Composition and solid molded body

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a solid molding body having excellent transportation suitability and solubility and containing a protein at a high content; and a composition for producing the solid molded body. The problem is solved by a composition for producing a solid molded body, the composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein (a) and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) with respect to the whole mass of the composition are 50-90 mass% and 10-50 mass%, respectively, and maltose is contained as the carbohydrate (b).

Description

Composition and solid molded body

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition and a solid molded article.

[0002] Conventionally, there are known techniques for forming a powdered food (e.g., protein powder) into a solid form to produce a solid compact. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses solid milk obtained by compressing and molding milk powder, and Patent Document 2 discloses a nutritional tablet containing protein, carbohydrate, fat, and tricalcium phosphate.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-075913 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 7125978

[0004] Such solid shaped products are required to have both transportability and solubility, but conventional techniques have not been able to achieve both of these properties, particularly in solid shaped products with a high protein content.

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide a solid shaped product having a high protein content and excellent transportability and solubility, and a composition for producing the solid shaped product.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a composition for producing a solid molded body comprising a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a solid molded product obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), the method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition; a humidifying step of humidifying the compressed product obtained in the tableting step; and a drying step of drying the humidified compressed product obtained in the humidifying step, wherein the amount of the protein (a) in the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) is a composition containing maltose.

[0008] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a solid molded product by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), the method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; and a hardening step of hardening the tablets obtained in the tableting step using superheated steam, wherein the amount of the protein (a) in the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) is a composition containing maltose.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a solid shaped product having a high protein content and excellent transportability and solubility, and a composition for producing the solid shaped product.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the results of screening for carbohydrates in an example.

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention is not limited to the respective configurations described below, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, embodiments or examples obtained by combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments or examples are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment. All academic literature and patent documents described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified in this specification, the term "A to B" representing a numerical range means "greater than or equal to A (including and greater than A) and less than or equal to B (including and less than B)."

[0012] [1. Technical Concept of the Present Invention] Generally, foods with a high protein content are commonly available in powder form (commonly referred to as "protein powder" or the like). However, such powdered foods have a high porosity (approximately 55-65%) due to their powder nature. Furthermore, when filling a product, headspace must be secured for a measuring spoon, and the headspace increases due to compaction during transportation. When the volume of the voids and headspace is added up, the storage space required is approximately 1.88 to 2.1 times the volume of the powder itself. This has led to the problem of high storage and transportation costs for powdered foods. Given the demand for a sustainable society, reducing the volume of transported goods and reducing transportation frequency is an extremely important social issue.

[0013] As a means of solving these problems, a technology has been proposed in which powdered foods are molded (solidified) into solid compacts. If powdered foods can be molded into solid compacts, the porosity can be significantly reduced, thereby significantly reducing storage and transportation costs, making this a very useful solution for creating a sustainable society. Furthermore, while powdered foods generally need to be stored in plastic containers, solid compacts can be stored in non-plastic containers, which could have social value from the perspective of eliminating plastic. Furthermore, since there is no need to measure the food each time it is used, this could also contribute to improved usability.

[0014] On the other hand, as described above, solid shaped products are required to have transportability, i.e., fracture resistance so as not to break or crumble during transportation or carrying, and solubility so that they dissolve quickly when used. However, foods with a particularly high protein content tend to have significantly reduced solubility in water. Therefore, although solid shaped products may have various advantages over powder forms as described above, conventional techniques have not been able to provide solid shaped products with a high protein content that combine sufficient transportability and solubility.

[0015] In view of this situation, the inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research to provide a solid shaped product having a high protein content that satisfies both sufficient transportability and solubility. As a result, they have found that a solid shaped product having a high protein content that satisfies both sufficient transportability and solubility can be provided by molding a powdery composition having a high protein content that includes a specific carbohydrate, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0016] A solid molded product that simultaneously satisfies the conflicting market needs of excellent transportability, excellent solubility, and high protein content, and a composition that can provide such a solid molded product, have not been known until now, and can be said to be a surprising discovery.

[0017] [2. Composition] A composition according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "the composition") is a composition for producing a solid molded product containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose. By molding (solidifying) the composition using a known method, it is possible to provide a solid molded product having a high protein content that has both sufficient transportability and solubility.

[0018] In this specification, a solid shaped product having a high protein content means a solid shaped product containing 50% by mass or more of protein relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the solid shaped product.

[0019] Each component that may be contained in the composition will be described in detail below.

[0020] (Protein (a)) The present composition contains protein (a). Hereinafter, "protein (a)" may be referred to as "component (a)." Component (a) can also be said to be a protein composition consisting of one or more types of proteins.

[0021] As the protein of component (a), a known protein, preferably a powdered protein, can be used. The protein of component (a) may be an animal protein, a vegetable protein, or a combination thereof.

[0022] Examples of animal proteins that the present composition can contain as component (a) include whey protein, casein protein, egg protein, and proteins (derived from) insects such as crickets and silkworms, etc. Among these, it is preferable that the present composition contains whey protein as component (a) because of its advantages such as excellent tableting suitability, good taste, and easy availability.

[0023] Examples of vegetable proteins that the present composition may contain as component (a) include soybean protein, wheat protein, corn protein, buckwheat protein, and proteins derived from seaweed and microalgae.

[0024] The content of component (a) in the present composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass, preferably 60% by mass to 90% by mass, more preferably 70% by mass to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 80% by mass to 90% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. The content (content ratio) of component (a) in the present composition corresponds to the content (content ratio) of component (a) in a solid molded product obtained by molding the present composition. Therefore, by setting the content of component (a) in the present composition within the above range, a solid molded product with a high protein content can be provided. Note that when the present composition contains two or more types of proteins as component (a), the content of component (a) in the present composition refers to the total content of each protein.

[0025] (Carbohydrate (b)) The present composition contains carbohydrate (b). Hereinafter, "carbohydrate (b)" may be referred to as "component (b)." Component (b) can also be said to be a complex carbohydrate consisting of one or more types of carbohydrates.

[0026] The content of component (b) in the present composition is 10% by mass to 50% by mass, preferably 10% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 10% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. By including component (b) in the above range, the present composition can provide a solid molded product that has a high protein content while also achieving sufficient transportability and solubility. When the present composition contains two or more types of carbohydrates as component (b), the content of component (b) in the present composition refers to the total content of each carbohydrate.

[0027] The present composition contains maltose as a carbohydrate, component (b). The content of maltose, component (b), in the present composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, the content is preferably 5% by mass to 30% by mass, more preferably 5% by mass to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 5% by mass to 10% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the present composition.

[0028] The volume average particle size of maltose, component (b) in the present composition, is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 μm to 350 μm, more preferably 12 μm to 200 μm, and even more preferably 15 μm to 100 μm, from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product. Note that, in this specification, the volume average particle size of the carbohydrate, component (b), is a value measured by a dry mechanical sieving method (in accordance with JIS Z8815).

[0029] Furthermore, as the maltose of component (b) in the present composition, porous maltose having a large number of pores can also be used. The specific surface area of ​​the porous maltose of component (b) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferable that the specific surface area of ​​the porous maltose be 1 m or more as measured by a gas adsorption method using nitrogen gas. ２ / g or more is preferred.

[0030] Furthermore, the pores of the porous maltose as component (b) are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded body, it is preferable that the pores have a pore volume of 0.1 ml / g or more and show a clear peak at a pore diameter of less than 5 μm in the pore distribution measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

[0031] The present composition may contain at least maltose as component (b), but may also contain carbohydrates other than maltose. Examples of carbohydrates other than maltose that the present composition may contain as component (b) include any monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, or sugar alcohols, such as trehalose, lactulose, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, palatinite, pullulan, isomaltulose, isomaltose, maltitol, erythritol, and mannitol. The present composition may contain, as component (b), maltose and one or more of these carbohydrates.

[0032] From the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product with improved solubility, the present composition preferably further contains trehalose as component (b). The content of trehalose as component (b) in the present composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 1% by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably 1% by mass to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 1% by mass to 10% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the present composition.

[0033] The volume-average particle size of trehalose as component (b) in the present composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 10 μm to 600 μm, more preferably 12 μm to 400 μm, and even more preferably 15 μm to 300 μm.

[0034] Furthermore, porous trehalose can also be used as component (b) of the present composition. The specific surface area of ​​the porous trehalose as component (b) is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferable that the specific surface area of ​​the porous trehalose be 1 m or more as measured by a gas adsorption method using nitrogen gas. ２ / g or more is preferred.

[0035] The pores of the porous trehalose as component (b) are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferable that the pores have a pore volume of 0.1 ml / g or more and show a clear peak at a pore diameter of less than 5 μm in the pore distribution measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

[0036] From the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product having excellent moisture-curing properties, the composition preferably further contains lactulose as component (b). The content of lactulose as component (b) in the composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product having excellent moisture-curing properties, the content is preferably 1% by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably 1% by mass to 15% by mass, and even more preferably 1% by mass to 10% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition.

[0037] From the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product that is excellent in transportability, solubility, and moisture curing properties, it is particularly preferred that the present composition contains, as component (b), a complex carbohydrate containing maltose, trehalose, and lactulose.

[0038] (Other Components) The present composition may contain components other than the above-mentioned components (a) and (b) (sometimes referred to as "other components"), provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of other components that the present composition may contain include, but are not limited to, antifoaming agents, lipids (oils and fats, etc.), amino acids, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, lubricants (emulsifiers), and other food additives (e.g., flavors, sweeteners, acidulants, colorants, etc.). The present composition may contain only one type of these other components, or two or more types.

[0039] When the composition contains other components, the content of the other components in the composition is not particularly limited as long as the contents of components (a) and (b) are equal to or greater than the predetermined values, but is preferably 0.01% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 0.1% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 1% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Note that when the composition contains multiple types of substances as other components, the content of the other components in the composition refers to the total content of the multiple types of other components.

[0040] Among the other components described above, it is preferable that the composition contains an antifoaming agent as another component, since this can suppress the generation of bubbles when the composition is dissolved in water or the like, thereby further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded product.

[0041] As the defoaming agent that may be contained as another component in the present composition, various defoaming agents for food applications can be used, for example, (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters and the like.

[0042] When the composition contains an antifoaming agent as another component, the content of the antifoaming agent in the composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 0.01% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 0.1% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 1% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Note that when the composition contains multiple types of substances as other components, the content of the other components in the composition refers to the total content of the multiple types of other components.

[0043] (Others) The transportability of a solid molded product obtained by molding the present composition is proportional to the hardness of the solid molded product after curing (the higher the hardness after curing, the better the transportability of the solid molded product), and the solubility is proportional to the porosity (also referred to as void ratio) of the solid molded product (the higher the porosity, the better the solubility of the solid molded product). Furthermore, the porosity of the solid molded product is proportional to the thickness of the solid molded product (the thicker the solid molded product, the higher the void ratio). Considering this, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product that combines better transportability and solubility, the present composition is preferably a composition in which the solid molded product obtained by curing the present composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≧14.201x －０．０７１ ...Formula (1).

[0044] [In formula (1), y represents the thickness (mm) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment].

[0045] Generally, when a solid compact is compressed under a high load in order to improve its hardness, the porous structure in the solid compact is compressed and destroyed, resulting in a decrease in the thickness of the solid compact. On the other hand, when a composition satisfies the above formula (1), it means that the composition can maintain a sufficient thickness (i.e., a porous structure) even when compressed under a high load in order to achieve high strength. In other words, it means that the composition is a composition that can provide a solid compact that has both superior transportability and solubility. In this specification, the hardness of the solid compact (after hardening treatment) is a value measured using a load cell tablet hardness tester (e.g., PC-30 manufactured by Okada Seiko Co., Ltd.).

[0046] The transportability of a solid molded product obtained by molding the present composition is proportional to the hardness of the solid molded product after curing (the higher the hardness after curing, the better the transportability of the solid molded product). Therefore, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product that has both better transportability and solubility, the present composition is preferably a composition that satisfies the following formula (2): w≦138.29e ０．０１７２ｖ ...Formula (2).

[0047] (In formula (2), w represents the dissolution time (seconds) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and e represents the base of the natural logarithm (Napier's constant).)

[0048] Generally, the hardness of a solid molded product is negatively correlated with the dissolution time of the solid molded product, and the higher the hardness of the solid molded product after curing treatment, the longer the dissolution time of the solid molded product (i.e., the worse the solubility). On the other hand, if a composition satisfies the above formula (2), it means that the composition can dissolve in a sufficiently short time despite having excellent hardness. In other words, it means that the composition can provide a solid molded product that has both excellent transportability and solubility.

[0049] The solid molded product in the above formulas (1) and (2) is a solid molded product obtained by compressing 2 g of the present composition into a tablet and curing it to a diameter of 20 mm. Therefore, when determining whether or not a given composition satisfies the above formula (1) and / or formula (2), the hardness or dissolution time of a solid molded product obtained by compressing 2 g of the subject composition into a tablet and curing it to a diameter of 20 mm is measured and used in the calculation of formula (1) and / or formula (2).

[0050] The hardness, thickness, and dissolution time of the solid molded body after hardening treatment in the above formulas (1) and (2) can be measured by the method described in the Examples. Furthermore, the hardening treatment in the above formulas (1) and (2) refers to the humidifying and drying steps, or the hardening step, which will be described later. That is, with respect to the above formulas (1) and (2), the solid molded body before hardening treatment refers to the tableted product after the tableting step and before the humidifying or hardening step, and the solid molded body after hardening treatment refers to the solid molded body that has undergone the humidifying and drying steps, or the hardening step. Therefore, the specific conditions for each step can be appropriately selected from those described in Section 4. "Production Method of Composition and Solid Molded Body" below.

[0051] In the above formula, "hardness" refers to the hardness of a solid molded product obtained by tableting and curing a 2 g weight of the composition to a diameter of 20 mm. For solid molded products whose weight and / or diameter differ from the above conditions, it is not preferable to directly substitute the hardness into the above formula. For solid molded products whose weight and / or diameter differ from the above conditions, whether or not the above formula is satisfied can be determined by converting the hardness into stress. Here, "stress (N / m ２ ")" means the value obtained by dividing the hardness (N) of the solid molded body by the cross-sectional area of ​​the solid molded body.

[0052] [3. Solid Molded Product] In one embodiment of the present invention, a solid molded product is provided by molding the present composition. Hereinafter, the "solid molded product according to one embodiment of the present invention" may be referred to as the "present molded product."

[0053] The present molded article is a solid molded article obtained by molding the present composition, and therefore has a high protein content while also achieving excellent transportability and solubility.

[0054] (Composition of the present molded body) The present molded body is a solid molded body obtained by molding the present composition. Therefore, the components and compositions contained in the present molded body are the same as those of the present composition. Therefore, the present molded body can also be expressed as follows: a solid molded body containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the solid molded body, and the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose.

[0055] For the reasons stated above, the specific aspects of each component contained in the present molded product will be omitted in this section, and the descriptions in the above section [2. Composition] will be used as appropriate.

[0056] (Transportation Suitability) The present compact is a solid compact with excellent transport suitability. The transport suitability of a solid compact is an index of the quality that the solid compact should have during transportation. The transport suitability of a solid compact can be broadly divided into suitability for transportation during production and suitability for transportation after curing treatment. First, a problem that arises during transportation during production is that the solid compact may be broken or chipped during transport on a conveyor or robot hand after tableting is completed and before the curing treatment. This problem can be solved by improving the hardness (N) of the compact (compressed product) before curing treatment. In other words, the suitability of a solid compact for transportation during production can be evaluated based on the hardness (N) of the compact (compressed product) before curing treatment or the stress (N / m), which is the value obtained by dividing the hardness (N) of the solid compact by the cross-sectional area of ​​the solid compact. ２ ) can be evaluated. Secondly, a problem that arises during transportation after curing treatment is that breakage, cracking, and chipping occur when dropped. This problem can be solved by improving the drop strength of the solid molded body after curing treatment. In other words, the suitability of a solid molded body for transportation after curing treatment can be evaluated by the drop strength of the solid molded body.

[0057] In this specification, the term "solid molded product having excellent transportability" refers to a solid molded product that has excellent transportability after at least a curing treatment, among the two types of transportability described above. That is, the present molded product is a solid molded product having excellent transportability after a curing treatment, and preferably has excellent transportability both during production and after a curing treatment.

[0058] In this specification, the transportability of a solid molding (suitability for transport after curing treatment) can be evaluated by a drop strength test using the following methods (1) to (3): (1) Five samples of a solid molding produced under specified conditions (specifically, conditions described in the Examples) are prepared, and each sample is dropped one by one from a height of 80 cm onto a 10 mm thick SUS304 plate; (2) The number of times that the sample does not crack out of a total of five drops is counted; (3) A solid molding that does not crack out in three or more drops is evaluated as having excellent transportability (suitability for transport after curing treatment).

[0059] (Solubility) The present molded product is a solid molded product with excellent solubility. In this specification, the solubility of the solid molded product can be evaluated by the following method: (1) A sample of the solid molded product prepared under predetermined conditions (specifically, the conditions described in the Examples) is placed in a rotating basket with an inner diameter of 30 mm and a height of 30 mm, and with 2.0 mm diameter holes equally spaced on the top, bottom, and wall surfaces; (2) The rotating basket containing the sample and 900 ml of ion-exchanged water (within an error of 10 mL) are placed in a round-bottom flask, and the liquid temperature is kept at 25.0 ° C. (within an error of 1 ° C.), and the rotating basket containing the sample is rotated at a rotation speed of 300 ± 3 rpm. During rotation, the electrical conductivity of the solution (ion-exchanged water) is measured every second; (3) the electrical conductivity at each time is normalized to the value when no sample remains in the rotating basket; (4) the solubility of the solid molding at each time is calculated from the normalized results, and the solubility of the solid molding is evaluated based on the relationship between the calculated solubility and the rotation time. Specifically, in the above method, a solid molding that takes less than 350 seconds to reach a solubility of 95% (for 95% of the solid molding to dissolve) is evaluated as having excellent solubility.

[0060] The fact that a solid molded body has excellent solubility (i.e., that the solid molded body satisfies the above criteria) means that the solid molded body not only dissolves easily in a relatively high temperature liquid (85°C) that dissolves powdered milk, but also dissolves quickly in water and various liquids that use water as a solvent (particularly milk, soft drinks, coffee, etc.) at a relatively low temperature (about 5 to 40°C) at which solid molded bodies are generally considered difficult to dissolve. In other words, it means that the solid molded body is suitable for everyday use (taking).

[0061] (Uses of solid molded body) The present molded body can be suitably used as a food for daily intake, more specifically, as a luxury item such as confectionery, a health food, a health supplement, a health functional food, a food for specified health uses, a nutrient functional food, a supplement, or a food with functional claims.

[0062] [4. Method for producing the composition and solid molded product] <Method for producing the composition> The method for producing the composition is not particularly limited, and the composition can be produced according to a known method by measuring and mixing 50 to 90 parts by mass of component (a), 10 to 50 parts by mass of component (b), and other optional components so that the total amount is 100 parts by mass.

[0063] The amounts of component (a), component (b), and other optional components used in the method for producing the present composition will determine the content of each component in the resulting solid shaped product. Therefore, in the method for producing the present composition, it is preferable to adjust the amount of each component used so that the resulting solid shaped product has a desired composition, particularly a desired protein content.

[0064] <Method for producing the present molded body> The method for producing the present molded body is not particularly limited as long as it can mold the present composition and obtain a molded body, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a solid molded body with better transport suitability, preferred methods include a method including a tableting step, a humidifying step, and a drying step, or a method including a tableting step and a hardening step. That is, the method for producing the present molded body is preferably any of the following methods: A method for producing a solid molded body obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), comprising a tableting step of compressing the composition, a humidifying step of humidifying the compressed product obtained in the tableting step, and a drying step of drying the humidified compressed product obtained in the humidifying step, wherein the amount of the protein (a) and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) relative to the total mass of the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass, and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass, and the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose (i.e., the present composition)... (Method 1); A method for producing a solid molded product obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), the method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; and a hardening step of hardening the tablets obtained in the tableting step using superheated steam, wherein the amount of the protein (a) in the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) is a composition containing maltose... (Method 2).

[0065] (Method 1) First, a preferred embodiment of the method for producing the present molded body will be described in detail, taking as an example a method (Method (1)) including a tableting step, a humidifying step, and a drying step. Note that the description of the composition containing predetermined amounts of protein (a) and carbohydrate (b) used in this production method (i.e., the present composition) is omitted in this section, and the description in Section [2. Composition] above is incorporated herein.

[0066] (Tableting step) The method for producing the present molded product preferably includes a tableting step of tableting the present composition. By carrying out the tableting step, a solid molded product having superior hardness can be provided, and deformation of the molded product (compressed product) made of the present composition can be suppressed in the subsequent humidifying step and drying step.

[0067] In the tableting step, the method for tableting the present composition is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a tablet press for tableting, as this makes it easier to control the tableting strength (which can also be said to be the tableting load) and the size of the resulting tablets, and from the viewpoint of productivity.

[0068] The tableting strength in the tableting step is preferably a hardness that can prevent the resulting tablets from being broken or chipped during transport to the subsequent humidifying and drying steps, and from losing their shape during the subsequent humidifying and drying steps. Specifically, the tableting strength in the tableting step is not particularly limited as long as it is a tableting strength that results in a tablet having a hardness of 3N to 10N, preferably 3N to 5N. There is no particular upper limit to the tableting strength, but it can be 6 kN or less. The hardness of the tableted product can also be said to be the hardness of the present molded body before the hardening treatment.

[0069] The thickness of the tablet obtained in the tableting process correlates with the porosity of the tablet. The thicker the tablet obtained by tableting an equivalent amount of composition, the higher the porosity of the tablet. Therefore, from the perspective of providing a solid compact with high porosity, it is preferable to tablet the present composition in the tableting process so that the thickness of the resulting tablet is as large as possible. However, if the tableting strength is reduced to increase the thickness of the resulting tablet, the strength of the resulting tablet also decreases. In other words, in conventional technology, there is a trade-off between the thickness and hardness of the resulting tablet, making it difficult to obtain a tablet that achieves both thickness and hardness. On the other hand, because the present composition contains component (b), it can provide a tablet with a sufficient hardness of 10 N or more, even when tableted at a relatively low tableting strength (e.g., approximately 3 to 6 kN) to increase the thickness of the resulting tablet. Therefore, it is possible to provide a tablet having a large thickness, in other words, a high porosity, and in turn a solid molded product having a high porosity and excellent solubility.

[0070] (Moistening Step) The method for producing the present compact preferably includes a humidifying step of humidifying the tablet obtained in the tableting step to obtain a moistened tablet. By carrying out the humidifying step, some of the particles of the present composition present on the surface of the tablet become liquid or gel-like and cross-link with each other. As a result, a strong structure consisting of the present composition can be formed on the surface of the moistened tablet. As a result, the strength of the obtained solid compact can be improved, and a solid compact with better transportability can be provided.

[0071] In the humidifying step, the method for humidifying the tableted product is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method of leaving the tableted product in a high-humidity environment, a method of directly spraying water or the like onto the tableted product, a method of blowing steam onto the tableted product, etc. In addition, the humidifying method is not particularly limited, and any method such as a continuous method or a batch method may be used.

[0072] When the method of leaving the compressed tablet in a high humidity environment is adopted, the humidity of the environment is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 60% RH to 100% RH, preferably 80% RH to 100% RH, and more preferably 90% RH to 100% RH.

[0073] In the humidification step, the longer the time for humidifying the tablet (humidification time), the more likely it is that the hardness of the resulting humidified tablet, and ultimately of the resulting solid compact, will be improved. Therefore, from the viewpoint of hardness, the longer the humidification time, the better. On the other hand, the longer the humidification time, the lower the production efficiency of the solid compact, so from the viewpoint of productivity, the shorter the humidification time, the better. Therefore, from the viewpoint of achieving both excellent hardness and productivity, the humidification time in the humidification step is preferably 10 to 300 seconds, more preferably 20 to 250 seconds, and even more preferably 30 to 200 seconds.

[0074] (Drying Step) The method for producing the present molded product preferably includes a drying step in which the humidified tablet obtained in the humidifying step is dried to obtain a solid molded product. By carrying out the drying step, it is possible to remove stickiness (tack) from the liquid or gel-like structure formed on the surface of the humidified tableted product in the humidifying step, and as a result, it is possible to provide a solid molded product that has a strong structure made of the present cross-linked composition and is also easy to handle. This series of operations consisting of the humidifying step and the drying step is sometimes referred to as the humidification curing step.

[0075] In the drying step, the method for drying the humidified tableted product is not particularly limited, but examples include a method in which the humidified tableted product is left standing in a low-humidity and high-temperature environment, a method in which the humidified tableted product is dried using a dryer, and a method in which hot air is blown onto the humidified tableted product (hot-air drying).

[0076] In the drying step, the temperature at which the humidified tableted product is dried (drying temperature) is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 20 to 90°C, preferably 30 to 80°C, and more preferably 40 to 60°C.

[0077] (Method 2) Next, another preferred embodiment of the method for producing the present molded body will be described in detail using a method (Method (2)) including a tableting step and a curing step as an example. Note that the specific embodiment of the tableting step in Method (2) is the same as that in Method (1), so description thereof will be omitted in this section.

[0078] (Curing Step) The method for producing the present molded product preferably includes a curing step in which the tablet obtained in the tableting step is cured using superheated steam. This curing step can also be considered a step in which the tablet is brought into contact with superheated steam. By carrying out the curing step, a strong structure consisting of the present composition can be formed on the surface of the tableted product, similar to the humidifying step described above, and at the same time, tackiness can be removed from the liquid or gel-like structure formed on the surface of the tableted product, similar to the drying step described above. As a result, a solid molded product can be provided that has a strong structure consisting of the cross-linked composition and is easy to handle. In other words, the curing method using superheated steam can be considered a method in which humidification and drying are performed simultaneously. Note that superheated steam refers to steam heated above the boiling point of water.

[0079] In the hardening step, the method for treating the tableted product with superheated steam is not particularly limited, but examples include a method in which the tableted product is placed in a constant temperature and humidity chamber, and a method in which superheated steam is sprayed onto the tableted product in a conveyor-type continuous furnace.

[0080] The temperature of the superheated steam used in the curing step is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100 to 300°C, more preferably 110 to 250°C, and even more preferably 120 to 220°C.

[0081] In the curing step, the longer the time (curing time) for which the tableted product is in contact with superheated steam, the more likely the hardness of the resulting solid molded product is to be improved. Therefore, from the viewpoint of hardness, the longer the curing time, the better. On the other hand, the longer the curing time, the lower the production efficiency of the solid molded product, so from the viewpoint of productivity, the shorter the curing time, the better. Therefore, from the viewpoint of achieving both excellent hardness and productivity, the curing time in the curing step is preferably 10 to 300 seconds, more preferably 20 to 250 seconds, and even more preferably 30 to 200 seconds.

[0082] In the method for producing the present molded body, the hardness of the solid molded body obtained through the humidifying step and drying step or the curing step (the hardness of the present molded body after the curing treatment) is preferably 10 N or more, more preferably 15 N or more, and even more preferably 25 N or more, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded body with better transportability. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of solubility, the hardness of the solid molded body is preferably 30 N or less. That is, from the viewpoint of achieving both transportability and solubility, the hardness of the solid molded body is preferably 10 N to 30 N, more preferably 20 N to 30 N, and even more preferably 25 N to 30 N.

[0083] [5. Others] One aspect of the present invention may include the following configurations.

[0084] [1] A composition for producing a solid molded body, comprising a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose.

[0085] [2] The composition according to [1], further comprising trehalose as the carbohydrate (b).

[0086] [3] The composition according to [1], wherein the maltose is contained in an amount of 5% by mass to 30% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition.

[0087] [4] The composition according to [2], wherein the trehalose is contained in an amount of 1% by mass to 20% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition.

[0088] [5] The composition according to any one of [1] to [4], further comprising lactulose as the carbohydrate (b).

[0089] [6] The composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the protein (a) is whey protein.

[0090] [7] The composition according to any one of [1] to [6], further comprising an antifoaming agent.

[0091] [8] The composition according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≧14.201x －０．０７１ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the thickness (mm) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment).

[0092] [9] The composition according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≦138.29e ０．０１７２ｖ ...Equation (2) (In equation (2), w represents the dissolution time (seconds) of the solid molded body after the curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after the curing treatment).

[0093]

[10] A solid molded product obtained by molding the composition according to any one of [1] to [9].

[0094]

[11] A method for producing a solid molded product obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), the method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition; a humidifying step of humidifying the compressed product obtained in the tableting step; and a drying step of drying the humidified compressed product obtained in the humidifying step, wherein the amount of the protein (a) in the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) is a composition containing maltose.

[0095]

[12] A method for producing a solid molded product obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), the method comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; and a hardening step of hardening the tablets obtained in the tableting step using superheated steam, wherein the amount of the protein (a) in the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) is a composition containing maltose.

[0096] The present invention will now be described in more detail based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0097] [Experimental Example 1: Screening test of saccharides] (Test method) The tableting properties of various saccharides were confirmed to screen for saccharides suitable for producing solid compacts.

[0098] First, 2.0 g (within an error of 0.003 g) of protein powder (WPC392 manufactured by Fonterra Japan Co., Ltd.) and one of the various carbohydrates listed below were weighed out and mixed to prepare a composition containing 50 parts by weight each of protein and carbohydrate (weight ratio 1:1).

[0099] - Carbohydrates used: Maltose, palatinit, glucose, pullulan, trehalose, palatinose, maltitol and erythritol.

[0100] Each of the obtained compositions was tableted while appropriately adjusting the tableting force so that the hardness after tableting would be 5N, and tablets with a hardness of 5N were obtained. The thickness of the obtained tablets was measured. The results are shown in Figure 1. In the examples, the thickness of the tableted products and solid compacts was measured using a vernier caliper (ABS Digimatic Caliper CD-AX, manufactured by Mitutoyo Corporation), and the hardness of the tableted products and solid compacts was measured using a load cell tablet hardness tester (PC-30, manufactured by Okada Seiko Co., Ltd.).

[0101] (Results) Maltose was the saccharide that showed the greatest thickness when tableted to a hardness of 5 N. Since the thickness of the tablet correlates with the solubility of the final solid compact, it was suggested that maltose is the optimal saccharide from the viewpoint of providing a solid compact that is excellent in both transportability and solubility.

[0102] [Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-2] (Preparation of Composition) Powder compositions were obtained by mixing the materials of the types and ratios shown in Table 1. Details of the materials used are as follows. Ingredients Component (a) a-1: Protein powder mainly containing whey protein (manufactured by Fonterra Japan Co., Ltd., trade name "WPC392") Component (b) b-1: Maltose (manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd., trade name "Sunmalt (registered trademark) Midori") b-2: Trehalose (manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd., trade name "Treha (registered trademark)") b-3: Lactulose (manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., trade name "Milk Oligosaccharide MLC (registered trademark)-97") Antifoaming agent Antifoaming agent preparation (manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd., trade name "Poem ZL-3") Other carbohydrates Lactose It should be noted that commercially available protein powders may contain trace amounts of impurities in addition to protein, but in this specification, the amount (content) of protein powder including these impurities is deemed to be the content of component (a) in the composition.

[0103] The resulting composition and the molded article obtained by molding the composition were measured or evaluated for tableting properties, moisture hardening properties, transportability, and solubility according to the following methods.

[0104] (Tableting characteristics) Each of the above compositions was weighed out in an amount of 2.000 g and compressed into cylindrical tablets with a diameter of 2.0 cm using a tableting machine at the tableting strength shown in Table 2, thereby obtaining compressed tablets. The hardness and thickness of the obtained compressed tablets were measured. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0105] As is clear from Table 2, the tableted products obtained by tableting Compositions 1 and 2, which satisfy the requirements of the present composition, are superior in hardness when tableted at the same tableting force as the tableted products obtained by tableting Comparative Compositions 1 and 2. Furthermore, for example, a comparison of the results of Composition 1 tableted at 2 kN with the results of Comparative Composition 1 tableted at 5 kN also shows that tableted products with superior thickness can be provided while providing the same level of hardness. In other words, it was shown that tableting the present composition can provide tableted products with excellent thickness and hardness, which can provide solid molded products with excellent transportability and solubility.

[0106] (Humidity Hardening Properties) Using the method described in the above section (Tableting Properties), each of the above compositions was compressed at a tableting force that would result in a hardness of 1.00 N, to obtain compressed tablets with a hardness of 1.00 N. The obtained compressed tablets were left to stand in a thermostatic chamber at a humidity of 95% RH and a temperature of 80°C for the times (humidification times) shown in Table 3, to obtain humidified compressed tablets. The hardness of the obtained humidified compressed tablets was measured. The results are shown in Table 3. As shown in Table 3, for some of the humidified compressed tablets derived from Comparative Composition 1 and Comparative Composition 2, the tablets had not hardened at the end of the specified humidification time, and the hardness could not be measured.

[0107] As is clear from Table 3, the humidified tableted products derived from Compositions 1 and 2, which satisfy the requirements of the present composition, can achieve significantly higher hardness in a shorter time than the humidified tableted products derived from Comparative Compositions 1 and 2. In other words, it was shown that by further humidifying the tableted products obtained by tableting the present composition, it is possible to efficiently provide humidified tableted products with excellent hardness that can provide solid molded products with excellent transportability.

[0108] (Transport Suitability (Drop Strength)) Using a tablet press, 3 g of each of the above compositions (within a margin of error of 0.001 g) was tableted at a tableting strength such that the hardness of each composition was 1.0 N, and tablets with a hardness of 1.0 N were obtained (tabletting step). Next, the obtained tablets were left to stand in a thermostatic chamber at a humidity of 95% RH and a temperature of 80°C for 240 seconds to be humidified, thereby obtaining humidified tablets (humidification step). Subsequently, the obtained humidified tablets were placed in a dryer at a temperature of 60°C and dried for 10 minutes to obtain solid molded bodies (drying step).

[0109] The transportability of each solid molding obtained was evaluated by the following method: (1) Five samples of each solid molding were prepared, and each sample was dropped one by one from a height of 80 cm onto a 10 mm thick SUS304 plate; (2) For each solid molding, the number of times that the sample did not crack out of a total of five drops was counted; (3) For each molding, the transportability of the molding was evaluated based on the number of samples that did not crack out, using the following criteria. The evaluation results of transportability are shown in Table 4.

[0110] Evaluation criteria for transport suitability Three or more crack-free samples: Excellent transport suitability (Excellent) Two or less crack-free samples: Poor transport suitability (Poor).

[0111] As is clear from Table 4, the solid moldings obtained by molding the comparative compositions 1 and 2 had poor transportability, whereas the solid moldings obtained by molding the compositions 1 and 2, which satisfied the requirements of the present composition, had excellent transportability. In other words, it was demonstrated that molding the present composition can provide a solid molding having excellent transportability.

[0112] (Solubility) Using a tablet press, 3 g of each of the above compositions (within a tolerance of 0.001 g) was tableted at a tableting strength such that the hardness of each composition was 1.0 N, to obtain a tablet having a hardness of 1.0 N (tabletting step). The obtained tablet was then left to stand in a constant temperature bath at a humidity of 95% RH and a temperature of 80 ° C. for 240 seconds to humidify, thereby obtaining a humidified tablet (humidification step). The obtained humidified tablet was then placed in a dryer at a temperature of 60 ° C. and dried for 10 minutes to obtain a solid molded product having a hardness of 10 N or 20 N (drying step).

[0113] The solubility of each solid molding was evaluated using the following method: (1) A sample of the solid molding was placed in a rotating basket with an inner diameter of 30 mm, a height of 30 mm, and 2.0 mm diameter holes equally spaced on the top, bottom, and sides; (2) The rotating basket containing the sample and 900 mL of ion-exchanged water (within a 10 mL tolerance) were placed in a round-bottom flask. The liquid temperature was maintained at 25.0°C (within a 1°C tolerance), and the rotating basket containing the sample was rotated at 300 ± 3 rpm. During rotation, the electrical conductivity of the solution (ion-exchanged water) was measured every second; (3) The electrical conductivity at each time point was normalized to the value when no sample remained in the rotating basket; (4) The solubility of the solid molding at each time point was calculated from the normalized results, and the solubility of the solid molding was evaluated based on the relationship between the calculated solubility and the rotation time using the following criteria. The solubility evaluation results are shown in Table 5. Here, the electrical conductivity was normalized according to the following formula: normalized electronegativity of a sample at a certain time (t) = electronegativity of a sample at a certain time (t) [μS / cm] / time when the sample does not remain in the rotating basket (t) ２ ) electronegativity [μS / cm].

[0114] Evaluation criteria for solubility The time required for the solubility to reach 95% (for 95% of the solid molded body to dissolve) is less than 350 seconds: excellent solubility (excellent) The time required for the solubility to reach 95% (for 95% of the solid molded body to dissolve) is 350 seconds or more: poor solubility (poor) The solubility after 500 seconds of rotation is less than 5%: insoluble ((the solid molded body is almost or completely soluble in water) (insoluble)).

[0115] In this specification, the term "dissolution time of the solid molded product (after hardening treatment)" refers to the time required for 100% of the solid molded product to dissolve when the above-mentioned operations (1) to (4) are carried out on a solid molded product obtained by tableting 2 g of the composition to a diameter of 20 mm and hardening the same procedure as the above-mentioned operations.

[0116] As is clear from Table 5, the solid molded product obtained by molding Comparative Composition 1 and the solid molded product obtained by molding Comparative Composition 2 to a hardness of 20 N were not soluble in water to begin with. Furthermore, the solid molded product obtained by molding Comparative Composition 2 to a hardness of 10 N was soluble in water, but the solubility was poor. On the other hand, it was found that the solid molded products obtained by molding Compositions 1 and 2, which satisfy the requirements of the present composition, were solid molded products with excellent solubility. In other words, it was demonstrated that solid molded products with excellent solubility can be provided by molding the present composition.

[0117] The above results demonstrate that the solid moldings obtained by molding the present composition are excellent in transportability and solubility and contain a high amount of protein.

[0118] The solid shaped product according to one embodiment of the present invention can be suitably used in the food industry and the like as a solid shaped product that has a high protein content and excellent transportability and solubility.

Claims

1. A composition for producing a solid molded body comprising a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose.

2. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising trehalose as the carbohydrate (b).

3. The composition according to claim 1, comprising 5% by mass to 30% by mass of maltose relative to the total mass of the composition.

4. The composition according to claim 2, comprising 1% by mass to 20% by mass of trehalose relative to the total mass of the composition.

5. The composition according to claim 1, further comprising lactulose as the carbohydrate (b).

6. The composition according to claim 1, comprising whey protein as said protein (a).

7. The composition of claim 1, further comprising an antifoaming agent.

8. The composition according to claim 1, wherein a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (1): y ≧ 14.201x －０．０７１ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the thickness (mm) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment).

9. The composition according to claim 1, wherein a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≦138.29e ０．０１７２ｖ ...Equation (2) (In equation (2), w represents the dissolution time (seconds) of the solid molded body after the curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after the curing treatment).

10. A solid molding obtained by molding the composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A method for producing a solid molded product obtained by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; a humidifying step of humidifying the tableted product obtained in the tableting step; and a drying step of drying the humidified tableted product obtained in the humidifying step, wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) is a composition containing maltose.

12. A method for producing a solid molded product by molding a composition containing a protein (a) and a carbohydrate (b), comprising: a tableting step of compressing the composition into tablets; and a hardening step of hardening the tablets obtained in the tableting step with superheated steam, wherein the amount of the protein (a) is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 10% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) is a composition containing maltose.

Images