Oily food

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing an oily food having improved light resistance compared to conventional foods.　An oily food according to the present invention meets all of the following requirements (A) to (C).　(A) The oily food includes algae containing phycocyanin. (B) The oily food includes chlorophyll at a concentration of 6 mg / 100 g or more. (C) The oil-soluble chlorophyll content of the included chlorophyll is 15% to 80% by mass. However, the oil-soluble chlorophyll content refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved in oil to the total amount of chlorophyll contained in the oily food.

Description

Oily foods

[0001] Related Technology This application claims priority to application no. 2024-168011 filed with the Japan Patent Office on September 27, 2024. The priority application in whole is incorporated herein by attribution.

[0002] This invention relates to oily foods.

[0003] The green color of vegetables and green tea, which contain chlorophyll, is known to fade easily due to heat and light. However, green ingredients such as vegetables, green tea, and matcha (ground tea leaves) are often used in processed foods, and their flavor and color are widely appreciated. One example of processed foods using green tea or matcha is confectionery, particularly oily foods such as chocolate. Generally known as matcha chocolate, it is a popular delicacy among consumers because the richness of the oily food harmonizes with the umami and bitterness of matcha, and it exhibits a vibrant green color. While the vibrant color of such green oily foods increases purchasing intent, the properties of chlorophyll make them susceptible to fading and discoloration due to light and heat. This can lead to problems such as changes in color during the distribution process from manufacturing to storage and sales, reducing the product's value. Methods to solve the problems of fading and discoloration due to light and heat have been disclosed for oil and fat compositions using matcha (Patent Document 1). In addition, methods for maintaining the green color of spirulina, one of the materials containing chlorophyll, have been disclosed (Patent Documents 2 and 3).

[0004] International Publication WO2010 / 016231, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-170238, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-125159

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses an oil composition containing unfermented tea with a specific chlorophyll content, as well as gardenia blue pigment and yellow natural pigments. However, the use of gardenia pigment as a food ingredient is limited to certain countries, thus limiting its implementation. Patent Document 2 describes a green beverage containing spirulina powder and having a pH of 5 or less, but it does not suggest any effect on oily foods, nor does it mention any suppression of discoloration due to light. Patent Document 3 is an invention relating to a coloring cyanobacteria powder obtained by pre-treating cyanobacteria such as the genus Spirulina with dry heat to reduce the chlorophyll content to a certain amount or less, and it does not mention oily foods.

[0006] The inventors decided to investigate a method for improving the lightfastness of green-colored oily foods using ingredients that can be used as food. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide oily foods with improved lightfastness compared to conventional foods.

[0007] After extensive research, the inventor discovered that by including algae containing phycocyanin and adjusting the chlorophyll content, it is possible to provide an oily food product with improved light resistance compared to conventional products, leading to the present invention.

[0008] In other words, the present invention provides an oily food that satisfies all of the following requirements (A) to (C): (A) contains algae containing phycocyanin; (B) contains 6 mg / 100 g or more of chlorophyll; (C) the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate in the contained chlorophyll is 15% to 80% by mass, where the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved in oil from the chlorophyll contained in the oily food; (2) the oily food of (1) wherein the algae are cyanobacteria; (3) the oily food of (1) wherein the algae are spirulina, where spirulina refers collectively to algae belonging to the genus Spirulina or Arthrospira; (4) the oily food of any one of (1) to (3) that further satisfies requirement (D). (D) Contains one or more yellow pigments selected from the group consisting of safflower yellow pigment, turmeric pigment, riboflavin, annatto pigment, gardenia yellow pigment and red yeast rice yellow pigment. (5) Further includes any one of (1) to (3) that satisfies the requirement of (E), (E) further includes chlorophyll-containing foods other than the algae. (6) Further includes the oily food described in (4) that satisfies the requirement of (E), (E) further includes chlorophyll-containing foods other than the algae. (7) The oily food described in any one of (1) to (3) that has a color difference (ΔE) of 5 or less before and after irradiation with light at 25°C, 8000 lx for 18 hours, provided that the color difference (ΔE) is calculated as follows: Color difference (ΔE) = ΔE* ab = [(ΔL*)] 2 + (Δa*) 2 + (Δb*) 2 ] 1 / 2Here, ΔL* = L* value after light irradiation - L* value before light irradiation, Δa* = a* value after light irradiation - a* value before light irradiation, Δb* = b* value after light irradiation - b* value before light irradiation, (8) A method for producing an oily food containing algae containing phycocyanin, wherein the chlorophyll content in the oily food is 6 mg / 100 g or more, and the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate in the contained chlorophyll is 15% by mass to 80% by mass, where the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved in oil in the chlorophyll contained in the oily food, (9) A method for improving the light resistance of an oily food using an oily food that satisfies all of the following requirements (A) to (C): (A) Contains algae containing phycocyanin (B) Contains chlorophyll of 6 mg / 100 g or more (C) The oil-eluting chlorophyll rate in the contained chlorophyll is 15% by mass to 80% by mass However, the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved into the oil in oily foods.

[0009] The present invention makes it possible to provide oily foods with improved light resistance compared to conventional products. In particular, it can improve the light resistance of green oily foods containing chlorophyll.

[0010] As used herein, the singular forms, "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural form, including "at least one," unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the terms "and / or," "at least one," and "one or more" include any and all combinations of the relevant enumerated items.

[0011] In this specification, "or" is used when "at least one" of the items listed in the text can be adopted. The same applies to "or else". In this specification, when it is specified as "within the range of two values", that range includes the two values ​​themselves.

[0012] Furthermore, any combination of at least two components disclosed in the claims and / or the specification and / or drawings is included in the present invention. In particular, any combination of two or more claims described in the claims is included in the present invention.

[0013] In this specification, the "~" indicating a numerical range means a value greater than or equal to a predetermined value (lower limit of the numerical range) and less than or equal to a predetermined value (upper limit of the numerical range). When upper and lower limits of a numerical range are indicated, the upper and lower limits may be combined as appropriate, and the numerical range obtained by such combination is also disclosed.

[0014] In this invention, "oil-based foods" refers to chocolates, buttercreams, spreads, and all foods in which fats and oils form a continuous phase. In this invention, "chocolates" are not limited to "pure chocolate," "chocolate," "semi-chocolate," and "chocolate-based foods" as defined by the Japan Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council, but also include processed foods that use fats and oils as essential components, such as cocoa mass, cocoa, whole milk powder, dried fruit juice powder, dried vegetable powder, cocoa butter, cocoa butter substitute, and hard butter. Therefore, it may also refer to foods in which edible materials are dispersed on a fat-based base, such as matcha-flavored or strawberry-flavored foods that incorporate powders derived from vegetables or fruits. In this specification, it is particularly preferable that oil-based foods are foods produced through the chocolate manufacturing process, in order to achieve the effects of the invention.

[0015] The oily food of the present invention contains chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the color component of green foods such as matcha, and it can be altered by light and heat, causing it to lose its vibrant green color and become yellowish or brownish. Furthermore, when food ingredients containing chlorophyll are incorporated into oily foods, they may fade in light, resulting in a color close to white or pale yellow. The oily food of the present invention has superior light resistance compared to conventional green oily foods.

[0016] The oily food of the present invention contains algae containing phycocyanin. Examples of algae containing phycocyanin include cyanobacteria, glaucophytes, red algae, cryptophytes, and some shelled filamentous rhizopods. The oily food of the present invention is particularly preferably composed of cyanobacteria among the algae containing phycocyanin. Examples of cyanobacteria include the genera Spirulina, Arthrospira, Aphanizomenon, Oscillatoria, Fischerella, Anabaena, Nostoc, Synechocystis, Synechococcus, Tryposlix, Suizenji-nori, and Pleurocapsa. The oily food of the present invention is more preferably composed of cyanobacteria belonging to the genera Spirulina or Arthrospira among the cyanobacteria that contain phycocyanin. Cyanobacteria belonging to the genera Spirulina and Arthrospira are generally referred to as Spirulina. In this specification, "spirulina" refers collectively to cyanobacteria belonging to the genera Spirulina or Arthrospira. Spirulina are a type of cyanobacteria that perform photosynthesis and contain phycocyanin and chlorophyll. Spirulina can also be used as food, and phycocyanin is sometimes extracted and used industrially as a blue pigment, or the amino acids and other components contained in spirulina are taken as supplements.

[0017] The algae containing phycocyanin contained in the oily food of the present invention are preferably dispersed in the form of fine particles. Methods for dispersing them in the form of fine particles include crushing the dried algae into a powder, dissolving the dried algae in water, dispersing the resulting mixture in oil, and then dehydrating it. The particles of the algae containing phycocyanin are not particularly limited as long as they are fine, but in one embodiment, the median diameter is preferably 200 μm or less. More preferable median diameters are 180 μm or less, 150 μm or less, 120 μm or less, and 100 μm or less. Even more preferable are 80 μm or less, 50 μm or less, 40 μm or less, 30 μm or less, and 20 μm or less, and most preferably 10 μm or less. If the algae particles are appropriate, the lightfastness of the oily food can be further improved. The algae particles can be measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer. An example of analytical equipment is the SALD-2300 manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation. The analytical method involves mixing 0.1 g of the sample with 10 ml of isopropanol, thoroughly dispersing it using a touch mixer, and then measuring the particle size distribution using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer. The same dispersion medium is used for the measurement.

[0018] It is generally known that chlorophyll changes color due to light and heat. Therefore, when products are displayed in showcases or on shelves in supermarkets, convenience stores, or fast-food restaurants, their color changes due to exposure to light such as lighting. Even if a product exhibits a vibrant green color, if the green color fades over time, its value may decrease. The oily food of the present invention has improved light resistance, resulting in less change in color. In one embodiment, the oily food of the present invention can suppress color change when irradiated with an 8000lx LED light source at 25°C for 18 hours. The change in color can be evaluated numerically by the following color difference (ΔE).

[0019] The color tone of the oil-based food of the present invention and the degree of discoloration due to light irradiation can be judged visually, but can also be judged using the L*, a*, and b* values of the color tone as indicators. The color tone L*, a*, and b* values are measured using a color difference meter, and examples of the color difference meter include a spectrocolorimeter (CM-700d: manufactured by Konica Minolta Co., Ltd.). As a preferred embodiment, for the oil-based food of the present invention, the L*, a*, and b* values of the color tone before light irradiation are preferably such that the L* value is 20 or more and 60 or less, the a* value is -2 or less, and the b* value is +5 or more and +40 or less. More preferably, the lower limit of the L* value is 25, 30, the upper limit is 55, 50, and even more preferably the lower limit is 32 and the upper limit is 48. More preferably, the lower limit of the a* value is -30, -25, the upper limit is -2.5, -3, and even more preferably the lower limit is -20 and the upper limit is -3.2. More preferably, the lower limit of the b* value is +10, +12, the upper limit is +38, +35, and even more preferably the lower limit is +15 and the upper limit is +32. Also, even after light irradiation, it is preferable that the color difference (ΔE) is 5 or less. Here, the color difference (ΔE) can be calculated from the differences in the L*, a*, and b* values of the color tone before and after light irradiation, and specifically, it can be derived from the following formula. Color difference (ΔE) = ΔE* ab = [(ΔL*) 2 + (Δa*) 2 + (Δb*) 2 1 / 2Here, ΔL* can be calculated as L* value after light irradiation - L* value before light irradiation, Δa* = a* value after light irradiation - a* value before light irradiation, and Δb* = b* value after light irradiation - b* value before light irradiation. The oily food of the present invention is superior in that the color difference (ΔE) before and after light irradiation is lower than that of conventional green oily food, and the change in color tone is small. Specifically, in one embodiment, the color difference (ΔE) can be made 5 or less before and after irradiation with a fluorescent lamp of 8000 lx at 25°C for 18 hours. In a preferred embodiment, the color difference (ΔE) can be made 4.8 or less, 4.6 or less, 4.5 or less, 4.3 or less, or 4.1 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, 3.8 or less, 3.5 or less, or 3.2 or less, and most preferably 3.0 or less. The color tone of the present invention refers to that expressed in the CIE1976 color system in the L*a*b* color space. More specifically, the L*a*b* color space is a standard for representing the color of objects, which is also adopted in Japan as JIS (JIS Z 8714-4). It represents lightness with L* and chromaticity, which indicates hue and saturation, with a* and b*.

[0020] In one embodiment, the oily food of the present invention may include chlorophyll-containing foods other than algae. The chlorophyll-containing food is not particularly limited as long as it contains chlorophyll, but examples include matcha, green tea, spinach, komatsuna, kale, broccoli, chrysanthemum greens, shiso, parsley, or pistachios. These chlorophyll-containing foods may be used individually or in combination. Due to the characteristics of oily foods that do not contain much moisture, the chlorophyll-containing food is preferably in the form of a dry powder or a paste with a moisture content of 10% by mass or less.

[0021] The oily food of the present invention contains chlorophyll. This chlorophyll contains at least chlorophyll derived from algae. The oily food of the present invention contains 6 mg / 100g or more of chlorophyll. Preferably, the lower limit of the chlorophyll content is 6.2 mg / 100g or 6.5 mg / 100g, and the upper limit is 60 mg / 100g, 58 mg / 100g, or 55 mg / 100g. More preferably, the lower limit of the chlorophyll content is 7.0 mg / 100g, 7.2 mg / 100g, or 7.5 mg / 100g, and the upper limit is 52 mg / 100g, 50 mg / 100g, or 48 mg / 100g. By including an appropriate amount of chlorophyll, an oily food with improved light resistance can be prepared.

[0022] The oily food of the present invention contains chlorophyll, but the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate in the chlorophyll is 15% to 80% by mass. The oil-eluting chlorophyll rate refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved in oil to the total amount of chlorophyll contained in the oily food. The inventors discovered that when chlorophyll is in a molten state in oil, it is more susceptible to discoloration by light irradiation than when it is in an insoluble state in oil. Therefore, when a chlorophyll-containing material is mixed into an oily food, the inventors found that if the chlorophyll does not dissolve into the oil but remains inside the material, the light resistance is improved compared to conventional oily foods. The oil-eluting chlorophyll rate is preferably 16% to 80% by mass, more preferably 16.5% to 80% by mass, even more preferably 20% to 80% by mass, and most preferably 40% to 70% by mass. If the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate is appropriate, an oily food with improved light resistance can be prepared. The oil-eluting chlorophyll rate can be calculated by the method shown below.

[0023] ● Analysis of Chlorophyll Content In this invention, the chlorophyll content is calculated using absorbance as described in the following publication. Formula for calculating chlorophyll content: Chlorophyll a + b = 17.76 * A646.6 + 7.34 * A663.6 (R.P. Corra et al, "Determination of accurate extinction coefficients and simultaneous equations for assaying chlorophylls a and b extracted with four different solvents: verification of the concentration of chlorophyll standards by atomic absorption spectroscopy", Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 975 (1989): Page 384-394) The sample to be measured is mixed with 80% by mass acetone and stored under refrigeration at 3-10°C for 12 hours. The stored acetone-mixed sample is further diluted with 80% by mass acetone, and the absorbance at 647 nm, 664 nm, and 750 nm is measured using a spectrophotometer. From the measurement results, the chlorophyll content (a+b) (ug / ml) is calculated as follows: 17.76 × (absorbance at 647nm - absorbance at 750nm) + 7.34 × (absorbance at 664nm - absorbance at 750nm). The chlorophyll content in the chlorophyll-containing material can be calculated by determining the dilution ratio during extraction = (mass of chlorophyll-containing material) (g) / (volume of 80% acetone by mass) (ml) from the obtained chlorophyll content (a+b) (ug / ml). For example, a spectrophotometer such as the UV-1900 ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation can be used. ●Analysis of oil-eluted chlorophyll amount and calculation of oil-eluted chlorophyll rate The amount of oil-eluted chlorophyll can be analyzed and calculated as follows: Mix 1g of chlorophyll-containing material with oil in a centrifuge tube to make a volume of 20ml. Place the incubator on its side and shake it in the dark at 40°C and 150 rpm for 6 hours. (A suitable incubator can be a G-BR-200 manufactured by Taitec.)The shaken sample is centrifuged at 2000g for 1 minute, and the supernatant is diluted with oil. The supernatant diluted with oil is analyzed according to the chlorophyll content analysis method described above, and the calculated value is obtained as the amount of oil-eluted chlorophyll. The oil-eluted chlorophyll rate (mass%) = amount of oil-eluted chlorophyll (mg / 100g) ÷ chlorophyll content of the sample (mg / 100g) × 100.

[0024] In one aspect, the oily food of the present invention preferably contains a yellow pigment. The yellow pigment can be any conventionally known pigment. Among these, it is more preferable to include a yellow pigment containing a water-soluble pigment component. Examples of yellow pigments that can be used include carotenoid pigments such as safflower yellow, turmeric pigment, riboflavin, annatto pigment, gardenia yellow, red yeast rice yellow, carrot carotene, palm oil carotene, and marigold pigment. More preferably, the yellow pigment used contains a water-soluble pigment component, such as safflower yellow, turmeric pigment, riboflavin, annatto pigment, gardenia yellow, or red yeast rice yellow, and even more preferably, safflower yellow, turmeric pigment, or riboflavin. Using a preferred yellow pigment improves the lightfastness of the oily food.

[0025] The oils and fats used in the oily foods of the present invention are not particularly limited, but examples of usable oils and fats include vegetable oils such as soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, high oleic sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, high erucic acid rapeseed oil, peanut oil, rice oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, olive oil, kapok oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, linseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, shea butter, sal fat, and cocoa butter; animal oils such as milk fat, beef tallow, lard, and fish oil; algae oil; oils and fats derived from microbial fermentation; medium-chain triglyceride (MCT); and processed oils and fats such as hydrogenated oils, fractionated oils, hydrogenated fractionated oils, fractionated hydrogenated oils, transesterified oils, etc., as well as mixtures thereof. For oily foods, it is possible to use oils that are rich in symmetric triglycerides, such as cocoa butter or cocoa butter substitutes (CBEs), which are known as tempering-type oils, or to use oils that are not tempering-type oils, which contain some symmetric triglycerides but also include cocoa butter substitutes and other oils.

[0026] In one embodiment, the oily food of the present invention preferably has a solid fat content (SFC) of 50% or more at 20°C. The lower limit is more preferably 55%, even more preferably 60%, 65%, and most preferably 70% or more. On the other hand, the upper limit is preferably 98%, 95%, more preferably 93%, and even more preferably 90%. When this range is appropriate, the light resistance of the oily food is better improved.

[0027] The oils and fats contained in the oily food of the present invention preferably have a SFC of 50% or more at 25°C. The lower limit is more preferably 55%, 60%, even more preferably 65%, and most preferably 70%. On the other hand, the upper limit is preferably 95%, more preferably 93%, 90%, and more preferably 85%. When this range is appropriate, it is superior in that the light resistance of the oily food is further improved.

[0028] SFC can be measured based on IUPAC 2.150a (Solid Content Determination in Fats by NMR). When using so-called tempering type fats, which contain a large amount of symmetric triglycerides such as common cocoa butter or cocoa butter substitute (CBE), SFC measurement is performed by holding the fat at 80°C for 30 minutes to completely melt it, then solidifying it at 60°C for 30 minutes and 0°C for 1 hour, aging it at 26°C for 40 hours, and then holding it at each measurement temperature for 30 minutes before using the measured value. When using so-called non-tempering type fats, which contain some symmetric triglycerides but also include cocoa butter substitutes, SFC measurement is performed by holding the fat at 80°C for 30 minutes to completely melt it, then solidifying it at 60°C for 30 minutes and 0°C for 1 hour, and then holding it at each measurement temperature for 30 minutes before using the measured value.

[0029] In this invention, the oil content in the oily food can be the same as that found in typical chocolates. Depending on the intended use of the oily food, the oil content can be adjusted within a range of 20% to 80% by mass. The oil content in the oily food refers to the total mass percentage including all fats and oils contained in the raw materials, such as whole milk powder.

[0030] The oily food of the present invention preferably contains about 0.1% to 2% by mass of moisture. This is not due to the addition of water, but rather to the small amount of moisture present in each of the raw materials, such as cocoa raw materials, sugar, or powdered milk. The moisture content can be measured by the room temperature heating loss method, and one example of the heating conditions is 105°C for 4 hours.

[0031] The oily food of the present invention can be manufactured, for example, by the manufacturing process of chocolate (mixing process, rolling, conching, molding, cooling and solidification process, etc.). Other manufacturing methods include general chocolate manufacturing methods such as mixing and micronization using a ball mill or bead mill. For example, a manufacturing method using oils and fats, carbohydrates, algae powder containing phycocyanin, dairy products, flavorings, emulsifiers, etc. as raw materials, and comprising a mixing process, micronization process (rolling), refining process (conching), cooling process, etc. Another example using the same raw materials as above, comprising a mixing process, micronization process (pulverization using a ball mill or bead mill), stirring process, cooling process, etc.

[0032] The raw materials used in the oily food of the present invention are not particularly limited, except for algae containing phycocyanin. The composition of typical oily foods such as chocolate can also be used as a reference. For example, milk components, fats and oils, and other edible materials can be combined as appropriate. Other additives include emulsifiers, antioxidants, and flavorings, but their type and quantity are not limited, and they may be omitted.

[0033] Methods for incorporating algae containing phycocyanin into oily foods include incorporating algae powder and incorporating an emulsified product containing the algae. In the method of incorporating an emulsified product, dry algae powder is dissolved in water to prepare an aqueous phase. The aqueous phase is added to oil and emulsified using an emulsifier. At this time, an emulsifier may be added to the oil as appropriate to form an oil phase. In addition to algae powder, a material that serves as a color component may be added to the aqueous phase as appropriate. After the emulsification treatment, the algae powder can be dehydrated under reduced pressure. Dehydration stabilizes the quality of the oily food after the emulsified product containing dispersed algae is added. Here, the quality of the oily food specifically refers to fluidity and the size of solid particles. For the emulsification process, a homogenizer or other homogenizer can be used as the emulsifying device. For example, the KINEMATICA Polytron PT10-35 GT can be used. The emulsifier to be mixed with the oil used in the emulsification process is not particularly limited as long as it is an emulsifier that can prepare a water-in-oil emulsion. For example, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, lecithin, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and sucrose fatty acid esters can be used. Lecithin and polyglycerin fatty acid esters are preferred, and polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters can be used most preferably. The conditions for carrying out the emulsification process are not particularly limited, but it is preferable to carry it out at 30°C to 70°C, 5000 rpm to 15000 rpm, and for 5 to 60 minutes. More preferable conditions include, for example, 40°C, 10000 rpm, and for 10 minutes. Dehydration can be carried out by reducing the pressure while stirring the sample. While there are no particular restrictions on the conditions for the dehydration treatment, it is preferable to use a pressure of 0-15 kPa, a temperature of 30°C-100°C, a duration of 10-120 minutes, and stirrer agitation at 100 rpm-1000 rpm. More preferable conditions include, for example, a pressure of 1-2 kPa, a temperature of 60°C, a duration of 30 minutes, and stirrer agitation at 400 rpm.

[0034] There are no particular restrictions on the method or timing of adding algae containing phycocyanin to oily foods. It is preferable that the algae be dispersed in the oily food using a dried powder or a prepared emulsified product. For example, when describing the method of producing chocolates, the algae may be added in any of the following steps when preparing the chocolates: the mixing step, the micronization step (rolling), the refining step (conching), or the cooling step. Alternatively, the algae may be added and blended after the prepared oily food has been melted.

[0035] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples of the present invention.

[0036] ●Study 1 To confirm the lightfastness of chlorophyll, an oily food with oil as the continuous phase and a water-containing food were prepared and their lightfastness was confirmed. Matcha, a chlorophyll-containing material, was added and the preparations were made according to the formulations shown in Table 1. The oily food was prepared by mixing matcha and sugar with melted vegetable oil in a mixer. The oily food was then tempered at 30°C using a seed material (Choco Seed LT: manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.), filled into a 5mm thick mold, and cooled and solidified in a refrigerator. Each sample was removed from the refrigerator after 30 minutes, removed from the mold, and left to stand overnight at 20°C. The water-containing food was prepared by sieving matcha and sugar through a 6.5 mesh (mesh opening 2.8mm), and then mixing with pre-mixed starch hydrolysate and water. The water-containing food was then molded into 5mm thick tablets and left to stand overnight at 20°C. The following raw materials were used in the study. Matcha: Matcha FM-K (manufactured by Aiya Co., Ltd.) Starch hydrolysate: TK-16 (manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Vegetable oil A: Melano NEW-SS7 (manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd., cocoa butter substitute) Other ingredients were commercially available. Oily foods and watery foods were irradiated with an 8000 lx LED light source at 25°C for 18 hours to confirm the lightfastness of the chlorophyll contained in each. The L*, a*, and b* values ​​of the color tone shown below were measured, and the color difference (ΔE), which is the amount of change before and after irradiation, was calculated to confirm the lightfastness. ・Calculation of color difference For oily foods and watery foods, the L*, a*, and b* values ​​of the surface color tone were measured with a spectrophotometer (CM-700d: manufactured by Konica Minolta, Inc.). Each measurement was performed three times, and the average value is shown as the measured value. Measurements were taken before and after irradiation with the light source, and the color difference (ΔE) was calculated using the following formula. Color difference (ΔE) = ΔE* ab = [(ΔL*)] 2 + (Δa*) 2 + (Δb*) 2 ] 1 / 2 Here, ΔL* = L* value after light irradiation - L* value before light irradiation, Δa* = a* value after light irradiation - a* value before light irradiation, Δb* = b* value after light irradiation - b* value before light irradiation. The color measurement results, color difference (ΔE), and visual observation results are shown in Table 2.

[0037]

[0038]

[0039] It was shown that the color difference (ΔE) is larger in oily foods than in aqueous foods, and the discoloration of chlorophyll contained in matcha tends to progress. It was found that improving light resistance in oily foods is more difficult than in the case of aqueous foods and is important in terms of quality improvement.

[0040] ●Study 2 As shown in Table 3, prepared green pigments were made using the pigment components in the following manner. An oil phase was prepared by mixing vegetable oil A and polyglycerin fatty acid ester, and an aqueous phase was prepared by mixing the pigment components with 2 to 6 times the amount of water. Subsequently, the aqueous and oil phases were emulsified using a Polytron PT10-35 GT (manufactured by KINEMATICA) at 40°C, 10,000 rpm, and for 10 minutes. Next, the emulsified product was stirred at 400 rpm using a stirrer and dehydrated under reduced pressure of 1 to 2 kPa at 60°C for 30 minutes to prepare prepared green pigments 2 and 3 and prepared blue pigment 1 with a moisture content of 2% by mass or less. The moisture content of the prepared pigments was measured by the room temperature heating loss method (105°C, 4 hours). In addition to the above pigments, an oil-soluble chlorophyll preparation was made using chlorophyll components that dissolve in oil in the following manner. Spirulina powder (Spirulina-a) was crushed using a bead crushing device (ShakeMaster Auto: manufactured by Biomedical Science Co., Ltd.) at 25°C at 1100 rpm for 5 minutes. Ten parts of the resulting spirulina powder were mixed with 100 parts of vegetable oil A and stirred with a homomixer at 40°C in the dark (5000 rpm, 10 minutes). The stirred mixture was centrifuged (2000 × g, 10 minutes), and the supernatant was collected. Another 10 parts of spirulina powder were added to the supernatant, and the same procedure was repeated. This series of operations was performed three times, and after a total of 30 parts of spirulina powder had been used, the chlorophyll content of the supernatant was measured, and it was diluted with vegetable oil A to a chlorophyll content of 71 mg / 100 g to prepare a chlorophyll oil-soluble preparation. The following raw materials were used for the prepared dye and oil-soluble chlorophyll preparation.Commercially available gardenia / safflower mixture: Oil-based Green 4300 (manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.) Spirulina blue pigment powder: Lina Blue (manufactured by DIC Life Tech Co., Ltd.) Safflower yellow pigment: Nichinō Color SL-50F (manufactured by Nichino Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) Vitamin B2: Vitamin B2 FP (manufactured by DSM Co., Ltd.) Polyglycerin fatty acid ester: SY Glister CRS-75 (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate ester) Spirulina-a: Spirulina powder from the USA (manufactured by DIC Corporation, Spirulina species of Arthrospira) In addition, spirulina powder (spirulina-a) and vitamin B2 were crushed using a bead crushing device at 1100 rpm for 5 minutes. The same raw material for vitamin B2 used for the prepared green pigment was used. The safflower yellow pigment was a preparation containing 10% by mass of ethanol, and Table 3 shows the percentage of components remaining after dehydration.

[0041] Of the formulations listed in Table 4, powdered ingredients such as sugar, excluding matcha, spirulina (a type of algae containing phycocyanin), and vitamin B, were mixed in a mixer with some of the melted vegetable oil. After the mixed dough was ground in a roll refiner, the remaining vegetable oil and vitamin E were added and mixed. Then, matcha, spirulina, vitamin B, and prepared green pigment were mixed according to the formulations in Table 4 and thoroughly stirred in a mixer. The resulting oily food was tempered using a seed material (ChocoSeed LT: manufactured by Fuji Oil Co., Ltd.), filled into a 5 mm thick mold, cooled and solidified at 3-10°C, and then left to stand overnight at 20°C. In addition to the ingredients mentioned above, the following ingredients were used in the preparation of the oily food: Vitamin E: E-Mix-70L (manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, mixed tocopherol preparation). Other ingredients were commercially available.

[0042] The SFC measurement method used a Bruker "minispec mq20" analyzer. SFC measurements were performed according to IUPAC 2.150a (Solid Content Determination in Fats by NMR) as follows: 1. The oil sample was melted at 80°C. 2. 2.7–3.3 g of oil was dispensed into a 180 mm long, 10 mm diameter test tube. 3. The samples were held in a 0°C water bath for 60 minutes. 4. The samples were aged in a 26°C aqueous phase for 40 hours. 5. The samples were held in a water bath set to each temperature for 30 minutes. 6. Measurement was performed using the Bruker "minispec mq20 SFC analyzer". As a result, the SFC (superficial glycemic acid) content of vegetable oil A incorporated into oily foods was 85.9% at 10°C, 72.7% at 20°C, 62.8% at 25°C, 45.8% at 30°C, 2.4% at 35°C, and 0.1% at 40°C.

[0043] Using the same method as in Study 1, lightfastness was confirmed by calculating the color difference (ΔE) before and after irradiation. Table 5 shows the chlorophyll content, oil-eluting chlorophyll amount, oil-eluting chlorophyll rate, oil-non-eluting chlorophyll rate, color tone measurement, color difference (ΔE), and visual evaluation results for each oily food, along with the overall evaluation. Note that the oil-non-eluting chlorophyll rate is shown as the amount of oil-eluting chlorophyll subtracted from the total chlorophyll amount.

[0044]

[0045]

[0046]

[0047] In the example incorporating spirulina algae containing phycocyanin, the color difference (ΔE) was kept below 5, which was in good agreement with the results of the visual evaluation. The example also showed little color change after light irradiation, indicating improved lightfastness.

[0048] ● Study 3 The lightfastness of oily foods was confirmed by changing the dispersion method (especially particle size) of spirulina, one of the algae that contain phycocyanin. Spirulina-a was used as the spirulina, and both unground and dry-ground versions were used. ・According to the formulation in Table 6 of the spirulina-containing oils, the oil phase was prepared by mixing vegetable oil A and polyglycerin condensed ricinoleate ester (manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., product name: SY Glister CRS-75), and the aqueous phase was prepared by mixing spirulina, vitamin B, and 2 to 6 times the amount of water. Subsequently, the aqueous and oil phases were emulsified using a Polytron PT10-35 GT (manufactured by KINEMATICA) at 40°C, 10000 rpm, and for 10 minutes. Next, the mixture was dehydrated under reduced pressure of 1-2 kPa and 60°C for 30 minutes while being stirred at 400 rpm using a stirrer, to prepare spirulina-containing oil with a moisture content of 2% by mass or less. The moisture content of the spirulina-containing oil was measured by the room temperature heat loss method (105°C, 4 hours). The following spirulina powders were newly used for the spirulina-containing oil: Spirulina-c1: Spirulina powder from Taiwan Spirulina-c2: Spirulina powder from India Spirulina-c3: Spirulina powder from China Confirmation of median diameter The particle size distribution of spirulina contained in the dry-ground material and spirulina-containing oil prepared by the above method was measured by the following method. The median diameter calculated from the measurement results is shown in Table 8. 0.1 g of the sample was mixed with 10 ml of isopropanol and thoroughly dispersed using a touch mixer. The particle size distribution was then measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer (SALD-2300, Shimadzu Corporation). The same dispersion medium was used for the measurement. The median diameter was calculated from the distribution results. Preparation of the oily food: According to the formulation in Table 7, the dry pulverized material and spirulina-containing oil prepared above, along with the raw material of spirulina-a, were added to the oily food and thoroughly dispersed and mixed. The resulting oily food was tempered using a seed material, as in Study 2, then filled into a mold, cooled and solidified at 3-10°C, and then left to stand overnight at 20°C. Lightfastness was confirmed by calculating the color difference (ΔE) before and after irradiation using the same method as in Study 1.Table 8 shows the results of chlorophyll content, oil-eluting chlorophyll amount, oil-eluting chlorophyll rate, oil-non-eluting chlorophyll rate, color tone measurement, color difference (ΔE), and visual evaluation for each oily food product, along with the overall evaluation.

[0049]

[0050]

[0051]

[0052] All oil-based foods had a color difference (ΔE) of 5 or less, indicating improved lightfastness compared to conventional oil-based foods. In particular, those with a lower median diameter showed smaller color differences (ΔE) and better lightfastness.

[0053] ●Study 4 Following the formulations in Table 9, oily foods with different chlorophyll content were prepared by adjusting the amount of algae containing phycocyanin and the amount of matcha added. As a comparative example, heat-treated spirulina-a, which had a low chlorophyll content, was prepared by pre-heating it at 120°C for 16 hours, and samples were prepared by dispersing and mixing it with the oily foods. The obtained oily foods were tempered using a seed material, as in Study 2, then filled into molds, cooled and solidified at 3-10°C, and then left to stand overnight at 20°C. Lightfastness was confirmed by calculating the color difference (ΔE) before and after irradiation using the same method as in Study 1. The chlorophyll content, oil-eluting chlorophyll amount, oil-eluting chlorophyll rate, oil-non-eluting chlorophyll rate, color tone measurement, color difference (ΔE), and visual evaluation results for each oily food, as well as the overall evaluation, are shown in Table 10.

[0054]

[0055]

[0056] In oily foods using spirulina-containing oil, samples with a chlorophyll elution rate of 80% by mass or less had a color difference (ΔE) of 5 or less, indicating improved light resistance compared to conventional oily foods. In the comparative example, even when heat-treated spirulina-a was used to reduce chlorophyll by preheating and only the chlorophyll remaining after heating was used, the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate exceeded 80% by mass. After light irradiation, the green color was lost and it turned brown, and the color difference (ΔE) also exceeded 5.

[0057] ●Study 5 The yellow pigment was changed from vitamin B2, and spirulina-containing oil was prepared according to the formulation in Table 11, similar to Study 3. In addition to safflower yellow pigment, the following raw materials were used as yellow pigments: Turmeric pigment: Curcumin GS (manufactured by Daiwa Chemical Co., Ltd.) Gardenia yellow pigment: Crocin P-1900 (manufactured by Daiwa Chemical Co., Ltd.) Note that turmeric pigment, like safflower pigment, is a preparation containing ethanol, and Table 11 shows the ratio of components remaining after dehydration. An oily food was prepared according to the formulation in Table 12, similar to Study 3. The obtained oily food was tempered using a seed material, similar to Study 2, then filled into a mold, cooled and solidified at 3-10°C, and then left to stand overnight at 20°C. Lightfastness was confirmed by calculating the color difference (ΔE) before and after irradiation, using the same method as in Study 1. Table 13 shows the results of chlorophyll content, oil-eluting chlorophyll amount, oil-eluting chlorophyll rate, oil-non-eluting chlorophyll rate, color tone measurement, color difference (ΔE), and visual evaluation for each oily food product, along with the overall evaluation.

[0058]

[0059]

[0060]

[0061] Even when the yellow pigment was changed from riboflavin (vitamin B2) to that derived from safflower, turmeric, and gardenia, the color difference (ΔE) remained below 5, indicating improved lightfastness compared to conventional oil-based foods.

[0062] The present invention makes it possible to provide oily foods with improved light resistance compared to conventional products.

Claims

1. An oily food that meets all of the following requirements (A) to (C): (A) Contains algae containing phycocyanin (B) Contains 6 mg / 100g or more of chlorophyll (C) The oil-eluting chlorophyll rate in the contained chlorophyll is 15% to 80% by mass. However, the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved in oil to the amount of chlorophyll contained in the oily food.

2. The oily food according to claim 1, wherein the algae are cyanobacteria.

3. The oily food according to claim 1, wherein the algae are spirulina. However, spirulina refers collectively to algae belonging to the genus Spirulina or Arthrospira.

4. An oily food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further satisfying requirement (D): (D) comprising one or more yellow pigments selected from the group consisting of safflower yellow pigment, turmeric pigment, riboflavin, annatto pigment, gardenia yellow pigment and red yeast rice yellow pigment.

5. An oily food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further satisfying the requirement of (E): (E) further comprising a chlorophyll-containing food other than algae.

6. The oily food according to claim 4, further satisfying requirement (E): (E) further comprising a chlorophyll-containing food other than algae.

7. An oily food according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the color difference (ΔE) before and after irradiation with light at 25℃, 8000lx for 18 hours is 5 or less. However, the color difference (ΔE) is calculated as follows: color difference (ΔE) = ΔE* ab = [(ΔL*)] 2 + (Δa*) 2 + (Δb*) 2 ] 1 / 2 Here, ΔL* = L* value after light irradiation - L* value before light irradiation, Δa* = a* value after light irradiation - a* value before light irradiation, Δb* = b* value after light irradiation - b* value before light irradiation 8. A method for producing an oily food containing algae that contain phycocyanin, wherein the chlorophyll content in the oily food is 6 mg / 100 g or more, and the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate in the contained chlorophyll is 15% to 80% by mass. However, the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved in oil to the chlorophyll contained in the oily food.

9. A method for improving the light resistance of an oily food product, using an oily food product that satisfies all of the following requirements (A) to (C): (A) Contains algae containing phycocyanin; (B) Contains 6 mg / 100 g or more of chlorophyll; (C) The oil-eluting chlorophyll rate in the contained chlorophyll is 15% to 80% by mass. However, the oil-eluting chlorophyll rate refers to the ratio of the amount of chlorophyll dissolved in oil to the amount of chlorophyll contained in the oily food product.

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