Textured plant-based protein material and production method for same

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a textured plant-based protein material which has a meat-like umami and a juicy feel, while not imparting a grain odor unique to plant-based protein materials. We discovered that it is possible to produce a textured plant-based protein material that masks a grain odor unique to plant-based protein materials and has a meat-like umami, while imparting a juicy feel, as a result of using a microbial fermented product having a yeast odor due to fermentation and containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones.

Description

Textured vegetable protein material and its manufacturing method

[0001] The present invention relates to a textured vegetable protein material and a method for producing the same.

[0002] Textured protein materials, obtained by expanding the texture of a mixture of plant-derived protein materials such as soybeans and wheat in an extruder, have traditionally been produced to a quality similar to that of livestock meat and are widely used as ingredients in the production of processed foods using livestock meat, such as hamburgers, meatballs, gyoza (dumplings), meat buns, shumai (meat dumplings), minced meat cutlets, croquettes, and minced meat. The textured protein materials themselves have also increasingly been cooked directly and used as meat substitutes, such as fried chicken and roasted pork. In recent years, soybean puffs, which have a light texture, have also become increasingly popular in cereal bars and granola. Recently, patent applications have been filed for combining a protein material with a secondary ingredient to create a textured protein material with a distinctive texture. For example, a technology has been developed that uses oat fiber as a secondary ingredient to produce a textured soy protein material with a meat-like texture, providing a more moderate hardness and a meat-like, flaky texture (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Textured vegetable protein materials are typically produced by introducing powdered raw materials such as protein ingredients and raw materials containing water into an extruder, kneading and heating under pressure, and then extruding the raw materials under normal pressure through a die installed at the extruder's outlet to texture them and dry them. Most textured vegetable protein materials are in a granular form, which can be broadly divided into two types: a granular form in which the material is used as is after extrusion from the die, and a finely shaped form in which the material is processed using a grinder after extrusion from the die. The former is used to add chewiness to the final product, while the latter is mainly used to add softness and juiciness.

[0004] Furthermore, after kneading in an extruder, a jacket-cooling die called a cooling die is used to process the tissue into a membrane or fiber, and many new types of textured protein foods with a texture similar to that of meat or scallops have been developed and are now on the market. This manufacturing method has the advantage of being able to produce denser and longer fibers than the above-mentioned expanded textured products.

[0005] As the recent trend of replacing animal foods with plant-based ingredients becomes stronger, customers are increasingly demanding that textured plant protein materials have a more meat-like, elastic texture as well as superior quality in terms of flavor.

[0006] Patent No. 5794373 Publication WO2015-153666 Publication Patent No. 3479342 Publication

[0007] Watanabe et al., 57th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology 2011

[0008] Particularly difficult is reproducing the umami and juiciness that you feel in the aftertaste when chewing meat. In recent years, there have been products that use flavorings such as beef tallow and lard, but these do not adequately mask the grain smell that is always present in plant-based meat substitutes, so the grain smell coexists with the sweet aroma, making it impossible to reproduce the umami and juiciness of meat.

[0009] Furthermore, with the trend toward additive-free foods, there has been a demand for technology that can reproduce the umami and juiciness felt in the aftertaste when chewing meat using only food ingredients. Lactones are known to be the substances responsible for the umami and juiciness felt in the aftertaste when chewing meat, such as beef tallow and lard. Among lactones, δ-lactone has been identified as the substance primarily responsible for the umami and juiciness felt in the aftertaste when chewing meat (Non-Patent Document 1). Lactones are often found in animal ingredients such as beef tallow, lard, and milk, and special processes are required to obtain lactones that are free of animal ingredients and additives.

[0010] In Patent Document 2, lactone is added to reproduce the umami, sweetness, juiciness, and animal odor that are felt in the aftertaste when chewing meat. -5 %, butyrolactone was added to a final concentration of 2.5*10 -8%, and δ-tetradecalactone was added to a final concentration of 5*10 -9 Generally, isolated substances are used as additives, such as "added up to 100%." ​​However, because lactones primarily contribute to the aftertaste, even if isolated substances like flavorings are used in textured plant protein materials, the grainy smell characteristic of plant protein materials remains. This makes it difficult to sense the umami and juiciness that are felt in the aftertaste when chewing meat.

[0011] Methods for producing food ingredients rich in γ-lactone have been reported. Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing a liquid composition in which lipid-containing organic matter is hydrolyzed or lipase-treated to liberate fatty acids (free acids), and then the resulting solution is treated with lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus and microorganisms belonging to the genus Saccharomyces to obtain a solution containing γ-dodecalactone and γ-decalactone. Because the raw materials obtained by this method are also food ingredients, they can be used as food ingredients without additives. While off-flavors are removed from γ-lactone by distillation or extraction with ethanol, etc., because γ-lactone has a fruity or peach aroma, sufficient verification has not been conducted to reproduce the umami and juicy aftertaste felt when chewing meat. Furthermore, for the same reasons as those described in paragraph 0010, there is also the problem of the lingering grain odor characteristic of vegetable protein ingredients.

[0012] As mentioned above, although methods for producing food ingredients rich in γ-lactones have been reported, it is difficult to use γ-lactones to create the meat-like aroma that is felt when using δ-lactones. Furthermore, when isolated substances such as flavorings are used, the grain flavor characteristic of plant protein ingredients remains. This makes it difficult to feel the umami and juicy aftertaste that is felt when chewing meat.

[0013] Given these challenges, there has been a demand for a textured vegetable protein material that uses lactones to have a natural meat-like flavor and juiciness, without the grain smell that is typical of vegetable protein materials.

[0014] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a textured vegetable protein material that has a meat-like flavor and juicy texture and does not have the grain smell that is characteristic of vegetable protein materials.

[0015] As a result of extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have discovered that by using a microbial fermentation product that has a yeasty odor produced by fermentation and contains δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, it is possible to produce a textured vegetable protein material that has a meat-like flavor and a juicy feel by masking the grain odor characteristic of vegetable proteins, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0016] That is, the present invention provides: (1) a textured plant protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, which comprises a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, and wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 1 ppb or more by weight; (2) the textured plant protein material according to (1), which has a δ-lactone and / or γ-lactone content of 5 ppb or more by weight; (3) the textured plant protein material according to (1), which has a δ-lactone and / or γ-lactone content of 10 ppb or more by weight; (4) the textured plant protein material according to (1), which is a product of microbial fermentation by lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast; (5) the textured plant protein material according to (2), which is a product of microbial fermentation by lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast; (6) the textured plant protein material according to (3), which is a product of microbial fermentation by lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast; (7) A meat substitute material containing the textured plant protein material according to (1), (8) A meat substitute material containing the textured plant protein material according to (3), (9) A meat substitute material containing the textured plant protein material according to (4), (10) A meat substitute material containing the textured plant protein material according to (6), (11) A method for producing a textured plant protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein and having a δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones content of 1 ppb or more by weight, comprising introducing a protein raw material and a raw material containing a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones into an extruder, kneading and pressurizing and heating the raw material, and extruding the raw material through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder under normal pressure to texture it, (12) A method for producing the textured plant protein material according to (11), having a δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones content of 5 ppb or more by weight, (13) A method for producing a textured plant protein material according to (11), wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight; (14) A method for producing a textured plant protein material according to (11), wherein the material is a microbial fermentation product with lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast; (15) A method for producing a textured plant protein material according to (13), wherein the material is a microbial fermentation product with lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast.

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a textured vegetable protein material that has a meat-like flavor and a juicy feel by masking the grain smell specific to vegetable protein.

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0019] (Textured Vegetable Protein Material) The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention is characterized by being a textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, including a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, and having a δ-lactone and / or γ-lactone content of 1 ppb or more by weight. The δ-lactone and / or γ-lactone content in the textured vegetable protein material is preferably 5 ppb or more, more preferably 10 ppb or more, more preferably 40 ppb or more, more preferably 80 ppb or more, and can also be selected from the ranges of 10 to 3,000 ppb, 40 to 3,000 ppb, 80 to 3,000 ppb, 10 to 2,500 ppb, 40 to 2,500 ppb, and 80 to 2,500 ppb. If the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones in the textured plant protein material is less than 1 ppb, the meat-like umami and juicy taste cannot be perceived. Furthermore, the lactones in the textured plant protein material preferably contain δ-lactones and γ-lactones. The protein content in the textured plant protein material is preferably 20 to 93% by weight, more preferably 20 to 91% by weight, and can also be 22 to 90% by weight.

[0020] (Protein) The protein used in the present invention may be of any origin, including proteins derived from oilseeds such as soybeans, peas, mung beans, chickpeas, fava beans, rapeseed, cottonseed, peanuts, sesame, safflower, sunflower, corn, safflower, and coconut, as well as proteins derived from grain seeds such as rice, barley, and wheat. Among the above raw materials, soybean-derived protein materials and protein materials derived from oilseeds that can be substituted therefor as described in the Examples are particularly preferred, and among oilseeds, protein materials derived from beans are even more preferred. Furthermore, the form of the protein is not limited, including, for example, liquid, pulverized, extracted protein, concentrated protein, and isolated protein.

[0021] (Microbial Fermentation Product Containing δ-Lactones and / or γ-Lactones) The microbial fermentation product of the present invention containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is prepared by culturing plant milk with microorganisms, and the fermented product contains 1 ppm or more of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones. Examples of plant milk include soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk. Alternatively, a composition containing vegetable oil, such as soy milk cream, may be used instead of plant milk. Examples of vegetable oil include palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, moringa oil, sesame oil, and evening primrose oil. The plant milk preferably contains a nutrient source for the growth of microorganisms, such as sugars, peptides, and yeast extract. The microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is blended into the textured protein material so that the δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones are present at 1 ppb or more by weight. Preferably, the δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones are present at 5 ppb or more, more preferably 10 ppb or more, more preferably 40 ppb or more, more preferably 80 ppb or more, and even more preferably 10 to 3,000 ppb, 40 to 3,000 ppb, 80 to 3,000 ppb, 10 to 2,500 ppb, 40 to 2,500 ppb, or 80 to 2,500 ppb. The microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones preferably contains δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0022] (δ-Lactones and / or γ-Lactones) Examples of the δ-lactones of the present invention include δ-octalactone, δ-nonalactone, δ-decalactone, δ-undecalactone, δ-dodecalactone, δ-tridecalactone, δ-tetradecalactone, and δ-hexadecalactone. Examples of the γ-lactones of the present invention include γ-octalactone, γ-nonalactone, γ-decalactone, γ-undecalactone, and γ-dodecalactone. The amount of the δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones of the present invention refers to the total amount of δ-lactones, the total amount of γ-lactones, or the total amount of δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0023] The content of δ-lactones and γ-lactones in the textured vegetable protein material is quantitatively analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of the fats and oils extracted from the textured protein material using a chloroform / methanol solution. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was used under the following conditions: (GC-MS analysis conditions) Column: DB-WAX (Agilent J&W, length 60 m, inner diameter 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm) Oven: 50°C (no hold) -3°C / min - 250°C (80 min hold) Carrier gas: He, G1 grade Injection volume: 1 μl Mass spectrometer ionization voltage: 70 eV Ion source temperature: 230°C

[0024] Examples of microorganisms used in microbial fermentation include lactic acid bacteria and yeast. Microbial fermentation products obtained by fermenting lactic acid bacteria or yeast alone can be used, or products fermented with lactic acid bacteria and yeast can also be used. When using microbial fermentation products including those fermented with yeast, the yeast odor effectively masks the grain odor originating from the vegetable protein material. This also contributes to imparting a good meat-like flavor and juicy texture to the textured vegetable protein material. On the other hand, textured vegetable protein materials produced using lactone flavorings that are not produced by yeast fermentation have a strong grain odor originating from the vegetable protein material, and the meat-like flavor and juicy texture cannot be felt.

[0025] (Lactic acid bacteria) In the present invention, the lactic acid bacteria used can hydrate unsaturated fatty acids and generate hydroxylated fatty acids.Specifically, Lactobacillus brevis (L. brevis), Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus), Lactobacillus casei (L. casei), Lactobacillus paracasei (L. paracasei), Lactobacillus gasseri (L. gasseri), Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), Lactobacillus delbruekii subsp. bulgaricus (L. delbruekii ssp. bulgaricus), Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum), Lactobacillus buchneri (L. buchneri), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus), ... Lactobacillus bacteria such as L. rhamnosus and L. helveticus, or Pediococcus bacteria such as P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus, or Streptococcus bacteria such as Streptococcus thermophilus, or Leuconostoc bacteria such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides, or Lactococcus lactis, Lc. lactis, Lc. lactis ssp. lactis, Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris, or Lc. lactis ssp. cremoris), Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis, and other Lactococcus bacteria.

[0026] (Yeast) In the present invention, examples of yeast that can be used include Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus, Saccharomyces sake, Saccharomyces beticus, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Yarrowia lipolytica.

[0027] Typical, non-limiting examples of the production of microbial fermentation products containing lactones are given below. Plant milk is fermented with yeast. If necessary, lactic acid bacteria are added and fermentation is carried out. Lactic acid bacteria fermentation can be carried out simultaneously with yeast fermentation, or lactic acid fermentation can be carried out first and then yeast fermentation can be carried out. The fermentation method is not particularly limited, but aerobic fermentation is preferred when yeast is used. After fermentation is complete, an acid such as hydrochloric acid, citric acid, or lactic acid is added as needed to adjust the pH to 4.0 or less, and the mixture is heated to 60°C or higher to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing lactones. The microbial fermentation product containing lactones may be concentrated as needed to increase the lactone concentration to a predetermined level. A composition containing vegetable oil or fat may also be used instead of plant milk.

[0028] (Method for Producing a Textured Vegetable Protein Material) In the present invention, the term "textured vegetable protein material" includes both expanded-type textured vegetable protein materials and non-expanded-type textured vegetable protein materials. Expanded-type textured vegetable protein materials are produced by introducing a protein material such as defatted soybeans as the main raw material (textured raw material) into an extruder together with water and other appropriate raw materials such as starch and oils. The raw materials are kneaded with a screw inside the extruder under pressurized and heated conditions. The resulting kneaded mixture is extruded under atmospheric pressure through a hole in a part called a "die" at the outlet of the extruder, and the extrudate is cut and dried as necessary. Expanded-type textured vegetable protein materials are produced by extruding the kneaded mixture through the die under atmospheric pressure into an extrudate with an expanded texture. For example, textured vegetable protein materials produced using defatted soybeans or powdered soy protein as the main raw material are also called "granular soy protein" or "soybean puffs." On the other hand, non-puffed textured vegetable protein materials are produced by introducing a protein material such as defatted soybeans as the main raw material (textured raw material) into an extruder together with water and other suitable raw materials such as starch and oils, kneading the raw materials with a screw inside the extruder under pressurized and heated conditions, gradually cooling the resulting mixture through a cooling pipe called a "die" from the outlet of the extruder, and then refrigerating or freezing the extrudate as needed after cutting. When the non-puffed textured vegetable protein material is extruded through a die under normal pressure, the texture does not expand but becomes membrane-like or fibrous, resulting in an extrudate with a texture and texture similar to that of meat or scallops. For example, textured vegetable protein materials produced using defatted soybeans or powdered soy protein as the main raw material are also called "fibrous soy protein."

[0029] (Extruder) Texturing in producing the textured vegetable protein material of the present invention is carried out using an extruder. An extruder generally has a mechanism for feeding raw materials from a raw material supply port into a barrel using a screw disposed therein, and kneading, pressurizing (compressing), and heating the raw materials, and a die having holes of various shapes is attached to the tip (exit) of the barrel. There are no limitations on the extruder that can be used, and single-screw, twin-screw, or triple-screw or more extruders can be used. Among these, twin-screw extruders are preferably used.

[0030] (Extruder operating conditions) The operating conditions when the raw materials for producing the textured vegetable protein material are supplied to an extruder and extruded through a die under pressure and heat can be appropriately selected and adjusted based on known conditions. Non-limiting examples of heating conditions include a temperature at the end of the barrel of preferably 100 to 220°C, more preferably 120 to 180°C. Pressurization conditions include a die pressure at the end of the barrel of preferably 0.01 to 10 MPa, more preferably 0.01 to 4 MPa.

[0031] (Die) When producing a non-expanded textured vegetable protein material, a cooling die is used as the die installed at the exit of the extruder. The die shape should be circular or rectangular. The opening area correlates with the extruder flow rate, so the optimum size can be set appropriately depending on the operating conditions. For example, if mass production is desired, the opening area needs to be large, and if small products are desired, the processing volume needs to be reduced.

[0032] (Hydration) Hydration is carried out when the raw material for the textured vegetable protein material is supplied to an extruder. In the method for producing a textured vegetable protein material of the present invention, it is appropriate to add hydration so that the moisture content of the entire raw material supplied to the extruder is preferably 20 to 90% by weight, more preferably 25 to 75% by weight.

[0033] (Fats and Oils) The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention can contain fats and oils. Examples of fats and oils include vegetable fats such as palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, moringa oil, sesame oil, and evening primrose oil, as well as medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. This does not preclude the use of animal fats and oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, and lard. The above fats and oils can be used alone or in mixtures, or as hardened oils, fractionated oils, hardened fractionated oils, fractionated hardened oils, and processed fats such as interesterified fats. The fat and oil content in the textured vegetable protein material is preferably 0.5 to 7.5 wt %, more preferably 0.5 to 7.0 wt %, and even more preferably 0.5 to 6.5, or even 0.5 to 6.0 wt %.

[0034] (Protein Raw Material) In the present invention, the term "protein raw material" refers to a protein-containing textured raw material introduced into an extruder to produce a textured vegetable protein material. Specifically, in one embodiment, a vegetable protein raw material is preferably used. The term "vegetable protein raw material" refers to a protein material derived from plants, such as a protein material derived from oilseeds such as soybeans, peas, mung beans, chickpeas, fava beans, rapeseed, cottonseed, peanuts, sesame, safflower, sunflower, corn, safflower, and coconut, or a protein material derived from grain seeds such as rice, barley, and wheat. The protein material may be a ground product, extracted protein, concentrated protein, or isolated protein from the above plants. Examples of the protein material include rice glutelin, barley prolamin, wheat prolamin, wheat gluten, full-fat soy flour, defatted soy flour, concentrated soy protein, isolated soy protein, isolated pea protein, and isolated mung bean protein. As the vegetable protein raw material, protein materials derived from soybeans as described in the examples and protein materials derived from oilseeds that can be substituted therefor are particularly preferred, and among oilseeds, protein materials derived from beans are more preferred.

[0035] The protein raw material used in the present invention is in a particulate form. That is, it can be in a powder form or a granular form. However, in the case of a granular form, it is preferable that the particle size is as small as possible. Preferably, the particle size is 2 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or less.

[0036] The protein content in the solid content of the protein raw material is preferably as high as possible to meet the protein content per solid content in the textured vegetable protein material. Specifically, the protein content is 15% by weight or more of the solid content, preferably 20% by weight or more, more preferably 30% by weight or more, and even more preferably 40% by weight or more, 50% by weight, 60% by weight or more, 70% by weight or more, or 75% by weight or more. The protein content may be 95% by weight or less, 92% by weight or less, or 91% by weight or less. The protein content is calculated by multiplying the total nitrogen content in a sample by the Kjeldahl method, and expressing it as a percentage of the sample by a coefficient of 6.25, and converting it into solid content.

[0037] (Other Textured Ingredients) Various other auxiliary ingredients can be added as textured ingredients for the textured vegetable protein material of the present invention. For example, fats and oils, alkali metal salts such as salt, animal proteins such as egg white and casein, carbohydrates such as starch and polysaccharides, dietary fiber, emulsifiers, flavorings, and other known additives can be added as appropriate within a range that does not impair the effects of the present invention. However, if it is intended to claim that the textured vegetable protein material is made solely from vegetable ingredients, it is preferable that animal proteins are not included.

[0038] Generally, the blending ratio of protein raw materials in the raw materials for producing a textured vegetable protein material can be appropriately set in accordance with the desired quality and the balance with other raw materials. Specifically, the protein raw materials are blended so that the protein content of the entire raw material is 15 to 95% by weight. Preferably, the protein content is 20% by weight or more, and can also be 22% by weight or more. The upper limit can be preferably 93% by weight or less, 91% by weight or less, or 90% by weight or less.

[0039] (Uses) The textured vegetable protein material obtained by the present invention can be used as a meat substitute due to its excellent meat-like flavor and juiciness, and can be used in products using livestock meat or fish meat, as well as in vegetable-based meat substitute products. For example, it can be used as a meat substitute in processed foods such as hamburgers, meatballs, nuggets, gyoza, meat buns, shumai, minced meat cutlets, croquettes, minced meat, and meatballs. The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention can also be directly cooked and used as a meat-like ingredient for thinly sliced ​​meat such as char siu or snacks. The textured vegetable protein material of the present invention can also be seasoned for use as a meat substitute. Specifically, it is preferable to add a protein raw material, starch, dietary fiber, and preferably an oil / fat raw material in combination with a protein hydrolyzate, yeast extract, flavoring, flavor oil, umami seasoning, etc., as raw materials for texturing.

[0040] The present invention will be explained below by way of examples, in which parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

[0041] (Production Example 1) (Preparation 1 of a microbial fermentation product containing lactones) Lactobacillus brevis (L. brevis) and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were simultaneously added to soy milk cream (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., solids: 18.0%, protein: 5.6%, lipids: 12.3%), and aerobic fermentation was carried out for 5 days at 28° C. After completion of fermentation, hydrochloric acid was added to adjust the pH to 3.0 or less, and the mixture was heated at 80° C. for 20 minutes to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0042] (Production Example 2) (Removal of yeast odor by adsorption treatment) The microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones obtained in Production Example 1 was reacted with an anionic ion exchange resin and then with a synthetic adsorbent to remove the yeast odor. Measurement of the sample after the reaction by GC-MS confirmed that aroma components such as butanoic acid, propionic acid, benzaldehyde, isovaleric acid, isobutyric acid, 2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, and phenethyl alcohol had been reduced.

[0043] (Production Example 3) (Preparation of vegetable oil containing lactones) 60% by weight of the microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones obtained in Production Example 1 was mixed with 40% by weight of soybean oil, and the oil fraction was collected by centrifugation to obtain a vegetable oil containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0044] (Production Example 4) (Preparation 2 of a microbial fermentation product containing lactones) The yeast Saccharomyces bayanus was added to soy milk cream (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., solids: 18.0%, protein: 5.6%, lipids: 12.3%), and aerobic fermentation was carried out at 28°C for 5 days. After completion of fermentation, hydrochloric acid was added to adjust the pH to 3.0 or less, and the mixture was heated at 80°C for 20 minutes to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0045] (Production Example 5) (Preparation 3 of a microbial fermentation product containing lactones) The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was added to an emulsion of 12.3 wt% soybean oil, 6.2 wt% powdered soybean protein (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.), and 0.5 wt% sucrose, and aerobic fermentation was carried out for 5 days at 28° C. After completion of fermentation, hydrochloric acid was added to adjust the pH to 3.0 or less, and the mixture was heated at 80° C. for 20 minutes to obtain a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and γ-lactones.

[0046] Comparative Production Examples 1 and 2 For comparison, a synthetic lactone flavoring agent with no yeasty odor was diluted in soybean oil to prepare a fragrance. The results are summarized in Table 1 below.

[0047] (Table 1)

[0048] Microbial fermentation products containing lactones were prepared, but a yeasty odor was detected in Production Examples 1, 3, 4, and 5. This is because distillation was not performed as in Patent Document 3, resulting in the presence of a yeasty odor derived from yeast fermentation. Production Examples 1, 3, 4, and 5 had a mixture of a peach-like fruity odor and a yeasty odor, and could not be described as having a meaty aroma at all. On the other hand, Production Example 2 had a weak yeasty odor, and the peach-like fruity odor specific to γ-lactones was detected more strongly than in Production Examples 1, 3, 4, and 5. This was confirmed by comparing the lactone flavors of Comparative Production Examples 1 and 2.

[0049] Next, the raw materials containing the microbial fermentation products containing lactones prepared in Production Examples 1 to 5 were fed into an extruder to produce textured vegetable protein materials. In producing the textured vegetable protein materials, an expanded type textured vegetable protein material and a non-expanded type textured vegetable protein material were produced.

[0050] (Production of Expanded-Type Textured Vegetable Protein Material) (Examples 1 to 5, Comparative Examples 1 and 2) According to the formulations in Table 2, the raw material mixture was extruded through a die at the end of the barrel, and the extrudate was cut with a cutter immediately after exiting the die to lengths of approximately 3 to 5 mm. The extrudate was then dried with hot air in a dryer to a moisture content of 8% by weight, thereby obtaining a textured vegetable protein material of the present invention. The lactone-containing microbial fermentation products used were the lactone-containing microbial fermentation product of Production Example 1, concentrated to a concentration of 112 ppm of γ-lactones and 7 ppm of δ-lactones (lactone-containing microbial fermentation product A), and this concentrated fermentation liquid was further adjusted to a γ-lactone concentration of 30 ppm (lactone-containing microbial fermentation product B) or 60 ppm (lactone-containing microbial fermentation product C). Furthermore, "γ-lactone fragrance a" is the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 1 concentrated and adjusted to a γ-lactone concentration of 30 ppm, and "δ-lactone fragrance a" is the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 2 concentrated and adjusted to a δ-lactone concentration of 30 ppm. The extruder used was a twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.), and the extrusion was carried out under the following conditions: Die: circular opening (diameter 2.5 mm x 10 holes) Powder raw material flow rate: 25 kg / hr Amount of added water: 12 kg / hr Screw rotation speed: 200 rpm Barrel temperature: inlet side: 80°C, center: 120°C, outlet side: 150°C Die pressure at the end of the barrel: controlled at 0.01 to 1 MPa

[0051] The isolated soybean protein used as the raw material (protein content: 90% in terms of solid content) was produced by the method described in Production Example 6. The protein content of the defatted soybeans used as the raw material was 52% in terms of solid content.

[0052] (Production Example 6) Seven volumes of water were added to the defatted soybeans, the pH was adjusted to 7 with sodium hydroxide, and the mixture was mixed and extracted. The precipitate was removed by centrifugation, and then five volumes of water, the amount of which was the defatted soybeans, was added to the residue and treated in the same manner to obtain an extract. The pH was adjusted to 4.5 with hydrochloric acid to precipitate the protein, which was then recovered by centrifugation. After adding water, the mixture was neutralized with sodium hydroxide and spray-dried at a hot air temperature of 180°C and an exhaust air temperature of 70°C to obtain a powdered isolated soy protein. The protein content of this isolated soy protein was 90% in terms of solid content.

[0053] Each of the obtained samples was sampled by seven panelists who are experienced in the sensory evaluation of the flavor of textured vegetable protein materials. Then, a sensory evaluation was conducted using the following evaluation criteria for meat-like flavor, juiciness, and grain smell. The evaluation was decided by consensus of the panelists. Samples with a rating of ○ or ◎ were considered to pass. The results are shown in Table 2. <Evaluation criteria> - Meat-like flavor evaluation ◎: Strong meat-like flavor. ○: Meat-like flavor is felt. ×: No meat-like flavor is felt. - Juiciness evaluation ◎: Strong juiciness is felt. ○: Juicy flavor is felt. ×: No juiciness is felt. - Grain smell evaluation ◎: Grain smell is least felt 〇: Grain smell is hardly felt, but is felt slightly more than ◎ ×: Grain smell is most felt

[0054] (Table 2)

[0055] In Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which used flavorings without a yeasty odor, no meat-like umami or juicy texture was perceived. This is thought to be due to the strong grain odor, which prevented the meat-like juicy texture from being perceived. On the other hand, the textured vegetable protein materials (Examples 1 to 5) using microbial fermentation products A to C containing lactones, which have a strong yeasty odor, uniformly gave a meat-like umami and juicy texture. This is thought to be because the yeasty odor not only effectively masked the grain odor but also contributed to imparting umami and a juicy texture. In Example 5, which contained 594.8 ppb of lactones (the total amount of γ-lactones and δ-lactones), a significant meat-like umami and juicy texture were perceived. The amount of lactones in Example 3 (total amount of γ-lactones and δ-lactones) was 159.3 ppb, and the amount of lactones in Example 4 (total amount of γ-lactones and δ-lactones) was 318.6 ppb. Based on this trend, it is clear that similar effects can be obtained even if more lactones are blended.

[0056] Furthermore, the grain smell was further reduced by using isolated soy protein as in Example 2. In Examples 1 to 3, the protein content was 40 to 90%, and it was found that the blending of the microbial fermentation product containing lactone in this range imparted a meat-like flavor and a juicy texture.

[0057] (Production of non-puffed textured vegetable protein materials) (Examples 6 to 15, Comparative Examples 3 to 5) According to the formulations in Table 3, a microbial fermentation product or lactone flavoring, a protein raw material, and raw materials containing water, oils and fats, starch, and flavoring were introduced into an extruder, kneaded, and heated under pressure, and the raw materials were extruded under normal pressure through a cooling die installed at the outlet of the extruder to texture, thereby obtaining each textured vegetable protein material. The microbial fermentation products or lactone flavorings used as raw materials are as follows. "Microbial fermentation product a containing lactones," "microbial fermentation product b containing lactones," "vegetable oil derived from a microbial fermentation product containing lactones c," "microbial fermentation product d containing lactones," and "microbial fermentation product e containing lactones" were obtained by concentrating the lactone-containing microbial fermentation products of Production Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, and adjusting the concentration of gamma-lactones to 43 ppm. "Fermented product a containing lactones," "vegetable oil c derived from microbial fermentation product containing lactones," "fermented product d containing lactones," and "fermented product e containing lactones" had a strong yeast odor, while "fermented product b containing lactones" had a weak yeast odor. "Microbial fermented product D containing lactones" was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, with the concentration of γ-lactones adjusted to 20 ppm, and "microbial fermented product E containing lactones" was prepared in the same manner as in Production Example 1, with the concentration of δ-lactones adjusted to 20 ppm. γ-Lactone fragrance b was obtained by concentrating the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 1 to a concentration of 100 ppm, and δ-lactone fragrance b was obtained by concentrating the fragrance of Comparative Production Example 2 to a concentration of 100 ppm. A twin-screw extruder was used, and the inlet temperature was 80 to 100°C, the outlet temperature was 140 to 180°C, and the pressure of the die at the end of the barrel was controlled at 0.01 to 1 MPa. Water was added so that the moisture content of the entire raw material was 50 to 70%. The twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was used under the following conditions. The cooling die used had a rectangular hole shape of 10 mm x 40 mm and a length of 90 cm.

[0058] For each of the obtained samples, a sensory evaluation of the flavor of the textured vegetable protein material was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Tables 3 to 5.

[0059] (Table 3)

[0060] (Table 4)

[0061] (Table 5)

[0062] In Comparative Examples 4 and 5, which used flavorings without a yeasty odor, no meat-like umami or juicy flavor was perceived. This is thought to be due to the strong grain odor and lack of a meat-like juicy flavor. On the other hand, in Example 7, which used microbial fermentation product b containing lactones and which had been subjected to adsorption treatment to reduce the yeast odor, the meat-like umami and juicy flavor were perceived as being slightly weaker than those using other microbial fermentation products containing lactones that have a strong yeast odor. The textured protein materials (Examples 6, 8, 9, and 10) using microbial fermentation products a, d, and e containing lactones and vegetable oil c derived from microbial fermentation products containing lactones all consistently exhibited a meat-like umami and juicy flavor. This is thought to be because the yeast odor not only effectively masks the grain odor but also contributes to the umami and juicy flavor. These results demonstrate that even in non-puffed textured vegetable protein materials, microbial fermentation products containing lactones that retain their yeast odor can impart a meat-like umami and juicy flavor. From the above, it was found that by using a microbial fermentation product containing lactones with a yeasty odor, it is possible to sense a meaty flavor and juicy feeling even when a large amount of γ-lactones is contained, and it was found that the yeasty odor produced by fermentation is essential for masking the grain odor and increasing the meaty flavor and juicy feeling sensed by lactones.

[0063] Furthermore, it was found that whether the fermented product was made from soy milk cream or oil, or from lactic acid bacteria and yeast, or from yeast alone, a yeasty smell was produced, and that this yeasty smell masked the grain smell and contributed to the meaty flavor and increased juiciness felt by lactones.

[0064] (Example 16, Comparative Example 6) Next, to further verify the effects of the microbial fermentation product containing lactones, application testing of the textured vegetable protein material was conducted. A seasoned meat substitute material was prepared using a beef-flavored vegetable seasoning. From the previous studies, it was found that the textured vegetable protein material of the present invention has a meat-like umami and juicy texture and can be used as a meat substitute. In this study, the beef-flavored vegetable seasoning was further used as a raw material for texturing, and the material was evaluated as a seasoned meat substitute material.

[0065] According to the formulations in Table 6, a protein raw material and raw materials containing water, oils, and flavorings were introduced into an extruder, kneaded, and heated under pressure. The raw materials were then extruded under normal pressure through a cooling die installed at the extruder outlet to form a textured product. A twin-screw extruder was used, and the inlet temperature was 80°C to 100°C, the outlet temperature was 140°C to 180°C, and the pressure at the die at the end of the barrel was controlled at 0.01 to 1 MPa. Hydration was performed so that the total moisture content of the raw materials was 50 to 70%. The twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.) was used under the following conditions. The cooling die had a rectangular hole shape of 10 mm x 40 mm and a length of 90 cm. A microbial fermentation product containing lactones with a yeasty odor was prepared according to the production method of Production Example 1 and concentrated to obtain "microbial fermentation product F containing lactones." As a result of the analysis, the lactone-containing microbial fermentation product F contained 63 ppm of γ-lactones and 19 ppm of δ-lactones.

[0066] Each sample was tasted by seven panelists skilled in the sensory evaluation of the flavor of textured vegetable protein materials. Then, a sensory evaluation was conducted on the meat-like flavor and juiciness using the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation was determined by the average of the panelists' evaluations. A score of 3.0 or higher was considered acceptable. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0067] <Evaluation criteria> (Evaluation of seasoned meat substitute materials) - Evaluation of meat-like flavor 4: Strong meat-like flavor is felt. 3: Meat-like flavor is felt. 2: Slight meat-like flavor is felt. 1: No meat-like flavor is felt. - Evaluation of juiciness 4: Strong juiciness is felt. 3: Juiciness is felt. 2: Slight juiciness is felt. 1: No juiciness is felt.

[0068] (Table 6)

[0069] Considering the average values, the plant-based beef seasoning resulted in a slight meat-like flavor and little juiciness in Comparative Example 6. On the other hand, Example 16, in which the microbial fermentation product containing lactones was added, resulted in a meat-like flavor and juiciness, confirming that the taste of the meat substitute material was improved by the microbial fermentation product containing lactones.

[0070] The results of the above application studies confirmed that in microbial fermentation products containing lactones, the yeast odor produced by fermentation not only masks the grain odor but also contributes to an increase in the meat-like flavor and juiciness felt by the lactones, and also contributes to improving the taste of textured vegetable protein materials used in seasonings, etc.

Claims

1. A textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein, which comprises a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones, and the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 1 ppb or more by weight.

2. 2. The textured vegetable protein material according to claim 1, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight.

3. 2. The textured vegetable protein material according to claim 1, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight.

4. 4. The textured vegetable protein material according to claim 1, which is a microbial fermentation product with lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast.

5. A meat substitute material comprising the textured vegetable protein material according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A method for producing a textured vegetable protein material containing 15 to 95% by weight of protein and having a δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones content of 1 ppb or more by weight, comprising introducing a protein raw material and a raw material containing a microbial fermentation product containing δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones into an extruder, kneading and pressurizing and heating the raw material, and extruding the raw material under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to texture it.

7. 7. The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to claim 6, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 5 ppb or more by weight.

8. 7. The method for producing a textured vegetable protein material according to claim 6, wherein the content of δ-lactones and / or γ-lactones is 10 ppb or more by weight.

9. 9. The method for producing the textured vegetable protein material according to any one of claims 6 to 8, which is a microbial fermentation product with lactic acid bacteria and / or yeast.