Foul-odor-suppressing composition

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a foul-odor suppressant for foods and drinks which contains components (A) and (B): (A) At least one γ-glutamyl peptide selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formula (I) γ-Glu-X-Gly (where X indicates an amino acid residue or amino acid derivative residue) and compounds represented by general formula (II) γ-Glu-Y (where Y indicates an amino acid residue or amino acid derivative residue) or a salt / salts thereof; and (B) at least one substance selected from the group consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid and serine.

Description

Composition for suppressing unpleasant odors

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for suppressing off-odors derived from animal and plant proteins or amino acids, a method for suppressing off-odors, an oral substance in which the off-odors are suppressed, and a method for producing the same.

[0002] In recent years, various foods containing animal and plant proteins and amino acids have been frequently used for nutritional enhancement and health maintenance, as they are highly nutritious and provide a convenient way to ingest nutrients, and the development of foods containing these additives is increasing. However, some foods have a distinctive odor, known as an off-flavor, which can be a hindrance to continued consumption, and there is a need for technologies to suppress this odor.

[0003] For example, it has been reported that γ-glutamyl peptides suppress the odor of organic acids, so-called acidic odors, and unpleasant odors of amino acids (Patent Documents 1 and 2).On the other hand, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is also present in the human brain and is said to have the function of relieving tension and stress and calming brain excitement, and serine, a non-essential amino acid, are not known to have an offensive odor suppressing effect.

[0004] JP 2019-187326 A JP 2020-31564 A

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a composition that can effectively suppress unpleasant odors in foods and beverages.

[0006] As a result of intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors discovered that simply adding γ-aminobutyric acid (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as GABA) and serine to food and beverages in addition to γ-glutamyl peptide can suppress the off-flavor of food and beverages, and this effect can be sustained, thereby completing the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention includes the following aspects. [1] A composition for suppressing off-odors, comprising the following components (A) and (B): (A) at least one γ-glutamyl peptide or a salt thereof selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by general formula (I): γ-Glu-X-Gly (I) (wherein X represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue) and a compound represented by general formula (II): γ-Glu-Y (II) (wherein Y represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue), and (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid and serine. [2] The composition according to [1], wherein component (A) is γ-Glu-Val-Gly or a salt thereof. [3] The composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the off-odor is an odor derived from at least one off-odor substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable protein, animal protein, and amino acid. [4] The composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the weight ratio of components (A):(B) is 1:0.0001 to 10,000, calculated as the weight of the free form. [5] The composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the amount of component (A) added to the oral substance is 0.01 to 200 ppm by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form, relative to the total weight of the oral substance. [6] The composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the amount of component (B) added to the oral substance is 0.01 to 500 ppm by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form, relative to the total weight of the oral substance. [7] A method for suppressing off-flavors in oral administration, comprising adding the following components (A) and (B): (A) at least one γ-glutamyl peptide or a salt thereof selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by general formula (I): γ-Glu-X-Gly(I) (wherein X represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue) and a compound represented by general formula (II): γ-Glu-Y(II) (wherein Y represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue), and (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid and serine. [8] The method according to [7], wherein component (A) is γ-Glu-Val-Gly or a salt thereof. [9] The method according to [7] or [8], wherein the off-flavor is an odor derived from at least one off-flavoring substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable protein, animal protein, and amino acid.

[10] The method according to any one of [7] to [9], wherein the ratio of the amount of component (A) added to the amount of component (B) added is 1:0.0001 to 10,000, calculated as the weight of the free form.

[11] The method according to any one of [7] to

[10] , wherein the amount of component (A) added is 0.01 ppm by weight to 100% by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form, relative to the total weight of the off-flavor substances in the oral substance.

[12] The method according to any one of [7] to

[11] , wherein the amount of component (B) added is 0.01 ppm by weight to 240% by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form, relative to the total weight of the off-flavor substances in the oral substance.

[13] A method for producing an oral substance with reduced off-flavor, comprising adding the following components (A) and (B) to the oral substance: (A) at least one γ-glutamyl peptide or a salt thereof selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by general formula (I): γ-Glu-X-Gly(I) (wherein X represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue) and a compound represented by general formula (II): γ-Glu-Y(II) (wherein Y represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue), and (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid and serine.

[14] The method according to

[13] , wherein component (A) is γ-Glu-Val-Gly or a salt thereof.

[15] The method according to

[13] or

[14] , wherein the off-flavor is an odor derived from at least one off-flavoring substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable protein, animal protein, and amino acid.

[16] The method according to any one of

[13] to

[15] , wherein the ratio of the amount of component (A) added to the amount of component (B) added is 1:0.0001 to 10,000, calculated as the weight of the free form.

[17] The method according to any one of

[13] to

[16] , wherein the amount of component (A) added relative to the total weight of off-flavor substances in the oral substance is 0.01 ppm by weight to 100% by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form.

[18] The method according to any one of

[13] to

[17] , wherein the amount of component (B) added relative to the total weight of off-flavor substances in the oral substance is 0.01 ppm by weight to 240% by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form.

[19] An oral substance obtained by the method according to any one of

[13] to

[18] .

[0008] The present invention can suppress or reduce the off-flavors derived from foods without imparting a different flavor, thereby enabling the production of various processed foods. Furthermore, the present invention can suppress the off-flavors that interfere with continued consumption, allowing foods to be taken for long periods of time without stress.

[0009] The present invention relates to a composition for suppressing off-odors (sometimes referred to in the present specification as "the composition of the present invention"), which contains: (A) at least one γ-glutamyl peptide or a salt thereof selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by general formula (I): γ-Glu-X-Gly (I) (wherein X represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue) and a compound represented by general formula (II): γ-Glu-Y (II) (wherein Y represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue), and (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of GABA and serine (sometimes referred to in the present specification as "composition of the present invention").

[0010] In the present invention, "off-odor" refers to an unpleasant odor or flavor that impairs the original flavor of food when used directly in food, or an odor that is unpleasant when ingested or taken. For example, off-odor odors in oral substances such as food include odors derived from substances that cause off-odor, such as vegetable protein, animal protein, amino acid, and vitamin (also called off-odor substances), such as vegetable protein odor, animal protein odor, amino acid odor, vitamin odor, and animal odor.

[0011] The vegetable protein odor refers to an odor derived from vegetable proteins such as grains and vegetables or their decomposition products, and examples thereof include the soybean odor (so-called green odor) derived from soybean protein, the bean odor derived from pea protein, broad bean protein, and chickpea protein, the nut odor derived from almond protein, and the seed odor derived from sunflower protein.

[0012] Animal protein odor refers to odors derived from animal protein or its decomposition products, such as whey protein odor (also known as potato odor or stuffy odor), lecithin odor, gelatin odor, collagen odor, etc.

[0013] Examples of amino acid odors include odors derived from branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, isoleucine), tryptophan, phenylalanine, threonine, histidine, methionine, arginine, cysteine, lysine, tyrosine, glycine, and mixtures thereof (so-called potato odor, stuffy odor).

[0014] Vitamins include vitamin A and vitamin B １ , Vitamin B ２ , Vitamin B ６ , Vitamin B １２ , vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, vitamin P, and mixtures thereof.

[0015] Examples of animal odors include grass-fed odors.

[0016] In the present invention, "suppression" of an off-odor is a concept that includes reduction of the off-odor and masking of the off-odor, and means reducing or suppressing the odor intensity of an off-odor substance to below the perceptible limit. The presence or absence of an odor and its intensity can be determined, for example, by sensory evaluation by a specialist panel. In the present invention, the off-odor suppression effect is obtained without imparting any particular off-flavor.

[0017] (A) γ-Glutamyl Peptides The γ-glutamyl peptides of the present invention include γ-glutamyl tripeptides represented by the above general formula (I) and γ-glutamyl dipeptides represented by the above general formula (II). In the above general formula, "γ-" means that X or Y is bound via the carboxyl group at the γ-position of glutamic acid. As the γ-glutamyl peptide, one of the above-mentioned γ-glutamyl peptides may be used, or two or more of the above-mentioned γ-glutamyl peptides may be used in combination.

[0018] X or Y in general formulas (I) and (II) represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue, and examples of the amino acid include neutral amino acids such as glycine (Gly), alanine (Ala), valine (Val), leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile), serine (Ser), threonine (Thr), cysteine ​​(Cys), methionine (Met), asparagine (Asn), glutamine (Gln), proline (Pro), and hydroxyproline (Hyp); acidic amino acids such as aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu); lysine (Lys); and arginine (Arg). Examples of amino acids include basic amino acids such as phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), and tryptophan (Trp); aromatic amino acids such as ornithine (Orn), sarcosine (Sar), citrulline (Cit), norvaline (Nva), norleucine (Nle), α-aminobutyric acid (Abu), taurine (Tau), tert-leucine (t-Leu), cycloleucine (Cle), α-aminoisobutyric acid (2-methylalanine) (Aib), penicillamine (Pen), and homoserine (Hse).

[0019] The amino acid derivative refers to various derivatives of the above amino acids. Examples of the amino acid derivative include unnatural amino acids, amino alcohols, and amino acids in which one or more functional groups such as a terminal carbonyl group, a terminal amino group, and a cysteine ​​thiol group are substituted with various substituents. Specific examples of the substituent include an alkyl group, an acyl group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, an alkylamino group, a nitro group, a sulfonyl group, and various protecting groups. Examples of the amino acid derivative include Arg(NO ２ ): N-γ-nitroarginine, Cys(SNO): S-nitrosocysteine, Cys(S-Me): S-methylcysteine, Cys(S-allyl): S-allylcysteine, Val-NH ２ : valinamide, Val-ol: valinol (2-amino-3-methyl-1-butanol), Met(O): methionine sulfoxide, and Cys(S-Me)(O): S-methylcysteine ​​sulfoxide.

[0020] Examples of γ-glutamyl peptides include γ-Glu-Val-Gly, γ-Glu-Nva-Gly, γ-Glu-Abu, and γ-Glu-Nva, with γ-Glu-Val-Gly being preferred.

[0021] In the present invention, the amino acids and amino acid derivatives constituting the γ-glutamyl peptide are in the L-configuration unless otherwise specified.

[0022] In the present invention, the salt of γ-glutamyl peptide is not particularly limited as long as it is orally ingestible. For example, salts of acidic groups such as carboxyl groups include ammonium salts, salts with alkali metals such as sodium and potassium, salts with alkaline earth metals such as calcium and magnesium, aluminum salts, zinc salts, salts with organic amines such as triethylamine, ethanolamine, morpholine, pyrrolidine, piperidine, piperazine, and dicyclohexylamine, and salts with basic amino acids such as arginine and lysine. Examples of salts of basic groups such as amino groups include salts with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and hydrobromic acid, salts with organic carboxylic acids such as acetic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, tannic acid, butyric acid, hybenzic acid, pamoic acid, enanthic acid, decanoic acid, teoclic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, oxalic acid, mandelic acid, malic acid, and methylmalonic acid, and salts with organic sulfonic acids such as methanesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, and p-toluenesulfonic acid. One type of salt may be used, or two or more types of salts may be used in combination.

[0023] As the γ-glutamyl peptide and its salts, commercially available products may be used, or those obtained by appropriate production may also be used.

[0024] The method for producing a peptide is not particularly limited, and for example, a known method can be used. Known methods include, for example, (1) a method for chemically synthesizing a peptide and (2) a method for synthesizing a peptide by an enzymatic reaction. For synthesizing a relatively short peptide having two to three amino acid residues, it is particularly convenient to use a chemical synthesis method.

[0025] When chemically synthesizing peptides, peptides can be synthesized or semi-synthesized using a peptide synthesizer. Chemical peptide synthesis methods include, for example, solid-phase peptide synthesis. Synthesized peptides can be purified by conventional means, such as ion exchange chromatography, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and affinity chromatography. Such solid-phase peptide synthesis methods and the subsequent peptide purification are well known in the art.

[0026] When synthesizing peptides by enzymatic reaction, for example, the method described in WO 2004 / 011653 can be used. Specifically, for example, a dipeptide or tripeptide can be synthesized by reacting an amino acid or dipeptide whose carboxyl group has been esterified or amidated with an amino acid whose amino group is free (e.g., an amino acid whose carboxyl group has been protected) in the presence of a peptide-synthesizing enzyme. The synthesized dipeptide or tripeptide can be purified as appropriate. Examples of peptide-synthesizing enzymes include cultures of microorganisms capable of producing peptides, culture supernatants separated from the cultures, bacterial cells separated from the cultures, treated bacterial cells of the microorganisms, and peptide-synthesizing enzymes separated therefrom. As the peptide-synthesizing enzyme, an appropriately purified one can be used as needed.

[0027] Furthermore, γ-glutamyl peptides can be produced, for example, by culturing a microorganism capable of producing the γ-glutamyl peptide and recovering the γ-glutamyl peptide from the culture medium or bacterial cells. Specifically, for example, yeast containing a high concentration of γ-glutamyl peptides such as γ-Glu-Abu can be obtained by the method described in JP 2012-213376 A. Furthermore, γ-glutamyl peptides can be produced, for example, by recovering them from agricultural, aquatic, and livestock products containing the γ-glutamyl peptide.

[0028] The γ-glutamyl peptide may or may not be a purified product. That is, a material containing a high amount of the γ-glutamyl peptide may be used as the γ-glutamyl peptide. "Highly γ-glutamyl peptide" means that the γ-glutamyl peptide content is 100 ppm by weight or more. That is, "blending (adding) γ-glutamyl peptide" is not limited to blending the peptide itself, but also encompasses blending a material containing a high amount of the peptide. Specific examples of materials containing a high amount of γ-glutamyl peptide include fermentation products such as culture medium, bacterial cells, and culture supernatant obtained by culturing a microorganism capable of producing the peptide, as well as processed products thereof. Processed products include those obtained by subjecting the above-mentioned fermentation products to treatments such as concentration, dilution, drying, fractionation, extraction, and purification. An example of such processed products is a yeast extract containing γ-glutamyl peptides such as γ-Glu-Abu (JP 2012-213376 A). In addition to yeast extract, some foods and beverages (including ingredients and seasonings) may naturally contain γ-glutamyl peptide. However, such foods and beverages (including ingredients and seasonings) other than yeast extract may be excluded from the "materials having a high γ-glutamyl peptide content" of the present invention. The γ-glutamyl peptide may be purified to a desired degree. For example, the γ-glutamyl peptide may have a purity of 50% by weight or more, 70% by weight or more, 90% by weight or more, or 95% by weight or more.

[0029] The concentration and content ratio of γ-glutamyl peptide in the composition of the present invention can be appropriately determined depending on various conditions such as the type of γ-glutamyl peptide, the ingestible concentration of γ-glutamyl peptide, and the amount of the composition of the present invention used.

[0030] The amount (concentration) of component (A) γ-glutamyl peptide added to an oral substance in the composition of the present invention is used so that the concentration at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing off-flavors. For example, the concentration at the time of ingestion, calculated as the weight of the free form of component (A) γ-glutamyl peptide, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is typically 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.05 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being typically 200 ppm by weight or less, preferably 100 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 50 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is typically 0.01 to 200 ppm by weight, preferably 0.05 to 100 ppm by weight, and more preferably 0.1 to 50 ppm by weight.

[0031] In this specification, the "concentration at the time of consumption" refers to the concentration of component (A) γ-glutamyl peptide when the oral substance is ingested (when taken orally, when used in the oral cavity), and refers to the concentration at the time of consumption after cooking. Note that the "concentration at consumption" for quasi-drugs such as toothpaste and mouthwash refers to the concentration at the time of use, i.e., the concentration at the time of taking it in the mouth. For example, when the oral substance is a concentrated beverage, it refers to the γ-glutamyl peptide concentration in the beverage when diluted and consumed, and when the oral substance is a powdered beverage, it refers to the γ-glutamyl peptide concentration in the beverage when dissolved in drinking water or the like and consumed.

[0032] (B) γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serine Examples of component (B) in the present invention include GABA, serine, or a mixture thereof. GABA is an amino acid that functions primarily as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. The terms γ-aminobutyric acid and GABA used herein encompass salts. The salt form is not particularly limited as long as it is a pharmacologically acceptable salt, and examples include acid addition salts and salts with bases. Specific examples include salts with inorganic bases, organic bases, inorganic acids, organic acids, and salts with amino acids.

[0033] Examples of salts with inorganic bases include salts with alkali metals such as lithium, sodium, and potassium, salts with alkaline earth metals such as magnesium and calcium, and ammonium salts. Examples of salts with organic bases include salts with alkanolamines such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine, and salts with heterocyclic amines such as morpholine and piperidine. Examples of salts with inorganic acids include salts with hydrohalic acids (hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, and the like), sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and the like. Examples of salts with organic acids include salts with monocarboxylic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, and propanoic acid; salts with saturated dicarboxylic acids such as oxalic acid, malonic acid, malic acid, and succinic acid; salts with unsaturated dicarboxylic acids such as maleic acid and fumaric acid; salts with tricarboxylic acids such as citric acid; and salts with keto acids such as α-ketoglutaric acid. Examples of salts with amino acids include salts with aliphatic amino acids such as glycine and alanine; salts with aromatic amino acids such as tyrosine; salts with basic amino acids such as arginine; salts with acidic amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid; and salts with amino acids that form lactams such as pyroglutamic acid.

[0034] In the present invention, GABA may be used alone in the free form or in the form of one of the above salts, or in combination of two or more thereof.

[0035] The GABA contained in the composition of the present invention may be GABA itself or a GABA-containing food material that can be used in foods and beverages. For example, germinated brown rice or raw tea leaves processed to increase the GABA content, monascus koji or yeast extract that are rich in GABA, or a material prepared from these raw materials can be used. Alternatively, a GABA-containing food material prepared by acting glutamic acid or a raw material containing glutamic acid with glutamic acid decarboxylase, or a GABA-containing food material prepared from a fermented product obtained by fermentation using a microorganism (such as lactic acid bacteria, yeast, or koji) having glutamic acid decarboxylase activity, can also be used. Regarding GABA-containing food materials, from the viewpoint of suppressing off-flavors, a GABA-containing food material prepared from materials that do not contain components that affect odors is preferred.

[0036] The serine contained in the composition of the present invention is not limited as long as it does not impair the effects of the present invention, but the L- or DL-form is preferred, and the L-form is more preferred.

[0037] The serine used in the present invention may be one produced by any method such as protein hydrolysis, chemical synthesis, enzymatic methods, or fermentation, or a commercially available product may also be used.

[0038] The serine of the present invention can also be obtained by enzymatically hydrolyzing a natural protein having an amino acid sequence containing serine.

[0039] In the present invention, serine can be used not only in the free form but also in the form of a salt, and the term "serine" in this specification is a concept that also encompasses salts. The salt form is not particularly limited as long as it is a pharmacologically acceptable salt, and examples thereof include acid addition salts and salts with bases. Specifically, the salts listed above for GABA can be used.

[0040] The above-mentioned salts may each be a hydrate (hydrated salt), and examples of such hydrates include monohydrate to hexahydrate.

[0041] In the present invention, serine may be used in the form of a free form or one of the above salts, or in a combination of two or more thereof.

[0042] The amount (concentration) of component (B) added to the oral substance in the composition of the present invention is used so that the concentration of component (B) at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors. For example, the concentration at the time of ingestion, calculated as the free form by weight, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 0.15 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being usually 500 ppm by weight or less, preferably 200 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 120 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is usually 0.01 to 500 ppm by weight, preferably 0.1 to 200 ppm by weight, and more preferably 0.15 to 120 ppm by weight.

[0043] In this specification, the "concentration at the time of consumption" refers to the concentration of component (B) when the oral substance is ingested (when taken orally, when used in the oral cavity), and refers to the concentration at the time of consumption after cooking. Note that the "concentration at consumption" for quasi-drugs such as toothpaste and mouthwash refers to the concentration at the time of use, i.e., the concentration at the time of ingestion. For example, if the oral substance is a concentrated beverage, it refers to the concentration of component (B) in the beverage when diluted and consumed, and if the oral substance is a powdered beverage, it refers to the concentration of component (B) in the beverage when dissolved in drinking water or the like and consumed.

[0044] Specifically, the amount (concentration) of GABA in the composition of the present invention added to an oral substance is used so that the concentration of GABA at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors. For example, the concentration at the time of ingestion, calculated as the weight of the free form of GABA, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 0.15 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being usually 10 ppm by weight or less, preferably 5 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 1.2 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is usually 0.01 to 10 ppm by weight, preferably 0.1 to 5 ppm by weight, and more preferably 0.15 to 1.2 ppm by weight.

[0045] The GABA content in the oral dosage form can be measured by extracting the substance with a solvent such as chloroform, followed by analysis using a general amino acid analysis method or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

[0046] The amount (concentration) of serine added to an oral substance in the composition of the present invention is used so that the concentration of serine at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors. For example, the concentration at the time of ingestion, calculated as the weight of free serine, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is usually 1 ppm by weight or more, preferably 10 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 15 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being usually 500 ppm by weight or less, preferably 200 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 120 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is usually 1 to 500 ppm by weight, preferably 10 to 200 ppm by weight, and more preferably 15 to 120 ppm by weight.

[0047] The serine content in the oral preparation can be measured by general amino acid analysis or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

[0048] The total amount of components (A) and (B) contained in the composition of the present invention is usually 0.001 wt% or more, preferably 0.1 wt% or more, and more preferably 1 wt% or more, based on the total weight of the composition of the present invention. Furthermore, this amount is usually 100 wt% or less, preferably 99 wt% or less, and more preferably 90 wt% or less, based on the total weight of the composition of the present invention. Specifically, it is usually 0.001 to 100 wt%, preferably 0.1 to 99 wt% or more, and more preferably 1 to 90 wt%.

[0049] The concentration and content ratio of component (A) in the composition of the present invention can be appropriately set depending on various conditions such as the type of γ-glutamyl peptide and the type of component (B), and the type of food in which the composition of the present invention is used.

[0050] In the composition of the present invention, the weight ratio of components (A) and (B) ((A):(B)) is, in terms of the weight of the free form, usually 1:0.0001 to 10,000, preferably 1:0.0005 to 5,000, more preferably 1:0.001 to 2,000, and even more preferably 1:0.003 to 1,200, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors.

[0051] Specifically, the weight ratio of components (A) and (B) GABA ((A):GABA) in the composition of the present invention is, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors, usually 1:0.0001 to 100, preferably 1:0.0005 to 50, more preferably 1:0.001 to 20, and even more preferably 1:0.003 to 12, calculated as the weight of the free form.

[0052] In the composition of the present invention, the weight ratio of components (A) and (B) serine ((A):serine) is, in terms of the weight of the free form, usually 1:0.01 to 10,000, preferably 1:0.05 to 5,000, more preferably 1:0.1 to 2,000, and even more preferably 1:0.3 to 1,200, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors.

[0053] In the composition of the present invention, when component (B) contains both GABA and serine, the weight ratio (GABA:serine) is, in terms of the weight of the free form, usually 1:1 to 5000, preferably 1:5 to 2000, more preferably 1:10 to 1000, and even more preferably 1:12.5 to 800, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors.

[0054] The composition of the present invention can be produced by conventional methods in the field of food manufacturing, etc., using only components (A) and (B) or by adding "other components." The "other components" are not particularly limited as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention, and examples thereof include amino acids such as alanine, glutamic acid, and glycine and their salts; organic acids such as acetic acid and tartaric acid and their salts; inorganic salts such as salt, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride; dietary fiber such as indigestible dextrin; sugars such as sugar, honey, maple syrup, sucrose, glucose, fructose, isomerized sugar, and oligosaccharides; sugar alcohols such as xylitol and erythritol; high-intensity sweeteners; nucleic acids such as inosinic acid, guanylic acid, and xanthylic acid and their salts; pH buffers, excipients, bulking agents, flavorings, edible oils, ethanol, and water. The "other components" may be a single component or a combination of two or more components.

[0055] Furthermore, since the composition of the present invention has almost no effect on the fragrance notes of other fragrance components, it can be used in combination with other fragrance components to prepare a fragrance composition having the above-mentioned off-odor suppressing effect, and can be used suitably.

[0056] The composition of the present invention may also contain one or more other fragrance components. Such other fragrance components are not required to impair the effects of the present invention when used in combination with the composition of the present invention, and it is preferable that the fragrance of the other fragrance components is not suppressed when used in combination with the composition of the present invention. Examples of such fragrance components include citrus fragrances, fruit fragrances, milk fragrances, vanilla fragrances, tea fragrances, cocoa / chocolate fragrances, coffee fragrances, mint fragrances, spice fragrances, nut fragrances, Western liquor fragrances, flower fragrances, and vegetable fragrances. Specific examples include citronellal, limonene, 2-methylpyrazine, butanoic acid, methyl anthranilate, nootkatone, E-beta-damascone, S-(2-methyl-3-furyl)ethanethioate, beta-caryophyllene oxide, beta-ionone, 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-dithiane, methyl anthranilate, S-furfurylthioformate, 1-isothiocyanato-3-(methylthio)propane, 1,4-dioxacycloheptadecane-5,17-dione, sclareol, and sclareolide. From the viewpoint of also being able to suppress off-flavors, citronellal, limonene, 2-methylpyrazine, butanoic acid, methyl anthranilate, and nootkatone are preferred.

[0057] The composition of the present invention may contain other components in an amount of 0 to 99.999% by weight, preferably 1 to 99.9% by weight, and more preferably 10 to 99% by weight, as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved.

[0058] The form of the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be in a form that is easy to add to foods and beverages, such as powder, granules, liquid, syrup, gel, paste, cubes, etc. Formulation can be carried out by conventional methods.

[0059] The composition of the present invention can be produced by a method known per se or a method similar thereto.

[0060] The composition of the present invention can also be used as an odor suppressant.

[0061] The present invention also includes a method for suppressing the off-flavor of oral substances (sometimes abbreviated as the method of the present invention), which comprises adding components (A) and (B).

[0062] The components (A) and (B) that can be used in the method of the present invention are as defined above.

[0063] In the method of the present invention, the types of offensive odor substances in oral substances are as described above.

[0064] In the present invention, "oral substances" means substances that can be taken orally, and specific examples include foods, seasonings, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, cosmetics, etc. Furthermore, in the present invention, "foods" broadly encompasses substances that can be taken orally (excluding pharmaceuticals), and unless otherwise specified, includes not only so-called foods but also beverages, seasonings, supplements, etc. The concept of foods also encompasses food compositions.

[0065] The oral substance in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it contains an offensive odor substance and requires suppression of the offensive odor, but it is preferable that it contains at least, for example, vegetable protein, animal protein, amino acid or a salt thereof.

[0066] Examples of foods include foods containing vegetable protein, such as soybeans and other legumes, and processed foods thereof, foods containing animal protein, such as dairy products, and amino acid-containing foods.

[0067] Examples of foods containing vegetable protein include soybeans or processed foods such as soy milk, soy milk drinks, modified soy milk, soft drinks, carbonated drinks, vegetable drinks, vegetable and fruit drinks, sports drinks, jelly drinks, and powdered drinks; alcoholic drinks; tea drinks such as coffee and black tea; soy flour (kinako) prepared by grinding roasted beans; tofu, yuba, and fu prepared from soy milk; frozen tofu, namaage (freshly fried tofu), ganmodoki (tofu with tofu), fried tofu, and yakitofu prepared from tofu; okara (soybean pulp); boiled and steamed beans; and miso and natto prepared from steamed beans. Also included are foods prepared using the above soybean processed foods as ingredients, optionally mixed with other ingredients. Examples of soybean-based foods include, but are not limited to, soy milk pudding, okara cake, soybean flour cake, okara cookies, soybean flour nutrition bars, soybean flour twists, and soybean flour candy; breads such as low-sugar bread with soybean flour; meat-containing foods such as soy meat, soy protein hamburgers, meatballs, dumplings, shumai, menchi-katsu, soy protein fried chicken, and soy protein ham and sausages; nutritionally fortified foods such as protein powders and jelly foods for nutritional purposes and infant formula; soy protein noodles; soy protein batter for deep-fried foods; seafood-containing foods such as soy protein fish sausages, kamaboko (fish cakes), and chikuwa (fish cakes), soups (including dried soups); other processed foods; frozen foods; and foods with a plant-like, grassy odor such as processed tomatoes and processed olives. Tomato processed foods include tomato sauce, concentrated tomatoes, tomato puree, tomato paste, tomato juice, tomato solids, and tomato soup, while olive processed foods include olive oil and olive paste.

[0068] Examples of foods containing animal protein include beverages such as milk drinks, lactic acid bacteria drinks, soft drinks (including those containing fruit juice), carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, vegetable drinks, vegetable and fruit drinks, sports drinks, jelly drinks, and powdered drinks; alcoholic drinks; coffee drinks, black tea drinks, and other tea drinks; soups such as corn soup, consommé soup (e.g., chicken, pork, beef, etc.), potage soup, chicken stock, egg soup, seaweed soup, shark fin soup, Chinese-style soup, curry-flavored soup, ramen soup, clear soup, and miso soup, as well as instant powdered foods thereof; whipped cream, jam, fruit simmered in syrup, jelly, bavarois, and desserts such as yogurt; retort foods such as curry, stew, beef bowl, soup; processed meat foods such as hamburger steak, ham, sausage, dumplings, shumai, fried chicken, pork cutlet, etc.; processed seafood foods such as kamaboko and chikuwa; dairy products such as cheese; dairy products such as butter, fermented milk, milk powder, etc.; frozen desserts such as ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice cream, sorbet, and frozen desserts; confectioneries such as gummies, candy, gum, tablet candy, and snacks; bread; noodles such as udon, hiyamugi, somen, buckwheat, Chinese noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, rice vermicelli, and wonton (including instant noodles such as fried and non-fried noodles); nutrition bars, etc.

[0069] The form of the amino acid-containing food is not particularly limited as long as it contains amino acids, but examples include nutritional supplements containing high doses of amino acids, nutritional drinks, sports drinks, jelly-like foods, soft drinks (carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, tea drinks, lactic acid bacteria drinks, etc.), alcoholic drinks, and foods mentioned above that contain amino acids.

[0070] Foods may be provided (sold or distributed) in a form that can be eaten as is, or may be provided in a form that requires a predetermined process or cooking to make it suitable for eating. For example, foods may be prepared in a form suitable for eating before or at the time of eating and then eaten. For example, in the case of beverages such as soft drinks, they may be provided as packaged beverages that can be eaten as is, or as concentrates such as powders that can be diluted and eaten.

[0071] Furthermore, the food is not limited to general foods, but also includes so-called health foods and medical foods such as nutritional supplements (supplements), nutritionally functional foods, and foods for specified health uses. For example, the foods exemplified above may be provided as general foods, or as health foods or medical foods.

[0072] Examples of seasonings include natural seasonings, flavor seasonings, menu seasonings, mayonnaise; solid seasonings such as sugar and salt; liquid seasonings such as dressings, ketchup, sauces, and sauces (e.g., demi-glace sauce, medium-thick sauce, white sauce, cheese sauce, etc.); and semi-solid seasonings such as miso paste. In this specification, "natural seasonings" refers to seasonings produced using natural products as raw materials by methods such as extraction, decomposition, heating, and fermentation, and specific examples thereof include various livestock meat extracts such as chicken extract, beef extract, pork extract, and mutton extract; various bone extracts such as chicken bone extract, beef bone extract, and pork bone extract; various seafood extracts such as bonito extract, mackerel extract, croaker extract, scallop extract, crab extract, shrimp extract, dried sardine extract, and dried scallop extract; and bonito extract. Examples of suitable seasonings include various dried fish extracts such as dried mackerel extract and dried bonito extract; various vegetable extracts such as onion extract, Chinese cabbage extract and celery extract; various seaweed extracts such as kelp extract; various spice extracts such as garlic extract, chili pepper extract, pepper extract and cocoa extract; yeast extracts; various protein hydrolysates; various fermented seasonings such as soy sauce, fish sauce, shrimp sauce and miso, as well as mixtures and processed products thereof (e.g., soy sauce processed products such as mentsuyu and ponzu soy sauce). "Flavor seasoning" refers to a seasoning used to impart the aroma, flavor and taste of a flavor ingredient to food, and can be produced, for example, by adding sugar, salt, etc. to a natural seasoning. Specific examples of flavor seasonings include various meat flavor seasonings such as chicken flavor seasoning, beef flavor seasoning, pork flavor seasoning, etc.; various seafood flavor seasonings such as bonito flavor seasoning, dried sardine flavor seasoning, dried scallop flavor seasoning, shellfish flavor seasoning, etc.; various spicy vegetable flavor seasonings; kelp flavor seasoning, etc. "Menu-specific seasoning" refers to a seasoning suitable for cooking a specific menu (e.g., Chinese menu), and specific examples include Chinese combined seasonings, combined seasonings, general-purpose paste seasonings, mixed rice mixes, fried rice mixes, spice mixes, etc.

[0073] The pharmaceuticals are not particularly limited as long as they contain the above-mentioned off-flavoring substances, and include all oral pharmaceuticals. Examples include vitamins, tonics, nutrients, supplements, and various pharmaceutical preparations. These may be in any form, such as powders, granules, pills, tablets, liquids, or syrups. Among these, orally disintegrating tablets, troches, chewable tablets, and the like, which dissolve in the mouth, are preferred.

[0074] Quasi-drugs include toothpaste, mouth fresheners, breath fresheners, breath fresheners, mouthwashes, and gargles.

[0075] Examples of the cosmetic products include lipstick.

[0076] In the present invention, the off-flavoring substance that can be contained in an oral substance is not particularly limited in its manufacturing method as long as it can be orally ingested, and those manufactured by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto may be used. For example, it may be a chemically synthesized product manufactured by a chemical synthesis method, or an isolated product extracted and purified from a material containing the off-flavoring substance. Furthermore, a material containing the off-flavoring substance may be used as is or after being purified to a desired degree. The off-flavoring substance may also be a commercially available product.

[0077] The method and conditions for adding components (A) and (B) of the present invention to an oral substance (e.g., food, oral medicine, etc.) are not particularly limited, and can be performed by a method known per se or a method equivalent thereto depending on the type and form of components (A) and (B) of the present invention, the type of oral substance to which components (A) and (B) are added, etc. The timing for adding components (A) and (B) to an oral substance is not particularly limited, and examples include during the production of the oral substance and after the production of the oral substance. Components (A) and (B) may also be added to raw materials before the oral substance is produced. Components (A) and (B) may be added simultaneously or at different times, and the order of addition is also not particularly limited.

[0078] In the method of the present invention, the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to an oral substance can be determined according to the amount of the off-flavoring substance added to the oral substance. For example, if an "oral substance that contains an off-flavoring substance but does not exhibit an unacceptable off-flavor" is further added with an additional off-flavoring substance (i.e., by increasing the amount of the off-flavoring substance contained in the oral substance), causing the composition to exhibit an unacceptable off-flavor, the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance can be determined according to the amount of the additionally added off-flavoring substance (increased amount), and the amount of the off-flavoring substance originally contained in the oral substance (the oral substance that does not exhibit an unacceptable off-flavor) before the additional addition of the off-flavoring substance does not need to be taken into consideration. Furthermore, if an oral substance produced by adding an off-flavoring substance as one of the ingredients exhibits an off-flavor, the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance can be determined according to the amount of the off-flavoring substance used as the ingredient. Furthermore, when an offensive odor substance is added to an oral substance that exhibits an offensive odor and that was produced by adding the offensive odor substance as one of the raw materials, the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance can be set according to the total amount of the offensive odor substance used as a raw material and the additionally added offensive odor substance.

[0079] In the method of the present invention, the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance (the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance) are as follows.

[0080] In the method of the present invention, the amount (concentration) of component (A) γ-glutamyl peptide added to an oral substance is such that the concentration at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing off-flavors. For example, the concentration at the time of ingestion, calculated as the weight of the free form of component (A) γ-glutamyl peptide, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is typically 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.05 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being typically 200 ppm by weight or less, preferably 100 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 50 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is typically 0.01 to 200 ppm by weight, preferably 0.05 to 100 ppm by weight, and more preferably 0.1 to 50 ppm by weight, relative to the total weight of the oral substance.

[0081] In the method of the present invention, the amount (concentration) of component (B) added to the oral substance is used so that the concentration of component (B) at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing off-flavors. For example, the concentration at the time of ingestion, calculated as the free form by weight, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 0.15 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being usually 500 ppm by weight or less, preferably 200 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 120 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is usually 0.01 to 500 ppm by weight, preferably 0.1 to 200 ppm by weight, and more preferably 0.15 to 120 ppm by weight.

[0082] In the method of the present invention, the amount (concentration) of GABA added to an oral substance is such that the concentration of GABA at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors. For example, the concentration of GABA at the time of ingestion, calculated as the weight of the free form of GABA, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 0.15 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being usually 10 ppm by weight or less, preferably 5 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 1.2 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is usually 0.01 to 10 ppm by weight, preferably 0.1 to 5 ppm by weight, and more preferably 0.15 to 1.2 ppm by weight.

[0083] In the method of the present invention, serine is added to an oral substance in an amount (concentration) such that the concentration of serine at the time of ingestion is within a desired range from the viewpoint of suppressing off-flavors. For example, the concentration of serine at the time of ingestion, calculated as the weight of free serine, relative to the total weight of the oral substance, is typically 1 ppm by weight or more, preferably 10 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 15 ppm by weight or more, with the upper limit being typically 500 ppm by weight or less, preferably 200 ppm by weight or less, and more preferably 120 ppm by weight or less. Specifically, the concentration is typically 1 to 500 ppm by weight, preferably 10 to 200 ppm by weight or more, and more preferably 15 to 120 ppm by weight.

[0084] In the method of the present invention, the amounts of components (A) and (B) to be added can be determined depending on the type and content of the off-flavoring substance in the food.

[0085] The content of off-flavoring substances in oral substances varies depending on the type of substance and the form of the oral substance. For example, an off-flavor is detected at 1% by weight or more in an aqueous solution of soybean powder, 1% by weight or more in an aqueous solution of whey, and 0.2% by weight or more in an aqueous solution of an amino acid mixture. Components (A) and (B) of the present invention can be added to the off-flavoring substances in the following proportions: Component (A): Usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.02 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.2 ppm by weight or more, and usually 100% by weight or less, preferably 10% by weight or less, more preferably 5% by weight or less, specifically 0.01 ppm by weight to 100% by weight, preferably 0.02 ppm by weight to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.2 ppm by weight to 5% by weight; in another embodiment, usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, in terms of the weight of the free form, relative to the total weight of the off-flavoring substances. pm or more, preferably 0.02 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 0.2 ppm by weight or more, and usually 100 ppm by weight or less, preferably 10 ppm by weight or less, more preferably 5 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 1 ppm by weight or less, specifically, 0.01 ppm by weight to 100 ppm by weight, preferably 0.02 ppm by weight to 10 ppm by weight, more preferably 0.1 ppm by weight to 5 ppm by weight, even more preferably 0.2 ppm by weight to 1 ppm by weight, Component (B): Usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.03 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.3 ppm by weight or more, and usually 240% by weight or less, preferably 30% by weight or less, more preferably 15% by weight or less, specifically usually 0.01 ppm by weight to 240% by weight, preferably 0.03 ppm by weight to 30% by weight, more preferably 0.3 ppm by weight to 15% by weight, based on the total weight of the off-flavor substances; in another embodiment, usually 0.01 ppm by weight to 240% by weight, preferably 0.03 ppm by weight to 30% by weight, more preferably 0.3 ppm by weight to 15% by weight. pm or more, preferably 0.03 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 0.3 ppm by weight or more, and usually 240 ppm by weight or less, preferably 30 ppm by weight or less, more preferably 20 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 15 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 0.01 ppm by weight to 240 ppm by weight, preferably 0.03 ppm by weight to 30 ppm by weight, more preferably 0.1 ppm by weight to 20 ppm by weight, even more preferably 0.3 ppm by weight to 15 ppm by weight.

[0086] Specifically, the component (B) in the present invention can be added in the following proportions relative to the off-odor substances: When component (B) contains GABA: usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.03 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 0.3 ppm by weight or more, and usually 2% by weight or less, preferably 3000 ppm by weight or less, more preferably 200 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 1500 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 0.01 ppm by weight to 2% by weight, preferably 0.03 to 3000 ppm by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 2000 ppm by weight, even more preferably 0.3 to 1500 ppm by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form, relative to the total weight of the off-odor substances; When serine is contained as component (B): the content is usually 1 ppm by weight or more, preferably 3 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 10 ppm by weight or more, and even more preferably 30 ppm by weight or more, calculated as the weight of the free form, relative to the total weight of the off-flavor substances, and usually 240% by weight or less, preferably 30% by weight or less, more preferably 20 ppm by weight or less, and even more preferably 15% by weight or less, specifically usually 1 ppm by weight to 240% by weight, preferably 3 ppm by weight to 30% by weight, more preferably 10 ppm by weight to 20% by weight, and even more preferably 30 ppm by weight to 15% by weight.

[0087] In the composition of the present invention, the specific amounts of the components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance are as follows.

[0088] For example, when the off-flavor substance is soy protein, which is a vegetable protein, the proportion is as follows, but is not limited to these: Component (A): based on the total weight of soy protein, usually 0.02 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.2 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.5 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 2.5 ppm by weight or more, usually 10% by weight or less, preferably 1% by weight or less, more preferably 6250 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 1250 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 0.02 ppm by weight to 10% by weight, preferably 0.2 ppm by weight to 1% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 6250 ppm by weight, even more preferably 2.5 to 1250 ppm by weight; When GABA is contained as component (B): usually 0.03 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.3 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.75 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 3.75 ppm by weight or more, and usually 3000 ppm by weight or less, preferably 300 ppm by weight or less, more preferably 150 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 30 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 0.03 to 3000 ppm by weight, preferably 0.3 to 300 ppm by weight, more preferably 0.75 to 150 ppm by weight, even more preferably 3.75 to 30 ppm by weight, based on the total weight of soy protein; When serine is contained as component (B): usually 3 ppm by weight or more, preferably 30 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 75 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 375 ppm by weight or more, and usually 30% by weight or less, preferably 3% by weight or less, more preferably 1.5% by weight or less, even more preferably 3000 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 3 ppm by weight to 30% by weight, preferably 30 ppm by weight to 3% by weight, more preferably 75 ppm by weight to 1.5% by weight, even more preferably 375 to 3000 ppm by weight, based on the total weight of soy protein.

[0089] When the off-flavor substance is whey, which is an animal protein, the content is as follows, but is not limited to these proportions: Component (A): based on the total weight of whey, usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.25 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 1.25 ppm by weight or more, usually 5% by weight or less, preferably 5000 ppm by weight or less, more preferably 3125 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 625 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 0.01 ppm by weight to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 5000 ppm by weight, more preferably 0.25 to 3125 ppm by weight, even more preferably 1.25 to 625 ppm by weight; When GABA is contained as component (B): usually 0.01 ppm by weight or more, preferably 0.1 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 0.375 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 1.875 ppm by weight or more, and usually 1500 ppm by weight or less, preferably 150 ppm by weight or less, more preferably 75 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 15 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 0.01 to 1500 ppm by weight, preferably 0.1 to 150 ppm by weight, more preferably 0.375 to 75 ppm by weight, even more preferably 1.875 to 15 ppm by weight, based on the total weight of whey; When serine is contained as component (B): based on the total weight of whey, it is usually 1 ppm by weight or more, preferably 10 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 37.5 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 187.5 ppm by weight or more, and usually 15% by weight or less, preferably 1.5% by weight or less, more preferably 7500 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 1500 ppm by weight or less; specifically, it is usually 1 ppm by weight to 15% by weight, preferably 10 ppm by weight to 1.5% by weight, more preferably 37.5 to 7500 ppm by weight, even more preferably 187.5 to 1500 ppm by weight.

[0090] When the off-flavor substance is an amino acid, the proportion is as follows, but is not limited to these: Component (A): based on the total weight of amino acids, usually 0.2 ppm by weight or more, preferably 2 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 4 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 20 ppm by weight or more, usually 100% by weight or less, preferably 10% by weight or less, more preferably 5% by weight or less, more preferably 1% by weight or less, specifically usually 0.2 ppm by weight to 100% by weight, preferably 2 ppm by weight to 10% by weight, more preferably 4 ppm by weight to 5% by weight, even more preferably 20 ppm by weight to 1% by weight; When GABA is contained as component (B): usually 0.3 ppm by weight or more, preferably 3 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 6 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 30 ppm by weight or more, and usually 2% by weight or less, preferably 2000 ppm by weight or less, more preferably 1200 ppm by weight or less, even more preferably 240 ppm by weight or less, specifically usually 0.3 ppm by weight to 2% by weight, preferably 3 to 2000 ppm by weight, more preferably 6 to 1200 ppm by weight, even more preferably 30 to 240 ppm by weight, based on the total weight of amino acids; When serine is contained as component (B): usually 30 ppm by weight or more, preferably 300 ppm by weight or more, more preferably 600 ppm by weight or more, even more preferably 3000 ppm by weight or more, and usually 240% by weight or less, preferably 24% by weight or less, more preferably 12% by weight or less, even more preferably 2.4% by weight or less, specifically usually 30 ppm by weight to 240% by weight, preferably 300 ppm by weight to 24% by weight, more preferably 600 ppm by weight to 12% by weight, even more preferably 3000 ppm by weight to 2.4% by weight, based on the total weight of amino acids.

[0091] In the method of the present invention, the weight ratio of the amounts of components (A) and (B) added ((A):(B)) is usually 1:0.0001 to 10,000, preferably 1:0.0005 to 5,000, more preferably 1:0.001 to 2,000, and even more preferably 1:0.003 to 1,200, calculated as the weight of the free form, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors.

[0092] Specifically, in the method of the present invention, the weight ratio of the amounts of GABA added ((A):GABA) of components (A) and (B) is, in terms of the weight of the free form, usually 1:0.0001 to 100, preferably 1:0.0005 to 50, more preferably 1:0.001 to 20, and even more preferably 1:0.003 to 12, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors.

[0093] In the method of the present invention, the weight ratio of the amounts of components (A) and (B) serine added ((A):serine) is, in terms of the weight of the free form, usually 1:0.01 to 10,000, preferably 1:0.05 to 5,000, more preferably 1:0.1 to 2,000, and even more preferably 1:0.3 to 1,200, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors.

[0094] In the method of the present invention, when GABA and serine are contained as component (B), the weight ratio of the amounts added (GABA:serine) is usually 1:1 to 5000, preferably 1:5 to 2000, more preferably 1:10 to 1000, and even more preferably 1:12.5 to 800, calculated as the weight of the free form, from the viewpoint of suppressing unpleasant odors.

[0095] The method of the present invention may include treatments and steps that are typically included in the manufacturing process of oral products.

[0096] In the method of the present invention, the components (A) and (B) can be added to the oral substance by direct addition to the oral substance or by dilution with water, a solvent, or the like, and there are no particular limitations on the form of addition. The components (A) and (B) can be added to the oral substance at any time, such as by addition to the raw materials before the oral substance is manufactured, during the manufacturing process, after completion, immediately before eating, or during eating. The components (A) and (B) can be added simultaneously or at different times. The various definitions and preferred ranges are as described above.

[0097] The present invention also includes a method for producing an oral substance having reduced unpleasant odor, which comprises adding components (A) and (B) to the oral substance (sometimes abbreviated as the production method of the present invention).

[0098] The components (A) and (B) and oral substances that can be used in the production method of the present invention are defined as above.

[0099] In the production method of the present invention, the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance (the amounts of components (A) and (B) added to the oral substance) and the preferred ranges thereof are as described above.

[0100] In the production method of the present invention, the content of components having an unpleasant odor in the oral substance is as described above.

[0101] The ratio of components (A) and (B) added in the production method of the present invention can be appropriately set depending on various conditions such as the types of components (A) and (B) and the concentration of the off-flavoring substance.

[0102] The concentrations of the components (A) and (B) added in the production method of the present invention are not particularly limited, but are appropriately set according to the type and content of the off-flavor substance applied to the method of the present invention. That is, in the present invention, by adding the components (A) and (B) to an oral substance containing an off-flavor substance, an oral substance can be obtained in which the off-flavor is suppressed overall, compared to when the components (A) and (B) are not included.

[0103] The addition concentrations of the above components (A) and (B) can be used as is or appropriately modified to determine the consumption amount (consumption concentration) of the components (A) and (B) depending on the consumption manner of the oral product. That is, when producing a food or beverage that is consumed without being concentrated or diluted (e.g., consumed as is), the addition concentrations of the above-exemplified components (A) and (B) can be read as the consumption amount of the components (A) and (B). Furthermore, when producing a food or beverage that is consumed after being concentrated or diluted, the consumption amount of the components (A) and (B) can be determined based on the addition concentrations of the above-exemplified components (A) and (B) and the concentration or dilution ratio. For example, when producing a food or beverage that is consumed after being diluted 10 times, the consumption amount of the components (A) and (B) can be set to 10 times the addition concentration of the above-exemplified components (A) and (B).

[0104] The production method of the present invention may further include a step of adding other components (components other than components (A) and (B)). The "other components" referred to here are as described above. In addition, the production method may include treatments and steps typically included in the production of foods and beverages, such as a dissolving step, a filling step into a container, and a sterilization step.

[0105] Specifically, the oral substance obtained by the production method of the present invention is an oral substance with reduced unpleasant odor.

[0106] In the manufacturing method of the present invention, the oral substance can be manufactured using the same raw materials and methods as those used for ordinary oral substances, except for the addition of components (A) and (B). Components (A) and (B) may be added at any stage in the manufacturing process of the oral substance. That is, components (A) and (B) may be added to the raw materials for the oral substance, to the oral substance during its manufacturing, or to the finished food or beverage. Components (A) and (B) may be added only once, or in two or more divided doses. When components (A) and (B) are added, they may be added simultaneously to the oral substance or its raw materials, or separately, or in any combination, to the oral substance or its raw materials. That is, the off-odor suppressing effect can be obtained when components (A) and (B) coexist in the oral substance.

[0107] The present invention also includes an oral substance containing components (A) and (B) obtained by the production method of the present invention, particularly an oral substance with reduced unpleasant odor (also referred to as the oral substance of the present invention). The oral substance of the present invention may contain "other components" as needed, and various definitions and preferred ranges are as described above.

[0108] The present invention will be described in more detail in the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In this specification, when "%", "ppm", and "ppb" are used, they mean "% by weight", "ppm by weight", and "ppb by weight", respectively, unless otherwise specified.

[0109] Example 1: Effect on Vegetable Protein 1 1. Sample Preparation Soybean powder (SUPRO661, DuPont Specialty Products Co., Ltd.) was added to water to a concentration of 4% (w / w), stirred, and then left to stand at 5°C for one day. The supernatant was then used, or the supernatant was obtained after centrifugation (3000 rpm, 10 min, 15°C). γ-Glu-Val-Gly (Component A) was a commercially available product or prepared according to the chemical synthesis method disclosed in JP 2010-154862 A. GABA (Sankt Co., Ltd.) and serine (Ajinomoto Co., Inc.) were prepared by adding water to the concentrations shown in the table.

[0110] 2. Test Method Using the solutions A1 to A3 in Table 1 below and Table 2 (evaluation scale guidelines) as the standards, approximately 10 mL of the sample was swallowed, and five evaluators each assigned a score, with the average score calculated (displayed).

[0111]

[0112]

[0113] 3. Evaluation The average scores of the sensory evaluation by five people are shown in Table 3.

[0114]

[0115] (Example 2) Effect on vegetable protein 2 1. Sample preparation A 4% soybean powder solution was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1. γ-Glu-Val-Gly (component A), GABA, and serine were each prepared by adding water to the concentrations shown in Table 4 or 5.

[0116] 2. Test Method Approximately 10 mL of the samples shown in Tables 4 and 5 below was swallowed, and two evaluators each gave a score, and the average score was calculated (displayed).

[0117] 3. Evaluation The average scores of the sensory evaluation by two experts are shown in Tables 4 and 5.

[0118]

[0119]

[0120] (Example 3) Effect on Animal Protein (Milk) 1. Sample Preparation Whey (WPC80, Lacto Japan Warrnambool Whey Protein Concentrate) was added to water to a concentration of 8% (w / w) and stirred, and the resulting solution was used. The same γ-Glu-Val-Gly, GABA, and serine as in Example 1 were used, and water was added to the concentrations listed in Table 7.

[0121] 2. Test Method Using the solutions B1 to B3 in Table 6 below and Table 2 (evaluation scale guidelines) as the standards, approximately 10 mL of the sample was swallowed, and five evaluators each assigned a score, with the average score calculated (displayed).

[0122]

[0123] 3. Evaluation The average scores of the sensory evaluation by five people are shown in Table 7.

[0124]

[0125] (Example 4) Effect on Animal Protein 2 1. Sample Preparation An 8% whey solution was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3. γ-Glu-Val-Gly (component A), GABA, and serine were each prepared by adding water to the concentrations shown in Table 8 or 9.

[0126] 2. Test Method Approximately 10 mL of the samples shown in Tables 8 and 9 below were swallowed, and two evaluators each scored the samples in the same manner as in Example 3, and the average score was calculated (displayed).

[0127] 3. Evaluation The average scores of the sensory evaluation by two experts are shown in Tables 8 and 9.

[0128]

[0129]

[0130] (Example 5) Effect on Amino Acids 1 1. Sample Preparation An amino acid mix powder (leucine, valine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, threonine, histidine: MP9 (Ajinomoto Co., Inc.)) was added to water to a concentration of 0.5% (w / w) and stirred, and the solution in which the amino acids were dissolved was used. The same γ-Glu-Val-Gly, GABA, and serine as used in Example 1 were used, and water was added to the solutions to the concentrations shown in Table 11.

[0131] 2. Test Method Using solutions C1 to C3 in Table 10 below and Table 2 (evaluation scale guidelines) as the standard, approximately 10 mL of the sample was swallowed, and five evaluators each assigned a score, with the average score calculated (displayed).

[0132]

[0133] 3. Evaluation The average scores of the sensory evaluation by five people are shown in Table 11.

[0134]

[0135] (Example 6) Effect on Amino Acids 2 1. Sample Preparation A 0.5% amino acid solution was prepared in the same manner as in Example 5. γ-Glu-Val-Gly (component A), GABA, and serine were each prepared by adding water to the concentrations shown in Table 12 or 13.

[0136] 2. Test Method Approximately 10 mL of the samples shown in Tables 12 and 13 below was swallowed, and two evaluators each gave a score in the same manner as in Example 5, and the average score was calculated (displayed).

[0137] 3. Evaluation The average scores of the sensory evaluation by two experts are shown in Tables 12 and 13.

[0138]

[0139]

[0140] It was found that the combination of ingredient A with GABA and / or serine exhibited a synergistic effect of suppressing off-flavors in food.

[0141] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide foods and beverages with reduced unpleasant odors.

[0142] This application is based on patent application No. 2021-083397 filed in Japan, the contents of which are incorporated in full herein.

Claims

1. A composition for suppressing unpleasant odors, comprising the following components (A) and (B): (A) A compound represented by general formula (I): γ-Glu-X-Gly (I) (wherein X represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue), and Compound represented by general formula (II): γ-Glu-Y (II) (wherein Y represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue). At least one γ-glutamyl peptide or a salt thereof selected from the group consisting of: (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid and serine.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein component (A) is γ-Glu-Val-Gly or a salt thereof.

3. 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the off-flavor is an odor derived from at least one off-flavor substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable proteins, animal proteins, and amino acids.

4. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of components (A):(B) is 1:0.0001 to 10,000, calculated as the weight of the free form.

5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of component (A) added to the oral substance is 0.01 to 200 ppm by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form, based on the total weight of the oral substance.

6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of component (B) added to the oral substance is 0.01 to 500 ppm by weight, calculated as the weight of the free form, based on the total weight of the oral substance.

7. A method for suppressing the odor of oral substances, comprising adding the following components (A) and (B): (A) A compound represented by general formula (I): γ-Glu-X-Gly(I) (wherein X represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue), and Compound represented by general formula (II): γ-Glu-Y(II) (wherein Y represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue). At least one γ-glutamyl peptide or a salt thereof selected from the group consisting of: (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid and serine.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein component (A) is γ-Glu-Val-Gly or a salt thereof.

9. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the off-flavor is an odor derived from at least one off-flavor substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable proteins, animal proteins, and amino acids.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the ratio of the amount of component (A) added to the amount of component (B) added is 1:0.0001 to 10,000, calculated as the weight of the free form.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the amount of component (A) added is 0.01 ppm by weight to 100% by weight in terms of the weight of the free form based on the total weight of the offensive odor substances in the oral administration.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the amount of component (B) added is 0.01 ppm by weight to 240% by weight in terms of the weight of the free form based on the total weight of the offensive odor substances in the oral administration.

13. A method for producing an oral substance having a suppressed unpleasant odor, comprising adding the following components (A) and (B) to the oral substance: (A) A compound represented by general formula (I): γ-Glu-X-Gly(I) (wherein X represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue), and Compound represented by general formula (II): γ-Glu-Y(II) (wherein Y represents an amino acid residue or an amino acid derivative residue). At least one γ-glutamyl peptide or a salt thereof selected from the group consisting of: (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid and serine.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein component (A) is γ-Glu-Val-Gly or a salt thereof.

15. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the off-flavor is an odor derived from at least one off-flavor substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable proteins, animal proteins, and amino acids.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the ratio of the amount of component (A) added to the amount of component (B) added is 1:0.0001 to 10,000, calculated as the weight of the free form.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the amount of component (A) added is 0.01 ppm by weight to 100% by weight in terms of the weight of the free form based on the total weight of the offensive odor substances in the oral substance.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the amount of component (B) added is 0.01 ppm by weight to 240% by weight in terms of the weight of the free form based on the total weight of the offensive odor substances in the oral substance.

19. An oral product obtainable by the method according to any one of claims 13 to 18.