JP2007202484A - Gel composition and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gel composition such as gummy jelly or chewing candy, having granular feeling peculiar to konjac and containing little water. <P>SOLUTION: The gel composition contains 5-50 wt.% of water content, and comprises a dry konjac processed product prepared by mixing konjac powder, carbohydrate and starch together, preferably a granular dry konjac product having a grain diameter of 0.1-10 mm. The method for producing the gel composition comprises adding the dry konjac processed product to carbohydrate solution, and boiling up the mixture followed by adding the gelling agent-containing solution, or comprises adding a dry konjac processed product and gelling agent-containing solution to boiled-up carbohydrate solution. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gel composition containing granular konjac and having a low water content such as gummy jelly and chewing candy, and a method for producing the same.

  Conventionally, various studies have been made on jelly confectionery having a low water content and high sugar content, such as gummy jelly, gummy candy, and chewing candy, and jelly confectionery having a plurality of different textures has also been studied. Among them, since it has a unique chewy texture, the use of konjac or glucomannan gel on the other side has also been studied.

  For example, in the production of a low calorie food (Patent Document 1) in which a sugar alcohol sweetener coating layer is formed using gummy candy containing konjac mannan as a core, and jelly confectionery containing granular konjac, the moisture content of granular konjac is 20% or less. There is a method (patent document 2) of preparing the mixture so that the difference in moisture content between the granular konjac and the jelly is 15% or less by immersing in a sugar solution, and then mixing with the jelly. However, according to these methods, there is a problem that there is no great difference in the texture between the konjac jelly portion and the jelly portion of the body, and the unique konjac grain feel cannot be felt.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-248528 Japanese Patent No. 3668397

  The present invention has been developed in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gel composition having a high sugar content such as gummy candy imparted with a unique grain feeling of konjac.

  In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present inventors have conducted intensive research and found that a konjac powder, a saccharide and starch were combined with a gel composition having a low water content of 5 to 50% by weight. A high sugar content gel composition (gummy food) to which a unique grain feeling of konjac is imparted by containing the prepared dried konjac processed product, preferably a granular dried konjac processed product having a particle size of 0.1 to 10 mm ) Furthermore, the dried konjac processed product and the gelling agent-containing solution are added to the sugar solution by adding the gelling agent-containing solution after adding the dried konjac processed product to the sugar solution, or by boiling. It has been found that a gel composition that is easy to manufacture and has a good texture can be obtained by the manufacturing method.

That is, this invention has the following aspects;
Item 1. A gel composition having a water content of 5 to 50% by weight, comprising a dried konjac processed product prepared by combining konjac flour, sugar and starch.
Item 2. Item 2. The gel composition according to Item 1, wherein the dried konjac processed product is granular having a particle size of 0.1 to 10 mm.
Item 3. Item 3. The method for producing a gel composition according to Item 1 or 2, wherein a dried konjac processed product is added to a sugar solution and boiled, and then a gelling agent-containing solution is added.
Item 4. Item 3. A method for producing a gel composition according to Item 1 or 2, wherein a dried konjac processed product and a gelling agent-containing solution are added to a boiled sugar solution.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gel composition having a low moisture content, such as gummy food, to which a unique grain feel of konjac is imparted.

  The dried konjac processed product used in the present invention is a composite composition prepared by combining konjac flour, sugar and starch, and processed to have an arbitrary shape such as granular, filamentous, powdery, etc. It is. Preferably, the dried konjac processed product is preferably processed into granules having a particle size of 0.1 to 10 mm, more preferably 0.2 to 4 mm. By using a granular dried konjac processed product having this particle size, a granular texture is obtained, and by using the dried konjac processed product, handling during production is facilitated.

  As the konjac powder used as a raw material when preparing the dried konjac processed product, commonly used konjac powder, dry pulverized konjac flour, and the like can be used. Examples of sugars include sucrose, lactose, maltose, glucose, fructose, invert sugar, starch syrup, powdered starch syrup, reduced malt starch syrup, honey, trehalose, trehalulose, neotrehalose, palatinose, D-xylose, and the like; xylitol, sorbitol Sugar alcohols such as maltitol and erythritol can be used, and syrup is preferable. As starch, starch derived from corn such as waxy corn starch and corn starch; tapioca starch; starch derived from sweet potato, starch derived from potato, starch derived from sago palm, etc. and modified starches thereof can be used.

  The processing method of the dried konjac processed product can be any combination of konjac flour, sugar and starch so that it can be made into a dry processed product as a composite and can be processed into something that can swell in water. . As a preferred production method, after extracting glucomannan from konjac koji in a conventional manner, drying, mixing with starch, adding water to swell, and performing deacetylation treatment by adding a small amount of alkali Examples of production by molding, heating gelation, neutralization, dipping in a saccharide solution, and drying can be given. The water content is preferably adjusted to 10% or less, preferably 7% or less. As an example of such a processing method, it can be manufactured by the method described in Japanese Patent No. 2866609 or Japanese Patent No. 3159104.

  Moreover, the composition of the konjac flour, sugar and starch in the dried konjac processed product is not particularly limited, but in the dried konjac processed product, 5 to 30% by weight of konjac powder, 30 to 90% by weight of sugar, and 5 to 30% of starch. It can adjust arbitrarily so that it may become the range of weight%.

  The dried konjac processed product can be obtained commercially. For example, dried konjac manufactured by Aires Co., Ltd., Sun Smart [trademark] 200, Sun Smart [trademark] 300 manufactured by Saneigen FFI Co., Ltd., etc. Can be mentioned.

  In this invention, 5-30 weight%, Preferably, 10-20 weight% can be illustrated as addition amount to the gel composition of a dry konjac processed product.

  The gel composition of the present invention has a water content of 5 to 50% by weight, preferably 10 to 30% by weight, more preferably 10 to 25% by weight, and has a jelly-like or bowl-like viscoelasticity with a low water content. It is the characteristic that it is the provided gel composition. Specific examples of such gel compositions include gummy foods such as gummy jelly, gummy candy, and jelly beans, and Japanese confectionery such as glutinous and dumplings, but particularly as gummy foods and candy centers. Preferably used. In addition, since the gel composition of the present invention can be applied to a wide variety of foods from acidic to weakly alkaline, coffee, tea, green tea, matcha tea, oolong tea can also be used in acidic regions such as apples, grapes, oranges, lemons and plums. It can also be prepared for neutral products such as cocoa taste.

  The gel composition of the present invention is characterized by a low water content as described above, but the sugar content is preferably adjusted to 50 to 95%, preferably 70 to 90%, more preferably 75 to 86%. The sugar content is determined by adjusting the amount of sugar added. The saccharide to be used is not particularly limited as long as it is a saccharide that can be used in foods, but sugar sugar such as sucrose, fructose dextrose liquid sugar, syrup, reduced syrup, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, and paratinite, Trehalose or the like is preferably used. It is also possible to keep the sugar content lower than the amount by adding alcohol or the like.

  Furthermore, the gel composition of the present invention includes gelatin, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, pullulan, pectin, carrageenan, cassia gum, deacylated gellan gum, native gellan gum, tamarind seed gum, psyllium seed gum, tragacanth gum, Karaya gum, gum arabic, macrohomopsis gum, agar, rhamzan gum, alginic acids (alginic acid, alginate), curdlan, methylcellulose (MC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) sodium, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) calcium , Hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), microcrystalline cellulose, fermented cellulose, microfibrous cellulose Cellulose derivatives scan such as water-soluble hemicellulose, soybean polysaccharides, processed and modified starch, raw-unmodified starch (raw starch) may be used one or more selected from such. Preferably, gelatin, a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum, pullulan, carrageenan, pectin or the like can be used alone or in combination. Examples of the addition amount of the gelling agent include 0.5 to 10% by weight.

  Although it is a manufacturing method of the gel composition which concerns on this invention, manufacturing by either of the following two methods is preferable. That is, a method of manufacturing by adding the gelling agent-containing solution after adding the dried konjac processed product to the sugar solution, or by adding the dried konjac processed product and the gelling agent-containing solution to the boiled sugar solution. The method of manufacturing by adding can be mentioned. Subsequent steps can be performed by a conventional method, and a molded gel composition can be produced by a step of filling a mold with the boiled solution obtained by the above method. In addition, you may dry the shape | molded gel composition. Examples of the drying process include conditions of 15 to 70 ° C. and 30 minutes to 24 hours.

  Other high-sweetness sweeteners such as fruit juice, pulp, milk ingredients, sucralose, thaumatin, acesulfame potassium, aspartame: vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K; iron, calcium, magnesium, etc. Various minerals: Perfume: Coloring: Seasoning: Antioxidant: Preservative: Preservative; Enzymes such as α, β-amylase, α, β-glucosidase, papain; Citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, etc. Acidulant, pH adjuster; emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid ester, glycerin fatty acid ester, organic acid monoglyceride, lecithin, polysorbate and the like can be added.

  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” in the prescription, and those marked with “*” in the text are manufactured by San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd. Indicates a registered trademark of San-Ei Gen FFI Co., Ltd.

Example: Preparation of konjac grain-containing gummy candy (1) Production method 1
Of the formulations listed in Table 1 below, 5 parts of gelatin are pre-swelled with 10 parts of water. 35 parts of sugar, 25 parts of starch syrup, 8 parts of reduced starch syrup, 15 parts of dried konjac processed product and 30 parts of water for boiling are mixed and boiled to about 80 parts, and the swollen gelatin solution is added. Add the indicated amount of fruit juice, sucralose, pigment, fragrance, thaumatin, perform foam removal, fill into starch mold, dry to 20% moisture (Bx80), and add konjac grain-containing gummy candy Prepared.

(2) Manufacturing method 2
Of the formulations listed in Table 1 below, 5 parts of gelatin are pre-swelled with 10 parts of water. 35 parts of sugar, 25 parts of starch syrup, 8 parts of reduced starch syrup, and 30 parts of boiling water, boiled and swollen until about 67 parts, dried konjac processed product in the amount shown in Table 1, After adding fruit juice, sucralose, a pigment, a fragrance, and thaumatin to perform foam removal, the starch mold was filled and dried to a moisture content of 20% (Bx80) to prepare a konjac granule-containing gummy candy.

注１）乾燥こんにゃく加工品（サンスマート※300*）：こんにゃく粉、糖質及び澱粉含有０．５〜２ｍｍの細粒状こんにゃく加工品

Note 1) Dried konjac processed product (Sunsmart * 300 *): 0.5 to 2mm fine konjac processed product containing konjac flour, sugar and starch

The gummy candy containing konjac grains obtained by the production method 1 and the production method 2 was a gummy candy having a good texture with a unique grain feeling of konjac.
As a comparative example, instead of the dried konjac processed product, the pectin gel having the formulation shown in Table 2 below is used (Comparative product 1), and further, the carrageenan gel shown in Table 3 is used (Comparative product 2). Gummy candies containing gummy candy were prepared by the methods 1 and 2, respectively, but none of them gave a good grain feel.

  As a manufacturing method of the pectin gel of the comparative product 1, 1-4 powders (5.5 parts of granulated sugar, 0.338 parts of citric acid, trisodium citrate, LM pectin) among the formulations listed in Table 2, Disperse in 5 (35 parts of water) and dissolve by boiling, then gradually add 6,7 (46 parts of granulated sugar, starch syrup) and boil to Brix 79 degrees. 8-10 (citric acid is 50% w / v aqueous solution, 0.4 parts, pigment, fragrance) is added, and after defoaming at 80 ° C. for 30 minutes, it is molded and dried in a starch mold, and then 0 A pectin gel was prepared by cutting into 5 to 2 mm squares.

As a method for producing carrageenan gel of Comparative Product 2, among the formulations listed in Table 3, 5 (carrageenan) is dispersed in 3 (sorbite), 4 (water) is added and dissolved by boiling for 3 minutes, then 2 (granulated) Sugar), boil until 99 parts total, mix 6, 7 (fruit juice, fragrance), fill into starch mold, dry at 40 degrees overnight, cut into 0.5-2mm squares Thus, carrageenan gel was prepared.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gel composition with a low moisture content such as gummy jelly or chewing candy to which a unique grain feel of konjac is imparted.

Claims (4)

A gel composition having a water content of 5 to 50% by weight, comprising a dried konjac processed product prepared by combining konjac flour, sugar and starch. The gel composition according to claim 1, wherein the dried konjac processed product is in a granular form having a particle size of 0.1 to 10 mm. About the manufacturing method of the gel composition of Claim 1 or 2, The method of manufacturing by adding a gelatinizer containing solution after adding a dried konjac processed product to a sugar liquid and boiling it. About the manufacturing method of the gel composition of Claim 1 or 2, The method of manufacturing by adding a dried konjac processed product and a gelatinizer containing solution to the boiled sugar liquid.