Agent and method for improving flavor of oats-containing food / beverage

Abstract

The present invention relates to: an agent for improving the flavor of an oats-containing food / beverage, said agent containing, as an active ingredient, one or more selected from the group consisting of cinnamyl cinnamate, nootkatone, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexanal, caryophyllene oxide, cinnamaldehyde, 15-pentadecanolide, 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, and l-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate; and a method for improving the flavor of an oats-containing food / beverage, said method comprising adding or blending the aforementioned agent to an oats-containing food / beverage.

Description

Flavor improving agent and flavor improving method for oat-containing food and drink

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavor improving agent and a method for improving the flavor of oat-containing foods and beverages.

[0002] Plant-based foods are foods that replace animal products such as meat, seafood, dairy products like cheese, or eggs with plant-based ingredients such as soybeans, peas, and other legumes, wheat, oats, and rice, or nuts. They also include milk substitutes such as soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, and rice milk. These plant-based foods have been gaining attention both domestically and internationally due to recent health trends and environmental concerns, and the market is expanding. While soy milk accounts for a large market in Japan as a plant-based milk substitute, oat milk has recently been gaining attention, and major companies and startups are actively developing oat-based foods.

[0003] Generally, oat milk is made by removing the husks from oats, stirring and grinding them in warm water, and then subjecting them to an enzymatic reaction to obtain a concentrated liquid, which is then diluted, and the final product is made by adding vegetable oil, salt, sweeteners, nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, flavorings, and other ingredients as needed, followed by homogenization, sterilization, etc. Oat milk is said to have a flavor relatively similar to cow's milk, but the distinctive grainy flavor derived from the oats used as an ingredient can make it difficult to drink, and methods to mask this flavor are needed.

[0004] Flavorings and sweeteners have traditionally been used to mask the distinctive grainy flavor of oats. While the rich aroma of milk or vanilla harmonizes with the flavor of oat milk as a milk substitute, adding too much to mask the grainy flavor can actually ruin the overall flavor. Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other flavorings are also used, but these aromas distract from the original flavor of oat milk.

[0005] On the other hand, a method for reducing the unpleasant odor and taste specific to plant-based milk using stevia extract as a sweetener is known (Patent Document 1), but the sweetener imparts a sweetness that is not inherent in oat milk, impairing its original flavor. Other known methods for masking foods include a method for suppressing unpleasant odors derived from proteins or their decomposition products (Patent Document 2) and a method for masking the photodegradation odor of fruit juice-containing products (Patent Document 3), but no method is known for efficiently masking the unique grainy odor derived from oats.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-104838 International Publication No. 2019 / 039490 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-136999

[0007] There is still a need to provide a flavor improving agent and a flavor improving method that can improve the difficulty of eating or drinking oat-containing foods and beverages.

[0008] The present inventors used oat milk as a sample, as a representative example of an oat-containing food or drink, and added a wide variety of compounds to the oat milk. As a result, they found that certain compounds mask the distinctive grainy smell (off-flavor) derived from oats, improving the difficulty of eating or drinking the oat-containing food or drink. Furthermore, they found that, according to a preferred embodiment, it is possible to make the distinctive grainy smell derived from oats less noticeable (mask it) while minimizing the effect on the original flavor of the oat-containing food or drink, and thus completed the present invention.

[0009] The present invention includes the following aspects. [1] A flavor improver for oat-containing foods and beverages, comprising one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of cinnamyl cinnamate, nootkatone, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexanal, caryophyllene oxide, cinnamic aldehyde, 15-pentadecanolide, 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, and l-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate. [2] The flavor improver according to [1] above, which is intended to improve the difficulty in eating or drinking oats resulting from the distinctive grainy smell inherent in oats. [3] The flavor improver according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the oat-containing foods and beverages are oat milk. [4] A flavor composition for oat-containing foods and beverages, comprising the flavor improver according to any one of [1] to [3] above. [5] The flavor composition according to [4] above, which is intended to improve the difficulty in eating or drinking oats resulting from the distinctive grainy smell inherent in oats. [6] The flavor composition according to [4] or [5] above, wherein the oat-containing food or drink is oat milk. [7] An oat-containing food or drink containing the flavor improving agent according to any one of [1] to [3] above or the flavor composition according to any one of [4] to [6] above. [8] A method for improving the flavor of an oat-containing food or drink, comprising adding the flavor improving agent according to any one of [1] to [3] above or the flavor composition according to any one of [4] to [6] above to an oat-containing food or drink. [9] The flavor improving method according to [8] above, which is for improving difficulty in eating or drinking resulting from the unique grain smell derived from oats.

[10] The flavor improving method according to [8] or [9] above, wherein the oat-containing food or drink is oat milk.

[0010] According to the present invention, the difficulty of eating or drinking oat-containing foods and beverages can be improved by using a specific compound as an active ingredient. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the unique grain smell derived from oats can be masked without impairing the original flavor of the oat-containing foods and beverages, thereby improving the difficulty of eating or drinking oat-containing foods and beverages.

[0011] Each aspect of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0012] A flavor improver according to one embodiment of the present invention is used to improve the flavor of oat-containing foods and beverages, and contains, as an active ingredient, one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of cinnamyl cinnamate, nootkatone, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexanal, caryophyllene oxide, cinnamic aldehyde, 15-pentadecanolide, 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, and l-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate. In the flavor improver of the present invention, the above compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more. All of the above compounds are known aroma components, and commercially available products may be used.

[0013] In this specification, oats refers to a plant of the genus Avena in the family Poaceae, and is also called oats (scientific name: Avena sativa). In the present invention, any of the oats may be used, including oats before threshing, oats after threshing, oats after milling such as rolled or groats, oats formed into flakes, and oats hydrolyzed with enzymes. The oat-containing food and drink products are not particularly limited as long as they contain or are blended with oats. Examples include oat milk and foods and drinks made from oat milk as a raw material. Specific examples of oat-containing food and drink products are described below.

[0014] By adding or blending the flavor improving agent of the present invention to an oat-containing food or drink, it is possible to improve the difficulty of eating or drinking the oat-containing food or drink. According to a preferred embodiment of this aspect, by adding or blending the flavor improving agent of the present invention to an oat-containing food or drink, it is possible to mask the unique grain smell derived from oats contained in the oat-containing food or drink, thereby improving the difficulty of eating or drinking the oat-containing food or drink.

[0015]

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention provides a flavor composition for improving the difficulty of eating or drinking oat-containing foods and beverages, and is characterized by containing the flavor improving agent. Because the flavor composition of the present invention contains the flavor improving agent, adding or blending it into oat-containing foods and beverages can improve the difficulty of eating or drinking oat-containing foods and beverages. Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of this aspect, adding or blending the flavor composition of the present invention into oat-containing foods and beverages can mask the distinctive cereal smell derived from oats contained in the oat-containing foods and beverages, thereby improving the difficulty of eating or drinking the oat-containing foods and beverages. The content of the flavor improving agent in the flavor composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, as long as it is an amount that can achieve a masking effect on the distinctive cereal smell derived from oats contained in the oat-containing foods and beverages when added to or blended into the oat-containing foods and beverages, and can be appropriately selected depending on the dosage form of the flavor composition or the type or purpose of the oat-containing foods and beverages to which the flavor composition is applied.

[0016] The flavor composition of the present invention can optionally contain known flavors or conventional additives within a quantitative or qualitative range that does not impair the effects of the present invention, i.e., that can mask the unique grain smell derived from oats contained in oat-containing foods and beverages, and more preferably that does not impair the original flavor of the oat-containing foods and beverages.

[0017] Examples of flavors include various synthetic flavors, natural flavors, natural essential oils, plant extracts, and the like, such as the natural essential oils, natural flavors, and synthetic flavors described in "Japan Patent Office Gazette, Collection of Well-Known and Commonly Used Techniques (Flavors) Part II Food Flavors, pp. 88-131, published January 14, 2000."

[0018] The additives may include conventional additives used in fragrance compositions, for example, solvents such as water and ethanol; and retainers such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, hexylene glycol, glycerin, triethyl citrate, medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides, medium-chain fatty acid diglycerides, and animal and vegetable oils and fats.

[0019]

[0013] In another aspect of the present invention, an oat-containing food or drink contains the flavor improving agent or the flavor composition. The amount of the flavor improving agent or the flavor composition of the present invention added or blended into the oat-containing food or drink may be selected appropriately depending on the type of active ingredient used or the type or purpose of the oat-containing food or drink, as long as it can provide a masking effect on the distinctive grain smell derived from oats contained in the oat-containing food or drink and, more preferably, does not impair the original flavor of the oat-containing food or drink.

[0020] The oat-containing food and drink may be any food and drink containing or blended with oats, and is not particularly limited. For example, oat milk or a food and drink made from oat milk may be mentioned. More specifically, beverages include oat milk, fruit drinks, vegetable drinks, soft drinks, carbonated drinks, near water, functional drinks, health supplements, alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic drinks, dairy drinks, and protein drinks; tea drinks and beverages such as black tea, green tea, oolong tea, barley tea, herbal tea, coffee, and cocoa; plant-based alternative drinks such as soy milk drinks, oat milk drinks, and almond milk drinks; fermented dairy products such as yogurt and cheese; frozen desserts such as ice cream, lacto ice cream, ice milk, and ice cream; desserts such as pudding, jelly, bavarois, and mousse; and confectioneries such as chewing gum, candy, gummy candy, tablets, refreshing confectioneries, chocolate, chocolate confectioneries, and snacks. pastes and creams such as jams, dessert sauces, flower paste, margarine, fat spreads, filling cream, whipped cream, etc.; agricultural foods and processed agricultural foods; meat and processed meat foods; fish and seafood processed foods; dairy oil products; cooked rice products such as retort rice and germinated brown rice; noodles such as instant noodles, dried noodles, and chilled noodles; breads such as bread, meat buns, and prepared bread; soup foods; cooked and processed foods such as retort foods, pasta sauce, canned foods, frozen and chilled foods; condiments such as sauces, soy sauce, sauces, soups, mayonnaise, ketchup, dressings, tube products, dashi stock, Chinese seasonings, Western seasonings, and various roux; spices; edible oils and fats of animal and vegetable origin; and plant-based substitutes.

[0021] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for improving the flavor of an oat-containing food or drink, which comprises adding or blending the flavor improving agent or the flavor composition to the oat-containing food or drink. By adding or blending the flavor improving agent or the flavor composition to the oat-containing food or drink, it is possible to improve the difficulty of eating or drinking the oat-containing food or drink. According to a preferred form of this aspect, by adding or blending the flavor improving agent to the oat-containing food or drink, it is possible to mask the distinctive grain smell derived from oats contained in the oat-containing food or drink, thereby improving the difficulty of eating or drinking the oat-containing food or drink. The oat-containing food or drink whose flavor is improved by this aspect is as described above.

[0022] The amount of the flavor improving agent or the flavor composition added or blended into an oat-containing food or drink can be appropriately selected depending on the type and purpose of the oat-containing food or drink, and is not particularly limited. For example, when the oat-containing food or drink is oat milk, the amount of the active ingredient added or blended in the flavor improving agent or flavor composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 ppt or more and 100 ppm or less, more preferably 0.1 ppt or more and 10 ppm or less, and even more preferably 1 ppt or more and 1 ppm or less, based on the mass of the oat-containing food or drink. In the case of oat-containing foods or drinks other than oat milk, the amount of the active ingredient added or blended in the flavor improving agent or flavor composition of the present invention can also be used so that it falls within the same range as above.

[0023] The method for adding or blending the flavor improving agent or the flavor composition into an oat-containing food or drink is not particularly limited. The flavor improving agent or the flavor composition may be added to an oat-containing food or drink, or the flavor improving agent or the flavor composition may be blended into the oat-containing food or drink by adding it together with the raw materials of the oat-containing food or drink during the production process of the oat-containing food or drink.

[0024] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0025] Example 1 (Masking Effect of Cinnamyl Cinnamate on Oat Grain Smell) Cinnamyl cinnamate was added to commercially available oat milk (Alpro Oat Milk, Sugar-Free, Danone Japan Co., Ltd.) at the concentrations shown in Table 1, and each sample was examined to determine (A) whether there was a masking effect (whether the oat grain smell was masked compared to the oat grain smell of oat milk without the additive), and (B) whether there was any discomfort due to the aroma of the masking component. The test was conducted by a sensory evaluation conducted by five trained panelists, who answered "yes" or "no" to the above evaluation items (A) and (B). The results are shown in Table 1.

[0026]

[0027] The results in Table 1 clearly show that cinnamyl cinnamate masks the grainy flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 100 ppt or more, and that at concentrations of 100 ppb or less, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0028] Example 2 (Masking effect of nootkatone on the cereal smell of oats) The masking effect of the cereal smell of oats was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that nootkatone was added to commercially available oat milk in place of cinnamyl cinnamate at the concentrations shown in Table 2. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0029]

[0030] The results in Table 2 clearly show that nootkatone masks the cereal flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 100 ppt or higher, and that at concentrations of 1 ppm or lower, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0031] Example 3 (Masking effect of 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexanal on the grainy smell of oats) The masking effect of the grainy smell of oats was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexanal was added to commercially available oat milk in place of cinnamyl cinnamate at the concentrations shown in Table 3. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0032]

[0033] The results in Table 3 clearly show that 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexanal masks the grainy flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 1 ppb or higher, and that at concentrations of 1 ppm or lower, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0034] Example 4 (Masking Effect of Caryophyllene Oxide on the Grainy Odor of Oats) The masking effect of the grainy odor of oats was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that caryophyllene oxide was added to commercially available oat milk in the concentrations shown in Table 4 instead of cinnamyl cinnamate. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0035]

[0036] The results in Table 4 clearly show that caryophyllene oxide masks the grainy flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 1 ppb or higher, and that at concentrations of 1 ppm or lower, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0037] Example 5 (Masking effect of cinnamic aldehyde on the cereal smell of oats) The masking effect of the cereal smell of oats was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that cinnamic aldehyde was added to commercially available oat milk in the concentrations shown in Table 5 instead of cinnamyl cinnamate. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0038]

[0039] The results in Table 5 clearly show that cinnamic aldehyde masks the grainy flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 100 ppt or higher, and that at concentrations of 100 ppb or lower, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0040] Example 6 (Masking effect of 15-pentadecanolide (Pentalide(R)) on cereal smell of oats) The masking effect of cereal smell of oats was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 15-pentadecanolide was added to commercially available oat milk in the concentration shown in Table 6 instead of cinnamyl cinnamate. The results are shown in Table 6.

[0041]

[0042] The results in Table 6 clearly show that 15-pentadecanolide masks the grainy flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 0.1 ppt or higher, and that at concentrations of 100 ppb or lower, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0043] Example 7 (Masking effect of 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol (COOLACT(R)10) on the cereal smell of oats) The masking effect of the cereal smell of oats was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol was added to commercially available oat milk in the concentrations shown in Table 7 instead of cinnamyl cinnamate. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0044]

[0045] The results in Table 7 clearly show that 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol masks the grainy flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 100 ppt or higher, and that at concentrations of 100 ppb or lower, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0046] Example 8 (Masking effect of 1-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate (COOLACT® 20) on the cereal smell of oats) The masking effect of the cereal smell of oats was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 1-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate was added to commercially available oat milk in the concentration shown in Table 8 instead of cinnamyl cinnamate. The results are shown in Table 8.

[0047]

[0048] The results in Table 8 clearly show that l-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate masks the cereal flavor of oat milk at concentrations of 100 ppt or more, and that at concentrations of 1 ppm or less, it has little effect on the flavor of oat milk.

[0049] These results show that specific compounds have a masking effect on the unique cereal smell derived from oats contained in oat-containing foods and beverages.Furthermore, it was shown that by appropriately adjusting the addition concentration of the above compounds, the unique cereal smell derived from oats can be efficiently masked without impairing the original flavor of the oat-containing foods and beverages.By using these compounds as active ingredients, the flavor improving agent or flavor composition of the present invention can improve the difficulty of eating or drinking oat-containing foods and beverages.

Claims

1. A flavor improver for oat-containing foods and beverages, comprising as an active ingredient one or more selected from the group consisting of cinnamyl cinnamate, nootkatone, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexanal, caryophyllene oxide, cinnamic aldehyde, 15-pentadecanolide, 3-l-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, and l-menthyl-3-hydroxybutyrate.

2. The flavor improving agent according to claim 1, which is used to improve the difficulty in eating or drinking oats due to the unique grain smell derived from oats.

3. The flavor improving agent according to claim 1, wherein the oat-containing food or drink is oat milk.

4. A flavor composition for oat-containing foods and beverages, comprising the flavor improving agent according to claim 1.

5. The flavor composition according to claim 4, which is used to improve the difficulty of eating or drinking caused by the unique grainy smell derived from oats.

6. The flavor composition according to claim 4, wherein the oat-containing food or drink is oat milk.

7. An oat-containing food or drink containing the flavor improver according to claim 1 or the flavor composition according to claim 4.

8. A method for improving the flavor of an oat-containing food or drink, which comprises adding or blending the flavor improver according to claim 1 or the flavor composition according to claim 4 to the oat-containing food or drink.

9. The flavor improving method according to claim 8, which is for improving the difficulty in eating or drinking oats due to the distinctive grain smell of oats.

10. The flavor improving method according to claim 8, wherein the oat-containing food or drink is oat milk.

Images