JP2020156434A - Cacao raw material and oil-in-water food - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cacao raw material that sufficiently exhibits a cacao flavor when blended in frozen dessert such as ice cream, and can suppress an undesirable flavor including an acid odor.SOLUTION: In a heated cacao raw material containing oils and fats of 10 mass% or more, a mass ratio between acetic acid and pyrazine is 2:1-1:2 as a flavor component ratio.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to a cacao raw material obtained from cacao beans and a method for producing the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a cacao raw material suitable for oil-in-water foods and a method for producing the same. The present invention also relates to an oil-in-water food containing a cacao raw material.

Conventionally, cacao raw materials have been used in the production of chocolate-flavored confectionery. For example, frozen desserts such as ice cream, chilled desserts such as pudding, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and the like are also provided with products containing the cacao raw materials. There is.

By the way, since the cacao raw material usually undergoes a fermentation step, it contains an organic acid such as acetic acid as a component thereof. Organic acids such as acetic acid in cacao raw materials are important components from the viewpoint of reducing bitterness and astringency.
By the way, in foods, organic acids such as acetic acid are useful from the viewpoint of food storage stability, but sourness, especially acidity derived from acetic acid, may not be preferable, and attempts have been made to reduce sourness while containing acetic acid. Has been done.
Patent Document 1 describes that a water-in-oil emulsified composition such as margarine or butter, which does not require an acetic acid flavor, has a flavor as if it were putrefactive. Then, in order to provide a water-in-oil emulsified fat that does not make the flavor and sourness of vinegar or acetic acid felt on the tongue while improving the storage stability by blending vinegar or acetic acid, a specific organic acid or organic acid salt is blended. It is stated that it should be done.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-25493

The present inventors have faced the following problems while developing frozen desserts, chilled desserts, etc. that can give a rich cacao and chocolate feeling from the viewpoint of users' high-class orientation in confectionery in recent years.
In the production of foods that are oil-in-water foods such as ice cream and chocolate sauce, when cacao raw materials are mixed with water-based raw materials and sterilized by heating, the water-soluble components contained in the cacao raw materials are used as the food is heated. It was revealed that certain acetic acid was eluted in the aqueous phase and produced an unfavorable flavor. On the other hand, this study also revealed that many of the aroma and taste components that form the cacao flavor are fat-soluble. In addition, since the amount is not so large, there is almost no elution into the aqueous phase, so that the oil-in-water type food produced has an unfavorable flavor due to acetic acid, but does not have a cacao feeling. ..
Here, the inventors have also tried to increase the amount of cacao raw material used, but there are problems in terms of physical properties such as high viscosity, and problems such as an increase in flavor caused by acetic acid and a decrease in cacao feeling. was there.

Therefore, the present invention sufficiently imparts a cacao feeling when used in foods eaten at 10 ° C. or lower, for example, in oil-in-water foods such as ice cream and chilled desserts and chocolate sauce and whipped cream. At the same time, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cacao raw material capable of suppressing the development of an unfavorable flavor caused by acetic acid. An object of the present invention is to provide a cacao raw material suitable as a raw material for frozen desserts such as ice cream, which makes it difficult to feel a cacao feeling under freezing when eating.

As a result of diligent research and development by the present inventors, when a cacao raw material in which the mass ratio of acetic acid and pyrazines is within a specific range as an aroma component ratio is used for an oil-in-water food such as ice cream, We have found that it is suitable for imparting a rich cacao feeling, and completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
It is a heated cacao raw material containing 10% by mass or more of fats and oils, and the cacao raw material has a mass ratio of acetic acid and pyrazines of 2: 1 to 1: 2 as an aroma component ratio.
When the cacao raw material having the aroma component ratio of acetic acid and pyrazines in the above range is processed into an oil-in-water type food, the unfavorable flavor caused by acetic acid is hard to be felt, and a rich cacao feeling can be imparted. Therefore, it is possible to impart a cacao feeling and a chocolate feeling that could not be realized so far to the oil-in-water type food.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cacao raw material contains 0.11 to 0.44 parts by mass of acetic acid with respect to 1 part by mass of theobromine.
The cacao raw material in which the ratio of theobromine and acetic acid is in the above range contains an appropriate amount of acetic acid, and has a good balance with other flavor components contained in the cacao raw material. Therefore, by using the cacao raw material in an oil-in-water type food, it is possible to feel the richness of cacao.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cacao raw material has an acidity of 1.0 to 3.5% by mass when 2% by mass of the cacao raw material is suspended in water at 40 ° C.
When the acidity of the cacao raw material dispersed in water is within the above range, the cacao feeling is increased in balance with other flavor components contained in the cacao raw material when blended in an oil-in-water type food.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mass ratio of acetic acid to isovaleric acid is 2: 1 to 1: 3 as an aroma component ratio.
By using cacao ingredients in such a range for oil-in-water foods, a rich cacao flavor can be felt.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mass ratio of acetic acid to phenethyl alcohol is 4: 1 to 1: 2 as an aroma component ratio.
By using cacao ingredients in such a range for oil-in-water foods, a rich cacao flavor can be felt.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the content of free amino acids per 100 g of cacao raw material is 200 to 500 mg.
By setting the content of free amino acids within the above range, the richness of cacao can be improved when blended in oil-in-water foods.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cacao raw material is for use in an oil-in-water drop-type food that is eaten at 10 ° C. or lower. Examples of such foods include chilled foods and frozen foods.
Here, "eating at 10 ° C. or lower" means that the product is stored in a refrigerated or frozen environment at 10 ° C. or lower and is eaten in a state where the product temperature at the time of storage is generally maintained.
By using the cacao raw material in an oil-in-water oil-drop type food that is eaten under chilled foods such as chilled desserts and frozen foods such as ice cream, the above-mentioned effects can be fully exhibited.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is an oil-in-water food product containing 1 to 20% by mass of the cacao raw material and having a pH of the food product at that time of 5.2 to 6.5.
By setting the blending amount of the cacao raw material and the pH of the food in the above range, the balance with the flavor component contained in the cacao raw material is improved, and an oil-in-water type food capable of sufficiently feeling the cacao feeling is provided. ..

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the water activity of the oil-in-water food is 0.75 to 0.99.
By applying the cacao raw material to a food containing a certain amount of free water, the above-mentioned action and effect are fully exhibited.
Further, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the oil-in-water type food is a food that is eaten at 10 ° C. or lower.
Further, as such foods, chilled foods such as chilled desserts and frozen foods such as frozen desserts are preferably mentioned.
This is because chilled foods and frozen foods are eaten at low temperatures, so that the cacao flavor is hard to feel, but the acetic acid flavor is easy to feel. Therefore, by applying the cacao raw material to the frozen dessert, the above-mentioned action and effect are fully exhibited.

By using the cacao raw material of the present invention, when blended in frozen desserts such as ice cream, whipped cream and pudding used in chilled desserts, and oil-in-water foods such as chocolate sauce, a rich cacao feeling and chocolate An underwater oil-type food that can be felt is provided.

(1) Cacao Raw Material In the present invention, the cacao raw material refers to a food raw material obtained from cacao beans and substantially composed of cacao-derived components.
Specifically, the cacao raw material contains a food raw material obtained by subjecting cacao beans to at least one of roasting, crushing and defatting, and roasted cacao beans, cacao nibs, cacao mass, cacao paste and cocoa. Contains powder.

The cacao raw material of the present invention contains 10% by mass or more of fats and oils (cocoa butter). The upper limit of the content of fats and oils is about 55% by mass from the viewpoint of the content of fats and oils in ordinary cacao beans.

The cacao raw material of the present invention contains acetic acid. Acetic acid is produced by fermentation of cocoa beans and plays an important role in the flavor formation of cocoa beans.

The cacao raw material of the present invention has a mass ratio of acetic acid and pyrazines of 2: 1 to 1: 2, preferably 1: 1 to 1: 2, as an aroma component ratio.
In the present invention, the aroma component ratio of acetic acid and pyrazines is represented by the ratio of the values measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The measuring method will be described later in Examples.
Acetic acid is contained in the cocoa raw material not only in the form of a free form but also in the form of salts and other derivatives, and the measured values of these acetic acids are volatile under the measurement conditions of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It can be defined as targeting things.
The cacao raw material in which the mass ratio of pyrazines to acetic acid is in the above range as the aroma component ratio reduces the unfavorable flavor caused by acetic acid and makes the roasted flavor of pyrazines stand out when blended and processed in oil-in-water foods. .. The top cacao flavor when eating an oil-in-water type food, the residue after the cacao flavor, and the richness of the cacao are excellent, and a rich cacao feeling can be felt as a whole.
If the ratio of acetic acid is too small, the unfavorable flavor of acetic acid is reduced, but the astringency and bitterness of pyrazines become conspicuous, and the cacao feeling cannot be felt as a whole. On the other hand, when the ratio of acetic acid is too large, the roasted flavor of pyrazines is not felt, the sourness becomes conspicuous, and the cacao feeling cannot be felt as a whole.
In the present specification, the "top cocoa flavor" means the cocoa flavor that is felt immediately after the underwater oil type food is put in the mouth, and the "residual after the cocoa flavor" means that the cocoa flavor is the underwater oil type food. It means that it lasts even after eating.
The cacao flavor is a concept that includes not only the aroma derived from cacao but also the astringency, bitterness, and richness derived from cacao.

The content of acetic acid in the cacao raw material of the present invention may be in the range produced by the fermentation conditions usually adopted for cacao beans, but is preferably 0.11 to 0.44 mass with respect to 1 part by mass of theobromine. Parts, more preferably 0.12 to 0.43 parts by mass, and more preferably 0.15 to 0.4 parts by mass.
Here, theobromine is a component having a bitter taste contained in cacao beans, and is a component that hardly disappears even after being subjected to treatments such as fermentation, heating, and crushing of cacao beans. Therefore, the flavor component in the cacao raw material. It can be used as a reference value for specifying the content.
Here, the masses of theobromine and acetic acid contained in the cacao raw material can be measured by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The measuring method will be described later in Examples. That is, the content of acetic acid here can be defined as including the content of acetic acid existing in a non-volatile form.

The cacao raw material having an acetic acid content in the above range with respect to theobromine enhances the cacao flavor when blended with frozen foods such as ice cream and oil-in-water foods such as whipped cream, chocolate syrup and pudding used for chilled desserts. It can stand up, give a rich cacao feeling, and give a chocolate feeling.

The content of acetic acid in the cacao raw material of the present invention is preferably 0.4 to 0.8 g, more preferably 0.5 to 0.7 g, per 100 g of cacao fat when the cacao raw material is cacao mass. , More preferably 0.5 to 0.6 g.
The content of acetic acid in the cacao raw material of the present invention is preferably 1.0 to 5.0 g, more preferably 1.2 to 4. per 100 g of cacao fat when the cacao raw material is cocoa powder. It is 5 g, more preferably 1.3 to 3.7 g.
Here, the cacao fat content can be measured by the Soxhlet extraction method, and acetic acid is a value measured by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

The content of pyrazines in the cacao raw material of the present invention is preferably 0.01 to 0.09 parts by mass, more preferably 0.02 to 0.09 parts by mass, and more preferably 0, based on 100 parts by mass of theobromine. It is .04 to 0.09 parts by mass, particularly preferably 0.05 to 0.09 parts by mass.
Pyrazines refer to compounds that contain a pyrazine structure in the molecule. Pyrazines exhibit roasted flavor, which is a major component of cocoa flavor. Examples of pyrazines include dimethylpyrazine, ethylmethylpyrazine, trimethylpyrazine, ethyldimethylpyrazine and tetramethylpyrazine.
Here, the content of pyrazines can be measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In addition, theobromine content can be measured by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The ratio is represented by the content of pyrazines measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with respect to the content of theobromine measured by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Further, in the cacao raw material of the present invention, the acidity of the suspension when the cacao raw material is suspended in water at 40 ° C. at 2% by mass is preferably 1.0 to 3.5% by mass, more preferably 1. It is 2 to 3.2% by mass. Here, the acidity is measured by titrating the suspension with a 0.1 ml / L sodium hydroxide solution and calculating acetic acid as a conversion value from the amount of the sodium hydroxide solution required to reach pH 8.2. can do.

In the cacao raw material of the present invention, the content of free amino acids per 100 g of the cacao raw material is preferably 200 to 500 mg, more preferably 350 to 450 mg.
The content of free amino acids can be measured by a conventional method by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cacao raw material has a mass ratio of acetic acid to isovaleric acid of 2: 1 to 1: 3, preferably 1: 1 to 1: 2, as an aroma component ratio.
In the present invention, the aroma component ratio of acetic acid and isovaleric acid is represented by the ratio of the values measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cacao raw material has a mass ratio of acetic acid to phenethyl alcohol of 4: 1 to 1: 2, preferably 3: 1 to 1: 1 as an aroma component ratio.
In the present invention, the aroma component ratio of acetic acid and phenethyl alcohol is represented by the ratio of the values measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
As a result, a rich cacao flavor can be felt when blended in an oil-in-water type food.

The cacao raw material of the present invention can be mixed with the food raw material of the oil-in-water type food.

The cacao raw material of the present invention is obtained through a roasting step of roasting cacao beans.
As the cacao beans to be roasted, those that have been fermented and dried by a conventional method after harvesting, and those that have undergone oil extraction treatment as necessary can be used.

The cacao raw material of the present invention can be produced by adjusting the roasting conditions as follows. In the production of the cacao raw material of the present invention, it is preferable that the roasting step is performed in the form of whole beans without peeling the cacao beans.
The roasting step is carried out at a temperature such that the surface temperature of the cacao beans is preferably 130 to 150 ° C, more preferably 135 to 145 ° C.
Further, in roasting, the core temperature of the cacao beans is preferably maintained 10 to 20 ° C lower than the surface temperature of the cacao beans while the surface temperature of the cacao beans is at the above-mentioned temperature, and is 12 ° C or higher, further 15 ° C. It is preferable to keep it low. That is, the core temperature of the cacao beans is suppressed to 140 ° C. or lower. For such temperature control, first, the surface temperature of the cacao beans before roasting is set to about 50 to 70 ° C., and from this, for example, 20 to 30 minutes, preferably 25 to 40 minutes, more preferably. The surface temperature of the cocoa beans is raised to 130 to 150 ° C., preferably 135 to 145 ° C. over 30 to 35 minutes. The core temperature of the cacao beans before roasting is also preferably 10 to 20 ° C. lower than the surface temperature, preferably 12 ° C. or higher, and further preferably 15 ° C. or higher, for example, about 40 to 60 ° C. preferable.
The surface temperature of the cacao beans is preferably 1 to 3.5 ° C./min, preferably 2 to 3 ° C./min.
Then, when the temperature rises to the target surface temperature, the heating operation is stopped and the surface temperature is lowered by cooling.
As a method for keeping the surface temperature of the cacao beans before roasting at about 50 to 70 ° C and the core temperature at 10 to 20 ° C lower than this, the cacao beans are heated with steam for 3 to 10 minutes before roasting. It is preferable to supply the cacao beans for 4 to 6 minutes to bring the surface temperature of the cacao beans to about 70 to 90 ° C., and then cool the cacao beans to bring the surface temperature of the cacao beans to about 50 to 70 ° C.
In this way, the surface of the cacao beans is sufficiently heated by giving a certain amount of water to the cacao beans, setting the surface temperature to about 50 to 70 ° C, and roasting from a state where the center temperature is 10 to 20 ° C lower than this. However, the center of the cacao beans can be not heated so much (that is, maintained at a temperature 10 to 20 ° C. lower than the surface temperature of the cacao beans), and the cacao raw material of the present invention can be produced.
It is not necessary to include a special drying step after steam heating.
As an apparatus for roasting, a hot air type or indirect heating type roasting apparatus usually used for roasting cacao beans can be used.
Focusing on the content of pyrazines and acetic acid and the roasting conditions in the cacao raw material of the present invention, the higher the temperature or the longer the time, the more pyrazines increase and the acetic acid as an aroma component decreases. To do.
Therefore, the cacao raw material of the present invention can be produced by adjusting the roasting conditions so as to have the above-mentioned content ratio of pyrazines and acetic acid as an aroma component.

Focusing on the ratio of isovaleric acid and phenethyl alcohol and the roasting conditions, the temperature increases as the temperature increases or the length of time increases.
Therefore, the cacao raw material of the present invention can be produced by adjusting the roasting conditions so that the ratio of isovaleric acid and phenethyl alcohol to acetic acid is adjusted.

Focusing on the content of free amino acids and roasting conditions, the higher the temperature, the longer the temperature, the higher the increase. However, when roasting at a high temperature for a long time exceeding a certain range, the amount of free amino acids decreases due to the reaction with sugars and the like.
Therefore, the cacao raw material of the present invention can be produced by adjusting the roasting conditions so that the content of the free amino acids is as described above.
In roasting, sugars and amino acids can be added.
The roasted cacao beans can be crushed, ground or otherwise refined by a conventional method.

(2) Oil-in-water food The cacao raw material of the present invention is suitable for oil-in-water food. This is because in oil-in-water foods, the acid dissolves in the aqueous phase due to heating during processing, making it easy to feel the acid odor and acidity, while the fat-soluble aroma component that forms the cacao flavor is difficult to dissolve. Therefore, it is difficult to feel the cacao flavor.
Further, as the oil-in-water type food, it is suitable for foods eaten at 10 ° C. or lower, such as chilled foods and frozen foods. This is because it is difficult to feel the cacao flavor in foods that are eaten at low temperatures.

Examples of underwater oil-type foods include dairy products. This is because, in particular, the combination of an excessive acetic acid flavor with the milk flavor results in an unfavorable flavor.
Preferred examples of the oil-in-water food type include frozen desserts such as ice cream, ice milk, and lacto ice, cocoa drinks, chocolate sauce (syrup), whipped cream, and pudding.

The content of the cacao raw material in the oil-in-water food is preferably 1 to 20% by mass.
The pH of the oil-in-water food is preferably 5.2 to 6.5.
The water activity of the oil-in-water food is preferably 0.75 to 0.99. This is because, in foods with a large amount of water, more acid is dissolved depending on the polarity of water, but the fat-soluble aroma component of cacao is not dissolved, so that an acid odor or sour taste is easily perceived.

The oil-in-water food product of the present invention can be produced by a conventional method.
For example, in the production of frozen desserts, there is a method in which a commonly used frozen dessert raw material and the cacao raw material of the present invention are mixed and sterilized by heating to produce a frozen dessert mix, and the frozen dessert mix is stirred and frozen.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples.

Fermented and dried cacao beans (fat: 55% by mass) were roasted by the following method.
First, steam was supplied to the cacao beans in the kettle for 5 minutes to bring the surface temperature to about 80 ° C. At this point, the supply of steam was immediately stopped, the cacao beans were taken out from the kettle and put into the hot air roasting device (hot air temperature: 170 ° C), and the following table shows each example and comparative example. It was roasted under the conditions shown in.
Then, after roasting for about 30 minutes, when the surface temperature shown in the table was reached, it was taken out from the roasting apparatus and naturally cooled.
The surface temperature and the center temperature are the final temperatures reached in the roasting process. The surface temperature and the center temperature were measured using a surface thermometer and a thermocouple thermometer (the same applies to the following tests).

Each roasted cocoa bean was ground and pelletized to produce cocoa mass. The flavor components of the obtained cocoa mass were analyzed.
The analysis targets are organic acids (acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid and pyroglutamic acid), theobromine, free amino acids, and aroma components that are said to be contained in roasted cocoa beans, in relation to the threshold. The following aroma components that affect the flavor were used.
Pyrazines, isovaleric acid, 2-pentanol acetate, isoamyl acetate, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, acetophenone, linalol, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexenal, 2-phenylethyl acetate, phenethyl alcohol, 2-phenyl- 2-butenal, 2-acetylpyrrole

Quantification of organic acids (including acetic acid), theobromine and free amino acids was performed by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.
The conditions for the high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry are as follows.

● Examples of organic acid HPLC conditions According to the Japanese Food Standard Ingredients Table 2015 (7th revision) analysis method.
Column: Inner diameter 8.0 mm, length 300 mm, ion exclusion and reverse phase type column (eg, two Shodex RSpak KC-811 connected)
Column temperature: 40 ° C
Mobile phase: 3 mmol / L perchloric acid Reaction solution: 0.2 mmol / L Bromothymol blue-containing 15 mmol / L disodium hydrogen phosphate solution Flow rate: Mobile phase 1.0 mL / min, Reaction solution 1.4 mL / min Measurement wavelength: 445 nm
Injection volume: 20 μL

● Example of theobromine HPLC conditions Column by the Japanese Food Standard Ingredients Table 2015 (7th revision) analysis method: Inner diameter 4.6 mm, length 250 mm, reversed-phase column (example: Nucleosil C18 (10 μm))
Mobile phase: Water: Methanol: 1 mol / L Perchloric acid (800: 140: 50v / v / v)
Flow velocity: 1.5 mL / min Column temperature: 50 ° C
Measurement wavelength: 270 nm

● Amino acid Amino acid automatic analyzer Condition example Japanese food standard ingredient table 2015 (7th revision) Column by analysis method: Strongly acidic cation exchange resin, inner diameter 4 mm, length 120 mm, made of stainless steel (example: LCR-6 (JEOL Ltd.) )))
Mobile phase: Sodium citrate buffer Reaction solution: Ninhydrin reagent Wavelength: 570 nm or 440 nm

HPLC condition example Equipment by Agilent application: Agilent 1200 LC System
Column: Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 3.5 μm 4.6 x 15 mm
Mobile phase: A 10 mM disodium hydrogen phosphate, 10 mM sodium tetraborate pH 8.20
B Acetonitrile: Methanol: Water = 45:45:10 v / v / v
Column temperature: 40 ° C
Flow velocity: 1.5 mL / min Detection: Fluorescence 340Ex / 450Em
Analyzed by pre-column derivatization with phthalaldehyde (OPA), methyl 9-fluorenylchloroformate (FMOC). Derivatization is carried out by an injection program.

In addition, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to quantify the aroma component of acetic acid. That is, in this quantification, acetic acid as an aroma component was quantified by quantifying volatile acetic acid under the following measurement conditions.
In addition, the above-mentioned quantification of the aroma component of cacao was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
The conditions for the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry are as follows.

● Method for preparing sample for measurement A sample (20 g) was dissolved in dichloromethane (40 mL), and 5 μL of 2.0% 2-octanol solution was added as an internal standard substance. Centrifugal dichloromethane solution after sample lysis (3000 rpm × 10 min, 20 ° C.), and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate to remove non-volatile components in Solvent Assisted Flavor Evaporation (SAFE) ( <5.0 × 10 - ³ Pa, 40 ° C). The obtained fraction was concentrated to about 100 μL and then subjected to GC-MS measurement.

● Measurement conditions GC-MS
Equipment: Agilent 7890A & 5975C inert XL
Column: DB-Wax (0.2 mm id × 60 m, film thickness 0.25 μm)
Carrier gas: He (1.0 mL / min)
Oven temperature: 80 ° C-230 ° C, 3 ° C / min
Injection port temperature: 250 ° C
Split ratio: 30: 1
Injection volume: 1 μL
Detector: MS

The acidity was determined by the following method. The cocoa raw material was suspended in water at 40 ° C. at 2% by mass, the suspension was titrated with 0.1 ml / L sodium hydroxide solution, and acetic acid was added from the amount of sodium hydroxide solution required to reach pH 8.2. Calculated as a conversion value.

Here, the flavor component (including the aroma component) to be analyzed is a main component for forming the cacao flavor contained in the cacao raw material.
Among them, isovaleric acid, 2-pentanol acetate, isoamyl acetate, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, acetophenone, linalol, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexenal, and pyrazines form the basic skeleton of cacao flavor, and others. Ingredients contribute to variations in cocoa-flavored aroma.
Further, it has been clarified by the present inventors that isovaleric acid, although it is rather an unfavorable aroma component by itself, affects the intensity of the scent in relation to the threshold value.
Phenethyl alcohol is also known for its pleasant floral scent. Since this component is water-soluble, it has been clarified by the present inventors that an increase in this amount further enhances the aroma of cacao in application to oil-in-water foods.

The mass ratio of acetic acid to theobromine 1 (ratio of values measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) and mass ratio of pyrazines to aroma components of acetic acid 1 (ratio of values measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry) were calculated. Moreover, the measured value of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of isovaleric acid and phenethyl alcohol was calculated as a ratio to the measured value of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of acetic acid. In addition, the content of free amino acids with respect to the cacao raw material was calculated. The results are shown in Table 2.
Here, there was no substantial difference in theobromine content between each example and comparative example. In addition, 2-pentanol acetate, isoamyl acetate, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, acetophenone, linalol, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-2-hexenal, 2-phenylethyl acetate, 2-phenyl-2-butenal, 2-acetylpyrrole. As for, there was no difference that greatly affected the aroma under the condition that it was applied to oil-in-water foods.
In addition to the above-mentioned aroma components, the cacao raw material contains a small amount of aroma components that contribute to flavor variations or an aroma component having a high threshold value, and the present inventors have also quantified these aroma components. .. As a result, there were differences in the amounts of some aroma components between each example and comparative example, but when applied to oil-in-water foods, it affected the overall flavor formation. It was a difference in the range that was hardly given.

Subsequently, ice milk containing 6% by mass of the cacao raw material (cocoa mass) of each Example and Comparative Example was produced by a conventional method. The ice milk produced had 7% by mass of non-fat milk solids, 3% by mass of milk fat, 5% by mass of plant fat containing fat derived from cacao raw material, overrun 80, and water activity of 0.96.
The produced ice cream was evaluated for cacao flavor (top cacao flavor, cacao flavor remaining, cacao richness) and sourness by five cacao product experts.
In addition, the pH of the ice cream was measured by a conventional method.
The evaluation was performed by relative evaluation using the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 2.
〔Evaluation criteria〕
◎ ・ ・ ・ Very good, very preferable 〇 ・ ・ ・ Good, preferred △ ・ ・ ・ Normal × ・ ・ ・ Bad, not preferable

From the results in Table 2, when the aroma component ratio of acetic acid and pyrazines is in the range of 2: 1 to 1: 2, when blended in oil-in-water foods, the top cacao flavor and the residual cacao flavor remain. , It was evaluated that the richness of cacao was good. Moreover, in the case of the said range, the sourness was also evaluated more than usual. On the other hand, an oil-in-water food product produced using the cacao raw material of Comparative Example 1 in which acetic acid as an aroma component is relatively large with respect to pyrazines (that is, acetic acid is relatively large with respect to pyrazines as a volatile component). The cacao flavor was weak and only the acidity was strongly felt. In addition, the oil-in-water food produced using the cacao raw material of Comparative Example 2 in which acetic acid as an aroma component is relatively small with respect to pyrazines (that is, pyrazines are relatively large with respect to acetic acid as a volatile component) Although the acidity was normal, the astringency and bitterness tended to remain, and the cacao flavor was not good.
Further, from the above test results, the higher the roasting condition, the smaller the acetic acid content, the larger the pyrazine content, and the larger the ratio of pyrazine to acetic acid as an aroma component. I understand. Here, although the rate of change in the acetic acid content itself was not so large (for example, Example 3 and Comparative Example 2), the rate of change in the ratio of pyrazines as aroma components to acetic acid was relatively large.
In addition, considering the evaluation based on the known properties of each flavor component and the rate of change, the ratio of the aroma components of pyrazines and acetic acid, rather than the difference in the absolute amount of acetic acid contained in the raw materials, is cacao flavor or cacao. It was found that it significantly affects the feeling of cacao and sourness, including the richness of.
From the above, in order to obtain a rich and good cacao feeling, the content of pyrazines in the cacao raw material is not increased or the content of acetic acid is simply reduced, but the content ratio of both as volatile components is increased. It turned out that it is important to set the appropriate range.

Further consideration of the results of this test shows that the presence of acetic acid (including salts and derivatives) in the cacao raw material changes depending on the roasting conditions, and the volatility of acetic acid (including salts and derivatives) as a whole changes. It was speculated that the proportion of acid would change. This makes it possible to control the proportion of volatile acids within an appropriate range while keeping the content of acetic acid (including salts and derivatives) in the cacao raw material within a certain range, and when processed into an oil-in-water food. Although the unfavorable flavor caused by acetic acid is reduced, it is considered that the astringency and bitterness caused by acetic acid can be reduced and the favorable flavor such as richness caused by acetic acid can be maintained.

It was also found that the mass ratio of acetic acid to theobromine 1 is preferably greater than 0.1 and less than 0.45.

Furthermore, it was found that when the mass ratio of isovaleric acid to acetic acid 1 was greater than 0.3, particularly when it was 0.7 or more, a rich cacao flavor was felt. On the other hand, when the mass ratio of isovaleric acid to acetic acid 1 is 3.1 parts by mass or more, the odor is strongly felt as a whole, but the preferable roasted scent of cacao is hard to be felt, and the scent is not preferable as a whole. It turned out to be a thing.

Further, it was found that when the mass ratio of phenethyl alcohol to 1 acetic acid was larger than 0.2, particularly when it was 0.4 or more, a rich cacao flavor was strongly felt. On the other hand, when the mass ratio of phenethyl alcohol to 1 acetic acid is 1.3 or more, the overall odor is strongly felt, but the preferable roasted scent of cacao is hard to be perceived, and the scent is unfavorable as a whole. I found out.

Further, it is understood that the free amino acid has a role of imparting the richness of cacao between 200 and 500 mg with respect to 100 g of the cacao raw material, but when the amount is 600 mg or more, on the contrary, it has a strange taste and a burning odor due to subsequent heating. It was found that it became difficult to feel the richness of cacao.

The cacao raw material of the present invention can be applied to frozen foods such as ice cream and chilled foods such as chilled desserts.

Claims (10)

A heated cacao raw material containing 10% by mass or more of fats and oils.
A heated cacao raw material for oil-in-water foods, characterized in that the mass ratio of acetic acid to pyrazines is 2: 1 to 1: 2 as an aroma component ratio. The heated cacao raw material according to claim 1, wherein the content of acetic acid is 0.11 to 0.44 parts by mass with respect to 1 part by mass of theobromine. The heated cacao raw material according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the acidity of the suspension when suspended in water at 40 ° C. at 2% by mass is 1.0 to 3.5% by mass. The heated cacao raw material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mass ratio of acetic acid to isovaleric acid is 2: 1 to 1: 3 as an aroma component ratio. The heated cacao raw material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mass ratio of acetic acid to phenethyl alcohol is 4: 1 to 1: 2 as an aroma component ratio. The heated cacao raw material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the content of free amino acids per 100 g of the cacao raw material is 200 to 500 mg. The heated cacao raw material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is for foods eaten at 10 ° C. or lower. An oil-in-water food product containing 1 to 20% by mass of the heated cacao raw material according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and having a pH of 5.2 to 6.5. The oil-in-water food product according to claim 8, wherein the water activity is 0.75 to 0.99. The oil-in-water type food according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the food is eaten at 10 ° C. or lower.