Soybean-derived-powder-containing food, soybean-derived-powder-containing seasoning liquid, method for enhancing flavor of soybean-derived-powder-containing food, and flavor enhancer for soybean-derived-powder-containing food

Abstract

The present invention provides: a soybean-derived-powder-containing food in which unpleasant odors derived from vegetable protein are suppressed; a soybean-derived-powder-containing seasoning liquid; a method for enhancing the flavor of a soybean-derived-powder-containing food which makes it possible to suppress unpleasant odors derived from vegetable protein; and a flavor enhancer for a soybean-derived-powder-containing food.　Provided are a food and a seasoning liquid which contain a soybean-derived powder, wherein, as a flavor enhancer, rice flour which exhibits a gelatinization ratio of not less than 23% as measured by a β-amylase-pullulanase method, rice-flour-derived starch which exhibits a gelatinization ratio of not less than 23% as measured by the β-amylase-pullulanase method, or both of these is / are added in a total amount of 3.75-100 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.

Description

Food containing soybean-derived powder, seasoning liquid containing soybean-derived powder, method for improving flavor of food containing soybean-derived powder, and flavor improver for food containing soybean-derived powder

[0001] The present invention relates to a food containing soybean-derived powder, a seasoning liquid containing soybean-derived powder, a method for improving the flavor thereof, and a flavor improver for a soybean-derived powder-containing food.

[0002] In recent years, the components contained in soybeans have attracted attention from the perspectives of nutrition and health. Soybean protein, a type of soybean processed product, has expanded its applications, being used in a variety of foods, including confectioneries, beverages, and meat substitutes, in addition to its traditional uses as a bulking agent and binder for processed meat and seafood products. Meanwhile, powders obtained by processing soybeans, such as soybean protein (hereinafter referred to as soybean-derived powders), have an odor characteristic of vegetable proteins, and methods for reducing this unpleasant odor characteristic of vegetable proteins have been investigated in foods containing soybean-derived powders.

[0003] For example, Patent Documents 1 to 3 propose methods of adding a flavor improver consisting of melanoidin and egg white hydrolysate (Patent Document 1), lactic acid-fermented egg white (Patent Document 2), or a flavor improver containing concentrated tomato (Patent Document 3) as a component effective in reducing unpleasant odors when producing foods containing soy protein. Also proposed is a method of reducing unpleasant odors by treating the soy protein itself, rather than adding a component effective in suppressing unpleasant odors to foods (see Patent Document 4). In the method of producing a liquid seasoning described in Patent Document 4, granular soy protein is soaked in a pretreatment liquid containing soy sauce and lactic acid as a pretreatment.

[0004] Furthermore, the present applicant has proposed a food composition containing a soy protein processed product in which the unpleasant odor specific to vegetable proteins has been reduced by adding 5 to 100 ppm of HMMF (4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone) to the total mass of the food composition (Patent Document 5), and an alcohol-containing seasoning that is a fermented seasoning containing an alcohol component obtained by fermenting raw materials including rice, has a coloring degree (OD430) of 10 to 70, a pH of 5 to 7, and is capable of suppressing the soybean odor derived from soy protein (Patent Document 6).

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-155759 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-23853 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-71851 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-122347 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-69377 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-120819

[0006] However, the methods described in Patent Documents 1 to 4 have problems such as being unable to sufficiently suppress unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins, lacking versatility due to the risk of upsetting the balance of the flavor and aroma of food, and complicated work processes.On the other hand, the methods described in Patent Documents 5 and 6 are highly effective in suppressing unpleasant odors, but impart aromatic components derived from fermented foods and the flavor of fermented seasonings to cooked products, which limits the genre of cooking and narrows the range of application.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a soybean-derived powder-containing food and a soybean-derived powder-containing seasoning liquid in which unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins are suppressed, a method for improving the flavor of a soybean-derived powder-containing food that can suppress unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins, and a flavor improver for a soybean-derived powder-containing food.

[0008] The present inventors conducted extensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems and discovered that the unpleasant odor specific to vegetable proteins can be reduced by blending a specific ratio of pregelatinized rice flour and / or pregelatinized rice flour-derived starch with soybean-derived powder, thereby completing the present invention. Specifically, the soybean-derived powder-containing food product of the present invention is a food product containing soybean-derived powder, and contains a total of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of rice flour having a pregelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the β-amylase-pullulanase method (BAP method) and / or rice flour-derived starch having a pregelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder. Here, "soybean-derived powder" refers to a powder obtained by processing soybeans, such as at least one of powdered soy protein isolate, powdered soy protein concentrate, defatted soy flour, full-fat soy flour, okara powder, soy milk powder, and soybean flour. The soybean-derived powder-containing food product of the present invention is, for example, a rice-like soy food product. The soybean-derived powder-containing food of the present invention may further contain granular and / or fibrous textured soy protein, and may contain 3.75 to 100 parts by mass in total of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of the soybean-derived powder and the textured soy protein.

[0009] The soy-derived powder-containing liquid seasoning of the present invention is a liquid seasoning containing soy-derived powder, and contains 3.75 to 100 parts by mass in total of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, per 100 parts by mass of the soy-derived powder. The soy-derived powder-containing liquid seasoning of the present invention may further contain a seasoning component. The soy-derived powder may be, for example, at least one of powdered soy protein isolate, powdered soy protein concentrate, defatted soy flour, full-fat soy flour, okara powder, soy milk powder, and soybean flour.

[0010] The method for improving the flavor of a food containing soybean-derived powder according to the present invention is a method for improving the flavor of a food containing soybean-derived powder, in which a total of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method is added to 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.

[0011] The flavor improver for soybean-derived powder-containing foods according to the present invention is a flavor improver used in foods containing soybean-derived powder, and comprises rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, and is added in a ratio of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.

[0012] According to the present invention, unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins can be suppressed in various types of dishes containing soybean-derived powder.

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described below.

[0014] First Embodiment First, a soybean-derived powder-containing seasoning liquid according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The seasoning liquid of this embodiment is a seasoning liquid containing soybean-derived powder, and contains 3.75 to 100 parts by mass in total of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, or both, per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder. Furthermore, the seasoning liquid of this embodiment may contain seasoning ingredients.

[0015] [Soybean-derived powder] The soybean-derived powder to be blended in the liquid seasoning of this embodiment includes all powders containing soybean-derived protein obtained by processing soybeans, such as powdered soy protein isolate, powdered soy protein concentrate, defatted soy flour, full-fat soy flour, soybean pulp powder, soy milk powder, and soybean flour. These soybean-derived powders may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0016] [Pregelatinized rice flour / pregelatinized starch] Rice flour that has been subjected to a gelatinization process (hereinafter referred to as "pregelatinized rice flour") and starch derived from rice flour that has been subjected to a gelatinization process (hereinafter referred to as "rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch") have the effect of suppressing unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins and are essential components of the seasoning liquid of this embodiment. Note that, although the seasoning liquid of this embodiment may contain both pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch, the unpleasant odor suppression effect can be obtained by containing at least one of them.

[0017] However, when the amount of soybean-derived powder contained in the liquid seasoning is taken as 100 parts by mass, if the total content of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is less than 3.75 parts by mass, the unpleasant odor suppression effect is not sufficient. On the other hand, even if the amount of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is blended in an amount that exceeds the amount of soybean-derived powder, i.e., even if the total amount of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch exceeds 100 parts by mass, no improvement in the unpleasant odor suppression effect can be expected, and the aroma derived from the rice flour may become stronger, impairing the flavor and aroma of the liquid seasoning and the cooked food (food) using it, or increasing the viscosity of the liquid seasoning.

[0018] Therefore, the total content of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch in the seasoning liquid of this embodiment is 3.75 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder. The total content of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is preferably 25 to 100 parts by mass, which further enhances the effect of suppressing unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins.

[0019] Pregelatinized rice flour can be produced by, for example, denaturing raw material rice such as polished rice, immature rice, brown rice, crushed polished rice, or white bran by heating through steaming, roasting, or the like, or by subjecting the raw material rice to a puffing treatment (puffing) to pregelatinization, followed by pulverization. Pregelatinized starch derived from rice flour is obtained by purifying only the starch from pregelatinized rice flour or by pregelatinizing starch derived from rice flour, and can be produced, for example, by adding water to the starch from raw material rice, heating it to gelatinize it, and then drying it in that state.

[0020] Examples of rice that can be used as raw materials for the gelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived gelatinized starch used in the seasoning liquid of this embodiment include non-glutinous rice, glutinous rice, and indica rice, but are not limited to these, and various types of rice can be used, including ancient rice such as black rice and red rice.

[0021] When both pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch are blended into the liquid seasoning of this embodiment, the mixing ratio thereof is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to include a larger amount of pregelatinized rice flour, which has a greater effect of suppressing unpleasant odors than rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch, and it is preferable to use pregelatinized rice flour that has been puffed (expanded), which is a particularly effective pregelatinized rice flour.

[0022] However, when rice flour or rice flour-derived starch with a low gelatinization rate is used, even when blended in the aforementioned ratio, unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins may not be sufficiently suppressed. Therefore, in the seasoning liquid of this embodiment, rice flour and rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more are used. From the viewpoint of improving the unpleasant odor suppression effect, the gelatinization rate of the pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is preferably 32% or more, and more preferably 46% or more.

[0023] The "gelatinization rate" referred to here is a value measured by the β-amylase-pullulanase method (Kainuma Keiji and three others, "A New Method for Measuring the Degree of Gelatinization and Retrogradation of Starch Using the β-amylase-pullulanase (BAP) System," Starch Science, Vol. 28, No. 4, 1981, pp. 235-240), and is an average value for all pregelatinized rice flour and all rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch.

[0024] The gelatinization rate of rice flour and rice flour-derived starch can be adjusted to a desired value by changing or applying one or more factors that affect gelatinization, such as adjusting the treatment temperature or treatment time, adjusting treatment conditions such as pH, stirring, or grinding, adjusting the presence or absence of addition of salts, moisture, highly polar organic substances, surfactants, lipids, sugars, hydrophilic polymers, etc., or adjusting the amount of addition, or changing the treatment method such as using moist heat treatment, etc. The gelatinization rate can also be adjusted by mixing a raw material with a low gelatinization rate with a raw material with a high gelatinization rate.

[0025] On the other hand, the particle size of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is not particularly limited and can be set appropriately depending on the type of cooked product (food), but a median diameter of approximately 14 to 500 μm is preferred. By setting the particle size of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch within this range, mixability with other ingredients is improved, and when used in processing, foods do not become rough, resulting in a good mouthfeel and texture.

[0026] [Seasoning Component] Seasoning components are optional components that are blended as needed, and are added to foods for the purpose of improving their taste, flavor, appearance, etc. Specific examples of seasoning components include sugars such as sugar, liquid sugar, glucose, brown sugar, and starch syrup, soy sauce, salt, miso paste, brewed vinegar, spices, yeast extract, meat-, seafood-, or vegetable-based extracts and seasonings, alcoholic beverage seasonings such as mirin, sake, wine, and ethanol, citrus fruits such as yuzu and kabosu, aromatic vegetables such as leeks and garlic, and processed products thereof, and starches, but are not limited to these, and various seasoning components can be blended depending on the food to be cooked.

[0027] [Other Components] The seasoning liquid of this embodiment may contain water, in addition to the water derived from the seasoning components, to adjust the concentration and viscosity. The seasoning liquid of this embodiment may also contain ingredients such as granular and / or fibrous textured soy protein, meat such as pork or beef, seafood, seaweed, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, and processed products thereof.

[0028] When textured soy protein is blended as an ingredient in the seasoning liquid, the total content of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is preferably 3.75 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of soy-derived powder and granular and fibrous textured soy protein. This also makes it possible to reduce unpleasant odors caused by the granular and fibrous textured soy protein blended as an ingredient.

[0029] [Production Method] The liquid seasoning of this embodiment can be produced, for example, by adding rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more (pregelatinized rice flour), rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more (rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch), or both, to a seasoning liquid containing soybean-derived powder or its raw materials. The timing and method of adding the pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch are not particularly limited, and they may be added simultaneously with the other raw materials, or may be added separately from the other raw materials during or at the final stage of the production of the seasoning liquid. Pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch can also be added by dissolving them in water. Furthermore, heated or unheated ingredients can also be added to the liquid seasoning of this embodiment as needed.

[0030] [Method of Use] Next, a method of using the seasoning liquid of this embodiment will be described. The seasoning liquid of this embodiment can be used in various cooking methods, such as boiling, simmering, steaming, cooking, baking, frying, and stir-frying, thereby producing a soy-derived powder-containing food product in which the unpleasant odor derived from vegetable protein is suppressed. For example, the seasoning liquid of this embodiment may be mixed with pre-cooked vegetables, meat, seafood, mushrooms, tofu, noodles, eggs, or processed products thereof, or the seasoning liquid and these ingredients may be cooked together. Furthermore, a side dish cooked using the seasoning liquid of this embodiment can be combined with noodles or cooked rice to make a noodle dish with toppings or a rice bowl dish.

[0031] As described above in detail, the liquid seasoning of this embodiment contains rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method and / or rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method in specific proportions, and therefore, even if soybean-derived powder is contained, the original flavor of the cooked product (food) can be maintained while unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins can be suppressed. Furthermore, the liquid seasoning of this embodiment can be applied to a variety of dishes regardless of the cooking method, genre, or ingredients.

[0032] Second Embodiment Next, a food product according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The food product of this embodiment contains soybean-derived powder, and further contains 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, or both, per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.

[0033] The food of this embodiment may contain one or more types of soy-derived powder, and in addition to those processed using the seasoning of the first embodiment described above, examples include fried chicken, simmered foods, hamburger steaks, meatballs, meatloaf, minced meat cutlets, dumplings, shumai, wontons, spring rolls, meat buns, nuggets, ham, sausages, kamaboko (fish paste), chikuwa (fish cakes), fish balls, various types of toppings, fillings, and soups, all of which are processed with soy-derived powder as a secondary ingredient, as well as rice-like processed products that use soy-derived powder as a main ingredient. The term "rice-like processed products" as used herein refers to rice substitute foods (rice-like soy foods) made from soy-derived powder, such as soy rice, as a raw material.

[0034] [Pregelatinized rice flour and pregelatinized starch] The pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch used in the food product of this embodiment, as well as the reasons for limiting the gelatinization rates and blending amounts thereof, are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

[0035] [Soybean-derived powder] The type of soybean-derived powder used in the food product of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and may be any powder obtained by processing soybeans. For example, at least one selected from powdered soy protein isolate, powdered soy protein concentrate, defatted soy flour, full-fat soy flour, okara powder, soy milk powder, and soybean flour can be used.

[0036] [Other Ingredients] In addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, the food product of this embodiment may contain granular or fibrous textured soy protein, meats such as pork, beef, and chicken, seafood, seaweed, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, and processed products thereof. Furthermore, seasoning ingredients such as sugars (e.g., sugar, liquid sugar, glucose, brown sugar, and starch syrup), soy sauce, salt, miso paste, brewed vinegar, spices, yeast extract, meat, seafood, or vegetable extracts and seasonings, alcoholic beverage seasonings (e.g., mirin, sake, wine, and ethanol), citrus fruits (e.g., yuzu and kabosu), aromatic vegetables (e.g., green onion and garlic) and processed products thereof, and spices (e.g., chili pepper, pepper, and turmeric) may also be added. Furthermore, starches other than rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch, thickeners (e.g., xanthan gum), wheat flour, breadcrumbs, etc. may also be added for the purpose of binding or viscosity adjustment.

[0037] [Production Method] The food product of this embodiment can be produced, for example, by processing it using the liquid seasoning of the first embodiment described above. Alternatively, it can also be produced by adding a predetermined amount of rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more and / or rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more to a raw material containing soybean-derived powder, and processing the resulting mixture.

[0038] Specifically, a total of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of pregelatinized rice flour and / or rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch can be blended with 100 parts by mass of soybean-derived powder, and processed together with other ingredients. When granular or fibrous textured soy protein is included as an ingredient in the food product of this embodiment, the blending amount of pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is preferably 3.75 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of soybean-derived powder and textured soy protein. This can reduce the unpleasant odor caused by the textured soy protein, in addition to the unpleasant odor caused by the soybean-derived powder.

[0039] In the food production process of this embodiment, the timing of adding the pregelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch is not particularly limited, and may be either before or during processing. For example, when the soybean-derived powder-containing food is shumai, it can be produced by adding water, powdered soy protein as the soybean-derived powder, pregelatinized rice flour and / or rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch dissolved in oil or fat, seasonings, vegetables, etc. to rehydrated granular textured soy protein, mixing the mixture, and shaping the mixture. Alternatively, the shaped mixture may be steamed to produce a cooked food.

[0040] As described above in detail, the food product of this embodiment contains rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method and / or rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method in specific proportions. This suppresses the unpleasant odor derived from the vegetable proteins contained in the soy-derived powder, thereby realizing a soy-derived powder-containing food product that maintains its original flavor.

[0041] (Third Embodiment) Next, a method for improving the flavor of soy-derived powder-containing foods according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The flavor improving method of this embodiment is a method for improving the flavor of foods containing soy-derived powder, and uses a flavor improver for soy-derived powder-containing foods, which comprises rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, to suppress unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins and improve the flavor of the soy-derived powder-containing foods.

[0042] [Flavor improving agent for soy-derived powder-containing foods] The flavor improving agent for soy-derived powder-containing foods of this embodiment comprises rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method, or both, and is added to a soy-derived powder-containing food or its raw material in a proportion of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the soy-derived powder. From the viewpoint of improving the unpleasant odor suppression effect, the gelatinized rice flour and rice flour-derived gelatinized starch used in the flavor improving agent for soy-derived powder-containing foods of this embodiment preferably have a gelatinization rate of 32% or more, more preferably 46% or more.

[0043] In the flavor improving method of this embodiment, a total of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method and / or rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the BAP method is added to 100 parts by mass of soy-derived powder contained in a soy-derived powder-containing food, thereby suppressing unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins while maintaining the original flavor and texture of the food. Furthermore, the flavor improver for soy-derived powder-containing foods of this embodiment, when added within the above-mentioned range, does not inhibit the original flavor of the cooked product (food) or impart a different flavor or taste, and therefore can be applied to a variety of cuisines.

[0044] The effects of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples and comparative examples.

[0045] Example 1 In Example 1, shumai were prepared using powdered soy protein (soybean-derived powder) and granular textured soy protein (granular soy protein A, B), and the unpleasant odor suppression effect of adding a flavor improver (rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more or rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more) was evaluated. The composition of the raw materials is shown in Table 1 below. Note that "gelatinized rice flour A" shown in Table 1 below is non-glutinous rice gelatinized by swelling and then pulverized (gelatinization rate 80%), and "rice flour-derived gelatinized starch A" is non-glutinous rice-derived gelatinized starch (gelatinization rate 100%).

[0046]

[0047] [Preparation of evaluation samples] The following steps (i) to (iii) were carried out as preliminary preparations. (i) Granular soy protein A and B were swollen with water. (ii) Dried shiitake mushrooms and onions that had been rehydrated were finely chopped. (iii) Water was added to the flour in small amounts and mixed thoroughly, after which oil was added and mixed uniformly to prepare a binder.

[0048] Subsequently, the following processes (1) to (4) were carried out to prepare evaluation samples (shumai). (1) Granular soy protein A and B, which had been rehydrated with water, were mixed with a binder containing powdered soy protein (soybean-derived powder) prepared in advance. (2) Salt, refined sugar, sake, potato starch, pepper, and breadcrumbs were further added to the mixture obtained in (1) and mixed. (3) Finely chopped dried shiitake mushrooms and onions were added to the mixture obtained in (2) and further mixed to obtain shumai fillings. (4) The shumai fillings obtained in (3) were divided into 18g portions and wrapped in shumai skins to prepare evaluation samples (shumai).

[0049] [Evaluation] Evaluation samples (shumai) prepared by the method described above were steamed in a steamer and eaten by a five-person analytical sensory evaluation panel (training period: 8 to 15 years). Using sample No. 1, which had no flavor improver (pregelatinized rice flour A or pregelatinized starch A) added as a binder, as the standard, the level of unpleasant odor derived from vegetable protein was evaluated on the following four-point scale: 4: Strongly perceived (same as or stronger than shumai to which no flavor improver was added) 3: Perceivable (weaker than shumai to which no flavor improver was added) 2: Slightly perceived (much weaker than shumai to which no flavor improver was added) 1: Not perceivable

[0050] The overall evaluation was conducted by a panel of five people, with a total score of 16 or more being rated as × (unacceptable), 10 to 15 points being ○ (good), and 9 points or less being ⊚ (excellent). The results are shown in Table 2 below. The amounts of pregelatinized rice flour and pregelatinized starch shown in Table 2 below are values ​​per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of textured soy protein (granular soy protein A, granular soy protein B) and soy-derived powder (powdered soy protein).

[0051]

[0052] As shown in Table 2 above, the unpleasant odor derived from vegetable protein was suppressed in shumai No. 2, which contained 4.6 parts by mass of rice flour (pregelatinized rice flour A) as a binder relative to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of textured soy protein and soy-derived powder, and in shumai No. 3, which contained 4.6 parts by mass of rice flour-derived starch (rice flour-derived pregelatinized starch A) as a binder relative to 100 parts by mass of the total amount of textured soy protein and soy-derived powder. In contrast, shumai No. 1, which contained neither rice flour with a pregelatinization rate of 23% or higher nor rice flour-derived starch with a pregelatinization rate of 23% or higher, had a strong unpleasant odor.

[0053] <Second Example> In the second example, a rice-like soy food product (soybean rice) was produced using defatted soybean flour, which is a soybean-derived powder, and the unpleasant odor suppression effect of adding a flavor improver (gelatinized rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more) was evaluated.

[0054] [Preparation of Evaluation Samples] Evaluation samples were prepared according to the following procedure using the formulation shown in Table 3 below. Note that "gelatinized rice flour A" shown in Table 3 below was obtained by gelatinizing non-glutinous rice through swelling and then pulverizing it (gelatinization rate 80%), and "gelatinized rice flour B" was obtained by mixing gelatinized rice flour A with a gelatinization rate of 80% with rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 15.3%, adjusting the gelatinization rate to 23.1%. Furthermore, "processed starch" was a starch acetate derived from tapioca. Furthermore, the amount of gelatinized rice flour shown in Table 3 below is a value relative to 100 parts by mass of soybean-derived powder (defatted soybean flour).

[0055] (1) Each powder ingredient shown in Table 3 below was mixed with salt and water at low speed in a stand mixer for 5 minutes. (2) The resulting dough was rolled together in a noodle-making roll and repeatedly rolled to obtain a dough with a thickness of 2 mm. (3) The rolled dough was cut into noodles with a cutting blade and then further shredded into 10 mm lengths to form a rice-like shape. (4) The resulting rice-like dough was dried in a dryer at 80°C for 2 hours to obtain a sample for evaluation (rice-like soybean food).

[0056] [Evaluation] Evaluation samples (rice-like soybean foods) prepared by the method described above were boiled in boiling water for 8 minutes, and two analytical sensory evaluation panels (training period: 8 to 15 years) ate them, and the level of unpleasant odor derived from vegetable protein was evaluated on the following four-point scale, using sample No. 13, a comparative example to which no flavor improver (pregelatinized rice flour A, B) was added, as the standard: 4: Strongly perceived (same as or stronger than the rice-like soybean food to which no flavor improver was added) 3: Perceived (weaker than the rice-like soybean food to which no flavor improver was added) 2: Slightly perceived (much weaker than the rice-like soybean food to which no flavor improver was added) 1: Not perceived

[0057] In the overall evaluation, a total of 7 points or more from the two panelists was rated as × (fail), 4 to 6 points was rated as ○ (good), and 3 points or less was rated as ⊚ (excellent). The results are shown in Table 3 below.

[0058]

[0059] As shown in Table 3 above, Sample No. 13, a comparative example containing neither rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more nor rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more, had a strong unpleasant odor, whereas Samples Nos. 11 and 12, containing 11.5 parts by mass of pregelatinized rice flour A with a gelatinization rate of 80% or pregelatinized rice flour B with a gelatinization rate of 23.1% blended per 100 parts by mass of soybean-derived powder (defatted soybean flour), had a suppressed unpleasant odor derived from vegetable protein.

[0060] <Example 3> In Example 3, a soup base was prepared using defatted soybean flour, which is a soybean-derived powder, and the unpleasant odor suppression effect of adding a flavor improver (rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more) was evaluated.

[0061] [Preparation of Evaluation Samples] The samples in this example were prepared by adding 0.5 g (25 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of defatted soy flour) of either pregelatinized rice flour A (80% pregelatinization rate) or pregelatinized rice flour B (23.1% pregelatinization rate), which was prepared by pregelatinizing non-glutinous rice by swelling and then grinding, to 2 g of defatted soy flour (Soya Flour A, manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Inc.), and then adding 0.3 g of salt, 0.5 g of kelp extract, 23.3 g of soy milk (liquid), and 23.4 g of water to a total weight of 50 g. The mixture was heated with stirring. When the sample temperature reached 80°C, heating was stopped, the sample was sealed in an aluminum pouch, and sterilized at 120°C for 20 minutes (sterilization treatment I) or at 100°C for 10 minutes (sterilization treatment II).

[0062] On the other hand, for the comparative sample, no flavor improving agent was added, and 2 g of defatted soy flour (Soya Flour A manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd.) was mixed with 0.3 g of salt, 0.5 g of kelp extract, 23.3 g of soy milk (liquid), and 23.9 g of water to make a total amount of 50 g, and heated with stirring. When the sample temperature reached 80°C, heating was stopped, and the sample was sealed in an aluminum pouch and sterilized at 120°C for 20 minutes (sterilization treatment I) or at 100°C for 10 minutes (sterilization treatment II).

[0063] [Evaluation] The level of unpleasant odor derived from vegetable protein was evaluated for each of the samples of the Examples and Comparative Examples prepared by the above-mentioned methods and criteria as in Example 2. The results are summarized in Table 4 below.

[0064]

[0065] As shown in Table 4 above, Example samples Nos. 22 and 25, which contained pregelatinized rice flour A with a gelatinization rate of 80% as a flavor improver, and Example samples Nos. 23 and 26, which contained pregelatinized rice flour B with a gelatinization rate of 23.1% as a flavor improver, had less unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins than Comparative Example samples Nos. 21 and 24, which contained neither rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more nor rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more. This confirms that adding a predetermined amount of rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more to a soybean-derived powder-containing food can suppress unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins, regardless of the conditions of sterilization, even when the food is sterilized.

[0066] Example 4 In Example 4, soybean flour was used as the soybean-derived powder, and a rice-like soy food product (soybean rice) was prepared using the same method and conditions as in Example 2, and the unpleasant odor suppression effect of adding a flavor improver (gelatinized rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more) was evaluated using the same method and conditions as in Example 2. The results are shown in Table 5 below.

[0067]

[0068] As shown in Table 5 above, Sample No. 32 of the Example, which contained pregelatinized rice flour A with a gelatinization rate of 80% as a flavor improver, had a suppressed unpleasant odor derived from vegetable protein compared to Sample No. 31 of the Comparative Example, which contained neither rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more nor rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more. This confirmed that unpleasant odors derived from vegetable protein can also be suppressed in foods containing soybean-derived powder using soybean flour as an ingredient (rice-like soybean foods).

[0069] From the above results, it was confirmed that the present invention can suppress unpleasant odors derived from vegetable proteins in foods containing soybean-derived powder.

Claims

1. A food product containing soybean-derived powder, comprising 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of rice flour with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the β-amylase-pullulanase method and / or rice flour-derived starch with a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by the β-amylase-pullulanase method, per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.

2. A soybean-derived powder-containing food according to claim 1, wherein the soybean-derived powder is at least one of powdered isolated soybean protein, powdered concentrated soybean protein, defatted soybean flour, full-fat soybean flour, soybean pulp powder, soy milk powder and soybean flour.

3. A soybean-derived powder-containing food according to claim 1 or 2, which is a rice-like soybean food.

4. A soybean-derived powder-containing food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising granular and / or fibrous textured soy protein, and containing 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more per 100 parts by mass of the total amount of the soybean-derived powder and the textured soy protein.

5. A seasoning liquid containing soybean-derived powder, comprising 3.75 to 100 parts by mass in total of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by a β-amylase-pullulanase method and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by a β-amylase-pullulanase method per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.

6. The soybean-derived powder-containing seasoning liquid according to claim 5, further comprising a seasoning ingredient.

7. A seasoning liquid containing soybean-derived powder as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the soybean-derived powder is at least one of powdered isolated soybean protein, powdered concentrated soybean protein, defatted soybean flour, full-fat soybean flour, okara powder, soy milk powder, and soybean flour.

8. A method for improving the flavor of a food containing soybean-derived powder, comprising adding a total of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass of rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by a β-amylase-pullulanase method and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by a β-amylase-pullulanase method to 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.

9. A flavor improver for use in foods containing soybean-derived powder, comprising rice flour having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by a β-amylase-pullulanase method and / or rice flour-derived starch having a gelatinization rate of 23% or more as measured by a β-amylase-pullulanase method, and added in a ratio of 3.75 to 100 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the soybean-derived powder.