Method for producing glucosinolate-containing plant powder

Abstract

To provide glucosinolate-containing plant powder having a high glucosinolate content.SOLUTION: A solution to the problem is a method for producing a glucosinolate-containing plant powder, comprising at least steps of water removal, non-immersion heating, and drying. Herein, a glucosinolate-containing plant is subjected to the water removal. The glucosinolate-containing plant which has been subjected to the water removal is subjected to the non-immersion heating. It is preferable that the heating is performed with one or more of steam and superheated steam. Moreover, the glucosinolate-containing plant which has been subjected to the heating is subjected to the drying.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing glucosinolate-containing plant powder. [Background Art]

[0002] In recent years, against the backdrop of growing health consciousness, people have been paying attention to nutritional components and functional components in foods and drinks. Among various foods and drinks, green juice beverages are widely recognized as a product that allows easy intake of vegetable nutrients. Generally, green juice is produced by using green plants such as young barley leaves and kale as raw materials. Various studies have been conducted to date to process these raw materials into forms suitable for eating and drinking.

[0003] On the other hand, one of the food-derived functional components that has attracted attention is glucosinolate (hereinafter also referred to as "GSL"). GSL is contained in plants, for example, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and Japanese radish. It is known that intake of GSL prevents and ameliorates various diseases such as cancer and liver damage. Ingested GSL is converted into isothiocyanate (hereinafter also referred to as "ITC"), and ITC acts as the active entity to exhibit the aforementioned preventive and ameliorating effects. Various studies have also been conducted on glucosinolate to form it into a material so far. Patent Document 1 describes a food containing a cruciferous plant and an extract thereof, and obtains a food containing sprouts obtained by germinating seeds of a cruciferous plant and cultivating the germinated seeds for a certain period of time.

[0004] In addition, Patent Document 2 describes a plant powder, wherein a natural plant material is obtained by drying at a constant temperature for a certain period of time and pulverizing the dried product. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2000-502245 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2013-544092 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a plant powder with a high glucosinolate content. Conventional green plant powders, such as those used in green juice, have a low glucosinolate content. What is required of green plant powders for food and beverage use is a plant powder with a high glucosinolate content. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve this problem, the inventors diligently investigated and discovered the relationship between the amount of glucosinolate remaining and the processing steps. With each processing step, the amount of glucosinolate in the processed product of the glucosinolate-containing plant decreases. On the other hand, if the glucosinolate-containing plant is not processed, it cannot be made into a form suitable for consumption, nor can the myrosinase (which breaks down glucosinolate) inherent in the glucosinolate-containing plant be inactivated. From this perspective, the present invention can be defined as follows.

[0008] The method for producing glucosinolate-containing plant powder comprises at least three steps: dehydration, non-immersion heating, and drying. In the dehydration step, the glucosinolate-containing plant is dehydrated by a person or apparatus. In the non-immersion heating step, the dehydrated glucosinolate-containing plant is heated by an apparatus. Here, non-immersion heating means heating in which the object to be heated is not immersed (for example, in a water bath or hot bath). The heating medium used in this heating is preferably one or more of water vapor and superheated water vapor. In the drying step, the heated glucosinolate-containing plant is dried by an apparatus.

[0009] The manufacturing method further comprises a cutting step. In the cutting step, the heated glucosinolate-containing plant is cut by a person or a device. The manufacturing method further comprises a grinding step. Here, the heated glucosinolate-containing plant is ground by a person or a device.

[0010] Furthermore, the manufacturing method comprises a granulation process. The dried glucosinolate-containing plant material is granulated by a person or equipment in the granulation process. Preferably, the granulation method is fluidized bed granulation. In addition, it is preferable that the binder in the fluidized bed granulation is one or more of either water or a glucosinolate-containing liquid.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that the particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after grinding is such that d10 is 25 μm or less, d50 is 50 μm or less, and d90 is 130 μm or less.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after granulation is such that d10 is 30 μm or larger, d50 is 60 μm or larger, and d90 is 100 μm or larger.

[0013] Furthermore, the glucoraphanin content of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder obtained by the above manufacturing method is preferably 5 mg or more per gram of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder. In addition, the glucosinolate-containing plant used here is preferably a cruciferous vegetable. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The present invention enables the provision of glucosinolate-containing plant powders with a high glucosinolate content. Furthermore, it makes it possible to improve dispersibility in water and create a form suitable for consumption. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1]Flowchart for the manufacturing method of glucosinolate-containing plant powder [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] <Glucosinolate-containing plant powder> The glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the embodiment of the present invention is a powder containing at least a glucosinolate-containing plant as a raw material. More specific forms will be described later.

[0017] The glucosinolate-containing plant according to the present invention is any plant that contains glucosinolate. In particular, from the viewpoint of containing a large amount of glucosinolate, the glucosinolate-containing plant according to the present invention is preferably a vegetable belonging to the Brassicaceae family. More preferably, the glucosinolate content of the glucosinolate-containing plant according to the present invention is 1.0 mg or more per gram of the glucosinolate-containing plant. Furthermore, the glucosinolate-containing plant according to the present invention is preferably a green plant. A green plant is any plant whose color is green. The green color of plants is generally composed of chlorophyll. From the viewpoint of its color, the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention is preferably made up of chlorophyll.

[0018] Furthermore, the glucosinolate-containing plant dried and pulverized product according to the embodiment of the present invention is obtained by using glucosinolate-containing plants as raw materials and going through a drying and pulverizing process. Specifically, it is a product in which glucosinolate-containing plants are dried and then pulverized, cut and dried and then pulverized, or dried and pulverized at the same time as the drying process.

[0019] In addition, the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the embodiment of the present invention specifically contains at least a glucosinolate-containing plant in powder form, such as said dried and ground glucosinolate-containing product, a granulated product of said dried and ground glucosinolate-containing product, and a mixture of a product subjected to these treatments and another powder composition.

[0020] The glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention is not constituted only by an extract obtained by extracting glucosinolates with a solvent from a glucosinolate-containing plant as a raw material. By using the components in the glucosinolate-containing plant without fractionation, the utilization efficiency of glucosinolates in the glucosinolate-containing plant can be improved. In addition, various nutrients such as dietary fiber insoluble in solvents can be ingested simultaneously during eating and drinking.

[0021] <Conceptual Configuration of Method for Producing Glucosinolate-Containing Plant Powder> The method for producing the present glucosinolate-containing plant powder (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the present production method") is conceptually constituted by at least water removal, heating, and drying. Figure 1 shows the flow of the present production method. This production method comprises washing (S10), water removal (S20), heating (S30), cutting (S40), drying (S50), pulverizing (S60), granulating (S70), and sterilizing and filling (S80). However, the present invention is not limited to the above steps and the order of steps, and steps may be added and the order of steps may be changed as appropriate.

[0022] <Cleaning (S10)> The purpose of cleaning a glucosinolate-containing plant is to remove foreign substances or reduce the bacterial count. Examples of foreign substances include mud, soil, sand and the like adhering to the glucosinolate-containing green plant. Means for cleaning the glucosinolate-containing plant is not particularly limited, but is preferably contact with water or sterilized water. The method of bringing into contact with liquid is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include immersion, spraying and the like. The glucosinolate-containing plant may be washed once or two or more times. The cleaning solution used for washing is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include water, hypochlorous acid, hypochlorite, chlorite, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcined calcium, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, peracetic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, ozone and the like. In consideration of the influence on flavor due to residual in the final product, the cleaning is preferably performed with water as the cleaning solution. The temperature of the cleaning solution is preferably 25°C or lower.

[0023] <Water removal (S20)> The purpose of removing water from the glucosinolate-containing plant is to suppress loss of glucosinolate during heating described later. For this purpose, water removal is performed before heating. The method of water removal is not particularly limited, and includes standing still, air blowing, cold air, hot air, centrifugal separation, suction by vacuum, use of a moisture-absorbing material, and combinations thereof. From the viewpoint of suppressing reduction of glucosinolate, air blowing, cold air or hot air is preferable. In the case of a method that may cause physical damage to the plant body, such as centrifugal separation or hot air at 70°C or higher, myrosinase endogenous to the plant body is activated, and glucosinolate may be decomposed.

[0024] <Heating (S30)> The purpose of heating the glucosinolate-containing plant is to sterilize the plant and inactivate enzymes endogenous to the plant, particularly myrosinase. Myrosinase endogenous to the plant flows out and is activated when plant cells are destroyed such as by cutting or crushing, and decomposes glucosinolate. Decomposed glucosinolate becomes isothiocyanate and glycoside. As described later, isothiocyanate has various functionalities, but has high volatility and thus low stability. Therefore, in food and drink products, it is preferable to maintain glucosinolate in a highly stable state.

[0025] The heating method is non-immersion heating. Non-immersion heating means heating in which the object to be heated is not immersed (e.g., in a water bath, hot bath, etc.). Specific forms of non-immersion heating are preferably one or more of the following: dry heat (including hot air heating with dry heat), steaming with water vapor, and steaming with superheated water vapor. Steaming with water vapor and steaming with superheated water vapor are particularly preferred. As a method of heating glucosinolate-containing plants, boiling with hot water is generally used. While there is a method that involves steaming, it is undesirable because the glucosinolates in the glucosinolate-containing plants dissolve into the hot water. Furthermore, steaming with steam or superheated steam offers better thermal efficiency, allowing for shorter heating times for the glucosinolate-containing plants and suppressing oxidation and enzymatic reactions of plant components. This results in a more desirable flavor and color for the final product.

[0026] The heating target is not particularly limited, as long as it is sufficient to inactivate the myrosinase in the glucosinolate-containing plant. For example, considering that the enzyme inactivation temperature of myrosinase is around 70-80°C, the core temperature of the glucosinolate-containing plant should reach 90°C. Since the activity of myrosinase increases between 50°C and 70°C, it is important that the plant body passes through this temperature range quickly during heating to reach the temperature at which the myrosinase is inactivated. From this viewpoint, steam boiling with water vapor or steam boiling with superheated water vapor is preferable. The equipment used for heating is not particularly limited, as long as it is a known device.

[0027] <Cutting (S40)> The purpose of cutting glucosinolate-containing plants is to reduce volume and improve drying efficiency. The timing of the cutting is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to do so after heating to avoid activation of myrosinase due to cutting. If the cutting is done before drying, the specific surface area of ​​the glucosinolate-containing plants increases, improving drying efficiency. Also, from the viewpoint of avoiding the outflow of glucosinolate due to cutting, it is preferable to do so after drying. The method of cutting is not particularly limited. Examples include slicers, micrograders, dicers, commitrols, food processors, etc. The size of the glucosinolate-containing plants after cutting is not particularly limited, but is 0.5 mm to 5 cm. Preferably, it is 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably, 0.5 mm to 5 cm.

[0028] <Drying (S50)> The purpose of drying glucosinolate-containing plants is to reduce volume and weight, and to improve storage stability. By removing moisture through drying, the volume and weight decrease, improving handling. In addition, the removal of moisture reduces water activity, suppressing the growth of bacteria and thus improving shelf life. At the same time, changes in components in glucosinolate-containing plants, including glucosinolates, are suppressed, and the stability of nutritional components is improved.

[0029] From the standpoint of this objective, it is preferable that drying occur after heating. Furthermore, it is preferable that drying occur before grinding. If drying is performed before heating, myrosinase may be activated when cells in glucosinolate-containing plants are destroyed during drying.

[0030] The drying method is not particularly limited. For example, it can be carried out by one or a combination of two or more methods from among hot air drying, cold air drying, freeze drying, and vacuum drying. From the viewpoint of increasing the bulk density of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder, it is preferable to perform at least hot air drying. Increasing the bulk density of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder makes it easier for the powder to settle in water when mixed with water, thereby improving its dispersibility. From the viewpoint of improving the color and flavor of the glucosinolate-containing plant, freeze drying is preferable.

[0031] The degree of drying is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the above-mentioned objective, it is preferable that the moisture content be about 8.0% by weight or less. More preferably, the moisture content is 5.0% by weight or less.

[0032] <Grinding (S60)> The purpose of grinding glucosinolate-containing plants is to reduce their volume and improve their dispersibility in water. From the viewpoint of this purpose, it is preferable to grind after heating, and even more preferably after drying, or simultaneously with drying. If grinding is performed before heating, myrosinase in the glucosinolate-containing plants is activated, and the glucosinolates are broken down. Also, if grinding is performed before drying, the material becomes liquid or puree-like, but drying it turns it into a solid mass, requiring further grinding afterward.

[0033] The grinding method is not particularly limited, but can be carried out by using one or more of the following: a pin mill, cutter mill, jet mill, orient mill, ball mill, etc. The grinding may be carried out in one stage or in two or more stages.

[0034] The degree of grinding is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of the above objective, it is preferable that the particle size d10 is 25 μm or less, d50 is 50 μm or less, and d90 is 130 μm or less. It is also preferable that the volume average diameter (MV) is about 60 μm or less. More preferably, the particle size d10 is 5 μm or more and less than 20 μm, d50 is 20 μm or more and less than 50 μm, and d90 is 50 μm or more and 100 μm or less. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the volume average diameter (MV) is about 20 to 50 μm. If the particle size after grinding is large, the solid components of the glucosinolate-containing plant will not disperse in water, but will float on the water surface or sink in the water.

[0035] <Granulation (S70)> The purpose of granulating glucosinolate-containing plant powder is to improve the fluidity of the powder and its dispersibility in water. From the standpoint of this purpose, granulation should be performed after grinding. The smaller the particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder, the lower the fluidity of the powder. This makes handling difficult. Also, when the particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder is small, it tends to clump when mixed with water and is difficult to disperse. Therefore, granulation with excipients such as dextrin improves dispersibility. Furthermore, by grinding the dried glucosinolate-containing plant to reduce the particle size and then granulating, it becomes less likely to clump when mixed with water, and the granulated clumps break down in water, reducing the particle size, improving dispersibility in water, and making it less likely to settle.

[0036] The granulation method is not particularly limited and includes stirring granulation, dry granulation, extrusion granulation, and fluidized bed granulation. From the viewpoint of improving dispersibility in water (the ability of particles to disintegrate when mixed with water), the fluidized bed granulation method is preferable. By performing the fluidized bed granulation method, the binding between fine powder particles becomes relatively weaker, the disintegration of the powder increases, and the dispersibility in water improves.

[0037] Any known granulation apparatus can be used. The granulation conditions are not particularly limited as long as the granulation is performed to achieve the desired particle size.

[0038] The binder used during granulation is not particularly limited and can include known excipients, water, plant juices or extracts, etc. From the viewpoint of increasing the glucosinolate content of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after granulation, the binder is preferably water or a glucosinolate-containing liquid.

[0039] <Sterilization and Filling (S80)> In addition to the above, sterilization and filling are appropriately adopted in this manufacturing method. Sterilization methods may be known methods, such as sterilization by superheated steam. Continuous and batch sterilization methods can be used. Sterilization conditions shall follow various standards (internal standards, industry standards, etc.). Filling methods may be known methods. Here, the container is sealed. The container into which the glucosinolate-containing plant powder is filled may be a known one, for example, an aluminum packaging bag.

[0040] <Brassicaceae Vegetables> Brassicaceae vegetables are vegetables that are scientifically classified as belonging to the Brassicaceae family. Examples of Brassicaceae vegetables include cabbage, broccoli, kale, petit vert, rafa no brasca, watercress, komatsuna, bok choy, radish sprouts, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, rapeseed, mustard greens, kohlrabi, etc. The glucosinolate-containing plant powder may use all or part of the Brassicaceae vegetable (flowers, leaves, stems, etc.), or it may use sprouts or seeds. The glucosinolate-containing plant powder may use one or more of these Brassicaceae vegetables, but from the viewpoint of high glucosinolate content, kale or rafa no brasca is preferred.

[0041] <Glucosinolates> Glucosinolates are a group of organic compounds containing sulfur and nitrogen, which are derivatives of glucose and amino acids, as shown in the structural formula of Chemical Formula 1. The glucosinolates used in this invention are not particularly limited, but examples include glucoraphanin (also called sulforaphane glucosinolate), sinigrin, glucoerusin, glucobrassin, glucoraphenin, glucoraphasatin, phenethyl glucosinolate, etc. In this invention, glucoraphanin is particularly preferred. One or more of these glucosinolates may be used.

[0042] [ka]

[0043] In the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention, the glucosinolate content is preferably 5 mg or more per gram of glucosinolate-containing plant powder, and more preferably 7 mg or more per gram of glucosinolate-containing plant powder. Furthermore, in the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention, the glucoraphanin (hereinafter also referred to as "GR") content is preferably 5 mg or more per gram of glucosinolate-containing plant powder, and more preferably 7 mg or more per gram of glucosinolate-containing plant powder.

[0044] <Myrosinase> Myrosinase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes the glycosidic bond of an isothiocyanate glycoside (such as sinigrin), removing the sulfate group and producing isothiocyanate from glucosinolate. In the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention, the myrosinase activity is preferably less than 1 unit / g, and more preferably there is no myrosinase activity. No myrosinase activity means that the myrosinase activity is 0 units / g in the myrosinase activity measurement described later.

[0045] <Myrosinase Activity> Myrosinase activity refers to the enzyme activity (potency) of converting glucosinolates to isothiocyanates. Myrosinase activity (units / g) is calculated by reacting myrosinase with the substrate glucosinolate, measuring the glucosinolate content or isothiocyanate content at regular intervals, and basing the calculation on the changes.

[0046] The glucosinolate and isothiocyanate content can be measured by methods well known to those skilled in the art. For example, HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) can be used. Specific methods for measuring glucosinolates include those by Fahey et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 10367-10372, 1997), and methods for measuring ITC include those by Han et al. (Han et al., Int. J. Mol. Sci., 12, 1854-1861, 2011).

[0047] Myrosinase activity (units / g) can be evaluated by measuring the isothiocyanate content converted from glucosinolates by the myrosinase reaction. Specifically, it can be calculated using the following formula.

[0048]

number

[0049] <Isothiocyanates> Isothiocyanates are a general term for substances with the structure shown in formula 2, and are abundant in plants of the Brassicaceae family. While isothiocyanates are useful components from a functional standpoint, they are unstable due to their volatility and can disappear over time. Therefore, when ingested, it is preferable that they be converted to isothiocyanates immediately before ingestion or within the body. For this reason, it is considered preferable that they be in the highly stable glucosinolate state in food and beverages.

[0050] Here, sulforaphane is a type of isothiocyanate, a substance produced when glucoraphanin is hydrolyzed by myrosinase. In the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention, it is preferable that sulforaphane is substantially absent. Substantially absent sulforaphane means that the sulforaphane content in the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention is less than 0.1 mg / 100g. The low level of this factor indicates that there is little reaction by myrosinase during the processing of glucosinolate-containing plants, which can be understood as one result of this finding.

[0051] [ka]

[0052] <Glucosinolate-containing liquid composition> The glucosinolate-containing liquid composition according to the present invention is a liquid containing at least a glucosinolate. Specifically, it is the juice, extract, and concentrate thereof of glucosinolate-containing plants, as well as an aqueous solution of glucosinolate, etc. The solvent of the glucosinolate-containing liquid composition according to the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably water.

[0053] <Other Raw Materials> The glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the embodiment of the present invention may contain other raw materials in addition to those made from glucosinolate-containing plants. Specifically, these include vegetable powders other than cruciferous vegetables, food additives, etc. Preferably, it is a myrosinase-containing composition.

[0054] A myrosinase-containing composition is a composition that contains at least myrosinase. By containing a myrosinase-containing composition, when ingested, the myrosinase hydrolyzes the glucosinolate, generating isothiocyanates, which improves the efficiency of isothiocyanate utilization in the body. The myrosinase-containing composition is preferably in a dried state, for example, as a powder. This is to prevent the myrosinase from reacting with the glucosinolate in the green powder during storage of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder composition. Examples of myrosinase-containing compositions include dried and pulverized mustard seeds.

[0055] Examples of food additives include sweeteners, acidulants, nucleic acids, spice extracts, colorants, pH adjusters, antioxidants, preservatives, emulsifiers, nutritional fortifiers, thickeners, and excipients. In implementing the present invention, it is preferable to minimize the use of food additives from the viewpoint of the flavor and glucosinolate content of the green powder and glucosinolate-containing plant powder composition according to the present invention.

[0056] <Particle Diameter> Particle diameter is the measured value of the longest axis of a particle. Here, "cumulative a% particle diameter" refers to the particle diameter at which the cumulative frequency reaches a% when the total volume of the particle population is considered 100% in the particle size distribution obtained by measurement. That is, cumulative 10% particle diameter (d10) refers to the particle diameter at the point where the cumulative frequency is 10%. Cumulative 50% particle diameter (d50) refers to the particle diameter at the point where the cumulative frequency is 50%. Also, cumulative 90% diameter (d90) refers to the particle diameter at the point where the cumulative frequency is 90%. "Mean Volume Diameter (MV)" refers to the average diameter of the particle population weighted by volume. The means of measuring particle diameter is a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer.

[0057] The particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder in the present invention is not particularly limited, but preferably, the particle size after grinding of the glucosinolate-containing plant is d10 25 μm or less, d50 50 μm or less, and d90 130 μm or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the volume average diameter (MV) is about 60 μm or less. More preferably, the particle size is d10 5 μm or more and less than 20 μm, d50 20 μm or more and less than 50 μm, and d90 50 μm or more and 100 μm or less. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the volume average diameter (MV) is about 20 μm or more and 50 μm or less. In addition, the particle size after granulation of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder is preferably d10 30 μm or more, d50 60 μm or more, and d90 100 μm or more. Furthermore, it is preferable that the volume average diameter (MV) is 60 μm or more. More preferably, d10 is less than 60 μm, d50 is less than 100 μm, and d90 is 200 μm or less. Furthermore, it is even more preferable that the volume average diameter (MV) is 70 μm or more and 100 μm or less. Reducing the particle size results in a smoother texture, making it easier to apply to various products. Methods for reducing the particle size may be known methods, but specifically include pulverization and micronization using a pulverizer and a micronizer, and fractionation by sieving.

[0058] <Color Tone> In the embodiments of the present invention, color tone refers to the characteristics of a color, including lightness, hue, and saturation. In the embodiments of the present invention, color tone is generally represented by the L*a*b* (L-star, A-star, B-star) color system. The indicators of the L*a*b* color system are lightness (L value) and chromaticity (hue and saturation) (a value, b value). The method for measuring color tone may be a known method. The measuring instrument is commercially available. An example of a measuring instrument is the SPECTROPHOTOMETER CM-5 (manufactured by Konica Minolta).

[0059] The a-value indicates the degree of greenness; the lower this value, the closer the color is to green. In addition, glucosinolate-containing plants contain enzymes, but if these enzymes are not deactivated by heating during crushing or juicing, or if oxidation is accelerated by excessive heat, the color will become brownish, the brightness (L-value) will decrease, or the degree of greenness will decrease (i.e., the a-value will increase).

[0060] The color tone of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder in the present invention is not particularly limited, but from the above viewpoint, it is preferably such that the L value is 15 or more and 25 or less, the a value is -5.5 or more and -3 or less, the b value is 9 or more and 12 or less, and the a / b value is -0.7 or more and -0.3 or less.

[0061] <Bulk Density> Bulk density is the value obtained by dividing the weight of a powder by the volume, including the voids between particles, when the powder is filled into a container of a certain volume in a certain manner. The unit is expressed as g / ml. The bulk density according to the embodiment of the present invention is loose bulk density. A known bulk density measuring instrument can be used as the measuring instrument.

[0062] The bulk density of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after granulation according to the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.3 or higher and 1.0 or lower. If the bulk density is low, when mixed with water, the powder will float on the water surface and will not sink easily, resulting in poor dispersibility in water. The bulk density can be increased by granulation or by performing at least heat drying during drying. In addition, having a bulk density within the above range improves the ability to fill containers.

[0063] <Dispersibility> The dispersibility in the embodiments of the present invention refers to the dispersibility of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention in water. Dispersion refers to the state in which the dispersed phase is suspended in the dispersion medium. High dispersibility indicates that the dispersed phase is not likely to settle and has high stability while suspended in the dispersion medium. Low dispersibility indicates that the dispersed phase is not likely to diffuse in the dispersion medium and therefore is likely to settle, and has low stability while suspended in the dispersion medium. In the present invention, the dispersed phase in dispersion is a solid and the dispersion medium is a liquid. Specifically, the dispersed phase in the present invention is glucosinolate-containing plant powder, and the dispersion medium is a water-soluble substance, particularly water. From the above viewpoint, reducing the particle size of the dispersed phase is effective in increasing dispersibility. However, it has been found that the lower the particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder according to the present invention, the more likely it is to clump when mixed with water, and conversely, the lower the dispersibility becomes. Therefore, by granulating the glucosinolate-containing plant powder, the particle size is increased before mixing with water, thereby increasing the bulk density of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder and making it less likely to clump. When mixed with water, the granulated powder breaks down, resulting in a lower particle size in water and improved dispersibility.

[0064] From this viewpoint, the particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after granulation is preferably as described above. Furthermore, the particle size after mixing with water is preferably d10 is 25 μm or less, d50 is 50 μm or less, and d90 is 130 μm or less. Furthermore, the volume average diameter (MV) is preferably about 60 μm or less. More preferably, the particle size of d10 is 5 μm or more and less than 20 μm, d50 is 20 μm or more and less than 50 μm, and d90 is 50 μm or more and 100 μm or less. Furthermore, the volume average diameter (MV) is preferably about 20 μm or more and 50 μm or less. In addition, in order to improve the disintegration properties of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after granulation, the granulation method used is preferably fluidized bed granulation, and the binder is preferably water or a glucosinolate-containing liquid composition. [Examples]

[0065] [Tests based on the presence or absence of water removal and the order of cutting and steaming] <Comparative Example 1> 100 kg of Rafano Brasica (Kaelish) was washed with water and then cut into pieces of approximately 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm using a slicer. After that, it was heated by steam treatment at 100°C for 5 minutes (product temperature reaching 90°C) using a steaming facility, and then cooled to below 70°C by applying cold air. This was then partially dried by hot air drying at 65°C for 40 minutes, and then dried by freeze drying at a shelf temperature of 60°C to 70°C for 24 hours to obtain dried Rafano Brasica.

[0066] <Example 1> 100 kg of Rafano Brasca was washed with water, then heated by steam heating at 100°C for 5 minutes (product temperature reaching 90°C), and cooled to below 70°C by applying cold air. After that, it was cut into pieces of approximately 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm using a slicer. These were then partially dried by hot air drying at 65°C for 40 minutes, and then freeze-dried at 60°C to 70°C for 24 hours to obtain dried Rafano Brasca.

[0067] <Example 2> After washing 100 kg of Rafanobraschia with water, the moisture adhering to the Rafanobraschia was removed by air blowing, and the Rafanobraschia was heated by steam heating at 100°C for 5 minutes (product temperature reaching 90°C), and then cooled to below 70°C by applying cold air. After that, it was cut into pieces of about 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm using a slicer. These were then partially dried by hot air drying at 65°C for 40 minutes, and then dried by freeze drying at 60°C to 70°C for 24 hours to obtain dried Rafanobraschia.

[0068] <Measurement of Glucoraphanin Content> The glucoraphanin content was measured by HPLC under the following conditions. Instrument: ACQUITY UPLC H-Class system (Waters) Column: ACQUITYCSH C18 (Φ2.1×100mm, 1.7μm) (Waters) Column temperature: 30℃ Sample injection volume: 10μL Mobile phase A: Ultrapure water: Trifluoroacetic acid = 99.95:0.05 (v:v) Mobile phase B: Methanol: Trifluoroacetic acid = 99.95:0.05 (v:v) Gradient: Maintain 0% mobile phase B for 5 minutes Linear gradient from 0% to 10% mobile phase B over 10 minutes Linear gradient from 10% to 100% mobile phase B over 5 minutes Maintain 100% mobile phase B for 5 minutes Linear gradient from 100% to 0% mobile phase B over 2 minutes Maintain 0% mobile phase B for 5 minutes Flow rate: 0.1mL / min Detection wavelength: 235nm The glucoraphanin content was calculated from the glucoraphanin concentration in the sample obtained by HPLC analysis and the amount of sample used for extraction.

[0069] <Measurement of Moisture Content and Solid Content> Moisture content and solid content were determined by atmospheric pressure heating and drying. Specifically, the target sample was heat-treated at 105°C for 4 hours, and the moisture content was calculated from the ratio of the weight of the target sample before heating to the weight loss before heating. In addition, the solid content was measured from the ratio of the weight of the target sample before heating to the weight of the target sample after heating.

[0070] <Glucoraphanin (GR) yield> The glucoraphanin yield was calculated using the following formula: GR yield (%) = 100 × (solid content of fresh vegetables) × (GR concentration in dried vegetables) / (solid content of dried vegetables) × (GR concentration in fresh vegetables)

[0071] <Results> The results are shown in Table 1. Regarding the raw material, fresh Rafanobassica, and Comparative Example 1, Example 1, and Example 2... The moisture content, solid content, and GR concentration were measured, and the GR yield for each sample was calculated. Performing the cutting process after the heating process increased the GR yield by 3% (comparison of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1). In addition, removing water after washing the fresh Rafanobassica increased the GR yield by 9% (comparison of Example 1 and Example 2).

[0072] [Table 1]

[0073] <Summary and Discussion> The reason why cutting after heating resulted in a higher GR yield than heating after cutting is thought to be that heating causes GR to leach out of the plant from the cut surface. Also, it is thought that cutting before heating activates myrosinase at the cut surface, which decomposes GR.

[0074] The reason why the GR yield increased after washing was thought to be that if water adhered to the Rafanobrasca during heating, it would cause the GR to be washed away.

[0075] [Test using water binder granulation] <Comparative Example 2> Comparative Example 2 was obtained by drying Rafanobrasca in a steam convection oven (Fujimak Co., Ltd.) at 70°C for 180 minutes, and then primary grinding using a pin mill (Nara Machinery Works Co., Ltd.).

[0076] <Comparative Example 3> Comparative Example 3 was obtained by drying Rafanobrasca in a steam convection oven (Fujimak Co., Ltd.) at 70°C for 180 minutes, then primary grinding using a pin mill (Nara Machinery Works Co., Ltd.), and secondary grinding using a jet mill (Seishin Enterprise Co., Ltd.).

[0077] <Example 3> After drying the Rafanobrasca in a steam convection oven (Fujimak Co., Ltd.) at 70°C for 180 minutes, it was first ground using a pin mill and then second ground using a jet mill. 5% by weight of Fibersol 2 (Matsutani Chemical Co., Ltd.), a non-digestible dextrin, and 2% by weight of water were added as excipients, and the mixture was stirred and granulated using a mixer for 1 minute. The mixture was then passed through a sieve with a mesh size of 500 μm and dried at 50°C for 1 hour to obtain Example 3.

[0078] <Example 4> Example 4 involved drying Rafanobrasca in a steam convection oven at 70°C for 180 minutes, followed by primary pulverization using a cutter mill and secondary pulverization using a jet mill. The resulting material was then granulated in a fluid bed granulator using water as a binder.

[0079] <Particle Size Measurement> Particle size was measured using Microtrac MT3300EX (manufactured by Microtrac-Bell Co., Ltd.). For the measurement, ethanol was used to measure the particle size of the powder before dispersion in water, and water was used to measure the particle size after dispersion in water.

[0080] <Dispersibility Evaluation> The dispersibility of each powder sample in water was evaluated. 3.0 g of the powder sample was mixed with 100 ml of water, and the degree of dispersion was checked. The dispersibility was evaluated as follows: A: Disperses easily and does not precipitate easily in water B: Disperses easily but precipitates easily in water C: Disperses when stirred well D: Tends to clump and does not disperse easily E: Does not disperse even when stirred well The degree of dispersibility was evaluated from A to E, with A indicating the highest dispersibility and E indicating the lowest dispersibility.

[0081] <Results> The results are shown in Table 2. It was confirmed that the granulated powder (Example 3) had improved dispersibility compared to the powder before granulation (Comparative Example 3). On the other hand, it was found that simply mixing the sample from Example 3 with distilled water did not sufficiently reduce the particle size in the water. As a result, the water and solid parts separated after just a few minutes, resulting in a non-uniform state. Subsequently, by applying physical stimulation with ultrasound, these particles were separated and the powder returned to its original particle size. From this, it was found that the powder and excipients of the sample from Example 3 do not separate when mixed with water alone. By performing granulation using the fluidized bed granulation method and using water as a binder, it was possible to produce a highly dispersible green powder that had a large particle size before granulation but whose particle size became smaller in water when mixed (Example 4). From the above, it was found that fine grinding and granulation treatment of the particles are important for improving the dispersibility of the green powder. In particular, it was found that using a fluidized bed granulation method is effective, and that by using water as a binder, it is possible to produce glucosinolate-containing plant powders with a high glucosinolate content.

[0082] [Table 2]

[0083] [Confirmation of glucosinolate retention rate, myrosinase activity, and sulforaphane content] <Example 5> 100 kg of Rafanobrasca was washed with water, then heated by steam heating at 100°C for 5 minutes (product temperature reached 90°C), and cooled to below 70°C by applying cold air. After that, it was cut into pieces of about 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm using a slicer. These were semi-dried by hot air drying at 65°C for 40 minutes, and then freeze-dried at 60°C to 70°C for 24 hours to obtain dried Rafanobrasca.

[0084] <Measurement of Glucoraphanin Content> The glucoraphanin content was measured by HPLC under the following conditions. Instrument: ACQUITY UPLC H-Class system (Waters) Column: ACQUITYCSH C18 (Φ2.1×100mm, 1.7μm) (Waters) Column temperature: 30℃ Sample injection volume: 10μL Mobile phase A: Ultrapure water: Trifluoroacetic acid = 99.95:0.05 (v:v) Mobile phase B: Methanol: Trifluoroacetic acid = 99.95:0.05 (v:v) Gradient: Maintain 0% mobile phase B for 5 minutes Linear gradient from 0% to 10% mobile phase B over 10 minutes Linear gradient from 10% to 100% mobile phase B over 5 minutes Maintain 100% mobile phase B for 5 minutes Linear gradient from 100% to 0% mobile phase B over 2 minutes Maintain 0% mobile phase B for 5 minutes Flow rate: 0.1mL / min Detection wavelength: 235 nm. Glucorafanin content was calculated from the glucoraphanin concentration in the sample obtained by HPLC analysis and the amount of sample used for extraction.

[0085] <Measurement of Moisture Content and Solid Content> Moisture content and solid content were determined by atmospheric pressure heating and drying. Specifically, the target sample was heat-treated at 105°C for 4 hours, and the moisture content was calculated from the ratio of the weight of the target sample before heating to the weight loss before heating. In addition, the solid content was measured from the ratio of the weight of the target sample before heating to the weight of the target sample after heating.

[0086] <Glucoraphanin (GR) yield> The glucoraphanin yield was calculated using the following formula: GR yield (%) = 100 × (solid content of fresh vegetables) × (GR concentration in dried vegetables) / (solid content of dried vegetables) × (GR concentration in fresh vegetables)

[0087] <Measurement of Sulforaphane (SFN) Content> The SFN content was measured by HPLC under the following conditions: Apparatus: ACQUITY UPLC H-Class system (Waters) Column: ACQUITYBEH C18 (Φ2.1×50mm, 1.7μm) (Waters) Column temperature: 35℃ Sample injection volume: 10μL Mobile phase: Ultrapure water:acetonitrile = 80:20 (v:v) Flow rate: 0.2mL / min Detection wavelength: 202nm The SFN content was calculated from the SFN concentration in the sample obtained by HPLC analysis and the amount of sample used for extraction.

[0088] <Measurement of Myrosinase Activity> Myrosinase activity (units / g) was evaluated by measuring the SFN content converted from GR by the myrosinase reaction. Specifically, it was calculated using the formula shown in [Equation 1] above.

[0089] The myrosinase reaction of dried Rafa no Brassica was carried out as follows: 100 ml of 33 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), adjusted to a GR content of 2.0 mg / ml, was placed in a stoppered Erlenmeyer flask and kept warm at 37°C in a water bath. Dried Rafa no Brassica was added to the previously prepared GR solution and mixed well, and the myrosinase reaction was started at 37°C in a water bath. 100 μL of the reaction solution was collected 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 30 minutes after the start of the reaction, mixed with 20 μL of 20% trifluoroacetic acid solution, and stored on ice. After all reaction solutions had been collected, 0.4 mL of ethyl acetate was added and mixed well. The resulting solution was centrifuged (1000 × g, 4°C, 5 min), and 200 μL of the recovered supernatant was dried using a centrifuge (40°C, 20 min). 250 μL of ultrapure water was added, and the dry material was redissolved by sonication. The mixture was then centrifuged, and the recovered supernatant was used as an HPLC sample for measuring the SFN content.

[0090] <Color Tone Measurement> The analytical instrument and measurement conditions used to measure the color tone are as follows. Each sample was placed in a 30mm dedicated petri dish and measured. (Analytical Instrument) Spectrophotometer CM-5 (Konica Minolta) (Measurement Conditions) Specular Reflectance Treatment: SCE Measurement Method: Reflectance Measurement Diameter: 30mm Light Source: D65 Field of View: 10° Color System: L*a*b*

[0091] <Results> By using a manufacturing method that treats Rafa no Brassica by steam heating, the yield of glucoraphanin after processing was increased to approximately 90% (Table 3). The color of the dried Rafa no Brassica is shown in Table 4. Furthermore, there was no myrosinase activity, and no sulforaphane content was confirmed. In addition, dried Rafa no Brassica with a glucoraphanin concentration of 7 mg / g or higher was obtained from fresh Rafa no Brassica with a glucoraphanin concentration of 1.01 mg / g.

[0092] [Table 3]

[0093] [Table 4] [Industrial applicability]

[0094] The field in which this invention is useful is the production and sale of glucosinolate-containing plant powders.

Claims

1. A method for producing glucosinolate-containing plant powder comprises at least the following steps: Water removal: The plants from which water is removed here are glucosinolate-containing plants. Non-immersion heating: Here, the non-immersion heating is performed on the dehydrated glucosinolate-containing plant, Drying: The glucosinolate-containing plants that have been heated without immersion are dried here. Grinding: The glucosinolate-containing plant that has been heated without immersion is ground here. The particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after grinding is: d10 is 25 μm or less, d50 is 50 μm or less, and, d90 is 130 μm or less, Granulation: The granulation process here involves at least the crushed glucosinolate-containing plant material, The particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after granulation is, d10 is 30 μm or more and less than 60 μm, d50 is 60 μm or more and less than 100 μm, and The d90 is between 100 μm and 200 μm.

2. A method for producing glucosinolate-containing plant powder comprises at least the following steps: Water removal: The plants from which water is removed here are glucosinolate-containing plants. Non-immersion heating: Here, the non-immersion heating is performed on the dehydrated glucosinolate-containing plant, Drying: The glucosinolate-containing plants that have been heated without immersion are dried here. Grinding: The glucosinolate-containing plant that has been heated without immersion is ground here. Granulation: The granulation process here involves at least the crushed glucosinolate-containing plant material, The particle size of the glucosinolate-containing plant powder after granulation is, d10 is 30 μm or more and less than 60 μm, d50 is 60 μm or more and less than 100 μm, and The d90 is between 100 μm and 200 μm.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the glucosinolate-containing plant is a cruciferous vegetable.

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