Food composition and method for producing same

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide: a food composition which is prepared using non-edible parts of a mushroom, but is less likely to generate earthy flavor and has mellow flavor; and a method for producing the food composition. The food composition is configured such that: (1) the total amount of edible parts and non-edible parts of a mushroom is 10 mass% or more; (2) the amount of dietary fibers is 2.0 mass% or more; (3) the ratio of the adenylic acid content (A2) to the guanylic acid content (A1) is 1.8 or less; and (4) the inosinic acid content (A3) is 0.03 mass% or more. The production method comprises (i) a step for preparing a mixture containing (1) edible parts and non-edible parts of a mushroom in a total content of 10 mass% or more and (2) dietary fibers in an amount of 2.0 mass% or more, and (ii) a step for adjusting the properties of the mixture so as to satisfy all of the following requirements: (3) the ratio of the adenylic acid content (A2) to the guanylic acid content (A1) is 1.8 or less; and (4) the inosinic acid content (A3) is 0.03 mass% or more.

Description

Food composition and method for producing the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a food composition and a method for producing the same, and more particularly to a food composition using both edible and inedible parts of mushrooms and a method for producing the same.

[0002] Mushrooms have inedible parts that are discarded and not used. Specifically, these include the base and the lower part of the mushroom stalk, and these parts are designated as discarded parts in the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition) Supplementary Edition 2023. Because these inedible parts contain a large amount of insoluble dietary fiber and are connected organs, soil and culture medium components tend to remain, resulting in an unusual flavor and making them difficult to eat. Patent Document 1 listed below is known as an attempt to utilize the inedible parts of mushrooms.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-81606

[0004] The aforementioned Patent Document 1 discloses a texture-maintaining material for food and beverages, which satisfies at least one of the following characteristics: (i) it is a pulverized food and beverage product; (ii) it contains at least about 10% by weight of particles of about 0.5 mm or larger; (iii) it is in a form that can be stored for a long period of time; and (iv) it contains a pulverized material derived from an inedible portion of the food and beverage product, with the aim of effectively utilizing discarded vegetable parts. However, the technology of Patent Document 1 does not eliminate the above-mentioned unusual flavor, and therefore, from the viewpoint of flavor, it still hinders eating. In particular, when attempting to use the inedible portions of mushrooms for eating, a strong earthy flavor is produced, making it difficult to obtain a mellow flavor, and these flavor characteristics actually hinder eating.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a food composition that utilizes the inedible parts of mushrooms, while being less likely to produce an earthy flavor and providing a mellow flavor, and a method for producing the same.

[0006] That is, the present disclosure includes the following inventions. [1] A method for producing a food composition, comprising the following steps (i) and (ii): (i): preparing a mixture containing an edible plant that satisfies all of the following (1) and (2): (1): the total content of edible and inedible parts of mushrooms in the whole edible plant, converted into dry mass, is 10% by mass or more; (2): the content of dietary fiber in the whole mixture, converted into dry mass, is 2.0% by mass or more; (ii): adjusting the mixture until all of the following (3) and (4) are satisfied; (3): the content of 5'-guanylic acid in the whole food composition, converted into dry mass (A １ ) the content of 5'-adenylic acid in terms of dry mass (A ２ ) ratio (A ２ (4): The content of 5'-inosinic acid in the entire food composition in terms of dry mass (A ３ ) is 0.03 mass% or more [2] The (A ２ The method for producing a food composition according to the above [1], wherein the (A) is less than 0.4% by mass. １ [4] The method for producing a food composition according to the above [1] or [2], wherein the (A) is 0.03% by mass or more. ３ ) to the above (A ２ ) ratio (A ２ / A ３[5] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the L-glutamic acid content in the entire food composition, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 0.1% by mass or more. [6] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the ribose content in the entire food composition, calculated on a dry mass basis, is less than 1.5% by mass. [7] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the 1-octen-3-ol content in the entire food composition, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 0.0050 ppb or more. [8] The method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the mushrooms are at least one edible mushroom selected from the group consisting of Pleurotus oystertus, Pleurotus eryngii, Pleurotus velutipes, Grifola frondosa, Pleurotus eryngii, Enokitake mushroom, Shimeji mushroom, Shiitake mushroom, Tricholoma matsutake, Auricularia matsutake, Wood ear mushroom, Polyporus koshiitake, Armillaria mellea, Pholiota mellea, Nameko mushroom, Amitake mushroom, Hattake mushroom, Lactobacillus niger, Pleurotus pisum, and Sumerugitake mushroom. [9] The method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the content of the inedible part, calculated on a dry weight basis, of the total content, calculated on a dry weight basis, of the edible part and the inedible part is 3% to 70% by mass.

[10] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to [9] above, wherein the inedible part is the "discarded part" listed in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition) Supplementary Edition 2023."

[11] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[10] above, wherein the inedible part is the base of the stalk.

[12] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[11] above, wherein the edible plant includes algae.

[13] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[12] above, wherein the algae is at least one species selected from the group consisting of nori, konbu, wakame, hijiki, aonori, aosa, mozuku, agar, tosakanori, centipede, sea grapes, akamoku, chlorella, and spirulina.

[14] A method for producing a food composition according to any one of [1] to

[13] above, wherein the mixture consists solely of edible plants.

[15] A method for producing a food composition according to any of [1] to

[14] above, wherein the wet basis moisture content of the mixture in step (ii) is 10% by mass or more.

[16] A method for producing a food composition according to any of [1] to

[15] above, comprising a hydration step in step (i) or step (ii).

[17] A method for producing a food composition according to any of [1] to

[16] above, comprising the following step (iii): (iii): drying the second mixture obtained through step (ii) until the dry basis moisture content is 20% by mass or less.

[18] A method for producing a food composition according to

[17] above, comprising the following step (iv): (iv): pulverizing the third mixture obtained through step (iii) so that the d90 after ultrasonic treatment is 5.0 μm or more and 2000 μm or less.

[19] A food composition characterized by being produced by the method for producing a food composition according to any of [1] to

[18] above.

[20] A food composition characterized by satisfying all of the following (1) to (4): (1): The total content of edible and inedible parts of mushrooms, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 10% by mass or more; (2): The content of dietary fiber, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 2.0% by mass or more; (3): The content of 5'-guanylic acid, calculated on a dry mass basis (A. １ ) the content of 5'-adenylic acid in terms of dry mass (A ２ ) ratio (A ２ / A １ (4): The content of 5'-inosinic acid in terms of dry mass (A ３

[21] The food composition according to

[20] above, wherein the L-glutamic acid content is 0.1% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis.

[22] The food composition according to

[20] or

[21] above, wherein the ribose content is less than 1.5% by mass, calculated on a dry mass basis.

[23] The food composition according to any of

[20] to

[22] above, wherein the 1-octen-3-ol content is 0.0050 ppb or more, calculated on a dry mass basis.

[0007] According to the method for producing a food composition of the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain a food composition that is less likely to produce an earthy flavor and has a mellow flavor while utilizing the inedible parts of mushrooms. According to the food composition of the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain a food composition that is less likely to produce an earthy flavor and has a mellow flavor while utilizing the inedible parts of mushrooms.

[0008] The present disclosure will be described below based on specific embodiments. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present disclosure is not limited to these in any sense. The present disclosure can be modified in various ways depending on the purpose and application. Furthermore, all publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this disclosure are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0009] Furthermore, in the present disclosure, the expression "and (and) / or (or)" encompasses both "and (and)" and "or (or)." For example, "A and / or B" encompasses both A and B and A or B, and indicates three cases: A alone, B alone, and both A and B. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, when multiple upper and / or lower limits are specified for a numerical range, even if not otherwise specified, it is assumed that the numerical range defined by combining at least the maximum value of the upper limit and the minimum value of the lower limit is directly stated, and furthermore, all numerical ranges obtained by combining any upper limit among the upper limits with any lower limit among the lower limits are included in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in the present disclosure, a numerical range connected by "to" means a numerical range that includes the numbers before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits. When multiple lower limits and multiple upper limits are specified separately, it is assumed that any lower limit and upper limit can be selected and connected by "to."

[0010] Furthermore, in this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "dry mass" refers to the mass remaining after subtracting the moisture content calculated from the "dry basis moisture content" described below from the mass of the entire food product, and "dry mass equivalent" (sometimes simply referred to as "dry mass basis" or "dry basis") refers to the content ratio of the target component in a sample, calculated using the dry mass of the sample excluding moisture as the denominator and the mass of the target component contained in the sample as the numerator. In other words, the dry mass equivalent value of each measurement value is obtained by calculating from the wet mass, rather than analyzing the composition after actual drying. Furthermore, among the dry mass equivalent specifications for the compositions disclosed herein, specifications regarding the ingredient composition and nutritional components, whose values ​​do not change depending on the presence or absence of moisture or before and after processing, may also be satisfied for the dough composition of stage 0 or stage 0. Note that when simply referred to as "% by mass" or "ppm by mass" without any particular specification, it refers to the percentage of "dry mass equivalent." On the other hand, in this disclosure, "wet mass equivalent" (sometimes simply referred to as "wet mass basis" or "wet basis") refers to the content ratio of a target component in a sample, calculated using the wet mass of the sample including moisture as the denominator and the mass of the target component contained in the sample as the numerator. The moisture content of a sample is measured by a vacuum heating and drying method in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition), Supplementary Edition 2023. The specific method is the same as that described below for moisture content.

[0011] In this disclosure, "wet basis moisture content" refers to the mass ratio of the total amount of moisture (including all moisture derived from raw materials, added moisture, etc.) constituting the object to be measured to the total amount of the object to be measured (total amount of moisture and solids). In this disclosure, "dry basis moisture content" refers to the mass ratio of the total amount of moisture (including all moisture derived from raw materials, added moisture, etc.) constituting the object to the total amount of solids (dry mass excluding moisture of the sample) constituting the object to be measured. Each of the above moisture contents is measured by heating to 90°C using a vacuum heating drying method in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition), Supplementary Edition, 2023. Specifically, an appropriate amount of sample is placed in a weighing container that has been adjusted to a constant weight in advance, weighed, and placed in a reduced-pressure electric constant-temperature dryer adjusted to a predetermined temperature (more specifically, 90°C) at normal pressure, with the lid of the weighing container removed or with the mouth open. The door is closed, and the vacuum pump is operated to dry the sample at a predetermined reduced pressure for a certain period of time. The vacuum pump is stopped, dry air is pumped in to return the sample to normal pressure, the weighing container is removed, the lid is put back on, the sample is allowed to cool in a desiccator, and the mass is then measured. After repeating this process of drying, cooling, and weighing until a constant weight is reached, the moisture content on a dry basis (mass%) is calculated using the following formula: １ -W ２ ) / (W ２ -W ０ )×100 Wet standard moisture content (mass%) = (W １ -W ２ ) / (W １ -W ０ )×100 [In each formula, “W ０ " is the mass (g) of the weighing container at a constant weight, "W １ " is the mass (g) of the weighing container containing the sample before drying, "W ２ " is the mass (g) of the weighing vessel containing the sample after drying.

[0012] [1] Method for producing a food composition The method for producing a food composition in the present disclosure is characterized by comprising steps (i) and (ii).

[0013] [1] Step (i) Step (i) is a step of preparing a mixture containing edible plants that satisfies all of the following (1) and (2): (1): The total content of edible and inedible parts of mushrooms in the entire edible plants is 10% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis; and (2): The content of dietary fiber in the entire mixture is 2.0% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis.

[0014] That is, in step (i), the mixture contains edible plants, and the edible plants contain mushrooms. Of the above, "edible plants" can be used without limitation as long as the edible parts are plants that are used for food. The mixture may contain only one type of edible plant, or may contain two or more types of edible plants. The two or more types of edible plants may be edible plants belonging to the same category, or may be edible plants belonging to two or more different categories. When the mixture contains two or more types of edible plants, the combination and ratio of these edible plants are arbitrary.

[0015] These edible plants may be in any form during or before use. That is, they may be used in, for example, raw, cooked, dried, frozen, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. While the form of the edible plants is not limited, it is preferable to use raw edible plants (especially mushrooms). Using raw edible plants (especially mushrooms) is preferred because the moisture contained in the edible plants (especially mushrooms) is thought to promote the 5' nucleotide increasing reaction described below. Furthermore, edible plants may be processed before use. Examples of processing include drying, freezing, heating, removing lye, peeling, removing seeds, ripening, salting, and peel processing. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, the form of the edible plants is not limited, but examples include powder, mince, diced, paste, and liquid. For example, in the case of mushrooms, minced mushrooms are preferred from the viewpoint of promoting the reactions of both enzymes (enzymes derived from food materials), namely, 5'-adenylate reducing enzyme (optimum temperature 40°C or lower) and 5'-nucleotide increasing enzyme (optimum temperature above 40°C).

[0016] Examples of the edible plants mentioned above include mushrooms, algae, grains, potatoes, legumes, nuts and seeds, vegetables, fruits, spices, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, mushrooms, algae, grains, potatoes, legumes, nuts and seeds, vegetables, and fruits are preferred, with mushrooms and algae being particularly preferred. The classification and specific type (name) of an edible plant can be determined based on the state of the whole plant, including both edible and inedible parts.

[0017] Among the above-mentioned mushrooms, examples of mushrooms include, but are not limited to, oyster mushrooms, thin-striped oyster mushrooms, black abalone mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms (bunashimeji, hatakeshimeji, honshimeji, etc.), shiitake mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, willow matsutake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms (arage-kurage, koku-kurage, shiitake, etc.), polyporus, armillaria, mushrooms, nameko mushrooms, bollworm mushrooms, hatchlings, matsutake mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, these may be natural, obtained by fungal bed cultivation, or obtained by log cultivation. Furthermore, their form is not limited, and they may be raw, cooked, dried, frozen, or the like, but raw mushrooms are preferred. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, oyster mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms are preferred, and oyster mushrooms are more preferred. Edible plants other than mushrooms will be described later.

[0018] The above-mentioned mushrooms include edible and inedible parts. In this disclosure, the "edible part" of an edible plant refers to the entire edible plant excluding the discarded parts (inedible parts). That is, it refers to the parts of an edible plant that are normally suitable for consumption or that are consumed in accordance with normal eating habits. In this disclosure, the "inedible part" of an edible plant refers to the parts that are not normally suitable for consumption or that are discarded in accordance with normal eating habits. The parts of an edible plant that are inedible and their proportion (the mass proportion of the inedible part in the entire edible plant) are naturally understood by those skilled in the art who handle such edible plants and their processed products. For example, the "discarded parts" and "discard rate" listed in the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition), Supplementary Edition, 2023, can be used to refer to the parts and proportions of inedible parts, respectively.

[0019] Specifically, the inedible parts of mushrooms include the base of the stalk (the lower part of the stalk) and the base of the stem. Table 1 below lists the "discarded parts" and "discard rates" (i.e., the parts and proportions of inedible parts) for mushrooms listed in the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition), Supplementary Edition, 2023. From the parts and proportions of inedible parts in edible plants, we can also understand the parts and proportions of edible parts.

[0020]

[0021] Condition (1) in step (i) is that the total content of edible and inedible mushroom parts in the whole edible plant, calculated as a dry mass, is 10% by mass or more. Adjusting this total content within a predetermined range is useful from the viewpoint of suppressing the generation of an earthy flavor and enhancing a mellow flavor in the resulting food composition. The lower limit of this total content is preferably 12% by mass or more, 15% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, or 25% by mass or more. It can also be 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, or 90% by mass or more. Meanwhile, the upper limit is not limited and can be 100% by mass or less, 100% by mass or less, less than 100% by mass, 99.9% by mass or less, 99% by mass or less, or even 98% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination. Therefore, for example, it can be 10 to 100 mass%, 12 to 100 mass%, 15 to 99.9 mass%, 20 to 99 mass%, 25 to 98 mass%, 40 to 100 mass%, 60 to 99.9 mass%, 80 to 99 mass%, or 90 to 98 mass%.

[0022] Furthermore, the mass ratio (in dry mass terms) of the edible and inedible parts of the mushrooms contained in the mixture is not limited, but the content of the inedible parts (in dry mass terms) in the total content (in dry mass terms) of the edible and inedible parts of the mushrooms is preferably 3% by mass or more. The lower limit of this content is preferably 3.0% by mass or more, 4.0% by mass or more, 5.0% by mass or more, 6.0% by mass or more, 7.0% by mass or more, or 8.0% by mass or more. Meanwhile, the upper limit is not limited, but may be 70% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits may be combined. For example, the range may be 3.0 to 70% by mass, 5.0 to 60% by mass, or 7.0 to 50% by mass.

[0023] Condition (2) in step (i) is that the dietary fiber content in the entire mixture, calculated as a dry mass, is 2.0% by mass or more. According to this method, even when the dietary fiber content is high, the occurrence of an earthy flavor can be suppressed and a mellow flavor can be enhanced. The lower limit of this content is preferably 3.0% by mass or more, 4.0% by mass or more, 5.0% by mass or more, 6.0% by mass or more, 7.0% by mass or more, 8.0% by mass or more, 9.0% by mass or more, or 10% by mass or more. It can also be 15% by mass or more, 16% by mass or more, 17% by mass or more, 18% by mass or more, 19% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more. Meanwhile, the upper limit is not limited and can be 50% by mass, or can be 45% by mass or less, or 40% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination. Therefore, for example, the dietary fiber content can be 2.0 to 50% by mass, 3.0 to 50% by mass, 4.0 to 50% by mass, 5.0 to 45% by mass, 6.0 to 45% by mass, 7.0 to 45% by mass, 8.0 to 40% by mass, 9.0 to 40% by mass, 10 to 50% by mass, 15 to 50% by mass, 16 to 45% by mass, 18 to 45% by mass, 19 to 40% by mass, or 20 to 40% by mass. The dietary fiber content is measured using the modified Prosky method in accordance with the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition), Supplementary Edition, 2023.

[0024] In addition, it is preferable that the above-mentioned dietary fiber regulations are also satisfied for soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber. That is, the content of soluble dietary fiber and / or insoluble dietary fiber in the composition of the present disclosure is, for example, in a range of 3.0% by mass or more in terms of dry mass, with no particular limitation on the upper limit, for example, 45% by mass or less. More specifically, the lower limit is usually 3.0% by mass or more in terms of dry mass, and is preferably 4.0% by mass or more, 5.0% by mass or more, 6.0% by mass or more, 7.0% by mass or more, 8.0% by mass or more, 9.0% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, 15% by mass or more, 16% by mass or more, 17% by mass or more, 18% by mass or more, 19% by mass or more, or 20% by mass or more. Meanwhile, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 45% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, 35% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or less in terms of dry mass. Furthermore, the soluble dietary fiber content of the entire mixture may satisfy the above ratio, the insoluble dietary fiber content may satisfy the above ratio, or the soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber contents may both satisfy the above ratio, but it is preferable that the insoluble dietary fiber content satisfy the above ratio.

[0025] Another effect of adjusting the dietary fiber (preferably insoluble dietary fiber) content within a predetermined range is that the food composition can be easily dried. Specifically, the food composition dries easily without the use of an excipient, and the formation of lumps after drying can be suppressed. Therefore, when the food composition obtained by this method is used during cooking or food processing, even a small amount can be uniformly dispersed in the destination. In other words, the product's handleability can be improved, its use efficiency can be increased, and a food composition that is easy for users to use can be provided.

[0026] The origin of the dietary fiber contained in the mixture is not limited, but it may be derived from various natural materials such as edible plants containing dietary fiber, or may be synthetic. When derived from natural materials, the dietary fiber contained in the various materials may be isolated and purified before use. However, such dietary fiber-containing materials may also be used as is, and dietary fiber contained in various materials (particularly mushrooms and / or algae) is preferred. Typically, dietary fiber derived from grains, beans, potatoes, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits, mushrooms, algae, etc. can be used. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, those derived from grains, mushrooms, and algae are preferred from the viewpoint of the flavor of the food composition. Among these, those derived from koji are preferred as those derived from grains. Furthermore, those derived from mushrooms such as oyster mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms are preferred, with oyster mushrooms being particularly preferred. Furthermore, dietary fiber derived from algae is particularly preferably derived from laver. Furthermore, the dietary fiber content does not change before and after the step (ii) described below. That is, the dietary fiber content measured in the mixture prepared in step (i) is usually the same as the dietary fiber content measured in the food composition after step (ii).

[0027] The amount of edible plants contained in the mixture is not limited, but for the purpose of obtaining a food composition, a mixture containing a larger proportion of edible plants is preferable. Specifically, the lower limit of the edible plants contained in the mixture, calculated on a dry mass basis, is preferably 1% by mass or more, and can be 2% by mass or more, 3% by mass or more, 4% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, 6% by mass or more, 7% by mass or more, 8% by mass or more, 9% by mass or more, 10% by mass or more, or 10.5% by mass or more, assuming the entire mixture to be 100% by mass. Meanwhile, the upper limit is not limited and can be 100% by mass or less, or can be less than 100% by mass. Furthermore, it can be 90% by mass or less, 80% by mass or less, 70% by mass or less, 60% by mass or less, 50% by mass or less, 40% by mass or less, 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, 15% by mass or less, or 13% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limit values ​​can be any combination. Therefore, for example, it can be 1 to 100 mass%, 2 to 90 mass%, 3 to 80 mass%, 4 to 70 mass%, 5 to 60 mass%, 6 to 50 mass%, 7 to 40 mass%, 8 to 30 mass%, 9 to 20 mass%, 10 to 15 mass%, or 10.5 to 13 mass%.

[0028] Furthermore, because edible plants inherently contain a lot of water, preparing a mixture using hydrated edible plants increases the water content of the mixture. Therefore, the lower limit of the edible plants contained in the mixture, calculated as a wet mass of 100% of the total mixture, is preferably 50% by mass or more, and can be 60% by mass or more, 65% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 75% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 85% by mass or more, 90% by mass or more, or 95% by mass or more. Meanwhile, the upper limit is not limited and can be 100% by mass or less, or less than 100% by mass. Furthermore, the upper and lower limits can be 99.9% by mass or less, 99.8% by mass or less, 99.7% by mass or less, 99.6% by mass or less, 99.4% by mass or less, 99.2% by mass or less, 99.0% by mass or less, or 98.8% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination. Therefore, the concentration can be, for example, 50 to 100% by mass, 60 to 99.9% by mass, 65 to 99.8% by mass, 70 to 99.7% by mass, 75 to 99.6% by mass, 80 to 99.4% by mass, 85 to 99.2% by mass, 90 to 99.0% by mass, or 95 to 98.8% by mass. Although the mechanism behind this is unclear, using a highly water-rich edible plant (preferably a raw edible plant, more preferably raw mushrooms) is preferred because the water contained in the edible plant is thought to promote the 5' nucleotide increasing reaction described below.

[0029] As described above, a mixture may consist solely of edible plants, but it may also contain components other than edible plants (non-edible plants). Examples of non-edible plants include salts, sugars, water, etc. These may be used alone or in combination. These other components are described below. When a mixture contains non-edible plants other than water (edible components other than water), the content of the non-edible plants is not limited, but the content (dry mass equivalent) of the non-edible plants in the mass of the mixture excluding water can be 30% by mass or less, 20% by mass or less, 10% by mass or less, 5% by mass or less, 3% by mass or less, 1% by mass or less, or 0.5% by mass or less. The lower limit is not limited, but can be 0% by mass or more or 0.5% by mass or more. The upper and lower limits can be combined. For example, the range can be 0-30% by mass, 0.5-20% by mass, 1.0-10% by mass, or 1.5-5% by mass.

[0030] Furthermore, when the mixture contains water, the amount of water (wet basis moisture content) is not limited, but the lower limit can be 10% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, or 85% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not limited, but can be 99% by mass or less, 98% by mass or less, 97% by mass or less, or 96% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined. Therefore, for example, the amount can be 10 to 99% by mass, 20 to 98% by mass, 30 to 97% by mass, 40 to 96% by mass, 50 to 96% by mass, 60 to 96% by mass, 70 to 96% by mass, 80 to 96% by mass, or 85 to 96% by mass.

[0031] Furthermore, the mixture can contain other edible plants in addition to the above-mentioned mushrooms as edible plants. For example, grains, beans, potatoes, vegetables, nuts, fruits, algae, etc. can be used. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, algae are preferred as other edible plants. "Algae" refers to organisms that perform photosynthesis (photosynthesis accompanied by the production of oxygen), other than mosses, ferns, and spermatophytes. When the mixture contains algae, the earthy flavor can be suppressed and a more mellow flavor can be imparted compared to when the mixture does not contain algae. The type of algae contained is not limited, but examples include red algae, green algae, brown algae, microalgae, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, the form of the other edible plants is not limited, and examples thereof include powder, mince, diced, paste, and liquid forms. However, from the viewpoint of promoting the reactions of both enzymes (enzymes derived from food materials), namely, 5'-adenylate reducing enzyme (optimal temperature 40°C or less) and 5'-nucleotide increasing enzyme (optimal temperature above 40°C), mince is preferred, and powder is even more preferred.

[0032] Among the above, examples of red algae include Porphyra laver, Porphyra ginseng, Gracilaria gracilaria, Porphyra centella, Usukawakaninote, Okitsunori, Kamogashiranori, Hiragaragara, Pirihiba, Fushitsunagi, Mitsudesozo, Yukari, and the like. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the above, examples of Porphyra laver include Porphyra amanori, Porphyra susabinori, Asakusa-nori, Nara-susabinori, Tsukushi-nori, Kaigara-amanori, and Maruba-amanori, and the like. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the above, examples of Porphyra laver include Porphyra ginseng, Porphyra uppuri-nori, and the like. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the above, examples of Sugi-nori include Sugi-nori, Ibotsunomata, Pheasant's Worm, Kurohaginnansou (Ezotsunomata), Shiramo, Tsunomata, Tosakanori, Harigane, Fukurofunori (Nogenori), Hanafunori, Mirin, Ezotsunomata (Kurohaginnansou), and the like. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the above, examples of Gracilaria include Gracilaria, Agarwood, Obakusa, Kabanori, Tsurusiramo, Hirakusa, Makusa, Yukikiri, and Oobusa. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the above, examples of Centipede-nori include Centipede-nori, Tsurutsuru, Tosakamatsu, Hiramukade, Katanori, Sakuranori, and Tambanori. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0033] Among the above, examples of green algae include Ulva, Green Laver (Aonori), Singlet, Sea Grape (Cucurbita lentillifera), Ulva pertusa, Undaria pinnatifida, Chromyl, Tamamil, Singlet, Enteromorpha spp., Flat Green Laver, Dioscorea nigra, Bow Green Laver, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among the above, examples of brown algae include Akamoku, Amigusa, Eisenia bicolor, Arame, Antokume, Ishige, Ichimegasa, Iroro, Iwahige, Umitoranowo, Umiuchiwa, Ooba-moku, Okinawa-mozuku, Kagomenori, Kajime (Arame), Kayamonori, Gibasa (Akamoku, Ginba-so, Shinba-so, Jibasa), Tapestry, Shiwanokawa, Shiwayazu, Seihabanori, Tsuruarame, Nanori (Nanori), Sticky algae, Sawtooth algae, Habanori, Hijiki, Hirome, Fukuronori, Myrtle-like algae, Sargassum japonica, Laminaria japonica, Laminaria japonica, Matsumo, Mugiwara (Wheat Straw Nori), Muchimo, Mozuku (Mozuku), Una, Undaria pinnatifida, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0034] Examples of microalgae include cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, Euglena species (Euglena, Euglena), Chlorella species (Chlorella), etc. Note that some microalgae such as Chlorella species have very strong cell walls, so it is preferable to use microalgae after pre-treating to destroy the cell walls, or to use algae other than microalgae.

[0035] Among the above-mentioned algae, edible algae (i.e., algae having edible parts) are preferred, and seaweed (i.e., algae that grow in the sea, edible seaweed) is particularly preferred. Among the above, red algae and / or green algae are preferred. Porphyra belonging to the red algae and / or Porphyra belonging to the green algae are particularly preferred, and among the red algae, Porphyra spp., Porphyra spp., Porphyra spp., Suginori, Gracilaria spp., and Porphyra spp. are particularly preferred, with Porphyra spp. and Porphyra spp. being particularly preferred. The algae may be raw or, as described above, processed. Among these, heated products can be used. In particular, when Porphyra spp. is used as the algae, heated products of Porphyra spp., particularly roasted Porphyra spp., can be used. Roasted Porphyra spp. is easy to handle during the production of food compositions and is preferred from the viewpoint of microbial risk.

[0036] When the mixture contains algae (preferably laver) as an edible plant, the amount (in dry mass terms) is not limited, but the lower limit can be 0.001% by mass or more, 0.005% by mass or more, 0.01% by mass or more, 0.02% by mass or more, 0.025% by mass or more, 0.03% by mass or more, 0.04% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is not limited, but can be 20% by mass or less, 15% by mass or less, 10% by mass or less, 6% by mass or less, or 4% by mass or less. Exceeding the upper limit may result in a strong laver-derived flavor, which may be undesirable. The upper and lower limits can be combined. Therefore, for example, the amount can be 0.001 to 20% by mass, 0.005 to 15% by mass, 0.01 to 10% by mass, 0.02 to 6% by mass, or 0.03 to 4% by mass.

[0037] In addition to mushrooms and algae, the mixture may contain other edible plants (cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, vegetables, fruits, spices) as edible plants. Among the above, examples of cereals include, but are not limited to, corn (sweet corn is particularly preferred), rice, wheat, barley, sorghum, oats, triticale, rye, buckwheat, fonio, quinoa, barnyard millet, foxtail millet, millet, giant corn, sugarcane, and amaranth. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, oats, corn (sweet corn is particularly preferred), giant corn, and the like are preferred.

[0038] Among the above, examples of tubers include, but are not limited to, sweet potato, cassava, yacon, taro, taro, konjac, taro (Polynesian arrowroot), potato, purple sweet potato, Jerusalem artichoke, dogtooth violet, yam, Japanese yam, Chinese yam, and kudzu. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, potato, purple sweet potato, and sweet potato are preferred.

[0039] Among the above, examples of beans include, but are not limited to, common beans (kinton beans), kidney beans, red beans, white beans, black beans, pinto beans, tiger beans, lima beans, scarlet beans, peas (particularly green peas, which are immature seeds harvested with the pods when the seeds are immature and are characterized by a green appearance), pigeon peas, mung beans, cowpeas, adzuki beans, broad beans, soybeans (particularly edamame, which are immature soybean seeds harvested with the pods when the seeds are immature and are characterized by a green appearance), chickpeas, lentils, lentils, peanuts, lupine beans, grass peas, carob, Parkia sativa, Parkia longifolia, coffee beans, cacao beans, Mexican jack beans, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, preferred are peas (especially green peas, which are immature seeds), soybeans (especially green soybeans, which are immature seeds), broad beans, etc. Even for foodstuffs whose edible parts (e.g., green soybeans, green peas) are treated as vegetables, it is possible to determine whether they are legumes based on the state of the whole plant (e.g., soybeans, peas) combined with the inedible parts (e.g., pods).

[0040] Among the nuts and seeds mentioned above, examples thereof include, but are not limited to, almonds, cashew nuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, coconuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, chestnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, almonds, cashew nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, coconuts, etc. are preferred.

[0041] Among the above, vegetables include, but are not limited to, daikon radish, carrot, rutabaga, parsnip, turnip, black salsify, lotus root, beet (preferably beetroot: a variety improved for edible beetroot), arrowhead, shallot, garlic, scallion, lily root, kale, onion, asparagus, udo, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, Chinese cabbage, rapeseed, komatsuna, bok choy, chives, leeks, Nozawana, butterbur, Swiss chard (perennial herb, Swiss chard), mizuna, tomato, eggplant, and pumpkin. , bell peppers, cucumbers, myoga (Japanese ginger), cauliflower, broccoli, edible chrysanthemum, bitter melon, okra, artichokes, zucchini, sugar beets, tiger nuts, ginger, shiso (Japanese basil), wasabi, paprika, herbs (watercress, coriander, swiss cabbage, celery, tarragon, chives, chervil, sage, thyme, laurel, parsley, mustard greens (mustard), mugwort, basil, oregano, rosemary, peppermint, savory, lemongrass, dill, wasabi leaves, Japanese pepper leaves, stevia), bracken, royal ferns, kudzu, bamboo shoots, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Of these, carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, paprika, cabbage, beets (preferably beets (beetroot)), onions, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, kale, etc. are preferred, and carrots, pumpkins, paprika, beets (preferably beets (beetroot)), broccoli, spinach, kale, etc. are more preferred.

[0042] Among the above, fruits include, but are not limited to, Chinese quince, Chinese pear (white pear, Chinese pear), pear, quince, Chinese quince, Juneberry, shippoa, apple, American cherry (black cherry, dark cherry), apricot (apricot, apricot, apricot), plum (ume), cherry (cherry, sweet cherry), Japanese cherry, plum spinosa, plum (li, sour peach), peach, ginkgo (ginkgo), chestnut, akebia (Akebia japonica), fig, persimmon, blackcurrant, raspberry, kiwi fruit, raspberry, mulberry, cranberry, lingonberry, pomegranate, wild pomegranate, sea buckthorn ... berry), currant (sour block, gooseberry), jujube (jujube), Japanese plum (garden plum, kome, ikuri), haskap (honeysuckle), bilberry, redcurrant (red currant), grape (grape), blackberry, blueberry, pawpaw (pawpaw, pawpaw, pawpaw), matsubusa, raspberry, toadflax, mandarin orange, kumquat, trifoliate orange, olive, loquat (loquat), bayberry (bayberry, yam plum), rakan Examples of suitable fruits include tropical fruits (mango, mangosteen, papaya, cherimoya, atemoya, banana, durian, star fruit, guava, pineapple, acerola, passion fruit, dragon fruit, lychee, egg fruit, etc.), strawberry, watermelon, melon, avocado, miracle fruit, orange, lemon, prune, yuzu, sudachi, grapefruit, bitter orange, and Shikuwasa. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0043] Among the above, examples of spices include, but are not limited to, white pepper, red pepper, chili pepper, horseradish, mustard, poppy seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, saffron, allspice, cloves, Japanese pepper, orange peel, fennel, licorice, fenugreek, dill seeds, pepper, long pepper, olive fruit, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0044] [2] Step (ii) Step (ii) is a step of adjusting the mixture obtained in step (i) until all of (3) and (4) are satisfied.

[0045] The condition (3) in step (ii) is to set the ratio of the contents of 5'-guanylic acid and 5'-adenylic acid contained in the obtained food composition within a predetermined range. １ (mass%), and the content of 5'-adenylic acid converted into dry mass is A ２ (mass%), the ratio (A ２ / A １ The condition is that the ratio (A) is 1.8 or less. ２ / A １ By adjusting the amount of 5'-adenylic acid to 5'-guanylic acid within a predetermined range, and further by reducing the amount of 5'-adenylic acid relative to 5'-guanylic acid, the earthy flavor can be effectively suppressed. This means that the earthy flavor that occurs when the inedible parts of mushrooms (which contain dietary fiber, particularly insoluble dietary fiber) are used as raw materials can be suppressed even when the inedible parts of mushrooms are used as raw materials.

[0046] Ratio (A ２ / A １ The upper limit of the ratio (A) may be 1.8 or less, and may be 1.7 or less, 1.6 or less, or 1.5 or less. On the other hand, the lower limit is not particularly limited, and may be 0.01 or more, 0.05 or more, 0.1 or more, 0.2 or more, 0.3 or more, 0.5 or more, or 0.8 or more. The above upper and lower limit values ​​may be any combination. Therefore, for example, the ratio (A ２ / A １) can be 0.01 to 1.8, 0.05 to 1.7, 0.1 to 1.7, 0.2 to 1.6, or 0.3 to 1.6. Within the above more limited ranges, the generation of an earthy flavor can be more effectively suppressed while using the inedible parts of mushrooms as a raw material.

[0047] Furthermore, A １ The measurement of the 5'-guanylic acid content (mass %) calculated on a dry mass basis can be performed as follows. For example, a sample is diluted with ultrapure water, and the peak area of ​​5'-guanylic acid is analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Meanwhile, 5 mg / 100 mL of 5'-guanylic acid diluted with ultrapure water is analyzed in the same manner as a standard sample. The 5'-guanylic acid content of each sample is then calculated using the external standard method. The measurement conditions for high performance liquid chromatography are as follows; however, measurement can also be performed under the conditions for measuring the content of 5'-inosinic acid calculated on a dry mass basis, as described below. Measurement equipment: High performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu Corporation) Mobile phase: Potassium dihydrogen phosphate 6.8 g / L (pH 3.5), 1 mL / min Column: YMC-Pack Polyamine II (YMC Corporation) Column temperature: 35°C Detection: UV 260 nm

[0048] Also, A ２ The measurement of the 5'-adenylic acid content (% by mass, calculated on a dry mass basis) can be performed as follows. For example, a sample is diluted with ultrapure water, and the peak area of ​​5'-adenylic acid is analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Meanwhile, 5 mg / 100 mL of 5'-adenylic acid diluted with ultrapure water is analyzed in the same manner as a standard sample. The 5'-adenylic acid content of each sample is then calculated using the external standard method. The measurement conditions for high performance liquid chromatography are as follows; however, measurement can also be performed under the conditions for measuring the content of 5'-inosinic acid calculated on a dry mass basis, as described below. Measurement equipment: High performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu Corporation) Mobile phase: Potassium dihydrogen phosphate 6.8 g / L (pH 3.5), 1 mL / min Column: YMC-Pack Polyamine II (YMC Corporation) Column temperature: 35°C Detection: UV 260 nm

[0049] The condition (4) in step (ii) is to control the content of 5'-inosinic acid in the obtained food composition in terms of dry mass to a predetermined range. ３ (mass%), this is a condition that it must be 0.03 mass% or more. ３ By adjusting A to a predetermined range, it is possible to add complexity to the taste and obtain a more mellow flavor. ３ The range of the content (% by mass of 5'-inosinic acid converted into dry mass) is not limited, but the lower limit can be 0.03% by mass or more, 0.04% by mass or more, 0.05% by mass or more, 0.07% by mass or more, or 0.1% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be 3% by mass or less, 1% by mass or less, 0.6% by mass or less, or 0.4% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limit values ​​can be any combination. Therefore, for example, ３ can be 0.03 to 3, 0.04 to 1, 0.05 to 0.6, or 0.05 to 0.4. In the above more limited ranges, complexity of the taste can be added, and a more mellow flavor can be obtained.

[0050] Furthermore, A ３ The measurement of the 5'-inosinic acid content (% by mass, calculated on a dry mass basis) can be performed as follows. For example, a sample is diluted with ultrapure water, and the peak area of ​​5'-inosinic acid is analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Meanwhile, 5 mg / 100 mL of 5'-inosinic acid diluted with ultrapure water is analyzed in the same manner as a standard sample. The content of 5'-inosinic acid in each sample is then calculated by the external standard method. The measurement conditions for high performance liquid chromatography in this case are as follows: Measurement equipment: high performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu Corporation) Mobile phase: potassium dihydrogen phosphate 6.8 g / L (pH 3.5), 1 mL / min Column: YMC-Pack Polyamine II (YMC Corporation) Column temperature: 35°C Detection: UV 260 nm

[0051] The adjustment to satisfy the conditions (3) and (4) in step (ii) described above may be performed in any manner. Specifically, this can be achieved, for example, by increasing the amount of 5'-inosinic acid (e.g., an increase by thermal generation, an increase by external enzyme addition, or an increase by adding the component itself (isolated component, synthetic component, etc.)), increasing 5'-guanylic acid (e.g., an increase by external enzyme addition, or by adding the component itself (isolated component, synthetic component, etc.)), or decreasing 5'-adenylic acid (e.g., a decrease by external enzyme addition, a decrease by thermal decomposition). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, this adjustment can be performed particularly efficiently by heating, among the above methods. That is, by heating the mixture prepared in step (i), an increase in 5'-inosinic acid and a decrease in 5'-adenylic acid can be simultaneously caused. That is, heating is preferred as the adjustment to satisfy the conditions (3) and (4) in step (ii).

[0052] Furthermore, it is preferable to obtain a food composition according to the present disclosure by using only edible plants as the source of 5'-guanylic acid, 5'-adenylic acid, and 5'-inosinic acid, without the adjustment in step (ii) involving the addition of 5'-inosinic acid itself, the addition of 5'-guanylic acid itself, the addition of 5'-adenylic acid itself, the addition of 5'-adenylic acid itself, an increase in 5'-inosinic acid by the addition of an external enzyme, an increase in 5'-guanylic acid by the addition of an external enzyme, or a decrease in 5'-adenylic acid by the addition of an external enzyme. This has the desirable effect of making the flavor of the edible plant (preferably mushrooms) more noticeable.

[0053] When heating is performed in step (ii), the heating conditions are not limited. That is, the heating temperature, heating time, heating pressure, etc. are not limited as long as the above conditions (3) and (4) are ultimately achieved. However, it is preferable to heat the mixture so that the temperature is 40°C or higher and 70°C or lower. This temperature range can promote the reactions of both the 5'-adenylate reducing enzyme (optimum temperature 40°C or lower) and the 5'-nucleotide increasing enzyme (optimum temperature above 40°C) (enzymes derived from food materials), making it easier to achieve the above conditions (3) and (4).

[0054] The temperature of the mixture may be measured as the temperature of the mixture itself (product temperature of the mixture) or as the ambient temperature of the mixture (e.g., the ambient temperature inside the device). Furthermore, when these temperatures (product temperature, ambient temperature, etc.) are substantially the same as the set temperature of the device, the set temperature of the device can be considered the temperature of the mixture. That is, for example, when the mixture is heated while being stirred using a mixer, the temperature can be managed as the product temperature of the mixture. Furthermore, when multiple containers containing mixtures are heated simultaneously in a thermostatic oven, the temperature can be managed as the ambient temperature inside the thermostatic oven. Furthermore, since it is preferable to manage the temperature of the mixture as a more uniform state, it can be managed, for example, as the temperature 40 minutes after the start of the adjustment in step (ii). Depending on the circumstances, the temperature of the mixture described above can also be referred to as the temperature of the food composition. That is, after a food composition is formed in step (ii), the temperature of the food composition can be managed when adjustment is continued, for example, to achieve more suitable ranges for conditions (3) and (4), as well as other various conditions described herein.

[0055] The lower limit of the heating temperature (e.g., the ambient temperature within the heating device) can be set to 45°C or higher, 47°C or higher, 50°C or higher, 53°C or higher, or 55°C or higher. Within this temperature range, the conditions (3) and (4) above can be more easily achieved. On the other hand, the upper limit of the heating temperature (e.g., the ambient temperature within the heating device) can be set to 70°C or lower, 65°C or lower, 60°C or lower, or 58°C or lower. Within this temperature range, the conditions (3) and (4) above can be more easily achieved. The above upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined. Thus, for example, the heating temperature can be set to 45 to 70°C, 45 to 65°C, 47 to 60°C, or 50 to 58°C. Within the above more limited range, the generation of an earthy flavor can be more effectively suppressed, while adding complexity to the flavor and resulting in a more mellow flavor.

[0056] It is preferable that the heating temperature in step (ii) (e.g., the atmospheric temperature in the heating device) is always maintained at or above the above temperature (e.g., 40°C or higher) during heating, but a temporary temperature drop below the above temperature (e.g., below 40°C) is not prohibited. That is, the heating temperature does not mean that it never deviates from the temperature range, and even if the temperature deviates from the temperature range within a certain temperature range (e.g., within 2°C, preferably within 1°C) and for a certain time (less than 15 minutes, within 10 minutes, preferably within 5 minutes), the effect of heating in step (ii) can be obtained without any problems.

[0057] The adjustment time (preferably the heating time) in step (ii) is also not limited as long as the above conditions (3) and (4) are achieved, and can be, for example, 5 minutes or more and 120 minutes or less. This adjustment time can facilitate achieving the above conditions (3) and (4). The lower limit of the adjustment time can be further set to 12 minutes or more, 20 minutes or more, 25 minutes or more, 30 minutes or more, 35 minutes or more, 40 minutes or more, or 45 minutes or more. Meanwhile, the upper limit of the adjustment time can be further set to 100 minutes or less, 75 minutes or less, or 50 minutes or less. Within this range, the above conditions (3) and (4) can be more easily achieved. The above upper and lower limits can be combined. Thus, for example, the adjustment time can be 12 to 120 minutes, 12 to 100 minutes, 20 to 75 minutes, or 35 to 50 minutes. Within the above more limited range, the complexity of the flavor can be increased, resulting in a more mellow flavor. The adjustment time in step (ii) is, for example, the start of heating when the heating temperature remains at or above the expected temperature (e.g., 40°C or higher) for five consecutive minutes. Similarly, the end of heating when the heating temperature remains below the expected temperature (e.g., below 40°C) for five consecutive minutes.

[0058] The adjustment (preferably heating) in step (ii) is usually carried out under normal pressure. Temperature control may be carried out in any manner, and the type of device is not limited, but can be achieved using, for example, various air conditioning equipment. That is, examples include air conditioners, ventilation fans, electric fans, blowers, heaters (including hot air generated by steam heating and hot water heating), and light control equipment. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0059] In addition, in step (ii), apart from the conditions (3) and (4), A １The range of the 5'-guanylic acid content (% by mass, calculated as the dry mass of 5'-guanylic acid) can also be adjusted. This range is not limited, but the lower limit can be 0.03% by mass or more, 0.04% by mass or more, 0.05% by mass or more, 0.06% by mass or more, 0.08% by mass or more, 0.09% by mass or more, or 0.12% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be 5% by mass or less, 2% by mass or less, 0.8% by mass or less, or 0.5% by mass or less. The above upper and lower limit values ​​can be any combination. Therefore, for example, １ can be 0.03 to 5 mass%, 0.04 to 2 mass%, 0.05 to 0.8 mass%, or 0.06 to 0.5 mass%. Within the above more limited ranges, complexity of the taste can be added, and a more mellow flavor can be obtained.

[0060] Furthermore, in step (ii), apart from the conditions (3) and (4), A ２ The range of the 5'-adenylic acid content (% by mass, calculated as the dry mass of 5'-adenylic acid) can also be adjusted. This range is not limited, but the upper limit can be 0.40% by mass or less, 0.39% by mass or less, 0.38% by mass or less, 0.37% by mass or less, 0.36% by mass or less, 0.3% by mass or less, or 0.29% by mass or less. On the other hand, the lower limit can be 0.01% by mass or more, 0.02% by mass or more, 0.03% by mass or more, or 0.04% by mass or more. The upper and lower limit values ​​can be any combination. Therefore, for example, ２ can be 0.01 to 0.40% by mass, 0.02 to 0.39% by mass, 0.03 to 0.39% by mass, or 0.04 to 0.38% by mass. Within the above more limited range, the generation of an earthy flavor can be more effectively suppressed while using the inedible parts of mushrooms (particularly those containing dietary fiber) as a raw material.

[0061] In addition, in step (ii), apart from the conditions (3) and (4), A ２ (5'-adenylic acid content in dry mass conversion, mass %) and the above A ３ The range of correlation with the content of 5'-inosinic acid in terms of dry mass, mass % can also be adjusted. ２ / A ３The upper limit of the ratio (A) can be 15 or less, 14 or less, 13 or less, 12 or less, or 11 or less. ２ / A ３ The lower limit of the ratio (A) can be 0.01 or more, 0.05 or more, 0.1 or more, 0.2 or more, or 0.3 or more. The upper and lower limit values ​​can be any combination. Therefore, for example, ２ / A ３ ) can be 0.01 to 15, 0.05 to 14, 0.1 to 13, 0.2 to 12, or 0.3 to 11. Within the above more limited ranges, it is possible to add complexity to the flavor and obtain a more mellow flavor. Even when using the inedible parts of mushrooms (because they contain dietary fiber, particularly insoluble dietary fiber) as a raw material, it is possible to more effectively suppress the generation of an earthy flavor while adding complexity to the flavor and obtaining a more mellow flavor.

[0062] Furthermore, in step (ii), apart from conditions (3) and (4), the range of the L-glutamic acid content (mass%) in terms of dry mass can also be adjusted. This range is not limited, but the lower limit can be 0.01 mass% or more, 0.02 mass% or more, 0.03 mass% or more, 0.03 mass% or more, 0.05 mass% or more, 0.1 mass% or more, 0.12 mass% or more, or 0.13 mass% or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be 10 mass% or less, 9.0 mass% or less, or 8.0 mass% or less. The above upper and lower limits can be combined. Thus, for example, the L-glutamic acid content in terms of dry mass can be 0.01 to 10, 0.02 to 9.0, or 0.03 to 0.8. Within the above more limited ranges, the complexity of the taste can be increased, resulting in a more mellow flavor.

[0063] The L-glutamic acid content calculated on a dry mass basis was measured using the column chromatography method in Chapter 4, "Amino Acids," of the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition) Supplementary 2023 Analysis Manual" under the following conditions: Measuring instrument: Automatic amino acid analyzer (manufactured by JEOL, model JLC-500 / V2); Column: Bioanalysis packed column, inner diameter 4.6 mm, length 60 mm, stainless steel; Mobile phase: Biofluid analysis buffer PF set KANTO (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.); Reaction solution: Hitachi ninhydrin color development solution kit (manufactured by Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.); Wavelength: 570 nm

[0064] Furthermore, the method for producing a food composition according to the present disclosure can reduce the ribose content in the resulting food composition. Specifically, the ribose content in the food composition, calculated on a dry mass basis, can be reduced to less than 1.5% by mass. Ribose does not contribute to flavor enhancement, but is produced by the degradation of components that enhance flavor. For this reason, ribose may be included in the food composition, but its content is preferably lower. The ribose content may be reduced in any manner. For example, in the adjustment of step (ii), the temperature may be set to 40°C to 70°C (or 45°C to 65°C), and the adjustment time under these temperature conditions may be set to 120 minutes or less (or even 100 minutes or less, 75 minutes or less, or 50 minutes or less). This allows both the 5'-adenylate reducing enzyme (optimum temperature 40°C or less) and the 5'-nucleotide increasing enzyme (optimum temperature above 40°C) (enzymes derived from the food material) to function simultaneously, thereby achieving conditions (3) and (4) in a shorter time. Therefore, the production of ribose can be significantly suppressed, and as a result, the ribose content can be reduced.

[0065] The ribose content (% by mass, calculated as the dry mass of ribose) can be measured as follows. For example, a sample is diluted with ultrapure water, and the ribose peak area is analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Meanwhile, 5 mg / 100 mL of ribose diluted with ultrapure water is analyzed in the same manner as a standard sample. The ribose content of each sample is then calculated by the external standard method. The measurement conditions for high performance liquid chromatography in this case are as follows: Measurement equipment: high performance liquid chromatography (Shimadzu Corporation) Mobile phase: potassium dihydrogen phosphate 6.8 g / L (pH 3.5), 1 mL / min Column: YMC-Pack Polyamine II (YMC Corporation) Column temperature: 35°C Detection: UV 260 nm

[0066] Furthermore, according to the method for producing a food composition of the present disclosure, the content of 1-octen-3-ol (CAS No. 3391-86-4, 1-Octen-3-ol) contained in the resulting food composition can be 0.0050 ppb or more. While this content is not limited, from the viewpoint of more significantly achieving the effects of the present disclosure, a content of 0.05 ppb or more is more preferable, and a content of 0.5 ppb or more is particularly preferable. On the other hand, while this content may be 10 ppm or less, from the viewpoint of the risk of off-flavor generation, a content of 9.0 ppm or less is preferable, and 8.0 ppm or less is even more preferable. The above upper and lower limits can be combined. Thus, for example, the content of 1-octen-3-ol can be 0.005 to 10 ppb, 0.05 to 9.0 ppb, or 0.5 to 8.0 ppb. Within the above more limited ranges, complexity of the flavor can be added, resulting in a more mellow flavor.

[0067] In the present disclosure, the content of 1-octen-3-ol contained in the obtained food composition is measured according to a standard method using solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (hereinafter referred to as "SPME-GC-MS" or "SPME") .

[0068] Solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometry is a method in which a measurement sample is adsorbed by SPME (Solid Phase Micro Extraction) (a static extraction method in which a fiber is exposed to a gas phase and volatile components are collected on an adsorbent), followed by measurement by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GS / MS). Specifically, for example, a small amount (1 g) of the sample is weighed into a 10 mL flat-bottomed vial, sealed, and adsorbed with an adsorption resin (SPME fiber) appropriate for the properties of the volatile components in the sample. The sample is then processed using a thermal desorption system, after which it can be introduced into a gas chromatography analyzer and analyzed. Furthermore, to measure the content of a component in a sample, the sample and a standard sample diluted to a desired content are analyzed, and the confirmation ion peak area values ​​of both samples are determined and compared to determine the content of the component in the sample.

[0069] After the above analysis, a portion of the sample is subjected to a mass spectrometer to obtain a mass spectrum, and the retention time of each component is confirmed using the associated ions of each component (1-octen-3-ol: m / z = 72, 85, 99). A quadrupole 7000C Mass Selective Detector (manufactured by Agilent) is used as the mass spectrometer (MS). The ionization method and ionization voltage are EI+ and 70 eV, respectively. The results are acquired in scan mode, and mass spectrum analysis can be performed by identifying the components using ions characteristic of the components (1-octen-3-ol: m / z = 72, 85, 99) as associated ions. The retention time of 1-octen-3-ol can be determined by determining the retention time at which all of these associated ions are detected in the standard sample. As the measurement application software, for example, Unknowns Analysis (MassHunter Workstation Software Quantitative Analysis, version: B.09.00, build: 9.0.647.0, manufactured by Agilent) is used. Furthermore, "m / z" in this disclosure refers to the value detected in the range of -0.3 to +0.7 at the center m / z value of each component. For example, m / z = 99 represents the cumulative value of ion peaks detected between 98.7 and 99.7.

[0070] Specifically, solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometry is performed under the following conditions.

[0071] <Solid-phase microextraction conditions> SPME fiber: StableFlex 50 / 30 μm, DVB / Carboxen / PDMS (manufactured by SUPELCO) Volatile component extraction device: PAL3 RSI120 (manufactured by CTC Analytics) Preheating: 80°C, 15 min Stirring speed: 300 rpm Volatile component extraction: 80°C, 20 min Desorption time: 10 min <Gas chromatograph conditions> Measurement equipment: Agilent 7980B GC System (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) GC column: DB-WAX (manufactured by Agilent Technologies), length 30 m, diameter 0.25 mm, film thickness 0.25 μm Carrier: He gas, gas flow rate 1.0 mL / min (constant flow) Temperature conditions: [40°C (3 min)] - [10°C / min] - [250°C (10 min)] <Mass analysis conditions> Measurement equipment: Agilent 7000C GC / MS Triple Quad (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) Ionization method: EI (ionization voltage 70 eV) Scan mass: m / z = 29.0 to 350.0

[0072] Under the above conditions, a standard sample of 1-octen-3-ol (CAS registration number: 3391-86-4, manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., product code: O0159) with a known content is prepared using the method described above, and the sample is subjected to analysis. By comparing the retention time of the standard sample with that of the standard sample, the peak area values ​​of the confirmation ion (1-octen-3-ol: m / z = 99) of the prepared standard sample and the sample are compared near the retention time of the peak believed to be the target component (e.g., 1-octen-3-ol at retention times of around 17 to 21 minutes), allowing quantification of the components in the sample. The peak area value of the confirmation ion may be measured directly, or it may be calculated from the peak area values ​​of related ions. For example, the peak area value of m / z=99, which is a confirmatory ion of 1-octen-3-ol, can be calculated from the peak area value of m / z=72, which is a related ion of 1-octen-3-ol, based on the mass spectral pattern (ratio of both ions) of the component in a known mass spectral database (e.g., the mass spectral database of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)).

[0073] In addition, when adjusting the content of a component in a composition, a method of adjusting the content of the component by mixing two or more compositions having different contents of the component can be adopted. Note that all units (e.g., ppm, ppb) in the present disclosure are values ​​based on weight for both the numerator and denominator.

[0074] In the method for producing a food composition according to the present disclosure, the wet basis moisture content of the mixture in step (ii) is preferably 10% by mass or more. By setting the wet basis moisture content to 10% by mass or more, conditions (3) and (4) can be more easily achieved in step (ii). This wet basis moisture content is not limited, but can be 15% by mass or more, 18% by mass or more, 20% by mass or more, 30% by mass or more, 40% by mass or more, 50% by mass or more, 60% by mass or more, 70% by mass or more, 80% by mass or more, 87% by mass or more, or 88% by mass or more. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, the upper limit is preferably less than 99% by mass, and can be less than 97% by mass, less than 95% by mass, less than 93% by mass, less than 90% by mass, less than 87% by mass, or less than 85% by mass. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination thereof. Therefore, for example, the wet basis moisture content can be 10% by mass or more and less than 99% by mass, 15% by mass or more and less than 97% by mass, 18% by mass or more and less than 95% by mass, 20% by mass or more and less than 93% by mass, 30% by mass or more and less than 90% by mass, 40% by mass or more and less than 90% by mass, 50% by mass or more and less than 87% by mass, 60% by mass or more and less than 87% by mass, 70% by mass or more and less than 85% by mass, or 80% by mass or more and less than 85% by mass. Within the above more limited ranges, conditions (3) and (4) can be more easily achieved. Furthermore, the above moisture content may be achieved before or after step (ii), but it is preferable that it be achieved before step (ii).

[0075] The moisture content may be achieved in any manner. For example, it may be achieved solely by blending the edible plants that make up the mixture (i.e., solely by the moisture contained in the edible plants), but water may be added as needed (a hydration step may be included). Hydration may be performed solely in step (i), solely in step (ii), or in both steps (i) and (ii). While the underlying mechanism is unclear, it is believed that by using edible plants with high moisture content (preferably raw edible plants), the moisture contained in the edible plants promotes the 5' nucleotide increasing reaction described below. Therefore, it is preferable to achieve the moisture content solely through the moisture contained in the edible plants. On the other hand, excessive hydration is preferably avoided from the perspective of the shelf life of the resulting food composition. Furthermore, as described below, a procedure (drying) can be performed to reduce the moisture content of the resulting food composition as needed, but excessive hydration is also preferably avoided from the perspective of making the procedure more complicated. From this perspective, although not limited thereto, it is preferable that hydration be carried out so that the moisture content on a dry basis is 15% by mass or more and less than 300% by mass. The lower limit can be 18% by mass or more or 20% by mass or more. On the other hand, the upper limit can be less than 300% by mass, less than 280% by mass, less than 260% by mass, less than 240% by mass, less than 220% by mass, or less than 200% by mass. The above upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined. Thus, for example, the moisture content can be 15% by mass or more and less than 300% by mass, 15% by mass or more and less than 280% by mass, 18% by mass or more and less than 260% by mass, 18% by mass or more and less than 240% by mass, 20% by mass or more and less than 220% by mass, or 20% by mass or more and less than 200% by mass.

[0076] The method for producing a food composition according to the present disclosure may include other steps in addition to steps (i) and (ii). Examples of such steps include step (iii), in which the composition (second mixture) obtained through step (ii) is dried until the moisture content is 20% by mass or less (dry weight moisture content). That is, the dry weight moisture content of the food composition can be 20% by mass or less (or 0% by mass, i.e., 0% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less). This improves the shelf life of the food composition. While the dry weight moisture content is not limited, its upper limit can be 20% by mass or less, 18% by mass or less, 15% by mass or less, 13% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or less. Meanwhile, from the viewpoint of industrial production efficiency, its lower limit can be 0% by mass or more, 0.5% by mass or more, 1% by mass or more, or 2% by mass or more. The above upper and lower limits can be any combination. Therefore, for example, it can be 0 to 20 mass %, 0.5 to 18 mass %, 1 to 15 mass %, or 2 to 15 mass %.

[0077] The drying in step (iii) may be carried out by any method, and any method generally used for drying foods may be used. Specific examples include sun drying, shade drying, freeze drying, air drying (e.g., hot air drying, fluidized bed drying, spray drying, drum drying, low-temperature drying, etc.), pressurized drying, reduced-pressure drying, microwave drying, oil drying, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, air drying (e.g., hot air drying, fluidized bed drying, spray drying, drum drying, low-temperature drying, etc.) and freeze drying are preferred because they cause only a small change in the color and flavor inherent to edible plants and are relatively easy to control aromas other than food (burnt odor, etc.).

[0078] Furthermore, the method for producing a food composition according to the present disclosure may include other steps in addition to steps (i), (ii), and (iii). Such other steps include step (iv), in which the composition (third mixture) obtained through step (iii) is pulverized to a d90 value of 5.0 μm or more and 2000 μm or less after ultrasonic treatment. By pulverizing the composition so that the particle size d90 falls within a predetermined range, the flavor release and / or drying properties of the third mixture can be improved. This improves industrial productivity. The third mixture can be easily dried without the use of an excipient, and the formation of lumps in the dried food composition can be suppressed or prevented. Furthermore, the flavor release properties of a food composition containing the third mixture are improved. Therefore, when cooking or processing food using the food composition, the use of a small amount of the food composition allows for more uniform dispersion in the target material and enhances the flavor, resulting in high convenience. This contributes to improving the efficiency of product handling and use in the food industry, and provides products that are easy for consumers to use. Furthermore, since the flavor release is improved, a small amount of the compound can have a flavor-improving effect.

[0079] The pulverization method (pulverization means) used here is not limited. The pulverization temperature is also not limited, and may be any of high-temperature pulverization, room-temperature pulverization, and low-temperature pulverization, or a combination of two or more of these. The pulverization pressure is also not limited, and may be any of high-pressure pulverization, normal-pressure pulverization, and low-pressure pulverization, or a combination of two or more of these. Examples of equipment that can be used in such a pulverization method include mills, pulverizers, disintegrators, attritors, blenders, mixers, kneaders, and other equipment. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of mills include media-agitated mills such as dry bead mills and ball mills (rolling, vibrating, etc.), jet mills, high-speed rotation impact mills (pin mills, etc.), roll mills, hammer mills, and the like. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0080] The range of d90 obtained by the above-mentioned grinding is not limited, but the upper limit can be 2000 μm or less, 1500 μm or less, 1000 μm or less, 900 μm or less, 800 μm or less, 700 μm or less, or 600 μm or less. On the other hand, the lower limit can be 5.0 μm or more, 10 μm or more, 20 μm or more, 30 μm or more, 40 μm or more, or 50 μm or more. The above-mentioned upper and lower limit values ​​can be combined. Therefore, for example, the range can be 5.0 to 2000 μm, 10 to 2000 μm, 20 to 1500 μm, 30 to 1500 μm, 40 to 1000 μm, or 50 to 1000 μm.

[0081] In the present disclosure, "d90" refers to the particle size at which, when the particle size distribution of the object to be measured is measured on a volume basis and divided into two at a certain particle size, the ratio of the cumulative value of the particle frequency % on the larger side to the cumulative value of the particle frequency % on the smaller side is 10:90. The d90 of the third mixture after ultrasonic treatment is measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer under the following conditions.

[0082] First, in the present disclosure, the d90 of the composition (third mixture) after ultrasonic treatment is measured under the following conditions after disturbing the composition dispersion. First, ethanol is used as the solvent during measurement, which is unlikely to affect the structure of the sample during composition measurement. Then, during measurement, a composition dispersion in which the sample is previously diluted and suspended in a solvent is used, and the measurement is performed in a state in which the sample is homogeneously suspended in the solvent. Specifically, 1 g of the sample is immersed in 50 g of ethanol, left to stand for about 5 minutes, and then thoroughly stirred and suspended with a spatula (this suspension is appropriately referred to as "suspension"). The suspension is then passed through an 8-mesh sieve with an opening of 2.36 mm and a wire diameter of 1.0 mm (for example, in U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieves ASTM Specifications E 11-04, the Nominal Dimensions, Permissible Variation for Wire Cloth of Standard Testing Sieves (U.S.A.) Standard Specifications E 11-04 in the same document). The measurement is carried out using a solution that passed through a sieve corresponding to "No. 8" specified in the "Alternative" series (this will be referred to as a "2 mass % ethanol dispersion" or "composition dispersion" as appropriate). More specifically, 100 g of the suspension (20°C) was evenly spread on a sieve and treated until the weight of the fraction on the sieve became constant, and the solution that passed through the sieve was used for the measurement as a 2 mass % ethanol dispersion.

[0083] The laser diffraction particle size analyzer used for the measurement is a laser diffraction particle size analyzer with a measurement range of at least 0.02 μm to 2000 μm using the laser diffraction scattering method. For example, a Microtrac MT3300 EX2 system from Microtrac Bell Corporation is used, and the measurement application software is, for example, DMSII (Data Management System version 2, Microtrac Bell Corporation). When using the above-mentioned measurement device and software, during measurement, the software's cleaning button is pressed to perform cleaning, and then the software's Set Zero button is pressed to perform zero adjustment. The sample is then directly loaded until the sample concentration falls within the appropriate range. For samples before disturbance, i.e., samples not subjected to ultrasonic treatment, the concentration is adjusted to within the appropriate range within two sample loadings after sample loading, and the laser diffraction results are immediately measured at a flow rate of 60% for a measurement time of 10 seconds. On the other hand, when measuring a sample after disturbance, i.e., a sample that has been ultrasonically treated, ultrasonic treatment (treatment with 40 kHz ultrasonic waves at 40 W output for 3 minutes) is performed using the above-mentioned measuring device after the sample is introduced, followed by measurement. In this case, a sample that has not been ultrasonically treated is introduced, the concentration is adjusted to within the appropriate range by sample loading, and then ultrasonic treatment is performed by pressing the ultrasonic treatment button on the software. After that, degassing is performed three times, and the sample is loaded again. After confirming that the concentration is still within the appropriate range, the laser diffraction results are quickly measured at a flow rate of 60% for a measurement time of 10 seconds. Measurement parameters include, for example, distribution display: volume, particle refractive index: 1.60, solvent refractive index: 1.36, upper measurement limit (μm) = 2000.00 μm, and lower measurement limit (μm) = 0.021 μm.

[0084] Furthermore, when determining the d90 after ultrasonic treatment of the composition (third mixture), it is preferable to measure the particle size distribution for each channel (CH) and then use the particle size for each measurement channel listed in Table 2 below as a standard. Specifically, the frequency of particles that are equal to or smaller than the particle size specified for each channel in Table 2 below and larger than the particle size specified for the channel with the next larger number (for the largest channel in the measurement range, the lower limit particle size for measurement) is measured for each channel in Table 2 below, and the particle frequency % for each channel can be determined using the total frequency of all channels within the measurement range as the denominator (this is also referred to as "particle frequency % for XX channel"). For example, the particle frequency % for one channel represents the frequency % of particles that are 2000.00 μm or smaller and larger than 1826.00 μm.

[0085]

[0086] As mentioned above, the food composition of the present disclosure may contain components other than edible plants (non-edible plants). Non-edible plants include salts (e.g., sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, etc.), sugars (e.g., glucose, sucrose, fructose, glucose-fructose corn syrup, fructose-glucose corn syrup, etc.), water, etc., as well as soy sauce, miso, alcohols, sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, erythritol, maltitol, etc.), artificial sweeteners (e.g., sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K, etc.), minerals (e.g., calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, magnesium, etc., and salts thereof), flavorings, pH adjusters (e.g., sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, etc.), sucralose, lactic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, etc.), and the like. Examples of suitable additives include clodextrin, antioxidants (e.g., vitamin E, vitamin C, tea extract, green coffee bean extract, chlorogenic acid, spice extract, caffeic acid, rosemary extract, vitamin C palmitate, rutin, quercetin, bayberry extract, sesame extract, etc.), emulsifiers (e.g., glycerin fatty acid ester, acetate monoglyceride, lactate monoglyceride, citrate monoglyceride, diacetyltartaric acid monoglyceride, succinate monoglyceride, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, polyglycerin condensed linosyl acid ester, quillaja extract, soybean saponin, tea seed saponin, sucrose fatty acid ester, lecithin, etc.), colorants, thickening stabilizers, etc. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0087] On the other hand, in light of the recent growing trend toward natural foods, the food composition of the present disclosure may be free of any one selected from so-called emulsifiers, colorants, and thickening stabilizers (for example, those listed as "colorants," "thickening stabilizers," and "emulsifiers" in the "Table of Food Additive Substance Names for Labeling" in the Food Additive Labeling Pocketbook (2011 edition)). Furthermore, it may be free of any two selected from the above, and in particular free of all three. In particular, it is preferable that the food composition of the present disclosure is substantially free (or does not contain at all) of xanthan gum, a typical thickening stabilizer.

[0088] The food composition obtained by the method of the present disclosure may be used for any purpose, and its use is not limited to, but examples thereof include semi-solid or solid foods such as groceries (e.g., puree, pasta), liquid foods such as beverages (e.g., soup, smoothie, paste), liquid, semi-solid, or solid foods and beverages such as seasonings (e.g., mayonnaise, dressing, butter, margarine), semi-solid or solid foods such as confectionery (e.g., granola, sticks, crackers, caramel, gummies, chips), and powdered foods such as dried seasonings. Among these, powdered foods containing dried edible plants are preferred.

[0089] The composition of the present disclosure may be in any form as long as it satisfies the above-described configuration. If the composition contains an edible plant, it may be in the form of a pulverized composition as described above, or in the form of a dried edible plant (particularly a dried and pulverized edible plant) itself, or in the form of a food or beverage. The composition may be in any form, including liquid, semi-solid, and solid. For example, if the composition is semi-solid, it is not particularly limited as long as it is semi-solid and has fluidity. For example, it may be a paste-like food in which dried edible plants are incorporated into oils and fats that are liquid at room temperature and / or oils and fats that are solid at room temperature. Furthermore, if the composition is solid, it may be in various forms, such as powder, granules, tablets, rods, plates, blocks, etc. Among these, the powder form is preferred from the viewpoint of achieving a more pronounced effect. Furthermore, when the composition of the present disclosure is a food or drink, the type of food or drink is not limited in any way as long as it satisfies the above-described configuration, and examples include semi-solid or solid foods such as foodstuffs (e.g., puree, pasta), liquid foods such as beverages (e.g., soup, smoothie, paste), liquid, semi-solid, or solid foods such as seasonings (e.g., mayonnaise, dressing, butter, margarine), semi-solid or solid foods such as confectionery (e.g., granola, sticks, crackers, caramel, gummies, chips), and powdered foods such as dried seasonings. Among these, powdered foods containing dried edible plants are preferred.

[0090] [2] Food composition (first food composition) The first food composition of the present disclosure is characterized by being produced by the method for producing a food composition described above, and therefore has the same characteristics as the food composition described in [1] Food composition production method above.

[0091] [3] Food composition (second food composition) The second food composition of the present disclosure is characterized by satisfying all of the following (1) to (4): (1): The total content of the edible and inedible parts of mushrooms, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 10% by mass or more; (2): The content of dietary fiber, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 2.0% by mass or more; (3): The content of 5'-guanylic acid, calculated on a dry mass basis (A １ ) the content of 5'-adenylic acid in terms of dry mass (A ２ ) ratio (A ２ / A １ (4): The content of 5'-inosinic acid in terms of dry mass (A ３ ) is 0.03 mass% or more

[0092] Here, the above characteristic (1) is described as condition (1) of step (i) in the method for producing a food composition described in [1] above. Furthermore, the above characteristic (2) is described as condition (2) of step (i) in the method for producing a food composition described in [1] above. Furthermore, the above characteristic (3) is described as condition (3) of step (ii) in the method for producing a food composition described in [1] above. Furthermore, the above characteristic (4) is described as condition (4) of step (ii) in the method for producing a food composition described in [1] above.

[0093] In the second food composition, the L-glutamic acid content, calculated on a dry mass basis, can be 0.1% by mass or more, as described in the food composition manufacturing method [1] above. The above-mentioned description applies to the range of the L-glutamic acid content, calculated on a dry mass basis. Furthermore, the ribose content, calculated on a dry mass basis, can be less than 1.5% by mass. The above-mentioned description applies to the range of the ribose content, calculated on a dry mass basis. Furthermore, the 1-octen-3-ol content, calculated on a dry mass basis, can be 0.0050 ppb or more. The above-mentioned description applies to the range of the 1-octen-3-ol content, calculated on a dry mass basis. The features of [1] above can also be applied to other features.

[0094] The composition of the present disclosure may be in any form as long as it satisfies the above-described configuration. If the composition contains an edible plant, it may be in the form of a pulverized composition as described above, or in the form of a dried edible plant (particularly a dried and pulverized edible plant) itself, or in the form of a food or beverage. The composition may be in any form, including liquid, semi-solid, and solid. For example, if the composition is semi-solid, it is not particularly limited as long as it is semi-solid and has fluidity. For example, it may be a paste-like food in which dried edible plants are incorporated into oils and fats that are liquid at room temperature and / or oils and fats that are solid at room temperature. Furthermore, if the composition is solid, it may be in various forms, such as powder, granules, tablets, rods, plates, blocks, etc. Among these, the powder form is preferred from the viewpoint of achieving a more pronounced effect. Furthermore, when the composition of the present disclosure is a food or drink, the type of food or drink is not limited in any way as long as it satisfies the above-described configuration, and examples include semi-solid or solid foods such as foodstuffs (e.g., puree, pasta), liquid foods such as beverages (e.g., soup, smoothie, paste), liquid, semi-solid, or solid foods such as seasonings (e.g., mayonnaise, dressing, butter, margarine), semi-solid or solid foods such as confectionery (e.g., granola, sticks, crackers, caramel, gummies, chips), and powdered foods such as dried seasonings. Among these, powdered foods containing dried edible plants are preferred.

[0095] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. However, these examples are merely examples shown for the convenience of explanation, and the present disclosure is not limited to these examples in any sense.

[0096] [1] Production of Food Compositions Food compositions used in the experimental examples were obtained according to the following procedures.

[0097] (1) Preparation of Raw Materials: Mushrooms, roasted seaweed, rice koji, and salt were prepared as shown in Table 3. (1-1) Mushrooms: The following mushrooms were prepared: oyster mushrooms (raw), oyster mushrooms (dried), oyster mushrooms (frozen), maitake mushrooms (raw), king oyster mushrooms (raw), and enoki mushrooms (raw). Here, "(raw)" refers to raw mushrooms, "(dried)" refers to dried mushrooms (air-dried powder), and "(frozen)" refers to frozen mushrooms. The dry mass of each mushroom was calculated using the procedure described above. Furthermore, the ratio of edible to inedible portions of mushrooms was determined using the "discarded portion" ratio described in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition) Supplement 2023," as previously described. (1-2) Roasted Seaweed: Commercially available roasted seaweed made from laver was prepared as roasted seaweed. The dry mass of the roasted seaweed was calculated using the procedure described above. (1-3) Salt Commercially available sea salt was prepared as salt. The dry mass of the salt was calculated using the procedure described above.

[0098] (2) Step (i) A mixture was obtained by mixing mushrooms, roasted seaweed, rice koji, and salt in the proportions shown in Table 3. The mixture was then pulverized using a pin mill until it became a paste.

[0099] In Table 3, "Mushroom content (% by mass)," "Sub-ingredients content (% by mass)," and "Other content (% by mass)" are calculated on a dry mass basis. "Proportion within edible plant (% by mass)" is the proportion of mushrooms in the entire edible plant calculated on a dry mass basis. "Proportion of inedible portion (% by mass)" is the proportion of inedible portion in the total amount of edible and inedible portions of mushrooms calculated on a dry mass basis. The oyster mushroom (dried) raw material used in Experimental Example 21 was a dry powder with a d90 of 1000 μm or less.

[0100] (3) Steps (ii) to (iv) The mixture obtained in step (i) was heated using a heating mixer (manufactured by Kajiwara Co., Ltd., product name "Leokneader KHS-3E") to the heating temperature and heating time shown in Table 4. Thereafter, the composition obtained in step (ii) (second mixture) was dried in step (iii) by the method shown in Table 4. Furthermore, the composition (third mixture) that had undergone step (iii) was pulverized in step (iv). The d90 of the food composition that had undergone step (iv) was measured and shown in Table 4. The heating temperatures listed in Table 4 are the temperatures indicated on a thermometer installed in the mixing tank of the heating mixer, and the heating times listed in Table 4 are the durations of the heating temperatures. The method for measuring d90 is as described above.

[0101] In Table 4, "water content (%) in stage (iii)" is the water content on a dry basis. As shown in Table 5 below, in Experimental Examples 3 and 7, 5'inosinic acid (A ３ ) is less than 0.03% by mass, and Experimental Examples 7 and 8 are 5'-adenyl (A ２ ) / 5'-guanyl (A １ ) is greater than 1.8, and therefore, these are comparative examples.

[0102] [2] Evaluation of Food Compositions The dietary fiber content of each of the food compositions of Experimental Examples 1 to 28 obtained up to (3) above was measured (using the method described above) and shown in the column "Dietary fiber content (mass%)" in Table 5. The 5'-guanylic acid content was also measured (using the method described above) and shown in Table 5 as "(A １ Similarly, the content of 5'-adenylic acid was measured (measurement method was as described above) and the results are shown in Table 5 under "(A ２ Similarly, the content of 5'-inosinic acid was measured (measurement method was as described above) and the results are shown in Table 5 under "(A ) adenylic acid (mass %)". ３ ) Inosinic acid (% by mass)" column. Similarly, the glutamic acid content was measured (measured as described above) and shown in the "Glutamic acid (% by mass)" column in Table 5. Furthermore, the ribose content (converted to dry mass) was measured (measured as described above) and was found to be less than 1.5% by mass in all Experimental Examples except for the Comparative Example.

[0103] The sensory evaluation was carried out according to the following procedure, and the results are shown in Table 5. The sensory inspectors who performed each sensory test were selected after undergoing prior training in distinguishing between the taste, texture, and appearance of food products. These inspectors had particularly excellent performance, experience in product development, extensive knowledge about the quality of food products such as taste, texture, and appearance, and were capable of making absolute evaluations for each sensory test item. Specifically, after undergoing the following discrimination training A) to C), four inspectors were selected who had particularly excellent performance, extensive knowledge about the quality of food products such as taste and texture, and were capable of making absolute evaluations for each sensory test item.

[0104] A) A taste quality discrimination test in which one aqueous solution of each of the five tastes (sweetness: the taste of sugar, sourness: the taste of tartaric acid, umami: the taste of monosodium glutamate, saltiness: the taste of sodium chloride, bitterness: the taste of caffeine) was prepared at a concentration close to the threshold value of each component, and two distilled waters were added to these to create a total of seven samples, in which each taste sample was accurately distinguished. B) A concentration difference discrimination test in which the difference in concentration between five types of saline solutions and an acetic acid solution with slightly different concentrations was accurately distinguished. C) A three-point discrimination test in which the soy sauce from manufacturer B was accurately distinguished from a total of three samples, two from manufacturer A and one from manufacturer B.

[0105] Next, four selected inspectors conducted a sensory evaluation based on the following evaluation criteria (1) to (3). The evaluation was conducted by each inspector selecting the number that most closely matched their own evaluation from a five-point scale. The evaluation results were compiled by calculating the arithmetic mean of the four inspectors' scores, and rounding off any decimal points. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0106] <1> Earthy flavor 1: An earthy flavor is detectable, not preferable. 2: An earthy flavor is slightly detectable, not preferable. 3: The earthy flavor is not detectable at all, somewhat preferable. 4: The earthy flavor is barely detectable, preferable. 5: The earthy flavor is not detectable, very preferable.

[0107] <2> Mellow flavor 1: The mellow flavor is very weak and undesirable. 2: The mellow flavor is weak and somewhat undesirable. 3: The mellow flavor is somewhat strong and somewhat preferable. 4: The mellow flavor is strong and preferable. 5: The mellow flavor is very strong and extremely preferable.

[0108] <3> Overall rating 1: The fragrance is poorly balanced and the quality is very poor. 2: The fragrance is somewhat unbalanced and the quality is poor. 3: The fragrance is somewhat well balanced and the quality is somewhat excellent. 4: The fragrance is well balanced and the quality is excellent. 5: The fragrance is particularly well balanced and the quality is very excellent.

[0109] In addition, in Table 5, in the "Remarks" section of Experimental Example 13, "S １ " indicates that "the flavor derived from koji is slightly strong, and the flavor of mushrooms is slightly weak." ２ " indicates that the flavor of mushrooms is slightly weak, and "S" in the "Remarks" section of Experimental Example 18 in Table 5 indicates that the flavor of mushrooms is slightly weak. ３ " indicates that the flavor of mushrooms is hardly noticeable. Furthermore, even when the raw oyster mushrooms used in step (i) of Experimental Examples 1 and 2 were cut to a size in which the shortest side of an imaginary rectangular parallelepiped with the smallest volume inscribed in the ingredient was 6 mm, the results were unchanged.

[0110] The food composition and the method for producing the same of the present disclosure are widely used in the food industry.

Claims

1. A method for producing a food composition, comprising the following steps (i) and (ii): (i): preparing a mixture containing edible plants that satisfy all of the following (1) and (2): (1): the total content of edible and inedible parts of mushrooms in the whole edible plants, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 10% by mass or more; (2): the content of dietary fiber in the whole mixture, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 2.0% by mass or more; (ii): adjusting the mixture until all of the following (3) and (4) are satisfied; (3): the content of 5'-guanylic acid in the whole food composition, calculated on a dry mass basis (A １ ) the content of 5'-adenylic acid in terms of dry mass (A ２ ) ratio (A ２ / A １ (4): The content of 5'-inosinic acid in the entire food composition in terms of dry mass (A ３ ) is 0.03 mass% or more 2. The above (A ２ 2. The method for producing a food composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of soluble fiber is less than 0.4% by mass.

3. The above (A １ 3. The method for producing a food composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of soluble fiber is 0.03% by mass or more.

4. The above (A ３ ) to the above (A ２ ) ratio (A ２ / A ３ 4. The method for producing a food composition according to claim 1, wherein the value of β-glucan is 15 or less.

5. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the content of L-glutamic acid in the entire food composition is 0.1% by mass or more, calculated on a dry mass basis.

6. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ribose content in the entire food composition, calculated on a dry mass basis, is less than 1.5% by mass.

7. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the content of 1-octen-3-ol in the entire food composition, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 0.0050 ppb or more.

8. A method for producing a food composition described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the mushrooms are at least one edible mushroom selected from the group consisting of oyster mushrooms, thin-striped oyster mushrooms, black abalone mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, willow matsutake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, polyporus oyster mushrooms, armillaria mushrooms, mushrooms, nameko mushrooms, amitake mushrooms, hattake mushrooms, matsutake mushrooms, maitake mushrooms, and slime mushrooms.

9. A method for producing a food composition described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the content of the inedible portion converted to dry mass of the total content of the edible portion and the inedible portion converted to dry mass is 3% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less.

10. A method for producing a food composition described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the inedible part is the "discarded part" listed in the "Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th Edition) Supplement 2023." 11. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the inedible part is the base of the stem.

12. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the edible plant comprises algae.

13. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the algae is at least one selected from the group consisting of nori, konbu, wakame, hijiki, green laver, green lettuce, mozuku, agar, tosakanori, centipede, sea grapes, akamoku, chlorella and spirulina.

14. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the mixture consists solely of edible plants.

15. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the wet basis moisture content of the mixture in step (ii) is 10% by mass or more.

16. A method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising a water addition step in step (i) or step (ii).

17. A method for producing the food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising the following step (iii): (iii) drying the second mixture obtained through step (ii) until the moisture content on a dry basis is 20% by mass or less.

18. A method for producing the food composition of claim 17, comprising the following step (iv): (iv) pulverizing the third mixture obtained through step (iii) so that the d90 after ultrasonic treatment is 5.0 μm or more and 2000 μm or less.

19. A food composition produced by the method for producing a food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. A food composition characterized by satisfying all of the following (1) to (4): (1): The total content of the edible and inedible parts of mushrooms, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 10% by mass or more; (2): The content of dietary fiber, calculated on a dry mass basis, is 2.0% by mass or more; and (3): The content of 5'-guanylic acid, calculated on a dry mass basis (A １ ) the content of 5'-adenylic acid in terms of dry mass (A ２ ) ratio (A ２ / A １ (4): The content of 5'-inosinic acid in terms of dry mass (A ３ ) is 0.03 mass% or more 21. The food composition according to claim 20, wherein the L-glutamic acid content is 0.1% by mass or more calculated on a dry mass basis.

22. A food composition according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the ribose content is less than 1.5% by mass in terms of dry mass.

23. A food composition according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the content of 1-octen-3-ol calculated on a dry mass basis is 0.0050 ppb or more.

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