Food components, methods for producing such food components, and methods for masking the nutty smell.

Abstract

Invention details;

Description

Food composition, method for producing said food composition, and method for masking bean odor

[0001] The present invention relates to a food composition, a method for producing the food composition, and a method for masking bean flavor.

[0002] Meat is a nutritionally important foodstuff, 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, particularly beans 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, foods derived from beans such as soybeans have a raw material odor, i.e., a bean odor, and therefore there is room for improvement in terms of the bean odor of these bean-derived foods.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a food composition in which the bean odor is masked, a method for producing the food composition, and a method for masking the bean odor.

[0008] As a result of extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have found that in a food composition containing a fermented product of a plant material and a bean-derived food, the bean smell of the food composition is masked when the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one.

[0009] The present invention is as follows. [1] A food composition comprising a fermented product of a plant material and a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one. [2] The food composition according to [1] above, wherein the plant material is a grain-derived material. [3] The food composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the fermented product is a fermented product by koji mold of the genus Aspergillus. [4] The food composition according to [1] or [2] above, further comprising a flavoring. [5] A food composition wherein the content of heptanoic acid is 2.0 x 10 per 100 parts by mass of the bean-derived food. －５ ~3.0 x 10 －２ [6] The food composition according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the content of 2,4-decadienal is 8.0 × 10 based on 100 parts by mass of the bean-derived food. －７ ~7.0 x 10 －５ [7] The food composition according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the content of 3-octen-2-one is 1.0 × 10 based on 100 parts by mass of the bean-derived food. －６ ~1.0 x 10 －４

[0023] The food composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the amount of the fermented plant material is parts by mass. [8] A method for producing a food composition, comprising blending a fermented product of a plant material into a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one. [9] A method for masking a bean odor, comprising blending a fermented product of a plant material into a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one.

[0010] According to the present invention, there are provided a food composition in which the bean odor is masked, a method for producing the food composition, and a method for masking the bean odor.

[0011] The present invention will be described in detail below, but these are merely examples of preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The numerical range "to" 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.

[0012] In this specification, "bean smell" refers to the bean-specific smell (retronasal) that is sensed from the back of the throat through the oral cavity and into the nasal cavity when a bean-derived food is held in the mouth, chewed, and / or swallowed. However, it may also be a smell that is perceived as a combination of the retronasal smell and the smell sensed directly by the nose (orthonasal).

[0013] The bean odor is preferably the bean odor experienced when chewing a bean-derived food. Chewing refers to the act of breaking down food in the mouth with the teeth into a soft, easily swallowed food mass.

[0014] The bean smell may be a soybean smell. That is, the "smell characteristic of beans" in the definition of "bean smell" may be a "smell characteristic of soybeans."

[0015] As used herein, "masking the beany smell" includes both eliminating the beany smell and reducing the beany smell.

[0016] [Food Composition] One embodiment of the food composition of the present invention comprises a fermented product of a plant material and a soy-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one. In a food composition comprising a fermented product of a plant material and a soy-derived food, it is presumed that at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one contained in the fermented product of the plant material reaches the olfactory epithelium simultaneously with the off-flavor and remains in a volatilized state together with the off-flavor, thereby masking the beany odor of the soy-derived food. In this specification, "off-flavor" refers to the beany odor.

[0017] In this specification, it can be said that the beany odor is masked when the beany odor of a food composition according to one embodiment of the present invention is eliminated or reduced compared to a comparative food composition. The comparative food composition is a food composition that does not contain a fermented product of a plant material and therefore does not contain heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, or 3-octen-2-one.

[0018] (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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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.

[0021] By using the above-mentioned plant raw materials, the microorganisms assimilate components derived from the plant raw materials to produce metabolic products unique to the microorganisms, and it is presumed that the fermented product contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one. In order to demonstrate the effects of the present invention, the plant raw materials preferably contain straight-chain fatty acids.

[0022] (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.

[0023] 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.

[0024] In the case of Aspergillus oryzae, ATCC1011 strain, ATCC22788 strain, NISL1365 strain, etc. are preferred, with ATCC1011 strain and ATCC22788 strain being more preferred. ATCC1011 strain is also referred to as IFO4075 strain, and ATCC22788 strain is also referred to as RIB128 strain. 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] By using the above-mentioned microorganisms, the straight-chain fatty acids contained in the plant raw materials are converted into aroma components by the enzymes produced by the microorganisms, and it is presumed that the fermented product contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one.

[0027] 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.

[0028] Examples of drying methods include freeze drying, drying under reduced pressure, and drying by heating.

[0029] The heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one contained in the fermentation product of the plant raw material may be heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one themselves, or may be in the form of a solvate such as a hydrate thereof.

[0030] The total content of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one in the fermentation product of the plant raw material is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2.0 × 10 －７ ~7.0 x 10 －１ mass%, more preferably 2.0 × 10 －６ ~7.0 x 10 －２ It is expressed in mass %.

[0031] The content of heptanoic acid in the fermented plant material is not particularly limited, but is preferably 7.0 x 10 －５ ~7.0 x 10 －１ mass%, more preferably 7.0 × 10 －４ ~7.0 x 10 －２ It is expressed in mass %.

[0032] The content of 2,4-decadienal in the fermented plant material is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2.0 × 10 －７ ~2.0 x 10 －３ mass%, more preferably 2.0 × 10 －６ ~2.0 x 10 －４ It is expressed in mass %.

[0033] The content of 3-octen-2-one in the fermented plant material is not particularly limited, but is preferably 2.0 × 10 －７ ~2.0 x 10 －３ mass%, more preferably 2.0 × 10 －６ ~2.0 x 10 －４ It is expressed in mass %.

[0034] (Bean-derived food) In this specification, the term "bean-derived food" is not particularly limited as long as it is a food derived from beans. The bean-derived food may be any food for which masking of the bean odor is desired, and may be a food that already has a bean odor or may have a bean odor in the future.

[0035] For example, raw beans include soybeans, whole soybeans, peas, broad beans, adzuki beans, etc. As raw beans, soybeans are preferred, that is, the above-mentioned bean-derived food is preferably a soybean-derived food.

[0036] The bean-derived food may be in any form, such as solid, semi-solid, fluid, jelly, or liquid, but is preferably a solid, and more preferably a chewable solid.

[0037] Examples of soybean-derived foods include beans, boiled beans, roasted beans, soybean flour, natto, miso, soy sauce, soy milk, yuba (dried soybean skin), okara (soybean pulp), tofu, frozen tofu, deep-fried tofu, thick fried tofu, meat substitutes, noodles, foods used in the production of these, and foods in the process of production of these, with meat substitutes being preferred. Meat substitutes are foods that do not contain meat and can be used as a substitute for livestock meat.

[0038] Examples of meat substitutes include foods such as minced meat, pate, hamburger steak, surimi, ham, etc. Examples of meat substitutes also include foods prepared by heating these, such as fried chicken, nuggets, simmered meat, hamburger steak, meatballs, meatloaf, minced meat cutlet, gyoza dumplings, shumai, wonton, spring rolls, and meat buns, which have a meat-like flavor.

[0039] (Composition of Food Composition) The contents of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one in the food composition are not particularly limited and can be set appropriately. In this specification, when heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one are in the form of a solvate such as a hydrate, the contents of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one are values ​​converted into the amount of the compound itself in equimolar amounts.

[0040] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention preferably contains the fermented product of the plant material in an amount of 1% by mass or more but less than 100% by mass.

[0041] In one aspect of the food composition of the present invention, the total content of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one is preferably 2.0×10 －８ ~7.0 x 10 －２ mass%, more preferably 2.0 × 10 －７ ~7.0 x 10 －３ It is more preferable that the fermented product of the plant material is contained so that the fermented product is present in an amount of 100% by mass.

[0042] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention preferably has a heptanoic acid content of 7.0 x 10 －６ ~7.0 x 10 －２ mass%, more preferably 7.0 × 10 －５ ~7.0 x 10 －３ It is more preferable that the fermented product of the plant material is contained so that the fermented product is present in an amount of 100% by mass.

[0043] In one aspect of the food composition of the present invention, the content of 2,4-decadienal is preferably 2.0 × 10 －８ ~2.0 x 10 －４ mass%, more preferably 2.0 × 10 －７ ~2.0 x 10 －５ It is more preferable that the fermented product of the plant material is contained so that the fermented product is present in an amount of 100% by mass.

[0044] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention preferably has a 3-octen-2-one content of 3.0 x 10 －８ ~3.0 x 10 －４ mass%, more preferably 3.0 × 10 －７~3.0 x 10 －５ It is more preferable that the fermented product of the plant material is contained so that the fermented product is present in an amount of 100% by mass.

[0045] The content of the bean-derived food in the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably more than 0% by mass and not more than 99% by mass, and more preferably 1% by mass or more and not more than 99% by mass.

[0046] In the food composition of one aspect of the present invention, the total amount of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one is preferably 8.0 × 10 －８ ~3.0 x 10 －１ parts by mass, more preferably 8.0 x 10 －７ ~3.0 x 10 －２ It is preferable to contain a fermented product of a plant material so that the amount of the fermented product is parts by mass.

[0047] In one aspect of the food composition of the present invention, the amount of heptanoic acid is preferably 2.0 x 10 －６ ~3.0 x 10 －１ parts by mass, more preferably 2.0 x 10 －５ ~3.0 x 10 －２ It is preferable to contain a fermented product of a plant material so that the amount of the fermented product is parts by mass.

[0048] In one embodiment of the food composition of the present invention, the amount of 2,4-decadienal is preferably 8.0 × 10 －８ ~7.0 x 10 －４ parts by mass, more preferably 8.0 x 10 －７ ~7.0 x 10 －５ It is preferable to contain a fermented product of a plant material so that the amount of the fermented product is parts by mass.

[0049] In one aspect of the food composition of the present invention, 3-octen-2-one is preferably present in an amount of 1.0 x 10 －７ ~1.0 x 10 －３ parts by mass, more preferably 1.0 x 10 －６ ~1.0 x 10 －４ It is preferable to contain a fermented product of a plant material so that the amount of the fermented product is parts by mass.

[0050] The contents of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one contained in the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention and the fermented product of plant raw material can be analyzed by GC-MS. The GC-MS measurement conditions are as follows: GC-MS: GC-MS-QP2010Ultra (Shimadzu Corporation) Column: GC capillary column DB-WAX Ultra Inart (Agilent) Column oven: 40°C (3 min) → 5°C / min → 110°C → 10°C / min → 240°C (5 min) Inlet temperature: 240°C Carrier gas: He Interface temperature: 240°C Ion source temperature: 240°C Data collection time: 2-35 min Mass range: 40-250 m / z

[0051] The contents of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one in the fermented product of the plant material can be measured using the method described above, and the amount of the fermented product of the plant material in the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention can be appropriately set, thereby adjusting the contents of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one in the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention may further contain a flavoring agent to impart a better flavor to the bean-derived food, such as isothiocyanates, indole and its derivatives, ethers, esters, ketones, fatty acids, higher aliphatic alcohols, higher aliphatic aldehydes, higher aliphatic hydrocarbons, thioethers, thiols, terpene hydrocarbons, phenol ethers, phenols, furfural and its derivatives, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, and lactones.

[0053] The content of the flavoring agent in the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably 1.0 x 10 －１０ up to 1% by mass, more preferably 1.0 × 10 －８ ~1.0 x 10 －３ In the food composition of one aspect of the present invention, the amount of the flavoring is preferably 4.0 × 10 －１０ up to 4 parts by mass, more preferably 4.0 × 10 －８ ~4.0 x 10－３ Parts by mass.

[0054] The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention may further contain other ingredients, such as carriers (bases) and additives (e.g., excipients, dispersants, emulsifiers, buffers, stabilizers, binders, disintegrants, lubricants, antioxidants, preservatives, coating agents, colorants, etc.) that can be incorporated into foods, beverages, or pharmaceuticals. Examples of excipients include oligosaccharides such as isomaltooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, and fructooligosaccharides; polysaccharides such as dextrin, cellulose, gum arabic, and starch (e.g., corn starch); sugars such as lactose, glucose, fructose, sugar, sucrose, maltose, starch syrup, honey, invert sugar, syrup, and isomerized sugar (e.g., high-fructose corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup); sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, erythritol, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, and reduced palatinose; meat substitutes other than those derived from soybeans; vegetable proteins such as soy protein isolate, wheat gluten, defatted soybeans, and peas; dietary fiber; lipids; etc. Since the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention is preferably used as a soybean-derived meat substitute, the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention preferably contains polysaccharides, dietary fiber, protein, etc.

[0055] (Other Features of the Food Composition) The food composition of one embodiment of the present invention may be in any form, such as a solid, semi-solid, fluid, jelly, or liquid, but is preferably a solid, and more preferably a chewable solid.

[0056] More specifically, 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 meat of livestock (such as pigs, cows, sheep, goats, and horses), poultry (such as chickens, quails, ducks, wild ducks, crossbred ducks, geese, and turkeys), 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.

[0057] 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, by adding the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention to a mixture of cut plant food materials and vegetables or other food materials, kneading the mixture, and then subjecting the kneaded mixture to heat cooking, cooked products with a meat-like flavor can be obtained, such as fried chicken, nuggets, simmered foods, hamburger steak, meatballs, meatloaf, minced meat cutlets, gyoza dumplings, shumai, wontons, 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.

[0058] [Method for producing food composition] A method for producing a food composition according to one aspect of the present invention comprises blending a fermented product of a plant material into a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one.

[0059] The fermented product of the plant material can be added at any stage in the production process of the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention, and the timing and method of addition are not particularly limited. The production of the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention can be carried out in the same manner as the production of ordinary foods, except that the fermented product of the plant material is added to the bean-derived food. The fermented product of the plant material may be added to the finished bean-derived food, the bean-derived food during production, or the bean-derived food being used in production.

[0060] When the fermented product of the plant material is blended with a soybean-derived food and then heated, the heating temperature is preferably 80 to 100° C., and the heating time is preferably 2 to 10 minutes.

[0061] (Production of Fermented Plant Material) A method for producing a food composition according to one embodiment of the present invention may include fermenting the plant material with a microorganism before incorporating the fermented plant material into a bean-derived food. Examples of plant materials include those described above. In order to obtain a fermented plant material containing at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one, it is believed that sufficient growth and proliferation of the microorganisms is important in the "Fermentation using microorganisms" section described below.

[0062] <Enzyme Treatment> A method for producing a food composition according to one embodiment of the present invention may include treating the plant material with arabinase and cellulase before fermenting the plant material with a microorganism. Treating the plant material with arabinase and cellulase increases the vitamin B content. The reason for this is unclear, but it is thought that this may be due to factors such as a change in the balance of sugars available for microorganisms to assimilate, resulting in increased expression of genes involved in vitamin B metabolism, or an increase in the amount of primary metabolites that serve as substrates for vitamin B.

[0063] Specific examples of the cellulase include hemicellulase, glucanase, and glucosidase, and examples of the hemicellulase include xylanase.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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 raw 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] <Fermentation Using Microorganisms> In one embodiment of the method for producing a food composition of the present invention, before fermenting the plant material with the microorganisms, a carbon source or a nitrogen source other than the plant material, metal ions, or an antifoaming agent to eliminate foaming during cultivation may be added to create conditions favorable for vigorous growth of the microorganisms. The pH may also be adjusted to 3 to 7.

[0071] The types of microorganisms are the same as those listed as the microorganisms used to produce the fermented product contained in the food composition of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] 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.

[0075] In one embodiment of the production method of the present invention, post-treatment of the plant raw material after fermentation with a microorganism may include pulverization, sterilization, concentration, membrane separation, drying, etc., and drying is preferred. Examples of the drying include freeze-drying, drying under reduced pressure, and drying by heating.

[0076] The post-treatment may be carried out at any stage, and may be carried out alone or in combination.

[0077] [Method for masking bean odor] When a fermented product of a plant material containing at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one is blended with a bean-derived food, the bean odor of the bean-derived food can be masked. Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is a method for masking bean odor, which includes blending a fermented product of a plant material with a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one.

[0078] As explained above, the present specification discloses the following. <1> A food composition comprising a fermented product of a plant material and a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one. <2> The food composition according to <1> above, wherein the plant material is a grain-derived material. <3> The food composition according to <1> or <2> above, wherein the fermented product is a fermented product by koji mold of the genus Aspergillus. <4> The food composition according to any one of <1> to <3> above, further comprising a flavoring. <5> A food composition wherein the content of heptanoic acid is 2.0 x 10 relative to 100 parts by mass of the bean-derived food. －５ ~3.0 x 10 －２ <6> The food composition according to any one of the above items <1> to <4>, wherein the content of 2,4-decadienal is 8.0 × 10 based on 100 parts by mass of the bean-derived food. －７ ~7.0 x 10 －５ <7> The food composition according to any one of the above items <1> to <5>, wherein the content of 3-octen-2-one is 1.0 x 10 based on 100 parts by mass of the bean-derived food. －６ ~1.0 x 10 －４ The food composition according to any one of <1> to <6> above, wherein the amount is parts by mass. <8> A method for producing a food composition, comprising blending a fermented product of a plant material into a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one. <9> A method for masking a bean odor, comprising blending a fermented product of a plant material into a bean-derived food, wherein the fermented product of the plant material contains at least one of heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one.

[0079] 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.

[0080] Example 1 Evaluation of Soybean-Derived Foods Containing Fermented Products First, the granular soybean protein and fermented products shown in Table 1 were prepared.

[0081] [Granular Soy Protein] Fujinic 52S manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd. was used as the granular soy protein.

[0082] [Fermented product] First, the following materials were prepared. (Okara powder) Okara powder was 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.

[0083] Fermentation was carried out in a 300L jar (Marubishi Bioengine Co., Ltd.). 18 kg of okara powder was added with water to make a total volume of 170L, 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. The enzyme solution filtered through a 0.22 μm pore size filter was added so that the final concentration of arabinase was 0.6 U / ml and the final concentration of cellulase was 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.

[0084] 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).

[0085] 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. In this way, the fermented products listed in Table 1 were prepared.

[0086] [Preparation of Hamburger-Shaped Foods] Hamburger-shaped foods were formed using the ingredients listed in Table 1. 140 g of granular soy protein (Fujinic 52S) was reconstituted in 420 g of water. 77.4 g of the fermented product was reconstituted in 102.6 g of water. The mass of water listed in Table 1 is the total mass of the water used to reconstitute the granular soy protein and the fermented product. The masses of the granular soy protein and the fermented product listed in Table 1 are the masses before reconstitution. Each food was kneaded for 10 seconds using a kneading machine (manufactured by Tiger Corporation, product name "Microcomputer Food Processor SKF-H101"). The kneaded sample was formed into a size of 1.8 cm thick and 7.5 cm inner diameter. 5 ml of oil was added to a frying pan and the formed sample was cooked over low heat for 1 minute 20 seconds on each side, for a total of 2 minutes 40 seconds, to form a hamburger-shaped sample. Low heat refers to the heat just before the tip of the flame touches the bottom of the frying pan. The hamburger-like food product produced in this manner is the "final product" listed in Table 1.

[0087] The sensory evaluation was conducted in accordance with JIS standards by 4-5 people who had been trained to distinguish soybean odors, using a 7-point scoring system. The sensory evaluators chewed the samples at least 10 times and evaluated the bean odor that escaped through the nose. The samples to which no reagent had been added were rated as "5" (slightly strong bean odor), and the samples were rated from "0" (no bean odor) to "7" (strong bean odor). A t-test was conducted based on the results of the sensory evaluation to determine whether there was a significant difference from the control score of "5."

[0088] The results are shown in Table 1. It was clear that the inclusion of the fermented product suppressed the beany smell derived from the mixed granular soy protein. In particular, the beany smell suppressing effect was observed even in the final product containing 1% by mass of the fermented product.

[0089]

[0090] The aroma components specific to fermented products were analyzed by GC-MS. The GC-MS measurement conditions are as follows: GC-MS: GC-MS-QP2010Ultra (Shimadzu Corporation) Column: GC capillary column DB-WAX Ultra Inart (Agilent) Column oven: 40°C (3 min) → 5°C / min → 110°C → 10°C / min → 240°C (5 min) Injection port temperature: 240°C Carrier gas: He Interface temperature: 240°C Ion source temperature: 240°C Data collection time: 2-35 min Mass range: 40-250 m / z

[0091] The results of the GC-MS analysis are shown in Table 2. It was revealed that the aroma components listed in Table 2 remain in the food product in a manner dependent on the amount of fermentation product. In this specification, ppm is a value based on mass.

[0092]

[0093] Example 2: Evaluation of bean odor masking effect of aroma components derived from fermentation products To clarify whether each aroma component listed in Table 2 is effective in suppressing bean odor, a test was conducted in which these components were added to granular soy protein.

[0094] Heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one were used as aroma components to mask the soybean odor. Each reagent was a food-grade reagent manufactured by Sigma-Aldrich. Hereinafter, heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one will also be referred to as the reagents.

[0095] 20 g of granular soy protein was reconstituted in 60 mL of water, left at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then heated in a frying pan at 100°C for 5 minutes to be used as a sample for sensory evaluation.

[0096] When adding the reagent, a diluted solution was prepared and added so that the reagent would be 0.0001 to 5 ppm per 1 g of the cooked sample. In this specification, ppm is a value based on mass, and when the reagent is 1 ppm per 1 g of sample, the reagent is 1 x 10 －６ g.

[0097] Sensory evaluation was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3. In Table 3, "three-component mixture" refers to the result when a reagent containing a mixture of three components, heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one, was added to granular soy protein so that the total concentration of these components reached the final concentration shown in Table 3.

[0098]

[0099] As a result, it was confirmed that heptanoic acid and 3-octen-2-one significantly suppressed the beany odor at final concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 5 ppm (Table 3). Furthermore, when 2,4-decadienal and the three components were mixed, it was confirmed that the beany odor was significantly suppressed at concentrations ranging from 0.0001 ppm to 5 ppm (Table 3). It was confirmed that the flavor of the added reagent was too strong at 10 ppm.

[0100] Example 3: Evaluation of aroma component content in food samples containing fermented products. Each aroma component in a food sample containing 1% by mass of fermented product was analyzed using GC-MS. 4 ml of water was added to 2 g of a food sample prepared in the same manner as the hamburger-like food prepared in Example 1, and the mixture was centrifuged at 14,000 rpm for 10 minutes, after which 2 ml of the solution was recovered. The recovered solution was transferred to an analytical evaluation vial containing 1 g of table salt and analyzed.

[0101] To prepare a calibration curve, heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octen-2-one were diluted with water, and the diluted solutions with concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 10 ppm were transferred to analytical vials and analyzed. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0102]

[0103] Analysis of a food sample containing 1% by mass of the fermented product revealed that the concentrations were 0.7 ppm for heptanoic acid, 0.0018 ppm for 2,4-decadienal, and 0.0027 ppm for 3-octen-2-one (Table 4). These values ​​were higher than the concentrations at which the beany odor suppression effect was confirmed for each aroma component in Example 2. If the food sample contained 100% fermented product with 0% added granular soy protein, the food sample would contain 70 ppm of heptanoic acid, 0.18 ppm of 2,4-decadienal, and 0.27 ppm of 3-octen-2-one.

[0104] 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.

[0105] This application is based on a Japanese patent application filed on July 3, 2023 (Patent Application No. 2023-109596) and a Japanese patent application filed on November 24, 2023 (Patent Application No. 2023-199329), the contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application.

Claims

DEPCT691. Food compositions that include fermented products of plant raw materials and foods derived from legumes, in which the fermented products of plant raw materials contain at least one of the following: heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octane-2-one.

2. Food compositions under claim 1 in which the plant raw materials are derived from cereals.

3. Food compositions under claim 1 or 2 in which the fermented product is a fermented product of Aspergillus koji mold.

4. Food compositions under claim 1 or 2 that include additional flavors.

5. Food compositions under claim 292...

6. Food composition according to patent 1 or 2 where the amount of heptanoic acid is 2.0 x 10⁻⁵ to 3.0 x 10⁻⁷ by mass, considering 100 units by mass of food derived from beans.

7. Food composition according to patent 1 or 2 where the amount of 2,4-decadienal is 8.0 x 10⁻⁷ to 7.0 x 10⁻⁵ by mass, considering 100 units by mass of food derived from beans.

8. Food composition according to patent 1 or 2 where the amount of 3-octane-2-one is 1.0 x 10⁻⁶ to 1.0 x 10⁻⁴ by mass, considering 100 units by mass of food derived from beans.Methods for producing food components involve combining fermented plant-based products into nut-derived foods where the fermented plant-based products contain at least one of the following: heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octane-2-one. Methods for masking nut odors involve combining fermented plant-based products into nut-derived foods where the fermented plant-based products contain at least one of the following: heptanoic acid, 2,4-decadienal, and 3-octane-2-one.