Caramel-like composition

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a caramel-like composition that comprises a plant-based raw material and that has excellent flavor and body, and to provide a caramel-like composition that comprises a plant-based raw material and that can impart caramel-like flavor and body similar to flavor and body unique to caramel when added to a plant-based food or beverage product. The above problem is better solved by a caramel-like composition that contains a roasted saccharide, vegetable fats and oils, and vegetable extract and that does not contain an animal raw material.

Description

Caramel-like composition

[0001] The present invention relates to a caramel-like composition made from plant-based ingredients.

[0002] In recent years, growing interest in health and the SDGs has led to a rise in interest in products made from plant-based ingredients that have a low environmental impact. In particular, so-called plant-based milks made from soybeans, almonds, coconuts, etc., are becoming more prevalent in consumers' daily lives than other plant-based products as dairy substitutes.

[0003] However, unlike foods and beverages made with animal milk, such foods and beverages often lack flavor and richness, and various efforts have been made to improve this. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fat-free, dairy-free soft ice cream composition containing one or more juice concentrates and / or fruit puree concentrates, at least one plant extract rich in saponins, pectin, and at least one thickener, in an effort to provide a fat-free, dairy-free soft ice cream product with excellent texture. Patent Document 2 also discloses concentrated soy milk with a specified carbohydrate-to-protein mass ratio, which can impart umami and richness to dairy-free confectioneries such as ice cream and caramel. Patent Document 3 also discloses a soft candy made primarily from vegetable ingredients, characterized by its main ingredients being sugar, starch syrup, and a small amount of xylose as sugars, soy milk and / or soybean products as protein sources, and vegetable oils and fats as fats and oils.

[0004] However, for so-called plant-based foods and beverages that are primarily made from plant-based ingredients, it is difficult to improve the lack of flavor and richness that results from using primarily plant-based ingredients simply by using a composition containing a fruit concentrate, a plant extract, and a thickener as essential ingredients, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, or concentrated soy milk, as disclosed in Patent Document 2. Furthermore, the method of using a small amount of xylose in addition to sugar and starch syrup, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, is still insufficient to impart the richness, umami, and richness desired in ice cream and caramel. This drawback is particularly noticeable in plant-based foods and beverages that imitate foods and beverages that are originally made primarily from animal milk, such as ice cream, caramel, and dairy drinks.

[0005] International Publication No. 2021 / 178532 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-136298 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-018945

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a caramel-like composition made from plant-based ingredients that has excellent flavor and richness, and further to provide a caramel-like composition made from plant-based ingredients that can impart a caramel-like flavor and richness similar to the flavor and richness unique to caramel when added to plant-based foods and beverages.

[0007] The inventors conducted extensive research to solve these problems and discovered that a composition prepared by adding vegetable oils and vegetable-derived extracts to roasted sugars has a caramel-like flavor and richness that is very similar to the flavor and richness unique to caramel. They also discovered that when this caramel-like composition is added to food and beverages, particularly plant-based food and beverages, it is possible to efficiently impart a caramel-like flavor and richness, which led to the completion of the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention was completed based on the above findings and comprises the following items [1] to

[19] . [1] A caramel-like composition comprising roasted sugars, vegetable oils and fats, and vegetable extract, and containing no animal ingredients. [2] The caramel-like composition according to [1], wherein the vegetable extract is one or more selected from corn extract and carrot extract. [3] The caramel-like composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the vegetable extract is contained in an amount of 0.5% to 20% by mass, in terms of solid content. [4] The caramel-like composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the vegetable extract comprises corn extract and carrot extract, and wherein the carrot extract is contained in a mass ratio of 50 to 200 parts by mass (as solid content) to 100 parts by mass (as solid content) of corn extract. [5] The caramel-like composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the sugar is one or more selected from sugar, maple syrup, honey, and maltose. [6] The caramel-like composition according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the vegetable oil is one or more selected from hydrogenated palm oil and hydrogenated coconut oil. [7] The caramel-like composition according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the viscosity at Brix 75% and 25°C is 2000 to 5000 mPa s. [8] A caramel-like flavor imparting agent for use in foods and beverages containing roasted sugars, vegetable oil, and vegetable extract, and containing no animal ingredients and having plant-based milk as a main ingredient. [9] The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to [8], wherein the vegetable extract is one or more selected from corn extract and carrot extract.

[10] The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to [8] or [9], wherein the vegetable extract is 0.5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less in terms of solid content.

[11] The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of [8] to

[10] , wherein the vegetable extract comprises corn extract and carrot extract, in a mass ratio of 50 to 200 parts by mass (as solids) of carrot extract to 100 parts by mass (as solids) of corn extract.

[12] The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of [8] to

[11] , wherein the saccharide is one or more selected from sugar, maple syrup, honey, and maltose.

[13] The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of [8] to

[12] , wherein the vegetable oil is one or more selected from hydrogenated palm oil and hydrogenated coconut oil.

[14] The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of [8] to

[13] , which has a viscosity of 2000 to 5000 mPa·s at Brix 75% and 25°C.

[15] A method for producing the caramel-like composition according to [1], comprising at least the steps of: (i) adding a mixture of a vegetable oil raw material and an emulsifier to roasted sugars and kneading them, and then adding a vegetable extract and kneading them; (ii) adding a vegetable extract to roasted sugars and kneading them, and then adding a mixture of a vegetable oil raw material and an emulsifier and kneading them; or (iii) adding a mixture of a vegetable oil raw material, an emulsifier, and a vegetable extract to roasted sugars and kneading them; and concentrating the kneaded product obtained in the step (i), (ii), or (iii) at a temperature in the range of 100 to 130°C until the Brix reaches 68 to 80%, and performing a homogenization treatment.

[16] The method according to

[15] , wherein the vegetable extract is one or more selected from corn extract and carrot extract.

[17] The method according to

[15] or

[16] , wherein the sugar is one or more selected from maple syrup, honey, and maltose.

[18] The method according to any one of

[15] to

[17] , wherein the vegetable oil raw material is one or more selected from hydrogenated palm oil and hydrogenated coconut oil.

[19] A method for imparting a caramel-like flavor to a food or drink containing plant-based milk as a main ingredient, the method comprising adding the caramel-like composition according to any one of [1] to [7] or the caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of [8] to

[14] to a food or drink containing plant-based milk as a main ingredient.

[0009] The caramel-like composition of the present invention can impart a caramel-like flavor and richness similar to caramel made from dairy-derived ingredients, which cannot be expressed by fragrances (flavors) alone, and therefore can provide foods and beverages with a more authentic caramel-like flavor.

[0010] The sensory evaluation sheet distributed to the panelists is shown.

[0011] The caramel-like composition of the present invention is characterized by its absence of animal-derived ingredients. While the main ingredients of typical caramel are sugar, starch syrup, milk, condensed milk, and butter, the caramel-like composition of the present invention does not contain animal-derived ingredients such as milk, condensed milk, or butter. The composition of the present invention is called a "caramel-like" composition because it has a caramel-like flavor and richness similar to that of caramel but differs from the original caramel ingredients. Because the composition of the present invention is plant-based, not only the composition itself but also its addition to foods and beverages claiming to be "dairy-free," "plant-based," "plant-based," "vegan," or "animal allergen-free" (sometimes collectively referred to as "plant-based" in this specification) can maintain the concepts and labeling of the foods and beverages claiming to be "dairy-free," "plant-based," "plant-based," "vegan," or "animal allergen-free," thereby providing significant benefits from the use of the composition. Because the caramel-like composition of the present invention itself has an excellent caramel-like flavor and richness, it can be provided as is, like a caramel sauce, but it can also be added to, kneaded into, or otherwise used in foods and beverages to impart a caramel-like flavor and richness. In particular, in foods and beverages that claim to be "dairy-free," "plant-based," "vegan," "animal allergen-free," or the like, the flavor and richness that such foods and beverages should inherently possess are inferior, so the effects of the composition of the present invention are more pronounced, and the effects of the present invention are maximized when used in foods and beverages whose main ingredient is plant-based milk.

[0012] The "sugars" in the caramel-like composition of the present invention may be any sugar (monosaccharide or disaccharide) that can be used as a food ingredient, and are not limited thereto as long as they have a Brix of 65% or higher. Substance names include glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, trehalose, raffinose, etc., and food names include sugars (white sugar, brown sugar, medium-sized coarse sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, beet sugar, beet sugar, wasanbon sugar, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, etc.), starch syrup, isomerized sugar, molasses, honey, maple syrup, maltose, etc. The caramel-like composition of the present invention can contain one or more of these sugars. From the viewpoint of imparting flavor and richness, it is preferable to use a sugar primarily composed of sucrose. Furthermore, among sugars, it is preferable to use raw sugar, such as beet molasses, which contains relatively large amounts of minerals and oligosaccharides. Furthermore, it is preferable to use sugar in combination with other sugars rather than sugar alone, and maple syrup is a suitable example of the "other sugars." When sugar and "other sugars" are used in combination, the blending ratio is preferably 1 to 40 parts by mass, more preferably 5 to 30 parts by mass, 8 to 20 parts by mass, or 5 to 15 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of sugar.

[0013] The sugars in the caramel-like composition of the present invention must be roasted in advance. The roasting method is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that allows heating in a state with a relatively low moisture content, and examples include a method in which the sugars with a Brix of 65% to 85% are placed in an open heating kettle equipped with a stirrer, heated to a temperature close to the melting temperature at which the sugars slightly decompose (approximately 100 to 200°C), and maintained at a product temperature within ±20°C of the melting temperature of the sugars for a certain period of time, and then preferably 5 to 50 parts by mass, more preferably 10 to 30 parts by mass, of water is added and mixed per 100 parts by mass of the sugars, and the product temperature is lowered by approximately 10 to 40°C to terminate the heating.

[0014] The pre-roasted saccharide in the caramel-like composition of the present invention is preferably contained in the composition in an amount of 40 to 70% by mass, more preferably 45 to 65% by mass, and even more preferably 50 to 60% by mass.

[0015] The "vegetable extract" in the caramel-like composition of the present invention is also referred to as "vegetable extract" and includes vegetables obtained by crushing and squeezing the juice from vegetables, those obtained by extracting the crushed vegetables with a solvent such as water or ethanol, those obtained by enzymatic treatment, heat treatment, concentration treatment, etc., as well as dried and crushed vegetables. Vegetables that can be used as raw materials for the "vegetable extract" in the caramel-like composition of the present invention include not only common vegetables but also fruits, grains, beans, mushrooms, etc. Specific examples include apples, peaches, persimmons, pears, bananas, melons, grapefruits, rice, corn, beans (soybeans, black soybeans, peas, chickpeas, etc., including germinated beans), broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, carrots, kale, arugula, mushrooms (e.g., king oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, enoki mushrooms), and potatoes (e.g., sweet potatoes, potato tubers). Among these, it is preferable to use an extract made from one or more ingredients selected from carrots, beans, and corn; it is more preferable to use an extract of either carrot or corn as the essential ingredient; and it is even more preferable to use a combination of carrot and corn extracts. As mentioned above, the "vegetable extract" referred to in the present invention may be prepared by any method. For example, it can be prepared by a common method, such as adding 1 to 1,000 parts by weight of water to 100 parts by weight of the vegetable, heating and extracting at 60 to 100°C for 30 minutes to 24 hours, and then filtering and concentrating. Alternatively, commercially available vegetable extracts can be used. For example, corn extract is available as "Corn Extract 60" (a product of Danfoods Co., Ltd.), and carrot extract is available as "Orange Carrot Concentrate" (a product of Sumitomo Foods Co., Ltd.), "Yellow Carrot Cloudy Concentrate" (a product of Shonan Fragrance Co., Ltd.), or "Carrot Super 70" (Danfoods Co., Ltd.). The "vegetable extract" used in the present invention preferably has a solids concentration in the range of 10 to 98% by mass, more preferably 30 to 90% by mass or 50 to 80% by mass, taking into consideration the properties of the final caramel-like composition. The solids concentration means the value excluding the water content (100 - water content) (% by mass).

[0016] The content of the vegetable extract in the caramel-like composition of the present invention is expressed herein as a solids content equivalent (based on 100% solids). The content of the vegetable extract (as solids) relative to the mass of the caramel-like composition is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% to 20% by mass, even more preferably 0.8% to 15% by mass, and most preferably 1.0% to 10% by mass. This is because, when the content is below 0.5% by mass, only the caramel-like flavor with a strong roasted aroma (here, caramel refers to burnt sugar) stands out, resulting in a lack of richness. When the content exceeds 20% by mass, the distinctive vegetable flavor becomes strong. From the perspective of reducing raw material costs, when reducing the amount of vegetable extract added, it is advantageous to use multiple types of vegetable extract in combination. That is, when a single extract is used, depending on the amount added, either the richness or the aroma may be insufficient. Therefore, when multiple types of vegetable extract are used in combination, a caramel-like composition with an excellent balance of caramel-like richness and aroma can be obtained. When two or more types of vegetable extracts are used in combination, for example, when corn extract and carrot extract are used in combination, the mass ratio of carrot extract to 100 parts by mass (as solid content) of corn extract is preferably 50 to 200 parts by mass (as solid content), more preferably 75 to 150 parts by mass, and even more preferably 90 to 120 parts by mass.

[0017] In the present invention, "free from animal ingredients" means that no animal ingredients are used as manufacturing ingredients. Here, animal ingredients refer to animal-derived ingredients commonly used in the production of foods and beverages, such as beef, beef tallow, milk, pork, lard, mutton, mutton fat, chicken, chicken fat, eggs, seafood, fish oil, and processed products using these ingredients (e.g., condensed milk, butter, cheese, meat extract, etc.). Since the main ingredients of general caramel are sugar, starch syrup, milk, condensed milk, and butter, it is essential that the caramel-like composition of the present invention does not contain milk, condensed milk, or butter as main ingredients.

[0018] The caramel-like composition of the present invention preferably further contains a vegetable oil (including edible refined oil). The type of oil may be any suitable for use in foods and beverages, but examples include soybean oil, corn oil, palm oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, peanut oil, olive oil, camellia oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, hemp seed oil, safflower oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, perilla oil, avocado oil, almond oil, walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and hydrogenated oils thereof, interesterified oils, and margarine. Among these, soybean oil, corn oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, and hydrogenated oils thereof are preferred. From the viewpoint of melt-in-the-mouth texture, hydrogenated palm oil and hydrogenated coconut oil are more preferred, and hydrogenated coconut oil is most preferred. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of melt-in-the-mouth texture, hydrogenated oils with an ascent melting point of approximately 25 to 45°C are preferred.

[0019] The above-mentioned vegetable oil contained in the caramel-like composition of the present invention may be contained in the composition in an amount of preferably 3 to 30% by mass, more preferably 5 to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 8 to 20% by mass.

[0020] In the production of the caramel-like composition of the present invention, the above-mentioned vegetable oil may be added in the form of a processed product containing vegetable oil, and the caramel-like composition of the present invention may contain the vegetable oil in the form of a processed product containing vegetable oil. Examples of processed products containing vegetable oil include coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, hemp milk, pea milk, cashew nut milk, walnut milk, macadamia milk, peanut milk, pistachio milk, and their concentrates (creams). All of these contain approximately 1 to 30 g of lipid per 100 g of edible portion, and therefore can also be used. In this specification, the above-mentioned vegetable oil itself, processed products containing vegetable oil, etc. used in the production of the caramel-like composition of the present invention are referred to as the "vegetable oil raw material."

[0021] From the viewpoint of meltability in the mouth, the caramel-like composition of the present invention can further contain an emulsifier, and the type of emulsifier is not particularly limited, and in addition to chemically produced emulsifiers such as "glycerin fatty acid esters (monoglycerides)," "polyglycerin fatty acid esters," "sucrose fatty acid esters," and "propylene glycol fatty acid esters," emulsifiers extracted from natural products such as soybean lecithin can be used. In the present invention, it is more preferable to use polyglycerin fatty acid esters in order to form a caramel-like smooth texture.

[0022] The emulsifier in the caramel-like composition of the present invention is preferably contained in the composition in an amount of less than 5% by mass, more preferably less than 4% by mass, less than 3% by mass, or even less than 2% by mass.

[0023] From the viewpoint of aroma release, the caramel-like composition of the present invention may further contain an organic acid, such as acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, or succinic acid. Of these, it is preferable to use acetic acid, and when this is added as vinegar (acidity of 4 to 6%, pH of about 1.8 to 4), it is preferably contained in the composition in an amount of 0.01 to 0.4% by mass, more preferably 0.02 to 0.2% by mass, and even more preferably 0.03 to 0.1% by mass.

[0024] In addition to the raw materials described above, the caramel-like composition of the present invention may contain other auxiliary ingredients, such as salts, spices, seasonings, etc., as long as they are plant-based ingredients and do not inhibit the effects of the present invention.

[0025] The caramel-like composition of the present invention is in the form of a sauce, and has a viscosity of preferably 1500 to 7000 mPa·s, more preferably 1800 to 6000 mPa·s, and even more preferably 2000 to 5000 mPa·s at a Brix of 75% and 25° C. Any device may be used to measure the viscosity, and examples include the "VISCOMETER TV-10" (No. 4 rotor, 60 rpm) manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.

[0026] As described above, the caramel-like composition of the present invention has an excellent caramel-like flavor and richness by itself and can be used as is, like a caramel sauce, but can also be provided in the form of a caramel-like flavor imparting agent because it can impart a caramel-like flavor and richness when added to foods and beverages. In particular, when the caramel-like composition of the present invention is used as a topping or added or kneaded like a sauce to foods and beverages that claim to be "dairy-free," "plant-based," "vegan," "animal allergen-free," etc., and that contain or are produced using "plant-based milk" as a main ingredient, the effect of the present invention, i.e., the ability to impart a milk-like flavor and richness and the effect of providing a caramel-like flavor and richness, is more effectively achieved. "Plant-based milk" as used here refers to milk-like raw materials or processed raw materials derived from plant ingredients that are commonly used in the food industry as milk substitutes, such as coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, hemp milk, pea milk, cashew nut milk, walnut milk, macadamia milk, peanut milk, pistachio milk, and concentrates (creams) of these. The "main ingredient" or "main ingredient" of a food or beverage that contains "plant-based milk" as a main ingredient, or is produced using "plant-based milk" as a main ingredient, does not strictly mean that the majority of the ingredients / ingredients used is "plant-based milk," and preferably, 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and even more preferably 80% by mass or more of the ingredients / ingredients used is "plant-based milk."

[0027] Specific examples of foods and beverages for which the caramel-like flavor imparting agent of the present invention can be used include bakery products (bread, baked goods, etc.), desserts (pudding, jelly, mousse, yogurt, candy, etc.), frozen desserts (ice cream, soft serve ice cream, ice milk, popsicles, frozen yogurt, frozen shakes), beverages (milk coffee, cocoa, cafe mocha, shakes, etc.), etc. The amount of the caramel-like flavor imparting agent of the present invention added to these foods and beverages is not particularly limited, but it is preferably added in a mass ratio of 0.5 to 30 parts by mass, more preferably 1 to 25 parts by mass, even more preferably 2 to 20 parts by mass, and most preferably 3 to 15 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the food or beverage.

[0028] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a caramel-like composition. The method includes, for example, at least: (i) adding a mixture of a vegetable oil / fat raw material and an emulsifier to roasted sugars and kneading the mixture, followed by adding a vegetable extract and kneading the mixture; (ii) adding a vegetable extract to roasted sugars and kneading the mixture, followed by adding a mixture of a vegetable oil / fat raw material and an emulsifier and kneading the mixture; or (iii) adding a mixture of a vegetable oil / fat raw material, an emulsifier, and a vegetable extract to roasted sugars and kneading the mixture; and concentrating the mixture obtained in step (i), (ii), or (iii) at a temperature in the range of 100 to 130°C until the Brix reaches 68 to 80%, and finally homogenizing the mixture with a homogenizer or the like. While Brix may be measured by any known method, the Brix herein is a value measured with a handheld refractometer (MASTER-93H (Atago Co., Ltd.)). In the method for producing a caramel-like composition of the present invention, the above-mentioned organic acid may further be added. When the organic acid is added, it is preferable to add it after the concentration step and before the homogenization treatment using a homogenizer or the like.

[0029] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for imparting a caramel-like flavor to a food or beverage having plant-based milk as its main ingredient, which method comprises adding a composition or a caramel-like flavor imparting agent that contains roasted sugars, plant-based oils and vegetable extracts and does not contain animal ingredients to the food or beverage having plant-based milk as its main ingredient.

[0030] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In addition, "% by mass" may be simply expressed as "%".

[0031] (Basic formulation, etc.) Several caramel-like compositions were prepared using only vegetable ingredients, and sensory evaluations were performed on food and beverages (vegetable milk ice cream) to which these compositions were added. The subsequent preparations of the caramel-like compositions were carried out according to the following procedures (1) to (3) (approximately 500 g volume), and the preparation of the vegetable milk ice cream was carried out according to procedure (4). The rising melting point of the hardened palm oil (Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.) used to prepare the oil and fat mixture was 30 to 35°C. (1) Preparation of oil and fat mixture: A mixture of coconut cream, soy milk cream, vegetable cream sauce, hardened palm oil, and emulsifier was stirred and mixed using a homogenizer (MST Corporation "LAB1000", 15 MPa, 15 minutes) to obtain an oil and fat mixture. (2) Roasting of sugars: White sugar, beet sugar, and maple syrup were placed in an open heating kettle equipped with a stirrer and heated with stirring. When the product temperature of the mixture reached 175°C, water was added to lower the temperature to 140-150°C, thereby obtaining roasted sugars. (3) Preparation of caramel-like composition: The above oil and fat mixture was added to the roasted sugars, and the mixture was stirred and concentrated until the Brix reached approximately 77% (and the final product temperature reached 110-120°C). Rice vinegar was then added, and the mixture was then homogenized to obtain a caramel-like composition. The viscosities of the caramel-like compositions obtained in the following tests were all 2000-5000 mPa·s (measurement conditions: Brix 75%, 25°C, using a Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd. "VISCOMETER TV-10" with a No. 4 rotor, at 60 rpm). (4) Preparation of plant-based milk ice cream: Water, caster sugar (partially), and stabilizer were mixed and stirred at high speed in a hot water bath for 20 minutes to prepare a stabilizer solution. Next, plant-based milk, caster sugar, and trehalose were mixed, and the stabilizer solution was added and kept at 60°C. Further, emulsifier and oil were added and mixed, and the mixture was processed in a homogenizer and cooled in an ice cream machine to obtain plant-based milk ice cream.

[0032] When 5 parts by mass of the caramel-like composition obtained by the above steps (1) to (3) and having the composition shown in Table 1 below was added to 100 parts by mass of ice cream whose main ingredient was plant-based milk (rice milk) and which had the composition shown in Table 2 and was prepared by the above step (4), a certain degree of effect of imparting a caramel-like flavor and richness was observed. Therefore, in subsequent tests, this was used as the basic composition, and more preferable compositions were investigated by comparing it with the basic composition.

[0033]

[0034]

[0035] (Study of Additive Materials) Next, the effect of adding each vegetable extract in the previous oil and fat mixture preparation step (1) was examined. In step (1), corn extract, carrot extract, banana juice, amazake (sweet sake), yeast extract, grapefruit juice, peach juice, or fermented soy milk liquid was added in an amount of 3.5% by mass relative to the total amount of the composition ingredients to prepare caramel-like compositions. Sensory evaluation was performed (3 parts by mass added per 100 parts by mass of ice cream whose main ingredient was plant-based milk). The sensory evaluation was graded as "Fair (B)" when a caramel-like flavor and richness was observed in the caramel-like composition, "Good (A)" when a stronger caramel-like flavor and richness was observed compared to "Fair (B)," and "Fail (F)" when no such effect was observed. The caramel-like compositions to which corn extract, carrot extract, banana juice, amazake, or yeast extract were added were found to have the effect of imparting a caramel-like flavor and richness, and this effect was even stronger in the caramel-like compositions to which corn extract or carrot extract was added (Table 3).

[0036]

[0037] Next, the optimum amount of corn extract to be added was investigated and compared with the basic formulation described above. As a result, it was confirmed that adding 1.9% corn extract to the ingredients (1.14% calculated as 100% solids) was effective (Table 4, Test Area 9).

[0038]

[0039] From then on, in order to ensure greater accuracy and rigor, the sensory evaluation was conducted as a blind test by eight panelists, comparing the results with the basic formulation (all scores for the basic formulation were set to "4"). The evaluation items (sensory evaluation sheets distributed to the panelists) are shown in Figure 1. Since a certain degree of effect had already been recognized with the basic formulation, the evaluation was made as follows: when the average scores of the eight panelists for aroma and body were all "over 4", it was rated as excellent (AA); when either was "4 or above" and "not below 3", it was rated as good (A); and when both were "below 4", it was rated as unsatisfactory (F).

[0040] When the combination of corn extract and carrot extract (Table 5) was examined, the effect of the combination was confirmed (Table 6, details below).

[0041]

[0042]

[0043] Specifically, compositions containing 7.5% or more corn extract or carrot extract (4.5% corn extract and 5.48% carrot extract, calculated as 100% solids) (Test Groups 10 and 11) exhibited excellent caramel-like richness and aroma, and when added to rice milk ice cream at 5%, the caramel-like richness and aroma were significantly enhanced. Furthermore, compositions containing 3.8% each of corn extract and carrot extract (2.3% corn extract and 2.8% carrot extract, calculated as 100% solids) (Test Group 12) and 7% each of corn extract and carrot extract (14% total, or 4.2% corn extract and 5.1% carrot extract, totaling 9.3%, calculated as 100% solids) (Test Group 13) exhibited excellent caramel-like richness and aroma, and when added to rice milk ice cream at 5%, the caramel-like richness and aroma were significantly enhanced in a well-balanced manner.

[0044] Furthermore, when the effects of adding 5% of the compositions of the present invention shown in Table 6 to a beverage mainly made of plant-based milk ("Alpro Oat Milk", Danone Japan Co., Ltd.) were investigated, the same effects as those observed with rice milk ice cream were observed.

Claims

1. A caramel-like composition comprising roasted sugars, vegetable oils and fats, and vegetable extracts, and containing no animal ingredients.

2. The caramel-like composition according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable extract is one or more selected from the group consisting of corn extract and carrot extract.

3. A caramel-like composition according to claim 1, containing vegetable extract in an amount of 0.5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less in terms of solid content.

4. The caramel-like composition according to claim 3, wherein the vegetable extract is one or more selected from the group consisting of corn extract and carrot extract.

5. A caramel-like composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vegetable extract comprises corn extract and carrot extract, in a mass ratio of 100 parts by mass of corn extract (as solids) to 50 to 200 parts by mass of carrot extract (as solids).

6. A caramel-like composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sugar is one or more selected from the group consisting of sugar, maple syrup, honey and maltose.

7. A caramel-like composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vegetable oil is one or more selected from the group consisting of hardened palm oil and hardened coconut oil.

8. A caramel-like composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having a viscosity of 2000 to 5000 mPa·s at 25°C and Brix 75%.

9. A caramel-like flavoring agent for use in foods and beverages containing roasted sugars, vegetable oils and fats, and vegetable extracts, and containing no animal ingredients, and whose main ingredient is plant-based milk.

10. The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to claim 9, wherein the vegetable extract is at least one selected from the group consisting of corn extract and carrot extract.

11. The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to claim 9, containing the vegetable extract in an amount of 0.5% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less in terms of solid content.

12. The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to claim 11, wherein the vegetable extract is at least one selected from the group consisting of corn extract and carrot extract.

13. A caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the vegetable extract comprises corn extract and carrot extract in a mass ratio of 100 parts by mass of corn extract (as solid content) to 50 to 200 parts by mass of carrot extract (as solid content).

14. The caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the saccharide is one or more selected from the group consisting of sugar, maple syrup, honey, and maltose.

15. A caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the vegetable oil is at least one selected from the group consisting of hardened palm oil and hardened coconut oil.

16. A caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of claims 9 to 12, having a viscosity of 2000 to 5000 mPa·s at 25°C and Brix 75%.

17. A method for producing the caramel-like composition of claim 1, comprising at least the following steps: (i) adding a mixture of a vegetable oil raw material and an emulsifier to roasted sugars and kneading the mixture, and then adding a vegetable extract and kneading the mixture; (ii) adding a vegetable extract to roasted sugars and kneading the mixture, and then adding a mixture of a vegetable oil raw material and an emulsifier and kneading the mixture; or (iii) adding a mixture of a vegetable oil raw material, an emulsifier and a vegetable extract to roasted sugars and kneading the mixture; and concentrating the kneaded mixture obtained in step (i), (ii) or (iii) at a temperature in the range of 100 to 130°C until the Brix reaches 68 to 80%, and then homogenizing the mixture.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the vegetable extract is one or more selected from the group consisting of corn extract and carrot extract.

19. The method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the sugar is one or more selected from maple syrup, honey, and maltose.

20. The method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the vegetable oil raw material is one or more selected from hydrogenated palm oil and hydrogenated coconut oil.

21. A method for imparting a caramel-like flavor to a food or beverage having plant-based milk as a main ingredient, comprising adding a caramel-like composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or a caramel-like flavor imparting agent according to any one of claims 9 to 12 to the food or beverage having plant-based milk as a main ingredient.

Images