Agent for improving oil-and-fat feeling of processed food

Abstract

The present application discloses, as one embodiment thereof, an agent for improving the oil-and-fat feeling of a processed food, the agent containing, as a component, yeast (oil-and-fat storage yeast) in which oils and fats are stored in the yeast cell bodies.

Description

An agent for improving the oily taste of processed foods.

[0001] As one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention discloses an agent for improving the oily texture of processed foods, comprising yeast that stores oils and fats within its cells (hereinafter also referred to as "oil-storing yeast"), which is useful, for example, in the food industry.

[0002] Meat from livestock and marine products has traditionally been a preferred source of protein in the food industry. However, in recent years, due to growing environmental awareness and health consciousness, the market for plant-based meat substitutes ("plant-based meat substitutes") made from plant-based protein sources such as legumes and grains has been expanding, and it is predicted that in the future, the source of protein will shift from meat to plant-based meat substitutes. However, on the other hand, some predict that the market for plant-based meat substitutes will plateau. One factor cited for this is that the "texture" of plant-based meat substitutes does not necessarily satisfy consumers. For example, plant-based meat substitutes are naturally expected to have a "meat-like" texture as a substitute for meat, but there is a dilemma in that trying to enhance the meat-like texture during consumption often compromises the "juiciness" during consumption. As a way to improve this problem, a method of adding "oils and fats" during the manufacturing process of plant-based meat substitutes has been reported (for example, Patent Document 1). However, with this method, the fats added to the prepared plant-based meat substitute drip out during the pre-cooking stage, resulting in a lack of juiciness when eaten. This leaves consumers with the problem of a dry, unsatisfying texture.

[0003] Incidentally, while the above discussion used plant-based meat substitutes as an example, the "reduction in the feeling of fat" due to the leakage of fats and oils from food during the cooking process is not a problem limited to plant-based meat substitutes, but is a drawback that applies to processed meat products, noodles, and other processed foods in general that contain fats and oils. Therefore, in the food industry, there has been a long-awaited provision of technologies to suppress the leakage of fats and oils from processed foods and improve the feeling of fat.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-139684

[0005] In view of the above problems, one embodiment of the present invention aims to disclose an improver for improving the oiliness of processed foods, which comprises yeast storing oil in its cells (oil-storing yeast).

[0006] As a result of intensive studies, the present inventors have found that, in the manufacturing process of processed foods, instead of adding oil itself as in the past, by using yeast storing oil in its cells as "cell capsule-type oil", the above problems can be solved, and the present invention has been completed. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described according to its specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0007] [1] An improver for improving the oiliness in processed foods, which comprises yeast storing oil in its cells (oil-storing yeast). [2] The improver according to [1] above, wherein the oil-storing yeast is yeast that has taken up oil or fatty acids in the medium into its cells, or yeast that has produced oil in its cells. [3] The improver according to [2] above, wherein the oil or fatty acids in the medium are selected from at least one selected from (1) land animal fats: lard, pork fat, beef fat, (2) vegetable oils: coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, palm oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, cocoa butter, and palm kernel oil, and (3) fatty acids constituting the above oils. [4] The improver according to any one of [1] to [3] above, wherein the improvement of the oiliness is an improvement of the juicy feeling. [5] The improver according to any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the yeast is selected from yeasts of the genus Yarrowia, Saccharomyces, Lipomyces, Candida, and Kluyveromyces, or mutants thereof. [6] The improver according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the processed food is plant-based meat alternatives, processed meat products, noodles, or soups. [7] The improver according to [6] above, wherein the plant-based meat alternative is in a further processed form.

[0008] [8] A processed food containing yeast that stores oils and fats in its cells (oil-storing yeast). [9] The processed food according to [8], wherein the oil-storing yeast is yeast that has taken in oils or fatty acids from the culture medium into its cells, or yeast that has produced oils and fats in its cells.

[10] The processed food according to [8] or [9], wherein the oil-storing yeast is yeast that has stored at least one oil selected from (1) land animal oils and fats: lard, pork fat, beef fat, (2) vegetable oils and fats: coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, palm oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, cocoa oil, and coconut oil.

[11] The processed food according to any one of [8] to

[10] , wherein the oil-storing yeast is added in a ratio of 0.01 to 50% by weight relative to the weight of the processed food.

[12] The processed food according to any one of [8] to

[11] above, wherein the yeast is selected from yeasts of the genus Yarowia, Saccharomyces, Lipomyces, Candida, and Kluiveromyces, or their variants.

[13] The processed food according to any one of [8] to

[12] above, wherein the processed food is a plant-based meat substitute, a processed meat product, noodles, or soups.

[14] The processed food according to

[13] above, wherein the plant-based meat substitute is in a further processed form.

[0009]

[15] A method for producing a processed food, comprising the step of adding yeast that stores oils and fats in its cells (oil-storing yeast).

[16] The method for producing a processed food according to

[15] , wherein the oil-storing yeast is yeast that has taken in oils or fatty acids from the culture medium into its cells, or yeast that has produced oils and fats in its cells.

[17] The method for producing a processed food according to

[16] , wherein the oils or fatty acids in the culture medium are selected from at least one selected from (1) land animal oils and fats: lard, pork fat, beef fat, (2) vegetable oils and fats: coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, palm oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, cocoa oil, and coconut oil, and (3) fatty acids that make up the above oils and fats.

[18] The method for producing a processed food according to

[15] to

[17] , wherein the oil-storing yeast is added in a ratio of 0.01 to 50% by weight relative to the weight of the processed food.

[19] The method of production according to any one of

[15] to

[18] above, wherein the yeast is selected from yeasts of the genus Yarowia, Saccharomyces, Lipomyces, Candida, and Kluiveromyces, or their variants.

[20] The method of production according to any one of

[15] to

[19] above, wherein the processed food is a plant-based meat substitute, a processed meat product, noodles, or soups.

[21] The method of production according to

[20] above, wherein the plant-based meat substitute is in a further processed form.

[0010] In this invention, one embodiment discloses an agent for improving the oily texture of processed foods, which comprises oil-storage yeast as an ingredient.

[0011] The present invention will be described below with reference to its embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these. Those skilled in the art can modify the following embodiments in various ways without departing from the meaning of the present invention, and such modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0012] One embodiment disclosed by the present invention is "[A] an agent for improving the oiliness of processed foods, comprising yeast that stores oils and fats within its cells (oil-storing yeast)" (Embodiment A). As described above, in conventional methods of adding oils and fats themselves during the manufacturing process to impart an oiliness (juiciness) to plant-based meat substitutes, the oils and fats added to the plant-based meat substitutes leak out during the heating stage prior to actual consumption, resulting in the inability to impart sufficient oiliness (juiciness) at the crucial time of consumption. This drawback is not limited to plant-based meat substitutes, but also applies to other processed foods in general that contain oils and fats, such as processed meat products and noodles. The inventors have found that, instead of using the conventional method, they prepared yeast that stores oil within its cells (oil-storing yeast), more specifically, yeast that incorporates oil or fatty acids from the culture medium into its cells, or yeast that produces oil within its cells, and by adding such oil-storing yeast to processed foods such as plant-based meat substitutes, the oil components are retained within the cells even during heating (high temperature) before consumption, and leakage from the processed food to the outside is suppressed. By using oil-storing yeast in this way, as a kind of "cellular capsule-type oil," the oil stored in the oil-storing yeast is sufficiently dispersed in the processed food at the time of consumption, and for example, the greasiness of the meat substitute is avoided, and a desirable oily texture (juiciness) is imparted. This led to the idea of ​​the oily texture improving agent for processed foods of this embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as "this improving agent"). Further investigation revealed that using this improving agent also improves the flavor of the prepared meat substitutes. Therefore, this improving agent is useful as an agent for improving the texture and / or flavor of processed foods such as plant-based meat substitutes. The embodiment is described in detail below.

[0013] (Yeast) In this specification, "yeast" refers to a general term for microorganisms that reproduce by budding or fission. The yeast used in this improvement agent can be any yeast capable of storing oils and fats within its cells. More specifically, this includes 1) yeast with the ability to take in oils or fatty acids into its cells, or 2) yeast that produces oils and fats within its cells (oil yeast). Examples include yeasts of the genus Yarrowia (e.g., Yarrowia lipolytica), Saccharomyces (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Lipomyces (e.g., Lipomyces starkeyi), Candida (e.g., Candida utilis), and Kluyveromyces (e.g., Kluyveromyces marcyanas). Suitable examples of yeast include *Marxianus*. Here, the yeast is not limited to the wild type, and readily available mutants in this field can also be used. For example, yeast into which mutations of known genes have been introduced using self-cloning methods may be used.

[0014] (Oil-Fat Yeast) The yeast capable of storing oils and fats within its cells is known as "oil-fat yeast," and is a microorganism that can metabolize carbon sources such as sugars, oils, and fatty acids to produce oils and fats, which it can then store within its cells. The produced oils and fats are expected to be used as edible oils and biofuels, and have been studied as having the potential to solve global problems such as food shortages and energy depletion. Numerous oil-fat yeasts are already known. In this embodiment as well, those skilled in the art can appropriately select known oil-fat yeasts to take in, produce, and store oils and fats to obtain "oil-storage yeast." It is preferable to select a yeast that has a high ability to retain the oils and fats stored within its cells during heating.

[0015] (Storage of oils and fats within the cell by culturing oily yeast: Preparation of "oil-storing yeast") In this embodiment, by culturing oily yeast under suitable conditions, oils and fats in the culture medium, fatty acids, etc. are taken into the cells of the oily yeast, or oils and fats are produced within the cells of the oily yeast and accumulated therein, thereby preparing "oil-storing yeast," which can be used as an "improving agent for the oily texture of processed foods" containing this yeast as an ingredient. The type and amount of oils and fats that oily yeast stores within its cells are determined by the type of yeast used, the culture conditions, etc., but those skilled in the art can appropriately select these elements according to the purpose. For example, it is necessary to select a raw material to be used as a carbon source during cultivation, and suitable carbon sources include, for example, the following oily components. However, it is not limited to these. (1) Land animal fats and oils: lard, pork fat, beef fat, etc. (2) Vegetable oils and oils: coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, palm oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, cocoa oil, coconut oil, etc. (3) The fatty acids and other culture conditions that make up the above oils and oils can be appropriately selected by a person skilled in the art based on methods commonly used in the art, depending on the type of oil yeast used, to prepare "oil storage yeast".

[0016] (Use as an agent to improve the oily texture in processed foods) (1) Form of the improving agent The "oil-storing yeast" prepared above can be used as an ingredient (food material) for improving the oily texture, either on its own or in the form of a composition containing additives commonly used in the food industry ("this improving agent"). Examples of such compositions include a form in which vitamins and umami substances are added to the culture medium and taken up by the bacterial cells, thereby storing them together with oils.

[0017] (2) Processed foods The processed foods to which this improving agent is applied are not particularly limited as long as they are those to which a "decrease in oiliness" due to the leakage of oils and fats from the processed food during the heating stage is a problem, but preferred targets include, for example, plant-based meat substitutes, processed meat products, noodles, etc.

[0018] 1) The "plant-based meat" to which this plant-based meat improver applies is not particularly limited, and any product commonly used in the food industry may be eligible. Here, "plant-based meat" refers to plant-based foods prepared to approximate the texture of meat using plant protein, as a substitute for livestock meat, which has traditionally been widely used as animal protein. Those skilled in the art can prepare such plant-based meat by appropriately mixing the raw materials, etc., using methods commonly used in the food industry, depending on its form. The raw materials for plant-based meat include plant protein materials (e.g., legumes such as soybeans, peas, and broad beans; grains such as rice, oats, and wheat), and these materials themselves can be used, but plant protein extracted and purified from these materials (e.g., powdered soy protein) may also be used as the plant protein material. If either is commercially available, it can be purchased and used. In addition to the above-mentioned plant protein materials, water, edible oils and fats, seasonings, binders, and other general food additives may be added to the raw materials, depending on the desired form of plant-based meat. Edible oils and fats can be used without particular restrictions as long as they are intended for consumption. Examples include vegetable oils such as salad oil, corn oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, perilla oil, olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, almond oil, avocado oil, cocoa butter, peanut butter, and palm oil; and animal oils such as fish oil, beef tallow, pork tallow, and milk fat.As seasonings, any food or food additive used to flavor a dish can be used without particular restrictions. Examples include salt, sugars (e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, dextrin, etc.), starches (e.g., wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, corn starch, tapioca starch, etc.), soy protein, soy flour, vegetable powders and extracts (e.g., carrots, onions, celery, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, etc.), seaweed powders and extracts (e.g., kelp, wakame, etc.), mushroom powders and extracts (e.g., matsutake, shiitake, shimeji, etc.), soy sauce, mirin, sake, yeast extract, umami seasonings (e.g., amino acid-based seasonings, nucleic acid-based seasonings, etc.), sweeteners, acidulants, spices, etc. As binders, those commonly used in minced meat processed foods, such as breadcrumbs, can be used. Other common food additives include emulsifiers (glycerin fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, saponins, lecithin, etc.), processing aids (phosphates, silicon dioxide, etc.), preservatives (benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, ε-polylysine, etc.), antioxidants (ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, catechin, etc.), antifungal agents (thiabentazole, fludioxonil, etc.), colorants (annatto pigment, turmeric pigment, gardenia pigment, etc.), and flavorings (synthetic flavorings such as ethyl acetoate and anisaldehyde, and natural flavorings such as squid, shrimp, and crab). The edible oils and fats, seasonings, binders, and other common food additives mentioned above may be added one or more times as needed, and the amount added may be determined in accordance with the usual amount.

[0019] The "plant-based meat substitutes" described above can be used as processed foods themselves (e.g., pastes, patties, etc.), or they can be used as food ingredients and further processed into various food forms. Examples of such processed foods include processed meat products (e.g., hamburgers, meatballs, nuggets, meatballs, ham, sausages, salami, frankfurters, corn dogs, dumplings, shumai, spring rolls, meat buns, xiaolongbao, minced meat cutlets, meat pies, ravioli, lasagna, meatloaf, cabbage rolls, stuffed peppers, etc.) in which animal protein ingredients are replaced with plant protein ingredients. In this case, all animal protein ingredients may be replaced with plant protein ingredients, or only a portion may be replaced with plant protein ingredients. Hybrid foods in which the latter type of "plant-based meat substitute" constitutes part of the processed food are also included in the scope of "plant-based meat substitutes" to which this improvement agent applies. The above processing methods can be appropriately selected by those skilled in the art, depending on the type and form of the desired processing, and prepared using methods commonly used in the food industry.

[0020] The preparation of the plant-based meat substitute and the processed food may include heating, cooling, and / or freezing steps. As heating methods, conventional cooking methods such as steaming, baking, and frying can be employed, and these can be carried out using cooking appliances such as steamers, ovens, convection ovens, steam convection ovens, and fryers. Such heating steps can typically be carried out at 50°C to 150°C, preferably 70°C to 110°C, for 1 to 60 minutes, preferably 5 to 30 minutes. As cooling methods, conventional cooling methods used in food manufacturing, such as cooling at room temperature, forced-air cooling, and running water cooling, can be used. Similarly, as freezing methods, conventional freezing methods used in food manufacturing, such as freezing in a freezer at approximately -40°C to -20°C, and rapid freezing, can be employed.

[0021] 2) Processed Meat Products The "processed meat products" to which this improver applies are not particularly limited, and products commonly used in the food industry may be subject to this application. Here, "processed meat products" refers to food products prepared by subjecting meat from livestock such as cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, and rabbits, or poultry such as chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, domestic ducks, quail, guinea fowl, and geese to processing such as shredding, chopping, grinding, kneading, shaping, drying, salting, miso pickling, soy sauce pickling, heating (boiling, steaming, grilling, frying, smoking, etc.), and fermentation. Preferred examples of processed meat products include ham, bacon, sausage, hamburgers, meatballs, shumai, dumplings, tsukune, and minced meat cutlets, which are made by shredding the meat of the above-mentioned livestock and poultry (livestock meat), kneading it with salt and spices, shaping it, and then subjecting it to the above-mentioned heat treatment.

[0022] 3) Noodles The "noodles" to which this noodle-improving agent can be applied are not particularly limited, and any noodle commonly used in the food industry may be included. Here, "noodles" generally refers to foods manufactured by kneading grain flour, etc. Examples of such "noodles" include soba, udon, Chinese noodles, pasta, rice flour noodles, and dumpling wrappers. The concept of "noodles" includes chilled noodles (refrigerated noodles), frozen noodles, fresh noodles, semi-fresh noodles, boiled noodles, steamed noodles, fried noodles, dried noodles, and freeze-dried noodles. 4) Others In addition to the processed foods mentioned above, this improving agent can also be applied to improve the oiliness of soups (e.g., pork soup, consommé soup, potage soup, cream soup, etc.).

[0023] (3) Addition of this improving agent This improving agent, when added to and mixed with the processed food described above, functions as a "microbial capsule type oil" in the processed food, dispersing the oil in the food when consumed and exhibiting an effect of improving the oily texture. The addition and mixing of the oil-storing yeast can be done at any stage in the manufacturing process of the processed food, and may be added and mixed during the manufacturing process or after manufacturing. The addition and mixing can be done by the usual methods in the food industry, depending on the type of processed food to be manufactured.

[0024] (4) Amount of Improvement Agent The amount of "oil-storage yeast," which is an ingredient of this improvement agent, to be added to the processed food can be appropriately selected by a person skilled in the art, taking into consideration the type of oil-storage yeast and the form of the processed food. For example, it is preferable to add the oil-storage yeast in a ratio of 0.01 to 50% by weight relative to the processed food, with the weight of the oil-storage yeast being 100, more preferably at a ratio of 0.05 to 10% by weight, and even more preferably at 0.1 to 5.0% by weight.

[0025] (Other features of this improvement agent) As described above, this improvement agent uses yeast, a microorganism that produces and accumulates oils and fats, rather than oils and fats themselves, to effectively improve the taste of plant-based meat alternatives. Furthermore, it also possesses the following excellent characteristics. Because this improvement agent uses yeast, a microorganism widely used in the food industry and well-known to customers, as its raw material, it can meet the requirements for clean labels that are necessary for food ingredient labeling. In addition, because the components of the oils and fats produced can be adjusted, for example, by the yeast culture conditions, it is possible to customize the oils and fats. Moreover, because it avoids the leakage of oils and fats and fats and fats, and allows for the efficient use of oils and fats produced and accumulated within the microbial cells to improve taste, there is no need to add excessive oils and fats as in conventional methods, and this improvement agent has excellent characteristics from an environmental and health perspective.

[0026] Another embodiment disclosed by the present invention is "[B] A processed food containing yeast that stores oils and fats within its cells (oil-storing yeast)" (Embodiment B). This embodiment relates to a processed food containing the improving agent of Embodiment A (hereinafter also referred to as "this processed food"). For "oil-storing yeast" and "processed food" in this embodiment, refer to the details described in Embodiment A above.

[0027] (This processed food) This processed food is a processed food that contains oil-storage yeast as an ingredient (oil substitute). More specifically, this processed food is prepared by adding and mixing oil-storage yeast at any stage during the manufacturing process of the above processed food. The oil-storage yeast may be added and mixed during the manufacturing process or after manufacturing. This processed food can be prepared by a person skilled in the art using the usual methods in the food industry, depending on the type and form of the processed food to be prepared. In the prepared "this processed food", the oil-storage yeast contained as an ingredient will be sufficiently dispersed in the processed food when consumed, thereby improving the oily feeling.

[0028] A further embodiment disclosed by the present invention is "[C] A method for producing a processed food, comprising the step of adding yeast that stores oils and fats within its cells (oil-storing yeast)" (Embodiment C). This embodiment relates to a method for producing a processed food, comprising the step of adding an improving agent as in Embodiment A (hereinafter also referred to as "this production method"). For "oil-storing yeast" and "processed food" in this embodiment, refer to the details described in Embodiment A above. In this production method, the oil-storing yeast is added to and mixed with the processed food, thereby functioning as "cellular capsule-type oils and fats" in the processed food, dispersing the oils and fats in the food when consumed, and exhibiting an effect of improving the oily sensation. The addition and mixing of the oil-storing yeast may be carried out at any stage in the production process of the processed food, and may be added and mixed in the middle of the production process or after production. The addition and mixing may be carried out by conventional methods in the food industry, depending on the type of processed food to be produced. The amount of "oil-storage yeast" added to the processed food in this manufacturing method can be appropriately selected by a person skilled in the art, taking into consideration the type of oil-storage yeast and the form of the processed food. For example, it is preferable to add the oil-storage yeast in a ratio of 0.01 to 50% by weight relative to the processed food, with the weight of the oil-storage yeast being 100% of the weight of the processed food. A ratio of 0.05 to 10% by weight is more preferable, and a ratio of 0.1 to 5.0% by weight is even more preferable.

[0029] The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. Those skilled in the art can modify embodiments of the present invention in various ways without departing from the meaning of the present invention, and such modifications are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0030] Example 1: Acquisition of bacterial cell capsules from Yarrowia lipolytica JCM2305. Y. lipolytica JCM2305 strain was inoculated into four Sakaguchi flasks filled with 20 mL of the medium described in Table 1, and cultured with shaking at 30°C for 1 day. The resulting culture solution was transferred to a 50 mL centrifuge tube (WATSON), and centrifugation was performed using a Hitachi CR 20GII, R15A rotor at 8,000 rpm, 4°C, and 5 minutes. The supernatant was removed using an electric pipette. 20 mL of physiological saline containing 0.9 w / v% sodium chloride was added to the bacterial cells remaining in the centrifuge tube after the cell separation procedure, and the cells were suspended by pipetting. Centrifugation was performed again, and the supernatant was removed using an electric pipette.

[0031]

[0032] This process was repeated once to obtain bacterial cells. The obtained bacterial cells were suspended in 20 mL of the medium described in Table 2 or Table 3, and then 5 mL of each cell was inoculated into eight Sakaguchi flasks filled with 45 mL of the medium described in Table 2 or Table 3. The flasks were then incubated at 30°C for 89 hours.

[0033]

[0034]

[0035] The obtained culture medium was transferred to two 500 mL centrifuge tubes (Himac 500PA 330437A), and centrifuged at 5,000 rpm, 4°C, and 15 minutes using a Hitachi CR20 GIII, R10A3 rotor. The supernatant was removed by decantation and electric pipette. To the bacterial cells remaining in the centrifuge tubes after the cell isolation procedure, 50 mL of physiological saline containing 0.9 w / v% sodium chloride was added and suspended by pipetting. This was then transferred to a 50 mL centrifuge tube and centrifuged at 5,000 rpm, 4°C, and 15 minutes. After centrifugation, the supernatant was removed with an electric pipette and the cells were suspended again in 50 mL of physiological saline. The resulting suspension was heated to 60°C in a water bath and incubated for 10 minutes to sterilize it. Sterilized bacterial cell suspension was centrifuged at 5,000 rpm, 4°C, and 15 minutes, and the supernatant was removed. 50 mL of sterile tap water was added, and the suspension was resuspended by pipetting. The suspension was then centrifuged at 5,000 rpm, 4°C, and 15 minutes. Components other than bacterial cells were separated as the supernatant to obtain washed bacterial cells. Bacterial capsule-type lipids obtained by culturing using the media described in Table 2 were labeled as "control cells," and bacterial capsule-type lipids obtained by culturing using the media described in Table 3 were labeled as "lard-containing cells."

[0036] Example 2: Preparation of pâté-like food (1) Preparation of emulsion curd Methylcellulose, powdered soy protein, or powdered soy protein and powdered rapeseed protein are mixed with water and vegetable oil and stirred vigorously to obtain emulsion curd.

[0037] (2) The prepared protein for the pâté-like food is rehydrated using the rehydration solution, and the emulsion curd, enzyme, and binder components obtained above are mixed in. Then the oil and fat components and seasonings are added and mixed, and the mixture is placed in a vacuum pouch and stored frozen. The composition of the pâté-like food is shown in Table 4.

[0038]

[0039] Example 3: Additive effect of Y. lipolytica cell body capsule-type oil on pate-like food To 50 g of the pate-like food obtained in Example 2, 5% by weight of the "control cell body" or "lard-containing cell body" prepared in Example 1 was added and mixed to obtain a Y. lipolytica cell body-added pate-like food. After shaping this, it was baked on both sides at 140 °C for 3 minutes each using a hot plate and then eaten. In addition, in order to verify the effect of encapsulation, a pate-like food to which 4% by weight of the control cell body and 1% by weight of lard were added and mixed was also prepared and eaten in the same manner. For these 3 samples, using pate-like foods to which 0, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10% by weight of lard were added and mixed as controls, sensory evaluation was carried out by 6 professional panelists. The sensory evaluation was carried out by a scoring method using a reference point of 0 to 5 points (see Table 5) associated with the juiciness of 5 types of controls for the effect of improving the juiciness. Furthermore, if there were other remarkable effects besides the juiciness, points were added, and finally, the samples were ranked by comprehensive evaluation.

[0040]

[0041] The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 6. In Sample 2 to which the "lard-containing cell body" was added, the average value of the scores regarding the juiciness of the 6 evaluators became the highest. Furthermore, in addition to the juiciness, Sample 2 was also found to have an improvement in the flavor of lard and an improvement in the mouthcoating feeling, and obtained the highest evaluation in the comprehensive ranking. Since an improvement in juiciness and flavor was observed as compared with Sample 3 in which the cell body and lard were separately attached, it was shown that excellent effects were achieved by encapsulating lard in the cell body. From the above, it became clear that by adding Y. lipolytica cell bodies containing lard, an effect of improving the juiciness and flavor can be obtained in foods (for example, pate-like foods).

[0042] The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 6. In Sample 2 to which the "lard-containing cell body" was added, the average value of the scores regarding the juiciness of the 6 evaluators became the highest. Furthermore, in addition to the juiciness, Sample 2 was also found to have an improvement in the flavor of lard and an improvement in the mouthcoating feeling, and obtained the highest evaluation in the comprehensive ranking. Since an improvement in juiciness and flavor was observed as compared with Sample 3 in which the cell body and lard were separately attached, it was shown that excellent effects were achieved by encapsulating lard in the cell body. From the above, it became clear that by adding Y. lipolytica cell bodies containing lard, an effect of improving the juiciness and flavor can be obtained in foods (for example, pate-like foods).

[0043] Example 5: Constructing a TAG-high-accumulating bacterial strain YL24r. To confer high lipid accumulation properties to the constructed lipids, known modified traits in Yarrowia lipidica include, for example, deletion of the mhy1 gene, deletion of the pex10 gene, enhancement of the DGA1 gene, and enhancement of the FAD2 promoter. The YL24r strain used in the evaluation of the present invention was constructed by self-cloning using the parent strain Y. lipidica W29 (VKPM Y-4973) as the starting strain. Self-cloning is a method of modifying the host genome using a gene sequence derived from this bacterium or a strain of the same species. In preparing this strain, deletion of the mhy1 gene, deletion of the pex10 gene, and insertion of the TEF1 promoter into the upstream region of the DGA1 gene were introduced from among the known lipid accumulation-enhancing traits to obtain the YL24r strain having these modifications.

[0044] Example 6: Obtaining Bacterial Cell Capsule-Type Oil from Oil-High-Accumulating Bacterial Strain YL24r Y. lipolytica YL24r strain was inoculated into the agar medium described in Table 7 and cultured at 30°C for 48 hours. 50 mL of the medium described in Table 1 was dispensed into a 300 mL Erlenmeyer flask with baffles, and one loopful of bacterial cells was inoculated and subjected to seed culture at 30°C and 120 rpm for 24 hours. Subsequently, 250 mL of the liquid medium described in Table 8 was dispensed into a 1 L jar fermenter, and 25 mL of the seed culture solution was inoculated to start the culture. Until the initial sugar in the medium was depleted, the culture pH was controlled at 3.5 with ammonia gas. The culture temperature was 30°C, and the dissolved oxygen concentration was managed at 23% or more (aeration rate 1 vvm, PL electrode display value 5 or more) as a relative value to the saturated concentration. When the initial sugar was depleted, the control of the culture pH was switched to a 5 M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. Also, the feed solution described in Table 9 was added at a flow rate of 5 mL / h to start the addition, and the culture was carried out for 140 hours. After the culture was completed, the entire culture solution was recovered and centrifuged (5,000 rpm, 4°C, 15 minutes) with a centrifuge, and the supernatant was removed by decantation and an electric pipette. After the bacterial cells were separated, 50 mL of sterilized water was added to the bacterial cells remaining in the centrifuge tube, suspended by pipetting, and then centrifuged again, and the supernatant was removed with an electric pipette. This operation was repeated once, and finally, it was suspended in 50 mL of sterilized water and dispensed into a 50 mL centrifuge tube. It was heated to 60°C in a water bath and incubated for 20 minutes for sterilization. The sterilized bacterial cell suspension was centrifuged (5,000 rpm, 4°C, 15 minutes) with a centrifuge, and the supernatant was removed to obtain 167.3 g of wet bacterial cell capsule-type oil. Among this, 69.8 g was lyophilized to obtain 13.7 g of dry bacterial cell capsule-type oil. Incidentally, as a control, Y. lipolytica JCM2305 strain was cultured and the bacterial cells were prepared in the same manner, and 35.7 g of wet bacterial cell capsule-type oil and 14.0 g of dry bacterial cells were obtained.

[0045]

[0046]

[0047]

[0048] Example 7: Measurement of oil content of cell capsule-type oil derived from strain YL24r. 10 mg of dried cell capsule-type oil was weighed into a 2 mL tube for a multi-bead shocker. 500 μL of a solution of methanol and chloroform mixed in a 1:2 ratio was added, followed by the addition of glass beads (YGB05, 0.5 mm). The cells were lysed using a multi-bead shocker under the conditions of 2,500 rpm, ON 60 sec, OFF 60 sec, 6 times. The obtained cell lysate was centrifuged at 1,500 rpm, room temperature, for 5 minutes. All components except the cell pellet were transferred to a glass vial, and the oil was dried at 60°C for 4 hours. The dried oil was dissolved in 1 mL of isopropanol, and the TAG was quantified using a triglyceride measurement kit (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.). The TAG content of the bacterial cell capsule-type oil obtained in Example 6 from YL24r was 41.7% (dry cell weight ratio), compared to 5.1% (dry cell weight ratio) for the control JCM2305. This indicates that YL24r acquired the trait of accumulating a high amount of TAG through the procedure in Example 5.

[0049] Example 8: Analysis of fatty acid composition of fatty acids accumulated by the fatty acid-accumulating bacterial strain YL24r. 20 mg of dried bacterial cells in the form of bacterial capsule-type fatty acids was weighed into a screw-top glass test tube. Extraction of fatty acids from the bacterial cells and fatty acid methylation were performed using a fatty acid methylation kit (Nacalai Tesque Co., Ltd.). The obtained methylated fatty acids were purified using a methylated fatty acid purification kit (Nacalai Tesque Co., Ltd.) to obtain a 3 mL sample. Methyl heptadecanate was added as an internal standard to achieve a final concentration of 10 ppm, and 1.0 mL was transferred to a glass vial. Samples were analyzed using GC / MS (Shimadzu Corporation, GCMS-2010) with an InertCap Pure-WAX column (0.25 mm x 30 m, 0.25 μm), helium as the carrier gas, a flow rate of 1.43 mL / min, an inlet temperature of 250°C (splitless), and column heating conditions: initial temperature 50°C (hold for 5 minutes), heating to 200°C at 20°C / min. Detection was performed in EI mode, and analysis was performed in the mass range of m / z 35–500. Using a standard FAME mixture, fatty acids were identified from the retention time and MS spectrum, and the concentration (g / L) of each fatty acid was calculated using the peak area ratio of the internal standard C17:00 and known concentrations. The sum of the individual fatty acid concentrations (g / L) was taken as the total fatty acid concentration, and the ratio of each fatty acid concentration to this total was calculated as the fatty acid composition. The results are shown in Table 10. Compared to the JCM2305 strain, the fatty acid composition of the YL24r strain showed an increased proportion of C16:00 and C18:00, while the proportion of C18:02 decreased. This is thought to be due to the arrest of β-oxidation and suppression of saturated fatty acid degradation caused by the pex10 deficiency.

[0050]

[0051] Example 9: Effect of adding bacterial cell capsule-type oil derived from YL24r strain to pâté food A 100g pâté-like food was prepared by replacing 10% of the solid vegetable oil contained in the pâté-like food of Example 3 with moist bacterial cell capsule-type oil derived from Y. lipolytica JCM2305 prepared in Example 6, or moist bacterial cell capsule-type oil or dried bacterial cell capsule-type oil derived from Y. lipolytica YL24r strain. After shaping, it was baked in an impinger oven at 180°C for 3 minutes on both sides and consumed. Since the amount of oil in the moist bacterial cell capsule-type oil of YL24r is 1.2g when 10g of bacterial cells are added to the pâté-like food, an evaluation group was also established as a control in which 10% of the solid vegetable oil contained in the pâté-like food shown in Example 3 was replaced with 1.5g of solid vegetable oil and 8.5g of water. Sensory evaluations were conducted by a panel of five experts for all five evaluation conditions. The effect on improving mouth coating sensation was scored in 0.5-point increments by consensus among the five panelists, comparing it to the 10% solid fat condition. The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 11. Regardless of the cell shape, the YL24r-derived cell capsule-type fat additive group showed higher scores than the 10% or 1.5% solid vegetable fat additive group. In particular, the dried cell-type YL24r additive group, despite having a fat content of 4.0%, showed a significant improvement in mouth coating sensation compared to the 10% solid fat additive group. This indicates that even cell capsule-type fats containing fat synthesized by YL24r itself exhibit excellent effects through encapsulation. Therefore, it has become clear that the addition of Y. lipidica cells containing self-synthesized fat can improve mouth coating sensation in food products (e.g., pâté-like foods).

[0052]

[0053] Example 10: Effect of adding cell capsule-type oil derived from YL24r strain to pork soup. To pork soup containing 0.5250%, 0.350%, and 0.0000% lard, dried cell capsule-type oil derived from Y. lipidica JCM2305 prepared in Example 6 or dried cell capsule-type oil derived from Y. lipidica YL24r strain was added. The oiliness was evaluated on a scale of 0.1 points, with "a rich, heavy feeling on the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth from the time it is taken into the mouth until after it is swallowed" being defined as the oiliness. For all nine evaluation categories shown in Table 12, five expert panelists scored the results based on conditions 1, 4, and 7, and the average values ​​were compared. The results of the sensory evaluation are shown in Table 12. Y. In the group to which Lipolytica YL24r was added, a higher oiliness was observed compared to the groups without additive and the groups to which JCM2305 was added. In the group to which JCM2305 was added, which had accumulated almost no oil, no improvement in oiliness was observed. This indicates that the addition of bacterial capsule-type oil derived from the YL24r strain, which has accumulated its own self-produced oil, improved the oiliness. From the above, it was revealed that the addition of Y. Lipolytica bacterial cells containing self-produced oil within the bacterial cells can improve the oiliness of soup.

[0054]

[0055] As one embodiment of the present invention, a processing food oiliness enhancer comprising oil-storage yeast is disclosed, which is useful, for example, in the food industry. This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-232733 (filing date: December 27, 2024), the contents of which are entirely contained herein.

Claims

1. An agent for improving the oily texture in processed foods, which contains yeast that stores oils and fats within its cells (oil-storing yeast).

2. The improving agent according to claim 1, wherein the oil-storing yeast is yeast that has taken in oil or fatty acids from the culture medium into its cells, or yeast that has produced oil within its cells.

3. The improving agent according to claim 2, wherein the oil or fatty acid in the culture medium is selected from at least one selected from (1) land animal oils: lard, pork fat, beef fat, (2) vegetable oils: coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, palm oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, cocoa oil, and coconut oil, and (3) fatty acids that make up the above oils.

4. The improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the improvement of the oily feeling is an improvement of the juicy feeling.

5. The improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the yeast is selected from yeasts of the genus Yarowia, Saccharomyces, Lipomyces, Candida, and Kluiveromyces, or their variants.

6. The improving agent according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the processed food is a plant-based meat substitute, a processed meat product, noodles, or soups.

7. The improving agent according to claim 6, wherein the plant-based meat substitute is in a further processed form.

8. Processed foods containing yeast that stores oils and fats within its cells (oil-storing yeast).

9. The processed food according to claim 8, wherein the oil-storing yeast is yeast that has taken in oil or fatty acids from the culture medium into its cells, or yeast that has produced oil within its cells.

10. The processed food according to claim 8, wherein the fat-storage yeast is a yeast that has stored at least one fat selected from (1) land animal fats: lard, pork fat, beef fat, and (2) vegetable fats: coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, palm oil, sesame oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, cocoa oil, and coconut oil.

11. The processed food according to claim 8, wherein oil-storage yeast is added in a ratio of 0.01 to 50% by weight relative to the weight of the processed food.

12. The processed food according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the yeast is selected from yeasts of the genus Yarrowia, Saccharomyces, Lipomyces, Candida, and Kluiveromyces, or variants thereof.

13. The processed food according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the processed food is a plant-based meat substitute, a processed meat product, noodles, or soups.

14. The processed food according to claim 13, wherein the plant-based meat substitute is in a further processed form.

15. A method for producing processed food, comprising the step of adding yeast that stores oils and fats within its cells (oil-storing yeast).

16. The method for producing oil and fat according to claim 15, wherein the oil-storing yeast is yeast that has taken in oil or fatty acids from the culture medium into its cells, or yeast that has produced oil and fat within its cells.

17. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein the oil or fatty acid in the culture medium is selected from at least one selected from (1) land animal oils: lard, pork fat, beef fat, (2) vegetable oils: coconut oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, palm oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, olive oil, castor oil, peanut oil, camellia oil, cocoa oil, and coconut oil, and (3) fatty acids that make up the above oils.

18. The manufacturing method according to claim 15, wherein oil-storage yeast is added in a ratio of 0.01 to 50% by weight relative to the weight of the processed food.

19. The method for producing a product according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the yeast is selected from yeasts of the genus Yarrowia, Saccharomyces, Lipomyces, Candida, and Kluiveromyces, or their variants.

20. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the processed food is a plant-based meat substitute, a processed meat product, noodles, or soups.

21. The manufacturing method according to claim 20, wherein the plant-based meat substitute is in a further processed form.

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