A method for masking the taste of iron, and a composition in which the taste of iron is reduced.

Abstract

To provide a method for masking an iron taste.SOLUTION: There are provided: a masking method of an iron taste, which comprises coating ferric pyrophosphate with a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and a surfactant; an iron formulation containing the ferric pyrophosphate coated with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant; a ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition containing the ferric pyrophosphate and an agent containing the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant and having a pH of 3-5; and the composition obtained by heating the ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for masking iron taste and a composition with reduced iron taste.

Background Art

[0002] Iron is a component contained in fish and shellfish, meat, vegetables and the like, and is one of the components that play an important role in the living body. Iron deficiency causes iron deficiency diseases such as anemia, and in particular, women, athletes, especially female athletes, long-distance runners, vegetarian athletes and the like tend to be prone to iron deficiency. Therefore, it is important to take a necessary amount of iron.

[0003] From the viewpoint of easily taking iron, conventionally, iron-supplemented foods have been developed and sold. However, in such foods, unpleasant taste derived from iron occurs due to elution of iron in the food, and thus ingestion of the food is accompanied by pain in terms of the unpleasant taste. Therefore, it is important to provide iron-supplemented foods that are easier to ingest.

[0004] As an iron-supplemented food, for example, Patent Document 1 reports fermented milk containing ferric pyrophosphate. Patent Document 1 describes "a coated ferric pyrophosphate composition obtained by coating ferric pyrophosphate with 1 to 10 parts by mass of a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester or 1 to 10 parts by mass of a glycerin fatty acid ester and 0.05 to 1 part by mass of enzymatically decomposed lecithin based on 100 parts by mass of the ferric pyrophosphate, which has a zeta potential of -25 to -39 mV and an average particle size of 1 to 4 μm", and it is reported that fermented milk without perceiving the iron-specific flavor can be provided by using the composition.

[0005] In addition, for example, Patent Document 2 describes "an iron-containing powder composition comprising (A) ferric pyrophosphate, (B) lecithin, and (C) at least one selected from the group consisting of alginic acid, carboxymethylcellulose, and salts thereof", and it is reported that the composition can be suitably used in foods and beverages without exhibiting unpleasant taste or flavor.

[0006] Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 3 reports that the iron-like odor of a liquid composition can be masked by adding a thickening polysaccharide. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] WO2013 / 141139 publication [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-7137 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-7470 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Various types of iron are known to be used to supplement foods like these, such as ferric pyrophosphate, sodium ferrous citrate, iron citrate, and ammonium iron citrate.

[0009] For example, ferric pyrophosphate is known to be insoluble in water, and therefore, when added to food, it was necessary to emulsify it with emulsifiers such as lecithin to suppress precipitation and the metallic taste. However, even when emulsified in this way, the emulsified particles are easily broken down, and this breakdown is particularly pronounced in acidic foods, resulting in the perception of a strong metallic taste.

[0010] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a new method for masking the taste of iron. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors conducted diligent studies and found that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be masked by coating it with a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component such as tocopherol and a surfactant such as ghattigum. The present invention was completed as a result of further studies based on this finding, and is as follows.

[0012] 1. How to mask the metallic taste Item 1-1. A method for masking iron taste, characterized by coating ferric pyrophosphate with a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and a surfactant. Item 1-2. The method according to Item 1-1, wherein the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component is at least one selected from the group consisting of retinyl palmitate, tocopherol, tocotrienol, phylloquinone, menaquinone, rapeseed oil, palm oil, soybean oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, rice salad oil, glycerol fatty acid esters with HLB < 8, and medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. Item 1-3. The method according to item 1-1 or 1-2, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of ghatti gum, gum arabic, soybean polysaccharides, modified starch, sugar beet pectin, glycerin fatty acid esters with HLB ≥ 8, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, polysorbate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters. Item 1-4. The method according to any one of items 1-1 to 1-3, comprising the step of mixing the ferric pyrophosphate with 0.01 to 200 parts by mass of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and 5 to 2000 parts by mass of the surfactant per 100 parts by mass of the ferric pyrophosphate.

[0013] 2. Preparations containing ferric pyrophosphate Item 2-1. A formulation comprising a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and ferric pyrophosphate coated with a surfactant. Item 2-2. The formulation according to Item 2-1, wherein the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component is at least one selected from the group consisting of retinyl palmitate, tocopherol, tocotrienol, phylloquinone, menaquinone, rapeseed oil, palm oil, soybean oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, rice salad oil, glycerol fatty acid esters with HLB < 8, and medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. Item 2-3. The formulation according to item 2-1 or 2-2, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of ghatti gum, gum arabic, soybean polysaccharides, modified starch, sugar beet pectin, glycerin fatty acid esters with HLB ≥ 8, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, polysorbate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters. Item 2-4. A formulation according to any one of items 2-1 to 2-3, comprising the ferric pyrophosphate and, per 100 parts by mass of the ferric pyrophosphate, 0.01 to 200 parts by mass of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and 5 to 2000 parts by mass of the surfactant.

[0014] 3. Composition containing ferric pyrophosphate Item 3-1. A ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition comprising a formulation containing ferric pyrophosphate, a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, and a surfactant, with a pH of 3 to 5. Item 3-2. The composition according to Item 3-1, wherein the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component is at least one selected from the group consisting of retinyl palmitate, tocopherol, tocotrienol, phylloquinone, menaquinone, rapeseed oil, palm oil, soybean oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, rice salad oil, glycerin fatty acid esters with HLB < 8, and medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. Item 3-3. The composition according to item 3-1 or 3-2, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of ghatti gum, gum arabic, soybean polysaccharides, modified starch, sugar beet pectin, glycerin fatty acid esters with HLB ≥ 8, sucrose fatty acid esters, lecithin, polysorbate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters. Item 3-4. The composition according to any one of Items 3-1 to 3-3, wherein the ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition is subjected to a heat treatment. Item 3-5. The composition according to any one of Items 3-1 to 3-4, wherein the preparation is the preparation according to any one of Items 2-1 to 2-4. Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be masked by coating ferric pyrophosphate with a non-emulsifiable oil-soluble component and a surfactant. Further, according to the present invention, the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced by using a preparation containing ferric pyrophosphate coated with a non-emulsifiable oil-soluble component and a surfactant. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced by forming a ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition having a pH of 3 to 5 using a preparation containing ferric pyrophosphate, a non-emulsifiable oil-soluble component, and a surfactant. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] 1. How to mask the metallic taste The present invention provides a method for masking iron taste, comprising coating ferric pyrophosphate with a non-emulsifiable oil-soluble component and a surfactant.

[0017] 1.1. Ferric pyrophosphate In the present invention, ferric pyrophosphate is not particularly limited as long as it is conventionally known ferric pyrophosphate. As ferric pyrophosphate, a commercially available product may be used, and for example, ferric pyrophosphate is commercially available from Tomita Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

[0018] 1.2.Non-emulsifying oil-soluble ingredients In the present invention, the non-emulsifiable oil-soluble component is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include non-emulsifiable oil-soluble components that are liquid at room temperature (25°C) and normal pressure.

[0019] The melting point of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component does not limit the present invention, but examples include 50°C or lower, 40°C or lower, 30°C or lower, 25°C or lower, 20°C or lower, and preferably 20°C or lower.

[0020] While not limiting the present invention, from the viewpoint that the method of the present invention can be suitably applied to compositions that are stored or used at temperatures such as refrigeration, the melting point of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component is preferably exemplified as 20°C or lower.

[0021] In the present invention, the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component has a solubility in water at 20°C of preferably 0.1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.01% by mass or less. In the present invention, the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component may be used alone or in combination of two or more types, and when two or more types are used in combination, the combination satisfies the solubility requirement.

[0022] Non-emulsifying oil-soluble components are not limited as long as they are pharmaceutically acceptable or edible components.

[0023] As non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, the present invention is not limited to the present invention, but includes vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, palm oil, soybean oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, rice salad oil, elemi resin, mastic resin; animal oils such as beef tallow and pork fat; sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), rosin, dammar resin, ester gum, glycerin fatty acid ester (including polyglycerin fatty acid ester; excluding those with emulsifying properties with HLB ≥ 8), medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides (MCT), long-chain fatty acid triglycerides; liver oil, vitamin A (fatty acid derivatives such as retinol and palmitate), vitamin B (vitamin B2 butyrate, etc.), ascorbic acid fatty acid ester, vitamin E (tocopherol (d-α-tocopherol, d-β-tocopherol) Examples include fat-soluble vitamins such as d-γ-tocopherol, d-δ-tocopherol, dl-α-tocopherol, tocotrienols, etc., and vitamin K (phylloquinone, menaquinone, etc.); plant essential oils such as limonene, linalool, nerol, citronellol, geraniol, citral, l-menthol, eugenol, cinnamic aldehyde, anethole, perillaldehyde, vanillin, and γ-undecalactone; resveratrol, oil-soluble polyphenols, glycosylceramide, sesamin, phosphatidylserine, coenzyme Q10, ubiquinol, and α-lipoic acid; Ω-3 fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid; Ω-6 fatty acids such as linoleic acid and γ-linolenic acid; and plant sterols.

[0024] The HLB (Hydrophile Lypophile Balance) value is a conventionally known indicator in the field of surfactants that indicates the balance between hydrophilicity and lipophilicity. Within the range of 0 to 20 HLB values, a lower HLB value indicates stronger lipophilicity, while a higher HLB value indicates stronger hydrophilicity. In this invention, HLB typically follows the Griffin formula.

[0025] MCT is a triacylglycerol composed of medium-chain fatty acids, and commercially available MCTs can be used without restriction. The number of carbon atoms in the medium-chain fatty acids that make up the MCT is not limited, but preferably medium-chain fatty acids with 6 to 12 carbon atoms, more preferably with 6 to 10 carbon atoms, 8 to 12 carbon atoms, or 8 to 10 carbon atoms are examples. The three medium-chain fatty acids that make up the MCT may be the same (1 type) or different (2 or 3 types).

[0026] Furthermore, long-chain fatty acid triglycerides are triacylglycerols composed of long-chain fatty acids, and commercially available ones can be used without restriction. The number of carbon atoms in the long-chain fatty acids constituting the long-chain fatty acid triglycerides is not limited, but examples include long-chain fatty acids with 14 or more carbon atoms, more preferably 14 to 26 carbon atoms, and even more preferably 14 to 22 carbon atoms. The three medium-chain fatty acids constituting the long-chain fatty acid triglycerides may be the same (1 type) or different (2 or 3 types).

[0027] In these cases, medium-chain fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids are preferably saturated fatty acids, regardless of whether they are saturated or unsaturated. Furthermore, both medium-chain fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids are preferably straight-chain fatty acids. Therefore, both medium-chain fatty acids and long-chain fatty acids are preferably straight-chain saturated fatty acids.

[0028] While not limiting the present invention, among MCT and long-chain fatty acid triglycerides, MCT is preferably used in order to suppress unpleasant odors (oil odors) caused by oils and fats.

[0029] Examples of non-emulsifying oil-soluble components include, preferably, retinyl palmitate, vitamin E (tocopherol, tocotrienol), phylloquinone, menaquinone, rapeseed oil, palm oil, soybean oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, rice salad oil, glycerin fatty acid esters with HLB < 8, MCT, etc.

[0030] Non-emulsifying oil-soluble components may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0031] 1.3. Surfactants In the present invention, the surfactant is not limited as long as it is a pharmaceutically acceptable or edible component.

[0032] Examples of surfactants, though not limiting to the present invention, include esters such as glycerin fatty acid esters (including polyglycerin fatty acid esters; excluding those with HLB < 8), sucrose fatty acid esters, and sorbitan fatty acid esters; phospholipids such as lecithin, enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin, and enzymatically treated lecithin (excluding phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine); saponins such as quillaja extract, soybean saponin, soybean saponin, enzymatically treated soybean saponin, tea seed saponin, and yucca foam extract; polysorbates (polysorbate 20, 60, 65, 80, etc.); and polysaccharides with surfactant properties such as soybean polysaccharides, modified starch, sugar beet pectin, gum arabic, and ghati gum.

[0033] Examples of preferred surfactants include glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, polysorbate, gum arabic, ghati gum, soybean polysaccharides, sugar beet pectin, and modified starch, all of which have an HLB of ≥ 8.

[0034] These may be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0035] Furthermore, in this method, since coating the ferric pyrophosphate with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant is considered important in suppressing the iron taste, among polysaccharides, those that do not have surfactant properties and are commonly used as thickeners and / or gelling agents, such as agar, xanthan gum, and guar gum, are not used as surfactants.

[0036] 1.4. Masking Method The method of the present invention masks the iron taste by coating the ferric pyrophosphate with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant.

[0037] The coating can be applied by mixing the ferric pyrophosphate, the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, and the surfactant.

[0038] The mixing is not limited in that the ferric pyrophosphate is mixed so that it comes into contact with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and / or the surfactant, and can be carried out according to conventionally known mixing methods. Preferably, the mixing is exemplified by mixing so that the ferric pyrophosphate comes into contact with both the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant. The mixing does not limit the present invention, but includes, for example, methods using a wet grinder.

[0039] The mixing order of the ferric pyrophosphate, the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, and the surfactant is not limited, as long as these three components are ultimately mixed. For example, the ferric pyrophosphate and the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component may be mixed, and the resulting mixture may be mixed with the surfactant; or the ferric pyrophosphate and the surfactant may be mixed, and the resulting mixture may be mixed with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component; or the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant may be mixed, and the resulting mixture may be mixed with the ferric pyrophosphate; or these components may be mixed simultaneously. As for the mixing order, although it does not limit the present invention, it is preferable to mix the ferric pyrophosphate and the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component first, and then mix in the surfactant.

[0040] The amount of these components mixed is not limited as long as the ferric pyrophosphate is coated with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant.

[0041] The lower limit of the amount of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component mixed is not limited to the present invention, but examples include preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more, more preferably 0.02 parts by mass or more, 0.05 parts by mass or more, 0.1 parts by mass or more, 0.15 parts by mass or more, 0.2 parts by mass or more, 0.5 parts by mass or more, 1 part by mass or more, 2 parts by mass or more, 5 parts by mass or more, or 10 parts by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0042] The upper limit of the amount of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component mixed is not limited to the present invention, but examples include preferably 200 parts by mass or less, more preferably 150 parts by mass or less, 100 parts by mass or less, 80 parts by mass or less, 60 parts by mass or less, 50 parts by mass or less, or 40 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0043] Therefore, the amount of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component mixed in does not limit the present invention, but preferably, it is within the range of 0.01 parts by mass to 200 parts by mass, or 0.02 parts by mass to 150 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate. The amount of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component mixed in can be any combination of the lower and upper limits.

[0044] Furthermore, the amount of surfactant mixed is not particularly limited, and any amount that can stably disperse ferric pyrophosphate in solution is sufficient. Examples of the amount of surfactant mixed are, for example, 5 to 2000 parts by mass, preferably 5 to 1600 parts by mass, more preferably 5 to 1500 parts by mass, 5 to 1000 parts by mass, 5 to 750 parts by mass, 5 to 500 parts by mass, 5 to 250 parts by mass, 5 to 100 parts by mass, etc., per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0045] Furthermore, while the mixing amounts of these components do not limit the present invention, examples include, preferably, 0.01 to 200 parts by mass of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and 5 to 2000 parts by mass of the surfactant, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate. These mixing amounts can also be any combination of the above values. The same explanation will be given below.

[0046] These mixtures may be carried out in the presence of any pharmaceutically acceptable or edible component. The component is not limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention; examples include solvents, excipients, colorants, sweeteners, antioxidants, and flavorings. The component may be used alone or in combination of two or more, and the type and amount of the component may be determined as appropriate. An example using any component is described below, although this does not limit the present invention.

[0047] In one embodiment of the method of the present invention, a solvent may be used as the optional component. When a solvent is used, each of the three components (ferric pyrophosphate, the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, and the surfactant) may be brought into contact with the solvent at any mixing stage. For example, the ferric pyrophosphate and the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component may be mixed, and the resulting mixture may be mixed with the surfactant dispersed in the solvent. Alternatively, for example, the ferric pyrophosphate and the surfactant may be mixed, then the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component may be mixed, and the resulting mixture may be mixed with the solvent. By mixing with a solvent, the mixture, in particular the ferric pyrophosphate coated with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant, is dispersed in the solvent.

[0048] Examples of solvents, though not limiting to the present invention, include water, lower alcohols, and polyhydric alcohols. Preferably, the solvent is water, a polyhydric alcohol, or a mixture of water and a polyhydric alcohol, and more preferably, a mixture of water and a polyhydric alcohol. The solvent may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0049] Here, the content of polyhydric alcohol in the "mixture of water and polyhydric alcohol" is not limited, but examples include a range of 1% by mass or more and less than 100% by mass, preferably 2% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, particularly preferably 8% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, particularly more preferably 8% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 8% by mass or more and less than 30% by mass. Although this does not limit the present invention, for example, when a mixture of water and a lower alcohol is used as a solvent, the content of the lower alcohol in the mixture is described in the same manner.

[0050] The lower alcohol is not limited as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention, and examples include lower alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms such as methanol, ethanol, n-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, sec-butyl alcohol, and isobutyl alcohol. Ethanol is preferably used as the lower alcohol. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0051] The polyhydric alcohol is not limited as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention, and examples include glycerin, diglycerin, triglycerin, polyglycerin, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, etc. Preferably, the polyhydric alcohol is glycerin, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, or mannitol. When the polyhydric alcohol used is solid at room temperature, it is preferably used in combination with water and / or a lower alcohol. These may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0052] Even when the mixing is carried out using a solvent, the amount of solvent mixed is not limited as long as the ferric pyrophosphate and the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and / or the surfactant come into contact and the ferric pyrophosphate is coated with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant, as described above. Examples of the amount of solvent mixed include 100 to 15,000 parts by mass of solvent, preferably 200 to 13,000 parts by mass, more preferably 200 to 10,000 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 200 to 8,000 parts by mass of solvent per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0053] Furthermore, as one embodiment of the method of the present invention, an excipient such as dextrin may be used as the optional component. The excipient may be added at any time during the mixing of the three components, as long as it does not impair the effects of the invention, and the amount of the excipient can be determined as appropriate. Other optional components may also be selected and mixed as needed, and the amount of the excipient can be determined as appropriate.

[0054] In the present invention, the coating may be such that the entire ferric pyrophosphate is coated (complete coating), or at least a portion of the ferric pyrophosphate is coated (partial coating).

[0055] Furthermore, the size of the ferric pyrophosphate coating obtained in this manner is not limited. As for the size of the coating, although this does not limit the present invention, a 100 mL dispersion is prepared by diluting the mixture obtained as described above with deionized water at room temperature so that the ferric pyrophosphate content is 0.01% by mass, and this is placed in a glass container. At this time, the average particle size (median diameter) of the coating is preferably 1 μm or less, more preferably 0.01 to 0.5 μm, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.2 μm. The average particle size (median diameter) is measured using a laser particle size analyzer (Microtrac MT-3000II, manufactured by Nikkiso Co., Ltd.).

[0056] Furthermore, in the present invention, to determine whether the ferric pyrophosphate is coated with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant, 100 mL of the dispersion prepared as described above is placed in a glass container, and the dispersion is left to stand at room temperature for 24 hours. If no precipitate of ferric pyrophosphate forms at the bottom of the container, it is determined that the ferric pyrophosphate is coated. The presence or absence of precipitate (precipitated ferric pyrophosphate) can be confirmed by visually checking for precipitate after the standing period, or by centrifuging the dispersion after the standing period (room temperature, 2000 rpm, 10 minutes) and visually checking for precipitate.

[0057] The method of the present invention can suppress the iron taste derived from ferric pyrophosphate by mixing the ferric pyrophosphate, the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, and the surfactant in this manner. Here, "iron taste" refers to an unpleasant flavor caused by iron, which can also be described as a rusty iron flavor.

[0058] 2. Preparations containing ferric pyrophosphate The present invention provides a formulation comprising a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and ferric pyrophosphate coated with a surfactant.

[0059] The non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, surfactants, and ferric pyrophosphate are described in the same manner as above. Furthermore, the coating of ferric pyrophosphate with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble components and surfactants is also described in the same manner as above, and can be carried out according to the mixing procedure described above.

[0060] Therefore, the formulation of the present invention contains the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, the surfactant, and the ferric pyrophosphate. The formulation of the present invention may further contain any pharmaceutically acceptable or edible component as needed. Such any component will be described in the same manner as described above, and the mixture thereof will also be described in the same manner as described above.

[0061] In the formulation of the present invention, the content of these components is not limited as long as the ferric pyrophosphate in the formulation is coated with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant.

[0062] The lower limit of the content of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component does not limit the present invention, but in the formulation, for example, preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more, more preferably 0.02 parts by mass or more, 0.05 parts by mass or more, 0.1 parts by mass or more, 0.15 parts by mass or more, 0.2 parts by mass or more, 0.5 parts by mass or more, 1 part by mass or more, 2 parts by mass or more, 5 parts by mass or more, or 10 parts by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0063] The upper limit of the content of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component does not limit the present invention, but examples of the content of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component in the formulation include, for example, preferably 200 parts by mass or less, 150 parts by mass or less, 100 parts by mass or less, 80 parts by mass or less, 60 parts by mass or less, 50 parts by mass or less, or 40 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0064] Therefore, although the content of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component does not limit the present invention, examples of the content in the formulation include preferably being in the range of 0.01 parts by mass or more and 200 parts by mass, or 0.02 parts by mass or more and 150 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate. The amount of non-emulsifying oil-soluble component mixed can be any combination of the lower and upper limits.

[0065] Furthermore, the amount of surfactant in the formulation is not limited to the present invention, but examples include 5 to 2000 parts by mass, preferably 5 to 1600 parts by mass, more preferably 5 to 1500 parts by mass, 5 to 1000 parts by mass, 5 to 750 parts by mass, 5 to 500 parts by mass, 5 to 250 parts by mass, 5 to 100 parts by mass, etc., per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0066] Furthermore, while the content of these components does not limit the present invention, examples of the formulation include, preferably, 0.01 to 200 parts by mass of the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and 5 to 2000 parts by mass of the surfactant, per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate. The content of these components can also be any combination of the above values.

[0067] Furthermore, if the formulation further contains the solvent as an example of the optional components, the solvent content in the formulation is exemplified by 100 to 15,000 parts by mass of solvent, preferably 200 to 13,000 parts by mass, more preferably 200 to 10,000 parts by mass, and particularly preferably 200 to 8,000 parts by mass of solvent per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate.

[0068] Furthermore, although not limiting the present invention, examples of the ferric pyrophosphate content in the formulation include 1 to 20% by mass, preferably 2 to 15% by mass, and more preferably 4 to 10% by mass.

[0069] If the formulation contains any component other than the solvent, the type and amount of such component may be appropriately determined, as described above, within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0070] The formulation can be manufactured by mixing the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, the surfactant, and the ferric pyrophosphate, as well as any other components as needed, according to the mixing procedure described above.

[0071] The form of the preparation is not limited and may be solid (powder, granules, fine granules, etc.), semi-solid (jelly-like, etc.), or liquid. Furthermore, for example, if the preparation is solid, it may be used in combination with a liquid such as water.

[0072] According to this formulation, a formulation containing the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the ferric pyrophosphate coated with the surfactant can be easily provided.

[0073] The manner in which the preparation is used is not limited and may be determined as appropriate according to the purpose. Examples of uses of the preparation include, preferably, its use as an additive to food compositions (food composition additive), pharmaceutical compositions (pharmaceutical composition additive), quasi-drug compositions (quasi-drug composition additive), and feed compositions (feed composition additive). Food compositions, pharmaceutical compositions, quasi-drug compositions, and feed compositions will be described in the same manner as described later.

[0074] For this reason, the formulation can be preferably used as one of the raw materials for such compositions. In particular, since the formulation contains the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the ferric pyrophosphate coated with the surfactant, it can be preferably used in the manufacture of food compositions, pharmaceutical compositions, quasi-drug compositions, feed compositions, etc., for the purpose of supplementing (fortifying) iron while reducing the taste of iron. For this reason, the formulation is also useful in providing compositions that are easier to consume and have been supplemented (fortified) with iron.

[0075] 3. Composition containing ferric pyrophosphate The present invention provides a ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition comprising a formulation containing ferric pyrophosphate, a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, and a surfactant, and having a pH of 3 to 5.

[0076] Preparations containing non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, surfactants, and ferric pyrophosphate are not limited as long as they contain non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, surfactants, and ferric pyrophosphate, and non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, surfactants, and ferric pyrophosphate are described in the same manner as described above.

[0077] The formulation preferably comprises the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the ferric pyrophosphate coated with the surfactant. The coating is described in the same manner as above, and the ferric pyrophosphate can be coated according to the mixing procedure described above.

[0078] Furthermore, the preparation may optionally contain any pharmaceutically acceptable or edible components. Such optional components are described in the same manner as described above, and their mixtures are also described in the same manner as described above.

[0079] Examples of such formulations are preferably those described in "2. Ferric pyrophosphate-containing formulations" above.

[0080] The content of ferric pyrophosphate, the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, and the surfactant in the formulation, as well as the content of any optional component used as needed, is not limited. Although not limiting to the present invention, the content is preferably exemplified by the content described in "2. Ferric Pyrophosphate-Containing Formulation". Furthermore, the method for producing the formulation can be the mixing procedure described above, and it can be produced by mixing the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, the surfactant, and the ferric pyrophosphate, as well as any optional component as needed.

[0081] The form of the preparation is not limited and may be solid (powder, granules, fine granules, etc.), semi-solid (jelly-like, etc.), or liquid.

[0082] The ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition of the present invention comprises the formulation and has a pH of 3 to 5.

[0083] Here, the pH is the value of the composition at 20°C and is measured using a pH meter (Navi-h, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.). Examples of the pH of the composition include preferably 3 to 4.8, more preferably 3 to 4.5, even more preferably 3.2 to 4.5, particularly preferably 3.2 to 4, and particularly more preferably 3.2 to 3.8. According to the present invention, even in compositions having such a pH, the iron taste can be reduced.

[0084] The composition is not limited as long as it is pharmaceutically acceptable or edible, but preferably examples include food compositions (including beverages, health functional foods (including foods for specified health uses, foods with nutritional function claims, foods with functional claims, supplements, etc.), foods for sick people), pharmaceutical compositions, quasi-drug compositions, feed compositions, etc.

[0085] The composition is not limited in its manufacturing method, but is preferably produced by mixing the formulation with the composition raw materials. Without limiting the present invention, the formulation may, if necessary, be mixed with a liquid such as water before mixing with the composition raw materials.

[0086] Examples of raw materials for the composition, though not limiting to the present invention, include raw materials for food compositions to be supplemented with iron, raw materials for pharmaceutical compositions, raw materials for quasi-drug compositions, and raw materials for animal feed compositions. By adding the formulation to the raw materials for the composition, a composition supplemented with iron can be obtained. Therefore, although not limiting to the present invention, taking food compositions as an example, if it is desired to supplement iron in a conventionally known food composition, a conventionally known food composition can be used as a raw material for the food composition.

[0087] Thus, the raw materials for the composition are not limited and may be set appropriately according to the purpose. Examples of raw materials for the composition include conventionally known food compositions, pharmaceutical compositions, quasi-drug compositions, feed compositions, various components contained in these compositions, and any combination of such components. Examples of such components, although not limiting to the present invention, include proteins, lipids, sugars, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, solvents, excipients, pH adjusters, antioxidants, sweeteners, flavoring agents, absorption enhancers, cooling agents, colorants, flavorings, minerals, and various other nutritional components.

[0088] The content of ferric pyrophosphate in the composition is not limited, but examples of ferric pyrophosphate derived from the formulation include 0.0001 to 0.1% by mass, preferably 0.001 to 0.1% by mass, and more preferably 0.008 to 0.02% by mass in the composition.

[0089] Furthermore, the content of the formulation in the composition is not limited, but examples include 0.1 to 6% by mass, preferably 0.15 to 6% by mass, and more preferably 0.2 to 6% by mass.

[0090] Furthermore, the composition may be heat-treated. If the composition is heat-treated, the pH refers to the pH of the composition after heat treatment (value at 20°C).

[0091] The method of heat treatment is not limited, and preferred examples include heat treatment methods applied to oral compositions used in the food and pharmaceutical fields. Although not limiting to the present invention, examples of heat treatment conditions include 120°C for 10 seconds, 135°C for 3 seconds, 85°C for 20 minutes, 90°C for 20 minutes, and 95°C for 10 to 20 minutes. In addition, conventionally known heat treatment conditions can be cited, and heating may be performed under such conditions.

[0092] The form of the composition is not limited and may be solid (powder, granules, fine granules, etc.), semi-solid (jelly-like, etc.), or liquid, with semi-solid and liquid forms being more preferred.

[0093] The composition is not limited to the foregoing, but examples include beverages such as milk beverages, lactic acid bacteria beverages, carbonated beverages, fruit beverages (including fruit juice beverages), vegetable beverages, alcoholic beverages, coffee beverages, sports drinks, and supplement beverages; dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, ice cream, and soft serve ice cream; desserts such as jelly and bavarian cream; seasonings such as dressings; jams; soups; and various other pharmaceutically acceptable or edible compositions.

[0094] In this invention, with respect to the methods, formulations, and compositions described above, edible is not limited to what is edible for humans, but also includes what is edible for animals other than humans (e.g., mammals, birds, etc.). Therefore, as mentioned above, so-called animal feed compositions are also subject to this invention.

[0095] Thus, since the present invention provides a composition supplemented with iron, this composition is also useful as an iron supplementation composition for supplementing iron, for preventing iron deficiency, for subjects (or animals) at risk of or already suffering from iron deficiency, or for athletes.

[0096] Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily provide a composition that is easy to consume and has a reduced iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate.

[0097] Furthermore, conventionally, acidic compositions and heated compositions tended to develop an iron taste due to ferric pyrophosphate. The present invention is also useful in reducing the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate in acidic compositions and heated compositions.

[0098] Furthermore, in this invention, both "contains" and "include" also encompass the meanings of "substantially consist of" and "consist of." [Examples]

[0099] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0100] Preparation Example 1 Preparation of a preparation containing ferric pyrophosphate Ferric pyrophosphate was ground using a wet grinder, DynoMill (WAB Corporation, DynoMill KDL), and the ground ferric pyrophosphate was mixed with each component according to the composition shown in Table 1 to prepare a formulation containing ferric pyrophosphate (ferric pyrophosphate formulation). For each of the obtained formulations, the median diameter was measured using a laser particle size analyzer (Nikkiso Co., Ltd., Microtrac MT-3000II). The median diameter was measured by diluting the formulation with deionized water at room temperature to a ferric pyrophosphate content of 0.01% by mass, preparing a 100 mL dispersion, and placing it in a glass container. The particle size (median diameter) for all formulations was 0.1 to 0.2 μm. In Table 1, the unit is mass%.

[0101] [Table 1]

[0102] <Preparation of a composition (beverage) containing the above-mentioned preparation> Using the formulations listed in Table 1, beverages were prepared by mixing each component according to the composition shown in Table 2. The pH was adjusted with trisodium citrate, and finally, the ferric pyrophosphate formulation was added and mixed. After mixing, the resulting solution was filled to capacity into 220 mL PET bottles at a temperature of 95°C.

[0103] [Table 2]

[0104] <Method for evaluating iron taste> The beverages prepared as described above were stored at 40°C for three days, after which the intensity of the iron taste was evaluated by two expert panelists (A and B). In this evaluation, the aforementioned ferric pyrophosphate was suspended in 1% by mass citric acid solution to a concentration of 0.1% by mass, and dissolved by heating to 95°C. A solution with a very strong iron taste was used as the baseline for a score of "4," and the results were evaluated on a 5-point scale according to the following evaluation criteria. 4: I taste a very strong metallic flavor. 3: I strongly taste the metallic flavor. 2: I can taste the iron. 1: Slightly tastes like iron. 0: No metallic taste detected

[0105] <Evaluation Results> Test Example 1: Effect of Non-Emulsifying Oil-Soluble Components In the beverage prepared to pH 3.8, formulation A1, which did not contain non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, had a noticeable or strong iron taste, while formulations B1 and B2 (containing MCT and tocopherol, respectively), which did contain non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, had only a slight iron taste (Table 3). The pH of the beverage produced using the above formulations was measured using a pH meter (product name Navi-h, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.) at 20°C after heating. The same applies below.

[0106] These results show that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced by using the formulation described in the above example. Furthermore, it was found that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced in the composition to which the formulation is added.

[0107] [Table 3]

[0108] Test Example 2: Effect of Non-Emulsifying Oil-Soluble Components In the beverage prepared at pH 3.2, formulation A2, which did not contain non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, had a strong iron taste, while formulations B3 and B4, which contained non-emulsifying oil-soluble components (containing MCT or tocopherol, respectively), had only a slight or no iron taste (Table 4).

[0109] These results also show that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced by using the formulation of the above example. Furthermore, it was found that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced in the composition to which the formulation is added.

[0110] [Table 4]

[0111] Test Example 3: Effect of pH The evaluation was also performed over a wider pH range. Beverages with pH values ​​of 3, 3.2, 3.5, 3.8, and 4 were prepared using formulation A2, which does not contain non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, and formulation B4, which contains non-emulsifying oil-soluble components (including tocopherol), and the evaluation was performed (Table 5).

[0112] From the results for formulation A2 in Table 5, it was found that in the pH range of 3 to 4, the iron taste became more noticeable as the pH value decreased, and its suppression became more difficult. In this situation, at pH 4, formulation B4 showed a strong iron taste reduction effect to the point where the iron taste was not noticeable. Furthermore, it was found that formulation B4 exhibited a stronger iron taste reduction effect than formulation A2 at each pH level.

[0113] This also shows that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced by using the formulation of the above example. In particular, it was found that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced in the acidic composition obtained by adding the formulation.

[0114] [Table 5]

[0115] Test Example 4: Effect of Non-Emulsifying Oil-Soluble Components Using formulations A2 and B5-7 listed in Table 1, a pH 3.8 beverage was prepared in the same manner as described above, and the iron taste was evaluated (Table 6). From the results in Table 6, it was found that the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate could be reduced when using formulations B5-7 compared to when using formulation A2.

[0116] [Table 6]

[0117] From these findings, it was found that by mixing ferric pyrophosphate with a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and a surfactant, and coating the ferric pyrophosphate with the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and the surfactant, the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can be reduced. Furthermore, it was found that by using a formulation containing such coated ferric pyrophosphate, the iron taste caused by ferric pyrophosphate can also be reduced in compositions containing the formulation.

[0118] Preparation Example 2 Preparation of a preparation containing ferric pyrophosphate Ferric pyrophosphate was pulverized using a wet grinding machine called Dynomill, and the pulverized ferric pyrophosphate was mixed with each component according to the composition shown in Table 7 to prepare a formulation containing ferric pyrophosphate (ferric pyrophosphate formulation). The pulverized ferric pyrophosphate used in this preparation example contained 10% by mass of ferric pyrophosphate. The median diameter of each obtained formulation was measured in the same manner as in Preparation Example 1. The particle size (median diameter) of all formulations was 0.1 to 0.2 μm. In Table 7, the unit is mass%.

[0119] [Table 7]

[0120] <Preparation of a composition (beverage) containing the above-mentioned preparation> Using the formulations listed in Table 7, beverages were prepared by mixing the components according to the composition shown in Table 8. The formulations from Examples B9-B15 were added at 0.2% by mass, the formulation from Example B16 at 0.5% by mass, and the formulation from Example B17 at 1% by mass. The pH was adjusted with trisodium citrate. Finally, each formulation listed in Table 7 was added and mixed. The resulting solution was then filled to capacity into 200 mL PET bottles at 85°C. The pH was measured using a pH meter (the same as in Preparation Example 1) in the beverage at 20°C after heating, and was consistently within the range of pH 3-5.

[0121] [Table 8]

[0122] <Standardization of Iron Taste Evaluation Criteria> Eight expert panelists tasted standard solutions ranging from 0 to 4 points, and linked the score to the degree of metallic taste, thus standardizing the evaluation criteria among the panelists. 0 points: Iron taste when drinking distilled water (no iron taste) 1 point: Same iron taste as 0.0003% ferric pyrophosphate + 0.005% L-ascorbic acid aqueous solution. Points 2: Same iron taste as 0.0005% ferric pyrophosphate + 0.005% L-ascorbic acid aqueous solution. 3 points: Same iron taste as 0.001% ferric pyrophosphate + 0.005% L-ascorbic acid aqueous solution. 4 points: Same iron taste as 0.002% ferric pyrophosphate + 0.005% L-ascorbic acid aqueous solution.

[0123] <Method for evaluating iron taste> The beverages prepared as described above were stored at 40°C for three days, after which the intensity of the iron taste was evaluated by the eight expert panelists. Each panelist drank the prepared beverages and scored them based on the iron taste perceived in the standard solutions. A score of 0 was given if no iron taste was detected. The evaluation (score) was based on the average value. Furthermore, because the iron taste leaves a strong aftertaste, after drinking each standard solution or the beverages, the mouth was rinsed with 0.05% citric acid water and then distilled water to reset the iron taste. The evaluation results are shown in Table 7.

[0124] As shown in Table 7, beverages containing formulations that do not contain non-emulsifying oil-soluble components (tocopherol) (Comparative Examples A3 or A4) received an evaluation result of 3.1, indicating a strong iron taste. In contrast, beverages containing Examples B9 to B17, which used a combination of non-emulsifying oil-soluble components and surfactants (ghatti gum, gum arabic, modified starch), showed suppressed iron taste. Although not shown in the results, the beverage using Example B17, which contains non-emulsifying oil-soluble components, showed more suppressed iron taste than the beverage prepared in the same manner as Example B17 except for the absence of non-emulsifying oil-soluble components. Furthermore, while ghatti gum, gum arabic, and modified starch were used as surfactants in this preparation example, the iron taste was similarly suppressed when glycerin fatty acid ester (HLB≧8) was used instead of ghatti gum in Preparation Example 1. Therefore, it was understood that the iron taste would be similarly suppressed even if, for example, glycerin fatty acid ester (HLB≧8) were used in this preparation example.

[0125] Regarding the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component, for example, the iron taste was suppressed in the beverage using Example B9 compared to Comparative Example A3 (Table 7). From this, it can be understood that the iron taste is suppressed by adding only 0.19 parts by mass of tocopherol (a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component) to 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate. Although the mechanism of action is unknown, it is thought that the iron taste suppression effect is exerted because, compared to the formulation coated only with a surfactant (Comparative Example A3), the formulation with an additional small amount of non-emulsifying oil-soluble component (Example B9) has both the surfactant and the non-emulsifying oil-soluble component coating the surface of the ferric pyrophosphate.

Claims

1. A method for masking iron taste, characterized by coating ferric pyrophosphate with a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and a surfactant. Here, The non-emulsifying oil-soluble component is at least one selected from the group consisting of retinyl palmitate, tocopherol, tocotrienol, palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, rice salad oil, and medium-chain triglyceride. The surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of ghatti gum and gum arabic.

2. A formulation containing a non-emulsifying oil-soluble component and ferric pyrophosphate coated with a surfactant. Here, The non-emulsifying oil-soluble component is at least one selected from the group consisting of retinyl palmitate, tocopherol, tocotrienol, palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, rice salad oil, and medium-chain triglyceride. The surfactant is at least one selected from the group consisting of ghatti gum and gum arabic. In the above-mentioned formulation, the content of the surfactant per 100 parts by mass of ferric pyrophosphate is 5 to 2000 parts by mass.

3. A ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition comprising the formulation described in claim 2, having a pH of 3 to 5.

4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein the ferric pyrophosphate-containing composition has been heat-treated.

Images