Method for producing solid molded body and use thereof

Abstract

The problem addressed by this invention is to provide a method for producing a solid molded body excellent in transportation aptitude and solubility, and use thereof. Said problem is solved by a method for producing a solid molded body, the method comprising: a granulation step for granulating a composition containing a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b); and a molding step for molding a granulated product obtained in the granulation step, wherein the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 1-50 mass% with respect to the total amount of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) contains one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin.

Description

Method for producing solid molding and use thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a solid molded body and its use.

[0002] Conventionally, techniques for forming powdered foods (e.g., protein powders) into solid forms to produce solid compacts have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for granulating powdered foods containing vegetable proteins or animal proteins as nutritional components. Patent Document 2 discloses a tablet containing a dairy product and a sugar alcohol, with a protein content of 5 to 38% by weight, wherein the protein content of the dairy product is more than 15% by weight and not more than 90% by weight. Patent Document 3 discloses a granulation method using lactose.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-154527 Japanese Patent No. 4963903 Japanese Patent No. 6704531

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

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, one aspect of the present invention aims to provide a method for producing a solid molded product having excellent transportability and solubility, and use thereof.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a solid molded body, comprising: a granulation step of granulating a composition containing a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b); and a molding step of molding the granulated product obtained in the granulation step, wherein the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 1% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total amount of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, another aspect of the present invention is a composition for producing a solid shaped product comprising a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein relative to the total mass of the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass, the amount of the carbohydrate (b) relative to the total mass of the composition is 1% by mass to 50% by mass, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin, and the solid shaped product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (1): －０．１５５ｘ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the porosity of the solid molded body before the curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body before the curing treatment).

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing a solid molded product having excellent transportability and solubility, and use thereof.

[0009] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a fluidized bed granulation apparatus used in the fluidized bed granulation step in a method for producing a solid molded body according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a graph plotting the hardness and porosity before hardening treatment for the solid molded bodies obtained in Examples 1 to 7, 9, and 10 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7, 9, and 10. It is a graph plotting the time τ90 (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded bodies to dissolve after hardening treatment and the hardness after hardening treatment for the solid molded bodies obtained in Examples 1 to 7.

[0010] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention is not limited to the respective configurations described below, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, embodiments or examples obtained by combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments or examples are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment. All academic literature and patent documents described in this specification are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified in this specification, the term "A to B" representing a numerical range means "greater than or equal to A (including and greater than A) and less than or equal to B (including and less than B)."

[0011] [1. Technical Concept of the Present Invention] Protein-containing foods are generally available in powder form (commonly referred to as "protein powder" or the like). However, such powdered foods have a high porosity (approximately 55-65%) due to their powdery nature. Furthermore, when filling a product, headspace must be secured for a measuring spoon, and the headspace increases due to compaction during transportation. When the volume of the voids and headspace is added up, the storage space required is approximately 1.88 to 2.1 times the volume of the powder itself. This has led to the problem of high storage and transportation costs for powdered foods. Given the demand for a sustainable society, reducing the volume of transported goods and reducing transportation frequency is an extremely important social issue.

[0012] As a means of solving these problems, a technology has been proposed in which powdered foods are molded (solidified) into solid compacts. If powdered foods can be molded into solid compacts, the porosity can be significantly reduced, thereby significantly reducing storage and transportation costs, making this a very useful solution for creating a sustainable society. Furthermore, while powdered foods generally need to be stored in plastic containers, solid compacts can be stored in non-plastic containers, which could have social value from the perspective of eliminating plastic. Furthermore, since there is no need to measure the food each time it is used, this could also contribute to improved usability.

[0013] On the other hand, as described above, solid shaped products are required to have transportability, i.e., fracture resistance so as not to be broken or crumbled during transportation or carrying, and solubility so that they dissolve quickly when used. However, foods containing proteins in particular tend to have significantly reduced solubility in water. Therefore, although solid shaped products may have various advantages over powder forms as described above, conventional techniques have not been able to provide solid shaped products containing proteins that have both sufficient transportability and solubility.

[0014] In view of these circumstances, the inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research to provide a protein-containing solid shaped product that has both sufficient transportability and solubility. As a result, they have found that a production method in which a composition containing a protein-containing food and a specific amount of a specific carbohydrate is granulated and the resulting granules are molded can provide a protein-containing solid shaped product that has both sufficient transportability and solubility, thereby completing the present invention.

[0015] The present solid molding that satisfies the conflicting market needs of excellent transportability, excellent solubility, and high protein content, as well as the present production method that can provide such a solid molding, were not previously known and can be said to be a surprising discovery.

[0016] 2. Method for Producing a Solid Molded Product The method for producing a solid molded product according to this embodiment (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the present production method) comprises a granulation step of granulating a composition containing a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b), and a molding step of molding the granulated product obtained in the granulation step, wherein the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 1% by mass to 50% by mass of the total amount of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin. This production method has the effect of producing a solid molded product with excellent transportability and solubility.

[0017] The various components of the composition used in this production method (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the present composition) will be described later. First, the various steps of this production method will be described.

[0018] (Granulation step) In the granulation step, the present composition is granulated. This granulation step turns the present composition into a granulated product. Any conventionally known method can be used to granulate the composition as long as it achieves the effects of the present manufacturing method. For example, the granulation method can be a dry granulation method in which a powder of a composition containing food (a) and carbohydrate (b) is compressed or melted in a dry state and then crushed to form granules, or a wet granulation method in which a solution of carbohydrate (b) is added to food (a) as a binder to form granules. In the present manufacturing method, the present composition is preferably granulated by a wet granulation method.

[0019] Examples of wet granulation methods that can be used in the granulation step include extrusion granulation, stirring granulation, fluidized bed granulation, and tumbling granulation. Among these granulation methods, a preferred embodiment is one in which the present composition is granulated by fluidized bed granulation. That is, in this production method, the granulation step preferably includes a fluidized bed granulation step in which the food (a) is granulated in a fluidized bed with the carbohydrate (b). Granules obtained by fluidized bed granulation generally have many pores, resulting in excellent solubility. Therefore, the fluidized bed granulation step can produce a solid molded product with excellent solubility.

[0020] The fluidized bed granulation method involves forming a fluidized powder mass (fluidized bed) of food (a) using an air flow, and then (I) supplying an aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) as a binder to the fluidized powder mass to agglomerate and granulate the food (a), or (II) supplying an aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) as a coating liquid to perform coating and granulation. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a fluidized bed granulation apparatus used in the fluidized bed granulation process. As shown in Figure 1, the fluidized bed granulation apparatus 10 includes a bottomed tubular portion 1 into which the food (a) is inserted. The bottomed tubular portion 1 includes a cylindrical main body 2, an agitating blade 3, and a slitted rotating disk 4. The cylindrical main body 2 forms the side wall of the bottomed tubular portion 1. The agitating blade 3 agitates the food (b) inserted into the bottomed tubular portion 1. The slitted rotating disk 4 forms the bottom surface of the bottomed tubular portion 1 and is provided with ventilation slits. A gap is formed between the cylindrical body 2 and the outer periphery of the slitted rotating disk 4. Within the bottomed cylindrical portion 1, air flows through the gap and the slits in the slitted rotating disk 4 to the top of the bottomed cylindrical portion 1 and is supplied to the powder of food (a). This forms a fluidized bed of the powder of food (a). In the fluidized bed granulation apparatus 10, an aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) is sprayed onto the fluidized bed of food (a) thus formed. This causes the food (a) to agglomerate via the carbohydrate (b) to form a granulated product.

[0021] In the fluidized bed granulation apparatus 10, the powder of food (a) is fluidized as described above, tumbles due to the rotation of the slitted rotating disk 4, and is further agitated by the agitating blades 3. In the fluidized bed granulation apparatus 10, the aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) is sprayed onto the powder of food (a) in such a tumbling and agitated state. Therefore, in the fluidized bed granulation apparatus 10, the powder of food (a) is subjected to tumbling granulation or agitation granulation in addition to fluidized bed granulation.

[0022] In the configuration shown in Fig. 1, the granules produced by fluidized bed granulation are in a form in which food (a) is aggregated via carbohydrate (b) (sometimes referred to as an aggregated form). However, the granules produced by the fluidized bed granulation process are not limited to the aggregated form shown in Fig. 1, and may be in a form in which carbohydrate (b) is coated on powder of food (a) (sometimes referred to as a coated form). However, from the viewpoint of solubility, the granules are preferably in an aggregated form.

[0023] The fluidized bed granulation apparatus used in the fluidized bed granulation step is not limited to the configuration shown in Fig. 1, and any conventionally known apparatus can be used as long as it is capable of fluidized bed granulation of the food (a). An example of such a fluidized bed granulation apparatus is the "Agromaster (registered trademark) AGM-PJ" manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation.

[0024] In addition, in the above-mentioned fluidized bed granulation process, the composition of the aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) sprayed onto the powder of food (a), the amount of the aqueous solution sprayed onto the powder of food (a), and the amount of the powder of food (a) charged can be appropriately set based on the condition that the carbohydrate (b) is 1% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total amount of the composition.

[0025] For example, the following conditions (1) or (2) can be mentioned: (1) the aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) is 30% by mass; the amount of the aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) sprayed is 417 g; the amount of powder of food (a) charged is 500 g, (2) the aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) is 60% by mass; the amount of the aqueous solution of carbohydrate (b) sprayed is 208 g; the amount of powder of food (a) charged is 500 g.

[0026] In addition, in the fluidized bed granulation step, various conditions such as the spray rate of the aqueous solution of saccharide (b), the temperature of the supplied air, the exhaust temperature, and the amount of air supplied can be appropriately set depending on the type and amount of each component of the composition.

[0027] In the above-described fluidized bed granulation process, the solvent for the saccharide (b) was water. However, the solvent for the saccharide (b) is not limited to water, and examples thereof include solvents acceptable for pharmaceuticals and foods, such as ethanol. When the solvent for the saccharide (b) is ethanol, the concentration of the aqueous ethanol solution as the solvent is preferably 10% to 30%.

[0028] The particle size of the granules produced in the granulation step is preferably 100 μm to 1000 μm, and more preferably 100 μm to 500 μm. Having the particle size of the granules within the above range achieves both transport suitability and solubility. The particle size of the granules can be appropriately set depending on the various settings of the granulation device used in the granulation step and the types and amounts of each component of the composition.

[0029] (Molding Step) In the molding step, the granules obtained in the granulation step are molded. This molding step can provide a solid molded product with superior hardness and can also prevent the molded granules from losing their shape in subsequent steps (e.g., heating / humidifying step, drying step, etc.).

[0030] In the molding step, the method for molding the granules is not particularly limited, and any conventionally known molding method can be used. In this method, molding is preferably performed using a compression molding machine because it is easy to control the molding strength and the size of the resulting granule molded product. As the compression molding machine to be used, any conventionally known molding machine can be used, but a tablet press is preferred from the viewpoint of productivity.

[0031] The molding pressure (also referred to as molding load or tableting strength) in the molding step is not particularly limited as long as it is a molding pressure that provides a hardness that can prevent the resulting granules from being broken or chipped in subsequent steps and from losing their shape in subsequent steps. The hardness of the granules can also be said to be the hardness of the solid molded product according to this embodiment before the curing treatment. Specifically, the hardness is 3N to 100N, preferably 5N to 20N.

[0032] The thickness of the granulated product obtained in the molding process correlates with the porosity of the granulated product. The thicker the granulated product obtained by molding an equivalent amount of composition, the higher the porosity of the granulated product. Therefore, from the perspective of providing a solid molded product with high porosity, it is preferable to mold the granulated product in the molding process so that the thickness of the resulting granulated product is as large as possible. However, if the molding pressure is reduced to increase the thickness of the resulting granulated product, the strength of the resulting granulated product also decreases. In other words, in conventional techniques, there is a trade-off between the thickness and hardness of the resulting molded product, making it difficult to obtain a molded product that satisfies both thickness and hardness. On the other hand, the present production method, which involves a granulation process prior to the molding process, can provide a granulated product with sufficient hardness even when molding is performed at a relatively low molding pressure to increase the thickness of the resulting granulated product. Therefore, it is possible to provide a molded article having a large thickness, in other words, a high porosity, and in turn a solid molded article having a high porosity and excellent solubility.

[0033] In the molding step, the molding pressure is preferably 100 N to 3500 N, and more preferably 200 N to 1000 N. If the molding pressure is within the above range, a molded granule product having a sufficient hardness of 5 N or more can be obtained.

[0034] (Heating and Moisturizing Step) The present production method preferably includes a heating and humidifying step in which the granulated product obtained in the molding step is heated and humidified. By carrying out the heating and humidifying step, some of the granules of the present composition present on the surface of the granulated product become liquid or gel-like and crosslink with each other. As a result, a strong structure consisting of the present composition can be formed on the surface of the heated and humidified product. As a result, the strength of the obtained solid molded product can be improved, and a solid molded product with better transportability can be provided.

[0035] In the heating and humidifying step, the method for humidifying the granules while heating is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method of leaving the granules in a high-temperature and humid environment, a method of directly spraying water or the like onto the granules in a high-temperature environment, a method of blowing steam onto the granules in a high-temperature environment, etc. The humidifying method is also not particularly limited, and any method such as a continuous method or a batch method may be used.

[0036] When the method of leaving the granulated product in a high-temperature and high-humidity environment is adopted, the humidity of the environment is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 60% RH to 100% RH, preferably 70% RH to 100% RH, and more preferably 80% RH to 100% RH. The temperature of the environment is also not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 50°C to 100°C, preferably 60°C to 100°C, and more preferably 70°C to 100°C.

[0037] In the heating and humidifying step, the longer the time for which the granules are heated and humidified (heating and humidifying time), the more likely it is that the hardness of the resulting heated and humidified product, and ultimately the resulting solid molded body, will be improved. Therefore, from the viewpoint of hardness, a longer heating and humidifying time is preferable. On the other hand, the longer the heating and humidifying time, the lower the production efficiency of the solid molded body will be, so from the viewpoint of productivity, a shorter heating and humidifying time is preferable.

[0038] In this manufacturing method, the granulated product is formed by molding the granulated material obtained in the granulation process. The carbohydrate (b) is evenly distributed relative to the food (a) on the surface of this granulated product. In contrast, the conventional molded product is formed by simply mixing the food (a) and the carbohydrate (b) without the granulation process. Therefore, the surface of the conventional molded product has a biased distribution of the carbohydrate (b) relative to the food (a) compared to the granulated product. Therefore, when the conventional molded product is subjected to the heating and humidifying process, the biased distribution of the carbohydrate (b) relative to the food (a) requires time for the particles of the composition to be evenly cross-linked on the surface, which tends to increase the heating and humidifying time. In contrast, in the granulated product produced by this manufacturing method, the carbohydrate (b) is evenly distributed relative to the food (a), so even if the heating and humidifying time is shortened, the granulated material is evenly cross-linked on the surface, resulting in a solid molded product with sufficient strength.

[0039] In the present production method, from the viewpoint of achieving both excellent hardness and productivity, the heating and humidifying time in the heating and humidifying step is preferably 10 to 90 seconds, more preferably 10 to 60 seconds, and even more preferably 10 to 45 seconds.

[0040] (Drying Step) The present production method preferably includes a drying step in which the heated and humidified molded article obtained in the heating and humidifying step is dried. By carrying out the drying step, it is possible to remove stickiness (tackiness) from the liquid or gel-like structure formed on the surface of the heated and humidified molded article in the heating and humidifying step, and as a result, it is possible to provide a solid molded article that has a strong structure made of the present cross-linked composition and is easy to handle. This series of operations consisting of the heating and humidifying step and the drying step is sometimes referred to as the humidification and curing step.

[0041] In the drying step, the method for drying the heated and humidified molded product is not particularly limited, but examples include a method in which the heated and humidified molded product is left standing in a low-humidity and high-temperature environment, a method in which the heated and humidified molded product is dried using a dryer, and a method in which hot air is blown onto the heated and humidified molded product (hot air drying).

[0042] In the drying step, the temperature at which the heated and humidified molded product is dried (drying temperature) is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 20 to 90°C, preferably 30 to 80°C, and more preferably 40 to 70°C.

[0043] In this production method, the hardness of the solid molded body obtained through the heating / humidifying step and the drying step (the hardness of this molded body after curing treatment) is preferably 10 N or more, more preferably 15 N or more, and even more preferably 25 N or more, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded body with better transportability. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of solubility, the hardness of the solid molded body is preferably 30 N or less. That is, from the viewpoint of achieving both transportability and solubility, the hardness of the solid molded body is preferably 10 N to 30 N, more preferably 20 N to 30 N, and even more preferably 25 N to 30 N.

[0044] [3. Composition] The composition according to this embodiment is a composition for producing a solid shaped product containing a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the carbohydrate (b) relative to the total mass of the composition is 1% by mass to 50% by mass, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin. Molding using the composition according to this embodiment can provide a solid shaped product containing a protein that has both sufficient transportability and solubility. The composition according to this embodiment is preferably used in the above-described present production method. Hereinafter, the composition according to this embodiment will be described as the composition used in this production method (the present composition).

[0045] Each of the components that may be included in the composition is described in detail below.

[0046] (Food (a)) Food (a) contains protein. Food (a) is preferably a protein food containing 50% to 90% by mass of protein relative to the total amount of the composition. With the present composition, a solid shaped product containing protein that has sufficient transportability and solubility can be obtained for food (a) with such a high protein content. Food (a) may be a protein composition consisting of one or more types of protein.

[0047] The protein contained in the food (a) may be a known protein, preferably a powdered protein, and may be an animal protein, a vegetable protein, or a combination thereof.

[0048] Examples of animal proteins that can be contained in food (a) include whey protein, casein protein, egg protein, and proteins (derived from) insects such as crickets and silkworms, etc. Among these, it is preferable that food (a) contains whey protein because of its advantages such as excellent suitability for tableting, good taste, and easy availability.

[0049] Examples of vegetable proteins that may be contained in the food (a) include soybean protein, pea protein, wheat protein, corn protein, buckwheat protein, and proteins derived from seaweed and microalgae.

[0050] The protein content in food (a) is 50% to 90% by mass, preferably 60% to 90% by mass, more preferably 70% to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 80% to 90% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. The protein content (content ratio) in the composition corresponds to the protein content (content ratio) in a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition. Therefore, by setting the protein content in the composition within the above range, a solid molded product containing a high amount of protein can be provided. Note that when the composition contains two or more types of proteins, the protein content in the composition refers to the total amount of each protein content.

[0051] (Complete nutritional food) The food (a) may be any food containing protein, and there are no particular limitations on the components other than protein. The food (a) may be a complete nutritional food.

[0052] A complete nutritional food contains, for example, at least 25 or more nutrients other than protein that are listed in the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese people established by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Here, the 25 nutrients include at least calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, iodine, selenium, zinc, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin E6, folic acid, vitamin B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, and dietary fiber. The protein and the 25 or more nutrients contained as ingredients in a complete nutritional food do not exceed the tolerable upper intake levels listed in the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese people established by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

[0053] Furthermore, nutritionally complete foods do not necessarily have to rely on the above standards, i.e., the nutrients and content of nutritionally complete foods may be defined based on values ​​equivalent to the required amounts and upper limits of nutritional standards generally published in other industry standards or guidelines.

[0054] Other industry standards and guidelines include, for example, the US standard (Code of Federal Regulations - Title 21 - Food and Drugs, US Food and Drug Administration (2016)), Canadian standard (Food and Drug Regulations (CRC, c. 870), Government of Canada (2016)), European standard (Regulation (EU) No. 1169 / 2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the European Union (2011)), Australian and New Zealand standard (Food Standards Code, Standard 1.2.8 Nutrition Information Requirements (2016)), Chinese standard (National Food Safety Standard, Standard for nutrition labeling of prepackaged foods, (2013)), and Korean standard (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety: Food Labeling Standards Table 2, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Notification No. 2014-201 (2014) Korea).

[0055] Examples of complete nutritional foods include those disclosed in JP 2019-140952 A and Japanese Patent No. 7297345.

[0056] (Carbohydrate (b)) The present composition contains a carbohydrate (b). The carbohydrate (b) may be a complex carbohydrate composed of one or more types of carbohydrates.

[0057] The content of carbohydrate (b) in the present composition is 1% by mass to 50% by mass, preferably 5% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. By including carbohydrate (b) in the above range, the present composition can provide a solid molded product that contains a large amount of protein while maintaining sufficient transportability and solubility. Note that when the present composition contains two or more types of carbohydrates as carbohydrate (b), the content of carbohydrate (b) in the present composition means the total amount of each carbohydrate.

[0058] In the present composition, the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin. The carbohydrate (b) may comprise only one of these carbohydrates, or may comprise two or more of these carbohydrates.

[0059] When the carbohydrate (b) contains maltose, the content of maltose is not particularly limited as long as it satisfies the above-mentioned range of the content of carbohydrate (b), but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 5% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Furthermore, the volume average particle size of maltose is not particularly limited.

[0060] The type of maltose is not particularly limited, and any type of maltose can be used. The maltose may be in a liquid form, such as liquid maltose.

[0061] When the carbohydrate (b) contains erythritol, the content of erythritol is not particularly limited as long as it satisfies the above-mentioned range of the content of carbohydrate (b), but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 5% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Furthermore, the volume average particle size of erythritol is not particularly limited.

[0062] When the carbohydrate (b) contains trehalose, the content of trehalose is not particularly limited as long as it is within the above-mentioned range of the content of carbohydrate (b), but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 5% to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Furthermore, the volume-average particle size of trehalose is not particularly limited.

[0063] Trehalose may also be porous. The specific surface area of ​​the porous trehalose is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferred that the specific surface area of ​​the porous trehalose be 1 m or more as measured by a gas adsorption method using nitrogen gas. ２ / g or more is preferred.

[0064] The pores in the porous trehalose are not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferable that the pores have a pore volume of 0.1 ml / g or more and show a clear peak at a pore diameter of less than 5 μm in the pore distribution measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry.

[0065] When the carbohydrate (b) contains glucose, the content of glucose is not particularly limited as long as it is within the above-mentioned range of the content of carbohydrate (b), but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 5% to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Furthermore, the volume average particle size of the glucose is not particularly limited.

[0066] When the carbohydrate (b) contains lactose, the content of lactose is not particularly limited as long as it is within the above-mentioned range of the content of carbohydrate (b), but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 5% to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Furthermore, the volume average particle size of lactose is not particularly limited.

[0067] When the carbohydrate (b) contains lactulose, the content of lactulose is not particularly limited as long as it is within the above-mentioned range of the content of carbohydrate (b), but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 5% to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Furthermore, the volume average particle size of lactulose is not particularly limited.

[0068] When the carbohydrate (b) contains dextrin, the content of the dextrin is not particularly limited as long as it is within the above-mentioned range of the content of carbohydrate (b), but from the viewpoint of improving the transportability and solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 5% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 7.5% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Furthermore, the volume average particle size of the dextrin is not particularly limited.

[0069] (Other Components) The present composition may contain components other than the above-mentioned food (a) and carbohydrate (b) (sometimes referred to as "other components"), as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of other components that the present composition may contain include, but are not limited to, antifoaming agents, lipids (oils and fats, etc.), amino acids, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, lubricants (emulsifiers), and other food additives (e.g., sweeteners, acidulants, colorants, etc.). The present composition may contain only one of these other components, or two or more.

[0070] When the composition contains other ingredients, the content of the other ingredients in the composition is not particularly limited as long as the content of food (a) and carbohydrate (b) is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, but is preferably 0.01% to 40% by mass, more preferably 0.1% to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 1% to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Note that when the composition contains multiple types of substances as other ingredients, the content of the other ingredients in the composition refers to the total content of the multiple types of other ingredients.

[0071] Among the other components described above, it is preferable that the composition contains an antifoaming agent as another component, since this can suppress the generation of bubbles when the composition is dissolved in water or the like, thereby further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded product.

[0072] As the defoaming agent that may be contained as another component in the present composition, various defoaming agents for food applications can be used, for example, (poly)glycerin fatty acid esters and the like.

[0073] When the composition contains an antifoaming agent as another component, the content of the antifoaming agent in the composition is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the solubility of the resulting solid molded product, it is preferably 0.01% by mass to 40% by mass, more preferably 0.1% by mass to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 1% by mass to 20% by mass, relative to the total mass (100% by mass) of the composition. Note that when the composition contains multiple types of substances as other components, the content of the other components in the composition refers to the total content of the multiple types of other components.

[0074] (Others) The transportability of a solid molded product obtained by molding the present composition is proportional to the hardness of the solid molded product after curing (the higher the hardness after curing, the better the transportability of the solid molded product), and the solubility is proportional to the porosity (which can also be said as void ratio) of the solid molded product (the higher the porosity, the better the solubility of the solid molded product). Furthermore, the porosity of the solid molded product is proportional to the thickness of the solid molded product (the thicker the solid molded product, the higher the void ratio). Considering this, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product that combines better transportability and solubility, the present composition is preferably a composition in which the solid molded product obtained by curing the present composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≧5600.8e －０．１５５ｘ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the porosity of the solid molded body before the curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body before the curing treatment).

[0075] Generally, when a solid compact is compressed (compressed) under a high load to improve its hardness, the porous structure in the solid compact is compressed and destroyed, resulting in a decrease in the thickness of the solid compact. On the other hand, when a composition satisfies the above formula (1), it means that the composition can maintain a sufficient thickness (i.e., a porous structure) even when compressed under a high load to achieve high strength. In other words, it means that the composition is a composition that can provide a solid compact that combines superior transportability and solubility. In this specification, the hardness of the solid compact (after hardening treatment) is a value measured using a load cell tablet hardness tester (e.g., PC-30 manufactured by Okada Seiko Co., Ltd.).

[0076] The transportability of a solid molded product obtained by molding the present composition is proportional to the hardness of the solid molded product after hardening (the higher the hardness after hardening, the better the transportability of the solid molded product). Therefore, from the viewpoint of providing a solid molded product that has both better transportability and solubility, particularly when the saccharide (b) is maltose or lactulose, the present composition is preferably a composition in which the solid molded product obtained by hardening the present composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≦94.685e ０．０１６８ｖ ...Equation (2) (In equation (2), w represents the time (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve after curing treatment, v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and e represents the base of the natural logarithm (Napier's constant)).

[0077] Furthermore, when the saccharide (b) is maltose, the present composition is preferably a composition in which a solid molded article obtained by hardening the present composition satisfies the following formula (3): w≦27.625e ０．０１９２ｖ ...Equation (3) (In equation (3), w represents the time (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve after curing treatment, v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment, and e represents the base of the natural logarithm (Napier's constant)).

[0078] Generally, the hardness of a solid molded product is negatively correlated with the dissolution time of the solid molded product, and the higher the hardness of the solid molded product after curing treatment, the longer the dissolution time of the solid molded product (i.e., the worse the solubility). On the other hand, if a composition satisfies the above formula (2) or (3), it means that the composition can dissolve in a sufficiently short time despite having excellent hardness. In other words, it means that the composition can provide a solid molded product that has both excellent transportability and solubility.

[0079] The solid molded product in the above formulas (1) to (3) is a solid molded product obtained by compressing 2 g of the present composition into a tablet and curing it to a diameter of 20 mm. Therefore, when determining whether or not a given composition satisfies the above formula (1), formula (2), and / or formula (3), the hardness or dissolution time of a solid molded product obtained by compressing 2 g of the subject composition into a tablet and curing it to a diameter of 20 mm is measured, and the result is used in the calculation of formula (1), formula (2), and / or formula (3).

[0080] The hardness, thickness, and dissolution time of the solid molded body after curing treatment in the above formulas (1), (2), and (3) can be measured by the method described in the Examples. Furthermore, the curing treatment in the above formulas (1), (2), and (3) refers to the above-mentioned heating / humidifying and drying steps. That is, with respect to the above formulas (1), (2), and (3), the solid molded body before curing treatment refers to the granulated product after the molding step and before the heating / humidifying step, and the solid molded body after curing treatment refers to the solid molded body that has undergone the heating / humidifying and drying steps. Therefore, the specific conditions for each step can be appropriately selected from those described in the above section [2. Method for producing solid molded body].

[0081] In the above formula, "hardness" refers to the hardness of a solid molded product obtained by tableting and curing a 2 g weight of the composition to a diameter of 20 mm. For solid molded products whose weight and / or diameter differ from the above conditions, it is not preferable to directly substitute the hardness into the above formula. For solid molded products whose weight and / or diameter differ from the above conditions, whether or not the above formula is satisfied can be determined by converting the hardness into stress. Here, "stress (N / m ２ ")" means the value obtained by dividing the hardness (N) of the solid molded body by the cross-sectional area of ​​the solid molded body.

[0082] [4. Solid Molded Product] In this embodiment, a solid molded product is provided by molding the present composition. Hereinafter, the "solid molded product according to this embodiment" may be referred to as the "present molded product."

[0083] The present molded article is a solid molded article obtained by molding the present composition, and therefore has both excellent transportability and solubility.

[0084] (Composition of the present shaped body) The present shaped body is a solid shaped body obtained by shaping the present composition. Therefore, the components and compositions contained in the present shaped body are the same as those of the present composition. Therefore, the present shaped body can also be expressed as follows: a solid shaped body comprising a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein is 50% by mass to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 1% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the solid shaped body, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin, and satisfies the following formula (1): y≧5600.8e －０．１５５ｘ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the porosity of the solid molded body before the curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body before the curing treatment).

[0085] For the reasons stated above, the specific aspects of each component contained in the present molded product will be omitted in this section, and the descriptions in the above section [3. Composition] will be used as appropriate.

[0086] (Transportation Suitability) The present compact is a solid compact with excellent transport suitability. The transport suitability of a solid compact is an index of the quality that the solid compact should have during transportation. The transport suitability of a solid compact can be broadly divided into suitability for transportation during production and suitability for transportation after curing treatment. First, a problem that arises during transportation during production is that the solid compact may be broken or chipped during transport on a conveyor or robot hand after tableting is completed and before the curing treatment. This problem can be solved by improving the hardness (N) of the compact (compressed product) before curing treatment. In other words, the suitability of a solid compact for transportation during production can be evaluated based on the hardness (N) of the compact (compressed product) before curing treatment or the stress (N / m), which is the value obtained by dividing the hardness (N) of the solid compact by the cross-sectional area of ​​the solid compact. ２) can be evaluated. Secondly, a problem that arises during transportation after curing treatment is that breakage, cracking, and chipping occur when dropped. This problem can be solved by improving the drop strength of the solid molded body after curing treatment. In other words, the suitability of a solid molded body for transportation after curing treatment can be evaluated by the drop strength of the solid molded body.

[0087] In this specification, the term "solid molded product having excellent transportability" refers to a solid molded product that has excellent transportability after at least a curing treatment, among the two types of transportability described above. That is, the present molded product is a solid molded product having excellent transportability after a curing treatment, and preferably has excellent transportability both during production and after a curing treatment.

[0088] In this specification, the transportability of a solid molding (suitability for transport after curing treatment) can be evaluated by a drop strength test using the following methods (1) to (3): (1) Five samples of a solid molding produced under specified conditions (specifically, conditions described in the Examples) are prepared, and each sample is dropped one by one from a height of 80 cm onto a 10 mm thick SUS304 plate; (2) The number of times that the sample does not crack out of a total of five drops is counted; (3) A solid molding that does not crack out in three or more drops is evaluated as having excellent transportability (suitability for transport after curing treatment).

[0089] The present solid molded product, which is obtained by granulating a composition containing a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b) and molding the resulting granules, exhibits the effect of superior drop strength compared to a solid molded product obtained by molding a composition in which the protein-containing food (a) and the carbohydrate (b) are simply mixed. This effect is also exhibited when any one selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin is used as the carbohydrate (b).

[0090] (Solubility) The present molded product is a solid molded product with excellent solubility. In this specification, the solubility of the solid molded product can be evaluated by the following method: (1) A sample of the solid molded product prepared under predetermined conditions (specifically, the conditions described in the Examples) is placed in a rotating basket with an inner diameter of 30 mm and a height of 30 mm, and with 2.0 mm diameter holes equally spaced on the top, bottom, and wall surfaces; (2) The rotating basket containing the sample and 900 ml of ion-exchanged water (within an error of 10 mL) are placed in a round-bottom flask, and the liquid temperature is kept at 25.0 ° C. (within an error of 1 ° C.), and the rotating basket containing the sample is rotated at a rotation speed of 300 ± 3 rpm. During rotation, the electrical conductivity of the solution (ion-exchanged water) is measured every second; (3) the electrical conductivity at each time is normalized to the value when no sample remains in the rotating basket; (4) the solubility of the solid molding at each time is calculated from the normalized results, and the solubility of the solid molding is evaluated based on the relationship between the calculated solubility and the rotation time. Specifically, in the above method, a solid molding that takes less than 350 seconds to reach a solubility of 95% (for 95% of the solid molding to dissolve) is evaluated as having excellent solubility.

[0091] The fact that a solid molded body has excellent solubility (i.e., that the solid molded body satisfies the above criteria) means that the solid molded body not only dissolves easily in a relatively high temperature liquid (85°C) that dissolves powdered milk, but also dissolves quickly in water and various liquids that use water as a solvent (particularly milk, soft drinks, coffee, etc.) at a relatively low temperature (about 5 to 40°C) at which solid molded bodies are generally considered difficult to dissolve. In other words, it means that the solid molded body is suitable for everyday use (taking).

[0092] (Uses of solid molded body) The present molded body can be suitably used as a food for daily intake, more specifically, as a luxury item such as confectionery, a health food, a health supplement, a health functional food, a food for specified health uses, a nutrient functional food, a supplement, or a food with functional claims.

[0093] 5. Summary An embodiment of the present invention may include the following configuration.

[0094] [1] A method for producing a solid molded body, comprising: a granulation step of granulating a composition containing a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b); and a molding step of molding the granules obtained in the granulation step, wherein the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 1% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total amount of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin.

[0095] [2] The method for producing a solid molded body according to [1], wherein the food (a) is a protein food containing 50% by mass to 90% by mass of protein relative to the total amount of the composition.

[0096] [3] The method for producing a solid molded body according to [1] or [2], wherein the granulation step includes a fluidized bed granulation step of fluidizing the food (a) with the carbohydrate (b).

[0097] [4] The method for producing a solid molded product according to any one of [1] to [3], further comprising a heating and humidifying step of heating and humidifying the granulated product obtained in the molding step, and a drying step of drying the heated and humidified molded product obtained in the heating and humidifying step.

[0098] [5] A composition for producing a solid shaped product comprising a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein relative to the total mass of the composition is 50% by mass to 90% by mass, the amount of the carbohydrate (b) relative to the total mass of the composition is 1% by mass to 50% by mass, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin, and the solid shaped product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≧5600.8e －０．１５５ｘ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the porosity of the solid molded body before the curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body before the curing treatment).

[0099] [6] The composition of [5], wherein the saccharide (b) is maltose or lactulose, and a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≦94.685e０．０１６８ｖ ...Equation (2) (In equation (2), w represents the time (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment).

[0100] [7] The composition of [5], wherein the saccharide (b) is maltose, and a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (3): w≦27.625e ０．０１９２ｖ ...Equation (3) (In equation (2), w represents the time (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment).

[0101] [8] A solid molded product obtained by molding the composition according to any one of [5] to [7].

[0102] The present invention will now be described in more detail based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0103] Examples 1 to 11, Comparative Examples 1 to 11 (Materials of the Composition) Details of the types of materials used are as follows. Ingredients Food (a) a-1: Whey protein powder ("WPC392" manufactured by Fonterra Japan Co., Ltd.) a-2: Complete nutritional food ("Black Edition" manufactured by Huel) a-3: Pea protein powder ("TRUPRO2000" manufactured by Danisco Japan Co., Ltd.) a-4: Soy protein powder ("SUPRO661 (registered trademark)" manufactured by DuPont Co., Ltd.) a-5: Complete nutritional food (manufactured by COMP Co., Ltd., product name "COMP Powder TB Plain [400kcal] v.6.0") Carbohydrates (b) b-1: Maltose (manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd., product name "Sunmalto (registered trademark) Midori") b-2: Trehalose (manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd., product name "Treha (registered trademark)") b-3: Erythritol (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, product name "Erythritol") b-4: Glucose (manufactured by Hayashibara Co., Ltd., product name "Gold Sugar (registered trademark)") b-5: Lactose (Glanbia Nutritions, trade name "Glanbia Lactose") b-6: Lactulose (Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., trade name "Milk Oligosaccharide MLC (registered trademark)-97") b-7: Dextrin (Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., trade name "TK-16").

[0104] In addition, the food (a-1) may contain trace amounts of impurities in addition to proteins, but in this specification, the amount (content) of the protein powder used including the impurities is considered to be the protein content in the composition.

[0105] The proportions of each material are as shown in Table 1.

[0106] (Examples 1 to 11) According to the compositions shown in Table 2, aqueous solutions b1 to b7 (30% by mass) of carbohydrates (b-1) to (b-7) were prepared for Examples 1 to 11, respectively.

[0107] In each of Examples 1 to 11, one of the aqueous solutions b1 to b7 was sprayed onto one of the foods (a-1) to (a-5) using a fluidized bed granulator (AGM-2-PJ, manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation), and fluidized bed granulation of the composition was carried out (granulation step). In Examples 1 to 11, the spray amounts of the aqueous solutions b1 to b7 of carbohydrate (b), the amount of carbohydrate (b) in the sprayed aqueous solutions b1 to b7, and the amount of one of the foods (a-1) to (a-5) charged were the same and are shown in Table 2. The granulation step was carried out using tumbling fluidized bed granulation, which combines fluidized bed granulation and tumbling granulation.

[0108] The resulting granules were compressed under low pressure using a single-shot compression molding machine (TabFlex, Okada Seiko) to obtain a circular, flat compact with a mass of 2.0 g and a diameter of 20 mm. This compact was then heated and humidified in a small environmental testing machine, and immediately dried by heating to produce a solid compact.

[0109] (Comparative Examples 1 to 11) The materials shown in Table 1 were mixed in the types and ratios to obtain powdered mixed compositions. The obtained compositions were compression-molded at low pressure using a single-shot compression molding machine (TabFlex, Okada Seiko) to obtain circular, flat molded bodies with a mass of 2.0 g and a diameter of 20 mm. These molded bodies were then heated and humidified in a small environmental testing machine, and immediately dried by heating to produce solid molded bodies.

[0110] The granules obtained in Examples 1 to 11 and solid compacts obtained by molding the granules, and the compositions obtained in Comparative Examples 1 to 11 and solid compacts obtained by molding the compositions were measured or evaluated for tableting characteristics, humidification hardening characteristics, and solubility.

[0111] The granules obtained in Examples 1 to 11 are referred to as Granules 1 to 11, respectively, and the solid molded bodies obtained by molding these Granules 1 to 11 are referred to as Granulated Solid Molded Bodies 1 to 11, respectively. The compositions obtained in Comparative Examples 1 to 11 are referred to as Comparative Compositions 1 to 11, respectively, and the solid molded bodies obtained by molding these Comparative Compositions 1 to 11 are referred to as Comparative Solid Molded Bodies 1 to 11, respectively.

[0112] (Tableting characteristics) Granules 1 to 7, 9, and 10, and Comparative Compositions 1 to 7, 9, and 10 were each weighed out in an amount of 2.000 g, and compressed into cylindrical tablets with a diameter of 2.0 cm using a tableting machine at the tableting strength shown in Table 3, to obtain compressed tablets. The hardness, thickness, and porosity of the obtained compressed tablets were measured. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0113] For the measurement of porosity, first, a helium gas displacement type true density meter Ultrapycnometer 1000 (formerly Quantachrome Instruments, now Anton Paar) was used to measure the true density of Granules 1 to 7, 9, and 10 and Comparative Compositions 1 to 7, 9, and 10. The measurement was carried out 10 times for each sample, and the average of the 10 measurements was calculated as the true density.

[0114] The porosity was calculated from the measured true density according to the following formula.

[0115] Similarly, for each of Granules 8 and 11 and Comparative Compositions 8 and 11, tablets were obtained in the same manner as above at the tableting strength shown in Table 4. The hardness of the obtained tablets was measured. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0116] As is clear from Table 3, the tablets obtained by compressing Granules 1 to 7, 9, and 10, which satisfy the requirements of the present composition, have excellent hardness even when compressed at a lower compression force, compared to the tablets obtained by compressing Comparative Compositions 1 to 7, 9, and 10. For example, for all of Granules 1 to 7, 9, and 10, the hardness of the resulting compressed tablets is well above 10 N when the compression force is 2 kN or more. On the other hand, for all of Comparative Compositions 1 to 7, 9, and 10, the hardness of the resulting compressed tablets does not exceed 10 N even when the compression force is 6.5 kN. Furthermore, for example, a comparison of the results of Granule 1 compressed at a compression force of 0.25 kN with the results of Comparative Composition 1 compressed at a compression force of 3.5 kN shows that tablets with a similar hardness can be obtained that are thicker. In other words, it was shown that by granulating the present composition and compressing it into tablets, it is possible to provide a solid molded product with excellent transportability and solubility, and a tablet product with excellent thickness and hardness can be obtained.

[0117] Furthermore, Fig. 2 is a graph plotting the porosity (before hardening treatment) and hardness (before hardening treatment) shown in Table 3 for granulated solid compacts 1 to 7, 9, and 10 and comparative solid compacts 1 to 7, 9, and 10. As shown in Fig. 2, it was found that granulated solid compacts 1 to 7, 9, and 10 of Examples 1 to 7, 9, and 10 satisfy the following formula (1), while comparative solid compacts 1 to 7, 9, and 10 of Comparative Examples 1 to 7, 9, and 10 do not satisfy the following formula (1).

[0118] y≧5600.8e －０．１５５ｘ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the porosity of the solid molded body before the curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body before the curing treatment).

[0119] Furthermore, as is clear from Table 4, when food (a-2), which is a complete nutritional food, is used, the tableted product obtained by tableting granules 8 satisfying the requirements of the present composition is superior in hardness, even when tableted with a lower tableting force, compared to the tableted product obtained by tableting comparative composition 8. In Table 4, "error" means that the hardness is below the lower measurement limit of the load cell tablet hardness tester PC-30. It was also shown that the same effect was observed when food (a-5), which is a complete nutritional food, was used.

[0120] (Humidity Hardening Characteristics) Using the method described in the above section (Tableting Characteristics), each of Granules 1 to 7 and Comparative Compositions 1 to 7 was compressed at a tableting force to give a hardness of 5.00 N to obtain compressed tablets with a hardness of 5.00 N. The obtained compressed tablets were allowed to stand in a thermostatic chamber at a humidity of 95% RH and a temperature of 80°C for the respective times (humidification times) shown in Table 5 to be humidified, thereby obtaining humidified compressed tablets. The hardness of the obtained humidified compressed products was measured. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0121] Similarly, Granulated Product 8 or Comparative Composition 8 was compressed to a tableting force of 5.00 N using the method described in the above section (Tableting Properties) to obtain compressed tablets with a hardness of 5.00 N. The obtained compressed tablets were allowed to stand in a thermostatic chamber at a humidity of 95% RH and a temperature of 80°C for the respective times (humidification times) shown in Table 6 to be humidified, thereby obtaining humidified compressed tablets. The hardness of the obtained humidified compressed products was measured. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0122] As is clear from Table 5, the humidified tableted products derived from granules 1 to 7 that satisfy the requirements of the present composition can achieve significantly higher hardness in a shorter time than the humidified tableted products derived from comparative compositions 1 to 7. In other words, it was shown that by further humidifying the tableted products obtained by compressing granules 1 to 7, humidified tableted products with excellent hardness that can provide solid molded products with excellent transportability can be efficiently provided.

[0123] Furthermore, as is clear from Table 6, it was shown that the same effect was observed even when the nutritionally complete foods (a-2) or (a-5) were used.

[0124] (Solubility) Granules 1 and 6, and Comparative Compositions 1 and 6 were each tableted at a tableting strength of 3.000 g (within a tolerance of 0.001 g) using a tablet press to obtain a tablet having a hardness of 5.0 N (molding step). The obtained tablet was then placed in a constant temperature bath at 95% RH and 80°C for 15 to 90 seconds to humidify the tablet, thereby obtaining a humidified tablet (heating and humidifying step). The obtained heated and humidified tablet was then placed in a dryer at 60°C and dried for 10 minutes to obtain a solid molded product having the hardness shown in Table 5 (drying step).

[0125] The solubility of each solid molding was evaluated using the following method: (1) A sample of the solid molding was placed in a rotating basket with an inner diameter of 30 mm, a height of 30 mm, and 2.0 mm diameter holes equally spaced on the top, bottom, and sides; (2) The rotating basket containing the sample and 900 mL of ion-exchanged water (within a 10 mL tolerance) were placed in a round-bottom flask. The liquid temperature was maintained at 25.0°C (within a 1°C tolerance), and the rotating basket containing the sample was rotated at 300 ± 3 rpm. During rotation, the electrical conductivity of the solution (ion-exchanged water) was measured every second; (3) The electrical conductivity at each time point was normalized to the value when no sample remained in the rotating basket; (4) The solubility of the solid molding at each time point was calculated from the normalized results, and the solubility of the solid molding was evaluated based on the relationship between the calculated solubility and the rotation time using the following criteria. The solubility evaluation results are shown in Table 7. Here, the electrical conductivity was normalized according to the following formula: normalized electronegativity of a sample at a certain time (t) = electronegativity of a sample at a certain time (t) [μS / cm] / time when the sample is not left in the rotating basket (t) ２ ) electronegativity [μS / cm].

[0126] Evaluation criteria for solubility The time τ90 required for the solubility to reach 90% (for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve) is shorter than 200 seconds: excellent solubility. The time τ90 required for the solubility to reach 90% (for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve) is 200 seconds or more: poor solubility. The solubility after 500 seconds of rotation is less than 5%: insoluble ((solid molded body hardly or not at all soluble in water) (poorly soluble)).

[0127] In this specification, the term "dissolution time of the solid molded product (after hardening treatment)" refers to the time required for 100% of the solid molded product to dissolve when the above-mentioned operations (1) to (4) are carried out on a solid molded product obtained by tableting 2 g of the composition to a diameter of 20 mm and hardening the same procedure as the above-mentioned operations.

[0128] As is clear from Table 7, the solid compacts obtained by molding comparative compositions 1 and 6 were poorly soluble in water. On the other hand, it can be seen that the solid compacts obtained by molding granules 1 and 6 at a hardness of 50 N are solid compacts with excellent solubility. Furthermore, the solid compact obtained by molding granule 1 at a hardness of 100 N was excellent in solubility, while the solid compact obtained by molding granule 6 at a hardness of 10 N did not show detectable τ90. These results demonstrate that molding granules 1 and 6 can provide solid compacts with excellent solubility.

[0129] The time τ90 (seconds) required for 90% of the granulated solid compacts to dissolve after the curing treatment and the hardness after the curing treatment were also measured for granulated solid compacts 1 to 7 using the same method as described above. Figure 3 is a graph plotting the time τ90 (seconds) required for 90% of the granulated solid compacts to dissolve after the curing treatment and the hardness after the curing treatment. As shown in Figure 3, it was found that granulated solid compacts 1 and 6 satisfy the following formula (2), while granulated solid compacts 2 to 5 and 7 do not satisfy the following formula (2). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, it was found that granulated solid compact 1 satisfies the following formula (3), while granulated solid compacts 2 to 7 do not satisfy the following formula (3).

[0130] w≦94.685e ０．０１６８ｖ ...Formula (2) w≦27.625e ０．０１９２ｖ...Equation (3) (In equations (2) and (3), w represents the time (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment).

[0131] The above results demonstrate that the solid molding obtained by molding the composition of the present invention is a protein-containing solid molding that is excellent in transportability and solubility.

[0132] The solid shaped product of the present invention can be suitably used in the food industry and the like as a solid shaped product that contains a protein and has excellent transportability and solubility.

[0133] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Bottomed cylindrical portion 2 Cylindrical body 3 Stirring blade 4 Rotating disk 10 Fluidized bed granulator

Claims

1. A method for producing a solid molded product, comprising: a granulation step of granulating a composition containing a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b); and a molding step of molding the granules obtained in the granulation step, wherein the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 1% by mass to 50% by mass relative to the total amount of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin.

2. The method for producing a solid molded body according to claim 1, wherein the food (a) is a protein food containing 50% by mass to 90% by mass of protein relative to the total amount of the composition.

3. The method for producing a solid molded body according to claim 1, wherein the granulation step includes a fluidized bed granulation step of granulating the food (a) with the carbohydrate (b) in a fluidized bed.

4. The method for producing a solid molded product according to claim 1, further comprising a heating and humidifying step of heating and humidifying the granulated product obtained in the molding step, and a drying step of drying the heated and humidified molded product obtained in the heating and humidifying step.

5. A composition for producing a solid shaped product comprising a protein-containing food (a) and a carbohydrate (b), wherein the amount of the protein is 50% to 90% by mass and the amount of the carbohydrate (b) is 1% to 50% by mass relative to the total mass of the composition, and the carbohydrate (b) comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of maltose, erythritol, trehalose, glucose, lactose, lactulose, and dextrin, and the solid shaped product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (1): y≧5600.8e －０．１５５ｘ ...Equation (1) (In equation (1), y represents the porosity of the solid molded body before the curing treatment, and x represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body before the curing treatment).

6. The composition according to claim 5, wherein the carbohydrate (b) is maltose or lactulose, and a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (2): w≦94.685e ０．０１６８ｖ ...Equation (2) (In equation (2), w represents the time (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment).

7. The composition according to claim 5, wherein the carbohydrate (b) is maltose, and a solid molded product obtained by molding the composition satisfies the following formula (3): w≦27.625e ０．０１９２ｖ ...Equation (3) (In equation (3), w represents the time (seconds) required for 90% of the solid molded body to dissolve after curing treatment, and v represents the hardness (N) of the solid molded body after curing treatment).

8. A solid molding obtained by molding the composition according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

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