Foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition, whipped cream, method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream, and method for producing foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition

Abstract

Provided are: a foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition which comprises 0.1-10 mass% of a reduced indigestible dextrin; whipped cream which is obtained by foaming a foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition; a method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream, in which the whipped cream is prepared by foaming a foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition after including 0.1-10 mass% of a reduced indigestible dextrin in the foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition; and a method for producing the foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition, said method comprising a step for forming an oil-in-water-type emulsion by mixing and emulsifying an oil phase and an aqueous phase, wherein a reduced indigestible dextrin is contained in the oil phase and / or the aqueous phase before the mixing and emulsifying. The foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition preferably comprises 1-20 mass% of non-reducing starch syrup as the solid content. The foaming oil-in-water-type emulsified fat composition is preferably plant-based.

Description

Foaming oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition, whipped cream, method for imparting freezing resistance to whipped cream, and method for producing foaming oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition

[0001] The present invention relates to a foaming oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition and whipped cream obtained by whipping the same. The present invention also relates to a method for imparting freezing resistance to whipped cream and a method for producing a foaming oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition.

[0002] An oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition obtained by emulsifying milk protein, an emulsifier, water, oil / fat, etc. into an oil-in-water form has foaming properties similar to raw cream obtained from cow milk, and is therefore also referred to as whipped cream. The foamed product is called whipped cream, and is widely used not only for confectionery and bread making but also for cooking.

[0003] Whipped cream has a high moisture content and furthermore has an oil-in-water emulsion form, so it melts extremely well in the mouth. However, it has problems that bacteria easily grow and storage stability is low. For this reason, cakes and the like using whipped cream are often stored frozen and thawed at the time of sale. Particularly in recent years, not only from the technical aspect but also from the aspect of labor shortage, frozen chilled distribution, in which distribution is performed in a frozen state and thawed at the time of sale, has been expanding. In the case of frozen chilled distribution, since only the portion to be sold can be thawed, convenience is high. However, freezing and thawing impose a great burden on the emulsified state of whipped cream, causing freezing damages such as water separation during thawing, hardening of cream, occurrence of cracking, and grainy texture.

[0004] On the other hand, in recent years, from various viewpoints such as reducing global environmental burden, health concerns, and allergen avoidance, food products of plant origin are increasingly selected. Also for whipped cream, many plant-based products using vegetable protein instead of milk protein have become common.

[0005] However, since vegetable protein has lower emulsion stability than milk protein, plant-based whipped cream has problems such as separation and sedimentation during storage and prolonged whipping time. In addition, the resulting whipped cream also has poor richness, poor heat-resistant shape retention, and more severe freezing damage to the cream.

[0006] Various studies have been conducted to address these issues concerning frozen whipped cream. For example, a creamy composition characterized by containing 35-55% by weight of oils and fats, 1-10% by weight of non-fat milk solids, 0.1-2% by weight of an emulsifier containing polyglycerin fatty acid ester, 1-10% by weight of sorbitol and / or reduced starch syrup with an average molecular weight of 500 or less, 0.2-2% by weight of cyclodextrin, and water (Patent Document 1); a whipped freeze-resistant cream characterized by the addition of specific water-soluble dietary fiber and sugars (Patent Document 2); creams characterized by containing powdered reduced starch syrup as a carbohydrate (Patent Document 3); and a cream using 10% by mass or more of sugars, with trehalose used in part (Patent Document 4) have been proposed.

[0007] However, these methods have problems such as the flavor being affected by the sugars and dietary fiber, the inability to obtain natural sweetness and richness, and furthermore, challenges remain regarding long-term freeze resistance. In order to solve these problems, creams containing specific palm oils and non-reduced starch syrup (Patent Document 5) have been proposed, but this technology requires the use of specific oils, making it difficult to adjust emulsification stability and physical properties.

[0008] Furthermore, a method using white fungus polysaccharide has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 6). However, white fungus polysaccharide alone is not sufficient to improve freeze resistance, and other thickening stabilizers or emulsifying components are required to achieve long-term freeze resistance, leaving challenges for long-term freeze resistance.

[0009] Furthermore, with plant-based whipped creams that do not contain milk protein, these methods often did not provide sufficient freeze tolerance, and were particularly ineffective in preventing cracking during freezing and thawing.

[0010] JP 06-269256 JP 05-076281 JP 2006-50923 JP 10-201442 JP 2016-178883 JP 2022-014336

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition that has a natural sweetness and richness, excellent emulsification stability, and good freeze resistance of the whipped cream after foaming.

[0012] The present inventors, after various studies to achieve the above objectives, have found that the above objectives can be solved by using a specific dextrin with a much smaller molecular weight, instead of or in addition to the high molecular weight thickening polysaccharides that have been conventionally used. That is, the present invention provides a foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition containing 0.1 to 10% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin. The present invention also provides a whipped cream obtained by foaming the above foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream, which involves adding 0.1 to 10% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition and foaming it to produce whipped cream. The present invention also provides a method for producing the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition, comprising the step of mixing and emulsifying an oil phase and an aqueous phase to emulsify it into an oil-in-water type, wherein at least one of the oil phase and the aqueous phase before mixing and emulsifying contains reduced indigestible dextrin.

[0013] According to the present invention, a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition can be obtained that has a natural sweetness and richness, excellent emulsification stability, and good freeze resistance of the whipped cream after foaming.

[0014] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention will be described in detail below based on preferred embodiments. The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention contains oil, water, and reduced indigestible dextrin.

[0015] <Oils and Fats> Examples of the oils and fats mentioned above include various vegetable oils such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, rice oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and cocoa butter; various animal oils such as beef tallow, milk fat, lard, fish oil, whale oil, butter, and butter oil; and processed oils and fats obtained by subjecting these to one or more treatments selected from hydrogenation, fractionation, and transesterification. In the present invention, these oils and fats can be used individually or in combination of two or more types.

[0016] Furthermore, as will be described in detail later, when using the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention as a plant-based food that can be consumed by vegetarians or vegans, it is necessary that it not contain animal fats such as milk fat or processed animal fats.

[0017] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention preferably contains 50% or more, preferably 60% or more, and more preferably 75% or more, of lauric-based fats among the fats other than milk fat, in order to obtain a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition that is superior in melt-in-the-mouth quality, and especially in its freshness. Here, "lauric-based fats" refers to fats that contain a large amount of fatty acids with 12 carbon atoms, and specifically refers to coconut oil, palm kernel oil, or fats that have been subjected to one or more physical or chemical treatments such as hydrogenation, fractionation, or transesterification using these as raw materials. Furthermore, the amount of lauric-based fat is preferably 95% or less by mass of the fats other than milk fat in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention in terms of workability and heat resistance and shape retention, and more preferably 90% or less by mass. The reason for using oils and fats other than milk fat as a standard is that foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil and fat compositions used as whipped cream generally contain milk fat, and it is also common practice to replace a portion of the milk fat with lauric acid-based oils and fats. Furthermore, when using oils and fats that have undergone one or more physical or chemical treatments such as hydrogenation, fractionation, or transesterification as part of the raw materials, the amount of lauric acid-based oil and fat shall be calculated using the content of the lauric acid-based oil and fat used as the raw material. When using oils and fats that have been transesterified using lauric acid-based oil and fat as part of the raw materials for transesterification (hereinafter also referred to as "lauric acid-based transesterified oil and fat") as part of the lauric acid-based oil and fat, the amount of lauric acid-based transesterified oil and fat is preferably 2.0 to 50% by mass of the oils and fats other than milk fat in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil and fat composition of the present invention, in order to obtain a whipped cream with good heat resistance and shape retention, and more preferably 2.0 to 7.0% by mass. The above-mentioned lauric transesterified oil has a melting point of 30 to 50°C, and more preferably 40 to 45°C.

[0018] The fat and oil content in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat and oil composition of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be the same as the fat and oil content of a typical oil-in-water emulsion fat and oil composition (about 45% by mass). However, in order to obtain a whipped cream with a clean flavor, it is possible to set it to 40% by mass or less, 38% by mass or less, and even 35% by mass or less. Furthermore, the fat and oil content in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat and oil composition of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more. The "fat and oil content" referred to herein is the sum of the fat and oil content mentioned above and the fat and oil content contained in the "other components" described later.

[0019] <Water> The water used in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is suitable for consumption. The water content in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is preferably 35% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, and also preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 65% ​​by mass or less. The "water content" referred to here is the sum of the water content and the water contained in the "other components" described later.

[0020] <Reduced Indigestible Dextrin> Here, we will describe the "reduced indigestible dextrin" used in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention. Reduced indigestible dextrin is a reduced form of indigestible dextrin, which is dextrin that is difficult to digest by human digestive enzymes. Reduced indigestible dextrin can be obtained, for example, by the following method. First, a small amount of acid is added to starch and heat-treated at a high temperature to obtain roasted dextrin. Next, the roasted dextrin is broken down with digestive enzymes, and the fraction that remains unbroken down by digestive enzymes is fractionated to obtain indigestible dextrin. Next, reduced indigestible dextrin can be obtained by reducing the indigestible dextrin by hydrogenation.

[0021] The starch used as the raw material for the above-mentioned reduced indigestible dextrin is not particularly limited as long as it is usable for food purposes, and examples include corn starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch, kudzu starch, bracken starch, and sago starch. Starch derived from crops improved by breeding methods or genetic engineering methods, such as non-glutinous, waxy, or high-amylose varieties, may also be used. Furthermore, modified starch may be used, which has been subjected to one or more treatments selected from acid treatment, alkali treatment, oxidation treatment, esterification treatment, etherification treatment, phosphorylation treatment, cross-linking treatment, heat treatment, gelatinization treatment, pulverization treatment, and enzyme treatment.

[0022] In the present invention, commercially available reduced indigestible dextrin can be used, and examples include Fibersol 2H and Fibersol 2HL (both trade names; manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).

[0023] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention contains 0.1 to 10% by mass of the above-mentioned reduced indigestible dextrin. The content of the above-mentioned reduced indigestible dextrin is 0.1% by mass or more, preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, and also 10% by mass or less, preferably 5% by mass or less. If the content of the above-mentioned reduced indigestible dextrin is less than 0.1% by mass, the effects of the present invention will not be observed. Furthermore, if the content of the above-mentioned reduced indigestible dextrin exceeds 10% by mass, there is a risk that the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition cannot be stably manufactured, and the melt-in-the-mouth quality (sharpness and freshness) of the resulting whipped cream will deteriorate. In the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention, it is preferable that the reduced indigestible dextrin is uniformly dispersed in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. In this specification, "uniformly dispersed reduced indigestible dextrin" means that the foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition was obtained by incorporating reduced indigestible dextrin in the aqueous phase and / or the oil phase during its manufacturing process, and then emulsifying and mixing the aqueous and oil phases. This indicates the state of the substance, and even if this is not the case, it may be impossible or impractical to define it as such. Preferably, the reduced indigestible dextrin is heated while uniformly dispersed in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition.

[0024] <Non-reducing starch syrup> The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention preferably further contains 1 to 20% by mass of non-reducing starch syrup as solid content. The content of non-reducing starch syrup is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, and also preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less, and even more preferably 9% by mass or less as solid content. When the content of non-reducing starch syrup is 1% by mass or more as solid content, the effects of the present invention can be obtained to a greater extent. When the content of non-reducing starch syrup is 20% by mass or less as solid content, it is possible to prevent the sweetness from becoming too strong and to obtain a viscosity that is easy to work with. Here, "solid content" refers to components other than water.

[0025] The above-mentioned non-reduced starch syrup refers to starch syrup that has not undergone reduction treatment. Starch syrup is a viscous sweetener made by saccharifying starch with acid or saccharifying enzymes, and is generally a mixture of glucose, maltose, oligosaccharides, dextrin, isomerized sugar, etc. The above-mentioned non-reduced starch syrup also includes those in which the content of specific components among these components is increased. In the present invention, among such non-reduced starch syrups with an increased content of specific components, it is preferable to use one that contains, preferably 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, and even more preferably 50% by mass or more of oligosaccharide (i.e., maltotriose) in which three glucose units are linked by α-1,4 bonds, as the above-mentioned non-reduced starch syrup. There is no particular upper limit to the maltotriose content in non-reduced starch syrup, and the higher the better, but generally it is no more than about 70% by mass.

[0026] <Proteins> The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention preferably contains proteins. Examples of the proteins include animal-derived proteins such as milk protein, egg protein, meat protein, and fish protein; plant-derived proteins such as hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, coconuts, sesame seeds, and walnuts; legume-derived proteins such as soybeans, adzuki beans, mung beans, chickpeas, peas, and peanuts; and cereal-derived proteins such as rice, barley, wheat, Job's tears, and oats; microbial-derived proteins; and food ingredients containing the same. In addition, partially hydrolyzed proteins obtained by partially decomposing the above proteins by methods such as enzymes, acids, alkalis, and heating can be used. Among these, one or more selected from milk protein, legumes, and cereals are preferred as the protein source. Furthermore, as will be described in detail later, when the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is used as a plant-based food that can be consumed by vegetarians and vegans, one or more selected from legumes and grains is particularly preferred, and one or more selected from soybeans, peas and oats is especially preferred. If the protein contains protein derived from these preferred protein sources, it is preferable that the protein derived from these preferred protein sources constitutes the main component of the total protein (50% by mass or more, particularly 70% by mass or more).

[0027] In terms of balancing richness, emulsification stability, and freeze resistance of the whipped cream after foaming in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention, the protein content in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition is preferably 0.1 to 8.0% by mass. The protein content is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.7% by mass or more, preferably 8.0% by mass or less, and more preferably 4.0% by mass or less. Note that the protein content in this specification is the content as pure protein.

[0028] <Other Ingredients> The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention may contain other ingredients as needed. Other ingredients include emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners and stabilizers, milk and dairy products, sugars and sweeteners other than the non-reducing starch syrup mentioned above, flavoring components such as fruit juice, jam, cocoa and cocoa products, coffee and coffee products, seasonings, salt, acidulants, flavorings, colorings, preservatives, antioxidants, pH adjusters, etc. The amount of other ingredients can be within the range of normal amounts as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention.

[0029] The emulsifiers mentioned above are not particularly limited, but examples include lecithin, glycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin acetate fatty acid esters, glycerin lactate fatty acid esters, glycerin succinate fatty acid esters, glycerin diacetyl tartrate fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, sucrose acetate isobutyrate esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, calcium stearoyl lactylate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monoglyceride. These emulsifiers can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0030] The content of the emulsifier in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition of the present invention is preferably 0.001 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 1% by mass.

[0031] Examples of the above-mentioned stabilizers include phosphates (hexametaphosphate, diphosphate, monophosphate) or alkali metal salts of citrate (potassium, sodium, etc.). These stabilizers can be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0032] Examples of the thickening and stabilizing agents mentioned above include xanthan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, pullulan, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, carrageenan, alginate, fercelan, locust bean gum, pectin, curdlan, gellan gum, starch, modified starch, crystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, gelatin, dextrin, agar, and dextran. These thickening and stabilizing agents can be used individually or in combination of two or more.

[0033] The preferred content of the above-mentioned thickening stabilizer in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is 0 to 2% by mass, particularly 0 to 1% by mass. In particular, when the fat content in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is less than 40% by mass, particularly 38% by mass or less, and even more preferably 35% by mass or less, it is preferable to use 0.005 to 1% by mass, particularly 0.01 to 0.4% by mass of the above-mentioned thickening stabilizer in order to stably exhibit the effects of the present invention. In that case, it is preferable to use one or more of the above-mentioned thickening stabilizers, including xanthan gum, guar gum, starch, modified starch, and carboxymethylcellulose, and it is more preferable to use xanthan gum and / or guar gum. In particular, in the presence of reduced indigestible dextrin, the combination of xanthan gum and guar gum is preferable because it synergistically enhances the syneresis inhibitory effect in whipped cream thawed after long-term freezing. When xanthan gum and guar gum are used in combination, their mass ratio (xanthan gum:guar gum) is preferably 30-70:70-30, and more preferably 40-60:60-40.

[0034] Examples of the above-mentioned milk and dairy products include fermented milk, milk, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, total milk protein, whey powder, mineral-concentrated whey powder, protein-concentrated whey powder, whey protein concentrate (WPC), buttermilk powder, yogurt, condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, whole condensed milk, skim condensed milk, concentrated milk, cream, natural cheese, processed cheese, etc., and one or more of these can be used.

[0035] Other sugars and sweeteners besides the non-reduced starch syrup mentioned above are not particularly limited, but examples include glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, reduced starch syrup, reduced starch syrup, oligosaccharides, reduced polydextrose, sorbitol, reduced lactose, trehalose, xylose, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol, fructooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, lactulose oligosaccharides, raffinose, lactulose, palatinose oligosaccharides, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, stevia, aspartame, saccharin, neotame, licorice, monk fruit, glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizinate, dihydrochalcone, thaumatin, monellin, etc. These sugars and sweeteners can be used alone or in combination of two or more. They may also be used in the form of a food ingredient containing one or more sugars and / or sweeteners.

[0036] In the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention, the total content of other components other than the aforementioned fats and oils, water, reduced indigestible dextrin, non-reduced starch syrup, and protein is preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 10% by mass or less, from the standpoint of more reliably obtaining excellent emulsification stability and freeze resistance after foaming.

[0037] <pH> The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention can maintain high emulsification stability, as well as have high whipping properties and good flavor. Therefore, the pH of the aqueous phase is preferably 6.7 to 10.0. The pH of the aqueous phase is preferably 6.7 or higher, more preferably 7.0 or higher, particularly preferably 7.5 or higher, preferably 10.0 or lower, and particularly preferably 8.4 or lower. The pH is measured at 5.0°C.

[0038] <Plant-based> The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is preferably "plant-based" in that the effects of the present invention are more pronounced. In the present invention, "the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition is plant-based" means that the content of animal raw materials in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition is 10% by mass or less. In the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention, the content of animal raw materials is preferably 5% by mass or less, more preferably 1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 0.1% by mass or less. The lower limit of animal raw materials in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is 0% by mass. Note that the content of animal raw materials in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention described above is the total value of animal raw materials contained in the aforementioned fats and other components.

[0039] In this invention, "animal-derived raw materials" refers to raw materials or food products obtained from animals. Examples of animal-derived raw materials in this invention include raw materials obtained from animals, processed raw materials obtained from animals, and animal-derived components. However, water is not included in animal-derived raw materials.

[0040] As described above, the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is preferably "plant-based" in that the effects of the present invention are more pronounced. Therefore, the proteins contained in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention are preferably plant-based. In the present invention, "the proteins are plant-based" means that the proteins contained in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition are mainly plant-derived proteins. "Mainly plant-derived proteins" means that the proportion of plant-derived proteins in the total proteins is 50% by mass or more. The proportion of plant-derived proteins in the total proteins contained in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is preferably 51% by mass or more, more preferably 90% by mass or more, even more preferably 95% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 99% by mass or more, with the higher the proportion, the better.

[0041] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention may contain animal-derived proteins in addition to plant-derived proteins. When animal-derived proteins are included, it is preferable that 10% by mass or less of the total proteins in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention be animal-derived proteins, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 1% by mass or less, and the less the amount, the better.

[0042] In addition to the fact that the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention can be used as a food that can be consumed by vegetarians and vegans, it is preferable that the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention does not contain animal-derived proteins such as milk proteins. "Does not contain animal-derived proteins" means that the presence of trace amounts of animal-derived proteins that may be unintentionally included in the manufacturing process of the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition is tolerable, and specifically means that the proportion of animal-derived proteins in the total protein is 0.1% by mass or less.

[0043] Furthermore, when using the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention as a plant-based food that can be consumed by vegetarians or vegans, it is necessary that the other components mentioned above also do not contain any animal-derived ingredients.

[0044] <In the case of containing animal-derived raw materials> The foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition of the present invention may contain animal-derived raw materials, provided that there is no restriction such as consumption by vegetarians or vegans. When it contains animal-derived raw materials, the foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition of the present invention tends to exhibit favorable flavor and richness. When the composition is not plant-based and contains animal-derived raw materials, the content of animal-derived raw materials in the foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition of the present invention is preferably 2 to 55% by mass, more preferably 2 to 25% by mass. When the composition is plant-based and contains animal-derived raw materials, the content of animal-derived raw materials in the foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 5% by mass.

[0045] When containing animal-derived raw materials, the foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil / fat composition of the present invention preferably contains milk-derived raw materials as the animal-derived raw materials. In particular, it is preferable to contain one or more milk-derived raw materials selected from milk protein, lactose, whey minerals, and aqueous phase components generated when producing butter oil from cream, because this makes it easier to obtain even better flavor and richness. In addition, the aforementioned milk fat, milk, dairy products and the like may also be used as milk-derived raw materials.

[0046] The above "aqueous phase component generated when producing butter oil from cream" (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "aqueous phase component") will be described. The above aqueous phase component can particularly contribute to improving the emulsification stability and the freezing tolerance of whipped cream. The above aqueous phase component can be produced, for example, by the following process. First, cream with a fat concentration of 30 to 40% by mass obtained by centrifuging cow milk is heated in a plate, and the fat concentration of the cream is increased to 70 to 95% by mass by a centrifuge. Next, emulsification is broken by an emulsion breaking machine, and treatment is performed again with a centrifuge, thereby obtaining butter oil. The above aqueous phase component is generated as a by-product of butter oil in the final centrifugation step. For the above aqueous phase component, it is also possible to use a product that has been further concentrated or dried, a product that has been frozen, or the like. From the viewpoints of emulsification stability and improvement in freezing tolerance of whipped cream, the aqueous phase component that has not undergone a drying step is preferable. In addition, it is preferable not to use an aqueous phase component concentrated using a solvent because of flavor problems.

[0047] In the foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat composition of the present invention, the content of the milk protein is preferably 0.1 to 8% by mass, more preferably 0.3 to 6% by mass. The content of the lactose is preferably 0.5 to 10% by mass, more preferably 1 to 8% by mass. The content of the whey mineral is preferably 0.1 to 5% by mass, more preferably 0.1 to 2.5% by mass. The content of the aqueous phase component generated when producing butter oil from cream, calculated as solid content, is preferably 0.2 to 10% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 5% by mass.

[0048] <Production Method> The method for producing the foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat composition of the present invention will be described below. The production method of the foamable oil-in-water emulsified oil and fat composition of the present invention is not particularly limited, and can be produced, for example, by the following method.

[0049] First, an oil phase containing oils and, if necessary, other raw materials, and an aqueous phase containing water and, if necessary, other raw materials are prepared separately. Next, the oil phase and the aqueous phase are mixed and emulsified to an oil-in-water type emulsion to obtain the foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition of the present invention. In this process, water-soluble components, including the non-reduced starch syrup mentioned above, are generally included in the aqueous phase, and oil-soluble components are included in the oil phase. However, if the water-soluble components have poor solubility in the aqueous phase and tend to clump, they may be added to the oil phase. The essential component, reduced indigestible dextrin, can be added to the aqueous phase or to the oil phase, but from the viewpoint of reliably and stably obtaining the effects of the present invention, it is preferable to add it to the aqueous phase.

[0050] The obtained oil-in-water emulsion fat composition may be homogenized as needed using a homogenization device such as a valve-type homogenizer, homomixer, or colloid mill at a pressure in the range of 0 to 100 MPa, preferably 1 to 10 MPa. Alternatively, it may be subjected to heat sterilization or heat disinfection treatment such as UHT / HTST / low-temperature pasteurization, batch processing, retort, or microwave heating using direct heating methods such as injection or infusion, or indirect heating methods such as plate, tubular, or scraping. It may also be heated by cooking methods such as direct flame. A heating temperature of 60 to 160°C and a heating time of 1 second to 30 minutes are preferred. In particular, for UHT sterilization, a heating temperature of 120 to 150°C and a heating time of 1 to 6 seconds are preferred. Furthermore, it may be homogenized again after heating as needed. In this case, the pressure may be in the range of 0 to 100 MPa, preferably 1 to 10 MPa. Additionally, cooling operations such as rapid cooling or slow cooling, or aging may be performed as needed. In the present invention, it is preferable to perform the above-mentioned homogenization, and it is also preferable to perform heating. Furthermore, it is more preferable to perform both the above-mentioned homogenization and heating, and it is even more preferable to homogenize, heat, and then homogenize again.

[0051] <Applications> The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is suitable for use as whipped cream by foaming. The resulting whipped cream can be used in various foods, mainly as a filling, sandwich filling, topping, frosting, center filling, etc. Furthermore, the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention can be used as a coffee whitener or a cream for mixing into food, with or without foaming.

[0052] Examples of the above-mentioned foods include bakery products such as sliced ​​bread, sweet buns, pies, Danish pastries, croissants, baguettes, semi-hard rolls, choux pastries, donuts, cakes, crackers, cookies, hard biscuits, waffles, and scones; Western-style confectionery, Japanese-style confectionery, chocolate confectionery, frozen desserts, puddings, mousses, and other desserts; fillings such as custard cream, jam, and chocolate paste; stews, gratins, dorias; and beverages.

[0053] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention has high resistance to freezing damage such as syneresis, hardening of the cream, and the occurrence of grainy texture when frozen and thawed after foaming. Therefore, among these applications, it can be particularly suitable for use as whipped cream in frozen foods such as Western-style confectionery and desserts that undergo freezing and thawing processes.

[0054] <Whipped Cream> The whipped cream of the present invention will be described below. The whipped cream of the present invention is obtained by foaming the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention described above. Its preferred overrun is 100 to 140, more preferably 110 to 130. When foaming, sugars such as granulated sugar, sugar, and liquid sugar; various aqueous ingredients; solid flavoring ingredients such as cocoa; and flavorings may be added. Examples of the aqueous ingredients include water; alcohols such as brandy, rum, liqueur, shochu, and beer; aqueous flavoring ingredients such as coffee, jam, fruit juice, concentrated fruit juice, puree, sauce, dressing, vegetable juice, concentrated vegetable juice, green tea, oolong tea, pu-erh tea, and black tea; milk or dairy products such as milk, concentrated milk, condensed milk, skimmed concentrated milk, and fresh cream; and carbonated beverages. For example, if the solid content (especially milk solids) of the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention is high (specifically, for example, 50% by mass or more), the above aqueous ingredients may be added to adjust the solid content as appropriate. Such adjustments to the solid content are effective in terms of adjusting the flavor, whipping properties, and the physical properties of the resulting whipped cream.

[0055] As described above, the whipped cream of the present invention can be used as a filling, sandwich filling, topping, frosting, center filling, etc. Furthermore, by combining the whipped cream of the present invention with other food ingredients, various flavored whipped creams or Western-style confectionery such as mousse can be produced.

[0056] <Method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream> Finally, the method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream according to the present invention will be described. The method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream according to the present invention involves adding 0.1 to 10% by mass, preferably 0.5 to 5% by mass, and more preferably 1 to 5% by mass, of reduced indigestible dextrin to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition, and foaming it to make whipped cream. The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition described above can be used as a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition containing 0.1 to 10% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin.

[0057] The present invention provides resistance to freeze-thawing disorders such as syneresis, hardening of the cream, and grittiness in texture when the whipped cream, obtained by foaming the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition of the present invention, is used in various foods as a filling, sandwich filling, topping, frosting, center filling, etc., or when it is combined with other food ingredients to produce whipped cream of various flavors, or Western confectionery such as mousse or chiffon cake, and then frozen. Specifically, the method provides resistance to freeze-thawing disorders such as syneresis, hardening of the cream, and grittiness in texture. For aspects of the method of providing freeze-thawing resistance to whipped cream of the present invention that are not specifically described, the above-described explanation of the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and whipped cream of the present invention can be appropriately applied.

[0058] The present invention discloses the following: [1] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition containing 0.1 to 10% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin. [2] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to [1], containing 1 to 20% by mass of non-reduced starch syrup as solid content. [3] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to [1] or [2], which is plant-based. [4] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the non-reduced starch syrup contains 30% by mass or more of maltotriose. [5] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to [4], which contains 0.1 to 8.0% by mass of protein. [6] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to [5] above, wherein the protein is one or more selected from milk protein, legumes and cereals, preferably one or more selected from legumes and cereals, and more preferably one or more selected from soybeans, peas and oats. [7] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the pH of the aqueous phase is 6.7 to 10.0. [8] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the fat content is 10 to 40% by mass. [9] The foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the water content is 35 to 70% by mass.

[10] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to any one of [1] to [9] above, wherein the content of lauric oil is 50 to 95% by mass of the oils other than milk fat.

[11] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to any one of [1] to

[10] above, wherein the content of emulsifier is 0.001 to 5% by mass.

[12] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to any one of [1] to

[11] above, wherein the oil content is less than 40% by mass and the thickening stabilizer is 0.005 to 1% by mass.

[13] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to

[12] above, wherein the thickening stabilizer is one or more of xanthan gum, guar gum, starch, modified starch, and carboxymethylcellulose, preferably xanthan gum and / or guar gum.

[14] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1], [2], and [4] to

[13] above, which contains a milk-derived raw material.

[15] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to

[14] above, wherein the milk-derived raw material is one or more milk-derived raw materials selected from milk protein, lactose, whey minerals, and aqueous phase components produced when butter oil is produced from cream.

[16] A foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to

[15] above, in which the reduced indigestible dextrin is uniformly dispersed in the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition.

[17] Whipped cream obtained by foaming the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to

[16] above.

[18] A method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream, comprising adding 0.1 to 10% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and foaming it to make whipped cream.

[19] A method for producing a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to any one of [1] to

[16] above, comprising the step of mixing and emulsifying an oil phase and an aqueous phase to emulsify it into an oil-in-water type, wherein reduced indigestible dextrin is contained in at least one of the oil phase and the aqueous phase before mixing and emulsifying.

[20] The method according to

[19] above, wherein the aqueous phase contains the reduced indigestible dextrin.

[21] The method according to

[19] or

[20] above, wherein after emulsification, homogenization and / or heating are performed, preferably, after emulsification, homogenization and heating are performed again.

[0059] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples and comparative examples, but these are not intended to limit the present invention in any way.

[0060] <Production of transesterified oil> A mixture of palm kernel oil and highly hydrogenated palm oil in a mass ratio of 50:50 (former:latter) was randomly transesterified using a chemical catalyst to obtain transesterified oil a with a melting point of 43°C.

[0061] <Production of Oat Milk> 90.76 parts by mass of water was heated to 60°C, and while stirring, 0.05 parts by mass of α-amylase BAN480L (Novozymes), 0.1 parts by mass of glucoamylase-amylase AG (Novozymes), and 8.0 parts by mass of oat flour (Granvia) (oil content 3.0% by mass, protein content 11.9% by mass, potassium content 0.330% by mass, sodium content 0.008% by mass) were added and the mixture was held for 3 hours to allow the enzymatic reaction to occur. After inactivation treatment at 90°C for 15 minutes, the mixture was cooled to 5°C to obtain oat saccharified oat product. 1 part by mass of sunflower oil and 0.09 parts by mass of salt were mixed with this and emulsified to prepare a preliminary emulsion. The preliminary emulsified mixture was homogenized at a pressure of 3 MPa, then sterilized at 140°C for 4 seconds in a VTIS sterilizer (Alfa Laval UHT sterilizer), homogenized again at a pressure of 5 MPa, and then cooled to 5°C to obtain oat milk A.

[0062] <Production Method 1 of Foaming Oil-in-Water Emulsified Fat Composition> [Example 1] 35% by mass of a mixed fat consisting of 5 parts by mass of the above transesterified fat a, 85.5 parts by mass of palm kernel oil, and 9.5 parts by mass of fractionated palm oil, 0.25% by mass of lecithin, and 0.05% by mass of glycerin monostearate (HLB4) was mixed and heated to 65°C to dissolve and obtain the oil phase. Meanwhile, 54.63% by mass of water, 3% by mass of non-reduced starch syrup (MT500: manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd., maltotriose content 50% by mass, solid content 73.4% by mass), 1.5% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin (Fibersol 2HL: manufactured by Matsutani Chemical), 0.5% by mass of pea protein (RadiPures 8001B: manufactured by Cargill, protein content 82% by mass), and 0.5% by mass of soy protein (Fujipro RK: ​​manufactured by Fuji Co., Ltd.) were mixed and heated to 65°C to dissolve. 1.5% by mass of oil-based oat milk (83% by mass protein content), 3% by mass of oat milk A, 0.03% by mass of sodium chloride, 0.07% by mass of marine potassium salt (Ocean Cali: manufactured by FC Chemical), 0.35% by mass of sucrose fatty acid ester (HLB=11), 0.05% by mass of guar gum, 0.05% by mass of xanthan gum, and 0.02% by mass of anhydrous sodium carbonate were mixed and heated to 65°C to dissolve and form an aqueous phase. The aqueous phase and the oil phase were mixed and emulsified to prepare an oil-in-water preliminary emulsion. The preliminary emulsion was homogenized at a pressure of 3 MPa using a valve-type homogenizer (Alfa Laval: homogenizer), then sterilized at 140°C for 4 seconds using a VTIS sterilizer (Alfa Laval UHT sterilizer), homogenized again at a pressure of 5 MPa, and then cooled to 5°C. Subsequently, the mixture was aged in a refrigerator for 24 hours to obtain foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition A of the present invention, which has a protein content of 1.68% by mass, an aqueous phase pH of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0063] [Example 2] Foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition B of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the amount of reduced indigestible dextrin added was changed from 1.5% by mass to 3% by mass and the amount of water added was changed from 54.63% by mass to 53.13% by mass, with a protein content of 1.68% by mass, a pH of the aqueous phase of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0064] [Example 3] Except for changing the amount of reduced indigestible dextrin added from 1.5% by mass to 0.5% by mass and changing the amount of water added from 54.63% by mass to 55.63% by mass, the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1 was used to obtain foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition C of the present invention, which has a protein content of 1.68% by mass, an aqueous phase pH of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0065] [Example 4] Except for changing the amount of reduced indigestible dextrin added from 1.5% by mass to 5% by mass and changing the amount of water added from 54.63% by mass to 51.13% by mass, the foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition D of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, with a protein content of 1.68% by mass, a pH of the aqueous phase of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0066] [Example 5] Except for changing 3% by mass of non-reduced starch syrup to 3% by mass of reduced starch syrup (PO-500: manufactured by Kato Chemical), the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1 was used to obtain foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition E of the present invention, which has a protein content of 1.68% by mass, an aqueous phase pH of 7.75, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0067] [Example 6] Except for replacing 3% by mass of non-reduced starch syrup with 3% by mass of isomerized liquid sugar (New Fract R40: manufactured by Showa Sangyo), the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1 was used to obtain the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition F of the present invention, which has a protein content of 1.68% by mass, an aqueous phase pH of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0068] [Example 7] Except for changing 3% by mass of non-reducing starch syrup (MT500: manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd., maltotriose content 50% by mass, solid content 73.4% by mass) to 2.2% by mass of powdered non-reducing starch syrup (M-SPD: manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd., maltotriose content less than 30% by mass, solid content 96%) and changing the amount of water from 54.63% by mass to 55.43% by mass, a foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition G of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, with a protein content of 1.68% by mass, an aqueous phase pH of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0069] [Example 8] Except for changing the amount of non-reduced starch syrup added from 3% by mass to none and changing the amount of water added from 54.63% by mass to 57.63% by mass, the foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition H of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, with a protein content of 1.68% by mass, a pH of the aqueous phase of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0070] [Example 9] Except for changing the amount of anhydrous sodium carbonate added from 0.02% by mass to none and changing the amount of water added from 54.63% by mass to 54.65% by mass, the foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition I of the present invention was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, with a protein content of 1.68% by mass, a pH of the aqueous phase of 6.8, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0071] [Comparative Example 1] A comparative example of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition J was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the amount of reduced indigestible dextrin added was changed to none and the amount of water added was changed from 54.63% by mass to 56.13% by mass, with a protein content of 1.68% by mass, a pH of the aqueous phase of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0072] [Comparative Example 2] A comparative example of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition K was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that 1.5% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin was replaced with 1.5% by mass of indigestible dextrin (Fibersol 2: manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). The comparative example had a protein content of 1.68% by mass, a pH of the aqueous phase of 7.7, and an animal raw material content of 0% by mass.

[0073] [Evaluation of Foaming Oil-in-Water Emulsified Fat Compositions and Whipped Cream 1] The emulsion stability during storage of the obtained foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions A to K was evaluated using the following method. In addition, the foaming time and overrun when foaming until the optimal foaming state is reached were evaluated for the obtained foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions A to K using the following method (the whipped creams obtained by foaming foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions A to K until the optimal foaming state are referred to as whipped creams A to K). The heat resistance, melt-in-mouth (sharpness and freshness), flavor, and richness of the obtained whipped creams A to K were evaluated using the following method. The results of the above evaluations are shown in Table 1 below. The freeze resistance (syneration, hardening of cream, melt-in-mouth, texture) of the above whipped creams A to K was evaluated using the following method. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

[0074] Furthermore, the same evaluations were also performed on whipped cream J2 (Comparative Example 3), which was obtained in the same manner as described above, except that in the "Foaming Time" item of the <Evaluation Method for Foaming Oil-in-Water Emulsified Fat Composition> below, 98.5 parts by mass of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition J was used in addition to 1.5 parts by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin instead of 100 parts by mass of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition. The results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0075] <Evaluation Method for Foaming Oil-in-Water Emulsified Fat Compositions> - Emulsification Stability: Foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions were placed in a refrigerator at 5°C for two weeks. The separation and sedimentation status was observed visually, and evaluated as follows: ◎ for no separation and sedimentation at all, ○ for almost no separation and sedimentation, △ for slight separation and sedimentation, and × for clear separation and sedimentation.

[0076] - Foaming time: 100 parts by mass of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition was placed in a mixer bowl, 8 parts by mass of refined sugar was added, and the mixture was stirred using a vertical mixer at a speed of 450 revolutions per minute until the optimal foaming state was reached. The foaming time at this time was measured. Foaming times of 4 minutes or more but less than 6 minutes were evaluated as ◎, 3 minutes or more but less than 4 minutes or 6 minutes or more but less than 7 minutes as ○, and less than 3 minutes or 7 minutes or more as ×.

[0077] - Overrun: In the evaluation of foaming time described above, the overrun was measured when foaming was allowed to reach the optimal foaming state. Overruns of 110 or more but less than 130 were evaluated as ◎, overruns of 100 or more but less than 110 or 130 or more but less than 140 were evaluated as ○, and overruns of less than 100 or 140 or more were evaluated as ×.

[0078] <Evaluation Method for Whipped Cream> Heat-resistant, shape-retaining whipped cream was used to make artificial flowers using a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle, and the volume loss was measured after leaving it in a constant temperature bath at 20°C for 24 hours. Volume loss was evaluated as follows: less than 0.5 mm was marked with ◎, 0.5 mm or more and less than 1 mm was marked with ○, 1 mm or more and less than 5 mm was marked with △, and 5 mm or more was marked with ×.

[0079] - Melt-in-the-mouth quality (sharpness) A sensory test was conducted by 15 panelists to assess how easily the whipped cream melted in the mouth. It was evaluated on a three-point scale: good melt-in-the-mouth quality (sharp melt-in-the-mouth), poor melt-in-the-mouth quality (heavy), and neither. Two points were awarded for good melt-in-the-mouth quality, one point for neither, and zero points for poor melt-in-the-mouth quality. A total score of 25 points or more was marked with ◎, 20-24 points with ○, 15-19 points with △, and 14 points or less with ×.

[0080] - Melt-in-the-mouth quality (freshness) A sensory test was conducted on 15 panelists to assess the freshness of whipped cream stored at 10°C for two days. The evaluation was on a three-point scale: good, bad, and neither good nor bad. Points were awarded as follows: 2 points for good, 1 point for neither good nor bad, and 0 points for bad. A total score of 25 points or more was marked with ◎, 20-24 points with ○, 15-19 points with △, and 14 points or less with ×.

[0081] - A sensory evaluation was conducted by 15 panelists to assess the flavor of the whipped cream when it was placed in the mouth. The flavor was evaluated on a three-point scale: good flavor, bad flavor, and neither good nor bad. Points were awarded as follows: 2 points for good flavor, 1 point for neither good nor bad, and 0 points for bad flavor. A total score of 29 points or more was marked as ◎++, 26-28 points as ◎+, 23-25 ​​points as ◎, 20-22 points as ○, 15-19 points as △, and 14 points or less as ×.

[0082] - A sensory test was conducted on the richness of the whipped cream when it was tasted by 15 panelists. The richness was evaluated on a three-point scale: good richness, poor richness, and neither good nor bad. Points were awarded as follows: 2 points for good richness, 1 point for neither good nor bad, and 0 points for poor richness. A total score of 28 points or more was marked with ◎+, 25-27 points with ◎, 20-24 points with ○, 15-19 points with △, and 14 points or less with ×.

[0083] - Freeze-resistant whipped cream was piped into plastic cups using a star-shaped nozzle in a piping bag to create artificial flower shapes, then frozen at -20°C and stored frozen for one week or three months. After that, it was thawed at 10°C for 24 hours, and the syneresis and hardening of the cream were observed visually and evaluated according to the evaluation criteria below. In addition, a sensory test was conducted by 15 panelists to evaluate the melt-in-the-mouth texture and mouthfeel of the thawed cream according to the evaluation criteria below. A total score of 25 points or more was marked with ◎, 20 to 24 points with ○, 15 to 19 points with △, and 14 points or less with ×.

[0084] Evaluation Criteria for Separation ◎: No separation observed ○: Little to no separation observed △: Some separation observed ×: Severe separation observed

[0085] Criteria for evaluating the hardening of the cream: ◎: Surface is smooth with no cracks whatsoever ○: Surface is smooth but some fine cracks are visible △: Surface is somewhat hard with many fine cracks ×: Surface is hard with many cracks

[0086] Melt-in-the-mouth evaluation criteria: 2 points...Excellent 1 point...Good 0 points...Poor melt-in-the-mouth

[0087] Texture evaluation criteria: 2 points... Smooth and excellent texture 1 point... Slightly dry and crumbly 0 points... Dry and crumbly, and not smooth texture

[0088]

[0089]

[0090] <Production of Foaming Oil-in-Water Emulsified Fat Composition 2> [Example 10] 40% by mass of a mixed fat consisting of 15 parts by mass of the above transesterified fat a, 60 parts by mass of palm kernel oil, 15 parts by mass of fractionated palm oil, and 10 parts by mass of coconut oil, 0.2% by mass of lecithin, and 0.05% by mass of glycerin monostearate (HLB4) was mixed and heated to 65°C to dissolve and obtain the oil phase. On the other hand, 45.85% by mass of water, 2% by mass of total milk protein (protein content 80% by mass), 5% by mass of lactose, 3% by mass of non-reduced starch syrup (MT500: manufactured by Showa Sangyo Co., Ltd., maltotriose content 50% by mass, solids content 73.4% by mass), 1.25% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin (Fibersol 2HL: manufactured by Matsutani Chemical), 0.25% by mass of carboxymethylcellulose (Sunrose SLD-FM: manufactured by Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.), 0.2% by mass of whey minerals, 2% by mass of a concentrate of aqueous phase components produced when manufacturing butter oil from cream (non-fat solids 25.5% by mass, oil content 3.5% by mass, protein content 9% by mass), 0.15% by mass of sucrose fatty acid ester (HLB=16), and 0.05% by mass of sucrose fatty acid ester (HLB=4) were mixed and heated to 65°C to dissolve and obtain the aqueous phase. The aqueous phase and the oil phase were mixed and emulsified to prepare an oil-in-water preliminary emulsion. This preliminary emulsion was homogenized at a pressure of 3 MPa using a valve-type homogenizer (Alfa Laval homogenizer), then sterilized at 140°C for 4 seconds using a VTIS sterilizer (Alfa Laval UHT sterilizer), homogenized again at a pressure of 5 MPa, and then cooled to 5°C. After that, it was aged in a refrigerator for 24 hours to obtain the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition L of the present invention, which has a protein content of 1.78% by mass, an aqueous phase pH of 6.8, and an animal raw material content of 7.6% by mass.

[0091] [Comparative Example 4] A comparative example of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition M was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that the amount of reduced indigestible dextrin added was changed to none and the amount of water added was changed from 45.85% by mass to 47.1% by mass, with a protein content of 1.78% by mass, a pH of the aqueous phase of 6.8, and an animal raw material content of 7.6% by mass.

[0092] [Comparative Example 5] A comparative example of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition N was obtained using the same formulation and manufacturing method as in Example 1, except that 1.25% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin was replaced with 1.25% by mass of indigestible dextrin (Fibersol 2: manufactured by Matsutani Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). The protein content was 1.78% by mass, the pH of the aqueous phase was 6.8, and the animal raw material content was 7.6% by mass.

[0093] [Evaluation of Foaming Oil-in-Water Emulsified Fat Compositions and Whipped Cream 2] The emulsion stability during storage of the obtained foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions L to N was evaluated in the same manner as for foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions A to K. In addition, the foaming time and overrun when foaming until the optimal foaming state is reached were evaluated for the obtained foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions L to N in the following manner (the whipped creams obtained by foaming foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat compositions L to N until the optimal foaming state are referred to as whipped creams L to N). The heat resistance, shape retention, melt-in-the-mouth quality (sharpness and freshness), flavor, and richness of the obtained whipped creams L to N were evaluated in the same manner as for whipped creams A to J2. For the whipped creams L through N mentioned above, their freeze tolerance (syneresis, cream hardening, melt-in-the-mouth texture, and mouthfeel) was evaluated using the same method as for whipped creams A through J2.

[0094] - Foaming time: 100 parts by mass of foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition was placed in a mixer bowl, 60 parts by mass of milk and 16 parts by mass of refined sugar were added, and the mixture was stirred using a vertical mixer at a speed of 450 revolutions per minute until the optimal foaming state was reached. The foaming time at this time was measured. Foaming times of 4 minutes or more but less than 6 minutes were evaluated as ◎, 3 minutes or more but less than 4 minutes or 6 minutes or more but less than 7 minutes as ○, and less than 3 minutes or 7 minutes or more as ×.

[0095] - Overrun: In the evaluation of foaming time described above, the overrun was measured when foaming was allowed to reach the optimal foaming state. Overruns of 110 or more but less than 130 were evaluated as ◎, overruns of 100 or more but less than 110 or 130 or more but less than 140 were evaluated as ○, and overruns of less than 100 or 140 or more were evaluated as ×.

[0096] The results of the above evaluation are shown in Table 3 below.

[0097]

Claims

1. A foaming oil-in-water emulsion composition containing 0.1 to 10% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin.

2. The foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to claim 1, comprising 1 to 20% by mass of non-reducing starch syrup as solid content.

3. The foaming oil-in-water emulsion oil composition according to claim 1 or 2, which is plant-based.

4. A whipped cream obtained by foaming the foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition according to claim 1 or 2.

5. A method for imparting freeze tolerance to whipped cream, comprising adding 0.1 to 10% by mass of reduced indigestible dextrin to a foaming oil-in-water emulsion fat composition and foaming it to produce whipped cream.

6. A method for producing a foaming oil-in-water emulsion of fats and oils according to claim 1, comprising the step of mixing and emulsifying an oil phase and an aqueous phase to emulsify in an oil-in-water manner, wherein at least one of the oil phase and the aqueous phase before mixing and emulsifying contains reduced indigestible dextrin.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the aqueous phase before mixing and emulsifying contains the reduced indigestible dextrin.

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