JP2016094586A - Modified curdlan polysaccharide thickener - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a modified curdlan polysaccharide thickener having improved gel strength and/or water retentivity, which, when curdlan is used as a polysaccharide thickener in the preparation of the foods and drinks, drugs, cosmetics, building materials or the like, can produce a preparation excellent in dispersibility and stability, even if the foods and drinks, drugs, cosmetics, building materials or the like are in a liquid state.SOLUTION: A polysaccharide thickener comprising curdlan is prepared so that its alkali dissolution viscosity is 45-150 mPa s when measured by an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer, which is defined as an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1), to provide a modified curdlan polysaccharide thickener having improved gel strength and/or water retentivity. The curdlan provides a modified curdlan polysaccharide thickener having improved gel strength and/or water retentivity and capable of producing a preparation excellent in dispersibility and stability even in a liquid state.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

  The present invention relates to a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide having improved gel strength and / or water retention, and more particularly to a curdlan prepared using an alkali dissolution viscosity under a predetermined condition as an index. Such modified curdlan can produce preparations with excellent dispersibility and stability even when foods and drinks, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics, or building materials are fluid liquid products. It is a curdlan with improved gel strength and / or water retention.

  Curdlan is a heat-coagulating β-1,3-glucan produced by microorganisms belonging to the genus Alkagenes or Agrobacterium, or microorganisms such as Euglena, food and drink, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics or building materials, etc. Is a thickening polysaccharide widely used as a thickener or gelling agent. In particular, in the production of foods, it is a thickening polysaccharide that is widely used as a thickener or gelling agent to improve its physical properties.

  In recent years, among various thickening polysaccharides, curdlan is widely used because of its performance and availability. In particular, in the field of processed foods, curdlan is used as a thickener or gelling agent for processed foods with good usability in the manufacture of processed foods because of its characteristic of having a thickening effect and gelling power. ing. Since the gel obtained by using curdlan has high gel strength and high water retention, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-287348 discloses abalone-like hardness and high gel strength. It is disclosed as a gelling agent that imparts an elastic texture to foods that enjoy a crispy texture.

  Further, in JP-A-8-252069 and JP-A-2004-173678, curdlan is used as a thickening agent for reducing water separation in the production of dessert gel food such as jelly and pudding. JP-A-2-79960, JP-A-8-256732, and JP-A-2006-109730 disclose the production of fish meat surimi and fish meat paste products, or sausage and ham processing in the case of drip (free water). ) Use as a thickener for prevention and water retention purposes.

  Due to its high gel strength, for example, curdlan has a problem that the gel strength becomes too high to maintain fluidity for the purpose of improving dispersibility of liquid products and the like. Sufficient dispersibility could not be obtained if the amount of curdlan added was reduced to reduce the gel strength of the liquid product. Similarly, for use purposes such as nursing foods, gel strength becomes too high at a concentration that can provide sufficient water retention, so in nursing foods that are required to be moderately soft The amount added was limited, and the effects such as water retention could not be exhibited sufficiently.

  When curdlan is used as a gelling agent for the production of gelled foods in an amount that can achieve an appropriate strength, other thickeners are added to improve water retention and water separation. A method is also disclosed. For example, in JP-A-8-252069, when using a heat-coagulating β-1,3 glucan such as curdlan as a food gelling agent, the heat-coagulating β-1,3-glucan aqueous solution is used. A method for improving water separation by using a gelling agent that contains a seaweed polysaccharide such as carrageenan, a plant seed gum such as guar gum, or a microbially produced thickening material such as xanthan gum and neutralizes the alkaline aqueous solution. However, JP-A No. 2004-173678 contains a thickener such as agar, carrageenan, and alginic acid so as to be 1% by weight or less, and the cooling rate from the start of gelation to the end of gelation is 3 ° C. / Min or less, a method for obtaining a low water separation gel-like composition is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-319048 as curdlan and microfibrous. Or the method of preventing the water separation of gelatinous food by using the gelatinizer for jelly-like foods containing the cellulose derivative like cellulose, such as cellulose like microcrystal cellulose or carboxymethylcellulose is disclosed. However, when other thickeners are added, there arises a problem that the heat resistance and freeze-thaw resistance, which are the characteristics of curdlan, are reduced.

  For the purpose of reducing gel strength and improving fluidity, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-210047 discloses a method for achieving the object by mixing a substance other than a thickener. In the method disclosed in the above document, the heat resistance, which is one of the characteristics of curdlan, tends to decrease due to the inclusion of insoluble microcrystalline powdered cellulose, etc. There's a problem.

  On the other hand, in the past, regarding the use of polysaccharides, examination of fragmentation has been performed. For example, JP 2005-110675 A discloses a low sugar and / or oligosaccharide obtained by hydrolyzing a polysaccharide of a thickening polysaccharide, a functional food material, a synthetic raw material for pharmaceuticals, a raw material for pharmaceutical compositions, Alternatively, use as a low sugar and / or oligosaccharide useful as a cosmetic material is disclosed. However, no consideration has been given to card runs. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-148201 discloses that curdlan is reduced in molecular weight (curdlan-oligolation) when used as an active ingredient of a composition for promoting fungal growth. In the above two reports, the degradation product is an oligosaccharide (2 to 10 sugar) size, the molecular size is extremely small, and the gelling power when the curdlan degradation product is used as a gelling agent and a thickening agent Does not retain water retention.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-79960. JP-A-8-252069. JP-A-8-256732. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-210047. JP 2002-218919 A. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-173678. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-110675. JP-A-2005-287348. JP 2006-109730 A. JP 2007-319048 A. JP 2009-148201 A.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide having improved gel strength and / or water retention, particularly in the preparation of food and drink, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics or building materials. When used as a thickening polysaccharide, even when the food and drink, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics or building materials are in a liquid state, it is possible to produce a preparation having excellent dispersibility and stability, Another object is to provide a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide with improved water retention.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present inventor, when using curdlan as a thickening polysaccharide, even when the food and drink, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics or building materials are in a liquid state, other than the thickener It is possible to adjust the gel strength of a thickened polysaccharide made of curdlan and ensure dispersibility or heat resistance without mixing substances, etc., and to produce a preparation with excellent gel strength, water retention and stability In an intensive study to provide a thickening polysaccharide comprising a possible curdlan, the thickening polysaccharide comprising a curdlan is subjected to alkaline dissolution viscosity of the thickening polysaccharide under the predetermined conditions shown in the present specification. It is possible to provide a thickening polysaccharide consisting of curdlan capable of producing a preparation with excellent gel strength, water retention and stability, by preparing so as to have a predetermined value. Heading the present invention It has been completed.

That is, the present invention relates to a thickening polysaccharide consisting of curdlan, wherein when measured by an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1) below, It consists of a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide with improved gel strength and / or water retention, characterized in that the dissolution viscosity is adjusted to 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s. Here, the alkali solution viscosity measuring method (1) in the present invention is defined as follows:
[To a 100 mL tall beaker, weigh 3 g of a sample curdlan with a water content of 10% or less, add 50 mL of pure water and stir for 30 minutes, then add 50 mL of 1.2N sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and stir for 30 minutes. Then, after completion of the stirring, leave in a water bath at 25 ° C. for 10 minutes, and leave the water bath in a B-type viscometer (BROOKFIELD LVDV-II + VISCOMETER / when the alkali dissolution viscosity is 100 mPa · s to 700 mPa · s: Spindle SC4- 31 or 27, rotation speed 30 rpm / alkali dissolution viscosity of less than 100 mPa · s: spindle SC4-21 or 18, rotation speed 30 rpm), the viscosity when the viscosity is measured is defined as the alkali dissolution viscosity. ]

  Conventionally, especially when curdlan is used for dispersibility purposes such as products in a liquid state, the gel strength becomes too high and it is difficult to adjust the gel strength. In addition, the gel strength becomes too high at a concentration at which sufficient water retention can be obtained, or the amount of addition is limited, or the gel strength is lowered to reduce the fluidity. As a method for improving, when mixing the substance other than the thickener and the like, the heat resistance which is one of the characteristics of the curdlan is lowered. However, by using the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide of the present invention, it is possible to adjust the gel strength of the thickening polysaccharide and ensure dispersibility or heat resistance, and to disperse the product in a liquid state. Even when curdlan is used, it is possible to provide a preparation with excellent gel strength, water retention and stability.

In the present invention, the improvement of the gel strength of the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide is determined by the gel strength measurement method defined below as the gel strength measurement method (2). gel strength is improved to be a cm ² or less. Here, the gel strength measurement method (2) in the present invention is defined as follows: [After the test gel is stored at room temperature (20 ° C.) for 15 hours, it is taken out from the casing and the test gel is 20 mm thick. The test gel was cut into pieces, and the rupture strength of the gel was measured under the following conditions using a creep meter (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.). Ask for:
Sample: Test gel plunger cut to 20 mm thickness: Cylindrical compression speed of 8 mm in diameter: 1 mm / sec
Compression rate: 99%
(Formula) Breaking strength (N / cm ² ) = (Breaking load) / (Plunger area)]

In the present invention, the water retention improvement of the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide is determined by measuring the water separation rate when the water separation rate measurement / calculation method (3) defined below is used. Water retention is improved so that the rate is 15% or less. Here, the water separation rate measurement / calculation method (3) in the present invention is defined as follows: [After the test gel is stored in a casing for 15 hours at room temperature (20 ° C.), Measure the weight. Remove the gel and measure the weight of the casing after removing the gel. The weight of the gel is measured by removing the weight of the casing from the total weight, and the water separation is measured by removing the weight of the gel and the weight of the casing from the total weight. The water separation rate is calculated based on the following formula, and is obtained as an average value of three or more samples.
(Formula) Water separation rate (%) = (Water separation amount / Gel weight) × 100]

  In the water separation rate measurement / calculation method, the test gel is obtained by the following method: [Using a household mixer, 392 g of water and 8 g of curdlan are stirred, degassed under reduced pressure (10 mmHg or less), and dispersion liquid Get. The obtained dispersion liquid is filled into a casing tube (diameter 30 mm, length 150 mm). The dispersion filled in the casing is heated with boiling water for 30 minutes and cooled to obtain a test gel. ]

  In the present invention, the polysaccharide thickener comprising curdlan is prepared by alkaline decomposition, acid decomposition, or enzymatic decomposition of curdlan.

  The present invention relates to a method for producing a thickening polysaccharide comprising a curdlan, wherein the alkali is measured when measured by the alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as the alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1). The invention includes an invention of a method for producing a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide with improved gel strength and / or water retention, wherein the dissolution viscosity is adjusted to 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s. The preparation can be performed, for example, by alkaline decomposition, acid decomposition, or enzymatic decomposition of curdlan.

  In the present invention, when a thickening polysaccharide comprising curdlan is measured by an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as the alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1), the alkali dissolution viscosity is The invention includes a method for improving the gel strength and / or water retention of a thickening polysaccharide comprising a curdlan, which is prepared so as to be 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s. The preparation can be performed by alkaline decomposition, acid decomposition, or enzymatic decomposition of curdlan.

  This invention includes invention of the food-drinks itself prepared using the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide of this invention.

  That is, the present invention specifically relates to [1] thickening polysaccharide consisting of curdlan, alkali dissolution viscosity measurement using a B-type viscometer defined as alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1) in the specification. Modified curdlan thickening polysaccharides prepared by adjusting the alkali dissolution viscosity to 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s when measured by the method, and [2] thickening polysaccharides comprising curdlan Relates to the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide according to [1] above, wherein the preparation is by alkaline decomposition, acid decomposition, or enzymatic decomposition of curdlan.

  The present invention also relates to a method for producing a thickening polysaccharide comprising [3] curdlan, wherein an alkali solution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as an alkali solution viscosity measurement method (1) in the specification. And a method for producing a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide, wherein the alkali dissolution viscosity is 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s, and [4] an increase comprising curdlan. In the case of a viscous polysaccharide, when measured by an alkali solution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as an alkali solution viscosity measurement method (1) in the specification, the alkali solution viscosity is 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s. a method for improving the gel strength and / or water retention of a thickening polysaccharide comprising curdlan, characterized by being prepared to be s, and [5] the modification described in [1] or [2] above A thickener or a food or drink prepared using a dolan thickening polysaccharide, or [6] the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide described in [1] or [2] above, It relates to a gelling agent.

  The present invention, when using curdlan as a thickening polysaccharide, can achieve low gel strength and high water retention even when the food and drink, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics or building materials are in a liquid state, Provided is a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide with improved gel strength and / or water retention, which can produce a preparation with excellent stability.

  In the thickening polysaccharide consisting of curdlan, the present invention has an alkali solution viscosity when measured by an alkali solution viscosity measuring method using a B-type viscometer defined as the alkali solution viscosity measuring method (1). Modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide with improved gel strength and / or water retention, characterized in that it is prepared to be 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s, its production method, and the modified curdlan Consists of foods using thickening polysaccharides.

  In the present invention, curdlan is a heat-coagulable polysaccharide mainly composed of β-1,3-glucoside bonds and is insoluble in water. Curdlan is a heat-coagulating β-1,3-glucan produced by microorganisms belonging to the genus Alkagenes or Agrobacterium, or microorganisms such as Euglena. As specific production strains, curdlan is Alkaligenes faecalis var. Myxogenes strain 10C3K [Agricultural Biological Chemistry, Vol. 30, p. 196 (1966)], Alkaligenes faecalis. Bark myxogenes (Alcaligenes faeccalis Var. Myxogenes) Mutant strain NTK-u (IFO13140) (Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-32673) of strain 10C3K, Agrobacterium radiobacter (IFO131277) and its mutant U-19 (IFO13126) ) (Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-32684). Commercially available curdlan can also be used as a raw material. In the 8th edition Japan Food Additives Official Code, curdlan indicates a loss on drying of 10% or less (60 ° C., reduced pressure, 5 hours). The same applies to the above official documents.

  In the present invention, the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide has an alkali solution viscosity when measured by an alkali solution viscosity measuring method using a B-type viscometer defined as the alkali solution viscosity measuring method (1), The curdlan is 45 mPa · s to 150 mPa · s, preferably 45 to 130 mPa · s. When the curdlan having the specific alkali dissolution viscosity is contained in a solution or food or drink, a curdlan capable of realizing low gel strength and high water retention can be achieved.

  In the present invention, examples of the method for preparing curdlan include alkaline decomposition, acid decomposition, and enzymatic decomposition of curdlan. In addition, the bacterial species and production conditions for producing curdlan may be set, or it may be realized by cutting a curdlan with high alkali dissolution viscosity with enzyme, acid, alkali, etc. good. For example, alkaline decomposition, acid decomposition, enzymatic decomposition (for example, by glucanase etc.), or a combination thereof can be mentioned.

  The alkali dissolution viscosity is measured by the alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as the alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1). That is, [Weigh 3 g of a sample curdlan having a water content of 10% or less in a 100 mL tall beaker, add 50 mL of pure water, stir for 30 minutes, and then add 50 mL of 1.2N sodium hydroxide aqueous solution. Stir for a minute, and after completion of stirring, leave in a water bath at 25 ° C. for 10 minutes, and remain in the water bath. SC4-31 or 27, rotation speed 30 rpm / alkali dissolution viscosity less than 100 mPa · s: spindle SC4-21 or 18, rotation speed 30 rpm), the viscosity when the viscosity is measured is defined as the alkali dissolution viscosity. ]

(Method for preparing test gel)
In the method for measuring alkali dissolution viscosity of the present invention, the test gel is prepared by the following method: Using a household mixer, 392 g of water and 8 g of curdlan are stirred, and then degassed under reduced pressure (10 mmHg or less). A dispersion is obtained. The obtained dispersion liquid is filled into a casing tube (diameter 30 mm, length 150 mm). The dispersion filled in the casing is heated with boiling water for 30 minutes and cooled to obtain a test gel.

In the present invention, when the gel strength using the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide is measured by the gel strength measurement method defined as the gel strength measurement method (2), the gel strength is 2.5 N / It is improved to be a cm ² or less. That is, the gel strength measurement is performed as follows:
[After the test gel was stored at room temperature (20 ° C.) for 15 hours, the test gel was removed from the casing, the test gel was cut to a thickness of 20 mm, and the cut test gel was used with a creep meter (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.) Then, the breaking strength of the gel is measured under the following conditions, the value is taken as the gel strength, and the average value of 5 samples or more is obtained:
Sample: Test gel plunger cut to 20 mm thickness: Cylindrical compression speed of 8 mm in diameter: 1 mm / sec
Compression rate: 99%
(Formula) Breaking strength (N / cm ² ) = (Breaking load) / (Plunger area)]

In the present invention, the improvement in water retention of the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide is determined by the water separation rate measurement / calculation method defined by the water separation rate measurement / calculation method (3). The rate is improved to be 15% or less. That is, the water separation rate measurement / calculation method (3) is performed as follows:
[After the test gel is stored in a casing at room temperature (20 ° C.) for 15 hours, the total weight including the casing is measured. Remove the gel and measure the weight of the casing after removing the gel. The weight of the gel is measured by removing the weight of the casing from the total weight, and the water separation is measured by removing the weight of the gel and the weight of the casing from the total weight. The water separation rate is calculated based on the following formula, and is obtained as an average value of three or more samples.
(Formula) Water separation rate (%) = (Water separation amount / Gel weight) × 100]
In addition, in this specification, when there is no notice in particular, a water separation rate shows the average value of 3 samples.

As described above, in the water separation rate measurement / calculation method, the test gel is obtained by the following method:
[A household mixer is used to stir 392 g of water and 8 g of curdlan, and then degassed under reduced pressure (10 mmHg or less) to obtain a dispersion. The obtained dispersion liquid is filled into a casing tube (diameter 30 mm, length 150 mm). The dispersion filled in the casing is heated with boiling water for 30 minutes and cooled to obtain a test gel. ].

  When the polysaccharide thickener comprising the modified curdlan of the present invention is used for the preparation of various products, it is known that it is used for the preparation of the various products as long as the properties of the modified curdlan are not changed. These secondary materials and additives can be used in combination.

  For example, the curdlan of the present invention may be formulated by mixing other substances as sub-materials, and can be appropriately selected and set according to the purpose of use. For example, proteins derived from alkaline agents, plants, animals, microorganisms, etc., and starches derived from wheat, potato, corn, tapioca and the like are preferably used because they can be used in various foods and drinks.

  The alkaline agent is not particularly limited as long as it can be used for food and drink, phosphates such as trisodium phosphate and tripotassium phosphate, sodium hydroxide, calcined calcium, calcium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and the like. Any solution can be used as long as the solution is alkaline. The alkali agent may not be subjected to treatment such as coating.

  Examples of the protein include wheat-derived protein, soybean protein, corn protein, and the like as plant-derived protein, preferably wheat gluten which is wheat protein. Preferred examples of wheat gluten include active gluten such as modified wheat gluten with improved water solubility. Examples of animal-derived proteins include whey protein, casein, egg white protein, egg protein such as egg yolk protein, muscle protein such as meat protein and fish protein, gelatin, collagen and the like. Examples of the protein derived from microorganisms include proteins derived from yeast cells. The protein may be hydrolyzed by a chemical method or an enzymatic method, or may be modified.

Other ingredients include sugar, sugar syrup, sugars such as dextrin, xanthan gum, guar gum, tamarind seed gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan, glucomannan, gum arabic, caraya gum, psyllium seed gum, gellan gum, tara gum, pullulan, pectin, sodium alginate , Thickening polysaccharides such as water-soluble soybean polysaccharide, wheat flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour, rye flour, barley flour, wheat flour, millet flour, corn flour, corn flour, pectin, agarose, rice cake (glucomannan) ), Dietary fibers such as sodium alginate and carrageenan, metal salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride and calcium chloride, polymerized phosphates such as sodium pyrophosphate, sodium metaphosphate and sodium polyphosphate, glycerin fatty acid ester , Emulsifiers or emulsion stabilizers such as sorbitan fatty acid ester, propylene glycol fatty acid ester, sucrose fatty acid ester, lecithin, saponin, sodium caseinate, xanthan gum, psyllium seed gum, carboxymethylcellulose, preservatives such as propionic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid Coloring agents such as sodium nitrite can be mentioned, and various components that can be contained in food and drink can be included.

  The modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide of the present invention can be used as a gelling agent or thickening agent for products in various fields such as food and drink, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics or building materials, chemicals, etc. It is possible to produce a preparation with excellent dispersibility and stability that can achieve low gel strength and high water retention even when the food, drink, pharmaceutical / cosmetics, building materials, chemicals, etc. are in a liquid state. Possible thickening polysaccharides with improved gel strength and / or water retention are provided.

  For example, in the case of food and drink, meat sausage, hamburger, minced ball and other meat paste products, kamaboko, fried kamaboko, bamboo rings, hampen, fish sausage and other seafood products, noodles, gyoza, shumai and other prepared dishes, fried chicken And various foods and beverages such as batters such as fried shrimp, seasonings such as dressing, mayonnaise, noodle soup, sauce, sauce and soup, and nursing food such as gel and sol. In particular, the curdlan of the present invention can be used for the purpose of dispersion and stability of liquid substances such as dressings and drippings, sauces, etc. containing fats and oils and granular materials because of their properties.

  In the case of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide of the present invention can be used for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics such as liquids, creams, capsules, granules, and powders. It can be used stably and effectively.

  In the case of building materials, the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide of the present invention can be used for building materials, for example, for the purpose of dispersing or stabilizing cement during concrete molding.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention more concretely, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to these illustrations. Unless otherwise specified, the following% indicates W / W%.

(Preparation of modified curdlan)
Product name “Currlan” (MC Food Specialties Co., Ltd., alkali dissolution viscosity 610 mPa · s) is reacted with an enzyme (glucanase), the enzyme is deactivated, and after centrifugation, the loss on drying is 10% or less. Dried to get a prototype card run. By adjusting the reaction time of the enzymatic decomposition, a curdlan of each test product having an alkali dissolution viscosity of 39.7 mPa · s to 189.9 mPa · s was prepared. The curdlan of the test product was examined for gel strength, water separation rate, gel state, heat resistance, and freeze-thaw resistance.

(result)
The results are shown in Table 1. As a control, curdlan that was not subjected to enzymatic degradation was used. The measurement method of alkali viscosity, gel strength, and water separation rate was based on the measurement method defined in the specification. The gel state was stored at room temperature (20 ° C.) for 15 hours, then taken out of the casing and observed. Heat resistance is from the state when the prepared test gel is heated in a steam convection oven for 10 minutes at 100 ° C. for 10 minutes, and freeze-thaw resistance is −20 ° C. or lower and stored for 12 hours or longer. Then, the running water was thawed and the state was classified according to the following criteria.

<Heat resistance>
A: The gel state is well maintained.
○: The gel state is almost maintained, but liquefaction due to heating is slightly observed.
X: The gel state cannot be maintained by heating.

<Freeze-thaw resistance>
A: The gel state is well maintained.
○: The gel state is almost maintained, but liquefaction due to freezing is slightly observed.
X: The gel state cannot be maintained by freezing.

  As shown in Table 1, the results are as follows. Test products 2 to 7 whose alkali solution viscosity was adjusted to 46.7, 55.0, 82.0, 98.5, 107.5, 126.9 mPa · s were obtained. The gel strength was less than half that of the control curdlan, but the water separation rate was equal to or less than that of the control. A gel with low gel strength and low water separation rate could be formed without any problems with respect to heat resistance, freeze-thaw resistance, and gel state.

(Preparation of prototype food “seasoning”)
Using the curdlan additive-free section, the prototype 2 prepared in Example 1, the modified curdlan of Prototype 5 and the curdlan used in the control of Example 1 (control card run), Table 2 A dressing-like seasoning was prepared by blending. The blended ingredients were placed in a beaker, stirred and mixed, and heated to 85 ° C. Then, it cooled and prepared the dressing-like seasoning.

  About the cooled seasonings 1-7, the dispersion | distribution state of coarsely ground pepper, the appearance, etc. were confirmed. The results are shown in Table 3.

  As shown in Table 3, seasoning 1 in the curdlan-free area showed sedimentation of coarsely ground pepper, whereas in seasonings with added curdlan, coarsely ground pepper did not settle, and seasoning It was dispersed inside. Further, in seasonings 2 and 3, gel was seen on the top surface of seasoning, but in seasonings 4 to 7, it was not seen.

(Preparation of prototype food "jelly")
A jelly was prepared using the modified curdlan of Prototype 5 of Example 1. Using the raw materials having the composition shown in Table 4, after stirring and mixing, the container was filled, sealed, heated at 95 ° C. for 15 minutes, and then cooled. When the cooled jelly was frozen and then thawed, the appearance was confirmed. For comparison, jelly was prepared in the same manner using the curdlan (control curdlan) used in Example 1, which was not subjected to enzymatic degradation, agar, egg white, and gellan gum, with the composition shown in Table 4. The results are shown in Table 5.

  As shown in Table 5, Jelly 1-3 could maintain the jelly shape, but Jelly 4-6 could not maintain the jelly shape.

(Reheating the jelly)
Hardness stress was measured using Jelly 1-3 prepared in Example 3 and maintaining the shape of the jelly. The hardness stress was measured using a creep meter (manufactured by Yamaden Co., Ltd.). The temperature of the sample at the time of measurement was 20 ± 2 ° C. The samples of Jelly 1 to 3 were compressed with a resin plunger having a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 8 mm to a compression speed of 10 mm / second and 30% of the thickness, and the values were measured. The value was defined as hardness stress.

As a result of the measurement, the hardness stresses of the jelly 1 were 0.24 N / cm ² , the jelly 2 was 0.37 N / cm ² , and the jelly 3 was 0.21 N / cm ² . The jelly 1 and 3 having the same strength were heated in a microwave oven (output 500 W) for 4 minutes, and then the shape was confirmed. The jelly 1 was dissolved and the shape was broken by heating. Jelly 3 was able to maintain its shape even after heating.

(Preparation of prototype food “Kashiwa”)
A 3 minute meal was prepared using 2% by weight of the modified curdlan of Prototype 5 prepared in Example 1. It was thick and easy to swallow.

(Confirmation of texture difference due to temperature)
The jelly 1 to 3 described in Example 3 were stored frozen for 1 month. After storage, each sample was thawed with running water, and kept warm in a thermostatic bath at 25 ° C. and 65 ° C. for 90 minutes, respectively.
In addition, 65 degreeC is generally the minimum temperature required when food is kept warm, and 25 degreeC is a temperature set on the assumption that it is cooled over time after the heat preservation. After the heat insulation, appearance evaluation and sensory evaluation were performed.
The evaluation criteria for appearance evaluation are as follows:
A: The gel state is well maintained.
○: The gel state is almost maintained, but liquefaction due to heat is slightly observed.
X: The gel state cannot be maintained by heat.
The results are shown in Table 6.

  As shown in Table 6, jelly 1 obtained using 0.5% curdlan dissolves when kept at 65 ° C, whereas jelly 2 obtained using 1% curdlan and prototype The jelly 3 obtained using 1% of 5 did not dissolve and kept the gel state. However, the jelly 2 was soft at 65 ° C., but was slightly hard at 25 ° C., which reproduced the state of being cooled from the heat retention. On the other hand, the jelly 3 using the prototype had no significant change in hardness between 65 ° C. and 25 ° C., and both were soft.

The present invention, when using curdlan as a thickening polysaccharide, can achieve low gel strength and high water retention even when the food and drink, pharmaceuticals / cosmetics or building materials are in a liquid state, Provided is a modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide with improved gel strength and / or water retention, which can produce a preparation with excellent stability.

Claims (6)

  When a thickening polysaccharide comprising a curdlan is measured by an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1) in the specification, the alkali dissolution viscosity is 45 mPa · Modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide prepared by adjusting to s to 150 mPa · s.   The modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide according to claim 1, wherein the thickening polysaccharide comprising curdlan is prepared by alkaline decomposition, acid decomposition, or enzymatic decomposition of curdlan.   In the method for producing a thickening polysaccharide comprising curdlan, when measured by an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1) in the specification, an alkali dissolution viscosity However, it prepares so that it may become 45mPa * s-150mPa * s, The manufacturing method of the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide characterized by the above-mentioned.   In a thickening polysaccharide consisting of curdlan, when measured by an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method using a B-type viscometer defined as an alkali dissolution viscosity measurement method (1) in the specification, the alkali dissolution viscosity is 45 mPa -The improvement method of the gel strength of the thickening polysaccharide which consists of curdlan characterized by preparing so that it may become s-150mPa * s, and / or water retention.   Food-drinks prepared using the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide according to claim 1 or 2. A thickener or a gelling agent comprising the modified curdlan thickening polysaccharide according to claim 1 or 2.