Method for manufacturing flavor oil

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method which enables efficient manufacture of fragrant flavor oil.　It has been discovered that, with an extruder and a die attached to a tip thereof, it is possible to obtain: a process for efficiently obtaining fragrant flavor oil in which flavor is retained without being volatilized; and fragrant flavor oil in which flavor is retained without being volatilized.

Description

Flavor oil manufacturing method

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a flavor oil.

[0002] As the trend toward replacing animal-based foods with plant-based ingredients continues to grow, customers are increasingly demanding that textured protein ingredients have a more meat-like, chewy texture and superior flavor. This is because the aroma of plants generally differs from that of animal-based foods, and eating them in the same way can be unnatural. For example, consumers eat plant-based hunger patties in the same way as meat, so the plant-derived grain odor can be unnatural. Therefore, many spices are used to mask the grain odor derived from plant proteins.

[0003] In various plant-based meat substitute foods and plant-based milk substitute foods, including the above-mentioned hamburger patty, there is a method of flavoring oil to improve the flavor and make them easier to eat. For example, oils and fats that retain a flavor can be produced by dissolving an oil-soluble flavoring or an encapsulated flavoring in oil and fat. Patent Document 1 describes a method for producing and applying encapsulated liquid flavor oil capsules. While dissolving such substances in oil and fat and using them is one method, the flavor is somewhat different from the aroma of the raw material.

[0004] On the other hand, there is also a method of transferring the aroma of food ingredients themselves into oils and fats as a way to naturally express the flavor of ingredients. A common example is flavored oils such as garlic oil and ginger oil, which are obtained by mixing food ingredients with oils and fats and heating and stirring them in a tank.

[0005] On the other hand, for the above foods, the process involves transferring aromas by heating, so if the temperature is too high, a burnt aroma will be transferred, the aroma components will evaporate during production, and the stirring of the tank will make productivity and cleaning difficult. Furthermore, to increase efficiency, finely crushed material can be used, but this requires an additional crushing step and the material must be left to settle, making it an inefficient process. Furthermore, the fineness of the material can sometimes cause problems during final separation.

[0006] JP-T-8-501441A JP-A-2004-194506 JP-A-2013-031434

[0007] To provide a method for efficiently producing flavor oil with a strong aroma.

[0008] In Patent Document 1, encapsulated flavorings are used, which is expected to have the property of making the aroma felt strongly when chewed, but because a specific aroma is strongly emitted when chewed, it is difficult to reproduce the natural aroma of food. Even if a normal flavoring is used, the aroma will be different from the aroma of the food material itself.

[0009] On the other hand, as mentioned above, continuous production is difficult with tank agitation, and productivity and cleanability are poor.

[0010] As described above, existing processes such as tank stirring are inefficient when producing flavor oils, and there is also the problem that the aroma is lost during heating and stirring. Therefore, there is a need for a process for efficiently obtaining fragrant flavor oils and the resulting fragrant flavor oils.

[0011] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a process that can lock in the aroma without volatilizing it, and a highly fragrant flavor oil obtained thereby.

[0012] As a result of extensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors discovered a process for efficiently obtaining fragrant flavor oils in which the aroma is trapped without volatilizing using an extruder and a die attached to the tip, and that fragrant flavor oils in which the aroma is trapped without volatilizing can be obtained, leading to the completion of the present invention.

[0013] That is, the present invention provides: (1) a method for producing a flavor oil, comprising the following steps (A) and (B): (A): a step of introducing raw materials containing a flavor material and fats and oils into an extruder, kneading and pressurizing and heating the mixture to obtain a kneaded mixture; (B): a step of extruding the kneaded mixture under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to obtain an extrudate, and separating the fats and oils from the extrudate to obtain a flavor oil; (2) a method for producing a flavor oil according to (1), wherein the raw materials contain 1 to 20% by weight of flavor material and 80 to 99% by weight of fats and oils; (3) a method for producing a flavor oil according to (1), wherein the flavor material has a moisture content of 0.1 to 70% by weight; (4) a method for producing a flavor oil according to (2), wherein the flavor material has a moisture content of 0.1 to 70% by weight; (5) a method for producing a flavor oil according to (1), wherein in the step (B), the die has a structure partially including a mesh, and the mesh separates the fats and oils from the extrudate; (6) A method for producing a flavor oil according to (2), wherein in step (B), the die has a structure that includes a mesh in part thereof, and the mesh separates the fat from the extrudate; (7) A method for producing a flavor oil according to (3), wherein in step (B), the die has a structure that includes a mesh in part thereof, and the mesh separates the fat from the extrudate; (8) A method for producing a flavor oil according to (4), wherein in step (B), the die has a structure that includes a mesh in part thereof, and the mesh separates the fat from the extrudate; (9) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (1) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (10) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (2) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (11) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (3) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (12) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the method according to (4) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (13) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the method according to (5) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (14) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the method according to (6) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (15) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the method according to (7) and adding the flavor oil to a food;(16) A method for producing a flavored food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (8) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (17) A method for imparting flavor to a food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (1) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (18) A method for imparting flavor to a food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (2) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (19) A method for imparting flavor to a food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (3) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (20) A method for imparting flavor to a food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (4) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (21) A method for imparting flavor to a food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (5) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (22) A method for imparting flavor to a food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (6) and adding the flavor oil to a food; (23) A method for imparting flavor to food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (7) and adding the flavor oil to food; and (24) A method for imparting flavor to food, which comprises producing a flavor oil by the production method according to (8) and adding the flavor oil to food.

[0014] The present invention makes it possible to realize a closed continuous production process that can trap aromas generated during production without letting them escape, thereby producing flavor oils with a rich aroma.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical die with mesh on the side.

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0017] (Method for Producing Flavor Oil) The method for producing a flavor oil of the present invention is characterized by comprising the following steps (A) and (B). (A): A step of introducing raw materials including a flavor material and fats and oils into an extruder, kneading and heating under pressure to obtain a kneaded mixture. (B): A step of extruding the kneaded mixture under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to obtain an extrudate, and separating the extrudate into fats and oils and insoluble matter to obtain a flavor oil. The flavor oil produced by the present invention can impart a desirable flavor and taste to foods. It can be used at various times, such as by pouring it over food just before eating to allow the aroma to be felt, or by kneading it into food to allow the aroma to be felt as the food is placed in the mouth and chewed, resulting in a wide range of applications.

[0018] On the other hand, due to the characteristics of oil, adding oil to foods often has a negative effect. For example, adding a lot of oil to a hamburger steak increases its juiciness, and using a flavor oil makes it more fragrant, but it may also make the texture soft and brittle. However, the flavor oil of the present invention has a strong aroma derived from the flavoring material, so it is possible to add a flavor to food even when only a small amount is added to the food.

[0019] Therefore, when the flavor oil of the present invention is added to foods such as hamburger steak, it has the advantage of making it easier to maintain a balance between juiciness, strong aroma, and texture.

[0020] (Extruder) The process of the present invention is carried out using an extruder. Extruders generally have a mechanism for feeding raw materials from a raw material supply port into a barrel using a screw disposed therein, and for kneading, pressurizing (compressing), and heating the raw materials. A die with holes of various shapes is attached to the tip (exit) of the barrel. There are no limitations on the extruder that can be used, and single-screw, twin-screw, or triple-screw or more extruders can be used. Among these, twin-screw extruders are preferably used. A common application is the texturing of dough. Protein materials and starch materials can be used to produce textured protein materials and puff materials. However, extruders have not been used in processes that involve adding large amounts of oil, flavoring, and finally separating the material.

[0021] In the present invention, we have investigated whether an extruder, which is normally used for texturing protein raw materials, can be applied to the production of flavor oils. As a result, we have found that fats and oils and flavor materials can be thoroughly mixed in a barrel, the aroma of the flavor material can be imparted to the fats and oils during mixing in the barrel, and that by subsequently separating the fats and oils, flavor oils with a good imparted flavor can be produced.

[0022] An example of an oil press is one that performs a similar process to an extruder. For example, an expeller manufactured by Suehiro EPM Co., Ltd. is available. While this expeller is equipped with a screw similar to that of an extruder and performs oil extraction, i.e., oil separation, the use of this expeller does not solve the problem of the present application. The reason for this is as follows: To extract oil from raw materials, solid materials such as soybeans and rapeseeds are fed into the expeller, and the oil is separated by compressing them with pressure toward the screw outlet. The expeller has a barrel structure with many holes from just after the raw material inlet to the screw outlet, and the oil squeezed from the solids can be efficiently separated through these holes. On the other hand, the present invention does not extract oil from a large amount of oil-containing solids and then separate the oil. Instead, a large amount of oil and a small amount of solids are fed, and the oil is then separated after imparting a flavor derived from the solids to the oil. If an expeller-like device were used for the purpose of the present invention, the flavored oil of the present invention would likely not be produced because the oil would separate from the holes in the barrel immediately after the raw materials were added, before the aroma derived from the solids could be imparted to the oil. Furthermore, the expeller is an open-system process, which also has the disadvantage of allowing the aroma to escape.

[0023] (Extruder Operating Conditions) (Flavor Oil Production Method: Step A) In flavor oil production, step (A) involves introducing raw materials containing a flavor material and fats and oils into an extruder, kneading and pressurizing and heating the materials to obtain a kneaded mixture. The conditions for supplying raw materials containing fats and oils and flavor materials to an extruder, kneading and pressurizing and heating the materials to obtain a kneaded mixture can be appropriately selected and adjusted based on known conditions. Non-limiting examples of heating conditions include a barrel outlet temperature of preferably 80 to 220°C, more preferably 90 to 150°C. While this temperature range generates a cooking aroma that can be perceived when cooking food materials, the extruder is a closed system, and the cooking aroma can also be incorporated into the oil. Furthermore, the pressurization conditions include a die pressure at the end of the barrel of preferably 0.2 to 10 MPa, more preferably 0.5 to 4 MPa. The amount of fat and oil in the input raw materials is preferably 80 to 99% by weight, more preferably 82 to 99% by weight. The amount of the flavoring material in the raw materials is preferably 1 to 20% by weight, more preferably 1 to 15% by weight.

[0024] (Flavor oil manufacturing method: Step B) The flavor oil manufacturing step (B) is a step of obtaining a flavor oil by extruding the kneaded material under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to obtain an extrudate, and separating the extrudate into fats and oils and insoluble matter.

[0025] (Die) In the present invention, the die installed at the outlet of the extruder can be, in one embodiment, a die that has been used in the production of textured protein materials and puffed products, or a cooling die used in the production of non-puffed textured protein materials. In another embodiment, the die of the present invention is preferably cylindrical, and more preferably a cylindrical die having a structure that includes a mesh in part. Cylindrical dies are preferred because the kneaded material extruded from the die is less likely to remain. On the other hand, rectangular shaped dies may have corners that may affect the flavor of the kneaded material extruded from the die. Dies with such a mesh-containing structure are different from dies and cooling dies that have been used in the production of conventional textured protein materials and puffed products.

[0026] (Separation) Methods for separating fats and oils from insoluble matter from the extrudate can be performed by known means, such as centrifugation, filtration, press filtration, or allowing the insoluble matter to settle in a tank or the like and then recovering the upper layer. For example, using a decanter-type centrifuge, fats and oils can be continuously and efficiently separated and recovered from the extrudate. Furthermore, fats and oils can also be continuously and efficiently separated and recovered using a die having a mesh structure as described above. Here, a method for separating fats and oils using a die having a mesh structure will be described. When the extrudate kneaded and extruded in an extruder passes through a cylindrical die, part of the die containing a mesh, the fats and oils pass through the mesh and are separated. Meanwhile, the insoluble matter remaining after the fats and oils are separated is discharged directly from the die outlet. The mesh size is determined appropriately depending on the state of the extrudate, and is not particularly limited; however, it is preferably 40 to 200 mesh, and more preferably 60 to 150 mesh. The cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical die correlates with the flow rate of the extruder, so an optimal size can be set appropriately depending on the operating conditions. For example, if you want to produce a large amount, you need to increase the cross-sectional area. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a cylindrical die with a mesh on the side, viewed from the side. Alternatively, a separator with a similar mesh structure can be attached after the extruder.

[0027] (Flavor Materials) The flavor materials used in the present invention are essentially food components that emit a fragrance, regardless of their origin. Examples include spices such as garlic, ginger, sesame, chili pepper, wasabi, mustard, poppy seeds, yuzu, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika, cardamom, cumin, saffron, allspice, cloves, Japanese pepper, orange peel, fennel, licorice, fenugreek, dill seeds, pepper, long pepper, black pepper, and herbs; fermented products such as rice bran and miso; sugars; tea leaves such as green tea; extracts such as beef extract, pork extract, chicken extract, onion extract, clam extract, oyster extract, and yeast extract; protein hydrolysates; coconut, almonds, coffee, green onions, and onions. Combinations of these may also be used. Among the above-mentioned ingredients, aromas that are particularly compatible with plant-based meat substitute products such as those described in the examples are desirable. For example, garlic aroma is desirable because it masks the unique aroma of plant-derived food materials. The particle size of the flavor material is not particularly limited, as long as it is large enough to be pushed through the extruder screw and can be crushed to some extent inside the barrel. On the other hand, finer particle sizes are preferable because they increase the surface area and make it easier for the flavor to be released. The moisture content of the flavor material can be determined depending on the reaction conditions. For example, a lower moisture content is better when producing a roasty flavor. The moisture content of the flavor material is preferably 0.1 to 70% by weight, more preferably 1 to 50% by weight, and even more preferably 5 to 30% by weight.

[0028] (Fats and Oils) Examples of fats and oils that can be used in the present invention include vegetable fats and oils such as palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, high oleic sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, safflower oil, olive oil, kapok oil, moringa oil, sesame oil, and evening primrose oil, as well as medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides.These fats and oils can be used alone or in combination, as can mixtures of the above fats and oils, or as hardened oils, fractionated oils, hardened fractionated oils, fractionated hardened oils, and processed fats that have been subjected to interesterification, etc. These fats and oils can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0029] (Method for imparting flavor to food) The flavor oil obtained by the present invention has been strongly imparted with the aroma of various flavor materials, and can be added to various foods to impart a pleasant aroma derived from the various flavor materials to the food. One or more of the various flavor materials can also be combined to impart a variety of aromas to the food. For example, a protein hydrolyzate or a sugar can be combined to impart an aroma through the Maillard reaction. The flavor oil of the present invention can be added, mixed, emulsified, dissolved, dispersed, etc. during or after the production of each food to impart a pleasant aroma derived from the various flavor materials to the food.

[0030] Examples of foods include cooked rice dishes such as seasoned rice, pilaf, and fried rice; sauces such as sauces, pasta sauce, and demi-glace sauce; soups such as ramen soup, consommé soup, and stew; seasonings such as dressings, mayonnaise, ponzu sauce, Chinese cooking ingredients, and hot pot soup; processed meat foods such as hamburger steaks, meatballs, sausages, nuggets, gyoza, meat buns, shumai, minced meat cutlets, croquettes, minced meat, and meatballs; plant-based meat substitute products; and confectionery and bread products such as cookies and butter rolls.

[0031] The present invention will be explained below by way of examples, in which parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

[0032] Examples 1 to 9 (Separation of fats and oils from insoluble matter using a cylindrical special die equipped with a mesh) The present inventors considered that a process to solve these problems would be to attach a cylindrical special die equipped with a mesh to an extruder, thereby enabling continuous production of flavor oils in a closed system, and carried out and evaluated this process. A cylindrical die with a diameter of 40 mm and a length of 30 cm was manufactured, of which 20 cm was designated as a mesh portion. The mesh portion was made detachable, allowing the mesh size to be changed.

[0033] The extruder used was a twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.), and the extrusion was carried out under the following conditions: Solid material flow rate: 2.5 kg / hour; Added oil amount: 22.5 kg / hour; Screw rotation speed: 100 rpm; Die mesh: 100 mesh (opening 150 μm); Barrel temperature: as shown below.

[0034] The flavor materials used were yeast extract (Himax GL, Fuji Foods Co., Ltd., moisture 4.5%), garlic powder (GABAN, House Foods Co., Ltd., moisture 5.4%), and ginger powder (GABAN, House Foods Co., Ltd., moisture 9.4%), and the fat / oil used was palm oil (Palm Ace 10, Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.). According to the operating conditions in Table 1, palm oil and various flavor materials were introduced into an extruder, kneaded, pressurized and heated to obtain a kneaded mixture, which was then extruded under normal pressure through a die having the mesh structure described above and installed at the outlet of the extruder to obtain an extrudate. The fat / oil was separated from the extrudate to obtain a flavor oil.

[0035] (Table 1)

[0036] As shown in Table 1, the temperature inside the barrel was controlled at three levels, and all of the samples had a strong aroma. However, the quality of the aroma varied slightly. Five panelists skilled in sensory evaluation of flavor were then asked to taste each of the obtained samples. Sensory evaluation was then conducted using the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation was decided by consensus of the panelists. A rating of ◎, ○, or △ was considered to be acceptable. The results are shown in Table 1. <Evaluation criteria> - Evaluation of flavor oils using yeast extract ◎: Strong yeast extract aroma. ○: Yeast extract aroma. △: Slight yeast extract aroma. ×: No yeast extract aroma. - Evaluation of flavor oils using garlic powder ◎: Strong garlic aroma. ○: Garlic aroma. △: Slight garlic aroma. ×: No garlic aroma. - Evaluation of flavor oils using ginger powder ◎: Strong ginger aroma. ○: Ginger aroma. △: Slight ginger aroma. ×: No ginger scent detected.

[0037] A tendency not shown in Table 1 above was that the cooking aroma became stronger as the outlet temperature was increased, resulting in a flavor oil with a pleasant aroma. In particular, the flavor oils produced at an outlet temperature of 135°C all had a cooking aroma at the top, followed by a rich aroma of ingredients, and had a very high potency. On the other hand, the flavor oils produced at an outlet temperature of 100°C had a strong aroma, but the cooking aroma at the top was somewhat weak.

[0038] Example 10: Study of Centrifugation The effect of centrifugal separation on extrudates processed using an extruder equipped with a die without a mesh was studied. Extrudates were obtained under the same formulation and operating conditions as in Example 7, except that an extruder equipped with a die without a mesh was used. The extrudates were centrifuged (H-80F, manufactured by Kokusan Co., Ltd.) at 3,000 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain flavor oils, which were evaluated in the same manner as in Example 7. As shown in the results in Table 2, the flavor oils obtained by centrifugation also showed good results in the sensory evaluation.

[0039] (Table 2)

[0040] The flavor oil obtained in this study is intended for use in plant-based foods, so in many cases, it is thought that there will be no problem if sedimentation occurs, but if the separation accuracy is improved to a certain extent, it will reduce the effort required by the user, such as shaking the can before use or stirring it before use.As an evaluation of the process, the following experiment was conducted to confirm the separation accuracy.

[0041] (Confirmation of Flavor Oil Residue) After thorough stirring, 20 g of the flavor oils obtained in Examples 7 and 10 were filtered through a 7 μm pore size filter paper, washed five times with a sufficient amount of hexane, and then thoroughly dried using a draft. The weight percent remaining on the filter paper was measured. The reason for using such a small amount of 20 g is that allowing a large amount of oil to pass through reduces the weight percent remaining on the filter paper. As a control, a flavor oil prepared using a conventional preparation method without using an extruder or mesh die was also prepared for comparison. A flavor oil obtained by simply mixing in a container and centrifuging the mixture without using an extruder was also used for comparison. Specifically, yeast extract and palm oil with the same water content as in Example 7 were placed in a tray and stirred for 60 minutes while heating in a 90°C oil bath. The mixture was then centrifuged (H-80F, Kokusan Co., Ltd.) at 3,000 rpm for 10 minutes to obtain a flavor oil, which was then similarly filtered through a filter paper (Comparative Example 1). The results are summarized in Table 3 below. Also, considering the case where separation was performed in a subsequent process without using a mesh die, a mixture of yeast extract and flavor oil coming out of the extruder was obtained and centrifuged under the same conditions as in Example 7, but without using a mesh die. The centrifugation conditions were the same as in Comparative Example 1. Then, the mixture was similarly filtered through filter paper.

[0042] (Table 3)

[0043] The results in Table 3 confirmed that separation was similar to that achieved by existing manufacturing methods. It can be concluded that the continuous flavor oil separation process using the extruder equipped with a mesh die used in the present invention worked. It was also found that even if a separate separation step is added after the extruder, the process will function as long as there are no problems with the separation function of the separation step. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied to processes other than those using a mesh die.

[0044] (Examples 11 to 16) Next, moisture was examined. A vegetable protein hydrolysate (Proex W, manufactured by Banshu Seasoning Co., Ltd.) was used as the flavor material to confirm the effect of moisture in the flavor material. The moisture content of the vegetable protein hydrolysate was adjusted as shown in Table 4, and palm oil (Palm Ace 10, manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) was introduced into an extruder, and a flavor oil was obtained according to the conditions in Table 4. The moisture content shown in Table 4 is the moisture content of the vegetable protein hydrolysate after moisture adjustment, i.e., the moisture content in the solid content.

[0045] The extruder used was a twin-screw extruder (manufactured by Kowa Kogyo Co., Ltd.), and the extrusion was carried out under the following conditions: Solid material flow rate: 2.5 kg / hour Amount of water added: See Table 4 Amount of oil added: 22.5 kg / hour Screw rotation speed: 100 rpm Die mesh: 100 mesh (opening 150 μm) Barrel temperature: 40°C at the inlet, 120°C at the center, 130°C at the outlet

[0046] (Table 4)

[0047] In the flavor evaluation of the flavor oils in Examples 1 to 9, each flavor material had a nearly uniform aroma tendency, resulting in a 3-point rating. However, in Examples 11 to 16, which used a vegetable protein hydrolyzate as the flavor material, it was found that there were several aroma elements, and evaluation could not be based solely on the intensity of the vegetable protein hydrolyzate's aroma. Therefore, a five-person panel considered the method for evaluating the aroma perceived in these Examples and decided to evaluate the following two items. That is, the evaluation was based on two points: (1) the cooking aroma perceived first when smelling the aroma, and (2) the meat-like aroma perceived from the middle of the mouth when putting it in the mouth. The five panelists evaluated each of the obtained flavor oils based on the following evaluation criteria. The evaluation was determined by consensus among the panelists. For both the cooking aroma and the meat-like aroma, a rating of ◎, ○, or △ was considered acceptable. The results are shown in Table 4. <Evaluation Criteria> Evaluation of Cooking Aroma ◎: Strong cooking aroma. ○: Cooking aroma. △: Slight cooking aroma. ×: No cooking aroma. Evaluation of meat-like aroma ◎: A strong meat-like aroma is sensed. ○: A meat-like aroma is sensed. △: A slight meat-like aroma is sensed. ×: No meat-like aroma is sensed.

[0048] The results shown in Table 4 indicate that flavor oils could be prepared similarly even when the moisture content was changed. The lower the moisture content in the solids, the deeper and richer the cooking aroma and meat-like aroma derived from the vegetable protein hydrolyzate were perceived. In particular, a good cooking aroma and meat-like aroma derived from the vegetable protein hydrolyzate were perceived in the moisture range of 5 to 30%. The quality of the aroma differs depending on the moisture content, but if the moisture content is higher than necessary, the oil becomes liquefied and leaks through the 100-mesh mesh, making it difficult to separate. Furthermore, when the residue was confirmed using the method described in paragraph 0042, the flavor oils of Examples 11 to 16 had a residual weight percentage similar to that of the flavor oil of Example 7, confirming that they were well separated.

[0049] (Comparative Examples 2 to 13) Flavor oils obtained by mixing fats and oils with flavor materials without using an extruder were evaluated. That is, 450 g of palm oil (Palm Ace 10, manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) was placed in a tray, and 50 g of vegetable protein hydrolyzate (Proex W, manufactured by Banshu Seasoning Co., Ltd.) (3.8% moisture) was added to adjust the moisture to 20.1% and 29.4%, and the mixture was heated in an oil bath at 100 ° C for 10 minutes while stirring. Stirring was performed at 500 rpm. The resulting mixture was centrifuged at 3000 rpm to obtain a flavor oil, which was used for flavor evaluation.

[0050] The flavor of the resulting flavor oil was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 11. The results are summarized in Table 5.

[0051] (Table 5)

[0052] When the flavor oil was stirred in a vat, the aroma was insufficient after 10 minutes of heating. The residence time in the extruder was significantly shorter, so there was a clear difference in the amount of aroma absorbed despite the same reaction time. This is thought to be due to the extruder's closed system and screw shape, which allowed for effective mixing. Furthermore, even after longer stirring times, the flavor oil obtained with the extruder had a stronger aroma. Furthermore, when stirred for a long time at 100°C, the burnt aroma gradually became stronger, and the cooking aroma became less noticeable.

[0053] The aroma obtained by the mixing process using these vats was different from that obtained by the extruder. Specifically, the aroma that lingers in the nose after putting it in the mouth is strong, resembling rich animal fat. This is thought to be because the precise closed system nature of the extruder means that less aroma is lost during heating and mixing.

[0054] From the above results, it was confirmed that a process was developed that uses an extruder and a special die with a mesh, which produces a strong aroma in a short time and has no problems with separation performance. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the aroma obtained by this process has different properties from that of the existing batch manufacturing method, and is perceived as rich.

Claims

1. A method for producing a flavor oil comprising the following steps (A) and (B): (A): A process in which raw materials including flavoring materials and oils and fats are introduced into an extruder, kneaded, pressurized and heated, and a kneaded product is obtained. (B): A step of extruding the kneaded mixture under normal pressure through a die installed at the outlet of the extruder to obtain an extrudate, and separating the fat and oil from the extrudate to obtain a flavor oil.

2. 2. The method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1, wherein the raw materials contain 1 to 20% by weight of flavoring material and 80 to 99% by weight of fats and oils.

3. 3. The method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1, wherein the flavor material has a moisture content of 0.1 to 70% by weight.

4. 3. The method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in step (B), the die has a structure including a mesh in a part thereof, and the mesh separates the oil and fat from the extrudate.

5. 4. The method for producing a flavor oil according to claim 3, wherein in step (B), the die has a structure including a mesh in part, and the mesh separates the oil and fat from the extrudate.

6. A method for producing a flavored food, comprising producing a flavor oil by the method according to claim 1 or 2, and adding the flavor oil to a food.

7. A method for producing a flavored food, comprising producing a flavor oil by the method of claim 3 and adding the flavor oil to a food.

8. A method for producing a flavored food, comprising producing a flavor oil by the method according to claim 4 and adding the flavor oil to a food.

9. A method for producing a flavored food, comprising producing a flavor oil by the method according to claim 5 and adding the flavor oil to a food.

10. 3. A method for imparting flavor to food, comprising producing a flavor oil by the method of claim 1 or 2 and adding the flavor oil to food.

11. A method for imparting flavor to food, comprising producing a flavor oil by the method of claim 3 and adding the flavor oil to food.

12. A method for imparting flavor to food, comprising producing a flavor oil by the method of claim 4 and adding the flavor oil to food.