Food components and methods for producing food components.

Abstract

Invention details;

Description

Food composition and method for producing the food composition

[0001] The present invention relates to a food composition and a method for producing a food composition.

[0002] Meat is a nutritionally important food, rich in nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, and minerals. However, meat also contains a lot of lipids, especially saturated fatty acids, and has a high energy content compared to other foods. Therefore, excessive meat intake can be a cause of various chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome.

[0003] Therefore, in order to reduce excessive meat intake, the use of meat-like foods that resemble processed meat has attracted attention. Meat-like foods are foods that contain less saturated fatty acids and less energy than meat, but contain about the same amount of protein as meat. Intake of meat-like foods as an alternative to meat may lead to the prevention and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases such as metabolic syndrome.

[0004] As representative meat-like foods, foods made from grains such as soybeans are processed for various uses and used in food compositions and foods (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0005] Japanese Patent No. 6396517 Japanese Patent No. 7216500

[0006] However, conventional meat-like foods made from grain ingredients such as soybeans have a texture similar to that of minced meat, particularly a lack of juiciness, and are lacking in elasticity and the fibrous texture of meat. In particular, meat-like foods containing grain ingredients rich in dietary fiber, such as soybean pulp, tend to have a dry texture, be brittle, and easily crumble.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a food composition having a fibrous texture similar to that of animal meat.

[0008] As a result of extensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that a food composition exhibiting a specific value of breaking stress has a fibrous texture similar to that of animal meat.

[0009] The present invention is as follows: [1] A fermented product of a plant material is contained, and when molded into a putty, the breaking stress at a breaking strain rate of 50% is 1.00 N / m ２ or more. [2] The food composition according to [1] above, wherein the plant material is a cereal-derived material. [3] The food composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the fermented product is a koji mold fermented product. [4] The food composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein in a sieving test using the food composition, the proportion of the mass of particles having a particle size of 1,000 μm or more and less than 4,500 μm to the total mass of the food composition is 5% or more. [5] The food composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the food composition contains water, and the proportion of the mass of the fermented product is 5 to 40% and the proportion of the mass of plant proteins other than the fermented product is 4 to 40% relative to the total mass of the food composition. [6] The food composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the food composition does not contain water, and the proportion of the mass of the fermented product is 20 to 100% and the proportion of the mass of plant proteins other than the fermented product is 0 to 80% relative to the total mass of the food composition. [7] The food composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the fermented product is obtained by fermenting the plant material and then drying it. [8] A method for producing a food composition, comprising fermenting a plant material with a microorganism, and the obtained food composition is the food composition according to [1] or [2] above. [9] A method for producing the food composition according to [8], comprising drying the plant material fermented with the microorganism.

[0010] A food composition having a specific value of breaking stress, which is one embodiment of the present invention, has an excellent fibrous texture similar to that of animal meat.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a photograph of drum-dried fermented putty-like okara. Fig. 2 is a graph showing the breaking stress at a breaking strain of 50% for okara powder, drum-dried fermented putty-like okara, and freeze-dried fermented putty-like okara that have been subjected to a putty-like forming process. Fig. 3 is a graph showing the particle size distribution of okara powder, drum-dried fermented okara, and freeze-dried fermented okara. Fig. 4 is a graph showing the breaking stress at a breaking strain of 50% for drum-dried fermented putty-like okara, freeze-dried fermented putty-like okara consisting only of particles with particle sizes of 1,000 μm to 2,800 μm, and freeze-dried fermented putty-like okara consisting only of particles with particle sizes other than 1,000 μm to 2,800 μm. Fig. 5 is a graph showing the breaking stress at a breaking strain of 50% for putty-like fermented soy lees drum-dried (ATCC22788 strain) and putty-like fermented soy lees drum-dried (ATCC1011 strain). Fig. 6 is a graph showing the particle size distribution of fermented soy lees drum-dried (ATCC22788 strain) and fermented soy lees drum-dried (ATCC1011 strain). Fig. 7 is a graph showing the breaking stress at a breaking strain of 50% for putties No. 1 to 5.

[0012] The present invention will be described in detail below, but these are merely examples of desirable embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The term "to" in a numerical range includes the preceding and following numerical values. For example, "0% by mass to 100% by mass" means a range of 0% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less. In this specification, a weight-based ratio (percentage, part, etc.) is the same as a mass-based ratio (percentage, part, etc.).

[0013] [Food Composition] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention comprises a fermented product of a plant material, and when formed into a patty, has a breaking stress of 1.00 N / m at a breaking strain rate of 50%. ２ Such a food composition has an excellent fibrous texture similar to that of meat.

[0014] (Plant Material) In the present specification, examples of plant materials include those containing at least one of a carbon source and a nitrogen source. Examples of plant materials include grain-derived materials and fruit-derived materials.

[0015] Examples of grain-derived raw materials include protein-derived raw materials derived from whole soybeans, defatted soybeans, soy protein, wheat gluten, peas, fava beans, and adzuki beans, and starch-derived raw materials derived from wheat, barley, rye, bran, rice, rice bran, corn, and starch residue. Grain-derived raw materials may be bean pomace, wheat bran, brewer's grains, or corn flour. Wheat bran is the outer layer of wheat grains and is also called wheat bran. Brewer's grains are the residue left over from beer production, and refer to the solid matter remaining after mixing and stirring ground malt with hot water and filtering to remove the wort. These may be used alone or in combination.

[0016] The grain-derived raw material is preferably rich in carbon and nitrogen sources. In particular, from the viewpoint of dietary fiber content, the grain-derived raw material is preferably squeezed legumes, and more preferably soybean lees. Soybean lees are squeezed soybean lees.

[0017] (Fermented product) A fermented product of a plant material is a product obtained by fermenting a plant material with a microorganism, or a product obtained by fermenting a plant material with a microorganism. In this specification, examples of microorganisms include filamentous fungi including koji mold, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, etc. In addition, in this specification, a koji mold-fermented product of a plant material is a product obtained by fermenting a plant material with koji mold, or a product obtained by fermenting a plant material with koji mold.

[0018] The type of koji mold is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of being a fungus used in food production, koji molds of the genus Aspergillus are preferred, among which Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus inui, Aspergillus usamii, Aspergillus saitoi, etc. are preferred.

[0019] In the case of Aspergillus oryzae, ATCC1011 strain, ATCC22788 strain, NISL1365 strain, NISL2074 strain, NISL1018 strain, etc. are preferred, with ATCC1011 strain and ATCC22788 strain being more preferred. In the case of Aspergillus awamori, JCM22312 strain is preferred. In the case of Aspergillus inui, NISL1608 strain is preferred. In the case of Aspergillus usamii, ATCC11364 strain is preferred. In the case of Aspergillus saitoi, the NISL1541 strain is preferred.

[0020] The ATCC1011 strain, the ATCC22788 strain, and the ATCC11364 strain are available from The Global Bioresource Center. The JCM22312 strain is available from RIKEN, a National Research and Development Agency.

[0021] Cultivation using filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus yields fungal cells of a certain size, which result in a larger powder particle size and a fibrous texture, and when the culture solution is dried, a powder with a larger particle size is obtained, which leads to a meat-like fibrous texture, and it is therefore presumed that a food composition containing the fermented product of the above-mentioned plant raw material when formed into a patty exhibits a specific value of breaking stress. The definition of patty-like in this specification will be given later.

[0022] The fermented product is preferably a fermented product obtained by fermenting a plant raw material and then drying it, and may be a fermented product obtained by fermenting a plant raw material and then drying it.

[0023] Drying methods include, for example, drum drying and freeze drying, the details of which are described below.

[0024] (Breaking Stress) Breaking stress is the force applied per unit fracture cross-sectional area at the time of breakage, and is an index that is independent of the sample dimensions and allows comparison of the mechanical action applied to samples of different dimensions. Breaking strain is a parameter related to fragility and fragility. In measuring breaking stress, the degree to which the sample is deformed before it breaks due to a breaking load F, that is, when the height of the sample is H (mm) and the distance the plunger has advanced is ΔH (mm), the breaking strain is expressed as ΔH / H (×100%).

[0025] In this specification, the breaking stress at a breaking strain rate of 50% (hereinafter also simply referred to as "breaking stress") is specifically the average value of the breaking stress values ​​measured at three points approximately in the center of the top surface at a breaking strain rate of 50%, using a texture analyzer (EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) with a wedge-shaped plunger 40 mm wide x 112 mm long and 30° angle, a load cell of 50 N, and a compression (measurement) speed of 1.0 mm / sec, with a putty-like food composition having a product temperature of 20±5°C, a sample thickness of 1.8 cm, and an inner diameter of 7.5 cm placed on the measurement table as a measurement sample.

[0026] In this specification, the breaking stress is a value measured when the food composition is formed into a putty-like shape. When the food composition contains only a dried material, the putty-like shape refers to a product obtained by adding water to the dried material, kneading, molding, and baking the dried material, particularly a food composition containing the fermented plant material described above, which is made into a paste and molded into a circular shape with an inner diameter of 5 to 20 cm and a thickness of 1 to 5 cm, with a uniform thickness. The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention can be formed into a putty-like shape by mixing it with water and molding it. Examples of the putty-like shape include a shape formed by the following procedure. When the food composition contains only a dried material, 16.7 g of the dried material is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:2 by mass, and kneaded for 10 seconds in a kneading machine (Tiger Corporation, product name: Microcomputer Food Processor SKF-H101). The kneaded sample is molded into a circular shape with a thickness of 1.8 cm and an inner diameter of 7.5 cm. Put 5 ml of oil into a frying pan and cook the formed sample over low heat for 1 minute 20 seconds on each side for a total of 2 minutes 40 seconds to form a patty. Low heat refers to the heat just before the tip of the flame touches the bottom of the frying pan.

[0027] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention has a breaking stress of 1.00 N / m when formed into a patty shape and measured with a texture analyzer at a breaking strain rate of 50%. ２ The breaking stress is 1.00 N / m or more. ２ As a result, the food composition exhibits a highly fibrous texture similar to that of livestock meat, as shown in the Examples below. The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention does not easily melt in the mouth even when chewed, and has a texture similar to that of livestock meat.

[0028] The breaking stress is set to 1.00 N / m from the viewpoint of the strength of the fibrous texture similar to that of livestock meat. ２ or more, preferably 2.00 N / m ２ More preferably, 3.00 N / m ２ More preferably, 5.00 N / m ２ That's all.

[0029] By culturing filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus, fungal cells of a certain size are obtained, and as the powder particle size increases, a fibrous texture is obtained. When the culture solution is dried, a powder with a large particle size is obtained, which leads to a meat-like fibrous texture. Therefore, when it is formed into a putty and baked, the breaking stress at a breaking strain rate of 50% is 1.00 N / m ２ It can be more than that.

[0030] (Composition of food composition) The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention may contain only the fermented product, but from the viewpoint of processing suitability, it may also contain vegetable protein and / or dietary fiber, etc. in addition to the fermented product.

[0031] Vegetable proteins are proteins extracted from plants. Examples of sources of vegetable proteins include wheat gluten or grains such as wheat, barley, oats, rice, or corn, isolated soy protein, defatted soybeans or soybeans, beans such as peas, adzuki beans, chickpeas, lentils, fava beans, or mung beans, and nuts and seeds such as almonds, peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, flaxseed, sesame, and rapeseed. Examples of vegetable proteins include the pomace of the above plants, such as pomace of beans, especially soybean pulp.

[0032] From the viewpoint of a strong meat-like fibrous texture, when a food composition of one embodiment of the present invention contains water, the mass proportion of the fermented product is preferably 5 to 40% and the mass proportion of the plant protein other than the fermented product is preferably 4 to 40%, more preferably 5 to 40%, relative to the total mass of the food composition. Furthermore, when a food composition of one embodiment of the present invention contains water, the mass proportion of water is preferably 30 to 70%, more preferably 50 to 60%, relative to the total mass of the food composition.

[0033] From the viewpoint of achieving a meat-like fibrous texture, when a food composition of one embodiment of the present invention does not contain water, it is preferable that the mass ratio of the fermented product is 20 to 100% and the mass ratio of vegetable proteins other than the fermented product is 0 to 80% relative to the total mass of the food composition.

[0034] The dietary fiber may be either water-soluble or insoluble. Examples of water-soluble dietary fiber in the present invention include at least one selected from the group consisting of soybean dietary fiber, polydextrose, indigestible dextrin, galactomannan, inulin, hydrolyzed guar gum, pectin, gum arabic, etc. Examples of insoluble dietary fiber include edible fibers that are insoluble in water, such as at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose, wheat fiber, oat fiber, citrus fiber, soybean fiber, pea fiber, mung bean fiber, etc. From the viewpoint of achieving a meat-like fibrous texture, the weight of the dietary fiber is preferably 20% to 50% of the total weight of the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention preferably does not contain meat. Even when the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention does not contain meat, it has a fibrous texture similar to that of livestock meat and can be used as a substitute for livestock meat.

[0036] Furthermore, the raw material composition used for the textured soybean processed product of this embodiment may contain, in addition to the fermented products, vegetable proteins, and dietary fibers described above, seasonings such as salt, animal or vegetable oils and fats, flavorings, and various additives for improving the fluidity of the raw material, suppressing the soybean odor, or improving the taste, as long as the effects of the present invention are not adversely affected.

[0037] (Particle size) In a sieving test using the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the ratio of the mass of particles having a particle size of 1,000 μm or more and less than 4,500 μm to the total mass of the food composition is 5% or more. Examples of the method for the sieving test include the method described in the Examples below.

[0038] When the ratio of the mass of particles having a size of 1,000 μm or more and less than 4,500 μm to the total mass of the food composition is 5% or more, the food composition exhibits a highly meat-like fibrous texture, as shown in the examples described below.

[0039] The proportion of the mass of the particles having a size of 1,000 μm or more and less than 4,500 μm to the total mass of the food composition is more preferably 10% to 80%, and even more preferably 20% to 50%, from the viewpoint of a fibrous texture similar to that of animal meat.

[0040] From the viewpoint of a meat-like fibrous texture, the proportion of the mass of particles of 1,000 μm or more and less than 3,350 μm to the total mass of the food composition is more preferably 5% or more, even more preferably 10% to 80%, and particularly preferably 20% to 50%. Also, the proportion of the mass of particles of 1,000 μm or more and less than 2,800 μm to the total mass of the food composition is more preferably 5% or more, even more preferably 10% to 80%, and particularly preferably 20% to 50%.

[0041] The content of particles having the above particle size range can be adjusted as described above by fermenting the cereal-derived raw material and preferably drying it.

[0042] (Other Features) The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention can be used as a substitute for livestock meat. Preferably, the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention is a livestock meat-like food composition. Livestock meat refers to the edible flesh of livestock (pigs, cows, sheep, goats, horses, etc.), poultry (chickens, quail, ducks, wild ducks, crossbred ducks, geese, turkeys, etc.), and birds and animals such as deer and wild boar. In addition to so-called meat (muscle), the definition of livestock meat also includes tissues commonly used in processed livestock meat foods, such as skin, fat, tendons, cartilage, internal organs, and blood.

[0043] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention can be processed into minced meat, pâté, hamburger steak, surimi, ham, etc., using a food processor or mincer. The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention may be subjected to cutting processes such as chopping into chunks or irregular cuts in advance. Alternatively, the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention may be added to a mixture of cut plant food materials and vegetables or other food materials, kneaded, and then cooked by heating to obtain cooked products with a meat-like flavor, such as fried chicken, simmered meat, hamburger steak, meatballs, meatloaf, minced meat cutlet, gyoza dumplings, shumai, wonton, spring rolls, and meat buns. In this case, meat may be added as another food ingredient. The cooked products are not limited to those described above, and examples include cooked products that typically use soy sauce as a seasoning ingredient.

[0044] [Method for producing a food composition] A method for producing a food composition according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises fermenting a plant material with a microorganism. Examples of the plant material include those described above.

[0045] <Enzyme Treatment> In the production method of this embodiment, the plant material may be treated with arabinase and cellulase before being fermented with a microorganism. Treating the plant material with arabinase and cellulase increases the vitamin B content. Although the reason for this is unclear, it is thought that factors such as a change in the balance of sugars that can be assimilated by the microorganism, resulting in high expression of genes involved in vitamin B metabolism, or an increase in the amount of primary metabolites that serve as vitamin B substrates may be involved.

[0046] Specific examples of the cellulase include hemicellulase, glucanase, and glucosidase, and examples of the hemicellulase include xylanase.

[0047] Before the treatment with arabinase and cellulase, the plant material may be subjected to a heat and pressure treatment. The heat and pressure treatment is preferably carried out using an autoclave, an extruder, or a high-pressure heated tubular reactor. Such heat and pressure treatment allows the enzymes to act efficiently on the plant material.

[0048] In the production method of this embodiment, the ratio of arabinase to cellulase used to treat the plant material is preferably 1:3 to 9:1, based on enzyme units (hereinafter also referred to as "units" or "U"), and more preferably 1:3 to 3:1. An arabinase to cellulase ratio of (1 or more):3, based on units, has the advantage of further increasing the amount of vitamin B.

[0049] In the production method of this embodiment, it is more preferable to treat 1 g of plant material with 4 U or more of arabinase and 0.94 U or more of cellulase, and even more preferable to treat 1 g of plant material with 4 U or more of arabinase and 1.6 U or more of cellulase. The concentrations of the arabinase and the cellulase per 1 g of plant material are more preferably 4 to 15 U and 10 to 12.5 U, respectively. Having the arabinase and cellulase concentrations of 4 U or more and 0.94 U or more per 1 g of plant material, respectively, provides the advantage of sufficient decomposition of the plant material and an increase in the amount of vitamin B, while having concentrations of 15 U or less and 12.5 U or less, respectively, provides the advantage of reduced production costs. Furthermore, in the medium substrate containing the plant material, the concentrations of arabinase and cellulase are preferably 250 to 900 mU / ml and 100 to 750 mU / ml, respectively.

[0050] The temperature, pH, treatment time, etc., in the treatment of plant raw materials with the arabinase and cellulase can be appropriately determined taking into account the concentrations of the arabinase and cellulase, etc. The temperature is preferably 0 to 80°C, more preferably 20 to 70°C, and even more preferably 30 to 60°C. A temperature within the above range has the advantage that the enzyme exhibits high activity and efficiently decomposes the raw materials. The pH is preferably 2 to 8, more preferably 3 to 7, and even more preferably 4 to 6. A pH within the above range has the advantage that the enzyme exhibits high activity and efficiently decomposes the raw materials. The treatment time is preferably 1 to 72 hours, more preferably 1 to 24 hours, and even more preferably 1 to 20 hours. A treatment time of 72 hours or less has the advantage of shortening the production period. Furthermore, a treatment time of 1 hour or more has the advantage of sufficiently decomposing the raw materials. When treating plant raw materials with the arabinase and cellulase, stirring is preferred, for example, because increasing the contact surface between the raw materials and the enzymes promotes decomposition.

[0051] When treating plant materials with arabinase and cellulase, the order of treatment is not important. Plant materials may be treated with arabinase and then with cellulase, or plant materials may be treated with cellulase and then with arabinase. Alternatively, both arabinase and cellulase may be added to the plant material and treated simultaneously.

[0052] The amount of arabinan contained in the plant material treated with arabinase and cellulase is preferably reduced by 80% by mass or more, and more preferably by 90% by mass or more, from the amount of arabinan in the plant material before treatment with arabinase and cellulase. Reducing the amount of arabinan contained in the plant material treated with arabinase and cellulase by 80% by mass or more from the amount of arabinan in the plant material before treatment with arabinase and cellulase has the advantage of increasing the amount of arabinose in the medium and changing the balance of sugars that can be assimilated by koji mold, thereby increasing the amount of vitamin B.

[0053] <Fermentation Using Microorganisms> A method for producing a food composition according to one embodiment of the present invention includes fermenting a plant material with a microorganism. Prior to fermenting the plant material with the microorganism, the method may include adding a carbon source or nitrogen source other than the plant material, metal ions, or an antifoaming agent to eliminate foaming during cultivation in order to create conditions conducive to vigorous growth of the microorganism. The pH may also be adjusted to a range of 3 to 7.

[0054] The types of microorganisms are as described above.

[0055] Microbial spores are 1 x 10 per gram of plant material. 4 It is preferable to add more than 1 × 10 ６ ~1 x 10 ８ It is more preferable to add them so that there are only two.

[0056] The plant raw material may be placed in a container capable of preventing the introduction of harmful microorganisms, and microbial fermentation may be carried out in this container. Here, the container capable of preventing the introduction of harmful microorganisms may be any container having a structure capable of insulating the interior of the container from the outside air. For experimental purposes, a sterilized wide-mouthed polypropylene bottle or a glass media bottle may be used, while for industrial purposes, a jar fermenter or a pressurized fermentation tank capable of supplying sterilized air into the container may be used. For air sterilization, a filter capable of collecting 99.97% or more of dust particles of 0.3 μm or larger, such as a HEPA filter, may be used. Furthermore, stirring is preferred when carrying out microbial fermentation.

[0057] Fermentation may be carried out at 10 to 40°C, preferably 25 to 37°C, for 1 to 5 days, preferably 2 to 3 days. A fermentation temperature within the above range has the advantage of allowing vigorous growth of microorganisms. Furthermore, a fermentation time of 5 days or less has the advantage of reducing the cost and environmental load associated with fermentation. Furthermore, a fermentation time of 1 day or more has the advantage of allowing sufficient growth of microorganisms.

[0058] <Drying> In the production method of one aspect of the present invention, post-treatments such as pulverization, sterilization, concentration, membrane separation, and drying may be performed, and drying is preferred. Examples of the drying treatment include freeze-drying, reduced-pressure drying, and heat drying, and drum drying or freeze-drying is preferred from the viewpoint of the particle size of the dried product.

[0059] Drum drying is a method in which a liquid fermented product is poured onto a high-temperature drum roll, gelatinized, and dried all at once, and the film of fermented product formed on the drum roll is scraped off and pulverized with a scraper knife. There are no particular restrictions on the dryer or drum dryer used for drum drying, and single drum dryers, double drum dryers, twin drum dryers, vacuum drum dryers, etc. can be used. In drum drying, drying at 140 to 160°C for 1 to 2 minutes is preferred.

[0060] Freeze-drying is a method of drying frozen fermented products at low temperatures under vacuum. In freeze-drying, drying is preferably carried out at -40 to -30°C for 20 to 40 hours, depending on the temperature setting of the machine.

[0061] The post-treatment may be carried out at any stage, and may be carried out alone or in combination of two or more treatments.

[0062] As described above, the present specification discloses the following: <1> A paste containing a fermented product of a plant material, which, when molded into a putty, has a breaking stress of 1.00 N / m at a breaking strain rate of 50%. ２or more. <2> The food composition according to <1> above, wherein the plant raw material is a cereal-derived raw material. <3> The food composition according to <1> or <2> above, wherein the fermented product is a koji mold fermented product. <4> The food composition according to any one of <1> to <3> above, wherein in a sieving test using the food composition, the proportion of the mass of particles having a particle size of 1,000 μm or more and less than 4,500 μm to the total mass of the food composition is 5% or more. <5> The food composition according to any one of <1> to <4> above, wherein, relative to the total mass of the food composition, the proportion of the mass of the fermented product is 5 to 40%, and the proportion of the mass of plant proteins other than the fermented product is 4 to 40%. <6> The food composition according to any one of <1> to <4> above, wherein the food composition does not contain water, and the proportion by mass of the fermented product is 20 to 100% and the proportion by mass of plant proteins other than the fermented product is 0 to 80% relative to the total mass of the food composition. <7> The food composition according to any one of <1> to <6> above, wherein the fermented product is a fermented product obtained by fermenting the plant material and then drying it. <8> A method for producing a food composition, comprising fermenting a plant material with a microorganism, wherein the obtained food composition is the food composition according to any one of <1> to <7> above. <9> A method for producing the food composition according to <8>, comprising drying the plant material fermented with the microorganism.

[0063] The present invention will be specifically explained below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples as long as it does not depart from the gist of the invention.

[0064] First, prior to the examples, the following materials were prepared. (Okara Powder) Okara powder is made by drying the soy milk pomace that is produced during the soy milk production process, and "Kikkoman Soy Milk Okara Powder", a dried okara powder manufactured by Kikkoman Soyfoods Corporation, was used. (Enzymes) "PECLYVE FILTRATION" (manufactured by Soufflet Biotechnologies) was used as arabinase, and "CELLULYVE 50L" (manufactured by Soufflet Biotechnologies) was used as cellulase. (Other) Commercially available special grade reagents were used for various reagents.

[0065] [Test Example 1] <Preparation Example 1: Preparation of Fermented Plant Material> [Preparation of Drum-Dried Fermented Okara and Freeze-Dried Fermented Okara] Fermentation was carried out in a 300 L jar (Marubishi Bioengine Co., Ltd.). Water was added to 18 kg of okara powder to bring the total volume to 170 L, and 27 g of Shin-Etsu Silicone (registered trademark) KM72F (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), an antifoaming agent, was added and sterilized at 123°C for 60 minutes. An enzyme solution filtered through a 0.22 μm pore size filter was added to a final concentration of arabinase of 0.6 U / ml and a final concentration of cellulase of 0.1 U / ml, and the mixture was stirred and reacted at 60°C for 2 hours. After the reaction, the mixture was cooled to 30°C.

[0066] Pre-culture was carried out as follows: 5 g of soybean pulp powder and 100 ml of water were added to six 500 ml baffled Erlenmeyer flasks, and the flasks were autoclaved (121°C, 30 minutes). 0.5 ml of the seed fungus Aspergillus oryzae NISL1365 strain (glycerol stock) was added to each flask, and the initial number of spores in the pre-culture solution was 5 x 10 ５ The preculture solution was inoculated to a concentration of 1 / ml. This preculture solution was cultured for 24 hours with shaking (30°C, 160 rpm). This preculture solution was then inoculated into a 300 L jar and cultured at 30°C for 3 days. The aeration rate and stirring rate were initially set at 0.5 vvm and 100 rpm, and increased to 1 vvm and 150 rpm after 18 hours. After culture, the fermented product was heat sterilized (80°C, 30 minutes).

[0067] The heat-sterilized fermented product was dried for 1 minute in a drum dryer (manufactured by Katsuragi Kogyo Co., Ltd., product name "Drum Dryer D-00") set at an air gap of 0.3 mm and a surface temperature of 150° C. Fermented okara dried in this manner using a drum dryer is also referred to as fermented okara drum-dried.

[0068] Using a freeze-drying device (manufactured by Kyowa Vacuum Co., Ltd., product name "Freeze Dryer for Testing and Research RL-B10"), the heat-sterilized fermented product was pre-frozen at -40°C and then dried by sublimation and decompression treatment to 25°C. Fermented okara dried in this way by freeze-drying is also referred to as fermented okara freeze-dried.

[0069] [Process for Forming Okara Powder, Drum-Dried Fermented Okara, and Freeze-Dried Fermented Okara into Putty] Using the okara powder, drum-dried fermented okara, and freeze-dried fermented okara obtained by the above procedure, 16.7 g of each dried material was mixed with water in a 1:2 ratio by weight, and kneaded for 10 seconds using a kneading machine (manufactured by Tiger Corporation, product name "Microcomputer Food Processor SKF-H101"). The kneaded sample was then formed into a circle with a thickness of 1.8 cm and an inner diameter of 7.5 cm. 5 ml of oil was added to a frying pan and the formed sample was baked over low heat for 1 minute 20 seconds on each side, for a total of 2 minutes 40 seconds. At this time, the drum-dried fermented okara and freeze-dried fermented okara could be formed into a putty. On the other hand, the okara powder did not solidify and could not be formed into a putty. In this specification, the okara powder that has been subjected to the putty-formation step but has not become putty-like, the drum-dried fermented okara that has been made into a putty-like form, and the freeze-dried fermented okara that has been made into a putty-like form are also referred to as okara powder that has been subjected to the putty-formation step, the drum-dried fermented okara that has been made into a putty-like form, and the freeze-dried fermented okara that has been made into a putty-like form, respectively. A photograph of the drum-dried fermented okara that has been made into a putty-like form is shown in Figure 1.

[0070] Example 1-1: Evaluation of Breaking Stress The okara powder, drum-dried fermented okara, and freeze-dried fermented okara that had undergone a putty-like molding process were each analyzed using a texture analyzer (Shimadzu Corporation, EZ-SX) with a wedge-shaped plunger measuring 40 mm wide x 112 mm long and 30 degrees at a load cell of 50 N and a compression (measurement) speed of 1 mm / sec. The molded samples were placed on the measurement table at a product temperature of 20±5°C as the measurement sample, and the breaking stress was measured at three points approximately in the center of the top surface at a breaking strain rate of 50% and the average value was calculated. The results are shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2, error bars indicate standard deviation.

[0071] Compared to the soy pulp powder that has undergone a putty-like molding process, both the drum-dried putty-like fermented soy pulp and the freeze-dried putty-like fermented soy pulp have a breaking stress of 1.00 N / m at a breaking strain rate of 50%. ２ The fracture stress was as high as or greater than 100 kJ / cm.

[0072] Example 1-2: Evaluation of meat-like fibrous texture Sensory evaluation was performed using soybean pulp powder that had undergone a putty-form forming process, drum-dried soybean pulp fermented, and freeze-dried soybean pulp fermented. The sensory evaluation was performed by a panel of six or more people with discriminative ability, and the following two types of evaluation were performed.

[0073] (Meat-like fibrous texture) The meat-like fibrous texture of each sample was evaluated on a 7-point scale as follows, and the average score was calculated. The results are shown in Table 1. 7 points: Very strong meat-like fibrous texture 6 points: Strong meat-like fibrous texture 5 points: Slightly strong meat-like fibrous texture 4 points: Normal 3 points: Slightly weak meat-like fibrous texture 2 points: Weak meat-like fibrous texture 1 point: Very weak meat-like fibrous texture

[0074] (Overall evaluation) The drum-dried putty-like fermented okara and freeze-dried putty-like fermented okara were evaluated on a 7-point scale as follows to determine whether they are comprehensively superior as meat-like products, with okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process as the standard, and the average score was calculated. The results are shown in Table 1. 7 points: Significantly higher than okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process 6 points: Higher than okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process 5 points: Slightly higher than okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process 4 points: Equivalent to okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process 3 points: Slightly lower than okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process 2 points: Lower than okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process 1 point: Significantly lower than okara powder that has undergone a putty-form forming process

[0075]

[0076] From the results in Table 1, the freeze-dried putty-like fermented okara and the drum-dried putty-like fermented okara had a more meat-like fibrous texture than the okara powder that had undergone a putty-like molding process, and also received a higher overall evaluation as a meat-like product.

[0077] Furthermore, from the results of Examples 1-1 and 1-2, when molded into a putty, the breaking stress at a breaking strain rate of 50% was 1.00 N / m ２ As described above, it was shown that the freeze-dried fermented okara and the drum-dried fermented okara obtained using Aspergillus oryzae had a strong meat-like fibrous texture and were highly evaluated overall as meat-like products.

[0078] Example 1-3: Measurement of particle size distribution The particle size distribution of okara powder, drum-dried fermented okara, and freeze-dried fermented okara, which had not undergone a putty-formation process, was measured by a sieving test. The sieving test was carried out in the following order (1) to (4).

[0079] (1) 350 g of each sample was weighed out. (2) A mesh was attached to the shaker. (3) Shaking at 2000 rpm for 1 minute was repeated twice. (4) The weight of the sample remaining on the mesh was measured. (1) to (4) were repeated five times. The average weight measured in (4) was divided by 350 g to calculate the proportion of each particle size in the entire sample.

[0080] The mesh numbers used and particle size distribution are shown in Table 3. The particle size distribution is also shown in Figure 3. For example, the particle size range of particles that did not pass through Mesh No. 4 and remained was set to less than 4500 µm.

[0081]

[0082] In drum-dried fermented soy pulp and freeze-dried fermented soy pulp, the highest proportion of particles has a particle size in the range of 1,000 μm or more and less than 2,800 μm. Hereinafter, the range of 1,000 μm or more and less than 2,800 μm is also referred to as the peak.

[0083] Example 1-4: Evaluation of breaking stress Fermented okara drum-dried (peak) consisting only of particles having a peak particle size was prepared from the fermented okara drum-dried. In addition, fermented okara drum-dried (non-peak) consisting only of particles having a particle size other than the peak was prepared from the fermented okara drum-dried. The fermented okara drum-dried, fermented okara drum-dried (peak), and fermented okara drum-dried (non-peak) were formed into patties using the same procedure as described above in [Pate-shaped forming process of okara powder, fermented okara drum-dried, and fermented okara freeze-dried] to prepare putty-like fermented okara drum-dried, putty-like fermented okara drum-dried (peak), and putty-like fermented okara drum-dried (non-peak).

[0084] The breaking stress of the above three types of samples was measured in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Figure 4. In Figure 4, the error bars indicate the standard deviation.

[0085] The breaking stress was highest in the following order: drum-dried fermented soy pulp (peak), drum-dried fermented soy pulp, and drum-dried fermented soy pulp (other than peak). This indicates that the higher the content of particles with the peak particle size in a sample, the higher the breaking stress.

[0086] Examples 1-5: Evaluation of meat-like fibrous texture Using the soybean pulp powder that had undergone the putty-form forming process, and the drum-dried putty-like fermented soybean pulp, drum-dried putty-like fermented soybean pulp (peak), and drum-dried putty-like fermented soybean pulp (other than peak) prepared in Example 4, a sensory evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 2 for the meat-like fibrous texture. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0087]

[0088] In drum-dried putty-like fermented soy pulp powder, the higher the content of particles with the peak particle size in the sample, the stronger the meat-like fibrous texture tended to be.

[0089] Examples 4 and 5 showed that the higher the content of particles with the peak particle size in the sample, the higher the breaking stress and the stronger the meat-like fibrous texture. In other words, a correlation was observed between the high breaking stress and the strength of the meat-like fibrous texture.

[0090] Test Example 2 Preparation Example 2: Preparation of Fermented Plant Material Fermentation was carried out in a 30 L jar (Marubishi Bioengine Co., Ltd.). Water was added to 1.5 kg of soybean pulp powder to bring the total volume to 15 L, and 2.25 g of Shin-Etsu Silicone (registered trademark) KM72F (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), an antifoaming agent, was added and sterilized at 123°C for 60 minutes. An enzyme solution filtered through a 0.22 μm pore size filter was added to a final concentration of arabinase of 0.6 U / ml and a final concentration of cellulase of 0.1 U / ml, and the mixture was stirred and reacted at 60°C for 2 hours. After the reaction, the mixture was cooled to 30°C.

[0091] Pre-culture was carried out as follows. For each strain, 5 g of soy pulp powder and 100 ml of water were added to one 500 ml baffled Erlenmeyer flask and autoclaved (121°C, 30 minutes). ATCC22788 strain and ATCC1011 strain were used as seed koji, respectively. 0.5-1 ml of glycerol stock of seed culture was added, and the initial number of spores in the pre-culture solution was 5 x 10 ５ / ml. This preculture solution was cultured with shaking (30°C, 160 rpm) for 24 hours. Then, this preculture solution was inoculated into a 300 L jar and cultured at 30°C for 3 days. The aeration rate and stirring rate were started at 0.5 vvm and 250 rpm, and increased to 1 vvm and 330 rpm after 18 hours. After culture, the fermented product was heat sterilized (80°C, 30 minutes). The heat-sterilized fermented product was dried for 1 minute in a drum dryer (manufactured by Katsuragi Kogyo Co., Ltd., product name "Drum Dryer D-00") set at an air gap of 0.3 mm and a surface temperature of 150°C. Then, a putty was formed using the same procedure as in Preparation Example 1 [Putty-shaped forming process of okara powder, fermented okara drum drying, and fermented okara freeze-drying].

[0092] In this specification, the fermented okara drum-dried products produced using Aspergillus oryzae ATCC22788 strain and ATCC1011 strain are also referred to as "fermented okara drum-dried product (ATCC22788 strain)" and "fermented okara drum-dried product (ATCC1011 strain)," respectively. Furthermore, the putty-formed fermented okara drum-dried product (ATCC22788 strain) and the putty-formed fermented okara drum-dried product (ATCC1011 strain) are also referred to as "putty-form fermented okara drum-dried product (ATCC22788 strain)" and "putty-form fermented okara drum-dried product (ATCC1011 strain)," respectively. As described in Preparation Example 1, in this specification, the fermented okara drum-dried product and the putty-form fermented okara drum-dried product produced using Aspergillus oryzae NISL1365 strain are also simply referred to as "fermented okara drum-dried product" and "putty-form fermented okara drum-dried product," respectively.

[0093] Example 2-1: Evaluation of breaking stress The breaking stress was measured at three points and the average value was calculated in the same manner as in Example 1-1, except that drum-dried fermented okara (ATCC22788 strain) and drum-dried fermented okara (ATCC1011 strain) were used instead of the soybean pulp powder that had undergone a putty-form molding process, the drum-dried fermented okara that had undergone a putty-form molding process, and the freeze-dried fermented okara that had undergone a putty-form molding process in Example 1-1. The results are shown in Figure 5. In Figure 5, the error bars indicate the standard deviation.

[0094] Both the putty-like fermented soy pulp drum-dried (ATCC22788 strain) and the putty-like fermented soy pulp drum-dried (ATCC1011 strain) had a breaking stress of 1.00 N / m at a breaking strain rate of 50%. ２ That was all.

[0095] Example 2-2: Evaluation of meat-like fibrous texture The meat-like fibrous texture was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1-2, except that instead of the soybean pulp powder that had undergone a putty-formed process, the putty-like fermented soybean pulp drum-dried, and the putty-like fermented soybean pulp freeze-dried in Example 1-2, the soybean pulp powder that had undergone a putty-formed process, the putty-like fermented soybean pulp drum-dried (ATCC22788 strain), and the putty-like fermented soybean pulp drum-dried (ATCC1011 strain) were used. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0096]

[0097] As can be seen from Table 4, the drum-dried fermented okara putty (ATCC22788 strain) and the drum-dried fermented okara putty (ATCC1011 strain) had a more meat-like fibrous texture than the okara powder that had been subjected to a putty-forming process.

[0098] Example 2-3: Measurement of particle size distribution The same procedures as in Example 1-3 were carried out, except that fermented okara drum-dried (ATCC22788 strain) and fermented okara drum-dried (ATCC1011 strain) that had not undergone a putty-formation process were used instead of the okara powder, fermented okara drum-dried, and fermented okara freeze-dried that had not undergone a putty-formation process, and the mesh numbers used were different. In this manner, the particle size distribution of the fermented okara drum-dried (ATCC22788 strain) and fermented okara drum-dried (ATCC1011 strain) that had not undergone a putty-formation process was measured by a sieve test. The mesh numbers used and the particle size distribution are shown in Table 5. The particle size distribution is also shown in FIG. 6.

[0099]

[0100] It was found that the fermented soybean lees drum-dried (ATCC22788 strain) and the fermented soybean lees drum-dried (ATCC1011 strain) also contained a high proportion of particles having a particle size of 1,000 μm or more.

[0101] Test Example 3 Preparation Example 3: Preparation of Fermented Plant Raw Material A composition was prepared containing dried okara powder "Kikkoman Soy Milk Okara Powder" manufactured by Kikkoman Soyfoods Corporation as the okara powder, "Drum-Dried Fermented Okara" produced in Preparation Example 1 as the fermented okara, and water. Specifically, in Test Plot No. 1, the dry okara powder, fermented okara, and water were mixed to a concentration of 4.3% by mass, 38.7% by mass, and 57.0% by mass, with the composition after mixing being 100% by mass. Test Plots Nos. 2 to 5 were also mixed in the proportions listed in Table 6. The resulting composition was homogenized and then processed in a food processor.

[0102]

[0103] The compositions of Test Plots No. 1 to 5 obtained as described above were kneaded for 10 seconds using a kneading machine (Tiger Corporation, product name "Microcomputer Food Processor SKF-H101"). The kneaded samples were then formed into circles with a thickness of 1.8 cm and an inner diameter of 7.5 cm. 5 ml of oil was added to a frying pan, and the formed samples were baked over low heat for 1 minute 20 seconds on each side, for a total of 2 minutes 40 seconds.

[0104] Example 3-1: Evaluation of breaking stress The breaking stress was measured at three points and the average value was calculated in the same manner as in Example 1-1, except that the putties obtained using test plots 1 to 5 were used instead of the soybean pulp powder that had undergone the putty-form molding process, the drum-dried putty-like fermented soybean pulp, and the freeze-dried putty-like fermented soybean pulp in Example 1-1. The results are shown in Figure 7. In Figure 7, the error bars indicate the standard deviation.

[0105] The putties in test areas No. 1 to 5 all had a breaking stress of 1.00 N / m at a breaking strain rate of 50%. ２ That was all.

[0106] Example 3-2: Evaluation of meat-like fibrous texture The meat-like fibrous texture and overall evaluation were performed in the same manner as in Example 1-2, except that Nos. 1 to 5 patties were used instead of the soybean pulp powder that had undergone the putty-formed process, the drum-dried putty-like fermented soybean pulp, and the freeze-dried putty-like fermented soybean pulp in Example 1-2. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0107]

[0108] As can be seen from Table 7, the higher the proportion of fermented okara in the food composition, the stronger the fibrous texture and the higher the overall evaluation as a meat-like product. Note that No. 5, which contained less than 5% by mass of fermented okara, showed results similar to those of okara powder that had undergone a putty-like molding process.

[0109] It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components in the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0110] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-109596) filed on July 3, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

DEPCT691. Food compositions that include: fermented products of plant materials, where the fracture stress at the point at which the fracture stress rate is 50% is 1.00 N / m² or more in a flat, circular plate-like state.

2. Food compositions under claim 1, where the plant material is a raw material derived from grains.

3. Food compositions under claim 1 or 2, where the fermented product is a fermented product of koji mold.

4. Food compositions under claim 1 or 2, where, in the sieving test using the food composition, the ratio of the mass of particles with a particle diameter of 1,000 µm or more and less than 4,500 µm to the total mass of the food composition is 5% or more.

5. Food compositions under claim 1 or 2, where the food composition includes water, the ratio of the mass of the fermented product to the total mass of the food composition is 5% to 40%, and the ratio of the mass of plant-based proteins other than the fermented product to the total mass of the food composition is 4% to 40%. 6.Food components under claim 1 or 2, where the food component does not contain water, the ratio of the mass of the fermented product to the total mass of the food component is 20% to 100%, and the ratio of the mass of plant-based proteins other than the fermented product to the total mass of the food component is 0% to 80%.

7. Food components under claim 1 or 2, where the fermented product is a fermented product obtained by subjecting plant material to a fermentation operation and then drying it.

8. Methods for the production of food components that include: fermentation of plant material with microorganisms, where the resulting food component is a food component under claim 1 or 2.

9. Methods for the production of food components under claim 8, which additionally include: drying of the obtained product which is obtained by fermenting plant material with microorganisms.

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