Powdery oil or fat composition, food or beverage, method for producing powdery oil or fat composition, and method for improving emulsion stability of powdery oil or fat composition

Abstract

Provided is a powdery oil or fat composition that has excellent emulsion stability and flavor even when not containing a milk protein or the like.　A powdery oil or fat composition according to the present invention comprises: an edible oil or fat; a component (A) comprising a sap-derived polysaccharide; and a component (B) comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides.

Description

Powdered oil and fat composition, food and drink, method for producing powdered oil and fat composition, and method for improving emulsion stability of powdered oil and fat composition

[0001] The present invention relates to a powdered oil or fat composition, a food or drink, a method for producing a powdered oil or fat composition, and a method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil or fat composition.

[0002] Powdered oils and fats, in which an oily component is coated with a water-soluble component, are widely used as processed ingredients for coffee and tea creamers, confectioneries, soups, seasonings, and the like. Powdered oils and fats are produced by drying an emulsion of edible oils and fats mixed with emulsifiers and excipients. Traditionally, milk proteins such as casein and whey have been widely used for emulsification to produce such emulsions. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing powdered oils and fats, which comprises adding edible oils and fats and diacetyl tartaric acid ester monoglyceride to an aqueous sodium caseinate solution having a pH of 7 or less, emulsifying the mixture with stirring to obtain an O / W emulsion of edible oils and fats, and then powdering the O / W emulsion. This method stabilizes the emulsion during production and solves problems such as discoloration due to heat and unpleasant odors due to decomposition during powderization.

[0003] Powdered oils and fats that do not contain milk proteins such as casein have also been developed. Patent Document 2 discloses a powdered oil and fat composition that contains an oily component, gum arabic, and sugars, and is characterized in that the weight ratio of the oily component to gum arabic is 2:1 to 1:5, and the weight ratio of gum arabic to sugars is 5:1 to 1:100. This powdered oil and fat composition does not contain proteins, does not exude the oily component, and has good solubility in water.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 05-030906 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-119686

[0005] However, in recent years, there has been an increasing need for foods that do not contain milk proteins, etc., due to concerns about food allergies and the absence of animal-derived ingredients. Therefore, powdered oil and fat compositions containing casein, such as those described in Patent Document 1, tend to be avoided. On the other hand, powdered oil and fat compositions that do not use milk proteins but instead use gum arabic, a type of sap-derived polysaccharide, and sugars, as described in Patent Document 2, are not particularly suitable for use in foods due to the distinctive off-flavor characteristic of sap-derived polysaccharides. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a powdered oil and fat composition that has excellent emulsion stability and good flavor, even if it does not contain milk proteins, etc.

[0006] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have discovered that by adding a predetermined amount of one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides to a powdered oil or fat composition containing sap-derived polysaccharides, the off-flavor of the sap-derived polysaccharides is suppressed and the emulsion stability immediately after production and after storage is improved, thereby completing the present invention.

[0007] That is, according to the present invention, there are provided the following powdered oil and fat composition, food and drink, method for producing a powdered oil and fat composition, and method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil and fat composition. [1] A powdered oil and fat composition containing an edible oil and fat and the following components (A) and (B): Component (A): sap-derived polysaccharide; Component (B): one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides. [2] A food and drink containing the powdered oil and fat composition described in [1]. [3] A method for producing a powdered oil and fat composition containing an edible oil and fat and component (A): sap-derived polysaccharides; and component (B): one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides, wherein the powdered oil and fat composition is produced via the following steps (a) to (c): (a) obtaining a mixture of an oil phase raw material containing an edible oil and fat, and an aqueous phase raw material containing component (A), component (B), water, and an excipient, (b) emulsifying the mixture to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion, and (c) drying the emulsion [4] A method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil and fat composition, characterized by comprising containing an edible oil and fat, and the following (A) and component (B): Component (A): sap-derived polysaccharide Component (B): one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides.

[0008] According to the present invention, even when a powdered oil or fat composition does not contain milk proteins or the like, it is possible to obtain a powdered oil or fat composition that suppresses off-flavors and has improved emulsion stability.

[0009] Specific embodiments of the powdered oil and fat composition, food and beverage, method for producing a powdered oil and fat composition, and method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil and fat composition of the present invention are described below. Each embodiment disclosed in this specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in this specification, and combinations of preferred embodiments are more preferred embodiments. In this specification, the expression "X to Y" indicating a numerical range means "X or more and Y or less." Furthermore, when upper and lower limits of a numerical range are indicated, any upper and lower limits of these upper and lower limits can be combined as appropriate to create a suitable numerical range, and the resulting numerical range is also considered to be disclosed. Furthermore, any numerical value within that numerical range may be substituted for the numerical values ​​shown in the examples.

[0010] The powdered oil and fat composition, food and beverage, method for producing a powdered oil and fat composition, and method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil and fat composition of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments and examples described below, and various modifications are possible as long as the features and effects of the invention are not impaired. Furthermore, when a specific explanation given for one embodiment also applies to other embodiments, that explanation may be omitted in other embodiments. Furthermore, the off-flavor in the present invention refers to an undesirable flavor derived from component (A): sap-derived polysaccharides.

[0011] (Powdered oil / fat composition) In this embodiment, the powdered oil / fat composition contains edible oil / fat and the following components (A) and (B): Component (A): sap-derived polysaccharides Component (B): one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides

[0012] (Component (A)) Component (A) is a sap-derived polysaccharide. A sap-derived polysaccharide is a polysaccharide contained in sap secreted from tree bark. In this embodiment, for example, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum karaya, gum tragacanth, etc. can be suitably used as the sap-derived polysaccharide, and one or more of these sap-derived thickening polysaccharides can be used. Among these, gum arabic or gum ghatti is preferred from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, and it is more preferred to use gum arabic.

[0013] From the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the content of component (A) in the powdered oil / fat composition is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 8% by mass or more, even more preferably 11% by mass or more, and even more preferably 13% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of suppressing off-flavors, the content of component (A) in the powdered oil / fat composition is preferably 23% by mass or less, more preferably 22% by mass or less, even more preferably 21% by mass or less, even more preferably 18% by mass or less, and even more preferably 16% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition. That is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability and suppressing off-flavors, the content of component (A) in the powdered oil / fat composition is preferably 5% by mass or more and 23% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or more and 22% by mass or less, even more preferably 11% by mass or more and 21% by mass or less, even more preferably 13% by mass or more and 18% by mass or less, and even more preferably 13% by mass or more and 16% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition.

[0014] From the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the mass ratio of the edible oil to component (A) in the powdered oil composition is preferably 1.3 or more and 4.0 or less, more preferably 1.5 or more and 4.0 or less, even more preferably 1.8 or more and 4.0 or less, even more preferably 1.8 or more and 3.5 or less, still more preferably 1.9 or more and 3.1 or less, and particularly preferably 2.3 or more and 2.8 or less.

[0015] (Component (B)) Component (B) is one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides. Examples of plant seed-derived polysaccharides include tamarind seed gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, etc.; examples of fruit-derived polysaccharides include fruit-derived pectin and cellulose, etc.; and examples of plant root-derived polysaccharides include sugar beet pectin and konjac mannan, etc. However, component (B) does not contain starch. Component (B) in this embodiment is preferably one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of tamarind seed gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectins such as fruit-derived pectin and sugar beet pectin, more preferably one or two polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of tamarind seed gum and fruit-derived pectin, and even more preferably tamarind seed gum. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, it is also preferable to simultaneously contain tamarind seed gum and fruit-derived pectin.

[0016] From the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the content of component (B) in the powdered oil / fat composition is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.4% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition. From the same viewpoint, the content of component (B) in the powdered oil / fat composition is preferably 4% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, even more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.2% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition. That is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the content of component (B) in the powdered oil / fat composition is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 4% by mass or less, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.3% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.4% by mass or more and 1.2% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition.

[0017] From the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability and suppressing off-flavors, the ratio of component (B) to the total of component (A) and component (B) in the powdered oil or fat composition [component (B) / (component (A) + component (B))] is preferably a mass ratio of 0.010 or more and 0.200 or less, more preferably a mass ratio of 0.010 or more and 0.150 or less, even more preferably a mass ratio of 0.015 or more and 0.130 or less, even more preferably a mass ratio of 0.020 or more and 0.095 or less, and even more preferably a mass ratio of 0.025 or more and 0.080 or less.

[0018] (Edible oils and fats) The powdered oil and fat composition of the present invention contains edible oils and fats. The edible oils and fats in this embodiment are not limited and may be selected appropriately. Examples include vegetable oils and fats such as rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, corn oil, linseed oil, perilla oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, rice bran oil, peanut oil, shea butter, monkey fat, cacao butter, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, and evening primrose oil; animal oils and fats such as beef tallow, lard, milk fat, chicken oil, and fish oil; and synthetic oils and fats such as medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides. Also included are processed oils and fats obtained by subjecting these to fractionation, hydrogenation, interesterification, etc. The edible oils and fats preferably contain one or more selected from the group consisting of rapeseed oil, soybean oil, palm oil, corn oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil, more preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil, and even more preferably palm olein.

[0019] The powdered oil-and-fat composition of the present invention may contain seasoning oils and flavor-enhancing oils in the edible oil-and-fat mixture. The seasoning oils in this embodiment include oils and fats that have been flavored with spices, spices, or the like, oils and fats that have been flavored by extracting certain components, and oils and fats that have been flavored by processing them in some way. They also include edible oils and fats that themselves have a flavor, such as sesame oil. The flavor-enhancing oil refers to an edible oil-and-fat composition that, when added to food, has the functionality of improving the taste, aroma, umami, richness, or other flavors, or masking unusual flavors. Specific examples of seasoning oils include flavor oils such as butter flavor oil, lemon flavor oil, almond flavor oil, and vanilla flavor oil; flavored edible oils and fats that have a fragrance themselves as extracted oils such as sesame oil, olive oil, almond oil, peanut oil, and roasted rapeseed oil; oils and fats flavored with aromatic vegetables or spices such as chili oil, green onion oil, ginger oil, and garlic oil; flavored oils flavored by subjecting oils and fats to treatments such as heating and hydrogenation; grill oil and charcoal grill flavor oil that impart a grilled meat flavor, and flavor-enhancing oils and fats include oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, which will be described later, and oils and fats containing oxidized oils, which will be described later. The powdered oils and fats of the present invention preferably contain, in the edible oils and fats, one or more selected from the group consisting of seasoning oils and flavor-enhancing oils; more preferably, one or more selected from the group consisting of flavor oils, flavored edible oils and fats, oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, and oils and fats containing oxidized oils and fats; even more preferably, one or more selected from the group consisting of lemon flavor oil, olive oil, sesame oil, oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, and oils and fats containing oxidized oils and fats; even more preferably, one or more selected from the group consisting of olive oil, sesame oil, oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, and oils and fats containing oxidized oils and fats; still more preferably, one or more selected from the group consisting of olive oil, oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, and oils and fats containing oxidized oils and fats; and particularly preferably, one or two selected from oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids and oils and fats containing oxidized oils and fats.

[0020] When the edible oils and fats contain seasoning oils, the lower limit of the content of the seasoning oil in the edible oils and fats is preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 20% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, still more preferably 50% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 80% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the entire edible oils and fats. Also, when the edible oils and fats contain seasoning oils, the upper limit of the content of the seasoning oil in the edible oils and fats is 100% by mass or less, and may be 99.5% by mass or less, 99% by mass or less, 98% by mass or less, etc., based on 100% by mass of the entire edible oils and fats. That is, when the edible oil or fat contains seasoning oil, the content of the seasoning oil in the edible oil or fat is preferably 5% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or more and 99.5% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or more and 99% by mass or less, still more preferably 30% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less, even more preferably 50% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 80% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less, taking the entire edible oil or fat as 100% by mass.

[0021] When the edible oil or fat contains a flavor-enhancing oil, the lower limit of the content of the flavor-enhancing oil in the edible oil or fat is, relative to 100% by mass of the entire edible oil or fat, preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.4% by mass or more, still more preferably 1% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2% by mass or more. Also, when the edible oil or fat contains a flavor-enhancing oil, the upper limit of the content of the flavor-enhancing oil in the edible oil or fat is, relative to 100% by mass of the entire edible oil or fat, preferably 100% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, still more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 10% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 6% by mass or less. That is, when the edible oil or fat contains a flavor-enhancing oil, the content of the flavor-enhancing oil in the edible oil or fat is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.4% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, still more preferably 1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 2% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 2% by mass or more and 6% by mass or less, taking the total edible oil or fat as 100% by mass.

[0022] From the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the content of edible oils and fats in the powdered oil and fat composition is preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, even more preferably 22% by mass or more, still more preferably 25% by mass or more, and even more preferably 28% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil and fat composition. From the same viewpoint, the content of edible oils and fats in the powdered oil and fat composition is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less, even more preferably 60% by mass or less, still more preferably 55% by mass or less, even more preferably 50% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 45% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil and fat composition. That is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the content of edible oils and fats in the powdered oil and fat composition is preferably 15% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less, even more preferably 22% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less, still more preferably 25% by mass or more and 55% by mass or less, even more preferably 28% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 28% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, taking the entire powdered oil and fat composition as 100% by mass.

[0023] (Fat or oil containing n-6 fatty acids, etc.) The edible fat or oil preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and esters thereof (hereinafter may be referred to as "n-6 fatty acids, etc.") (hereinafter may be referred to as "fat or oil containing n-6 fatty acids, etc.").

[0024] The n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid refers to a fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 3 or more double bonds. Preferably, it is a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 to 24 carbon atoms and 4 to 6 double bonds. Examples of n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids include arachidonic acid (AA) and docosatetraenoic acid (DTA), with arachidonic acid being preferred.

[0025] Examples of esters of n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids include glycerol fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, organic acid fatty acid esters, fatty acid alcohol esters, sphingolipids, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polypropylene fatty acid esters, and sterol esters, all of which contain n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids. Of these, glycerol fatty acid esters are preferred. Glycerol fatty acid esters are esters containing glycerol as a constituent component, and specific examples include triacylglycerol (triglyceride), diacylglycerol (diglyceride), monoacylglycerol (monoglyceride), glycerophospholipid, and glyceroglycolipid. The above ester is preferably triacylglycerol.

[0026] There are no particular limitations on the origin of n-6 fatty acids, etc., and those obtained from various animals, plants, microorganisms, algae, etc. are commercially available, and those skilled in the art can use these known products as appropriate. One type of n-6 fatty acid, etc. may be used alone, or multiple types may be used in combination.

[0027] Furthermore, fats and oils containing n-6 fatty acids and the like may be oxidized (oxidized products). When the peroxide value (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "POV") is used as an indicator of the degree of oxidation, the peroxide value of edible fats and oils generally available on the market is about 0 to 10, but it is preferable that the peroxide value be increased to about 15 to 350. In another embodiment, the range of the peroxide value may be 20 to 300, 30 to 270, 40 to 250, or 60 to 200. The peroxide value (POV) can be measured in accordance with "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials 2.5.2 Peroxide Value" (Japan Oil Chemists' Society).

[0028] The oxidation treatment method is not particularly limited, but a preferred example is a heat treatment method. For example, from the perspective of industrial-scale production, it is preferable to place the raw material oil or fat in an appropriate container such as a tank and heat it using a heating means such as an electric heating type, direct flame burner type, microwave type, steam type, or hot air type attached to the container. There are no particular limitations on the heat treatment conditions, but heating at 40°C to 200°C for 0.1 to 240 hours is preferred, and heating at 80°C to 180°C for 0.5 to 72 hours is more preferred.

[0029] During the heat treatment, oxygen may be supplied by introducing oxygen from the open space of the container by stirring or by blowing oxygen in (e.g., bubbling). Air or the like may be used as the oxygen source. This promotes the oxidation of the oils and fats containing the n-6 fatty acids and the like. In this case, the oxygen supply rate is preferably in the range of 0.001 L / min to 2 L / min per kg of the oil and fat. For example, in the case of air, the rate is preferably in the range of 0.005 L / min to 10 L / min per kg of the oil and fat, and more preferably in the range of 0.01 L / min to 5 L / min per kg of the oil and fat.

[0030] When the edible oils and fats contain oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, etc., the content of the oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, etc. in the powdered oil and fat composition is, relative to 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil and fat composition, preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.08% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.13% by mass or more. Furthermore, the content of the oils and fats containing n-6 fatty acids, etc. in the powdered oil and fat composition is, relative to 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil and fat composition, preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or less, even more preferably 2% by mass or less, still more preferably 1% by mass or less, particularly preferably 0.6% by mass or less, and especially preferably 0.4% by mass or less. That is, when the edible oil or fat contains an oil or fat containing n-6 fatty acids, etc., the content of the oil or fat containing n-6 fatty acids, etc. in the powdered oil or fat composition is, relative to 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil or fat composition, preferably from 0.05% by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably from 0.05% by mass to 10% by mass, even more preferably from 0.08% by mass to 5% by mass, still more preferably from 0.08% by mass to 2% by mass, still more preferably from 0.1% by mass to 1% by mass, particularly preferably from 0.1% by mass to 0.6% by mass, and especially preferably from 0.13% by mass to 0.4% by mass.

[0031] (Oxidized Oils and Fats) The powdered oil and fat composition of the present invention may contain, in the edible oil and fat, oxidized oil and fat which is an oxidation product of one or more kinds of oils and fats selected from the group consisting of palm-based oils and sunflower oils having a total content of α-carotene and β-carotene of 50 ppm by mass or more and 2000 ppm by mass or less, and preferably contains oxidized oil and fat which is an oxidation product of palm-based oil and fats having a total content of α-carotene and β-carotene of 50 ppm by mass or more and 2000 ppm by mass or less.

[0032] The palm-based oil used in the oxidized oil may be palm-based oil obtained from oil palm fruit, and may be obtained by treatment such as molecular distillation, fractionation, degumming, deoxidation, bleaching, and deodorization. The method of each treatment is not particularly limited, and methods typically used in the processing and refining of oils and fats can be employed. The total content of α-carotene and β-carotene in the palm-based oil is 50 ppm by mass or more and 2000 ppm by mass or less, preferably 50 ppm by mass or more and 1500 ppm by mass or less, more preferably 50 ppm by mass or more and 1000 ppm by mass or less, and even more preferably 50 ppm by mass or more and 800 ppm by mass or less. One type of palm-based oil having a total content of α-carotene and β-carotene within the above range may be used, or two or more types may be mixed together to achieve the above total content. The contents of α-carotene and β-carotene in fats and oils can be measured by the method described in the Examples section or a method that will be understood by those skilled in the art to be equivalent thereto.

[0033] The sunflower oil used in the oxidized oil is not particularly limited, but the proportion of oleic acid in the total amount of constituent fatty acids is preferably 70% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or more and 95% by mass or less, and even more preferably 80% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the sunflower oil has been subjected to a refinement process. The content of oleic acid in the total amount of constituent fatty acids can be measured in accordance with the method described in "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials 2.5.23-2013: Fatty Acid Composition (Capillary Gas Chromatography Method)" (Japan Oil Chemists' Society).

[0034] It is important that the oxidized oil or fat in the present invention is an oxidation-treated product obtained by oxidizing one or more oils or fats selected from the group consisting of palm-based oils and sunflower oils, and the peroxide value (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "POV") is preferably from 15 to 300, more preferably from 25 to 290, even more preferably from 40 to 270, and even more preferably from 45 to 250. The peroxide value can be measured in accordance with the method described in "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials, 2.5.2 Peroxide Value" (Japan Oil Chemists' Society).

[0035] The method for obtaining oxidized oils and fats may be any method that can oxidize palm oils and sunflower oils to bring the peroxide value within the above range, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, heat treatment. More specifically, from the perspective of industrial-scale production, it is preferable to place the raw oils and fats in a container such as a tank and then heat treat them using a heating means such as an electric heater, direct flame burner, microwave, steam, or hot air heater attached to the container. The conditions for the heat treatment are not limited, but are typically, for example, performed at a heating temperature of 50°C to 220°C for a heating time of 0.1 to 240 hours, and more typically, at a heating temperature of 60°C to 160°C for a heating time of 1 to 100 hours. As a condition for the integrated amount of heating temperature (°C) x heating time (hours), for example, heating treatment is typically performed at an integrated amount of 200 to 20,000, more typically at an integrated amount of 220 to 18,000, and even more typically at an integrated amount of 240 to 15,000. When the heating temperature is changed, the integrated amount of heating temperature (°C) x heating time (hours) can be calculated as the heating temperature (°C) before the temperature change x the heating time (hours) before the temperature change + the heating temperature (°C) after the temperature change x the heating time (hours) after the temperature change, or the integral of the heating temperature (°C) over the heating time (hours).

[0036] Furthermore, during the oxidation treatment, oxygen (air) may be supplied by introducing oxygen from an open space in the container by stirring while performing the heat treatment, or by blowing oxygen in (for example, bubbling). Air or the like may be used as the oxygen source. This promotes the oxidation of the raw oil or fat. In this case, the oxygen supply rate is preferably 0.001 to 2 L / min per 1 kg of raw oil or fat. For example, in the case of air, the rate is preferably 0.005 to 10 L / min per 1 kg of raw oil or fat, and more preferably 0.01 to 5 L / min.

[0037] When the powdered oil / fat composition contains oxidized oils / fat, the content of the oxidized oil / fat in the powdered oil / fat composition is, relative to 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition, preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, still more preferably 0.7% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.9% by mass or more. Also, the content of the oxidized oil / fat in the powdered oil / fat composition is, relative to 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition, preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or less, even more preferably 2% by mass or less, still more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.2% by mass or less. That is, when the powdered oil or fat composition contains oxidized oil or fat, the content thereof is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.7% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.9% by mass or more and 1.2% by mass or less, taking the entire powdered oil or fat composition as 100% by mass.

[0038] (Excipient) In this embodiment, the powdered oil composition preferably contains an excipient. The excipient mainly coats the oily component to form the powdered oil and prevents the oily component from seeping out. Such excipients are not limited, and any excipient typically used in producing powdered oils can be used. Examples of such excipients include sugars such as starch (e.g., starch octenyl succinate), starch syrup, powdered syrup, corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, maltose, lactose, fructose, galactose, trehalose, dextrin, sodium alginate, and carrageenan; sugar alcohols such as erythritol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, lactitol, palatinit, and reduced starch syrup; wheat flour; proteins such as gelatin, acid casein, and sodium caseinate; and thickeners such as xanthan gum (excluding those contained in component (A) and component (B)). The excipient may be used alone or in combination with two or more. The excipient is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of starch, sugars, thickeners, and proteins, more preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of starch octenyl succinate, corn syrup, and dextrin, even more preferably one or two selected from the group consisting of dextrin and starch octenyl succinate, and even more preferably dextrin. The powdered oil / fat composition of the present invention may contain milk proteins, particularly casein and its salts. However, since casein is an allergenic substance, it is preferable not to include it from the perspective of allergen-free. The present invention is advantageous in that good emulsion stability can be achieved without including casein or its salts. It should be noted that embodiments containing casein or its salts are not excluded from the present invention.

[0039] The average molecular weight of the saccharide is preferably 400 or more and 20,000 or less, and more preferably 500 or more and 15,000 or less. The dextrose equivalent (DE) of the saccharide is preferably 5 or more and 50 or less, more preferably 7 or more and 40 or less, even more preferably 10 or more and 35 or less, even more preferably 10 or more and 30 or less, and even more preferably 11 or more and 25 or less.

[0040] When an excipient is contained in the powdered oil / fat composition, the content of the excipient in the powdered oil / fat composition is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability and suppressing off-flavors, preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 25% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, even more preferably 35% by mass or more, and even more preferably 43% by mass or more, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the content of the excipient in the powdered oil / fat composition is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability and suppressing off-flavors, preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 75% by mass or less, and even more preferably 70% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition. That is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability and suppressing off-flavors, the content of the excipient in the powdered oil / fat composition is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability and suppressing off-flavors, preferably 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, more preferably 25% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, even more preferably 35% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, and even more preferably 43% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil / fat composition.

[0041] In this embodiment, the powdered oil or fat composition may contain an emulsifier, but preferably does not contain one. Here, the emulsifier refers to designated additives and existing additives whose main purpose is to act as an emulsifier, as defined in the labeling standards of the Food Sanitation Act. Such emulsifiers are not particularly limited as long as they are food-grade, and examples thereof include glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, vegetable lecithin, and egg yolk lecithin.

[0042] (Components Other Than the Above) In addition to the components described above, the powdered oil or fat composition may contain, within the scope not impairing the effects of the invention, pH adjusters such as dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, dipotassium sulfate, trisodium citrate, and sodium hydroxide; antioxidants such as tocopherol; sweeteners other than the above excipients; stabilizers; flavorings; colorants; calcium carbonate; titanium dioxide; etc.

[0043] (Antioxidant) From the viewpoint of suppressing off-flavors, the powdered oil or fat composition of the present invention preferably contains an antioxidant. The antioxidant is preferably tocopherol, more preferably mixed tocopherol. When the powdered oil or fat composition contains an antioxidant, the content of the antioxidant in the powdered oil or fat composition is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.03% by mass or more and 4% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.08% by mass or more and 2.5% by mass or less, based on 100% by mass of the entire powdered oil or fat composition.

[0044] In this embodiment, the powdered oil-and-fat composition is preferably an oil-in-water dry emulsion-based powdered oil-and-fat composition. Here, the oil-in-water dry emulsion-based powdered oil-and-fat composition refers to a powdered oil-and-fat composition obtained by drying an oil-in-water emulsion. Note that full-fat powdered oil-and-fat compositions (powdered oil-and-fat compositions obtained by powdering high-melting-point oils and fats by spray cooling or cooling and pulverization) are not included in the above-mentioned oil-in-water dry emulsion-based powdered oil-and-fat compositions.

[0045] In the present embodiment, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the median diameter of the fat globules (oil droplet globules) immediately after production of the powdered oil or fat composition is preferably 8 μm or less, more preferably 6 μm or less, even more preferably 4 μm or less, even more preferably 3 μm or less, still more preferably 2.3 μm or less, particularly preferably 1.7 μm or less, and especially preferably 1.3 μm or less. From the same viewpoint, the median diameter of the fat globules (oil droplet globules) immediately after production of the powdered oil or fat composition is preferably 0.1 μm or more, and may be 0.2 μm or more, 0.3 μm or more, 0.5 μm or more, or 0.6 μm or more.

[0046] In this embodiment, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, the median diameter of fat globules (oil droplet globules) when the powdered oil or fat composition is stored at 60° C. for one week is preferably 10 μm or less, more preferably 8 μm or less, even more preferably 6 μm or less, even more preferably 4 μm or less, still more preferably 3.3 μm or less, particularly preferably 2.8 μm or less, and especially preferably 2.0 μm or less. From the same viewpoint, the median diameter of fat globules (oil droplet globules) when the powdered oil or fat composition is stored at 60° C. for one week is preferably 0.1 μm or more, and may be 0.2 μm or more, 0.3 μm or more, 0.4 μm or more, 0.6 μm or more, or 0.9 μm or more.

[0047] In this embodiment, the change ratio of the median diameter of the fat globules (oil droplet globules) in the powdered oil or fat composition when stored at 60°C for one week (also referred to as the change ratio after storage at 60°C) is, from the viewpoint of improving emulsion stability, preferably 2.00 or less, more preferably 1.80 or less, even more preferably 1.60 or less, even more preferably 1.50 or less, and even more preferably 1.40 or less. Here, the change ratio after storage at 60°C can be determined as the ratio of the median diameter of the fat globules (oil droplet globules) when the powdered oil or fat composition is stored at 60°C for one week to the median diameter of the fat globules (oil droplet globules) immediately after production, and it can be said that the smaller the change ratio, the better the emulsion stability after storage. Therefore, the lower limit of the change ratio after storage at 60°C is 1.00 or more, and may be 1.10 or more.

[0048] The median diameter of fat globules in a powdered oil or fat composition can be measured by the following procedure. <Measurement of fat globule diameter> The fat globule diameter (median diameter) of a powdered oil or fat composition is measured under the following conditions using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (product name: LA-960, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.). The median diameter means the particle diameter that intersects with the 50% horizontal axis in a distribution curve with particle diameter on the horizontal axis and cumulative % on the vertical axis. (Measurement conditions) Refractive index: 1.60-0.5i Dispersion medium: Water

[0049] (Foods and beverages containing powdered oil and fat composition) The powdered oil and fat composition of the present invention can be used in foods and beverages such as instant creaming powder used in coffee, tea, chocolate drinks, milkshakes, etc.; ingredients of powdered foods such as powdered whipped cream and powdered soup; roux for curry, stew, etc.; fillings such as jam, cream, sauce, etc.; condiments such as seasoning powder; desserts such as frozen desserts, jellies, gummies, chocolate, etc.; and processed food ingredients such as sweets, bread, noodles, and processed meat products.

[0050] (Method for producing powdered oil / fat composition) In this embodiment, the method for producing a powdered oil / fat composition involves producing the above-mentioned powdered oil / fat composition through the following steps (a) to (c). Each of the steps (a) to (c) will be described in detail. (a) A step of obtaining a mixture of an oil phase raw material containing edible oils and fats and an aqueous phase raw material containing component (A), component (B), water, and an excipient; (b) A step of emulsifying the mixture to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion; and (c) A step of drying the emulsion.

[0051] In step (a), a mixture is prepared by mixing typically 30 to 300 parts by mass, preferably 40 to 200 parts by mass of water, with respect to a total of 100 parts by mass of edible fats and oils, component (A), component (B), and excipients. It is preferable that step (a) includes the following steps (a)-1 to (a)-3: (a)-1: a step of mixing component (A), component (B), excipients, and water to obtain an aqueous phase raw material; (a)-2: a step of mixing edible fats and oils and, optionally, an emulsifier, to obtain an oil phase raw material; and (a)-3: a step of mixing the aqueous phase raw material and the oil phase raw material to obtain a mixture.

[0052] In step (b), a general-purpose method can be used, for example, the mixture is emulsified using a homogenizer, a homomixer, a high-pressure emulsifier, a high-pressure homogenizer, a colloid mill, or the like to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion.

[0053] The powdered oil or fat composition may contain other components in addition to those described above, as necessary. In this case, the other components may be mixed in either step (a) or step (b), and from the viewpoint of dispersibility, the other components are preferably mixed in step (a), and more preferably mixed in step (a)-1 or step (a)-2 depending on the properties of the other components.

[0054] In the step (c), a general-purpose method can be used, and for example, the emulsion can be dried using a vacuum dryer, a vacuum freeze dryer, a vacuum belt dryer, a vacuum drum dryer, a spray dryer, or the like.

[0055] (Method for Improving the Emulsion Stability of a Powdered Oil / Fat Composition) In this embodiment, the method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil / fat composition comprises incorporating edible oil / fat, component (A): a sap-derived polysaccharide, and component (B): one or more selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides. Detailed explanations of the edible oil / fat, component (A), and component (B) are omitted here, as they are the same as those explained in the section (Powdered Oil / Fat Composition). Here, the emulsion stability of a powdered oil / fat composition can be measured using the median diameter of fat globules (oil droplet globules), and specifically, can be expressed as the ratio of the median diameter of fat globules (oil droplet globules) after the powdered oil / fat composition has been stored at 60°C for one week to the median diameter of fat globules (oil droplet globules) immediately after production.

[0056] A non-limiting list of exemplary embodiments and combinations of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is disclosed below. [1] A powdered oil-and-fat composition containing an edible oil-and-fat and the following components (A) and (B): Component (A): sap-derived polysaccharide; Component (B): one or more polysaccharides selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides. [2] The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to [1] above, in which the content of the edible oil-and-fat is 15% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less. [3] The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to [1] or [2] above, in which the mass ratio of the edible oil-and-fat to the component (A) is 1.3 or more and 4 or less. [4] The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to any of [1] to [3] above, in which the component (A) is gum arabic. [5] The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein component (B) is one or more selected from the group consisting of tamarind seed gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, and pectin. [6] The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the mass ratio of component (B) to the total of component (A) and component (B) is 0.01 or more and 0.20 or less. [7] The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the edible oil-and-fat comprises an oil-and-fat containing at least one selected from the group consisting of n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and esters thereof. [8] The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the edible oil-and-fat comprises an oxidized oil-and-fat which is an oxidized product of one or more oils-and-fat selected from the group consisting of palm-based oils and sunflower oils and having a total content of α-carotene and β-carotene of 50 ppm by mass to 2,000 ppm by mass. [9] A food or drink comprising the powdered oil or fat composition according to any one of [1] to [8] above.

[10] A method for producing a powdered oil or fat composition containing an edible oil or fat, and component (A): a sap-derived polysaccharide, and component (B): one or more selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides, wherein the powdered oil or fat composition is produced through the following steps (a) to (c):(a) obtaining a mixture of an oil phase raw material containing an edible oil and fat, and an aqueous phase raw material containing component (A), component (B), water, and an excipient, (b) emulsifying the mixture to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion, and (c) drying the emulsion

[11] A method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil or fat composition, characterized by comprising containing an edible oil or fat, and the following (A) and component (B): Component (A): sap-derived polysaccharide Component (B): one or more selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides.

[0057] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the configurations and combinations thereof in each embodiment are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications of the configurations are possible as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Each aspect disclosed in this specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in this specification.

[0058] The present invention will be explained in more detail below by showing examples, but the gist of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0059] The main raw materials used for the powdered oil and fat composition are as follows. <Raw material 1 (oil phase raw material)> (Edible oils and fats) Palm olein: Palm olein IV67 (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) Seasoning oil 1: Olive & lemon flavor oil (AJINOMOTO Olive & lemon flavor oil, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.) Seasoning oil 2: Sesame oil (AJINOMOTO Sesame oil lover's pure sesame oil, manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.) Flavor improving oil 1: Arachidonic acid-containing oil: Oil obtained by mixing palm olein with the oil obtained by the "Method for producing arachidonic acid-containing oil and fat" described below in a mass ratio of 1:3 Flavor improving oil 2: Oil obtained by the "Method for producing acid value oil and fat" described below (Antioxidant) Mixed tocopherol (Tocopherol AT-160 (manufactured by J-Oil Mills Co., Ltd.)

[0060] <Raw material 2 (aqueous phase raw material)> (Component (A) Polysaccharides derived from tree sap) Gum arabic: Arabic Coal SS (manufactured by San-ei Pharmaceutical Trading Co., Ltd.) (Component (B) Polysaccharides derived from plant seeds) Tamarind seed gum 1: Glyate (manufactured by MP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.) Tamarind seed gum 2: Glyloid 2A (manufactured by MP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.) (Component (B) Polysaccharides derived from fruits) Pectin 1: Classic CM203 (pectin derived from fruits, manufactured by MP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd.) (Component (B) Polysaccharides derived from plant roots) Pectin 2: BETA BI-J (sugar beet pectin, manufactured by Sansho Co., Ltd.) (Excipient) Dextrin: Sandec #150 (manufactured by Sanwa Starch Industry Co., Ltd.), DE 15-18, average molecular weight 10,000 (Water) City water (tap water)

[0061] (Quantification of α-carotene and β-carotene in raw oils and fats for oxidized oils and fats) Quantification of α-carotene and β-carotene was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC analysis). Specifically, 0.5 g of palm-based oil or the oxidation-treated product was weighed out, and each was diluted to 10 mL with a mixture of acetone and tetrahydrofuran (a 1:1 solution by mass), and subjected to HPLC analysis. The α-carotene and β-carotene contents were quantified from the calibration curve. The calibration curve was created from the peak areas obtained when HPLC analysis was performed at predetermined concentrations using α-carotene (product number 035-17981) and β-carotene (product number 035-05531) reagents (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) as quantitative standards. The main analysis conditions are shown below.

[0062] (HPLC conditions) Detector: Photodiode array detector "2996 PHOTODIODE ARRAY DETECTOR" (Waters), detection at 300 to 600 nm Column: Shim-pack VP-ODS, 4.6 mm ID x 250 mm, 4.6 μm (Shimadzu Corporation) Column temperature: 50°C Injection volume: 5 μL Flow rate: 1.2 mL / min Mobile phase A: acetonitrile Mobile phase B: ethanol Mobile phase C: acetone Gradient conditions: as shown in Table 1

[0063]

[0064] (Measurement of Peroxide Value (POV)) Measurement was carried out in accordance with "Standard Methods for the Analysis of Fats, Oils and Related Materials 2.5.2 Peroxide Value" (Japan Oil Chemists' Society).

[0065] (Method for producing oxidized oil) 240 g of red palm oil (Carotino Pure Olein, manufactured by Carotino Co., Ltd., molecular distilled, single-step fractionation, total content of α-carotene and β-carotene: 411 ppm by mass) was placed in a beaker and heat-treated at 103°C for 40 hours in an oil bath while stirring at a stirring speed of 200 rpm and supplying air by bubbling at a rate of 0.20 L / min. The peroxide value (POV) of the obtained oxidized oil was measured in accordance with "Standard Analysis of Fats, Oils, and Related Materials, Test Method 2.5.2 Peroxide Value," and was found to be 115.

[0066] (Method for producing arachidonic acid-containing fats and oils) 250 g of a mixture consisting of 25% by mass of arachidonic acid-containing triglyceride (SUNTGA 40S manufactured by Suntory Ltd. (microbially derived arachidonic acid, arachidonic acid purity 40-45% by mass, triglyceride purity 95% by mass or more)) and 75% by mass of palm olein (same as above) was placed in a beaker, and the mixture was heated at 95°C for 15 hours while stirring at a stirring speed of 200 rpm in an oil bath while supplying air at a rate of 0.25 L / min by bagging, to obtain an arachidonic acid-containing fat and oil. The POV of the fat and oil was measured in accordance with "Standard Fats and Oils Analysis Test Method 2.5.2 Peroxide Value" and was found to be 126.

[0067] (Production of Powdered Oil and Fat Compositions) Powdered oil and fat compositions were produced by the following method according to the formulations shown in Tables 2, 3, and 4. In each table, the formulation indicates the blending ratio of the aqueous phase ingredients other than water to the oil phase ingredients, and corresponds to the composition ratio (content of each component) of the powdered oil and fat composition finally obtained.

[0068] 1. Preparation of Aqueous Phase Raw Material: Dextrin and component (A), and in each Example, component (B), were mixed with water to obtain an aqueous phase raw material. The amount of water was adjusted to 150 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the resulting powdered oil / fat composition. 2. High-Pressure Emulsification and Drying: The aqueous phase raw material and oil phase raw material (edible oil / fat) prepared in 1 above were combined and stirred to obtain a mixed liquid. The mixed liquid was treated at 500 bar in a high-pressure emulsifier (LAB-2000, manufactured by SPX FLOW) to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion. The obtained emulsion was dried and powdered using a spray dryer (B-290, manufactured by Nippon Buchi Co., Ltd., INLET 175°C, pump output 50%, spray air flow rate 600 L / hour) to obtain each powdered oil / fat composition.

[0069] (Emulsion stability test of powdered oil / fat compositions) 10 g of each powdered oil / fat composition obtained in (Production of powdered oil / fat compositions) was weighed into an aluminum bag (Lamizip AL-10, manufactured by Advantec Co., Ltd., Japan) and allowed to stand in a thermostatic bath (TVA360DB, manufactured by Advantec Toyo Kaisha, Ltd.) set at an internal temperature of 60° C. After standing for one week, the aluminum bag was removed and evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0070] <Measurement of fat globule diameter> Using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer (LA-960, manufactured by Horiba, Ltd.), the fat globule diameter (median diameter) of each powdered oil or fat composition was measured immediately after production and after one week of storage at 60°C under the following conditions. The median diameter means the particle diameter that intersects with the horizontal axis at 50% in a distribution curve with particle diameter on the horizontal axis and cumulative % on the vertical axis. The measurement results are also shown in Tables 2 to 4. (Measurement conditions) Refractive index: 1.60-0.5i Dispersion medium: Water

[0071] <Flavor evaluation> A 10% by mass aqueous solution of each of the obtained powdered oil and fat compositions was prepared and flavor was evaluated. The obtained evaluation results are shown in Tables 2 to 4. The flavor was evaluated by four specially trained expert panelists according to the following evaluation index, and the evaluation results were determined by consensus. (Evaluation index) A score of 3 or more is considered to be acceptable. 5: No off-flavor at all 4: Almost no off-flavor 3: Off-flavor is present but weak 2: Off-flavor is present 1: Off-flavor is present and strong

[0072] <Test 1> Powdered oil and fat compositions were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 2. The fat globule diameter (median diameter) of each powdered oil and fat composition was measured immediately after production and after storage at 60°C for one week, and the flavor of a 10% by mass aqueous solution was evaluated. The results are also shown in Table 2.

[0073]

[0074] As a result, as shown in Table 2, all of Examples 1-1 to 1-10, which used edible oils and fats, gum arabic as component (A), and one or more of tamarind seed gum and pectin as component (B), showed a small fold change in fat globule diameter immediately after preparation and after storage, and were excellent in that they had no or almost no off-flavor due to component (A). When compared with the same edible oils and component (A), when the mass ratio of edible oils and fats to component (A) [edible oils / component (A)] was 2.0 to 3.0, the fold change in fat globule diameter after storage was small, at 1.23 to 1.44, and emulsion stability was excellent (Examples 1-1 to 1-5). Furthermore, from the perspective of suppressing off-flavors, a content of component (A) of 10 to 15% by mass was favorable (Examples 1-1 to 1-3, Examples 1-9, and 1-10). Furthermore, when tamarind seed gum 1 and pectin 1 were used in combination as component (B), the fat globule diameter change ratio after storage was as small as 1.19, indicating excellent emulsion stability (Example 1-10). Since a smaller fat globule diameter immediately after production is preferable from the viewpoint of emulsion stability, when component (A) gum arabic 1 was 20% by mass and component (B) tamarind seed gum 1 was 0.5 to 1.0% by mass, excellent balance with off-flavor was obtained (Examples 1-5 and 1-6). On the other hand, when component (B) was not included and the mass ratio of edible oil / fat to component (A) [edible oil / fat / component (A)] was 1.0 to 1.7, an off-flavor was observed and was not preferable (Comparative Examples 1-1 and 1-2).

[0075] <Test 2> Powdered oil and fat compositions were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 3. The fat globule diameter (median diameter) of each powdered oil and fat composition was measured immediately after production and after storage at 60°C for one week, and the flavor of a 10% by mass aqueous solution was evaluated. The results are also shown in Table 3.

[0076]

[0077] As a result, as shown in Table 3, when only palm olein, which has no particular flavor, was used as the edible oil (Example 2-1), when a small amount of flavor-enhancing oil 2 was added to palm olein (Example 2-2), and when all edible oils and fats were replaced with seasoning oil 3 or 4 (Examples 2-3 and 2-4), the strange flavor of component (A) was not detected in any of the cases, and when seasoning oil was contained, the flavor of the seasoning oil was detected, and a powdered oil composition with excellent emulsion stability was obtained.

[0078] <Test 3> Powdered oil and fat compositions were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 4. The fat globule diameter (median diameter) of each powdered oil and fat composition was measured immediately after production and after storage at 60°C for one week, and the flavor of a 10% by mass aqueous solution was evaluated. The results are also shown in Table 4.

[0079]

[0080] As a result, as shown in Table 4, in all cases, powdered oil and fat compositions with excellent emulsion stability were obtained, in which the flavor of seasoning oil was perceived and the off-flavor of component (A) was not perceived. When the edible oil and fat content was 20% by mass, as in Examples 3-4 and 3-5, the fat globule diameter was relatively small both immediately after preparation and after storage at 60°C for 1 week, and the fold change in fat globule diameter was also small, demonstrating excellent emulsion stability and the absence of an off-flavor, which was preferable. Furthermore, in Example 3-4, the mass ratio of edible oil and fat to component (A) [edible oil and fat / component (A)] was 1.5, but as described above, an excellent powdered oil and fat composition was obtained. Furthermore, when the mass ratio of component (B) [component (B) / (component (A) + component (B))] to the total of component (A) and component (B) was 0.091 or more and 0.143 or less, as in Examples 3-3, 3-5, and 3-8, the fold change in fat globule diameter was small and no off-flavor was perceived, which was preferable. In Examples 3-6 to 3-8, even when powdered oil and fat compositions were produced by adding 1% by mass of mixed tocopherol as an antioxidant to the oil phase raw material, preferable powdered oil and fat compositions with suppressed off-flavors were obtained.

Claims

1. A powdered oil and fat composition comprising an edible oil and fat and the following components (A) and (B): Component (A): sap-derived polysaccharides Component (B): one or more selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides.

2. A powdered oil / fat composition as described in claim 1, wherein the edible oil / fat content is 15% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less.

3. A powdered oil / fat composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio of said edible oil / fat to said component (A) is 1.3 or more and 4 or less.

4. A powdered oil or fat composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component (A) is gum arabic.

5. A powdered oil or fat composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein component (B) is one or more selected from the group consisting of tamarind seed gum, guar gum, locust bean gum and pectin.

6. A powdered oil composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mass ratio of component (B) to the total of component (A) and component (B) is 0.01 or more and 0.20 or less.

7. A powdered oil composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the edible oil comprises an oil containing at least one selected from the group consisting of n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and esters thereof.

8. The powdered oil-and-fat composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the edible oil-and-fat contains oxidized oil-and-fat which is an oxidation product of one or more types of oil-and-fat selected from the group consisting of palm-based oils and sunflower oils, the total content of α-carotene and β-carotene being 50 ppm by mass or more and 2,000 ppm by mass or less.

9. A food or drink comprising the powdered oil or fat composition according to claim 1 or 2.

10. A method for producing a powdered oil composition containing edible oils and fats, component (A): sap-derived polysaccharides, and component (B): one or more selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides, wherein the powdered oil composition is produced through the following steps (a) to (c): (a) obtaining a mixture of an oil phase raw material containing an edible oil and fat and an aqueous phase raw material containing component (A), component (B), water, and an excipient; (b) emulsifying the mixture to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion; and (c) drying the emulsion.

11. A method for improving the emulsion stability of a powdered oil composition, comprising comprising containing an edible oil and fat and the following (A) and component (B): Component (A): sap-derived polysaccharide Component (B): one or more selected from the group consisting of plant seed-derived polysaccharides, fruit-derived polysaccharides, and plant root-derived polysaccharides.

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