JP2002058444A - Method for producing dry green leaf powder of green plant - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing dry green leaf powder of a green plant, excellent in both color and flavor inherent in the green plant. SOLUTION: This method comprises performing a blanching treatment of a green plant through soaking the green plant in alkali ion water, if necessary, containing a salt therein, at 90-100 deg.C for a short time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a dried green leaf powder of a green plant. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing a dried green leaf powder of a green plant, which retains the color and flavor naturally contained in the green plant without losing the active ingredient, and has excellent storage stability and palatability.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The leaves of green plants, such as wheat leaves, are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, etc., adsorb harmful substances, improve intestinal environment, suppress cholesterol absorption, prevent a sharp rise in postprandial blood glucose, It has attracted attention as a material for health foods having effects such as activation of superoxide dismutase (SOD). For example, wheat young leaf powder obtained by drying and powdering wheat young leaves (Patent No. 2544302) is used as a material for health foods.

[0003] In order to effectively utilize the components of natural wheat young leaves, it is preferable to use wheat young leaves that retain more dietary fiber, vitamins and the like. However, in the same manner as in the production of wheat young leaf juice, the wheat young leaf powder is also produced by hot water treatment to prevent the degradation by enzymes (eg, chlorophyllase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase) contained in the wheat young leaf. Requires a processing.

The purpose of the blanching treatment is mainly to prevent the color of chlorophyll, which is a green pigment of a plant, from fading, and it is generally common to add baking soda during blanching to fix the green color. (Eating habits and cooking, Asakura Shoten, 1991, p63). However, the addition of baking soda impairs flavor and nutrients,
Known (Food and Science, Vol. 32, No. 4, p44).

[0005]

Therefore, there is a need for a blanching method which maintains a bright green color and does not impair the flavor and nutrients.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted intensive studies on a method for producing a dry green leaf powder of a green plant having a good flavor and colorfulness. By using alkaline ionized water as the water to be used, the dried green leaf powder of the green plant which is excellent in storage stability and palatability without causing a bright green discoloration and a change in flavor as compared with conventional green plants Have been found, and the present invention has been completed.

That is, the present invention provides a method for producing a dried green leaf powder of a green plant, comprising: a) washing the harvested green plant; b) blanching the green plant with alkaline ionized water; c) branching Cooling the dried green plants; d) drying the resulting green plants; and e) grinding the dried green plants.

In a preferred embodiment, 0.01 to 5% by weight of sodium chloride and / or 0.01 to 5% by weight of potassium chloride are further added to the alkaline ionized water used in the blanching step b). .

In a preferred embodiment, a γ-aminobutyric acid enrichment step is included before the blanching step of b).

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In this specification, "green plant"
The term “parts” of a plant classified as a green plant in the plant classification method, such as leaves and stems, unless otherwise specified. These include those obtained by fragmentation.

In the present specification, the term "dry green leaf powder" refers to a powdered dried green plant that maintains green for a long period of time.

Green plants include, for example, grasses (eg, barley, wheat, rye, oats, etc., Italian ryegrass, rice, foam, bamboo grass, fly, cane, corn, sorghum, sugar cane, etc.). Plants (eg, wormwood etc.), Umbelliferae (eg, ash, parsley, celery, etc.), Mulberry family (eg, mulberry, etc.), Dokudami (eg, Mokudami, etc.), Labiatae (eg, swordfish, etc.) (Komatsuna, kale, cabbage, broccoli, etc.), Camellia family (eg, tea, etc.), Akaza family (eg, spinach, etc.), lily family (eg, asparagus, etc.), linden family (eg, Moloheiya etc.) (But not limited to) leaves (green leaves),
A part of a stem or the like or a fragment thereof may be used. Among them, a gramineous plant and a cruciferous plant are preferably used.

When green leaves of grasses, especially wheat are used,
Usually, young leaves such as barley, wheat, rye and oat are used as green leaves. It is not limited to these. Wheat young leaves
It is preferable that the rice is harvested before the maturation period, that is, from the beginning of tillering to the beginning of heading (height is about 20 to 40 cm). Among these wheat young leaves, barley young leaves are more preferably used.

Examples of plants in the Brassicaceae family include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, radish, wasabi, and komatsuna. Of these, kale is particularly preferred.

"Alkaline ionized water" is ionized water having a pH on the alkali side generated by electrolysis of water, and is generated by an alkaline ionized water generator. The pH of the generated alkaline ionized water is 8 to 12. In the present invention, 8 to 10 are preferable.

The green plants are preferably processed immediately. If it takes time to treat the green plant, the green plant is stored by a storage means commonly used by those skilled in the art, such as cold storage, in order to prevent deterioration of the green plant.

The green plant is washed with water (preferably cold water at 25 ° C. or lower) as necessary, to wash off mud and the like, drained, and then, if necessary, to an appropriate length (eg, About 10 cm) and a blanching process is performed.
Alternatively, the plant is fragmented by a method commonly used by those skilled in the art, such as slicing or shredding, and blanching is performed.

The blanching treatment is carried out by immersion in alkali ion water at 90 to 100 ° C. for about 1 to 5 minutes (hereinafter referred to as hot water treatment) or by steaming treatment using alkali ion water (hereinafter steaming). Process).

The steaming treatment with alkaline ionized water is carried out by continuously steaming green leaves of green plants with water vapor at normal pressure or under pressure.

The continuous steaming process (continuous steaming process)
This is performed for 5 minutes, preferably for 1 to 4 minutes. 1 steam treatment
If it is less than 10 minutes, the enzyme involved in the bright green discoloration of young wheat leaves will not be completely deactivated, and if it is longer than 5 minutes, the bright green color of young wheat leaves may be impaired during blanching. .

By the above-mentioned continuous steaming treatment with alkaline ionized water, the enzyme causing discoloration is completely inactivated.

In the hot water treatment, 0.01 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 3% by weight of sodium chloride may be added as a salt to alkaline ionized water. Or, 0.
01 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 3% by weight of potassium chloride may be added. Further, sodium chloride and potassium chloride may be added at the same time. The addition of these salts makes the green color more vivid. By this blanching treatment, the enzyme causing the fading is inactivated.

Prior to the blanching treatment, the green plant γ
A treatment for increasing the content of aminobutyric acid (hereinafter referred to as GABA) (hereinafter referred to as GABA enrichment treatment) may be performed. Since GABA has a hypotensive effect, it adds value to dried green leaf powder of green plants.

There are several methods for the GABA enrichment treatment. For example, infrared treatment, anaerobic treatment, storage at a constant temperature (heat insulation treatment), glutamic acid or a salt thereof, or a food containing these (hereinafter, referred to as “ (Hereinafter referred to as glutamic acid etc.) (hereinafter referred to as glutamic acid treatment).

The infrared treatment is carried out, for example, by using an infrared irradiation device of about 400 W, so as to prevent the moisture of the green plant from evaporating, and at 20 to 50 ° C., preferably 30 to 45 ° C.
It is carried out by holding for 10 minutes to 24 hours, preferably for 1 hour to 6 hours.

There is no limitation on the method of heat retention. Warm water treatment, warm air treatment, incubator treatment and the like can be mentioned.

The anaerobic treatment means treatment with a gas containing almost no oxygen or oxygen-free gas. Including vacuum conditions. As the gas, nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide are preferably used. The time for heat retention and anaerobic treatment is 10 minutes or more.
24 hours is preferable, and 1 hour to 6 hours is more preferable.
The temperature of the heat retaining treatment and the anaerobic treatment is preferably about 20 to 50 ° C, more preferably about 30 to 45 ° C.

Glutamic acid treatment also increases GABA content. Glutamic acid treatment includes a method of immersing green plants in a solution containing glutamic acid and the like. Glutamic acid or the like is preferably added in an amount of 0.01 to 40% by weight, more preferably 0.02 to 20% by weight, and more preferably 0.05 to 10% by weight, based on the green plant. Glutamates include, for example, glutamates known to those skilled in the art, such as sodium glutamate.

Glutamic acid treatment is usually carried out at about 20 to 50.
C., preferably at 25-45.degree. The pH is usually between 3.5 and 9.0, preferably between 4.0 and 8.0, more preferably between 4.5 and 7.0, and most preferably between 5.0 and 6.0.
It is. The GABA enrichment treatment is preferably performed for 10 minutes to 24 hours. If performed for more than 30 minutes, the GABA content will increase dramatically.

Further, if necessary, an inorganic chloride such as pyridoxal phosphoric acid or salt may be added to the reaction solution, or an inhibitor such as an organic acid or ATP may be removed from the reaction system. Enrichment efficiency can be increased.

Examples of the inorganic chloride include inorganic chlorides commonly used by those skilled in the art, such as sodium chloride (salt), calcium chloride, potassium chloride, and magnesium chloride. Bittern, crude salt or the like may be used. They are,
It can be added at any concentration, but usually has a final concentration of 0.05
-20%, preferably 0.1-10%. For example, 100 g (wet weight) of young barley leaves
30% sodium glutamate solution (pH 6.0)
When immersed at 5 ° C. for 5 hours, GABA is increased by about 30% when sodium chloride is added so as to have a final concentration of 1% by weight as compared with the case where sodium chloride is not added.

The amount of GABA contained in young wheat leaf powder varies depending on its preparation method, and depends on the conventional method (Japanese Patent No. 254430).
The amount of GABA contained in wheat young leaf powder prepared according to No. 2) is at most about 10 mg / 100 g. On the other hand, the wheat young leaf powder prepared by performing the blanching treatment after performing the GABA enrichment treatment in the present invention contains at least 20 mg / 100 g or more of GABA, and usually has 50 m
g / 100 g or more, preferably 100 mg / 100 g or more, more preferably 200 mg / 100 g or more, and still more preferably 500 mg / 100 g or more.

Subsequently, the green plant subjected to the blanching treatment or the green plant optionally subjected to the GABA enrichment treatment is dried so that the water content is 10% or less, preferably 5% or less. This drying step can be performed by any method known to those skilled in the art, such as hot-air drying, high-pressure steam drying, electromagnetic wave drying, and freeze drying. Drying is preferably performed at 50 ° C to 90 ° C, more preferably at 50 ° C to 80 ° C.
Performed at a temperature of 0 ° C. for a time during which the green plants do not discolor.

The dried green plant can be ground by any machine or tool known to those skilled in the art, such as, for example, a crusher, mill, blender, millstone, and the like. The crushed green plants are sieved, and those that pass through 30 to 250 mesh are used as dry green leaf powder. Particle size 2
If it is smaller than 50 mesh, it is difficult to handle the dried green leaf powder of the green plant during further processing. If the particle size is larger than 30 mesh, uniform mixing of the dried green leaf powder and other food materials may be hindered. There is.

The dried green leaf powder of the green plant thus obtained is sterilized, if necessary, by a method commonly used by those skilled in the art, such as, for example, air sterilization, high-pressure sterilization, and heat treatment.

[0036]

The following examples are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the invention. (Examples 1 to 4) As a raw material, young leaves of Nijo barley harvested at a height of about 30 cm were used. This was washed with water to remove adhering mud and the like, and cut into a size of about 10 cm. 100 g thereof was immersed in 1 liter of the blanching solution at 90 to 100 ° C. for 3 minutes. The blanched wheat young leaves were immediately immersed in cold water at 2 to 7 ° C. for 5 minutes and cooled. Subsequently, the cooled wheat young leaves were centrifuged for 30 seconds to dehydrate some water. The dehydrated wheat young leaves are dried in a drier at 60 ° C. for 10 hours with hot air so that the water content is 5% or less, and then pulverized by a pulverizer.
What was pulverized so that 90% of it passed through 0 mesh was used as wheat young leaf powder.

As the alkali ion water used for the blanching treatment, water produced by an alkali ion water conditioner (manufactured by OMCO) was used.

The blanching solution had the composition shown in Table 1. Comparative Example 1 is a blanching treatment using tap water and dried barley young leaves, and Comparative Example 2 is a conventional blanching treatment using baking soda and salt. The processing conditions were the same as in the example.

The storage stability and flavor of the obtained wheat young leaf powder were evaluated as follows. The storage stability was evaluated by observing the degree to which the green color of the young wheat leaves during storage was discolored. Briefly, wheat young leaves were sterilized and sealed in aluminum packs. Temperature 40 ℃, humidity 70-75
% Young wheat leaf which was allowed to stand for 1 month in a 1% incubator and wheat young leaf powder which had been stored for 1 month in a cool dark place (10 ° C.)
The colors were visually compared. In Table 1, the color tone is based on ±, and the more +, the more vivid the green than the standard.

The flavor was evaluated by tasting the young wheat leaf powder immediately after production. Based on ±, the more +, the better the flavor.

Further, using a color difference meter (# 90: Nippon Denshoku Co., Ltd.) for the young wheat leaf powder stored for one month in the cool dark place (10 ° C.) based on JISZ8729 and Lab.
The chromaticity was measured along the color system. The larger the value of a in Table 1 is negative and larger, the closer the green color is to a single green color. Table 1 shows the results.

(Example 5) The young barley leaves, which were about 30 cm tall and were cut, were washed with water to remove attached mud and the like.
It was cut into a size of about 10 cm. Using a feeding type steamer, continuous steaming treatment was performed for 150 seconds with steam of alkaline ionized water (Example 5). At this time, almost no condensed water adhered to the wheat young leaf surface. Then, the steamed wheat young leaves are dried in a dryer so that the water content is 5% or less.
It was dried with hot air at 60 ° C. for 10 hours. Dried wheat young leaves,
It was pulverized so that 90% of the 200 mesh passed, to obtain the young wheat leaf powder of Example 5, stored and evaluated in the same manner as in Examples 1-4. Table 1 shows the results.

[0043]

[Table 1]

Table 1 shows the results of Example 1 in which the alkali ion water was used for the hot water treatment, and Example 2 in which the alkali ion water was subjected to the hot water treatment by adding sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride + potassium chloride. The wheat young leaf powder of Example 4 and the wheat young leaf powder obtained by continuous steaming treatment with the steam of alkaline ionized water of Example 5 were all at 40 ° C. and a humidity of 7
Even after storage for 0 to 75% for one month ((b) in Table 1), the green storage is visually superior to the young wheat leaf powder treated with the conventional blanching solution containing baking soda and salt. Was. Also, the measurement of the color tone by the color difference meter showed that the wheat young leaf powder obtained by blanching treatment (ie, hot water and steaming treatment) with alkaline ionized water showed a brighter green color. Further, the flavor of wheat young leaf powder obtained by blanching with alkaline ionized water was more excellent.

Example 6 Fresh leaves of kale were subjected to infrared treatment. Infrared treatment is performed using a 400 W infrared radiation device, each object is sealed so that moisture does not evaporate, a temperature sensor is inserted, and while controlling the internal temperature to 40 ° C., Irradiated for 1 hour.

After the infrared treatment, GABA (GABA) was measured using an automatic amino acid analyzer under the following conditions. <Operation conditions of automatic amino acid analyzer> Model: JLC-500 / V (JEOL Ltd.) Column: LCR-6, 4 mm x 90 mm (JEOL Ltd.) Mobile phase: lithium citrate buffer (JEOL Ltd.) ) P-21 (pH 2.98, Li 0.105 mol / l) 0 → 16.3 min P-12 (pH 3.28, Li 0.26 mol / l) 16.3 → 36.1 min P-13 (pH 3.46, Li 0.80 mol / l) 36.1 → 56.0 min P-14 (pH 2.83, Li 1.54 mol / l) 56.0 → 63.4 min P-15 (pH 3.65, Li 1.54 mol / l) 63.4 → 80.0 min Reaction solution: Ninhydrin / hydridantine TS (Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) ) Temperature: Column 35 ° C (0 → 16.3 min), 64 ° C (15.3 → 31.0 min) 44 ° C (31.0 → 44.4 min), 72 ° C (63.4 → 80.0 min) Reaction tank 135 ° C Flow rate: 0.50 ml of mobile phase / min Reaction solution 0.30 ml / min Measurement wavelength: 570 nm

By this processing, GABA in the kale becomes
Before treatment, it was 30 mg / 100 g (wet weight).
After the treatment, it increased by a factor of 6 to 180 mg / 100 g (wet weight).

100 g of the obtained kale was heated at 95 ° C.
Example 1 The sample was immersed in 1 L of alkaline ionized water containing 0.5% by weight of sodium chloride and subjected to a hot water treatment for 3 minutes.
Dried and stored as above. The green color was brighter than that of a conventional treatment with a blanching solution containing baking soda and sodium chloride. Further, even after storage at 40 ° C. for one month, the green color was retained more visually and mechanically than in the case of the conventional blanching treatment.

When the GABA content was measured,
GABA is included in the dry powder of kale that has undergone ABA enrichment.
While 2 mg / 100 g was contained, those not subjected to the GABA enrichment treatment contained only about 4 mg / 100 g. A food containing such a kale dry powder is expected to have a hypotensive effect.

[0050]

By using alkali ion water alone or a mixture of alkali ion water and a salt as a blanching agent, it has a brighter green color than the dried green leaf powder obtained by the conventional blanching process. Thus, a dry green leaf powder of a green plant which is excellent in palatability and taste and can be stored for a long period of time is obtained.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4B016 LC06 LE02 LG16 LK01 LK10 LP06 4B018 LE03 MD48 ME04 MF14 4B069 BA01 BA03 HA19 KA07 KC11 KC28

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for producing a dried green leaf powder of a green plant, comprising: a) washing the harvested green plant; b) blanching the green plant with alkaline ionized water; c) blanched green plant D) drying the resulting green plant; and e) grinding the dried green plant. 2. In the blanching step b),
The method for producing a dry green leaf powder according to claim 1, wherein 0.01 to 5% by weight of sodium chloride and / or 0.01 to 5% by weight of potassium chloride are further added to the alkaline ionized water. 3. Prior to the blanching step b), γ-
3. An aminobutyric acid enrichment treatment step is included.
The method described in.