Emulsified composition, and food or drink product

Abstract

An emulsified composition, which allows fat and oil to be easily and uniformly dispersed in a food or drink product when added to the food or drink product, is provided. The present invention provides an emulsified composition for adding fat and oil to a food or drink product, wherein the emulsified composition contains fat and oil, an ionic surfactant, and a polyhydric alcohol, a content of the fat and oil is 5% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less with respect to a total amount of the emulsified composition, a content of the ionic surfactant is 0.3% by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less with respect to the total amount of the emulsified composition, the ionic surfactant contains at least lecithin and / or lysolecithin, the emulsified composition has a specific gravity of 1.0 or more at 20° c and a viscosity of 60,000 mPa·s or less at 20°C, and a difference of L2 value - Ll value calculated by the following definition at 20 °C is positive: Ll value: lightness value of the emulsified composition; L2 value: lightness value of the emulsified composition obtained by adding 100 times by mass of fresh water to the emulsified composition.

Description

Emulsion composition and food and drink

[0001] The present invention relates to an emulsion composition. In particular, the present invention relates to an emulsion composition containing an oil or fat, an ionic surfactant, and a polyhydric alcohol. The present invention also relates to a food or beverage to which the emulsion composition is added.

[0002] Lipids are considered one of the three major nutrients, making them an important nutrient for the human body. However, for some time, their active consumption has been avoided due to their role in obesity. However, recent research has shown that carbohydrates, rather than lipids, are increasingly being considered as a contributing factor to obesity. Furthermore, awareness of functional fats such as omega-3 oils (DHA, EPA, and alpha-linolenic acid) has also grown, leading to increased demand for more active fat intake. Furthermore, in Japan, where the aging population is increasing, malnutrition has become a major social issue. To prevent and improve malnutrition, it is necessary to address energy and protein deficiencies. There are three nutrients that produce energy: carbohydrates, lipids, and protein. 1 gram of carbohydrates provides 4 kcal, 1 gram of lipids provides 9 kcal, and 1 gram of protein provides 4 kcal. In other words, the most efficient way to consume energy is to incorporate fats into your diet. Furthermore, people who have difficulty chewing and swallowing, making it difficult to ingest solid foods, and who regularly eat dysphagia-adjusted foods, find it difficult to ingest fats and oils from meat and fish, so incorporating fats and oils into their diet is an extremely important issue.

[0003] However, since fats and oils are usually not easily mixed with water, they tend to separate when added to beverages, and ingenuity is required to incorporate them into daily dietary habits. Care must be taken, as consuming large amounts of separated fats and oils can easily cause diarrhea. In light of this current situation, a technology has been disclosed in which fats and oils are emulsified and then powdered, allowing them to be easily dissolved in liquid and emulsified. However, this method requires equipment for powdering, and the manufacturing process is complicated. Therefore, an O / D type emulsion composition has been proposed as an emulsion composition that has a high oil content but turns into fine oil droplets after dilution with water, which contains a polyhydric alcohol, 60% by mass or more but less than 90% by mass of an oil-soluble substance (excluding emulsifiers), and an emulsifier (A) in which 51% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids have 10 or more carbon atoms and which has an HLB value of more than 10 and an iodine value of less than 10, the content of emulsifier (B) having an HLB value of more than 10 and an iodine value of 10 or more being less than 5% by mass, and the content of oil-soluble emulsifier (C) having an HLB value of 10 or less being less than 1 / 20 of the total content of emulsifier (A) and emulsifier (B) (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] JP 2017-143753 A

[0005] However, the emulsion composition described in Patent Document 1 has a high viscosity and low specific gravity due to its high fat and oil content, making it difficult to add to foods and beverages. Therefore, there remains a need for a technology that can improve the dispersibility of fat and oil with minimal stirring when added to foods and beverages. In particular, when fat and oil are added as part of an industrial food production process, it is common to use equipment with a stirring function that can at least stir the entire food. In this regard, a certain level of dispersibility is sufficient. On the other hand, when fat and oil are added to foods and beverages immediately before consumption by consumers at home, in facilities, offices, etc., the ease of use is significantly improved by being able to disperse the fat and oil with minimal stirring.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an emulsion composition that, when added to a food or drink, can easily and uniformly disperse oils and fats in the food or drink.

[0007] As a result of thorough investigation into the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by adjusting the viscosity of the emulsion composition and adjusting the difference in brightness between the emulsion composition and a diluted emulsion composition. Based on this finding, the present inventors have completed the present invention.

[0008] That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an emulsion composition for adding oils and fats to foods and beverages, the emulsion composition comprising an oil and fat, an ionic surfactant, and a polyhydric alcohol, the content of the oil and fat is from 5% by mass to 65% by mass, based on the total amount of the emulsion composition, the content of the ionic surfactant is from 0.3% by mass to 6.0% by mass, based on the total amount of the emulsion composition, the ionic surfactant comprises at least lecithin and / or lysolecithin, the emulsion composition has a specific gravity of 1.0 or more, and a viscosity at 20°C of 60,000 mPa·s or less, and the L2 value minus L1 value calculated by the following method at 20°C is positive. L1 value: brightness value of the emulsion composition L2 value: brightness value of the emulsion composition obtained by adding 100 times by mass of fresh water to the emulsion composition

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, the content of the ionic surfactant is preferably 0.15 parts by mass or less per 1 part by mass of the content of the oil or fat.

[0010] In this aspect of the present invention, the polyhydric alcohol preferably includes a sugar alcohol.

[0011] In this aspect of the present invention, the average molecular weight of the sugar alcohol is preferably 100 or more and 2,000 or less.

[0012] In this aspect of the present invention, the content of the polyhydric alcohol is preferably 20% by mass or more in terms of solid content with respect to the total amount of the emulsion composition.

[0013] In this aspect of the present invention, the water content is preferably 5% by mass or more based on the total amount of the emulsion composition.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the L2 value - L1 value is preferably 10.0 or more.

[0015] In this aspect of the present invention, the food and drink is preferably selected from the group consisting of beverages, soups, liquid nutritional foods, and foods and drinks for people who have difficulty chewing and / or swallowing.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an emulsion composition for adding oils and fats to a liquid nutritional food or a food or drink for people who have difficulty chewing and / or swallowing, characterized in that the emulsion composition has a viscosity of 60,000 mPa·s or less at 20°C, and the value of L2 minus L1 calculated by the following method at 20°C is positive: L1 value: brightness value of the emulsion composition; L2 value: brightness value of the emulsion composition obtained by adding 100 times by mass of pure water to the emulsion composition.

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a food or drink to which the above-mentioned emulsion composition is added.

[0018] According to the present invention, an emulsion composition can be provided that, when added to a food or drink, can easily and uniformly disperse oils and fats in the food or drink.

[0019] <Emulsion composition> The emulsion composition of the present invention typically contains an oil or fat, an ionic surfactant, and a polyhydric alcohol, and is intended to easily add the oil or fat to a food or beverage. By adding the emulsion composition of the present invention to a food or beverage, the oil or fat can be easily dispersed uniformly in the food or beverage.

[0020] (Food and drink) In the present invention, the food and drink is not particularly limited and may be a conventionally known food and drink. Examples of food and drink include beverages, soups (soup, curry, stew, etc.), liquid nutritional foods, foods and drinks for people with difficulty chewing and / or swallowing (e.g., mousse, puree, etc.), yogurt, seasonings, etc. The food and drink is preferably fluid. In particular, for the purpose of supplementing nutrition, it is particularly useful to easily mix the required amount of oil and fat just before ingestion, so it is suitable to add it to liquid nutritional foods or foods and drinks for people with difficulty chewing and / or swallowing. Even if it is not fluid, it can be added at a point in the manufacturing process where it becomes fluid, or it can be added in advance to other fluid ingredients.

[0021] (L Value) The emulsion composition has the property that, in measurement of the L value, which represents the color lightness, using a colorimetric color difference meter at 20°C, the difference between the lightness L1 value of the emulsion composition and the lightness L2 value obtained by adding 100 times the mass of pure water to the emulsion composition (L2 value - L1 value) is positive.

[0022] The L value is a numerical value that represents the lightness of a color, with a larger value indicating a brighter color. In the case of an emulsion composition, the finer the emulsion particles, the greater the amount of scattered light, making the composition whitish, and therefore the larger the L value. The change in the L value in the present invention occurs because the emulsion composition undergoes a phase transition upon addition of water, becoming an emulsion composition in which the oils and fats are finely particled, causing turbidity and a decrease in transparency. In the present invention, the L value can be measured using a colorimetric color difference meter (trade name "Color Meter ZE-2000": manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.).

[0023] The property of easily forming an emulsion (oil / water emulsion) by adding water to oils and fats into finely divided particles is called "self-emulsifying property." The emulsion composition of the present invention maintains the state before self-emulsifying to form an O / W emulsion composition by adding water. Self-emulsifying property is a characteristic observed in systems in which infinite associations of molecules are formed, such as bicontinuous microemulsions (BCMEs) in which liquid crystals and surfactants are infinitely associated, and the stability of the system is proportional to the level of self-emulsifying property. Although the details of the structure of the emulsion composition of the present invention are unclear, since it exhibits self-emulsifying property upon addition of water, it is presumed to be a system in which infinite associations are formed or a system in a similar state. The emulsion composition of the present invention can be easily emulsified immediately after addition, thereby improving workability when used at home, in facilities, offices, etc. Furthermore, since the emulsion composition of the present invention does not require prior emulsification, it can also prevent oxidative deterioration of oils and fats.

[0024] If the self-emulsifying ability of the emulsion composition of the present invention is high, the size of the fat or oil particles in the O / W emulsion composition obtained when a large amount of water is added will also be small, resulting in a large L2 value. As described above, the level of self-emulsifying ability is proportional to the stability of the emulsion composition, and therefore the L2 value represents the stability of the emulsion composition. Therefore, the greater the difference (L2 value - L1 value) between the L1 value of the emulsion composition (in the state before adding water) and the L2 value of the emulsion composition obtained by adding 100 times the mass of water to the emulsion composition, the more stably the emulsion composition maintains its structure and the easier it can be emulsified.

[0025] In the present invention, the L2 value - L1 value of the emulsion composition is positive, and is preferably not less than 10, and more preferably not less than 15. When the L2 value - L1 value of the emulsion composition is positive, the emulsion composition can be easily emulsified, and workability can be improved.

[0026] (Specific Gravity of Emulsion Composition) The specific gravity of the emulsion composition is usually 1.0 or more, preferably 1.03 or more, more preferably 1.05 or more, even more preferably 1.10 or more, and preferably 1.5 or less, more preferably 1.4 or less, and even more preferably 1.3 or less. If the specific gravity of the emulsion composition is less than 1.0, the emulsion composition itself tends to float on the liquid surface when added to a food or beverage, making it difficult to disperse efficiently. On the other hand, if the specific gravity of the emulsion composition is 1.0 or more, the emulsion composition tends to settle in the food or beverage when added to the food or beverage, making it easy to disperse oils and fats. The specific gravity of the emulsion composition can be measured by the following specific gravity measurement method. Specific gravity measurement method: 5.00 g of the emulsion composition is precisely weighed into a graduated centrifuge tube and centrifuged (2,000 rpm, 5 minutes) to remove air bubbles. The volume of this emulsion composition is measured from the scale at a sample temperature of 20.0°C. As a control, ion-exchanged water was similarly measured and found to have a volume of 5.00 mL. Based on these measurement results, the specific gravity of the emulsion composition was calculated using the following formula: Specific gravity = 5.00 mL / (volume of each emulsion composition in mL).

[0027] (Viscosity of emulsion composition) The viscosity of the emulsion composition at 20°C is 60,000 mPa·s or less, preferably 40,000 mPa·s or less, more preferably 30,000 mPa·s or less, even more preferably 15,000 mPa·s or less, even more preferably 10,000 mPa·s or less, most preferably 6,000 mPa·s or less, and also preferably 100 mPa·s or more, more preferably 500 mPa·s or more, and even more preferably 1,000 mPa·s or more. If the viscosity of the emulsion composition is within the above range, workability when added to food or beverages can be improved. Note that the viscosity of the emulsion composition is measured using a BL-type viscometer at a product temperature of 20°C and a rotation speed of 6 rpm, when the viscosity is less than 3000 mPa·s: rotor No. 2. When the viscosity is 3,000 mPa·s or more but less than 5,000 mPa·s, rotor No. 3 is used, and when the viscosity is 5,000 mPa·s or more, rotor No. 4 is used, and the values ​​are calculated from the reading 3 minutes after the start of measurement.

[0028] (Oils and Fats) The oils and fats to be incorporated into the emulsion composition are not particularly limited, and conventionally known edible oils and fats can be used. Specific examples of edible oils and fats include vegetable oils such as rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, palm oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, linseed oil, rice bran oil, camellia oil, perilla oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, almond oil, and avocado oil; fish oil, DHA-containing algae oil, beef tallow, lard, chicken fat; and oils and fats obtained by chemical or enzymatic treatment, such as MCT (medium-chain triglyceride), diglyceride, hardened oil, and interesterified oil. Furthermore, from a health perspective, it is more preferable for these natural oils and fats to contain phytochemicals (vitamin K, vitamin D, tocopherol, tocotrienol, γ-oryzanol, polyphenols, etc.). Among these, vegetable oils are preferred, and rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, or a mixture thereof is more preferred.

[0029] The content of fats and oils is usually 5% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less, preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 55% by mass or less, even more preferably 50% by mass or less, and also preferably 8% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 15% by mass or more, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more, based on the total amount of the emulsion composition. If the content of fats and oils exceeds 65% by mass, the specific gravity will be low, and when added to a food or beverage, the fats and oils may float, resulting in poor dispersibility. Therefore, by adjusting the fat and oil content to 65% by mass or less and adding an emulsion composition with a specific gravity adjusted to the desired range to a food or beverage, the fats and oils can be easily and uniformly dispersed in the food or beverage.

[0030] (Ionic Surfactants) The ionic surfactants incorporated into the emulsion composition ionize upon dissolution in water to generate ions. In particular, the use of zwitterionic surfactants allows the emulsion composition to maintain a stable emulsified state even with a small surfactant content, making it easy to adjust the viscosity and flavor. On the other hand, maintaining a stable emulsion state using nonionic surfactants requires the incorporation of a large amount of surfactant, which is undesirable in terms of physical properties, flavor, and cost. In the present invention, among ionic surfactants, lecithin (phospholipid) is preferably used because it easily forms an emulsified state in the emulsion composition. Phospholipids are lipids having phosphate esters and phosphonate esters, and are amphiphilic substances having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Phospholipids include glycerophospholipids with a glycerol skeleton, such as phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylinositol, and sphingophospholipids with a sphingosine skeleton, such as sphingoemylamine. Among the phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylinositol are preferably used, and a mixture containing these phospholipids is also preferably used.

[0031] Examples of lecithin include plant lecithins such as soybean lecithin, rapeseed lecithin, and sunflower lecithin, as well as egg yolk lecithin. Plant lecithin is preferred because it is derived from plants. The use of lecithin makes it easier to maintain an emulsified state even when the water content is high. When a mixture containing phospholipids is used, the phospholipid portion contained therein corresponds to the ionic surfactant of the present invention. For example, when egg yolk lecithin (PL-30, LPL-20S: manufactured by Kewpie Corporation, etc.) is used, the phospholipid contained in the mixture corresponds to the ionic surfactant of the present invention, and the egg yolk oil portion corresponds to the oil or fat of the present invention.

[0032] (Lysophospholipid) In the present invention, lysolecithin (lysophospholipid) obtained by lyso-modifying the above-mentioned lecithin (phospholipid) may be used. The use of lysophospholipid can maintain the emulsified state of the emulsion composition more stably, and makes it easier to adjust the viscosity and flavor. As the lysolysolecithin, for example, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, or lysophosphatidylinositol is preferably used.

[0033] The content of the ionic surfactant is usually 0.3% by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 5.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.6% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less, relative to the total amount of the emulsion composition. Furthermore, the content of the ionic surfactant is preferably 0.15 parts by mass or less, more preferably 0.10 parts by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.09 parts by mass or less, relative to 1 part by mass of the fat or oil content. If the content of the ionic surfactant is within the above range, the viscosity of the emulsion composition can be kept low, and by adding the emulsion composition to a food or beverage, the fat or oil can be easily and uniformly dispersed in the food or beverage.

[0034] (Polyhydric Alcohol) The polyhydric alcohol incorporated in the emulsion composition is a general term for alcohols having two or more hydroxy groups in the molecule, and examples thereof include glycerin, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or polymers thereof; alkanediols such as 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, and 1,2-propanediol; and sugar alcohols such as maltitol, lactitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, reduced palatinose, and reduced starch syrup. Among these, glycerin and sugar alcohols are preferred, and sugar alcohols are more preferred. Furthermore, the average molecular weight of the sugar alcohol is preferably 100 or more and 2,000 or less, and more preferably 150 or more and 1,000 or less. When the average molecular weight of the sugar alcohol is within the above range, when added to a food or beverage, the oil or fat can be easily and uniformly dispersed in the food or beverage without affecting the flavor of the food or beverage.

[0035] The content of the polyhydric alcohol, in terms of solid content, relative to the total amount of the emulsion composition is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, still more preferably 35% by mass or more, and also preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 55% by mass or less, and even more preferably 50% by mass or more. If the content of the polyhydric alcohol is within the above numerical range, adding the emulsion composition to a food or drink can easily and uniformly disperse oils and fats in the food or drink.

[0036] (Water Content) The emulsion composition may contain water for emulsification and viscosity adjustment. To adjust the water content, pure water may be blended, or a water-containing blending ingredient, such as a liquid sugar containing water as a polyhydric alcohol, may be blended.

[0037] The water content is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 13% by mass or more, still more preferably 15% by mass or more, and preferably 30% by mass or less, more preferably 25% by mass or less, and even more preferably 22% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the emulsion composition. By adjusting the water content within the above range, the dispersibility of oils and fats in foods and beverages can be improved when the emulsion composition is added to foods and beverages.

[0038] (Other Ingredients) In addition to the ingredients described above, the emulsion composition may contain various ingredients that are commonly used in emulsion compositions, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of other ingredients include acetic acid, citric acid, amino acids, salt, sweeteners, thickeners, colorants, flavorings, preservatives, etc.

[0039] (Method for preparing emulsion composition) The method for preparing the emulsion composition is not particularly limited and can be carried out by a conventionally known method. For example, the emulsion composition can be prepared by charging an ionic surfactant, a polyhydric alcohol, and, if necessary, other raw materials such as fresh water, salt, and a sweetener into a stirring tank, stirring and mixing them using a mixer to make them uniform, and then gradually adding an edible oil or fat while stirring.

[0040] (Production Apparatus) The emulsion composition of the present invention can be prepared using an apparatus commonly used in food production. Examples of such an apparatus include a general mixer, stick mixer, stand mixer, homomixer, homodisper, etc. Examples of the shape of the mixing blade of the mixer include a propeller blade, turbine blade, paddle blade, anchor blade, etc.

[0041] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the contents of the following examples.

[0042] Examples 1 to 8, Comparative Examples 1 to 4 Preparation of Emulsion Compositions Emulsion compositions were prepared according to the blending ratios shown in Table 1. Specifically, a polyhydric alcohol (a sugar alcohol (average molecular weight of 150 to 1000) or glycerin), a lysophospholipid (a lyso-formed product of egg yolk lecithin) as an ionic surfactant, and water, if necessary, were added to a glass beaker, and the mixture was stirred and mixed with a propeller stirrer equipped with an anchor to achieve a uniform mixture. Thereafter, edible oil (rapeseed oil, etc.) was gradually added while continuing to stir, to prepare an emulsion composition.

[0043] <Evaluation of Emulsion Composition> (Measurement of L Value) Using the emulsion composition prepared above, the L value of each sample was measured three times at 20°C before and after dilution with water using the method described below, and the average value was calculated to calculate the L2 value minus the L1 value. [Measurement Device] Colorimetric Color Difference System (Color Meter ZE-2000, manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.) [Measurement Conditions] L1 value: Lightness value of the emulsion composition. 1.5 g of the emulsion composition before dilution with water was placed in a circular cell and used for measurement. L2 value: Lightness value of the emulsion composition obtained by adding 100 times the mass of pure water to the emulsion composition. 0.2 g of the emulsion composition before dilution was placed in a beaker, and 20.0 g of pure water was added and stirred. 1.5 g of the obtained water-diluted sample was placed in a circular cell and used for measurement.

[0044] (Specific Gravity Measurement) The specific gravity of the emulsion compositions prepared above was measured using the specific gravity measurement method described below, and the measurement results are shown in Table 1. Specific gravity measurement method: 5.00 g of the emulsion composition was precisely weighed into a graduated centrifuge tube, and air bubbles were removed by centrifugation (2,000 rpm, 5 minutes). The volume of this emulsion composition was measured using the scale at a sample temperature of 20.0°C. As a control, ion-exchanged water was similarly measured, and the volume was found to be 5.00 mL. Based on these measurement results, the specific gravity of the emulsion composition was calculated using the following formula: specific gravity = 5.00 mL / (volume of each emulsion composition in mL) Note that for Comparative Examples 1 and 2, where the emulsion compositions separated immediately after production and therefore could not be measured, this is indicated in Table 1 as not measured ("-").

[0045] (Viscosity Measurement) The emulsion compositions prepared above were measured using a BL-type viscometer at a product temperature of 20°C and a rotation speed of 6 rpm. When the viscosity was less than 3000 mPa·s, rotor No. 2 was used; when the viscosity was 3000 mPa·s or more but less than 5000 mPa·s, rotor No. 3 was used; and when the viscosity was 5000 mPa·s or more, rotor No. 4 was used. The viscosity (mPa·s) was calculated from the reading 3 minutes after the start of measurement. Viscosity measurements were performed three times for each emulsion composition, and the average value was used. The measurement results are shown in Table 1. Note that Comparative Examples 1 and 2, which could not be measured because the emulsion compositions separated immediately after production, are indicated in Table 1 as not measured ("-").

[0046] (Ease of Addition of Oils and Fats 1) <Test for Addition to Drinking Water> The ease of adding oils and fats when the emulsion compositions of Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 prepared above were added to drinking water was evaluated according to the following criteria. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1. A rating of 2 or higher is considered to be a good result. Note that for Comparative Examples 1 and 2, where the emulsion compositions separated immediately after production and therefore could not be measured, this is indicated as "not measured" ("-") in Table 1. [Evaluation criteria for ease of addition of emulsion compositions] 5: Emulsified immediately with simple stirring with a spoon, with no lumps remaining. 4: Emulsified with simple stirring with a spoon, with no lumps remaining. 3: Emulsified with simple stirring with a spoon and mixing for a while, but some lumps remained. 2: Emulsified with vigorously stirring with a spoon and mixing for a while, but some lumps remained. 1: Not emulsified well, even with vigorously stirring with a spoon and mixing for a while, with many lumps remaining.

[0047] (Ease of Addition of Oils and Fats 2) <Addition Test to Liquid Nutritional Food> The ease of adding oils and fats when the emulsion compositions prepared above in Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 to 4 were added to a Meibalance Mini Cup (manufactured by Meiji Co., Ltd.) was evaluated according to the same criteria as above. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

[0048]

[0049] As is clear from the results in Table 1, all of the emulsified compositions of Examples 1 to 4 emulsified immediately when added to beverages and liquid nutritional foods with simple stirring with a spoon, with no lumps remaining. However, the emulsified composition of Example 1 had a low oil / fat content and was therefore insufficient for the purpose of adding oil / fat to foods and beverages. The emulsified composition of Example 5 emulsified when added to beverages and liquid nutritional foods with simple stirring with a spoon, with no lumps remaining. Both of the emulsified compositions of Examples 6 and 8 emulsified when added to beverages and liquid nutritional foods with simple stirring with a spoon and mixing for a while, but some lumps remained. The emulsified composition of Example 7 emulsified when added to beverages and liquid nutritional foods with vigorously stirring with a spoon and mixing for a while, but some lumps remained. Both of the emulsified compositions of Comparative Examples 3 and 4 did not emulsify well when added to beverages and liquid nutritional foods with vigorously stirring with a spoon and mixing for a while, with many lumps remaining.

[0050] (Ease of Addition of Oils and Fats 3) <Addition Test to Vegetable Soup> The ease of adding oils and fats when the emulsified compositions of Examples 1 to 4 prepared above were added to a soup of six kinds of domestically produced vegetables (manufactured by MCC Foods Co., Ltd.) was evaluated using the same criteria as above. As a result, when the emulsified compositions of Examples 1 to 4 were added to the vegetable soup, they were immediately emulsified by simply stirring with a medicine spoon, and no lumps remained.

[0051] (Ease of Addition of Oils and Fats 4) <Addition Test to Food for Persons with Dysphagia> The ease of adding oils and fats when the emulsion compositions of Examples 1 to 4 prepared above were added to food for persons with dysphagia (Easy Meal Menu Smooth Vegetables Carrots: manufactured by Kewpie Corporation) was evaluated using the same criteria as above. As a result, when the emulsion compositions of Examples 1 to 4 were added to the food for persons with dysphagia, they were immediately emulsified by simply stirring with a medicine spoon, and no lumps remained.

Claims

1. An emulsifying composition for adding fats and oils to food and drink products, wherein the emulsifying composition contains fats and oils, an ionic surfactant, and a polyhydric alcohol, the content of the fats and oils is 5% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less based on the total amount of the emulsifying composition, the content of the ionic surfactant is 0.3% by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less based on the total amount of the emulsifying composition, the ionic surfactant contains at least lecithin and / or lysophosphatidylcholine, has a specific gravity of 1.0 or more at 20°C, has a viscosity of 60,000 mPa·s or less at 20°C, and has a positive L2 value - L1 value calculated by the following method at 20°C. L1 value: the value of the lightness of the emulsifying composition. L2 value: the value of the lightness of the emulsifying composition obtained by adding 100 times the mass of pure water to the emulsifying composition.

2. The emulsifying composition according to claim 1, wherein the content of the ionic surfactant is 0.15 part by mass or less based on 1 part by mass of the content of the fats and oils.

3. The emulsifying composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the polyhydric alcohol contains a sugar alcohol.

4. The emulsifying composition according to claim 3, wherein the average molecular weight of the sugar alcohol is 100 or more and 2000 or less.

5. The emulsifying composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the content of the polyhydric alcohol is 20% by mass or more in terms of solid content based on the total amount of the emulsifying composition.

6. The emulsifying composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the water content is 5% by mass or more based on the total amount of the emulsifying composition.

7. The emulsifying composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the L2 value - L1 value is 10.0 or more.

8. The emulsifying composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the food and drink product is selected from the group consisting of beverages, fruit juices, liquid nutritional foods, and food and drink products for those with difficulty in chewing and / or swallowing.

9. An emulsified composition for adding fats and oils to a liquid nutritional food or a food or drink for persons with chewing and / or swallowing difficulties, having a viscosity at 20°C of 60,000 mPa·s or less, and characterized in that the L2 value - L1 value calculated by the following method at 20°C is positive. L1 value: The value of the lightness of the emulsified composition L2 value: The value of the lightness of the emulsified composition obtained by adding 100 times the mass of fresh water to the emulsified composition 10. A food or drink to which the emulsified composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is added.