JP2023146936A - Method for manufacturing chick-pea liquid food/beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a processing technology that can impart a taste having suppressed unpleasantness to a food/beverage containing chick-pea.SOLUTION: A chick-pea liquid food/beverage obtained by a method for manufacturing chick-pea liquid food/beverage that includes an enzyme treatment step of treating a liquid composition containing crushed chick-pea with α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase and pectinase, but does not include a protease treatment step has a taste having suppressed unpleasantness.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a liquid chickpea food or drink. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing a chickpea liquid food/beverage product with suppressed unpleasant taste.

In recent years, people's environmental awareness and health awareness have been increasing due to the progress of global warming and changes in lifestyles due to the spread of infectious diseases. For this reason, plant-based foods and drinks, such as plant-based milk, are attracting attention as substitutes for animal milk.

A variety of plants are used as raw materials for plant-based food and beverages, one example of which is chickpea. Chickpeas are not only high in carbohydrates, but also contain a good balance of fat and protein, making them a food ingredient that not only has nutritional value but is also suitable for processing. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a mayonnaise emulsified food using chickpeas, and specifically, a mayonnaise emulsified food in which sugar is essentially 60% by weight based on the total weight of the mayonnaise emulsified food. % to 80% by weight of oil, 10% to 30% by weight of water based on the total weight of the mayonnaise emulsified food product, and 1 to 5% by weight of a chickpea protein product based on the total weight of the mayonnaise emulsified food product. , optionally with one or more of vinegar, salt, lemon concentrate, or sugar, wherein the oil and water form an emulsion, wherein the chickpea protein product The chickpea protein product is configured to be an emulsifying agent. On the other hand, liquid foods and drinks based on chickpeas are rare worldwide.

When commercializing plant-based liquid foods and drinks, various treatments such as enzyme treatment are usually performed for the purpose of imparting a smooth texture. On the other hand, such processing may bring out unpleasant tastes such as bitterness, roughness, and astringency. For this reason, it is not easy to produce plant-based liquid foods and drinks with good taste.

For example, Patent Document 2 describes a rice saccharified liquid with a smooth texture and a clean taste that can be used for general purposes in liquid foods such as rice milk, and has an amino acid concentration of 0.12 to 0. It is disclosed that the content is adjusted to .45% by mass. This rice saccharification liquid is obtained, for example, by treating rice milk with amylase and endo-type protease.

International Publication No. WO2018/122607 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-180249

When the present inventor attempted to produce a liquid food/beverage product based on chickpeas, the inventor encountered the problem of unpleasant tastes such as bitterness, coarse taste, and astringency.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a processing technique that can impart a taste with suppressed unpleasantness to food and drink products containing whole chickpeas.

As a result of extensive studies, the present inventor has discovered that by treating a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas with α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, and pectinase without using protease, the present inventors can produce chickpeas with excellent taste suppression effects. It has been found that a bean liquid food/beverage product can be obtained. The present invention was completed through further studies based on this knowledge.

That is, the present invention provides the inventions of the following aspects.
Item 1. A method for producing a liquid chickpea food and drink product, which includes an enzyme treatment step of treating a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas with α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, and pectinase, but does not include a protease treatment step.
Item 2. Item 2. The manufacturing method according to Item 1, wherein the liquid composition has a pH of 6.3 to 7.5 at 25°C.
Item 3. Item 3. The production method according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the enzyme treatment step is performed in the presence of a salt of a weak acid and a strong base.
Item 4. Item 4. The production method according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein the chickpea is a whole chickpea.
Item 5. According to any one of Items 1 to 4, the particle size of the crushed chickpea product is 30 to 80 μm at a cumulative particle size of 95% of the volume from the small particle size side in a particle size distribution curve determined by a laser diffraction scattering method. manufacturing method.
Item 6. Item 5. The manufacturing method according to any one of Items 1 to 5, further comprising a homogenizing step of homogenizing at 30 to 80 MPa.
Section 7. A chickpea liquid food or drink obtained by the production method described in Items 1 to 6.

According to the present invention, a processing technique is provided that can impart a taste with suppressed unpleasantness to a food or drink containing chickpeas.

2 shows the pH change during enzyme treatment of the whole chickpea liquid food and drink prepared in the test example.

The method for producing liquid chickpea food and drink products of the present invention is characterized by including an enzyme treatment step of treating a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas with α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, and pectinase without using protease. shall be. Hereinafter, the method for producing the chickpea liquid food/beverage product of the present invention will be described in detail.

1. Enzyme Treatment Step In the enzyme treatment step, a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas is treated with α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, and pectinase.

1-1. Liquid Composition In the present invention, a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas and having a predetermined pH is used as a material for a chickpea liquid food/beverage product.

The parts of chickpeas used in the present invention are not particularly limited. Specifically, the parts obtained by dehulling chickpeas (this part is also referred to as "whole chickpeas" in this specification), and the parts obtained by scraping the surface of chickpeas ( As for the part, both the skin of the chickpea and the surface part of the whole chickpea are removed), and preferably the whole chickpea is used. Moreover, the crushed chickpeas used are those that have been subjected to a known heating and deodorizing treatment, which is usually performed to reduce the unique grassy odor.

The liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas is not particularly limited as long as the crushed chickpeas are dissolved and/or dispersed in water. Specific examples of the liquid composition include a liquid obtained by dispersing dry powder of chickpeas in water, and a liquid obtained by crushing and dispersing chickpeas in water.

The pH at 25° C. of the liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 6.3 to 7.5. From the viewpoint of further improving the sarcastic taste suppressing effect of liquid chickpea food and drinks, the pH is preferably 6.5 to 7.5, more preferably 6.6 to 7, and still more preferably 6.65 to 6.9. , more preferably 6.7 to 6.8. Alternatively, from the viewpoint of improving the flavor and/or aroma of the chickpea liquid food/drink, the pH is preferably 6.6 to 7.5, more preferably 6.8 to 7.5, and even more preferably is 6.9 to 7.5, more preferably 7.0 to 7.5, 7.0 to 7.3, or 7.0 to 7.2.

In order to adjust to the above-mentioned preferred pH, an alkaline agent may be added as appropriate. Preferred examples of alkaline agents include salts of weak acids and strong bases. That is, the enzyme treatment step can be performed in the presence of a salt of a weak acid and a strong base. Examples of salts of weak acids and strong bases include alkali metal hydrogen carbonates, alkali metal phosphates, alkali metal citrates, and more specifically, sodium hydrogen carbonate, tripotassium phosphate, citric acid, and the like. Examples include trisodium acid. These alkaline agents may be used alone or in combination.

The particle size of crushed chickpeas is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of further improving the smoothness of the liquid chickpea food and drink, it is preferably the cumulative volume from the small particle size side in the particle size distribution curve determined by laser diffraction scattering method. The particle size of 95% is 30-80 μm.

The content of crushed chickpeas in a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 5 to 25% by weight, preferably 10 to 20% by weight, more preferably 11.5 to 16% by weight. Can be mentioned.

1-2. Enzymes In the present invention, a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas is treated with four types of enzymes: α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, and pectinase.

1-2-1. α-amylase α-amylase is not particularly limited, but includes Aspergillus genus [for example, Aspergillus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, etc.], Alcaligenes ) [e.g., Alcaligenes latus, etc.], the genus Arthrobacter, the genus Bacillus [e.g., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus licheniformis, etc.] ], the genus Slufolobus [e.g., Slufolobus solfataricus, etc.], and the genus Thermomonospora [e.g., Thermomonospora viridis, etc.]. Can be mentioned. These α-amylases may be used alone or in combination. Among these α-amylases, α-amylase derived from the genus Bacillus is preferred, and α-amylase derived from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is more preferred.

The amount of α-amylase used is not particularly limited as long as it produces the effects of the present invention, and is appropriately determined depending on the degree of desired effect. For example, the amount used per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas. , for example, 70 KNU or more, preferably 80 KNU or more, more preferably 90 KNU or more, and even more preferably 95 KNU or more. The upper limit of the amount of α-amylase used is not particularly limited, but examples include 200 KNU or less, 150 KNU or less, or 100 KNU or less per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas.

Regarding the activity of α-amylase, 1 KNU is the amount of enzyme that decomposes 5260 mg of soluble starch (eg Merck Amylum soluble) per hour under the conditions of 37° C., 0.0003 M Ca ²⁺ and pH 5.6.

1-2-2. Glucoamylase Glucoamylase is not particularly limited, but includes glucoamylase derived from fungi, such as the genus Aspergillus and the genus Rhizopus. These glucoamylases may be used alone or in combination.

The amount of glucoamylase used is not particularly limited as long as it achieves the effects of the present invention, and is appropriately determined depending on the degree of desired effect, but for example, the amount used per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas, For example, 30 AGU or more, preferably 40 AGU or more, more preferably 45 AGU or more, still more preferably 50 AGU or more. The upper limit of the amount of glucoamylase used is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 80 AGU or less, 70 AGU or less, or 60 AGU or less per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas.

The activity of glucoamylase was determined by hydrolyzing 1 μmol of maltose per minute in 0.1M acetate buffer at 37°C, pH 4.3, maltose starting concentration 100mM, and reaction time 6 minutes. The amount of enzyme that produces D-glucose is 1 AGU.

1-2-3. Cellulases Cellulases are not particularly limited, but include those of the Aspergillus genus [e.g., Aspergillus cellulolyticus, Aspergillus aculeatus, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus niger] etc.], the genus Humicola [e.g., Humicola insolens, etc.], the genus Tricoderma [e.g., Tricoderma koningii, Tricoderma longibrackiatumn, Trichoderma reesei] (Tricoderma reesei, Tricoderma viride, etc.), Corticium genus, Irpex genus, Pycnoporus genus [e.g. Pycnoporus coccineus, etc.], Bacillus ) [eg, Bacillus circulans or Bacillus subtilis]. These cellulases may be used alone or in combination. Among these cellulases, cellulases derived from the genus Trichoderma are preferred, and cellulases derived from Trichoderma reesei are more preferred.

The amount of cellulase used is not particularly limited as long as the effect of the present invention is achieved, and is appropriately determined depending on the degree of desired effect. For example, the amount used per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas, Examples include 100 EGU or more, preferably 200 EGU or more, more preferably 250 EGU or more, and still more preferably 300 EGU or more. The upper limit of the amount of cellulase used is not particularly limited, but examples include 800 EGU or less, 700 EGU or less, or 650 EGU or less per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas.

For cellulase activity, 10 ml of substrate solution containing 34.0 g of carboxymethyl cellulose (Hercules 7LFD) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) and 0.5 ml of enzyme solution were mixed, and the temperature was set at 40°C. 1 EGU is the amount of enzyme that reduces the initial viscosity by half under these conditions when transferred to a vibratory viscometer (for example MIVI 3000 from Sofraser, France).

1-2-4. Pectinase Pectinases are not particularly limited, but include those of the Aspergillus genus [e.g., Aspergillus aculeatus, Aspergillus alliaceus, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus japonicus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus pulverulentus, Aspergillus usamii, etc.], Rhizopus genus [e.g., Rhizopus oryzae, etc.], Tricoderma genus, Examples include pectinases derived from the genus Bacillus [eg, Bacillus subtilis, etc.], the genus Corticium, and the genus Trichosporon. These pectinases may be used singly or in combination. Among these pectinases, pectinases derived from the genus Aspergillus are preferred, and pectinases derived from Aspergillus aculetas are more preferred.

The amount of pectinase used is not particularly limited as long as it produces the effects of the present invention, and is appropriately determined depending on the degree of desired effect. For example, the amount used per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas, Examples include 900 PGNU or more, preferably 1100 PGNU or more, and more preferably 1300 PGNU or more. The upper limit of the amount of pectinase used is not particularly limited, but examples include, for example, 2500 PGNU or less, 2000 PGNU or less, or 1500 PGNU or less per 100 g of dry weight of crushed chickpeas.

For pectinase activity, 1 PGNU is the amount of enzyme required to release 1 micromole of galacturonic acid per minute from polygalacturonic acid in acetate buffer at pH 4.5 and 40°C.

1-3. Reaction conditions etc. In the enzyme treatment step, a liquid composition of a predetermined pH containing crushed chickpeas, α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase and pectinase, and a protease and/or an alkaline agent added as necessary are included. By subjecting the reaction mixture to a predetermined processing temperature and a predetermined processing time, a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas has the desired properties (nourishing, smoothness, etc.) while suppressing the unpleasant taste. , aroma, and/or milkiness, etc.).

The reaction mixture can usually be prepared by adding crushed chickpeas or a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas to an aqueous solution containing enzymes and the like.

The order in which each enzyme is added is not particularly limited, and each enzyme may be allowed to act sequentially in any order, or all enzymes may be made to act simultaneously, but it is preferable that all enzymes be made to act simultaneously. can.

The treatment temperature is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined by those skilled in the art depending on the optimum temperature of the enzyme used and/or the thermal properties of the liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas, but for example, ℃, preferably 45 to 55°C, more preferably 48 to 52°C.

The processing time is not particularly limited, and may be determined as appropriate depending on the preparation scale of the liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas, for example, 30 minutes or more, preferably 1 hour or more, more preferably 2 hours or more. , more preferably 2.5 hours or more. The upper limit of the range of treatment time is not particularly limited, but includes, for example, 12 hours or less, 6 hours or less, or 3.5 hours or less.

After the reaction, the enzyme may be appropriately inactivated at a high temperature. The conditions for the high-temperature inactivation treatment are not particularly limited as long as the enzyme activity is lost, but include, for example, 95 to 100°C for 3 to 10 minutes.

2. Homogenization Step The production method of the present invention can further include a homogenization step from the viewpoint of further improving the smoothness of the chickpea liquid food/beverage product. In the homogenization step, a predetermined homogeneous pressure may be applied to the reaction mixture after the enzyme treatment step. The homogeneous pressure is not particularly limited, but includes, for example, 30 to 80 MPa, preferably 40 to 75 MPa, and more preferably 50 to 70 MPa.

3. Other Steps Although the production method of the present invention does not include a protease treatment step, in addition to the enzyme treatment step and homogenization step described above, any steps other than the protease treatment step may be carried out in order to obtain the final form of the chickpea liquid food/beverage product. may be included as appropriate. Other processes include a pH adjustment process, a cooling process, a seasoning process, a coloring process, a perfume process, a drying process (for example, freeze drying, vacuum drying, spray drying, etc.). The pH adjustment step includes adjustment to lower the pH adjusted with an alkaline agent in the enzyme treatment step, and specifically, adjustment using a weak acid such as citric acid (crystalline citric acid, anhydrous citric acid) and acetic acid. It will be done.

Note that the production method of the present invention generally does not include steps for removing solid components of chickpeas, such as filtration and solid-liquid separation.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to Examples, but the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following Examples.

[Enzyme used]
Details of each component used in the enzyme treatment step of the test example are shown below.

(1) Preparation of whole-grain chickpea liquid food and drink Add the enzymes shown in Table 2, or enzymes and alkaline agents to 50°C warm water, and then add whole-grain chickpea powder (heated and deodorized). , a reaction mixture was prepared. The amounts of each component in the reaction mixture are shown in Table 2. The pH of the reaction mixture at 25° C. was measured using a pH meter D-51 manufactured by Horiba, Ltd. The reaction mixture was kept at 50° C. for 3 hours and subjected to enzyme treatment. Thereafter, the temperature was raised to 99°C and maintained for 6 minutes to inactivate the enzyme. Thereafter, homogenization treatment was performed at a homogenization pressure of about 60 MPa using a high-pressure homogenizer (LAB40) manufactured by GAULIN. As a result, a whole-grain chickpea liquid food/beverage product (whole-grain chickpea milk) was obtained. In Example 2, after the enzyme was deactivated and before the homogenization treatment, the pH was adjusted to 7.01 by adding anhydrous citric acid.

(2) pH change During the enzyme treatment, the pH at 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes, and 180 minutes was measured using a pH meter D-51 manufactured by Horiba, Ltd. The results are shown in Figure 1.

(3) Physical property test The following physical property test was conducted on the reaction mixture immediately after enzyme inactivation (before homogenization treatment). The results are shown in Table 2.

(3-1) Brix value (Brix value)
The Brix value was measured using a refractometer RA-620 manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Industry Co., Ltd. Specifically, the content of water-soluble solids in the sample was expressed relative to the Brix value of a 15% by weight aqueous sucrose solution of 15 (reference).

(3-2) Glucose value A measurement sample was prepared by appropriately diluting the above reaction mixture with water. Value converted from the value measured by Kyoritsu Rikagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd.'s Digital Pack Test (4-aminoantipyrine spectrophotometry using an enzyme) using the Pack Test "Glucose" (model WAK-GLU). was defined as the glucose value (mg/L).

(4) Sensory test Regarding the obtained whole-grain chickpea liquid food and drink (whole-grain chickpea milk), five trained men and women aged 25 to 55 years old were selected as panelists to evaluate the taste (bitterness, astringency, and/or taste). Based on the following criteria, the product will be graded based on the following criteria: suppression of off-flavors, nourishment (depth of flavor associated with complexity of flavor), smoothness, aroma (scent of raw materials), and degree of milk-likeness (similarity to animal milk). , the average value (rounded to the second decimal place) was calculated. Furthermore, the sum of each average value was derived as a comprehensive evaluation. The results are shown in Table 2.
5: Very good 4: Good 3: Neutral 2: Bad 1: Very bad

As shown in Table 2, when treated with α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, and pectinase without using protease, there was a marked improvement in the sarcastic taste suppression effect, a marked improvement in the nutritious taste, smoothness, and aroma. , and improved milk-like taste, and had overall excellent sensory characteristics (Examples 1 and 2). Furthermore, in the case of Example 2, although the sarcastic taste suppression effect and smoothness were slightly inferior to Example 1, the flavor and aroma were further significantly improved, and the overall result was equivalent to that of Example 1. It had excellent organoleptic properties.

Claims (7)

A method for producing a liquid chickpea food and drink product, which includes an enzyme treatment step of treating a liquid composition containing crushed chickpeas with α-amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, and pectinase, but does not include a protease treatment step. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid composition has a pH of 6.3 to 7.5 at 25°C. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the enzyme treatment step is performed in the presence of a salt of a weak acid and a strong base. The production method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the chickpea is a whole chickpea. According to any one of claims 1 to 4, the particle size of the crushed chickpea product is 30 to 80 μm at a particle size of 95% of the cumulative volume from the small particle size side in a particle size distribution curve determined by a laser diffraction scattering method. Manufacturing method described. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a homogenizing step of homogenizing at 30 to 80 MPa. A chickpea liquid food or drink obtained by the production method according to claims 1 to 6.