JP2004350680A - Gelling agent composition and gelatinous composition for food suitable for person with ingestion/swallowing difficulty - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide foods having (1) excellent block forming property (cohesiveness of foods in the mouth), (2) slightly adhesive property in the oral cavity and larynx, and (3) excellent water holding property, suitable for a person with reduced ingestion/swallowing function such as a person with ingestion/swallowing difficulties or an aged person. <P>SOLUTION: The foods for persons with ingestion/swallowing difficulties have the optimum properties for ingestion/swallowing by formulating (a) at least one kind selected from guar gum, tara gum or locust bean gum, (b) xanthan gum and/or κ-carrageenan, and (c) gum arabic and/or water-soluble soybean polysaccharides. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is a gel composition, in particular, a chewing or swallowing disorder or elderly people, such as those with reduced chewing or swallowing function, gel food prepared so that it can be safely and easily eaten, The present invention relates to a gelling agent composition for chewing / swallowing assistance added for the purpose of imparting such properties to existing foods.

  In detail, people with mastication and dysphagia and elderly people can enjoy the original flavor and texture of food and swallow safely, and even if left at room temperature for a long time, excellent chewing and swallowing suitability is maintained. The present invention relates to a gel food composition and a gelling agent composition for assisting chewing and swallowing which is added for imparting such properties to existing foods.

  As the number of elderly people increases, so-called masticatory and dysphagic persons who have an obstacle in a series of actions of chewing and swallowing food are increasing. In addition, diseases such as cerebrovascular disorders and tumors often cause mastication and dysphagia, and the increase is further accelerated. Since these masticatory and dysphagic persons are susceptible to suffocation and aspiration pneumonia, it is often necessary to change the nutritional intake method from oral to tube or vein. The technical advancement of tube or parenteral nutrition is remarkable and plays a large role in the nutritional management of masticatory and dysphagic patients. On the other hand, since it is accompanied by the mental pain of not being able to ingest food orally, it is important from the viewpoint of improving the quality of life (QOL) to devise a diet that can be consumed by mouth as much as possible. Under such circumstances, development of foods for people with dysphagia that can be orally ingested, can enjoy pleasure of eating, and can improve the eating function has been actively performed.

  As foods suitable for people with mastication and dysphagia, 1) excellent bolus formation (easiness of uniting food in the mouth), 2) low adhesion to the oral cavity and pharynx, and 3) water retention The development of a gelling agent and a thickening agent for imparting such properties to foods satisfying such texture conditions or existing foods has been studied. As a gelling agent and a thickening agent for improving the texture of an existing food as described above, for example, xanthan gum found in “Xanthan gum-containing fluid food” (Patent Document 1), “Easy swallowing auxiliary composition and its use” Combination of cod and / or locust bean gum and xanthan gum found in "food composition and pharmaceutical composition" (Patent Document 2), and low methoxyl pectin, sodium alginate and carrageenan found in "swallowing supplement" (Patent Document 3) A combination of one or more gelling agent solutions selected from the group consisting of a calcium solution and tapioca starch or potato starch found in "Liquid food thickening agent" (Patent Document 4), "gel composition" And / or production method thereof ”(Patent Document 5) and agar and / or furcellulane and native gela Combination of gums, .kappa.-carrageenan and xanthan gum and / or native gellan gum in combination, and combination or the like of gellan gum and guar gum and / or locust bean gum are known.

  In order to improve the physical properties of foods by using a gelling agent or a thickener so that they can be easily chewed or swallowed, it is important to select the materials and set the amount of use. Examples of gelling agents widely used in the food industry field include deacylated gellan gum, agar, and κ-carrageenan (see Patent Document 5), which generally form a gel having a brittle texture, Once crushed gel is less likely to rebound. In addition, when used at a low concentration to reduce brittleness, there is a problem that water separation increases. On the other hand, by using xanthan gum or κ-carrageenan in combination with locust bean gum or cod gum (see Patent Document 2), a gel having high water retention even at a low concentration can be prepared. However, in this case, the elasticity of the gel is very strong and the texture becomes difficult to chew. The xanthan gum described in Patent Literature 1, the calcium-reactive gelling agent solution described in Patent Literature 3, and the starch described in Patent Literature 4 are all liquid foods and cannot be applied to solid foods. As described above, there are not necessarily many materials and combinations of materials that form the basis of foods for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing.

JP-A-11-318356 JP 2000-191553 A JP 2000-325041 A JP-A-5-38262 JP-A-2002-300854

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a gel composition, in particular, a gel composition suitable for those with reduced mastication and swallowing functions such as those with mastication and dysphagia and the elderly, ie, 1 An object of the present invention is to provide a gel composition which is excellent in bolus formation (easiness of uniting food in the mouth), has low adhesion to the oral cavity and pharynx, and has excellent water retention.

  Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems. As a result, the gel composition contains (a) at least one selected from guar gum, cod gum and locust bean gum, (b) xanthan gum and / or κ. -By containing carrageenan, and (c) gum arabic and / or water-soluble soybean polysaccharide, the prepared gel-like composition has a weak gel structure, so that the fluidity of liquid food such as water can be moderately adjusted. It has been found that it is a gel composition that is suppressed, has good bolus formation properties, and has extremely low adherence to the oral cavity and pharynx, and particularly has optimal properties for chewing and swallowing.

  In addition, the gelling agent composition for chewing and swallowing assistance added for the purpose of imparting the above-mentioned properties suitable for swallowing and chewing to existing foods includes (a) at least one selected from guar gum, cod gum and locust bean gum. More than one species, containing (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan, and (c) gum arabic and / or water-soluble soy polysaccharide to make existing foods a gel food suitable for swallowing and mastication with a simple operation I found what I could do.

  In addition, the hardness of the gel-like structure formed is freely adjusted by the mixing ratio of the three components (a) to (c) and the amount of the composition comprising the three components in the food, so that chewing and chewing can be performed. It has been found that physical properties suitable for swallowing can be prepared.

The present invention relates to a gel composition and a gelling agent composition having the following aspects;
Item 1. A gel composition comprising the following (a) to (c);
(A) at least one selected from guar gum, cod gum and locust bean gum; (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan; and (c) gum arabic and / or water-soluble soybean polysaccharide. About the content of (a), (b), and (c) of item 1, (a) is 0.01 to 1% by weight, (b) is 0.01 to 0.5% by weight, and (c) Item 1. The gel composition according to Item 1, comprising 0.01 to 1% by weight.
Item 3. Item 3. The gel composition according to Item 1 or 2, which is a food for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing.
Item 4. A gelling agent composition comprising the following (a) to (c);
(A) at least one selected from guar gum, cod gum and locust bean gum; (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan; and (c) gum arabic and / or a water-soluble soybean polysaccharide.
Item 5. Regarding the contents of (a), (b) and (c) according to item 4, (a) is 0.5 to 98% by weight, (b) is 0.5 to 98% by weight, and (c) is 0 to 0%. Item 5. The gelling agent composition according to Item 4, comprising from 5 to 98% by weight.
Item 6. Item 6. The gelling agent composition according to Item 4 or 5, which is used in foods for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it became possible to prepare the gel composition which was excellent in water retention, had good bolus formation ability (easiness of uniting food in the mouth), and had low adhesion. These properties fully satisfy the texture and functional properties required for foods for people with difficult mastication and swallowing, and are gel compositions suitable for foods for people with difficult mastication and swallowing.

  The gelling agent composition of the present invention imparts an appropriate gel structure to food and improves bolus forming ability. Further, since it has little adhesion and little change in physical properties over time, it has ideal properties as an auxiliary composition when preparing foods for the elderly and those who have difficulty in chewing and swallowing. Furthermore, since the appearance and taste of the food are hardly impaired, the taste is excellent.

(1) Gel composition The gel composition of the present invention comprises the following (a) to (c);
(A) at least one selected from guar gum, cod gum and locust bean gum; (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan; and (c) gum arabic and / or a water-soluble soybean polysaccharide.

  The (a) at least one selected from guar gum, cod gum and locust bean gum used in the gel composition of the present invention will be described. Guar gum, cod gum, and locust bean gum are all polysaccharides made from the seeds of leguminous plants, and α-1,4-D-galactose as a side chain in the main chain skeleton of β-1,4-D-mannan. It belongs to the so-called galactomannans with 6 bonds. These three types of polysaccharides have different molar ratios of the constituent sugars of mannose and galactose. Mannose: galactose = 2: 1 (average) for guar gum, 3: 1 (average) for tara gum, and 4% for locust bean gum. : 1 (average). Guar gum with many side chains dissolves in water at room temperature, but locust bean gum with few side chains does not dissolve in water without heating. In the field of food industry, galactomannans are used as stabilizers for ice cream, water retention and / or texture improver for noodles, thickening of seasoning liquid used for pickles, glazing, thickening of sauces, substitutes for fats and oils. In addition, frozen foods are widely used for the purpose of preventing peeling of clothes and preventing separation of ingredients, and for processed meat products, for improving the dispersibility of pickle liquid in meat.

  In the present invention, for the purpose of constructing a gel structure, it is particularly preferable to use locust bean gum among the above galactomannans, and as a commercially available product, for example, a product of Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd. Locust Bingham F "," Vistop ™ D-171 "and the like.

  Next, (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan will be described. Among the components (b), xanthan gum is a fermented polysaccharide produced by the microorganism Xanthomonas campestris and comprises D-mannose, D-glucuronic acid, and D-mannose in the main chain skeleton of β-1,4-D-glucan. It is an anionic polysaccharide with a side chain attached. C-position of D-mannose bound to the main chain is acetylated, and terminal D-mannose is linked to pyruvate with acetal. In the field of food industry, xanthan gum is widely used for the purpose of improving the emulsification stability of dressings, the stabilizer of ice cream, the improvement of the foaming property of whipped cream, and the thickening of seasoning liquid used for pickles. As commercially available products, San-Ace TM F (trademark), San-Ace TM (trademark) S (fine-grained product), and San-Ace [TM] ES (granules) Products), SAN ACE [TM] C (transparent product), SAN ACE [TM] NXG-S (high viscosity product) and the like.

  Among components (b), κ-carrageenan is a kind of red polyalga-derived acidic polysaccharide (carrageenan) having a repeating structure of β-D-galactose and 3,6-anhydro-α-D-galactose as monomers. In the food industry, carrageenan is widely used as a base material for dessert jelly and pudding, as a stabilizer such as ice cream, processed meat, and sauces, as a water retention agent, and as a texture modifier. Carrageenans are mainly classified into three types, κ-type, ι-type, and λ-type, depending on the binding position of a sulfate group and the presence or absence of an anhydrosugar. In the present invention, C4 of α-D-galactose is preferably used. It is a κ-type carrageenan with a sulfate group bonded at the position. Such carrageenans are commercially available and include, for example, "Carrageenin CSK-1" and "Carrageenin CS-562" manufactured by Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd.

  Next, regarding the component (c), gum arabic among the components (c) is a water-soluble heteropolysaccharide contained in the sap of a plant belonging to the genus Acacia. Although the molecular structure of gum arabic has not been elucidated, it is known that galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and glucuronic acid are constituent sugars, and contains a small amount (<2%) of protein. The average molecular weight is reported to be 200,000 to 580,000. In the field of food industry, gum arabic is widely used as a coating agent for confectionery, a beverage emulsifier, and a brightener for bakery foods, and includes, for example, those derived from Acasia senegal and Acasia seyal, It is not particularly limited to these. Commercially available products include, for example, "Vistop (trademark) D-2041" manufactured by Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd.

  Among the components (c), the water-soluble soybean polysaccharide is prepared by extracting, purifying, and sterilizing from insoluble dietary fiber (okara) produced during the production of soybean protein under weak acidity. Although the molecular structure of the water-soluble soybean polysaccharide is not always clear, it is presumed that galactose, arabinose, galacturonic acid, rhamnose, xylose, fucose, and glucose are the constituent sugars, and that the structure of galactan and arabinan is bound to the rhamnogalacturonic acid chain. Have been. In the field of the food industry, soybean polysaccharides are used as stabilizers for acidic milk and as texture improvers for bakery foods. Such water-soluble soy polysaccharides are commercially available, for example, “SM-640”, “SM-660”, “SM-700”, “SM-900” manufactured by Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd. , "SM-920".

  In the present invention, the amounts of the components (a) to (c) in the gel composition are 0.01 to 1% by weight of the component (a) and 0.01 to 0.5% by weight of the component (b). And (c) component 0.01 to 1% by weight (all in the final food), preferably component (a) 0.05 to 0.7% by weight, component (b) 0.03 to 0.3% by weight And (c) component 0.05 to 0.7% by weight, more preferably component (a) 0.2 to 0.5% by weight, component (b) component 0.05 to 0.2% by weight, and (c) ) Component 0.2 to 0.5% by weight.

  The gel composition of the present invention may contain at least the three components (a) to (c) described above, but any other components may be blended as long as the effects of the present invention are exhibited. it can.

  In particular, when κ-carrageenan is added as the component (b), it is preferable to add a cation, especially a potassium salt. Carrageenan dissolved in water takes a helical (double or single) structure upon cooling, but the sulfate groups oriented to the outside of the helix are shielded by the addition of cations, promoting intermolecular association, resulting in a decrease in the elastic modulus of the gel. To increase. A cation can be added to the food for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing of the present invention for the purpose of strengthening the gel structure formed by κ-carrageenan, and a potassium salt, preferably potassium chloride, is used. When potassium chloride is used, 10 to 200% by weight of κ-carrageenan is a standard for the amount to be added. However, when the salt concentration is excessive, the elastic modulus may decrease.

  In the gel composition of the present invention, food ingredients are, of course, (a) at least one selected from guar gum, tara gum and locust bean gum, (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan, (c) arabic. Other food additives, for example, an amino acid such as sodium L-aspartate or a salt thereof, a nucleic acid such as disodium 5′-inosinate or a salt thereof, as long as the effects of the gum and / or the water-soluble soybean polysaccharide are not impaired , Seasonings such as organic acids such as monopotassium citrate or salts thereof, and inorganic salts such as potassium chloride; mustard extract, wasabi extract, and shelf life improver such as kojic acid; shirako protein extract , Polylysine, and sorbic acid; preservatives; α, β-amylase, α, β-glucosidase, papain and other enzymes; citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid PH adjusters; emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides, lecithin; fragrances; coloring agents such as β-carotene and annatto pigments; And HM pectin, tamarind seed gum, mugwort mugwort seed gum, konjac glucomannan, starch, modified and processed starch, starch hydrolyzate, ramzan gum, welan gum, curdlan, pullulan, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, gutti gum, microcrystalline cellulose, microfiber Thickeners such as cellulose cellulose, fermented cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose salts, methylcellulose, ethylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, chitin, chitosan, gelling agents; swelling agents; whey protein, soybean protein, etc. Protein; sugars such as sucrose, fructose, reduced starch saccharified product, erythritol, xylitol; sweeteners such as sucralose, thaumatin, acesulfame potassium, aspartame; vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K; And minerals such as calcium.

  Specific embodiments of the gel composition of the present invention include hydrated jelly, nutritional supplemented jelly and pudding, mixed processed food, seaweed vegetable, croaked food, mousse-shaped food, highly nutritive fluid food, protein-modified food, and the like. Gel-type foods, especially foods for those who have difficulty in chewing and swallowing can be widely mentioned, but are not particularly limited thereto.

(2) Gelling agent composition The gelling agent composition of the present invention comprises (a) at least one selected from guar gum, cod gum and locust bean gum, (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan and (c) A) gum arabic and / or water-soluble soybean polysaccharide are used in combination.

  When a gelling composition containing the above three components is added to an existing food, a gel composition having excellent water retention, good bolus formation ability (easiness of uniting the food in the mouth), and low adhesion is obtained. Can be prepared. These properties sufficiently satisfy the texture and functional properties required of foods for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and result in gelling compositions suitable for foods for people with difficult mastication and swallowing.

  In the present invention, the amounts of the three components in the gelling agent composition are 0.5 to 98% by weight of component (a), 0.5 to 98% by weight of component (b), and component (c). 0.5 to 98% by weight (all in the composition), preferably 4.5 to 90% by weight of component (a), 2 to 80% by weight of component (b) and component 4. 5 to 90% by weight, more preferably 20 to 70% by weight of component (a), 4.5 to 35% by weight of component (b) and 20 to 70% by weight of component (c). The amount of the composition added to food is 0.03 to 2.5% by weight, preferably 0.13 to 1.7% by weight, more preferably 0.45 to 1.2% by weight.

  The gelling agent composition of the present invention can be added to any existing food, but in order to exhibit its gelling properties, the composition is heated and dissolved in a solvent and cooled by cooling. It is desirable to go through. By performing such treatment, it is possible to prepare a gel food having excellent water retention, good bolus formation, and low adhesion.

  The gelling agent composition of the present invention may contain at least the above three components, but any other components can be blended as long as the effects of the present invention are exhibited. Can be mentioned.

  The gelling agent composition of the present invention contains other food additives, for example, an amino acid such as sodium L-aspartate or a salt thereof, a nucleic acid such as 5′-disodium inosinate or the like, as long as the effect is not hindered. Seasonings typified by salts thereof, organic acids such as monopotassium citrate or salts thereof, and inorganic salts such as potassium chloride; retention agents such as mustard extract, wasabi extract, and kojic acid; shirako protein Preservatives such as extract, polylysine and sorbic acid; enzymes such as α, β-amylase, α, β-glucosidase, papain; pH regulators such as citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid; sucrose fatty acid ester, glycerin Emulsifiers such as fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides and lecithin; fragrances; coloring agents such as β-carotene and annatto pigments; ι-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan, alginic acid and Luginate, LM and HM pectin, tamarind seed gum, mugwort mugwort seed gum, konjac glucomannan, starch, modified and processed starch, starch hydrolyzate, ramzan gum, welan gum, curdlan, pullulan, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, gutti gum, fine Thickening agents such as crystalline cellulose, microfibrous cellulose, fermented cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose salt, methylcellulose, ethylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, chitin, chitosan, gelling agents; swelling agents; whey protein, soybean protein, etc. Proteins; sugars such as sucrose, fructose, reduced starch saccharified products, erythritol, xylitol; sweeteners such as sucralose, thaumatin, acesulfame potassium, aspartame; vitamins A, vitamin C, vitamins , Vitamins such as vitamin K; can be added to the iron minerals such as calcium, and the like.

  Food products targeted by the gelling agent composition of the present invention include, for example, ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice, sherbet, frozen desserts such as ice desserts; milk, milk drinks, lactic acid bacteria drinks, soft drinks containing fruit juice, carbonated drinks, juice drinks , Vegetable drinks, tea drinks, ionic drinks, sports drinks, functional drinks, vitamin supplemented drinks, nutritionally balanced drinks, drinks such as powdered drinks; purines such as custard pudding, milk pudding and fruit juice pudding, jelly, Desserts such as bavarois and yogurt; gums such as chewing gum and balloon gum (plate gum, sugar-coated gum); coated chocolates such as marble chocolates, and chocolates with added flavors such as strawberry chocolate, blueberry chocolate and melon chocolate. Chocolate such as; soft candy (character , Nougat, gummy candy, marshmallow, etc.), caramels such as toffee; confectionery such as soft biscuits and soft cookies; dressings such as separate dressing and non-oil dressing; sauces such as ketchup, sauce and sauce; strawberry Jams such as jams, blueberry jams, marmalades, apple jams, apricot jams, preserves, etc .; fruit wines, such as red wine; fruits for processing, such as cherry, apricot, apple, and strawberry pickled in syrup; meat processing of ham, sausages, grilled pork, etc. Products: Fish ham, fish sausage, fish meat surimi, kamaboko, bamboo ring, hampan, Satsumaage, Date roll, whale bacon, etc. Fishery products such as udon, cold wheat, somen, buckwheat, Chinese buckwheat, spaghetti, macaroni, rice noodles, harunasa and wonton Noodles, etc. Somesupu, potage soup, cream soup, various types of soup such as Chinese soup, miso soup, Sumashijiru, situ, curry, soup such as gratin; Other, mention may be made of a variety of side dishes and processed foods and the like. In addition to such general foods, protein / phosphorous / potassium adjusted foods, salt adjusted foods, oil / fat adjusted foods, intestinal action foods, calcium / iron / vitamin-enriched foods, hypoallergic foods, concentrated liquid foods, mixer foods And special foods and therapeutic foods such as ragged foods.

  The method for producing the gelling agent composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it contains the above three essential components. For example, (1) a method of mixing with a powder using a ribbon mixer or a V blender, (2) ) A method of dissolving, dispersing and dispersing by heating in water to make a liquid, (3) A method of separately preparing solutions and mixing at the time of use, and (4) A method of dispersing the solution into powder by spray drying or the like. , (5) tableting by mixing with powder and compressing with a press machine to form tablets, and (6) method of granulating the solution into a granulator and using it. can do.

  Hereinafter, the content of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the following Examples and Comparative Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these. Unless otherwise specified, “parts” means “parts by weight” and “%” means “% by weight”. The symbol with “*” in the text indicates that it is manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd., and the symbol with “*” in the text indicates that it is a registered trademark of San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.

Experimental example 1
(1) Preparation of gel composition (hydration jelly) A hydration jelly was prepared according to the formulation shown in Table 1. Specifically, a premixed gelling agent and Chinese green tea extract powder were added to deionized water heated to 80 ° C., and the mixture was stirred and dissolved for 10 minutes. After correcting the weight with deionized water, the cup was filled into a cup (diameter 6.2 cm, height 5.4 cm) and cooled in a constant temperature water bath at 8 ° C. for about 1 hour. The obtained gel was retorted at 121 ° C. for 20 minutes to prepare a hydrated jelly. The hydrated jelly was stored at 4 ° C. overnight and subjected to various evaluations.

The green tea extract powder was "FD China Green Tea Extract No. 16323 *", the gum arabic was "Vistop * D-2041 *", the locust bean gum was "Locust Bingham F *", and the coprecipitated galactomannan. "Bistop * D-1827 *", xanthan gum "San Ace * C *", and agar "Gel Up * J-1630 *" were used.
(2) Evaluation of hydration jelly The following four items were evaluated by returning the jelly to 25 ° C. one day after storage. The results are shown in Table 1.
1. The ease of bolus formation in the mouth was evaluated on a five-point scale (1: bad, 2: somewhat poor, 3: fairly good, 4: good, 5: very good).
2. Five levels of adhesion to the oral cavity and pharynx (1: bad (many), 2: somewhat bad (many), 3: somewhat good (less), 4: good (less), 5: very good (less)
).
3. The water released on the cup surface was wiped off with a paper towel, and the amount of water separation was calculated from the weight loss.
4. The jelly was dispersed in a 10-fold amount of deionized water using a homogenizer, and measured at 25 ° C. with a pH meter.

  From Table 1, it can be seen that the hydration jelly using the three components of the present invention, namely, (a) locust bean gum, (b) xanthan gum, and (c) gum arabic (Example 1) has excellent water retention (appearance of water separation) Almost no), good bolus formation, little adhesion to the oral cavity and pharynx, fresh texture, and properties suitable for chewing and swallowing.

  On the other hand, the agar-only section (Comparative Example 1) was brittle and had no rebinding properties, so that the bolus of the gel was broken in the mouth and difficult to swallow. In addition, a phenomenon that water easily oozes out of the jelly was observed. In the locust bean gum and xanthan gum use areas (without gum arabic) (Comparative Example 2), the elasticity is very strong, the scoring is poor, and the sponge does not bite. Was inappropriate. Furthermore, in the section using xanthan gum and gum arabic (without locust bean gum) (Comparative Example 3), and in the section using locust bean gum and gum arabic (without xanthan) (Comparative Example 4), no gel was formed, and a sol or solution was not obtained. The preparation of hydrated jelly was difficult.

  Thus, it was found that by using the three components of the present invention together, it is possible to prepare a hydration jelly suitable for persons with difficulty in chewing and swallowing, which cannot be prepared with conventional materials.

Experimental example 2
(1) Preparation of a chewing / swallowing gelling agent composition (a) "Locust Bingham F *" as locust bean gum, (b) "Carrageenin CSK-1 *" as κ-carrageenan, and (c) water-soluble soybean Using “SM-660 *” as a saccharide, a chewing / swallowing gelling agent composition was prepared according to the formulation shown in Table 2 below. As comparative examples, those using "Kelcogel *" as gellan gum (Comparative Example a), those using κ-carrageenan and water-soluble soybean polysaccharide (Comparative Example b), locust bean gum and water-soluble soybean polysaccharide (Comparative Example c) and those using locust bean gum and κ-carrageenan (Comparative Example d) were prepared.

(2) Preparation of hydration jelly A hydration jelly was prepared using the chewing / swallowing gelling agent composition shown in Table 2 in the amount shown in Table 3. Specifically, the composition shown in Table 2, granulated sugar and trisodium citrate were added to deionized water heated to 80 ° C., and the mixture was stirred and dissolved for 10 minutes. Next, grape juice, calcium lactate, citric acid, and grape essence are mixed, the weight is corrected using deionized water, and then a cup (6.2 cm in diameter, 5.4 cm in height) is filled, and a constant temperature water bath at 8 ° C. For about 1 hour. The obtained gel was sterilized by heating at 85 ° C. for 30 minutes to prepare a hydrated jelly. The hydrated jelly was stored at 4 ° C. overnight and subjected to various evaluations.

(3) Evaluation of water replenishment jelly For the same four items as in Experimental Example 1, the gel was returned to 25 ° C. one day after storage and evaluated. The results are shown in Table 3.

  From Table 3, it can be seen that the three components of the present invention, namely (a) locust bean gum, (b) κ-carrageenan, and (c) a hydrated jelly using water-soluble soybean polysaccharide (Example 2), Excellent (with little water separation due to appearance), good bolus formation, little adhesion to the oral cavity and pharynx, had a fresh texture, and exhibited characteristics suitable for chewing and swallowing. Gellan gum alone (Comparative Example 5) was brittle and had no rebinding properties, so the bolus of the gel fell apart in the mouth and was difficult to swallow. Also, water separation was clearly observed on the jelly surface. In the section using κ-carrageenan and water-soluble soybean polysaccharide (without using locust bean gum) (Comparative Example 6), and in the section using locust bean gum and κ-carrageenan (without using water-soluble soybean polysaccharide) (Comparative Example 8) Comparative Example 6 had adhesiveness, and Comparative Example 8 had elasticity, all of which had poor bolus formation, and were unsuitable as base materials for foods for people with difficult mastication and swallowing. Furthermore, in the section using locust bean gum and the water-soluble soybean polysaccharide (without use of κ-carrageenan) (Comparative Example 7), no gel was formed and the gel remained in a sol or solution state, and it was difficult to prepare a hydrated jelly. there were.

  Thus, it was found that by using the three components of the present invention together, it is possible to prepare a hydration jelly suitable for persons with difficulty in chewing and swallowing, which cannot be prepared with conventional materials.

  According to the present invention, a gel composition suitable for those with reduced mastication and swallowing functions such as those with mastication and dysphagia and elderly people, that is, 1) excellent bolus formation (easiness of uniting foods in the mouth) 2) Low adhesiveness to the oral cavity and pharynx; 3) A gel composition excellent in water retention can be provided.

Claims (6)

A gel composition comprising the following (a) to (c); (a) at least one or more selected from guar gum, tara gum and locust bean gum; (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan; (C) Gum arabic and / or water-soluble soy polysaccharide. Regarding the contents of (a), (b) and (c) according to claim 1, (a) is 0.01 to 1% by weight, (b) is 0.01 to 0.5% by weight, and (c) The gel composition according to claim 1, which comprises 0.01 to 1% by weight. The gel composition according to claim 1 or 2, which is a food for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing. A gelling agent composition comprising the following (a) to (c); (a) at least one or more selected from guar gum, tara gum and locust bean gum; (b) xanthan gum and / or κ-carrageenan (C) gum arabic and / or water-soluble soy polysaccharide. Regarding the contents of (a), (b) and (c) according to claim 4, (a) is 0.5 to 98% by weight, (b) is 0.5 to 98% by weight, and (c) is The gelling agent composition according to claim 4, which contains 0.5 to 98% by weight. The gelling agent composition according to claim 4 or 5, which is used in foods for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing.