JP2000300191A - Phytosterol-containing composition - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject composition increased in the solubility of the phytosterol to oils and fats, excellent in fluidity even at low temperature, and also excellent in function as an emulsifier, by including a phytosterol, a lecithin and a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride. SOLUTION: This composition is obtained by incorporating (A) 5-20 wt.% of a phytosterol, (B) 15-70 wt.% of a lecithin and (C) the rest of a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride. The component A is a phytosterol in sterols widely distributed in the biological world, being a mixture of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, brassicasterol and/or the like, or may be in the form of ester. The component B is preferably a high-purity lecithin containing >=20 wt.% of phosphatidylcholine. It is desirable that the medium-chain fatty acid in the component C is a 8-10C saturated fatty acid.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a plant sterol-containing composition which dissolves plant sterol easily in fats and oils, maintains a stable dissolved state even when the solution is stored for a long period of time, and has an excellent function as an emulsifier. About things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is known that plant sterol is a natural emulsifier and has a physiological function such as a plasma cholesterol lowering action. However, it is difficult to dissolve and disperse not only in aqueous components but also in oil components as well as in aqueous components. The sterol ester obtained in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-16422 has a low melting point and a high applicability to foods, but is a chemically synthesized product and can only be used as an extract from oil seeds under the Food Sanitation Law. It is hard to imagine the use in the field. The natural sterol ester obtained by the method disclosed in JP-A-60-81200 has a disadvantage of high cost. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-126966 discloses lecithin,
By blending sterol or its derivative,
It is disclosed that the dispersibility and solubility of the instant powder composition in cold water are improved. However, the amount of sterol added to lecithin is small, and it is insufficient to expand the use of sterol. JP-A-60-239
Japanese Patent Publication No. 406 examines the emulsifiability of a base comprising a sterol ester of lanolin fatty acid, but does not mention a plant sterol and its ester obtained by a conventional method. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-148424 discloses that a water gel composition containing a sterol, a lipophilic emulsifier, and fats and oils has good stability as a composition, but is diluted when used as an improver for processed foods and the like. As a result, the gel collapses and sterol crystals are precipitated. Further, in actual distribution, there is a problem that storage stability such as decay of the gel composition must be considered.
In JP-A-10-179086, a combination of tocopherol and a liquid emulsifier at ordinary temperature can obtain a solubilized state in fats and oils and can be easily used in foods. Although the applicability can be expected, since it contains expensive tocopherol and affects the cost of the composition as a quality improving agent, its versatility in terms of cost is not sufficient. In addition, if it is present in a system containing a large amount of water, alcohol, or the like, such as in processed foods, the solubility is reduced, and precipitation of crystals occurs. In Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-26732, edible oils and fats containing sterols are obtained by using fatty acids as solubilizers for oils and fats, but there is no mention of application to processed foods not containing oils and fats.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to increase the solubility of plant sterols in fats and oils, to have excellent fluidity even at low temperatures, to be easily dissolved in fats and oils products at room temperature, and to precipitate crystals. An object of the present invention is to provide a plant sterol-containing composition which can maintain a stable dissolved state without any problems and is excellent in function as an emulsifier.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted intensive studies to achieve the above object, and as a result, it has been found that lecithin and medium-chain triglycerides are closely related to the solubility of plant sterols in fats and oils, In addition, they have found that the function of an emulsifier is excellent due to the interaction between plant sterol and lecithin, and thus completed the present invention. That is, the present invention relates to a plant sterol-containing composition having excellent emulsifiability, comprising 5 to 20% by weight of a plant sterol and 15 to 70% by weight of a lecithin and a balance of medium chain fatty acid triglyceride. The plant sterol is preferably a plant sterol and / or an ester thereof. Also,
The lecithin is preferably a high-purity lecithin containing phosphatidylcholine in an amount of 20% by weight or more. Also,
The medium-chain fatty acid of the above medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride has 8 carbon atoms.
It is preferably from 10 to 10 saturated fatty acids.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail. The plant sterol used in the present invention refers to a plant sterol in a sterol widely distributed in the living world, and is a mixture of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, brassicasterol, etc., but exists in an ester state. Some are. The plant sterol is extracted and purified using a distillate obtained in the step of deodorizing vegetable oil as a raw material. That is, the distillate is obtained by saponifying and decomposing the distillate using an alkali, followed by methylesterification of the precipitate obtained by centrifugation with methanol such as sulfuric acid, and then recrystallization. The distillate was dissolved in a solvent such as methanol or ethanol, cooled, and the precipitated crystals were collected by filtration and recrystallized to obtain a mixture of plant sterol and its ester. There is no effect on the composition of the present invention by using an ester containing the above-mentioned ester. Such plant sterols generally have low solubility in fats and oils, and fats and oils containing them produce crystals, cloudiness or precipitation.

As the lecithin used in the present invention, known paste-like lecithin or powdery, granular or massive high-purity lecithin obtained from the paste-like lecithin as a raw material can be used. Such a paste-like lecithin is generally obtained by filtering and drying an oil grease obtained in a degumming step in producing an oil or fat from oil seeds such as soybeans, rapeseed, sunflower, safflower, and linseed. Contains about 40% by weight of neutral lipids. On the other hand, high-purity lecithin is obtained by using the pasty lecithin as a raw material, alcohol, acetone, propanol, cyclohexane, benzene, fractionation using a solvent such as chloroform, concentration, and purification of lecithin by a treatment such as drying, There are powdered lecithin having a phosphatidylcholine content of 20% or more, granular lecithin and massive lecithin having a phosphatidylcholine content of 35% or more.

In the present invention, in addition to lecithin derived from the above-mentioned raw materials, lecithin obtained from egg yolk, bovine or porcine animal brain tissue, or chemically synthesized lecithin can be used. Such a paste, powder, granular or massive lecithin is composed of components such as phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid, and may contain a lyso form obtained by hydrolyzing these fatty acids. The type of the constituent fatty acid is not particularly limited, and may be a transesterified product, a hydrogenated unsaturated fatty acid, or a product obtained by a phosphatidyl group exchange reaction of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanol or the like. Lecithin to be added to the composition of the present invention may be any of the above, but compared to the case of using a paste-like lecithin obtained by filtering and drying the oil fry, powdered phosphatidylcholine content of 20% or more, The use of granular lecithin is preferable because the color tone and flavor of the composition are improved. In particular, in order to enhance the stability at low temperatures, it is more preferable to use bulk lecithin having a phosphatidylcholine content of 35% or more, and the color tone and flavor of the composition are good.

The medium-chain triglycerides used in the present invention are generally referred to as MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides), and have 6 to 1 carbon atoms such as coconut oil-decomposed fatty acids.
Mono- or mixed-acid triglycerides composed of 2, preferably 8 to 10 saturated fatty acids. For example, caprylic acid (C8) / capric acid (C10) = 60-75 / 2
5 to 40 (weight ratio) triglycerides can be used. The triglyceride can be produced by subjecting the medium-chain fatty acid and glycerin to an esterification reaction by a conventional method, but the use of a commercially available product is convenient.

The composition of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned various raw materials, and contains 5 to 20% by weight of plant sterol and 15 to 70% by weight of lecithin, and the remainder is medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride. It is necessary to be. Since the content of phosphatidylcholine in lecithin greatly affects the dissolution of plant sterols, it is difficult to obtain a long-term stable preparation with a lecithin content of less than 15% by weight even if the plant sterol content is 5% by weight or less. Further, the emulsifiability of the composition is lowered, which is not preferable. When lecithin is added in an amount exceeding 70% by weight, thickening caused by lecithin,
Separation occurs and a long-term stable composition cannot be obtained. On the other hand, when the content of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride exceeds 80% by weight, the emulsion stability characteristic of this composition is impaired. When the content of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride is less than 10% by weight as a residue, the compatibility, which is the role of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride, is lost. It is difficult to obtain a stable composition. In addition, there is no influence on the composition of the present invention due to the mixing of neutral fat. The term "neutral fat" as used herein refers to a long-chain or higher fatty acid triglyceride, and in the present invention, when paste-like lecithin is used, refers to the same components as ordinary edible fats and oils derived from the raw material. Also,
Apart from this, addition of any fatty acid triglyceride, preferably a liquid at normal temperature, does not cause any problem.

The composition of the present invention can be produced by the method described below, but is not limited thereto. Stir and mix medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides and, if necessary, other neutral lipids, plant sterols and lecithin simultaneously to form a uniform liquid, or mix half of medium-chain fatty acid triglycerides with plant sterols or lecithin , And the two are combined and mixed to form a uniform solution, whereby the composition of the present invention can be obtained. Preferably, lecithin is added to the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride, and after stirring and mixing, a plant sterol is added thereto, followed by stirring and mixing to form a uniform solution. All of the above operations can be performed by heating at about 40 ° C. to 75 ° C., and the stirring process is performed using a normal stirrer such as a propeller, a homomixer, and a blender at a rotation speed of 4,000 to 8,000 rpm and 0.5 to 5,000 rpm.
It may be performed for about three hours.

[0012] The composition thus obtained is a uniform liquid, has fluidity, and is transparent and highly stable without exhibiting crystal precipitation or white turbidity. At low temperatures, the difference in fluidity due to lecithin content is remarkable, but there is no problem in use. The composition comprises soybean oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil,
Liquid oils and solid fats such as palm oil, palm kernel oil, cocoa oil, coconut oil, lard, tallow, fish oil, perilla oil, linseed oil, tung oil, castor oil, blended oils thereof, hydrogenated oil, fractionated oil,
Processed oils and fats such as transesterified oils, hydrolyzed fatty acids and esters thereof, and edible emulsified and non-emulsified oils and fats products such as shortening, margarine, dressing, mayonnaise and cream using these, unsaturated bond-containing oils such as lanolin and squalene, and Cream using this,
Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals such as emulsions, pomades, lipsticks and ointments can be used. Therefore, the composition of the present invention comprises
It can expand the application range of plant sterols in foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and the like. Furthermore, plant sterol and lecithin, which were difficult to use in combination, are solved by the composition of the present invention, and the emulsifiability thereof can be applied to various fields. In addition, both are known to have a plasma cholesterol lowering effect, and a method of use in which a physiological function is expected can be employed.

[0013]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following Examples, but it should not be construed that the invention is limited thereto. Example 1 A paste lecithin (manufactured by Nisshin Oil Co., Ltd., trade name: 20% by weight of medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride obtained by esterifying caprylic acid / capric acid = 75/25 (weight ratio) and glycerin by a conventional method: Lecithin DX, phosphatidylcholine content 20%) 70% by weight was added, and the mixture was stirred until both components were homogenized. Thereafter, plant sterol (manufactured by ADM, trade name: Phitosterol, free sterol content 91.4%)
10% by weight was added, mixed in the same manner to make a uniform state, and then cooled to obtain a composition of the present invention. This composition is a brown, viscous, uniform liquid substance, has fluidity even when cooled to 5 ° C., and shows no change in its state even when stored at room temperature for one month. . In addition, even when added to salad oil, there was no crystal precipitation, cloudiness, cloudiness, sediment, etc., and it was uniform and transparent. In addition, when an O / W emulsion was trial-produced using this composition, an emulsion having high emulsion stability was obtained. Table 1 shows the results.

Example 2 In Example 1, 25% by weight of a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride was mixed with powdered lecithin (trade name: Basis LP, manufactured by Nisshin Oil Co., Ltd.).
-20, phosphatidylcholine content 30%) 65% by weight, and the mixture was stirred until both components were homogenized. Thereafter, 10% by weight of the plant sterol of Example 1 was added and mixed in the same manner.
After being made uniform, the mixture was cooled to obtain the composition of the present invention. The composition was a tan, viscous, homogeneous liquid and exhibited good fluidity, preservability, and solubility. Further, when an O / W emulsion was produced as a trial using this composition, an emulsion having high emulsion stability was obtained. Table 1 shows the results.

Example 3 In Example 1, 70% by weight of medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride was added to bulk lecithin (manufactured by Nisshin Oil Co., Ltd., trade name: Basis LS).
-60, phosphatidylcholine content 60%), 20% by weight, and 10% by weight of the plant sterol of Example 1 were added and stirred and mixed in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain a homogeneous composition of the present invention. The composition was pale yellow, liquid at room temperature, and had a viscosity lower than those of the compositions of Examples 1 and 2. The state did not change even after one month, and the solubility was good. Further, the O / W emulsion using the composition was an emulsion having high emulsion stability. Table 1 shows the results.

Example 4 Capillic acid / capric acid = 60/40 (weight ratio) and medium chain fatty acid triglyceride esterified by glycerin by 25% by weight in the same manner as in Example 2, 65% by weight of powdered lecithin, Add 10% by weight of plant sterol, stir,
The composition of the present invention was obtained by mixing into a uniform state. This composition was yellow-brown, liquid at room temperature, did not change state after one month, and had good solubility. Further, the O / W emulsion using the composition was an emulsion having high emulsion stability. Table 1 shows the results.

Comparative Example 1 To 90% by weight of the medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride of Example 1, 10% by weight of the plant sterol of Example 1 was added, and the mixture was stirred until both components were homogenized. After being made uniform, it was cooled to obtain a composition. From the time when the composition was left at room temperature for 1 hour,
Crystals were observed, after which the crystals increased over time. Further, in the case of being left refrigerated, crystals were confirmed after about 10 minutes, and a precipitate was formed after being left overnight. Table 1 shows the results.

Comparative Example 2 90% by weight of the pasty lecithin of Example 1 and 10% by weight of the plant sterol of Example 1 were added and stirred until both components were homogenized. After being made uniform, it was cooled to obtain a composition. When this composition was allowed to stand at room temperature, crystals were confirmed from the second day, and thereafter, the crystals increased over time.
In the case where the sample was left in the refrigerator, crystals were confirmed after 3 hours, and the precipitate was formed after standing overnight. Table 1 shows the results.

[0019]

[Table 1]

[0020]

The plant sterol-containing composition of the present invention comprises:
Excellent emulsifiability, pale yellow to brown, transparent and viscous liquid composition that retains fluidity even at low temperatures,
It is stable for a long time without clouding, cloudiness, precipitation and the like. Further, it can be easily and uniformly dissolved in various fats and oils and emulsified products without heating, and can maintain the dissolved state.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plant sterol-containing composition comprising 5 to 20% by weight of a plant sterol and 15 to 70% by weight of a lecithin, wherein the balance is a medium-chain fatty acid triglyceride. 2. The plant sterol-containing composition according to claim 1, wherein the plant sterol is a plant sterol and / or an ester thereof. 3. Lecithin converts phosphatidylcholine to 20.
The plant sterol-containing composition according to claim 1 or 2, which is a high-purity lecithin containing at least% by weight. 4. The medium-chain fatty acid of a medium-chain triglyceride is a saturated fatty acid having 8 to 10 carbon atoms.
A phytosterol-containing composition according to item 1.