follows. The results are shown in Table 4. A control loaf of bread was produced using shortening alone, without using any bakery-grade fats and oils from the ingredients used in the bread making process. Five expert panelists tasted each loaf of bread after it had been stored at room temperature (20°C) for one day. They then scored the texture and melt-in-your-mouth quality of loaves 1-1 to 10-1 and loaves A-1 to D-1 and F-1 to I-1 according to the evaluation criteria below, compared to the control loaf. Similarly, the texture of loaves 1-1 to 10-1 and loaves A-1 to D-1 and F-1 to I-1 after they had been stored at room temperature for three days was also scored according to the evaluation criteria below. The scores were tallied and indicated in the table as follows: 25-23 points = ◎+, 22-20 points = ◎, 19-17 points = ○, 16-13 points = △, and 12 points or less = ×. The five expert panelists coordinated their assessments of the sensory levels corresponding to each score before scoring to ensure consistency in evaluation criteria among them.

[0176] ● Texture of bread after 1 day of storage 5 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a very chewy texture. 4 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a slightly chewier texture. 3 points: The texture was comparable to the control. Points 2: The texture was slightly inferior to the control version, and it lacked the chewy texture I had hoped for. 1 point: The texture was significantly inferior to the control version, and there was absolutely no chewy texture. ● How the bread melts in your mouth after being stored for one day 5 points: Compared to Control, it melted in the mouth very well. 4 points: Compared to Control, it melted in the mouth better. 3 points: The melt-in-your-mouth texture was comparable to Control. Points 2: It was stickier than expected and didn't melt in the mouth as well as I'd hoped. 1 point: It was much stickier than Control and had a much worse melt-in-your-mouth texture. ● Texture of bread after 3 days of storage 5 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a very chewy texture. 4 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a slightly chewier texture. 3 points: The texture was comparable to the control. Points 2: The texture was slightly inferior to the control version, and it lacked the chewy texture I had hoped for. 1 point: The texture was significantly inferior to the control version, and there was absolutely no chewy texture.

[0177] [Table 4]

[0178] The results of the bread-making tests showed that when using bakery oil composition 7 of Example 7, which has a high content of sugar-degrading enzymes, and bakery oil composition 8 of Example 8, which has low SFC at 10°C and 20°C, the dough was slightly sticky, but within an acceptable range. The workability during bread making was good when using bakery oil compositions 1 to 10 of the present invention. However, when using bakery oil compositions H and I of Comparative Example 8, which had an even higher content of sugar-degrading enzymes than Example 7, and Comparative Example 9, which had even lower SFCs at 10°C and 20°C than Example 8, the dough became sticky and difficult to work with. Similarly, when using bakery oil compositions A and B of Comparative Example 1, which had a water content of 10.8% by mass and contained an aqueous phase, and Comparative Example 2, which contained starches, the dough also became sticky and difficult to work with.

[0179] Evaluation of the texture and melt-in-the-mouth quality of bread after storage for one day following production revealed that breads 1-1 to 10-1 produced using the bakery oil composition of the present invention had a chewy texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality. In particular, the results for breads 1-1 to 5-1 suggested that there is a preferred numerical range for xanthan gum content that yields the effects of the present invention. On the other hand, bread D-1, which used bakery oil composition D with a low xanthan gum content, did not achieve a sufficiently chewy texture. Bread C-1, which used bakery oil composition C containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose instead of xanthan gum, achieved a certain degree of chewiness, but had a sticky texture and very poor melt-in-the-mouth quality. Furthermore, the results from breads 6-1, 7-1, and F-1 to H-1 suggest that there is a preferred range for the content of sugar-degrading enzymes that yields the effects of the present invention. Bread H-1, produced using bakery oil composition H containing 0.9 parts by mass of sugar-degrading enzymes, had good melt-in-your-mouth texture, but did not have a chewy texture. Compared to the bakery fat composition 8 of the present invention, which was slightly softer, the loaves of bread 3-1 and 9-1 produced using the bakery fat compositions 3 and 9 of the present invention, which had higher SFC (Superficial Fuel Content), had a chewier texture and better melt-in-your-mouth quality. On the other hand, the loaf of bread I-1 produced using bakery fat composition I, which had a lower SFC than the bakery fat composition 8 of the present invention, had inferior chewiness and melt-in-your-mouth quality. When bread 10-1 was produced using bakery oil composition 10 containing α-amylase instead of maltose-producing α-amylase as a sugar-degrading enzyme, it was chewier and melted more easily than the control, but it felt slightly sticky, and the effect obtained was slightly less than that of bread produced using other bakery oil compositions of the present invention.

[0180] Even when stored at room temperature for three days, the bread products 1-1 to 10-1 produced using the bakery oil composition of the present invention retained their chewy texture, demonstrating a texture-preserving effect. From bread samples 1-1 to 5-1, it was suggested that there is a preferred range for xanthan gum content in terms of maintaining texture. Furthermore, from bread samples 6-1, 7-1, and F-1 to H-1, it was found that if the content of sugar-degrading enzymes is too low or too high, the effect of maintaining texture is not obtained well. Furthermore, breads B-1 and C-1, which were made using bakery oil composition B containing starches and bakery oil composition C containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose instead of xanthan gum, lost their chewy texture after production and did not exhibit the same texture-retaining effect as breads 1-1 to 10-1 made using the bakery oil composition of the present invention.

[0181] Furthermore, for breads 3-1, 5-1, and 7-1, which received a rating of ◎+ in the texture evaluation after being stored at room temperature for 3 days, we also tasted and evaluated their texture after storing them at 5°C (refrigerated temperature) for 3 days after production. As a result, the bread samples 3-1, 5-1, and 7-1 stored at 5°C for three days had a weaker chewy texture and a slightly poorer melt-in-your-mouth quality. Compared to the bread samples 3-1, 5-1, and 7-1 stored at room temperature for three days, the effects of the present invention were not fully apparent.

[0182] <Bread Making Test 2> Using the above-mentioned bakery fat compositions 1-10 and bakery fat compositions A-D, F-I, we produced loaves of bread 1-2-10-2 and loaves of bread A-2-D-2 and F-2-I-2 with the following formulations, which increased the amount of water compared to the above-mentioned bread-making experiment 1. The method for producing the loaves of bread was the same as in the above-mentioned bread-making experiment 1. As mentioned above, bakery fat composition E could not be tested due to its poor properties. The low-concentration types, bakery fat compositions 1-3, 6, 8-10 and bakery fat compositions A-D, F, G, and I of the present invention, were used individually, while the high-concentration types, bakery fat compositions 4, 5, 7 and bakery fat composition H of the present invention, were used in combination with shortening.

[0183] [Table 5]

[0184] The workability during the bread-making process described above was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 6. ◎: The fabric was not sticky at all, and the workability was excellent. ○: The fabric was slightly sticky, but within an acceptable range, and the workability was good. △: The fabric was sticky, making it somewhat difficult to work with. ×: The fabric was extremely sticky, making it very difficult to work with.

[0185] The texture and melt-in-your-mouth quality of the manufactured bread were evaluated as follows. The results are shown in Table 6. A control loaf of bread was produced using shortening alone, without using a bakery-grade fat composition, as part of the raw materials used in the bread making process. Five expert panelists tasted each loaf of bread after it had been stored at room temperature (20°C) for one day. They then scored the texture and melt-in-your-mouth quality of loaves 1-2 to 10-2 and loaves A-2 to D-2 and F-2 to I-2 according to the evaluation criteria below, compared to the control loaf. Similarly, the texture of loaves 1-2 to 10-2 and loaves A-2 to D-2 and F-2 to I-2 after they had been stored at room temperature for three days was also scored according to the evaluation criteria below. The scores were tallied and indicated in the table as follows: 25-23 points = ◎+, 22-20 points = ◎, 19-17 points = ○, 16-13 points = △, and 12 points or less = ×. The five expert panelists coordinated their assessments of the sensory levels corresponding to each score before scoring to ensure consistency in evaluation criteria among them.

[0186] ● Texture of bread after 1 day of storage 5 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a very chewy texture. 4 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a slightly chewier texture. 3 points: The texture was comparable to the control. Points 2: The texture was slightly inferior to the control version, and it lacked the chewy texture I had hoped for. 1 point: The texture was significantly inferior to the control version, and there was absolutely no chewy texture. ● How the bread melts in your mouth after being stored for one day 5 points: Compared to Control, it melted in the mouth very well. 4 points: Compared to Control, it melted in the mouth better. 3 points: The melt-in-your-mouth texture was comparable to Control. Points 2: It was stickier than expected and didn't melt in the mouth as well as I'd hoped. 1 point: It was much stickier than Control and had a much worse melt-in-your-mouth texture. ● Texture of bread after 3 days of storage 5 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a very chewy texture. 4 points: Compared to the control sample, it had a slightly chewier texture. 3 points: The texture was comparable to the control. Points 2: The texture was slightly inferior to the control version, and it lacked the chewy texture I had hoped for. 1 point: The texture was significantly inferior to the control version, and there was absolutely no chewy texture.

[0187] [Table 6]

[0188] In bread-making tests with increased water content, when using the bakery oil composition of the present invention, the dough remained non-sticky and easy to work with, even with increased water content. When using the bakery oil compositions of Examples 1 and 4, which have a low xanthan gum content, the dough became slightly sticky due to the increased water content, but this was not problematic. On the other hand, when the bakery fat compositions of Comparative Examples 1-4, 8, and 9 were used, the dough became very sticky due to the increased amount of water added, resulting in poor workability. Therefore, it was found that the bakery fat composition of the present invention can provide good workability during the production of bakery dough, even when the amount of water added is increased during bread making.

[0189] After storage for one day following production, the texture and melt-in-the-mouth quality of bread with increased water content were evaluated. The results showed that breads 1-2 to 10-2 using the bakery oil composition of the present invention had a chewy texture and good melt-in-the-mouth quality, demonstrating better effects of the present invention compared to bread without increased water content. On the other hand, some of the comparative examples of breads A-2 to D-2 and F-2 to I-2 using bakery oil compositions A-D and F-I had a chewy texture, but others had a sticky texture and poor melt-in-the-mouth quality.

[0190] Regarding the texture of bread with increased water content after storage for 3 days after production, breads 1-2 to 10-2 using the bakery oil composition of the present invention were able to maintain a chewy texture. On the other hand, breads A-2 to D-2 and F-2 to I-2 using the comparative bakery oil compositions A-D and F-I had a hard texture and lacked a chewy texture, thus failing to maintain texture.

[0191] From the above, it was found that the effects of the present invention can be more significantly obtained by using the bakery oil composition of the present invention in the production of bakery products with an increased amount of water added.

Claims

1. A bakery oil composition containing more than 30% by mass and 55% by mass or less of xanthan gum, and 0.01 to 0.7% by mass of a sugar-degrading enzyme, with a moisture content of 5% by mass or less.

2. The bakery oil composition according to claim 1, wherein the starch content is 2% by mass or less.

3. The bakery oil composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sugar-degrading enzyme is an amylase.

4. A bakery oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the xanthan gum content is 10 to 300 parts by mass per 1 part by mass of sugar-degrading enzyme.

5. A bakery oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising xanthan gum, the viscosity at 25°C being 500 to 3000 mPa·s when measured using a Type B viscometer with a No. 1 rotor as a 1% solution with a 1% aqueous potassium chloride solvent.

6. A bakery oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, for use in bakery products intended for raw consumption.

7. A bakery dough containing the bakery oil and fat composition described in any one of claims 1 to 6 and flours, wherein the dough contains 0.1 to 2 parts by mass of xanthan gum, 0.001 to 0.025 parts by mass of sugar-degrading enzymes and 0.5 to 30 parts by mass of oil and fat per 100 parts by mass of flours.

8. A bakery product obtained by heat-treating the bakery dough described in claim 7.

9. A method for producing a bakery fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising cooling and plasticizing a fat mixture, and then adding xanthan gum and a sugar-degrading enzyme and kneading the mixture.

10. A method for improving the texture of bakery products, using a bakery oil composition as one of the raw materials, which contains more than 30% by mass and 55% by mass or less of xanthan gum and 0.01 to 0.7% by mass of a sugar-degrading enzyme, and has a moisture content of 5% by mass or less.

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