JP2005218361A - Method for improving quality of food, and quality-improved food - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for improving quality of food in particular containing cereal flour as a main ingredient, by which palate feeling, moisture retainability, stability and the like each of food are improved without changing a food production process and production condition. <P>SOLUTION: The method for improving quality of food comprises adding polymerized polysaccharide whose average molecular weight is more increased than those before the irradiation via electronic beam irradiation by 5-300wt.%: wherein the irradiation dose of electron beam to the polysaccharide is 1-10 kGy and the polysaccharide comprises pectin such as high methoxyl pectin preferably having an esterification degree of ≥50%. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for improving food quality and a food product with improved quality. In detail, it is related with the method of improving the food texture, water retention, and stability of foodstuffs by adding the polysaccharide polymerized by electron beam irradiation.

  Conventionally, various food hydrocolloids have been used for the purpose of improving the quality of food such as physical properties, stability, dispersibility, and emulsification, and reinforcing the dietary fiber. The food hydrocolloid mainly refers to proteins and polysaccharides having a particle diameter of about 1 μm or less, which are present in foods using water as a dispersion medium. Food hydrocolloids have unique physical properties, viscosity, and gelation properties. They are not only useful as food ingredients themselves, but also have the effect of improving the physical properties and functionality of foods when added in small amounts to other foods. . There is a close relationship between texture (texture), which is one of the factors governing the deliciousness of food, and food properties. Food hydrocolloids that can control food properties are also called texture modifiers. . Recently, food hydrocolloids have been widely used for the purpose of improving the hardness and throat penetration of foods for people with difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and their uses are expanding.

  Among food hydrocolloids, polysaccharides have various origins and have various functions. The source of food polysaccharides includes seeds, rhizomes, sap, fruits, seaweeds, microorganisms, etc., and representative substances include guar gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, water-soluble soybean polysaccharides, tamarind seed gum, Psyllium seed gum is konjac flour, konjac glucomannan, starch in rhizomes, arabic gum, tragacanth gum, caraya gum, gati gum in sap, pectin in fruits, agar, carrageenan, alginic acid, alginates in seaweed, xanthan gum in microorganisms, Examples include gellan gum, pullulan and curdlan. Thus, most of the food polysaccharides are naturally derived substances such as plants, and there is a problem that the quality and price fluctuate due to external factors such as weather.

  In the field of the food industry, in order to respond to diversifying market needs and changes in consumer preferences, new food textures and advanced functionality are required more than ever. As a method for meeting these demands, it is conceivable that a plurality of food hydrocolloids having different texture and functionality are used in combination to produce complementary and synergistic effects. In food polysaccharides, the combination of xanthan gum and guar gum, xanthan gum and locust bean gum, xanthan gum and glucomannan, carrageenan and locust bean gum, carrageenan and glucomannan (konjac flour) can increase gel strength and reduce water separation. Although it is known (Non-Patent Document 1), it is not possible to completely meet the various market needs as described above.

  As described above, in the field of the food industry, a food having a new texture and high functionality and a food hydrocolloid, which is a food quality improver, are stably supplied as a means for realizing the food. It is demanded.

  Further, sterilization of such polysaccharides by electron beam irradiation has already been studied. For example, a method for sterilizing gum by irradiating gum such as carrageenan, gelatin, locust bean gum or the like with radiation such as an electron beam having a dose of 1 to 50 kGy (Patent Document 1), corn starch, potato starch A solid material mainly composed of saccharides such as a sterilizing method for solid material comprising adjusting the water content to be below the second bending point and then irradiating the material with an electron beam (Patent Document 2) Etc. However, all relate to a method of sterilizing polysaccharides (gum and sugar) without altering them, and the effect of improving the food quality of polysaccharides irradiated with an electron beam is not known at all.

JP-A-6-327447 JP 2000-342234 A Food polysaccharide Knowledge of emulsification, thickening and gelation Naomichi Okazaki, Norio Sano, Yuki Shobo (2001)

  The present invention has been developed in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to modify food polysaccharides and find a food quality improvement effect not found in conventional materials.

  In light of the problems of the prior art described above, the present inventors have conducted intensive research. As a result, the weight average molecular weight increased by 5 to 300% as compared with that before irradiation by electron beam irradiation. It has been found that the addition of sugars significantly improves the texture, water retention and stability compared to untreated polysaccharides. It has also been found that polymerized pectin using pectin as a polysaccharide, preferably high methoxyl pectin having an esterification degree of 50% or more is particularly effective. Furthermore, the present inventors have found that the improvement effect is great particularly in foods containing starch, and have reached the present invention.

That is, this invention has the following aspects;
Item 1. A method for improving food quality, comprising adding a polymerized polysaccharide having a weight average molecular weight increased by 5 to 300% compared to that before irradiation by electron beam irradiation.
Item 2. Item 2. The method for improving food quality according to Item 1, wherein the electron beam irradiation dose is 1 to 10 KGy.
Item 3. Item 3. The method for improving food quality according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the polysaccharide is pectin.
Item 4. Item 4. The method for improving food quality according to Item 3, wherein the pectin is high methoxyl pectin having an esterification degree of 50% or more.
Item 5. Item 5. The method for improving the quality of food according to any one of Items 1 to 4, wherein the food is a food that uses flour as a main component.
Item 6. Item 6. A food whose quality has been improved by any one of items 1 to 5.

  According to the present invention, by adding a polysaccharide polymerized by electron beam irradiation to a food without having to change the production process and production conditions of the food, the texture, water retention, and stability of the food are untreated. Compared to polysaccharides, it can be improved dramatically.

  The food quality improving method of the present invention is characterized by adding a polysaccharide that has been polymerized by electron beam irradiation. Although the degree of polymerization depends on the type of polysaccharide, the weight average molecular weight is 5 to 300%, preferably 10 to 200%, more preferably 20 to 100% compared to before irradiation by electron beam irradiation. It is preferred to use increased polymerized polysaccharides. When the degree of polymerization is lower than 5%, the quality improvement effect of the obtained food is not sufficient, and when it exceeds 300%, the polymerized polysaccharide may not easily hydrate. Because.

  The polymerized polysaccharide of the present invention can be prepared by a known method (for example, the method described in WO02 / 072862). That is, a polysaccharide with a moisture content of about 10% (the moisture content may be reduced by atmospheric pressure hot air drying, vacuum drying, freeze drying, etc. in advance) is applied to an electron beam (radiation) at an acceleration voltage of 150 KeV to 10 MeV. ). The irradiation amount of the electron beam is preferably 1KGy to 50KGy, preferably 1KGy to 10KGy. If it is 1KGy or less, the energy is insufficient and the polymerization reaction (polymerization) does not occur sufficiently. If it is 10KGy or more, the decomposition reaction has priority over the polymerization reaction, and as a result the molecular weight may decrease. is there. In addition, it is preferable that the electron beam irradiation is performed in a relatively low molecular unsaturated gas (ethylene, propylene, acetylene) because the reaction efficiency is high. It is necessary to remove it completely.

  Various polysaccharides can be used regardless of their origin and type. For example, for seed-derived polysaccharides, guar gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, water-soluble soybean polysaccharide, tamarind seed polysaccharide, psyllium seed gum, for rootstock, konjac flour, konjac glucomannan, starch, processed / modified starch, sap Origin is gum arabic, tragacanth gum, karaya gum, gati gum, pectin for fruit origin, agar, carrageenan, alginic acid, alginates for seaweed origin, xanthan gum, gellan gum, native gellan gum, pullulan, curdlan, macrohomopsis gum, etc. for microorganism origin Examples include cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose (MC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), microcrystalline cellulose, and fermented cellulose. .

  The polysaccharide is preferably pectin. The pectin in the present invention is an acidic polysaccharide having α-D-galacturonic acid as a main chain component, which exists as a cell wall component in vegetables and fruits, for example, and exists as a cell wall component in vegetables and fruits. In the field of the food industry, it is widely used as a base material for jelly, confectionery, and jam, or as a stabilizer for acidic milk beverages. Galacturonic acid constituting pectin is partially methyl esterified, and is classified into low methoxyl pectin (hereinafter referred to as “LM pectin”) and high methoxyl pectin (hereinafter referred to as “HM pectin”) depending on the degree of esterification. LM pectin includes amide pectin in which the C6 position is partially amidated.

  In the present invention, HM pectin having an esterification degree of 50% or more is particularly preferably used. Such HM pectin is commercially available, and examples thereof include SM-762 (San-Eigen FFI Corporation).

  When a polysaccharide polymerized by electron beam irradiation is added to food, the texture, water retention, and stability of the food are remarkably improved as compared with the case where an untreated polysaccharide is added to food. The addition amount of the polymerized polysaccharide is generally about 0.05 to 5% by weight although it depends on the target food and the amount of electron beam irradiation at the time of polymerization.

  The method for adding the polymerized polysaccharide to the food may be in accordance with conventional methods, and is not particularly limited. As specific effects, the texture increases softness, moistness, and juiciness, while water retention suppresses water separation over time and increases the yield during cooking. Examples include suppression of aging (curing phenomenon of texture over time), suppression of milk protein aggregation in an acidic region, prevention of fat creaming, and provision of freezing resistance.

  Such a quality improvement effect of the polymerized polysaccharide food of the present invention is particularly effective for foods using flour such as bread, noodles, and rice as the main ingredients. In this case, the addition amount of the polymerized polysaccharide food to the flour is suitably about 0.5 to 10% by weight. Further, gels such as κ-carrageenan, ι-carrageenan, agar, alginic acid or a salt thereof, pectin, galactose-removed tamarind seed gum, starch, modified starch, konjac glucomannan, deacylated gellan gum, native gellan gum, curdlan, cellulose derivative When a polysaccharide having a formability is used, conditions such that an untreated polysaccharide does not form a gel (for example, when the concentration of the polysaccharide is low, when the heating temperature is low, ions, acids, Even when the concentration of sugar or the like is low, a gel can be formed by adding the polymerized polysaccharide of the present invention. Furthermore, guar gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, tamarind seed gum, water-soluble soybean polysaccharide, gum arabic, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, gati gum, λ-carrageenan, pullulan, lambzan gum, welan gum, microcrystalline cellulose, microfibrous cellulose, fermented cellulose When a polysaccharide having such a thickening property is used, the necessary thickening effect can be obtained at a lower concentration than that of an untreated polysaccharide, and there is an advantage that it is not easily affected by ions, acids, sugars and the like. Furthermore, when polysaccharides are polymerized, they are modified, and it is easy to take a gel-like structure in terms of physical properties, and in terms of texture, a short feeling, that is, no stickiness, and a mouth-feeling good texture increases. It can be used as a fat substitute.

  The present invention also relates to a food containing a polysaccharide which has been polymerized as described above, preferably pectin, and more preferably high methoxyl pectin having a methoxyl content of 50% or more.

  The target food of the present invention is preferably particularly effective for foods that use flour such as bread, noodles, and rice as a main component, but can be applied to various foods. For example, ice cream, ice milk, lacto ice, sherbet, ice confectionery, etc .; milk, milk beverage, lactic acid bacteria beverage, fruit juice soft drink, carbonated beverage, fruit juice beverage, vegetable juice beverage, tea beverage, ion beverage, sports beverage, Beverages such as functional drinks, vitamin supplement drinks, nutritional balance drinks, jelly drinks and powdered drinks; puddings such as custard pudding, milk pudding and pudding with fruit juice, desserts such as jelly, bavaroa and yogurt; chewing gum and balloons Gum such as gum (plate gum, sugar-coated grain gum); chocolate such as chocolate with added flavor such as strawberry chocolate, blueberry chocolate and melon chocolate in addition to coated chocolate such as marble chocolate; soft candy (caramel, nougat) , Gummy cande -Including marshmallows), caramels such as toffee; sweets such as soft biscuits and soft cookies; dressings such as emulsification type dressing, separate dressing and non-oil dressing; sauces such as ketchup, sauce and sauce; strawberry jam , Blueberry Jam, Marmalade, Apple Jam, Apricot Jam and Plezab Jam; Fruit wine such as red wine; Fruits for processing syrup pickled cherries, apricots, apples, strawberries, etc .; Fish products such as fish ham, fish sausage, fish surimi, salmon, bamboo rings, hampen, fried satsuma, date rolls and whale bacon; udon, cold wheat, somen noodles, buckwheat, Chinese noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, rice noodles, harusame and wonton Noodles; Bread, confectionery bread, prepared bread, etc., coffee cream, fresh cream, custard cream, whipped cream, creams such as fermented cream and sour cream, consommé soup, potage soup, cream soup, various soups such as Chinese soup, miso soup, Examples include soups such as fresh soup, stew, curry, and gratin; various other side dishes and processed foods. In addition to these general foods, protein / phosphorus / potassium-adjusted foods, salt-adjusted foods, oils and fats-adjusted foods, intestinal action foods, calcium / iron / vitamin-enriched foods, hypoallergenic foods, concentrated liquid foods, and mixer foods , And special foods such as kizami foods and therapeutic foods. It can also be used in fields other than food, i.e., cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

  The polysaccharide having a high molecular weight according to the present invention can be added to a food by itself, but may be formulated with other food additives as long as the effects of the present invention are not hindered. Examples thereof include amino acids such as sodium L-aspartate or salts thereof, nucleic acids such as disodium 5'-inosinate or salts thereof, organic acids such as monopotassium citrate or salts thereof, and inorganic salts such as potassium chloride. Seasonings; mustard extract, horseradish extract, and kojic acid, etc .; shelf-life improvers; silicoprotein extract, polylysine, sorbic acid, and other preservatives; α, β amylase, α, β glucosidase, Enzymes such as papain; pH adjusters such as citric acid, fumaric acid and succinic acid; emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid ester, glycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride and lecithin; fragrances; coloring agents such as β-carotene and annatto dye; Untreated carrageenan, carrageenan, alginic acid and alginate, LM and HM pectin, tamarind seed gum, mackerel mugwort seed moth , Konjac glucomannan, starch, modified and processed starch, starch hydrolyzate, lambzan gum, welan gum, curdlan, pullulan, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, gati gum, microcrystalline cellulose, microfibrous cellulose, fermented cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose salt, methylcellulose , Ethylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, fermented cellulose, chitin, chitosan, etc. thickener, gelling agent; swelling agent; whey protein, soy protein, etc .; sucrose, fructose, reduced starch saccharified product, Sugars such as erythritol and xylitol; sweeteners such as sucralose, thaumatin, acesulfame potassium, aspartame; vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K; minerals such as iron and calcium It can be pressurized.

  When using polysaccharides or protein materials in combination, either polymerize separately, mix polymerized and non-polymerized, mix in advance and polymerize, etc. Can be used.

  Hereinafter, the content of the present invention will be specifically described using the following examination examples, examples, and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited to these. Unless otherwise stated, the unit is in parts by weight, and those marked with an asterisk (*) are manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd., and in the text are registered trademarks of San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd. Indicates.

Study Example 1: Polymerization of pectin
In the presence of acetylene gas, "SM-762 *" (degree of esterification 70-72) is used as HM pectin and "Bistop * D-2242 *" (degree of esterification 32, degree of amidation 18) is used as LM pectin. The polymerized pectin was obtained by removing acetylene gas by irradiating with γ rays so that the irradiation doses were 2.1, 4.9, 6.2 and 15.2 KGy and heating at 40 ° C. for 1 hour). The loss on drying (105 ° C., 3 hours) and the degree of polymerization of each sample were measured. The degree of polymerization was calculated by (average weight molecular weight after treatment−average polymerization molecular weight before treatment) ÷ (average polymerization molecular weight before treatment) × 100 (%). The results are shown in Table 1.

  In both HM pectin and LM pectin, the degree of polymerization increased as the irradiation dose increased. Among them, HM pectin had a higher degree of polymerization.

  Further, using a scanning probe microscope (SPM), the molecular form of pectin of untreated HM pectin and 4.9 kgy irradiated product was observed. A photomicrograph is shown in FIG.

  From FIG. 1, the molecular diameter of pectin is clearly larger in the 4.9 kgy product than in the untreated product. From the above, it was suggested that pectin undergoes molecular polymerization by electron beam irradiation.

Study Example 2: Polymerized pectin gel Using the polymerized pectin (HM pectin, 2.1, 4.2, 6.9KGy) of Study Example 1, a pectin gel (pectin concentration 0.5%, sugar concentration 65%, pH 3) was prepared. That is, 0.5 part of pectin and 5 parts of sugar mixed in advance were added to water at 90 ° C., and then 60 parts of sugar was added and dissolved by stirring for 10 minutes. The solution was allowed to cool to 40 ° C. at room temperature, and adjusted to pH 3 by adding 3-4 mL of 50% (w / v) citric acid solution. This was filled with a cup (diameter 6 cm, height 4 cm) (about 80 g / piece), cooled at 8 ° C. for 1 hour, and stored in a refrigerator at 4 ° C. overnight to prepare a gel.

The next day, the gel is returned to room temperature, and using a texture analyzer (TA-TX2, SAS), a fracture test is performed with a plunger: surface area of 1 cm ² and a gantry speed: 1 mm / sec. ) And the breaking strain (Apparent breaking strain). FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the apparent breaking stress and breaking strain at 20 ° C.

  From FIG. 1, the breaking stress (Apparent breaking stress) and the breaking strain (Apparent breaking strain) increased as the irradiation dose increased. It was shown that gel strength comparable to that of the untreated product was obtained at a low concentration by electron beam irradiation.

  Next, the gel was heated at 80 ° C. for 1 hour, and the same measurement was performed. Table 2 shows changes in physical properties of the pectin gel depending on temperature.

  From Table 2, it was shown that the temperature dependence of the breaking stress decreased with increasing irradiation dose, and heat resistance was imparted to the gel.

Study Example 3: Combined use of starch and modified pectin Water is added to pre-mixed corn starch (raw) and the polymerized high methoxyl pectin (HM pectin) of Study Example 1, and Rapid Visco Analyzer (Newport Scientific) is used. The swelling / gelatinization characteristics of the starch / pectin combination system were examined according to the following temperature program (starch concentration 15% (w / v), pectin concentration 0.1 and 0.5%).

(1) Hold at 50 ° C for 1 minute (2) Temperature rise from 50 ° C to 95 ° C at 12 ° C / min (3) Hold at 5 ° C for 2.5 minutes (4) From 5 ° C to 50 ° C at 12 ° C / min Temperature drop (5) Hold at 0 ℃ for 2 minutes

  As a result, Table 3 shows the swelling / gelatinization characteristics of the starch / pectin combination system.

  From Table 3, at any pectin concentration, the peak viscosity during gelatinization increased as the irradiation dose increased.

  The prepared paste was stored at 4 ° C. for 1 week, and the water separation was measured (starch concentration 5%, pectin 0.1 and 0.5%). As a result, Table 4 shows the water separation of the starch / pectin combination system.

  From Table 4, it was shown that generation | occurrence | production of water separation with time was suppressed, so that the irradiation dose of HM pectin was high, and the aging suppression effect of the starch by polymerized HM pectin was suggested.

Example 1 Effect of polymerized pectin in bread According to the formulation shown in Table 5, bread was prepared according to a conventional method (straight fermentation method), and the texture and physical properties were evaluated 1 day and 7 days after preparation. The same polymerized pectin as in Study Example 1 was used. Physical properties were measured twice using a texture analyzer (TA-TX2, SAS), plunger: 7.5cm diameter disk, gantry speed: 1mm / sec, bread cut into 3cm x 3cm x 1cm (crumb part) Continuous compression was performed to determine the first peak stress. The curing rate (aging rate) was obtained from the stress ratio after 7 days and 1 day after preparation.

  The texture after 1 day of preparation, Example ad with the addition of polymerized pectin, was smoother and lighter than Comparative Example a, but was significantly different from Comparative Example b with the addition of untreated pectin. There was no. Regarding the texture after 7 days of preparation, Examples a and b had a mouthfeel better than Comparative Example a, and were softer and more moist than Comparative Example b. Examples c and d were harder and dryer than Examples a and b. That is, it was suggested that the addition of polymerized pectin provides a mouthfeel with a light mouthfeel and maintains moisture retention even after storage.

  Table 6 shows the physical property measurement results.

  The curing rate of Examples a to d was smaller than those of Comparative Examples a and b, and the change in physical properties with time was reduced by the addition of polymerized pectin. As in Examination Example 3, it was suggested that starch aging was inhibited by polymerized pectin.

Example 2 Effect of Modified Pectin on Meat Patty Meat patties (disk shape with a diameter of 10 cm and a height of 1 cm, 80 g / piece) were prepared according to the formulation shown in Table 7, and snap frozen at -40 ° C. After storing in a freezer at -8 ° C for 3 days, it was cooked using a hot plate at 180 ° C for 6 minutes (3 minutes on each side). The yield (ratio of the sample weight after cooking with respect to the sample weight before cooking), the deformation rate (ratio of the area shrunk by cooking with respect to the sample surface area before cooking) and the texture during cooking were evaluated. The same polymerized pectin as in Study Example 1 was used. Table 8 shows the results of the yield and deformation rate during cooking of the meat patties.

  In Examples a and b to which polymerized pectin was added, the yield was higher and the deformation rate was lower than Comparative Example a and Comparative Example b to which untreated pectin was added. It was suggested that polymerized pectin retains moisture in its structure and maintains it during cooking, or that modified pectin captures free moisture due to thermal denaturation of livestock meat.

  The texture was softer and juicy in Examples a and b than in Comparative Examples a and b, and supported the moisture retention effect of the polymerized pectin.

Example 3 Effect of polymerized pectin in acidic milk beverage According to the formulation shown in Table 9, an acidic milk beverage was prepared. That is, premixed sugar (7 parts by weight) and pectin (0.3 parts by weight) were added to water (62.7 parts by weight), stirred and dissolved at 80 ° C. for 10 minutes, and then cooled. Separately, skim milk powder (3 parts by weight) was added to water (27 parts by weight), stirred and dissolved at 60 ° C. for 10 minutes, and then cooled. These preparations were mixed and adjusted to pH 3.8 with 50% (w / v) citric acid solution. Heated to 80 ° C., homogenized (first stage 9,800 Pa, second stage 4,900 Pa), sterilized at 93 ° C., filled in hot pack, and stored at room temperature. The same polymerized pectin as in Examination Example 1 was used.

  In the evaluation, the stationary viscosity was measured using a B-type rotational viscometer one day after preparation (rotor No. 1, 60 rpm, 10 ° C.). In addition, 7 days after the preparation, conditions such as upper gap and precipitation were observed. The measurement results of the viscosity are shown in Table 10-. Moreover, the result of state observation is shown in FIG.

  Example a-d tended to have a lower viscosity than Comparative Example a. Seven days after the preparation, Examples b and c had less upper clearance and precipitation than Comparative Example a, and the milk protein stability was increased by the addition of the modified pectin. In Example d, the amount of precipitation was larger than that in Comparative Example a, and the upper gap was more transparent, indicating that the stability of milk protein was lowered.

About the examination example 1, a scanning probe micrograph is shown about each form of the molecule | numerator of a non-processed pectin and the polymeric pectin. About the examination example 2, it shows about the physical property (irradiation dose dependence) of a polymeric pectin gel. About Example 3, it shows about the external appearance (7 days after preparation) of an acidic milk drink.

Claims (6)

A method for improving food quality, characterized by adding a polymerized polysaccharide having a weight average molecular weight increased by 5 to 300% compared to that before irradiation by electron beam irradiation. The quality improvement method of the foodstuff of Claim 1 whose irradiation amount of an electron beam is 1-10KGy. The method for improving the quality of food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the polysaccharide is pectin. The method for improving food quality according to claim 3, wherein the pectin is high methoxyl pectin having an esterification degree of 50% or more. The method for improving the quality of food according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the food is food that uses flour as a main component. A food product whose quality has been improved by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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