Cereal flour composition and dough food product

Abstract

The present invention provides a cereal flour composition which contains a cereal flour and an enzyme belonging to the tannase family, and in which the tannase activity per 1 g of the cereal flour is 0.1 kU / g to 60 kU / g. The composition preferably includes, in terms of mass, 10 ppm to 10,000 ppm of the enzyme relative to the total amount of the cereal flour. The cereal flour preferably includes at least one selected from among whole-wheat flour, bran, and other cereal flours having an ash content of 0.7 mass% or higher. The ash content of the cereal flour is preferably 0.5 mass% or higher.

Description

Flour composition and dough food

[0001] The present invention relates to flour compositions and dough foods.

[0002] It has been known to apply various enzymes to cereal flour. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe modifying bran with enzymes such as xylanase to improve water retention. Patent Document 3 describes an enzyme preparation for liberating ferulic acid from plant materials, which contains an enzyme having ferulic acid esterase activity and at least one enzyme selected from arabinofurasidase and xylanase. Meanwhile, Patent Document 4 describes the use of tannase in oral compositions.

[0003] US2013045304A1US201113640077A JP2014-057529A JP2011-162491A

[0004] Conventionally, bakery foods such as bread and confectionery, and noodles containing grain flours with a relatively high ash content, such as whole wheat flour, brown rice, and bran (surface husk), have been avoided by consumers due to the harsh taste and odor caused by the bran. Due to the recent trend toward health consciousness, the use of grain flours with a relatively high ash content, such as whole wheat flour, brown rice, and bran, which contain the surface husk, has been increasing. For this reason, there is a demand for reducing the harsh taste and odor. Furthermore, bakery foods such as bread and confectionery, and noodles, may require dough extensibility and / or elasticity, or a soft, elastic, or sticky texture. In contrast, Patent Documents 1 to 4 do not take the above-mentioned issues into consideration.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide the following (1) or (2): (1) A cereal flour composition that, when used in dough foods such as noodles and bakery foods, reduces the harsh taste and odor caused by cereal flours. (2) A cereal flour composition that, when used in dough foods such as noodles and bakery foods, can improve the extensibility and / or elasticity of the dough, or can improve the soft, elastic, or sticky texture.

[0006] The present invention provides a flour composition containing flour and an enzyme belonging to the tannase family, in which the tannase activity per 1 g of flour is 0.1 kU / g or more and 60 kU / g or less.

[0007] The flour composition preferably contains the enzyme in an amount of 10 ppm to 10,000 ppm by mass relative to the total amount of flour.

[0008] The cereal flour preferably contains at least one kind selected from whole wheat flour, bran, and cereal flour other than whole wheat flour having an ash content of 0.7% by mass or more.

[0009] The cereal flour preferably has an ash content of 0.5% by mass or more.

[0010] The present invention also provides a dough food product using the above-mentioned grain flour composition.

[0011] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments. The present invention provides a flour composition containing cereal flour and an enzyme belonging to the tannase family, wherein the tannase activity per 1 g of cereal flour is 0.1 kU / g or more and 60 kU / g or less.

[0012] The flour composition of the present invention contains an enzyme belonging to the tannase family. Examples of enzymes belonging to the tannase family include tannase and some ferulic acid esterases. The classification of the tannase family is based on, for example, the ESTER database (http: / / bioweb.supagro.inra.fr / ESTHER / general?what=index, searched February 2, 2022), which classifies ester hydrolases. In the present invention, it is preferable to contain tannase as an enzyme belonging to the tannase family, in order to impart a tannase activity of 0.1 kU / g or more and 60 kU / g or less per 1 g of flour to the flour composition. In the present invention, the enzyme belonging to the tannase family may have other enzymatic activity, such as ferulic acid esterase, in addition to tannase activity.

[0013] The flour composition of the present invention contains an enzyme belonging to the tannase family and has tannase activity due to the presence of this enzyme. Here, tannase activity as used herein means the activity of acting on and hydrolyzing molecules having depside bonds, such as tannic acid, gallic acid esters, digallic acid, gallotannins, and ellagitannins. The level of enzyme activity is not particularly limited, as long as the flour composition of the present invention has a tannase activity of "0.1 kU / g or more and 60 kU / g or less."

[0014] One of the reasons why the flour composition of the present invention has the above-mentioned tannase activity and can improve the physical properties and texture of dough is thought to be that enzymes belonging to the tannase family cleave polyphenols and ferulic acid, one of these, and the reduction of polyphenols and ferulic acid improves the hydrophobic interaction between proteins. Also, one of the reasons why the flour composition of the present invention has the above-mentioned tannase activity and can reduce astringency and odor is thought to be that the astringency is made less noticeable by breaking down polymers of polyphenols, which are one of the substances that cause astringency.

[0015] The grain flour composition of the present invention has a tannase activity of 0.1 kU / g or more per gram of flour, thereby enabling dough foods such as bakery foods and noodles made with the grain flour composition to reduce the harsh taste and odor, such as bran odor, of flours with relatively high ash content, such as whole wheat flour, bran, and brown rice. Furthermore, the aforementioned dough foods are more likely to have elastic and / or extensible dough properties and a soft, resilient, or sticky texture. As used herein, dough properties can be evaluated as the texture felt when handling the dough. Furthermore, the grain flour composition of the present invention has a tannase activity of 60 kU / g or less per gram of flour, enabling dough foods made with the grain flour composition to fully achieve the effects of reducing the harsh taste and bran odor of flours with relatively high ash content, and achieving elastic and / or extensible dough properties and a soft, resilient, or sticky texture, while keeping the product price low. From this viewpoint, the tannase activity in the flour composition is preferably 0.1 kU / g or more and 60 kU / g or less per 1 g of flour, more preferably 0.3 kU / g or more and 13 kU / g or less, and particularly preferably 0.7 kU / g or more and 6.0 kU / g or less.

[0016] The tannase activity of a cereal flour composition is measured by the following method. <Method for measuring tannase activity> The tannase activity of a cereal flour composition is measured using a modified version of Deschamps' method (J.Ferment.Technol.61[1] 55-59, 1983). (1) 0.5 g of wheat flour mixed with an enzyme belonging to the tannase family is dispersed in 10 ml of 50 mM citrate buffer (pH 5.0), extracted for 30 minutes at 125 rpm at 37°C, and centrifuged at 4700 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain the supernatant. (2) 0.5 ml of the resulting supernatant was added to 0.5 mL of 50 mM citrate buffer (pH 5.0) containing 1% by weight tannic acid (ACS Reagent [SIGMA]), and the mixture was incubated at 37°C for 30 minutes. The reaction was then stopped by adding 0.2 M acetate buffer (pH 5.0) containing 2% by weight BSA. The mixture was then left to stand on ice for 20 minutes, centrifuged at 3,000 rpm for 20 minutes, and the supernatant was collected. The supernatant was diluted appropriately and its absorbance at 260 nm was measured. (3) As a blank, 0.5 g of wheat flour to which no tannase enzymes had been added was treated in the same manner as in (1) and (2) above, and the absorbance of the resulting solution was measured. (4) The absorbance of the wheat flour blank obtained in (3) was subtracted from the absorbance of the sample in (2), and this was used as the absorbance of each sample. A calibration curve was prepared using gallic acid, and the amount of enzyme that liberates 1 μmol of gallic acid per minute was defined as 1 unit. Activity measurements were performed in triplicate, and the average value was calculated.

[0017] The flour used for measuring tannase activity is preferably "Million" (trade name, manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.). A flour composition is considered to have tannase activity if it contains an amount of an enzyme belonging to the tannase family per gram of flour that results in a tannase activity of 0.1 kU / g to 60 kU / g per gram of flour when measured by the above method. Instead of using the standard wheat flour described above, the inventors actually measured the difference in absorbance before and after enzyme addition for the flours of each example using the same method as above, and confirmed that the actual measured value based on the difference in absorbance also yields the same activity as shown in the examples, thus satisfying the activity value of 0.1 kU / g to 60 kU / g.

[0018] The flour composition of the present invention preferably contains an enzyme belonging to the tannase family in an amount of 10 ppm to 10,000 ppm by mass relative to the total amount of flour. By containing 10 ppm or more of an enzyme belonging to the tannase family in a flour composition, dough foods using the flour composition can more effectively reduce the harsh taste and bran odor of flours with relatively high ash content, such as whole wheat flour, bran, and brown rice. Furthermore, by containing 10 ppm or more of an enzyme belonging to the tannase family in a flour composition relative to the total amount of flour, dough foods using the flour composition can effectively achieve a soft, elastic, and sticky texture.

[0019] Furthermore, the flour composition of the present invention contains an enzyme belonging to the tannase family in an amount of 10,000 ppm or less by mass relative to the total amount of flour, which makes it easier to reduce harshness and bran odor and to further improve the physical properties and texture of the dough. From this perspective, the flour composition of the present invention preferably contains an enzyme belonging to the tannase family in an amount of 10 ppm to 10,000 ppm by mass relative to the total amount of flour, and considering the effect and the increase in cost due to the addition of the enzyme, it is more preferable to contain an enzyme belonging to the tannase family in an amount of 50 ppm to 2,000 ppm, and particularly preferable to contain an enzyme in an amount of 100 ppm to 1,000 ppm.

[0020] It is preferable that the tannase family enzymes used in the present invention are not modified enzymes that have been modified to obtain the ability to simultaneously hydrolyze nonpolar lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids. Examples of enzyme modifications include enzyme modification by random mutagenesis (U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,331, WO 93 / 01285, and WO 95 / 22615) and enzyme modification by site-directed mutagenesis (WO 97 / 04079). In other words, modification involves artificially inserting, deleting, or substituting amino acids within the structural portion of the amino acid chain of the enzyme.

[0021] The enzymes belonging to the tannase family used in the present invention can be derived from actinomycetes, filamentous fungi, and bacteria, and are particularly preferably derived from Aspergillus oryzae (koji mold) in terms of availability and cost.

[0022] As described above, the enzyme belonging to the tannase family may be derived from a microorganism, but it is preferable that it is isolated and purified from a microorganism from the viewpoint of purity. For example, when an enzyme belonging to the tannase family is contained in a grain flour composition, it is preferable that the enzyme is not contained in the sake lees from the viewpoint of purity and the content of contaminating enzymes.

[0023] Furthermore, the flour composition of the present invention is preferably obtained by directly mixing the tannase family enzyme with other raw materials, as this allows for uniform mixing and allows the enzyme to function. Examples of other raw materials include raw flour such as cereal flour and water. For example, the flour composition of the present invention preferably does not contain a processed product obtained by a method comprising: a) adding water to a particulate cereal bran fraction to obtain a moisture content of less than 100% (w / w); and b) treating the water-added particulate cereal bran fraction with an enzyme belonging to the tannase family. Here, "fine particle" refers to an average particle size of less than 3000 μm. The average particle size here refers to the volume-cumulative particle size D50 at 50% cumulative volume when measured dry using a laser diffraction / scattering particle size distribution analyzer. Furthermore, the flour composition of the present invention preferably does not contain the tannase family enzyme as an enzyme-treated product of amla. Furthermore, it is also preferred that the flour composition of the present invention does not contain an enzyme belonging to the tannase family as an enzyme-treated product of tea or tea extract, or an enzyme-treated product of vanilla beans or vanilla bean extract. Furthermore, it is also preferred that the flour composition of the present invention is not obtained by mixing raw tea leaves or a processed product thereof whose enzyme activity is intact with grain flour. The processed raw tea leaves include crushed raw tea leaves obtained by crushing raw tea leaves directly or in the presence of water, a slurry preparation prepared by preparing the crushed raw tea leaves into a slurry, or a tea leaf extract and tea leaf extract residue obtained by solid-liquid separation thereof, and at least one selected from the group consisting of (1) crushed raw tea leaves, (2) a slurry preparation, (3) a tea leaf extract and tea leaf extract residue, (4) a tea leaf extract residue, (5) a tea leaf extract and an enzyme-deactivated tea leaf extract residue, (6) a tea leaf extract, and (7) an enzyme-deactivated tea leaf extract and tea leaf extract residue.

[0024] The flour composition of the present invention contains cereal flours. Examples of cereal flours include cereal flour, by-products produced during cereal flour production, and proteins derived from cereal flours. Examples of cereal flours include wheat flour such as soft flour, medium-strength flour, hard flour, and durum wheat flour, as well as buckwheat flour, rice flour, corn flour, barley flour, rye flour, pearl barley flour, oat flour, barnyard millet flour, foxtail millet flour, soy flour, and whole wheat flour of these cereal grains.

[0025] Examples of by-products in the production of cereal flour include bran.

[0026] Examples of grain-derived proteins include gluten.

[0027] The bran refers to cereal bran, and refers to the pericarp, seed coat, germ, and other parts that are produced when cereals are refined. In the present invention, the bran can be the remainder of cereal grains obtained by removing the endosperm during the milling process, or the remainder from which the germ has been further removed. Bran is also called rice bran. Wheat bran is also called bran.

[0028] The cereal flour is preferably one or more types selected from cereal flour, bran and gluten, more preferably contains cereal flour or bran, and particularly preferably contains cereal flour.

[0029] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of exerting the effects of enzymes belonging to the tannase family to form a soft, elastic or sticky texture, it is preferable that the total amount of flour and bran in the cereal flour is 70% by mass or more, and more preferably 80% by mass or more.

[0030] From the viewpoint of obtaining the effect of suppressing harsh tastes and odors by the enzymes belonging to the tannase family and forming elastic and / or extensible dough properties and a soft, elastic or sticky texture, when using cereal flour and bran in combination, the mass ratio of the two is preferably 100:10 to 50, more preferably 100:20 to 45, and particularly preferably 100:25 to 40, of cereal flour:bran.

[0031] In particular, from the viewpoint of easily forming elastic and / or extensible dough properties and a soft, elastic or sticky texture by utilizing the effects of enzymes belonging to the tannase family, it is preferable that the proportion of cereal flour in the cereal flour is 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 80% by mass or more.

[0032] For example, from the viewpoint of easily forming elastic and / or extensible dough properties and a soft, elastic or sticky texture by exerting the effects of enzymes belonging to the tannase family, when wheat flour or whole wheat flour is contained as the flour, the wheat flour or whole wheat flour preferably accounts for 50% by mass or more of the flour, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 80% by mass or more. Furthermore, when flour of a grain other than wheat is used as the flour, the amount of flour of the grain other than wheat may be 20% by mass or more of the flour, sometimes 50% by mass or more, sometimes 70% by mass or more, and particularly sometimes 80% by mass or more.

[0033] From the viewpoint of easily forming a texture and physical properties resembling those of dough foods by forming a protein skeleton, the cereal flour preferably contains wheat flour or whole wheat flour, or a cereal flour-derived protein such as gluten. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of easily forming a texture and physical properties resembling those of dough foods, when the cereal flour contains a cereal flour-derived protein, the proportion of the total amount of the cereal flour and the cereal flour-derived protein in the cereal flour is preferably 5% by mass or more, and more preferably 10% by mass or more.

[0034] Furthermore, in terms of ease of forming a skeleton and ease of obtaining a desired texture, when the cereal flour contains a cereal-derived protein, the mass ratio of the cereal flour to the cereal-flour-derived protein (flour:flour-derived protein) in the cereal flour is preferably 100:2 to 40, more preferably 100:5 to 10. In particular, when flour of a cereal other than wheat is used as the cereal flour, the mass ratio (flour of the cereal other than wheat:flour-derived protein) is preferably 100:2 to 40, more preferably 100:5 to 10.

[0035] Furthermore, as will be shown in the Examples below, in the present invention, the use of an enzyme belonging to the tannase family can improve not only the texture but also the physical properties of the dough. When cereal flour is used, the crude protein content is preferably 5 to 15% by mass, more preferably 7 to 13% by mass, in order to easily improve the texture and physical properties of the resulting dough. Examples of methods for measuring the crude protein content include the method described in JP 2012-254052 A.

[0036] From the viewpoint of exerting an effect of reducing the harsh taste and odor derived from cereal flour, it is preferable that the cereal flour composition contains at least one kind selected from whole wheat flour, bran, and cereal flour other than whole wheat flour having an ash content of 0.7% by mass or more. As the whole wheat flour referred to here, in the present invention, any whole wheat flour of the various cereal grains mentioned above can be used, but in terms of the quality of processed products, whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, whole barley flour, whole rye flour, etc. are particularly preferred. In particular, in the present invention, the use of whole wheat flour is preferable because it is easy to obtain the effect of improving the harsh taste caused by the harsh taste that is easily perceived when the present invention is not applied.

[0037] The ash content of whole grain flour is usually 0.7% by mass or more, preferably 0.7% by mass or more and 1.8% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 0.7% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less.

[0038] In addition, in the present invention, bran can be used without limitation from wheat, barley, adlay, oats, rye, and other cereals, as well as rice and miscellaneous grain bran. However, the use of wheat bran is particularly preferred because it is more likely to improve the harshness that is perceived when the present invention is not applied. Wheat bran is sometimes called bran. The ash content of bran (cereal bran) is usually 0.7% by mass or more, may be 2.0% by mass or more, and is preferably 7.0% by mass or less.

[0039] Examples of flours other than whole wheat flour having an ash content of 0.7% by mass or more include those having an ash content of 0.7% by mass or more among the various flours listed above, such as wheat flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour, corn flour, barley flour, rye flour, pearl millet flour, oat flour, barnyard millet flour, foxtail millet flour, soy flour, etc. Examples of wheat flour include Aotori (Nissin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.), Duelio (Nissin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.), and durum wheat semolina flour.

[0040] In order to achieve the effect of reducing the bitter taste and bran odor, it is preferable that the proportion of whole wheat flour, bran, and other flours with an ash content of 0.7% by mass or more in the flour composition be 20% by mass or more, more preferably 30% by mass or more, and even more preferably 50% by mass or more.

[0041] The ash content of the cereal flour in the cereal flour composition is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 0.7% by mass or more, as this is highly effective in reducing harsh taste and bran odor. The ash content of the cereal flour is preferably 3.0% by mass or less, more preferably 2.0% by mass or less.

[0042] The flour composition may or may not contain other ingredients in addition to the flours and enzymes belonging to the tannase family. If it does contain other ingredients, such ingredients may include, for example, starches, sugars, oils and fats, proteins other than those derived from flour such as powdered milk and dried eggs, salt, leavening agents, yeast, thickeners, emulsifiers, eggshell calcium, enzymes, flavoring agents, spices, colorings, and fragrances.

[0043] The proportion of cereal flour in the cereal flour composition is preferably 20% by mass or more, as this reduces the astringent taste and odor caused by bran smell, and makes it easier to obtain elastic and / or extensible dough properties and a soft, elastic or sticky texture, and is more preferably 50% by mass or more.

[0044] The flour composition of the present invention can be used for various food doughs. Examples of food doughs include doughs for bakery foods, noodle doughs, and doughs for coating fried foods. Examples of dough foods using food doughs include bakery foods and noodles.

[0045] Examples of bakery food dough include fermented or unfermented doughs obtained by mixing a flour composition with water and, if necessary, auxiliary ingredients such as starch, yeast or leavening agents (e.g., baking powder), salt, and sugar. Bakery foods refer to foods obtained by subjecting the aforementioned bakery food dough to heat treatments such as baking, steaming, and frying. Specific examples of bakery foods and their doughs include breads; pizzas; cakes; Japanese and Western baked goods such as waffles, choux pastries, biscuits, dorayaki, and baked buns; steamed sweets such as Chinese buns and curry buns; fried sweets such as donuts; and snacks such as okonomiyaki, chijimi, and negiyaki, as well as their doughs. Examples of breads include white bread, sweet buns, French bread, hard rolls, baguettes, and pastries. Examples of cakes include bars, cookies, pancakes, and hotcakes.

[0046] Noodle dough is obtained by kneading a flour composition with water, and, if necessary, auxiliary ingredients such as salt and starches, and includes dough that is formed into a noodle shape by rolling and then molding, or by extrusion molding. Noodles are obtained by drying the noodle dough or by heating it by boiling, steaming, frying, or the like. Specific examples of noodles and their doughs include soba, udon, hiyamugi, Chinese noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, ravioli, noodle wrappers such as spring roll wrappers and gyoza wrappers, and the doughs thereof.

[0047] Raw materials other than enzymes belonging to the tannase family and cereal flours that are used in food dough include starches (starch and modified starch), sugars, fats and oils, proteins such as powdered milk and dried eggs, salt, leavening agents, yeast, thickeners, emulsifiers, eggshell calcium, enzymes, flavoring agents, spices, colorings, fragrances, water, eggs, liquid milk, etc.

[0048] From the viewpoint of reducing a harsh taste and bran odor, and enhancing the effects of improving elastic and extensible dough properties and soft, elastic or sticky texture, in a food dough using the grain flour composition of the present invention, the grain flours derived from the grain flour composition preferably account for a total of 20% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, and even more preferably 50% by mass or more. The amount of grain flours derived from the grain flour composition may be any amount that ensures the amounts of other ingredients, and for example, in a food dough, it is preferably 85% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less.

[0049] A method for preparing food dough using the grain flour composition of the present invention includes, for example, mixing the grain flour composition with other ingredients, such as water and, if necessary, other ingredients, to form a dough.

[0050] The dough food of the present invention is particularly preferably a bakery food or a noodle food, which can suitably enhance the effects of reducing harshness and bran odor and improving elastic and / or extensible dough properties and soft, elastic or sticky texture. In particular, confectioneries selected from breads, pizzas, steamed sweets, hotcakes, donuts, dorayaki, sponge cakes, butter cakes, pancakes, and muffins, or noodles, are preferred, in terms of the ease with which the effects of improving elastic and / or extensible dough properties and soft, elastic or sticky texture can be obtained. Furthermore, in terms of the ease with which the harshness and bran odor can be reduced, the flour composition of the present invention can be used without any particular limitation for heated applications, but confectioneries selected from breads, pizzas, steamed sweets, hotcakes, donuts, dorayaki, sponge cakes, butter cakes, pancakes, and muffins, or noodles, are preferred, in terms of the remarkable effects of improving elastic and / or extensible dough properties and texture.

[0051] In particular, it is particularly preferable that the dough food is bread, since the dough has good extensibility and elasticity. According to the present invention, the dough has high extensibility, so that the volume of bakery foods such as bread can be increased.

[0052] From the viewpoint of easily obtaining a soft, elastic or sticky texture improvement effect and further enhancing the elastic and sticky dough properties, the moisture content of food dough containing the cereal flour composition is preferably 15 to 70% by mass, more preferably 15 to 50% by mass, and even more preferably 20 to 30% by mass. The moisture content of the dough can be measured, for example, by a heat drying method in which a sample is dried at 135°C for 2 hours or at 105°C for 5 hours, and the moisture content is calculated from the change in weight before and after drying. Note that even if the value falls within the above-mentioned range when dried under either the condition of 2 hours at 135°C or the condition of 5 hours at 105°C, but not when dried under the other condition, it is still considered to fall within the numerical range.

[0053] (Example 1) Whole wheat flour (trade name "Superfine Hard" manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd., ash content 1.5% by mass) was used as the flour. Tannase manufactured by Amano Enzyme Inc. (trade name "Tannase-KTFHR", tannase No. 1) was used as the enzyme belonging to the tannase family. The tannase was mixed with whole wheat flour in an amount of 10 ppm by mass to prepare a flour composition. The tannase activity of the flour composition was the amount shown in Table 1, as determined by the above-mentioned method. The "percentage (%)" in Table 1 indicates the mass ratio of the total amount of flour (the same applies to Tables 2 to 5).

[0054] (Examples 2 to 8, 10) Grain flour compositions were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the grain flours were changed to those shown in Table 1 and the amount of tannase added relative to the total amount of grain flour was changed to the amount shown in Table 1. The tannase activity of the grain flour compositions examined by the above method is also shown in Table 1. Details of the grain flours used in Examples 5 to 8 and 10 are as follows. - Whole rye flour: trade name "Are Fine", Fresh Food Service, ash content 1.5 mass% - Wheat flour 1: trade name "Million", Nisshin Flour Milling, ash content 0.4 mass% - Wheat flour 2: Strong wheat was used as the raw material and milled in a Buhler test mill at a yield of 850‰ to prepare wheat flour with an ash content of 0.75 mass%, which was used as wheat flour 2. Wheat bran: Product name "Wheat Bran M", Fresh Food Service, ash content 5.9% by mass Wheat gluten: Product name "Super Glu 85H", Nippon Colloid, ash content 1.2% by mass Whole barley flour: Product name "Barley Flour", Hakubaku, ash content 1.7% by mass Brown rice flour: Product name "Brown Rice Flour", Mitake Foods, ash content 1.2% by mass

[0055] (Example 9) Instead of Tannase No. 1, Tannase manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Corporation (trade name "Tannase", Tannase No. 2 listed in Table 1) was used as an enzyme belonging to the tannase family and mixed with whole wheat flour in the amount listed in Table 1. Except for this, a flour composition was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1.

[0056] (Comparative Examples 1 to 6) In Comparative Examples 1 to 6, the enzyme was not mixed with the cereal flour, and the cereal flours listed in Table 1 were used as the cereal flour compositions of the comparative examples. The cereal flours in Table 1 were the same as those used in Examples 1, 5 to 8, and 10, respectively.

[0057] The grain flour compositions of Examples 1 to 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 6 were subjected to the following bread-making evaluation. [Evaluation 1: Bread] 320 g of the grain flour composition to be evaluated (based on the grain flour) was added to the mixing bowl of a commercially available bread mixer (Dalton Co., Ltd., Universal Mixer Model 5DM-03-r), along with 8 g of salt, 32 g of sugar, 9.2 g of fresh yeast (Oriental Yeast, manufactured by Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.), and approximately 190 to 260 g of water to achieve appropriate dough properties. A mixing step was then carried out to prepare bread dough. Specifically, the mixture was mixed at low speed for 4 minutes, then at high speed for 2 minutes, and then 16 g of oil was added and mixed at low speed for 4 minutes, followed by kneading at high speed for 1 minute (kneading temperature 27°C). The dough thus obtained was fermented for 1 hour at a temperature of 27°C and a relative humidity of 75%, then divided into 450g portions and rested for 30 minutes. The dough was then shaped into loaves and packed into bread molds. The dough was then proofed for 60 minutes (in an atmosphere of 38°C and a relative humidity of 85%), and baked at 200°C for 30 minutes to obtain bread.

[0058] The resulting bread was allowed to cool at room temperature for 18 to 27 hours, after which 10 expert panelists evaluated the astringency, bran odor, and texture (softness and elasticity) according to the following criteria. The average evaluation scores are shown in Table 1. (Astringency) 1: Very strong astringency. 2: Astringency. 3: Slight astringency. 4: Slight astringency. 5: No astringency.

[0059] (Bran odor) 1: Very strong bran odor. 2: Bran odor is noticeable. 3: Slight bran odor is noticeable. 4: Slight bran odor is noticeable. 5: No bran odor is noticeable.

[0060] (Texture (softness / elasticity)) 1: Hard and not elastic. 2: Slightly hard and not elastic. 3: Slightly soft and somewhat elastic. 4: Soft and elastic. 5: Very soft and very elastic.

[0061]

[0062] As can be seen from the comparisons in Table 1 between Examples 1 to 4, 9 and Comparative Example 1, Example 5 and Comparative Example 2, Example 6 and Comparative Example 3, Example 7 and Comparative Example 4, Example 8 and Comparative Example 5, and Example 10 and Comparative Example 6, by adding an enzyme belonging to the tannase family to achieve an activity of 0.1 to 60 kU / g, the harsh taste and bran odor of the flour were reduced, and the soft and elastic texture was improved.

[0063] (Examples 11 to 13) The flour composition obtained in Example 3 was used as the flour composition of Examples 11 to 13 as it was.

[0064] Comparative Example 7 The flour composition obtained in Comparative Example 1 was used as the flour composition of Comparative Example 7 as is.

[0065] The cereal flour compositions of Examples 11 to 13 and the cereal flour composition of Comparative Example 7 were subjected to the following noodle-making evaluation. [Evaluation 2: Noodles] To the cereal flour composition to be tested, 1 part by mass of salt and 40 parts by mass of water were added to 100 parts by mass of the cereal flour of the cereal flour composition, and mixed at low speed in a mixer (manufactured by Hobart) for 5 minutes. The resulting crumbly noodle dough was gathered together in a noodle-making roll, combined, rolled, and made into noodle strands 3 mm thick and 4 mm wide. The resulting noodle strands were aged at 25°C for the time shown in Table 2. The resulting noodle strands were boiled for 11 minutes and cooled in cold water. The resulting noodles were evaluated for harshness and bran odor according to the evaluation criteria described above, and for texture (softness and stickiness) according to the evaluation criteria described below. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0066] (Texture (softness / stickiness)) 1: Hard and brittle. 2: Slightly hard and slightly brittle. 3: Slightly soft and slightly sticky. 4: Soft and sticky. 5: Very soft and very sticky.

[0067]

[0068] As can be seen from the comparison between Example 11 and Comparative Example 7 in Table 2, by adding an enzyme belonging to the tannase family to achieve an activity of 0.1 to 60 kU / g, the harsh taste of grain flour and bran odor were suppressed, and the softness and stickiness of the noodles were improved, even during noodle production.

[0069] (Example 14) The flour composition obtained in Example 3 was used as the flour composition of Example 14 as it was.

[0070] Comparative Example 8 The flour composition obtained in Comparative Example 1 was used as the flour composition of Comparative Example 8 as it was.

[0071] The grain flour composition of Example 14 and the grain flour composition of Comparative Example 8 were subjected to the following confectionery evaluation. [Evaluation 3: Confectionery (Pancake)] 12.5 g of white sugar and 2.5 g of baking powder were mixed with the grain flour composition to be evaluated (50 g of grain flour (cereal flours)). Then, 5 g of salad oil, 15 g of whole egg liquid, 40 g of milk, and 30 g of water were added to a bowl as liquid ingredients. The mixture was hand-mixed with a whisk at 120 rpm for 1 minute, allowed to rest for 10 minutes, and baked at 180°C for 3 minutes on the top and 2 minutes on the bottom. The baked product was allowed to cool at 27°C for 30 minutes. The resulting pancakes were used for the following evaluations. The resulting pancakes were evaluated for acrid taste and bran odor according to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, and their texture (softness and elasticity) was also evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0072] (Texture (softness / elasticity) 1: Hard and not elastic. 2: Slightly hard and not elastic. 3: Slightly soft and elastic. 4: Soft and elastic. 5: Very soft and very elastic.

[0073]

[0074] As shown in the comparison between Example 14 and Comparative Example 8 in Table 3, by using a flour composition containing an enzyme belonging to the tannase family and having an activity of 0.1 to 60 kU / g, the bitter taste and bran smell of the flour were suppressed, and the softness and elasticity of the pancakes were improved.

[0075] [Evaluation 4: Bread] The flour compositions of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1 were each subjected to the bread-making process described above in [Evaluation 1: Bread making] to obtain bread. The dough texture of the obtained bread during production was evaluated according to the following criteria. The volume (cc) of the bread was also measured 2 hours after production. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0076] The texture of the dough was evaluated for extensibility and elasticity when rolling and shaping, according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 4. (Texture of dough) 1: Poor extensibility and elasticity. 2: Slightly poor extensibility and elasticity. 3: Extensibility and elasticity. 4: Slightly good extensibility and elasticity. 5: Good extensibility and elasticity.

[0077] As is clear from the comparison of Examples 1 to 4 with Comparative Example 1 in Table 4, by using a flour composition containing an enzyme belonging to the tannase family and having an activity of 0.1 to 60 kU / g, the elasticity, extensibility and volume of the dough could be improved.

[0078] (Examples 15 to 18) The same tannase No. 1 used in Example 1 was added to wheat flour (trade name "Million", Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) in the amount (by mass) shown in Table 5 and mixed. The enzyme activity of the resulting flour composition was measured by the method described above. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0079] Comparative Example 9 In Comparative Example 9, no enzyme was added to wheat flour, and wheat flour (trade name "Million", Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) was used as a grain flour composition.

[0080] The flour compositions of Examples 15 to 18 and Comparative Example 9 were each subjected to the bread-making process described above in [Evaluation 1: Bread making] to obtain bread. The texture of the obtained bread was evaluated according to the criteria of Evaluation 1, and the texture of the dough during production was evaluated according to the criteria of Evaluation 4. The volume (cc) of the bread was also measured 2 hours after production. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0081]

[0082] As is clear from the comparison of Examples 15 to 18 with Comparative Example 9 in Table 5, by using a flour composition containing an enzyme belonging to the tannase family and having an activity of 0.1 to 60 kU / g, the elasticity, extensibility and volume of the dough could be improved.

[0083] (Comparative Example 10, Examples 19 and 20) Grain flour compositions were prepared according to the compositions shown in Table 6 below (composition units: parts by mass). In Table 6, wheat flour was Otion (Nissin Flour Milling, ash content 0.52% by mass), buckwheat flour was Kameju H (Nikkoku Flour Milling Co., Ltd., ash content 1.8% by mass), wheat bran was SF Bran (Nissin Flour Milling, ash content 6.0% by mass), and wheat gluten was A-Glu G (Glico Nutrition Foods Co., Ltd., ash content 0.7% by mass). 38 parts by mass of 5% by mass saline solution was added to 100 parts by mass of the resulting grain flour composition, and the mixture was mixed at low speed in a mixer for 5 minutes to obtain a crumbly dough. The resulting dough was passed through a roll to obtain a noodle sheet, which was then combined and rolled, and then cut into a thickness of 1.28 mm using a 16-sided cutting blade. The resulting noodles were dried in a dryer at approximately 35°C for 10 hours to obtain dried noodles. 50 g of dried noodles were boiled in 1 L of water for 7 minutes, cooled in running water for 1 minute, drained, and then tasted by three panelists. The noodles were evaluated for bran odor (smell of bran) according to the evaluation criteria below, as well as the roughness felt in the mouth when eating, according to the evaluation criteria below. No noodle soup or the like was used. The average evaluation scores are shown in Table 6.

[0084] <Roughness> 1 point: Very strong roughness. 2 points: Roughness is felt. 3 points: Not much roughness is felt. 4 points: Almost no roughness is felt. 5 points: No roughness is felt.

[0085]

[0086] (Comparative Example 11, Examples 21-23) Grain flour compositions were prepared according to the compositions shown in Table 7 below (composition units: parts by mass). In Table 7, the durum semolina used was durum wheat semolina (Leone G: Nisshin Flour Milling, ash content 0.72% by mass), the wheat bran used in the Examples in Table 6, and the wheat gluten used was WEIPRO (Sunbright, ash content 1.0% by mass). 27 parts by mass of water were added to 100 parts by mass of the resulting grain flour composition, and the mixture was mixed in a mixer for 8 minutes. Within 15 minutes, vacuum-extruded noodle strands were extruded using a MAC30 pasta molding machine manufactured by ITALPAST and flash-frozen after extrusion. After thawing, the noodle strands were boiled to a flour yield of 225%, cooled in water, and flash-frozen. After heating and thawing in a microwave oven, five panelists evaluated the bran odor and harsh taste according to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, and also evaluated the texture (softness and elasticity) according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0087] (Texture (softness / elasticity)) 1: Hard and not elastic. 2: Slightly hard and not elastic. 3: Slightly soft and somewhat elastic. 4: Soft and elastic. 5: Very soft and very elastic.

[0088]

[0089] (Comparative Example 12, Examples 24-26) A flour composition was prepared by mixing whole wheat flour, tannase (only in the Examples), granulated sugar, and baking powder according to the composition shown in Table 8 below (composition units: parts by mass). The other ingredients shown in Table 8 were added to the flour composition, and the dough was mixed using a beater at low speed for 2 minutes and high speed for 2 minutes. The kneading temperature was 25°C. The resulting dough was shaped in a doughnut-making machine, and a plunger cutter was used to make ring-shaped doughnuts with an inner diameter of 41 mm (30 g dough weight per doughnut). The dough was fried at 180°C for 1 minute, inverted, and fried for another 1 minute. Superfine Soft (Nissin Flour Milling Co., Ltd., ash content: 1.5% by mass) was used as the whole wheat flour. The resulting doughnuts were evaluated for harshness and bran odor 24 hours after frying using the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 8.

[0090]

[0091] (Comparative Examples 13 and 14, Examples 27 and 28) The ingredients for the middle dough of the composition shown in Table 9 below (composition units: parts by mass) were mixed and mixed at low speed for 7 minutes and at medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes (kneading temperature: 24 ° C). Fermentation was carried out for 4 hours at 27 ° C and 75% relative humidity to obtain a sponge dough. Furthermore, the ingredients for the main dough, including flour, enzymes (only in the examples), salt, white sugar, and skim milk powder, and oils and fats were added to the sponge dough, and other ingredients were added. The dough was then kneaded for 10 minutes at low speed, 5 minutes at medium-low speed, and 1-2 minutes at medium-high speed (kneading temperature: 27 ° C). The bread dough thus obtained was fermented for 20 hours at a temperature of 27 ° C and a relative humidity of 75%, then divided into 250 g portions, shaped, packed, fermented for 50 minutes at 38 ° C and a relative humidity of 85%, and baked at 230 ° C for 40 minutes. 24 hours after baking, the resulting bread was evaluated for harshness and bran odor by five panelists using the above-mentioned evaluation criteria, and the texture of the dough during production was also evaluated using the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 9. The whole wheat flour and gluten used were the same as those used in the Examples in Table 1. The wheat bran used was "Wheat Bran MP" (Fresh Food Service, ash content 5.9% by mass). The wheat flour used was the same as that used as Wheat Flour 1 in the Examples in Table 1. The dough improver used was "C Anti S" (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.). The yeast used was regular yeast (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.), and the emulsifier used was "MM-100" (Riken Vitamin).

[0092] (Texture of fabric) 1: Poor extensibility and elasticity. 2: Slightly poor extensibility and elasticity. 3: Extensibility and elasticity. 4: Slightly good extensibility and elasticity. 5: Good extensibility and elasticity.

[0093]

[0094] (Comparative Example 15, Example 29) A cereal flour composition was prepared by mixing cereal flours and Tannase No. 1 (Example only) from the compositions shown in Table 10 below (composition units: parts by mass). The other ingredients were then added and mixed at low speed for 7 minutes, medium-low speed for 7 minutes, and medium-high speed for 1-3 minutes. The kneading temperature was 24°C. The mixture was fermented for 10 minutes, divided into 200g portions, and rested at 4°C for 8-12 hours before being rolled out into a circle with a diameter of 28cm. The topping was added and baked at 450°C for 1 minute 30 seconds. One hour after baking, the pizzas were evaluated for bitterness, bran odor, and texture using the same evaluation criteria as in the example in Table 9 above. The results are shown in Table 10. In Table 10 below, "Risd'or" (Nissin Flour Milling, ash content 0.45% by mass) was used as the French bread flour, and the other ingredients were the same as in the examples in Table 9.

[0095]

[0096] (Comparative Example 16, Example 30) The ingredients for the intermediate dough shown in Table 11 below (composition units: parts by mass) were mixed and mixed at low speed for 5 minutes and at medium-low speed for 2 minutes (kneading temperature: 24°C). Fermentation was carried out for 60 minutes at 27°C and 75% relative humidity to obtain a sponge dough. Furthermore, a mixture of cereal flours and enzymes (only in the Examples) from the ingredients for the main dough was added as a flour composition to the sponge dough, along with other ingredients, and the mixture was kneaded at low speed for 10 minutes, medium-low speed for 10 minutes, and medium-high speed for 1 to 3 minutes (kneading temperature: 25°C). The resulting meat bun dough was divided into 65g portions, shaped, filled, fermented for 40 minutes at 50°C and 40% relative humidity, and steamed at 100°C. The resulting meat buns were evaluated according to the same criteria as in Table 9 above. The results are shown in Table 11. The wheat flour (Camellia) is manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling under the trade name "Camellia" and has an ash content of 0.37% by mass. The wheat flour (Flour) is manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling under the trade name "Flour" and has an ash content of 0.44% by mass. The wheat bran used was the same as that used in the Examples in Table 1. The dough improver used was "C Anti S" (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.), and the yeast and emulsifier used were the same as those used in the Examples in Table 9.

[0097]

[0098] (Comparative Example 17, Example 31) 140 parts by weight of water, 1 part by weight of salt, and an enzyme belonging to the tannase family (only in the Examples) were added to 100 parts by weight of whole wheat flour (manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd., product name "Superfine Hard") in the amounts specified for the test plots, and the mixture was kneaded to obtain a fluid dough. The fluid dough was then baked on the drum surface of a drum-type baking machine to produce spring roll wrappers with a thickness of 0.5 to 0.55 mm. In both Comparative Example 17 and Example 31, the fluid dough was somewhat brittle or sticky during baking in the noodle skin-forming step, but there were no particular problems with workability. Spring rolls were produced using the spring roll wrappers obtained in Comparative Example 17 and Example 31. Specifically, spring roll wrappers were cut into 190 mm x 190 mm pieces, pre-cooked ingredients were placed on the cut spring roll wrappers, and the pieces were rolled up to obtain spring rolls for frying. The spring rolls for frying were completely frozen at -40°C and then frozen and stored at -20°C. The frozen spring rolls were then fried in salad oil at 170 to 180°C and immediately subjected to a texture sensory test after frying. The texture sensory test was conducted by having 10 panelists evaluate the harshness and bran odor of the spring rolls when eating them based on the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. The evaluation results (average scores of the 10 panelists) are shown in Table 12 below.

[0099]

[0100] (Comparative Example 18, Example 32) 100 parts by weight of whole wheat flour (Nissin Flour Milling Co., Ltd., product name "Superfine Hard") was mixed with 1 part by weight of salt, 35 parts by weight of water (water temperature 10-15°C), and an enzyme belonging to the tannase family (Examples only) according to the amount added in the test plot. The mixture was then kneaded at low speed for 10 minutes at room temperature using a vertical mixer to prepare gyoza skin dough. The resulting dough was rolled to produce gyoza skins approximately 0.9 mm thick and 90 mm in diameter. Approximately 15 g of gyoza filling was placed on the prepared gyoza skin, and the filling was then wrapped in the skin according to standard methods to produce fresh gyoza. Oil was added to a frying pan, and the gyoza were arranged. 20 g of water per gyoza was added, covered, and steamed. After frying for 7-8 minutes, the lid was opened to remove the water, and oil was added to brown the gyoza. Thirty minutes after baking, the gyoza were evaluated for harshness and bran odor by 10 expert panelists according to the above criteria. The average evaluation scores are shown in Table 13.

[0101]

[0102] (Comparative Example 19, Examples 33-35) A flour composition was prepared by mixing the mixed flour and tannase (only in the Examples) from the ingredients in Table 14 (composition units are parts by mass). Next, the ingredients other than the fat and oil were mixed and mixed at low speed for 3 minutes, medium speed for 9 minutes, and high speed for 4 minutes. After adding the fat and oil, the mixture was further mixed at medium speed for 5 minutes and high speed for 5 minutes (kneading temperature: 27°C). After dividing into 50g portions, the mixture was benched at room temperature for 20 minutes, rolled, and then fermented at 35°C and 85% relative humidity for 65 minutes. The resulting bread was then baked at 210°C for 8 minutes. The resulting bread was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 14. "4LCB-2" (Nissin Flour Milling Premix, ash content 2.8% by mass) was used as the soy flour-containing mixed flour. The ash content of the soy flour was 5.2% by mass.

[0103] (Dough properties) 1 point: Very strong elasticity, no stretch. 2 points: Elastic, no stretch. 3 points: Elastic, but some stretch. 4 points: Somewhat elastic, but stretch. 5 points: No elasticity, good stretch. (Bitter taste) 1 point: Very strong bitter taste. 2 points: Strong bitter taste. 3 points: Slightly strong bitter taste. 4 points: Little bitter taste. 5 points: No bitter taste.

[0104]

[0105] The present invention provides a flour composition that, when used in dough foods such as noodles or bakery foods, can reduce the harsh taste caused by cereal flours and the odor caused by seed coats. The present invention also provides a flour composition that, when used in dough foods such as noodles or bakery foods, can improve the extensibility and / or elasticity of the dough and can provide a soft, elastic or sticky texture.

Claims

Claim 1 A flour composition containing cereal flours and an enzyme belonging to the tannase family, wherein the activity of tannase per 1 g of the cereal flours is 0.1 kU / g or more and 60 kU / g or less. Claim 2 The flour composition according to claim 1, containing the enzyme in an amount of 10 ppm or more and 10,000 ppm or less by mass based on the total amount of the cereal flours. Claim 3 The flour composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cereal flours include at least one selected from whole grain flours, bran, and flours having an ash content of 0.7% by mass or more other than whole grain flours. Claim 4 The flour composition according to claim 3, wherein the ash content of the cereal flours is 0.5% by mass or more. Claim 5 A dough food using the flour composition according to claim 1 or 2.