Food quality improver, use of food quality improver, bakery food, and method for producing bakery food

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a food quality improver with which it is possible to suppress deterioration in quality over a long period of time.　The present invention is a food quality improver comprising water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) in which the main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and which has an HLB of 15 or greater, the total amount of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) being 8 mass% or greater, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) being within the range of 1:5 to 5:1.

Description

Food quality improver, use of food quality improver, bakery food, and method for producing bakery food

[0001] The present invention relates to a food quality improver, use of a food quality improver, bakery food, and a method for producing bakery food.

[0002] Bakery products such as bread and cakes become hard in texture and are prone to feeling crumbly as the storage time elapses.

[0003] Such quality deterioration is considered to be one of the factors due to recrystallization of starch contained in raw materials and reduction in plasticity of gluten due to drying, and research and development of various quality improvement methods for preventing this have been underway.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a food quality improver characterized by dispersing a lamellar structure of an organic acid monoglyceride in an aqueous solution containing an emulsifier and saccharides.

[0005] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a fat and oil composition for bakery containing a: 0.1 to 30% by mass of diacylglycerol, b: 1 to 20% by mass of organic acid monoacylglycerol, c: 2 to 10% by mass of propylene glycol fatty acid ester, d: 5 to 30% by mass of saturated monoacylglycerol, e: 1 to 10% by mass of unsaturated monoacylglycerol, and f: 10 to 60% by mass of triacylglycerol.

[0006] JP-A-2009-072177 JP-A-2014-131503

[0007] However, from the viewpoint of suppressing quality deterioration during storage, there has been room for further improvement in the conventional methods. In particular, in long-life bakery foods with a shelf life of 30 days or more, a quality improver that can suppress quality deterioration over a long period has been demanded.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a food quality improver that can suppress quality deterioration of bakery food over a long period.

[0009] As a result of diligent research, the present inventors have found that a composition comprising water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or higher, wherein the total content and mass ratio of component (A) and component (B) are within a predetermined range, can serve as a food quality improver that can suppress quality deterioration over a long period of time, leading to the present invention. In particular, they have found that baked bakery products made using dough kneaded with the food quality improver according to the present invention maintain a soft and fresh texture even after long-term storage.

[0010] Examples of embodiments of the present invention are as follows: (1) A food quality improver comprising water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more, wherein the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 8% by mass or more, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:1. (2) The food quality improver according to (1), wherein the ionic emulsifier (A) is an organic acid monoglyceride. (3) The food quality improver according to any one of (1) to (2), wherein the ionic emulsifier (A) is succinic acid monoglyceride. (4) A food quality improver according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the water content is 10 to 90% by mass, the ionic emulsifier (A) content is 1 to 30% by mass, and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) content is 1 to 30% by mass. (5) A food quality improver according to any one of (1) to (4), further comprising sugars. (6) A food quality improver according to any one of (1) to (5), for use in bakery foods. (7) A food quality improver according to any one of (1) to (6), for use in suppressing quality deterioration due to storage of bakery foods. (8) A bakery food containing a food quality improver according to any one of (1) to (7). (9) Use of a food quality improver according to any one of (1) to (8) to suppress quality deterioration due to storage of bakery foods. (10) A method for producing bakery food, comprising adding a food quality improver described in any one of (1) to (9) to dough. (11) A bakery food comprising gluten protein, water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more, wherein the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 0.04% by mass or more, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:1.(12) A bakery food in which the total content of ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 0.5 parts by mass or more and 40 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of gluten protein. This specification includes the disclosures of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-195232, which forms the basis of the priority of this application.

[0011] The present invention provides a food quality improver that can suppress the deterioration of bakery food quality over a long period of time. By adding the food quality improver according to the present invention to the dough during manufacturing, it is possible to produce bakery food (e.g., bread) that can maintain a soft and fresh texture even after long-term storage.

[0012] This is a heat-treated gluten sample without the addition of a quality improver. This is a heat-treated gluten sample with the addition of the quality improver from Example 1.

[0013] The food quality improver according to the present invention is a composition comprising water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more, wherein the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 8% by mass or more, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:1.

[0014] The present invention provides a food quality improver that can suppress the deterioration of bakery food quality over a long period of time. The reason why bakery food baked using dough kneaded with the food quality improver according to the present invention maintains a soft and fresh texture over a long period of time is presumed to be the following reason. However, the present invention is not limited by this presumption. The deterioration of quality in bakery food during storage, such as the deterioration of the soft and fresh texture, can be attributed to factors such as the recrystallization of starch contained in the raw materials and the decrease in the plasticity of gluten due to drying. In the present invention, the ionic emulsifier (A) suppresses the aggregation of gluten protein through electrostatic repulsion, and when combined with a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) with a high HLB, it forms a liquid crystal structure that readily adsorbs to gluten protein, thereby imparting flexibility to the gluten network. Furthermore, by having a total content of ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) of 8% by mass or more, the interaction between the two is fully expressed, and the liquid crystal structure is uniformly formed throughout the dough. As a result, moisture retention within the gluten matrix is ​​improved, suppressing drying and hardening of the dough after baking. Furthermore, when the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:1, the balance between the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of both is optimized, and the emulsification stability and gluten adsorption are most effectively exhibited. In particular, sucrose fatty acid ester (B), whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or higher, has low crystallinity at room temperature and easily maintains a liquid crystal structure, making it suitable for creating emulsifier formulations with good dispersibility in dough.

[0015] The food quality improver according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0016] [Food Quality Improver] The food quality improver according to the present invention comprises water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more, wherein the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 8% by mass or more, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:1.

[0017] [Ionic emulsifier (A)] The food quality improver according to the present invention contains an ionic emulsifier (A). Because the ionic emulsifier (A) has an electrostatic repulsive effect, it can suppress the aggregation of gluten proteins.

[0018] The ionic emulsifier (A) is not particularly limited, but examples include sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, organic acid monoglycerides, lecithin, lysolecithin, etc. The ionic emulsifier (A) may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0019] Of these, organic acid monoglycerides are preferred from the viewpoint of solubility in water and their effect on gluten proteins. Organic acid monoglycerides have a structure in which one molecule of fatty acid and one molecule of organic acid are bonded to one molecule of glycerol, and are generally obtained by reacting an acid anhydride of an organic acid with a fatty acid monoglyceride. The reaction is usually carried out under solvent-free conditions, and for example, in the reaction of succinic anhydride with a C18 monoglyceride, the reaction is completed in about 90 minutes at a temperature of around 120°C. The ionic emulsifier thus obtained is usually a mixture containing an organic acid, unreacted monoglyceride, diglyceride, and other oligomers. In the present invention, such a mixture may be used as is. If it is desired to increase the purity of the ionic emulsifier in the food quality improver of the present invention, commercially available distilled monoglycerides can be used. Alternatively, a product in which the organic acid portion has been partially neutralized may be used.

[0020] Examples of the above organic acids include succinic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, diacetyltartaric acid, malic acid, adipic acid, glutaric acid, maleic acid, or fumaric acid. Among these, succinic acid, citric acid, and diacetyltartaric acid, which are used in food applications, are preferred, and succinic acid is particularly preferred in terms of its effect on gluten and flavor. Examples of the above fatty acids include saturated or unsaturated fatty acids with 8 to 22 carbon atoms, such as caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, and oleic acid. Fatty acids may be linear or branched. Fatty acids are preferably linear, and linear saturated fatty acids are preferred. Among these, fatty acids mainly composed of stearic acid or palmitic acid are preferred in terms of their effect on gluten and flavor. That is, the main constituent fatty acid of the organic acid monoglyceride is preferably stearic acid or palmitic acid.

[0021] The major constituent fatty acids of organic acid monoglycerides refer to fatty acids that make up 50% or more by mass of the constituent fatty acids of the organic acid monoglycerides. Preferably, the content of major constituent fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids is 60% or more by mass, and more preferably 70% or more by mass.

[0022] As the ionic emulsifier (A), commercially available ionic emulsifiers can be used. Examples of commercially available products include "Bellf" from Musashino Chemical Research Institute, "Sunsoft No. 681NU," "Sunsoft No. 681SPV," and "Sunsoft No. 621B" from Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., "Poem B-10," "Poem B-30," "Poem W-60," and "Poem K-30" from Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd., "Step SS" from Kao Corporation, and "SLP-Paste" from Tsuji Oil Co., Ltd.

[0023] In the food quality improver of the present invention, the content of the ionic emulsifier (A) is preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, preferably 2% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, and preferably 4% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less. When the content of the ionic emulsifier (A) is above the lower limit, the long-term quality maintenance effect can be effectively exhibited. Furthermore, when the content of the ionic emulsifier (A) is below the upper limit, the progression of crystallization of the emulsifier in the food quality improver can be effectively suppressed.

[0024] [Sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more] The food quality improver according to the present invention contains a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more. Sucrose fatty acid ester (B) has low crystallinity at room temperature and easily maintains a liquid crystal structure, making it suitable for creating emulsifier formulations with good dispersibility in dough.

[0025] In this specification, HLB stands for Hydrophile-Lipophilic Balance, and refers to the relative strength of the hydrophilicity and lipophilicity of a surfactant molecule. This concept was proposed by Griffin. The HLB value is classified into a range of 0 to 20 based on the balance of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, with 0 representing a highly hydrophobic substance without hydrophilic groups, and 20 representing the highest level of hydrophilicity without hydrophobic groups. A higher HLB value indicates greater water solubility, while a lower HLB value indicates greater lipophilicity.

[0026] While HLB values ​​can be defined using Griffin's formula, as well as other methods such as Davis's formula, Kawakami's formula, and organic conceptual diagrams, the method of defining HLB in this application is not limited. However, the most representative definition of HLB value, Griffin's formula, is shown below. Griffin's formula: HLB = 20 × {(molecular weight of hydrophilic portion) / (total molecular weight)}

[0027] The major constituent fatty acids of sucrose fatty acid ester (B) refer to fatty acids that make up 50% by mass or more of the constituent fatty acids of sucrose fatty acid ester (B), and the content of the major constituent fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids is preferably 60% by mass or more, and preferably 70% by mass or more.

[0028] For sucrose fatty acid esters (B) having an HLB of 15 or higher, myristic acid or palmitic acid is selected as the main constituent fatty acid from the viewpoint of physical properties when formulated and long-term quality maintenance of bakery foods. Sucrose fatty acid esters (B) with an HLB of 15 or higher and myristic acid or palmitic acid as the main constituent fatty acid have low crystallinity at room temperature and easily maintain a liquid crystal structure, making them suitable for creating emulsifier formulations with good dispersibility in dough. Furthermore, since sucrose fatty acid esters are mixtures in which the number of alkyl groups bonded to multiple ester-bondable hydroxyl groups in the molecular structure of the hydrophilic group is distributed, it is preferable that the proportion of monoesters having a structure with one alkyl group in the mixture is 60% or more, preferably 70% or more, and preferably 75% or more. By using sucrose fatty acid esters (B), it is possible to obtain long-term quality maintenance effects for bakery foods, as well as formulation stability and texture improvement effects.

[0029] Commercially available sucrose fatty acid esters (B) can be used. Examples of commercially available products include Mitsubishi Chemical's "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1670 (HLB: 16), monoester content approximately 80% by weight," "Ryoto Sugar Ester P-1570 (HLB: 15), monoester content approximately 70% by weight," and "Ryoto Sugar Ester M-1695 (HLB: 16), monoester content approximately 80% by weight." Sucrose fatty acid esters (B) may be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0030] In the food quality improver of the present invention, the content of sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is preferably 1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, preferably 2% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, and preferably 4% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less. When the content of sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is above the lower limit, it can effectively maintain the long-term quality of bakery foods. Furthermore, when the content of sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is below the upper limit, it can suppress the progression of crystallization of the emulsifier in the food quality improver.

[0031] In the food quality improver of the present invention, the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 8% by mass or more. By having the total amount of these in the food quality improver be above the lower limit, a lamellar structure can be efficiently formed or maintained in the food quality improver. This allows it to act effectively on gluten when added to food, and maintain a soft texture even after long-term storage. The total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is preferably 10% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, preferably 12% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less, and preferably 14% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less. By having the total amount of these in the food quality improver be below the upper limit, crystallization and separation due to excessive content can be prevented, and the physical properties of the composition can be stably maintained. Furthermore, this improves the mixability when added to food and improves workability when kneading dough, so that the quality improvement effect can be exhibited more stably.

[0032] In the food quality improver of the present invention, the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:1, and preferably 1:4 to 4:1. Most preferably, it is 1:3 to 3:1. Within this range, the aggregation of gluten proteins is effectively suppressed by the interaction of the two emulsifiers, and the effect of suppressing heat denaturation of proteins and maintaining water retention is synergistically expressed, allowing the resulting bakery food to maintain a soft texture even after long-term storage. Furthermore, within this range, crystallization and separation of the emulsifier are suppressed, and the food quality improver can maintain stable physical properties.

[0033] [Water] The food quality improver according to the present invention contains water as a solvent.

[0034] In the food quality improver of the present invention, the water content is preferably 10% by mass or more and 90% by mass or less, preferably 15% by mass or more and 85% by mass or less, preferably 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, and preferably 25% by mass or more and 75% by mass or less. When the water content is above the lower limit, the increase in viscosity of the food quality improver can be suppressed and workability can be improved. Furthermore, when the water content is below the upper limit, the amount of emulsifier can be set to an appropriate amount or more, and the long-term quality maintenance effect can be effectively exhibited.

[0035] [Sugars] The food quality improver according to the present invention may contain sugars. The inclusion of sugars improves the dispersion stability of the emulsifier in water.

[0036] The sugars used are not particularly limited and may include, for example, sugars and sugar alcohols such as sucrose, granulated sugar, fructose, glucose, isomerized sugar, maltose, galactose, mannose, fucose, xylose, trehalose, lactose, sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, inositol, maltitol, lactitol, erythritol, various oligosaccharides, or mixtures thereof. Among these, non-sugar alcohols such as sucrose, glucose, isomerized sugar, or maltose are preferred from the viewpoint of flavor and coloring of bakery products. In the preparation of the food quality improver of the present invention, sugars are usually used as aqueous solutions, and in the case of syrup, for example, they can be used as is. Sugars may be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0037] In the food quality improver of the present invention, the sugar content is preferably 0.1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, preferably 1% by mass or more and 25% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less, and preferably 5% by mass or more and 15% by mass or less. When the sugar content is below the above upper limit, it is possible to effectively prevent excessive sweetness or fermentation in bakery foods. Furthermore, when the sugar content is above the above lower limit, the stability of the food quality improver can be improved.

[0038] [Other Emulsifiers] The food quality improver according to the present invention may contain emulsifiers other than the above-mentioned components (A) and (B). Other emulsifiers are not particularly limited, but examples include nonionic emulsifiers and sucrose fatty acid esters other than component (B). The content of other emulsifiers is preferably lower than the content of component (A) and component (B). In the food quality improver according to the present invention, the content of other emulsifiers is, for example, 10% by mass or less, preferably 5% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or less, preferably 1% by mass or less, preferably 0.5% by mass or less, and preferably 0.1% by mass or less. One type of other emulsifier may be used alone, or two or more types may be used in combination.

[0039] When other emulsifiers are included, the content of other emulsifiers is preferably 50 parts by mass or less, preferably 40 parts by mass or less, preferably 30 parts by mass or less, preferably 20 parts by mass or less, preferably 10 parts by mass or less, preferably 5 parts by mass or less, preferably 1 part by mass or less, based on 100 parts by mass of the total content of the above components (A) and component (B).

[0040] [Other Components] The food product quality improver according to the present invention may appropriately contain components other than the above water, ionic emulsifier (A), sucrose fatty acid ester (B), saccharides, and other emulsifiers (other components). Examples of other components include the following additives.

[0041] (pH Adjusting Agent) pH adjusting agents such as organic acids and their salts, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate

[0042] (Fragrance) Fragrances such as lemon oil, orange oil, mint oil, coffee flavor, tea flavor, butter flavor, cream flavor, milk flavor

[0043] (Dye) Carotenoids such as β - carotene, astaxanthin, lycopene, paprika pigment, and dyes such as chlorophyll

[0044] (Thickening Polysaccharides) Natural water - soluble polymer polysaccharides such as pectin, guar gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, galactomannan, xanthan gum, carrageenan, gum arabic, tamarind gum, gellan gum, alginic acid and its salts, celluloses

[0045] (Starches) Starches such as corn starch, rice starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, and modified starches obtained by subjecting these starches to acid treatment, alkali treatment, etherification treatment, gelatinization treatment, etc.

[0046] (Enzymes) Carbohydrate-degrading enzymes such as α-amylase, β-amylase, glucoamylase, maltogenic amylase, etc.; cellulolytic enzymes such as xylanase, hemicellulase, cellulase, cellobiohydrolase, etc.; proteolytic enzymes such as protease, peptidase, etc.; lipid-degrading enzymes such as lipase, phospholipase, galactolipase, etc.; oxidizing enzymes such as glucose oxidase, ascorbic acid oxidase, etc.; and other enzymes such as glycosyltransferase, transglutaminase, etc.

[0047] (Proteins) Milk proteins such as sodium caseinate, etc.; proteins such as soy protein, pea protein, wheat protein, rice protein, etc.

[0048] (Antioxidants) Antioxidants such as tocopherol, L-ascorbic acid, L-ascorbate, L-ascorbic acid fatty acid ester, tea extract, Japanese quince extract, rosemary extract, etc.

[0049] In the food quality improver of the present invention, the content of other components is preferably lower than the content of component (A) and the content of component (B). The content of other components is, for example, 5% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.5% by mass or less, and most preferably 0.1% by mass or less.

[0050] [Bakery Foods] Next, the bakery foods according to the present invention will be described. The bakery foods according to the present invention are characterized by containing the food quality improver according to the present invention. Typical bakery foods include breads, cakes, and baked confectioneries. The dough for breads is not particularly limited, and any dough for breads can be mentioned. Preferably, general doughs for breads such as bread dough, sweet bread dough, variety bread dough, sweet roll dough, butter roll dough, etc. can be mentioned.

[0051] When using the food quality improver according to the present invention in the production of bakery foods such as bread, it is preferable to prepare the dough by kneading in, for example, 0.1 to 10 parts by mass, preferably 0.5 to 5 parts by mass, and preferably 1 to 3 parts by mass of the food quality improver according to the present invention with 100 parts by mass of wheat flour. By using such a blending ratio, it is possible to obtain bread with excellent texture and volume, in which quality deterioration due to storage is suppressed (or reduced).

[0052] Bakery foods preferably contain gluten protein in amounts of 0.5% to 12% by mass, 1% to 11% by mass, 2% to 10% by mass, 3% to 9% by mass, and 4% to 9% by mass. From the viewpoint that the food quality improver according to the present invention mainly acts on gluten protein, bakery foods preferably contain the food quality improver according to the present invention in amounts of 1 to 100 parts by mass, 5 to 50 parts by mass, and 8 to 30 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of gluten protein.

[0053] The method for measuring the gluten protein content in bakery foods is not particularly limited, but for example, the gluten protein content in bakery foods can be calculated from the amount of flour used and the gluten protein content in that flour. Alternatively, the gluten protein content may be calculated based on actual measurements, for example, by the Glutomatic method. Specifically, the gluten protein content may be calculated by measuring the gluten protein content in flour using an instrument capable of measuring the gluten content in flour (Glutomatic System, manufactured by PerkinElmer), and then calculating the gluten protein content from this measurement and the amount of flour used in the bakery food.

[0054] In bakery foods, the total content of ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more and 50 parts by mass or less, preferably 0.5 parts by mass or more and 40 parts by mass or less, and preferably 1 part by mass or more and 30 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of gluten protein, from the viewpoint that these mainly act on gluten protein.

[0055] In one embodiment, the bakery food comprises gluten protein, water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more, the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 0.04% by mass or more, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:1.

[0056] The method for producing bread dough and bread according to the present invention may employ any bread-making method commonly used in bread making, such as the sponge and dough method, direct kneading method, quick method, liquid starter method, medium dough method, or tangzhong method. These doughs may be fermented and baked as is, or they may be frozen, thawed, and then baked.

[0057] [Method for Producing Food Quality Improvers] The method for producing food quality improvers according to the present invention includes the steps of uniformly mixing, heating and dissolving, and cooling water, an emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B), and optionally sugars, other emulsifiers, or other components, but the mixing order, mixing method, heating, and cooling conditions are not particularly limited. The amounts of emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) added are appropriately adjusted to fall within a predetermined content range.

[0058] A preferred manufacturing method according to one embodiment includes the following steps.

[0059] The manufacturing method according to this embodiment includes a step of mixing an ionic emulsifier (A), a sucrose fatty acid ester (B), sugars, and other components such as sodium bicarbonate in water. For example, a food quality improver can be obtained by uniformly dispersing the ionic emulsifier (A), sucrose fatty acid ester (B), sugars, and other components such as sodium bicarbonate in water and then heating and dissolving them.

[0060] In the mixing process, each component may be dispersed individually in water, or they may be mixed all at once. Furthermore, heating may be applied while mixing, or after mixing. The mixing order can be chosen arbitrarily.

[0061] In the manufacturing method according to the present invention, the mixing method is not particularly limited, and in addition to a general stirrer, a stirrer such as a Three One Motor (manufactured by Shinto Kagaku Co., Ltd.) with stirring blades can be used. In addition, general mixers and dispersers such as Despa, ball mills, bead mills, sand mills, and continuous bead mills can be used, as well as high-share emulsification and dispersing machines and continuous emulsification and dispersing machines such as homomixers (Tokushu Kika Kogyo Co., Ltd.), microfluidizers (Mizuho Kogyo Co., Ltd.), Manton-Gorin homogenizers (Gorin Co., Ltd.), nanomizers (Nanomizer Co., Ltd.), and static mixers (Noritake Company).

[0062] In the manufacturing method according to the present invention, the heating temperature during mixing is preferably above the melting point of the emulsifier, preferably 60°C or higher, and preferably 80°C or higher. When the heating temperature during mixing is above the melting point of the emulsifier, the emulsifier can be efficiently mixed, solidification of the emulsifier can be suppressed, and a homogeneous mixture can be obtained. As a result, the desired effect can be more easily obtained by adding a food quality improver.

[0063] The food quality improver according to the present invention also exhibits excellent stability, allowing it to maintain high uniformity over a long period. Furthermore, the food quality improver according to the present invention has good dispersibility in dough when added during the production of bakery foods, which contributes to maintaining the long-term quality of bakery foods.

[0064] Furthermore, the food quality improver according to the present invention can be used to suppress the deterioration of bakery food due to storage. Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is the use of the food quality improver according to the present invention to suppress the deterioration of bakery food due to storage.

[0065] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited in any way by these examples.

[0066] <Manufacturing of Food Quality Improvers> Water, ionic emulsifier (A), sucrose fatty acid ester (B), other emulsifiers, sugars, and other components (sodium bicarbonate) were mixed to the composition shown in Table 1, and an aqueous dispersion was prepared by stirring while raising the temperature to 80°C. The resulting compositions were cooled to room temperature to obtain the present invention product and comparative products. The obtained compositions were used in the following test examples.

[0067] <Bread Preparation> At 23.0°C, 60.0 parts by mass of strong wheat flour (manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.), 2.0 parts by mass of yeast (Tomizawa Shoten), 0.2 parts by mass of yeast food (manufactured by Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.), 1.0 part by mass of the above composition (the present invention and a comparative product were obtained), and 34.0 parts by mass of water were placed in a bowl (20 quarts). Using a vertical mixer (20 quart mixer, with a hook for stirring, manufactured by Kanto Mixing Machinery Co., Ltd.), the mixture was kneaded at a temperature of 24.0 ± 0.5°C at low speed for 3 minutes, followed by medium speed for 1 minute. The kneaded dough was fermented (sponge fermentation) at 5.0°C for 12 to 24 hours.

[0068] Next, to the above-mentioned sponge fermented dough, 40.0 parts by mass of strong wheat flour (manufactured by Nisshin Flour Milling Co., Ltd.), 0.4 parts by mass of yeast (Tomizawa Shoten), 6.0 parts by mass of refined sugar, 2.0 parts by mass of salt, 2.0 parts by mass of skim milk powder, and 28.0 parts by mass of water were added and kneaded using the above-mentioned vertical mixer at low speed for 3 minutes, followed by medium speed for 1 minute. Then, 5.0 parts by mass of shortening was added and kneaded for another 3 minutes at low speed, followed by medium speed for 5 minutes, and then high speed for 3 minutes to obtain the final dough (finished dough temperature 27.5 ± 0.5℃).

[0069] The main dough was left to stand at 27.0°C (75% humidity) for 30 minutes for floor time, and then divided into approximately 210g portions. The divided dough was left to stand at 27.0°C (75% humidity) for 20 minutes for bench time, and then shaped using a molder. Four portions of the shaped dough were placed in a bread pan, and after fermentation (proofing) at 38.0°C (85% humidity) for 45-60 minutes, it was baked in an oven at 210°C (top and bottom) for 35 minutes. After baking, it was left to cool at room temperature (approximately 23.0°C) for 90 minutes to obtain the test loaf of bread. At this time, the amount of composition added per 100 parts by mass of gluten protein was 10.6 parts by mass. In addition, the total content of ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) was 2.1 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of gluten protein.

[0070] The prepared bread was sliced ​​to a thickness of 2.0 cm, then individually placed in packaging bags (Asahi Kasei Pax), and one oxygen absorber (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical) was added before heat sealing. This was then stored for one month in a laboratory at room temperature of 22-25°C and humidity of 50-60%.

[0071] <Evaluation of Bread Quality Improvement> The above room-temperature stored bread was evaluated for its softness improvement effect after one month. In this specification, softness mainly refers to the softness of the bread when you first start to chew it. Bread without any additives (baked the day after) was used as the baseline, and the bread obtained in the above test example (bread with additives added) was compared to it. The evaluation was carried out by three or four technicians skilled in the sensory evaluation of bread, and after scoring according to the evaluation criteria below, the average score was rounded to the nearest whole number. The terms and definitions of texture were decided through discussion among the panel, and the evaluation scale was also agreed upon among the panel before the evaluation was carried out.

[0072] <Evaluation Criteria for Softness of Bread with Additives> 3: The bread has hardened less and its softness has improved. 2: The bread has hardened, but its softness has improved slightly. 1: The bread has hardened significantly due to storage, and no quality preservation effect is observed. (The quality is about the same as bread without additives).

[0073]

[0074]

[0075]

[0076] Table 1 shows that bread treated with a food quality improver containing a combination of ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) maintained a similar quality to that of bread several days after baking, even after being stored for one month. This confirms that the present invention can significantly contribute to maintaining the quality of bakery products and other foods during long-term storage (including during distribution).

[0077] Figure 1B shows a sample obtained by adding the food quality improver according to the present invention (Example 1) and water to gluten powder using a Rapid Viscoanalytic Analyzer (RVA) (manufactured by Perkin Elmer) and then heat-treating it. Figure 1A also shows a sample obtained by adding water to gluten powder and then heat-treating it. When no quality improver is added, as shown in Figure 1A, the gluten gel aggregates into a hard gel-like state, whereas when the quality improver from Example 1 is added, a smooth gel is formed, as shown in Figure 1B, indicating that it has an effect on the gluten network.

[0078] The above heat-treated gluten samples were prepared as follows: 3.2 g of gluten flour (O-Gluten Special H-10, manufactured by Ogawa Flour Milling Co., Ltd.) and 16 g of desalted water were added to an aluminum sample container. In the case of the improved agent added group, 0.08 g of the improved agent was added. A paddle was placed inside and the container was set in the RVA tower. After pre-mixing by rotating the paddle (600 rpm, 30 seconds), the temperature was raised to 95°C over 6 minutes while stirring at 160 rpm, and held at 95°C for 2 minutes. The temperature was then lowered to 30°C over 6 minutes to obtain the heat-treated gluten samples.

[0079] The food quality improver according to the present invention can be used in bakery products. By adding the food quality improver according to the present invention to bakery product dough, kneading it, and heating it, bakery products that maintain their quality over a long period of time can be produced.

[0080] The food quality improver according to the present invention is preferably used to suppress quality deterioration due to storage of bakery products, and is particularly preferably used to suppress quality deterioration due to long-term storage. Long-term storage refers to, for example, 15 days or more, 30 days or more, preferably 60 days or more, and preferably 90 days or more.

[0081] The food quality improver according to the present invention is suitable for the manufacture of industrial bakery products that require packaging and distribution. In particular, it can maintain the texture of long-life bakery products that are stored for one week to several months (including during distribution) for an extended period, contributing to the reduction of food waste and the improvement of the quality of emergency food supplies during disasters.

[0082] The upper and / or lower limits of the numerical ranges described herein can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range. For example, the upper and lower limits of the numerical ranges can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range, the upper limits of the numerical ranges can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range, and the lower limits of the numerical ranges can be arbitrarily combined to define a preferred range.

[0083] Although this embodiment has been described in detail above, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and any design changes that do not depart from the gist of this disclosure are also included in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A food quality improver comprising water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more, wherein the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 8% by mass or more, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:

1.

2. The food quality improver according to claim 1, wherein the ionic emulsifier (A) is an organic acid monoglyceride.

3. The food quality improver according to claim 1, wherein the ionic emulsifier (A) is succinic acid monoglyceride.

4. The food quality improver according to claim 1, wherein the water content is 10 to 90% by mass, the ionic emulsifier (A) content is 1 to 30% by mass, and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) content is 1 to 30% by mass.

5. The food quality improver according to claim 1, further comprising sugars.

6. A food quality improver according to any one of claims 1 to 5, for use in bakery foods.

7. A food quality improver according to any one of claims 1 to 5, for use in suppressing the deterioration of quality of bakery foods due to storage.

8. A bakery food comprising a food quality improver according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. Use of a food quality improver according to any one of claims 1 to 5 to suppress the deterioration of quality of bakery food due to storage.

10. A method for producing bakery food, comprising adding a food quality improver according to any one of claims 1 to 5 to dough.

11. A bakery food comprising gluten protein, water, an ionic emulsifier (A), and a sucrose fatty acid ester (B) whose main constituent fatty acid is palmitic acid or myristic acid and has an HLB of 15 or more, wherein the total content of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 0.04% by mass or more, and the mass ratio (A:B) of the ionic emulsifier (A) and the sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is in the range of 1:5 to 5:

1.

12. A bakery food product in which the total content of ionic emulsifier (A) and sucrose fatty acid ester (B) is 0.1 parts by mass or more and 50 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of gluten protein.

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