Emulsified food, egg flavor imparting agent, and egg flavor imparting method

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a technique capable of imparting a good egg flavor to food (in particular, emulsified food).　The present invention provides an emulsified food comprising: 0.05 mass% to 2.00 mass% (in terms of solid content) of a mushroom extract; and 0.0010 mass% to 0.0150 mass% (in terms of free form) of sulfur, wherein the mushroom extract includes a shiitake mushroom extract and / or a button mushroom extract.

Description

Emulsified food, egg flavor imparting agent, and method for imparting egg flavor

[0001] The present invention relates to an emulsified food, an egg flavor imparting agent, and a method for imparting egg flavor.

[0002] In recent years, with consumers becoming more health-conscious and dietary restrictions due to allergies, there has been an increasing demand for foods made solely from plant-based ingredients, without the use of animal ingredients. One such food is the "plant-based egg," which recreates the taste of eggs using only plant-based ingredients.

[0003] Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes an egg flavoring agent containing oxidized glutathione as an active ingredient, with the aim of providing a food that can be safely eaten by people with egg allergies.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-094809

[0005] However, conventional plant-based eggs and the like have had problems reproducing the unique flavor (egg flavor) of eggs. Therefore, there is a need for technology that can reproduce a good egg flavor. Among foods, emulsified foods (such as mayonnaise) used for seasonings and the like are required to express a good flavor, so it is particularly important to meet this need.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can impart a good egg flavor to foods (especially emulsified foods).

[0007] The present inventors have discovered that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by incorporating a specific mushroom extract and sulfur into foods (especially emulsified foods), and have completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention provides the following.

[0008] (1) An emulsified food, comprising a mushroom extract in an amount of 0.05% by mass or more and 2.00% by mass or less (equivalent to solid content), a sulfur content of 0.0010% by mass or more and 0.0150% by mass or less (equivalent to free form), and the mushroom extract comprising a shiitake mushroom extract and / or a mushroom extract.

[0009] (2) The emulsified food according to (1), wherein the mass ratio (mushroom extract / sulfur) of the mushroom extract (solid content equivalent) to the sulfur (free form equivalent) is 20 or more and 400 or less.

[0010] (3) The emulsified food according to (1) or (2), wherein the sulfur is in the form of one or more sulfur-containing substances selected from rock salt and bay salt.

[0011] (4) An emulsified food according to any one of (1) to (3), which does not contain any egg-derived components.

[0012] (5) An emulsified food according to any one of (1) to (3), which does not contain any animal ingredients.

[0013] (6) An egg flavor imparting agent, the egg flavor imparting agent containing a mushroom extract and sulfur as active ingredients, the mushroom extract including a shiitake mushroom extract and / or a mushroom extract.

[0014] (7) A method for imparting an egg flavor to an emulsified food, the method comprising the steps of adjusting the mushroom extract content and the sulfur content in the emulsified food.

[0015] According to the present invention, a technique is provided that can impart a good egg flavor to foods (especially emulsified foods).

[0016] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and can be practiced with appropriate modifications within the scope of the object of the present invention. The preferred and more preferred embodiments exemplified below can be used in appropriate combination with each other regardless of expressions such as "preferable" or "more preferred." The numerical ranges described are merely examples, and regardless of expressions such as "preferable" or "more preferred," the upper and lower limits of each range, as well as ranges obtained by appropriately combining these values ​​with the numerical values ​​in the examples, can also be preferably used. Terms such as "contain" or "comprise" may be interpreted as "essentially consisting of" or "consisting only of," as appropriate. In the present invention, "A (numerical value) to B (numerical value)" means "A or more and B or less."

[0017] (1) Emulsified Food An emulsified food according to one embodiment of the present invention satisfies all of the following requirements: The emulsified food contains a mushroom extract in an amount of 0.05% by mass or more and 2.00% by mass or less (equivalent to solid content). The emulsified food contains sulfur in an amount of 0.0010% by mass or more and 0.0150% by mass or less (equivalent to free form). The mushroom extract contains a shiitake mushroom extract and / or a mushroom extract.

[0018] The present inventors conducted extensive research to reproduce the unique flavor of eggs (hereinafter also referred to as "egg flavor") without using animal ingredients. As a result, they unexpectedly discovered that a good egg flavor can be imparted to foods by blending a specific mushroom extract and sulfur in the amounts described above. When either the specific mushroom extract or sulfur was not blended, or when both were blended but did not satisfy the above ranges, a sufficient egg flavor was not achieved.

[0019] In the present invention, the term "egg flavor" includes flavors derived from table eggs in any state. The animal from which table eggs are derived is not particularly limited, but is preferably a bird, and particularly preferably a chicken.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the term "egg flavor" particularly includes the flavor of emulsified foods containing raw egg yolk and / or white (egg that has not been heated or denatured), such as mayonnaise flavor.

[0021] The presence or absence and degree of egg flavor in a food product can be determined by comparing it with the flavor of the same type of food product containing eggs, as shown in the Examples.

[0022] In the present invention, "imparting an egg flavor (to a food)" includes being able to impart to any food (particularly an emulsified food) an egg flavor that is equal to or better than the flavor of the same type of food containing eggs.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the emulsified food does not contain animal ingredients (particularly, egg-derived components). In the present invention, "animal ingredients" includes any part (muscle, skin, bone, etc.) constituting an edible animal (cattle, pigs, chickens, horses, etc.), ingredients derived from edible animals (eggs, milk, blood, etc.), and processed products thereof. In the present invention, "egg-derived components" includes edible eggs themselves or parts thereof, components constituting edible eggs, processed products of edible eggs, etc.

[0024] However, embodiments in which the emulsified food of the present invention contains animal ingredients (especially egg-derived components) are not excluded. For example, an enhanced egg flavor can be achieved by blending an egg-derived component with the components specified in the present invention in an emulsified food.

[0025] The composition of the emulsified food of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0026] (1-1) Mushroom Extract The emulsified food of the present invention contains shiitake mushroom extract and / or mushroom extract as the mushroom extract.

[0027] Shiitake mushrooms, mushrooms, and extracts thereof are known to be rich in umami components, and the present inventors have found that a good egg flavor can be reproduced by combining them with sulfur, which will be described later.

[0028] (1-1-1) Form of Mushroom Extract, etc. In the present invention, "shiitake mushroom extract" includes an extract extracted from any part (cap, stalk, base, etc.) of shiitake mushroom (scientific name: Lentinula edodes) and usable as a food or beverage. In the present invention, "mushroom extract" includes an extract extracted from any part (cap, stalk, base, etc.) of mushroom (scientific name: Agaricus bisporus Imbach) and usable as a food or beverage. The mushroom extract may be one type alone or a combination of two or more types. In the present invention, embodiments containing shiitake mushroom extract and / or mushroom extract other than mushroom extract (e.g., Maitake extract) are not excluded, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, the emulsified food of the present invention contains shiitake mushroom extract and / or mushroom extract in an amount of 0.05% by mass or more and 2.00% by mass or less (solid content equivalent).

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mushroom extract contained in the emulsified food of the present invention consists solely of shiitake mushroom extract and / or mushroom extract.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mushroom extract includes a soluble fraction and / or an insoluble fraction extracted from a mushroom using a solvent (e.g., alcohol (e.g., ethanol), water).

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mushroom extract is a juice obtained by extracting any part of a mushroom with hot water, and then subjecting all components (soluble and insoluble components) to a juice extractor. This juice may be appropriately filtered, dried, concentrated, or otherwise processed before use as an extract.

[0033] The form of the mushroom extract is not particularly limited, and may be a powder type, a liquid type, a mixture thereof, or the like.

[0034] The mushroom extract may be a commercially available product. For example, commercially available shiitake mushroom extracts include those under the trade name "Shiitake Extract 55" (manufactured by Danfoods Co., Ltd.) and "Shiitake Extract SK-60" (manufactured by Nikken Foods Co., Ltd.). For example, commercially available mushroom extracts include those under the trade name "mz Mushroom Extract T 20K" (manufactured by Kiso Kogyo Co., Ltd.).

[0035] (1-1-2) Mushroom Extract Content In the emulsified food of the present invention, the mushroom extract content (equivalent to solid content) is 0.05% by mass or more and 2.00% by mass or less relative to the emulsified food.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, the mushroom extract includes a shiitake mushroom extract and / or a mushroom extract other than a mushroom extract. In this embodiment, the "mushroom extract content (in terms of solid content)" refers to the total amount of these mushroom extracts.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the "mushroom extract content (solid content equivalent)" refers to the total amount of shiitake mushroom extract and / or mushroom extract. In this embodiment, the total amount of shiitake mushroom extract and / or mushroom extract in the emulsified food of the present invention is 0.05% by mass or more and 2.00% by mass or less (solid content equivalent).

[0038] From the viewpoint of providing a sufficient egg flavor, the lower limit of the mushroom extract content (equivalent to solid content) is 0.05% by mass or more, preferably 0.07% by mass or more, more preferably 0.12% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.16% by mass or more, and most preferably 0.20% by mass or more, relative to the emulsified food.

[0039] The upper limit of the mushroom extract content (equivalent to solid content) is 2.00% by mass or less, preferably 1.70% by mass or less, more preferably 1.60% by mass or less, even more preferably 1.00% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.60% by mass or less, and most preferably 0.40% by mass or less, relative to the emulsified food, from the viewpoint of suppressing the expression of an excessive mushroom flavor (such as shiitake or mushroom flavor) and suppressing excessive coloring of the food (such as coloring due to components derived from the mushroom extract).

[0040] In the present invention, the "solids content equivalent amount (of mushroom extract)" can be determined by the following method. The mass of the mushroom extract used as a raw material is measured before and after heating (105°C, 4 hours), and the moisture content (unit: mass %) relative to the total mushroom extract is calculated from the mass difference. Next, "100 - moisture content" is defined as the solids content (unit: mass %), and the solids content equivalent amount is calculated by multiplying the mass of the mushroom extract by the solids content.

[0041] (1-2) Sulfur The present inventors have found that a good egg flavor can be reproduced by combining sulfur with a mushroom extract.

[0042] (1-2-1) Form of sulfur, etc. In the present invention, "sulfur" includes any form of sulfur that can be used in foods and beverages. Sulfur may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sulfur is a sulfur-containing substance (sulfide, sulfur-containing amino acid, allyl sulfide, food raw material described later, etc.). Among these, sulfide and food raw material described later are particularly preferred.

[0044] In the present invention, the term "sulfide" includes any salt composed of sulfide ions and metal ions that can be used as a food or drink. ２ S), potassium sulfide (K ２ Examples of sulfide include calcium sulfide (CaS), magnesium sulfide (MgS), and iron sulfide (FeS).

[0045] The sulfur in the present invention may be a food ingredient containing a sulfur component as a part thereof. Examples of such food ingredients include sulfur-containing edible salt (sun-dried salt, rock salt, etc.) and fermented foods. In the present invention, "sun-dried salt" includes edible salt artificially obtained by sun-drying seawater. In the present invention, "rock salt" includes salt crystals naturally formed by evaporation of water from saltwater lakes, etc.

[0046] In the present invention, the sulfur is particularly preferably one or more sulfur-containing substances selected from rock salt and bay salt, from the viewpoint of easily achieving a good egg flavor.

[0047] Although not particularly limited, the sulfur content (equivalent to the free form) in bay salt or rock salt is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less, and more preferably 0.3% by mass or more and 0.7% by mass or less.

[0048] (1-2-2) Sulfur Content In the present invention, the sulfur content (equivalent to the free form) is 0.0010% by mass or more and 0.0150% by mass or less based on the emulsified food.

[0049] From the viewpoint of imparting a sufficient egg flavor, the lower limit of the sulfur content (equivalent to the free form) is 0.0010% by mass or more, preferably 0.0015% by mass or more, more preferably 0.0020% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.0025% by mass or more, and most preferably 0.0030% by mass or more, relative to the emulsified food.

[0050] The upper limit of the sulfur content (equivalent to the free form) is 0.0150% by mass or less, preferably 0.0100% by mass or less, more preferably 0.0080% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.0060% by mass or less, and most preferably 0.0050% by mass or less, in order to suppress the occurrence of an excessive sulfur odor, relative to the emulsified food.

[0051] In the present invention, the "emissible form equivalent amount (of sulfur)" can be determined by ion chromatography or combustion ion chromatography.

[0052] In the present invention, when the sulfur is in the form of bay salt and / or rock salt, the lower limit of the total amount thereof is preferably 0.2% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.4% by mass or more, relative to the emulsified food. When the sulfur is in the form of bay salt and / or rock salt, the upper limit of the total amount thereof is preferably 2.0% by mass or less, more preferably 1.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.0% by mass or less, relative to the emulsified food.

[0053] (1-3) Ratio of Mushroom Extract and Sulfur In order to more easily achieve the effects of the present invention, the mass ratio of mushroom extract (in terms of solid content) to sulfur (in terms of free form) in the emulsified food (mushroom extract / sulfur) is preferably 20 or more and 400 or less, more preferably 30 or more and 250 or less, even more preferably 40 or more and 150 or less, and most preferably 50 or more and 100 or less.

[0054] (1-4) Form of Emulsified Food, etc. In the present invention, the same formulation as that of a conventionally known emulsified food can be employed, except that the above-described mushroom extract and sulfur are blended in. For example, in an emulsified food (such as mayonnaise) known to contain egg-derived components as ingredients, the above-described mushroom extract and sulfur can be blended in place of or together with the egg-derived components, thereby obtaining an emulsified food with an excellent egg flavor.

[0055] The emulsified food may be in any form (liquid, semi-solid, solid, gel, etc.).

[0056] Emulsified foods are not particularly limited, but typically contain an aqueous phase (moisture), an oil phase (oils and fats), an emulsifier, a thickener, etc. Examples of emulsion forms include oil-in-water and water-in-oil, but the oil-in-water type is preferred from the viewpoint that the effects of the present invention are more easily achieved.

[0057] The water content of the emulsified food is preferably 15% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or more and 65% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or more and 55% by mass or less, and most preferably 25% by mass or more and 45% by mass or less, relative to the emulsified food. The water content can be determined by measuring the mass of the emulsified food before and after heating (105°C, 4 hours), and then expressing the difference in mass as a percentage of the emulsified food.

[0058] The fats and oils constituting the emulsified food are not particularly limited, and any edible fats and oils can be used. However, from the viewpoint of meeting the need for foods made only from plant-based ingredients, it is preferable to use vegetable fats and oils or processed fats thereof. Specific edible fats and oils include rapeseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, sal fat, illipe fat, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, sesame oil, olive oil, milk fat, etc., and processed fats and oils thereof (hydrogenated oil, fractionated oil, interesterified oil), etc. Two or more of these edible fats and oils may be used in combination.

[0059] The content of fats and oils constituting the emulsified food is preferably 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less, and most preferably 50% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, based on the weight of the emulsified food.

[0060] The emulsifier used to make the emulsified food is not particularly limited, and any edible emulsifier can be used. Specific emulsifiers include emulsified starch (such as starch octenyl succinate), lecithin, lysolecithin, sorbitan fatty acid ester (such as sorbitan tristearate), polyglycerin fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate, glycerin fatty acid ester (monoglyceride), glycerin organic acid fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, etc. Two or more of these emulsifiers may be used in combination.

[0061] The content of the emulsifier in the emulsified food is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more and 4.5% by mass or less, even more preferably 1.0% by mass or more and 4.0% by mass or less, and most preferably 1.5% by mass or more and 3.5% by mass or less, based on the weight of the emulsified food.

[0062] The thickener used in the emulsified food is not particularly limited, and any edible thickener can be used. Specific examples of the thickener include xanthan gum, tamarind gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, alginic acids, pectin, pullulan, psyllium seed gum, carboxymethylcellulose, glucomannan, agar, etc. Two or more of these thickeners may be used in combination.

[0063] The content of the thickener in the emulsified food is preferably 0.01% by mass or more and 0.5% by mass or less, more preferably 0.05% by mass or more and 0.4% by mass or less, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 0.4% by mass or less, and most preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 0.3% by mass or less, based on the weight of the emulsified food.

[0064] The emulsified food may or may not contain any edible ingredients as long as they do not impair the effects of the present invention. The types and amounts of such ingredients can be appropriately determined depending on the effects to be obtained. Specific ingredients include refined salt, vinegar, fruit juice, acidulants, umami seasonings, protein hydrolysates, sugars, sweeteners, extracts, dairy products, spices, antioxidants, ingredients (chopped vegetables, grated vegetables, etc.), etc.

[0065] As described above, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the emulsified food does not contain animal ingredients (especially egg-derived components). However, the present invention does not exclude embodiments in which the emulsified food contains animal ingredients (especially egg-derived components). For example, by blending egg-derived components with the ingredients specified in the present invention in an emulsified food, an enhanced egg flavor can be achieved. According to such an embodiment, the amount of eggs used can be reduced without impairing the egg flavor. When animal ingredients (such as egg-derived components) are blended in the oil-based food of the present invention, the total amount thereof is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less, relative to the emulsified food. The lower limit of the total amount is not particularly limited, but can usually be 0.5% by mass or more.

[0066] The viscosity of the emulsified food is not particularly limited, but the viscosity at 20°C is preferably from 1 to 300 Pa s, more preferably from 5 to 280 Pa s, even more preferably from 50 to 250 Pa s, and most preferably from 100 to 200 Pa s. The viscosity is determined using a BH-type viscometer with a No. 6 rotor at a rotation speed of 2 rpm, measuring the value after two rotations.

[0067] The type of emulsified food is not particularly limited, but examples include seasonings and sauces (mayonnaise, etc.), confectioneries (custard cream, ice cream, etc.), soups, etc.

[0068] Foods that contain plant ingredients and do not contain animal ingredients are sometimes called “plant-based foods.” Therefore, among the emulsified foods of the present invention, those that do not contain animal ingredients correspond to plant-based foods.

[0069] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the emulsified food is mayonnaise. In the present invention, "mayonnaise" includes semi-solid condiments emulsified as an oil-in-water type, and liquid condiments emulsified as an oil-in-water type. Specific examples of mayonnaise include mayonnaise itself, as well as mayonnaise-type condiments (creamy salad dressing, semi-solid dressing, etc.), tartar sauce, salad condiments, emulsified liquid dressing, etc.

[0070] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the emulsified food is egg-free vegetable mayonnaise (plant-based mayonnaise).

[0071] (2) Method for Producing Emulsified Foods There are no particular limitations on the method for producing emulsified foods, and conventionally known methods can be used depending on the type of emulsified food.

[0072] An emulsified food can be obtained, for example, by preparing an oil phase and an aqueous phase separately, then adding the oil phase to the aqueous phase and emulsifying them. For example, when the emulsified food is mayonnaise, it can be produced by the method shown in the Examples.

[0073] Conventional mayonnaise is obtained by stirring egg yolk with vinegar and salt, then adding oil and emulsifying the mixture. On the other hand, in the present invention, mayonnaise can be obtained, for example, by the following two steps: (Mode 1) The above-mentioned mushroom extract and sulfur are blended in place of egg yolk, and emulsification is carried out in the same manner as above. (Mode 2) The above-mentioned mushroom extract and sulfur are blended together with egg yolk, and emulsification is carried out in the same manner as above.

[0074] The mayonnaise obtained in the above (Aspect 1) can be considered a plant-based mayonnaise. According to the present invention, even such mayonnaise has a good egg flavor.

[0075] The mayonnaise obtained in the above (Aspect 2) can be a mayonnaise with an enhanced egg flavor compared to conventional mayonnaise when an equivalent amount of egg yolk is used. The mayonnaise obtained in the above (Aspect 2) can be a mayonnaise with an equally good egg flavor as conventional mayonnaise, even when a smaller amount of egg yolk is used than conventional mayonnaise.

[0076] (3) Egg Flavor Imparting Agent The present invention also includes an egg flavor imparting agent containing the above-mentioned mushroom extract and sulfur as active ingredients.

[0077] The types, amounts, blending ratios, etc. of the components (mushroom extract, sulfur) constituting the egg flavor imparting agent of the present invention are not particularly limited, but the composition of the emulsified food described above can preferably be adopted.

[0078] The egg flavor imparting agent is not particularly limited as long as it contains the above-described mushroom extract and sulfur, and may or may not contain other ingredients as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the egg flavor imparting agent consists of the above-described mushroom extract and sulfur.

[0079] By blending the egg flavor imparting agent of the present invention into any food, it is possible to impart an egg flavor to the food or enhance the egg flavor. Foods to which the egg flavor imparting agent of the present invention is blended are not particularly limited, but foods containing egg-derived components as raw materials (emulsified foods, baked products, stir-fried dishes, roasted dishes, confectioneries, etc.) are preferred. In such foods, blending the egg flavor imparting agent of the present invention in place of or together with egg-derived components during normal cooking can impart or enhance the egg flavor. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the food to which the egg flavor imparting agent of the present invention is blended is an emulsified food.

[0080] (4) Method for imparting egg flavor The present invention also encompasses a method for imparting egg flavor to an emulsified food, which includes the steps of adjusting the mushroom extract content and sulfur content in the emulsified food.

[0081] The types, amounts, blending ratios, etc. of the components (mushroom extract, sulfur) used in the egg flavor imparting method of the present invention are not particularly limited, but the structures in the emulsified foods described above can preferably be adopted.

[0082] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0083] <Production and Evaluation of Emulsified Foods - 1> Various emulsified foods were produced by the following method, and their egg flavors were evaluated. In this example, shiitake mushroom extract was used as the mushroom extract.

[0084] (1) Production of Emulsified Food (Mayonnaise (Mayonnaise-Type Seasoning)) A mayonnaise-type seasoning was produced as an emulsified food based on the formulation shown in the table. Specifically, all ingredients except rapeseed oil were placed in a container equipped with a stirrer and stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes using a paddle mixer (100 rpm). Next, all rapeseed oil was added to the resulting mixture (aqueous phase), and the mixture was roughly emulsified under reduced pressure using a paddle mixer (100 rpm), followed by final emulsification for 20 minutes using a homomixer (5500 rpm) to obtain a mayonnaise-type seasoning.

[0085] Details of each ingredient of the mayonnaise-type seasoning are as follows: Rapeseed oil: Trade name "Nissin Canola Oil", manufactured by Nisshin Oillio Group, Ltd. Vinegar: Trade name "MHV-310", manufactured by Mizkan Co., Ltd., moisture content 90% by mass Refined table salt: Trade name "Tokuno Salt", manufactured by Nippon Seien Co., Ltd. Sun-dried salt-1: Trade name "Kipower Salt", manufactured by Kipower Co., Ltd., sulfur content: 0.43% by mass Sun-dried salt-2: Trade name "Shima Mars", manufactured by Aoiumi Co., Ltd., sulfur content: 0.06% by mass Rock salt: Trade name "Himalayan Rock Salt", manufactured by Takahashi Co., Ltd., sulfur content: 0.61% by mass Shiitake mushroom extract-1: Trade name "Shiitake Extract 55", manufactured by Danfoods Co., Ltd., solid content 54.7% by mass Shiitake mushroom extract-2: Product name "Shiitake Extract SK-60", manufactured by Nikken Food Co., Ltd., solid content 57.2% by mass Xanthan gum: Product name "Echo Gum F", manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd. Tamarind seed gum: Product name "Glyloid 3S", manufactured by DSP Gokyo Food & Chemical Co., Ltd. Modified starch: Product name "N Creamer 46", starch sodium octenyl succinate, manufactured by Ingredion Japan Co., Ltd.

[0086] The shiitake mushroom extracts used in this example were liquid components obtained by extracting dried shiitake mushroom raw materials (including caps, stems, and bases) with hot water, extracting all components (soluble and insoluble components) in a juice extractor, filtering the resulting juice, and concentrating it.

[0087] Of the raw materials, the sulfur content (equivalent to the amount of free sulfur) of the solar salt and rock salt is a value measured by combustion ion chromatography.

[0088] In the table, "sulfur equivalent" refers to the sulfur content (equivalent to free sulfur) contained in the entire emulsified food obtained, measured by combustion ion chromatography. "Shiitake extract solid content" refers to the content of shiitake extract contained in the emulsified food obtained, expressed as a solid content equivalent. "Shiitake extract / sulfur" refers to the mass ratio of shiitake extract (equivalent to solid content) to sulfur (equivalent to free sulfur) contained in the emulsified food obtained, i.e., the value obtained by dividing "shiitake extract solid content" in the table by "sulfur equivalent."

[0089] (2) Evaluation of Emulsified Foods Each of the obtained mayonnaise-type seasonings was evaluated for its properties by the following methods.

[0090] (2-1) Viscosity For each mayonnaise-type seasoning, the viscosity was measured using a BH-type viscometer with a rotor No. 6 at a rotation speed of 2 rpm, with the value measured after two rotations being the viscosity. As a result, the viscosity (20°C) of each mayonnaise-type seasoning was approximately 200 Pa s.

[0091] (2-2) Water Content The mass of each mayonnaise-type seasoning was measured after heating at 105°C for 4 hours, and the water content was calculated based on the difference in mass before and after the measurement. As a result, the water content of each mayonnaise-type seasoning was approximately 29% by mass.

[0092] (2-3) Evaluation of Egg Flavor A panel of experts (five people) ate 5g of each mayonnaise-type seasoning, and evaluated the flavor in comparison with a commercially available mayonnaise made with raw eggs by consensus according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in the "Egg Flavor" section of the table.

[0093] [Evaluation criteria for egg flavor] A: Flavor equivalent to commercially available mayonnaise, with a very strong egg flavor (stronger egg flavor than grade B). B: Flavor weaker than commercially available mayonnaise, but with a clear egg flavor (stronger egg flavor than grade C). C: Flavor weaker than commercially available mayonnaise, but with a slight egg flavor. D: No egg flavor at all.

[0094]

[0095]

[0096] As shown in each example in the table, mayonnaise-type seasonings having a "shiitake mushroom extract solid content" in the range of 0.11 to 1.64 mass% and a "sulfur equivalent amount" in the range of 0.0022 to 0.0104 mass% had a good egg flavor.

[0097] On the other hand, when the mayonnaise-type seasoning did not contain shiitake mushroom extract, no egg flavor was perceived, as shown in "Comparative Example 1." Furthermore, when the mayonnaise-type seasoning did not contain sulfur, or when the sulfur content was below the lower limit of the requirement specified in the present invention, as shown in "Comparative Example 2" and "Comparative Example 3," no egg flavor was perceived.

[0098] Incidentally, "Example 2-4" exhibited a good egg flavor, but also had a slight sulfur odor. Furthermore, "Example 2-5" exhibited a good egg flavor, but also had a slight shiitake mushroom flavor. Based on the above, it was considered that, if it is desired to express only a good egg flavor, the upper limit of the sulfur content (equivalent to the free form) in the emulsified food should be 0.0150% by mass or less (preferably 0.0100% by mass or less), and the upper limit of the shiitake mushroom extract content (equivalent to the solid content) should be 2.00% by mass or less (preferably 1.60% by mass or less).

[0099] The present inventors have confirmed that the same effects as those described above can be obtained when mushroom (scientific name: Agaricus bisporus Imbach) extract is used instead of shiitake mushroom extract, as described in <Production and Evaluation of Emulsified Foods-2> below.

[0100] <Production and Evaluation of Emulsified Foods - 2> Various emulsified foods were produced by the following method, and the egg flavor thereof was evaluated.

[0101] In this example, an emulsified food (mayonnaise (mayonnaise-type seasoning)) was produced and evaluated in the same manner as in <Production and evaluation of emulsified food -1> above, except that mushroom extract was used instead of shiitake mushroom extract.

[0102] The mushroom extract used in this example is as follows. The mushroom extract is a liquid component obtained by extracting dried whole mushrooms with hot water, squeezing all components (soluble and insoluble components) in a juicer, and then filtering and concentrating the resulting juice. Mushroom extract (hereinafter also referred to as "Ab extract"): Trade name "mz Mushroom Extract T 20K", manufactured by Kiso Kogyo Co., Ltd., solid content 55% by mass

[0103] The formulations and evaluation results of the emulsified foods are shown in Tables 3 and 4. In the tables, "Ab extract solid content" refers to the mushroom extract content contained in the resulting emulsified food, expressed as a solid content equivalent. "Ab extract / sulfur" refers to the mass ratio of mushroom extract (solid content equivalent) to sulfur (free form equivalent) contained in the resulting emulsified food, i.e., the value obtained by dividing "Ab extract solid content" in the tables by "sulfur equivalent."

[0104]

[0105]

[0106] As shown in each example in the table, mayonnaise-type seasonings having an "Ab extract (mushroom extract) solid content" in the range of 0.11 to 1.65% by mass and an "equivalent amount of sulfur" in the range of 0.0022 to 0.0104% by mass had a good egg flavor.

[0107] On the other hand, as shown in "Comparative Example 4" and "Comparative Example 5," when the mayonnaise-type seasoning did not contain sulfur, or when the sulfur content was below the lower limit of the requirements defined in the present invention, the egg flavor was not perceived.

[0108] Incidentally, "Example 4-3" exhibited a good egg flavor, but also had a slight sulfur odor. Furthermore, "Example 4-4" exhibited a good egg flavor, but also had a slight mushroom flavor. From the above, it was considered that, when it is desired to express only a good egg flavor, the upper limit of the sulfur content (equivalent to the free form) in the emulsified food should preferably be 0.0150% by mass or less (preferably 0.0100% by mass or less), and the upper limit of the mushroom extract content (equivalent to the solid content) should preferably be 2.00% by mass or less (preferably 1.60% by mass or less).

[0109] In this example, only shiitake mushroom extract or mushroom extract was used as the mushroom extract. However, even when these extracts were used in combination, the same results as when only shiitake mushroom extract or mushroom extract was used were obtained, as long as the total amount was 0.05% by mass or more and 2.00% by mass or less (solid content equivalent) of the emulsified food.

Claims

1. An emulsified food comprising a mushroom extract in an amount of 0.05% by mass or more and 2.00% by mass or less (equivalent to solids), a sulfur content of 0.0010% by mass or more and 0.0150% by mass or less (equivalent to free forms), and the mushroom extract comprising a shiitake mushroom extract and / or a mushroom extract.

2. An emulsified food according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio (mushroom extract / sulfur) of the mushroom extract (solid content equivalent) to the sulfur (free form equivalent) is 20 or more and 400 or less.

3. The emulsified food according to claim 1, wherein the form of sulfur is one or more sulfur-containing substances selected from rock salt and solar salt.

4. An emulsified food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which does not contain any egg-derived ingredients.

5. An emulsified food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which does not contain any animal ingredients.

6. An egg flavor imparting agent, the egg flavor imparting agent containing a mushroom extract and sulfur as active ingredients, the mushroom extract including a shiitake mushroom extract and / or a mushroom extract.

7. A method for imparting an egg flavor to an emulsified food, the method comprising the steps of adjusting the mushroom extract content and the sulfur content in the emulsified food.

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