Food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or suppressing alcohol absorption

Abstract

Provided is a novel food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or suppressing alcohol absorption composed of a highly safe material and capable of being easily consumed as a food.　The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or suppressing alcohol absorption according to the present invention contains koji powder. The koji is obtained by propagating white koji mold or black koji mold.

Description

Food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption

[0001] The present invention relates to a food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or a food composition for inhibiting alcohol absorption, which contains rice koji obtained by cultivating Aspergillus oryzae on rice.

[0002] Alcohol (ethanol) contained in alcoholic beverages has various effects, and moderate drinking, such as being "tipsy," can provide beneficial effects such as improved blood circulation, tension relief, and increased appetite. Alcohol ingested through drinking is mainly absorbed in the stomach and small intestine, then enters the bloodstream and circulates throughout the body, acting on nerve cells in the brain. In the liver, however, enzymes convert alcohol into toxic acetaldehyde, which is then broken down into harmless acetic acid.

[0003] However, it is known that excessive or even small amounts of alcohol can cause discomfort such as headaches and nausea, or lead to a state of intoxication where cognitive and motor functions are impaired, depending on the individual's constitution. Therefore, development is underway to develop functional foods and pharmaceuticals that can alleviate and accelerate recovery from such discomfort and intoxication caused by drinking by promoting alcohol metabolism in the body or suppressing alcohol absorption. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that a rice bran and soybean fermentation extract obtained by fermenting natto bacteria or Bacillus subtilis in a culture medium containing rice bran, soybeans, and a carbon source has an alcohol metabolism-improving effect, and Patent Document 2 reports that heat-treated plant-derived peptides have an alcohol absorption-inhibiting effect.

[0004] On the other hand, in recent years, the value of traditional Japanese koji-fermented foods such as sake, shochu, amazake, miso, and soy sauce, which utilize koji, has been re-recognized, and koji is gaining popularity. Koji is made by steaming rice, rice bran, barley, or beans and cultivating koji mold on them. For example, koji made by cultivating koji mold on rice is called rice koji. Koji mold is known to have the function of producing various enzymes that enable the manufacture of fermented foods, but research into new functions of koji mold and the development of applications based on these functions is progressing, not limited to this field. For example, Patent Document 3 reports that koji fermented products have an effect of improving male infertility, and Patent Document 4 reports that koji fermented products have a hair growth effect.

[0005] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-161045, Japanese Patent No. 6713991, International Publication No. 2020 / 008821, International Publication No. 2020 / 226022

[0006] As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above, various compositions have been proposed for use in promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption. However, there is a growing demand for new food compositions that are made from highly safe materials such as fermentation microorganisms and food ingredients used in the production of fermented foods, and that can be easily consumed as food.

[0007] Furthermore, while Patent Documents 3 and 4 describe koji mold fermented products obtained by fermenting grains and tea leaves with koji mold, respectively, there has been no prior study on using koji mold fermented products to promote alcohol metabolism or suppress alcohol absorption, and their effectiveness remains unknown.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and its object is to provide a new food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption, which is made of highly safe materials and can be easily consumed as food.

[0009] The present invention provides a food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption, which solves the above problems. This food composition contains rice koji powder, and the rice koji is rice koji cultivated with white koji mold or black koji mold. This rice koji, cultivated with white koji mold or black koji mold, has an alcohol metabolism promoting effect and an alcohol absorption inhibiting effect. It breaks down ingested alcohol in the stomach and rapidly reduces the breath alcohol concentration, which correlates with the blood alcohol concentration, thereby reducing the state of intoxication and accelerating recovery to a normal state (sober). Furthermore, since the rice koji, cultivated with white koji mold or black koji mold, is mainly obtained from koji mold and white rice used in shochu production, it is highly safe, easy to manufacture and obtain, and a food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption can be obtained at low cost.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the white koji mold mentioned above is Aspergillus luchuensis var. kawachii kitahara (Kawachi white koji mold). This ensures that the koji mold used for the rice koji, which is the active ingredient in the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention, is selected to be one that is excellent in promoting alcohol metabolism and inhibiting absorption. In addition, since this Kawachi white koji mold is mainly used in the production of shochu, the resulting rice koji is highly safe and can be easily used on a daily basis.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that the white koji mold or black koji mold in the aforementioned rice koji powder is live. This results in a food composition with improved alcohol metabolism promoting and absorption inhibiting effects.

[0012] Furthermore, the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention preferably also contains lactic acid bacteria powder, and this lactic acid bacteria is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Latilactobacillus sakei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium longum. Since these lactic acid bacteria are probiotics, they are highly safe and have beneficial effects on the body. In addition, by coexisting these lactic acid bacteria with Aspergillus oryzae, the effects of Aspergillus oryzae related to promoting alcohol metabolism and inhibiting alcohol absorption can be stably expressed. Therefore, a food composition having stable alcohol metabolism promoting and alcohol absorption inhibiting effects can be obtained.

[0013] Furthermore, in the food composition described above, it is also preferable that the rice koji powder and the lactic acid bacteria powder are blended in a mass ratio of rice koji powder:lactic acid bacteria powder = 100:0.01 to 10. This allows for the selection of a suitable blending ratio of rice koji powder and lactic acid bacteria powder in the food composition according to the present invention.

[0014] Furthermore, it is preferable that the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention contains 20 mg to 2000 mg of rice koji powder per 10 g of pure ethanol ingested. This allows for the selection of a preferred intake amount of the food composition according to the present invention, depending on the amount of alcohol (ethanol) ingested by the user.

[0015] Furthermore, the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention may be in the form of capsules, tablets, granules, or powder. This allows for the selection of a dosage form that is easy to take and handle.

[0016] The present invention provides a food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption that has the following excellent effects: (1) It reduces the breath alcohol concentration, which correlates with the blood alcohol concentration. (2) It alleviates the state of intoxication, accelerates recovery to a normal state (sober), and reduces discomfort. (3) Because it uses rice koji as an active ingredient, it is highly safe and can be easily consumed on a daily basis. (4) It can be manufactured simply and at low cost.

[0017] This is a flowchart illustrating the method for producing rice koji and rice koji powder according to the embodiment of the present invention. The graphs in Example 2 show (a) the change in alcohol concentration of sample solution A after adding rice koji powder (test group) or rice powder (control group) to sample solution A, which consists of a 4.4% alcohol beverage, and (b) the change in alcohol concentration of sample solution B after adding rice koji powder (test group) or rice powder (control group) to sample solution B, which consists of a 9.6% alcohol beverage. The graph in Example 3 shows the change in breath alcohol concentration of subjects who ingested rice koji powder (test group) or rice powder (control group) before drinking alcohol. The graph in Example 4 shows the evaluation of the intoxication state of subjects who ingested soft capsules consisting of rice koji powder and lactic acid bacteria powder before drinking alcohol.

[0018] The present invention will now be described in detail. The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention contains rice koji powder, and this rice koji is rice koji cultivated with white koji mold or black koji mold.

[0019] First, let's explain rice koji. The rice koji used in this invention is obtained by cultivating white koji mold or black koji mold on steamed rice. As for the white koji mold or black koji mold rice koji, those produced by known methods or commercially available ones can be used. Below, as an example, let's describe the method for producing white koji mold or black koji mold rice koji according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the method for producing rice koji according to this embodiment generally consists of the steps of: preparing rice, which is the raw material for fermentation, S0; adding water to the rice and allowing it to absorb water, S1; steaming the rice, S2; inoculating the steamed rice with koji mold, S3; and fermentation, S4.

[0020] (Preparation of Rice) First, we will explain step S0, which involves preparing the rice, which is the raw material for fermentation. In this invention, the raw material for fermentation is rice, and it is preferable to use polished rice, preferably with a polishing ratio of at least 90% or less. It is also preferable to wash the rice before the water absorption treatment step S1 in the next step.

[0021] (Water Absorption Treatment) Next, the water absorption treatment step S1 will be explained. In this step, water is added to the rice or the rice is soaked in water to allow it to absorb water. The amount of water absorbed is not particularly limited, but specifically, it is adjusted so that the moisture content of the rice is 20-60%, preferably 30-50%.

[0022] (Steaming Process) Next, the steaming process S2 will be explained. The rice that has absorbed water in the above process is placed in a steamer, covered, and heated by exposing the rice to steam. The steaming time is preferably 30 to 120 minutes, more preferably 45 to 90 minutes, and particularly preferably 60 minutes. By performing this process, any unwanted bacteria in the raw material are sterilized, and in the subsequent fermentation process, fermentation will be carried out with koji mold as the dominant species. In addition to a steamer, it is also possible to perform the steaming process using a steaming device that can introduce steam into the apparatus. After steaming, the rice is removed from the steamer, spread evenly on a table, and cooled to about 30 to 40°C. This makes it possible to sow koji mold onto the steamed rice.

[0023] (Sowing of Aspergillus koji mold) Next, step S3, in which Aspergillus koji mold is sowed (inoculated) onto the steamed rice, will be explained. In this step, white Aspergillus koji mold or black Aspergillus koji mold is sowed onto the steamed rice that has been cooled after the steaming process described above. The white Aspergillus koji mold used in this invention refers to a group of Aspergillus molds that form white-yellow-brown conidia (a type of asexual spore) and are widely used in the production of shochu, and are known as a white mutant of black Aspergillus koji mold. Specifically, for example, Aspergillus luchuensis var. kawachii kitahara (Kawachi white Aspergillus koji mold, also known as Aspergillus luchuensis mut. Kawachii) can be cited. Black Aspergillus koji mold refers to a group of Aspergillus molds that form black or dark brown conidia and are used in the production of distilled spirits such as awamori in Okinawa and sweet potato shochu in Kagoshima. Specifically, although not particularly limited, examples include Aspergillus ryukyuensis (Aspergillus awamori), Aspergillus ryukyuensis val kawachi (Kawachi black koji mold), Aspergillus saitoi, Aspergillus inui, Aspergillus usami, and Aspergillus aureus. In the present invention, one or more species of either white koji mold or black koji mold may be used, and furthermore, a combination of white koji mold and black koji mold may be used. In the present invention, from the viewpoint of being excellent in promoting alcohol metabolism and inhibiting absorption, it is preferable to use white koji mold, and it is particularly preferable to use Kawachi white koji mold. These koji molds can be sown, for example, by adding koji starter to steamed rice spread on a table and stirring. It is preferable to sow the spores of the koji mold, and it is preferable to add and sow so that there are 500,000 or more, preferably 1,000,000 or more, koji mold spores per 1 g (dry weight) of fermentation raw material. For example, if 1 gram of koji starter contains 2 billion spores, then approximately 0.5 g (0.05 w / w%) of koji starter should be added per 1 kg of rice. After inoculating the steamed rice with koji mold, it is preferable to stir it well to distribute the koji mold throughout the steamed rice.

[0024] (Fermentation) Next, we will explain step S4, in which koji mold inoculated onto steamed rice is cultured and fermented. In this step, koji mold is propagated on steamed rice inoculated with either white or black koji mold. First, the steamed rice to which the koji mold has been added is placed in a culture room maintained at around 30°C. As time passes, fermentation progresses and the temperature of the steamed rice rises, but since koji mold generally does not proliferate easily above 40°C, the temperature is lowered by ventilation, and the amount of ventilation is adjusted to maintain the temperature of the steamed rice at 30°C to 42°C, preferably 30°C to 40°C. As an example, for the first 12 to 30 hours from the start of cultivation, the temperature of the steamed rice is adjusted to 35°C to 40°C by adjusting the room temperature of the fermentation room, etc. After that, the room temperature, etc., is similarly adjusted to lower the temperature to 30°C to 35°C, and the rice koji P1 produced by the koji mold is considered complete when it has been cultured for a total of 1 to 4 days from the start of cultivation, preferably 30 to 70 hours, and more preferably 40 to 60 hours.

[0025] Furthermore, the manufacturing process S1 to S4 of rice koji P1 using koji mold described above can also be carried out using a machine (for example, a drum-type automatic koji-making machine) that can perform rice washing, water absorption, steaming, koji mold inoculation, and fermentation (koji making) in the same apparatus.

[0026] (Rice Koji) The rice koji P1 obtained using white koji mold or black koji mold contains the white koji mold or black koji mold as live cells (including in spore form). This rice koji P1 has excellent effects in promoting alcohol metabolism and inhibiting absorption, lowering the breath alcohol concentration which correlates with blood alcohol concentration, reducing intoxication, and accelerating recovery to a normal state. The rice koji P1 obtained by the above process contains a certain amount of moisture, but it is preferable to remove the moisture by natural drying or low-temperature dehumidification drying so as not to kill the koji mold. By reducing the moisture content of rice koji P1, the activity and growth of the koji mold in the rice koji P1 can be suppressed and preserved, and further refrigeration allows for long-term storage of rice koji P1 with the koji mold still alive. In addition, the pulverization process S5 described later becomes easier, and rice koji powder can be suitably obtained. Even after the moisture has been removed, the alcohol metabolism promoting effect or alcohol absorption inhibiting effect of rice koji P1 can be effectively maintained.

[0027] (Grinding Process) Next, a method for producing rice koji powder P2 contained in the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the method for producing rice koji powder P2 according to the embodiment of the present invention is generally composed of a grinding process S5 in which the rice koji P1 of koji mold obtained in the above-described steps S1 to S4 is ground. In this grinding step S5, the rice koji P1 of koji mold is ground to obtain rice koji powder P2. The grinding method is not particularly limited, and a mill mixer or the like is preferably used. When crushing, it is preferable to use rice koji P1 of koji mold from which moisture has been removed, but it may also be dried after the grinding process. Furthermore, the size (particle size) of the powder obtained by crushing is not particularly limited, and the particle size may be uniform or non-uniform.

[0028] (Rice koji powder) The obtained rice koji powder P2 is obtained by crushing rice koji P1 into a powder, which increases the rate of absorption into the body, and the effects related to promoting alcohol metabolism and inhibiting absorption are obtained quickly. This rice koji powder P2 has excellent effects in promoting alcohol metabolism and inhibiting alcohol absorption, lowering the breath alcohol concentration which correlates with blood alcohol concentration, reducing the state of intoxication, and accelerating recovery to a normal state.

[0029] (Lactic acid bacteria powder) The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption according to the present invention preferably further contains lactic acid bacteria powder. Lactic acid bacteria powder is a powder made from cultured lactic acid bacteria obtained by culturing lactic acid bacteria. The lactic acid bacteria are not particularly limited, but at least one lactic acid bacteria selected from the group consisting of Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Latilactobacillus sakei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium longum is preferably used. The lactic acid bacteria contained in the lactic acid bacteria powder may be live or dead, but live bacteria are preferred. The total number of lactic acid bacteria contained in the lactic acid bacteria powder is 1 × 10⁶. ５ CFU / g ~ 1 × 10 １２ It is preferable to use CFU / g, 1 × 10 ６ CFU / g ~ 1 × 10 １０ A CFU / g ratio is more preferable. By combining rice koji powder and lactic acid bacteria powder, the lactic acid bacteria and koji mold coexist, allowing the effects of white koji mold or black koji mold on promoting alcohol metabolism and inhibiting alcohol absorption to be stably expressed. Therefore, a food composition with a stable alcohol metabolism promoting effect or alcohol absorption inhibiting effect can be obtained.

[0030] When the food composition according to the present invention contains lactic acid bacteria powder, the mixing ratio of rice koji powder to lactic acid bacteria powder is preferably, by mass ratio, rice koji powder:lactic acid bacteria powder = 100:0.01 to 10, more preferably rice koji powder:lactic acid bacteria powder = 100:0.03 to 1, and particularly preferably rice koji powder:lactic acid bacteria powder = 100:0.05 to 0.5.

[0031] The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention contains at least the above-mentioned rice koji powder as an active ingredient. In the present invention, "promoting alcohol metabolism" means at least lowering the breath alcohol concentration, which correlates with the blood alcohol concentration. In the present invention, "inhibiting alcohol absorption" means that a portion of the ingested alcohol is broken down in the stomach, thereby suppressing the amount of alcohol absorbed from the stomach and inhibiting the rise in breath alcohol concentration, which correlates with the blood alcohol concentration. Breath alcohol concentration can be measured with a commercially available alcohol detector or the like. This alcohol metabolism promoting effect or alcohol absorption inhibiting effect is such that, for example, the breath alcohol concentration (mg / L) 45 to 120 minutes after ingesting the food composition according to the present invention and an alcoholic beverage is preferably 0.03 or more lower, preferably 0.05 or more lower, and particularly preferably 0.08 or more lower, compared to when the food composition according to the present invention is not ingested. Furthermore, the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention also reduces the state of intoxication and accelerates recovery to a normal state (sober state) by lowering the breath alcohol concentration, which correlates with the blood alcohol concentration. Therefore, by consuming the food composition of the present invention, it is possible to prevent, reduce, or improve hangovers and excessive intoxication. The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention contains rice koji made from white or black koji mold, which is used in the production of fermented foods and beverages, as an active ingredient. Therefore, it is highly safe and can be used easily and with peace of mind regardless of age, gender, or pre-existing medical conditions.

[0032] The amount of the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention to be ingested is not particularly limited, as it varies depending on the target level of alcohol metabolism promotion or alcohol absorption inhibition, such as the level of reduction in breath alcohol concentration or the level of reduction in intoxication, the amount of alcohol ingested, age, and sex. However, for example, it is preferable that the amount of rice koji powder ingested is 20 mg to 2000 mg per 10 g of pure ethanol ingested, more preferably 50 mg to 1500 mg, and particularly preferably 100 mg to 1000 mg. Furthermore, it is preferable to ingest it in advance (before drinking), more preferably one hour before drinking alcohol, and even more preferably 30 minutes before drinking alcohol, but it may also be ingested afterward (after or during drinking).

[0033] The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention can be prepared in various forms by conventionally used methods, and the dosage form is preferably capsules, tablets, granules, or powders. In this case, it can be formulated using additives that are generally accepted as additives in this type of dosage form, such as pharmacologically acceptable carriers and excipients, lubricants, dispersants, disintegrants, buffers, solvents, bulking agents, preservatives, flavorings, or stabilizers. Furthermore, to improve the bioavailability and stability of this compound, a drug delivery system including formulation technologies such as microcapsules, liposome formulations, micronization, or inclusion using cyclodextrin can also be used.

[0034] Furthermore, the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention can be combined with various other active ingredients such as turmeric, ornithine, clam extract, and nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, or amino acids, to the extent that it does not affect the efficacy of the active ingredient of the present invention. In addition, the food composition of the present invention can also be formulated with acetic acid bacteria powder. As the acetic acid bacteria, edible acetic acid bacteria are preferably used and are not particularly limited, but Acetobacter pasteurianus or Gluconobacter asai can be suitably used. Foods developed from the food composition of the present invention include supplements, health foods, functional foods, and foods for specified health uses. It should also be noted that the food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption of the present invention can naturally be used as a composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption in pharmaceuticals and quasi-drugs.

[0035] Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited in any way by these examples and comparative examples.

[0036] [Example 1] 1. Preparation of rice koji powder with white koji mold After polishing the raw rice, water was added to the rice to reduce its moisture content to approximately 50% and then it was subjected to a water absorption treatment. After that, it was placed in a pressurized steam kettle and steamed. The steaming treatment was performed at 115°C for 60 minutes, with one cooling period in between and the steaming treatment being performed twice. After that, the steamed rice was spread on a table and cooled to 30°C, and then seed koji of white koji mold (Aspergillus luchuensis var. kawachii kitahara, also known as Aspergillus luchuensis mut. Kawachii) (product name: Kawachi Genichiro Shoten Kawachi Koji, 2 billion spores / 1g of seed koji) was added to the steamed rice at a ratio of 0.1% by weight relative to the weight of the polished rice which was the raw material for fermentation, and the mixture was mixed and koji was produced for 48 hours. The koji-making temperature was adjusted so that the temperature of the fermented product was 35°C to 40°C for 24 hours after adding the starter koji, and then slightly lowered to 30°C to 35°C for the following 24 hours. After 48 hours of koji-making, the rice koji obtained was subjected to low-temperature drying to reduce the moisture content to 8%, and then this rice koji with white koji mold was ground in a mill until it became a powder to obtain rice koji powder.

[0037] [Comparative Example 1] 2. Preparation of Rice Powder In this comparative example, rice powder was obtained by processing polished raw rice using the same materials and methods as in Example 1, except that koji mold was not added (seeded) as in Example 1.

[0038] [Example 2] 3. Examination of the alcohol concentration-reducing effect of rice koji powder of Aspergillus oryzae In this example, the change in alcohol concentration (ethanol concentration) when rice koji powder prepared in Example 1 and rice powder prepared in Comparative Example 1 were added to alcoholic beverages was investigated over time. First, shochu with an alcohol content of 25 degrees was diluted with water to prepare sample solution A with an ethanol concentration of 4.4% and sample solution B with an ethanol concentration of 9.6%. 100 mL of each sample solution was placed in a lidded container, and 1 g of rice koji powder of Aspergillus oryzae prepared in Example 1 was added to each and mixed. After adding and mixing, the containers were sealed with lids and kept warm in a constant temperature bath at 36°C. One hour, two hours, and three hours after adding the rice koji powder, the sample solutions were filtered with No. 2 filter paper and the filtrate was collected, and the ethanol concentration of the filtrate was measured using an alcohol meter. As a comparative test, the same test was performed using rice powder prepared in Comparative Example 1 instead of rice koji powder of Aspergillus oryzae.

[0039] The results are shown in Figure 2. Figure 2(a) shows the results for sample solution A with an ethanol concentration of 4.4%, and Figure 2(b) shows the results for sample solution B with an ethanol concentration of 9.6%. According to these results, the ethanol concentration of the sample solution decreased by 0.7% after 1 hour (0.7 mL of pure ethanol) and by 0.8% after 2 hours (0.8 mL of pure ethanol) when rice koji powder was added. This decrease was almost constant for both sample solution A and sample solution B, regardless of the ethanol concentration of the sample solution. On the other hand, no change in ethanol concentration was observed when rice powder was added. From this, it became clear that rice koji powder from Aspergillus oryzae has the effect of lowering ethanol concentration. Therefore, it was confirmed that by taking rice koji powder, ethanol is broken down by the rice koji powder in the stomach, lowering the ethanol concentration and suppressing alcohol absorption.

[0040] [Example 3] 4. Examination of the effect of reducing the alcohol concentration in exhaled breath. In Example 2, since it was confirmed that the rice koji powder of Aspergillus luchuensis has the effect of reducing the ethanol concentration, in this example, the rice koji powder of Aspergillus luchuensis and an alcoholic beverage were actually orally ingested, and the effect of reducing the exhaled breath alcohol concentration was also examined. The test was conducted as follows. Immediately before drinking alcohol, 0.6 g of the rice koji powder of Aspergillus luchuensis prepared in Example 1 was orally administered to 7 subjects (aged 28 to 74 years: median age 45 years) in the test group, and 0.6 g of the rice powder prepared in Comparative Example 1 was orally administered to 7 subjects (aged 24 to 74 years: median age 44 years) in the control group. Then, 180 mL of shochu with an alcohol content of 25 degrees was drunk at an arbitrary ratio within 15 minutes. The exhaled breath alcohol concentration of each subject from immediately after drinking to 120 minutes later, at 30-minute intervals, was measured using an alcohol detector (HC-310, manufactured by Tanita Corporation).

[0041] The results are shown in Table 1 and Figure 3. According to these results, by taking the rice koji powder immediately before drinking alcohol, compared with the control group that took the rice powder, the exhaled breath alcohol concentration (mg / L) decreased by 0.057 even 60 minutes after drinking alcohol, and decreased by 0.086 90 minutes after drinking alcohol. The time until the exhaled breath alcohol concentration reached 0.25 mg / L or less was 90 minutes in the control group, but was shortened to about 60 minutes in the test group that took the rice koji powder immediately before drinking alcohol. Thus, since the exhaled breath alcohol concentration, which correlates with the blood alcohol concentration, was rapidly reduced, it became clear that the rice koji powder of Aspergillus luchuensis also has the effect of promoting the metabolism of the ingested alcohol.

[0042]

[0043] [Example 4] 5. Examination of the effect of reducing drunkenness In this example, the effect of reducing drunkenness by the food composition according to the present invention was examined. Also, in this example, 600 mg of koji mold rice koji powder prepared in Example 1 and 0.6 mg of lactic acid bacteria powder were mixed, and a soft capsule wrapped with porcine gelatin film (per capsule) was prepared as the food composition according to the present invention. As the lactic acid bacteria powder, Lactococcus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactiplantibacillus sakei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium longum were each cultured, and the recovered cultured cells were dried and mixed to obtain a cell powder. The viable cell count of each lactic acid bacterium in the cell powder was Lactococcus casei: 2.5×10 ６ CFU / g, Lactobacillus acidophilus: 1×10 ６ CFU / g, Lactiplantibacillus sakei: 1×10 ６ CFU / g, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: 2.5×10 ６ CFU / g, Bifidobacterium longum: 2.5×10 ６ CFU / g. For 50 adult subjects, one of these soft capsules was taken before drinking alcohol, and then the subjects were allowed to freely consume any type and amount of alcoholic beverage. Regarding the level of drunkenness after drinking, answers were obtained based on a three-level evaluation criterion. The evaluation criteria were 1. No change from usual, 2. Somewhat drunk but less drunk than usual, 3. Not drunk at all.

[0044] The results of the answers are shown in Figure 4. According to this result, 62% of the subjects (31 people) evaluated as "2. Somewhat drunk but less drunk than usual (29 people)" and "3. Not drunk at all (2 people)", indicating that a reduction in drunkenness was observed. This indicates that the composition according to the present invention has the effect of reducing the alcohol concentration in exhaled breath, and it is presumed that the drunkenness is reduced by reducing the blood alcohol concentration through the alcohol metabolism promoting effect and alcohol absorption inhibitory effect, or by slowing down the rate of increase in blood alcohol concentration.

[0045] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments or examples described above, and its technical scope also includes various design modifications that do not depart from the gist of the invention as described in the claims.

Claims

1. A food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption, characterized in that it contains rice koji powder, wherein the rice koji is rice koji cultivated with white koji mold or black koji mold.

2. The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption according to claim 1, characterized in that the white koji mold is Aspergillus luchuensis var. kawachii kitahara (Kawachi white koji mold).

3. The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption according to claim 1, characterized in that the white koji mold or black koji mold in the rice koji powder is live.

4. The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption according to claim 1, further comprising a powder of lactic acid bacteria, wherein the lactic acid bacteria is at least one lactic acid bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Latilactobacillus sakei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium longum.

5. The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption according to claim 4, characterized in that the rice koji powder and the lactic acid bacteria powder are blended in a mass ratio of rice koji powder:lactic acid bacteria powder = 100:0.01 to 10.

6. The food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of rice koji powder ingested is 20 mg to 2000 mg per 10 g of pure ethanol ingested.

7. A food composition for promoting alcohol metabolism or inhibiting alcohol absorption according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the dosage form is a capsule, tablet, granule, or powder.

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