Oil / fat composition for chocolate, and chocolate

Abstract

[Problem] To provide: chocolate that has moderately hard texture and good flavor and is less likely to cause blooming; and an oil / fat composition for chocolate, which is for producing the chocolate. [Solution] Provided is an oil / fat composition for chocolate, which satisfies the following conditions (a) to (f). (a) A saturated fatty acid having 14 or less carbon atoms is contained in an amount of 45-65 mass% as a constituent fatty acid. (b) A saturated fatty acid having 16-18 carbon atoms is contained in an amount of 20-45 mass% as a constituent fatty acid. (c) An unsaturated fatty acid is contained in an amount of 20 mass% or less as a constituent fatty acid. (d) The mass ratio of the content of the saturated fatty acids to the content of the unsaturated fatty acid in the constituent fatty acids is 6.3-9.0. (e) A triglyceride in which the total number of carbon atoms in fatty acid residues that constitute the triglyceride is 34-38 is contained in an amount of 25-45 mass%. (f) A triglyceride in which the total number of carbon atoms in fatty acid residues that constitute the triglyceride is 40-48 is contained in an amount of 40-60 mass%.

Description

Chocolate Fat Composition and Chocolate

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to chocolate and a fat composition for chocolate for producing the chocolate.

[0002] Chocolate is a confectionery with fat as its backbone, and cacao butter derived from cacao beans is usually used as the fat. Since cacao butter is expensive, cacao butter substitute fats produced from vegetable oils are often used as the fat for producing chocolate. Cacao butter substitute fats are also called hard butters, and hard butters are usually classified into tempering-type hard butters and non-tempering-type hard butters.

[0003] Tempering-type hard butters are made from fats containing many symmetric triglycerides (triacylglycerols) similar to cacao butter. Therefore, the chemical composition and physical properties of tempering-type hard butters are similar to those of cacao butter. Thus, tempering-type hard butters have good compatibility with cacao butter and can be freely blended with cacao butter. However, like cacao butter, tempering-type hard butters require a tempering operation during the production of chocolate.

[0004] On the other hand, non-tempering-type hard butters are made from fats with a completely different chemical composition from cacao butter but with melting behavior similar to cacao butter. Non-tempering-type hard butters are less expensive than cacao butter and do not require a complicated tempering operation during chocolate production, and their workability is also good. Therefore, they are widely used as fats for chocolate. Also, non-tempering-type hard butters are classified into lauric acid-type hard butters and non-lauric acid-type hard butters depending on the raw material fats.

[0005] Non-lauric acid hard butters are made from partially hydrogenated liquid oils such as palm olein and soybean oil, or from high-melting-point or medium-melting-point portions obtained by fractionating these partially hydrogenated oils. Non-lauric acid hard butters have better compatibility with cocoa butter than lauric acid hard butters, allowing for a higher proportion of cocoa butter to be incorporated. However, the melting properties of non-lauric acid hard butters are somewhat less sharp compared to lauric acid hard butters, and chocolates made with non-lauric acid hard butters sometimes lack a sharp melt-in-the-mouth texture. Furthermore, non-lauric acid hard butters contain a large amount of trans fatty acids generated during partial hydrogenation, and are therefore also called trans fatty acid hard butters. Non-lauric acid hard butters containing large amounts of trans fatty acids have been avoided since the adverse health effects of trans fatty acids became recognized.

[0006] As lauric acid-type hard butter, processed oils of lauric acid-based fats such as highly hydrogenated palm kernel stearin oil are used. Because lauric acid-type hard butter has an extremely sharp melting property, chocolate made with lauric acid-type hard butter has a sharp melt-in-the-mouth texture. Examples of chocolate made with lauric acid-type hard butter include the chocolates described in Patent Documents 1 to 6. On the other hand, because lauric acid-type hard butter has extremely poor compatibility with cocoa butter, chocolate made with lauric acid-type hard butter must have the amount of cocoa butter or cocoa mass containing cocoa butter kept to a minimum, resulting in a lack of cocoa flavor. Therefore, chocolate made with lauric acid-type hard butter had problems in terms of flavor. In addition, because chocolate made with lauric acid-type hard butter has extremely poor compatibility with cocoa butter, it also has the problem of being prone to blooming.

[0007] Chocolate comes in various forms, from hard chocolate bars to soft chocolates. The texture of chocolate is a crucial characteristic. Nowadays, there's a demand for chocolate with a moderate firmness—neither too hard nor too soft. Since the texture of chocolate is greatly influenced by the fats and oils that form its structure, there's a need to develop fats and oils that can produce chocolate with this moderate firmness.

[0008] Given this background, there was a need to develop a chocolate fat composition that could produce chocolate with a moderately firm texture and good flavor, while also being less prone to blooming.

[0009] Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-108624, Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-318339, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-226598, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-299442, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-271885, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-17821

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a chocolate fat composition that can produce chocolate having a moderately firm texture and good flavor, as well as being less prone to blooming.

[0011] The inventors of this invention conducted intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems. As a result, they found that the problems could be solved by creating an oil and fat composition that satisfies a specific triglyceride and fatty acid composition. This led to the completion of the present invention.

[0012] In other words, the first invention of the present invention is a chocolate fat composition that satisfies the following conditions (a) to (f): (a) Contains 45 to 65% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 14 or fewer carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. (b) Contains 20 to 45% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. (c) Contains 20% by mass or less of unsaturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids. (d) The mass ratio of saturated fatty acid content to unsaturated fatty acid content in constituent fatty acids is 6.3 to 9.0. (e) Contains 25 to 45% by mass of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 34 to 38. (f) Contains 40 to 60% by mass of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 40 to 48. The second invention of the present invention is a chocolate fat composition according to the first invention, further containing 0.1 to 5% by mass of an emulsifier. The third invention of the present invention is chocolate containing the chocolate fat composition described in the first or second invention. The fourth invention of the present invention is chocolate according to the third invention, wherein the fat contained in the chocolate contains 40% by mass or more of the chocolate fat composition.

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a chocolate fat composition that can be used to produce chocolate that has a moderately firm texture and good flavor, and is less prone to blooming.

[0014] The fat and oil composition for chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention is a fat and oil composition that satisfies the following conditions (a) to (f): (a) Contains 45 to 65% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 14 or fewer carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. (b) Contains 20 to 45% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. (c) Contains 20% by mass or less of unsaturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids. (d) The mass ratio of saturated fatty acid content to unsaturated fatty acid content in constituent fatty acids is 6.3 to 9.0. (e) Contains 25 to 45% by mass of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 34 to 38. (f) Contains 40 to 60% by mass of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 40 to 48.

[0015] In this invention, "chocolate" is not limited by the "Fair Competition Rules Regarding Labeling of Chocolate Products" (National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council) or by any legal provisions, but refers to a food product that is mainly made from fats and oils and carbohydrates, with the addition of cocoa components (cocoa mass, cocoa powder, etc.), dairy products, flavorings, emulsifiers, etc. as necessary, and manufactured through all or part of the chocolate manufacturing process (mixing process, micronization process, refining process, temperature control process, molding process, cooling process, etc.), in which fats and oils form a continuous phase and are substantially free of water (preferably with a water content of 3% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or less). Furthermore, in this invention, chocolate may be dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or colored chocolate.

[0016] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 45 to 65% by mass, preferably 47 to 62% by mass, and more preferably 50 to 58% by mass, saturated fatty acids having 14 or fewer carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids (condition (a)). Hereinafter, saturated fatty acids having 14 or fewer carbon atoms may be referred to as C14 or less SFA.

[0017] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 20 to 45% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably 25 to 40% by mass, and more preferably 28 to 38% by mass (condition (b)). Hereinafter, saturated fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms may be referred to as C16-18SFA.

[0018] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 20% by mass or less of unsaturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, preferably 3 to 18% by mass, and more preferably 5 to 15% by mass (condition (c)). Hereinafter, unsaturated fatty acids may be referred to as USFA.

[0019] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention has a mass ratio of saturated fatty acid content (mass%) to unsaturated fatty acid content (mass%) in the constituent fatty acids, preferably 6.3 to 9.0, more preferably 7.1 to 8.5, and even more preferably 7.5 to 8.3 (condition (d)). Hereinafter, the mass ratio of saturated fatty acid content to unsaturated fatty acid content may be referred to as SFA / USFA.

[0020] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 25 to 45% by mass of triglycerides having a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 34 to 38, preferably 25 to 40% by mass, and more preferably 27 to 38% by mass (condition (e)). Hereinafter, triglycerides having a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 34 to 38 may be referred to as C34-38TG.

[0021] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains 40 to 60% by mass of triglycerides having a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 40 to 48, preferably 42 to 58% by mass, and more preferably 45 to 55% by mass (condition (f)). Hereinafter, triglycerides having a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 40 to 48 may be referred to as C40-48TG.

[0022] When the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention satisfies the above conditions (a) to (f), a chocolate is obtained that has a moderately firm texture and good flavor, and is less prone to blooming.

[0023] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 10% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2% to 8% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 8 to 10 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. Hereinafter, saturated fatty acids having 8 to 10 carbon atoms may be referred to as C8-10SFA.

[0024] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention has a mass ratio of palmitic acid content (mass%) to stearic acid content (mass%) in the constituent fatty acids, preferably 1.0 to 2.5, more preferably 1.1 to 2.3, and even more preferably 1.2 to 2.0. Hereinafter, the mass ratio of palmitic acid content to stearic acid content may be written as P / St. Also, stearic acid may be written as St and palmitic acid as P.

[0025] In the embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate fat composition has a mass ratio of lauric acid content (mass%) to stearic acid content (mass%) in the constituent fatty acids, preferably 1.5 to 4.0, more preferably 1.8 to 3.8, and even more preferably 2.0 to 3.0. Hereinafter, the mass ratio of lauric acid content to stearic acid content in the constituent fatty acids may be written as La / St. Lauric acid may also be written as La.

[0026] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 5% by mass or less, more preferably 3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or less, saturated fatty acids having 20 to 22 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. Furthermore, the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention may contain 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.1% by mass or more, saturated fatty acids having 20 to 22 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. Hereinafter, saturated fatty acids having 20 to 22 carbon atoms may be referred to as C20-22SFA.

[0027] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains saturated fatty acids in an amount of 75 to 95% by mass, more preferably 78 to 93% by mass, and even more preferably 83 to 92% by mass, as constituent fatty acids.

[0028] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 5% by mass or less of trans fatty acids as constituent fatty acids, more preferably 3% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1% by mass or less. Furthermore, the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention may contain 0.01% by mass or more of trans fatty acids, or 0.05% by mass or more. Hereinafter, trans fatty acids may be referred to as TFA.

[0029] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 0.5% by mass, more preferably less than 0.3% by mass, and even more preferably less than 0.2% by mass, of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms of 56 or more constituent fatty acid residues. Furthermore, the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention may contain 0.01% by mass or more, or 0.05% by mass or more, of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms of 56 or more constituent fatty acids as constituent fatty acids. Hereinafter, triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms of 56 or more constituent fatty acid residues may be referred to as C56 or more TG.

[0030] In producing the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiments of the present invention, any fats and oils commonly used in chocolate production can be used without particular limitations, as long as the triglyceride composition, fatty acid composition, etc., are within the aforementioned range. Specific examples of fats and oils include cocoa butter, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, palm oil, fractionated palm oil (palm mid-melting point portion, palm stearin, palm olein, etc.), shea butter, sal fat, illipe fat, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, rice oil, corn oil, sesame oil, olive oil, milk fat, etc., as well as processed fats and oils of these (fats and oils that have undergone one or more of the following treatments: mixing, fractionation, hydrogenation, and transesterification). Two or more of the fats and oils can also be used in combination.

[0031] In the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention, preferably, random transesterified oils of lauric-based oils with an iodine value of 15 to 35, random transesterified oils of lauric-based oils with an iodine value of 10 or less, non-transesterified lauric-based oils, and random transesterified oils of medium-chain fatty acid-containing oils are used. In the present invention, random transesterified oils of lauric-based oils refer to oils obtained by using oils containing lauric-based oils as raw materials for the random transesterification reaction and carrying out the random transesterification reaction on said raw materials. In the present invention, lauric-based oils refer to oils in which lauric acid accounts for 30% by mass or more of the fatty acids constituting the oil. In the present invention, non-transesterified lauric-based oils refer to lauric-based oils that have not undergone a transesterification reaction. In the present invention, random transesterified oils of medium-chain fatty acid-containing oils refer to oils obtained by using oils containing medium-chain fatty acid-containing oils as raw materials for the random transesterification reaction and carrying out the random transesterification reaction on said raw materials. Hereinafter, randomly transesterified oils of lauric acid-based oils with an iodine value of 15 to 35 will be designated as oil A, randomly transesterified oils of lauric acid-based oils with an iodine value of 10 or less will be designated as oil B, non-transesterified lauric acid-based oils will be designated as oil C, and randomly transesterified oils of medium-chain fatty acid-containing oils will be designated as oil D.

[0032] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 45 to 70% by mass of fat A, 0 to 15% by mass of fat B, 25 to 55% by mass of fat C, and 0 to 10% by mass of fat D; more preferably contains 50 to 65% by mass of fat A, 0 to 10% by mass of fat B, 30 to 53% by mass of fat C, and 0 to 5% by mass of fat D; and even more preferably contains 53 to 60% by mass of fat A, 3 to 8% by mass of fat B, 35 to 50% by mass of fat C, and 0.3 to 3% by mass of fat D.

[0033] The fat A used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a randomly transesterified fat composed of a lauric fat and a non-lauric fat. In this invention, a non-lauric fat refers to any fat other than a lauric fat. Specific examples of lauric fats include coconut oil, palm kernel oil and their fractions, transesterified fats, and hydrogenated oils. In this invention, one or more types of lauric fats can be used.

[0034] The lauric oil used in the production of the aforementioned oil A is preferably a highly hardened palm kernel oil.

[0035] The non-lauric oil used in the production of oil A is preferably a palm oil. In this invention, palm oil refers to palm oil and processed palm oil such as palm oil and palm fractionated oil. In this invention, processed palm oil such as transesterified palm oil is also considered a palm oil. Specific examples of palm oils include palm oil, palm olein, transesterified palm olein, palm stearin, palm mid-fraction (PMF), etc. In this invention, one or more types of palm oils can be used.

[0036] The palm-based oil used in the production of the aforementioned oil A is preferably a palm-based oil with an iodine value of 25 to 60, more preferably palm stearin with an iodine value of 27 to 37, or palm mid-melting point portion with an iodine value of 40 to 50.

[0037] The fat A used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention has an iodine value of 15 to 35, preferably 18 to 30, and more preferably 20 to 28.

[0038] The fat A used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 15% by mass or more and less than 30% by mass of lauric acid as a constituent fatty acid, more preferably 17% by mass or more and less than 27% by mass, and even more preferably 18% by mass or more and less than 25% by mass.

[0039] The oil A used in the production of the chocolate fat composition of the embodiment of the present invention contains palmitic acid as a constituent fatty acid, preferably 20% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass, more preferably 25% by mass or more and less than 38% by mass, and still more preferably 27% by mass or more and less than 35% by mass.

[0040] The oil A used in the production of the chocolate fat composition of the embodiment of the present invention contains stearic acid as a constituent fatty acid, preferably 5% by mass or more and less than 25% by mass, more preferably 8% by mass or more and less than 20% by mass, and still more preferably 10% by mass or more and less than 17% by mass.

[0041] For the oil A used in the production of the chocolate fat composition of the embodiment of the present invention, the mixing ratio (lauric oil: non-lauric oil) of the lauric oil and the non-lauric oil as the raw material oils for performing the random ester exchange reaction is preferably 35:65 to 65:35 by mass ratio, more preferably 40:60 to 60:40 by mass ratio, and still more preferably 45:55 to !5:45 by mass ratio. The method of random ester exchange when producing the oil A is not particularly limited and can be performed by a conventionally known method.

[0042] The oil B used in the production of the chocolate fat composition of the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a random ester exchange fat of a lauric oil and a non-lauric oil.

[0043] The lauric oil used in the production of the oil B is preferably palm kernel olein or an extremely hardened oil of palm kernel olein.

[0044] The non-lauric oil used in the production of the oil B is preferably a palm oil. The palm oil used in the production of the oil B is preferably a palm oil having an iodine value of 25 to 60, more preferably palm stearin having an iodine value of 27 to 37.

[0045] The oil B used in the production of the chocolate fat composition of the embodiment of the present invention has an iodine value of 10 or less, preferably 5 or less, and more preferably 1 or less.

[0046] The oil and fat B used in the production of the chocolate oil and fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains lauric acid as a constituent fatty acid in an amount of 15% by mass or more and less than 30% by mass, more preferably 17% by mass or more and less than 27% by mass, and still more preferably 18% by mass or more and less than 25% by mass.

[0047] The oil and fat B used in the production of the chocolate oil and fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains palmitic acid as a constituent fatty acid in an amount of 20% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass, more preferably 25% by mass or more and less than 38% by mass, and still more preferably 27% by mass or more and less than 35% by mass.

[0048] The oil and fat B used in the production of the chocolate oil and fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains stearic acid as a constituent fatty acid in an amount of 25% by mass or more and less than 45% by mass, more preferably 30% by mass or more and less than 40% by mass, and still more preferably 32% by mass or more and less than 38% by mass.

[0049] For the oil and fat B used in the production of the chocolate oil and fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention, the mixing ratio (lauric oil and fat: non-lauric oil and fat) of the lauric oil and fat and the non-lauric oil and fat as the raw material oil and fat for performing the random transesterification reaction is preferably a mass ratio of 35:65 to 65:35, more preferably a mass ratio of 40:60 to 60:40, and still more preferably a mass ratio of 45:55 to 55:45. The method of random transesterification when producing the oil and fat B is not particularly limited and can be performed by a conventionally known method. When producing the oil and fat B, hydrogenation can be performed as necessary. The method of hydrogenation is not particularly limited and can be performed by a conventionally known method.

[0050] Specific examples of fat C used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention include coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and fractions thereof, hydrogenated oils, etc. One or more types of fat C can be used in combination. The fat C used in the production of chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably has a rising melting point of 25 to 50°C, more preferably 30 to 45°C, and even more preferably 32 to 43°C. The fat C used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a highly hydrogenated lauric fat, more preferably a highly hydrogenated palm kernel oil or a highly hydrogenated palm kernel stearin.

[0051] The fat D used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a randomly transesterified fat composed of a medium-chain fatty acid-containing fat and a non-lauric fat. In this invention, a medium-chain fatty acid-containing fat refers to a fat containing 80% by mass or more of saturated fatty acids having 8 to 10 carbon atoms.

[0052] The medium-chain fatty acid-containing oil used in the production of the aforementioned oil and fat D is a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride (hereinafter, medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride will be referred to as MCT) that has a saturated fatty acid content of 8 to 10 carbon atoms of 80% by mass or more, preferably 90% by mass or more, and more preferably consists only of saturated fatty acids of 8 to 10 carbon atoms.

[0053] The non-lauric oil used in the production of the oil D is preferably a highly hydrogenated non-lauric oil, and more preferably a highly hydrogenated rapeseed oil.

[0054] The fat D used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 35 to 60% by mass, more preferably 38 to 57% by mass, and even more preferably 43 to 53% by mass, saturated fatty acids having 8 to 10 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

[0055] The fat D used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 35 to 60% by mass, more preferably 40 to 57% by mass, and even more preferably 45 to 55% by mass, saturated fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids.

[0056] The fat D used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains less than 5% by mass of lauric acid, more preferably less than 3% by mass, and even more preferably less than 1% by mass, as a constituent fatty acid.

[0057] The fat D used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably has a mass ratio of 35:65 to 65:35 for the medium-chain fatty acid-containing fat and non-lauric fat of the raw materials for the random transesterification reaction (medium-chain fatty acid-containing fat:non-lauric fat), more preferably 40:60 to 60:40, and even more preferably 45:55 to 55:45. The method for random transesterification when producing the fat D is not particularly limited and can be carried out by conventionally known methods.

[0058] The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains an emulsifier. The chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 0.1 to 5% by mass of the emulsifier, more preferably 0.5 to 5% by mass, and even more preferably 1 to 3% by mass. The emulsifier used in the production of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a sucrose fatty acid ester, or a polyglycerol fatty acid ester, more preferably a sorbitan fatty acid ester, and even more preferably a sorbitan stearate ester. When the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains the emulsifier within the above range, chocolate that is less prone to blooming can be obtained.

[0059] The chocolate fat composition of the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a non-tempering hard butter, and more preferably a non-tempering lauric acid type hard butter.

[0060] The fatty acid content of oils and fats can be measured by gas chromatography in accordance with AOCS Ce1f-96. The triglyceride content of oils and fats can be measured by gas chromatography in accordance with AOCS Ce5-86. The iodine value of oils and fats can be measured in accordance with "2.3.4.1-1996 Iodine Value (Wiiss-Cyclohexane Method)" in the "Standard Methods for Analysis of Oils and Fats (edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society)". The rising melting point of oils and fats can be measured in accordance with "2.2.4.2-1996 Melting Point (Rising Melting Point)" in the "Standard Methods for Analysis of Oils and Fats (edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society)".

[0061] The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention contains the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention. The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 40% by mass or more, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or more, even more preferably 70% by mass or more, and most preferably 75% by mass or more of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention in the fats and oils contained in the chocolate. Furthermore, the chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 95% by mass or less, more preferably 90% by mass or less, of the chocolate fat composition according to the embodiment of the present invention in the fats and oils contained in the chocolate. In this invention, the fats and oils contained in the chocolate refer to the total fat content of all fats and oils contained in the chocolate. For example, if the chocolate contains cocoa mass, whole milk powder, and fat a, the fat is a mixture of cocoa butter contained in the cocoa mass, milk fat contained in the whole milk powder, and fat a. That is, the fats and oils contained in the chocolate according to this invention include not only the fats and oils blended into the chocolate, but also fats and oils (cocoa butter, milk fat, etc.) contained in oil-containing raw materials (cocoa mass, cocoa powder, whole milk powder, etc.).

[0062] The chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention preferably contains cocoa butter. The chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention preferably contains 45% by mass or less, more preferably 35% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, and most preferably 25% by mass or less of cocoa butter in the fats and oils contained in the chocolate. Furthermore, the chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention preferably contains 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or less of cocoa butter in the fats and oils contained in the chocolate. In the present invention, cocoa butter includes not only cocoa butter blended into chocolate, but also cocoa butter in cocoa raw materials such as cocoa mass and cocoa powder that contain cocoa butter.

[0063] The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 30 to 60% by mass of fat, more preferably 35 to 55% by mass, and even more preferably 40 to 50% by mass.

[0064] The chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention preferably contains carbohydrates. In this invention, carbohydrates refer to carbohydrates excluding dietary fiber. Specific examples of carbohydrates include sugars, sugar alcohols (maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, lactitol, mannitol, reduced starch syrup, etc.), starch, oligosaccharides, dextrin, etc. In this invention, sugars refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, etc.). In this invention, carbohydrates refer to carbohydrates themselves and do not include carbohydrates contained in other raw materials (e.g., powdered milk, etc.). The carbohydrates used in the production of the chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention are preferably sugars, more preferably sucrose and lactose. The chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention preferably contains 20 to 55% by mass of carbohydrates, more preferably 25 to 55% by mass, and even more preferably 30 to 50% by mass.

[0065] The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains cocoa components. In this invention, cocoa components refer to cocoa raw materials obtained from cocoa beans that include solids other than fats and oils. Specific examples of cocoa components include cocoa mass and cocoa powder. The cocoa components used in the production of the chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention are preferably cocoa mass and cocoa powder. The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 0 to 35% by mass of cocoa components, more preferably 3 to 25% by mass, and even more preferably 5 to 20% by mass.

[0066] The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains dairy products. Specific examples of dairy products include skim milk powder and whole milk powder. The dairy product used in the production of the chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably milk powder, more preferably skim milk powder and whole milk powder. The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains 5 to 35% by mass of dairy products, more preferably 7 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 25% by mass.

[0067] In addition to fats and oils, carbohydrates, cocoa components, and dairy products, the chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention can also use ingredients commonly used in chocolate. Specifically, for example, emulsifiers (sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerol fatty acid esters, polyglycerol condensed ricinoleic acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, etc.), soy flour, soy protein, processed fruit products, processed vegetable products, various powders such as matcha powder and coffee powder, gums, starches, antioxidants, colorings, flavorings, etc. can be used.

[0068] The chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention can be manufactured using conventionally known methods for manufacturing chocolate. For example, the chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention can be manufactured using oils and fats, cocoa components, sugars, emulsifiers, etc., as raw materials, through a mixing process, a micronization process (refining), a conching process, a cooling process, etc. Furthermore, the chocolate according to the embodiments of the present invention is preferably manufactured through a micronization process.

[0069] The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a non-tempering type of chocolate.

[0070] The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention can be used as coated chocolate, filling chocolate, soft chocolate (chocolate cream), etc.

[0071] The chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention has a moderately firm texture and good flavor, and is less prone to blooming.

[0072] Because the chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention is less prone to blooming, products using the chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention can be expected to have an extended shelf life. Therefore, the chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention can also be expected to help improve the food waste problem.

[0073] The composite food according to the embodiment of the present invention is a composite food consisting of chocolate and food according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the present invention, "food" refers to food other than chocolate.

[0074] Specific examples of foods used in the production of the composite food according to the embodiment of the present invention include, for example, breads such as white bread, salt bread, hot dog buns, fruit bread, butter rolls, French bread, rolls, sweet buns, sweet dough, muffins, brioche, focaccia bagels, croissants, and Danish pastries; confectionery such as donuts, castella, waffles, bolo, yatsuhashi, senbei, karinto, sponge cake, roll cake, pound cake, baumkuchen, fruit cake, madeleines, stollen, choux pastries, eclairs, mille-feuille, pies, tarts, macarons, biscuits, cookies, crackers, sables, langue de chat, steamed buns, pretzels, wafers, potato chips, snack foods, crepes, soufflés, and hardtack; and fruits such as bananas, apples, and strawberries.

[0075] The composite food according to the embodiment of the present invention can be manufactured by combining chocolate and food using conventionally known methods. Methods for combining chocolate and food according to the embodiment of the present invention include coating, injection, wrapping, sandwiching, adhering, kneading, and the like.

[0076] The present invention will now be described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. [Method for analyzing fatty acids in oils and fats] The fatty acid content of oils and fats was measured by gas chromatography in accordance with AOCS Ce1f-96. [Method for analyzing triglycerides in oils and fats] The triglyceride content of oils and fats was measured by gas chromatography in accordance with AOCS Ce5-86. [Method for measuring the iodine value of oils and fats] The iodine value of oils and fats was measured in accordance with "2.3.4.1-1996 Iodine value (Wiiss-cyclohexane method)" in "Standard methods for the analysis of oils and fats (edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society)". [Method for measuring the rising melting point of oils and fats] The rising melting point of oils and fats was measured in accordance with "2.2.4.2-1996 Melting point (rising melting point)" in "Standard methods for the analysis of oils and fats (edited by the Japan Oil Chemists' Society)".

[0077] [Production of Oil and Fat A1] 15 parts by mass of palm stearin (iodine value: 32), 35 parts by mass of palm oil with a medium melting point (iodine value: 45), and 50 parts by mass of highly hydrogenated palm kernel oil (lauric acid content: 48.4% by mass) were mixed. An oil and fat A1 (iodine value: 23, lauric acid content: 23.7% by mass, palmitic acid content: 30.4% by mass, stearic acid content: 13.4% by mass) was obtained by random transesterification of the resulting mixed oil. The transesterification reaction was carried out according to a conventional method, after the raw oil and fat were thoroughly dried and 0.2% by mass of sodium methoxide was added relative to the raw oil and fat, and the reaction was carried out under reduced pressure at 120°C for 0.5 hours with stirring. The reaction was completed by neutralization with the addition of a 50% by mass citric acid aqueous solution, and then washed three times with an equal amount of hot water, dehydrated and dried, and decolorized and deodorized by a conventional method to obtain the transesterified oil and fat.

[0078] [Production of Oil and Fat B1] 50 parts by mass of palm kernel olein (lauric acid content: 41% by mass) and 50 parts by mass of palm stearin (iodine value: 32) were mixed. After a random transesterification reaction was performed on the resulting mixed oil, hydrogenation was carried out until the iodine value was 2 or less to obtain oil and fat A2 (iodine value: less than 1, lauric acid content: 20.3% by mass, palmitic acid content: 33.5% by mass, stearic acid content: 34.9% by mass). The transesterification reaction was carried out in the same manner as for oil and fat A1. The hydrogenation reaction was carried out at 160 to 200°C using a nickel catalyst until the iodine value was 2 or less. After the hydrogenation reaction was completed, the nickel catalyst was removed by filtration, and decolorization and deodorization were performed to obtain extremely hardened oil.

[0079] [Fats and Oils C1] Palm kernel stearin superhydrogenated oil (lauric acid content: 53.9% by mass, rising melting point: 35.6°C) was used as fat and oil C1.

[0080] [Oil and Fat D1] 51 parts by mass of highly hydrogenated rapeseed oil and 49 parts by mass of MCT (content of saturated fatty acids with 8 to 10 carbon atoms: 100% by mass) were mixed. The resulting mixed oil was subjected to random transesterification to obtain oil and fat D1 (saturated fatty acids with 8 to 10 carbon atoms: 48.4% by mass, saturated fatty acid content with 16 to 18 carbon atoms: 50.1% by mass, lauric acid content: 0% by mass). The transesterification reaction was carried out in the same manner as for oil and fat A1.

[0081] [Preparation of Oil and Fat Composition] Oil and fat compositions were prepared by mixing oils and fats that had been melted according to the formulations shown in Tables 1 to 4. In the table, sorbitan tristearate ester was used as emulsifier 1. The fatty acid content and triglyceride content of the obtained oil and fat compositions were measured according to the analytical method described above. The measurement results are shown in Tables 1 to 4. The units for the formulation and content of the oil and fat compositions are in mass percent (no unit for mass ratio).

[0082]

[0083]

[0084]

[0085]

[0086] [Chocolate Production] Using the fat and oil compositions of Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, chocolates with the formulations shown in Tables 5 to 9 were produced using a conventional chocolate production method (mixing, micronization, refining, and cooling) without tempering or seeding (the units for formulation and content are in mass%). The chocolate of Comparative Example 3 was produced using trans fatty acid hard butter (C14 or less SFA content: 0 mass%, TFA content: 17 mass%). All of the chocolates obtained had a moisture content of 3 mass% or less.

[0087] [Evaluation of Texture and Flavor] Each chocolate was tasted by a panel of eight experts, who scored its texture and flavor according to the evaluation criteria below. The average score of the eight expert panel members was calculated and evaluated according to the evaluation criteria below. In the evaluation results, if the average score was ◎, ○, or △, it was judged to have a moderately firm texture and good flavor (the numbers in parentheses in the table represent the average score). The expert panel members who evaluated the texture and flavor of the chocolates receive regular training in sensory evaluation of chocolate texture and flavor, so there is little individual difference in the results of the sensory evaluation of chocolate texture and flavor. <Texture Evaluation Criteria> 3 points: Moderate initial bite 2 points: Slightly hard or slightly soft initial bite 1 point: Hard or soft initial bite 0 points: Very hard or very soft initial bite <Flavor Evaluation Criteria> 3 points: Very strong flavor release 2 points: Strong flavor release 1 point: Weak flavor release 0 points: Very weak flavor release <Average Score> ◎: 2.5 points or higher ○: 2.0 points or higher and less than 2.5 points △: 1.5 points or higher and less than 2.0 points ×: Less than 1.5 points

[0088] [Bloom Evaluation] Each chocolate was filled into a plastic cup and cooled and solidified in a refrigerator at 8°C. Each chocolate was left to stand at a constant temperature of 15°C, a constant temperature of 20°C, and a fluctuating temperature cycle of 12 hours at 20°C and 12 hours at 32°C. The condition of the chocolate was checked and the number of days until bloom occurred was determined.

[0089]

[0090]

[0091]

[0092]

[0093]

[0094] As can be seen from Tables 5 to 8, the chocolate in the examples had a moderately firm texture and good flavor, and was less prone to blooming. On the other hand, as can be seen from Tables 7 and 9, the chocolate in the comparative examples did not have a moderately firm texture and / or good flavor.

Claims

1. A chocolate fat composition that satisfies the following conditions (a) to (f): (a) Contains 45 to 65% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 14 or fewer carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. (b) Contains 20 to 45% by mass of saturated fatty acids having 16 to 18 carbon atoms as constituent fatty acids. (c) Contains 20% by mass or less of unsaturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids. (d) The mass ratio of saturated fatty acid content to unsaturated fatty acid content in constituent fatty acids is 6.3 to 9.

0. (e) Contains 25 to 45% by mass of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 34 to 38. (f) Contains 40 to 60% by mass of triglycerides with a total number of carbon atoms in the constituent fatty acid residues of 40 to 48.

2. The chocolate fat composition according to claim 1, comprising 0.1 to 5% by mass of an emulsifier.

3. Chocolate containing the chocolate fat composition according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The chocolate according to claim 3, wherein the fats and oils contained in the chocolate contain 40% by mass or more of the chocolate fat composition.

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