JP2023001088A - Method for producing gel-like composition - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a method for producing a gel-like composition which contains a large amount of an organic acid.SOLUTION: This method for producing a gel-like composition comprises the following steps (1) to (4): (1) a step for obtaining an aqueous solution that contains pectin; (2) a step for obtaining an aqueous solution having a pH of 2.8 to 6 by mixing the aqueous pectin solution obtained in step (1) with gluconic acid and mineral; (3) a step for obtaining a concentrated solution having a gluconic acid concentration of 20 mass% or more by concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in step (2); and (4) a step for cooling the concentrated solution obtained in step (3).SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for producing a gel composition.

A gel-like composition made using pectin such as pectin jelly is generally prepared by heating and dissolving pectin in water, adding sugars and heating and concentrating, and then adding an organic acid (citric acid) as an acidulant. is added as an aqueous solution, cooled, and solidified (for example, Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1). The reason why the organic acid is added last in the manufacturing process of the gel composition is to avoid hydrolysis of pectin due to heating at low pH.

Conventionally, gel compositions often contain about 1% by mass of an organic acid in consideration of its sour taste. For example, citric acid is effective in promoting the removal of lactic acid from the blood when ingested after exercise. As the health functions of organic acids such as

JP-A-8-173063 WO2020/209900

Yaeko Takebayashi, "Cooking Science of Western Confectionery Materials," Shibata Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd., December 1, 1979 (first edition), September 20, 2004 (17th edition), p. 242

However, when the inventor of the present invention produced a gel composition containing an organic acid at a high concentration according to a general production method, water in the system became excessive, resulting in inconvenience. This is because, in the manufacturing process of the gel-like composition, the viscosity of the aqueous solution increases after concentration, so it is necessary to add the organic acid as an aqueous solution in order to disperse the organic acid (Comparative Examples 1 to 3 described later). 4), it is necessary to add a large amount of aqueous solution of organic acid in order to add a large amount of organic acid. This is due to In order to avoid this inconvenience, an attempt was made to evaporate the specified amount of water during the heating and concentration after adding the saccharide, but it was substantially difficult to produce a gel composition.

On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, as a method for producing a nutritional supplement that eliminates the high acidity and unpleasant taste of apple cider vinegar, sugars and buffers are added to an aqueous pectin solution to maintain pH 4.2 to 5.6. , adding apple cider vinegar, then adding an organic acid as an acidifying agent, and heating and concentrating.
Therefore, the present inventors tried to add a large amount of organic acid in the order described in Patent Document 2, but the pH dropped too much after the addition of the organic acid, and gelation occurred during subsequent concentration, resulting in a gel composition. It could not be manufactured (see Comparative Examples 11 and 12 below).

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a gel composition containing a large amount of organic acid.

The inventor of the present invention focused on the mixing order of the raw materials of the gel composition and the type of organic acid, and found that instead of adding the organic acid aqueous solution at the end, a large amount of the organic acid was first mixed, and minerals were added. A buffer system with a specific pH range containing the organic acid and then concentrating. At this time, if citric acid is used as an organic acid, the shape of the gel composition cannot be retained, but if gluconic acid is used, gelation during concentration can be avoided. As a result, the inventors have found that a gel composition having good shape retention can be produced.

That is, the present invention provides the following steps (1) to (4):
(1) a step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin; Step (4) of concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in step (2) to obtain a concentrate having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more; and cooling the concentrate obtained in step (3). A method for producing a gel composition is provided.
Further, the present invention contains pectin, 20 to 70% by mass of gluconic acid, and 0.1 to 6% by mass of minerals, and an aqueous solution obtained by diluting a gel composition 10 times with water has a pH of 2.8. ∼6, provides a gel composition.

According to the present invention, it is possible to smoothly incorporate a large amount of gluconic acid, and to provide a gel composition containing a large amount of gluconic acid and having good shape retention.

The method for producing the gel composition of the present invention comprises the following steps (1) to (4):
(1) a step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin; Concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in step (2) to obtain a concentrate having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more (4) and cooling the concentrate obtained in step (3). .

In the present invention, the gel composition is a composition in which raw ingredients are hardened using the coagulation (gelling) properties of pectin. The gel composition of the present invention has a water content of 30% by mass or less at a temperature of less than 60°C and retains its shape. Examples of gel compositions include jelly confectionery such as pectin jelly, gummy candies, jelly beans, liver oil drops, and fruit jelly. Among them, pectin jelly is preferable because the effect of the present invention can be easily obtained.

[Step (1)]
This step is a step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin.
Pectin is a polysaccharide whose main component is galacturonic acid. Pectin is generally classified into HM pectin and LM pectin with a degree of esterification of 50% or more and less than 50% according to the degree of esterification (DE) of galacturonic acid. 50% pectin combines the properties of both LM and HM pectin. Therefore, in the present invention, HM pectin has a degree of esterification of 40% or more, and LM pectin has a degree of esterification of less than 50%, unless otherwise specified.
The degree of esterification of pectin is defined by the following formula (1).
Degree of esterification (%) = (methyl galacturonate (mol)) / (total galacturonic acid (mol)) × 100 Formula (1)
The degree of esterification can be measured, for example, by the method of Inari and Takeuchi (Japanese Journal of Food Science and Engineering, 44, 319-324 (1997)). The degree of esterification of pectin refers to the degree of esterification of the entire pectin used, and when multiple pectins are used, the sum of the product of the mass of each pectin and the degree of esterification obtained by the above formula (1) is divided by the total mass of pectin.
The degree of esterification of the pectin used in the present invention is preferably 25% or more, more preferably 27% or more, from the viewpoint that the gelation temperature does not become too high and gelation does not occur before filling and good filling properties can be obtained. , more preferably 29% or more, and from the same viewpoint, preferably 75% or less, more preferably 67% or less, and even more preferably 63% or less.
The degree of esterification of pectin is preferably 25-75%, more preferably 27-67%, still more preferably 29-63%.

Further, when LM pectin is used as the pectin, the degree of esterification of LM pectin is preferably 25% from the viewpoint of obtaining good filling properties without gelling before filling without the gelling temperature becoming too high. Above, more preferably 27% or more, still more preferably 29% or more, and from the viewpoint of the shape retention of the resulting gel composition, preferably 40% or less, more preferably 35% or less, and still more preferably 32% or less.
The degree of esterification of LM pectin is preferably 25-40%, more preferably 27-35%, still more preferably 29-32%.
When HM pectin is used as the pectin, the degree of esterification of HM pectin is preferably 40% or more, more preferably 46% or more, and still more preferably 52%, from the viewpoint of shape retention of the resulting gel composition. In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining good filling properties without gelation temperature becoming too high and gelling before filling, it is preferably 75% or less, more preferably 67% or less, and still more preferably 63%. It is below.
The degree of esterification of HM pectin is preferably 40-75%, more preferably 46-67%, still more preferably 52-63%.

Pectin can be produced from, for example, citrus peels by various methods, or commercially available products can be used. Examples of commercially available products include GENU pectin 121-J Slow-set and GENU pectin AS confectionery-J from CP Kelco as HM pectin, and GENU pectin LM-101AS-J and GENU Eplorer pectin as LM pectin. There is 60CS.

In the aqueous solution containing pectin, the pectin is 0.8% by mass or more, more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and still more preferably 1.4% by mass, from the viewpoint of gelation with respect to the mass of the gel composition. From the viewpoint of maintaining the chewable softness of the gel without being too hard, it is preferably 3.0% by mass or less, more preferably 2.5% by mass or less, and still more preferably 2% by mass. It is preferable to contain N in an amount of 0% by mass or less.
In the aqueous solution containing pectin, the pectin is preferably 0.8 to 3.0% by mass, more preferably 1.2 to 2.5% by mass, still more preferably 1.2% by mass to the mass of the gel composition. It is preferable to contain 4 to 2.0% by mass.
The pectin aqueous solution obtained in this step (1) is preferably a uniform aqueous solution from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel with good shape retention and a gel with good texture. From the viewpoint of obtaining a uniform pectin aqueous solution, it is preferable not to add other ingredients to the water in step (1), but it is acceptable to add other ingredients to the extent that the homogeneity is not impaired. Specifically, other components in step (1) are preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 45% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less in the aqueous solution. In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel with good shape retention and a gel with good texture, it is preferable to incorporate the entire amount of pectin to be contained in the gel composition in step (1), It is preferable to add 60% by mass or more of the total amount of pectin, more preferably 70% by mass or more, and 80% by mass or more to the extent that shape retention and texture are not affected. is more preferred.
In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a uniform aqueous solution in this step (1), pectin is preferably blended in the aqueous solution so as to be 0.9 to 7.2% by mass, and 1.4 to 6.0% by mass. More preferably, it is blended so that it is 1.7 to 4.8% by mass.

In the present invention, the pectin content can be determined as water-soluble dietary fiber by the following enzyme-weight method (modified Prosky method).
1. Take 3 g of the gel composition and add 3 g of water. Next, the mixture is heated in a water bath at 80° C. for 10 minutes and then shaken well until the gel composition is uniformly dissolved or dispersed, thereby obtaining a 2-fold dilution. The 2-fold diluted solution was collected in two 500 mL tall beakers, 0.08 mol/L phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) was added to make 50 mL, 0.1 mL of Termamyl (120 L, Novozymes) was added, and in a boiling water bath, Incubate for 30 minutes with shaking at approximately 5 minute intervals, then allow to cool.
2. Next, adjust the pH to 7.5 ± 0.1 with 10 mL of 0.275 mol / L sodium hydroxide solution, add 0.1 mL of protease (P-5380, Sigma) solution (50 mg / mL phosphate buffer), °C for 30 minutes with shaking, and then allowed to cool.
3. Next, the pH was adjusted to 4.3±0.3 with 10 mL of 0.325 mol/L hydrochloric acid solution, 0.1 mL of amyloglucosidase (A-9913, Sigma) was added, and the mixture was shaken and incubated at 60° C. for 30 minutes. Then, after allowing to cool, the generated precipitate is suction-filtered through a 2G2 glass filter, the residue (insoluble dietary fiber) is washed twice with 10 mL of ion-exchanged water, and the filtrate and washing liquid are collected.
4. The collected liquid was made up to 4 times the volume of 95% ethanol (60° C.) and allowed to stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Filter by suction, and use the residue as water-soluble dietary fiber.
5. The residue is washed with 20 mL of 78% ethanol three times, 10 mL of 95% ethanol two or more times, 10 mL of acetone two or more times, and if necessary diethyl ether, and then dried at 105° C. overnight.
6. Constant weight measurements (R1, R2) are performed with two samples, and protein (P1) is obtained by the Kjeldahl method with a coefficient of 6.25.
Water-soluble dietary fiber (SDF) is determined using the coefficients obtained by the above operation.
SDF (g/100 g)=100×[R1,2×{1−(P1+A1)/100}−B1]/SR1,2: weight of residue [mean value, (R1+R2)/2, mg]
P1: protein (%) in SDF residue
A1: Ash content (%) in SDF residue
S: sample collection amount (mean value, mg)
B1: SDF blank (mg)
B1 (mg) = [r2 × {1 - (p2 + a2) / 100}]
r2: Weight of SDF blank residue (mean value, mg)
p2: protein (%) of SDF blank residue
a2: Ash content (%) of SDF blank residue

To confirm that the water-soluble dietary fiber contained in the product of the present invention is pectin, it can be confirmed as galacturonic acid by subjecting it to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after hydrolysis with sulfuric acid. An example of a detailed procedure for HPLC analysis of galacturonic acid is given below.
1. 0.6 g of the gel composition is sampled, stirred with 72% sulfuric acid at room temperature for 1 hour, and autoclaved (121° C.) with 4% sulfuric acid for 1 hour.
2. After cooling, the mixture is neutralized, the volume is adjusted to 200 mL, the mixture is filtered through filter paper, the mixture is diluted twice, filtered through a membrane filter, and subjected to high performance liquid chromatography.
<High performance liquid chromatograph operating conditions>
Model: ICS-5000+ [Thermo Fisher Scientific Co., Ltd.]
Detector: Pulsed Amperometric Detector ED [Thermo Fisher Scientific Co., Ltd.]
Column: CarboPac PA1, φ4.0 mm × 250 mm [Thermo Fisher Scientific Co., Ltd.]
Column temperature: 32°C
Mobile phase: mixture of 0.1 mL/L sodium hydroxide solution and 0.1 mol/L sodium acetate solution (1:1)
Flow rate: 1mL/min
Injection volume: 5 μL

In this step, from the viewpoint of dissolving pectin, it is preferable to heat after dispersing pectin in water. The heating temperature is preferably 90° C. or higher, more preferably 95° C. or higher, and still more preferably 100° C. or higher, from the viewpoint of reliably dissolving the pectin and obtaining a gel with good shape retention. From the viewpoint of suppressing the decomposition of , the temperature is preferably 110°C or lower, more preferably 105°C or lower, and still more preferably 103°C or lower, from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel with good shape retention. The heating temperature is preferably 90 to 110°C, more preferably 95 to 105°C, still more preferably 100 to 103°C.
The heating time varies depending on the scale of treatment, but is preferably 1 minute or more, more preferably 3 minutes or more, from the viewpoint of reliably dissolving pectin and obtaining a gel with good shape retention. It is preferably 60 minutes or less, more preferably 30 minutes or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing decomposition and obtaining a gel with good shape retention. The heating time is preferably 1 to 120 minutes, more preferably 3 to 30 minutes.
Moreover, in order to enhance the dispersibility of pectin in water, it is preferable to pre-mix it with a part of the saccharides described later and then disperse and dissolve it in water.

The aqueous solution containing pectin may further contain a gelling agent other than pectin.
Gelling agents include agar, gelatin, gellan gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, tara gum, tragacanth gum, curdlan, sodium alginate and the like.
The content of gelling agents other than pectin can be appropriately set within a range that does not impair the object of the present invention.

[Step (2)]
This step is a step of mixing the aqueous pectin solution obtained in step (1), gluconic acid, and minerals to obtain an aqueous solution with a pH of 2.8-6. Hereinafter, an aqueous solution with a pH of 2.8 to 6 is also simply referred to as an aqueous solution.
In this step, the order of mixing the aqueous pectin solution, gluconic acid, and minerals is not particularly limited, and they can be mixed in any order. It is preferable to mix the minerals after mixing the aqueous solution and the gluconic acid, or to mix the gluconic acid and the minerals in advance and then mix them with the aqueous pectin solution. As described below, gluconic acid and a gluconate containing minerals may be mixed with the aqueous pectin solution.

Gluconic acid in the present invention is selected from gluconic acid (chemical formula: C ₆ H ₁₂ O ₇ ) and gluconodeltalactone (chemical formula: C ₆ H ₁₀ O ₆ ). The gluconic acid also includes gluconic acid derived from gluconate. Glucono delta-lactone is an intramolecular ester of gluconic acid with one molecule of water dehydrated. Gluconic acid and glucono-delta-lactone may be used alone or in combination.

In the aqueous solution, gluconic acid is 20% by mass or more, and further 22% by mass, relative to the mass of the gel composition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a composition that can efficiently ingest gluconic acid in an amount that exhibits health functions. % or more, preferably 24% by mass or more, and further 26% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of blending quality, it is preferably contained so as to be 70% by mass or less, further 60% by mass or less, further 50% by mass or less, and furthermore 40% by mass or less.
In the aqueous solution, gluconic acid is contained in an amount of preferably 20 to 70% by mass, further 22 to 60% by weight, further 24 to 50% by weight, and further 26 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the gel composition. It is preferable to let
In addition, from the viewpoint of shortening the concentration time of the aqueous solution, gluconic acid is preferably blended in the aqueous solution in this step in an amount of 15% by mass or more, further 16% by mass or more, and further 17% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of the solubility of gluconic acid in an aqueous solution, it is preferably blended in the aqueous solution in this step in an amount of 56% by mass or less, further 48% by mass or less, and further 40% by mass or less.
Gluconic acid is preferably blended in the aqueous solution of this step so as to be 15 to 56% by mass, more preferably 16 to 48% by mass, and 17 to 40% by mass. Blending is more preferable.
In the present invention, the content of gluconic acid is determined by a commercially available enzyme kit method. The sample used in the kit is obtained by taking 1 g of the gel composition, adding 9 g of water, heating in a water bath at 80°C for 10 minutes to dissolve, cooling to room temperature, and diluting with water as appropriate. As a commercially available enzyme kit, F kit manufactured by Roche Diagnostics is used.

Minerals include, for example, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and the like. These minerals have a wider upper limit of intake than other minerals, and are highly safe when taken in large amounts, which is preferable. Moreover, in this step, these minerals are preferably derived from a buffer.
Any buffering agent may be used as long as it has a pH buffering effect on a gluconic acid-containing pectin aqueous solution obtained by mixing an aqueous pectin solution and gluconic acid. Examples include gluconic acid, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, ascorbic acid, Organic acid salts such as succinic acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, phytic acid and acetic acid, and inorganic acid salts such as phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid and carbonic acid are included. Examples of salts include salts with alkali metals such as sodium and potassium; salts with alkaline earth metals such as calcium; and magnesium salts. These may be solvates or non-solvates, and both are included. Preferred examples of solvates include hydrates and alcoholates.
The buffering agents may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among them, from the viewpoint of shape retention of the resulting gel composition, the viewpoint of flavor stability, and the viewpoint that gluconic acid can be mixed at the same time, gluconate is preferable, and sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate and calcium gluconate One or two or more selected are more preferable.

In the aqueous solution, the content of minerals can be appropriately determined according to the type thereof so as to achieve a desired pH. From the viewpoint of obtaining a gel composition, it is preferably contained in an amount of 0.1 mass % or more, further 0.5 mass % or more, further 0.7 mass % or more, furthermore 0.9 mass % or more. In addition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel composition with good shape retention and from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor with suppressed salty and harsh taste of minerals, it is 6.0% by mass or less, further 4.2% by mass or less, Further, it is preferably contained in an amount of 2.8% by mass or less, 2.1% by mass or less, and further 1.8% by mass or less.
In the aqueous solution, the mineral content is preferably 0.1 to 6.0% by mass, further 0.5 to 4.2% by mass, further 0.7 to 2.8% by mass, based on the mass of the gel composition, It is preferably contained in an amount of 0.9 to 2.1% by mass, more preferably 0.9 to 1.8% by mass.
In addition, from the viewpoint of shortening the concentration time of the aqueous solution, the mineral is preferably blended in the aqueous solution in this step at 0.05% by mass or more, further 0.35% by mass or more, further 0.65% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of the solubility of minerals in an aqueous solution, it is preferable to add 5.0% by mass or less, further 3.5% by mass or less, and further 2.0% by mass or less to the aqueous solution in this step.
The mineral is preferably blended in the aqueous solution in this step in an amount of 0.05 to 5.0% by mass, more preferably 0.35 to 3.5% by mass, and 0.5% by mass. It is more preferable to blend so as to be 65 to 2.0% by mass.
When LM pectin is used as the pectin, it preferably contains calcium, magnesium, or a combination thereof as minerals, more preferably calcium, from the viewpoint of its coagulation (gelling) properties. When LM pectin is used as the pectin, the amount of calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof in the aqueous solution is 0.005% by mass or more, further 0.01% by mass or more, and further 0.02% by mass with respect to the mass of the gel composition. % or more, and preferably 0.1 mass % or less, further 0.08 mass % or less, furthermore 0.06 mass % or less.
In the aqueous solution, calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof is preferably 0.005 to 0.1% by mass, further 0.01 to 0.08% by weight, further 0.02 to 0.02% by weight, based on the weight of the gel composition. It is preferable to contain 0.06% by mass.

In the present invention, the mineral content can be determined by the following ICP emission spectrometry (hydrochloric acid extraction).
As a specific method, 1 g of the gel composition is sampled and heated at 500° C. for 10 hours to be incinerated. Then add 20% hydrochloric acid and evaporate to dryness. Next, 20% hydrochloric acid is added again, and the mixture is extracted with heating, filtered, and the filtrate is recovered. The residue on the filter paper is incinerated at 500° C. for 1 hour, added with 20% hydrochloric acid and evaporated to dryness, added again with 20% hydrochloric acid, heated and extracted, and filtered. This residue is repeatedly extracted with hydrochloric acid until there is no residue left on the filter paper. All the obtained filtrates are added to a constant volume with 1% hydrochloric acid and subjected to ICP emission spectrometry.
<ICP emission spectrometer operating conditions>
Model: ICPE-9820 [Shimadzu Corporation]
High frequency output: 1100W
Gas flow rate: plasma gas 15 L/min (argon)
: Auxiliary gas 1.2 L/min (argon)
: Carrier gas 0.80 L/min (argon)
Nebulizer: Coaxial nebulizer Plasma Observation position: Lateral measurement Wavelength: Calcium 317.933 nm
Sodium 589.592 nm
Potassium 766.491 nm

In the aqueous solution, the mass ratio of minerals to gluconic acid [mineral/gluconic acid] is preferably 0.005 or more from the viewpoint of suppressing gelation during production and obtaining a gel with good operability and good shape retention. Further, it is 0.01 or more, and furthermore, it is 0.015 or more, and from the viewpoint of suppressing beta-elimination of pectin during production and obtaining a gel with good shape retention, it is preferably 0.2 or less, and more preferably 0.2 or less. It is 0.1 or less, and further 0.05 or less.
In the aqueous solution, the mass ratio of mineral to gluconic acid [mineral/gluconic acid] is preferably 0.005 to 0.2, more preferably 0.01 to 0.1, more preferably 0.015 to 0.05.

The pH of the aqueous solution is 2.8 to 6, preferably 2.9 or more, more preferably 3.0, from the viewpoint of suppressing gelation during production and obtaining a gel with good operability and good shape retention. Above, further 3.2 or more, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a good shape-retaining gel by suppressing beta-elimination of pectin during production, it is preferably 5.8 or less, further 4.5 or less, and further 3.8 or less.
The pH of the aqueous solution is 2.8-6, preferably 2.9-5.8, further 3.0-4.5, furthermore 3.2-3.8.
When HM pectin is used as the pectin, the pH of the aqueous solution is preferably 2.8 or higher, further 3.0 or higher, and further 3.2 or higher, from the viewpoint of its coagulation (gelling) properties. is 4.5 or less, further 4.0 or less, further 3.8 or less.
When HM pectin is used as the pectin, the pH of the aqueous solution is preferably 2.8-4.5, more preferably 3.0-4.0, still more preferably 3.2-3.8.
In the present invention, the pH is measured with a pH meter after adjusting the temperature of a 10-fold diluted solution to 25° C., as described in Examples below.

In this step, the concentration of citric acid in the aqueous solution is preferably low from the viewpoint of suppressing stickiness of the gel composition. The concentration of citric acid in the aqueous solution is 8% by mass or less, more preferably 4% by mass or less, more preferably 2% by mass or less, or substantially 0% by mass, that is, it does not contain citric acid.

The aqueous solution has the viewpoint of reducing the water activity to improve the storage stability of the gel composition, the viewpoint of the flavor of the gel composition, the viewpoint of adjusting the viscosity of the concentrate when performing the step of filling the concentrate described later, and From the viewpoint of gelling the HM pectin, it is preferable to further contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include, for example, saccharides, polysaccharides, sugar alcohols, starch hydrolysates, molasses and the like.
Sugars include, for example, monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, etc.), disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, lactose, etc.), isomerized sugar, honey, maple sugar, and the like.
Examples of polysaccharides include oligosaccharides, starches, modified starches, and the like.
Sugar alcohols include, for example, maltitol, reduced maltose starch syrup, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and the like.
Starch hydrolyzate is obtained by hydrolyzing starch such as cornstarch, wheat starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, rice, etc. Examples include starch syrup, corn syrup, dextrin, and starch.
Molasses is a by-product of the sugar refining process and is the leftover liquid from which sucrose has been separated.
Each carbohydrate may be used alone, or two or more of them may be used in combination.
Among them, from the viewpoint of the texture and flavor of the gel composition, one or more selected from saccharides and starch hydrolysates is preferable, and 1 selected from glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch syrup, corn syrup and honey Seeds or more are more preferred. From the viewpoint of storage stability, sugar alcohols are preferred, and maltitol, hydrogenated maltose starch syrup, and xylitol are more preferred.

In the aqueous solution, the carbohydrate content is 62% by mass or less, further 57% by mass, relative to the mass of the gel composition, from the viewpoint of obtaining a composition that can efficiently ingest gluconic acid in an amount that exhibits health functions. % or less, and from the viewpoint of antiseptic and antifungal properties and the viewpoint of gelling HM pectin, the content should be 12% by mass or more, further 13% by mass or more, and further 21% by mass or more. is preferably contained in
In the aqueous solution, the sugar content is preferably 12 to 62% by mass, more preferably 13 to 57% by mass, more preferably 21 to 57% by mass, relative to the mass of the gel composition.

The aqueous solution may further contain other raw material components that can be blended into the gel composition as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The raw material components include, for example, sweeteners other than the above sugars (e.g., non-sugar natural sweeteners, synthetic sweeteners, etc.), acidulants other than gluconic acid (e.g., ascorbic acid, etc.), milk components, stabilizers. , vegetable juice/fruit juice, pulp, flavor, coloring agent, antioxidant, preservative, antifoaming agent, oil and fat, micronutrients such as vitamins, and the like.

[Step (3)]
This step is a step of concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in the step (2) to obtain a concentrate having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more.
Concentration of the aqueous solution can be performed by known means such as heat concentration and vacuum concentration. When concentrating by heating, the heating temperature of the aqueous solution is preferably 140° C. or less, more preferably 130° C. or less, still more preferably 125° C. or less, and even more preferably 120° C. or less from the viewpoint of non-sticking, as a product temperature. From the viewpoint of shortening the concentration time, the temperature is preferably 90° C. or higher, more preferably 95° C. or higher, still more preferably 100° C. or higher, and even more preferably 105° C. or higher.
When the aqueous solution is heated and concentrated, the heating temperature of the aqueous solution is preferably 90 to 140°C, more preferably 95 to 130°C, still more preferably 100 to 125°C, and even more preferably 105 to 120°C.
In the case of concentration under reduced pressure, the heating temperature can be further lowered, preferably 120° C. or lower, more preferably 110° C. or lower, even more preferably 100° C. or lower, and even more preferably 95° C. or lower. From the viewpoint of shortening the concentration time, the temperature is preferably 50°C or higher, more preferably 60°C or higher, even more preferably 70°C or higher, and even more preferably 75°C or higher.
When concentrating under reduced pressure, the heating temperature of the aqueous solution is preferably 50 to 120°C, more preferably 60 to 110°C, still more preferably 70 to 100°C, and even more preferably 75 to 95°C.
The concentration time varies depending on the treatment scale, but is preferably 10 minutes or longer, more preferably 15 minutes or longer, still more preferably 20 minutes or longer, preferably 60 minutes or shorter, more preferably 50 minutes or shorter, and further preferably 40 minutes or shorter. preferable.
The concentration time is preferably 10-60 minutes, more preferably 15-50 minutes, and even more preferably 20-40 minutes.

Concentration is preferably carried out until the solid content of the concentrate obtained by concentrating the aqueous solution reaches 65% by mass or more, further 70% by mass or more, and further 75% by mass, from the viewpoint of shape retention of the resulting gel composition. It is preferable to carry out the above and further until the content reaches 78% by mass or more. In addition, from the viewpoint of the texture of the resulting gel composition, it is preferable to carry out until the content becomes 90% by mass or less, further 88% by mass or less, further 86% by mass or less, further 84% by mass or less. preferable.
The solid content of the concentrated liquid obtained by concentrating the aqueous solution is preferably 65 to 90% by mass, further 70 to 88% by weight, further 75 to 86% by weight, furthermore 78 to 84% by weight. Here, the solid content in the present specification is a value represented by the ratio of the mass of the solid content to the mass of the concentrate [(mass of solid content)/(mass of concentrate)×100]. The mass of solid content can be calculated by excluding water and water derived from components. Ingredients such as oils and fats and insoluble dietary fibers that are not dissolved in the aqueous solution but are dispersed are not included in the calculation of the mass of the solid content and the concentrated liquid. This is because the ratio of dissolved components to water is important from the viewpoint of shape retention of the gel composition.

The concentration of gluconic acid in the concentrate is 20% by mass or more, preferably 22% by mass or more, more preferably 24% by mass, from the viewpoint of obtaining a composition that can efficiently ingest gluconic acid in an amount that exerts health functions. % by mass or more, particularly preferably 26% by mass or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited, but preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, even more preferably 50% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 40% by mass. % by mass or less.
The concentration of gluconic acid in the concentrate is preferably 20-70% by mass, more preferably 22-60% by mass, still more preferably 24-50% by mass, and most preferably 26-40% by mass.

From the viewpoint of controlling microorganisms, the water content of the concentrate is preferably 35% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, still more preferably 25% by mass or less, and even more preferably 22% by mass or less. From the viewpoint of texture, the content is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 12% by mass or more, still more preferably 14% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 16% by mass or more.
The water content of the concentrate is preferably 10 to 35 mass %, further 12 to 30 mass %, further 14 to 25 mass %, further 16 to 22 mass %.

To the concentrated liquid after concentration, other raw ingredients that can be blended in the gel composition may be added as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. The raw material components include, for example, sweeteners other than the above sugars (e.g., non-sugar natural sweeteners, synthetic sweeteners, etc.), acidulants other than gluconic acid (e.g., ascorbic acid, etc.), milk components, stabilizers. , vegetable juice/fruit juice, pulp, flavor, coloring agent, antioxidant, preservative, antifoaming agent, oil and fat, micronutrients such as vitamins, and the like.

[Step (4)]
This step is a step of cooling the concentrate obtained in the step (3).
The temperature of the concentrated liquid after cooling is preferably 60° C. or lower, more preferably 55° C. or lower, still more preferably 50° C. or lower, particularly preferably 45° C. or lower, from the viewpoint of gelation. Although the lower limit is not particularly limited, it is preferably 10°C or higher, more preferably 15°C or higher, and still more preferably 20°C or higher from the viewpoint of drying efficiency.
The temperature of the concentrated liquid after cooling is preferably 10 to 60°C, more preferably 15 to 55°C, still more preferably 15 to 50°C, and even more preferably 20 to 45°C.
The temperature of the concentrated liquid after cooling can be adjusted by adjusting the temperature of the environment.
Cooling of the concentrate can be accomplished by filling the concentrate into embossed starch molds. Moreover, when filling a container with a gel composition, it is possible to cool the container after filling the container with the concentrated liquid. The container is not particularly limited, and a molded container containing polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, or the like as a main component, a paper container, a glass container, or the like can be used.
When the concentrate is filled into the starch mold or container, the temperature of the concentrate is preferably 65° C. or higher, further 70° C. or higher, further 75° C. or higher, from the viewpoint of suppressing gelation during filling and obtaining good filling properties. ° C. or higher, particularly preferably 80 ° C. or higher.

The cooling time of the concentrated liquid is preferably 168 hours or less, more preferably 120 hours or less, and even more preferably 72 hours or less. Moreover, 12 hours or more is preferable, 24 hours or more is preferable, and 36 hours or more is more preferable.
The cooling time of the concentrate is preferably 12-168 hours, further 24-120 hours, further 36-72 hours.

Through the above steps (1) to (4), the concentrate is solidified to obtain a gel composition containing pectin, gluconic acid and minerals.
The gel composition of the present invention can contain gluconic acid at a high concentration. In addition, the gel composition of the present invention has good shape retention.
In the gel composition of the present invention, the content of gluconic acid is 20% by mass or more, further 22% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of obtaining a composition that can efficiently ingest an amount of gluconic acid that exhibits health functions. Furthermore, it is 24 mass % or more, and further 26 mass % or more. The upper limit of the gluconic acid content is not particularly limited, but is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, still more preferably 50% by mass or less, and even more preferably 40% by mass or less.
The content of gluconic acid in the gel composition is preferably 20 to 70 mass %, further 22 to 60 mass %, further 24 to 50 mass %, further 26 to 40 mass %.
Gluconic acid and its salts have been found to have health functions such as promoting the growth of Bifidobacterium, improving ultraviolet resistance, improving the intestinal environment, and increasing the frequency and number of defecations in people with constipation. The gluconic acid-rich gel composition of the present invention is suitable as a gel composition for ingesting gluconic acid, and is expected to exhibit high gluconic acid functions.

The content of minerals in the gel composition is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and still more preferably from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel composition with good shape retention. It is 0.7% by mass or more, more preferably 0.9% by mass or more. The upper limit of the mineral content is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel composition with good shape retention and obtaining a good flavor with reduced saltiness and harsh taste of minerals, it is preferably 6. It is 0% by mass or less, more preferably 4.2% by mass or less, still more preferably 2.8% by mass or less, still more preferably 2.1% by mass or less, and even more preferably 1.8% by mass or less.
The mineral content in the gel composition is preferably 0.1 to 6.0% by mass, further 0.5 to 4.2% by weight, further 0.7 to 2.8% by weight, further 0.9% by weight. to 2.1% by mass, and further from 0.9 to 1.8% by mass.

When the gel composition contains LM pectin, the mineral preferably contains calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof, more preferably calcium.
When the gel composition contains LM pectin, the content of calcium, magnesium, or a combination thereof in the gel composition is preferably 0.005% by mass from the viewpoint of pectin coagulation (gelling) properties. Above, further 0.01% by mass or more, further 0.02% by mass or more, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel composition with moderate softness and good texture without precipitation of calcium salts and magnesium salts, it is preferable. is 0.1% by mass or less, further 0.08% by mass or less, and further 0.06% by mass or less.
When the gel composition contains LM pectin, the content of calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof in the gel composition is preferably 0.005 to 0.1% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 0.08. % by weight, more preferably 0.02 to 0.06% by weight.

The mass ratio of minerals to gluconic acid [minerals/gluconic acid] in the gel composition is preferably 0.005 or more, more preferably 0.01 or more, more preferably 0.01 or more, from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor with suppressed sourness. 02 or more, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor with suppressed mineral saltiness and harshness, it is preferably 0.2 or less, further 0.1 or less, and furthermore 0.05 or less.
The mass ratio of mineral to gluconic acid [mineral/gluconic acid] in the gel composition is preferably 0.005 to 0.2, more preferably 0.01 to 0.1, more preferably 0.015 to 0.05.

The gel composition has a pH of 2.8 to 6 in an aqueous solution obtained by diluting the gel composition 10 times with water. The pH is preferably 2.8 or more, further 3.0 or more, further 3.2 or more from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor with suppressed sourness, and the saltiness and harshness of minerals can be suppressed. From the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor, it is preferably 6 or less, further 4.5 or less, and further 3.8 or less.
The pH is preferably 2.8-6, further 3.0-4.5, further 3.2-3.8.

When the gel composition contains HM pectin, the pH of an aqueous solution obtained by diluting the gel composition 10 times with water is preferably 2.8 or more from the viewpoint of obtaining a good flavor with suppressed sourness. It is 3.0 or more, further 3.2 or more, and from the viewpoint of obtaining a gel composition with good shape retention, it is preferably 4.5 or less, further 4.0 or less, and further 3.8 or less. be.
The pH is preferably 2.8-4.5, further 3.0-4.0, further 3.2-3.8.

From the viewpoint of controlling microorganisms, the gel composition preferably has a Brix of 65% or more, more preferably 70% or more, even more preferably 75% or more, even more preferably 80% or more, and hardening. From the viewpoint of not too much texture, it is preferably 90% or less, more preferably 89% or less, and even more preferably 88% or less.
Brix is preferably 65-90%, further 70-89%, further 75-88%, further 80-88%. As used herein, "Brix" is a value measured using a sugar refractometer, and is a value corresponding to the mass percentage of an aqueous sucrose solution at 20°C. Specifically, it can be obtained according to the method described in the examples below.

Since the method for producing a gel composition of the present invention can obtain a gel composition containing a large amount of gluconic acids with good shape retention, the storage stability of the gel composition is improved by reducing the water activity. From the viewpoint of improvement, the viewpoint of the flavor of the gel composition, the viewpoint of adjusting the viscosity of the concentrate when performing the concentrate filling step, and the viewpoint of gelling pectin, the following steps (1) to (4):
(1) Step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin (2) Step of mixing the pectin aqueous solution obtained in step (1), gluconic acid, minerals, and carbohydrates to obtain an aqueous solution having a pH of 2.8 to 6. (3) Concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in the step (2) to obtain a concentrated liquid having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more (4) Cooling the concentrated liquid obtained in the step (3) It is preferably a method for producing a gel composition, including steps.

Since the method for producing a gel composition of the present invention can obtain a gel composition containing a large amount of gluconic acids with good shape retention, the storage stability of the gel composition is improved by reducing the water activity. From the viewpoint of improvement, the viewpoint of the flavor of the gel composition, the viewpoint of adjusting the viscosity of the concentrate when performing the filling process of the concentrate, the viewpoint of gelling pectin, and the safety when ingesting a large amount, the following Steps (1) to (4):
(1) Step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin (2) The pectin aqueous solution obtained in step (1), gluconic acid, and one or more minerals selected from sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium and one or more saccharides selected from saccharides, starch hydrolysates and sugar alcohols to obtain an aqueous solution having a pH of 2.8 to 6 (3) obtained in the above step (2) A method for producing a gel composition, comprising a step of concentrating an aqueous solution to obtain a concentrate having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more (4) and a step of cooling the concentrate obtained in the step (3). Preferably.

Since the method for producing a gel composition of the present invention can obtain a gel composition containing a large amount of gluconic acids with good shape retention, the storage stability of the gel composition is improved by reducing the water activity. From the viewpoint of improvement, the viewpoint of the flavor of the gel composition, the viewpoint of adjusting the viscosity of the concentrate when performing the filling process of the concentrate, the viewpoint of gelling pectin, and the safety when ingesting a large amount, the following Steps (1) to (4):
(1) Step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin (2) The pectin aqueous solution obtained in step (1), gluconic acid, and one or more minerals selected from sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium and one or more saccharides selected from saccharides, starch hydrolysates and sugar alcohols to obtain an aqueous solution having a pH of 2.8 to 6 (3) obtained in the above step (2) A method for producing a gel composition, comprising a step of concentrating an aqueous solution to obtain a concentrate having a gluconic acid concentration of 20 to 70% by mass (4) and a step of cooling the concentrate obtained in the step (3). is preferably

In the method for producing a gel composition of the present invention, since a gel composition containing a large amount of gluconic acids with good shape retention can be obtained, the following steps (1) to (4):
(1) Step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing HM pectin (2) Step of mixing the HM pectin aqueous solution obtained in step (1), gluconic acid, and minerals to obtain an aqueous solution having a pH of 2.8 to 4.5. (3) Concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in the step (2) to obtain a concentrated liquid having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more (4) Cooling the concentrated liquid obtained in the step (3) It is preferably a method for producing a gel composition, including steps.

In the method for producing a gel composition of the present invention, since a gel composition containing a large amount of gluconic acids with good shape retention can be obtained, the following steps (1) to (4):
(1) Step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing LM pectin (2) Mixing the aqueous LM pectin solution obtained in step (1) with gluconic acid and minerals containing calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof, pH 2.8 Step (3) of obtaining an aqueous solution of 1 to 6; Step (4) of obtaining a concentrated solution having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more by concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in step (2); It is preferable that the method for producing a gel composition includes the step of cooling the obtained concentrated liquid.

The gel composition of the present invention has good shape retention and a high content of gluconic acids. pH of an aqueous solution obtained by diluting a gel composition 10 times with water, containing pectin, 20 to 70% by mass of gluconic acid, 0.1 to 6% by mass of minerals, and carbohydrates. is preferably 2.8-6.

The gel composition of the present invention has good shape retention, contains a large amount of gluconic acids, and is highly safe when ingested in large amounts. and 0.1 to 6% by mass of minerals and carbohydrates, and an aqueous solution obtained by diluting the gel composition 10 times with water has a pH of 2.8 to 6, and the minerals are sodium, potassium, and calcium. and magnesium, preferably a gel composition.

With respect to the above-described embodiments, the present invention further discloses the following gel composition and method for producing the same.

<1> Next steps (1) to (4):
(1) a step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin; Step (4) of concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in step (2) to obtain a concentrate having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more; and cooling the concentrate obtained in step (3). A method for producing a gel composition.

<2> The degree of esterification of pectin is preferably 25% or more, more preferably 27% or more, still more preferably 29% or more, and is preferably 75% or less, more preferably 67% or less, and still more preferably The method for producing a gel composition according to <1>, which is 63% or less, preferably 25 to 75%, more preferably 27 to 67%, and still more preferably 29 to 63%.
<3> The pectin is LM pectin, and the degree of esterification of the LM pectin is preferably 25% or more, more preferably 27% or more, still more preferably 29% or more, and preferably 40% or less. The gel composition according to <1>, which is preferably 35% or less, more preferably 32% or less, preferably 25 to 40%, more preferably 27 to 35%, and still more preferably 29 to 32%. A method of making things.
<4> The pectin is HM pectin, and the degree of esterification of the HM pectin is preferably 40% or more, more preferably 46% or more, still more preferably 52% or more, and preferably 75% or less. The gel composition according to <1>, which is preferably 67% or less, more preferably 63% or less, preferably 40 to 75%, more preferably 46 to 67%, and still more preferably 52 to 63%. A method of making things.
<5> In the aqueous solution containing pectin, the pectin content is preferably 0.8% by mass or more, more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and still more preferably 1.4% by mass, relative to the mass of the gel composition. % or more, preferably 3.0% by mass or less, more preferably 2.5% by mass or less, still more preferably 2.0% by mass or less, and preferably Any of <1> to <4> to be contained so as to be 0.8 to 3.0% by mass, more preferably 1.2 to 2.5% by mass, more preferably 1.4 to 2.0% by mass 2. A method for producing a gel composition according to 1 above.
<6> Pectin is preferably 0.9 to 7.2% by mass, more preferably 1.4 to 6.0% by mass, and still more preferably 1.7 to 4.8% by mass in an aqueous solution containing pectin. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <5>, which is blended so that
<7> In step (2), the pectin aqueous solution, gluconic acid and minerals are mixed, preferably these three components are mixed at the same time, the pectin aqueous solution and gluconic acid are mixed and then minerals are mixed, or gluconic acid and The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein minerals are mixed in advance and then mixed with an aqueous pectin solution.
<8> The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein the gluconic acid is preferably gluconic acid, gluconodeltalactone, or a combination thereof.
<9> In an aqueous solution of pH 2.8 to 6, gluconic acid is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 22% by mass or more, still more preferably 24% by mass or more, based on the mass of the gel composition. It is preferably contained so as to be 26% by mass or more, and is preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, still more preferably 50% by mass or less, and still more preferably 40% by mass or less. <1> to <8 A method for producing a gel composition according to any one of >.
<10> Blend gluconic acid in an aqueous solution of pH 2.8 to 6, preferably 15 to 56% by mass, more preferably 16 to 48% by mass, still more preferably 17 to 40% by mass <1> A method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <9>.
<11> The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the mineral is preferably one or more selected from sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
<12> The mineral is preferably derived from a buffer, more preferably derived from a gluconate, and still more preferably derived from one or more selected from sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate and calcium gluconate The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <11>.
<13> In the aqueous solution of pH 2.8 to 6, the mineral content is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and still more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, based on the mass of the gel composition. 0.7% by mass or more, more preferably 0.9% by mass or more, preferably 6.0% by mass or less, more preferably 4.2% by mass or less, still more preferably 2.8% by mass % by mass or less, more preferably 2.1 mass % or less, more preferably 1.8 mass % or less, and preferably 0.1 to 6.0 mass %, more preferably 0.5 4.2% by mass, more preferably 0.7 to 2.8% by mass, more preferably 0.9 to 2.1% by mass, more preferably 0.9 to 1.8% by mass The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <12>.
<14> In an aqueous solution with a pH of 2.8 to 6, the mineral content is preferably 0.05 to 5.0% by mass, more preferably 0.35 to 3.5% by mass, and still more preferably 0.65 to 2.0% by mass. %.
<15> In an aqueous solution of pH 2.8 to 6, the mass ratio of minerals to gluconic acid [mineral/gluconic acid] is preferably 0.005 or more, more preferably 0.01 or more, and still more preferably 0.015 or more. is preferably 0.2 or less, more preferably 0.1 or less, still more preferably 0.05 or less, and preferably 0.005 to 0.2, more preferably 0.01 to 0.05. 1. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <14>, more preferably 0.015 to 0.05.
<16> pH of the aqueous solution is preferably 2.9 or higher, more preferably 3.0 or higher, still more preferably 3.2 or higher, and is preferably 5.8 or lower, more preferably 4.5 or lower; More preferably 3.8 or less, and 2.8 to 6, preferably 2.9 to 5.8, more preferably 3.0 to 4.5, still more preferably 3.2 to 3 .8 The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <15>.
<17> The concentration of citric acid in an aqueous solution of pH 2.8 to 6 is preferably 8% by mass or less, more preferably 4% by mass or less, still more preferably 2% by mass or less, and still more preferably substantially 0% by mass. , that is, the method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <16>, which does not contain citric acid.
<18> The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <17>, wherein the aqueous solution having a pH of 2.8 to 6 further contains saccharide.
<19> The saccharide is preferably one or more selected from saccharides, polysaccharides, sugar alcohols, starch hydrolysates and molasses, more preferably 1 selected from saccharides, starch hydrolysates and sugar alcohols Seed or two or more, more preferably one or two or more selected from glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch syrup, corn syrup, honey, maltitol, reduced maltose starch syrup and xylitol, according to <18> A method for producing a gel composition of
<20> In an aqueous solution having a pH of 2.8 to 6, the sugar content is preferably 62% by mass or less, more preferably 57% by mass or less, relative to the mass of the gel composition. is 12% by mass or more, more preferably 13% by mass or more, more preferably 21% by mass or more, preferably 12 to 62% by mass, more preferably 13 to 57% by mass, more preferably The method for producing a gel composition according to <18> or <19>, wherein the content is 21 to 57% by mass.
<21> Concentrate until the solid content of the concentrate obtained by concentrating the aqueous solution is preferably 65% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more, still more preferably 75% by mass or more, and still more preferably 78% by mass. or more, preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 88% by mass or less, even more preferably 86% by mass or less, still more preferably 84% by mass or less, and preferably 65 to 90% by mass, more preferably 70 to 88% by mass, still more preferably 75 to 86% by mass, still more preferably 78 to 84% by mass <1> to <20> Any one of the gels according to any one of <1> to <20> A method of making the composition.
<22> The concentration of gluconic acid in the concentrate is preferably 22% by mass or more, more preferably 24% by mass or more, still more preferably 26% by mass or more, and preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass. % by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, preferably 20 to 70% by mass, more preferably 22 to 60% by mass, still more preferably 24 to 50% by mass, The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <21>, particularly preferably 26 to 40% by mass.
<23> The water content of the concentrated liquid is preferably 35% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, still more preferably 25% by mass or less, even more preferably 22% by mass or less, and preferably 10% by mass. % or more, more preferably 12% by mass or more, still more preferably 14% by mass or more, even more preferably 16% by mass or more, and preferably 10 to 35% by mass, more preferably 12 to 30% by mass, still more preferably is 14 to 25% by mass, and further 16 to 22% by mass, <1> to <22>.
<24> The temperature of the concentrated liquid after cooling is preferably 60°C or lower, more preferably 55°C or lower, still more preferably 50°C or lower, even more preferably 45°C or lower, and preferably 10°C or higher. more preferably 15° C. or higher, more preferably 20° C. or higher, preferably 10 to 60° C., more preferably 15 to 55° C., still more preferably 15 to 50° C., even more preferably 20 to The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <23>, wherein the temperature is 45°C.
<25> The gel composition according to any one of <1> to <24>, wherein the pectin is LM pectin and preferably contains calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof as a mineral, more preferably calcium. Production method.
<26> In an aqueous solution of pH 2.8 to 6, calcium, magnesium, or a combination thereof is preferably 0.005% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, based on the mass of the gel composition, It is more preferably contained in an amount of 0.02% by mass or more, and is preferably 0.1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.08% by mass or less, and still more preferably 0.06% by mass or less. It is contained in an amount of preferably 0.005 to 0.1% by mass, more preferably 0.01 to 0.08% by mass, and still more preferably 0.02 to 0.06% by mass <25 > The method for producing the gel composition according to
<27> The pectin is HM pectin, and the pH of the aqueous solution in step (2) is preferably 2.8 or higher, more preferably 3.0 or higher, still more preferably 3.2 or higher, and preferably 4 .5 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, still more preferably 3.8 or less, preferably 2.8 to 4.5, more preferably 3.0 to 4.0, still more preferably 3.0. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of <1> to <24>, which is 2 to 3.8.

<28> An aqueous solution containing pectin, 20 to 70% by mass of gluconic acid, and 0.1 to 6% by mass of minerals, and having a pH of 2.8 to 6, is obtained by diluting the gel composition 10 times with water. A gel composition.

<29> The content of gluconic acid in the gel composition is 20% by mass or more, preferably 22% by mass or more, more preferably 24% by mass or more, still more preferably 26% by mass or more, and , preferably 70% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, more preferably 50% by mass or less, particularly preferably 40% by mass or less, and preferably 20 to 70% by mass, more preferably 22 to 60% by mass. The gel composition according to <28>, which is 24 to 50% by mass, more preferably 26 to 40% by mass.
<30> The mineral content in the gel composition is 0.1% by mass or more, preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 0.7% by mass or more, and still more preferably 0.9%. % by mass or more and 6.0% by mass or less, preferably 4.2% by mass or less, more preferably 2.8% by mass or less, even more preferably 2.1% by mass or less, still more preferably 1.8% by mass or less, 0.1 to 6.0% by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 4.2% by mass, still more preferably 0.7 to 2.8% by mass, The gel composition according to <28> or <29>, which is more preferably 0.9 to 2.1% by mass, more preferably 0.9 to 1.8% by mass.
<31> The gel composition according to any one of <28> to <30>, wherein the mineral is preferably one or more selected from sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
<32> The mass ratio of minerals to gluconic acid [mineral/gluconic acid] in the gel composition is preferably 0.005 or more, more preferably 0.01 or more, and still more preferably 0.02 or more, and It is preferably 0.2 or less, more preferably 0.1 or less, still more preferably 0.05 or less, more preferably 0.005 to 0.2, more preferably 0.01 to 0.1, still more preferably is 0.015 to 0.05. The gel composition according to any one of <28> to <31>.
<33> The pH of an aqueous solution obtained by diluting the gel composition 10 times with water is 2.8 or higher, preferably 3.0 or higher, more preferably 3.2 or higher, and 6 or lower. , preferably 4.5 or less, more preferably 3.8 or less, and 2.8 to 6, preferably 3.0 to 4.5, more preferably 3.2 to 3.8 The gel composition according to any one of <28> to <32>.
<34> The gel composition according to any one of <28> to <33>, wherein the pectin is LM pectin, and the mineral preferably contains calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof, more preferably calcium.
<35> The content of calcium, magnesium, or a combination thereof in the gel composition is preferably 0.005% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, and still more preferably 0.02% by mass or more Also, preferably 0.1% by mass or less, more preferably 0.08% by mass or less, still more preferably 0.06% by mass or less, and preferably 0.005 to 0.1% by mass, The gel composition according to <34>, which is more preferably 0.01 to 0.08% by mass, still more preferably 0.02 to 0.06% by mass.
<36> The pectin is HM pectin, and an aqueous solution obtained by diluting the gel composition 10-fold with water has a pH of 2.8 or higher, preferably 3.0 or higher, and more preferably 3.2 or higher. , Also preferably 4.5 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, still more preferably 3.8 or less, and preferably 2.8 to 4.5, more preferably 3.0 to 4.0 , and more preferably 3.2 to 3.8, any one of <28> to <33>.
<37> Brix of the gel composition is preferably 65% or more, more preferably 70% or more, still more preferably 75% or more, still more preferably 80% or more, and preferably 90% or less, more preferably is 89% or less, more preferably 88% or less, preferably 65 to 90%, more preferably 70 to 89%, still more preferably 75 to 88%, still more preferably 80 to 88% <28 > to the gel composition according to any one of <36>.

[Measurement of pH]
1 g of the organic acid-containing aqueous solution was sampled and 9 g of water was added. Next, the mixture was heated in a water bath at 80° C. for 10 minutes and then shaken well until the organic acid-containing aqueous solution was uniformly dissolved or dispersed, thereby obtaining a 10-fold diluted solution. After standing in a constant temperature bath at 25° C. for 12 hours or more to stabilize the equilibrium state, the pH was determined using an electrode meter.

[Measurement of Brix]
3 g of the gel composition was sampled and 3 g of water was added. Next, the mixture was heated in a water bath at 80° C. for 10 minutes and then shaken well until the gel composition was uniformly dissolved or dispersed to obtain a 2-fold diluted solution. Since the surface of the gel composition is usually coated with wafers, sucrose, etc., the gel composition is collected from the center, avoiding the surface. In addition, for a gel composition containing different compositions such as paste or powder coated with a gel composition, the collection of the gel composition is performed excluding these different compositions. Furthermore, in the case of a gel composition containing an oil component such as chocolate dispersed in the gel composition, the oil content in the gel composition is measured in advance, and the content of the oil is subtracted from the gel composition. Calculate as the total volume of the collected volume and two-fold dilutions. The fat content can be determined by extracting the lipids released and dispersed in the solution by hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid with a solvent such as diethyl ether or petroleum ether. Digital refractometer: RX-5000i (Atago Co., Ltd.) was used to measure the Brix (%) of the 2-fold diluted solution. The Brix (%) of the gel composition was determined by the following formula.
Brix (%) in gel composition = Brix (%) of 2-fold dilution × (total amount (g) of 2-fold dilution / collected amount (g) of gel composition)

[material]
Glucono deltalactone: Fuji Glucon (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
Sodium gluconate: Helshas A (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
Potassium gluconate: Helshas K (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
Calcium gluconate monohydrate: Calcium gluconate (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
Citric acid (anhydrous): Purified citric acid (anhydrous) (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
Trisodium citrate dihydrate: Purified sodium citrate (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
Tripotassium citrate monohydrate: Purified tripotassium citrate (Fuso Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)
Starch syrup: Koso Syrup S75C (Japan Corn Starch Co., Ltd.)
Reduced maltose starch syrup: Amarti syrup (Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Inc.)
Sucrose: Granulated sugar GHC1 (Mitsui Sugar Co., Ltd.)
Xylitol: XYLISORB700 (Rocket Japan Co., Ltd.)
Pectin (DE70-75): GENU Pectin BB rapid set-J (CP Kelco)
Pectin (DE63-67): GENU Pectin DD slow set-J (CP Kelco)
Pectin (DE58): GENU Pectin 121-J Slow-set (CP Kelco)
Pectin (DE52): GENU Pectin AS confectionery-J (CP Kelco)
Pectin (DE40): GENU Pectin LM-105AS-J (CP Kelco)
Pectin (DE35): GENU Pectin LM-101AS-J (CP Kelco)
Pectin (DE30): GENU Pectin LM-102AS-J (CP Kelco)
Pectin (DE27): GENU Pectin LM-104AS-J (CP Kelco)
MCT oil: Coconard MT (Kao Corporation)
Powder oblate: Obpara J (Ina Food Industry Co., Ltd.)
Flavor: Citrus flavor (Hasegawa Koryo Co., Ltd.)

[Preparation of pectin jelly]
Example 1
According to the formulation table in Table 1, first, add 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE58) to 40 parts by mass of starch syrup and stir well so as not to form lumps, then add 40 parts by mass of water and heat while stirring to boil and dissolve. An aqueous pectin solution was obtained.
Next, 14 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 5.1 parts by mass of sodium gluconate, and 31.2 parts by mass of sucrose were added to this pectin aqueous solution and dissolved by heating while stirring to obtain 132 parts by mass of an organic acid-containing aqueous solution. .
Next, the organic acid-containing aqueous solution was heated to a product temperature of 107° C. and boiled down until the total amount of the organic acid-containing aqueous solution reached 99.6 parts by mass to obtain a concentrated liquid.
A pectin gel solution was obtained by adding 0.4 parts by mass of flavor to the concentrate and stirring well.
A starch mold was filled with 1 mL of the pectin gel solution and dried at 25° C. for 48 hours.
The starch on the surface of the gel-like composition taken out from the starch mold was removed by powder, and after polishing with MCT oil, a powder wafer was sprinkled and the excess powder wafer was removed to obtain a pectin jelly.
Also, 10 g of the pectin gel solution was filled in a cylindrical polypropylene container with a diameter of 40 mm, covered with a lid, and cooled at 25° C. for 7 days to obtain a pectin jelly.

Example 2
A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 28 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone, 10.2 parts by mass of sodium gluconate, and 12.1 parts by mass of sucrose were added.

Example 3
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE58) was added to 30.7 parts by mass of starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated while stirring to boil and dissolve to obtain an aqueous pectin solution. rice field.
Next, pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 42 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone and 15.3 parts by mass of sodium gluconate were added to this pectin aqueous solution.

Example 4
A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 3, except that 18 parts by mass of starch syrup, 49 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone, and 17.8 parts by mass of sodium gluconate were added.

Example 5
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE58) was added to 40 parts by mass of reduced maltose starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated with stirring to boil and dissolve to obtain an aqueous pectin solution. rice field.
Next, pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 28 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone, 10.2 parts by mass of sodium gluconate, and 12.1 parts by mass of xylitol were added to this pectin aqueous solution.

Examples 6-9
A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the pectin shown in Table 1 was used and 28 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone, 10.2 parts by mass of sodium gluconate, and 12.1 parts by mass of sucrose were added. .

Example 10
In the same manner as in Example 1, except that 28 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 9.6 parts by mass of sodium gluconate, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate, and 12.1 parts by mass of sucrose were added. A pectin jelly was obtained.

Examples 11-15
Using the pectin shown in Table 1, 28 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 9.6 parts by mass of sodium gluconate, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate, and 12.1 parts by mass of sucrose were added. A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that

Example 16
A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 28 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone, 11.0 parts by mass of potassium gluconate, and 12.1 parts by mass of sucrose were added.

Example 17
A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that pectin (DE40) was used and 28 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone, 11.0 parts by mass of potassium gluconate, and 11.3 parts by mass of sucrose were added.

Example 18
In the same manner as in Example 1, except that 28 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone, 10.3 parts by mass of potassium gluconate, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate, and 12.1 parts by mass of sucrose were added. A pectin jelly was obtained.

Example 19
Except for using pectin (DE40) and adding 28 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 10.3 parts by mass of potassium gluconate, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate, and 11.4 parts by mass of sucrose , pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1.

Example 20
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE58) was added to 16.3 parts by mass of starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated while stirring to boil and dissolve to obtain an aqueous pectin solution. rice field.
Next, pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 49 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone and 19.1 parts by mass of potassium gluconate were added to this pectin aqueous solution.

Example 21
Pectin in the same manner as in Example 1 except that pectin (DE40) was used and 23.3 parts by mass of potassium gluconate, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate, and 26.4 parts by mass of sucrose were added. Got jelly.

Example 22
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE35) was added to 29.2 parts by mass of starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated while stirring to boil and dissolve to obtain an aqueous pectin solution. rice field.
Next, in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 42 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 15.8 parts by mass of potassium gluconate, and 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate were added to the pectin aqueous solution. A pectin jelly was obtained.

Example 23
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE35) was added to 40 parts by mass of starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated to boil and dissolve with stirring to obtain an aqueous pectin solution.
Next, 28 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 10.6 parts by mass of potassium gluconate, 0.3 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate, and 11.4 parts by mass of sucrose were added to this pectin aqueous solution. obtained pectin jelly in the same manner as in Example 22.

Example 24
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE35) was added to 16.3 parts by mass of starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated while stirring to boil and dissolve to obtain an aqueous pectin solution. rice field.
Next, pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 22, except that 49 parts by mass of gluconodeltalactone and 18.5 parts by mass of potassium gluconate were added to this pectin aqueous solution.

Example 25
Using pectin (DE35), 17.7 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate/monohydrate, 6 parts by mass of trisodium citrate/dihydrate, 26.8 parts by mass of sucrose A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 1 part was added.

Example 26
Using pectin (DE35), 35.9 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate/monohydrate, 12 parts by mass of trisodium citrate/dihydrate, 3.3 parts by mass of sucrose A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 1 part was added.

Comparative example 1
According to the recipe in Table 4, a general pectin jelly production method, that is, a pectin jelly is produced in the order of adding an aqueous solution of gluconic acids after heating and concentrating an aqueous sugar-containing pectin solution in which starch syrup and sucrose are dissolved. Tried.
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE58) was added to 40 parts by mass of starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated to boil and dissolve with stirring to obtain an aqueous pectin solution.
Next, 31.2 parts by mass of sucrose was added to this pectin aqueous solution to obtain a saccharide-containing pectin aqueous solution. In order to obtain gummy candies, it is necessary to evaporate water, but since pectin is decomposed by acid, it is necessary to heat and concentrate before adding acid, and 51.5 parts by mass of water is evaporated from this sugar-containing pectin aqueous solution. I tried to do this, but it was difficult, so I stopped the operation. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative example 2
A saccharide-containing pectin aqueous solution was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that 12.1 parts by mass of sucrose was heated and dissolved. As in Comparative Example 1, an attempt was made to evaporate 70.6 parts by mass of water from this saccharide-containing pectin aqueous solution, but the operation was interrupted due to difficulty. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative example 3
A saccharide-containing pectin aqueous solution was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that 28.6 parts by mass of sucrose was heated and dissolved. As in Comparative Example 1, an attempt was made to evaporate 55.9 parts by mass of water from this saccharide-containing pectin aqueous solution, but the operation was interrupted due to difficulty. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative example 4
A saccharide-containing pectin aqueous solution was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1, except that 6.2 parts by mass of sucrose was heated and dissolved. As in Comparative Example 1, an attempt was made to evaporate 80.9 parts by mass of water from this saccharide-containing pectin aqueous solution, but the operation was interrupted due to difficulty. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative example 5
According to the formulation table in Table 4, first, add 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE58) to 40 parts by mass of starch syrup and stir well so as not to form lumps, then add 40 parts by mass of water and heat while stirring to boil and dissolve. An aqueous pectin solution was obtained.
Next, pectin jelly in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 15 parts by mass of citric acid, 7.6 parts by mass of trisodium citrate dihydrate, and 28.6 parts by mass of sucrose were added to this pectin aqueous solution. got

Comparative example 6
A pectin jelly was obtained in the same manner as in Comparative Example 5, except that 28 parts by mass of citric acid (anhydrous), 18.3 parts by mass of trisodium citrate dihydrate, and 6.2 parts by mass of sucrose were added.

Comparative example 7
An attempt was made to obtain a pectin jelly in the same manner as in Comparative Example 5, except that 29 parts by mass of citric acid (anhydrous), 18.5 parts by mass of tripotassium citrate monohydrate, and 2.8 parts by mass of sucrose were added. However, in the step of drying the pectin gel solution on a starch mold at 25° C. for 48 hours, crystals were precipitated, and a gel composition could not be obtained. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative example 8
An attempt was made to obtain a pectin jelly in the same manner as in Comparative Example 7 except that pectin (DE35) was used and 0.6 parts by weight of calcium gluconate monohydrate and 2.2 parts by weight of sucrose were added. In the step of drying the gel solution on a starch mold at 25° C. for 48 hours, crystals were precipitated and a gel composition could not be obtained. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative example 9
First, 1.7 parts by mass of pectin (DE35) was added to 40 parts by mass of starch syrup and stirred well so as not to form lumps, and then 40 parts by mass of water was added and heated to boil and dissolve with stirring to obtain an aqueous pectin solution.
Next, 0.6 parts by mass of calcium gluconate monohydrate, 15 parts by mass of citric acid (anhydrous), 7.6 parts by mass of trisodium citrate dihydrate, and 28 parts by mass of sucrose were added to the pectin aqueous solution. was added and dissolved by heating while stirring to obtain 132.9 parts by mass of an organic acid-containing aqueous solution.
Next, the entire organic acid-containing aqueous solution was boiled down to 99.6 parts by mass to obtain a concentrate.
A pectin gel solution was obtained by adding 0.4 parts by mass of flavor to the concentrate and stirring well.
An attempt was made to fill the starch mold with the pectin gel solution, but gelation began during filling, and the operation was interrupted. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative example 10
An attempt was made to obtain a pectin jelly in the same manner as in Comparative Example 9 (13), except that 29 parts by weight of citric acid (anhydrous), 16.8 parts by weight of trisodium citrate dihydrate, and 6 parts by weight of sucrose were added. However, the viscosity increased during filling, making it difficult to continue filling, and the operation was discontinued. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

Comparative Examples 11 and 12
First, according to the recipe in Table 5, 1.75 parts by mass of pectin (DE58) was added to 40 parts by mass of water, and the mixture was stirred well so as not to form lumps, then heated to boil and dissolve to obtain an aqueous pectin solution. The pH of the pectin aqueous solution at this time was 3.26.
Next, 40 parts by mass of starch syrup, 30 parts by mass of sucrose, and 1 part by mass of trisodium citrate dihydrate were added to the pectin aqueous solution and dissolved by heating while stirring to obtain a buffer-containing aqueous solution. The pH of the buffer-containing aqueous solution at this time was 5.74.
Next, 13.6 parts by mass or 18.2 parts by mass of glucono delta lactone was added to this buffer-containing aqueous solution and dissolved by heating while stirring to obtain an acidifying agent-containing aqueous solution. At this time, the pH of the acidifying agent-containing aqueous solution was 2.8 or less. An attempt was made to obtain a concentrate by boiling down this acidifying agent-containing aqueous solution to a total volume of 99.6 parts by mass. Therefore, pectin jelly could not be produced.

[Evaluation of pectin jelly]
(1) Evaluation of shape retention The evaluated invention product and comparative product were removed from the starch mold and the starch on the surface of the gel composition was removed by powder, polished with MCT oil, and then sprinkled with powder wafer to remove excess powder wafer. One grain of pectin jelly obtained by powder removal was put in a bag made of aluminum laminate film (PET12/PE15/AL7/PE20/PE60) and stored at 25° C. for 5 days.
Four specialist panels visually observed the pectin jelly of the present invention product and the comparative product, and if the grains adhered to the film inside the bag, a spatula was applied to the boundary between the grains and the film to lift the grains. By gradually applying force and peeling from the film, evaluation was performed in the following four stages. A score was determined based on discussions among four persons.
(Shape retention)
4: No deformation of grains, can be peeled from the film 3: Deformation of grains, but can be peeled from the film 2: Deformation of grains, can not be peeled from the film (deposits remain on the film)
1: Does not gel when cooled on starch mold

(2) Measurement of shape-retaining force The invention products and comparative products evaluated were those stored at 25°C for 7 days in a cylindrical polypropylene container with a lid.
Evaluation was performed by measuring the pectin jelly of the present invention product and the comparative product with a texture analyzer (small desktop tester EZ-SX, manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation). The measurement site was a flat site on the surface of the pectin jelly, and the average value of the measured values at three different sites was taken. A cylindrical probe with a diameter of 5 mm was used to penetrate at an penetration distance of 1 mm and an penetration speed of 1 mm/s, and the stress value (g) after this state was maintained for 30 seconds was taken as the shape retention force (g).

Tables 1 to 5 show the composition of the pectin jelly, the analytical values or theoretical values of the pectin jelly, and the evaluation results.

As is clear from Tables 1 to 3, according to the production method of the present invention, even if a large amount of gluconic acid is blended, no problem is observed in producing pectin jelly, and the pectin jelly has good shape retention. was obtained (Examples 1-26).

Claims (13)

The following steps (1)-(4):
(1) a step of obtaining an aqueous solution containing pectin; Step (4) of concentrating the aqueous solution obtained in step (2) to obtain a concentrate having a gluconic acid concentration of 20% by mass or more; and cooling the concentrate obtained in step (3). A method for producing a gel composition. 2. The method for producing a gel composition according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous solution with a pH of 2.8 to 6 further contains sugar. 3. The method for producing a gel composition according to claim 1, wherein the mineral is one or more selected from sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. 4. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mineral is derived from gluconate. 5. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pectin is HM pectin and the aqueous solution in step (2) has a pH of 2.8 to 4.5. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pectin is LM pectin and the mineral in step (2) contains calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the content of gluconic acid in the gel composition is 20 to 70% by mass. The method for producing a gel composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the gel composition is pectin jelly. A gel containing pectin, 20 to 70% by mass of gluconic acid, and 0.1 to 6% by mass of minerals, and having a pH of 2.8 to 6 in an aqueous solution obtained by diluting a gel composition 10 times with water. composition. 10. The gel composition according to claim 9, wherein the mineral is one or more selected from sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. 11. The gel composition according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the pectin is HM pectin, and an aqueous solution obtained by diluting the gel composition 10 times with water has a pH of 2.8 to 4.5. 11. The gel composition according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the pectin is LM pectin and the mineral comprises calcium, magnesium or a combination thereof. The gel composition according to any one of claims 9 to 12, which is pectin jelly.