Granulated products and green beverages

Abstract

To provide: a granulated substance including Angelica keiskei with which it is possible to make a palatable green beverage while reducing bitterness; and the green beverage.SOLUTION: A granulated substance of the invention includes an Angelica keiskei component and a starch component. The Angelica keiskei component includes green leaves and roots of Angelica keiskei. A content of the root of Angelica keiskei is 0.3-8 mass% in the Angelica keiskei component.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to granules containing Angelica keiskei green leaves and a green beverage. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, green leafy vegetables such as wheat, kale, and angelica have been sold as health foods because they contain a large amount of dietary fiber, vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. These green beverages are made by dissolving dried powder of these green leaves in water. Initially, these green beverages were sold as ready-to-drink beverages, i.e., in bottled form. However, in recent years, due to considerations of storage space and portability, they have also been offered as granulated products that are dissolved in water or other liquids before consumption (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7185967 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] Among green leaves, the leaves of Angelica keiskei contain more dietary fiber and vitamins compared to other green leaves such as barley grass and kale. However, green beverages made from Angelica keiskei leaves, like other green beverages, suffer from a strong bitter taste and are difficult to drink.

[0005] Therefore, recent green beverages have been improved to be easier to drink by reducing bitterness or adding sweeteners. For example, Patent Document 1 describes improvements to the smoothness of the throat as an indicator of drinkability for green beverages such as those made from Angelica keiskei. However, Patent Document 1 does not mention the taste, such as mouthfeel. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in terms of drinkability from the perspective of mouthfeel for beverages made from Angelica keiskei green leaves.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a granule containing Angelica keiskei green leaves that results in a green beverage with a pleasant taste while suppressing bitterness, and the green beverage itself. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention [1] includes granules containing an Angelica keiskei component and at least one starch component selected from starch and starch hydrolysates, wherein the Angelica keiskei component contains the green leaves and roots of Angelica keiskei, and the content of the Angelica keiskei roots in the Angelica keiskei component is 0.3% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less.

[0008] The present invention [2] includes the granules described in [1], wherein the content of the green leaves of the Angelica keiskei in the Angelica keiskei component is 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less.

[0009] The present invention [3] includes the granules described in [1] or [2], wherein the ashitaba component further contains the stem of ashitaba, and the content of the ashitaba stem in the ashitaba component is 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less.

[0010] The present invention [4] includes a granulated product according to any one of the claims [1] to [3], wherein the starch component is derived from sweet potato.

[0011] The present invention [5] includes a granule according to any one of the claims [1] to [4], wherein the content of the Angelica keiskei component in the granule is 40% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less.

[0012] The present invention [6] includes a granule according to any one of the claims [1] to [5], wherein the content of the starch component in the granule is 25% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less.

[0013] The present invention [7] includes a green beverage obtained by mixing the granules described in any one of [1] to [6] with water.

[0014] The present invention [8] includes the green beverage described in [7], which contains, per 100 parts by mass of water, 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less of the Angelica keiskei component and 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less of the starch component. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the granules of the present invention, a beverage containing Angelica keiskei green leaves can be made into a green beverage with a pleasant taste while suppressing bitterness. The green beverage according to the present invention is rich in nutrients and easy to drink. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] The granules of the present invention contain Angelica keiskei components and starch components. Each component is described in detail below.

[0017] The Ashitaba component can be any part of the Ashitaba plant (Angelica keiskei; Apiaceae family, Angelica genus), but in this invention, it contains at least the green leaves and roots of Ashitaba.

[0018] The content of Ashitaba green leaves in the Ashitaba component is, for example, 50% by mass or more, preferably 60% by mass or more, and also, for example, 80% by mass or less, preferably 70% by mass or less. Ashitaba green leaves are rich in nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and are good as a health food. In particular, compared to raw materials for green beverages such as kale and barley grass, Ashitaba green leaves are superior in that they contain large amounts of dietary fiber, vitamin E, vitamin K, iron, zinc, chalcone, etc.

[0019] The content of the root of ashitaba in the ashitaba component is 0.3% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less, preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, and more preferably 1% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less. The content of the root of ashitaba in the granulated product is, for example, 0.1% by mass or more, preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and also, for example, 5% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or less. Since the root of ashitaba has a faint cinnamon-like flavor, it can reduce the bitterness unique to the green leaves of ashitaba and give a refreshing taste. In addition, by using the root that has been conventionally discarded, food loss can be reduced. Also, since the green leaves and the root can be collected from the same plant, food management can be facilitated.

[0020] The ashitaba component preferably contains stems. The stems include branches, trunks, and rhizomes. The content of the stems of ashitaba is, for example, 15% by mass or more, preferably 20% by mass or more, and also, for example, 45% by mass or less, preferably 40% by mass or less. Thereby, while further reducing the bitterness, the aftertaste can also be improved. In addition, since the stems of ashitaba contain many nutritional components similar to the green leaves, especially for flavonoids with antioxidant effects, they contain a larger amount than the green leaves, so these nutritional components can be ingested. Since the stems that have been conventionally discarded are used, food loss can be reduced.

[0021] The content of the ashitaba component in the granulated product is, for example, 40% by mass or more, preferably 50% by mass or more, and also, for example, 75% by mass or less, preferably 65% by mass or less. By setting the content of the ashitaba component to be not less than the above lower limit, the nutritional components possessed by ashitaba can be ensured abundantly. Also, by setting the content of ashitaba to be not more than the above upper limit, the bitterness of the green leaves of ashitaba can be reduced.

[0022] The starch component is at least one of starch and starch degradation products. Examples of raw materials for the starch component include sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, wheat, polished rice, glutinous rice, cassava, soybeans, peas, etc. The starch degradation product is obtained by hydrolyzing starch with an acid and / or an enzyme. By using the starch component, it can be made easier to drink when dissolved in water and drunk. Particularly, from the viewpoint of being able to further reduce the bitterness of green leaves and improve the taste, aftertaste, aroma, dispersibility, etc., it is preferably derived from sweet potatoes such as sweet potato starch or sweet potato starch degradation products. These starch components may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0023] The content of the starch component in the granulated product is, for example, 25% by mass or more, preferably 35% by mass or more, and, for example, 60% by mass or less, preferably 50% by mass or less. Also, the content of the starch component in 100 parts by mass of the ashitaba component is, for example, 50 parts by mass or more, preferably 75 parts by mass or more, and, for example, 150 parts by mass or less, preferably 95 parts by mass or less. By setting the content of the starch component within the above range, the bitterness of green leaves can be further reduced, and the taste, aftertaste, aroma, dispersibility, etc. can be made good. Also, the dispersibility in water can be improved.

[0024] The granulated product of the present invention may contain other additives (green leaves other than ashitaba, saccharides, thickeners, etc.) in addition to the above components, but in the present invention, it is preferably substantially composed of the ashitaba component and the starch component. Specifically, the content of the additive in the granulated product is, for example, less than 5% by mass, preferably less than 1% by mass. Since the present invention can reduce the bitterness without adding a sweetener or the like, it can be made into an easy-to-drink additive-free food.

[0025] The bulk specific gravity of the granulated product of the present invention is, for example, for example, 0.10 g / cm 3 or more, preferably 0.30 g / cm 3 or more, and, for example, 0.50 g / cm 3 or less, preferably 0.40 g / cm 3The following applies: Bulk density can be measured, for example, using a JIS bulk density measuring device (JIS K 6721). Average particle size D 50 For example, the average particle size D is 10 μm or larger, preferably 50 μm or larger, and also, for example, 1000 μm or smaller, preferably 500 μm or smaller. 50 This can be measured, for example, by a laser diffraction scattering particle size distribution analyzer.

[0026] The method for producing the granules of the present invention involves, for example, mixing Angelica keiskei powder with a starch component and then granulating this mixed powder.

[0027] Ashitaba powder can be obtained, for example, by collecting green leaves and roots (and stems, if necessary) from an Ashitaba plant, mixing them in the quantities mentioned above, and grinding them into a powder.

[0028] It is preferable to perform a sterilization treatment after harvesting but before grinding. The sterilization treatment can be carried out according to methods known in the food industry, such as steam treatment, boiling, heat treatment, chemical treatment, and ultraviolet irradiation. Preferably, steam treatment is used from the viewpoint of more reliably disinfecting the Angelica keiskei plants. In steam treatment, for example, the harvested plants are exposed to high-temperature (approximately 200°C) steam for 5 to 10 seconds. When performing the sterilization treatment, it is preferable to roughly grind the Angelica keiskei plants to a size of about 0.1 to 5 cm beforehand.

[0029] As a method for grinding the Angelica keiskei plant, any known food grinder can be used, such as a grinder, mill, or crusher. The average particle size D of the Angelica keiskei powder obtained by grinding is... 50 From the viewpoint of ease of mixing with starch components and ease of forming into granules, the particle size should be, for example, 500 μm or less.

[0030] Starch components are generally sold in powder form. The average particle size D of such starch components is... 50 For example, the particle size is between 10 μm and 500 μm.

[0031] After mixing the Angelica keiskei powder with starch components, this mixed powder is granulated to the desired particle size. The granulation method can be carried out according to methods known in the food industry, such as fluidized bed granulation, extrusion granulation, and airflow granulation. As an example, in fluidized bed granulation, the mixed powder is introduced into the granulation chamber of a fluidized bed granulator, hot air is blown in from the bottom of the granulation chamber to circulate the mixed powder into the air, and a layer is formed in which the powder particles are in a fluid state. Then, a granulation liquid (binder) such as water is sprayed to agglomerate the mixed powder.

[0032] A drying process may be carried out as needed between each step of the granulation process. Specifically, it may be carried out once or multiple times after harvesting the Angelica keiskei plant, after rough grinding, after sterilization, after forming the Angelica keiskei powder or mixed powder, or after granulation. The drying method may be natural drying or hot air drying.

[0033] This yields the granules of the present invention. The granules of the present invention are suitably used for food and beverages. The granules may be eaten as is, mixed with water (including hot water) to make a green beverage, or used as an additive (topping) for other food products.

[0034] In particular, when mixed with water for consumption, for example, 0.1 g to 10 g (preferably 0.5 g to 5 g) of the granules of the present invention should be mixed with 100 ml of water. Such a green beverage contains at least the green leaves of Angelica keiskei, the roots of Angelica keiskei, and starch components. Preferably, it contains the green leaves of Angelica keiskei, the roots of Angelica keiskei, the stems of Angelica keiskei, and starch components. Specifically, for example, per 100 parts by mass of water, it contains 0.1 parts by mass to 5 parts by mass (preferably 0.5 parts by mass to 3 parts by mass) of Angelica keiskei components and 0.1 parts by mass to 5 parts by mass (preferably 0.5 parts by mass to 3 parts by mass) of starch components. The content of each component in these cases is as described above for the granules. Note that in the above content, "mass%" can be replaced with "parts by mass".

[0035] When the granulated product of the present invention is mixed with water to form a beverage, the bitterness of green leaves is reduced and it has an excellent taste in the mouth. That is, it has less bitterness and feels a refreshing touch on the tongue when held in the mouth. In addition to these, the aftertaste is clear and good, and the aroma when held in the mouth is also good. Therefore, according to the granulated product of the present invention, a green-colored beverage that is easy to drink can be provided. Also, it has excellent dispersibility in water. When put into water, it is not likely to form lumps and quickly disperses uniformly. Therefore, it can be easily made into a beverage from the granulated product of the present invention and is suitable as a granulated product for beverages. Furthermore, because of the taste as described above, in addition to being made into a beverage, it is also suitable for eating as it is. It can also be sprinkled as a seasoning for cooking and the like and is suitable as a topping for cooking.

Examples

[0036] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the following examples and comparative examples.

[0037] [Example 1] The green leaves, stems and roots of Houttuynia cordata were collected respectively, sliced into pieces about 2 - 3 cm in size, dried with warm air at 40 - 60 °C for about 20 - 25 hours, and then ground into a size of 2 - 3 mm. From each ground product, 67 parts by mass of green leaves, 30 parts by mass of stems and 3 parts by mass of roots were mixed and sterilized with steam at 200 °C. Then, it was finely ground with a pulverizer to obtain a powder of 200 mesh. 14 parts by mass of commercially available sweet potato starch was mixed with 16 parts by mass of this Houttuynia cordata component powder, and this mixed powder was put into a fluidized bed granulator to obtain the granulated product of Example 1. The bulk density of the obtained granulated product was about 0.33 g / cm 3 , and the average particle diameter D 50 was 214.7 μm.

[0038] [Examples 2 - 7] The granulated products of each example were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that each component and the blending amount were changed to those described in Table 1.

[0039] [Comparative Examples 1-2] Granules for each comparative example were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that each component and its proportion were changed to those listed in Table 1.

[0040] [Rating 1] Three grams of granules from each example and comparative example were weighed out and dissolved in 150 ml of room temperature water to prepare a green beverage. Twenty panelists tasted this green beverage and evaluated it from the following options. The results of the most frequently selected evaluation are shown in Table 1.

[0041] (taste) ○: It had a smooth texture and a refreshing taste. △: I felt a slight tingling sensation on my tongue. ×: I felt a tingling sensation on my tongue.

[0042] (aftertaste) ○: Leaves a clean aftertaste. △: A slightly bitter aftertaste lingered. ×: A bitter aftertaste remained.

[0043] (bitterness) ○: I felt a pleasant bitterness. △: I felt it was slightly bitter. ×: I felt a strong bitterness.

[0044] (scent) ○: When I put it in my mouth, I noticed a pleasant, sweet aroma. △: I could smell a slight scent. ×: I could barely smell anything.

[0045] [Rating 2] Three g of granules from each example and comparative example were weighed out and added to 150 ml of room temperature water, then stirred with a spoon for one minute. The resulting green beverage was observed, and the following evaluation was performed. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0046] (dispersibility) ○: The granules were uniformly dispersed in the water. △: The granules were mostly uniformly dispersed in the water, but several clumps about 1 mm in size were floating in some places. ×: There were many small chunks, a few millimeters in size, floating in the water.

[0047] [Table 1]

Claims

1. It contains an Angelica keiskei component and at least one starch component selected from starch and starch hydrolysates. The aforementioned Angelica keiskei component contains the green leaves and roots of Angelica keiskei. The content of the root of the Angelica keiskei in the aforementioned Angelica keiskei component is 0.3% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less. A granulated product characterized in that the content of the starch component relative to 100 parts by mass of the Angelica keiskei component is 50 parts by mass or more and 150 parts by mass or less.

2. The granulated product according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of the green leaves of the Angelica keiskei in the Angelica keiskei component is 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less.

3. The aforementioned Angelica keiskei component further contains the stem of Angelica keiskei, The granules according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of the stem of the Angelica keiskei in the Angelica keiskei component is 15% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less.

4. The granulated product according to claim 1, characterized in that the starch component is derived from sweet potato.

5. The granules according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of the Angelica keiskei component in the granules is 40% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less.

6. The granulated product according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of the starch component in the granulated product is 25% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less.

7. A green beverage characterized by being obtained by mixing the granules described in any one of claims 1 to 6 with water.

8. The green beverage according to claim 7, characterized in that it contains 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less of the Angelica keiskei component and 0.1 parts by mass or more and 5 parts by mass or less of the starch component per 100 parts by mass of water.

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