JP2013082639A - Controlling agent for food insect pest and method of controlling food insect pest in food - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technology for controlling stored-food insect pests.SOLUTION: A controlling agent for food insect pests includes D-psicose as an active ingredient. The use of the controlling agent is also provided. Food insect pests can be controlled by using D-psicose, which is harmless to a human and has sweetener properties, for a sweetener or a part of it in food. The technology of controlling food insect pests can be achieved by a simple method wherein only addition and mixing to food is needed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a food pest control agent and a method for controlling food pests in foods using the same.

Conventionally, food pests are generated in food processing factories such as warehouses and rice mills for storing grains and dried foods and sweets, so it is necessary to take measures against them as a cause of contamination. It is well known that food pests can cause damage at home.
In order to solve the problem of food pests, it is effective to reduce the temperature when food is stored by utilizing the fact that food pests are vulnerable to low temperature and drying. Growth and reproduction of food pests can be suppressed. However, it cannot be killed at this temperature. Further, when the humidity is suppressed to 50% or less, generation of mold and insects can be suppressed. In principle, foods that have been opened must be sealed and sealed so that insects cannot invade and stored in highly sealed containers, especially spices and powdered foods that could not be used once. It is easiest to store foods in a sealed container (flour, tempura, okonomiyaki, hot cake mix, cocoa, etc.) and store them in a refrigerator.

As a method for killing food pests generated at home, it is not possible to spray the insecticide directly on the food in which the insects are generated, but only to discard the food. Sometimes it is frozen, but it is difficult to remove eggs and larvae. Insects can be effectively killed by treating them at a temperature of 60 ° C. or higher for several minutes, but have the same problems as freezing.
In the case of directly using drugs for stored grain pests, insecticides using commercially available aerosols and cockroach fumigants, and traps using food and sex pheromones are also commercially available. As a method for killing food pests generated in food factories and warehouses, fumigants such as hydrogen phosphide (phosphine), pyrethroids and organophosphorus insecticides can be used. One method is to use repellents before the start of pollution by pests.

The above-described methods and the like are employed to control food pests, but various methods are also found in the patent literature. An example is shown below.
Pest control with chemicals includes [1α, 3α- (Z)]-(±)-(2-methyl [1,1′-biphenyl] -3-yl) methyl 3- (2-chloro-3, 3,3-Trifluoro-1-propenyl) -2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate and 2- [1-methyl-2- (4-phenoxyphenoxy) ethoxy] pyridine as active ingredients A composition has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

  As an example of not using chemicals, as an effective insecticidal technique as an alternative to methyl bromide fumigation, which is the main insecticide treatment method for grains contaminated with stored grain pests, low energy electron beam irradiation of 30 to 300 keV to grains Of the food or food material by slow freezing and freezing the pesticidal method (Patent Document 2), or flour or dried cereal derived product at a temperature of -18 ° C. or lower. Insects and eggs of insects mixed in flour or dried cereal derived products can be killed, and the insecticidal and / or safe and effective by simple means without altering the food or food material. Or the technique which enables an egg-killing process is proposed (patent document 3).

  In addition, examples of using pest repellents include mugwort extract with enhanced repellent efficacy against stored grain pests, Kokuzo, Suikokonadarameiga, Noshimemadarameiga and cockroaches, clothing pests, carp, human body pests A pest repellent film (Patent Document 4) obtained by coating and drying a plant extract-containing liquid composition mainly composed of a liquid, a Dokudami extract-containing liquid and a fixing agent on the film, nilam oil and / or patchouli alcohol, α- A repellent for stored pests such as weevil has been proposed (Patent Document 5), which comprises at least one of Brunesen, α-guayen, seitian and β-caryophyllene.

Furthermore, as an example of preventing the invasion of pests in the confectionery manufacturing process, it is arranged under the electrical box that can prevent the invasion of pests from the outside and eliminate the waste heat of the refrigeration equipment. Produced frozen dessert by providing the cover member provided, side plate panels located on both sides of the drain receiver, located on both sides of the electrical box and cover member, and a lower frame (bottom panel) closing the lower side of the cover member A device (Patent Document 6) and a device for preventing dew condensation of baked confectionery such as cookies and preventing foreign matter such as insects from being mixed, and providing a high-quality and safe confectionery that opens upward. The baked baked confectionery (about 160 degreeC) is put into the packaging container which has (a). A mesh having a mesh of 30 to 40 mesh is sandwiched between openings of upper and lower substrates made of hard resin to form a cover plate. As soon as the baked confectionery is added, the packaging container is covered with a covering plate, and the opening of the covering plate is made to coincide with the opening of the packaging container (b). Since the air in the packaging container 7 circulates through the opening, the heat of the baked confectionery is dissipated. The mesh prevents the passage of foreign objects such as insects into the packaging container. (C) (Patent Document 7) has been proposed in which the cover plate is removed after being left to cool for a predetermined time (about 10 to 15 minutes) (about 40 to 50 ° C.) and then sealed with a lid on the packaging container. .
The food pest control techniques exemplified above mainly apply external processing to foods.

JP 2001-247415 A JP 2006-136316 A JP 2005-204572 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-224753 JP 2005-145863 A JP 2001-245602 A JP 2002-209505 A WO2008 / 142860 publication Japanese Patent No. 2001-1-1387

  An object of the present invention is to provide a novel use of food pest control of D-psicose, which is a monosaccharide that can be used as a sweetener. By containing monosaccharides that can be used as sweeteners in foods, it is possible to suppress the growth of food pests in foods, and by inhibiting the growth of insects growing in foods, killing insects The object of the present invention is to provide a food that prevents the food from being contaminated by insects and becomes unsanitary and that does not harm health and does not give unpleasant feelings. In addition, the present invention utilizes the sweetness of D-psicose and uses it as a part or all of a sweetener used for foods that require sweetness. The object is to provide a new field of use utilizing both properties of the control agent. The present invention also relates to foods that can be stored for a long time after processing, called preserved foods, for example, foods in powdered foods such as confectionery such as chocolate, cake mix in which flour and sweetener are mixed, etc. The purpose is pest control. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide foods having a function as a health food.

The gist of the present invention is the following food pest control agents (1) to (6).
(1) A food pest control agent comprising D-psicose as an active ingredient.
(2) The food pest control agent according to (1) above, which comprises a D-psicose-containing crystalline sugar composition that can be used as a sweetener.
(3) Food pests are Kokunosutomodoki, Hiratakokunusudomodoki, Nomemadarameiga, Guymite moth Riga, Phytomycophora terrestris, Ginsengi beetle, Tobacco beetle, Bokuzo, Kokuzo, Konagashini, Bakuga The food pest control agent according to the above (1) or (2), which is one or more selected from the following: a green moth, a white-spotted moth, and a white-spotted moth.
(4) The food pest control agent according to (1), (2) or (3), which is used by blending in a food containing sweetener or stored food.
(5) The food pest control agent according to (4), wherein the food is a confectionery or a raw material powder for producing a confectionery.
(6) The food pest control agent according to any one of (1) to (5), which is used by blending in a food so that the concentration of D-psicose is 1.0 to 12.0% by weight.

The gist of the present invention is a method for controlling food pests in the following foods (7) to (9).
(7) A method for controlling food pests in foods, which comprises incorporating the food pest control agent according to any one of (1) to (6) in foods.
(8) The method for controlling food pests in the food according to (7), wherein the food is blended so that the concentration of D-psicose is 1.0 to 12.0% by weight.
(9) The method for controlling food pests in the food according to (7) or (8), wherein the food is a food containing a sweetener or a stored food.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a food pest control agent and a food pest in a food that can reduce damage caused by food pests of cereals used as food ingredients, processed foods using the same, and foods that require a long period of storage or distribution. A method of controlling can be provided. It is possible to control food pests by a simple method of blending D-psicose in food, eliminating the problems of known insecticidal technologies, and storing and distributing the grains and foods It contributes to prevention of pest generation and wear by it.

  The present invention provides a novel food pest control agent, which can control harmful food pests by a simple method of adding D-psicose to food. D-psicose is harmless to the human body and has a sweetness of about 70% of sugar, so it can be added as a sweetener for foods. As a food pest control technique for stored foods using sweeteners It is particularly useful. In addition, the food pest control agent of the present invention does not require any special equipment or materials to exert its control action only by adding and mixing in food, for example, food packaging is applied as before it can. Foods produced by applying the present invention have no complaints from consumers due to pests, and can greatly reduce food resources consumed in the distribution and storage stages.

The growth inhibitory effect of D-psicose with respect to Hiratakakunusutomodoki is shown. In addition, a graph vertical axis | shaft shows the number of insects for every stage of the pest per vial (Hiracokunusutomodoki). The growth inhibitory effect of D-psicose and D-fructose (results of a larval growth state survey) on Suikonama damselfish is shown in terms of mm / head of old larvae. The growth inhibition effect of D-psicose and D-fructose in the larvae body weight (mg / head) in the lower stage in the experiment of FIG. 2 and the investigation results of the number of emergence to adults subsequently performed (number of adult wings per 10 larvae) Shown in the top row. In other words, the vertical axis of the graph shows the weight per 10 larvae (bottom) (mg) (Sujikonadara maiga), (upper) the number of individuals that have raised 10 larvae and emerged as adults (Sujikonamadaiga) Show. The growth inhibitory effect of D-psicose and D-fructose is shown by the number of emergence of adults (number of adult emergence per 10 larvae). That is, the vertical axis of the graph indicates the number of individuals (Sujikonadarameiga) that have raised 10 larvae and emerged as adults.

The food pest control agent containing D-psicose of the present invention as an active ingredient is a food containing D-psicose, the food pest being controlled by D-psicose, and the food pest in the food. It is related to the method.
D-psicose is a monosaccharide that exists only in a small amount in nature, and is called a rare sugar for glucose and fructose, which are monosaccharides present in a large amount in nature. It is known that this D-psicose is almost zero calorie, is a sugar that is harmless to the human body with a sweetness that is 70% of sugar, and has an inhibitory action on an increase in blood glucose level and an antioxidant action. Yes. The inventors of the present invention have found that D-psicose has, in addition to these characteristics, the characteristics of inhibiting the growth of food pests or killing them, and has invented a use invention that can be used for the control of food pests.
The food pest control agent containing D-psicose of the present invention as an active ingredient suppresses biological contamination by food pests during storage of foods. Food pests that often occur in food processing factories, such as warehouses and rice mills that store grain, as well as dried foods and sweets, tend to become complaints from consumers as one of the foreign matters mixed into foods, In addition, it is important in terms of maintaining the quality of the product, and provides a technique for solving these problems.

Although the present invention is intended for food pests related to food in general, it is particularly applicable to stored foods that are stored for a long or long time. The stored food in the present invention is mainly intended for foods that are stored in units of years or months, but the length of each period of the life cycle in which the food pests are transformed into eggs, larvae, and one adult. Some foods may be stored for more than a few days. Examples of such stored foods include grains such as rice and beans; flour such as wheat flour and processed foods such as noodles, bread and biscuits; cake mix and bread mix for manufacturing processed products using flour as a raw material. Mixtures such as: dried animal foods such as boiled and beef jerky, dried plant foods such as dried shiitake, spices such as shichimi pepper, seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup and the like. Furthermore, all types of food for animals raised by humans (ie livestock and pets) can be mentioned. Examples include livestock feed, pet food and special food for racehorses.
As more preferred foods to which the present invention is applied, foods such as confectionery containing sugar are most suitable because D-psicose has a sweetness.

  Cereals and flour are the most typical foods to be stored for a long period of time. In addition, foods that are produced using flour, although the damage caused by food pests is enormous because they are stored in large quantities. However, it takes more than a few days to reach the consumer after manufacturing, it takes a long time at any stage, such as storage in a warehouse before transportation, or after it reaches the consumer and is opened Those that are used intermittently for a long time are often damaged by food pests. Processed foods are usually heated in the processing stage, and food pests and their eggs are killed, but care must be taken because they may break the packaging during storage. Moreover, it is necessary to take measures so that food pests are not particularly damaged in, for example, cake mixes that use flours as they are.

  Many food manufacturers are struggling to combat insect contamination. For example, the following studies have been conducted to prevent insects that invade chocolate products. Noshimemadamameiga has a wide range of food habits and is a representative of post-harvest pests that cause damage from cereals such as rice to confectionery such as chocolate. About 70% of complaints that “the insects were in the food” were Nomememadarameiga. This insect becomes an adult from an egg in about one month in the summer, but only the larvae injure food. The larvae turned from eggs are about 2 mm, and if they do not know, they look like lint. Thereafter, the larvae molt four times and grow to a length of about 1.3 cm, and then become adults with a length of about 1 cm through the pupae. Adult life span is about 10 days. It has been demonstrated that the damage of food pests can be reduced by reducing the air leakage of the packaging, since Noshimemadagame penetrates through the holes and gaps in the chocolate packaging. However, since it is difficult to completely prevent insects from entering, it is necessary to inhibit the growth of food pests that have entered once, together with strict packaging that does not allow insects to enter. In the present invention, since D-psicose has an action of inhibiting the growth of food pests and is a sweetener with zero calories, it can be added and mixed with foods. The present invention provides an optimum technique for controlling food pests in confectionery using a food. The present invention is described in detail below.

[D-psicose]
D-psicose is contained in a monosaccharide called a rare sugar, which has a very small amount in nature compared to glucose and fructose. Sweet sugars include sucrose and glucose, but D-psicose is a monosaccharide having 6 carbons in the same category as glucose, and is an enzyme produced by microorganisms from D-fructose (fructose). It is produced using “D-tagatose 3-epimerase”. D-psicose is an almost zero calorie sugar that is about 70% sweeter than sugar (sucrose) and has a refreshing taste. D-psicose production process is roughly divided into three stages. The first is a process for producing the enzyme by a microorganism. The second is the step of immobilizing the enzyme, constructing a bioreactor, flowing the raw material (60% D-fructose), and converting it into D-psicose by an enzymatic reaction. The third consists of a step of separating a mixture of D-fructose and D-psicose and purifying D-psicose.

[D-psicose-containing sugar composition that can be used as a sweetener as a food pest control agent]
A specific embodiment of the D-psicose-containing sugar composition that can be used as a sweetener is that the ratio of fructose is 20 to 80 parts by weight, the total ratio of glucose and psicose is about 80 to 20 parts by weight, and the psicose is glucose and psicose. Is a sweetener that prevents lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, which is close to the sweetness and taste of sugar in a ratio of 5 parts by weight or more, preferably 10 parts by weight or more (Patent Document 8). ).
The sweetener is a mixture of its components, fructose, glucose and psicose, and is obtained by mixing each component. Fructose and glucose are monosaccharides generally present in the natural world and are obtained by isolation from the natural world, and fructose is obtained by separating glucose from fructose-glucose liquid sugar obtained by treating glucose with isomerase . In addition, glucose is produced by hydrolyzing starch. In addition, psicose is a rare sugar that exists only in the natural world, and is obtained by treating fructose with ketohexose 3-epimerase. The production method can be obtained by mixing each component, but it can also be obtained by adding D-psicose to fructose glucose liquid sugar produced by using glucose isomerase from glucose as a raw material, and obtained as described above. The fructose-glucose liquid sugar can also be obtained by allowing D-ketose 3-epimerase to act and converting a part of fructose into D-psicose. Furthermore, glucose isomerase and D-ketose 3-epimerase can simultaneously act on a glucose solution to produce glucose, fructose, and D-psicose in the above-mentioned specific range in one step. In terms of cost, glucose is produced from glucose isomerase treatment (isomerization) step and D-ketose 3-epimerase treatment step directly, or a mixed enzyme system of glucose isomerase and D-ketose 3-epimerase, from glucose at once. It is advantageous in terms of cost to produce the target sugar composition.
As for the blending ratio of D-psicose, the ratio of fructose and (total of glucose and psicose) is preferably 80 to 20 parts by weight: 20 to 80 parts by weight. When the amount of fructose exceeds 80 parts, the sweetness increases, but the body feeling decreases. When the fructose is 20 parts or less, the sweetness tends to be unsatisfactory. Moreover, when the total amount of psicose and glucose and psicose is 100 parts by weight, it becomes a sweetener having the sweetness and taste of sugar at a ratio of 5 parts by weight or more, but obesity is prevented at a ratio of 10 parts by weight or more. Show the effect.

Various production methods are possible when the starting material is fructose-glucose liquid sugar, glucose, or starch.
For example, (1) Fructose dextrose liquid sugar is made from starch or glucose, and further ketose 3 epimerase is allowed to act to make psicose. (2) Glucose isomerase and ketose 3 epimerase are allowed to act on the degraded glucose liquid sugar obtained by decomposing starch in a mixed enzyme state.
(I) Method using a continuous plant (decomposed fructose glucose liquid sugar ⇒ ketose 3-epimerase)
(1) Preparation of Degraded Fructose Glucose Liquid Sugar Degraded Fructose Glucose Liquid Sugar is prepared from starch, such as corn, potato, or sweet potato, according to a standard method, and enzymes such as alpha amylase, glucoamylase, glucose isomerase, etc., immobilized or batched. Use to manufacture. The types of starch raw materials and enzymes used are not limited to the above. If necessary, glucose solution production by acid decomposition and isomerization using alkali may be performed.
(2) Manufacture of D-psicose from fructose glucose solution molasses solution The produced degradation isomerized sugar solution is allowed to continuously act on epimerase to produce a mixed sugar solution of glucose, fructose and psicose.

(II) Method using mixed enzyme (degraded glucose liquid sugar => glucose isomerase + ketose 3-epimerase)
An immobilized enzyme containing isomerase and epimerase is packed in a suitable column, and decomposed glucose liquid sugar is allowed to flow continuously to separate the reaction solution. In this case, it is also possible to use a mixed enzyme system in which the starting material is starch instead of glucose and alpha amylase and glucoamylase are further combined.

  In producing the sugar composition of the present invention, glucose isomerase is an enzyme that acts on glucose and partially converts it to fructose, and a purified enzyme may be used, or the enzyme may be a production microorganism. Furthermore, ketohexose 3-epimerase is an enzyme that isomerizes OH at the 3-position of ketohexose such as fructose, and D-tagatose 3-epimerase and D-psicose 3-epimerase are known (Patent Document 9: Pseudomonas genus). D-ketohexose 3-epimerase that can be obtained from bacteria belonging to No. 2, and Non-Patent Document 2). Further, it may be a purified enzyme, an immobilized enzyme on which the enzyme-producing microorganism is immobilized, or an immobilized microorganism.

  Further, when tagatose 3-epimerase as ketohexose 3-epimerase is allowed to act on an isomerized sugar having 42 parts by weight of fructose and 58 parts by weight of glucose as a constituent sugar, 58 parts by weight of glucose and 34 parts by weight of fructose are used. , 8 parts by weight of psicose is generated. However, when a mixed enzyme of glucose isomerase and tagatose 3-epimerase was allowed to act on glucose, a mixture of 41 parts by weight of glucose, 48 parts by weight of fructose and 11 parts by weight of psicose was unexpectedly obtained. Both mixtures were found to have sweetness and sweetness similar to sugar compared to conventional fructose-glucose liquid sugar. In addition, sweetness and taste can be adjusted by further adding fructose and glucose to these mixtures.

[D-psicose-containing sugar composition 2 that can be used as a sweetener as a food pest control agent]
Examples of the sugar composition containing D-psicose include D-psicose-containing isomerized sugar.
Among the sugar mixtures currently in practical use, liquid sugar composed of D-glucose and D-fructose called “isomerized sugar” is the most frequently used liquid sugar in the production of foods and drinks. . The isomerized sugar includes glucose fructose liquid sugar, fructose glucose liquid sugar, high fructose liquid sugar, etc., and these currently convert D-glucose (glucose) to D-fructose (fructose) by glucose isomerase. It is generically called an isomerized sugar because it is industrially used only in an isomerization reaction. Focusing on the physiological action of a specific hexose, the mixed sugar produced for the purpose of obtaining a sugar composition containing the specific hexose is a novel sugar composition. For example, D-psicose and D-psicose and D-psicose and D-psucose and D-psose and D-psose from D-psicose and D-allose are widely regarded as mixed sugars mainly composed of D-glucose and D-fructose as hexoses. When a conversion-type isomerized sugar containing allose is produced, a mixed sugar having a sugar composition different from the raw material sugar containing a predetermined amount of the intended hexose to be produced is a novel sugar composition.

  By determining the content of the target hexose for the carbohydrate content according to the type and degree of the target function, the mode of use, the amount used, etc., and processing it under the optimal production conditions for the purpose of obtaining it A mixed sugar having a desired composition can be produced. That is, an isomerized sugar, which is a mixed sugar mainly composed of D-glucose and D-fructose as a raw sugar, or a raw sugar liquid comprising D-glucose and / or D-fructose, a basic ion exchange resin, an alkali And an equilibrium reaction that converts D-glucose and D-fructose as raw sugars to the desired D-psicose and D-allose by treatment with a system containing at least one selected from the group consisting of calcium salts A saccharide composition containing D-psicose and D-allose having a saccharide composition different from that of the isomerized saccharide of the raw material by causing a certain isomerization reaction, the composition being 0.5 to A sugar composition containing 17.0% D-psicose and 0.2-10.0% D-allose can be produced (see Patent Document 10). The hexose composition is characterized by containing D-psicose and D-allose at the same time, and 1.0 to 15.0% D-psicose and 0.4 to 8.0 based on the carbohydrate content. Preferred is a composition comprising a composition containing 2% D-allose, and a composition comprising about 2.5-8.0% D-psicose and 1.5-5.0% D-allose. It is illustrated as the most preferable thing. A hexose composition in which D-psicose and D-allose coexist has a remarkable effect, and an unexpected synergistic effect is exhibited in contrast to the effect of D-psicose or D-allose alone. For example, an excellent effect is exhibited in the physiological effect. Such synergistic effects have been shown to have specific effects, particularly in terms of weight loss rate, body fat reduction rate and food consumption reduction rate. Furthermore, when a sugar composition containing D-psicose and D-allose is ingested, a decrease in blood glucose level and a decrease in insulin level are also observed. About the fall of the insulin level by a saccharide | sugar composition, it is an effect which was not known by the test which took D-psicose or D-allose independently until now.

In order for the sugar composition to exhibit the above-described excellent effects, the ratio of D-psicose and D-allose to the total carbohydrate is 0.5 to 15.0% for D-psicose, and 1.0% -15.0% is preferable, and 2.5-8% is the most preferable range. Moreover, in D-allose, it is 0.2-10.0%, Furthermore, 0.4-8.0% is preferable and 1.5-5.0% is the most preferable range.
The total amount of D-psicose and D-allose is 0.7 to 25.0%, and more preferably 1.0 to 20.0%. It is 0.7 to 25.0%, further preferably 1.4 to 23.0%, and most preferably 4.0 to 13.0%.

[Method of crystallization]
A sugar solution composed of the above-mentioned D-psicose-containing isomerized sugar can be crystallized by the following method (Patent Document 9).
I: Crystallization method at low temperature I- (1) Leave seed crystals at 5 ° C for several days without (or without) seeding, crystallize until crystal can be separated, and separate crystals by centrifugation Method.
I- (2) A method in which the whole sugar solution is solidified and crystallized into a sherbet state by putting (or without) seed crystals for a long time at about 5 ° C.
II: Method of adding D-glucose A method of solidifying and crystallizing the entire sugar solution by adding D-glucose to the sugar solution and placing the seeds (or without seeding) at room temperature or lower.
It is important to select these crystallization methods so as to suit the target crystal.

[Foods targeted by the food pest control agent of the present invention]
The present invention is directed to food pests related to food in general, and particularly relates to a food pest control technique applied to stored foods stored for a long time or for a long time. In the present invention, the stored food is preferably mainly intended for food that is stored in units of years or months, but the food pests of each period of the life cycle that transforms into eggs, larvae, and one adult. Depending on the length, it also includes foods that are stored for several days or longer. Examples of such stored foods include grains such as rice and beans; flour such as wheat flour and processed products such as noodles, bread and biscuits; and mixes for manufacturing processed products using flour as a raw material; Examples include dried animal foods such as beef jerky, dried plant foods such as dried shiitake, spices such as shichimi pepper, seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, mayonnaise, and ketchup.
More preferable foods are foods containing sugar, and examples thereof include foods related to confectionery. Specific examples of confectionery include Western cakes such as sponge cakes, butter cakes, shoe confectionery, fermented confectionery, fijutages, tart and tarrolet, waffles, struze, cooked confectionery; Part of butter cakes, fermented confectionery, tarts, tarlorets, candied; candy, chocolates, chewing gums, biscuits, and snacks.
In addition, Japanese confectionery includes hammered, pressed, hanged, baked, candy, fried, bean confectionery, rice confectionery; Steamed foods, grilled foods, flowing foods, kneaded foods, fried foods, etc. can be mentioned.

[Food Pest]
Commonly referred to as stored grain pests are those that spend their entire developmental stage in stored foods, most belonging to Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. In addition, natural enemies that prey on them and infest them may be found at the same time. Most of what are known as natural enemies are predatory stink bugs and small parasitoid bees. A common feature of stored pests is that they can be found in warehouses and other facilities that feed stored foods with extremely low water content and spread throughout the country as food is distributed. There are many things, and there are few that can be found outdoors.
Examples of stored food pests to be controlled by the present invention include beetles (Butterfly moths, beetles, beetles, beetles, scallops, beetles, beetles, beetles, beetles, etc.); Can be mentioned: mites (spotted mites), mushrooms, moths); ticks (cone mites); Specific examples of the mosquito, Shiratama, Shiratama, Shiramu, Ruri, Shiroi, Shiramu, Akasushi, Tokuboku, Kokozou, Shiramugi, Bakuga, Shiratama-shirame, Shiratama-shirame, Shiratama-shiratama-shirame Examples include, but are not limited to, Sugikonadameamega, Noshimemadarameiga, Kenagakonadani, Hiratachatamushi.

[Control of food pests of D-psicose]
Investigate the insecticidal action against 4 species of Coleoptera storage pests (Chylomoptera terrestris, Hirata Kunustomodoki, Ginsanshibanmushi, Bokuzoeushi) and 3 species of storage insects of the order Lepidoptera (Noshimemadarameiga, Suikokonadarameiga, Kaigaitsu Riga) An example of elucidating the insecticidal spectrum of D-psicose is described below.
As a result of breeding oyster mushrooms with wheat flour to which 0.1 to 5% D-psicose was added, it was confirmed that D-psicose strongly suppressed the growth of larvae although it did not show insecticidal activity against adults. . The growth inhibitory activity at 4% was 60% inhibition of larval growth. Therefore, when a follow-up test was conducted at a higher concentration, an extremely strong activity (0% hatching, 95% larval growth inhibition, 50% adult lethality after 2 months) was confirmed with 8% contamination. From this, subsequent tests were conducted at 4% or 8%.

As a result, in the flour added with 4% D-psicose, 24%, 56%, 40%, 32%, and 40% of the larvae of Nosamemadame, Sujikonadameaga, Shirokomenomemushi, and Ginsanbushimushi respectively. % Growth inhibitory activity was confirmed, and 8% confirmed growth inhibitory activity of 91%, 88%, 75%, and 82%.
Tests on potato crickets and weevil were conducted by applying D-psicose to the surface of brown rice. Although moth moths were found to have an inhibitory activity on adults (13%), no effect was observed on weevil. This was thought to be because the weevil larva injured the interior of brown rice and did not damage the treated surface of D-psicose. In addition, although oyster tsumugi bites the whole brown rice, it is estimated that the ratio of the surface-treated sugar to the whole is estimated to be about 0.5%, and the total content is small. Further processing was difficult due to the stickiness of the surface.
From the above results, it was found that for pest control with D-psicose, a high concentration treatment of about 8% is performed, and that an overall treatment is desirable instead of a local treatment. Furthermore, it has been found that foods containing about 8% of D-psicose are preferably applied to stored foods containing sweeteners such as biscuits and dry bread because they feel sweetness due to D-psicose.

  In order to control food pests with D-psicose of the present invention, it is important that D-psicose is brought into contact with food pests and taken into the body. As a result, pest control action is exhibited. The amount of D-psicose added to foods is 30% by weight or less, and preferably in the range of 1 to 12% by weight is suitable for utilizing the food pest control action. If it is 1% or less, the control effect is not sufficiently exhibited, and if it is more than 30% by weight, the added amount is too large to maintain the suitability as a food, and it is not economically preferable in view of the current price. A more preferable addition amount is 4 to 10% by weight, and most preferably 6 to 10% by weight.

  The present invention will be described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to the examples.

[Control of hiratakakunusutomodoki]
In the present example, the inhibitory effect of D-psicose on hiratake-kunusutomodoki was tested.
Hiratakokunusutomodoki is a world-famous kind of wheat pest, along with Kokunutomodoki, prefers wheat, corn, rice flour, etc. It is also known as a food pest that is often damaged by food because it is generated from flour, cereal waste, dried fruits and dried vegetables, and processed confectionery (such as biscuits).
The appearance of hiratakokunusutomodoki is 3-4mm in length, reddish brown, and is very similar to that of kokunusutomodoki, but the tip of the antenna is not thick, and it gradually becomes thicker toward the tip. When viewed from the abdominal surface, the compound eye is round and the distance between the left and right compound eyes is wider. Larvae reach 6 mm and have a pair of spinous processes at the tail tip. It is light yellow and the head and tail tips are tan. The cocoon has a body length of 3 to 4 mm, is milky white, and has a pair of long blades at the end.
Its life cycle is egg period 4.9 days, larva period 18.0 days, pupa period 6.1 days, adult life span is over 300 days, and growth temperature is 25-35 ° C.

[Test method]
The number of adults, moths, and larvae of the oyster mushroom after being fed for 2 months with 0.5 g of a diet made of wheat flour with a predetermined amount of D-psicose added to 8 adult moths of the moth mushroom was measured. The test was repeated three times, and the average number of heads is shown in Table 1 and FIG.

In Table 1 and FIG. 1, the test result of the test example which gave the food which added 0.25-4% of D-psicose and the comparative example which gave only wheat flour is shown. For adults, the average number of live and dead heads is shown. For the larvae, the number of live larvae is classified as large, medium, and small. Showed.
Feeding D-psicose slightly reduces the number of living adults. Moreover, it is clear from Table 1 that the number of surviving pupae and larvae is clearly reduced. In particular, it was clearly observed that the number of larvae surviving was reduced in the test examples given food containing 1 to 4% by weight of D-psicose. The decrease in the number of particularly large larvae is considered to indicate that D-psicose inhibits the long-term growth of larvae.

  According to Example 1, since it was found that the growth of H. pylori was inhibited by the diet to which 4% by weight of D-psicose was added, the effect of inhibiting the growth at a higher concentration was examined. Table 2 shows the results after feeding the wheat flour with 8% by weight of D-psicose and feeding for 2 months.

  The growth inhibitory effect of the diet containing 8% by weight of D-psicose is clearly shown in any of the adults, pupae and larvae, and it is effective against the adults that were less effective with the addition of 4% by weight. It was revealed that 5 or more of the 8 died. Also, from Table 2, the number of larvae surviving has decreased dramatically. This indicates that the number of hatching is greatly reduced due to the presence of D-psicose, or hardly grows to a large larva after hatching.

[Sujikonadarameiga]
It tested about the growth inhibitory effect of Aedes aegypti. FIG. 2 shows the results of weighing 10 larvae after 3 weeks of feeding a diet made of wheat flour containing 4% by weight of D-psicose together with 4 mg of a white scallop egg.
As for the appearance of the white-tailed moth, the length of the old larvae is 18 mm inside and outside, the head is brown, and the torso is reddish milky white. The adult has a body length of 10 to 15 mm, and is 21 mm inside or outside when the wings are spread, the front wing is gray, and the base side has a zigzag dark banded crest.
The common white moth is a pest commonly found in milling, milled rice, wheat, and feed mills, and often occurs in places where dust is collected, such as at the joints of factory pipelines or behind machines. The life cycle is 3 days for eggs, 22 days for larvae, 7 days for pupae and 12 days for adults.

In FIG. 2, D is a D-form, and the next alphabet is an acronym for a rare sugar, and indicates DF: D-fructose and DP: D-psicose. 8% and 4% indicate the sugar concentration in the diet.
From the results of this test (old larvae body length mm / head), it was confirmed that DP inhibits hatching of Japanese white moths or growth of larvae. In addition, DF showed no growth inhibitory effect at 8% by weight, but a remarkable growth inhibitory effect was found in the diet to which 8% by weight of DP was added. The lower part of FIG. 3 shows the results of examining the larvae body weight (mg / head) in the experiment of FIG. In other words, the vertical axis of the graph in the lower part of FIG. 3 represents the weight (mg) per 10 larvae (Sujikonadarameiga).

  Following the experiment of Example 3 (following the larval growth status survey), the number of emergence to adults was also investigated. As a result, as shown in the upper part of FIG. 3 (number of adult wings per 10 larvae) and FIG. 4, the emergence was 0 in 8% psicose, indicating that generation renewal was completely inhibited.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to treat a wide variety of insecticides by a simple method for cereals used as food raw materials and feed raw materials and foods using the same, and to effectively combat food pests. it can. It is possible to effectively prevent the generation of pests during the storage and distribution process of grains and processed foods and the resulting wear. In addition, D-psicose, which is harmless to humans and can be used as a sweetener, has a wide range of applications by allowing substitution or partial replacement of conventional food sweeteners. Thus, the present invention exhibits a pest control effect, so that conventional manufacturing equipment, storage equipment, and the like can be used as they are, and therefore, it is a useful invention that does not require extra equipment investment.

Claims (9)

  A food pest control agent comprising D-psicose as an active ingredient.   The pesticide for food pests according to claim 1, comprising a crystalline sugar composition containing D-psicose that can be used as a sweetener.   The food pest control agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the food pest is one or more selected from beetles, moths, mites, and scallops.   The food pest control agent according to claim 1, 2 or 3, which is used in a food containing a sweetener or a stored food.   The food pest control agent according to claim 4, wherein the food is a confectionery or a raw material powder for producing a confectionery. The food pest control agent according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is used by blending in a food so that the concentration of D-psicose is 1.0 to 12.0% by weight.   A method for controlling food pests in foods, which comprises adding the food pest control agent according to any one of claims 1 to 6 to foods.   The method for controlling food pests in foods according to claim 7, wherein the food is formulated so that the concentration of D-psicose is 1.0 to 12.0% by weight. The method for controlling food pests in a food according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the food is a food containing a sweetener or a stored food.